@mapledash
After padding into his den, the brown tabby leader would make his way to the nest, the bottom of his den lined with springy moss that was comfortable to lay on in itself, but his nest was a bed of ferns and leaves stamped down in a circle, something that he made to make the den a bit more comfortable for himself.
Settling into his nest, Grousestar would wait for Mapledash to come join him, silently mulling over the questions he would ask the stranger, not wanting to overwhelm him but definitely needing some answers from him. The tom appeared to have no clue about Skyclan at all, so that rules out that he was a rogue Skyclan warrior wishing to return to clan life, and he clearly wasn't a loner if he believed in Starclan. So just.. What was he? Certainly not a kittypet either.
Perhaps it would be best to simply let the tom explain himself rather than asking a bit of questions, ask him for the whole story, his journey, where he's from, all of the important details, and most importantly why he was here, surely it wasn't just to be healed? There had to have been a purpose for this cat traveling as he was told.

Ah, stop pondering Grouse, you'll be getting your answers soon! He thought to himself cheerily before uttering a small yawn, stretching out his forepaws in front of him and focusing his attention on the entrance to his den in anticipation for the other cat to come padding through.
This will be an interesting conversation, I can tell already.

Originally Posted by Duskflight (Post 65737) @mapledash After padding into his den, the brown tabby leader would make his way to the nest, the bottom of his den lined with springy moss that was comfortable to lay on in itself, but his nest was a bed of ferns and leaves stamped down in a circle, something that he made to make the den a bit more comfortable for himself. Settling into his nest, Grousestar would wait for Mapledash to come join him, silently mulling over the questions he would ask the stranger, not wanting to overwhelm him but definitely needing some answers from him. The tom appeared to have no clue about Skyclan at all, so that rules out that he was a rogue Skyclan warrior wishing to return to clan life, and he clearly wasn't a loner if he believed in Starclan. So just.. What was he? Certainly not a kittypet either. Perhaps it would be best to simply let the tom explain himself rather than asking a bit of questions, ask him for the whole story, his journey, where he's from, all of the important details, and most importantly why he was here, surely it wasn't just to be healed? There had to have been a purpose for this cat traveling as he was told. Ah, stop pondering Grouse, you'll be getting your answers soon! He thought to himself cheerily before uttering a small yawn, stretching out his forepaws in front of him and focusing his attention on the entrance to his den in anticipation for the other cat to come padding through. This will be an interesting conversation, I can tell already.

Originally Posted by mapledash (Post 66880) Mapledash came near the leader's den entrance, he meowed "comming in." before peeking his head inside, overwhelmed by the leader's scent all over the den, with an other one he didn't smell on any other cats in the clan, lingering in the den. Probably his mate or his deputy, or the previous leader who just recently left this clan. He walked in and nodded to the leader, his piece of prey in his mouth, wich he dropped next to him. "We can share?" he offered. He realised there wasn't any second nest, so that meant he didn't have a mate yet, or she sleeps in the other dens. He took a bite of the morsel and looked up at grousestar. "It's about why I'm here, isn't it?" he meowed, getting straight to the point.

Originally Posted by Duskflight (Post 66914) Ears perking up when he finally heard another cat approach his den, the leader turned his head towards the entrance just in time to hear the stranger say that he was coming in, offering a quick, lighthearted smile and motioning with his tail for him to come fully inside, not minding where the other sat, so long as he got comfortable because he had a feeling that they would be talking for quite some time. His scent was nearly the only scent in this den, there was a very faint trace of another scent that wouldn't be found anywhere else in the clan, but anything older than Lemonstar's scent was wiped down by moons upon moons of new leaders and mostly Grousestar's scent, he had made careful work of filling the den with his scent, the scent of his close friend brought sad memories and he figured by getting rid of the strong scent of Lemon, he could move on, and that's exactly what happened. The brown tabby would nod back in return, uttering a soft purr and shifting his weight a bit in his nest, waiting for Mapledash to settle down, eyeing the piece of prey that he brought before chuckling and shaking his head. "No, no, help yourself, I'll go out hunting later." Meowed the tom in his usual polite fashion, focusing more on the other tom than the prey now. Clearing his throat a bit at the tom's rather blunt inquiry, Grousestar would nod his head and offer an almost apologetic look to him. "Ah yes, my apologies if it may seem rude to want to know, but you must come to understand that meeting a lone cat that talks of Starclan raises many questions. But first, before you get to the story, I never caught your name sir. As you've likely already heard, I am Grousestar, leader of Skyclan." The tom would dip his head in greetings before straightening it up again, waiting for Mapledash to introduce himself as well before continuing on. "So if you don't mind, I would greatly appreciate it if you tell me the whole story of yours. My warriors said you stated that you had been traveling for several days, and that's how you acquired your injuries, is this true? And if so, where were you traveling from? Why were you traveling such a far distance? Also, how.. Did you know of Starclan, if you're a loner?" The tom meowed rather quickly before stopping himself, blinking a bit before chuckling and shaking his head. Not so fast Grouse. "Ah, my apologies, I'll let you tell your story, ignore my inquiries."

Originally Posted by mapledash (Post 68338) Mapledash dipped his head in thanks as he took a bite of the prey. He had been fed quite well for the last few days, this clan seemed very active on that point, and he was thankfull for that. They seemed to bring strangers rather trustfully to their clan, wich he held himself from commenting about how bad of an idea this was, but without anything like the other clans's borders or the dusk syndicate, they pretty much didn't need to be worried as much as they did. "Don't worry, it's totaly normal for you to ask the reasons of why I am here. I am Mapledash." he meowed as he took an other bite in the prey. As he was thrown so many questions at once, he couldn't help but smile. He really was stressed about this, it was probably uncommon for strangers to wander around here willingly, since patrols were indeed wandering around as well, except for some kittypets from the twolegplace, probably nocats ever come around here. Some questions caught his attention more than others, but he didn't get all of them. "Yes, it is true that I travelled a very long distance, the reasons of my state when I arrived was because I had troubles in the twolegplace." he explained, leaving a couple of heartbeats of silence. He thought of sagewhisker, who he had lost in the twolegplace. "I had a partner with me, she was ... IS called sagewhisker, and I lost her in the twolegplace, when we were attacked by a pack of rats. That's how I ended up injured, and I have no idea how she's doing now." he meowed sadly. He cleared his throat, getting back to answering his many questions. "Uhm ... where I come from, yes. I come from where the sun rises, about a quarter moon of walk from here. Well, from the twolegplace. At this part I lost track of how much days we walked in circle. Uhm ... that's about how the journey went untill I got here. Now ... what were the other questions? Excuse me, I didn't catch everything." he apologized, dipping his head again.

Hearing the name that the tom uttered cause him to blink a bit, he wasn't expecting a name like that, he was expecting the usual kitty pet or loner name but strangely enough, this tom.. Why it almost sounded like a clan name! Maybe it was just a bit of a coincidence, but it certainly peaked the leaders curiosity as to just where exactly this cat came from because he was quickly starting to doubt the idea that this cat was any old loner that happened upon Skyclan in a time of need. Nonetheless, he would wait for the right time to ask the question, and now was not, for now, he had other questions to ask, which he did so now, and rather excitedly might I add.

Though the tom hardly felt embarrassed for his rapid-fire question asking nor his excitement, in fact, he almost didn't even notice the fact that he had asked so many questions so quickly until afterwards in which he apologized.
But after apologizing, he would eagerly listen to what the stranger-Mapledash had to say to his questions, nearly desperate to hear the answers because the curiosity felt like it was gnawing away in his brain.
Ears perked up, Grousestar paid all of his attention to the other tom as he confirmed that he had traveled a long way to get here and had traveled through Twoleg Place to get here. Though as he heard that he came with another cat, he tilted his head a bit, but deciding not to question. Perhaps they would find this.. Sagewhisker, sometime later. "I'm sure that they will, or already have made it out." Purred the tom in condolence, if you might call it that.

