Solace Among the Peaks - Highstones Topic

The shaking in the ground had begun to subside, the earth beneath their feet settling in shapes that the moor cats were no longer familiar with. Their home was shattered and broken, pieces of what it once was. Grief gripped Olivestar's heart, and she resisted the urge to look back and get one last look of her crumbling home. She brought up the rear of her fleeing Clan, as their pounding paws led them to Highstones, where hopefully, the ground's shaking hadn't reached. They navigated around the fissures that split the ground, yawning into the sky where trails worn down by generations of paws has once run, and Highstones soon rose on the horizon, scraping the sky. The border between WindClan and the rest of the world approached, the great cracks in the ground running across it and into the land beyond. The fleeing Clan left their territory for the last time, and the leader felt another pang of grief squeeze her heart.

Monsters on the Thunderpath had swerved off of the tarry black surface, the fissures having broken up its surface into chunks that were no longer navigable by the great creatures. With the Thunderpath quiet, the Clan cats crossed it without a second thought, paws stinging from the salt that the twolegs had laid to melt the snow upon it. Then, they were gone, racing into the wilds leading up the mountains ahead. As they approached Highstones, an unfamiliar cat with a fawn-colored coat joined them, but Olivestar didn't have the breath or the free mouth to object, and she let the unfamiliar she-cat travel with them unchallenged.

The yawning cavern of Mothermouth came into view, and the Clan cats slowed down, coming to a stop near the large, dark cave. The fawn-colored she-cat hung back, well aware that she was a stranger here, and waited a little distance away, seemingly surveying the Clan, looking for something or someone. Olivestar sat down and set down her little moss wrap, taking a moment to catch her breath before picking up the bundle again and weaving her way through the crowd, looking for Zinnia. Upon catching sight of her mate, she let out a small purr and softly butted her head against her mate's cheek, and set down the bundle at her paws.
"Can you look after this while I check up on everyone?"

With her moss bundle in safe paws, she continued weaving her way through her gathered Clanmates, finding Lilacsong and rubbing her cheek against her daughter's, then finding Morningdove and laying her tail across her other daughter's back in an act of reassurance.

---

When the ground had began to rumble, Oleander's altar had no idea what to do about it. The ground had begun to crack open, and one was so large, that it had threatened to swallow the tree they'd called home in it. Her altar, fueled by fear, had scattered, and she was now left alone, the place she'd called home, gone. The direction she'd fled in had led her to another group of cats, also fleeing from the ground's rumbling and breaking. She recognized the scent from her wandering, though she'd never set foot on their territory, clearly marked with scent and guarded on the daily. She'd heard in passing that they called themselves WindClan, and that there were four other groups like them,  and Oleander, now solo, decided to take the risk and join forces with them.
Hopefully they're kind to strangers...

The marbled fawn she-cat split off from the group once they began to slow, and began to scout the group for their leader, hoping to speak to them about being allowed to tag along.

---

With the Clan safe for now, Olivestar could finally turn her attention to their tag-along, and she approached the sweet-smelling stranger with the striking blue eyes.
"Greetings, stranger! what business do you have here?"

The strange she-cat smiled sincerely, sweeping her plumed tail around her paws.
"I was caught up in the shaking ground, and my altar scattered, leaving me alone. I was hoping that I could seek shelter with your group."

Olivestar glanced back at her Clan, and nodded.
"I don't see why not, we've all been affected by this disaster. We're called WindClan, and I'm Olivestar, their leader. Your name would be...?"

Oleander chuckled, smiling once more.
"Thank you, Olivestar, it means a lot that you'd extend a helping paw, even though you and your Clan have been so greatly impacted. I'm Oleander, and I am..." she pauses for a moment. "..was? a Nightingale."

The WindClan leader tilted her head a little at the mention of the Nightingales.
"I can't say that I've heard of y'all. Either way, welcome."

Olivestar turned back towards the Clan, gesturing with her tail for Oleander to follow. Now, it was just time to wait, and see if the other four Clans would join them.

