Hello?

[Magicheart]

"Hello?"
Trueeyes pads cautiously into the Thunderclan camp, knowing very well that he's an intruder and will most likely get questioned, just hopefully, not attacked. "Eclispedstar sent me." he continues to explain, making sure that the Thunderclanners can hear him before they see him as he limps along.

Magicheart pricks her ears. "Trueeyes?" she asks herself in surprise. She rises to her feet and starts to pad towards the sound.

[Seraphinu]

Inkpaw emerged from the apprentices den. It had been hectic these past few days. His mentor was gone. Slayed by one of Thunderclan's own. His good friend, Hazelpaw, who was helping his adjust, gone also. He silently cursed Ghostlight, spitting everytime he had to say her name. He'd had suspicions that Ghostflight was the traitor, but he couldn't have condemned her based on a mere feeling.

So, when he saw Trueeyes, his good eye turned to liquid flame, burning with hostility. Now was not the time for unanounced visitors. But he relaxed when he noticed that Magicheart, his mother, seemed to know him. It was only then that he sensed no threat in this Shadowclan tom.

"Mother, you know him?" he asked, turning his eye to Magicheart, which now held innocent curiosity, replacing his momentary hostility.

[Magicheart]

Magicheart padded over, worry clouding her eyes. When Trueeyes had come last, there was great trouble. Shadowclan never sent visitors in less they were in dire need.
Keeping her gaze on Trueeyes, she answered her son, "Yes, Inkpaw. Trueeyes is an old friend of Thunderclan. He helped the forest the last time Lostclan was here." Magicheart wondered if she should speak to Trueeyes in private, but if he had a warning, it would be better to know now. Besides, her son was not a kit anymore. He could handle any news that the Shadowclan tabby would bring.

"Eclipsedstar sent me, Magicheart. We came to give you a warning...our camp has just been attacked by a group of Lostclanners. We fought them off, but I believe they retreated to another group of attackers that were in Windclan. I fear their losses must be much more devistating than ours. They're growing more and more bold all the time, Magicheart. Eclipsedstar believes that....well, that the chosen are running out of time..." Trueeyes explained, nervously.

Magicheart could feel her her heart rate quicken at the mention of Windclan, the home of her daughter and mate. All she could think about was running to their aid, but her feet stayed unmoving. The she-cat twitches her whiskers, "You're withholding something from me, Trueeyes." She says, suspiciously.

"I have said more than I should have already. I must go now, I am needed back at camp. I wish you the best."
With a nod towards Magicheart and Inkpaw, the tabby vanishes through the undergrowth, but not before calling over his shoulder, "Tell Flamestar my message!"

[Seraphinu]

Inkpaw sighed when Trueeyes left. He looked as though he were tired of hearing bad news.

"Do none of the clans have any good news?" he wondered.

"Flamestar isn't going to like this. The death of her deputy and the theft of Honeysquirrel's kits should be enough..." Inkpaw was hiding what was really bothering him. As usual. It wasn't Flamestar he was worried about. It was his family. Though he dared not show it, he was desperately worried about the fate of his sister.

If Lostclan hurt her... Inkpaw tensed his musclews as he thought this, his claws unsheathing.

[Magicheart]

"You're thinking of them too. If I thought it was even remotely safe out there, Inkpaw, I would send you." She turned her sad eyes to her son. "But I couldn't risk losing you. You're all I have left here in Thunderclan. You're the only thing that still makes it home for me." she confessed.

[Seraphinu]

Inkpaw smiled sadly when he looked at his mother.

"I can still protect you. With all of my strength, I will protect Thunderclan. And the forest, too," he promised, conviction strong in his one eye.

((Is Inkpaw officially one of the Eight?))

[Magicheart]

(Yes, I definitely think that he should be! Let's have him suddenly discover that his paw pad has turned black as a twist, hmm? )

Magicheart returned the smile lovingly to her son. She padded over and gave him a gentle lick on the head, hoping she wouldn't embarass him by doing so. "Your father would be so proud of you." she whispered.

[Seraphinu]

Inkpaw flushed, feeling hot under his fur as his mother showed affection. As well as the comment about his father.

"R-really?" he stared sheepishly at his paws. One of them felt tingly for some reason, but he ignored it. His tail swished.

"I wonder where Flamestar is..." he thought out loud.

[Magicheart]

Magicheart nodded, wondering equally where her leader was. "We definitely need to inform Flamestar about Trueeyes' warning." she agreed.

[Seraphinu]

Inkpaw nodded at his mother. He then rose, and stretched, shaking out his handsome speckled coat. He was only now aware of his stomach, which was now growling as fiercly as any warrior cat. He padded to the fresh-kill pile, which was plentiful considering the season, and picked out a pair of thrush, carrying them back to where his mother was. He dropped the birds at his paws, nudging one towards his mother.

"Worrying about something we can't change at the moment is pointless. Flamestar will return to camp when she is ready, I suppose..." he trailed off, and sat down with his thrush, beginning to pick the feathers out of it. As he pawed at it, he noticed something odd about his feet, causing him to pause. His left forepaw was a purple-grey. But his right...

[flameh]

Flamestar paused outside of camp. She was still mourning the loss of her deputy and the kits. "What can I do?" she silently asked Starclan. She took a deep breath and padded into camp. She scented Shadowclan in camp. "Magicheart" she mewed. "Who was here?" she asked.

[Seraphinu]

All thoughts about his black pad were pushed from his mind when Flamestar entered camp. He felt a stab of sympathy when he saw the look on her face. He knew exactly how she felt. Inkpaw had attempted to stand against Ghostflight, but she had merely cuffed him against the head with her forepaw, a blow that had rendered him unconscious with its force.

He dipped his head respectfully to Flamestar, knowing she probably missed the late deputy, Brackenclaw, as much as she did. He had been Inkpaw's mentor, and a good friend. Now who would carry on Inkpaw's training? Training that he desperately needed. He had not had a training session since his eye had been wounded. Well, mutilated more like. He felt his claws flex at the thought of the tom responsible. They tore into the thrush.

Remembering the meal in front of him, he quickly took a bite of it, and swallowed, waiting for Magicheart to tell Flamestar her story.

[Magicheart]

Magicheart smiled as her son brought her the Thrush, but flicked her ears as she heard her leader enter camp. She padded over to Flamestar and bowed her head. "Trueeyes came here, Flamestar. He was sent by Eclipsedstar to warn us that Lostclan have attacked both Shadowclan and Windclan. I think there may have been more than he was willing to tell me, but being that it was Shadowclan, I'm surprised we got any news at all." she meowed, looking at Flamestar.

[flameh]

Flamestar listened to Magichearts story. "We need to be prepared" she mewed, "I will thank Eclipsedstar for the warning at the gathering." she mewed, She slowly padded off to her den to think of a plan.

[Seraphinu]

"I wonder how WindClan is... if LostClan regrouped there..." his ears twitched in worry. His father and sister... he was desperate to know if they were all right. He felt he would burst if he didn't race there that instant. But he knew his paws wouldn't move fast enough for that. Staring down at them, he suddenly remembered. He lifted his right forepaw, staring at the pure black pad. He wondered if he should tell his mother. But what exactly would he say? 'Ma, there's something weird with my foot' yeah, right. But still, something in the back of his mind knew that this might be significant. Come to think it, didn't Phoenixpaw have a paw like that?

"Mother, is there any way we can find out what's happening there?" he asked, his gold eye pleading.