&fear.

[Spice..xx]

Dewstep bit her lip as Oleandergaze spoke. He really was hurt. She listened silently to him speaking and then covered one of his large paws with a tiny one of hers. "But she is not the only one i treasure" she said quietly. She looked up into his comforting eyes, at the moment so full of sadness. "I love you Oleandergaze. And i love my sister, i truly do, but she has been ruling my life, i am always scared that i will upset her or make her angry if i do something wrong. But now i know i need to live my own life the way i want to. And what i want is to spend it with you" she said, grey eyes glinting with slight determination. This was something she had to do, it couldnt be about Tawnysky all the time. Now it was Dewsteps life, not DewstepandTawnyskys life.

[/color][/blockquote]

[kee :]]

Cormorantfeather ignored his daughter going to her mate's nest in the warrior's den. He understood that she would go to Oleandergaze before himself but he could understand when she wouldn't care about his feelings. Grumbling, he realized that life would have been better if he was never here. If that car really had squished him that day, his daughters wouldn't have to torture themselves and hate each other. Cormorantfeather also felt badly for Oleandergaze but at least he was loved by one of them. While their own father was hated. Suddenly, Midnightsky was beside him. He had remembered the young tom very well, but now he was older. Gray eyes narrowed, Cormorantstar snapped. "Well yeah! One of my daughters is almost dead, my other daughter is freaking out, and they both hate me!" He glared at the other tom for a long moment and his eyes softened. "I'm sorry... It's just that I'd rather be dead then see them tortured like this."

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{A deep breath exhaled from Oleandergaze's mouth. "I love you too," he said quietly. The mighty tom stared down at Dewstep's paw on his before rolling his shoulders back and pushing himself to his feet. He sighed softly and placed his paw on her in a hug-like fashion. "I think it was just a state of confusion," he said, smiling gently. His rough tongue caressed her cheek, brushing against the tear-stained fur. "I also think that you need a rest. Things have just been too crazy lately. Talk of battle, family hurt, everything else that's going on..." He shrugged and looked down at Dewstep. "I am going hunting with Cormorantfeather later in the day...if you wish to come with us. It'll give Dragonflydance some space to work..."}

[Spice..xx]

[ooc]Aurrie when are you wanting Dew to find out about the kits?

[bic]

Dewstep nodded silently at her mate, relieved that they seemed to have settled things. Looking up at his last statement she faltered slightly before replying. Was she ready to go on a hunt with her father? And there was that little niggling voice at the back of her mind that refused to go away, no matter hw hard she tried.
What will Tawnysky say?
Shaking herself furiously at this thought she looked up determindly at Oleandergaze. "Yes, i will join you later. Do you mind if i have a quick nap just now though?" she asked her mate, blinking to keep her eyes open. All this stress had worn her out.

[/color][/blockquote]

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>ooc:// After the battle

bic:// Oleandergaze licked Dewstep's cheek. "Go do what you need to do," he said quietly. The massive tom stretched and shook his pelt, yawning slightly. He made his way outside and turned to Cormorantfeather. "Everything is alright..." He nodded to his father-in-law.

"Dragonflydance! I would like t'speak t'Dragonflydance!" Ghostlystar's drawl cut through the state of semi-calmness. The lithe black tomcat thundered into CloudClan camp, flanked by a few warriors that were mainly there as an escort party. Ghostlystar's bright blue eyes swiveled around. "I dun want t'disturb her if she's busy, but one o'my warriors said that she saw Lastfallin' get hurt on CloudClan turf." He didn't enter the medicine den, instead turning his head to the CloudClan warriors. "May I speak t'her apprentice, if that's okay?"</sub>[/color]

[SHADE. :D]

"You may speak to me, Ghostlystar." The white she-cat padded from her den, tail aloft. The small medicine cat looked tired, her sapphire eyes clouded, though her ears were alertly pricked. She had been in the process of licking the two cat's blood from her paws, so that they were still stained scarlet. Dragonflydance shook her ruffled snowy coat, blinking at the BrightClan. "You were correct," she mewed, dipping her head in respect. "He is in no fit state to travel. I must insist you let him remain here until he has healed somewhat." As if not sure of the tom's reaction, Dragonflydance protectively stood over her den entrance, stance ready. She had no end of respect for Ghostlystar, but she needed his word. "You can see him, but you musn't touch him."

