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Bloodoath heard his leader's praise and he nodded. Though as sunseer spoke again he looked back. He pricked his ears. Apprentices with mentors... good... except when the next bit came his pelt prickled. Sure he was jealous, he hadnt even been a mentor yet, but he hoped he would be soon. He watched goldenleaf with that thought. He hoped his children wouldnt have his teeth, and yet if they did he knew he would need to mentor them... even if he wasnt picked as mentor. Though the problem he had was if Skysong was deputy... and apprentices had to stay with mentors... either... Skysong wasnt going to lead, which clearly wasnt the case as she was headed for him in the front, or Goldenleaf was going to be left alone. He did know she had an apprentice... but that apprentice... wasnt going to be much protection... He looked for someone else to go to her. He let himself join in the call of their new deputy's name, and nodded to her as she moved up. "Congratulations Skysong, no warrior deserves it more..." He dipped his head respectfully and looked back to goldenleaf his heart torn a bit, she would still be safe. He relinquished the lead and walked beside her at her shoulder as he watched the oncoming scenery for dangers... or prey. "What do you think we will find Skysong?" He didnt sound afraid just curious. He knew what he was hoping for.

Dawnbreak had given splitnose a purr of thanks and scarfed a mouse. She purred to Sunseer. "My pleasure." Though as he raised his voice and stood tall drawing all the attention she stepped back and crouched a bit to be less noticeable. She perked her ears though. A deputy?! She looked to find Skysong and as she came forward to recieve her position, Dawnbreak called out. "Skysong! Skysong!" Happily leading a chant. As she moved away and they headed off, Skysong in the lead she moved back up next to their leader. "A good choice... Everyone trusts Skysong." She knew he didnt need her approval, heck she was one of the youngest warriors... but she didnt know what else to say. She let her fur brush his leading him around a rock and over a root carefully as they trucked on.

Tiny steps, silent, followed along, noticing his sister struggling he moved to her side. "Ive gotcha littlepaw!" He frowned though he couldnt touch anything. It was frustrating and he stomped a little foot. He watched a tom come to the rescue and he stared through closed eyes at that tom. No one was good enough to help his sister but him... But this tom could actually help so with an annoyed flick of his tail he let himself trudge behind his sister. They had barely started... and this trip was already frustrating. He noticed the other Sunclan cats hanging over their chosen cats he looked to Dovetail and to his mother. So much hope for the future came from them he could feel it in his toes. He wondered if the clan could feel it too.

The old tom gave a nod to Dawnbreak's comment, "She's a good cat. Been around long enough to pass on our ideals, I hope." They began walking, slowly but surely leaving behind their home. It hurt his heart that he couldn't see it as they left, but in his heart, he knew he was thankful to have memories of how it once was. He let his tail drop, it's colored tip nearly touching the dusty river bed. They had barely moved, but he was already tired.

Skysong's ears flicked at his praise, "I wouldn't go that far, Bloodoath, but thank you. I will do my best." The group moved onward, the she-cat kept her eyes ahead, her ears turned upward to catch faraway sounds. The woods were quiet, as she expected. As they traveled, Bloodoath asked what she expected to find and, for a few moments she didn't answer. She didn't know. After a while, she responded, "Somewhere safe, where out kits can be protected and our mothers well fed. A place we can make our home and grow." Her eyes flicked over to him, "What about you? What do you hope to find there?"

The ghostly she-cat wandered over to her living child, watching with a proud smile as she worked hard to help her clan. She chuckled softly to Emberkit, licking his ears. "Emberkit, don't be jealous. You'll get your turn soon enough."

She hadn't thought about that. Then again, she hadn't had much energy to consider anything positive lately. Her kits would be one of the first to start their lives in their new home, but that was if they survived that long. Her nose twitched, head jerking to the side in thought.

Really, some positive thought could do her some good.

"I suppose I am," she answered, head cocked to the side. What would they name the kids? She shook her head, redirecting her attention to the sisters.

"Ah, your warrior names. Are you excited?" A tired smile touched her face, eyes absent from the conversation. She remembered the day she earned her warrior name -- it had been one of her defining moments. Her tail snapped to the side, a fond sigh escaping her. Those had been the days,

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magnadearel

Littlepaw kept to the rear of the party with Flamepelt, eyes trained on the ground. She was still tossing over what Sunseer had said earlier. Only in pieces? It seemed obvious enough to her, but then again she was just a child. She didn't dare assume she knew better than her father and leader, but...

In pieces?

