#spindlepaw

[taleofturtleclan]

MOON 7

Spindlepaw trotted towards the adults den that most of the survivors shared, a spring in her step. It felt good to be up early, before the camp was bustling with activity. The air felt fresher, somehow, at this early hour. Usually, Foam was the one to come and wake her up, but today she had beaten him to it. He liked to begin her training early so that they could finish early enough to return to camp and bask in the warmth of the Leaf-fall sun before it fell too far. She enjoyed the early finish to training, but the early start had been difficult to get used to. A little thrill went through her at being the one to prod Foam awake this morning. See how he liked a paw in the side. 

Spindlepaw slid around the striped, granite boulder that shielded most of the entrance. She loved the rough texture of the rock on her thin fur, and she shivered with pleasure as she felt a knot in her fur tug free at the sensation. 

As her eyes adjusted to the dark of the den, Spindlepaw felt her gaze pulled to the opposite face of the striped boulder, where she knew a few dried, clay paw prints were scattered. The survivors had started calling this rock the Passage Boulder- every cat that graduated to full adult status in the group left their pawprint on the inner face when they moved into this den. One day soon, her pawprint would join the others on the mighty rock. She knew just where she would put it, too- right next to Currentheart’s mark. 

Spindlepaw pulled her eyes away from the Passage Boulder. She wouldn’t ever get to leave her mark there if she didn’t complete her training, first, and that started with waking Foam. She didn’t have to search far for her mentor. He made his nest near the entrance of the den, his large body blocking most of the wind and rain for the other cats further inside.

 Spindle raised a paw to give Foam a wicked jab in his side, and froze as a sour scent hit the roof of her mouth. Something was wrong. She narrowed her eyes, peering closer at her mentor’s sleeping form. The brown and white tabby’s fur was unkempt, sticking up at odd angles. Even without the strange scent, that would have been enough for Spindlepaw to know that something was wrong. Foam’s fur was never a mess. He took great pride in keeping his long fur well groomed and sleek, combing out any tangles from the day before he went to sleep.

“Foam?” Spindlepaw’s quiet mew trembled a little at the end. What was going on?

The brown and white heap of fur shifted, and Foam’s head appeared from over his shoulder, eyes dull. “Spindlepaw,” he rasped, “I’ll be–” his words broke off into a coughing fit. “I’ll be out soon,” he gasped when the fit finally ended. “I just need a moment.”

Spindlepaw felt the fur on her tail starting to bush. Her mentor was clearly unwell. “Foam, are you alright?” 

“I’m fine,” he coughed, “I just didn’t sleep well last night, that’s–” another coughing fit cut him off.

Spindlepaw’s ears pinned back, her eyes growing wide as she drew away from the clearly sick cat. “I’m going to get Dustjump,” she meowed firmly.

“I don’t need Dustjump, I’m feeling fine–”

“What’s going on here?” Tidechaser’s deep mew cut into the conversation. “Can’t you two take this outside? You’re going to wake the whole den.”

“I think Foam is sick,” Spindlepaw meowed frantically. 

The large tom leaned over from his nest to sniff at Foam’s pelt. He recoiled with a hiss. “I smell greencough!” he growled. 

“Greencough? Is-is that bad?” Spindlepaw meowed. But she didn’t need an answer. The expression on Tidechaser’s face told her all she needed to know

“Fetch Dustjump. Now.”

Spindlepaw took off across camp without another word.

Spindlepaw paced back and forth outside of Dustjump’s den. As soon as she’d seen Foam, the old tabby molly had enlisted Tidechaser’s help in moving the sick cat into her den, away from the rest of the healthy cats. When Spindle had tried to follow them in, Tidechaser had barred her way.

“Stay back,” the pale tom had growled. “You can’t help here.”

Spindlepaw had wanted to protest, wanted to tell Tidechaser that he was her mentor, that she should be in there with him, but she knew that the tom would never be swayed by her pleas. Besides, a small voice in her mind whispered, he’s right. And so she paced, waiting for news of her mentor’s health. 

When Dustjump finally emerged from the den, Spindlepaw was on her in a heartbeat. “How is he? Is he going to be alright?”

Dustjump’s eyes were dark with worry. “I don’t know, Spindlepaw,” she admitted. “It’s very early in the season for greencough, but that’s what he has. It can be fatal if it isn’t treated.”

