Welcome to your new home (Open)

Oakstar looked over towards the warriors den. His heart lay heavy since his conversation with Leopardclaw not long ago as he padded over to where the golden tom was prepping himself for the day. The weather seemed nice and calm. A peaceful tranquility that rustled through the camp as he paused to take a deep breath before approaching.

"Leopardclaw." He smiled at the golden tom, "Would you like to patrol together today?" The question was spoken with a calm casual tone. Making it clear that Leopardclaw could decline if he wanted, but there was little doubt the tom might. He hadn’t been out of camp much since his infection, and it’d do him well to take a good walk around.

Settled by the stump next to the warrior's den, Leopardclaw was grooming his golden pelt in the shade cast by the large row of thornbushes, trying to get out all the remaining tangles from his time spent in the medicine den.  His usually smooth, sleek pelt was looking a bit dull from so long laying down, as well as from being deathly sick he would guess.  He had managed to get it looking at least acceptable for the Gathering, but now he was almost done returning it to its normal state.  He was just licking a few small knots on his tail when he heard Marshs-Oakstar approach and flicked his ears in greeting, finishing his task before looking up.  His hazel eyes still looked melancholy, he knew, but he figured it would just take time.  Once he got back into his usual routine...whatever that was now.

At the prospect of a patrol, something within Leopardclaw's tired body seemed to spring back into life, and the retired tom immediately got to his paws, an at least half-genuine smile appearing on his narrowed face.  To be out in the forest again...  His first outing since his demotion had been to the Gathering, and he couldn't exactly call that pleasent, so it was without hesitation he meowed; "Of course.  Hunting or border?"  With a flick of his tail, he motioned for Oakstar to lead the way; he was no longer the one calling the shots.

“I believe border would be best. I’m still not content to believe the fox we chased off is really gone. It could double back.” Oakstar explained as he headed towards the camp entrance. He glanced towards the sandy training area, where an apprentice was getting a battle lesson. His ears flicked towards it, then he smiled as he began the journey up the ravine.

His gaze turned to Leopardclaw.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, enjoying the feeling of sunlight as the shadows above them parted in a sunny streak of light, warming this small patch of ravine trail. They reached the edge of the top when Oakstar frowned at a sound. Then another one. Soft sounds... almost like...
“Starclan...” he muttered as he lowered his head to hear the noises better, trying to pinpoint the bush they were coming from.

Sparky lay down next to her brother Smoky, using a large rock for shelter. She looked over at her littermate as he slept, tears beginning to fall as she saw how hungry and tired he looked. I suppose I look like that too she thought. Suddenly, she heard voices. "Smoky! Wake up!" she whispered. Smoky didn't move. "Wake up!" she repeated, louder this time. Smoky still didn't move. She prodded him with her paw, and when he didn't respond, she started to cry again. "Smoky..." She whispered faintly.

Leopardclaw's hazel eyes narrowed as he fell into step beside his old friend, voice edged with a growl as they pushed their way out of the gorse tunnel and into the ravine.  "I trust foxes as far as I can throw 'em...that one can't be allowed to cause any more destruction, here or anywhere."  As downcast as the subject matter was, the golden tom didn't allow the conversation to drop into a pained silence, and quickly returned to a light tone, even if he didn't entirely mean it.  "I'm doing alright...sleeping in the warrior's den again after so long feels very odd, but I'm getting used to...it...?"  He trailed off; paused near the top of the sandy rise, Oakstar's ears had pricked, and with a ripple of dread down his spine Leopardclaw pricked his ears as well, trying to hear what the new leader was hearing.  Is that...?  It seems they had come to the same realization, the brown tabby's muttered word flying past his ears as the golden spotted tom went into a state of his own, one of utmost seriousness as well as sadness.  Flicking his tail towards a nearby stone poised on the top of the hill, Leopardclaw padded towards it carefully, not wanting to scare what he knew would be hidden behind it, yet moving as quickly as he could all the same.  StarClan please...not more...  As they came into view, Leopardclaw held a startled breath; two skinny kits...and one wasn't moving.

"Hello?"  Coming into the she-kit's line of sight, the large warrior tried to appear as unthreatening as possible, keeping his tail and head low, but the urgency of the situation made his heart beat fast and his voice sound anxious.  "It's okay, we're here to help you, we can help your brother.  Can I see him?"  Crouching down, he waited for the kit to respond; despite how glad he was to have been found by Blacktwig and Emberheart all those moons ago, they could've been a bit more gentle.  To an abandoned kit, everything was big, scary, and possibly dangerous, and the last thing he wanted to do was cause these poor kittens more worry.

Sparkkit growled letting her fur fluff up, scared of this new foe. She was young, untrained and exhausted. She could never win this fight. Realising this she slumped to the ground in defeat. Despite the warrior's calming words she still didn't trust him, but she was too tired to do anything about it. When he asked to see her brother, she just nodded.

