Nightstar's Crown

Chapter 6

|| Chapter 6 ||
☫

Nightrose watched over the camp with a blank stare as Powderbelly made sure she did some exercises and tended to her own medical duties, keeping an ear out for her. Feeling eyes on her — longer than normal, she turned and blinked to see Loststorm peering over at her with those vibrant green eyes. She arched a brow. He sighed and began to pad over with his tail high. Tilting her head, Nightrose watched the Bengal tomcat pad up to her. "I'll watch over her exercises, Powderbelly."

"Huh— aahhh, yeah, thanks, Loststorm," she nodded quickly, storing some herbs into her den and then took off for the camp entrance.

Nightrose slumped slightly, sitting and turning her nose to look at the tom. He met her gaze, observing her for a long moment before shaking his head and laughing quietly in a bitter way. "You know...you look better when you're smiling."

The she-cat sent him a soured look. "Why would I if it's not real? I'm not going to fake a damn thing anymore. How can I?"

"Featherstar was only helping, Rosie," he murmured quietly.

"It's not her! It isn't," she emphasized again with a dark, humorless and weak laugh. "She's not the problem, it's...every other thing that's thrown my life out of order. Being a 'half-blood.' Being reminded of that every day. Never even knowing who my father is. Geckospring dying. Then Ravenheart, and having to stand by knowing exactly the sort of pain Cindy was feeling and not fully-accepting but understanding I couldn't do anything. And then falling f–" She cut herself off, ears angling sideways. The feline just fell silent, unable to open her mouth again.

Loststorm glanced over her, his gaze softening as he finally chuckled softly in an unsure way. "Falling for what, Fluff Ball?" He asked gently.

Nightrose stopped and glanced down at herself at the name. She'd fluffed up again. A kitty blush. Shaking herself fervently, the tabby huffed with a small frown, her body on fire. "For what I can't have," she finished the thought at a mumble. Then she carried on back at her even volume, "I resigned myself to accept she was all I'd get, so I couldn't let go. But now she's gone...I can't keep this up today."

Loststorm tilted his head a bit curiously, but kept himself quiet with a thoughtful look. "I...can't say I understand entirely. Cinderstorm might a little more...but if there's one...good thing you inherited from..Thornthroat," he sounded like he was trying to talk around a rock in his mouth to avoid growling her name, "it's that you're powerful. And like Geckospring, there's nearly nothing you can't do. And then thanks to you, you are you. You may hurt now, but you'll overcome it, like you always do. At some point. I'm sure things will get better for you soon, Bright Eyes."

"I can only hope that much is true, chief," she breathed, visibly exhausted.

"'Chief?'" He echoed under his breath and then shook himself. "Never mind— let's get to those exercises again, shall we?"

Nightrose pouted lightly, but she didn't have the energy to protest. They'd gotten a good amount of a work-out in when Featherstar padded over while she had a moment of free time. "Hey, you two," she greeted lightly and in a careful manner, being mindful. "Doing some exercises?"

"Yep," Loststorm nodded, briefly looking up from eyeing the dark tabby's form while mirroring her at the same time. "I told Powderbelly I could help her and then she took off, probably to go herb-scouting."

Featherstar grunted softly. "I see. And how're you feelin' so far?" The lovely tabby feline asked Nightrose carefully.

The warrior sighed as she was easing out from her stretch. "Like life is made up of nothing but soreness and dirt."