do something [c]

Yellow eyes peered out from the shelter of the undergrowth, darkness surrounding the pale face that emerged, one slow paw step at a time, scanning the area. It was nearing midnight, and he'd spent the better part of the last several hours exploring the new territory, trying to get a lay of the land. Creamsky had been sent out to scout the area, but so far, hadn't returned with a suitable place for camp. It wasn't that Sunfire didn't trust the other warrior - in fact, he quite liked the tom. But being cooped up in the small makeshift camp they had currently, forced to listed to everyone coughing and hacking around him, was driving him crazy. Fortunately, he had escaped the worst of whatever sickness was tearing through the clan cats, but not entirely - as he was reminded by the near constant chills that plagued him.  

At least he could attempt to be useful until it got worse.

Now that he knew the coast was clear, Sunfire's paws carried him towards the lake, unburdened by the threat of conversation. He didn't want to talk, not with his own clan, and certainly not with another one. And he couldn't trust himself not to put claws into any ThunderClan warrior that even glanced in his direction. Sunfire scoffed at the thought, his eyes dropping to his paws as they stopped at the line between grass and sand. ThunderClan. Stupid, idiotic, meddling ThunderClan. Claws flexed out, scraping gently against the loose sand, and Sunfire fell heavily to his haunches with a huff, swiping a clawed paw angrily at the grass. His breath hitched on the next inhale, and suddenly the yellow dappled tom was coughing violently. For several long moments afterwards, he wheezed, trying to catch his breath. He hated this. He hated being sick. He hated feeling weak. He hated feeling lost. It was easier to feel anger, and bitterness, and he had plenty. But those didn't quite feel right right now, either. They wouldn't help SkyClan, at least... and certainly wouldn't do him any favors.

Drawing his tongue across his paw, and then his paw across the top of his scarred head, Sunfire stared across the lake, watching the waves lap along the shoreline. He'd never seen a body of water so large, and if the circumstances surrounding their arrival here had been different, perhaps he could have appreciated it more. All it was right now, though, was a massive reminder of how far from home they were. Of everything they'd lost. "Where are you, Ploverpaw?" he whispered under his breath, ears slicking backwards. His daughter had been missing for nearly a moon now, and every day that passed without finding her was another thorn in his chest.

It shouldn't be a surprise to him, anyway. He'd failed as a father as much as he'd failed as a mate, and as a mentor, and as a warrior. Juniperheart was gone. Bubblepaw bore scars that should have been meant for him. Neither of his apprentices would ever see warriorhood. The alliance with ThunderClan was as good as gone. Even Falconmoon had pulled away from him, with no explanation... and Sunfire was beginning to realize that the only common thread here was him. All he'd ever tried to do was serve SkyClan, and every single time, it blew up in his face.

Was there any point in still trying?

His feathery tail twitched, a long sigh following as he got to all fours and turned his back to the lake. Sitting here moping about it wasn't going to fix things. He had to find a place for camp. Maybe if he did that, it would fix... something. Anything.

Head low, Sunfire padded back into the treeline.

The wind ruffled the leaves of the tree Rosepaw had claimed as her home. There was a perfect spot to curl up where the branches met at the center, where she'd been sleeping for the past two moons. Not a day went by where she didn't miss the warmth of her clanmates, especially now in the cold of leafbare. At least she wasn't starving; the woods surrounding had plently of prey to go around, even as it grew colder.

Sighing to herself, Rosepaw went to curl up her nook when she heard a cat's faint sneeze in the distance. Instantly she sat bolt upright, sniffing the air. There weren't many loners in these woods, but occasionally Rosepaw had tangled with a one or two who wanted her prime spot in the woods.

There it was again! This time the sneeze sounded closer. Rosepaw growled softly to herself, mentally preparing herself for a fight. She quietly made her way to a lower branch in her tree, eyes pealed for the source of the disturbance. After a couple moments, she spotted a pale blond pelt making its way through the woods beneath her. Gritting her teeth, she leapt down, landing squarely in front of the cat.

    She flexed her claws, pinned back her ears and yowled, "You're in my patch! Get lost!" As the words left Rosepaw's mouth, her eyes widened in pure shock.

