CLOSED Beginning of new things - QUESTERS

Garnetheart quickly found a way down off of the root, he being a long-legged Tawnyclanner. Amazingly, the root was surrounded by many other roots like it, and all were attached to a massive tree.
He could see now that the ice shell was formed by the great, drooping branches of the tree.
"I've never seen a tree like this," Gingerleaf mewed softly.
Hollypaw had. "We have trees like this in Dewclan." She slowly took in the size of it. "But none THIS big."
Garnetheart didn't care. He scented the slightly icy ground. His fur fluffed and he mewed, "I think there's other cats here - "
He was taken down by a streak of pure white. Furious snarls and hisses were coming from the ground, and Gingerleaf instantly leaped to assist.
The scuffle went on for what felt like forever, both toms being pushed back by the white cat, when suddenly Gingerleaf gasped; "Blueblossom?"

The white she-cat stopped mid-slash, her lovely blue eyes hard as flint as she looked over the ginger tom. Her fur flattened out. "Gingerleaf," she purred. "It's good to see you!"
The two had been good friends since they were kits.
Garnetheart eyed the she-cat, looking ruffled. His pride had been wounded, as the she-cat had landed many fine blows. "Who is this," he hissed to the Darkclanner he'd been traveling with.
Gingerleaf looked at the Tawnyclanner and nodded to Blueblossom. "This is Blueblossom, a warrior of Darkclan."

The Tawnyclan tom looked back at the white she-cat. "Did she run away? Is she a fugitive?"
Blueblossom's ears flattened. "I'll have you know that I am waiting until my wards are strong enough to travel the treacherous mountains. As soon as that day comes, and the pass has cleared we will rejoin Darkclan." She, like the rest of Darkclan, wasn't keen on telling Garnetheart - or any cat from another Clan - about the Rebellion, and the madness of Thornstar.
Speaking of which... "Gingerleaf," Blueblossom mewed to the tom, "After you've explained the..." she looked up at the she-cats and kits on the entrance root. "Situation, I'd like to speak with you in private."

Hollypaw hissed to Pigeonwing, "I thought we weren't supposed to tell anyone!"
Blueblossom heard this. She looked at her friend, curious. "Gingerleaf?"
Gingerleaf looked at Garnetheart, who's expression went from wary to angry. "Say nothing," the tom snapped. "I won't risk my mate and kits."
"Neither will I," Blueblossom hissed. "Why should I allow Tawnyclanners so near to those I have been trusted with?" She crouched, tail lashing.
Gingerleaf quickly stepped inbetween the two warriors and mewed, "Hey - just..." He hated confrontations. "It's... complicated... it's..." Blueblossom stood up, listening. "Divine."

The she-cat's eyes suddenly lit with understanding. "Ah. I see. Suddenly that," her tail flicked to the other-Clanners, "makes sense." She nodded. "Fine... Maybe this... 'divineness', will work both ways."
"What do you mean," squeaked Redkit.
Blueblossom looked up at the kit - then glared at Hollypaw. "Shut the bark! Weren't you ever taught manners? There are kits trying to stay warm," she gestured to what might have been a den under the roots.
Hollypaw's ears flattened - but her pelt also flashed in embarrassment. I probably should have thought of it before, she thought while closing the bark, teeth chattering.

OOC: To be continued...

Pigeonwing, not really keen on joining in what looked like more than a friendly chat over weather, curled her body protectively around her kits, not really keen on them interfering.
"Ow, ow, you're strangling me!" Silverkit squealed as she lashed in her mother's constricting grip.
"Hush!" Pigeonwing hissed, though she did loosen up a little. "Your father is sorting things out."
Garnetheart growled, refusing to back down. He had to reclaim his pride from the abyss in which it had fallen through! No Darkclanner could show up a Tawnyclanner! "You're not in the prophecy, stay out of it!" he hissed at Blueblossom. "Maybe when it's over and we get to go home, your dear, dear Gingerleaf can update you. For now, make yourself useful or get out!"

Blueblossom found herself, for the second time of the night, ready to battle.
"I was here first," she snapped. "And I can't leave, O high and mighty one, unless you know of some magical, Starclan-sent way to keep five under aged kits from freezing to death in the mountain passes on a two moon-shift journey! If this little prophecy of yours makes you so special, you should at least know the current occupant of a den when you see her. You are under my hospitality, Darkclan's hospitality. You don't like it? Leave." She had turned the same ultimatum back to him. "But the kits and queen stay, if you go," she looked at Pigeonwing and the kits, "I couldn't send them out in good conscious."

Gingerleaf did a slight laugh under his breath. It was obvious why Thornstar, may he rest in piece, had chosen her for a mate. It was also obvious that Blueblossom was the twin to Redstar, and had been a mother thrice already.

Hollypaw looked at the white, pretty she-cat in respectful shock. "I like her," she exclaimed.

Garnetheart hissed in all his fury and took a step back. Much as he wanted to avenge his pride, making enemies left and right was obviously not Starclan's will. "Fine," he snarled. "But keep the kits out of this."

Blueblossom nodded smartly and turned away. "Now, then... You're obviously lost, all of you - and near dead with all that frost in your whiskers. Take from fresh-kill," she gestured widely to another den, one that looked a bit less spacious, like it was meant for a single cat.

Hollypaw was glad to hear that - SO glad. "Oh, thank you," she mewed happily and she trotted past her new idol, peeking into the den. It looked at bit like Daystar's den, now that she thought about it - spacious though small, comfortable though set away from the others. Shrugging, as she didn't know the story of this place, she took a white squirrel, went back out, and tucked in.

Gingerleaf looked at Garnetheart and looked away, letting out a long sigh of relief.