Not very chivalrous of me {OPEN}

The rippling of chills slid down his spine as Ash was awoken by the ever-present ceiling leak in their run-down little fox den, wrinkling his cold nose against the urge to sneeze.  He had a cold, thanks to their wet grass bedding that refused to dry, and the fact that he had made the decision to sleep right under that meddlesome stream of rainwater.  Opening his eyes, formerly bright and smiling but now heavy and dull as if being crushed by the weight of the world, his gaze fell immediately upon the two silent forms lying beside him; he waited for a long unblinking moment, studying them, before finally exhaling.  They're breathing.  We lasted another night...  Wincing as his body slowly uncurled, bones aching down to the marrow, he gave his injured shoulder only a passing glance despite the fact that the flesh had taken on a more putrid color, and every time it moved he felt as if the dog's fangs were sinking into him all over again.  It didn't matter right now.  All that mattered was making sure his siblings didn't starve...that they lived.  He was fine sleeping with wet fur, or skipping meals, even stealing for everything they ever needed.  To see Quail and Iris's smiling, healthy faces was a treasure he would fight for till the end, no matter what foe he must face.  Today, that foe was his own body; gritting his teeth, Ash managed to lift himself to his paws, making sure to keep his head low so that he didn't hit the top of the burrow.  We're getting too big for this spot, especially me.  I don't know how much longer we can stay here without piling on top of each other.  They may be in a fox den, but it had clearly been made for pups, not adolescent cats, and digging it out wider wasn't an option.  The frequent new-leaf showers had made the soil too soft and unstable; one wrong move, the whole den would collapse.  Then where would they go?  Ash hadn't traveled far enough into clan lands to know of any other safe places besides this one, which was already too deep into their territory for comfort.  It was truly a miracle that they had so far been unnoticed, and he wanted to keep it that way.  Carefully, Ash stepped over his brother and sister's skinny, frail bodies, feeling his heart sink at the sight of their protruding ribs and haunches.  He knew that he probably looked the same, but at least he had a longer pelt to hide that fact from them.  Nudging Quail's cheek until he awoke, Ash spoke in a hushed whisper for the sake of Iris; one of them needed to be awake while he was hunting, and his poor little sister had always been the weakest among them.  "Quail, I'm going out.  Make sure you stay awake this time, please.  It scares me knowing that yesterday you were both asleep at the same time without me here...I know it's hard, but you have to.  Be as strong as you can.  I love you."  

Sliding from the den into the open air, Ash properly stretched out, sighing as he felt his joints crack and become more limber.  All except for his right shoulder.  It wasn't raining at the moment, but the early dawn sky was darker than usual, and stormclouds loomed on the horizon like a hawk scouting its prey.  Shaking off the water droplets clinging to his silvery-gray pelt, he noticed just how matted the fur on his chest was...and his back.  His flanks too.  He could feel the itch of fleas as well, but there was no time.  The patrol at dawn would be around soon if they weren't already.  Taking a decisive breath, Ash set off down the hill, his limp no longer bothering him like it once had.  The pain was though; reaching a willow tree, the young tom reached up with his uninjured foreleg and hooked a piece of bark, clamping down on it and chewing.  As he went forward, he slowly felt the blazing fire in his shoulder reduce to a smolder.  Ash remembered clearly that day moons ago when his mother had taught him about willow bark; she had been raised at the edge of the forest by two she-cats who used herbs to heal other cats and thus had picked up some of that knowledge.

"Remember Ashy, chewing on willow bark relieves all sorts of pain.  Aching joints in elders, thorn pricks in kits, pretty much anything!"

