[Rani]

Crowtooth
Windclan Tunneler/Fury | He/him | 51 Moons

Power Card: Cold Gust

It was supposed to be a victory walk. It was supposed to be happy. Perhaps that was what doomed the outing, in the end.


With the plan in place to clear out the mink corpses and clean the area so the prey could return on hold for a bit of fun, Crowtooth scoffed at the challenge doing his best to dart after the molly, chuckling as he did. He was quickly left behind of course, only able to run for a moment until his breath overwhelmed him (and Bravebird always faster then him as always) he still got in a couple of playful snaps at her heel as if he was hassling a rabbit rather then his friend.


She escaped him though, most could and the tom slow to a walk, wheezing as he did, choking out a happy call of "Ey Miss fleet feet, 'ave some care fer the sluggish among us, lemme catch up will ya!" as she vanished over the nearby hill. Of course she didnt stop for him, not that Crowtooth was surprised and so as he attempted to get his breath back he still set after her, head shaking fondly unconcerned. He was more concerned when she didnt even reply, give a jab back from where ever she'd gone.
It wasnt a dead silence that'd cause panic, there were faint noises from over the rise, but something about the tone of the faint mumbling he could hear concerned it.


He arrived just in time for Bravebird to realize what'd happened.


Fernpaw, because this skinny shredded limp form was Fernpaw, was murdered by riverclan.


Had his friend gone charging off to the border perhaps Crowtooth wouldve leapt to action, soothed her anger and stopper her from a suicidal attempt to inact revenge, right now given the circumstances he just stood quiet in the face of Bravebirds rage. It felt callous, the realization that had he known Fernpaw better (at all) he'd be with her, dragged into righteous fury against all wishes of his mind (as it was ever always ruled by his heart anyways, only to not be and instead approach this analytically. However Crowtooth had little choice.


It was not his turn to scream in grief and anger over a loved one that was taken too soon, and while Crowtooth could do nothing for brave little Fernpaw anymore, he could be thought for Bravebird and just let her feel.


So he looked closely. Fernpaw first of all was in bad state, he'd obviously suffered long before he died and not all of the injuries looked to be cat born. He had been tortured, but it seemed more by fate then one clan, not that that made it any better for the young tom. The final blow however was definitely made by a riverclan cat but not recently. The wound was one Crowtooth recognized as a slow bleed, a delayed death and as horrible as it was the tom had the impression Fernpaw hadnt been killed her and instead had tried to return home, only to fail as a dead cat walking.


That couldnt just be it though, of course not, the anger wouldnt be so bad if the little tom got up. Fernpaw always got up, it was his thing, his gift and curse that he never stayed dead, but this time he was. The apprentices body was stiff and cold and unmoving, and had been for a time even before he'd come back leaving a painful reality that he wasnt clear.

It was also clear that the grieving mentor did not want to face that reality however.




A hesitant gentle paw reached out, landing firm on Bravebirds shoulder in comfort and for a long time he just stood there, offering support. It wasnt safe to be weak here however, as a the tom caught sight of a vulture circling ever closer and the thought came that it was the tunneler himself that'd have to force the confrontation of reality for any healing to ever be done.

It was a heavy thought, not one Crowtooth relished and yet still he began. "Fernpaws never taken this long ta come back before..... It- Its like somethin's different, doesnt he usually come back?


Bravebird, we cant linger around anymore, it aint safe here... Pick up Fernpaw, Ill protect us an' we can get ta somewhere better. Maybe... Starry meadows, Fernpaw as he is right now might scare some o' the kits in camp an' its close enough ta home its safe. If- if he aint back by then.....


Well if he aint back by the time we get ta the meadow I'll go get Twi...


Come on, up an' at 'em we need ta move..."
In her current state Crowtooth was fairly certain the molly wouldnt clock that the starry meadow was also windclans new burial ground, and that he said he'd get Twilightstar and not Lightningstorm (knowing well the medicine cat could do little but the leader could do rites for a cat she to had cared for. And he didnt allow her time to think too deeply besides, nudging Bravebird to her paws and gently reaching for Fernpaw to help the other warrior pick him up. The vulture slowly was circling closer after all.


@taillow (if you wanna feel free to post next in the meadow instead)