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

Peachdapple nodded slowly to the tom, though she realized that something serious must have happened at the gathering for everyone to look so conflicted when they came into camp. She knew also that Yarrowcloud’s death would strike their leader hard. Yarrowcloud had been his first apprentice, and he had seen Lightningstar as a father when Wrenflight had hatefully refused to fill his role.

Peachdapple had loved Lightningstar in a different way, a way that she had given up when Mossfeather had called her name as a medicine cat so long ago. She would never stop loving Lightningstar, even now she did, but the love she held for all of Thunderclan was what she knew she could hold onto. She turned back to sit at Yarrowcloud’s side, murmuring a gentle word to him as she proceeded to continue applying the ceremonial herbs.

Snowdrop slowly slid herself next to Silentflare, pressing herself to her father’s side as she mewed sadly, voice soft with pain. “I’m so sorry…”

Frostmoon stared at the elder, feeling small and helpless in the face of such a tragic death. She didn’t want to intrude, even though the kit in her wished she could hear one last story from the old tom. She glanced once as Ghostscreech padded by, and her chest ached again, still feeling heavy from the argument they had earlier.

Scarletpaw watched Hollowpaw with a sad droop in her eyes, though she felt a growing pit of rage in her belly thinking of the Dark Forest. Somehow, she wanted to make them pay for this.

Mothsong was quiet at that, digesting the words as she shuffled a few paces closer to the gathered cats. She sat down slowly, not knowing exactly how to best show her mourning, before settling for dipping her head low. She closed her eyes, hoping that somehow, her thoughts would reach out… even if she had never much believed in Starclan or the Dark Forest.

Sootpaw gave a nod of his head at Magpiewing's response, glad that not all of the Gatherings would be that tense. And the look on Cedarstar's face! He stumbled to a halt at his mentor's sudden stop, his ears pinning back when he saw what was going on. "W-what's wrong with Yarrowcloud?" He whispered, eyes wide. "He was doing just fine this afternoon, why isn't he moving?" Sootpaw noticed his sister's small form curled up next to the elder, a sad look falling on his face. Hollowpaw had always been close with the elder, despite the small spat they had gotten into during the training session.

Hornetstrike stumbled to Slatesight’s side, his eyes wide as he overheard Peachdapple’s words. His claws extended as the Dark Forest was named as the reason for this. He had known in his heart that they had tainted Shadeclaw into what he had become, but now they had taken away Yarrowcloud too? He pressed close to Slatesight, shaking his head. “How could this have happened?…”

Peachdapple looked up to give Aspenfall a gentle look of greeting, before she nodded to her apprentice as they continued to present the tom’s body. With the blood cleared, Yarrowcloud’s wounds were hidden by his thick and soft coat, orange and white in the bright moonlight. He looked peaceful, like he was sleeping, though death clung to his still frame.

“Nighteye…” Peachdapple murmured with deep empathy, knowing how much the dark-furred tom meant to her brother.

Shadowblossom looked up, motioning for Nighteye to come forward, "Come Nighteye, join us near his body. We will mourn together." she murmured, eyes still teary.

“We were very young when Wrenflight died, but I always heard whispers of how awful he was. To hold that much hate inside of you to do this… It’s pathetic.” Hornetstrike mumbled as he looked at Slatesight. Peachdapple had seeming stated that he was to blame, but Hornetstrike had a feeling that he was involved in much more than just that. He pressed close to his friend, wishing he knew what to say.

“He had a way of making anyone feel like they belonged.” Featherfoot mewed softly, looking down at his father with sad blue eyes. He looked over at Nighteye as the tom approached. “The way he talked about you, all the time, he was as proud of you as he was of us. I’m… I’m grateful, that I was brought back home. That I got to find you again, and spend those moons here.” He looked at Shadowblossom, before he stared at his father again. He used his tail to gently pull Flurrypaw and Drizzlepaw closer, knowing they deserved to mourn their grandfather. Yarrowcloud had loved seeing them in the elder’s den.

Autumnfall did not move to lay down with Yarrowcloud’s closest kin, but she did lift her voice, bold and caring. “When I was in exile with him, and Eagleclaw, Emberfluff, and you, Hollowpaw, Yarrowcloud was the one who treated the wounds I still had from the fight at Sunningrocks. He wasn’t as precise as Peachdapple or Aspenfall, but he refused to let me continue on until he at least tried. And… it worked.” She glanced at the scar on her shoulder. “No infection. I realized then how much he cared about everyone in the Clan. That’s what a true Warrior is, not the strongest or the smartest, but who’s willing to do whatever they can for everyone around them.”

Peachdapple gave a small smile at Autumnfall’s kind words. She mused out. “Starclan… The last thing he would have wanted was for any of us to be upset. He always was full of optimism, no matter the situation.”

“One time I was on patrol, and I dove right into a pile of snow hunting a mouse. Yarrowcloud still had all his legs working back then, and I was super embarrassed about jumping right into the snow. So, he looked right at me and said “I can dive way deeper than that, watch this!”, and he jumped right into the pile next to me… I know he did it to make me feel less embarrassed, but… it meant alot to me.” Snowdrop admitted softly, the memory warm in her heart.

(He’ll know, he’ll totally send them dandelions and butterflies <3 )

“He loved telling stories. He told the best stories!” Flurrypaw sniffled, turning to look up at his mentor with sad eyes, before he tried his best to imitate his grandfather’s happy nature. “I’ll just have to tell them to Tansykit now. I know all of them!” He promised.

Drizzlepaw mourned silently at her father’s side, feeling empty. Why would the Dark Forest take him away from her? She felt like a coward. Why couldn’t she be strong enough to protect the cats she loved?

