Lounging [OPEN]

It was the night of the Gathering and Dawnhawk watched as most of the clan left. There were very few that had stayed behind, but so far, no one had approached him to speak with him. As the night fell across the sky, Dawnhawk settled into his sleeping spot. He curled himself up into a tight "C" shape, but he was far from tired. He was going to stay awake and wait for the clan to come back anxiously. If anyone was going to say something, it would likely be at the current gathering. Would Lilacstar return with news that Windclan was now at war? Would she tell him that he needed to leave after all, because more truth came out at the gathering? He didn't know, and it was the unknown that always bothered him and kept him awake at night. He had the inclination to run... he wanted to get out of here. He'd known that he couldn't have stayed "Nightwind" forever, but being Dawnhawk had it's disadvantages. Plenty of advantages too, but they unfortunately were not coming into play right now.

The pale tom sighed loudly and turned in his nest. He was normally out cold by now, always one to go to bed early so that he could rise early as well. He would wait until everyone was back. He would judge their expressions from a distance and know what to do from there... he hoped. The more time that passed the more restless he became. Finally giving up on lying down, Dawnhawk quietly sat up straight. He crept carefully up to Tallrock to get a better vantage point. Dark Forest forbid that he saw Skyclan cats among the numbers of Windclan cats when they returned. He'd know that he was betrayed by then... and Dawnhawk would make some particularly very young and very old cats of Windclan pay for Lilacstar's mistake.

Despite how tired she felt, and how her lungs hurt from her running the distance from the fourtrees to Windclan camp, she pushed herself to continue. She didn't have any time to waste, especially if she wanted to prepare her father for what could potentially come. She was lucky that the scents of the Windclan gathering group didn't fade yet or else she never would have been able to find their camp. She had a head start but she didn't know for how long.. though after tonight she wasn't sure if she would be able to return to Skyclan camp. If Skyclan came, they would easily recognize her scent. If it was just Windclan then she might be safe.

As she approached what she thought was their camp, she slowed.. Azure eyes scanning the area, looking for an opening. She couldn't go in the front, she was certain there would be someone standing guard. So staying out of view as best as she could she circled the outside, looking for a weakness in the gorse that surrounded their camp.  Tornshadow pressed her body low finally finding a weakness, and pushed herself through. If she got caught now.. She shook her head. She couldn't think about it..

With her mouth open, she took in the scents around her. Overwhelmingly it was all Windclan but she was certain she could find a lick of something familiar under all of it. A scent she would remember regardless of if it was covered by Windclan, Asylum, or Skyclan. And eventually she did find him. On top of... A rather tall stone? She kept herself low, pushing towards the rock. He wasn't covered in that gross smelling stuff anymore. So she assumed he had to reveal himself. "Father.." She hissed out lowly. Her ears pressed back. "Skyclan knows.. Beechface knows.. I heard their whispers, and I came as soon as I could.. I don't know if Beechface told Wolfstar yet." She hoped he heard her. She didn't want to speak louder, but she knew it was only a matter of time before she was found out.

Dawnhawk had been observing very closely. Tornshadow's bright pelt caught his attention immediately, especially from his vantage point. His heart lurched, but he remained where he was. What if it wasn't her? His ears swiveled around for any sort of noise that might indicate something was off, even scanned other areas of the moor for a moment. It was only Tornshadow... for now. Once she made her way towards the camp, he tensed and looked around. It didn't appear that other Windclan cats were awake at the moment. That was good. Taking one last, very cautious look across the moor for unwanted appearances, Dawnhawk's eyes rested on Tornshadow as she entered Windclan's Camp.

Her words cut through the air and the pale tom's fur bristled. He moved towards her as silently as he could and leaned in towards her once he was close.

"You need to leave. Start moving towards the borders and I will escort you out." The words that left his mouth made his chest ache and his stomach churn. He hoped that she would understand the very sensitive situation that he was in... and even more so now that Skyclan had this knowledge. Beechface knew... but how? His icy glare skimmed over the nursery and elder's den briefly as thoughts of vengeance flashed through his mind. Just as quickly as they had come, the thoughts were banished. Beechface was a medicine cat. She could have received a vision from Starclan as Ashfall had during her moonstone journey. Windclan would not pay with blood... for now.

"I know you risked a lot coming here to tell me. Thank you. Unfortunately, I have to remain loyal to this clan, and as such, I have to see you out." He gave a nod towards the hole in the camp that she had come through, indicating that he'd like her to go. The pain however, was plain as day in his eyes. He'd missed her. He didn't want to send her away... especially not with her now also being a full blown traitor to Skyclan. It was that thought that caused his heart to hammer with worry. What would they do to her?

"Do you have a plan? You're not going back to Skyclan now are you?" He hadn't meant to let his worry show through his tone, but it had. His voice was strained and higher pitched than normal. Taking in one banished Skyclan cat had already put Lilacstar at odds with many of her clanmates. Would she do it again? Tornshadow's only crime was warning him that Skyclan might be gearing up for war. By extension, she had informed Windclan of possible danger.

What was he supposed to do? What was she going to do? His other kits too... as mad as Ryepaw was at him right now... What would happen if Tornshadow joined Windclan? Or... should Dawnhawk abandon Windclan, she abandons Skyclan, and they both live the rogue life together? There was no easy answer anymore. With Dawnhawk, there never was. That was why he was the tom that he was today. His life had been nothing but a series of hard decisions... but up until now they had only ever been only his own.

Tornshadow's head dipped low, as much as it hurt to hear those words telling her to leave, she understood. She understood completely. "I just wanted to give you a warning.. I don't know what will come of it. Ravenclaw and Beechface were talking when I heard your name and Windclan." She said, her thoughts a little bit better now that she had a moment to sort through everything. Which wasn't a lot in the first place. One thing about this situation that made her happy was the fact that Dawnhawk didn't just throw everything down and run. Maybe something good came out of him being in Windclan.

As she started moving back towards the hole she came into, she froze in her steps at the mention of a plan. She didn't exactly have one. "I don't know. No one knew I came here. I don't know if I will return or if I will stay away, but I will find my answer in the next few days."

She stepped up close to the hole in the gorse, intending to make her exit now. She did what she came here to do, that is all that mattered to her. If they found her scent, then fine. She would make do with whatever was to come. She always had. "If you want to escort me to the border then that is fine, but I promise that once I step out of this camp I won't be sticking around, so that way you can stay here and face what may come."

Tornshadow pushed her way out the same way she came in. If Dawnhawk followed that was up to him, but she intended to keep her promise. For now she moved to a border that was away from the Fourtrees.