#Cloudthunder

[leopardusk]

staggers out of procreate covered in blood. nobody go in there

@forestclan-clangen lineup!! I’m really proud of myself for finishing this. It was still 11 hours of my life (8 on living, 3 on StarClan-and-etc) but I am proud.

Design notes under read more

Redstar: made her shorter and scruffy because I love a leader who’s not that majestic. I stuck really close to the drawn reference for fur design (tried going closer to sprite, it was a disaster, turns out it’s great as it is). I also gave her a scar on her nose for the first time she lost a life.

Iciclepool: she has tall vibes! I made her tallest cat in the clan and pretty thin. Fur is very short and sharp looking, kinda like icicles.

Windfur: his name gives the idea of a cat with the messiest fur imaginable, I tried to make that a reality.

Shiverpaw: Same design I made on a whim for that other art piece. I think she’s supposed to have different stripes but I think she’s neat.

Hopechase: her Diamond face markings are so cool I never noticed them before.

Riversnow: fluffiest cat ALIVE look at how fluffy she is. She would be buff if she was a human.

Tree: sharp edges everywhere, spiky fur, awesome colours.

Cloudthunder: her white patches have a longer fur length than her grey parts. Sorta like one of those chimeras but with similar colours and same eyes. Thought it would be neat.

Barleywave: pretty simple design but he’s charming I like him. Had a lot of fun figuring out how to do hazel eyes in my style.

Talontooth: gave him a snaggletooth for his name, I think that was a stroke of genius.

Morningpaw: Heart patterns!! Always love an excuse to draw hearts. The white bud is so pretty.

Olive: I liked those shell(?)-shaped cheek fluffs. Her spiky stripped tail is my favourite

Branchkit: the most similar to her momma, same spots and striped tail. She also gets one freckle on each cheek because that’s adorable

Perchkit: smaller spots than her sister and mom, more freckles on her cheek. Single band on her tail, presumably from the father?

Icypaw: smoother fur than her sister Hopechase. Also, all StarClan cats have a white spot or something in their eye to show they’re StarClan (I could not be bothered to draw a bunch of stars)

Pebblekit: more freckled than the siblings, but it’s so cute. Looks like pebbles!! I don’t actually know if Pebble had blue eyes but Perchkit did and it looked better with the fur so here we are.

Warblerkit: spikier fur like his dad Barleywave, but head floof probably from Riversnow. Also, heart!!

The Audience: THREE. EYES. That would be so cool! So I did it. The black collar made me think of like a floating head and that was also cool. Also, ultra long tail.

Rootgrove: very messy fur, and yay scars! Also the woodcrawler is horrifying and so sick!! Lots of fun to draw.

Also here’s Shiverpaw without the Audience hovering over here

[love-frozen-universe]

JULY 17, 2023.

CloudThunder Evening before Rain-hailstorm Between Night & Midnight.

Your Link:

[rhfffas]

My name is Zephyr. Zephyr Alexis Nadine.

Well, I’m very pleased to meet ya.

Me too.

[aiweirdness]

Neural net names effects pedals

Humans have pushed against the perfections of electronics for years. One of the ways they’ve done this is by designing effects pedals meant to distort the sounds of music. The pedals usually have evocative names (“Morley Emerald Echo”, “Happy Snake Lucifuzz Fuzz”, “Lovepedal Purple Pickle Vibe”). I had never really heard of these until Will from 608device scraped 669 pedal names from harmony-central.com (with input from the stompbox fans at ilovefuzz.com). Could a neural network learn to imitate them?

If I trained a neural network from scratch, there probably wouldn’t be enough data for it to do more than memorize the short list of names and spit them back at me. So, I turned to a pretrained neural net called GPT-2, which I’ve used before. From the time it spent looking at huge sections of the internet, this neural net starts with a knowledge of which letters and words tend to go together in English. Using a colaboratory notebook set up by Max Woolf, I started with the pretrained GPT-2 neural net and then trained it for just a little bit on the list of effects pedals. 

It is? kind of? spookily good at this?

A Tale Of Two Reverb Systems A Room Like No Other Best Damn Bass Chuck Collins TinyTone Octifer Meat Loaf Real Sweet Reverb Boiling Point Coffee Deep Dish Fuzz Cloudthunder Screaming Bird Tremolo Damn Fine Aluminum Finger Wah Amounts Vibe The Horribly Overgrown CIA Chorus  Release the Buffalo FLYBOARD Glamour Box Booooooom Blood Orange Overdrive Beelzebub Wet Screamer Ear Flanger Bigfoot Audio Radium Nitrate Distortion Boogie Woogie Nonesuch Tones Embryo Chorus Mr. Bubblegum Powered By God Tube Distortion

Although some of its names were a bit weirder.

Bat Face Down Under AshesToYourFingerBox K.S.Aji Sea Slug Chorus Big Chocolate + Yellow Magic Delay Big Cheese Big Cheese Box of Peas Bite Outside The Bacon Battery Me And A Big Bit of Cheese Dentures Distortion Monster Dish Blondie Moose Ant Farm Chorus/Vibrato Anneliese Gillenamy The Nightlight Feminizer Achtung Baby TinyMuffin Boost Akahashi Harp of Confusion Barton Junior Finger Pan Gelato Espresso Machine Bare Knuckle Biochemistry Professor, Neuroscientist And Librarian

And these are... frankly a little unsettling?

Metalliv Robot Zookeeper Machines Are People Too Dangerous But Not Unbearably So Beneath The Planet The Human Genome May Be Hacked Am I really that Transhuman Love and Sex Are A Mercy Clause Atomic Brain Check Thank God We're All Flying Again Disastrously Varied Mental Model Doomed To Think Or Predict in Chord Form Dazzling So Beautiful Yet So Terrifying Electric Sheep Fuzz Empowered By the Power Of Mind Control Misanthropic Fondue From the Oasis of Luxury Krautrock Parlor A Shockingly Simple Method To Turn The Phrase, "I want this!," Into Something Still Not Quite Envelope-Less Wheezy And Dreadfully Close To Normal

Subscribers get bonus content: more neural net fuzz pedals!

[leopardusk]

You have fallen right into my trap 😈 allow me to yap.

Oak & Ash & Thorn — feels like a drinking song, something to be sung during ForestClan’s gatherings, to tell the story of the other clans (referring to them as different trees, as that is ForestClan’s thing and would be a good metaphor for the kits to use as a reference)

Mary Did You Know? — all about Shiverpaw, how she is the vessel for us, a being who might have the slimmest chance of saving them all. But we can’t take all the credit. The shivering light is a beacon of its own.

Meet Me In The Woods — Rootgrove’s theme song. Seriously just look at the lyrics, it’s scarily accurate.

Gilded Lilies — Redstar and her continual struggle to sacrifice herself, how it’s never enough to stop the death.

Youth — Hopechase, maybe and/or Iciclepool, thinking about the past, during or before Lakestar’s reign. I can’t articulate this one well but it just works.

White Winter Hymnal — I think it works with the younger members of the clan, Windfur, Talontooth, Morningpaw, Shiverpaw. The feeling of loss is new to them, new as their own lives. They don’t know what it’s like without it, but they aren’t equipped yet to handle it either.

The Moon Will Sing — Iciclepool, and her bitterness around the loss of her family.

The Woods — Shiverpaw learning about the woods, lots of emphasis on Rootgrove and the Audience. This song brings the half-moon scene to mind in particular.

A Sadness Runs Through Him — Barleywave. He tries so hard but nothing ever goes right for him and I feel bad.

Dog Days are Over — Cloudthunder, an adventurous cat who was struck at once with consequences far too high.

The Consequence of Imagination is Fear — the pov of the Audience would work well with this I think. It was imagination that brought the story to life, and for those within it, the consequence of it is fear.

World Ender — another Rootgrove song. “They put me in the ground but I’m back from the dead” you sure are buddy.

Eat Your Young — ForestClan under Lakestar’s rule, sacrificing apprentices for the sake of the rest. There’s guilt, sure, but relief too. It is safer for everyone else.

Rule #9 - Child of the Stars — the Audience, as well as StarClan, talking to Shiverpaw, encouraging her to be brave, be good.

Something Ain’t Right; Shut Eye; Woodland; The Garden; The Angry River — just overall ForestClan vibes, not a specific character or scene. Lots of fear, confusion, desolation, some are actual instructions.

Sweet Hibiscus Tea — Morningpaw and her fear of the woods, her feelings of helplessness as the world slowly turns to ash.

Putting the Dog to Sleep — another Rootgrove one. Some of it feels like Rootgrove talking to specifically the Audience.

Garden Jargon — kind of an unnerving one, feels like gradual corruption. You know who else got gradually corrupted-

The Hymn of Acxiom — actually the inspiration behind the drawing of Shiverpaw and the Audience. This is definitely the Audience, encouraging, kind, saviour complex. “Now we possess you.”

Overcome — the first verse is the audience speaking to/narrating for Rootgrove, probably freshly possessed. The next section (1:00) is the Audience talking to Shiverpaw. After that (1:50) is Shiverpaw talking to Rootgrove.

Spring and a Storm — Chicoryglint singing to Windpaw, especially the “Mr Moon” part.

Treehouse — I think this would be a cute Talontooth and Morningpaw song.

Bruno is Orange — Olive and her anxiety about the woods and carrying kits. Most of it would be pre-ForestClan, and the last chorus where it’s most chaotic is the scene where she gives birth, where Warblerkit sacrifices himself in a futile attempt to save Pebblekit.

Rät — kind of a shot in the dark, but this has Tree backstory vibes to me. I’m curious to know more about their past.

Vienna (In Memoriam) — I see Icypaw here, comforting the souls of the kits that are lost to the living tendrils.

Body Terror Song — yeah it’s Rootgrove again.

The Night We Met — a Lord Huron song that isn’t Rootgrove? Wow! No this is Barleywave and his guilt about his family.

Sleep — Lakestar, determined to do whatever it takes to protect the clan, knowing they’re a monster but believing it’s right, necessary. “Three cheers for tyranny, unapologetic apathy.”

Brave as a Noun — Windfur!! Definitely his theme song.

Reverence for Fallen Trees; Hungover in the City of Dust; Willow Tree March; Does the Swallow Dream of Flying; the Moss; the Last of the Honey Bees; in the Woods Somewhere — ForestClan vibes again.

@leopardusk Alright now as per your request I'm about to make you work

Give me every single breakdown of why you added every single song on that playlist 8)

[warriors-cat-names-for-your-use]

Cloudthunder

[forestclan-clangen]

MOON 13 (Final)

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Riversnow goes into labour at dawn.

(Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 13 moons. Loving.) (Windfur, medicine cat, male, 27 moons. Lonesome.) (Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 46 moons. Adventurous.)

---

It was at the brink of dawn when ForestClan were quickly roused awake and told in hushed tones to quickly gather around the center of camp. Riversnow reported contractions, and it was time to get to defensible positions, immediately.

ForestClan thought that the worst possible thing that could ever happen to them, was that the Living Tendrils would come, and would take every last newborn from Riversnow's side.

They were wrong.

The unstirring silence from beyond the walls was much, much worse.

In the heat of the newleaf dawn, ForestClan had prepared torches and stakes. Olive, Branchpaw and Cloudthunder guarded the medicine den, shielding the injured apprentices and wary kits within. Barleywave and Iciclepool guarded the nursery entrance. Redstar stood on top of the wall, staring out into the woods with unflinching poise. Cats waited with unsheathed claws, ready to pounce.

Silence.

Windfur and Shiverpaw worked quickly, but uncomfortably. They whispered instructions to Riversnow, who was silent in her pain. Her cyan blue eyes stared past the guards at the entrance. She barely breathed, as though something was listening for her to give away her location.

The morning sun rose into the sky, and the glare of the rays dappled the camp. Soft shadows painted the mulched pines below.

It was a very nice day.

Even when Riversnow had finished giving birth to two little kits, no one could breathe. Windfur kept pressing a paw at Riversnow's side, trying to find any more kits left to help, but no. That was it.

"Two she-kits. That's all," Windfur mustered.

But still, nothing stirred.

As the morning turned into sunhigh, and there were no signs of the tendrils, Cloudthunder's kits became irritable. Branchpaw was distracting them, but she was also exhausted from waiting for something to happen. Redstar paced back and forth along the camp walls, restless.

Tree and Hopechase were among the first to break the silence of camp. While still wary - Hopechase approached Redstar and interrupted her pacing, speaking to her calmly. Tree placed their tail on Branchpaw's shoulder, spoke directly with both Olive and Branchpaw, then pointed towards the cooking pot and fire.

The amount of cats on high alert slowly dwindled. There was a quiet hope that remained unspoken. Perhaps the woods were fed? Maybe they didn't come in daylight? Whatever the case - they hadn't appeared. So...maybe things were alright?

Redstar was reluctant. So was Iciclepool, who glared at Redstar with a doubt and skepticism that could reverse a river's current. Redstar agreed with her deputy. But, to force the Clan to live in fear for an event that may never occur…?

After Hopechase spoke calmly to her mate, butting her head into her shoulder reassuringly, Iciclepool's fear cracked. She sat down, her ears folded back. She looked at Redstar with a tired, resigned stare.

Redstar felt a pang in her heart, understanding her deputy's terror. Personally - she didn't want to stop the vigil. But…she couldn't hold her clanmates hostage. With a thrash of her tail, she closed her eyes, and looked down at Hopechase, nodding at her.

Redstar watched as Hopechase went to the medicine den, helping Perchpaw stand to her feet. She beckoned Tree and Branchpaw, and guided them to a thin, tall tree near the back of the camp. It had a rope pulley with a piece of white lattice at the highest branch. There was a yellow lattice on one side, and a red one on the other. Hopechase pointed and instructed the two apprentices about these lattices, and how they were used as distant warnings for any cats out on patrol.

She watched as the dark warrior taught them to pull the rope to change the flag. They raised the yellow one.

And so, ForestClan lived.

Only Barleywave, Riversnow and Redstar still remained alert, unwilling - or perhaps unable - to relax.

Eventually - the sun started to set.

Cats grew wary again. Chatter died down. They glanced at Redstar, hoping she would guide them.

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared over the horizon, Shiverpaw stood in front of the nursery. She stared at the vanished sun. Her paws locked into the ground.

She felt something pulling at the back of her head. Slowly lifting the hairs on her scruff.

She felt the burrowing. Shiverpaw desperately tried to cling onto consciousness. This was not from the beings. This was something else. Something else.

She trembled as she clung to her own mind. It pushed back. In a desperate mental scramble, she clung to Olive's lessons when she was a younger apprentice. Ground. Feel the ground. She could barely feel her paws. She felt like ants were crawling up her legs to engulf her head.

She breathed. She forced herself to breathe. The feeling rose into her neck. She grasped the only things she could still feel.

My eyes are my own. My teeth are my own.

She felt the world rumbling around her, pushing and pulling against herself. She gulped air into her lungs.

She felt hollow.

She blinked. She blinked.

Her paws refused to move. It felt like gravel scraped over her skin.

Her teeth were her own.

Her teeth were her own, her teeth were her own,

HER TEETH -

The camp jolted into action as Shiverpaw yowled, her jaws clamped shut on a tendril that had burst from the ground next to her.

Cats broke into violent caterwauls. Shiverpaw couldn't move. Refused to move. The tendril pulled until Shiverpaw's face was smashed to the floor. She refused to let go. Her ears were ringing. Her eyes were blurry. Pain. Pain. Pain.

Shiverpaw wished that she could say she remembered what happened. But she couldn't. When she next came to, she was laying on the ground. She couldn't feel her mouth anymore. And…

"Shiverpaw, speak to me."

Shiverpaw blinked. A light brown and golden shape kneeled beside her. Slowly, Shiverpaw saw Tree's emerald eyes looking at her with great concern. Their mouth was stained black, and debris from the forest floor stuck to their fur.

Shiverpaw could feel their whiskers brushing near her face.

"You're breathing, thank goodness," Tree said, pulling away and placing a strong paw on her shoulder. "Hey, can you get up?"

Shiverpaw swallowed, her thoughts swarming and her fur prickling. Her skin felt hot. Quickly, she eeked out, "I'm okay." Shiverpaw slowly brought herself to her feet, staggering as she stood. Tree caught her as she fumbled.

"Hey, woah there, careful - you really exhausted yourself clinging onto that tendril," Tree said.

Shiverpaw was confused. Her head swarmed. She felt weak.

"Riversnow," she croaked, terror for her kits surging through her.

"She's fine. Her kits too," Tree said with a forced purr. "They didn't even get near the nursery."

"What happened? Where…" Shiverpaw said, forcing herself to look around her.

She didn't expect for the camp to seem…relieved. Less afraid. Her eyes scanned around her in disbelief. For a brief moment, she caught Barleywave awkwardly standing over Riversnow, his hazel eyes wild with a confusing mixture of relief, embarrassment and conviction. He clumsily removed himself from the nursery. Riversnow was bristling enough to become a porcupine. Redstar's fur stuck out at all angles, and she quickly weaved in between her clanmates, checking on their condition before moving to the next group. Morningspot was standing in the middle of camp, her eyes wide with adrenaline. Shiverpaw thought she was holding a branch in her mouth, until she saw the branch leaking out of one end. Shiverpaw bristled.

"Yeah, when you caught the first one, a second came out. I ripped into it. Turns out they have a similar tendon to Woodcrawlers." Tree explained. "But, uh, Morningspot was the one to find that out. I'll check on her in a second. Can you walk? Do you need Windfur?"

Shiverpaw felt her gums throb with pain. She was scared to touch her teeth. She said numbly, "I'm okay. I'm okay," before pulling away from Tree. She looked away, feeling embarrassed. "T-Thank you."

"No problem," Tree said with a nod, before padding away towards Morningspot.

