The stars that fell (clan announcement post gathering)

He wanted to tell her the truth, that he had been dead when most of the battle had happened… but then she hurled insults. His claws unsheathed on high rock as he watched her fling herself at Rainstrike. Was this his fault? Had he been too lenient? That his own kit would feel the need to just attack their own?

"If you are going to act like a kit, then you will be treated like a kit." Oakstar looked down to Nettlefire. His expression stern. "Take Stormpaw to the elder’s den since she won’t fit in the nursery. Stormpaw-" his gaze lifted back to the angry she-cat. "While your anger is not unjustified, it is far beneath you to assault a clan mate this way. Even if she did that, you must treat her with the same respect as you should treat all warriors. I thought Dustcloud and I had raised you better than this… but it seems I have much to learn as a father, as well as a leader. You will be confined to the camp for a moon, and your warrior ceremony will be post-poned." His tail lashed behind him, and he looked back to the rest of the clan below.

"Now then, unless Rainstrike chooses to run or attack, I will have no more clan mates wasting their time and energy holding onto a hate that is unneeded. We have all seen how hate and bitterness corrupts and leads to a great fall in morals, and in spirit." He lifted his head proudly. "We are cats of ThunderClan. Strong and proud. We must embrace this."

Harefoot soothed Ferretnose so well. It was one of the qualities he was proud to have inherited from the father that raised him. Still, Beepaw couldn't help but fix his eyes firmly to the Highrock as Oakstar began his speech. It was strange to think that same cat was dead just moments ago, his corpse resting in his paws. Beepaw felt tight in his chest at the mention of Dawngaze. He wondered what had brought her down such a dark and unrestful path, and if that same fervor might similarly infect him. It made his pelt prickle. The apprentice detected the unrest in the crowd, and the answers to his questions were revealed... Rainstrike was subject to the scrutiny of the clan. Cedarheart's mentor?

Stormpaw was up in flash, screaming and hissing at both Oakstar and Rainstrike. "Stormpaw, he was dead, he didn't see!" he hushed. No ones' words could've been effective, he soon realized, and the she-cat tackled Rainstrike, barking in her face not unlike a rabid raccoon. "No! Stop! Stormpaw, get off!" Beepaw hurried towards them, wincing in apology as he gripped her scruff and used the force of his enormous weight to hurl his denmate off. He carried her backward until she was no longer a threat. "You can't," he huffed, his energy spent, "You can't do this. This won't bring her back."

Beepaw looked up as his knees buckled and he was forced to the ground by the pain in his head. Oakstar's punishment was swift and just. He wished it didn't have to be that way. He turned to face Stormpaw, trying to communicate how sorry he felt. He felt embarrassed for her... no apprentice wouldn't.

---

Ferretnose listened to Oakstar's speech with growing horror. She leaned further into Harefoot's pelt with each passing moment, ears flipping back against her head. Dawngaze, a cat who she had shared tongues with and seen as an equal clanmate, had murdered Oakstar. She looked around, searching for the she-cat's pelt in the sea of battle-worn warriors. Dawngaze was not there. Exiled or dead, they had left her there. She wouldn't be mourned or remembered... Ferretnose hardened, body tensing.

His next announcement made a strange noise come out of her, like a mix between a laugh and a gasp. "Rainstrike? She wouldn't!" Ferretnose shouted, finding her old apprentice's eyes. "I'd trust that cat with my life, I trained her, I-!"

She was cut off by a flurry of violence: Stormpaw yelled, tackled Rainstrike, and was hauled off by her wounded son. Ferretnose looked back and forth through the commotion and found herself stuck to the spot. What could she say, and what could she do? The evidence was becoming even more StarClan forgive us. "Is it true? I'll only hear it from her!" Ferretnose cried out.

