#amberpaw

Today was his warrior ceremony. A little under a moon since Flintfur had died, and now... Everything felt strange. Wrong.

Goldstar and Jackdawnudge had recovered from their grief, or mostly, Yellowpaw and Quailpaw seemed steadier, Skypelt was doing wonderfully in her role as deputy... But the clan felt different, felt off, and Amberpaw knew it was because Flintfur was gone. The structure of the clan he had grown up with his whole life had changed drastically and suddenly.

He couldn't remember Firkit and Shrewkit dying. He couldn't remember when Ashtalon had died. So in ways, death was new to him, and he did not like the way it rattled the clan. Yes, there had been dead loners and kittypets and so forth, but they hadn't been cats he had known all his life.

He groomed, watching as the sun came above the horizon, and Skypelt emerged from the warriors' den, Quietback soon following after her. Amberpaw watched them and Skypelt headed straight for him, settling down beside him.

"Today is a big day for you, Amberpaw." she purred, drawing her tongue over his ears.

Thorns pricked Amberpaw's skin beneath his pelt and his stomach churned, especially as she began to groom him, his chest seizing up a little. He shied away from her quickly, knowing it hurt her, but Skypelt just didn't seem to understand what touch could do to him.

"I can groom myself, I'm grown." he mumbled as a poor excuse.

"You'll always be my kit." Skypelt said, but she made no move to try to touch him again.

Amberpaw made a noise that meant really nothing, just kept grooming, and Skypelt looked at him.

"I am so proud of you. You've done so well at your training; you will be a great warrior from the start. I've known it since you were little." she said and Amberpaw resisted the urge to lay back his ears.

He hated when she talked like this, like he was the best and strongest warrior there was, that he was going to be, and it wasn't because his father was Ashtalon or anything like that. No, she was just convinced of it, and he still hated it. Even on the day of his ceremony, she wasn't going to shut up about it.

Luckily, the rest of the clan was waking up, Buzzardglide was swapping with Furledseed, and the dawn patrol would soon be done.

Yellowlily led the dawn patrol, taking Stoneleaf, Almondfern, Pumaspot, Gillfeather, and Quailpaw with her, the group coating themselves in protection, and the day went from there.

Rainwatcher ready, Wasp and Lester going out to get herbs, Plumsong checking on Goldstar and Jackdawnudge, and Lester's litter bursting from the nursery, galloping over to Amberpaw before he could walk over to Skypelt to be assigned to hunting.

"It's your ceremony! Right? Right?" Whimsykit all but screamed at him, sitting down in front of him.

Amberpaw didn't mind the kits; they had learned from the start that he didn't like to be touched and had never, not once, touched a hair on his pelt.

Three moons old, the ginger-furred trio looked up at him with huge eyes and sat in a neat line (or as neat as they could manage) in front of him, and Amberpaw nodded.

"I want a ceremony!" Leafkit proclaimed, and just like that, the little kits began playing with each other.

Amberpaw was forgotten and he purred a little, moving off.

The ceremony would be happening before sunhigh and he wasn't assigned any patrol, feeling a flash of envy as Tulippaw and Fogpaw went out to hunt with their mentors. He supposed no one wanted him to get dirty for his ceremony, which irked him just a little. He didn't care.

He checked the camp instead, Quietback helping him make sure the dens were as solid as usual, and before he knew it, patrols were back, prey was brought, and everyone had eaten. Then it was time for the ceremony and Goldstar climbed into the branches of her den, Amberpaw noting that her grief seemed to have aged her this past moon.

She seemed a little stiffer, a little slower, but Amberpaw said nothing. Skypelt sat beside him, Civetbeak on the other side, and Quietback was near him, too, Goldstar's gaze sweeping over the clan.

"My clan, it has been hard these past nine moons, especially this last moon, but despite it, we are all enduring. And today, we are welcoming Amberpaw as a fully fledged warrior. Amberpaw, step forward." Goldstar said, her eyes landing on him.

They were full of fondness and Amberpaw hated that all eyes were on him (yet again), but he stepped forward. He really realized how much he had grown as he stood up next to Skypelt and Civetbeak; he was not as tall as some cats, but he was large and muscular, and he was big.

He stepped forward and took his place in front of the bare tree, dipping his head to Goldstar respectfully.

"Amberpaw, Civetbeak has confided in me that you have done well in your training, and I have seen it for myself. Today, you will be a warrior. Do you promise to protect and defend your clan, and uphold the code of the clans, for as long as you serve as a warrior?" Goldstar asked, looking down at him.

"I do." Amberpaw said without hesitation.

In ways, it didn't feel like that big of a deal. He would just be serving his clan like he had been before, with a new name and more duties. Skypelt had pounded it into his head since he was a kit that he would be a warrior some day, a great one, and while he wasn't sure of that greatness, he was a warrior.

