just give it time [open for SkC after Rosepaw / Wolfblossom or Birdstar posts]

By the time Sunfire and Rosepaw finally crossed the first fresh SkyClan scent trail, the sun was peeking over the horizon. He was tired, and his throat burned like he'd swallowed bile, but determination and spite had carried him this far - they would not let him down today. "We're nearly there, stay close to me," he said. "They may not recognize you at first, and there's plenty of reason to be on edge right now." With both RiverClan and ThunderClan less than pleased with SkyClan, and so many of SkyClan's warriors incredibly sick, the lingering threat of invasion was ever present. Sure, the other clans were sick, too, but it seemed to Sunfire like the able bodied warriors were dropping one by one, and the cats who still remained upright were running themselves ragged trying to pick up the slack. The sooner they got into a more secure space to heal, the better. He needed his mother, or Birdstar...

Sunfire gave his apprentice a reassuring look, and then pushed forward, towards the group of cats in the distance. It was barely dawn, so most of the clan was still asleep. One of the camp guards gave the pair of them a quizzical glance as they passed, but Sunfire ignored him and he made no attempt to pursue them. Eventually, his eyes snapped to the familiar pelt of his mother as it came into view, and the yellow tom quickened his pace, until he was standing before Wolfblossom. He longed to lean in and bunt his head against hers, but the threat of intensifying either of their symptoms held him at bay.

"Mother, I need to speak to you," he glanced over his shoulder at Rosepaw and gestured her forward. "About a few things. Do you know if Birdstar is around, as well?"

The clans had arrived at a lake sick and starved, and Wolfblossom had never felt more frustrated. So many of her clanmates were terribly ill, they should have been at home, in the medicine den, back in their own camp. Without the specter of Riverclan's ire looming over them because their high ranks had the gall to choose their own family over one cat's comfort. Instead they sat here, with the few healthyish cats they had either scouting for somewhere suitable to live, or overworking themselves hunting what little prey there was.

"Sunfire?" The temptation to greet her son more warmly was strong, but with so many of their clanmates ill, Wolfblossom refrained. Worsening either of their symptoms was not something she would be able to stomach, not with Graywind and Falconmoon already so sick. Her son spoke, and Wolfblossom felt an immediate pang of dread. It didn't sound like he was there just for family, and somewhat uncharitably her mind flashed to the yet-unresolved situation with Thunderclan. If this was more bad news...

The deputy gave her head a small shake. "Of course." She mewed, voice rougher than normal from her own inconsistent coughing fits. "Come on, let's-" She began, then her blue eyes found the figure behind him. Familiar... But much older than the last time Wolfblossom had seen her. But still bearing resemblance to the kit Wolfblossom had named an apprentice. "Rosepaw?" The deputy blinked, a weary smile flickering across her face. "This is... a terrible time to return, but I am glad to see you well."

The closer they got to the group of cats in the distance, the more nervous Rosepaw became. She'd been hoping for this for so long that she hadn't considered how reuniting with her clan would go, but now her mind was racing. Would they blame her for giving up on them? Would they resent her for how healthy she looked in comparison? What if they didn't believe her story, and thought she'd left them on purpose? Rosepaw sighed to herself, trying to focus on the positives. If she was one of the healthiest, surely she could prove herself by caring for her clan's needs, whatever they may be. No use fixating on things that haven't happened yet, she thought.

Within minutes, Rosepaw began to catch a strong familiar scent; that of her clanmates. The scent, thought slightly different to how she remembered, brought her right back to her old life. Confidence and excitement began to overwhelm the anxiety in her chest, and Rosepaw padded forward quicker, tail held high and a spring in her step.

They finally reached the edge of the makeshift camp, and Rosepaw's heart dropped. The scent of her clan was there, but she realized what was different. They smelled...desperate. At the sight of Wolfblossom, Rosepaw's eyes widened. Compared to the deputy, Sunfire suddenly seemed a picture of health.

