Whipping Winds [WindClan Sitewide Topic]

Raventail's voice did little to bring her comfort, but there was the slightest sense of peace that accompanied the familiar warmth of his pelt against her side. Suddenly she was being moved again, somewhere. She could feel the ground passing under her paws, the ones she could feel, that is, but she groaned with each pebble and bump in the sandy camp. Whimpering as she gave up trying to figure out what was happening, she tried to focus instead on Raventail. Wait, he was gone. A thin wail rose in her throat, panic rising again. The scents around her were familiar, but having lost her sight they seemed foreign and terrifying. Where was Raventail? So lost was she in her pained haze that she had no idea of what was being said around her. Suddenly, the warmth of the peeking light of dawn was gone from her back, and the elder realized suddenly just how terribly cold she was. Even in the darkest, coldest night of leaf-bare, she had never been this cold. Shivering only forced more blood to drip from her wounds, only making her colder. A vicious cycle, and one she seemed unlikely to prevail against.

Something soft brushed her paws, and she was placed down carefully, gently. She tried to scent who it was that carried her, but there were so many, and the scent of her own blood was cloying her nose. Her head fell to the ground weakly as she mewed. "Thank you..." She was so tired suddenly, even though she had just been wide awake. She took a deep breath, the pain in her leg was dull, she could hardly feel it. Maybe she hadn't broken it after all, it had just twisted awkwardly. Nothing time couldn't heal on it's own. Little did she know the numbness to her wounds were coming from her blood loss. Her tail slapped once against the ground as she murmured, her voice slurring slightly. "Where is Raventail? He said he was here." Surely he was nearby, waiting for her to settle. He wouldn't leave her. Strange voices she didn't recognize broke through the haze, and she only half-listened, quickly losing the will and ability to focus. Something caressed her face, and she assumed it was Raventail for a moment, until she realized it was sharp. Ah. So they weren't done with her. She had been a fool. She was too tired to care though. The voices came again, and she tried to focus on them harder. So Softbreeze was here... And Spotlake... And two strangers. Hmm. They weren't letting Softbreeze close to her... Ah, the one near her face must be one of the strangers.

She had lost all feeling in her hind legs now, and her front paws were rapidly going numb. Why was the nest wet? Had someone placed a wet ball of moss for her? How silly, she would be fine. In time her wounds would heal, just as they always did. Raising her head slightly, or at least, she thought she did (really it just shifted the tiniest bit) she mewed gently, as if she was soothing one of her beloved kittens. "Don't worry, Softbreeze, Olivestar. I'll be fine. I have faith in you and our ancestors that everything will be as it should. Besides, a twisted paw will heal in no time..." She trailed off, finding it hard to breath suddenly. There was no feeling in her front paws now, and she choked out. "Please, I just need Raventail... And some rest." She begged, oblivious to her true state. The cold was setting in more and more with each breath, and she struggled to stay conscious long enough to hear Raventail's voice, or even just smell his scent. The darkness terrified her, and against all odds seems to be growing darker just as the cold grew.

Softbreeze had never been so happy to have premade poultices and herb wraps. She'd managed to smear an anti-infection poultice on Dappleshine's eyes, and treat Hayglow, before she was interrupted, and she hoped that would last her a few minutes.

"I may be a healer but I can and will use claws and fangs to defend my den. You do not want to see what happens to fools who stand between me and my patients." Softbreeze hissed through gritted teeth, unphased by this tom's large form. She could hear footsteps. She knew the sound of them well. Olivestar was coming. "If you think I keep my precious Leaf-bare herbs out in the open, you're dumber than I thought. The catmint and goldenrod are safe, fool. You've wasted your breath. There are probably still some salvageable herbs left as well. All you've done is proven your arrogance and stupidity."

She knew Dappleshine would be fine because less than a second after she'd finished speaking, Olivestar interrupted. Now, it was time to help Dappleshine. "If you want your buddy alive, I'd do what Olivestar says. She's not afraid to do it." Softbreeze growled, eyes narrow slits. Looking around her newly tarnished den, she spotted a poppyhead with a seed or two left intact. "Don't you give up, Dappleshine. Your family needs you, you hear me? Fogpaw needs you, don't let her down. You can survive this. Imagine you're fighting an enemy who's keeping you from your kit. Imagine you're fighting Vixenstar. I'm giving you two poppy seeds, please eat them and calm your nerves. Hayglow, you seem fine, but very distressed. There's some thyme over here I want you to chew, and you'll find salvageable lavender everyone, since there's always an abundance of it in here. For now the marigold smear I gave you will do, if it starts bleeding or burning come see me immediately."

