camp days pull you up just like a daffodil // return with stranger + kit

[butterflytuft]

// this takes place after this thread!
Butterfly has a fresh injury of a bit paw; it is bleeding and sprained but not broken. The nameless kit has a broken tail but no other injuries! Prior to Dawnglare's return which is why she's only seeking out Firefly
@EDMUND @orphaned kit @Orangestar @Fireflypaw No need to wait for anyone!

The journey home had been quiet for the most part. Her mind is overtaken by thoughts of Twitchbolt's tail disappearing into the trees, the sound of the howls and barks replaying over and over in her mind. She takes several peeks at the ivory kitten that hangs from Edmund's maw, worry for her driving her forward. She doesn't know how hurt she is, but the crooked tail is enough to worry her. "We need to get her to Fireflypaw as fast as possible," She mews to the cat she can really only begin to call her savior. If he hadn't come along, what would they have done? They probably wouldn't have made it home till nightfall.

When they finally reach the entrance to camp, the queen draws in a breath and continues to limp through, leaning on the cinnamon tom as her paw remains tucked to her chest. "Just in here. Um...there will be a lot of cats. Just...just so you know." The afternoon sun shines down on them as they make their way through, and she is sure they look like quite the sight. A strange kittypet, an orphaned kit, and a limping queen; the deputy she had left with nowhere to be seen. She is sure there will be questions, but she first looks around with round eyes. "Please, can someone get Fireflypaw, quickly!?"​

 

[CANDORPAW]

Butterflytuft is back! It isn't often that she's back, because it isn't often that she's gone, so naturally, Candorkit waited very di-digelently (?) for her to return. He smells he before he sees her – a testament to his amazing warrior's senses and just how ready he is to be a warrior. Candorkit is bouncing to his paws the moment black - and - red breaches bramble walls. " Butterflytuft! " And... stranger, and also kitten? Tiny kitten, not an almost - apprentice like him.

It takes a little while for Candorkit to understand what was before him. Something is off. The off thing is this guy that he's never seen before, which means they're not from SkyClan. and not from SkyClan means stranger or enemy. And stranger means enemy also. Off thing: enemy. This guy. Candorkit's jaws part in the beginnings of a battle cry, " INTRUDER—! "

But then, Butterflytuft asks that someone gets Fireflypaw really quickly. Who's really quick, and also a really good almost - apprentice, and really helpful? Him! Candorkit stands to attention declaring, " I will! " before scampering off to find his sort - of brother. No, definitely brother, he thinks. Just... a big and important one.

// edited cuz i misunderstood the situation at first <3​

 

[EDMUND]

He'd not been able to make much conversation on the way over, what with a kit in his mouth. But, well, that wasn't really important. Of course he'd been a bit confused when they'd started padding away from the houses on the way to taking the kitten and the she-cat to camp, and... when she'd warned him about a gathering of cats... a lot... he couldn't help but feel a sinking stone of dread in his stomach. And- yeah, the scent of cat way cloying around here... "Oh- 'dat's... fine," he muttered through the kitten's scruff, unconvincingly.

A little green-eyed kit, forest in his eyes to mirror this... odd place he lived in. Edmund looked around in obvious awe, the slightest prickle of fear beginning to buzz beneath their fur. Like, like darting wingbeat. Right... well, he'd done a nice thing, yeah? There wasn't any reason for anyone to have a problem with them... probably. Even if he was... an intruder, apparently.

They felt their tail begin to twitch nervously- sky-and-amber danced back and forth, see-saw, shy. Afternoon sun felt even hotter in this scenario... tenderly, he placed the kit softly on the ground, instinctively keeping a snowy paw next to her. She had a tiny, tiny little face... a little scrunched up and pinkish, but... it was objectivey quite cute. Edmund's head tilted softly to the side. "You'll be with, uh, Firefly Paws... soon..." ​

penned by pin ❤​

 

[budkit]

The shrill cries of protest at being removed from the scent of milk and hope for a meal fade long before the newborn crests SkyClan territory. The gentle sway of Edmund’s steps lull the infant to sleep, soft snores escaping light pink muzzle. It isn’t until she is placed down once more that she stirs.

And in wakeful stirring a new cry parts her maw.

Raspy in her wails, the scrap of white fur wiggles towards Edmund’s paw, nosing and nudging it in the hopes of finding a food source - though she finds nothing to her dismay.

