Lost Dawn (Open for SkC after Moss posts)

Pricklebush had been filled with a sense of drive and purpose during the Gathering when he suggested to Mossbloom that they go look for the missing medicine cat, but the birth had shaken him up somewhat. That had never happened at a Gathering before. And the absence of Amberdawn had been staggering... He didn't get anxious, but entering the territory of an apprentice-murdering leader had him on edge a little bit. He didn't get anxious, he didn't get nervous, he didn't get scared. He was certainly none of those things. However, he was lost. Though he hated to admit it... he'd never actually been to SkyClan territory before. He'd never been as great of friends with Amberdawn as he wanted to, and he and Mintwhisker had always hated each other. It all looked like the same tall, thin trees to him.... Keeping the same neutral facial expression, the ThunderClan medicine cat turned to his apprentice. "Uh, Mossbloom," he said hesitantly, "would you happen to know where the camp is? I... honestly have no idea where to go from here. You're the one Amberdawn always spent time with." No, he was not bitter. Not at all. He was completely fine with not knowing where anything in SkyClan was. However... he would admit that he was worried. Worried for Amberdawn, worried for Mossbloom. Worried in general. Hopefully this trip could set at least one of those worries to rest.

The Gathering had finished, wrapping up quickly after Leaftwirl's birth. She had rushed to let Oakstar know where the two of them were heading, then followed Pricklebush as he led the way through the territory towards SkyClan. As they crossed the border, her own sense of reservation and the feeling of being lost returned, but she had to know. She vaguely remembered Aspenheart asking the tall white warrior something about Amberdawn, but she had no idea what his answer had been, missing it while focusing on Leaftwirl. She only hoped all was well, it was very odd for Amberdawn to not be there, especially with Mintwhisker nowhere to be found as well.

Pricklebush stopped in his tracks, turning to her hesitantly. He admitted his lack of knowledge of SkyClan territory, and Mossbloom fidgeted as he mentioned the time she and Amberdawn had spent together. "Actually, I've never been past the border... Amberdawn said that Tinystar was very particular about them, and wouldn't take very kindly to anyone, even a medicine cat, to cross... So if we ever needed something we would just meet at the border..." She trailed off when a scent of SkyClan, relatively fresh, crossed her nose. "We could find the path they take to return from the Gathering, and follow that though!" She mewed brightly as she turned to follow the scent trail, moving slowly through the oddly open forest. Hopefully all was well, and they could maybe help get Leaftwirl settled with her kits as well!

Burningsun had wandered off. Like usual. After the Gathering, she had immediately took to the trees to hide from the group. Lightfang of course, was Lightfang and had been by her side whenever she needed it. Her heart swelled at the thought of the time, yet sent another wave of anxiety through her. She felt different with Sandblaze, but the pain if that rejection still took a claw to her heart. The whole incident still felt unresolved in some way. Everything was unresolved, though. She hated it.

Voices trickled up to her ears from the ground. She was perched on a branch, paw bad touch over the side. Hiding. From what? Straining her ears, a soft breeze drafted the scent of ThunderClan. Bristling, she stood waiting for the cats to come under her branch. Timing it perfectly, Burningsun dropped to the floor below, landing a tail length from the pair.

Her stance was bristling, tense and ready to fight. "ThunderClan!" She hissed, with a soft snarl. Until she took in who it was. Immediately, she straightened up and relaxed her fur, her tail draping low in embarrassment. "I'm sorry Pricklebush, Mossbloom. I didn't see who it was from up there. What do you need?" Her orange head tilted, her multicolored gaze inspecting the pair for any sign of emergency.

Leafttwirl kitting at the gathering had certainly shaken things up a bit, especially when Mintwhisker, SkyClan's remaining medicine cat hadn't attended for whatever reason... But all was well and every cat returned home sound, even the kits, which he was relieved to see. Healthy kits was what his clan needed, not only for strength, but also as a sense of moral and hope, so in hindsight, such an event was truly a blessing to his clan.

