East Shore Gathering [Swept Away Topic]

Mosspaw had been padding along the shore, searching for anything that could be of use. Twigs, moss, feathers, a pool of clean water... Anything would do at this point. Suddenly the soft sound of the waves was interrupted by a popping sound that made her jump and sprint away from the waters edge, as memories of the wave came to the forefront of her mind. After a few moments of fearfully staring at the water no such wave came, and her attention was instead drawn to the glowing lights that were fading from sight. The wind ruffled her neck fur, seeming to pull her towards those lights, and she turned and sprinted to where most of the others were.

---

Having made the trek across the shore, Mosspaw's ears flattened as she saw the twoleg shed in the distance. Her tail tip twitching nervously as they got closer and closer, she fought the urge to turn and run, reminding herself that this was StarClan's will. It did seem to be abandoned, but that did little to lessen her fear of the place. Taking up a spot near the entrance, she sat and tucked her still twitching tail over her paws, looking around at the other cats taking up their selected positions around her.

Littlestream had taken to resting herself hoping for her leg injury to get better. She had found a semi dry or rather a not too wet spot to rest her ears pricked for a moment and her eyes half closed when she heard the loud popping which instinctively made her jump small droplets of water going in every which direction. Her ears flattened as she looked to the direction of the water standing waiting with fur starting to privilege on end until nothing happened and something caused her to look up seeing the light she followed it not before waking the young wind clan apprentice with her Echo paw. The two headed to the direction of the light quietly.

Lightstep jumped with a start at the sound of an odd, echoing pop in the sky, his tail bushing out as memories of the flood immediately surged up. As he gazed around his temporary camp, standing rigidly beside his niece, he watched and waited with horror for several moments, expecting to feel the ground rumble as a devastating wave of water found him and his helpless kin. However, that never happened: the birds, which had gone quiet for a moment, continued chirping in the sparse trees near the shoreline. He, Sunpaw, and Mosspaw had all found Scorchstar and his group several days before and they had made their camp in the safety of the trees near the shoreline to keep an easier view of the shore - survivors seemed to trickle in every day. As Lightstep looked towards the lake, bright lights in the sky caught his gaze, and his eyes drifted up to them.

"Sunpaw," he mewed, "that must be a sign from StarClan. We have to go there." The white tom turned from the sky back to his niece, his eyes dark with sympathy and exhaustion, his body thin with hunger. "I'll carry you - I won't leave you behind." Sunpaw was a proud she-cat; even in excruciating pain, Lightstep expected that she would argue and perhaps try to move herself. He waited patiently, giving her the chance to protest and debate if she so chose, before carefully sliding himself underneath her body and carrying her straddled across his shoulders. "Hold on," he instructed, and the tom began to make his way carefully down the littered shore towards where the odd colored lights had fallen.

. . .

Lightstep came across Mosspaw along the way. The ThunderClan apprentice had been the first cat that Lightstep and Sunpaw came across upon waking up, and she had selflessly helped to clean and care for Sunpaw upon discovering her grisly injury. Sometime before the flood, the apprentice's hips and lower spine had been crushed, rendering her almost helpless. Mosspaw had been quick to push aside the Clan differences to help, and Lightstep would forever remember it. The white tom followed close to the young apprentice. Lightstep spotted the twoleg nest and muttered, "Is this really where StarClan wants us?"

"It must be," a soft voice said, though it was warm with determination.

Amberdawn had followed the rest of the small group of survivors, including Littlestream who she had found upon arriving at the shore, up to the fence of the pasture, her eyes alight with hope since the odd pop had sounded and the lights had fallen. StarClan hasn't abandoned us, she cheered inwardly, They cannot control everything, but they wouldn't leave us to suffer this alone. For the few days since she and her little group had been with Scorchstar, Amberdawn had done her best to find not only herbs - which were understandably scarce - but really any connection to StarClan or sign that they weren't gone for good. She hadn't given up hope, and so she was simply relieved when the sign finally came. She gathered what few herbs she'd managed to find in a bundle and carried them with her. Where StarClan leads, the forest Clans follow.

