Private StarClan my little molotov, just leave the door unlocked // rowanpaw

[COFFEESTAR]

The lands between darkness and mist parted with starlight as they descended to where Rowanpaw lay. An outstretched paw gently pressed between the apprentice's ears, luring her upward until she finally rose to the stars beside the fluffy tabby. Coffeestar had brought Rowanpaw with her to the perfect imitation of SkyClan's territory, though bathed in stardust it appeared no different than the home Swallowpaw padded through. Tall pines towered over them and stretched into the glimmering light above, and Coffeestar herself shined with her own smile as the ThunderClanner stirred.

"Wow, it's so wonderful to finally meet you! I'm Coffeestar, once-leader of SkyClan. You might have heard of me?" The molly beamed in no attempt to hide the excitement in meeting Rowanpaw. Her tail held itself high over her back in a grand display of confidence, ready to bestow a worthy blessing for the apprentice's bold courage. "StarClan has seen the efforts you place in your Clan, and how that has extended across your fellow medicine cats- you and Swallowpaw have made good work. Having you all here... it looks just like the stories told."

@rowanpaw

 

[rowanpaw]

☆ Rowanpaw is not sure what to expect when she lies down next to the moonstone. The things she'd heard about when the starry cats descended after the battle were vague second hand tales at best, and the only Starclan cat she'd actually seen herself was her father, Thornstar. And even that had been far too brief an encounter. She wished desperately to return to that place, the place of stars, of beauty and goodness. So when she presses her nose to the stone and closes her eyes, that's where she wishes to go. Who she wishes to see.

A cool breeze washes over her and she blinks her eyes open, staring at her surroundings mesmerized. Was this the full extent of Starclan's powers? Not just a field of stars, but forests, cliffs, rivers? A voice speaks up, startling her out of her trance. It's not her father, but someone familiar to her if only by name– Coffeestar. The former leader of Skyclan, the cat who had led them to the place they call their home, gave them their name… and she seems excited to meet Rowan?

"Co– Coffeestar?" She whispers, as if still not quite believing it. "Yes, I… I've heard of you. You were the one who came to us after the battle. You spoke to my father…"

Her cheeks heat up slightly at the praise, and she shuffles her paws awkwardly. "I… Thank you…" Her long fluffy tail curls around her paws to try and stop them from moving. "The stories?" She asks. "You mean, from before…? The clans that came before us– would they meet like this too…?" Instinctively, she looks down, as if trying to catch a glimpse of the cats lying next to the moonstone, but only sees dirt. She looks back up at Coffeestar. "I had no idea… I just… I just want to help," she says, but it comes out a little meek this time.

"I… I doubted if this was the right thing to do. Shadowclan… Cicadabuzz… They orchestrated a heist and stole herbs from Riverclan– one of Shadowclans warriors even attacked their medicine cat, and– and my mother… Serpentberry, she…" her voice drifts off.

She doesn't actually know what happened between the two, and regardless, that's her mother. She wouldn't tell anyone what she saw, not… not even Starclan.

"Everything's a mess," she says. "Everything's all wrong. It can't… it can't be that this is what it's supposed to be like. All this… fighting, and stealing, and… violence…" she shakes her head. "Is this… is this really what you envisioned for us?"

☆ ROWANPAW. 14 moons
mentored by serpentberry,
adopted daughter of serpentberry and thornstar
peaceful powerplay allowed
ooc -

 

[COFFEESTAR]

Bright shining greens practically glowed as Rowanpaw echoed her name, nodding slowly as the apprentice recalled the night that birthed ThunderClan's return. When her father still stood as a mortal man, when his strength led to the success of what she now called home. Thornstar had meant much to the higher ranks of ThunderClan, each of their hearts holding his memory dearly. Though his only kin by blood had passed, he held so many to the same regard as Fray. It was a true shame he was not granted his boon of lives before the shrouded beast had killed him.

"Yes, from the ancient times days of past. Healers from each Clan gathered every half-moon to share their discoveries or seek help from one another. It was a crucial piece to the survival of the Clans." The chocolate tabby is careful with her wording, learning all too quick since her time here that she could not spill all she wished to say. She had tried with Thornstar, but not even he knew all of the truth until he joined her in StarClan. They must be responsible with the knowledge they had, of course, lest they risk another downfall so soon after rising again.

Rowanpaw sought for more she could not share, and while the apprentice shared what the leader had seen herself, she quietly nodded in understanding. It hurt to see how far ShadowClan fell from their grasp. Stolen from the grace of the stars right under her nose, a slight of paw that Coffeestar still regretted to slip past her. The old leader hadn't expected the likes of Fleecefur to act so swiftly.

Rowanpaw's mercy to her mother's reputation does not go unnoticed. Perhaps the apprentice underestimated just how much the stars sight could stretch on for, but Coffeestar would play along for her sake. "My dear, you are only one cat! Look how much you have accomplished already, what your paws have built."

Coffeestar waved her paw over the ground in the space between them. Flickering memories of what she had observed from Rowanpaw glowed underneath her touch. One faded as the next began in a distant, hazy light. The first herb she had harvested with Owlbark and Darkplume, the evening Serpentberry had laid claim to her training, the face of Cicadabuzz as the word 'lambs ear' fell from their maw, and the final memory- meeting Swallowpaw at Fourtrees.

"My vision for the Clans is not just my own, it is... difficult to explain. But there is purpose in struggle, as hard as it is to watch. It is necessary so you may learn to overcome, to heed the warnings shown to you by what greed and ambition can do to one's heart. That even actions led by love can hurt." Coffeestar smiled as the last memory faded into empty starlight. Hawkstar had been heavy on her mind as of late.

"As long as you continue your path, Rowanpaw, StarClan will always stand beside you. This meeting has shown your strength to us already, and before you return to your mother's side I must bestow you our gratitude. It is a gift that should help with what troubles you."

Coffeestar twitched her tail and a glowing, sparkling purple cloud manifested above her tail-tip. The molly gently reached for it with her paw, the cloud hovering within her grasp as she presented it to the younger cat. "As a seeker of the truth, I pray this serves you well, my dear." Coffeestar slowly moved her paw closer to Rowanpaw's chest as ruddy fur parted to expose a bright, beaming light within- Rowanpaw's soul. It siphoned the misty cloud, and to the receiver, it would feel like a cold breath exhaled within her until Coffeestar's paw was empty.

A smile beamed across her maw, gaze sparkling with pride. "Well, this has been an exciting way to finally meet you. I'll return you to your mother now; travel safe, we'll see each other again." She reached to touch Rowanpaw's nose to her own, and in the next blink she would wake beside the Moonstone.