[spade]

Exhaustion weighed heavy on Kestrelstar, a feeling that was becoming all too normal for the leader. The Gathering and the events that had transpired rattled around in his head, chasing each other around like a twisted game of cat and mouse. ThunderClan's new leader seemed... rather cocky and arrogant. Curiosity wanted to lead him down a rabbit hole of 'what if's, but as his den came into sight all the leader could think of was sleep.

Slipping inside his den, jaws stretched in a yawn, the first thing that caught the gray tabby's attention was the scent within. A faint trace of... WindClan??

Muscles tightened, eyes narrowing to slits as his claws slid out. Why would WindClan be planning an ambush? It made no sense, yet with fur bristling Kestrelstar was ready to flay whoever had dared set paw in his den. So much for the truce -

Oh. Oh.

His throat constricted, feeling as though rocks were taking up space and blocking out air. Instantly his fur lay flat and claws slid back in, a certain longingness flooding the yellow depths of his eyes. The small tom in his nest, who looked out of place but at the same time right where he needed to be. Fernpaw.

But he was...

"...dead." The last part came out in words as the leader stared, slack-jawed. Twilightstar had announced that ShadowClan had murdered him but... he was there. Was this a dream? Was he that delirious? Taking a couple steps forward, Kestrelstar reached down to touch his nose to the top of Fernpaw's head. A jolt sent him backwards as he realized it was real. "What are you... how... Fernpaw...?" Words scrambled to find their way out in a jumble as the leader stared at Fernpaw, his lower jaw still suspended in the air as shock gave way to relief.

How was he alive??

// @BILL.