Run Away Bravely (Stormwind)

“That was different!” Cinderheart protested. “We always had a chance then, no matter how slim it might have been!”

“Starclan has never intervened heavily in our affairs before, and we’ve survived even when things seem impossible. Remember the stories about bloodclan? About leaving the forest territories for the lake?”

“This is different!” Cinderheart exclaimed, obviously feeling very passionately about the subject. “Multiple cats are dying practically every moon! If this keeps up, it’s likely we’ll be wiped out and our way of life will be extinct, and they’re just sitting there!”

“They’ve never worked like that in the past,” Breezepelt huffed, making a point despite clearly not liking the lack of communication from Starclan either.

(Yep!)

Cinderheart grimaced. “But why won’t they talk to us?” She asked plaintively. “They should be helping us try and stop it!”

(Edit 7/8: Remember way back at the Moonpool visit that Willowshine (you) got a prophecy, and that Flamepaw (me) was very cagey and deflective about what he saw? We need to expand on that.)

Breezepelt furrowed his brow. “...To be honest, I don’t think Starclan, or anything we did, is what caused this. It seems to me like it must have been beyond the control of even our ancestors.”

“I hate that the kits and most of the apprentices don’t know anything but this,” Cinderheart said fiercely. “What did we do so wrong to deserve this?”

Purring, Breezepelt lifted his head and looked into Cinderheart’s eyes, quickly mewling “no problem” and shooting her a smile.

“Thank you,” Cinderheart eventually murmured, grateful for the comfort.

(Yep! I was just implying Cinderheart has shared stories about Honeyfern before she died with him in all the meetings that she and Breezepelt have been having.)

Breezepelt purred quietly, the former Windclan tom snuggling up with his best friend as she pressed closer to him.

(Breezepelt had been with her when she found Honeyfern dead, actually.)

Cinderheart gratefully accepted the comfort, snuggling into his side.

Breezepelt nodded. Cinderheart had told him this story before. He tried to comfort her further, pushing his nose into her cheek and rubbing it in.

“Honeyfern,” Cinderheart whispered mournfully, remembering her beautiful sister who had died before her kits had left the nursery.

Breezepelt contemplated things for a moment before leaning over and giving Cinderheart’s cheek a reassuring lick. “Thinking about anybody in particular?”

(Cinderheart is actually two moons older than Breezepelt lol. They would have been made warriors around the same time, though.)

Cinderheart closed her eyes briefly in pain, remembering all the cats that had died since the arrival of the infected. She even mourned for those who had not been ThunderClan.

Breezepelt nodded quickly. “It’s not as if I was a seasoned warrior then, either. And even though I’m not too much older now... I feel like an elder every waking moment.” The tom sighed softly, searching the stars for his Windclan ancestors.

Cinderheart took a deep, shuddering breath. "It's been nine and a half moons since the infected came," she whispered. "I'm starting to forgot how it used to be; I was just a new warrior then."

Breezepelt nodded as Cinderheart spoke, barely able to suppress a quiet purr as the she-cat snuggled up with him. The tom pressed back into Cinderheart, making sure they stayed touching as the pair of them stargazed.

Cinderheart scooted over until she was snuggled into his side, gazing up at the stars. “Moments like this almost make me think it’s how it used to be,” she murmured. “Quiet, peaceful little moments.”

Breezepelt rolled his eyes but finally relented, rolling off of Cinderheart and onto his back next to her, leaving both cats gazing up at Silverpelt.

Cinderheart pouted up at him. "Please get off of me?"

“Hmm?” Breezepelt Teased, feigning innocence as he laid down on top of Cinderheart casually.

Cinderheart squirmed, batting at his face and chest with her forepaws. “Breezepelt!” She whined.

Breezepelt shook his head no, his tail lashing playfully as he sat down on The she-cat, kneading her fur as if he was getting comfortable in a nest.

Cinderheart squawked, battering his belly with her hindpaws. “Hey! Get off me!”