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As her warriors gathered, Skysong glanced about, surveying those willing to hunt. Littlepaw, the small daughter of her leader who was currently being trained by their warrior ancestors, came as a surprise. She wasn't sure if the apprentice had been properly trained, but when Sunseer allowed it, she too gave her permission. Another nod to Dawnbreak. A little clumsy, but a good cat.

The she-cat purred at the approach of Duskwing. The deputy had grown fond of the little birdbrain and her creative hunting tactics. She hoped they would come in handy tonight. Skysong twitched her tail in amusement as Dustfeather trotted up after her. He was sweet on the avian-obsessed she-cat, the whole clan could tell. Then came another apprentice, a small mottled grey she-cat named Riverpaw. Skysong's heart ached for a moment when she recognized her as one of the now many orphans of MountainClan. So many old friends had been left behind, buried under dust and stone.

She shook her head and settled next to her leader, "Sunseer, we have Dawnbreak, Duskwing, and Dustfeather, as well as two apprentices, Littlepaw and Riverpaw. Will that be enough, do you think?"

Sunseer felt his shoulders droop, heavy with fatigue. He was so tired. But then he felt the familiar touch of his daughter. Purring, he nuzzled her back, reveling in her scent. She smelled so much like her mother. "Yes, this will do for now. Go, bring back what you can. And keep an eye out," He managed a playful wink in the direction of his daughter.

Once the hunting party had left, he stood on aching paws. "Skysong, could you please help me find a place to rest?" He asked, his age showing in the silver around his muzzle.

Although she was beyond exhausted from the days walk and what felt like a long hunt, Riverpaw held her head high as she slowly padded back to the clan carrying two dead lizards. Of course, two lizards wasn't much and it certainly wouldn't feed the whole clan, but it was something. At least some of the cats would be able to eat something. Something was definitely better than nothing. She beamed with pride that she had managed to catch anything under such conditions, and not one but two lizards.

She gently set her trophies down in the middle of the clan. Though her small belly was empty and growled with hunger, the young apprentice only took a small nibble of one of the lizards leaving the rest for her clan mates. They were the reason she had put out the energy to hunt after all.

After a quick survey of the area, she spotted Robinpaw and Honeypaw and slowly made her way towards them. Upon reaching them, she offered no greeting or any words for that matter. She simply laid down and let the exhaustion take her. Within moments she was sound asleep.

Graypaw bounced around as Sunseer chose a new deputy. "Congrats Skysong!" She turned to Goldenleaf, "wha'ts a deputy Goldenleaf? It sounds important." She peered at the gray queen. "Ooooooh! Do you really think so Pigeonpaw? But do you really also think we'll be there before we get our warrior names?" She didn't want to have to travel that long.

She nodded at her mentor's question. "Oh yes! I know you'll help teach me very well!" They walked and walked, but Graypaw wasn't sure they'd made much progress. Everything was so big out here. It was much like when she'd first poked her nose out of the den and encountered Goldenleaf. The world had seemed so big back then too. Maybe this was just a step up.







Splitnose smiled and meowed his congratulation to the new deputy. He hoped she enjoyed her new position. Maybe she wouldn't. Dawnbreak's approval of the mouse wasn't in doubt though, and the tom puffed his chest. Just a bit. He ambled along with the others. Keeping an eye out for trouble and helping those who needed it.

He was torn between stopping for the night and continuing on to see what was next around the bare river bend. When the deputy and the leader called a halt though he plopped down. His paws were tired!







Stormsong nodded pleased by the choice of deputy. Skysong would see to things well. He snorted at his sister's gibe about his rain dancing then his fondness for using his two younger sister's names. "Pah! You're just jealous you didn't think of them first." He waved his tail playfully. Stormsong moved with the rest of the clan, contemplating what new place had been picked out for them.

Belatedly, he realized they were stopping for the night and Silverstreak had asked him a question. Stormsong shook his head at his wool gathering then went to help his sister to build a suitable nest for them.







Flamepelt nodded, quietly congratulation the new deputy. "No worries, there are more of us to help." He wrapped the bundle up as best he could with the leaf and picked it up carefully. His jaws soon ached with holding the bundle that seemed to grow heavier and heavier. Flamepelt was happy that a stop for the day was finally called. He set the bundle of herbs down for Littlepaw to deal with, then went to find a drink and stretch his jaws.

Duskwing had come back to the campsite several times each time bringing back a prey item. When she finally couldn't go back out to hunt she had brought 2 squirrels, 2 lizards, 2 grouse and an owl back to camp. Her breath was labored as she had started hunting and didn't stop until she couldn't see straight. She looked close to passing out as she laid the owl down in the tiny but steadily growing pile in the middle of camp. She managed to make it to a nest and curl up before she was gone to the world, having taken one bite of the owl before she brought it back to the clan to see if it was hunger making her fatigued.








Deadeye had to turn her head all the way to the right, towards Thorncoat to see him properly she flicked an ear at him and turned her attention back to the clan that had prepared to sleep for the night. "Goldenleaf hasn't been sleeping well, and this travel is hard on her." She paused in step thinking that there might be something more than just being that large with kits causing her to have troubled sleep, but she shook that thought away. Sunclan wouldn't be that cruel to have newborn kits on the move, right? "the apprentice pigeonpaw seemed reluctant to leave, while her sisters seem excited." with that bit of information given she watched as Duskwing hauled in the most prey this clan has seen in months. She didn't know how the she-cat had done it, but she hoped she would teach her apprentice Robinpaw to hunt like that. With some of the hunters coming back she made her way back to the campsite to finally rest.