I miss her soft voice, the way she laughed, that nickname...I miss it all.  Why...why couldn't I have saved her, and father?  A moment of weakness, he felt his lip quiver.  Quickly shaking his head, Ash lifted his head high and stiffened his jaw.  I can't think about things like that, not now.  Maybe someday, but not now.  I have a job to do.  He had almost reached his usual hunting spot, a grove where mice and sometimes shrews lived.  So far he had only been able to kill small rodents; squirrels were too big and fast, and rabbits were almost as big as he was.  The one time he had chased one it had turned around and chased him instead!  He supposed it was only natural; being only five moons old and not fully grown yet, most things were still bigger than him.  The last few days had been a bust; all the rodents were hiding down in their holes because of the rain, and it seemed today was just the same.  Sniffing the air, he couldn't pick up any fresh prey scents.  Rat-dung, not again!  I need food!  Eyes squinting angrily, Ash sunk his claws into the muddy ground, grinding up tiny grass shoots with his paws as he tried to think.  This is the third day...only one pathetic shrew.  Quail and Iris could barely split it.  How do the cats here live with so little prey?  Or am I just bad at hunting?  Sighing, Ash looked out across the grassy expanse before him, sometimes dotted with birch and willow trees; he knew the river split the land in half.  One side was the forest, the other fields.  It had to be more prey-rich in the woods, surely?  He had never been there though, and it was too far a journey to make every single day just to hunt; he would have to move his siblings there as well.  That option made his stomach churn with anxiety, so he put it to the back; come on Ash, you gotta think!  What's your plan?  You have to think of something...anything!

SPLASH!

Barely muffling a shocked squeak, Ash bolted behind a bush without thinking, peering out between the branches frantically to find the source of the commotion.  W-who's there?!  A Clan cat?  Quail?  Is something wrong with Iris?!  No...that's not Quail's pelt...must be a clan cat.  Wait...why are they standing in the pond?  Is that...is that a fish?!  Mouth gaping, Ash watched in disbelief as the clan cat lifted it's head, revealing a shiny, fat fish trapped in its teeth.  He had never seen such a thing in his life, and he had seen some pretty bizarre things...he knew kittypets sometimes got chunky fish in their bowls since he had stolen a bite or two before, but that stuff was absolutely rancid!  Oily, smelly, sticks in your mouth...why would a cat willingly choose to eat that?  Was that cat starving like them, because in all honesty, fish would be better than nothing at the moment.  More curious now than scared, Ash watched as the cat, proud bounce in its step, climbed out of the pond and went on its way.  Doesn't look starving to me...  Maybe it was his hunger making him reckless, or such desperation to feed his siblings that he was willing to walk into the unknown, but Ash decided to follow this cat, dodging between clumps of grass in order to remain undetected.  The clan cat didn't seem to notice him, maybe because of the fish in its mouth, which was fine by Ash.  After walking for what seemed like an age, the cat ahead pushed through a wall of reeds and vanished.  Eyes narrowing, Ash contemplated for a moment if he wanted to take the chance that an ambush was waiting for him on the other side, ready to kill him and display his body on the border as a warning sign.  He shivered; clan cats both looked and sounded scary...but what other choice did he have?  He had to face the fact that his siblings were slowly dying, and so was he.  Every day felt like another pace in the unavoidable march to death, and if he didn't do something soon, that march would end.  For him, for Iris, for Quail...like it had for their parents.  He wouldn't let that happen.

Cautiously pushing his way through the reeds, he felt them slide smoothly against his itchy flanks, and relished the feeling for a moment before finding the other side.  Taking in the view, he realized that he had never, ever, seen anything like this in his whole life.  A river inlet surrounded a small plot of land, completely disconnected from the opposite shores by what seemed to be somewhat shallow channels.  Crouching down behind a stone, Ash watched as the cat from before launched into the water without hesitation, paddling across just as naturally as it had walked on land, before reaching the island and disappearing behind another curtain of reeds.  Is this where the clan cats live?  It...it's beautiful!  The sun, finding it's way out from behind a cloud, set the water glimmering with countless sparkles, like the stars in the night sky.  The air smelled of catscent and fish, but also of clear, refreshing water, and faintly, the tangy smell of herbs.  Herbs, fish...a realization hit Ash like lightning.  They have food and medicine!  If I could just sneak in for a minute...I could feed all of us, and maybe heal my shoulder!  What was it Mom said healed wounds, marigold?  Yes, marigold!  Suddenly, his mind went black, and Ash mentally slapped himself.  Am I insane?!  I can't sneak into the clan cat's camp!  That would be suicide, I'd never make it out!  I need to think about Quail and Iris, what would they do if I never came back?  They don't know how to hunt, they've always been too frail...they'd starve thinking I'd abandoned them.  I couldn't bear to die knowing that.

