WindClan: Life Before 2023's Fire

[judas]

Originally Posted by Pink Orca!

Neko swallowed hard. "I-I-I can't, SkyClan is moving to close to the Synd-- I just can't... I'm so sorry... But you can come with me?" he offered hopefully, feeling his eyes prickle with unshed tears. "Please, come with me," he meowed quietly as a single tear fell down his cheek. "Stay with me, Littlepaw. I need you." He pressed his muzzle into her fur, slightly dampening it with his tears. The silver Tom lifted his head to look into her eyes, his own optics hosting a parasitic desperation.

Littlpaw didn't know what to say. She looked into the tom's eyes, she thought for a moment. She would leave her mentor...her home...her life..She looked away from Neko. Littlepaw pressed her face into his chest again. "I-I..." She couldn't get the words out. She looked back up at Neko. "I'm sorry...I c-can't.." She mumbled. "I Love you Neko, but..." Littlepaw cried more. "I can't leave my clan...Please...come with me, I really do Love you.." The She mumbled.

"But...Do you Love Me?"

She Looked up at Neko, her blue eyes looked into his.

[mapledash]

Originally Posted by Duskflight

It's.. Finally over. This whole thing, all of this bloodshed and death and anger, it's.. It's finally over. Thought the brown tabby numbly as he gingerly cleaned his wounds to the best of his ability, his emerald eyes staring blankly at the ground, nearly to exhausted to even bob his head with his licks, breaths coming in shaky, but somewhat steady intervals. How many.. His blank gaze turned up from the ground to peer around the clearing, searching specifically for limp, un-moving bodies, a terrible sadness clouding his expression now. The ones we had to leave.. They.. They didn't even get a proper goodbye.. Clenching his jaws, Grousestar flattened his ears and shook his head a bit, his heart growing heavy with the thought of some of his warriors, his beloved warriors, being buried in strange grounds so far from their clan, from their home, perhaps even by strangers because Skyclan had not the time to bury all of their dead on their quick move to liberate the clans. I.. I can't think about that. We won. We have saved these clans from the Dark Forest dictators. Those warriors have died for a valiant cause.
This helped to ease the pain in his heart a bit, allowing him to resume his tender cleaning of the wounds.

Ears perking up as he heard another cat approach and promptly flop down beside him, Grousestar brought his gaze to the very cat that started this movement, the one that told him of the clans and their plight.
"Hah, yes... I.. I am glad that Skyclan could help and I am glad that it is over." Unlike the cheery and open tone that often characterized his voice, the tom's voice was subdued and somewhat quiet, perhaps it was because he was out of breath, perhaps it was other reasons, maybe even a mixture, but his gaze focused on Mapledash a moment longer before he looked away, green hues dancing across the crowd of cats without really seeing any of them, too many thoughts plaguing his mind to really allow him to see. To think of the time in which we knew nothing of these other cat's, the time of peace... No, don't you dare think like that Grouse. You helped these cats, this wasn't some petty cause, some little problem that they could have probably solved for themselves. This was not something to be ignored. You made a good choice in coming here. His mind argued, a conflicted look passing over his face for a moment before subsiding and his gaze being brought back to the Windclan cat.

How long before we leave? It wasn't a question he had thought about, causing him to blink and quietly look at his paws. We have to go home.. Everything was so strange. This was, quite literally, Grouse's first battle, sure he had fought a badger once, maybe a few loners, but these were actual battles, it had turned his world completely upside down and he hadn't even thought about going home, not once. Before the journey he had, but not once in his time in the clans had he thought about going home, all he thought about was getting his clan, his warriors and apprentices through these battles. And he had. He had won. They had won. Now it was time to go home. Breathing carefully, he looked over at Mapledash again.
"I suppose in a few days. My warriors and apprentices, they need time to rest. But I assure you, we will not stay in your camp, I don't wish for us to be a burden. No, we'll stay out of the territory so we don't steal your prey, I know it's scarce this time of year. We'll stay in the area a few days and then, we must return home."
Grousestar appeared distracted, he had an idea playing around in his mind, but he wasn't completely sure about it, and thus, wouldn't bring it up, not now anyways, not until he had more time to think it over.

He was too exhausted to even nod, his head laying on his paws, mapledash simply meowed. "Take your time, you'll be welcome in thunderclan, if I know Ashstar." His eyes were looking around the clearing. -He lost so much. I wonder if he regret doing this for us.- he thought, trying to imagine how hard it must be to finally realise all the damage that had been done in this war. So many had left, and so many were probably going to die from their wound very soon. Suddenly, nothing else mattered. Going back to his clan? Being with sagewhisker? Being victorious? All this was pointless. They had lost so much, and yet skyclan would simply leave like this? They won nothing in all this, they never did from start to end. This wasn't even their battle, why did he ask them help? They could have worked something out, without using them like this.

