[Skyteller] I would throw you into the unknown if I could

_{The sun cast an orange glow on the rocks, rippled by the water of the waterfall. Her orange eyes almost seemed alight in the softly cast light, yet she felt like a dark shadow hung over her, clinging to her fur. Her expression was grim. After the ceremony dispersed, she had waited, her gaze narrowed. How could he. Suddenly casting this responsibility on her without so much of a word. How could he. “Took you long enough,” she mewed with an edge in her voice, glaring at the tom, “thanks for the heads up by the way, really appreciated that.” Her tone was rather cutting. She had hoped to bury her emotions a bit better and speak to him in a more detached manner, but she had not been able to. Her mentor, the one she trusted with almost anything. She did not feel ready at all to lead the tribe. She had hoped to serve under him for many more moons, learning from him.}

You will find that many of the truths we cling to

depend greatly on our own point of view

Oh yeah, he had been sudden with his announcement. He had not given her a heads up. It was a bit of a thing with Healers that they tended to follow their instincts on a whim. Which he had done, cause the mountains had called him in that moment and he knew what was coming, kind off. He sometimes wondered if StarClan was a little more to the point when they contacted the Clans. The Tribe of Endless Hunting was always shrouded in riddles.

He had spend his day going through the territory. Taking it all in. Thinking about his decision and where everything would go from here. When the light turned golden and the sky was painted in red, orange and pink, he returned to the Cave of Rushing Water, like he promised. Of course, he was met with a very annoyed and angry Shroud, who immediately said that it had taken long enough and thanked him for the heads up after. Skyteller could not help but smile at her words. She had always been the more fiery one. He wondered if she could set it aside in some of the decisions that were to be made in the future. ”Some things are more of a learning experience without a heads up,” he told her. ”What did you do with Appleblossom and Slate? Are they part of the Tribe or have they been sent away?”

Teller of the Endless skies

_{Finally, there he was. Shroud was barely able to surpress her frustration with the grey hued tom as he stood in front of her. She flattened her ears and muttered something under her breath. Her mentor, the one she thought she could've trusted with her life. He had many more years on him as well. So soe had thought.. Well, it didn't matter what she thought, as he clearly thought different. The Tribe of Endless Hunting... She hoped she could interpret their signs well. She knew her herbs, but whether she knew enough of the ways of her ancestors? She could only hope that she did.

She huffed at his words. "Kind of a big situation to make a learning experience from," she grumbled back at him, lashing her tail slightly, "But Day said I ought to trust your judgment, so I shall." Or at least, she would try. She flicked one of her ears and shifted her gaze on the waterfall that rushed down besides them. "I let them both in, you barely gave me a lot of time to think about it. But Slate's kits will be fine prey hunters and guards one day and I could not cast them out in the middle of Leafbare. Appleblossom has proven that she can hunt and that she fits in well with the tribe as well." She did not like outsiders and they both knew that. Perhaps, if Skyteller had given her more time to think, the coin of her decision would've fallen on a different side. Maybe that's why he sprung this decision on her so suddenly, to make a point and to see her gut reactions. "I suppose we ought to go," she mumbled, following the rays of the setting sun with her eyes.}

You will find that many of the truths we cling to

depend greatly on our own point of view

It was good to hear she could still hold a conversation with him, even though he knew she was very upset with him at this moment. It certainly had been a situation he had thrown her in, but he did not regret it. ”It is good to hear Day still has faith in me,” he said as she told him why she would trust his judgement. That made at least one of his high ranks and he had a feeling she would understand as well eventually.

Again, a smile appeared on his lips as she told him she had let both cats in. A good decision. ”I agree. I would have made that decision as well,” he told her. Shroud said they ought to go and he nodded. ”It’s about time, yes,” he said while turning around and setting pace towards the exit of the Cave. They would have a lot of mountain climbing to do tonight, for where they were going, cats normally would not go. ”We are headed for the highest peak near Starpools,” he told her while walking.

Teller of the Endless skies

_{Shroud felt agitated and she knew that Skyteller knew this. She nodded at his words about Day. "Day is an unshakeable rock and perfectly well suited to be in a position of power," she mewed in agreement. Now there was the problem that she held a position of power as well, which was a completely different matter if you asked her. "He would've made a fine healer as well, he has the trust of the tribe and inspires calmness and confidence," she mused. Probably, Skyteller could feel her insecurity about her new position, perhaps he would have a few words of advice if he could spare them. At the same time, he also could've spared a headsup and he didn't.

