Stone to dust[C]

It was only when the moon had risen to its peak that the she-cat found herself padding back into camp. Her fur was tingling, anticipating the worst of many outcomes that had come to her during her run. Her paws were weary, but the last thing she needed was to sleep here. It wasn't a possibility that it would haunt her, it was a fact. Just like everything else, what had happened that day would pop up over and over again in her mind, reminding her time and time again of what she had done and what she had failed to do, testing and pulling at reality until she couldn't make sense of either. It was a torture, so much so that days at a time she would run away into the night, trying to outrun her own mind. But how could she? They followed her wherever she went.

And now... she had done the worst. Not only would her mind remind her, but her clanmates too would never forget it. She had seen it in their eyes as she ran away: that horrified, distrustful gaze. The same gaze that they wore when looking at the wild cats. The same gaze when they met other cats at the Gathering. To be treated as if she was a stranger in a home she already couldn't love... what future was there for her? Copperlark thought she would cry, but her eyes remained as empty. Where was all the emotions that had came to her just this morning? Perhaps she had used all of them. Or maybe she was too tired from her brief attempt at escaping to feel anything.

She had ran all the way to the border, but found herself unable to take even a step past it. A coward, sheltered and spoiled by the safety of her home. That's what she was. Instead, she had paced the border back and forth, paws flattening the grass below her until she had carved a path. And once she did, a shame so strong crashed into her that she had nearly collasped. She had ran back into the trees, the dense undergrowth that she had hated for so long now a place to hide her from herself. Again and again, the thought of returning to camp came to her, but she had never managed to follow through with it. It was almost as if the thought of being looked at was worst than death itself.

Copperlark stepped into camp, her paws so silent even the grass did not twitch at her arrival. Her shoulders were slumped over, as if facing defeat. She paused as she caught sight of a particularly fluffy she-cat. "Acornstem," The word clawed its way out of her throat. She didn't need to look into a puddle of water to know that she looked as if she had been dragged through a bramble bush and back.

Acornstem had chosen to wait patiently within the camp for Copperlark to return - minus a small trip to the medicine cat den to get her wound patched up when she realized that the she-cat wasn't planning on a quick walk out. Even as the sun set and her Clanmates shuffled off to their dens, she waited - not only out of her promise to hear Copperlark's side of the story but also simply out of fear for the she-cat's safety.

There was always dangers that lurked within their territory - hopefully nothing would attack Copperlark while she cleared her head. But...Worry started to bubble within her as the moon climbed higher and higher in the sky but yet she remained - it would not do her well to leave to search for her only for Copperlark to slip in...And Copperlark needed time, it would not do to corner her unless she herself was ready to face her Clanmates.

So she waited, tail curled around her paws as she sat straight up, eyes focused on the camp's entrance even as her body urged her to call off her watch and return to the warrior's den. As the moon reached its peak, Acornstem was silently weighing if she was truly planning to wait out the entire night (which, truth be told, she was more than content to do if it meant sleeping easy knowing that Copperlark was safe) when the camp entrance rustled and the she-cat in questioned stepped within the camp proper.

It didn't take long for her to be spotted - her eyes softening at the tense utterance of her name as she flashed Copperlark a smile. "Its good to see that you've returned safely," she meowed as she pushed herself to her paws, wincing a bit at the motion but quickly recovered as she took a few steps forward before stopping - leaving a good tail-length or two between her and the warrior. "...I want you speak to you without the eyes of our Clanmates upon us. Not of your actions today - thought you will likely be punished for attempting to hurt an injured Clanmate, nothing has been decided at the moment," she added quickly, a soft sigh escaping her. She felt it was best to be direct - she couldn't imagine what was going through the she-cat's head...What had truly driven her to lash out but that was the reason she had waited for her - to learn.

"But instead, I seek to learn more about the source of the woe between you and your brother. Your brother gave us his story of the owl attack but I do not care for what he wishes to claim of you. His story is not the complete one and is washed in his biases ...And simply put, I feel no judgement can - should - be made without the entire tale." She took in a deep breath, taking a small step forward as she gave Copperlark a soft but yet still serious look. For as simple as Cloudychase wanted to make the story, she didn't - couldn't - believe it was as simple as he claimed it. There was some reason for Copperlark's inaction - perhaps it was as Cloudychase seemed to think, that she simply didn't care enough to aid him. Perhaps it was how Acornstem hoped it was - that it was fear in the wake of such a terrible sight that caused her paws to freeze until after others had already taken care of the threat...

But no matter her thoughts, there was one simple truth - a single cat could answer it all and allow her to know a better path foward.

"Copperlark, I want to know your version of events."