Mapledash's thoughts were now haunting him, all of this was his fault. The guilt was heavy on his shoulders now, he had caused the death of so many, it was an unbearable nightmare. "...I'm sorry." he sadly meowed, breaking the silence that was lingering. "I know what you're thinking, grouse. That nothing of this was worth it, whatever the reasons were for you to help us, you lost too much, and for what? Absolutely nothing! I would understand if you would never want to come back here, if you even hate us-... ME for asking your help, it would be justified." his voice trailed off, unable to speak up what was hunting him. It ... it's my ..." he was unable to say it. He tried so hard to appologize, to say that all they lost was his fault, he had so many regrets, he didn't know what to say that could ever make it any better.

He sighted, getting up on his paws as best he could, his shoulder and back leg stinging horribly from his last fight, and turned to grousestar. "I will come say goodbye on the border of the territory, come to thunderclan when you are ready to leave." he said, starting to pad away. He wanted to find sagewhisker now, he had to tell her goodbye too. He swung his head around, searching for her pelt. Surely, she hasn't been killed, had she? For starclan's sake, she took a fox on her own when they met, of course, he helped, but she was more brave than any cat he knew, surely she was fine.

@S A G I E

[Ludicrous Lunacy]

Originally Posted by Moonfur

Littlpaw didn't know what to say. She looked into the tom's eyes, she thought for a moment. She would leave her mentor...her home...her life..She looked away from Neko. Littlepaw pressed her face into his chest again. "I-I..." She couldn't get the words out. She looked back up at Neko. "I'm sorry...I c-can't.." She mumbled. "I Love you Neko, but..." Littlepaw cried more. "I can't leave my clan...Please...come with me, I really do Love you.." The She mumbled.

"But...Do you Love Me?"

She Looked up at Neko, her blue eyes looked into his.

Neko looked helplessly back at her, green-yellow eyes glazed over with misery. "I have to... An I do l-l-love you but I c-can't go w-with you..." He sank his claws into the ground. "Please, come with me.. We can be together..."

[judas]

Originally Posted by Pink Orca!

Neko looked helplessly back at her, green-yellow eyes glazed over with misery. "I have to... An I do l-l-love you but I c-can't go w-with you..." He sank his claws into the ground. "Please, come with me.. We can be together..."

"You don't understand," Littlepaw wobbled as she sat up. "I can't, like you said, "I don't know what these cats went threw. I can't stay in a place I don't belong..." She mumbled. "I love you, Neko, please...Don't go.." She cried. "Before my clan leaves, come with me, you can have a new start. A New life, I'll be with you..." She walked forward, and pressed her head under his chin. "I Love you, and You love me...Isn't that enough for you to see? Come back to Skyclan with me Neko, you will be happy their." She begged. "For me?" She asked with a last breath. She fell on the ground, her sides hurt. Littlepaw's eyes close shut, and her breathing was harsh.

[Ludicrous Lunacy]

Originally Posted by Moonfur

"You don't understand," Littlepaw wobbled as she sat up. "I can't, like you said, "I don't know what these cats went threw. I can't stay in a place I don't belong..." She mumbled. "I love you, Neko, please...Don't go.." She cried. "Before my clan leaves, come with me, you can have a new start. A New life, I'll be with you..." She walked forward, and pressed her head under his chin. "I Love you, and You love me...Isn't that enough for you to see? Come back to Skyclan with me Neko, you will be happy their." She begged. "For me?" She asked with a last breath. She fell on the ground, her sides hurt. Littlepaw's eyes close shut, and her breathing was harsh.

Neko curled protectively around her, and whispered hoarsly, "But what about my brother..? He gave everything he wanted for me to get to RiverClan... I can't turn ny back on it..." He touched her cheek with his muzzle. "We can meet at seastones every quarter moon... We can still see eachother." Neko stroked her fur gently with his tail.

[spade]

Originally Posted by mapledash

He was too exhausted to even nod, his head laying on his paws, mapledash simply meowed. "Take your time, you'll be welcome in thunderclan, if I know Ashstar." His eyes were looking around the clearing. -He lost so much. I wonder if he regret doing this for us.- he thought, trying to imagine how hard it must be to finally realise all the damage that had been done in this war. So many had left, and so many were probably going to die from their wound very soon. Suddenly, nothing else mattered. Going back to his clan? Being with sagewhisker? Being victorious? All this was pointless. They had lost so much, and yet skyclan would simply leave like this? They won nothing in all this, they never did from start to end. This wasn't even their battle, why did he ask them help? They could have worked something out, without using them like this.

