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Post by Kaeldra on Mar 20, 2022 22:20:43 GMT
Shellspots || Queen || 40 moons
Shellspots trotted into camp, a thrush between her jaws. She had woken early, before the rest of the Clan, and had decided to do some hunting on her own to clear her mind before the usual buzz of activity filled the camp. Though it was exhausting, working on rebuilding the camp and training nine apprentices while still trying to find other cats to recruit when they could find extra bits of time, she wouldn’t have it any other way. They were on their way to becoming a true Clan, and she was sure that any day now either she or Miku would have a sign appointing her as their leader chosen by StarClan.
Speaking of which…
Dropping the thrush on their small pile of fresh-kill by the apprentices’ den – that’ll be gone before sunhigh, she thought bemusedly – she turned and headed for the thick wall of sedge where Miku had chosen to store her herbs, wrapping reeds and stray willow branches around it. Shellspots poked her head inside, expecting to find the grey she-cat just waking up or perhaps sorting through her stores, but the air inside the den was still and empty.
“Miku?” Shellspots called softly, though there was nowhere the she-cat could be hiding. Perhaps, like Shellspots, she had gone out for an early morning walk? The silver tabby frowned, pulling herself back out of the tangle of reeds and casting a quick glance around the camp. Cats were beginning to mill about now, so maybe one of them had seen where Miku had gone.
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Post by Kaeldra on Jun 21, 2022 1:57:00 GMT
Shellspots || Queen || 40 moons
Seeing her son galumphing across the camp to meet her, Shellspots sighed. He must have woken up on the wrong side of his nest again. That seemed to be happening more lately. She supposed he was growing up, and adolescence was always a difficult time, especially with all the changes in his life in recent moons.
At his question, she realized he must be concerned by the worry rolling off her in waves, and felt a little squeeze of affection for him. He was still the sweet kit she adored. Though I have to control my emotions better, she thought. I can’t make my Clanmates worry needlessly.
“It’s Miku,” she said, forgoing a proper greeting. He didn’t seem in the mood for such things. “I haven’t seen her since last night. Do you know if she went out?” She was letting herself get too worked up, anyway. Surely Miku had just gone out to search for herbs, or stretch her legs without a gaggle of apprentices underpaw.
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Riley
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Post by Riley on Jun 29, 2022 5:37:49 GMT
It was a good thing Shellspots didn't try to greet him politely. Heronpaw would have taken it as patronizing or lying. As it was, he stared disbelievingly at his mother. "No. I didn't talk to her at all yesterday, actually. Maybe she just went out for herbs?" Anxiety caused his tail to swish, and a sense of foreboding settled into his gut.
Without another word he brushed past Shellspots and slipped into Miku's den. He gave a cursory glance around it, just to confirm Miku wasn't hiding from Shellspots. He wouldn't have blamed her. But no, she wasn't anywhere. Heronpaw frowned and padded over to Miku's nest, giving it a sniff. Her scent was stale, like she hadn't slept in it last night.
The foreboding growing stronger, Heronpaw directed his attention toward her herb storage. Maybe she'd noticed she was out of an herb and had gone out to get it? He scented around the herb storage, and even stuck his head into the storage itself. It took longer than he wanted it to for him to parse out Miku's scent from the herbs, but the trail was even more stale here.
It was like Miku hadn't stepped into her den in days. Heronpaw scowled down at the herbs, like it was their fault. Tension mixed with the anxiety already building, and Heronpaw was quick to leave the den and return to Shellspots's side. "Her scent is even fainter by the herbs, so she didn't just realize she was low on something and go out." he reported, glaring down at the ground. His tail was lashing still, whipping through the air, and he clawed at the ground for a way to release the feeling of SOMETHING growing in his chest.
Finally he glared back up at Shellspots, though for once the glare was more for the situation than the cat at the other end. "What do you want us to do?"
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Post by Kaeldra on Aug 10, 2022 5:11:19 GMT
Shellspots || Queen || 40 moons
Shellspots felt her belly turn when her son confirmed he hadn’t seen the medicine cat at all the previous day either. While he wasn’t the most sociable of the apprentices, he seemed to have a liking for the gentle grey she-cat and tended to take at least a few moments out of each day to speak to her.
