#molespots

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

A cursed family

Molespots, Echofoot, and their kits!

Fallendust and Fleetsong are the younger litter, while Wolfburn and Ivytooth are the older one!

Wolf and Ivy were planned, Fallen and Fleet weren't ('happy accidents,' you could say). They were born while their siblings were still apprentices.

While Ivy and Wolf are still very close, Fallen and Fleet are definitely the closest sibling relationship of all of them.

Ivy, when she was still young, didn't want the younger kits around her because it wasn't cool to have babies follow you everywhere. She wanted to be 'grown-up,' basically. Wolfpaw, on the other hand, liked being seen as basically this all-knowing cat to them, and he would tell them everything he learned because he liked that they thought it was so cool that he knew that.

Wolfpaw also occasionally lead his two younger siblings in pranks on Ivy.

This isn't to sound like Ivy wasn't fond of her younger littermates. She was. Twice during her apprenticeship when it was incredibly cold, she snuck into the nursery to lay with their mom and them so that they didn't freeze.

Fun fact! Molespots is the only one that wasn't murdered by Alderstar or Myrtlewing. He was also the mentor of Alderstar.

----

refs by Turukhan

[fivepoolsclans-archive]

Meet the deputy of DuskClan: Molespots! A responsible and good teacher, she looks up at Tornstar's leadership with great admiration. She's a very loyal deputy... though some may say she's a little too loyal.

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Training and Simple Plant (short story)

Myrtlewing woke to the feeling of being poked with a claw on his nose. He flinched back. “Ow!”

Aldereyes stood over him, because of course it was him. “Get up. You're coming with me to train.”

Myrtlewing shifted to a sitting position and yawned. “You do realize that I’m a medicine cat, right?”

“Of course I remember. It’s the only position you could have where no one would judge you for fleeing in a battle. No one’s sick,” Aldereyes added. “The Clan should learn how to fight against bigger enemies.” He said that looking briefly to the ground. 

Fleetsong had died three days ago. Myrtlewing had initially planned to sneak back through the dirtplace, but because Fleetsong ended up being mauled by a dog, he didn’t have to pretend. He told them the truth, or part of it–that Fleetsong offered to help him gather herbs while he was still awake, and they were attacked by a dog. Myrtlewing managed to climb up a tree in time, but Fleetsong wasn’t so lucky.

He forced himself to frown in spite of the very different emotion he felt. Fleetsong hadn’t died right away. The dog was chased off by a dawn patrol–another blessing for Myrtlewing, because it meant that he might have been caught if not for the beast. Fleetsong was then brought back to camp, where Myrtlewing would heal him. Poor tom was so terrified, knowing the truth but unable to tell it. Myrtlewing gave him some special herbs, and that was it. He had hung his head after that, telling Stormstar that their Clanmate was already too far gone.

“I’m a medicine cat,” Myrtlewing repeated, “I don’t need to fight.”

“I can tell that by looking at you. But you almost died.” Was that a shimmer  in his eyes? “And as useless as you are at everything you do, you’re the Clan’s only medicine cat and we cannot afford for something to happen to you.”

Right. Myrtlewing smirked. That’s why.

He followed Aldereyes out of the den and to one of the training clearings, making sure to tell Mossflake where he would be and to fetch him if anyone needed him. 

The training had already begun by the time they arrived. Molespots and Pricklepelt were circling each other, while Hootpetal and Cedarsky wrestled on the ground. Upon seeing Aldereyes, they straightened and watched him, waiting for instruction. Myrtlewing couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of pride at the respect their Clanmates held in his friend. Aldereyes wasn’t even deputy, and he was younger than Molespots and Pricklepelt by many moons, yet they still looked to him for guidance. 

He kept mostly on the sidelines, but listened intently as Aldereyes gave instructions, explaining to his Clanmates how to fight a bigger predator in contrast to another warrior, and when he asked Molespots and Pricklepelt to share any knowledge they had on the topic. After all, he may need to use this information one day, whether as prey or predator. 

“The best element of all,” Aldereyes was saying, “is surprise.” With that, he whipped around and tackled Myrtlewing, who was behind him, without warning, grabbing him by the shoulder and flinging him to the ground. Myrtlewing only blinked in startlement as Aldereyes pretended to bite his throat. 

He felt it was all so funny. Only three days prior, he had done the same thing to Fleetsong, only much harsher, shoving the tom onto the forest floor and slitting his throat with his claws. Aldereyes would make an amazing killer. 