But the brown tabby tom fell silent to listen to the rest of what Mapledash spoke of, continuing to smile throughout the recollection of the story, almost, in a way, appearing like a kit that was eagerly listening to heir mother tell one of their favorite tales. "Wow a quarter moon walk.. That is quite the distance there Mapledash!"
Clearing his throat, he grinned now, ready to repeat one of the questions he was most interested in hearing the answer to.

"Oh it's alright, I know I can get kind of fast when I'm excited! My main question is.. Where did you come from? Surely you aren't a loner, my patrol told me you said something of Starclan which no loner believes in, and no kittypet either, though I never took you as a kittypet. So then.. What are you?"
Grousestar's green eyes were wide as they looked upon Mapledash expectantly, practically dying to know the answer to the question because it truly intrigued him. A cat that had traveled a quarter of a moon here from where the sun rises? And spoke of Starclan? That wasn't like any loner, rogue or kittypet he had ever heard of, surely the answer to this would be something interesting indeed.

Originally Posted by Duskflight (Post 69017) Hearing the name that the tom uttered cause him to blink a bit, he wasn't expecting a name like that, he was expecting the usual kitty pet or loner name but strangely enough, this tom.. Why it almost sounded like a clan name! Maybe it was just a bit of a coincidence, but it certainly peaked the leaders curiosity as to just where exactly this cat came from because he was quickly starting to doubt the idea that this cat was any old loner that happened upon Skyclan in a time of need. Nonetheless, he would wait for the right time to ask the question, and now was not, for now, he had other questions to ask, which he did so now, and rather excitedly might I add. Though the tom hardly felt embarrassed for his rapid-fire question asking nor his excitement, in fact, he almost didn't even notice the fact that he had asked so many questions so quickly until afterwards in which he apologized. But after apologizing, he would eagerly listen to what the stranger-Mapledash had to say to his questions, nearly desperate to hear the answers because the curiosity felt like it was gnawing away in his brain. Ears perked up, Grousestar paid all of his attention to the other tom as he confirmed that he had traveled a long way to get here and had traveled through Twoleg Place to get here. Though as he heard that he came with another cat, he tilted his head a bit, but deciding not to question. Perhaps they would find this.. Sagewhisker, sometime later. "I'm sure that they will, or already have made it out." Purred the tom in condolence, if you might call it that. But the brown tabby tom fell silent to listen to the rest of what Mapledash spoke of, continuing to smile throughout the recollection of the story, almost, in a way, appearing like a kit that was eagerly listening to heir mother tell one of their favorite tales. "Wow a quarter moon walk.. That is quite the distance there Mapledash!" Clearing his throat, he grinned now, ready to repeat one of the questions he was most interested in hearing the answer to. "Oh it's alright, I know I can get kind of fast when I'm excited! My main question is.. Where did you come from? Surely you aren't a loner, my patrol told me you said something of Starclan which no loner believes in, and no kittypet either, though I never took you as a kittypet. So then.. What are you?" Grousestar's green eyes were wide as they looked upon Mapledash expectantly, practically dying to know the answer to the question because it truly intrigued him. A cat that had traveled a quarter of a moon here from where the sun rises? And spoke of Starclan? That wasn't like any loner, rogue or kittypet he had ever heard of, surely the answer to this would be something interesting indeed.

Originally Posted by mapledash (Post 69835) Mapledash looked between his paws, taking some time to consider his answer to this question. Was this right? Was it why he was brought here? Lost his friend? Traveled so far? To teach this clan ... about other clans? He begun to be desperate at the thought of doing all of this journey for nothing, and yet, not nothing. He had learned alot on his way here, and without Sagewhisker, he wouldn't BE here at all. This clan was the perfect chance for his clan to survive, but surviving wasn't enough now. The leaders wouldn't let him bring everyone to this place, they would probably never follow him on some random orders and promises of better place. Where he lived WAS a great place, and he knew that, the real problem was the leaders. They had to get rid of them, and maybe, just maybe, this is what was going on. This is why he and Sagewhisker traveled. This is why they suffered and struggled for: they came for help, help to defeat the leaders of the evil era. Mapledash finally looked up, stared into grousestar's eyes, and spoke up. "I am from thunderclan, I am a thunderclan senior warrior, and I think I know exactly why I have been sent here." he meowed dramatically. He looked out through the den entrance, flicking his ear. "I need your help. And by "your" I mean the whole clan. A menace has fallen upon our clans, and we need help to rid of it." he explained. "You see, back from where I come from, there is four clans: Windclan, where Sagewhisker is from, Shadowclan, Riverclan, and finally, Thunderclan, my clan. Our clan works just like yours, aprentices, warriors, elders, patrols, duty, training, ceremonies ... belief in starclan." he added after a heartbeat of pause. "But recently," he continued, turning his head to him again, "some cats took over our clans, new leaders, and those leaders doesn't mean any good. They changed the laws, they took the suffix "night" instead of "star" in offense to starclan, they restricted anything that was related to our warrior ancestors, from sacred meetings with the medicine cats, to even speaking about them, and they treatened whoever stood against them." he finished, letting the lasts words settle in as he stayed silent for a moment. This was the decisive moment, what would change the fate of the whole clans, what would assure starclan to survive, to still be believed in. "You have to come with me to our territory, and help us get rid of them. I beg of you." he breathed, hoping he had said the right thing, hoping he hadn't overwhelmed the leader with informations as well. He settled back, realising he had raised unconsciously his haunches, getting too emotional in his speech. He wiggled a bit and cleared his throat.

As patient as ever, he allowed the other tom to take some time before answering his question, figuring it was a lot to process at once and that really, any question he asked might be needed to be given a moment for thought. So as he waited for Mapledash to answer him, Grousestar uttered a soft yawn and gently began to rasp his tongue over his shoulder, gaze still focused on the cat before him, not at all attempting to give the cat the feeling that he was being rushed. The leader may like to live a fast paced life, but he would never rush another cat in anything. Though I can't help but wonder what he's thinking about. Is it perhaps some secret hideout that he doesn't want me to know about? A secret hideout of strange loners that have gathered somewhere past Twoleg place who have heard of Skyclan and chose to believe in them and take on warrior names? Oh the possibilities, it's so exciting! What will he reveal to me? Surely it'll be something interesting if he's taking so long to think it over! Grousestar couldn't quite help the tip of his tail from quivering in his excitement and forced himself to take a deep breath. The answers will come in due time, do not rush this cat. You would not want to be rushed if you were in his position. His mind scolded himself quietly, causing him to flick an ear in dismissal.

And finally the tom began to speak, the brown tabby stopping his short grooming session to focus purely on Mapledash and what he was going to tell him, unable to hide the excitement that coursed through him as to the answer to this strange mystery regarding this cat's origin, where he had traveled from. As the cat in front of him spoke, his head slowly began to tilt sideways, his emerald eyes glancing away in thought as he tried to process what this cat was saying to him. There's.. Another clan? Wait four other clans? And he was sent here by his clan because they need help... His eyes looked back at Mapledash as he continued to speak, explaining the troubles that the four clans are going through before he looked away again, his smile gone as a thoughtful, contemplative look took it's place, a strange look on the usually happy, excited, cheerful cat that everyone see's. I'm not quite sure anyone has seen him like this. Cats took over the clans, the new leaders, they ban the worship of Starclan, even going so far as to rejecting the suffix star and replacing it with night. Preventing medicine cats from meeting as well.. Threatening cat's who oppose them. Wrinkling his nose, he could feel a small headache coming on, this was a lot to process at once, his gaze focusing on his paws.
So there's four clans I've never heard about. That's where he's from.. And he came here in search of help because those clans are taken over by cats who greatly oppose Starclan and threaten all who oppose them, ruling with an iron paw I assume. And he... Expects me to help them.

