Chaosclan Writing Thread

[Kazin]

He had other things to worry about. He should be able to focus on his upcoming assessment, and nothing else. It was times like this that Snowypaw felt a surge of appreciation and gratitude for his mother - the presence that never went away. She always had his back, and he never knew just how much he needed her until all of the prophecy had been revealed, and how little the eight cats could do. Duskwillow was always there for him at the end of the day, to sooth him. Snowypaw would never take her for granted, and let his mind drift to the two siblings he could barely remember, residing in a neighboring clan. Did they have someone they could turn to at night? Did they have to deal with a prophecy? Snowypaw felt himself hoping that his father was as kind to his siblings as his mother was to him.

"You doing alright over there, Snowypaw?" Atlasrain's voice was quiet, as it usually was, but unmistakable in the silence of the night. Sharkpaw was quiet beside him, following along while his tail dragged on the ground. Snowypaw blinked, nodding at Atlasrain's caring. He didn't trust his voice to speak anyhow, but his nod was the truth. He was alright. He had to be.

The three cats traveled on, one of three groups combing the territory for some kind of sign, some kind of answer, anything. It was the third day of traveling, each day Amberdawn sending them with a different cat, hoping that some combination of prophecy cats would be able to get to something. Each day, the spirits of the cats sank deeper and deeper into a pit of despair. No one had found anything useful. Snowypaw was beginning to doubt he even was useful - maybe Starclan had gotten it all wrong, maybe there were no prophecy cats. Maybe Chaosclan was fated to live without ancestors for the rest of their days, until they ultimately met their downfall.

With a heavy heart, the three turned back as the sun started to fall. Empty pawed, once again... they could only hope that another group had found something useful today - though the day was as bleak as yesterday...

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Did you hear that?" Eclipsefrost broke the silence that had gone on for far too long between the pair of cats. They hadn't gone far outside of Chaosclan territory; just beyond the border enough that no patrol would track them. Kestrelchaser, however much she felt loathing for her mother, didn't want to leave her family permanently. At least not yet.

It sounded like rocks. A lot of them. The young cat paused, feeling the earth tremble beneath her paws. "Feels like... a rockslide, or something." Silently, both cats hoped no one was hurt, having no idea what terrible misfortune had been bestowed upon their friends and kin while they were away... Kestrelchaser's heart seized, her fear taking over. What if one of her siblings had gotten hurt and she wasn't even there to know? What if her father...? Or even Petalsong? "We should go back," Kestrelchaser said suddenly, her voice higher pitched than normal. "I don't thing that rockslide could have been good..."

_______________________________________________________________________________________

The moon was not going well. There was no hope. No happiness. Nothing. Flickerheart was gone. Wrenbreeze was gone. Starclan was gone. There was no hope to see their loved ones again...

Sunpaw, Crowcatcher, and Flamepaw were the last three left in the clearing of camp. Somehow, Fireflyglint, Jasperstone, and Pandamask all were able to go to their dens, though Sunpaw doubted they would be sleeping. They were orphaned. Alone. How would they be able to sleep through that? He already felt disconnected enough from them, with them being warriors already. Flamepaw was the sibling he was closest to, and Flamepaw was the one having the hardest time with the loss of their parents. It had been hard enough on Sunpaw's brother when Ravenstrike was lost to the bitter cold... Flamepaw had always been closest to their father. Sunpaw was there to comfort him, to help him, to convince him to keep training, for it would have been what their father wanted... And now, Flickerheart was gone too. His mother. Their mother. Sunpaw felt a pang of grief in his chest, so violent it almost made him gasp out loud. But another gasp, perhaps even a sob, broke the silence instead, though not from either apprentice.

Crowcatcher was looking forward without really seeing. Wrenbreeze was gone. Wrenbreeze. Her mate. Her best friend. The only cat she had ever loved, and the only cat Crowcatcher vowed she would ever love. Gone. Just like that. Why hadn't she gone with her mate on the patrol? She should have. No, instead she gave herself a dumb border patrol, thinking the danger would lie there, that Wrenbreeze would be safe hunting without her.

How terribly wrong she had been. Another sob broke through the silent night, but none of the three cats acknowledged it. How could they, when their minds were only focused on those that were no longer with them? It was going to be a rough moon, but the three cats made a silent vow during their grieving.

They would make their loved ones proud. And live. For them.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Petalsong wasn't one to show fear. She normally was confident, abrasive, and perhaps a little too bold... but not now. How could she be, as she was surely going to lose her place in this clan? Her stomach twisted in knots, wishing she had Buzzardshade by her side... but she also knew that he would be the one that Raptorstar would lash out at.

Instead, she turned her fear into anger. It was Raptorstar's fault anyway. He pushed her away, and she had no one to talk to. She had been scared for their kits, afraid they would lose their lives fighting for a clan that didn't seem to care about them, fighting for a father who could barely look at them. Petalsong didn't want to see that Raptorstar cared about them too, thinking that only she gave them kindness, gave them love. She didn't see that Raptorstar would always watch them, encourage them in his stoic way, and celebrate their successes in private with them instead of as a family. He visited his kits every single day, but she had never seen it, and she had left him.

Truthfully, Raptorstar was terrified for them too, but had no idea how to express it. And so he did what he knew - turned away from everything but his kits. He gave all his attention, all his energy, all of his voice to them. Namely Thistlepath, the young tom's fear radiating off of him so clearly it gave Raptorstar's heart a terrible wrench just thinking about it. He knew he should have said something to Petalsong that night, but what could he have? There was nothing to say.

"Raptorstar?" It was her voice. And she sounded... nervous? Raptorstar blinked in surprise, giving her a gruff meow of welcome, letting her come in. It wasn't just her voice that was nervous; her whole body was trembling. She was looking everywhere but at him. "I need to tell you something - I'm stepping down as a Soldier. I already told Songbirdstar. And... I'm expecting kits."

But they were not his, that much he was certain. He couldn't even find it in himself to ask who. Dismissing her without another word. Silently, always silently, he vowed to never speak to his ex-mate again. He wouldn't be able to.

Especially not after Kestrelchaser came back to him and told him what she had seen, everything that had caused her to run away. Raptorstar would never be able to look at Petalsong again.

[Kazin]

A dark shape waited on the edge of the border. The divide between the world of Chaosclan and the rest of the unknown. None of the clan cats were even sure what the outside world looked like anymore, so caught up in their own lives and so caught up in trying to keep their families safe. Did he even have a family anymore? Normally, he would consider his friends his family, needing no one else - he had other cats to laugh with, others to see him for who he was on the inside instead of on the outside. But what if who he was on the inside wasn't good at all? What if he just kept hurting his friends, kept leading them into danger, and kept watching them get killed without even being able to save them? It wasn't the first time Atlasrain had contemplated leaving his clan, thinking he would make it a better place if he just... wasn't around. And it probably wouldn't be the last. But this was the most pivotal for him.

"You don't have to go." The voice barely conquered the deafening roar in Atlasrain's ears. He could barely hear his friend over the loud ringing of his self-doubt, the echoes of his own head saying that he was nothing but trouble for his clan. He was only able to shake his head, hanging it lower and lower, tucking himself into a small ball. He wanted to disappear, to pretend he had never met anyone in this clan. He wanted to forget all the kindness the other cats had shown him. He couldn't repay them, and could only be resented. The clan didn't need him. They would be better off without him. "You are enough, Atlasrain. Please."