Turning to Olivestar, and the other cats in the den, she directly addressed Spotlake and Smallbean. "If Olivestar agrees, take two other WindClan cats along with two asylum cats and bring back as many herbs as you can. I know it's late but we need them desperately." Softbreeze instructed. "Don't try anything, rogue," the medicine cat hissed to Nerio, shifting to cover Dappleshine from her grasp.

Nerio hissed as Olivestar approached, her feathery tail lashing back and forth and ears slicking back against her skull. "You have no right to call this camp yours... I think we made it perfectly clear that it is Asylum's camp. By extension, you're allowed to stay here, and because we believe our services could be invaluable to you. Hopefully, you'll become part of the family someday, but at this rate... Looks like there won't be much of WindClan left to assimilate." She mewed, looking down to Dappleshine with a sigh.

Nerio growled at Olivestar's remark, standing up abruptly and forcing herself closer to Dappleshine. "You truly think you can beat us? We'll relish in stripping you of each of your lives before you could even blink. You're surrounded. You've been beaten. WindClan has fallen, and that will not change." Nerio cast a backward glance towards the elder who was rapidly bleeding out behind her, completely ignoring Softbreeze as she attempted to push past her. "You have claws and fangs, yes, but you've got no idea how to use them effectively. Apparently, you don't know how to care for your Clanmates effectively, either." She hissed, resisting the urge to shove the she-cat off and tend to Dappleshine herself. "Dragon, we all know we've won. Let them have a shred of pride, dignity if you're feeling generous. Besides, I could use some horsetail and stinging nettle. If you've got half a brain to know what those look like, could you go and fetch some from the territories? Maybe some thyme, too. Clearly, dear Softbreeze needs some help chilling out."

Nerio turned around to examine Dappleshine, noting that she was quickly fading. "Eating poppy seeds will do nothing but drain what little energy she's got left. We've got to treat these injuries if there's any chance she'll survive. If you'll promise to stop being so insufferable, I'll help you out, to compensate for the stock of herbs you've lost." A quick glance proved that there were, perhaps, some salvageable herbs left. "Now, see if there's enough marigold to get us by for now. Chervil root too, if you have any of that. I'll need some moss and reeds to stop the bleeding. Garlic and oak leaves too. I need you to tell me exactly what was in that poultice you used so that anything I use doesn't react poorly. Once she's stable, we can talk pain management." She mewed, already gathering what little moss she could find scattered around the den.

Violetpaw watched the whole thing unfold, she didn't say a thing after her shaky question. Everything seemed to get worse without her help. The Asylum cats were closer, more split up than they once were, arguing with her clan. She couldn't understand it. The Asylum cats thinking they're helping, Windclan fighting back. Olivestar's crucial decision. Her clan, blinded by anger hadn't understood her leader's decision. Everything was loud, they weren't fighting, no, they were just angry. One cat began announcing that it was the Asylum's camp, not Windclan's.

I could never become family of this group. I'm not a very strong cat, without without training. She stepped backwards, trying to get away from every cat. They'll throw me to the side, ignore me, kick me out, or they won't even notice me. Violetpaw blinked a few times, realising tears were falling from her eyes. Olivestar seemed to have a sudden change of mind, which is what led up to an Asylum cat's nasty growl.

"Windclan..?"

Violetpaw couldn't focus on specific details, she wasn't good at that. But Windclan seemed to be falling apart. They were cold hearted murderers, those Asylum cats. She held her feather tightly. They probably did, take our kits. She thought. Some of those cats saying they'd never, I doubt that. She took around, most Asylum cats were distracted. Starclan, let me make my escape! She ran to her camp's walls, scrambling up. She took a few breaths, her ears were alert, but there were too many noises to focus on anything. If she ever could.

There's comfort away from camp, I know it, they're trying to scare us, trying to threaten us, saying they have cats outside of camp. How do they have so many cats? How can they feed them all?

Violetpaw was about to escape, run away from the chaos. Anything to keep her safe.

Olivestar's claws at his throat drew a smirk from Dragon, a burst of haughty laughter following her threats. "I think you underestimate just how much power you have here, Olivestar," he snapped. "You are alive because of, and only because of, Asylum's mercy. If I were you, I'd start acting like it."