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{Ghostlystar bowed his head in respect to the eldest of the medicine cats. "I'll leave 'im alone," he said quietly. The tom turned to his entourage. "Wait here." The blue-eyed male faced Dragonflydance's den and entered it, coming upon Lastfalling in his bed. The BrightClan leader's eyes looked pained, and his shoulders trembled. His claws flexed in and out, and he took a deep breath. "What happened t'ya, Lastfallin'?" he murmured inaudibly. He dropped his head so that his nose was inches above his deputy's. He sniffed him but only smelled faint scents of CloudClan. He trusted his deputy and CloudClan because of what Lastfalling had told him of the mysterious female, so he didn't assume that they had attacked him. Ghostlystar lifted his head and turned to Dragonflydance. "I smell nothin' but CloudClan upon him, but I trust CloudClan as an ally and friend. I want t'believe that y'ar warriors didn't attack him. If that's true, then what th'StarClan happened?" he asked her.}

[SHADE. :D]

Dragonflydance solemnly followed Ghostlystar into her den, pawsteps soundless. She checked the two injured cat's heartbeats with her gentle paws. At the BrightClan leader's words, the white she-cat blinked and nodded. As BrightClan leader, it was the tom's right to know what had happened to his deputy. Dragonflydance gestured to Tawnysky, barely recognizable beneath a heavy coating of slashes. "She was out alone. Astralhaze, another warrior of our's, reported having seen a spectral figure attacking Tawnysky... Lastfalling helped her. Without him I know she would already be dead." Dragonflydance spoke delicately, aware that there was still a high chance that Tawnysky could die. She sighed as Ghostlystar spoke to his warrior. "He won't answer that question for a while yet." she mewed, looking straight at the BrightClan leader, gaze weary.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{Ghostlystar swallowed audibly at the words spectral figure. Pain stigmatized his expression, contorting it to something of tortured proportions. A sigh escaped him, and his tail flopped right to left. "If...if you or he needs anythin', don't be afraid t'come fetch Cloudedsky. I'll keep m'warriors on high alert t'watch for any CloudClanners comin' t'see her," he said softly. "Thank ya fer what y'ar doin'." This was exactly why he didn't want to fight this Tribe. They had reduced his deputy to unconsciousness. Ghostlystar sighed deeply, feeling his shoulders become heavy. "I suppose I should go. Ya need not t'be bothered." Ghostlystar came to all fours. "StarClan grant that they heal soon." The tomcat bowed to Dragonflydance and trotted back to his party.}

[kee :]]

Lastfalling listened to their voices. He didn't recognize who was speaking at first but the accent was hard to understand when he could barely hear anything but his heart beating rapidly. When he tried to open his eyes to see who it was, he couldn't. He couldn't even move there was so much pain. But he heard. And by the way Dragonflydance spoke, he knew very well that he had failed. Tawnysky would die anyway and he had just wasted his breath and energy. Thats when it hit him. Ghostlystar! Lastfalling tried to call out for him, but his breath just came out in a heavy rasp. No don't leave, he thought frantically. No one would be left if Ghostlystar and his party left. Don't leave me here alone...

