The future's in your paws. Shape it well.Roleplay in a cat Clan of warriors. Based off the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. Takes place in an AU before the cats in the books existed.
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Leaf-fall is finally here, and with it, the promise of colder, crueler, days ahead.
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Each pawstep was harder and harder to make as the wind knocked the snow out from under her feet, but she couldn't stop. She couldn't rest. A few hours had passed since the bellows of something wild and unknown battered against the surrounding cliffs. The song was terrifyingly deep in a way that hollowed her entire body, making the only input in her mind an intense desperation to flee, no matter the cost.
Right behind Ploverpaw's trail in the snow was another apprentice who was just as lost as herself. Both mollies became separated from their homes and then worked together to survive the harsh season. Hopefully they could work together to keep surviving just a bit longer. Ploverpaw's stomach was lined only with ice, but the bright hope in her heart kept her moving. Maybe Starclan was with the pair of young she-cats, making the world spin in a way that would point Ploverpaw in the right direction. She had to pray that was true.
As Ploverpaw slowly rose over the hill her hope burned brighter. Was she seeing right? Below her carved into the snow were large trails stretching from left to right. Thankfully they didn't seem to be made by large animals, but rather many cats of her own size traveling together. This has to be the Clans! Stars above we found them! Ploverpaw turned around to show Silentpaw a great smile and used her tail to point to the tracks. Then she flicked her grey, plumey tail up as if to say, Follow me!
After a while of walking she began to grow tired, but at least the already-trodden trails made it easier on her legs. Soon they would catch up, she could feel it. Eventually something came into view. Yes! Ploverpaw wasted not a second sprinting towards the Clans. Where was Skyclan? Only Riverclan hit her nose first, quickly reminding the apprentice of her sleek-furred companion. Over there, she gestured with her tail. Go be with your family! Ploverpaw sent her friend a sweet smile before departing to find her beloved littermates.
"Dad!" Her father's bright pelt glowing against the snow served as the beacon she dashed towards- until her sister came into sight. "Bubblepaw!!" She slid into the grey she-cat's side, toppling them both over into the snow. Ploverpaw looked worse for wear with cuts and dirt scattering her body, but her face was lit with delight and tears. She had so much to say yet she didn't say anything at all, simply hugging her sister as long as she could.
The amount of snow surrounding them made it near-impossible to tell which direction was correct. Still, Perchstar continued pressing forward at the head of the pack, leading RiverClan in the direction she hoped more than anything would send them home. Home... The concept was almost foreign, now. She wished she'd never left. Everything had seemed so much simpler--even with the fish dead and the rivers viscously poisoned--than it did now, journeying strenuously for the second time in so many moons. But she pressed forward, gritting her teeth and bearing every moment of exhaustion, ignoring the scarred-over wounds that had claimed her life more recently than she cared to remember. "Keep going, everyone," she called out hoarsely, knowing that the words would mean little. "If anyone needs help walking, lean on me." She knew several wounded were already being carried--but if she could assist in any way, she would. It was the least she could do... even though every pawstep through the snow, whenever she didn't have to focus on putting one foot in front of the other, her mind cast back to the fact that somewhere here in the fog, a murderer was nearby.
Perchstar is leading RiverClan forward, and hopefully home.
--
Dovepaw was walking... he thought. It was hard to tell. Everything looked white, and he didn't even know if that was something he was making up anymore or there really was that much snow. It was probably cold, but he couldn't really tell. The only thing on his mind was making sure that the fox pelt--even though it was larger than he--stayed on top of him. If he lost it... if he lost it... He wouldn't lose it. It was all he had left of her. Occasionally his lungs would seize in panic and he would glance around wildly for his siblings, but he would catch a glimpse of Pigeonpaw or Swanpaw and his heart would beat again... if it ever had been beating. He was still unsure. He stumbled forward as if in a daze, holding the fox pelt tightly as if it were the only thing between him and falling headfirst into a precipice from which he would never survive the fall. It was all he could do. It was all he could do.
Dovepaw is doing his best.
