--F[ade awa]y.

[Blackheart]

Please, please forgive me,
But I won't be home again.
Maybe someday you'll look up,
And, barely conscious, you'll say to no one:
"Isn't something missing?"

He should have died.

By every right the black deputy knew that his body should have remained behind with the other fallen, likely beside his nemesis and once friend. But something, somehow, had kept him alive during the days and weeks that passed after that fateful battle; a strong cord tying himself to this world and refusing to allow his entry into Starclan. During those fevered days, when Blackheart had lay nearly lifeless in the medicine cat’s den, he had thought that he hadn’t been alone, that there was someone always there aside from the visits from Amberstar and the other clan cats…a young rust-red and black tabby warrior with crimson eyes. But then he woke up, expecting to see such a cat, expecting to know why it was that he felt such pride in that cat…but the apparition was gone from him.

The tom limped painfully into the clearing, calm yellow eyes looking about him. Now, he just felt old; the weight of his actual age weighing down on him because of the intensity of his injuries. Amberstar would probably have his hide for leaving the camp without being fully healed, he reflected with a quite fond smile to himself, but what could he do? Blackheart was quite the independent cat, and to have been cooped up within the camp for so long was quickly driving him into madness. While he couldn’t properly hunt because of fear of reopening the healing injuries, his midnight colored fur now laced with the white slashes of scars from the less severe injuries that had properly healed, he could sit out here in the warmth of the sun and just…properly enjoy the day. The forest, as well as the valley itself, had been at such peace lately without the fear of devious Boneclanners skulking around the territories, but the deputy knew that such peace could not last forever.

Without war, there could be no peace. Without peace, there could be no war. It was an eternal balance, one that he knew and seen much proof of within his long life.

With a bit of a grunt, the tom found himself a cozy spot underneath a trio of bushes just on the outskirts of the clearing, shading himself from the heat of midday without taking away his enjoyment of the serenity of the scene. Who knew? Perhaps some cat would come looking for him and he would have to play the grump for a bit before showing them just what he still was capable of.

Wounded or not, Blackheart was still his same grumpy and stubborn self. Rawr.

[Sharpfang .|. Felony]

<sub>It's funny, how during, after, before.... Life still goes on. Clan life had gone back to normal, but Amberstar still couldn't shake those haunting memories. That kit, her daughter, killed before her very eyes. Oh, how horrible it was. It was only that 8 more lives lined up behind her lost one that kept her from joining her daughter in Starclan.

... That, and her faithful clan. It shocked Amberstar how little Amberstar stayed alive for, but how much it meaned to her shocked her even more.

Curled up on a treeroot, resting in the mid-day greenleaf heat, a gold-amber ball of fur lay. Few cats were milling about the camp, for it was simply too hot to get any work done, and many cats had taken to staying in the shady confines of the camp. All but one, of course.

Gold-green eyes flicked open as a shadowy figure left the camp, striding away with dignity. She gave a disapproving smile as his back slipped away under the ferns and disappeared. She raised her pretty head, glancing around at the cats lazing and dozing. Well, it was important to stay in camp, and even more important to keep her deputy alive and well, against his will, but here nonetheless.

She considered sending an apprentice after him, but out of consideration for the apprentices in this camp, she didn't. She'd only have one horrified cat on her paws, and the Deputy still outside of camp confines.

Sleekly, she rose off the stump and jumped gracefully to her feet, murmuring a guard the camp to the nearest warrior she passed before entering the forest outside her home, her forest at any rate.

She had no hope of getting the tom back into camp, nor any intentions to do so, so she just followed him and found his cold eyes in the shade of a few bushes not far from camp.

Blackheart, you know you shouldn't have left camp She said with mock disappointment, taking a seat a couple paw lengths from him. She didn't expect him to respond or speak, he wasn't much for words, but she enjoyed the company with him anyways, sitting there under the bushes.

Grumpy tom or not, she'd known Blackheart long enough to expect it and get used to it.</sub>

[Onyxdart]

Fully grown now, and no longer leggy and goofy looking like a youngster, Onyx padded after the two older cat. She couldn't think of any reason why not to follow after her one time mentor and the other black cat. She liked being around them, seeing as how the other apprentice who'd grown to warrior-hood with her had gone and disappeared. It wasn't that she didn't know the others by now, but she still knew Amberstar and Blackheart the best. She was glad Blackheart was still around, even if he did proclaim to being the grouchy old tom.

