camp hold onto this lullaby // arriving in camp

[SNAPPER]

// takes place right after this thread with @Willowburn @MAPLETUFT @milkpaw @scalejaw @LAVENDERPAW no need to wait for them!

The storm has lessened by the time Snapper pads into the ShadowClan camp, but his small body still shivers with each step from his soaked pelt. The journey through the rain-soaked marsh had been daunting, the mud sucking at his paws and the wind howling like some terrible beast. Yet, he couldn't help but watch his escorts in awe. These cats moved like shadows themselves, their pelts blending with the dark undergrowth and their steps as silent as a mouse's. They were everything his mother's stories had warned about - and more.

The seal sepia trails just behind Mapletuft, his golden eyes wide as they take in the towering bramble walls and the scent-laden air of the camp. It's unlike anything he's ever seen. His twoleg home was clean and orderly, all hard floors and neat furniture. This place, though...it feels alive. The walls seem to hum with a kind of energy he can't name, and the ground beneath his paws is damp and soft, littered with fallen twigs and old pine needles.

He hesitates at the entrance, his paws trembling not just from cold but from the overwhelming sight before him. Cats. Everywhere. Their piercing eyes flick toward him as he stumbles into view, and he feels as though he's being weighed and judged by each one. His tail tucks instinctively, but he keeps moving, glued to Mapletuft's side. "This is your camp?" Snapper whispers, his voice hushed as though afraid to disturb the quiet chatter of the other cats. His gaze flits from the sturdy dens woven from brambles and thorns to the fresh-kill pile, which smells faintly of prey he could never imagine catching himself. "It's...amazing." His golden eyes gleam with something close to reverence as they dart to the ShadowClan cats surrounding him.

Snapper doesn't miss the way the patrol carries themselves - the quiet confidence of Scalejaw, the gentle authority of Mapletuft, even the apprentice Milkpaw, who had terrified him at first, seems so sure of their place here. He swallows hard, feeling smaller than ever, but there's a flicker of admiration in his chest. "You all live here? Together?" He asks, voice lifting slightly with wonder. His gaze lands on Willowburn and Lavenderpaw, who linger nearby. "Do you have, um, rules? Do you all sleep here?" His questions come faster now, his awe growing with every heartbeat. "And do you all walk like that? Like…well, I couldn't even hear a single paw-step you guys took." The kittypet's gaze drops to his own muddy paws for a moment before he adds in a quieter voice, "I bet I couldn't ever do that…" He glances back at Mapletuft, his awe-struck eyes brimming with hope despite his self-deprecating words.
​

 

[MAPLETUFT]

Finding a kitten in the wilderness wasn't on her bingo card, but she embraces it with grace nonetheless, sticking by the young one and making sure he doesn't lag behind in the pelting storm.

"You're okay, come on, love," she murmurs reassurance as he hesitates in the camp entrance, offering a slow-blink to him as he scurries forth, sticking close to her side. He reminds of a younger Owlmoon, bright-eyed and bushy tailed… "Yes, we all live here," her voice is laced with amusement as he shoots questions faster than she could answer, eliciting a low, rumbling purr to erupt from her throat. "We live by something called the warrior code, so yes, technically we do have rules… And we do sleep here, but some of us sleep in different dens. Thats the warriors den, where we three sleep," she gestures to herself, Scalejaw and Willowburn and then she gestures towards the apprentices den- "Thats where they sleep."

She blinks back up to the patrol. "Someone should get Moltface," she thinks of the permaqueen deciding in the nursery and figures its the best course of action… But her next words have her inwardly cringing, an unwillingness to even speak it out loud- "… And Ternstar." she swallows the bitterness that coats her tongue as she leans back down to rasp a tongue at the kittens head, her heart breaking at the note of self-deprecation he sings. She will ignore her own problems for now, opting to address his instead.

"Of course you can, don't doubt yourself, darling." she smiles at him, tapping her tail against the ground once, twice, "You'll be the best there ever was."