--
It was cold. Bubblepaw heard nothing other than her fangs chattering as she went forward, following the waving tail of Wolfblossom far ahead. It was a good thing that Bearpaw--no, Hemlockfox, she still had to get used to that--had helped her escape the enormous beast dogs, or she might have been left behind. But now the whole Clan fled, trudging through seemingly endless snow. The snow had seemed so nice and fun when she was playing with Mintglade, but now it was flying in her face and stinging her eyes and encumbering her so much that every step felt painful. At the end of this journey, though, was the tiniest sliver of hope--something she'd almost given up on recently. Maybe Wolfblossom knew where they were in these terrible mountainous snowdrifts. Maybe the direction they were heading was home. Maybe she'd sleep in her own nest again. Maybe they'd come home and the trees would be alive with birdsong. Maybe everything would be okay. But... even if it was... nothing would be the same, she realized with a sinking feeling even colder than the bitterly frigid winds. Nothing would ever be okay again until Ploverpaw returned. She had to say "until" and not "if" so that she could keep her head. In the screaming, howling blizzard, if she concentrated, she felt like she could almost hear Ploverpaw's voice. How long had it been since she'd seen her sister? Since they'd talked? Oh, stars, she would give anything to really hear and see her again. It was haunting, actually, just how much the storm sounded like Ploverpaw. Odd. She'd never heard a cat's voice in the wind like this before. And why did that faraway shape look so familiar?
Bubblepaw stopped in her tracks and blinked. Wait. That voice was Ploverpaw, wasn't it? That gray fur, those blue eyes, that form moving towards her so quickly? It couldn't be. No, it had to be. It had to be or else... or else... Wait, it really was, wasn't it? It was. It was her. It was her. It was her! It was her sister! "Ploverpaw!" she shrieked out into the wind, unsure if her painfully cracking voice was even audible. But she didn't care. She was stumbling forward again into the snow, hardly even noticing how close she was to tripping. "Ploverpaw!" The answering shouts were closer now, and suddenly she collided with another form, and even though it smelled and looked a little bit different it was her. It was Ploverpaw bowling her over into the snow, and the fact caused a near-hysterical laugh to rise up from the tangle of gray fur. "It's you, it's you, it's you!" Was she laughing or crying? She couldn't tell. She pressed her face close into Ploverpaw's pelt, suddenly no longer aware of the cold. "I missed you, I missed you so much..."
Everything in her burning muscles wanted to fold to the exhaustion. The snow, thickly piled up to her chest in places, was almost impossible to forge through. The deeper layers, packed solid and supportively, with the fresh-fallen powder atop (though it was currently being tossed in a vicious wind), were all too enticing. It would be rest. It would be relief from the quietly burning fever. Perhaps if Birdstar buried her head deep in the snow, it would swallow the howls that echoed in absence; maybe being starkly deprived of her senses would quiet her thoughts, for once. Birdstar watched the snowbank she shouldered through collapse, longing to join the tumbling dust until she forced her attention to follow the hot cloud of her breath upward.
Farther ahead, voices echoed off the snowy slopes. When Birdstar looked across the expanse of white, she could see countless pawprint trails again, those they'd briefly lost in their climb. She could even see the shapes of cats moving across the cliffs; some recognizable as Clanmates. A tenuous breath shook out of her chest and Birdstar's shoulders sagged with relief. "Sunfire." Her testing rasp broke the ominous quiet that settled when echoes no longer reached them. Birdstar's eyes sought the tom nearby before rejoining his side, offering her weight in support to his own as she fell into place again. As they continued the tiresome march upward, she said, "I can see others ahead. I'm sure the medicine cats are with them. ...one of them, at least." A bitter huff left her, but Birdstar didn't want to entertain the dire thought any longer than it took to speak it.
When they were closer and Birdstar had seen more faces, soothed herself with seeing most of the Clan together, she raised her voice over the buffeting winds to call, "SkyClan! I'm here. Sunfire is with me, as well--" His name echoed in a voice she hadn't heard in moons, and Birdstar turned to watch Ploverpaw come charging through the snow with an unfamiliar apprentice in tow, but she'd gotten distracted by the sight of her sister before completing her race. Birdstar's chest tightened, overfull with warmth and release of worry at seeing her finally returned home safely; something bitter, too, that she returned at such a bitter time, to finding her father injured. At least Ploverpaw hadn't been alone, it seemed. Clearing her throat, Birdstar continued, "Where are the medicine cats? If anything was salvaged while escaping, Sunfire will need the attention."
Birdstar is with Sunfire, and calling either of the medicine cats to help him out.
Silverpaw
Putting one paw in front of the other was getting difficult again. Physically, with crying winds tearing at his pelt and snow making his paws fumble, it seemed a given. But Silverhawk could feel the cold draining all the spirit from him. His fur was still bristled from the first round of howls. He couldn't get it to lie flat, no matter how stubbornly he willed it. Maybe it was the smell of blood-- subtle, but lingering --that wouldn't leave Silverhawk's nose keeping him so agitated. He hadn't seen most of the chaos, having fled quickly with Pineblossom and the kits, but he'd caught glimpses--even if he hadn't, the battered state of his Clanmates was impossible to miss. At least we're safe, he thought, but the wounds left by the wolves and the tumble of other recent tragedy alike still left a stinging feeling in the back of his throat.
