sensitive topics i got a list of names and yours is in red, underlined || first life claimed

[salamander]

takes place after ember receives her nine lives and cinderfrost receives her new name and title​

The sun had begun to awaken when the moonstone sent her back to the land of the living. Cinderfrost. That was to be her new name. Hare Whiskers proclaimed it so. And she was to be a healer - a medicine cat - despite being a soldier all of her life. But then she learned where her destiny would lead her: ThunderClan. The forest wasn't the issue, though.

That fateful interaction had been seared into her brain. It corrupted her dreams into dangerous nightmares and preyed on her moments of vulnerability. A she-cat decided that Ash would be the perfect target. Sweet, shy, little Ash. Her words had been that of a twisted individual, taunting the young tom. She had disengaged with the cream point molly but, instead of backing off, the fool had blocked her way.

She had defended the actions of the sickly and disturbed individual who had been at least twice the youth's age. The reason she'd been given? She defended her "friends". It left a bitter taste in her mouth. Friends? How could she consider such a vile creature to be a friend? The act of defending that fiend told her all she needed to know about the cream-point and her loose morals.

And, oh, the irony! Shortly after, her opponent disengaged with her. Why? Because a cat at a suitable fighting age had been attacked. That's when shit hit the fan. To defend his friend, Ash had heroically latched onto the cretin's back. A move he'd learned from her. The result had been devastating.

In the end, Ash was murdered. Leaping Toad, too, would fall at the claws of another. The muted flame-colored she-cat was an accomplice to Ash's murderer. She'd helped a grown cat kill a child.

And now the stars reminded her of her own ineptness by claiming that she was to be a healer. A healer that followed her and her "ThunderClan". Ember, yes, that had been the name provided when she crowned herself queen of the forest. The fact that the dead backed the molly up... allowed her to lead despite her inexperience, despite the butterfly effect she'd caused.

Ash could still be alive. If she had been quicker... No, if Ember hadn't gotten in her way... She stalked behind the hare-brained "leader" who had been nonstop chirping away about how "awesome" or something this was. Honestly, the blue mink hadn't been paying her much attention as, instead, she retreated in her thoughts to seethe.

Seeing the accomplice happily carry on as if she hadn't helped steal his life... Such actions needed to have consequences but, instead, the stars rewarded her. Just like when the marsh cats praised Bone for going for the jugular while they criticized and ostracized her.

"You killed him." her voice was oddly cold, lacking any inflection. Her eyes, though, burned with an uncontrollable raging fire. "You murderer! Because of you, he's dead. He wasn't even fully grown. Yet you defended the heathen who set her eyes on him." She addressed the comments both to herself and Ember. If she had just been faster, if she'd just been quicker, if she had never left their sides...

"Ash is dead. A mother lost her only kit. My nephew died. I lost my family, my home, my friends." Sometime during her grief-ridden monologue she'd knocked Ember to the ground, successfully pinning her. "Yet you're still here with that fucking smile on your face. With the ear-grating voice and laughter." It wasn't fair.

For the first time since Leaping Toad's funeral, tears trickled down her face. Her body shook as her vision blurred. The life in the other's eyes infuriated her. They should have been snuffed when she had the chance. Well, now a second opportunity presented itself.

In a haze of rage and grief, her next actions broke every moral code she'd ever set for herself. Unsheathed claws dug and tore through the exposed, soft tissue of the pinned she-cat's underbelly.

please wait for @ember
ooc:// permission given to powerplay!
they are near-ish to camp.​

​

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[emberstar]

"WE ARE THE BROKEN ONES, WHO CHOSE TO SPARK A FLAME"​

"It was awesome." Ember breathed, eyes filled with stars as she talked more to herself than the molly behind her. Her steps were mindless as she recalled the wonderful visions she had been shown. A experience only her and Cinder shared, at least in their clan. She couldn't image how to begin to explain it all to her clanmates. How would Quail and Wildflower or any of the others that hadn't see the aftermath of the battle believe the things she described? Even for those that had seen like Howling and Berry, how would they believe that she had become functionally immortal?

Though, she couldn't bring herself to worry about it to much.

Everything was going so much better than she ever could have hoped. The more time passed the horrors of the battle seemed further and further behind her. In just this single night, she had gained a new life and a new friend. With more days and nights like this, who knew how much she'd have one day. Who knew how much the stars would reward her faith.

