After All That I've Taught You? (Tagged)

[Lionhearted]

Tagged: Phantomspirit [Wolfflight] 

Thrushstar paced uneasily around in his den. The cats who'd left camp to "escape" the sickness had long returned, but there was still a nagging feeling in his heart. He knew who he had to talk to. 

Wolfflight. 

The day he saw his former apprentice follow the group out of the entrance was one of the most disappointing days of his life. He had to admit he didn't like her at first. It was partially because of the natural impatience he had for younger cats. but he'd grown to tolerate her. I felt like a failure that day. Just when I was starting to like you, you turn your back and betray me. It just goes to show the airheaded-ness of young'uns. He'd been so frustrated and angry, he hadn't wanted them to return. They had a new loyalty now. Themselves. And it might as well stay that way. If you're going to switch between loyalties, then you might as well leave this place forever. I have no room for half-Clanners. And by that, I don't mean by blood. 

He had almost said that. 

Part of him was glad he hadn't. The other part of him was screaming that he should've. Thrushstar sighed. Perhaps a talk with Wolfflight would sort out his own inner arguments. Perhaps she had a reason. Thrushstar walked outside, his eyes narrowing as they roved over the Clan. 

"If Wolfflight is present in the camp, please see me in my den immediately."

[Phantomspirit]

Wolfflight dropped off her bearings from the self-hunting patrol she had went on. She decided to grab one of her catches, a sparrow, and grabbed a few others for the elders.

After delivering her package, she passed over to a spot in the camp to sun herself in. She stretched out in the grassy area, and laid down for her short nap.

Not minutes later, she heard Thrushstar announce his wish to see her in his den. Her head shot up and she yawned, getting up to fulfill her duty.

She padded towards his den immediately, poking her head through to ask for permission of entry.

"Thrushl-star, you needed to speak with me?"

[Lionhearted]

"Yes, hello. Come in," said Thrushstar coolly. His gaze was frosty, and he sat stiffly in his nest. "Wolfflight, you swore an oath when you became a warrior, an oath to be loyal to WhisperClan. Even if you didn't speak it, you were bound to it the moment you received your warrior name. You ran away a couple of moons ago. What happened there, Wolfflight? What happened to my apprentice?" I thought you learned from me what it meant to be loyal. And selfless. And humble, he wanted to say. but he swallowed the words and almost scowled at Wolfflight.

"As I said that day, you were supposed to set a good example for the kits. How can I make them apprentices when my own warriors don't even respect the warrior code?" he continued, sounding miserable. "Tell me Wolfflight, why did you leave?"

[Phantomspirit]

Wolfflight sighed, letting her head droop slightly in respect.
She knew this talk had been coming.

"Theushstar, I left because I needed to protect the other apprentices and kits. I know a lot about certain herbs and berries. I was resistant to leave the clan, but I couldn't just let them die out there. On the day that my own apprentice, Bloompaw died, I swore to myself that I would never watch any of my friends die again." She paused for a moment to remember the three-legged apprentice, "I know that it was a huge risk to leave the camp, but I needed to protect my friends."

[Lionhearted]

"Protect your friends." Thrushstar breathed out through his mouth, and closed his eyes. "Wolfflight, you have a duty to all your Clanmates, not just your friends. If you knew something about herbs, whatever you know, you should've told me so you could share your knowledge with the whole Clan. There are tons of ill cats in this Clan, and you chose to leave to heal just your friends? Keeping that knowledge to yourself is, in a way, selfish, unless you have a reason. If you really cared and really 'resisted' to leave the Clan, then you would've stayed. I know, deep inside of me, I wanted to leave, too. I wanted to just turn this all over to someone else and run away. but I truly do love my Clan. I've made it this far with gaining trust and friendship with everyone. I'm not letting WhisperClan fail. Not under my paws. but your problems will catch up to you, Wolfflight.

"And you swore that you would never see any of your friends die, ever again. Well, lots of cats passed away while you were gone. Your Clanmates. Everyone should be your friend here, or at least an acquaintance. You never saw those friends die. but they did. I don't want this kind of excuse from you."

He paced his den, frustrated, and turned away briefly, looking away from the black-and-white she-cat. Sighing, he continued. "I'm not trying to guilt-trip you. I'm not trying to haunt you with this. I'm here to remind you that you had-- and have-- a responsibility to the Clan. You are a warrior, Wolfflight, like I told you before. And I'm not sure you're even listening to me right now. Do you know what it takes to be a warrior? What it means to be one?"

Maybe I'm overreacting on this. but I have to assert that everyone has to carry their weight to carry on the Clan. And I'm not going to let anyone slip. "This isn't excusable. You'll have to work to gain my trust again. I'm putting you on apprentice duties. You can still sleep in the warriors' den, but you'll have to carry out the chores with the rest of the apprentices, for six moons. Do we understand each other?" he asked, turning around, his eyes glittering.

OOC: You don't have to do the chores IC ^^' don't worry.

[Phantomspirit]

Wolfflight knew he was right. She had been so scared to watch her other friends die, that she had left to protect the ones that were leaving. True, she knew a lot about herbs, but only enough to heal wounds and help with minor illness. The white and black warrior dipped her head in respect, "I understand, Thrushstar. I will do everything I can to regain my loyalty and your trust for me." She waited politely to be dismissed.

[Lionhearted]

Thrushstar gave Wolfflight a curt nod. He had wanted to talk of more things, but he could sense the tension that had built up in the den. Maybe another time. "Stick to your word, then," was all he said. His cool eyes looked his former apprentice up and down, and then right into Wolfflight's eyes. "You are dismissed," he said plainly, and turned away. "Work hard, Wolfflight, work hard. Fangstar didn't take you into the Clan for you to run away again." It'll take a lot for me to trust anyone who's done this again. Swallowing forcefully, he refused to look back.

OOC: Let's end the thread here ^^ if it's okay with you.