"Hello Wolfblossom," Rosepaw meowed, dipping her head respectfully. She kept her distance, but kept her tail held high despite her shock at Wolfblossom's scrawny form. "Sunfire has told me some of what happened to Skyclan, and the other Clans for that matter. I am so sorry for what you've all gone through. I'm ready to help, if you'll have me." Rosepaw's eyes cast downward for a moment as shame overtook her for a moment, then she forced herself to meet the deputy's weary eyes, her heart in her throat.

Sunfire was unsurprised but disappointed at the brief flash of something in Wolfblossom's expression - what was it? Wariness? Suspicion? He couldn't tell for sure, and wasn't sure which would be more hurtful, so he didn't dwell on it. Flicking his tail, the tom stepped aside, allowing the two to reacquaint while he searched the background for Birdstar. He didn't see her, but they had the deputy, at least, so there was no sense in waiting or withholding information - if he told Wolfblossom, she could be in charge of relaying the information... and the sooner they moved camps, the sooner he could go look for his missing daughter.

He looked over at Rosepaw as she finished her sentence. If they would have her? Sunfire resisted the urge to scoff, as if SkyClan could afford to turn away a willing and able bodied cat. He grumbled deep in his chest, moving forward to interject into the conversation again. "If Birdstar isn't around, we may as well tell you, first - we've found a place to move camp." Looking between Rosepaw and Wolfblossom, he continued. "I was looking for a place myself when Rosepaw and I crossed paths... I told her about everything going on, and she knew of an area that looks very promising. We can take a patrol, there, get it secured before we begin moving everyone else in... I can lead it," as the words left his mouth, Sunfire felt his body sag at the idea. It was not exactly a short trip, and he'd been awake and traveling now for the entirety of the night at this point. The involuntary physical effects were frustrating, but Sunfire ignored the internal protest, straightening up and blinking rapidly to appear far more alert than he actually was.

"And once we've moved everyone, I would like your permission to leave and search for Ploverpaw." He met Wolfblossom's gaze and sighed silently, making no effort to hide the distress in his eyes. He wanted her permission, but he was going either way.

Wolfblossom offered a weary nod to Rosepaw. "Things have been better. We'll get through this." They had to, she told herself, or all of this travel would have been for nothing. It was hard already not to feel that way, but the return of a clanmate was surely a good omen.

"You found somewhere?" Some energy seemed to return to the deputy with the news, "As long as it's secure enough... Stars know we need to get our sick somewhere more sheltered than this." The clans weren't meant to be in such close proximity, and definitely not when their alliances were crumbling. With Creamfrost having fallen so ill, any further scouting once they'd reached the lake had fallen apart. That by chance Sunfire had stumbled across his first apprentice and she had told him of a potential camp they could use... It was lucky. Very lucky.

"You need rest. There's too few of us not nestbound already for you to wind up in one from overworking." She retorted, though even that was half-hearted. "I'll go instead. At least take a few hours to sleep." Birdstar would agree with her, she hoped. There weren't exactly other options in the deputy's mind.

Sunfire's next words made her heart ache. "We will find her. Once we get the clan settled in, we'll begin searching again." Ploverpaw's disappearance was deeply troubling, Wolfblossom just hoped that she wasn't laying somewhere, as sick as some of her clanmates were.

"How far is this camp from here?" Wolfblossom asked, gaze turning toward Rosepaw. "The sooner we can move on this, the better." Time wouldn't wait for them, nor would the sickness raging through the clans. The sooner Birdstar could be told, the sooner they could head out, the sooner they could create a solid base from which to regroup and tend to the sick.

Rosepaw's nerves bubbled up once again. One on one time with the esteemed deputy of Skyclan? Back when she was brand-new apprentice, Rosepaw would've killed for such an opportunity. Now, she worried about the questions that Wolfblossom would be asking. Still, there wasn't much choice, nor would worry stop the inevitable.

She turned to Wolfblossom, meowing, "A decent trek from here, but a fairly easy one." She looked the deputy over, wondering if she would be able to manage a journey there and back in her condition, but said nothing more.