Camp TC Scattered 'cross my family line // boar & dew

[Copperstorm]

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

.

His head still spun from the Gathering, peaceful on the surface, yet churning with old scars beneath. He could still feel the tension prickling along his spine as ShadowClan's words echoed back to him, accusing, venomous. Coalstrike had been alive... Alive long enough to brand Copperstorm and Dewshine as killers in his final breath. A legacy of blame left behind like claws in the throat. But not the truth. Never the truth. He had faced the stares of the forest unflinching, his chin lifted high. He would not bend beneath Coalstrike's shadow again.

Except... There had been one look that nearly broke him. Boarthorn.

His son's wide, stunned eyes had found his across the crowd, confusion turning quickly into hurt. Copperstorm had longed to go to him, to shield him from every whisper, every suspicious glance. But surrounded as they were, under moonlight and judgment, he couldn't... Not there. The truth wasn't meant to be shouted into hostile ears... It was meant to be shared where trust lived. So he waited. Waited until ThunderClan's camp embraced them once more, until the bramble walls held them close and the only ears nearby were those that mattered.

Copperstorm led Boarthorn and Dewshine to a quieter corner of camp, away from restless clanmates and curious murmurs, until the night felt still enough to hold their honesty. He drew in a steadying breath, though his heart pounded like paws racing across the moor. He stepped closer to his son, his golden eyes soft but determined. " Boar... Let us explain... " he began, his voice thick with regret. " I should have told you everything long ago. But I... " His words snagged for a moment, shame pricking at him like thorns. " I wanted to protect you. I didn't want Coalstrike's corruption anywhere near your life. I didn't want you to look over your shoulder and wonder whether he was there... "

He flicked a glance toward Dewshine, his mate, his anchor, before returning his gaze fully to Boarthorn. " Yes. Coalstrike was my father... " The name felt sharp on his tongue, but he didn't look away. " But I did not kill him. And neither did Dewshine. " Copperstorm's tail curled tighter around his paws, chest thudding.

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

36 MOONS

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THUNDERCLAN

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[Boarthorn Boarthorn]

He couldn't bear the idea of being upset at Copperstorm and Dewshine, for all they had done for him, all they provided and took to care for him. And yet that couldn't dampen the sorrow and fear that had curled in his chest, the prying eyes cast across his clan and kin. Boarthorn swallowed hard, listening with a watery yet hardened gaze as Copper finally spoke, but his initial words only made Boar's face falter further.

"You waited way too long to tell me, did- Were you ever going to tell me? Are you only being honestht now 'cause it got announced in front of every clan?" The young warrior plead, exasperated. They desperately didn't want to jump to conclusions, but they hated that feeling. The shame of eyes cast to their parents, the helplessness of hearing such a thing in front of everyone they knew. Their mentor, their friends, even in front of their few friends outside of Thunderclan.

They stood, nearing defiance as they looked between their parents with a watery expression, something closer to hurt than anger in their eyes. "I-I know you wanna protect me, but coddling me from the truth isthn't gonna help. Justht causthe I don't know whose dangerousth or not didn't mean I couldn't have been hurt anyway." Boarthorn sighed, shoulders going slack. Even if they tried, they couldn't be angry. Listening to Copperstorm's explanation, biting their cheek, but his expression quickly curled into confusion.

"Y-you didn't? You promise me you didn't? Cause what was that announcement at the gathering for?" Boar's pelt prickled, he wanted to believe his parents, but knowing they've hidden clearly important information from him before, he didn't know what else to believe. But he didn't fight, didn't argue. Boar just wanted answers, he wanted the truth.

​

BOARTHORN He/They, Thunderclan Ranger, 12 moons.
A long-haired, blue ticked tabby tom with a prominent underbite, blue eyes and growing vitiligo.
mentored by Loonstar // mentoring no one
littermate to Saltpaw // sibling to Leveretkit
Copperstorm x Dewshine // parent to none // mated to no one
"SPEECH" // "THOUGHTS" // ATTEMPTED ACTION
penned by Pheo ↛ phoenixwashere on discord, feel free to dm for plots.