The Longest Walk Home (CLOSED)

"We...we're here."

Leopardstar's trotting paws came to a halt at the top of a small rise, waiting for a moment to allow the much shorter leader to catch up.  The two were deep within ThunderClan's wooded territory, every pawstep eliciting a crunch of fallen leaves and twigs that only seemed to aid in building up the deep tension between them.  There was nothing he could say, no proud fact about the land or statement only he thought was witty or clever to break this wall; he was leading a broken father to his little girl's final resting place, his final goodbye.  Heaving a deep, but quiet, sigh, the large tabby warrior picked his way down the short hill over to the mushroom and lichen-covered tree trunk under which lay a dark patch of freshly dug earth, and under that, the body of a frail little calico kitten, her chest forever still.  Not knowing whether he should stand beside Tinystar or back away as far as possible, he opted for seating himself a little ways off, close enough to talk to if the white and gray tom desired, but also far out of the SkyClanner's striking range.  Leopardstar had no idea how this cat handled grief and didn't want to receive a potential clawing across the face, as he had once almost given Dustcloud after Reedheart's passing.  The memory cast a dismal expression upon Leopardstar's conflicted face, and his hazel eyes came to rest firmly upon his paws.  Be with him StarClan, any ancestors he may possess...there isn't any more I can do.

(continuation of this topic for those wondering)

In all his moons of living, he'd never been in ThunderClan's territory and wished that the circumstances of his visit weren't so downcast. For the most part, SkyClan and ThunderClan's territories were the same, which the just the right amount of shrubbery and trees to elude them from the world above. Having been seemingly following Leopardstar for what felt like ages, with his head and tail hung low, he halted as the dappled golden tom spoke.

Looking up from the forest floor, Tinystar stared at the small grave that sat in front of him. "Oh Leafkit," he whispered, his words barely audible. Having been trying to keep it together on their journey to the grave-site, his world felt like it was going to grumble beneath his paws again. Laying down, the stumpy legged tom rested his muzzle on his daughter's grave, soaking in what was left of her scent among the earthy smells. Closing his eyes, he let go of the fact that he'd left Leopardstar to stand their awkwardly in silence, and focused on his prayers. In those few moments, he prayed for her happiness and safety up in StarClan; that she would find her brothers and sisters to romp around the starry fields with, and that she would wait for his arrival, whenever that time may come. 'May StarClan light your path, little one,' Tinystar prayed lastly, his eyes remaining shut as he laid in front of the grave. While he was heartbroke from this sudden loss, he still wondered why he wasn't furious at his ancestors for taking his kit at such a young age, but supposed it was the because of the fact that life happened and they clearly had a better purpose for Leafkit up above, which in the end, he couldn't possibly argue with.

"Thank you, Leopardstar," he finally mewed, breaking through the stifling silence that had consumed the forest. Standing up, the small white leader gave his pelt a shake and looked up to the dimming sky. Taking a deep breath, he attempted to rid his throat of any emotional lumps before continuing. "I miss her so much already, but I know she's in a better place now," Tinystar added in a sanguine sort of tone, his gaze returning to Leopardstar, who was sitting a comfortable distance away from him.

"And thank you and your clanmates for burying her, but I, I... want to take her back to SkyClan," he dared to say aloud, although there were a couple of breaks as he spoke. While it was a somewhat grotesque request to dig up a dead kit, he'd come to the conclusion that he couldn't bare to not have all of his beloved kin buried in one place and prayed that the ThunderClan leader wouldn't make things difficult. His family was of the utmost importance to him and while some cats didn't understand the significance of kindredship, he did, and wasn't about to let his dear kit stay on unfamiliar land, no matter how respectable its' inhabitants were.