RushClan | Camp

Frozenthistle could feel dread prickling at his senses and sighed, raising his head. He directed his amber stare towards the cloudy sky. Oh StarClan, what has happened?

Stonestripe looked at the other medicine cat and shook his head warily. "I'm just being paranoid but...I thought I received an omen for a moment." he mewed

Flurryfeather froze, shocked. "An omen? What was it?" He queried. "I'm sure it's important." An omen. This could either be amazing or horrible.

Feather wrote: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.

ooc: realised I'd never replied

ic: Stagpaw padded over to his sister after grimacing at his parents' affection. "What's got into you?" he mewed to Spiderpaw, not realising she might be in a world of her own.

Wisteriakit rolled her eyes, flopping on to her side. "Whatever. Cloudedkit never wants to do anything fun." 

Brambledusk licked Jadescorch's cheek gently. "I'll wake you if anything happens," he mumbled.

Windpaw tapped his paw nervously as he sat near the entrance of camp, not particularly waiting for anything, just sitting. He found a long time ago that sitting like this calmed his nerves when he met another challenge, so he makes it a habit to come here after training and sit and relax, breathing in the fresh air.

Foxpaw sat in the medicine den, his tail twitching as he waited for his mentor, his eyes following all the other cats. His eyes narrowed when he heard some whispers about his leader and took it in with a grain of salt, not believing a word.

Dragonsoul sunned herself out on the ground, her eyes narrowed as she feels the snow on her pelt. Even if it’s not sunny anymore, she likes feeling the snow on her pelt.

Phoenixcloud sat down near the prey pile, waiting for information.

Spiderpaw jumped upon hearing her brother. She shook herself out of her daze and flattened her ears to her head. "I'm worried about Plumdrop," she admitted slowly and sat down.

Stagpaw's ear flicked, already a little bored of the conversation. "Right. Why?"

"Hunting and defending for your Clan is much more fun than playing," Slatelily purred.

"Just a bad feeling. Don't worry, Stagpaw, I can tell you don't care so I'm not going to bother." Spiderpaw sat down and flicked her tail, wrapping it around her soft paws. 

Cloudedkit stuck her tongue out at her sister. "Yeah, right! I do fun things all the time," she protested, huffing when she heard their mother chuckle fondly at them.

Frozenthistle flexed his claws into the snow and paced in front of the camp entrance, glancing out of it repeatedly.

Stagpaw rolled his eyes. "Come on, you're my sister, you can talk to me."

Plumdrop stumbled down the rock entrance to the camp, almost slipping on a wet stone but catching herself before she fell. "Where's Flurryfeather?!"

Spiderpaw stood up the moment she spotted her mentor, putting out a forced air of indifference while her green eyes tracked the movements of the warrior. "I just have a bad feeling, Stagpaw," she mewed. 

Frozenthistle whirled to face Plumdrop. "He's in the medicine den, Plumdrop. What's happened?" His tone was strained with worry, tail flicking anxiously.

Plumdrop narrowed her eyes. "I'd rather talk to him first," she said a little curtly.

Frozenthistle narrowed his eyes at that. "I'll accompany you. You can tell us both at the same time," he replied evenly, lashing his fluffy tail before padding towards the medicine den.

Plumdrop shook her head. "Stagheart will tell you when we get back. This is a discussion only for medicine cats."

"My son is a medicine cat, and I am the deputy, Plumdrop. Would you like to question my order again and risk the consequence?" Frozenthistle turned and stared down the shecat, amber eyes narrowed into slits.

"Would you like to start a fight in the middle of the camp?" Plumdrop hissed back, aware of the other cats around. "You will understand later, when Stagheart talks to you. Step aside."

Frozenthistle stepped right up into her face, leaning down and hissing into her ear, "Last I checked, you hold no authority over me. Try again, kit." He stood up, shaking out his fur and waltzing back into the medicine den.

Stonestripe briskly trotted out of medicine den at the sound of yowling. "What's going on?" Stonestripe mewed to Plumdrop, ignoring his father.