"And as a leader it is far beneath you to allow a Clanmate to let a Clanmate die and then attack another. You didn't raise me; you were never a father to me! Dacedream was more family than you and Dustcloud combined. At least Dustcloud showed she cared. You got one thing right, though, you do have much to learn as a parent, because you are a terrible one. Oh, and by the bay, Dustcloud told me I'm not really your kin, or ThunderClan at all." Angry tears filled her eyes and she spat at Rainstrike, before getting off before she had to be hauled off like a kit. Or well, she tried, but Beepaw still felt to the need to unceremoniously haul her off. She couldn't blame him though, and she gave him a nod. Suddenly, she knew exactly what she needed to do.


Bitterness and anger filled her until she felt she couldn't breath. "Dawngaze was right. Everything is your fault. You could have saved Dacedream, or at least avenged her. Instead, you let one of her murderers freely roam camp! I hate you. As long as Rainstrike is here, I'm leaving. Don't even try to stop me. ThunderClan-- no, NoClan is my home." She hissed, eyes narrowing with bitter contempt. Before she left, however, a few goodbyes were in place. The first cat she saw who she owed a goodbye to was a dear friend.

Robinloft.
Padding over to the she-cat, Stormpaw touched noses to her one last time. "Goodbye, friend. I'll miss you, you helped me feel like I belonged, before Dace died. I'll miss you." Cedarheart. The gray tabby shed a couple tears as she approached her longtime friend. "Cedar.... I'm sorry, so sorry. We've been through a lot, Smudgepaw, and Dovekit, and Dacedream. I've known you since you were a kit, and you've been such a good friend. I'm sorry you couldn't help me, Dace's death broke me in more ways than one.. I love you, take care of yourself."

The next she-cat she approached was one she hadn't spoken to in some time, but Stormpaw still felt affection towards her. "Icecloud, I've known you since you were a kit, too. You're a good friend, I wish we could've chatted some more. You and Cedarheart used to be close, you've drifted abit, try to fix that, you could both use a friend. See ya around, I suppose. And Ferretnose," She turned to address the partially blind queen. "I respect and care about you very much. Take care of yourself. You too, Dustcloud. You were a good mother, and I wish I could've been better for you."

"Cherryblossom, Vixenpaw, you are both good cats, in your own ways. Take care of yourselves, that's what Dace would want. Batbite, I've only known you for a short time, but I can tell you're an awesome cat. If you see Morningpaw or Smokepaw, tell them I've gone away. Try to keep Minkstream out of trouble," She cracked a wry grin at the black she-cat. "And you... I know why Dace liked you so much. I'm... Sorry, that we didn't have much time together. You're really cool, and we think alike. Bye, Minkstream." She'd moved quickly through her farewells, wasting no time.

Stormpaw had saved the hardest for last. "Mossbloom, you're a wonderful medicine cat, I care about you very much. Keep at it. And Daisy... Daisybloom.." Her voice choked a bit, and she pushed her muzzle into her sister's. "I love you." That was it. There was simply nothing more to say, what could she say? She was leaving Daisybloom all alone. Coniferpaw, Leopardpaw, Mistwalker.. All she had was Nettlefire, and she wasn't very extroverted. Stormpaw hated the thought of leaving Daisybloom, but her sister was happy here, happy with her life, happy with her role. She couldn't very well ask her to leave that behind.

So, with everything done, she growled one last time at Rainstrike, giving her a 'if I ever see your face again I'll murder you' look. She narrowed her eyes disdainfully at Oakstar and then walked out of the camp entrance, not looking back, because she knew it would be far too painful.