On her way to the nursery, she was accosted by a frightened and relieved Iciclepool, and a very rushed Redstar. It was here when she asked Redstar what happened to the tendrils - only to receive confirmation that they had retreated when Morningspot tore one of them off. She reassured them both to the best of her abilities before finally approaching the nursery. Windfur had moved in and started checking Riversnow's pulse. He noticed Shiverpaw's approach and gave her an unreadable expression.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

"I…" Shiverpaw trailed off, and felt something roll down her chin. She wiped it away with her paw and looked at her pads in confusion.

Her paw was smeared black.

She was stunned when Windfur approached her and placed his paw on her cheek. "Let me see your teeth."

Shiverpaw obeyed. Windfur glanced around. She knew him well enough to know he wouldn't actually show fear if something was wrong. Windfur sighed.

"Your gums are swollen. No visible punctures, just from biting too hard. We can find you an anti-inflammatory poultice." Windfur looked away. For a brief moment, his dark blue eyes flickered. "...I'm…glad you're fine."

Shiverpaw just nodded, not quite sure what to say. She still felt unsteady and exhausted. Meanwhile, Riversnow's cyan eyes were wide with terror. The former outsider always had an outward air of confidence and individualism. But now, she was meek, curled into a ball around her two kits. Despite her kits' protests, she refused to move.

"Is it over? Are they gone?" The molly's voice shook.

It was Windfur that replied first, draping his tail over her shoulder. "Yes, Riversnow. It's alright. Your kits are safe."

"...Are you sure?" Her voice shook.

Shiverpaw felt her heart break at the near-childish plea. Windfur remained calm, and nodded.

Riversnow's bristled pelt lowered. She choked back on a sob as she uncurled, nuzzling her kits with disbelief.

"It's okay," she whispered. "We're...finally okay."

---

Riversnow is quietly elated. She can't believe it. She's okay. Her babies are okay. She decides on names for them. Barleywave glances back inside, and awkwardly congratulates her before retreating back to give her space. Riversnow...doesn't know how to feel about that. But...she'll...talk to him later. Right now, she just wants to be with her kits.

(Barleywave, warrior, male, 42 moons. Playful.) (Riversnow, warrior, female, 62 moons. Adventurous.) (Owlkit, kitten, female, 0 moons. Bullying.) (Daffodilkit, kitten, female, 0 moons. Quiet.)

---

4 gifs were made using clips from Remy Abode's "Gemini Home Entertainment", episode titled "STORM SAFETY TIPS". SOURCE: (X)

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[forestclan-clangen]

MOON 14 (Part 2)

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Airkit wants to be helpful. He brings some flowers back to the medicine den. Shiverstep notices that they're forget-me-nots. Nothing helpful medicinally, but she thanks him for being so kind.

(Shiverstep, medicine cat, female, 14 moons. Loving.) (Airkit, kitten, male, 4 moons. Polite.)

Owlkit tries to get Barleywave's attention, but he freezes up and doesn't say anything. Owlkit pouts back to the nursery, and says something rude. Barleywave bristles in both shame and frustration.

(Barleywave, warrior, male, 43 moons. Playful.) (Owlkit, kitten, female, 1 moon. Bullying.)

Daffodilkit talks to Cloudthunder, asking why she's in the nursery - she doesn't look like she's nursing. Cloudthunder says she's the mother of Deerkit, Airkit and Cottonkit. They're much older than Daffodilkit, so they don't need milk anymore. Daffodilkit is bewildered that she won't need milk! She's impressed by how much Cloudthunder knows.

(Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 47 moons. Adventurous.) (Daffodilkit, kitten, female, 1 moon. Quiet.)

Hopechase confronts Riversnow and her refusal to talk to Barleywave - at least to establish co-parenting in any regard. Riversnow is still sticking by her story that he is not the sire, which Hopechase calls foxdung on.

(Riversnow, warrior, female, 63 moons. Adventurous.) (Hopechase, warrior, female, 96 moons. Playful.)

Redstar is starting to go on nightly patrols again to try and feed the woods. She is getting progressively more exhausted from lack of sleep. Olive tries to advise her against pushing herself too hard, but to no avail. Olive finds the way Redstar acts to be progressively more uncomfortable.

(Olive, mediator, female, 70 moons. Calm.) (Redstar, leader, female, 73 moons. Strict.)

Windfur invites Morningspot on patrol with him, looking to calm her down and provide some distraction. Morningspot asks him about the nature of StarClan, and Windfur provides her with an explanation that reduces her stress.

(Windfur, medicine cat, male, 28 moons. Lonesome.) (Morningspot, warrior, female, 16 moons. Nervous.)

Tree notices that Cloudthunder is getting restless, and they ask her to join them on a long patrol to stretch her legs.

(Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 37 moons. Adventurous.) (Tree, warrior, non-binary, 45 moons. Adventurous.)

---

Cloudthunder wanted to scream.

Windfur had just finished entertaining her kits by answering their questions in his trademark complete sincerity. Airkit had asked if all animals were made of fur, and before Cottonkit could make some retort - likely about how birds exist - Windfur said that all animals had some kind of skin, and from there, different protection would grow, like fur or feathers. So, technically, every animal was made of skin, including themselves.

Ten minutes later, Deerkit bounced into the nursery where Daffodilkit and Owlkit were play-fighting and said with loud enthusiasm: "HEY! DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE MADE OF SKIN?"

Owlkit stumbled to her feet with her back arched. Daffodilkit's fur puffed out and stared at Deerkit with wide, shocked eyes, before bursting into a crying mew.

Deerkit panicked and tried to hush her. Cottonkit criticized her sister for yelling, at equally loud of a volume. Owlkit bit her in response. Now Cottonkit was also screaming. Airkit sank to the floor and covered his ears, whining loudly to "please stoooooop!".

Cloudthunder wanted to nap in the sun for thirty minutes. Just thirty minutes. Couldn't even do that without something happening. She groaned as she forced herself out of her sunning spot and towards the nursery.

She loved her children, she really did, she wouldn't trade them for the world. But she was exhausted and just wanted her kits to behave quietly for once. It didn't help that Riversnow dashed from the medicine den to the nursery before her, immediately starting to coo over her two kits.

"It's okay, it's okay, shh, shh, you're okay - "

Cloudthunder had appeared at the mouth of the nursery when she saw Riversnow throw a furious glare at the three older kits.

"Don't cause trouble!" she hissed.

"Hey, sorry Riversnow. I'll handle it," Cloudthunder intercepted between the new queen and her own kits.

"They're four moons old! Old enough to know better," Riversnow retorted, her cyan gaze was piercing.

"I know. They know. I'll handle it," Cloudthunder sighed as she immediately started pawing her kits out of the nursery. "Go now. I'll make you apologize to Riversnow and her kits when you've all quieted down."

"B-But - " Deerkit started, and was shut down by Cloudthunder's gaze.

"I didn't even do anything…" Airkit mewed pathetically.

"Out, please," the white and gray molly hissed. She only needed to tell them once, thankfully, before they scattered outside. Cloudthunder shot an apologetic glance at the new queen again before padding away. She watched as her kits had already bolted in the medicine den and started pestering Shiverstep for a story.

Cloudthunder stared at the sky in exhaustion. She watched as the clouds gently passed above, and listened as the songs of cardinals and chickadees filled her ears. She took a deep breath, then exhaled. Her heart throbbed with longing. Redstar had cleared her for basic patrols as long as someone was with her, but what she really wanted was to go on an adventure again. She loved being a mother, but she didn't love being a queen. She wanted to stretch her legs, explore for hours and gather any possible berries or spices she could throw over a meal. She wanted a taste of freedom again.

"Beautiful day, no?"

Cloudthunder jumped as Tree's voice piped up from next to her. She forcibly relaxed and gave a small smile, her tail flicking. "Indeed it is," she said.

Tree smiled and gave a knowing purr, glancing at the entrance of the now-noisy medicine den. "Busy, I take it?"

"Unfortunately," Cloudthunder sighed. The molly glanced at the camp gates longingly. "It is what it is, I suppose."

Tree said nothing in response. However, their tail twitched pensively. Then, it seemed like they made a decision. "Cloudthunder, could you wait here for just a moment?"

The grey and white molly tilted her head at the cat, puzzled. "...Um, okay?"

Tree padded into the medicine den before she could ask why. But, it must be for a reason. Cloudthunder's ear twitched, and she licked her paw before grooming herself.

Tree then left the medicine den and leapt onto the High Rock, interrupting a meeting between Redstar, Iciclepool and Hopechase. After a few minutes, Tree leapt down from the rock and approached Cloudthunder again, tail raised and green eyes sparking.

"That was easier than expected. You have very considerate Clanmates," Tree meowed, whiskers twitching. "Would you like to go on patrol?"

Cloudthunder perked up, her pupils dilated, but she stiffened with apprehension. "...Define 'patrol'," Cloudthunder asked.

"Well…" Tree suppressed a mrrow of amusement. "I pointed out that blueberries may have grown out by this time in summer - er, greenleaf. But…"

"They're found closer to the marshes," Cloudthunder breathed, feeling a sudden weight lift off her shoulders, her paws rapidly carrying themselves into the warrior den, where she rummaged through her small stash corner and yanked out a small leather bag she had painstakingly made over a year ago.

Tree purred in amusement as they followed after them. "Hey, hey, but you haven't heard the condition yet," they said.

Cloudthunder frowned, knowing Redstar didn't want her to go alone. Then, she turned to Tree and asked, "Care to join me?"

Now it was Tree's turn to seem surprised, but only briefly, their tail twitching. "Oh. Well, I suppose that settles it," they laughed.

Cloudthunder let out a breath and for a brief moment, she stared at the medicine cat den. A brief pang of guilt entered her heart, before she saw Tree's brown and golden tail swish in front of her vision.

"They'll be alright, promise," Tree said with a chuckle. "Shiverstep's telling them the epic of the Fire that Saved the Clans."

"Oh, StarClan, that's a long one," Cloudthunder said with a laugh. "Are you sure they'll be able to pay attention for long enough?"

"And if they don't, so what? I'm sure the kits can find something to do. Your restlessness is not unnoticed by your friends, and you deserve to have some sense of normalcy," Tree replied.

Cloudthunder considered these words. She wasn't sure if she was just stressed or overly touched, but she felt her heart pang and she had to bite down the sudden urge to cry.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before exhaling. Tree was right. She loved her kits. But she also wanted to feel like herself again. She felt like a bird trapped in a cage, and she wanted to spread her wings again.

When she opened her eyes again, she looked at Tree with deep gratitude. "Thank you," she meowed.

"Not a problem. Now, shall we get going?" "Yes, please." Cloudthunder trotted towards the gate with her tail held high and her eyes sparkling with wonder. She was going to collect so many blueberries. She was going to hear tree frogs and toads and blue jays and mallards, and it was going to be beautiful.

---

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[forestclan-clangen]

MOON 10 (Final)

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Despite ForestClan's best efforts - the Living Tendrils appear when Cloudthunder gives birth. The tendrils steal two of Cloudthunder's five kits. Redstar latches onto a tendril and tried to sacrifice herself to save one of the kits. She can only return to camp with a body. Redstar now has 7 lives left.

(Redstar, leader, female, 68 moons. Strict.) (Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 43 moons. Adventurous) (Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 10 moons. Loving) (Windfur, medicine cat, male, 24 moons. Lonesome) (Living Tendrils. Gnashing, shifting roots. Without age. Cruelty incarnate.) (Warblerkit, male, 3 moons. StarClan cat.)

---

ForestClan tried. They really, really did. It's why it hurt so much when they failed.

They piled cold snow around their walls. They lit fires, and preserved them with pine resin. They even gave a crash course to the former outsiders on how to use half-burned sticks that were still white with ash and flashing red with the heat of cinders. Windfur had given Shiverpaw detailed instructions on how to assist a queen's delivery, and even used a dummy made of deer hide, dried straw and newborn-sized stones to let her practice. They were prepared, and ready to be quick and efficient with repelling the dangers.

It hurt so, so badly when it was not enough.

Cloudthunder thought she had mentally prepared herself for this. For three moons, she desperately tried to pretend she wasn’t pregnant. If she could pretend she was never going to be a mother, then she wouldn’t get attached. After all, it was true. It was fully possible that she was never going to be a mother, and that was alright. This was an accident, anyway. She expected nothing, and if she ended up with something - well, that was a pleasant surprise. She talked to Iciclepool, and Olive, and even Riversnow offered a few words of support. Sure, she had to ignore the shards of worry that scattered their expressions every now and again, but that was alright. Of course they'd be worried - she was their Clanmate. But it would be alright, no matter what happened.

This was a complete failure.

She gave birth to five kits. Five. It took everything in her to not grow attached to every single wriggling kit that Shiverpaw and Windfur helped her deliver. She saw the mounting dread in their eyes as she gave birth to her third kit, and yet she wasn't done. Cloudthunder felt terror surge through her as she heard violent yowling and the crackling of roots snapping the ice off of their ends.

She yowled in despair when Windfur and Shiverpaw were assaulted and thrown to the back of the nursery, and then she found herself with two less kits.

Her heart was carved in half. She wailed, and wailed, and wailed.

*******

Redstar's jaw was locked on one of the tendrils like a bear trap.

She refused to let go.

Not even when she knew it was too late. Not even when she felt her leg shatter again. Not even as the tendrils started retreating, and the vine in her jaws writhed and hissed and pulled her with the strength of rabid dogs. She barely heard the cries of Iciclepool and Hopechase as her body was dragged over the camp walls and through the cold woods. She was filled with indomitable fury. Her claws flailed as she sought to grasp anything to stop its movement.

She grasped on a tree's trunk, and felt her claws rake across the bark uselessly as the tendrils pulled her. She snarled as she felt twigs and snow pelt her eyes. The tendrils wrapped tightly around her muzzle, and grasped for a way to wrench her mouth open to free itself.

It would never find a way. Its disgusting attempt reminded her of Lakestar begging for her life before her death. Ruthless murderer, pleading for mercy. Redstar bit down harder until her gums went numb.

It had no right to demand mercy.

She felt pain surge through her as her broken leg was now mangled thanks to the forest floor. She wouldn't be able to use her body to slow herself down - she had to trap it. Force its hand. Her eyes darted as she saw other tendrils retreating in the distance, coiled around the stolen kits. She could do it. She could force them to choose her. She just needed -

She grunted as her head hit a branch. She hissed, then felt her body moving…at an incline. Her eyes widened. She frantically tried to readjust her eyes. She was being dragged down a hill, down a center path, towards a Woodcrawler den she was all too familiar with.

That's it! Redstar knew where a large oak was - that was how she'd do it. She held her breath and shifted her entire weight towards the right, forcing the tendril's path with her. Her eyes narrowed and her body tensed as they approached the tree, and she braced herself. The tendril hooked itself around the oak tree, and Redstar's weight prevented it from untangling itself, pulling taut. Redstar raked her claws around the tree's trunk, anchoring herself to it. The tendrils thrashed as something from the den was desperately trying to retrieve its appendage. Its writhing became more and more desperate, like a fox bleeding out in a fox trap, and Redstar had no mercy.

She glanced to see one of the coiled tendrils in the distance buckling and writhing in the snow. It twitched like an insect's dying throes.

Come on, she thought. Kill me. Let it go and kill me. Do it!

The last thing she remembers is the coiled tendril releasing its former prey, and diving towards her. She felt the tendrils wrap around her neck, and she wanted to gasp as the air was stolen from her lungs. But no. She would not. She could not release it. She would die. She had to die. She allowed her heart to beat with overwhelming terror, and she felt her vision leave her as nothing could enter her body. Then, she felt surprised when the pain was instantly gone, replaced with blackness.

Redstar gasped and felt air return to her lungs. She swallowed the oxygen around her as relief and life coursed through her again, and she found herself lying on pale, blue grass, painted over an endless sky of stars. He allowed her heart and lungs to slow, and she slowly turned her head around.

Her eyes fell on a grey and white kit, his hazel eyes twinkling with starlight.

"Warblerkit," she rasped.

"Hi Redstar," he meowed. "Icypaw told me that you're losing a life. I, um…I didn't know you could do that." Warblerkit's eyes beamed excited awe. "That's really cool."

If Redstar hadn't been filled with adrenaline, she might've laughed. But instead, she just swallowed.

"How…is my body right now?"

"Um…" Warblerkit stared out into the distance, and his starry eyes glowed. He winced. "Well…the tendrils slowed down. I think you made them really tired."

"Good," she huffed. "But my body, Warblerkit, please."

"I think it's trying to heal your leg. I can't really tell. And your eyes."

"Eyes?"

"Um…tendrils went in it," Warblerkit winced again. "I-It's out now, but…"

"That's alright. Thank you, Warblerkit," Redstar sighed. So that's why she didn't suffocate to death.

"Oh, hello!" Warblerkit chirped. He pranced behind Redstar suddenly, and when she followed him with her gaze, her heart dropped as she saw the truth. Two small, newborn kits, the center of their lucid bodies bright and compact like dense, forming stars. They let out confused mews, and yet their cries went quiet as they found each other and huddled together with security and comfort. Wablerkit pressed his nose against their pelts, and said cheerfully, "It's okay, you'll be safe here. You can try again some other day, okay?"

"Warblerkit," Redstar breathed, confusion and grief filling her.

"There's this really nice molly named Whiteflower that said newborns haven't fully lived, so sometimes, their stars go in other kits when they're born." Warblerkit looked up at Redstar, his hazel eyes flickering. "...I, um…I know you wanted to save one of them." His ears folded sadly. "I'm sorry."

Redstar felt her heart sink. She knew that it was too late. Deep in her heart, she knew.

She hated that she hoped she was wrong.

"You're waking up, Redstar," Warblerkit mewed. "Good luck!"

Redstar's vision turned black, and the next moment, her eyes flew open.

Warblerkit was right. The tendrils were dragging her body very slowly towards the den, like a snake trying to constrict its prey. But the speed it had while trying to escape their camp was spent. Redstar remained still, playing dead to not alert the tendrils. Her gaze darted around. She saw that they were wrapped around her active legs…and they left her broken one alone. A mistake, as it had now healed.

