Flight or Flight [Semi-Open]

Having broken away from Riverclan territory as fast as his paws would carry him, Sparkfrost found himself straining for breath. It was a marvelous feeling as he paused to catch the air and revitalize his lungs, the damp and peaty scent of the forest was refreshing. Behind him were moons of broken memories, fragmented knowledge, and a dead father whose pelt he had never nestled up to. The warrior didn't want to think about it. He just wanted to get away, to start something new, and be around cats whose only expectation of him were that he was himself and not a past Sparkfrost. Sometimes he wanted to know that cat, other times he wished that version of him had never existed. It would have made life vastly more simple. As he wandered the territory, it took some time before he had stumbled upon a patrol and requested to see Oakstar. It was then Dacepaw had revealed herself and began to travel with them to camp. Confusion turned into relief and comfort. He wasn't going to deal with this alone. And then she would finally be able to meet Lynxtail! Life with his two favorite cats would be wonderful. A soft purr rumbled in his lungs as they journeyed to Thunderclan's camp with their escorts.

Upon slipping through a gorse tunnel, they were greeted by a surprisingly dry camp. Admittedly, he missed the mud on his paws already but it looked inviting otherwise. A bulky and imposing tabby greeted them. Sparkfrost had prepared to introduce himself before the larger cat spoke up first, "Oakstar has been notified of your presence. You will stay here until he decides what to do with you." Although Tunderclan was known for their willingness to take in wayward cats, the greeting was held under the large warrior's calculating gaze. It almost felt as if he would never be free of that dull green gaze again. He pulled Dacepaw to his side and lapped at the top of her head. How could something so terrifying be so thrilling and freeing all at once?

If Dacepaw were to take the time to think about it, she would be overwhelmed with emotion at the impact of the decision she had made. Dappleshine and the only home and Clan that she had ever known lay back over the river behind her and her father; crossing the river was a struggle, but the recently named apprentice did not hesitate to venture in her father's trail. Someone in RiverClan camp had died, and the apprentice did not want confirmation to her suspicion that the someone had been Jaystar. She knew that Sparkfrost had been there. He had said nothing, and she didn't want to ask. He had disappeared from camp with words of leaving and following his heart. His daughter had raced after him. When at last Dacepaw caught up with him in unfamiliar territory, he had reveal himself to a patrol of other cats.

The apprentice had been afraid, but she knew that would be her last chance. She couldn't keep up with him at a warrior's pace forever. Dacepaw revealed herself; Dappleshine knew she had left, and she was coming to be with her father. Sparkfrost had been delighted after he got over his initial shock, and she joined him and the patrol going towards what was apparently the ThunderClan camp. Dacepaw was plastered to Sparkfrost's side the whole way, her green-hazel eyes wide as they drank in their surroundings. They entered the ravine and emerged in ThunderClan's clearing. Dacepaw looked around and then whispered, "Daddy, where's all the sand? And the reeds?" The tom pulled her closer and began to lick at her head. She didn't purr, but she leaned against his shoulder.

The news of visitors to ThunderClan reached Oakstar swiftly, despite the fact that he was on patrol. He came in just a moment after the visitors, taking the time to walk behind them, the rest of his patrol silent at his command. He recognised the scent of RiverClan quite plainly, though he didn’t quite recognise the cats themselves.

The apprentice’s comment brought a smile to his face. Though she seemed barely old enough to be an apprentice. He trained his expression to a neutral one as he padded around the diluted calico tom and tortoiseshell apprentice to greet them face to face.
"We do not use reeds here, and sand stays in the training hollow." He answered calmly, his head tilted slightly towards her as he spoke. A friendliness in the amber gaze despite his stoic demeanour.

"I was not expecting a message from RiverClan, why is it you wanted to see me?" He asked, bringing the conversation to the point. His head lifted, the white of his chin and throat prominent against his dark tabby coat as he waited silently for the answer.

