You Poor, Unfortunate Soul [Open]

It had taken getting to the ThunderClan camp longer than Amberpelt would have liked but she hadn’t protested as Lionspark seemed eager to lead them around the long way. The RiverClan warrior had been expecting to just follow the scent trail left by Ivystar and her patrol, but Lionspark had argued against it. The warrior hadn’t said why but Amberpelt was rather certain that the ThunderClan cat was terrified of stumbling across her daughter’s body…Perhaps she was hoping that if the trio took long enough, her Clanmates would have buried it by the time they arrived.

Whether or not it was true, it was time to find out. Lionspark was still pressed between the two RiverClan warriors but for comfort, her paws insensibly padding along as the two directed her toward the camp. Every once in a while, Amberpelt would spare a glance at Viperstorm. What would the two warriors say once they dropped Lionspark off? She wasn’t sure if the tabby had the will or energy to speak, seeming broken from the recent news. Amberpelt shook her head, her expression darkening slightly as the ThunderClan camp entrance came into view. “Here we are, Lionspark,” she said softly, brushing her cheek against Lionspark’s own before she pressed the group forward through the entrance. She grimmaced at how the thorns tugged at her long, silky pelt.

“Cats of ThunderClan!” she called as the trio stepped fully into the camp, clearing her throat slightly. “We have come to fulfill what Ivystar told you - we are here to return Lionspark.” She led the tabby queen into the middle of the camp, stepping away to let Lionspark sink ungracefully to the ground as she fixed Viperstorm with a look of pure pity. How would ThunderClan react to seeing their warrior in such a dark mood?

Lionspark...Wasn’t sure how she was feeling as she sank into the familiar ground of the ThunderClan camp. She felt like a stranger, distance and disconnected from everything. She knew this place, but at the same time she...Felt like she didn’t. The world felt dull, as she curled up on herself. She knew Viperstorm and Amberpelt were still there - and she was thankful for the two standing guard over her as she buried her head under her paws.

She wasn’t sure what she was expecting from her Clanmates. She didn’t feel much of anything as she just laid there. The one cat she had been hoping to see the most was gone. She knew they wouldn’t blame her but she still certainly blamed herself. Maybe if she hadn’t pushed Specklefang away...Maybe if she had been a better mother, a better warrior, Specklefang wouldn’t have killed that cat. But now, she was just filled with regrets. Regrets of words she should have said and now would never get the chance to say.

She supposed the feeling she was in was shock. Her soul-crushing despair had passed on as she had been led out of the RiverClan camp, disbelief that what Ivystar had said was true. She blinked from underneath her paws, waiting for the first sign of her Clanmates reacting to the intrusion. She didn’t know how to feel about them, of those who would no doubt shower her in warmth and comfort at her return. She certainly didn’t deserve it. They...They would only do it out of pity, wouldn’t they? She sighed as she tried to sink deeper into the ground, her breath caught in her throat as she waited.

Sunleap looked up at the call of the Riverclan cats, and he jumped to his paws. There was a low growl in his throat... up until he saw a cat he had never met: Lionspark. Ah. So this was the cat he had heard all those stories about. But he couldn't quite find it in himself to forgive Riverclan. "Returning her won't fix what you did to my mother." Sunleap softly mewed, no venom or anger in his heartbroken voice... only grief. His voice was just loud enough to be carried over to the Riverclan cats as he approached the small party, eyes on Lionspark. "Hello. I am Sunleap. Glad to have you home." He said, a tiny bit of his usual upbeat self shining through at the chance to meet her.

She'd been hunched over in the back of the warrior's den for quite some time now. Stunned to have witnessed her mother's death and see her idol destroy all she'd thought she was. Gritting her teeth, she let herself cry, now out of sight. However, one scent made everything come back and she felt dread in her stomach. Birchheart rushed out of the warrior's den with wild eyes as she scented RiverClan. Her tear-streaked fur was spiked up and her teeth bared. Seeing Lionspark curled up, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the RiverClan warriors. Hadn't they done enough? Was this going to continue until Ivystar saw all their spirits or necks broken? She fought a hiss back down her throat and closed her eyes to calm herself. Not now. Not now.

The she-cat laid in the snow with her grandmother, another family member she'd never spoken to, and thought of what to say. What could she? Sighing, she decided there was only one thing she could say. "Welcome back, Lionspark. It's good to see you out of their clutches at last."

"Lionspark..." Leafstorm stepped forward, his eyes dull as he stared down at one of the cats he had admired most. To see her so broken, pathetic on the ground, only made him want to vomit. What had happened to his once-proud clan? Surely Darkstar would've been able to fix this. Leafstorm licked his lips and opened his mouth, struggling to speak. "I'm... sorry. Welcome home." He wanted to say more, but his throat was growing tight, and he could feel a prickling sensation behind his eyes.
Leafstorm nodded to the Riverclanners, feeling his fur rise. Although they came from the most dishonorable clan, they had returned Lionspark safely and deserved even the smallest hint of respect. "Thank you for protecting my clanmate." He mewed quietly before turning back to Lionspark, speaking even softer now. Lionspark was his clanmate after all, and Thunderclan always came first. "Come on, Lionspark. Birchheart, help me get her on her feet..." He muttered, gently lifting the she-cat to her feet. "Let's get you to the medicine cat den."