“That’s what I noticed too. I was hoping my nose was tricking me,” she admitted. “I’m sure she’s fine, but I’ll breathe easier once we’ve found her.” The silver queen tried to keep her voice steady and confident for her kit’s sake, but inside she was fighting the panic growing in her chest. It was unlike Miku to be gone from camp for so long, and whether it was on purpose or due to something out of her control it didn’t bode well.
“We’ll have to send out search patrols,” she decided. She looked around the camp to see if Flare was up yet, but caught no sight of him. Instead, she called out to Spiderpaw as he took a long, stretching step out of the apprentice’s den.
“Spiderpaw! Go fetch Flare for me, tell him I need him here as soon as possible,” Shellspots called to him, catching the poor tom unaware. Recovering quickly, he nodded and took off in the direction of his older brother. Turning back to Heronpaw, she continued.
“Where do you remember seeing her last? We’ll search everywhere, but if we start there we might be able to pick up a scent trail.”
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Riley
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Post by Riley on Aug 10, 2022 6:12:08 GMT
Heronpaw couldn't tell if his mother was trying to reassure him or herself. Either way, he wouldn't burst her bubble. For once he wanted the reassurance. He wanted her to tell him everything would be alright, and he wanted to believe it. And, as he watched Shellspots order Spiderpaw to get Flare, he for once wanted the ginger tom to have all the answers.
Shellspots turned back to him and Heronpaw straightened, determination setting in. He didn't care who found Miku, just so long as she was found, and he'd do his part to help. "Last time I saw her was two days ago. I'd been escorting her to search for herbs by the waterfall. She..." he hesitated then, faltering and dropping his gaze. Quietly, almost too quiet to hear, he continued, "She sent me back. Said she appreciated the escort but she had it from there. If... If something happened to her, it would be my fault."
He swallowed audibly and raised both his voice and eyes, looking at Shellspots with wild, panicky eyes. "If something happened, it would be all my fault." He leaped to his paws and paced back and forth, never going far from Shellspots. His imagination was running wild in a way that he usually didn't allow it to. "She could have slipped and hit her head and drowned! She could have been attacked and dragged off by a fox or a dog or a heron-" and he would not think of the cruel irony of his namesake being the reason for his Clanmate's death he wouldn't wouldn't wouldn't- "-and it's my fault! She could have-"
- - -
Flare was so used to his baby siblings waking him up in the morning he almost rolled right back over and ignored Spiderpaw's summons. It was only hearing the increasingly loud voice of Heronpaw that made him sit up and shake off the moss from his nest.
He exited the den in a hurry and spotted the apprentice in question pacing in front of Shellspots, and Flare trotted toward the mother and son pair. "What's going on?" he asked, curious and concerned.
Only to blink at the EXTREMELY out of character wail from Heronpaw. "Miku's dead and it's all my fault!" And, admittedly, Flare froze. He gaped at the apprentice, gawked really, before looking back up at Shellspots for confirmation.
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Post by Kaeldra on Aug 16, 2022 0:40:37 GMT
Shellspots || Queen || 40 moons
Shellspots reacted instinctively as Heronpaw began pacing, stepping forward to stop him in his tracks and showering licks all over his face.
“Shh, it’s alright. It’s not your fault. There’s no proof that Miku is dead, and even if she was, there’s no way you could have known that would happen. You were doing the right thing by obeying orders.”
When Flare padded up quickly, ready to leap into action, and asked what was happening, that seemed to set off the young tom again and he wailed louder than Shellspots could remember him being in moons. She smoothed the fur on top of his head again before meeting Flare’s gaze and shaking her head solemnly.
“Miku’s not dead, she’s just missing. I’d like to send out a couple of search patrols. Heronpaw last saw her by the waterfall, looking for herbs. Could you organize some?” She was even more grateful to have the dependable orange tom to rely on now that it seemed Heronpaw needed some reassurance. She resumed her rhythmic grooming, moving to his shoulders and making the raised fur lie flat.
