gone but never forgotten - open vigil

The moon was rising high in the sky now, the shock waves of the news that Mottlestar, Vipershade, and Firefly died had settled into quiet mourning. Tonight they would hold a vigil for those who were lost, those who wanted to participate could join if they wanted. It was tradition to honor the deceased by holding a vigil after they pass.  

While he was the first to sit beneath the moon with his deceased clan mates in front of him, the tired medicine cat had a feeling he would not be the last. Echosong would welcome his clan mates as they joined him. Silence wasn't necessary- at least in his mind. He hoped someone may share a nice story or memory if they had one. He figured it would be therapeutic, to talk and reminisce.

As he gazed up at the sky he could swear he saw three new stars above him, shining just a bit brighter than the rest.

As exhausted as Silverdusk was from her injuries, the battle and the emotional stress, the sleep they fell into was fitful and short lived. After sharing tongues with their clanmates, she'd left to sleep, and to process their grief alone and on their own terms. Albeit, not much processing was done, just staring blankly at the thicket that composed the walls of the warrior's den until sleep overcame her. Silverdusk wished her sleep had been dreamless, but when their eyelids fell shut and her breathing slowed all she saw was a river ran red, and bodies lining the shoreline. Screams filled their ears in a deafening crescendo, begging them to help or alternatively begging SkyClan to spare them. These dreams were different to the real battle though, they were almost worst. This time the silver warrior was accompanied by cats she truly knew and cared deeply for, it wasn't a band of almost strangers called upon by their leaders, it was her loved ones. Wiggleworm, Quailprowler, Vinecrawler, Acornstem - they all followed Mottlestar into battle, and one by one each and every single one was murdered and Silverdusk was forced to watch.

This time when they awoke, lurching forwards, breathing coming in heavy pants, they knew they wouldn't be sleeping again. It was moonhigh, she'd asked Wiggleworm to awake her so that they may sit the vigil together, but he hadn't. He'd let her sleep, and even if it wasn't what they wanted it was more than likely what the molly needed. Rising to her paws, she passed the spotted tom, and gently pressed their nose to his forehead in gratitude, before joining the others outside. Silverdusk held their head high, still determined to present themselves as composed and rational despite, how she felt inside. That deep down they were just a quivering kitten, who should never put their name down for the stars forsaken battle patrol.

Cats were only just beginning to emerge from their dens, Silverdusk glad to be among them and not the last stragglers to arrive. If any of the deceased warriors befoer them were to be disrespected it would not be by her and their tardiness. Sullenly they settled on their haunches beside Echosong, dipping their head in greeting to the medicine cat. "Echosong," They wished they could offer him a smile, or at least try and be polite, but the emptiness they felt within left Silverdusk unable to really produce much, without wanting to scream.

A quiet air of grieving had settled in Thunderclan's camp. Auburnpaw, still burning with unreasonable angry, had held back from approaching the prepared bodies. The medicine cats had done what they could to cover the scents of blood and death with a myriad of herbs. As his maw parted slightly, he quickly determined that it only did so much.

Eyes glancing towards Echosong, at the very least the apprentice uncovered some measures of sympathy for the pain of his clanmates. Mottlestar, while a beloved leader, had meant more to his father. Firefly, he hardly knew. And Vipershade, well, the pair had a complicated relationship. Auburnpaw could hardly bring himself to look at the still, black pelt.

He resigned himself to watching the ceremony as a passive observer, instead focusing on the pounding in his ears. It was impossible to shove the feelings away as they threatened to consume him. Rage was easier to stomach than grief.

In silence, Vinecrawler took a seat beside Silderdusk, a sandy tail briefly laying across her shoulders in comfort before returning to wrap around his own paws as his head bowed. There were many traditions he was not in agreement with when it came to Clan life, but mourning the dead he was very much for.

While he knew little of Vipershade and only crossed paths with Firefly in glares and cold shoulders, there was one body amongst the three that he was here for: Mottlestar. Her tiny body lay lifeless, still as a frozen river. Tears pricked his eyes as he mumbled his own prayers in the feral tongue for her safe passage, whether through Gekala or StarClan. It didn't matter which. All he cared about was that she made safe passage to an eternal life of peace that she deserved. She may not have fully understood him, but she listened with an open heart and accepted him for who he was within her Clan. Truly, she was the Mother of ThunderClan and always would be.