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Blinded By Silence Vice Captain
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 Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 1:33 pm
 Skyson closed her eyes for a long time. She breathed deeply, calming herself. She must be rational. Calm. Then, without a word, she rose and went back to the edge of camp where she left her owl. With a heavy heart, she looked over her mountain home before grasping a feathered wing in her jaws. She brought it back, pushing her way to the center of the group. "We will need our strength for this journey." She raised her voice so all could hear, "Come, I invite you all to eat. When do we leave, Sunseer?" She raised her eyes to his and saw at last that they held no sight.  When he heard his child's voice, pain echoed in his heart. She was so small, so precious, would she survive the journey? If this message had just come a few moons ago, they could have left as a full family. Maybe... He shook his head. His sightless eyes looked for his Littlepaw, but saw nothing. "Yes, my child," He answered, "I believe we must leave the mountain. That is what SunClan is trying to say." He lifted his head, sure with his decision. He wasn't sure how many of them would make it to where ever it was they were going. But they had to go. There was nothing left for them here. At Skysong's question, he answered, "Sun-high. Hunt and rest, prepare how you must. Littlepaw, I know you've been in the Medicine Cat den, is there anything in there worth taking?"Everyone Tomorrow I will skip ahead to sun-high, feel free to roleplay your cats preparing.
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Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 4:22 pm
 Thorncoat flicked his ears, finding himself oddly calm. Was it really so odd? Was it complacency or an acceptance of doom, that their clan was already fraying apart. Something had to happen or they would all waste away. Finally there was some amount of hope, some small crap shed from the light of the sun and set drifting into their withering midst. Was it too little too late? Only time would tell.
It just. Wasn't surprising to be told that their peaks were lost. That there was no survival here. What was SunClan to do? If there was salvaging it, why wait so long? Well, why wait so long to tell them what to do in the first place.
It would seem, that in Thorncoat's heart, the mountains had already been lost to them.
It simply. Was what it was. A riddle, a prophecy of some kind, one that trying to puzzle out would do little good. The only way to find out, the only way for any of them to survive, was to move forward, to follow the rive.
"How do you follow what is no longer there," Thorncoat meowed thoughtfully, eyeing the parched riverbed before looking back to Sunseer. How was Sunseer to follow when he couldn't even seem to find his kit with his own two eyes. Thorncoat's maw curled into a frown. It would seem Thorncoat's own solemn acceptance was not so easy for every cat.
Quietly, he padded next to Eclipsepaw, offering a gentle nudge to her shoulder, offering what small support he could.
"And only in pieces will we survive. We're doing okay so far then," Thorncoat offered. They already had half the prophecy down at least. He glanced over the thin thing apprentice. "Go, eat with Skysong. The clan may be in pieces, but not the cat's themselves."
Maybe he should take part in the kill himself, but already Thorncoat was starting to look towards the entrance. One last walk, one last round of the territory, the stones and bushes and peaks.
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 12:30 am
Pigeonpaw woke up in the apprentice's den to someone screaming from outside. Huh? 'May all cats, old enough or not, gather at the Tall Stone for a clan meeting! Quickly!'
Already, the apprentice was not the type to follow orders, but it sounded serious. And that Graypaw and Eclipsepaw were no longer in the den with her, it was best to just find them. Wherever they were.
'I have received a prophecy! SunClan came to me and gave me this as their answer. Chase the river! Only in pieces may your clan survive!;
She shuddered. River. Water. Pigeonpaw was afraid of the water. Only in pieces? She did not know what that meant, but she did no want to leave home.
Pigeonpaw was not going to leave this camp.
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 12:38 am
 Duskwing had nodded greetings to her siblings and Dustfeather. She looked at Dustfeather when he spoke to her. "I feel like an owl at sunrise." She was grumpy about being woken up early. "But I suppose its better to be an early bird this morning."
