Let's get things back in order (After the Gathering for WindClan, IMPORTANT)

OOC: Oh the kits and their mothers...

Emberpaw looked at Heatherpaw and back at Ashstar "The Dark Forest was wrong and I will never follow in the path of them, I thought I could follow my mother proudly, but it was stupid how blind I was." she mewed, she whispered the last part, tears filling him her once bright eyes. She wouldn't take this death as hard as most due to well, not knowing much of her mother.

Sitting next to Icestorm, Cedarfur dug his claws into the earth. Loyalty? The tall tom tilted his head and glanced around the camp. He understood that Ashstar had reasons to doubt some of the cats who may still be loyal to the Darkforest, and thinking about it, he wondered where he stood. No! I should know where I stand! For StarClan's sake! He couldn't just leave his mate, kits, and his clan... what type of father would he be if he betrayed them? Sorrow filled his heart as he thought about his lost mate; the cat that he loved, lost to an unstoppable force of darkness. His kits needed him, and quite frankly, he needed them as well.

Letting out a sigh, Cedarfur looked to Icestorm. His brother looked so... old and ragged. The grey tom didn't get to participate in the battle, and he could tell that the crippled cat was a bit disappointed. Relaxing his tense muscles, his gaze turned back to Ashstar. Her and Smokepelt seemed so... calm and collected, but did they really feel that way? Unlike Spiderfur, who still looked pretty shaken up, the two of them looked as if nothing had happened. Well, I guess they need to stay that way in order to keep the clan calm. But even he knew that a cat's calmness could only go so far till their insanity snapped like a twig.

~~~

Watching cats step forward left and right, Smokepelt looked up to the leader. "You're my mother, I will always be loyal to you, and StarClan," he meowed softly, looking up at his mother with oddly calm eyes. After the whole DarkForest situation, he understood why most cats were put on edge, but for the most part he tried to keep calm, or at least look like he had everything together. Looking back to the crowd, Smokepelt sat up, showing that not even the burdens of war could drag his spirits down. Quietly, the grey tom kept his gaze facing forward.

"Hush, Sunkit. Just listen for a little while." Lightfoot's pelt prickled. He was alarmed at the sudden change of tone and even a little confused at her hostility. Didn't Ashwing know that most of the cats who had stayed behind did so because they had no other choice? He was also weighed down with the news of his daughter's death. He had thought she was dead a long time ago, and just when he'd gotten over it, she came right back like nothing was wrong. Knowing that he had let go of her before meant that losing her for a second time inflicted a deeper, more permanent kind of pain that he could feel swelling in his chest. Lightfoot drew Sunkit close into his side and wrapped her with his tail, panicking because he didn't know where Sandkit was.

"Ashwing, please listen to me." The elder called out among the crowd, not moving from his place near the elders' den. "I could not have gone with you if I wanted to. I was left behind at the camp the Gathering you were driven out and the Dark Forest cats would not have escorted a blind elder to wherever you were staying. And it is not reasonable to expect any of the apprentices who were kits at the time to have left with you, or to expect them or the kits that were born during your exile to search for you." Lightfoot didn't feel comfortable challenging the rightful leader, but he didn't want her wrath to be brought down on the innocent young cats who couldn't have made the right choice. "But I do swear by StarClan, and I promise you that everyone in this camp will. Please understand that most of those who stayed behind did it because we had to."

Emberleaf watched silently at the edge of the group. "In all my years of being a Medicine Cat, I have created a strong bond with Starclan that will never be broken. The Dark Forest made me an elder and corrupted this clan. I was forced to stay behind because I am far too old to leave. I always have and always will be loyal to Starclan, and not even the Dark Forest could've changed that." The ginger elder locked his gaze on the leader.

Ashwing's gaze softened. "I know that many of you could not leave, and that many of you didn't know better. I am aware that most of you are loyal to StarClan. But my experience with Saltpelt has made me uneasy, because I had never expected anything bad from her. I felt it necessary to check. I apologize for my apparent hostility, but I needyo make sure that no traitors can live in WindClan. We are, and always have been, the closest Clan to the stars and the Warrior Code. That will never change while I still breathe." She looked once again at the cats in the crowd below her. "I.... I know that Sablestar was killed, murdered by the Dark Forest, and that I am now your leader. I was not prepared for my time to come so soon, and I can only hope that you will all trust me. I will go to Highstones soon, and appoint a deputy. But first I must attend to another matter." She turned to the young, light brown tom. "Kestrelstorm, Thrushstar told me that you wished to join ShadowClan to be with your mate? If that is the case, why are you here? And how did a ShadowClan she-cat become your mate anyways?" Her politely curious tone hid her inner impatience, light gray tail tip twitching irritably. She had nothing against the ambitious tom, but this confused her. Did he return only because she had come back to WindClan? Did he still have his eyes trained on the deputy position? What did he care more about- power or his forbidden mate? And why had he had kits with a ShadowClan cat while Sablestar still lived? Had he truly loved Sablestar?

Kestrelstorm shifted from side to side, feeling the eyes scorch into him. His sons being one of them. He thought carefully of his words before he spoke. "Sablestar and I's relationship was... Unique. She hurt me in ways I can not describe." He paused, taking a deep breath. "Tigerstorm was a mistake. She was an escape that I didn't need. I don't know why I did what I did, and kits were never meant to happen. I left WindClan temporarily because... I felt betrayed. But I now realized that the only betrayal that came was from me." Kesyrelstorm stood, unfolding his long legs and walking to the front of the crowd so he was directly under Ashwing. "From hereby I denounce Hawkkit and Mousekit as my children. Tigerstorm is no longer my mate. I was miserable in ShadowClan, and I love WindClan more than anything. I would die for this clan without thinking. Falconstar would be ashamed of me and I need you to let me prove I am a WindClan cat through and through." Ashcloud flashed into his mind, and the look on the old tom's face as he fell from the Gorge. "Give me any test, Ashwing, and I wi complete it plus some." His oranged eyes blazed with a fire that burned inside him from the day he was born.

