WindClan Camp

The soft murmur of the heather against the wind is what eased the she-wolf back into reality. At first, Larkstar felt strange, as if something was out of place. With still closed eyelids, she shifted slightly, not recognizing her surroundings. Then her bleary amber eyes opened, and she blinked with slight confusing before raising her head and sighing. No wonder she felt strange, she was in the leader's den, away from what had originally been her usual sleeping place.
Although Larkstar had been leader for almost a moon, the strange coolness and softness of the small cave still felt foreign to her, as she were somehow out of place. "I certainly feel so out of place. It's so strange being here." The fay then lifted herself off her mossy nest, yawning and stretching her three good legs before shaking her fur slightly. She was about to step out of the den and into the clearing, when she realized her fur was still quite messy from sleep. "I probably should try to look more presentable." A small bubble of anxiety had already been on her mind for a while now. She was leader of Windclan, and completely responsible for her clanmates' lives. This was not a responsibility that the she-wolf planned to take lightly. Sighing, Larkstar then padded down her fur with her tongue, wondering with uncertainty what the day would bring.
It had been a while since Sunblaze had disappeared. At first, the suspicious wolves in Windclan thought it may have something to do with Sunclan, but after it was discovered that a rogue had killed Snowstar, the charges against their neighbors were dropped. Larkstar had felt some guilt and regret that they had blamed the clan, but life had to move on and one couldn't dwell about their mistakes for too long.
Now feeling content with her appearance, Larkstar brought herself to the entrance of her den, blinking the last bit of sleep from her eyes. She gazed around the camp, her nostrils flaring as she took in the scents of her clanmates. It was late green-leaf and prey was quite bountiful, so the fresh-kill pile lay full of tasty morsels. Larkstar watched some of the camp's activities, briefly considering the day ahead of her.

With the dappled sunlight spilling through the warrior's den and the soothing swish of the grass be ruffled out in the moor, it was a wonder Lilysong ever found the strength to haul herself from her peaceful slumber. Stretching mightily and staggering to her feet, the pale coated warrior tamed her ruffled fur before emerging into the morning light.
She loved her home, and the other wolves in it. Even when the eldest of the bunch decided to whine and lecture Larkstar first thing in the morning. Maybe I should go and check that Hobeybadger isn't ripping her head off, Lilysong mumbled as she padded over to the bickering bunch. Well, one could hardly call it an argument - Honeybadger was doing all of the talking. Flashing a kind smile at her company Lilysong inquired as to the source of Honeybadger's irritability on this particular morning, "Good morning, Honeybadger, Larkstar. Is everything alright?" The question was light and non-accusational, but she had a feeling that Honeybadger would have a fiery response lined up either way.

Larkstar noticed the clan elder approaching her and bowed her head politely. "Good morning Honey-" The fay's words were not-so-politely interrupted however by the old wolf's cantankerous sounding words. Lark felt some pressure building in her, but tried to push the feeling away. "Get used to it. Pressure's your life now. And Honeybadger is only trying to help- I guess." The fay started to bow her head liked a scolded apprentice, before realizing that she was a leader and better off not to get worked up or dismayed about such criticism. Honeybadger continued rant and Larkstar pushed her ears back in slight annoyance, but did not interrupt the old she-wolf's words until after she was done speaking. She then sighed, "Don't worry about the patrols, I'll get that sorted out. I'll ask-" A sweeter sounding voice interrupted her train of thought, and Lark looked over to see Lilysong padding up. "Good morning Lilysong. Everything's fine, Honeybadger and I were just discussing about the hunting and boarder patrols." "Discussing? More like being chewed out." Larkstar eyes quickly surveyed the camp before she continued. "Could you take a hunting patrol out  maybe?" Lark internally flinched at her own words. "Stop sounding so meek, you're supposed to give orders." "Take Wrenclaw and Silverfern with you." She continued, trying to sound more with more authority.
(Silverfern's already in the clan right?)

