✦Better safe than sorry✦【Closed】

❒ Forestbreeze had carefully led Echomist across the Thunderpath and through Shadowclan's territory in a long-awaited patrol to survey their home's damage. During their walk across the territory, they kept their eyes open for any dangers that may still be lurking within. However, their trip to the camp had gone without much of a fuss. It had been a long enough wait for things to have settled down, he concluded. He couldn't be more grateful. It felt good walking in their own territory again.

❒ He felt a bit tense entering the camp after what had happened but he shook all that away. Now was not the time to get all anxious. He had a job to do. They needed to do a thorough inspection of the whole camp, especially all the dens. He knew that the camp wasn't going to be in the best condition. That didn't make him feel any better. It was hard seeing his home in such a way.

❒ "We're here," he announced. He scanned the area briefly before turning to Echomist. "I think we should split up to cover more ground. We can start with the nearest dens and their surrounding areas and work our way to the back of the camp. We need to catalog any damage, even the smallest bit, as well as things we may need. Then, we can meet up in the middle of the clearing to discuss things," he paused for a moment. "I can start checking out the apprentice's den. What do think?"

❒ Forestbreeze nodded once Echomist agreed to his suggestions. "Alright. I'll see you soon," he said as he turned and headed toward his destination. He mentally prepared himself to see the full extent of the damage. He was already feeling sadness just by being back in the camp but he had to trudge on.

---

❒ Just by observing the outside of the apprentice's den, he could already tell that it wasn't in a good condition, not in the slightest. With a sigh, he carefully poked his head into the den's entrance without fully entering. It looked like even the tiniest gusts of wind could cave it in. He frowned as he saw moss and debris littering the ground. Most of it had been swept away but what was left was clearly unusable—it was all stringy and dirty from being subjected to the swift, murky water. Alright, moss was a must to gather. Feathers, fur, and foliage of all kinds will also help tremendously in the nest-rebuilding process. They'll most certainly need a lot of it.

❒ He backed away and did one last sweep of the outside and shook his head. He didn't like how the walls were significantly weakened. This weakened version of his home had him feeling anxious. He began to walk over to the elder's den with a heavy heart. If it was anything like the apprentice's den, the rebuilding will take much longer than anticipated.

❒ As he'd predicted, the elder's den was no different. However, it wasn't nearly as bad as the apprentice's. That didn't mean they wouldn't need to take the time with fortifying the walls as well as reconstructing the nests. He made a mental note to include sticks and rocks as well as other sturdy materials in his list.

❒ Up next was the medicine cat's den and dear Starclan was it a mess. His heart lurched seeing all the damaged herbs strewn all over the place. The majority were probably missing but plenty were either shredded or plastered all over the rocky surface of the den. He didn't know much about herbs but perhaps Fuzzybelly could still salvage some of them. He prayed for that outcome. It would be something good.

❒ With a heavier sigh, the grey-and-white tom stepped away from the den and glanced in the direction Echomist was in. He didn't get his hope up. The other sections of the camp were most probably in the same condition. The warrior's den, the nursery, the leader's den, even the prey-pile and the dirt-place. They would have to put in their all to fix the clan.

❒ Amber eyes scanned the dens one last time before heading to the clearing. Even from there, he could see that the prey that had been piled into the prey-pile before the flood were no longer there. He shook his head and sat down while he waited. He needed to calm himself down and think.