Reclaiming What Was Lost [Ravenclaw]

The sun was bright as Beechfang walked through the trees with carefully-placed paws. Ravenclaw was at her side, and she walked freely on Skyclan territory. It felt surreal. She half-expected to blink and find herself laying in a nest in the dilapidated twoleg nest she had claimed for the last year. That didn't happen though, and she was still walking beside Ravenclaw, listening to the soft chatter of the birds above.

"I am so glad to be back." It was a sentiment she had already expressed, of course, but one that bore repeating. "You and dad shouldn't have... But thank you."

It was indeed surreal. For the first time since Wrenspring was alive, Ravenclaw felt as if she was walking on air. It made her feel more like the birds chirping above them than what she truly was, but she was grateful all the same. For once she had something kind to say about a leader of SkyClan. Without Birdstar's blessing, this wouldn't have been possible.

"It should have happened sooner," Ravenclaw responded, gently nudging her sister. "But regardless, I'm happy you've returned to the clan. It never felt right without you and dad." Truthfully, ever since their respective exiles, the clan had never been the same. It hadn't been led right, it hadn't been followed right. Now that they both were back, things could finally get back to normal. At least as normal as SkyClan knew how to be.

Beechfang purred, leaning against her sister's flank for a moment. It was just nice to exist, to know she was back within Skyclan's borders.

"Wandering twolegplace... It didn't feel right after the fire with the entire clan together. It didn't feel right in exile." Even if she had deserved consequences, calling herself 'rogue' and wandering twolegplace had still stuck in her craw. "I was just happy they took dad back, honestly. He was meant for that even less than most cats. And I think Birdstar had to know I wouldn't say no to her, much as I was stubbornly thinking I would... Each time we'd run into each other, each time I found myself in Skyclan camp... It was harder to walk away. When she came looking for me I couldn't."

"I would have been mad if you said no to being brought back," Ravenclaw laughed, breathing in the forest air. Had it always been that nice, or was she finally able to breathe it in properly now that things were going back to normal? "Yeah, it was hard to think of dad as an exile. It hasn't all been easy, though. I know he doesn't like Falconmoon." Of course, she knew why that was. Things hadn't seemed as tense as they had been that one day in camp, but every time she saw Falconmoon, she couldn't help but wonder... even if wondering did no good.

"I did think about it. The clan doesn't deserve to have to hide things from others that will provoke them should they find out." Of course, the reasoning had fallen flat given it was her daughter, her father, her sister asking. "But I'm glad I came back. Future consequences or not." For the first time in a long time, Beechfang smiled.

Naturally, Falconmoon's name was the next thing out of Ravenclaw's mouth, and Beechfang's smile faded. The tabby glanced at her sister, a low sigh escaping her. "I know, he tried to warn me when I was in camp that day after the twolegs...That warning came a little late. He looks a little too much like my littermate. Sounds like him, even." As it that wasn't disconcerting enough, the dreams she had been informed of... Beechfang shook her head. "The logical part of me knows he's Wolfblossom's son." Beechfang let out a huff, "What do you think of him? What's Wolfblossom like, as a mother?" She hated that she didn't know her own daughter well enough. Smokefeather hadn't known her kits, either. She had been cruel to Dawnhawk, dismissive of Beechfang... While Primroselight and Copperfox had been the golden kits. In her one substantial interaction with Falconmoon he'd been curious, confused and emotional... Not to mention frustrated by his dreaming. But that and hearsay were all she truly knew of the young tom. Beechfang would have liked to believe the only thing off about him were his oddly vivid, oddly specific dreams... But Beechfang had never been an optimist.

Ravenclaw thought about it for a moment, whisking her tail back and forth twice. "He's not like Dawnhawk," she finally concluded, almost shuddering to even say such a name. As if acknowledging him would make him come back to life. "I wouldn't say there's anything wrong with him. Sometimes a bit weird, but... I don't want dad to get in trouble over him, you know?" She sighed softly, shaking her head. "As for Wolfblossom, she seems to be a good mother. I mean, she's obnoxiously cheerful, but I guess that's not technically a fault." She laughed, thinking about how different she was from the deputy. She certainly wasn't a morning person. "She loves her kits, that much is for sure. I haven't noticed any problems." What she didn't need to say was the problems there'd been with their own parents, and what they'd had to go through growing up.

"I want to believe he's not." Beechfang allowed herself to relax at Ravenclaw's belief Falconmoon wasn't like his late uncle. Ravenclaw had always been trustworthy, always had a good head on her shoulders. She had stuck by her even when Beechfang hadn't deserved it, If she thought he wasn't like Dawnhawk... That made it a bit easier to swallow. It didn't silence the doubt in her head completely, but it helped.

Beechfang smiled at her assessment of Wolfblossom. "Yeah I don't know where she got that from... Not from us, that's for sure." Wolfblossom's cheerful nature had been downright alarming, at first. "She was more like me as a kit - brash, headstrong, aggressive. It seems like that's changed." That change was a very good thing, as far as Beechfang was concerned. Nobody needed to be like how she had been. To hear that she loved her kits... Smokefeather had loved them too. Or rather, the idea of them, it sometimes seemed like. She and Dawnhawk hadn't made it easy on their parents. Smokefeather had treated her kits very differently from one another. "I don't want her to repeat the same mistakes us and our parents made, you know? If I'd known how things would have turned out..." Beechfang shook her head. "Dwelling on things won't change them, of course. And I can tell she loves her kits." She just prayed that would be enough. Beechfang hoped that Wolfblossom could be there for them more than she had been there for Wolfblossom and her siblings. So far, it seemed that was the case.