Russetpaw
WindClan Apprentice
The stillness was welcoming. No one was around him doubting his life and intentions, whispering to others he was a fraud. No one was scoffing in his face that he looked nothing like a direct Wolfstar grandkit. It was just him, the wind, and the lapping of the water against the dock’s wooden legs. Although the birds and insects didn’t seem to leave him be as the sun was just beginning to descend down towards the horizon, welcoming the evening life to come alive. Russetpaw watched a few water bugs hop across the surface of the water with deep amber eyes, breathing in slowly before letting it out as a sigh. His mother told him Wolfstar loved to swim, strangely enough. How often did he swim in these waters? Was he ever doubted of being a WindClanner because of his ability to swim? Would he ever be accepted amongst the many family members? If only Willowfur had come with him. But she left him.
Russetpaw’s eyes closed as the wind picked up a bit, his dark coppery-toned fur rustling around his neck and tail, the dark stripes on his back turning even darker as the sun kept lowering. He didn’t know quite how long he had been at the docks, or if he was needed, but it felt good to get some peace and quiet from the constant doubts and annoyances. It wasn’t in him to fight it or get angry. Duskpaw was usually the one to stand up for him but she had been out with her mentor all day while Cometchaser gave him a much needed break. The worst was Wolfleap. His sneers and dirty looks made Russetpaw’s skin crawl and he chose to stay as far away from him as he could. Heatherpetal was nice, but also busy with her kits and mate. Therefore, he didn’t have anyone at the moment. Like his life as a rogue, he was alone.
A distant round of thunder across the horizon made his ears twitch and eyes open to look in that direction, but it left as quick as it came and no dark clouds were in sight. His eyes narrowed and head tilted, but his tail flicked as he dismissed it. Maybe he had misheard it. However, he couldn’t miss the sound of pawsteps coming up behind him and Russetpaw turned his head to look upon Airheart. At least… he believed that was her name. There were so many cats in this Clan that it was hard to keep up with all the names, and he didn’t believe he had spoken much to her so far. His ears flattened to his head for a moment and he nodded slightly. “I can leave if you’d like,” he mumbled, beginning to stand up off the edge of the dock.
Russetpaw
WindClan Apprentice
Russetpaw looked up as Airheart chastised him, his blinking amber eyes seemingly surprised for a moment when she pointed at his chest with a prodding paw, causing him to look down at the red fur he had inherited. It was darker and more noticeable than Willowfur’s ginger coat. He smiled slightly and looked back up at the she-cat, pleased she felt like she could trust him after such a short amount of time communicating. “That is true. I think I expected to be completely immersed in this lifestyle after desiring it for so long, and I don’t know why I thought I would immediately be welcomed entirely. I can understand why some would be…cautious of me. I’ll prove to them that I deserve to be here.”
Sighing heavily, Russetpaw looked away from his reflection in the water and at his new friend as she patted his flank, giving her a smile and a nod, his tail flicking at his side before resting on his paws while a soft purr rumbled in his chest. “Thank you, Airheart, for saying I belong. I needed to hear that. You’re easy to talk to.” Standing up for a moment just to stretch out his paws, his back arched and his front paws twitched, the strange wooden structure beneath them creaking slightly before he settled back into a sitting position. His brows furrowed slightly as he seemed thoughtful, parting his jaws as he let out a soft chuckle. “Are we…related? Ever since I came back, it seems everyone I talk with has some sort of relation with Wolfstar.”
A I R H E A R T
"Don't be silly!" Airheart chastised him gently, her voice light-hearted and high with sincerity as she spoke, "Of course you have individuality. Everyone does." Her petite paw reached out and pointed to his chest. "That deep red fur of yours is unlike anyone else in WindClan. Your timid kindness speaks volumes on who you are, too. We just met but I feel like I can trust you already. That in itself is unique, trust me."
"And besides," she continued with a huff, "everyone struggles with the basics at first, whether you're Clan-born or not. Anyone who says otherwise is either a gifted prodigy or they're lying. Try not to worry too much about that kind of stuff. You're learning a whole new lifestyle and adapting to that change on top of everything else. It's understandable that you'd struggle."
She paused, watching quietly as Russetpaw gazed to his own reflection. She wondered for a moment if he took in what she was saying- if she was helping the young tom at all. When he piped up again, she grinned widely. "Maybe," she agreed somewhat cheekily, and patted the tom's flank with her paw. "But you're one of us now, too. You belong here just as much as I do."
Russetpaw WindClan Apprentice
This coppery-toned apprentice was a quiet and shy tom, but he was also an anxious talker. And right now, his anxieties had been running at an all time high with trying so hard to fit in and be accepted. To be looked at as family and not just an outsider or a son of a she-cat who abandoned her Clan after her father’s death. Some cats didn’t even believe his story because he looked nothing like Wolfstar. Airheart’s words of encouragement made his ears flatten slightly with doubt. “I hope I’ll feel like one of you.” So far, the only ones who had really spoken to him were Duskpaw, Clampaw, and Stormraven. And now Airheart.
Maybe if the Clans had just formed together then he wouldn’t feel much like an outsider. There would be more than just one Clan of cats that he could try and fit in with, because so far WindClan was hard to integrate into. The territory was so open that he felt like a cat without fur. Naked. His head turned as the feline spoke, looking at her curiously and his tail flicking behind him before it settled on his paws. “I guess…I guess that make’s sense.” He hesitated, looking down at the water in thought before he sighed heavily. “Maybe… I don’t have individuality. Maybe this life wasn’t meant for me? Cometchaser is an amazing and patient mentor, but I know he’s getting frustrated with me. I can’t get the moves right and my hunting isn’t so great either.”
