TWG || Creek's Confession

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Carried by shaky legs and a mind plagued with uncertainty, the Tabby Apprentice scaled the side of the Overlook and idled in front of Ebonystar's den. Cursing his quivering limbs, he clenched his teeth and clamped his aqua eyes shut, giving his head a rough shake as he went. No, he couldn't be scared at a time like this. He'd already allowed enough time to slip painfully through, but no longer could he allow his late clanmate's death be sealed within the shadows.

Creekpaw opened his eyes, blinking away the bright sunshine, and gulped a deep breath before stepping, with a steady foot, into the shade of the leader's den. It took his eyes a few seconds and several blinks to adjust to the dim lighting within the shallow cave, though he heard the voices belonging to none other than the leading duo of Pebbleclan long before he identified their figures. Their tones were low, hardly audible whispers, too quiet for the Apprentice to distinguish individual words or their topic, but the heavy atmosphere of the cramped quarters indicated some dispute ensued.

Caught between the still air of their argument, awkwardness prickled at thick grey fur. Testing the waters, he cautiously began with, "Um.. Ebonystar, Chillstep.." he dipped his head meekly to show his respect. Looking between the two authoritative figures, who, given by their shocked expressions, appeared to have only just noticed his presence, he continued fumbling for words. "E-eh, I'm sorry to interrupt, but this can't wait any longer. It's been too long already.."

Chillstep's pale, minty eyes narrowed, as did Ebonystar's golden pair. The black-furred Tom sent his deputy a look that told whatever they'd discussing was far from done before he looked back to the young Apprentice and spoke up. "Alright, Creekpaw, what is it that has been chewing you up for days?" his baritone was neither warm or cold but neutral, awaiting the apparently urgent news, a bleak sense of apprehension settling across his mind. Urgency never brought anything but trouble. Experience had taught him that truth.

Not for the first time since entering, the usually bright eyed Apprentice looked skeptically between his two superiors, though with another shake of his head he tossed the reservation he held. Again, his legs threatened to shake, but his will forced himself to remain planted to the ground. "When Needlefur died, I was in and around the area. I heard the commotion and rushed to where I heard the noise. I saw it, the aftermath at least."

"What?!" Chillstep hissed, her body gone entirely rigid and still beside Ebonystar. "You knew this and chose not to speak up until now?" Her hackles rose and quivered with misdirected rage, amplified extensively courtesy of her already whacked hormones, no help that her brother's death was indeed quite a personal matter and a fresh wound.

Resting his tail tip against her shoulder in reassurance, Ebonystar sent her a compassionate glance, but silenced her none the less. "Let him speak, Chillstep. He has his reasons I'm sure." Emphasis on the "reasons," his amber gaze settled back on the Apprentice, who looked more shaken after Chillstep's justifiable anger.

The Tabby Apprentice's lip twitched, though he recovered from his stupor once his leader prompted him to speak again. His ears burned hotly and began to slide back against his head, which he dropped to stare at the cold ground of the den, unwilling to return a stare. "I was scared, scared to accept the rockslide as truth, scared the moment I recognized that fiery pelt between the dust clogging the air. I had heard all the mistrust talk and muttering rumors, though I wanted to believe she wouldn't actually turn out to betray us. Her smiles always seemed so bright, and what had Needlefur every done to her? None of it made any sense, so I couldn't believe it."

Ebonystar released a cold breath and rather needlessly asked, "Who was it, this one with the 'fiery pelt?'" It was so painfully obvious, he'd already believed it from the start, but he needed Creekpaw's confirmation as the final stake, the last nail to seal his sister's fate.

"Minx," Creekpaw breathed, sounding quite winded and strained from his confession. "from the debris, I saw her slinking away. I don't know if she saw me, but I caught a glint from her grin."

Closing his eyes for many long, uninterrupted moments, Ebonystar stood where he was silently. He felt the pointed daggers from Chillstep's general direction, knowing again her anger wasn't towards him, but misdirected to him as an outlet. "Thank you, Creekpaw. That's all we needed to hear, you can go now." He opened his eyes in time to catch the Apprentice nod violently and briskly exit the den. Seeming a step behind real time, his eyes laggingly settled back to Chillstep's, who's rage quelled and made apparent by the cues of her body. She opened her mouth, but he beat her to catch and said:

"I know, we can't leave this untouched. Something will be done about Minx."

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Ohhh, someone did see. Not that we all didn't expect that hah ah !
Anyway, sorry for the delay -er i mean, Creek put off saying anything too so ;3

Expect a trial soon, we're almost there guys !