Grousestar had remained silent the entire time, his gaze mostly focused elsewhere from the tom in front of him, but finally, his green gaze focused on Mapledash again. Looking over his demeanor, his facial features, the emotions in his eyes before slowly looking at his paws again, blinking and flicking the tip of his tail in thought.
"So... Let me get this straight Mapledash. There are four other clans, in which I've never heard about, that no other cat in Skyclan has heard about, and you are from one of them. You came here.. Looking for help for those clans because of evil cats that took over each of them and outlawed any worship of Starclan and threaten all who oppose there rule... Correct?" For once, Grousestar spoke relatively slow as he tried to piece this together correctly, his eyes still focused on his paws.
Should I believe this cat who showed up in my territory not too long ago? The fate of this clan rests on this decision, many could die if I decide to take a chance and trust this cat. The journey will be hard, especially if he said it's practically a quarter of a moon walk to them. And what if he's lying? I would never call a cat a liar without proof, but.. If he's lying, then we could have walked all of that way for nothing, lost lives over nothing.. But if he's telling the truth.... I could be saving their lives..
Taking a deep breath, the leader mulled it over in silence. This was the first big decision he had to make for this clan, the clan he loved so dearly. And never would he imagine that it would come so soon, nor come with such gravity in either choice.

Originally Posted by Duskflight (Post 70443) As patient as ever, he allowed the other tom to take some time before answering his question, figuring it was a lot to process at once and that really, any question he asked might be needed to be given a moment for thought. So as he waited for Mapledash to answer him, Grousestar uttered a soft yawn and gently began to rasp his tongue over his shoulder, gaze still focused on the cat before him, not at all attempting to give the cat the feeling that he was being rushed. The leader may like to live a fast paced life, but he would never rush another cat in anything. Though I can't help but wonder what he's thinking about. Is it perhaps some secret hideout that he doesn't want me to know about? A secret hideout of strange loners that have gathered somewhere past Twoleg place who have heard of Skyclan and chose to believe in them and take on warrior names? Oh the possibilities, it's so exciting! What will he reveal to me? Surely it'll be something interesting if he's taking so long to think it over! Grousestar couldn't quite help the tip of his tail from quivering in his excitement and forced himself to take a deep breath. The answers will come in due time, do not rush this cat. You would not want to be rushed if you were in his position. His mind scolded himself quietly, causing him to flick an ear in dismissal. And finally the tom began to speak, the brown tabby stopping his short grooming session to focus purely on Mapledash and what he was going to tell him, unable to hide the excitement that coursed through him as to the answer to this strange mystery regarding this cat's origin, where he had traveled from. As the cat in front of him spoke, his head slowly began to tilt sideways, his emerald eyes glancing away in thought as he tried to process what this cat was saying to him. There's.. Another clan? Wait four other clans? And he was sent here by his clan because they need help... His eyes looked back at Mapledash as he continued to speak, explaining the troubles that the four clans are going through before he looked away again, his smile gone as a thoughtful, contemplative look took it's place, a strange look on the usually happy, excited, cheerful cat that everyone see's. I'm not quite sure anyone has seen him like this. Cats took over the clans, the new leaders, they ban the worship of Starclan, even going so far as to rejecting the suffix star and replacing it with night. Preventing medicine cats from meeting as well.. Threatening cat's who oppose them. Wrinkling his nose, he could feel a small headache coming on, this was a lot to process at once, his gaze focusing on his paws. So there's four clans I've never heard about. That's where he's from.. And he came here in search of help because those clans are taken over by cats who greatly oppose Starclan and threaten all who oppose them, ruling with an iron paw I assume. And he... Expects me to help them. Grousestar had remained silent the entire time, his gaze mostly focused elsewhere from the tom in front of him, but finally, his green gaze focused on Mapledash again. Looking over his demeanor, his facial features, the emotions in his eyes before slowly looking at his paws again, blinking and flicking the tip of his tail in thought. "So... Let me get this straight Mapledash. There are four other clans, in which I've never heard about, that no other cat in Skyclan has heard about, and you are from one of them. You came here.. Looking for help for those clans because of evil cats that took over each of them and outlawed any worship of Starclan and threaten all who oppose there rule... Correct?" For once, Grousestar spoke relatively slow as he tried to piece this together correctly, his eyes still focused on his paws. Should I believe this cat who showed up in my territory not too long ago? The fate of this clan rests on this decision, many could die if I decide to take a chance and trust this cat. The journey will be hard, especially if he said it's practically a quarter of a moon walk to them. And what if he's lying? I would never call a cat a liar without proof, but.. If he's lying, then we could have walked all of that way for nothing, lost lives over nothing.. But if he's telling the truth.... I could be saving their lives.. Taking a deep breath, the leader mulled it over in silence. This was the first big decision he had to make for this clan, the clan he loved so dearly. And never would he imagine that it would come so soon, nor come with such gravity in either choice.

Originally Posted by mapledash (Post 70477) Mapledash hesitated a moment before agreeing, not sure if the leader believed him at all. He gathred all the confidence he could, and noded to the leader. "I know this is a lot at once for you, and I am as surprised as you that clans exist so far from eachothers, but all of this is true. Please! We need the help of skyclan, cats who still have a strong belief in starclan to inspire the few believers back in our territory. They have to escape the fear, to fight back, and right now they can't." He didn't know if he convinced the leader, he was aware that from his point of view, this story made no sense, but as sincere as he was, he had to believe him. "Our fate is up to you." he added, lowering his head. He felt as if he was awating for his judgement, as if the leader was going to claw him pelt out and chase a crazed cat out of the territory. He would accept his fate, even if it broke his heart. The only thing keeping him in place right now was the mere hope that grousestar would believe him. (I got no material and I'm out of sleep, so this might be short. I'll log off for a few, family stuff. Later.)

Still in thought, Grousestar glanced at Mapledash as he spoke up, confirming what he said was right. Head bobbing slowly in a nod, the brown tabby fell quiet again, growing completely still, weighing everything that could come out of this decision.
Why would this tom have traveled all of that way for nothing? Or to lead us into a trap, though that's highly unlikely considering he's showed no signs of previously knowing about Skyclan. Why would he go through all of that trouble to tell me a blatant lie and get us to come along with him? He has to be telling the truth. It may seem completely strange what he's saying, but there's truth there. You've never been one to call any cat a liar without proof, and there is no proof here that he's a liar. This cat seems absolutely genuine about what he's saying. So either he's telling the truth, or he's a very good liar.
Once more his green eyes focused on Mapledash again. An almost pained look on the leaders face.
This is such a big decision for the clan.. What if I'm wrong?
Blinking, a look of determination spread over him and he flicked his tail.
You have never doubted yourself Grousestar, nor have you doubted another cat. You are an optimist and always have been an optimist, there is no reason to have a sudden change in thought. This cat. He is telling the truth.
And almost like the flip of a switch, a bright grin curled onto his lips and he nodded his head, suddenly completely sure in his choice. He was going to help this cat and his clans, he couldn't idly sit by knowing that they were suffering under the rule of evil cats. Warriors needed Starclan, to be deprived of them would be to deprive cats of a life necessity.

"I'll help you and your clans Mapledash. I believe that you are telling the truth and that your clans need our help, I will be more than happy to provide it."

Clearing his throat, the brown tabby would rise from his nest.
"Thank you for telling me this, I will go inform the clan now that we will be traveling to the clans in one days time so that they have time to prepare themselves for the journey. You may join the clan in the clearing."

Flicking the Thunderclan warrior's shoulder with his tail, the leader would pad towards the entrance of the den, glance over his shoulder a moment, before exiting to call a clan meeting.