To his relief, Sunfire remained unchallenged for quite a long time. He'd made it halfway around the lake by the time he caught the first whiff of cat, and he wasn't sure if the distinct lack of clan-scent was worrying, or a relief. The clans were too scattered and disorganized right now to pose a threat, and rogues didn't scare him, either... but he just didn't want to be bothered. Sunfire almost turned away. Almost. But a single thought stopped him in his tracks: if there were other cats here, obviously it was a good place to stay. There would be no reason to settle down and claim a territory if that territory wasn't worth claiming. And this seemed to be just one cat's scent.

He doubted any rogue with a lick of sense would try and fight off a patrol of SkyClanners... but on the off chance there was more than one, he decided to check it out. Maybe he could chase the mongrel off himself, and go back to SkyClan with something worthwhile, for once.

That rationale carried him forward, and Sunfire stepped cautiously through the trees, nostrils flared. The scent got stronger as he proceeded deeper into the marked territory, but still, it remained singular. The yellow tom's brow furrowed as he held back to consider something... some tiny voice in the back of his mind that was bothering him, insisting that this scent was strange. Not bad strange, just... strange. He couldn't quite figure it out.

The situation perplexed him so much that for a moment he just stood there. And that's when a calico shape dropped out of the tree, landing in front of him. Sunfire hissed, and reared up, lashing out with unsheathed claws... but he pulled back a second before they made contact, his brain finally figuring out why that scent was triggering him so badly. Not strange. Familiar. SkyClan. Wide yellow eyes met her blue ones, and then narrowed in suspicion. This cat... this...

Rosepaw?

The cat before him was... predictably, a grown version of his former apprentice. A few scars marred her pelt, and, much like his own, one of her ears was tattered at the edge. But it couldn't be... right? Rosepaw had disappeared before his kits had even been born... but here she stood before him, challenging, demanding.

If he wasn't so annoyed, he might have been impressed. "I thought you were dead. I mourned you."

Sunfire? Rosepaw couldn't believe what she was seeing. She didn't think she would ever see any of her clanmates again, let alone her mentor, but here he was. Looking a little worse for wear, perhaps, but that was to be expected considering how far he'd probably come. Had he brought the others with him?

Tail held high in excitement, Rosepaw stepped forward slightly. "I'm sorry for your loss," she meowed, with a touch of humour in her voice. "I didn't think I would ever see you again..."She leaned forward to touch her nose to his, then hesitated slightly. His fur looked dull compared to how Rose remembered, and she could see now that his eyes and nose were running. Suddenly the sneezing made sense. "Are you okay?" she meowed, a wave of concern washing over her.

Rosepaw's humor wasn't lost on him, but he couldn't bring himself to laugh at it, either, in between the dumbstruck look he was giving her and the brief but infuriating coughing fit that followed. It really, seriously was her. Here, of all places. Sunfire wheeled back when she made a move to touch noses with him, stepping to the side and flicking his tail worriedly. She was healthy - healthier than him right now, certainly healthier than many of their (his?) clanmates.

"I'm fine," he insisted, slicking back his ears and giving her another conflicted look. It wasn't that he wasn't happy to see his former apprentice, because he was... but how else were you supposed to react when you were essentially staring at a ghost? Sunfire thrashed his tail, uncertain. There was so much going on already, and now Rosepaw was back from the dead?

Another moment passed, and then Sunfire let his guarded stance melt into something that was... slightly more welcoming. "I am glad to see you unharmed," he rasped, clearing his throat. "But we're not exactly here on vacation." He sat down again, curling his tail around his paws and exhaling hoarsely. "We're all here - all five clans. We had to leave home - no food. And now everyone's dying."

That was certainly an abbreviated version of what happened, but if she wanted specifics she'd have to ask. If he went into everything, they'd be there all night. "Have you been here this entire time? Alone?"

At Sunfire’s declaration at being “fine”, Rosepaw narrowed her eyes but declined to argue. Clearly her old mentor was suffering. If this was the state of one of the strongest warriors she knew, what was the rest of the clan like? Rosepaw’s concern began to turn to worry, but she shoved it down. Best to worry about one thing at a time.

