Where We Stand [C]

It wasn't hard to spot where Acornstem was weaving between the crowd of cats - her fluffy, squirrel-like tail acting as a beacon for any who sought her out. It had also proven to be quite the fun toy for the kits of the Clans who had taken to practicing their hunting on it whenever the Clans took their rests every night...Even if it did mean she had lost a few tuffs of fur to overexcited kits. The deputy's eyes however was searching for a cat of her own - thought she was forced to look for another cat instead. It didn't take long to locate Quailprowler with how large the mixed-blood she-cat was and made her way - eyes drifting down to find where Mottlestar was sure to be by her side.

"Mottlestar!" she chirped as the leader came into sight - looking even smaller than usual against the side of the large warrior. The deputy took in a deep breath before she fell into step with the leader, tail lowering to swish behind her as her bright expression dropped into a flicker of concern. "I...Wanted to see how you were holding up," she meowed - keeping her voice low as she spared a glance at the leg that had managed to rob the leader of two of her lives. It had been a shock to see the patrol group - who she knew was assigned to the SkyClan border as she had been the one to sent them out that way - to return covered in blood... And her heart had felt like a piece of prey the way despair and confusion had sank its claws and teeth into it at the reveal that SkyClan had willingly crossed the border for prey and had refused to back down...

On the eve they were to leave at that!

The betrayal...It stung like a claw to the face but it had been agreed that it couldn't be common knowledge - not when they were expected to spend an unknown number of sunrises at each others side. For Acornstem's part, she was thankful - it had given her time to think, to muse...And she just felt conflicted. She had been fearing battles being started over the lack of prey but with the agreement to leave...She had thought the Clans would have been able to play nice with a solution on the horizon - but to have it done by their ally right before they were to leave...? It was... It was cruel - if SkyClan was going to go for such an underbelly blow... And why ThunderClan? Why not at least risk the wrath of ShadowClan who they also shared a border with - did they think Mottlestar and her would be willing to look the other way because of their agreement? Or did they think the two's claws were dull due to their smaller sizes and not worthy of respect?

It made her angry...And she hated the feeling - of the way the heat bubbled in her chest as she thought about it. Her ears slicked back as her gaze fell onto her paws, tail swishing back and forth. The two had barely spoken about what this meant but seeing the mood Mottlestar had been in upon returning... Well, it didn't have to be said - their alliance was on thin ice if it was to survive at all. "...What are we going to do?" she asked, tilting her head as she glanced at the leader. The question was vague, but she was certain that Mottlestar knew what she was speaking of. With any luck, their trip was coming to an end soon... Which meant it was time to face the truth of the situation and what it meant for them all.

One blessing about her deputy was it had always been easy to spot her amongst the crowd. A glance backwards, and she could now exactly just where Acornstem was. Floating about with her clanmates, talking to the deputies, or even simply weaving about to help wherever she was needed. Out of all of the insanity that had been thrust upon them in this journey, it had only made her deputy to be that much more of a blessing. Thunderclan was taken care of. Two strong medicine cats who had brought numerous herbs, a strong deputy to be the voice of her Clan, and Mottlestar... who was doing her best. She couldn't truly label herself as a strong leader-such a compliment felt wrong. But she knew she was fighting for her clan, claw by claw.

As her name came on the delighted chirp, her head had moved to the deputy in question. A nod of her head went to Quailprowler to allow the larger warrior to drift back, to allow the conversation between leader and deputy to hold a glimmer of privacy. She should have expected the question, but truth be told, Mottlestar had to catch the instinctive Oh, I'm just fine that immediately came into her throat. No, she would be honest with her deputy. "Nearly living off of poppy seeds and fennel, but otherwise, I'm holding up better than I thought I would. Are you okay?" Her head turned for just a moment to meet the warm gaze of her second-in-command, the motherly care that she always carried with her shimmering.

As the next question came, though, Mottlestar's own gaze turned away. It turned to the distant horizon as her own tail rippled in a sharp lash, anger and betrayal and a myriad of other emotions swirling like a storm in that singular movement. "We seek justice." Pricklebush's voice spoke in her mind as she spoke aloud, the tom's face flashing in her mind's eye as well. "I have raised no concern because we need Thunderclan to live first. But once we find our shelter... We will be severing our alliance with Skyclan." Her voice was quiet, but it was tense. Driven. The hurt of what had happened still felt like a fresh wound, even as it had healed and only ever ached. "If Birdstar has any semblance of care for Thunderclan, she will heed my call for punishment upon Sunfire and what he did. If not... I will not yet entertain war, but it will be taken as more than a traitorous act for our alliance to be spoiled such a way." Rarely did the tortoiseshell speak with the underlying venom that came forth now, but it was due for the situation.

