The Starcave

[vellichor]

// @Rani @:Grimmlin: @Zesty Mango @Xmas Bliss

Snailswirl
________

Embarrassment had crept through them as they had struggled up the hill, while the RiverClanners found it rather easy. Embarrassment, as well as a touch of jealousy. Stars, they wished their lungs were... functional.

Well, their question went unanswered. But they figured Irisflame had retired or been... well, hopefully retired. With that, they went in, leading the way down the tunnels. Even though they had only been here a few times, Snail knew the way easily. They found themself arriving just as the moon struck the stone, filling the cavern with shimmering moonlight. Only stopping to gawk for a moment, they huffed and hurried toward the stone. Without hesitation, they spoke to the new medicine cats. "Touch nose... to stone." They were still, unfortunately, recovering from that cursed hill. They touched their nose to the cold stone, and sleep dragged them down.

This would be the first good night of sleep they’d had in days... ahh. They awaited the Star Cats.

[Rani]

Snakepaw snickered openly at Ebonyfangs hard shutdown of Frostbreeze even if he didnt believe in any of this so far. He was growing to like the shadowclan medicine cat a little too much in his mind given the animosity between the clans he needed to up his suspicion... Or he could just sneer at Frostbreeze when Sparrowskips back was turned. Yeah he was going for the second option.

Waiting for the other cats to turn away Snakepaw blatantly looked the thunderclan cat up and down, then he narrowed his eyes and did it again, and then the cherry on top of the cake he choked down silent laughter as he looked away even as his lip curled in distaste. There you pretentious windbag try and one up that display of silent contempt. Sure she really hadnt done anything to Snakepaw to warrant this but everything about Frostbreeze rubbed him the wrong way and with all this ~starclan blessed rituals and ceremonies~ one thing had to give and Sparrowskip would probably flay him if it got out how much of a strange shared insanity this whole thing was.

Still even with his short interlude in sass he gave a nod and stepped inside, following his mentors lead.

@:Grimmlin: @Zesty Mango @elysian @Xmas Bliss

[marshy]

Wait they needed a ceremony?? Well, Sparrowskip guessed that made sense.. He was trying to figure out what Snakepaw had against the Thunderclan medicine cat. But he decided to leave it alone. He walked into Starcave along with the other medicine cats. @Rani @Zesty Mango @elysian @Xmas Bliss

[Mango]

@:Grimmlin: @Rani @elysian @Xmas Bliss

Frostbreeze gave a snort to Ebonyfang, it was interesting. All the clans disliked Shadowclan and most the medicine cat’s favorite medicine was Ebonyfang. They shouldn’t have liked Ebonyfang,” Don’t get lost Bonymangy” she teased to Ebonyfang as she put her stone to the nose to drift off. It was strange, she loved calling Ebonyfang, Bonymangy for some reason she had no idea why. She used the word mangy, because it was the best insult she could make out of the word fang. Sleep tight Gailwhirl she thought as she drifted off, referring to Snailswirl...she’d never settled on an insulting name that she liked for them.

[vellichor]

[just throwin this in here for prophecy purposes]

Snailswirl
________

The air around them felt deathly cold. The tabby cat opened their green eyes, widening them in shock. They were in WimdClan territory! And it was broad daylight! And there was about a few mouselengths of snow underpaw! What was happening? Was this a dream? Their teeth chattered as the cold dug into their fur. If this was a dream, it was a horribly realistic one.

They did the only sensible thing — trot towards camp. They knew camp was at least a little warmer than this frozen wasteland. The medicine cat’s paws were beginning to freeze. Brrrr. They disliked leaf-bare. The snow was fun for about 5 minutes, then it was just sad and miserable. As they created the ridge to camp, they were met with a horrid scent. All too familiar coughing plagued their ears.

Greencough.

Coldamber must need them! What were they doing out here? Snailswirl jogged and struggled through the snow as quickly as the could. They headed toward the medicine den, until more coughing caught their ear. From the warriors den? Their ears flattened. This was going to be worse than they thought.

That was when Snail noticed the fresh-kill pile.

Or, rather, the lack of it.

Suddenly, there was screaming. Wails of anguish. Cats too weak to go hunt in the bitter cold left to starve on the moors. Dozens of sick cats, the dreaded Greencough spreading through WindClan. Coldamber, Twilightstar, Breezefeather, nowhere to be found. It was practically a death sentence.

Tears pricked at their eyes, and they tried to blink the tears away. That was when the scene vanished. Replaced by darkness, along with a few glittering stars. Their heart was racing. Snailswirl felt a presence, as if they weren’t there alone. In the same instant, foreboding words whispered themselves in the cat’s ear.

"Preparation is key to the Wind. Remember, history tends to repeat itself..."

[jayfeather21]

Jaykit knew this was a place of medic. cats but if he did what they did maybe he could speak with starclan, His questions could be answered? His dreams explaned? he had to try. The medic cats had left a strong scent trail and he had followed it, after he saw them fall into a deep sleep he crepted and did what they had done moments before, He fell into a sleep he could not explain.

