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[fortressclan]

Bloodspeckle had lived many moons at this point in his life. Seen cats live and die, battles lost and won. He had seen many, many things. Not much surprised him anymore, or so he thought. However, it seemed the mercenaries Redstar had gained had made it their life goal to prove him wrong.

When Redstar announced the arrival of outside cats, that was when the remaining cats of Redclan had decided that the fight had gone on too long, and had left. Bloodspeckle couldnt blame them, but it did make his job a bit lonelier with only three other cats in the camp, one of which couldnt even communicate properly. Bloodspeckle found himself talking to his birds more during the period where the newcomers had joined the clan, finding more comfort in them than he did the others. He started dedicating more time to his work, spending less time with the clan. He could tell some of the cats who had known him before the others arrived were concerned, but he brushed them off, saying he was working harder to accommodate the sudden growing numbers. It was a lie. Why should he have to heal these buffoons who looked like they could barely fight a mouse, let alone a full cat? The day of the first battle was Bloodspeckle's first surprise.

Baystep and Firecrackle had volunteered to stay behind to guard the camp, while the rest had gone to the border of the two clans in a patrol. Apparently they had discussed earlier the plans of the battle, but Bloodspeckle had been paw deep in a loner's chest at the time, having been attacked by the loner and making them meet a quick end. The small group quietly split up to surround the small patch of land they sought to take, leaving Bloodspeckle with little clue on where to go. He took a look around, debating who to concern himself with first. It didnt take long, spotting the large mass of fur and what he prayed was muscle and not just more fur, and he slunked over beside the large tom. The tom, who Bloodspeckle remembered having been renamed Heavyclaw, looked down at him with a distrusting glare, and Bloodspeckle took a step to the side. He wasnt scared, he had lost the ability to fear a while back, but had enough manners to treat Heavyclaw with respect. The tom made a sound that Bloodspeckle took for one of thanks, before the quiet wait began. It took only a few heartbeats for the enemy patrol to come around, and immediately all hell broke loose. Bloodspeckle wasnt sure what to expect from the ragtag team of strays, but 'Slaughter' was definitely one way to describe it. It was Scorchleap who attacked first, picking a long lanky black tom who reminded Bloodspeckle of one of their own cats, Raccoonheart. Looking at the battlefield, he noticed various cats who looked strikingly similar, but Bloodspeckle brushed it off, having more important things to concern himself with. The battle didnt last long as he set down the herbs he had brought, and he watched as the large tom wrecked havoc on the Rushwing look alike. He swore he heard something snap as Heavyclaw slammed a paw down on the other- a rib, maybe?- before the retreat was called. The enemy patrol ran away, leaving their side victorious. Bloodspeckle quickly got to work and ran over with cobwebs and poultices, respect for the newcomers growing.

The second surprise came a moon later, while he was looking at a corpse he had 'found'. Bloodspeckle had tried to keep his work hidden from most, very aware of what reactions he would get. He had found nothing too interesting inside, much of the same stuff he had found many times, but when he looked up from his activities, he was surprised to find Baystep there, staring at the mess. At first Bloodspeckle didnt know how to react, and even began trying to find an excuse to why he was mucking around in some poor cat's body, but was rather stunned when Baystep walked over and began asking questions, unfazed by the body. "What does this little thing here do?" He had asked, leaving Bloodspeckle speechless before explaining with genuine excitement what he believed it to be. Excitement wasnt a feeling he felt very often at the time, but Baystep's interest and lack of morals had seemingly revived his passion. Not soon after did Bloodspeckle decide to give the others a chance, opening up a bit more and making time to talk to them. Bloodspeckle realized that clan life had dulled his senses as he learned more of these cats, and that there was much more outside of the clans than just patrolling and constant fighting.

