Home At Last -Open-

Heatherpaw stuck her head out, curious as to what the commotion was all about. She padded out alongside her sister, and listened to the new cat. Where was he from? Obviously, Smokepelt and Ashstar seemed to know him. Did he use to be a cat of this Clan? And had he returned?

Palefoot. He was a warrior. He'd clearly left, or gone missing, before she was born. She gave the cat a small, awkward smile.

Smokepelt knew that both cats were anxious to hear what each other had to say and things would most likely get pretty awkward. "Palefoot has returned to us, he hopes to rejoin the clan. I guess the exiled cats are coming back to the clans?" he told his mother and turned to the warrior, wondering what had happened all this time.

Ashstar's mind raced. I thought he was gone for good.... Does this mean others might come back, too? The gray she-cat kept her face impassive. "Go on, Palefoot. What happened to you?"

Goatkit stumbled around the leader's paws. She was clumsy, occasionally brushing up against the large grey she-cat, but it didn't matter to her. She wouldn't remember this, anyways. She cocked her head and let out a small whimper as she planted her face awkwardly into the ground. She scrambled to her tiny paws and gazed at Palefoot expectantly.

Falconstone left to be Hmong the edges of the crowd. He didn't know Palefoot well, but he knew that he had once been an apprentice of Kestrelstorm's.

She thought her mind was playing tricks on her. Spiderfur looked up from the freshkill pile; she hadn't been eating anything, just checking for crowfood, although also thinking about the recent death of her brother, when she heard a familiar name. "Palefoot?" The little warrior approached the group, unable to see who had appeared until she pushed through and set eyes on her son. "W-Where have you b-been? I've been w-worried sick!" The dust-colored she-cat quickly looked the taller tom over before letting out a deep sigh. He was alive. He was safe. Her son was home at last. "I th-though I'd lost you."

"I've been out and about, seeking safety and solace- I'd been having trouble coping with... Everything. When I saw the stars return and Starclan's reign come back in place, I came back as fast as I could." He left out his rogue companion on the journey. Soon enough, he heard his mother's voice. Spiderfur. He turned to her, hoping she'd heard the story, too. "Mom..." He smiled as her motherly nature took over. "I missed you. Staclan, I missed everyone so much. I hope you heard my response there? That about sums it all up. I thought Starclan was gone for good. I'm sorry I was such a coward."

His ears tinged red in embarrassment as others came and gathered. Was I really missed this much? Why do I require this much attention? "A-Again, I'm hoping t-that all is... Well here? I'll d-do my best to help to m-make up for, um..." He reverted to the trait he'd gathered from his mother due to the gathering crowd around him.

Ashstar nodded. "I'm... I'm glad to have you back, Palefoot. Honestly, WindClan needs all the warriors we can get. In the battle when we drove out the Dark Forest cats, we lost many cats- Saltpelt, Breezeheart, Daisypatch, Gorsefeather, Wrenpaw.... We've been short on loyal WindClan cats. After the battle, I exiled Kestrelstorm for disloyalty. He had joined ShadowClan, then turned back and tried to rejoin WindClan when I returned. Later, after trying to switch back to ShadowClan, he was killed." The leader sighed. Strong. Be strong. "I would be glad to have you back, if you are willing, Palefoot. I'm sorry you have to find your Clan like this... Sablestar dead, an inexperienced deputy the leader.... But I'm not too prideful to beg you to stay and help us, Palefoot. I need loyal warriors like you." The gray she-cat looked down at the ground, then her green eyes, steeled against any escaping reaction, met the young warrior's.

Turning back to the leader, he nodded. He was shaken. You coward, you let so many warriors die. You were on the other side for so long, too. "I will stay. You can trust my loyalty." He looked to Smokepelt, his mother, and Ashstar. He gave a weak smile.