Lilysong could see Larkstar's discomfort under Honeybadger's gaze and shot a sympathetic smile at her new leader. She could only imagine the crushing pressure that one might feel after being thrown into her position, and Lilysong admired Larkstar's ability to maintain her composure, especially when under such severe scrutiny from a member of her own Clan. Honeybadger was known to have a tendency to, well, badger people, but Lilysong knew she only wanted what was best for the Clan, and was glad that Larkstar seemed to recognise that as well. She was confident that Larkstar would make a fitting leader for WindClan. Despite the she-wolf not having been deputy for long before Sunblaze's disappearance, Lilysong trusted Larkstar and knew her character well enough to hold her fellow warrior in high esteem.
The female's ears perked up when the leader addressed her directly and she responded with a single nod of compliance. "Gladly" she responded simply, happy to have been assigned something productive to do. The camp lacked the playful tussling and rowdiness of pups that she loved so much, but she was glad to have such nice fellow warriors to spend her days with. She had made many genuine friends here, and she was pleased to be assigned such a lovely bunch to perform her hunting duties with. Flicking her head from side to side she scanned the camp in search of Wrenclaw and Silverfern, eager to feel the wind of the moors in her fur and fulfil the deeds of the day. It didn't appear that many others had yet emerged from their respective dens, although she was confident that it wouldn't be long before she found those she was looking for.

The brute sat on the edge of the camp, gnawing on the bones of a rabbit. His expression was as one who was deep in thought, but this was not unlike the large male. He was always thinking, the gears of his mind always turning. He glanced upwards, watching his sister appear from Sunstar's- wait no, Larkstar's den. It was strange, even bizarre, to think that his sister would be leading the clan. Almost like a dream. "She seems quite less confident now. But she wasn't deputy for very long." Wrenclaw could imagine the stresses that being leader would have on a wolf, especially a young one. He did his best to support her though, and had gone to great lengths to accomplish that.
"And Weedfang..." The thought of his former lover saddened him, and he felt an ache come into his chest. There wasn't a day that went by where he didn't think about her and wondered what she was doing. Was she happy? Had she found another wolf yet? "Does she still think about me?" It had been over a moon since he had stopped seeing her. Lark had made him.
The words of his sister still stung like wasps, as he recalled what she had said when she had found out. "How could you?! Does the Warrior code mean nothing to you at all? And with a wolf from SUNclan?!" She had snarled, her fur fluffing out in anger. There was really nothing the male could say. He had broken the rules, and deserved any punishment or retaliation he got. He knew that if Sunclan got word of it, Weedfang would get in trouble, and that was the last thing he wanted to happen. So, he stopped. He stopped going to meet the wolf of his dreams as he had been every night. Weed was devastated of course, but there was nothing either of them could do. Weed couldn't come over here, and Wren couldn't go over there. Their last meeting was still fresh on the brute's mind, and he dwelled on it a bit while he gnawed on his bone, relishing the memory even though it tortured him. Funny how that worked.
At hearing his name, Wrenclaw snapped to attention, watching as his sister spoke with Lilysong and Honeybadger. Discarding the rabbit remains on the side, he stretched and rose to his paws, making his way over to the three she-wolves. "A hunting patrol eh?" He woofed, shaking his fur out so that it appeared fluffed. "Sure." He turned his head and waited for Silverfern to show. It was strange to him that the former Sunclan wolf had been allowed into the clan, but things had cooled off some since they had discovered that Snowstar had been murdered by a rogue, not the mountain clan. Not that Lark would let him continue his relationship with a certain Sunclan wolf anyways.

