RippleClan ~ Open, New, Accepting!

[rain♥]

Thornpelt
Thornpelt nodded solemnly, "It was my fault. If I hadn't gotten hurt, she would have had to pull me out of the forest. She would have made it before the smoke got deep in her lungs.", he meowed miserably.

[Balsam]

Nightstar
"Do not blame yourself. Her lungs were always weak. The smoke would have gotten deep in her lungs regardless." Nightstar closed his eyes. " I don't think there was anything that could have been done. If she had run to get out of the forest, she would have eventually not been able to breathe at all and likely collapse."

[rain♥]

Thornpelt
Thornpelt shook his head, "I just...it shouldn't have happened. It wasn't her time. She had been through so much though, maybe this was best for her", he said to his leader.

[Balsam]

Nightstar
"StarClan knows it was her time," Nightstar meowed. "She brought three promising young apprentices and two new skilled warriors to our Clan, and she helped our medicine cat to safety. She has done more than she needed for RippleClan, and StarClan knows she needs rest. She may rest on now in StarClan."

[rain♥]

Thornpelt
"You're right", the tom meowed, "I haven't told you this yet, but I was planning on retiring to the elder's den with her after Cranepaw finished his training. I don't know if that is the best now that she won't be there. I wanted to be able to look after her. Maybe StarClan is trying to tell me something", he told Nightstar.

[Balsam]

Nightstar
"It would have been rather early for you to retire. And you're right; even more reason for you to go to the Moonpool tonight."

[rain♥]

Thornpelt
Thornpelt nodded, "I should probably leave at the beginning of sundown", he meowed. Once Thornpelt finished digging a hole about the size of Beryl, the tom turned around to pick up the elder.

[Balsam]

Nightstar
Nightstar picked Beryl back up. "That sounds wise," the leader agreed.

[rain♥]

Thornpelt
Thornpelt helped Nightstar pick up Beryl. Very gently, he set her down in the hole. With a very hard struggle, he slowly began piling the sand onto Beryl, barely able to watch.

[Balsam]

Nightstar
"Thornpelt, you rest," Nightstar urged, beginning to cover Beryl with the sand.