#i think it’s important for shrewpaw to die

[jayrisingx]

in my mind, body, and soul squirrelshrew were best friends. cousin energy. they shared a nest cause spiderpaw didn’t like sharing and leafpaw was in cinderpelt’s den and they missed being with their littermates. squirrelpaw drags dustpelt threw the mud to his own son but when he comes around she’s like hi mr dustpelt mentor sir what are we doing today LMFAOO their dynamic had so much potential and i miss shrewpaw every day of my life

#warrior cats #wc #my art #squirrelpaw #squirrelflight #shrewpaw #don’t get me wrong #i think it’s important for shrewpaw to die #but i still miss and love him

[bonefall]

OKAY HERE ME OUT: I just had an idea for the Ashfur Ferncloud age situation,, So Ferncloud's brother can be Tulipkit, and they are apprenticed late due to all the Bluestar shenanigans going on, and Dustpelt doesn't mentor one of them cuz he's too young. Tulip takes Ash's appearances, and then later Dustpelt and Ferncloud get together and have their first kit: Ashkit, around the time of Firestar's Journey. (So he's closer in age to Squirrelflight.) This fixes the issue of Dustpelt not being Ashfur's mentor, because instead he'd be his father! And it fixes the problem of any Ferncloud - Ashkit - Cloudkit scenes because Tulipkit can take Ashfur's place until you either eventually kill him off or maybe he sticks around (like petty Ashfur)

I'm definitely solid on breaking the litter in half, with Fern and Elder in the older and Ash and Tulip in the younger. This sister will die during TNP, either in the destruction of the Forest or in the WindClan civil war

(or vice versa with Elder and Tulip; whatever name people like more. It's either Elderberry or Tulipflight. Also in any case they will be a sister.)

Though when Ashkit is born is still up in the air. I think your suggestion's interesting in how it would actually make Ashfur a surviving brother of Spiderleg, Birchfall, and Shrewpaw, but it seems a little too far ahead. It would remove Ashfur's grievance with Tigerstar which I think is important.

His mom was killed and he grew up without her. That doesn't have the same punch if it was just his grandma.

I'm leaning towards him being something like 2 moons old when Brindleface was killed, and Fernpaw is forced to be the closest thing to a parent he'll ever know, with Cloudtail helping out a lot. It works best-- eventually Dustpelt is close to him because that's his brother-in-law

Petty Ashfur is really popular though... maybe it would be worth it to just shuffle in some petty traits into Ferncloud? After all, the 'soft den mom' role is already filled by Daisy, maybe it would be worth it to add some more variety to camp?

#I wish the timeline allowed me to just swap Fern and Elder/Tulip with Cinder and Bracken #But Cinder being injured when she's injured and Bracken being a full warrior when he is... it's too important #BUT I am leaning towards the idea again that Thorn and Bright were actually adopted #Tulipflight/Elderberry won't survive past TNP because I need bodies for the conflicts #Plus I want to prevent ThunderClan from becoming bloated #I could also shuffle in an extra moon of breathing room before Tiger's betrayal... #Bonefall Rewrite #Bonefall TPB #Ferncloud #Ashfur #Brindleface #Tulipflight #Elderberry

[tallstars-rewrite]

Chapter 9

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Tallpaw crouched low to the ground, minding every one of his paws to step as lightly over the damp heather as he could. Tail down. No swishing. The wind blew the rabbit scent directly into his nose so strong he could taste it on his tongue. He was downwind of his prey and there was no way it had scented him yet. The small brown animal had its back to him and was nibbling at the grass. Tallpaw bunched his hindquarters to ready his dash. The rabbit raised it’s head suddenly but it hadn’t turned around. It’s not looking at me...quickly, before it turns--!

 He shot out of the heather and made a leap for the rabbit as it took off sharply to the right just as fast. Tallpaw pushed his legs faster and faster, he was less than a fox length away from his prey and he kept on its trail, his long tail turning to angle his momentum as he pelted after it. But before he could make his leap, the little creature vanished under his paws and was gone down a small burrow in the ground. Tallpaw stuck his head down it, but it was far too small for him. 

“Fox-dung!” He growled down the hole, tail lashing angrily.

“That was excellent! You very nearly outran it with how fast you picked up speed!” Dawnstripe called to him as she weaved her way through the heather.

Tallpaw sat with a dejected huff, his ears drooping slightly. “But I missed it again!”

“We’re only practicing technique and form right now, Tallpaw. And you’re improving very fast! But do remember that a rabbit's eye can detect you even when you think you’re behind it. Just because it’s not turned towards you doesn’t mean you don’t have it’s attention.”

I should have known that it was paying attention…Tallpaw thought miserably. He’d hardly caught more than a mouse in his quarter moon of training, but it was the rabbits that made a real impressive hunter. He had to be good enough to catch one on his own soon. 

He shook away his self pity and got to his paws “Can we join the dusk hunting patrol? I was even closer this time than I was this morning. I’m sure if I work at it the rest of the day, I could get it right!”

“I admire your enthusiasm to learn, but there’s no need to push yourself so hard. You’ll have more than earned a rest by sundown. Temperance and patience make a skilled hunter as much as endurance and speed.”

“Indeed!” The deep voice made Tallpaw jump, though Dawnstripe, clearly having detected the senior warrior's approach, only calmly dipped her head as Hareflight stepped gracefully forward, his spotted brown pelt blending easily into the grass.  “Patience and discipline is of utmost importance for all young warriors to learn.”  Hareflight went on in a haughty voice.

Shrewpaw was close at his mentor's heels and flashed a smirk at Tallpaw. “So is being aware of your surroundings,”  he snickered quietly.

Shrewpaw must have seen him startle. Tallpaw whapped the other apprentice with his tail and looked away to hide his embarrassment.

“You're right on time as expected, Hareflight.” Dawnstripe said.

“Of course.” Hareflight lifted his chin. “Punctuality is also of the utmost importance. It’s as I always tell my apprentice. What do we say, Shrewpaw?”

Shrewpaw let out a very heavy sigh and droned, “A warrior true always rises precisely when the day is new.” He caught Tallpaw’s gaze and dramatically rolled his eyes. Tallpaw stifled a snicker himself and mouthed ‘wow.’

At Dawnstripe’s signal he sat back up, ears at attention. “Since you’ve been so eager to learn quickly, we’re going to try out battle training. Hareflight’s an experienced warrior and has seen many battles, so listen closely to him.”

Tallpaw perked his ears at attention, but inwardly he wasn’t especially excited. Shrewpaw stretched and flexed his claws, tearing at the grass. Of course the wiry apprentice spent their whole kithood play-fighting, a game Tallpaw had never particularly enjoyed as much. He had over a moon's head start training on top of it, and would surely be eager to show off.

 Couldn’t I have done this with Briarpaw the first time? Tallpaw thought glumly.

Hareflight gave them a very long diatribe on the importance of silent communication and how the heart of the clan comes through well coordinated and disciplined teamwork. In order to fight together, they had to know how one another moved. Tallpaw couldn’t tell whether he or Shrewpaw were more bored. It was astounding the way Hareflight had of making things that should be interesting sound so dreadfully dull.

Dawnstripe nudged Tallpaw gently and he tried very hard to pretend he hadn’t been spacing out looking at the clouds for most of the explanation. “Remember, today is about practicing technique. It’s alright if you don’t come out on top.”

Hareflight looked at the two apprentices through narrowed eyes. “Dawnstripe and I will be watching you closely, so keep your senses and wits about you, you must take this seriously. No futzing about!”

“But don’t feel nervous either. It’s not an assessment, we’re here to learn.” Dawnstripe added hastily.

“But certainly don’t think that means you shouldn’t take it as seriously as an assessment. I, personally, will be taking careful note of your missteps.”

“Yes, mentor.” Tallpaw and Shrewpaw said in unison.

“Now enough talking, there’s no better teacher than experience, as I always say!” Hareflight called.

If only he could have said that before talking for half the morning! Tallpaw thought as both apprentices positioned themselves. As he and Shrewpaw began to circle each other, Tallpaw had to admit to himself that fighting hadn’t been a part of warrior training he’d dwelled on much. The idea of plunging his claws into another cat made him wince. But of course it was only training, and their claws were to stay safely sheathed. I can do this, how hard can it be? he thought.

Unfortunately that confidence left him rather quickly. Shrewpaw feigned to the left and Tallpaw only barely managed to dodge his paw swipes. Momentarily he was unsure how to go about this, overly concerned about hurting his attacker. Pretend he’s an enemy warrior! But that didn’t help much either. Tallpaw kept blocking, swiping his strikes to the side and leaping nimbly out of range. He heard Dawnstripe encourage him to strike back, but his first attempt was far too clumsy and hesitant. Before he knew it, Shrewpaw ducked his blow with ease and darted under Tallpaw, tripping him as his gangly limbs got tangled and he face planted into the dirt.

“You’re fighting like a cornered rabbit!” Shrewpaw said, “Come on, just hit me!”

“My apprentice is right, you are far too hesitant. Momentary distractions will land you in trouble in a real battle.” Hareflight called out. Turning to Dawnstripe, he added “perhaps we should practice team fighting first. It’s an important skill for WindClan as other clan cats often have an advantage of brute strength. So, Tallpaw and Shrewpaw, you will work together and I will act as your enemy. Keep track of each other, follow your partner's lead, if Shrewpaw aims for one area, keep your target distracted from the other side. If you work together, you can take down an enemy much bigger than yourself. The most important thing is to keep track of your battle partner.” He stared hard at the two apprentices. “And remember, a cornered warrior alone is a dead warrior.”

