SYNONYMOUS WITH YOU // willowburn

[downyfeather]

"You are persistent and stubborn," great God, how embarrassing that had been. She thought she was courageous, clever - selfless, even! She volunteered to be a part of a patrol that could've been damned. She tested the will of her very life for a bunch of cats she's only known for a pawful of moons... only to be told that she's foolish And to be given a name like Downyfeather? Well... she supposes it's nice. Soft, quite literally. Fragile, pathetic - nothing more than material to pad out a wasteful nest. Ugh.

"Ugh!" She slaps a paw into the water before her, aiming for a flash of silver. She can feel her claws graze scales just beneath the surface, but whatever it is gets away. Her frustration doubles, triples... and then fizzles. Downyfeather feels her shoulders hunch as she looks down at her reflection in the lapping pools. Who is she kidding? Some of these cats braved ships prior to Clanlife (whatever this means.) Some harbored fear and guilt just as much as they brandished bravery and comradery. She's a fraud. She wonders if they figure she will disappear in the night, run back to some twoleg home and return to a pampered life.

Downyfeather hears pawsteps behind her, and too-quickly a wet paw presses to wet cheeks, making her crying all the more visible. "Who's there?" She calls out without turning. "I'm - I'm busy here! Can't you - ugh..." The molly fails to ward off curiosity, her tail coiling by her side.

@willowburn

 

[willowburn]

(⏾) in the past few weeks since the move to the river, willowburn has settled in, making the most of her new home. despite certain... opinions on her leader's council, she follows pikestar dutifully, confident at least that her friend knows what he is doing in the moment. she's set herself up to care for smokewreath and his children, to aid hazecloud and lichentuft in their kits' upcoming arrival, and to support frostmoth in his ascension to deputyhood. she fishes in the river, she swims when she can, she works to help those who are less attuned to the water than her. it's been a good few weeks all things considered.

as the smoke feline pads down the bank, paws crunching over the pebbles, they find themself deep in thought. the river territory is nice, quiet, less drama-filled and hard to live in than the shipyard. still, there are things they miss. the scent of salt, the growl of thunder over the bay, flashes of lightning across the vast sea. they miss when it was just them and smoke, when they weren't warriors, only survivors. it's an odd feeling, knowing they're better off now, and yet wishing for the past.

a splash of water breaks willowburn from her thoughts, and she glances up, evergreen eyes finding the frosty pelt of downyfeather as she sulks along the shore. the tabby doesn't know much about this soft furred clanmate - their interactions have been brief but not unpleasant. there is an aura of independence that radiates from the younger molly, even through all the hardship she's been forced through these past moons. as the feathery she-cat huffs in frustration, willowburn takes a step down the bank. the other's shoulders are shaking, a paw scrubbing at her face. "downy?" willow's voice is rough, and she clears her throat, blinking. "er, downyfeather. sorry." downyfeather's tail flicks by her side, her posture closed off, but it doesn't stop willowburn. she'd taught the other how to swim across the river during the first patrol out to their new camp. she'd seen first paw the confidence she knows downy has in herself.

"are you..." drawing up to the she-cat's side, she swallows. "are you okay?"

WITH THE ECHOING HYMN ⏾ OF MY FELLOW PASSERINE

• // "#87874b"
• 
• WILLOWBURN
  ⏾ SHE / THEY. RIVERCLAN WARRIOR. 30 MOONS. PENNED BY LAVS.
  
  
  a lithe black smoke feline with ghost striping and leaf green eyes. long smoky fur dashed through with grey and white adorns her frame, sliced across by darker stripes that frame her face and legs. eyes like sage, brilliantly green, gaze with an intelligent look. she is scarred across the bridge of her angular nose.

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