---

HEKLO EVERYONE,, Storm is not yeeting, I've just,, fastforwarded her plot a bit becase I saw an opportunity and took it,, soon there will be a topic up where if you'd like, your cat can chase after her. No, you cannot convince her to stay. <33
Topic is here! <3333

Daisybloom smiled as Mossbloom acknowledged her, and turned her gaze up towards her father as he started to speak. She had to seen any betrayal, and waited to her, her brow furrowed. But soon she saw her sister attacking! ”S-Stormpaw!” she yelled, her voice shaky. It was a justified anger, she guessed, but still. You couldn’t attach clanmates! Oakstar started speaking again, and her eyes traveled upwards, her blue eyes filling with liquid. Her family seemed to be falling apart! Stormpaw spoke again, and Daisybloom blinked with confusion. She had never known that the apprentice had been adopted! And she insulted Oakstar, which made her feel confused. It was a surging rush of twisted emotions, tumbling around, surrounding the medicine cat apprentice. The older she-cat started going around, talking to cats.When she caught snips of the conversation, her eyes widened in horror. She wasn’t leaving, was she? She couldn’t! Daisybloom didn’t have many siblings left, just Nettlefire and Stormpaw. The deputy and the medicine cat apprentice weren’t best buds. But she was close with Stormpaw. As they nuzzled each other, tears dripped from her blue eyes. ”I love you too. But, you can’t leave!” she mumbled, her face stricken with sorrow. ”Please!” she sniffled. But without turning back, the grey she-cat had made her way out of camp, her figure disappearing from view. Daisybloom wanted to run after her, to chase after the sister that she loved. But she was frozen in shock, her feet planted to the ground.
——
Cedarheart had been so happy to be with her family. Her green eyes brightened as her mother spoke. Turning to the male cats of her family, she said, ”Both of you fought so hard!” Her smile was large, but Oakstar starting to talk made it slip. She turned towards the leader, gazing up at him. She listened, blinking. As Rainstrike was mentioned, the burning question inside her mind was voiced by others. But soon a startling scene started. Stormpaw, Cedarheart’s close friend, had attacked the warrior in question. It was as if they knew her fears. Choosing sides. A part of her wanted to help Stormpaw, but another part was hurt by the fact that her mentor was being attacked. Her brother pulled her friend off of her mentor. Oakstar took swift action, punishing Stormpaw. The apprentice retaliated with some words that shocked the brown tabby. And Stormpaw was going up to cats now, speaking to them. It started with Robinloft, and Cedarheart herself was next. ”What...” she started, but her friend had already made a statement. ”Stormpaw, you can’t seriously-“ But something stopped the young warrior. She was seriously doing it. ”You can’t leave!” she cried out, her green eyes blossoming with tears. Stormpaw had been her friend since she was a kit. Like she had said, they had been through so much together. The death of nearly all of the young she-cat’s siblings. The death of her best friend. The death of Dacedream. Without her, it would never be the same life. Everything would be different. But the way she had started, with an apology for words to come, it made her heart crack a bit. The conversation had ended, and she had moved on to talking to other cats. Shaking her head, her mouth wide open, she watched as the apprentice made her final goodbyes. And the figure of the grey tabby walked out of camp. Naturally, Cedarheart had ran after her.

Willowpaw knew about Rainstrike...and about Dawngaze. She had seen her mentor strike at Oakstar, taking one of his lives away. Wait...where was Dawngaze? Suddenly, she spotted Stormpaw, an apprentice that she didn’t really know, leaving camp, and her jaw dropped open in surprise. Cries of “come back” and “please don’t go” made Willowpaw swallow as she stared at the apprentice leaving. Dipping her head to briefly wish her well, Willowpaw turned her gaze towards Oakstar. “You told us that Dawngaze betrayed us...so where is she now?” She refused to accept it. Willowpaw knew that there was a chance that Dawngaze had...left or...no. She wouldn’t think about that. Dawngaze was always a good mentor, even though she seemed very cold and distant. Then, her head swiveled to Rainstrike and Willowpaw glared at her. “Blizzardpaw doesn’t deserve a mentor like you. You tried to kill Minkstream! You helped the Righteous Few to kill Dacedream! Who knows what else you could have done?”

Nettlefire stared at Stormpaw as she made her speech, immobile.

