Border Page |☾ ☼ ϟ ≈ ☁|

Thunder/Sky-

While Frostmoon flicked her tail with silent impatience, she did not argue with Ghostscreech’s decision. Rather, she stared over the border and thought for a long moment. Finally, she glanced at Ghostscreech and asked simply. “Would you tell me, if there was a threat to our Clan, or something important? You know that I can handle it, right?”

Wind/River-

“Of course we can. As many times as you like, I’ll make it happen.” Splashstone exclaimed brightly, lifting to his paws and giving her an assuring nod. “How about, every third night, we sneak out and come here? That way we can sleep and patrol without looking suspicious.”

Thunder/Sky

Frostmoon seemed a bit tense at that, her eyes flashing as she mumbled. “That sounds like a pretty important thing to tell the Clan about. Is there a reason why Lightningstar hasn’t made it a point to say anything to the rest of us?” She looked away, Forestblaze’s words echoing in her mind. She didn’t like having to hear it passed from cat to cat when Lightningstar could say it directly.

Wind/River

“I will. Don’t worry. I’m going to catch a blackbird to make up for it.” Splashstone humored easily, touching his muzzle to hers one last time with a long sigh. “I’ll see you soon…”

Thunder/Sky-

Frostmoon was silent for a moment. While it was true that alot had happened, she felt a flicker of frustration that it always seemed like that kind of sympathy was to be given more to Lightningstar than to everyone else. While as a leader, he had alot of stress and she understood that, she also recognized that he had more than one life to spare, while cats like Laceheart and Lightningpaw were never coming back. She sighed softly.

“I get it. I do. I just… feel like he always thinks he can do everything by himself. He doesn’t have to go to every Clan by himself when sending patrols to do it all at once would be faster and would let him rest. He looks half-asleep, and while I’m glad that he has you, he also has all of us.” She trailed off, inwardly accepting that Ghostscreech probably wouldn’t fully understand her feelings. She reminded herself that it was just how it was, and that she could get over it. She turned her head. “Not that my thoughts on the matter really mean much.”


River/Wind-

Splashstone did the same as he climbed up the gorge ledges back up towards the moorlands of Windclan. He stood at the top of the ledge, the wind blowing his fur as he looked longingly at her. Finally, he released a heavy breath, and sulked off back towards his territory.

Frostmoon was silent again for a long moment before her voice came out with a tone even she couldn’t decipher. “You can say it, you know. At least, the big thing that likely will happen soon is you getting nine lives and a Star in your name.” She looked at him then, not sure if it was accepted envy or love that made her eyes soften.

“You have to be ready for that, you know. This is the position you accepted when Lightningstar chose you. And as much as you’ve convinced me to listen to myself and how I feel about you, I’m not going to let that cloud my expectations for you as a leader. Hopefully you’ll be less stubborn, and actually depend fully on the rest of us instead of doing it all yourself.” She mewed bluntly.

As Ghostscreech explained the situation more, Frostmoon blinked in sudden understanding. So he was upset about losing Lightningstar, not so much about the prospect of becoming leader. Feeling a hint of guilt at getting her assumption wrong, she finally relented with a more sympathetic tone, though she found it very hard to think of the right words to say, to properly empathize like cats like her father could.

“Oh… well…” She began lightly, gently pawing at the grass beneath her paws as she averted her eyes. “Foxheart was… She is, a good mentor. She did her job and did it well, and I respect her for it. But… I guess there was always going to be a chance that one day I would wake up and she could be gone. Or, I could be gone. That’s scary for any cat, really. I misunderstood what you were saying, but I think I understand now.”

She looked at Ghostscreech with knowing eyes. “The only thing I know how to do is do my best to keep the things Foxheart taught me alive and continue it on. When Laceheart died, Featherfoot had hardly any time between losing his father and then her, his mentor. And I can tell it’s hurting him, but he can’t control that any more than you can.” She swallowed, ears falling as she felt awkward and guilty that she wasn’t better at this kind of consoling.

“When Lightningstar goes, he won’t be far, right? Just, uhm… somewhere else, and you’re one of the only cats who can visit that place for the chance to see him and well, anyone up in Starclan. It’ll be hard, but you’re strong. You’ll make it through, and you’ll honor all he taught you by being the Warrior he trained you to be.”