“But you can treat him, right?” Spindlepaw heard her voice crack with fear. She couldn’t lose Foam, not now. He was the cat that had saved her from the sinking ship, the cat that had taught her everything she knew, the cat who represented everything Spindlepaw hoped to someday be. 

“With the right herbs,” Dustjump meowed carefully, “I can help him along the path to recovery. But nothing is certain.” 

It wasn’t a promise, but it would have to do. Spindlepaw steeled herself, forcing her fur to lay flat. Foam had saved her life, once. Now it was her turn to save his. “Then what are we waiting for?” she meowed firmly. “Let’s go find some herbs.”

[surfclangen]

Remind me to never do a full leader ceremony again. Even this rushed short version has so many cats and so much text. I plan on making a family tree next, these guys being introduced also introduces a lot of familial connections!

Paws crossed this is legible! TLDR:

Dovesmoke gave Ospreystar a life for Empathy

Spindlepaw gave Ospreystar a life for Fun

Mudfeather gave Ospreystar a life for Familial Love

Mudsplash gave Ospreystar a life for Foresightedness

Egretkit gave Ospreystar a life for Longevity

Talonfang gave Ospreystar a life for Strength

Riftgash gave Ospreystar a life for Perseverance

Sandstrike gave Ospreystar a life for Wariness.

Otterwisp gave Ospreystar a life for

The Tree That Cracks The Stone Will Still The Surf.

Dig Up The Twisted Roots ,

Or Be Lost In The Flood.

[taleofturtleclan]

MOON 10

Spindlepaw wove through the undergrowth, ears pricked, pawsteps confident as she navigated the now familiar territory of the survivors along with the rest of her patrol. “Just one last border to check, and then we can head back,” Sand promised as the trees began to thin.

Spindlepaw twitched her ear to show that she had heard him, but didn’t speak. Honestly, she would be glad to return to camp. This had been a long, tiring patrol, but Spindlepaw had vowed to herself that she wouldn’t complain about any of her training since her mentor had recovered from Greencough, and so she kept her mouth shut.

“Wait!” The plea was distant, and Spindlepaw froze, ears straining to hear more. “Oh, please wait!” 

“Did you hear that?” Spindlepaw hissed to the rest of her patrol, but Tidechaser’s ears were already pricking to pick up the sound. 

“It’s coming from past our border,” Tidechaser meowed. “It’s no concern of ours.”

“Please don’t leave me alone out here!” 

“It sounds like someone needs help,” Sand pointed out. “We can’t just ignore them.”

“We could,” Tidechaser growled under his breath. “We don’t have any idea what the situation is.”

Spindlepaw pushed past the muttering tom along with the rest of the patrol. He might grumble about it, but he’d follow them. After a few more pawsteps, Foam tensed. “I smell blood,” he warned.

“Come on!” Sand took off at a sprint, not waiting to see if the other cats were following him. Spindlepaw was on his heels, she’d started moving before he gave the command. She pushed through the last of the forest’s undergrowth, out into the sandy dunes to find a strange stretch of flat, black stone. At this distance, the scent of blood was almost completely masked by the acrid tang of the strange path. She would have wondered if it were dangerous, but Sand bounded across it with no hesitation. He was already bending over a lump of fur on the side of the path. Spindlepaw began to creep across the path when a rough nudge from behind caused her to stumble. 

“Are you mad?” Tidechaser hissed, “You can’t just stand around in the middle of a Thunderpath. They’re not so dangerous if you cross them quickly, but if you linger, you could be dead in a heartbeat!”

Too frightened to be angry with the pale tom, Spindlepaw sprinted the rest of the way across the stone path to sit beside Sand and Foam along the edge of the path. The two toms were examining the cooling body of a ginger and gray cat, her fur scorched with strange black marks. She’d clearly only been dead moments, the warmth Spindlepaw could sense rising from the blood confirmed that much, but she already reeked of some strange, foreign scent similar to that of the black stone. 

“Twolegs!” Tidechaser spat in disgust, raising his chin and fluffing his fur. “Those furless, soft pawed freaks! This is why cats should never have anything to do with them!” 

Sand shot Tidechaser a baleful glare, ignoring him in favor of bowing his head over the dead molly’s corpse in a gesture of respect.

