It's Not the Same Anymore (Open)

[Lionhearted]

The ginger-and-white tom let out a melancholic sigh. Within the span of a moon, he'd lost his best friend and his mate. The energy seemed to die out of Thrushstar, and his eyes turned dull as he dragged his paws into the clearing. His eyes clouded as he gazed up at the moon, a silvery sliver hanging lazily in the sky. Somewhere, Sunfeather and Cinderstep are gazing at the same sky as I am. Unless they are part of it. 

Frustration bubbled within him. Where were they? He could not believe they'd chosen to leave willingly. No. They were among the most loyal warriors he knew. It just wasn't possible. His shoulders sagged and his head bowed to look blankly at the ground. Thrushstar felt like two pieces of his heart had been ripped out. How was he supposed to raise his kits? There was no Cinderstep to get advice from. There was no Sunfeather to joke around with. Now he felt alone in the world, despite himself saying repeatedly to others that they were not alone. 

He could not help but let out a dry sob. Swallowing and blinking rapidly, he tried to keep his eyes from getting misty. Soon, though, his body shook as they were racked with heaving sobs. For the first time in years, Thrushstar allowed himself to cry openly without telling himself he was being stupid. No. I just lost two of my closest friends. Wiping his face with his paws, he heaved himself into a sitting position. Who can I talk to? Who has experienced the same feelings as me? His first thought was Sunfeather or Cinderstep, but it took him a moment to recall that they were the ones he was mourning. Oh, right. Silly me.

[Isilme]

The young apprentice made his way trough the camp entrance carrying a rabbit in his mouth, he was quite proud of his catch and it could be easily noticed buy the way his carried himself, confident steps and eyes shining while he crossed the clearing with his head held high, being Trushstar son he could do no less, more now than ever Yellowpaw wanted to make his father proud of him, he wanted to see the tom smiling again, the loss of Cinderstep hadn´t been easy to the young cat but he couldn´t let it show, someone had to be strong right now and the apprentice was more than willing to take that responsability upon himself.

Yellow eyes searched the camp for the familiar form of Whisperclan leader as he left the prey in it´s place, but Trushstar was nowhere to be found, the tom narrowed his eyes worried and started to look for said cat, it took a while but finally he spotted the familiar form of his father, he looked... Broken, that was the only word Yellowpaw thought fitting to describe the other male at this exact moment, it hurt, it hurt so much to see him like that, Trushstar had always been a model to the apprentice, a hero that someday he would like to become but now, he was just shadow of that cat and there was nothing he could do to change that, he couldn´t bring his mother back, nor Sunfeather that always seemed to be by his father side in these difficult moments.

Taking a deep breath the apprentice approached his father with silent steps so he wouldn´t scare the other tom, Yellowpaw moved his tail side to side unsure but finally walked to the leader side looking at him with soft eyes. "Dad." He said simple not knowing what else to say in this particular situation, he had no idea what his father was going through but he wanted to be there for him. "You don´t have to go throgh this alone." The young tom completed after a few moments in silence hoping that would get some kind of reaction from the older cat.

[Rogue]

The light from the sliver of moon that hung in the sky dappled Ashfrost's long grey fur, and he glanced up at the glittering stars as he slipped from the nursery, wondering which one of the bright claw-pricks was his mother, Feathercloud. A familiar stab of pain struck his heart, though it was weaker than it used to be. He wondered briefly if she was proud of him, if she was proud that he had found a place for himself and was now expecting kits with Echosong. I know you would be.

A quiet sob caught the grey warrior's attention, and Ashfrost suddenly realized that he was not alone out here. Thrushstar sat hunched in the middle of the clearing, his posture indicating that he was grieving. The news that Cinderstep was gone had passed like wildfire around the Clan, and Ashfrost was no stranger to it. It seemed that Thrushstar's best friend, Sunfeather, had also disappeared. The leader hadn't taken the news well, and it was clear that he was not the same cat that he once was. A young apprentice who Ashfrost recognized as Yellowpaw, Thrushstar's son, stood beside him, looking surprisingly stronger than his father.

Ashfrost hesitated for a moment, not wanting to intrude on the moment that they were having, but his heart swelled with sympathy for Thrushstar. He too had known the agony of losing those closest to you, and he wanted to help in whatever way he could. Before he knew it his paws were carrying him toward the two figures, and then he was standing right next to Thrushstar. After a heartbeat he sat down beside his leader, laying his tail over his paws. Turning his emerald gaze on the silhouette of the other tom, he said quietly, "I know what you're going through. You feel lost and abandoned, and you wonder why they left you like this. Beating yourself up with that monologue is only going to cause you more pain in the long run. You needn't suffer alone, Thrushstar."

[Asher]

Mintshine raced through the field. "Wait!" she cried to her mother, "Don't go!" Cinderstep would run, stop, then run again as soon as Mintshine got close. "Mother!" she wailed, "We need you here!" The silver she-cat raced after her mother, gasping for air until her lungs burned and her paws were ripped to shreds. "NOOO!" she howled. Her vision went dark and she tottered around, searching in vain for her lost mother. "Cinderstep!" she cried. Then, she felt herself falling and she fell through empty air, crying out for her lost mother...

