[Swept Away Topic] Bridging the Gap

Salmonkit peered down below as the cats streamed onto the bridge. His eyes were a bright blue, still that kitten shade, and filled with excitement. He had no memory of his life outside of the shores, and he didn't know more cats even existed! Like usual, the older cats seemed to forget about him so he laid down for a few seconds, pondering. But sitting still was wayyyy to hard for him. Again, Salmonkit stood and peered over the railing. Coming underneath him was a large, black cat. The cat was the biggest, fluffiest cat Salmonkit has ever seen! It was like a black cloud! Excitement fluttered in his thin grey chest before he leaves, straight at the black cat's head. "I'm a bird!" He cried, right before he made contact. His claws dug in, and he managed to hang on for almost a second before flopping to the ground at the black cat's paws. Purring, the silver kit looked up at the older Tom. "Hiiiiiiiiiii" he meowed, cocking his head to the side.

Ooc: he's jumping on Scorchstar

Near the head of the traveling group, Leopardstar's weary paws threatened to stumble and fail, but he kept going, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.  StarClan had told them to follow the stars back to the forest, and soon enough, night would fall on the lake.  Despite their exhaustion, they needed to travel through the darkness, following the light.  It was the only way.  One tiny voice though broke him out of his desperate thoughts; turning around, he saw with a twinge of guilt Jaguarkit, a little she-cat he had found not too long ago abandoned by the waterside.  Not willing to leave any cat to fend for themselves, even in this dire time, he had adopted her just as he had for Lynxtail and his other kits.  This kit though was different, and every time he saw her his heart ached.  Jaguarkit's right foreleg was completely missing.  She had told him that it had always been that way since she was born, and she coped well enough without it, but such a journey for a crippled kit...  As soon as the thought came over him though, he dismissed it with ferocity.  Did you not know Darkflight, the three-legged former leader of ThunderClan, and the she-cat who took you into the clan?  Come on Leo, you know better than that!  With an apologetic smile, Leopardstar bent down and grabbed Jaguarkit's scruff between his teeth, placing her carefully on his back before purring; "We're going home little one, to the place where we belong."  Lynxtail's nudge caught Leopardstar's attention, and he tilted his head at his older son's confusing statement; what is he meowing on about?  We're nowhere near the forest!  He realized quickly though that not every cat was thinking about the long haul; the lake was rapidly narrowing into something that much more resembled their river back home, and up ahead he could catch sight of something odd...  A Twoleg structure bridging the water.  Many cats had already reached it, and some even had bounded out onto it.  His heart fluttering with alarm, he pushed forward through the crowd and hissed, eyes displaying his anxiety.  "Be careful, we don't know what that thing is!"  His eyes darted to Mintwhisker, agreeing with her words, but it seemed to be too late.  Many of the younger cats had already gotten halfway across, and with a sigh, Leopardstar himself stepped onto the wooden path, his hazel eyes dark and serious.  "Get back here, all of you!  We have other things to worry about...?!"  His voice trailed off as, he too, picked up familiar scents.  Very familiar scents.  No..it can't be!  Eyes widening to the size of moons, the ThunderClan leader trotted up the stable bridge until he was at its peak, and looked out over the sight beyond.  "C-Clan cats!"  His heart beating with pure joy, Leopardstar smiled as he caught sight of Scorchstar, and suddenly realized that he had never imagined himself being so happy to see the leader of ShadowClan.  "Scorchstar!  Oh, thank StarClan you're all safe!  Scorchclaw, Mintwhisker, Wildstrike, and Thornbriar are with us, and many others!"  With a relieved laugh, Leopardstar looked out over the crowd of cats following him and waved his tail reassuringly.  "Don't worry; the path is stable, and it's led us to our Clanmates at long last!"