—-----------------

After the training was over, the group parted. Aldereyes took Pricklepelt and Hootpetal to hunt, only after hinting to Myrtlewing that maybe he wouldn’t have been so easy to tackle if he had some muscle–which Myrtlewing most definitely did. 

Myrtlewing told them that since he was out, he would gather some herbs, and passed up the offer of traveling with a warrior. The dog had been chased back to its Twoleg, and both were long gone by now. Plus, there was the most obvious reason: he was hoping to meet with Nightfly, and didn’t want anybody to see him.

Arriving at the border, he was pleasantly surprised to see the dark grey tom already pacing back and forth along the scent line. 

“Hello,” he called.

Nightfly leaped into the air, landing semi-gracefully. When he saw Myrtlewing, he practically ran over. “Hi!” he called back, hardly able to contain his smile. “I wasn’t sure if, you know, I was supposed to come here. Was I? You’re not just here for an unrelated reason? I’m sorry if you are–”

Myrtlewing gave him a reassuring smile back. “I’m here for you.” 

“Oh!” Nightfly somehow seemed to both stiffen and melt. He looked around, as if distracting himself from the mixing feelings, and his eyes landed on the crumpled patch of flowers. “Good thing you gathered them when you did,” he said jokingly.

“Yeah,” Myrtlewing mumbled. Should he still use the flowers to cheer Aldereyes up, as he had planned? It had been a while since Stormstar–or Maplefall–had gotten on the golden tom’s nerves. There was still the flower that Nightfly had picked for him, laying on the ground apart from the others. It was in much better condition than its counterparts, since it had no longer been part of the bush when Myrtlewing clawed it apart in frustration. 

“Speaking of….” Nightfly’s voice began to trail away, and he forced it back up. “I…I spotted another flower on the border here. It wasn’t part of the ground or anything, and there was nothing like it around, so I was wondering if maybe that meant that it was left. Or maybe the wind just blew it,” he added quickly. 

“I was hoping you would find it,” Myrtlewing told him. He had taken Molespots’s advice. When the older tom had suggested flowers after Myrtlewing said that he wanted to show someone he cares, it gave him an idea. Of course, he didn’t mean it romantically, but he could certainly trick Nightfly into thinking that’s what simple plants means. The fool was already quivering any time Myrtlewing looked at him. 

He went with hyacinth, hoping its bright colours would make it stand out against the yellow-green moor. “We can’t talk long,” he went on, “patrols will be coming by.”

“Right!” Nightfly’s tail fell. 

“This was great, though,” Myrtlewing went on. “I like seeing you.” He wanted to vomit at his own words, but Nightfly brightened once again. “We should do it again. Perhaps at the next Gathering?” 

“Sure!” Nightfly’s eyes practically flooded with affection. Then his attention flicked to something behind Myrtlewing. “Itwasgreatseeingyoutoobye!” and he was off, leaping back over the hill. Myrtlewing glanced behind him and saw a Shadowclan patrol approach. 

“Who was that?” they asked.

“Just a Windclan warrior,” Myrtlewing answered. 

“Okay, well we’re heading back to camp after this,” Briartalon, who was leading, spoke. “Do you want to come back with us?”

“Sure,” Myrtlewing responded. His eyes drifted to the dark petals at the bottom of the hill. Padding over, he picked the flower up in his jaws, and followed his Clanmates back to the camp.

================================

--Myrtle likely got the flower from a Twoleg garden

--Finally getting to the ‘Alder thinking Myrtle likes him’ part!

--His Clanmates likely won’t use the ‘how to fight a big predator’ moves on him if he tried to kill them, but best to listen just in case they tried to.

--Hyacinth means play/game, symbolizing that that’s all his and Nightfly’s relationship is to him.

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Feelings?! (short story)

It had been a day since Myrtlewing had given Aldereyes the dark, puffy flower, and still he had no idea what he was meant to do with it. Part of him wanted to just toss it away, thinking that it was probably a stupid joke. The other recalled the genuine annoyance in which Myrtlewing had expressed when he had told Aldereyes that he was just doing something nice.

Maybe that really is what it was. Strange, yes, but everything about Myrtlewing was. Maybe he thought–for whatever reason–that giving flowers to fellow predators was a normal thing to do. 

He still had it in his paws, fiddling with it absentmindedly in the empty den when Molespots padded in, accompanied by Russetnose and her mate, Blazepad. “What’s with the flower?” Blazepad asked, giving him a funny look. 

“Stars if I know,” Aldereyes replied, looking at it. “Myrtlewing gave it to me, but it’s not a herb.”