Sharp words from behind her tore through her daze, and Ember turned just in time to be bowled over and quickly pinned. A yelp left her as she struggled against her attacker, confusion writ across their features. Her new friend had been quiet, sure, and she remember how they had fought in the battle, but she had thought they were getting along well! They had left it behind them, like she had with Howling Wind, hadn't they?

"Wha-" she stammered under the weight of the accusations thrown in her face, freezing in place. Her attempts at escape were in vain, she knew that. The molly atop her was too much bigger and stronger. "No, no, I didn't! I didn't kill anyone, you're just... you're confused." She struggled to find a smile. "Yeah, that's it, you're just confused Cinder. So uh,"

Her words were cut off as more malice was spat in her face, and she flinched against it. The words spoke of lives lost, families broken, homes ruined, and friends stolen. All the things she had tried to forget. They tore into the cheer she tried so hard to maintain, the grin she wore everywhere she went. All the happiness she had tried to embody. What little of a smile she had managed faded away. She felt tears falling onto her cheeks and didn't know if they were Cinder's or her own.

Suddenly, she was very small and very scared.

Ember tried to open her mouth to speak, but all that came out was an ear-piecing scream as claws tore into her stomach. Her own claws dug into the legs atop her, merely out of reflex from the pain. She couldn't think, couldn't feel, couldn't breathe.

She tried to call out for her friends, but all that came were splutters.

She tried to call out for the stars, but all that came were splutters.

She tried to call out for her mother, but all that came were splutters.

Then she was fading, fading fast. Her grip on the legs above her slipped, her vision darkened, and everything slipped away. The life of self-preservation. Irony spilled out onto the ground beneath her.

. . .​

With a gasp she shot back into the world of the living. Her eyes darting about madly, the panic of death still in her. It took her a moment to regain her bearings. In the interim between life, death, and, life, figures had begun to gather around her. Her clanmates, she recognized. They were here. Had they heard her calling out for them? A weight was still atop her, and she looked up at the grey molly pinning her. Bloodsoaked her.

Cinder could kill her again, easily. But then all of Thunderclan would descend upon her, and the stars had not blessed her with the means to survive that. Ember could not lose this battle, she realized. No matter what she did, victory was hers. Which meant she had to try and spare her foe. Not a drop more of blood would be spilled on her clans ground as long as she could prevent it.

"I'm okay!" she called out between coughs. Though the stars had told her as much, her voice was tinged with disbelief. "Stay back! Don't attack her!" her orders were stern and certain, moreso than she actually felt. Her gaze drifted to the green eyes above her. and she whispered, "Cinder, get off me."​

✦ ★ ✦​

 

[. Wildflower .]

✵ ღ ☾ LOVE WITH EVERY STRANGER - When Wildflower had first heard of the journey Ember was to take, she was over the moon for the fiery-furred leader.
That night, she had excitedly parked herself outside of the camps entrance, only straying to catch a mouse for when her friend would return. Though, over time her eyes had begun to grow heavy-lidded, despite her eagerness to hear what Ember had experience.
Thump, rustle.
The sounds of nearby shrubbery quickly shook the grogginess from her, and she was on her paws- perhaps Ember had returned! Taking her mouse she scurried towards the noise.
❝ Ember! Ember is that- ❞ her bubbly words were quickly killed as she stumbled upon the scene. A blue mink, a stranger to Flow, was on top of her friend, who’s blood was beginning to pour to the forest floor.
The next thing to leave her maw was a long, visceral shriek of both terror and shock, bound to stir any of her clanmates who lay just a few fox-lengths away.
❝ OH MY STARS! GET OFF! GET OFF! ❞ She screamed towards the molly, her survival instincts coming forward and her claws coming unsheathed.
I’m Okay! Don’t attack her!
Now, Flow was outright stunned, confused tears forming in her eyes. ❝ Wha.. Wha… you died! She killed you, and y-you died! Oh my stars, you died! ❞ Wildflower began to stutter through her frightened tears, despite her usual curious tendencies, this was all coming too fast and freaky for her, she wanted Quail!
❝ Speech. ❞

THE STRANGER, THE BETTER​

​

 

[HOWLINGSTAR]

The morning began peacefully. Birdsong could be heard in the trees surrounding camp, cats were bringing back their dawn kills, and loved ones were already grooming each other to begin the day. Howling Wind sat down to settle her own messy fur, thoughts drifting to their leader. She had left overnight, and no one was quite sure where she'd gone. Someone should've gone with her, she knew that. But the cats of the clan seemed certain she would return soon, so the tabby would believe it too.