It was the tone of the voice that made Atlasrain turn around. He had never heard such raw emotion before, such heartbreak so plainly audible in the air. It was almost palpable, the pain that his friend was feeling for him. "I... I'm not good... for the clan... Not anymore." Atlasrain's voice was a whisper, the wind almost carrying it away from the other's ears. But he would always listen for Atlasrain's soft tone, would always pick it out from the breeze.

"You're good for me," the cat said firmly, taking a few steps closer to the other cat, who had screwed his eyes shut. Atlasrain was shaking his head before the other cat even got a chance to finish his sentence. "Stop," the cat said, nearly growling. "The clan does need you. I need you."

The air seemed to stop moving. Someone... needed him? "I... you don't." Atlasrain responded flatly, opening his eyes to dully stare at the ground. "I lost Coyotesong. There... there's no way he survived. I killed him." Atlasrain's voice cracked at the last second, unable to contain his sadness any longer. The other cat padded closer, his heart hurting for Atlasrain's pain.

"What happened to Coyotesong was an accident. It could have happened on any patrol. It is not your fault that the dogs were around. If anything, you were the one that saved everyone else - without you, the entire patrol would have died! Don't let Coyotesong's bravery go to waste. He knew what he was doing, and he did it for you."

Atlasrain finally looked up, staring into Skippercloud's eyes with his own. Slowly, the latter pressed himself into Atlasrain, warming the gray and white cat. Atlasrain let himself relax against Skippercloud after a few moments, closing his eyes once again. Maybe everything wasn't alright right now, but it could be. He had to trust that it would.

And he would stay, at least for Skippercloud. He needed his clan, and his clan needed him, even if he thought otherwise. He wouldn't leave Skippercloud's side.

___________________________________________________________________________

The prophecy meetings were getting bigger with each passing moon. Eventually, they were going to just have to have an entire camp meeting, to let everyone brainstorm at once. Thistlepath nearly rolled his eyes at the thought of every single cat, nearly a hundred voices, all trying to figure out what could be done. Stupid. This whole thing was stupid. If it weren't for his family, Thistlepath would have turned his back on Starclan, let them live in their own darkness. He wasn't sure he believed in them anyway - after all, how could a bunch of dead cats be any help? But even the small thought sent a shiver of doubt up his spine. He had talked to one of them, and them to him. They were real, however much he or his father didn't want them to be. And they needed help to come back.

Thistlepath shut his eyes, continuing to block out the soft murmurs and growls of the cats around him. Besides the eight prophecy cats - Snowybranch, Sunpaw, Sharkpaw, Dogbanepaw, Atlasrain, Marshminnow, Infernopaw, and himself - there was Amberdawn, Nightmint, Raptorstar, Songbirdstar, the usual company; and three others, all trying to figure out what could be done differently. The 'council,' as Amberdawn decided to call it, now added Crowcatcher, Weevilsnap, and Icetuft among their ranks. But the first two weren't talkative, and Icetuft was unhelpful. None of them knew where they had already looked, and were just throwing out useless suggestions again and again. There were too many cats talking at once. Nothing would ever get done this way.

"Everyone be quiet!" Thistlepath wasn't even aware he was the one to speak up until he realized every cat was looking at him, most shocked, some relieved that someone had finally shut everyone else up. The young Scout faltered, stalling as he looked at everyone. "We... we aren't getting anything done by arguing with each other and feeding ideas that we've already tried. We need to do something different." Murmurs broke out again, quieter, most agreeing with his statement. "I think we need to talk one at a time about our ideas, because we are wasting everyone's time by doing things this way."

"Hear, hear," Raptorstar grunted under his breath, rolling his eye but giving his son an approving look. Thistlepath breathed a sigh, nearly rolling his eyes himself as he sat back down. He was done.

"I have an idea." The voice was softer, higher pitched. Perhaps the youngest among them were not the least helpful, as some might assume. "Well, really it was Sharkpaw's and my idea. But anyway..." Infernopaw squirmed underneath the gazes of the older cats, wrinkling her nose as she was unsure of herself. Beside her, Sharkpaw gave her an encouraging poke with his paw, whispering something that Thistlepath didn't quite catch. "Well... what if all of the cats... well, the prophecy cats I mean... what if we all went somewhere together? Like maybe to the old Moonpool? Maybe there will be some sort of clue with all of us in one place... I just remember the cat in our dream said we must rise together, or the clan would die apart... and maybe that means something, right?" The sigh of relief that seemed to come from every cat said it all.

"We'll try that in the morning," Songbirdstar announced, ushering cats to their dens as the moon started to reach the highest point in the sky. "Be ready at down, the eight of you. Thank you, Infernopaw."

_______________________________________________________________________

"I failed again." Flamepaw kept walking as he spoke to his siblings, all waiting expectantly for news of his Hunter trials. He didn't want to see their confused faces, to hear them talk about what could have gone wrong. He was a failure to himself, to his parents, and to his siblings. Fireflyglint, Pandamask, and Jasperstone. All of them had succeeded at their assessments moons ago. Why was he so different?

The apprentice's thoughts drifted to his mother and father once again. He thought of his father's quiet encouragement, his subtle advice. He missed hearing his laugh most of all - the way he could always tell Ravenstrike was proud of him and loved him without words. I miss you, the tom thought, laying down on the cracked pavement of the abandoned Twoleg Thunderpath on the outskirts of the camp.

Flamepaw wasn't sure how much time had passed when he heard voices drifting over his ears. They didn't sound like they were making fun of him, just making their own casual conversation. He also didn't think they were any of the warriors or the apprentices, and he decided to stay where he was, to watch the cats pass.

"Hello, young one." It was Thymesnap. The newest Caretaker that Flamepaw hadn't interacted with much. Littledust and Skymouse smiled beside her, settling against the pavement nearby. "We were wondering why you were sitting here all alone, and decided to keep you company. Just let us know if you'd rather us be quiet, or if you want to talk." Each of the elders kept a respectful distance between them and Flamepaw, settling back into the rhythm of their own conversation as if they never even saw him.

A sudden surge of appreciation for the cats he never bothered getting to know suddenly washed over the young tom. He stifled a sob, letting himself relax, hoping that he could speak to them without his voice cracking, knowing it was futile. At least they would be the last cats to think him weak or judge him. "I just... I'm a failure."

Littledust was the one to speak up first. "Nonsense. Do you have any idea how long it took me to convince my old group that I was strong enough to be a fighter instead of cleaning nests all day?"

"But... my sisters and brothers all became warriors easily..."

"Yeah, and my tail fell off easily too," Littledust joked lightly, flicking her bobtail. "Not all of us are cut out the same way, even if you are related. Sometimes, someone may need a little more time to adjust than others. And that's ok."

Flamepaw nodded, sighing. "I want to make them proud."

"And you will, son. You will."

[Kazin]

The nursery was lively. How could it not be, with a dozen kits within the safe confines of the abandoned Twoleg monster, and soon to be more. Perhaps the one and only good thing to come of Petalsong's move to the nursery was that Raptorstar was not expected to visit her, to deal with the writhing, yowling bundles of fur that were not his own. Oh, how he hated kits. He hated trying not to hurt them, he hated trying to solve their petty arguments... But perhaps they weren't unlike normal, adult cat arguments anyhow. Raptorstar grunted to himself, his face etching into its usual scowl. He wasn't going to talk to Petalsong. Never again.