And anyway, Amberstar hadn't passed her first, so she technically didn't even have to be guarding the camp. At least, she didn't think she was supposed to. If she was, she'd run on back. Double time. She still had a habit of slinking around like a disembodied shadow, padding around after people who didn't realize she was following til they turned around, jumped, and startled them both.

And that was how she slunk to sit a few more steps away from Amberstar, making a triangle with her and Blacheart being the other points. She curled her tail around her paws and didn't say a word. Blackheart didn't talk much, and she had no desire to ruin the peace with mere words. Companionship was good enough for her- just the being around other cats. She'd speak if they spoke to her, after all.

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[Blackheart]

Please, please forgive me,
But I won't be home again.
Maybe someday you'll look up,
And, barely conscious, you'll say to no one:
"Isn't something missing?"

And so, it appeared as if he were to be allowed company on such a fine, sunny day. But alas, it wasn’t a young warrior for him to bully and see off back to the camp and more important matters – it was the clan leader herself. Yellow eyes watched the cat he had once called ‘young leader’ so often pad up and take a seat close by. She had grown much, hadn’t she? Not physically, but mentally…becoming the fine leader he had seen since way back then when he had been brought into the clan. Had it really been so long ago? Felt like ages.

Before he could speak; they were joined by yet another cat he not only knew well; but one of the less-then-pawful that he actually respected. Onyxdart, Amberstar’s now grown apprentice, and a quite respectable warrior in her own right now. For a moment, Blackheart had to think back and wonder…Mapleheart; was he doing well? He had not seen hide nor hair of the young tom, not after he had disappeared. Perhaps he now, instead, walked amongst Starclan too.

Much like that strange young warrior, the one that he knew so well but knew he had never met him before, that had kept him company as he lay near death in the medicine cat’s den.

Troubling matters. As the old tom looked between the two she-cats a bit of a bemused smile hinted on the corners of his muzzle, all to amused that the two cats he respected more then anything else in existence were the two to seek him out. With a swish-swish flick of his tail, stirring up some leaves with it, he finally spoke, “And who might be up for a patrol?”

…just like old times…

[Amberstar]

<sub>It was with minor surprise that she'd seen her young.... Well, not so young anymore, hmm? She'd grown to be a respectable warrior, and was even more mildly suprised that Blackheart had taken her in as one to be respected. She gave a calm, almost lazy smile as Onyxdart appeared from the foliage to take a quiet seat in front of them. She gave a light purr and a flick of her tail to notify Onyxdart she'd seen her approach.

Despite the fact the leader, the deputy, and one of her warriors was out here, she felt no inclination to send either back or return herself. Though it was wishful thinking, she hoped that any enemies she possessed were far away, and the camp was safe, at least for this time of the day.

Her ears rotated to face Blackheart before she faced him, her eyes half closed to enjoy the warmth, a light purr enamating from her frame, and she gave a light smile in his direction.

Just like old days, indeed.

A Patrol, Blackheart? She said with a light smile. I'm glad you feel up to one, for I think it's a good idea. Onyxdart, are you coming? She said lightly.

Perhaps it was probably for the best that she'd sent Blackheart back to the Medicine Cats den to her sister and her apprentice, but he had better judgement than she did, and instead she gave a lazy flick of her gaze at her former apprentice, her offer to come still open.

As always, anyways.

Just like the old days.</sub>

[Onyxdart]

Her eyes were half shut as well, enjoying the warm sun on her jet black fur- if she sat here long, she'd get way too warm and have to move to some shade or at least move around. She opened first one eye and then the other as Blackheart spoke, flicking her tail to show she was awake. Really, she was perfectly awake. If someone jumped in front of her, she'd be up a tree like a shot.

Or not. She'd probably just fall over.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah, I'm up for that," she said, standing and then stretching a good long stretch. This was quite a throwback to the old days. She grinned a mischievous grin and pounced at a speck of dust, then looked at the other two cats, tail swishing quietly.

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