Open to Join From the Ashes

Even the smallest pebble can make ripples that change the course of the stream.

∙∙• ☾ •∙∙

Greypebbles limped in beside Leopardrose, the adrenaline wearing off on him making him truly feel the wounds on both his face and shoulder all the more. But h had found Leopardrose, he knew that she wasn't dead and he was right. Nothing could kill his best friend if he was there to make sure of it. 

"They all thought you had died." Greypebbles stated, his voice a croaky rasp through the strain of keeping all four paws on the ground for Leopardrose if she were to so need it. "I knew better than to believe you would just die, you're Leopardrose after all. Leopard is right there in the name." He encouraged her, taking silent note of her leg injury. He noticed Tigerrush had given him a look for reporting to her the injuries of Oaktall, he decided then that identifying wounds and severity was their job. 

Weak-leggedly, Greypebbles shuffled closer to Leopardrose as she hobbled quicker and closer to the twoleg trees. "That's where we camped. The rest of ThunderClan are in there." He added to her as he twitched his nose for the familiar scents, just in case.

Spawn of flame, Thunder-struck, from the ashes I rise
──●◎●──

Leopardrose's ears snapped toward the familiar voice as she recognized a cat she'd known all her life. "Greypebbles."> The relief that washed over her was a balm, almost enough for her to forget the pain. She took another step toward him, only for her injured hind leg to buckle slightly beneath her. A sharp hiss escaped her before she could stop it.

She shot him an irritated look, although it was anger and frustration directed at the whole day verses anger at him. "Don't rush me..." Her eyes softened as she looked him over properly. He was hurt too, but he had gone out to look for her - believed that the river didn't take her. She wished she had found the others on the way.

Leopardrose leaned briefly against his side, careful not to put too much weight on either of them. Her nose brushed against his neck affectionately. "You have no idea how hard I had to fight to get here. I passed rogues that had taken over Camp...Tell me everyone else is okay."

Even the smallest pebble can make ripples that change the course of the stream.

∙∙• ☾ •∙∙

Greypebbles let out a sigh, not letting himself lean on the clearly more unbalanced Leopardrose. "Right, sorry." He stated with a soft sigh. His ears lowered but he didn't have the strength to be upset in that moment, he was just so exhausted and didn't have it in him to feel upset by a comment that Leopardrose made, so he did as she said, not rushing her for even a pawprint.

His grey ars flattened further when the mention of their clanmates came into play... "I fought a battle with Wrentalon, Moosestar, Brindlespice and Shadefrost at the Sandy Hollow, with the rogues..." he began, his short tail hanging heavier than normal. "Only me and Wrentalon left to join the battle at the stream clearing, the rest... have joined StarClan" he spoke, the exhaustion in his voice.

The battles that day being put aside for the moment, he was still not able to find sight of Smallbird, not since he woke up that morning, expecting she had gone hunting or something or the other. But... she was not there as the day was ending. It hurt him deeply... and he worried that she had been lost... or taken... or worse!

With all this on his mind, he simply lowered his head, he needed to rest his paws, but most of all, he needed to make sure at least Leopardrose would be okay.

Spawn of flame, Thunder-struck, from the ashes I rise
──●◎●──

So many names... Leopardrose went still, momentarily stopped of speech. Then she lowered her head. "StarClan..." She breathed. She had spent so long fighting the river and finding her way back that she didn't imagine so many being lost.

Leopardrose pressed herself a little closer to Greypebble. Her own body ached terribly, but his exhaustion was just as obvious. "I'm sorry...I wish I could have done more... but at least we have one another." Her eyes drifted towards came as she slowly made her way through the long shadow of the tall trees there.

"And those rogues took our home too." She shook her head, wincing. "We need to find Tigerrush - StarClan, even Robinpaw would do." When she finally slipped through their makeshift camp she realized it was barely shelter. Tough roots to outline 'dens' and the high branches above offered the slightest of protection from the elements. The winds still rolled thorugh though.

Even the smallest pebble can make ripples that change the course of the stream.

∙∙• ☾ •∙∙

Greypebbles accepted Leopardrose's lean in full nuzzling his head into the nape of Leopardrose's neck. "Always." He whispered, exhausted, and... mostly coherent, but in all honesty, he truly just wanted to ensure that Leopardrose was treated before leaving to find a den to rest in. To him, Leopardrose was the priority.

For a moment, his eyes softened into a half-sleep, but he forced them open to continue his way. "Y'know, I could have accepted you were dead... but... I didn't" he mrrped sleepily, voice dragging now. Not from pain, but from the massive day that he had, he hardly had the strength to worry about the things he would normally overthink and drive himself into a panic over. It didn't take a medicine cat to know that the grey tom would need sleep. But he kept his eyes open, for his best friend. "I knew... knew you were alive... even if nobody else did..." A brief yawn, then another murmur of tired delirium. "I'd always look for you."

But they did make the makeshift camp, giving Greypebbles the opportunity to drearily lift his head in search for Robinpaw or Tigerrush, hopefully.

Don’t compromise yourself - you’re all you have.

✦･ﾟ:* ☆ *:･ﾟ✦

Robinpaw had been restless since they had gotten to the new camp for the most part. Oaktall had stated so many losses... so many that she wasn't close enough to help. Slaughtered like prey... worse than that. Even prey was treated with dignity. 

However, the restless lay proved to be more helpful than she had hoped as she heard two sets of pawsteps pad through, tired and heavy from the travel, but two sets non-the-less. Two when there would have been one. One of their deceased clanmates lived! Robinpaw's head shot up to look at the approaching cats.

Greypebbles and... "Leopardrose!" Stars above the dappled she-cat was in poor condition... Robinpaw dashed over with swift, practiced pawsteps as her name was mentioned, as if on que with the dappled warrior. She remembered what Tigerrush said earlier that day, to make sure that the cat could even make it to the medicine den before taking them their. She gave a focused narrow of her eyes.

"You've walked far enough right now Leopardrose. I need you to rest while I check you." She meowed, regarding Greypebbles with a nod as she noticed his dressed shoulder wound and his muzzle dressing, blood soaked and needing to be changed, but Leopardrose needed her attention until Tigerrush were to wake up.