Silverhawk's tail lashed, and feeling it connect with someone made a shudder go up his spine. He turned to glower at the body, but his preparatory sneer grew tangled and fell when he saw who it was. It was Tawnyshadow stalking them, who he liked enough and was a friend to Pineblossom. Silverhawk bit down on his tongue to force down the bubbling up urge to bark at her to go away. She hadn't done anything but be there but, inane as it was, the unwarranted presence made him feel the need to wrestle out of his skin like a moth. Instead, he settled for jerking his head forward again-- searching the crowd briefly for Hawkpaw as he turned --then around the other direction, craning to look between his shoulderblades.
"Stag? Blue?" He'd grabbed his brothers by the scruffs on the way out of camp, but once the baying had died down and they'd settled into a more relaxed lope up the mountainside, Silverhawk had settled them into the thick fur between his shoulders. "How are you doing up there?" His voice was taut with thinly veiled aggravation, but the question came in earnest.
Silverhawk is walking with Pineblossom, Tawnyshadow, and the kits.
Pigeonpaw
Pigeonpaw's throat felt sticky--but dry, too, somehow. Her face was frozen, a thousand sharpened crystals formed onto the wispy ends of her fur. At some point she must've cried, she guessed. It was more like she just let tears start flowing at some point, so-- it wasn't a real cry. It didn't count against her. She wasn't a crier; she was too tough for that. Even if the tight ball in her stomach was begging her to sob until she couldn't; for fear and grief, confusion, frustration. For everything that made all her breaths come through funny. Crying seemed like the only thing that would ease the uncomfortable ache, but... Pigeonpaw just couldn't bring herself to. She could only put one paw numbly in front of the other, lurching along.
She saw the big white teeth in all the piles of snow around her, but whenever she closed her eyes, she saw Egretswoop snapped nearly in half. Wolves, her older Clanmates had called the beasts that descended on them. They screamed just like the monster that attacked her and Scarletpaw during the storm. Pigeonpaw shivered, whenever the howls started echoing through her head again. Guiltily, she felt all the more awed by Scarletpaw, that he'd manage to make something like that run off crying, but... it was hard to feel proud for long, finding signs of the brutalization almost everywhere she looked.
When a fox pelt caught her eyes, Pigeonpaw felt her heart jump confusedly into her throat. Her ears stood up immediately, head snapping up to look around for Dovepaw to tell him that Egretswoop had been okay after all, jaw half-parted and lungs stretching to push the words out-- before she remembered the pelt had been draped over him as a parting gift, just before Murkyriver had dragged him away. The hopeful thud choking her dropped clear to her paws and Pigeonpaw felt even more frozen. Woodenly, she moved closer to Dovepaw's side. Her mouth remained open for a moment, searching for something to say--she always had something to say--but she found herself quiet now. Pigeonpaw's mouth closed with a quiet clck, and she settled for just pressing against Dovepaw, helping to keep the too-big pelt balanced over his shoulders.
Forest Tongue Feral Tongue idk why i picked purple we’re pretending i didn’t do that
The feral language was still rough around the edges to Silverpaw, having become sick before they could learn much more. She had the general idea of what Vinecrawler was trying to say, and when he gave them the bundle of fur that was Faraday it made all the more sense. The language was still tricky on their tongue, and the silver apprentice made a mental note to ask for more lessons when she found the time. “Th… Thank you, Vinecrawler.” replied Silverpaw dipping their head “I will be… okay.” Her knowledge of the language really ended around there, and even then it wasn’t the best. “This will help get my strength back.” she added switching back to the forest tongue.
Silverpaw placed the furry kitten on her back between her shoulder blades, and stood taller. “What can you see up there, Faraday?” Their attention turned to keeping him amused, and distracted from the horrors of days past. ”Is the view nice? I did not see the view when i made this trek myself… the weather was not very good, and Quailprowler gave me a lot of training.” she purred, continuing pushing through the flurries of snow. Silverpaw couldn’t wait to be home again, they had hazy memories of the nursery and the camp, and when she had been sick they had clung to those memories like a lifeline. Now, Silverpaw would be returning better than ever, free to hunt and explore to their hearts content. Hopefully the many kits born and found over the mountains would love ThunderClan like she did in her foggy memories.
Creamsky's ears perked at the sound of crunching snowing heading towards him, lifting his gaze to stare at the medicine cat approaching. The warrior couldn't help but grimace - not at Thymelight but at himself. His back crawled, his lungs ached but he hadn't wanted to be noted...Not when there were Clanmates who had been injured by the beasts while all he had done was grab Lightningbreeze and run. The warrior wanted to open his mouth - to press that Thymelight should save her herbs for those who needed it but it was hard to find those words when he couldn't even find the air to breath. All that escaped him was a rattling wheeze as his eyes fell down to stare at the bud that Thymelight had pushed his way. His ears slicked back, but he leaned down and carefully lapped it up - along with some snow. The snow quickly melting in his mouth sent a shiver down his spine at how cold it was, but he quickly swallowed it and the herb as he let out a shaky exhale. "...Thank you," he rasped, even if it would take a little time to see if the tansy would even help. This wheezing wasn't new after all...