𝖨𝖭 𝖳𝖧𝖨𝖲 𝖫𝖨𝖥𝖤 𝖳𝖧𝖠𝖳 𝖶𝖤 𝖢𝖠𝖫𝖫 𝖧𝖮𝖬𝖤 🍁 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖸𝖤𝖠𝖱𝖲 𝖦𝖮 𝖥𝖠𝖲𝖳 𝖠𝖭𝖣 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖣𝖠𝖸𝖲 𝖦𝖮 𝖲𝖮 𝖲𝖫𝖮𝖶

• ❥ mapletuft ʚ♡ɞ cider
  ❥ cis female ʚ♡ɞ she/her ʚ♡ɞ 54 months
  ❥ shadowclan deputy ʚ♡ɞ mentoring lavenderpaw
  ❥ long-furred chocolate torbie/cinnamon tabby chimera ʚ♡ɞ elegant & flowy
  ❥ "speech, F17E23" ʚ♡ɞ thoughts
  ❥ widowed ʚ♡ɞ bisexual
  ❥ smells like spice & cool night air ʚ♡ɞ warm & crisp
  ❥ penned by chuff

 

[MILKPAW]

× Milkpaw followed suit, trailing not far behind the kit, his steps carefully covering those of Snapper. When Mapletuft mentioned the warrior code, the apprentice bit back to suggest that he would be sacrificed if he broke it. The sopping wet tom made a mental note to mention it later on before the kit really knew the code, but after he had settled in a bit. Milkpaw doubted that he wouldn't get flack for terrorizing a child, especially from Mapletuft, who he felt had already scolded him for his beginning interaction with the kit.

"I'll go get her," the tom piped up after Mapletuft suggested getting Moltface, but then he went silent at the mention of their new leader. "That one I might need help with..." his voice trailed out with a heavy sigh, his gaze searching for someone in the party he could rope in for backup.​

 

[Amberhaze]

⚛︎₊˚‧ Amberhaze had just returned from his own hunting patrol, his jaws stuffed with the limp bodies of a couple rather shriveled looking frogs, however in times as harsh as these the clan would take anything they could sink their claws into. They would be carefully discarded atop the pile of other underwhelming morsels of food, the bodies of which had grown hard from the chilled air. It was sad, pathetic even, considering they now possessed even more territory for their own gain- and yet all of that bloodshed seemed to do them little to none in the long run. It was still the same, their struggle and their starvation prevailing even in the face of what should have been victory and hope.

His jaw would go slack as Mapletuft pushed her way through the camp's fortified walls, the original patrol in tow being nothing out of the ordinary upon first glance, however the shocking sight of an unidentified kit that reeked of twoleg scent and fear did not elude him. He would continue to observe his clanmates, taking in their conversation before he would approach them himself. Apparently this morsel had been found quivering inside of a rotting log during the storm earlier that day- alone, however seemingly not unwanted- he had a home already prior to their discovery of his presence, and those who wanted him were not the kind of company wild cats typically liked to keep.

"Uh- Oooh... Amberhaze grimaced as he closed the distance between himself and the others, momentarily leaning down to hesitantly sniff the small kitten. Perhaps in the past, he wouldn't have batted an eye at the way human scent wafted from the smaller one's pelt- however those days of being accustomed to it had long since gone, and the trembling oriental's senses had been morphed by that of the marshland and wild-born cats. It made his nose wrinkle. "Y-You know you- you probably shouldn't have uh...b-brought him here. He smells- l-like human..." His wide, red-rimmed eyes would bounce around his company, resting for only a second on each cat in turn as if he wasn't sure who it was he should be speaking with directly. "T-They're gonna want him back, y-you know? A-And they'll surely s-storm the camp t-to find him! T-They'll destroy the- the forest in their- their search! And then- u-us along with it!" Terrified gaze locked onto Snapper. "No- Haha. Um- Y-Yeah, you should d-definitely uh...return him. Before t-that happens. There- There's still time, i-it's not too late! Maybe they- they haven't realized he's left y-yet. Uh- we c-can still save ourselves!"