Mapledash's thoughts were now haunting him, all of this was his fault. The guilt was heavy on his shoulders now, he had caused the death of so many, it was an unbearable nightmare. "...I'm sorry." he sadly meowed, breaking the silence that was lingering. "I know what you're thinking, grouse. That nothing of this was worth it, whatever the reasons were for you to help us, you lost too much, and for what? Absolutely nothing! I would understand if you would never want to come back here, if you even hate us-... ME for asking your help, it would be justified." his voice trailed off, unable to speak up what was hunting him. It ... it's my ..." he was unable to say it. He tried so hard to appologize, to say that all they lost was his fault, he had so many regrets, he didn't know what to say that could ever make it any better.

He sighted, getting up on his paws as best he could, his shoulder and back leg stinging horribly from his last fight, and turned to grousestar. "I will come say goodbye on the border of the territory, come to thunderclan when you are ready to leave." he said, starting to pad away. He wanted to find sagewhisker now, he had to tell her goodbye too. He swung his head around, searching for her pelt. Surely, she hasn't been killed, had she? For starclan's sake, she took a fox on her own when they met, of course, he helped, but she was more brave than any cat he knew, surely she was fine.

That was it. It was finally over.

The first battle that had occurred during her apprenticeship, and the demise of the only regime Sorrelpaw had known, was no longer. There were deep cuts down her flank that scarlet blood still trickled through, and a heavy gash above her eye, but other than that, she was rather on the okay side. She'd gotten momentarily separated from her ally Mapledash, a few brawling cats coming inbetween them before Singenight had fled and the battle had truly concluded. Seeing her Clanmate now, she limped over to him, her gaze filled with worry. "Thanks for helping me out with Gorseleap," she told him, dipping her head in gratitude. "It could've gotten a lot messier had you not stepped in."

Recalling the comment he had made earlier about her fighting skills, and the words being like a warm sun to her hears ever since it had been revealed to her that she was not ThunderClan-born, Sorrelpaw smiled a bit at the memory, slightly flushed to have been complimented by her senior Clanmate. "And thanks, for what you said about my fighting. I knew I just couldn't stay in camp knowing there was one more Clan left to take down," she murmured, shaking her head and shuffling her paws in the sodden dirt beneath her. The young she-cat glanced in Grousestar's direction - the SkyClan leader - and all the cats they had temporarily allied themselves with for this journey. A soft sigh slipped past her lips and she looked back at Mapledash. "Are we heading back to camp now, you think?" she asked inquisitively, breaking her gaze once more to look around. Most of the allies were tending to their own wounds, looking rather beat up.

For a moment, Sorrelpaw let her gaze rest on SkyClan's leader. Something inside her stirred momentarily, and the thought about accompanying the foreign Clan back to their home intrigued her. She knew she wasn't born in ThunderClan anymore, and maybe joining SkyClan and starting over there would be like the breath of fresh air she needed. She took a pawstep in the direction of the leader but stopped, hesitation clawing her back. She would first have to talk to Ashstar about it. After all, Gorsestar said they weren't leaving for a few days. Filled with a sudden urge to find Ashstar now, she swiveled around on her paws and looked at Mapledash. "I-I think I'm going to head back to camp now. It's not too far from here," she told him, her mind elsewhere, picturing the conversation she would have with the reinstated ThunderClan leader, and how she would exactly word it.

[Autumnblaze]

Woodpeckerpaw thought of Singenight roaming around, "I'll find him, and I'll find Jasper." Tears dripping off her face. Singenight made himself The 5 moon old apprentice's mentor the other night in the midst of battle. She snarled under her breath, "Someday I'll gather all of the Dark Forest supporter's left and we'll cast a rebellion against SkyClan, against StarClan for that matter."

[>Pepsi<]

FlameStorm held her head high, "I have been waiting for that evil cat to go," her flame colored pelt made her look like a forest fire.
//
Ivypaw was still scared, she thought that singnight would come back to kill them, she walked up to Woodpeckerpaw, "You don't think Singenight will comeback to kill all the starclan supporters, do you?" she said her eyes full of worry.

[mapledash]

Originally Posted by Lilly

That was it. It was finally over.