Redstar took a deep breath, and slowly dragged her back paw to her other, and unsheathed her claws.

She yanked the tendrils off the back and scrambled up, pulling her front legs out of the wrappings before dashing up the hill, and looking back.

Just like that time last newleaf, she watched as the tendrils grasped more firmly around a fading, grey echo of her former self, and dragged it more aggressively into the den, until it was wrapped in roots.

Redstar let her heart beat rapidly. She stood, and waited, until everything fell quiet, and only the leaf-bare gale remained.

She stood still for a short while, until she jumped back down the hill and rushed towards the direction of the bundle that the tendril released. Her pawsteps slowed as she found what she knew she would, and she felt tears well as she saw the limp, suffocated form of a white and silver kit.

Redstar stared up at the stars and released an angry caterwaul, then buried her nose in the pelt of the tiny kit.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I'm so, so sorry. I failed you. Please forgive me."

******

It didn't take long for Tree and Hopechase to find Redstar. When Hopechase saw the limp body of the newborn being carried by her leader, she glanced at Redstar's now-healed leg, and her gaze softened.

Tree was solemn, and somewhat wary at Redstar's now-healed form. Their tail flicked once, and that was enough for Hopechase to quietly explain.

"Redstar has nine lives, blessed by StarClan. We spoke of it before."

"...And StarClan can heal injuries like this?" Tree's voice was trembling.

"If she dies…yes."

"...Can they…" Tree trailed off, staring at the small body. Hopechase's ears folded back, and she shook her head sadly.

Redstar's gaze remained distant and exhausted. She gently put down the body, and kept her head bowed. "...I tried. I tried to save them. I'm sorry."

Hopechase sighed deeply and brought her nose to Redstar's head. "No one expected you to, Red."

"But I should have. I should have done better."

"Redstar." Hopechase's tone forced the calico tabby to look up. Hopechase's blue eyes were firm, then softened with kindness. "You did more than any cat could've ever done. You retrieved a body. Denied the woods another catch. I know it'll never be enough, in your eyes." Hopechase placed her tail on her leader's shoulder. "But I promise that it means something."

Tree nodded slowly. "...The roots take everything. But Cloudthunder can grieve this kit, at least."

Hopechase purred in approval. She paused, then asked, "It's only this one you retrieved, yes?"

Redstar nodded weakly.

"Let's not be here for longer than needed," Tree meowed.

When the three returned back to camp, Redstar felt her stomach turn to stone again as she saw Cloudthunder's eyes widen with hope from the nursery, until she looked closer, and her heart broke all over again. Windfur trotted across camp, prepared to treat Redstar, only to stop and his expression faltered when he saw her walking. He looked down at the dead kit, then sighed.

"...I'm sorry, Redstar," he said glumly. "I thought…I thought I could work faster…"

Redstar merely shook her head. The world around her moved as Iciclepool gently took the weight from her. Shiverpaw tended to Cloudthunder, sympathetically pressing her head against the queen's. Windfur quickly treated everyone's injuries. Barleywave and Hopechase started gathering larger branches, preparing a small funeral pyre.

Redstar went through the motions as her clanmates gathered around the pyre. Cloudthunder forced herself to walk out of the nursery and sit vigil for the body of one of her two kits. Redstar recited the Rite of the Lost, partook in the ritual meal, and allowed cats to grieve in silence. Branchkit seemed distraught, and Perchkit was staring vacantly at the fire, her pupils mere slits. Redstar felt her heart sink for the two kits. Was this...their first experience with death? Yes. It had to be. This would've been so hard for them both, especially after the noise and the chaos.

Riversnow's cream pelt was grey with mud and soot. She must've tried to grab the hot cinders when her stake broke in the battle. A heavy emptiness rested in her eyes. She didn't touch the funerary food before her. It was only when Barleywave quietly sat beside her and whispered something, did she reluctantly bite off a corner of the jerky.

Iciclepool's expression was distant. Hopechase sat next to her gently. The white molly let out a sigh, and pressed her head against Hopechase's shoulder. Hopechase rested her chin on her head in response, her blue eyes filled with sympathy.

When the ritual was done and the body was burned, Redstar helped Windfur gather the ashes, and carry it to the graveyard. The process was heavy on her heart. But she bore it. It was the least she could do.

By the time she returned to camp and cautiously approached the nursery, she heard Shiverpaw and Cloudthunder speaking.

"...The other was a white and light grey one. It…it had a white patch over its ears and eyes," Shiverpaw said quietly.

"...Like flower petals?" Cloudthunder's meow was small.

"Yes…I would say so." Shiverpaw's voice tightened.

"Magnoliakit." Cloudthunder said, wavering. "Thank you, Shiverpaw. It hurts. But…" Her voice tapered into a sob. "I can't forget. I just can't. Never, ever, ever…"

Redstar closed her eyes tightly as she fought back her own lump in her throat. She named her lost kits. Oh, StarClan, she named them. How she wished she brought them back alive. She wished she was stronger, more powerful. Why? Why this?

"Redstar?"

Shiverpaw must've seen her. Redstar swallowed down her sorrow and gently peered into the nursery. Cloudthunder and Redstar's eyes met, and there was a shared understanding of pain between them.

"I'm sorry," Redstar said.

The gray and white molly shook her head sadly, wordlessly grooming her still-living kits. After a long moment of silence, she said, "...At least, I'm still a mother…right?"

"You always would've been one."

"...I understand that now." Cloudthunder looked back up at her leader. "...Thank you for trying. Thank you for bringing…for bringing Bearkit back," she whispered. "So I could say goodbye."

"He should've been with you," Redstar retorted. The words held no teeth.

Shiverpaw stared at the floor during this exchange, until finally, she uttered, "I'm sorry that I didn't work faster. I learned as much from Windfur as I could. I didn't know it would be…"

"No, Shiverpaw," Redstar interjected. She rested her tail on the apprentice's shoulder. "No. This isn't your fault. You did what you could."

Shiverpaw took her blue eyes to her leader. There was an innocence and a level of wisdom that Redstar couldn't identify. "...So did you."

---

Redstar retrieving one of the bodies of Cloudthunder's kits provided her with some closure. She names her stolen kits Bearkit and Magnoliakit, to not forget them. Then, she names her living children, praying that they outlive her tenfold.

(Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 43 moons. Adventurous) (Deerkit, kitten, female, 0 moons. Brown and high white tabby. Know-it-all.) (Cottonkit, kitten, female, 0 moons. Chocolate tabby. Fearless.) (Airkit, kitten, male, 0 moons. Grey and white tabby. Polite.) (Bearkit, male, StarClan cat.) (Magnoliakit, male, StarClan cat.)

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[forestclan-clangen]

MOON 13 (Part 1)

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Shiverpaw is doing her best to comfort Morningspot, but she's riddled with despair after her encounter with the Fake Cat. Shiverpaw struggles not to feel like it's her fault that Morningspot was like this. Maybe if Shiverpaw hadn't talked to Rootgrove that night, maybe Talontooth wouldn't have been...

(Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 13 moons. Loving.) (Morningspot, warrior, female, 15 moons. Nervous.)

Perchpaw has a broken jaw, and she's unconscious for a day before she wakes up. Olive regresses emotionally, becoming despondent and hopeless for a while at her daughter's suffering. Windfur tries his best to reassure her.

(Perchpaw, apprentice, female, 8 moons. Adventurous.) (Olive, mediator, female, 69 moons. Calm.) (Windfur, medicine cat, male, 27 moons. Lonesome.)

Tree recovers from being poisoned and shocked. They're happy they can resume training with Branchpaw, who's also excited to get some battle training. Branchpaw asks Tree some odd questions, but Tree's happy to answer them.

(Tree, warrior, non-binary, 44 moons. Adventurous.) (Branchpaw, apprentice, female, 8 moons. Ambitious.)

Barleywave can't stand to watch his old apprentice stuck like this. He boldly says that they're going to go on patrol, and she is going to go on for a run to the border liek they used to. Morningspot is temporarily dislodged from her anxious paralysis.

(Morningspot, warrior, female, 15 moons. Nervous.) (Barleywave, warrior, male, 42 moons. Playful.)

Riversnow sees Barleywave being considerate and kind. He didn't have to do that. Morningspot likely didn't need his help...but he helped anyway. Just like he helped...her...Oooooh no, fuck. Damn it. Hell. No, she wasn't.

(Riversnow, warrior, female, 62 moons. Adventurous.)

Nope. Nu-uh. She doesn't do romance. She's not doing this again. She was going the fuck to sleep. That will fix it. She pointedly ignored Cloudthunder, who pointed out that it was barely past dawn. She also ignored her subsequent snicker of laughter.

(Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 46 moons. Adventurous.) (Riversnow, warrior, female, 62 moons. Adventurous.)

Hopechase got her tail badley injured by a dog. No, not a Woodcrawler, just an uninfected dog, which was a rarer sight nowadays. After this event, however, Iciclepool can't stand seeing Hope possibly die without telling her how she feels. Hopechase and Iciclepool officially become mates. It took them long enough - everyone could see it.

(Hopechase, warrior, female, 95 moons. Playful.) (Iciclepool, deputy, female, 68 moons. Ambitious.) (Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 13 moons. Loving.) (Windfur, medicine cat, male, 27 moons. Lonesome.)

---

Iciclepool's heart was thundering as she dropped her prey to the floor and bolted across camp. No. No, not Hopechase. StarClan, please, not her. Her jaw clenched as she pushed past the curtain of ferns and thinly latticed twine blocking the medicine den.

She felt herself frozen in dismay as she saw her daughter and Windfur tending to Hopechase's tail calmly.

"Tooth and claw, pierced and raw…" Windfur began gently.

"...healed by golds of mari- and rod-,

Set by webs and…" Shiverpaw continued, then stopped. "And…mousedung," she sighed.

"And leaves of dock," Windfur finished.

"Right. My mind thought 'beings of rock' and I knew that was wrong," Shiverpaw sighed.

"Beings of rock? Well gee, I hope the rock buddies can remove the stinging!" Hopechase said with a mrrow of amusement.

"Sorry Hopechase," Shiverpaw apologized as she turned to grab dock leaves. Her cobalt blue eyes caught Iciclepool's panicked gaze. "Oh, mom. Hi. Hopechase is okay," she said a little clumsily.

Hopechase turned her head and beamed when she saw the white molly. "Oh, hello lovely deputy."

Iciclepool's bristled fur slowly flattened. She swallowed as she saw no massive injuries on Hopechase at all, other than the bites and pulled out fur from her mangled tail. Her heart raced and her face turned hot with embarrassment.

"I…I was told you were attacked," Iciclepool stammered.

"By a dog, yes. I'm alright - a good set of swipes drove it back to its Twolegs," Hopechase said. Her whiskers twitched in amusement.

"I'm surprised the Twolegs are already here this season," Windfur mumbled.

Iciclepool's adrenaline crashed and exhausted her. Relief and anger surged through her all at once.

"I…I thought that…" Iciclepool stopped, then took a deep breath to try and tame her nerves.

"That what?" Hopechase asked.

After a few moments of silence, Windfur seemed to recognize unspoken words that wanted to be spoken, and his tail twitched lightly.

"We're almost done, Iciclepool. Can you give us time?"

"Yes. Yes, of course," Iciclepool meowed, her copper eyes distant as she turned around and padded out of the medicine den, aware of Hopechase's gaze following her on the way out.

Iciclepool sat in a corner of camp not far from the medicine den, staring at the ground and allowing the buzz of camp to dull her spike of fear. In that moment, Iciclepool sat with herself and started gently combing through her emotions.

In the moon that Hopechase had confessed to her, she had thought about her own feelings. Part of her felt like she was betraying Cliffstep. Despite all the time that had passed, she still loved him, and yearned for the family they could've had. But, was that fair? The more she thought about it, the more days passed by where she looked to the stars, and thought about him. She would quietly speak into the night, telling him about the things she'd done that week. She knew he wasn't really next to her. And some days, she questioned if StarClan was truly watching over them with love and compassion. But it felt nice. Soothing. A balm that could repair her damaged soul. This weekly ritual started daily after Hopechase had confessed to her.

And some days, she reached out to other friends long gone. And…Talontooth, once.

"...Do you remember the first day I brought you out of camp? I told you about the lost Clans. And apprentice trials," she murmured. "...You and your dumb mouth asked what happened to my kits. You looked like a stunned owl the second I gawked at you." Iciclepool let out a purr of amusement. She paused. The silence blanketed sadness on her. "...It wasn't your fault. You were just a small tom. A child. You didn't mean it. I forgive you. I forgive you a million times over," she meowed, her voice cracking and turning into a whimper. She remembered stopping and allowing her grief time to pool and drain into the yawning abyss of numbness.

"...I lost so many cats. I lost…Sootkit. Creekkit," Iciclepool's voice wavered as she spoke their names again for the first time in moons. "Stonepaw. Valleypaw. Rapidpaw. My sister, Silverpaw. My parents, Stormpelt and Daisycurl. Cliffstep. And…now you." Her throat tightened. "You would think that I would learn."

And yet, with that last thought, she realized that she wouldn't be able to help it. She would love. And lose. And love again. Over and over, with the ferocity and ambition she was born with.

Because that was who she was. She loved her family, her Clanmates, her children. She loved Shiverpaw, loved watching her grow. She loved being deputy, standing along Redstar, watching the Clan that they fought so hard to free from Lakestar's grasp.

And while she still loved Cliffstep, she loved Hopechase too. And with each passing day, as she felt the pain of Talontooth's loss diminish, she found herself laughing again at watching Cloudthunder's kits playing silly games.

And when she realized that, she felt afraid. She was afraid to tell Hopechase how she felt. Afraid to love and lose one more person.

Today, as she felt the panic of the idea of Hopechase being hurt beyond repair, before she could ever hear how Iciclepool felt about her -

Oh, she was so mousebrained. She was so mousebrained for being afraid.

Iciclepool broke out of her thoughts as the sound of the fern curtains invaded her ears. Her eyes darted immediately to the medicine cat den, and her heart thundered as Hopechase emerged with a bandaged tail and a calm gait.

She was so seized with relief and a surge of love, that she barely realized that Hopechase started to approach her.

Iciclepool instinctively straightened and put forth an air of confidence - a front that she knew Hopechase could see right through, but one that she could only make out of habit under nervousness. Hopechase's light blue eyes were filled with unknown feeling as she sat down in front of her.

"Doing okay?" she asked, almost too casually.

Iciclepool felt her face turn hot. She closed her eyes and said tightly, "I…I thought that you were severely hurt."

"Sweet of you to care, lovely deputy," Hopechase said with a purr. "Windfur and Shiverpaw work quick, and I was not hurt too badly. Still, it's sure to be a pain," the warrior finished, looking at her bandages with intent.

Iciclepool looked at the injury. She could still see the pooling of blood on some of the bandages. She failed to suppress the anger in her chest towards the disgusting, stupid dog that did this. And yet, she would take this a million times over another vigil done without a body.

"Hopechase, there's something I want to tell you," Iciclepool said, her voice wavering. Hopechase brought her gaze back up to meet hers. For a brief moment, there was a flicker of fear in them - it was so quick that Iciclepool wondered if she imagined it. Gathering her courage, she took a deep breath and said, "I…I laughed again a few days ago."

Hopechase's ear twitched. "Oh? Well, that's good to hear." The dark grey warrior's nonchalance was betrayed by the wince she expressed as she instinctively twitched her tail.

Iciclepool couldn't put her through the wait any longer. "When I heard you were hurt - I thought it was worse. I thought you…" She swallowed, and Hopechase mercifully gave her time to continue. "I thought…I was too late to tell you."

Iciclepool felt her heart tightening. How long ago had she spoken these words to another cat, and meant them in that way? She found herself ashamed as she couldn't force them out. She felt them deep and true in her heart, but her nerves -

Hopechase gently placed her paw near hers. "It's alright, Icicle. Truly. You have time."

"No, no I can't. I don't," Iciclepool blurted. "If that dog was a Woodcrawler, if it was anything else, you'd be dead. You'd be dead and I'd have never told you that I love you. That's why…I…"

Iciclepool quieted and her voice trailed into silence.

She doesn't remember the amount of time that passed between then and the moment Hopechase smiled and blinked slowly at her in contentment. A deep purr came from her throat as Hopechase licked her forehead, then rested her head on her shoulder.

"I'm happy you feel the same, love."

Iciclepool felt overwhelmed with emotions. All at once, she suppressed a sob and buried her head into Hopechase.

"Now, I won't ask you to jump into matehood immediately if you do not feel comfortable with it," Hopechase started, but Iciclepool interjected immediately.

"I wouldn't want anything else."

Hopechase's purring increased tenfold. "Then I'd be honored, loving mate."

---

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[forestclan-clangen]

MOON 13 (Part 2)

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Hopechase and Iciclepool have been acting sickeningly lovey-dovey all day, even with Hopechase's injury. Redstar teases them a little. She's happy for her friends. The grief of losing Talontooth lessens a little for her.

(Hopechase, warrior, female, 95 moons. Playful.) (Iciclepool, deputy, female, 68 moons. Ambitious.) (Redstar, leader, female, 71 moons. Strict.)

Iciclepool and Morningspot go out near the border, mostly to try and find any remaining signs of the Fake Cat that Perchpaw was attacked by. Instead, they find a body of a young cat. Icicle feels somber - but when she goes to lift it, she's shocked when it groans in pain. They're alive! Morningspot is agitated, eager to bring them to Windfur, now. (Morningspot, warrior, female, 15 moons. Nervous.) (Iciclepool, deputy, female, 68 moons. Ambitious.) (???, male, loner.)

Perchpaw actively avoids talking to Morningspot. She just doesn't trust her. She especially does not want to talk about what happened the day she saw the Fake Cat, and shuts down whenever someone asks. At least Branchpaw doesn't pester her.

(Perchpaw, apprentice, female, 8 moons. Adventurous.) (Branchpaw, apprentice, female, 8 moons. Ambitious.)

