RushClan | Camp

Slatelily shook her head. "I'm not hungry." she mewed, "Peachspring?"

ooc: dunno where he is so lol

ic: Stagpaw huffed, tucking his paws under his belly. "I hate snow," he grumbled.

Abysssreak sat on his own a small distance away, not fully awake as of yet and completely spaced out, thinking to himself.

Stagheart trotted to Abyssstreak, chest puffed out boldly. "Hey, the snow's picking up, you really should get inside." he mewed.

Riverswoop shifted the last rock into place, watching as the snow piled up against it. “Hm, must be warm,” he mumbled to himself, padding inside and licking Peachspring’s cheek.

Abyssstreak was jolted out of his thoughts by suddenly being spoken to, his eyes flicked over to Stagheart, searching for an answer, before simply nodding and padding off to take his advice.

Frozenthistle shook the snow from his fur, his paws and ears a splash of color against the white. He padded over to help reinforce some of the walls, joining silently. He twitched his ears when Firelily jumped upon noticing him.

Stagheart nodded to Frozenthistle stiffly.

Stonestripe looked over the camp from his shelter in the medicine den. He silently watched his father disappear under the makeshift den and stiffened. I should warn Spiderstar about him. He trotted to the back of his den and spotted a small spider crawling across the stone floor. As he watched its erratic movement he noticed another, larger spider crouched in the shadow of a stone shelf. The large spider sprang at the small spider, which reacted too slowly to escape as its mandibles hooked around its abdomen. The tiny spider was torn apart and devoured in heartbeats. Stonestripe stepped backward in horror. A warning from StarClan?

Abyssstreak eventually found a place that he wouldn't be covered completely and quickly covered in snow, and sat down and retreated into his thoughts once again, this time however making sure he didn't completely space out in case some cat needed him for something.

Peachspring purred at her mate, turning to Slatelily. "I'm not very hungry right now. The elders might be, or even the apprentices," she mewed. 

Frozenthistle padded to the medicine den, peering in at his son. He winced inwardly and stepped back, guilt pooling in his gut, while an awkward tension surrounded him. He shook his head and waved for Firelily to head in.

Firelily trotted into the medicine den to address the scrape she'd gotten on her paw, but paused when she noticed Stonestripe's stiffness. "Stonestripe?" She mewed, stepping closer, "Are you okay?"

Stonestripe turned to Firelily, eyes wide. "Where's Spiderstar?" he mewed hoarsely.

Slatelily shivered. "When the snow lets up we need to collect more bedding," she muttered.

"She went out awhile ago. Said something about needing a walk. Is- Is everything okay?" Firelily's ears flattened with worry, and she twitched her tail anxiously.

"I just...I saw an omen," he stuttered, "She's in danger of some sort."

Frozenthistle picked up on his son's warning, and his eyes widened. He stepped inside. Even if he was a terrible father, he was a great deputy. "What do you suggest we do, Stonestripe?" He meowed.

Stonestripe glared at his father, "You're the deputy." he growled.

"And you're the medicine cat who receives advice from our ancestors." Frozenthistle replied evenly, leveling his amber gaze with his son's. "You got the omen. I figured you might know the best course to take."

Firelily looked between the two toms with widened eyes. She hadn't realized just how much Stonestripe disliked his father. She gulped and stepped closer to Stonestripe, brushing her tail over his back to try and comfort him.

Stonestripe flinched. "We need to bring her back to camp, but I'm not risking anyone's life in the blizzard." he mewed, "If you want to, that's your call."

"There's no point in risking more lives." Frozenthistle hesitated, looking much like he wanted to say something, before he sighed and turned, walking out. 

"Stonestripe, are you okay?" Firelily moved into the medicine cat's line of sight, holding her scraped paw slightly off the ground. "I didn't realize there was so much tension between you two."

Stonestripe swabbed chervil juice across her scraped paw, not looking up. "If he wanted me to be nice to him he should have acknowledged I existed before I became a medicine cat." he muttered.

"Well, he was kinda young when your mom had kits, wasn't he? Maybe he was overwhelmed." Firelily shrugged and nudged him gently with her shoulder. "I'm sure things will get a little better. Anyways, is there anything you need help with?" She mewed, swishing her tail along the ground.

Stonestripe rolled his eyes. "Not when it's snowing like this."

Feather wrote:Peachspring purred at her mate, turning to Slatelily. "I'm not very hungry right now. The elders might be, or even the apprentices," she mewed. 

Riverswoop shook his head. "Queens and elders eat first," he insisted. "This blizzard won't last long. The wind's already slowing down."

"Once it's safe, we need to send a patrol to make sure the one out right now is okay," Stagheart mewed, "Afterwards, we need to step up hunting patrols. We don't know if the storm will kick up again later and we need to be well fed if it does."

Slatelily nodded in agreement, "Hopefully they haven't already frozen out there.."

Peachspring let out a stubborn huff, but nodded after a moment and took the rabbit. "Okay," she mewed. 

Jadescorch trudged into camp, shivering as she shook the snow off her pelt. "I hate the snow," she grumbled and slumped against her mate.

"Oh thank StarClan you all are alright," Stagheart sighed, "Did you see Spiderstar while you were out?"

Jadescorch lifted her head, shaking it after a long moment. "She's not here?"

"She went out for a walk before the storm started," Stagheart mewed in a concerned voice.

Jadescorch stiffened and glanced back out the camp entrance. "It looks like it might be starting to clear up. Has a patrol been organized for a search?" She mewed, worry coating her voice.