---

Magpiepaw padded alongside Dapplepaw and Otterpaw, yet staying at a bit of a distance.  His nerves were shaking him to his very core, and he didn't think he could handle any curious questions at the moment.  They were finally leaving the lake, heading off towards StarClan knows where, and not only that, they still hadn't found his siblings.  He had long given up hope of finding his mother, Finchstream; if Cloudstone hadn't survived the ordeal, why would Finchstream have been any different?  As much at the thought tore his heart into pieces, he had to think rationally.  Egretpaw, Raggedpaw, and Cranepaw could've survived...but if they left, who knows if they would ever find their way home?  As well, Magpiepaw knew that he was too much of a coward to go off looking for them on his own; gathering moss barely out of sight of the camp had scared him into his nest for the rest of the day, how could he possibly think he could brave such unknown territory?  His ears and tail drooping, he reflected on Cloudstone's dying wish; for him to keep his family together.  I'm trying Cloudstone...but...I don't know if I can do it!  Sighing, Magpiepaw stopped as the crowd did, head drooping.  It took him a moment to register that they had halted for a reason, and as excited cries rang out around him, the small apprentice felt himself drawing closer to Dapplepaw, fear apparent in his golden eyes.  After a moment though, he realized that he could smell something...  Leopardstar's words confirmed it; jaws opening wide, he surprised even himself by bolting away, dodging through the crowd until he reached the Twoleg structure.  He only hesitated for a moment before jumping on, dashing as fast as his little legs could carry him until, finally, he reached the peak.  Panting for breath, he called out, voice cracking in desperation; "Egretpaw!  Raggedpaw, Cranepaw!  A-Are you there!  Say...Say s-something, please!"

Jaguarkit had coped well thus far on the journey but as she had sat for a moment and asked her question she had looked up to see Leopardstar ,the tom who had taken her in when her parents abandoned her, come back over to her. To little Jaguarkit he was already more of a father to her then her parents had been.. Perking her ears a bit she gave a small purr when he picked her up placing her her on his back giving her a chance to rest her already tired paws."Really? I can't wait"the little three legged kit mewed hopeful and yet also excited. She gave a small smile and held fast as Leopardstar had moved about. Her blue green eyes taking in everything that was happening from a new height. Her small roundish ears perked a bit though despite everything she chose to stay quiet as she spotted new faces.

Despite her hope, Amberdawn remained frozen, waiting for Scorchstar's response. The small golden tabby felt her tail-tip twitching impatiently, something uncharacteristic of herself, as she waited for the leader's assessment of the situation. "It looks safe enough to cross, but I want to test it first," the ShadowClan tom responded. It was fair, but Amberdawn wondered why he should be the one to risk himself. He had already turned around before she could say anything. She shut her mouth quickly, deciding that she didn't want to be the one to tell another Clan's leader they were wrong. After all, his first several steps on the odd surface appeared harmless enough.

Of course Scorchstar noticed his son's yowling at the same moment that Amberdawn did. The dark tom looked half furious and half terrified as the brightly colored tom went sprinting by and fully onto the structure with no regard to his leader and kin's demand. Amberdawn herself bristled slightly with uneasiness, worked up a bit by Scorchstar's own fear; however, both quickly realized that the odd pathway was stable.

The ShadowClan leader saw something else, too. What, Amberdawn wasn't certain, but the tom froze for several moments as if he'd spotted something in the distance - on the other side of the bridge? The SkyClan medicine cat waited uncertainly, and after a moment he turned and announced, "This thing is stable enough to cross, but you must still be careful just in case." His next words needed not be said, but still Amberdawn appreciated them: "Let us cross; there are Clan cats on the other side!"

Amberdawn was uncertain, but hopeful. The golden tabby glanced over her shoulder to see Leafpaw quickly sprinting past, eagerly searching. She took one step onto the smooth wooden surface and then another and several more until she was padding along with the flow of the rest of the Clan cats who were eagerly crossing in search of their kin. Amberdawn could feel her heart pounding. Her eyes were narrowed, ears perked and lips parted slightly as she tried to soak in her surroundings, searching for one cat in particular.

"Did someone fall?" a voice asked faintly from the other side of the bridge. Amberdawn remembered the voice from her kithood - the voice that had given her both her apprentice and medicine cat name and had guided her through her training and that she had missed dearly. "Mintwhisker," the golden tabby breathed. Already she was off in her own tunnel of a world, dark amber eyes focused as she raced towards the other cats. "Mintwhisker?" Amberdawn called for her mentor, heart pounding. Please, StarClan, let that voice have been her. Let me find her again.

Gladepaw had fled as fast as she could, as she'd heard, but it had caught her and she had been flushed away. She hadn't known where she'd awoken, but that she was alive, miraculously. Her pelt had been a mess, and she'd had a large gash running down her left leg. It had hurt a lot. She could barely stand on it, but she'd applied what basic healing she had known, and it hadn't fallen off, so she must of done something right. Having a medicine cat for a brother had paid off in the end.