She breathed out her relief at the confirmation that she did well. She hadn't even realized that she had waited on bated breath whether Sky would've approved her decision. "Good," she mewed however, her tone rather terse. He hadn't been forgiven yet. She nodded at his words and got to her paws, her tail still swishing. She pushed herself past him, leaving the cave. She still felt hurt and betrayed by him, she had to admit to that. This was going to be a long arduous walk. But as much as she wanted to rage at him, blame him for this, she could not, not now he was here with her. He had thrown her life in a whirlwind before and did it again, yet she could not find it in her heart to shout at him. So, she remained silent for a bit, putting one pawstep before the next, walking in front of him with her tail low and her ears pulled back in her soft neck fur. The wind cut in her face and she imagined that this would not be better at the highest peaks. “I really wish you would have done this at a warmer day at the very least. Why not wait until greenleaf? Nice warm winds and such. Nice appreciation for your apprentice next to the literally throwing me for the literal wolves.”}

You will find that many of the truths we cling to

depend greatly on our own point of view

He agreed with her when she said Day was perfectly suited to be in a position of power, however, that was not all that was needed from a Healer. Skyteller chuckled as Shroud said Day would have made a fine Healer. ”Maybe he would have, but he isn’t. You may not be like Day and lack my everlasting calm, but the Tribe of Endless Hunting chose you for a reason Shroud. Maybe, the Tribe will need a more fiery leader after me, or maybe you will find your calm. Only time will tell,” he told her.

They set off in silence. The cold Leafbare winds cutting through their furs, the light of the sun fading ever so quickly behind the mountain peaks. Soon they would be traveling in darkness. Not that he minded, he knew the mountains well enough. As Shroud spoke up again, Skyteller laughed. ”I did not choose this day, the time was simply right today,” he told her. Oh no, she had not appreciated him leaving her like that. ”Besides, it cannot be too easy now, can it. Otherwise everyone would be becoming Healer left and right,” he added.

Teller of the Endless skies

_{Even though she was royally angry at the tom-cat in front of her and was barely able to repress this, she could not surpress the mrow of laughter that escaped her at his words. He was speaking of her calming down. "Me, calming down? The Tribe of Endless Hunting must be eating faith for breakfast, second breakfast and dinner," she meowed, her whiskers trembling in mild amusement. She had always had a lot of fire, maybe she would calm down over the years, but she would never become this ethereal being that Skyteller could be. He was like a deep pool, his depths inperceptible. She was an open book, her emotions always on her sleeve.

The sun dipped behind the mountains and shrouded the mountainside in darkness. They would have to be alert, so much could be lurking in the shadows. The corners of her mouth quirked up in mild amusement. Would be something, them encountering something dangerous. What would the Tribe of Endless Hunting say of that. "Would be something, if the Tribe of Endless Hunting was appointing healers left and right," she mewed, her gaze absently flitting across the stars. They shimmered so brightly today.. perhaps there was some truth in the words of Skyteller. "The stars light our path.." she murmered, her gaze transfixed on the stars for a bit. A strange feeling overcame her. Were their ancestors urging them on?}

You will find that many of the truths we cling to

depend greatly on our own point of view

She let out a mrow of laughter at his words, meaning he had eased some of the tension hanging between them. Which was a good thing. Contrary to her belief, it was not his hobby to rub her fur in the wrong way. ”Oh, I’m sure they do. But like I said, only time will tell what will really happen,” he told her. No one really knew for sure what kind off path she would take, but he was sure it would bring the Tribe something. ”I wasn’t always like this,” he added with a smile. He had been young once. Reckless. Impatient.

They were soon shrouded in darkness, but the dark only made the light of the stars stand out more. They shone brilliantly against the night sky, lighting their path to the highest peaks. ”They do and they will continue to do so,” he told her as she commented on the stars. Sometimes clouds blocked their light, but they always shone, no matter what. It was something she could rely on, something stable in this unstable world.

Teller of the Endless skies

_{Skyteller commented that he was not born the way he acted. She tried to imagine him as stoic as he was now, like a grey rock of a kit. Her whiskers twitched in amusement, wasn't that a sight? She tried to push this for what it was worth. She did not like the tension in the air anyway. "Is that so?" she mewed, "No, I don't think so, you probably were a sage of a kit," she finished airily, padding on up towards the peaks. He shouldn't think all was forgiven between them, she would hold this against him for a long time and her trust in him had taken a big blow. But she saw no point in continuing to be hostile against him now they were here together.

Her gaze followed the bright nebula's above her in the inky skies. The stars twinkeled, the exact thing that had inspired her mother to name her. "Perhaps we are lucky tonight and one or two will fall," she mewed, heaving herself upon a particular large rock in their way. Even though this path had been trodded many a time by their ancestors, it was still a rough climb. "What would you wish for Skyteller if one would?" she decided to ask him.}

You will find that many of the truths we cling to

depend greatly on our own point of view

Apparently she had a hard time believing that he had been any different when he was younger. ”You wound me,” he joked with a laugh. ”I was Mountain, who would become the best prey hunter the Tribe would ever have. Or so I wished,” he told her. Those were times of no responsibility, of freedom. He did not look back in regret, but life would have been a lot different if fate had not flung him off his paws and thrown him onto another path. They had more in common than she knew.