Head still pounding and vision still blurred, Robinloft lead Thunderclan to highstones, relief flooding through her when they finally approached the base of the mountain. It had been difficult to get there, they had discovered that the ground became cracked and broken the further they fled from camp, making it difficult to travel. Luckily they had made it out quickly, but that didn't mean that they weren't tired. She herself was exhausted, she couldn't imagine how the elders were feeling.

Taking the first pawstep up the mountain, she began to climb the rocks, finding it to be much more difficult than she remembered. Then again, she had the help of herbs back when she made her moonstone journey. Shouting words of encouragement over her shoulder, she neared mothermouth, expression dropping to a confused squint when she saw cats in the distance. Finally finishing the climb, she soon realized that it was Windclan she saw. "You're okay!" She dashed over to the other clan, feeling both delighted and relieved to know that at least one of the other clans were okay. But that meant... "Was Windclan destroyed too?" She asked Olivestar, her expression sorrowful. She turned her neck to look behind her, trying to see if there was anything left of the forest. All her eyes met was a large cloud of smoke and ash, a warm red glow shining through somewhere beneath it. It pained her to see the forest like that. The place she grew up, the place she once called home was now gone, burned to the ground. "What are we gonna do?" Her words were no louder than a whisper, it was as if she was asking the question to herself.

"We... we need to find somewhere else to live." Her words were louder this time as she turned back to Olivestar. "It seems like we'll have to do some traveling. Do you happen know where the other clans are?" She looked around, walking away from her clan to look down on the other territories. There didn't seem to be any large groups of cats that she could see, she could only hope that some of them turned up soon.

Ade had run from the forest set ablaze. A black and white coat stained with ash, large paws thundering against the solid ground beneath them. But then, the floor wasn't solid. It shook, splitting apart and threatening to swallow the cat whole. But Ade had to keep moving. Accepting death was not an option for the large cat. There was too much in life, waiting to be explored.

There were others, scents of fear and panic, of others forced to flee. The scents seemed to lead to the mountains, to stability. At least, possible stability. A chance to live. That was where Ade would go. Ade would seek shelter among the peaks. Of course, by the time the cat got there, there was already a group of cats there. Did Ade share this home with so many? What would happen now that they all needed to evacuate? This simply would not do. Ade could not afford to fight for what little was left, and Ade was already tired. So Ade would let these cats make the first move.

Before Olivestar could see them, the wind blowing in from the territories brought in the scent heralding ThunderClan's arrival. Then, they crested the final rise between them and the waiting WindClan, with Robinloft at the Clan's helm. With a small spark of joy in the midst of all of the grief she'd felt, Olivestar waved her tail at the approaching ThunderClan, and soon, Robinloft stood by her side, and the rest of them settled down, waiting for further instruction.

With a grim expression, the leader spoke.
"Yes, we're okay, but the ground's tremors destroyed our territory. Our home is gone. Is it safe to say that all the Clans were affected?"

She followed Robinloft's gaze back to what was left of the forest, a cloud of smoke rising above the flames that licked at the trees far in the distance. That sight alone answered her question, and she turned back to the other she-cat in time to catch her next words.
"Softbreeze went to try to help the other Clans, though I don't know where they are, or how many of them will get here. Though, you're right, we'll have to search for a new home, however long that might take."

---

Cherryblossom had managed to escape the blaze with little more than singed paws and aching lungs from smoke inhalation, and she was glad to finally slow to a stop and catch her breath. She set down her pebble, and began rubbing her paws in the snow, to wash off the ash and soot, and to soothe the minor burns on her paws. With the adrenaline wearing off, the tiny tabby felt grief well up in her heart, a familiar feeling that she had hoped to never experience again. She gingerly scooped her tortoiseshell colored pebble up with an extra-toed paw, and clutched it close to her as she settled down into the snow, waiting for further instruction.

---

Oleander had been keeping a keen eye out for any new arrivals, and her watchfulness paid off, as not only did another large group appear, another lone cat crested the rise, high-tailing it away from the disaster that had shaken the forest to its roots. The black and white tom had settled a little bit away, weighing his options, and the fawn she-cat wanted to help. Giving a respectful nod to Olivestar, she padded away, swishing her plumed tail and smiling sincerely as she approached the newcomer.
"Greetings, stranger. The name's Oleander."