About a moon or so after, she'd begun to wander picking up different scents, some familiar, but they were almost all stale. She'd learned to depend solely on herself, and to always trust her instincts. Yet it had been far to lonely, and far to unfamiliar, so she'd started looking for someone to keep her company.

Today was her lucky break, she'd caught a fresh scent, and she'd followed it. It had lead her all over the place, growing stronger gradually, until the scent was multiple cats. Gladepaw had nearly jumped up and down with excitement, and she was filled with hope. Was it ThunderClan, were they alive? Were her siblings alive?

Gladepaw scrambled up a steep incline, and the scent overwhelmed her, a moment before she saw the cats gathered below. Her eyes quickly raked over the ones gathered, many were unfamiliar to her, but a single spotted gold pelt caught her eye. Gladepaw's heart almost stopped, as she tried to recall why it caught her eye. Everything was fuzzy, blurry. She'd been gone so long. She couldn't think of who the pelt belonged to, but that she knew it. That she known its owner. The name was at the tip of her tongue, and then she caught sight of the cat's face.

"L-Leopardstar?"

Gladepaw's feet began to move down the other side of the incline, towards Leopardstar. Her heart was beating wildly, and something along the lines of hope and dread began to pool in her stomach. She halted before the tom, eyeing him with uncertainty. "Leopardstar?" she asked again, quieter more unsure. Was she wrong in coming here? What if they were hostile? She couldn't fight off this many cats, even if she wouldn't admit it.

Hearing a familiar voice her name from the other side of the strange Twoleg thing, Mothpaw stopped still. Then, suddenly, the voice sounded again, reassuring her that she wasn't just hearing things. And that voice... She hadn't heard that voice since she'd been a newly named apprentice. "Poppyheart!" she shouted, racing forward faster than before. As she did, though, she spotted yet another familiar figure on the other side. "...Father? Father! You're here?" If Scorchstar was here, and Poppyheart was here, then surely Silentpaw was too? She called out her sister's name, searching for her white pelt and hoping for a response. "Silentpaw...?"

As Amberdawn tried to make her way through the crowd, her heart and head raced with thoughts of her mentor. She searched for the familiar tabby coat. However, before she could locate the older she-cat, a glinting light in the distance caught the young medicine cat apprentice's amber eyes. Her gaze flickered to the distance of the direction they were traveling; in the distance, a dark shadow loomed on the horizon. Though it was barely recognizable from here, Amberdawn felt certain that must be Highstones and the other mountains. Just behind it the sky seemed to glow a deep red, and she felt a sense of foreboding. As if a breeze had rushed through, she felt a shiver that shook her whole body.

A soft voice spoke as if all around her, but immediately the golden tabby knew it was only in her head. "Five Clans scattered near and far," it murmured, "and distant blood will spill on distant ice. The mountains wait for battle when five Clans reunite." Amberdawn hesitated, cats continuing to move around her. A sprinkle of starshine in the dark band on the horizon made the she-cat understand: the rest of the Clans had made it to the mountains.

Had she been the only one to see it? "Mintwhisker!" Amberdawn yowled more urgently now, leaping over the crowd to try to find her mentor. "Anyone - please, is Mintwhisker here?" she asked desperately. Maybe Mintwhisker saw the sign too! She can help me understand what battle is waiting, Amberdawn thought hopefully, though she became frantic as she failed to find her mentor.

Heronflight walked towards some Twoleg... bridge, as some of the cats around him called it.  He remembered the flood that took him away from his son.  The gray tabby looked down as he remembered the experience, as he didn't want to remember painful memories.  However, worry and anxiety stabbed his heart like claws raking his belly.  Is Larkfeather okay?  How about Scorchclaw - I didn't see him on our shore.  And what about all of my clanmates who were stranded from the flood, he thought.

The bridge looked unsteady, as almost like it would collapse the moment one of the cats stepped on it.  However, the cats on the other side stepped on it without any problems.  The gray tabby noticed a brown tabby cat from the other side, and the cat looked a lot like Larkfeather.  Could it be... The gray tabby shook it off.  He was just dreaming.  There was no way that Larkfeather survived.  Or did he, by some miracle, survive the flood?