What else would he be, really? He didn't like touching cats and had no interest in herbs. He certainly couldn't be a queen, and mediating as not his strong suit (Wiggity Whacks had given him a few lessons and they had not gone well).

He was pretty sure that most cats didn't feel this sort of indifference toward their warrior ceremonies, but he did.

"Then I, Goldstar, leader of Hyacinthclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this cat, and recognize him as a full warrior of our clan. From this moment forward, for his spirit, he will be known as Amberleaf. Welcome, Amberleaf, as a full warrior of Hyacinthclan." Goldstar said, leaping down to rest her muzzle on top of his head.

"Amberleaf! Amberleaf! Amberleaf!" the clan chanted, Skypelt's voice the loudest of all.

Amberpaw- Amberleaf dipped his head, pulling away from Goldstar as quickly as he could. Yellowpaw had helped him practice for days so he wouldn't flinch away from Goldstar as he had during his apprentice ceremony.

As he sat there, his clan chanting his name, Amberleaf felt that old flash of pain, like he had when he had been apprentice. Why couldn't Copsespots and Ashtalon be here with him? Why couldn't he be getting his name alongside Firkit and Shrewkit? He knew why, but it all still left a bitterness and sadness in him. And could they even see him? With Starclan mostly gone?

It wasn't exactly fair to feel this way and it was different than when he had been a little kit, but Amberleaf still felt that anger, bitterness, and sadness. He tried to shake it off as the ceremony concluded and his clanmates' voiced faded, and turned to the cats who were coming to personally congratulate him.

Skypelt was, of course, the first.

"I'm so proud of you, Amberleaf. You are going to be a great warrior, I know it." she said, rubbing against him affectionatey.

Amberleaf flinched away and recoiled, flattening his ears, and Skypelt looked startled for a moment, Quietback murmuring something to her, and she shook herself. Didn't apologize, didn't say anything to him, and Amberpaw gritted his teeth against this.

"Thank you." he said instead, though he didn't want to hear about how she thought he was going to be great any more.

"Here. I want you to have this." Skypelt said, taking something from Quietback.

Amberleaf looked curiously at the leaf bundle and used his claw to peel back the edge of it, revealing nettles carefully assembled into something to wear, similar to Jackdawnudge's lavender.

"Thank you." he said again, blinking.

"Let me help you put it on." Skypelt said, picking it up.

Amberleaf let her and she fixed it behind his ear, the long strands tickling his fur, and it felt strange, but he smiled. Maybe Skypelt wasn't perfect, but she tried, and she was his mother.

"You look so handsome." Skypelt said, smiling at him, and Amberleaf smiled back.

Then she moved on, as more of the clan (not the whole clan, thankfully) wanted to talk to him. Civetbeak was next and he purred at Amberleaf.

"I'm proud of you, too. I'm sorry I wasn't able to train you for so much of your apprenticeship, but you deserve this." Civetbeak said, a pang of regret in his voice.

"You trained me well." Amberleaf assured him, because Civetbeak had.

It hadn't been his fault that his wound had been so bad. And Amberleaf appreciated what Civetbeak had taught him, even though the tom had been so strict with him.

Civetbeak said nothing else, just gave him a nod, and moved on. Stoneleaf, back from her turn as a Firekeeper, smiled at him, looking as proud as if he were own; she had nursed him briefly, and Amberleaf couldn't forget that even if he couldn't actually remember it. Amberleaf permitted a light touching of their noses and shuddered internally, but he had nursed from her and he could stand.

Finally, after a few more clanmates, including Goldstar herself, Quietback was the only one left.

Amberleaf, after all this time, honestly wasn't sure what to think of Quietback most of the time. He knew Quietback had been his father's best friend, that they had been the last kits of one of the clans that had formed Hyacinthclan, taken care of by Goldstar and Flintfur.

But the cat had always almost avoided him outside patrols, and Amberleaf often caught him observing him from a distance, like he was afraid of him, almost. Cats told Amberleaf he looked a lot like his father, and that he acted similar, too. He thought maybe the perceived resemblance was painful for the cat.

No one had been closer to Ashtalon than Quietback, after all, except for Copsespots.

"Hey, kit. I know you probably don't want to hear it, but... Well, I know your parents would be proud of you. Not like Skypelt is, not how she is... But... They're looking at you know, and they know. Just... Well, I just want you to know that, all right?" Quietback said awkwardly and Amberleaf nodded.

"But you're also your own cat. Remember that." Quietback added and that made Amberleaf prick his ears.