Pinekit knew nothing of the events that had occurred. She had been born after any of this had come to pass. However, she did smell a faint ThunderClan scent on the newcomer, a smell that told her that this cat was a friend. Pinekit felt crestfallen as she saw the she-cat's expression -- one of dismay. Saying nothing, she cautiously walked up and touched her nose to the warrior's flank, trying to comfort her, but not knowing how.

DaisyHeart can eiut if the nursery with pinekit and smiled as she saw her old mentor. She bounded up to her. "oh starclan lionspark your back I missed you so much." she said excitedly. She really didn't know why her mentor was taken to riverclan she just knew that she ha sto get a new mentor because of it. She was so excited to tell lionspark everything that happened first about her becoming a warrior and then of her becoming a mother.

Spottedpelt watched as her father helped lionspark. "Can I help dad?" she asked him walking over.

Emberheart returned to camp frustrated at her empty paws, having been hunting, but froze in her tracks when she saw Lionspark flanked by two RiverClan warriors, and surrounded by gathering ThunderClan cats. She recognized one of them, but most importantly Lionspark was back. She wasn't sure what to say, exactly, and so she settled for turning her head away from them. She just hoped the warrior wouldn't take her avoidance the wrong way.

Dappledpaw was lying in a little ball at the back of the apprentice den, tiny sobs escaping him every now and then. Flickerpaw was gone. Specklefang was dead. And yet here he lay. It seemed like StarClan was intent that RiverClan and ThunderClan were to tear each other to shreds until there were two less Clans in the forest. At the scent of RiverClan warriors, his heart dropped to his stomach. What did they want now? He only curled up tighter, refusing to go out and hear what they had to say. They probably wanted another one of them dead. It wouldn’t surprise him. When his fellow Clanmates were welcoming someone, he allowed his hopes to rise a fraction. It must mean something good, right? But there was still RiverClan here. His ears perked up and he listened to what they were saying. Lionspark. He had been told she was taken hostage by their enemies. Why was she back now? Oh, yeah. Flickerpaw has been sent to take her place. He slowly uncurled himself, stretching out his limbs. He should probably go and welcome her. He was conscious of the tear tracks on his cheeks that cut through his fur, and he quickly tried to rub them away on the moss. All that did was spread them around a little on his face. Oh, great. He sighed a little and abandoned the attempt to clean up, slowly walking out of the den and shaking his fur to get the little scraps of moss away. He forced a half-smile on his face and padded over. He should comfort her. Say something. What could he say? The apprentice simply dipped his head in respect, at a loss for words.

Amberpelt looked uneasily at the ThunderClan cats that started to surround her, her tail swishing at their harsh gazes. She moved away from Lionspark as a few cats rushed over to comfort the queen, shaking her head at the harsh words that the cats spat in her direction. Her eyes first focused on the pale colored tom that had approched first, blinking at his words as the weight of it hit her. "Specklefang...Was your mother?" she breathed, her gaze falling to her paws for a few seconds. "...I do not blame Ivystar for what choices she made in regards of avenging the death of our Clanmates but know that I am sorry for all of your loss. Lionspark...Has not reacted well to the news herself - that is why Viperfang and I are here. To make sure that she made it home," she meowed before her gaze focused on the other tom who had spoken to her. "We may be different Clans but Lionspark was nothing but a kind soul while she was in our care and many of us saw her as a friend. Please...Take care of her. Help her recover. I'm afraid that the recent events may have broken her in a way that your medicine cat cannot fix." With that, she turned, flickering her tail for Viperstorm to follow before she padded out of the camp. She didn't wait to see however if the warrior was directly on her tail - if the she-cat had any final words to say, she would allow them.


Lionspark took in a deep breath as she started to hear pawsteps and voices - some she recognized, some she didn't. She just wanted to stay laying there, but the sound of Leafstorm's voice broke her out of her shock. She blinked as she removed her paws from her eyes, staring up at him with her single good one. She...She wasn't sure how she feel as he helped her get to her paws, feeling to weak and emotional drain to even think about how she should feel. Cats tried to greet her, but she just blinked at them as she leaned on Leafstorm's shoulder as Amberpelt said her goodbyes before leaving. She just wanted to sleep and maybe never wake up...She shook her head, eyes focusing on the familiar pelt of Daisypaw. Or...Well, she supposed that Daisypaw would have become a warrior by now. But she said nothing, just waiting to be lead to whatever den her Clanmates felt right to dump her off in.

Blizzardstar literally jumped to her paws as soon as she heard the news. She had been curled up beneath a tree, the fallen snow and white pelt making her look like nothing but a bunch of accumulated snow, the shadows of the bare branches and brambles making her almost invisible to those that didn’t know exactly where she was. The snow on her was sent flying on all directions as she hurriedly approached the three arriving cats, happy to see Lionspark home again…but said happiness wouldn’t last long.

Worry quickly overtook the white leader as she saw her dear friend get engulfed by regrets and grief she couldn’t help but feel she knew a bit too well. Without really stopping to look at her clanmates nor the RiverClan warriors, she made her way to Lionspark “Come on dear friend…we need to take you to Mapleleaf’s den” Her words were slow and soft as she helped her clanmates to get her back to her feet. She would stay close to her that night, in her current state she wouldn’t dare to leave her on her own.

Her eyes finally landed on Amberpelt and Viperstorm as they were getting ready to leave “Thank you for bringing her back. May StarClan ensure you a safe trip home” True, she was still resentful towards RiverClan just like many of her clanmates…but unlike most of them she didn’t blame the warriors for the decisions taken and actions performed by their leader.