He'd been sat against the walls of the camp for some time, basking in the early morning sun and the last lingering moments of stillness from the night. Thornfur's eyes remained closed as he drank in the peace and quite, relishing the solidarity of the secluded spot he often occupied in the early hours of the morning. The day was always full of work and the nights came with a biting chill, but those few hours in between before the sun woke the world... that was when Thornfur truly found peace. He felt almost guilty for indulging in such an activity - working hard for his Clan was what he was born to do, he shouldn't enjoying hiding from any of it, but he couldn't resist. Those precious moments where he let his mind wander and he untethered his feelings from their usual cycle surrounding his duties and responsibilities... that was when he felt most content with life. He couldn't give up on these moments of escape. Performing his duties kept his mind and body healthy, but this reflection allowed him to maintain balance in his soul.
Of course, as it did every day, the silence was soon shattered and Thornfur was forced to collect his scattered thoughts. Opening his warm, brown eyes, Thornfur stretched his muzzle in a mighty yawn as he watched Honeybadger dig into her first victim of the day. He watched as his sister, Lilysong, approached the pair and attempt to diffuse the situation, but Thornfur felt no urgency to interfere. Larkstar was a capable warrior - she could deal with Honeybadger herself.
Rising to his paws the large male padded over to the fresh kill pile to select his breakfast. The mound looked a little small for his liking, but by the sounds of it, a hunting patrol would be making its way out soon. Good, Thornfur thought privately, settling down in the shade of the camp wall to enjoy his meal. He would happily join a border patrol if Larkstar felt the need to assemble one, but first of all, he wanted to eat his meal in peace.

Larkstar sighed in some relief as Honeybadger padded away. Her brother then stalked up, and Lark gave him a nod and a small smile. Silverfern then appeared, and the leader dipped her head. "Good morning, Silverfern." She then nodded to the two clanmates next to her. "You, Wrenclaw, and Lilyfern can take a hunting patrol out to the moor." She said, trying her best to appear more dignified. The she-wolf then waited for the three wolves to walk away, before noticing Thornfur sitting on the side of the camp, eating some breakfast. She took a few steps towards him, then woofed, " And Thornfur..er, after you finish, Me, you and..." Her eyes briefly surveyed camp, until resting on another warrior. "Embershard," she remarked, continuing. "-can do a boarder patrol." She finished, waiting to see what the other warriors would reply.

Lilysong heard the clatter of a bone sounding from the edge of the camp and spotted Wrenclaw making his way over to the group. The male had fluffed out his fur and seemed eager to get on the move, much like Lilysong. She had chosen to forego breakfast in the hope that she would catch an extra tasty morsel to bring back to the camp.
Lilysong continued to search the camp for Silverfern, but found her eyes settling on the hunched form of her brother who lingered on the outskirts, gnawing on the last parts of a now unrecognisable hare. She and her brother had always been close, but certain differences in their personality had begun to force them apart after they became warriors, and he seemed especially analytical of her actions of late. It was nothing out of order or particularly out of character, but she could tell something was on his mind. She suspected it was something to do with her newfound fondness of their new Clan mate, Silverfern, who had previously been a part of SunClan. She'd never asked him outrightly, but only because she wasn't sure of her own conclusion - maybe she was reading too much into his behaviour. He's never been the most social character, so why should she expect him to act any differently now?
Lilysong had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't notice Honeybadger's departure, but the patter of approaching paws drew her attention back to the group. It would appear that she would not need to look for Silverfern - she had found them.
A smile dawned on her face as she clocked the peculiar pelted female's confused expression, but Larkstar beat her to the explanation. "How does the prairie sound to you both?" Lilysong suggested. The prairie, whilst empty except for a few sparely dotted trees, provided a ocean of thick grass in which hares and other small rodents were plentiful. As long as you weren't looking for a scenic area, the prairie should fit the bill.

Kaispirit yawned as he made his way out of the nest next to Lilacsplash, out of the warriors den. He stretched and watched as hunting and border patrols were being organized. He walked over to the fresh kill pile and chose a small scrawny rabbit. Sitting down in a shady spot he began to eat

It's funny how thoughts move quicker than reality. One second he was consumed with his absentminded ponderings, the next his vision was filled with Larkstar, an expectant look on her young face. A startled grunt escape his mouth as he rose respectfully to his feet, listening intently to Larkstar's commands. He had wondered if she was going to order a morning patrol and he was grateful that she had requested that he be part of the party. Including herself in their numbers was also a nice touch; he was glad to see that she intended to integrate herself into the regular duties of the Clan, rather than sit on her high horse and hold back as some leaders felt the need to do. That being said, she seemed a little flustered which irked Thornfur somewhat - organising a patrol was hardly a monumental task. If she struggled to do such a menial thing, how could she be expected to make the harder decisions? But Thornfur made no comment, reminding himself that she'd had very little experience before being thrown into her position. She had been a good warrior and he trusted that with time she would became a great leader. Until then, she would just need the support of her Clan, and patrols were a good place to start. "I'd be happy to accompany you", he barked in reply, his voice gravely and low. "Is there any border in particular you'd like to patrol? None have been particularly active of late." Quiet borders could sometimes be just as troublesome as hostile ones, but the Clans seemed to be relatively peaceful since the separation of StormClan, much to the male's surprise. He's never hoped for a fight, but with a leader as twitchy and cold as the new ShadowClan leader, he was surprised the lack of tension that existed between the newly reformed RiverClan and ShadowClan.
His eyes darted around the camp in search of Embershard, but the brunt of his attention remained focused on Larkstar as he awaited her response.

