camp ONE LAST TIME ✦ sharing memories

[Flamestar]

BORN TO FIND THAT GREAT UNKNOWN ⋆⁺₊⋆
Grief.

It was a pain unlike any other that she hadn't experienced so much before joining the clan. Upon agreeing to join, she hadn't imagined ever experiencing so much death, or grieving so heavily over cats that were not family...But she had been so very wrong. Her mother wasn't the only family she had now...the clan was her family. She had formed relationships with so many more cats than she had pictured when she was younger, and there was one cat she had to thank for that...but it was too late to share her thanks. There were many times when she had wanted to pull their leader aside and thank her for accepting her into the clan with open arms, but it was too late now. Now all she could hope for was to be allowed to join Starclan when her time came...But she wasn't sure the rules on the clan of the afterlife...were non clan borne cats allowed in? She severely hoped so...

Several clanmates were sitting beside her. The heaviness of grief that clouded the camp was so much...Many tears had been shed, and she had played a part in shedding them. The camp felt so bright without their leader's friendly, gleaming eyes, and contagious smile. Emberstar had been so excited when she and Flycatcher announced that they would be parents. Not once had the thought that the flame point wouldn't ever meet their kits...Maybe she would be able to see them from Starclan. Flamewhisker held the thought tightly, wishing she knew more about how the stars worked.

One thing she did know for certain however, was that Emberstar would not want them all sitting here grieving. The queen lifted her gaze, forcing a smile to form on her maw. " I remember a time shortly after I joined Thunderclan...I barely knew my way around the camp. Emberstar assigned me to a patrol, and none of us had any clue on where to go. We circled around for hours!" her whiskers twitched with amusement as a purr rumbled in her throat. That had been before Howling Wind had taken over the patrol assigning. "At the time, I was so confused...but looking back now the memory brings me happiness. She was always so dedicated to the clan, she wanted to carry the entire clan's weight on her shoulders. I can almost hear her now...telling us to smile." she paused, lifting a paw to wipe away a tear. "Does anyone have any stories they would like to share?" There were plenty of other things she could have chosen to share, but she wanted to give her clanmates their own opportunities to speak. Emberstar had done so much, and accomplished so much it had been difficult to just tell one story.

[₊⋆]​

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[BERRYHEART]

Tears had not left him, yet. Had not fallen, at least- though he had let them sit in his eyes and make their hope there, wetting the mellow green of his gaze. Star-glimmer of her spirit swam in his eyes, now- in all of them. Grief was strange, strange as ever- for he knew she dwelled in the arms of the stars, yet felt the loss just the same. A void of her absence, despite knowing she was not truly gone. That in days of future she may visit him in dreams, deliver a prophecy once he was trusted enough to receive one.

Despite it all, a smile- though barely noticeable, hardly distinguished from the stony stature of his ever-set expression- curved his crooked lips. Awry eyes found the flame-hued queen as she spoke fondly of a memory- laughing in the face of tears' threat. How productive. To transform sadness and grief into something fond; to set yourself upon the path to healing by thinking fondly of what was, not bitterly of how it was now non-repeatable. "I remember that," he murmured, amusement a tincture in his tone. "And when she tried to train everyone. Admirable, really..." Despite how foolish it was. But folly in her case had come from the warmest place, in the spark of her heart and soul. ThunderClan and sustaining it really had meant everything to her.​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

Raccoonstripe lays a few foxlengths from Flamewhisker and Berryheart, brooding, deep in thoughts he had wandered about in for too long. Thoughts about Emberstar, about her final tango with death despite being StarClan-blessed. About her murderers, who still roam this forest with feline blood on their teeth and in their bellies. About what comes next, his mother taking her place.

When Flamewhisker begins to rhapsodize, Raccoonstripe is jerked out of his thoughts. She has a forced but gentle smile on her face, and her voice is wistful. The tabby warrior snorts at her tale. Yes, he remembers it well. Emberstar had been a disaster at organizing anything. His mother had come and untangled that mess. Berryheart mentions Emberstar's failed training experiment, too, leading to her implementing apprentices and mentors. Raccoonstripe can't exactly thank her for that one.

But despite his criticisms, the young warrior has to admit that Emberstar's passion and kindness had been the heart of ThunderClan. Sometimes he thought her too soft, too welcoming, even foolish, but he feels how his Clan has changed already upon losing her for the last time.

"The warrior code," he murmurs, adding his voice to the musings. "She did everything she could to make sure no cats would suffer like Morningpaw did." Despite not being kin to the girl, he knows in his heart Emberstar had felt that loss almost as strongly as her family had, and she had done everything she could to make it right.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[covecatcher]

When Cove had been out there, hardly-kept sobs threatening to choke her out, she had not stopped to think about her friend. When they had returned with Emberstar her world had come crashing down more than it had before, seeing Flame's face, her friend. And yet, despite all of the tears that had pricked in her eyes, the choked screams that had threatened to come out as Ember laid there dying, the rain never came. It's okay. The last words Emberstar had spoken towards Cove, love you, the last words spoken to Thunderclan. Always the optimist, someone Cove had looked up to, gone just like that. Her stomach churns, twists, turns.

She could not sit down right now lest she lose herself, but Flame speaks of sharing memories. Perhaps... Perhaps she can spare the time, perhaps the insanity her mind is delving to would be kept at bay. Tail swish, she listens from a distance as cats speak. Flame, of how dedicated Emberstar had been to the clan, Berry came next with how she had tried to organize training all by herself- Cove cannot help but finally crack a smile. How silly, truly, but their leader had meant well. Raccoon is the final one to speak as she makes her way over, speaking of the warrior code. A warrior code that will make history, a warrior code to ensure no others had to go through the same thing.

Emberstars presence will be remembered just how she lived, fondly.

She arrives and shoots a nod to each of her friends present, which is ironically all of them, and settles heavily besides Flamewhisker. "She gave me a purpose, to be a warrior of Thunderclan, and thats all I could ever want." she reminisces on it, she had not been there for the great battle, but rather she had came with her brother after hearing about newly formed Thunderclan. Welcoming, Emberstar was always welcoming, always had pep in her step and the biggest smile on her face. Cove only hopes that she could help carry on Emberstar's comforting presence, but she knows nothing could be done to replace her. Grief, she feels it again tenfold, but whisks it away with a small chuckle. "She made friends with everyone and everything." we were lucky to have her here, even if for a fleeting couple of moons.
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✦ ★ ✦​