Even with an event such as that having happened, it still didn't let him forget about having to inform the other clans about the trial. All of their curious and judging eyes having been on him, all he'd wanted to do was shrink into a shell like a river turtle and never come out. Him saying what he said was very much needed, but even so, he couldn't help but have felt embarrassed, which he hoped was only natural and would've happened to any at under such circumstances...

So here he was, alone in the forest. He should've been back with Sunflower and his kits, but he just couldn't stand to be around anymore cats for the time being. Unfortunately for him, StarClan wasn't so kind as to grant him the simple wish of loneliness, and who better to run into than Burningsun and two cats whom he quickly recognized to be some of the medicine cats that'd helped Leaftwirl with her birth.

In the past, he would've been more paranoid and even angry at their sudden appearance, but he just didn't have the energy to make a fuss over them trespassing. But, that didn't mean that he wasn't going to show at least some dignity, and upon making his way over to the trio, he lifted his head just a little higher and held his tail up. Hopefully, in doing so, it would hide the pure exhaustion in his gaze.

"What do you need?" the tiny legged leader mewed stoically as he padded up to the medicine cats, trying not to wince as his neck wound sent a bolt of pain through his veins. 'StarClan help my neck heal sooner rather than later,' he prayed to himself as he waited for a response.

A walk had been much needed, a chance to stretch her legs. Leaftwirl's kits were growing ever faster, bumbling around camp, jumping on every stray tail. She remained in the nursery to watch over them, oftentimes venturing from camp to collect shiny rocks or pretty red leaves for her loves to press their little paws on. Leaftwirl didn't mind the break from warrior duties, and found it easy to fall back into her moss nest at night, content with the tiny friends that slept at her stomach. There was no nagging desire to please, to search for something stronger. The gift given to her had filled her every desire, and Leaftwirl found it was easy to smile once more as times changed to those of good. Basilkit remained ever bubbly, making Leaftwirl giggle and often roll around camp. She felt more like herself then ever, imagining she could even bounce like her apprenticehood days at this rate. But the boundaries still remained. Sunflower was the father of her kits, and they loved him as much as they did her. Leaftwirl would smile as he brought prey into the nursery, effort obvious in the acts he performed. However her true feelings sat behind jaded eyes. Why did they ever have to get so intimate? She wanted to jump and play in the leaves once more, laughing with simple things as friends did. But kits and love were serious, and while the she-cat thrived with the former, she suffered with the latter. Romantic love was strange, a difficult thing that required thinking. Oftentimes the camp became stuffy due to this phenomenon, and Leaftwirl would opt to leave, hoping to frolic in the forest once more.

This time however, familiar voices echoed from up ahead. Tinystar's monotone mew echoed, as well with the crunching of leaves. Leaftwirl, wanting to avoid the leader, went to turn around when another sound caught her attention. The voice of Mossbloom. Her long-time friend. Maw bearing a big smile, the brown tabby bursted through the foliage in a sprint, emerging into the clearing to gaze upon her friend. "Mossbloom! Oh it's so wonderful to see you again! Tinystar this is... this is..." She remembered last gathering and remembered Tinystar's stoic face, saying no word to the medicine cats that had helped her birth. He knew full well who Mossbloom was, and yet refused to see her as such. Somewhat frustrated, the tabby sighed but it wasn't enough to dampen her mood. "What brings you to SkyClan?"

Leaftwirl seemed to exist underneath the false pretense that her kit was contented to play mindlessly around camp. And that her kit also was not following at her heels. Basilkit had noticed the moment that her mother's head had turned in the direction of the entrance. Padding after the elder she-cat had initially been a mindless effort. Her jovial leaps and bounds were that of a young'in who had just seen their mother for the first time in the day. She was excited, to say the least, and in her youthful ignorance, set out on the course for Leaftwirl. A happy hum seemed to vibrate in her chest as she continued along. It took a few moments before she realized this blissful state had sent her out into the forest for the first time. She paused for a moment to marvel at the world before remembering she needed to keep pace with Leaftwirl. And then, recalling that perhaps she wasn't supposed to be outside of the camp walls.