And yet... here he was, outside of the nursery for what seemed like the hundredth time this moon. He didn't know how to stay away, even though he just made himself more frustrated. Yet... he had something to say. He needed to say if - if not for Petalsong, than for himself. However much he wanted to... he couldn't bring himself to hate these unborn kits. They were his relatives, as much as he didn't want them to be. They were his responsibility to keep safe, they were going to be a part of his clan... no matter how much he didn't want them to be.

This was all Buzzardshade's fault. In truth, Raptorstar's anger was, for the most part, directed at his brother. He would never speak to him again. But... he still cared for Petalsong. He was tired of turning the other way each time she was in main camp. He needed to say something. But he was stalling, had been for two moons. No time like the present though, right?

With one last breath, Raptorstar announced his presence, letting himself into the large monster that contained the nursery. Thankfully, he timed his visit right - Phoenixfur, Cricketstripe, and the nine kits that went along with them, were out enjoying the warm day, playing a game. For now, it was just Riverecho, Almondcloud, Finkit, Tadpolekit, and Lemonkit right now, alongside Petalsong. For unbearable seconds, too many, the former mates stared at each other. It was finally Raptorstar who made himself move, made himself break the silence. "Could... could I get a few moments alone with Petalsong?" He asked, addressing the others in the nursery. The easy part, for all were respectful, ushering their young kits out with small smiles directed towards both Petalsong and Raptorstar. And then it was just the two of them.

"Hi," Petalsong said flatly, blinking at Raptorstar coldly. "Didn't think you'd ever come show your face around here. Unless you're here to kick me out?" She added the last part dryly, but he could tell she was scared, if only a little. There was some truth to her statement, and the thought sent a sad pang through Raptorstar's heart.

"I would never kick you out," Raptorstar said, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "I... can't. I just came to say... that I'm sorry. That... I don't hold anything against you."

Petalsong sighed, her relief almost palpable. "Ok," she said, her voice just as soft. For a split second, a mere second, they met each other's eyes for the first time in a long time. And while nothing would ever be the same between them again, perhaps things didn't have to be bad. Maybe, just maybe, they could be friends.

_________________________________________________________________________

It was the first time they were gathering at the Moonpool since receiving the prophecy. Truthfully, none of them wanted to be there. Not Amberdawn, not Sunpaw, and certainly not Thistlepath. This was where it all went wrong. This was where he was supposed to have an uneventful warriorship, be able to take his name and live a normal life in his clan. But Starclan had taken that from him the moment they infiltrated his dreams, made him a part of a prophecy he had no desire to be a part of. He hated them, every last one of them. Just like his father did.

"Here we are," Amberdawn said, her voice barely a whisper - but it carried. She was the only one here that wasn't a part of the prophecy. She nodded her head towards the eight cats, signaling for them to go on without her. She would stay on the outskirts, just in case her presence somehow made the whole journey for naught. She used the excuse that they might need a guard in case something came. She watched from the treeline as each of the cats took a spot around the Moonpool, settling down and watching their clanmates so they could all plunge their noses into the cold, dark water at the same time. A bunch of mouse-dung, as far as Thistlepath was concerned, but he stayed quiet. He would play along, but not for himself - for his littermates, for his mom, for his dad.

"Ready?" It was Atlasrain's whisper that carried across the dark water this time. Thistlepath looked around the circle, at his supposed 'prophecy' clanmates... At Atlasrain, his quiet and anxious demeanor. Sunpaw, the healer who still looked like he had a lifetime of sadness behind his eyes. Marshminnow, the normally energetic tom who had been docile the last few moons. Snowybranch, another who's grief was plainly mapped out on his young face. Dogbanepaw, Infernopaw, and Sharkpaw - the three apprentices that utterly exuded nervous energy, none of them sure why they were here. Thistlepath knew that this whole thing had especially gotten to Dogbanepaw, failing his training more than the other apprentices.

Thistlepath felt sympathetic for all of them in this moment, suddenly feeling closer to all of them than they ever had. With a nod of his own, the cats reached their noses into the water, and Thistlepath felt the familiar cold shock run through his body as he pulled away from reality, and towards Starclan.

But something was wrong.

The dream was too short, the message too dark. He wasn't in the clouds. He wasn't anywhere, as far as he could tell. He didn't panic, the sensation that he was floating too familiar. Instead, he listened. Light. Searching. Cave. Darkness. And the fifth word, the one most out of place...

Pepper.

[Kazin]

Redemption was the only thing on the tom's mind. He didn't think about the what ifs, the what could happen, the maybe this is a bad idea... He didn't think about anything but wanting to regain his brother's trust. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he also knew he'd have to try something. Truthfully, Buzzardshade was just happy that he got Raptorstar to agree to let him take the apprentices on this special training exercise. His brother didn't think it was a bad idea. None of the other mentors thought it was a bad idea. So maybe it wasn't all his fault...

No. Buzzardshade blamed himself for every single death he caused. He didn't even know if he would ever be able to show his face in his clan again. But... Petalsong was there. She needed him. His kits were there. They needed him. But would Raptorstar ever let him back in the clan again after what he did?

__________________________________________________________________________

"Come on come on!" Buzzardshade called back, beaming over his shoulder at the parade of cats behind him. "It's a special lesson today and I thought you'd all be excited!" Most of the apprentices rolled their eyes, but it was in good humor. Their bright faces and quick pace said it all - they were excited, buzzing with nervous energy. The cliffs were usually of limits. But what if they needed to battle near them? Or climb down them in an emergency? It had been Buzzardshade's idea to teach the apprentices safe methods of doing either of these things. It was his intention to keep them safe, and he never realized that new apprentices can make things go so wrong.

They had barely begun. Nothing should have happened. It was all a freak accident. Maybe he should have waited until all of the apprentices had almost finished the rest of their training. Maybe ten moons was too young to understand the dangers of the cliffs. How was he supposed to know that Satyrpaw and Nymphpaw would start arguing over something, that Indigopaw would join in and send all three brothers tumbling down the cliffs? What was he supposed to do but go scrambling down the cliffside himself, trying to save them. He would have done it on his own, but both Darkspider and Beebuzz came beside him. One for each apprentice. Honeypaw snuck down beside them as well, both trying to rescue a friend and keep track of her father's safety. Perhaps it was her decision that sent the others to their demise. Buzzardshade would never know. But he did know that they were gone. Gone in the same way the rockslide took Flickerheart and Wrenbreeze too soon, the rocks failing to give the cats' paws any grip. Gone.

Only one warrior apprentice pair made it back up the cliff. There wasn't even anything Buzzardshade could say to Nymphpaw as he stared in horror at the place where his siblings fell. Buzzardshade could only shakily gather the remaining cats up, telling Condorglide and Sealshine, the other two mentors that had gone with him, to bring the rest of the apprentices back. To tell Raptorstar what happened, and make sure he knew that it was all Buzzardshade's fault.