~

Larkfeather was in the middle of the group, walking towards a rickety Twoleg - thing.  The brown tabby tom had to put all things aside for the past few moons, knowing that the clans had to work together to survive.  Hearing Leopardstar's announcement, Larkfeather dashed towards the front, almost falling down in the process.  When he looked up, a familiar voice called out, "Are you okay?"  "I'm fine," he replied, not realizing who it was for a few seconds.  The brown tabby opened his mouth slightly in disbelief.  His father is alive and looked like he was doing well, or at least as well as a clan cat can be being separated from most of his clanmates.  

~

Acornfall padded towards the worn bridge (or at least she thought it was called a bridge), and she didn't know what the group was doing at the bridge/Twoleg thing/whatever it was. Then she saw her clanmates, and she realized that she was living in this group for so long, she almost forgot about SkyClan.  She knew that her loyalty lied in SkyClan, and she would never betray them.  Out of the blue, a brown tabby dashed right past her, heading towards the river.  Luckily, after almost losing his balance, he stopped just in time before he fell in the water.  She realized that if he fell in, she should've been responsible.  She could've slowed him down in advance, and guilt engulfed her.  Just then, she realized that she shouldn't feel guilty, as nothing truly happened besides a giant scare.  She should be happy, because she could see her friends again.  The cat - Larkfeather, if she remembered correctly - opened his mouth, then smiled at another cat, a gray tabby with gleaming green eyes.

~

Heronflight saw the brown tabby run towards the shore, almost falling.  Almost as a reaction, he called, "Are you okay?" to the cat.  The reply sounded just like Larkfeather's voice and his way of speaking.  Heronflight was stunned.  Was Larkfeather alive?  "Larkfeather?" he called in disbelief.  The reply was short but amazing to hear: "Dad!"  The brown tabby tom ran towards Heronflight, both of them ecstatic.  They touched noses, and Heronflight whispered underneath his breath, "I would never leave you, and I care so much about you."

Tigerkit walked alongside the other cats, excited to see the world. From his earliest memories, travelling had been his life. He was curious to experience the full journey to its end and get to do more. The tom was a feisty kit with fire in his belly, causing him to scamper ahead as soon as some exhilarating things began to take place. He couldn't wait to be an apprentice and learn how to fight, but he was certain he could take whatever was about to happen.

Hailsong had been following Scorchclaw determined to keep the young cats of her clan safe. She never wanted kits like most she-cats but here she was, with two kits and taking care of a bunch of apprentices. Sometimes he looked around and thought about how similar he had become to her long-gone mother, who died giving birth to her and her siblings. Unlike Hailsong, Cinder always wanted a big. At least that's what Jaystar always told her... The dilute calico wondered if she was now in Starclan with the rest of her deceased family: Stormstrike, Peatpaw, Pikekit, Sagekit... all of them. Maybe one day it would be her turn to join them but after all this chaos, it seemed that Starclan still had plans for her in life. Maybe one of those plans was to look after the young ones.

The small she-cat took turns to carry Finchkit and Mistlekit. When she was about to grab her biological daughter, the clans found the bridge and not only that... Her green emerald eyes widened with surprise when her gaze met the silhouettes of so many cats arriving at the same place. She didn't feel fear or doubt. The RiverClanner was sure that those cats were part of the clans that got split due to the flood. A small gasp escaped from her mouth as cats started gathering, greeting each other with glee and more hope than ever. Hailsong stayed with her two kits closely, trying to not lose her daughters in the chaos when her eyes met her mate's. Tears of joy suddenly filled her eyes and the small feline rushed to Blizzardshell's side, bumping her head into his chest as she purred with happiness. "Thanks to Starclan! I've missed you so much...!" She mewed, licking his fluffy white fur. Hailsong then turned her face to Finchkit and Mistlekit, who were a few steps behind. With a movement of her thin tail, she invited the kittens to join them. "Come here, sweeties. This is your father, Blizzardshell."

However, despite her happiness, something was starting to bug her. The dilute calico started looking around, concerned. Yet, she couldn't find what she was looking for. Hailsong turned her face to Blizzardshell and asked him. "My love... where's my father? Where's our son, Hawkpaw? Are they not with you?" She mewed worried.

