Snap Back to Reality [Open]

Shrikestar led the contingent of warriors he had led to Fourtrees. StarClan's vision had been correct, and they had successfully freed their lost clanmates, as well as the lost clanmates of the other clans. All five clans working together... That might've been the last time that happened, and Shrikestar made sure to remember it well. It was time to head home, though, and back to WindClan territory they reached. The wind blew in a comforting way across his fur, but something uncomfortable prickled at his fur. He wouldn't understand that sensation until they all got back to camp. It looked like a terror had ran through it: everything was a complete mess. He could see just about everyone in the clan out of their nests, out as if they had gone through a great battle. The wind ran under his paws as he pushed himself towards the camp, skidding to a halt. "Everyone!" he called out in a booming, authoritative voice, looking around at every clan member he could see. "Someone tell me what has happened here. Is everyone alright?"

Coyotegrin followed her mate at his side, skidding to a hault next to him and taking in the same horrors. "The kits!" She gasped, scanning desperately to see all of her children to make sure they were okay.

Terror had kept Vulturepaw within the realm of consciousness, hearing the screeching cries, yowls of anger, and the growling and barking of dogs just past the entrance of the medicine den where the sickly tom could not see them. Blood was thick on his tongue, while his clanmates fought for their lives, his life. Vulturepaw couldn't help but think how easily one could push past the defenses and end his life. Vulturepaw would be gone in an instant - and a small, niggling voice at the back of his head almost wished that were the case, this wasn't living, the way that he was just wasting away in the medicine cat den, barely conscious enough to really understand any developments. Sleepypaw must have been a warrior by now- there were cats that smelled of him- he had more siblings?

The call of his father and mother stirred Vulturepaw into trying to his paws, but the shaking of his limbs had him slumping back into his nest. The fever, however, had started to get better, a little less strong and frequent- so why did he feel so weak all the time? He just wanted to be better. He was trying to tell himself that this was for the best, maybe Coyotegrin and Shrikestar wouldn't want to see him anyways, their sad, sickly son who hadn't been under the sun and stars for moons. He'd just get pity he was sure. It was fine- he was hardly conscious enough anyway to see their faces, the only memory of them being late kithood and little snippets. He'd just be a downer, they should see that their normal kits were fine without having to stress about him.

He sighed.

Brackenwing had done as Batsong instructed, gingerly applying pressure to Whisperear's wounds and hardly leaving her dear friend's side while Batsong busied herself with other injuries. Whisperear and Adderdawn had the worst of the injuries, and Brackenwing was grimly aware that the outcome could have been much worse. That they were injured at all was bad enough. If her leg hadn't given out when it did she could've fought harder for them. So instead, she quietly resolved to doing as Batsong asked in an effort to be of some use rather than sitting around doing nothing.

Approaching cats made her head turn, sharp green eyes taking in the form of Shrikestar and - Smallbean, their missing clanmates. Seeing them was a relief. Whatever had happened some of the cats looked disheveled, and Brackenwing had a suspicion that they hadn't had an uneventful day either.

Of course all Coyotegrin cared about was her own kin, that was no surprise. Brackenwing ignored her, narrowed green gaze settling onto Shrikestar. At least he was asking what happened. "Dogs happened. Two of them, came right into camp. They were driven off."

Amberstone couldn't have been happier to get out of Fourtrees. She'd heard a lot of bad things tended to go down there, but twolegs and dogs milling about was new. Still, she at least proved herself to her leader and got her name back. She replayed the images in her head a few times of her popping open the cage door and carried herself a little taller. Everything was fine... until she was back home. Once Shrikestar bolted forward, Amberstone wordlessly followed. Are you kidding me? What now??? Hopefully she didn't look too annoyed on her face.

It wasn't that she had no sympathy or others.... but at the moment she was tired and wanted everything to just be over. She wanted to go back to her routine, the routine that she hated being disturbed. Call her plain, but doing the same predictable thing day in and day out was exactly how she liked to live. Any changes to the routine made her irritable.

Brackenwing spoke about dogs when Amberstone got there. She wasn't going to wait for orders this time. She could do a few things without being told what to do first like a total lemming. She first loped through the camp to make note of what needed immediate attention and to be sure the dogs weren't hunkered down licking their wounds somewhere nearby. A few things were disheveled but nothing that was beyond repair. That was good. She could smell the blood and the herbs in the medicine den. She stole a quick glance as to how many and how bad... and spotted Adderdawn among the wounded. She stopped herself for a moment, but noted that while he had some injuries, he seemed conscious at least.

Amberstone moved on from the medicine den, trusting that Smallbean and Batsong would be more than enough for that task. With her quick rounds around the camp complete, she came back to Shrikestar.

"Everything seems alright, just a few injuries from what I've seen briefly but nothing seemed too serious. The dogs don't seem to be nearby either. Would you like me to take a patrol and follow the dog scent to make sure they left?"

Hearing the call of her parents, Sparrowpaw hurried over to see them. They didn't look too rough, at least none of their wounds were killing them that instant, so she couldn't be too upset. Silently, she padded over to Shrikestar, giving him a gentle headbutt in his chest, then one to Coyotegrin. Backing up, she spoke. "No one was killed. My siblings are okay." She was glad they were back, Sparrowpaw, as quiet and stoic as she could be, did love her family.

It felt a touch strange to be speaking with Brackenwing after what had happened between them. She certainly didn't seem happy to see him, but he remembered what Falconstar had told him. There was no time to worry about that. There had been dogs in the camp, and he needed to make sure everyone was okay. A look around the camp did seem to show that anyone who may have been injured was being tended to. The clan was working together, thank goodness. He could at least breathe a sigh of relief at that.

"Yes, Amberstone, please. We don't want any more of them coming back." He nodded to Amberstone, then turned back to Brackenwing, though his address was to anyone listening. "When we made it to Fourtrees, there were twolegs and dogs everywhere, along with Smallbean and other cats locked up in cages. Every clan was there helping to free those that were imprisoned and to fight off the dogs that broke away to attack us." He decided it was best to leave out that he had lost a life. That was a vulnerable state, and only Coyotegrin needed to know that at the moment.

"That is good to hear." Shrikestar smiled down at Sparrowpaw, relieved to hear that nothing too serious had happened, despite the seriousness of the situation.