Parsleystar's awoken by loud shrieks. She jolts up, fur on end, and wriggles out of her tiny den ready to attack, and sees-
No, not nothing. Everyone's gathered into a circle, jeering and arguing drifting over. Parsleystar blinks, and Lynxfur notices her and breaks away from the group.
"Pinedash is back," Lynxfur says before Parsleystar can even open her mouth. The brown and white she-cat is practically radiating smugness. "He's wearing a bell collar."
Pinedash had vanished while on a solo patrol a few days ago, and though no one particularly liked the tom, he was still a part of the makeshift Clan, and they had all worried to some degree or another.
Parsleystar shoved her way through the group, silencing calls of "Kittypet!" with a cold look. She stared down Pinedash, who somehow managed to bristle even more. The collar around his neck was a startlingly bright yellow, a golden bell dangling from it that jingled every time he moved.
"...Welcome back," She finally said. "Go get checked out by Pondfang. I want to make sure you're unhurt." With that, Parsleystar swept away, leaving Pinedash to defend himself from his Clanmates.
Pondfang bolted out of the burrow at the sound of his name. He hadn't had to perform any medical duties yet, and this sounded like it would be the first. Stormclaw was trying to convince Pinedash to lean on him, and Pinedash was snapping angrily back. The reddish-brown tom's tail had been badly mangled, and Pondfang sucked in a hiss.
"This idiot tried to attack a fox on his own," Stormclaw spat, clearly fed up with the other tom. Pinedash let out a low growl, unsheathing his claws. Pondfang shoved his way between them, and Pinedash almost toppled over, spitting curses all the while.
Pondfang exmined Pinedash's tail. It was certainly not good, he could say that much. What had Icepool done for something like this...
"Cobwebs," Pondfang announced, startling Stormclaw and Pinedash. He bustled back to his den and scooped up a swab of them. "Juniper, maybe? Or poppy seeds?" He examined the little piles of herbs he'd managed to collect before grumbling in frustration. He should never have been made medic.
"From this day forth you shall be known as Tempestroar. We honor your valor and bravery, and we welcome you as a warrior of Butterfly Clan."
Tempestroar felt like she'd explode with joy. She had survived so much, and she'd made it to her warrior ceremony. For the days following the fire that had destroyed her home, she'd thought she'd forever be Tempestpaw.
Tempestroar turned her face up to the sky. Are you watching, mom? Dad? She wondered. Do you see me? I'm here. I'm alive. I'll keep going, for you.
Pondfang paused, his paw hovering above the burnt nettles he'd been gathering. His ears twitched and swiveled. Was that the wind? No, it was something...
He followed the sound, setting his paws down silently on the ground.
"Quiet, please." The voice was feminine, desperate, and exhausted. Pondfang crept closer, and his eyes caught movement. A grey tabby was curled around tiny, mewling scraps of fur. She was breathing heavily, the tiny kittens at her stomach squealing and mewling.
"Oh," Pondfang breathed, and the she-cat whipped her head around, her body stiffening. "Oh, no, don't worry. I... I'm a medic. I'm new at it, but I think I can help." The she-cat relaxed and let out a rusty purr.
"I would love that, thank you. I wouldn't normally be out here, but my housefolk, they... in the fire..." She blinked back tears.
"I'm Pondfang," Pondfang said awkwardly after a few moments.
"Sakari. And these are Sky and Cloud." Sakari unfolded herself slightly to show a pair of newborn toms.
"They're lovely," Pondfang whispered. Kittens. New life would always come to the world, even when everything seemed so bleak, and it was magical.
