Now that Fog and Slate are grown up, I can post the second height chart! Turns out RisingClan is full of tall kitties and I didn't realize until Aldertail how tall they were.
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Now that Fog and Slate are grown up, I can post the second height chart! Turns out RisingClan is full of tall kitties and I didn't realize until Aldertail how tall they were.

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@clangenrising is back in business guys!!! I had to draw my favorite character Barleybee. Her journey has been so, so amazing to follow and I can't wait to see what's ahead for her! If you haven't read RisingClan's story yet you should 100% go and check it out, the characters are so well done and the writing is amazing!
Month 21 - Leaffall
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âYouâre hiding something from me,â Fogpaw stated as she and Scorchplume came back from their evening stealth training session.Â
Her mentor looked over her shoulder and cocked a brow skeptically. âOh, really? Whatever gave you that impression?âÂ
âWell, first off,â said Fogpaw, âYouâve been weirdly quiet all day and, secondly, youâre talking extra fancy which means youâre putting effort into how you talk which probably means youâre being careful about what you say.â
Scorchplume laughed and said, âIâve taught you too well.âÂ
âSo what are you hiding?â Fogpaw cried, jumping to come shoulder to shoulder with her.Â
âNothing,â Scorchplume said with a dismissive wave of her tail.Â
âNuh-uh!â Fogpaw insisted. âYou just admitted you were being careful about what you say!â
âNo I didnât,â said Scorchplume in her performatively offended voice. âThose words never came out of my mouth.â
âBut-! You basically said that!â
âDid not.â
âWhat are you hiding!?â Fogpaw groaned. She could tell that Scorchplume was being deliberately obtuse to avoid answering her question. Determined to get answers, she decided to start throwing out explanations and seeing what got the biggest reaction out of Scorch.Â
âIs it⊠bad news?â
âMm.â Scorch didnât even glance at her. It probably wasnât that.
âOkay, itâs good news,â nodded Fogpaw.
âWho said that?â
Fogpaw growled in playful annoyance but otherwise ignored the comment. âOkay, good news, good news⊠Are you pregnant?â
Scorchplume spluttered and stopped walking immediately. âB-gh-What?!âÂ
Fogpaw was startled by the intensity of her reaction. âWell, youâre mates with Yarrowshade now, I thought maybe-â
âFirst of all,â blustered Scorch, âwe are not mates-â (âOh, okay.â) â-and second of all, I canât have kittens. Iâve been caught by the twolegs, remember?â
âOh, yeahhh,â Fogpaw frowned. âOkay, so itâs not that.â
âItâs not anything, Fogpaw,â insisted Scorch, resuming the walk back to camp. âYou should really just drop it.âÂ
âBut itâs clearly something or you wouldnât be trying so hard to make me drop it.â
âFine,â Scorch gave in, and for a split second Fogpawâs stomach fluttered in triumph, âthink what you want! But Iâm telling you, thereâs nothing important going on today.â
âWait, so itâs an event?â Fogpaw gasped and Scorch laughed and rolled her eyes.Â
âYouâre reading too much into things,â she said.Â
Just then, they crested the hill into camp and Goldenstarâs voice called out, âLet all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Stoneperch for a Clan meeting!âÂ
Fogpaw gasped again and her eyes snapped towards the Stoneperch where Goldenstar was smiling at them. Beneath it sat Slatepaw, her fur brushed up in excitement, and Fogpaw realized very suddenly what Scorch had been hiding. She looked back at her mentor and found a smug grin across her face.
âWell, we certainly donât want to miss that, now do we?â she said.
âOh my stars,â Fogpaw shouted, âI canât believe it!â
âVolume,â winced Scorch and Fogpaw blushed shyly.Â
âWhoops. Sorry.âÂ
âFogpaw, come on!â called Slatepaw. Scorch gave her a shoulder shove and sent Fogpaw scrambling down to sit with her sister in the front of the crowd. A few of the cats gathering around chuckled and she couldnât tell if they were laughing at her but she chose to believe they werenât. These were her Clanmates, her friends. They wouldnât do that.
âCan you believe it?â she asked Slatepaw.
âI know, right?â grinned her sister. âWeâre going to be warriors!â
âYeah,â Fogpawâs smile fell a little bit. She had been thinking about that lately, about what she wanted to be in life, and she had been planning for this moment. She hoped that Slatepaw wouldnât be upset by what she was going to do.Â
She didnât have much time to dwell on it, however, as Goldenstar began the ceremony proper.
âWell, I think we all know why weâre gathered here today,â she said, smiling down at the apprentices. âSlatepaw and Fogpaw have trained long and hard and their mentors have both reported that they are more than ready to receive their warrior names.âÂ
Behind them, trying to be quiet but not going unnoticed, someone said, âCareful, careful. You alright?âÂ
âIâm fine,â grunted a voice that Fogpaw instantly recognized as Ghostâs. She whipped around to see Jagg guiding him down the slope into camp. He winced with every step, leaning heavily on her shoulder as they walked.Â
âDad!â Fogpaw beamed, her tail shooting up to greet him and he gave a pained smile and nod.Â
âFocus,â whispered Slatepaw self-consciously, looking sidelong at her as she stayed focused on Goldenstar. Fogpaw laughed nervously and turned to sit upright like her sister. She would have to say hello to Ghost later.Â
Goldenstar, at least, didnât seem upset and continued without issue. âToday, we honor you both and how far youâve come. I, Goldenstar, leader of RisingClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two resilient apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn.âÂ
She hopped down from the Stoneperch to join them in front of the crowd, her head raised nobly, and said, âFogpaw, Slatepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?â
âI do,â they both said, exchanging an excited glance.Â
âThen by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Slatepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Slateheart. StarClan honors your kindness and devotion to your Clan and we welcome you as a full warrior.âÂ
Goldenstar stepped forward and rested her chin on Slateheartâs head and Slateheart licked her shoulder as the warriors cheered her name. Fogpaw joined them, hoping to cheer the loudest of all. Slateheart blushed and preened under the praise as she stood back, tail swishing demurely over her paws. Fogpaw opened her mouth to congratulate her sister but Goldenstar turned to face her and continued the ceremony.
âFogpaw,â she said, âfrom this moment on, you shall be known as Fogstalker. StarClan honors your bravery and conviction and we welcome you as a full warrior of RisingClan.â Purring, she dipped to lick Goldenstarâs shoulder and the crowd cheered again. Floodstrike in particular calling out her new name with enthusiasm.Â
Fogstalker turned in a circle to see the crowdâs faces, to smile at her Clanmates. Scorchplume had a warm smile on her face that made her heart soar. Floodstrike, Barleybee, and Sparrowsway were all sitting side by side and Floodstrike grinned toothily as she looked at him. Near the back of the crowd, she could see Jagg and Ghost sitting together and Ghost was even smiling a little, although it looked almost like he was wincing.Â
She turned to smile at Slateheart and her sister smiled back and that was when she realized that someone very important was missing. She looked at an empty space near the front of the crowd and tried to imagine her mother sitting there and smiling too but she couldnât get the shapes to stay in place or look right.Â
What did her mom look like again? Surely her face wasnât exactly like Slatehearts, right? She frowned slightly and Slateheart seemed to realize what she was thinking, laying her tail over Fogstalkerâs flank quietly.Â
âWell!â Goldenstarâs voice pulled their attention back up to the front, âI know you just got back from training so why donât you both get something to eat, take a bit of time to talk with your loved ones, and then youâll start your silent vigil.â
âWait,â Fogstalker blurted. Goldenstar blinked in surprise.
