Up in the Clouds (closed)

Sunrise.

Orange drifted over green, smudged with red and purple. Leaves bristled in the wind, owls echoing a mournful cry. One flutter, two, three. Baby starlings took flight, mother ever watchful. A joyful thrill, and a bird's breakfast supplied. Clouds moved as drifters, lazily swarming the sky. In the midst of it, liquid gold spread over the horizon, sunlight creeping into the dark recesses of shadows, illuminating the darkest hearts. A kestrel took up an alarm call. The male cardinal joined in, red feathers like rubies.Their duet sparked two blue jays and a thrush to join the chorus, finished by a joyous song of a warbler. Their song cast a radiant, warm song over the forest, squirrels chattering a they listened in, rabbits with perked ears, as they, too, tuned into the tune flowing from the birds.

"Swiftbranch, Swiftbranch, wake up, dear." The queen whispered, "There's something you must see." Quickly, she padded out of camp, breaking into a sprint, her daughter following behind. "You must be quiet. The birds are singing, the sun is rising. Do you see that rabbit? He's listening. The forest is waking up, now, and the stars are beautiful. You can see everything from up above." She mewed, gesturing to the pine tree behind her, talking slowly in a hushed tone. Every kit knew the nursery tales of the tallest pine tree of the forest, the one Breezebranch and her deaf daughter were standing by, about to climb.

SwiftBranch followed after her mother on this beautiful morning wondering what they were up too. When they reached the biggest tree, the only tree SwiftBranch has yet to climb, she got a little nervous and maybe a bit scared. She nodded in understanding so her mom knew she understood as the two she-cats looked up at the big tree.

"Don't be scared my dear. I'm here, and so is your father, nothing bad will happen. Now, quickly, else we may just miss the magic!" Breezebranch mewed, bunching up her muscles as she leaped onto the first branch.

Up, up, up. One branch, two, three, four.. Already, they were four fox-lengths from the ground, and their climb had only just begun two heartbeats ago. She glanced down, the height not scaring her, down at her daughter, checking she was following and okay.

SwiftBranch leaped after her mother and even though she was shaking on the first few branches she started to get the hang of it. The deaf warrior smiled up at her mom before going up farther and completely passing the older cat with a laugh. She now understood why her and her mother were named they way they were.

Breezebranch laughed as her daughter passed her, mewing a "I'll get you!" as she started scaling the tree quickly. After only a minute or so, they reached the top. Balancing on a thick branch, she gestured for Swiftbranch to join her as she gazed at the sunset.

SwiftBranch watched the sunset with a big smile. This has been the most Time she has spent with her mother ever since becoming an apprentice. “beautiful.” she mewed watching as the sky changed different colors.

"It is, isn't it?" She mewed, breathless. She sat in silence for a bit, her tail intertwined with her kit's. "Swiftbranch, you know I love you, right?" She turned to face the she-cat. "I know it seems like I worry too much, but I only worry because I care. I worry about all of my kits, not just you! Your far more than capable of taking care of yourself."

SwiftBranch smiled at her mother and nodded in understanding. Her mother loved everyone equally and just like shrikethorn, her mother didn’t treat her any differently then everyone else. “I. Know.” she mewed giving her mother a lick on her cheek.

Breezebranch nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Now, you've seemed happier lately, is there a certain cat on your mind?" She asked, intensely curious. If there was a cat that Swiftbranch had her eyes and heart set on, her mother definitely wanted to know! Mudpaw, Icepaw, Acornpaw, Brindlepaw, and Lilypaw didn't seem to have any love interests, and Lionflame had that ShadowClan she-cat (who she seriously needed to get to know), so she was curious if her second youngest had any interests.

SwiftBranch blushed before looking away. “I like. They don’t like.” she mewed knowing her mother understood.

Immediately, her eyes softened, filled with sympathy. "Oh, darling," she murmured, moving one dappled paw to embrace Swiftbranch, her tail curling protectively around her. "Don't worry. You're an amazing cat. Kind, strong, smart, any cat would be lucky to have you as a mate, starshimmer." Breezebranch mewed, voice filled with a fierce love for her daughter. "Which cat happens to be your heart's center?"

SwiftBranch looked at her mother and sighed. BreezeBranch never did like who she was about to say and hoped she wouldn’t get mad. Maybe she would get mad at the cat or maybe that she liked the same gender. She hoped it was neither as she told her mom the one name she knew by heart besides her family. “Shrikethorn.” She said looking in her mother’s face for a reaction.

Breezebranch paused as Swiftbranch mewed the name of her crush. Shrikethorn. Breezebranch had never particularly cared for the rude she-cat, not since she'd insulted Icepaw on the day he arrived. It felt odd when they agreed on the Smoke situation, or when they fought the rogues together, awkward even. She wasn't quite sure how to approach the she-cat without being upset with her. What Swiftbranch saw in her, Breezebranch couldn't even begin to comprehend. But if Swiftbranch loved her, she must a good heart deep, deep, deep, deep down there somewhere.

"No matter who you love, my dear, I will always love you. Nothing will ever change that." She mewed, licking her head. "Listen to your heart, I did, and here you are now, a wonderful, strong SkyClan warrior."

“Miss. Dad?” SwiftBranch mewed at her mother thankful she wasn’t mad at her for liking shrikethorn. Maybe the two older she-cats would get along one day.

At the mention of Mudmask, Breezebranch's soft green eyes swelled up with tears. "I-" She paused, squeezing her eyes shut. "Yes. Yes, I-I miss him everyday. I'd give all the stars in the night sky for him to be here with us. I-I... I love your father, and I know he loves you.." She whispered, hunched over slightly.

SwiftBranch comforted her mother wishing she was allowed to tell her about her Moonstone. If BreezeBranch learned that SwiftBranch talked to her father she would have been so happy. “Sorry.” she mewed knowing thinking about him made her sad.

Breezebranch looked up at Swiftbranch, tears in her gaze. "Oh dear, it's alright, you've done nothing wrong. I'm just an emotional old furball, that's all. I just.. I'm sorry that you never got to meet him. You would have loved him," The broad shouldered tortoiseshell-tabby mewed, longing in her mew.

“I. Met. Dad.” she mewed at her mother with a loving look. She knew it wasn’t really allowed to tell cats about their moonstones but she couldn’t let her mom not know.

Immediately, her sad gaze flickered with something of shock. Of course, Mudmask was in StarClan but she never... She never really thought he'd meet his kits. Without even registering it, the tears flowed and her face lit up in a smile. "Oh my-! You did? How was he?"

“He. Miss. All. Us.” she mewed leaning on her mother to help comfort her. “He. Said. Me. Stay. Strong.” she mewed.

"Oh, I knew he'd love you and miss you all." She whispered softly, eyes filled with love. "Your already so strong, Swiftbranch. Most cats with deafness would've given up, but you always kept trying. You deserve your warrior and so much more."

As the sun finally set SwiftBranch smiled at her mother after thinking about her father. “It late. Home.” she mewed looking down at the grounded from the top of the tree.

(it's sunrise, not sunset)

Breezebranch nodded. "Yes, you're right dear, we must be getting back before Sorrelwing starts assigning patrols." Breezebranch mewed, descending from the tree gracefully, jumping from branch to branch, landing neatly on the ground after only a couple moments. After all, getting down from a tree was always easier than climbing.

(Sorry, I don’t pay attention)

SwiftBranch followed after her mother happy they could spend that much time together.