ϟ ThunderClan ϟ The Fierce and Caring ϟ |☾ ☼ ϟ ≈ ☁| ϟ

Echo watched the patrol leave, giving them a wave of her tail in goodbye. After they disappeared into the burnt forest, she stood up and started back towards the abandoned nest to start gathering the materials that was left behind.

Ghostscreech led the patrol back to camp, dragging the brambles into the clearing and depositing them. He looked at his patrol and nodded, “Go ahead and drop those off, I’m going to go talk to Lightningstar, then we’ll head out and get the rest if you’re all up for it.” He said, looking around for Lightningstar, “If not, we can find others who are rested.”

Willowsong placed the brambles down near where the warriors were working, taking a quick moment to lick her fur down where the brambles had been caught in it. She then padded back over to the entrance of the camp to settle down until Ghostscreech was ready to head out again.

Seafoam took a deep breath, her joints starting to ache from the effort of dragging the debris out of the camp. She laid down in an unoccupied corner to take a break.

Shadowblossom and Brackenheart worked together to take some of the brambles the patrol had brought back and began to fix up the elder's den.

Nettlepatch padded back into camp, a squirrel and a vole hanging from his jaws, he turned to see if Deerleap was still following.

Darktail and Webstripe were napping at the edge of the clearing, trying to get some rest before going back to rebuilding the nursery.

Cloudysky was working on hauling a burnt branch towards the pile that Flamesky and Brokenwing had started, Flamesky holding the other end of the branch.

Brokenwing followed after Flamesky and Cloudysky with another pile of burnt moss, tossing it away from the pile of branches they had already collected.

Heyo!)

Ghostscreech followed after Lightningstar, “Well enough.” He said, sitting down and wrapping his tail over his paws, “We found plenty of brambles and moss, but we’ll have to go back for more.” Ghostscreech reported, he hesitated slightly before continuing, “We ran into Shardfury’s sister, Echo. She offered to help us find the materials we need to rebuild the camp.”

Ghostscreech sighed, “I know it’s not ideal, especially right now.” He said, his ear flicking in doubt, “But Echo does know twolegplace better than most of us, and an extra set of paws couldn’t hurt. I know Shardfury trusts her.” Ghostscreech explained.

Ghostscreech nodded in agreement, “I understand. We were going to go back soon, we couldn’t carry everything, so we agreed to meet at the border.” He said, “Echo said she could carry what we left behind to the border for us.”

(For Fox!)

Lightningstar nodded and stood to follow his deputy. Sunthroat could handle things while he and his deputy was out.

Shadeclaw looked at his paws as Hornetstrike spoke. “I don’t know.” He mumbled bitterly. “No one ever listened to me.”

“So your solution was to terrorize the clan into submission? That was how you were going to get them to listen?” Hornetstrike inquired firmly, looking at the tom with sharp eyes. The anger there faded quickly though into an exhausted desperation.
“Did you really think that I would not have listened to you had you spoken to me? You were my apprentice, I thanked Starclan for every single day that I got to train you and see you grow into a Warrior.”

Willowsong dipped her head in greeting to the leader. "Hello Lightningstar. I'm glad you're feeling up for a patrol." she mewed with a small smile.

"We were suffering." Hornetstrike murmured, too heartbroken to be angry. "You forced the elders out to survive on their own...you put claws on a kit, Shadeclaw. You sent injured Warriors into consecutive battles...myself being one of them." Hornetstrike looked at his former apprentice for a long time. "...Had you been truly chosen and ready to be a leader, and had you done it truly for the clan, I would have supported you. But you didn't. You did it for you, Shadeclaw, for your own motivations. In a way, I blame myself. Oh, Shadeclaw, I wish I could have guided you better..."

"Listen to yourself!" Hornetstrike snapped back sharply, his tail lashing lightly. "Listen to the way you talk!Who got their claws on you to change you in this way?...You used to be so determined, to be the best cat you could be. I saw the light in your eyes, and by Starclan, nothing made me prouder!...I wanted nothing more than to see you become the Warrior I knew you could be." His yellow eyes flickered.

"The elders you banished were crippled...and the kit you harmed will have to live with those scars for the rest of his life. The clan did not respect you! They feared you!...We feared you, Shadeclaw. And your own apprentice too, to pass such things onto him..."

Leopardfrost padded over to Nighteye, “Are you gathering a patrol together?” She asked, eager to get out of camp for once, “I can go with you.”

Ghostscreech nodded to his patrol, “Alright, let’s go.” He said, pushing out of camp and heading back to the border where they had planned to meet up with Echo.