She was distraught, her thoughts jumbled after the Sunseer spoke. "Pieces?" She didn't like that, not at all. "Dustfeather, I...I don't like this." Her voice sounded so small. Her world seemingly crashed. "I have spent my whole life here. I.. I don't even know how I should feel." Her words lacked their usual quirkiness, she was just so far out of her element. She leaned into his side, as she felt drained. "We... I... I need to go and gather my thoughts." She left to go and prepare for the travel her tail hanging limp as she walked.Duskwing has left the general area, if you would like to find her she is back in the den.[edited there was a bit of a formatting error. I am terribly sorry if you got pinged twice]  Deadeye had watched the whole fanfare with a quiet regard. She had watched her leader the entire meeting, scrutinizing his every move. His movements were off, jilted, it was strange watching the normally sturdy cat falter. She wasn't as shocked as she thought she might be hearing the words of the Sunclan. "Pieces? That sounds ominous." She didn't bother to hide her suspicious tone in her whisper. She listened to the little medicine cat apprentice and her father talk. She wasn't the most faithful cat, but she trust in her leader, and he was telling them to prepare. He hadn't looked at his daughter, only in her general direction. It finally clicked, her leader was blind. The mannerisms, the stumbling, the way he didn't look at individual clan members. He was blind. "Sunclan above, how much will we have to sacrifice?" She muttered under her breath. She looked over to Skysong, the she-cat had brought back an owl somehow in the midst of it all. She rose to her paws and padded away to let the others have the owl. She wasn't hungry after learning the truth of the price her leader had paid to bring them news.
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 11:32 am
They had to leave. Goldenleaf recoiled into herself, eyes on her belly. There was no doubt what she was thinking. She felt sick to her stomach, ears flattening against her head. This wasn't happening...
Her kits and possibly her were going to die.
She didn't add anything further to the discussion, instead noting the owl tossed into the middle. If anything she needed to eat. The massive pregnant cat lifted herself and waddled off to join for a meal, eyes narrowed and body tense.
Littlepaw felt small in her situation. She needed to grab herbs before she sat to eat. Goldenleaf and the elderly needed certain medicines for the trip. Clearing her throat, Littlepaw got up.
"Yes, there's a few I need. I'll go gather them now." With that and a knot of dread in her stomach she got up and immediately bounded off to the medicine den.
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 6:10 pm
Dawnstride's frown deepened. If Sunseer's aim had been to assure them all that things were looking up with this meeting, it certainly hadn't done the job for him. That Sunclan had spoken did not fill the young tom's heart with relief, particularly not when they spat forth vague and spooky sounding prophecies. That their leader seemed so unhinged by said prophecy that he'd voided his usual poise - bashing his shoulder on a stone well in the normal path of Tallstones, no less - only added to the disturbing nature of it all. Most significant, however, was the threat of leaving. This was their home, the only one most of them had ever known. Their ranks were full of apprentices, warriors as young as himself, and - the male's eyes cut significantly in Bloodoath's and Goldenleaf's direction - expectant queens. They weren't fit for travel. Was that something Sunclan could understand?
A sudden thought chilled the tom to his very core. Was that what they meant by their cryptic warning, 'in pieces'? Maybe they only intended the strongest to make it to...wherever they were going.
Firey orange-and-cream hackles marched up and down Dawnstride's spine, his tail going stiff in protest. That could not happen! They had already lost so many of their number - to send the rest of them on some death march! To watch those unable to make the journey die! The very idea that Sunclan could be so cruel...! He shuddered, agitated fur hitching itself back into place. Verdant fire blazed behind eyes narrowed into slits. It was not going to happen. He would not let it happen.
"Wait up, Thorncoat," Dawnstride meowed, already shifting himself to follow after the darker feline. "I'll walk with you." Though he didn't know the other warrior terribly well, he often saw him out on solo patrols, and he'd bet the tip of his tail that was where he was bound now. If Sunclan really wanted to help them out, maybe they would show the way to a bit more freshkill on the way. Dawnstride would take every scrap he could get his paws on in his bid to make sure everyone made this trip in one piece.