“Yeah, so don’t let me die, flea-brain.” Shrewpaw said.

Alright no pressure, Tallpaw thought.

As they got into position to act as if they were ambushing the senior warrior from the long grass cover, Shrewpaw hissed in Tallpaw’s ear, “Whoever knocks him down first gets to have the other do their chores tomorrow,”

“Do you think he count’s competing as ‘futzing about?’” Tallpaw whispered.

Shrewpaw’s eyes gleamed. “Not if he doesn’t notice.”

Tallpaw bared his teeth. You’re on, he signaled silently. If he could show up Shrewpaw, maybe it would make some of his stress and exhaustion worth it. And better still, if he was good at this, Sandstone wouldn’t have to worry about him falling behind. Maybe it didn’t matter if Shrewpaw had more practice. He was also overly arrogant, and that was always a weak point.

The first strike didn’t go well for either of them. Shrewpaw leaped at Hareflight’s back and Tallpaw pounced at his side. 

Hareflight shook them off with surprising nimbleness for a warrior his age. “Work as one unit, not two!” 

 Tallpaw tried to get around him so they could leap on from either side, but Hareflight ducked out of the way and Tallpaw went crashing into Shrewpaw. The momentum sent them both tumbling down the hill and into a bracken patch.

When they hit the bracken, something went streaking out the other side. A small rabbit had been hidden out in the open, staying stalk still in a bid to not be seen until they’d scared it into running. The two apprentices barely glanced at each other for half a second before ingrained hunter instinct took over, prompting them to charge after the fleeing prey. No way was Tallpaw going to let this opportunity get away. And if I get this, it will make up for earlier!

The rabbit bounded ahead and turned sharply, trying to throw them off, but the apprentices were neck and neck on its tail. 

“Better pick up the pace, Wormpaw.” Shrewpaw huffed between breaths as he started pulling ahead of Tallpaw. Tallpaw didn’t respond as he pushed his legs faster. I will not let him get this! His frustration added an extra burst of speed to his stride. He was so focused on his prey he barely heard Dawnstripe’s warning yowl behind him. 

“Tallpaw, stop!”

But it’s so close, just a bit further! The rabbit's scent was so strong he could taste its fear scent against the roof of his mouth. Suddenly, another scent hit him so hard he almost gagged on it. Cat scent, and not ones he recognized. He heard Shrewpaw cry out in alarm and screech to a halt so fast Tallpaw barreled into him and the two toms toppled over each other into the mud. The rabbit had dipped out of sight. Tallpaw spat a clump of dirt from his mouth.

“That was quite an impressive tumble,”  A raspy voice purred from somewhere above Tallpaw’s head. “Seems WindClan’s young aren’t as graceful as they used to be.” 

Tallpaw gasped and sprang to his paws with a start to meet a pair of cold slitted amber eyes and a mocking toothy grin surrounded by messy fox-red fur.  Three shadowy feline shapes sat side by side just under the shadow of the Thunderpath tunnel. Tallpaw hadn’t realized they’d run so close to the marshy grass under the treeline and now were right up against the path that separated their territory from ShadowClan’s. 

“If that’s how WindClan is hunting now, it’s a wonder they haven’t gotten even scrawnier than they already are.” hissed another.

 Tallpaw suddenly felt as if he’d lost his voice, but Shrewpaw hadn’t. The bristling tom scrambled to his paws and stepped in front of Tallpaw, the dark brown fur along his back spiking as he hissed back, “who asked you!? You’re the ones who messed us up!”

The ShadowClan cat growled and moved to step closer but froze in place as Dawnstripe and Hareflight leapt through the bushes with a warning snarl and moved to stand beside their apprentices.

“It would be very unwise of you to take another step further.” Hareflight warned.

“You’re beyond your border. Turn back.” Dawnstripe added.

With his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Tallpaw could make out the figures better. They reeked of the scent Tallpaw often caught wafting under the thunderpath, a mixture of sour rotting plants and peat, and strangely reminiscent of a rancid decaying snake body he’d stumbled across once. The two taller forms were no bigger than Dawnstripe or Hareflight. They looked lean with messy unkempt pelts and thin curved claws that scratched at the wet stone under their paws. Sharp muzzles and wide eyes, pale and strangely hungry looking. Tallpaw had never seen an angry fox before, but he imagined they looked something like this. The one who’d insulted them was a wiry gray flecked molly with cold yellow eyes, likely apprentice-aged as the smallest of the three. She stood beside the warriors, tail swishing in excited agitation and claws flexing as if waiting eagerly for a chance to use them as she eyed the WindClan apprentices. Tallpaw felt a defensive growl rise in his throat, and he hoped his fear scent wasn’t noticeable.

Beside the fox-red tom sat a tall dusky gray-brown molly, her fur was smooth and her stance unaggressive as she cooly replied, “I apologize for the rudeness of our apprentice. They are merely my escorts. We’ve gone beyond no border. Neither of us mark inside the Thunderpath tunnel.”

“There is no reason to go through the tunnel unless a cat is looking for trouble.” Hareflight said. For once, Tallpaw was grateful the senior warrior was around, his unwavering stoicism gave him a shred of confidence.

“Perhaps. But I am ShadowClan’s messenger.” She replied, and she cast her gaze down to Shrewpaw who looked like he was preparing to leap any moment when given command, “And you’ve no grounds to attack me.”

Hareflight stepped in front of his apprentice, ignoring his annoyed growl, and said, “I know who you are, Deerstep. If you have something to say, then get on with it, so you can stop standing around the outskirts of our land.”

“That may change very soon,” said the red tom, barring his long teeth in a grin. “You know, you’re standing on a marshy woodland that your clan doesn’t put to good use.”

“And that doesn’t really belong to you!” cut in the gray flecked molly.

“Doesn’t belong to us? This woodland has been part of WindClan territory for seasons!” Dawnstripe hissed. “If you’re planning on just waltzing onto our land when you see fit, you’re more hare-brained than you look.”

“Please be polite Ashpaw,” purred the messenger. “You know messenger escorts don’t go on raids. There’s no clan law against them looking, is there? That’s all we’ve done. We have no quarrel with you today. I’ve only come to say our clans will have matters to address at the next gathering, that is all. You may inform your leader that Cedarstar wishes to discuss land negotiations, as we have done in the past. Good hunting to you.” She dipped her head and the three cats turned and padded silently into the dark tunnel back to the shadowy woods beyond.

Shrewpaw arched his back and looked as if he wanted to take a swipe at the ShadowClan cat as she turned, but Hareflight put a large paw in front of him and gave him a stern look. “If they are part of the messenger's escort party, we cannot attack without direct provocation, Shrewpaw. WindClan does not take the first swipe, especially not from behind. Besides, Tallpaw has not had enough training for a real battle today.”

Tallpaw flattened his ears indignantly. I’m not a kitten! I could have used my instincts...

“So? We three could have taken them!” Shrewpaw argued. “They were purposely trying to make us angry for no reason!”

“Exactly,” said Dawnstripe. “ShadowClan always tries to invite the first hit so they have a justified cause to hit back. At least they are finally taking an upfront approach instead of sneaking around and making us nervous. I don’t know what that cat was trying to imply about territory negotiations, but it can’t be anything good.”

“I’m afraid I may have an idea of what they were referring to,” Hareflight said, and then added under his breath, “but why in StarClan anyone would care to bring it up now, I haven’t the slightest idea.” He turned back to the apprentices. “And as for you two running off like that, I’m very disappointed. You have the restraint and attention span of a kitten chasing a feather!”

“Sorry,” Tallpaw ducked his head. “It’s just, the rabbit was right there and I thought I could get it quickly.”

“Yeah, you can’t just put a rabbit in front of me and not expect me to chase after it! It’s not my fault it ran at the border. I would have got it if those fox-breaths hadn’t gotten in the way.” Shrewpaw argued.

“We’re going to have to have a long talk about your self control,” Hareflight sighed. Guiding a still bristling Shrewpaw away with his tail, he called back to Dawnstripe, “But first we’d better get back to camp, Heatherstar will want to know about this. I’m afraid the training session will have to be put off for a bit.”

chapter list / previous / next

#FRU9 #chapter 9

[hotfrost]

quick tpb and firestars quest rewrite bc i tried once and tumblr didn’t save (i haven’t read this series continuously in a while forgive me)

cinderpelt would be a warrior

brightpaw would never be named lostface and bluestar wouldn’t take her anger out on brightpaw

cloudpaw doesn’t become cloudtail until after brightpaw’s injury

swiftpaw still dies, but becomes swiftheart or swiftlight before dying

dustpelt is renamed dusttail after redtail (its ok if this doesn’t happen)

dustpelt is not the son of robinwing and fuzzypelt, he was an abandoned kit they found in the woods

sandstorm’s parents are redtail and runningwind (maybe adopted/surrogate)

brackenfur would be mentored by graystripe

stonefur wouldn’t be “executed” he would die saving stormpaw and featherpaw

runningwind wouldn’t die bc what was the point. 

goldenflower beats fireheart’s ass at some point bc good for her

murderface jr and tawnykit get mentioned in forest of secrets by name and maybe their birth is mentioned/a big deal because they’re important characters????

