|☾ ☼ ϟ ≈ Skyclan: The Resilient and Tough |☾ ☼ ϟ ≈ ☁| ☼

"Seriously?" Poppyclaw stormed towards Frigidshard, eyes narrowing tersely as he mewed. "Then you should have at least said something-"

"Poppyclaw!" Flarestorm quickly rushed to his brother's side, his eyes blazing with warning as he corralled his fierce littermate. He gave a charming smile, shaking his head. "Forget about all the semantics. Spiderbite was doing what any medicine cat would do for another. After all, Lavendersky is not doing well, and getting angry about it probably isn't the thing she wants right now, right?"

"Flarestorm-" Poppyclaw stared, voice dangerously low, before he watched his brother brush past him and give a more vocal greeting.

"Shadowclan! Love the escort, thank you for keeping our Spiderbite safe and sound while he went to get Cliffheart. It was super important, and... well, yeah." He tried to damage control, keeping as much attention on him as he could so they wouldn't focus too much on why no leader or deputy were here to greet them. He swallowed, knowing it would be impossible to hide Spiritstar's death from her literal brother.

Sandflower continued to look around the camp Where is Spiritstar she wondered. It was unlike the leader to not greet a patrol of outsiders, particularly one with Cliffheart.

Sparrowstrike sighed, beckoning their kits toward them. "They're right here with us. Cliffheart is here for Lavendersky and nothing else. I'm sure the patrol will just be here temporarily." 

Springpaw and Twigpaw approached their parents at Sparrowstrike's call. Twigpaw going to press against Splashecho's side. 

Now that he was able, Poppyclaw returned to Eaglenose's side as he gave a low growl. "A big waste that will be. Cliffheart is Spiritstar's littermate. They're the only two left of that cursed litter. Or at least that was the case." Glaring darkly at his clanmates, he pointedly whispered. "So, there's no hiding that, is there?"

"Hush!" Cobrafang snapped at them, tail lashing as he glanced once over at the Shadowclan cats guarding the medicine den as Cliffheart moved inside.

Basilpaw startled as Cliffheart suddenly entered the den. Realization made his eyes round, and he sprang quickly to his paws. Scrambling to make room and step aside, he gave Sandspirit one glance, and then gave another heavy and miserable look at Lavendersky. The apprentice swallowed, voice thick with gravel as he murmured. "Good-bye, Lavendersky."

Turning, he abruptly left the den, not wanting to see it happen when she took her last breath.

Splashecho reached out to each of her kits, licking each one fiercely as if Cliffheart was about to snatch them away. Flyingpaw, however, leaned away from her mother.


Cliffheart blinked slowly to let his eyes adjust to the SkyClan medicine den. StarClan, how long had it been since he came in here? When things came into view, he felt his heart ache a little. It was by that corner that he and Spiritpaw sat and whispered all night until Lavendersky snapped for him to leave so they could get some sleep. Then, he recounted the days he had to find Eaglecry in here because he had been helping Lavendersky with something.

The way she looked upon the nest washed grief over Cliffheart's pelt. Lavendersky looked...so old. It made him realize just how much time had gone by. He barely noticed Basilpaw slipping out of the den beside him because as his eyes finished adjusting, he was surprised at how empty the den was. "Where's Spiritstar?" He whispered to Sandspirit. He thought his sister would be in here. He thought they'd say goodbye together.

“Mouse-dung,” Eaglenose growled, glaring at the other cats. “We’ll have to be extra careful on patrols, in case they decide to use this against us.” He whispered.

Echowing stood away from the crowds, closer to Mudwasp as her eyes glittered with interest at the sight of Cliffheart. There he was, Robinstar's brother, the greatest cat to ever play innocent. All the blood on his paws, as Robinstar had said, and here he was trying to play gentle with Lavendersky. She inwardly planned on making sure her mentors in the Dark Forest were very aware of what was happening.

Tricklefrost seemed utterly crestfallen, having not realized how close to death Lavendersky was. She lowered her head, rasping out softly to her daughter. "It... it's Starclan's will. She lived a very long life, and she was... she was very tired. We have to make sure she goes comfortably. It's all we can do."

"I... I don't know." Dreamlily stammered, her heart racing as she saw Shadowclan cats lead Cliffheart to the medicine den. She wanted to hide from them, still heartbroken that her mother had been banished from Shadowclan, her rank as medicine cat stripped away. And Dreamlily once again wished she hadn't been born, if only so her mother and father could still be here in their respective Clans, happy and free of banishment.

(Apologies, had to catch up, and work is a nightmare.)