"We've left Riverclan and have nowhere to go, Oakstar. We wish to join Thunrderclan, if you'd have us." There was hope in his voice as he answered the leader's question. He glanced down at his kit once again, an obvious love in his eyes. As she spoke of the reeds and sand, Sparkfrost found part of himself missing them. But there were so many things back there he would rather not face, a life he dared not lean into for fear that he would lose who he truly was. Thunderclan was more understanding, at least for now. Hopefully at least more than Skyclan.

A large, dark-furred cat suddenly appeared before Sparkfrost Dacepaw, and she jolted slightly, startled by this new cat's presence - she hadn't even known they were there! The cat had snuck around the two RiverClan cats like a shadow, and Dacepaw stared at them with a mixture of amazement and trepidation. She wasn't sure who this cat before her was; she'd only been an apprentice for a few days. He was ThunderClan, of course - that was obvious. His eyes were warm like the sun, but his expression was sober and intent upon them as he answered the question Dacepaw had quietly asked her dad. The little apprentice stared intently at the strange tom as he explained there was no use for reeds or sand.

"Oh," Dacepaw answered shortly, with a bright tone, and she was pacified for the moment. She was quiet as the dark tom asked what two RiverClan cats had come to camp for, for he hadn't been expecting a message. Suddenly she suspected who this big, sturdy cat in front of them was: the ThunderClan leader? Sparkfrost spoke and Dacepaw looked with big, round eyes up at her father, listening to the words he said. He confirmed her suspicion as he spoke Oakstar's name, explaning that they had left RiverClan and asking to join ThunderClan instead. The warrior met his kit's eyes once he finished speaking, and Dacepaw beamed at her father. Everything would be okay if he said so.

Oakstar puzzled over the tom’s words for a moment. Nowhere to go? He hadn’t heard of RiverClan exiling any cats lately… he glanced down at the young apprentice. There were probably more factors at work then he could reasonably imagine. ‘Jaystar and Scorchclaw probably won’t be too happy to find out a couple of their cats left.’ he mused.

"I must ask, why you are leaving RiverClan?" He kept his tone calm, unwilling to scare these new cats when they must have a reason for seeking shelter and safety away from their homes. "ThunderClan is very different. You’ll have to learn a whole new way of hunting, a way of life. Jaystar and Scorchclaw may not welcome you back... " He paused, letting the weight of his words sink into the young tom and molly respectively. "I will not turn you away, if you wish to learn ThunderClan’s ways and become one of us, you are welcome to."

A small smile quirked at the tom’s lips more openly then. The friendlier nature showing through.
"Of course your name won’t be a bad thing to know." He added, as he waited for the calico’s answer. His gaze fell down to Dacepaw, the smile more evident on his muzzle as he leaned down to greet her as well. "I’ll need your name as well, young apprentice. Are you willing to commit yourself to ThunderClan and our ways?" He smiled despite the serious nature of the question. The apprentice  still had plenty of kit fluff now that he looked closer.

Maybe the kit was cross clan. That would explain why the tom wanted to run, and why he had what was probably his daughter with him. Still, he wouldn’t let the pair be clanless, especially if he hadn’t done anything wrong except be born in the wrong clan as his heart.

Of course, the Thunderclan leader would want to know they're intentions. Was it enough to say he just didn't feel like he belonged in Riverclan, was that it? Originally he had thought it was the way of life these cats lived that deterred him, but really it was the pleading gazes of friends and family that he did not truly know. To meet them in age was far different than growing by their sides. Maybe it had been the desires of his former self that did cling to the warrior way of life, even if borders were stifling. After a moment, he realized his own silence and began to chuckle softly to himself. This would sound so strange to any sane cat. Hopefully Oakstar possessed a little insanity, "My name is Sparkfrost and my kit is Dacepaw." He purred as her name passed from his maw. Although he hardly had the time to consider it, her presence brough him a stability he hardly knew was possible. Only Lynxtail had been able to soothe the nagging of his subconscious that was constantly pushed aside.