“Myrtlewing?” Molespots repeated. “Oh, I see!”

It was Aldereyes’s turn to make the funny look. “See what?”

The three cats exchanged an amused glance. Irritation pricked at Aldereyes’s pelt. “What’s with the secret looks? Do you know what this is?”

“I have an idea,” Russetnose said with kind humour. “In fact, I received something similar before. A pretty white stone.” She glanced at her mate. 

“Okay?” Aldereyes prompted her on.

Russetnose smiled warmly. “Blazepad gave it to me. I already knew then that she had feelings, but the rock is what really solidified it for me. Wasn’t it, honey?”

Blazepad purred in the nest pressed next to hers, laying on her back with her paws tucked on her chest.

“Feelings?” Aldereyes echoed dumbly. “Good for you, but what does that have to do with….” his voice trailed off as they all gave him a look that said ‘you cannot be that stupid.’ “Feelings?” he said with more emphasis, in his shock.

“Maybe not,” Russetnose spoke up again. “It just seems….well, what else could it be for?”

“I talked to Myrtlewing about a moon or so ago,” Molespots chimed in. “He said he wanted to show someone ‘that he cares.’ I recommended flowers.”

Aldereyes’s mind stuttered through thoughts, struggling to make enough sense to respond to that. “‘Cares’ could mean a lot of things! It doesn’t mean that he likes me….romantically.” He pushed the last word through gritted teeth. It was too weird to think that Myrtlewing, Myrtlewing liked him in such a way. They were just friends, and even that was odd enough to admit to, with how clumsy and idiotic the medicine cat could be, tripping over his own paws! Trampling the ground loudly when Aldereyes took him on hunts!

“Not necessarily,” Russetnose agreed.

“But probably,” Blazepad put in, her eyes shut lazily. 

Aldereyes’s head spun. The den suddenly felt stuffy. He stood up and padded for the entrance. “I’m going on a walk,” he told them, flinching at his own words and how harsh they sounded. He hadn’t meant to be angry, but what followed him was not grumbles, but laughter.

Aldereyes ignored others as they asked him what was wrong, cutting straight through the camp and out into the forest. There, he kept walking, until finally his brain settled down enough for him to form a coherent thought. 

Myrtlewing liked him. Myrtlewing. Surely this was just a misunderstanding? He played their last conversation over in his head. A gesture, Myrtlewing had told him. He had never said just what it was, and Aldereyes had a sinking feeling that that meant that it was romantic. 

A gesture of what?

Does it matter? 

Had Myrtlewing’s response been deliberately vague? It made the most sense, didn’t it? What else could a cat use a non-medicinal flower for if not to show affection? He shook his head. It didn’t really matter, because Aldereyes wouldn’t take him up on the gesture….would he? 

He hesitated the answer, and that hesitation made him hesitate more, because, well, why was he hesitating? His first instinct was to react with disgust–not at being propositioned by a male, of course not, but at the fact that it was Myrtlewing who was doing the propositioning. They were just friends, and it was weird to think that he could ever allow them to be more. 

Besides, Myrtlewing was a medicine cat.

Although that rule was only put in place to prevent kits, and they were both males…. No! No! It didn’t matter anyways, because he would turn him down. Yes, he would turn him down. Or he could just ignore this happened at all and they would both move on. A prickle of guilt poked at his stomach. At least, he told himself that it was guilt and not apprehension at the prospect of saying no. 

It must have taken some guts for Myrtlewing to give him the flower. And the way he had answered vaguely, perhaps that meant he was shy and afraid of Aldereyes rejecting him right then and there. How far had Myrtlewing traveled to get the plant? Had he woken up knowing where to go, or did he wander around the woods, looking for one he liked?

Surely he just picked the first one he saw? Aldereyes knew that wasn’t right. He himself had walked many times around the territory, especially close to the camp, and had never seen the flower nearby. To put such effort into a gesture must mean that it was romantic, and that it also must mean that Myrtlewing was very sure about his feelings, and that it wasn’t some fling-thing.

Aldereyes would let him down easy.

Again, the prickle poked, edging deeper.

============================

--The flower, as we know, is on Shadowclan territory, but Aldereyes isn’t a medicine cat and has never bothered with flowers until now, so it’s likely he just hasn’t noticed them before.

--The flower is a red chrysanthemum

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Bee Sting and Misunderstanding (short story)

"Uhm, is everything alright?" Molespots's voice sounded. Myrtlewing glanced over to see him standing in the den entrance, one eyelid lifted halfway up.