No one had ever really said that to him. His clanmates had fussed and fawned over him for most of his life, because of the tragedies he didn't even remember, and he knew why, he understood. But being told that he wasn't just a legacy or a great warrior, well...

Amberleaf reached tentatively and placed his paw on top of Quietback's tentatively, his pads prickling like thorns were sticking in them, but he managed it. To his surprise, Quietback jerked his paw back before he did, the hairs on his pelt rising for a second, and then he shook his head.

"Well, I shouldn't keep you from patrols." he said quickly and hurried off, leaving Amberleaf staring after him.

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Amberleaf sat his vigil that night, taking the role of rainwatcher, and he had to blow the conch, but the rainfall was brief. No cat was injured, nothing damaged or lost.

In the morning, it was nice and clear and Amberpaw was able to sleep until almost sunhigh, and then he joined patrols. Goldstar was having a rough time today, still not entirely recovered from the loss of Flintfur, and Civetbeak's leg was acting up, so he volunteered to take Yellowpaw for her training.

No one protested, and he had been training with her for her entire apprenticeship, after all.

Amberleaf took her to the little clearing where all Hyacinthclan apprentices learned their battle moves and as they walked, he began to notice that Yellowpaw seemed.. Off.

He stopped the patrol as soon as he did.

"Yellowpaw, is something wrong?" he asked, though he suspected it might have been related to Flintfur.

She and Quailpaw had been putting on brave faces, but he knew they both missed their father terribly.

"I..." Yellowpaw said, sitting down, hunching her shoulders.

"You can talk to me, Yellowpaw. I'll listen. I might not be the best at talking, but I can listen." Amberleaf offered, coming to sit down beside her.

Yellowpaw studied the ground.

"Is it Flintfur?" Amberleaf asked.

"...No."

Amberleaf didn't press and they sat in there in silence for a little bit, Yellowleaf finally speaking.

"It's... I've been having nightmares lately." she said, scuffing her paws on the ground.

The blue feathers Flintfur had given her stood out in her tail fur, catching Amberleaf's eye as she flicked her tail, and he pricked his ears when she mentioned nightmares.

"What sort of nightmares?" he asked, wondering if it was actually about Flintfur.

It could have been, after all, because Amberleaf himself certainly had had nightmares about what had happened afterward.

"I... They're... I can't really describe them. But they're always the same. They're filled with shadows and rainfall and... And things." Yellowpaw said, whispering the last part.

"What sort of things?" Amberleaf asked carefully.

"They look like cats. Prey. Twolegs. But they aren't. They're black, like smoke or fog, just floating in the shapes. Things trail off them and they're just there. Then some of them are solid and these black waves come, swallowing up everything. The clan and the camp and..." Yellowpaw said, shuddering.

"I think they're Unseen. Because they eat a cat and then there is a Silencing, and... Oh, Amberleaf, it's terrible! I tried to tell Jackdawnudge but I didn't know what to do and why would Starcaln give me a prophecy or a vision... And there is this thing in the ocean. I don't know what it is." she continued and this made Amberleaf paused.

"Can you see it? This thing in the ocean?" he asked carefully.

"I... It's dark and it has tentacles, like an octopus. They reach out and they grab at cats, it pulls itself with them... And the black swallows it up again. Black in the ocean." Yellowpaw answered and Amberleaf's heart thumped.

That was the thing he had seen the first time he had died, swimming in the ocean toward him. And the nightmares sounded like some he had had before. So it wasn't just him...

"I don't like it! I'm afraid to sleep and I don't want to, and I'm so scared... What if they are real? What if all that stuff happens? I hate this, Amberleaf!" Yellowpaw said, beginning to cry.

Amberleaf took a breath and pressed against her, wrapping his tail around her, and Yellowpaw stiffened against him at this.

"I have nightmares like that, too. I don't know if they're a prophecy or something for Starclan or just dreams, but I have them, too." he said, his skin prickling, but... Touching Yellowpaw was all right.

"You do?"

"Uh-huh."

"Have you told anyone about them? Like the medicine cats?" Yellowpaw asked.

"No." Amberleaf admitted, shaking his head.

"Why not?"

"I was scared. I wasn't sure how. And then it just... Nothing has actually come true. I think they're just dreams." Amberleaf answered, having no better explanation.

Maybe other cats would have told the medicines cats, their mentors, someone, but with everything that was going on and everything that was already strange about him, he just hadn't been able to do it.

He really wasn't sure why, other than he was pretty sure he wasn't normal.

"Do you think I should?" Yellowpaw asked and Amberleaf considered it.

"Maybe talk to Goldstar. She is the leader, and your mother." he suggested after a moment.

"Did you tell Skypelt?" Yellowpaw asked, looking up at him.

"...No."

"But she's your mother." Yellowpaw pointed out and Amberleaf shook his head.

