Collect What You've Let Go [CLOSED]

Morningstar waited until daylight to make his way to the Fallen Oak. He could smell the reek of Skyclan clearly claiming this area. That made sense, given the harsh leaf-bare circumstances. That said... it was probably contributing to Thunderclan starving. He was content to wait here with his undead horrors around him as a shield. He'd be taken to Thunderclan camp by the next patrol, and they would comply if they knew what was good for them. He was above clans and clan life now. He was an immortal, ethereal beast. He hardly felt anything when he killed cats now... as a matter of fact... that's all they were. They were just cats. A simple animal that would pass away with time, but he was here forever. He was eternity and they were but a moment in time. He was one of them once, but no more. A Dark Forest Cat was not a cat... not to him.

Morningstar leaped on top of the Fallen Oak as he had many times before. The undead horrors crossed the border, not breaking their barrier around him. He would wait here, but only because he wasn't entirely sure of the way to the camp. Once he had that figured out, he wouldn't have use for any Thunderclan cats again.

Atalante had been on patrol near the border with Skyclan, uncertain and uneasy with the dark shadows that now roamed the forest as if they owned it. She just wanted to curl up in her nest and forget that these nightmarish dead cats existed, she wanted to forget that violent, blood-soaked gathering had ever happened. But the dark forest cats were everywhere, skulking about the shadows and watching every cat's move. It was unnerving, and Atalante tried to keep as close to her clanmates as she could. Not because she had truly connected and bonded with most of them, but because they were at least alive. They didn't bear eternally-bleeding wounds, or the sickening stench of rot and decay.

Of course, near the border there seemed to be even more of the nauseating stench, and Atalante's ears flattened as a small horde of the dark, foreboding creatures came into view... Along with a golden tom that she recognized. "Klaus- Dad- you-" She sputtered, fur lifting as she skittered backward from the foul stench of the dark forest cats, coughing. "Why?" She demanded eventually, once she'd regained her breath. Despite herself, her gaze was drawn to the constant flow of blood at his neck. It was sickening. She wasn't sure that this was her father at all.

Morningstar was pleasantly surprised to see Atalante come into view... or Featherpaw. She backed away from him, which caught him off guard. She was at the Gathering... was his appearance really so ghastly now? Then again she hadn't really been one for violence, not like Ares. He mentally ordered his ghoulish bodyguards away to give her more room. He didn't have much to fear out of most cats anyway, army or no army.

"Truthfully, I have been working with Slatethroat for a few moons but I didn't expect this out of it." He lifted his chin a bit and blood ran faster out of his neck wound. He dropped his chin afterward, knowing it bothered her. "But it happened and here I am." What did she want him to do about it now? He crossed over onto Thunderclan's side and approached her, keeping the undead further back than normal.

"Show me where Thunderclan's camp is. I need to see Waterlily and your siblings." He had things he needed to smooth over... and he really hoped that she wasn't going to resist too much or give him too much attitude about it. He doubted it, but he could be wrong.

Slatethroat... A few moons? She wasn't sure if Klaus... Morningstar... Truly hadn't expected to it, but clearly he'd taken very quickly to whatever role he'd been given. "Okay... Okay." She managed weakly. She was grateful that he'd had the dark shadows back off a bit, though she still felt sickened by their presence and the ever-bleeding wound across her father's neck seemed to continuously draw her attention.

He requested to be taken to camp, and Atalante found that she didn't exactly have the stones to tell him no. "You need to talk with them, you mean." She commented dryly. "Come on, then. Just... Keep those things at a distance, please?" She asked, tone slightly higher pitched than normal.

Morningstar narrowed his eyes at Atalante's comment. "What does it matter if I say see or speak to them? They're likely to go paw in paw." But that was the end of it and he was fine with that. He began to follow with his undead army in tow. He kept them a reasonable distance back, but they were still close enough to react swiftly if needed. He doubted he'd be very welcome in Thunderclan's camp.

Atalante felt icy tendrils of fear creep along her spine at Klaus' words. He was different, she realized. Colder, and... wrong. Instead of replying, she kept her head down, ears flattening against her skull as she turned and led Morningstar towards Thunderclan camp. She didn't think anyone would be happy about this, but what was she supposed to do? She wasn't about to risk her life defying these cats who should've been dead, or better yet, not even existing.