When they had arrived, Amberdawn padded to the front of the crowd; when Lightstep of RiverClan had spoken his doubts, the SkyClan medicine cat apprentice was unable to keep her faith quiet and sat her bundle down to quell his worries. StarClan had called them, and though the twoleg nest was intimidating, there had been so few twolegs on the shore so far. Besides, the one before them looked as if it had been left empty to rot and fall apart. Twolegs didn't care about it anymore. The golden tabby she-cat picked up her bundle and pressed forward through the mud, glancing up at the crooked twoleg shed. She sat the bundle of herbs on top of a stone before looking to some of those who had already arrived and were gazing nervously about the area. "This is where StarClan has led us," she stated again, a little more determined, in case others around were uncertain. "We will be safe here."

Mosspaw caught a flash of a white pelt coming towards her and turned, recognizing Lightstep. She got up and raised her tail in greeting as she moved to meet him. Her muzzle carefully reached out to shift Sunpaw's weight, gently guiding her crushed hips more firmly on the RiverClan tom's back. "Hi there Lightstep, Sunpaw. I hope you both have been doing alright," she said as she walked next to the two. At his question, she gazed at the twoleg nest with narrowed eyes and shrugged. At that moment, her thoughts were interrupted by another she-cat who had overheard Lightstep, and she nodded lightly in agreement. A whiff of something strange, but almost familiar, directed her attention towards the bundle the she-cat had placed down. As her mind desperately searched for where she knew the smells from, she spoke to Lightstep. "StarClan wouldn't abandon us, especially in a time like now. We just have to keep our faith and follow where they lead, and everything will be alright..." She trailed off slightly, as though she were reassuring herself as well of the sentiment. Pushing the looming fear of twolegs out of her mind, she put on a brave face and motioned with her tail towards a relatively smooth wooden surface that rested about a tail length off of the ground. She cautiously climbed onto it, and tested it with a couple of small jumps. When it held firm, she smiled at Lightstep. "Here, Lightstep, Sunpaw will be able to see over everyone if she sits here." The apprentice climbed down off of the surface, and helped guide Sunpaw onto it so she was sitting comfortably. Once she made sure that the other apprentice was comfortable, she turned her attention back to the other cats gathering around. Looking to Lightstep with a faint glimmer in her eyes, she asked, "Is this what a Gathering is like? All of us in one place like this?"

It had been quite a long and difficult trek from the place the scattered Clan cats had started off after the big flood to reach the place StarClan led them to. It had been beautiful, and just what the Clan cats needed: an array of beautiful red lights streaking overhead into the distance. At least then the cats had something to do, and it seemed everything was beginning to go back on track.

Now the cats have arrived at the place StarClan directed them to go, yet there didn't seem to be much of anything here waiting for them. In fact, this place didn't look any different from the place they had all started off at. So now, it was time for the big question: what happened next?

This wasn't a question for Scorchstar alone to answer; in spite of his skills of leading and problem-solving, he would still often times rely on his Clanmates to help him make big decisions. And now, it seemed he would need the help of every cat standing by him to decide where they would all go from here. He would not rely on just the ShadowClan cats, but cats from all five Clans gathered here, as everyone would be affected by the decision made in the end.

Finding a tall ledge on an abandoned, broken down Twoleg nest that looked sturdy enough to support his weight, Scorchstar broke away from the traveling cats and leaped up onto it. From there, he glanced down at the cats. "Let all cats gather beneath the abandoned Twoleg nest for a conjoined Clan meeting!"

Waiting for the cats from all five Clans to do as they were told -- at least the ones who had been willing to follow him despite Clan differences -- he began to speak. "As you all know, StarClan had sent us a sign in the form of red light streaking through the sky. They have led us to this place. Now that we have arrived at the place StarClan guided us to, it is time to decide what will happen next. However, this is not a decision I will make alone. I am open to any and all suggestions from cats of all five Clans. Together, we will all decide what we will do next."

