Another smart idea

Steady paws guided the molly deeper into her former home. She didn't care if she was caught, she didn't care what would happen to her, all that was on Silverwing's mind was making sure Brackenwing was safe. If something had happened to her, someone would be held responsible. You didn't harm a wasp without incurring the wrath of the whole swarm, and while they hadn't parted amicably in their last interaction, Brackenwing was still her other half. Nothing would change that. Silverwing's pace slowed as the camp came into view, and for the first time since the conception of her plan the molly was beginning to doubt herself. This wasn't her home, it was a hostile encampment filled with warriors ready to run her out of the territory at the tip of a paw, or worse. Eventually, Silverwing came to a complete stop. Maybe... Maybe she would just wait here. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea.

The member 'Romantica' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Invasion Dice' :

Staying in the elder's den was slowly but surely driving Brackenwing crazy. Her paws itched to run along the moors, and since today had seemed like a good day, she'd slipped out of camp with a word to Batsong. She had no plans of going far, of course, lest her leg and back decide to act up... But a short walk was still better than sitting in camp, idle and restless. The snow had melted, and the air was a bit warmer than it had been recently. Surely that was a good sign, right? The newleaf rains would be upon them soon, so Brackenwing intended to get out of camp while the weather was almost decent. Just for a little while.

Brackenwing glanced around and sighed quietly to herself. The landscape was still so dreary, but leafbare's grip was slowly loosening. The sky above was clear, and there were even a few hints of green among the brown and deadened moorlands. A rabbit searched for food in the distance, though Brackenwing knew better than to give chase. Turning, she-

All her thoughts promptly left her as she stared at a familiar silver tabby. "Silverwing?" She stared, unable to hide her surprise. Neither of them should be out here really, but Silverwing far more than Brackenwing. "I would say you shouldn't be here... Not that I'll be chasing you off." She mewed, gingerly padding towards her. Their parting last time hadn't been... the friendliest, but Silverwing was still... She wouldn't come here to fight, right? Brackenwing was more uncertain of that than she wanted to admit. And yet, there was some relief too, at seeing her friend still standing.

Waiting had definitely been the right thing to do. Brackenwing had come to her. Her patience had been greatly rewarded, whoever was magically assisting her in Starclan would receive a lot of love when Silverwing joined them. "I... I would hope not." She mewed awkwardly. It hadn't been on her mind, but she was glad that Brackenwing wasn't angry at her. At least, she wasn't showing it if she was. "Brackenwing, I heard at the gathering. Shrikestar said you retired, that's not true, is it? Did he force you into the elder's den? He did, didn't he?" Silverwing drew close to Brackenwing, inspecting the she-cat with the all the scrutiny of a m- what. Was. That! Brackenwing's back was absolutely covered in scars, and her leg! Erm, was that the same one that she had hurt before? Actually, that didn't matter!

Silverwing whimpered slightly at the sight of her wounded friend. All she wanted to do was press in close to Brackenwing and provide her with a bit of comfort, but she didn't want that to hurt either. Silverwing danced nervously on her paws, wondering what the right course of action was. For now, she would settle for using her words. "What happened to you, who did this? Are you in pain right now? Stars, what did they do to you?"

"You were at the gathering again? Owlshade told me he saw you there, the night that lightning struck. He came home before that though." She mewed. "I hope you didn't let Coyotegrin see you. Or Shrikestar." She muttered.

"I retired." Brackenwing confirmed tiredly. "No, actually. A monster ran off the thunderpath while I was on a border patrol. I didn't move fast enough." She hadn't moved at all. Nightstar had shoved her, but not enough of the way, and the monster had hit them both. "It's... manageable." She wasn't sure how true the words were, and her movements had taken a decidedly more cautious feel to them since getting out of the medicine den. But she could walk. Most of the time... Some of the time.

"What are you doing out here? You're still living in the barn?" Time for a topic change. Silverwing seemed to be having an interesting time, recently.

Silverwing shook her head. "I've been trying to stay hidden, sticking to the shadows just like a nasty Shadowclan cat. Seems to have worked so far, but I'm not sure if Coyotegrin's seen me yet... Would it be bad if she did?" Honestly, the only cat she had been conscious of was Shrikestar. Then again, if Coyotegrin seeing her was a problem then Silverwing probably hadn't been spotted by her yet. "Come to think of it, why aren't you going to the gatherings? The first time I went was to see you, and my best friend wasn't even there!"

Silverwing's ears flattened at the mention of a monster. Wildly unpredictable creatures, she was glad to have avoided them this long, but it seemed they had gotten to her in some other way. With the confirmation that she wasn't in too much pain, Silverwing gently pressed into Brackenwing's side. There was no telling when she would have a chance to do this next, and she was going to savor this moment for as long as she was allowed.

