Where the Heart Is (c)

It hadn't been easy to catch Acornstem alone between the deputy's mounting workload and Crocusfrosts excursions, but the young warrior was determined to find or make the time, Thunderclan was on the line after all. Once the cat Acornstem had been speaking with departed, Crocusfrost immediately swept into the space they vacated, the suddenness of the action having the young she-cat looming over Acornstem menacingly. Crocus noticed this of course and quickly gave the two of them space and it was with the same quickness that Crocusfrost spoke first for once, "I may have found a good place for Thunderclan, Acornstem. Do you have the energy and the time to look at it?" Crocusfrost inquired, an eagerness to her gaze as she looked imploringly down at Acornstem. Crocus was confident that if needed that she'd be able to carry the small deputy on her back, but knew that to be disrespectful if not a bit silly to offer to her deputy.

Acornstem had her paws full, there was no denying that. Her tail swished as she wrapped up a conversation - it was proving difficult to find the paws to fill out patrols with the illness that was ravaging the camp. As many paws as she could spare was out  hunting when they had the energy but she had to be mindful to make sure those who were suffering weren't pushing themselves - after all, Fawnshine seemed clueless on what this illness was despite her seasons as the medicine cat...

Then there was the matter of territory sweeps - there was no borders to defend but there was also no camp to seek shelter in. There was no telling what dangers could lurk so she also had to task cats to patrol the area they were resting at so that no foxes or badgers or anything else terrible tried to make a meal out of the weakened cats... Then there was also trying to make sure training was kept up to date with the apprentices and trying to figure out what to do about the tension with SkyClan and...

She was used to going from one conversation to the next so she wasn't that surprised when a shadow fell over her - more surprised by who it was as she blinked up at Crocusfrost. The newly named warrior had been diligent in the search for a better camp location despite also being one of the many that had fallen ill, even if her symptoms seemed to be among the minor side. She had felt bad asking so much of the she-cat - but she had proven herself time and again and there was, truly, nobody else she felt she could trust as much when it came to such a matter. Her confusion was simply on why Crocusfrost was here.

She was unbothered by the warrior looming over her - simply tilting her head as the warrior stepped back and spoke. Her eyes widen as Crocusfrost explained that her hard work had born effort. But did she have the time...? She paused, tail swishing as she considered her duties at the present. She had assigned patrols already for the day, there was no ceremonies to be done... She glanced around, taking stock of the Clan. "I...Think the Clan can manage without me for a bit - everybody had received their duties for the day. How far out is this camp location of yours?" she questioned, padding up - partly aware that she had neglected the other half of the question but didn't want to dwell on how worn out all of this was making her.

In all honestly, fresh air would likely do her good.

"It is... a bit of a walk. I'm hoping it is still achievable even for the ill." Crocusfrost mewed, uncertainty plaguing her and making her tone unconfident. "It's best you see it." Crocusfrost nodded her head in the direction of the west, her head swimming with concern. Where she wanted to take her clan may be difficult to traverse, but Crocusfrost was considering if she and her feral kin would be able to modify the rock slope in a way that made it safer and more traversable but she didn't state her concerns yet, wondering if she was to excuse her choices before Acornstem even saw it that it would manipulate the deputy into seeing it in a more critical and negative light.

Acornstem frowned - the distance was a bit of a concern but... She nodded her head - she would trust Crocusfrost's option. "I concur - lead the way, Crocusfrost," she meowed, her mind already abuzz with solutions. "For most of the distance, we can rely on you and your kin," she murmured as she started to follow the warrior - she still hadn't found a good term to refer to them by and still hadn't gotten the chance to see if they had any options on what they wanted to be called. "Carrying the sickest while those who are healthy or in better health help support those who are more sick but can walk, even if its with unsure paws..." Of course that would only work to a degree, there was no telling what the path would be like but... They could figure it out together....

Hopefully. The Clan needed a safe place to rest and she...She couldn't let them down - she prayed that Crocusfrost's location would work as she couldn't handle going back without an official answer.

Crocusfrost let the silence between them stretch but it was not a silence that was uncomfortable if not tense. Tense because they were both wondering about the location that Crocusfrost had deemed worthy enough for Thunderclan, even if the walk was a bit much. A rock wall started to emerge and climb beside them as Crocus led the two of them alongside the West side of the lake until a river emerged from it - or was feeding the lake itself - Crocusfrost wasn't sure. The rock and hill wall only grew but there was still a fair amount of space next to the river and the protection of the rocks beside them. "I do not think this is a bad spot, but if the rocks next to the clan make you nervous there's a spot at the top that makes for a platform at the top. It's a hard climb but if I worked hard enough and my siblings joined in, we might be able to make an easier climb. Coyotegrin and I were able to get up but it was a hard climb even for us. It'd be very very safe though if we tried." Crocusfrost mewed, gesturing to each spot as she spoke of them, well aware of each pro and con to them. But at least they were close together.