But her mother was here, it was okay. The broad grin returned and she continued the hopeful pursuit. It seemed the tabby tail disappeared in a flash though. For a moment, Basilkit wasn't sure what to do, and tilted her broad gray head every which direction as she considered. Her nose twitched and caught the sweet scent of Leaftwirl. She knew what to do! She would hunt like a big warrior to find her mother. This was a fun game. Foxpaw would enjoy it very much. Her paws picked up pace and carried her right into the center of the Skyclan and Thunderclan cats assembled there. Eyes were wide as she looked up at all of them. But there were no hints of fear, only an ignorant joy, as she nuzzled the chest of her mother and proudly proclaimed, "I found you! The hunt was successful! Tinystar, I can be a warrior now, right?"

Pricklebush was somewhat surprised to hear that his apprentice had never been to SkyClan either... with the friendship she and Amberdawn had had, he'd assumed that she'd been to camp. But neither of them had even been past the border before. He nodded at her suggestion, ready to start tracking the trail that would be undeniably fresh- when a SkyClan warrior quickly dropped out of a tree into their path, snarling and ready to fight. After tensing for a moment, his old warrior training kicked in and he stepped in front of Mossbloom... then the warrior stopped once she realized who they were. I should think so! Undeniably still a little shocked by the sudden jolt of adrenaline, he nodded slightly at the warrior while he caught his breath. Not as young as he used to be... The medicine cat was about to reply, when who should appear but Tinystar himself, lifting his head to look imposing and unwittingly baring the still nasty scar on his neck. Inflicted by one of his own warriors, if he remembered correctly. The tiny tom didn't scare him... Pricklebush absolutely towered over the leader. He could hold his own in any battle, physical or mental. As it was, though, he found it somewhat off-putting that the leader had just been wandering around in the forest. His gaze flitted from warrior to leader, then he sighed. "We're looking for-"

Another cat crashed through the bush- this time, the she-cat who had just recently given birth. Followed by one of her kits. StarClan, is the whole Clan coming out here? He disapproved at whoever had let both out of camp, because the queen ought to be resting and looking after her new brood. But what say did he have in this? He was just an intruder, here on concern for a- well, a colleague. He wasn't sure that Amberdawn was his friend, though he would have loved it to be so. "We're here for multiple reasons," he began after a side look at the interrupting parties. Though he would admit that the kit was adorable. "Mossbloom, for one, wanted to help out with Leaftwirl and make sure everything was all right after the birth. I am here because I want to know why Amberdawn wasn't at the Gathering... or anywhere else." His words were slow and deliberate, not threatening at all, only reasonable. His stance, however, was ready for anything. His broad shoulders were squared, his tail moving slowly behind him, his ears pointing all the way up. If the tiny tom tried anything, he would have another thing coming. Mostly, though, despite not wanting to admit it... he was worried about Amberdawn.

A cat dropped from the limbs over their heads, but quickly relaxed upon recognizing the two. A breath of relief escaped the calico as they all relaxed, and suddenly Tinystar, Leaftwirl, and one of the new kits was present. She nodded as Pricklebush spoke before chiming in. "Yes, we're concerned about Amberdawn and I wanted to give a full report to Mintwhisker and Amberdawn regarding Leaftwirl's birth. Since they weren't there for it. Are they both feeling ill or something? Do you need one of us to stay and help if they're unable to come to the Gathering? I'd be happy to do so, if you need the extra paws, for a short time."

Moving around to look over Leaftwirl, she was happy to see that everything seemed to check out. Purring softly, she lowered her head to the small kit's with a smile. "Hi there, little one. What's your name? Are you behaving well for your mother?"