Forgive Me Starclan, For I Have Sinned [Open]

Spiderfur's surprise was palpable when she awoke in the Sageleaf's den to a great clamor outside. The wounded warrior pulled herself from her nest and into the sun. Her chest and neck were still covered with bloody cobwebs and every movement only caused more to flow under the patches, down her foreleg and drip lazily into the dirt. Wide brown eyes searched her gathered Clanmates for any information as to what was happening. 'An... An omen? From StarClan?' As she listened further, the senior warrior began to shake, her thoughts buzzing around her brain like a swarm of angry bees. She tried to move towards her confused son, but the pain coming from the talon slashes going up the left side of her neck increased tenfold. She was forced to lay back down, albeit on the hard earth instead of a soft heather nest. "Swiftstep," she could barely call softly to bring him to her side, as the action of speaking only irritated her injuries more. But to defend her leader, she had to speak up.

Her voice still shook terribly as she lifted her head - to much physical pain - to speak louder than she'd ever spoken in her life. "I-I-I have seen b-both StarClan a-a-and the D-D-" Spiderfur swallowed, unable to stop her own trembling. "Th-The Dark Forest walk a-among the li-li-living. I kn-know that both are capable of mani-manipulating a cat's dre-eams." She was terrified of her own words even as she spoke them. Her gaze drifted to Nightheart, Swiftstep, anyone that she loved for some sort of support. "Wha-What if - What if they invaded yo-your dreams? Th-They have fooled ma-many wise cats into- into treachery." At that point she was forced to stop, as a wound was daring to open further. Her eyes narrowed in pain and she immediately regretted wasting Sageleaf's resources in order to doubt the medicine cat's spiritual abilities.

Something nagged in the back of her mind, something about Slatethroat. He had been her daughter Dovespirit's mentor, someone who she had obviously admired, but her daughter's former friend and denmate Talonstrike seemed to have hated the grey tom. She couldn't ponder the thought for much longer before she was forced to lay down. She was getting lightheaded.

Featherkit snuggled into her mother as she watched the medicine cat address the Clan. She listened intently, both to Sageleaf's declaration and Mistkit's questions and their mother's answers. But... StarClan wanted the leader to stop being the leader? She didn't understand. Why would StarClan change their minds about Ashstar? They had chosen her, right? They couldn't just un-choose her, could they? Her mind raced with questions, but she did her best to pay attention.

Nightheart looked at Brindlewhisker and nodded with her words. True, if they really wanted Ashstart to step down they would’ve talked to her directly…though it was true that she had only heard of omens being sent to Medicine Cats. She shook her head a bit to clear her thoughts and listen to Ashstar.

Much like Sageleaf, she was a bit surprised to see her not taking the word of the Medicine Cat right away, but her doubts were understandable and even her, who would go to the Dark Forest and back without making questions if StarClan told her to, shared some of the doubts that the leader had. She was going to go and speak with StarClan directly though, that would clear the doubts right away and the right decision would be taken. Not a bad choice at all if anyone asked her. Her attention, however, returned to Sageleaf a she spoke once more “Don’t take it personal, Sageleaf. But a leader stepping down is not something to be taken lightly and Ashstar has very good reasons to want to confirm this before taking any major steps, or even if just to know what she did wrong to pass down the knowledge to the deputy, so history wouldn’t repeat itself. I’m sure most of us would do the same if in her position”.

As soon as Spiderfur’s voice was heard, she turned to look at her. She wasn’t in condition to speak, her still bleeding wound being proof of it. Nightheart immediately started to wonder if she should try to convince her to walk back inside Sageleaf’s den and rest, or at least ask her to keep her voice down, not strain herself, and speak to the clan for her. If she hesitated, it was only because she knew her own pride wouldn’t allow her to let anyone to do so if she was in Spiderfur’s position, but as soon as she collapsed she rushed at her side “There, there, take it easy, Spiderfur” She softly meowed at her as she checked her wounds to make sure nothing serious had happened, and if it did to rush towards Sageleaf to let her know.

Swiftstep quickly made it to his mother's side. "Shhh. It's okay mother. Everything will be okay." The tom nuzzled Spiderfur with love. He gave her a few licks on her head to get her to relax. He layed beside her and muttered comforting words. Swiftstep gave Nightheart a small smile when she went to help Spiderfur.

Frostpaw ran towards her mentor too scared and sad to speak. Why would starclan say ashstar had to stepdown. She knew ashstar her whole life and not once has she done any thing bad. Ashstar was the one who made her apprentice and now she has to step down. "Mottleheart how could this happen."she wailed. She knew that everybody else was thinking the same thing. What was with star clan saying that she needed to step down.

Laurelsong's lip curled as she continued to listen to all the claims and predictions sounding around her, taking a few side-steps closer to sit by Necterleap.  She honestly was suprised that he was on her side when it came to all this...at first when Slatethroat had said to speak to trustworthy cats, she had hesitated to go to her best friend.  She had felt that his loyalties lied too closely to Ashstar, supporting the cowardice that had settled like clouds over the clan...maybe she had thought wrong.

Half-listening to the heated argument between Mottleheart and Raccoonfang, she waited to see how Ashstar would react to this news; only to let out a low hiss when it came.  She doubts Sageleaf's word?  Even if the vision is misinterpreted, this is the big break we need!  It's so close...we're so close!  If StarClan didn't mean to support us, her traveling to the Moonstone is the worst thing that could happen!  On her paws in an instant, the young gray-and-white she-cat called out for the first time, her eyes blazing with green fire.  "How can you all so easily doubt our medicine cat?!  Though young, she is talented, and loyal!  Why would you ever thing that she would mislead, or even lie to us?!  If it was Beetlewing standing before us now, would you all still be so doubtful?"  Her body hunched and tense with anger, Laurelsong let out a frustrated huff, turning her gaze sideways to stare questioningly at Necterleap.  Would he continue to back her now?