AND “No Light No Light by Florence and the Machine
I dreamt of a scene where Tallstar was talking to Rusty about his family and I woke up from that dream and was like "that's it, no more "dying to erase pain and harm you caused. You don't get to escape the consequences of your actions." Because death isn't real for these cats. They'll see their loved ones at the end of their life and possibly in the middle of it! It's confirmed! So! The Rocky Road to Redemption: Sandgorse Edition
LOUDER THAN WORDS VERSION
<So what was your family like? Did you have any siblings? Who was Dawnstripe to you? Who were your parents? Are they the reason you're this awesome?>
(Tallstar is talking *and* signing here, so quotes and brackets)
<"You sure are curious, kid. Let's see... I have five siblings, but unlike your litter, they weren’t all born at the same time. Forest cats have smaller litters. Four was a lot for anyone, but my mother and heart-father handled it! Really well.">
<Heart-father?>
<'I have the father who sired me with Palebird and the father who helped me grow, like Dawnstripe did. His name was Woolytail.">
Tallstar made the sign and sound for sheep and waved his tail.
SNIPPET 1
🎵“[Heaven] StarClan help me, I have to make it right!”🎵
“Why won't you just talk to me?! Can't you see that I'm trying?!”
"You're trying?! Palebird has been struggling since Tall was born, but you're trying!
You told your only son, the boy who just wants you to love him, to stay away from you and the tunnels but you're trying!
Have you even apologized?! Have you asked Palebird how she's coping? Have you talked to Tallpaw about anything but the tunnels?!
Do you even know how close or far he is to getting his warrior name?!"
"I-!"
"No! You don't! You spent all this time growling and groaning about what you can't have while your whole life is right before your eyes! But it's okay, mollies and toms, he's trying!"
SNIPPET 2
Dawnstripe defends Tallpaw from Sandgorse “Tallpaw!”
“Are you here to ask about his progress?”
“No, I-!”
“Are you here to watch what we're doing today?”
“No, I-! Sure. Might as well see the life of a runner.”
“Alright. Sit over there and be quiet. If you have any questions, talk to me and me alone. Got it?”
“Got it.”
“Tallpaw, that's the worst crouch I've ever seen! Don't you-?!”
“Quiet!” Dawnstripe barked. “Tallpaw, just like we practiced. To the TallSlate and back.”
Tallpaw took off at half-speed.
“A kit can go faster than that!”
“Shut up!” Dawnstripe snarled. “If you're not going to be helpful, go lay somewhere else! Tallpaw doesn't need your snake's tongue!”
SNIPPET 3
Woolytail helps Palebird out a lot and eventually they fall in love but at first he and the rest of the tunnelers are trying to get Pale back into the swing of things
Palebird stands up to Sandgorse when confronted about Woolytail
🎵You want a revelationyou wanna get it rightwell that's a conversation I just can't have tonight🎵
Pale: “even if he is just doing this to catch my eye, he's helping! You haven't done anything to make up for your horrible attitude to me or Tall, and it's not fair that you want to take away the cats who care just because you're jealous!”
SNIPPET 4
Dawnstripe sees Talltail off
“You know you don't have to do this, right? Sandgorse might be grumpy and snappish, but you don’t have to take that. He's going to be fine in the elder's den.”
“I need to find out what happened. He doesn't remember. He thinks he took someone down there but he didn't know for sure, and the Passing Cats left before we could ask them anything. If I can do this, if I can get answers for my father, then maybe…”
“Maybe?”
“I just want him to see me as worthy of being his son.”
“Oh, Tall…” Dawnstripe purred sadly, pressing her side to his. “I know it doesn't feel like it, but you were always worthy of being his son. He hasn't been a very good father to you.
"I don’t think he'd have been any better had Finch lived. He's always going to be like this, and his early retirement certainly won't help things… Are you sure this will help you?”
“Yes.”
“Then go, kid. Good luck. Remember what I've taught you. Hunting will be challenging, because we usually run our prey down and you can't do that in close-quarters.
"I think your battle training might help there. It relies on being fast enough to hit your opponent but avoid getting hit in return. Do you want to tell anyone else, or should I?”
“I…”
Talltail choked up.
How could he explain his quest to his mother and heart-father?
To Barkface and Shrewclaw?
Would Sandgorse even say anything if he told the older tom?
“I'd be glad to do it, if only to see the look on Sandgorse’s smarmy face when he realizes he ran you off.”
“I'm not trying to run away-.”
“You are, even if you come back. But I don’t blame you at all. I'd run too, if Heatherstar could spare a runner.”
“Do you know why she can't? She did close the tunnels.”
“Yes, but the tunnelers have to get used to a very different method of hunting and fighting than they're used to. We runners will all have our paws full teaching our grown Clanmates like apprentices. Stars help me, this is gonna be rough!”
“Maybe I shouldn't-.”
“Nope, you're going! Remember how we practiced following through? It'll be put to good use during this trip. Cats will understand.”
“I kinda figured they'd all be mad at me.”
“That'd be Sandgorse and him alone. And we'll all be barking at him for the rest of his days if he tries any of his rabbit-dung on you.”