His ears slanted back at Nerio's voice, expecting support but sorely disappointed at the reality. Dragon's lip curled, and he turned away from Olivestar to fix his companion with a wounded stare. "Fine," he sniffed, wrinkling his nose at her, though there was no real malice in the gesture. Nerio didn't appreciate the art of bloodshed the same way he did - it was their only divide, but he didn't fault her too much for it.

As she went to tend to the elder, Dragon rolled his eyes, then turned and made his way out of the den. As he passed Olivestar, the flame-point tom paused, leaned in, and raked his tongue swiftly across her cheek, ducking away before she could retaliate. "Catch ya later, sweetheart," he called over his shoulder. And then he was off to find the herbs Nerio had requested. There would be plenty of time to torment WindClan later.

Flank heaving, Smallbean was finally taking time to catch his breath. Now that he was calming down, he was starting to be able to hear the rest of his clanmates- and finally be able to see what else was going on. It seemed that he was able to snap back to reality just in time to hear his name called and Dappleshine bleeding from her face. "What... what did i.... miss?" Was all he was able to squeak out, no more than a whisper. Suddenly he was dropped and he hit the ground with a thud, slowly picking himself up to follow Softbreeze's orders. Alongside his mother he helped Dappleshine up and moved her toward the medicine den.

One of the asylum cats walked nearby them, but he paid no mind to it other than shooting the tom a narrow-eyed glare. Focusing back on his task he helped Dappleshine closer- that was until he saw the same tom in the medicine den. Destroying the herbs. And threatening to kill Dappleshine. Out of immediate response, he stepped forward as a growl rose in his throat. "Why you-" His words were immediately cut off my Spotlake hissing at the tom, followed by Olivestar. The medicine den grew much more crowded with the presence of so many cats, but the tom didn't mind that fact, considering how easy it was for him to squeeze out of the way.

While Olivestar dealt with the Asylum cats, Smallbean helped Dappleshine into a nest, feeling a bit relieved when the she-cat seemed to be in less pain- But the words she spoke scared him. He knew her tone of voice all too well, and it was as if she herself were deteriorating. Something was wrong. It brought a sick feeling to the tom's stomach as the elder cried out, the first time he had felt sick like this in sunrises. He hated it. Keeping his mouth shut, he watched Softbreeze argue with Dragon and Nerio, his eyes narrowing in a hateful fashion at the two. When Dragon finally gave in and turned to leave, the tom felt a wave of satisfaction roll over him. It was only then when he recalled Softbreeze saying something about a patrol. 'Perfect, I need this right now. I don't want to be surrounded by these scoundrels, i wouldn't mind being around only two.' He thought, turning toward the leader. "What do you say? Will you allow a herb patrol right now or would you rather us be in camp for a while?"

While everyone else talked, Amberfluff kept her position, letting herself be pinned but occasionally shifting just a little so she could see and hear what was going on better. When it became clear that she wasn’t actively doing anything with the shifting, the cat pinning her down gave up on making her keep still.

She noted that one of the Asylum cats stepped in to make sure another cat wasn’t killed. While it was surprising to Amberfluff emotionally, logically she knew that it was a normal thing. After all, from what she knew of the clan, Amberfluff guessed that the biggest reason they were fighting was that Goldengale was dead. If he wasn’t, the clan probably would have complied much quicker and quieter. Especially Softbreeze.

When Olivestar spoke, Amberfluff nodded silently. Of course Olivestar wanted the Asylum cats to attack her and not anyone else. After all, if Amberfluff counted right, Olivestar still had her full 9 lives left. Exactly 8 more than normal cats had. It was logically speaking better to attack her than anyone else. Of course, Amberfluff knew to not say it out loud.

That one she-cat who kept speaking up, though? Evidently she didn’t have as good survival instincts. Doesn’t she know that the worst troubles come from something you say? Amberfluff had the urge to facepaw. She would only make WindClan madder by proclaiming them to be cruel. And refuse to see reason…See, now even she had the urge to run over and slap that ignorant she-cat across the face. It was a perfectly logical reaction to be a little riled up when your clan has just been invaded.

Asylum was attempting to rule by fear, and Amberfluff felt a spark of annoyance run through her veins at that. Don’t they know that ruling by fear will always incur a backlash from those they ruled once the time has come?