“Do you want me to stay here with you? Flare and the rest of the Clan can take care of finding Miku while you relax. We’ll find her, don’t worry.” She said this softly, hoping it would help him shake off the guilt, but she had a feeling he wouldn’t rest well until Miku was found.
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Riley
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Post by Riley on Sept 29, 2022 3:44:35 GMT
Heronpaw trembled and, for once, ducked his head into Shellspots’s comfort instead of away. It had been moons, a little over a season, since he’d accepted anything even close to affection from her. Thinking back, it might have been before she'd even given him his apprentice name. Over his head, he heard Shellspots talk to Flare, asking him to organize searching parties. The orange Tom agreed and went back to the warriors den, and Heronpaw felt Shellspots resume grooming him comfortingly. Heronpaw felt himself relax under the ministrations. His panic had almost totally receded when Shellspots asked if he wanted her to stay there. He considered it, genuinely gave it some thought, before firmly shaking his head. "I need to go with one of the patrols. If the scent is washed away by now they'll need me to find exactly where I last saw her."—----- Flare walked away from the mother and son pair, concern for the apprentice the only thing slowing his step. He knew the 'paw had his issues. Heronpaw had made his dislike of Flare quiet but poignant. Right now though Flare didn't see a belligerent young cat, he saw somebody who needed help. He knew Shellspots would handle it though. Right now Flare's concern was organizing search patrols to find his friend. Flare didn't fully enter the den, sticking only his head and shoulders through. Some of the warriors were already stirring, but Flare gave a wordless yowl anyway. The ones that had still been sleeping jolted awake while the drowsy cats turned their attention to him. "Miku is missing. I need everybody out here in a few minutes for search parties." he ordered. And with that tone of voice, there wasn't any other way it could be interpreted. It was an order. Kaeldra |
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Post by Kaeldra on Oct 2, 2022 22:31:52 GMT
Shellspots || Queen || 40 moons
Shellspots felt her heart constrict a little as Heronpaw ducked his head into her chest and allowed her to comfort him. She knew he was growing up, and it hurt to see him so distressed, but it was nice to feel like his mother again. He had been more and more distant from her in recent moons, and even though she was exceedingly pleased at the Clan she had managed to build, she missed the simple days when it was just the three of them. She had taken those early days with her kits for granted.
When her son shifted, insisting he go on one of the search patrols, she frowned. Would he be alright? What if he did find Miku, but something awful had happened to her? But ultimately, she knew he was right. He was their best chance at finding her if something had gone wrong, and it would help set his mind at ease if -- no, when, she told herself -- they found her. He wouldn’t have to sit in camp wringing his tail in worry.
“Alright. I’ll go with you, and we’ll see who else is able to join us.” Even if she was alright with him going out to search for Miku, she wasn’t ready to let him do it out of her sight.
She returned to softly grooming him while they waited for cats to respond to Flare’s call. Within heartbeats, she saw Jay and Noctus squeeze their way out of the warriors den, followed closely by Pandora. A few moments later Spiderpaw came skidding over from the apprentices’ den, along with a curious Bluepaw tailing after him.
“Everything will be alright,” she repeated quietly in Heronpaw’s ear.
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Riley
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Post by Riley on Nov 16, 2022 9:02:34 GMT
Shellspots didn't try to argue with him, and Heronpaw was equal parts glad and disappointed. He didn't want to stay back, but he also needed to get this ball of tension out somehow, and a fight would have been great. Even if it would have regretted it later. He watched the others gather after Flare's call alongside his mother, and her quiet reassurance in his ear made him give an equally quiet snort. "Don't make promises you can't keep." he meowed softly. Heronpaw finally leaned away from her and started padding toward where Flare was already dividing the others into patrols.
---
The cats that left the warriors den gave Flare hope. Jay had never let Flare down before, and Noctus was a good friend. Probably the closest thing to a best friend Flare had ever had. And while he didn't know Pandora very well, he knew she'd give the mission he had for her her all. Pawsteps from the side had him glancing to Spiderpaw and Bluepaw, with Melodypaw bringing up the rear, but that was all the acknowledgement he gave them. "I need three search patrols. Jay, Noctus, Spiderpaw. You three know the forest on the other side better than anybody here. Search around the other side for any signs. Of a fight, of somebody being dragged from the river. Just anything."