Cloudychase's version... what did he say? She hadn't done anything wrong- well, she did, but what did he say? At least Acornstem wanted her version of things, right? There was the sudden urge to blurt out everything, but who would want to hear her entire life story? Hadn't she done enough to embarrass herself. Copperlark opened her mouth, but not a single sound came out. She could always run away again... it was a possibility, and maybe this time she'll have the guts to step past the border and run away. But even she knew that no matter how many times she ran back to the border, she would never go past it. Because she was a coward, with no backbone, just leaching off the safety of her clan.

"It was my first time fighting a real battle with unseathed claws, and also the first time I saw blood. I guess I was shocked that fighting could be so painful. I still attacked the owl in the end, but by that time Cloudychase had already lost consiousness," Copperlark explained, trying to piece together the story for herself. That's right, she didn't do anything wrong. Anyone would be frozen in place. In fact, she still attacked in the end, which was better than what most cats could do. It wasn't her fault that in all her moons as an apprentice she had never met an enemy cat or a predator. "Cloudychase only blamed me for the lost of his eye, even though there were two other members of the patrol, and we all helped drive that owl away," She continued, beginning to gain some confidence. Maybe, just maybe, she could work her way out of this mess.

Acornstem waited patiently for Copperlark to speak - making no further movements until well after the she-cat had managed to finally find her voice and speak. She sat down as she listened, nodding her head as the warrior finished. "I see, that is what I expected - that fear and shock over the situation got the better of you," she meowed, tail curling around her paws as she gave Copperlark a soft smile. Deep down, she knew - however slim - there was a risk to take a cat at their words and nothing else but she...Admittedly didn't want to believe any other version of events than the one Copperlark had just told her. That the she-cat couldn't have held her paws for any other reason.

"That being said, that is something you will have to grow out of - if the other two hadn't been there..." She sighed, shaking her head. "But this is rarely a life to question what-ifs and what could be. What matters is that Cloudychase is alive - I'll be mindful to keep the two of you on separate patrols once he recovers enough to return to his duties. I would prefer if you two made up but I imagine this will not be an easy thing to have a...Civil conversation about given the events of earlier." There was another pause, before she straightened up.

"As I mentioned earlier, there will be some sort of punishment for attempting to attack your brother. While I do not approve of how he went about cornered you on the matter, you acted out of line in your quick reaction. I have yet to speak of Mottlestar on what it will be...But given the events of the last moon, I imagine she won't take such a rash, emotional reaction...Kindly." she admitted with a sigh. After all, it was such an action that had gotten Darkspirit demoted - while Copperlark hadn't manage to lay a paw on her brother due to Acornstem's quick paws, there was no telling how far the situation would have gone if she hadn't intervened as quickly as she did...

"But that is a matter to be discussed tomorrow. Is there anything else you would like to say, Copperlark?" she questioned with a tilt of her head. "Reasoning for your quick reaction against him - a message you would like me to give him in your stead...But if you have no more words, that is fine." She glanced back at the warrior's den, swishing her tail in the direction of it. "You are free to head to your nest - you will likely be put on the midday hunting patrol so get plenty of rest."

Acornstem believed her. Copperlark couldn't quite believe her ears. Lying works? The tortoiseshell remained still while Acornstem addressed her punishment. She could lie again, see just how far it could take her... She dipped her head apologetically, and whispered just loud enough for the deputy to hear: "I'm sorry, it won't happen again. I- I don't know what got over me, it was just too much with everybody watching me... Could you tell Cloudychase I'm sorry? I never meant to hit him..." Her voice rose into a squeak, then trailed off. She closed her eyes tightly, then raised her head high enough to look at the deputy. Her green eyes flickered uncertaintly across Acronstem's face, then her head dropped down again and she rushed away to the warrior's den. Her heart was drumming in her chest all the while, but after so many moons of faking a smile to her friends, she found faking tears to be as easy as squashing a bug with her paw. Maybe... maybe everyone is like this, and I've only just realized how the world works.

Acornstem said nothing as Copperlark spoke up, simply nodding her head before watching the she-cat dart off towards the warrior's den. Her tail swished back and forth before she sighed, shaking her head. Stars, what a mess this was. She had no idea if she was going about this the right way - she hadn't ever imagined herself taking charge in such a situation and could only hope that this would be the end of it. Copperlark was clearly a troubled she-cat, she had always been a quiet sort but she hadn't expected to react so...Violently against her brother - even as Copperlark's offer of an apology to be delivered rang in her ears.

She would have to keep an eye on Copperlark - help her in whatever way she could. See what she could to do mend the rift between the siblings, make sure no more trouble transpired within ThunderClan... Her paws quietly begged her to follow after Copperlark to seek shelter in her own nest for the night but with a sigh, she pushed those thoughts away. No, while her body ached for sleep, her mind wanted anything else. She would have to forsake sleep tonight as she turned, padding towards the entrance of camp to instead take the guard shift for the rest of the night.

She would need time to muse on the next steps she ought to take with this newfound tension between the siblings - after all, she doubt Cloudychase would accept the apology with how angry he had been at her over her inaction.