She found herself plunged into the past again, back to Stormpaw's apprentice ceremony-- her second one, where Nettlefire herself had assigned Dacedream to be her new mentor after Mistwalker's death. She'd sensed the sadness and grief already building in her little sister then. And though she'd never been particularly close to the apprentice, if anything should've brought them closer, it was that. She loved her family members, she really did-- but she loved them privately, and at a distance, especially after her brother died, just taking for granted that they’d somehow magically understand that she cared about them without her having to say it. And she’d known-- she’d known that that was a foolish assumption to make. And she’d done absolutely nothing to correct it.

If she'd been a good sister, she would’ve reached out then. Instead she’d just used it as an excuse to become even more distant and more guarded of her own feelings. She took the easy route, the coward’s route, and did everything she could to avoid the situations where she’d have to actually acknowledge the fact that she herself also felt sad, and lost, and hurt.

“I am such a failure…” she murmured to herself quietly.

But I will learn she thought, I will change. I swear it. I will rectify all my past mistakes. I will become the cat this clan and my family need me to be. I will become the cat I need me to be.

And so despite her reservations, and the fact that she should probably stay, Nettlefire followed after her sister.

(OOC: very long and over-dramatic haha; If i got some information incorrect or something, please excuse it, my brain is on a hiatus right now)))


She always knew that something about Stormpaw had been off, ever since the day they became friends. It wasn't necessarily bad, it was just that it made Robinloft worry about her. Stormpaw had always acted a bit sad and often doubted herself, but that was before she and Cedarheart became her friends. For a while she thought everything was okay, so she stayed quiet about it. She thought it was normal. But everything changed after Dacedream's death. Stormpaw just wasn't herself anymore. She seemed like a shell of her former self, and it pained Robinloft to see her like that. She often wondered when she would snap, when Stormpaw would finally break. And watching it all unfold, she knew.

---

Robinloft practically staggered into camp alongside the rest of Thunderclan, her muscles and body aching due to the fighting and wounds. Her wounds weren't all that bad, its just that the injuries she'd received were much different than the occasional fox or badger swipes. But much worse than her injuries was the fatigue and exhaustion that seemed to overwhelm her. She felt like if she went to her nest now she would be asleep within moments of laying down. But it had all paid off. Now they were free. The clans were no longer under the claws of the Righteous Few. Everyone's fighting had payed off. No more being afraid of approaching the border. No more fear of being killed because of your heritage. No more unnecessary death. She smiled with wide eyes, despite the exhaustion she felt.

Unfortunately she wouldn't be going to her nest just yet. No sooner than the clan arrived back at camp, Oakstar had called for a clan meeting. With a soft sigh, the grey and amber warrior sat down at the side of camp and waited for Oakstar's next announcement. After the rest of the clan approached the center of camp. Robinloft expected a speech of some sort about celebration and victory, but what came next was shocking to her. "What!?" A growl rose from her throat. How dare Dawngaze go against everything they had been fighting for!? And to think that Rainstrike could have been on the Righteous Few's side as well? It made Robinloft sick. She'd almost never felt so angry at a cat before in her life. Even so, she knew she wouldn't do anything about it. Her body felt too tired, and she didn't want to get herself into trouble. Not everyone felt the same as her though.




Within only moments there was chaos. It was all a blur. Before she knew it, she saw Stormpaw being dragged off of Rainstrike. All she heard was insults and yelling, until a single word broke her thoughts. 'Leaving?' Stormpaw approached her and pulled her mind back to full focus. She was completely different from a few moments ago. Her eyes were soft, and even a bit sad. "I-" She paused, a tear running down her face. She was confused, but suddenly it made sense to her."I'm glad i made a difference for you, Stormpaw, g-good luck, i hope you find what your looking for." She meowed, still not letting her smile fade. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew this is what Stormpaw needed to do. She would never be happy here in Thunderclan, and if she wanted to leave, what could she do? Though she accepted it, she still felt like Stormpaw was taking a piece of her with her. Stormpaw was really her only friend. Sure she had cats she talked to, but none as much as Stormpaw. She touched noses with the apprentice and watched her approach her other friends and family.