âFogpaw!â Slateheart hissed quietly, only catching herself after she had said it.Â
Fogstalker wasnât deterred. âGoldenstar, Iâve been thinking andâŠâ She glanced back over her shoulder at Scorchplume whose brow was furrowed uneasily. âI think I want to be a mediator. Like my mom.â The words felt right as she said them and she nodded confidently as she turned back to face Goldenstar.Â
âYouâre sure?â Goldenstar asked. âYou donât have to make that decision now, you know.â
âI know,â Fogstalker nodded, standing straighter. âIâm sure. I want to help people like she did. I want to be a mediator.â
âWell, in that case,â said the leader, straightening her own posture, âFogstalker, you have chosen to take up the duties of a mediator. Do you swear to stand apart from the rivalry between Clans and cats and to strive to resolve disputes peacefully, even at the cost of your life?âÂ
Fogstalker took a deep breath and nodded. âI do.â The air was scintillating with magic and she could feel it prickling through her pelt.Â
âThen by the powers of StarClan,â said Goldenstar, âI place this responsibility on your shoulders and welcome you as a mediator of RisingClan.âÂ
There was more cheering. Fogstalker couldnât help but feel like this round of cheers was quieter. She looked around to find Scorchplume and Russetfrond both silent. Even Floodstrike was more subdued this time around. To her dismay, she realized that Slateheart wasnât cheering either. She met her sisterâs gaze in confusion and Slateheart looked away.Â
âWith that, our meeting is adjourned,â said Goldenstar to the crowd. âYou two get something to eat, Iâll come grab you when itâs time for your vigil.âÂ
âGoldenstar,â Russetfrond grunted, stepping forward. âA word?â
Goldenstar sighed slightly but nodded, beckoning him towards her den with a curl of her tail. As they left, the crowd moved to congratulate the sisters but Fogstalker couldnât help but lean in to Slateheart.
âHey,â she whispered, âwhatâs wrong? Why werenât you cheering for me? Are you angry?â
âNo,â Slateheart whispered back. âI mean⊠why didnât you tell me?â
âI donât know,â Fogstalker shrugged, âI didnât tell anybody, I was just thinking it.â
âBut weâre sisters,â said Slateheart, turning to study her face. âYou should have-â
âCongrats you cuties!â Ospreymask interrupted cheerily, butting her head up against Fogstalkerâs shoulder, causing her to bristle in surprise. âYour warrior names are so beautiful! I love them!â
âThank you,â demurred Slateheart, leaning in to touch noses with the pregnant warrior.Â
âYeahâŠâ Fogstalker hummed distractedly. She wasnât done talking with Slateheart but, already, more people were swarming closer to try and get their attention, pulling them in different directions.
âWow, a mediator!â Songdust said, âYour mother would be so proud, kiddo.âÂ
âYeah?â Fogstalker smiled a little as she turned to face the elder.
âYeah,â nodded Songdust. âYouâre gonna do amazing.â
Floodstrike stepped in to lay his tail over Fogstalkerâs back. âYou did it, Foggy. You managed to get a half decent warrior name.â
âHalf decent!?â she exclaimed. âMy name rules!â
âAgree to disagree,â Floodstrike said, winking to assure her it was a joke. She laughed and rubbed up against his chin.Â
âYou two should hurry up and eat,â she heard Sparrowsway saying.Â
âOh, right,â blushed Slateheart. âThanks for reminding me.â
âMaybe we can share with dad!â Fogstalker gasped, turning to try and locate him through the crowd.
âIâll grab you something,â said Barleybee, âgo get settled.âÂ
Fogstalker didnât need to be told twice. She slipped through the crowd, smiling and nodding as people gave her passing congratulations, and eventually broke away from the throng and bounded the last few tail lengths to meet him.
âDad!â she purred, moving to rub her cheeks against his âIâm so glad you came! How did you know it was happening?âÂ
Ghost stiffened under her touch but managed to reciprocate after a moment. âUh, Scorch told us to come.âÂ
âReally?â Fogstalkerâs chest swelled with excitement. âThatâs amazing!âÂ
âWe wanted to be here for your big day,â Jagg smiled. âCongratulations, Fogstalker, a new name is a huge honor.âÂ
Slateheart padded up to join them then, smiling softly. âThanks for coming, dad.âÂ
âYeah,â Ghost cleared his throat awkwardly and shifted his weight with a wince. âHappy to be here.â
âYouâre wincing a lot today,â Fogstalker observed. âAre you feeling alright?âÂ
âHe just has a bit of arthritis,â explained Jagg. âHeâll be okay.â
Slateheart frowned. âOh, we-âÂ
âWe can have Oddstripe give you some herbs for that!â offered Fogstalker brightly. Slateheart lashed her tail once, gaze sinking.
âThank you,â Jagg said, âboth of you.â That made Slateheart smile a little and Fogstalker gave her a friendly nudge.Â
Shortly after, Barleybee brought some prey across camp for them to share. Fogstalker enjoyed the conversation and the food but it was hard not to think about how Slateheart was upset with her. As Ghost and Jagg bid them farewell, sent home with some juniper berries for his joints, and the Clan dispersed for the night, she approached her sister and tried again.
âHey, can we talk about earlier?â she asked.
âWe have to start our silent vigil,â Slateheart said evasively.Â
âRight, but we have a second before-â
âFogstalker, itâs fine,â she said firmly, as if that ended the conversation. âCan we just forget it?â
Fogstalker frowned. âI⊠I guess, but-â
âAlright, girls,â Goldenstar said as she approached. âAre you ready for your vigil?â
âYes,â said Slateheart and Fogstalkerâs heart sank.Â
âYeah, I guess,â she shrugged.
âAlright,â smiled Goldenstar, although she seemed a bit concerned. âYouâll have to stay silent until the sun touches the Stoneperch, or in the case of emergency. Got it?â
âGot it,â they both said.Â
âGood luck,â said Goldenstar. âYour vigil starts now.â She turned and headed back to her den and Fogstalkerâs vision was drawn to where Scorchplume was waiting for her. She tilted her head curiously at her mentor as if to say, âwhy werenât you cheering?â and Scorch offered her a smile that was hard to read before slipping into the den.Â
Fogstalker sighed and began to pace in a wide circle around camp.
UPDATES: - Fogpaw and Slatepaw graduate to warriors, taking the names Fogstalker and Slateheart respectively. - Fogstalker requests to become a mediator.
Month 21 - Leaffall
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âOhhh, I donât think I can do this,â Aldertail moaned, pacing back and forth in the Healerâs den as her tail twitched anxiously. It was taking all her self-control and the continued momentum of her pacing to keep her from running her tongue over her legs. They were mostly furred these days, only spotting a patch here or there when her mind got too loud, which was rarer now that the Clans had brokered a truce with the city.Â
Sitting patiently beside the herb stores, Oddstripe sorted out the dried and dead leaves from his stock, his eyes returning politely to her whenever he didnât need to look at his paws. If sheâd been in a better headspace, sheâd have been impressed by how often he could pick out the poor leaves just by touch. Beside him sat Barleybee, sorting the dead leaves into neat bundles to be carried off later.Â
She said, âSure you can! Iâll be right there with you whenever you need help, okay?âÂ
âBut I donât know anything about teaching an apprentice!â cried Aldertail, pelt poofing up around her shoulders.Â
âNeither do I,â said Barleybee with a shrug. âItâs supposed to be a learning experience, thatâs what Goldenstar said. We learn how to teach as we do it.âÂ
âBut what if I mess it up? What if I mess him up?! Oh, Russetfrond will be furious!âÂ
âYouâre not going to mess him up,â Oddstripe said calmly. âEspecially not if you ask for help whenever you need it.â
âBut-â
âSure, youâll make mistakes,â he continued, âbut everyone does. Youâre not going to make any mistakes you canât come back from.âÂ
âHow do you know that?â she whined, dancing in place like a petulant child. She hated how out of control and needy she felt right now. It was embarrassing!
