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twilights-800-cats · 6 days

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Chapter 20

Shadepool fumbled in the darkness, uncertain of where she was - she guessed that this was someplace between dream and reality, like where she had floated just before entering StarClan's hunting grounds. She wished that Yellowfang's tongue had just sent her into the waking world instead, but perhaps her own troubled thoughts were miring her here.

As if in reflection of that, Shadepool saw shapes form in the darkness. It took her a moment to recognize what they were - the thick, winding branches of a bush, thick as sycamores, all tangled in on themselves to form an impassable wall that Shadepool couldn't even see through. Impossibly huge thorns bristled from the surface, keeping her from drawing too close to investigate.

Shadepool shivered. There was something so familiar about this structure. Was this the barrier she had erected between herself and Nightfrost? Or, more importantly, was this the barrier that Nightfrost was maintaining now?

Her claws flexed. She wanted to rip it all down but knew that she would tear herself to pieces trying.

Onewhisker is gone, and so is Barkface, now, too, she thought miserably, staring at the thorny wall. There's no way to learn the truth of what happened. StarClan doesn't have any answers, and they might not even be able to help. What are we supposed to do?

It's all been for nothing!

Not long ago, she would've been able to lean on her brother and share her misery with him to keep her head clear enough to think - now, though, it was all hers and hers alone. It was so heavy and suffocating, and Shadepool felt like she was drowning.

“You'd be shocked just how much of it all was you, Shade,” he'd said.

He's right, she thought, crouching low. She shut her eyes tight. I... I've never been able to handle anything without him.

I put too much on him; now he's gone, and I don't know what to do anymore.

She tried to will herself to wake up. Was this StarClan's doing, keeping her here? Perhaps it was the shadow-cats trying to steal her spirit as they had with Onewhisker and Barkface. Shadepool shivered, feeling cold.

Did StarClan know what darkness lay here beside the lake? If they had, why did they send the Clans here?

Shadepool opened her eyes and saw a pair of white paws. The white cat stood before her, their pelt so blindingly bright that it seemed to absorb the darkness, creating a strange glow around their body. It wasn't starlight, like StarClan spirits, but it reminded Shadepool of the Moonstone, back in the old forest.

“It's you,” she said, too upset to be as incredulous as the last time she had seen the creature. Shadepool lifted her muzzle, looking at the white cat in the starry pits they had for eyes, trying not to get lost in their depths. “What do you want?”

The white cat, as always, said nothing.

Shadepool frowned. “Whatever,” she sighed, exhausted. “Just stand there and stare. I still don't know what you're supposed to be, but whatever you are, I guess it's not helpful.”

“Wait for me!”

Shadepool's ears twitched. The high-pitched voice did not belong to the white cat, but it was familiar.

That sounds like...

A small hole opened in the thorn wall, just large enough for two kittens to stumble through before it closed up tight. The kitten in the lead, a she-kit with a tortoiseshell pelt, was far ahead of her littermate, a little black tom who was fumbling behind her on stumpy little legs.

Shadepool's eyes widened at the sight.

“Come on! Keep up!” the little tortoiseshell mewled.

The stumpy tom was trying his best. He protested, “I'm too short! It's not fair!”

Shadepool watched as the little she-kit stopped and turned, looking back at her littermate with shining eyes. She waited for the smaller tom to catch up, the two touching noses and purring as they walked off as one, pelts brushing.

That's... us.

Shadepool glanced back at the white cat, confused. They seemed unaffected by the kittens, who had faded into the darkness.

“I'm not sure I understand,” Shadepool admitted. “Nightfrost and I were always close, but now there's this between us.” She gestured at the thorn barrier with her tail. “What does this even have to do with what happened to Onewhisker and Barkface, anyway? What's going on?”

The white cat said nothing.

Shadepool hissed through her teeth. Not sure what I expected from you there. The vision likely had nothing to do with the white cat at all if this was Shadepool's own mind. Thinking about how things used to be with Nightfrost must have summoned a vision of a happier time, simple as that.

Winding her tail around her paws, she asked, “Is there anything you can do to help me? Anything at all?”

The white cat swished their tail and burst into hundreds of blinding white moths.

Shadepool jerked back, shocked at the suddenness of it all - the entire dream world was filled with the moths like stars in the night sky, illuminating the thorny cocoon of Shadepool's mind. It was as beautiful as it was haunting, and Shadepool struggled to comprehend it, jaws agape at the sight.

One of the moths fluttered towards her, landing on her nose and flapping its blinding white wings. Shadepool kept herself still, uncertain what to do - she tried not to blink, but the moth was too bright to look at, and she had to shut her eyes.

When she dared to open them, she was lying on her side by the Moonpool.

Her entire body ached, and she struggled to move as if the black sands beneath her wanted to swallow her whole. Her eyes worked just fine, however, and she found herself staring at the waters of the Moonpool, the surface lit blinding white by the light of the full moon.

She had slept for a whole day.

Shadepool immediately sat up, ignoring the protestations of her body. Her heart thudded in her ears like a thunderstorm - a whole day? Brackenfur would be furious! How could she ever justify it to him? Moreover, what was Tinystar thinking at this moment?

Great StarClan above; they're going to split my pelt between them!

A commotion at the top of the hollow made Shadepool turn her muzzle to the scraggly hawthorn. Her heartbeat accelerated, blood roaring in her ears - was this Onewhisker and Barkface's attacker? A wild animal? She had been a fool to come to the Moonpool alone!

But the muzzle that pushed through the dry brush was familiar and golden-brown colored, touched with white and gray: Brackenfur.

For a moment, Shadepool and her mentor stared at one another, one at the top of the hollow, his thin shoulders lit by moonlight, the other at the bottom, half-covered in black sand, eyes wild with sleep and fear.

Shadepool tried to guess what Brackenfur was thinking, but his expression gave nothing away. Her stomach curdled with disappointment in herself - Brackenfur was definitely going to yell at her for this, especially since he had come all this way to get her himself.

He didn't have to say anything. Shadepool got to her paws and climbed up the narrow path to meet him, ignoring the sleep dragging at her muscles. Her shoulders felt heavy and her belly sick, and resignedly, she decided that Brackenfur could be as angry at her as he liked: She deserved it. She had disobeyed him again, and again, it had been for nothing.

Brackenfur slid to the side to let Shadepool pass. She heard him sigh softly, his breath stirring the fur on her flank.

“There you are!” Sorreltail's voice surprised Shadepool. The tortoiseshell she-cat was sitting with Sun and Cloudtail, the three she-cats pacing a stony patch just outside the hawthorn. Sorreltail was staring at Shadepool, ears pricked.

Shadepool blinked. She supposed it would be foolish if Brackenfur had come here alone, and Cloudtail was the best tracker in ThunderClan. Sorreltail and Sun's presence, though, was far more comforting despite how wretched she felt.

“We were looking everywhere for you,” Sun fretted. She glanced at Cloudtail. “Thankfully, Cloudtail caught your scent before-”

“We should head back,” Cloudtail meowed sharply, cutting Sun off. She yawned, pausing to stretch, curling her white tail over her back. “Lots to do, and all that...”

Cloudtail began heading down the slope. Sorreltail and Sun glanced at one another, then at Shadepool, who could only hang her head in shame.

“I'm sorry,” she murmured. “I didn't mean to worry anyone.”

“It's okay,” Sorreltail told her, though Shadepool heard some hesitancy there. “It was medicine cat business.”

Sun nodded her head in agreement. “Tinystar was quite worried, though.”

Worried is a word for it, I'm sure, Shadepool thought. She looked over her shoulder at Brackenfur, wondering if he had anything to say now that they were out of the Moonpool's hollow.

He limped past her, heading after Cloudtail. Not yet, it seemed. Shadepool sighed and trotted after them. Sorreltail and Sun flanked her.

The walk back to camp was quiet and slow to account for Brackenfur's leg. Shadepool felt the silence ringing in her ears, rattling her mind. She wanted to at least talk to Sorreltail, but it seemed like the tortoiseshell she-cat was focusing intensely on the path in front of her - she looked tired, and Shadepool saw that she stumbled over more than one root twisting out of the earth.

Shadepool's pelt prickled. They were all tired because of her. She fought to keep her tail from dragging in the icy leaf litter. Nightfrost was right - she always dragged everyone else into her problems.

The moon was setting as they approached the thorn tunnel. At a signal from Brackenfur's tail, the warriors all filed in, leaving him and Shadepool alone outside the camp. Shadepool did not miss the sympathetic look that Sorreltail flashed her before she disappeared through the entrance.

“Come,” Brackenfur rasped.

Shadepool, confused, followed Brackenfur as he limped away from camp and down towards the lake. They took their time, walking in the quiet gray predawn, a warmish breeze rattling the leafless trees above as the stars of Silverpelt began to disappear.

ThunderClan territory did not have the prettiest shoreline with the lake - no grass giving way to soft, pale sand like in WindClan; rather, it was a sudden transition between a grassy slope and a line of wet pebbles, worn smooth by the lapping waves of the lake. A wooden half-bridge was stuck out close to ShadowClan territory, slick with frost and bare of any activity for seasons. It was pretty enough but not ideal for patrolling or hunting.

Brackenfur settled down at the edge of the pebbly shore with a sigh, taking a moment to bend down and lap at his twisted leg, which looked sore and swollen.

Shadepool sat beside him, wrapping her tail tightly around her paws. Guilt bit at her pelt like ants, and the anticipation of what was surely coming next made her fidget.

“You're lucky that Mothwing told me that you had left the Gathering early,” Brackenfur rumbled, lifting his muzzle from his leg. “When Tinystar saw that you hadn't returned with us, he almost jumped to accuse WindClan of taking you hostage. I was able to stop him from sending a battle party right into their camp - he was preparing for it when Cloudtail caught your scent trail in our territory.”

Shadepool's ears burned. Had she really almost caused a battle between ThunderClan and WindClan?

“I... I didn't tell Mothwing where I went,” Shadepool mumbled, shuffling her paws. “How did you know...?”

“I'm not daft!” Brackenfur scoffed. The fur along his neck lifted slightly. “Considering the timing, I assumed you went to the Moonpool to look for Barkface's spirit, despite me not wanting you to. Cloudtail finding your scent on the trail to the uplands confirmed it.” He took a deep breath and exhaled through his teeth in a stressed hiss. “What did you find?”

Shadepool dug her claws into the earth. The sound of lapping waves filled her mind, but they did not ease her. When she spoke, it was as if she were choking on a frozen mouse: “Barkface isn't there, either. He was taken, like Onewhisker.”

Brackenfur closed his eyes. He shuddered from ears to tail. “I had hoped...” he breathed, “but...”

He seemed at a loss. Shadepool did not blame him. She wished that she had better news. She wished that it hadn't been for nothing again.

“Did StarClan have any more information?” Brackenfur asked.

Shadepool shook her head. “Nothing helpful. Yellowfang says they're just as confused about it as we are.” Shadepool hunched her shoulders, shivering. “She thinks the shadow-cats I saw at the ambush site might be responsible for it.”

Brackenfur frowned at that.

“Also...” Shadepool hesitated to talk about it, but she supposed she might as well while Brackenfur wasn't yelling at her: “Spottedleaf was acting so strange - she kept ranting about some Omen she'd seen, and she wasn't herself at all. It's like she was obsessed with it. She wouldn't hear a word I said to her!”

“An Omen?” Brackenfur repeated.

Shadepool frowned at him. He didn't sound the least bit surprised, and his expression hadn't changed a whisker. That was very unlike him.

“You knew about that already,” she guessed.

Brackenfur nodded.

“And you didn't tell me?!” Shadepool hissed. The fur along her spine rose indignantly. “Why not?!”

Brackenfur sighed. The morning breeze stirred his pelt. “I did not tell you because StarClan knows as little about it as I do,” he answered frankly. He stared out over the water. “If it has consumed Spottedleaf, though, it is surely dangerous.”

Shadepool huffed. “So nobody knows anything about anything,” she concluded, frustration prickling in her pelt. The grinding of the stones beneath her paws reflected how she felt right now. “We're all just fumbling in the dark - even StarClan.” She sighed. “Aren't they supposed to know everything?”

Brackenfur twitched his whiskers. “I once thought so when I was younger,” he admitted. “But, perhaps there are things even StarClan cannot comprehend. It seems we have stumbled into some darkness beneath the lake, and we must figure it out together if we are all to survive. Perhaps that is why the Clans were brought here.”

But why is it our responsibility? Shadepool wondered. Why us?