Upon seeing the kindly ThunderClan apprentice, Lightstep nodded his head just slightly in greeting, a tired warmth in his eyes. He was careful not to move too much or in a way that might cause Sunpaw to slip off of his shoulders. During the trek from the shelter with Scorchstar to this new place, the calico's half-broken body had tried to slip off sideways and backwards. Lightstep had done some wiggling, wriggling, and shimmying to try to get her back in the right place, but he feared if he moved too much she would fall off altogether. He couldn't imagine how jarring or humiliating the movements must have felt to the proud apprentice. "Hey, Mosspaw," he greeted back. The slender white warrior made his way to the she-cat, who had stood to welcome him and his niece.

Immediately upon reaching her, the she-cat Mosspaw stretched up slightly to help readjust Sunpaw, shifting her weight more evenly on his back. Lightstep stood a little less uncomfortably, the relief and gratitude visible in the dark depths of his pale yellow eyes. Still, he was unsettled by the twoleg nest, and he was surprised to hear his concerns so quickly answered. He turned his head (but mostly his body, to let Sunpaw look as well) to see Amberdawn, SkyClan's medicine cat apprentice. 

She had appeared at Scorchstar's group the same day that he, Sunpaw, and Mosspaw had discovered it. Though she was a medicine cat, her help had been extremely limited due to the lack of herbs around. Not only was she in unfamiliar territory, but the flood had littered a good distance in the forest with muck and mud and ruined any little starts that may have been present in the late leaf-bare. All Amberdawn could really do was instruct others to keep wounds clean and safe from the elements, and rest as much as they could. As for Sunpaw...

Lightstep blinked back tears which stung his eyes, surprised that they seemed to have come from nowhere. They hadn't come from nowhere, of course; the sensation of Sunpaw's broken form on his shoulders was constant and ever-reminding of her new condition. Amberdawn had moved further ahead and sat down her herbs, and Mosspaw's voice had broken him from his thoughts. ""StarClan wouldn't abandon us, especially in a time like now," she stated reassuringly. "We just have to keep our faith and follow where they lead, and everything will be alright..." All Lightstep could really do was nod in response. 

A moment later, the ThunderClan apprentice had turned to face a twoleg structure with a flat piece of wood. Mosspaw leaped onto it, and Lightstep tensed reflexively, knowing that if she fell he would try to go after her, and if he did that he would drop and harm Sunpaw. Fortunately, the surface held strong, not even wobbling. The she-cat turned to the RiverClan cats and suggested that Sunpaw could sit up there. Lightstep couldn't help but let out a soft, grateful purr. Mosspaw is a truly wonderful cat, Lightstep thought. Selfless and considerate... ThunderClan is lucky to have her. Thoughts of a certain other ThunderClan apprentice threatened to surface, however, and he shoved them away. With any luck, she'd been killed by the flood. Good riddance.

Mosspaw helped Lightstep lifted Sunpaw onto the platform so that she could see and relax; every few moments the warrior mumbled a soft "Sorry, Sunpaw" and "Just another moment" and "Almost there" as he helped maneuver her body onto it. He couldn't imagine the pain she must feel... he couldn't imagine what she felt, really.

Lightstep sat beside Mosspaw and watched as Scorchstar and other bedraggled cats slowly made their way to the chosen grounds. The she-cat asked if this was what Gatherings were like, and the white tom nodded a little. "More or less," he responded, though his voice cracked with weariness as he spoke. He paused to yawn, then continued, "Normally it takes place under the full moon, and all the leaders are here, but... well, I suppose we've done the best we can do."

Scorchstar leaped into the abandoned nest by which Amberdawn stood and called the cats together for a conjoined Clan meeting. Lightstep's heart ached as he heard such faintly familiar words spoken by such an unfamiliar voice, in such an onorthodox way. He wished he could hear his grandfather, Jaystar, calling the Clan together... Scorchclaw, even Goldeneye or Fallowlight might have made him less homesick. Are they still alive? he asked StarClan, now that he was certain they were watching. Keep them safe - we're losing so many already...