âBecause I have faith in you,â he smiled, focused on her entirely for a long beat. Her face went hot and a different, heart-fluttering discomfort mixed with the panicked one she had been overwhelmed by. Why did he have to look at her like that and say those kinds of things with his earnest face and his big, compassionate eyes? Why did he act like there was something in her worth having faith in?Â
She pursed her lips and whined anxiously as she turned away from his gaze. âI still donât understand faith at all. Iâm going to be a disaster, I just know it!â
âAldertail, itâs gonna be okay,â Barleybee said with what Aldertail thought sounded like pity. âRemember, you can ask me for help with anything. We can train together until you feel comfortable doing it on your own.â Aldertail was pretty sure that was never going to happen but she didnât want to insist on being a burden for the entire mentorship.Â
Instead, she searched for a different objection. âHow am I even going to teach him? I mean, look at him! Theyâre both practically as big as I am already!âÂ
âItâs gonna be fine,â Barleybee said again, more firmly this time. âJust take some deep breaths, okay?âÂ
âOkay,â she nodded, realizing she was quite breathless. âOkay. Itâs fine, itâs gonna be okay. Itâs gonna be-âÂ
âLet all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Stoneperch for a Clan meeting!â The call cut through the quiet of camp, reaching them even down inside the burrow of the Healerâs den.
âOh, no, oh, jeez,â Aldertail wheezed under her breath, panicking again.Â
Barleybee got up and came to press her side into Aldertailâs. âYouâve got this. Deep breaths.âÂ
âOkay,â Aldertailâs voice wobbled pathetically but she tried her best to comply.Â
It wasnât long until everyone had gathered under the noonday sun for the meeting. Near the front of the crowd sat Bluekit and Yellowkit. They were massive for kittens, almost as tall as their father already and twice as fluffy. Bluekit, despite his coloring, looked quite like his father, if his father were pleasant, especially in the stripes on his face. It was Yellowkit who looked surprisingly like Mystique, with his slouched posture and pale chest fluff. It wasnât enough to startle or scare Aldertail but it was enough to make her think about Mystique, which was never a necessarily calming experience for her.Â
As she watched, Russetfrond gave a warning mrrp to Yellowkit who straightened his posture and stopped watching the clouds. They seemed well behaved at least. That was good.Â
Goldenstar cleared her throat to get everyoneâs attention and smiled. âAlright, everyone! Itâs with great pleasure that I get to announce that Bluekit and Yellowkit have finally reached the age of six moons and it is time for them to be apprenticed.âÂ
âAbout time!â Ospreymask jeered playfully, half on her side with her pregnant belly sitting at an awkward angle that must have been comfortable somehow. âThey were too big for the nursery moons ago!â Several cats laughed although Aldertail noticed that Russetfrondâs ear twitched in irritation. The kits themselves just seemed a bit sheepish.Â
Goldenstar chuckled and said, âYes, Iâm sure youâll enjoy having the space all to yourself now. If I could have the two of you step into the center please?âÂ
Bluekit hopped immediately forward and stepped into the center, checking the placement of his feet before he looked up dutifully at his leader. Yellowkit was distracted by something and Russetfrond had to flick his tail against the kitâs side to get him to follow his brother to the middle.Â
Goldenstar said, âBluekit, from this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Bluepaw. Your mentor will be Barleybee. I know she has a lot to teach you and I trust you both to learn from each other.âÂ
Beside Aldertail, Barleybee stepped forward to join Bluepaw in the middle of the clearing and touched her nose to his. She barely had to lean down and he dipped his head politely when they were done, looking excited but restrained. Yellowkit was starting to shuffle anxiously. Aldertail braced herself for the look of disappointment he was surely about to give her.Â
âYellowkit,â Goldenstar continued, once the first pair stepped off to the side, âfrom this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Yellowpaw. Your mentor will be Aldertail. She has learned a lot since she joined our ranks and Iâm confident sheâll be able to pass that knowledge on to you.âÂ
Aldertail hesitated and Yellowpaw cast his head about looking for her. When he found her, she smiled nervously and a bit of concern furrowed his brow but he stood up straight to meet her and she was able to force herself to walk out into the middle of the clearing. Her cheeks burned when he had to bend down slightly to touch noses with her and there was a slight electric shock between their noses that left them both rubbing their muzzles with a paw. A couple cats laughed quietly under their breath and Aldertail wanted to explode.Â
âAnd with that, our meeting is concluded!â purred Goldenstar. âCongratulations, all of you!â The crowd cheered, some cats chanting out the apprentices' new names, and Aldertail felt small and ugly.Â
A few cats came in to wish the boys good luck.Â
Branchbark stepped close to Aldertail and said, âHey, congrats on an apprentice! Iâm still waiting on my first one.âÂ
âThey should have given him to you,â she blushed, making sure she lowered her voice enough that Yellowpaw didnât hear over his conversation with Ospreymask. âI have no idea what Iâm doing!âÂ
âYouâre gonna do great,â he said, but she swore she caught a trace of jealousy in his smile. That sent her brain spiralling out of control. She hadnât considered that getting an apprentice would alienate her from her friends! This was terrible! By the time she realized she ought to say something, she looked up and he was gone, helping Ospreymask back to her sunning spot.Â
Instead, Russetfrond had approached her. She swallowed and straightened her posture, shrinking subconsciously in submission. He had a stern expression on, but that was his usual expression. Seeing her nervousness, he forced a bit of a sympathetic smile through his features, which looked a bit odd when mixed with his furrowed brow and squinted eyes.Â
âAldertail,â he said and he didnât sound disappointed. âI wanted to thank you for agreeing to mentor Yellowpaw. I suggested you specifically for the role and Iâm confident youâll be just what he needs.â
âY-you did?â Aldertail gawked. She couldnât believe her ears.Â
âMhm,â he nodded. âIf you ever need help, Iâm happy to step in and give you some pointers. Mentoring is a balancing act and Iâll gladly help you stay on course.âÂ
She was quiet for a beat too long before she remembered to speak. âUh, th-thank you! I-Iâll be sure to take you up on that.âÂ
âGood,â he said, seeming satisfied. âHeâs a bit distractable, but you just have to keep him focused. Good luck.âÂ
 âThank you,â she started, but another voice interrupted her stumbling appreciation.Â
âGoldenstar!â cried a young brown cat with white on their chest and tail as they bounded down the slope into camp. All heads turned towards the stranger and Russetfrond stepped away from Aldertail without a word. Goldenstar had been talking with Yarrowshade and Scorchplume near the Stoneperch and she slipped between them to approach the cat as well.Â
âErminepaw,â she greeted them with warmth despite her caution. âWhat brings you to RisingClan?âÂ
âItâs coyotes!â the apprentice said and several cats in camp gasped. âThereâs a pair of them trying to nest in our territory. Orangestar sent me to get your mediator. She can talk to them, right?âÂ
âWell, anyone can talk to them,â called Fogstalker, bounding over from the prey pile, âBut Iâm happy to help! Is it just two?âÂ
âYeah,â nodded Erminepaw. âTheyâre setting up a den in the deep woods, south of the river. Can you come right away?âÂ
âOf course,â grinned Fogstalker.