He glanced at her as if he could read her thoughts, and he looked older than his seasons and tired enough that a moon's worth of sleep would not heal him. She understood then that he had been changed by his knowledge of the Omen - though not in the same way that Spottedleaf was. That weight had been crushing him for who knew how long.

Now, the burden was shared.

Shadepool touched her nose to his shoulder. “What do we do?” she asked.

“I do not know,” Brackenfur said. “We must trust that when StarClan finds an answer, they will tell us. For now, we can only guide our Clanmates through the fog of the unknown.”

Though he was just as clueless and uncertain as she was, Shadepool felt comforted by Brackenfur's presence, the idea that she didn't have to be alone with this. Perhaps he felt the same. She felt his chin rest on her forehead, his breath tickling her ear.

The closeness was bittersweet, however. If Brackenfur knew that she had love in her heart for Crowflight, this would all evaporate like mist in the sunshine. There was no way he would ever understand, no way that he would ever be able to trust her again.

“What will you tell Tinystar?” she asked, pulling her muzzle away. She couldn't even fathom how angry her father was with her.

“Medicine cat business is, in the end, medicine cat business,” Brackenfur rasped. His yellow eyes flashed in the orange light of dawn. “Even Tinystar must accept that that is all he needs to know.”

Shadepool's tail twisted with discomfort. “We're not going to tell him about Onewhisker and Barkface, or the Omen?”

“Not yet,” Brackenfur told her. “I'm not sure what good it will do right now. Tinystar is already fighting a war on two fronts - the last thing he needs right now is more to worry him. For now, this is a medicine cat problem.”

“Is that the best idea?” Shadepool ventured. She had told Crowflight about Onewhisker already, and she dreaded the idea of telling him that Barkface had suffered the same fate.

“I do not know,” Brackenfur said again. His muzzle pressed thin. “I imagine that all of this - the WindClan situation, the disappearing spirits, the Omen - is connected somehow. Until we have more information, though, we risk speculating wildly, and the more that know, the more likely panic will arise.”

Shadepool didn't like it, but she nodded in agreement. The last thing they needed right now was more cats becoming as deranged as Spottedleaf. Perhaps I ought to keep this close, then. Only for now.

She really didn't like the idea of keeping a secret from Crowflight, and she wasn't sure she could, really - but she also didn't want him to spiral from the knowledge and the hopelessness that it brought. He had reeled from learning about Onewhisker, after all. She wondered if Nightfrost might listen, but the tightness of the thorns came to mind, and she pushed it aside.

“We should return to the Clan,” Brackenfur meowed. “They will be missing us.”

Shadepool nodded in agreement. She got up and stretched, her paws scattering a few pebbles down into the lake's cold, gray water. Above her head honked a group of geese as they flew in formation, their bodies black against the rising sun.

Geese? she thought, glancing at Brackenfur, who seemed just as surprised to see them. Does that mean...?

“Newleaf,” Brackenfur sighed, his eyes sparkling. “Finally, some good news: newleaf is finally here!”

#tb au #tb twilight

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talonslockau · 4 months

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Fire and Ice - Chapter 46

Chapter 45 || Index || Chapter 47

A night of listening. That was how Bluestar had described it, just before leaving them to their duty. Fireheart didn't know what he was supposed to listen for, exactly. Was Starclan themselves going to descend from the Startrail and whisper to them?

The sun had long since set, casting the camp into darkness. He fluffed his now dry fur up as much as he could as the chill of night crept over them. In the distance, he could hear an owl call, but it was far away and not likely to bother them on the other side of the forest. Aside from the whispers of mourners sharing tongues with the dead one last time, the camp was quiet. Even the kits in the nursery were now asleep, resting safely with the queens.

He had all night to think, sitting alone under the stars. Perhaps this was intended to be a night to think over the warrior code and understand what he had pledged himself to. Or maybe it was a night of reflection, remembering their apprentice days and what they had learned in order to become warriors? He wasn't sure.

Still, he didn't mind the chance to process everything that had happened in the past two days. He had visited the Moonstone and talked with a Starclanner, though he felt that was less impressive than it should be with how often Redtail was showing up lately. The camp had been attacked, and Spottedleaf killed. Their kits were stolen. Ravenspirit had fled for safety. And then Yellowfang and the Shadowclan elders had teamed up with a Thunderclan battle patrol to drive out their power-mad leader and his strongest warriors. And that still didn't mention how he had deceived the Clan and gotten his warrior name. How could so many things happen so fast?

He gazed up at the sky. Between the attack on their camp and the fury of the storm, there were several holes in the leafy cover that normally hid Thunderclan from any onlookers above. Someone would have to fix them tomorrow. In the meantime, he appreciated the view of the Startrail that they gave him, twinkling brightly above him.

Spottedleaf would be joining them tonight. He glanced briefly at her body, laying still in the center of camp. Dappleshine and Bluestar were murmuring softly to her, sharing tongues with her for one last time, while Dewpaw was curled up in the white fur of her belly. His heart ached as he watched her flank gently rise and fall. She had taken the healer's death hard, blaming herself for the tragedy. Even though she had hardened for Goldenflower's sake, he knew the grief was eating away at her the whole time. He hoped that despite her gruffness, Yellowfang would be able to help her mourn the calico properly. Death, he figured, was a wound only time could heal.

His gaze moved to Speckleflight, Sandstorm and Dustleap beside her as they stared up at the sky. Their mouths weren't moving, but he knew they were all speaking with Ravenspirit in their own way. It was surprising to see Dustleap join in mourning his half-brother, but he could see tears in the tabby tom's eyes that felt genuine. It was partially because of the young warrior that Ravenspirit had feared for his life. Had he truly believed Tigerclaw's words that the apprentice was guilty? Was he now mourning the loss of what could have been, now that his half-brother had 'redeemed' himself? Fireheart wasn't sure he cared to ask. Even if he did, he doubted the temperamental young warrior would answer him honestly.

How would they react if they knew the truth? If he revealed that Ravenspirit was alive, but that he had fled because his own father wanted him dead so he wouldn't reveal the secret of Redtail's death? He could only imagine the shock the Clan would feel, and likely a fair bit of betrayal. No, as much as he desired to be honest, he knew that for the moment it was better this way.

He wondered if Ravenspirit had safely gotten to Barley's barn. Part of him wished he could leave now and check, but he knew someone would notice his absence, and that would only bring him trouble. Besides, Ravenspirit was a capable cat; he had caught two adders that had been trying to catch him, once! If it weren't for Tigerclaw, his friend would have been a great warrior, just like his mother had been.

Was Nightwish watching both of them now? Was she pleased with what he had done to protect her son? He looked back up at the Startrail shimmering merrily above him. The stars seemed to dance before his eyes, swirling around each other like leaves in the wind. It looked as though many spirits were traveling the Startrail tonight. Perhaps the ghostly queen was one of them, watching over her son and the two new warriors that had saved his life.

As he looked over the Startrail, his eyes caught the red star he had seen on his first night in camp, the night of Redtail's death. His neck bristled at the thought of the cryptic deputy, the main source of frustration in his life now. Maybe now that his sister was up in Starclan with him, she could knock some sense into him and get him to be a little more helpful. He somehow doubted it, though; even in life, she had been just as difficult as her brother in the best of times.

Something rustled nearby. He perked his ears and looked around, suddenly alert. Had Brokentail's rogues come back? He straightened up, spine bristling as a brown tabby slid out of the elders' den. "Oh, keep your fur on, young Fireheart." He relaxed as he heard Halftail's familiar grumble. "Just an old tom taking a little nighttime walk. Don't mind me."

He watched the elder stumble stiffly past him, opening his mouth to mumble an apology before remembering the rules of his vigil. With a quick nod, he sat back down, watching as the tabby vanished into the shadows of the entrance. He gave his chest fur a quick lick, feeling a bit embarrassed. It wasn't like they could blame him for being on edge. It was only that morning that Brokentail had been defeated, and he was sitting on very important guard duty.

He had to wonder if Brokentail would return from wherever he had run off to. His rogues had been badly injured in both battles, and now that they didn't have a healer to care for them it would be a while before they were ready to fight again, if they survived their wounds. Still, the tyrant's last words echoed in his mind; "This isn't over." If Brokentail survived, the cats that toppled him would be at the top of his list for revenge.

He shook himself out, trying to release the tension in his muscles. He was freaking himself out. Now was a time for pride and celebration. He had earned his warrior name, something he'd been hoping for since he first set foot in the forest. He couldn't wait to tell Princess, especially now that he was free to go where he pleased as a warrior. Would she be proud of him? He imagined her green eyes glowing with happiness for him as he told her of his accomplishment.

As he looked out proudly around his camp, he froze when he saw a pair of eyes staring at him from the darkness. It wasn't Graystripe or Halftail’s familiar yellow eyes, but a sinister amber glare that could only belong to one warrior. Tigerclaw was watching him, his gaze unblinking.

It wasn't hard to guess at why. The dark tabby must have realized that Fireheart was trying to get him to make his accusations against his son in front of the whole Clan, to discredit him in Bluestar's eyes. It hadn't worked, of course, but the giant warrior was smart enough to notice such a trap easily. No doubt he was suspicious of the ginger tom now, and he likely realized that Fireheart was onto him. It was even possible that Fireheart was a target now.

That was fine with him. He would not underestimate Tigerclaw's sinister intentions like Redtail had. If the broad-shouldered tabby wanted to try something, the new warrior would be ready to stand tall against him.

He flicked one ruddy ear as he heard rustling from the entrance that signified Halftail's return. The amber eyes watching him slipped back into the thorn thicket of the warriors' den once more, evidently not caring to be spotted. The tabby elder passed in front of him before stopping and turning to sniff at him. "You sure you don't want to cry fox over an elder making a trip to the dirtplace?" He mewed, sticking his rather stinky muzzle in Fireheart's face. "I'm sure Bluestar will appreciate having such an attentive warrior on vigil."

The ginger tom glared back at him, unable to speak and defend himself. After a few heartbeats of staring at each other, nose to nose, Halftail chuckled and stepped away. "Ah, well. Can't blame an old tom for trying." He grumbled, as Bluestar twitched an ear towards them from where she was mourning.

Fireheart stiffened and flicked his tail for Halftail to get moving. Surely he couldn't get in trouble for someone else talking to him during his vigil, right? "Alright, alright. Just don't panic when the other elders wake up to perform the burial rites, okay? That would be rather embarrassing for you." With that, the tabby toddled back to bed, leaving him alone.

Sighing heavily, he adjusted his position and looked back up to the Startrail. It would be a long night, but he had gone through worse as an apprentice. Now that he had received his warrior name, he felt as though he could do anything. He had proven he was capable, not just to Bluestar and the Clan but to himself. A new dawn was coming, and he could not wait for it.

#talonslock #warrior cats #wc #fanfic #the prophecies begin #talonslock story #fire and ice #thunderclan #fireheart #spottedleaf #dappleshine #bluestar #dewpaw #speckleflight #sandstorm #dustleap #halftail #graystripe #tigerclaw

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greekstar · 1 year

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Ok, so I honestly love this au. @nappingpaperclip

So first, Rusty gets a prophecy from Starclan to go to the forest where he’ll meet someone who will help him and who he will help, so he does.

Instead of being attacked by Graypaw; he is needed by Spottedleaf and Bluestar who both got a prophecy that had to do with Fire and a entity at the end of the forest, where they explore and find Rusty.

They of course immediately invite him into the clan where he trains as a medicine cat apprentice under Spottedleaf. He is a quick learner and often is super helpful and has one of the strongest connections with Starclan. (Even stronger then Jayfeather)

He does still find Yellowfang but treats her wounds and brings her back to camp and treats her more with the permission of Bluestar.

He also knows before they tell him that both Bluestar and Yellowfang had kits with toms that they weren’t supposed to and sees a chance to do something… but what is it?

He often is picked on by other apprentices for being a kitty pet and a medicine cat. He isn’t friends with Graypaw but with Ravenpaw. Who Firepaw sees his trauma and lies to Bluestar saying Starclan said that Ravenpaw is better with having a different mentor where Bluestar excepts this and makes Mousefur his mentor.

He then has a prophecy saying ‘A scarred face will strike, kits will squeal and death will unfold’ which is Clawface and Spottedleaf with the kits: this prevents Spottedleaf getting killed but she does get wounded and Firepaw is easy to tell cats what to do when the kits are still taken and are able to get them back.