Originally Posted by Raywood (Post 71631) @Duskflight The Clan meeting and subsequent announcement from Grousestar had left Rabbitfluff confused, perplexed, even shocked--any variation of the word. Although he was skeptical of additional Clans existing in the first place, the true cause for worry was how easily the leader seemed convinced and willing to pick up the majority of the Clan, then bring them to the aid of these other Clans, despite how little they knew of the situation and the strange cats. Uneasiness had settled in in the pit of his stomach, the fear of being stranded somewhere or walking into a trap gripping the young warrior as he contemplated what this would mean for him and the rest of SkyClan. It wasn't that he wished to deny them help, but he considered this a chance at endangering their ranks with very nothing to gain from it, and he didn't comprehend Grousestar's willingness when the likelihood of it bringing more trouble than good was ever-present in his mind. Appearing in the mouth of the den, Rabbitfluff looked a bit spooked, eyes glazed with distant anxieties that were swimming in his thoughts, so many that they were difficult to sort. He usually didn't allow anyone, including his remaining family, to witness him in such a vulnerable state, but he determined there was not a second to spare in this matter since Grousestar had elected to set off on their journey soon. Swallowing hard, Rabbitfluff dragged his focus to Grousestar and prepared to speak, but he fell silent again as the disorganization of his ideas caught up with him. "Why?" was what he rather ungracefully blurted out, not judgmental or accusatory, but simply puzzled, perhaps afraid. Upon realizing that didn't quite make sense on its own, he amended it by quickly going on, "Grousest-- Grouse," he corrected himself, recalling his preference to be addressed informally, "I respect you and your authority as the leader of SkyClan, however I fail to see the appeal in embarking on a treacherous excursion solely to receive.. gratitude? Please don't think me uncharitable," Rabbitfluff rambled, words bleeding together, "but if there is reason for concern, who's to say we are a large enough force to handle it without major losses and frankly I don't believe it would be wise of us to interact with these other Clans when we have lived in relative isolation for countless moons--" his pace began to speed up, the panic evident in his tone, "and it has served us well, kept us safe from outside threats, andwhileIunderstandthedesiretochangethismaybearisk," he finished, taking in a much-needed breath after all that.

After the meeting, the tom had retired to his den to have a much needed meal and quiet time to think and rest up before the journey he planned to commence the following day. To be truthful with himself, he hadn't expected any cat to come to his den after the meeting, he figured they'd be mulling over the information, maybe asking his deputy a few questions before going on with their duties and such, not quite expecting any to come directly to him to ask him questions. Ever since he became leader, he found that cat's had a hard time approaching him to ask him questions, no matter how friendly and cheerful and nonjudgmental he was. He couldn't explain why they did this, but he wanted cat's to know that he was just like another warrior, just like them, they they could talk to him.. That's why he preferred to be called Grouse, it was informal, he felt like it made cat's more relaxed around him, maybe made them forget he was leader, that he was just another kind cat they could easily talk to. So when he heard a voice at the entrance of the den, he looked up from his meal in surprise, finding Rabbitfluff there, not having caught his questions. "Hm?"

Immediately his emerald gaze surveyed the tailless tom's demeanor and realized that he looked rather spooked, anxious even and got the notion that this was about his order for the journey, or had something to do with what he had said on the Skyrock. Now this, this was something he expected, at least a few cat's would be looking like this and he, in the back of his mind, knew that it wasn't unlikely for Rabbitfluff to be one of those cat's. "Come in, come in Rabbitfluff, don't just stand there looking like a mouse caught by the tail." Chuckled out the tom in his usual lighthearted tone.

Though the smaller tom immediately started to blurt out the thing that was on his mind, Grousestar shutting his mouth and offering a smile as he listened to the rather light-furred tom. What the warrior was saying was exactly what his mind had nagged on about, that it was a dangerous and that they would really get nothing out of it, this was a reckless endangerment of lives and that he should turn these cat's away and go back to the relatively peaceful and solitary life they had been living. But his heart? It said otherwise.
"Slow down Rabbitfluff, you might accidentally bite your tongue speaking that fast, take a seat."
Pushing his meal a way, the brown tabby crossed his paws and waited for the other to sit down, not speaking until he had.

"I understand your fear and discomfort for my decision. But Rabbitfluff. These cat's? They need our help. I don't know about you, but I would not be able to stand myself if I sat by knowing that there were cat's needing our help, and we turned them away because I got nothing in return, or that I wanted to remain leading my life in solidarity without contact with other clan's. We don't need anything in return. I'm just fine with the satisfaction of knowing that I was able to help, that I did something and you know what? Maybe it's time for some change. Perhaps it's time for Skyclan to not live in isolation. We've lived in isolation for many, many generations, I believe it is time, if these two cat's are correct, to expose us to other clan's. It may be dangerous, but Skyclan is not made of cowards. We are made of warriors."
All the while speaking, the tom spoke slowly, confidently, all whilst smiling. He believed in his words wholeheartedly and would continue to stand by them because it is what his heart told him to do.

Originally Posted by Raywood (Post 71702) When he was invited into the den, Rabbitfluff hesitated, peering over his shoulder at the rest of the clearing to ensure no one had spotted him, as he surely didn't want rumors spreading in reference to his visit to Grousestar. This was strictly business when he had concerns to voice, ones he imagined Grousestar had already weighed in his decision to go along with the strangers, yet he was wondering why the leader opted to push them aside in favor of helping them. Although he liked to envision he was, he recognized that he wasn't the most intelligent member of SkyClan and therefore was open to the possibility that Grousestar had identified something worthwhile in the conquest to free the Clans of the evil that gripped them, if there were Clans at all. Determining that nobody was acting as a witness, Rabbitfluff stepped inside a few paces but didn't shuffle too far, offering an explanation, "I don't plan on staying long." He doubted Grousestar would be changing his mind anytime soon, nor did he believe either of them would make strides of progress by talking at length; this was to be a brief conversation, a voicing of fears about the future. Meanwhile, he wasn't sure what to think of Grousestar, who seemed perfectly content this evening with no regard for the huge journey ahead of them. Depending on the danger they might encounter, that alone could be what ended the majority of SkyClan, or worse, the travelers would go missing and never heard from again. "Please understand," his meow wavered slightly with emotion before he cleared his throat, removing the lingering trace of self-consciousness, "as a warrior who has lost over half his family, this is difficult for me," a pause, something in his tone softening, "and I can imagine it is difficult for you as well." Not only did Grousestar had the safety of the entire Clan in his paws, but he was basing this off of two personal stories. The bright side of it was that he didn't have a lot to lose, serving as a double-edged sword--he had to protect what little he had left, which was his sister (who he regretfully didn't know well) and the Clan that'd been here for him since he was a kit. Both of those were at stake and he knew he'd have to learn to accept that, yet it was a terribly painful thing to acknowledge. "Alright," Rabbitfluff started with a hint of a sigh clinging, "I suppose that's fair. We don't need any form of reciprocation from them, but with that said, this could result in neutrality or a complete disaster, should the stranger be dishonest or trying to trick us or lead us into a trap." He didn't see where the positive could lie because they would gain nothing, or they would face negative consequences. Flicking his gaze to Grousestar's, the tremble returned, "You care about your clanmates, you've said it yourself and prove it everyday." And with that said, he was certain Grousestar wouldn't intentionally expose them to threats, but it was an immensely brave risk to take when there was so much that could twist it into misfortune. Living in isolation had served them well, but he guessed he couldn't comment on that aspect when he hadn't the experience to claim it would be a foolish move, not having resided anywhere else. Shame nagged at him, and he lowered his eyes. "I recognize we're not cowards, collectively speaking." It was tempting to remain behind and forfeit his place on the journey, since he wasn't confident his presence would aid them; in fact, it could do the opposite. Guarding the camp wasn't appealing, but he wondered if it would be better than the alternative.