She gently settled down a tail-length or two away, hoping to come across as friendly.
"Were you caught up in the disasters too? My group scattered and left me alone, but dear Olivestar over there has generously offered me safe travels with her group, and I'm sure she'd extend that offer to you, too."

As if on cue, the WindClan leader padded up, a tired smile on her face.
"Hello, I'm sure you've seen better days, and like Oleander here was saying, I've lent a helping paw, and I'd like to offer you safe travels with us."

"Of course, no pressure, if you'd like to go your own way, then we'll leave you be."

By the time Stormpaw and Elsa had arrived, ThunderClan had evacuated. "They'd go to Highstones," she'd mewed, and quickly led her mate through the forest, her paws easily finding their way as if she'd never left. The way to Highstones was more difficult, but adrenaline made it easier.

The open moor brought a sense of nostalgia to her; the barn had been home to her and Elsa for many moons, and it would be missed. The ground trembled beneath her, and she gasped, eyes flickering back to Elsa to make sure she was alright. The scorched fur was much more obvious on Elsa's snow white pelt than it was on her own ash gray one, and she frowned slightly. "I'm giving you a thorough checkup once we're safe. For now, we need to run!"

And so run they did. Across the open moor, Stormpaw spotted a ragtag group of cats struggling to cross. "Elsa, look!" She gasped, squinting to look properly. "RiverClan! And... SkyClan, I think." Her eyes lit up. "ThunderClan must be up ahead. Come on, let's go help them. SkyClan looks in awful shape."

RiverClan had been kind enough to help them, and now Sneezefeather was leaning against an odd, energetic, sneezing speckled apprentice (though she was the size of a warrior), and the medicine cat of WindClan, of which had come to find the other Clans, was guiding Coppersun, her mate, who was limping on three paws.

Sneezefeather looked to her right, seeing Owlwhisper in as terrible condition, and grief flared up as she remembered if she looked behind her she would not find Petalrain. The molly wanted to sob and scream, but little Beechkit was in her jaws, and to her left Hailfeather's tears were leaving droplets on the broken grass as Berrysnow, the cat who'd saved her, supported him, carrying Bloomkit for him as the white tom simply couldn't. Every now and then she'd hear a sob from him, and her heart would break more. Petalrain had meant everything to him, and Sneezefeather couldn't ever imagine losing Coppersun like that.

Her home was gone. Her kits were dead. Petalrain had sacrificed herself to save Beechkit. Sneezefeather wanted to curl up and never open her eyes again, but she had to carry on. For Beechkit and Bloomkit. For Coppersun. For Hailfeather. For Owlwhisper. For what little remained of SkyClan. "You have'ta keep goin'!" The apprentice beside her urged, looking determined. Sneezefeather meekly nodded, struggling to find the will. "I know," She murmured, staggering slightly.

"You all look like you could use a paw!" Stormpaw panted, coming up to the group. "ThunderClan are at Highstones already, we think." She mewed, nodding to her mate. Suddenly ocean blue met soft blue, and Stormpaw blinked in surprise. It was Softbreeze, the medicine cat of WindClan, who'd kindly directed her to the barn and promised not to tell Oakstar that Stormpaw was still hanging around. "Stormpaw! I'm glad you're alright. The help would be appreciated, yes. SkyClan got caught in the flood while fleeing the fire, and RiverClan is assisting them. I was a bit too late in warning them.. Anyways, we have to hurry! The earth's shaking is getting worse!"

Nodding, Stormpaw approached a ginger apprentice, giving her a shoulder to lean on if needed. And such, the ragtag group of clan cats carried on, at an unsteady and rushed pase, and eventually, tired beyond belief and with more burns, cuts, scrapes, and fur clots than they started with, they reached the base of Highstones.

"We're almost there, just a little further.." Berrysnow whispered around Bloomkit, speaking softly to Hailfeather. Sneezefeather briefly felt a flash of warmth. For once, it seemed, the Clans weren't at each other's throats. Hailfeather could do little more than nod, and pity and grief filtered through the molly again. Coppersun pressed against her, and Softbreeze gave them a solemn nod. "We'll get through this alive, I promise."

