[P] The Search

**ChaosBringer.** · #1 June 25th, 2024, 03:38 PM

Whisperinghive
Beefed Up T1 [ACTIVE] Survival Instincts[ACTIVE] Just a Scratch

Ok, ok. Everything is gonna be just fine. We're going to find Stempaw and bring him home. Everything is all good.. It's not like Stempaw vanished without a trace. It's not like his best friend left without saying anything- Whisperinghive almost tripped on a loose rock as he entered the Warrior's den to look for Batglare, kicking it away before padding over to the warrior's nest. "Batglare, would you be able to come with me to the outskirts? I want to search for my friend, Stempaw." He said to the older warrior, hoping they'd accept his request to go out and search for his friend. "I've gotten permission to go from Twilightstar." He added just incase his past mentor was going to ask that.

@Moonraven @elaif

***Moonraven*** · #2 August 13th, 2024, 11:46 AM

Batglare
The tom lifted his head as he noticed the cat approaching his den. Usually, his clanmates gave his nest a decently wide berth as he'd nip or cuff any warrior who kicked or jerked in their sleep around him. The senior cocked his head when his former apprentice arrived asking him to come look for Stempaw?

That apprentice hasn't been seen in moons, but so long as Whisperinghive had gotten Twilightstar's permission he didn't see any reason not to accompany. Truthfully he'd rather he come along to keep an eye on the tom. Batglare didn't think they'd find Stempaw however kept that thought to himself.

The brown and white warrior grunted in approval and got to his paws. He shook out his thick pelt and raised a whiskered brow. "Where do you think we'll find him? It's not easy to hunt down cats who have long since disappeared from the clan." Batglare knew he could track the cat down if he had a good scent trail to follow or left any signs of his whereabouts, but given the time they'd be nonexistent by now. He led the way out of the den and then slowed his pace to keep stride with Whisperinghive.

@ChaosBringer. [I didn't realize how long it's been. Feel free to bump me every few days for replies]

**ChaosBringer.** · #3 August 24th, 2024, 03:22 PM

Whisperinghive
Killer Aptitude T1 [ACTIVE] Survival Instincts[ACTIVE] Just a Scratch

Whisperinghive exhaled in relief as the older warrior made a noise of approval and came to their paws. When Batglare padded out, the younger warrior quickly followed. "The outskirts. If he was on our territory, someone would've found him." Whisperinghive started, his ears twitching softly. "If he got lost and landed in Shadowclan, they probably would've killed him and left his body at the border." He continued, quietly wincing at the thought of his friend being murdered. "Thunderclan might have chased him off so far he couldn't find his way back, and Riverclan...I wouldn't doubt they could've killed him." Whisperinghive went quiet, his throat hurting a bit from talking. He didn't usually say more than a few sentences other than when he was mad. Whisperinghive shook out his pelt for a moment to get some dust off, also because the scar on his muzzle was itchy. His paws quietly touched the ground as he continued walking, patiently waiting for a response from the older warrior.

Starsdammit, the cold feeling was back. It gripped his heart once more like a hawk grabbing a mouse with its talons, squeezing the life and heat away. What if his friend was gone forever? Would he have to find someone else? replace Stempaw? He could never!! Flower was the only friend he needed, and they'd find him.

@Moonraven (On my next turn, Whispers will find a scent and find a makeshift camp where Stempaw is)

***Moonraven*** · #4 September 3rd, 2024, 06:33 PM

Batglare kept his senses alert as they moved to the unfamiliar territory. The comment about ShadowClan made him wrinkle his nose. He didn't think ShadowClan would leave said body at the border, but considering how they were getting along these days perhaps they'd spare some sort of kindness there. The other two clans might be accurate assumptions. All in all, Stempaw shouldn't have been out on his own let alone near the borders.

He understood that Twilightstar allowed them to look for this cat, but just because they found him didn't mean he'd be allowed to rejoin the clan like that. He better have a good excuse for being gone for as long as he has. As they reached the border of the outskirts, and he crossed over first, his pelt prickled uncomfortably.

He tossed Whisperinghive a troubling glare. He was glad that Whisperinghive had found himself a friend. To find one for prickly cats like him was rare. Even so, it also brought some concerns. "It's nice to see you're dedicated, but don't get your hopes up. It's rare to find those you're hunting for when it comes to missing cats." He growled softly. "You must learn to let go and move on if our search proves empty. We have a clan that needs its warriors." He grumbles, and his fluffy tail sweeps along the ginger's back in a soothing motion when Batglare sees how agitated he is.

He did not want to see the tom rot from within if worse came to worst. Batglare hadn't bonded as closely to Whisperinghive as he would have liked, his time training him had been fleeting, but he'd watched him grow into the warrior he was today, and fought beside him in battle. There was a certain attachment he had to Whisperinghive. He still felt a certain responsibility for the cat, no matter how big or old he got. He needed to make sure that he didn't stray down a path of self-destruction for a missing cat he didn't think deserved such devotion.
@ChaosBringer.

**ChaosBringer.** · #5 September 4th, 2024, 07:47 PM

Whisperinghive
A 12-16 moon old tom with marigold-orange fur, dull green eyes, and a thin scar running from below his left eye down his muzzle to his nose.
Purrks: Killer Aptitude T1 [ACTIVE] Survival Instincts[ACTIVE] Just a Scratch [ACTIVE]

Wait.. Why was Batglare glaring at him? Had he said something wrong? Was he being too pushy about finding his friend? Whisperinghive's dull green eyes flickered to his past mentors face, his expression confused before the older warrior continued. What came from Batglare's maw next made the younger warrior want to lash out and claw them, but he knee better than that. His tail stood up straight for a moment, the fur spiked and bristling, but quickly lay flat as Whisperinghive inhaled and exhaled, trying his hardest to calm himself. The brush to his back helped with that. Batglare was a good, respectable cat. They didn't deserve to be the focus of Whisperinghive's anger and rage. The older warrior was sorta like... a parental figure? The ginger tom didn't exactly know what that was. Leopardsong was certainly a motherly figure. He knew that for sure. The young warrior didn't know if Batglare was like a parent, but he did feel some sort of connection to the older warrior. "I'll... Yes, Batglare." Whisperinghive responded, nodding slightly.

