Death Throes Compilation [Open after Mink posts]

Dovefrost didn't waste anytime getting back to camp, not after his conversation with Beechface. This information.. This prophecy.. It needed to be shared with Minkstar right away. Especially if it had to do with Robinloft. The white fluffy tom skidded to a halt in front of the leader's den. His chest heaving from the run, but he didn't want to delay this any longer. "Minkstar!" He called out between huffs of breath. "Minkstar.. I think I know what happened with Robinloft." He said not expanding any further until his leader was fully present.

The leader's den was empty, only a dusty scrap of moss that hadn't been lain on in days occupying the still space, but the sound of his name made the orange and white tom's ear perk up from where he lay near the medicine den. His head rose, eyes seeking out the familiar voice as the healer called his voice more quietly this time, agitation clear. A chill ran down his spine in spite of the green-leaf warmth saturating the air, and he found himself on his paws without any recollection of moving, the fur along his spine prickling uneasily. "Dovefrost?" His mouth opened to ask what the problem was, but the other tom's next words silenced him, his muscles stiffening abruptly.

Robinloft? What... what happened to her? Images flickered, hazy. Feelings of grief and spatters of blood highlighted in his mind. His eyes searched Dovefrost's as if to find his less fragmented recollection of events, before flickering to the rest of the clearing and abruptly coming to a decision. "Tell me about it inside the den."

His tail flicked a strand of the lichen screen aside as he brushed it on the way in, and he turned to the medicine cat, a hint of embarrassment in the twitch of his ear. "You might have to remind me again what exactly happened to her. She died, didn't she?"

His heart clenched slightly at the thought, seeming to hear ghostly wails of grief on the wind. It was a stupid question, but sometimes his dreams echoed reality's bloodshed too closely - though most of the time they vanished easier than they had before, when he could remember things.

The tom was startled a little when Minkstar had appeared not from the den but in another direction entirely. The white fluffy tom quickly spun on his paws when he faced his leader. He was about ready to spit out everything when he was told to get inside the leader's den, which he quickly obeyed.

"Yes." He stated somberly. "She had died, near the Thunderpath, but no one really knew what she died from.. Well it seems Beechface and I have figured it out." The medicine cat said. "It seems a warrior, who goes by the name of Briarthorn, was the one who murdered her. It fits a prophecy I had received from Starclan a couple moons ago. The prophecy being 'Even the highest flying birds can fall victim to sharp thorns.' It turns out Beechface had received the same thing." The tom spoke, taking a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking again. He didn't want to say the wrong thing here. "Well this warrior apparently joined Skyclan after abandoning Shadowclan. Her name fits, and the location makes sense."

He hoped this wouldn't end in a battle between Skyclan and Thunderclan, but Thunderclan had the right to seek justice for what was done to Robinloft. "I'm pretty sure about this.. If I was wrong then why send it to two medicine cats who are both involved with the victim and the murderer?" He asked, trying to butt himself and Minkstar at the same time.

Dovefrost's words made the haze clear a little, and Minkstar nodded his head slowly, a slightly clench making itself known in his gut. It wasn't a monster. Too much blood.... He tried not to poke the underlying sense of guilt beneath, that he'd moved on and all but forgotten the event. She didn't deserve to die like that.

"Well it seems Beechface and I have figured it out."

His gaze came sharply back to the white tom as those words broke through the air, his full attention now piqued. A sinking feeling filled him, and odd drop in his chest that tightened the clench in his stomach, and slowly gave way to an odd kind of burn. A burn that ate like acid through the guilt lingering in the back of his mind and made him lightly clench his teeth. It wasn't a predator, or a monster. Wasn't even a rogue.

She was murdered.

A muscle in his cheek twitched at Dovefrost's question, his face carefully composed with a hint of a frown that didn't quite disguise the cold burn in the depths of his eyes. Robin didn't deserve to die like that - her kits didn't deserve their mother being taken from them by some heartless former ShadowClanner. Beecloud wouldn't have wanted this. With an effort, he pushed the thoughts away - an odd echoing pain deep in his heart - and nodded, meeting the medicine cat's eyes. "I don't doubt it. I also won't hesitate to seek justice for her murder. This isn't something we can just ignore, even if SkyClan didn't know what..." He searched for the name for a moment, before giving up, "this cat did. Not that I'm going to drag our Clans into a war over it, but we will need to discuss this with Wolfstar."

