[ dim the light, you're too bright ] (open)

[Crowzerplorodon]

PineClan had been quiet lately. With the exception of the noisy kits who played constantly, nothing seemed to be going on in the atheistic clan. Perhaps it was the pathetic, dry weather that was keeping cats from getting excited about their duties. Or maybe Leaf-Bare struck harder than expected, and everyone was coming down with something. Regardless, they had been far too quiet lately. One of the other clans might've been getting suspicions about it. Not that they had anything planned, but, really, that saying 'it's quiet, too quiet', was absolutely perfect right now.

Jaggedclaw hissed, his short fur fluffed up against the cold. If he was still up for warrior duties, he'd be out there in a heartbeat, patrolling each and every border and chasing off any other clan that dared get too close. Warriors these days were so lazy. They should be taking full advantage of their youth and their ability to actually do something more than be cooped up in the elder's den because their freaking claws ached too much for them to actually get up.

The elder looked down at his paws, eyes narrowing as he could practically see the inflammation going on because of his twisted claws. Today was one of the worse days in a very long time, probably because of the cold, dry weather. The forest hadn't seen rain nor snow in such a long time. Hah. Maybe the clouds forgot how to produce the stuff. That would suck, though, because surely the river was suffering from it all. Drying up because of the lack of rain, freezing over because of the extreme temperatures. He snorted, thinking about how the StreamClan cats were probably fairing. Badly, he assumed.

Slowly he got to his paws, trying to rest on his pads and not so much the claws. He needed to see the medicine cats for poppy seeds or something. Of course, it would be a reluctant visit. But Jaggeclaw would rather be a sleeping elder than a grumpy one that no one wanted to speak with. Being an elder was just that much worse if you had no one to speak with. "Redclaw?" He called hoarsely, approaching the medicine cat den at an achingly slow pace.

[Cloud of Diamonds]

It was a day full of strange feelings. The long-furred tabby had walked on quiet white paws through the equally nearly-noiseless camp - why? Boredom, yes. But she felt odd...nostalgic and impatient at the same time. She wanted to dwell on memories, but she also wanted to interact with her Clan...somehow.

Intelligent conversation that was also enjoyable. That was it. Happiness and sense together. Well, relatively. Happy...no, she often felt satisfied, pleased even, but she doubted she would ever be really...happy again. Happy was...what was happy? It was a feeling of moons past...a fleeting sensation of love and care that went as quickly as it came.

But being satisfied was enough to satisfy her. The elder chuckled lightly. Why, she'd made a pun. How very contradictory to her nature.

Speaking of contradictory...there was her fellow denmate, Jaggedclaw. He seemed to be looking for the ginger medicine cat, she noted. Probably his irritable claws again, she thought with sympathy. Though technically disabled (huh, disabled, what a stupid word) she was, she never needed treatment. Why would she? It wasn't as if a blind eye could be cured. Besides, one was just fine. She felt no shame in being half-blind. And she knew her hearing was better than average because of it.

Though the gray and white tom could be just as irritable as his claws, he was an elder and therefore might be able to provide what she was looking for.

So, fluffy tail waving and legs slowly working their way across the camp, she sat down about a tail-length from him.

"Good morning, Jaggedclaw. Last I saw Redclaw, she was taking Crowpaw to gather herbs."

[Crowzerplorodon]

Jaggedclaw turned quickly, raising a brow at his fellow elder before hissing in disappointment. "Great. Thanks." Man, and he really wanted to speak with the medicine cats. If it wasn't for the fact that Crowpaw's training took a priority, Jaggedclaw would have snapped angrily and stormed off. Instead, he just trudged off, making his way back to the elder's den for a nap, and passing Otterfur on his way. The warrior looked quite distraught, and for a brief moment, seemed like he was going to strike up a conversation with Jaggedclaw. But Otterfur, knowing better, turned away, dragging his paws until he noticed Plovereye.

He could... Potentially talk to her, right? She was kinder than Jaggedclaw and not as busy as No-ears. As well, she seemed free from conversation right now. Otterfur could easily start talking to her, and hopefully worm his worries out of his mind. He didn't like worrying - as no cat did - and couldn't quite handle it at this moment. Especially when it was about family. Sure, he could go talk to Swallowpelt, but his mate had just seemed so... Not grumpy lately, the brown tom didn't want to bother her.

So, hesitantly, Otterfur approved the elder, sitting down not far from her. "Good morning, Plovereye," he said coolly, successfully keeping the worry out of his voice for now. He didn't want to appear needy or anything. Otterfur would just try to steer the conversation to a topic he could use. And, if it didn't go that way, he'd drop it and go do duties or something. Maybe talk to Swallowpelt later that day.

