[Snowyfeathr]

Originally Posted by FrostyGalaxy

The day had been pretty quiet so far, and Lark was looking forward to spending a few minutes alone to decompress - but her work is never done, it seems, and soon enough there's a voice outside, asking to speak with her. Stars, hopefully she actually had an answer to any questions asked...

"Y-yes?" She manages to force out, "what's on your mind, Hollytail?"

Movement woke her up, and Larkstar slowly blinked open her eyes, yawning as she woke up. How long had she managed to sleep? Her muscles still felt tired... Clarity finally coming to her now, she took note of the little cat sitting a small distance away, apparently watching her. What was..? Oh, right, this was the one who had slept in her nest. Trying for a smile, she offered a greeting "hello there, was the nest comfortable?"

Looking up from her grooming as Rabbitkit walked in, Lark sighed. Another problem she was not at all qualified to handle. "Yes? What can I do for you?"

Something in the way Sunnybunny looked at her as he asked his question almost made Lark want to shiver. He seemed calm enough, but there was an intensity behind his eyes that suggested this may be a bigger deal to him that his posture was letting on. She floundered for a moment, trying to figure out just who he was referring to when it dawned on her - she probably should have made the connection instantly, but she was still trying to not think of it.

She'd heard the rumors, the outright accusations on the day she had been forced to announce Gingerstar's death... it wasn't a day she liked looking back on. But her answer mattered to Sunnybunny, she couldn't give him a half answer to spare her own mind.

"Of course not," she said, and her gaze traveled to the floor, to the spot where she could still sometimes see the body of her once leader laying there. "He was a great cat... I wish he was still here." Even to her own ears, the words sounded almost hollow, like an empty assurance, but she had no way of proving anything. How could she? [B]"I'm not- I'm not an ambitious cat. I hardly understand why he made me his deputy, but I was happy with just that. I didn't- I didn't want this."

An outsider with some resemblance to Charredpaw... Well, that was something at least? "No, I would have led him away as well," Larkstar agrees, relieved that the problem was seemingly dealt with - for now at least. "Frankly, all these loners at the borders are making me a little jumpy." She tries to joke, mostly so the weight of everything regarding safety and security of the clan that's been weighing heavily on her for the past.... entire time since she was made deputy wasn't as apparent. "I think... maybe it would be best if we close our borders for now... who knows what we might be inviting in..." she trails off, mind thinking back to William and clouding her gaze with worry.

Hollytail sighed. "I- I- I found Pebblefur dead at Windswept Plains . . I brought her body back, but still . . It looked like she had fought with someone . ." Hollytail meowed grimly. He looked at Larkstar, waiting to see how she would respond.