A Smoky Problem [Open]

Lilypaw curled up in her mother’s embrace. She was feeling so many emotions. Scared for Smoke, sad at how everyone was feeling, embarrassed she was causing everyone so much pain. She just wanted to let go, let everything go back to normal. She knew Smoke never should have come to camp, but now he was here, hopefully Silverstar could decide to help him. Curled up with her siblings, she wished she was a kit again. Innocent, playful, and happy. She wished she could trade all of er growing knowledge to feel like that again. To feel safe. Her eyes gazed at Smoke, and she gave him a look that said, ‘sorry.’ She was sorry for everything, to everyone. Her chest heaved as she lay beside her family. ”I’m sorry.” she whispered, mostly to her mother, but to the rest of her family as well. ”I didn’t mean too....”her voice quivered. Her eyes welled up. She couldn’t speak, overwhelmed with sadness and apologies.

OOC: Hitsjui has joined the drama

Hailkit peeked his head of the nursery. Who was that? Why was everyone focused on the that cat. He probably was just another warrior. "Hey hey! Whats going on? Yall seem mad. Hey how bout we play a game! Can we please play a game. You need to become happy. So a game will work! Uh are you listening to me? Mudpaw why aren't they listening to me?" Hailkit jumped around. Why wern't they listening to him?

Mistedsong relaxed some as Breezebranch took over for him in comforting Brindlekit. He knew the kit had not had been able to spend much time with her mother lately as she resumed her warrior duties, and as much as she had been sick, the kit needed her mother. He directed his attention fully to Silverstar, frowning as he listened to his leader's words. "I don't know what you're thinking here, Silverstar, but.. he seems to be legitimately remorseful. I would hate for other cats to get hurt if we have the chance to intervene here and now. StarClan does not need any more cats before their time," the medicine cat sighed, green eyes searching the rogue's expression. Mistedsong was not as old as he felt sometimes, but in his life, he already felt that he had seen too much death. His duty was healing cats, but every cat is better off not getting hurt in the first place, even if the next cat the rogue killed was of a competing Clan, or even another rogue. StarClan forbid he kill a kittypet and have the Twolegs looking around here, he thought to himself.

"I... I wan't to help him..." Silverstar muttered so only him and Mistedsong would hear. He wasn't just admitting that to the medicine cat, but to himself as well. As the anger and shock finally wore away, he succumbed to that realization. That's when his inner conflict came to life. He was going to have to choose between morality and clan pride. He knew such a choice would happen eventually, but so soon... The leader turned away from the clan as his eyes went up towards the sky, as if StarClan would tell him the correct answer here. But, all he saw were clouds gently moving around the sun. To his dismay, this decision was entirely up to him. There wasn't a single answer that satisfied everyone. He tried to think it over, but all his mind did was panic over the fact that it didn't know what to do. For once, he had to go with his heart.

Silverstar turned back towards Smoke. He studied the cat carefully once again before forcing his mind and soul to correlate as he spoke again. Fear gnawed at the back of his brain when he started to talk, but he did well to hide it. "I'll give him a chance to prove that he's good at heart. I don't consider him a clan member, but if he earns his forgiveness it isn't impossible." he spoke clearly, "I promise you all he won't be harming any one of us. If he steps out of line, I will deal his punishment personally. The same goes for all of you. I'm not asking you to be kind to him, just to not start a fight with him." He was speaking honestly, but even so, he silently prayed to StarClan that he was doing the right thing.

"Now then..." his eyes went towards different specific cats as he addressed them. "Mistedsong, clean up his wounds and... that blood." he began, pausing for a bit before continuing, "Lilypaw, I don't want you leaving camp by yourself anymore. You went behind our backs for an outsider, even if you're right about him." He felt like taking a deep breath, but he decided not to, and kept on talking, "Sorrelwing, you can choose a couple of our cats to stand guard of him if you wish, but we're no better than him if we try to take his life. And finally..." he looked towards the rogue, "Smoke, I'm giving you a second chance to prove yourself as a good cat. Don't make me regret it. Everyone else, go on with your day." After he finished, he turned around and started to move towards his den.

Shrikepaw's mouth dropped open. She couldn't be anymore shocked if StarClan themselves descended and started to clean the blood from the rogue's claws themselves. There was a line, surely? Taking in non-Clan kits was one thing, but this?

"Am I the only one who remembers the bit where he killed one of our cats?" Pretty soon she'd wake up in her nest, and this would all have been one crazy bad dream brought on by eating too soon before going to sleep.

Smoke looked at the leader in astonishment and confusion. Did he really just get accepted, well not fully but still. “I will do my best.” he said nodding to the leader and then looking at lilypaw trying to hide a smile but a tiny one showed itself to her.

Swiftpaw didn’t know what was happening but caught the words Stay, Kindness, no Harm, and prove yourself. She then knew that the rogue would be staying with them and that she would have a new friend. She would have to get lilypaw to introduce him to her.

Lilypaw was excited that the leader was giving Smoke a chance. Although she wasn’t allowed to leave camp by herself, it was still good to be able to see Smoke without it being illegal. She stood up, and shook out her fluffy pelt, ready to go on with her day. She smiled at Smoke. ”Well, I can introduce you to some cats soon. Maybe tomorrow!” she smiled.

"Silverstar, you can't--" Sorrelwing paused, biting her tongue hard. She didnt want to question her leader in front of the rest of the clan, but she was certainly going to have some words with him later. Turning on a dime, the deputy walked over to the rogue, stopping just short of his face. "You better not try any funny business, you hear me?" she hissed softly. "If you so much as touch a single hair on any cat here, I will be the first to put you in your place." With that, she backed up to put some distance back between them before turning away to finish her duties.