[ti]Open[/ti]Know You're Not Alone

[M'Lady]

It was with great effort and devastation, that she pulled herself from her den and made her way to the perch she called her meeting spot. It was easy to see the exhaustion and sadness that enveloped the Ivyclan leader, who had lost many she called kin in the recent battle. Who blamed herself for the death of a leader, that needn't have happened if only she were able to move faster. She shook these sins from her pelt as she leaped onto the ledge, a pang going through her heart every time she looked out across her clearing. A clearing emptier than before. 

"May all cats old enough to climb the rock face gather beneath the High Ledge for a clan meeting!" Her voice echoed against the smooth stone walls, and claws clicked against the ground she perched on. Her cats gathered, and she stifled a wail, the tears, as she once again noticed empty spots where clanmates had once sat among friends and family. She couldn't tear her eyes away from them, places where her kin would laugh and cheer. 

She realized her clan had fully gathered after a moment, and gave a soft yet sad smile as she looked out among them. It was only this morning she was able to take off her own coatings of  marigold and cobwebs, thankful to Starclan that her vision was spared even though her beauty was not. The new scar gouged a deep rut in her features, starting from a gash in her right ear, carving around her yellow eye and slicing through her muzzle. 

She thought she saw Rainfur in the crowd, she wondered if he'd still find her as beautiful now. She brushed the thought from her mind. Now was no time to be seeing ghosts of those long gone. 

"My clanmates," She began, her voice just loud enough to be heard among the crowd. They fell silent, although they hadn't been particularly loud before. "I am, so immensely proud of each and every one of you. Our hearts remain heavy for those we have lost, but we shall cry out praises for our loyal warriors and friends that protected our home from those who dare invade. May they rest eternally well in Starclan now, knowing their loved ones are safe." Her voice was clear yet cracked, a gray sky shattered by lightning. She dipped her head slightly, paying a brief silent tribute for those that were gone and wishing oh so selfishly that it was her that had died in their place. She had lives to spare, her warriors didn't. 

"Alas, it is but one of many struggles we must face. Leafbare will soon be upon us, and Brackenstar will be eager to prove himself just as his predecessor did. We shall up patrols along the Mothclan border, so they don't get away with pushing our territory as they had done in seasons past." She hummed, letting her words be heard by all before she continued. 

"I also find it time to award our brave apprentices. Wingedpaw, Greenpaw, Mintpaw, Stanleypaw, and Speckpaw, please step forward." She waited for them to do so, sadness flickering over her features as she noticed their injuries, but pushed it away quietly. 


"Wingedpaw. You have proven time and time again to be a clanmate that all can count on, even those so new to our ranks. You have shown a bravery beyond measure as you fought for your home, and I can think of no better name for you than Wingedheart. You will be an excellent warrior, and I have no doubt that others think so as well. Thank you for all you have done for our clan." Owlstar smiled softly, dipping her head in gratitude to the young warrior, before moving on. 

"Greenpaw. Though fighting has never been your strongest point, you did a remarkable job of caring for your clanmates during the battle, and swiftly getting them to the safety of the medicine cats where others could not. For your quick thinking and just as fast reflexes, I shall name you Greengale. Sweep the world with your skills." Was he really the son of her own? It was amazing, how much her family had grown when she wasn't looking. Her gaze flashed downward for a moment, remembering those who weren't here with them, before she faced Mintpaw with a smile. 

"Mintpaw, you as well have proven to be a warrior that even Lionclan would be lucky to have in their ranks. You fought valiantly against the unknown, and sought out tactics and paths that others could not see. For this, I name you Mintnose. Continue to find ways that others overlook, and lead your fellow clanmates to victory." Her smile brightened, as her heart lightened. It seemed that watching young warriors grow was one of the only things that made her smile anymore. 

"Stanleypaw, despite your origins, you've proven to all of us that you have a right to be here as much as any clanborn cat does. While we'll still have you on a brief probation, I see no reason to not give you a warrior name that your wild cat ancestors could be proud of. I name you Stanleyfur, in honor of your kin, and hope you will be just as amazing of  a warrior that she is." 