Firepaw then learns about Tigerclaw and how he killed Redtail and tell Bluestar. Bluestar is at first hesitant at believing Firepaw but remembers that his prophecies are never wrong, so she exiles Tigerclaw, though Firepaw knows that’s not enough.

Also, Cinderpelt doesn’t become a medicine cat! Cause by this time Tigerclaw was already exiled so couldn’t lure her. Nor was she Fire’s apprentice as he’s still an apprentice himself.

Spottedleaf and Yellowfang take Firepaw to the moonstone! Naming him Firesight for his way in seeing prophecies so clearly and how strong his connection is with Starclan.

Later, he gets a prophecy saying ‘your kin will spill blood, the blood of a tiger, but blood of innocents will run before there will be peace.’ - The bloodclan battle of course

He explains this to his mentors and they are shocked as they never expected this.

Hehe fire time

The fire forest happens but kills Bramblekit cause Firesight had to lead and help cats to get to the Sunningrocks. Goldenflower does get greatly burned cause she went to find him but found him already dead and ran back. Yellowfang and that one elder does still die and now the only medicine cats are Spottedleaf and Firesight

Duh duh duhhhh SPOTTEDLEAF DIESSS! Instead of Brindleface dying by Tigerclaw to get the dogs the taste of cat blood, he kills Spottedleaf when she’s collecting herbs! It wasn’t to long when his other den mate died but now Firesight is alone. Bluefur was filled with grief BUT did make everyone warriors so Swiftpaw doesn’t die stupidly and Brightpaw doesn’t get torn to shreds.

Also, Whitestorm is deputy is I never mentioned that? Or Sandstorm- up to you!

Blue star still dies from drowning, but isn’t saved by Firesight so her body drowns! Swiftfang is the one to be saved by Bluestar instead of Firesight while he’s back at sunningrock taking care of everyone

Ima skip saying Bloodclan battle was won. Sandstar or Whitestar took them down with the other clans-

Firesight has a forbid with Sandstar/storm -if she doesn’t become leader- again your choice

And this is when the new medicine cat rule is made. ‘A medicine cat is permitted to have kits if they are a male or the female medicine cat who wants kits have an apprentice for the period of time when she is caring for them’

Skipping, everything in the 2nd arc goes somewhat of the same. Though Squirrel gets the prophecy sense Bramble is dead, Tawny joins her sense she’s her mate and lives in Thunderclan as she would have felt guilty leaving Goldenflower.

Rowanclaw goes instead of Tawny for Shadowclan

Feather still dies and that all happens

Firesight is able to see the 6 traveling but doesn’t relay it to anyone but his daughter and apprentice, Leafpaw who also sees this-

Ima stop here, if you injoyed, feel free to ask for more!

#greekstar’s au #greekstar’s requested rewrites #Warrior cats #Wc #Greekstar

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aerial-jace · 2 years

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The shower hath blessed me once again with an AU concept!

OK so, an AU where there's no StarClan, all cats just reincarnate endlessly. Instead of communicating with StarClan, medicine cats have the ability to see into their past lives with the help of the Moonstone/Moonpool. It's supposed to like. Be used to gain wisdom and insight into whatever problems the clans face and that's why medicine cats are held with such esteem and are sought for advice.

Now here's the juicy part. So, Jayfeather eh? What if he uses his ability to peer into his past lives as a way to live his dreams vicariously? What if Jay's Wing was actually blind like him and thus Jayfeather fixates on this blind cat who lived a perfectly normal life in the pre-Clan past? What if medicine cats could recognize people they've met in their past life visions? What if, having suffered the loss of Hollyleaf and being unsure of when (if ever) their souls will meet again, he latches onto Dovekit because she shares Dove's Wing's soul? What if he became obsessed with making her his apprentice so they could live out his escapist fantasies together?

#warrior cats #wc #warrior cats au #jayfeather #dovewing #jay's wing #dove's wing

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exocynraku · 2 years

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Ravensong (ravenpaw). Med cats are allowed relationships, but some cats have a problem with him loving a rogue. He confides in Fireheart and Graystripe sooner, allowing them to help protect him more. He still leaves for a moon when Tigerclaw insinuates that he is a traitor, but it allows him to grow closer to Barley. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to come back, but Yellowfang saw him on her way to the Moonstone and they talked, and eventually he agreed to come back and continue on as her apprentice

THIS is awesome!!! - ravenkit is apprenticed to spottedleaf - he tries to save redtail when tigerclaw brings him into camp, but is unable to - blah blah blah he gets his med cat name, ravensong - one time, he needed to go to windclan for a herb. on his way there he meets this nice rouge/loner named barley. they talk for a bit until ravensong remembers what hes supposed to be doing and leaves - while he leaves, barley calls out to him, and says to meet him at the barn sometime soon. raven knows this is probably a bad idea but he goes anyway - they date (?) for a while, but fireheart and greystripe are starting to get suspicious about why his herb quests are taking longer and longer - raven tells fire and grey about whats going on, and grey tells him thats he's in a code breaking relationship too! - everything goes well for a bit until tigerclaw sees raven and barley together!! he goes and tells the whole clan about it!! - really the old cats who care about this are tigerclaw and darkstripe. no one else in the clan really cares. bluestar also doesnt care LOL - tigerclaw is really upset about the fact bluestar doesnt care, so he starts to threaten raven. raven is deathly afraid of tiger so hes very split on what he wants to do. - at first he decides he needs to be strong and take care of his clan but after he overhears darkstripe and tiger talking about their plan to kill him and barley, he decides its time to leave. - the only cats he tells are grey, fire and blue (not about the murder plan, but about the fact hes leaving). they make up the story that he was killed by shadowclan - before he leaves though, he teaches fire everything he can about medicine. fire get a new, temporary part time job: med cat - raven knows except where he's going now. straight to barley, so he can be safe there - raven are barley live together for quite some time, getting very close. - even though raven is happy with barley, he knows thats he should probably go back to clans.. but he also doesnt want to cuz hes still afraid of tiger. - he decides to go to the moonstone for guidance. maybe starclan can help him. - now that yellowfang is here, fire stops being a temporary med cat and goes back to a full time warrior - during this, fire accidentally lets it slip to yellowfang that raven isnt dead. yellowfang thinks he should come back baecause 1: she needs an apprentice and 2: brokenstar is dead and tiger has been exiled so he would be safe again. she doesnt know what to do so she goes to the moonstone for starclans advice - yellow sees raven, but doesnt realize who he is at first. only after she realizes theyre both going to the moonstone does she go over and talk to him - raven is kinda scared of her at first cuz big scary lady ahh!!!! but shes really nice to him so he warms up quick - she tells him who she is and informs him that thunderclan misses him, and that tiger is gone - when he hears that tiger is gone, he immediately decides to go back. but first, he tells barley - barley understands, and says raven came come and stay with him whenever he pleases - raven goes back with yellow and the whole clan is shocked. (except for fire, grey and blue). ravens family is very very happy to see him home. - raven becomes yellows apprentice (kinda. he already knows most of the herbs but theres still a few things hes not sure about). - raven sees yellow as a mother and cinderpaw as a sister. - he helps train cinderpelt after yellow dies. he still visits barley often, sometimes leaving for a few days to go stay with him. firestar doesnt mind - he serves as a med cat for quite a while but when the clans decide to leave for the lake, he decides that he's stepping down from his med cat position to stay with barley - firestar and the rest of thunderclan are very upset, especially cinderpelt but hes able to convice them all - he bids farewell to the clans and goes on to live the rest of his life with barley <3 i dont have an "other stuff" for this one. this au is really cute, and med cat ravenpaw is a very smart idea

#ravenpaw #barley #yellowfang #warrior cats #wc #wc au #ray talk

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law-of-jaskier · 3 years

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Patchnose AU part 3

Previous parts x x

- Some time passes and the kitty cat society is doing pretty good besides the occasional dog on their territories or other casual stuff. Oakstar is beaming with support for the three apprentices, in fact, the whole clan is. Ravenwing too, although he’s been getting a little fidgety lately near Mapleshade in particular. Petalpaw sees this and acknowledges something might be wrong, but she doesn’t really know what exactly.

- Larchpaw is now known in the clan as one of the fiercest apprentices there ever lived, as he’s done many honorable things for his clanmates well being, including chasing a few dogs off with nasty scars by himself, and solving a few border squabbles. He himself has earned a scar across his cheek, one that never really faded, but he’s proud of it. He says it’s the sign that he’ll be a good asset to the clan. His mentor couldn’t be more proud of him, and often says he’d already be a warrior by now, but Larchpaw keeps getting distracted during his warrior assesments, and fails them every time, thus his ceremony getting delayed.

- As for Patchpaw, he’s not really doing much. He’s just trying to live his life peacefully, not really caring about becoming a warrior too early, but at his own pace. This causes Larchpaw to sometimes lash out at him, but he hopes it’s just because of the stress. After all he knows how much Larchpaw tries to impress everyone, so it’s only natural he wants to be one already. Patchpaw has also been sitting around with Petalpaw for a while now, and Ravenwing often has to chase him away to actually let her learn stuff.

- Speaking of Ravenwing, he’s now had the dream about the reeds flooding camp or stuff. He connects the dots, but decides to confront Mapleshade about it first, before doing anything else he knows he might regret, as he cares for Petalpaw dearly as his apprentice. Only, in this case, Mapleshade doesn’t just straight up tell him yeah, they’re Appledusk’s, no, she actually tries to lie further. During this time she and Appledusk actually got into a fight on the border, where she almost managed to claw his eyes out, but was ultimately stopped by a Riverclan patrol approaching. So she doesn’t want to let the possibility of having a good life for that piece of rotting crow food. Ravenwing sort of wishes he could believe her, but seeing the anger in her eyes, isn’t so sure about this.

- The next time he and Petalpaw go to the Moonstone he tries to find Birchface himself and ask about it, only to be greeted by some other cat. Petalpaw on the other hand, is visited by none other, than Birchface himself. He wants to finally meet her, and, once she gets to know it’s her supposed dead father, she nuzzles close to him. The tom’s not surprised by this, he knows how her upbringing looked, even if it’s from another perspective. He also brings her the message to ‘ Beware, for the stream is more twisted than it looks.’ She doesn’t understand it, but wakes up before she can ask for any more guidance. She sees Ravenwing already left, and goes to meet him at the entrance to Moonstone. He seems irritated with something, but dismisses her questions, and orders her to start the journey back to camp alone.

- Warriors are distressed when they see her entering alone, without her mentor. They think something must’ve happened to Ravenwing, and Oakstar joins in quickly, once hearing the commotion outside his den. Hearing her side of the story, Larchpaw chimes in, saying he’ll go himself and look for the medicine cat, only to be shushed by both Oakstar and Frecklewish, who don’t want anything to happen to any of their clanmates. This leaves Larchpaw angry, and Petalpaw swears she can almost hear her brother hissing under his breath. He goes out of the camp anyway, excusing himself to the sandy hollow.

- Patchpaw runs after his brother to ensure nothing bad happens to him, of course getting Frecklewish’s approval first. When he catches up to the cat, a conversation happens.

“ Larchpaw, Oakstar is worried for your safety. What if something happens to you? It’s outside Thunderclan territory, and we don’t know what happened to Ravenwing. Please, let’s just go back to camp together and we can find a way-”

“ So what if Oakstar says so? He’s just an old cat.” Larchpaw growled, turning his head around to face his brother. “ It doesn’t even matter what he says. I know how to fight far better than him. I should be a warrior already, and leader after him.” His tail whipped in anticipation, but Patchpaw only looked on in horror, as he realised what that meant.

“ You can’t possibly think that. We’re his grandkits! Birchface was Oakstar’s son, he cares about you just as much as Petalpaw and me!”

“ Oh, hasn’t Starclan told you or her yet like they did to me?” The brown tom took a step towards Patchpaw, who suddenly felt very tense, and, irrationally, spiked the fur on his tail. Larchpaw noticed, and quickly stopped in his tracks to glance at his brother’s face. “ Birchface isn’t our father. Never was. “

- At this moment he’s cut off by Ravenwing suddenly showing up. The dark tom heard what Larchpaw said, and is furious. He knew it was true, but never thought he’d hear it from one of the kits themselves.