All five Clans are here? Rosepaw had given up on finding her old home moons ago, but held onto a small hope that she would see The Forest again. With that hope dashed, she felt a small ache in her heart. Still, if her Clan was here, that was all that mattered.

"I've only been here for a couple moons," Rosepaw meowed, gesturing to her tree. "Before that...it's a long story. And yes, I'm alone now." She sighed under her breath before brightening. "But now you're here! Do you want something to eat? I have some fresh kill I haven't finished." She padded over to a bush nearby, and picked up a half-eaten squirrel hidden at the bush's center, then held it out in Sunfire's direction.

Despite her answer, Sunfire couldn't help but let his eyes slide past Rosepaw, scanning the expanse of dark forest behind her. There was nothing there, of course, because why would she be lying? What would she have to gain? Before her disappearance, the calico she-cat had been one of his closest friends. He'd taught her everything he knew, trained her to be a proud, loyal SkyClan warrior to the best of his ability. The fact that she'd apparently lived out here alone for a while, and didn't look too worse for wear, was a testament to that. He should be proud of her for not just surviving, but thriving... she didn't deserve his suspicion.

Sunfire blinked, shaking his head slightly. He had no reason not to trust Rosepaw. And truth be told, he was happy she was alive. Moreso than he wanted to admit, even to himself. He responded to her offer with a single hesitant dip of his chin, and took the squirrel with an appreciative grunt. After so many moons of hunger, it felt bizarre not to have to consider how to ration this prey... but he finished it in a few quick, efficient bites, and then took a moment to wash the blood from his face and paws before looking Rosepaw in the eye. "Thank you."

A few moments of silence passed, and then a heavy sigh escaped the warrior. As much as he would love to sit around and talk, he had things to do... and the quicker SkyClan found a secure place to camp, the quicker he could leave and go search for Ploverpaw. "Do you intend to return to SkyClan?"

Rosepaw eyed him as he glanced past her into the woods. Some things don't change, and clearly Sunfire's distrust of the world around him was no different. She watched with some satisfaction as the pale warrior wolfed down the squirrel, dipping her head at his gratified meow.

At Sunfire's question, Rosepaw jerked her head back, insulted. "No, I intend to stay out here, alone and freezing my tail off." She took a deep breath, calming herself. "Of course I'm returning, mousebrain. Not a day has gone by that I haven't imagined seeing you all again." She stopped herself from asking exactly how many of her old clanmates she would be returning to, worry burning hot in her chest. "If you'll have me," Rosepaw mewed softly, eyes averted. Would her clan accept her back after so long?

It occurred to Sunfire then that he actually had zero say in whether or not Rosepaw would be allowed to return, but he reasoned that the chance was good enough to assume so. If grumpy old Beechfang was allowed to rejoin the clan, after literal murder and exile, why would Rosepaw be turned away? Besides, SkyClan could use all the warriors they could get right now... and Rosepaw would be one of the best - he'd trained her, after all. The tom looked her over again with a critical eye, wondering how much "training" he'd have to do before the she-cat earned her warrior name. She was nearly fully grown, now... practically the same age he'd been when Juniperheart's litter was born.

"You look like you're doing pretty well to me," he retorted, but his tone was warmer than it had been previously, and as he got to his paws, he stared over at her. "It's good to have you back, Rosepaw. I'm sure the others will be glad to see you, too."

A quick glance at the sky told him there were only a few more hours until sunrise. Sunfire huffed gently. "If you're coming, come on, then... but we're not going back just yet. I've got to find a place for camp."

Rosepaw closed her eyes briefly, savouring the moment. She had nearly given up on seeing Skyclan again. The last few moons...Rosepaw imagined she would have to tell the unfortunate tale at some point, a task she was not looking forward to.

At Sunfire's mention of finding camp, Rosepaw's head tilted slightly. She mewed, "You know, I found this spot a little while ago." She pointed her tail at the thick mass of trees behind them. "There's a place through that patch of woods that I've always thought would be a decent camp. I'd be staying over there myself if it hadn't been far safer to sleep in a tree. Want to see?" Excitement washed over Rosepaw as she stared at Sunfire expectantly.

