- ℍ𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕘𝕒𝕫𝕖 -
𝔻𝕖𝕡𝕦𝕥𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕕ℂ𝕝𝕒𝕟
Chewing on the poppy seeds that Startledcrow had given him, he made a slight face as he walked back towards the warriors den. Running his tongue over his teeth in order to get the remainder of the seeds out of his teeth, whiskers twitching with discomfort at the taste before he let out a soft huff. These nights he was getting less and less sleep, worry and stress seemed to make it impossible. Lowering his head as stepping into the den, his scorching amber eyes narrowed slightly to see that certain nests remained empty due to the clanmates leaving to support Sandadder. Eyes landing upon a familiar fiery ginger pelt, his lips turning up in a small smile as he gazed down at Dayfall. Lowering his head to gently lick his sons forehead before he moved towards his nest in order to curl up in the moss, letting out a tight sigh as his amber eyes continued to watch his son. The empty spot beside the young ginger warrior did not go unnoticed, there should’ve been a brown two toned Tom beside of him.
Heart clenching with renowned worry, he forced himself to look down at his paws and clear his throat. He couldn’t allow himself to be sucked into the void of worrying for his son forever. Pinepaw was clearly making his own decisions and going based off of what a jealous warrior was spewing. It was ridiculous. Letting out a soft but frustrated sigh, the tomcat lowered his head in order to place his chin ontop of his front paws, blinking slowly down at the ground. Breathing slowing down and his eyelids fluttering, Hailgaze began to slowly drift into a sleep thanks to the poppyseeds. Everything seemed to slow down when Hailgaze entered the dream world.
He felt like he was laying upon soft cotton, opening his eyes as he looked down at the snow on the ground. Only it wasn’t cold, but warm and soft. Groggily moving his paw along the ground, he hummed softly in confusion, before the massive dark grey and white splotched tomcat lifted himself up from the ground. Scorching amber eyes slowly trailing over his surroundings, the grass was so green and tumbled in the breeze. Flowers of reds and yellows blossomed and danced in the breeze, the scent smell of their nectar clogging his nostrils. But there was one scent that stood out from them all, heart skipping a beat as the warrior quickly twisted around for his eyes to land upon a very small fiery ginger with blue eyes the color of the sky. “Tinyflame.” He spoke softly, his heart aching as the massive Tom pushed himself up from the ground. Hurrying towards the little molly, her fur dusted in stars and her smile bright. She looked healthy in the heavens. Lowering his head, he immediately pressed his face against hers, letting out a shaky sigh as he wasted no time in wrapping his body around hers. Oh how he had missed her. After taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he pulled back slightly to kiss her forehead. “I’ve missed you.” Hailgaze smiled tenderly.
T I N Y F L A M E
Despite no longer living in the same realm as her family, the tiny warrior knew well the struggles they were going through- WindClan’s severance, Pinepaw’s defiance, Hailgaze’s plight. Her heart ached for them, knowing that she couldn’t be there by their sides. If she could… Maybe things would have been different. Maybe her family wouldn’t be suffering like this. Her mate’s admission of their son’s avoidance of his father made her frown. It wouldn’t surprise her, though. The tom did take after her when it came to stubbornness, anyway.
“He’ll come around,” She assured the gray-and-white tom, “he might fight you along the way, you might not always see eye to eye, but he does love you and Dayfall. He’ll realize eventually where his heart lies- he just has to take his own path to get there.”
Then the subject changed and Hailgaze began to talk about their last litter, the two little mollies she had left in his care. A smile lifted her face along with his gesture, and at his touch, she couldn’t resist the space between them anymore. Tinyflame’s little face brushed against the tall tom’s broad chest and she breathed in his familiar scent, relishing in everything that was Hailgaze. She didn’t know if StarClan would give her the grace of seeing him again while he was alive, so she wanted to make the most of the time she did have left with him. “That one’s going to be a pawful,” she warned lightly, a chuckle masking her voice. “If you thought I or Pinepaw were stubborn, you haven’t seen anything yet. And Wolfkit… Watch her carefully. She’ll take after me in terms of her growth. She’ll be weak in the beginning. She’ll need her dad’s strength to keep her going.”
