Hearts of Stone [Blossomstep]

Beechface's movements were stiff and jerky with anger as she sorted through her herbs, separating out things that had lost their healing qualities, and carefully arranging the rest of the herb store in the process. Not two days had passed since the clan had been woken by claws and fangs at their vitals, and her fur had yet to lay flat.

Dawnhawk was with the rogues. He'd led them to Skyclan, and Beechface did not give a rat's tail about any of his excuses as to why it 'had to be done' or how it was for the 'good' of Skyclan. They hadn't attacked him during the takeover of their camp, and that was all Beechface cared to know. Had that herb hunt where he'd actually been civil with her just been a facade? Did he really not care about his clan at all?

Anger made her fluffy tail flick jerkily back and forth as Beechface worked, and movement at the den entrance behind her had a low growl of irritation rumbling in her chest. She turned, fully prepared to snap at whatever nameless, faceless piece of foxdung was invading her space, only for her to abruptly pull back in surprise. A clanmate, at least, and it wasn't Dawnhawk standing before her, either.

A frustrated breath left the she-cat as she shuffled her paws somewhat awkwardly, embarrassment making her pelt feel warm.

"Oh... Hi, grandma." She muttered, somewhat ashamed she'd been too wrapped up in her own thoughts to recognize the familiar scent at first. "Did you need something?" Beechface... tried to make herself sound like less of a grump. Really, she did. But even to her ears the effort sounded unsuccessful.

The air around SkyClan's camp had changed, and it seemed everyone, even the Asylum cats, were aware of it. Blossomstep's clanmates walked on their toes, tails or ears flicking in agitation as their shadowy counterparts walked alongside them or watched from a distance. Even in her nest Blossomstep couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Everything had changed in a moment, and so soon after they had finally been able to return home. The grief from the losses due to the fire and the events following were still far too fresh, having only just begun to heal when they found themselves facing this new, sudden change. And one of their own had played a part. Blossomstep found that while she could look the tom in the eye, it didn't give the same feeling of pride or joy that it once did. Instead, it was like she was plunged into the icy creek again, like she had when Wolfstar had been injured during one of their first hunts together. She huffed, the feeling of being smothered and treated like an apprentice enveloping her once again. She had spent her moons kept in camp unless accompanied by Spottedstar or another warrior, and by the stars she was not about to go through it indefinitely. However, it was an impossible battle, at this time at least.

The thought of going for a quick hunting crossed her mind, only to be quickly dismissed. She didn't want to interact with these crow-food eating foxes anyway, she thought to herself as one passed by, wearing a fox pelt. Resisting the urge to shudder, she considered her options and found herself wandering towards the medicine cat den. Thoughts of Sagelight and Honeysong filled her head briefly before turning to Beechface. Her granddaughter. She had struggled with an intensity that Blossomstep admired and also feared, she had been terrified that the she-cat would be harmed. As she entered the den, the smell of herbs filled her nose and a low growl reached her ears. Beechface was standing a few tail lengths from her, and the she-cat turned, a look of irritation as she prepared to lash out with her words, only to sharply pull up when she realized that it was Blossomstep that stood there. Embarrassment filled the medicine cat's expression, and Blossomstep's tail waved behind her as she took a step forward, closing the distance between them. "Hi, Beechface. It's good to see you, dear." She mewed, touching her nose to her granddaughter's head lightly before stepping away to give her space. "I'm sorry for intruding so suddenly, I just... I don't need anything, I think, other than just wanting to spend time with you. Everything's such a mess right now, and I guess I just want to spend what time I can with you and the others. If you don't mind, that is! Perhaps I can help you?" She asked, nodding her head in the direction of the herbs that the medicine cat must have been working on.

Beechface relaxed slightly as Blossomstep pressed her nose to the top of her head, inclining her own head to make it a bit easier.

"It's fine." She mewed, somewhat awkwardly. Her grandmother's company was far preferable to other cats. She was right that things were a mess, and Starclan had neglected to tell her a thing about it.

"I was just going through what needs to be thrown out and what still has some use left... I really don't feel like finding herbs with those rogues watching my every movement." She muttered. She'd have to eventually, of course, but Beechface thought she'd be bringing clanmates along with her for the foreseeable future. The medicine den was the only place it seemed like where there weren't strange cats, but she knew there were at least two guards just outside the entrance. The thought of it was infuriating. What did they think one cat was going to do to them?

...Well, she had killed two of them during the takeover. But it was their own fault, really.

"I'm worried about mom." And so much more. Dad, Copperpaw... Wolfstar hadn't returned yet, either. A frustrated flick of her tail. "I hate being able to do nothing about any of this." She glanced back down at the pile of browned, older herbs she'd made for a moment, before her gaze flicked back up to Blossomstep's.

