#mistscar

[eunchancorner]

-Shortly after the Clanwide Hellfire incident-

Mistscar: Sandycrow! What happened? Are you ok- Sandycrow: I'm gonna be a warrior again. Mistscar and Muddyspots: WHAT?! Sandycrow: Yeah.. Muddyspots: What are you saying?! The Clan needs you! Sandycrow: Muddyspots... I NEED TO KILL LEGALLY! Muddyspots: No you don't! Why do you want to be able to do that?!

[eunchancorner]

Ah yes, some fluff ft the biggest MuddyMist shippers in the Clan

“Sandycrow? Can I come in and see Papa?” Lilykit looked up at the medicine cat, her eyes hopeful. Muddyspots had been confined to the medicine den after getting himself sick after eating bad prey, thanks to his own focus on an ongoing investigation about the ‘dark forces’ that were apparently threatening the Clan. It wasn’t too serious; he just had to let his own stomach work out the stale prey and he’d be fine. Besides, it wasn’t like he was contagious, and dammit, how could Sandycrow say no to Lilykit? She wasn’t the only one weak to those bright eyes, after all.

“Sure, come on, I’ll take you to him.” She led the kit into the warm den, over to the nest Muddyspots laid in, having a quiet conversation with Mistscar.

“Papa!” the kit chirped as she ran up to her father, who greeted her with a purr. “Hey, Lilykit, what brings you here?” the deputy said, nuzzling his daughter.

“I wanted to come make sure you’re ok! You’ve been in here for ages!”

“I’ve only been in here since last night,” he corrected her, “and I’ll be fine. It’s just a stomachache. Once it’s all out of my system, I’ll be back out there with the rest of you.”

“Good!” Lilykit said, before looking up at Mistscar. “Why are you in here, Mistscar?”

“Well, someone’s gotta keep your papa company,” he pointed out, which earned an amused huff from Sandycrow.

“Am I not company enough?” she asked.

“Oh, n-no, I never said you weren’t, but, well, I-I just thought he’d, uhm… Listen, I just wanted to spend time with him…” the black tom admitted.

Lilykit purred, “You’re funny, Uncle Mistscar!”

“Uncle Mistscar? Where’d that come from?” Muddyspots asked.

“Because he’s your bestest friend! Papa and Uncle Mistscar! Investigating all the spooky things happening! Papa, are we named SpookyClan because a lot of spooky things happen in the forest?”

“Hm… Y’know, I never thought about like that, but you may be onto something.”

“She really is your kit, isn’t she, Muddyspots?” Sandycrow purred.

“Can’t say I’m surprised when she’s this good at figuring stuff out this early,” Mistscar pointed out.

“Yep, that’s my girl. She’s gonna grow up a real smart warrior, she may even end up as leader someday,” Muddyspots gave Lilykit’s forehead an affectionate lick.

“Yeah, I’m gonna be just like you, Papa! Because you’re deputy, which means some day you’re gonna be leader! And I’m gonna be leader, too, because I’m gonna be the best warrior ever! I’m gonna catch lots of prey and scare away all the big, nasty foxes that wanna hurt us!” Lilykit trilled.

“Don’t forget about badgers, snakes, dogs, owls, eagles, herons, and rogues,” Sandycrow reminded her. The kit’s eyes widened, her tail lowering as she reconsidered.

“Don’t worry, you’ll have a whole Clan by your side to help you, because the first law in the warrior code is loyalty to your clanmates,” Muddyspots reassured her. “And by the looks of it, you’re gonna have some real good ones.”

“Yeah!” she chirped, “Like Pumpkinkit, and Skullkit, and Rosekit! And maybe even Russetpaw, Riverpaw, Dandelionpaw and Spottedpaw! And, well, hopefully everyone else!”

Muddyspots purred softly. “Hopefully.”

“Alright, come on, Lilykit, you need to get something to eat,” Sandycrow stepped over to the kit, who shook her head stubbornly.

“No I don’t, I-I ate before I came in!” she lied shortly before he belly growled a little too loudly to cover up. “... okay, maybe I didn’t…”

“Go on, Lilykit, you have to eat enough if you want to become a big, strong warrior like the rest of us,” Muddyspots gently urged her.

“Awww… okay. Bye Papa, bye Mistscar,” she called to the two before following Sandycrow to the fresh-kill pile.

“Sandycrow?” the kit looked up at the medicine cat as she pulled a thrush out of the pile.

“Yeah?”

“Do you think Papa and Mistscar might be in love?”

Sandycrow’s eyes widened at the kit. Frankly, she didn’t disagree, but how did Lilykit get that idea?

“What makes you say that?” she asked, crouching down to the kit’s level.

“Well, I heard Lavenderclaw talking about how, sometimes, after a cat has stopped being super sad about their mate dying, they’ll find a new one. And how sometimes, two toms or two she-cats will love each other like how Velvetfur and Sticksnap do. And, well, it’s been three moons since Mama died, and Mistscar and Papa are super close! And I know they care a lot about each other! Plus, sometimes, I see Papa and Mistscar…” she looked around like what she was about to say was forbidden, before leaning in close and whispering, “cuddling!”

This kit is too adorable, Sandycrow thought as she pretended to mull it over.

“Well, do you know what I think?” she finally asked the kit.

