Hello?

[Magicheart]

Firetail froze in shock as Honeysquirrel showed him affection verses the cold reception he had expected. He closed his eyes, his insides a torrent of emotions. He felt at peace with her so close to him, he felt his insides prickle with heat waves of affection, but at the same time, he felt the deep wound of guilt and sympathy, threatening to tear him in half. He gently lay his head on top of the back of her neck and sighed, falling into an uneasy sleep beside her.

Magicheart looked to Flamestar. Would Starclan still contact them even though they didn't have an official medicine cat right now? Would they speak to Starpaw, or to Flamestar herself?
"We've been through difficult times before, Flamestar, and we survived. I believe that you will lead us out of this." Magicheart consoled her leader proudly.

[darkflower]

Honeysquirrel's soft purring alerted the approaching Starpaw that she was asleep. The queen always purred in her sleep, ever since her kits had been born, and with Firetail beside her his warmth must have soothed the cold feeling of dread in her belly and slowly fought off nightmares. Coming intothe nursery, she stepped delicately over to the tom, then dropped her bundle and whispered, "Flamestar has told m to treat your wounds, Firetail." Then she began applying a poultice of dock leaves and horsetail to cuts, making sure to put burdock root on the deeper ones. She'd seen the infectionous signs similar to that of rats when treating Lostclan wounds before, and knew some of them kept their claws dirty, more like poison to other cats. While working, she hummed to herself a quiet, soothing tune, something her mother had done whenever she had nightmares, before she and Bramblemask went to join Starclan.

[Seraphinu]

Inkpaw was unsure what to do now. At this point, there wasn't much he could do to help the Clan. Hazelpaw might have talked to him at this point, or Wildpaw. but all his friends and siblings were gone. He didn't know what to make of Starpaw now, since she padded down the path of a medicine cat... but then he realized how lost she must be feeling without her mentor, Swiftcloud. He padded towards the nursery, but hung back from the entrance, feeling he shouldn't enter since she was working. And besides, how would Honeysqurrel react to him? To know that he was only only one who didn't bear wounds fighting to save her kits?

Ghostflight had come up on his blind side and knocked him out, without clawing him, using the stones surrounding the hollow as a weapon. He lowered his head, his ears flattening aginst his head. He was interrupted from his guilty wallowing when Starpaw's scent drafted to him, catching him off guard. It reminded him so much of Phoenixpaw, and the vast pool of longing for his sister's comfort threatened to overwhelm him, adding to the worry of her wellbeing at the moment.

[darkflower]

Starpaw sighed contentedly as she licked the acess burdock off the wounds, then covered them in cobwebs. "There!" she exclaimed. "Now, don't do anything to reopen the wounds or get them to fall off and you'll be fine. Tell Honeysquirrel that everything will be alright when she wakes up, and keep her from doing anything to get herself in trouble. As for you, you're lucky I don't send you to my den to rest, you're exhausted. Stay hee with Honeysquirrel, that's the best you can do. We'll rescue her kits soon, and then you two can go back to your lives. " She winked with a purr and left, knowing of Firetail's affections fr the queen, then went outside, to find Inkpaw there. "Hello," she meowed. Then her eyes turned soft with sadness. They'd both lost so much... "I'm sorry." she murmured, not sure what else to say. Her only fmaily left now was in Riverclan, her mother's sister, Creamcloud.

[Seraphinu]

Inkpaw shook his head, feeling worse that he had finally showed his weakness to the others in the Clan.

"I don't know what to do, Starpaw. I keep telling myself to be strong, if not for everyone, for mother... but... its all starting to weigh donw on me. I'm not sure how long I can keep going, pretending I'm still useful to the Clan. I can't hunt, Starpaw. I can't fight. You saw how easily Ghostflight took me down, I know you did..." all of his anxiety, his weakness, his worries, all spilled before this white she-cat who had been like his sister, but not quite close enough. She'd never be Phoenixpaw. But she was Inkpaw's only friend left in ThunderClan that wasn't family.

