D A W N P O O L
“You wanted to see me, sir?”
At the mouth of the den came a soft voice, one gentle in tone yet not hesitant or meak. A pair of clear blue eyes shone from the backlight of the clearing as the golden molly popped her head into the leader’s den. It wasn’t often that simple, every day warriors such as herself were called into a private discussion with their Clan’s head- she could only assume that they were meeting in his nesting areas because of the rumors that Hawkstar had lost a life recently and he was recovering from his wounds and the shock of death.
He must be tired, she thought to herself. Though, she didn’t have any experience on the matter so her two cents ended there. It was better not to pry, after all. His business was his business and his alone. She needn’t bother with details that didn’t concern her. What did concern her, however, was the reason for her presence being requested today. Dawnpool didn’t think she had done anything particularly wrong recently… So her conclusion settled on Coldpaw, her apprentice and the leader’s son.
Once she had received permission to enter, the golden tabby took her way into the den, pausing once she had reached a few tail lengths of respectable distance from Hawkstar. She dipped her head in greeting before she inquired, “Is this about Coldpaw?”
D A W N P O O L
"I'm sure that's not the case," She disagreed immediately. At least, she knew that he didn't really think Chanterellefrost thought ill of him. They may have parted ways but it didn't seem to her as though they thought poorly of one another. In fact, they probably still loved each other, despite separating. But that wasn't her right to touch on it, so she left it be. It was he who needed to work through those feelings.
When Hawkstar spoke of his kits, Dawnpool smiled gently. "Everyone goes through phases of rebellion when they're young. Can you think of a time when you were growing up when you thought your parents were ignorant of your troubles and you knew better than them?" She paused, letting her works sink in. "I'm sure they'll come around when they're ready."
The golden warrior got to her paws, offering her leader a respectful tilt of her head. "I think I should be going now, it's starting to get late." She began to dismiss herself, heading towards the mouth of the den and then she paused. "I enjoyed speaking with you," She said. And then she left.
“Chanterellefrost may disagree.” Hawkstar chortled good-naturedly. Though he did not wholly believe it. Chant wasn’t the type to change her opinion on him just for their parting. He’d disappointed her, he was sure, but he doubted she thought him dim for it.
“Or, at least the kits do,” He added, more sure of this. It seemed only Coldpaw and Robinpaw wanted anything to do with him.
D A W N P O O L
“I should hope that my own troubles don't grow so large that they become the Clan’s problems, though.”
“Hmm,” Dawnpool hummed softly in response. She supposed he was right to feel that way, wanting to protect his Clan from his own personal problems so that they didn’t impact things too much in the overall flow of how ThunderClan functioned. As much as she wanted to believe that the two could be separate, she also felt that in one way or another, the Clan worried for their leader as much as their leader worried for his Clan. They couldn’t stay separate forever.
Hawkstar’s gentle laugh drew her attention back to him again. Oh? She had never seen him anything other than hot-headed and rash. It was refreshing to see that he could be more laid back and laugh like anyone else.
“Don’t sell yourself short,” She responded with a soft chuckle of her own. “I’m sure you’re plenty smart, Mr. Clan Leader.”
Hawkstar gave a shrug, face grimacing ever so slightly.
“I should hope that my own troubles don't grow so large that they become the Clan’s problems, though.” He argued, holding her gaze without flinching or glancing away.
“How is it you’re so smart, anyways? We were apprentices at the same time.” He added with a laugh, finally looking away. Though he felt a swooping sensation as he did so. Dawnpool was quite beautiful, of course. But he didn’t consider this to be uncommon knowledge. And she’s pretty nice too. Come to think of it, I wonder why she never settled down? He pondered. Hey, maybe ever consider she might not be interested in that? Another snide inner voice retorted. Hawkstar brushed the thoughts away, figuring that a tom freshly parted from his mate was hardly in a position to make any assumptions either way.
D A W N P O O L
Dawnpool was a silent listener. Always had been. When someone had taken the effort to be vulnerable and open up to her, she felt that it was best to wait silently and listen fully until they were finished speaking for her to reply. Even though she had noticed that the topic had changed from worries of his son to worries of his own, the golden feline didn't point it out to Hawkstar. Instead, she quietly accepted the shift.
"That's not so." She corrected him. Even if the two of them weren't necessarily friends, they weren't close or anything of the sort, she would listen to his woes. Especially if there was no one else he felt he could confide in. It wasn't like she felt it was her duty or anything out of obligation, but rather that it was just who she was.
"You are the head of our Clan. Your personal troubles will, in one way or another, affect the rest of us, too. Most of the Clan wants you back on your paws as soon as possible so that ThunderClan doesn't suffer, but I-" She paused, her blue eyes meeting his golden gaze with sincerity, "would prefer that you take your time so that you don't lose yourself along the way."
"Change is inevitable. Every day isn't guaranteed. The best we can do is take each step earnestly and stay on the path we're meant to take."
Hawkstar nodded, hoping that his face gave nothing away. Did she know? He’d allowed his son to exercise his own judgment with who to trust with the truth of his abilities. He hadn’t wanted Coldpaw to feel like telling others could be dangerous. Even if it could well be. He was too young for such pressures.
“He’s…always been that way. He hardly spoke as a kitten. He was born cold, we thought he was dead, thus his name.” Hawkstar’s tail-tip twitched.
“Well, I’m glad it doesn’t seem to be affecting him overtly. My own parents were never formal mates to begin with, so this whole separation is new to me. It’s odd to still work alongside someone who…” He paused, then chuckled.
“You didn’t come to hear about my personal woes. My apologies.”
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The ebony tom appeared to be dealing with more than what she had initially thought. Beneath the jovial exterior he usually displayed, she sensed something a bit more coy than she would usually expect from Hawkstar. Perhaps because the two of them weren't necessarily close and had not interacted much, Dawnpool had never known or thought of him as someone who dwelled on sadness or penitence.
Though, from what she could tell, his feelings were genuine. He was grieving the relationship between himself and Chanterellefrost that had become broken. For a brief moment, the silence between them spurred a flash of memory of her own, of her own failure in romance. However, as different as their circumstances, leaving a relationship was typically never something one felt good about. Perhaps that made her odd? Hawkstar seemed to truly have loved his mate, unlike herself.
The ThunderClan leader's question returned her attention to the topic at hand.
"Hm? Oh. Well, yes, Coldpaw is a bit peculiar." She admitted, though there was no hint of mockery in her voice. Rather, she was straightforward and simple.
"I have noticed something about him recently, though when I ask him if he has something on his mind he becomes rather tight-lipped." The golden molly paused for a moment to gather her thoughts before she said, "Perhaps he does not quite want to rely on adults yet."
"Even so, he is a kindhearted young cat. I trust that he knows if he needs us, we're here to lend an ear to his troubles. It's just a matter of waiting for him to open up."
Hawkstar paced about in his den, never holding still for too long. The cold was heartless to mid-pelted toms such as he. Yet when his latest appointment entered he forced himself to still, sitting down as a proper Leader ought to when holding audience with those under his command.
“Sharp as ever, Dawnpool. Never could get one past you.” He chuckled warily.
“Yes, I do worry for him. I worry for all of them, of course, Chanterellefrost and I’s separation isn’t easy on them…” He paused to let a pang of regret throng his chest, lest it color his tone with a tremor that betrayed how deeply this was affecting him.
“But Coldpaw, well you know, he’s always been different,” He went on. Did she know, he wondered? He’d advised Coldpaw to best keep his abilities to himself and those he could trust. But only now did he realize how vague the advice was.
“Would you say….is he holding up okay?”