“No, what?”

“I think they are in love, but they don’t want to tell anyone, because they’re embarrassed.”

“Why are they embarrassed?”

“Because your Papa and Mistscar get embarrassed really easily, and because your Papa sometimes forgets he’s not bigger than his feelings, even though he acts like he is, just because he’s the deputy. But, if we give them time and let them figure it out, I think they’ll eventually let it happen.”

“How do you know all that?” Lilykit asked, her gaze filled with wonder.

Sandycrow simply winked and said, “Trust me, kit, medicine cats just know these things.”

[eunchancorner]

OK I'll admit this one was a little headcanon heavy, pretty angsty and it does cut off abruptly bc I had no clue how to finish the story so it seemed like an acceptable stopping point. I also did what I said I was gonna do and used some human terminology that feral cats have no business knowing but I don't care

Anygay

Have character death

Two warriors, an apprentice, and a kit. All four clustered around the soaked bodies of their mother and father. Muddyspots sat behind them, staring almost in shock at his deceased sister and her mate. Beside him, his own kit, and his most trusted friend, not knowing how they could help.

“Today, we gather to mourn the losses of Sunfluff and Thornsnatch,” Everstar meowed, looking out at the solemn Clan before him. “Thornsnatch gave his life in an effort to feed our Clan, and Sunfluff gave hers in an effort to save him. Tonight, their spirits are sent to StarClan, as loving parents, loyal warriors… and wonderful friends. We thank Mistscar and Muddyspots for retrieving their bodies from the river for burial. We thank Puddlefire, Robintail and Dandelionpaw for helping to carry them home one last time. And we thank Velvetfur for taking on the task of raising Rosekit. Tonight, as we hold vigil for these two wonderful souls, would anyone like to share memories of them?”

“I would,” Muddyspots said as he stood, prompting Everstar to nod as he came forward.

“I knew Sunfluff better than anyone. She was the best sister any cat coulda ever had… and when she told me she liked Thornsnatch, I’ll admit, I was skeptical. I wondered how any cat coulda captured her heart so easily. But over the moons I got to know him better than I had almost any other clanmate. I understood. He was witty while she took a bit to think. Where she was strong, he was fast. They balanced each other out, and when they were together, nothing could stop them… So it’s hard to believe a bit of water did just that. But they still left someone here with us, four someones, in fact. Puddlefire, Robintail, Dandelionpaw, Rosekit, I promise I will do everything in my power to help keep y’all safe. I don’t care that two of ya are warriors, because you’re still my kin, and I am still going to help ya. I love all of ya, and I’m going to care for you the same way they did.”

“Uncle Muddyspots…” Puddlefire started, before trailing off, his mismatched eyes welling with tears.

“Thank you,” Robintail finished his thought, giving her brother a soft, comforting nuzzle.

“Uncle Muddyspots, I’m scared…” Rosekit mewed as she padded up to the deputy. “What if Velvetfur isn’t nice to me because I’m not her kit?”

“Aw, Rosekit, it'll be ok. Velvetfur chose to take care of ya for a reason, didn’t she?” He locked eyes with the fluffy warrior, who averted her gaze for just a moment to look at her own son, who was consoling Dandelionpaw alongside Riverpaw.

Russetpaw would want this, she thought as she nodded. 

Rosekit looked back at Velvetfur, before her gaze fell on her mother and father.

“Can I stay outside tonight, and say goodbye to Mama and Papa with you?” she asked, looking back up at the mottled brown tom, who shook his head gently.

“I’d say yes if you were a little older, Rosekit, but you need to sleep properly. You’re too young to attend a vigil…”

“I’m three moons old! I’m old enough!” she argued, stomping her paw.

“No, you’re not. In fact, you, Lilykit, Skullkit and Pumpkinkit should all be asleep. Lavenderclaw, Velvetfur, could you please take these four to the nursery?”

Lavenderclaw nodded as she stood, gently herding Skullkit and Pumpkinkit away, as Velvetfur stepped forward.

“Come on, kits, it’s time to sleep. All that’s left is the vigil, and both of you are too young for that…” she told them softly.

“Okay, Velvetfur… Goodnight, Papa… goodbye Uncle Thornsnatch and Auntie Sunfluff…” Lilykit mewed, before padding over to the siamese cat. Rosekit sat stubbornly, not willing to leave her mother and father.

“Muddyspots, maybe we should let her… She needs closure. Besides, by the end of the vigil, she’ll still probably fall asleep,” Mistscar urged his friend, who sighed a bit.

“I know, it’s just… I don’t want to choose between her grieving and her getting the rest she needs to grow up strong,” the deputy admitted.

“I don’t think this is your choice to make. We have to let her make some of her own decisions, which includes this. She’s young but… she still has a heart and mind of her own, y’know?” the black tom reasoned.

“You’ve got me there… alright, Rosekit, you can stay up. Just because this is important, alright?”

The little golden kit nodded, stepping back over to her siblings as Velvetfur took Lilykit back to the nursery. Muddyspots looked over at the four siblings as Everstar stepped forward.

“Tonight, all cats who were close with Thornsnatch and Sunfluff, who are old enough to catch their own prey… with the exception of Rosekit… will hold a silent, final vigil with the deceased. All who wish to join are welcome to,” the leader announced.