what is safe ain't the same as what is good [open]

what is safe ain't the same as what is good [open] Jul 5, 2024 9:57:24 GMT -6

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Post by owl on Jul 5, 2024 9:57:24 GMT -6

#s://i~ibb~co/1ZLVP2c/cougar~jpg

cougarcloud

do you know that i could break beneath the weight
of the goodness, love, i still carry for you?

With the leafbare chill long gone from the ground and buds sprouting from trees and bushes alike, it was high time for some spring cleaning. And Cougarcloud took it upon herself to be in charge of the nursery. It was her domain, after all. She had to get the den ready for the newleaf litters that were sure to come. Silverheart had already been frequenting, though he wasn't far along enough to have to rest in the nursery full time. She had shoo'd him out of the den to get some fresh air while she remade the nests. The other dens only had bedding for as many cats were staying there, but it was best for the place where kits would be running about and wrestling to be carpeted in moss.

That being said, her fresh moss hadn't quite arrived yet. She'd asked Toadfeather to organize a patrol for someone to gather it for her, and he assured her that he would handle it. That was fine—there was plenty of the old stuff she could roll up in the meantime. The cold weather was not kind to the bedding, even the mosses gathered right before the big freeze. They were all dried up and coarse now. Her current task was to sort out the feathers that had been sprinkled throughout the moss, since they were still good to use. She had two piles sat beside her, and was picking the feathers out with her teeth.

And with such a repetitive task, she could let her mind wander to wherever it took her. Today, as with most days, it was her children. I wish I was still able to go on patrols with them. I've tried, but anything more than a leisurely walk means I can't put weight on my leg for the next day. And it's harder to get them to take a break just to talk with their mother. I understand they'd much rather be with friends in their free time. The queen sighed. It comes with having grown-up children. She was so distracted, that she didn't notice that someone had approached until her light was blocked by a cat standing in the entrance. Not yet looking up, she meowed a greeting. "Good morning! How goes the moss-gathering?"

what is safe ain't the same as what is good [open] Jul 6, 2024 18:27:20 GMT -6 owl likes this

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Post by cosmic on Jul 6, 2024 18:27:20 GMT -6

#s://i~imgur~com/dwXn8El~png

[tw: bristleback uses foul language]

It had been a few nights since her little spat with her cousin, and yet her mind was so preoccupied with it that she couldn't think about doing her duties to the best of her abilities. Thankfully, Toadfeather didn't seem too suspicious when she asked to not be put on patrols with any of her family members (at least, it seemed that way in her youthful, naïve head), so she tried to be a helpful adversary to her clanmates.

The thoughts of her deceased father still plagued her throughout the attempts to drown him out. All of a sudden, it felt like all eyes were on her from the moment the fight with Kestrelthorn ended. Like she had done before, all she wanted to do was keep her head down and live out the rest of her life, hoping that the attention would turn back to the traitorous ways of her aunt.

The deputy, though, had gave her a special task of the day... collecting moss to help clean the nursery. She felt her eyes rolling into the back of her head before the tom snapped back at her about being respectful. Why couldn't he have just asked some stupid apprentice since it was an apprentice's job? Obviously, she wasn't a kit anymore... Of course, as she scornfully walked away, she prayed for the poor cat that would have to deal with her as she was thoroughly angry at her duties for the day.

It didn't take long to collect the moss from a known source quite a few fox-lengths away from camp. But, as she came back, all the other cats were either on patrols or doing their actual duties. It was eerily silent, except all the queens and kits in the camp while the nursery was being cleaned. As she entered the den, she was greeted by the cat from within. If it had not stumped her as soon as the "good morning" had been spoken, she would have probably spat something back. But, it was certainly a cat that she was overly happy to hear...

Her mother, of course, being a permaqueen with no kits, it made sense why she was the one that had taken responsibility to clean the nursery. Since the war, Bristleback had pretty much cut off everyone that she was close to, including her family and mate. She really didn't know why she did, but it felt right after the attack of MistClan and her conflicting feelings about all the changes in the valley, in RidgeClan, afterward. But, as determined as she was, she would get through this interaction and task without getting pulled back to her family... right?

"Hi, Mother," she only simply replied at first, dropping the fresh moss away from the spoiled pile. It seemed like she was busy plucking feathers, which could leave her to start to continue to clean up the dirty moss and nests. "Moss-collecting was fine, it's soft... Once I get it in a pile, I'll take out all the dirty material. You don't need to accidentally hurt yourself." Referring to Cougarcloud's previous injury to her leg, the daughter still averted the gaze of the fawn-pelted queen, getting right to work by collecting a bundle of old nesting materials. With the morning heat beginning to settle over the valley, it would be no time before her unkempt fur became even more unkempt.