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Post by Beechstar on Apr 5, 2014 19:58:41 GMT -6
Beechstar came late at night into the elder's den. He would have come earlier if he wasn't so busy, but he also wanted privacy with his former deputy. Beechstar came bearing gifts. He was carrying feathers from plucked prey. He padded over to the sleeping calico and placed his paw on her shoulder. "Koisplash?" The leader missed her by his side. "You awake?"
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Post by Koisplash on Apr 5, 2014 20:36:33 GMT -6
The grass tickled her chest fur as she crouched down, tail out as she focused. The mouse was right there, completely unsuspecting as it perched on the tree root. Yes. Any second now, she'd have her chance...one...two...
THRE-
Something was prodding her shoulder, hard, and there was a voice. A familiar one. Koisplash grunted, blinking as she tried to shift away from it and then realizing where she was. She was in her nest, in the elders' den, tail around her paws as she'd dreamed. Ah, great. This had to be the third time in a moon she'd dreamed of hunting. Something had to be up with her.
She gave a yawn, squinting to make out who it was next to her. The voice was unmistakable now. "Beechstar?" she asked tiredly. Out of all cats to wake her up in the middle of the night, she hadn't been expecting him. She hadn't seen a lot of him after she'd told him about her decision to retire. "Yes, I guess I am, now. What're you doing here?" |
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Post by Beechstar on Apr 5, 2014 20:48:02 GMT -6
Beechstar frowned at her and backed up. It hurt him to see her in here. She didn't deserve being in the camp all of the time. "I'm so sorry. I thought you would be awake." It wasn't normal of him to apologize. "I uh..brought you some feathers for your nest. To make it more comfortable." He dropped them and then pushed them over with his paw. "I'll leave you to sleep." His ears drooped and he got up, starting to leave.
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Post by Koisplash on Apr 5, 2014 23:33:47 GMT -6
Koisplash blinked again, this time in more surprise. Beechstar showing up in the elders' den late at night was one thing. But him bringing feathers for her nest? And apologizing for something? Now, that was new.
She sighed as he started to leave, getting to her feet. "Wait. It's fine, you didn't bother me," she said curtly. She looked down at the feathers; mostly brown and white and gray, some with speckles and markings. "And thanks. But you can stay. Did you need to talk to me about something?" |
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Post by Beechstar on Apr 5, 2014 23:45:21 GMT -6
Beechstar turned around slowly and stared at Koisplash almost like he didn't believe her. He sat down a tail-length away from her and sighed. "No, nothing specific. I just...miss you. I don't regret picking Whitehawk but it's different without you." Beechstar looked at his white paws. "I hate this place. It smells like defeat and medicine."
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Post by Koisplash on Apr 6, 2014 16:10:41 GMT -6
The calico said nothing for a moment, not sure how to answer that. While she'd be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little glad he remembered her work as deputy, she hated seeing him look the way he did now. It reminded her too much of a kicked kit. She did have to stifle a small laugh at the last part, however.
"I'll be honest, I miss being deputy too," she finally said, softly. "A little. But Whitehawk's a good choice. Sometimes different is good, you know?"
She paused. "And this place is fine. Though, I don't get where you got the 'defeat' part from." |
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Post by Beechstar on Apr 6, 2014 16:40:00 GMT -6
Beechstar hesitated and decided to change his answer. "Nevermind. I don't want to start anything." He shuffled his feet and asked, "I know this is personal, but could you at least tell me why?"
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Post by Koisplash on Apr 8, 2014 23:15:21 GMT -6
Well, Koisplash couldn't say she was surprised by that question. She let out a long breath and flopped back into her nest, plunking down into the cushioning feathers. When she spoke, her voice was soft.
