Dovepetal's Journey

Dovepetal is a loner/clan cat who grew up alongside the clans and would drift in and out of  them but never formally joining them despite earning an honorary warrior name. When she finally chose to join as a warrior she saw that all the clans were missing. She's now on a journey to find them to join them proper and assume her new life as a clan cat, though on her journey she may discover that being a full time clan cat is not all its cracked up to be.

On the precipice of her new journey, Dovepetal takes a moment to enjoy the fine new leaf breeze of her old home. She will not be able to visit once she’s joined her new home proper, but at least she’ll always have these final moments.

Dovepetal was ready for a jubilant visit to see the clans once again. Her daily visits to clan life had become a highlight for her and after a particulary difficult leaf bare where, despite her best efforts, she couldn't leave her home to make a visit and help the clans the best she could she was excited to see her old friends and catch up with them. She even invited a few skeptical friends with her who were overall in disbelief about groups of cats in the forest. However, in place of the clan's old territory was gouged up ground and new homes where housefolk were now living. The further her and the two cats trekked into the wreckage and into the last remains of the forest the sinking put in Dovepetal's belly was growing deeper and deeper. Meanwhile her friends, who at this point were going along with it so spare her feelings, were amused at the idea that they even believed her. Any evidence of clan cats previously residing there were gone. The camps were all but in shambles, the scent was replaced with the overwhelming smell of smoke and death. Dovepetal knew something happened and her mind wasn't completely ready to deal with the implications of such destruction. The clan cat were resilient weren't they? Surely they weren't all destroyed in such a tragic manner. All this time she resisted joining, she loved her friends deeply and had become closer to them than even her own littermates at times. Had she lost her chance to say a final goodbye? If she had decided to stay permanently surely she wouldn't have lost her closest companions. No, impossible. The clan cats were resilient, they wouldn't simply let such horrid beasts destroy them forever. She had to find them and even if her friends didn't believe her. She had to find her home.

The first night on Dovepetal's journey she reminsces on her time as a kit in the clans. Her mother and father loves to visit as well and she adored playing with the other kits and learning alongside them the mark of being a good warrior. It could be argued she knew just as well, if better, than any clan cat and would have lived by it whole heartedly

“What many wonders flourish beneath the expanses of the stream?” This she-cat could only wonder as she gazed below at the crystal clear water. Of course she could explore herself if the young feline was fond of getting her paws wet. For now she would gladly take climbing trees and hopping on rocks over swimming any day."

Dovepetal continues to try and find the clans however, she isn’t so good at not getting distracted and she decided to take a brief detour to admire the scenery before returning on her journey. A loner knows how to take it easy once in a while and she’s going to take it as easy as she can 

Dovepetal seems to have seen something odd below her early in the morning. She had decided to trek through a wheat field after spotting a nasty pack of dogs near by and now that she was in the clear it seems something else had caught her attention. In all liklihood a few cats that didn't know they were being watched talking about the weird cluster of cats that came through a while back. 

It seems a harsh rainstorm decided to make its way through Dovepetal's path and at the moment she's clinging for dear life. She'll likely be fine, she's not completely hopeless, but this is truly panic worthy indeed, especially with those rushing rapids below her. 

Fancy that, a new friend found in a barn, Shade. As coy as this cat can be Dove Petal didn't seem to mind the snarkiness too much. It was charming and she was able to match him blow for blow. She informed Shade about her journey to find the clans and formally join them. It doesn't seem Shade was too keen on the idea though, citing flaws in the clan structure he himself once very much admired. Of course that was moons ago, they don't know what they're talking about. Regardless, Dove Petal is happy to find a new friend. Its unfortunate it was unlikely she'd ever see them again.