Lost Creek Hollow i think my blood is passing me by

marked as joining since wren will be pursuing a rank within riverclan! AW but primarily for @Silvertongue <3 pls let her post first!

For days they traveled northward, at a much slower pace than what Wren would have taken to, but it was necessary. Exhaustion angrily crept up on her, and yet she did not stop unless Silvertongue needed to. She was kept warm, fed, watered; the wound was cleaned and redressed periodically; it became a clockwork cycle. They watched the stars poke through the clouds and counted the leaves as they fell to the ground in droves. There is beauty even in tragedy.
Wren had not anticipated a return to the valley, with or without Silvertongue. She did not know what to expect; could not have known, and as soon as the grass grew soft at the hearth of riverwater, she felt the nerves begin to eat at her.
But it was what Silvertongue wanted. It was what she needed. And Wren would not let her go; not ever again.

left hind leg is missing <3

they had not spoken of the future, for silvertongue did not know that there could be any future for her. she found herself wholly dependent on wren, weeping often as her lover dressed trembling disappeared flesh and the sharpfang was forced to confront the complete absence of her leg once more. she could not see the beauty; it was not for her to comprehend. and when at last rising sun dawned before them, silvertongue had to be coaxed down into the long grass and to the lovely slanting shadows cast in deep emerald velvet, which enveloped her as she called softly for @Ash Paw in a hoarse tone that could wait no longer before she collapsed along the mossy ground and drew a first breath of a home she wished she had never left — one to which she also wished she had not returned. rebirth. renewal. regrowth. "wrenstar. wrenglow. wrenflight." she tested them, murmuring as consciousness began to eke away from her once more.

A home now shared; a home not haunted. Not anymore.
While they wait beneath the brittle canopy of November's frost, Wren dips down to place her wrists beneath Silvertongue's head so that she may have a place to rest — a metaphorical coat thrown over a puddle so that she may not have to wet her feet. Wrenstar. Wrenglow. Wrenflight. She had not thought that perhaps her name here would change according to Riverclan's culture. It felt odd, adopting something that was not hers; was it now hers? She supposed the star Ash Paw would be the one to decide this. She joins her lover with her own call; we are home.
She thought briefly of Akavir. It would hurt his heart to know that Wren had returned to the valley and had not come to Swiftcurrent, and yet she could not find it within herself to care; could not let herself be swallowed by it. There were no regrets to be found here.

Wren was wrong. Riverclan was haunted and the ghost’s name was Shadowpup.

The girl was often alone, wandering through the riverland or hiding in one of her many secret spots. Though a child of Silvertongue, she had inherited none of her mother’s beauty. Long, gaunt, hard-edged, and plain-looking features overshadowed a budding, intelligent mind. She was like a flower that had yet to bloom.

Every day she impatiently waited for her apprentice ceremony, but it never came. New faces came and went. Stormpup never returned. Shadowpup found herself distant from everyone. Though some wolves still remained, the pack felt devoid of any spirit she remembered. She thought about leaving… but was too timid to do so.

Then, a noise. A presence. The smell of blood – no – a healing wound cut the damp air of Riverclan.

Shadowpup slunk through the long, dry grass towards the borders to investigate.

There - could it be?!

A cacophony of emotions rattled Shadowpup as she wailed. “T-tia Plata!”

Why was she so happy to see, happy to love, someone who had rejected her?

Shadowpup ran as fast as she could, big tears falling from her eyes, but skidded to a halt when she saw what had happened and who she was traveling with! A leg gone! The Swiftcurrent woman! Shadowpup felt vindicated. She just knew that Swiftcurrent had been involved in Silvertongue’s disappearance

“What did you do to her?” she angrily spat the accusation and felt vitriol like she never had before.

Ash was upon the scene in momwnts and a tone full of no nonsense. 

Shadowpup! Accusations and the story can be gone through later. Let us gather them,  clearly assistance is needed.

She looked at the young lady, who was child no longer and waited if she wanted to continue to accuse then Ash would have her moved and take upon the mantle herself to get them where they were needed. But her primary concern was the wounds of both. They looked awful.

shadowpup's voice was the only thing which brought silvertongue's head sharply up. her daughter, her child; a small shadow of crowfeather as she had wanted. but there was accusation in her tone, anger. silvertongue found herself considering the mark on her daughter's — yes — her daughter's forehead — seven months; "ella me ayudó," the sharpfang assured as she dragged herself up onto one elbow. her thin flanks rose and fell a few times before her exhaustion-smeared eyes rested on ash paw. "i am so sorry," she whispered in a voice threatened by defeated tears. "but — i am home now, ash paw. this is wren. she is here to stay." her head hung, breath coming with effort now.

It was not Ash Paw who first rolled in, but Shadowpup. The daughter that had once belonged to Silvertongue. Elation, worry; and then her expression quickly dissolved into rage.
What did you do to her?
Wren could have let herself crumble right there. Could have shouted, could have sworn; but oh, she knew what this looked like and she could not find any blame for the child, even as her heart sunk to her stomach and bile rose to her throat.
Lip trembling, eyes burning with hot salt, she turns to Ash Paw. Silvertongue croaks out something of an explanation. For the first time, Wren truly, truly looks at her work; at the missing limb, and it was not guilt that swallowed her but a growing, ugly despair. She would've died, I-I had to-- I had to help her. I had to.