"Now that we have arrived at the place StarClan guided us to, it is time to decide what will happen next," Scorchstar declared, his voice hanging confidently in the late leaf-bare air. "However, this is not a decision I will make alone. I am open to any and all suggestions from cats of all five Clans. Together, we will all decide what we will do next."

Amberdawn was the first to speak, surprising herself. "Scorchstar," she addressed the leader, turning to crane her head up at him in his position a few tail-lengths above her, "we have many wounded and not enough herbs to help them. I believe if StarClan has sent us here, it must be because it is safe. Perhaps we're meant to rest here and take time to recover and heal our wounded and sick?" The young golden tabby's silvery whiskers trembled slightly as she looked up to the dark ShadowClan leader for his opinion.

"Do you think we'll find more herbs here than we did at our first camp?" Lightstep asked, his eyes betraying his hope as he thought of Sunpaw. We must be able to do something for her. Perhaps there would be an herb here that could help Sunpaw that didn't exist further down the shore...

SkyClan's medicine cat apprentice turned to look at the RiverClan cat, some of her confidence faltering a little. "W-Well, I don't know," she admitted. She remembered him, and she knew what he was really asking, but she couldn't tell him what he already knew: Sunpaw would never be a warrior... She was lucky every day she survived. Amberdawn had felt the mess of fur and lumps and bones, and she was certain Sunpaw would never recover. The fact she hadn't died was some odd fate that StarClan had chosen for some unknown end. 

---

Barleytuft of WindClan was in fairly good shape, all things considered. He had found his [NPC] father's body washed up on the shore two days prior, his mate still had an awful leg injury, he didn't know where his apprentice or former apprentice was, nor his leader, deputy, or former mentor. Still, they had found many Clanmates - and Clan cats, which was its own blessing - as well as a leader and a medicine cat, and now StarClan had called to them. Prey was scarce and fresh water was scarcer, but things had to be better in this new place. The WindClan tom was hopeful as he helped his mate, Graybriar, join the rest of the cats near Scorchstar as he leaped into a twoleg shed.

The sandy WindClan tabby sat down and looked around, hoping to see more familiar faces. Barleytuft spotted Echopaw, a creamy tabby apprentice, and his hopes lifted just a little.

Flintfang had spent the last two sunrises feeling somewhat like a StarClan warrior. Not that his deeds were noble, that couldn't be farther from the truth. But the gray tabby tom seemed to fade between Falconwing and Littlepaw, materializing to be by one's side one moment, and the other's the next. Hunting had proved difficult, but that was no surprise. Most prey that could be found was scrawny and sopping wet with mud. The tom had found shelter under fallen branches the past night, but not before making sure his adopted daughters had found a place to lay their heads. It was all tiring, the flood. Conversing with cats of different clans was new, but not surprising. Flintfang took pleasure in seeing how the clans seemed to merge together so easily. We're more alike than we realize... Seeing that Burntstag was safe was well and good, Dewpaw, Flintfang's wayward apprentice had survived too. But no one was ready when the red lights flashed in the sky.

Some hailed it as a sign from StarClan, but that revelation only seemed to make the ThunderClan warrior angry. StarClan had caused this flood, had torn the clans away from their loved ones, and now they had the audacity to send them a sign? Foxdung. That's what it was. Scorchstar of ShadowClan called a meeting soon after, and most of the gathered cats seemed to answer to it. Having nothing better to do, Flintfang followed the crowd and found a seat on his own, not wanting to choose between she-cats today. The leader spoke of following the red light, and the warrior's eyes narrowed. Why should we put all our faith in some force in the sky? I make my own destiny... Perhaps he was feeling extra rebellious today, because the tom's jaws stayed closed. He watched the rest of the cats with a certain form of anger, wondering how, after all this, they could still believe in star cats.