Perhaps he would see the medicine cats about it once they were home if it hadn't passed by then...
The sound of Birdstar's voice caught his ear, glancing over his shoulder to see the leader heading towards them, Sunfire leaning on her. "Go," he meowed as he glanced over at Thymelight - a wheeze escaping him, followed by a sign. "I'll survive...Go help those...Who need your skill."
Creamsky accepted the herb offered by Thymelight and suggested that the medicine cat go help Sunfire.
The snow was biting, the wind was near torture as it raked through her long fur, a prickling pain spreading across her pelt as mother nature tore through her natural defenses with each brush of chill. The breaks they had been granted had passed quickly, filled with the cries of nightmares from those given a chance to sleep, to the grouping of cats sitting close to near-strangers as they attempted to huddle and stay warm. The brief memory of joy from her apprentice ceremony, of the happiness that surged through her and the call of her deputy's voice at the announcement, could only go so far to drown out the echoing screams and howls that bounced from one side of her head to the other. A strange dance, her memories and pace took with eachother. Left foot forward, and the echo did a spin. Right paw next and the ground felt like the soft underpelt of a brave warrior throwing her onto her back and running to safety.
A visible shake of the head, clearing the haze from her eyes, brought Daffodilpaw back to the here and now - walking beside one Kestrelpaw, another newly-apprenticed Thunderclan cat, and a cat she's silently promised to watch out for. Giving her friend a small nudge on the shoulder, she forced a smile onto her face. "I have a feeling when we get back to the Forest, you'll never wish to see snow ever again. How're you doing? Honestly?"
"It's cold, mama.." The soft whisper from the silver cat was likely lost amongst the wind pushing through her clan, in the breathless jumps of the smaller cats having to leap from foothold to foothold through the deep snow, snow that this newly-promoted apprentice nearly disappeared into. The pads of her feet were beginning to rub raw, a situation she had not voiced yet in fear of being a reason the clan hesitated in their travels, in their desire to head home as soon as possible. She would swallow the pain, Minnowpaw decided, until it was time for the next rest and she could spend some time relaxing the sore appendages on her tail, or hidden under her mothers pelt. If the apprentice glanced back every two or three jumps to make sure there was no bright red specks on the snow she just stepped at, well, she didn't need to acknowledge that. Momma and grandma have already lost so much this moon... I don't need to scare them with a simple wound.
Seeking a distraction, from the pain, cold, and memories, Minnowpaw searched around for her brother. Likely, his tail high in the air would act as a good notice point.
He was trying to keep up with the rest of RiverClan, he really was. He stalked along, trying to keep his head just above the snow, feeling frozen to the bone. Most of the Clan was out ahead of him. And when you were little, like he was - and quiet, like he was . . . well, it was easy to be forgotten.
RiverClan had no queens to keep track of the kits - nobody to counts heads and make sure every little scrap of fur was accounted for. Warriors were preoccupied carrying the wounded, parents preoccupied with their own children and siblings with their own kin. The snow kept falling in thick sheets, the wind carrying his Clanmates' voices far away, the fog concealing the vague shape of his fellow cat . . . And Clan cats stuck together, yes, but it was easy to miss a kit who was all but covered up by the snow. The snow which continued to fall, which bogged down his fur and clung to his skin, the cold seeping into his bones. He was past shivering now. In fact, he was feeling rather warm. A cold breeze picked up over the landscape, piercing through his fur, but he wasn't sure any more if his fur was sticky with sleet or sweat. He felt ice crystals forming in his fur, stiffening his face. He couldn't seem to shake them off.
Each step was its own struggle. His paws felt heavy with exhaustion. But he was too proud to call out. If I ever want to be a warrior, I have to be able to handle a little snow on my own. Determined, he carried on, practically swimming through the fallen snow. His paw pads were numb - he could hardly feel his own ears or nose, now that he thought about it. And still, he felt flashes of heat. He glanced ahead at his Clanmates, shivering and heavy with the fierce frost that had overcome the land, then looked worriedly down at his own paws, invisible under the thick layer of snow. Maybe I'm different! Maybe I'm meant for the cold. It really doesn't bother me so much, now that I've gotten used to it! In fact, I really am warm . . . Maybe too warm. He felt heavy under his own fur.
