ill try [c]

Being summoned to the leader's den to speak with the medicine cats made Wolfblossom's ears flatten. No, not at the idea of speaking with Smokepetal and Thymelight, but at the thought of being in the den that Birdstar had occupied for so long. As Wolfblossom stepped inside, a hard knot formed in her throat as she caught the faint remains of her sister's scent.

Another reminder that Birdstar was gone. This was her den, not Wolfblossom's. She hadn't found the strength to move her nest from among the warriors, and wasn't sure she wanted to.

With a sharp shake of her head, the deputy forced her gaze to settle on the medicine cats. They were handling the injured as best they could, and Thymelight had been present for the fighting. What had transpired had lended to strong feelings from several of her clanmates, she knew, and Thymelight might be able to fill in the gaps of what exactly had happened. A medicine cat attacked, leaders losing lives... Beechfang's death. So much for the warrior code.

"It's no inconvenience, Thymelight." Wolfblossom mewed softly. The den... She would rather not be in. But she had figured this was best a conversation without the tempers of her clanmates.

"How are the injured?"

Tear-stains still streaked Smokepetal's cheeks as she followed Thymelight across the camp and to the leader's den. The aftermath of the battle had taken its toll on the clan... and for an agonizing second time, there were more bodies in the medicine den than she knew what to do with. Was this why StarClan had given her two apprentices? They both certainly came in handy, when the patients outnumbered them nearly three to one.

It was only now that they'd managed to catch up, and everyone was sleeping soundly in their nests, that Thymelight was able to share her version of what had transpired. Snippets had caught her ear already as the clan discussed it among themselves, and she'd been able to piece together a general story, but she knew Thymelight's version would be detailed, and unbiased.

It was also the first time that she allowed herself to properly grieve. Smokepetal lost both a leader and a friend in Birdstar... a cat she'd looked up to since the first time she walked out of the nursery. Birdstar had been noble, and brave, and kind... she'd been a good leader, and the clan was worse off without her. Beechfang had been... an enigma. Once, she'd terrified Smokepetal, but the seasons had tempered the old she-cat, and her loyalty to the clan could not be questioned... so there was no sense in begrudging her daughters' happiness. It was a shame her presence had brought so much strife to SkyClan as a result, but had there truly been another way? Would she have turned away Beechfang? Condemned her to live out her elder years as a loner?

She had to admit, she wouldn't have. So there was no sense in blame, no sense in pointing tails at one cat or another for the consequence of their actions long past. Birdstar and Beechfang were dead and there was no changing that - she had stared at Birdstar's body for hours, praying to see the leader draw breath but only watching her grow more still, more cold. She was gone, and the only thing they could do was move forward. That started with knowing the full story.

When Wolfblossom joined them, Smokepetal blinked slowly in greeting, her worried eyes raking over the deputy. She knew her friend hadn't been physically hurt, but the hurt was clear there anyway, in the sag of her shoulders, in the haunted gaze that she finally managed to settle between them. It made fresh tears prick the corners of her eyes but Smokepetal blinked them away. Now wasn't the time. She cleared her throat gently, feathery tail curling up around her forelegs. "They're doing well, all things considered..." she said. "We're still lower on herbs than I'd like, but it looks like this weather is improving by the day. Hopefully Newleaf shows up sooner rather than late, and we can get that sorted before..." she hesitated for a moment, and then added: "We need it."  

Wolfblossom watched Smokepetal, a glimmer of concern in her blue eyes as she noted her former apprentice's tear-stained face. "Are you alright? Both of you. I know having so many to deal with must be draining." She mewed, gaze shifting between her and Thymelight. "I'm glad they're doing well, all things considered. Let's hope newleaf brings fresh herbs." Leafbare could not draw to a close fast enough.

Wolfblossom's tail lashed as Thymelight began to recount her experience of the battle. It was good that she had been there, as awful as it was... She was a cat who did not partake in the fighting and would see things that here warriors could not. "That's a dirty tactic." Wolfblossom muttered, tail twitching. "Isn't drowning a cat how we got into this mess originally?" Wolfblossom's frown only deepened as the medicine cat continued to speak. Her mother had been the first to fall, and Wolfblossom tried to hide her wince. It... Had been expected, that if she and Perchstar met one would not walk away. It still hurt, but not as much as Birdstar's death that seemed so senseless.

"I can't imagine having to heal anyone during the middle of that chaos... You did well, Thymelight." The Skyclan patrol had been fighting cats on their territory who had come explicitly in search of the death of their own. She could guess at how viciously they had fought.

A low sigh escaped her at the next bit of unwelcome news. So it had been Sunfire to attack a medicine cat. Falconmoon had omitted his name, but with how upset he'd been... "They came onto our territory for the death of our own. I would not condone attacking a medicine cat... Nor can I say I'm glad you helped heal him. Perhaps it was the right thing to do but..." The deputy shook her head. "I suppose that is what they will always expect from us. Dishonorable tactics. Not that they didn't come in search of such." Her tail lashed once, the tangle of mixed emotions and frustration tightening in her chest.

Sunfire had killed another, a Thunderclanner that had defended the medicine cat. "Foxdung." Wolfblossom muttered, "So much pointless death that day." And Birdstar, her poor sister... She likely only wanted vengeance for Beechfang, for the mother that she'd fought to bring home. It wasn't her fault that Mottlestar had inserted herself. Though perhaps she would have paid for it either way, knowing those two leaders.

"I hope that Perchstar, and Mottlestar, wherever she is, are happy with themselves." Wolfblossom growled, "Thank you, Thymelight... I know recounting this must have been difficult."