---

Perchpaw wished she had died. Or, at least, that's what she would say to herself while sleep deprived, in pain, and unable to swallow more than pulp and water. In moments of clarity surrounded by her mother and her sister, she felt a pang of guilt at the idea of them mourning at a funeral pyre, like they did for Bearkit.

No…no, she didn't want to die. Not really.

She just wanted to be normal again, and she hated all the things that made her feel not normal.

She didn't want to talk about the Fake Cat. Hopechase had approached her and apologized with deep sorrow for not teaching her about them sooner. Redstar tried gently asking if she wanted to talk about it. Even her mother said that she'd be a listening ear. Perchpaw pretended to not be able to talk.

Branchpaw seemed to be the only one who understood her, saying nothing about the Fake Cat, but telling her about the news of camp.

"Um…Redstar and Hopechase said that they're going to try hosting something called the First Bloom. Remember the Gathering in leaf-fall? Well, apparently it's a lot like this, but for newleaf instead. Apparently there's games and stuff involved?" Branchpaw's tail twitched with subdued optimism. "I know you're not feeling too great, but they mentioned that flowers are an important part of it. You like flowers and stuff, right?"

Branchpaw made a somewhat of a face as she said this - Branchpaw was never into things that Perchpaw felt were pretty, and when they were kits, she poked fun at her for it. Seeing her now put in effort to be nice about the things she liked was like watching Redstar attempting small-talk. Perchpaw wanted to let out a chuckle, but it sounded more like a snorted chuff. The sound felt ugly to her. She stared at the floor.

"Well, Morningspot and Iciclepool are out of camp right now - I think they're checking near the border for - er - well, I assume flowers? I dunno, I didn't ask," Branchpaw shrugged.

Perchpaw felt a twitch of anger surge through her chest. She shifted uncomfortably and looked away from her sister. If Branchpaw had noticed, she likely chose not to comment on it. Branchpaw had gotten to her feet.

"I'll ask Redstar if you could help with making decorations! Like, if your paws are fine, why not, right? I'll be back!"

Perchpaw watched as Branchpaw darted past the fern curtains that blocked the medicine den. It was a strange feeling, watching the world through a partial veil. In her memories, she could only ever recall fallen leaves and a layer of snow surrounding the outside of the carved out den. But now, she could barely see what was happening outside.

And it made her feel isolated. Different. Ignored and she hated it.

Perchpaw's claws ripped up bits of her bedding as she stared at the fern curtains. A fire of anger surged in her heart.

She was trying to help.

Talontooth was a good cat. He was nice to her and Branchpaw. He taught them how to do the hunting crouch. He was one of the only adults to tell stories of what was outside camp with some amount of hope. Yeah, like all adults, he warned them about Tendrils, and under whispered tones, he described Nature's Mockery, and what a Woodcrawler might look like. But he didn't only tell fake stories like Windfur and Tree, or stories of things that happened a long time ago like Redstar. He told them about stuff outside the territory - like a big mountain that stood across a vast lake, and the strange, angular dens of Twolegs that jutted from the treelines. He wasn't their friend, but he was a good cat who made her look forward to going out there, beyond the camp walls.

She felt gutted when the adults told her that he was gone, and petrified when she heard his voice calling for help.

Why didn't any of them talk about those?

All she saw was Talontooth seemingly alive, calling for help, in pain. She didn't see a monster. She saw a Clanmate who was hurt, maybe sick, maybe REALLY in trouble. She remembered staring at Morningspot, waiting for her to lead their patrol, tell her what to do, do something to indicate what they should be doing.

She just froze and did nothing.

Morningspot was the patrol leader. Perchpaw always thought that Morningspot was a scaredy-cat, even as an apprentice. But people still liked her and consoled her and for a short time, it seemed like even her mom talked to Morningpaw more than she did with her and Branchkit at the time. So when she was still scared as an adult, refusing to actually lead, what else was Perchpaw supposed to feel? Talontooth was screaming for help. Why did Morningspot only do something when Perchpaw was pinned down by the thing, sharp branches jutting out from its feet, writhing towards her mouth - 

In her distressed turbulence, Perchpaw's tongue passed over one of her teeth. She bit back a hiss as she felt something cut at her. Dismayed, she ran it over gently again.

Her tooth was chipped.

Perchpaw wanted to yowl. She physically couldn't with her brace around her neck and jaw. She raked her claws on the cold dirt, her tail thrashing. She couldn't even bury her head in her bedding without destroying her brace.

Day after day, she was reminded of one more thing that made her abnormal and broken. That made her damaged, ugly.

She hated that she felt that way, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to be loved and she felt like she was pitied. The only time she felt like someone really saw her for her was when Riversnow approached her during leafbare, and complimented her fur and asked her about the little snow-cat she made. Sure, everyone was nice to her and Branchpaw, but it was always her AND Branchpaw. She never felt like she stood out, or caught anyone's attention, and now that she was like this, she felt like no one would genuinely want to be with a cat with a messed up jaw, chipped teeth and a stupid brace.

She felt ugly, pathetic, and useless.

Why didn't they tell her about Fake Cats? Why didn't Morningspot do something? Why did she freeze like a stupid doe on a thunderpath and only moved when Perchpaw was already -

Her thread of hatred tangled as noise kicked up outside. She heard shouting, then the stern voices of cats. She heard Iciclepool and Redstar talking firmly to one another, and the sound of pawsteps rapidly approaching the medicine den.

Perchpaw scrambled, mortified at the idea of being seen like this. She scrambled to cover her ripped up bedding with her body, trying to pretend like she was asleep. She saw the shadows of Iciclepool and…ugh, Morningspot. As they walked into the medicine den, Perchpaw faked having just woken up.

Her eyes widened. She didn't expect an unknown cat to be draped over Iciclepool's back.

"Morningspot, can you clear the bedding across from Perchpaw?" Iciclepool asked. Morningspot did what was asked. Perchpaw pretended not to be curious, but failed as she watched the two mollies gently lower the cat onto bedding. He was a black tabby, very skinny, and unconscious.

"D-Did Redstar say when they'd be back? A few minutes? An hour? What if - "

"Morningspot," Iciclepool placed her tail on the young warrior's shoulder. "Breathe. Windfur and Shiverpaw should be back from their patrol soon."

"B-But what if - "

Perchpaw immediately scowled and looked away, tuning out the conversation. Right now, the last thing she wanted to hear was Morningspot's panicking.

A small sliver of her conscience tried to coax her into having compassion. It was overruled by the throbbing pain in her jaw, her chipped tooth, her anger, and the memory of the adult she turned to choosing to do nothing until it was too late.

Time moved around Perchpaw as cats entered and left the medicine den repeatedly. She knew Shiverpaw and Windfur returned from their patrol, and to her annoyance, she knew Morningspot tried to talk to her - which she pointedly ignored. Shiverpaw and Windfur poked and prodded at her brace after they had finished rummaging over the stranger that was now in the medicine den. Branchpaw had come back to visit her once again, telling her optimistically about the possibility of learning how to do flower crowns. Perchpaw faked enthusiasm with a slow blink, but otherwise, she didn't say anything.

By the time everyone had finally left the stupid den, Perchpaw's eyes reluctantly fell onto the only person remaining.

Her throat tightened as she realized what she was looking at.

The cat was a young tom - close to her age. And just like her, his head was wrapped in a brace meant to secure a broken jaw.

Perchpaw blinked. She watched the tom's faint breathing. Every once in a while, he made a whine in protest.

Perchpaw brought her own paw to the side of her face, feeling the ragged brace. For a moment, she became painfully aware of its existence, and how it pressed against her skin.

...Would he, too, hate this as much as she did?

Perchpaw sighed, allowing the crushing anger and sorrow exhale from her system before turning away and staring at a wall again.

She hadn't expected the tom across from her to whine in his unconscious sleep, and whimper something that barely took coherent shape behind his crooked jaw. Perchpaw's ears twitched and strained to put his words together. Finally, she realized he was repeating a single word over and over.

"Bracken…"

---

When the young stranger wakes up, he's confirmed to have a broken jaw. He is dazed and dehydrated, calling for the name "Bracken". Windfur recognizes it - this must be the littermate Bracken was searching for! After a few days of care and speaking with members of the Clan, he is quite enamoured, and the young cat agrees to join the Clan. His name is Rift, and he takes on the name Riftpaw.

(Windfur, medicine cat, male, 27 moons. Lonesome.) (Riftpaw, apprentice, male, 11 moons. Charismatic.)

The First Bloom festival goes without a hitch. Cats are much happier watching Cloudthunder's kits enjoy games, collect flowers, and even the adult cats have fun playing a game of pick-up sticks - trying to pull as many sticks from a pile of them without causing the pile to topple over. It's very enjoyable, and reduces the Clan's overall stress.

(Barleywave, warrior, male, 42 moons. Playful.) (Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 46 moons. Adventurous.) (Olive, mediator, female, 69 moons. Calm.) (Redstar, leader, female, 71 moons. Strict.)

Cottonkit, Airkit and Deerkit made flower crowns during the First Bloom festival! Cottonkit is so enamoured by the gorse flowers that she decides to permanently wear some. She asks Perchpaw if she thinks it's cool, and is giddy when Perchpaw approves.

(Perchpaw, apprentice, female, 8 moons. Adventurous.) (Cottonkit, kitten, female, 3 moons. Fearless.) (Deerkit, kitten, female, 3 moons. Noisy.) (Airkit, kitten, male, 3 moons. Polite.)

<PREVIOUS | NEXT>

[forestclan-clangen]

MOON 10 (Part 1)

<< FIRST | < PREVIOUS |

Redstar turned to Cloudthunder in a time of need and was hurt when she turned away from her. But how could Cloudthunder not refuse? She understood Redstar's desperation - but she would not kill her leader.

(Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 43 moons) (Redstar, leader, female, 68 moons)

---

"You wanted to see me, Redstar?" Cloudthunder asked. She was heavily pregnant now, and dragging herself up to Redstar's den was a difficult endeavor. Redstar stared at her warrior, feelings of guilt and frustration swelling inside her. Cloudthunder shouldn't have had to do this. And still, she was going to ask of her a task that she knew no one else would grant her.

She hoped that she would forgive her for putting this on her shoulders.

Redstar felt aching and frail. Her infected wound was getting worse by the day, and she knew that despite Windfur's best intentions, it would not get better. Redstar made sure of that.

She thought that it might recover in time for her to throw herself at the woods again. But it didn't, and she was running out of time. She tried to do it herself, but despite her best efforts, it wasn't working. Cloudthunder would go into labour soon, and that meant the woods would be stalking their walls. Cloudthunder had to do this. She was the only one who had the biggest motive to do so.

Redstar quietly gestured for Cloudthunder to sit, and the warrior did so. She gave her leader a calculated stare.

Redstar closed her eyes. Relax. She had to relax. It was getting harder and harder for her to maintain composure as of late - no thanks to her broken leg. But she had to remain calm - for Cloudthunder.

"I'm sorry I called you to my den," she started carefully. "For what it's worth, you're not in any trouble."

Cloudthunder didn't reply, but her posture visibly relaxed. She blinked at her. "Well, that's a relief. But I still assume it's important."

"It is," Redstar confirmed. She slowly rested her head on the bump of her bedding, her blue eyes filled with exhaustion. Guilt weighed heavily on her heart for what she was about to ask. She thought, after she killed Lakestar, that she could spare her clanmates from having to make any more horrible decisions or cruel sacrifices. But she had no choice, and she was asking Cloudthunder to do this. It was a sacrifice she had to make, and one she hoped her clanmate would have enough motive to assist with.

Redstar must've been silent for too long, as the white and gray molly's ear flicked with concern. Cloudthunder tilted her head. "Are you going to tell me what it is?"

"Yes. I'm sorry. It's just…it's difficult to ask this of you."

"So, it's a favor, then."

"More of a burden."

Cloudthunder's orange eyes flickered warily. "...Redstar?"

The calico tabby took a deep breath. "First, I understand what I'm asking of you. No, I am not underplaying the seriousness of this. This is not something I am taking lightly." Redstar's blue eyes glanced up at her warrior solemnly. "Second…I need you to help me die."

Evidently, that wasn't the task that Cloudthunder was expected to receive. Her eyes widened and she recoiled, her mouth agape. She barely meowed, “W-What? Redstar, why?”

“It's been several moons since the woods have been fed, Cloudthunder.” Redstar felt her throat tighten. "I have been confined to camp for too many moons. Windfur will not listen to me."

“Redstar, no. I...I can’t do that.”

“You must. It doesn't need to be violent. You could escort me out of camp,” Redstar bargained. She felt the anxiety in her heart rise as Cloudthunder's expression showed reluctance. "It doesn't need to be far. Just close enough for me to drag myself to a Woodcrawler den."

"Redstar." Cloudthunder repeated, aghast.

"Please, Cloudthunder. I understand I am asking something horrific of you. I know this is something you and the Clan would never want to undertake. It's why I - it's why I took the burden of murdering Lakestar."

A tense silence followed this reply. Redstar continued hastily, as though the warrior was about to leave. "I would never ask this of you if I didn't have to. I promise I will be fine - StarClan will heal my wounds once I die."

“Why me?” Cloudthunder finally pressed. Her tail twitched and her body tensed.

“Because no one else has a strong enough reason to see a cat fed to the woods right now than you. Windfur is not taking me seriously. Iciclepool and Hopechase will not grant me this - I know them too well. The newer and younger members couldn't possibly understand why I would ask this of them. But you do. You've seen what the woods can do as well as I," Redstar hissed. "If it’s not me, it will be your kits. One of my lives could save them. Protect them.”

A heavy, tense silence fell upon them. Redstar glared into Cloudthunder's eyes intensely, waiting for her to say something, anything. She watched as the warrior's ears folded back, then tore her stare away from the leader to stare at the den's walls. Unknown emotions were brimming at the surface, and Redstar wanted nothing more than to make her feel safe and unburdened.

"Please, Cloudthunder. Speak to me," she rasped.

“...Redstar, I understand your dilemma. But...you can’t save everyone." Cloudthunder meowed. She refused to look at her leader.

Redstar's eyes widened as she felt her heart skip with despair. "I'm not trying to save everyone. I'm trying to protect you. Your children," she bargained desperately.

"Redstar, I know what you're trying to do. I understand your plight. You're trying to be the opposite of Lakestar, and we respect that. It's why we follow you," Cloudthunder finally turned her gaze back towards her, and gently placed her tail on her leader's flank. "...But…the things," Cloudthunder swallowed as she avoided speaking the name of the Living Tendrils. "Those…are unavoidable."

"Cloud."

"Redstar, do you remember when Sprucetail gave birth? When Weaselfang died the moon prior?"

Redstar's fur bristled. She knew what she was implying and she didn't like it. She wanted to object and hiss and snarl, but her throbbing pain surging through her body left her with no strength.

"I don't know if feeding the woods will change anything, Redstar," she sighed. "Kits have always died here. We fight to prevent it, every time. But I understand that I may not have a litter at all by the end of this moon. I’ve spoken to Iciclepool, and Olive. I've come to terms with that.” Cloudthunder's copper eyes were glazed with sorrow. "Your death won't prevent it."

"T-Then what about the others?" Redstar gasped, desperately clinging to hope. "What if it takes a warrior? Takes you?"

"Do you have no faith in our walls?" Cloudthunder pressed. "A Woodcrawler isn't going to break through our walls, and you're not actively sending us into the woods."

"But Tree and Shiverpaw - "

"Survived and successfully ran home. We know how to identify Deep Root entities, Redstar. We know how to run from them. And we have those Twoleg fire sticks. Talontooth has helped collect some pine resin - it will be perfect for preserving flames. In fact, we may be able to repel the Tendrils with them," Cloudthunder's expression shifted into one of hope. "We may be able to turn against them for the first time since Lakestar. Wouldn't that be something good?"

Redstar felt panic rise in her. No. She couldn't leave her like this. "Cloud. Please. I promised. I promised that - "

"That you'd protect us, Redstar. I know." Cloudthunder's gaze was eerily calm. “But I will not kill my leader. I’ll get Shiverpaw for your infection.”

Redstar felt like the world was crashing down on her as she watched the gray and white queen leave her den. As the silence filled her den, she felt her teeth grit in anger. She suppressed an angry snarl, allowing her claws to rip up her bedding. Cloudthunder was wrong. That wasn't the only thing she promised. It just wasn't.

She remembered many, many seasons ago - when she was still Redpath, and Lakestar still reigned. She remembered when Iciclepool gave birth to her second litter. A precarious birth, for anxious and wary parents. After the deaths of all of their children, Cliffstep and Iciclepool hesitantly tried once more. Their once-eager smiles and excitement from their first litter were now damped - gentle, polite smiles and soft thank-yous as Iciclepool's pregnancy was congratulated. Cliffstep became a permanent shadow by his mate's side. Redpath remembered catching Lakestar mumbling in her den, and peeked to see her etching lines in the walls. Redpath didn't know at the time what she was counting - but she would later know it was the amount of moons that passed since the woods were fed.

And when Iciclepool went into labor, and the tendrils came to claim their due, Redpath watched as her friend had two less kits, and Lakestar…had sat in her den. She emerged from the High Rock when Iciclepool started to wail, and made a dull statement about making a funeral once everyone saw Chicoryglint.

She remembered sitting in the graveyard in front of the great oak, seeing the rows and rows of lines belonging to every unnamed kit and stolen stranger found on their territory. She remembered carving two additional lines in the bark.

She remembered gliding her paw across the bark. She counted backwards, and counted up to nine. She measured the distance between those nine, unnamed lives. And she dug her claws deep into the earth, seething with fury.

She remembered sitting in the training clearing with Iciclepool, her eyes vacant with horrific sorrow.

"I can't do this anymore, Redpath. Everything…everything is gone. My kits. My Cliffstep," she whimpered. "It's all gone. I have nothing. And it's all…it's all - " Iciclepool broke and wailed, crouching to the floor with despair.