- Patchpaw tries to defend his brother, stating that he’s just jealous of not being let go to search for him, but Ravenwing pushes himself behind Patchpaw, standing in his way to Larchpaw. Note: Larchpaw is the biggest of the three and has some weird fur condition where it sticks like crazy, but also makes him seem even bigger. He’s already Raven’s height, and he’s younger than him. So, whereas Ravenwing seems scary to Patchpaw, he’s also much more terrified of how Larchpaw’s gaze darkens while looking at the medicine cat. He also sees his tail start switching slightly, as if getting ready to strike. This realisation charges him with enough energy, to run full speed into Ravenwing’s body, thus sweeping the tom off his feet, just as Larchpaw lunges into the spot where the cat just stood. The two apprentices tumble onto the ground, with Larchpaw spitting insults at the smaller cat.

- Meanwhile Ravenwing runs straight to the camp, Patchpaw has given him enough time to escape and go get help, in case he didn’t manage to calm his brother down. What he didn’t think of though, was Larchpaw silently getting up, and chasing after the medicine cat. Now Patchpaw starts panicking, both cause of what his brother said, and of his actions. How would he dare attack a cat with such authority? Would he do the same to Petalpaw? Or worse, Oakstar? He tries following them to camp, but finds blood stains about halfway in. Running into the camp he finds Larchpaw standing in the centre, blood flowing from the gush on his shoulder, and Frecklewish separating him from Ravenwing, who’s laying on the ground in shock. He sees Petalpaw trying to comfort her mentor, but he only hisses at her to stay back. At this moment, Oakstar comes into the clearing and jumps to his usual clan gathering spot. With calm voice, he says

“Cats of Thunderclan. Today we’ve encountered a betrayal from one of our closest, most skilled companions. I’ve been told things I’ve never thought I’d hear, especially from a medicine cat. Larchpaw, from this day forward, you have no entrance on the Thunderclan territory. You’ve lost your privelleges as an apprentice the second you’ve decided to lay claws on Ravenwing. Leave, and never come back. As for you, Mapleshade” he turned his head to the shocked she-cat, who’s just walked to her son’s side “You’re welcome to join him for all the lies you’ve told your clanmates.”

#patchnose au #patchkit #petalkit #larchkit #mapleshade #appledusk #oakstar #frecklewish #warriors #warrior cats #warrior cats au

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mud-castle · 3 years

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Visions and Night Skies

Fire and Ice: Part 8

<next>

<prev>

<first>

Outside, in the night air, all was silent. He could still hear the gentle snores of many cats and the scuttling of mice coming from inside the barn.

“Fireheart?”

Fireheart looked up to see a short, gray molly pad up to him, her pelt glowing slightly in the dark. Shimmering Eye had changed her appearance. Again.

She peered at him with violet eyes, “Why are you awake?”

He shifted uncomfortably, “I had a dream.”

“That’s not unusual.”

“No, but this one was different. I was standing at the edge of a gorge, the one in Riverclan. I couldn’t move, as if something was pulling me there...as if I needed to be there.” He shut his eyes, “I heard voices, many of them, all at once. They were spirits, but... I haven’t heard anything like that since I moved into the clans.”

Shimmering Eye glanced at the sky, “Sounds like a message.”

Fireheart perked up, “From Starclan? Are they finally reaching out to me? What do I do?”

The molly didn’t look at him, carefully avoiding the excitement that was sure to be present in his eyes. “Go to where you’ve been called, I suppose. I will speak to them tonight.”

“Can I come this time?”

“No.”

“Bu-”

“Get rest. You will need it for what tomorrow may bring.”

He deflated slightly. “...yes Shimmering Eye.”

Shimmering Eye sat a long ways away from the barn, eyes straight forward.

“Show yourself.”

A piece of the night sky dropped down beside her, it’s form ever-changing. It curled slightly around her in a cool embrace as a vague resemblance of a face formed upon it. It peered down at her, stars illuminating its vibrant pelt.

“Shiveringpool,” it whispered coolly, sounding as if many cats were talking at once, “it’s been a while. This face suits you.”

She ignored the jabs. “Why were you attempting to contact my apprentice?”

“Ah, straight to the point as always,” it chuckled slightly, “we quite like that about you.”

She said nothing.

“But, if you must know, we have not reached out to the little one. He reached out to us.”

“Impossible. We are too far from the Moonstone, and he is still early in his training.”

“It is, isn’t it? Then again, he has done an impossibility before, hasn’t he?” Its mass shifted until its empty eyes peered directly into hers. “What did happen at the gathering?”

“How am I to know? I have no control over his powers.”

“You can influence them through his training.”

“So you believe my training gave him the power to tear through your barrier on the night of a full moon?”

Shimmering Eye allowed herself the smallest bit of triumph at seeing it realize its own stupidity.

It looked away, mass twitching. “No...” It seemed to straighten up right after. “however, we are pleased you decided to contact us tonight. We’ve been meaning to speak to you about him.”

“What of him?”

“He is strong, but too unskilled. At the level he is at, he may bring more danger than aid to the clans. We wish to make the incident at the gathering a solitary case.”

“Meaning?”

“We will be taking on half of his training from now on.”

Shimmering Eye's narrowed her eyes, “You mean to tell me that after seasons of ignoring him, you now wish to be a part of his development? Rather late, aren’t you?”

It seemed to shrug, “We are here now, yes?”

“Yes,” She barely managed to not hiss, “I suppose you are.”

Its eyes glittered, a grin splitting its dark face, “Do not fret, Shiveringpool, we believe our apprentice will be nothing less than thrilled to finally meet us.”

Our apprentice. As though it had had a paw in any of Fireheart’s training. Shimmering Eye dipped her head low, glaring at the grass, “Of course, expect nothing less.”

It was gone before she lifted her head.

Fun times...

Fireheart looks like an older teen, which is probably about how old he is. So we’re making progress people! Now if I could just make his height consistent for his age...

#oldeye

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everybody-loves-purdy · 2 years

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Anon who talked about the whispering OC.

Thank you for liking my ask and yeah, that an entire arc in the rp was just really sad. During a clan meeting to discuss what to do, the clan cat’s mother begged her clanmates to not harm her grandchildren as they’re her daughter’s kits and all that’s left of her before exclaiming tearfully ‘what is wrong with you?! When does being a warrior resulted in killing innocent kits?!’ when some clan cats said ‘maybe we should, it’s what Starclan said and they want to destroy the moonstone’, The leader turned his back on Starclan and tried to keep his clan from killing the kits since they’re not only kits but the kits of his best friend, his deputy standing by his side. (I loved the bond between this leader and his deputy- they’re basically Firestar and Whitestorm; a younger, new leader with an older, more experienced deputy.). The parents of the rogue are also causing problems: the mother is sheltering the kits and helping them, also saying ‘my son is dead! These kits are all I have left of them- I’d die protecting them.’ while the father, who was an exiled clan cat, blames the clan for his son’s death, saying ‘my son wouldn’t be dead if he didn’t ran off with a clan cat. The clan harmed my family- now they want to harm my son’s kits!’,

Starclan was even torn apart to where two best friend fought- one horrified when his friend said ‘as much as I don’t like it, it needs to be done. These cats weren’t meant to be reincarnated.’ and there was one scene in Starclan, we see the mate of the Starclan cat who got reincarnated, looking sad as she recently joined Starclan and was reunited with her mate but lost him, again not long after. Some Dark Forest cats were like ‘ooohhh! One of our own has reincarnated himself?’ so they’re haunted the kits’ dream and ‘helping’ them in order to find out to be reincarnated as well. One Dark Forest cat even grew to care about the kits as he was in a situation pretty similar while another Dark Forest cat who saw the reincarnated DF cat as his son is like ‘Can I have my son back?’. One emotional scene was when the clan cats tried to stop the twins from destroying the moonstone more than they already have- the brother broke down, crying while yelling ‘what is wrong with all of you?! Can’t you see how hypocritical and manipulative Starclan is?! They killed our parents- they want us dead for a mistake THEY made! We never wanted any of this but we can’t let our parents’ murders get away with any more suffering! You guys started all of this!’ then the medicine cat states in a soft voice as he knew along that it wasn’t Starclan who killed his parents, he just couldn’t accept the truth and put the blame on something else to the point where he believed it. That he did it to protect his sister- It was the dark forest cat possessing the sister. The brother officially broke down and ran off with his sister.

They weren’t seen again until the leader found them- the brother explained they have no where else to go and the clan leader promised he’d make them feel welcome in the clan and make sure no one hurts them. They were cared for by their grandmother while some cats were welcoming, some weren’t. This arc also introduced a more dangerous threat as a rogue helping the twins was told to lead an old dog to the camp to distract them but she instead led two foxes into the camp, the brother went ‘that’s not supposed to happen but okay...’

The twins were in a depressive state for a while, even questioning who they are since they’re reincarnation and some clan cats avoided them- even some who are their kin as they were still grieving over their relative’s death. They eventually start to open and make friends within the clan- the brother even charged and tackled a clan cat who was trying to kill her own clanmate during a fight in the camp, officially taking her down with the clan leader watching going ‘oh, wow. He’s a pretty violent fighter’. (He was an adult when this happened.)

The arc was kind of left without an ending since I started losing interest in rp. ^^’

Thanks so much for sharing this, this is so interesting, a really intriguing story

#anonymous #oc #long post

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mossolantern · 2 years

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Miraculous Warrior Cats AU

i have a few ideas for how a ML Warrior Cats AU could work, so im just gonna share them because it’s 4am and I’ve not slept (it’s pretty canon-divergent but i really tried my best to make it seem like it could work within the warriors universe!)

this is going to be a kind of long-ish post!

First things first, i feel like the miraculouses could be one of a few things:

A) The miraculouses could be shards of the once full Moonstone that got left behind so many years ago in the forest territories, since the Moonstone used to be the clans’ main connection to StarClan

B) They could be similar to the StarClan-given powers that The Three got in POT and OOTS, villains instead receiving their powers from the Dark Forest

C) They could be a type of ancient relic, much like The Stick™️ that Jayfeather used to travel back in time and become Jay’s Wing, however, each different relic would hold a different power

I’m a bit iffy on option B, but with A or C the relics or shards would give the holders the benifit of a different appearance and different scent to avoid being found out too easily

I feel like Hawkmoth, no matter the what option is used, would manage to draw his powers from the Dark Forest with the help of the evil cats and angry lost souls that reside there. Perhaps instead of an akumatization, it’s a possession? (which are pretty similar already, i suppose)

and if it isn’t a possession, it technically could still work as an akumatization, with butterflies/moths that come from the Dark Forest, full of corrupted energy.

most of the abilities are a bit difficult to translate into warriors, but also this is my ideas post and i get to make the rules! (though, for the sake of not just making overpowered battlecats, once their powers are used they would still have a time-limit before they de-transform

Cataclysm could still easily work, perhaps instead of absolutely destroying everything it touches through rusting it/turning it to rubble, it works more like uncontrollably brutal strength, a single swipe could take down a tree when activated or a rock could be cracked in half with just a pounce.

Lucky Charm and Miraculous ladybug are a bit harder to conceptualize, seeing as it involves creating something out of nothing/ fixing what was destroyed. While Lucky Charm could still work, it’s a bitch of a stretch, but maybe rather than creating something that will help the problem be solves, it causes a vague sign from StarClan, that way you’d still have to be creative to solve your issue. I feel like Kwamis would also be interesting in this AU. They could spirits bound to whatever relic or shard the holder has, or if you’re going with the StarClan-given powers angle, maybe it’s like a Cinderheart scenario, where she was a reincarnation of Cinderpelt and at times seemed to have extensive knowledge of herbs despite never training as a medicine cat as Cinderheart (she had her spirit inside of her i THINK? but was also still her own cat- it’s a bit foggy, i haven’t read that arc in a while) What i’m thinking of is basically a mentor that’s a spirit cat. it’s now almost 5am so i’m going to end this here thank you for reading this haha

any of these ideas are free to use! just tag me if you do (i’d love to see it :D)

i’m going to list a few possible names for Marinette/Ladybug and Adrien/CatNoir, some mirror eachother, some don’t :] Also yes, much like Heatherpaw and Lionpaw in POT, their superhero names are warrior names they made up themselves

Adrien - Sunpaw (Sunshine), Goldenpaw (Goldensky), Honeypaw (Honeylight)

Cat Noir- Blackmask, Crowstrike, Darkwhisker, Ravenshade

Marinette - Moonpaw (Moonlight), Stormpaw (Stormheart), Slippaw (Slipstep) Ladybug - Specklebug, Beetlespot, Redclover, Spottedwish

#moss talks #Warriors #Warrior Cats #Warrior cats AU #warriors au #miraculous #miraculous ladybug #mlb au #ml au #ml au idea

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away-from-anthills · 3 years

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chapter three-

(prologue) (chapter one) (chapter two)

Although WindClan was the closest of all the Clans to it, the road to Fourtrees had never seemed longer.