Green eyes filling with a bit of confusion as he saw that Rabbitfluff was hesitating to come into his den, he again thought back to the idea that cat's treat him different now that he was leader. The tom wasn't nervous to speak to him, just because he was a leader right? He certainly hoped not, he wanted his warriors to be as open as possible to him, not nervous to speak to him because he held the title of 'leader'. Perhaps it was something else, Rabbitfluff didn't seem like the type of cat that would shy away from speaking to a cat of higher rank, but the thought was still in his brain.
At hearing that the warrior wouldn't be staying long, he simply dipped his head, respecting that he likely wished to be doing something else rather than speaking to him. "I understand, but please make yourself comfortable while you're here." Lifting his head now, he would curl his tail close to his side, ready to continue on with the conversation.

Despite what cat's may think, Grousestar wasn't an open book, he didn't freely express his emotions like other cat's might believe. Yes, he is always happy, cheerful, polite, but those were not the only emotions this cat could feel. Just because he didn't show fear, nervousness, apprehension, outwardly, did not mean that he didn't feel them, he just knew that, as a leader, you must keep a mask for the better of a clan. If he went around showing that he was scared that this journey might be right, if he showed any hint of doubt, then the cat's of the clan would notice and would immediately feel doubtful as well.
Grouse believed that they would pull through this on top, but that did not mean that he wasn't worried about the journey.
Ears perking up as Rabbitfluff spoke, he maintained a smile as he politely listened to him, nodding his head in understanding. "I understand your fear Rabbitfluff, trust me I do. You're more than welcome to stay in the camp if you wish, it will be safer here." His tone was as soft as ever as he spoke to the warrior and the look in his eyes carried a deep tone of understanding. "I have lost much of my family as well, including one of my most dearest of friends, so I know that fear of losing even more, I understand it, and no one would blame you if you wanted to stay here in camp."

Flicking the tip of his tail as the conversation moved on, he nodded his head and glanced away momentarily at what Rabbitfluff brought up next. And for a second, Grousestar had nothing to say. It was chipping at his confidence a bit, but he forced it away. He couldn't doubt himself, not with the journey tomorrow. He needed to be confident in his choice for the clan. "They are telling the truth. I can feel it and I can see it. And I think you forget Rabbitfluff, if we save these cat's and restore order to their clans.. They will be our allies. Should we ever need assistance for some reason, they could be there for us. While I don't particularly like to think about it, these cat's.. They would be in our debt. So in a way, there is a 'prize' in doing this if you may call it that. If that eases your mind any."
That was one thing that Grousestar hated, doing something good for another cat and holding it over their head, waiting for payback, but he's recognized that many cat's like to do this. A reward for their good deeds, and if that helps to calm the nerves of some of his warriors about his decision, he would mention it. But never would he do that to the clans. He didn't want them in his debt, he simply wanted to help, he didn't want them repaying their 'debt' to him.

"No, we're not, not you, not me, not any warrior, apprentice, queen, kit or elder. So again, if it would calm your nerves any, you have the opportunity to stay back and guard the camp. That will not make you a coward, I promise you. If anything, it takes guts to chose that rather than going off into battle. Heck, maybe I'll even put you in charge of the camp while we're gone." Purred out the tom, his meal getting colder the longer he spoke.

@Lunacross

With a rather scrawny in tow, the current leader of Skyclan pushed his way into his new den, he had done great work in making the originally cold, vacant place a really warm and comfortable one that he enjoys coming into and even enjoys others coming in to join him with his meal.
But today, no cat was joining him for dinner, not that he didn't mind it, he was far from lonely. If anything, it gave him some nice quiet time to think over what he's decided for his clan. Ever since he was forced to step up and take Lemonstar's position as leader, he's had to make several very large decisions in such a short time and has hardly had the time to really sit down and think about what he's done. At the time he had to make decisions, they felt rushed and he could only go with his gut instinct and just had to pray that Starclan was guiding him and so far, it seemed that those choices had been correct. Or so he thinks so anyways, it seems that way. He hadn't lost too many warriors during the liberation, he had only lost one life {albeit it was sooner than he had expected}, and they had managed to drive out all of the dark forest worshiping cats and "save" the clans, that's how he wanted to see it. He didn't want to see it as them coming in out of the blue, running up and destroying their leaders and leaving the clans to fend for themselves afterwards, leave them to elect new leaders and just move on with their lives.

As he settled into his nest, he placed the squirrel between his paws, dipped his head, closed his eyes and muttered his thanks to his ancestors for the meal before happily beginning to dig in.
He was sure he made the right decision in liberating the clans, there was no question about that, he had assured himself as soon as he liberated the last one, the only cats that had hated Skyclan coming in were the ones being driven out meaning that, well, obviously it was the correct choice.
What was worrying him thought was moving his entire clan. Had he made the correct decision in doing that? They had come out of their safety and was now living with four other clans, for what? Just because he knew they lived here? This was a whole new territory and while the forest did sort of resemble Skyclan territory, they were not in the mountains, there were not boulders and rocks everywhere, this was just forest. And besides, what if the other four clans decide that after a while, they are sick of Skyclan's presence near their homes which they've lived in for probably many many generations, just as Skyclan had lived in isolation for many many generations. What then?
These thoughts crossed the toms mind, but even though they were doubtful, he was still optimistic, he was positive that they could pull through this even if it wasn't the right choice. He still wore a smile on his face because even doubt in his decisions couldn't take his happiness away because he was in charge of the clan he loved. He was surrounded by cats that he cared for more than his own life, cats that he would die for on any given day just to make sure they were safe. Because that. Was Grousestar.

Originally Posted by Lunacross (Post 110012) @Duskflight Discomfort pricked Aconiteheart's pelt as he slipped into the den. With the change in camp and territory locations, the entity found himself getting lost more often than naught. The transition was hard on the earthbound tom, struggling to adapt to unfamiliar territory and the loss of his knowledge on precious herb locations. It was a feeling similar to when DuskClan and DawnClan were forced to move, driven out by the fiery wrath of StarClan. He could still hear the phantom crackling of flames as they fled their forest home, the stench of smoke and death clinging to the air. The thought was unsettling. Pausing in place, Aconiteheart gazed at the tabby form of Grousestar. They had met once before, albeit brief, when he escorted Grousestar and Rabbitfluff to the Whispering Cave. At the time Aconiteheart had been preoccupied with other matters, and he'd been in a hurry to get back to his duties. Now that he was free beyond Ebonypaw, however .. he didn't mind hanging around. For the moment, Grousestar seemed to be distracted by the combination of eating and thought, and Aconite took a seat across from the younger tom. He could wait for the leader to finish. Patience was a valuable virtue.

Considering that the other cat was merely just a spirit, the tabby picked up no sound when he padded into his den, though he did catch a slight whiff of a vaguely familiar scent, though couldn't put a name to it and simply dismissed it as a smell coming from somewhere in the camp, after all, there were many cats in Skyclan. That's one thing Grousestar found out when he became leader, just how many cats that were in this clan, he just simply hadn't realized it when he was a warrior, and really, as a deputy he felt much too busy to really realize it at that time. But the amount of cats was no problem for him, he liked other cats in general and liked to think of every one of them as a friend that has yet to have been formerly met, though he did try to speak to others as often as possible, asking how they were doing, making sure everything was okay because he felt like as a leader, that he should be responsible for every cat's well being, not just the general populous.
Crunching through the squirrel, it didn't take very long for the tom to finish it, the fur neatly placed in a pile and the bones placed in a separate one that he would take out to bury at a different time, for at the moment, he didn't quite feel like getting back up. He was exhausted.

After a breathy sigh, the leader blinked a bit, letting go of his thoughts for now and clearing his vision to find that he was staring at his paws. Flicking an ear slightly, he licked them a bit and went to lay his head on them before stopping, his eyes falling on Aconiteheart who was seated right before him, a surprised look crossing his face.
I didn't hear him come in! Oh- Well duh, he's a bit see-through, he's a Starclan cat... That looks familiar.. Slowly lifting his head back up, Grousestar didn't quite say anything yet, still trying to piece together who this other cat was.
I don't know very many Starclan cats, so I don't have many to chose from.. A look of realization struck his face. That's the cat that escorted me and Rabbit to receive my nine lives! Oh jeez, what's his name again..?
"Oh, hello there! I haven't kept to waiting have I? If so I apologize, this is the only time I really get to be with my thoughts." Immediately his usual smile sprouted onto his lips as he gazed at the spirit, tucking his tail close to his side and allowing the usual friendly glimmer to appear in his eyes.
I think it was something along the lines of Aconiteheart..