The final surprise came three moons after the second. The presence of the others wasnt a foreign feeling anymore, and a welcome one at times. He had helped many with their injuries and sicknesses, and found himself enjoying his normal work once again. He was ecstatic when many had agreed to test some herbs for him, and looked forward to every visit he got. He had grown to become good friends with Baystep, and surpringly Heavyclaw. The latter often visited for any wounds he had recieved, and opened up when Bloodspeckle had begun to join in the fighting. More and more it seemed the large tom was coming in for smaller and smaller wounds, even coming in once for what Bloodspeckle suspected was a faked headache. Bloodspeckle didnt mind at all though, soon finding out Heavyclaw was much more than just a large and destructive cat. The two talked often while Bloodspeckle worked, giving Bloodspeckle some often much needed mental challenges with some topics they discussed. That morning Heavyclaw visited to check up on the medicine cat, having brought a rabbit to share. Bloodspeckle took a few bites inbetween sorting through his herbs, before Heavyclaw spoke. “You are sweet, when you want to be." That made Bloodspeckle pause for a second, processing what Heavyclaw had said. Sweet? Him? Bloodspeckle didnt vocalize his confusion and surprise, instead making inquisitive sound to push Heavyclaw to continue that train of thought so he could hop on and figure out exactly where the last stop was. "I have seen you with the others. You treat them kindly. In your own way. You play with the little Firefly, listen to tiny apprentice to amuse him. Heal Heavyclaw's and other's wounds, care for small prey." Bloodspeckle paused as he continued to list small things that had apparently added up. The garden he, Baystep, and Houndsnap had made. Giving poppy seeds to Hawkslash when he needed them, even if that happened to be when the sun was rising. Letting Scorchleap sleep in his den when the tom felt homesick after the camp changed, despite the fact the tom snored like a monster. Bloodspeckle was about to say something, about to brush Heavyclaw's examples as small signs of respect and nothing more, but paused as Heavyclaw began talking about those outside of their current clan. The mothers he had helped through birth, the endless battles and wounds that had never seemed to end. The secrets he had promised to keep a secret, even if it meant to break the code. Bloodspeckle had tried to get a word in throughout Heavyclaw's monologue, but shut his mouth with a click once Willowshine's name was mentioned.

"Loner told Heavyclaw." Heavyclaw explained, watching Bloodspeckle with a firm stare, before his voice dipped low and quiet. "Apprentice is not from clan. Heavyclaw is not dumb, I can tell. He-" Heavyclaw abruptly cut himself off, before shaking his head slightly to himself. Bloodspeckle could fill the blank in, though. "I've seen the vay Raccoonheart looks at him. Villowshine came to me ven she suspected she was expecting." Bloodspeckle said with a cold tone, warning Heavyclaw to be careful about the subject. The memory of Willowshine hurt a bit- she had been a good cat, and perhaps even a good friend at one point, and now she was just... gone. Of course, Bloodspeckle wasnt sure if Raccoonheart was entirely the father, but a part of him still wanted something, someone to blame. Heavyclaw simply nodded, and brought him out of his thoughts. "And you have not told a word to anyone, not even little apprentice. You have kept secret safe." Heavyclaw reasoned, wrapping his tail around his hind paws. "You can be sweet." He said with a tone that suggested anything Bloodspeckle could say would have no effect on his belief. Instead of fighting it though, Bloodspeckle sighed and shook his head. "Vatever you vish to believe, mein Kumpel." Bloodspeckle replied, as he let the memories go. Heavyclaw let out a sound that almost sounded like a chuckle, before the subject got changed. The two chatted a while more, before Heavyclaw had to excuse himself and leave. Bloodspeckle said goodbye as Heavyclaw ducked his way out of the entrance, and the medicine cat noted the barely touched rabbit still in middle of the den. Maybe Heavyclaw had been right, that he was growing soft and kinder to the new cats in the camp. While Bloodspeckle mightve hated and feared the idea in the past, Bloodspeckle wasnt entirely the same cat anymore. With hesitant curiousity, he welcomed the idea that these cats would remain a part of his life, even if it was for a short time. With all the surprises in his life, a few more couldnt hurt, could it?