How can I bear living though, while watching them slowly waste away?

His paws were shaking.  He was at the cusp of a huge decision, he knew it.  He felt it.  The rewards were great, the punishment dire.  Was it worth it?  Could Quail and Iris wait until the rain ceased to eat?  Deep down, he knew they couldn't.  The sharp ends of their ribs poking at wasting skin tore holes in his soul every day...this was all for them.  Not only was he their eldest brother, but he was also the only family they had left.  It was all up to him...survive or suffer?  Live or die?

Mom, Dad, forgive me.

In a single quick dash, Ash reached the edge of the water.  He had never swum before, but at one point he also had never walked before, and braved the cold water with gritted teeth.  It felt awful; his matted pelt felt heavy and restraining, and when his paws lost grip of the ground it felt like he was falling.  Still, he kicked his paws like he was running, begging the water for mercy until finally, he felt sand between his toes once more.  Letting out a long sigh of relief after catching his breath, Ash hid behind a large rock and shook some of the water from his fur, though it still hung down in soaked strands.  That cat earlier shed water like a duck, how?!  Maybe it's because I have longer fur.  There was a break in the reeds on the other side of the stone; crouched down with his ears flat against his head, Ash took his first proper look into the clan camp.  He could only see a small section, but what he did see was shockingly nice.  He saw the side of a den that had shells weaved into its branches, a flat sandy clearing where the ground had been packed down by countless paws, and most of all, he saw food.  A whole pile of it in fact!  Feeling his mouth water shamefully, Ash crept closer, taking in the marvelous sight.  Fish of all sizes, what looked like a water bird, even a couple of voles...where had this been the last moon and a half?!  Still, despite his circumstances, a flash of guilt plagued his mind; he had always been taught to respect territory markings, no matter who they belonged to.  Not only for his own safety but because for a long time he and his family had all they needed within their own markers.  There was no good reason to steal...but that was when food was only a couple hay-bales away.  It was different now, and Ash had come to terms with hunting in clan territory...but stealing from right under their noses?  They had plenty though, and he had nothing.  There was no other choice.

He watched and waited for a minute, creeping farther in to check if the coast was clear.  That cat he had seen before was nowhere in sight, and it seemed from the sounds of snoring that most other cats were still sleeping.  No one was there.  Sudden pain in his shoulder surprised him; the willow bark was wearing off.  He needed to be quick before the pain made him limp again.  Claws gripping the ground as hard as he could, Ash dropped into a running form and counted down.  Here we go.  One...two...three...NOW!  Into the camp he went, head and ears swiveling for signs of detection, but found nothing.  He was at the pile in one panicked heartbeat, and took only a moment to decide on his prize; a fat fish with mottled green spots and a long mouth.  It was large, plenty for all three of them, but hard to grip in his petite kitten jaws.  He tried to run but felt too top-heavy to go fast, so settled for a trot.  Almost there...come on legs...you can do this!  I have to make it out! Dragging the fish would take too long, come on!  Suddenly, he felt his right paw catch on something hard.  Gasping, he tried to twist and recover, but injured shoulders don't twist.  Red hot, blazing pain ran through his shoulder and leg like poisoned blood, and he dropped the fish as Ash's jaws opened in an instinctual cry of pain, green eyes watering profusely.  "Ahhhhg!"  Falling onto his side, Ash froze.  That was too loud.  Heartrate increasing unlike any other time in his life, he tried to get his paws under him but couldn't, whimpering from the pain of trying to move.  Managing to at least get onto his belly, he grabbed the fish and tried again to stand, but alas, burning pain.  This is worse than this morning, all that walking much have irritated it!  I-I can't move at all!  I'm going to die here, I made a mistake!  Tears beginning to leak from his eyes like rain leaks into that old fox den, Ash whimpered, trying to bite back the pain enough to just stand, but it was too late.