[Cloud of Diamonds]

The fluffy old she-cat blinked. Was it simply her, or was there something in the air today? Jaggedclaw was unhappy - no surprises there, and besides he had good reason - yet Otterfur seemed out of sorts, too. Most unusual for the often quite jovial tom. Perhaps his mate was rubbing off on him. A small, twisted smile appeared, and vanished quickly. Oh the fun times she had with herself.

But...he seemed to want to talk to her. Or was this just a gesture of politeness? It reminded her, she realized, of Mouse. Often happy and playful, but usually very formal to her mother, i.e, her. Or at least, she had been. The tabby did not know anything of her daughter now - whether she was dead or alive, whether she'd ever had a mate, or kits. It depressed her how little she knew. And it was all her own fault.

But she did not want to dive into her inner layer now. Still, her face remained slightly mournful and thoughtful. She answered her Clanmate quietly, but with a hint of enthusiasm.

"Good morning, Otterfur."

For a split second, she wanted to tell him how he reminded her of Mouse, how much pain it caused her, why she did not want to remember - but she couldn't. She could never expose herself again. She let some emotions shine through - yet others were hidden deep, under darkened sheets of time and crystallized memories that tried to be forgotten. How poetic, she thought. If morbid.

[Crowzerplorodon]

Oh, good. Plovereye was not completely averse to speaking to him. If the elder was, she would have walked away with some excuse. Or maybe she was just being polite, Otterfur realized with a wince. Cats were often polite around him – he blamed it on his own politeness rubbing off on people. Treat others how you wished to be treated, and all that jazz. Great, so, that left him in a predicament. He needed to talk to someone, and the only one he had found so far who would potentially listen, probably didn't even want to, though he could be wrong.

The tom sighed. Oh well, better to try something than to be left in wonder. He shifted his paws nervously in the dry ground, before glancing up at the sky, eyes immediately softening. It was so... nice today. The sun was hovered perfectly between thin, wispy clouds. And the sky was the softest blue, spanning across the world like a giant, comforting blanket. Even the pine trees seemed to enjoy the weather, as they swayed pleasantly in the breeze. “It's very nice today, isn't it?” Otterfur said softly, forgetting his woes as he continued to survey the sky. “My mom always loved days like this.

… Wait.

No.

You didn't say things like that to elders! What would Plovereye care about his mother and her weather preferences? Otterfur rushed to come up with an excuse for his words, not meeting the she-cat's eyes. If he didn't have such thick, brown fur, one could see the bright blush that covered his skin. Thankfully, he did. “I-I mean, you just remind me of her sometimes and days like this remind me of her and she really liked days like this and I guess I'm wondering if you like days like this though you probably do I think everyone likes days like this 'cause it's so nice and the breeze makes things so much better and the sky is really pretty...” He cut himself off, realizing a little too late that he had been rambling. Shoot.

ooc: wry so derp, otterfur?

[Cloud of Diamonds]

Plovereye smiled. Really, truly smiled. Her old visage was stretched by the curving expression on the scrawny face. Otterfur was so nice. So open and friendly. Little wonder Swallowpelt had picked him as her mate. If only Iacho had been...no. She wouldn't go there. She wanted to keep smiling.

Mouse had loved days like this too...her daughter had always been fascinated by the weather - the elder smiled more, remembering the days when the light brown tabby had tried to catch clouds, jumping again and again and again, swinging her paws wildly until she was exhausted but happy and giggling.

She was slightly amused at Otterfur's babbling, but she didn't mind it. He'd caught himself. And it was nice. His mother sounded familiar, somehow, though that couldn't be. Unless Plovereye had met her once? Doubtful; Plovereye had only known her siblings, mother, mate, and daughter. She hadn't really had any friends, apart from Jobo, and he was her brother. Iacho didn't count, for various reasons.

But perhaps it had been one of the many rogues she'd briefly encountered? Her memory was waning, but perhaps if he said his mother's name she'd remember.

"Tell me, what is your mother called? I think I might have met her." she asked curiously. "And thank you for telling me this; it has brightened my day, do not be embarrassed."

[Crowzerplorodon]

Wow. Plovereye was so nice. She didn't seem to mind when Otterfur had gone off on a rant about his mother and the weather. Then again, she was an elder, and elders were supposed to be nice and loving. Even Jaggedclaw had his moments, especially when his claws weren't bugging him. Otterfur smiled a little, pawing at the dirt and thinking about how he would respond to Plovereye. If she had met his mother, that would be pretty amazing.

“Her name is Mouse,” he said cheerfully. Then he paused, wondering if he should have used a different tense. It had been moons since Otterfur saw his parents. He didn't even know if they were still alive. Though, so long as nothing unnatural happened, they should be alive... They weren't that old and cats lived to a fairly good age so long as they took care of themselves. But there was always the chance of sickness or feral animals... Otterfur shivered a little. In that moment, he wanted nothing more but to run and find them, wherever they may be. He couldn't leave his clan, though. Swallowpelt needed him, as did his kits... He would just have to hope his mother and father were safe.

