Gathering 2025 Backwritten ThunderClan ShadowClan warm fresh sunday evening // asterpaw

[SABLESTAR]

ThunderClan began to move with Magpiepaw at the helm beside Owlbark and Serpentberry. Among kin, among those that loved him, he reassured himself. He had seen Dreampaw scurry off to follow the rest of ShadowClan, and for a moment he had believed his son to have turned around when his eyes settled on the apprentice. Recognition quickly clicked as the child's face turned to his father, and a smile of relief curved at his muzzle. "Asterpaw, you've gotten so big now." It was good to see the sickness holding him back had not stunted him, in fact he looked far more like himself than Juniperstar, despite wearing her coat. He still noticed the cracks of fevercoat that clung to him, but it was receding in comparison to the last time they had met.

"While Magpiepaw tends to your mother in ThunderClan, you should come with me to ShadowClan. You can meet the friends he and Dreampaw have made there." Sablestar mewed as he reached down to affectionately bump his forehead against his son's. He lingered there for just a second longer, the ache in his heart twisting. "What do you think? You ready to see your second home?"

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• @ASTERPAW "mew"
• 

  SABLESTAR— he/him ･sixty moons ･leader; shadowclan ･penned by gonkpilled

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes

 

[ASTERPAW]

x

The small tom is prepared to follow the rest of Thunderclan back home after the awful events of the gathering and he didn't want to spare Skyclan another glance, the fact that his mother had to pay for something her own claws weren't involved in, and it makes him the littlest bit resentful towards Owlbark. He needed to make sure that his mother was okay after having lost that life and it makes him worry wondering how many more she had left before Starclan came to take her to Silverpelt... he didn't want to outlive her or rather, anyone that he considered family. It's the smallest, most hopeful wish that he holds close to his heart that he wouldn't see the day that his mother or littermates fall before him, he couldn't imagine a world without Dreampaw, Magpiepaw, Juniperstar, Graybird, and... Sablestar.

Suddenly, he feels as if someone's eyes are burning holes into his pelt and its enough to make the fur prickle along the back of his neck before a voice breaks the silence. It belongs to someone that he hasn't seen in several moons and the dark tabby turns hesitantly to face the cat known as his father, unlike Dreampaw and Magpiepaw, the sickly child of Juniperstar and Sablestar had stayed within Thunderclan while his healthier littermates spent a paw in each world crafted by both of their parents. "I, uh... have... yeah... uhm." A part of him wishes to try seeking Graybird within the crowd in hopes that his uncle would save him from this rather (one-sided) awkward conversation with his other parent that led Shadowclan, Asterpaw swallows with a blink of his clay toned eyes and glances down at his paws unable to seek out the gaze that mirrored his own.

It takes everything in Asterpaw to not flinch away from the affectionate bump of his father's forehead against his own and it feels as if his fur burns where the other had made contact, his teeth pressed together harshly that if he put any more pressure then his fangs would shatter, and his jaw clenches. There's a small part of him that wishes to know the place that Dreampaw and Magpiepaw stay within just to spend a moon with their father or more yet he finds himself uncertain and uncomfortable at the thought of his paws being anywhere else that wasn't the familiar surroundings that made up Thunderclan's camp.

He should say no... that made the most sense didn't it? He didn't need to see where his littermates went, he didn't need to actually know the father that left him behind upon their first meeting, and... and... the dark tabby finally dares to glance up to see those eyes much like his own and for a heartbeat, the beating organ within his chest stutters, and the fear he's familiar with that's akin to that of a hare seems to cease. The world seems to go still as he stares at the older tom not seeing the leader of Shadowclan... but an absent father or rather, a father that he has denied himself.

"What do you think? You ready to see your second home?"

They stare at him for what feels like an eternity as they search his gaze for a moment longer and wonders if they'd find any deceit behind those eyes or that voice... he can't.

"Y... yes." A pathetic whisper only to clear their throat and try again with their voice wavering, "Yes... I'd like that, uhm..." dad? ... Asterpaw bites down on his tongue to refrain from uttering the next word and gives a silent nod.

IN FIVE YEARS TIME WE MIGHT NOT SPEAK

ASTERPAW

THUNDERCLAN APPRENTICE
TRANS MASC x HE/HIM/THEY/THEM​

x

"speech", thoughts, attacking
a runty, longhaired chocolate tabby with clay toned eyes and low white. a sickly apprentice with small patches of fevercoat left over in his pelt, kitten fuzz, and fat that clings to him but is fading away to give way to a taller/more lanky build
sickly child of juniperstar and sablestar; littermate of dreampaw and magpiepaw

asterpaw's an introverted apprentice that keeps to himself for the most part unless family's involved, he usually keeps his head low and eyes averted so he doesn't make direct eye contact. once, he actually gets to know someone is he more open towards them and can prove to be a devoted friend. once he's comfortable around other individuals, he tends to speak a lot more and sometimes over shares about himself without realizing it. he hates that he was born sickly but despite it, he tries to overcome it and pushes himself harder than any of the apprentices

 

[SABLESTAR]

Asterpaw does not speak with the same blunt, matter-of-fact tone as Magpiepaw or even the boisterous confidence of Dreampaw. He spoke with pause and lack of self assurance, something Sablestar is sure would not have happened if Asterpaw had been able to join his littermates in ShadowClan sooner. The outlier of his kin, standing between the blood of two Clans looking as though he would still prefer to stick to his mother's shadow then stand out into the light on his own was all the proof he needed to feel vindicated against Juniperstar's concerns. Something within ThunderClan had held his child back from greatness, and he would not question it being the lies and vendettas that still lived there.

With any hope Asterpaw would find it less suffocating in ShadowClan, and feel more at home even without Magpiepaw there. The pocosin had become a natural environment for the other two, easily finding their way in the Clan through friends. There were plenty near Asterpaw's age, and he doubted Stoatpaw or Sealpaw would let him stand alone for very long.

Sablestar had only little doubt in Asterpaw's willingness to leave with him, however. Despite the poison ThunderClan may whisper to him about his father, blood was the strongest bond beyond anything else. It was proven in the moment Graybird could not commit to killing him, how Shadesight refused to stray from his path, in the way Dustystar and Cowboy- Wheatwistle- greeted him so kindly and warmly despite the distant moons they had last seen him.

"Of course you would. It's been waiting for when you were ready." Sablestar meowed with sincerity. He wanted his children to know that ShadowClan was theirs just as much as it was his and any other warrior under his charge. "I will take you back to camp, you can rest the night and we'll walk through the territory until it's time to get Magpiepaw again." He joined Asterpaw at his side now to guide him through the scent of his Clan after they already departed. Just a moment in between the many moons Juniperstar had him would not hurt, surely.

this heart beats cold like the devil his own

• "mew"
• 

  SABLESTAR— he/him ･sixty moons ･leader; shadowclan ･penned by gonkpilled

  a black and white tuxedo with dark amber eyes