She turned toward the warrior's den, looking over her shoulder. She didn't feel tired anymore, she felt some sort of numbness. Either way, she had too many emotions to process and she didn't want to be around cats right now. Another tear ran down her face as she watched her friend leave camp, until the last thing she saw was the tip of her tail go through the entrance.

It was easy to ignore the glares from the other cats - she'd grown used to it in the days and nights since Dacedream's death. They blamed her, she knew that. Had she done anything to prevent the dappled queen from being murdered? No. Even if she'd wanted to, Vixenstar and Lavenderbreeze would have torn her to shreds. Rainstrike wasn't stupid. But she also hadn't killed Dacedream, despite how gung-ho the rest of the clan was to believe it.

She stayed silent as Oakstar addressed the clan, eyes almost boredly trained on the leader's tabby form above her. And when the question was posed, to her, they narrowed only the slightest, a lip curling in distaste at even the thought of dignifying that with an answer. But she never got the chance - before she even knew what happened, Stormpaw attacked her again. Thorn-sharp claws against her skin, Rainstrike went limp beneath the apprentice's weight. She wasn't going to fight Stormpaw here, now, no... that would be stupid. Counterproductive. Instead, she waited until the smoky she-cat was hauled off, and pulled herself to her paws with a dignified shake of her freshly-scarred pelt.

As Stormpaw monologued, Rainstrike flexed her claws into the dirt. And when there was a break in the speech, as the rebelling apprentice said her goodbyes, Rainstrike lifted her voice, defiant gaze locked on to the leader. "Time and time again, I have been blamed, accused, and attacked. Here, in the camp where I've spent all my nights since the day I was kitted. With your own eyes you've witnessed it, Oakstar. Grandfather. On multiple occasions, my blood has been spilled in the very dirt where I sat to receive my warrior name, and for what?" The she-cat spat angrily, her ears slanting back to lay against her head.

"I watched Dacedream die," Rainstrike called out, swiveling her gaze around the clearing and daring anyone to interrupt her. "I watched Lavenderbreeze spill her life's blood into the earth, and I was there when the light left her eyes, when she was called to join StarClan. No, I did not intervene, and I have always admitted that freely. Despite what apprentices whisper about me in the safety of their den," Rainstrike's eyes narrowed on Willowpaw, then just as quickly turned away from her to land on Ferretnose. There, they softened, weakened, and she closed them for a moment as she got to her paws.

"Had I made move to interrupt the Righteous Few cats, they would have struck me down as easily as they did her. Vixenstar took fiveof you on at once and still would have won if StarClan hadn't intervened. Yet I receive the blame for Dacedream's death because I did not charge in and die with her," she shook her head, pacing to one side, and then the other. "I apologize for making it only one death that ThunderClan had to mourn that night, and had I known my entire clan would have turned on me perhaps I would have chosen otherwise." Her words were spat now with the fire and hatred that had been building up for moons. She paced, and her tail lashed, but now she had eyes only for Oakstar.

"To answer your question, grandfather, everything I've done since the day I stepped foot into the forest has. been. for. ThunderClan. Every battle I've fought, every piece of prey I've dropped onto that kill-pile, every torn claw or scratched pad I've earned on patrols HAS. BEEN. FOR. THUNDERCLAN." Panting, her forelegs trembling, Rainstrike bared her teeth. "And yet it's MY loyalty you question? For them?" She whipped around, extending a foreleg to gesture at Minkstream and Batbite. "They've only just returned to ThunderClan, and Minkstream has had a clan name for less time than I've been a warrior." The pointed tabby shook her head. "I tried to save him from his own stupidity. Half-dead and attempting to fight a StarClan leader?" Rainstrike scoffed derisively as she continued, "and the moment the rest of them even thought they had the opportunity to sink their claws into me, they piled on. I should have left his worthless hide to Vixenstar's mercy."