_________________________________________________________________________

He should kick Petalsong out. He should keep Buzzardshade away at all costs. He should have never let his brother into the clan in the first place, only doing so because Songbirdstar said it would be fine. "Is it all fine now?!" Raptorstar yowled, his grief taking the form of anger. His own apprentice, a cat that showed real promise, gone. Two of his great warriors, a hunter and a scout, gone. All for what? For a chance at learning how to climb down treacherous territory? When Buzzardshade said he wanted to teach the apprentices about the dangers of the cliffs, how was Raptorstar supposed to know that this is what he'd do? Let them fall?

Raptorstar lashed his tail inside of his den, not allowing anyone else's grief to matter but his own. He didn't even realize what battles others were going through in his own clan.

In the nursery, Petalsong was grieving - not just for the lost apprentices and warriors of Chaosclan, but for her own kits that hadn't gotten the chance to do anything. Gone. Tiny Tingerkit, and fluffy Pythonkit, lost to Starclan. Buzzardshade wasn't even able to say good-bye to them, Raptorstar announcing that the tom would never be allowed back into the clan. But she wouldn't allow that to be the end of their tale together.

The queen met her new mate in secret. She brought her three kits to see him, to let him decide on the nameless kit she left for him. It was the only girl of the litter - one that almost looked like a fluffy version of herself, just with more white markings. "Cobrakit and Wolfkit," Petalsong whispered, nudging the mewing bundles closer to their father, just on the outskirts of the camp. Thankfully, she had gotten Riverecho's help - without the queen, she would never feel brave enough to sneak around with newborn kits. But she knew that Buzzardshade needed to see them. With her own kits settled down to sleep for the night, Riverecho was standing guard at the edge of a monster, making sure Raptorstar stayed unaware.

Buzzardshade said nothing nearly the entire visit, subdued by recent events. "I killed them," he finally whispered, his eyes shut. "I killed them because I was too stupid to realize what a bad idea it was..." He was miserable, tail drooped on the ground, ears low on his head. Petalsong could do nothing but press her pelt against his, to show him that she was there. She would always be there. Finally, slowly, as the moon made it's rise to the top of the sky, Buzzardshade felt ready to talk again. "I will never let them down, as I've let so many others down. I promise they will not live without a father, or without a mother. I think... I think her name should be Nightingalekit."

Petalsong nodded. Cobrakit. Wolfkit. Nightingalekit. The three that would never be alone. They were a family, no matter how broken.

______________________________________________________________

The words. The words made no sense. Why would any of those words make sense? Thistlepath was pacing again. It wasn't a habit he particularly wanted to have, but it was a habit he couldn't bring himself to even attempt to break. At least not yet, with things so stressful. He didn't have a choice but to pace, to release all the pent up frustrations in any way that he could, in any way besides taking out his anger on his littermates, on his clanmates, on himself. So he paced.

Light. Darkness. Cave. Searching. Those words all made sense - they needed to search for the light, perhaps in the darkness of the cave. That was what the others, and himself, had pieced together. But no one seemed to understand the final word. The word that only himself had received. But it was the word that stuck in his mind so readily; it must mean something. The missing link to the prophecy. But why did it have to make such little sense?

"What even is a pepper?!" He finally yowled, glad he was alone in the night. Thistlepath kneaded the ground angrily with his claws, bringing up soft pieces of dirt and blades of grass. It felt good, to keep his paw busy. It gave his three legs a rest, at least.

At least the cats had something to look for now. A pepper, whatever it was. A cave. Find the light in the cave. All they had to do was just find the pepper first.

Sunflicker better be really good with his plants, Thistlepath thought on his way back to his nest. If he doesn't know, the clan may as well be dead.

[Kazin]

The prophecy cats were reduced this moon. It was Songbirdstar who made the decision that their assessments would not be delayed just because Starclan wasn't present. They had a right to an assessment alongside any other apprentice who completed their training, perhaps even more so since they have pulled double duty patrolling for the prophecy, and learning their training at the same time. While Thistlepath understood the decision, and wholeheartedly agreed with it, he still didn't understand why the ones not taking their assessments had to go out and do things. Couldn't they all just get a well-deserved break? Of course, if it were up to Amberdawn, they'd work nonstop. At least Songbirdstar had some sense...

Thistlepath might have missed the strange scent if he were alone. In fact, he knew he would have. Thankfully, Dogbanespark was alert. It seems all of the others were lost in thought too, though who could really blame them? The loss of Snowybranch's mother was still fresh for him. Atlasrain was undoubtedly thinking about Coyotesong. Marshminnow just looked exhausted, even more exhausted than Thistlepath felt. But hey, what did it matter when the youngest among them was willing to keep an eye on all five of them? Thistlepath nearly rolled his eye at the thought, but stopped himself. He should probably focus on the strange scent that Dogbanespark alerted them too.

"Not a cat that's been around here before..." It was Marshminnow who frowned, blinking as he tried to place the scent. "I don't think they're from around here. And it seems to be only one..."

"Hey!" Thistlepath yowled suddenly, tired of beating around the bush. "We have a lot to do and we really don't want to have to add finding you to our long list of stuff, so if you could just come out and tell us what you're doing that would be really swell." The other four shot him looks of contempt, but Thistlepath only glared back. He was done beating around the bush, and done being out in the forest. He just wanted a nap, at this point. And the stranger was preventing that from happening.

A curly cat stepped out from behind a rock, her gray pelt nearly hidden on the other side of it. "Sorry," she said, rolling her eyes. "I thought after I didn't come out you cats would just, you know, leave or something. I guess that was wrong thinking." She scowled back at Thistlepath, which only made his scowl deepen. "I was just trying to cross this territory you established, truthfully. I'd just like to keep going where I'm going."

"And where would that be?" Thistlepath shot back, tail now starting to lash as the cat's gaze wandered down to his missing leg, a small ounce of surprise lighting up her face before the scowl came back.

"Away from here, that's for sure," she hissed, her own tail lashing as her fur got impossibly fluffier in her anger. "I have no need to stay around you lot."

"Please," Atlasrain whispered, stepping between the newcomer and Thistlepath. "We really don't need to escalate things into a fight, verbal or otherwise." Thistlepath huffed, but otherwise stayed silent, his glare still locked onto the she-cat. Atlasrain turned back to the other cat, trying to keep Thistlepath from her view. "Do you have a name?" He asked, trying to get the cat to calm down.

The she-cat let out a sigh, breaking her glare on Thislepath and sitting back on her haunches, curling her tail across her paws, successfully hiding them. "Yeah," she said, her voice softer. She had a strange accent, one Thistlepath had never heard before. "They called me Pepper where I came from, so I've just kept it. Pepper is fine."

Pepper looked around in alarm as the five clan cats froze, their gazes all now locked onto her with new vigor. "What?" She said, getting to her feet and backing away. "I'll leave if you want. I didn't think anyone would have heard of me here. I'm sorry."

"No, it's not that," Marshminnow was the first to come to his senses, letting his face pick up into a beaming smile. "I think you are the one we've been looking for actually! I think you can help us!"

"W-what...?" Pepper stumbled over her words, sputtering, her anger towards Thistlepath entirely forgotten. "I... I don't think you understand. I can't help anybody. You don't want my help!"

"We do. And I think... our clan needs you." Atlasrain's voice was soothing, Thistlepath would give him that much. Perhaps it was for this reason the she-cat decided she could trust them. Perhaps it was that reason she decided to join the clan. Whatever the reason, it gave Chaosclan something they hadn't had for a long time - hope.