Ashwing's spring green eyes narrowed, glaring into Kestrelstorm's. "I'm sorry, Kestrelstorm, but I can't let you stay in WindClan against my better judgement. It pains me to tear my Clan further apart, but this is not right. You can't simply switch between Clans at your leisure. I can no longer trust you to be loyal to WindClan and WindClan alone. You may return to ShadowClan if they will have you, but you are no longer welcome in this camp." She took a deep breath to steady herself. "With StarClan and my Clanmates as my witness, Kestrelstorm, you are no longer a warrior of WindClan. You have until sun-high to get out of this camp, and if any of my loyal warriors see you here after then, they will treat you like a trespasser. I don't want to have to take action. Please, Kestrelstorm, accept my leadership and leave before you are hurt." A pang filled her heart for sunny patrols filled with laughter and friendship, but she knew this was the right decision.

Sunkit looked up at Lightfoot in alarm. This crazy she-cat just kicked somebody out! She didn't like this at all. She buried her tiny body beneath her grandfather's fur, fear pumping through her veins. She hid herself from everyone else, fearing that she'd be sent on her way because her mom stuck around WindClan... She was still confused. What makes this cat the boss of us?!

Kestrelstorm's eyes widened and he felt the world sway at his feet. Ashwing just exiled him. From his clan. His birth clan. His home clan. Ashwing, who had seemed to accept him back at the Gathering. Who he had tried to fight for. Ashwing, his friend. His jaw felt slack and all he could do was stare. His heart raced but time slowed and all he could see was Ashwing staring down at him. What? What even was this? He had fought so hard... He almost died for WindClan many times over. A small wimper escaped his mouth and he fell onto Falconstone who came at the right time. His orange eyes were just as pained and he couldn't take it.

"Ashwing, please." Falconstone gently allowed his father, who was numb and broken, to the ground. "Ashwing, I do not speak out to challenge yohr authority. I ask a favor. You have always been my leader, you named me. But," he looked around, his shoulders sagging. "I can't lose again. I'd have nobody Ashwing. Please..." Falconstone straightened his shoulders, backing up to better meet Ashwing's gaze. "Ashwing, I have lost Sablestar. I have lost my sister. I have lost my mate. I lost StarClan and I brought them back. I lost my father and I got him back. Please Ashwing, reconsider the exile. Think of everything Kestrelstorm has done since kithood. Remember the hawks? Please, please. Give Kestrelstorm some sort of challenge for him to prove his loyalty. I beg you as the cat who has always respected you. Who traveled so far to find StarClan. Who would fight for you to the death. Don't do it for him. Do it for me and Spiderfur and Cedarfur and the memory of my mother." Falconstone's eyes pleaded desperately with the leader, glancing around every so once in a while to the crowd.

OoC: so much for sticking to previous decisions...

Ashwing's eyes softened, but she shook her head. "No, Falconstone. I made my decision and I will stick to it. It is against the warrior code to have a mate outside the Clan, and he already decided to leave. He cannot rescind his decisions, just like I cannot in good conscience rescind mine." Her heart felt like it was splitting in two as she gazed down at the tom. "I know you are a good warrior, Kestrelstorm, but you have made your choice and I have made mine. We must both be responsible for them. Now, please, leave before I have to make you. I don't want anyone to get hurt." Her green eyes pled as much as her voice. Be strong, Ashwing...

Ooc: I was waiting for people to speak up.

Kestrelstorm stood, shaking his head. "Enough Falconstone. Ashwing wouldn't know a loyal warrior if StarClan told her themselves." Kestrelstorm felt betrayed. He had been gone the same time she was in exile. Who cared where he was? He never fought for ShadowClan and did nothing but hunt for himself and Tigerstorm. With a last muzzle to Falconstone, and a lick on the head to Foxflight, Kestrelstorm glanced tobhis father. Ignoring the older tom, the exiled warrior blinked at his sister before glancing around. "WindClan lost today. In the wake of the Dark Forest, the clan needs strong warriors like me but instead it is exiling a member that provides. May hardships reign on you all and," his narrow head whipped around to glare at Ashwing, his friend. "Especially you Ashwing. You will never be half the leader Sablestar was, and not a fraction Falconstar was." With a small pause, the tom strode out of camp with his head held high. He would go to ShadowClan and ask to be accepted back there. If not ShadowClan, ThunderClan. If not ThunderClan, SkyClan. If not SkyClan, RiverClan. If not RiverClan, StarClan.

Falconstone watched his father slip out of camp, leaving him behind once more. For good this time, there was no coming back. His head whipped around from Ashwing to the entrance, almost as if he expected Ashwing to call out her joke. What would he do now? He had nobody. Not even an apprentice to train.

Heatherpaw watched, eyes wide. He'd taken on a mate from another clan? He'd wished to join ShadowClan? He was hopping between clans? She couldn't deny that Kestrelstorm sounded disloyal, and though she agreed Ashwing had taken the right course of action, in the bottom of her heart she felt a twinge of sympathy for him.
She looked to her sister, scanning her face for any emotions. Would Ashwing exile more cats? She trusted her to have good judgement, but she had said that she thought nothing bad would come from Saltpelt, her mother. Was it possible Ashwing didn't fully trust her, for being the daughter of the cat that so many despised? Would she be punished for her mother's crimes? Reason and logic told her otherwise, but she knew how grudges could be held, and she knew cats could be unpredictable. She realised then that she had to work twice as hard to prove her loyalty, to clean her family name. Clearing her throat, she let out the first sound in the silence that had settled over the meeting now, as Kestrelstorm left.
"Ashwing, I support your decision and I believe you took the right course of action."


(OOC: If anyone wants to be kinda prejudiced against Heatherpaw now, because of Saltpelt, please do! Idk, just mention something about being like Saltpelt or whatever, make her feel bad about her family)

Cedarfur didn't know what to think of Ashwing's decision. Did his son deserve this "punishment", or was Ashwing being too rash? Yeah, Kestrelstorm had been naive in having a mate from another clan, and he agreed with that, but at the same time, this was his kit. How could he turn his back on the younger tom? Watching Kestrelstorm pad out of camp with his head and tail held high, he let out a sigh, defeated. Just the way that the exiled tom spoke to the leader and walked away from his clan mates proved that he'd never learn from his mistakes. Through all the whispers and commotion, only one thought ran through the tall tom's mind. Have I failed as a father?