"Before the flood, I was attacked by a dog and went to sleep. When I woke up a moon later, all my memories were gone. I don't remember growing up in Riverclan, all my friends are from other clans. And the cat who was supposedly my father just died. It's like... they all expect me to mourn like his other kits but I hardly knew him." He relayed the tale that had been weaved and passed along to him in regards to his injury. Having hardly told the story before, it felt strange passing from his tongue. And as he added in the honesty of it all, well, Sparkfrost looked more downcast than he had been in his entire life, except for the vigil for Starlord that had been held a while back. His gaze flickered to Oakstar's paws before resting on Dacepaw, taking solace in her presence, "I've been as lost as all those moons that flew from my head. I don't really know who I am, Oakstar, but I do know that my paws have been itching to find something else for so long. If you would take us in, I'd be more than happy to serve your clan. My paws seem to know fishing well, but I'm sure voles aren't too different." His words were soft and almost absentminded as he looked at his kit. Something about this felt right.

Sparkfrost gave his answer, but it seemed that Oakstar had more questions. Dacepaw watched her father's face grow stormy with thought and consideration; she wondered what answer he would give. As he contemplated, though, the ThunderClan leader continued speaking. The small tortoiseshell she-cat looked at him as he spoke, seeming almost as if he was giving them a warning. "Jaystar and Scorchclaw may not welcome you back," Oakstar stated gently, and Dacepaw felt a sudden pang of alarm as she quickly turned her head back up to Sparkfrost again with wide eyes. Did he know that they might not be able to go back to RiverClan? Maybe he knew but it didn't matter to him: he had left to follow his heart, and his heart wasn't happy in RiverClan. Maybe returning wasn't an option for Sparkfrost regardless of what Jaystar and her grandfather said.

Oakstar's words became a little more friendly as he requested to know their names. His glimmering eyes met Dacepaw's and she felt her trepidation lessen a little at the warmth in his eyes. She took in a deep breath to answer enthusiastically, but Sparkfrost spoke first, and Dacepaw remembered that it was probably best for her father to speak since he seemed to understand what was happening and what he needed to do. He wouldn't have to go through it alone. The former RiverClan warrior introduced himself, and when he introduced Dacepaw's name she found herself purring her peculiarly loud purr along with him. Sparkfrost grew somber again to answer Oakstar's question.

Dacepaw had heard her father's story before, to some extent; she knew that dogs had hurt him and made him lose his memory. It was news to her, however, that the dying cat - who she still suspected, deep in the depths of her heart, was Jaystar - had been Sparkfrost's father. The tortoiseshell kit said nothing while he finished explaining his desire for something new, promising that he would do his best to serve a new Clan. When Sparkfrost finished speaking, Dacepaw looked at Oakstar again. Am I supposed to say stuff like daddy said? she wondered, glancing uncertainly between the ThunderClan leader and Sparkfrost. While in doubt, she nodded haltingly, hoping that was what he wanted from her.

Listening to Sparkfrost, Oakstar frowned in thought. His mind turning to sympathy at the thought of being lost… uncertain and without memories. He nodded slowly, his gaze flicking to Dacepaw once more before he turned, catching sight of another large tom nearby.
"Beartooth." He called, his tail flicking as he beckoned his deputy over. Expression returning to calm and peaceful neutrality. "You will both be welcomed into ThunderClan. I do believe it is important however, for your original clan to know where you are. With a fox in the forest, it’s best they don’t send search parties that could be attacked." He turned his attention to Beartooth directly.

"Go to the border by sunningrocks and wait there peacefully. When you see a patrol, let them know Sparkfrost and Dacepaw are well, and have decided to join us. You may take a friend with you." He instructed calmly, then turned to his new clanmates. "We’ll have an announcement and ceremony for you this evening. For now, please rest. Feel free to have some fresh-kill. Perhaps..." He looked at Sparkfrost meaningfully. "It might be worth visiting the medicine den. I can take you there if you like."