Redpath decided at that moment. That one, singular moment, that she would never allow another mother to suffer like Iciclepool had. That night, she stared at her own paws, and contemplated her name. Redpath. Lakestar had given it to her. For her ferocity. Loyalty.

She wondered, some days, if Lakestar saw right through her. If she knew what Redpath was going to do to her. Whether she was completely fooled, or somewhat aware. In the end, it didn't matter.

Her red path would grant them safety. She would make sure that no mother would ever have to suffer the loss of a kit ever again. She would fight the woods tooth and nail. Until there was nothing left of her.

And now, today, here she lay. Her leg broken, infected, inflamed and her mind a haze. And a future mother just told her that she would accept the losses. More lines carved in the great oak tree. Just like she failed Olive, and Barleywave.

Redstar felt numb as she stared ahead into nothing. When Shiverpaw appeared at the entrance of her den with comfrey and stinging nettle stems, Redstar's blue eyes remained vacant.

She made a promise. To her Clan, to StarClan. To the legend of the gentle camp. Loyalty, bravery, sacrifice, death.

She had to die. She had to protect her Clanmates.

So why would no one let her?

---

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[forestclan-clangen]

MOON 11 (Part 1)

<< FIRST | < PREVIOUS |

Barleywave recovered from frostbite, but it left scars on his tail and nose.

(Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 11 moons. Loving.) (Barleywave, warrior, male, 40 moons. Playful.)

Morningpaw is made a warrior, given the name Morningspot. Morningspot knows that Barleywave was a great mentor, helping her feel more at ease and better at resolving her inner anxieties. She may still be afraid of the Woods - but she truly, deeply, loves her Clanmates. She will help them however she can.

(Morningspot, warrior, female, 13 moons. Nervous.) (Barleywave, warrior, male, 40 moons. Playful.) (Redstar, leader, female, 69 moons. Strict.)

Olive's kits are finally made apprentices, now Branchpaw and Perchpaw. Redstar isn't too friendly with Tree, but she can't deny their impressive skills regarding the Woodcrawlers, and assigns them to train Branchpaw. Redstar also believes that Hopechase is overdue for another apprentice, and assigns Perchpaw to her.

(Branchpaw, apprentice, female, 6 moons. Ambitious.) (Perchpaw, apprentice, female, 6 moons. Adventurous.) (Tree, warrior, non-binary, 42 moons. Ambitious.) (Hopechase, warrior, female, 93 moons. Playful.) (Redstar, leader, female, 69 moons. Strict.)

Riversnow very sheepishly announces that she thinks, she's not sure, she may have to wait a bit, she...might be expecting kits? Several cats offer congratulations, and ask if Barleywave's the sire. Despite Cloudthunder's intervention, Riversnow is, regrettably, a terrible liar. Barleywave's mortified expression across the clearing also doesn't help.

(Iciclepool, deputy, female, 67 moons. Ambitious.) (Riversnow, warrior, female, 60 moons. Adventurous.) (Barleywave, warrior, male, 40 moons. Playful.) (Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 44 moons. Adventurous.)

Riversnow didn't want to take any of the weird herbs Shiverpaw was telling her to take for her pregnancy. She would be just fine, thank you very much. Despite Shiverpaw's appeal, she rejects them, much to the apprentice's frustration.

(Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 11 moons. Loving.) (Riversnow, warrior, female, 60 moons. Adventurous.)

Talontooth, Iciclepool and Morningspot hunt and catch prey, but there's one rabbit that seems...off. But it's leafbare, and they need food. Talontooth catches it, but later, those who eat it get stomach aches. Tree in particular becomes shocked and poisoned.

(Iciclepool, deputy, female, 67 moons. Ambitious.) (Tree, warrior, non-binary, 42 moons. Ambitious.) (Talontooth, warrior, male, 15 moons. Adventurous.)

Tree trusts Shiverpaw to provide them with the best possible care. As Tree expresses relief, Shiverpaw reads a little too far into their kindness.

(Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 11 moons. Loving.) (Tree, warrior, non-binary, 42 moons. Ambitious.)

Hopechase told Barleywave a hard truth he needed to hear. They speak as they watch Cloudthunder's kits figure out snow for the first time.

(Barleywave, warrior, male, 40 moons. Playful.) (Hopechase, warrior, female, 93 moons. Playful.) (Deerkit, kitten, female, 1 moon. Noisy) (Airkit, kitten, male, 1 moon. Polite.) (Cottonkit, kitten, female, 1 moon. Fearless)

---

"Barleywave."

Hopechase approached the dark tom in a moment of privacy, under the branch of a sagging pine tree, weighed down by snow. She made sure that most of the Clan was either having their afternoon nap, or out patrolling. It was probably the least she could do to make him comfortable, given the circumstances.

Barleywave turned to look at Hopechase, and gave a deceptively pleasant smile. He waved his tail in greeting. "Hey Hope."

Hopechase returned the gesture before sitting candidly in front of him. Her blue eyes simmered with intent. She knew that he knew what she was here for. She could tell because despite the tom's straight face, she could read his nervous tick anywhere. His entire body freezing wasn't exactly subtle.

The dark grey molly decided to rip the pine sap off. "So. Riversnow's pregnancy."

"Yup! Uhh, good for her," he blurted. Despite his lighthearted expression, Hopechase's eyes narrowed.

The tom's eyes had a thin layer of terror. Great StarClan, he was really bad at this.

Hopechase sighed. She knew Barleywave since he was a kit. He was never the type to know how to deal with his emotions. Back when Lakestar was alive, fine, it was a method of survival. Not letting a cruel cat know how you really feel about them was vital. But she was dead now, and this wasn't helping him. The Clan wasn't stupid - they saw how Riversnow often padded after him when she felt nervous around Clanmates. They also saw how Barleywave pushed himself to at least be somewhat vulnerable, if it meant that Riversnow would feel less distressed. Their affections weren't a secret.

Which is why they were quite surprised that ever since Riversnow announced her pregnancy, both of them were avoiding each other like the plague.

Yes, technically Riversnow didn't have to declare the sire. But both of them were terrible at hiding secrets.

"Did you congratulate her?"

"Err…no, haven't had the time yet," he answered sheepishly.

"Are you going to?"

Silence.

Hopechase's pale blue eyes narrowed, then softened. She allowed her brief moment of frustration to pass through her, then replaced it with empathy.

Warblerkit. She had a feeling this was about Warblerkit.

Barleywave didn't like talking about his lost son. He and Riversnow came out and were honest with the Clan about his origins. But nothing else.

Now that Riversnow was pregnant - both parents, in theory, had the chance to try again. Maybe have a happier ending than the one they had with Warblerkit.

Or not.

Of course. Of course he'd be afraid of that.

“Barleywave," Hopechase said softly. She placed a gentle tail on his shoulder. The tom glanced at it. "Look. I'm not going to make any assumptions. Maybe we have it all wrong, and that's possible. But I'm going to offer you some wisdom, if you're willing to listen."

Barleywave didn't look at Hopechase in the eye, but his ear twitched towards her attentively. His gaze was focused on empty space in the distance.

"If you DID sire Riversnow’s kits – then don’t hold back on loving them like you did with Warblerkit."

"What?" Barleywave sputtered, his voice tightened. He laughed nervously, his hazel eyes wide with bewilderment. "I'm - I swear I'm not - "

"If you're not the sire, that's fine. You can ignore everything that I'm about to tell you," Hopechase interjected. "But just in case you may enjoy Riversnow's company and wish to bond with her and her children at some point in time…" Hopechase's whiskers twitched knowingly. "You need to understand that you are allowed to grieve. But if you fear every risk of death and every crisis that will come, you’ll lose sight of appreciating those you love when you're here. Any time spent with people we care about matters in this place.”

The world fell silent around them. Hopechase removed her tail from the tom's shoulder and simply waited. She looked out into the snowy clearing, watching Cloudthunder's kits emerge from the nursery with curious eyes.

Cottonkit, the chocolate tabby with a white underbelly, bravely took a step forward and put both of her paws into the snow. Her hazel eyes were wide with shock, but she didn't pull back.

"...Well?" Airkit asked, the tom's copper eyes sniffed at the snow with curiosity. But he didn't seem eager to take the first step until his siblings confirmed it first.

Deerkit stared at her sister, who still refused to move. She tentatively placed a paw into the snow, then immediately pulled it back and hissed. "Nope! No, nuh uh! I don't wanna! Cold!" Deerkit protested and retreated back into the den. Airkit wordlessly decided that was enough for him, and followed after his sibling.

Hopechase's whiskers twitched in amusement. Then, Cottonkit just threw her head back and started yelling for seemingly no reason, before slamming her face into the snow. Hopechase let out a mrrow of amusement. Ah, small kits.

Barleywave was watching this bizarre interaction with a hint of weight in his eyes. “...But it hurts when they’re gone," he whispered.

Hopechase turned to face him, then let out a sympathetic purr. “I know. I’ve been there. But the thing we always regret the most, is not spending enough time with them when they were here. Trust me. I'm the oldest cat here. I would know.”

There was a silence again as Barleywave stared at the kits again. He watched as Cloudthunder emerged from the den, groggy and tired, her eyes raised in confusion as she watched her very strange kit burrowing herself into the snow. He closed his eyes, then sighed. “...You really refuse to let people mope, don’t you?”

---

<PREVIOUS | NEXT>

[forestclan-clangen]

MOON 12 (Part 1)

<< FIRST | < PREVIOUS |

To everyone's shock, Talontooth goes missing. They call out to him in the early morning - but he's gone. Iciclepool is particularly upset about this, having mentored the warrior. She thought that after years of seeing this process, she would get used to it. She doesn't. She barely avoids prolonged grief with the help of Hopechase.

(Iciclepool, deputy, female, 68 moons. Ambitious.) (Hopechase, warrior, female, 94 moons. Playful)

---

Iciclepool thought she was free from this. When Lakestar was gone, she thought for once, just once, perhaps things would be okay. Deep in her heart, she knew that wasn't true. She knew the law of the woods. She knew that she would have to see adult cats die again.

When Talontooth wasn't found in camp the night Windfur and Shiverpaw returned from the Half-Moon Dome, when the sun rose in the morning and he hadn't returned, the Clan had to accept that he was gone.

She thought that after years of seeing that process, she would be used to it. She wasn't.

She taught Talontooth everything she knew to stay alive. She thought that she had done everything to make sure that he would live a long life. Grow strong, mentor another cat, perhaps have a family of his own, if he was inclined to it.

Why? Why him? Out of all the cats -

Iciclepool could barely say anything at his funeral rites. The only thing she could say was a pitiful apology. She felt everyone's eyes on her pelt and it hurt.

She buried herself in her nest, begging for roots to rise from the earth and swallow her too. Iciclepool denied his death. Raged against StarClan and the woods. Considered if maybe he had simply run away to the Twoleg cabins. Wallowed in despair. Repeat.

She could barely feel the gentle paw pressed against her back.

"...Icicle?"

Hopechase's gentle voice felt like daggers on her soul.

"...Hey." A dark pelt padded in front of her field of vision. Iciclepool continued to stare into space, even as Hopechase's blue eyes filled her vision. The dark molly said nothing as she simply stared into Iciclepool's eyes.

"...I'm sorry, Icicle. I know he meant a lot to you."

The white deputy felt the knife twist. She closed her eyes as she felt the bile rise in her throat. She said nothing.

Hopechase wordlessly rested her chin on Iciclepool's head, then began grooming her.

"Hope, please."

"Please what?"

"Please leave me alone."

"I will. But you haven't groomed yourself in two days. When you feel the strength to stand again, being mat-free will help."

"I don't…" Iciclepool started her retort, then trailed off defeatedly. There was no point. Arguing with Hopechase was an exercise in futility. She didn't argue back. She only listened, and did what she believed to be right. So, Iciclepool let her. She closed her eyes and allowed her to groom her and remove any compacting hair.

For a moment, she thought of one of the last times she spent with Cliffstep. She grieved. She wailed as all of her kits were gone, again. The woods, Lakestar - took everything from her. She couldn't hear herself over the voice of her own cries. And there lay Cliffstep next to her. Grooming her. Removing her mats. His work was gentle, but his muscles were tense the entire time, his face chiseled with burning intensity. He barely spoke for the next week. His ice blue eyes were soft around his loved ones. They sharpened with the ferocity of a lynx the very moment Lakestar or Chicoryglint crossed his path - cold and haunting.

He loved his family, so much. He loved her. He would've loved Talontooth. He would've -

Iciclepool's face curled into a snarl as she buried her face into Hopechase and wept.

She doesn't know how much time had passed until she found her emotions spiralling back down, going numb. The warm newleaf sun had started melting the snow. The sound of water dripping off the branches and the den walls outside played a soft melody.

"Iciclepool." Hopechase's voice was filled with love. "I'm going to help set patrols for you. Alright?"

Iciclepool just nodded. Hopechase blinked slowly, a passing thought crossing her gaze. Her tail tapped the floor pensively. Finally, it seemed like she made a choice, and her eyes softened.

"I love you, Iciclepool."

The white molly froze for a moment. She opened her eyes again, her copper gaze layered with an unknown feeling. Hopechase continued with the wisdom of many lives.

"I know that you know. My feelings aren't hidden. I know that right now, and maybe for a little while, the world will feel cruel, and empty. And that's alright. But I need you to know that you are loved." Hopechase pressed her nose against Iciclepool's forehead. "You still have family. You still have friends. And while today may be one of the worst days you will ever have, I am here to give you a groom, and take your tasks, and remind you that today, your world has not ended."

Iciclepool's voice was stuck in her throat as her eyes widened. She felt her pelt turn hot in shame and unbridled emotion, unable to mantle any thoughts to her mind.

Hopechase pulled back, and gave her a look that she had only seen from one other cat before in her life. "Please, grieve and pray to Cliffstep and Talontooth. Their eyes are watching you from StarClan. They love you, so much."

Iciclepool bit back a cry.

"And when you feel like you can laugh again," Hopechase continued. "Then you can tell me how you feel. Whichever way you do, I will still be your friend. And you will still be a lovely deputy," Hopechase let out a final purr of comfort before steadily padding outside the den.

Iciclepool, for the first time since she sat in her den, turned to watch Hopechase leave, and looked outside the warrior's den. For a moment, her mind was a storm of emotion.

Hopechase…really felt that way? And she would wait? Even seeing her as a useless heap of a deputy, weeping again at another lost child - is this really what she wanted?

And…did Iciclepool want her? Is that something her grief would even permit her to think about?

Talontooth wanted life as well. But you are here. And he is not.

Her guilt ravished whatever brief embers of contentment lit in her heart. She felt numb again.

And yet, she couldn't bring herself to turn back to face the wall again. Her eyes were frozen on the movement of the outside world - the one Hopechase wandered freely within.

For a moment, she watched. Her clanmates were still reeling from the hurt. Riversnow sat in the sun, her eyes following Cloudthunder's kits gently. Windfur approached her glumly, and said something to her. After a few moments of no movement, Riversnow nodded without looking up at him. Windfur seemed surprised, but grateful as he gave her an herb Iciclepool knew well - borage.

Morningspot stared at the cooking fire. Her eyes were void of meaning, as though her spirit was gone and her body was piloted by something else. Olive's yellowcough was recovering steadily - almost completely gone. The older molly wordlessly sat next to the younger, staring at the fire with her. It conveyed support that didn't need words.

And…under the shadow of the apprentice den was Shiverpaw. Her kit. Her eyes were empty. Windfur said that after their visit to the Dome, she was frantic. Dreading. She said something horrible was going to happen, and she didn't know what. Just that she was so, so afraid.

Iciclepool felt a rock in her belly. Her grief drowned under the waves of protectiveness and fear.

You still have family. You still have friends.

Hopechase's words echoed in her thoughts. She weakly pushed herself to her feet, and hissed as she stumbled. Her muscles wobbled in complaint.

How long…how long had she ignored Shiverpaw in her grief?

Her kit. Oh, her poor kit.

Iciclepool felt like the sun beaming at her pelt threatened to expose her suffering to the world. That…that didn't matter right now. She slowly padded towards her daughter. Her mind could only ever picture her as the poor kitten she found, shivering in a bush on a cool newleaf day. But her child was almost all grown up. A year old. Her child was here.

Shiverpaw heard Iciclepool's pawsteps, and her body tensed and straightened. Her cobalt blue eyes were wide, as though spooked by her mother's sudden appearance.

"O-Oh. Mom. I'm sorry, I…I was going to check on you," Shiverpaw stammered, her voice dry. "Did, um…I…I could give you a poppy seed, if that'll help with…"

Iciclepool said nothing. She wordlessly sat next to her child, her pelt brushing against hers. Shiverpaw looked at her with wide, sleep-deprived eyes.

The deputy gently brushed her tail against her daughter's back.

"...Speak to me, Shiver."

Shiverpaw slowly shook her head, until her expression broke and she buried her head into her mother's shoulder. She mewled pathetically.

"It's my fault. It's all my fault. All of it. All of it, all of it," she said between sobs.

"No, honey. No," Iciclepool said with a comforting purr rising in her throat. "Whatever StarClan said, a warning can come too late. You are not responsible for this."

"But I am. And it is. I should've never - I shouldn't have - " Shiverpaw continued to stumble before being reduced to a grief-stricken mess. Whatever words her daughter wanted to say, they couldn't find their perch.

So, she didn't push her. She decided to just be there for her daughter. She, too, had lost a friend.

---

Redstar and Hopechase cooperate to reinstate a past ForestClan festival - The First Bloom, which would occur in the next moon. Despite Redstar's grief, she tells herself that this will be good for the Clan. First Bloom focused on games, decorating the camp with local early-weeds and quick-growing plants, and paying respects to the prey they hunt.

(Redstar, leader, female, 70 moons. Strict.) (Hopechase, warrior, female, 94 moons. Playful.)

Windfur stumbles into a loner healer, named Bracken. She's only 9 moons old, and asks if he's seen a black tom - her littermate. Out of concern, he offers her advice on some of the local herbs, and offers her a place in the Clan. But Bracken refused, having heard rumors about Clan life and VERY adamant against it. Windfur burns with resentment over Lakestar's bloody legacy.