"It's... Look, it's complicated, Yellowpaw. But we're different cats and if you think you should talk to one of the medicine cats or Goldstar, then you should. Just because I haven't doesn't mean that you have to do the same." he said and Yellowpaw nodded.

"You... You have nightmares a lot. Is that what you dream about?" she asked after a long moment.

"Yes." Amberleaf said, as there was no point in lying.

"You could have told me." Yellowpaw said softly.

"Well, I've told you now." Amberleaf said gruffly and Yellowpaw laughed softly.

"Look, whatever you decide to do, whether you tell anyone else or not, you can talk to me, Yellowpaw. I might not have answers, but I can listen." Amberleaf added and she leaned against him more.

"Thank you." she murmured and Amberleaf nodded, keeping her tail around her until she was ready to go back on patrol.

Nettle's meaning across various languages of flowers: Cruelty, deep pain, cause of great pain, slander, spitefullness, protection, danger

11/18/2025-11/24/2025

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He glanced at the older warriors, feeling worried that they would scold him for what he had done, but they did not. Yellowlily nodded approvingly and Quietback thanked him, beginning to help him dry Flintfur.

They ate, rested, drank, and then moved on, Flintfur still stiff on their shoulders. It was slow progress and they watched the sky in fear of clouds, but no rainfall came. No Unseen, no rainfall, no anything that was concerning or worrying.

They arrived at the caves after sunrise and their presence was quickly noted, Aphidrise appearing after an unfamiliar cat disappeared into the Burning Caves.

He let out a pained cry when he saw Flintfur's body.

"Flintfur! What- What happened?!" Aphidrise cried, his eyes wide.

Amberpaw had never seen him so shocked, never heard him so loud- Aphidrise was so quiet and calm that half the time he forgot the cat was even there. Aphidrise had been very enthusiastic to volunteer to be a Firekeeper.

"Let's get in the cave first." Yellowlily said, drawing her tailtip over Aphidrise's flank.

He nodded, walking shakily with them, and the rest of the Firekeepers looked shocked when they entered. Everyone had known Flintfur and respected him, it seemed, and Amberpaw did his best to explain, even though he didn't want to.

The inside of the cave was hot, the fire burning bright and hot at the back, and a side tunnel smelled oddly damp, Stoneleaf emerging and letting out a cry of her own before Amberpaw got far in his explanation.

She nuzzled Flintfur and then leaned into Aphidrise, and Amberpaw lost track of the other cats, their names just not registering in his mind.

Two from each clan, ten cats in total, and they held their own, brief vigil for Flintfur, but then it was time.

Aphidrise and Stoneleaf picked up his body and took it to the pit of fire, heaving it in, and something in Amberpaw cringed. He didn't look, didn't want to see the flames swallowing Flintfur up, and then Aphidrise ran off. He came back with bright marigold flowers in his jaws and placed them near the edge of pit, along with hyacinth and periwinkles.

"What are the flowers for?" Amberpaw asked, tilting his head.

"A gift since we can't sit vigil. We decided it together." Aphidrise said, delicately picking up a marigold.

He tossed it into the flames and Stoneleaf did the same, as did the rest of the Firekeepers.

Amberpaw, Quietback, and Yellowlily did the same, Amberpaw picking up one of the purple hyacinths, so familiar to him, and tossing it toward the dark shape of Flintfur.

It landed and soon caught, and the thirteen cats stood on the edge of the fire, until the scent of burning flesh and the heat got to be too much.

Then the Firekeepers led them down the side tunnel, which was longer than expected, and Amberpaw was surprised to find a spring in a smaller cavern, surrounded by moss and a few patches of plants, likely due to the hole in the roof that allowed sunlight in.

They all settled down to rest and Amberpaw saw nests here, along with mossballs, and the flowers, too.

He curled up and took a deep breath, an overwhelming feeling of sadness and guilt filling him, though he knew Flintfur's death hadn't been his fault. One of them had been likely to die, and Flintfur had decided to take that into his own paws so that Amberpaw and Yellowpaw would live.

That was a warrior. That was a deputy. And Amberpaw knew he would do his best not only to live up to Ashtalon's legacy, but Flintfur's, too.

But for now, he listened to the gentle talk of the Firekeepers and curled up on the soft moss, letting himself grieve for Flintfur.

10/29/2025-10/31/2025

Flowers and meanings (in the language of flowers version I use):

Marigolds: Grief

Hyacinth (purple): Forgiveness, please forgive me

Periwinkles: Tender recollections

"Run! Go, head for the hills! There should be a cave!" Flintfur ordered and they began to run.