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:31 pm
 Silverstreak nodded at the leader, though she wasn't sure that he saw her. When Skysong brought forth an owl, her eyes glimmered with interest and she looked to her siblings.
"Alright, let's go eat and then see if there's anything we can do to help others in moving." She told Dawnbreak and Stormsong. "I'll grab some for Duskwing." She mewed, gesturing to the owl that cats had began to approach. Meeting Dawnbreak's eyes and then Stormsong's, she smiled at the two of them, in what she hoped to be a reassuring manner. "So long as we four stay together, nothing can divide us into pieces, not even SunClan. We'll survive this, no matter where we are." Dustfeather gazed at Duskwing with sympathy in his eyes. Her voice was quiet, unsure. She usually seemed so confident, especially when she was talking about birds or tree-walking... To see her so despondent, it troubled him. He was moving his tail to wrap around her shoulders, when she up and left. Staring after her for a moment, he got to his paws and then turned to the owl that Skysong had caught.
"Nice catch." He mewed to Skysong with a half-smile and he took two mouthfuls and then pulled a few of the longer wing feathers from the owl. Picking them up in his mouth from their ends, he padded to the Warriors Den and stood outside, peering inside and trying to make out the dark-coated she-cat inside. When he saw her, he approached and lay the feathers at her front paws.
He then settled beside her and curled his tail around hers, looking at her with sympathetic concerns.
"I don't like the idea of leaving." He mewed. "But if it's what we must do to survive, then I want to see us thriving again." He was silent for a while and then he offered, "Maybe this prophecy from SunClan is our warrior ancestors telling us it's time to leave the nest."
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 4:50 pm
Thorncoat canted his head, peering curiously at his clanmate. It wasn't exactly commonplace for others to come calling on him unless it was to make a point. Still, he huffed a small, almost humorous breath as being caught so easily, and from just his look at the camp entrance too. although, the line of sight was a pretty direct giveaway.
Giving one last encouraging nudge to Eclipsepaw, Thorncoat stood.
"Go, you're a pelt on bones," He commented, not unkindly. Hopefully the little she-cat would get a few bites before it was all gone. "Maybe Dawnstride and I will get lucky and you'll have another meal before its time."
Hopefully his words will have helped the apprentice somehow. Enough of that, Thorncoat had a farewell to bid to the stony paths, and at least one companion to do it with. It would be better for Eclipsepaw to eat then to join them, but he wouldn't say no if she chose to tag along.
Thorncoat dipped his head to Dawnstride in acknowledgement, a somber smile gracing his maw.
"Let us go then, perhaps the mountains will wish us luck, or even a mouse will tumble from the peaks into our paws," he meowed, finding the image humorous, if not a wistful impossibility. No, there were hardly any mice or prey left at this point, but the thought was a nice distraction. With a flick of his tail and a motion of his head, Thorncoat made to lead lead the way on their final jaunt.
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Blinded By Silence Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 8:01 pm
As the sun rose high in the sky, Sunseer stood for the thirtieth time from the small nest set aside in the Medicine Cat's den for their patients. "Littlepaw, it is nearly time, I must go." His voice was hard with worry. How was he going to lead now that he was blind? He turned to the entrance and knocked his head on the smooth stone, as if confirming his fears. He sighed, his tail dropping, "Thank you, my child. You did your best, but SunClan has taken my sight as payment. There are no herbs to bring it back." With that he stepped outside, slowly making his way back to the Tall Stones to call the clan once more. "MountainClan, it is time." He called, lifting his eyes skyward, opening his mouth to get one last taste of the mountain air. Skysong had done her best to find more food while the clan waited, but to no avail. She sat waiting by the Tall Stones and when Sunseer stumbled his way out of the Medicine Cat's den, she saw that his sight was still gone. She leapt up the rock face, landing deftly on the ledge below him. "Sunseer, have you decided where we are going?"
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 12:12 am
Sunseer later called the clan back together. It was time to go. But she would not go. And where would they even go? What was even out there? Pigeonpaw did not want to know.