âI wanna go!â Aldertail jumped as Yellowpaw spoke up beside her, not loud enough to interrupt the others but not exactly quietly. It was with horror that she realized he was telling her. âCan we go see the coyotes?âÂ
âW-Uh-â How was she supposed to respond to this?
âNo, you donât have any battle training,â said Barleybee, stepping close with Bluepaw in tow. âYouâre not going to see coyotes for a long while if we can help it.â
âAwwâŠâ the big yellow apprentice sighed.Â
Back with the others, Goldenstar was putting together a patrol. âAlright, Fogstalker, Pantherhaze, and Sparrowsway, you go to EarthClan. Help them however you can, alright?âÂ
âYes, Goldenstar,â nodded Sparrowsway.Â
âGladly,â smiled Pantherhaze.Â
âCome on,â Fogstalker was already walking. âLetâs hurry so we can finish up before sunset.â Aldertail thought that was very optimistic for dealing with a group of coyotes, but that wasnât her problem right now.Â
âCan we go on some kind of patrol instead?â asked Bluepaw, bringing her back to the conversation she was actually a part of. Barleybee looked at her as if she had some say in the decision which made her realize that she did, in fact, have some say in it.Â
âUm, sure,â she said, shrugging nervously, and the boys brightened.Â
âThank you,â smiled Bluepaw, nudging Yellowpaw gently.Â
He started and said, âOh, yeah, thank you.âÂ
Barleybee chuckled and said, âDo you guys want a tour of the territory or should we go do some hunting?âÂ
âHunting!â both the boys said immediately, Yellowpaw more excitedly than his brother.Â
âHunting it is!â laughed Barleybee. âDoes that sound good to you, Aldertail?âÂ
âY-yeah,â she nodded. âIâm not sure Iâll be very good at teaching, though, so sorry in advance.â
âYouâll do fine,â Barleybee purred confidently. âCome on, letâs head out towards the river and see if thereâs anything to catch.âÂ
âOoh, can we go swimming?â gasped Yellowpaw.Â
âNot unless you want to freeze solid,â Barleybee said, starting to lead them away. âOnce the weather gets warmer we can do some swimming practice.â That sounded like hell to Aldertail but she kept quiet. Absently, she wondered if the desire to swim was genetic.Â
The four of them headed out of camp, the boys asking Barleybee questions every so often, but Aldertail was struggling to stay present. She watched her pawsteps as they went and tried to tell herself that her worries were unfounded but it was hard to believe herself.Â
It shocked her when Barleybee leaned in to press their pelts together and offer her a smile. She blushed in embarrassment and smiled back.Â
âYouâve got this,â Barleybee whispered.Â
âYeah,â breathed Aldertail bashfully. She desperately hoped so.
UPDATES: - Bluepaw is apprenticed to Barleybee - Yellowpaw is apprenticed to Aldertail
Month 20 - Leaffall
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When the fighting was finally over, Goldenstar found herself staring up at the body of Sardine.Â
Eventually, the opposing forces had been so outnumbered that the Chaff had started surrendering and the Exalted left had mostly followed suit. Despite that, the stench of death hung heavy in the confines of the barn. A headcount went up and the casualties were confirmed; two of Rudyâs gang, no Clan cats. Boldmothâs leg had been terribly mangled and sheâd been pulled out to see the healers but everyone else was going to be alright.Â
It was a relief, one she should have been celebrating, and yet somehow she found herself fixated on Sardineâs corpse, suspended above their heads and dripping blood. Her whiskers twitched as someone came up beside her and she turned to see Russetfrond scowling up at the body as well.Â
âWhat a terrible way to die,â he said, voicing her thoughts.Â
âNo kidding.â She swallowed, eyes drifting back upward. âI think that was harder to watch than Razorâs death. The way he was screamingâŠâ She shuddered and let out a slow breath between her teeth.Â
Russetfrond leaned in to press his bloodied flank against hers. âBut we did it. Itâs over now.â
âI guess it is,â she said in disbelief. âThank StarClan. Iâm so sick of war.â She sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder and he grunted which meant he agreed but didnât want to say so.Â
âWell fought,â Rudyâs voice pulled her back to attention as he approached. âI have to admit, it was a lot easier with you lot around.â
âWe were happy to uphold our end of the agreement,â she said, subtly reminding him of his own half. âNow the city is free from tyranny and our peoples can be at peace.â
âMm,â Rudy seemed unimpressed but didnât disagree. âWeâre going to go back and spread the news. You wanna come?âÂ
âIâm honored,â she said, âbut I think weâll have to pass. The paths of your city are still strange and confusing to us.âÂ
Rudy laughed and said, âRight. Well, weâll see you, then. Donât get any ideas about encroaching on our territories though, weâre allies, not buddies.â
âUnderstood,â Goldenstar said seriously. Russetfrond grunted as well.Â
With that, Rudy turned and said, âAlright, boys, letâs head out! Take the bodies to be buried but leave Sardine for the Folk.â A rowdy cheer of agreement went up from his supporters and soon they had vacated the barn with their prisoners.Â
âWe should go too,â said Orangestar, crossing the barn towards her.Â
âAgreed,â Goldenstar nodded, raising her tail and her voice, âLetâs head back to the Cornerstones to celebrate before the twolegs can find us.âÂ
âHere, here!â cheered Snowstar, her fur a streaky pink mess. âPrey is on SkyClan tonight. Iâll send Fernspeckle and Robinswoop to fetch something for everybody.â
âYou donât have to do that,â Orangestar said, eyes wide at the offer.Â
âI want to,â Snowstar said. âWe fought hard. We deserve a fitting celebration.â There were several cheers among the crowd. Goldenstar swallowed, unable to fully agree with Sardine still hanging above her like an omen of death. She turned and headed for the door with Orangestar and Russetfrond close on either side.Â
âIf itâs alright with yâall,â Wes said, stepping out of the crowd with a polite dip of his head, âIâd love tâjoin you in the celebration. I could even bring somethinâ as a thank you for the invitation.â His smile was so earnest that Goldenstar couldnât bear to turn him down.Â
âI suppose thatâs alright,â she said, glancing at her friends. âWe wonât have any interest in kittypet food, though.â Russetfrond grunted in firm agreement.Â
âNot food then,â Wes nodded. âI could bring toys? Or catnip perhaps.â
âCatnip?â Orangestarâs brows shot upward. âLike, the herb?!âÂ
âYeah,â Wes nodded. âI think my friend Fawn has a patch in her garden. I donât care much for the stuff but I know lots of cats use it when theyâre lookinâ for a good time.âÂ
âRecreationally?â Goldenstar stared in confusion. âYou donât need it for coughs?âÂ
âFor coughs?â Wes frowned, seemingly daunted by their reactions. âNah, weâve got our Folk for that. âSides, thereâs plenty to go around.âÂ
Goldenstar couldnât believe her ears. âUm, yeah, sure,â she laughed. âWhy not?â Russetfrond scowled but didnât protest.Â
âGreat,â Wes smiled in relief. âIs it alright if I invite Fawn as well? Iâd hate tâtake her catnip and run.â
âYeah, of course,â nodded Goldenstar. âIf sheâs a friend of yours, sheâs a friend of mine.âÂ
âSounds good,â said Wes with a polite little dip of his head to each of them. âWhereâs this âCornerstonesâ at?â Goldenstar paused, unsure how to explain, but Songdust inserted herself into the conversation and came to her rescue.Â
âIâll show him the way,â she said.Â
âThanks,â nodded Goldenstar. âStay safe.â
âWill do,â said Songdust.Â
âIâll make sure nothinâ happens to her, Miss Goldenstar,â Wes said seriously.Â
Goldenstar laughed and shared an amused glance with Orangestar. âI know. Weâll see you there.â Songdust nodded and flicked her tail against Wesâs leg and together they headed off towards the city.Â
Russetfrond growled uneasily. âI donât like it. We shouldnât be showing kittypets to the Cornerstones.â
âItâll be fine,â Goldenstar said, bumping reassuringly against him. âAnd besides, if there really is enough catmint to go around, we can keep some for our herb stores. Just imagine! Fully stocked catmint for leafbare!â
âMaybe we can trade for some every leafbare!â Orangestar purred in excitement. âThink of how many lives we could save!âÂ
Russetfrond grumbled in reluctant agreement. âI guess this Wes cat seems trustworthy enough.â
âHe is,â Goldenstar nodded. Then, knowing a task would put him more at ease, she said, âCould you make sure everyone gets to Cornerstones safely? I donât want anyone getting left behind.âÂ
ââCourse,â he grunted with a serious nod.
