The Fall Of A Champion (Tagged)

[Falcon]

Mudbranch groaned trying to get up and leave the medicine den, he heard the patrol coming back and he wanted to see Pebblestar, but his leg was still bent at an odd angle and he couldn't put much or any weight on it and that really annoyed him, he wasn't used to feeling so...useless, he wanted to be out hunting and patrolling like a real warrior, he wanted to tell Pebblestar that he finally became a warrior, but he was stuck in here... even before he managed to go on his first patrol Pebblestar would be ashamed to call him her apprentice, former or otherwise. He hissed as he tried to stand again his broken leg jerking with the movement but he gritted his jaw and kept going until he managed to stand, his legs wobbling with effort, he wanted to see Pebblestar Midnight

[Midnight]

"And where might you be off to?" Briarstar asked Mudbranch as she padded into the medicine den. Her ears perked as she prepared to help him in case he fell. "Sit right back down in your nest, Mudbranch. I doubt Duskflame would be glad to have to treat that leg again, and the more you're on it, the longer it'll take to heal." Briarstar growled, gently nudging the young tom to further prove her point.

The exhausted leader sat down and sighed. "Are you hungry, Mudbranch? All you have to do is call for prey, you know."

[Falcon]

"No I'm fine, I just wanted to hear back from the battle patrol was it Midnightclan that had stole Pebblestar? Where is she? is she alright?" he would've gone with them if Duskflame hadn't ordered him in his nest but he didn't smell Pebblestar and he was starting to get worried, was she hanging back to make sure they weren't going to be ambushed, was it not Midnightclan that had taken their leader? Mudbranch looked at Briarclaw, unaware of her change in position, eager for her to tell him what had happened well he was trapped in the medicine den

[Midnight]

Briarstar flinched when the tom asked where Pebblestar was. No cat had come to tell him the news last night? Clearing her throat, the leader decided that there was no way to cushion the fall. "Pebblestar died, Mudbranch. Bramblestar killed her after denying that his warriors had kidnapped her. I went to receive my nine lives from StarClan this morning." The she-cat rested her tail on his flank, hoping it would help to comfort him a little bit. She needed to be strong for all of her Clanmates.

[Falcon]

Mudbranch slumped down to the ground after he heard her words, was it from the emotions, or just from the fact that he couldn't hold his own weight? it was hard to tell, he didn't speak for a few moments trying to aline his thoughts through the fog of grief that filled his mind "is....is she alright...in Starclan?" the words whispered past the lump in his throat but he needed to know if she was happy in her after life, at least that would be easier then her being stuck in the Dark Forest or something terrible like that

[Midnight]

That was a tricky question. Exactly how much was she allowed to say about her time in StarClan? Surely the resting cats wouldn't like her giving away the names of those who gave her lives, but Briarstar could at least tell her Clanmates that their previous leader was doing well in StarClan, right? "She's fine. She is hunting and resting with her old friends and family, Mudbranch. She was a good leader, so of course StarClan accepted her into their ranks." Briarstar bent down, gingerly sniffing the tom's broken leg. "How is this coming along? Is Duskflame treating you well?" As many mistakes as Mudbranch had made as an apprentice, given both his situation and the Clan's, now was not the time to be holding a grudge. Briarstar needed to gather the loyalty of every warrior to make sure TalonClan stayed together.

[Falcon]

Mudbranch nodded quickly, easily leaping to the defense of his friend "Yeah it's feeling a lot better then before, I just wish I could actually do stuff instead of just sitting here, it's so boring" he huffed a little, he wasn't mad at anyone really he just missed having things to do if anything he was mad at the branch that snapped "do you think I'd be able to pay my respects to Pebblestar?" he looked up hopefully wanting to leave the den even for just a few moments

[Midnight]

"I... Well, I'm not sure that that's..." Briarstar fumbled over her words, ending with a sigh. What was the point? He was restless and deserved to share tongues with Pebblestar as much as any other TalonClanner did. Finally, Briarstar gave in. "Fine. Just for a few minutes, though, and then right back to your nest. Don't tell Duskflame about this, or I might lose my nine lives faster than I'd like." Briarstar stood, waving her tail at Mudbranch. She would allow him to lean against her and guide him out to Pebblestar's body.

[Falcon]

Mudbranch smiled brightly before gathering himself up again and standing slowly though he had to place most of his wounded side against her just to walk he was happy to get sometimes out of the den even only for a few moments "thank you Briarstar" he said softly, the effort to talk was to much when he was trying to focus on walking forward

OOC: should we take this to the other thread?