______________________________________________________________

"Hello?" The voice was almost as soft as Atlasrain's. Perhaps just as, but the nervous quality to it made the voice higher pitched than it probably would be during a normal conversation. "I'm sorry to come into your camp in the middle of the night, but... I think I need some help?" The last statement was a question. Who asks for help that way? Either way, Sagebird couldn't bring himself to ignore a cat in need. It didn't matter what his father said to do. The cat sounded so sad, so... lost. He wasn't going to sit back inside of this monster, barricading himself inside so the cat would leave. Why Raptorstar even told everyone to do it just because no one knew this cat, he didn't understand... But nothing his father really made sense lately. Perhaps he was just losing his mind...

Sagebird shook his head, emptying his mind of all thoughts of his dad. He had a cat to see.

"Hello," Sagebird offered softly, pretending not to hear the loud hiss that came from the direction of his father's monster. He was glad to see that Songbirdstar was closer, leaping deftly out of her own as others peered out with glowing eyes from their own dens, waiting to see what would happen next. Would Songbirdstar and Sagebird win this battle, to talk to this cat, or would Raptorstar chase them away?

To Sagebird's surprise, Raptorstar didn't even bothering to leave his own den. He glanced over through the glass of the monster to see his father peering out, but nothing more. He decided to let Songbirdstar make her own decision, then. It suited Sagebird just fine, because in front of him was perhaps the world's most beautiful cat he had ever seen. He was glad Songbirdstar was talking now, telling the cat he could stay, because Sagebird wasn't sure he could trust his voice right now. The cat was truly dazzling, his pelt the color of the snow in the moonlight, mixed in with the strange red of a raspberry... Mesmerized, Sagebird didn't even realize Songbirdstar was asking him to lead the cat to get some food until both the newcomer and Songbirdstar were staring at him expectantly.

"Oh, yeah, of course!" Sagebird said, his own voice now higher than normal. Act natural, Sagebird. "Please, follow me." To his delight, Songbirdstar left them alone, going back to rest in her own den, the small action already leaving her exhausted. The announcement of her expecting kits traveled fast around the clan, so Sagebird couldn't really blame her for wanting to rest.

As the pair quietly passed each monster, eyes still glowing from the glass as the clan cats watched the newcomer and Sagebird cross the camp, Sagebird had a million thoughts racing in his head. What if this cat doesn't like me. What if this cat isn't going to stay. What if my father doesn't let this cat stay. What if... what if... what if...

"Where are you going?" Sagebird finally built up the courage to ask, though he couldn't have had worse timing.... right when the cat bit into a bird, his mouth full of feathers. The stranger just raised an eyebrow, and Sagebird looked away in embarrassment before the cat could answer.

"I wasn't really planning on going anywhere. I just know that I knew other cats were here, and I figured if there were a lot of cats, there must be food. I've been so hungry... and didn't feel right hunting on your territory. So here I am." The cat offered Sagebird a smile that sent his heart tilting in a hundred different directions.

"Are you... are you going to stay?" Sagebird dared to ask. He had to know. He had to let his heart break sooner rather than later.

"Is... is that an option?" The cat asked nervously, steely gray-blue eyes meeting Sagebird's own hazel green, sending his heart into another flutter. "I... I think I would very much like to stay, if I'm allowed."

"I'll make it allowed," Sagebird vowed. "What is your name, anyway?"

"Oh... I go by Snow."

"I'm Sagebird," the young tom said.

And the two talked all night, long after the glowing eyes in the other monsters went away, long after Snow was forgotten about, losing his appeal from the others. Snow and Sagebird laughed and talked, taking in the moonlit camp, watching the sunrise as they told each other about their lives.

Sagebird felt there was nowhere else he'd rather be than right here, next to this tom, for the rest of his life.

[Kazin]

The shadows were his only friends now. Well, maybe not his only friends, but certainly his closest. They didn't keep secrets from him, not when he had spent the past two moons learning every single thing he could from them. He knew every sound, every scent, every movement now. He had made his home on the outskirts of Chaosclan, and he knew it well. And he had his routine, sneaking in to visit Petalsong just after Moonhigh, using the shadows as his cover. He was thankful that Raptorstar was anything but observant, the leader who chose to ignore what he couldn't see. Buzzardshade remembered often making fun of his brother for his lack of scenting things, but he was glad of his brother's obliviousness now. He could see his kits, growing bigger each day. He could see Petalsong, who was still happy to see him despite what he'd done in the past - something Buzzardshade would never forgive himself for.

At least the shadows couldn't hold secrets anymore. Not the shadows near him, anyway. So when a strange sound echoed towards him, a hushed whisper, a tiny meow... Buzzardshade saw his second chance. His redemption, of sorts, even. He never expected to come to love the two kits he found as his own, but it happened quickly.

"Shhh, the big cat will hear us!" It was the sound of a small cat, trying desperately to keep quiet, not yet knowing how to whisper. "Remember we saw him leaving. He looks scary and I don't think he'll like us being here..." Buzzardshade blinked in the lightening sky, dawn approaching quickly. Strange.

"I'm not being loud you're being loud!" Another voice cut through the night, this one not even trying to keep quiet. Buzzardshade could hear the pout in the small voice, the huff of anger that came afterwards. He nearly laughed, for it was the same huff that Wolfkit would give after he got annoyed by Cobrakit, and the resounding silence spoke volumes.

"Do you two need something?" Buzzardshade rounded the tree he was hidden behind, speaking softly, trying to keep the scowl off his features. He didn't want to scare them away. He was met with two of the smallest kits he had ever seen, their gaunt faces telling of horrors that he couldn't even begin to imagine facing as a young kit. Their ribs spoke of hunger. Their eyes were wide, fearful, yet hopeful at the same time.

"Uh, yeah!" The smaller one said, letting his voice return to normal, an odd quality coming to it as he tried to make his voice deeper than it actually was. "I'm Twig and this is Shrike... and uh... maybe... we were wondering if we could ask for some food?"

Buzzardshade smiled at them, nodding. "Of course, little ones. I would be happy to share some food with you, if you would tell me where you came from and where you're going. I can help."

Buzzardshade learned of Twig and Shrike, brothers who escaped a fire blazing in the now-bustling Twoleg village. They had been ally cats, their parents lost in the blaze. They fled for over a moon, barely able to feed themselves. Buzzardshade couldn't help but admire their courage to keep moving, and their courage to approach a complete stranger. Eventually, Buzzardshade planted them in different spots for Chaosclan patrols to find, each kit vowing to not tell Raptorstar about Buzzardshade. He would see them again, he promised.

As he left them for the patrols to find, a hole was in his heart. He knew he loved them as much as he loved Cobrakit, Wolfkit, and Nightingalekit. Perhaps, even though he had lost two sons to Starclan... two more had been sent to him.

____________________________________________________________________

2nd part wip. Prophecy conclusion. Peppermask tells the cats of a cave she had been staying in, and the cats meet their ancestors once again. Raptorstar receives a dream that night, warning him of great loss unless he can find forgiveness in his heart. He blows them off, of course, but what lies in wait for him next moon...