Originally Posted by Lunacross (Post 114188) @Duskflight Aconiteheart honestly didn't mind waiting on the young leader. The spirit was in no rush to steal his attention and pursue a conversation, partially out of not wanting to come off as rude. In recent times his only friends, if he could even call one of them that, were Almondfall and Ebonypaw, and as much as he'd love to talk their ears off, Almondfall had a family to care for and Ebonypaw's training was his priority. A few unrelated topics didn't hurt, but the faded medicine cat didn't want to risk ruining any chance at a life-long friendship with the tuxedo feline by annoying her. Grousestar finished his meal sooner than expected -- Aconiteheart being used to cats taking their time in private, and the spotted tabby straightened up when he was spoken to. "Oh, no worries," he responded. "You haven't left me waiting long, and I'm not in a hurry. Take your time. I can leave if you'd like to go back to your thoughts without being distracted. I don't have anything important to bring to your attention as it is." With the threat of the Evil Era in the past, and the clans on the road to recovery, there wasn't much to discuss in the dire sense. The majority of the Dark Forest worshippers had been killed or exiled, and those few that remained in the clans would be reeling from their recent defeat. "Or you could talk to me about your thoughts, if you'd like. I'm all ears."

Just like nearly everything else he did, he ate fast, it was just an unbroken habit of his that he had built up when he was an apprentice, eating as fast as he could so that he could have more practice to train and do his duties, and the same for when he was a warrior. He really saw no problem in the habit and so had never actually made an effort to get rid of it, and no other cat really seemed to notice the fact anyways, not even him at this point. As Aconiteheart sat up, Grousestar merely settled deeper into his nest, making himself as comfortable as possible and quietly wishing the other tom did the same, he appreciated that other cats were formal with him, but he'd much prefer if they were informal, it meant they were comfortable with him, or that's what he thinks anyways, he thinks it would make cats more at ease, more likely to talk to him if something was going on that he might need to know about. Nonetheless, the tabby tom was completely at ease with the Starclan cat, just as he was with every cat in the clan.

"Oh no, no, please stay, I would greatly enjoy your company, my thoughts aren't going anywhere and besides, they're nothing too important at the moment anyways, just me pondering is all." Mewed the tom, his smile brightening and his forepaws crossing in front of him, his claws flexing a moment before fully relaxing.
"My thoughts really aren't that interesting, but I suppose if you're all ears then I may as well be all mouth." Pausing to chuckle, Grousestar would continue. "Really, the main thing plaguing my mind is if.. I made the right choice in all of this. If it was right for me to come in and drive those cats out, if I did more damage than good. I know they'll recover, I have a good feeling about that, but my question is, what if I left a bad taste in their mouth regarding Skyclan? With us just walking in, wiping out their leadership and leaving. And if it was right to move Skyclan here, yes it's closer to the clans, but we've lived in solidarity for.. Well. For many generations! Was it truly the right decision to change that? I believe it was, but I still can't help but wonder if my opinion is wrong in the case.."
The tom paused before chuckling out.
"Please make yourself comfortable by the way, and tell me if I talk too much, I don't want to talk your ears off because I know all too well I can get a bit talkative."

Originally Posted by Lunacross (Post 124864) @Duskflight "The right choices are always the hardest," Aconiteheart murmured. "The clans won't harbor a significant amount of resentment for SkyClan. There are supporters of that era who will hate this clan; to them, they feel their rights were violated and that they were once again wronged by StarClan, but that is inevitable. For the rest, for the time being they'll be grateful for your assistance. Alone, they would not have the courage to face those that oppressed them. The other clans are also under our guidance, and their leaderships will be restored soon enough. Fortunately for the majority of the clans, their leaders were merely driven out or captured, and returning them to their positions won't be a problem. There is a clan left with nothing, as the former leader was killed and her appointed deputy brought forth the reign of darkness, but they're in good paws.." Thoughtfully, Aconiteheart shifted where he sat, relaxing into a more comfortable stance. "Well, technically speaking SkyClan itself never had a neighbor. SkyClan stem from two conjoined clans that spent countless generations locked in a bloody conflict that ended in flames and grief when the surviving offspring of both clan leaders perished in StarClan's holy wrath. Admittedly, the relocation is a bit odd to me -- keeping in mind I have walked SkyClan's forests since the beginning, but I wouldn't call it a mistake. You'll just need to be wary of your immediate surroundings. This land is unfamiliar and you now border a hostile faction. I can't foresee them not causing issues."

As the ethereal cat began to speak, Grousestar made quite work of clicking his jaws shut in order to listen to the much wiser cat, his ears perked and angled towards Aconiteheart. For some reason, despite the tom already knowing a majority of the information, to hear another cat say it, a cat from Starclan say it, it helped to calm his nerves a bit. In a way, it was proving that he was right in his way of thinking and he wasn't misguided. Breathing out a gentle exhale, the leader nodded a bit, his emerald gaze focusing on his paws for a moment before looking back at the Skyclan ancestor, his smile widening slightly to hear that the clans were in good paws. That's what he wanted to hear, he wanted to know that these clans could continue on, grow back to their former glory that they surely had. Because, yes, while seeing his clan prosper and recover from its somewhat rocky past, he also enjoyed seeming other clans do well as well, now that he knew they existed. He was a fair tom that wanted nothing more than the best for everyone, though obviously he would put his clan first, he did care for others.

As the starry cat continued, intrigue wriggled it's way onto the brown tabby's face as he was told about the history of his clan, it had been so long since he had been told about this, it's not like anyone aside from the elders actively tried to teach clan members about this past.
A small chuckle escaped him as he heard the other tom admit it was strange to be walking on new land since Skyclan had lived in the past lands for many generations, silently agreeing with him, though Grouse was quickly growing accustomed to it.
Though his smile faltered as Aconiteheart mentioned the group that Grousestar was just now realizing that they bordered, the smile dropping and a solemn look replacing it.
"Yes, I've begun to notice this 'faction' as you call it, I smell them at the borders and I believe.. I've caught the... remains of one or two of my warriors in the territory with strange scents about them. I have reason to believe that it is these cats that are doing this. The second I find them, I'm confronting them." A stark look of anger was on the toms face as he spoke about this. "I will show them very quickly what it means to mess with me and my clan and I'm sure they will not like it." Slowly he let the look fade, turning his head a way to look at the entrance of his den for a moment before looking back at his companion, blinking away the anger that had filled him at the thought.
"Do you know if this group has a name?"

Originally Posted by Lunacross (Post 134749) @Duskflight Having lived during the time of the DuskClan and DawnClan conflict, there was always an old need to remind the living of their history. Even after countless years, Aconiteheart was still haunted by the death of several of his clan-mates and nephew, the feeling of helplessness that came with watching cats struggle to escape the sudden torrent of flames. He had been their medicine cat, and despite his attempt at warning when his den ignited, the casualties had been significant. "Sounds like them," he confirmed Grousestar's suspicions. "While it may be possible the killers are rogues, the gang in question is a group of liars, thieves, and murderers. Some of their members are exiles from the other clans, and overall they're just .. not good news. They go by the Dusk Syndicate. They've resided in that forest since ah, just after the other clans relocated here from the mountains. From my understanding, they haven't been faring terribly well since the loss of their second commander, and I don't believe they're near the strength they used to be. However, you must keep in mind these cats are bloodthirsty -- they don't have any sense of honor or well-being. If a confrontation were to take place, they would likely relish the battle."