He returned his focus to Dacepaw with the familiar smile once more.
"I encourage you to go meet your fellow apprentices, but your training won’t start until tomorrow. Feel free to explore the camp at your leisure, but I advise staying within the walls until you learn your way back." He gestured towards the apprentices den, where a couple of them were mingling outside the familiar bracken den.

Sparkfrost was grateful for the welcome of the leader but couldn't help the flicker of a frown that crossed his maw at the idea that Riverclan would know he had left to join another. Dappleshine knew, but the others might take it poorly. Sucking in a deep breath of air, the warrior found himself reduced to a fit of coughing as it hit the back of his throat. The chest-rattling coughs carried on for a moment before he finally seemed to regain control of his breathing. He looked sheepishly up at Oakstar and meowed, "That might not be a bad idea." Glancing around for a moment, the calico tom finally pinpointed what he believed to be the medicine cat's den. His tail flicked across Dacepaw's back and he nodded in the direction of where a few apprentices seemed to be sharing tongues. If Thunderclan was as welcoming as their leader, he was sure she would have no problems making friends here in no time. Right before he padded away, an itch at the back of his throat caused him to pause. And he remembered something as he saw the deputy once more. His head lowered slightly as he spoke to both Oakstar and Beartooth, "I would wait a sunrise or two. Jaystar has died and they're mourning him. I'm not sure how these things work, but I highly doubt there will be extra patrols today."

✢ Beartooth had never really understood the inclinations of leaders to take in cats that were not Thunderclan. Everything he did was for the clan, and to care for the cats who had devoted their lives to Thunderclan. With Leaf Fall just over the horizon, would it make it more difficult to feed extra mouths that had been invited into their ranks? Oakstar knew what he was doing. The bulky tom trusted his leader, even if the brief thought caused his paws to hesitate a step. If these cats were to truly be Thunderclan, he would defend them as fiercely as any of the others. He dipped his head to his former mentor and was prepared to leave when the former Riverclanner spoke up once more. Jaystar was dead? Well, that was unexpected. He glanced at Oakstar again, waiting for further instruction. If what that cat said was true, Riverclan was likely suffering right now. If their leader died, Thunderclan would likely do the same. ✢

Well, whatever Oakstar had expected from Dacepaw, she seemed to have fulfilled his requirements. The large dark leader nodded and then looked at her face once more before turning to signal to another large tom cat. "Beartooth," Oakstar called him over, or perhaps introduced him - she couldn't tell. He continued on that they would be accepted into ThunderClan, but that RiverClan would need to be informed of their location. When he explained it was because there was a fox on the loose, Dacepaw gasped and suddenly looked around as though she expected to see a long, pointed snout trying to thrust its way into the strange camp right then.

At that same moment, Sparkfrost gasped as well, except suddenly his breath caught. He began to cough suddenly, startlined Dacepaw. Her tail bristled reflexively, but as soon as she realized her father had simply coughed she relaxed a little and pressed her body against his, looking up at him comfortingly as he looked apologetically at the ThunderClan leadership. Oakstar's voice caught her attention again, and Dacepaw fixed her eyes back on him as he spoke to the tom named Beartooth. He instructed Sparkfrost to visit the medicine den. Sparkfrost quietly agreed, and Dacepaw looked back at her father once more. Why did he need to see the medicine cat? Weren't those for sick cats?

Neither Oakstar nor Sparkfrost elaborated on the subject any more. Instead, the ThunderClan leader looked at Dacepaw. For the first time the warmth in his face was much clearer and far less hidden than it had been. The six month old she-cat smiled back at him, the smile of a kit with infinite trust and small walls that were easy to pass over. Oakstar gestured towards what was apparently the apprentices' den, and Dacekit's eyes followed to discover that there certainly were cats who looked to be about her age - or a little older - hanging around. The ThunderClan leader encouraged her to meet her new Clanmates and explore the camp.

Though Dacepaw's tail shot up, she looked up at Sparkfrost one more time, her big eyes beaming and full of hope and eagerness. His tail flicked over her back, a wordless permission to go and play and meet the other apprentices, and she shoved her head briefly under his chin, letting out a brief moment of her thunderous purr before she scampered off, bushy tail as high as her hopes.