Cormorantfeather never moved from his position. He just watched with wide eyes as the BrightClan warriors trotted into camp. Ah yes... They probably thought that we had killed Lastfalling... He smirked slightly and returned his gaze to Oleandergaze as his son-in-law returned from his visit with Dewstep. His cheeks looked slightly wet with tears though he looked better than before. Cormorantfeather smiled slightly and nodded back. "Good, good. Will Dewstep be joining us later?" he asked, tilting his head to one side, curiously.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>Oleandergaze lifted his head up to Cormorantfeather, shaking it twice. "No, she is going to take a nap. She has had a long day," he said softly. The large tomcat sighed softly and turned his head to the BrightClanners. He saw them flank Ghostlystar, who entered Dragonflydance's den for a few moments. He looked away from them. "I suppose they caught wind about Lastfalling. Quick fellows, those BrightClanners..."

bic:// Horrible post, I know, but CloudClanners should be posting at the battle soon :]</sub>

[blair]

Murmurs and rushing cats swooped past the currently dazed medicine cat apprentice, Cometpaw's mostly amber pools only tracing half of it, though her senses where fully aware of her surroundings she seemed unaware and almost immune to the world as the young she cat sat there, her coal colored paw raising theatrically in what would be called slow motion to her maw, silver claws sheathed as the paw caught on cobwebs, and consciousness stirred.

"What? Mmm, Yes" a rather blank mewl came from the apprentice, though her concentration seemed fully restored and on Lastfalling, a tom whom was quite badly injured. She listened to Dragonflydance speak with their leader, before turning back to the warrior she was assigned to, and gently placed the cobwebs onto his chest, exactly where her mentor had told her to put them, her pools raising once to look at his shoulder, but concentrating on placing the cobwebs correctly, afraid of doing something wrong and making the injury worse.

"I--I think I'm done" came a soft speech for the concentrating she as her orbs remained in a fixated manor on his chest, checking she had done everything right "Anything else?" she asked her mentor now, her concentration in full gear.

[/size]

[SHADE. :D]

Dragonflydance watched the BrightClanners leave with a short sigh. She then turned, her snowy body blocking the entrance of her den. She didn't want any more vistors or anybody getting in her way, but Cometpaw, of course. The medicine cat watched her apprentice work, a small smile tugging at her lips. The young cat was good with her paws, and she certainly had a head for herbs. She just needed to be more confident. Dragonflydance noticed only one thing wrong with the way she treated Lastfalling - and that was her tentativeness. The white she-cat nosed her apprentice, blue eyes brightening a little. "Wonderful, well done," she mewed warmly. The medicine cat noticed the BrightClan tom's chest heave. "Just give him a bit more thyme," she told Cometpaw, before padding back to Tawnysky. She licked the she-cat's cheek, eyes sad. She knew Dewstep would be deeply saddened if her sister died, no matter how much she pretended. The two had already lost their mother. Dragonflydance vowed to do everything in her power to keep Tawnysky alive, no matter how bruised and broken she might be.

[KURI. (happy birfday to me :D)]

Grainpelt suddenly burst into camp, quite late compared to Ghostlystar. "Where is Lastfalling?" he demanded, although his voice wasn't louder than it should be. Only after the words had left his mouth did he realize that he had just asked a mouse-brained question. He felt the CloudClanner's eyes on his pelt but payed no attention, standing behind his leader casting worried glances at the medicine den. The tomcat cursed his timing, realizing that Ghostlystar was about to leave now. "Is he alright?" he asked quietly, unsure of exactly why Ghostlystar looked so... tense. Yes, his deputy was injured, but Lastfalling was also one of Grainpelt's best friends - something more seemed to be prodding Ghostlystar's anxiousness, but the BrightClan warrior was too worried himself to bother thinking about it. Swishing his tail on the ground, he glanced around for the CloudClan leader. Where was Stormstar?

[(aurora) of the problematique]

<sub>"He is fine, Grainpelt," Ghostlystar said coarsely. "I've talked t'Dragonflydance about him already. We shouldn't bother them. Patriotcross."

"Sir." Patriotcross lifted up his eyes, blinking over at his leader with a look of respectful questioning.

