
Sometimes, Malloweyes wished she was going deaf instead of blind. Salmoncress's wails on her fallen mate's behalf, had not ceased since the moment Dunpond had begun convulsing and chocking up bile. The medicine cats had been frantic and unable to do anything, in fact, the picture was so ingrained in the elder's mind she could still see it now. Asptail, a statue, staring silently skywards as another life slipped away at his paws, resigned to his fate. Pigeonpaw, unable to remain still nor silent, yowling at Asptail, at her parents, at Sorrelstar. "I told you so! I told you so!" Desperately trying to save her father from Starclan's seeming 'curse'. But soon she too had given up, hanging her petite head, rainfall trickling from storm-cloud grey, mumbling ever after, "I told you so..." Sharkfang had been appointed deputy so quickly after, Malloweyes had sent up a prayer of gratitude to Starclan! Thank you for making my plan just so much easier. In return how about I find you some more members? You'd like that wouldn't you? The storm-free sky had flashed with disgruntled lightning, but Malloweyes just scowled upwards. The other Beechclanners were too preoccupied with Dunpond to notice. Oh don't be like that, the elder had chided, Can't you see I'm helping? It was highly unlikely that Starclan agreed with her, but Malloweyes didn't care. Starclan was dead. And dead cats didn't talk. Well, not when she was done with them anyways. Shaking off 'pleasant' memories and resigning herself to the clamorous present, the elder creaked to her paws and approached the mourning family.
She was invisible to the tear-stained eyes until she lay a comforting paw on Pigeonpaw's shaking shoulders, the apprentice craning her head with a sniffle. "I told them," she repeated in a hoarse, defeated mew. "I told them but-" The small, grey, she-cat broke in the middle of her sentence, thrusting her muzzle into Malloweyes's soft chest-fur and letting out muffled sobs. Trying her hardest not to roll her eyes the elder let her cry, making soothing shushing noises and caressing Pigeonpaw's fur. Salmoncress still wept over the body, showing no sign of having noticed the elder's approach, but her live mate certainly had. "What do you want?" he asked, his mew edging on accusation. Malloweyes gave him her best apologetic smile, still cradling his daughter against her body. "I'm sorry for your loss Stormripple. Dunpond will make Starclan one star larger and one heart brighter. One huge heart larger." The tom gave her a tight smile and she returned it readily. All the better for Dunpond dying in the Before. Under my rule you had better bet this wouldn't be allowed. Inwardly Malloweyes scoffed, dreaming of her 'perfect' plan for the future of Beechclan. One so much more orderly than this rag-tag group of rouges. 'S not real." Sandpaw's murmured protest was quickly hushed by a swipe from his sister. Blood drew from pricks along his side and the tom's eyes welled up with confusion and tears that fell silently. His flaxen sister drew him nearer and glared warningly at Carppaw. What an interesting development this was! But Malloweyes couldn't entertain the prospects of what good soldiers the little ones would make, she had a duty to carry out. "Unfortunately Stormripple, I do have another reason for coming than expressing my condolences..."
The range of lungs on that she-cat was incredible! Incredibly ear-splitting of course, and if Stormripple hadn't held back his frantic mate, trying to explain that, no the new deputy and Malloweyes did have to go bury Dunpond, it was ceremonial and Sorrelstar's orders, Sharkfang would have happily ripped out her vocal cords. Unfortunately the whole family had dispersed without much argument, Salmoncress finally out of breath, and Sharkfang's claws would have to be put to a different use. Dunpond's body tumbled unceremoniously onto the new-leaf grass as the two cats came to a halt at their destination. As Skunkbrush rolled his large shoulders and flexed his claws in preparation, Malloweyes rolled the former deputy belly up. The tom who had taken his place advanced with a grin, extending his flashing weapons. He remembered the first time Malloweyes had asked him to carry out this procedure. Skunkbrush's death had coincided perfectly with his arrival. "This one was very vocal," she had said, prodding the dead tom's pelt and pouting as if the medicine cat had disappointed her. "No doubt he'll continue to be so after death. Or try to anyways. Those who can't speak, won't speak. True for the dead as it is for the living." Malloweyes had flashed him a grin, the same she gave him now. Sharkfang returned it knowing she must be thinking of the same time. The brute pried open Dunpond's mouth, which was flecked with white spittle and traces of blood. "Wash your paws before you come back to camp," Malloweyes ordered him mildly. Sharkfang nodded, his claws flashed, and Dupond's tongue was cut. The two proceeded to bury the body like they had all the others, and when their routine was done, each adopting suitably distraught expressions, waltzed back to camp.