Before he entered, Myrtlewing had been doing his chores a little....harshly, claws digging into the moss as he wettened it, grumbling.

"Woke up on the wrong side of the nest, I suppose." Myrtlewing answered. His plan to kill Maplefall had just become so perfectly foolproof when of course, the horrid she-cat had fallen pregnant. He should know--he's the one who confirmed it.

As much as he enjoyed killing his Clanmates, he wasn't a monster. Kits he was fine with. Although he could probably live with killing Maplefall while she was still carrying them--he didn't feel as bad when he didn't meet the kits first--he also needed the Clan to have more warriors. They could either be possible future 'playmates,' or could just allow the Clan to have high enough numbers that no one decides on anything that could ruin his fun, such as rules like 'can't leave the camp unless you're with someone.'

He swept his tail to gesture Molespots in. "What can I do for you?"

"I'd rather not say...could you just look at it?"

"So something embarrassing, then." He examined Molespots for a few seconds as he sat in a nest, and now that he was closer and out of shadow, it was clear that he had been stung, probably by a bee.

"How'd this happen?"

"Is that important?"

"Mm-hm." It wasn't.

"Chased a mouse right into it. A Thunderclan patrol saw too. Can't wait to see those warriors at the next gathering," Molespots sighed. Really, he should be thankful. It was the idea of getting to see that that caused for Myrtlewing to look for the actual needed herbs.

He brought back celandine and blackberry leaves and dropped one on the ground, then chewed the other into a juice. With his head, he indicated for Molespots to tilt his own back. When he did, he held his eye open with two toes, and let the plant trickle in.

Molespots blinked over and over when he was finished, emitting an 'ah' sound that seemed to come from both pleasure and discomfort. Myrtlewing watched to make sure the juice didn't drip out too much as he chewed the leaves into a pulp and pressed it onto the outside of Molespots's eye, then finished up by placing a layer of cobweb over it.

"Thank you," Molespots stood up with a smile. He paused. "What's got you so riled up? When I came in?" When Myrtlewing looked at him, he added, "you helped me without once laughing, I figure I should return the favour."

Myrtlewing was about to refuse when he realized that maybe asking someone who is not foreign to expressing affection was the best way to figure out how to cheer Aldereyes up, now that he can't do it by murder.

But how to word it?

"I..I want to...." kill one of our Clanmates. "Show a good friend..that I care."

"Oh! Ohh."

Myrtlewing tilted his head in confusion as Molespots nodded knowingly. "I want to make them happy," he added, hoping to clear up any misunderstandings.

"Not a she-cat?"

"Uh, no?"

Molespots nodded again. "Okay, I think that's fine then."

Why wouldn't it be?

Molespots thought for a second. "I went through the same thing when I was young. I ended up going with flowers."

"Flowers?"

"Why not? They're pretty, they smell nice, why wouldn't they make someone happy?"

That was fair enough. Yeah, flowers sound good. "Okay, flowers it is. Thanks."

"No problem," Molespots smiled as he padded for the den entrance. "Hopefully he says yes."

Yes?

Yes to what?

--------

--Posted on Wattpad but wanted to add it here!

--For those who don’t know, Maplefall was being a prick to Aldereyes and got him in trouble with his dad. Myrtle was planning on killing her to cheer him up (this was before Aldereyes knew he was a killer, but Myrtle figured he would be happy to have her dead). When he couldn’t do that, he was at a loss, then figured “maybe I could ask someone who’s used to caring about others”.

Only Molespots thought he meant something else.

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Shadowclan allegiances after Alder and Myrtle I guess

very rough because I made it in a rush

Important Note:

--only features cats who are ALIVE and IN SHADOWCLAN. The deceased or gone or not on, as it’s mainly to show who’s left.

Also know that it doesn’t include Swanmist, Grebewing, or Lightstream as I’m not entirely sure if they were still in Shadowclan at this point or if they left.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So here’s some stuff about each of them (or at least those that I have background relationships on):

--Russet and Blaze had Birchcloud (deceased) as a doner. Bird and Lion’s brother is Flickerpine.

______________________________

--Grassbloom and Elderchirp are Fernpaw’s littermates.

--Their names go E F G, and are all named after plants. 

--Their suffixes are both things that Fernpaw loved (cricket chirps and watching blooming flowers).

--Both Flicker’s littermates and Fern’s are around the same age, as they were both young apprentices when the revelation occurred.

--Grass and Lion would have kits, as would Bird and Elder.

