Morning Mourning || Iva & Open

[Wargrace]

Raccoonheart
Away from camp at sunrise.

Let me hear your battle cry tonight,
Stand beside or step aside,
We're on the frontline.

Cold. He felt cold; grayscale pelt prickled in an effort to keep warm. Though it really wasn't that cold; just the nippy, early-morning chill when the sun was just rising and the world wasn't quite awake yet. The sun.. it was bright; but hardly visible. Just beyond the horizon and crawling it's way higher.. turning the darkened sky so many lovely shades. An early morning bird crossed the sky as other began to chatter in their trees. The warrior paid them no mind, though. He didn't feel very well. Sort of sick to his stomach.. and cold, very, very cold. Curling his fluffy tail close, the warrior sighed a bit, bright green eyes shut. Cold. Too cold. He couldn't get warm. But the cold wasn't entirely external; it was more-so internal. An icy, icy feeling deep inside of him. No matter how much he curled up, it was there. What could he do about it..? Not much.

He had found a nice spot to sit, though. One he was sure the sun would shine on very soon. Would that warm him..? Probably not, but he hoped so. He really, really hoped so. Oh, sadness. It wasn't an emotion he was all that used to. Especially not in relation to something as tragic as death. His parents had died.. but he'd resented both. Stormcloud had left, but he was not dead. And Tricklestar.. her being gone was sad, too. But Dewfall had been his sister. Not by blood, but by friendship. She was gone, now. Had he failed her..? He felt like he had. Perhaps if he'd have been there when she was injured, he could've stopped it. Or if he'd worked harder to get her better. But it was too late, now. Eyes opened again, Raccoonheart curled up further, catching the glint of water droplets on a patch of glass. Oh, the irony. morning dew while he was mourning Dew.

The makeshift camp.. he'd left it behind awhile ago. He couldn't sleep, as much as he'd have liked to. He felt exhausted. But.. beyond-sleep. Oh well.

[Iva]

Fallenstrike

Tragedy had struck; Dewfall was gone. It was a sad, sad time..But mostly for Raccoonheart. Fallen had know full well of her state..She had wanted to die. In the end, it was Dew that had given up. Was anyone to blame? No. Not him, not Raccoon. It had been her decision. In that alone, Fallen found it bearable. She was not murdered, how his siblings had been. She had been ready to meet starclan..And that was where she was now, looking down upon them. The morning was coming; he watched the sky silently. Pretty colours. Pretty colours, to match the pretty place Dewfall was in. But darkness, too, at the edges where the stars still shown brightly. Darkness..To show where Racoonheart was, now.

He slipped forward, getting up from his sit and moving toward the grey warrior, trying to sit and press himself against his side. Lending a silent reassurance, as he had no words. He had never been the type to be good with words..And, thus, he left it to his emotions and body to express. Turning, he tried to give ‘Coon a lick on the shoulder; slow, carefully. He was sad. He would probably be sad for a long, long time. It made Fallen sad, too..But he would not let the sadness take him. Being sad would not help ‘Coon. Coon needed someone now, more than ever..And he intended to be there for him. Flick; his tail, out from his body..Gently trying to wrap around Coon.

[Wargrace]

Raccoonheart

Let me hear your battle cry tonight,
Stand beside or step aside,
We're on the frontline.

Was Dewfall happier, now..? Hopefully. But she was so, so far away. Painfully far away. He loved his little 'family'. He couldn't of dreamed of a better one. But now he was missing a part of it. How could he fix the break..? He really didn't know. Maybe it was best not to mourn..? She had decided to let herself die. ..Welcomed as a hero. Had she been..? He really hoped so. She deserved it. Oh, Fallenstrike. He'd known the bigger warrior was there; but his focus had been elsewhere. But Fallen had moved, and so, his focus was on the brown warrior instead. Eyes still shut, still curled.. but an ear twitching towards the approaching warrior. Sitting, now, next to him. Nothing said, for now. The gray warrior just shifted a bit to curl against the other warrior a bit more. Ah, Fallenstrike. He was still here, atleast. His best friend since kithood. He cuddle into the tail. It made him feel a bit warmer. Fallenstrike wasn't gone. Not yet, atleast. Hopefully.. he'd never be gone. "She's gone, Fallenstrike.." Quiet, sad words.

Shifting a bit, Raccoonheart opened his eyes about, twisting to lick Fallen's nearest paw a couple of times. Were they both going to Starclan..? Fallenstrike would for sure. He was a good cat. Grumpy, but good. ..But.. what about him..? Shiningpaw. Would that be held against him? He bristled a bit at the thought. Then, his mind shifted, back to Dewfall. Was she alright in Starclan..? He really did hope she was happy there. With her family. She had missed them, hadn't she..? Now she was with them. "You won't leave, will you..?" That was such a horrible thought. Very sad.

[Iva]

He purred a bit. Not loudly, like usual, but softly; reassuringly. His sadness..It was deep, gnawing, but he hid it. He had to be strong, for Coon. Even if Coon’s sadness was the main reason for his sadness. “She’s in a better place, now. Free of her pain, up in starclan..” It was what she wanted, no accident. It helped his pain a little..But not Coon’s. He hurt, but..He was also a little angry. How could she do this? How could she hurt Coon this way..? This dark emotion gnawed at him, too. Unlike the sadness, it just seemed to grow. He would never forgive Dewfall. Never forgive her for what she had done to Coon. Not even when he mourned her, too.