Ash Paw’s stern tone made Shadowpup visibly flinch. She turned to the Star, expression dashed with teenage scorn and strained into a pinched pucker as she tried to keep all her ugly emotions contained.

Yet, they eeked out like a boiling kettle’s whistle. “Don’t tell me what to do,” the girl’s small voice refuted in a bout of adolescent protest. Then, Shadowpup’s ears slicked back as she felt the weight of her own words.

Suddenly Silvertongue roused. Her beautiful, but haggard, voice spoke a language that Shadowpup had once associated with love. Next, was an apology… but it was not Shadowpup who she regarded, but Ash Paw.

Wren. Here to stay.

Would’ve died. Had to help.

Why had Silvertongue abandoned Riverclan? How had she been injured? Why must this Swiftcurrent wolf stay? Shadowpup’s yellow eyes narrowed at the pair as the questions burned up her insides. “You can’t come in," she gestured at Wren. "G-go back to Swiftcurrent with the rest of the l-l-liars,” she stammered.

Ash Paw sucked in a breath, tight and hissing and she stared at ShadowPup with dissappointment and a small dose of anger.

Excuse me? Do we talk to me this way? Her voice was heavy with the lesson she wished to impart. But she was not harsh in her words only teaching.

Ash Paw stomped a foot then. Her nostils flared. Shadowpup! That is enough! You will be respectable or you will go back to the den. Tia Plata is hurt do you see that wound! And Wren was kind enough to try and help and keep her alive so you will be respectful and appreciative. Now either help me carry Tia or go to the den

Then she leveled a stare at Wren. I will allow you entry, but on a strictly momentary basis. There is much that needs discussed before you can fully be recognized for instance why you are no longer in the creek, hmm. And your wounds. I am a trained healer. I know what they are from.

Ash clicked her teeth. Now Silver. Lets get you some help yes. her voice growing quieter and gentle with the injured wolf. She gently nosed and shifted to help her to her feet.

she had placed so much on ash paw, silvertongue knew, but she realized it now in this moment. in her mind, shadowpup's questioning, her unsurety — this was the fault of the woman who had borne her. the one who had raised her spoke to the girl like a mother. like a daughter. all this fuss! and for her! she hated this, loathed anything that reminded her of the multiple losses which had undercut her bones in the last span of days. "it is all right," silvertongue murmured,  leaning heavily first on wren and then ash paw. her glassblue eyes moved to shadowpup. "a lot has happened. and i am sorry to say, ash paw," one hobbling step, another, "that i did not help our relationship with swiftcurrent at all." a muscle jumping in her jawline at the rememberance of her teeth tearing akavir' skin; a pause as silvertongue tried to find shadowpup's eyes. i have so much to tell you. "it is all right that we are cautious. but i will say that wren had already left the creek before she found me, sombralita." i have so much to tell you. she blinked, she offered a small smile to them all in an attempt to dispel tension. "look, now i am home, and perhaps now you, shadowpup, will have your new name soon."

I left Swiftcurrent a long while ago. It was my choice.
Ash Paw attempts to dispel Shadowpup's worry, the anger that now beckons Wren herself. She swallows the growl, the tightening of her throat; she had pried herself free from Swiftcurrent, from Akavir, and it had been for the better. And the scorn from Silvertongue's family made her desperately wish to turn and run, to walk away from this valley forever, and yet she did not; could not. Not without her.
I'm here to offer my loyalty to Silvertongue and to Riverclan, the sharp gaze lingers upon Shadowpup before it falls to Ash Paw once more. I'll do whatever you want me to do to prove it.
She moves to press into Silvertongue's willowed flank, to shoulder her movements as was needed. Muscles strain beneath skin; bones surge with an ache for rest that would not soon come. I've been using mud and herbs to, um, close it up, she gestures softly with a turn of her head to the space where Silvertongue's hind leg once occupied. and I've been cleaning it and redressing it pretty much hourly.

Shadowpup looked like a small lump of coal when she huddled low to the ground, tail curled beneath her, as she was criticized by Ash Paw. The rebellious girl fumed, reigned in by her guardian’s words, but she had enough sense to shut her blabbering trap. Ash Paw didn’t make empty threats and Shadowpup didn’t want to be banished, like a baby, to the den. 

At first, her yellow eyes burned towards Wren unapologetically, distrustful of the Swiftcurrent wolf’s motives, but when they shifted to Silvertongue’s missing leg her expression cooled and became reticent.

It did please Shadowpup that Ash Paw didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet. The newcomer would need to prove herself first.

Then, Silvetongue spoke. It was as if she knew what tone would extinguish Shadowpup’s fire. Her calm and assured voice roused a forlorn expression upon the blackbird girl’s face…. but when she alluded to the gift of her apprentice name Shadowpup’s mind became filled with intrusive thoughts. She wasn’t quite sure how she could love and hate someone so much at the same time.

With her silence as a promise that she would be obedient, Shadowpup trailed behind Ash Paw as they gathered around the injured. Her mom took one shoulder and so Shadowpup moved to the opposite side. “I’ll take her from here,” she said to Wren and braced herself to receive Silvertongue’s weight.

Ash Paw listened, but made no more comments. She shifted and held onto Silver's weight as much as she could. 

Come along then Wren. We need to heal you too. This way to the healing den.

She would say no more. Simply bear the burdens in silence as she always had, as she always would. This was her place in the world. To hold council to be more than and less than and everything inbetween then for whomever should need it. It was as it should be.