Taken by Sleep [Closed]

After the battle had finished, and everything was said and done, Froststone had decided against his better judgment to appear back at the battlefield that had so shortly ago been the place where he fought for his life and had killed for his clan. The air was still laden with the scent of blood and death, yet there was less of it now. The fire from the lightning brought down by Lichenmask had died down a great deal, still leaving some embers and smoke. His new scars stung as he wrinkled his nose in disgust. His silent paw steps brought him closer into the clearing, icy blue eyes glaring into the clearing a little below him. Of course, other cats had to be here. He had gone to ensure that none of Lichenmasks followers had decided to come back had they decided to run, or that there were no clan cats left that were unaccounted for. His eyes had landed on the dark brown fur of Thunderclan's deputy and the scent of milk was brought to his nose.

No... That can't be. Kits... here... W-were they Brushgaze's...?

He lept down, letting out a small chirp as to alert them to his presence had they not scented him or spotted his white pelt yet.

A small dip of his head went to Marshstorm, who he was sure would inquire as to why he was here. He could ask the same question. "Greetings Marshstorm. I must ask as to whom these kits belong to. At least, that is if you know." His eyes went to one kit that looked remarkably like Lichenmask. This must be Brushgaze's litter. His face hardened slightly, yet his eyes kept up the mild glare he had taken on since entering the clearing. He looked to the kits, deciding introducing himself would possibly be a good idea. "Kits. My name is Froststone, I am the deputy of Shadowclan. I can only assume that Marshstorm has introduced himself already." Somebody would have to take the kits, and once the kits had heard he was from Shadowclan he was almost positive that at least one would want to come with him back to their clan. The clan their mother had come from. Some good news for Cedarstorm perhaps.

ooc; so based on above i am assuming that frost and marsh are talking to dusk and dawn. burnt and his sibs fleed to the side of the clearing as they left and are not seen right now. assuming frost runs into them on his way out when marsh takes the other two (i think this would make the most sense because the kits would not willingly be separated ic). correct me if im wrong and will edit~

He led the charge in the direction that he had decided upon, ignoring Slatekit's doubtful words. It was away from the direction in which they had come so it obviously had to be in the direction of the clans. That made sense. They were in the thick of the forest here at fourtrees, already crossing lands that smelled like many cats and so Burntkit stuck to his decision. The prior moments still hung at the recesses of his mind, pricking them like thorns. His mother's dead body seemed to have etched itself in his little kit-mind and all he could do was attempt it wasn't there by striving for some sense of direction. Burntkit had already proven his ability to plow straight through circumstances with his drive. In life, Lichenmask had modeled similar behaviors that his offspring had picked up on.

As the trio reached the sparse foliage dotting the edge of the clearing, a cry from his sibling caused him to stop in his tracks and turn to see what was going on. Neither Dawnkit nor Duskkit had followed after him with enough haste. Now they stood trapped; Duskkit ensnared by a larger cat. Burntkit stared on, trying to keep the helplessness out of his eyes as he watched the tabby and white cats that surrounded his siblings. He shot a glance at Slatekit and meowed softly, "You heard what she said. We have to stay here. They'll take us too. Wait." His little voice would have trembled had he not forced strength into it. The whole circumstance was so wildly different from anything they had faced in their whole lives. And without Lichenmask here, he had no idea what to do, except attempt to be like his missing father. Being strong, a leader, caring for the cats who followed after him. He would make sure to look after the others in absence of their parents. But at the moment, his mind drew a blank. The kit needed to think before acting.

Burntkit flicked his tail and drew closer to Redkit. As much as it might have appeared he was trying to silence her so as to not give away their position, the warmth of his littermate comforted him as much as he hoped it would comfort her. While he stared out to the scene unfolding ahead, the long-furred calico considered grooming his fur as a measure to seek out another form of calming to soothe the pounding in his ears. But he couldn't bring himself to look away from the kits ahead. Instead of fear, it was mostly lack of knowledge that plagued the young tom. If he had any previous knowledge of what to do or had yet gained the skill of critical thinking that came with age, Burntkit would have done more. But he only did what he could do, what he knew to do. And that was waiting. There was no Lichenmask to speak into him now. He had to be the Lichenmask now. His face hardened slightly, almost unreadable but still showing a compassion that come from his own personality and not that of his father.

"Don't worry, Redkit. We're going to all get out of here soon and find somewhere safe." His face showed nothing too extreme, but interally Burntkit found himself praying silently to the ancestors, to Lichenmask. He hoped his own words were true.

Redkit wanted to melt away into the ground, wanted to close her eyes and be happy again. But she was being forced to face the reality of the situation over and over again. Duskkit and Dawnkit were scooped up by Marshstorm, Froststone looking at them with a frown. Little claws unsheathed as she pulled away from Burntkit and his comfort her heart screaming her to stay with him, her fur bristled as shaking sobs pushed past her throat. She had to defend her litter-mates, had to! Canren was gone, shouting to go to Shadowclan, but he was gone! Brushgaze was gone! Lichenmask was gone! Her home was gone! Gone! Gone! Gone! "Let go of my siblings!" Redkit shrieked, flinging herself at Marshstorm's face, trying to do something- anything to defend her siblings.

But there was nothing she could do, she wouldn't be able to as so much as harm a hair on the older tom, she was useless. She trembled violently, her patched spiked fur puffed out like she was a burr, and she might as well have been one for all the good she was doing.

(OOC: Forgive me if this is too foreward but hey.)