“Twolegs did this? But how?” Spindlepaw knew her meow was quiet and shaky, but she couldn’t bring herself to focus on anything other than the dead cat before her. This must have been the cat she’d heard. Just a few moments ago, she’d been alive, speaking and pleading for something, and now she was a lifeless heap of fur on the side of this strange black rock. Gone, just like that. Spindlepaw could feel her breathing growing shallow.

“They hit her with one of those nasty, shiny beasts they command. They’re really fast, and I’m not sure they’re even fully alive, but when a twoleg gets inside of one, it comes to life and travels along these Thunderpaths, hunting any creature that dares to linger here,” Sand explained. “It seems like this molly’s housefolk left her here and went away in their monster. When she tried to follow them on the path, a different monster must have attacked her.”

Spindlepaw could feel herself beginning to tremble. She had no memories of any twolegs, but the way most of the cats in camp spoke of them, they were supposed to be kind, benevolent creatures, sometimes a little clueless and clumsy, but good-hearted over all. What sort of good-hearted creature could do this to such a loyal cat? “Why did they kill her?” Spindlepaw wailed, her vision beginning to blur. “Didn’t they know she was loyal to them? Didn’t they care?”

“...should get her out of here…”

“..too young to see…”

“...important she learns…”

She could distantly hear the other cats talking to each other, but her ears were beginning to ring with panic, and none of their words seemed to make sense. Suddenly, one of Foam’s strong paws drew her close into his soft chest fur. The big tom was forcing a purr, and the noise slowly brought Spindlepaw back to her senses.

“You’re alright, Spindlepaw,” Foam meowed softly. “I’m sorry you had to see this. It’s disturbing for all of us, but I didn’t know it would shake you so badly.”

“I just don’t understand,” she croaked, “this cat was loyal to the twolegs. Why would they hurt her? Are they really that cruel?”

“Yes,” Tidechaser growled. “Twolegs don’t care about a cat’s loyalty or friendship. When they’re done using us up or they grow bored of us, they just toss us out like we’re no better than spoiled fish. You can never trust them.”

“They’re not all like that,” Sand protested. “My housefolk were kind to me, and they had cared for my mother for seasons upon seasons before I was kitted. When I was born, they loved me as much as a kit from one of their own kin.”

“That’s one experience,” Tidechaser grumbled, “its not the rule.”

“There is no rule,” Sand snapped, “each twoleg is different, just like each cat…”As the two toms carried on bickering, Spindlepaw’s gaze fixed on the bloodied, lifeless body of the ginger and gray molly as she shook in Foam’s embrace. Privately, she thought she agreed with Tidechaser. She would never, ever trust a twoleg.

[taleofturtleclan]

MOON 9

“Alright Foam, take a deep breath and hold it.” Foam obeyed, filling his lungs as much as he could, holding the air in. Dustjump, her ear pressed close to his chest, was silent. A heartbeat passed. Then another.

“Let the air out,” Dustjump instructed. 

The breath left Foam’s lungs with a sigh.

“Again,” Dustjump meowed.

Foam repeated the exercise, holding his breath. He could feel a bit of dust tickling his nose, but he couldn’t sneeze, not now. He closed his eyes tight, trying to ignore the sensation. This time, the exhalation came with a sense of relief as the dust drifted away from his nose. Dustjump pulled away from Foam’s chest, her eyes bright.

“Foam, you’re all better! You can return to light duties starting tomorrow. No long patrols, and stay out of the water until the half-moon.”

“You mean I don’t have greencough any longer?” Foam meowed.

“Yes,” Dustjump confirmed with a purr, “you’ve managed to recover. It can be a deadly disease, but you’re a young, healthy cat. If anyone would have been able to recover without herbs, it would have been you. Still, we should count our blessings. This was by no means a certain outcome.”

Brokenmast dragged himself out of his nest, over to Foam. “Congratulations!” He purred, butting his head against Foam’s shoulder. “I’ll miss having you around, though. Even if we did have to shout across the den to talk.”

“I promise I’ll visit you often,” Foam purred, “and before long, you’ll be able to move to the communal den as well.”

Brokenmast peered down at his splayed legs, focusing hard enough to tremble as he flexed each leg in turn, moving toes, ankle and knees. Over the last moon, his mobility in the limbs had improved remarkably, though they could not yet support his standing weight. “I hope you’re right,” Brokenmast meowed. “I’m really starting to believe it might be possible.”