She watched Skysong, her designated mentor, with determination. Skysong would leave. Eclipsepaw would leave. Graypaw too. And so would Ashpelt most likely. Not that it mattered.
To leave home. Even with it almost no longer being a home. That was something she did not want to do. She was fast, and strong, so she would be able to defend herself and anyone else who decided to make the same choice as her.
Pigeonpaw just had to believe that her family would return back here someday.
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 1:12 pm
(Sorry for not being around to reply! Will be much better going forward!)
Dawnbreak took in the news with a calmness that she never really had before. maybe it was the hunger... Just Dragging the energy out of her. Sounded like the confirmation they had all needed. To leave and find food and water... A new home. She pinned her ears back only to watch DuskWing leave. It was massive ground shaking news... and yet she just wanted to get going. She searched the crowd looking for a particular tom cat to try and read his reaction to the news but then she had her attention drawn by SilverStreak. She gave a worried purr but nooded. "Together like always." She looked after her other sister, worried that together wouldnt be that easy, Duskwing took comfort from DustFeather, rather than the family... She was just glad to hear that Dustfeather was looking at this in a way that would hopefully convince Duskwing along with them. Looking back to splitnose she knew she would watch him walk away with the clan if her siblings decided to stay here. She waited for Goldenleaf to eat, waited for the apprentices to take a bite... and then moved to take her own small bite of the owl. She savored it, and hoped that where ever they were headed... there would be food enough to fill their bellies... She headed in to the den and sniffed her nest before laying down, a nap was due before a long journey.
***
She woke up later, hunger still clawing her sides and she walked back out of the den in time to hear sunseer calling them back together. Anxiety pulled at her. Time already?! She noticed the small apprentice and headed to sit next to PigeonPaw. She sat, noting the stubborn set of the jaw. She flicked her ear. "Are you ready, PigeonPaw? Im not.... " She twitched her tail. "But... hopefully... where we go, there will be so much food that our tummies will hurt they are so full!" While worried she looked hopeful and in this... hope was all she could offer.
xKOVAKtheWOLFx DawnBreak's chatting at PigeonPaw 
BloodOath watched, carefully the leader and the clan. He bristled a bit but knew this was the only way his family could survive. So he would go, happily. He leaned toward Goldenleaf. "Guess we will find a place by the stream afterall." He flicked his tail and as she went to at he called after her. "Eat my share too... Ill find something else." He saw the other toms headed out and contemplated going with them but he would go alone. He slipped out and went to his favorite places, leaving scent marks so that maybe... one day... if they came back.... maybe he would be remembered here. He came back a little before Sunseer called and looked around for Goldenleaf. He wanted to make sure she was all ready, bloodoath was the biggest worry wart. But with a look to Skysong talking he headed over to hear. He hopped up next to Skysong and didnt bother to dip his head to Sunseer, News of his blindness had spread, and he couldnt help but feel that if sunseer had appointed a deputy... that maybe sunclan wouldnt have taken his sight in payment.... Afterall, who would lead them now. He Flicked his ear in greeting to Skysong but sat to listen. When he spoke though his tone didnt give away his misgivings. "I know we have at least a request of one home next to a stream with tons of fish." He flicked his tail in amusement but then waited to hear. He hoped that wherever they went... it was just... more sustainable than here. He had kits coming... and he had to make sure that they survived.
Blinded By Silence Bloodoath is talking at you
EmberKit purred to his brother. "I did! Wont it be wonderful!?" He was bitter, not to the point of taking it out on family but being a kit for life... knowing more than a lifetime of knowledge, and yet having a bumbling body made him strive to be as 'warrior like' as possible. He wouldnt ever get his warrior name... he wouldnt ever be more than a kit... barely remembered... Just another casualty to this famine. But he seemed to push it all away from him. "Im going to walk with them... Every pawstep! Just like if i was a warrior." He twitched his little tail. It was fun to play alive sometimes. He followed littlePaw into the medicine den and sniffed around wrinkling his nose. "Why would she ever want to be in here." He sat next to a pile of herbs. As the wind picked up and scattered a small pile he bounced after a leaf. His ghostly paws not able to catch them.
belloblossom Emberkit talking to Blazekit!
