The Day the World Moved [November Gathering 2022]

Poppyshine

Poppyshine was admittedly not paying much attention to what Rushingpaw was saying. She was too focused on moving her paws one after the other. She had more strength in recent times to propel her body forward, but the doubts screaming in her brain about her children’s safety made it difficult to keep moving. She trusted Perchstar with all of her heart, but she was so scared that these would be things out of her friend’s control. Perchstar’s harsh tone rang in her ears and kept her from turning back. She knew that Perchstar had her paws full trying to keep her clan under control, and Poppyshine was just a burden on her right now. If she weren’t sick…

“Just keep going forward. Follow towards the sun,” Poppyshine murmured, pointing her nose. Her ears flicked, listening to the rustling of distant paws through the foliage and the calls and panic of their clan behind. Everyone was looking for someone, missing sight of someone important in their life. Poppyshine was not the only one desperately searching for her kits.

A scream ripped through the air and Poppyshine froze, her heart quickly coating in ice. She rose higher on her paws and the adrenaline that surged through her veins kept her from nearly tipping over as she had been second ago. Her ears turned towards where she heard the snap and scream. Poppyshine hissed, “Rushingpaw, this way,” she moved faster than she had in days. They weren’t very far before Poppyshine found what had happened: her son Hickorypaw, pinned under a fallen tree. Poppyshine’s heart stopped and she tasted bile in the back of her throat.

Poppyshine rushed to his side. “Hickory, it’s alright. I’m here,” she whispered in a cracked voice. “Rushingpaw, help me push this off.” She looked back to her son and added, “Sweetheart, this is going to hurt, but it’s alright. We’ll carry you.” Poppyshine braced her paws up against the tree and dug her back claws against the muddy ground beneath the shallow pool of water, and then she began to push. She was not going to allow further harm to come to her child.

Poppyshine is pushing the tree off of Hickorypaw.

[OOC: While I will still make replies here, I will be making a post in the Fourtrees topic with Poppy and Rushing arriving carrying Hickorypaw!]

Twistpool

Twistpool grumbled about Cloverpaw squirming out of his grip, but he was glad that she was finally moving on her own paws. Sure, she looked as unsteady as a newborn kit attempting to walk for the first time, but at least she was moving. He continued at his own slow pace, arthritic bones slowing him down, but he was making more progress than some of the other stand-still cats that surrounded him.

Twistpool is heading to Fourtrees.

Stormdance's attention turned from scanning the camp as he moved along right to his leader. He felt a tiny spark of relief as he always did at her presence. A small, selfish part of him wanted to keep Rowanpaw right by his side, right where he knew Rowanpaw was safe, but he knew better, and he pushed the urge away. Perchstar was right; giving him something to focus on, especially if it was the mother Rowanpaw loved so dearly, would help Rowanpaw keep moving better than Stormdance could, and that was the most important thing right now.

Giving Rowanpaw an encouraging nod and an nudge towards Poppyshine to encourage him to move, Stormdance watched for a heartbeat as Rowanpaw moved towards his mother. Then he moved his gaze back to Perchstar's, returning her nod with a grateful one of his own. "Yes ma'am," He said simply. He briefly flicked his tail over Woolywing's side as he pulled away to let Perchstar move in. 

Turning back to the camp, Stormdance quickly scanned it. It was with relief that he noted Serpentpaw bowling into Brookstone's side. There was one missing apprentice, at least. He moved towards the nursery to make sure all the queens and kits had been evacuated first. On the way he saw Sandypaw move towards the medicine den to join Dovesight. Good, there was another. Cloverpaw was moving too. There was still no sign of Hickorypaw that Stormdance could see in all the chaos, but he kept an eye out. 

For the time being, he dived into the nursery, beginning to assist with evacuations there.

Stormdance is helping with evacuations as Perchstar asked and will be heading to Fourtrees shortly!