A Reappearance of an Apprentice

It was strange... The familiar smells surrounding her once more. Yet, to her Clan, she must be a stranger to most. Returning with slightly matted fur and a weak, slightly sickly look, it would be a wonder if she was recognized at all. Yet she trudged on, finally at her true home. The horrid memories of what had happened made her shudder, even in the warm weather. The apprentices' eyes were half-open, showing that she was indeed deprived of sleep. She had refused to sleep trying to return, but it was turning out to be a bad choice. The effects of insomnia were starting to get to her, yet she could still stay slightly focused. Quietly... she still trudged on. I will get home. She whispered in her head, pausing to watch a rabbit disappear to its nest. Normally, she would've gone after it. But even though she was slightly starved, the young she-cat had no energy to attempt pursuit.

Silently... she still trudged on. Her mind filled with the new memories flooding over her, those of the good and of the bad. The night when her mother had taken her into WindClan's camp to stay, with the grey tabby constantly gone to a place she couldn't remember. Now, she knew that her mother was in StarClan, no longer walking within the ranks of her home. She knew things were different; many cats she knew were probably gone, and surely there were many new faces. Her heart ached at the thought of the possibility that the one she idolized would be gone. Those thoughts of the brown tom she could remember from being so young flooding her head. But the soft glow of the moonlight didn't help her situation of insomnia, the young body of this cat feeling so overcome with the need to sleep. Yet the only thought that ran through her head was I will not rest until I am home. Constantly she repeated it. Sleep would not be allowed by her, even if it did hold to a major effect of her health. As she kept going, the apprentice still thought of her idol. Her mentor. One of the few she would ever feel heartbroken to see dead. But if she returned with him gone, she knew she would end up living with it. Yet, doing so would chain her heart away, as her passion to follow his pawsteps would lead her to do so.

But, Brindlepaw knew she would see Eaglethorn again, whether in StarClan or WindClan.

Eaglethorn was lounging around camp when an unfamiliar smell hit him. Instantly on alert, he jumped to his paws and looked around wildly until his eyes settled upon a matted and sickly-looking cat heading for camp. At first, the warrior's instinct was to attack: there could be no good from another strange cat in WindClan. However, there was something familiar about this cat. Even through dulled and half-lidded eyes, something still shined beneath. Crossing the clearing until he was standing right in front of the cat, he looked down at her and studied her closely.

"… Brindlepaw?"

Her head snapped up from it's hanging position, her tired body unhappy at the movement. Brindlepaw's amber eyes lit up, but they were still only open so much. "Eaglethorn..." Her voice was in a better shape than her body, but it was clear that she was indeed exhausted. "...your still here..." Brindlepaw continued, a soft purr following. Even with her joy to see the brown tom again, Brindlepaw's eyes were drooping shut. Yet the apprentice still was able to keep them open slightly. Now that she could settle knowing Eaglethorn was still alive, it was time to focus on other things. Her once very soft light-brown and white fur would need a few moons of grooming to get to its original state, which once rested, Brindlepaw could do. Sitting down, she tried her best to stay straight up and have her eyes open to allow the bits of cheer shine. "...it's been too long since I last saw you..."

Eaglethorn was shocked to find the missing apprentice back after so long, but there was still the problem that she didn't look all that well. With concern in his eyes, he placed his tail on her back and started to guide her towards the medicine cat's den. "Come on, Brindlepaw. Let's get you to Ravenwing."

Brindlepaw shook her head at first, slightly refusing and pushing that she was fine. But she gave up quickly, following the orders of her mentor. "I'll be fine..."

Hearing the padding footsteps scarcely from the depths of her den, Ravenwing turned her head, glaring with cold, piercing eyes only to see that it was Eaglethorn and... Brindlepaw? Hadn't Brindlepaw disappeared all of a sudden a moon or two ago? Nonetheless, she was back for now. Even then, the medicine cat was wary of the once-vanished apprentice, needing to know whether there was anything to be worried about. Beckoning the two inside without moving from where she was sorting her herbs, the black she-cat remained silent for the time-being.

Following obediently, the exhausted young cat just let herself basically collapse onto one of the nests, her eyes drooping slowly. Brindlepaw felt relieved that she could now rest; but she turned to her mentor."We... need to tell- -Falconstar Ivyfur has-" She had to pause to yawn. "-has died..."