Being rounded up by a bunch of lions she didn't know, being escorted to the heart of their pride's territory ─ She felt she'd never been so far from her family before.
She spoke little about them. Claimed that she had no parents ─ She was a runaway, after all... But, she was beginning to regret saying as much. It looked like these big cats could eat her up in one gulp. Maybe running away wasn't the great big solution she'd been hoping for...
She was shaking as she entered the camp, flanked on either side by powerful warriors. She tried hard to puff out her chest and look threatening, but she seemed rather meek. Now she knew how antelope and zebras felt...
Exhaustion. Pure... utter exhaustion. He's been running for as long as he could. He's gotten himself purely lost from the dirt path of the hiking trail. He had a thought in mind in desperation that if he kept going on the normal path, they could easily find him. They would still find him, right? Drake's eyes dark bagged. Tears burning his eyes from sleep deprevation. But there's a whisper... he can't tell if it's just him or the wind. But it's calming... soothing... like a hum to a lullaby.
'Get up, kit.'
It would hiss and whisp past him through the wind as if on command. Its voice incomprehensible of a tone or gender, but it still was there. He's going insane from the paranoia and lack of sleep afraid they'd nab him in his sleep and tie him down to the bed or something. Punish him harsher for escaping. Drake's legs rocked back and forth. Wobbling. He uses the trees as a support beacon to push himself along the grass and trees. It's like a sixth sense of where to go. Where he SHOULD be going. He doesn't exactly argue against it.
'Keep going, little kit... you're almost there.'
That voice. It brushes through his ears just as it started, it ended. Drake just wanted to go HOME. But he didn't HAVE a home. Not anymore. He's lost. Alone. And forgotten.
It was a warm leaf fall day and colorful leaves fell from the trees. Sunlight spilled through the trees, dappling the floor in patches of sunlight.
The Thunderclan camp bustled with cats. Warriors gathering for afternoon patrols. Kits playing outside of the nursery, with their mothers watching nearby. While the elder's basked in the sunlight outside their den, taking in the warmth. Despite the busy atmosphere, it was still peaceful.
A scarred gray she-cat lays next to her clan's leader, her front paws tucked elegantly underneath her body. A plump, half eaten shrew laid in front of her, the medicine cat uncertain if she could eat the whole thing.
"The hunting seems to be bountiful this season. I hope, this continues into the start of leaf bare." she comments. It's wishful thinking, she knows. But maybe, just maybe, Star Clan will have mercy on us this leaf bare.
Crookedstar paced back and forth outside the nursery, glancing up at every sound and movement that occurred inside. He had been nervous all morning since Bluefur had begun to come down with kits just on the edge of the ThunderClan and RiverClan border and he cursed at himself for having had met her tonight, just for this to happen. He was annoyed, but he knew she was in good paws with Brambleberry and Mudfur, who was quickly becoming a very knowledgeable medicine cat, would help ease her pain and help with the kitting.
Brambleberry had basically been inside the nursery with Bluefur since she arrived with Crookedstar to RiverClan’s camp a few hours prior, with Mudfur running to and from the medicine cat den with herbs, sticks, and whatever else was needed. When Mudfur was busy, Crookedstar was more than happy to help, having gathered fresh moss and water for his mate, and of course better materials for her nest to make her more comfortable.
It had been a while since he had heard anything from inside the den and Mudfur had sent him away, so he could stop pacing back and forth worrying himself,
❝She’ll be fine, she’s in good paws, just trust me Crookedstar,❞ Mudfur had told him with a genuine smile, ❝She’ll be fine, don’t worry.❞
And he had kept the medicine cat apprentice and Brambleberry to that. He had also kept to himself, trying to preoccupy himself with other things, meaning he had organized the dawn patrols, gotten the hunting parties together, and helped the mentors with what they should train their apprentices on for that day.