The thick-barked trees seemed to stare down at Antstar as he led WindClan towards the hollow. On one side of him was Whitetooth, always looking ahead and always alert; on the other side was Russetfoot, who Antstar had decided to make his deputy almost as soon as he had returned from the Moonstone when he had received his nine lives.

A shiver scattered down his spine as he remembered the events that had happened after the last gathering. Rainleap gone, in an instant; a Clan suddenly left midair after being thrown off the cliff. And yet in all the turmoil, he had risen triumphant.

Or at least that was the impression he had gotten. He was supposed to feel triumphant, wasn’t he?

It had been a long ladder for Antstar to climb from Clanless kit to leader of all of WindClan, but he was beginning to realize at the top that he had a fear of heights.

Eventually, Fourtrees began to come into view, and Antstar could identify the four feline figures who sat at the Great Rock. All of them- even Currantstar, although he had only been leader for about twelve moons- seemed so used to it all, not even reacting to the leagues of chatter that surrounded them. It was as if their paws had melded with the granite below them.

“And I thought ShadowClan was bad with being late…” Pigeonstar’s coarse tone rang out above the crowd. The blue-gray tom was sporting a new scar that framed his left cheekbone.

“WindClan will be here soon enough,” said Tulipstar reassuringly. She had a tangy quality to her voice- not hostile, but not exactly warm either, like a mentor about to take their apprentice to a rigorous day of battle training. “I’ve heard rumors that something’s happened to them. Surely Shalestar will tell us.”

Shalestar. That was another thing. How was Antstar going to explain all that? Rainleap and Shalestar, both dead in the span of a month.

Part of him worried the others would think he killed him.

WindClan dispersed into the clearing, blending into the crowds. Spiderpaw was, very clearly, trying her best to not brag about her mentor now being the Clan leader. Toadpool and Webwhisker were striking a pleasant conversation with a dark red tabby tom from RiverClan with tufted ears. Adderthorn, a rather reclusive WindClan cat, kept to herself, although her gaze seemed to be fixed on a small dark brown tom from ShadowClan who had a marbled coat.

“Come, Antstar.” Whitetooth, with Marblepaw by their side, led Antstar through the gathering crowd, weaving in and out of the clouds of conversation. Eventually, they reached the medicine cats, who were having a friendly debate about whether yellow or orange marigold was more effective.

“I leave you here.” They pointed their tail at the top of the rock, where an empty spot sat between Tulipstar and Currantstar. “Best of luck. May StarClan look upon your first gathering with smiling faces.”

With a bit of effort, Antstar leapt onto the rock. He was surprised at how smooth the summit was- as if generations of pawsteps had carved it.

“Greetings, Antstep.” Tulipstar bowed her head.

Currantstar, however, looked a tad more confused. “Have Shalestar and Rainleap taken ill? I wouldn’t expect Shalestar to skip a Gathering. That old workhorse would go even in downpour…”

Antstar stammered. “I…”

He looked to Whitetooth for a second, who gave him an encouraging nod. He then looked to the other leaders. Their eyes felt like hot coals launching towards him.

But he would have to say it now.

“…Shalestar and Rainleap both passed away this prior moon.”

A sudden commotion hit the Gathering. Cats of the other Clans looked to their WindClan acquaintances in shock; WindClan simply nodded their heads and sighed.

“Both of them? How?” Pigeonstar’s eyes narrowed as his face twisted itself from comprehension into a scowl.

“On the way back from the last Gathering, there was an accident involving a monster. Shalestar appointed me as deputy in his stead-“ -he shot a quick glance into the crowd, seeking approval- “-and he passed away of illness not long after. We in WindClan mourn them both greatly, and have spent the past moon grieving for them.”

Pigeonstar, however, looked unconvinced. “How do we know you didn’t kill them?”

Antstar felt ill, unsheathing his claws to keep himself from falling off the Great Rock from dizziness. But the SkyClan leader continued, fashioning himself the great detective. “For all we know, you could have killed Rainleap, made it look like an accident, have Shalestar elect you as deputy, and then kill him, too!” He drew his lips in a snarl. “And it doesn’t help that cats of your kind don’t become WindClan leader so easy.”

But then, Currantstar stepped forward. “Many of us in ShadowClan are not Clan-born, like Antstar here. One of my medicine cats, Rosettepelt, is among them, and she is one of the most gifted healers we know.” He advanced forward towards Pigeonstar, his gaze steady and stern. “So if you want to remain on positive terms with us, I suggest you watch it.”

Pigeonstar seemed as if he were about to say something, but reason got the better of him.

“Furthermore, my friends,” started Whitetooth from the medicine cat crowd, “I can assure you that Antstar speaks truth. I prepared both bodies and aided Shalestar in his final hours. As he lay dying, he was content with his choice in Antstep.”

There was a low murmur throughout the Gathering discussing the death of the old leader. Even though Antstar tried not to, he bent his ears towards the crowd to get a better listen.

“Well,” said Pigeonstar, “we have no proof he didn’t kill Shalestar, now, do we?”

Currantstar and Tulipstar looked unconvinced as they looked over the Burmese tom in front of them. “You realize Antstar was Shalestar’s own apprentice, Pigeonstar,” added Tulipstar dryly. “And Shalestar took quite the liking to him.”

Tatteredstar of ThunderClan, however, was studying him, very very deeply, like she was inspecting the double barrel of a rifle she was about to stuff with gunpowder. Finally, she stepped back. The massive molly sat down, her expression unchanged as always.

“I don’t think the boy killed Shalestar.” She spoke in a thick ThunderClan drawl. “But we shouldn’t underestimate him.” She paused, as if she was taking the moment to rehearse her thoughts to herself. “He’s got killer between his eyes.”

Killer in his eyes. Antstar felt unsettled. Killer? What does she mean? And why-

But the other leaders simply seemed to nod, as if a silent agreement had been reached that they shouldn’t further push Antstar.

Perhaps they all had killers dancing in their eyes.

Pigeonstar seemed to back off, although he didn’t look pleased.

“Is there any other news in WindClan to report?” asked Tulipstar.

“…There is nothing else to report.”

Antstar stepped back, and Tatteredstar began to prepare herself to speak. Tatteredstar’s mere presence alone made Antstar feel weaker. Tatteredstar was an almighty oak; massive, muscular, battle-scarred and a pillar of her Clan, he was a mere dandelion, who bent over and crumpled in the slightest breeze, beside her. Having a good look at her didn’t help. He saw more scars on her now than he ever had before- across her face, across her flank, even down her legs. Her claws were off-white and long, jutting out from the tufts of fur betwixt her toes, and while her fur was generally well-groomed, a mat or two seemed just under the surface in the ruff of fur around her neck. She had two bottom fangs that stuck out; they had yellowed in their years of exposure and her bottom lip seemed to have shaped itself around them. Her tail was short, compared to her body, and it would not surprise Antstar if she had lost part of it in the throes of battle. Her big, yellow eyes, which were surrounded by oily discharge that discolored her fur, seemed to both stare into the horizon and at whatever was in front of her at once.

“ThunderClan has been doing well this past moon. We extend our condolences to WindClan for their loss of Shalestar,” she began. “He was leader alongside me for many years. We had our disagreements, but I held the tom in high regard, as I am sure all of us do.”

Shalestar and Tatteredstar had been the two oldest leaders, Antstar recalled. She had been leader for about twelve seasons by the time Shalestar ascended, and while the two didn’t interact much and had their differences, there was an air of respect between the two.

Antstar recalled how hollow-looking and feeble Shalestar had appeared in death. Tatteredstar, however, had no sign of slowing down. He wondered how she managed to do it.

“We have been lucky to have had two healthy litters of kits born into our Clan. Sleetwhisker has given birth to two mollies, Vinekit and Shrikekit; and Sootspots has given birth to four toms and a molly, Mothkit, Fogkit, Stumpkit, Cedarkit, and Clawkit. In addition, Foxbriar is set to give birth to her kits within the next quarter-moon. We will have our paws very full… and it will also mean we will have more mouths to feed.” She shot a pointed glance at Tulipstar.

“Also- in addition- there was an attempted uprising by a ThunderClan cat named Rosefire.” The Gathering crowds pricked their ears- Rosefire was a cat who had been known by many for his friendly nature and how he disliked Tatteredstar and her deputy, Eelwhisker. He was a very vocal cat, and would often joke about starting genuine rebellion against them in order to pursue a dream of all five clans being united. Many thought he was a tad extreme, of course, but he was generally well-liked.

But Tatteredstar never minced words. “The so-called uprising was over as soon as it began. I dealt with Rosefire. You will not be seeing him again.”

There was a stunned silence.

It was only then that it really struck Antstar what cat he was dealing with. The matter of Rosefire, to Tatteredstar, was not a personal matter, and there was not a look of cruelty, resentment, or even annoyance in the ThunderClan leader’s yellow eyes. Rosefire had intruded on ThunderClan’s safety, and Tatteredstar had dispatched him. It began and ended there.

And then, Tatteredstar stepped back. “ThunderClan has nothing more to report.”

After what seemed like forever, Currantstar stepped up to speak. “ShadowClan has spent the moon recuperating after the fire we reported at the last Gathering. We are, again, very lucky that it did not affect us too harshly. Besides that, we have no new news to report; we are deeply sorry for WindClan’s loss of Shalestar and Rainleap.”

As soon as he had begun, he had ended. Antstar admired his charisma, his charm, the way he looked like a sculpture; Currantstar was a perfect leader.

And he had become leader so young, too. He and Antstar were about the same age, after all.

If he can do it, and be a perfect leader, I can do it, too…

“We have been experiencing difficulties with rogues on SkyClan territory,” Pigeonstar announced. “I suspect this is the same group that has been bothering RiverClan territory. However, we have fought them off successfully,” he said. He was very pointed with his words. “In addition, two of our apprentices became warriors- Bumbleshade and Silverskip.”

There was a round of cheer for the two freshly-graduated warriors. Pigeonstar then backed away, and Tulipstar, the very small white molly with ginger splotches, at long last took the stage.

“We are continuing to deal with the rogues on our territory. We have started to drive them off, but it’s a tough process. Just this moon alone we have had to deal with the untimely deaths of Yellowstripe and Sleekwater, and our resources are running dry. However, there is hope. Oatwhisker became a warrior this month, and one of our mollies gave birth to two fine young kits, Magpiekit and Frondkit.”

The little white-and-orange molly kept a steady eye on Tatteredstar- giving a clear implication about how much she wanted Sunningrocks. Their agreement would run out by the next Gathering- and, by the looks of it, Tulipstar had every intention to keep the territory.

Slowly, the gathering would down like a spring-powered toy. SkyClan was the first to leave; then ThunderClan, and then ShadowClan, until only WindClan and RiverClan were left. Antstar would have left earlier, but he still felt dizzy and his head felt sore from sheer mental pressure.

“Are you alright?”

He turned and looked down to see Tulipstar. She looked… genuinely concerned, or at least as genuinely as Antstar could convince himself another leader could be.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said, as reluctance tried to keep his lips locked together.

“…You sounded nervous. I get it. Don’t fear the other leaders; they’re really not as scary as they like to make themselves out to be.” She thought on her words for a moment. “Well, except for Tatteredstar.”

“…What is it to you?” Antstar backed away slowly. Did she want something out of him? Then he doubled back in his mind- what if that sounded too rude, and now she was mad with him?

“Antstar, relax. I was especially close with your mentor and predecessor, Shalestar. We were very good friends, and under our allyship our two Clans were very close. I would like to continue that partnership with you.”

RiverClan had been friendly with WindClan for at least as long as Shalestar and Tulipstar had led them both. Slowly, Antstar let his guard down, correcting his posture so he didn’t look so hunched over.

“I would like to continue it, as well.”

“Great,” she said. She smiled, and Antstar could see how middle age had made her face look bony and her dimples more noticeable. “Besides- I was in a very similar scenario to where you are now, when I became leader.”

Antstar sat up in disbelief. Perhaps he wasn’t alone! Perhaps someone, somewhere out there… someone might just understand! “You… you became leader the same way?”

“Similarly. I mean- there weren’t as many accusations as you had to face from Pigeonstar, that joyless rat, because both my parents were RiverClan and the previous leader’s death wasn’t exactly a private occasion.” She leaned in, her jade eyes wide. “Did you hear about how I came to be leader, Antstar?”

Antstar shook his head.

