Juncoberry shadowclan deputy
He’d put it off as long as he possibly could. Juncoberry had done everything in his power to avoid making this trip, to avoid having to deal with his ancestor’s spirits. He was afraid, and he couldn’t quite figure out why. There was something wrong with the existence of ghosts and such, he was sure; he was convinced something evil always accompanied them, whether they, themselves, were inherently evil or not. And now, stood at the mouth of the Mooncave, he felt that familiar sense of foreboding wash over him. Juncoberry didn’t know where irrational fear ended and intuition began; he wished he could just be done with this. Would it be so bad to just turn around and go back to camp without his nine lives? Surely no-cat would know the difference. He could simply adopt a new name and never have to deal with ghosts to get it…
Paws tingling, the grey-spattered tom drew a shaky breath. He knew he was going to have to face the spirits in this cave. He didn’t have a choice in the matter; when he’d accepted the role of deputy, he’d also accepted to one day lead the Clan as Smokestar had done. Could he fill the hole she’d left behind? Could he ever hope to command the same respect and adoration that his leader before him had kept so easily? Smokestar had made it look effortless. Juncoberry felt like he was a fumbling mess compared to her; nothing he could ever do would measure up to her. He was hit once more with a wave of grief, his tail dropping behind him as he stared, wide-eyed, into the darkness below him. He turned amber eyes on Hareflight where she stood beside him, his ears falling to his skull as he forced an uneasy grin. “‘Think Smokestar will be there?” he ventured, hope in his eyes.
Crystaldove
Starclan Warrior
A warm scent surrounded Juncoberry. The scent of lilies, mint and a hint of milk. A beautiful silver tabby stepped forward, her dark blue eyes shining within the stars and sparkles leaving her paw steps as she took each step. In front of Juncoberry was Crystaldove, a queen of Skyclan. The young molly had a promising future, and had a whole life ahead of her.. Until she had passed away giving birth to her son. While Crystaldove didn’t get to see Granitemask grow up, she always watched him and cheered for every accomplishment that occurred within his life. Her best friend Frostburn and her mate Darkbird had done a fantastic job with the silver tabby tom, she couldn’t be more happier to leave Granitekit in such good hands.. But she missed her almost lover and son, but they always knew.. There was a guardian angel always watching over them.
“Hello Juncoberry” Crystaldove said in a gentle tone, approaching the gray deputy with a soft smile. “My name is Crystaldove, I was a queen in Skyclan before joining Starclan” She said, as the silver tabby didn’t need to explain how she died.. But by her words, Juncoberry could piece it together with also the faint scent of milk that she still carried. Leaning towards Juncoberry, she watched as he lowered his head while her pink nose pressed against his forehead “With this life, I give you Sacrifice” Crystaldove whispered softly, her voice had a hint of sadness but remained strong before she went on “Use it well, as you will need to make sacrifices for the good of your clan..” The Molly said before stepping back, dipping her head in farewell before taking a step back, allowing the next cat to step forward.
Juncoberry
shadowclan deputy
Juncoberry felt his chest tighten as Hareflight stepped forward, his face twisting as he fought the urge to cry. He was overcome with some emotion that he couldn't quite name, but he was sure it was something like comfort. A lump had formed in his throat, and he couldn't do anything but sit and listen to the medicine cat speak. He turned his eyes away, his breathing shallow as he tried to compose himself. He sniffed softly, leaning over to nuzzle his companion's cheek. He held such respect for Hareflight that it broke his heart to hear that she doubted herself like this. He supposed that if even she could have doubts, then it was probably normal that he did, too. "Thank you, Hareflight," he breathed, forcing a smile. "Saplingskies made the right choice; we're all so lucky to have you. I'm lucky to have you."
Drawing a deep breath, he steeled himself for what was coming next. He lowered his head, stretching his nose out toward the pool. The moment his muzzle made contact, the tom was overcome with a feeling of warmth. The sound of prey buzzed all around him, and he blinked open his eyes, surprised and a little scared. He twisted himself, searching frantically around for any sign of Hareflight. He knew, of course, that there was no way she could have followed him here, but he still found himself disappointed upon realizing that he was alone. His brows furrowed, then, as he realized he wasn't alone; there was some-cat close by, and he felt his heart seize as a familiar scent washed over him.
"Mom," he forced out, eyes widening as he caught sight of her standing not far away. Swallowstrike had the same gentle expression on her face that she'd worn in his kithood, watching him with pride clear in her eyes. The elderly she-cat smiled warmly at him, and Juncoberry rushed forward, unable to keep himself from nuzzling close to his mother. It had been so long since he'd last seen her; he hadn't realized just how much he still missed her.
"Juncoberry, look at you," she purred, sounding absolutely delighted. It caused the tom's heart to swell, his eyes welling with tears. He reached a paw up to wipe at them, glancing around as he found himself surrounded by StarClan warriors, their pelts shimmering like the stars. He swallowed hard, blinking in awe at them. He'd never met a StarClan warrior, and he struggled to speak at the sight of them now. Swallowstrike nudged him, silently urging him to straighten his posture. He did so without resistence, his breath catching in his throat. He couldn't see Smokestar among their ranks. He wondered briefly if she'd simply chosen not to see him here; had he done something to anger her since her passing?