Oh what a stressful day for a newborn.​

[ penned by kerms ]​

 

[Fireflyglow]

There is a shrill cry for help from his younger brother, voice clinging for aid as he enters the medicine den. Fireflypaw is about to welcome his brother, but instead he mentions Butterflytuft, a kitten, and a strange cat with her. A sense of protectiveness floods him in that instance, remembering the decaying bodies the smelled of lavender- of fur that once snuggled with Butterflytuft and her kits. Dandelionwish. He scoops up some marigold and a few other herbs, trotting out of the den to figure out what was going on.

"Butterfly? Wh-" The smell of blood, though not plentiful, is present in the air. Milky hues stare owlishly at the stranger by Butterflytuft's side, hardened with distance, before he gently beckons for the stranger to set down the kit. He would treat the youngling first. "Where have you been?" He asks worriedly, tongue rasping over the twisted tail softly as to not hurt the young thing. He smells no blood upon the chickling, only a broken tail. Oh, the woes of not having a tail that could whip and twirl around at will. "She is alright. Her tail is broken." He does not know how to mend a broken tail, doesn't know if it's even possible. But for now, he would wrap it in cobweb and hold it tight so it doesn't move more.

Then, like the obedient acolyte he was, Fireflypaw leans over to Butterfly to gently bump his head against her own. Happy his friend was back home, safe where they could protect her. The smell of blood was coming from her, and as he leans down to sniff at her paw, he realizes the blood comes from a fresh bite wound. He turns, chewing up some marigold, preparing the cobweb with his paw. Once he plasters down the herb, he wraps the paw tightly before laying a fresh oak leaf over it to keep it from getting infected. When he got her alone, perhaps he should ask Dawnglare the proper procedure for dealing with sprains. Obviously, this paw wasn't broken. "Keep your weight off of this paw. I want you in my den for a little bit to keep an eye on the sprain." He gently requests the Queen, before his eyes turn blindly to the stranger.

"...Thank you for helping Butterflytuft. You will be escorted out of our territory by a patrol, if you don't mind waiting." He does not gesture to the other that he is able or willing to offer them a home, merely stares owlishly towards the stranger before he lifts the kit up into his jaws by its scruff. ​

SKYCLAN MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE ✦ 22 MOONS ✦ CHUNKY, BIG-FOOTED SEAL POINT ✦ TAGS​

 

[Orangestar]

It feels that every day, there is some chaos to behold at the entrance to SkyClan's camp. A new joiner, an injury, the announcement of a death .... The flavour of today is the scent of blood, the flurry of activity that tells her Butterflytuft and Twitchbolt have returned: but it's without her former deputy, and with a total stranger and a kit at her side. Orangestar's expression hardens into its trademark scowl as she emerges from the elders' den this time, leaving her apprentices to continue with tick-picking, and she crosses the camp as Fireflypaw gently recoils from dressing the queen's wound.

"Butterflytuft." Orangestar ignores the stranger at her side in favour of rounding on the tortoiseshell, ears flat to her skull and eyes narrow as they sweep her form. "What happened? Who is this, and where is Twitchbolt?"

ooc ✧ 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦

•  
• 
  
  [ art by pin ]
• ORANGESTAR ✧ she/her, leader of skyclan | eight lives
  
  
  — "a scarred white-and-ginger she-cat with brown eyes."
  — single ; mentoring springpaw & fangs
  — speech is in #F18C47
  — tags | penned by mercibun, contact on discord for plots.
  
  
  
  

​

 

[butterflytuft]

It’s not necessarily something she wants Candorkit to see, and although she trusts Edmund, she supposes it’s not exactly good that the kit was comfortable bounding right up to a stranger. It’s something she may teach him about later; right now, she’s just grateful that the energetic tom-kit is there and bounding off to retrieve the medicine cat apprentice. Butterflytuft peers at the kit as her companion puts her down, her heart racing as thoughts of Twitchbolt fill her mind. Maybe…maybe he’s come back? He’d be faster than her in her current state, after all.

When Fireflypaw arrives, her ears flatten and she shifts so he can more easily reach the kit. “W-we went to the Twolegplace for the flowers,” She begins to explain shakily. A broken tail. Her heart squeezes in sympathy. The poor thing…

He then turns his attention to her paw and she doesn’t protest as it’s dressed, a frown tugging at her muzzle. The medicine den? She looks at the kit again…But what about…? “Thank you,” The tortoiseshell murmurs when he’s finished.