Perhaps hey would get lucky and one or two of the stars would fall. Shroud asked him what he would wish for, if one would. He struggled to heave himself up another rock first, before answering. ”If it were just one, I would leave that wish to you. But if I were to wish for anything?” he said, thinking. Cats did not often ask him questions like these. It had been a while since he had thought of wishes. ”It would probably be to feel love again, just once,” he told her truthfully. Oh how that had been a wonderful feeling. One he banished. One that had brought bad luck. But a wish from the stars would just be that, and nothing more.

Teller of the Endless skies

_{Shroud chuckled softly at his words and shook her head. He was once just like her, perhaps a bit more wise and calm because she was not going to belief being a healer made him like this. "I was Shroud, a mother and wishing she could be the best prey hunter in the tribe, and then you decided that that was not going to happen," an edge of bitterness crept into her voice, but she did not allow it to poison her. Yes, she held it against him, no she was not going to shout at him (again).

She glanced back over her shoulder in order to check whether he was able to clear the rock. It took him some effort, but he was back to his paws in no time. Good. He was getting on in the years of course, but she had hoped he would be able to make this trip on his own. "I'm not going to carry you," she remarked with a hint of humour in her voice, "so you better be able to clear all those rocks on your own." He had decided that they would go here in the freezing wings in the middle of the night, this was on him. She looked slightly more guarded at his next words. Love... She had the feeling she was getting a glimpse of an an entirely different side from Skyteller. "There are loads of beautiful she-cats in the tribe, let's get up at the peak and then you are free of that burden, go get 'm tiger," she mewed. Perhaps she could set him up with some she-cats. That ought to be fun. With a start she realized that she wasn't even that angry anymore. Perhaps Day had been right.}

You will find that many of the truths we cling to

depend greatly on our own point of view

As he told her who he had been, she did the same. ”Please remember that it was not my decision alone. Just like it had not been just Stoneteller’s decision to take me in,” he told her. ”Not that I would have become a Prey Hunter otherwise. I was sick, weak, in no condition to become anything really,” he added. He had come to term with that long ago. Sometimes it seem to creep up on him, waiting for a moment to strike. He had not let it, not since Stoneteller had taken him as apprentice. But, he was getting older now.

”Oh I will, don’t worry,” he told her as she called back that she was not going to carry him and that he would have to do it on his own. No doubt about it. He laughed at her next words. There were, but he would not let go of his ways just because he would let go of his rank. ”Just a wish, nothing more,” he told her with a smile. ”What about you?”

Teller of the Endless skies

_{Shroud shrugged at his words. Of course she knew that. "I am aware of that," she mewed calmly to him with a soft smile on her face, "but it is way easier to complain to you than the tribe of endless hunting, you actually talk back." Screaming into the void was only fun for a little while, after that it got boring. She knew that the Tribe of Endless Hunting had had a say, otherwise she wouldn't be feeling their presence so strongly. Yet, she could only wish that they had chosen differently.

The mirth faded from her eyes when Skyteller posed his question to her. She allowed her gaze to flit to the stars once again. "I think I would wish for wisdom to carry the tribe through positive and troubling times alike," she confessed, "I still feel unsure whether I would be suited for the job, choice of the Tribe of Endless Hunting or not." Her pace slowed for a bit, as if her doubts were literally holding her back.}

You will find that many of the truths we cling to

depend greatly on our own point of view

She was aware of him not deciding on everything alone. However, it was easier to complain to him, because he could talk back. ”You got me there,” he told her with a laugh. Yes, it was very dissatisfying to want to rage to someone but it just being the silent void that would not really give you any answers. Besides, that would probably have made her even more angry, instead of what she was right now, mixture of anger, amusement, doubt.

He had been right about that last one. She would wish for wisdom, because she did not know if she was the right one to lead the Tribe. ”Wisdom comes with years. It is not just something you possess or not,” he told her. ”The fact that you are willing to give up a wish, which could be for anything, to secure a good leadership for the Tribe, already tells a lot about you,” he continued. ”Let the stars guide you, don’t let them lead you.”

Teller of the Endless skies

_{The healer started talking about how her decision for her wish would already set her paws on the path for a good healer. She sighed softly and let her gaze linger on her sandy coloured paws for a bit as the wind ruffled her fur. Perhaps... But was it not the wish of any cat that the tribe would flourish in the future? With everything happening, she was terribly afraid that she would lead it to destruction. "That's why I had hoped to peek at your wisdom for a few more years," she mewed with a bit of a strained smile. You know Sky, the many years you still have left that you could serve your tribe.