Shaking her head and the memories of the patrol away, Mottlestar once more looked towards her companion. "Admittedly... I am unsure just what punishment to call for. I hesitate to call for death, but after Starlingflare? Trufflesnap? Dawkhawk? I... do not know if I could let such a cat continue to walk the forest." She sighed. It was an invitation, however, for whatever thoughts her deputy may have.

Acornstem's ears slicked back with a wince at Mottlestar's honest answer - wishing she could do more. It wasn't fair for the leader to have to push herself so hard and it only made the rare feeling of anger smolder within her even hotter - not enough to become a flame to rob her of her sense but the burn of it prickled her pelt and sharpened her tongue. She was angry - she was upset.

Her throat felt bitter at the thought but they were almost lucky that Mottlestar lost a life - even if that fact made her ill to her stomach. The damage done to her leg had been mostly healed by the grace of StarClan - it was still bothering the leader but she could walk on her own, but that tom could have permanently crippled the leader for...What? Scraps of prey on the eve of their agreed journey to better hunting grounds? How was anything that he done worth what had come from it?

But her outrage, as much as it felt to her, was nothing compared to most cats. She couldn't bring herself to speak of her feelings on the matter because she felt conflicted on it all. She glanced down at her paws as Mottlestar explained their plan - that they would hold their tongue until they arrived, then they would speak to Birdstar and order a punishment...But their alliance was over. She blinked however as Mottlestar spoke more - unsure of what the punishment she desired for the tom. Two of the names sent a chill down her spine - she had thought highly of Starlingflare and Trufflesnap before the truth had come to light. They were...They were good cats, she had thought - Clanmates. But they had killed and lost their life for their actions. But Dawnhawk... She knew the name only as kit-hood stories, tales to scary the young kits into behaving...Or a name whispered with disdain but it was obvious enough that for what Starlingflare and Tufflesnap had done... It had not come close to the vile stories of Dawnhawk.

But... To call for the death of a cat was not something that Acornstem had the strength for - not yet. She wanted to see the good in cats, she did! She wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt but... She had been so blind to the action of her Clanmates so far. "I...I don't know. I'm angry, I'm upset but to call for his death seems..." her tail lashed, shifting back and forth on her paws as she bit her tongue. It...It wasn't good for a deputy to be so timid. She...There was a chance she would be leader one day - what if she had to...? She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath before she opened her eyes and stared at the sky.

"...Starlingflare, Tufflesnap - they killed on purpose, or at least weren't ashamed of it," she meowed. Tufflesnap had planned to rob one of Birdstar's lives and did so, but she...She had been out of the camp when Starlingflare's trial had happened - she wasn't sure if he had planned out the deaths of those who had died at his claws or if he had simply taken advantage of an opportunity when it landed in his paws. "But Sunfire...I don't... I don't think he planned it," she said, hoping she was right but maybe...Maybe she was giving him too much benefit of the doubt. Her ears slicked back, grimacing. "It doesn't...It doesn't excuse what happened, but going for a leg isn't often aimed as a killing blow. A-And maybe I just don't want to ask for the death of another cat but..."

She drifted off, gaze falling to her paws. "...But an accident murder is still a murder. And what if he didn't care? Just because you have multiple lives doesn't mean..." Another beat of silence, the deputy wrestling with her thoughts. Everything she was saying was hard - she didn't want to even consider asking for the death of another cat and she wanted to find every which way to excuse what happened...But what happened couldn't be excused. "...I don't know. I'm not...I don't like the idea of calling for death but you are right - the risk is... Such a callous action - disregarding an alliance and harming another cat so greatly - could easily take the life of one who can't... Come back. But...I am not leader and I was not the cat who was wronged," she said simply, a sigh escaping her. "But I also don't like the idea of being to set on such a heavy punishment without knowing Birdstar's take on the situation...Or what he has to say in his defense, even if it doesn't change what he has done wrong."

It was the simple truth on that front - Acornstem hated making one-sided decisions. There was no question that they were wronged, but biases could always... There was no excuse for what happened - the simple fact of the matter was that no matter what Sunfire had to say in his defense... He had crossed a line. A rotten prey would spoil the whole fresh-kill pile if they weren't careful... But he had been doing it for SkyClan's sake as misguided as it was. The alliance was dust, she could accept that but death for death always seemed...Much - she could only hope it wouldn't come to that.