Yellowpaw was the slowest of them, but Flintfur and Amberpaw stuck with her, and Amberpaw stopped to blow the conch before racing after them. They ran, swerving, looking around, and finally Amberpaw spotted a small niche up ahead, a spot under an overhang... But the way up was a slick wall of rock.

"There!" he called, jerking his muzzle, and Flintfur nodded.

"Get up there, Amberpaw, and I'll give you Yellowpaw." he ordered and Amberpaw didn't argue.

The rain came over them before they reached it, however, and Amberpaw shuddered, but their protection was working.

He scrambled and clawed his way up the quickly wetted stones and got up, digging his claws in. He turned and reached down, Flintfur trying to carry Yellowpaw up with him, and the pair slid down

"Papa, let me climb!" Yellowpaw cried, wriggling in his jaws.

Flintfur released her and climbed right behind her, shoving her up with a paw when she slipped, and Amberpaw managed to catch her scruff. He heaved and hauled her up, her paws churning, and then they were under the shelter.

"Papa, hurry!" Yellowpaw said, reaching out, but Amberpaw kicked her back.

"Let me." he grunted as Flintfur slipped down, his protection beginning to bleed off.

"Flintfur, come on!" Amberpaw said, stretching, digging his claws into the rocks.

Flintfur did his best, but then he paused, staring at the sky, and Amberpaw followed his gaze.

A rainbow was in the sky, but it was not like any rainbow Amberpaw had seen. It was a perfect circle sitting in the dark cloud of rainfall, shining like an outline of the sun, oddly bright, and he stared for a moment.

Then he yowled at Flintfur, who was still having trouble getting up, and then a... Sense... Washed over him, his fur prickling, an awareness washing over him, like he could tell that a cat had just come close. But it hadn't.

There was no cat, no other animals, nothing, and then...

"Flintfur." he whispered, spotting pawprints pressing into the earth close behind the cat.

Huge pawprints, bleeding black into them when what was making them lifted, filling with rainfall, and Flintfur saw it, too.

"Papa. Papa-"

"Shh! Be quiet, be still!" Flintfur hissed and looked up at Amberpaw.

"Protect her." he said, his blue eyes shining, and Amberpaw realized what he was going to do.

Flintfur let himself slide down the rocks and onto the ground; he couldn't make it up without moving, and the rainfall was going to run through his protection sooner rather than later.

"P-" Yellowpaw began, but Amberpaw grabbed her.

He risked it, flattening her beneath him, watching as Flintfur yowled, turning, skittering across the ground, the Unseen, as they had started to call them, following him, its pawprints suddenly changing direction.

Yellow was shaking beneath him and Amberpaw shifted a paw over his muzzle, draping himself over Yellowpaw to muffle her breathing, holding as still as he could.

He watched as Flintfur yowled and unsheathed his claws, and then the Unseen pounced. A blow sent Flintfur flying and he skidded across the ground, and he got up as the pawprints approached.

Amberpaw watched as a blow ripped through Flintfur's protection and pelt, drawing blood, and Flintfur moved further back, drawing the Unseen away from them, and...

Flintfur fought bravely, but he couldn't take the Unseen alone. He took a huge blow across his shoulder, scarlet pouring from it, and another across his flank. And Amberpaw knew he should obey, because Flintfur was the deputy, a senior warrior, and his mentor, but he couldn't. Especially when Yellowpaw got her head out from under him, saw what was happening, and screamed.

"PAPA!"

"Stay here!" Amberpaw ordered and launched himself from the shelter.

He landed heavily on the ground and yowled, drawing the Unseen's attention away from Yellowpaw, and Flintfur mimicked him.

Maybe they could distract it until it went away, the one on the beach had gone away-

Flintfur leapt on something invisible and attacked viciously, clawing, biting, fighting like a true warrior, but the blood was pouring fast from his wounds, and Amberpaw could see that his exposed fur and skin around the wounds looked wrong.

The rainfall. The rainfall was making the injuries worse, was hurting him like that deer. Amberpaw took a blow himself, his blood spilling onto the ground, but Flintfur was there to protect him, drawing the Unseen away, but then he was lifted off the ground, writhing, trying to get away-

It was going to eat him. And Amberpaw lost it.

Something in him snapped and he yowled, launching himself forward, blood splattering from his wound onto the Unseen, making parts of it somewhat visible, and-

A cry, high and mournful, and then suddenly Flintfur was falling, Amberpaw was falling, and the Unseen was... Gone.

No more pawprints were pressed into the earth and the rainfall was letting up, Amberpaw running over to Flintfur.

He was lying on the ground, sides heaving, and there was so much blood. The rainfall had made the wounds bleed faster and there was blood everywhere, Amberpaw pressing his paws against the worst one desperately.

"Flintfur-"

"Yel... Yellow...?" Flintfur wheezed, sides heaving jaggedly, his breathing wrong, his voice too soft.