- ℍ𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕘𝕒𝕫𝕖 -
𝔻𝕖𝕡𝕦𝕥𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕕ℂ𝕝𝕒𝕟
Despite missing Tinyflame like one would miss oxygen to breathe, he was going through the motions and getting by day by day. One of the brighter lights of his life was becoming Blackfire, reminding him that he still needed to be strong for the two little mollies in the nursery. But right now he was focusing on the limited time StarClan was giving him with Tinyflame, his scorching amber eyes looking down at her beautiful face, her blue eyes thoughtful as if she were considering whether or not he needed to know the current status of their son. Jaw hardening as she admitted that Pinepaw was struggling, letting out a slow sigh as his eyes lifted to gaze at the sky. He was alive, but he was also falling into a pit of despair with his emotions.
Pinepaw was a sore subject between himself and Dayfall, his son sided with Sandadder without hesitation. His blue eyes had been troubled and angered, but was that anger justly directed towards himself? He didn’t believe so. Tinyflame seemed angered that Sandadder had taken advantage of how vulnerable Pinepaw currently was, his eyes looking towards her lashing tail as sparks flew from her frustration. Well.. that was knew. Smiling slightly he shook his head and refocused on his former mate. “His… views have certainly been swayed. I’ve tried looking for him but I feel as though he’s avoiding me on purpose.” Hailgaze admitted.
His attention was redirected back towards Tinyflame as her smaller paw brushed against his flank, his eyes softening as he let out a slow sigh. It felt like it had been seasons since he had last felt her touch, his eyes roaming slowly over her face as she reassured that he was doing the best he could. Nodding slowly and gritting his jaw together, he wanted to have faith in Pinepaw, but he couldn’t help but miss and worry for his child. “I will have to trust in your judgement.” He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head. “The boys are so lost without you.” He meowed, but then he gradually smiled. “Airkit and Wolfkit are growing like weeds. Airkit reminds me so much of you, she has your spunk.” Hailgaze smiled lightly, his tail touching her chin to lift her tripping face. “Don’t worry about the family, I will do my best to care for them.”
T I N Y F L A M E
She saw the look on his face- what was he feeling now, she wondered. She didn't doubt that they still yearned for one another, to be together again. But she also knew that it was natural for him to move on with his life. Though, she would be lying if a part of her didn't wish that he had made the same decision that she had. When she joined StarClan, Tinyflame had chosen not to rejoin her former mate, Owlbelly. Instead, she decided to wait for the day Hailgaze would come to be with her again. But she couldn't blame him for seeking solace in another molly- she had done the same when Owlbelly had passed, after all.
Hailgaze spoke again, breaking the silence between them as he mentioned his concerns for their sons. A soft frown turned her face and a sigh left the tiny warrior. "He's struggling," she confirmed, her blue eyes meeting the horizon line, staring off as if she was seeing something far away. "I think Pinepaw has hit a point where his emotions are fueling every decision he makes. He's hurting and his trust is fragile. That makes him easy prey for those who have ill intentions." A snarl curled her maw and her tail swept a harsh lash of sparks before she settled once again.
Tinyflame turned to face her mate, a dainty paw gently brushing against his flank. The gesture was less sure than before, almost as if she were doubting whether or not it was fair of her to cling to Hailgaze anymore. If he were to get another mate, should she just sever their ties now? StarClan warriors weren't ever knowing. What did he want? Did he still want to be close to her or did he want to forgo his relationship with her and pursue Blackfire? She didn't know. She was fighting her own selfish desires to keep him to herself and her own morals in her belief that he deserved to move on and be happy. "You're doing great," She assured him instead. She was dead now- what weight did she hold? "Pinepaw isn't a fool. He might be blinded by grief, but he won't be easy to manipulate forever. Have faith in him, Hailgaze. Have faith in yourself, too, and your judgement."