He didn't have time to worry, however, as soon enough his mother was speaking to him once more. "It's time now," she announced quietly, and Juncoberry gave a small nod. Swallowstrike gently touched her nose to the top of her son's head. He kept his eyes averted, ears flicking as he listened closely to what she spoke. "With this life I give you patience," she declared, drawing a small giggle from the tom. She certainly had had plenty of that, raising him. It made sense that she'd choose that trait. "Use it well." She stepped back, and Juncoberry had to force himself not to follow her. He clenched his jaw as he watched her move away, his ears falling to his skull. He tore his eyes away, looking out to the next cat to step forward.
H A R E F L I G H T
His jokes made Hareflight smile and she let out a light laugh that she hoped would help him feel a bit more at ease. She didn't really feel as though she'd made him feel any better. Maybe she just wasn't good at it. Or maybe there wasn't any making him feel better. She had started to settle into her own thoughts, ready to wait out his visions when he spoke again. Her ears perked and she drew her gaze up to his, her brows furrowing. "Of course I will be. I'll be here the whole t-time. I promise. I'm here if you need me for anything." After a moment's hesitation, she stood again padding her way across the cavern floor until she was beside him. "I'll stay here b-beside you if it would make you feel better. Either way I'll be here. I won't leave you." She settled down there beside the moonpool. It was interesting really. To her, this place was usually a place of comfort: where she got to see her friends each month, the place where she really watched some of her friends grow up. After watching him for a moment, she said, "Y-You know... When I was first made Saplingskies' apprentice, I thought he must have made a mistake. I-I don't have the same connection to StarClan the other medicine cats do. This place u-used to be a reminder of that for me. I thought I could n-never be a medicine cat but... then I just was. And I struggle sometimes, but it feels normal. It feels like this is... how I'm supposed to be. Who I'm supposed to be. Even if sometimes I don't feel like I'm the best cat for the job. Maybe that's what it will be for you too. B-But.. I'm here for you no matter what. You'll always be my friend whether you're a leader or not. And I'll be here, just the same, when you have your lives." Her gaze searched his face, hoping she made some sort of difference. Smiling softly and with a quick nod, she added, "W-Whenever you're ready, Junco."
Juncoberry
shadowclan deputy
The disappointment Juncoberry felt at Hareflight's answer hit him hard in the chest; his gaze fell to his paws, and he patted absently at the stone beneath him. He was lucky he didn't have much of an ego, otherwise he'd have been humiliated being seen in this state. His brows furrowed, his tail lashing once behind him as the medicine cat tried to reassure him. How could she be so sure? What if Smokestar had made the wrong choice? He felt guilty doubting her, but he couldn't figure out just what his leader had seen in him. Surely there had to be some-cat more qualified; at the very least, there had to be some-cat in the Clan that wouldn't be trembling in the mouth of the Mooncave at the thought of talking to some spooky dead warriors.
Breathing an exasperated sigh, Juncoberry raised his eyes to meet Hareflight's own. "If I fall, I'm gonna tell any-cat who asks that you tripped me," he teased, in an attempt to calm himself. Humor was always an easy thing to fall back on when he was faced with uncomfortable feelings; if you couldn't find a reason to laugh, then it truly was hopeless. He followed his companion down into the cave, keeping close. He was just adjusting to the silence, when suddenly Hareflight spoke. He jumped, giving a dramatic squeal, in response. He was ready to scold her playfully, when they came to an opening in the cave. "I'm more worried about you yellin' at me again," he joked, nudging her affectionately as he stepped forward toward the small pool in the center of the cavern.
He stood at its edge, blinking down at his reflection on the surface of the water. "You, uh..." he began, trailing off awkwardly. "You promise you'll be here when I wake up?" He turned back to the she-cat, looking nervous.
H A R E F L I G H T
She had been watching Juncoberry the whole trip, a worry in her eyes that she never let him see. Hareflight could basically feel the nerves coming off of him in waves. This was something she could relate to. Even when she had become a medicine cat, she never had any real connection to StarClan and it had caused her a lot of anxieties around the matter. While it wasn't the same situation by any means, Hareflight could kind of understand what Juncoberry might be going through. She gently pressed her side into his, offering him a reassuring smile. She followed his gaze into the mooncave, recalling the fear she had felt the first time she'd been here. How had Saplingskies made her feel better?
As Juncoberry spoke, she turned her attention to him, one of her ears flicking slightly as she considered this. She let out a deep sigh, sadness evident in her eyes as she looked up at Juncoberry. "I-I don't know, Junco. I'm sorry." Hareflight allowed herself to take a moment to think about her former leader before focusing back on the task at hand. "But... I know y-you're ready for this. I know how you feel about everything but... It'll be easy, okay? One little touch to the pool a-and it'll be over." She didn't know if that helped. She didn't know what she should be saying. All she wanted was to ease his mind. "W-We all miss Smokestar, Junco. I-I-I.... still miss her everyday. But she chose y-you for a reason. You are going to make a great leader. T-This is just one hurdle before then and.. I know you can do this. And I'll be here with you the whole time." Hareflight nudged him gently, a genuine smile on her face. She gave him a moment before nodding. "Okay, follow me. Go slowly and be careful, the steps c-can be slippery sometimes." With this said, Hareflight began to slowly step into the darkness of the cave, brushing gently against the wall to keep herself oriented. Occasionally, her bi-coloured gaze would flash behind her to make sure Juncoberry was still close behind.
"A-Almost there." Her soft voice broke deep silence of the cave and shortly after Hareflight stepped into a wider clearing where the moonpool glowed softly under the moonlight. Settling into a seated position at the edge of the cave, she offered a reassuring smile to Juncoberry. "You've got this, don't even worry."
#melrps #hareflight