Noctus and Spiderpaw both nodded and turned away. Jay didn't. Jay stared at him, and Flare suddenly became very aware that he'd just issued his father an order. Jay, who had never followed anybody's orders in Flare's entire life. Jay, who had only joined the Clan for love of his family. Jay, who was… smiling?
Flare blinked, but it didn’t disappear. Jay was smiling. It was small, just a barely there curl of the lips, but it was a smile. Jay bowed his head, deeper than anything he’d ever given Shellspots, before turning to follow the other two toms out of camp. Flare found that he couldn’t move, eyes watching Jay’s back but his own mind swirling, thoughts half-formed and moving on.
The clearing of a throat had him jump. Pandora was watching him, but said nothing about it. Flare shook his head to clear it. He’d think more on that later. ”Pandora, I’m sorry to do this to you, but can you take Bluepaw and Melodypaw with you to search downstream? Same instructions. Look for anything that might give us a clue.” Pandora nodded seriously and dipped her head slightly before leaving herself, both apprentices trotting at her paws obediently.
Finally the last patrol. Flare turned toward where Heronpaw was approaching. ”I take it you’re patrolling too?” Heronpaw nodded, eyes already narrowed into a glare. ”Good. You and your mom are with me. We’re gonna search the area you last found her in.”
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Post by Kaeldra on Nov 19, 2022 17:57:01 GMT
Shellspots || Queen || 40 moons
Ah, there’s my son, Shellspots thought ruefully as Heronpaw seemed to shake off his distress, leaning away from her. She watched him pad off toward Flare where he was organizing patrols, losing herself in memories of him as a cheerful kit.
Jay, Noctus, and Spiderpaw made up one patrol, and Pandora, Bluepaw, and Melodypaw another. Shellspots nodded to herself; good choices. The two groups quickly headed out of camp, and then it was just the three of them again.
The silver she-cat hauled herself to her paws, suddenly bone-tired. But there was no time to waste. Every heartbeat they spent in camp was another heartbeat that Miku could be lost somewhere, needing their help. Shaking out her fur, she set her gaze determinedly. It felt a bit strange to defer to her son, still just 9 moons old, but he did know where the grey she-cat had last been seen.
“Lead the way.”
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Riley
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Post by Riley on Nov 26, 2022 8:58:43 GMT
Heronpaw glanced at Shellspots one last time before leading the way out of camp. He didn't even pause to wait for them once he got out, instead setting his paws upriver in the direction he'd left Miku. His ears twitched slightly at the sound of pawsteps following him, but he didn't stop or even acknowledge them in any way. If Flare or Shellspots wanted him to slow down, they'd speak up.
Luckily neither of them said a word, not to him and not to each other. With the lack of idle chatter, they got to the last place Heronpaw had seen Miku. If he listened hard, he could hear the roar of the gorge from where they were. Luckily they didn't have to go that far. The twoleg bridge was a little ahead. He could see it from where they stood, and he turned to look at the two older cats. "This is the last place I saw her. She said she needed to collect some coltsfoot by the bridge, but didn't want me to come. Just in case," and here he faltered again. "... Just in case there were twolegs around. She didn't want me hurt."
Once again the 'what if what if WHAT IF' tried to assail him. But this time he shook it off to look to Shellspots with a frown, ignoring Flare for the moment. "Orders, Shellspots? What should we do now?"
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Post by Kaeldra on Dec 1, 2022 2:58:46 GMT
Shellspots || Queen || 40 moons
The trip to the twoleg bridge was a quick one, the group travelling in tense silence. After Heronpaw explained his last meeting with her in a bit more detail, he turned to her and asked for further orders. A pang shook her heart as her son referred to her by name, sounding so grown-up and warrior-like. She was proud of the cat he was growing into, even if it hurt her to see him lose the wonder of kithood.