"If needed I will carry every ill clanmate up myself if you decide on the platform at the top." Crocus regarded Acornstem with a firm look, certain in her promise, and if she was any at all unconfident about her ability to do so she would have never suggested it, she hoped that Acornstem knew this.

Acornstem's ears perked as their pawsteps slowed down, a sigh of relief escaping her as her legs had started to ache far quicker than they used to - the fever and illness sapping her strength as she hopped onto one of the nearby rocks of the prospective camp spots. Hm... Her eyes weary fell upon the water, then towards the platform the top. "Well, the location on top would prove safer in some respects but... Not everybody with the illness has been sound of mind," she murmured, tail lashing. It was hard a few cats not knowing who they were, calling out for cats long gone... Among many other worrying behaviors. She hated it - it made her fur prickle at the idea of cats not being in control of themselves, making choices or saying things that they would never do so... She was lucky that she hadn't such things happen to her yet - it made her sick to her stomach at the idea of her doing something that would not recall.

"...I worry of some cat falling off in a haze, or even stumbling into the water if were to take the lower option... But every area has its risks when cats are unable to act rationally," she noted with a sigh. She bowed her head, dwelling more on the matter. The simple truth was that at the bottom... The rocks provided protection, yes, but not enough to be called a camp. Back in their camp, they had thorn walls built over moons to mark only one entrance or exit - a surprise attack from any other angle would require gross neglect on their part but here...? If a predator came sniffing around for easy meals, there would be so many points to guard... A heavy sigh escaped her as her eyes flickered back towards the upper area, then she turned to look at Crocusfrost.

"You said you and Coyotegrin got up there?" she meowed, frowning softly. Coyotegrin... She was a WindClan cat, wasn't she? She spared a glance around, noting that this area wasn't suited for what WindClan would prefer so they were likely safe from both sides trying to claim this spot. She shook her head, pulling her focus back to the matter at paw. "Up there - what does it look like?" she questioned, craning her neck to try to get a good view. "Is this climb up the only way to this higher platform? Or would there be additional points we would want to keep an eye on if we choose to make that our camp? I worry that the lower area is far too open - we couldn't protect every opening for a predator to try to claim our sick for easy meals," she noted, a shiver running down her spine at the idea of that. She would hope that the predators would think twice about eating a sick cat - much like how they are to upturn their nose as foul smelling prey - but one only tended to notice the ill scent of gone-bad prey until after its been killed...

"I see your points. When Coyotegrin and I got up there it had leveled out and there was enough space to put the clan, but you brought up a good point about the sick. I think the lower option is best, with the river on one side and the rock wall on the other that would only leave two points to defend, and it leaves an escape route no matter what direction a predator comes from. I think water is a better risk to manage than a height with wandering ill." Thoughts and opinions becoming solidified, Crocusfrost wasted no time in sharing them, becoming more certain that the lower platform would give more reward than having all of the feral bloods work moving rocks and transferring ill and old.

Acornstem's gaze fell from the upper platform to the lower area as Crocusfrost spoke, jumping down from the rock she had perched on to better investigate this area. Hm.... It wasn't as bad as she had been fearing - thought she couldn't shake the doubt in both choices. Each had their pro and cons and she was terrified of making the wrong choice if there even was one - she couldn't let ThunderClan down. Her ears twitched as a cold breeze ruffled her fur, causing her to shiver before her eyes narrowed in thought.

She turned to Crocusfrost with a nod. "I concur - the lower area might be best. Besides, the weather is turning colder," she acknowledged with a flicker of her tail. "You managed the climb up now, but what if it becomes icy? It would make it so much more dangerous, even should we level it out. And should the river freeze over, it will be less of a threat - granted it doesn't end up being thin ice..." she mused with a sigh. "Of course, I don't see much coverage from snow on either side but if we press up enough against the rockwall...Maybe?" She shook her head, claws digging into the ground.

"How long will we even be trapped here...? We said we would return when the forest was renewed - but we don't know how long that will be and the trip back will be even more dangerous now that Leafbare is nearly upon us in earnest..." She lifted her head up, staring up at the sky before a sigh escaped her. "...I apologize, I didn't mean to... It doesn't matter, we need to focus on now. Lower area it is - we should head back and start to prepare the Clan for the move."