xv. sweet dreams - a Mothy SRP

Instructions

I just got word that skel got kaboomed so I just had to whip up mothy’s reaction it’s a little low quality but eh here ya go tw for grieving and implied death . . . she had just gotten word. the mediator had been resting peacefully in its nest when a mournful messenger walked up to it. they tried to sugarcoat it, make it sweeter, coat it in honey. she’d told them to spit it out. rip the cobwebs off. just tell it already. part of her wished she’d allowed them to deliver the news slowly. oh, skelly… the small little kit, named for those beautiful patterns that traced the bones beneath. the apprentice, always optimistic, with that little snail… scoot, was it? and the warrior they were meant to be. but no. at the ceremony, sightseerpaw would be receiving his name alone. distraught wasnt a strong enough word for the turmoil that coursed through peppered-mothsnap as she stared down at the recently disturbed earth, just having been covered. and, yet, it wasnt a crippling sadness, like what had stricken it when it lost Lulu. she had grown a lot as a cat. it was better at dealing with what life threw at it. mothy wouldnt let this crush her spirits in the long term, like events like this one had in the past. this wouldnt get it down for the next couple of moons. she would keep going, no matter what. the clan needed it. but, for now? for a few moments? it was okay to let it all out. just as she’d told abby, it was natural. she was a cat. it was okay to feel like this, as long as it kept going at the end of the day. peppered-mothsnap placed the snowdrops on top of the dirt, before placing the snail shell atop as well. it stepped back and laid down on the grave, curling up as it allowed its breath to escape in heaves and sobs. “skeletonpaw… skelly…” she choked out. “you dont deserve to be remembered like this.” the almost-warrior deserved to be remembered as they lived. bright, adventurous, optimistic, and a constant smile on their face. “if starclan will honor this request, i’d like to give you a name alongside your brother. just for you. nobody else needs to know, but I’d like you to have the pleasure of receiving the name you should’ve received in person.” it lifted its head and uncurled slightly to rest it further up the grave. “even if this is not official… i’d like you to have one last gift. even if I can’t grant you an official name, i’d like you to carry one last nickname from your mada into starclan.” stretching her head toward the sky, she murmured out, “for your bright spirit and forever burning perseverance, I give you the name— or, nickname, I guess— of Skeletonbrilliance.” . . . it let out a strained smile, knowing its kit could rest in peace. even if she would move on and continue to live, she would never forget skele. as a last goodbye, it tapped the dirt as a final forehead tap and quietly sat up, dipping its head. sweet dreams, skelly. rest well.