ashpaw and fernpaw are apprenticed way earlier- fernpaw becomes the medicine cat, ashpaw gets runningwind as his mentor

tawnypaw gets sandstorm, bramblepaw gets fireheart still

rosetail gives fireheart a life instead of runningwind and they would actually talk abt her 💀

longtail becomes deputy after whitestorm dies (rip dad)

dustpelt and brackenfur are mates because they are no longer related (goodbye inc*st!!!!!!)

leafpool and squirrelflight are born at the end of the darkest hour and are apprentices by the time firestar’s quest comes around

mousefur gets spiderpaw, runningwind gets shrewpaw, brackenfur gets snowpaw (snowkit/snowface), thornclaw gets sorrelpaw, cinderpelt gets sootpaw, brightheart gets rainpaw, dustpelt gets squirrelpaw, and ferncloud gets leafpaw

willowpelt dies but she and graystripe have a much better dynamic (also i think graystripe’s father would be like... a riverclan warrior maybe?) 

longtail remains deputy even after getting attacked by peter rabbit and doesn’t retire until he’s actually old (arc three)

bramblepaw becomes brambleflower ofc or maybe even brambleheart literally anything but brambleclaw

shrewpaw doesn’t die and gets a cool name like shrewclaw or something

dustpelt and brackenfur just adopt kits like a lot of kits because in my head they just adopt every parentless kit they can. hollykit and larchkit don’t exist but shrewclaw, spiderleg, and birchfall are all their children.

uhhh atm I can’t think of much else from the first arc that would change but here are some things i would definitely keep-

bones death it was the best scene of the whole series imagine getting k worded by a bunch of like ten year olds

sandfire that was good but i would make it graysandfire(maybe dust?) polyam and raven as well

#warrior cats #warriors #the prophecies begin #tpb #firestar #graystripe #sandstorm #brambleclaw #brambleflower #brackenfur #dustpelt #ferncloud #ashfur #runningwind #warriors rewrite #rewrite

[mallowstep]

(Pikepaw Lives AU)

When the Twolegs come and start uprooting the Forest, and the clans (except for Riverclan, of course) begin to starve, Pikeheart teaches Ashfur how to fish. He knows what it's like to starve, and while he and most of his clanmates are fully grown cats that can survive without food for awhile. Ferncloud's kits cannot. When he argues this to Firestar, that yes they broke one part of the code to upkeep one other part of it--"one that's more important. All cats must protect kits. We're feeding Ferncloud fish because Thunderclan's forest cannot supply food enough for her to produce milk, and thus her litter would die of starvation." They both still get tick duty for a moon, but once all of Thunderclan starts feeling the hunger pains, Pikeheart notices more and more cats joining in on his fishing lessons, and how Firestar doesn't say anything as the prey pile is mostly fish, frogs, and the odd duck. Pikeheart is careful, but his little hunting patrol is caught shortly after Thunderclan has to move camp to Sunningrocks. Of course, Leopardstar, isn't impressed. Of course, Blackclaw bringing Pikeheart, Ashfur, Shrewpaw, and Leafpaw into Riverclan's camp while Feathertail and Stormheart are being greeted by everyone....isn't ideal. Pikeheart doesn't make eye contact with his father, Blackclaw, and snorts as all of Mistyfoot's attention is on Feathertail. Riverclan's attention, of course, is instantly on the Thunderclan cats, and Leopardstar speaks after Blackclaw has had his say. "Is this true?", she asks eyeing the trout Ashfur had caught that Blackclaw had confiscated.

"It is." Pikeheart announces, seeing no point in not getting to the point. "The forest is being invaded by Twoleg monsters, surely you've noticed?" He asks in return, voice smooth. "The moors are churned up like a giant cat raked it's claws down it, Shadowclan's marsh has been drained and turned into mud. Thunderclan's trees are being devoured--same thing that happened to Fourtrees." He meows, beginning to start his case.

Leopardstar interrupts him. "Riverclan has had no trouble with Twolegs on their territory, and the river is ours. The fish is ours. The needs of the other clans are not our problem."

Pikeheart hisses, the fur along his spine standing up. "We have a queen with four kits that need to be fed. Riverclan's nursery is empty! Or would you rather add kit killer to your name like watching my own clan's apprentices fight to the death name, too?" He growls, fangs bared as riverclan cats gasp around him. "Reedpaw, Perchpaw, Primrosepaw. Three times Tigerstar pulled apprentices from that prison hole and had Shadowclan warriors fight them to the death while the rest of you sat and watched and did nothing! Then their bodies were added to the Bonehill and left to rot! You can give up a few fish for a queen and four kits, Leopardstar, Riverclan...because neither of you have atoned for what you sat and watched happen in front of your own eyes."

Leopardstar recoils back as if Pikeheart's own clawed paw had struck her, and she looks off balanced. Hawkpaw looks furious, Frogpaw indignant, and Mothpaw shocked. Pikeheart silently wonders if they know Riverclan's not so recently dark past, and snorts. Leopardstar would probably admit her faults to her kits, but would try to keep the clan in a good light. All leaders did. "W--" Leopardstar begins to speak, but Pikeheart cuts her off. "I don't want an excuse or an apology. I can't do anything with either, and it doesn't bring them back, it doesn't suddenly make it okay what you and Riverclan let happen to them. We were 9 moons old when you made that alliance with Tigerstar. Three moons into our training as warriors, and you let him put us in a fucking hole like we were nothing but rotting crowfood. We have nothing to say to each other, Leopardstar, except that Thunderclan is going to continue to fish in the river to feed our queen and her kits. They don't deserve to die because Riverclan has decided it suddenly values our traditions, way of life, and the warrior code when it suits them." He snarls, ignoring the silence from everyone as he spoke. "Until this...twoleg monster issue is over, Thunderclan will fish in the river. That's it." It flicks his tail, gathering Shrewpaw and Leafpaw before him, before nodding at Ashfur to lead the way back to their clan's new camp at Sunningrocks, head and tail held high as they left.

Dang everything is terrible I love it. So many like. Intersections of bad things all at once. It’s good.

I’m still hoping pike n misty reconcile. They deserve to. N like. Pikeheart. Not To Be A Leopardstar Apologist but have you Considered she has also Suffered Considerably. Just a Thought.

That said his anger is Valid. You know. More than thing can be true and all.

In Summary: I think pikeheart should go to therapy and I think there should be some family therapy sessions in there because I think they all deserve to talk abt things and work thru them.

#I can’t remember what I was calling this so #pike au #ig #mine #ask #anon #look I’m very Pro Mistyfoot #she’s one of my favs #not that I didn’t enjoy this #I did! #I’m just always going to b #pro Mistyfoot #y’know? #this was good I want them all to go to family therapy #I want them all to go to therapy #actually #I want them all to go to therapy now pls

[twilights-800-cats]

<< Allegiances || Chapter 27 || Chapter 28 || Chapter 29 || From the Beginning >>

Chapter 28

The group traveled in silence as day shifted to night. With nothing but one another and the stars overhead, they followed the stream as it wound through the land. They crossed from the forest into more open moorland, followed the bank of the stream as it swept under a Thunderpath, and climbed up and down steep hills until finally, finally, at the crest of the tallest hill, the lake was before them.

Mistyfoot’s eyes widened in awe. The sun-drown-place had been beautiful in how terrifying it was, but the lake… it was simply beautiful. The water was still and clear, reflecting Silverpelt perfectly on its surface. It was massive – but not intimidating, like the endless churning waves of the sun-drown-place. And the land around…

The moorland curved over most of the land surrounding the lake, but even in the darkness Mistyfoot could see the silhouette of a thick forest across the water. A Twoleg barn stood solidly just on the outskirts of the hilly moorland, with a small Twoleg nest overlooking the lake – but that was the only sign the cats could see of Twolegs here.

“It’s… amazing,” Crowpaw breathed.

“This is what we came for!” Feathertail purred, her eyes shining. She turned to Stormfur. “Just look at all this land! I’ve never seen so much water before!

“Still Twolegs here, though,” Stoneheart pointed out, nodding to the barn and nest. “And that Thunderpath back there might go to a Twolegplace, too.”

Nightpaw’s tail swished. “Yeah, but who cares?” he mewed. “Think of how far away it all is, compared to the forest!”

Mistyfoot stared down at the lake, her heart filling with triumph. This was what it was all for – the dreams, the journey, the strife… they had made it. She looked up at the stars above and sighed. I’m here, Mosspaw… we did it.

“So… what happens now?” Nightpaw wondered.

The cats fell silent. They were here, yes, and this place was beautiful – but Nightpaw was right. Mistyfoot found herself looking to Feathertail, Stoneheart, and Crowpaw. Did they feel anything? She certainly didn’t, other than a sense of increasing anxiety. All three of them looked just as confused and helpless.

Shadepaw twitched her ears. “Well… we made it here,” she reasoned. “StarClan has to have more information. Maybe we should go down and drink from the lake? The way it’s reflecting the stars reminds me of the Moonstone…”

“It’s a thought,” Stormfur agreed, looking over the chosen cats. “Let’s go – and keep an eye out for predators.”

“Wait, what’s that?” Crowpaw wondered.

Mistyfoot blinked at the WindClan tom. He was standing at attention, his tail low and ears upright. His spine bristled, just a little, and his lip curled. Mistyfoot followed his gaze, and spotted a large, dark shape moving in the marshy rushes by the banks of the lake.

The other journeying cats formed a line, standing at attention as the creature moved towards them. Mistyfoot’s heart beat in her ears as the moonlight shone on a bright white stripe down its back… Badger!