Were they going to split? Her head shot up, mouth silenced by the herbs she carried. Her eyes darted to and fro from each cat she had grown to know. They'd all split? But... they were family. She didn't want to see her friends leave. She felt her heart leap, ears flipping flat against her head. She had dreamed, all this time, of returning the clan to the glory her father spoke of. She had wanted that for everyone, but would everyone even see it?

Maybe.... maybe that wasn't the case. Again, she wasn't Sunseer. Maybe it meant something else. Something not as traumatic.

Something better.

Magnadearel

Duskwing looked back and forth between the clan members all discussing having a new deputy. She knew Sunseer would have to choose before they headed out. She didn't know why, but he was off. He looked without seeing cats, and he talked to the air and not to a certain cat. If finally dawned on her, he was blind. Her heart sank and thoughts of her parents came unbidden into her mind. Blind cats didn't survive long, they just didn't seem to in this clan at least.

Her ears perked up as Sunseer named Skysong as deputy. Skysong was a good choice in her opinion, she was strict, but had taken the advice that Duskwing had offered in regards to bird hunting. Duskwing was very happy to have a cat that would open keep an open mind in charge.

She looked over at Dustfeather as he approached her, it was sweet that he wanted to be her walking buddy. She thought over his question as she purred back and rubbed her cheek against his in greeting. "Hmm, They might be of the same flock, but they could also have different feathers." She started moving after the rest of her clan while poking her owl feather further into her fur at her shoulder..







Deadeye nodded when the deputy was chosen. It was a good choice, Skysong would lead them well. She watched as Bloodoath and Skysong had their minor conversation. It was obvious to her that he was a bit upset by the turn of events. She looked over to where Goldenleaf and the apprentices were gathered. She'd follow them closely and protect them, but she wouldn't interact more than needed. Nodding to herself she ambled quietly behind the pregnant she-cat and apprentices listening to their quiet words of their upcoming warrior names. She had snorted at their enthusiasm, though she was happy they could let their minds drift to happier topics.











Lilacmoon had watched all of this unfold from the mouth of the den. She really didn't care who the deputy was as long as they kept the clan safe. As Sunseer named Skysong as deputy she didn't know what to think of it, but she started walking towards Goldenleaf. She knew she would be able to help the pregnant she-cat even though she'd never had the joy of bearing kittens. She had helped the she-cats that did have kits regularly enough to know some simple knowledge of keeping kits and queens happy. She stayed back with Deadeye and watched Goldenleaf, Pigeonpaw, and Graypaw talk. Lilacmoon stayed quiet, she didn't want to interfere in the conversation between Goldenleaf and the little apprentices. It was good of the two apprentices to take all of their minds off of the stress of the lack of food and water. She let herself smile at the two, kits and apprentices were always a joy to watch and see how they would change the clan.

The small clan of cats talked amongst themselves as they made their way down the mountainside. The older she-cat lead the way, ears forward and eyes sharp, but no dangers approached them. The sun had taken shelter behind the mountain and night was fast approaching.

The terrain had changed in their day's worth of walking. The sparse trees grew closer now and the scree was replaced with leaf litter and dry pine needles. The slope was gentle here and while there were no caves this far down the mountain, Skysong did happen to spot a toppled old oak.

She looked to Bloodoath beside her and gave the signal to stop. "I think it's about time we looked for a place to sleep tonight. I'll go talk to Sunseer." She turned tail and weaved her way through the throng of cats, counting as she went along. Everyone was still there, thank SunClan. At last, she found their leader walking near the back of the group, lead by Dawnbreak. She gave a nod to the young warrior and spoke, "Sunseer, night is approaching and I feel it is best that the clan stop for the night. We need to hunt and to rest."

They say the first step of any journey is the hardest, but Sunseer felt as though every step was impossibly difficult. He knew it was the right thing to do, but leaving the place where his kits had been born, where his mate lay buried, it weighed heavily in his heart.

But thanks to Dawnbreak and her optimism, the old tom made it through the first day. It was strange, this had been the most he'd spoken to anyone in days. It felt nice having a deputy agian. While he loved his clan and their needs were always his top priority, he had missed the social aspect of clan life. When Skysong approached and said it was near sun-down, he was both surprised and relieved.

"Yes, lets." He settled down onto his haunces, straightening out his back. He lifted his head high and called to his clan. "MountainClan! You have done well and now we must rest. Anyone well enough to hunt, please come here."

As the sun began to fade, so did the SunClan warrior Morningsky. As the light faded, she wrapped her tail around her kits. "Don't worry, little ones. We will be back tomorrow. Let's let them rest."

And they would be back tomorrow. And the day after that. And every day for as long the sun hung in the sky. Until then, they too would rest back home in their camp nestled in the sun, peeking into the dreams of their sleeping descendants.