Finally too tired to continue, Rainstrike sank to her haunches, finally tearing her eyes away from Oakstar with a disappointed nod. "Do what you will, Oakstar. I haven't the energy to waste on this any longer. If you want me to leave, I'll leave. I'd rather be on my own than among a clan who will strike me down at first opportunity."

Frostpaw padded back to the ThunderClan camp, tired out of her mind but still slumping down to join the rest of the ThunderClan cats. Then...well, chaos happened. Rage at Rainstrike, Stormpaw leaving. Frostpaw stared in absolute shock as Rainstrike explained that everything she had done was for ThunderClan, and when Rainstrike’s eyes narrowed on Willowpaw...Frostpaw lost it. “Batbite and Minkstream...especially Minkstream, would be more loyal to our Clan than you will ever be. You claim to help ThunderClan, yet you try to kill a ThunderClanner who was done nothing to you. Even though they have left ThunderClan and came back, that doesn’t mean that they are not loyal. If they weren’t loyal to this Clan, they would have done something already. Also...picking on an apprentice? Especially an apprentice who is about to become a warrior, about to join the ranks of all the other cats who have faced every challenge and are still strong. Willowpaw might have been too quick on doubting you, but that doesn’t mean that she was wrong.” She panted heavily at her outburst. Frostpaw shook her head in disbelief and slight disgust. “If I’m going to be a warrior soon...I wouldn’t want to be anything like you. I pity whoever has you as a mentor.”

((Sorry if this is bad! I’ve never written something for Frostpaw with this much anger before.))

Ferretnose watched as ThunderClan spun into chaos in the wake of what should have been a victory. Apprentices raised their teeny voices, gallantly defending what they believed to be right. Having raised kits of her own, having trained three apprentices, she knew that they were the most foolish kind of creature. They didn't know what they were doing. Rainstrike made her case with righteous anger, and Ferretnose listened with a weeping heart. This poor, tired, she-cat had suffered so much for her nature... something she could not help. That cat was small once, and Ferretnose had taught her how to hunt and fight. How could it be that that same little one was the subject of the entire clan's fury.

The senior warrior wouldn't have it. She gave one last look to Harefoot, one that said I'm not going to sit here and watch this, as she strode powerfully to Rainstrike's side. Ferretnose stared sharp daggers into Vixenpaw's heart. "I will not fight you, because I will win," she said lowly. "You are out of line, and if I was leader, I'd sit you, and Frostpaw, and Willowpaw in the elders' den for three Leafbares before you had the right and privilege of warriorhood. I suggest you save your venom for the real enemy. Rainstrike gave you her truth, and you don't listen, because you are foolish and kitlike. This is not what Dacedream wanted. I won't stand to watch an entire clan pile on one of their own. I trained this cat, she is like blood to me, as EVERY ThunderClanner is."

She positioned herself to protect Rainstrike from further harm. "No more of this!" she pleaded to Oakstar above. "Please, take control of our clan! I will not stand and watch apprentices assault a warrior who has done nothing but serve us for seasons. It shows a lack of restraint. It shows immaturity. All three of them should have their ceremonies delayed. Even if she were guilty, we cannot afford to have our clanmates attack any living thing that moves on suspicion of treason! We are better than this!"

His heart sank as his clan descended into chaos. There had been a hope once, that when he returned to ThunderClan that all would be alright again. That the cats who he loved, who had been kind to him and he had tried to be kind to in return would welcome him home… but now. There was no hope of that. Worse still, it was far too painful for him to pray to StarClan. His mate was too far away, burying their daughter who betrayed them, Stormpaw had left and his own daughter and deputy Nettlefire had followed her… and now. As he listened to Rainstrike and the accusations hurled, he felt like his heart had simply stopped altogether.

He leapt down from High rock as Ferretnose cried for him to take control.

Very well, he’d take it if he had to.

