Rest and Healing (Riverclan gathering)

It seemed too good to be true. Covered in snow, frankly dilapidated, full of unfamiliar smells that had run rampant during their absence. But there it was. RiverClan camp still stood. And on their way back in, the half-frozen rivers had been fresh enough to drink from, hurting throats with the sweet cold clearness of their water. It was okay. Everything was okay. It had been the right choice, after all. But it was still with aching paws and a similarly aching heart that Perchstar finally stumbled back into the place she called home. Here she was, with three fewer lives than she'd last seen it. And with four fewer able-bodied warriors to defend it with. But there were fish... the water was clean... Wasn't this what she'd been hoping for? No. I'd never wanted to leave, and I'd never wanted to lose so many warriors like this. I don't think it was worth it. The realization tasted sour in the back of her throat, so she decided to keep it--like so many other things--to herself.

"We're back," she called out instead to the Clanmates shuffling in behind her, noticing that her neutral tone still kept some hoarseness from her fatigue. "First priority is to get these dens clean so that we can all sleep safely, as soon as possible. I'll need a few to help Littlepaw get his medicine den in order too, so that he can look at those who desperately need treatment. But I will ask no more of you. After this, we can rest." Rest... was that even true? Ice-blue eyes turned slowly towards the direction out of camp towards the river, across the border where she knew SkyClan were shuffling back into their own territory. Beechfang included. A murderer would be getting the same rest tonight. After they got back on their feet, Perchstar would have to finally make good on her threat... and that meant risking more of her Clanmates' lives. She'd already made the decision. Shellwater's life of justice still burned in her chest, a flame consuming ever-more of her patience and goodwill, but she still couldn't help the quiet sigh that slumped her shoulders. There would be no rest for her... and very little rest for RiverClan. But there would be no safety for SkyClan. She had decided already. Still--there was no need to bring that up now, when morale was low and all were as tired as she. The leader turned to look at her Clanmates--bedraggled, weary, worn and injured from their travels--and offered a slight dip of her head. It was the best she could do for a smile. "Welcome back."

A tired yawn escaped Duckpaw as they shuffled into the camp, resistance the urge to just collapse in the snow and fall asleep. This exhaustion had been haunting them for a bit but they had fought it off to valiantly finish the trip on their own paws. They came to a stop as they stared - it all...Seemed like a dream. How many  moons had it been since they had seen it? ...And they were still an apprentice - and...it was...It was hard to say how long they would remain one with the fact that their mentor had...

That felt like a nightmare. To wake from their sickly haze only to be told that Hawkshrike had drowned. At...At another cat's paw most likely. They were without a mentor and they couldn't help but feel like they were letting him down with how behind they were on their training. A heavy sigh escaped them, shaking the thoughts from their head as they glanced up as Perchstar spoke - grimacing a little. It was a respectful request - clear the snow. It wouldn't even take that long but Duckpaw was still fighting off their creeping exhaustion but they dutifully turned - heading toward where they remembered the apprentice's den was.

Come to a stop at its entrance, they sank onto their haunches as they started to paw at the piles of snow. It wasn't an exciting task and the chilly air only drained their energy faster now that their trip was complete. Duckpaw had only managed to make a measly chip into the pile before their eyes drifted shut and they collapsed onto their work-in-progress, a soft snore escaping them.

Duckpaw had fallen asleep.

The arduous journey had left Littlepaw worn to the bone. Sleepless nights compounded, blurring the endless days of travel into one. He had not been prepared for the plethora of clanmates constantly seeking healing. In the short amount of time since he had become medicine cat, the young tom had almost no time at all for training. Everything that was crammed into his weary mind was a mess of basic healing techniques and things that he had learned in daunting moments of crisis. Constantly pushing back his own grief over Egretswoop and Cindersky had been the only way to keep one pawstep in front of the other. At least one of them was still alive, for now.

As they had approached the forest, Littlepaw's half-lidded eyes had widened to drink in the sights of the forest. In his stupor, the true home of the clans seemed like nothing more than a dream. Even with the barren-trees and vast stretches of brown-hued land seemed so vibrant and full of history. Padding to what he now knew was Riverclan territory, Kitespring's description of the territory echoed in his head. This place that had only existed in his fantastical daydreams was now so very real. A renewed strength had carried him just far enough into the confines of the camp.

Once more his gaze became blurred. It took a few unsteady steps to teeter over to what he had discovered would be his new den. Finding the remains of a nest underneath some dust and debris that had compiled in their absence, he fell onto his side and curled up. With in a few seconds, Littlepaw's grey and white flank rose and fell in a sign of sleep. He didn't care that that den had yet to be cleaned and maintained once more. All that mattered was the fact that their travels were over. Safe inside the faded borders of Riverclan territory, the medicine cat rested with a contented smile across his maw. Despite the pain that plagued him, and the pressure across his shoulders, Littlepaw allowed himself to bask in the security of being home for the first time.

His legs ached with pain, and his breathing was heavy. But he was here. In a camp he could barely recognize, but understood and remembered was home. Riverclan camp.

"Finally.." Snailpaw rasped out, taking a sit-down a bit further into camp to rest. He didn't feel sleepy, but he had wished he did. He wished this was the kind of tired he'd be able to sleep off, but it wasn't. He'd just need to sit for now.