"You, Northrain, and Summermeadow keep a patrol goin' on CloudClan border. Ya make sure nothin' happens or if it does, send th'word," Ghostlystar ordered. The blue-eyed tom turned to Grainpelt as Patriotcross nodded. "Until Lastfallin' heals, I appoint ya as m'deputy." Ghostlystar looked away before Grainpelt could protest or accept. He turned to Astralhaze, taking note that this was the she-cat Lastfalling was talking about. He was wordless, merely making his way to the entrance.</sub>

[KURI. (happy birfday to me :D)]

Grainpelt narrowed his eyes but made sure Gostlystar couldn't see, following his leader to the entrance of camp despite his burning urge to see Lastfalling. But it's just one cat! he protested mentally, knowing that every pawstep brought him farther from his friend. He couldn't even be sure he would be treated well there... sure, Dragonflydance and her apprentice would do well, but when he healed enough to speak but not to be moved, how would he feel? A small fury built up inside him but his Clan loyalty overrode that. Lastfalling had to be okay. He just wanted to see his friend...

But all that invisible dissapointment washed away as soon as Ghostlystar finished his sentance. A wide smile crossed Grainpelt's face, and despite the fact that he was hurting for Lastfalling the tom was slightly excited. Temporary didn't matter, nor did deputy, really. He would be serving his Clan in a way he never did expect, in a time of dire need. He nodded to his leader and modestly followed him back into CloudClan territory.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

_{ooc:// *prods* He was just made substitute deputy xDDD;;;}

[KURI. (happy birfday to me :D)]

__Durr, I missed that. -edits- xDDDDD

[blair]

Cometpaw looked around, her delicate brown face scanning over everyone around her, yet her pools not taking anything in, and where replaced with one of her common, rather dazed and windswept looks. Her amber orbs swelled to their normal slit position, the green that just touched her pupils seemed to get larger as she did so, making her orbs look like they where made up of two different colors entirely. Licking the cobwebs once more and making sure they where firm on the tomcats chest, ashen colored paws lead her toward the herbs, now striving on her mentors praise.
"Thyme? Thyme... What does that look like again..." the apprentice mumbled to herself, afraid to ask her mentor about the usually simple herb that she should have mastered by now, she scrambled in her memory... herb... Thyme? Or was it mint... I think it was thyme. "Green and leafy... Ugh... Isn't that what most of the herbs look like?" the apprentice sighed, her paw running over what she assumed was thyme and gently took it in her paw, placing it in her maw and crushing it, ignoring the bitter flavor as she headed toward her 'subject' again, and spread it over where she put the cobwebs.

The she-cat took a step back, her pools remaining on what she had just done in another one of her unsure manors, afraid it wasn't thyme she had just placed on the tom-cats chest, and something else, that could... once more, make the injury worse.
[/size]

[SHADE. :D]

Dragonflydance glanced away from her young apprentice, looking back at the BrightClan cats. Would they believe the news about the Tribe, now? Now that their deputy had been injured? This could have been avoided... Dragonflydance shook away the thought and blinked her sky blue eyes thoughtfully. She mentally reminded herself to check on the queens later. Ribbontail and Midnightlove needed to be as strong as possible in this time - they needed healthy kits if CloudClan was going to live through this dark time. Dragonflydance's blue eyes swivelled back to Cometpaw as the apprentice was placing the herb near Lastfalling for him to eat. The white she-cat gave a sudden hiss and snatched it back, eyes widening breifly. She pushed the leaves aside, turning one over to reveal the tiny white flowers. "Chervil," she mewed softly. "Helps bellyache, not stress." Dragonflydance gave Cometpaw a nuzzle. "Don't worry, it's an easy mistake to make," she mewed comfortingly. "Now, go and get that thyme, please."

[blair]

A distracted, determined hiss sounded from the young she-cat, repeating what her mentor had just told her, "Oh... right, Chervil... sorry!" though the mew seemed far off, it'd be hard to tell for any cat except the brown dusted apprentice that she truly meant well. Amber-green pools peered at the sickly warrior, Lastfalling, before her ashen paws trailed over to the herbs once more, pools then scanning Dragonflydance's supply. "Thyme!" a more confident mewl sounded, like a kit who has just won a war with their sibling, now being pronounced leader of the nursery. 'It has to be Thyme...' a less confident, self conscious grumble sounded in the back of her head, luckily for her this time she had gotten it right, not to be gently scolded by her mentor for another wrong herb.