When Theron spoke again, Amberfluff listened intently, stretching her neck as far as it would go until the cat pinning her threatened to stomp on it, as she listened out for the cats’ names. The one who was crying, who has insulted Olivestar earlier, was Thalia. The one going to check on Thalia was Roe. The other higher-rank who stayed was Lexine. The other higher-rank who left was Alois. Amberfluff believed he was also the one who stacked Dappleshine earlier.

Lilacpaw appeared to be trying to talk to Thalia. Amberfluff has no particular thought on that, but if these cats were here to stay, they might as well try to know one another better.

The chaos erupting around the Medicine Cat Den then caught Amberfluff's attention. She found her ears buzzing, her head turning, much too many colours and sounds than there should be rushing about inside her head as she fought to focus on everything at once-

Eventually, Amberfluff's attention went to Violetpaw. The Apprentice was attempting to scramble away and out of camp. The she-cat's eyes narrowed. Violetpaw was, if she remembered right, someone with self-esteem issues as well. Maybe she just wanted to get out of there. In any case, Amberfluff opted to keep an eye on her so she could try and help if she got caught.

Foxspirit awoke in a nightmare. The cat's with the predictor pelts, the monsters, they were back. And this time, WindClan was outnumbered. She looked around as their leader, Theron, called for WindClan to surrender. It was then that she saw the body. No... Goldengale... Foxspirit watched in a stunned silence as her clanmates argued with the invaders, and Olivestone surrendered. What else could they do? They attacked poor Dappleshine...  It all happened so fast, and Foxspirit was not as young as she used to be. What can I even do? She asked herself, looking around as these events unfolded around her. Could she even do anything? These monsters were here to stay, with no end in sight.

"Reeds don't grow on the moor," Softbreeze growled, "It would be better to stick with moss and cobwebs. Aspenheart's spiders are still around, after all." Softbreeze didn't need this cat's help, but she wasn't prideful or arrogant enough to refuse it. This she-cat didn't know much herself, it seemed. "Is your nose so dull it can't smell the marigold, goldenrod, and horsetail I used? There's also celandine trickled into her eyes to help heal them, along with comfrey to help soothe the wounds. I was going to try to feed her chamomile, lamb's ear, juniper, ragweed, and burnet to help stabilize her strength, that was until you and your friend rudely interrupted me. Thankfully two my strength herb wraps were beside me."

"The oak leaves probably didn't make it, I wrap the longer ones around the infection herb wraps before I close it with bindweed. I think we have a few decent stands of bindweed and sticks in tact, though. We don't have in garlic in the den, as its typical more for rats and a last resort for blood loss, but there's a patch right outside camp, to the left. I know for certain the chervil root supply is empty now. I was going to gather herbs tomorrow, and chervil was the first herb on my list. If the poppyheads barley survived, the chervil did not. Still, the juice of the roots may still be usable." Breaking off, she looked around her newly cluttered mess and found a root of the plant she was searching for.

Sniffing the plant, she nodded, "Barley, but Dappleshine needs all the healing she can get." She gingerly grabbed the root, being ten times more careful than need be, and brought it the few pawsteps back over to her patient. "I'll handle the eyes, you handle the leg?" She murmured to Nerio. In truth, this reminded her of Aspenheart and how they'd work together before his passing. It was rather lonely in the den. "The broken bone parcels may have survived. The stick makes them sturdier than leaves, and they were farther back. You'll know them when you see them; they're tied to a stick and a rush. If you can't find any, there should be sticks in camp that could work."

Chitchat aside, Softbreeze gathered as much moss and cobwebs as she could. If Dappleshine wasn't laying on it, she'd gathered it. Aside from Aspenheart's nest. That would never be touched. The green moss soon turned brown from the red of the blood, but soon enough she found herself able to see flecks of gray fur among red. The blood was finally drying up.

Eagletalon had been watching the event upfold in the medicine cat den. She didn't want to interfer anymore that she had already upset the Asylum cats. She looked at the one named Dragon and curled her lip at him as he stalked by like he owned this camp.

Shen then looked towards the medicine cat den thankfully that not all Asylum cats where like Dragon, in fact, some of these Asylum cats might actually be able to help the clan. (Although if I say anything along the lines of my thoughts again Downtuft will be sure to kill me.)

As Nerio spoke, Olivestar resisted the urge to spit. With another lash of her tail, she took a deep breath, speaking in a tone still full of anger, but the leader was starting to get her uncharacteristic temper under control.
"I don't care that Asylum has taken over, this is my home, my camp, and I will call this camp the WindClan camp. I may have surrendered to Theron, but there's nothing you can do to stop me from calling my home what I like. You may be strong, but you and the rest of Asylum are unwanted here, and that's not going to change. Don't worry, I'm not going to stop you, because, apparently, I can't."

