Flickering of Dawn (open)

OOC: before we begin, I'd like to mention this happens before Thalia kills Gingertalon, so she and Pyrik have not been yelled at. Lilacsong is leader in this, but has not received her name, as she was Lilacsong when Thalia was banished. This also means that Dayspring has not become deputy yet! Olivestar and Morningdove have left, and Lilacsong has been declared leader. WindClan cats and Asylum cats stationed in WindClan can post here. This is essentially a grieving thread for Goldengale. And with that said, the timeline established, I'll end off with one final note!

Please, please, PM me before you join this thread! I want to keep number rather even, but that being said, don't hesitate to PM me! Discord or on-site work <3
Happy reading~

---

A cold breeze blow over the silent moors, blanketed in white powder and chilling to the touch. A lone ginger tom marched through the snow, dawn barely visible on the horizon. Several cats rushed to follow him, but the tom cat payed no mind. His head was hung and his tail made tracks in the snow as it drooped behind him. Ears pressed flat, a snarl was on his maw. Stupid Asylum cats, stupid rules! Could he not grieve his sister in peace? Whirling around with a snarl, he growled. "Are you serious? We aren't aloud to weep our sorrows in peace?" Without waiting for an answer, he turned around and picked up his pace, rushing away with alarming speed.

Looking over his shoulder, he saw the intruders falling behind as they desperately tried to keep up. Fools. Did they honestly think he'd leave his Clan behind in favor of saving himself? If there was one thing Downtuft wasn't, it was a liar. He'd come out in the bitter cold earlier than than the birds to grieve his sister. Goldengale. Bitter frost tugged at his coat and snowflakes drifted down softly, dappling his pelt. Above, a raven crowed as morning dawned upon them, causing the tom to look up, the first golden rays of sunlight igniting his bright olive eyes. Passion fueled him, and with a heart burning with sorrow, he carried on, swift and unwavering. It wasn't until he reached the flower field that he stopped sprinting. Behind him, he heard the Asylum cats skitter to a stop minutes later, obviously not used to the speed a young WindClan warrior could possess. They were probably confused as to why he didn't keep running, obviously fast enough to out-run them, but Downtuft paid them no mind.

"Sorry I'm late, Goldengale," he panted, dropping the lavender he'd carried with him. "Softbreeze is ill, I fear, with sorrow." Downtuft bowed his head and sorrow mourning and he lay down in the snow beside where Goldengale was buried. He'd insisted on burying her himself along with Softbreeze, and he visited her daily. "The foxhearts who slaughtered you are, sadly, still with us. But we're.. okayish. I think Olivestar and Morningdove left to get help. Sooner or later, we'll get through this." Downtuft sighed, a lonely, sad sigh and looked at his paws. "Are you... happier, now? You're with mom, and dad, and Mistystripe and Quailpaw, and Finchstar, and Ploverpuddle... I bet you're happier now. Are Raventail and Dappleshine happier, too, I wonder?"

A sad smile carressed his features, a curious thing. In the midst of the sorrow, pain, and tragedy, good things still happened. "I miss you guys. WindClan are scared, but we won't give up. When things get rough, we've always fought back like lions. Finchstar would probably ramble on about love or something... Flashpaw became a warrior, and so did Daypaw and Lilacpaw. Flashstrike, Dayspring, and Lilacsong. I guess Olivestar likes -s warrior names! Hers was Olivestone after all!" A laugh escaped his lips, but it was a bit duller than usual, "Lilacsong should be receiving her nine lives soon, will you give her one, I wonder? I also got a new apprentice, Brookpaw. I fear she's going to be trouble. She's quite snarky! Very different than Dayspring and Violetpaw, that's for sure! Tell dad I love him, mom too! You didn't deserve to die, Goldengale. I love you. I'll always love you."

"I may not have known her well, but Goldengale was an amazing warrior. I don't know how it happened, but I like to think she went down fighting for the Clan she loved. For you guys." Lilacsong padded forward awkwardly, not fully sure if she would be wanted there. But Goldengale was her Clanmate, as is Downtuft. So she would be there for them.

"You know, if you ever need to talk, I'm here. I may be "leader" now, but I am still your Clanmate. All you need to do is ask, and I will come running. Alright?" She gave a weak smile, taking a seat beside the older warrior. "You know, she loved you too, Downtuft. A lot. I could tell just by the way she looked at you, her eyes always seemed to light up. I sometimes even envied it, the way she looked out for you. You are very lucky, you know." She cringed as soon as the words came out of her mouth. How lucky was he really, now that she was dead?

Spotlake waved her tail in hello. She crouched near Goldengale's grave, pressing her nose against the snow."Goldengale, thank you for teaching me well. I learned much from you. You made a great impact on the clan. Sorry Crowspirit can't come. He's sick, along with Softbreeze." A tear ran down her cheek, as she lifted her head. "I'll miss you greatly. We all will. Say hi to my father and my kits, and everyone else for me, okay? She then stood and stepped back, sitting next to Downtuft. She dipped her head down. "I hope you rest well. I'll keep your memory alive." She said quietly.

As it turned out, Windclan's cold and windy moors were not a good place for an unusually short-legged cat. Mishka, along with a small group of other Asylum members, had been instructed to follow this rouge warrior. He had a past for lashing out, that was for sure, and the last cat who had tried to run away... hadn't come back. She was trying her best to keep up, but was struggling greatly. It would've been nice to be in a less fast clan. But Riverclan looks too wet anyway. I'm fine just where I am. She was placed where she was needed, and that was how her life worked. At this point, there was nothing left to do other than accept it.

The ginger tom's harsh words made her cower a little, but she couldn't afford to slow down. Chest heaving, she was extremely relieved when he eventually stopped. From what he said, it was immediately clear why he was here. She cautiously padded into the field, keeping her distance from him for the sake of her own safety. Goldengale... she was one of theirs that died, wasn't she? Like with most things, Mishka didn't know the details of what had taken place, only that no-one had been happy about it. If she had been surprised when the tabby-pelted warrior's body had been revealed, she couldn't imagine how it would feel to know her.

It was probably for the better. One or two deaths is by far better than clan extinction.

Edie was the only cat she had truly cared about, but she still hadn't seen her adopted mother in moons. It was just part of Asylum life: the empire stretched across the horizon in every direction, and so you couldn't always be placed in the same area as your family. Maybe when the warmer season came she could visit her once again, if everything amongst the clans had settled.

Others joined the grieving warrior, giving their respects to the fallen she-cat. Mishka's head perked up at the sound of Lilacsong's voice, but whatever fragile bond she had once had with the now leader had been broken. At least on the Pelt Ward's side. She may not've been her leader, but was still someone with authority. Mishka could never be on the same level as someone with power. They couldn't be friends, that wasn't how it worked.

"I'm sorry for you loss..." She said, her whisper barely audible. She was well aware it wasn't her place to speak, and so she quickly closed her mouth again. Hopefully Violetpaw and Lilacsong aren't too sad.