Nonsense. It was just a flurry of inexplicable nonsense. He was known for it, and surely this sporadic behavior wasn't one that phased those who had already come to know him for everything that he was- but Snapper? He had no idea what he was in for.

✧ ° . ⚠︎ . ° ✧​

ooc Information

• ooc: —
• 

  AMBERHAZE — HE/HIM ･ 19 MOONS ･ WARRIOR OF SHADOWCLAN ･ PENNED BY SLOANE

  black oriental shorthair. a short but lengthy black cat with a boney build and striking ocher eyes filled with unveiled trepidation.

 

[MARBLEPAW]

Marblepaw keeps herself busy. It isn't hard to do — not when so many cats rely on her now, when she has greencough in the camp and kits who need check-ups and warriors with scrapes and bruises. She has not left her den except to pick at the fresh-kill pile since Starlingheart's death, and even that is rare enough. Sneezeduck had noticed her absence and had begun to bring her prey, and she finds herself more and more grateful for the quiet tabby's company everyday; it's a reassurance, more than anything, that ShadowClan does not hate her entirely.

She's just scraping away a bit of dead, dried herb when a patrol spills into camp, headed by Mapletuft. Milkpaw strides alongside her — her, and a kit, his fur fluffed out against the bitter chill of leafbare. She blinks, the dull expression on her face replaced by one of surprise.

Amberhaze flocks toward the small newcomer, sniffing the kitten and recoiling at some scent he'd found on them. "He smells l-like human..." Marblepaw inches closer, her curiosity piqued. Twolegs? "A lost kittypet," she murmurs, her tone mild. The kit looks around with round, fearful yellow eyes, and Marblepaw's heart stirs with memory. She remembers the day Lilacfur had brought her littermate and her to ShadowClan's camp in much the same way, the way the warriors had sniffed at them, had gazed at them with questions in their eyes.

She remembers, too, the kindness some of those cats had shown her. Smogstar, for one, and Starlingheart... Marblepaw forces a smile onto her muzzle. "Hello, little one." She sits beside Amberhaze, her tail curling around her paws. "I'm Marblepaw. I'm the..." Her voice thins and fades. The what? I'm no medicine cat. I'm an apprentice without a mentor. She tries again: "I heal cats who are sick or hurt. Is there anywhere you're hurting?" She tastes the air, but she doesn't smell blood or sickness — just a cold, scared kittypet kit.

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: —
• 
• Marblekit . Marblepaw, she/they w/ feminine and non-gendered terms.
  — "speech", thoughts, attack
  — 11 moons old, ages realistically on the 1st.
  — mentored by Starlingheart ; mentoring n/a ; previously mentored n/a
  — shadowclan medicine cat apprentice, formerly a rogue. siltcloud x lilacfur, gen 3.
  — currently mated to n/a.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  sh fawn tabby with dull green eyes. courageous, curious, introspective, observant, judgmental, snarky.

​

 

[Puddlepaw]

A new face is rare in ShadowClan, as such it captures her attention immediately. Inky ears twitch with interest as she peeks her head around from the nursery, before then she had been very interesting in mixing the semi melted snow with the sludge of the marsh. Decidedly being bored with it she kicks her creation to the side and trots towards the gathered clan mates. It's a kit! He looks to be the same age as her, maybe a little younger? Puddlekit doesn't pay much attention to truly notice. Truly she should have known that something new was in the camp judging by Amberhaze's yammering, the kit decides now is a perfect time to try and practice her quiet walking. Not speaking up until she was beside the anxious warrior.

"If twolegs were looking for him he wouldn't be here" no one who's wanted ends up in ShadowClan, it's a grim remark and while she doesn't understand that it may be hurtful to hear she can comprehend it just not being polite to say so she forgoes it. The clamminess of that damp cardboard box sometimes clings to her oily fur. At times she can smell phantoms of what she thinks that place smells like. If the camp is truly that jittery around new comers then she's greatful that herself and her littermates weren't able to hear them on account of being too young.