Heart pounding, Mintwhisker gritted her teeth and shouldered her way through the swarming crowd. Other cats were here- Clan cats were here. Her heart fluttered. Could that mean...? "Amberdawn!" She cried, trying to see over the heads of the other clan cats. "Amberdawn, are you there?"
Her large ears twitched as a faint voice reached her. With a yelp of excitement, the taupe she-cat jumped as high as she could, scanning the crowd for her familiar pelt. "Amber-!" There! She waded through the swarm of cats, her whiskers trembling. The moment she caught sight of her apprentice she broke into a run, dodging other reuniting cats and nearly bowling some over in her haste to reach the golden she-cat. "Oh, thank Starclan!" She cried, pulling her into a tight embrace.

With every paw he placed on the ground in front of him, Copperheart felt incredibly empty. It had been at least a moon since he had seen his siblings, and he was on the verge of completely losing it. It wasn't the possibility that they were dead that made him nearly lose his sanity, but the fact that the tom had absolutely no clue what their state was at all. If his family were alive, he would ache to know where they were, their location, and travel as far as he needed to in order to reach them. If they were dead, then this journey had been for nothing, and he might as well lie on the ground and wait for death. Either was a fine option for the tom, but instead, he had zilch information on where his family was. 

That was his drive.

The ginger tabby forced himself to keep moving. Every time he stopped, it just meant losing time to find answers. He needed to know if his family was dead or alive, and right then, he might. 

Suddenly, Copperheart's head shot up at the sound of a familiar voice, one he hadn't heard in a long time. A look of disbelief crossed his features, for when he looked up, he saw the golden, brown-flecked pelt that matched the voice he thought- no, he did recognize. "...Dad? Dad! DAD!" Overwhelmed with emotion, Copperheart started pushing past the crowd of cats with what strength he had left over from the journey. He needed to reach Leopardstar if it was the last thing he did.

Finally getting past the crowd, Copperheart stood stiffly, a few meters from his father. That wasn't what made him stiff, though. It was the fact that his brother, Lynxtail, was standing right there next to him. Copperheart felt his eyes water, welling up with emotion, before bursting into sobs and laughter. He shakily walked towards them before pressing his pelt and head against them both, trying not to cry (though this was clearly a failure).

No one responded to Amberdawn's plea, and for a moment she felt almost crushed by the weight of her fear. What if Mintwhisker wasn't here? What if no one had seen her? What if they had, but...? The golden tabby she-cat felt her shoulder get clipped by another cat rushing by and she stumbled on her paws with a small squeak. Amberdawn recovered her footing, but she felt small and afraid. Her name being squeaked over the crowd caught her attention, and she turned her wide, frightened eyes towards it just in time to spot a familiar tabby springing into the air, mint eyes locking with hers in the distance. "Mint!" Amberdawn mewed in a shrill voice. 

Already the figure of her mentor had sunk back into the crowd, but now Amberdawn knew she was there. She had made it. She's alive! Amberdawn thought, her eyes misting with relief. Her small steps covered what ground they could, and before she knew it - when too much time had passed - her small golden tabby frame collided with the thick fur and sturdy frame of Mintwhisker. Her mentor, her Clanmate, her kin. The young medicine cat apprentice's body was immediately stricken with uncontrollable trembling as she sank into Mintwhisker's neck and chest. Without realizing it, Amberdawn had begun to cry, her face buried in the thick, dark tabby fur she had missed for so long. She couldn't speak through her sobs as they tightened her throat. One little piece of home had returned to her.

Scorchstar skidded immediately to a halt to avoid trampling a rather young kit rushing up to greet him. This kit didn't look like any kit he had seen before, nor did he smell like any specific Clan -- probably because all the Clans had spent so much time close to one another that their signature scents began to merge together. Then the kit leaped and landed right on his head. With a huff of breath in absolute surprise, he stumbled, regaining his balance once the kit fell off. He looked down at the little tom, his large green eyes staring up at him with wonder and playfulness, and immediately the large tom felt his heart melt. What an adorable little kit. Scorchstar purred and lowered his broad head to nuzzle the kit's belly. "Well, hiiiii, to you, too, little one, hmhmm."