Mistyfoot’s claws unsheathed as her blood roared through her body. Immediately she was taken back to the forest, to the badger that killed Shrewpaw before her eyes. She felt herself bristling with fear and anger as the badger lumbered its way up the slope.

“What do we do?” hissed Nightpaw.

“It’s outnumbered,” reasoned Stoneheart. “There’s no way it can think it can handle all of us…”

“But it’s still heading right for us!” squeaked Feathertail. Her tail bristled with alarm. “What’s it think its doing?”

“Be ready,” Stormfur growled, squaring his shoulders beside Mistyfoot. “Stoneheart, keep on the defensive. Apprentices, stick to the warriors. I’ll take the first hit.”

Mistyfoot bared her teeth. “Like I would let you!” she spat.

“Wait,” breathed Shadepaw. “Calm down, all of you – don’t you see it?”

“See what?” Crowpaw seethed. “All I see is a badger heading for us!”

Shadepaw stepped out of the group and towards the badger, which was now huffing and snuffling a few tail-lengths away. Mistyfoot’s mind raced with alarm – what was Shadepaw thinking? That badger was twice her size at least!

“She has starlight in her fur,” Shadepaw meowed, looking back at the Clan cats.

“Little shadow is right,” grumbled the badger as she hefted herself up to the top of the hill. “I am not for fearing.”

“It… speaks cat…?” murmured Feathertail, awe in her eyes.

Mistyfoot was stiff, shock coursing through her body. She shared a look with Stoneheart and Stormfur, and found they were just as mystified.

“I speak many things,” the badger grumbled, nodding her long snout at Feathertail. “Cat, bat, fox… rabbit, too. Horse, even…” The creature shifted her big body and Mistyfoot saw that Shadepaw was right – the badger had stars speckling the black of her fur, like she was made of chunks of the night sky.

The badger raised her muzzle, her berry-bright eyes focusing on the cats. “I am called Midnight,” she said. “And Midnight is whom you are to meet.”

There was silence throughout the Clan cats. Mistyfoot’s frenzied heartbeat slowed, gradually, as she looked into the badger’s eyes. There was something calming about the creature, something that made her forget the trauma caused by her kin. Is this even really a badger? Mistyfoot found herself wondering. I’ve never heard of a badger with stars in their fur…

“Shadow, Wind, Thunder, and River must join together,” stated Midnight, her voice echoing over the plains, “for the forest shakes to its roots – the words what sent you here, no?”

“Y-Yes,” Feathertail breathed. She courageously stepped forward, closer to Midnight. “Can you tell us what they mean?”

Midnight blinked solemnly. “Yes,” she assured.

“How do you know about StarClan?” Shadepaw wondered, her eyes wide with wonder. “How can you hear their messages, if you’re not a Clan cat?”

“Messages everywhere, little shadow, if ears open, if eyes bright,” Midnight explained, whiskers twitching. Her claws scuffed the earth beneath her heavy body. “Cats aren’t only animals with eyes to see the stars, and StarClan are not only ancestors that roam. The world not so small that only Clan and StarClan exist!”

Mistyfoot swallowed, a feeling of discomfort creeping into her fur. She wasn’t the only one – Crowpaw looked offended to hear such a thing, and Stoneheart’s eyes darkened. All their lives Clan cats knew that what set them apart from other animals was StarClan – how could there be more?

“But what does the prophecy mean?” Stormfur wondered. His eyes were shining with desperation – he didn’t seem bothered by Midnight’s revelation. “We’ve come so far… we have to know!”

“And why a badger?” Shadepaw asked. “Why not one of their own?”

“Because journey just as important as destination,” Midnight explained. “This prophecy – about acceptance and togetherness, it is. Come. Night is long, and you are tired.”

Midnight got to her paws and led the way along the slope. The journeying cats, after a moment of hesitation, followed – what choice did they have? The world felt so strange and alien now that they were following a cat-speaking, star-furred badger. What more could be thrown their way?

“What could she mean, that StarClan aren’t the only ancestors out there?” wondered Stoneheart.

Mistyfoot shrugged. “I have no idea,” she admitted.

“It makes sense, when you think about it,” Nightpaw put in, trotting into place beside her. “Why wouldn’t rabbits or foxes or sheep believe in their own ancestors? Where else would they go when they die?”

“Wise little one,” Midnight chuffed ahead. Mistyfoot guessed the badger was trying to chuckle, but the sound was more of a growl.

Mistyfoot swallowed. “Can we trust her?” she wondered.

“We have to,” Shadepaw insisted. Her eyes were filled with determination. Beside her, Feathertail nodded in agreement. “She’s got to be from StarClan, somehow – she knows the prophecy.”

“She knows our destiny,” Feathertail added. “At least… I hope so.”

So do I, Mistyfoot thought.

She looked up at the stars as Midnight led them into a grove of willows, where several small streams broke off from the lake and intersected to form little island. The place was quite sheltered, overgrown with reeds along the banks of the streams. The water was easy to cross in a single bound, even for Nightpaw, whose legs were half the size of every other cat.

Mosspaw, Mistyfoot thought as she stepped into the reeds. Is this what you were leading us to all along?

The journeying cats stepped out into an open clearing, bigger and wider than it would have appeared from the outside. Feathertail’s jaws opened in awe, and Stormfur’s eyes sparkled.

“It’s like home,” he purred.

Mistyfoot, looking around, had to agree – there was a certain RiverClan-ness to the little island that was undeniable. The gentle sound of the stream in her ears, the softness of the earth, the willows draping the ground with their branches… it wasn’t for her, personally, but there was an appeal.

Midnight settled herself beside hollow log near the back of the clearing. It looked like the old willow had fallen seasons upon seasons ago, with moss and mushrooms crawling over its surface – there was still a nobility about the husk, though, and its structure still seemed rather sound.

“Sit,” invited Midnight.

The cats had little choice but to obey. Mistyfoot settled herself down beside Stormfur. Nightpaw pressed his fur against her other side, while Shadepaw and Crowpaw sat together beyond him. Feathertail and Stoneheart took up Stormfur’s other side. All together they formed a half-moon around the mysterious starry badger who looked down her snout at them with bright, beady eyes.

Mistyfoot tried to hide the shaking of her legs – what would the badger reveal? What did the prophecy mean? What could they do about it, and what did the lake mean when all was said and done? Any exhaustion from the journey fled Mistyfoot as she stared at Midnight’s striped face. There was too much at stake here to be worrying about sleep.

“The prophecy what sent you here is of ill news,” Midnight rumbled. “Life, all life, is cycle – weak devour strong, cat hunt mouse – but cat is not strongest force in all of world.”

“Yeah, we know that,” Crowpaw growled, rolling his eyes. Mistyfoot knew the WindClan cat well enough now to see that he was huffing to hide his fear. “Just tell us what you mean, you old badger!”

Midnight did not seem offended. “Twolegs,” she stated. “They come for your forest, to destroy it.”

Silence fell in the clearing. Mistyfoot blinked, confused. “W-Why?”

“When camp too small for cats, you expand camp, no?” Midnight spoke as if it were the simplest concept in the world. “Twolegs need space, too. They take where they can, same as you.”

“That can’t be true,” whispered Feathertail. “No, no… why would they care about our forest? It… It’s ours! StarClan gave it to us!”

Midnight shook her head. “Land no belong to you, the land belong to no one,” she explained. “In future, something stronger than Twoleg will take land from them – but now, Twolegs will take forest.”

Feathertail shivered, leaning against Stormfur for support. Stormfur stiffened, his eyes wide. Mistyfoot dug her claws into the earth to keep it from spinning all around her. The others were similarly shocked, the apprentices huddling up together with quivering whiskers and Stoneheart hunched close to the earth, as if the world was spinning for him, too.

“W-We can fight them!” Crowpaw insisted, bristling.

Midnight shook her head again. “Pointless,” she decided, her voice heavy. “Cats lost for nothing, and Twolegs still take land.”

“She’s right,” Stoneheart rasped. “We’ve never been able to really fight the Twolegs…” He looked at Midnight, his pale blue eyes beseeching. “What are we to do, then?”

Midnight blinked placidly. “You have made journey to lake. You know the way. Bring Clans here – the lake is home, now.”

“W-what?!” Nightpaw breathed.

“Leave?” Shadepaw squeaked. She looked faint. “Leave the forest? For good?”

Mistyfoot’s heart thudded in her ears as the journey, the prophecy, all of it clicked in her head. Why else would StarClan send cats from all Clans here? Why else would they endure the journey, the uncertainty, together? Midnight had stated earlier that the prophecy had been about acceptance and togetherness – and, thinking of the journey they had made… the badger was right.

“Lake has moors, swamps, rivers,” Midnight went on. “Oaks tall and oaks small. It is much like forest you come from. Clans will live here many long seasons.”

“That can’t be true,” whispered Crowpaw. “We’re happy in the forest. What, am I supposed to tell Tallstar to just up and leave because a badger says so?!”

“You tell him to leave because StarClan says so,” Shadepaw murmured back. The young medicine cat looked scared, but there was acceptance in her eyes. Mistyfoot admired her faith – strong, even when far older cats were frightened around her. “Because that’s what they’ve said.”

Crowpaw’s eyes were pools of sorrow, and he trembled beside Shadepaw, quiet and as helpless as they all were in the face of this tragedy.