(Windfur, medicine cat, male, 26 moons. Lonesome) (Bracken, loner, female, 9 moons. Grumpy)

Deerkit and Cottonkit REALLY want to explore outside of camp, interested in the songs of birds they've never seen. Cottonkit comes up with a plan to sneak out with Deerkit, but Barleywave puts a stop to it. Barleywave thinks the kits aren't taking their safety seriously.

(Barleywave, warrior, male, 41 moons. Playful.) (Deerkit, kitten, female, 2 moons. Noisy) (Cottonkit, kitten, female, 2 moons. Fearless.)

Airkit prefers to spend time with his mother, Cloudthunder. Cloudthunder is somewhat concerned, but tries to engage with him anyway.

(Airkit, kitten, male, 2 moons. Polite.) (Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 45 moons. Adventurous)

Branchpaw brings fresh moss to replace Riversnow's bedding. Riversnow appreciates the effort Branchpaw has been putting in recently.

(Branchpaw, apprentice, female, 7 moons) (Riversnow, warrior, female, 61 moons)

Cloudthunder cooks Tree something soothing for their stomach. Tree thanks her profusely and offers a flirty compliment, which Cloudthunder seems receptive to.

(Tree, warrior, non-binary, 43 moons. Adventurous) (Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 45 moons. Adventurous.)

Barleywave tried to talk to Riversnow like Hopechase asked of him, really, he tried. But it was rather difficult to do when she kept not-so-subtly finding an excuse to leave whenever he approached her. Dejected, he gives up. She had no obligation to talk to him, right? He wasn't her mate. That was normal. Yep. He wasn't - nope. He wasn't sad at all. Sadness is for losers. He was TOTALLY FINE - [He was, in fact, not fine.]

(Barleywave, warrior, male, 41 moons. Playful) (Riversnow, warrior, female, 61 moons. Adventurous)

<PREVIOUS | NEXT>

[forestclan-clangen]

MOON 11 (Part 2)

<< FIRST | < PREVIOUS |

While out on patrol, Perchpaw was seen sharing fresh kill with a kittypet. Windfur recognized the kittypet; his father, Lucifer. When invited to the Clan, Lucifer turns them down. He had some cats to look after...and while he'd always be an ally of ForestClan, his time with it is now over.

(Windfur, medicine cat, male, 25 moons. Lonesome) (Perchpaw, apprentice, female, 6 moons. Adventurous) (Lucifer, kittypet, male, 74 moons. Confident.)

---

Windfur was really, really tired. Physically and emotionally. But, here he was. Digging for burdock root. Dragging a really disinterested apprentice to help him.

Perchpaw seemed keen to do anything but help him dig. She was half-heartedly pawing away at the snow, her blue eyes bored and annoyed.

"...Digging involves your claws." Windfur said crossly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, it's just cold," Perchpaw grumbled.

"...It's leaf-bare. Everything will be cold."

"I know," she sighed with exasperation, putting in a bit more effort. Windfur spotted the roots finally peeking out from the wet dirt.

"There," he said, stopping her. "That's what burdock looks like. Now it needs to be extracted carefully."

Perchpaw sniffed at the roots questionably, until seemingly, something else grasped her attention. Her ears perked up and her gaze darted into the bushes near the border. Windfur scowled.

"Perchpaw."

"Wait - Mom said she really wanted a vole earlier…"

"Perchpaw, you're not on a hunting patrol - "

"I'll be super quick, I swear! Warrior's honor, Windfur, I'll help you with the burdock," Perchpaw interjected before dashing into the bushes without even looking at him.

Windfur didn't even bother to call out to her. He sighed deeply and stared up at the light gray sky above. StarClan, he knew that Perchpaw was restless, but this was too much. He didn't need an antsy apprentice right now, and Hopechase's claim that she could use a "patient paw" for an afternoon was a load of mousedung. Windfur wasn't stupid; the entire Clan could see that she wanted to spend some time with Iciclepool. Why they weren't mates yet was beyond him, but he felt like the Clan's personal scratching post for the past two moons, and he hated it.

Windfur stared at the burdock flatly, then carefully started digging around it.

Shiverpaw would've been patient and focused. But Tree was ill and she offered to stay and look after them. Windfur wasn't stupid on that front either. Shiverpaw seemed to have some sort of crush on Tree, whether she recognized it herself or not. She liked being around them. And she pointedly didn't like being around Windfur.

He felt a tinge of frustration in his heart. He thought she knew where its exact location was. The trip should've taken no more than fifteen minutes. She was attentive, good natured, and always asking questions - why wouldn't he have faith in his own apprentice to do her stars-damned job -

Windfur ripped part of the burdock.

He yowled in aggravation and raked his claws on the nearby tree, his tail lashing. He scratched at the bark for a few, long seconds before taking deep breaths. His ears folded back and he pressed his head against the bark in shame.

No…no, it wasn't her fault. Iciclepool was right. She was nine moons old. She never experienced the start of a blizzard or how much it would impact her line of sight. She wouldn't have seen the trail markers correctly.

But Chicoryglint sent him to find herbs during a very hot leaf-fall once. He figured out how to stay cool thanks to the river. He was nine moons old, then, too. Chicoryglint praised him for pushing himself to be better. Resourceful. He figured out how to help himself. He just assumed…

…What did he assume?

...Was her praise worth dehydration, at the time?

Windfur took a deep breath. Then exhaled. Thinking about Chicoryglint hurt his brain. Thinking about Shiverpaw upset him. This was not helpful. Right now, he was supposed to be helping Perchpaw -

His eyes flew open. How long has it been? Oh, foxdung -

"Perchpaw?" He called out, immediately smelling the air and chasing her scent through the bushes. Oh, StarClan, had Hopechase taught her about Nature's Mockery yet? Windfur's eyes dilated as anxiety surged through him and he whipped his gaze around to find her lilac spotted pelt. "Perchpaw!"

He continued following her trail. It was going towards the border. His pelt rose as he caught her scent - and blood. Oh no. No, no no no -

"PERCHPAW!" He shouted as he dashed through the trees and towards their border to the Twoleg Place. "Perch - "

Windfur's voice was caught in his throat as he skidded to a halt and saw Perchpaw sitting at the border with a skinny, grey tom in front of her. Both cats' eyes whipped towards Windfur's direction and stared at him with startled expressions.

Windfur was flabbergasted as he scanned the scene and processed what he was looking at. Perchpaw was pushing a dead vole towards the grey tom. Blood. It was the vole's blood.

"W-Windfur, I-I - " Perchpaw was stammering with fear in her eyes.

"...Son?" the grey tom hesitantly stepped forward, his yellow eyes filled with recognition.

"Eh, what?!" Perchpaw retorted, bewilderment smashed across her face as she glanced between the stranger and Windfur.

Windfur's pelt prickled as he realized who this was, and his voice mantled over his adrenaline. "Father." Windfur forced his fur to fall flat, then slowly approached them, his heart still racing. "Perchpaw, I shouldn't have let you go. Never do that again."

"B-But - "

"No, he's right," the older gray tom interrupted. "Never wander alone in the woods."

"Hey!" Perchpaw hissed. "Then why were you hunting near here? Actually, better question, you're related?" She gestured between him and Windfur.

"Yes. I'm Lucifer," the gray tom responded. His yellow eyes softened. "I'm Windfur's father."

Windfur cautiously glanced at Lucifer. He hadn't seen him in several moons. The last time they met was in greenleaf, where he timidly asked how the clan fared under Redstar's leadership.

He never knew how to act around his father anymore. A moon after he became the sole medicine cat, his father approached him and said that he was leaving ForestClan, and he wanted Windfur to come with him, if he wished. Windfur felt numb, back then, and shocked. Lucifer - then named Ferncreek - didn't push him to have an answer, or forced him to join. He just looked at him with love, and sorrow. Even deeper behind those yellow eyes were imprints of pains and horrors far beyond any cat should be forced to endure in their lifetime. Windfur wanted to lash out at him, but he couldn't bring himself to. After Chicoryglint vanished from his life - he was just happy that Ferncreek wasn't leaving him without answers. Windfur said that he had to fulfill Chicoryglint's promise to stay with ForestClan. Ferncreek merely nodded, and said he understood.

The day he left felt like a betrayal to ForestClan at first, until he expressed his reasons and his pains. The long goodbye ended not with anger, but with grief, and it was the only time Windfur had seen Redstar weep openly. The Clan shared tongues with their former clanmate one final time before he left, padding towards the Twoleg cabins in the distance.

The next time he saw him after that - Ferncreek had taken the name the Twolegs called him. Lucifer, he said. His name was Lucifer, and he was happy.

Which is why he didn't know what to say to him, now that he was here, and he was skinnier than a kittypet should be.

"...What brings you to the woods?" Windfur asked.

Lucifer merely blinked at him. "Hunger."

"I said you could keep the vole if you left," Perchpaw mumbled. "I mean…don't you want it?"

"I would, actually," Lucifer meowed sheepishly.

"Take it," Windfur sighed. "But what happened to the barn? I thought the Twolegs left it open during leafbare?"

"They do."

"Then…" Windfur gestured at him.

"It's…complicated," Lucifer replied reluctantly. "There's…a few more cats than normal there now. I'm trying to be kind."

"To the point of starving?"

"Come now, I'm not starving," Lucifer scoffed with a flick of his tail. "Lower amounts of prey during leafbare isn't a new occurrence."

"But you're in one of the Twoleg storages. There should be an abundance of prey there."

"Windfur," Lucifer interjected sharply. His yellow eyes brimmed with intent, and for a moment, Windfur forgot that this was a former warrior. "I appreciate your concern, and I understand how you feel. But remember, you needn't worry about me." Lucifer gently pawed the vole away from Perchpaw, and towards himself. "After all, leafbare is coming to a close. I expect the ground keepers to return full time during the next moon. I'm only housing a few wayward cats right now. From their actions, I anticipate that they are eager to leave once the weather gets warmer."

Perchpaw was listening patiently until an idea occurred to her, her expression lightening. "If they want a place to stay permanently, they could stay with ForestClan! Um…but if they're pregnant, maybe they shouldn't…but, after that, they could come," she meowed. Windfur winced at this statement and was about to chide Perchpaw for trying to make a leader's decision, but Lucifer purred sympathetically. 

"Seen the tendrils, then?"

Perchpaw froze, then stared at the ground, as though caught in a memory. She blinked, then replied quietly. "Yeah."

"Tendrils are indiscriminate. They don't solely target ForestClan." Lucifer's tail twitched. "...A Clan would provide more protection, for certain."

Windfur's ear twitched. "...Would you need that protection yourself?"

"I appreciate the offer, Windfur. But I've made my decision many moons ago. I will always be a friend to ForestClan, even if I live a different life. May StarClan forgive me." Lucifer offered a bow to Windfur. Windfur felt a tang of hurt and discomfort as he saw his father show him any sign of reverence. He wasn't…he wasn't StarClan. He was just a cat.

"...Can you promise to stay safe?" Windfur prompted.

"Always. And if you need any help - I trust you know where to find me."

Windfur nodded. Lucifer returned the gesture, then blinked slowly at Perchpaw with kindness. He grabbed the vole and walked away from the border without looking back.

Perchpaw watched the tom leave, then tilted her head. "...He seems nice."

"...Yes. He is." Windfur paused, then scowled as he looked back at Perchpaw. "Now. Let's finish uprooting the burdock. And please," he hissed with emphasis. Perchpaw's ears folded back meekly. "Please do not run off like that again. I thought," Windfur stopped, then sighed. "...I thought…you were hurt when I smelled blood."

Perchpaw's eyes widened. "...O-Oh. I'm sorry…"

"Just…please remember that it's dangerous to be in the forest alone. And Lucifer might not have been a friendly cat."

Perchpaw stared at the floor and licked her chest in embarrassment. "Okay. I'm sorry."

Windfur said nothing. Maybe there was just nothing left to say. He trusted that Perchpaw understood him. He turned around and headed back towards his herb patch, the apprentice's footsteps padding not far behind him. ---

Cottonkit and Deerkit interact with Tree after hearing that they were hurt, trying to keep their mind off of their sickness. Cloudthunder admires how kind and thoughtful her kits are. Tree also appreciates the kits' distractions.

(Tree, warrior, non-binary, 42 moons. Adventurous) (Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 44 moons. Adventurous) (Cottonkit, kitten, female, 1 moon. Fearless) (Deerkit, kitten, female, 1 moon. Noisy)

Branchpaw shows off the hunting crouch she learned to Airkit. Airkit is clumsy and falls over when trying to mimic her. He's glad that Branchpaw pretends not to notice it.

(Airkit, kitten, male, 1 moon. Polite.) (Branchpaw, apprentice, female, 6 moons. Ambitious)

Morningspot tells Shiverpaw a secret - that she met a loner at the border recently, and was hoping that she could bring a spot of marigold for them. Shiverpaw allowed it - as long as she came with her. This turned out to be Endie - who was recently injured, although she doesn't reveal from what. After being helped, she disclosed her full name, one she does not give often - Endless.

(Morningspot, warrior, female, 13 moons. Nervous) (Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 11 moons. Loving) (Endless, loner, female, 47 moons. Sneaky.)

---

Shiverpaw wasn't stupid. Morningspot also seemed to have come to that conclusion, upon looking into her eyes and noticing her skepticism. The warrior started grooming herself nervously under the weight of the healer's gaze.

"...Someone needs marigold?"

"Y-Yes, that's right. Marigold helps with cuts, right?"

"Which clanmate is injured?"

Morningspot looked like a dog vanished into thin air. Her mouth hung for a moment, as if she had something to say, only to close it and stammer, "M-Me. It's, um, it's me."

"Where's your injury?"

Frozen and caught again.

Shiverpaw stared at her for a long while, before the young warrior's fear seemed genuine. Shiverpaw's heart tightened, and she decided to answer softly. "Morningspot, it's okay if it's not for you. Is it a clanmate?" she stopped, then asked with a bit more hope, "Did…Riversnow change her mind about taking herbs? Maybe she's embarrassed to ask?"

"Isn't marigold bad for…" Morningspot thought out loud before her eyes widened. "Oh, wait! Yes, yes that's right, she…um…she…"

Shiverpaw winced. "Morning, come on…"

Morningspot stopped and let out an exasperated hiss. She closed her eyes and her ears flattened. "...Ohh, it's no use. I'm awful at this," she groaned. When she opened her eyes again, she stared at the floor in shame. "...I…I want to tell you, but I can't. I…I promised I wouldn't let anyone in the Clan know, but…"

Shiverpaw's ears twitched intently. She slowly started to reach for the marigold, but couldn't bring herself to grab it. Windfur would notice. He would ask. She needed an explanation. If someone in the Clan was hurt, Morningspot would've just said so. She wasn't hurt. So someone else was.

"Morningspot, I'll help you with the marigold…but I have to come with you."

Morningspot's fur bristled before Shiverpaw continued. "Please, Morningspot. I don't need their name. I understand, you're trying to keep their privacy. But if they're hurt…then I want to make sure their injury doesn't get infected."

A tense quiet fell in the medicine den between them. It was interrupted by the sounds of Cloudthunder's kits squealing as they play-fought outside the nursery. After a few moments, Morningspot's fur flattened and her tone fell with defeat.

"Okay. If it means she gets help…"

******

Shiverpaw had a bit of difficulty keeping up with Morningspot. Not that she was running or anything like that, but she was speedwalking towards their destination. Shiverpaw worried about the condition of the cat Morningspot found. Were they more injured than she let on? Shiverpaw offered a prayer to StarClan and hoped that she could help them - quickly enough before anyone noticed her or Morningspot's absence from camp.

Morningspot's amber eyes brimmed with worry as she leapt on top of a fallen tree. The path must've been traveled often, Shiverpaw noted - the log was free of snow and ice, cleared by animals that traveled over it.

"Are we getting close?" Shiverpaw asked as she followed her lead. Morningspot tasted the air, then looked around nervously.

"I saw her around here. We're getting close. Please, please don't panic, okay?" Morningspot asked.

Shiverpaw's fur bristled. "...Why would I panic?" Shiverpaw refrained herself from adding if she should be worried.

"She's - look, I…it'll look bad, but she's really resistant to help. She only agreed to herbs if I didn't tell anyone else, and…"

Oh, good. Shiverpaw sighed. It was already enough that she and Windfur couldn't convince Riversnow to take strengthening herbs for her pregnancy. She wasn't keen on facing that again, but…

She took a deep breath and steeled her resolve. This wasn't about her. Someone was scared and by Morningspot's words, it seemed they really needed help. Compassion. Someone who cared. She could do that. She could care for a cat in pain.

A few minutes passed before they found themselves close to the border, near the Twoleg Greenleaf place. Then, after a few moments, Shiverpaw smelled wet earth, blood, and cat. Her fur bristled on end. Morningspot must've picked it up too, but she had a different reaction than Shiverpaw anticipated.

"E-Endie? Are you there? I…I have the marigold," she called out hesitantly. Shiverpaw looked at her friend incredulously.

"Morning?" Shiverpaw's voice was tight.

Morningspot let out a silent hiss and brought her front paw to her mouth, indicating for the younger cat to stay quiet. Morningspot's ears twitched as she strained to hear something, then hesitantly stared at the tracks in the snow and started following them towards a nearby trench of stone and dirt. Shiverpaw cautiously followed behind the warrior, her fur still bristling.

"Endie?" she called again, looking around.

Morningspot looked at a lowered pine branch, layered in snow, and stared at it. Shiverpaw felt her paws prickling with unease. She tried to level her breathing and pick apart the smell. The scent of Woodcrawler was faint - it was like how Tree's claws smelled when Windfur was treating them, last leaf-fall. The smell of blood was dry.

Her thoughts were interrupted as a hiss came from under the lowered pine branch.

