Pushing Past [Open]

ooc;
Hi guys! So, my finals season took a lot of my brain power, which is why I've been gone. IC-ly, Mottlestar disappeared while trying to find Thistlemask. This topic takes place before any of the three-most-recent Apprentice ceremonies, when Thunderclan has *just* gotten to their lands.

ic;

A weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, but it felt like something entirely new had been pressed down harshly on them. Thistlemask's disappearance after being tasked to forge the path ahead for Thunderclan had left Mottlestar more than worried. It was one thing to lose an apprentice like Moosepaw, who she was sure could hold their own and make their way back, but it was an entirely other thing to lose a deputy that she cared so deeply for. Yes, Thistlemask was also more than well equipped to handle such things on her own. But on the other side of things... Mottlestar needed her. Deeply. As much as the leader wanted to believe the fallacy that she could stand on her own, she needed someone at her side that she could trust. It was why she had allowed Thunderclan to continue their push to Fourtrees, with the orders that they were to return to the Sandy Hollow if they had to return home. Camp was in no way safe at the moment, and while they opted to rebuild, it would be the best option. Supple enough ground to create makeshift dens on the fly, and close enough to camp they could get any supplies they needed from there. It was a safe location, given it was where they had trained all apprentices.

While she had found Thistlemask, it wasn't without some of her own injuries. Various scrapes and cuts mottled (no pun intended) the molly's pelt, but none of them deep enough to truly warrant any attention from Fawnshine. She would be fine. The other bothersome weight had come from her belly, however. She had just had a litter of kits not too long before she'd taken up the mantle as leader, and it seemed as if her last, parting days with Minnowfin had led to one last bundle. It was a secret she would guard closely, at least for the time being. Mottlestar was sure her Clan had already been terrified to the bone about her disappearance, especially for how long it had been. Hunting down her deputy had been a harder task than she had aimed for it to be, with a downpour having washed out most of Thistlemasks scent. But she had found her. That was what mattered.

So now Mottlestar could return, having trusted Thistlemask to do what she needed as soon as they were close enough to the place she hoped Thunderclan would be setting up camp. Relief washed over her as she saw the appearances of make-shift dens, and the life of her clanmates continuing. They had survived. She had survived.

Thunderclan would keep surviving.

Whitewhisker spotted the leader return and hobbled over to her. "thank the stars ur okay" he purred glad to see their leader once again...

In his old age his memory and mind were slipping and sliding, it sometimes led to him acting ruder or not having as much of a filter as he usually did.

"... you look terrible" he blurted out.

"what did they do to ya?"

If she wasn't hunting, Nightdancer spent much of her time lying silently in small patches of sunlight. ThunderClan's makeshift camp was no replacement for the real thing, but it was an okay enough place to stay in the meantime: how much did it matter, really, where you were if you were doing nothing at all? At least this was their own territory, unburdened by cats from other clans. The strangers she shared her home with (and when had they become that way?) were more than enough.

Camp was never really quiet, but she had learned to tune out the day-to-day sounds; it was a comforting kind of white noise more than anything. Somehow, though, a voice- one of the elders; Whitewhisker- cut through it.

No names had been mentioned, so Nightdancer opened her eyes and looked up to find her leader.

The warrior rose to her paws and approached slowly. "Mottlestar," she greeted; some small sense of relief washing over her. "You're... Are you alright? Not hurt?"

It was the most she'd spoken in a few days, and her voice sounded quiet and a bit shaky from lack of use.

"Mottlestar?" Beetleshade was shocked to see the leader alive. When Mottlestar had wandered off to find her deputy, Beetleshade hadn't held much hope that either of them would return. Judging by the lack of greif-induced devastation on Mottlestar's face, Thistlemask would likely be returning soon as well.... Great. Leave it to those two to waltz back into Thunderclan like they hadn't abandoned their clanmates when they were needed most.

"We were all so worried about you, thank Starclan you've returned, I don't know what we would've done if something happened to you." Geez she was really laying it on thick. It was all she could do to smile through gritted teeth and force herself to sound relieved, if not overjoyed.