Placing the herb in front of the injured tom, she looked at her mentor for approval.
[/color]

[SHADE. :D]

Dragonflydance watched Cometpaw correct herself and head back into the confines of the den to fetch the thyme. The slender white she-cat sat, her thin tail wrapped over her forepaws, blue eyes fixed on the shadowy den. The medicine cat stretched, sinking her claws into the grass. She hoped that Cometpaw was ready, if anything happened. She needed to be. As the young she-cat padded back into the open, Dragonflydance purred. This time her apprentice did carry thyme, a green sprig between her teeth. The she-cat nodded happily. "Well done," she mewed. "Now he needs to eat that, okay?"

[blair]

Cometpaw's amber-green pools glittered in the praise,
her attention wavering a little on her mentor as she finished, though as if expecting a little more... before her brown dusted ears twitched quickly, in obvious embaressment as the young apprentice turned torwards the injured warrior, examining his chest for a moment before she placed her left paw on the Thyme delicately, her ashen fur from her paw hovered over the herb, the feathers coming off her paw having less than a mouse nose before it actually brushed the herb, but the she cat seemed paused in thought.
'When I was a kit, little Cometkit I'd laugh and ask if I was supposed to jab him, or force feed him... yet things have all changed now, I'm a medicine cat...'
Her somewhat gentle reminder rang in the back of her head, trying to find the simple pleasure of healing others as what was jolted through her average sized body when she had started, the exciting pleasure of helping others and her clan in a new and rare experience only a few cats in history ever got to try.
The fem struggled for a moment, her paw still barely touching the herb if touching at all, unsure if she was supposed to alert the tom to eat the herb as you would do with most awake sickly patients, or chew it up, and put it in his mouth, then rub his throat in a nice, force swallow method.
"Uhh... How?" she asked delicately, her orbs not straying to her mentor in humiliation of forgetting how to attempt that.
[/color]

[SHADE. :D]

Dragonflydance watched Cometpaw struggled with a watchful eye. The white she-cat swept to her apprentice's side as she uncertainly asked a question, sounding embarrased. Dragonflydance gave her a swift lick over the ears to reassure her that she was in no trouble. The medicine cat flicked the pile of thyme with her tail tip. "Chew them up, then spit them out," she explained, voice gentle. "Part his jaws, and insert the herbs. Then massage his throat to help him swallow them." Dragonflydance sat back on her haunches, sky blue eyes fixed on Cometpaw as she worked.

[kee :]]

Cormorantfeather looked upset for a moment and then nodded. "Yes, she's had a rough day," he murmured, letting the conversation of Dewstep drop.

In his dreams, Lastfalling dreamed of the most marvelous wonders. He dreamed of being back in the pine forest, in the mountains. He sat by the glistening lake and it sparkled more than a thousand Glistening Lakes put together. He was surrounded by cats he loved very much. Rowan, his father was there. Aurora was sitting beside him, with five other young cats at her side (one of them, Lastfalling could've sworn it was Pecankit). Cinnabarcloud was there, chatting with Rowan like they were old friends. Grainpelt and Hollowstripe, his two best friends, were also there but Astralhaze wasn't. Even in dreamland, Lastfalling worried about his crush, so he went looking for her. The rest of the dream was a blur, but he did remember seeing Astralhaze laying in a pool of blood, pain clouding her perfect hazel eyes. She moaned and cried. Right before he woke up, it was what made him look up, he saw two piercing yellow eyes, almost exactly like his own, gazing at him.

He woke with a jolt and his eyes flew open immediately, remembering that this wasn't the warriors den back in BrightClan camp and even though the strong smell of herbs hit him, it was Cloudedsky's den either. That's when he remembered. He was in CloudClan camp because he had saved Tawnysky from being killed by a ghost. Right... Lastfalling opened his eyes again, fearing that he would be staring into another cat's eyes again, but instead he was looking at two peaceful she-cats. But neither one of them were Astralhaze. He began to panic like he had done in his dream but when he turned his head only the slightest bit, he winced in pain. So he just looked at the two she-cats again and then looked at the herbs, lying so close to his head. He wanted them, to feel the pain go away, but he looked up at Dragonflydance and rasped, "Where's Astralhaze?"