“We know it’s true,” Stoneheart stated pragmatically. “The Twolegs… ShadowClan and WindClan territory have seen the damage they’re doing, more than the other Clans. Something is happening in the forest… and if this is it, it’s not so farfetched.”

Mistyfoot’s head spun, thinking back to the Gathering and the forest. She’d taken shelter with Nightpaw underneath some Twoleg monster before the journey, and through WindClan territory she had seen similar creatures lined up along the Thunderpath… they’d been gone so long – what was happening in the forest? Would there be anything left when they returned?

“But RiverClan was fine!” Feathertail insisted, lifting her head to protest. Her neck fur rose. “There weren’t any Twolegs on our territory when we left!”

“Come sooner, come later,” Midnight rasped, “but they will come.”

Feathertail opened her jaws to protest, but all that came out was a wail of sorrow. Stormfur buried his muzzle into his sister’s fur, and Mistyfoot felt him shaking. She understood why – the thought of ThunderClan territory disappearing made her dizzy. She couldn’t believe it.

How will I tell Tinystar? She wondered, staring down at her paws. He was so upset with me when I left. Will he even let me back into ThunderClan?

Will there even be a ThunderClan to warn?

As if she could sense it, Midnight soothed, “There is time for warning, time for leaving – but not much. Twolegs cause much suffering, true; but it is part of cycle.”

“This cycle is unfair,” Nightpaw whispered. “I hate it.”

“Hate it not, little one,” Midnight told him, sympathy in her voice. “The cycle favors not one or another. The Clans must begin anew at lake. Here is where destinies lie, where darkness will be vanquished… and where Clans live on, in starlight.”

#tb midnight #tb au #FINAL CHAPTER NEXT WEEK GUYS

[ailuronymy]

Book Club: Tallstar’s Revenge, chpt. 10-18 overview.

Human voices as heard by cats, courtesy of two experts in the field of ailurolinguistics:

"ghghtaa'ppgthannneetltssssa!” - S. 

“Nnghavva'thalpssasann!” - K.

This week we’re discussing this chapter through these nine questions. Please feel welcome to do the same and @ailuronymy + use the tag #ailuronymy writing challenge. Happy reading and I’m looking forward to seeing your feelings about this book.

1. First impressions? 

K. Everyone has many important discussions, that actually hold zero weight at all. Many things happen for absolutely no reason. I'm in pain.

S. REAL.

2. How did you feel reading this section?

S. Emotionally conflicted. There's always some frustration, but there were also moments of genuine joy, which was a very welcome surprise.

K. But for real: pleased to see some genuine growth and goodness from my favourite characters, but so upset at the bad directions taken.

3. What chapter did you find most interesting/moving/effective, and why?

S. I keep forgetting to mark things out by chapter in my notes, but I feel like the time Tallpaw spends with Reena really brought me the most pleasure to read.

K. I think I got the most out of the first half of Chapter Twelve, the Gathering. I loved the back-to-back of Heatherstar making good choices, the new warrior trio jumping around and being sweet, and Dawnstripe Finally Giving Us Some Good Fucking Advice. K. Honorary shout-out to Tallpaw finally telling his dad off in Chapter Eleven though.

S. YES. 

4. What chapter did you find least interesting/effective/most frustrating, and why?

S. Most frustrating is absolutely the aftermath of both Brackenwing's death and later Sandgorse's. I was not coping with how stupid and unreasonable everyone was being, but in a way that felt entirely manufactured, and not actual grief.

K. Chapter Eighteen pissed me off to see Tallpaw be taken in such a tangent. Like, everyone else I can kind of ignore because I wasn't expecting Windclan to be very good about any of it since Erin's doing her bullshit.  K. But Tallpaw.... I was hoping Tallpaw would be better.

5. Is there a passage that stuck in your mind–for good, or not-so-good reasons? What is it, and why did it stand out? Try breaking it down and analysing what this passage does and how.

S. I really loved Dawnstripe's conversation with Tallpaw. That stood out to me as basically unique in Erin Hunter's writing so far, especially in this book.

K. “Tallpaw stiffened. Did Sandgorse think he’d change his mind about becoming a moor runner now that he’d been underground?” K. I loved seeing him just finally Snap. K. Not to mention the very real young gay feeling of having that dread in your stomach, of going "Oh no, am I going to have to keep this up?"

6. Have your feelings changed towards any character in this next section? What caused this change?

K. Sandgorse lost all rights! K. Can't believe I almost liked him for a second, the hope for an okay dad got me there.

S. It’s okay. I was too jaded to be taken in, but your optimism isn't a weakness. S. I hate their relationship and I Love that Sandgorse died but God I Hate Tallpaw's reaction to that so much. It's so jarring and feels way off from reality.

K. Also: I would die for Doespring/Stagleap/Ryestalk, I adore them so much. Same with Reena, she can stay.

S. For me, the biggest change is that I'm losing a lot of affection and attachment to Tallpaw the longer he keeps up this Sandgorse whinge. Like, I was ecstatic when Sandgorse died, but now that Tallpaw's only personality trait is being miserable about Sandgorse, it's really like he never left and I hate that passionately. 

7. How do you feel about pacing in the book so far? Is the story moving too fast, too slow, just right? Why do you feel this way?

S. Way too slow.

K. The pacing is dry and slow and sad. So much of what's happened so far could be condensed and written so much better.

S. You could cut out a solid half of what's written and it'd be a better story. It's all fat right now, where it could be lean and tasty, medium-rare spiced narrative.

8. How do you feel about the visitors in this section? Is it a new element you really like, or does it feel out of place? Share your thoughts on this new development!

K.  From the notes: Okay, I don’t like what’s happening with the visitors and I don’t think they should even be here, but I do think that they seem like fun little people. Like for all intents and purposes the visitors should not exist, but boy am I always glad to see characters I don't hate!

S. Oh, that's so interesting! I actually feel quite positively to the idea of Windclan's regular visitors, and it's definitely something in my canon. I don't like any of how canon's handling it (surprise, surprise) but I like that this idea has been broached, and it feels entirely right to me that Windclan is the one to do it.

K. I don't disagree with you there, I think for me it's just frustrating seeing how the Erins are introducing and handling it that's bugged me. Like, Windclan is on the outskirts of everything and it makes total sense that they'd be much more likely to run into like... farmcats and the like more than other clans. That doesn't bug me. It's just like... literally everything about how they've been set up and how secretive things are and blah blah blah that makes me lose it a little. 

S. Totally. I’m with you. 

9. If you could change one significant moment in this section–a piece of dialogue, an event, a bit of world-building–what would you want to change, and what do you think would be the ramifications of that for the rest of the story?

K. THE CLAN NEEDS TO STEP UP FOR TALLPAW, END OF STORY K. But yeah no, there's lots of shit that needs fixing but DAMN if the clan doesn't need to stand up for Tallpaw and defend and support him. Boy takes SO much blame and he deserves none of it.

S. I honestly wonder how much difference there would be if Palebird had more support/Brackenwing half-adopted Tallpaw (you know, the way queens are said to co-raise kittens but never do). Because this boy is so unloved and his self-esteem comes from feeling totally unwanted and undervalued, so he clamours for Sandgorse's approval because he doesn't get it from Palebird, but Sandgorse rejects him and makes it worse, so Tallpaw is stuck really craving validation and not really having any outlet to develop his sense of self or confidence in his own value and abilities. Obviously Dawnstripe is doing her best, but that's not a substitute for parental neglect and abuse.

K. Dawnstripe: Look at him! You fucked him up, is what you did. He has anxiety!

Final notes:

S. I knew Sandgorse was going to die because it was mentioned in some of the pages I looked at for the story I'm writing. And I thought he was going to be murdered by Sparrow, because that's how all the wikis talked about it.  S. So when he died of his own idiot hubris, I was like, "wait what" and kept waiting for it to be revealed that Sparrow killed him in the tunnel and then made it collapse to cover that up. S. So I thought it was going to be a story of Tallpaw Solves A Murder No-one Will Believe Was Committed. And that... didn't happen. He just got shitty and hateful. K. Tbh that would make more sense and also be leagues cooler than. Any of this S. Yeah! I thought it would be kind of dope and then Talltail would confront Sparrow and be like, "you're not worth it," and be the bigger man or whatever, that whole thing, learn the meaning of friendship or whatever, and go home.   S. Instead! Sparrow didn't do it, so now Tallpaw's just a wreck out of control lashing out at everyone and decides to hunt down someone to kill them for not dying and/or saving his outrageously shitty dad. S. To me, a much more likely story is Tallpaw experiencing guilt because he's relieved that Sandgorse's gone and he's like, 'oh my god I'm a bad person I shouldn't want my dad to be gone.' Like that's a trauma narrative that people who've, you know, experienced significant abuse can actually relate to. K. Not to mention that like. Before Sandgorse dies, his one action is to blame his son for being awful at everything and to pretty much disown him.  K. But YEAH, lets feel Sad for That Guy

K. [Shrewpaw] was bad before and frankly I am beyond tired with him now. S. He has no real narrative purpose, is what peeves me. I know that's a bit highbrow for an Erin Hunter story, but like. You should be thinking about function in a story, especially one for children, because in children's lit., you don't really have the space for excess. You should keep the story trim and clean. S. Giving Erin Hunter more pages, like they do in these super editions, enables their worst habits, which is the fact I don't think they consider function like ever. So you have all this... flabby, pointless dialogue that doesn't move anything forward or reveal any new characterisation.