Screaming, Mintshine thrashed around in her nest. "Mother!" she cried, "No!" Then, she lay limp, waiting for death to take her too. Then, she remembered that she was in her nest, among the warriors of her Clan. It was just a nightmare. She told herself, Cinderstep is still alive. "Then why do I feel empty?" she whispered. Her mother was gone, and it was too painful to bear. Groggily, Mintshine stood up and padded to the den entrance, tripping on tails and listening to the angry murmurs behind her.

The sunlight burned her eyes as she padded to the fresh-kill pile. Soon, she gave up on walking and she collapsed on the dusty ground and squeezed her eyes shut. I'll wake up soon. She repeated to herself many times, This is just a nightmare. Only, whenever she woke up, she was still here. It was an endless nightmare called life. And she had to learn to live with it. Suddenly, Mintshine realized how ridiculous she must look. Her fur spiked up at all angles and her eyes burned. Moss was caught in her claws and fur. What have I become? Where's the old Mintshine, the one who hunted at dawn, who talked to kits, who played with her siblings... Sighing, she stood up and padded toward the fresh-kill pile.

Mintshine picked up a thrush, then immediately thought about her father. If I feel like this, how must Thrushstar feel? I'm being selfish. Is this how Cinderstep would want me to cope with her death? No! She would tell me to keep fighting, to help my Clan no matter what! Those thoughts were what motivated her to stand up finally. That's when she saw Thrushstar and Yellowpaw cuddled together. Ashfrost was there too, talking to them in a quiet voice. How can my little brother be so strong when I feel like I've been ripped apart?

Mintshine tried to remember the past few days. She remembered absolutely nothing. Then she saw the rabbit Yellowpaw had been carrying. While I haven't even left the warriors den, he's been hunting... Guilt and hunger prickled in Mintshine's stomach. Taking slow steps, she padded toward her father and brother. Without saying anything, she curled around her brother and pressed against Thrushstar. I must stay strong! Then, she remembered how she must look to them. A young warrior who hasn't left the den in days, with moss in her fur. She really hadn't been handling this well at all. Even with this thought in her mind, she couldn't stifle a sob.

OOC: My muse is really back today! I haven's ever wrote this much in one post!
Lionhearted Rogue Isilme

[Ferretpaw]

Moonpaw let out a sigh as she laid in her nest, she had no training today for some reason but she couldn't enjoy it her mind was only on one thing. News in WhisperClan traveled fast... Cinderstep and Sunfeather.. Are gone? She raised her head to gaze out the den at a small crowd of cats around Thrushstar. I'll go cheer him up too. Though I don't know or feel the same way he does I can try... As he is my leader. Raising her body up, the she-cat gracefully left the den her tail raised in greeting behind her as she padded up the older and bigger tom. "T-Thrushstar?" Moonpaw began slowly, "though I'm just a apprentice I promise I'll help you the best I can through you painful journey... Always." The apprentice gazed loyally at her leader. A certain sense wrapped around her before Moonpaw scented the air. Yellowkit- no Yellowpaw, oh yes he's Thrushstar's son. She remembered their horrible squabble as kits and felt dread. I just want to be your friend.. She stalked over slowly beore leaning in to whisper in his ear. "C-Can we talk?"

---

Isilme for Yellowpaw

[Lionhearted]

The ginger-and-white tom felt a presence nearing him, and the familiar smell of his son washed over him. Closing his eyes, he turned to wrap a tail around Yellowpaw. "Thank you," he murmured. Taking a breath, he relaxed his shoulders. "She's watching us from somewhere now, I'm sure of it." His kits must be in the same pain, too, especially the older ones. I have to be strong for them. And for my Clan... this is what Frostberry would've denounced as 'distractions.' but my family wasn't ever a distraction. And I can't let them be now.

His eyes half-open, he saw his daughter Mintshine padding towards them from a distance. A memory resurfaced: just a while ago, in their den, when he had talked with her about her life. Now, it was almost the other way around. Another body was on his other side; Ashfrost. The young warrior must've suffered the same pains as he did. Thrushstar couldn't look at him in the same way as he did with Yellowpaw and Mintshine, but a glimmer of affection bubbled within him for the grey-flecked warrior. Saying nothing, he turned his head to touch Ashfrost's shoulder with his nose, and then returned to staring blankly off into space.

"T-Thrushstar? Thought I'm just an apprentice I promise I'll help you the best I can through your painful journey... always."

Biting his lip, Thrushstar still remained quiet for a moment. Moonpaw. The apprentice who had been attacked by a fox while she snuck out camp. He was glad she'd finally discovered her loyalties.

"Thank you all," he said in a low voice, his voice no longer cracking. It's good to be part of WhisperClan, he thought, swallowing his emotions. His eyes returned to their clear and stoic gaze once again, and he raised his head up to the sky.

I love you always, Cinderstep and Sunfeather.

[Asher]

Mintshine licked her father's ear gently. "We have to stay strong together." she whispered. The silver she-cat thought about her mother, licking her as a kit, encouraging her as an apprentice, and beaming as she was made a warrior. Now, they all had to stay strong because that's what Cinderstep would have wanted.

Mintshine knew that her father would always do what's right for WhisperClan, and that made her feel warm inside. Suddenly, Mintshine found herself grooming her fur for the first time in days. She picked out all of the stale moss and leaves. She groomed down the spiked fur. By the time she was done, she felt like a new cat. Please watch over us, She whispered in her mind, Cinderstep, help us get through these dark times and Sunfeather, help my father...