"I told you why, Beechstar," she said. "My eyes aren't really what they used to be anymore. I'd rather retire peacefully than risk messing up with fatal consequences, and haven't I been deputy long enough? That's all I could really ask for. I think working with you at all for the Clan was enough of an honor...so thank you for that." |
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Post by Beechstar on Apr 9, 2014 20:49:15 GMT -6
Beechstar just wanted to scream at her and tell her she's wrong but did she have one point. "This is one of the reasons why I hate being a leader. I'm going to outlive everyone I know." And hopefully never you.. He continued, " I do suppose you wouldn't want that either." The leader tried to ignore the whole honor part, honor had been drilled into his head a long time ago, but concept of it was fading from him. "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you.. All of this just...bothers me. I remember when you were born. I had just gotten my nine lives. All of that felt like yesterday."
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Post by Koisplash on Apr 12, 2014 20:38:38 GMT -6
If cats had eyebrows, Koisplash would've probably raised them right then. Now she had no idea what he was talking about. She distinctly remembered having been a kit when he was a warrior, just before Spiritstar had appointed him as leader and he'd gotten his nine lives.
But that wasn't the point. "Don't apologize," she said shortly. "You don't have anything to be sorry for, and you aren't bothering me. Believe me, you can come talk to me whenever you can; being an elder doesn't bring much to do, you know. You're my..."
She hesitated. What was Beechstar to her? Saying that he was her friend only scratched the surface of their relationship, and even the term "best friend" seemed inadequate. He wasn't like her father, or her brother. Once he'd been her teacher, but she'd grown to match him as an equal a long time ago.
"...friend," she finished lamely, deciding to settle for that if only for lack of any other suitable word. "You mean more to me than as just my leader. You know that, right?" |
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Post by Beechstar on Apr 12, 2014 21:02:38 GMT -6
Beechstar did feel relieved when she said this, but this whole conversation made him nervous for some reason. "I would hope so. You're more than just my deputy." He corrected himself without thinking. "Former deputy." The leader laughed when he started to think about something unknown. "It's funny. She-cats would get jealous over our relationship and we aren't even mates!" He seemed to be really getting a kick out of it too. Beechstar was getting a little too loud with the laughing. Loud enough to wake up some grumpy elders.
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Post by Koisplash on Apr 12, 2014 21:21:15 GMT -6
Koisplash meant to scoff, but it came out as more of a snicker. Memories came flashing back, clear as day. "I remember that too well."
She stopped to take a breath, ears twitching at Beechstar's laughter. Maybe it was just her, but it sounded a lot louder than usual. Though, this was admittedly the first time in a while she'd seen him laugh. "Okay...you done?" she asked dryly, the effect somewhat ruined by her grin.
(KOI/BEECH OTP. -shot-) |
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Post by Beechstar on Apr 12, 2014 21:43:30 GMT -6
"Almost!" Beechstar said between laughed and pushed her lightly with his paw. "You know it's funny." He gradually stopped the laughter and sighed happily. "They used to flirt with me all the time. Not so much now. Thank Cloudclan. Half of the cats in the clan barely know me." Beechstar got a little quieter after that. "Which I am trying to work on.."
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Post by Koisplash on Apr 12, 2014 22:36:15 GMT -6
"Pfft." Koisplash blew air out of the side of her mouth, putting on an expression of mock offense. "You have to wonder why they tried. You weren't exactly receptive to them...not like they didn't have good reason to try, though," she teased.
Of all Beechstar's past admirers, the first that came to mind almost immediately were Tinywhisker and Nightheart. Thinking of them, however, brought back a sense of nostalgia at her old days as a warrior. It was almost bittersweet; now that she hardly spoke with either of them now.
"To be fair," she replied, "most of the Clan's now the new generation. They don't know about Spiritstep, or that first war, or the old camp. Makes you wonder what they would think about it now." |
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Post by Beechstar on Apr 12, 2014 22:50:51 GMT -6
"I suppose.." The leader laughed nervously. If cats could blush, he would be.
"You forgot spoiled and sassy too. Always getting into trouble." Beechstar rolled his eyes in disgust. He wasn't one to talk about the getting into trouble part. "I literally found two decent cats too speak with around sundown yesterday and this warrior came up to me with the worst tone ever! It was like she wanted to start a fight." Beechstar was getting really worked up over the subject. "No one ever spoke to Spiritstar that way!"
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