He was speaking these thoughts, but the thought of leaving scared him. If he didn’t have this Clan, then what did he have? And he couldn’t leave Duskpaw either. Russetpaw lowered down to where his front paws hung off the edge of the dock, looking down into the water to see the reflection of his dark amber eyes. Another small bout of thunder happened in the distance and he looked up again towards the horizon, but still no clouds. “You’re lucky you were born here, Airheart.”
A I R H E A R T
For such a young guy, he sure did seem bothered by something heavy enough to make his shoulders slump. She blinked at him from where she sat beside him, feeling sympathetic to his struggles, despite not quite knowing what they were. Airheart knew personally what it was like to feel burdened by societal pressure when you were so young and she hoped that Russetpaw wouldn't worry himself too much over what everyone else thought of him.
At his response, the warrior smiled gently and said, "It'll take time. A lot of Clan society tells us to reject outsiders... I'm sure a lot of them may feel that way now, but the more time you spend in WindClan and integrate into Clan-life, the more you'll feel like one of us. It won't happen over night, but try not to be too discouraged. You'll make friends before you know it."
At his next inquiry, the pale tabby nodded, affirming that he had gotten her name correctly. When he began to continue, she listened quietly. Airheart was a little surprise that someone who seemed so meek and timid a moment ago was now talking her ears off, but she welcomed the change. She thought it was better for the young tom to let loose, anyway.
"One big group huh?" Her whiskers twitched in amusement. The things the imagination of a young cat could come up with. "I think we're better off the way we are now," she answered honestly, her clear blue eyes watching the ripples in the water, "different ways of living, different beliefs, lifestyles, foods, skills and different Clans makes the world feel vast and unique. If we were to clump ourselves together, we would lose our individuality and sense of self." Airheart glanced back at the russet tom and smiled, "Now that wouldn't be any fun, would it?"
Russetpaw
WindClan Apprentice
The tom stood up and turned to leave if Airheart wanted to be left alone, but he paused when she urged him to stay, his ears twitching a little nervously before he nodded and sat back down. His long, coppery tail rested on his front paws as he faced towards the water once again, eyes straight forward and seeming tired. Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to come to WindClan. He had only wanted to be accepted into a large family, but half of them didn’t seem to care for him. Maybe it was his destiny to be alone. Although that thought made his nose wrinkle slightly when Duskpaw’s face came into view in his mind. No, he wasn’t meant to be alone. She had made sure of that on the very first day of his arrival by building him a nest beside hers. A very small smile began to rise on his maw but then he was snapped out of his thoughts when Airheart spoke. He had almost forgotten she was there. A habit of his when he felt too lonely was to zone out and leave the present.
Airheart’s question caused him to hesitate. Lying wasn’t in his nature, and she would be able to see right through him anyways. “I didn’t…think it would be this hard to be a part of the Clan. My mother told me this would happen, but I didn’t want to believe her. She’s always been a pessimist.” He huffed softly, the tip of his tail flicking with annoyance and his ears flattened at his obvious display. “I don’t mean to complain though. I am grateful that Desertstar accepted me into the Clan. I’ll make my way.” He nodded, glancing towards Airheart and tilting his head slightly. Even she seemed like something was bothering her, and her expression wasn’t anywhere near hostile or aggressive. He believed he could relax in her presence, but he was still an anxious talker.
“Your name is… Airheart, right?” He nodded and looked back out at the water. “I’m still learning everyone’s names. There’s a lot of you.” Of you. He said that quickly and without thinking that it would make him sound like he didn’t feel like a part of them. “I mean us. Still getting used to the idea of having so many others around me. It’s not often one single feline goes out on their own to do anything. Like you’re all expecting danger to jump out at you from behind every bush. Which I guess is valid, my mother told me some stories about all the dangers that could happen. The fights between the Clan’s. I always wondered why you all didn’t just join together and live harmoniously. That would be a pretty powerful group.” His ears flattened to his head again and he gave her an apologetic look for speaking so much, shutting his maw.
A I R H E A R T
Time away for herself was a valuable thing. Since she had earned her warrior name, it felt like she had even less freedom than when she was an apprentice. While Desertstar was an earnest mentor, she wasn't as strict as her father was and she was allowed to do as she wished with her free time, so she could make her way out to the border to see Appleblossom. However, now that she was a warrior, Hailgaze assigned her more and more duties. Had her at the head of more and more patrols. And now, she had less and less time for herself and what she wanted to do.
A pent up sigh left her, exhaling her frustrations onto the breeze. When she was younger and more naïve, Airheart would have taken this chance to sneak to the ThunderClan border to see if that strange pull that tugged her there had snagged Appleblossom too, but now... Now, she knew that she couldn't do that anymore. She needed to cut her connection with Appleblossom and dedicate herself properly to WindClan. To Goldensun.
So instead of making her way to the border, she let her paws take her elsewhere. They ended up leading her to the dock- a place she didn't come often. She wasn't much a fan of the water. She preferred the openness of the moors and the freedom that came with it. However, today, when she reached the dock, she realized that she wasn't by her lonesome.
Oh, it's him. Recently, there was a young tom who had come into WindClan and declared that he was Wolfstar's grandson and in the process, had turned half of the Clan against him. She couldn't blame him for wanting some get-away time to himself. When Russetpaw caved in and said he would leave so that she could have the space, Airheart shook her head. "No, stay. You were here first." But instead of turning to leave, the cream tabby moved to join him. She sat beside him, a respectful tail-length away. Her eyes fixed on the rippling water ahead, she asked, "How are you holding up?"