Frostmoon looked at Ghostscreech for a long moment, as though searching for something in the deputy’s eyes. Her own flicked to the side, before she spoke honestly. “It’s not selfish… it’s nature. You don’t want to lose someone who means so much to you. I can’t act like I’ll ever be able to understand your relationship with Lightningstar, but I’m not blind when you, and Snowdrop, and Squirreltail, and Eclipsesky and…” She blinked sadly. “…and Yarrowcloud, the way you all lit up when you’re with him. I wish I could tell you that you could keep him here with you forever. But I’d be a liar. And I can’t be a liar, especially not to you.”

She padded closer to Ghostscreech, brushing her tail against his shoulder gently. “You have… such a good heart. It’s why you make me feel different. Happy. Please, don’t think that I would belittle you for caring about your mentor. The best thing I know how to do is be there for the cats I care about. I say, if you have time left with him, do not waste it.”

Frostmoon was surprised by the intensity of Ghostscreech’s words, though rather than tense up or flinch away from the affectionate contact like she would in most circumstances, she found herself able to accept it this time. Maybe because it was him, or because she knew that he needed it, but she felt a warm feeling spread through her. Was this what her father described, when he was close with her mother. She widened her eyes, realizing that yes, she could feel it, and that she wasn’t incapable of this feeling like she thought she was.

She looked up at him, electric blue eyes both bewildered and gentle. “I love… I love you to, I. I really do. And uhm… it’s okay. Dumping it on me. I mean, it’s not even really dumping anything. This is the kind of stuff that mates talk about, and help with… right?” She asked, hoping that she was doing this right. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of him being close in ways that she couldn’t enjoy it with anyone else, at least in this particular way.

Frostmoon looked up at the deputy with a glimmer in her eyes, though she felt herself still a bit surprised at how deeply he seemed to care for her. It wasn't that she didn't believe him, but moreso that she had no idea how to handle these kinds of feelings like her father or most of the Clan could. She felt a bit nervous of the idea that he couldn't live without her, not wanting him to dedicated his life to her so deeply, yet she reminded herself that he was likely exaggerating, and that it was another thing mates did.

She blinked, before she mewed. "Oh, I mean. Anytime. That's what I'm here for. I mean, well. That's what I can be here for most of the time. I just..." She shook her awkwardness away and murmured. "I'd do anything to make you feel better. I would."

After waiting at the SkyClan border for a long while, Ghostscreech stood up, starting to feel uneasy. “They should have been back by now. These patrols have never taken this long before.” He mewed worriedly, starting to think that perhaps he should cross into SkyClan territory after all.

Ghostscreech gave a small shake of his head, "We'll give them five more minutes. If they don't show then, we'll make our way to the SkyClan camp." He decided.

Ravenshade hurried forward when they neared the border. She spotted Ghostscreech and Frostmoon. She glanced at Flarestorm nervously. Why was Ghostscreech here?

Nettlepatch's ears flattened as he looked at his deputy. "We split into two groups. Arcticbreeze, Jadefeather, Whitesun and Silvercloud went together further into the twoleg place while Ravenshade and I took the apprentices closer to the forest. The other patrol was attacked. Silvercloud was killed and the other three are missing. Spiritstar did not take the news well."

“Cats apparently from groups deep into twolegplace. Jadefeather called it a “City” everytime she spoke about it in Camp.” Flarestorm explained, before he noticed Frostmoon’s serious expression.

“What do you mean Spiritstar didn’t take it well?”

“I mean, that she freaked out, exploded on our Clanmates, and went off with her son to cool off.” Flarestorm replied bluntly, before he gave a deep exhale. “It’s not good. None of this was supposed to happen, and Spiritstar refuses to send any search patrols to Twolegplace for our own deputy!” He didn’t care if he was spilling information at this point.

Ghostscreech flicked his ear at the news, motioning for Nettlepatch and Ravenshade to join him and Frostmoon on their side of the border. He looked at Flarestorm, a serious expression on his face as he addressed the SkyClan warrior, "The reason we're here is because we just received news of a new rogue threat in the Twolegplace. I was sent here by Lightningstar to pass along a warning to Spiritstar, but it appears that the warning came too late for all of us." He said, dipping his head to Flarestorm. "I believe that Lightningstar will agree with me when I say that continuing these patrols into Twolegplace are far too risky, but it will be up to him if we send a search patrol out for our missing Clanmates. Please tell Spiritstar what I have told you, I would appreciate it if you pass along the message."