The silver molly was glad for the topic change, anything to take her mind off of her other half's wounds. "I came looking for you. All Shrikestar said was that you retired, not why or how, and part of me thought... It doesn't matter." Part of her had thought the leader had punished Brackenwing simply for being her friend, but that seemed so foolish now. Becoming an exile had made her feel more important than she actually was. "I'm still living there, but I might not be for much longer." It was a decision long in the making, and Silverwing was more than happy to be able to talk it over with Brackenwing before finally deciding. "I don't like being alone Brackenwing. Actually, I hate it. Being so close to Windclan was fine at first, but lately it's just been making me sad. I can't talk to any of my friends, or bother the kits when they leave the nursery. I feel like I'm still trying to be a part of Windclan while being trapped behind a wall, y'know?" Silverwing took a deep breath, steadying herself for this next part. "On my way to twolegplace I met Birdstar. She offered me a place in Skyclan... And I've been thinking a lot about it." Silverwing peered up at Brackenwing, eyes scanning the she-cat's expression as she finished. "Would you think less of me for joining them?"

"With how eager she was to push blame onto you? I don't think you're her favorite cat. I don't think I am either anymore." Brackenwing scoffed. "The gatherings? I only went because a certain someone dragged me to them. And I was... tired. We'd only made it back to Windclan a couple days before that one." And the last one went without saying, of course, given that Shrikestar had announced she retired.

"I didn't think you would like being on your own, I can't say I'm surprised... And I do miss you being in Windclan. If Shrikestar weren't a prideful idiot..." She muttered, then stopped and shook her head. Silverwing wouldn't be coming back to Windclan, she was sure, but the reveal of where she might wind up going made Brackenwing blink in surprise. "Skyclan, really?" No way, "I can't imagine living in a forest would be pleasant, let alone hunting in the trees. And didn't they hate outsiders? How'd you manage that?"

She what? That was news to her, but then again it shouldn't have been. Silverwing couldn't remember a single time where Coyotegrin was nice to her, but to push all the blame on her? Whatever, that was the past now, what Brackenwing had just said was far more worrying. "Is that what you think? I know I got upset, but that doesn't mean I hate you or anything. You're the closest thing I have to family, I love you too much to stay mad at you." Silverwing nuzzled into Brackenwing to prove her affection. Once, saying those words would have been embarrassing, but now they were said with pride. Brackenwing had always been kind to her, one little spat wouldn't change her thoughts on the warrior. "If I dropped the 'wing' from my name, that's when you know I'm mad."

"You loved going to gatherings with me, admit it!" There was playfulness to her tone, though it was quickly ditched in favor of a more melancholic one. "That means we won't be able to see each other anymore, doesn't it..."

Silverwing nodded along, purring a bit at that last part. Shrikestar was an idiot for exiling her, knowing Brackenwing thought so too made Silverwing feel light. "It's not like I have much of a choice, what are my options? Live in the forest or try my paw at swimming." Shadowclan would never be an option, it wasn't even worth mentioning. "They don't hate outsiders, Birdstar didn't even care that I was there. I bumped into her on my way to twolegplace and we started talking. Between you and me, I think she didn't mind me because I called her pretty." Silverwing paused for a moment, recollecting what exactly they had talked about. "I told her why I got exiled, from trespassing the first time to trying to kill that one cat, and she said something like, er... Ah! She said that she liked how protective I was, or something like that. I figure an invitation from an actual leader is worth accepting, especially since Shrikestar isn't gonna take me back." Not that she had ever asked, but he hadn't sent anyone to fetch her yet. Keeping her hopes up about that just wasn't worth it.

"Oh, I meant I wasn't Coyotegrin's favorite person." Brackenwing grinned sheepishly, "Good to know you don't hate me, though. I know we... I know it was heated. At the barn, I mean." And it was back to the awkwardness, because of course it was.

"They were tolerable. Sort of." She shrugged, "And... I suppose not. Maybe I'll go to one or two.." She doubted it, and the doubt was in her voice, too. Brackenwing had never been good at lying. Still, the thought of never seeing Silverwing again stung. "I'll try to. Or... Owlshade and Whisperear still go. You'll see them at gatherings, I'm sure. And Batsong." If anything they could pass messages along... But it wouldn't be the same.

"I suppose not, no." She agreed softly, "Birdstar herself invited you? And she sees what Shrikestar can't, it seems." Her tail twitched, "I hope Skyclan is more peaceful than Windclan, if that's where you're headed." Brackenwing mewed softly.