He padded forward to Vixenpaw, Frostpaw and Willowpaw. His head high and expression dark as he stood between them and Rainstrike.
"Each and every one of you brings shame to Dacedream’s legacy." He started, then cut their responses off with a lash of his tail. "She was one of the most peaceful cats I had ever known. She hated violence and blood. So what do you do? You seek the blood of one who was forced to watch their clanmate be killed in front of their own eyes? Tell me, what is Rainstrike to do against a leader from Starclan and their lackey, who can resurrect in a moment. If she had engaged them, she would be dead." His gaze fell to each of the three apprentices. "I won’t tolerate this behaviour anymore. Mossbloom is correct. You all need to be disciplined, and so it shall be. You will go, and sit in the elder’s den. I will determine the length of time with Mossbloom, Dustcloud and Daisypaw. You may choose to self exile yourselves with Stormpaw and Nettlefire if you like, but if you do, understand that your warrior ceremony will be delayed perhaps longer than staying..."

He turned from them, looked around at the cats surrounding them all.
"This was to be a celebration of victory! A triumph against those who said that code-breakers should die. Instead, I get murdered by Dawngaze, who has been laid to rest. I return to the clan I love, only to find hate and anger festering in it’s ranks. If violence is the only way to solve this, then very well." He turned once more to the cats who spoke out against Rainstrike. Who criticized a cat who made the right call for that moment.

"If it is blood that will make you happy, then take my life. For as your leader I bare the responsibility of this. But understand one thing. In you three, the Righteous ones live on, as long as you continue to hate"

So much discontent, so much weakness. Rainstrike narrowed her eyes on Frostpaw, and then Vixenpaw, as they spat their venom at her. Stupid, foolish apprentices that needed to be taught a lesson in respect. She itched to do it herself, to put a stop to their impudence... her own apprentices had never shown such disrespect, not to her or any cat else. The young warrior didn't expect Ferretnose to rally to her side - her mentor had always been a cat with little interest in conflict. But the ally was appreciated nonetheless and Rainstrike felt herself relax if only slightly as the she-cat defended her. She touched her nose to Ferretnose's flank in a wordless thanks, and then slid her attentions to Oakstar as he, too, began speaking.

Then he leaped down, his ultimatum clear as he faced off against the apprentices who called for her blood. Rainstrike's eyes fell, the cogs turning in her head at the possibility of another fortuitous opportunity. Before either Frostpaw or Vixenpaw could continue, Rainstrike rose to all fours, limping to stand between Oakstar and the rest of the clan. Her tail lashed, icy eyes landing on one apprentice and then the next, the message clear: I DARE you.

Feeling like she had said what she needed to say to Stormpaw, Nettlefire had immediately turned around to head back to camp, rushing back in a full-on sprint. With everything going on, she knew she couldn’t afford to be out of camp for too long. And though she had made her return as quickly as possible, it clearly had not been quickly enough.

She stepped back into camp just in time to catch the very end of Oakstar’s statement about taking one of his lives, but that was more than enough to make her regret having left at all.

Why would I think leaving camp now of all times was a good idea? she privately chided herself, But I needed to, and I would have regretted it equally if I hadn’t. This was a no-win scenario. I just need to do whatever I can now that I am here again

“Oakstar! Father!” she called, standing apart from the gathered cats, having only just re-entered camp, “You’ve just lost a life, why are you offering up another one? I am fully aware I missed the context of the statement-- which I know is entirely my fault for leaving camp, and I probably shouldn’t have chased after Stormpaw to say my goodbyes-- but I doubt any kind of context could possibly make that anywhere near a good decision!”

She had been put to rest... Willowpaw didn’t hear her punishments. Nor did she hear anything that Oakstar had to say. Dawngaze was dead, and she was never coming back. Then, Willowpaw, the hopeful apprentice’s heart froze over. Her once bright blue eyes held no emotion. With a small jerk of her head, Willowpaw looked at Oakstar. “I understand. What I did was wrong. I will receive my punishment.” She commented in a monotonous voice. After all...it might even help distract me from everything... Willowpaw padded away to the apprentice’s den, waiting for her punishment.