She heard her fathers name called, that caused her fawn face to scrunch like she tasted foul prey. This could be a replacement then... It churns her stomach but if he has no one else like she did then she supposes that's fine. Better someone who doesn't have parents take up his time than those who were selfish and already had parents. Her spot of the nest won't be taken though...

The chimera doesn't offer much else to the conversation,staring at Snapper in a feeble attempt of sizing him up. "I'm Puddlekit, nice to meet you" is what she eventually decides on saying. She doesn't know if it's actually nice to meet him but she can fake that feeling.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎﹏﹏ ooc ☂ I got all the power ﹏﹏‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

• 
  

• 

• PUDDLEKIT || She/her, kit of ShadowClan, 6 moons
  ♡ A short haired fawn rosette tabby and black rosette tabby chimera with copper eyes. Always seems to be judgmental.
  ♡ Adopted child of Moltface || Littermate to Runningkit, Cloudkit, Buzzardkit, and Nightkit.
  ♡ Penned by Juice || message on discord (Ouijeejuice) for plots!
  ♡ Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking.
  

​

 

[Ternstar.]

TELL YOU YOU'RE THE GREATEST
BUT ONCE YOU TURN, THEY HATE US ​

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Ternstar ♛ 24 Moons ♛ Female ♛ She/Her ♛ Leader of Shadowclan

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​

★★★★★★★★★

—— In the end, nobody needs to help Milkpaw fetch Ternstar, because the molly arrives on her own a few moments later - following behind Amberhaze, a rat clutched tightly in her jaws. Now granted the freedom that being leader allows her, the queen had seemed eager to use it as often as possible, returning to patrols with a swiftness that would shock even any moor-dwelling rat.

Orphaned - or abandoned - kits are not entirely uncommon within Shadowclan. In fact, Ternstar cannot recall a time where there wasn't at least one of the little things running around, even in her own nursery days, fond memories of Magpiekit threatening to tear a hole in her heart as she stars at the babbling child - questions falling from his lips a mile a minute.

" They will not, " she hums, tail flicking out to tap Amberhaze, head tilting. " They are cruel - twolegs. They would rather find a new kitten, replace them, then search... and even if they do, it will be Skyclan and Riverclans problem, " She means to soothe, but she can't quite hide the glimmer of amusement in vibrant eyes. She remembers stories shared in her younger days by Flamingmoth, of being wrapped in strange black pelt and abandoned within carrionplace, left to rot after they'd gotten another younger cat. What awful creatures twolegs were - she rather hopes they do bother the other clans.

At last, the leader turns to look down her muzzle at the child once more, humming " Do you have a name then? " its not hard to puzzle out that if Mapletuft has bothered to bring them this far, to reveal the clans camp, they must be here to stay. It is not like she will turn them away.

━ actions & " speech, " & 'thoughts/quotes' ━

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E V E R Y B O D Y - W A N T S - T O - B E - M Y - E N E M Y

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[SNAPPER]

Snapper hesitates, his golden eyes darting nervously between Amberhaze and the other cats. The older tom's panicked rambling has his heart pounding in his chest. Twolegs storming the forest? Destroying the camp? His twolegs were never cruel, not even a little bit, but Snapper's overactive imagination can picture it all too easily: his old housefolk's kind voices now loud, bright, piercing lights, the roaring of monsters.

He swallows hard, his small frame trembling, but he manages to bristle at Amberhaze's words. "They're not coming," Snapper mews softly, but there's a flicker of steel beneath the fear in his voice. "They don't even care I'm gone." A lie. They probably do. He doesn't know why he said it. He just doesn't want to leave here. His tail flicks, and he drops his gaze to his muddy paws. For a moment, he stays quiet, unsure if he should say more, but the tom's wide, red-rimmed eyes drilling into him makes something bubble up in him - anger, maybe, or embarrassment. He doesn't want to be sent away, not back to that cold. "And even if they did," He mews a little louder now, "I-I'd rather be here. With you." His ears flick toward Mapletuft, seeking her reassurance again.

