Oh, I'll Tell You All About It When I See You Again [CLOSED]

A small figure bounded forward, stopping just short of the camp entrance. Ichtaca knew Asylum cats were no longer welcome here, but she was no longer a part of the Asylum. She didn't really want to be a part of whatever Roe had started either. It sounded good and all, but she had no interest in confining herself with others any more. Murkystrike had showed her she can live on her own, and she will.

However, before she left Ichtaca thought it proper to say goodbye to those who had helped her in this time or interacted with her in any way. Murkystrike, obviously. Sunshade, who helped Ichtaca a lot. And Mistyfalcon.

The runt took a deep breath and stepped forwards. "Murkystrike? Mistyfalcon? Sunshade?" She called out.

Mistyfalcon's ears pricked at his name being called, and the dark tom turned his head in the direction of the camp entrance, dark blue eyes widening slightly in surprise to see Ichtaca's small frame standing there. She'd been part of the rogues, Murkystrike had been imprisoned for daring to show kindness and teach the little pelt ward how to survive... But Ichtaca was a far cry from the more malicious members of the Asylum.

The rogues had been told to leave the clans be, but Mistyfalcon didn't feel the same hostility towards Ichtaca that he felt for most of them. She wasn't a bad cat, and to his surprise he felt no real desire to run her off like he would have happily done with the less-companionable Asylum members.

"Ichtaca?" He padded towards the she-cat curiously. "What are you doing here?"

ShadowClan was free of Asylum, and freedom was as sweet as the late-Newleaf flowers she was so looking forward to seeing again. Sunshade's musings, though, were interrupted by a voice she'd come to know - Ichtaca, a name she didn't understand and still struggled to say, but a cat she'd come to care for.

(She cared for every cat in ShadowClan, whether or not they were ShadowClan.)

She made her way to the camp's entrance with curiosity, wondering why the rogue would have returned. The Asylum cats had scattered for the most part, hadn't they? Was she alright? Was something wrong? She couldn't help but worry.

"Ichtaca," she nodded, stumbling a little on the name. "What is it, dear?"

Murkystrike had been grooming in a spot of sunlight, convinced she still had knots in her fur from her time spent entrapped by thorns. She had been taken straight to the medicine den upon returning to camp, and had promptly slept. By the time she woke, most of Asylum's presence had disappeared from the camp, and in the time since she was slowly starting to feel more alive and energetic again. Her ears swiveled towards a sound, and then she heard her name called from near the camp's entrance. The voice was so familiar, one that she had been afraid she'd never get to hear again. Getting to her paws as quickly as her still weak and shaky body would allow, she made her way over and saw Mistyfalcon and Sunshade approaching as well. She purred as her eyes landed on Ichtaca, stepping forward to butt her head into the she-cat's shoulder gently. "Ichtaca! It's good to see you again. Are you here to ask to stay? Flintstar will be willing to hear you out!" She mewed, a glimmer of excitement at the thought of Ichtaca taking a clan name and joining ShadowClan for good shining in her eyes.

Ichtaca smiled wistfully as the three cats gathered. Mistyfalcon showed anxiety, Sunshade with care, and Murkystrike with excitement. Their gentleness and helpfulness made her almost rethink on her decision, but she had made up her mind and she couldn't afford to overthink it anymore. She shouldn't be thinking of how nice it would be to stay here, with these cats all her life, part of a large and happy group...

She sat, curling her tail around herself, and spoke.

"I...I'm not really planning to stay." She mewed. "I, well, now that I know I can survive on my own I don't really want to stay in a group any longer. I want to be able to decide my own fate, you know?" The more she talked, the more awkward she felt. She glanced around at the trio, hoping they're fine with it.

Mistyfalcon offered Murkystrike a small smile as she approached. He could tell she was still shaky and weak from her time in Asylum's oh-so-tender care, but it was good to see her up and about. He'd been... worried... about her.

Ichtaca spoke, and Mistyfalcon listened quietly. Asylum seemed to have scattered to the winds- some staying in the clans, others fleeing to who-know-where, some following Roe. That Ichtaca no longer wanted to be of a group wasn't that surprisingly, especially with how she'd been treated by them and how she'd seen what they did to others. He wouldn't have wanted to stay with any of them, even in a group that had shifted their focus to something that wasn't conquering the forest territories.

"Flintstar's accepted a few former Asylum members, like Ivory and one of Tavora's kits." That was as close to an attempt at convincing her to stay as he would go, however. Ultimately that decision was hers, and hers alone to make. She was no longer a helpless pelt ward, Murkystrike had seen to that.

Still, despite his words, he could also tell she wasn't likely to change her mind. She had conviction, he thought, and he could respect that.