Another gust of howling wind blew over the land, and if it weren't for this strange heat pulsing through him, he would think his own blood was frozen. He forced himself to take another step, then another. Mossykit would prove himself, he would! But he felt so tired - his eyelids felt so heavy . . .
Mossykit stumbled along, his movements becoming less and less coordinated. He wasn't sure where his Clanmates were now . . . were they ahead of or behind him? He couldn't hear any familiar voices, or pick up any familiar scents. He wanted help now. He couldn't do this on his own. He was just a kit, after all. Far from a warrior. And even if I was a warror, even they were leaning on each other for help. Weren't they?
It was a realization that came far too late. He stumbled again, this time losing his footing, collapsing in the snow. Should anyone turn around now, the only evidence of the poor kit would be a tiny divot in the blanket of snow. Mossykit couldn't fend off this exhaustion much longer. He was so tired.
Maybe I'll just take a quick nap . . .
He'd catch up with the others later. His eyelids fluttered shut, his heart rate slowing, and he gave in to the shroud of sleep that had hung over him since their journey began. He pressed close to the ground and drifted off into an endless dream. His breathing slowed with his heart, growing slower and slower, until he drew his last breath and went still.
It had been a tought few moons - a tough few days even - but it was Nothing Hemlockfox couldn't handle. His thick coat kept him well protected from the brunt of the leafbare chill, but there was admittedly little he could do to prevent the cold from seeping into the tender flesh of his nose and paws. Already, he could feel the pads of his paws beginning to chaff from the scraping of tiny, rough crystals of snow. It was obnoxious, to be sure, but nothing more than that.
Several of his clanmates had suffered far worse since the wolves had driven them away, so he considered himself lucky. From his place near the head of the Skyclan group, Hemlockfox had a good view of his clanmates and, as such, made sure to frequently check that they were all doing alright. He spotted Thymelight helping Creamsky, snorted, and swung his head in the opposite direction where his gaze instantly landed on Bubblepaw.
She had very nearly been left behind in the territories around the lake thanks to the chaos from before, which only further solidified his belief that his littermates still needed him here. In Skyclan. Not galivanting off to Windclan's tree-less moor. Of course, Sunfire, Wolfblossom, and the rest of Skyclan would keep an eye on them...but would it be enough? Frowning, the tom squinted against the onslaught of snow as the freezing temperatures wormed further and further into his body with every passing second that they remained in the open.
The storm had only gotten worse since their departure, but there was nothing that could be done about it. A small part of him, honestly, just wanted to curl up and lie down. He should be back home in a warm, cozy nest with his littermates curled around him, not in the middle of nowhere during a blizzard! Then, his nose twitched. An odd scent, carried by the changing winds, settled into his nose. It was strange, yet familiar at the same time which was...confusing to say the least.
A voice in the distance finally caught his attention, though, prompting the young medicine cat to turn back, his eyes narrowed. What was happening back there? His attention was drawn yet again to Bubblepaw, who had somehow ended up sprawled out in the snow since he'd looked away only moments ago. Baffled, Hemlockfox spun around fully and shoved his way through the surounding cats to his sister's side. "Bubblepaw! What's going on? Are you-"
His voice caught, suddenly, silenced by the sudden lump in his throat and the burning tears welling up in his eyes. Was he seeing things? Was that really...Ploverpaw? Yes! Ploverpaw! It was her, she was really here - healthy, safe, and alive! She looked a little worse for wear, but it was nothing some food couldn't fix! He was frozen for a moment, pelt tingling with joy like nothing he'd ever experienced before. Choking back a sob, Hemlockfox threw himself onto Bubblepaw and Ploverpaw, his entire body rumbling with purrs.
He showered licks all over his dear sister's head and cheeks, his shoulders jerking with a mixture of sobs and delirious laughter. "You're here! You're back! Ploverpaw I- we looked everywhere, but we couldn't find you! Are you okay!? We all missed you so much! don't you ever do that to me again, I thought you were..." Hemlockfox shook his head and pressed his muzzle into Ploverpaw's warm coat, feeling lighter than he had in moons.
"Nevermind! I'm so glad you're finally home..." He meowed, breath coming in shuddering pants. Birdstar's voice tugged at his consciousness, but it sounded far away and dull compared to everything else. Deciding that she could wait, the tom burrowed closer to his sisters, a content smile on his face. Ploverpaw had been missing for so so long. She was all that mattered right now.
Silentpaw plodded along behind her companion, blue eyes tired and coat unkempt from their long, long time separated from the clans. Their journey along the mountains had been an arduous one to say the least, and though Silentpaw still knew very little of her friend, they had come to trust each other throughout being lost in the frozen landscape. It was a good thing too, because despite her strong sense of smell, Silentpaw was a pretty hopeless hunter and an even worse fighter.