The sepia glances at Marblepaw, her soft greeting cutting through the tension like a soothing balm. He offers a small, shy smile. "I'm okay. Just...wet and cold, I guess." He shuffles his paws, glancing toward Puddlekit, who had appeared like a shadow. Her certainty about the twolegs only cements his resolve. When she introduces herself, Snapper blinks, startled by her sudden politeness, and a shy smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. "I'm Snapper," He mews quietly, shifting his paws awkwardly. "Nice to meet you, too." He isn't sure if it is nice to meet her yet, but her confidence is…calming, in a way. Like she already belonged here, like maybe he could, too.

The leader's arrival makes the kittypet's fur prickle with nervous energy, and his ears press flat against his skull as Ternstar approaches. The rat in her jaws is more intimidating than anything else - stars, they hunt those things? - but her calm, almost amused tone eases some of his tension. At least she isn't upset that he's here. Her words about twolegs sting, though. Cruel, she calls them, and Snapper's chest tightens. He wants to argue, to say they weren't all bad, but he remains silent. If he defends his twolegs, will he be sent away? When Ternstar asks for his name, the tom-kit stands a little straighter, trying not to fidget under her sharp gaze. "Snapper," He repeats, a little louder this time. His tail curls around his paws as he adds quickly, "I want to stay. I'll do whatever I can to help. I-I won't be a burden." He glances around, first at Mapletuft, then at Milkpaw and Willowburn, then at Puddlekit, as if silently pleading for support.
​

 

[SMOKYKIT]

The brush of pelts returning through the bramble-scraped entrance of camp has grown to be something Smokykit dreads more than anything, as though the only recompense for return could be bloody and broken bodies torn asunder. She hadn't been there to see Needledrift, not with blood still clinging so insidiously to her pelt and to the pelt of all the other victors — Ashenfall had whisked them safely away in the nursery, all too aware of the cost of battle — but Starlingheart had been...Starlingheart had been unexpected, even with the urgency that she had ushered a patrol out with her. One moment, her grandmother is slipping out of camp, hellbent on bringing Marblepaw home, and the next she's slipped away from all of them, carried home lifelessly, bloodstained patrol and all.

She can't shy away from every entrance, every pawstep that tracks its way home, but it would be a lie to say that she doesn't notice them more often — every entrance not marked with the slump of defeat and a new coat of blood is met with the thrumming of her own heartbeat, an assurance that they've come home safely. Even coming home unsafe would be enough, really so long as they come home at all; Ternstar has fulfilled her post, taking up the mantle along her broad shoulders easily, but Mirestar still burns an absence through camp that remains patched rather than mended.

It feels duller, knowing that Starlingheart won't ever be there to patch up any of her scrapes even as Marblepaw remains a more familiar face than ever, but even that cannot stop Smokykit from unleashing herself about camp. More than just the snow leaves her feeling numb, and it's a cold consolation that finds her poised outside the nursery as the returning patrol descends, gentle voices catching her attention. It would be nothing more than just a flash of interest if there hadn't been something different — something new with them, a flash of a dark pelt wholly unfamiliar among their ranks. Never has she seen a stranger such as this ushered so freely into camp, and it gives her strange pause, wispy figure held perfectly still for a moment. It's broken when more cats begin to flood in, Ternstar among them, but she hardly cares to pay attention to that, instead darting as close as she dares to the stranger, knowing Ashenfall's flinty gaze is surely keeping watch.

There are questions, of course, exchanged both ways, and now that Smokykit draws near, she perks up, lending an interested ear to the explanations. Abandoned by Twolegs...? Her knowledge of the creatures is certainly lacking, and she sends an alarmed glance Amberhaze's way — would they really hunt this stranger down so readily that they would all suffer for it? The kitten and Ternstar are both quick to shoot him down, denying any such things, and Smokykit's twinge of concern is quickly replaced with their reassurances of just how callous Twolegs are. Puddlekit has already swept in to greet him, just as Marblepaw and Ternstar do, and though she misses the first, his proffered name rings strangely in her mind. Snapper. Clearly, he's older than her, maybe even old enough to bear the moniker of '-paw', and yet strangely enough, Snapper is all that's given. It's her first encounter outside of ShadowClan, and her brow scrunches up in confusion at the thought that they were cats out there so different that they'd have only half-formed names.