Wrenclaw watched as Silverfern padded up and his sister explained to the she-wolf about going hunting. Lilysong then asked them if they wanted to go hunting on the prairie. "Well, there's practically nowhere else for hunting," he thought, but didn't voice. The brute had a nature of being critical in thought, but he was not one to go about expressing it. There were enough cranky wolves loitering about without Wrenclaw adding his own voice into the fray. Instead, he just shrugged. "Yeah, sure," he replied rather impassively. He waited for Silverfern to reply before padding his way to the camp's entrance. He stopped briefly to glance at his companions and then turned and loped his way out of camp, the breeze tugging at his fur.
~Windswept Prairie~

Having come back rather early that morning from his dawn wanderings, the older grey had found a spot that would get the warm early morning sun. Dozing there, he flicked an ear and opened his eyes at the voices, listening to the old matriarch voicing her opinion. He didn't exactly disagree with her, but it was a bit early to be scolding someone. Barely bothering to move, he yawned and settled back to his dozing, tucking his tail closer to him back legs absently. With no pups around, the camp was blissfully quiet, and he was half hoping that it would stay like that for a while. Pups were so annoyingly irritating. He didn't have to worry about them poking their nosy paws and noses into everything if there weren't any pups around. And now that he'd found a place to settle, he could finally stock up on the herbs that he liked using, and keep them all in a safe place. He'd spent the early morning out looking for more, and doing some thinking of his own. It was nice wandering with the sun coming up, and the peace and quiet around him.

Lilysong acknowledged both Wrenclaw and Silverfern's agreement with a simple nod before she turned on her heel and made for the exit, lingering slightly as she waited for Silverfern to finish talking to Larkstar. She couldn't help a small inward smile as she watched how comfortably the funky SunClan wolf seemed to be settling into her new Clan. The pale pelted female hoped beyond hope that she genuinely was happy here and that she wasn't just putting on a show, but she had every intention of making her as happy here as possible. She wasn't exactly sure why she felt so strongly about this; she had always been a kind natured character, but even she could tell that this was slightly different.
Either way, they had a job to do right now. She could lay about and ponder about such things later. As it was right now, the Clan needed feeding.
~Windswept prairie~

Larkstar listened as Thornfur complied, then commented on the inactivity of the other clans. "Yeah, thankfully." The last thing Lark wanted was a battle, nonetheless, she didn't want to make it seem as if she were afraid of one. "Still, better to be safe then sorry. Maybe the Sunclan border first and then the Riverclan border." Her ears flickered when she spoke, and the fae wondered what the other clans could be up to. "There's a chance Sunclan could still be hostile from when we had a border skirmish a while back. Though I think Riverstar is agreeable enough." After discovering that Snowstar had been murdered by a rogue and not Sunclan, Windclan had to make some serious apologies. Larkstar herself had felt very embarrassed, since she had been one of the main advocates for a battle herself. After that incident, she had turned a little more insecure on her actions, which was an undesirable trait for a leader. The feelings would eventually pass.
Larkstar turned her head as Silverfern passed, giving her a thoughtful remark. The gesture was kind, and the she-wolf appreciated it, but it only served to make Lark even more apprehensive. "Does everyone think I'm such a shaky character? That's not how a leader should act!" The hunting patrol left camp, and Lark turned back to Thornfur. "Wake Embershard up, and then we'll head out." She tried to make her voice sound with a little more authority, hoping maybe it would instill in her clanmates more confidence in themselves.