“I feel you will find it very similar to your situation. The leader before me was a tom named Boarstar.”

Antstar remembered hearing of a Boarstar in nursery tales when he was a kit. Everyone knew him as a leader who had died in a battle he himself had started, but Antstar had not heard much of what he was like beyond that.

“Boarstar was very, very young when he rose to power, younger than you by a few seasons. He was a mean thing. Always picking fights with ThunderClan and WindClan, always on the attack. He was a serial womanizer and deeply narcissistic. Not many of us liked him much. He placed his brother, Oakbelly- who shared every ideal with him- as his deputy, and the two wreaked havoc on RiverClan. Boarstar lost his lives quite quickly because of all the battles he started…”

“So how did he choose you?”

“I honestly don’t think he did. We were in the midst of a battle with ThunderClan in their camp, and Oakbelly was fighting some ThunderClan cat while trying to get to the nursery. As he was taunting them, he made a miscalculation- and the ThunderClan cat shredded his belly open. And now, you know I and ThunderClan do not get along, but…” She smirked.

“And Boarstar?”

“Boarstar was filled with more rage than his namesake as he saw his brother bleed out… So he ran right to Tatteredstar herself and attacked her. She and him went one-on-one. It was a quick battle. I didn’t see much of it, but in the glimpse of his death that I got from the other side of their camp, she was clamping down on his head with her paws, crushing his skull.”

Antstar grimaced.

“The next thing I knew, the medicine cat rushed up to me and asked if I could take the mantle of leadership, telling me it was what Boarstar wanted in his last moments. In hindsight, it was probably the last thing he wanted, and the medicine cat was the one who made the decision. But it was my duty to my Clan, and so, I became leader. I cannot say the road of leadership has been an easy one, or a gentle one. But I want to be the cat for you who I wished was there for me.”

Antstar stepped towards her. “You mean, you’re going to help me?”

“I can’t lead for you, Antstar. Only you know your people. But I will be here as your mentor in leadership. Our Clans will be close. Feel free to ask me if you need help, and I will do my best to be there. It’s what Shalestar would have wanted.”

Antstar’s shoulders felt lighter. Someone out there was on his side!

“Trufflepelt, organize RiverClan so we can leave.” A tall, gaunt cinnamon tabby tom, twice the height of his leader, stood at the end of the hollow as the trademark plump bodies and shimmering pelts of RiverClan surrounded him. Pebblesky, RiverClan’s medicine cat, receded into the crowd, leaving Whitetooth and Marblepaw alone. They disappeared into the forests, southward; towards the faint smell of freshwater that beckoned from their territory.

Antstar stood alone on the rock for a moment. It was smooth, cold; almost calming now that the other Clans had left. He looked above and saw the leaves of the great oaks shiver above him; and a sky full of stars, who all blinked and winked as they stared upon him.

He heard pawsteps behind him, and turned to see the familiar face of Whitetooth, staring him in that inquisitive way they always did. “Are you alright, my leader?”

“…Yeah.” Antstar didn’t break eye contact as he stared at the stars above him.

“...You’ll get used to it,” Whitetooth added.

“I know.”

And then, after a further moment, Antstar left the Great Rock, where Russetfoot was already organizing WindClan to go home. Whitetooth followed, and then Marblepaw, and away they went, into the night.

“He did terribly,” said Sparkthistle dismissively as soon as the Gathering group got back.

“It couldn’t be that bad,” said Houndnose, a tortoiseshell tabby-and-white permaqueen, who emerged from the nursery with two of Cherrycloud’s kits clamping themselves onto her fur like a pair of bread clips.

“Oh, he made the biggest ass of himself- which is saying something because Pigeonstar was there.” The ginger molly rolled her eyes. “You really hate to see it. I’m astonished Rainleap hasn’t unearthed himself with all the spinning he must be doing in that grave!”

“Don’t talk that way about my brother!” growled Stripedwing, who was just outside the nursery. The gray tabby molly, who was visibly pregnant, had been inspecting the nursery while the gathering group was gone.

But Sparkthistle simply groaned and sauntered off, as if she was annoyed at Stripedwing for not liking the joke.

Antstar passed by the nursery, and something bit his foot. He looked down to see Brindlekit, a little tortoiseshell, gnawing at his toes. “Got you now, ThunderClan rat!” she squeaked.

“Brindlekit, that’s our leader!” said a ginger tabby tom-kit, panicked- but with a slight edge of authority. But Brindlekit, pugnacious as ever, simply pounced onto her brother, and the two began to wrestle. Eventually, Cherrycloud- her ginger coat near identical to the one of the little tom-kit- pried them apart. “Brindlekit, be nice to Antstar. Rosekit, it’s my job to parent her, not you.”

“Antstar! Antstar!” cried another ginger kit, who pushed her way out of the nursery between Houndnose and Cherrycloud. “Didja see Tatteredstar?”

“Is she really the size of a dog? That’s’ what Amberkit told me!” added a tiny solid black tom next to her. “…She’s big. Definitely one of the biggest cats I’ve seen. But not that big.”

The black tom-kit looked smugly at Amberkit, who seemed flustered that her descriptions weren’t accurate. But they had more questions to ask.

“Do the RiverClan cats really smell like fish?” “I heard ShadowClan eats frogs!” “Can Tatteredstar really kill a rat just by looking at them?” “Is the RiverClan medicine cat really secretly from ThunderClan?”

Antstar felt bombarded, but he still tried to answer each question. “They kind of do… they do eat frogs, but they seem fine with it… I don’t know, but she is scary… She is, and it’s not much of a secret, both Clans agreed to it…”

Cherrycloud gave a motion to the two kits, and they silenced themselves. “I’m sorry if they’re being a bother to you, Antstar,” she said apologetically.

“Oh, it’s no bother,” Antstar said. “They’re the next generation of warriors, after all.”

“Patchkit, would you like to say hi?” Cherrycloud asked to a little tortoiseshell, similar in shape and appearance to Brindlekit, who clung next to her. Patchkit gave Antstar a small glance and then buried herself further into her mother’s fur.

“She’s very shy and anxious,” Cherrycloud said. “We hope she’ll step out of her shell a little more soon.”

Antstar recalled he had been a similar way, as a kit. He recalled the permaqueen who had nursed him- a kind, pleasant molly who had passed away a few seasons ago from a wound infection- had a conversation with him about how he was then.

“You were a shy little thing. Very quiet, very meek. But when we were alone, you’d do these little tricks- kneading the ground, cuddling up to clumps of moss and cotton. It was cute, but… it was weird. It was like you were putting on a show for approval. And maybe it was coincidence- but sometimes it felt like you knew what you were trying to do.”

Antstar had thought about that a lot, since he had became leader.

“Oh,” Cherrycloud added, “and I’m sorry for how my sister, Sparkthistle, has been acting recently. We don’t talk much anymore. I will never understand why she has such a bug up her tail about everything... She should mellow down soon, I hope.”

She picked up Patchkit and went back into the nursery, with Houndnose alongside her and her other kits soon following. Antstar soon found himself alone again outside the nursery, the pale moon giving everything a glow. He saw Sparkthistle from across the clearing. The ginger tabby, her teeth in a permanent scowl, made brief eye contact with him before turning away into the warriors’ den.

Antstar worried. What if they began to believe her? What if she’s not an outlier- but an early critic? What if she turns the Clan on him? What if-

Something white caught his eye, and he turned to see Whitetooth, watching him from the edge of the medicine cat on the far side of camp.

He couldn’t fully read their face, but they had the glint in their eye of someone with an answer.

#warrior cats #warrior cats ocs #story

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violentshine · 3 years

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medic fireheart au: Brokenstar

I've made posts about him before in this AU but they are all over the place so I decided to make one big posts about him

Brokenkit is born to Raggedstar & Foxheart, but not out of love or even a desire to have kits, Raggedstar's reason is due to winning over Yellowfang & trying to make her jealous, Foxheart's reason is status.

I'm not sure if Wishkit & Hopekit (both would have different prefixes) are born but if they are, they still die.

Up until Brokenkit opens his eyes, Foxheart's time in the nursery is almost nonexistent; she'd rather spend time patrol & hunting so that's what she does, the only reason she's allowed to is because she's mates with the leader. Lizardstripe, being the only queen in the nursery is responsible for feeding Brokenkit.

Now Yellowfang does all she can to spend time with Brokenkit, make sure he has some positivity in his life, but Raggedstar takes that away from him and during an argument Ragged & Yellow get into- he's banned from talking to her.

Some time later, Foxheart dies her during a rat raid. Lizardstripe doesn't stop her older kits from playing too rough with/being mean to Brokenkit, & Yellowfang is no longer allowed to see him (other than checks ups and stuff which Raggedstar makes sure he is present for-which is probably the only time Raggedstar is ever around his kit).

Not soon after that, Raggedstar makes Brokenkit his apprentice (he's around 3-4 moons). All the time training under his father, Brokenpaw is having to meet unrealistic expectations. Raggedstar wants him to be best and trains him harshly. Even before he was apprenticed, Raggedstar would constantly talk about how he wants his son to be leader. (he's going to be leader all right)

Brokenpaw "adapts" to his fathers abusive ways and becomes a warrior and later his deputy.

One day, while being alone with his father. Raggedstar begins to talk to him about how he's sorry for what he did and how he wants to make it up to him or something...but Brokentail already planned this out, he asked to take this walk knowing no warrior would be around and thats when he attacks Raggedstar. He's able to take a few lives until some cat comes down. But it's not just some cat, it's a Starclan warrior, it's Foxheart. She holds Raggedstar down, encouraging Brokentail to continue and when Raggedstar is completely lifeless, she goes back up to Starclan with him.

Now Brokentail has to get his 9 lives. He leaves with Foggynose.

I'm not sure if Foggynose goes with him or Brokentail tells him to stay outside but when Brokentail touches his nose to the Moonstone, he is met with Starclan's disapproval. He was never supposed to be there. He was never supposed to be given any sort of power, but the signs were ignored and now here he is. They tell him he is not welcomed there and the meeting ends.

Only for him to be urged to touch the stone again by a familiar voice. So he does.

And when he opens his eyes again, he sees Foxheart.

She tells him she's sorry for what happened to him, what they didn't do for him. So as a way to make for it, she & Raggedstar are going to give him his own ceremony. Raggedstar is very hesitant but Foxheart reminds him that he said it himself that he wanted to make it up to him, and this is the opportunity for it.

They give him a life each, his name & a leader's marking (not sure what it is yet).

He is Brokenstar, leader of Shadowclan.

Brokenstar's way of leading is harsh. Cats are killed either for as kits for training too early or for speaking up against him telling him his ways are wrong and unjust.

Now Brokenstar is no cat to undermine,,unless you're Yellowfang. Yellowfang refuses to call him "Brokenstar" and constantly refers him as "Brokentail", he was not given another name by Starclan therefore he is not leader. She also tells him to come clean to the clan and tell them the truth. She thought he would be the last cat to ever want what was happening in Shadowclan (kits being trained too early + harshly, parents, more specifically mothers, being killed or exiled if they're caught grieving over their "weak kit", & just generally bad stuff yk).

I don't know how to describe Brokenstar's reaction. How can a cat he felt no hatred against, show so much to him ? Like, he knows Yellowfang tried to be there for him and show him support but wasn't allowed to due to Raggedstar; now she can, so why is she not showing it?

One time she challenges him in front of the clan (maybe not in front of, but there's some cats around). To tell them about how his failed leader ceremony, how it happened because Starclan rejected him. How he was never supposed to be leader. How was just like his father when it came to being power-hungry and incapable to listening to sense.

I say one time but after that, he exiles her. He yells at her to get out of camp. Yellowfang doesn't say a word and leaves.

#the blazing star au

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twilights-800-cats · 4 months

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<< Chapter 5 || Chapter 6 || Chapter 7 || From the Beginning || Patreon & Ko-Fi >>

Chapter 6

Shadepool slipped into the medicine cat's cave, a pair of mice in her jaws, just in time to see Tinystar and Brackenfur settling in to talk. Ears pricked, she padded further into the cave, her eyes needing a moment to adjust to the gloom after the bright, searing white snow outside.

She laid the mice beside Brackenfur's paws. Her mentor nodded his thanks and dragged them close, giving them each a cautious sniff before he hunkered down to eat. His twisted leg stuck out at an awkward angle, the fur of it still unwashed.

Shadepool settled down a pace away, heart thudding in her chest as she curled her tail around her paws. Her ear-tips tingled - would Brackenfur try to shoo her out of the den, like he always did for discussions like these? But he hadn't made a move to do so yet.