In spending so much unbroken time with another cat, she had come to better understand what divided her from the rest of her clan. It would take some time still for her to figure out where exactly she fit, but it was a start. She would likely never be as self-sufficient as everyone else, but she was a gifted tracker, something that had helped them many times as they searched for their clans. Regardless, Ploverpaw took the lead most of the time and Silentpaw didn't mind one bit. She was prone to distraction which was, as she'd come to realize, was a dangerous trait to have when lost in the wilderness.
As of late, however, Ploverpaw had been acting different and it wasn't just her, either. Even the prey seemed to be on edge and more scare than usual. It began several days ago when her friend had woken up in the middle of the night, startled and frightened by something Silentpaw could neither see nor hear. Even now, Silentpaw didn't have the slightest clue as to what spurred Ploverpaw to lead them all the way out here - in the opposite direction they had been traveling.
As they crested yet another hill, the white apprentice came to a stop behind Ploverpaw, her blue eyes roving across the landscape beneath them with a mixture of shock and disbelief. Were those...pawprints? As in...real, cat-sized paw prints!? Not just a small amount either - it had to be the clans! Tail whipping back and forth, the she-cat bounced up and down, purring with delight at the discovery. They just had to be close! Her energy renewed, Silentpaw rubbed her cheek against Ploverpaw's and trotted beside her companion, whiskers twitching with anticipation.
Lifting her muzzle to the air, she sniffed experimentally, and grinned. Yup! They were close alright! It may be faint, but that was definitely the smell of her clan and, well, all of the others too! They walked for a while longer, and, surely enough, the shapes of cats in the distance finally came into view. With a meow of excitement, Silentpaw turned to her friend, body practically vibrating with joy. They'd done it - they were back! They'd finally, really found the clans!
Only, what was Ploverpaw doing? She looked to where the other she-cat was pointing and stared at the familiar coats of her clanmates with uncertainty. The excitement from before began to wane and Silentpaw whirled back around, torn, but Ploverpaw was gone! Where was she!? Frantically, the white apprentice searched the crowd, her fur bristling with fear. No! She wasn't ready to say goodbye! She couldn't say goodbye!
Finally, her gaze landed on Ploverpaw, who had made quick work of finding her family and was already rolling in the snow with them. Should she even go over there? Would that just make things awkward? Her heart tugged her in that direction, though, almost begging for her to follow Ploverpaw. Tail brushing the snow, Silentpaw peered back at her clan, sad to admit that there was no such tug when she looked at them. She didn't want to go back - not if it meant never seeing Ploverpaw again. She was her best friend.
Tingling with nerves, Silentpaw slowly approached the she-cat she had spent the past few moons with, her eyes downcast. Why was this so complicated? She'd never felt this way before, not even at those scary full-moon gatherings between the clans. It was probably rude to interrupt their happy moment, but how could she stay away when every part of her was screaming not to? There would be no happy reunion if she walked back to Riverclan now. Her kin were gone and she, admittedly, had very few friends, Ploverpaw was all she had. Silentpaw did that odd throat-vibratey thing to get her friend's attention, and blinked pleadingly, hoping to get the other she-cat's attention and maybe just a few more minutes with her.
(Silentpaw is struggling to say goodye to Ploverpaw.)
His entire body was screaming for him to lie down and rest for a while. The sickness that gripped his body was unrelenting despite all attempts to expunge it and that, coupled with the deep gouges across his back, spelled for disaster if he kept going. The wolf that bit him had, thankfully, not decided to make a meal of him, but that didn't mean it had spared him the pain of its massive jaws and sharp teeth. It wasn't much, but Wiggleworm was grateful, at least, that he was alive still.
However, he didn't want to let the rest of Thunderclan see him like this and, as such, decided to stick to the back of the group. As the sun climbed into the sky and began to descend, though, Wiggleworm found himself trailing further and further behind until he could scarcely see his clanmates in the distance. He was exhausted, running on nothing but a meager bite of mouse from the day before, and didn't know how much longer he could go on like this.
His littermates, likely busy with the kits, hadn't checked on him yet, but he could hardly blame them. There were plenty of other cats to keep track of - ones far more likely to survive the journey home than him. With a groan, the brown tom pushed himself onward, chasing after the distant silhouettes of his clan despite the shaking in his limbs. It would be so much easier to just lie down...to rest in the cold, inviting snow, but how would Crocusfrost and Vinecrawler react?
They would be devastated, right? Surely, they would eventually notice if he went missing but, then again, maybe not. It was his own fault for pushing everyone away the moment his illness got bad. He hardly spoke to them anymore, too afraid to get them sick, but maybe he shouldn't have kept his distance. If he gave up now, accepted his fate, would they double back and search for him, or leave his body for the foxes and birds, putting the rest of Thunderclan above all else?