---

Paws dragged through the mud, and heavy breaths were sucked between a tabby scruff of fur. Stormstrike of RiverClan was being hauled through the wet dirt, sticks still protruding through his pelt. Leafpaw held his scruff in her maw, old tears drying against her cheeks. She had watched him die. And she couldn't save him. The SkyClan apprentice remembered crying there, in the mud as the RiverClan warrior breathed his last breath. She felt like a useless failure, and could only grant him her final promise. We'll find your clan... She wanted to give them a proper burial, and let his family say one last goodbye. Streampaw of ThunderClan padded behind her, Blossomstream grasped in his jaws. Two clan cats had died today. And Leafpaw had watched them. Memories of blood swam in her head, and mortified her. The world wasn't as happy as she originally imagined. The trees didn't whistle like they used too, instead they only sang songs of sadness. It took all of the brown tabby's willpower not to burst into tears again. It was all too much. She had looked death in the face, and death looked right back. Now the two apprentices trekked through the mud, cold and alone, unaware if they'd ever see their clans again. But fate had been kind today.

Red lights lit the sky and Leafpaw gasped, head titled upward at their brilliance. A voice sounded moments later, familiar, yet different. Determined now, the apprentice tugged harder, dragging the fallen warrior toward the sound until they burst into the clearing. The ShadowClan leader was perched on a large wooden structure, and cats off all clans surrounded him, watching with hopeful eyes. Relief washed over the she-cat as the lowered Stormstrike to the ground near some RiverClan warriors. "I'm... I'm sorry..." Her voice was hollow and shaky, cracking with every syllable. "I couldn't save him... I'm sorry..." The apprentice looked up and noticed the far off pelt of Amberdawn, and was immediately pelting towards her. Without a second thought, Leafpaw had buried her face in her friend's chest, tears streaming down her face. "Amberdawn... I... I saw him die... I didn't know... which herbs..." Her words were inaudible and turned to silent sobs. She had found her clan, found her friends. But Stormstrike and Blossomstream would never be able to say the same.

Heronflight walked towards Scorchstar.  Although he wasn't RiverClan's leader, he was a clan leader, and at this point in time, that was good enough for him.  He would never betray RiverClan, but he had to at least listen to what Scorchstar had to say.  After Amberdawn stepped down, the gray tabby spoke.  "I believe that we may need to rest and recuperate for a few moons or so, but we should head to the clans as soon as we can.  Our home is in the clans, is it not?"  As the gray tabby stepped back again, he heard Leafpaw telling Amberdawn that Stormstrike was dead.  "Dead?" he mewed quietly, surprised that StarClan came for the warrior that quickly.  He dipped his head, knowing that Stormstrike was a great warrior.  "May he rest in peace." The gray tabby backed away, as to give Stormstrike space to rest.

Sunpaw was grateful for Lightsteps help. As she was hung limply across his shoulders, she twisted her head around and try to groom his pelt and groomed the area around her  It was the least she could do considering she had become mute and depressed. The moments of her mother looking her in her eyes and leaving her, her paws padding away into the dust to help her mentor. Instead of her daughter. Sunpaw thought bitterly.

She swallowed and purred as an attempt to sooth Lightstep and his sorrys. She had gotten used to the pain. Then she ignored what the other cats had to say and started to lap at Lightsteps pelt again. She is really depending on him to survive. she struggled to lift herself and growled when others offered help and she managed finally. Her legs crumpled beneath her and leaning on one paw she out all of her attention into digging a fat tick out of Lightsteps pelt. She cracked it between her teeth. Normally she would be spitting and whining about why she needing to crack ticks but now she did it on her own accord. She licked away some dirt and found another tick.



————

Dewpaw trudged through the mud. His paws were heavy and everything ached. But he walked on with a limp as he dragged his back leg. It got caught and twisted. He spend an hour or so screaming and trying to put it back in place but he didn’t manage and made it worse. He had heard cats but lost them and he had just heard them again. He picked up his gate and let out a cry as cats came into the distance. Maybe them could help him. Maybe they were clan cats. All of his bones jutted out and his pelt hung. He survived off of eating bugs since his injury gave him away in the mud when trying to be silent. He stumbled into the clearing with the cats a froze. What if they were dangerous- but that thought broke off when he saw Flintfang. “Flintfang!!” He practically screamed and dragged himself over to his mentor.

