A Shadow in the Clearing [c]

Fawnshine

Fawnshine needed to clear her head. Dovefrost was in SkyClan, the same of a murderer — from Perchfall's claim at the Gathering. If that was true.. then his life might as well be in danger. Fawnshine tread through ThunderClan's territory, her paws unconsciously leading her to.. Fourtrees? If she hadn't paid attention to the Thunderpath, perhaps she wouldn't have noticed at all. It was dark, and there didn't seem to be anyone around. She could just go back now—

Wait.

In the near middle of the clearing, the molly spotted a figure. She sniffed the air, attempting to make out the scent of the stranger.. but with all the old scents left with the previous Gathering, she could hardly make out anything at all. The diluted she-cat carefully made her way across the Thunderpath, making sure there were no monsters before she finally made it by. Sniffing, and gazing once again, she managed to figure out that it was a molly.. from another clan. She wasn't an outsider, relieving enough.

Sliding her way through a narrow path of the bushes, Fawnshine approached the stranger — yet she still kept a safe distance, just in case. Upon a closer inspection, the molly's scent revealed that she was from ShadowClan. Why in the stars would ShadowClan allow a warrior of theirs to remain sleeping here? Well, that was to be answered when she'd wake up.

"Hello? Apologies for interrupting your rest," Fawnshine mewed, testing to see if she was conscious. "Surely enough ShadowClan wouldn't let a warrior of theirs rest here? I'm Fawnshine of ThunderClan. I managed to walk by and spot you rest here."

Fawnshine

Marshmallow of ShadowClan, then. Oh. So ShadowClan didn't let her remain here on purpose. But nonetheless, they still should've been more careful. Marshmallow seemed exhausted and nervous, to add on. Fawnshine gently shook her head, noticing how the molly had licked her shoulder scar when she said so. It could've been a coincidence, but.. she'd ask.

"No worries. Also, that scar.. did a clanmate of mine do that? It looks old but really deep." Marshmallow didn't need to answer if she didn't want to. Fawnshine intended to make that clear by the tone of her voice. It was more of.. a light inquiry, rather than impending. "If so, your medicine cat must've been skilled to treat a wound like so. Speaking of which — I'm a medicine cat myself, too, if my scent hadn't made that clearer than it already has." She sat down. She shouldn't be up so late, nor out of her camp at this time — though since she was already here, why not at least get to know more of who this cat was?

Both she and I could perhaps get a favor out of doing so for the future.

Fawnshine

Not training their own apprentice? How worse could this get? Maybe through the eyes of Marshmallow, it could've been like so, though she'd make no comment. ShadowClan should really look things over, though. As the story began, Fawnshine narrowed her eyes. "So Basilbloom saved you when you were an apprentice." She muttered, nodding as Marshmallow continued again.

"I don't even know that silver tom's name. I think he'd hunt me down if he knew mine... Maybe don't tell him if you know him, okay? He's pure evil, for sure." Her eyes widened. Fluffy silver tabby tom? Missing an eye? At this, it'd just been ignorant to not know who her clanmate was. "Starlingflare, I believe you're mentioning about." The medicine cat's tail flicked stiffly. "Perhaps you'd expect me to side with my clanmate.. Though it seems unreasonable from the very start. You didn't cross borders, nor cause any transgressions, did you? But he leapt first."

"You did manage to return damage though, that was for sure. But a warrior — attacking an apprentice, or more so of with the intention to finish you.." Fawnshine's tail lashed at the flashback to a certain someone. "..How'd that all go unnoticed? Surely it didn't?"

She took in a deep breath. Pure evil, huh? There was only a silent nod, agreeing to the molly's request. Another attempted murder was the last thing she wanted to cause, let alone stain her reputation.

Fawnshine

"You weren't at the Gathering, then? Well, if I had to guess.. it'd be because of the injury." She frowned. At the end of Marshmallow's sentence... Fawnshine allowed a moment of silence, recollecting her thoughts. "Is that so? I haven't been around for long enough to know better of him. I should, though. He's my clanmate regardless of all." The medicine cat glanced up, then back to look at the warrior. The moon only rose higher by the moment, the sky morphing to a pitch black.

"Your clan wouldn't mind you being out so late, but mine will. It's unfortunate we couldn't talk more. I'll look forward to our next chat though, Marshmallow. Who knows? Maybe we'll have a lucky encounter again, and not just at Gatherings." She'd smile, rising to her paws with a swift flick of her tail.

Marshmallow... That's a name I'll make sure to keep in mind.