______________________________

--Runningcloud (Alderstar’s apprentice) and Silverwhisker (sister of Dawnmoth, a victim) would later have a several litters of kits. 

--Silverwhisker was Rainstar’s apprentice.

______________________________

You know Blacksong and Greydusk, Myrtle’s mother and uncle and who are also too old to have more kits even if it would help the Clan grow (not that they would want any).

______________________________

Molespots likely won’t have any kits to grow the Clan, as he’s much older than the other options. Maybe unless he finds a loner or kittypet around the same age that joins the Clan.

He was also Alderstar’s mentor.

______________________________

Hollyclaw is into girls, so she won’t be passing on any genes either

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

One of this cats would have been Rainstar’s deputy! (remember that they would have died before becoming leader and would be replaced by Snowstar -- who will likely be a kit of one of these couple’s litters).

None of them are not connected to Myrtle or Alder in some way.

It would either be Mossflake (mother of Myrtle’s victim),

Russetnose (mother of the cat who decided to follow in Alder and Myrtle’s pawsteps and also the bio father of her kits was killed by them),

Blazepad (see Russet),

Molespots (Alder’s mentor),

Hollyclaw (Alder’s half-sister),

Silverwhisker (sister of their victim),

Runningcloud (Alder’s apprentice)

it really goes to show how difficult it is to move on when you’re so connected 

(btw the rest are either too old or were apprentices when Rain became leader and therefore could not have become deputy).

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

let’s all take a moment to thank Molespots for causing Myrtlewing and Alderstar to get together and then have everything go down from there

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

something added for Molespots

During his mentorship, Stormstar took over most of the training, always having his own apprentice and daughter, Hollyclaw, train with her brother. Molespots sometimes wondered that if he had been able to emotionally connect with his apprentice, things would have been different, at least for his kin.

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Some  of Molespots’s Background:

When he was young, he was ambitious and always energized, something his denmate, Echopaw, found endearing. The two fell for each other while still young and remained close throughout their lives. Echofoot was especially helpful when Molespots was recovering from a badger attack.

It had been the first time he was put in charge of a patrol. They were only meant to mark the borders, there wasn't enough of them to fight, but when he scented the badger getting too close to their border, he decided to lead the charge anyway. Thankfully, a member of his patrol was able to find another close by, and the beast was chased off without more injury.

Later that same day, Echofoot had told him how upset she was that he had taken such a stupid risk, and told him that he would have to be more careful from now on, since he was going to be a father. A surprising, yet perfect way to find out.

He loved their second litter just as much as the first, but his grief grew a little more with every fallen life. By the time Alderstar and Myrtlewing were revealed to be murderers and chased off, the only surviving member left in Molespots's family was his great-granddaughter, Silverwhisker.

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Him! Alderstar’s mentor and the dad+grandad of many of his victims

I imagine he got his scars from a badger attack. As a young warrior, he was disappointed he wasn’t named Molescar, but has since grown to appreciate his name

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Mole and Echo had two litters, Fallen and Fleet in one and Wolf and Ivy in the other.

Maple and Wolf also had two litters, deciding to have a new kit after their daughter died to help with the grief.

Sadly, most of them would end up as victims

Really, everyone but Molespots.

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

What would Shadowclan’s alliance list look like in Gorsedaisy’s Nightmare?

Sedgeshell and Hickoryskip (possible siblings?) who are elders / old under Stormstar's reign (two leaders later) would probably be young adults (depending on just how long the reigns were)

The rest depend on how close it is to the end of Hailstar's reign and Redjay's story. If Cuckoostar is almost leader, then Storm is likely a grown warrior because he would be his deputy

and if he's a grown warrior, his mates (Shimmerstone and Sweettree) probably are, too (or apprentices)

-----

Looking at the Cuckoostar's reign list, the members are Marblegaze, Redjay, Grebewing, Swanface, Lightheart, Brokenclaw, Shimmerstone, Rainbur, Molespots, Bluefeather, Sedgeshell, Wavewillow, Aspentalon, Stoatbird, Drizzlespots, Birchpawcloud Blossompawtuft, Blazepawpad, Conetoe (mother of Sweetkittree), Oatflight (mother of Owlkitfang and Rainkitburstar), and Littlelight (carrying Russetkitnose)

It's unlikely only Sedge and Hickory were alive just a couple leaders ago, so probably a good chunk were alive, or at least kits, under Hailstar.

It would be interesting to decide their parents as well as who's related to who

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Patient Pricklepelt (short story)

“Tough luck,” Alderstar stopped beside Myrtlewing, not bothering to hide the smile that said ‘I won and you lost.’

