They have rested for as long as they have time to do. Weariness weighs upon all of them, but as Sunstride drags his paws into a slow semblance of standing, he does not allow it to show on his own face. His anger, his exhaustionβ all of it choked down behind a shroud of determination. It does not fully keep his twitching paw from crossing his face. It swipes remaining weariness, but leaves something else in its place. It is placed back down with aching soreness, and the barest hint of claws.
"WindClan!" The name is still sour upon his tongue. He does not want WindClan. The legacy of a mad cat, who turned this world to ash. Yet if they do not cling to that, there will be nothing, and Sunstride will not take that from them. Not now. The beasts of the barn shift mildly at his cry, and the cats that remain of his clan stir to gather. He waits patiently, for both the hooved creatures and cats settle. "I know that we have suffered greatly in the days behind us. I owe you answers, so that we may begin anew." His gaze finds Wolfsong's from the crowd, and he sweeps across the warriors that have helped him through all that has happened. "Sootstar spoke the truth. I returned ShadowClan's kits to their clan. Chilledstar spoke of their loss at the Gathering, and it is there that I discovered they were not the orphans that she claimed them to be. Their father β ShadowClan's deputy himself β missed them terribly. I knew that in doing this, I would face her punishment.
"I did not know that it would become the clan's. I know that I brought what we feared upon all of our heads. Those of our clan that now sit with the stars died due to my actions, and my mistake." He allows that thought to linger heavily upon the crowd. Sunstride does not stand above them as Sootstar did in their camp. At eye level with each of them, he cannot see past the first row of heads. Still he searches for Brightshine. "I cannot bring back your family. But StarClan and WindClan will honor their sacrifice for lifetimes to come." It is not enough.
"All of you!" the warrior shouts, a rallying cry. "Know that this is what's right; this is what StarClan asks of us. And we will not lose sight of what brought us here! We push forward, as WindClan always has. We must stand together, for our strength is in each other." His voice softens, as do his eyes. A half-step into the crowd, so that he might nudge his head into one of his kit's. "I know that your bones are as weary as your hearts. We will carry each other through all of this."
The barn cats are not among his most ardent supporters. He knows this, and yet he seeks them out anyway, with hesitation in glacial eyes. "You owe this clan nothing, but would you teach some of our warriors the way that you hunt? We will need our strength if we are to retake camp." His gaze swings from the small group. "The rest of youβ if you are healthy enough to seek moss, or follow Wolfsong as he searches for herbs, I ask that you do so. Our wounds need tended to."
"WindClan!" The name is still sour upon his tongue. He does not want WindClan. The legacy of a mad cat, who turned this world to ash. Yet if they do not cling to that, there will be nothing, and Sunstride will not take that from them. Not now. The beasts of the barn shift mildly at his cry, and the cats that remain of his clan stir to gather. He waits patiently, for both the hooved creatures and cats settle. "I know that we have suffered greatly in the days behind us. I owe you answers, so that we may begin anew." His gaze finds Wolfsong's from the crowd, and he sweeps across the warriors that have helped him through all that has happened. "Sootstar spoke the truth. I returned ShadowClan's kits to their clan. Chilledstar spoke of their loss at the Gathering, and it is there that I discovered they were not the orphans that she claimed them to be. Their father β ShadowClan's deputy himself β missed them terribly. I knew that in doing this, I would face her punishment.
"I did not know that it would become the clan's. I know that I brought what we feared upon all of our heads. Those of our clan that now sit with the stars died due to my actions, and my mistake." He allows that thought to linger heavily upon the crowd. Sunstride does not stand above them as Sootstar did in their camp. At eye level with each of them, he cannot see past the first row of heads. Still he searches for Brightshine. "I cannot bring back your family. But StarClan and WindClan will honor their sacrifice for lifetimes to come." It is not enough.
"All of you!" the warrior shouts, a rallying cry. "Know that this is what's right; this is what StarClan asks of us. And we will not lose sight of what brought us here! We push forward, as WindClan always has. We must stand together, for our strength is in each other." His voice softens, as do his eyes. A half-step into the crowd, so that he might nudge his head into one of his kit's. "I know that your bones are as weary as your hearts. We will carry each other through all of this."
The barn cats are not among his most ardent supporters. He knows this, and yet he seeks them out anyway, with hesitation in glacial eyes. "You owe this clan nothing, but would you teach some of our warriors the way that you hunt? We will need our strength if we are to retake camp." His gaze swings from the small group. "The rest of youβ if you are healthy enough to seek moss, or follow Wolfsong as he searches for herbs, I ask that you do so. Our wounds need tended to."
ππππ πππππππ ππ πππππ ββ±β±
ππ π πππππππ γ 11.22.2023 γ
βββββΒ«
- OOC. @Yewberry @Echolight . @POLLENFUR specifically, seeking help in barn hunting!!
-
SUNSTRIDE. WINDCLAN DEPUTY & MOOR RUNNER.
βββ HE β HIM β HIS β±β± 48+ MOONS OLD, ADULT.
TH β±β± LARGE CHOCOLATE ROSETTE TABBY, ICY EYES. -
"speech"