He heard pawsteps.

Stormbringer let out a big yawn. Her mouth stretching wide in the process. The gray deputy sat silently near the Willow Branch waiting for the morning patrols to return. She had sent them out a while ago, and they would be returning any moment now, though she expected the hunting patrol to return first since she had sent them out first. As much as she wanted to return to the warriors' den and curl up with Honeytongue once again, she couldn't. She had a responsibility to make sure the clan ran well.

After a small moment the scent of her clanmate and fish hit her nose. Amber eyes turned to the entrance of the camp watching as the patrol she sent out returned. The first cat stepped inside jaws holding a vole, and a fish. A few moments later the other one returned, a large fish in their jaws. She nodded a silent greeting to them both watching as they dropped their prey into the pile before they returned to the warriors' den to catch up on some sleep. Oh how she longed to return to that den.

She let out another big yawn. Amber eyes closing fully as she stepped forward to stretch out her stiff limbs from sitting in the same spot for this whole while. She ignored the slight rumbling in her stomach from not eating yet. She would take her share later once the elders and queens and apprentices had their share.

A small noise of pain had her breaking out of her peaceful moment. The gray deputy straightened up instantly, eyes scanning the empty clearing looking for the source of the noise. She noted the out of place fish. She stood up, moving closer taking in the situation. She relaxed at the sight of a kit thinking it was one of the ones messing around early in the morning without the queen noticing, but as she stepped closer, the scent of rogue hit her.

She moved closer instantly, fur on her shoulder blades standing on end. Concern and confusion filling her. "What happened to you little one?" She carefully sat down near the very skinny kit, taking in the wounds he had, the ribs sticking out from his wet fur. Her paw came close, to provide support to the struggling kit. She didn't expect him to reply right away noting the pain that he was struggling through at the moment. Using one of her free paws she pushed the fish closer to the kit. [color=orchid]"Here eat. Regain your strength." She told the kitten in a calm tone.

She lifted her head eyes scanning the camp, before falling on the medicine den. "Spiderquill!" She called out to the tom, hoping he could hear her. If he couldn't she was sure others had heard the commotion, so maybe she could send another warrior to fetch the medicine cat.

The fact that the voice was kind instead of hostile barely registered in Ash's frenzied mind, because as soon as he turned his head to the side and saw a large gray she-cat with many scars and orange eyes that glowed as bright as fire...he knew he was done for.  Why did I make such a stupid decision, why?! I should've just kept hunting back at the clearing, or maybe I should've gone to the forest, anything but this!  I'm such a useless big brother...  Feeling as if his lungs were about to burst from the pace of his breathing, Ash tried once more to pull himself to his paws, but his body just wouldn't listen to him.  It wasn't just the agony in his shoulder now, it was everything.  The fact that with his pelt wet and pressed against his skin he could truly see the extent of his starvation, bony legs devoid of muscle and strength.  How his paws quivered not just from overwhelming fear, but from weakness.  He felt too small for his soul to contain, his body was a pathetic vessel that could wither and die from his own determination and neglect.  In the end, he looked like Quail and Iris as much as he had tried to deny it...

Is this how I die?  Weak, scared, and alone, at the paws of my own kind?  Even my parents had kinder deaths than that...but I suppose, foolish cats die in foolish ways.

Goodbye, my siblings...will I see you soon?

The paw touched his side.  Ash flinched.  Just because he knew what was coming didn't mean he wasn't scared.  However...he was still there.

The paw did nothing.  Instead, it's gentle pressure supported him, gave him a balance point to lean on in order to keep him upright.  He felt faint; why was he trusting this paw to hold him?  All his weight was now against it, allowing him to un-tense his shoulders.  The pain got a tiny bit better.  His head slowly turned around once more, pale green eyes the size of full moons; she was still there.  The she-cat looked concerned, even worried.  In a daze, he followed her other paw as it reached around and hooked the stolen fish.  Instead of taking it back though...she pushed it in front of him.  Though a bit muddy now and bleeding where he had bitten it, it was still food.  A luxury, and she was giving it away, to him?  A lowly thief?  Staring down for a long moment, Ash finally seemed to awaken from his daze and found his voice.