It was a morbid thought, but perhaps not entirely untrue. Puffing out a heavy breath, Wiggleworm stopped, his body trembling, and watched as the rest of the clans walked on, getting smaller and smaller with each step. He couldn't afford too many more breaks like this, but he couldn't keep walking either. Every fiber of his being ached for respite, even a few moments of it, but if he laid down now...would he be able to get back up?
(Wiggleworm has fallen behind and is in desperate need of help!)
Exhaustion rippled at the back of her mind, but Sageroot kept her head up and her paws moving forward. Not all her clanmates were so lucky, much less the other clans. She winced with sympathy at the wail of a grieving queen, a kit must have fallen.
As evening began to draw in, Sageroot hung near the rear of the group, hypersensitive hearing alert for any sign of danger. The fading light took the edge off the blinding snow, and she could finally make proper use of her senses. And then she heard ragged breathing and staggering pawsteps. Whipping around, the fawn tabby’s eyes came to rest on a form all too familiar. Wiggleworm was struggling!
Sageroot still thought of him as her apprentice, even after he earned his warrior name. She would always look out for him. And so, exhaustion forgotten for the moment, she turned and ran back over the snow, packed down by dozens of paws, to where Wiggleworm had stalled. “Hang in there, buddy,” she mewed before turning around and running back to the group. With an authority to her voice that she’d never used before, she called out, “ThunderClan! I need a strong shoulder or two! We have a warrior down!”
She cast a glance back to Wiggleworm. Hopefully he didn’t think she was abandoning him, but there was no way she could support his massive body by herself.
On and on they walked. Wolfblossom hardly kept track of the time as her gaze shifted from clanmate to clanmate, desperately willing that none of them would suddenly disappear from her sight. Desperately hoping that the wolves were behind them for good. Desperately hoping that those she had lost track of were not far behind in this frozen dark forest.
The voice of her sister called out behind them, and Wolfblossom nearly tripped over her own paws as she whipped around, a wave of dizzyness washing over her as she did. Birdstar and Sunfire, both of them. Thank Starclan. Birdstar was calling for help - Sunfire was injured badly enough. Before she could open her mouth, Hemlockfox - that was going to take getting used to - was already moving toward them. Good, she thought, paws moving toward them.
"Stars, I am glad you both made it." She breathed, reaching Birdstar's side.
Before she could speak further, another familiar voice, and the deputy lifted her head somewhat more slowly. She hadn't heard that voice in moons, could it really be? Immediate recognition shone in her bright blue eyes at a familiar pelt. "Ploverpaw! Great Starclan, we couldn't find you- Are you hurt? What happened? After that storm..." Her family was reunited, safe and in mostly one piece. A loud purr rumbling in her throat, Wolfblossom stepped forward, gently pressing her pelt against her granddaughter. "You're safe now... We were all so worried about you." She mewed softly. Bubblepaw had bounded forward to meet her sister too, and Wolfblossom stepped aside, allowing the two room.
"Who is this?" The unfamiliar pelt of the she-cat that had arrived with Ploverpaw had finally registered in Wolfblossom's far-too-preoccupied mind, and now she turned her attention toward the she-cat.
Wolfblossom has greeted Birdstar/Sunfire and Ploverpaw/Silentpaw.
No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing.
Thymelight watched with a thankful expression as Creamsky lapped up the tansy. That was when the sound of Birdstar's voice drifted into her ears. She turned to see the leader and Sunfire joining the group, and both of them looked as tired as could be. Sunfire in particular, though, had taken quite a beating from the wolves. Her eyes grew wide as she stared for a moment before she gave Creamsky a quick parting nod. Her paws felt heavy as she padded over to the older warrior. Sunfire was her Clanmate, and he desperately needed some assistance, but that didn't stop the fact that he still terrified her. She wasn't quite sure if it was his mannerisms or the air about him, but there was some sort of factor that made him unapproachable. Thymelight didn't resent him. She had no reason to resent anyone at all, so she was simply afraid.
A jovial combination of voices nearby caused the she-cat to turn her head, and she almost had to do a double take. A familiar pelt was amongst the group now, one that she hadn't seen or heard from in a long time. Her heartbeat was racing faster than a rabbit on dry land. "Ploverpaw?" She whispered to herself before snapping her gaze back toward Sunfire. Every part of her, especially her heart, wanted desperately to charge through the snow and embrace her friend, but she had duties to attend to. Her maw twisted into a comforting smile as she padded up to the father of her closest friends and laid her herb bundle down for examination. He deserved some kindness from her after all, even if she had to stop herself from shaking in her own fur.