Morningspot began stammering. "Wait, Endie, please, I…I know that - "

"I said you could give me marigold if you told no one," a snarling voice retorted. Shiverpaw's eyes widened as she realized what was being shielded beneath the branches, their form dug beneath the snow and sheltering around the roots of a pine tree. She barely noticed the cat that hid below, their long, brown fur nearly blending with the bark and the dead nettles layering the floor.

Their head was shadowed by the pines. She couldn't see the cat's eyes.

"I tried, I really did, but…"

"No, you didn't. You brought someone from your wretched cult here," the cat hissed again with more vitriol.

Shiverpaw's eyes widened with surprise. Cult? She thought for a moment about Riversnow. She had made passing comments about ForestClan being "a cult", seemingly as a joke, for the first moon that she was here. She had stopped saying such things the longer she spent time speaking to them, but for a while, Shiverpaw didn't understand why she got that idea.

Morningspot's ears flattened against her head. She slowly lowered herself to the ground, and looked at the hidden cat. "Shiverpaw is my friend. She's a healer. She…she knows more herbs that can help you. No one else but her knows about you, Endie, I promise. She won't tell anyone."

"Won't tell anyone, just like you?" Endie's voice ended in a haggard laugh. "Of course. Why should I expect anything else from a Clan cat?"

Shiverpaw's heart raced. Slowly, she lowered herself to follow Morningspot's lead. Then, her eyes widened.

Oh.

The left side of Endie's face was covered in crusted, dried blood. She still couldn't see the upper half of her face - but considering the amount below, Shiverpaw was haunted by what must have happened to this poor cat.

She understood why Morningspot asked her not to panic.

"What are you looking at? Deciding if I'm a good sacrifice?" Endie hissed at Shiverpaw.

Normally, Shiverpaw would bristle and defend herself. But her heart just wasn't in it. She knew. She knew what it was like to be chased by a Woodcrawler. To…to see a horrifying monster beyond one's imagination and believe, in that moment, that the world was filled with hatred, and apathy. To believe that she was going to die.

The panic and derealization when she realized that she was alive, and would have to keep living in a world that tried to kill her.

Shiverpaw calmly took her herb pouch, and opened it. She gently began pulling out herbs, and unraveled a long weave of cobweb - strengthened with linen from boiled grasses, split until it became simple linen. Gently, she spoke.

"I'm a medicine cat apprentice. I want to heal you."

"Ha. Apprentice? Oh, good for you, the woods didn't eat you," Endie hissed. "I don't want help. Not from you, and not an untrained cat."

Shiverpaw's ear twitched. Again, she felt her heart tense to retort, then leave her body. She remembered Olive lashing out at Windfur. Grief. Pain. Endie was in pain. That's all this was. "I am trained. I have been taught how to heal wounds. I am capable of helping you."

Shiverpaw heard the cat's tail thrash on the forest floor. "I don't want your help. I wanted your marigold and for you to leave."

Morningspot rose to her feet, looking at Shiverpaw anxiously. "S-Shiverpaw, maybe…maybe we should just…"

Shiverpaw shook her head. If they left, she would likely die. She didn't want that. "I can give you the marigold. But horsetail would be better for you. I also want to apply a bandage over your injury."

"I said I don't want your help."

"Will you be able to escape the Woodcrawler again, as you currently are?" Shiverpaw's words held no bark, she was asking in earnest. If the cat could still see out of their left eye, then that would be enough. An eerie silence sounded Endie's reply.

"...I wasn't attacked by a…whatever the hell a Woodcrawler is," Endie hissed.

Shiverpaw was caught off guard by that for a moment. Based on the smell, and what Morningspot told her, she just assumed… "Then…what injured you? Was it an infected predator?"

"I'm not telling you what got me. I've been healing fine."

"But not well enough, right? It's why you agreed for Morningspot to get marigold."

Silence.

Shiverpaw continued. "I'm not asking you to trust me, or to like me. I'm asking you to be honest about your condition."

"I'm not going back to your stupid camp!" Endie bit back in anger.

Shiverpaw tilted her head. "I'm…not suggesting that? I have the medicine right here. You don't need to come back to camp with us." In truth, Shiverpaw really wished this rogue would come back to camp - she would be able to get more suitable treatment there. Especially if she wasn't attacked by a Woodcrawler like she said - but if Endie didn't want to come with them, then she would have to do the next best thing. Shiverpaw softened, and stared at the shadows beneath the pine tree. "Please. I…I don't know what you've heard about ForestClan, but it doesn't sound like it's anything good. I can't change your mind on that. But…I'm just a young cat who wants to help others."

A tense silence fell again. Endie's tail grazed the dead pine needles on the ground. Then, she said coldly, "You may be different. But your leader isn't."

Shiverpaw's pelt bristled. She felt like she was getting nowhere. "Then how about this - I treat you right now. As I said - I want to give you horsetail alongside marigold. I have it here. If you can let me treat you here and now, then we can part ways, and no one has to know we were here today."

There was a long pause. Endie had lowered herself and inched out from under the pine tree slightly. "...Why risk punishment for a stranger?" she asked. Shiverpaw noticed the genuine confusion in her voice.

"Because it's the right thing to do."

Endie scoffed, but after a few hesitant moments, she slowly crawled out from her hiding place, revealing the true extent of her injuries. Her right eye, a bright emerald sheen, was filled with skepticism.

The left side of her face had been torn. Most of her left ear was torn out, and her cheek fur was sliced off. Shiverpaw could barely tell where her injury started - she was coated in dried blood from her ear to her lower shoulder. Morningspot failed to suppress a gasp, which received a retaliatory hiss from the rogue.

Shiverpaw hadn't seen a wound this bad before. She closed her eyes as she forced herself to remember something from her early training. She remembered Windfur's teaching. You have to stay outwardly calm. Even if they're on death's door - if you're afraid, then your patient will panic.

When she opened her eyes again, she calmly approached Endie and slowly brought her nose to the side of the injury. Endie flinched, her paw raised off the ground, but she refrained.

Shiverpaw traced the line of the injury with her gaze, nervous. The shoulder seemed to have scabbed successfully - it wasn't as inflamed as she expected. But her head was the worst of it. No animal would have done this. The faint smell of rot told her all she needed to know.

The fact that this cat was alive was a miracle.

The trio sat in silence as Shiverpaw mixed a poultice of marigold and horsetail and applied it to Endie's head. The brown molly hissed at the sting, but said nothing. Shiverpaw then gently started wrapping the bandage around the worst of it.

"You should keep this on for as long as you can. If you can find more marigold, it'd be useful to reapply it every day. This is all I brought," Shiverpaw mumbled. She backed up slowly to see if her work was satisfactory, and she decided that it would do. She could feel the brown tabby getting tense the longer she worked.

Morningspot watched quietly the whole time, then softly piped up, "Is your left eye okay?"

Shiverpaw's fur turned hot. Oh, mousedung, she completely missed that Endie kept her left eye closed. She started forward to examine it, only for the rogue to raise her tail to stop her.

"It's fine," she grumbled. "I can open it just fine. Just didn't want blood getting into it."

"Can you open it for Shiverpaw? Just in case. Please," Morningspot pleaded, her voice small. "Just…to make sure."

Endie scoffed, her tail twitching. But she took no action to appease the warrior's request.

"...The blood is dried. Your wound is covered. There's no reason to keep it closed anyway, right?" Morningspot prompted again.

Endie's tail twitched. She paused, then made a tacit decision. She turned towards Shiverpaw, who returned her gaze. The brown tabby then slowly opened her left eye.

And

something was

wrong

…and

everything

was fine.

Everything was fine.

There was nothing wrong with her eyes.

"Um…S-Shiverpaw?"

Shiverpaw blinked. All of a sudden, the world recentered around her as she felt a paw on her shoulder. Her head swiveled to meet Morningspot's amber eyes, her expression concerned. Shiverpaw blinked quickly in confusion, feeling displaced.

"Y-...Yes?" she forcibly stammered.

"Is her eye okay?"

Shiverpaw looked back at the injured tabby, and…yes. Her eye was fine. She was staring at Endie, her green eyes flickering with intent. Her left eye had avoided any kind of damage from the attack. Her pupils were even.

There was nothing for her to do.

Shiverpaw swallowed, feeling like a stone had settled in her stomach. Something was wrong, but she couldn't explain it.

It didn't help that Endie was suddenly very, very calm. "It's alright. Isn't it?" she asked.

Shiverpaw couldn't explain it. Staring into her eyes felt like an impossible task. But what else could she say? She saw nothing wrong with them. "They're…they're fine," she forced out.

"Okay. That's good," Morningspot replied. She turned towards the rogue with a relieved expression. "Thank you for letting us help you, Endie."

The tabby stayed quiet for a moment. Shiverpaw glanced at her and noticed that her prior aggression had lessened. She was still wary, the tip of her tail twitching. But there was something else in her deep green eyes now. An emotion that flickered in and out of her eyes.

"...That's not my name, you know."

"It…isn't?" Shiverpaw said. The young she-cat froze as the stranger's eyes fell back on her.

"...Endie is the name I give formally. Less…explanations to provide."

Morningspot tilted her head at her, an there was a soft flame of hope that rested in her expression. "...Endie is a fine name for strangers." Morningspot blinked slowly with reassurance. "Do you…have a different name to offer to…friends?"

Shiverpaw expected the brown tabby to retort or scoff, but instead, she heard a ragged mrrow of amusement. "No, not friends. Bold of you to make that offer. You're a stranger, and it will be left as such."

Morningspot's ears folded sadly at her side, but she perked them up rather quickly. "Well…if not Endie, what would you like to be called?"

Shiverpaw found herself unable to tear away from the injured stranger's gaze. Despite everything in her paws telling her to slowly step away, she found herself frozen. For a brief moment, she felt like…like the time she saw the monster in the wall, in the bunker. Unable to leave. Unable to move.

A small smile spread across the cat's face.

"Endless." ---

<PREVIOUS | NEXT >

[forestclan-clangen]

MOON 7 (Part 1)

<< FIRST | < PREVIOUS |

Hopechase has a big fight with Olive, pushing her to actually name her kits. She tells her that they're asking Hopechase to give them names, because Olive refuses. Hopechase sympathizes with her fears, but she begs her to give her kits this grace. Olive finally breaks down and names them.

(Hopechase, warrior, female, 89 moons) (Olive, mediator, female, 62 moons) (Branchkit, kitten w/ brown pelt, female, 2 moons) (Perchkit, kitten w/ lilac pelt, female, 2 moons)

Barleywave spends time with Perchkit and Branchkit. He still misses Warblerkit, but he vows to do what he can to protect them.

(Barleywave, warrior, male, 36 moons) (Branchkit, kitten, female, 2 moons) (Perchkit, kitten, female, 2 moons)

Redstar surprises Talonpaw with something nice, as a thank you for doing his apprentice hcores without complaint. Talonpaw wants to be just like Redstar when he grows up!

(Redstar, leader, female, 65 moons) (Talonpaw, apprentice, male, 11 moons)

Iciclepool spends some time with Shiverpaw on patrol, happy to be with her and watch her skills grow. Shiverpaw is just glad to have her mom by her side for a while, especially after everything that happened the moon prior.

(Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 7 moons) (Iciclepool, deputy, female, 63 moons)

Hopechase asks Iciclepool if she'd like to spend some time together. Hopechase asks if Iciclepool ever thought about mates after Cliffstep's passing. She pauses before saying she was very stressed after his passing, but she does miss the support and comfort of a partner. Hope asked if, hypothetically, she ever DID want a partner, what kind of traits would she be looking for? Hypothetically.

(Hopechase, warrior, female, 89 moons) (Iciclepool, deputy, female, 63 moons)

The Plentiful Gathering is hosted, with Cloudthunder cooking and Redstar and Hopechase teaching stories and history. During the festival, Redstar timidly shows an idea for a new Clan symbol - the ideal future she hopes they can reach together: a gentle home, ringed in spears.

(Talonpaw, apprentice, male, 11 moons) (Redstar, leader, female, 65 moons) (Olive, mediator, female, 62 moons) (Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 40 moons)

---

Redstar hoped that the Clan would love this. She really, truly did.

When she was an apprentice, she imagined that these types of festivals would be massive, filled with so many cats willing to show their chosen foods to the Clan, with everyone trying a bit of everything. She was quickly brought back down from her daydreams by Hopechase pointing out that the Clan consisted of eleven members, two of which were kits, three couldn't leave camp without a warrior, and two more were restricted to the medicine den.

"It used to be only one person was in the medicine den, but..." Hopechase eyed Redstar's bandages and splinter stabilizing her back leg.

Redstar's pelt turned hot. She groomed her front paw to hide her shame. She stayed quiet as she thought about what Hopechase said. She admitted that she had a point. Only five cats were capable of hunting the required food on their own - and that's only if she forced Windfur into doing so. The more she thought about it, the most unreasonable it seemed for the Gathering to be grand.

It broke her heart...but she had to be a better leader. Too much all at once would do nothing but stress her Clan.

"Do you have any suggestions for a smaller scale event?" Redstar asked.

Hopechase tapped her tail on the ground pensively. "Well, the celebration was originally to remember the culinary works from the lost clans," she mused out loud. "Unfortunately, many of the preserved recipes were lost with the death of Flametwig."

Redstar's heart sank as she fondly remembered the old gib. Their bushy face lit up with wonder at every spice Chicoryglint would defeatedly surrender. They made the greatest steamed birds and jerky.

She wished she had spoken to them more.

"What I'd recommend," Hopechase started slowly, "is to start with just one Clan this year. When our Clan has more members, we can expand to remember the rest of them."

"But - what if something happens to you? What if we lose that knowledge?"

Redstar's objection was sudden and despairing, and she knew it. She felt guilty the moment Hopechase looked at her quizzically.

"I'm not saying we don't talk about the other three Clans. I'm saying that we choose one Clan to make a dish for, and we could share stories or history of the other Clans during the celebration. You and I could talk about what we know, and explain our plans for future seasons. We're a small Clan now, Redstar. Starting small is the best we can do."

Redstar paused for a while, then sighed. "Very well. You're right. I just...don't know where to start. How could I be made to choose?"

"What about LakeClan?" Hopechase suggested. "They were known for their fish and roe. Cloudthunder has developed quite an adventurous streak over the past year. She's been coming back with all sorts of new things to cook and taste test." Hopechase's whiskers twitched in amusement. "She's always enjoyed working around a fire since she was an apprentice, and I'm sure she'd be glad to see what she could do with some fresh fish, if we can manage."

"But none of us are apt at swimming. How can we catch fish from the lake?"

"Well, it doesn't have to be from the lake..."

****

Redstar and Hopechase had spent more than a week's worth of time preparing for this. When they had announced to the Clan together their plan for this year's revived Plentiful Gathering, there was an anxious excitement in the air. Cloudthunder wanted to try drying out minnows, and Windfur offered to give her some spare rosemary to spice them with. Barleywave offered to rake some fallen leaves for the kits to play in during the festival, and Talonpaw was eager to help with any fishing endeavours. Only Morningpaw seemed hesitant to step outside of camp, and Iciclepool redirected her to keeping Olive company and playing with Branchkit and Perchkit.

Redstar hoped that now, during the second full moon of leaf-fall, she and her Clan had done enough to honor their ancestors.

The sun vanished and the sky had darkened enough for the stars to glitter above. Not a single cloud was present, and Redstar took it as a sign that StarClan was watching over their revived Gathering with interest.

She brought her sights back down to the camp before her. She slowly crawled down from the High Rock, careful not to put weight on her broken leg.

Cloudthunder had made a small cooking fire in the middle of camp, and built it up rapidly with the help of Twoleg matches she stole. The smell of roasted bass invaded her nostrils as it was being cooked over the flames. Redstar's whiskers twitched in amusement as she remembered how Talonpaw acquired it. He wrestled the catch out of the beak of a young heron - much to Iciclepool's dismay and subsequent lecture. Redstar couldn't help but feel a tinge of pride for the tom. Maybe, in another time, an ambitious LakeClan apprentice also ambushed a heron for the prey in its beak. Redstar decided to sit down by the cooking fire, basking in its warmth. She glanced around the rest of camp, admiring her clanmates.

The apprentices took it upon themselves to decorate the camp with Hopechase's guidance. The dark warrior regaled them with stories of the other clans, and they decided to make little decorations for each Clan. Morningpaw and Talonpaw taught Shiverpaw how to make rope from pine roots, and all three of them made frames out of sticks in the shape of cat heads. In each head, they used pine sap as glue to put symbols of the other clans within them.

"But how am I supposed to stick water on this?" Redstar heard Talonpaw complain.

"You could do MountainClan instead?" Morningpaw offered.

"But I wanna use the heron feather I snagged the other day! Using it for LakeClan makes sense!" The black tabby tom grumbled. "It would look really cool if I could make it look like it was floating on water. You think the transparent stuff Twolegs have might work? Like, the things they put food and trash in?"

"You want to leave camp in the middle of the night to steal from Twolegs?! No! What if something bad happened?" Morningpaw protested.

Shiverpaw worked quietly on her piece as the two warrior apprentices bickered. She put a simple bit of a pine branch facing upright to create ForestClan's symbol before putting it aside, and weaving a few more sticks again to make another frame. Redstar suppressed a purr of amusement. She knew Iciclepool was keeping an eye on them from the camp gates - she trusted her deputy to make sure they were safe.

Redstar glanced at the nursery, and saw Windfur helping Olive to her feet. He had spent the past moon pushing her into gentle physical exercises. She still needed assistance to keep her brace intact, but Redstar noticed the steady recovery - and from a molly that recently gave birth, at that. Windfur helped her move outside and settle on a firm bedding near the campfire, next to Redstar. Windfur noticed the leader sitting at the fire, and frowned.

"I thought I told you not move from your den until I came to get you."

"I'm fine, Windfur. I know how to climb down a rock."

"You have a broken leg. One wrong move and your healing process will need to restart." The tom's eyes narrowed. "I'm serious."

