Bad feelings (Rabbitfoot)

[Galestar]

Galestar lay in the far back corner of her den. Well, it wasn't even a corner. There really weren't any dens. Windclan slept out under the stars so they could be closer to Starclan as they slept. She lifted her head up and looked up at the stars. Too much have been on her mind lately. There was so much she had lost. Her mother, her foster mother, her sister, and her kit.

It was all of her father's fault, for the most part. If he had been a normal cat, then everyone would still be alive. Or, if he hadn't, she wouldn't be leader today. She didn't know if she should thank him or despise him.

'Both...' she thought bitterly. She hated her father. She loathed him. Galestar kept to herself. If it weren't for him, she wouldn't be leader. She wouldn't have her son and daughter, Rabbitfoot and Lightheart. But, she missed the people that he was responsible for their deaths.

Galestar sighed. She hoped she never saw his face again, but it was no use hoping. His image was forever etched into her mind. But, as she thought about him, a scared feeling crept over her. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

[Rabbitfoot]

Rabbitfoot closed his eyes, sighing contentedly. Today, for the most part, had been a good day. Well, a good day for him, at least. He had managed to trail a rabbit, bringing it back to camp as freshkill, had almost caught a blackbird - slippery little bird flew away at the last second - and now had a full belly. Rolling over onto his left side, he huffed, smiling widely. It was almost perfect! The only thing he hadn't done yet was socialize with anyone. Well, not yet, at least.

After sliding his tongue several times over his white tipped paw, Rabbitfoot jumped up. His amber gaze scanned the camp over the few lazy pelts laying out in the sun. He began padding forward before a familiar pelt caught his eye. Galestar; his mother! Why not talk to her? He could always connect with her.

Rabbitfoot began trotting, easily closing the distance between him and his mother before stopping a few mouse-lengths away. He grinned down broadly before speaking. "Hi, Galestar!" he greeted, maybe a little too obliviously. He stopped, former smile becoming a small frown, and flicked his ear when the she-cat had sighed. "What's wrong, what's on your mind?" he asked quickly.

[Galestar]

As she was in the middle of her troublesome thoughts, she smelled a familiar scent and heard a familiar voice. Rabbitfoot! She turned her head and purred delightfully, although her worries and troubles were still painted on her face as well as shined in her eyes. But, seeing her children always brightened up her day. Why wouldn't they? They were her children, she loved them!

"Hello, Rabbitfoot" she said, flicking her tail for him to come over. But then, he asked what was wrong. What was on her mind. Was it safe to say? She cleared her throat, and decided she'd say.

"I was thinking about my fath....Redpelt, I mean."

[Rabbitfoot]

Rabbitfoot, responding to the flick of Galestar's tail, sat down next to her and stared ahead, swiveling an ear to let her know he was listening. He sat for a moment, nodding a response to his name rolling off of Galestar's tongue. He let out a small, involuntary purr as she paused, hopefully to respond to his question.

He fought back a small growl as she said his name; Redpelt. But, he couldn't help the fur along his spine to bristle. He had heard stories about him from when Galestar was still a kit and apprentice, and, though they were related, took dislike to him. He knew how his mother felt about him, as well. He had watched as the former leader, Dawnstar, had exiled the tom, warning him to never come back after he murdered the former deputy.

Though, his gaze softened moments later, and he looked down at his mother. "Mother," he began softly. "Tell me, what exactly were you thinking about? When you were a kit, or. . ." he asked, but then trailed off. "I mean, of course, you don't have to, but it'd be nice to share your thoughts with someone, right?" Rabbitfoot gave a small smile at that, and then his ears pricked. "Would you like me to get you some fresh-kill by any chance? I caught this nice looking rabbit today."

[Galestar]

Galestar shook her head. "I'm not hungry, thank you, though" then, she noticed the fur on her son's neck start to rise. Every cat in Windclan was aware of the treacherous acts of Redpelt. It made her own fur stand up a little. No cat could wrap their mind around it that one morning when they found Leafheart with a gash in her throat. The scent lead straight to him, and he didn't even deny it.

She looked at Rabbitfoot, and made herself a little more comfortable. "I wasn't thinking of any one part. It was more like the whole deal. Like I don't know if I should despise him or thank him for doing what he did." before her son could protest, the golden she-cat went on.

"Think about it. He killed so many cats dear to me, but at the same time, where would I be if he hadn't? I would still be a kittypet right now. I wouldn't know what it was like to be a clan cat, and I would have never became leader. You wouldn't even be here."

Confusion thrived in her voice and shined in her eyes. Like she didn't really know how to explain it. She was angry, and hated her father with a passion. At the same time, he was the reason for her success.

[Rabbitfoot]

He closed his mouth as soon as Galestar began talking. I guess I'm not too hungry, either. I did just eat. he thought to himself. As soon as Galestar continued calmly, it sounded, yet a bit confused, all of his thoughts ceased and he focused solely on his mother. Rabbitfoot looked around, now a little self-conscious about the conversation, but the feeling soon passed and he was back to feeling a little too defensive.

He glared at the ground when Galestar finished her first few sentences. "Yeah, but-" he started, but was cut off when she started talking again. Think about it, eh? he thought as she finished. Rabbitfoot was silent for a few minutes, thinking over what his mother had just said. She's right.

Looking at her to comfort himself slightly, he nodded, closing his amber eyes. "You're right," He said hit thoughts aloud. "We can't really be too angry at him, can we? He did give you life, a home in the clan, and leadership," he said calmly, thinking over every word he was about to say carefully. "Even if the way he did it was cruel. And, yeah, without any of that, Lightheart and I sure wouldn't be around." Rabbitfoot chuckled silently to himself, mainly to calm his nerves a little more. "But no one can really forgive everything he's done. Maybe it's true; something good always comes out of something bad."