do or die [closed for now]

Everywhere he looked, another shadow. The swiftness with which the Asylum cats had appeared and overwhelmed him had made the dark tom take Dawnhawk at his word, and with each step he took further into SkyClan's territory, strange cats flanking him on all sides, Wolfstar was glad he had. They were everywhere, yet nowhere - occasionally, he'd get the glimpse of a pelt or the shine of an eye, but aside from curious glances the other rogue cats didn't engage them before shrinking back into the shadows. He stopped counting after the first dozen, fixating his gaze instead on Dawnhawk's bright coat as the warrior led them towards camp. Wolfstar kept his head down, his body language relaxed, but nothing could disguise the cold fury in his amber-gold eyes. I killed... I had to kill... because of you. He'd never taken a life before that moment, and it was pure instinct that had led him to do so in the first place. Now, he couldn't get the image of that cat's still, sightless eyes out of his brain. You made me do that, Dawnhawk.

It scared him that now, he wanted to do it again. Over and over, he replayed the conversation in his head, but the only thing he could concentrate on was what he'd said about his father. Bloodstrike tried to fight them all and now... well we don't know where he is. That scared Wolfstar. If there was one thing he knew about his son, it was that Bloodstrike didn't run, so if he'd disappeared in the middle of a hostile takeover...

That thought made a fresh wave of anger burn through his veins, and the leader stopped in his tracks, so suddenly that the Nightstriker directly behind him didn't notice in time to avoid rear-ending him. Wolfstar didn't react, though, other than to stare ahead at Dawnhawk until the rest of the cats stopped, too, glancing between each other, some nervous, others annoyed. He waited, unmoving, until finally the one in the lead looked at Dawnhawk and opened his mouth to speak.

"Thorn, in my paw," Wolfstar said, cutting him off but still never moving his eyes from his grandson's form. "I'll take care of it." His words were flat and emotionless, but held an air of finality that belied the casualness of the words... and as he scraped his paw against the ground, feigning removal of the thorn, the leader made up mind. If you've hurt any of them... I'll kill you, too.

They continued moving with little incident, and before long, the outline of SkyClan's camp could be seen in the distance. Wolfstar had to prevent himself from sprinting forward, desperate to ensure the safety of his mate and his family. Once they were there, and he made sure Blossomstep and the others were safe... well, then he could start really planning.

Dawnhawk had looked relaxed enough, but his ears stayed swiveled behind him to listen for even the slightest hint of a problem. The deeper into Skyclan territory they got, the more Asylum cats there were. Dawnhawk hoped that the sheer numbers would be enough to keep Wolfstar cooperative. He didn't have Bloodstrike as a back up. As a matter of fact, Dawnhawk was glad that they deputy had been put away. Fighting just one of these toms would prove to be troublesome, but both of them together? The Asylum cats were fairly skilled, but they relied on numbers far too much for Dawnhawk's liking. Numbers did not always win a battle, especially if the warriors were mostly sub-par compared to a lot of the experienced warriors in the clans. Dawnhawk certainly wasn't about to tell Wolfstar or any of the clan cats what he really thought about Nightstrikers, but if they ever decided to fight against them then perhaps they would figure it out.

Suddenly pawsteps stopped. Dawnhawk whipped his head around to see what was going on and his fur bristled. Don't you do it you old fool... Dawnhawk bent his elbows and knees, ready to fight if it came down to that. I won't tell them to stop this time. Eventually Wolfstar swiped his paw on the ground, claiming it was a thorn. Dawnhawk's face wrinkled and his ears lay flat.

"Of course..." He said, though his voice was more of a warning than anything. They began to walk again, though now Dawnhawk was on higher alert than he was before. This was a bad idea. They should divert their route and kill Wolfstar off before the clan saw him...

"You must be Wolfstar."

The voice was heard before the calico tom appeared from behind a patch of deadened foliage. Iniko had made it a point to stay near the entrance of camp and leisurely watch the comings and goings of Skyclan. If it weren't for their heroic displays of boldness, or stupidity, then perhaps Iniko would have been inclined to retire more often to Shadowclan. He certainly wanted to. Regardless, he had told the Skyclan she-cat that a discussion with Wolfstar would be had and he intended to keep that vow even if it hardly benefitted him.

"Welcome home, I hope your journey had found you well. The healers can offer you something for strength and there is plenty of prey back in camp. Having more paws around his always beneficial." There was a gleam in his gaze but the captain dipped his head in the most respectful manner. Feathery tail flicking about, Iniko draw his eyes back up to meet Wolfstar's as he continued on, "Your deputy proved to be a threat to the lives of others and I want to apologize for his absence but above all else, Wolfstar, I want no cats to be hurt. If it stays that way is ultimately up to you."

Wolfstar didn't react when yet another cat appeared, but the fact that the rogue knew his name without being introduced was enough to make the leader's narrowed eyes slide over to study him as he continued speaking, offering aid and food as if it weren't Wolfstar's own territory on which their paws stood. His lip curled, but his voice was level when he responded. "I can see my own medicine cat if I require herbs, thank you," he told him. "That is, if she hasn't mysteriously disappeared the same way my deputy apparently has."