"I-I can't eat it right now, it's not for me.  I...I'm sorry ma'am!  Please forgive me!"  A sob in his voice, the weak kitten turned around, meeting the Clan cat's gaze after she was done calling for...something.  Claws digging into the wet ground, he tried to turn around and face her but only made it halfway before falling against her paw once more.  "I-I wasn't stealing selfishly, I promise!  It's for my siblings, my brother and sister...they're starving and I'm the only one who can help them live, I had no other choice!  There's no prey in the grove...  Please, let me leave alive, and I promise we'll leave your territory!  We'll find somewhere else, we'd go back to Twolegplace if we really needed to...just please...don't kill me!"  He felt incredibly immature and dumb for crying in front of an enemy, but he couldn't help it, he always cried when he yelled.  She needed to understand that this wasn't just about him, this was about Quail and Iris!  He promised to protect them, to care for them, to help them survive!  Right now though, despite how concerned her voice was or how gentle her paw...

He just wanted to get out of there.

Spiderquill looked down at his paws. They were coated in dirt from his recent herb patrol, which had been disappointing to say the least. He'd only managed to get a clump of moss and one stem of horsetail, not to mention the fact that he'd almost come face to face with a dog and its two-leg that had wandered too far into the territory. He'd definitely have to warn Ivystar and Stormbringer about that later. But right now, he needed to wash his paws and put away these herbs.

A few minutes later, his paws were clean once more and the herbs were painstakingly placed where they belonged according to their properties in the back of the medicine den. He stepped back to admire his handiwork. "Hm, maybe a little reorganisation wouldn't hurt..." He murmured to himself. Maybe he'd sort them by colour? Or by size? Or by-

"Spiderquill!"

He spun around immediately, herbs forgotten as he ran towards the source of the call. Stormbringer was standing over a tiny kit, one that looked like it hadn't seen food in moons. He crouched to inspect it closer, noticing two large bleeding wounds on the kit's shoulder and leg. The little kit appeared to be crying, bringing a pang of pity to the medicine cat's heart. "Shh, it's alright. You'll be okay, I promise. We won't hurt you." He looked up at Stormbringer. "Where did you find it? Doesn't smell like RiverClan." As he spoke, he leaned down to pick the kit up in his mouth.

This little one was taking care of his siblings at this age? What happened to their mother? She couldn't imagine kits trying to survive on their own in the world. She let Spiderquil try to calm the kit, knowing the medicine cat was probably better at it than she was. "I didn't find him, he found us. He was trying to get out of camp with a fish when he couldn't move anymore." The deputy informed the medicine cat. Hopefully they could get this figured out.

"Look little one, We will go get your siblings and get you all in good shape again." She couldn't stand to see kits suffer. They would have to go get the siblings soon. "You are safe here with us, I promise." She figured Ivystar would be alright with taking care of three kits, but with how things were since the last gathering there was a slight bit of doubt. Hopefully the leader would be showing up soon.

It seemed like it had only been hours since the previous gathering, the events of the so-called sacred meeting still weighing heavy on her mind, and undeniably on her heart. Ivystar hadn't cared for the WindClan leader's use of poetic words or flowery language, but the act itself that StarClan had carried out, and at a gathering no less... They were absolutely unpredictable, and that was what scared her the most. The silver she-cat much preferred to stick to the facts when it came to uncharted waters, but even RiverClans bravest warrior would have felt fear when the Righteous Few struck down the ginger tom. She couldn't help her mind from wandering, even when she didn't want it to. Though her closest friends had relatively clean heritage and hadn't been the direct result of any forbidden romances or cats who'd left one Clan for another, she still feared for their safety. She feared for the safety of all of her Clanmates, no matter what their blood looked like.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a ruckus of commotion just outside the warrior's den where she had been laying, attempting to get some rest (to no avail, of course). Immediately her mind went to the darkest possibility- that the self-proclaimed Righteous cats of the stars had found their way into RiverClan camp. Faintly, she could recognize the voices of her friend and deputy, as well as her son. Thank Fishstar they didn't seem too worried, but something had certainly happened that was out of the ordinary. After attempting to clear her head, she ducked out of the den and froze for just a moment, her eyes locked on the small and malnourished kit at Stormbringer's paws. An odd scent that she just couldn't snag a claw on wafted past her nose, and she knew that the kit must be a rogue. What perfect timing, she thought with a small sigh. Waiting for a moment as the kit explained his situation to Stormbringer, Ivystar dipped her head with a sorrowful look in her eyes. The kit had been abandoned.

