Camp ThunderClan midnight talks // juniper

[Copperstorm]

You walk along the edge of danger
AND IT WILL CHANGE YOU

.

Though he knew Juniperstar now led them all, he still saw her as the cat from back in the colony. She hadn't asked for the crown or the burdens that came with it. The tug-of-war between her children, the constant pressure... He couldn't help but wonder how much more ache it would cause if it happened again. Love was free, yes, cats could choose whom they gave their hearts to. But maybe... maybe things would be simpler if both sides lived under the same roof. The same clan. A place where both parents could raise their kits together.

The thought of kits made his breath hitch, just a little. A flicker of longing sparked in his chest, brief but undeniable. Dewshine. The image of her drifted through his mind before he shook it away. ' That's not why you're here. ' Besides, he had the other three now. And truthfully... they were plenty of work. He found he loved them, deeply. Maybe even like a parent would. He just prayed he wasn't turning into his own father.

He stepped forward, soft paws brushing over the earth, and gently nudged Juniperstar's shoulder. " Juni? " he asked quietly, voice low and warm. " Sorry to bother you this late, I just... " He hesitated, eyes flicking over her with quiet concern before tilting his head slightly. " I worry. About you. How you're holding up with... everything. Don't feel like you have to be untouchable, or put together all the time. You're still a living being, after all... Startouched or not. " He paused, gaze steady, gentle.

" So... honestly. How are you doing? "

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

33 MOONS

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@juniperstar

 

[juniperstar juniperstar]

juniper

the quiet hours are few and far between... haunted by the flightiness of circumstance. there are wars to prevent, borders to protect, cats to hurry after for fear of losing them. Even outside of her locus of control were those she hoped for. her children, a love once cherished so tightly and now so fragmented it was a wonder the string hadn't snapped entirely.... or maybe it had? and she'd just been holding the ends hoping they'd pull themselves back together again.

she blinks and time has passed... not enough to be concerning... but enough that it surprises her that it had lasted, uninterrupted. that is, until the soft voice of someone familiar calls to her. the spotted tabby turns to face Copperstorm, waving a paw to dismiss his apology; to be attended to at even odd hours isn't really a burden... not when it reaffirms that her clan trusts her. that they still recognize her as something more than just a leader.

maybe she should've expected this sort of question... should've prepared herself for how to answer it. her jaw hangs open slightly, reeling through recent events and how to categorize the emotions that wrap around each of them- there's not a good answer. "It's... a lot," is the best way to summarize it. she isn't willing to lie about that much, not when she knows someone else will take her place someday and wear all the same pains.

"I was hoping, with time, it would get easier," her shoulders lift to shrug, disappointed but not entirely surprised. "But it's not that simple I guess."

──✩°｡⋆⸜ ✮

• juniperstar leader of thunderclan eight lives remain

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