âThanks,â she purred, butting up against his shoulder. âIâm gonna stop at camp and meet you all at the Cornerstones.âÂ
âSounds good,â Orangestar nodded. âStarClan light your path!âÂ
âYou too,â grinned Goldenstar and then she took off trotting through the grass towards home. The chilly night seemed lighter than before, the wind gentler. As she neared the camp, she ran into Barleybee and Sparrowsway who were strolling home with tails intertwined.Â
She kicked up her pace to close the distance with them and called out, âYou two not going to the festivities?âÂ
Barleybee smiled with embarrassment as they both turned to face her, saying, âNot tonight. It honestly just sounds tiring.âÂ
âAs long as youâre sure,â Goldenstar said, looking them over. Barleybee was missing several of her cardinal feathers and Sparrowsway had a slight limp on his left side but neither one was particularly injured, which was a relief. Her mind made a few quick jumps from that thought to the next and she added, âHowâs Floodstrike doing?âÂ
The siblings exchanged a worried glance.Â
âIâm not sure,â said Sparrowsway grimly. âHeâs still all worked up.â
âI told him revenge wouldnât make him feel any better,â Barleybee sighed, her frown deepening.Â
âYeah, but you know he doesnât listen,â said Sparrowsway. Barleybee chewed her lip, gaze drifting into the middle distance.Â
âIâll have to check in with him,â hummed Goldenstar. âThanks for letting me know.â
âOf course, Goldenstar,â Sparrowsway said with a slight smile. âHave fun at the Cornerstones tonight.â
âOh, Iâm sure I will,â she said, realizing they didnât know the news. âWes says heâs going to bring enough catmint for everyone to use some.â
âWhat?â Sparrowswayâs brow furrowed at the absurdity of the statement. âLike, just for fun?âÂ
âMhm,â she grinned. âApparently the kittypets are practically swimming in the stuff.â
âWeird,â Barleybee laughed, rolling her shoulders as if an uncomfortable prickle had run down her spine. âKittypets are so strange.âÂ
At this point, they had reached the crest of the hill and descended into camp together. Pantherhaze, Oddstripe, and Alderrtail sat together in the entrance to the nursery, sharing tongues while Slatepaw and the kittens slept within. When Oddstripe spotted them, he perked his ears and leapt up to meet them, eyes wide.Â
âIs everyone alright?â he asked, looking his kits up and down. âDo they need me at the barn?âÂ
âEveryoneâs fine,â Goldenstar assured him. âNo casualties and only one serious injury in EarthClan. Weâre going to the Cornerstones to celebrate if youâd like to come.â
âThe kittypets are bringing a bunch of catmint,â Barleybee whispered in amazement.Â
âThey are?â Just behind Oddstripe, Aldertail brightened. âJust for anybody to use?â
âApparently,â Goldenstar laughed.Â
âOh, thatâs amazing!â Oddstripe gasped. âWill there be any left over? Iâd love to have some for the herb stores!âÂ
âWeâll have to see,â shrugged Goldenstar.Â
Aldertail shuffled her paws and asked, âUm, would it be okay if I came to the Cornerstones?âÂ
âOf course,â Goldenstar nodded. âEveryone is welcome.â
âOkay,â she sighed in relief. âI just didnât know since I wasnât at the battle or anything.âÂ
âWeâll go together,â Oddstripe smiled and she blushed profusely.Â
Across camp, Scorchplume emerged from Goldenstarâs den -- from their den -- and padded quickly to meet them.Â
âHow did it go?â she asked with bated breath.Â
âPerfectly,â Goldenstar smiled, pressing a few licks to the crown of her beloved's head. âSardine is dead and we didnât lose a single cat. Weâre going to the Cornerstones to celebrate and the kittypets are bringing catmint for everyone.âÂ
âReally?â Ospreymask popped out of the warriorâs den with a bright smile on her face. âIs everybody going?â
âSeems like it,â Goldenstar said. âYouâre welcome to come.â
âYou donât have to tell me twice,â purred the queen. âYou coming, Pantherhaze?âÂ
He shook his head, still sitting near the nursery. âI think Iâll stay with Slatepaw. Catmint doesnât really affect me anyways.â
âOh yeah,â Goldenstar frowned, remembering the time they had gone herb gathering as apprentices and everyone but him had been sent home for getting too carried away. âWell, let me know if you guys need anything here, okay?â
âIâm sure weâll be fine,â Barleybee smiled. âYou guys go have fun.â
âYouâre not coming?â Oddstripe asked.Â
âWeâre too tired,â Sparrowsway said. âIâm sure Floodstrike will be there though.âÂ
Scorchplume pressed close against Goldenstarâs side and said, âWe should start going if we want to get there before the catnip runs out.â
âOh, yeah?â chuckled Goldenstar, twining her tail with Scorchâs. âI didnât take you for the type.â
âWell, it seems you donât know everything about me,â smirked Scorch. âI used to be quite the party girl.â Goldenstar couldnât help but feel a rush of excitement in her belly at the thought.Â
âOoh,â she purred, âI think Iâd like to see that.â
âIâm sure you would,â Scorch gave an aloof toss of her head and started off towards the Cornerstones, running her tail flirtatiously under Goldenstarâs chin. Goldenstar swallowed, mouth suddenly dry, and laughed nervously before darting to catch up. Finally, it seemed, the hardships were over and she could let loose with the woman she loved more than anything in the world.Â

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Month 20 - Leaffall
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Things in camp were busy these days. Hunting to prepare everyone for winter was a top priority for anyone who wasnât keeping their combat skills sharp for the inevitable fight with Sardine. Slatepaw and Pantherhaze had taken to daily hunts and she was finally starting to feel like her skills had improved.Â
âAmazing catch,â Pantherhaze purred as she proudly lifted up the rabbit she had chased down. âYouâve come so far, Slatepaw. Iâm so proud of you.âÂ
âFanks,â she grinned around the prey in her teeth. Her thick, winter coated tail furled up over her back and she let the praise roll over her like warm sunlight.Â
âLetâs grab the rest and go back,â he said, butting his head against her shoulder which he could do now that she was almost taller than he was. They collected a few more rodents from their cache and returned to camp as the morning sun started to peek over the mountains.Â
âNice catch!â Barleybee congratulated as they passed her and Aldertail on their way out.Â
âShe caught it herself,â Pantherhaze boasted for her. Slatepaw blushed at the look of amazement on Aldertailâs face.Â
âWow,â she breathed. âI could never do that. Thatâs amazing.â
âOh, donât sell yourself short,â Barleybee said, touching her nose to Aldertailâs ear. To Slatepaw, she added, âI bet you Ospreymask would really appreciate that right now.â
âHer specifically?â Pantherhaze tilted his head in confusion.Â
âYouâll understand in a bit,â laughed Barleybee. âSheâs been telling everybody.âÂ
Slatepawâs stomach fluttered in excitement. Could it be what she was thinking it was? She and Pantherhaze said goodbye to Barleybee and Aldertail and she began her search for Ospreymask.Â
It wasnât hard to find her.Â
She sat outside the Healersâ den with Oddstripe and Songdust, saying loudly, âI donât think Iâll be moving my nest quite yet. Might as well give the boys a bit more time to themselves.âÂ
âOsprehmahsk!â Slatepaw called around her catch and she bounded over.Â
âSlatepaw!â Ospreymask beamed and lifted her tail in greeting.Â
Slatepaw dropped the rabbit at her feet and asked, âAre you saying what I think youâre saying?!â She felt like her paws were full of bees the way they were vibrating.Â
âDepends,â smirked Ospreymask, starting out slow but increasing in speed and volume as she neared the end of her sentence, âdo you think Iâm saying that Iâm going to have kits?!âÂ
âYes!â squealed Slatepaw, ecstatic.