Goldenleaf blinked back at Lilacmoon's questioning, a brief moment of humor returning in her eyes. Her head cocked to the side, a light smirk on her features as she eyed the she-cat.

"I think I'll be fine, although I dare say this is the most strenuous activity I've had to do." Her tail flicked against Lilacmoon's chin, comforting the fretting feline best she could. She would do alright, she felt. For now, at least. Tomorrow was another matter entirely.

Bloodoath, however, surprised her. A short yelp left the she-cat as she jerked her head to the father of her children, ears lowered sheepishly. While the pampering was nice she felt a twinge of guilt that she was the one being treated so sweetly during these trying times. She followed his instructions, taking to the spot offered and immediately curling into the warmth the moss offered.

"Thank you," she murmured affectionately towards Bloodoath before allowing herself to lull to sleep.

caffeinecraving

Tigeria

Thorncoat nodded slightly as Deadeye quickly took her leave. Succinct and to the point, he could appreciate that. Getting a read on the state of the others was useful at least, but it was late and it seemed the other warrior was heading back to the center of the campsite.

Thorncoat cocked his head in consideration, settling for a moment by the lengthening shadows of the foliage outlining the area to think. It was certainly rough on the apprentices wasn't it. Eclipsepaw seemed lost and confused the other day, and the news of Pigeonpaw's state spoke of hard times. Thorncoat is hardly what one might call the best support, in terms of his choice of wording, but, it wouldn't hurt to show the apprentices that Mountainclan's spirit was still here, they were still among clanmates and that would be enough.

He blinked the thoughts away. Tasks to try out tomorrow, maybe he could lift their spirits some? It wouldn't do for him to tarry by the dark dredges of the forest, to get caught and swept away. He stared into the yawning black nearby, the thick of trees and brush, thicker than the mountain cliffs, and likely to grow denser and denser as they went on. How strange and ominous and enticing. He blinked again, herder, and shook his head to jar the meandering thoughts loose. Hunters had come back and the air of sleep was settling over the camp. With a final pass of his gaze over the darkness edging the camp, Thorncoat retired back to the thick of the clan for rest.

She rose easily, having struggled to sleep the entire night. Something had felt wrong -- off. She jolted awake to see the silver form of Skysong, her own mis-matched eyes blinking back against the daylight.

"Is it time to go?" She yawned until she understood what was asked of her. Her mouth snapped shut and teeth clicked together as she scramble to get up. "Dad? Is he okay?" Her voice wobbled with concern as she rose, eyes flicking until she found the form of Sunseer.

He was stiff.
She could see it from there.

Instantly, she propelled forward, leaping over sleeping bodies and most likely stepping on a cat here or there. She slipped in the dirt as she arrived to Sunseer, a paw gently nudging his cheek."Dad? Wake up, Skysong is worried."

He was cold. Cold and stiff and empty. She knew it before she leaned down to listen for breathing. Knew it before she tried to wriggle a paw and feel for his heart-beat. She stepped back, ears pressing flat against her head as her breath came out ragged.

Littlepaw had always been a quiet presence; more often seen than heard. She did not often make noise. Her paws were silent, her voice was gentle, and she carried herself with an almost grace that one would miss if they did not pay attention. The loudest sound she had ever made was the first cry of her birth, and then her life became silence.

Until now.

The sound that escaped her throat was a amalgamation of despair, disbelief, and pain. It ripped from her throat and shrieked into a broken cry that spread through the grounds as her heart broke. She stared down at her father -- the man she still could remember as always towering above her -- and saw only a lifeless and small shell. Her paws reached and touched, seeking any warmth he might offer. Cold. It was all cold. Cold and unforgiving and empty.

He was gone.

She had never once truly grieved the loss of her family. Her mother and siblings died before she could understand what losing them should feel like. She grew up smiling awkwardly as others mourned for her loss and tried to comfort a pain she didn’t felt. Of course she wondered what having them would have been like, but she never had. She only ever had her father; Sunseer, and he was as grand as the sun itself. He was warmth and kindness and determination. His fur burned of love and his eyes spoke of compassion. She loved him -- truly loved him. Yet, she hadn’t known him as well as she should have. Being the leader of a dying clan took its toll and he often found his paws away from his growing child. Like father she had thrown herself mercilessly into any duty she could to help the clan and distance bred. But the entire time she knew she could do it because Sunseer was there. He was watching her steps, counting her successes, and standing behind her as she forged ahead.

Now she felt it -- the hurt. The hurt so many had told her she should have felt long ago. The hurt she had seen in others eyes when they stared at their dead mates and kits. The hurt she thought she had time to run from. Her chest constricted and swelled at the same time. The world felt so big and so small. It didn’t make sense -- why Sunseer? Why the one cat she had? Why him, when all he had done was sacrifice?

The cry turned into a word finally, and all Littlepaw formed was a singular word; “Why?” Her eyes stared down at her father, eyesight darkening as she felt the panic seep in.

“I can fix him,” she breathed as she stepped back. “I’ll get my herbs. I can help him. I can fix him. I’ll fix him.” Her world was growing dark, and with it she felt her chest struggle to grasp any oxygen. Cold adrenaline poured in her veins as her eyes grew distant, head shaking.

“I can fix him, I just.... my herbs...."

Blinded by Silence

She awoke with a start, gasping back shock as she heard a wretched sound escape some cats mouth. Her head snapped over to spot a small Littlepaw standing over Sunseer. Her mind reeled as she fought back sleep and tried to piece together what was happening.

It was clear enough once she managed to catch what Littlepaw was saying.

"No," she breathed, sitting upright. "Is he...?" She didn't dare finish that word. Maybe if she didn't it wasn't true.