She was yanked from her thoughts by screeches just outside of camp. Wide eyes snapped towards the camp's exit, ears pressing forward in alarm. A quick glance around at her clanmates would bring her to her paws as she and several others barreled towards the tunnel. Someone was hurt, and when they arrived, they would see the last thing they ever thought they would lay eyes on.

A cat who had disappeared, and Howling Wind had even thought dead, stood atop Ember, stomach bloodied and torn. She froze in shock, feeling her paws stumble and go numb at the sight. Suddenly, a yowl of pure shock escaped her as her pelt fluffed out, claws instinctively finding the earth. Dead. Dead. Ember is dead! "Salamander, what have you done?" The she-cat snarled, turning shard-like green eyes onto the gray she-cat as young Wildflower screamed in anguish. A newfound loyalty to her leader caused the dark-furred tabby to lurch forward, stalking powerfully towards her with every intent on knocking her off of the corpse of their brand new leader. A life so short-lived, so full of promise. What could've been. "What have you-"

I'm okay!

Howling Wind halted in her steps, eyes falling back down to the previously lifeless body of Ember. Now, gray eyes were opened and blinking, mouth moving, chest rising and falling. She....she was alive...She gawked, similar to Wildflower who now stood beside her. "What....it's....it's not possible," She murmured, suddenly feeling very faint. In all the seasons she'd lived, she'd never seen such a thing. A second look at her stomach suddenly showed no wound. Or, no life-threatening one, though the ground was still drenched in blood. "I don't...Ember, I don't understand, I don't....." She trailed off, staring wide-eyed at the spot where the gaping hole in her stomach once was.
​

"speech"​

 

[KINDLEHEART]

She promised this wasn't a clan of war, of fighting and bloodshed. She promised she wouldn't allow this to happen. Kindle never wanted to join a group built to spill more blood. No, Kindle settled within ThunderClan's confines in hopes that what he'd heard had happened deeper in the forest would never happen within his own home.

And yet —

And yet, after barely stepping out of ThunderClan's camp, Kindle was watching it all go down before his eyes. A flash of blue striking flamed fur, scarlet raining down upon the oak forest. The leader that had opened her group to him, to Quail, and Wildflower, and so many others - who had probably tried to open the group up to her eventual attacker, as well - lays motionless before him.

It all happened too quick for Kindle to even make a move, but the tabby doesn't have to wonder long to know his white paws would be frozen to the ground, if Ember's demise had gone any slower. He hardly has time to process the death before him, to contemplate what happens next for him, for
ThunderClan, before the slain leader is suddenly gasping for air.

Her sudden resurrection, causes Kindle to jump back, olive eyes wide and fright filled. She was... She was alive? But... But how can that be?

"Don't attack?" he finds himself repeating, the tom unable to wrap his mind around all that had just happened in such little time, "She just... She just killed you!" With how unbelievable the situation was - and Kindle's battle aversion - aside, how could the leader expect her clan to not attack her murderer?

He looks around helplessly at those around him, trying to find an answer, trying to find someone who knew what was going on. But, those around him looked just as lost and confused as he was, all wondering the same question he was - how is Ember still alive?
​

 

[salamander]

"Confused?! she growled, tail lashing as she watched Ember squirm beneath her. She could only pray the molly felt an ounce of the fear Leaping Toad and Ash must have felt. Staring up at their attackers, knowing that they'd soon leave behind their cherished loved ones.

"Do you not remember?!" How dare she forget. "That heathen threatened him! Someone twice his age! You defended her! You let your grown ass "friend" attack and kill a child!" Her heart shrieked in despair and anger. This.. this sorry excuse for a cat felt no remorse! She didn't even remember! She.. she could continue on her life like nothing happened. With that star forsaken smile.

That awful smile was gone now. Instead, her prey shivered beneath her. It took a few moments to recognize the blood pooling around Ember, the red substance dripping from her paws. "It is dishonorable to kill." A statement she had lived by her entire life. Well, it was a good thing she no longer had any honor to lose. The war had stripped her of any prestigious badges she'd previously worn and reduced her to a traitorous bottom feeder.

She should feel happy, relieved, satisfied as the life drained from the she-cat's eyes. A shrill scream caused her ears to flatten against her head but adrenaline ignored the claws digging into her legs. She didn't feel anything. Instead, she felt numb.