"Softbreeze!"
A familiar yowl caught her attention, and the pale healer eagerly looked up, "Downtuft! Thank stars you're alright. Here, come give Coppersun a shoulder to lean on; I have to go make sure every cat is keeping up. RiverClan and SkyClan travelled together, and SkyClan endured three traumatic events." She briefly explained, nuzzling her ginger brother for a moment before darting away, heading to the back of the group. Downtuft nodded, and firmly pressed against Coppersun, "Don't worry. It's stable up on Highstones, and Olivestar and ThunderClan are there already." The WindClan warrior assured them, nodding grimly.

Softbreeze looked over her shoulder, still walking, and bumped into a fluffy feeling cat. "Oof-- sorry!" She mewed, stumbling back onto her paws. Turning, she quickly realized the brown and white cat before her wasn't a Clan cat. "Oh! Hello, traveller! Terrible weather we're having, hmm?" She mewed, joking slightly as if to make the situation a little better. It must've worked, because the molly purred, "I think I like you, mysterious she-cat! The name's Eevee. I have to say, I'm not the biggest fan of it to be dreadfully honest, darling."

Softbreeze laughed, "Softbreeze, pleasure to meet you, miss Eevee. If you're looking to escape the tremors, my group is up ahead. I was looking for any stragglers, but I suppose you'll do!"
"Well, I surely should hope I'm up to par for you! I think I'd quite like to accompany you, at least for a bit, Softbreeze." Eevee mewed, dipping her head in gratitude. Softbreeze nodded, quickly leading the way. RiverClan and SkyClan had reached the peak at last, and she saw Sneezefeather, Owlwhisper, Hailfeather, and Coppersun sitting close together, Sneezefeather wailing her grief that she'd held in.

"Softbreeze!" Shyfawn, her starmother, called, eyes twinkling with tears. "Shyfawn! Oh, I'm so happy you made it safely!"
"I'm not that old, youngster! Olivestar's looking for you, sweetheart." Shyfawn laughed, and nodded her in the direction of the gray tabby leader. Softbreeze nodded, purring as she headbutted the elderly molly, and with a wave of her tail, Eevee followed her. "Olivestar! I successfully brought RiverClan and SkyClan! And.. A new friend, perhaps." She sidestepped, revealing Eevee.

Eevee could tell the cat before her was high in status, and so she respectfully dipped her head to who Softbreeze refered to as Olivestar. "Greetings, Olivestar. I'm Eevee, a wanderer, who's seen many places and been apart of several group. Nightingale, Prairie, and countless others. It's an honor to meet you." Then, quite suddenly, a familiar fawn colored pelt caught her attention. "Oleander! Oh darling, I'm so glad you managed to get out safely!"

Looking over her shoulder, Softbreeze realized this wasn't the only reunion. Stormpaw was staring with watery eyes at a black and red she-cat; Robinloft, she realized, and Cherryblossom, a small tan tabby. Taking a deep breath, Stormpaw tried to calm her nerves. "Robinloft? Cherryblossom?" She called, hesitantly approaching. "I.." Whatever she wanted to say died out on her tongue as she dipped head, tears dripping down her cheeks.

In the time that Olivestar had taken to talk to Ade, a new scent arrived on the breeze, accompanied by the pounding of many paws. The mixed scent of RiverClan and SkyClan met the leader, and she lifted her head as several cats approached her. She immediately smiled a little upon seeing Softbreeze again, safe and sound, accompanied by a cat whose scent was that of a loner. Her smile grew a little wider as she turned to address the newest arrival, and nodded along as Eevee spoke, of many travels, and many groups. Olivestar noted that she too mentioned the Nighingales, and made a mental note to ask her and Oleander about them sometime in the future.
"It's an honor to meet you as well. I'm Olivestar, and I'm the leader of WindClan. I assume you're here to seek asylum from the disasters? Feel free to travel with us if you'd like, I won't turn down any cat in need."

---

As the group before her grew in size and in number, Oleander watched quietly and patiently waited as Olivestar went about her affairs as leader. However, she certainly wasn't expecting to see any familiar faces, not matter how much she hoped to. With a wide smile, the fawn she-cat hopped to her paws and purred,
"Eevee, dear! It's so wonderful to see you! I'm so glad to see that you managed to get out alright!"

