Dipperflight isn't okay. His relationships are toxic, and his entirety is aching. It's like crows pecking at your heart... they peck and peck and you just want to run away. Dipperflight's stuck though-- stuck with a terrible love in a Clan that does...
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Dipperflight crouched outside the warrior's den, watching the patrols be assigned. Fennelstorm stood beneath the high ledge, warriors gathered around him with sleepiness still warming them. Dipperflight stood, edging closer. Maybe the deputy would assign him to a hunting patrol? Though, with me messing up and not doing what he wanted yesterday, that's doubtful.
He caught the glance of Dawnwhisker as she half-listened, half-slept to Fennelstorm's sharp commands.
"Dawnwhisker." Her eyelids fluttered as she was called, her ears twitching.
"mH-- yes?" She sat up straighter, attempting to blink the sleep from her eyes again.
"You'll be leading a hunting patrol at sunhigh at Sunningrocks. Take...," Dipperflight locked eyes with him. "Anyone you think will be up to it." A quick jolt of happiness sparked in the tabby tom. Dawnwhisker would probably choose him; she always liked chatting with him. The tabby calico looked right at him, opening her mouth to speak. "Except," Fennelstorm spoke up, continuing, "Dipperflight. I have a certain task for him." Dawnwhisker nodded, flicking her ear to the deputy's mate.
Dipperflight curled his tailtip with interest. What did Fennelstorm have planned? An outing to somewhere nice? A run through the treetops? Helping with the apprentice's duties? His amber eyes were bright with anticipation, but the ginger deputy didn't so much as hint to what his job was going to be. Fennelstorm finally turned after the patrols had been assigned, and Dipperflight saw Dawnwhisker return to the warriors den to catch a bit more of sleep.
"So!" Dipperflight blinked, his tail high. "What do I get to do today?" Fennelstorm narrowed his eyes with confusion.
"What do you mean 'what do I get to do today?' You're staying in camp." Dipperflight's excitement deflated quicker than a WindClan cat chasing a rabbit.
"I just thought--" Dipperflight ducked his head quickly as he caught Fennelstorm's glare.
"I'm going out on patrol all throughout the day, and I don't want to catch even a trace of your scent outside of camp," he paused before turning to leave, "Hopefully you can at least do this." Dipperflight slowly nodded. Yeah. Yeah, then he won't be mad at me. He'll be happy with me.
He turned, padding back to the warriors den to try and fall asleep again, but as he curled up tightly in his moss nest a tail length in front of Fennelstorm's empty one, he couldn't help but feel something tug at his heart. He pulled his tailtip over his nose, ignoring it, forcing his breathing to slow and sleep to overcome him.
Dipperflight was outside the warriors den again, the sun nearing high. He hadn't slept for very long, the sunrise patrols leaving and returning dawn patrols had stirred him right when forgotten dreams had started chasing through his head.
