● ● ◉ ● ● ● ● ● ❝ In the eye of a hurricane there is quiet ❞ Deeppaw stumbled out of camp. He had to limp because of his leg injury, but that didn’t slow him down. He didn’t know where he was heading, he just knew he needed to go. And he needed to do it fast. Deeppaw paused to catch his breath, staring out at the ocean once he realized he was now at the beach. He took a shaky breath. Why was everything happening at once?! ❝ For just a moment ❞ He wrapped his tail around himself, and stared down at his paws. First he found out that his demi-brother and sister were fighting. It was about something stupid. Powers, or something like that. But he didn’t hear about it until it was completely over. ❝ A yellow sky ❞ Then now Riverpaw told him that their father was killed! And not only that, but allegedly by his new mentor! He dug his claws into the sand with frustration. Why didn’t they tell him?! They all knew! All of them! Ripplepaw, Riverpaw, even Orcaear himself could have told him! He was trying so hard to protect everyone and keep everyone happy, yet they didn’t even find him important enough to keep up to date with such important things?! DID THEY THINK HE WAS A KIT?! ❝ When I was seventeen a hurricane destroyed my town ❞ He stood again and paced, ignoring the sharp pain in his back leg. Unlike usual, he didn’t even notice the dirt and sand getting all through his fur. He was… angry. Really angry. He hadn’t felt that much before. Was that what Riverkit felt to make her start hating Orcaear? Yet another thing they all neglected to mention to him. His ears flattened against his head. IT’S NOT FAIR! Why should he be treated like this? He’s not a kit or a weakling that needs to be babied! ❝ I didn’t drown ❞ Cherishpaw was gone now too. Why, why, why, WHY?! WHY WOULD SHE LEAVE HIM?! He hissed with frustration. He needed her! And Sharkpaw too! He never knew his other sister that well, but now that she’s gone he missed what could have been. Did no one care enough to tell him anything?! Riverpaw claimed that their father loved him more, but if that was the case then why didn’t he tell him either?! ❝ I couldn’t seem to die ❞ He clawed at some pebbles in frustration, tossing them into the water. Such tiny ripples. So easily gone. He didn’t want to be a ripple, he wanted to be a wave. He wasn’t weak and he would have to show them. He wasn’t going to show all of them. They would see. THEY WOULD ALL SEE! ❝ I wrote my way out ❞ He had tried to prove he was strong through what he did, and how much he trained, but clearly that’s not going to cut it. Who do people respect? What do they look up to? He thought about his father, Orcaear. He was nice, but he was called a coward then killed. He thought of the leader, Sorastar. He seemed to be well respected, but he wasn’t mean either. So what’s the difference? ❝ Wrote everything down far as I could see ❞ Could it be… maybe the balance? He needed to be charming enough for cats to like him, but he would keep them at arms length, so that they couldn’t hurt him. If he became smarter, he could find all the information for himself, instead of waiting for it to be given to him. ❝ Wrote my way out ❞ He didn’t want to be called weak or a coward. And he certainly didn’t want to be hated. But if he was stronger, then he would make them respect him. He would be just nice enough that they would do it willingly. And he would be wise enough that they didn’t even know it was happening. ❝ I looked up and the town had its eyes on me ❞ He licked his chest, proud of himself for figuring this out. He shoved the anger down deep inside him. It was a waste for now, but maybe he could use it later. Later things would be different. Before long, no one would forget him again. He smirked, then turned and walked back towards camp. ● ● ● ● ● ◉ ● ●
Caps warning throughout the whole thing Deeppaw’s going through some stuff… hello villain arc.