[Kazin]

"Why does dad have to stay on the outside of the clan?" It was at least the tenth time Petalsong had to explain this to her kits. If it wasn't Twigkit asking again and again, the first time shocking her because she didn't realize he meant Buzzardshade to be 'dad,' it was one of the others. All five of her kits had asked at least one per day, casually forgetting each other time she told them. Of course, she couldn't tell them the truth - that Raptorstar hated her, and hated his brother. And she would never tell them that Buzzardshade blamed himself for the death of five cats. For now, her response would remain as vague as she could while still telling the truth. "He and Raptorstar got into an argument, and they don't want to see each other right now." Usually, whichever kit was asking would accept this, running away to continue playing with their siblings.

But Twigkit, as he got older and very near apprentice age, was not taking it as an answer anymore.

"I don't like that answer," he huffed, hunching over his paws. "You've been saying that since I got here, and there's no way they can still be that mad at each other that dad doesn't have a place to stay in the snow!" Petalsong brushed the small cat's body with her tail, intending to try and calm him down. Twigkit, however, growled and moved away, his tail flicking in annoyance. "Someone should tell Raptorstar to let him back in."

Petalsong let out a sigh, sitting back on her haunches as Twigkit was. "I don't think Raptorstar will listen to anything anyone says about Buzzardshade. He doesn't even... Twigkit, he doesn't even know he's still in the area. If he knows he were here, he would go out right now and chase him down."

Twigkit nearly yowled in his frustration at this new information. "What?!" He hissed, fur bristling, making him look twice as big - which still wasn't very big for the small cat. "He doesn't... dad isn't... why?!" He hissed again as Petalsong looked away, but the kit was relentless. He wanted answers. "I am going to be an apprentice next moon. I think I deserve to know the truth!"

"No, you don't," Petalsong said flatly, her tone saying the words she didn't want to - this conversation was over.

"I'm going to ask Raptorstar then." Before Petalsong had the chance to even process what the small cat was doing, or even where he was going, Twigkit was running.

________________________________________________________________________

"Enter," Raptorstar growled, not really wanting to talk to any kit that Petalsong had right now. He had tried to forgive her, but there was too much anger in his heart. He couldn't let it go, no matter how much he wanted to. He wasn't even sure why at this point. The anger consumed so much of his life, made it hard to focus, hard to lead his clan. Perhaps the only reason he let the small kit in was because he wasn't actually related to Petalsong... or maybe it was because the kit had such a fierce look in his eyes, Raptorstar was genuinely curious about the kit. He seemed to have a lot on his mind for someone so young.

"I need to ask you something," Twigkit began, not wasting any time. Raptorstar merely blinked at him. How could one so young already seem to hate him so much? Was that really Petalsong's influence? Something told him no, that Petalsong would never do that. Besides, her other kits seemed fine with interacting with him, though he couldn't say he'd done it a lot. "Why do you hate my da-" Twigkit cut himself off, shaking his head. "Why do you hate your brother so much?"

"Were you about to call him your dad?" Raptorstar asked dryly. He had guessed Buzzardshade was still in the area - after all, the clan wasn't empty at night. He had been given reports by Skatetooth that he had seen the cat slinking in and out of camp nearly every night. Raptorstar ignored it, too caught up in other things to worry about it. Buzzardshade was a minor nuisance right now, as long as he didn't try to take his place back in the clan.

"Yes," Twigkit said hotly, tail puffing up in defense. "He's my dad. He took me and Shrikekit in and gave us to mom to keep safe. And I want to know why you won't let him in the clan, to keep him safe, to let him have somewhere warm to be before the snow comes!" Twigkit couldn't help but raise his voice. He wanted Raptorstar to listen. And it seemed like a lot of cats didn't listen to kits, and he was frustrated about it.

Raptorstar thought about his next words carefully. He would never be one to tear a family apart, as much as he hated Buzzardshade for everything he'd done. He also didn't want to keep feeding this kit lies, or only small pieces of the truth, as it seemed both Buzzardshade and Petalsong had done. "Buzzardshade is not welcome back because he led some cats to their deaths. Instead of coming back to face me and admitting to his mistake, he ran away. He still has yet to try and find anyone in this clan to apologize. He broke apart families and has said nothing to the cats' who's lives he destroyed. I will not be letting him back into the clan, no matter what, because of this."

Twigkit became silent, his eyes wide as he stared at the floor of the monster. "I didn't... I didn't know..." He whispered, eyes filling with grief. "He never... told me... I just thought you hated him for no reason..."

"No," Raptorstar said, trying to add some gentleness to his voice. "As much as I've disliked my brother, I've never hated him. Until he decided to not own up to what he did."

The leader watched the kit flinch as his brain worked through his thoughts. "What if... what if he apologized?" He finally said, all previous venom gone from his voice. "I think... I think he feels sorry about it. When Shrikekit and me were with him before he told us to get found by a patrol, he would have terrible dreams. He twitched a lot. And he always said 'I'm sorry,' or he just yowled a lot. I think he hates what he did."

Raptorstar had his own inner battle for a few moments, taking in what the kit said. "Take me to him, and I will see what he has to say." After all, he couldn't stay mad forever... Perhaps this was what blasted Starclan wanted him to do...

_______________________________________________________________________

Buzzardshade knew that Raptorstar was coming. He heard his voice first, and he was on high alert, his claws already digging into the ground beneath his paws. The only reason he didn't run was because... he recognized the other voice alongside his brother. Twigkit. His son. What had he done? Was Raptorstar going to refuse to let Twigkit stay in the clan because he found out that Buzzardshade referred to him as family? No, that didn't make sense. If that were the case, Shrikekit would be here too.

So Buzzardshade waited. He stood his ground as Raptorstar rounded the corner, Twigkit in the lead - the small kit's chest was puffed out, proud that he was important enough to lead Raptorstar to his dad. The kit looked back and forth between the two cats before backing away, his confidence ebbing away as he realized how much the brother truly disliked each other, especially now. Buzzardshade saw Twigkit retreat behind a tree stump, his wide eyes watching from the safety of the bark.

"What do you want?" Buzzardshade was the first to talk. He usually was.

Raptorstar said nothing for what felt like hours. The wind picked up, ruffling both of their pelts, causing Twigkit to shiver. "I want you to apologize." The leader glared as Buzzardshade opened his mouth, the words already on his lips. "Not to me, mouse-brain. To the families you ripped apart. To Chickadeefeather, who lost both her daughter and her mate. To Nymphglare and Azuregaze, who mourned their brothers during each of their assessments, barely passing because they couldn't focus. To Daggershade, who got scarred on a hunt because he was unable to pay attention because of his grief. To the cats you took away everything from!" Raptorstar couldn't hold back his yells. He needed Buzzardshade to understand the damage he had caused. His brother couldn't even look him in the eyes, and it was the melting point for Raptorstar.

In a bought of rage, the leader lunged at Buzzardshade, who barely processed what was happening until his brother's large body slammed into him and pinned him down. From the side, Twigkit let out a screech of fear. "What is wrong with you?!" Raptorstar spat, digging his claws into Buzzardshade's. "You ruin lives, and you don't even have the nerve to try to fix what you did?" Raptorstar raised a claw, fury blinding him as he went to deliver a blow to his brother.

Raptorstar never realized they were being followed by another. He never would have attacked him he knew she were here. He would regret this day for the rest of his life.

Petalsong was there, her pelt almost glowing in the warm afternoon sun. Suddenly, it wasn't Buzzardshade Raptorstar struck, but Petalsong, who wedged herself between Raptorstar's outstretched claws and Buzzardshade. The cut was deep, and Raptorstar's own regret was instant.