His tail lashed, claws raking tiny furrows into the cold ground as he flexed his toes. "If it's not a problem, I'd like to ensure the rest of my family's safety before we continue this..." he trailed off as if searching for a word, and then chose not to, instead. Wolfstar turned to stare at Dawnhawk, gaze icy. "Grandson, thank you for the escort."

Without waiting for either of them to reply - or give permission - Wolfstar moved away, brushing through the tunnel into the camp, his eyes searching desperately for Blossomstep's silver tabby coat.

Dawnhawk was silent throughout the interaction between Wolfstar and Iniko. He was ready to spring into action if need be, as were the other Nightstrikers. He could tell by Wolfstar's tone of voice and his body language that he was probably going to be trouble at some point, but the older tom, not necessarily old yet, had more wits about him than the other Skyclan cats. It made Dawnhawk nervous. With his frigid word of thanks and the way he pushed through to the camp, Dawnhawk's fur bristled a bit. I knew I should have killed him... His eyes glanced at Iniko, not hiding his frustration with Wolfstar being allowed to keep all of his lives. Shouldn't they have taken at least eight? This was going to blow up in their faces at some point unless Dawnhawk himself could bring the rest of the clan to heel.

The cat she had spoken to initally had returned, ShadowClan scent clinging to his pelt. Her eyes had narrowed, but she simply watched him from afar, keeping an eye on where he was. If he was here, then surely something must be happening. Her answer came with the sound of voices, on sticking out from the rest. Wolfstar! Getting to her paws, she waited just past the camp's entrance. Her pelt prickled as she listened to Iniko's words, and her tail lashed as she waited for her mate to return. If a single hair on his pelt was harmed, she would personally rip their whiskers out. It wasn't long before his face appeared, and Blossomstep only gave the tom enough time to fully get through the entrance before jumped forward, landing just short of him and pressing her head into his chest, breathing in his scent as if her life depended on it. "Welcome home, Wolfstar. I missed you." Breathing deeply once more, she stepped back and looked him over carefully.

Iniko caught the other tom's gaze as Wolfstar pulled away. Surely, it would have been an easy matter to strip the leader of his life and say he'd never returned from his journey. However, accusation of kit stealing, coupled with the obvious rage at Bloodstrike's disappearance, made it a more tricky affair. The brown tabby seemed to be every bit as stubborn as his deputy but with less of a reckless streak. Hopefully this meant they would not be launched into any crafty rebellions soon. Despite his warnings, it was obvious that some cats would never listen. Any attempt at fighting back would lead to unnecessary bloodshed.

He finally tipped his head to Dawnhawk in a mild manner before padding after the leader. A reunion between the other tom and his mate seemed to be taking place. The calico captain held back, stilling his heels for a moment to allow them their time together. Blossomstep was easy to recognize after he had met her at the initial take over of the clan. Even if it meant nothing to her, Iniko dipped his head in a brief greeting before breaking in with an intrusion, "How much has Dawnhawk told you, Wolfstar? As much as I would love to see you get settled back into your clan and return to normal life, there are definitely some matters that need to be discussed first."

He didn't have to look long or hard before Blossomstep was before him, and Wolfstar breathed a sigh of relief as she pressed into his chest, briefly closing his eyes and letting the chaos of the day disappear for just a moment. "I've missed you, too..." he told her. "And I'm so sorry I wasn't here." As she pulled away, inspecting him, he offered a calming murmur of, "I'm fine, just a few scratches. I'll see Beechface after-"

Iniko's voice cut him off, demanding an audience, and the leader's demeanor changed instantly, his lip curling, eyes hardening. The leader kneaded his paws into the ground in a mixture of anxiety and irritation, turning to face Iniko while keeping himself firmly between he and Blossomstep, though, he reasoned that had they wanted to hurt her - or anyone else - they could have done so before now.

"He's told me little," the tom replied darkly, refusing to meet Dawnhawk's gaze or even acknowledge his grandson's presence. "Say what you have to say, then, so we can be done with this."

"I want to make my intentions clear, Wolfstar," Iniko began, meeting him with a level gaze, "I'm not here to be a terrorizer of your clan. I'm here to help bring strength and security to the cats of Skyclan and of all forests. I wish to see your legacy grow and thrive." He paused and let his gaze pass over Blossomstep for a brief second before returning to the brown tabby. Wolfstar seemed to be every bit as stubborn as his son. There was a genuine hope inside the captain that Skyclan wouldn't have to lose two of their leaders throughout this ordeal. Although, perhaps, it would make it a more seamless integration. The thought was dashed away as quickly as it had come. Who was he to needlessly strip kin from kin? No, such things would only be considered if this tom gave them a reason to entertain them.

"None of your cats will be harmed unless they directly threaten any of our ranks. We will aid in hunting patrols and driving off predators. My standards are all trained in healing as well, and can aid your medicine cats if you wish." He paused once again, tasting the words across his tongue and realizing how genuinely heavy they felt in the moment, "Unfortunately, joining Asylum is not a choice. But the choice that you do have is keeping your cats safe and allowing yourself to slip into a life of ease. I hope we meet as companions instead of enemies in the future but I will leave that option up to you." Iniko had no intent to stay longer than he had to. The rest of the clan had already been given the restrictions to follow. With a farewell nod to Dawnhawk, the calico slipped through the entrance and headed in the direction of Shadowclan.