~~~

Smokepelt looked up at Ashwing, his mother and now leader. The DarkForest had taken so much from them, and he knew that stepping up to be WindClan's new leader was no easy task. Looking over to Kestrelstorm, a small smile made its way upon the grey tom's muzzle. Serves him right, betraying his own clan. Part of him wanted to speak his mind, thought that wouldn't have done any good. Usually, Smokepelt felt compassion towards cats who made mistakes based on false judgement, but Kestrelstorm was completely aware of the choice he made, and Smokepelt was honestly glad that the traitor would finally be gone for good. Keeping his usual placid posture, the tom looked around the camp. Cedarfur seemed to be downcast, though there were several reasons why he was in that mood. He'd have to have a chat with his uncle later. Hearing Heatherpaw's voice, he turned his gaze back to Ashwing. "I also agree on your decision. Kestrelstorm seems to have not learned his lesson, so maybe this will show him that no one gets away with treachery," he meowed, loud enough for the clan to hear.

Speaking of treachery... the tom's head turned back to Heatherpaw. "Heatherpaw, it might not be my place to ask, but are you loyal to WindClan? You know... since everything that happened with your mother?" His voice was calm, and even though it might not have been his place, was it seriously a crime to be curious about your clan mate's loyalty?

Kestrelstorm's angry, bitter words struck Ashwing in the heart. He had brought this on himself- didn't he realize that? She was trying to be strong, for Sablestar, for Falconstar.... After the Dark Forest fiasco, she could not risk any more disloyalty. Her tortured green eyes gazed upon the rest of WindClan. She cast a thankful glance towards Heatherpaw and Smokepelt. "I am sorry," she murmured. "I know times will be hard, but it is Greenleaf, and we still have plenty of apprentices and kits. I will try my hardest to be a good leader. Forgive me.... I have had a hard two moons. We all have, but i am sure StarClan will help us through it. Emberleaf, will you do me the honor of coming with me to Highstones? I know you are an elder, but I need your support." The she-cat suddenly looked old and tired, the fire gone out of her eyes.

Cinderpaw let her gaze follow Kestrelstorm, before she looked back up at Ashwing. The medicine cat apprentice shook her head, disagreeing with Kestrelstorm's words. Ashwing would be an amazing leader. Cinderpaw had never been alive to see or meet Sablestar or Falconstar, but they must have been incredible cats, and Ashwing could follow in their pawsteps and be just as good as them...or quite possibly even better.
She said nothing to agree or disagree with Ashwing's actions in exiling Kestrelstorm. Even though Cinderpaw wanted just as much as Ashwing to have no Dark Forest loyalists or traitors in WindClan, she didn't care very much about Clan to Clan loyalties. As long as a cat was loyal to StarClan, Cinderpaw was fine with them.
She then averted her gaze to look at Emberleaf, the cat who had trained Cinderpaw's mentor Leafheart.