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:47 pm
Silverstreak had smiled at her sister's confirmation and turned to look at Stormsong, a determination in her gaze. They would take care of their younger sisters, like they always would. She did not suspect that this would change. When Dawnbreak ate and then padded away, Silverstreak moved forward to eat a single mouthful and then she went about, looking to anyone she might assist. It seemed that many cats were going to sleep before the journey and eventually, she slipped into the warriors den to her nest to do the same.
She woke quickly when Sunseer called and found herself moving out of her nest and to the Tall Stones again. She looked to Skysong as the owl-catching she-cat voiced the question she would've asked and nodded her agreement. Where would they go now? She was mightily curious. Rather than keep her gaze on her leader, however, she found herself gazing around the Clan to do a quick inventory of her family first. There was Dawnbreak with Pigeonpaw, but she couldn't see Duskwing or Stormsong just yet. Any longer, she tohught and she might go fetch them herself.Dustfeather had contented himself to curling beside Duskwing, purring beside her gently, in hopes to ease any worries from her mind. It was then that he fell asleep and let himself nap beside her.
He woke again to hear Sunseer's call. The fur along his back raised, but he sighed and ducked his head. Taking a deep breath, he nosed Duskwing beside him.
"Duskwing," He mewed softly. "It's time to get going. You should eat, before we go." He told her and picked up one of the feathers he had brought. "We should bring this, too, I think. A reminder of our old territory." He suggested to her, with perked, hopeful ears.
He so wanted this journey to be one where they would find their happy ending. Not just his and Duskwing's, but all of MountainClan's. His heart hurt at the thought of leaving the home he grew up in, but it was SunClan's will and he would be more shaken to see his Clanmate's whither away if they stayed here. He couldn't imagine such a thing happening to the dark-coated she-cat beside him. He curled his tail around hers.
"Let's go join the others." He told her.
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Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 8:34 pm
Goldenleaf had curled up on her own during the break. Bloodoath was a welcomed companion, but at the current state they were in she didn't know if she had the energy to entertain. She felt oddly alone in this. He was the father, yes, but she could feel the kits kicking at her stomach. Panic swelled in her throat as she adjusted on her side, ears pinned back. She was the one who would give birth. It was her who might have her children in some cold and barren place -- somewhere not even home -- and risk her life doing so. If they lost a kit that'd be a shared pain, of course, but the journey of birth seemed suddenly lonely.
What would it have been liked prior to all this? Pregnant queens used to look so happy. So sure of the little lives in their bellies. It wasn't like kits didn't die or come out stillborn, but before the famine it wasn't common. Now? She had seen the looks the other cats gave her when they noticed her growing stomach... the entire clan knew.
When Sunseer spoke finally she considered, for a foolish minute, just staying right there. Yet, she noted Littlepaw was going with her father. She needed the apprentice. She needed her clan, even. Staying here was surely a death sentence -- at least out there she had a fighting chance.
She reluctantly rose from her hiding spot and trotted to join the clan, eyes focused on the grey dirt. Her stomach lurched, although she wasn't sure if it was nerves or the tiny lives inside making themselves known. Maybe it was both.
- - -
"I know," Littlepaw whispered dejectedly as her father thanked her. Nothing she had done could help him. Nothing she could do would take back what Sunclan had claimed. She wasn't sure why they had wanted his sight, but if that was the price he had to pay she was sure it was for a reason fitting. She watched her father stumbled about and eventually left, her ears pressed against her head as she followed him. Her tail lashed once at his announcement that it was time to leave, turning back into the den. Scooping up leaves she had fastened into a messy but effective bag, she chanced one last look at the den.
For a moment, her heart felt like it was cracking.