Her eyes wide with wonder, Mosspaw gazed around at all of the cats mingling together, ones she knew, ones that were clanmates, and others that she didn't recognize. She noticed her father sitting off to himself, and then a figure that came towards him dragging a leg she realized was Flintfang's apprentice, Dewpaw. More were filing in with each heartbeat, and she began to wonder if there would be enough room for them all. There were already quite a few, she couldn't imagine what it would be like if there were even more! She looked over to Lightstep as he was interrupted by a yawn, concern flashing in her eyes. "You haven't been getting enough rest, have you?" She started to say something else but fell quiet when she heard Scorchstar's call, turning her attention to the ShadowClan leader as he spoke.

His statement hung in the air for only a few heartbeats before the she-cat that had come up earlier spoke up. As she spoke of finding herbs and tending to the wounded, Mosspaw finally realized where she recognized the scent of the bundle that the golden tabby had been carrying. It was a similar scent to Pricklebush's den, and Pricklebush himself. Wow... She must be a medicine cat too.... She thought, looking with admiration at the other she-cat before Lightstep spoke up beside her. She gently brushed her tail along the tom's shoulder, trying to be comforting. She tentatively spoke up after a moment. Th-there hasn't been a g-good chance to fully take care of our wounded. There could very well be useful herbs hiding around somewhere, the only thing we can do is go look for them to find out." She looked to the cat she assumed was a medicine cat with a small, respectful nod, continuing with more confidence this time. "Perhaps we could use the sheltered space in this twoleg nest to make a den for those that are injured or sick, that way they can stay dry and comfortable?" Her tail flicked to the area of the nest that was still standing, sheltering the area from the wind and rain at least a little bit.

Suddenly an apprentice came in, dragging the body of a cat with her. Mosspaw gasped as she saw the sticks protruding from his chest, tears forming in her eyes at his fate. She tore her gaze from the sight and focused on the apprentice that had brought him in, as she ran over to the tabby she-cat who had spoken earlier. She watched as her head was buried, hearing only the name Amberdawn before it was drowned out by the sobs. Resisting the urge to go and try to calm the other she-cat down, she silently paid her respects to this unknown warrior.

Scorchstar listened to each cat who spoke up and nodded. Amberdawn and the select other warriors were right: there were wounded cats who needed to be treated. "Very well. We will focus now on treating the wounded and strengthening our group. Amberdawn, you and Fallowlight can scour the surrounding area for any herbs. I highly recommend bringing a few healthy warriors with you for protection and for bringing back more herbs than you two could on your own -- with all due respect to you both of course. The injured cats can rest in this Twoleg nest I'm standing on, once I have tested its structural integrity to ensure it won't collapse on any of you. Healthy warriors who aren't helping the medicine cats, feel free to do what you feel is best, including organizing hunting patrols, scouring the area for any possible threat, or training apprentices and even kits so they may protect themselves in case of emergency. We will regroup for another conjoined Clan meeting tomorrow at sunrise."

There, now everyone knew what they had to do. Hopefully the group will heal and regain their strength now. With the meeting adjourned, Scorchstar began his work of testing the steadiness and stability of the Twoleg nest he stood on top of. It looked rickety and ready to fall, but thankfully after some test-jumping on the roof of the den and a thorough inspection on the inside, the abandoned nest was safe to be used as shelter. "The den is safe and stable. The injured cats may rest in here until the medicine cats return with herbs. Until then, I will do all I can to help you."

---

Asterspark listened closely as Scorchstar spoke to the five Clans atop the abandoned Twoleg nest. He couldn't help but feel a rush of pride towards his father. Everyone was tired and sick and injured and hungry, but he was still able to take charge of the situation and help all five Clans to the best of his ability, not just ShadowClan. He nuzzled Poppyheart's shoulder, starting to feel his own strength failing him. Right after finding his long-lost brother again, the two of them had been attacked by a dog, and immediately after they went on a hunting patrol with Coldgaze, who had just joined ShadowClan. Then they traveled a long way to follow StarClan's sign. Now, as much as he wanted to continue helping the Clans, he knew he wouldn't be able to find even an ounce of strength left to even kill a scrawny lizard. He was just too tired.