"I don't care what excuse you have Asptail. I am not letting you sit back and do nothing while an apprentice delivers my mate's kits." Claywhistle's mew was strictly serious as he faced down his brother. Even Asptail seemed to understand the direness of the situation for his retorts were more defensive than biting. "You should. Starclan favors Pigeonpaw. Sparksong is in much better paws with-" "Whatever happened to 'I'm the best cat in the world. I'm an amazing medicine cat so there'? The brother I know doesn't talk like this!" The tom's expression softened and Asptail was forced to take a quick step backwards to avoid his brother's attempt at a comforting touch. "What happened to you? I know we weren't close- not for my lack of effort- but this is different. You don't even come out, and now you won't do your job?" Had their sister's loss hit Asptail harder than he thought? The darker of the two brothers avoided both his sibling's gaze and question, turning away from Claywhistle and back to sorting a pile of herbs that even the warrior could tell was meager. Especially by new-leaf standards. Which reminded him... "Have you been eating?" "Yes." The lie felt bitter and obvious on Asptail's tongue, but he refused to be prodded into elaboration by Claywhistle's unconvinced tutting. He had meant to eat but had never seemed to find the time with all the potential disasters playing out in his mind. What if, in the few moments it would take him to snag a squirrel from the pile, another cat started forming at the mouth? He couldn't risk not being ready. Paws shuffled behind and Claywhistle glanced over the hunched body of his brother, his body language quite clear. The tom sighed. "I'll bring you something." Asptail didn't look up. "So long as it makes you go away."
The prey pile was already bustling when Claywhistle approached, his father and Shadowslip turning over each piece of prey and sorting them into piles. Or at least Shadowslip was, Sunheart was mostly complaining. "I know Sorrelstar's worried about prey carrying disease but if we get rid of all this what will we eat? She can't very well think newly caught prey's going to be less exposed." His mate nodded absently, giving most of her attention to a silvery minnow. She turned it over with quick black paws and examined its tiny maw. Sniffing it, her lips drew back in an expression of disgust and she quickly shoved it over next to a foaming squirrel. Sunheart scowled and swiped the fish towards himself. "I caught this myself, before Dunpond...before the incident. It can't be infected." Shadowslip let out a short sigh. She pressed her pelt against his and purred comfortingly. "I know you're worried dear, but Sorrelstar is smart to be cautious. We'll find a new source of water and prey soon enough." She licked Sunheart's chin and the tom relaxed, the two falling into grooming each other. Claywhistle watched in fascination, thankfully not the kind of morbid fascination one might experience when regarding a run-over shrew. He was over that by now. He was. "I thought we were meant to eat prey not cats." The remark, while not exactly delicate, made the pair break it up. "Oh hey Claywhistle!" Shadowslip echoes her mate's greeting with a small smile. "Sparksong is close to giving birth isn't she? Congratulations to you both." "Yeah she-"
Soundly a cry rang out through the clearing. One not of mourning but of breathless, and tuneless, excitement. "Smoothpetal! You made it!" Webwing lept up from his place in the sand, where he had been laying near motionless for the entirety of the morning. It had been like he was waiting for something, and as it turned out, it was. "Webwing?" The brown she-cat who had emerged from the riverbank, barely had time to voice a single word of question before Webwing was besides her purring. The cat, Smoothpetal as it seemed to be, pressed against him in response, her purrs baring little more hesitation than his. "H-how'd you know I was coming?" she whisper-shouted in his ear, "I didn't even know I was coming until this morning!" Webwing gave a sheepish smile, that might have held a tine of pride as well. "I read your fortune after you left. Your travel line said you were coming to stay, but your family line was intact so I knew Witherclan would be okay." The former Witherclan cat whispered a thanks to Starclan. Even right up to the moment where she had stepped across into Beechclan territory, she had fretted over whether she was doing the right thing. Would Starclan punish her family, would they punish her. But with her fears assuaged and her best friend at her side, Smoothpetal knew her choice had been the right one. Though, she noted as the cats of Beechclan had begun to take notice of the pair, a hostile glare in their eyes, it might not necessarily be the easiest one. She shrank back closer to Webwing, who in his own right seemed to be trying very hard to seem brave. Promising fortunes or no promising fortunes, there was no mistaking the viciousness in Burntsoul's eyes.