“It is possible,” Dustjump cut in, “and you’re getting close.”

Brokenmast opened his jaws, but whatever he was going to say was cut off by a call from just outside the den’s entrance. “Dustjump, what’s the verdict?” Spindlepaw. Foam felt guilty, leaving her to her own ends these last few moons. Luckily, Shell had ensured she was always paired with another adult for training each day, so she hadn’t fallen too far behind, but still. Foam was supposed to be her mentor. He wanted to be the one to guide her training.

“You can come in, Spindlepaw,” Dustjump replied. “He’s all better.”

The little ginger cat came barreling into the den, fur fluffed with excitement. “Is he really?!” She exclaimed.“I am,” Foam purred, rising to his paws with a stretch. “We’ll resume your training tomorrow. I hope Shell hasn’t let you get too used to sleeping in.”

[taleofturtleclan]

MOON 7

Sand thought that he might burst with pride as he sat among his campmates in a circle around Current. The young ginger and white tom sat up straight, chin high but expression calm, ears forward as he listened to Shell, whose speech honoring a trainee’s growth had become something of a right of passage into a full adult status in their group.

Sand had always believed that Current had it in him to be an extraordinary cat, wise and brave and kind, and over the last two moons, Current had finally seemed to realize it himself. He had not lost his adventurous, sometimes goofy personality, but had instead gained a more confident and serious side that he would turn on the moment he left the camp. The young tom had grown fiercely dedicated to helping and protecting his campmates, and after a discussion with Shell last night, it had been decided that Current was ready to join the ranks of their group as a full adult. From the squirming kit Sand had carried out of the waves all those moons ago, to the bold, troublesome apprentice, to the kind, confident young cat that sat before him now, Current had come a long way indeed.

“Current, do you promise to remain loyal to your campmates, come what may?” Shell asked.

“I do,” Current’s response held no note of hesitation or uncertainty. This was a cat that understood how deep the bonds between the shipwrecked cats ran, and would defend those bonds with his life.

“Then I grant you your full status as an adult of our group. Current–”

“Wait,” The single word stopped Shell’s speech in its tracks. Sand cocked his head curiously. This wasn’t part of the newly established procedure, but he trusted his apprentice.

Current scanned the gathered cats surrounding him, and when he spoke, his words were as much for them as for Shell. “Moons ago, when we first arrived here, many of us took new names to represent the great change that had transformed us from strangers to a family of survivors. When I took my new name, I did not fully understand that. I thought only of an exciting new name, like we were all playing some sort of game. But I understand it now.” 

He would never have admitted this two moons ago, Sand thought. That alone was evidence of how much he had changed.

“Are you saying you wish to take another new name?” Shell asked uncertainly.

“Not exactly,” Current shook his head. “My name has become part of me. Regardless of the reason I took it, it marks a turning point in my life. But I am not the same cat that I was all those moons ago. I’ve changed and grown in so many ways, and I would like something added to my name to reflect that. Now that I’ve reached another turning point in my life, my acceptance as a full adult among all of you, it seems like the right time.”

Sand felt the truth, the rightness of his campmate’s words deep in his bones. Current had changed, and he deserved a name that reflected that change fully.

“What would you like added?” Shell asked warmly.

“I want all of you to decide,” Current meowed. “You were the ones that watched me grow up. What do you think would best reflect my journey to adulthood?”

At this, the gathered cats began murmuring among themselves. 

“It’s a good idea,” Brokenmast said to Tidechaser. “It seems right for his name to change along with him. But how should he change it?” 

“Perhaps ‘Rushing Current’,” Tidechaser suggested. “He has always charged headfirst into everything, but now rather than being swept up by the undertow of his boldness, he has become the guiding force behind the current.” It was a good idea, but something about it didn’t quite fit, in Sand’s opinion.

“Maybe Current-Octopus,” Splash sniggered to Foam, who rolled his eyes lightly at that, “since he seems to like them so much.” Sand flicked an ear with annoyance. Splash was a great cat, but sometimes he couldn’t quite read the moment.

“Current of the Storm?” 

“Wildcurrent?” 

None of the names were right. None of them represented the young tom’s growth, his love for his campmates, his bold heart. Suddenly, Sand had it. “His name should be Currentheart.”