Tinystar glanced at the medicine cat's scarred limb. “How are you faring? This leafbare has been harsher and colder than we've been used to.”

Brackenfur flicked an ear dismissively. “Fine,” he rasped. “Hurts now and then, but it always does.” Despite that, he tried his best to tuck his leg in closer to his body. Shadepool did not miss the wince of pain on her mentor's face.

“That's good to hear, I suppose,” Tinystar sighed. He looked down at Brackenfur fondly, with some worry; Shadepool knew that her father had never stopped thinking of her mentor as his old apprentice.

“Are you going to talk around me until I'm dizzy, or come out with it?” Brackenfur tore at one of the mice, pinning it with a paw. Licking his whiskers of blood, he mewed, “Go on already.”

Shadepool's whiskers twitched with amusement, and Tinystar looked comforted. Yellowfang, Brackenfur's mentor, had been a crotchety old she-cat with a sharp tongue, and very close to both her apprentice and Tinystar. It was always strange to hear the usually calm and collected Brackenfur speak with some bite, but that was when Shadepool liked talking with him most.

“I'm going to the Moonpool,” Tinystar announced.

Shadepool blinked at her father, surprised. Leaders often went to the Moonstone in the old forest to seek StarClan's guidance, but they were never obligated to do so, not like medicine cats were at the half-moon.

Brackenfur lifted his head, his eyes narrowing. “No, you are not,” he decided.

Tinystar's tail swished, and his eyes narrowed a touch. “And what makes you think you can stop me?” he asked.

“Because you came here to ask me for permission,” Brackenfur pointed out, unfazed. His tail slapped against the cool stone floor of the den. “If you didn't feel any qualms about going, you'd have gone; we both know that. You've got something bugging you, and that's why you're here and not halfway to the Moonpool already.”

Shadepool glanced at Brackenfur. She felt a twinge of admiration - he had read her father so easily and was even unafraid to point it out to him. Though this skill of his was often frustrating for Shadepool, she couldn't help but wish it had rubbed off on her. Reading others was always so difficult.

Tinystar's whiskers twitched. “You've got me,” he admitted, sighing. He sat on his haunches, staring Brackenfur in the eye. “I want to find Onewhisker's spirit, and talk to him there.”

Shadepool's ears pricked. That's smart! She had imagined trying to enter Barkface's dreams at the next Moonpool meeting, but she hadn't thought of trying to find Onewhisker among the stars - it was easy to assume he wouldn't speak to her, but he and Tinystar had been very close friends almost their entire lives. It was possible they could have a discussion.

“That could work,” she agreed. Glancing at Brackenfur, she added, “We could get answers!”

Tinystar nodded along. “That was the idea,” he admitted. “But I'm not sure how to go about looking for someone specific in StarClan's hunting grounds. I've never freely traversed it.”

Brackenfur took a long moment to chew on his bit of mouse. He was thinking, Shadepool knew, but in what direction?

Finally, Brackenfur swallowed. He wiped his muzzle with a paw and mewed matter-of-factly, “You cannot control whom you see or where you go in StarClan's hunting grounds. You see what they wish you to see.”

Tinystar didn't look convinced. “I've always had a strong connection-”

“That doesn't matter,” Brackenfur put in. “Where you go in StarClan isn't determined by you, it's determined by them. They control the path your paws take, and they guide you to whoever is willing to aid you.”

Shadepool tipped her head, slightly. That was somewhat true - most cats couldn't control where they went in their dreams - but Shadepool herself knew that if she concentrated hard enough, she could step away from those boundaries. Was this something that Brackenfur couldn't do?

“They'll know I'm coming to speak with Onewhisker,” Tinystar pointed out. “Won't they?”

“They will,” Brackenfur agreed, “for they know our hearts - but that doesn't mean Onewhisker will want to see you.”

Tinystar's muzzle twisted in confusion. “Why wouldn't he want to see me?”

“There could be many reasons,” Brackenfur answered plainly, “but this one most of all: If a ThunderClan cat did kill him, why would he want to talk to any one of us?”

“So that he could tell me who did it, and I can bring them to justice!” Tinystar countered. “He would know that's what I want!”

“And if he didn't see them?” Brackenfur tilted his brow. “If Mudstar knew the name of the cat that had attacked them, he would've called them out at the Gathering - but the attacker's scent couldn't be placed to any one ThunderClan cat. It was masked.”

“But Onewhisker might still have information - the worst he could do is just send Tinystar away,” Shadepool pointed out. Boldly, she stood on her paws and offered, “I could go with him, guide him through StarClan-”

Brackenfur's eyes flashed, and he snapped, “No!”

Shadepool shut her jaws, frustrated. She glanced at her father, who was just as surprised at the medicine cat's harsh tone.

Brackenfur sighed. “My apologies,” he murmured. He glanced down at the mice in between his paws, and then, after a moment, looked back up at Shadepool and Tinystar.

“Please understand,” Brackenfur mewed quietly. “Onewhisker and Barkface were attacked on their way to the Moonpool. Onewhisker was killed, and violently so. Whoever did this might still be out there, hunting for another easy victim. We cannot risk this.”

Tinystar narrowed his eyes. “I can handle anything in my way,” he meowed gravely. “I have more than one life to spare.”

“You say that as if we haven't seen nine whole lives disappear in an instant before!” Brackenfur countered, his shoulders hunched sharply. His muzzle curled around his teeth uncharacteristically. “When you've run out your lives recklessly pursuing this answer, where will ThunderClan be then?”

Shadepool felt a lump in her throat. While she didn't agree with Brackenfur entirely, she understood now his strong reaction - if Tinystar were to somehow lose all his lives, ThunderClan would be left without a leader. With no deputy to replace him...

ThunderClan would be all but gone.

Tinystar's expression said everything - he knew all this, too. But still, he raised his chin and meowed, “If this accusation stands, and WindClan goes to war with us, many more lives will be lost. I can't do nothing Brackenfur.”

The ThunderClan leader sighed. “If I can't go to the Moonpool, what can I do?”

Brackenfur stared at Tinystar with sympathy. “Have faith,” he said, calmly and coolly. He tilted his muzzle up to the ceiling of the cave, where there was a hole to the outside that let in fresh air and a little creek water.

“StarClan will guide you,” Brackenfur assured, “as they guide us all.”

Shadepool glanced out the ceiling of the cave and frowned. Brackenfur was right, of course, and StarClan would guide them as they could, but how long would that take? They couldn't fumble about with no answers, not forever. Someone would have to take the risk, eventually.

“What if we investigated the attack site ourselves?” Shadepool suggested. She glanced between Tinystar and Brackenfur. “It wasn't at the Moonpool nor was it on WindClan territory - if we take a full patrol, we'd be safe from just about anything.”

Tinystar flicked an ear. “There's an idea!” he agreed. His eyes shone, and his tone was hopeful, eager: “It's been some days, but if the attack was so vicious as Mudstar said, there has to be something left behind!”

“If any cat can find hidden clues, it's Cloudtail! She has the best nose in the Clan!” Shadepool pointed out. Her heart raced eagerly as she looked to Brackenfur, wondering his opinion.

The golden-brown tom's expression was unreadable, and Shadepool frowned once more, her excitement and hope dying. She could see it in his eyes - he was gearing up some excuse to tear down her idea. Any moment now he would make her feel like a kit fresh out of the nursery, and right in front of her father.

“Go,” the medicine cat rasped.

Shadepool stared at her mentor, shocked. Was he agreeing with her? The last time this had happened, Shadepool had been pleading with Tinystar to aid WindClan against Mudstar's coup - he hadn't known that she had fudged some details about the sign she had seen, that it had been a season ago and not at the Moonpool as she had claimed; but he had still supported her.

Did he finally have faith in her?

“Be careful, though,” Brackenfur urged. “The attackers may yet return.”

Tinystar dipped his head in appreciation. “If they do, they'll be in for a nasty surprise.” He looked and Shadepool and mewed, “I'll be getting together a patrol, and we'll leave immediately.”

“I'll be there,” Shadepool breathed, her chest swelling with pride. Not only was Brackenfur agreeing with her, but she was going on a mission with her father!

And, if I'm lucky, I might see Crowflight! The thought made her paws tingle as she watched her father leave the den.

“Shadepool.”

Shadepool gave her head a shake, caught briefly in her own ideas. She glanced over her shoulder at Brackenfur and found that he was staring at her with an unusual intensity.

She felt her fur prickle uncomfortably. “What is it?” she asked.

Brackenfur's muzzle twitched, as if he were struggling with the words he wanted to use. He finally managed, “Keep your wits about you. There's no telling what you might find.”

“I will,” Shadepool promised.

“StarClan guide you,” Brackenfur mumbled, lowering his muzzle. “StarClan keep you.”

He looked like he might keep eating his mice, but he did not. Something was unsettling about Brackenfur's demeanor, and Shadepool wondered for a moment if he was feeling well - but she didn't have time to ask. She could hear her father yowling her name outside the cave.

She had to leave her mentor there, alone in the shadows, and pursue the truth.

#tb au #tb twilight

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talonslockau · 4 months

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Fire and Ice - Chapter 33

Chapter 32 || Index || Chapter 34

Firepaw had never thought about the dead much as a kittypet. He knew things died, of course; his mother had explained as much to them when a fly that had gotten into their nursery stopped playing with them after he had smacked it out of the air. But he'd never seen a cat die before Redtail, and had no reason to imagine some sort of afterlife.

For a while, then, the Clan customs had seemed strange. They were constantly talking about Starclan, a mysterious entity that supposedly consisted of all the warriors to ever die that looked down on them from above. They would say it was Starclan's will that something bad happened, or Starclan's blessing when the Clan thrived. This all seemed like a load of foxdung to him; how could dead cats do anything when they were dead?

And then Redtail had started showing up. Granted, he didn't know how much the calico tom could actually do, aside from glare over his shoulder and disappear at a whim. Still, his existence was proof enough that for warriors, the death of one's body wasn't the end. If that was true, it didn't seem unreasonable to assume that they could do things kittypets would consider impossible.

Bluestar's departure to the Moonstone had given him time to ponder Starclan. She had left the afternoon before, three nervous but excited apprentices following behind under the wise gaze of Whitestorm and the scrutinizing stare of Longtail. It was quiet in camp now, with only Graypaw and Firepaw remaining in the apprentices' den. And while the other tom was good at explaining many things, Starclan was one of the things he seemed as clueless as Firepaw about.

"It's getting late." The gray apprentice's voice broke through his thoughts, and he looked up at the sky to see the tom was right. The sun's rays had completely disappeared from the horizon. "Something has to have happened. It wouldn't take them this long to return from the Moonstone normally."

Firepaw had to admit that he was right; the last time Bluestar had left, she had returned close to sunhigh. "But what can we do about it? They had a full patrol when they left."

Graypaw shrugged, but his tail was swishing worriedly. "It's the night of the Gathering, though. What will Riverclan think if we don't show up?" He was watching the sky anxiously, as though it would prevent the moon from rising.

That was a real concern. If Riverclan thought they were the only Clan left against Shadowclan, they might give in to Brokenstar's demands. "We'll just have to wait and see, I suppose."

As if on cue, the entrance rustled and Bluestar emerged, her head held high as she entered her camp proudly. Behind her came the other apprentices, all of whom appeared distinctly ruffled. "Something happened." Firepaw hissed to Graypaw as he saw the looks on their faces, a mixture of anxiety and determination he'd seen somewhere before.

All around them, the Clan began trotting towards the Highrock, clearly expecting their newly returned leader to call them together. She did not disappoint. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" She called even before she had ascended to the top. The two apprentices met the other three at the edge of the crowd, giving each other silent greetings as they waited for the silver molly to speak.

"I left camp yesterday to hear Starclan's wisdom on Windclan's situation." She began as she looked down on her Clanmates. "I return more certain than ever that Shadowclan must be stopped. They have begun patrolling Windclan hunting grounds as though they were their own." There were snarls of anger at her words, and Firepaw agreed with their sentiment. The thought of that happening to Thunderclan made his fur crawl. "They attempted to ambush our patrol as we returned from the Moonstone."

"So it's not enough to turn away from Starclan themselves. Now they seek to refuse us our ancestors?" Patchpelt hissed from the elders' den. "I hope they were taught a lesson."

"It wasn't an easy battle, but we chased them off, yes." Bluestar replied with a dip of her head. "All of the apprentices performed admirably, and Starclan gave each of them their approval."