Ivystar's eyes brightened a bit when her son emerged from the medicine cat den, immediately setting his sights on the little tom. The silver-coated leader padded over to Spiderquill's side, watching as he gingerly picked the young tom up. She nodded in greeting to both Stormbringer and Spiderquill, not bothering to ask any questions. She'd heard what she needed to, and there was no doubt in her mind about what the young tom's place would be in the Clan. It would be just as she believed her own kit-hood had been long ago- taken in by the leader, as a rogue kit found in the territories. Of course, that wasn't truly her origins, but it was what she'd believed for a long time. "What's your name, little one?" Her green eyes held nothing but sympathy as she dipped her head to be eye-level with the kit, awaiting his answer to her softly-voiced question.

Ash's attention was stolen away from the tough-looking she-cat by the appearance of another cat, a tom this time...and he was quite the sight.  His heart still racing with fear, the usually kind-hearted kit felt himself flinch when the new arrival bent down, his face completely hairless and his black pelt rough and patchy like a rat's; without the usual soft edges given by fur, his eyes looked large and bulging...it scared him.  He was completely surrounded now, if he ran they could catch him in an instant.  Not that he could run at all.  Still leaning against the she-cat's strangely comforting paw, he shrunk back and pulled his hind legs towards his belly; what was going to happen now?  Were they just toying with him, like teasing a mouse before leaping forward for the kill?  Pretending to be kind and gentle when really they just wanted to lure him further in...or was it genuine?  Deep down...he wanted it to be.  They needed help, he knew that he couldn't do this on his own for much longer.  He missed being beside other cats for fun, hearing their tales and living life with them, not just surviving.  His parents used to help feed and house travelers at their old barn, and he had grown up talking to and watching them come in and out, listening to their life stories.  Were these clan cats the same, living life not just to survive, but to thrive?  

Ash managed to meet the tom's orange gaze as he spoke and was shocked by how soft and gentle his voice sounded, as if he was speaking to family.  While he had understood the she-cat's words earlier, in his panic he hadn't fully comprehended them, and the fact that she had taken the same tone as well; that of compassion.  This time though...he understood completely.  'You'll be okay, I promise. We won't hurt you.'  Do I...actually believe that?  Or is it just wishful thinking...  Nonetheless, he let the odd-looking cat pick him up by the scruff, which by this point was just a thin layer of skin, and he winced as he felt the prick of teeth.  It wasn't intentional though, in fact, it was as gentle as possible.  Just like how his mother used to hold him.  He listened; RiverClan?  Is that the name of their group?  He sniffed; the tom, he smells like herbs...  Finally, he relaxed, and felt the last of the tension drain from his defeated body.  His eyes turned to look at the she-cat once more as she spoke, and it was as if her image completely changed.  Though her eyes still looked like bright embers, the fire was warm and soothing instead of scorching, and her gray pelt...it was the same color as his.  You are safe here with us, I promise.

"...T-Thank you!"