"Speckpaw, much like your littermate, I shall keep you under a short watch. However, you have shown to be just as strong as any of your fellow apprentices, and have earned a right to a name that your clanmates can shout with pride. I name you Gingertuft, so that you may truly understand what it means to be an Ivyclan warrior. I am glad to have both of you here among us." 


Owlstar paused for a moment as she listened to the shouts of her clanmates, congratulating the newest named for their feats of excellence in battle and in clan life. She bowed her head as their voices washed over her, letting them drown out the noise her thoughts made in her head. For once, she was glad there were no kits to be named apprentices. All she felt was dread in her chest at the thought of their young lives heading out to another battle that would surely come. She wished, that she could keep all of her clanmates, her kits, in the safety of the nursery. She wished she were strong enough to protect them all on her own. 
Then, she rose her head, and called out the names of their new warriors along with the rest. 

[Mama]

Redpaw was not at the meeting, still missing after the battle.

---

Briarfrost rose to the occasion from the nursery, sitting outside as she chanted the new warrior's names. Her tail curled around her thin body, and though her eyes were tired, they were filled with pride for her clan. They'd successfully scared the rogues away, and had all the cats here to prove it.

---

Waspfang, though not the greatest mother, was still proud for her son. Knowing she wasn't welcome near, she simply sat in the back and let her voice blend in with the others, before the warrior got to her paws and headed out. She'd ruined enough, and she didn't need to trash a day of celebration.

---

---

 Goldeneyes chanted for the new warrior's, reminding himself to go and get more moss for the den later on. At this rate, they might need more den space too.

[mewmehh]

The forlorn silence of the camp had remained ever prominent after the battle with the tribe, and even with their victory, hearts weighed heavily. The voices of playing kits carried themselves in softer tones and sharing tongues were hushed and somber. It was as if a blanket of grey covered the clan, and it was only now as wounds healed up and life returned to usual that little pinpricks of sunlight seemed to light through such a dense atmosphere. Today would be one such day.

As Owlstar's smoky form could be seen making her way to the heart of the camp, cats slowly followed in a sparse groups. Of these, some limped and others simply walked with a mournful gait, but a few youngster hopped over in spry steps. Bubblekit bounced after her clanmates, albeit quietly, and took to sitting close to her sisters. Her large eyes flashed with a slight unease as she roved from side to side, glancing over the slumped and scarred bodies of her clanmates. She watched a little woefully as her father's long form strode across the clearing to join the group close to the front, settling near their leader's perch. Bubblekit wrinkled her nose a bit; from what she had heard through the grapevine, it seemed Longwing was doing his best to stick rather close to Owlstar when not busy with his family or other tasks. Whether it be because of how their deputy had gone missing and he wanted to take Roseblaze's place, or that he had some unknown fondness for the smoky cat that Bubblekit didn't understand, it kept the tom busy enough to not have much time for dressing her fur in flowers anymore. Instead, she had to rely on her mother or herself to fidget with the blossoms and silky locks. Her nose puffed a small gust of air; even Wingedpaw didn't seemed to have the time to visit with her any longer.

Her elder's sister, in fact, hadn't stepped out of Beetleshade's den for some time since the battle that happened the night of the red moon. Instead, Wingedpaw was like a mass of white curls within a den, sad and slumpy and not fun for Bubblekit at all. Instead of blushing giggles and gentle grooming sessions, the younger cat was left with a shell of her former sister; all the albino cat wanted to do was stare into a puddle and cry. Bubblekit wasn't sure why, after all, we wanted to continuously seen their own marred reflection? She knew her sister's face had been so remarkably changed, and honestly Bubblekit found it sorta of ugly, so she couldn't understand why such a soft cat like her sister wanted to keep on looking.

Mintpaw was there too, locking away with Wingedpaw to heal up. He, too, had lost and eye, but Bubblekit's brother was strong. Instead of fixating on his wounds, he seemed to work towards getting back to normal. He would be named a warrior any day, the kit figured, and was beaming as she knew today would be such a day.

Sliding next to Beampaw as Owlstar took to speaking, the sandy kit fixed her gaze firmly on Mintpaw's ginger and white back.