They were going to say goodbye. Goodbye to the den. Goodbye to the opening. Goodbye to the graves buried of their loved ones. Her chest felt heavy as she turned her back on the medicine den and approached her fathers back, mouth delicately struggling to hold the makeshift bag. It would rip soon, she knew, but she didn't really know what else to do. They needed these medicines, and Littlepaw wasn't sure wherever they went would provide what they would need.
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2018 10:05 am
Duskwing had barely noticed when Dustfeather had moved next to her when she had gone to lay in her feather filled nest. She felt him shift and lay beside her. If this is how fledglings feel the first time out of the nest, no wonder the parents push them out. She thought to herself as she laid her head down and took a nap.
--------------------------
She woke to the gentle nudging. "I'm up, I'm up" She stretched her back and front paws while yawning. His next words caused the situation came crashing down on her ears. They were leaving, this would be the last time she laid in this nest. She looked longingly at her nest one last time before grabbing the other feather Dustfeather had brought her before their shared nap. She pushed it into the fur of her shoulder, it wouldn't hold forever, but she could adjust it later. She nodded to him and went out of the den to find the owl mostly picked over, but that was fine. She'd hunt and eat more on their journey. She took a scant half mouthful of the owl's meat trying to keep enough for everyone. She moved towards where her older sister was waiting, spotting Dawnbreak along the way. She looked around for her old mentor to try and push him in her direction. Speaking mostly to herself she spoke her prayer for the day like she always did when the sun was just cresting over the mountain top. She had missed it this morning in the commotion of being told to leave. "Sunclan bless us all and give us the strength to persevere in this quest you have brought this little flock. May you guide our paws to safety and lead us on the path of life. Thank you for each and every mouthful of food and life that you gave to provide for us." She might of been praying to herself, but it was easily understandable to anyone willing to lend an ear. Deadeye had opted to leave the owl untouched. She couldn't, no wouldn't take food from those that needed it more. She had rested in a dark space back near the Tall Stones to await the next words from her blind leader. She would do everything in her power to keep him, the pregnant female, Goldenleaf, the young apprentices, and the rest of the clan safe. She would do so with pride even should it cost her life. She would see that they made it safely to their promised land.
--------------------------
Hearing Sunseer cautiously bumble and trip his way to the Tall Stones was rough. She took to her paws and went to a sit in a place closer than before directly opposite of her leader as he sat on the stones, right next to those already sitting and waiting for his response. She wouldn't hide from him nor would she judge him for being sightless. She only had one eye left and she planned to use it to be his sight, if he'd allow it, though rationally he'd be much better off leaning on another for their sight. She looked directly at his unseeing gaze hearing conversations from the light gray she-cat, Skysong, and the dark tom, Bloodoath, to the gray and light gray she-cat talking to the silvery apprentice, Dawnbreak and Pigeonpaw, she was even hearing the little dark gray feather loving she-cat's prayers from below as Duskwing joined the group at the Tall Stones. She listened to every conversation looking to those speaking to read their body language. She couldn't afford to miss anything, everything from this moment on was crucial to the survival of the clan.
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2018 12:22 pm
 Pigeonpaw did not even notice Dawnbreak next to her until the warrior spoke. The apprentice slightly jumped, but pretended it was nothing. She was way too busy thinking about if she would ever cross paths with her family again. Maybe in Sunclan, maybe.
Pigeonpaw was polite enough to hear the warrior out. A ton of food that they would actually be full for once? She could not imagine that! That would be better than splitting even a small mouse between one another.
"Dawnbreak, I don't..." she looked away from the warrior, knowing that this would be a divide between them. "...think I am going... Someone has to make sure that the camp is okay... And maybe you guys will come back... Sunclan will be here too, I think..." She just had to be reassured.
Duskwing and Deadeye joined the two, and the apprentice sighed. Now that her thoughts were out, she could only hope for the best. For everyone. "May Sunclan light the path for us."
If only she could have her last words with her family and mentor.
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