As Fireflypaw addresses Edmund next, Orangestar appears, stern and domineering as ever. Her lip wobbles as she stares at the leader, wondering how to even explain everything that’s happened before it all spills out as do more tears. “It was a dog. T-Twitchbolt and I found the kit, and it- Orangestar, it was awful, it had killed her entire family. It would’ve finished me and her off but- but Twitchbolt led it away. Edmund found us - me and this kit - and helped me get home.” Her heart sinks at the realization. Twitchbolt is not back if Orangestar is asking about him. Wavering voice picks back up, “I don’t know where he is. We need to send out search parties, right? We have to find him! He could be-“ She can’t even finish the thought. Her gaze drops.​

 

[FIGFEATHER]

Camp goes from quiet to chaos fast.

Butterflytuft, who had just returned from a walk with Twitchbolt- does not return with the former deputy. Instead in his place is a stranger and to add a small kit, good StarClan where did they both come from? Where was Twitchbolt?

Figfeather hurries to stand nearby Orangestar, as dutiful as a dog and willing to carry out any order she instructs. Figfeather’s eyes widen when Butterflytuft tells her story, relieved that her sister made it out okay. It was Twitchbolt they now had to worry about, what if the dog had gotten him?

”Let me gather a patrol, Orangestar.” Figfeather offers, her eyes wide in urgency. ”I’ll assemble our best trackers and fighters. We’ll find him.” If she would let her take the lead, which Figfeather wants for several selfish reasons. Plus, subconsciously, she knows she owes it to the brown and cream Tom for the way she had left him in the medicine cats den that day.

♡ INFO BATTLE

• 
  » Figfeather
  » SkyClan Lead Warrior
  » She/her . AMAB
  » Sire to Sangriapaw & Coffeepaw
  » Mentoring Daisypaw
  » A red tabby she-cat with a mangled leg.
  » ”Speech”․ thoughts ․ attack
  
• 
  » A foe in battle whose ability to strategize can shift tides.
  » Excels in strategizing and pre-planning her battles.
  » Fights defensively and to aid her clan to victory.
  » May powerplay minor harm. Can powerplay healing

​

 

[EDMUND]

Bloody hell, she wasn't kidding about there being a lot of cats here. This had to be, yeah, Firefly Paws- no, uh, Fireflypaw- who walked toward them now, who examined the kitten with sightless, milky eyes. What was he searching for, there? He had to be a wise sort of cat to know what was wrong with the poor little scrap even without being able to scan her visually for wounds. Edmund reluctantly drew his paw away from the child... and then, drew a little distance from Butterflytuft as she started to get swarmed. Oh, this was... yeah, this was crowded. He'd never really been in a crowd before.

Panic wavered her voice as she spoke of... of Twitchbolt, and that was her friend that ran off, wasn't it? Edmund awkwardly looked to the ground, unsure if he should even be there- and then, Firefly Paws said something about escorting him to the border. "Oh, um..." Surprise vocalised, mismatched eyes looked wide, flicked between the serious faces of the gathering cats, many of them nicked with battle scars.

Edmund swallowed, scraping their paw against the earth. "Yeah, you lot probably want me out of your fur now, yeah? Well... um, this has been..." They trailed off, looking toward Butterflytuft and trying to catch her eye. "Hope all goes well with the kitten. Would I... would I be able to visit?" The answer was probably no- these cats lived all the way out in the middle of nowhere for a reason, didn't they? Isolation, they would bet. But it was worth a try. "I'd like to... to see you again." His eyes slipped to the kitten, too. Oh, and it was awful she was having to see the medic... to be healed for something. It'd soothe him to know she'd turned out okay...​

penned by pin ❤​

 

[FIGFEATHER]

Orangestar gives her permission to command a patrol. She turns her head to look for available and capable cats. ”Drowsynose, Chrysaliswing, with me!” She is shocked to hear his name leave her lips, but despite her grievances with the chimera tom she credited him where it was due. He and Drowsynose could be invaluable assets in finding Twitchbolt, and fighting off any slobbering dogs if it came down to it.

She hesitates, but she calls for her apprentice, ”…Daisypaw! You too.”

With one last odd look to the stranger and then a nod to Butterflytuft, a promise to return the brown tom home, she sets off.

♡ INFO BATTLE

• permission to assume orangestar’s permission to lead a patrol given by wren :)
• 
  » Figfeather
  » SkyClan Lead Warrior
  » She/her . AMAB
  » Sire to Sangriapaw & Coffeepaw
  » Mentoring Daisypaw
  » A red tabby she-cat with a mangled leg.
  » ”Speech”․ thoughts ․ attack
  
• 
  » A foe in battle whose ability to strategize can shift tides.
  » Excels in strategizing and pre-planning her battles.
  » Fights defensively and to aid her clan to victory.
  » May powerplay minor harm. Can powerplay healing

​