Sandspirit was about to say something to Basilpaw when she heard Frigidshard speak. Her eyes wide, she glanced around before getting to her paws and leaving the grumpy medicine cat for the moment. She said nothing, listening to the chaos in the clan, wanting to speak, but having nothing to say.

Where words failed Sandspirt, Ambergaze hissed loudly, her hackles raised and long-fur fluffed. "Who gives a rat's tail about the past? You going to hate Spiderbite and us too because mom traveled the Dark Forest? Going to think we do too?!" She snapped out, amber eyes narrowed. "Cliffheart has been loyal to Starclan, loyal to Shadowclan where our clan failed him! He did what he had to, too survive!"

Darkjay sat beside Ambergaze, much calmer despite the sigh that left his muzzle. "Calm sister, few understand."

Lavendersky grunted as she heard the pawsteps of Sandspirit and Basilpaw leave. Her head lowered onto her paws before her ear twitch. A new set of paws, heavier in injury. Sniffing the air, she lifted her head, surprise reflecting in her blind, mismatched eyes. "Cliffheart... I'm surprised... Cedarstar released you..." She meowed, before falling into a weak cough. It took her a moment, before turning her head away. "Spiritstar... she returned to Starclan... already..."

"You think you're the only one who lost someone?! We lost our father to the war with Adderclan! Whitesand was a clumsy mouse-brain, but he was our clumsy mouse-brain." Ambergaze snapped out, hissing out at them, "But I suppose you never liked mother, did you? She had just as much Skyclan blood on her paws, but she changed!" Her voice choked for a moment, missing her mother. Nightsky wasn't the gentlest mother, she was aloof at time, but the siblings knew that she loved them. She risked her life to have them, despite the glaring eyes of the Dark Forest watching her.

Darkjay sighed, just sighed and nuzzled into his sister. She was lazy, but she was sad. Really, Nightsky's death had affected her the most, she had been closest to their mother.

"This gets us nowhere." Cobrafang moved to try and soothe the situation. Adderclan had taken kin of his too, long ago, so he could understand Ambergaze's plight. As Poppyclaw stormed off, the older tom looked back at Ambergaze and Darkjay and mewed lightly. "But the important thing is, sooner or later these Shadowclan cats are going to ask where Spiritstar is. What are we going to tell them, that Cliffheart's own littermate just isn't in while Lavendersky's dying?" He fretted.

"They'll have leverage over us!" Dewcloud hissed quietly, her fur bristling.

"The Clans will all find out anyway! What's the point in lying now? All they need to know is that Whitesun is... he'll be back, and he'll take his nine lives, and that's all!" Flarestorm whispered quickly, trying to think of the best course of action.

"You make it sound like it's the first time that any clan has ever lost a leader and deputy. At least we still have Spiderbite, he's been the main medicine cat for moons now." Ambergaze said with a small snort, growling as she looked away.

Darkjay gave a soft sigh, "From the look of wariness on the Shadowclan warriors, and Cliffheart's condition, it seems like they aren't doing so well either." He said with a small swish of his tail, shaking his head.

Cliffheart leaned his head into Lavendersky's pelt. Spiritstar was dead. His little, hopeful sister was really gone? He sucked in a shaky breath and huffed it out with a quiet sob. Owlshadow, Scorchfire, Hiddendream, now Spiritstar and Lavendersky? Why was StarClan being so cruel to him? Why was he the last one left? He thought Spiritstar would outlive him. With her nine lives, he believed she'd live as long a Northstar.

His tears fell on Lavendersky's pelt. Guilt clawed his heart. Lavendersky believed he'd gone to StarClan? How could he tell her the truth? He'd died once and StarClan wasn't there for him. Now, Spiritstar was gone just like Owlshadow. "I'm not welcome in StarClan," he admitted with a weak whisper. "Lavendersky...I'll never see you or Spiritstar again, but I love you. I love you and Spiritstar and Owlshadow and Hiddendream. I need you to tell them that." He swallowed a lump in his throat. I need you to not leave me.

Eaglenose stalked across the camp, finding a spot on the opposite side of camp from the medicine cat den. He settled down and glared at the ShadowClan cats that stood guard. Pfft. Standing guard…in their camp. His claws slid out and scraped the rock but he didn’t make any moves to confront them. Being angry and aggressive would only make the cats suspicious.

Clovertail followed Dreamlily up the ledges, glaring down at the Shadowclan warriors only once before exiting the camp. “Where do you want to go?” She asked, but only after they had gotten far enough away from camp the that murmurs and shouts had all but disappeared.