RiverClan Clearing

[Rose]

Flintfang

Sage orbs twinkled with happiness as the lean-framed tom poked his head into the apprentice's den. "Hey Silverpaw, you know how you told me not to eat the last carp—" But his words trailed off, noticing that his baby sister was not in her nest. Eh, she was probably in the elder's den, or somewhere in camp. He really should've paid more attention to the cats in camp instead of racing straight to the apprentice's den and expecting his sister to be there.

Poking his head out of the den, Flintfang straightened to his full height, grinning widely at all the possible ways he could annoy her today. Oh, how he was going to tease her to death! Respectively, of course. Craning his neck, the dark tabby took a few energetic steps in the direction of a random warrior (perhaps they would know where Silverpaw had run off to), when Pikestar's familiar scent entering camp washed over him.

The carefree, ever-present light in his eyes seemed to disappear, diminishing into nothing upon spotting that silver coat, so similar to his own slung over Pikestar's back. Confusion washed over him, and then fear, followed by cracked amusement. This was some kind of joke, that was what it was. Silverpaw just loved to prank him, maybe to get him back for all the times he'd done the same to her. Although right now, Flintfang felt more like laughing hysterically than happily.

Entirely frozen in place, when he did happen to witness the dark-furred leader lower Silverpaw's body to the ground, and then... wait, why was he calling RiverClan in that same mournful tone used for Clan deaths??? Surely it was a misunderstanding?

The bewildering feeling of burning behind his eyes grew stronger, but why? Flintfang had no reason to be sad, right? This was... just a joke? Tears blurred the silver-furred tom's vision, and black spots began appearing at the edges as more cats gathered, one apprentice even running off to lay flowers at his baby sister's body as if she were one of the dead. No, that wasn't possible. "No." The words were barely a whisper. This couldn't be happening. Was Pikestar in on the joke? Silverpaw and Pikestar were close, were they not? RiverClan's leader probably just held a fondness for Silverpaw, and he'd decided to go along with her little prank.

But when no one seemed to be taking the moment lightly, and Silverpaw didn't get up to proclaim it was all a joke to outwit his usual teasings, a corner of Flintfang's non-working brain seemed to light, understanding the gravity of the situation. "No." This time, a gasp, broken and ragged. His legs suddenly buckled beneath him, but Flintfang managed to stagger over to his sister's deceased form, looming helplessly over her.

Oh, how small and vulnerable she looked! It couldn't be possible, stars be damned. Silverpaw had done nothing wrong to deserve such a fate! For that matter, if StarClan was trying to punish their family, Reedwhisker had done nothing wrong! Flintfang had done.. nothing wrong..? ... Or had he? Tabby striped legs trembled with disbelief, and after a moment of blank staring, horrified understanding dawned. His fault. His fault. He had done something wrong.

What had he thought? That he could go along with that Raccoonpelt tryst and not get punished for it? That he could fall in love with a ShadowClanner, go against his Clan, and expect all to be well? Fresh guilt gnawed at his mind. This was all his fault, and there would be no second chances. StarClan had punished him for pursuing happiness outside of his Clan.

A gaping hole had been torn in his chest. He didn't understand it, but that void ate away at his heart, clawing at the now empty place that Silverpaw had so steadfastly maintained. Flintfang hadn't felt like this since... Flintfang had never felt like this before. With a quiet, mournful sob, he lowered himself to the ground and buried himself into Silverpaw's fur when all he wanted to do was turn around and run away. But no, Flintfang had promised himself to always be there for his sisters, to put them above himself, and that was exactly what he was going to do.

[Madelaine]

Marigoldleap - Female[she/her]

Getting a bit of fresh air Marigoldleap looked around before setting down. She was going to enjoy some time out here. Well that was until she heard a commotion and moved over to the gathering cats. She noticed Pikestar and a body. She looked closely and saw it was one of their apprentices. Looking on she felt her heart twist. No not another young cat! Marigoldleap then started imagining what if it had been her poor son. She wouldn't have been able to bear it. Sure her son wasn't dead, but he was out there somewhere, probably with his siblings somewhere. Marigoldleap turned her head in emotional pain. She couldn't take it.

[nykyrian]

➴|Larkpaw|➶
He/They| @Open |WC:156

A yowl woke up the boy from his sleep. He slowly stirred awake, startled by the urgency? in Pikestar's tone. It wasn't normal, something had to be wrong.

He tentatively exited the den, discouraged paws walking with caution to the leader. What was going on?. Then he saw it, the limp body of his denmate, bloodied and lifeless.

No the boy was still young, and as such has had very little run-ins with death. So this was horrifying. Though he had had no relationship at all with Silverpaw, this still hit him hard. Even as he stared at her body, the image he saw was a different one. Her face replaced with those of his siblings, their bodies lying there instead. The look on his face was nearly sickly.

They had to go, anywhere but here. They needed to get this image out of their head before it was burned there permanently. He turn and ran.

#09

[ShadeCosmic]

Bubblestream sat

{activity post before I kill him of hehe}

[Birdspirit]

Foxpaw and Dewpaw sat silently. Neither of them really knew Silverpaw, but they felt so sad that she was gone.
'I hope she's happy in starclan' thought Dewpaw.
Foxpaw's tail twitched, all he could think was 'That could be Dewpaw' he glanced over to her nervously. He new that she was always dragging herself into reckless adventure but he always stopped her from doing anything too risky , but, what if next time he wasn't quick enough?

[Wingnettle]

Mintpaw (she/her)
White fur with shades of grey and blue eyes



· · ─────── ·✧· ─────── · ·

Mintpaw heard Pikestar's call, an unusual rasping tone today. She poked her head out of the apprentices' den, shivering at the chilly air of the morning. No one ever called her out for training.

A gray body was laid down in an unnatural position in front of the Riverclan leader. Murmurs and whispers run across the camp, from cat to cat, repeating the name of Silverpaw.

Another one. Pikestar seemed the most miserable among all of them.
How cruel to witness so much death and feel responsible for all of them. She closed her eyes and lowered her head, offering a silent prayer for the dead cat's travel to Starclan.

[ open ]

[MockingRabbit]

Why? Why so much death? Troutstone dipped his head to the dead apprentice.

[Beamheart]

Firelight stared in shock at the apprentice's body. She didn't feel any other emotion—no grief for Silverpaw or anger at life. She never did care for the deaths of cats she didn't know well.

She did, however, remember her own mortality. So many deaths; she might be next. She leaned into the fear, letting it show through her body so others just thought she was panic-stricken at the young cat's death.

Leaving camp, she hoped they'd think she was trying to escape the scene for its tragedy, not because she could barely hide her self-centered thinking.

[Sklee]

Amberpaw trotted over to see........ another death. She touched Sliverpaw's body quickly with her nose before stepping back, and glancing at Pikestar.



He looked as almost numb to it all as she was. Funny. Now she was sad. She let a small, tired, and sorrowful murmur leave her throat.

[Usern@me]

RabbitWatcher slowly walked over to be sure, hoping he was incorrect. But, he wasn't, an Apprentice has died. He dipped his head and stepped back.