|
|
Post by cranberry on Jun 26, 2008 10:27:23 GMT -5
A wry smile was plastered on the she-cat's muzzle as she crept back into camp, mulling over the day's events. Honeypaw. She was clever, she would give her that (and that was all she would give her, as the off-white leader wasn't quick to sing any trouble-maker's praise), but her motives were in the wrong place. Today it was sneaking out of camp, tomorrow it might very well be stabbing ZephyrClan's back. Larkstar grimaced. She wasn't blind, just as Driftingice had, she had seen right through the sly apprentice's facade. Harvestmoon would have to keep a constant eye on her.
Still, it was nothing too worrisome. Things were running smoothly - prey was plentiful, greenleaf was right around the corner, she had a faithful, responsible deputy. A nagging voice in the corner of her mind warned her that calamity often sprung out of the peaceful times, but she ignored it. No reason not to live in the moment, she thought, surveying the camp.
|
|
|
|
Post by cat on Jun 26, 2008 21:51:08 GMT -5
A small golden tabby glanced around the camp, hunkered down in the shadows. On her face was a pained expression. But it wasn't from her decision she had made. No. It was from the fact that Larkstar had just arrived at camp. That would make her leaving all the much harder. She didn't want to be seen.
Silently cursing her bright, flame-colored tabby coat, she crept a few pawsteps closer to the wall and pressed her paw against the leafy surface. The hole she had been working on for days was still there. Giving her so-called home one last disappointed look, Honeypaw slipped from ZephrClan camp into the forest beyond.
|
|
|
|
Post by cranberry on Jun 26, 2008 22:05:46 GMT -5
On a whim, Larkstar spun around on the spot, taking an eager pawstep towards her den. Just soon enough to catch a glimpse of a vibrant tawny tail disappearing through an unseen hole in the camp walls. She nearly did a double take - did she honestly have the nerve?.. Without hesitation, she cut her thought short and and darted at full speed though the hole, her lithe legs carrying her faster than most of the cats in the lake territory. In no time, she had reached the apprentice, who had made no effort to make a speedy getaway. "What do you think you're doing?" she hissed, fueled by rage. "First this morning, and now again - do you think it's acceptable to continually cross the line?"
|
|
|
|
Post by cat on Jun 26, 2008 22:15:33 GMT -5
Honeypaw nearly jumped out of her fur at the site of her -make that her former- leader. She had been too wrapped up in her own dark thoughts to really notice her surroundings. Not to mention the fact that she wasn't going too fast. MOUSEBRAIN! She thought inwardly. She should've known Larkstar would notice. The leader saw everything that went on in the clan. Hearing Larkstar's harsh words, Honeypaw's ears flattened to her head defensively. Her eyes narrowed to slits, hiding the strong hurt that filled them. Honeypaw opened her mouth to find a sharp retort, but nothing came. Nothing at all.
Turning her gaze away, Honeypaw felt her anger dwindle away to sorrow and longing. It felt as if her entire life had been for nothing. It hadn't meant a thing in ZephrClan. "Like anyone cares." She replied, feeling her eyes begin to water. The tough looking she-cat sniffed, feeling hot tears roll down her fur despite her feeble attempts to stop them. They weren't fake for once. Honeypaw wasn't being the brat she normally was. This was a completely different thing.
|
|
|
|
Post by cranberry on Jun 26, 2008 22:38:11 GMT -5
Oh, please. If this isn't a classic, I don't know what is. Larkstar started to inform the misguided apprentice that she wasn't in the mood for games, but something stopped her. For once, Honeypaw seemed almost genuine. Amongst the rest of her life - clever plotting and acting - her behavior now stood out like a sore thumb. Larkstar suddenly realized the golden apprentice had been attempting to leave camp forever. This wasn't a fluke. Her once bristling fur flattened against her back, and she plunked to the ground with a sigh. Her tail wrapped tightly around her haunches, and she turned to face the other cat, though she knew very well Honeypaw wouldn't look her in the eye.
"It's my job to care." Larkstar replied. "Look, don't leave. True happiness isn't always getting what you want, Honeypaw. I'm sorry to tell you this, but you will get nowhere - and I mean anywhere you go - by manipulating others." she knew this was the last thing the apprentice wanted to hear right now. It didn't matter. This needed to be said.
|
|
|
|
Post by cat on Jun 26, 2008 22:47:40 GMT -5
Honeypaw listened to the she-cat's words, though she wished she hadn't. What was this? Didn't the leader know she had already learned part of this? The she-cat turned her head away, the tears still falling. They weren't out of sorrow anymore though. The hot liquid staining her fur was from anger. Anger at herself, anger at the clan, anger at the confusion she had felt her entire life. Anger at everything. There wasn't anything left for her. Her life had been changed that very first day. She couldn't remember much, only knowing that her true parents didn't lie with ZephrClan. Did they think a small kit like her wasn't smart enough to know her mother and father?