Once Scorchstar adjourned the meeting and finished testing the structural integrity of the Twoleg nest, giving his okay for the wounded to enter, Asterspark rose up slowly to his paws, stumbling a little at his sore wounds and wincing. Thankfully, Poppyheart had been there to catch him before he fell back over, letting him lean against his shoulder. "Heh, thanks, bro...."

"There is no rush," Poppyheart mewed gently, rasping his tongue over Asterspark's forehead. "Let's take this nice and slow, okay?"

Nodding, finding it hard to even speak now because of how tired he was, Asterspark and Poppyheart began limping and stumbling towards the entrance of the Twoleg nest together. He was thankful for Scorchstar when he helped direct the two of them to a nest of hay once they made it inside. Snuggled up next to his beloved brother now, with his father to watch over him, Asterspark deemed it safe enough to close his eyes and sleep, which was exactly what he did.

As soon as Amberdawn had finished her uncertain response to the RiverClan warrior's question, another RiverClan warrior stood and agreed that they needed to rest and heal the wounded. He insisted, however, that they needed to return to the Clans, and the medicine cat apprentice dipped her head deeply in assent. Inside, her heart broke; she feared there would be nothing left to return to. The tom was correct, nonetheless. The forest Clans belonged in the forest, not at this strange lake. She murmured a soft agreement, hoping that she hadn't given the impression that they would need to stay permanently.

Fortunately, another voice spoke up, voicing further support of Amberdawn's suggestion. The golden tabby perked up her ears and looked at the calico apprentice who was seated by Lightstep and his injured niece up on a raised piece of wood. "Th-there hasn't been a g-good chance to fully take care of our wounded," the little she-cat stammered, her voice quavering with uncertainty. "There could very well be useful herbs hiding around somewhere, the only thing we can do is go look for them to find out." Then the apprentice looked directly at her, and Amberdawn couldn't help but give her a soft smile of encouragement. She went on to suggest they shelter the sick and wounded in a twoleg nest to be dry and comfortable.

Amberdawn looked up at Scorchstar again as the great dark tabby took in a breath then delivered what he thought to be the best plan of action. She perked up and nodded dutifully when he let her knew she must scavenge for herbs; though the idea of having a fighting escort made her nervous, the thought of being alone in this unfamiliar land certainly seemed worse. She hoped to encounter nothing dangerous... But it seemed to happen anyways. Scorchstar concluded that warriors should carry on with what duties they see fit and that they would meet again later.

Almost immediately after Scorchstar finished speaking and headed further in to inspect the twoleg nest, movement and shuffling in the crowd caught Amberdawn's eye. A moment later she spotted a familiar brown-and-white tabby pelt. "Leafpaw!" Amberdawn gasped, frozen in place with an overwhelming feeling of joy and... dread. A blood-stained, mud-soaked body had been in her jaws and now lay limply on the ground at the paws of some RiverClan warriors. Leafpaw's eyes suddenly found Amberdawn's, and the apprentice was bolting across the gap between them. The medicine cat apprentice raced to meet her, lifting her chin and practically pulling her bedraggled and traumatized friend further into the dingy cream fur of her chest and throat.

"I saw him die..." Amberdawn made out from Leafpaw's choking sobs, muffled in her fur. She hadn't needed to tell her; the medicine cat knew. She could tell. Tears flowed from Amberdawn's eyes, too, the grief and fear and mourning she had felt for days but had had no time and no energy to release. Now she still had no time, and still had no energy, but seeing her best friend heartbroken, devastated over a death she couldn't have prevented broke the dam. Amberdawn wept with her friend, resting her head on Leafpaw's as they both sobbed for several moments, mourning those they had lost and all who had lost others.

After a moment, Amberdawn managed to eke out, "All the herbs in the forest couldn't have helped him... I'm so sorry, Leafpaw... We'll be okay now." The golden tabby sniffled, then drew her head back to lick soothingly at Leafpaw's brown ears. "We'll find the right herbs to help others now. We can't help everyone, but we can help."

