[Hexict]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

Ashfeather had been depressed ever since her mate died. Ashenstorm had been pretty much the only light in her life, and now that he was gone, the she cat was alone once more. They'd never gotten to start the family they'd talked about. He had been taken from her, dead as far as she knew, possibly still alive, but either way he was gone. And if he ever came back, that would bring that light back into her life, but until then... Ashfeather was likely to remain depressed. A sigh escaped the she cat as she sank down, her tail curled around her hindquarters, head resting gently on her front paws, a look of utter distress written on her features.

Yes, Ashfeather appeared to have almost given up on life. It was like all she wanted to do was lie down and keep still and hope that she wouldn't be noticed. Ashfeather didn't feel much like eating, or hunting - a bird lay in front of her, one that had been given to her along with the comment 'you need to eat,' but somehow that was the last thing Ashfeather felt like doing.

What did anyone know about this, anyways? Did that cat know what it was like to be in love? To have lost love? Ashfeather sincerely doubted it, although she never would have said that to their face. Her blue eyes scanned the clearing, the life gone from them. She didn't even feel shy anymore, she just felt... empty. She'd felt this way for a while now. More then anything else she felt like a burden to the Clan, but there was nothing she could do about it. She was nothing more then a burden to the Clan at this point, just sitting around and doing nothing. I really shouldn't be here. SkyClan didn't even feel like her home anymore, more like just some place where she had been born and raised. It might have been her home by definition, but it wasn't in her mind.

It wasn't a place that she would miss if she left, and it wasn't a place that would miss her. What sort of a home was that? Ashfeather sighed, shifting her weight again so that she was lying on her side now. The bird remained untouched in front of her. Everything reminded her of Ashenstorm at this point, especially this bird. The first time she had gone hunting with her mate, she had caught a bird - something she remembered clearly. And yet she had released it. She hadn't wanted to take the life of something so beautiful.

This only made her miss Ashenstorm more, and she could feel tears almost welling up in her soft blue eyes. But Ashfeather didn't want to cry. That would make things so much worse. She didn't want anyone to know that she was hurt, because she didn't want to talk about Ashenstorm. She never wanted the memory of her mate to be forgotten, yet she refused to speak of him. She was terrified to speak of him, but she wanted so badly for everyone to remember.

@Hexict

A brown tabby pushed through the entrance to the camp and made his way towards the fresh-kill pile. Ferretnose has gone out to hunt by himself, wishing for some fresh air. The warrior felt like so much was happening. He was still uncertain about the four other clans - and still having a difficult time believing that they existed all along yet Starclan never informed them before - then there was that Syndicate, the villainous group of cats that hated Skyclan and eventually tried to attack all the clans. The tom's pelt prickled every time he thought about the remnants of that group. He even distrusted the other clans! Who's to say they aren't as power-hungry as the Syndicate? Even he was aware of the tensions between Windclan and Thunderclan. Would that break into a fight? Would it be like the Syndicate's attack? How many cats would be killed?

Plus, the tom had lost his two kits on the journey while Skyclan traveled here. Quailkit had been killed during the move, while Hickorykit had suddenly disappeared. Ferretnose prayed everyday that Hickorykit was still alive, was finding their way back, that the two of them was going to the reunited. But they were just a small kit. They were only a few moons old... why would they separate from the group? And if they were alive, why hadn't they found the clan yet? The warrior shook his head to rid himself of these dark thoughts. He refused to believe his kit was dead. Instead, he clung onto the little hope that he had - the hope they would one day see each other again.

As he reached the pile, Ferretnose placed the two squirrels that he caught on top. Though as he did so, the warrior's stomach growled in opposition to the motion. He quickly snatched one of the squirrels off the pile again and turned to find a spot in the clearing to settle down and eat. His yellow orbs' attention was caught by a molly who laid by herself, fresh-kill untouched and neglected. hesitating for a moment, the tabby decided to go over to her. At first, he believed that he didn't want to get into a whole thing - and she seemed like there was a whole thing going on with her - but he realized that he had nothing better to do. He didn't have much people to talk to now a days, and had little to do... so why not? As he neared her, he recognize her as Ashfeather. The warrior who had recently lost her mate in a similar fashion as his had lost his own kits. For a moment the warrior wondered if it wasn't a good idea to start a conversation, but found himself not looking for an escape.

Instead, he felt more motivated to speak with her.

Ferretnose dropped the squirrel in front of him as he settled down about a tail length from the molly. Swishing his tail across the ground, he looked her over once more. "Now hungry?" The brown tom questioned as he nodded towards the bird. Ferretnose himself could understand where her mind was at. He could understand why she wasn't eating. But that didn't make it any better for her.