The barrage of tiny claws were met with an incredulous expression. His tongue partially out of his mouth as he watched little Redkit try and hurt him. It was cute more than menacing, and he rumbled his amusement. Leaning forward to lick a stripe of damp fur down her little forehead. At the sound of the other tom, Marshstorm looked up at Froststone, then slowly raised himself to a proper sitting position as he looked over at the she-cat they had been around.
"...I do not... but it is safe to assume Lichenmask." He looked down at Duskkit with a frown. The little kit so strongly resembled his father that Marshstorm felt a flood of concern. No, this little kit couldn't turn out like his father. He wouldn't. His gaze flicked up to Froststone in thought... and concern. What if they became like their father? What could prevent that? The thought of splitting them felt like a thorn in his throat. The idea made him uncomfortable.

Seperating blood because of what could happen felt appalling. Yet, it was safe. If they weren't together, it might lessen the chances... he thought about Leopardstar. His leader had been directly attacked by Lichenmask... it was doubtful he'd be pleased at the idea of the young kits joining ThunderClan. Not so many, so close to leafbare. A hard sigh ripped from his throat as he lowered his head to pick up Dawnkit by the scruff.
"Froststone... I will take these two." He glanced towards the she-cat's body with a flicker of remorse. "It could be dangerous if they are all in one clan. Besides... I believe this one," he pointed at Duskkit with his tail. "Will do better in ThunderClan."

With his piece said, he picked up Duskkit carefully by the scruff. His ears twitching in farewell as he gently nudged Dawnkit towards ThunderClan's direction with his tail. Wrapping it comfortably around her tiny long pelt. Waiting patiently for her to stumble along and placing down Duskkit to pick her up instead if she seemed too tired.

A small nod came from the white deputy as he looked at the other kit. Separating them might be for the best anyhow. A gray paw firmly, yet gently enough to still be considered kind, prodded Redkit along to come with him. Though upon further inspection of the scents around him as he began taking the kit with his that there were more. Looking in the general direction of the scent, he picked Redkit up and promptly padded over. Through a mouth full of fur he meowed, "You all can come out too. It'll be safer to come with me. Who knows what could get you if you decide to stay." He assumed that with their sister in his jaws that the kits would follow to keep from being separated from their sister. "I'm taking you all to Shadowclan. Your mother was from there, you've got family there. Its better to come with me."

With that said, he began padding towards Shadowclan territory with Redkit in his jaws. Looking back, he saw two other forms following him. He didn't like this one bit, but he wasn't one to leave kits out in the wild. Even Lichenmask's kits. It gave him a horrible feeling, sure. Marshstorm was probably smart in separating the kits up though. Keeps them out of trouble most likely. They cannot all plot if they're in different clans. He'd be keeping a close eye on them though.

It all happened so fast. One moment his coat was pressed up against Redkit's with the idea that he was somehow comforting and protecting her from the unknown cats that surrounded their siblings in the middle of the clearing. How he wished he was bigger, stronger, and more equipped to handle all this. The thoughts of malcontent were quickly abolished as he watched the form of his sister break from their shelter and straight into the paws of the much larger cats. Burntkit wanted to yowl after her, to call or back or even conjure up a sense of frustration for the lack of her receptiveness to his commands and his inability to do much of anything in the situation. Instead, the young tom found himself unable to do anything but stand there. His green eyes bore into the scene happening ahead. Dead cats were strewn about the clearing, including his mother's, yet they were only background to the scene unfurling ahead.

By the time that he was prepared to break from the sparse foliage and attempt a brave, leaderly rescue for the other three, the tabby cat was breaking away from the clearing. With Duskkit and Dawnkit. His teeth clenched together as he was once more wracked with uncertainty. There was nothing he hated more in his little kit head than not knowing. Perhaps only the constant grooming that was required of his long coat, but he thought of neither of these things as he finally padded towards Froststone with his chest out and head high. Redkit was being guided onwards by the strange cat and he wasn't about to let this one take his sister away. They would rescue the others later but they were in no state to do so. If there were anything deeper than the thoughts that flitted in and out of his brain as it searched desperately for answers amid all the confusion, the calico might have considered all these things. But that was a practice that came with age.

"You can't take my sister, foxheart. Only if I say so. And if you're really one of those clan cats, then you're going to take care of us. Then, you're going to give us back Duskkit and Dawnkit, okay?" Burntkit stretched slightly to almost push his nose up against the deputy. If he were any larger it would have been more threatening. The kit-like demand was less than that although the tom did not notice. It was as much strength and power as he could muster up at the moment. No son of Lichenmasks would bow so easily to the clan cats. But Shade's son had been right about one thing, they did need someone else right now. After a few days, he would figure out what to do but for now as much as it caused the pit to grow in his stomach, this was their option. He glanced at Slatekit before padding forward to attempt to outpace the deputy just enough to seem like he was the one guiding them, but back far enough to see where Froststone's paws would lead them. If they had to do this, Burntkit would make sure he was the one in front. For Lichenmask, for his siblings.

Watching everything unfold, Slatekit stayed quiet, watching as Dawnkit and Duskkit were taken away. Unlike his brother, he didn't care much for the other kits who were being taken away and didn't say a word as he listened to Burntkit attempting to put the ShadowClan deputy in his place. Letting out a small huff of amusement, the large, fluffy, grey and black kit trotted after his siblings who were being taken away by the white warrior. Of course, he didn't exactly like the idea of going to one of the clans, but staying here wasn't a very appealing option either. Besides, it'd be interesting to see what they so called "powerful" clans were like, and it wasn't like he had anywhere better to go.