Plumdrop dipped her head, trying to flatten the spiked fur on her neck. "Stagheart's sent me to get you," she explained.

"Did you find Spiderstar?" he whispered, voice shaking.

The white tom twisted his ears to listen, straightening up while dread filled his gut.

Plumdrop gave the slightest nod. "We need as many cobwebs as you have," she stated, a little strained and trying to ignore the other deputy.

Stonestripe gave a curt nod. "No one panic," he mewed, rushing to the medicine den. He grabbed a swath of cobwebs created by the spider that had nested in his den only moments before and rushed towards Plumdrop.

That might not be enough, she thought to herself a little ominously, but nodded back at him. "Let's go."

Stonestripe nodded. "Lead the way." he mumbled.

Plumdrop darted off, shooting a glare at Frozenthistle on her way out.

Stagpaw rolled his eyes, stretching. "I'm sure it's nothing bad."

Spiderpaw bristled upon noticing the hostility from Plumdrop. She snarled softly, nudging her brother. "We're sneaking out of camp and following the patrol," she hissed quietly, tail waving anxiously. "I want to see what's so secret about all this."

Stagpaw's ears pricked a little. "I'm sorry?" 

Brambledusk padded over to Frozenthistle. "Do you want me to take out another patrol? I'm sure the rabbits will be enjoying this sunshine like us."

"Come on, Stagpaw, show some bravery." Spiderpaw was already creeping out of camp, glancing back and waving her tail for her brother to follow. 

Frozenthistle sighed heavily and nodded. "I suppose so. Thank you, Brambledusk." The deputy flicked his ears backwards. "Preferably take only a few warriors."

Stagpaw glanced around, darting after Spiderpaw once he though it was clear.

Brambledusk dipped his head. "You're most welcome."

Spiderpaw launched herself into camp, panting heavily while Frozenthistle whirled to face the sudden noise. She was trembling, glancing back for Stagpaw and whimpering like a lost kit. When Frozenthistle began to ask what she'd been doing out of camp, she interrupted him with a yowled, "Spiderstar is dead!" 

The deputy stumbled backwards, visibly shaken by the outburst. His features hardened a moment later. "Spiderpaw, relax. Maybe you saw it wrong. Plumdrop would've informed me if Spiderstar had died," he mewed, trying to keep his voice low while cats began to murmur around them.

Brambledusk glared at his daughter. "Control yourself, Spiderpaw," he scolded.

"No, dad! There was blood everywhere!" Spiderpaw wailed, collapsing onto the camp floor and covering her face with her paws. "Stonestripe wasn't bandaging her, so that means she's dead! I swear I'm not lying! Stagpaw saw it too!"

Jadescorch approached her mate, looking at their daughter with sad eyes. She glanced toward Frozenthistle, then looked to her mate again. "Maybe we should have open minds.. She might not be lying," she meowed slowly.

"That doesn't excuse the fact that she snuck out of camp. And Stagpaw," he looked around, fixing his eyes on the rattled looking tom.

"We can worry about that later, Brambledusk." Frozenthistle heaved a heavy sigh and padded closer to the apprentices, lightly nudging Stagpaw closer to his sister. "Until then, tell me what happened."

Foxpaw looked around, his eyes narrowing as he briefly heard Spiderpaw’s exclaimation, however his eyes were focused on where his mentor should be. He narrowed his eyes and stood, going to find him, however then the exclaimation from before sunk in, leaving him eyes wide and worried. “Spiderstar is dead?” He whispered, questioning.

Windpaw walked up towards his mentor, standing beside Brambledusk as he looked up towards him. “Is it true?” He asked, knowing that he needed not say what he was asking about.

"Everyone was being so secretive and I just wanted to know what was happening." Spiderpaw whimpered and gazed up at the large tom, dappled tail drooping against the ground. "I kind of forced Stagpaw to come with.. he didn't seem to want to," she mewed, looking down and scuffing up the snow with a paw. "We followed Plumdrop and Stonestripe, and then we saw her.. Oh StarClan." The tortoiseshell wailed and curled up in the snow.