A scent made him freeze in his tracks. He opened his mouth to let the scents of their territory rush in. He knew that scent. He knew it! It was Stempaw, his Flower! "Batglare, I think I smell him!!" Whisperinghive said in a hoarse voice, his legs shaking slightly as he held himself back from bounding towards the scent. Why was the scent so far out? What in Starclan was Stempaw doing so far out? The marigold-orange warrior started padding towards the scent, light waves of hopefulness and glee washing over his body like a mother grooming her kit. It was stronger the further he went, his tail lashing with excitement. Was this really his friend? Were they really here? Whisperinghive sniffed the air then called out "Stempaw? Stempaw?" , his voice ringing through the area. A few more paw steps and pushing through some tall grass, a makeshift camp stood before him, Stempaw's scent all over.

( @Moonraven @elaif ) [Posting order in order of mentions. Sorry if that's how it works- am eepy]

***Moonraven*** · #6 September 14th, 2024, 06:04 PM

He didn't hide that he was not overly pleased with his words. His temper was still being tested, but he was better at controlling it than when Batglare first took over the tom's training. The stoic warrior kept a close eye on the younger after paused and grew more alert. The brown and white warrior glanced around but wasn't picking up any signs of threats or predators.

When Whisperinghive announced that he had located their missing apprentice, Batglare flattened his ears but followed close behind. Batglare did detect a foreign scent in the air fresher and stronger the closer they moved toward it. Yet Batglare had difficulty telling if this was the cat they had been looking for. It was harder for him to distinguish outsiders' scents. Whisperinghive seemed so certain though.

He kept his guard up all the same, halting at the entrance of a makeshift camp and glancing around the area on high alert. "Someone was certainly here recently." He grunted softly, taking a few steps further into the camp to look around.
@ChaosBringer. [Whisperinghive]

**ChaosBringer.** · #7 September 21st, 2024, 01:52 PM

Whisperinghive
A 12-16 moon old tom with marigold-orange fur, dull green eyes, and a thin scar running from below his left eye down his muzzle to his nose.
Purrks: Killer Aptitude T1 [ACTIVE] Survival Instincts[ACTIVE] Just a Scratch [ACTIVE]

Yes, someone had. It was Stempaw. He knew it! He knew his Flower's scent anywhere. Whisperinghive's friend would soon come bounding towards him, and they'd nuzzle and cry and say how much they missed each other. But.. it never happened. Stempaw never emerged from his camp, and he never called out to let them know he was here. Why didn't he come out? His friend had been here, Whisperinghive could smell it. But why didn't Stempaw show himself? Where was he? Where? Where..? WHERE WAS HE? The cold was back, much sharper as it gripped his heart and made his eyes water. And the scorching heat of his ever blazing temper burned his pelt, not helping one bit to calm him down. This couldn't be happening. They'd found his camp, his scent. Why would Stempaw leave? He must have know that Whisperinghive would come looking, so wouldn't he have stayed here? The scorch and the chill hurt the younger warrior like he had been trampled by a badger then thrown off a cliff. His friend had to be here! Stempaw wouldn't have run away, would he..? "He has to be here, right?" Whisperinghive asked, his voice coarse. Batglare had told him at the beginning that if this search came out empty he'd have to move on.. How in Starclan could he move on from his friend?

@Moonraven (If you haven't saw, Elaif has left the site)

***Moonraven*** · #8 October 22nd, 2024, 06:06 PM

While Whisperinghive searched around for his friends, Batglare took the time to sniff around the camp. While some cat was here recently, the scent was stale enough to tell him they had missed the cat by a few days. Whisperinghive seemed convinced that the scent belonged to Stempaw. Batglare couldn't confirm or deny it. Considering how long it's been since the cat's been a part of WindClan and that Batglare wasn't all that close to him, all he could scent was a cat and nothing.

"I warned you not to get your hopes up, Whisperinghive," Batglare grumbled softly while pawing at some old bones of eaten prey. The tom padded over to his crestfallen former apprentice and frowned lightly. "He might have been here but he's not anymore. We've wandered deep enough into the outskirts as is." The older warrior draped his fluffy tail over the ginger tom's back. He looked like he was seconds away from tears.

"I know he's your friend and important to you, but have you ever thought perhaps Stempaw doesn't wish for a life in the clans anymore? Perhaps that's why he's moving further away from us?" Batglare broached the topic as gently as he could.

"I know this is tough and, likely, you'll never make a friend like Stempaw again, but some cats just aren't fit for clan life." Batglare didn't smell anyone other than the one, and Stempaw hadn't been kidnapped. It seemed like he was moving further and further from the clan on his own, for whatever reason.

"You don't have to move on if it's too hard for you, but you do need to learn to accept that perhaps Stempaw isn't going to be returning to WindClan. At least not now, who knows what the future holds?" He has seen cats that vanish for seasons return to WindClan before. So it wasn't impossible to say he'd never see Stempaw again, still, Batglare didn't want him to latch on to that hope as fervently as he had with finding Stempaw.

"But rather than focusing on the future or the past, you need to focus on what's in front of you now. You still have a mother, me, and a whole clan full of cats that I'm sure wouldn't mind befriending you if given the chance. No one can replace what Stempaw was to you, but don't let this loss consume you."
@ChaosBringer. [Whisperinghive]