A quiet sigh slipped from his maw, a moment of hesitation bringing a different emotion to the foreground - one of dread - as his voice dropped to a murmur, half to himself. "The Clan will need to know. Stars, I wish her kits didn't have to live with this...."

A different, clearer memory flashed to life in the back of his mind, one filled with agony he had to shut his eyes against. A young, bright apprentice with a lightly ginger pelt painted red, her body lying limp and lifeless in the middle of a different camp, in a different time, her throat torn open. I forgot you on purpose, sister. I never even tried to find the foxheart who killed you. In the end it had been Jaystar who did so, all while Minkpaw lay with his head in the reeds, desperately pretending his siblings weren't gone. She'd forgiven him, the memory of her eyes shining brightly in StarClan taking the sting of her death away, but....

I won't make the same mistake again.

Dovefrost nodded. Of course the clan would need to know. He wasn't intending to keep it a secret either. They deserved to know what happened to their clanmate. Maybe the truth would bring some closure for all of them too. They could finally make peace with what happened while getting the justice for Robinloft.

"Do you wish to speak about what we have learned? Or do you wish for me to tell it?" He asked his leader. While Dovefrost knew more details on what happened, Minkstar was their leader. In his mind it made more sense for the leader to announce it, but if Minkstar wished other wise then he would call the clan together. Once the word was out.. how would this go? What would this truth get them? Would Wolfstar listen? Or would he turn them away at the expense of his clan? The white tom was afraid... He didn't want to fight over this.. but Robinloft deserved justice.. Oh stars.. this was way above what he could think about right now.

He twitched an ear. "No, I'll tell them. Though you might have to back me up with details - haven't had time to memorize it." Standing, an odd mix between determination and heavy dread in his paws, he flicked a glance at Dovefrost, noting the hint of an overwhelmed look. He touched his tail-tip to the other's shoulder to get his attention, softening his voice. "Thanks for bringing this up with me, Dovefrost. I'll do my best not to let it get out of paw."

Brushing past, he emerged into the clearing and leapt onto the top of the Highrock he'd just been beneath, a hint of fire reigniting in his chest as he looked down and let his tail lash once behind him. The familiar call rang out, splitting the air that had been so peaceful before. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the High Rock for a Clan meeting!"

Songpaw looked up wearily as Minkstar called a Clan meeting. Another warrior Ceremony, no doubt. The full of life she-cat could hardly bring herself to care about much since her mother's passing. She was all alone. Her siblings, her father, her mother. They were all gone and she had nobody now.

Wolfblaze padded out of the nursery, though remained close. She had certainly felt more protective of them than she thought she would, perhaps that was just what motherhood did to a cat? Either way, her kits were old enough that she could leave them alone for a little while, maybe they'd even poke their heads out themselves. She was curious, was there a warrior ceremony? Sparrowpaw was due to have one soon enough, but she had not told Minkstar she was ready quite yet. No other apprentices being ready came to mind... so what was going on? Wolfblaze's tail swept gently across the ground as she brought her amber gaze to Minkstar, waiting silently for his announcement.

Quaildock peered up at his father, tilting his head slightly. Why was he calling a meeting? Harrierpaw, nor any of the other apprentices were ready yet, so what was this about?

Kestrelswoop didn't have to go far to situate himself for the clan meeting. He'd been aimlessly helping out around the nursery and elder's den prior to Mink gathering them all. He made his way over to Wolfblaze and sat down right next to her, body pressed comfortable against hers. He'd been watching their kits grow right before his eyes and he was more than ecstatic for them to finally go out of the nursery and explore the camp. Perhaps they could even get a small taste of the outside today. Anyway, he had to refocus on the current situation.

The tom felt a bit uneasy as he stared up at his father. He didn't really know why but there was something about this that didn't really sit well with him. The warrior narrowed his eyes as he attempted to read the older tom but had little luck in deciphering anything of use. He was certain that this was not a ceremony of any kind since he was usually kept in the loop with who was ready to be apprenticed or receive their warrior name. No, whatever this was... it was not good news. He subconsciously pressed against his mate further as he awaited the meeting to fully commence.

Doevfrost nodded in response. He didn't mind filling in the details as needed, but also silently thankful that the leader was going to take care of announcing this to the whole clan. The white tom followed shortly after his leader, taking a moment to collect himself before stepping out in front of the whole clan. The medicine cat sat at the base of the rock, green eyes looking out to his clan with a bit of concern. How would they take this?