"Who is this Webwing?" Sorrelstar demanded, exhaustion and warning-spiked curiosity battling in her voice. Webwing was tempted to play the I-can't-hear-you-sorry card, but at the moment that seemed like a particularly bad idea. "This is Smoothpetal, medicine cat of Witherclan, and also my best friend." The words were carefully chosen, but still quite a few furs went up on the spines of the gathered cats. "I recognize her. But why is she here?" "I couldn't concentrate on my duties for thinking of Webwing. I thought I'd be more helpful, and happier, with-" "Are you in love?" Burntsoul's hiss was unmistakable, as were her unsheathed claws. Malloweyes could be seen giving her a warning glare, but the she-cat didn't seem to care. "We-I-uh-" Without waiting for either cat to give a comprehensible reply, the warrior turned on Sorrelstar. "We're kicking her out right? Let me give her a few, no, a lot of scars to remember us by. Beechclan doesn't take traitors and mate-stealers." She snarled back at Smoothpetal, her body language making it very clear that she would fight the medicine cat for Webwing, whom at the moment was wrestling with whether to be scared of, feel sorry for, or be annoyed at his friend for her assumption that they were mates. "Burntsoul- Sorrelstar please. Smoothpetal isn't a traitor, she was destined to come!" Sorrelstar looked around at her warriors, her exhaustion and wish to go back to sleep making her complacent. "Smoothpetal will stay. She will not be a medicine cat- The she-cat's face fell. "Officially. But I see no reason she can't help from time to time. Webwing, take your friend to check on Sparksong, the rest of you are dismissed."
The other new arrival, Cavernheart, was wrapped around his mate in the nursery wing of the tunnels. She was chattering away to him, going on and on about Lupinekit and Warblerkit, while the stoic tom nodded along with her words, a pleased expression spreading across his muzzle. His integration had been far simpler, likely due to having accompanied Sorrelstar back from the moonpool, and upon arriving, was instantly recognized by Starlingthroat. "Cavern!" she had cried, rushing up to the tom and smothering him in affection. For a split second, confusion had flashed across 'Cavern's' face but it quickly passed, replaced by silent adoration. Apparently he wasn't much of a talker. Starlingthroat had insisted the tom stay with her, apperently in the name of easing the trauma caused by their separation, though by the way Eelpaw was tactfully unmentioned, Asptail had a feeling it had more to do with keeping the tom from seeing his son.
Kitting: Sparksong
Kits in 1 moons: Cedarslash
x2 large fish (3) eaten
Herbs were used
Patrol (alternate water sources): Sunheart, Momomoon*, Webwing, Burntsoul, Whispwhisper, Shadowslip
Training: Sharkfang -> Eelpaw, Asptail -> Pigeonpaw, Flaxpool -> Sandpaw, Frostsong -> Carppaw
Herb Hunting: Pigeonpaw
The river has been poisoned. All those who drink will die or fall ill.
Sunheart is determined not to waste food and eats a poisoned fish.
Sorrelstar drinks up-river to see if that water is poisoned. It is.
Malloweyes- Bruises, scratches | Needs: Dock✔️