[blair]

Cometpaw nodded dutifully,
her brown head bobbing, though her tail was now drooping in fraustration,
as her amber-green pools centered in on the Thyme she had placed in front of her left paw.
Scooping it up, she chewed it quietly until the warrior awoke from his... dream, she supposed, and asked about a she cat, and her where abouts. Not knowing who the she cat was, her delicate face turned torward her mentor, pools now even more unsure of the now awake patient.
She wanted to giggle now at her silliness, but her facial features remained aline and serious, her mouth only slightly parting when she talked, muffled through the Thyme she now had no clue what to do with.
"Er... Do I still do that now he's awake?"
[/color]

[SHADE. :D]

Dragonflydance pricked up her ears as Lastfalling stirred. She hurried to his side, shaking her head absent-mindedly at her apprentice's question. The white she-cat blinked carefully at the BrightClan deputy for a moment, then spoke, voice soft. "She is resting," she mewed gently. "You are not strong enough for visitors, yet." Dragonflydance turned back to Cometpaw. "Forget the thyme," she mewed, smiling slightly. "Fetch some poppy seeds for me, please."

[blair]

"Right, poppy seeds"
a now exasperated, delicate voice arose from a dusted brown body,
her maw opening to show the hints of a chewed up Thyme on her tongue,
sighing now as she wondered what to do with it. Easily placing it onto her paw,
her amber green pools narrowed as the apprentice to Dragonflydance wondered what to do with an unneeded, chewed up herb. Her mouth opened to ask her wise mentor, though she saw her in a concentrated state (much like one she was usually in, herself, it was quite odd seeing someone else like that) and her usually curled upwards tail-making her look constantly vain and full of herself, with her light brown feathers hanging of of her tail majestically-straightened out, in a second long stretch to relieve herself of her anxieties.

Ashen colored paws beat upon the ground as she wondered who the deputy of another clan was asking for, a warrioress... was she dead? Her brain scrambled messily with what the medicine cat meant with 'resting', as with an absent mind selected some poppy seeds from her herb supply, and gracefully sprinted over to that she cat she... idolized in a way, though never hoped she was gone. Being a medicine cat by herself sounded far too frightening.
"I... just give it to him, right?" she asked worried of her own skill now, after picking the wrong herb.
[/color]

[SHADE. :D]

Dragonflydance nodded, smiling at her apprentice. "Just put them beside his muzzle and he can eat them for himself." The white she-cat pushed herself to her paws, sending a silent prayer to StarClan for the two injured cats. Keep them safe. Guide them back to the right track. She then opened her beautiful sapphire eyes and gave Cometpaw and nudge. "You've done well today," she mewed, voice warm and filled with praise. "Considering this is the first time you have had to deal with such a shock injury, you performed excellently. I don't see any reason why Latfalling shouldn't recover, now." She couldn't say the same about Tawnysky. She hoped Cometpaw didn't pick up on her uncertainty.

[kee :]]

Lastfalling would've frowned when he heard Dragonflydance's answer to where Astralhaze was, but that hurt too much. He wanted to see her, so when he tried to look outside the den, that hurt way to much and he placed his head back on the moss, sighing in defeat. He felt so helpless sitting here. He wouldn't be able to fight in the battle and he would be stuck in camp with a bunch of cats that he didn't even know. He wanted Astralhaze here, right now, but how could he ask Dragonflydance that? He should have never asked the first question in the first place.

He ate the poppy seeds when they were set by his head and he set himself in a comfortable position for sleep but when that didn't come right away, he looked up at Dragonflydance with a frustrated look. He wanted out. He was strong enough. He wanted Astralhaze. No, he needed to see her.