Myrtlewing half-swatted at him. “You cheated.”

“It’s not cheating, Myrtle, it’s just being good at the game.”

Myrtlewing rolled his eyes. “A game you have more experience with than I, therefore, it is cheating.”

Alderstar sighed in exasperation. “We’ll play a different one next time.” He broke into a yawn, stretching deeply until his limbs shook. “But I still won.” He lowered his voice. “And that means rogue.”

Myrtlewing thumped his chin on the ground as he laid. He was hoping to get one of their Clanmates, or if that proved too tricky, even for them, someone from another Clan. Alderstar was feeling for a loner or rogue, and because he won their little game of moss-ball, that is what they were going with.

Myrtlewing glanced at Greydusk, his uncle, and Molespots, Alderstar’s former mentor. They were the ones that had been playing with them. He felt another spark of thrill speed through him at the thought that their Clanmates were unknowingly helping them decide their other Clanmates’ fate.

He stood up, stretching as well. “I’ll be back, then.” 

He turned and padded to his den, relishing in the dappled shadows that became denser as he moved further into the tunnel, before it opened up into his clearing. On one side lay Pricklepelt, sprawled on her nest with her chin hanging over the edge. Her eyes were glazed, her fur sweaty and in clumps. 

“You’re being so much help.” He knew she couldn’t hear him, or at least understand. Not fully. Maybe. The moon earlier, she came into his den due to a bellyache. It was a minor thing, fixable in a day if Myrtlewing gave her the right herbs. And he did. He was no fool, he had to get rid of the stash and if need be, prove that it was in her system. But as well, he gave her small doses of holly berries every day. Gradually, she became worse and worse, and finally became the damp, pathetic mess she was now. 

Myrtlewing padded over to a clump of moss, dipped it in the stream, and gave it to Pricklepelt to drink from. She did, so slowly he had to stop himself from smacking her. He didn’t blame her. Even through the glaze, he could see the fear in her eyes and guessed that she put two and two together. Not that knowing would do anything for her. 

“Your son wanted to see you.”

A blink of hope.

“I told him you might be contagious.” He made a pout.

Walking over to his herbs, he reached into a deep and narrow cleft, and pulled out water hemlock hidden behind oak leaves. Then he reached into a much wider cleft and retrieved some borage leaves. He returned to her side, happy to see that the moss was still wet–she was too weak to properly drink from it. When he was close enough to her, he began chewing at the borage leaves. It would hurt a bit, but it would also leave traces of the chewed plant around Pricklepelt’s jaws. 

When he finished, Myrtlewing pushed the water hemlock over to her mouth. “This has gone too far! I’m so sorry, please forgive me, Pricklepelt!” his voice cracked. “I didn’t mean for you to get so sick, honest! Here,” he pressed the herb closer. “Please take it.”

Maybe he was convincing, maybe Pricklepelt saw no other choice. Maybe she knew it was a trick and just wanted it to end. In any case, she began chewing. Myrtlewing moved quickly to bury the remnants, using the wet moss to wipe at the crumbs on her mouth. Right on perfect cue, Pricklepelt began to convulse, writhing, moving more than she had in the last couple of weeks, white-yellow foam spilling from her lips.

Myrtlewing yowled in fake-surprise. 

Alderstar burst through with another warrior behind him. The gasps and murmuring of their other Clanmates could be heard beyond the tunnel. Alderstar rushed to Pricklepelt’s side. “What’s happened?” he asked in panick.

“I don’t know!” Myrtlewing responded in equal worry. “I gave her some borage leaves, and she just started shaking! This isn’t like anything I have ever seen before!” 

They tried in ‘vain’ to help Pricklepelt, but honestly, what could they have done even if they were trying? At last, Pricklepelt’s movement abruptly stopped. Myrtlewing listened for a beat, then hung his head when he found none.

They padded from the den together, the warrior carrying her on his back behind them. As the Clan stared in shock and grief, Alderstar raised his head to speak to the already gathered crowd. “Shadowclan, today we lost a valuable warrior, a friend–” his gaze flicked to Tanglepaw– “a mother to a sickness we cannot explain. We cannot grieve properly without first knowing what took Pricklepelt away from us so soon. Myrtlewing,” he turned his head to his medicine cat, “may I accompany you to the Moonstone?”

Myrtlewing nodded solemnly. “I have many questions for Starclan.” His voice broke. “I tried so hard to save her.”

Greydusk hurried forward, wrapping around his nephew. “I know you did,” he replied, holding him. 