K. Oh, some other choice notes from the Gathering: K. Stagleap: Hey bro, come see this hot Riverclan babe with me.  Tallpaw, gay: Uhh I’m very interested in the announcements, actually, K. Dawnstripe accidentally playing wingman for her apprentice is coincidentally very funny. “Tallpaw didn’t like the way the young tom was eyeing him—like a hunter assessing prey.” Hmmmmm Okay Buddy, S. I was genuinely so charmed by Stagleap's crush on Shimmerpelt. That felt real and true and I loved it. The rest of the gathering let me down a lot, but like. Erin Hunter gatherings always do. They don't know how to let a scene breathe. K. Stagleap, Ryestalk, and Doespring are so charming. I love when they come onscreen. They inject a lot of cute moments into a very dour book. K. Gatherings are my favourite in concept so I always get SO excited to read them. But they almost always suck.  S. It's wild to me that Erin Hunter is never like, "maybe fun is fun." I do resent it. S. I love the organised chaos of a gathering, and how different it is to literally every other part of warrior life. It's something that I actively have to resist putting in stories, because I always want to do it even when it adds nothing to what I'm telling. It's just so fun to write and to read. S. Literally one of my notes is just "Ahh!!! A Gathering! Finally!" K. Me too!! Mine was "GATHERING TIME, GATHERING TIME, my favourite part of any book!" S. [dabbing frantically because cats are going to hang out under a full moon] K. Like if you were going to let a scene have its moment and play it out, it would be the Gathering. Like I'd love for the announcements to happen and then they all just mingle and enjoy themselves until the moon clouds over. Instead of Announcements, Moon Over, Scene Done, Go Home.  S. Gathering speedrun: if you clip through the deputy, you can skip the personal connection and go right to the leaving while being kind of bored and miserable.

S. [after Sandgorse’s suggestion of hiding from invaders in the tunnels or using them to run away] why. [Raiders are] literally not going to be like, “oh I guess Windclan’s not here and we should go home,” they’ll be like, “great Windclan’s not here, this IS our new home.” Sandgorse talks a big game about not being a coward, but the tunnellers’ solutions are literally only “just hide in a hole” or “run away.” S. I got so mad about that. The tunnellers being like, "we were doing important tunnel business to protect the clan, we could be here to protect the clan," and they get chewed out for that and Sandgorse has the brass balls to be like, "well our tunnels will save lives." S. I'm like, will they? S. Or will you die in one in a pathetic final display of defiant idiot masculinity?

S. That said, something that did chatter my suspension of disbelief like cheap glass: the visitors' names. K. They’re bad.  S. Algernon???? K. ALGERNON K.  ALGIE??? S. "They were named by twolegs" please say psyche S.  I just... cannot believe in a world where a cat hears some word humans repeat at them a lot, and goes, "that's my name, I will introduce myself to other cats using this sound." Instead of like... getting a name from other cats, or picking a name for themselves. Especially if the cat doesn't live with those humans. S. It's more real to me for a cat to be like "oh yeah that's what the humans think my name is, they don't speak cat very well but they're trying," than being like, "I will take that garbled junk as my name." K. I love that so much better. S. I find it so funny that cats would hear human languages basically like cthulhu speech, and be with a friend like, [listens] Human in the garden: ghghtaa'ppgthannneetltssssa! Cat: "hold on, my person is calling, I need to check on them." Cat, returns: "It's fine, they forgot where the door was so I showed them. What were you saying?" K.  Cat: "Are you good?? Do you need assistance?" Human: Nnghavva'thalpssasann! Cat: "Ohh, you want pets. Here, I can give you some chin rubs. You like those? God, you're so stupid and I love that about you." S. Cat: "my humans are so smart, they know about seven words, kind of." S. Cat: "I call that one 'Very Tall Getter of Things From the Shelf' and I call that one 'Cuddles Me Warmly.'"

#ailuronymy book club #a little delayed! sorry about that everyone. looking forward to seeing everyone's thoughts about this round #tallstar's revenge

[tallstars-rewrite]

Chapter 10

chapter list / previous / next

Back in camp, Shrewpaw was already exaggerating the story to the other apprentices. “Wow,” Fawnpaw gasped, “We’ve passed other clan cats at a distance on patrols, but never come close to fighting any of them! I’ll bet that gray apprentice was Ashpaw. She can be a real jerk at gatherings.”

“I had no trouble standing up to her.” Shrewpaw sniffed, “Hareflight could barely hold me back from tearing her pelt off, and I could tell she was eager to run back to her territory. Tallpaw was so freaked out!”

“I was not!” Tallpaw objected, looking quickly around to see if his father or the other tunnelers were in earshot. He did not need Sandstone hearing that he got frightened at the mere sight of a couple ShadowClan cats. “And that’s hardly what happened! You just hissed at each other for a moment and then they left.”

“Do you think there’s going to be a fight?” Briarpaw asked nervously. 

“I hope so. They could stand to be taught a lesson.” Shrewpaw hissed, flexing his claws.

Briarpaw gave his brother an exasperated look. “Battles aren’t something to get excited about! I don’t want you guys getting hurt!” 

Tallpaw couldn’t help agreeing with Briarpaw, but he didn’t know if it was a good idea to reveal his hesitance.

Heatherstar’s call for a clan meeting interrupted them. Most of the clan was anticipating it and were already gathering in the meeting hollow around Tall Rock.

“I suspect most of you have heard by now that Hareflight and Dawnstripe met ShadowClan at the Thunderpath border,” Heatherstar said gravely. “Reedfeather’s patrols have been seeing signs of potential spy activity on and off for a couple moons now, though it’s been difficult to prove their intention and confront them since they rarely pass the border. It’s been suspected they may be making plans to try to expand their territory, though we haven’t yet heard if they are doing the same on the other clans' borders. It’s not like Cedarstar to invade without warning. The upcoming gathering will have this further discussed, but we should be prepared for a fight to happen in a worst case scenario, and start taking defensive measures.”

To Tallpaw’s surprise, Sandstone raised his tail in a request to speak. Heatherstar regarded him apprehensively for a moment before she curtly nodded her permission.

“I know I have spoken out of turn before, but I think this is the time to consider my proposal. ShadowClan has always had spies, and they always will. Even if we settle this matter, it’s sure to come up again. I think it’s time we fight back in a different way. We all suspect they frequently trespass further into our territory, even if we struggle to find explicit proof of it. I think it’s likely they keep us under watch and fall back when they catch sight of patrols from a distance. If we follow through with expanding the tunnel systems to the borders, we could have a secret route to patrol, maybe even catch them in the act before they can see us coming. The eastern tunnel is in the perfect position for defensive and evasive measures to our advantage. We can have new tactics to ambush trespassers and have a lookout from below where they won’t know we’re watching. I think we could even tunnel under the Thunderpath. The clans don’t know the extent of our tunneling capabilities after all.”

Heatherstar looked doubtful “The tunnels were only used in such a way in ancient stories, now their primary function is hunting and escape routes from predators. Are you suggesting we dig our own secret routes into other clan territories? Would that not be regarded as the same trespassing that the code forbids?”

“I’m only suggesting it’s not different then what ShadowClan does to us. Ideally of course, we wouldn’t have to use them at all. But the potential for a route that our enemies wouldn’t know to guard could become invaluable to us during war times.”

“This seems a lot more complex and arduous to build than anything attempted in living memory.”

“If we had permission to focus more time towards it, I’m confident it is possible.” Sandstone said.

Hareflight raised his tail to speak. “What should happen if they do find the tunnels and try to use them against us?” 

“Even if they find one entrance, we can collapse it and build another. They have no idea how to navigate tunnels.” Sandstone replied calmly. “You recall I’ve also proposed a similar plan to tunnel down to the gorge near RiverClan territory, and we could go onto that next. It’s part of a bigger plan for a whole network of tunnels running under our territory and beyond. It’s a project Badgerstar’s once told me about, though she never got to fully plan or finish.”

“And it is still in the planning stages,” Woollycloud put in, a bit more hesitantly then Sandstone. “But the eastern burrows already have a strong basis to start from that would save a lot of time since it's so close to ShadowClan’s border. Of course, we’d need more time to make sure the ground will allow it.”

“But if it does, and all goes well, we could make significant progress within a moon. We won’t know until we try.” Sandstone finished eagerly. 

Dawnstripe stood next “There is a new rabbit warren near the old eastern tunnels, this might be an idea worth looking into, but we don’t want to risk disturbing our prey sources and driving them off to do it.”

 Sandstone waved his tail dismissively “We know how to work around rabbits. I know the eastern tunnels like the back of my paw. If we can get more cats to learn basic tunneling etiquette, it will go a lot smoother.”

 Tallpaw froze when he realized his fathers eyes passed over to him. He looked at him eagerly, as if prompting him to speak.

 “I agree it could be a good idea,” he offered timidly.

Several other cats murmured their own agreements, others still looked unsure. Heatherstar looks to Reedfeather, who simply shrugged. At last she said, “We are willing to look into all options for future defense of our borders. I don’t want something like this rushed, and the safety of the cats involved must be prioritized. In the meantime, I suspect ShadowClan won’t bother us at least until the next gathering. There’s little we can do but remain vigilant and deal with Cedarstar head on when he comes to us. To be safe, no one is to scout the ShadowClan border alone, and no apprentices without accompanying warriors. But we will not let ShadowClan ruin our spirits. WindClan is strong and won’t be intimidated into hiding. Our newleaf celebration will go on as planned. The meeting is dismissed.”

