[Fawn]

WINDSTRIKE~

41 Moons//Tom//Senior Warrior//LightningClan

”And this is where the StormClan versus StoneClan battle took place.”

A thick silver and black-striped tail gestured towards the vacant camp site of what had once been the fifth Clan in the forest, sharp yellow eyes seeing ghosts of howling, bleeding, battling cats. Grasspaw had only been his apprentice for a moon, but Windstrike was already content with the young tom's progress – it felt almost like viewing a younger version of himself – all of that headstrong bravado and a mother fearing for his safety ran parallel with Windstrike's own apprenticeship.

Having learned over the moons that a cat needs more than battle moves and practice fights, Windstrike had decided to give the young tom a history lesson rather than just concentrate solely on fighting fighting fighting – despite how much Grasspaw may enjoy such a thing. The tom had to have only been a moon to two moons old when LightningClan and RainClan combined forces to become StormClan, chasing the fifth Clan, StoneClan, out of their territory and into the forest into what had to be the bloodiest battle Windstrike had ever participated in.

The stocky silver tabby still woke up sometimes cold and shivering, claws tearing at his nest as though he were trying to shred an enemy; it wasn't his most favorite battle, and it was important that Grasspaw knew why. Sometimes battles could...get out of hand.

”No one knows where StoneClan is now, but it's a general belief that they're probably hiding in the mountains somewhere.” Even as he spoke, voice brusque but not unkind, the tom's yellow eyes narrowed, gazing past his apprentice and into the dark sloping background beyond their territories that was likely home to the lost Clan now. If they'd survived. Leaf-bare was coming, after all. And surviving in the mountains wasn't like surviving here in the forest. Windstrike wasn't really the sentimental, touchy-feely type, but even he was wishing things didn't take a turn for the worse for what was left of StoneClan.

OOC: @ryuzakilaw1

[Deleted]

His impatience was getting the better of him, and he knew it. Grasspaw was tapping his back left paw with vigor while his mentor was explaining the history of Stoneclan’s ‘exile.’ He thought on Windstrike’s last words, his mind was racing with thoughts, the main one being that if they were in the mountains, wouldn't Stoneclan be subjected to a much harsher leaf-bare? He pushed the thoughts away before taking a look around the former clan’s camp. Even after all this time, there were still a few signs of the battle that had taken place. Grasspaw shivered slightly, despite not being there, just seeing the battleground was enough to shake him, as he could tell that it was a battle of massive proportions.

He calmed down as the silence grew between the two, his eyes caught the yellow gleam of his mentor’s barely, but it was enough to see that the battle had indeed affected him. He was curious however, at the thought of a clan being driven from their home. Weren't there always 5 clans? The thought mulled in his head for a moment before it was pushed out into a verbal response.

“Weren't there always 5 clans?” He had to admit, he was curious. Despite his nature to consistently only focus on something other than battle for a few minutes, he wanted to know more.

[Fawn]

WINDSTRIKE~

41 Moons//Tom//Senior Warrior//LightningClan

Windstrike was pleased that Grasspaw had decided to ask questions rather than pretend to absorb the information and ask that they get right into battle. "There wasn't always. You've heard of Firestar, Leopardstar and Tallstar, right? Back in their times, there was only four Clans - Thunder, River, Shadow and Wind." Alright so he was a little sketchy on history, but Grasspaw was getting the gist of it.

Gaze settling onto the younger tom's curious one, the heavily scarred silver tabby continued. "Then, the four Clans had to move here, to the forest, and were joined by a fifth Clan previously thought lost. That Clan was called SkyClan, and became StoneClan in our time. Funny how that one Clan seems to have so much misfortune. It's like a rock bad luck keeps sharpening their claws on."

Windstrike had no intention of bringing down his apprentice's mood, but this was serious business. Grasspaw was old enough now and enthusiastic enough about battle that he needed to know the consequences that came with attacking another Clan - that killing just to kill was wrong, that fighting to the death was not justified unless absolutely necessary. So many casualties on each side, and from his perspective, from the experienced eye of the warrior who had had more than his fair share of violence, too many casualties.

Of course, StoneClan had been fighting for their right to live in the forest, it was no surprise they had fought with the strength of the demon lynx that dwelt in the mountains - but LightningClan and RainClan had never needed to go to such extreme lengths. They hadn't needed to kill just to kill. Windstrike's expression hardened slightly, as if recalling a memory that brought him particular discomfort; he had witnessed one of his own Clanmates kill a StoneClan cat.

Cherrypool, one of the albino warriors his Clan had become infamous for.

Originally he had not been one to judge based on appearance - though admitted that she and her brother gave him the creeps - but now he had circumstantial evidence that she was bad news.

There was bad blood in those eyes.

[Deleted]

While not normally one to become curious about something, Grasspaw would be lying if he said he wasn’t intrigued. It didn’t take a genius to tell that whatever had happened at this camp, had indeed affected his mentor’s mind in some form or another. Still, could the battle have been that bad, to leave a lasting impression for several moons? Through the message however, he could tell that his mentor was attempting to convey a message, and from what he could tell, it seemed to revolve around the concept of senseless killing.

Grasspaw wasn’t a big fan of such a thing, as killing without proper reason was wrong, and even with reason, it’s still the worst option one could take. He might be one to love battle, but to love bloodshed? It was something he never wanted to embrace. Still, he had his concerns for his mentor, though he mostly kept them quiet, after all, it wasn’t his place to ask. He seemed to quickly forget about it, and delved into another question.

“It seems that StoneClan has gotten bad luck for most of it’s life doesn’t it?” The curiosity in his voice was heavily prevalent, as he wasn’t trying to disguise it at all, he just wanted an answer. 

[Fawn]

WINDSTRIKE~

41 Moons//Tom//Senior Warrior//LightningClan

Windstrike flicked an ear in agreement.
"Yeah. I hope for their sakes the powers that be will even things out for them." Wherever they've gone off to, I like to think they aren't suffering as much. It would be truly horrible to find out that the entirety of StoneClan had gone extinct in the mountains, unthinkable, even. A few moons prior and Windstrike would've been comforted by the idea that StarClan would never allow such a thing to happen - and yet an entire Clan had been chased from it's home territory, by his Clan and RainClan, no less, and not a peep from their holier-than-thou ancestors.

It just didn't make any sense.

Asking Rookfrost was useless. If he ever brought up the subject of StoneClan's banishment and inquired about whether StarClan had sent a sign, the shadowy healer would only make a noncommittal grunt and get back to whatever he was working on.

"They might come back," mewed Windstrike after a moment, the heavily scarred, stocky tom fixing his bright yellow eyes upon his pupil, Grasspaw. "Maybe then Redstar and Sandstar will have the decency to let them stay this time," snorting, it was after a second or two that he realized his negative tone wasn't very mature of him, and his ears flattened slightly. "Er...Yeah don't mention I said that. A leader's word is law, though we are allowed to disagree with it."
We just can't oppose it.

OOC: @ryuzakilaw1