- Aug 9, 2022
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Carawaykit is surprisingly light, he wonders if she will ever fill out properly but once a diet of fish was introduced the kitten would surely bulk up a little more. The ease with which he can tote her is not that concerning, but it is where he focuses his thoughts for the time being because thinking of anything else right now on the long trek would shatter him to pieces. At long last SkyClan’s border scent begins to waft in their direction, he can see the familiar shift in territory ahead and he flicks his tail up to signal the following cats to stop as he turns to set the little scrap down, “You did well.” He is not really an affectionate cat but he can tell the kits are all shaken so he takes a moment to make sure they are nudged and accounted for before looking around to the gathered cats present. “Robinpaw, stay with Willowroot to help her.” He glances to his friend before turning to make sure the rest of the clan made it out.
Lichentail had gone right to the medicine cat den and with assistance Ravensong and their ill were able to escape, so many of their warriors bore scars defending one another - even Snakeblink as passive as he was had thrown himself into the conflict to save Ratpaw, cowardly ex-kittypet Pikesplash saving Catfishpaw, Salmonshade guarding Carppaw after that wretched traitor abandoned her...
He would be lying if he did not admit his eyes immediately searched for his kits, uttering an almost whine of a sigh when he spotted the despondent trio and he quickly walked over to check on them with quick nudges of his head and murmurs of relief. They all seemed a little rough, their first taste of combat and it was sorely out of anyone’s league to deal with appropriately.
“Stay together, don’t wander.” It is a warning, he would not be tolerating mischief, not right now. How much of the clan had seen their leader drown in a flood of fur and claws? Had their kits seen it? Would they finally experience the horror that was seeing him rise from the dead, losing himself a little more each time? Smokethroat resists the urge to shudder before looking around at his clanmates, tired and trembling, once again driven from their home, once again attacked while at peace.
Visions of torn black and gray, spotted white fur flash in his head; the impulse to go running back now that the clan was somewhere safe strikes him and he gazes back in the direction of the territory with that lone eye widening, desperation and fear flashing across his expression. No, he couldn't-he crushed his instincts down and swallowed hard; he couldn't lose it right now, he couldn't act out and put the clan in danger of having no guidance at all. Smokethroat once again realized he had to trust that a sloped head would eventually emerge from the treeline behind them. Like he had done the first time after being skewered to the tree, sending his blood into the faces of his horrified clanmates, like he had when he returned with a wire collar from a trap, like he'd done when the river rose up to drag him into its frozen depths...he'd come back. As he always did.
"...is anyone missing?" He asks, lifting his voice - hold it together, his mind warns, don't break. Don't panic. 'Aside from the obvious missing.' his thoughts finish like claws to his heart. Hopefully a SkyClan patrol would be passing through soon.
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[Ooc]
Setting down @carawaykit , addressing @willowroot & @robinpaw. and checking on @STARLIGHTPAW & @CICADAPAW & @BEEPAW. directly.
Please don't doublepost before @BLAZESTAR is able to arrive! Other SkyClanners are welcome to stumble across them first though!