She didn't react even when ThunderClan cats approached. The only sign that the blue molly felt anything was the steady stream of tears cascading down her face.

"Salamander, what have you done?" Cold, blank eyes looked toward Howling Wind. A marsh cat she had respected. She still respected despite the circumstances. Despite the fact that she did nothing but watch as her world crumbled apart. "That is not my name." she replied cooly. Just as the marsh cats had rejected her grief, she quickly rejected the usage of a name that she no longer lived up to.

With Ember dead, she was closer to achieving the justice the world refused to deal. There were still names on her list, and if not names vivid descriptions, that needed to be dealt with. Only then could she die and join Leaping Toad. Only then could the soldier lay down her weapons. Hare Whiskers must be disappointed. Somewhere inside of her, she was disappointed in herself too. But grief had long since driven any rationality away.

She was about to shift away from Ember, to escape back into the wilderness, when the formerly deceased gasped for breath. She was alive. Part of her was relieved while the other part saw red. The wound on her stomach had healed, possibly only leaving a scar. The little details didn't matter. What mattered was that, like a cockroach, the vermin hadn't died.

Ember's command fell on deaf ears. Instead, a bloodied claw raised into the air. She would bleed her dry until it was certain that she would remain forever still. As she was about to strike down in the name of self-righteous justice, a toad sprung from the thick undergrowth. Immediately, she froze - her movement halted near inches away from the toad (and, by extension, her victim).

"Toad..?" The amphibian stared at her with large, unblinking eyes. At last, she pulled away from Ember. Ideas of revenge faded into the foggy cluster of thoughts instead her mind. Instead, she was focused on the toad. She didn't care that cats were ready to kill her. She didn't care that the vermin still breathed. In that moment, all she cared about was the Toad. Her dear, sweet toad.

"Is.. is that you, Toad? Why did you- Why are you..?" Whether sent by the real toad or not, her nephew's name resemblances had steadied and stopped her itching claws. When the toad leapt away, disappearing into a nearby thicket, she dove after it.

Was he mad that she didn't succeed? Or was he disgusted at what she had become? "Don't go.. Please! Ribbit needs you. Your parents need you. I need you." she frantically begged, the background noise fading into senseless static. It looked as if she had finally gone crazy, mind torn apart by the ones she called friends, her self-inflicted isolation, and her own guilt.

The scarred molly crumpled to the ground. Let the witnesses do as they pleased with her body. Her will to live had followed the road into the unknown and left an unsteady shell behind. She should have let Bone snap her throat in half instead of devolving into this.. this mess.​

 

[Blinding Star]

( ✧ ) The world had felt dull ever since that day. The day bodies and scents had clashed on that battlefield. A fight over territory, or rather, a fight for their lives. They were stripped of all they held dear to them, their family, their sight, perhaps their pride in the case of dear Salamander.

Eyes dulled and mind vacant, Star remained just outside of camp. It was how he'd spent his days ever since. The noise was too much to bear, but he couldn't afford to stray too far from his supposed clan. The quiet of the forest is abruptly broken, shattered through with an angry hiss. One soon becomes many. He pushes himself to his paws.

The bright, yet strained voice of his supposed leader. A plea for another's safety. Voices appalled, twinged with disbelief. She died. His head swings towards Ember's voice. There's a moment of deafening silence. Nothing seems to follow Ember's call besides hisses of disbelief. The air is still. For some reason, he's not convinced her attacker would give up so easily.

He doesn't know what to think when they begin babbling. That voice that had been oozing such hostility earlier, now reduced to a sniveling mess. She couldn't be serious.

The sound of her collapsing to the ground is what brings him out of his stupor. His jaw ticks in irritation. "Please don't tell me she just killed someone, and is proceeding to throw a pity party for herself," he says. His voice remains steady, aside from the hiss that threatens to creep into his words. It occurs to him how bizarre this situation is. Frantic cats telling someone of their own death, absurd. His lips crease in a frown. "...Did Ember die, or not?"​

 

[starling]

“What the hell was that?” was the first thing out of Starlings mouth as her head jerked up from her hunt, a screech of fury ringing through her ears. Trouble. Feathers were ruffled and things were going down. It lead her her paws to thump heavily against the ground. She burst fourth, surged with worry, only to see a cat she’d never met slash her claws in to the soft underbody of Ember. Ember is going limp. The leader, a role model for Starling and a screech is leaving her mouth before she lurches forwards, unsheathing her claws and her eyes glint with murder- until Ember is alive. She skids to a stop besides Howling Wind, exasperatedly looking at her, then Wildflower. “No way I just watched that.” she remarks, shocked, in fear, ears pinning back against her skull. What the absolute fuck was going on? Everyone seemed to be gawking and Blinding Star shows up. Kindle is there too. Everyone is.

