Private Tell me if I move || cherry || I'll know my place

[cinderpaw. cinderpaw.]

Cinderpaw did not expect to be out so late. He had meant to only be gone a few minutes, but... Barbie took him far. And he had completely forgotten that Cherrydawn would be waiting for him. He just... Got lost, right? But, he was definitely getting in trouble-

Did it really matter when he finally got to see Barbies home? She could have come back to see his but... She didn't want to, and he wouldn't push her. Cinderpaws pink eyes flashed through the foliage, slowly blinking before moving quietly forward. His heart thrummed against his chest, holding his breath as his pelt reflecting the light of the moonlight.

He didn't expect to enter camp and come face to face with...

"Cherrydawn!" A nervous chuckle escaped the boy. "I.. got lost but, I made it back." The lies slid easily from his throat, his ears flattened back against his skull. If she followed his scent... She would know he crossed the border. But where after, she should have lost it. He'd made sure to clean his pelt of the mud he hid in before he came back. But... Pink eyes couldn't really bring to her own.

@Cherrydawn

cinderpaw - 12 moons - skyclan apprentice - mentored by cherry

 

[Cherrydawn Cherrydawn]

Run through the field, the shadows gone,
Lift up your head and greet the dawn.
Though battles rage, our hearts endure,
Together strong, we'll find the cure.

.

Cherrydawn stared hard at Cinderpaw, ears pinned back and a deep scowl carved across her features. Her mismatched eyes fixed on him with a mixture of anger, fear, and something far heavier. Gone. Again. Out of camp without a word. And after everything that had happened, after Duskpool, Wolfstorm, and Lostmoon... Her heart couldn't take the thought of losing another cat she cared about. Not like that. Not to the dark or the unknown. Her tail lashed sharply behind her, each flick betraying her fraying patience and worry. How was she supposed to keep him safe if he kept slipping from her paws like mist? How was she supposed to prepare him for clan life, for survival, if he refused to let her in?

She was here for him. She always had been. Didn't he see that?

" Cinderpaw. " she said at last, settling down heavily, wrapping her fluffy tail around her paws in an effort to steady herself. Her gaze never left him. " Right. You got lost. " The repeat of his excuse came laced with unmistakable sarcasm. " Seems you've been getting ' lost ' quite a bit lately. Maybe I should take you on a few more territory sweeps, make sure you don't wander off and get... Lost. " Her ears flicked back again, frustration and fear warring in her expression.

" Where did you go? "

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21 MOONS

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[cinderpaw. cinderpaw.]

He felt the heat of embarrassment flood his face and ears. His tail couldn't tuck more to his side, and his body couldn't shrink lower as she spoke. It was obvious that she did not believe him. It was so obvious, and at first, he was ready to accept it. "Yeah- yeah you're... Probably right. Maybe-" but she Interrupted him and he swallowed hard.

Where did he go? "That, uh, bird I was tracking- the thing went over the border to, loner lands!" He winced visibly. He knew it wasn't a bird, he knew Cherrydawn knew that. He had spun a web of lies, and now he was stuck. How was he supposed to fix this? He felt her eyes, and he still, couldn't raise his to hers. Shame, it wasn't embarrassment. It was shame.

"I.." he stumbled, his white paw dragging over the pine needles, digging at the dirt gently in the anxiety. "Well, I met this.. girl. And um.. she was... Hungry and, hurt. And, I gave her food. And um." He swallowed again. The lump sat in his throat, and his eyes burned. "When... Dad-" he couldn't say it. "I was... I wanted to feel useful. Bringing her food, it made me feel useful. Cause .. she was so hungry and needed help. I could I could help her," he mumbled softly. He couldn't help him.. he just wanted to help. Tears dripped from his eyes now, lowering it in the shame he felt. "Her home was far, and she, I didn't feel right letting her walk alone every time."

cinderpaw - 12 moons - skyclan apprentice - mentored by cherry

 

[Cherrydawn Cherrydawn]

Run through the field, the shadows gone,
Lift up your head and greet the dawn.
Though battles rage, our hearts endure,
Together strong, we'll find the cure.

.

Cherrydawn's breath hitched as Cinderpaw spoke, first with lies she could see straight through, then with the truth that slowly spilled out in pieces, each one twisting deeper into her chest. Her scowl softened, but not entirely. The fear beneath it was still raw, still trembling just under her skin. " Cinderpaw... " she whispered, the name barely leaving her throat as she took in his lowered eyes, his shaking paws, the tears that splashed onto the pine needles. Her heart ached, not with anger, but with something far heavier.

She moved closer, her tail brushing his flank, though her voice remained firm. " You... You can't keep doing this. " she said softly. " Running off on your own. Slipping out of camp without a word. Do you have any idea what it does to me? After... After everything we've lost? " Her voice cracked, and she had to blink rapidly before continuing. " Duskpool is gone. " Her breath shook as those words spilled from her maw. " Your father is gone. Wolfstorm. Lostmoon. " Her mismatched eyes squeezed shut. " Three cats, Cinderpaw. Three. Strong, capable warriors... And even they didn't come back. They were together, and still... STILL... They didn't make it. "

Her chest hitched again as she forced herself onward. " And when I went looking for you and you weren't there, when I realized you'd vanished again... All I could think was that I was about to lose you too. " Her paw lifted, trembling, before she gently brushed a tear off his cheek. " I can't... I can't go through that again, Cinderpaw. I can't find another cat I care about lying in the dirt or gone without a trace. " Her voice softened, breaking around the edges. " And you can't keep doing this to yourself. To me. To your Clan. " She leaned down, pressing her forehead softly to the top of his head.

" If you wanted to help her... Stars, Cinderpaw, you should have told me. " She drew in a slow, shuddering breath. " I would've helped you. We could've gone together. You don't have to carry everything alone. We would've figured something out for this girl you met... Without brushing fur the wrong way with the clan... " She pulled back just enough to look him in the eye. " But you must stop running off. You must. Because I... I won't lose you too. "

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

22 MOONS

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