âThen I am!â Ospreymask cheered in kind, rubbing her head all down Slatepawâs side and looping around to lean against her other side. âIâm gonna be a mama!âÂ
âThatâs so exciting!â Slatepaw felt on the verge of happy tears. âWho with?âÂ
âYouâll just have to guess, wonât you,â Ospreymask laughed.Â
âLots of queens donât feel the need to tell people who the sire is,â Songdust explained. âI know that hasnât really been your experience but it was a lot more common when I was your age.âÂ
âOh, okay,â said Slatepaw, a bit confused. She didnât understand why you wouldnât want to shout your mateâs name from the mountain tops but she supposed everyone was different. Fogpaw would probably think she was stupid for feeling that way, for one.Â
She brushed the thought away with a twitch of her tail and said, âHere, you should have the rabbit I caught! You need to eat up to help the kits grow, right?âÂ
âThatâs right,â winked Ospreymask and Oddstripe nodded in agreement.Â
âCongratulations,â Pantherhaze said more calmly, butting heads with Ospreymask.Â
âThanks, buddy,â she purred. âIâm absolutely thrilled.â
âItâs a shame on the timing though,â he said. âYouâll have to miss out on mentoring Yellowkit and Bluekit.âÂ
Ospreymaskâs face fell suddenly. âAw, man! I didnât even think about that!â She plopped down into a pouty loaf and pulled the rabbit closer, sourly starting on her meal. Slatepaw giggled and Oddstripe laid his tail over Ospreymaskâs shoulder.Â
âThere will be more chances in the future, Iâm sure,â he said.Â
âI know,â sighed Ospreymask. âI guess waiting a moon or two to recover is better than having to wait six moons to have kits or having to stop training halfway through.âÂ
âYeah, exactly,â agreed Pantherhaze. âStarClan knows when to send us our blessings. Iâm sure the timing will feel perfect when you look back on everything.â
âSlatepaw, guess what?!â Fogpawâs voice called and Slatepaw turned around to see her sister loping in from the southern edge of camp.Â
âOspreymask is having kits? I know!â she squealed, bounding over to meet her sister. âItâs so exciting, I canât wait!â
âShe is?â Fogpaw gaped. âWow, thatâs awesome!â
âOh, you didnât know?â Slatepaw blinked. âWhat was your âguess whatâ then?âÂ
âGhost is on his way!â grinned Fogpaw.
âReally?â Slatepaw lit up before confusion made her frown again. âWait, I thought you hated him.âÂ
âI donât hate him anymore,â Fogpaw rolled her eyes as if that had been common knowledge. âBut yeah, heâs coming to talk to Goldenstar about battle plans! Isnât that great?âÂ
Slatepaw felt her insides shrivel up in fear. âI guess,â she lied. That meant there was going to be a fight. That meant people were going to die. She didnât want people to die!Â
âI hope we get to go!â Fogpaw chattered, tail curling back and forth. âI barely got to fight in the last battle.â Slatepaw swallowed. The last battle had killed Lakepaw and Sagetooth. She looked around the clearing at the smiling faces of her Clanmates and wondered who of them wouldnât make it. She felt like she was going to cry.Â
âHey,â Fogpaw frowned, âare you okay? You look sad.âÂ
Slatepaw was surprised her sister had noticed, although she was pretty terrible at hiding her emotions to be fair. âUm, Iâm just nervous,â she said.Â
âOf what?â Fogpaw wound her tail with Slatepawâs.
âI- I donât know,â she balked. Suddenly she was struggling to put her words together. âThat people will die?â Was that so unreasonable?
Fogpaw hummed thoughtfully and said, âIâm sure itâll be okay, Slatepaw. This time weâre gonna be prepared so itâll be fine.â
âOkay,â she relented, not wanting to make a fight out of it.Â
âSlatepaw!â called the friendly voice of Jagg from the top of the hill. Beside her was Ghost, wearing an uneasy half smile that made her heart soar in hope. Scorchplume followed up behind them, tail twitching, and headed down into Goldenstarâs den without a word. Fogpaw smiled at Slatepaw and then started over to meet them so she followed.Â
Ghost cleared his throat and said, âHey, kiddo.âÂ
âHi dad, hi Jagg,â she responded shyly. âHow are you?â
âPretty good,â said Jagg with a friendly arch to her tail. âHowâs your training coming?â
âGood,â smiled Slatepaw. âI caught a rabbit today.â
âWow! A whole rabbit? Thatâs amazing,â said Jagg brightly. Slatepaw blushed under her praise and leaned closer to Fogpaw.Â
âSheâs ready for you,â Scorchplume called from across the camp, and Ghostâs ear stumps twitched in her direction.Â
âWell, looks like weâve got to go,â he said, clearing his throat.Â
âWill you share tongues with us after your meeting?â Slatepaw asked as loudly as she could muster.Â
âWeâll have to see,â he said, not looking at her.Â
âIt depends on how long the meeting takes,â added Jagg. âWeâll come say goodbye at the very least.â
âOkay,â Slatepaw nodded meekly. With that, the two adults joined Scorchplume at the entrance to Goldenstarâs den and slank inside. Scorchplume scowled in Slatepaw and Fogpawâs direction before following them with a twitching tail tip.Â
Slatepaw pursed her lips angrily. âWhy is she so mean?â
âWho, Jagg?â Fogpaw asked incredulously. âSheâs super nice, what are you talking about?âÂ
âNot Jagg,â Slatepawâs ears pressed back in frustration at her sisterâs density, âScorchplume! Sheâs such a bully!â
âNo sheâs not!â Fogpaw puffed up furiously which made Slatepaw flinch. âSheâs just doing her best! Being nice is hard for her!â
âHah!â crowed Slatepaw in victory. âSo you admit that sheâs mean!â
âNuh-uh!â bristled Fogpaw. âI said being nice is hard for her, thatâs not the same!â
âHow is it not the same? Thatâs stupid!âÂ
âYouâre stupid!â Fogpaw snapped. âI mean- no, I didnât mean that.â
âThen why did you say it?â Slatepaw said, starting to tear up but determined to stay strong.Â
âBecause Iâm angry,â Fogpaw said. âLook, I-â She took a deep breath and pushed it out sternly through her nose. âIâm sorry, okay? I just care a lot about Scorchplume. Sheâs really nice to me. I wish you would try and get to know her like I do.âÂ
Slatepaw swished her tail defensively around her paws. âWhat if sheâs nice to you âcause sheâs a liar?âÂ
âWhat would she get from lying to me? What does that do for her?âÂ
âMaybe she gets a cat who will swear sheâs good and kind,â accused Slatepaw. The idea solidified in her head as she said it and it scared her. âMaybe sheâs using you to trick everyone into trusting her so she can take over the Clan!â
âSlatepaw, thatâs crazy, you sound like FallenClan,â Fogpaw rolled her eyes.Â
âIâm not crazy!â Slatepaw sat up straight. âIâm not.â With that, she turned and stormed off.Â
âSlatepaw, wait, come back!â Fogpaw said, chasing after her.