"Help me get her back," he gasped, supporting her weight on him. "I'm sorry," he muttered, over and over and over again on the dreadfully long walk back. Twigkit trailed along after the trio, saying nothing out of worry and of fear.

By the time Petalsong made it back to the camp, she was weakened enough to fall asleep nearly as soon as she made it to Amberdawn's den. And though Raptorstar knew she was in good hands, both he and Buzzardshade remained outside of the medicine den the entire night, asking Songbirdstar and Hazelfreckle to watch over the kits.

But, as always, Starclan was right. Raptorstar could not forgive. And now, it seemed, he was going to lose the only cat he ever felt like he loved.

[Kazin]

She was going to die. She was going to die and there was nothing anyone could do to help her. Petalsong was awake long enough to share a grief-filled goodbye with her kits - all of them. There was a steady stream of cats coming in and out of the medicine den to see her, the families she had built coming around. Sagebird introduced her to his mate, Snowbriar. Raptorstar couldn't even bring himself to be surprised at Sagebird's announcement that the two of them were mates. Basilthorn and Kestrelchaser each went in without their mates. Condorglide and Thistlepath went in together, unsure if they would be able to face the reality of losing their mother alone. Raptorstar didn't know if he even could say goodbye. He didn't deserve it. He was the reason she was joining Starclan.

In the end, however, he didn't have to make that decision. It was Petalsong who asked to see him. She left him with but one request, one that he vowed he would fulfill, no matter what.

Take care of her family. All of them. Including Buzzardshade.

____________________________________________________________________

The next few days passed by in a haze, for both Raptorstar and Buzzardshade. The latter found himself sleeping in the nursery alongside his sons and daughter, keeping them warm in their mother's absence. He could only be glad that they were old enough to hold onto more than faint memories of Petalsong, that they would remember her for the rest of their lives. And that they would remember what Raptorstar did...

Neither of the brothers were the forgiving type. Not Raptorstar, and not Buzzardshade. He could never forgive his brother for this.

_____________________________________________________________________

Something had changed in Raptorstar. He felt subdued, calmer even, less... angry than he had been for a relatively long time. While he was still snappy, still standoffish, he didn't have the usual sharpness behind his words. If his anger had gotten Petalsong killed, who in his clan would be next unless he could settle himself down? Raptorstar began immersing himself in the daily activities of the clan. He began truly trying to get to know his warriors, his soldiers, his queens. He began taking care of his kin, visiting them in the nursery as Petalsong had wanted him to do. There was always one suspiciously absent on the days Raptorstar found himself in the nursery, however... one that vowed, just as Buzzardshade did, to never forgive his uncle.

Twigkit was there that day. He tried to call out, to get Raptorstar to stop behaving so rashly... and in the end, he lost his mother. The cat who had no obligation to take care of him, but did so anyway. The cat that treated him just like he was her son. She accepted Twigkit and his brother without question, and Buzzardshade did as well. But now, Twigkit had lost two moms.

And he could never forgive Raptorstar.

Twigkit made a vow the day his mother died. To avenge her. To defeat Raptorstar. To show him that he was a terrible leader. To be a better leader than Raptorstar could ever be. And the small kit would not rest, he would not leave, he would not let Raptorstar forget...

[Kazin]

There was a storm in the distance. It was not one that Twigpaw could ever be able to distinguish from normal storms, especially considering how much of his life he had yet to live... But the distracted murmurs of the adult cats during his apprentice ceremony, one meant to be filled with joyous laughter as more kits aged up, the young cat knew something was wrong. Terribly so, for even his father couldn't spare more than a tight smile at Twigpaw's new name. This was no normal storm - even Twigpaw could feel more than just his clanmates' tension in the air, the lightning making his fluffy fur stand on end. Wind howled all around the camp, threatening to scoop his smaller frame up and whisk him away. For the first time since his mother's death last moon, Twigpaw felt something other than anger towards the cat that had taken away half of his world; Twigpaw felt fear.

The fear made him feel so much smaller, so much younger, so much more frail than he should have. He was an apprentice now! He should be brave, he should be showing off to his adoptive siblings left behind in the nursery, forced to wait another moon for their own apprentice ceremonies. Instead, he found himself watching the sky with wide eyes as the storm grew impossibly closer, the wind somehow picking up speeds, the sky darkening despite the fact that it should be bright, that the sun should be blazing overhead. No, something was terribly wrong, and Twigpaw knew he had to find his brother and his father before the world could come crashing down.

He could only hope that he would find them before it was too late.

____________________________________________________________________________

This was not a normal storm. There must be something wrong. No, he decided nothing was wrong. Instead, this was his punishment - he should have never tried to attack Buzzardshade. In doing so, he killed Petalsong. This was Starclan's repayment for his idiocy. This was what he deserved after they warned him to forgive. It was he who didn't listen, and he alone who deserved this storm, whatever it was.

Tornado. The word came to him almost dreamily. Not that it needed a name. It wouldn't matter. He couldn't find forgiveness in his heart, and he paid dearly for it. Starclan had been absent since that warning, not even Amberdawn or Sunflicker catching any notice of them. They're presence was still there, of course, but they seemed to be giving Chaosclan the cold shoulder. And now, Raptorstar was sure that it was Starclan that sent this storm. It was Starclan that was ready to rip all that he had built up for years down to nothing. It was Starclan that was going to send him swirling away.

No one knew what to do. Anxious questions were met with blank stares, unblinking eyes. Not even Songbirdstar seemed to understand what should be done, a questioning lilt in her voice as she told the clan cats to take cover in their dens with their families. To keep track of one another, to keep each other safe. It was going to be a scary time, she had said, not wanting to sugarcoat a thing, her own kits tucked safely in her own den alongside Starlingblink. Raptorstar was numb beside her, not thinking, not feeling. He didn't deserve to speak to these cats. He didn't deserve to hide, to even pretend to be safe. He needed to face this storm head on.

Which was why the stubborn tom found himself outside as the tornado came barreling closer. He could hear the faint whispers of Songbirdstar yelling at him to get inside, pleading with him, but her yowl was carried away by the wind. No. He couldn't get inside. Raptorstar knew that if he was to be the true leader, he would have to face this storm and get it to take him, and only him. It would get what it came for if it swept him up, and he would find his way back to his clan eventually. He felt that in his heart.

Without a second thought, Raptorstar closed his eyes as the winds grew impossibly stronger, swirling his fur around him. Everything seemed to be happening in fast-forward, until nothing was happening at all, and the world went dark.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Confusion. That was the only emotion that anyone had room for. How they were still alive, no one knew - though the storm had not come and gone without a price. Lives were lost. Cats could not be saved. And many more were unaccounted for, too many to even guess if they had survived.

It was too confusing, being the only cat in a leadership position left in main camp. Both leaders were gone. Fallencrow was dead. And Zephyrsnap disappeared. There truly was no one left but her and a camp full of cats looking to her to know the answers, to know what to do. Crowcatcher wasn't sure she'd be able to do it, lead all of these cats. Before she could rely on the expertise of the leaders, the quiet leading style of Fallencrow, the humor of Zephyrsnap to get jobs done, leaving her with smaller tasks that were much more manageable. But now, everything up to her. Where should they bury the cats they found? How should they repair the dens that had been overturned, should they get the debris out first? Should they send search parties for the missing cats not yet known to be alive or not? The young deputy could finally understand why Raptorstar hid away in his den so much, leaving the work for everyone else. She understood why he made not one, not two, but three deputy positions so they could all delegate work much easier. She understood it all.

