Skypaw nodded and sighed softly. her ears drooping slightly before she forced her sadness away and forced herself to look on the bright-side, things weren't as bad as they could be. "Well, I better go see if I can find any herbs." She said, climbing to her feet.

(what kind of area are they in?)

(Moor)
Leapstep smiled.
"May I help? It's put my mind at rest having a job that isn't borders or hunting..."

Skypaw nodded. "That would be a big help, thank you." She said as she padded down a small hill, scenting the air. "I checked the stores and we're out of daisy leaves. And dock leaves. And since we're on a moor I better see if I can find any Goldenrod while I'm at it." She said, mostly to herself.

Cookiekiwi24 said
(Note: all elders are dead, you could say she was off to collect herbs/eat etc.)Sparrowstar nodded, and turned to Puddleheart."I'm worried that the clan will disband" she said quietly, flicking her tail towards the moors. "Walk and talk?"

Puddleheart mewed to herself as her apprentice walked off, "Always, my friend" Puddleheart answered, turning to her leader as she began to pad next to Sparrowstar, looking at the leader as she did "Care to go into more detail, friend" Puddleheart asked meekly before attempting to give advice.

Leapstep smiled
"I know what Dock looks like" he said helpfully. "but uh... I may need help identifying other plants. poison would be bad."

Sparowstar sighed, and dipped her head
"Our clan is slowly dying. we lost the last kit over two moons ago, and almost all the elders died back at the forest- we lost 3 good warriors in the snow, and we're not getting any stronger." she paused. "Would it be best if I let them become loners? it would certainly be healthier for them, I believe."

Puddleheart was quiet for a time, allowing her Leader to finish her thoughts and feelings, dipping her head as she did, then all was quiet as she thought carefully on how to respond, before ultimately saying
"I will ask Starclan for guidance on this, but If I may be so bold as to offer my own advice, perhaps that is what would be healthier for them, perhaps that is even the best choice, but is it the right one? That's something you must decide for yourself, for ultimately you are the one who must live with the decision, but I can say this, our clan believes in you Sparrowstar, the kit that died over two moons ago, you were her biggest hero. The three warriors we lost to the snow? Luckyear, Barkfur, and Rainsoul all believed in you, they believed in what you are doing, and what you will do in the future. the elders believed in you, I believe you, hell, I was just thinking about how this experience will be good for Skypaw, teaching her how to take care of herself and the clan. I guess what I'm saying is that the clan believes in you, and whatever decision you come to the clan will stand by it." Puddleheart finished her speech and looked at Sparrowstar, hoping she hadn't overstepped her bounds.

Sparrowstar took all this in silence.
"Thank-you puddleheart. The clan will leave tomorrow morning if they can." she decided. "Butbinwont hold it against anyone that wishes to stay" she added, thinking about her medicine cats words "But I don't think we should go forwards anymore. It all seems flat and remember when we bumped into that stray? He said all there was out that direction was a giant salty lake. I think we should head for those mountains over there." she said, flicking her tail, almost thinking out loud.

Puddleheart mewed her reply to Sparrowstar's words "That sounds like a wise course of action" she said shortly, letting her leader get all of her thoughts out before she responded with "Those sound like wise courses of action. What are you planning on doing about the food shortage?"

Sparrowstar paused, before sighing.
"I honestly have no clue. Hopefully there's prey that way. Do you have enough strengthening herbs for the younger ones?" She asked. "If not, get some warriors to go out and search with you. inform them that any prey they scent, they are ordered to hunt it if they can."

Puddleheart purred with laughter "Alright, and I think I should have enough, if not, I think I saw that apprentice of mine getting herbs earlier, but thank you" Puddleheart turned to Sparrowstar and asked "Are YOU doing alright? sleeping well?"

Sparrowstar nodded. "I am well enough... feather went down the wrong way, darn birds, but I coughed it back up. Sleep? More than a sleepless cat.. less than a kittypet." She said, looking guilty.

"Uh-huh" Puddleheart said, in a tone that conveyed both sass and worry, and then raised an eyebrow at her leader, saying nothing, but mentally making a note to 'forget' some sleeping herbs by Sparrowstars den later that night.

Sparrowstar looked around.
"How about you, Puddleheart? What's been happening with you? Anything from starclan?" she said, changing the subject

Puddleheart saw that Sparrowstar was changing the subject but let it happen. "Well......the short answer is no....actually so is the long answer" Puddleheart giggled, trying to play it off with humor, but honestly that had been worrying her, perhaps it was that the clan was doing as should be done, Starclan had a tendency to come only when something really bad was about to happen, or perhaps it was that in this land there were different bodies that ruled over cats, regardless, Puddleheart was worried.

Sparrowstar nodded.
"I haven't either. What if.." she sighed. "what if starclan isn't there, and our clan members that are gone... what if they have nothing to go to afterwards?"

"Have faith" Puddleheart recited her motto like it was a mantra, attempting to put emphasis and courage behind it to fool even herself, but she was worried, for she had had the same thoughts at an increasing rate lately.

Sparrowstar nodded.
"Thank-you, Puddleheart. If you need anything, I'll be hunting over that way." She said, flicking her tail east.

"Anytime, Sparrowstar" Puddleheart said, mocking the formal tone of her old friend as she padded off for her cave

Sparrowstar sighed as she crept on. She found a nest of mice, all scrawny, but hunted them anyway.

Emberdust sighed. She had been poking around their new (hopefully temporary) territory. It was difficult to find any good prey around here. If they weren't too fast, then they were too lean to even bother. She had managed to catch a pretty decently sized rabbit, but that had only been because she had been lucky enough to find it resting among the shade of the few, sparse bushes. She started towards camp, her jaws clamped around the neck of the rabbit as she dragged it back. Through the scent of rabbit, she caught whiff of her clanmate's smell nearby. She set the rabbit down gently and lifted her head up, tasting the air carefully. Sparrowstar? What was the clan leader doing out? Picking up the rabbit again, she started towards them.