Current’s eyes locked with Sand’s as the name rung out above the din. The other cats gradually fell quiet, sensing that something important was happening here. “He should be Currentheart, because he has always, always been bold and brave. Sometimes that got him into trouble, when he didn’t think things through. But as I have watched him grow, somewhere along the way, that boldness stopped serving himself and started serving the cats around him. Think. Current has a way of lifting others up, of reaching out to the cats around him even when they don’t think they need it. Tidechaser, who was the first cat to really reach out to you?” Tidechaser blinked slowly, and nodded. “Spindle, who told you stories in the nursery when you felt alone?” 

“Current did,” the young molly looked at her paws. “I know all of you loved me and cared for me, but Current made sure to tell me what was going on. What he’d seen while training. It got me into trouble once but… I appreciated it.” 

Sand nodded and moved on. “Splash, who challenged you to new heights by providing a rival to compete against?” 

Splash’s eyes glinted with pride, and Sand knew that it was pride not only in himself, but in his friend as well. Current really had come to be special to each and every one of them. “Current’s heart has always been the strongest thing about him, and when I look at him now, I see a cat who will put others first, no matter the cost to himself, who will never let anyone feel sad or alone or afraid for long. So his name should be Currentheart.” Sand’s jaws closed with a definitive snap, bringing his speech to an end. When his eyes met Current’s once more, he could see love and gratitude brimming in their amber depths. 

“Thank you,” he meowed unsteadily. “Thank you, Sand. For teaching me. For believing in me. For seeing me. Yes, I want to be Currentheart. I don’t know if I’m really all the things you say I am but I swear, I will try to be.”

“Then Currentheart it is,” Shell purred.

“Current, we name you Currentheart in honor of your boldness and your loving heart, and we welcome you as a full member of our group.” 

Somehow, that didn’t seem like a good enough end to it. Sand tilted his head back, opened his jaws, and yowled “Currentheart! Currentheart!” up into the clear blue sky. After a pawful of heartbeats, the rest of the camp joined in.

“Currentheart! Currentheart!”

[taleofturtleclan]

MOON 7

As the cheers died off, cats surged forward to greet the newly named Currentheart with warm purrs and nuzzles. 

“Can I have a new name too?” Spindle piped up cautiously. “I’ve changed a lot as well, and I’d like something to reflect that.”

Currentheart peered over the head of his former teacher, Sand, who was weaving around him happily. 

“That doesn’t seem quite right,” Currentheart meowed gently. “You’ve changed a lot, but my new name was meant to mark a turning point. A transition from youth to adulthood. It took a long time for me to find my paws and set them on the right path, and I don’t think that it would have meant as much if I’d changed my name before completing my training and being welcomed as a full adult.”

Spindle felt her heart sink. None of them ever took her all that seriously. She was still a kit in their eyes, she knew it. In Currentheart’s eyes especially, and somehow, that hurt worst of all. But she knew that his words were right, in a way. She did have some learning and growing left to do. Suddenly, the inspiration hit her. “Then until I’m worthy of my own special name, I’d like to be called ‘Spindlepaw’. You said it took a long time for you to put your paws on the right path. So the ‘paw’ can represent that I’m still on that journey. Maybe it can mean the same thing for others, too.” 

Currentheart met her gaze warmly. “Spindlepaw… I like that. I look forward to hearing your full name someday soon.”

A/N: This scene was important to developing a reason for future apprentices to take the "paw" suffix, but it didn't really fit anywhere in Currentheart's scene, and adding it at the end felt like it would draw attention away from him. So I decided to give it its own separate mini-post in between two bigger posts. Might start doing this more regularly, adding short scenes that don't warrant their own story or drawing, but are still good character moments. Let me know if you like that idea! It won't effect the rate of art posts, it'll just be bonuses between the bigger ones.

[taleofturtleclan]

MOON 5

Spindle stared up at Shell on the Tallmast, trying to keep her body from shaking with excitement. She'd waited patiently, kept out of trouble, and had done as she was told for the last moon, a moon that had felt like seasons. Now, it was all about to pay off. She was finally, finally going to begin her training, just like Shell had promised her. The black tabby beckoned her forward with a swish of her tail, and Spindle stepped forward, her head held high.

