Lost Creek Hollow compartidos

once upon a time the roguish girl had offered to teach @Crowfeather a pleasant lesson. but since they had come here and begun working, she had scarcely considered it despite her great curiosity. silvertongue remembered it only as she crested the little rise and passed through the golden forest to riverclan's networked densite, all of them presumably so close to one another that such things would not go unnoticed. she brought a dove and dropped it at his paws. the night was young, not yet illuminated by stars, and silvertongue set down happily to wait for them. "will you tell me about the stars, crowfeather?" surely he had told her of the clan beyond them, and that is what she sought this eve. she propped her chin on his shoulder in rapt anticipation.

The blue-eyed girl wished to know of the stars. Crowfeather blinked softly at her, then to the dove that she had left near his paws. It had been a long time since he had talked about their stars – the clan of stars. It had been a long time since he had felt comfortable enough to consider the practices he’d been raised on.

Yes, I- I would like that, he answered her quietly.

We are all meant to go to the stars. If we live with honor, protect our clan, and listen to the word of those who have passed, his eyes shifted toward the glittering heavens. We will join the clan of stars, when we die. Crowfeather had always dreamed of the day that he would run among the heavens. As a pup, he had listened to the other children talk and gossip, saying that the clan of stars was more beautiful than anything they would know as warriors. Strange, to glorify death in such a way.

I would like you to dream with the stars, with me… if you would. It’s- It’s a special thing. You take herbs so that you will sleep and- and I found a cave where we could hold the ceremony.

Crowfeather realized that he wasn’t doing a very good job of telling her about the stars.

silvertongue listened. she did not remember that her father and mother had ever passed anything down to her about the afterlife. save for dia de los muertos, which she hardly recalled after so long in akashingo. but she mustered the memories as crowfeather spoke, of words said to los ancestores, of offerings given, of songs and marigold flowers. she was lulled as he spoke, and thought very much he explained things so well. "dream the stars?" she repeated. but she was not opposed. silvertongue looked at the sky. "when?"

It was nice to have someone who listened, who liked to hear what he said. Crowfeather blamed himself, mostly. He did not have a good habit of opening up. It wasn’t that he concealed himself. He still wore his emotions on his face like a window to his soul. Only if he concentrated, could he focus on the advice Germanicus had given him, just after they had first met.

When the moon is full, he answered. Crowfeather believed that the moon would illuminate the cave. The glittering rocks would melt into the darkness of the sky. It would be like laying in a bed of stars and darkness. The tripod felt himself grow eager. He wondered if the stars could be reached so far from home.

I believe I’ve found the herbs we’ll need. Then, his ears splayed and his eyes grew wide with a worrisome expression. It can be overwhelming, the first time.

he was hesitant. he was focused upon bad things, silvertongue had noticed. crowfeather was anxious. she supposed it was natural given what he had undergone. but the bare emotions in his eyes often arrested her heart, as they did now. she nuzzled against him and twined their tails for a moment. "but we will be together." she leant back, glassblue eyes seeking his own. "i don't want to ever be away again."

The touch of the girl was soft, sweet. Her tail found his. The shadow watched her closely when she spoke. It was how he knew that she wasn’t lying to him. Silvertongue did not want them to be apart again. She was happy when they were together.

Crowfeather found himself lost in a sea of thoughts. Most infuriating were the thoughts of the yellow-eyed Imperator. Once, Crowfeather would have said the same words to the older man. He would have told him that he never wanted to be apart from Germanicus. He would have shown the same adoration in his gaze as Silvertongue. Sitting beneath the warm glass blue gaze of the girl, the tripod couldn’t help but wonder if all his pining had been fair to the silver eagle.

Germanicus had not felt the same way. He had made that clear. No amount of adoration or love could have swayed him, Crowfeather realized. Fear overcame the familiar heartache. Could he do to Silvertongue what Germanicus had done to him?

No.