Sunfire moved past Rosepaw, ears pricked in the direction she'd flagged. He squinted and tried to see, but it was too dark to see anything but the black, looming shapes of trees stretching towards the sky. It sounded almost too good to be true, not only had he found a long lost Rosepaw, but also possibly a safe place for SkyClan to rest and heal. His nostrils flared as he perked up and swung his head towards her, yellow eyes wide with hope for the first time in what felt like forever.

"Show me."

Watching Sunfire perk up, Rosepaw's excitement grew. She began trotting further into the woods, making sure not to outpace her mentor. She hoped that he would be impressed.

They passed through thick pine forest for several minutes, eventually reaching a fairly large clearing. By anyone's standards, it was beautiful. The outskirts of the clearing was edged with ferns, and flat rocks were scattered throughout. A small stream ran through the center of it, bubbling quietly, and smaller trees that were dripping with lichen drooped over the water.

Rosepaw turned to Sunfire, gestured out to the clearing, and softly meowed, "What do you think? I know it doesn't replace our home, but it's something, right?"

Close to Rosepaw's side, Sunfire followed, through a cluster of thick pines, and then brushing out into a shadowed clearing edged with thick clusters of fern and bramble. The pair of them stopped, and the dappled tom swept his gaze across the open expanse, feathery tail swishing to one side. Without a word, Sunfire turned and began to follow the outline of the clearing, inspecting it. The ferns were cold-wilted and clearly not thriving in Leaf-fall, but the structure of the vines and roots still made a decently defendable barrier, and with a little work, it would be just like home. The thin creek that trickled through the center of the camp was a source of fresh water, and several trees provided shelter inside the walls of the camp, too.

Breathless, the warrior completed his inspection of the perimeter and then whipped around to stare at Rosepaw. "This may save our clan," he told her. "We need to go tell Mother and Birdstar."

Rosepaw watched nervously as her mentor surveyed the camp. She purred as she watched Sunfire's eyes visibly brighten, and tilted her head up to the sky for a moment. Praise Starclan for leading me to this place.

"Let's not waste time then," she replied. "Lead the way!" She went to nudge him, stopping herself at the last moment. She felt bad for staying away from Sunfire, but knew that if he was this sick, that the clan would need her to stay healthy.

Without wasting any time, Sunfire led Rosepaw back south, following the curve of the lake. This would eventually lead them back to SkyClan, but at their current pace, they wouldn't arrive until dawn. As much as he'd have loved to sprint back to the clan, and tell them all of the place Rosepaw had showed him, Sunfire physically could not make himself go any quicker. The squirrel Rosepaw shared with him had given him some strength back, but strenuous activity still made his lungs feel like they were on fire, and the deep, irritating tickle in his throat threatened to turn into a coughing fit at any moment.

He could talk, at least, and there was plenty of conversation to be had... starting with some of the more recent catastrophes. "There are some things you should know, before we go back," he said with a quiet sigh. "Since you were surprised to see me, it stands to reason that I'm the first clan cat you've seen... but like I said before, we're all here. Every clan. We traveled here together to escape the prey drought in the forest, but not as allies, definitely not as friends. Now that we're here, everyone has sort of split up, but... long story short? We no longer have an alliance with ThunderClan, and, actually I guess they're pretty angry." He snorted, tail lashing once. "Their idiot leader, Mottlestar, attacked Graywind and me, and a couple of apprentices, while we were hunting."

There definitely was more to that story, but Sunfire wasn't about to offer it unprompted. There was too much information to get through to linger on the little details. "She didn't walk away unscathed, though, that's for sure." Another flick of his tail, and the tom looked over at her, taking note of the scars she bore... more than him, truth be told, especially considering the majority of his were very recent. Rosepaw clearly had been surviving out here, but she hadn't been thriving. He wondered if she would offer up any explanation to him. Where she'd gone, and why. How she escaped, how she ended up at the lake. He wanted to know, but he was smart enough to know that it was something that should be done on her terms... besides, he was just, mostly, happy to have her back.