Stonefall: WillowClan Camp
Stonefall padded towards the Nursery, ears flicking behind him to be sure that he heard the three strangers following, grateful to see Spidernose approaching the Warrior’s den to stay with Moosepaw and Honeypaw. Duskwing was watching the camp entrance and all felt, for a moment, like it would be calm until Fernstar and Blackpelt returned.
But then he heard Duskwing yelp behind him and he whirled, claws out, hackles instantly raised only to see Maplestream pelting towards him, her eyes frantic. He glanced at the three strangers, his mind trying to catch up with even more information being thrown at him. For a brief moment, he wanted to sink into the feelings of anxiety that were coursing through him. But he didn’t have time for that. This was his Clan, his
home, and he was charged with their safety.
So he would protect them.
“Duskwing,” he meowed, straightening up a little, not letting Maplestream answer Duskwing’s questions.
“Please escort our guests to the Nursery and guard them there. Maplestream and I are going to talk.” He knew that Duskwing was, once again, trying to help but it felt like she was trying to step into the role of Deputy in place of him. He knew that she’d been a Warrior longer, knew that she’d been a member of WillowClan longer than him, and was starting to worry she had doubts about Stonefall’s abilities.
Which didn’t help his own doubts at all.
So he gazed at Duskwing until she nodded and then turned to Maplestream, padding across to the other side of camp, away from the prying ears of the strangers.
“First of all, Maplestream -- it was wrong of you to sneak out like that without telling me, and there will have to be some kind of discipline,” he meowed. His tail flicked a little in agitation as he sat his big body down, positioning himself so he could keep an eye on the camp while listening to her, his gaze lingering for a moment on the Warrior’s Den, where Spidernose and the two apprentices were tucked away.
“But we have more important things to deal with right now, so tell me -- what’s going on?” Honeypaw: WillowClan Camp
Honeypaw had woken, feeling a little groggy, to Moosepaw’s nudging. But before she could really understand why he was waking her, Spidernose was entering the Warrior’s den, talking softly to reassure the two apprentices. Honeypaw’s nerves instantly sparked, her small tail shooting straight up as she practically sprinted to crouch in between Spidernose and Moosepaw, looking up at her mentor with wide, unblinking eyes, feeling comforted by the two bigger cats’ bodies.
“Why are you watching us? What’s going on?” She glanced up at Moosepaw, wondering if her fellow apprentice was as worried as she was. Probably not, though. He was big and practically a Warrior already, while she was...small. And definitely not even close to a Warrior, much to her frustration. She wanted to lean into his warmth but wasn’t sure if it would be welcome, so kept herself tucked closer to Spidernose, just glancing up at him a little anxiously as she waited for her mentor to answer.