Redstar sighed. She didn't like being confined, but she decided not to argue back at this time. "Understood."

Windfur stared at Redstar for a moment before walking away from the fire and towards the medicine den.

Olive, meanwhile, looked around the camp. Her green eyes had been filled with apathy and emptiness for the past two moons, and although she had nursed her kits willingly, it took much longer for her to name them. Redstar watched as the mother's eyes fell on Barleywave and her kits near the apprentice's den, where Branchkit squealed and threw herself into a pile of leaves. Perchkit let out a playful yowl as she jumped in after her. It wasn't long before the kits tumbled out, biting at each other's ears and leaving leaves scattered around camp.

Redstar glanced back at their chef for the night, and couldn't help but snicker. Cloudthunder's pupils were dilated with excitement as she stared intently at the marinated bass.

"This is going to be so good. I can feel it in my bones, Redstar," she said.

"I don't doubt it. It smells wonderful."

"Hopechase told me that LakeClan used to have other spices thanks to trading with MountainClan, like salt and spicebush. Couldn't find any of that, but rosemary will do great!" Cloudthunder started scattering a few dried herbs over the fish's meat.

Olive stared at the food for a while. "...I've never met any cats with the ability to do what ForestClan does," she murmured.

"To do what?" Redstar asked.

"Create fire. Cook food. Cats do not need to do that. We can eat raw meat just fine." The gentle fire was reflected in Olive's eyes. An unknown emotion spread through her. "...Your walls, your gates, your baskets and herbs. I've seen cats play with string and colorful toys provided by their Twolegs. I've seen them steal Twoleg food and pelts. But you...can do what Twolegs do. Not on a large scale like they can. But enough to be an echo."

Redstar waited quietly. Outsiders often had these kinds of feelings towards ForestClan. She assumed Olive had more to say.

"...And still, you choose to live here."

There it was. Redstar braced herself ahead of time, preventing her fur from bristling. Cloudthunder wasn't prepared for it, however, and the grey and white molly's expression darkened. A tense silence fell around the fire as it continued to crackle.

Finally, she found a retort. "Have you ever considered that if there was a territory free of all danger, we would've already gone there?"

"Free of all danger? No. You'll always have to live in places with some danger. But you live here. Where something evil has claimed the territory as its hunting ground." Olive turned to meet Cloudthunder's gaze. The two mollies regarded each other steadily. Cloudthunder saw no hostility in Olive's eyes, just fatigue. The younger molly forcibly relaxed. She misread Olive's intent. She licked her paw and started grooming herself.

"...I know that this place has many evils. We've all seen them," Cloudthunder said. "But, the Clans have been here far before the Woodcrawlers have."

"But there's just one Clan now, is there not? Why stay in this place?"

Redstar's tail tapped against the ground. "Those are reasonable questions to ask, Olive. And ones that many cats have asked themselves. There is a reason why ForestClan has such small numbers."

Olive glanced at Redstar from the corner of her eye. "...Small?" she echoed.

Redstar suppressed a mrrow of amusement. "Yes, we are much smaller than we used to be the year before. A Clan is a society, a culture..."

"....And maybe something we can teach you more about tonight!" Cloudthunder interjected as she started shuffling the bass onto a cold serving stone. The light returned to her words. "It's easier to show you why we value our home and Clan than to tell you."

Olive didn't reply. She took her gaze back to her kits, and watched them play.

The full moon had reached its apex when the cats finally all gathered around the cooking fire, with Iciclepool helping Cloudthunder serve the bass and dried minnows. The apprentices hung their makeshift clan symbols below weaved branches around the High Rock, and Hopechase started to regale them with the history of the Plentiful Gathering.

Redstar listened as Hopechase explained the cultures and renowned traits of the four lost clans - LakeClan, FieldClan, MountainClan and MarshClan. Redstar looked around the campfire, and felt a soft joy as Perchkit and Branchkit listened with wide-eyed awe, questions dancing impatiently on their tongues. Her warriors were focused on Hopechase in between mouthfuls of fish, and the three apprentices listened in varying levels of interest, to Redstar's amusement. Shiverpaw was attentive, Talonpaw was half-listening, distracted by food, and Morningpaw looked almost too focused, as though worried she was going to be quizzed on it later.

"...And so, for this year, we will start small. The Plentiful Gatherings involved the preparation of food found outside our immediate borders, near territory the former clans would've lived. This year, we're starting with one Clan, and we will increase the dishes we will make each year." There was a hint of pride to Hopechase's voice. "Tonight, we have dried minnows and roasted bass, food that would've been a staple to LakeClan meals. LakeClan was thought to be well-fed, as fish were in no short supply near their riverbed home. Salt might've been used as seasoning, if they could trade with MountainClan. But today, we're using rosemary."

"What's trading?" Perchkit asked.

Redstar answered. "It's where one clan would offer up food or materials found on their territory to another clan, usually in exchange for something they couldn't find on their own territory."

Olive's ear twitched. "...And they didn't just try to steal the materials?" she asked.

"Well, that, we don't know," Hopechase admitted. "I have to assume that the Clans weren't completely free of strife - especially in the colder seasons. But what we do know for certain, is that in the end, the clans valued each other." She continued with more solemnity. "In their greatest hour of need, ForestClan housed every cat that escaped from the great monster that rampaged over the territories so long ago. The Wretch was a creature more horrible than we can describe. It cared little about the camps of the other clans, and...it was known to absorb cats into itself," Hopechase said more cautiously as she glanced at Perchkit and Branchkit. They seemed upset, but not horrified, and they remained quiet. "But the Wretch could not breach ForestClan's defenses. The walls of tall pines that cascaded our landscape halted its advance, and prevented it from hurting more cats. Within our camp, the other Clans sought protection and refuge."

"...What happened then?" Branchkit asked meekly.

"I think Redstar is more qualified to answer that one, as a historian," Hopechase meowed as she glanced at Redstar with a glint of affection. Redstar licked her chest a few times, bashful. She cleared her throat, then spoke.

"Well, historically speaking, when the Wretch disappeared, the Woodcrawlers and Nature's Mockeries started appearing around the territory. One of the clerics of ForestClan, whose name has been lost to time, received a vision from StarClan. They dreamed of a large, sprawling camp, housing cats of every background, shape and size - even former kittypets and loners. The cleric stepped outside the camp, and saw that the walls were ringed in sharpened spears, with points of starlight. The light repelled the shadows of monsters. No matter what they did, they could not breach the walls."

Redstar couldn't help but smile as her clanmates listened intently, their eyes flickering. "The vision came with four words. Some saw it as a prophecy, and for others, a mantra. Loyalty. Bravery. Sacrifice. Death. Many cats could not make sense of this sign. Clerics and leaders debated its meaning for many seasons, choosing to follow their own interpretations of the vision. I think - or rather, I hope - that I can share my thoughts with the Clan about these words." Redstar glanced at Hopechase and Iciclepool for encouragement, who nodded at her in response. Redstar took a deep breath as she stumbled to her feet, careful not to put weight on her broken leg.

She felt a tinge of nervousness as her clan watched her. She had never been...this vulnerable with them before. This was something that mattered to her. She only hoped that they treated her kindly.

"I believe that the night the clans almost died, we were sent a message of hope, and peace," Redstar began. "That one day, it was possible to build a sanctuary. Not just for clan cats, but perhaps, one day, all cats who sought refuge against the woods. But, it could not be done without effort." Redstar slowly limped towards the base of High Rock, and picked up a cat head frame that she had made in private, long before the start of the Gathering. As she brought it back towards the circle, she hid it from view, waiting for the right moment to reveal it. She sat back down, and continued. "The words that were shared with us, I believe, had meaning. Loyalty. Loyalty to each other. To this cause, and this faith in a better world. We had to be united against the Woodcrawlers.

"Bravery. We had to be brave. The world was cruel, and dangerous. There would be monsters in our home now, trying to overwhelm us, frighten us away. But in a world where there is loyalty, there will be bravery to remain loyal to our friends, family and cause.

"Sacrifice. No change came without sacrifice. Unfortunately, I would be lying if I said this did not lead to many eras of pain and strife in ForestClan." Redstar's voice lowered. "Many thought this meant collective sacrifice. We would need to sacrifice wants, needs and safety, to guarantee survival of the whole. But I don't believe in this. I believe that in our acts of bravery - there will be sacrifice, no matter what. A parent protecting their children."

Iciclepool's eyes brimmed with sorrow.

"Cats fighting to protect newborns."

Barleywave's head hung low.

"Our love for one another, as clanmates, friends, and family," Redstar meowed. "Love drives sacrifice. We find something we are so willing to be loyal and brave for, that we are willing to sacrifice parts of ourselves for it. Which leads me to the final word."

All eyes were focused on her now. Even Talonpaw had sat up and was now watching her intently.

"Death. I know this has been construed as an omen of fear, especially after how many cats we've lost to the woods for years and years on end. In the past, it was used to justify apprentice trials, and to accept that kits would always be at risk in the woods. But I believe, with all of my heart, that it was always a message meant for the leaders, blessed by StarClan. Why else would our ancestors gift leaders nine lives, if not to use them to protect their clan? It is the embodiment of all the remaining tenants. We must sacrifice, and die, and be brought back again and again. Because that is the burden we must carry. As leader, I will take the lives I'm given, and I will fight with all I have to make sure you are safe. I am one cat. I cannot prevent tragedy." Redstar felt her heart tighten with sorrow as she remembered Warblerkit, and the lives of her former clanmates so long ago. "But I will die trying. Until StarClan calls me one final time."

Perchkit and Branchkit stared at the leader with wide eyes. Had they not been told about the lives Redstar was given? Olive's ear also twitched at this, her expression unreadable.

"I know that for as long as ForestClan has stood, our symbol has been the sturdy pine tree. I come offering a proposition - something to truly separate us from past leadership. A new beginning, and a sign of my commitment to you all."

Redstar pulled the frame she crafted, and held it up for her clan to see. Everyone's heads bobbed to forward to see, and admired the bent branches and lashing knots that took the shape of an arch, with pointed spikes on its outside. On its inside, was a small rectangle with pointed ears - a cat.

Hopechase's whiskers twitched in amusement. "A gentle camp ringed in spears?"

"As I said, I am only offering it as a proposition," Redstar said hastily, the heat rising to her face. "I'd rather leave it to a vote."

"Well, in that case, let's vote," Cloudthunder said with a twitch of her tail. "I like this symbol, Redstar, but I think the pine tree makes us humble. It reminds us of what saved ForestClan during the attack of the Wretch - our defenses, made of pine trees. By that notion, the pine tree itself is both the wall and the spear, no?"

Redstar bowed her head in response. "That is very true. The pine tree is the symbol of our home, and the sign of what we have always been. Regardless of the adversity we face, we will always be ForestClan, and the trees will always be there for us." The leader's tail brushed the ground lightly. "I will abstain from voting, as I believe that this should be a decision made by the clan members themselves."

"Very well. All those for the ringed camp?" Hopechase declared as she raised her tail. Redstar couldn't help but feel her heart race. She looked and saw Barleywave, Talonpaw, and the two kits raise their tails excitedly, but felt deflated when the others didn't.

"Those for the pine?" Cloudthunder asked. Iciclepool and Windfur raised their tails, but the nervous Morningpaw and Shiverpaw abstained, shuffling on their feet. Redstar swallowed down her feelings to be a good leader. Yes, she wanted the ringed camp, deep down. But the pine was also the spear. It was not wrong to keep it.

"Morningpaw, Shiverpaw? It's alright if you wish to keep the pine tree. It's been a symbol for your home ever since you were born."

Morningpaw didn't meet Redstar's gaze, but she hesitantly lifted her tail. "I'm sorry Redstar," she meowed quietly. "I just...I remember my first day out of camp. When Iciclepool and Barleywave taught me how to climb a tree. From the top of a pine, I saw home." She lifted her head, her amber eyes flickering with feeling.

A few of the cats purred at that answer, and Redstar felt empathy for the young cat. She blinked slowly at her in reassurance. "That is a wonderful perspective to have, Morningpaw. I wouldn't ask you to feel any less." The leader looked at the youngest apprentice. "And you, Shiverpaw?"

Shiverpaw looked away, shuffling on her feet. Redstar noticed that Shiverpaw had become more withdrawn since the last half-moon, and she knew why. She felt a pang of sympathy for the poor kit. Being tasked with carrying StarClan's greatest secret was a burden she knew very well - one that Redstar had chosen to put aside. She could not help StarClan when she was alive - only when her soul was accepted above could she help them fight the Iris. For now, she could only control what happened here. But it seemed like that knowledge weighed on Shiverpaw's decision, which saddened the calico leader.

"I...I don't know," Shiverpaw mewed. "I...I feel like it's...a heavy task. To ward off everything. To...be responsible for protecting everyone." She swallowed. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Shiverpaw." Iciclepool, her mother, touched her nose to her kit's ear. "While I do love the new symbol, I think we need more time to grow like the forest." The deputy gave Redstar a kind look, and Redstar nodded. She understood her position.

"I dunno, I think you're all overthinking it," Talonpaw scoffed. The young tom's tail flicked with anticipation. "Like, yeah, ForestClan has pine trees. But that's not the thing that defines what we do, or who we wanna be! Maybe the pine tree was a good symbol when the other clans were here, but they aren't. We need to make a new symbol - one that represents not just ForestClan, but the other clans too. They didn't just die for nothing, right?" Talonpaw took his gaze towards Redstar, seeking approval. Redstar couldn't help but feel her heart warm with affection. Someone understood what message she wished to convey - and she was happy.

"That's my reasoning as well," Barleywave spoke. "The other clans came to ForestClan for protection, but it sounds like they simply conglomerated into ForestClan. If we became a clan ringed in spears, we'd be making them a promise to never forget them. We're not just ForestClan - we're all the Clans. That's why you made four points, right? One for each lost clan?"

Redstar looked at her symbol again. Yes, she did make four points on the arch.

That was completely unintentional.

"Yes, of course that was a part of it," Redstar lied. "I didn't want to sway anyone's opinion based on it, however, so I kept quiet."

"Well I like it!" Branchkit piped up. She jumped to her feet excitedly. "It means that anyone who sees it knows they're safe!"

"Yeah! And I like the little cat," Perchkit added. The older cats purred in amusement.

Cloudthunder seemed pensive. "Well, in that case, without your vote Redstar, it means we're tied." The young she-cat looked at Olive, who had remained quiet. "What about you, Olive?"

Olive looked at her with wide eyes. "Me?"

"Well, yes. You're a part of the clan."

Olive looked like she wanted to hide behind her whiskers. "I don't know about that," she mumbled.

"Olive, you've been here for half a year," Barleywave snapped. "Don't try to tell us that we shouldn't see you as a clanmate, because we won't believe you."

Cloudthunder suppressed a mrrow of amusement at Barleywave's comment. "It's true, you have been with us since newleaf. Your voice matters to us."

Olive blinked rapidly, as though caught off guard. After a few moments, she asked, "Has it really been that long?"

"Since the end of newleaf, yes," Windfur confirmed. His dark blue eyes softened. "I know it hasn't been pleasant for you."

"And yet, you would spend your resources to help a loner like me. A cat with a broken back, pregnant, in these woods. And I haven't been able to repay a single thing in return."

"But mama, we love you," Perchkit mewed as she stumbled towards her mother with wide eyes. "Branchkit and I wouldn't be here without you."

"And we really like it here!' Branchkit added.

Redstar bowed her head. "Helping vulnerable cats is the right thing to do, Olive. There's nothing to repay."

Olive looked at the innocent eyes of her two kits, then lifted her head to meet Redstar's gaze.

"...Please vote for the spear camp?" Branchkit blurted.

The clan laughed and Perchkit shoved her sister roughly. "Stop it, Branchkit! It's her choice!"

"But it's so cool!" Branchkit whined and rolled around on Olive's paws. "Pleeeeease?"

Olive huffed lightly. She lifted her paw and put it on Branchkit's face, causing her to squeak in protest.

"Nooo! Stop!" Branchkit whined in between trying to playfully bite her mother's paw.

Redstar then saw something from Olive that she had never seen since the molly was first brought into camp. After months of pain and sorrow, Olive smiled.

"Redstar. You said that in the vision, the camp housed outsiders. Is that true?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"I didn't understand why you stayed in these woods at first. And a part of me still doesn't. But I think I understand a little better what you are trying to do. It's...kind. Almost too kind to seem true." Olive removed her paw from her kit, letting the little kitten scramble and dash away giggling. "But if that's truly what your shared goal is, exemplified through your treatment of me, even if I can't ever return the favor," the queen's green eyes softened with kindness. "Then it feels like the ringed camp already exemplifies everything you've been to me."

At this, Branchkit and Perchkit squealed with delight and tackled each other in their joy, barrelling towards Talonpaw.

"Hey, hey! Careful! Watch the plates!" Talonpaw protested as he pushed aside the flat stones.

Redstar purred deeply at the sight. Joy swelled in her heart. She could not express the gratitude in proper words. But still, she felt like if half the clan wished to keep the old symbol - she could not simply ignore that.

"I've decided on a compromise. The pine tree has always been ForestClan. Like Cloudthunder said, it keeps us humble. It is our home. We've always relied on the safety of the pines, and it's only right to honor it. So, the ringed camp will represent all clans. The ones of the past, StarClan, and ForestClan's future. The clan we wish to become, together."

At this, Iciclepool and Morningpaw visibly brightened, and Windfur nodded sagely.

"Oh, this is so exciting!" Cloudthunder exclaimed with her chest fur puffed out. "We're making history today with a new symbol! We'll have to find a way to tell this story to future kits, wouldn't we?"

"Didn't you vote against it?" Windfur asked, his head tilted.

"I can still be excited that we're making history, beebrain!"

Redstar purred in amusement, and watched as her clanmates started chatting among themselves with the warmth of fire surrounding them.

She took her eyes to the night sky. The stars flickered brilliantly above, as though showing their approval. She twitched her whiskers, and hoped that she made them proud.

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