[Moonraven]

Originally Posted by arden

Leading the WindClan leader into his den, Kestrelstar tried to formulate exactly what he needed to say. He didn't want to take up too much of her time, but the issue at paw was growing worse the more days that passed, and already he couldn't tell if this leaf-bare had been colder than the last. Snow had yet to fall, and he had a gut suspicion that Dawnstar and her band of toad-hearted warriors would try to take advantage of such a situation and launch another attack. He'd had yet to retaliate, as he considered the patrols that had reared up to face the onslaught of trespassing ShadowClan warriors and successfully driving them back retaliation enough.

But now they had targeted two Clans, and while the gray tabby was uncertain where Twilightstar's head lay in this entire situation, something told him she wasn't about to take this lying down.

"I assume you already know of the situation I wish to speak of," Kestrelstar began as he turned and took a seat in his den. It was pretty barren, save for his nest and a few pretty flowers and stones that dotted it - gifts from Petuniapaw. Shaking the missing she-cat from his thoughts, he lifted his yellow gaze to watch Twilightstar. "Dawnstar expects me to retaliate. Her border attack was a call for attention, a bait that the younger, more naive version of me would've snatched up right away. Splashleap informed me that my patrols had been able to drive them away, but I worry what her plans are come leaf-bare." It was clear that Dawnstar viewed her Clan as disposable weapons, which Kestrelstar could understand if only because he had too once upon a time; no longer, though.

Not wasting any time, the gray tabby let a soft sigh escape past tightly lined lips. "I know you and your Clan are still recovering, and the last times you have faced ShadowClan have ended poorly." Fernpaw. Fernpaw had been a casualty of their last go-round with ShadowClan, and a pang of grief slices through Kestrelstar's heart. "But I'm ready to do something about it. About Dawnstar. Her and her band of toads have grown too cocky. I know you had a good relationship with Lionstorm before his passing, and that WindClan and RiverClan have had a friendly history for quite some time. I hope that in turn, you can trust me as well as RiverClan's new leader, and hear when I say that if the time ever comes to go up against that fool of a tyrant again, RiverClan will be right alongside you."

When he had first started his leadership, Kestrelstar had not planned on offering over his warriors to anyone. But Dawnstar was more than just a thorn in his side; she was a terror whos shadows were slowly concealing the entire forest in nightfall. If nothing was done about it soon, he was worried that there would be nothing recognizable to remain of his home. Yellow gaze shimmering as he watched Twilightstar, he waited for what her opinion was on all of this.

// @Moonraven

Twilightstar trailed in behind the RiverClan leader, taking a seat a few tail lengths away from him. She glanced around the den as Kestrelstar gathered his thoughts. She's never been inside another clan leader's den before, which isn't saying much. It wasn't like she bothered visiting the other clans all that much. Aside from the scent, there was nothing particularly different or special about the den. Curling her tail around her slightly wet and cold forepaws, Twilightstar returned her sight to the gray tom once he started speaking.

She flattened an ear against her head as Kestrelstar explained what happened with his borders. Not that she was taking sides, but he had provoked the she-cat by calling out her clan. Which honestly hadn't been the brightest plan of action, Dawnstar could hold a grudge for the smallest slight against her clan for moons. She was anything but rational and would go to extreme lengths to enact what she felt was retribution. Which made her worst than her mother, the fact that Dawnstar used her clan as disposable pawns made her that much worse. She was unpredictable and a lunatic, in the long run, it would be safer for WindClan to stand with RiverClan but...

"I am and will be forever grateful to hear that you will stand with us as is WindClan," Twilightstar began in a gracious tone, "But as of right now I'm uncertain on what I want to do with ShadowClan. The last fight with ShadowClan didn't just end poorly, they viciously slaughtered my clanmates. We couldn't even bury most of our dead. My clan might want to continue fighting and spilling blood, but I've grown... discontent with it. They've failed to realize that regardless of how many times we challenge her, there is no winning with a cat who's a mad as a fox in a fit. All Dawnstar wants is war, blood, and death, I don't believe she cares who's it is so long as it someones. I've killed her before she died choking on her own blood while laughing." That was definitionally one of Twilightstar's most disturbing memories.

"I don't believe tooth and claw are going to make her stop, if anything, she loses, recovers, and does it all over again. I don't want my clan to suffer, nor any clan, but I'm not going to retaliate for the sake of showing strength." The lives of her clan and perhaps once newleaf starts, if she hasn't figured out the territory situation, she'd fight to reclaim the Sky Glade as ShadowClan called it, but aside from that Twilightstar wasn't eager to lift a claw to challenge ShadowClan. Not because she was weak, but she was scared. The number of lives and blood spilled by that merciless clan and their deranged leader was by far the worst WindClan's ever dealt with under her leadership. Twilightstar truly didn't think fighting against ShadowClan to make a point was worth it. Still though...

"If you decide to retaliate against ShadowClan, WindClan will aid you." The leader's green eye shimmered with quiet determination. "Not because I feel that we owe you and RiverClan anything, you and Lionstorm have both reassured me that we owe you nothing. But you've been willing to turn WindClan's hardships and problems into your own. As allies and friends, RiverClan's battles are WindClan's at least against a blight threatening to harm anything and everything in her path." The two clans have been allies particularly since Twilightstar took over as WindClan's leader and that was rather long. She had pulled away from RiverClan when Kestrelstar had become leader, he had started off a little more reckless than Twilightstar was willing to accept. He made things far too personal for older leader's liking, but right now he seemed alright. It was unlike she'd take a side with him against ThunderClan should trouble ever stir up between them again. But ShadowClan, that was an enemy she felt every clan should have their hackles risen against.