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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Darkness shrouded the ThunderClan camp. Snow still clung to the earth, the top layer glazed over with an icy sheet. Dipperflight shifted, making sure that when he stood he wouldn't wake any of his denmates, cringing at the sound of his moss rustle. He glanced to Dawnwhisker, who was snuggled deep in her moss, half of which she had stolen from his own nest, her patched tabby tail draped over a snoring black and white tom on her other side. His gaze swept over to Fennelstorm, who was sleeping at his other side, a few mouse lengths separating them. Dipperflight breathed in. Now or never. You can't keep waiting for the perfect moment, now's good enough.
Standing stiffly, he quickly checked the cats next to him. Not a single cat stirred. Quietly, with as little sound as he could, he left the den, amber eyes carefully glancing back to make sure all were still asleep. He blinked once, glancing down to his paws before looking back up with determination. Sagecloud had been anxious, he had been spooked. Something had been troubling him, so much that it had broken through the cheerful mask. He set off, paws not even breaking the surface on the thin layer of white that coated ThunderClan's camp.
What could possibly perturb him so much though? Dipperflight's thoughts were muddled, like the sloshy snow by the Thunderpath. His paws deftly led him through the dense, leafless forest toward where he knew the river was.
The scent of river hit him far before the sound of water, which he knew was mostly attributed to the iced over river. The forest line broke quickly, just like it always did, opening to the completely open and shadowless border, the moonlight free to pour out and shine down on the snow. It was perfectly bright and clear enough to make out the stark gray rocks covered in a dusting, the river glassy and still. Sitting at the edge of the water, back to him, was Sagecloud. His head was low, fur straightened and glistening. He turned though, eyes round as he scented the ThunderClan warrior, softening.
"Dipperflight-- I was worried someone else was going to arrive in your place-- I should've waited on the other side of the river until you came--"
"I'm sorry for all the secrecy and making you sneak out. It's just...," he looked up to the sky, the starlight reflecting in his pupils. "I'm so scared. I don't know what to do...!" It came out as a half-sob, his eyes shutting, and he hung his head in shame before picking it back up with a sudden strength.
"Can I help you at all? What can I do?" Dipperflight craned his long, thick furred neck forward earnestly. Sagecloud gave a small smile.
"My mother. Heronmist. I didn't tell you the whole story.... She was around for a moon or two before leaving. She lied. A lot. She told everyone that Daisystar was my father. Told Daisystar they were my father. They.. they loved me," he glanced away sadly. "And then right after a gathering when cats were conversing before we left, a ShadowClan tom came out and told Daisystar that Heronmist was a liar. My real dad.. it's that guy. From ShadowClan. He told everyone. And then Heronmist left the next day. She left me. Daisystar didn't want to be my dad anymore." Dipperflight lowed his head, gently pressing his muzzle to the side of Sagecloud's face.