“Thank you,” Myrtlewing responded. When his uncle finally pulled away, Myrtlewing straightened and dipped his head to his leader. “I would rather go sooner rather than later.”

“I as well,” Alderstar replied. They quickened toward the entrance after Pricklepelt’s body had been laid in the centre of camp. Their Clanmates wished them well and good lucks. When they were far enough from the territory, Alderstar bounced on his paws like an excited kit showing his mother the cool warrior move he made up. “Did you see me?”

Myrtlewing grinned. “I couldn’t not. You were making quite the show.”

“They ate it up!”

“Hey, I think I was pretty good too!”

“Eh, not as well as me.”

Myrtlewing’s eyes rolled for the second time that day, although the smile he wore was decidedly broader.  “Always have to be better, with you.”

“Aw, don’t be so jealous! Now, move along already, we still got two rogues to take care of.”

Myrtlewing stared at him. “Two?”

“You killed Pricklepelt, a Clanmate, so I get two rogues– one for my win, and one to even it out.”

“Whatever you say, my star.”

=======================================

--Pricklepelt’s death was solely so that they could have an excuse to ‘go to the Moonstone.’ Myrtlewing stretched her sickness out to make his desperation for answers more realistic.

--Tanglepaw was the apprentice Alderstar killed for badmouthing Myrtlewing, which lead to him being caught. 

--Maybe Tanglepaw badmouthed him because he was angry about his mother’s death and Myrtlewing’s inability to save her?

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Leader: Cuckoostar

Deputy: Stonefleck

Medicine cat: Hickoryskip

Warriors:

Marblegaze

Redjay

Grebewing

Swanface

Lightheart

Brokenclaw

Shimmerstone

Rainbur

Molespots

Birchcloud

Bluefeather

Sedgeshell

Wavewillow

Aspentalon

Stoatbird

Drizzlespots

Apprentices:

Birchpaw

Blossompaw

Blazepaw

Queens:

Conetoe (mother of Sweetkit)

Oatflight (mother of Owlkit and Rainkit)

Littlelight (carrying Russetkit)

============================================

*Time Skip*

============================================

Leader: Stonestar

Deputy: Aldereyes

Medicine cat: Myrtlewing

Warriors:

Hollyclaw

Blacksong

Graydusk

Dawnmoth

Rainbur

Silverwhisker

Molespots

Birchcloud

Blossomtuft

Owlfang

Mossflake

Pricklepelt

Bluefeather

Fallendust

Waspheart

Wolfburn

Cedarsky

Swanmist

Hootpetal

Lightstream

Brokenwhistle

Apprentices:

Runningpaw

Boulderpaw

Queens:

Russetnose (mother of Flickerkit, Lionkit, and Birdkit)

Blazepad (mother of Flickerkit, Lionkit, and Birdkit)

Grebeglade (expecting)

Elders: 

Sedgeshell

Hickoryskip

===================================================

@ambitiousauthor potential character list for when Redjay was alive vs when Alder’s father was leader.

Italicized names are those who were killed

[fivepoolsclans-archive]

ClanGen Project Roster

An ever updating list of current Clan affiliations in the valley territory.

DuskClan

Named after the time of day where the sun begins to bleed into the valley's winding river, this Clan values perseverance and tolerance against the throes of life and each other

Arc1

LEADER: Tornstar - a dark grey smokey she-cat DEPUTY: Molespots - an unusually dappled dark brown she-cat MEDICINE CAT: Newtspeckle - an unusually spotted white and brown tom WARRIORS:

Mousefeather - a silver tabby tom APPRENTICE: Coyotepaw

Fleckwhisker - a black ticked tom

Hollybracken - a dark brown/black mottles she-cat

Boneneedle - a grey and white she-cat

APPRENTICES:

Coyotepaw - a long furred unusually spotted brown she-cat

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Pleasant Meeting (short story)

“What’s that look for?” Myrtlewing asked, coming up to Aldereyes’s side. They were waiting with most of their Clanmates near the camp entrance for Stormstar to lead them to the gathering.

Aldereyes frowned, flashing a glance at his father’s den. “Stormstar’s still angry,” he answered in a low voice so that only Myrtlewing heard. “Seeing Thunderclan tonight won’t do anything in my favour.”

Myrtlewing brushed his tail along Aldereyes’s side in comfort, but he was feeling angry himself. A quarter-moon had passed since his run in with and failed murder attempt of Nightfly, and he was itching to sink his claws into someone. If that tom showed up at the gathering tonight, so happy and alive, Myrtlewing would be reminded of his failure, stuck in a clearing of witnesses, unable to try a second time.