---

the scents of the arriving SkyClan and RiverClan had caused Cherryblossom to look up, and the little tabby scanned to crowd to see how the two Clans had fared, escaping from their own territories. ThunderClan's neighbors had seen their fair share of tragedy, and she shook her head a little in sadness. As she watched the other two Clans mingle with the two already present, the little she-cat saw a familiar face that she never would have imagined seeing again. Before she could call out, Stormpaw had noticed her and Robinloft, and approached, and Cherryblossom stood up as her old friend called out their names.
"Stormpaw... I'm so glad you're alright, and to see you again. I made a promise to myself to be a better friend to you after mom passed, but I'm sorry that I didn't do that before you left ThunderClan..."

---

The only thought on Bluepaw's mind was to run, and keep running, to stay ahead of the flood, away from the smoke choking the air, and to get to Highstones, where there was relative safety. She'd hardly noticed SkyClan join in with RiverClan as they fled west, and before she knew it, the scents of WindClan and ThunderClan met her nose as she and her Clanmates crested the final rise between them. The ground was whole, and dry underfoot, with no smoke filling the air, and the large she-cat collapsed to the ground in relief, allowing her tired legs to rest.

Mothglow has walked the path to Highstones countless times now, though this is the first time she's led this many cats at once. Looking back at the state of the forest, as well as to check on her charges, she wonders if she'll ever walk this path again. There isn't much time to dwell on that, though, as they arrive at last. "We're not the first ones here, then," she breaths a sigh of relief. Next, she turns her attention to the rest of ShadowClan: "Is everyone alright?"

Moonpaw and Ferretpaw, who diligently followed the medicine cat's pawsteps with the rest of the Clan, are still arguing quietly amongst themselves - nothing out of the ordinary there. Her gaze sweeps past them to check on the rest, as well as seeking out her medicine cat colleagues.
~
Weighed down with irritation and responsibility, Flashlight has fallen into step with the rescued SkyClan cats as well as her own Clanmates. There's no time yet to dwell on tragedy and loss, just a pressing thought that they need to keep moving forward - to survive at any cost. She stands proud as they reach their destination, staring down the other cats that are already there as if daring them to challenge - well, something; she isn't sure what, exactly, but she's already feeling defensive.
~
Sundrop keeps close to her fellow SkyClan cats, wondering if she'll ever have the chance to see fire as close as she just did again. It's a dangerous thing, but a pretty one, and she wonders if she could learn something if she only watches it carefully. Why they need to run, why it takes the forest as its home; she wants to understand.
~
Zinnia stands close to her mate, silent and solemn - mourning what has already been lost. This place that had become her home, the family she'd made here, all falling apart beneath her paws. Disaster striking in a way they can't fight, can only run from. A soft and silent prayer in her thoughts. May the winds guide our paws, and the stars lead us home.
~
At the same time as all of this is unfolding, Batbite chooses to keep some distance from everyone else. She finds herself looking back the way they came, and she can’t help the laughter that escapes her.

The world is ending, the life they once knew is over; and she laughs, wild and joyful and finally free. She was tethered to this place, to the history and to lives lived and lost, but now it has fallen and she is free to do as she wishes.

The horizon stretches out before her, as it did once before. This time, she knows, there is nothing to miss; nothing will be left to return to.

(It’s a tragedy. A disaster. Little more than pointless suffering.)

(It’s a gift, the only thing she’s wanted but could never truly have.)

“I’m sorry,” she says, softly, to the sky. The stars are listening, this she knows - she had her doubts, once upon a time, but she’s looked them in the eye and she knows, she knows in her heart that they won’t take her soul, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t love them.

(She is damned, yes, but happily so - she wears her fate with pride.)

(What use is a heaven that never wanted her, anyway?)

She’s sorry. Not because she’s leaving, but because it feels like a farewell. A grand finale for a life she never could love the way she should.

A grand beginning to something new, endless possibility.

Destined as she is to wander, she carries with her the ghosts of a long and storied past.

(Can they follow where she’s going?)

(Only one way to find out.)