Cedarpelt had let him do so, knowing that Crookedstar wanted to keep busy, but the deputy padded up to Crookedstar after he was done, sitting beside him. He looked to the young leader, seeing his fur being spiked with worry, and a look of worry still plastered to his face.
Cedarpelt used his tail to smooth out his leader’s fur and to reassure his old apprentice,
❝Everything will be alright. . It’s green-leaf, she couldn’t have asked for a better time to have kits,❞ he whispered and Crookedstar nodded, giving a small sigh.
❝I know, I know, but after the other issues we’ve had, I j-❞ he was stopped mid-sentence by Cedarpelt, who had slapped his tail over Crookedstar’s muzzle,
❝She’ll. Be. Fine,❞ he said again, much more stern, to which Crookedstar nodded again, this time fully understanding. Cedarpelt dropped his tail and Crookedstar looked back across the clearing as Mudfur exited the nursery to fetch a bit more damp moss and quickly returned only a few minutes later into the den.
Crookedstar could only sit impatiently and wait. His nerves were getting the better of him and he was thinking of worse case scenarios the entire time. He didn’t know what to do or say, before a yowl broke his thoughts,
❝Crookedstar!❞ Brambleberry yowled from the nursery to him across the clearing.
Crookedstar scampered to his feet and sprinted across the clearing, being met by Brambleberry outside the nursery, Crookedstar giving her a worried look that quickly melted when he saw the prideful look on her face and the happiness that shone in her eyes,
❝Have a look,❞ she whispered to the leader, ❝Two kits. One tom, one she-cat. I won’t spoil anything else, but Bluefur absolutely wants you to help name them.❞
Crookedstar smiled from one side of his crooked jaw to the other and dipped his head to Brambleberry, who returned the head dip with her own,
❝Thank you, Brambleberry,❞ he breathed and quickly moved his way into the den to meet his mate,
❝Well? How are they? What do they look lie? Are they already warriors?❞ Crookedstar asked excitedly as he moved over to his mate. He moved around the back side of her body, lying down, and then curling around her body with his own. He stuck his crooked right leg out, that still wasn’t healed fully, and looked at her with joy filling his heart and his body swimming with nervous feelings.
Mudfur looked on at the scene, giving a small purr of amusement,
❝I guess not even the strongest of leaders can hide their excitement about kits,❞ he commented with a chuckle, to which Crookedstar shot him a glance that was of slight annoyance with him, but it wasn’t mean spirited and Mudfur knew that.
❝Come on! I want to see them!❞ he breathed to Bluefur, excitement glittering in his eyes.
Storkpaw had settled into clan life well, all things considered. It was easy to recognize that she was the odd one out, but she still tried her very hardest, and was thriving under the pressure of a challenge. Today, she'd caught her second-ever prey — An old blackbird that had been a little too inattentive. The first catch, only done a day prior, had been a plump mouse, and had been a messy kill. This one held a clean bite, gone without a fuss.
With a satisfied, triumphant purr, the she-cat lifted her catch, tail held high as she turned toward her mentor to show off the item.
"Blmfshtrr!" The apprentice called, voice muffled by her mouthful. She dropped the prey, "Bluestar!" She repeated.
She'd only crashed through the trees a few dozen times.
With her last fall from the air, Stellaluna sported a rather nasty tear in her wing, and sat upon the forest floor to look at it with a frown. The membrane was split wide open to show off a hole she could see directly through, and it hurt.
The pup sniffled. She felt like crying. She was afraid, and she had never been hurt like this before.
The whole place felt... weird. She could swear she knew the place like her own non-existent pockets, but now it felt like the forest had somehow gotten bigger. Or was this even the same forest anymore?
Suddenly, while she was standing on a rock... something jumped on her!
"EEEEEEP!"
It was a cat!
"Hey!!! Let go!!! Am not food!!!" She screamed at it.
Narinder's ears twitched when he saw the fellow feline out in the woods.. Weren't those pets for people in this world? He's never recalled seeing one out in the wild while living in this world. His tail idly flicks.