When everyone began to disperse, Sandstone quickly came to greet Tallpaw. Tallpaw wondered if he was going to ask if he was alright after his unexpected first confrontation with ShadowClan cats, but the glimmer in his eyes said he was still fully focused on his plan. 

“You know, this is the first step in the bigger plan I once told you about. If we can tunnel under the Thunderpath, maybe even set traps for them, then we’ll really be able to make them think twice about messing with us. ShadowClan won't be so eager when their numbers start dropping like flies.”

Tallpaw’s eyes widened “But...no ones really going to die right? I thought it didn’t happen as often anymore because of the code.”

Sandstone rolled his eyes “Obviously i’m exaggerating. I know the code and honor it more than any cat, but keep in mind the most important part of the code is first and foremost protecting your clan. Death still happens in battle sometimes, it’s unavoidable. Better for it not to be one of ours, that’s why I am concerned with exploring every advantage for us. Don't look like that Tallpaw, this is the reality of our lives. Maybe a taste of battle will be good for you. Remember, warriors don’t show fear, when things look dangerous they charge onward and take risks.”

Tallpaw nodded and Sandstone went on his way. He tried not to dwell on the hurt he felt at how much shorter his fathers temper was with him these days, and how lightly he had to walk around him. He didn’t want to think about that cold look in his father’s eye the day Tallpaw had been apprenticed. Sandstone clearly still wasn’t thrilled that his son hadn’t pushed harder to begin tunneler training, worried he was wasting his true talents. If he demanded more help, he might use it as an excuse to pull Tallpaw away from Dawnstripe altogether, and it would be even harder to come up with an excuse to get out of it. But…. Maybe this really would be good for the clan. Tallpaw felt himself wilt a bit with frustration at himself. If only he could stop being so preoccupied with his own fears long enough to share in that excitement.

Briarpaw came padding across the clearing toward him and Tallpaw welcomed the distraction. “Hey,” his friend greeted him with a friendly headbutt. “I was going to ask my mother to go on a run, maybe hunt in the heather meadow well away from hostile borders. Have you seen her around?”

 Tallpaw blinked, a bit confused. “Why would you need to ask your mother’s permission to do that? We’re not kits anymore.” 

Briarpaw laughed, “I’m not asking for permission mouse-brain, I’m inviting her! your mother never stops being important just because you grow up, you know.”

Tallpaw was a bit embarrassed. “Oh, right. Of course.”

He never talked to anyone about his relationship with Palebird, and Tallpaw realized then that he hadn’t thought of his mother much at all in some time. He felt on some level that she had done what she needed to do. Their talks were usually awkward and he didn’t even know where she was half the time. There was a bitter-sweet ache in him at how quickly he’d become accustomed to not depending on her. Maybe it was for the best, since he didn’t know if he could handle worrying about pleasing another cat on top of Dawnstripe and Sandstone. 

Briarpaw gracefully continued past the awkward silence Tallpaw had fallen into.  “I’m really looking for a chance to talk to my mother about something. And...actually, I’m glad I caught you, maybe it will be easier to tell you first before Meadowbreeze and the rest of my family. Yesterday, I asked Hawkheart to begin training as a medicine cat.”

Tallpaw stared at him. “Y-you did? But...won’t you miss warrior training?”

 Briarpaw shrugged. “Not really.”

 “It's not because you aren’t very fast is it? There’s other ways to hunt on the moor than just rabbit chasing.”

 Briarpaw shook his head. “I know I could get better, but the reason I’m not improving quickly is because...my heart’s just not in it! It never has been. Shrewpaw badgered me all of our kithood about training together, and I tried, but I've come to realize I just don't have his enthusiasm for this. I've been assisting Hawkheart lately--when he lets me anyway. Did you know he's memorized the names of every plant on the moor and the forest? It's amazing, and he can use things like that to heal. And the things that he knows… Meadowbreeze thinks I have a sight gift.”

Tallpaw cocked his head to the side “You mean that stuff you used to say you saw as a kit?” 

“Well, a lot of young clan cats are more sensitive to visions and messages like that, but they can’t make sense of it without training. If you don’t keep listening for it, it fades away as you grow up. Meadowbreeze told me she had it once, and that’s what happened to her.”

“If it will fade, then you don’t need to worry about it, right?”

“But that's the thing, I don't want it to fade. I want to understand! And now Hawkheart’s told me that Meadowbreeze will be having kits soon, so she probably won’t be able to finish my training anyway. I can't think of a better sign that this is the time. He and Heatherstar agreed to let me try.”

Tallpaw couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. The older apprentices would be warriors soon, too advanced for his beginner sessions, then he'd be stuck with just Shrewpaw and Hareflight. Training with Shrewpaw was fine in moderation, but it quickly got exhausting.

Briarpaw absentmindedly rolled a pebble around on the ground. “I haven't told my family about it yet. My parents and brother were excited about hunting with me as a moor runner. Of course, this is all if I even make it as a medicine cat...Hawkheart has had apprentices fail before.”

Tallpaw watched Briarpaw’s expression and felt his heart twist with sympathy. He could see just from looking at him how important this was to Briarpaw. Of course it was, he’d been fascinated with medicine cat talents all their lives. Tallpaw shoved his disappointment aside and placed a paw on his.

“Hey, if this is what you want, you should do it. You're smart, and you were so good at taking care of my thorns when we were young, there's no way you’ll fail at it. It's a great honor to be a medicine cat, Brackenwing will probably be thrilled! You know Hawkheart isn’t exactly my favorite cat, but that’s probably exactly why he could use someone like you around. I can’t think of anyone more suited to it.”

Briarpaw purred and pressed his muzzle briefly to Talltail’s cheek. “Thank you. I think you’re right, but it’s still nice to hear it. I feel like I was really meant for this in a way I haven’t felt about anything else. And don’t worry, I’m not actually leaving the apprentice den yet until I’m official. Hawkheart does like his space. But on the bright side, if I do move out, you and Shrewpaw won’t have to deal with me muttering in my sleep anymore.”

Tallpaw smiled, but got the feeling Briarpaw was just trying to make him feel better, and he couldn’t deny although he sincerely meant his encouragement, it carried some sadness with it. A medicine cat's path could be lonely. It meant giving up a lot of physical attachments to serve the spiritual needs of the clan, as well as having the health of the clan weighing on him. But Tallpaw knew deep down if any cat had what it took, it was Briarpaw. WindClan would be lucky to have a kinder medicine cat. Yet he also couldn’t help feeling a twinge of envy at the surety in his friend's step as he padded off to find his mother. It must be nice to feel so much certainty that you’re on the right path...

chapter list / previous / next

#FRU10 #chapter 10

[twilights-800-cats]

<< Allegiances || Chapter 22 || Chapter 23 || Chapter 24 || From the Beginning >>

Chapter 23

Shadepaw grimaced at the taste of the marigold the loner had brought. It wasn’t ruined, but she guessed that it must have come from someplace near a Thunderpath from the way it reeked. As she smeared the poultice onto Nightpaw’s leg, she hoped that the smell of the plant didn’t matter when it came to healing her brother’s wound.

“Thank you,” Feathertail purred from behind Shadepaw.

“Aw, it ain’t nothin’,” the loner rasped.

Shadepaw’s ears twitched at his funny way of talking. Did all loners talk like that? Ravenpaw didn’t.

“What should we call you?” Stormfur asked. “You never introduced yourself.”

The loner paused, thinking. Then, he rumbled, “Well… I was known by lots’a names back in the day… the one I liked most though was Purdy. It ain’t nothin’ like your weird names, but it does me just fine.”

“Purdy, then,” Mistyfoot mewed. “Thank you.”

Shadepaw’s frowned, forcing herself to concentrate on her work. She hadn’t meant to overhear Mistyfoot and Stormfur talking in the loft, but once she heard Mistyfoot begin to talk about how Shrewpaw’s death had affected her, something had made Shadepaw stay and listen. I had no idea it still affected her so much! She thought.

But that wasn’t what bothered her most – Mistyfoot felt like Tinystar hated her. That’s not true! Shadepaw thought. Annoyance at Brackenfur and Tinystar rose in her, a surprising feeling once dormant on the journey. She chewed more marigold to perhaps excuse herself if she were to growl at the thought. They wouldn’t listen to me! The mist sign wasn’t a bad omen – and now Mistyfoot is suffering for it.

As she applied another layer of poultice to Nightpaw’s leg, Shadepaw wondered if she should tell Mistyfoot about the sign. Nightpaw, too – the misinterpretation of the vision had affected both cats. It drew on their insecurities, on their shared desire to prove themselves to Tinystar. Would knowing the truth help, or would it hurt? Things like that just weren’t as cut and dry as laying marigold on a wound.

“Boy, that loner sure can talk,” Nightpaw breathed.

Shadepaw blinked back to the present. Purdy was droning on and on, talking about one of his old Twoleg owners. “Yeah,” she agreed. She busied herself with folding fresh cobweb – gathered by Crowpaw – over Nightpaw’s leg.

“You… don’t seem to be listening,” Nightpaw pointed out. “Something’s on your mind, I can feel it.”

“I’m just focusing,” Shadepaw insisted. She touched her nose to her brother’s forehead. “You’re hurt, and I can’t bear it.”

Nightpaw sighed and laid his head down in the straw. “I suppose,” he breathed.

“Get some rest,” Shadepaw told him. “That’s all you can do for now.”