You would think that the clan would enjoy spreading the knowledge of their past, teaching kits about it at a young age and yet, there were very few, if any, living Skyclan members that could tell you the tale of the great clan's history. Perhaps it was dark and cats simply wished not to be reminded of it, nonetheless, the leader was very grateful for the reminder of their history. He believed it was a good thing to know as leader of the clan. Perhaps he would take the torch of the story and pass it along to the rest of his clan, not out right of course, but through simple day-to-day conversation, or perhaps he would simply forget again with so many other things plaguing his mind as of now. Nonetheless, Aconiteheart would forever serve as a reminder of that time.

So it is that group.. With confirmation that it sounded like whomever this faction was, that left the remains of his warriors on his own turf, he suddenly grew sure that he would need to confront these cats. As soon as he could find them.
Grousestar listened to the medicine cat from the past, very carefully, wanting to know any information about this faction that they bordered, quietly wishing he had known this before he settled his clan next to their borders. Bloodthirsty, honorless cats.. Oh dear, what have I done.. No matter, I'll still keep this clan safe and strong, I'll just have to warn my warriors to keep an extra strict lookout on that side of our borders.
Sighing out slowly, he nodded his head as Aconiteheart finished.
"Well that sounds just pleasant. I'll keep a close eye on them then, though I will not accuse them of the acts until I'm completely certain. I'd hate to put the blame on innocent cats, even if they aren't so innocent, and cause an unneeded enemy. That's the last thing Skyclan needs at the moment."

Originally Posted by Lunacross (Post 153787) @Duskflight [have a smol post] "Whether or not you confront them, they'll still be your enemy," Aconiteheart pointed out. "These cats are about as anti-clan as it gets, and they'll see SkyClan taking over this forest as a threat that needs to be annihilated. The only thing you can do to prevent further damage is to deal with the Syndicate before they strike again." The spotted tabby once more shifted in place, his expression twisting into something of discomfort. "I can't see this ending in peace. The last few moons for them have been rough, with a lack of leadership, but they're under new command and with the right direction they could launch their own assault on our clan.." he trailed off, uncertain of where he was going. "Regardless, it's your choice in the end. It would be a good idea to wait to see their next move - if they pursue the injury of our clan mates. They've stopped in the past, at least."

A quiet exhale of air escaped the tabby's nostrils as he glanced away from the Starclan cat, his ears folding back and the slightest beginnings of a grimace touching his lips as the other tom stated that regardless of his actions, the cats in question would remain an enemy, something that Grousestar didn't particularly want. He was a friendly, charismatic cat that generally wished no harm on others, though the longer he goes through his leadership, the more he realizes how protective of his clan he is. The safety of his clan came first in anything and should any cat dare threaten that, well.. They would see a side of Grousestar that no cat would ever want to see. Under that cheery demeanor, the kindness and everything else was a ferocious and rather dangerous warrior filled with eight lives that would fight any creature should they threaten his clan, from a fox up to a twoleg, it did not matter when the safety of his clan was in question. It wasn't reckless, no, it was a strong love for his clan, the responsibility of caring for all of these cats, his deep kinship with every cat in this clan and his desire to keep them all safe and well cared for, that's what made him fearless when fighting for his clan.
Grousestar remained silent until Aconiteheart had finished, and even several moments after, licking his lips as he understood what the late medicine cat was implying with his words.
I don't think the warriors are ready just yet to go back into battle. They need time to get settled into the new territory, get readjusted, heal.. I can't just bring them into another battle, I can't do that to them. Besides.. Waiting... That can give me more time to see what the Syndicate will do. If they really are hostile towards us or if they'll just keep to themselves like I hope they do.
Looking back at Aconiteheart, Grousestar would offer a small, kind smile.
"I appreciate the information Aconiteheart, I'll bring it under consideration with my deputy, however I've never been the kind of cat to make rash decisions and I believe it's best to let some time pass before thinking about attacking them. I don't particularly like kicking cats when they're down anyways, perhaps under their new leadership, they'll be lead on a different path and perhaps become more civilized? It's all up in the air and it's best to just keep a watchful eye for now before making a decision I might deeply regret later." The words were spoken careful and afterwards he seemed to pause before slowly nodding, as if repeating the words to himself to see if that's how he wanted to say it, before once more offering as smile.

Originally Posted by Lunacross (Post 193987) @Duskflight Aconiteheart didn't believe for a moment the Dusk Syndicate would back down. They had gone too long without bloodshed; the Place of No Stars' reign over the clans being the closest they had to action. Under Neomora and Renn's leaderships, perhaps things would be different with the ban on interacting with the clans in place, but the new leader of the Syndicate didn't seem to have restraints on their underlings. "If that's what you wish to do," he resigned, not believing it to be the best course of action, but knowing it wasn't his place to say more. The spirit had advised the leader - his choices were his own, regardless of what consequences may arise. Never one to stay still for long, the spotted tabby was shuffling in his spot, uncertain of where to go from here. It would be easy to excuse himself and return to Ebonypaw, but it seemed too soon and he didn't want to leave on such a solemn note. "If I may," he began, "how does it feel being leader? You were a deputy for a short time, if I recall correctly. Lemonstar left quite a burden on your shoulders."

As the conversation fell quiet, the brown tabby found himself trying to evaluate the Starclan cat's demeanor, he had a feeling that Aconiteheart didn't believe what he said was the best course of action, that the other cat would likely be against this sort of 'wait and see' attitude, but the Skyclan leader was optimistic that this Syndicate could possibly pull through with their new leadership, turn into good cats and be placed on the right road. He desperately wanted that to happen, he was sure there were a few good cats in that dark place, perhaps one of them was able to take command.
Hearing Aconiteheart's response, he confirmed that the late medicine cat truly did not believe he was doing the right thing in his actions, but Grousestar truly saw no need prodding the broken Syndicate like a fox with a dying rabbit. It was wrong and it didn't fit his moral code. While he was particularly upset about the two felines that came from the Syndicate killing his warriors, he was hoping that those were just two extreme cats of the dark faction, that they weren't all like that. It was a naive thought, but he hoped it would be true. They.. Couldn't all be murderers right? He truly hoped not. Nonetheless, he nodded a bit, glancing away for a moment before looking back as he heard the other shuffle in his place, surely growing restless. It wasn't like Grousestar to lead such a boring conversation, more often than not he would be able to entertain another for hours on end by simply talking. But there was just too many things going on in his head currently to attempt to keep Aconiteheart's attention for too long.

When he heard the others voice, he would focus his attention again and dawn a new smile, listening to the question before breathing out, wiping a paw across his nose as if he had an itch.
"Yes it was quite the burden indeed, I would have to say it caught me a bit off guard, his disappearance. But being leader.. It's.. Something new entirely. Deputy was easy, I didn't really have the responsibility of an entire clan on my shoulders, but being leader.. There's much more that goes into it than cat's think. It's not simply being a figure-head, it's not simply being the voice of Skyclan. It's being the protector of an entire clan, the sole cat that must make sure that all are being fed and taken care of, that all are safe, and you must make decisions based on the behalf of so many and despite all of the best intentions, there will always be a cat that disagrees with what you do. It's very difficult and I believe I still have a lot to learn. But I am trying my best." His gaze focused on his paws, something that was very uncharacteristic of Grousestar, normally he enjoyed maintaining eye-contact, but it was clear that he was speaking what he truly thought. It was hard, it was a job he never thought he would have to take. The disappearance of his best friend.. It was hard.

Originally Posted by Chameleon eats a doughnut (Post 214704) Fennelsnarl stepped in the den limping," Grousestar?" She called out images of the fast paced battle remained in her head, the blood, slicing, her imatients causing the start of the battle, the taunts of the fighting forces in the DS, and her claws sliding out, and slicing the cats eye in half. She shuddered.