A new voice spoke up, and he rose up his head to see ThunderClan's leader Leopardstar approach him, seeming to look very relieved to have found another Clan leader. He in turn was just as relieved. He smiled, and his heart began to race with anticipation. Had Leopardstar seen Minnowcall? It appeared that all the cats who had gotten separated on the opposite side of the lake had all rejoiced and traveled together to arrive here, so he must have seen where she was! "I am so glad to see you and the others are doing well, Leopardstar. I ... I must ask you a question, though." After glancing away, feeling a little awkward for asking a leader from a rival Clan a very personal question, he looked back into the speckled tom's eyes. "Have ... Have you seen a ShadowClan cat named Minnowcall? She's a calico queen. She's ... my mate. I've been worried sick about her. Is she with you, Leopardstar?"

---

A mighty purr rose in Poppyheart's throat, one he couldn't quell even if his life depended on it, nuzzling his little sister and former apprentice with all the love his heart held for her. Oh, stars, how he had missed her! At her question, he rose up his head with a wide grin. "Oh! Worry not, Mothpaw! Silentpaw's with us! Asterspark and I had found her not too long after we first arrived on the shore. She's out there in the crowd somewhere."

---

Asterspark had been startled when Poppyheart suddenly raced across the brown Twoleg thing, but after seeing he went to meet with their sister Mothpaw he quickly relaxed. Soon the Clan cats from both sides of the Twoleg thing began crossing it to reunite. He followed after the crowd, looking for one cat in particular. He began growing worried when he didn't see her dark pelt right away in the sea of pelts, and he couldn't pinpoint her unique scent, either. She was here, right? "Thorny? Thornbriar? Where are ya?"

Brookclover had found several things when traveling alongside the other clans, differences in personalities and habits, but none of it was contentment. She longed for the comforts of the open moor without her coat brushing up against the pelts of her enemies. As they moved along, she made sure to stay near Grousepaw and Ravenpaw, with her gaze trained on her former mentor. Occasionally her whiskers would twitch at the sight of how close he and Graybriar were but she supposed it was at least better than dealing with Shadowclan or Riverclan cats for now. Despite the churning within her stomach, the russet warrior held her head and chin high. Not even her drawing emerald gaze betrayed a hint of her internal struggle. Traditionally, there had been a relentless fire that burned in her belly but the blaze had been reduced to a mere smolder.

As they neared the bridge, the sight of another group of cats bred a small hope in her chest. Her eyes scanned the crowd, seeking out any sign of Finchbreeze, or even Brindlestar. Someone, anyone. There was no such luck. Brookclover's ears fell back against her skull for a brief second before perking up once more. Neither were here. Somewhere deep inside, a stubborn, relentless determination made her believe that even if he was not here, Finchbreeze had to still be out there somewhere. She said nothing but sat back on her haunches as cats all around cried out in relief at the sight of their beloved kin and clanmates. She had no such reunion yet. And so she simply waited for her apprentices to rejoin her without saying a word. There was nothing to be said.

****

Even with a newfound determination to engage himself in the lives of the cats who seemed to know him, Sparkfrost was still left with an empty head. There was no magical flash of memories coming back to him or any semblance of past knowledge. He knew little more than the whiskers on his face, those he had met after the flood, and a distant kithood that had been long-forgotten by those who had been there. Each step was about as solid as ice at the end of fall. Although with the help of Amberdawn and Sagepaw, he had begun to return strength to his under-utilized muscles from the moon he had laid unmoving in the medicine cats den. Like the Windclan warrior, Brookclover, there wasn't anyone he knew to join in with the greetings. He was contented to watch for now. But it struck a chord in his chest to watch such emotion shared between cats. Would he be like that someday?

***

Burntstag followed alongside the rest of the Shadowclan cats, solemn as ever. It appeared that cats still lived after all. He was grateful to know this disaster had not wiped out the majority of the clans. Although would that have really been a bad thing? He hated the idea of lives being lost to such a pointless occurrence, however, with the annihilation of the clans, tradition, and mentality would die out as well. Their work would be made so much simpler. But death was not the solution. Flintfang and him still had so much to do. His ear flicked at the sound of cats greeting each other all around. As long as more Shadowclans still lived, and those he knew in Thunderclan, Burntstag would not have to worry about loss quite yet.

He stuck close to Silentpaw. As everyone sought out their loved ones, he was contented here. The only reason he still cast a green gaze over the new comers was to seek out the familiar pelt of Dawnpaw. Where was she?

***

[Beartooth does something when Ripped has more time]