Tears finally well in her eyes as he speaks. “You are a coward.” her voice is cold, pointed at Cinder, hatred in her eyes as she shook. Her thought process has been all jumbled now and her usually calm demeanor is broken. “Ember… I think she died. I saw it. There was blood. Her stomach…” she moves besides Blinding Star, explaining to him. She shakes for no reason. “You should be dead. You are lucky Ember spared you.” she spits and wants to stumble towards Ember but her legs are locked up, she can’t move.

 

[PLOVERPAW.]

Plover is doing their usual daily routine of picking flowers and bringing them back to their nest, to make it pretty. They’re on their way back to camp when a commotion draws their attention—they flinch at the noise it causes—and then a few cats are gathering to shout and scream and cause even more commotion. The blue smoke can’t even tell what’s going on until they’re closer, and by that time, a lot of things are happening at once. They don’t see anything, but they can hear the voice of a familiar she-cat, full of rage and sadness. There are a few ThunderClan cats around them—some they recognize and some they don’t—and Plover scurries up close to Kindle, icy eyes widening as they take in the scene before them.

Ember, bloodied but somehow still alive, lying on the ground. Howling Wind and a gray she-cat are nearby, along with two other cats that Plover doesn’t take the time to recognize. They drop the flowers they’re carrying, letting them fall to the blood-spattered ground at their paws. Salamander—or not-Salamander or whatever her name is now—has slumped down, crying, and the blue smoke can’t help but feel sorry for her once again. Is this why she left? They don’t understand. "Why…" they mumble, trying to make sense of the situation.

Before they can get any closer, one of the two unnamed cats is closing in, saying that she should be dead. It makes them feel sick. "Don’t say that," They squeak to Starling, trying to defend the blue mink she-cat. She’s done a terrible thing, but surely there’s an explanation… right? Ember is okay, right? Maybe they can all just go back to pretending everything is normal.
​

[ PENNED BY FOXLORE ]​

​

 

[BERRYHEART]

At cries of distress, alongside his mother was Berry quick to leave camp. His dappled features hardly moved as they closed in on a scene that should feel commonplace by now- a cat, dead upon forest ground. How sad that it should feel commonplace.

Sparky had left overnight apparently, nowhere to be seen throughout the day- though unlike others, Berry had not found himself even slightly concerned. She had earned the name he had given her from other reasons than just simply forgetfulness; he had seen the spark of fire within her, a fire not easily snuffed. Wholeheartedly, he had believed that she would be fine.

It was not often that Berry was wrong. The feeling of it was... disconcerting. Or perhaps that was the presence of blood, which had always thrown off the mottled tom's mind. The metallic, sickening smell- the sight of death before him, and she who had been the culprit lurked over the body rambling to someone about something. Her voice echoed, the words not registered- the ground liquified beneath him, the world similarly swimming and blending. He felt so ill from the ichor that he swore, for a moment, he had heard Sparky's voice.

Leaning against a nearby cat for stability, Berry's senses soon started to settle back into place. Nausea still gripped him from the sanguine river spilled from their leader's gut, a wound of which nobody could have lived to feel the pain- yet, fire-light eyes looked to their executioner with bafflement, and life.

So hallucination was not some strange side-effect of his intolerance of gore... rather, something completely and utterly impossible had happened before him. As a tom who lived a life entirely based around pursuing indisputable knowledge, he was left stood, stabilised by another form and completely at a loss for what to say. What, indeed, needed to be said?

"Is she dead-ff...?" Berry's voice slurred from sickened distress as he motioned toward the Executioner- but really, he could be speaking about either one of the blood-soaked mollies that befell them all. ​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[QUAILFEATHER]

She hears Wildflower's scream, and she's pushing herself to her paws as quickly as she's able to. Fear begins to thrum in her chest, picturing the worst--Wildflower attacked, Wildflower stumbling upon someone dead, Wildflower bleeding.