Nightpaw nodded, closing his eyes. Shadepaw turned and stretched before lying down, tucking her paws beneath her. The others were gathered around, listening to Purdy chatter away like a jackdaw. There was something soothing about the rusty mew of the loner cat – it drove away the worries buzzing about in Shadepaw’s head.

“I go from house ‘ta house,” Purdy mewed, “but this place ‘as always been a home ‘ta me. I used ta live near ‘ere with an old Upwalker, but he passed on a while back. Now its just me.”

“So… you’re not a kittypet?” Feathertail surmised.

Purdy shook his head.

“But you go to Twolegs for food,” Crowpaw grunted. He scratched behind one of his ears. “And you shelter with them. Might as well be a kittypet.”

Purdy’s tail flicked. “You’d be a cotton-brained fool ‘ta not take what ya can get ‘round these parts,” the loner defended. “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with being a housecat! I’m happy with how I live my life.”

Crowpaw bristled, but said nothing more. Shadepaw was grateful for that. Purdy was a hospitable cat, there was no reason to harass him.

“So…” Purdy cast his eyes around, looking at the journeying cats with curiosity in his amber gaze. “Who’re y’all?”

“We’re Clan cats,” Feathertail answered. “We come from a forest that’s far away.”

Purdy frowned. “Don’t know nothing ‘bout no Clans,” he admitted. “What’re ya doing so far from home?”

Stoneheart frowned. Shadepaw guessed he was wondering if they should reveal what they were doing to this outsider. Mistyfoot seemed to sense this, too – she nodded to her brother and mewed, “It can’t hurt – plus, he knows this area way better than we do. Maybe he can help?”

“We’re on a mission from StarClan,” Stoneheart explained.

“StarClan?” Purdy repeated, looking confused.

“Our warrior ancestors,” Stormfur elaborated. “When Clan cats die, our spirits go up into the stars to be with them.”

“They send us signs and omens,” Shadepaw put in, “to help guide us.”

Purdy tipped his head. “Huh,” was all he said.

Shadepaw shifted her paws uncomfortably. She hadn’t thought about how odd the Clan’s life and beliefs would sound to an outsider before – she never had to. Even Barley recognized the existence of StarClan, and respected Clan beliefs. Does he think we’re mouse-brained?

“StarClan sent us a message,” Mistyfoot mewed on. “We’re to find a lake, somewhere beyond our territory. Supposedly there’s something there that can help us.”

Purdy blinked. “Well, there’s a lake not far from ‘ere,” he stated. “ ‘Bout two days beyond that there town.”

“Town?” Feathertail repeated. “You mean the Twolegplace?”

Purdy nodded. “Aye.”

“Is there a way to go around the Twolegplace?” Stormfur asked. Hope shimmered in his eyes.

Purdy grimaced. “If yer lookin’ fer speed… no,” he admitted. “It’s always quicker ta go through ‘an go ‘round. It’d take ya’ll four days just to get ‘round it.”

The hope died in Stormfur’s eyes. “Oh,” he sighed.

Shadepaw glanced back at Nightpaw, who was resting. His leg was fine for now, but infection could easily set it in he had to walk on it for too long. Shadepaw frowned.

“Whatever we do… we need to take Nightpaw into account. He’s hurt,” Shadepaw told the others. “He’ll only be able to recover with rest, and he can’t do that if we’re always walking. And if infection sets in…”

“So what should we do?” Stoneheart wondered. “Is it better to cut through the Twolegplace or go around?”

No one had an answer for the ShadowClan tom. Purdy looked around at them all and flicked his tail. “Well, no matter what it sounds like ya’ll need a place ta rest. Yer welcome to my humble home, fer as long as ya’ll need.”

“Is there any place to hunt around here?” asked Crowpaw. “I’m starving.”

“Oh, don’ worry ‘bout it none,” Purdy insisted with a twitch of his whiskers. “I’ll take care’a ya’ll.”

Shadepaw felt affection in her heart for the old loner, and a twinge of sadness. Purdy looked so happy to have cats to care for. From his rumpled fur and how he seemed to talk way too much, Shadepaw guessed it had been a long time since he’d had company.

“We insist on helping,” Stoneheart meowed. He flicked his tail to Feathertail, who got to her paws. “In a Clan, every cat contributes.”

Purdy frowned. “Well, ya’ll don’t know left from right ‘round here – so let me show ya, at least! Don’ need ya runnin’ into them foxes again…”

The old loner led the way out of the barn, Stoneheart and Feathertail following. Shadepaw wished them luck on their hunt. Would Purdy chatter their ears off the whole way? It would be interesting if they came back with any prey, the way that loner prattled on.

“So… what do we do?” Mistyfoot wondered, when the others were gone. She’d turned to the cats remaining, her blue eyes conflicted. “Do we go through the Twolegplace, or around?”

“We shouldn’t go through,” Crowpaw said firmly. “It’s noisy, dangerous, and Twolegs will be everywhere.”

Shadepaw glanced back at Nightpaw, who was still sleeping. She admitted, “Nightpaw will slow us down no matter which way we go. This mission is too important to waste more time than necessary. Maybe Purdy can help us?”

“That old kittypet?” Crowpaw scoffed. “We have then sun and stars for direction – we don’t need some talkative elder to worry about.”

“With just that to guide us, a single cloud or rainy day could put us in circles,” Shadepaw pointed out. “We could use all the help we can get.”

“Shadepaw is right,” Mistyfoot agreed. “I don’t like the idea of going through the Twolegplace, but if Purdy can help us, we should take it. The Twolegplace shortcut would get us to the lake much faster, even with Nightpaw’s injury. Stormfur?”

Stormfur frowned. The gray tom hadn’t said a thing the whole time, but he looked deep in thought. Shadepaw found her heart beating as she wondered what he’d decide.

“We can’t make a decision until the others have said their peace,” Stormfur pointed out. “Let’s wait until they return. There’ll be fresh-kill, and we’ll have all night to think about it.”

“Sounds fair enough,” Crowpaw grunted. “But don’t think I’ll change my mind.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Stormfur purred.

Whatever we decide, Shadepaw thought, it needs to be sooner, rather than later – for Nightpaw’s sake, and the sake of the Clans.

———————————————————-

Moonhigh had come when each cat had eaten their fill, and all of the journeying cats and Purdy were stretched out in the hay, each in their own makeshift nests. Nightpaw was still sleeping, and Shadepaw and the others were content to keep it that way – they were discussing their options and opinions on the far side of the barn, in hushed tones. Crowpaw dozed nearby, having already dug his heels into his own thoughts on the matter.

“The shortcut is a risk we might have to take,” Stoneheart whispered. “I definitely don’t want to run into any more foxes out here.”

After a moment, Feathertail nodded. “But is it the right decision?” she wondered. “There are just as many dangers in a Twolegplace – Thunderpaths, Twolegs, rogues…”

“I wish we had a sign,” Shadepaw sighed.

“Me, too,” Stormfur admitted.

Crowpaw’s head shot up from his nest, his blue eyes wide. “Guys,” he breathed.

Shadepaw blinked at the WindClan apprentice. Something about his entire body seemed different than Crowpaw’s usual demeanor.

“What’sit now, youngster?” Purdy mewed. “Quiet fer Nightpaw, y’hear?”

Crowpaw ignored him, turning his piercing blue gaze to the Clan cats. “I just dreamed of the lake,” he meowed. “It was full of stars… and I heard the prophecy.”

“Dreams, prophecy?” Purdy repeated, looking baffled. “Huh?”

Shadepaw’s heart soared. “A sign!” she breathed, looking at the others. StarClan had answered their dilemma!

“Did the prophecy change at all?” Mistyfoot questioned.

Crowpaw shook his head. “No, but it sounded more urgent.”

“Then we need to go through Twolegplace,” Stormfur decided. “StarClan wouldn’t sound so urgent if we weren’t running out of time.”

Purdy stared at them all as if they were suddenly ducks. “Ya’ll are decidin’ this… based on a dream?”

“We told you, StarClan sends us signs,” Feathertail told him. “They just spoke to Crowpaw!”

Purdy did not look any more understanding. Shadepaw felt for him – didn’t loners or rogues have any sort of ancestors looking out for them? What happened to their spirits when they died? What guided them through difficult times?

“Can you help us through Twolegplace, Purdy?” Stormfur wondered. “We’ve imposed on you already, but your help would be greatly appreciated.”

“Ah…” Purdy hesitated. Then he sighed, his whiskers twitching. “A’course, youngsters. I’ll help.”

Thank StarClan, Shadepaw thought, relief flooding her. She couldn’t imagine how lost they’d get if they had to wander that Twolegplace without a guide. The others looked just as pleased, even Crowpaw, who had before wanted nothing to do with the idea of the shortcut.

“We’ll go sunset tomorrow,” Purdy decided. “Nightpaw can git his strength up, an’ Upwalkers are a lot less active ‘round that time.”

Stoneheart frowned, not looking pleased with the delay – Crowpaw wasn’t happy, either. Even Mistyfoot looked annoyed. But no cat could complain, not when Purdy was being so kind as to help.

“It’s decided, then,” Stormfur mewed. “We’ll get as much rest and food as possible between now and then. We’re almost there!”

The others purred at the thought, but Shadepaw saw the worry flickering in all their eyes. Yes, they were closer to the lake, and they were on the right path… but what would they find when they got there?

What was StarClan’s message?

#tb au #tb midnighit