But she couldn't run away like her leader had. She couldn't let these cats be without the leadership they desperately needed. The first thing she did was delegate. Separate things into smaller tasks that seemed much less daunting split up. Some cats to search main camp, to make sure no one was trapped under anything. Some to gather up as much prey that had scattered around as they could, though most of it was safe as someone had the foresight to keep it inside a monster. Some cats to calm others, the ones that didn't seem as shaken. She herself was looking for another steady paw to have beside her. There was really only one cat she trusted, and one cat she knew Raptorstar would have no problem with.

Atlasrain would be the cat Crowcatcher sought out to be her deputy, of sorts. If she was going to lead main camp, she was going to need someone beside her. He was the one Raptorstar had trusted, out of all the other warriors. He was the one she would trust, too, if her past mentor had. Even though his eyes were shadowed with those that were lost, he accepted her request that he stay beside her as her co-leader of the camp until Raptorstar and Songbirdstar returned. He knew what to do, and helped her make decisions.

They would rebuild until everyone could return. Crowcatcher, Atlasrain, and the rest of the cats left at main camp. They would be ok.

Right?

[Kazin]

"Where are we?" A question none could answer, but a question asked nonetheless. Nothing looked familiar, nothing smelled familiar... The only familiarity the small group of cats had was each other, and even then, their numbers were far smaller than any of them would have liked. Families were broken apart, unknown yet if they had made it through the storm unscathed. Few were mourning - one of which being Daggershade. He had been with Fritillarystreak when they were ripped away from each other, and he had buried her underneath a foreign tree, Nymphglare at his side. The two remaining cats of what was once a large family could only hope that Azuregaze was in Chaosclan's camp, that she had remained safe. Daggershade's heart could only handle so much grief... After all, it was not that long ago that he had lost his other two sons, in that accident orchestrated by Buzzardshade.

Through his grief, Daggershade glared over at the somber tom. While he knew deep down that the storm was not Buzzardshade's fault, it was easy to lay blame on him. The usually calm hunter had lost his temper once the small group came together, nearly chasing Buzzardshade out. Perhaps he would have sent the tom away for good if another hadn't come to Buzzardshade's side, numbly telling Daggershade to back off. Two toms stared at each other, Buzzardshade blinking in confusion between them. In each of their eyes, they saw the same grief. Both had lost cats close to them. Both had suffered at Buzzardshade's paws, intentional or not. Had Daggershade not been taken so off-guard by Raptorstar siding with Buzzardshade, the clan would be rid of him once and for all.

"Don't you have every reason to let me chase him away?" Daggershade asked quietly, his anger quickly receding, the grief taking hold once again as he finally backed down from Raptorstar's challenging glare. "He's taken everything from both of us."

Raptorstar was silent for a few moments, the wind rustling the cats' pelts, the distant rumble of thunder making most of the small group flinch. "I would normally agree with you, but Buzzardshade... isn't as bad as I would think. He saved both of my sons that ended up here with us, alongside many others. As much as I want to hate him... I can't."

For once since Petalsong's death, Buzzardshade looked at his brother. The two met eyes for one brief moment, a curt nod of something akin to forgiveness, though not in its entirety, passing between them before the moment passed. Raptorstar turned away from Buzzardshade as Daggershade padded away, his tail dragging on the ground as he reunited with Nymphglare. The cats needed unity, especially now. Songbirdstar was in her own state of grief, separated from her mate and kits, left in the dark if they had survived or not. He was going to have to pull his weight... for once. With a sigh, a quick close of his eyes, he found the nearest high point to address the small group of cats that had found each other.

"Chaosclan, I hereby announce a gathering of any cats in the area that are able to heed my call." Most were already nearby, but a few that had taken to talk in hushed voices in the shade of a tree came closer to better hear the leader. Raptorstar gave Songbirdstar and Zephyrsnap a firm nod, signaling for them to come by his side. He would need them in the coming days, at least as much as possible. Perhaps Songbirdstar would need time to mourn, but she would have to recover eventually. He knew she would. She was strong. She would want to find a way back to camp. "First off, I would like to formally apologize for my behavior. I have not acted like a leader to all of you, leaving Songbirdstar in charge of everything. I readily admit I was wrong." Raptorstar could barely growl out his words, seething at his incompetence. But he had to make things right. "From now on, I vow to be better. With that being said, we need to figure out where we are. Zephyrsnap is going to be in charge of organizing a hunting patrol so we can eat and rest - any cat who feels strong enough please see him after this meeting is over." One look at tired eyes, mourning eyes, scratched cats sent another thought through Raptorstar's head... he needed to be careful. He couldn't overwork anyone. "Before that, however, I am directing every cat to be checked over by Amberdawn. Do not lie to her about any injury you have, about any stress you feel. We need everyone as strong as possible. I will be organizing a scouting patrol or two with those that are strong enough, to figure out where we are and where we need to go. Lastly, Songbirdstar is going to be in charge of fixing up makeshift dens for cats to sleep in tonight. We will not be traveling beyond normal patrols until everyone has had rest." Raptorstar flicked his tail, signifying the end of the meeting. Quietly, whispering to each other, he heard the sounds of hope fill the air. The cats chatted, getting in line to see Amberdawn.

Well done. It wasn't a voice of any of his clanmates, he was sure of that. Like a whisper of the wind. Raptorstar closed his eyes, imagining Petalsong speaking to him from Starclan. He would lead Chaosclan better, to prove to himself he was... no, is, a good cat. Just as he had been for Petalsong.

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First their mother. Then, their father, and two of their brothers. Now, Hickorypounce, gone too soon. Basilthorn was cursed, they were sure of it. But they weren't alone - they never would be. Snowbriar sought them out nearly as soon as the clan realized so many were missing - unsure if they were dead, or just lost, carried away by the heavy winds. He was an incredible friend to Basilthorn, comforting them even as his gaze searched the horizon for who he lost; Sagebird, unaccounted for since the tornado. Condorglide would find the pair of them two, certain that he saw Sagebird alive in the chaos of the lightning and rain, certain that the winds carried him away and that he was safe with Raptorstar and Thistlepath. Kestrelchaser would join them soon after, fresh with her own sorrow of mourning with her own mate after he lost his brother.

It wasn't everyone, but they had each other. More cats would come over, share in the grief, add on to the support. Chaosclan would always have each other's backs, no matter what.

Crowcatcher had the same thought going through her head as she tried to keep the remaining cats together and calm. She didn't know how Atlasrain did it, his soft words relaxing cats and sending them on their way peacefully. Sunflicker and Jaggedpaw were working tirelessly to protect and safeguard the others, treating injuries and heartbreaks and grief. Nightmint had also lent his paws, coming out of the elder's den to go back to his medical duties for as long as he needed to. It gave Crowcatcher relief to know that she was not alone. None of them were alone.

"We'll find them," she had said in her previous meeting, Atlasrain at her side. "We won't stop looking until we find every last cat we've lost."

And it would be true, no matter what. She could feel it in her heart that the others were still alive. They had accounted for far too many deaths, but she knew that there was another group out there. There had to be.