She bursts from the gorse tunnel, green eyes flared wide with alarm. Howling Wind, Wildflower, Kindle, Blinding Star, Berry, Starling and little Plover have all gathered around something, but she can't see what it is.

The air is sickening, coppery with the tang of blood. She shoves her way through, pressing herself against Wildflower as she trembles. Ember. Weak, savaged--the amount of blood that has drenched the earth, the smell of it, makes Quail ill. Ember tells them she's okay, rasps not to attack.

Quail hadn't seen the incident, but she surmises that the blue she-cat who has dissolved entirely into a blank-eyed puddle, had done this to their leader. She peels her lips back from yellowed fangs, glaring at the babbling molly with eyes hot as the surface of the sun.

"What kind of cat walks onto another Clan's territory and murders their leader in cold blood?" She shoots Plover, who tries to defend the insanity unfolding before them, a hard look. "A coward. That's what kind. This is no place for children."

Blinding Star asks if Ember is dead, and Berry echoes the question. Quail exhales, and it's rough, bitter. "Ember lives. And so does her murderer--for now." She struggles to keep her face still and fails; it's a mask of snarling anger. "Ember, let us help you back to camp. Those who remain can chase this sorry excuse for a cat from our territory. I'd be happy to do the honors."
​

PENNED BY MARQUETTE​

 

[emberstar]

"WE ARE THE BROKEN ONES, WHO CHOSE TO SPARK A FLAME"​

Voices clamored around her, but their words fell on deaf ears. Ember's eyes stayed locked on the molly atop her. Silently, desperately begging her to just back off. Her pleas go unanswered. For a moment, Cinder seemed determined to throw her life away for the sake of whatever petty vengeance she could manage.

Then, with little ceremony, her attacker pulled away. It finally felt like she could breathe. Shakily, she pulled herself to her paws. Her chest and paws felt wet, and a glance downward revealed just how much blood coated both her and the ground beneath her. Perhaps her claws had found more purchase than she had thought. But, no. As her gaze wandered to Cinder, who lay crumpled on the forest floor, she found no wounds in sight. Then, all this blood was hers?

Don't think about that.

Instead, she directed her focus to the cats around her, as she always had. They were concerned, scared. She could help them. She just needed to show them she was alright.

She latched onto Kindle's words first, which claimed that Cinder had killed her. "Well, she didn't do a very good job of it." she joked with what she meant to be a laugh. It turned into a cough, there was still a little blood in her throat apparently. Oops. Wildflower caught her attention next, whose panicked stuttering came out too fast and disjointed for her to understand. "Hey, hey," she attempted to soothe, stepping forward with blood still dripping from her chest. "I'm okay, I'm okay, I promise." Her words didn't do as much to calm the worries of her clanmates as she had hoped, Quail stepped forth with an offer to help her back to camp. Talking about running Cinder out. She backed away, struggling to find the words to fix that. They couldn't- The stars had-

Howling, Blinding, Starling, Plover, Berry, there were still too many of them. All crying out in concern or confusion or rage. Everything was falling apart so quickly, and she just felt so helpless. This couldn't happen again.

"Thunderclan!" she called out, raising her voice above the rest. To the best of her ability, she gathered her wits and attempted to stand straighter. Hiding how disoriented she still felt best she could. It was time for the leader stuff. "I am alive! And it's because of Starclan I survived. They led me out into the night, and gifted me nine lives with which to lead. Along with a new name, Emberstar." Her eyes drifted back to the other molly who had returned with her. "They also lead me to her, led me to Cinderfrost so that she could be our medicine cat. Whatever that means."

Desperately, her gaze sought out Howling Wind, Blinding Star, and Berry. Those that had been there that day. Surely, they would understand. "We can't run her off. I have faith in the stars, I trust them not to lead us astray. They have said that Cinderfrost should stay with us, and I will listen." She stated with firey determination. "However, I also made a promise to all of you. That I would keep the fighting and bloodshed out of Thunderclan. Whatever the stars told me, today I brought violence back to our home. Since I brought her back, I will take responsibility for her." Her body tensed as she forced the rest of the words out. "I will make sure she is no danger to any of you. I will keep watch over her when no one else can. I will do whatever needs to be done, even the worst, if it comes to it."