“Your father always has something to fume about,” Myrtlewing said absently. “If not for something he wants to blame you for, then something else.” 

Aldereyes’s silence caught his attention. He focused on the tom’s face, and saw the hurt plain in every twitching whisker and shimmering eye. He nudged him. “But it’s not that he’s angry, is it? It’s that he’s angry at you.”

Aldereyes sunk his claws in and out of the ground. “He wouldn’t be so mad if it were anyone else–except maybe Hollyclaw. It’s because I’m his son that makes the fact that I let two trespassers go that much worse. Like…like I’m a failure to his precious bloodline.”

Myrtlewing opened his jaws to reply, but at that moment, Stormstar slipped from the Oak roots that made up his den and padded silently to the front of the group like a black fox hidden in the night. He gestured for them to follow, and they did without a word, traveling swiftly and silently beneath the pine trees.  

“For whatever it means, I don’t think you’re a failure,” Myrtlewing whispered. 

Aldereyes looked exasperated. “Great. Myrtlewing doesn’t think I’m a failure. I feel so much better.”

Myrtlewing stifled a smile. He knew that Aldereyes really was grateful, he just didn’t want to admit to himself that he had run to a younger Clanmate to make him feel better about his father–or that it worked. But Myrtlewing could see the fur lift breezily on his shoulders, no longer held down by tension.

Their talk reminded Myrtlewing that he had planned to make Aldereyes feel better by giving him a flower–by Molespots’s suggestion, after he couldn’t do it by killing Maplefall. His frustration over Nightfly getting away had clouded his mind to everything else. He hadn’t completely forgotten the plant, but he was much too upset with his own personal issue to care enough about Aldereyes’s to go back and get it, or whatever was left of them.

As they neared the Great Oaks, Aldereyes leaned to whisper in Myrtlewing’s ear. “I hope I don’t need to say this, but you’re an idiot, so I probably do. We’re here to represent Shadowclan. I’ve already done enough to–Stormstar thinks that I’ve done enough to ‘damage’ our reputation. So as much as this will go against your every nature, don’t do anything stupid.”

“I will try,” Myrtlewing replied, half wanting to laugh and half wanting to smack Aldereyes across the face. He had that effect on the medicine cat. 

And he didn’t do anything stupid, just as promised, throughout the light conversations and the leaders’ announcements, which were nothing important. Some kits were born, some apprentices got their warrior names. Myrtlewing wasn’t really paying attention.

But when a dark grey tom with hazel eyes, an almost identical replica of Nightfly, padded up to Myrtlewing during the second round of conversations, he was all ears.

“Hi, I’m Sheepsorrel. You’re Myrtlewing, right?”

“I am.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you! You met my brother not too long ago, I believe, he was helping you pick an herb of some sort?”

Time slowed. 

“Nightfly is your brother?” Myrtlewing asked dumbly.

Sheepsorrel chuckled. “Can you see the resemblance? Anyway, I just thought you should know…. Nightfly was very happy to meet you.”

He shouldn't be. He should be rotting in the ground right now, mourning his life in Starclan and regretting ever having met me.

“He couldn’t stop talking about you,” Sheepsorrel went on. “Your looks, especially. It was like he forgot you were off-limits!”

A twinge rippled the air, ever slightly. Myrtlewing could feel the beginnings of something new and great, the shy edges of a still vague formulating plan. “Is that so?”

“It–”

“Sheep!” the Starclan-like, irritated voice sounded. Nightfly hurried over, his eyes round with horror. “W-what are you doing?”

“Nothing,” Sheepsorrel replied innocently. “Just talking to Myrtlewing. Say, isn’t he that tom you talked to last night?”

“A quarter moon ago!” Nightfly was quivering with Myrtlewing guessed to be heart-stopping anxiety. 

“Oh right!” Sheepsorrel lightly smacked his face with his paw. “You did meet him a quarter moon ago. I got it mixed with the last time you talked about meeting him.”

“Shh! Come on, let’s go talk to Pineflight. She’s probably dying to hear the end of that three-footed hare story. It would be rude to keep her waiting. Let’s go. Now.”

Sheepsorrel followed obediently, a dirt-eating grin plastering his face. “See you, Myrtlewing! It was a pleasure!”

Myrtlewing dipped his head. He kept his composure, but inside he was buzzing with kit-like excitement that made him want to jump all around the clearing in unbridled, disordered joy. “It certainly was!”