He pushed the worries away and let his usual carefree smile grace his face. Thoughts like that were too negative. His parents were fine, probably enjoying some life together. Who knew, maybe they even had more children. They did have Russetpaw, after all, though he had left PineClan. Otterfur felt another tug at his heart when he thought of his younger brother. Maybe he'd go visit him. The ranch wasn't that far...

[Cloud of Diamonds]

Shock. Disbelief. Hope.

All those lightning bolts that struck her mind that was the long dry ground it had been moons upon moons. Could it be...?

But sense snuffed out the flame that sprung up in her mind. There could easily be another she-cat named Mouse. She should not jump to conclusions. However, thinking logic did not stop her heart from racing like it had the day she'd met Iacho.

"Your....your mother, is she a small, light brown tabby with a white chest and two white paws, and does she have blue eyes?" The elder asked, almost breathless with anticipation and suspense.

How would she feel if it really were Mouse?

Overjoyed, obviously. Her daughter was alive and thriving, and had found a mate! She felt thrilled. Assuming, of course, it was her. But, unusually for the fluffy one-eyed PineClanner, she happily bulldozed over that and got lost in fantasies of ecstasy. It meant her daughter would have a mate, and a son, and...it meant she had a grandson. She blinked. Old as she was, the half-blind cat had never imagined herself as a grandmother. It made her feel old and young at the same time. Although if Otterfur was her grandson - she realized with another shock - that made her a great-grandmother, for he had kits of his own, Crowpaw, Willowpaw, and Elmpaw.

Now that made her feel old, she thought with a chuckle.

Supposing all this were true, she thought with a sudden burst of anxiety. Oh please, let it be true! StarClan, if by some odd chance you exist, let it be true! She wanted this. She wanted new life in her existence.

[Crowzerplorodon]

Not two seconds after Otterfur replied to Plovereye's question, a thought struck him. If the elderly she-cat did, indeed, know his mother, where would she have seen her? He hardly knew anything about Plovereye, so it was entirely likely that she had met – or potentially met – his mother sometime during her life. But it was also possible that she met her recently, somewhere around the clans. Which could mean... And Otterfur hated to think it... But his mother (and father?) could be a part of another clan. They could've also found the clans when they were organizing, and joined one. One that wasn't PineClan, which meant they were enemies.

Otterfur could only hope that they hadn't joined FogClan.

He barely tuned his ears back in time to hear Plovereye continue, and his eyes widened just a little. That sounded exactly like his mother. Surely it was. And that meant that Plovereye really had met Mouse, and that the chance that his family was apart of another clan had just increased. Otterfur grew a little unsteady, even though he was sitting, and took a moment to force himself to be calm, running his tongue over a shoulder to smooth out the fur that began to stand on end. It wouldn't do to appear like something was wrong. Especially since, even if his parents were in another clan, he was suppose to be friendly toward all cats. Just because they were in a different clan didn't warrant hostility.

“Yeah... that sounds like her,” he said softly, a note of curiosity in his tone. He didn't want to sound uninterested or upset at the news, but he didn't want to sound nosy, either. “Have you two met?”

[Cloud of Diamonds]

Joy.

Joy such as she had so rarely felt before. A feeling of uplifting, of almost delirious happiness. There was light in her life again. There was a reason to more than exist than live. It was a bit silly to think - she had PineClan anyway, she was a counselor. But this was deeper than that. This was kin. Kin she did not know she had. A daughter that still lived. A grandson. Great-grandchildren.

It was almost too much to take in. And she had to tell Otterfur. Still reeling, she shook her head, face still alight with wonder and happiness.

"Otterfur" the elderly she-cat breathed. "Your mother is my daughter, who was lost to me so long ago. You are my grandson, and your kits are my great-grandchildren. This...this is incredible." Perhaps she was stating the obvious, but she still couldn't get over the amazement of it. "I never thought to find my kin again."

The tabby looked up at the sky, as if it could somehow explain how this miracle had occurred. Perhaps there was a StarClan, after all. Doubtful. But she was so happy it almost seemed possible. Maybe it was silly of her to be so happy - it wasn't like it changed anything - but it made her special, and more connected to her Clan. After so much hardship, she had found this.

Now, whenever she died, be it soon or in several moons, she would be happy. She finally felt like she'd fulfilled her purpose in life - to pass on her blood to create future members of PineClan. Perhaps it was cheesy and silly - she'd never believed in preordained events or that everything had a reason - but perhaps it was possible.