- ℍ𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕘𝕒𝕫𝕖 -
𝔻𝕖𝕡𝕦𝕥𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕕ℂ𝕝𝕒𝕟
Placing his cheek upon the star dusted ginger forehead of his late mate, he breathed in her familiar scent and smiled softly to himself. It hadn’t changed. His heart was beating rapidly within his chest as he held the little lady to his chest, as if time had slowed as he soaked in the fact he could actually see her and hold her. Smiling to himself as she confessed that she also missed him, letting out a deep purr as he hummed softly. “I know, love.” Hailgaze muttered softly, opening his eyes slightly when she nuzzled her snout under his chin. A lot had changed. Now he could only see Tinyflame in his dreams, with her fur dusted with stars.
He was almost tempted to drag her back to his chest, but he refrained from doing so. Instead he looked down at his former mate, her blue eyes searching his as they sat in silence. Soaking each other in before her soft voice broke the silence. Nostrils flared as the big tom nodded his head, averting his gaze from hers to look at the weaving grass. “They are.” Hailgaze agreed, his eyes finally turning back to look at Tinyfame, giving her a soft smile. “Is that why you’ve sought me out tonight?” He wondered, shaking his head slightly. “So much is changing and yet I feel like I’m falling short. Have you seen Pinepaw?” He suddenly asked, amber eyes flashing. “Can you at least tell me he’s okay?”
#23a2e3
T I N Y F L A M E
Time was irrelevant to her now. It was still, no longer fluid and ever changing. In the afterlife, as a warrior of StarClan, she didn't feel the flow of time like those who lived on. However, even if her world changed, the same could not be said for those whom she loved and treasured. Her mate, her kits, her Clan... They continued to change, without her there. The thought of it pained her, almost more than her own death, but it was something she had to accept. She didn't want them to mourn forever, they had to move on eventually. Even so... Even so, her family was facing struggles from within. Pinepaw had left WindClan to side with Sandadder and Dayfall and Hailgaze couldn't get through to him.
Oh, her dear Hailgaze. He was struggling immensely right now. The poor soul had to suffer through the loss of his mate, the division of his Clan, and now the absence of his son. She hated to see him hurting like this. Tinyflame knew him. She knew him well. He would not expose his emotions in front of the rest of the Clan, instead he would hold them within himself until he crumbled. She couldn't bear to let him fall apart when WindClan needed him the most.
So, she walked through the realm of dreams, towards her mate's nest. This was the only way they could be together now, in his subconsciousness. "Hailgaze," she called to him, urging him to follow the path his psyche laid for him. It wasn't long before he was on his way to her, the look on his face indescribable. Her heart ached with joy to see him, to know that he yearned for her just as much as she wished to be with him once again. As he reached her, he didn't hesitate to cover her petite frame with his large body, wrapping around her and holding her close. Tinyflame closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of being in his arms. She breathed deeply through her nose, taking in as much as she possibly could before she inevitably had to say goodbye to him again.
"I've missed you too," she confessed, her snout nuzzling under Hailgaze's chin. She knew now why StarClan had taken her when they did, but she'd be lying if she didn't spite them sometimes from robbing her from her family. She tried for so long to ignore the temptation of wanting to be with them again, but she just couldn't. Her mate, her sons, they would always have a place in her heart that she would never be able to turn away from. Even if they were able to move on from her, she couldn't do the same. She never would be the same again.
The will that it took her to pull back from Hailgaze was immense. She wished that she could stay with him forever, here in his dreams, but she knew that they couldn't do that. Her deep blue eyes locked with his smooth honey gaze, a feeling of longing and love holding her close. "Things are changing a lot, aren't they?" She mused quietly. She had seen everything from the stars — Sandadder's coup, Pinepaw's dismissal, Hailgaze and Blackfire. Tinyflame knew it all.