"Safe. She's safe." Amberpaw promised, the blood flowing sluggishly beneath his paws.

The rainfall was almost gone now, the sky lightening, the clouds disappearing as quickly as they had come, and Flintfur's head shifted a little, like he was nodding.

"Papa! Papa, Papa, Papa!" Yellowpaw cried, appearing next to them, looking down at her father.

Flintfur's eyes locked on her, and she pressed her head against his, shaking, Flintfur returning the gesture, and then he went still. His sides stopped heaving and his eye unfocused growing vacant, and Amberpaw's heart lurched.

"Flintfur?" he said, lowering his head to the other cat's mouth, but no breath met his ear.

"Papa...?" Yellowpaw whispered, her voice small and frightened.

"He's gone, Yellowpaw." Amberpaw said gently, swallowing hard.

Yellowpaw let out a high-pitched wail and buried her face in Flintfur's side, crying softly, and Amberpaw sat with her.

Her sat with her until the sky fully cleared and everything was normal again, the vegetation around them wrong for the season, and then he could give her no more time.

"We have to go, Yellowpaw. We have to take him back to camp." he said, pulling himself together.

It took some effort, but he roused her and gave her the conch, and they got Flintfur's limp body on his back. Amberpaw refused to drag him, and going for help would take too long.

He walked, bearing the weight of his dead clanmate, and Yellowpaw walked beside him, both of them mourning silently as they walked.

It seemed to take forever, but finally they reached camp, and Skypelt was the first to see them.

"We heard the conch-" she began, stopping when she got a good look at them.

"Oh, Starclan! What happened?!" she exclaimed, rushing over to them.

Amberpaw didn't stop until he reached the medicine cats' den, but the clan, those in camp, had already seen and were gathering, Jackdawnudge freezing when he saw them.

"Flintfur." he gasped, rushing over.

He helped Amberpaw lay the body on the ground and Yellowpaw collapsed, Lester rushing over to her.

"Where is Goldstar?" Amberpaw asked, swallowing.

He felt... Numb.

"She and Pumaspot are returning kits to Weedclan's camp." Almondfern replied from the entrance of the den.

"What happened?" Skypelt repeated as Jacknudge examined Flintfur.

Amberpaw explained as Plumsong fussed over his wound and it felt merciful that Quailpaw was out with Gillfeather, though Yellowpaw could have used her family right now.

The entire clan that was in the camp seemed to be crowded in or around the medicine cats' den, and grief was heavy in the air. Amberpaw swallowed hard, but he forced himself to be strong, because right now he knew what had happened and he didn't want Yellowpaw to have to recount it at any point.

"We need to take him." Quietback said softly after a long silence.

"We can't even have a vigil?!" Yellowpaw cried, jerking away from Lester.

"This was discussed-"

"He deserves a vigil!" Yellowpaw cried, Lester gently wrapping around her.

"We can say goodbye to him, little one, he just can't stay here so long. That's all." she soothed, but it didn't seem to help.

The warriors started talking and Yellowlily slipped in, comforting Yellowpaw, and before long, Quailpaw arrived back with Gillfeather. Amberpaw didn't know who told him, but the crowd of cats parted and the apprentice ran through, his gray-and-white pelt on end.

"Papa! Oh, Papa!" Quailpaw cried, rushing to Flintfur's side.

He cautiously nosed his father and his face crumpled, but he didn't linger by the body. Instead, he went to Yellowpaw, and he curled up beside her, leaning on her, his eyes round.

"What happened?" he asked, voice choked.

Amberpaw explained, but he hadn't finished by the time Goldstar and Pumaspot returned, and Goldstar rushed through as well, stopping in front of her mate's body.

"Flintfur. No. No, no, no." she whispered, dropping down beside the body.

She buried her nose in his muddy pelt and her kits crept over, nestling on either side of her, and Amberpaw started over. He swallowed hard again when he finished, and Quietback spoke.

"Goldstar, we need to take him now, just in case. It's not an easy journey and night will fall..." he began gently.

"Mama? Mama, are you okay?" Quailpaw was saying, and Plumsong rushed over.

Something was wrong with Goldstar; she was shaking violently, even more violently than Yellowpaw, and she reacted fiercely when Plumsong tried to pull her away from Flintfur.

Yellowlily and Lester herded Yellowpaw and Quailpaw away and between them, Wasp and Plumsong took Goldstar away to the more private part of the den. Wasp emerged to get herbs, and it seemed to take a long time before Plumsong emerged.

"Goldstar is in shock right now. She isn't... She can't... She won't be able to take Flintfur, or name a deputy." he said gravely and murmurs went through the camp.

