Something to Hold on To

[Fireflake]

This moon, Mantisstar approached the rock with the harsh look of an enemy and leapt on top of it with vigor. She might not have been able to sink her claws into a real foe yet, but she could conquer this one. "All cats old enough to fight their own battles, gather around the Tall Rock for a clan meeting!" the she-cat yowled.
Her eyes softened as the clan started to emerge. Today, she had the important duty of naming a new warrior. Of course it worried her slightly, that both the apprentice den and the nursery would now be empty, but there was nothing she could do about that, short of having another litter herself. It hardly seemed like the time.

"Fatpaw! Up you come. I've got a spot for you, right here. Good. Now Fatpaw, your journey to becoming a warrior hasn't been a smooth one, but you've turned from a mewling little kit to a fully-grown cat, and I don't think anyone would deny that you've earned your warrior name. Fatpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend MothClan, even at the cost of your life?"
She nodded her approval. Though she'd thought hard about naming him Fatberry, after one of his mothers, eventually she'd decided that the young tom deserved part of his name to honor him alone. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this day on, you will be known as Fatcloud! Once again-"

Mantisstar hesitated. At the last ceremonies, she'd been in the middle of remarking what a minor annoyance the rogues were to MothClan when the poison they had very likely delivered knocked her to the ground. The near-death experience had gone a long way to curbing her more impulsive tendencies. On top of that, Mantisstar and Tickstorm had done everything they could to make sure the poison didn't get any more of her clanmates. The fresh-kill pile had been checked, and any suspicious pieces thrown out. Mantisstar had told Mottlepool to look over any prey brought in that cats hadn't personally killed, but after reprimanding Vultureswoop, that number had dropped sharply to just about zero.

It had occurred to Mantisstar at the last Gathering that all of these new security measures were largely wasted. They kept the rogues from hurting the clan, just as they were supposed to, but the other clans hadn't even tested MothClan in moons. While she could understand a lack of fighting during the difficult Leaf-bare, now it was just lazy. Then, suddenly, in that 'your-currently-eight-moon-old-leadership-shouldn't-be-a-surprise' way that some things happened, Mantisstar had remembered that she was in charge of that.

The leader shook off her apprehension. "Once again, the Twolegplace cats who thought they could turn you into one of them have been put in their place. With a new warrior, and with all of us on guard, MothClan's defenses are as strong as they've ever been. That in mind, I'm sure some of you have been wondering... why don't we go on the offense? Why don't we remind the other clans why they need to mark their borders diligently, and why they should show up to the Gatherings on time? Well, we're going to do just that. Let's push against their borders until they realize they have to push back. Move them four paw-steps forward, or to the other side of any markers. If you find any weak spots, move them a tail-length in."

The she-cat gave a moment for her orders to sink in. Her mind bounced back to Fatcloud. Mantisstar tried to catch his mentor Volemouth's eye in the crowd below as she started chanting the young warrior's name, to silently express her thanks for taking care of her half-brother. She'd felt less pressure to slack off of her duties to be there herself. The tabby stood on the rock for a few moments after the ceremonies had finished, just to affirm that she really had completed them without trouble this time around, then leapt down and headed off to congratulate Fatcloud personally. Clarification on MothClan's new stance, if needed, could wait.

[Broadwaykat]

"It's about time!" Snarled Badgerstrike from amidst the gathered warriors. She had been ready and prepared to go after the other cats the MOMENT they had been snatched from them, but it seemed all Mantisstar had wanted to do was wait. Wait for what - hedgehog's to fly? For them to lick their wounds and just hope that their clanmates found their way back home on their own. No. She was ready to sink her claws into some of those cats and feel their fear beneath her paws. She had never forgotten, under the guidance of a former leader, that she had been named an elite warrior.

She was ready to live up to that honor.

---

Slightshrew too was glad that soon they were to be bringing clanmates home. The older and wiser tom flicked his tail to betray his excitement, but also held his tongue. He had never been a bombasting sort - so he was prepared to sit and wait, to see how things went along.

---

Crouchwhisker wasn't as excited as he had once been. Maybe it was his mother's illness last moon, that had nearly taken so many of them. But he didn't want to risk loosing the last remaining members of his family.

Or maybe it was a more...personal malady. His vision was getting worse, no matter what he tried to do. He avoided going to Daisypetals for fear that the tom would tell him a horrible prognosis. Or worse - tell that to Mantisstar. He wanted to be there fore his clan, but with each passing day it was like he was staring into water that was constantly rippingly, until he could see nothing in front of him save for the very fringes of his vision. He couldn't even see that his fur was changing color too, going almost prenaturally grey-white around his eyes. Ironic, really.

But still, he cheered along with his clanmates, with any hope feeling like it would help settle the ache in his belly if he just pretended that everything would be going back to normal.

[Fireflake]

Mantisstar had leapt down from the rock and flicked her tail to Fatcloud when she heard an exclamation from the crowd. The tabby gritted her teeth and switched course. Apparently, clan business could not wait until after the thanks and congratulations. "Well, excuse me for taking a moment after my mother died, Badgerstrike," the leader grumbled. She knew she was loud enough to hear, if the other she-cat wasn't too busy sharpening her claws already. "Family means something more than status to some of us."