Returning from Exodus? [Open to TC Apprentices]

OOC: This will serve as an assessment/patrol thingo for you all.

Duskfall waited at the edge of their newly founded camp in Sunnigrocks impatiently for his apprentices to arrive. Usually, the tom was more tranquil, but he was eager to see if they could finally return to the bramble bushes they once called camp. The forest wasn't fully recovered, but prey was slowly returning, and there was hope. The plentiful rain and sunshine had worked miracles for the forest.

He knew it would be a while before they would return to the glory of the past, with thick undergrowth to hide beneath and work with, especially near the Skyclan border. But at least the woods facing Riverclan and Shadowclan had been mostly spared.

With Skyclan just as crippled as Thunderclan, he couldn't see why they couldn't return soon. Provided there was enough shelter for the kits and queens.

So he waited there for his apprentices to come, and hopefully to bring good news back to camp.

Daisypaw limped up to Duskfall. "Where are we going?" She asked.

"To check on our old camp, if the brambles have started to grow back, there might be a chance we can return." He didn't mention his concerns over a possible Riverclan invasion eventually though, figuring as mature as Daisypaw was, she hardly needed to know just how concerned Duskfall was over Thunderclan's current situation.

Daisypaw nodded. "Are we going now?"


OOC: I made her sound so dumb, XD

OOC: It's fine.

"We'll wait a little longer, until Sunrise." The dusky brown tom informed Daisypaw waiting with his tail curled over his paws. He had hope to leave earlier, but it was early, he couldn't fault the apprentices for taking longer.

Batpaw emerged from the brush, shaking off leaves and twigs. He watched Daisypaw and Duskfall talk before approaching the two cats. The black tom noticed that the deputy seemed edgy, and opened his mouth to ask before thinking better of it and keeping quiet. He turned ahead and stared at the ground, though he kept peering at Duskfall from the corner of his eye.

As usual, Sweetpaw followed closely behind her uncle. She settled beside the black tom, tipping her head. "What's up with Dus-" She was cut off by Batpaw, shutting up when he elbowed her. Her question was very quiet, but the tom wouldn't take the chance of letting his niece offend the deputy in case he happened to hear.

When Batpaw and Sweetpaw came, Duskfall just have them a quick, curt nod. Eager to get on with it. "Good, you're all here. We leave immediately, we're heading for-"

"Sorry I'm late!" Viperpaw meowed, bounding over with a few quick leaps on top of the stones. He was late because he might have slept in, but he was very keen to be here. Unlike the other apprentices, he'd never seen camp before being raised in Sunningrocks, so he wanted to see this place everyone kept banging on about. "Can I still come?"

Duskfall rolled his eyes and sighed, praying to Starclan for patience. "Yes, anyone else planning to turn up last minute...? Good, we leave for the old camp now. Stay close, and keep your senses peaked. There could be dogs about."

OOC: Last chance to join, and then we're going to go.

Batpaw leaped up and trotted over to where Viperpaw and Duskfall were, waiting to leave. His black tail twitched slightly at Duskfall's impatience, but he couldn't deny that he was eager to move back into the camp he was born and raised in.

Sweetpaw was unsettled with everybody's edginess. What were they worrying about? She was sure that everything would be alright back at the old camp. The shy she-cat hung back but still padded towards the warrior and two apprentices.

Seeing no one else was coming, Duskfall lead them out into the forest.

The forest was a blackened shell of what it used to be with tree trunks scorched, bushes twisted by the flames. Everything still had a linger scent of fire and death which was distracting. But within this darkness there were shoots of green starting to grow. Though the trees were burnt, scorched, the branches were full with leaves. The bushes were spindly nothings, but plants had already begun to grow under it's shelter. And when they reached camp, Duskfall knew it was time to come home.

The bramble bushes had grown back, not a full as they once were but full enough to keep out the worst of the wind. And best of all, he could hear the scurrying of prey about. Without their scent or presence to scare off the prey, their camp with natural nooks and crannies was crawling with prey.

"Batpaw, Daisypaw, go check out the medicine cat den, and feel free to catch whatever you come across on the way. Viperpaw and Sweetpaw, go look in the leader's den. I'll inspect the bramble walls."

OOC: You can come across snakes if you want or just hunt prey

Daisypaw nodded and limped as fast as she could to the med cat den. Along the way, she caught a mouse.

Batpaw nodded briskly and shot off toward the medicine den, foraging hurridly. Plucking out a measly shrew, he returned to the warrior. "All's clear, Duskfall."

Sweetpaw rushed toward the leader's den, smiling when she looked it over. There was nothing wrong with the den, so she bulleted toward the patrol and reported what she had seen.