Their first moon was…difficult. All Geodeweed wanted was for her mate to comfort her. Her nightmares were bad, but Wolfslash was never there. He said he was out hunting but he never brought anything back. Geodeweed never felt more alone.
Wolfslash didn’t know what to do. They needed food, but he could barely find a single mouse. He was up early and come back late, never getting sleep because what if they find them? Wolfslash knew of his mate’s nightmares and he wanted to comfort her, but what could he say? He felt so useless. He couldn’t find food, he can’t comfort his mate, he can’t protect her, he can’t he can’t he can’t he can’t-
He can’t let these thoughts control him, he has to be strong; at least for now. Geodeweed needs him, and he will be there for her. He curls up in their nest and is there when she wakes.
The second moon was…better. Not great, but it was better. It was quiet. Geodeweed and Wolfslash sat and talked, about everything. They now have a tentative plan, and understand each other better.
the third moon was interesting. While patrolling and marking their new borders, they met a Flowerclan apprentice. At first Wolfslash is suspicious. Is this a Flowerclan spy coming to find them? But the young cat begged them to stay. She left not long after Geodeweed and Wolfslash did, following their scent. Geodeweed recognizes the apprentice as Chamoispaw, the daughter of Dovebreak. Wolfslash agrees to let Chamoispaw stay, although suspicious of the apprentice’s story.
Chamoispaw has joined the Refuge.
The fourth moon leaves Wolfslash and Chamoispaw the only cats available. Geodeweed is so haunted by the memories of the past, she gets so little sleep she can barely function. While Wolfslash is still hesitant to trust Chamoispaw, he can’t deny her willingness to help Geodeweed. She gets the hang of hunting in a mountainous area quicker than he has, and has also found poppy seeds to give to Geodeweed. Chamoispaw feels awkward around Wolfslash, knowing of his distrust of her. Though she feels his walls falling with each patrol they do together.
The fifth moon was a challenge for Chamoispaw. Wolfslash’s joints on his weak leg were inflamed and painful, leaving him in too much pain to hunt. He spent most of his time with Geodeweed, even being able to make her laugh. He missed that laugh…Chamoispaw did her best to care for both cats, though she didn’t know how to help Wolfslash’s leg. Wolfslash says he is proud of her.
Hope finally shows its face in the sixth moon. Geodeweed finally feels much better. She also announces that she is pregnant! Geodeweed is the happiest that Chamoispaw has ever seen her. Wolfslash is glowing, an expression the apprentice has never seen on his usually grumpy face.
Now that their little refuge is growing, they all decide that they need a leader. By unanimous vote by Geodeweed and Chamoispaw, Wolfslash is voted as the leader of the Refuge. His first act as leader is to promote Chamoisdawn as a warrior. She has proven herself as a cat who cares deeply for others and that she is not what Flowerclan wanted to make her. Geodedawn is promoted to deputy. Before he gains his nine lives, Wolfslash has to find a point of contact with Starclan, though he isn’t sure if Starclan can reach this far.
The seventh moon feels monumental. Now that his joint pain is gone, Wolfslash is spending most of his time looking for a Starclan contact. He hates being away from his pregnant mate, especially since she moved into the nursery, but he trusts Chamoisdawn to get Geodeweed to a safe place if they were to be attacked. It takes several days before Wolfslash finds a cave hidden by ivy. He hears whispers, and when he enters, he can feel the presence of cats long gone. Gempaw steps forward and Wolfslash feels hope so strong, he almost collapsed. Gempaw explained that she and a few Starclan cats hated how Rosestar and her family had been running Flowerclan; and when Wolfslash and Geodeweed has left, Gempaw and these cats followed them.
Wolfslash had never felt more relieved. Their little group had supporters. They weren’t on their own anymore. The Nine Lives ceremony begins, and as Gempaw gives Wolfslash a life for hope, the cats around them shout out his new name, Wolfstar.
On the eighth moon, Geodeweed gives birth to two little kittens. Named Hopekit and Faithkit, their parents hope that these kits will never experience what they had to go through.
Their family expands in the ninth moon. During a patrol, Chamoisdawn and Wolfstar found an abandoned five moon old kit. The kit was chilled and weak. Chamoisdawn rushed the kitten to Geodedawn while Wolfstar checked if the parents were around or if any other kittens were left behind. Geode manages to warm the kit up and gets him fed with some leftover prey. His name is Oak, and he says his family hasn’t been around in awhile. Geodeweed promises him a place in the Refuge and she and Wolfstar decide to adopt Oakkit.
Oakkit has joined the Refuge.
During the tenth moon, Oakoaw is apprenticed and mentored by Wolfstar. On their first training session, they come across a loner on the Refuge’s territory. They talk for awhile and the cat interfaces herself as Swift. She agrees to join the Refuge, and with her medicinal knowledge, is made the healer of the Refuge, taking the name Swiftbird.
The eleventh moon is quiet and peaceful. Geodeweed has recovered from giving birth and heads out on a nature walk. She comes across a cat wandering around. He tries to speak with them, but they run off before she gets too close.
The Refuge has meet Fluffy.
After a year, Geodeweed finally sees a bright future. She has three wonderful kits to be proud of, has met such wonderful cats in Chamoisdawn and Swiftbird, and she is finally free from the tyranny of Rosestar. Even though she stills suffers nightmares, they can finally work toward something better.