Tears were leaking from his eyes again, but these were different, although still embarrassing.  He reached upward with his uninjured forepaw to wipe them away, feeling the corners of his mouth curl into a relieved smile.  When he removed his paw though, to his surprise a new cat stood before he and the nice tom, another she-cat.  She had well-groomed gray tabby fur that was the same color as his and the first she-cat, and wide green eyes that brimmed with kindness along with her voice, which was soft and gentle; was everyone gentle here?  My name?  Wow, I haven't introduced myself in a long time...  "M-My name is Ash, the son of Lyris and Violet.  I have two siblings, my sister Iris and brother Quail.  We...we've been living in a fox den on your territory for about a quarter moon now, the one by the grove.  For a couple moons we were living in Twolegplace, but we got chased out by a dog...that's how my shoulder got hurt, it bit me when I attacked it, but I managed to scare it away."  He knew she had only asked for his name, but he needed to tell them everything, his heart couldn't take keeping this knowledge for itself anymore.  "I'm sorry, I know it wasn't right to cross your border and steal your prey, but I didn't have any other choice.  My siblings have always been frail, but they've been getting worse, because I'm not a good enough hunter.  I just thought that...if I could take some food, they would at least be okay for a couple days.  That fish is really big!"

"We used to live with Mom and Dad in a big barn on the other side of Twolegplace, with lots of mice to spare and an herb garden Mom used to help cats in need...until they got sick."  Ash's eyes seemed to lose their regained light, and his gaze dropped to the ground, trying to fight back the urge to cry again; he didn't want to look weak.  "I-I tried to save them, I tried so hard!  I used every herb Mom told me could cure bellyache, but none of them worked...if only I had known more!  After they died we had to leave because the Twolegs were going to catch us and send us away...so that's why I stole the fish.  I can't let my siblings die too."  A sudden realization came upon him, and Ash gasped, returning his gaze to the she-cat who had mentioned getting his brother and sister.  "Please, I need to go with you to get Iris and Quail, if I'm not with you they'll get scared and might run away!  I don't want them to hurt themselves."  He knew how much trust he was putting on these cats he had only just met, but it was something he was going to choose, even if he was wrong.  Deep down, he knew these cats meant well...and if they really kept their word and allowed them to survive and truly live again...he promised to himself that he would dedicate his life to helping them in return.  It was only right.

Stormbringer followed after the medicine cat, keeping an eye on him. She was glad that he was finally relaxing in in their presence. It let the deputy feel a little less on edge but there was limited time to get to the gray kit's siblings. She didn't know about bringing Ash with her back out into the territory when he was in such shape, but the risk of the siblings running away was something she didn't like either.

"I don't know if you are in shape to go with us. It would be better if you stayed here and regained your strength, but I'm not a medicine cat so I will let Spiderquill make the call if you can come with us or not." She couldn't make the call. It was up to her son or up to her leader. She didn't trust herself to make the choice, she didn't think she could bare to let the little tom down. Amber eyes looked back to Ivystar hoping that her leader would know what to do.

Ivystar's eyes grew softer with each rushed word that came from the little kit's mouth, her tail held low as he spoke his story. Her heart ached for the little tom and all the pain he'd endured, and at such a young age, nonetheless... It was awful, the things that the poor tom had been through. She wished she could do more than offer a warm nest and comforting words. She wished that she could take all his pain away, she wished that she could make things better. At least he'd learned from it though, and knew how to survive no matter the costs. The tom had love in his heart, and Ivystar felt a sense of pride, even if the little kit wasn't her own. "Your strength is admirable, little one, as is your perseverance and love for your siblings. But, as I'm sure Spiderquill will agree, you need rest, and you need time to heal properly." A sort of sadness filled Ivystar's gaze, knowing that she was letting Ash down.

"I have an idea," She said gently, looking to Spiderquill and Stormbringer for a moment before settling her eyes back on the tom. "Why don't we get you patched up, and you can take a little nap. After that, if my son Spiderquill thinks that you're fit to travel, Stormbringer and myself can take you to find your brother and sister. You can ride on my back until we find them, and Stormbringer can bring along some prey. Spiderquill can bring along some herbs so that we can patch them up, and they can come back to camp with us." Her voice was still gentle as she spoke to Ash, lifting her tail to brush his back gingerly. "We can protect the three of you here... You can be our family. Does that sound good?" Her question hung in the air between the four of them, waiting for a response from any one of them.