“Oh, nothing was sweeter. He was head over paws for you.” Peachdapple nodded in agreement to Seafoam, her voice rusty but warm. “Every other day, he’d come bumbling in to me about you, said that Lightningstar deserved a pile of mice for giving you a name so perfect. Said that he wanted to find a perfect time to tell you how he felt, it had to be just right. “Near the stream” he said. “Near the stream, when the flowers come out in newleaf” he kept saying, like he was on a mission.” Peachdapple laughed, before she nodded gently to Shadowblossom.

“Thank you, for making my brother so happy. For loving him so much.”

Peachdapple looked up from her spot resting on Yarrowcloud’s head, her eyes flickering up at her leader. She knew that he would need to address the Clan, and yet the lack of formal calling only served to remind her how exhausted he must be. She wanted to tell Lightningstar to rest, but she knew that would not work.

Snowdrop looked at her father with earnest eyes, pressing her muzzle comfortingly to Silentflare’s shoulder. “If… if you hated him, you wouldn’t be mourning him, right? I know you two didn’t talk much, but… I think you did love him. Just like how I still love Shadeclaw, even after what he did. It doesn’t just… go away, those feelings, for littermates, right?” She murmured, before she turned to look up at her mentor.

Hornetstrike and Frostmoon looked up, as Midnightstream glanced over at Lightningstar.

The rest of my cats gathered.

Hollowpaw didn’t move from her spot next Yarrowcloud’s body, only flicking her ear to show that she had heard Lightningstar’s call. She could hear him just from from where she was.

Ghostscreech padded over to the High Rock, keeping his eyes down as he passed by Frostmoon towards his place as deputy.

Forestblaze pressed his muzzle into Yarrowcloud’s fur for a quick moment before joining the rest of the clan. He didn’t want to believe his uncle was gone, having always enjoyed the stories he would tell him and his siblings when they were kits and apprentices.

Chestnutfur sat next her brother, feeling numb. She hated seeing Yarrowcloud so still and was already missing the friendly look on his face.

Brokenwing gave the elder a sad look before she sat next to her mate, her belly starting to show signs of the kits she was expecting. She had wanted her kits to meet Yarrowcloud one day, wanted them to know the cat that had helped her become the warrior she was today.

Sunthroat joined Laceheart at the entrance of the Nursery, brushing his muzzle briefly before sitting down.

The rest of my cats gathered.

Willowsong padded over to Forestblaze, settling beside him. Much closer than she would normally sit next to a friend. She gave him a curt nod and a smile before looking up at Lightningstar.

Flamesky touched his nose to Brokenwing's ear as she settled beside him. "He always beat everything he went against, it's hard to see him gone."

Bluewhisker, who had moved towards the camp wall to allow Yarrowcloud's closest kin to gather, moved forward at Lightningstar's call. Her heart was heavy with the elder's death; Yarrowcloud had been a constant in ThunderClan for many, many seasons. Her grey eyes were flat with sadness.

Lightningstar gave a few moments for everyone to gather before speaking. His voice was tired as he spoke. “Thunderclan, I’m sure you have all heard by now but Yarrowcloud has died.” He spoke, voice almost breaking on the last word. “He was killed by Wrenflight while in the dark forest.” He spoke. “Peachdapple and him were both summoned there by Wrenflight and Yarrowcloud was killed.” He spoke.

“How is that fair?!” Scarletpaw snapped up, her anger finally getting the better of her as she looked up at Lightningstar with ears pinned back. “They can just come in our dreams and do whatever they feel like? How are we supposed to fight back against that? He shouldn’t be dead!”

Vixenrose moved to rest her tail on her daughter’s shoulders. Inwardly, she actually agreed with Scarletpaw’s sentiments, her own anger simmering beneath her controlled exterior. The black and ginger she-cat mewed a few words to soothe her daughter, before she called up in a more controlled voice.

“Peachdapple said that Yarrowcloud’s soul left his body, but it remained in the Dark Forest. I don’t mean to start any kind of fear, but what’s to say this won’t be the Dark Forest’s plan? To trap vulnerable cats in the Dark Forest by ambushing us in our sleep?”

“That’s insane.” Sootclaw mewed bluntly, though it was clear that the older tom was rippling with tension and aggression. He had moved to Snowstorm’s side, as though the Dark Forest could target her next. He swallowed. “There has to be a way to fight back! They can’t get away with this, and Thunderclan can’t be caught with our guard down!”

“Should we warn the other Clans?” Dovecloud called up gently, her caring nature making it hard for her to not consider the danger all the Clans could be in. She was fluffed up with nerves, eyes weary.

Peachdapple slowly pulled herself up from Yarrowcloud’s side, her eyes filled with both sadness and a fiery determination. “If you’ll allow it, I can go with you. They’ll be more receptive if a medicine cat is warning them alongside Thunderclan’s leader. And I…” She looked down at her brother, shaking her head. “I owe it to Yarrowcloud, to make sure this never has to happen again.”

“We’re behind you all the way. Always.” Hornetstrike called up to Lightningstar, his chest aching as he thought of Shadeclaw. He had always felt like he could have done more to prevent it. Now, he was determined to help in any way he could.

“The Dark Forest has mice for brains to think that we’ll ever be afraid of them!” Autumnfall nodded in agreement, her voice rippling with fire.

“I was a fool to believe them before, but I won’t be so foolish now.” Mouseshade promised with an assuring nod, bristling at the thought of her youth, and when she had been tempted during the days of Adderclan. “I might know many of the cats there, and what their weaknesses are, I’ll help in any way I can.” She promised.