At the sound of a voice calling for his name, the brown tabby's head jerked up with a start, his eyes quickly opening and adjusting to the dim light of his den so that he could make out who was approaching. "Hm?"
It seems the warrior had awoken the leader from a much needed nap, his emerald eyes blinking the sleep away as he slowly took in Fennelsnarl's appearance. Tilting his head, he shot her a confused and worried look, obviously noticing her limp and wanting to know what caused it.
"Is there something you need Fennelsnarl?"
It was a stupid question and he knew she obviously needed something, no cat came in to his den usually unless they needed something and judging by her limp, it must be something important. She should be in the medicine cat's den. But he needed to ask it regardless, he couldn't just stare at her until she spoke, he needed to prompt her. That was the polite thing to do. Let her tell it on her own with a gentle nudge.

Originally Posted by Duskflight (Post 214739) At the sound of a voice calling for his name, the brown tabby's head jerked up with a start, his eyes quickly opening and adjusting to the dim light of his den so that he could make out who was approaching. "Hm?" It seems the warrior had awoken the leader from a much needed nap, his emerald eyes blinking the sleep away as he slowly took in Fennelsnarl's appearance. Tilting his head, he shot her a confused and worried look, obviously noticing her limp and wanting to know what caused it. "Is there something you need Fennelsnarl?" It was a stupid question and he knew she obviously needed something, no cat came in to his den usually unless they needed something and judging by her limp, it must be something important. She should be in the medicine cat's den. But he needed to ask it regardless, he couldn't just stare at her until she spoke, he needed to prompt her. That was the polite thing to do. Let her tell it on her own with a gentle nudge.

Originally Posted by Chameleon eats a doughnut (Post 214745) Fennelsnarl blinked," When I was on the patrol along the DS border, three DS cats started taunting us, calling us kittypets, I lost my temper and slashed at one of them, and we had a battle, my clanmates are dead, the DS laughed and went home. I was too weak to carry them back alone. I'd suggest sending higher trained warriors, those who can cope with being attacked to that border. Though you know best."

Grousestar stared at her. Just blatantly stared at her, even after she had stopped speaking. Did.. He hear her right?
Taunting my warriors? Killing my warriors? His mind completely skipped over the fact that Fennelsnarl admitted that she had been the cause of the battle and the death of her clanmates. It was like he didn't even hear it at all. Slowly his face seemed to grow stormy, an anger that no one hardly see from the charismatic tom bubbling beneath the surface, his emerald eyes almost seeming to darken. Slowly, he nodded his head, deeply angered by what happened today.
"Thank you for informing me Fennelsnarl. Please be sure to get checked over by Ebonypaw." Slowly he would rise to his paws and nod his head towards her before padding out of his den with a small lash of his tail.

Originally Posted by Duskflight (Post 214756) Grousestar stared at her. Just blatantly stared at her, even after she had stopped speaking. Did.. He hear her right? Taunting my warriors? Killing my warriors? His mind completely skipped over the fact that Fennelsnarl admitted that she had been the cause of the battle and the death of her clanmates. It was like he didn't even hear it at all. Slowly his face seemed to grow stormy, an anger that no one hardly see from the charismatic tom bubbling beneath the surface, his emerald eyes almost seeming to darken. Slowly, he nodded his head, deeply angered by what happened today. "Thank you for informing me Fennelsnarl. Please be sure to get checked over by Ebonypaw." Slowly he would rise to his paws and nod his head towards her before padding out of his den with a small lash of his tail.

Originally Posted by Ludicrous Lunacy (Post 218855) [ @Duskflight ] A Syndicate tom was half dragged, half shoved into the den by a flame-point warrior. The warrior, Flamingsnow, released him in front of Grousestar. "Fennelsnarl also brought him back from the patrol. She snatched him before he could get away. She believes him to be responsible for the death of Ashpaw." Stepping away, she left the den without further talking, leaving the heavily bleeding trainee alone with the leader. The tom barely twitched a whisker as his own blood stained his matted fur. It was hardly evident that he was trying to hide a hollow look, and instead he began to try to revert himself back to what he has been so that he wouldn't break down sobbing in front of the enemy. That was what the leader was. Just another enemy. Paruds told himself that had he not been wounded, he'd've killed the leader, but something in him knew it wasn't the truth. No. I don't care. She tried to run, the coward. She deserved it. She deserved to die. It was something not even Pardus could fully believe.

It hadn't been long since he had been informed of the border dispute at all, just enough time for him to mull over it as he got some prey and return to his den, in fact, he was there, getting ready to take the first bite out of a vole when he heard paw steps enter his den, his emerald eyes glancing up, his mouth open, ready to chomp down on the rodent before he was interrupted. His eyes met those of a warrior, Flamingsnow and of an unfamiliar face who gave off a putrid smell of a group he knew all too well now. Pupils narrowing he clamped his jaws shut with a click and sat up in his nest to listen to what his warrior had to tell him about this cat.
"Thank you Flamingsnow, tell Fennelheart she has my thanks as well." The tone, rather than his usually cheery and friendly tone, was strained and clearly hinting at underlying anger. With the flamepoint warrior now gone, the brown tabby focused his sole attention on the bleeding Syndicate warrior in front of him, his claws absentmindedly unsheathing, not that he planned on having to use them, though his fur did bristle angrily and his gaze hardened considerably.
"How dare you assault and kill my clanmates." He hissed, emerald eyes shining now with the rising anger in him.
"What is the Syndicate's reasoning behind this? Hm? Or is this just another one of your 'welcoming messages'?" Questioned the leader, now standing with an agitated lash of his tail.

Originally Posted by Ludicrous Lunacy (Post 220619) Pardus snorted, wrinkling his nose unattractively. "All due respect, your highness," sneered the trainee as he finally managed to fully hide the shame gnawing at his stomach, "If Halite were to send a message to you kittypets, it would come with a lot more than little me and Singe--oh, I think it used to be Singenight--killing one weak little apprentice." The ticked tom's tail lashed as he glared at the leader, yellowish olive eyes burning daggers at the older cat's face. Truthfully, although he knew Halite would probably be wiser and more strategic than that, it was the thought that counted. The trainee knew he couldn't escape alive--but maybe he could take some of the leader's bravery down with him. He ignored the fact that his shoulder had started going numb to the pain and shifted his weight to hide the weakness. (Sry, mobile)

Grousestar was angered no more than he already was when the sarcastic title was spoken by the Dusk Sydnciate trainee, in fact, the leader seemed to completely ignore the taunt. He wasn't angry about what this cat was saying, he was angry because this was the second time his cats have been killed in regards to the Syndicate and truthfully, as charismatic and optimistic as he was, he wasn't going to let some rowdy band of murderers get away with killing his clanmates. His job was to protect and lead them and Starclan save the cats that prevented him from doing his job as clan leader. This was his life.
"So that's where the coward ran off to, hiding amongst murderers and heathens, I should have guessed. It suites him." Spat the leader threw gritted teeth. It was clear the leader hadn't forgotten that battle of liberation in Windclan, his cats had died fighting the followers of that cats rule.
"And you."
The tabby took a step towards the already injured cat, lips slightly curled back and a fiery anger burning within those green depths of his eyes.
"You are a sad excuse of a cat, I don't even believe you deserve that title. The crows wouldn't even pick your bones you're so disgusting. That apprentice? She was stronger and more capable than anything you could ever even hope to be, the same with each and every one of those warriors you attacked. Regardless if you're even capable of being called a 'cat', you're going to give me answers, I will force them from your throat if I have to. You're going to tell me everything there is about this Syndicate. Right here. Right now."

This was a side of Grousestar that no cat knew, no cat needed to know about it because this side of him shouldn't need to come out. But unfortunately, when it came to the well being of his clan? He couldn't be mister nice cat. He didn't want any of his clan to see him like this, it might scare them, but he was simply doing his best to protect his clan. He needed answers, and he was going to get them.