But..Racconheart wouldn’t want him angry, so he stifled it. Tried to convince himself that he was not that way; try to cool his interior, and quench the fury. It wasn’t hard..The depression was worse, suffocating. Ah..His paw was being licked? He shut his eyes, bending to lick ‘Coon’s shoulder again..And press against him, resting his head on the grey tom’s back. “No, I’ll never leave..” Wasn’t that a lot to say? One never really knew when Starclan would take them, after all..But not. He meant it. Even if Starclan took him..He would not leave ‘Coon. He couldn’t. Coon was..Everything to him. More important than his own soul.. He wished he could feel better. But..it was too soon, wasn’t it?

[Wargrace]

Fallenstrike's words. They reaffirmed what he already knew. But.. it helped to hear someone else say them, and he flicked his ears in acknowledgement without response. No, he didn't want Fallen to be angry.. but he didn't notice it. Or if he sensed it in some way.. he didn't show any signs of it. There wasn't reason to be angry. Dewfall had been suffering. Ah, it was selfish, wasn't it? To be so distraught over her..? She had been suffering. Suffering bad. There was a chance -- a high chance -- that she'd have never healed enough to be a full warrior. Would she have been made an elder..? As young as she was.. it seemed likely. Warriors had duties to attend that she couldn't. It was better for her to be in Starclan, wasn't it..?

Giving a weak purr, he listened. Never leave. That was good. He didn't want Fallen to leave. But what if Starclan took Fallen before him..? But it would be distressing if Starclan took him and Fallen was left, too.. which would be less painful? He wasn't sure. "Shiningpaw.." Question or comment..? Neither, really. Or both. "Do you think..?" What was he trying to ask..? If Fallenstrike thought killing Shiningpaw would be held against him. "What if I can't go to Starclan..? You'll go there, Dewfall's got to be there.. but what if I can't be there, too..?" But he wasn't going to Starclan yet. Neither was Fallenstrike. Many, many moons more.. he hoped. Fallenstrike's head was on his back; so he twisted a bit to lick the other warrior's cheek before curling up a bit more, ringed tail twitching. So many negative thoughts..

[Iva]

He had to be a rock. When Dewfall was alive, he had to be a rock for her. Now she was dead, and he had to be a rock for Raccoonheart. The two weren’t comparable. Nevertheless..He had to be a rock, once again. Strong, reassuring. Things would get better..He would make it that way. All his anger, he would send it away. It wouldn’t help Coon. Sadness wouldn’t help Coon, either..So he kept his emotions, even the ever-consuming depression, suppressed. Coon meant so much to him..He hated seeing him like this. But..it would be okay. He knew It would, in time.

He was surprised to hear the name, and then the words that came after. Surprised, and bristling a little, with the memories. What did Raccoonheart meant..? Did he think..Maybe he wouldn’t go to starclan? The rest of the words confirmed this thought. He accepted the cheek lick, but shook his head, afterward. “Shiningpaw was sick. He would’ve killed me, and for what reason? Because he thought I was some murderer? He was dangerous to the clans. You saved me.. Killing him was no sin. You’re good, Raccoonheart. When the time comes, we will all be in Starclan.” His tail twitched a little, at the momories..But then he deflated, relaxing his head back on Coon. Now, he let the purring come more free..The soft, gentle purr.

[Wargrace]

Raccoonheart

Let me hear your battle cry tonight,
Stand beside or step aside,
We're on the frontline.

What would Fallenstrike think of his question? There was logic behind it, wasn't there..? Shiningpaw had been a bad cat; loose in the head.. but.. was there a better way to protect Fallenstrike than to murder the apprentice..? Atleast he hadn't been a warrior at that time. He'd been an apprentice, too; that made it a bit more fair, if nothing else. What about.. the fact he had no regret in it? No, he wished he'd have made it more painful than he had. Undoubtedly.. the murder had been horribly sadistic. But clearly not enough so. Maybe it was alright that he had killed Shiningpaw to protect Fallenstrike -- paw -- but it wouldn't be alright his cruelty in it? The purr, it was reassuring; and he shut his eyes for the moment, trying to let himself relax. What was Dewfall doing, now..? He shifted to curl more into the larger warrior, trying to bury himself away.

"I wonder if she's found her family, yet..? Her parents, and her siblings..." He didn't know the details; but he knew she had lost both parents and two sibling. How..? He had never dared to ask. It was a private matter. Head lifting, the grayscale warrior would set to licking; trying to groom the brown-furred warrior. He'd have to protect Fallenstrike even more, now. And Bluekit and Petalpaw. Petalpaw.. she'd be the hardest to protect, wouldn't she..? She wasn't a Reedclanner. She'd be far away, soon, like Dewfall. But still alive. Bluekit.. he'd have to watch the little kit like a hawk. Bluekit was adventurous. Fallenstrike.. the warrior was capable of defending himself, wasn't he..? Yes. But not capable enough. "I have to make sure you're safe.. and Bluekit and Petalpaw.."