"Hi, Mr. Sunfire... I'm so sorry about what those things did to you. I'm afraid I wasn't able to take a lot of herbs with me when I escaped, I apologize. I'm going to put some dock on your wounds, but could you please eat some of this ragweed while I do so?" Thymelight was surprised that she was able to keep her voice level as she spoke to Sunfire. She chewed up some of the dock leaves before using her paws to smooth the poultice onto the wounds that she could see, especially the tail stump.
"It should help give you some strength while we travel. I'll be able to do a lot more for you once I get my paws on some more herbs." She finished explaining the ragweed's usage as she finished gingerly applying the poultice. She longingly and quickly glanced toward Ploverpaw as she worked. At least this could be considered a useful exercise in facing her fears.
The two sisters became entangled in a tight embrace, a bundle of laughter and tears, with each molly's face buried in the other's coat. "I missed you too," Ploverpaw answered in a long purr. She took a deep breath of Bubblepaw's fur. It had been so long since they had hugged and now everything in her body suddenly felt right. Everything felt safe. Everything was okay again. Ploverpaw exhaled allowing the tension in her muscles to melt away. Her heart steadied to a slow, peaceful pace. She almost felt as if she could fall asleep right then and there.
Until more weight entered the pile and she heard a voice that couldn't be mistaken. The frenzy of licks and crying relief from her brother made her excited again. I'm here! I'm back! I'm finally home! Ploverpaw returned the gesture and began grooming his ears as he spouted happiness for her safety. "I'm alright," she affirmed softly, "I'm glad I'm home too." Ploverpaw held her brother close- not too tightly, but enough to let her fur encompass him in warmth and comfort. "Take it easy, Bear." The name felt fresh on her tongue, even though she had thought of it every day since they were separated.
The apprentice's head rose to meet the worried face of a light ragdoll. "Wolfblossom," she gently sobbed in relief. "I got lost. The rain was so thick and so heavy and I couldn't see anyone. And nobody could hear me. I fell down a cliff-" Her wavering voice cut off, too full of tears to continue recounting what happened. Ploverpaw stuffed herself into her mentor's coat, nestled under the deputy's neck. "I'm sorry I made you worry. But you don't have to anymore. I'm okay." She took another deep breath. I'm okay.
Mrrp! She looked toward the familiar sound. Oh? The white-furred she-cat stood nearby nervously, blinking her light blue eyes at Ploverpaw in need. Was something wrong? The Skyclanner quickly moved over to her friend. Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't say goodbye. Ploverpaw met her gaze with brief sadness before leaning close to hug the molly's shoulder. "It's okay," she said, her throat calmly rumbling against Silentpaw's pelt. "I'll see you again soon. We'll meet at gatherings, right?" That felt too long to wait, and she could tell she felt the same. I don't even know your name... but we've done so much together. I...
"Who is this?" Ploverpaw pulled out of the hug and turned to her deputy, but held her tail next to Silentpaw's to let her know she wasn't done. "Uhm... I don't know her name, but she's from Riverclan and she fell down the cliff with me. We've been together ever since, helping each other survive. ...I don't think I would have made it without her." She spoke honestly to Wolfblossom. Her deputy, her mentor, her grandmother. Ploverpaw searched her face nervously, trying to glean what the senior was thinking before she said it. Suddenly she remembered to add, "Oh- Also she can't hear."
Subject: Re: Perilous journey (Sitewide) Sat 3 Feb 2024 - 15:48
From Riverclan? Wolfblossom tried not to frown at that. Their relationship with their former allies was a rocky one now, and Ploverpaw had been missing long enough not to know about it. "I'm just glad you made it back to us, Ploverpaw. That storm was a frightening one, I can't imagine getting lost in it as well." She mewed, and then her attention was brought back to the white she-cat. Ploverpaw seemed genuine in her words, but that she was Riverclan... And couldn't hear... Wolfblossom hummed thoughtfully.
"Riverclan... Well, there's things you've missed - both of you, I think." She sighed, "But she helped you survive and find your way back. She can travel with us until she finds her clan. Birdstar?" Wolfblossom nodded at the unfamiliar apprentice. Spread out as they were among the snowy moutainside, Wolfblossom had only eyes and ears for her own. "Are you certain she cannot hear? If that's the case I'm... Not sure how to..." The deputy trailed off as she glanced from the nameless apprentice to her granddaughter, floundering a little. The apprentices had clearly been through a lot together in their time spent lost, and if she had helped Ploverpaw survive, the apprentice deserved her thanks at the very least. As for Riverclan... She was unsure how kindly they would take to one of their apprentices being found with a Skyclanner.
