A Night of Family

<Laufeiia>Lionstar circled the fresh-kill pile. It was smaller than it usually was in BrightSky, due to all the tremors and territory damage almost all the prey ran off. He made a low humming noise as he spotting a squirrel in the pile, but his leadership told him to take the small mouse so more frail cats can take the bigger piece. He ended up sitting there, fighting between his thoughts and staring at the prey.

<Warriors-horse>Sandpaw was dozing in the dying sunlight, her dark golden coat tussled and not as shiny as it had been before the tremors. A gust of hot air blowing into her face caused the small she-cat to awaken and rub her nose, which was a bit dry from the dust the wind had blown onto it. Blinking her green eyes, she saw that her father sat staring at the fresh-kill pile, looking frustrated. Unfurling her limbs from beneath her body, she gingerly padded over to Lionstar's side, stretching up to rub her cheek across his shoulder. Her concerned expression resembled her mother's almost to a T. "What's the matter, daddy? You look troubled."

<Laufeiia> Responding to his daughters touch he licked her forehead and then gave a little nuzzle. "Not too troubled, just deciding which piece of freshkill to take. How is your head? That apprentice den collapsing had me worried sick about you and Poppy." He shook his head at the memory. He gazed at Sandpaw, a little pride fluttering in his stomach as he thought of her as his kit.

<Warriors-horse>"We could share something if you'd like," she meowed. Then, responding to his question, she added, "My head is fine. Cobraback said it shouldn't give me any problems." Thinking back to that dreadful day, the one she only remembered a part of, the young feline closed her eyes and sighed. "It's lucky that Dandeliontuft and grandfather were able to get us out. I wish I could've been of more help that day, but what happened, happened." Opening her eyes once more, she gazed down at her paws. "I pray to StarClan that there is no more danger to come, but I don't think that it is the case. Especially with their message from the last moon." The young she-cat sighed again, looking as if she was burdened with more than she wished to think about. Looking up at her father, she asked, "When do you think all of this will be over?"

<Laufeiia> "Yes, let's share this squirrel," he fell to his gluttony and swiped the squirrel near to them. Nestling down next to Sandpaw he took a bite, his regrets of taking the squirrel diminishing quickly. Listening to his daughter he pressed his tail on her back comfortingly. " It is very lucky, I never expected Tarpit to move out of the Elder's den if you ask me. It will be over soon. But I agree with you, I feel as though in order our clan to get better, it will have to get even worse first." He sighed into the meal, the squirrels tail tickling his nose. "But it will get better, speaking of which. You have been an apprentice for a long while now haven't you, you and your sister and brothers." He gave a small sly smile.

<Warriors-horse>Taking a bite from the squirrel, she turned her gaze up to the sky, where the first stars of the night were beginning to blink into view. "Sometimes I think grandfather has some good in him, even though some cats don't think so. He might love you and us more than we think. Maybe it's just hard for him to show it." Listening to his wise words, she sighed and lay against him, her golden fur blending like a gradient into his. "How can anything possibly be worse than the tremors?" she wondered aloud. At the hint of the impending warrior ceremony, she managed a smile. "How soon until the ceremony, daddy? What do you think my warrior name will be?" She rolled onto her back, her features alight with childish excitement.

<Laufeiia> "Maybe every tom, no matter how stubborn, has some protective feeling over their blood lines. And I'm not sure what can be worse. But it already has become bad enough to the point I have made an alliance and deal with Tideclan. If Rowanpaw hasn't told you yet." He booped her on the head with his tail as he mentioned her brother. "And soon, my dear, soon. But I can't tell you just yet. And what is the fun in getting a warrior name if it's not a surprise? Silly." He purred in amusement, the stars reflecting in his eyes.

<Warriors-horse>"He told me about that," she nodded, her tail swishing back and forth through the cracked, dust-strewn ground. "I think you made the right decision." With a huff, her eyes twinkled with laughter. "Okay, okay, you're right. No point in spoiling the fun." She batted his nose with a gentle paw. "Will you at least tell me when it will be? I want to make sure I groom Rowanpaw. He always finds a way to get himself covered in something... dust, moss, you name it."

<Laufeiia> "I think I did too," the golden tom nodded. At her paw he licked it and opened his mouth, as if to take a big chomp. "No more than 7 sunrises, that's all I'll say." He winked. "Rowanpaw, that tom better learn to groom himself, Poppypaw seems to know nothing more than except that!" He chuckled.

<Warriors-horse>Sandpaw withdrew her paw quickly, giggling and tucking it into her chest as if to protect it from hungry Lionstars. "Promise?" she meowed, tilting her head to the side. Her big eyes reflected the half-moon as she smiled up at her father. Despite all of the incidents and tremors that had rattled the Clans, she felt a pocket of safety this evening, sharing prey and conversation with her father. The coming warrior ceremony and her father's strength gave her a spark of hope that things might turn out better than StarClan warned it could be.

<Laufeiia> "Of course I promise, why would I lie?" He smiled. Curling closer around his daughter he purred. It felt good to be in touch with his family again.

<Warriors-horse>"Just checking," she mewed, a yawn parting her delicate jaws. "I love you, daddy." Eyelids drooping once more, the golden she-cat fell asleep against her father, knowing he would keep everyone safe from whatever was to come.

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This was just the cutest rp ever, between =Laufeiia and I from earlier this month. Sandpaw and Lionstar had a conversation, father-to-daughter, and I just had to draw a picture of it. And I finally finished this after starting it about a week ago.


So anyway, I hope that you guys like it as much as I did. <3



*Is quite proud of how the background turned out but please ignore the crummy shading on the kitties*
Commission for =thistlesis coming soon!

Lionstar (c) =Laufeiia
Sandpaw and Art (c) Myself