It also took her a moment to work through the fact that if something had happened to Miku, as was looking likely, she probably had the gentle medicine cat to thank for the fact that her son hadn’t disappeared along with her. What would she have done if both cats had suddenly gone missing? A twinge of guilt picked at her as she realized she probably would have noticed Miku’s absence sooner, if her son had also been missing for two sunrises, but she shook it off and tried to be the reliable leader they needed.
“Let’s check the scents by the bridge,” she decided, glancing upstream to where the water flowed quickly under the wooden supports. “It hasn’t rained in the last few days, so hopefully there should be some scent to follow. But be careful, both of you. Miku’s worries weren’t unfounded. We’ll have to keep an eye out for twolegs.”
Shellspots wondered if perhaps the medicine cat had been snatched up by their pink, hairless paws after all. Maybe if a twoleg happened upon the three of them searching for their lost Clanmate, they’d be able to glean some clues as to where she had been taken. Otherwise, Miku was probably lying injured somewhere, praying to StarClan that someone would come find her before it was too late.
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Riley
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Post by Riley on Jan 8, 2023 4:19:24 GMT
Both toms nodded at Shellspots' orders. Flare glanced at Heronpaw, who had started padding down toward the rocks, before glancing back at Shellspots. "I'll keep watch. If twolegs did pick Miku up, it was probably because she didn't have anybody watching out for her." Too late, he realized Heronpaw heard by the stiffening of his shoulders. "It wasn't your fault, Heronpaw. It wasn't Miku's either. When in doubt, always blame the twolegs. Half the time it's their fault anyway."
Mm, probably not the time for a joke, as proven by the scowl Heronpaw shot back at him. Flare didn't know what he was expecting anyway. Heronpaw had proven impervious to his attempts to lighten the mood. The young tom always seemed to be grumpy, and nothing Flare did ever cheered him up. If anything, Flare's jokes just made him grumpier.
- - -
Heronpaw watched Flare leave him and his mother, the ginger tom taking a spot beside the bridge with his ears strained upward. He turned back toward his search, scowl stayed firmly in place. Flare was an idiot who thought too much of himself. He thought he was so charismatic, so StarClan-be-damned charming. It made Heronpaw sick. His jokes were never funny, and not everybody appreciated his trying to lighten the mood. Though sometimes it felt like Heronpaw was the ONLY one to not appreciate it.
He grumbled wordlessly as he went back to his search, keeping eyes and ears and nose open. A flicker of movement caught his eye, and more out of curiosity than forethought, Heronpaw approached. And once he identified what it was, he went cold. "Shellspots." he croaked out.
It was a tuft of fur, caught on a branch. But that branch was in the middle of the river, and rather low to the water. And right below that was a rock. Heronpaw was almost afraid to ask but, "Is. Is that Miku's fur, out on the branch? Why would she be on the branch? Did. Did she fall?" He had no idea how much experience Miku had climbing. Or swimming. But if she'd fallen or hit something on that rock...
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Post by Kaeldra on Jan 17, 2023 6:29:29 GMT
Shellspots || Queen || 40 moons
Shellspots nodded gratefully to Flare as he took up his spot by the bridge, alert for any sign of twolegs. With him keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings, she and Heronpaw were free to focus all their attention on finding Miku. She padded ahead, catching up to her son and taking a slightly different path to cover more ground.
The tabby was inspecting a thorny bush when Heronpaw gave a choked call of her name. Immediately, her head swivelled in his direction, and she saw him standing frozen on the bank, staring out into the river.
On the other side of the river, a low branch extended out over the rushing water, a slippery-looking rock right below it. Shellspots’ eyes zeroed in on the tuft Heronpaw had mentioned, and she had a sinking suspicion he was right.
Worried Heronpaw would take it upon himself to go check, Shellspots hurried forward. While she knew her son was a strong swimmer, the waters here were faster than those closer to the camp, hurried along by the falls just beyond the bridge. She didn’t want to imagine him getting swept away too.
“Wait here,” she murmured, brushing her tail gently across his shoulder as she passed.
Before he had a chance to protest, she slipped into the water and churned her paws powerfully as she made her way to the tiny island that might just hold the secret to Miku’s fate.
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