"It's only right if she takes him." Lester protested.

"We can't wait that long. We can't risk it. You know how soon after they buried Dashclaw it happened." Plumsong said sharply.

"I want to take him. I'll take him." Yellowpaw croaked, her eyes still wide.

"No, little one. You can't. You and your brother are too young; you would never make it." Almondfern said, shaking his head.

"He was my mentor. I will take him." Quietback said, his voice raw with grief.

"I would take him. He trained me well. But I can't make it that far. Not quickly." Civetbeak said, sitting beside Amberpaw.

His voice was heavy, too.

"I'll go." Amberpaw volunteered and everyone looked at him.

"I carried him here, and I'm fast and strong. I can go with Quietback." Amberpaw continued firmly.

"And I'll go as well. Three will be easier so someone can switch." Yellowlily put in, and that was it. "While you're gone, we will appoint a temporary deputy until Goldstar is able. And if she still isn't, the medicine cats and Wiggity Wacks will confer." Plumsong said, and no one protested.

Amberpaw was coated in fresh protected and Yellowlily and Quietback followed suit. They let the clan say a brief goodbye, but then they left, Quietback and Amberpaw carrying Flintfur between them.

Yellowlily took the lead and Amberpaw glanced back, seeing Yellowpaw and Quailpaw sitting just outside of camp, pressed together, watching them carry their father away.

10/18/2025-10/20/2025

Amberpaw had been excited to have Civetbeak as his mentor- Civetbeak was a kind cat, a good warrior, and was a little legendary in the clan for adopting a litter so young.

The young black tom was walking behind Flintfur, who was leading the patrol, and Skypelt, who was walking side-by-side with the deputy, her long gray fur blending into his long black.

The entire patrol was dark in pelt color, actually, though Amberpaw was certainly the palest, his coat a lighter gray. He looked like his mother and his father both, they told him, but he had never seen his mother, and in all honest, he only had a few fuzzy memories of Ashtalon.

Sometimes, he felt like the entire clan fussed over him, because he was the son of Ashtalon and Copsespots. Because his mother had died giving birth to him, and his father had died barely three moons later, crushed beneath a branch while defending the clan. And because his siblings, Firkit and Shrewkit, had died before the first moon of their life.

He didn't see why that made him special. He didn't want to be special. He just wanted to be Amberpaw, apprentice of Hyacinthclan, nothing special, no one to watch and fuss over. And Skypelt fussed over him quite a bit.

She had adopted him, taken care of him until he was ready to be an apprentice, and he was grateful to her, but... She was always pushing him, even before he had had his ceremony.

Train, learn, watch, because you will be the best, my little kit.

Skulking at the back of the patrol, Amberpaw really wished that it could just be him and Civetbeak today. He didn't like that Skypelt was here to watch his every move. But he followed and kept his mouth shut, ears pricked, keeping an eye out. A border patrol, but they would get some prey on the way back, if they found any.

The other four clans didn't bother much with Hyacinthclan's coastal territory, with their cliffs and thick forests, and lush green, rocky cliffs and shores. They called them crazy for living here. Amberpaw liked it, though. Maybe because it was the only place he had ever known, so he couldn't like anything else. He had never even been anywhere else, hadn't seen the other clan's territories, or anything like that. He hadn't even been to a Gathering yet.

Pumapaw, Laurelpaw, Almondpaw, and Furledpaw all refused to tell him much; they didn't seem to particularly care for him, and Amberpaw knew it was because of how the clan treated him. He hadn't asked to be treated like that. He hadn't asked to be special. He didn't want to be. But he didn't care what the older apprentices thought. They might have been his clanmates and he would fight for them, but he didn't have to like them. Skypelt had told him that.

Tulipkit and Fogkit didn't like him much either, but they hadn't played too much in the nursery. Amberpaw did not like other cats touching him. It set his fur on end and made him flinch, and Civetbeak had been exasperated during the battle training they had done so far by it, but Amberpaw couldn't help it. He didn't know why he didn't like other cats touching him, he just didn't.

"Amberpaw, pick those paws up!" Civetbeak called; they hadn't been mentor and apprentice long, but Civetbeak was strict.

Amberpaw obeyed and caught up to the rest of the patrol, the back of his neck prickling, the wind picking up. He glanced over his shoulder, feeling like someone or something was watching him, but he saw nothing.

They kept walking, walking along the green cliffs, the trees further back, when the wind picked up even more, and Flintfur raised his fluffy tail, halting the patrol.

"Looks like rain." Civetbeak commented.

There had been a lot of frequent but quick storms for the past few moons, confining the kits to dens, making everything unpleasant and wet and damp, in a different way from how the breeze off the ocean did.

Amberpaw didn't mind getting wet; he was getting to see the territory, after all.