Frozenthistle interjected then, stepping forward. "I spoke with Stonestripe already. He and I agree on sending a patrol once the storm has cleared," he mewed, flattening his ears. "I haven't organized one yet."

Stagheart flattened his ears at the other deputy. "What if something happens to her out in the snow?" he asked, curling his lip.

Stonestripe padded out to the patrol, ushering them into the makeshift shelter in order to warm them up.

"She has nine lives. Our other clanmates only have one. We can't risk losing more." Frozenthistle mewed regretfully and bowed his head. 

Jadescorch padded slowly into the medicine den, curling up in a nest.

Stagheart flicked his stubby tail irritably. "I'll head the search patrol." he announced.

"Do you still feel the cold?" Stonestripe mewed, sitting next to the older warrior uncomfortably.

Frozenthistle blinked and nodded. "Firelily," he called out to the russet shecat, waiting till she was closer before meowing, "You'll accompany Stagheart on the patrol to find Spiderstar." 

Firelily nodded and stretched out, shaking the snow off her fur. She smiled at Stagheart while the other deputy walked away. "Who else should come with?" 

Jadescorch nodded, curling her tail tightly around herself. "Yes, a lot," she huffed, curling into a tight ball.

"Plumdrop." Stagheart blurted out, then cursed to himself when he remembered their awkward encounter earlier that day.

Stonestripe sighed and curled around the warrior, inwardly cringing. "The good news is you don't have a chill so you probably won't die." he mewed, "You do need to stay inside and get rest though."

Firelily glanced over towards Plumdrop and her ears heated, blushing beneath her fur. "Alright!" She trotted away from Stagheart, nudging the tortoiseshell. "Plumdrop, Stagheart said you're on the patrol to help find Spiderstar after the storm passes," she meowed cheerfully, waving her tail. 

Jadescorch looked at the medicine cat and sighed. "Stonestripe, you do realize I have a mate who can do just this, right?" She meowed and looked between him and herself. "Don't make yourself uncomfortable."

Plumdrop frowned a little. "M-me? Why me?" 

Brambledusk snorted from a few tail lengths away where he was talking to Windpaw. "Oh, no, this is funny."

"Well, because he trusts you? I can't read his mind." Firelily beamed warmly at the shecat. 

Jadescorch glared playfully at her mate, flicking her tail. "You can be such a pest sometimes, Brambledusk," she meowed, rolling her eyes even while she chuckled.

Flurryfeather woke up with a snort. The fading scent of Stonestripe lingered in the den. What did he miss? He awkwardly pushed himself to his paws. He had fallen asleep after sorting herbs, not even in his nest! Flurryfeather stretched and padded to the den entrance. Peering out, he tasted the cold, bitter air. Shivering, he ran-hobbled out. He made his way over to the makeshift shelter. "Hey, what happened? Is someone hurt?"

"No, just some cold harebrains." Stonestripe scoffed.

"Where do you think we should look?" Stagheart asked, keeping his gaze firmly on Frozenthistle and not at all glancing at Plumdrop's pretty face.

"Spiderstar tends to walk closer to the outside border, away from the other clans." Frozenthistle glanced up towards the sky as the snow began to slow, twitching his russet ears. "Try there and the areas around it. Be careful."

Stagheart nodded coldly then began his trek out of camp, looking over his shoulder for just a moment to see Plumdrop.

Slatelily pricked her ears and trotted to Frozenthistle. "Is there anything the rest of us can do?" she mewed.

"Prepare for the worst." Frozenthistle meowed grimly, looking to the queen with sad amber eyes. "I've got a bad feeling about what they'll find," he mewed and sighed. 

Firelily trotted out hurriedly after Stagheart.

Flurryfeather sat down, ruffling his fur. "Is Spiderstar missing?" Twitching an ear, he listened to the others' conversation. "Do we need to get herbs ready if he's hurt?"

Stonestripe twitched his tail anxiously at his former mentor's words, thinking back to the spider in his den.

Frozenthistle glanced towards his son and flattened his ears. He looked apologetic, and turned away quickly. With a shake of his fur, he cleared the snow from his pelt. "Let's hope StarClan hasn't destined us with ill omens," he muttered, mostly to himself. The deputy paced by the camp entrance, white tail hanging low. 

Peachspring flattened her ears and sighed. She moved to her paws, nudging Slatelily towards the nursery. "The kits will get scared if we stay out here and worry for too long," she mewed.

Plumdrop shook herself, walking out after Stagheart and Firelily.

Brambledusk padded up to his mate and licked her cheek. "We're fine now."

Slatelily nodded, looking anxiously at Frozenthistle then following her denmate back into the nursery.

Stonestripe trotted back into the medicine den, very deliberately avoiding the couple and instead looking to his herbs.

Wisteriakit stared out from the nursery, turning back to her mother. "The snow's stopped!" she squeaked.

"If you're going out, make sure you ask your mother and don't be out too long," Slatelily mewed, "You could still get chills."

Peachspring purred and watched as Cloudedkit batted around a piece of moss. "Convince your sister to go out and then all three of us will," she meowed and rested her head on her paws. 

Jadescorch nodded to her mate, but her eyes fluttered closed with exhaustion. She rested her head on his paws, striped tail resting across his back. 

Spiderpaw paced while she waited for Plumdrop to get back, her pretty fur fluffed up with anxiety. She'd never admit it aloud, but she cared more about her mentor than she let on.

Flurryfeather shuffled his paws, worry prickling at his spine. He had noticed his friend's uncertainty. He followed Stonestripe back to the medicine den. "Is there something bothering you?" He asked.