Then Dragon spoke once more, and the normally-gentle leader did spit, a wordless expression of feelings that when put to words, were not safe for young ears. Then the arrogant asylum cat dove in to rasp his tongue over Olivestar's cheek, and for that, the leader really had to resist attacking him there and then. A low growl emanated from her as Dragon left the den, and with another lash of her tail, turned back to Nerio and Softbreeze.

With great effort, Olivestar took a deep breath, trying to let some of her unusual anger go, the attitudes of these unwanted intruders really grating on her nerves.
"Spotlake, Smallbean, find one of the nicer," with a pointed glance to where Dragon left, "Asylum cats and go out to find some herbs for Softbreeze."

With the order given, she then sat down, watching the pair go about helping Dappleshine. She didn't trust Nerio, and she wasn't about to turn her back on the intruder.

Violetpaw took another glance around. Violetpaw would just stay outside until the cats stop being loud and angry towards each other, right? It seemed easy. While the she-cat was looking around she locked eyes with Amberfluff, she felt relieved it wasn't an Asylum cat that was looking right at her, but also fearful that another Asylum cat might follow the orange and white tabby's gaze.

As quick as the grey she-cat could manage, Violetpaw leapt down from where she was standing and onto the moors. The cool grass under her paws felt refreshing so she sat there for a moment. She took a look around, hoping no Asylum cat was outside of Windclan's camp at the moment.

Eagletalon flicked her tail and made up her mind to be as helpful as possible to ease some of the stress off of Olivestar. She approached Olivestar with her head and tail down, "Olivestar, I am sorry for challenging your authroity earier this morning, I just do not understand why we can't take these cat's in as well?" she asked politely. "They would be taking care of us and offering us protection so that we wouldn't have to wound ourselves fighting." she pointed out nervously.

In her mind, it had made perfect sense to use them as a buffer to have them fight whenever possible. She thought about how they had told Windclan that the other clans would be under their control. It sounded like no kitten, elder, apprentice or warrior would be hungry during the winter since they were all provding for each other.

The gray elder lay still as the pain faded, along with the feeling in her chest. A single touch came and she smiled, knowing it was Raventail. His scent filled her nose as she prepared to take her final breaths, and with a weak nuzzle her head fell to the ground for the final time.

The chaos dimmed slowly like a smothered fire, muffled in sound and sight as if behind a curtain of rain; a vibrant light of radiant warmth shifted into focus when a broad, mottled gray-and-orange paw touched the earth, followed by another mismatched dappled paw. The terror of what was left behind had no place here - not in this moment - as the veil between StarClan and the forest parted just for a fallen warrior. Terror, betrayal, and pain had no place in Dacedream’s presence as she moved through an unseen world to stand before her mother, invisible to the living. The reunion was not for those left behind. The starry she-cat had room for nothing but love and joy now. Whatever came next would wait: the present was eternity, for that moment. Silverpelt glimmered faintly around the pair as the thick-furred tortoiseshell cat pressed her muzzle into the WindClan cat’s shoulder to greet her - a gentle welcome to the first step of what lay beyond.

A pair of bright, round green-hazel eyes met Dappleshine’s for the first time in seasons. Dacedream’s mottled gray-and-orange tortoiseshell fur was speckled with starlight; her face was overwhelmed with joy. ”Hi, momma,” she said, a queen’s voice with a kitten’s heart. Suddenly the StarClan cat surged forward, shoving her mother’s head underneath her chin and pulling the queen into her neck and chest. Dacedream began purring, and it was everything it once was: thick and full-chested, rumbling like monsters or thunder, and it shook her whiskers and resonated in Dappleshine’s chest as they held their embrace. Dacedream pressed down Dappleshine’s body then, rubbing her sides all along her mother’s and brushing her tail affectionately under the queen’s chin.

The reunion was a flurry of bumps and brushes and purrs. Time wasn’t important here. Eventually, Dacedream pulled away, still purring, and her eyes were full of tears. ”There’s a nest ready for you, momma. I put it together. I’ve come to help you find it,” Dacedream declared once she slowed alongside her mother, cheeks pressed together. She didn’t say it was in StarClan; it didn’t need to be said. Loss and grief had no place in this moment in time. Soon, certainly, it would be felt in full, but this moment of passing would be painless to make up for what had already been endured. The starry warrior pulled her cheek away and smiled at Dappleshine, purring, ”I can’t wait to show you everything - but I’m glad you took your time getting here. The forest loved you.”