Luckily, Pantherhaze swooped in between them and said, âWhy donât you let her get some space, okay, Fogpaw?â Slatepaw paused to look over her shoulder. She kept a scowl on her face but she wasnât sure if she wanted to scare Fogpaw off or make her stay.Â
Fogpaw swallowed, looked at her, and then nodded. âOkay. Sorry, Slatepaw. Iâll give you space.â
âGood,â she huffed and twitched an ear. Fogpaw stepped away and went to sit near the leaderâs den. Slatepaw decided to go into the apprenticesâ den and lay down in her nest.Â
After a moment, Pantherhaze poked his head inside. âHey, do you need anything, Slatepaw?âÂ
âI donât know,â she mumbled sullenly into the moss.Â
âOkay,â he said. âIf you can think of anything just tell me, okay? Iâm here for you.â
âI know,â she sniffled. âThanks, Pantherhaze.â
âOf course, sweetie,â he smiled tenderly and retreated, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
Month 20 - Leaffall
Content Warning: This post contains content that may be upsetting to some viewers. See this post for details.
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The grass rustled softly in the light but bitterly cold breeze. Floodstrike watched the breath fog in front of his muzzle and waited, swaying slightly on his feet to mimic the movement of the grass.Â
Beside him, Sparrowsway did the same and, past him, Barleybee and, even further, Boldmoth and her apprentice, Erminepaw. Floodstrike couldnât see the others except for the barest of glimpses when the moonlight caught the grass just right but he knew they were out there. RisingClan, EarthClan, and SkyClan had gathered to keep their agreement with the city cats and had slipped out towards the city under cover of darkness. Now, with the peak of the closest twoleg nest in sight, they held position, waiting for orders.Â
After a long period of quiet stillness, a cat appeared on his left - Bluffpaw, Orangestarâs apprentice.Â
âMove to the back of the barn, a clearingâs length away,â he whispered, âStay down wind.â He slipped past Barleybee and repeated the message, proceeding down the frontline until his spotty ginger and white pelt disappeared into the dry grass.Â
Floodstrike nodded to Sparrowsway, who returned the look, then twitched his tail for the cat behind him and started off towards the back of the âbarnâ. When they reached about a clearingâs worth of distance from the wooden structure, Floodstrike perked his ears and tasted the air carefully. The barn smelled of hay and old wood and various city cats and other animals. Closer by, he could smell Goldenstar, Orangestar, and one of the city cats he had met before, Schmidtâs brother if he remembered right.Â
He glanced around quickly, decided that the barn was providing enough cover, and bounded in their direction. Sparrowsway hissed softly at him but he ignored his brotherâs warning. As their scents grew closer, he slowed to a stealthy pace again and ended up coming up between Goldenstar and Orangestar, interrupting the conversation. Â
âFloodstrike,â Goldenstar gasped softly. âIs everything alright?â
âYeah,â he twitched an ear to dismiss her concern. âWhatâs the plan?â Goldenstarâs brow furrowed darkly.
âWeâre just waitinâ on Sardine,â said the ginger kittypet. âOnce he enters the barn, the cat up there will give y'all the signal and youâll swing the trap shut.â He lifted his tail slightly to indicate a framed hole in the wall near the top of the building with a white furred kittypet sitting in it. The cat looked down and twitched their tail slightly in acknowledgement.Â
âFloodstrike, go back to your position,â Goldenstar said sternly.Â
âI want to be at the front of the push with you,â Floodstrike stated, ignoring her order.Â
âFloodstrike, this is not up for debate,â she said more aggressively, her tail starting to arch behind her. âGo back to your position and wait for the signal.âÂ
âI deserve to get justice for my apprentice,â he snapped back. The kittypetâs gaze softened sympathetically. Orangestar looked deeply uncomfortable.
âYou will,â Goldenstar hissed, rising up on her toes in a threatening display she had never used on him before, âbut right now you will go back to your position and follow orders. This is not the time for a tantrum.â The words struck him sharply, along with the furious posture she had turned on him, and he wilted under it, all his determination dissipating like scattered leaves.Â
âRight.â He swallowed, unsure how to feel. âSorry, Goldenstar.â He saw a flicker of guilt cross her face but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. Floodstrike turned tail and slank back towards the others.Â
Softly, Orangestar cleared her throat and said, âWes, you were saying?âÂ
When Floodstrike returned to his position, Sparrowsway was glaring at him. âWhat was that?â He hissed under his breath.
âSomething stupid,â Floodstrike grumbled.Â
âYeah, no kidding,â scoffed his brother.
âLeave him alone,â he read Barleybeeâs lips more than he heard her voice. âYou know this is hard for him.âÂ
âCan we all just shut up and focus?â he said a bit louder than he meant to.Â
The waiting was unbearable. Floodstrike looked up at the waxing moon and tried to catch it moving across the sky. Was it closer to the roof now than it was before? The stars laid muted under the glowing light from the city. He wondered if Lakepaw was watching him. He wondered if she was embarrassed to be his apprentice.Â
His paws were cold. His inner ears ached from the dry chill in the air. He shook out his paws and kneaded loose clods of dirt with his claws to try and keep some feeling in his toes. When was that kittypet in the barn going to give them the signal?
After a while, Goldenstar slank out of the grass and approached him. âFloodstrike, we need to talk,â she said in hushed tones.Â
âOkay,â he swallowed.Â
Goldenstar glanced at the cats on either side of him before stepping in closer. âLook, Iâm sorry I was so aggressive earlier. This is serious and I canât have my warriors undermining me right now. We both know I let you get away with a lot of stuff and I need to stop doing that. Youâre not my apprentice anymore, youâre a full warrior, and I need to treat you like one. Does that make sense?â
âYeah,â he nodded sullenly. âI shouldnât have come over in the first place. I just wanted to know what was going on.âÂ
âI know,â sighed Goldenstar. âWes says Sardine is supposedly on his way so it shouldnât be long. Just have patience.â And with that, she slipped away, farther along the line. Floodstrike grit his teeth in frustration but held his tongue.Â
The time stretched on even longer. Messengers came through and told everyone to watch for the signal: a raised tail from the white cat in the barn window. Then they waited. It felt like forever as the night dragged slowly towards morning, the moon rising even higher above them.Â
Then, there it was, a lift of the catâs tail. Floodstrike leapt into action, darting swiftly but quietly forward and around the side of the barn towards the big entryway on the front. This was it, he thought, his heart starting to pound.