"I can definitely help with that." Blossomstep purred, looking to the herbs and taking in their state. "If you want, I can also join you, when you go out to get more. That way you won't be alone... If you want, of course." The she-cat mewed, settling by the herb piles and sniffing at the nearest one, trying to quickly gauge the state of the pile as a whole. A brief silence filled the den, and Blossomstep turned towards her granddaughter as she finally confessed that she was worried about Smokefeather. "I'm worried about her too. I can't even begin to imagine what she's going through, how she feels. Dawnhawk may have been my apprentice, but he was her son, and your brother." She paused, motioning for Beechface to join her. "Of course, dear, I know I wish I could do something more too. With each passing day I fear that Wolfstar won't be coming home, and with Bloodstrike gone now too... I'm not sure what we'll do. What I do know is that we need to rely on each other now, more than ever. Have you spoken to your mother yet? I'm sure she would enjoy your company, it would most likely help soothe her thoughts some as well. Maybe you two can eat together or something, or we could all go out looking for herbs soon?" She offered, gray eyes gleaming with love and kindness. It was a difficult time for them all, and she wanted to be there for her loved ones even if things seemed bleak.

"Thanks, I'd appreciate that." She mewed quietly, beginning to sort through her own herbs, listening as Blossomstep spoke. A bitter scoff left her at the mention of Dawnhawk being her brother. Even as kits, they'd never gotten along, and him betraying the entire clan and their family definitely hadn't helped things. Now more than ever, Beechface had found she needed to remind herself that sinking her claws into his hide wouldn't do any good, even if it would be satisfying.

"I'll talk to her, maybe I can catch her in the morning before she gets into training and hunting. I can't imagine how she's feeling after watching dad-" The medicine cat cut herself off, ears rotating back in anger at the memory. Conniving piece of fox dung...

"I hate not knowing what's happened. Why would Dawnhawk do this?" Beechface hissed in frustration. The Asylum cats said he was alive, but that was the only information they would share. Beechface couldn't even be there to provide proper healing, who even knew what the rogues were doing, and she didn't trust them one bit.

"Of course, Beechface." Blossomstep purred, settling in to work through the pile in front of her. "I think she'd appreciate that." She murmured softly, noting the medicine cat's shift in demeanor and gently moving her pile to lay next to her granddaughter, letting her pelt lightly brush hers. "I'm not sure why, honestly. I wish I would have seen it coming, done something to stop it... I wish I knew why, and I wish I knew how.... I wish I knew where my sons were, both Blazingkit and Bloodstrike." She sighed, frowning as she returned her focus to the herbs, moving some dried, dead leaves away from the good ones.

Beechface found herself leaning into Blossomstep's touch, finding some measure of comfort in it.

"Starclan has been silent on it. All of it. I don't understand why." Beechface had lain awake at night, trying to come up with some sort of answer. It was disheartening to find that there was none to be had.

"Do you think the missing kits and the rogues are connected somehow? The kits went missing without a trace. Bloodstrike's trail has all-but disappeared. We had no warning at all that the rogues would arrive how they did. I know there's nothing tangible but..." Her voice trailed off, uncertain now that she'd even voiced the thought. Beechface plucked another dead, browned leaf from her pile of herbs, placing it with the others that couldn't be salvaged.

"I'm sorry to hear that, truly I am. I've never had the same connection with our ancestors that Honeysong did, or you do, but I did have hope that they would provide some guidance, some reassurance at least. I suppose if they have nothing to offer, we need to rely on each other more than ever, then." She mewed, turning her head slightly to look at her granddaughter. "I can't promise I'll always have the answers, but I can promise that I'll always be there for you, even if you just want me to listen." As Beechface continued, Blossomstep hesitated. "You're not the first cat to ask that. Your mother asked me something similar just the other day. I don't know if they are behind it or not, but I can't deny there are similarities in the disappearances. What I do know is that if I hear word that it is true, I will tear them limb from limb and send them to the Dark Forest myself. I would hope that if it were true Dawnhawk would have at least let us know they were okay, but.... I can't even say that for sure." She mewed, going through her pile carefully and methodically.

"I don't know... It doesn't feel like I'm very connected to them." She responded. "I never wanted to be a medicine cat, but I've been trying... Is it because of that that they tell me nothing?" Beechface questioned, not quite sure if she wanted to know a real answer.

"Mom thought the same thing? I wonder if anyone in the other clans has had similar thoughts, then. Not that we can ask but..." Her voice trailed off. They were completely cut off from the other clans, for now. But they'd all had kits go missing as well, she could remember hearing Wolfstar and Ivystar spit venom back and forth with each other before the other clans had arrived at that gathering.

They could sit and think, but nothing could be done. Beechface was beginning to truly hate the feeling of not being able to do anything to help when it was needed.

Blossomstep hesitated, placing her tail on her granddaughter's shoulder lightly. "I don't think that's it, my dear. I think things are just... Hard right now, for everyone. Even our ancestors. And if that is why they won't speak to you, then they're all mouse-brained idiots who shouldn't be blessed with your company anyway." The she-cat mewed, not looking up from her herb pile. "It's certainly possible, but like you said, we don't have a way to communicate with the other clans, at least, not right now. However, we can keep an eye and ear out, and see what we can find out." She mewed, continuing to sort her pile carefully.