Frozenthistle blinked rapidly and glanced to Brambledusk and Jadescorch. "Let's wait on that hunting patrol until some things are confirmed," he mewed, sighing heavily.

Jaysplash perked up from the opposite side of the camp, his gaze landing on the gathering group around Fronzenthistle and Spiderpaw. Spiderstar was dead? The tom padded over to the growing crowd around the deputy and the apprentice, his eyes roaming his clanmates' faces to gauge their reactions. His voice was slightly shaken at the idea of their leader being dead, but he spoke as evenly as he could. "Are Stonestripe and Plumdrop right behind you?" He looked at the deputy and suggested softly, "Perhaps some of us can go confirm and help them."

Wildflower's claws dug into the ground, anchoring her to remain in the camp and not race off into the territory to search for Spiderstar. "Where was this, Spiderpaw?" She asked the apprentice as gently as she could, but there was no denying the edge to her swaying movement and voice.

Brambledusk flicked his tail irritably, watching as Stagpaw kept his head down. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" he mewed gruffly. 
Stagpaw shook his head, scuffing his paws. "I'll go clean the elders' den," he mumbled.

Spiderpaw shrunk away from the barrage of questions and darted after her brother, draping her tail over his back. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble, Stagpaw," she mewed, bowing her head. "And I'm sorry about Spiderstar."

Frozenthistle looked down to Jaysplash and sighed. "No. We'll wait until the others get back, and allow them to confirm or deny what Spiderpaw said." His tail flicked, and he flattened his russet ears as he glanced up. Let Stonestripe come back safe, StarClan. He sat by the entrance to the camp.

Stagpaw shrugged her tail off. "Don't," he grumbled. "We'll both be punished, leave it at that."

Brambledusk huffed rather loudly, and Riverswoop kept to the edge of the conversation.

Jadescorch nuzzled her mate, rasping her tongue over his ear with a heavy sigh. "I remember our days as apprentices," she mewed, flicking her tail. "Be angry with them later, Brambledusk. Stagpaw might've just lost his mentor," she whispered and touched her nose to his ear. 

Cloudedkit bustled out of the nursery, Peachspring following with a little huff. The tabby flicked her tail for Wisteriakit to follow. 

Spiderpaw flattened her ears and nodded, letting her tail droop behind her.

Jaysplash nodded, showing his agreement with the deputy. His sister on the other hand, bristled at the suggestion. "We should not wait when it comes to our leader," she hissed softly to Jaysplash, her tail lashing. Her eyes landed on Frozenthistle with disbelief before she focused on her brother again. "I can-" 

Jaysplash shook his head roughly, cutting off his sister's thoughts before she could finish the sentence. "No. You will listen to Frozenthistle this time. He is right. Too many cats out searching would only increase the panic and would not do the medicine cats' any good. We wait for their return with or without Spiderstar." He licked her cheek. "Go hunt if you need to let out your emotions, but do not disobey your deputy." The she-cat only huffed in response.

Brambledusk shook his head. "They should both know better," he growled softly, padding over to the abysmal fresh kill pile.

Riverswoop put his paw out, purring lightly as Wisteriakit ran into it with a huff. "What?"
"Go play in the corner," Riverswoop looked between her and Cloudedkit. "Away from the entrance."

"But dad, I want to see the others when they get back!" Cloudedkit huffed and sat down beside her sister, ears flattening to her head. 

"Listen to your father, girls," Peachspring purred and sat beside Riverswoop, nudging the two kits away from the camp entrance.

Violetwave narrowed her eyes at Frozenthistle, tail twitching with irritation. She pushed herself to her paws, stretching out while worry for her son filtered through.

Wisteriakit's ears flattened in annoyance but she obeyed, padding to the waterfall at the back of the camp and lapping lightly at the fresh water. "We can climb on the rocks and watch," she whispered to Cloudedkit.

Cloudedkit nodded excitedly to her sister, taking a few laps at the water herself before scrambling onto one of the rocks.

Flurryfeather swished his tail, running the news through his head. Concern for his old apprentice prickled at the base of his neck. He sat down by the entrance, anxiously waiting for the group to return.