[Abyssopelagic]

Coldamber hurried to the Starcave, questions swirling in her head. She needed answers. She need guidance.
She couldn't make this choice alone.
Once the Cave was within sight, she slowed just enough to avoid slipping down the side of the slope.
Once within the Cave, she slowed to a hurried walk, muscles sore and lungs aching.
She laid in the normal spot to commune with the ancestors before letting herself relax and drift away.

@BILL.
((Sorry it's rushed))

[BEAR.]

[ no worries! @Rainquail ]

The longer he wandered the realm of the dead, the more complicated and confusing it seemed.

Like now. Foxbite had only just been walking through the dreary forest he'd grown accustomed to, when the scene changed entirely.

He was in WindClan's camp, just outside the little nook they called the medicine cat's den. Beside him was a pale gray she-cat he didn't recognize, and before them..

It was a grisly sight, and it faintly reminded Foxbite of the fateful night when the scent from the fields caused cats to snap. The open space of WindClan's camp was painted in blood, bodies scattered indiscriminately throughout the camp.. the faces of cats he didn't really recognize (was that Dimtail? he wasn't sure) staring up toward the Breezerock sightlessly, expressions frozen in the panic of their final moments. Prowling the camp were cats he knew from ShadowClan - but their names evaded him.

And above the carnage, sat a very familiar tabby figure on the Breezerock. Foxbite knew Dawnstripe had become leader, but for this to happen.. he was unnerved!

"I'm guessing you're real, then." He spoke to the she-cat he didn't know. She smelled of home but lacked the scent of death and despair that their illusioned companions carried. Well.. not that he could call WindClan home, he was a traitor in more than one way. "For this to be a vision.. good Stars, what have you gotten yourself into?"

[Abyssopelagic]

Coldamber's brows furrowed at the cat before her, not taking much note of her surroundings. What was especially odd was his scent, smelling of both WindClan and ShadowClan, but more predominantly of the latter.
Perhaps he had called both Clans home at one point, before her time there it seemed.
"More than I can handle, it seems. I am Coldamber, WindClan's Medicine Cat."
It almost seemed that introduction were unnecessary, but out of courtesy, she stuck to hers.
"Days ago, our leader Twilightstar went missing. My search party was confronted by Dawnstar, ShadowClan's leader, who said she.... had important business with our deputy. I did not trust her, so instead of bringing her to him, I sent a warrior to fetch him."
She paused. It was so strange that so much had happened in a single day.
"And she killed him very shortly after he arrived. She is now demanding we give her our territory and merge with ShadowClan in return for our leader. I..... some of the warriors I consulted would rather refuse, to let her keep Twilightstar, but I cannot run the Clan, I'm a Meducine Cat for a reason....."
Coldamber stopped herself before she blabbed for too long.
"I needed.... someone else to consult, who wasn't emotionally attached. Or attached by pride."
The ancestors seemed like a decent neutral party.

@BILL.

[BEAR.]

"Coldamber." Foxbite repeated her name, curious to the unusual combination but not against it in the slightest. It was pretty. "I.. am Foxbite, but WindClan knew me as Foxpudge. My absence from WindClan must pre-date you: I don't recall seeing you around." A good thing, perhaps. When he was in WindClan things weren't .. good. At all.

He knew Twilightstar, and his ears twitched at the news. "Dawnstar is.. many things, Coldamber. When I knew her, I would have thought her to be nothing but one of the strongest and fiercest warriors of ShadowClan. She.. When every other cat faltered, she didn't hesitate to take out major threats toward her Clan-mates." He could feel the ghost of her claws and teeth through his skin, and he shivered.

"You said Twilightstar is her hostage. Your deputy is dead. WindClan is effectively leaderless -- regardless of the efforts you try to take. You're no warrior, Coldamber." He could see it - she lacked muscle where it mattered, and he wondered if she had any training outside of medicine. "I'm not going to piss around with you: there aren't many choices you can take and whatever you decide to do, cats will die. It's just.. a matter of which one will give WindClan a better chance of bouncing back.

"You can fight Dawnstar's demands, but you lose the best leader WindClan has had in ages. Trust me, I've lived through almost all of them in recent history." Dapplestar, Blazingstar, Brightstar. His mother alone ran the Clan for almost an eternity - and she sucked. "Actually, it's even worse than that. You lose Twilightstar, you have to scramble to find a new leader to handle the Clan's crisis, and chances are Dawnstar will raid you for not listening. From what you said, she's gotten ruthless.. and I can't imagine her taking kindly to disobedience.

"Your other option, is to comply with her demands. I cannot tell you if she'll keep her word about Twilightstar, but I can tell you this will give you time. WindClan has always persevered through hardships, and the Clan can continue even under the rule of a tyrant. When Twilightstar first became leader, she wanted us to keep our heads down and act like we weren't a threat while our strength was rebuilt. If you do this.. you can gather your thoughts, prepare, and see what you're up against before you make a move. Some cats might be lost along the way.. but the overall losses will likely be reduced."

Of course, this was all just speculation based on what he knew. Things might go a lot differently from what he could imagine, but he hoped bringing up Twilightstar's original plans might stir some ideas for the medicine cat. Stars knew she needed something to work with - even if his thoughts weren't helpful.

[ @Rainquail ]