"Spindle," Shell began, her voice ringing out across the camp for every cat to hear, "you have reached the age of 6 moons, and I have decided that this is an appropriate age for all young cats from this day forward to begin learning to care for themselves." Pale green eyes scanned the crowd, looking for a specific cat. "Foam, you are young still, but you were the first among us to learn about the territory from Tidechaser, and you have demonstrated responsibility and capability as a full member of our group. I think you will make a fine teacher for young Spindle."

Spindle felt a thrill run through her. Foam! He had been the cat to carry her to shore when the ship went down. She was so young then that she could barely remember that night, but she still respected the huge tom for saving her life. She bowed her head to him as he approached.

"I am honored to learn from you, Foam." She said solemnly. A tail brushed her shoulder and she looked up to meet her new mentor's amber eyes, which were glittering for amusement. Spindle felt embarrassment prickling at her pelt. She'd already made a fool of herself in front of Foam. How could he ever take her seriously now?

But Foam did not tease her for words. Instead he simply touched his nose to hers. "I look forward to working with you, Spindle. I think we'll make a great team."

Spindle went weak with relief. She hadn't blown it after all. "What will we do first?" she asked.

Foam cocked his head, considering. "Well... what would you like to do first? I've never taught another cat before, but I imagine you'll do best starting with something that interests you."

He was letting her decide? Spindle desperately wanted to ask him to take her hunting, or to teach her how to fight the foxes that frequently scavanged food on the beaches. But she also wanted to show Foam what a good apprentice she was going to be, loyal and dedicated and ready to listen. She swallowed her excitement and forced herself to say, "why don't we gather some moss for Dustjump? She's stuck in her den with Brokenmast all day, and her supply must be getting stale by now."

Foam's eyes widened with surprise, but he did not protest. "An excellent idea," he said calmly. It'll be a good chance for me to show you the jungle borders of our territory, too."

Spindle felt her heart lift. Perhaps this would be more exciting than she'd thought! She would need to know the territory well if she meant to be a great hunter. She followed Foam out of camp and into the jungle with her tail held high.

[taleofturtleclan]

MOON 11

“Spindlefleck, we honor your integrity and strength of spirit, and we welcome you as a full member of our group."

"Spindlefleck! Spindlefleck! Spindlefleck! Spindlefleck!"

Spindlepaw-- no, she was Spindlefleck now-- Spindlefleck's eyes found Foam in the crowd. Her former mentor’s gaze shone with pride as their eyes met. Integrity and strength of spirit… those were the values that Shell had chosen to describe her. Values that she never would have developed without his guidance. She blinked her gratitude at him. Thank you, my teacher.

Shell leapt down from the Tallmast, striding forward to touch noses with Spindlefleck. “Well done, Spindlefleck,” Shell murmured, “and congratulations. We have all been looking forward to this day for many moons.” 

Not as much as I have, Spindlefleck added silently. 

“Now, there’s one final thing,” Shell purred, Guiding her over to where Dustjump was waiting, tail wrapped around her paws. Beside her lay a large, flat stone, caked with layers of old mud in varying shades.

“Have you gathered the earth you want to use?” Dustjump asked. 

“I have,” Spindlefleck meowed. “I gathered it this morning before hunting.” 

Each cat to make their right of passage selected and gathered earth from somewhere on the territory to use in mixing the mud that they would use to leave their pawprint on the passage boulder. From the corner of her eye, Spindlefleck could see Currentheart weaving his way through the crowd with the leaf-wrapped pile of earth she’d collected early that morning. She felt a rush of gratitude for her friend–she wouldn’t have wanted to step away from this for a moment. As Currentheart placed the bundle on the stone and Dustjump began to unwrap the bundle, Shell raised her voice so that all of the gathered cats could hear. “Whence comes your chosen earth?” Shell asked.

“From the tops of the cliffs upshore of camp,” Spindlefleck responded, her meow strong and clear.

“Why did you choose this place?”

Spindlefleck knew that some cats might have given a long, drawn out explanation. Not her. “I love the feeling of the wind in my fur. When I stand against the ocean breeze atop the cliffs, I feel strong and free.”

Shell dipped her head. “Well spoken. We will now mix your chosen earth with water from the sea upon this stone, where each of us mixed our own passage markers. The remnants of mud left here by each of us will mix with the earth you have chosen, binding you as one of us.” At her words. Dustjump squeezed out a sodden moss ball above the pile of earth, mixing it around with a paw until it congealed into a thick paste. 