Oakstar stared at Sparkfrost in a shocked silence for a moment. Jaystar… was dead? How was that possible? The tom was still so young and strong. His gaze turned to Beartooth, and he nodded in agreement.
"Right… go at sunrise in a couple days. Offer our condolences as well… Scorchclaw… Scorchstar may be proud, but he may appreciate it." It was an odd feeling. Still, he gestured for Sparkfrost to follow him as he lead the way to the medicine den. His thoughts churning.

Scorchclaw was certainly never far behind him. It was something the older tom noticed. Still, he’d have been lying to say he didn’t approve. Scorchclaw was a strong and steady tom that would help to keep RiverClan on a stable course… the only problem lay in his leading ThunderClan’s greatest rival. Oakstar thought quietly over the possible situations as he poked his head into the den.
"Mosspaw, Pricklebush, can one of you tend to our newest clanmate?" He asked before withdrawing to give them space.

His gaze went over to Dacepaw, who seemed to take his advice to heart as he smiled at her cheerful attitude. It was always good to have a young warrior who was eager and happy to be who they were, as opposed to constantly just being upset they weren’t a warrior yet.

Mosspaw looked up at Oakstar's voice before looking past him to the tom trailing behind. He smelled of fish and the river, the RiverClan scent still strong on his pelt. A, unasked question lingered in her eyes as she nodded, her voice still hoarse from her earlier cold. "Of course, Oakstar. Pleasse, come sit in one of these nests, uhmm..." She looked between the two toms before Oakstar withdrew, so she instead focused on the newcomer's face. "I'm Mosspaw, the medicine cat apprentice of ThunderClan. What's your name? Do you hurt anywhere?" She asked as she gazed at him carefully, she didn't see any scratches or fresh wounds, some old scars along his back were the main things that stuck out to her. Moving to sit in front of him, she gingerly picked up a front paw and pressed her nose to the pad, checking for a fever.

Never the perceptive one, it took Sparkfrost a moment, but he assumed the leader was sending him to the medicine cats because of the tale he had just weaved. There were no herbs to fix the damage done to his memories. There was no sickness that riddled his body, or would on his pelt, but something beyond their usual understanding. And now a tickle in his throat. He found himself coughing once again. Had he over done it on the patrol or sprinting out here? This Mosspaw started looking him over quickly. Poking and prodding, he was used to at this point. And he decided immediately he liked her. Offering the medicine cat apprentice a warm smile, "Nothing too bad, Mosspaw. I don't think I'm dying yet. My throat hurts a bit, and I've been coughing since we stopped. You have some honey for that though, right?" Spending the time after his moon-long sleep in the medicine cat den, and hanging around Amberdawn had provided him with a few basic facts about herbs. Honey was number one. Maybe if it could soothe the ache of his throat, it would also suffice to stuff away the churning of his soul.

Mosspaw returned the smile with a forced one, an ear flicking lightly as she didn't detect any fever. "Well that's good to hear, so long as I have you under my care I don't intend to let a cough spell your end. You don't have a fever, but if you notice you think you might have one please come right back. The rain and storms we get after sunhigh bring colds if not taken care of, so I want to keep a close eye on it." She specified as she turned, wriggling into the crack that held the stored herbs, reaching a white paw in search of what she was searching for. She chirped quietly for a moment before finally her paw withdrew, holding a single small yellow flower. Setting it down at her side she reached back in and gingerly retrieved an oak leaf with a small amount of honey on it. She tsked to herself, noting that she'd have to go find more. Bringing them over, she coated the flower in the honey and passed it over to him. "Make sure you chew this well, and let the honey do it's work. The tansy should help with your sore throat as well, and the honey will make it easier to swallow with your sore throat. I have to go collect more honey, but I'll make sure to have some if the cough persists. Again, if you develop a fever, come straight back." She fixed the tom with a stern look that wasn't really reflected in her eyes before she turned back to place the oak leaf with honey back in the crevice.