Inside, he could hear voices. The first was mocking but put together. â... really, Rudy, Iâm hurt that you didnât invite me to your little shindig. I had to hear about it through a friend of a friend.â
âWhoâs that?â This voice was gruffer and deeper in, more muffled by the straw.Â
âOh, I shouldnât kiss and tell,â said the first voice. âBut they were very eager to sell you out, Iâm afraid. Itâs a shame, really. I was hoping our little game would be a little more interesting than this but it seems weâve reached the end.âÂ
The second voice laughed. âYeah, I bet you were hoping that.â Floodstrikeâs speed had gotten him to the front of the barn faster than the rest of the front lines and he slowed down to wait for the others.Â
The first voice said condescendingly, âYou donât seem to be understanding how the end is going to play out, Rudy. What, you think you can win this?âÂ
âSure do,â said the second voice - Rudy. âI could beat you and your squad of little girls with my paws in boots.â
âHah!â the first voice laughed. âIâd genuinely like to see you try, that sounds hilarious.â Russetfrond, Coyotechaser, Songdust, and Bogmist emerged from the grass beside Floodstrike and he nodded to them, letting Russetfrond take the lead as they rounded the corner. He didnât want to disappoint Goldenstar by rushing things and ruining the ambush.Â
Still, he was quick on the deputiesâ heels, claws itching to see use. As they came around the corner, he spotted two loose groups of cats, one sitting in different positions around the barn, the other clustered near the entrance as if they had just entered. Near the back of that group were several toms with notched ears, all craning their necks to see what was going on. He recognized one of them by his scarred, sable pelt and his blood started to boil inside his veins.Â
One of the chaff cats had his mouth open to scent the barn and he whipped around, suddenly able to taste the Clan cats on the wind. âOh, shit!â Russetfrond collided with him and chaos broke over the crowd.Â
âSavages!â went up the cry.Â
âSeal off the exits!â shouted Coyotechaser, âNobody gets out!âÂ
Several of the warriors took up positions in the entrance but Floodstrike had his eyes on Van Pelt. He lunged and slammed into the rogue claws first, tearing a nasty wound open over his shoulder. The rogue spat furiously and batted sharply at his head before they broke away and started to circle. The barn was filled with caterwauling and cats shouting to each other.Â
Van Pelt laughed and declared, âDamn, kid! You turned into quite the beanpole!â He darted in to give Floodstrike a gash on his nose. âNever grew into your ears though.â
âIâm not some helpless apprentice anymore,â snarled Floodstrike as he tackled the rogue to the ground.Â
âYou fight like one!â laughed Van Pelt with a series of rabbit kicks. One caught Floodstrike hard in the gut and he tumbled away. Managing to roll to his feet, he just barely managed to leap out of the way of Van Peltâs claws. He danced backward a few paces, then darted back in to swipe at his opponent's face, then turned to follow as Van Pelt twisted out of the way and went for his hind quarters. Floodstrike ducked low against the straw and waggled his hips before leaping, once again tackling Van Pelt to the ground.Â
Together, they tumbled in a hissing, spitting clump of claws and teeth until Floodstrikeâs back hit a metal shelf on the edge of the room hard and he cried out in pain. Van Pelt laughed his cruel, grating laugh and pressed his advantage, managing to score a deep cut on his soft belly. Floodstrike snarled and kicked the rogue hard in the face, rattling the metal things on the shelf with the force of it. Van Pelt stumbled back, cursing under his breath, and Floodstrike rolled off of the shelf and into a defensive crouch.Â
âYou brat!â Van Pelt spat, running a paw over his eye a few times.Â
âTold you,â shrugged Floodstrike smugly.Â
âYouâre right,â Van Peltâs eyes darted over the room beside them, âitâs just not as fun now that youâre all grown up.â He lunged to the side and Floodstrike braced himself in confusion, waiting for the lunge to turn into a feint but it didnât. Too late, he saw what Van Pelt had been looking for. The rogue slammed into an unsuspecting Erminepaw, sinking his teeth into the apprentice as he took her to the ground.Â
Floodstrike yowled, fear and anger erupting within him, and he dove after Van Pelt. His teeth found the rogueâs tail and he tugged sharply on it, allowing Erminepaw to squirm out of his claws. Van Pelt laughed and turned to swipe at Floodstrike only to spin and slash his claws across the apprenticeâs side again as soon as Floodstrike let him go.Â
âLeave them alone!â Floodstrike roared, rearing up to smack him roughly about the ears.Â
âTouched a nerve, did I?â cackled the rogue, batting his paws out of the way. Erminepaw hesitated in their readied stance, glancing between Floodstrike and his opponent and where Boldmoth was struggling against a pair of her own rogues.Â
âGo with her,â Floodstrike told her, âIâve got this one.â
âDo you?â taunted Van Pelt. Erminepaw nodded regardless and leapt for the other fight. Van Pelt tried to snag her with his claws but Floodstrike swung a paw out and struck him in the front of the throat, stopping him dead in his tracks as he gagged and gasped for air.Â
âYeah, I think I do,â smirked Floodstrike, pressing his advantage to throw the rogue off balance and strike at his underbelly. âYou think youâre so tough but youâre just a pathetic little bully!â
âLook whoâs talking,â Van Pelt wheezed. Above them, the metal things on the shelf rattled violently as Boldmoth jumped and kicked off of it to land on top of one of her opponents and a set of big cylinders crashed to the ground with a hollow clang, nearly hitting Floodstrike in the head. He managed to twist out of the way, only to look up and see that Van Pelt was on his feet, leaping through the gap in the shelf to press against the wall.Â
âYou canât get out that way,â Floodstrike growled, moving to block the edge where the shelf met the wall but Van Pelt just sneered at him.Â
âWho says I'm running?â he said, rearing up to give the shelf a shove from behind. It wobbled and tipped, showering more metal cylinders on the cats fighting below. Erminepaw backed up against the shelf to avoid them and Floodstrikeâs stomach twisted as an image of her crushed beneath its weight flashed into his mind. He sprang through the shelving and grabbed their scruff in his teeth, barreling out the other side into a bank of straw and dust. Behind him there was a mighty clatter and a cat screamed in pain.Â
âBoldmoth!â cried Erminepaw. Floodstrikeâs throat tightened. He wheeled around and there was Boldmoth, her back leg pinned beneath a red metal box. Beside her, a kittypet lay wheezing under the bulk of the shelf, his chest deformed from the impact. The other rogue Boldmoth had been fighting was trying to get him out to no success. Van Pelt was gone.Â
âFox dung,â Floodstrike hissed, hopping up over the shelf into the gap where Boldmoth was pinned. âJust hang on, Boldmoth, weâll get you out.â
âItâs definitely broken,â she said through gritted teeth.Â
âHelp me push!â said Erminepaw, putting their paws up against the box. Floodstrike joined her and together they heaved against its side. The box was heavier than expected and Boldmoth cried out again, her tail bristling from the pain.
âMaybe we should wait for the healers,â Erminepaw swallowed. âWe could mess it up more if weâre not careful!â
âNo,â Boldmoth gasped, hunched over with her eyes shut tight. âIâm a sitting duck here. We donât have time to wait.â
âOne more shove should do it,â said Floodstrike. âThree, two, one-!â They heaved again, and with a loud ker-thunk! the box toppled over and off of Boldmothâs crumpled leg. Floodstrike pressed up against her bad side and heaved her to her feet with his shoulder. âEasy⊠there we go. Come on.â
âErminepaw can escort me,â she said, sounding strained, âyou get back to the fight.â
âYouâre sure?â he asked.
âYeah, flea-brain, just go!â she snapped. Floodstrike nodded and hopped up onto the shelf to get a better view. Beneath it, the rogue winced. There! -- Floodstrike spotted Barleybee and Sparrowsway fighting side by side and he launched off of the shelf and into the fray to join them, his claws hungry for blood.
The babies are all grown up guys!!
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