The leader's voice was smooth and somber as she praised her clanmates, and while some were expecting it, the naming of new warriors came to Wingedpaw as a bit of a surprise. She had only just starting walking around camp to stretch her legs in the early morning, her wound having closed up nicely a day or two ago. While Beetleshade praised her recovery and stopped dressing it with poultices, Wingedpaw swore she could still feel the dull aches of pain radiating from the hole in her head. Soft, phantom throbs made her chest hurt even more as she spent her time agonizing over her appearance. From the visits she had received from her friends and family, she could tell it hadn't been a very clean cut. Her younger sister often refused to look her in the eye, and even Beampaw, while comforting as one of her closest friends, even seemed discomforted by it. It took all the she-cat could muster not to sob out loud, but even still, she failed to hold back her tears.

Thus, it had shocked her to hear Owlstar summon her before all the rest of her peers to receive her warrior name. What had she really done to deserve such a thing? Heart swollen like her puffy, red eye, the apprentice listened with upturned ears as the smoky queen loving praised her actions and bestowed upon her a most beautiful name. Her heart clenched, but it seemed not out of mourning. It seemed that her leader saw he capable of more things than a warrior's fighting abilities and found a name far more suitable. For the first time since the fight, Wingedheart offered a little smile, feeling the weight in her heart lift a little.

Greenpaw's naming came next, and her tiny little smile spread into a thin grin. She hadn't seen what happened to him during the fight, but he appeared relatively unscathed, and from what Owlstar had to say on the matter, Wingedheart felt she had an idea of how it went. Greengale was now his name and his friend's belly fluttered with pride as well as what she could only assume was pure adoration for her friend. As nervous as he was, he had valiantly helped his clanmates during the thick of the fight and came out stronger on the other side. A real warrior. She couldn't help but hum at the thought. Even still, despite her concern for Greengale coming out of the fight, Wingedheart had been reluctant to face him. The tom had been like a busy, buzzing bee around her when her wound had yet to heal, insisting on helping Beetleshade as much as he could. And while Wingedheart was thankful for him, she had grown increasingly more self-conscience once her wounds showed signs of intense scarring. Even to the point of fiddling with her long curls to hide her face, Wingedheart wanted nothing more to seal away her ugly secret for the sake of her friend and his soft heart. She was sure she wouldn't be able to bear it if she scared him away.

Her goofy, wistful grin and agonized thoughts were quickly swept aside as the cheering voices died down and Owlstar wrapped up the meeting. It was jarring how short the ceremony seemed to be, and in an instant the she-cat was reminded of how many cats they had lost in the fight. Tears threatened to spill from her single rosy eye at the realization, the idea that so many wouldn't be receiving their warrior names this moon. Even some who were still alive, such as her dear sister Violetpaw, would have to wait for some time more, and others like Redpaw seemed to join the ranks of Starclan without being made more than a 'paw.' It was disheartening to say the least; when she had woken up, she had heard from Beampaw that her friend seemed to have vanished after the battle and none had known where he had ended up. It was sad to think about, but Wingheart's thoughts always returned to the same sad truth; this was what it meant to live the life of a warrior. It was only now that she sported her warrior name that she really wondered if this was what she truly wanted.

[GnawingOnIce]

It was with heavy paws that Timberheart rose from the warmth of his nest in the warriors den at Owlstar’s summon. Many of the nests were permanently empty, the tom’s stomach churning every time he so much as glanced at them. The gash in his side from the recent battle with the Tribe was healing nicely; it’d leave a scar when it was done.

He took his place near the nursery, peeking in at his kits that all shared the spots he had on his pelt and at his lovely mate, Owlcry. His deep navy eyes filled with fondness at the sight of his family.

He sat down, wincing at the scratch on his side, and gazed up at Owlstar, giving her a encouraging smile, though he wasn’t sure if she had seen him.

No matter, though. He cheered all the names of the new warriors with no hesitation.

Like Owlstar, he was thankful his kits weren’t old enough to be made apprentices during this time of war. And, hopefully, by the time they were apprentices this war would be over.