Bad Moon Rising [Batglow]

"Hey, Batglow," Mistyfalcon stood and stretched as the other tom approached the entrance of camp where he'd been waiting, then turned, ducking into the tunnel. He'd had half a mind to just hang around the nursery and play with the kits, let Murkystrike get some much-needed shuteye, but she'd insisted he take Batglow on patrol. Moonshine hadn't returned to camp from her walk the night before, and with the rogues still skulking about Shadowclan's territory, they were all worried. Mistyfalcon wasted little time on pleasantries usually, and felt little need to do so now, either. Hopefully they'd find Moonshine without incident, and maybe they could find some prey on the way back, as well.

The two made their way towards the outskirts of Shadowclan territory in silence, though Mistyfalcon's tattered ears twitched with each noise and he kept his own movements quiet, both out of habit and from the uneasy tension the presence of the rogues demanded of him. Stale scents crossed their path, but nothing fresh. They were still skulking around, and Mistyfalcon very much wanted them off of the territory.

A different scent caught his attention however, Moonshine. Around a day old, he thought, and he glanced over at Batglow. "Moonshine's been this way, let's see where she's gotten off to." With a flick of his tail, Mistyfalcon followed the scent of his clanmate on silent paws, not at all happy with how the scent led in the same direction that he and Batglow had been heading.

He couldn't help the growing concern as Moonshine hadn't returned for a while. He was certain she was alright, but considering their kits and everything, he couldn't help but be concerned for her. He needed to make sure she was okay, so when Mistyfalcon had offered a patrol, he quickly agreed.

The slender black tom offered a nod in response to Mistyfalcon's greeting. His worry eating the words in his throat before he could even speak them, before following him out into the territory. The different smells flooding his senses. As they got closer to the border, the rogue scents grew stronger... Why did they have to linger? Why did she have to hold onto this so much? Of course all of that was gone as soon as they caught scent of Moonshine. Oh how he longed to see her again. "Stars.. I hope she is safe." He said softly.

Mistyfalcon said nothing further, merely acknowledged Batglow with a brisk nod. He could tell his friend was worried, and as they followed Moonshine's trail, his own worry spiked. The scents of rogue that were present hadn't decreased as they neared the thunderpath. His fur lifted on instinct as the scent of blood caught his attention, and Mistyfalcon felt his heart sink. The blood wasn't coming from any other direction but the thunderpath... Had she been hit by a monster, as Daisyflame had? Had a rogue gotten to her? His former apprentice was a capable warrior, she'd worked hard to get to where she was, but even the best fighter wasn't immune to injury or failure.

It wasn't long before the acrid stretch of strange rock that was the thunderpath came into view, and the scent of blood and Moonshine hadn't not grown weaker at all. Mistyfalcon slid into a crouch, scenting the air. No rogues were here currently, but it never hurt to be cautious. Briskly, he moved forward once more, the stench of blood becoming almost sickeningly strong as he did so.

As the smell of blood rose, so did Batglow's panic. No.. no no no... The word repeated over and over in his head as he moved forward. His paws growing heavier and heavier with each step, afraid of what he would find in the area just before them, but needing to know drove him forward.

Fear and grief sat like a stone in his chest, his teeth clenched so tightly he thought they would break. He had to do anything, anything at all, to keep any broken sounds from coming out. Finally the last step was all it took for him to see her familiar white for laying on the ground.. Broken.. Bloody....  No.. no no no no.." He bolted forward, limbs weak, threatening to give out from under him from the realization of what had occurred.

As soon as he reached her limp body, he collapsed not minding if any drying blood had gotten on his fur. A broken sob escaping the slender tom as he pressed his face into her fur. Looking, searching for any sign of life, but finding none. "Moonshine.. come back.. please come back.." He cried softly, his voice breaking every other word as he tried to deny what was truth. What was right in front of him.

Mistyfalcon's steps quickened, but faltered when he finally caught sight of Moonshine's bloody fur. Foxdung, she couldn't be...

No, she was far too still for anything else. Her flank didn't rise and fall, not even faintly. Mistyfalcon padded forward, a heavy breath escaping him as his nose brushed Moonshine's ear. Batglow's sobs filled the air, and Mistyfalcon glanced towards his friend, throat tightening painfully.

"She's gone, Bat." He managed hoarsely. Moonshine had been his apprentice once, she'd been a friend. A bit much at times, but a friend nonetheless. She had kits, Batglow's kits. And now she was gone.

"Let's... Get her out of here." The trek back to camp suddenly felt like it would take an eternity, his paws felt heavier than they had in moons. Moonshine would get a proper burial and... They'd have to tell the kits, somehow. Not a task Mistyfalcon envied, and one he hoped he'd never have to do with his own kits. And Batglow... Mistyfalcon's shoulders slumped. Wasn't Batglow going through enough? And now to lose his mate, too?

Mistyfalcon stared down at Moonshine's bloody frame and inhaled, anger slowly unfurling in his chest in place of his grief as he caught the scent of an unfamiliar cat lingering where it had no right to be. He would remember that scent, he had to. Whoever it belonged to, her days were numbered, he would make sure of it. If he ever caught her on Shadowclan territory, she wouldn't live to step foot elsewhere.

"I.." The tom started to speak but the words died in his throat.. He knew.. He knew she was gone and there was nothing he could do to get her back, but at the same time he didn't want to accept it. This couldn't be real. He didn't want it to be real, but he needed to face the truth. His mate was gone, and there wasn't anything that was going to change it.

He pushed himself to shakey paws. A simple nod was all he offered in exchange for his friends words. They needed to get her out of here and back to camp. The tall tom grabbed his former mate by the scruff moving to adjust her so she wouldn't ben dragged through the mud the whole way back.