The first battle that had occurred during her apprenticeship, and the demise of the only regime Sorrelpaw had known, was no longer. There were deep cuts down her flank that scarlet blood still trickled through, and a heavy gash above her eye, but other than that, she was rather on the okay side. She'd gotten momentarily separated from her ally Mapledash, a few brawling cats coming inbetween them before Singenight had fled and the battle had truly concluded. Seeing her Clanmate now, she limped over to him, her gaze filled with worry. "Thanks for helping me out with Gorseleap," she told him, dipping her head in gratitude. "It could've gotten a lot messier had you not stepped in."

Recalling the comment he had made earlier about her fighting skills, and the words being like a warm sun to her hears ever since it had been revealed to her that she was not ThunderClan-born, Sorrelpaw smiled a bit at the memory, slightly flushed to have been complimented by her senior Clanmate. "And thanks, for what you said about my fighting. I knew I just couldn't stay in camp knowing there was one more Clan left to take down," she murmured, shaking her head and shuffling her paws in the sodden dirt beneath her. The young she-cat glanced in Grousestar's direction - the SkyClan leader - and all the cats they had temporarily allied themselves with for this journey. A soft sigh slipped past her lips and she looked back at Mapledash. "Are we heading back to camp now, you think?" she asked inquisitively, breaking her gaze once more to look around. Most of the allies were tending to their own wounds, looking rather beat up.

For a moment, Sorrelpaw let her gaze rest on SkyClan's leader. Something inside her stirred momentarily, and the thought about accompanying the foreign Clan back to their home intrigued her. She knew she wasn't born in ThunderClan anymore, and maybe joining SkyClan and starting over there would be like the breath of fresh air she needed. She took a pawstep in the direction of the leader but stopped, hesitation clawing her back. She would first have to talk to Ashstar about it. After all, Gorsestar said they weren't leaving for a few days. Filled with a sudden urge to find Ashstar now, she swiveled around on her paws and looked at Mapledash. "I-I think I'm going to head back to camp now. It's not too far from here," she told him, her mind elsewhere, picturing the conversation she would have with the reinstated ThunderClan leader, and how she would exactly word it.

He didn't exactly find sagewhisker, but mapledash still felt glad to see the young apprentice sorrelpaw pad over to him. He smiled when she thanked him, and left a slight chuckle. "I still owe you a good one with gorseleap." he flicked his tail over the apprentice's ear gently. How bad could an apprentice really be? Of course, they won't all be like her, but in worst case scenario, we allways see the deepest part of every cats, and this young apprentice definitely had the warrior spirit. Maybe he should think about having an other apprentice, one that won't run away because he is half-clan and won't accept himself and his origins this time.

He looked up at the sky, a light snow was falling and he only just realised now. With everything that happened, he could only focus on other cats trying to leap at him, but now he could admire the beauty of the world again, in it's simplest form. He couldn't hold himself from crouching and rolling slowly in the snow, feeling slightly amused and refreshed by the coldness of the white floor. It felt great on his wounds as well, slightly reducing the burning sensation into them. He stood back up, realising he was acting like a kit, his ears peerked as the apprentice spoke again. "Yeah. Let's go back to camp. Let's go home. I'll gather up all the remaining thunderclan warriors when they're ready, and we'll head back. I just need to find someone first." he meowed to the she, realising she wasn't even looking at him while saying this. She looked interested in grousestar, and an idea sparked in his eyes.

"If you want, I can present you. Don't worry, he doesn't bite. Well, he does, but you know... not really." he joked, escaping a giggle and turning towards the leader again. "Or you'd like to head back right away maybe?" he continued, not sure if she was really in the mood to meet the stranger. Maybe she was just curious, maybe she had some questions, but just couldn't find ways to ask them. She could ask him anyway, since he knew him so well. It probably would be the same questions HE asked when he arrived in their territory so long ago. He dropped his gaze on the apprentice again, wondering what was on her mind. She seemed distant, yet confident. It made him smile again as he waited for her answer.

[judas]

Originally Posted by Pink Orca!

Neko curled protectively around her, and whispered hoarsly, "But what about my brother..? He gave everything he wanted for me to get to RiverClan... I can't turn ny back on it..." He touched her cheek with his muzzle. "We can meet at seastones every quarter moon... We can still see eachother." Neko stroked her fur gently with his tail.

"Really? O-okay Neko, I-I Love you...don't forget me..." Littlepaw purred. She licked Noko's cheek. "You'll be a amazing clan cat. You did a lot to help them, to help me." Littlepaw took a step back. "I'll see at the seastones, right?" She asked. Littlepaw waved her gray tail. Her blue eyes met Neko's gazed. I wish he could come with me... She thought. Littlepaw liked Neko once more, and cried slightly.