She stretched herself for a bit before giving a pebble a shove with her paw, tossing it down the mountainside. "Maybe I need to take on a to-be as well and ditch the role to them as soon as possible," she mewed, half joking. His next words confused her however and she twitched her ears slightly. "What do you mean? Guiding and leading?" The wishes and whims of the Tribe of Endless Hunting had to be followed right?}

You will find that many of the truths we cling to

depend greatly on our own point of view

It was why she had hoped to make use of his wisdom for a few more years. ”That would have been ideal, I agree,” he told her. ”But you shouldn’t doubt yourself so much,” he added. He was sure she could do it. In her own way, not exactly his, but she could.

He laughed when she thought about taking on an apprentice to ditch the role on them as soon as possible. She would not. He knew that. She did as well. ”If you don’t agree with your teacher’s methods of teaching, don’t become like them,” he joked back at her. Her voice took on a more serious tone as she asked him about what he had said just now, about the stars guiding and leading her. ”You will found out, but in essence it means that you should not shut out your own head or heart when the Tribe of Endless Hunting shows you a path. You’ll have to lead yourself, and let them guide you, not be lead, and try to guide them.”

Teller of the Endless skies

_{Shroud laughed without mirth in her eyes at his words and sighed afterwards. "I guess doubting myself is what I do when I suddenly become responsible for the wellbeing of the tribe. Maybe we can shove this task in Day's shoes and just start freeloading in the mountains," she mused, looking up at the stars again. No, she would not do that. She was in too deep now. She wanted to care for the tribe. "Good luck Day, this is all your responsibility now," she mewed to the skies, laughing slightly.

If he hadn't been her mentor and healer, she would have cuffed his ears. Alas, she had grown up with endless respect for the healer drilled into her, so she resisted the urge. "You got me there as well," she responded to the tom with a sigh, after which she listened to his words. "But does the Tribe of Endless Hunting not know the correct path for us to take?" she decided to ask, before clearing the last rocks. The Starpools stretched out before them, glittering with the nebula’s above them. Here she would keep watch for the night, pondering about the tribe and staying in contact with the tribe of endless hunting. Perhaps she could also do some mindfulness exercises about how not to throw your former mentor of the mountain. That would be jolly good fun. The icy wind cut her fur and she shivered. She did not want to sit down yet.}

You will find that many of the truths we cling to

depend greatly on our own point of view

Yep, she was still mad at him for his decision. Not as mad anymore, but still, pretty angry. Shove it all on Day. That would be something. ”Poor guy,” he said with a chuckle. He turned his gaze back to her. ”You will learn not to doubt yourself,” he said. She would.

Now it was her time not being able to say anything witty back to him, to which he smiled. She asked him if the Tribe of Endless Hunting did not know the correct path for them. ”They see things, but paths are never absolute, you can shape them, alter them. You should not stray, but take destiny into your paws and create something that is both the best future as well as one you agree on,” he told her as they entered the place they called Starpools. ”We need to climb a little further, onto that plateau,” he told her, while looking at the place they had to settle. There would be no shelter from the cold, nothing to hide from the wind, but she would be fine.

Teller of the Endless skies

_{Shroud chuckled at the words of Skyteller and tried to imitate his voice. "He will be fine, the Tribe of Endless Hunting will look out for him." She also tried to imitate his sagely, wise demeanor, but failed horrendously. Perhaps she would be Fireteller, the one who burned down the tribe. Skyteller mentioned that she would learn not to doubt herself and she shrugged. "I think a bit of self doubt won't hurt," she mewed. She would be afraid for herself if she was too sure of herself. Then she wouldn't question her own judgment anymore after all.

Skyteller immediately proved why she would never be a Skyteller, being cryptic with his words immediately. She sighed and shook her head. Sure. "I will keep that in mind, thank you Skyteller," she mewed politely, after which her gaze flitted to the small ledge. "You're joking, right?" She mewed wryly. He certainly wasn't joking. "So, next to the fact that we are here in the freezing cold, you also want to sit down at the most unsheltered ledge of the whole territory?" Maybe she could go back to the corpse in the starpools idea.}

You will find that many of the truths we cling to

depend greatly on our own point of view

She tried to imitate him as she told him Day would be fine in this position, which made Skyteller laugh once again. Oh yes, she would not be the next him, she would be something different. ”A bit of self doubt is fine. Too much, however, can be your downfall,” he told her, keeping his voice light. He did not want to burden her with warnings. Not now.

She thanked him for his words, although he knew she liked a more direct answer more. He could not have given her one. It was something she needed to experience to fully grasp the concept. It would come with time. She had time. When he said they had to go up even more, she said he must be joking. ”I did not write the rules,” he said with a shrug. ”As the next Healer of the Tribe, you should be able to survive a little cold,” he added with a grin, before leaping forwards to the ledge.

Teller of the Endless skies