Bonding (but not really) [private]

[Mal]

Cinderstar

Fireclan || Female || Strong Leader || New-leaf

It had been two moons since Cinderstar exiled her own sister from camp. Every word that treacherous hound said was swirling in her mind, causing anger to roll through her again and again.

'A leader should know how to balance family with followers and will say you did a terrible job of it... I gave you loyal, love, and trust only for you to crush between your paws. I'm tired of this Cinderstar, I really am. So, please end this one final choice. Me or Fogstone... You special just don't understand how we feel. It's about you and it has to be... I will have my own litter one day, Cinderstar and they will better than yours will never be.'

 
A low growl rumbled through her, just loud enough that it could be heard at the right distance. Those blazing eyes of her turned hard at the vocalizations of her sister's echoing through her head. Ashflight was such a tender topic still, that even hearing her name boiled her blood. Traitor. Traitor! How can she be so blind? I have pride issues? Great Starclan she's diluted. How did Silverstrike survive with such weak kits? She's lucky I turned out so strong. I really only have myself to thank. Cinderstar sniffed at the thought.

Green eyes appeared in her mind's eye. They belonged to Ashflight as her sister sneered and snarled at her. Cinderstar shook her head as if to dislodge the image right from her head and send them flying to oblivion. 

At least Jaythorn has the sense to keep his nose out of my ass. Cinderstar thought with little sense of amusement. 

With her jaw parted, the grey molly drank in the scents that flooded her senses. It was a good day to hunt, and yet she found herself distracted. Perhaps catching a mouse or two would be what she needed to clear her head. Birds, mice, snakes. Oh yes, It's New-leaf. What troubles will be thrown at Fireclan this season? I can't imagine Starclan is done with us. I wish Fernheart would hear something already. Anything. Why do they leave us in silence? No, quiet, focus. Focus on what you smell and what you can catch.

Turning her head towards Jaythorn, Cinderstar mewed, "I'm pleased you agreed to hunt with me, Jaythorn. I'm interested to see what sorts of skills you've acquired since your.... departure." A scowl appeared on her face briefly at her choice of words. She was careful, as always, to watch what she said (as long as she had her emotions under control). With how sour she was feeling, however, there was no telling what direction this pleasant little outing would take.

[Words: 460]
[Tags: @egotistic ]
[Notes: Oof, why was this so rough? I hope it's sufficient]

[Deleted]

THERE IS A THIN LINE

between what is good and what is evil

I will tiptoe down that line but I will feel unstable

    The air had grown warmer over the past few days. The snow was beginning to melt, and new-growth was starting to peak through the snow. Even the prey that had alluded them through the worst of leafbare was beginning to come back and lately, it hadn’t only been Jaythorn who had any luck on hunting patrols—the whole Clan was bringing back prey, which was more than anyone could ask for considering their usually depleted fresh-kill pile. But for all the good fortune that seemed to be shining over FireClan, Jaythorn did not feel any of the joy or excitement he thought he should. Not because he wasn’t grateful for the arrival of new-leaf (StarClan only knew how many nights he’d nearly frozen in his nest), but because, walking alongside him, was one of the last cats he would ever want to be in the presence of: Cinderstar.

    He glanced at his sister as she strolled through the moorland grass. Her expression was unreadable as if she were deep in thought, and it only went away when she paused to drink in the scents.

    He stopped beside her, ears twitching, his own jaws parting to test the air for prey scents.

    Very faintly he could detect a mouse and the musky scent of vole; beneath that, there was even the mouth-watering scent of rabbit. But before he could report this, Cinderstar turned to face him, locking him with her amber gaze. “I’m pleased you agreed to hunt with me, Jaythorn. I’m interested to see what sorts of skills you’ve acquired since your… departure.”

    I guess it had to be brought up eventually. Jaythorn studied his sister, noting the scowl that overwhelmed her features. It was an expression she often wore around him, and needless to say, he was starting to grow used to it.

    But while he grew used to her scornful looks, he still had yet to overcome the shame that dogged him at the mere mention of his betrayal.

    He flexed his claws into the ground, and for a moment said nothing, only pretended to test the air yet again for prey scents. But after a while of that, he let out a weary sigh. There’s really no avoiding it.

    “I don’t think you’ll be disappointed,” Jaythorn said, keeping his tone cool and emotionless. “If I learned anything while I was gone, it’s that even FireClan cats have a lot to learn when it comes to hunting and humility. I could name a few cats that would benefit from their teachings.”

    When he said this, he held her gaze, then twitched his ears and looked aside.

    Don’t overstep your bounds. She’ll only use it against you.

    Pushing ahead of her, he stooped down to sniff at the base of a bush, his whiskers twitching. It would be a while before they stumbled across anything, and he refused to spend that time in silence with the wind in his ears, threatening to drive him mad. If there was one thing the farm was good for, it was the barn and its walls. The wind never reached me there.

    He straightened. “There's a rabbit up ahead. We can catch it if we’re lucky, just like we used to when we were apprentices.” There was a twinge of nostalgia in his voice as he reflected on a simpler time when they hadn’t been at each other’s throats—back when their family had really felt like just that, a family. But he knew those days were long gone. They had been for moons now.

Tags: Mal | Word Count: 590
Notes: No worries! Excited to thread these two together~

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0