Bloodoath nodded agreeing with the shecat. His paws were tired from walking but he didnt let it show. He would sleep when he fell over and no sooner. There was too much to do.... "Alright... want me to check out around that log... make sure that it isnt housing anything else? If not... i think that would be a good spot to settle goldenleaf out of the wind... " He figured she had had the same idea and so he headed toward the log. He heard Sunseer call for the cats that would go hunting. While he would be able to hunt he would let his clanmates offer as he went to make sure that that log was safe. Carefully he peeked around the end and scented for anything that could be dangerous. It seemed alright?

Dawnbreak waved her tail in greeting so if he didnt smell her coming sunseer would know that there was an approaching cat. She perked her ears at the thought of going hunting. "I would love to go hunting!" She worried a moment that she wouldnt be able to go since she had taken it on herself to hang out by sunseer. She figured though that sunseer would settle in and then they could go. So she was there. She purred and looked around noticing bloodoath poking around the fallen tree. Hopefully he didnt poke some sleeping animal. She flicked an ear and turned her attention back to sunseer for his orders. She perked her ears at Littlepaw. Dovetail was mentoring her... but... had any warrior been showing her how to hunt... how to fight? "Coming along to make sure i dont get in trouble?!" She purred in amusement but didnt challenge the medicine cat her position to come hunting.

Silverstreak was inclined to join her sisters on the hunt, but her breathing was labored and she sat down the moment they stopped walking. Ducking her head in a moment of personal shame, she decided that if she couldn't join them, knowing she might slow them down (what a thought, she used to be the fastest cat in MountainClan!) then she could at least gather materials nearby to make her sisters' nests for when they returned from their hunt.

"Hey Stormsong," She mewed as she padded away. "Want to help me see if I can't find some moss or something to make nests?"



Dustfeather had stuck by Duskwing's side the entire walk, trying to keep the chatter going about birds. What her favorite kind of bird was to watch, versus to eat. How she could treewalk without fear of falling? If she were a bird, what was the first thing she would do? And so on. He cared for her, quite a bit, he realized and he wanted to make sure she was happy and not dwelling on the past. He curled his tail around hers as they walked, only stopping in his speech a few times, when he began to worry about talking her ears off.

When the night began to fall and Skysong and Sunseer decided to call it for their journey today, Dustfeather was going to find a place to curl up, maybe make a nest of sorts, when Duskwing volunteered to go on the hunting patrol. He quickly moved to join her.
"I would like to go too, if I may." He mewed to Sunseer as he stood beside Duskwing and the other cats who had come forward. He was surprised to see Littlepaw, the medicine cat apprentice, or... maybe she was the medicine cat, since there was no other here. He supposed she must've learned some hunting before she started experimenting with herbs. Maybe he could teach her something about hunting, while they were out.


Blazekit felt himself disappearing with the fading light and he looked to Sunseer and Littlepaw. Their Clan would remain strong, he thought and stronger still with him and all of SunClan joining them.

"Good luck." He mewed, before he leaned into Morningsky's warm pelt and vanished altogether.


Robinpaw had been walking with the group, sticking close to her siblings. She was tired and while she wanted to join her mentor, Duskwing, on the hunting patrol, she found herself straying back. She'd go if she was asked, but otherwise, she just wanted to curl up and sleep.

She was headed towards the edge of the group when she noticed Pigeonpaw, an apprentice around her age, nearby. She approached with a tired smile.
"I never thought I'd ever walk so far in my life. Even when I saw MountainClan's territory for the first time, my paws weren't nearly as sore as they are now!" She sighed. "How're you holding up, Pigeonpaw?" She asked.

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Pigeonpaw

magnadearel

Stormsong

Tigeria

Duskwing

Blinded By Silence

Morningsky, Sunseer
Dustfeather will join the patrol!

Thorncoat flicked his ears, turning his attention towards Sunseer as evening fell and it was announced it was time to rest for the evening. Thorncoat had drifted about the group as they'd travelled, mindful of the order to stay with others, but his own tendency to skip in and out of conversations left him wandering among his clanmates.

Their mountain home was behind them now. An old dried up gorge where generations of MountainClan had made it's home, lsot now. Goldenleaf's new kits would never know the old cliffs and peaks. Apprentices like Eclipsepaw and Pigeonpaw were leaving behind everything while still learning their way. Thorncoat sighed quietly, turning away from the dark pines and towards the huddling of cats.

Passing nearby was Deadeye, and what better time to check in on her group?

"How are they doing?" Thorncoat asked, but only after he had padded right up next to Deadeye, matching her pace as she picked her way around camp. It was rather obvious where her attention was directed, even if he was looking at her side with the blinded eye.