Flicking her tail in irritation, Honeypaw fluffed up her fur at a sudden chilling wind. The cold wrapped around her mood and suddenly the apprentice looked up. Her eyes were blazing now, showing through with true Honeypaw spirit. "Why then? Why am I here? I don't belong in ZephrClan. Don't say I do. You think I'm blind to the glares I get? Deaf to the mutters behind my back? Ha! Oh, don't forget my so-called family. Those cats called my parents aren't really my kin. Even I know that. This isn't my clan. It never was. Until I find where I truely belong, it never will be Larkstar." She choked out. Her voice never wavered, though it had cracked in some places. Now feeling the effects of her dying anger she looked down once again, expecting yet another punishment that would only fuel her anger once more.
|
|
|
|
Post by cranberry on Jun 26, 2008 23:13:38 GMT -5
Larkstar blinked. She knew nothing about this. Honeypaw's parentage wasn't in ZephyrClan? Tomorrow would mark 5 moons since she leadership had been passed on to her. It now occurred to her that if anything had happened to Honeypaw during her kithood, it would have been under Eveningstar's reign. Larkstar didn't know if the apprentice truly belonged to a different clan, nor if her attitude really testified her being an outsider, but she did know one thing. The golden she-cat didn't want to be here, and the rest of her clan would never accept her.
She sighed quietly and took a step back, signaling Honeypaw was free to go. "So be it, Honeypaw. I can't hold you here, no matter where you've come from. I hope you'll find out some day." she took pity on her, despite how much she had toyed with her clan. So much bitterness, bottled up in one tiny cat - it wasn't good for herself or anyone around her.
|
|
|
|
Post by cat on Jun 26, 2008 23:22:29 GMT -5
Honeypaw looked up once again at Larkstar, her eyes wide with surprise. She was letting her go? Never tearing her gaze from the leader's face, she slowly stood and took a cautious step toward the she-cat. Her eyes drifted to the forest behind the leader, though she could see the regret plastered on the strong she-cat's face. It was hard to ignore, but she had to. She would never be able to stay in ZephrClan happily. The pain and attitude would only get worse until she reached a breaking point. It seemed Larkstar knew that.
Honeypaw was now flanked with her taller leader, though they were facing opposite directions. She turned her head back, face covered with distrust and uncertainty. "Not going to send someone after me and drag me back for a talking to and a punishment? Not going to force me to stay?" The golden she-cat questioned. She truely wanted to know. For all she knew now, it could be a cruel trick to push her into behaving better. A process which she would fight with tooth and claw every pawstep of the way.
|
|
|
|
Post by cranberry on Jun 26, 2008 23:39:48 GMT -5
Larkstar met the apprentice's gaze with cold, hard, ice blue eyes. "No, Honeypaw. A bitter warrior filled with hatred is no use to my clan." She was disappointed, yes. Disappointed that the she-cat had never given ZephyrClan a fair shake, never stopped to work past the dissatisfaction. But there was no changing her mind now.
The normally good-natured leader turned now with her back to the apprentice. "I will tell everyone it was your choice to leave. I can't say Harvestmoon will be disappointed, but I guess you have only yourself to thank for that, don't you?"
She rotated her head just slightly, enough to see Honeypaw for the last time out of the corner of her eye. "Farewell. I hope you've made the right decision." With a small dip of her head, Larkstar once again turned and disappeared through the hole from which she had come, until her slender toffee tail had vanished from view.
((Cat, just post first, then I'll lock and move this to archives.))
|
|
|
|
Post by cat on Jun 26, 2008 23:44:43 GMT -5
Honeypaw stood there for a moment, staring after the she-cat leader. For a heartbeat she was stunned. Then, as a gentle wind blew, the young apprentice realized with shock that she was free. Free to leave the clan. The weight of the bitterness and hate that had covered the young tabby now lifted, revealing the joyful cat she should have discovered earlier on. Yes, she was still sly and stubborn, but she wouldn't go around bribing all the time. Okay, maybe she would. But not like before.
Lifting her tail in a final goodbye, Honeypaw dipped her head to the unseen leader. "Thank you." She whispered. Then, without another look, the apprentice sped off through the forest, diappearing from ZephrClan for good.
Ooc: ANNNNNNNNNNNNND DONE!
|
|
|
|
Post by cranberry on Jun 26, 2008 23:51:38 GMT -5
xx locked.
Moved because all characters have left
|
|
