Stranger at Home [Open]

Having deposited her squirrel atop the fresh-kill pile, Hailpaw stepped aside to allow her patrol mates to do the same. As she did so, she tipped her head back and stretched her jaws wide in a yawn. Her fangs, still stained with the blood of her prey, could have made for quite the threatening sight. Ever since returning to ThunderClan, she had been hard at work in an attempt to prove herself useful. Hunting, marking borders, even changing the moss of soiled nests―she had done everything asked of her without complaint, even volunteering where her help was not strictly demanded. The past few days, she had been rising early to take part in the generally undesirable dawn patrol; as a result, she was currently rather sleep-deprived. The yawn that she had just released had been far from her first one ever since waking up. One might question why she was going so far in her efforts. Well, the answer was simple enough. She had to keep her siblings from suffering any more shame on her behalf. After failing them for so long, the only thing she could do now was work as hard as possible to make up for it. Considering all the time she had already wasted, the task would not be an easy one. Even now, when her clanmates met her eyes, some would swiftly turn away. That was exactly what her patrolmates did, soon after depositing their prey. One glance at her, and then they turned and swiftly shuffled away with flattened ears. As if they had not just been working together... As if she was a monster to be feared... Well, she supposed that last statement was true in its own way. Gazing after their retreating tails, the she-cat huffed, mildly annoyed. She could care less about such reactions, but they meant that she was still far from being accepted back. Her current goal was to get Oakstar to trust her enough to grant her a warrior name. It might be a small step considering how long ago she should have accomplished it, but it was a step forward nevertheless. If she did not move forward, then not only would she be failing her siblings, she would be unable to catch up to them as well.

As such thoughts flitted through her mind, Hailpaw turned, only to collide head first into another cat. The impact drove a grunt of surprise from her jaws, and she instinctively took a step back. Despite the 'paw at the end of her name, she was as hefty as some of the larger male warriors in the clan. If she had run into a smaller cat, she could have hurt them. "My bad..." She began.

"Oof-!" Ferretnose squeaked. Somebody had come in from her bad side as she trotted across camp, a mouse in her jaws. "Oh, darn it all, I'm sorry I'm such a... klutz." Blinking a few times, she recognized the copper colored eyes that were a few whiskers from her face. Being such a small she-cat, Hailpaw towered over her in stature. She was a cat they whispered about. Everyone was told to fear her. They called her a murderer.

But Ferretnose was softer than that. She was the sister of two of the most important toms in her life: Pricklebush and Beartooth. Hailpaw was finally home, after running away from responsibility for so long, and she deserved the same second chance any other cat would be given. "How was your patrol, Hailpaw? Did the territory give you a hard time?"

Oakstar padded in a couple cats behind Ferretnose, watching as the tabby got run into by the white form of Hailpaw. He blinked, then smiled softly in amusement. The white she-cat was like a random snowdrift in the leaf fall camp. He padded forward to deposit a thrush on the pile.
"Soon she’ll be invisible in the snow." He chuckled, swiping his tongue over his jaws and looking towards the she-cat who had finally come home.

Pricklebush however… he wondered where the prickly tom was. He didn’t see the tom as much as he knew he probably should. Was it still because of Beartooth? He hoped not, his own sister was here after all, and he doubted that Beartooth would drive a wedge between the two. He forced the thought away as he sat down to talk to the she-cats. Allowing himself the rare indulgence of catching up on general news and gossip.

Hailpaw blinked, taking a second look at the cat before her. A brown and white tabby pelt, a small stature, and one eye rendered the milky colour of blindness―this cat was... It took a moment for her to rummage through the mental list of names she had. It was clear that the other was a clanmate, but that much went without saying. Ferretnose. Right. "Nah, that was my fault." Hailpaw responded casually, an easy smile finding its way unto her maw. To her surprise, Ferretnose did not seem off-put. The petite warrior even went on to ask how Hailpaw's patrol had been. Was it normal, the white-furred apprentice wondered, to treat a murderer so kindly? Back in RiverClan camp, Dappleshine had been the same way. Hailpaw supposed that such soft-hearted individuals existed wherever one went. "It was pleasant enough, thank you for asking." There was a hint of sarcasm in her words, but it could have been covered up by her cheerful demeanor. "While I have been away for a while, the territory has not changed too much." She paused for a moment, yellow eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "I don't think we've had a proper conversation before, Ferretnose... I often see you by Beartooth's side. My brother might be fearsome-looking, but his heart is as soft as fine moss. Please continue to accompany him."

Ferretnose smiled as Hailpaw expressed genuine warmness for what felt like the first time since the large she-cat's return. She wasn't nearly as bad as everybody treated her. She had served her punishment, hadn't she? Was justice not carried out? Did she not deserve a chance to be a part of the clan again? Ferretnose could at least admit that she didn't know everything about the circumstances of Hailpaw's imprisonment, but she didn't feel as though it mattered. Pricklebush and Beartooth still seemed to adore her.

In fact, the mention of the tom made her extremely bashful. A picture of the deputy's pelt, like a fallen leaf at the end of Leaf-Fall, passed through her mind with little resistance. She kneaded the ground, searching for something to say.

"Heh, yeah. He's a good cat. Strong." Oh, you big dummy. "Your other brother seems to say differently. I don't know why. Nobody ever told me why. I hate to gossip... I adore them both, Pricklebush and Beartooth, and it makes me sad."

Oakstar sat down beside them, and Ferretnose chirped to him in greeting. He didn't seem to see anything wrong with Hailpaw, either. It was admirable that their leader extended the loyalty of clanship to those who were worthy of it. Ferretnose was glad to have it. Hopefully, Hailpaw was too. "We're glad to have you home. Most of us, anyways. I hope that's a little comfort."