Pressing her head underneath Dappleshine’s chin once more, Dacedream added, ”So many cats love you. And I love you, too.” The living world was still muffled, but through the haze the StarClan warrior turned her head to a mottled rock, bright and in focus near a well-worn sleeping place. She grinned. ”Do you wanna take that with you? We’re together now, but it has so many memories. We could bring it.”

The joy that Dappleshine had felt at seeing her daughter, and their shared greeting, wavered slightly as she followed her daughter's gaze. Yes, she wanted it, she always carried it with her. Now though… She glanced around, realizing that the two were the only ones present, and noticing for the first time the faint starlight in the fur at her chest. The realization gripped her, and she looked to her daughter with a sad smile. "My minnow, I would love to take it with me, as I always have. But… I'm leaving both Raventail and Fogpaw behind, and I have you once more… Perhaps they need it more than I." Her voice trailed off, looking at the stone she had held so dear to her heart longingly.

Dacedream’s green-hazel eyes shimmered with understanding. ”They deserve to remember, too. I’ve got an idea.” The mottled she-cat pushed her cheek against her mother’s and wound her plume of a tail into her own, taking a few steps forward. She guided Dappleshine to the stone, both radiant queens moving lighter than a breeze and swifter than a current to it. The StarClan warrior stooped down to pick up the rock in her teeth; what rose with her was an iridescent, star-veined version of the rock Dacepaw had given to her mother in RiverClan long, long ago. Dacedream smiled at Dappleshine and nodded aside at the physical rock left behind in the world for Raventail and the sister Dacedream had never gotten to meet.

Dappleshine smiled as Dacedream wound their tails together, and followed along as she moved towards the rock. She picked it up carefully, and to Dappleshine's joy and amazement there was another copy of the rock, albeit slightly different, carried by her eldest daughter. The physical rock remained, and Dappleshine purred as she nuzzled her daughter's shoulder gratefully. "That's perfect, minnow. Thank you so much my love. She purred.

”I think it’s time to go,” the she-cat told her mother gently around the keepsake, tails still wound together. ”The stars are so pretty, now, don’t you think?”

Hesitating one moment longer, Dappleshine took a deep breath before nodding. "I agree. It's been an adventure, and I look forward to the new one before me - before us." Looking towards the blurred figures she mewed her final farewell. "Goodbye, Raventail, Fogpaw. My loves… I'm sorry to leave you so suddenly, but know I'm waiting for you and watching over you from the stars. Until we meet again."

And the muffled world around them faded to misty starlight, and the forest was left behind.

"Dappleshine? Dappleshine! Wake your StarClan forsaken hide up right now or so help me I will send Aspenheart to haunt your every movements, you foolish old cat! Get up! Get... Get up! Please.. I... Wake up, please, wake-- w-wake up... I'm begging you." Softbreeze whispered, furious, a growl in her throat. Not again. Not yet. "I said wake up! This-- this isn't funny! Get up right now! I'm very serious, Dappleshine. Y-you.. You have to wake up. This isn't a suggestion, it's a command. So, stop fooling around and wake up already!"

Softbreeze knew her words were in vain when she saw a faint smile grace Dappleshine's features. She was dead. She'd seen StarClan. Dappleshine was truly dead. "NO!" She screeched, darting forward and grabbing her strength herbs. Tears blurred her vision and she stuffed the flowers and leaves into the mouth of the gray molly, sobbing. "You've got to wake up. Just chew those. Please, they'll give you strength. You can't leave us, Dappleshine. We still need you, please, I'll do anything... Just wake up..!" Tear drops fell like rain onto the she-cat's pelt, smearing with the blood and poultice as Softbreeze rubbed her cheek along the gray cat's face. Her paws were shaking and she shook her head over and over again as she lay buried in the old molly's fur. Sobbed echoed through her den, vibrating off the cave walls and into the clearing. WindClan knew that sound all too well. Softbreeze was sobbing.

Dappleshine was dead.

Realization dawned on her and Softbreeze slowly lifted her maw, eyes wide with panic. "I killed her," She mewed, breathless. She turned her panic stricken gaze to her leader, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Olive," Her voice came out a horse whisper, "Oh, StarClan.."