I- I want that, too. To stay together.

Crowfeather would never send her away. He would not ignore her goodness, her love. Even if he did not feel it in return.

"what do you feel about niños, crowfeather? babies?" silvertongue met his eyes and then laughed. "not from me! i am a free agent. but mothers will come here." and perhaps he wanted to be a father. "what should we do for them?" she did not think they would be turned away. but how could riverclan support these things in its infancy?

The dark wolf smiled. She wanted to know about children…

I- I think… I would love to have mothers here. Children, too. Even if none of them were my own.

Crowfeather laughed softly. He had never daydreamed about becoming a father. The closest he had come to this fantasy was when he had pictured Germanicus as a father – young puppies with stern faces and sharp yellow eyes. The tripod did not believe that he would be a good parent. He did not know how to stand up for himself, let alone another living thing.

You would like them, too? I- I don’t think you would be a… free agent, if you didn’t want that.

It was important to hear why she mattered. It was important to offer affirmation.

You are beautiful. You are k-kind. You could be a mother, if it was what you wished.

silvertongue was curious now. "do you want to be a father?" but she was giggling at the rest, nipping his shoulder. "they are all right. but they change your body." she strutted in front of him, a leisurely peacock. she arched her tail and grinned indulgently at him. "i want to help teach them. but maybe not carry them. you understand?" silvertongue returned to her place alongside him. "i am beautiful and kind? you flatter me." but she knew he meant these things truly. "riverclan will be a comfortable place."

I haven’t thought of it for myself. Maybe…

Crowfeather couldn’t help but feel that he would make a terrible father. He had no example from which to base this role. The dark tripod would have floundered with children. It was better that they weren’t left to such a risk. Before he could dive into these fears, Silvertongue was already moving on from the topic. She had said children changed how women looked and she would be there to teach them. That was all he could ask.

Riverclan will be a good home, I hope.

Anxiety told him that it could fail, just like he had. The stars could deny him a place among them. He could have been banished from their afterlife for his betrayal of their ways.

Tell me what you would teach the kids, he wanted to listen to her some more.

"dancing! music! how to act," she laughed, but her heart hurt a little for him. how many dreams had he sacrificed to bring them here? "riverclan will be known by name for your kindness," she decided. and her eyes were bright. "we will all be teachers. and we will all love them here." let crowfeather give up no more things.

The dark figure could not help but smile at her words. He hoped that he would see all these things brought to their world, that she would show the children how to sing and how to dance. These were skills that he had never learned for himself. They were not things that were taught in the Starsea. Crowfeather couldn’t think of anything he wanted more, though.

They will be so happy, he spoke in a breathless voice. His own inner child peered through the darkness, hopeful for their future.

"yes." she kissed his cheek. "they will be." something filled her eyes then, something like desire. silvertongue had kept no secret in the want of him, but he had never called to her, or come to share her bed. she felt that his heart was scarred by the man he had loved. "come on. rest with me, crowfeather," the young courtesan urged softly.

It was no secret that he had felt love for Germanicus. From the first time he had spoken to the older man, Crowfeather had known that his emotions were too easily revealed. He had not done well to hide them. It was easy for anyone who had seen the young wolf to know that he had been wounded deeply by his talks with the silver eagle. The three-legged wolf had become different.

When she urged him to rest with her, the shadow’s ears fell to his head. His eyes were large upon her face. Silvertongue was good to him. She reminded him of Mothwing, in many ways. The young man did not understand why he didn’t feel compelled to be with her. He did not think it was fair that she should suffer his company without him trying.

Alright, yeah… let’s rest. His voice quavered.

fading! <3

 silvertongue was pleased to have him so close, so warm and solid against her own body. she untangled all the briars and knots from his ruff, preening him to crows'-wing glossiness, and nestled her shoulder against him when the slumber overtook her. they slept together chastely, twined like babes in a cradle beneath the stars he so loved.