He looked around his home, at all the snow they needed to clear. Snailpaw didn't want to just leave the work to the others.. But he was tired. Everyone he took note of was. So instead of doing minimal work and pushing exhaustion as he just saw happen, he just.. Kept resting. He remained seated as he saw the sights of a home he hadn't seen in a long while, and figured out which den he should start clearing out first. For when he was ready.

To see the river frozen over but full had been a delight to Swanpaw when her last memory of it had been a miserable trickle of foul water and dying fish. Even the snow that blanketed camp could not dampen her excitement to be home. She was bleary-eyed with exhaustion, but still smiling as she padded into camp alongside her siblings.

They had made it home. Some hadn't been so lucky, she knew. But to dwell on Riverclan's losses wouldn't clear the snow from the dens or make the camp habitable. Swanpaw listened to Perchstar speak, and when the leader was done she turned toward the apprentice's den. It was a den she hoped that she wouldn't have to stay in much longer... But if someone didn't start to clear the snow out or get nests ready soon, Swanpaw feared she would fall asleep where she stood in the snow. She would keep moving and try not to fall asleep until she had done what she could for herself and her fellow apprentices.

Scorchlight was utterly exhausted from the journey, but they were home. She smiled, happier than any smile she had done before. She knew RiverClan would persevere, even though many cats thought it was hopeless. She was relieved; the sights, the smells, everything felt perfect and back to its normal state after the harsh season. Even when they lost clanmates on the way, they were here. She felt weak; what she needed was rest, but that had to wait. Most of the dens were filled to the brim with fluffy snow.

Perchstar instructed them to clear out the dens. She had noticed Perchstar contemplating over something. Was she okay? Scorchlight felt worried for her clan leader, whom she had learned to respect, but still smiled all through it. "...We're here," she mumbled tiredly. She treaded through the snow to sit closer to the willowbranch. There would be no gathering this moon; they all had to heal. She looked at the clearing that led into camp, unfocused on all the other cats, to see if Sprucebark had arrived.

A soft snore rose from Duckpaw as they slept, face first in a snow pile which was slightly limiting their ability to actually breathe. It was hard to tell how long they would have stayed there if it wasn't for Scarletpaw pushing on them - and finally dislodging them from the pile. Duckpaw tumbled onto their side, paws lashing out as they were startled awake by the fall  before they blinked a few times at the cold sting of the snow that was still clinging to their face. "I...Oh, not again..." they whined as the reached up to brush off the snow, having a very good idea of what had happened.

They had to stop with this sudden tiredness, to stop falling asleep at random times... Slowly they started to push themselves to their paws, ears slicked back as they glanced up at Scarletpaw with a sheepish look. "I'm sorry, I...Guess I was just way more tired than I thought," the lied with a laugh, wanting to play it off. They didn't understand it - why they were always so tired on random days but it wasn't something they wanted their Clanmates to know about for sure, mostly the other apprentices...

To say she was simply going through the motions for the journey was an understatement. She moved, walked forward. Rested when it was necessary. Pulled Dovepaw away from the crowd when he needed it to allow him time to process in private, before once more slipping into that defensive sentry that had the singular purpose of protection. His own personal guard, the knight that bowed only to her king. She kept an eye out for Perchstar and Poppyshine as well, but was much more subtle about it as compared to being the looming threat that she had become aside the tom.

As they'd made it back to camp, the weight of it all seemed to slam upon her. She could hardly drag another paw forward without sharp pain shooting among the length of her limbs, and she swore she saw tiny specks of crimson behind every step. Not that it mattered. They were home. Her paws could rest later.

A singular twitch of her ears was the only signal that she even registered anything going on around her in response to Perchstar's orders, and the molly immediately set herself to work. Her first stop was going to the nursery, and before long, there was a shower of snow and moons-old moss being flung from the entrance as she once more slipped into that mindset where nothing came through. Not so much that nothing mattered - as much certainly did - but it allowed her to ignore the exhaustion. The burn of her lungs. The way it felt as if many parts of her were about to crack and bleed, and if she were to rest, she would not rise for the next moon. She would put herself to work so that her youngest clanmates had a place to rest.

Murkyriver's clearing out the nursery!

Things had changed.. Nothing too bad. Everything was still in the same place as they left it but it was clear they had been gone for a while.. Owlcall sighed. There was a lot of work to do, snow everywhere, dens warped and broken from the snow and not being maintained. As much as his body cried out for rest, he knew there wasn't time. He would help get the camp clean and safe again.

The large brown tom pushed himself to move, paws walking over to the nursery where Murkyriver had already begun clearing things out. "Room for one more? If we work together we could get it done faster." The warrior said, prepared to begin assisting the other warrior.

---

The whole trip Ravenpaw couldn't remember what the camp looked like. He was excited but fearful. He had been alive long enough to know what home was like but the details were gone. Would it live up to his expectations he had in his head? Would he remember it when he got there?

His thoughts that plagued him prevented him from realizing that he had already stepped foot into camp. Yellow eyes flicking up taking in the camp, details and visions of before coming back to him. Of how he and his siblings played outside of the nursery with Owlcall watching, how he was apprenticed right over there near the Willow Branch. While things weren't exactly the same, it was just how he remembered. Even after moons this was still home, and it was a relief to be home.