"If we walk faster, we can hopefully beat it." Skypelt said and there was a general murmur from the other two warriors.

They kept walking, but Amberpaw couldn't help but shake off the feeling that something was there, something was coming, and he kept glancing over his shoulder.

"Amberpaw, quit dawdling and-" Civetbeak began, breaking off as Amberpaw's fur fluffed up.

"Something's wrong." he said, hackles rising, and he didn't know why.

Then, suddenly, a dark cloud swooped from the sky and he flattened himself, because it wasn't moving like a natural cloud, and then the thunder of noise hit them.

Flapping. Caws. Shrieks. Birds. The cloud was all birds, flying away from the storm, and as Amberpaw huddled down, more animals kept appearing. Mice, shrew, voles- Everything was fleeing. Fleeing from the storm, and a strange smell was on the wind, something like when they got near a monster and something like blood, a word Amberpaw had no way to describe.

"Run! Run, come on!" Flintfur shouted and rushed back, tugging at Amberpaw to get him moving.

They pounded across the lush ground, the storm driving down on them in thick, dark clouds, and that scent.

"There!" Flintfut shouted, at the back of the patrol, and Amberpaw spotted it.

A cave in the dark side of the cliff, where the cliffs were sort of stacked before they went up into the forest above, and Skypelt shot toward it. Civetbeak was on her heels and Amberpaw was following, stumbling when his paw caught on a root. He slammed into the ground, knocking the breath from his lungs, and then teeth grabbed his scruff.

Flintfur picked him up like he was a little kit and ran with him, but they didn't beat the storm. A deer flew out of nowhere and though it missed them, Flintfur rolled to avoid it, and he flung Amberpaw into the mouth of the cave. He landed heavily on the stone and Skypelt gathered him close, making him squirm and whimper, his skin prickling unpleasantly, and then the skies opened.

Flintfur was almost to the mouth of the cave when it hit and the raindrops began to slam into him, and then... He started screaming.

He went down, yowling in pain and confusion, and Amberpaw saw that white was spreading across his fur wherever the rain touched it. He was partially protected by an overhang of rock, but his contortions of pain were threatening to drive him into the full downpour, and the deer went down as well, not protected, contorting, writhing, bellowing.

Amberpaw shot forward without thinking and sank his teeth into Flintfur's scruff, hauling on the big tom as best he could, towing him out of the rain, and then Civetbeak was helping him, pulling Flintfur to safety.

Skypelt was just staring with a dumbfounded expression on her face and Flintfur was shaking, a white pattern across his fur like he had gotten snowed on, but the smell was strange, and Civetbeak suddenly slapped moss on it. Flintfur stopped writhing and panted, and Amberpaw curiously poked his paw into that fluffy fur, revealing the skin underneath. It was like the color from his fur had leeched into his skin, staining it weirdly black, and Flintfur hissed when Amberpaw pressed.

Outside their shelter, the deer had stilled, stained white, flesh looking oddly sunken on its bones, any visible skin mottled black like Flintfur's.

"Flintfur?" Amberpaw asked tentatively, and those blue eyes locked on him.

"Are you... All right?" Flintfur wheezed.

"Yes."

"Good." Flintfur said, sucking in a ragged breath.

"Are you hurt? What happened?" Skypelt asked, coming back to herself.

"I'll live. I... I don't know what happened." Flintfur said and they sat there, staring at the rain.

The pain seemed to fade quickly for Flintfur and he was sitting up, taking regular breaths, the white spots on his fur still looking strange.

"What is this?" Civetbeak whispered.

Even as he said it, the rain stopped, gone as quickly as it had come, and Amberpaw started forward.

"No!" Skypelt snapped, grabbing him by his tail and hauling him back.

"I'll check." Flintfur said and padded out before anyone could protest.

But despite what the rain had done, it was harmless now, and they all slunk out, gathering around the deer.

"It looks half-rotted." Civetbeak whispered, eyes ground with terror, fear stinking his pelt.

The deer was completely white, white as a bone, and there was almost no flesh on it, it seemed, bone showing through the hide here and there.

It didn't smell like rot, and yet it looked like it had been dead for ages.

"We're going back to camp. Now. We need to report this to Goldstar and the medicine cats." Flintfur said and Amberpaw wondered if the rain had hit the camp.

He didn't think so, but... What if they went back and the whole clan was like this deer?

He didn't say it and followed the warriors, smelling the fear and the worry on them, and for a moment, he swore something touched him. But he looked and there was no one there, no prey, no cat, no wind-blown leaf. Just nothing.

Uneasy and not even sure if he felt scared like the warriors did, his fur still prickling from Skypelt's touch, Amberpaw picked up his pace, following after the patrol.