- Ebonysong chews thoughtfully as he listens to the other tom's words. "Well, I'm glad you slept well. We'll certainly need it for the day ahead of us. Aren't we supposed to set off on our journey today?" he wonders aloud as he speaks. The black tom scans the area, watching the other cats. Fallenrains has approached Pebbleriver and Mossblossom with her kits. Is something wrong? Ebonysong briefly wonders before he sets his yellow gaze back onto the yellow-and-silver cat.
He knows that the other tom must be worried about his sister, Honeyglow as well, though he isn't sure if he should bring the subject to light. How sensitive is Lightningstrike? Ebonysong is almost afraid to find out, fearful of losing his new friend -- perhaps his only friend now.
---
Pebbleriver listens quietly and patiently as the queen stammers through her words. "Oh, I understand. Most fevers appear overnight, though you certainly could have woken me when you realized this morning," she insists. The dark gray she-cat turns her head to shout to Shimmerpaw again when she realizes Fallenrains is right beside her. Pebbleriver blinks at him gratefully for the sprigs of feverfew and goldenrod... though she notices his movements are stiff. I'll treat him next, if he'll allow, she promises herself. "Thank you, dear," she murmurs to the large silver tom.
She turns back to Mossblossom and the kits. "Of course you were careful, love. It's difficult to know the health of kits at such a young age. Almost anything sets them off," Pebbleriver reassures. She chews the feverfew into a pulp and spits it into her pawpad. Ever so gently, she pries Owlkit's mouth open and coaxes her to eat the soft, pulpy and mushy herbs.
---
Crookedwillow eyes the bird at his paws, resisting the urge to tell him to eat. For now, she will listen. "You are a leader. Whether you doubt yourself or Starclan's wishes, you were born to lead. I know you most likely don't trust me with my saying this, but it's true. A mother knows," the elderly she-cat muses lightly. She shakes her head at the memory of Barestar and Foxmoon, the mouse curdling in her stomach. "If anything, I think the power got to Barestar's mind and sickened him. And trust me when I say that every cat was fearful of him and his punishments."
"We all could have left moons ago, but the fear drove us to a complacent normalcy where we believed this harsh and undue punishments were what a clan is supposed to be. For as long as I can remember, most leaders in Caveclan have lead like this, giving distasteful examples."