Blame me, not her, she asked silently. This would be how she made up for breaking her promise. She could bear the weight of what had happened here. She could fix it, she could make it all okay.​

✦ ★ ✦​

 

[HOWLINGSTAR]

Salamander - or, Cinderfrost, as she was apparently now called - lay crumpled in the undergrowth. Pathetic. Utterly pathetic, to take the life of a cat only to drown in her own self-pity. She was a she-cat Howling Wind had watched grow up; she had played with her kits in the nursery and had shared many talks with the tabby. That old she-cat was gone, replaced with this....this murderous maniac. All honor she had was gone, that much was clear. Rage boiled up in the woman, but she couldn't act on it, not when Ember was trying to calm them all down.

"You can't be serious," She tried to reason with the fiery she-cat, taking a desperate step forward with her brows knitted together. "You want us to let her live among us? In our camp? She's a murderer, Ember! Em-Emberstar. There are children there!" This was absurd! She believed in StarClan as much as the next cat, and of course she wanted to follow them, but this was beyond unreasonable! There was no way she'd ever trust the molly alone with anyone ever again, never mind her new clan, her family, her leader. "The stars can choose someone else. Anyone else." Wide, worried eyes gazed upon the younger she-cat, praying to the stars she spoke of that she'd listen to reason. Cinderfrost had proven herself to be a danger, a traitor to them all if she was going to murder an innocent cat who had done nothing but try to bring everyone together. A beacon of light that had been so quickly snuffed out - it was only by a miracle she had been given nine lives first. "The next cat won't have another chance like you did, Emberstar. We can't possibly risk that!"
​

"speech"​

 

[KINDLEHEART]

The more the scene before him goes on, the more confused Kindle gets.

He feels his paws take a step forward in warning as the newcomer raises a paw to strike Ember once more, only for her to freeze at the sight of a... a toad?

She calls to it as if she knows the amphibious critter, recognition and grief in her eyes. The brown and white tom looks at everyone else one more time - where they seeing this too? Or was living among ThunderClan driving him mad?

It continues however, as Ember is freed from the grasp of her attacker - her murderer? - and begins to address the clan. Ember, or Emberstar, rather, tells them she's gained nine lives from a different clan - StarClan. How many of these.... these clans were there? And... And why did this one have powers to give out extra lives to those they come across?

Emberstar continues with the announcement that her murderer - Cinderfrost - was brought here by the same magical clan that gave her eight more lives, and would be their medicine cat. The flame-point doesn't sound sure about what that is, and quite honestly, Kindle isn't sure either. But, he does know that it sounds like the magic clan wants this... Cinderfrost to possibly treat sickness. It sounds dangerous, another attack by the medicine cat imminent at all times.

"Emberstar, she'll kill us all!" he protests, his words following the protests of Howling Wind, "How do you expect us to survive with her living with us, unless this... this all powerful StarClan gives us extra lives as well? ThunderClan will fall, if she lives within it!"
​

 

[Blinding Star]

( ✧ ) In this moment, a clan made from both pine and marsh seems united against a common enemy. Hisses rose in tandemn with the words of their leader and her murderer. He flinches as an unfamiliar voice draws closer to him, but its no threat, rather, something of an explaination, shoddy or not. He purses his lips. Blood, the molly claims, and he can believe it from the tang of iron in the air. Still, it doesn't make sense. "But if she died..." He can't find it in himself to press further. The words die in his tongue. It's all too confusing. The molly's voice trembles as she speaks. A pang of concern hits him, for a moment.

Quail's voice rises among the crowd. He knew little of her, but could respect her for what he did. Ember lives. Contradictory. He heaves a breathe of frustration. She's indeed alive, from the way her voice rises above the others. The announcement to Thunderclan has his ears flattening in contempt. Oh, she's slipped right into this leader role all-too-quickly, hasn't she? A vague emotion he could've classified as worry swiftly shifts into annoyance, then. Even after death, her enthusiasm knew no bounds.

And when she continues, he nearly asks if the murderer had taken Ember's sanity along with her life, but he has to recall the world they're living in now. A world where ghost cats had no qualms in whispering to them, delivering vague tellings of what's to come. Still, the rest of what she says is in the expected realm of foolishness. Protests rise around him, and he's inclined to agree, though it's strange how quickly they scramble to utalize this newfound title.

"Perhaps 'StarClan' makes mistakes," he deadpans. He can't see any other explaination for a murderer to be sent to live with them (or for Ember's leadership being approved of). "I'd like to think our star-blessed leader has better things to do then babysit a murderer for the rest of her life."​