Oakstar watched as Leopardstar found the source of the sound quicker than he did. His head still lowered as the golden tom padded up to the top of the hill with sure steps. He followed behind, hearing young voices and not wanting to startle them. He came up from behind Leopardclaw slowly. Openly showing his movements before he made them, trying to make himself less of a threat as well as he looked down at the weak grey kit.

"It’s alright little kits, we’ll get you safe and warm." He purred gently, sharing a look with Leopardclaw before bending to pick up the kit the other tom didn’t. Jaws and teeth careful not to break skin as he turned around to bring them into the embrace of the camp.

He set the little bundle down carefully once they traversed the dangerous hill, meowing for a cat to fetch Mosspaw and Pricklebush as he began to groom the little scrap of fur.
"Do you know where your mother is?" He asked, his tone kind. In the back of his mind, he remembered all too clearly Ridgelight, and her abominable actions. These kits, unlike hers, were lucky. Whoever had left them for the clan had done so in a spot easily found, away from foxes and harm.

He could only breathe a sigh of relief.

Sparky didn't protest as she was picked up. She closed her eyes as a wave of tiredness swept her. She almost didn't notice when she was placed down, and she barely heard Oakstar's question. "N-no." was all she managed to muster before she collapsed into sleep.

Hearing a bit of commotion in the center of camp, she turned just as a warrior came in and said that Oakstar and Leopardclaw needed assistance. She turned towards the herb storage, selecting a few various herbs for every day issues - coltsfoot, comfrey, and dock to name a few - before sticking some cobwebs to her back and hurrying out. Her eyes were still dark voids, but she had a job to do, a job she had promised to fulfill. She slowed as she drew closer, taking in the two young kits, one was still moving, the other though... A flash of the memory of the second Ridgelight kits crossed her mind, and she set the leaf down as she nosed the unmoving kit gently. "Good work Oakstar. Keep doing what you're doing. I'll look her over in a moment." She gently brought the tom-kit closer, wrapping herself around him as she licked his fur the wrong way for a moment, making sure that his throat and airways were clear.

For the first time in a long time, her mind was clear, set only on the kit in front of her as she tried to wake him up.

Smoky sat up suddenly. Where am I? He thought. Looking around, he could see many different cats. Smoky shivered Who are those cats? And where's Sparky? And why does my head hurt so much? Smoky glanced to his side and saw Sparky collapsed beside him. "What have you done to her?!" Smoky yowled, suddenly afraid of the crowd of large, muscled cats. He whimpered in fear. "Please don't hurt me!

Setting the smoky gray kitten down at Mosspaw's feet, Leopardclaw sat down to recover from his run down the hill, chest rising and falling fast.  He hadn't been able to rouse the small tom-kit, so watching the talented young healer bring him back from the depths of sleep brought a deep relief upon the former leader, and he felt his body slowly de-tense.  He flinched though when the abandoned kit suddenly leaped to his paws, high-pitched voice scared and desperate, and the golden spotted tom felt his heart crack.  Leaning forward, he gently rested his tail around the little tom, meeting his gaze as he spoke with as calm a voice he could manage.  "It's okay, she's just sleeping, she's exhausted from watching over you.  You're safe here, we're going to help you two...lay down, Mosspaw needs to make sure you're not hurt.  Do you feel any pain?"

Smoky listened to the tom in fear, but his calming words soon soothed him. "My paw hurts when I stand on it and I have some thorn scratches." As Smoky spoke he showed the strange tom the scratches on his flank, which were swollen painfully. "My head really hurts as well" Smoky turned to the cat that had been called 'Mosspaw'. "Can you fix me? Will my sister be alright?" Smoky's eyes were filled with worry as he followed the order to lay down.

Pulling back her head just in time to prevent the kit from smacking right into her jaw, she relaxed once more as Leopardclaw calmed him down again. "Of course I can, don't worry. I promise your sister is fine, she's just very tired right now. I'll make you both a nice warm nest in my den until I know that you're both good to go, sound good?" She quickly made a poultice, licking it gently into the tom's numerous scratches soothingly, letting the herbs do their work as she took a look at his paw. She looked to see if perhaps a thorn had gotten embedded in the small pad, with all of the thorn scratches it was entirely possible.

Smoky nodded, relieved to have a safe space for him and Sparky to stay the night. Although he was cautious, if he and Sparky stayed another night alone in the forest, he didn't fancy their chances.
He sighed in relief as the pain his scratches were causing began to fade.

Mosspaw looked to Leopardclaw and Oakstar with an unreadable expression before murmuring quietly. "Let's get them to a nest in the medicine den. They're both fine, just tired and hungry. Could you ask one of the queens to come nurse them, and we can discuss a bit more?" She stood, gently picking up the small tom kit and carrying him to the medicine den, gently laying him in a clean, warm nest. His sister wasn't far behind, and after ensuring the two were nice and cozy she returned to the two toms who had discovered them. "No sign of their parents? It's clear they're from the same litter.... Where did you find the poor dears? I'm going to have to keep a close eye on the tom's scratches, infection was starting to set in but he should be alright. The she-kit... I believe she's just exhausted, physically and mentally."