Thunderclan didn't just have the joy of Hollys return but also tension returned to Thunderclan and it was seeping throughout every crevasse of the camp. Peachblossom didn't blame anyone who was angered by Hollys return, no matter what her excuse was she abandoned Thunderclan, they had every right to be angry, even Peachblossom was angry, but she didn't want her old personality to come through and scare her children. She didn't care how others felt truthfully, whether they were overjoyed or pissed at Hollys return didn't matter to her, her only concern was with Hazelpaw. The small molly reminded the healer of her younger self, with her mother also abandoning Thunderclan she had a feeling right now Hazelpaw could just use some time to get her mind off of everything. Pushing her rounded body out of her den she saw both her mate Snalringbadger and Hazelpaw in the corner of her eyes. Approaching the two she nuzzled the father of her kittens in greeting, “Hey Honey. I need to borrow Hazelpaw for a bit. We will be back before night falls.” Giving him a swift affection head butt before leaving, beckoning the fluffy gray and white apprentice to follow her.
Leaving the confines of the camp the air felt fresher, things had been stuffy since she had pretty much been on bedrest with her pregnancy by Snarlingbadger. Her mate had become slightly overbearing with the news that they were going to be parents and he seemed unhappy anytime she had to leave the camp. It was also nice to be away from the growing tension in the camp, Brairstep and Hazelpaw constantly glaring at each other didn't make things any easier. The first half of their journey was made in silence, Peachblossom ignoring any questions of ‘where are we going’ thrown at her. Approaching a small field with an odd smell Peachblossom plopped her watermelon body on the ground, it had been a while since she bothered traveling out this far as her sore ankles had been up to the trip recently, even if it still was within Thunderclan territory. “Come sit with me Hazelpaw.” Offering the small molly a friendly smile.
“Its hard to get away and be able to properly express your true emotions when surrounded by everybody and their nosey pelts. Want to talk about everything that's happened recently Hazelpaw?”
A metallic taste tingled in her mouth as her small fangs punctured the inner lining of her cheek. Red liquid dripped down her throat as she swallowed hard. Anger rose in her compact body as the apprentice opened up to Peachblossom. How could anyone in their right mind think it's okay to abandon their children. “If I'm being honest Hazelpaw Kass never told me who your other parent was.” The Thuderclan healer rested her fluffy tail on Hazelpaws shoulder, “But if I know Kass like I think I do then, yes it would be Holly raising your litter next to Kass.” Peachblossom knew her words wouldn’t help the young apprentice, learning whether to accept Holly or not was something only Hazelpaw could do, but Peachblossom would offer her all the knowledge she could to help her make her choice.
Peachblossom always found it annoying when someone older would say ‘I was just like you once’ but now she understood why it's said. Sitting here with Hazelpaw she realized they were very similar, perhaps it was due to how much time she spent around Hazelpaw when she was a kit or perhaps that was just how they were both born but whatever the reasonings Peachblossom understood better than anyone else in Thunderclan what it was like to have so many strong, passionate emotions and not know how to properly deal with them. She also understood not wanting to come across weak or feel humiliated by having such feelings. The healer loved all of Wildstars kittens but truth be told she felt for Hazelpaw most of all and while she didnt want to play favorites it was clear right now Hazelpaw needed her attention more than the others. “I-I'm not going to lie to you my sweet Hazelpaw. I don't have an answer for that, I know Wildstar loves you very much and she was so excited to be your parent. I don't think it was a case of her not wanting you.”
Peachblossom wasnt sure just how much of her past she revealed to her kits, the way she came to Thunderclan, her way of living prior to clan life. She didn't think it was right of her to reveal the old thunderclan's leader's past but Hazelpaw still had a right to know a little bit about it. “Kass lived a life different from myself and you, and I think she’s probably dealing with something from her past. If she left you and your littermates here it's probably because it's too dangerous for her to take you all or risk bringing it to Thunderclan.” But how much of this was true? Even Peachblossom didn't have an answer she prayed was at least partly correct, she didn't want to think that Kass would up and leave her children without a good reason. She also could help but realize how much Kass leaving was affecting herself, she loved Kass; not in the same way she loves Snarlingbadger but they had so much growth between them Peachblossom really thought Kass would have told her why she was leaving. “She didn't even tell me she was leaving…I thought we were closer than that but I can't let that hold me back. I have a mate and kits to be there for.”
“You can't let this hold you back either. You have such amazing potential to be a great warrior.”
Peachblossom rose to her paws, moving closer to the apprentice leaning against Hazelpaw only slightly. Partly because she didn't want her watermelon belly to crush Hazelpaw but also because she didn't want to overwhelm the young molly with too much sudden physcial contact. It was more of her way of taking the first step to silently let Hazelpaw know she could lean on Peachblossom if she needed to. “Before Honey and I had kits, I was content with just having you and your littermates in my life. I love my children, but even if I was never able to have biological kits, I would be okay because I have you, Bonepaw, Beakpaw and Oatpaw. For me, you four would have been enough.”
“I know my presence won't make up for Wildstar leaving but please know Hazelpaw, I will always be here for you. I won't ever leave, not until Starclan themselves rip me from the earth and even then I wont leave without a fight.”
H A Z E L P A W
They were back at it again with this awful morning routine. Dawn would come, the sun would rise, and Snarlingbadger would be there, at the mouth of the apprentice's den, yowling at her to wake up and get up like he was her father or something. The other apprentices would curl their lips at her, knowing full well that the only reason he was doing that was because she wouldn't get out of her nest otherwise. "Ugh!" Hazelpaw groaned, rolling over and out of the soft down lining her nest. What she would give to smack that brute with one of her left-hooks.
Coming out of the den, the fluffy apprentice's pelt looked like she had slept in a rat's nest rather than a well-made patch of soft plush. While her mentor went on about whatever in StarClan's name they were going to do today, Hazelpaw busied herself with tidying up her looks. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the heavily pregnant Peachblossom coming up to them. She paused her grooming, focusing on the creamy feline, only to widen her eyes in surprise when she stated that she would be taking Hazelpaw from her mate for the day.
Oh, she didn't hesitate to spring to her paws and follow the medicine cat hurriedly out of camp. Any chance to get away from Snarlingbadger's bossy attitude was a fantastic one in her eyes. Though, the further they went away from camp, Hazelpaw started to feel a little nervous for Peachblossom's sake. A feeling in which... She wasn't quite used to. It's just, she knew how pregnant the queen was and that they were the only ones out this far. What would happen if they needed help? "Hey, uh, maybe we shouldn't stray too far?" She pondered, though her prying went unanswered and Hazelpaw tried not to feel offended by this. Maybe she needed some really valuable herb out here but just couldn't tell her for some reason?
Though, soon enough, they stopped and Peachblossom settled down. Soon, she realized that this wasn't the case when the healer began to question her about her reaction to Hollystar's reappearance. Gritting her teeth, the young cat sighed in exasperation. She hated talking about her feelings, truth be told. Perhaps that's why she was so prone to outbursts, because she held in her feelings until they exploded out of her.
The grey apprentice groaned, fidgeting her paws awkwardly for a moment before she chose to sit down beside the older molly. "I just..." She started, pausing and whining in the back of her throat as she tried to force the words out. "She's my mom, right-- Wildstar's mate? What gives her the right to disappear on us and then reappear, and then Wildstar disappears, too?"
Hazelpaw went silent again, turning her face away from Peachblossom. "Do my parents just not want me?" She asked quietly, almost like she didn't want to say something so humiliating out loud.