[darkflower]

Starpaw's sympathy glowed in her eyes. "You arne't the first half blinded cat," she meowed, and moved foreward to brush her cheek against his comfortingly. "Brightmask was another cat who was blinded, and she learned to fight and was able to serve this clan well to her last days. I know you'll do just as well. Have you noticed there aren't many apprentices left? I'm going on the journey, and I'm pretty sure you are too. You'll be a hero Inkpaw, you'll see." She looked at him with glowing eyes, he was like her big brother. He remeinded her of Thornpaw, proud, and strong. She missed her and Firepaw's brother, but she would grow used to being without him. Inkpaw filled in that gap, but not quite the same way. She felt happy to have someone who understood being without fmaily, espeically since his father was gone to another clan. Sure both his parents were alive, but thy were seperated and he rarely saw her father. When Starpaw first went to the moonpool, she expected her mother to be waiting for her, but neither her nor her father had showed, not in any of her dreams. So she had grown used to dissapointment and learned to cope with being alone. it felt good to know she could depend on her clanmates for support, especially now that her mentor, Swiftcloud had passed. She felt slightly weary without her. It felt wrong, like she shouldn't be missing. That gap in her heart was meant to be filled, not replaced with herself, she knew. Though when half moon came, she would have to face Starclan and become the medicine Cat of Thunderclan. it felt wrong though, and why she hadn't been able to go to the moonpool to recieve her lives already bothered her. She knew, somehow, that her destiny would change beyond the reach of any cat's control, and only she could shape it to fit the wya it was meant to.

[Seraphinu]

He sighed as his fears began to ebb again. "You really think I'm a chosen cat? Come to think of it..." he trailed off and lifted his paw, twisting it around to show her. "I just noticed this earlier. You have one too, don't you?" he asked. The thought of being a hero to his Clan filled him with both excitement and fear. Excitement, because he would get his chance to be useful to his Clan, and fear, because, his infirmity might just mean failure in the future.

[darkflower]

Starpaw's eyes lit up when she saw the black pad. "Yes! I knew it! Come on, we have to tell Flamestar!" She dashed towards the leader, knowing this was the best news ever for Thunderclan to get after so much loss.

[Seraphinu]

Inkpaw was thoroughly shocked by Starpaw's sudden enthusiasm, and it began to rub off as he dashed after her, tail fluffed out in the excitement of the moment.

[flameh]

Flamestar nodded to Magicheart. "I sure hope so" she mewed. Her amber gaze changed to Inkpaw and Starpaw running at her. "Slow down" she mewed.

[darkflower]

Starpaw skidded to a halt, careful knowing Inkpaw was behind her. "Flamestar!" she said excitedly. "Look at Inkpaw's paw! He has a black pad! He's one of the cats that are going on the journey!" Her eyes glowed with excitement, her pelt fluffed out in joy. They'd have a great adventure, and with Inkpaw at her side she'd be safe and wouldn't be leaving all her family home.

[Magicheart]

Magicheart's eyes widened. She didn't know what to think. Her son, going on the journey? She glanced to Flamestar, hoping that there was some mistake. She would have none of her own family left in her clan if this was true....

Firetail remained as still as he possibly could as Starpaw cleaned and bandaged his wounds. He listened to her speak, but wasn't sure she could follow her orders. He needed to get the kits back more than he needed to worry about opening his wounds. But, he saw that she was sympathetic, and after all, she was letting him stay beside Honeysquirrel. He still wasn't quite sure how Honeysquirrel felt about him, but he promised himself that he would do the best he could to take care of her and try to win her over. No matter what the cost.

[darkflower]

Starpaw glanced at Magicheart and realized how muhc of a blow this would have on her. One child lost, another in Windclan, now the third going on a long, perilous journey? She felt her joy dim slightly at these thoughts.

[Seraphinu]

Inkpaw's face fell the instant he caught his mother's reaction. Could he bear to leave her, his mother, all alone in ThunderClan? Would he be able to let go of that lingering desire to protect her? He grit his teeth, and then turned back to Flamestar, waiting for his leader's answer.

[Magicheart]

Magicheart forced a believable smile to her face, though her eyes still reflected her worry and pain. "If this is true, you needn't had to have worried about being helpful to Thunderclan, Inkpaw. Starclan never makes mistakes. They can see your strength." The she-cat lowered her head, trying to deal with her own unbearable emotions. If this was her son's fate, she didn't want to make him feel guilty or see how hurt she would be by him leaving.