---

Despite all the maneuvering and wiggling, Sunpaw was patient and understanding. It certainly did help speed things along, though Lightstep couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt whenever he feared he had moved her too roughly. Still, she treated him with love and respect. She had been sweet enough to pick a few ticks out of his pelt on the journey there - he had simply been too tired and busy to do it himself. While Lightstep had gone hunting a few times since they'd found Scorchstar and his group, he didn't dare leave Sunpaw for long. He feared constantly for her, worrying that she would be in pain or something would happen while he was gone. She would be afraid, or angry, and alone and helpless. He was worried sick for her, but moments of close grooming and sharing tongues were the sort of family connection that helped soothe his nerves a little.

When at last they had gotten Sunpaw settled, Mosspaw asked, her voice warm with worry, "You haven't been getting enough rest, have you?" She asked. The white warrior opened his mouth, beginning to reply, but Scorchstar called the meeting to order and both of them went silent.

Beside him, Lightstep felt Sunpaw working at another tick. The slender white tom readjusted so that he was laying beside Sunpaw, peering easily over her to see Scorchstar and listen to the discussion. He groomed Sunpaw's neck and shoulders, sharing tongues peacefully as a few voices chimed in. Mosspaw spoke up tentatively. Though his ears perked, Lightstep continued grooming his niece, listening curiously as the ThunderClan apprentice spoke in support of staying put to heal. Lightstep said nothing as, finally, Scorchstar agreed, and the meeting came to a close.

However, from his elevated position in the smaller twoleg shed, Lightstep spotted commotion in the crowd. He sat up again to see further. A dark pelt caught his attention, and immediately Lightstep knew the RiverClan corpse that had just been dragged into the Gathering. "Stormstrike," the white tom whispered, his voice devoid of emotion. "My father." Lightstep's eyes were tired, and hollow. May you find happiness in the stars that I never saw you enjoy in life.

---

Barleytuft listened to the full Gathering saying nothing, simply listening as the ShadowClan leader allowed cats of different Clans to speak and decide their priorities. The WindClan tom agreed whole-heartedly with the decision to stay and heal the wound, looking aside at his mate Graybriar as he wondered how her wound was faring. They had kept it clean, but they could only do so much... She needed herbs and rest. Therefore, when a ThunderClan apprentice stated that the sick should be sheltered in the Twoleg nest, Barleytuft called out, "Yes, please, let's let our loved ones rest and heal."

Fortunately, Scorchstar had already come to the same conclusion and instructed all cats to go and do as they wished. Though Barleytuft was weary from having walked so far, he was also wary of the place they had found themselves. There was plenty of room to settle for now, yes, but what else might lurk nearby? With that thought, Barleytuft mewed, nuzzling Graybriar's ear, "Let's get you to Amberdawn at that nest; it looked like she brought some herbs with her."

Sunpaw let out a little purr as Lightstep moved for her and she ducked down and tore her eyes away from Lightstep to see a warrior lie in the ground. She let out a wail and stumbled to get up. Managing to drag herself quite quickly she rushed over to the Warrior. Oh Sootpaw. Oh Sootpaw. She let out another wail of distress and burried her nose in the toms with and sniffed. She hadn’t known the tom well however he was her kin and oh dear Sootpaw. He always wanted to be like him.

As the ShadowClan leader delivered his orders, Mosspaw nodded in agreement, starting to stand up when she heard Lightstep next to her. Looking back to the warrior that had been brought in, the fur along her back prickled. "He... Was your father?.. I'm so sorry for your loss..." She watched, eyes gleaming with sadness as Sunpaw dragged herself to the body of Stormstrike and let out a wail. Hesitating for a moment, her various options ran through her head as she was torn between going to scout or hunt like she probably should, or offering to help the medicine cats like she so desperately wanted to. She looked towards Amberdawn and the apprentice that had come in and decided to offer her help elsewhere for now, and come back once they had time to mourn together.