Silently, Spindlefleck stepped forward, coating her paw in the mud. It was cold and gritty against her paw pad, and she repressed a shiver. It might be unpleasant, but she had to bear with it. This was her right of passage! She wasn't a kit in the nursery, mewling at the slightest discomfort. She was one of the survivors now. A full member of the group. An equal. Finally, finally she was an equal to all of the others. Finally they could stop treating her like she was too young or too inexperienced to be taken seriously. It had been a long time coming.

With her paw tucked up to her chest, she limped across the clearing. The crowd of onlookers parted for her as she went, with a few cats offering quiet words of congratulations or welcome. When she reached the Passage Boulder, Spindlefleck spent a moment scanning the striped face of the rock for where she would make her mark–there. Currentheart’s mark stood alone, towards the entrance of the den the adult cats shared. With a deep breath, Spindlefleck reached out her mud-coated paw, and pressed it slowly, firmly against the surface of the stone, just a little below her denmate’s mark. The mud squelched back between her toes as she pressed down, but she did not tremble: her heart was too full of joy for anything else to register. She had waited for this day for so long. Finally, she had caught up to her friends.

“We are proud to have you join us,” Shell meowed formally, “you may not wash the mud from your paw until sunhigh tomorrow. Bear it proudly a symbol of your new rank among us, and know that from this day forward, wherever your path takes you, your campmates will follow in your pawsteps to support you.”

Spindlefleck raised her chin as her campmates tilted their heads back to yowl their pride in her out into the sky once more.

[taleofturtleclan]

MOON 10

“You know you… reacted pretty strongly back there,” Foam ventured cautiously. He was sitting alone with Tidechaser outside of Dustjump’s den, waiting for her word on how Spindlepaw was doing.

Tidechaser grunted noncommittally, a sound that could have meant anything.

“You seemed pretty upset,” Foam tried a different approach. A little more direct.

“Shouldn’t I have been?” Tidechaser growled. “It’s an awful thing to see happen to any cat.”

Yes, but it seemed to be really personal for you, Foam thought. He couldn’t say that, though. Tidechaser was very much the kind of cat who, if you pushed them too hard, would shut down and shut you out completely. 

“If there are twolegs around that will go out of their way to harm a cat, shouldn’t we warn Shell?” There. Maybe that would yield the answers he was looking for. 

“We’ll be fine as long as we stay away from them,” Tidechaser spat.

Foam remained silent. He’d learned that often, the best question to ask was no question at all. Let his former mentor decide what that silence meant when he was ready. Foam suspected that tactic wouldn’t have normally worked on Tidechaser, but the encounter today had clearly thrown off his usual cool, disinterested facade. 

“My sister. Wavehopper, was her name.” Tidechaser sighed, all the fight seeming to go out of him. “She went to live with twolegs when we were still young cats. She thought it would be an easier life than what we had here.” 

Foam filed that bit of information away. Tidechaser had never mentioned anything about siblings, nor implied that his life on the beach had ever been anything but easy. Though, Foam supposed that a perfectly content cat would have no reason to insert himself into a group of strangers. 

“And it must've been, for a while,” Tidechaser continued. “I didn't hear from her for seasons. Then, one day, she came back to the beach, sick and skinny. They’d thrown her out when she wasn’t a cute kit any longer. But the worst part was that they’d taken her claws away,” Tidechaser spat. “They took her in, took her claws so that she had to depend on them, and then they threw her out.”

Foam was horrified. He flexed his own claws, curved and sharp. He couldn’t even count all the different things he used them for without thinking. To lose them would be… catastrophic. Foam hadn’t even considered that twolegs might be capable of such cruelty.

“I did my best to feed her, to give her the herbs she needed to get better. But without her claws, and without her twolegs she just… didn’t have the will to live. She faded more and more each day until she was gone.” Tidechaser’s voice had gone flat and cold again.

“I’m sorry,” Foam murmured, running his tail lightly along his former mentor’s flank. Tidechaser did not react to the gesture. 

He stared straight ahead, his face a cold mask once more. “No cat should ever trust twolegs.”

A/N: This is on Thursday because I actually initially had no plans to write it! But I wanted to see Foam and Tidechaser interact a bit, and after last week's post, this part of Tidechaser's backstory almost wrote itself! I already had thought up a lost sister for him, so it fit together perfectly!