There were purrs of approval as the Clan turned to look at the three apprentices. Firepaw gave Ravenpaw a friendly shoulder nudge in support, pleased to see his friends recognized by the leader. "However, when I spoke with Starclan, they were troubled." Bluestar's tail flicked as she recalled her visit to the Moonstone. "They told me that they had seen each Clan turning away from the warrior code. They worried that darkness would claim all of the Clans if we did not act."

There were murmurs of shock at her words. "How can that be, Bluestar?" Lionheart asked from beside Whitestorm. "Has Thunderclan not followed the code?"

"Perhaps not." Tigerclaw rumbled from nearby. "Maybe certain cats within our ranks have already abandoned the warrior code."

"Or perhaps we did by taking care of the Shadowclan elders." Patchpelt hissed, his claws digging into the ground. "Or taking in a kittypet that attacked a healer!" He added with a glare towards Firepaw.

"Or perhaps they're referring to when you killed Oakheart, Tigerclaw." Firepaw was pleased to hear Lionheart's voice ring out as he glared at the large tabby tom. "Warriors are not supposed to kill unnecessarily."

"Enough!" Bluestar yowled, the crowd silencing at her words. "Such accusations do not help us now. Shadowclan is still the greatest danger to our way of life. We must remain united as we stand against them."

"What did Starclan have to say about Brokenstar? Did they have any advice?" Dappleshine piped up from near the nursery, wrapping her tail around Speckleflight nervously.

To his surprise, the powerful molly sighed wearily from the Highrock. "They refused to refer to him by name." Bluestar explained. "They only told me that we must stand strong against the coming darkness."

The Clan was uneasy at her words. "Can we be sure they are referring to Brokenstar, and not some greater danger?" Mousefur asked anxiously.

"If they were, I am certain they would have said as much." The blue-gray molly's words were more confident than they had been before. "I see no reason to believe they weren't referring to Shadowclan. Brokenstar is as much a danger to them as to us; if we were all to give into his craven ways, the Clans would cease to exist."

She gave a few moments of silence for the Clan to discuss this among themselves. After the noise had died down, she continued. "Regardless, tonight is the Gathering, and Thunderclan must be present in full force to counter Shadowclan's insidious threat." There were nods of approval at this. "Along with Quickflash, Spottedleaf, Dewpaw, and any queens or elders that wish to make the journey, I will be bringing with me Tigerclaw, Darkstripe, Lionheart, Dappleshine, Willowbranch, Mistspring, Pepperpaw, Cinderpaw, and Graypaw." She nodded decisively down at them. "The first night patrol will be Mousefur and Dustleap, with the second patrol being Longtail and Sandstorm. Whitestorm, Ravenpaw, Firepaw, and Tinyfrost will remain behind to guard the camp. Meeting dismissed."

Firepaw's heart sank as he heard his name being called to guard the camp, but he had already been to the Gathering recently enough: he supposed the siblings deserved the chance to go together.

Just as he was about to turn to Ravenpaw, he heard Tigerclaw's voice cut through the crowd. "Strange Ravenpaw doesn't get to go when he supposedly did well on the Moonstone patrol." The tabby remarked loudly to Darkstripe as he stood up. "Almost like Bluestar doesn't want to risk bringing any traitors to the Gathering to feed Shadowclan our secrets."

The ginger tom's pelt crawled, though he did his best to contain it. Looking around, he could see that most of the Clan had heard his comment, but none stepped up to defend the dark apprentice from his father. Instead, they quietly moved towards the entrance, Tigerclaw giving one last dismissive glare over his shoulder before following.

"Ravenpaw, I…" He looked up to the other apprentice, but the tom didn't seem to hear him, turning away and padding softly for the apprentices' den. As much as he desired to follow, it was probably best to leave him alone for the time being. He didn't know of any words that could heal wounds from the claws of betrayal.

He watched instead as the camp emptied of cats. Sandstorm and Longtail discussed quietly before entering the warriors' den, evidently eager to get some rest before their patrol. Whitestorm sat stiffly at the base of the Highrock, while Tinyfrost took position by the nursery to keep a lookout over camp. With a sigh, Firepaw made his way to the tree stump by his den, taking a seat on top of it and looking up to the stars. He needed Starclan's help more than ever now.

The stars twinkled brightly and silently above him, the vast trail they created stretching across the night sky. The Startrail, he recalled the others calling it. If he followed it to one end, he could supposedly reach the Moonstone. What if he went by himself? Would he be able to talk to Starclan and finally get some answers?

Then again, with Shadowclan patrolling between the Moonstone and Thunderclan territory, that probably wasn't a great idea. Still, he wished he could talk to Redtail, and ask him so many questions. Maybe then he could get the proof he needed to reveal Tigerclaw's treachery, or learn how to help save Ravenpaw. Anything was better than this feeling of helplessness as he watched his friend suffer.

Perhaps he could ask Yellowfang for answers? She seemed to know something, at least, and she did visit the Moonstone regularly. Maybe they could come up with a plan together. Since no one else was really in camp, they had time and didn't need to worry about being overheard.

But just as he began to stand up, he heard a strange, faint noise. His ears perked as he tried to figure out what it was and where it was coming from. A glance at the other two warriors revealed that they hadn't heard anything; Whitestorm was still sitting as stiff as a stone next to the leader's den, while Tinyfrost was keeping his eyes on the entrance. Neither were looking his way.

He realized after a moment that it was whimpering, and coming from the apprentices’ den. With a frown, he pushed his way through the ferns to see Ravenpaw flinching in his sleep, letting out tiny moans every time he did so. His heart ached at the sight. And even though he would never get a better chance to talk with Yellowfang, he couldn't just leave his friend trapped in a nightmare.

"Ravenpaw." He hissed quietly. "Ravenpaw, wake up." He gently reached out and prodded the black apprentice with a single paw, lightly shaking his shoulder to rouse him. It only took a few moments before the skinny tom startled out of his slumber, leaping to his feet and arching his back threateningly.

"Easy, Ravenpaw. It's just me." Firepaw murmured as he retracted his paw, watching with sorrow as the other apprentice's eyes darted around, looking for hidden enemies. "You were having a nightmare. You're safe now."

It took a few moments for Ravenpaw to parse his words, but at last he relaxed, sheathing his claws. "I guess I was." He mumbled shakily as he laid back down. "I'm sorry if I woke you."

The ginger tom shook his head. "Nonsense. I was just sitting outside when I heard you." He tilted his head as he watched the apprentice settle back down. "Are you okay? You seemed pretty terrified."

"I'll be fine." Ravenpaw gathered a little extra moss closer to him, including a stray feather that he didn't recognize. It seemed someone had been careless with bringing in the moss for their den. "You don't need to worry about me."

Firepaw sighed and sat down next to him. "I obviously do." All he could think about was the way most of the Clan had ignored Ravenpaw after Tigerclaw's comments. Still, he didn't dare bring that up now, in the quiet of their den. "We're in this together, you know. We all are. You don't have to hide things from us."

Ravenpaw stared down at the feather in the moss, absentmindedly running a paw over the large quill. "I keep seeing him die." He finally whispered out loud. "I keep seeing Tigerclaw pinning him down, and the bite- the blood-"

"Shhh." He gently lapped at the top of the dark tom's head in reassurance. "I understand. You don't need to explain it to me."

The oldest apprentice nodded, giving the ginger tom a grateful smile before it vanished again. "It's just- What if the rabbit sign wasn't about Brokenstar and Windclan?" He whimpered, drawing the feather under his paws closer. "What if it means Tigerclaw is going to kill me next?"

"I won't let that happen." Firepaw responded fiercely, his claws digging into the moss below. "And neither would any of the other apprentices. We'd all take on Tigerclaw ourselves if we had to, in order to save you." Even Dewpaw, he knew, would fight to protect the skinny black tom with her life. "Tigerclaw can't do anything to you right now. The Clan is on high alert with Shadowclan."

He could see the doubt in the other tom's eyes at his words, but he didn't voice it. "If you say so." He warbled at last, resting his chin on his paws.

"I do." He pressed up against the other's flank reassuringly. "Would it help the nightmares if I stayed with you tonight? I doubt I'll be missed outside."

Ravenpaw was silent for a few moments before nodding. "If it isn't too much trouble." He added quickly, his white tail tip flicking uncertainly.

"Of course not." Firepaw immediately settled down beside him, resting his tail across the tom's. As he did so, he barely stifled a yawn. It had been a long, busy day. Perhaps a few winks of sleep wasn't such a bad thing, anyhow.

Resting his head next to Ravenpaw's, he closed his eyes and let himself relax. Even with the worries buzzing around in his head, it didn't take long for sleep to take hold of him.

When he opened his eyes again, he was in the middle of a forest. Looking up, he couldn't see the stars or even the sky through the dense foliage. He'd seen this place several times before, yet he couldn't place where. He knew for certain it wasn't in Thunderclan territory, though.

He breathed in deeply, trying to take in the scents of the forest. Yet despite all of the bushes and trees around, he couldn't smell anything, not even the dirt below him.

Just as he was about to move deeper into the woods to investigate, he heard a rustle behind him. Turning sharply on his paws, he saw a figure standing there, like it had so many times before. This time, however, he knew instantly who it was.

"Redtail." He addressed the fallen deputy as respectfully as he could. "Where are we? Why am I here?"

The calico held a paw up to silence him. "You must listen closely. I don't have much time." He spoke with grave urgency that compelled the apprentice to do as he asked. "He is in danger. Only you can save him."

Firepaw bristled at his words. "What? Who? Are you talking about Ravenpaw?"

The former deputy hushed him. "Tigerclaw promises vengeance. He offers them a solution to their problems that Bluestar cannot - will not." He whispered, as though afraid the trees would hear him say it. "It takes a strong mind to resist him. But you must, or all will suffer for it - his son especially."

"So you are talking about Ravenpaw." The ginger tom pressed. "How can I save him? What do I need to do?"

The calico tom shook his head. "I cannot say any more. Remember this; Fire alone can save our Clan." And then, in a familiar flash of red, he disappeared into the forest.

"Wait! Don't go!" Firepaw called out, racing forward. "What are you talking about? How do I save him? What Clan?" He yowled to the trees, hoping that maybe Redtail would hear him and return.

WHAM!

He startled awake to see Cinderpaw grinning down at him. "Hi there, sleepyhead!" She purred as he struggled to focus on her. "We're back!"

"What are you doing?" Firepaw spat, a flash of fury coursing through him. Redtail had been right there! He could have given him answers! "Why did you wake me up? I was so close! He was right there!"

The dark gray molly jerked back, clearly surprised at his anger. "Jeez, someone had a thorn in his nest." She joked, though obviously somewhat uncomfortable. "It was just a dream, silly. Don't you want to know what happened at the Gathering?"

"It wasn't just a dream!" He snarled, digging his claws into the moss. "He was talking to me! Warning me about- about-" He hesitated, glancing at the black tom to his left, who was staring back at him quizzically. "I don't know what, but I was so close. I could've gotten answers…"

Cinderpaw seemed to have trouble figuring out how to deal with his outburst. After several tense moments, she shrugged and turned around, her tail lightly drifting across his face. "Well, fine. I guess I won't tell you all the super exciting things that happened at the Gathering, then."

Graypaw snorted as he slid into the den. "Oh, don't play coy, Cinderpaw. There wasn't really anything exciting, just a couple of new litters." He circled his nest, kneading it to get rid of any uncomfortable clumps. "Sorry, Firepaw. She's just excited to have finally been to a Gathering."

The ginger tom huffed and lowered his head back down, eager to get back to dreaming. Maybe Redtail would be there when he returned. "She can keep it to herself next time." He grumbled, closing his eyes again and hoping desperately that when sleep embraced him once more, he would see the fallen deputy once again.

But all night, no matter how much he searched in his dreams, he couldn't find the calico tom or the forest he resided in. He cursed Cinderpaw for waking him, Redtail for leaving him, and Starclan for not letting him return. Now he had no answers, only more questions. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.

Obviously even Starclan thought Ravenpaw was in danger, but why couldn't they stop Tigerclaw? If they were so powerful, surely they could send a sign to Bluestar or Spottedleaf instead of an apprentice. And how was he supposed to save Ravenpaw, let alone a Clan?

Part of him wanted to tell them he wouldn't take part in their games, but both he and they knew that he couldn't leave. He wouldn't abandon Thunderclan or Ravenpaw to fight this alone. Whatever happened, he would stand tall against it. He just wished he would get answers for once instead of cryptic statements.

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