welcome back [ECLIPSECLAW/OPEN]

god, what a mess he was looking at.

although he probably didn't look the greatest either, hauling this poor old lump of fur back to camp. she really did weigh as much as that description, so it wasn't too hard. i mean look at her, what do you expect? every bone in her body was visible. her fur was a matted mess. even her breathing was weak and unstable. she's like a beaten down old dog. and not only did she give up on connections, but she gave up on herself, and her body went with it. but she did have a name. Eclipseclaw. to be honest, the second his clanmates sniffed her out they all chorused together her identity. not like a fallen hero, though. the reactions were rather mixed. some were just confused, some bewildered, shocked...

but as far as him knowing any more than her name, he was out of luck. the only thing that happened was Sunstar ordering him to take her to the medicine cat den and then she went off with some warriors and the deputy. so here he was, just kind of sitting awkwardly beside her nest in the medicine cat den. Cloudstep had just treated her the best he could, but he let Flintpaw stay since the apprentice was a bit stubborn on leaving. and by stubborn i mean requesting to stay and Cloudstep jumpily replying and hurrying away. he was the worst out of all his clanmates! [if that seemed ooc for Cloudstep mouse tell me cuz i tried]

Flintpaw was probably going to regret this, or at least his tongue was, but he did the best he could to at least clean the rogue up while he had the chance, dancing around the food that was left beside her. who knew when she would do it, or if she even could in her state, and she needed to look at least half way presentable if she was going to stay. and he really wants her to! he knew if Eclipseclaw just got a little last of what its like back home, she would realize starving herself and being all alone out on the moors is just not for her. Sunstar just has to accept her back! everyone has to accept her! she used to be one of us!

She woke up in Windclan.
It felt like a dream. At first everything was hazy. She could feel paws prodding, poking the places she hurt, but nothing connected. Eclipseclaw was heavy. Her mind dragged down, down, down and every limb followed. She was a center of gravity and everything else spun in circles around her. At one point she swore she could feel the eyes of a hundred cats glare through her bones. She could feel them ripping her apart, her name on her tongue. She hadn't heard her name in a long time. It wasn't nice. It was strange.

And when she awoke she found the eyes of that young tom - the tom on the moor. She stared at him, her lip instinctively curling into a snarl but then it slipped from her jowls and vanished. She was in the medicine cat's den. If her soul had any life she would have sprung to her feet, but instead a lousy grunt sputtered from her lips. Drool slicked the entirety of her chin, and with an embarrassed wimp she tried to wipe it on the back of her paw. Twisting her head away from the apprentice she glanced around. It was different. Everything looked the same, but it was different. The scents were younger, newer, polished, and clean. The rancid, must that used to cling to her jowls was gone. There was something unhinging about fading familiarity. The she-cat turned to look back at him, her eyes narrowed, "Why did you bring me here?"

She swore she'd never return. Eclipseclaw wasn't a noble cat, but she was proud. She knew her decision wasn't a good choice. She knew it the second she exited the gorse tunnel. She still remembered picking the long grasses out of her coat, nights later, her wide eyes focused on the moon. Even with Lightning beside her she was still thinking of home. But she had dug her gave and it was the prideful thing to do - to just lay in it. "I don't want to be here." She mumbled to Flintpaw, her claws lazily digging into the earth. If her bones didn't ache, and her eyes could focus she would have been already out the door and into the moorland. Hell, she might have been half way over the gorge by now - the water dragging her heavy heart into the churning, turning waters.

"They don't want me here." She said more quietly, more matter of factually, "I'm not a familiar face anymore."

well, it was about the reaction he was expecting.

actually, Flintpaw was expecting worse. to be honest, he was expecting her to claw him then race off like a cornered rabbit. but...right now, she just looked, well, defeated. like all her old fears and enemies caught up with her and have beaten her until she couldn't move nor even have the energy to be afraid anymore. it was really sad. especially her quiet words in the end. the genuine pain and regret was loud despite her quiet words. her emotions were so strong they about ripped into his heart.

and what could he say? it wasn't like what she said wasn't a complete lie. life has moved on without her. kits have been born, warriors have been made, even a new leader has been appointed. Windclan left her behind when she abandoned her Clan. Flintpaw was living proof of that. and despite her terrible fate, she does technically deserve the distrust and hostility that some of her clanmates have shown. it's like leaving family behind. it is leaving family behind. not only that, but hieratage, responsibility, aspirations--everything she lived and worked for she left without even a glace back. of course there are going to be those who are hurt and offended by this.but she is still family. she has the same windclan blood flowing through her veins. and that is more than enought to still treat her like any other of his clanmates. Flintpaw was already dedicated to protecting her and keeping her here. he knew that at least some cats would be on his side. but whether that was going to be enough for Eclipseclaw to have a change of heart about her old home, he didn't know.

"You don't belong out there, Eclipseclaw." the apprentice responded gently but with an assertive edge. her name tasted unfamiliar on his tongue, but he spoke as if she had been here the whole time. Flintpaw rolled his shoulders and tried to relax. "Yeah, some cats are going to be a little pissed. But there's always going to be some old mouse-brain (oh my god i literally forgot this was even an insult until just now) who looks at you the wrong way. But everyone knows you are a Windclan cat! You are family." Flintpaw's passion grew as he talked, but he felt himself get a little overbearing and shut his mouth for a moment, shaking his head and recollecting his thoughts. Jeesh, if he was going to be this cheesy he might as well let himself be eaten by mice! "Okay, look," he sighed. "I'm going to be honest and not bother honey-coating things. You know as well as I do there are going to be a lot of complications with you staying here. But I wouldn't have brought you here if I knew it wouldn't be worth it. Eclipseclaw, you are a warrior at heart, not a loner scavanging the moors. Come on," he flicked his tail. "Start over."