---

Starlingflare looked puzzled as soon as the clan was called for a gathering. What was going on? His siblings weren't ready for ceremonies yet.. and he hadn't done anything to warrant the clans attention.. so.. what was it? The tom pushed himself to his paws and moved closer to the gathering area. Whatever it was.. it seemed to be more on the serious side.

Patchpaw glanced over at the meeting call, interest in her leaf green eyes. The last meeting called outside of ceremonies had been when Minkstar had told the Clan his heritage, and she couldn't help but be curious about what was going to be announced now. Surely there weren't more secrets waiting to come out? She padded over, sitting down next to Starlingflare with a blink of greeting to her brother.

Stoatfur gathered along with the rest of the clan. He'd grown accustomed to following his ears to the familiar words and suffering silently through repetitive ceremonies or menial reports. But as his eyes scanned the crowd, it seemed there was no proud apprentice or kit to be found. Flicking his tail, a mild unease set it. The little brown and white warrior glanced towards Minkstar and Dovefrost. Flickering between there expressions, he was able to determine one thing - whatever news they were about to hear would not be pleasant.

The crowd gathered, and Minkstar let his eyes sweep over them, one in particular catching his eyes with a flicker of memory. An apprentice... Songpaw? She was one of Robin and Bee's kits, wasn't she? His heart squeezed at the look on her face, the dullness in her gaze. Like a thorn it stabbed straight through to his core. I know that look. I know that feeling. A vision of blood once against flashed through his mind, a tangle of emotions arising in his chest to strangle his ribcage in the cacophony of memory - blood and loss and overwhelming grief that drained the light and life out of everything. For them, we need justice. However little it helps.

He drew himself up, turning his gaze to Dovefrost for a fleeting second before turning to look out over the crowd again, his maw opening to announce the grim news. "Dovefrost has been given a vision by StarClan, once that has shed light on the death of one of our Clanmates - a death that should never have happened. It seems that Robinloft was murdered by a..." Had it been SkyClan? That didn't seem quite right, so he brushed over the specifics for now. "...cat from another Clan. A cat SkyClan is now harbouring."

He glanced down at Dovefrost, gesturing with his tail and stepping back from the rock's edge to invite the other to speak. "Dovefrost, you know the specifics of what happened - tell them what you told me."

Before they could rush out and demand justice, the Clan had to know what they were dealing with.

---

Sablepaw joined the crowd curiously, wondering if another apprentice was about to become a warrior. Now that she was recovering, she was getting closer to that herself. But she wasn't there yet, so did this mean another of her denmates was leaving? Something sank in the pit of her stomach, a feeling she tried to ignore as she sat near Kestrelswoop and his mate, which only made the feeling worse. They're all moving on without me, and I'm... not. She turned her eyes up to her father on the rock, forcing her ears to prick and listen to the words coming out of his mouth.

Wait, what?

Her jaw dropped, eyes widening at the sheer unexpectedness of the announcement. Robinloft had been- been murdered? By another Clan cat? She felt like the air had been knocked out of her lungs. Wha-what- why-? Her mentor's mate had been murdered by... had been murdered.... Through the shock something else slid up her throat, a choking feeling of... anger? They took Beecloud, so they took her, too?! And SkyClan's protecting this murderer?!

And just like that, Songpaw's paws gave out from underneath her.

Her mother. Her happy, cheerful, strong mother. Had been murdered. "W-what...?" She choked out, tears swimming in her starlight colored eyes. Her body shook as she gasped for breath. H-how..? "b-but why..!?" Songpaw wailed, looking at Minkstar and Dovefrost in desperation.

Suddenly a feeling she didn't quite understand washed over her, drowning out the sorrow.

Anger. No, that.. that wasnt right, this was.. this was beyond anger. This was... fury? "how.... Dare they. She whispered, eyes blazing with fury, eyes focused on the ground. "how.. DARE they!" she repeated, louder, eyes lifted up with a snarl etched into her maw. This.. this was the first she'd ever felt like this and she... She didn't like it. But she couldn't stop the anger, it was too much, and too deep, and she felt like clawing some cat's eyes out.

The very thought made her sick, and she nearly gagged, but her fury made her blood boil, made her eyes water. Slowly, with much effort, she raised one forepaw and stood up, shakily walking forward until she was in front of the crowd.

Songpaw was still shaking, and her golden tail was eerily still as she looked down, a dark look in her eyes. "Who."