Ternstar doesn't immediately rebuff him, and Snapper claims that he wants to stay here, in ShadowClan, so Smokykit takes that as the final invitation to dance closer, inspecting this stranger who has infiltrated camp. "You smell...funny," she announces in lieu of a greeting, nose wrinkling at the unfamiliar scent. Is this what Twolegs smelled like? No wonder he wanted to stay here; having to be around that all the time must be terrible! "You have a funny name, too — it's so short." Despite the observations, there's no ill-intent behind her words, or the sharp-fanged grin overtaking her features. There's a mounting excitement building up inside her, the most she's felt since before Starlingheart had been ripped away, and Smokykit can hardly keep it from spilling forth.

"I'm Smokykit! Are you really gonna stay here with us?" It's not a decision that's up to Snapper, and yet she still looks to him over Ternstar, eyes glittering at the prospect. Would he even be in the nursery with her, or would he immediately get whisked away to apprentice duties? Either way, it doesn't particularly matter to her — no matter which den he's sent off to, Smokykit's certain that she'll still be able to track him down for interrogation, rattling off every question that seizes her fancy until she's a veritable Twoleg expert. Ternstar and Amberhaze seem to have knowledge of the subject, too, but Snapper is too good of an opportunity for her curiosity to pass up.​

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ THE RADIO PLAYS A FAMILIAR SONG 𖤓 AND YOU ARE LOVED, YOU ARE LOVED ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

• OOC: -
  ​
• 
  
  
• SMOKYKIT —. She/her, kit of ShadowClan
  — .Flintwish x Ashenfall, littermate to Promisekit, Tinykit, & Mercykit
  — . 3 moons old, ages on the 1st
  — .An ill-proportioned, smoky molly with bright amber eyes and an exceedingly curly, tangled pelt.
  — .Enthusiastic and vibrant, easily distracted, prideful & caring - friendly within reason
  — .Peaceful & healing powerplay permitted - brushing up against her, shoulder bumps, etc.
  — .Penned by Hijinks - feel free to DM me on Discord to plot! ^^
  ​

 

[LIVIDSMOKE]

What a sore sight for the eye to see a kittypet inside of thier camp. A bemusing sight that accompanied thier disappointment over the decision that already had been made by bringing them here. Amberhaze seemed to be the only one who spoke with reason, to not give a blind eyes to the potential danger of allowing this....thing to stay. It only worsen by the fact that kittypets did not belong out here, especially during a dreadful time like this when they barely had enough food to feed themselves, and now there could be another mouth to feed.

" It shouldn't matter he does not belong here. We should bring him back to where the twolegs lives ." or let skyclan take on yet another kittypet. In a time like this it was difficult to remain silent, to not voice their opinion at least before it was too late. They had just lost Starlingheart, the one they had always been able to relay upon in thier most challenging times but with her gone her knowledge and experience was gone with her, Marblepaw still having big paws to fill still and was not on the same knowledge level that Starlingheart had been. With prey disappearing for each day as well...and with the blizzard and all cold weathers that was doomed to fall upon them. Taking in a kittypet to care for was the most frogbrained thing to do right now.

Lividsmoke narrowed thier orbs by the naivety this kittypet-kit spoke by attempting to ensure they would not be an burden if they where allowed to stay, then in truth that was all he would be if he stayed, another one of them would have to go hungry while this kit had a feast upon thier hardworked food. One of thier own might die just to keep this kittypet alive. Lividsmoke gaze would fall upon thier leader, trying to search for signs that she would reject this one, to throw this kit out in the cold but unfortunately after past experience with thier previous leaders they had not much faith that Ternstar would make the right call. " We have barely enough food to feed us as it is." They tried instead, to reason with thier leader in hope she would see some clarity, to not give in to emotions when this was no time for a bleeding heart.





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