Moon 124-Greenleaf
The Clan has been hit hard this moon. First, a ChaffinchClan attack on Brightfalcon (167) cost the beloved elder her life, starting a war with ChaffinchClan. Then, in what should have been a joyous moment with Airclaw (66) announcing that she was expecting kits and picking out a nest in the nursery next to Yellowcreek’s (51), with Cressfreckle (40) and Graysong (37) right beside her, Yellowcreek started kitting. Early. Too early. He had two kits but had lost too much blood. Nothing Graysong, Caterpillarmallow (74), or Needlepelt (27) could do could save him. Maybe he could have saved himself if he hadn’t been so afraid of his magic. In the end, the prejudice he faced because of his magic was what cost him his life. Yellowcreek lived just long enough to meet his kits surrounded by the cats he loved before he passed. And was surprised to find himself in StarClan, not the dark forest, being greeted by the dark-cursed cats who came before him: Shadestar and Skydawn. They welcomed him with open arms, but he still wishes he could be there for his family. Airclaw, Cressfreckle, and Graysong all spend the vigil curled up next to Yellowcreek’s body. Cressfreckle and Airclaw never officially became mates with Yellowcreek, but they hope that he knows they loved him. Romantically. Airclaw manages to hold it together for the vigil, but breaks down once she’s alone. She curses the world that took Yellowcreek instead of her. Cressfreckle sobs the whole night long. He wishes he would just wake up from this nightmare and his best friend and love would be next to him. When the sun rises after a sleepless night, he dwells on how this is the first morning of his life that he and Yellowcreek have not shared. Graysong grabs some foliage from Yellowcreek’s nest, comforted by the scent of his mate. It comforts him as he curls around their kits and manages to drift off into sleep. The Clan is also hit hard by the loss of Brightfalcon. She was the oldest cat in the Clan and beloved by many. Bushmask (134) doesn’t know what to do with the loss of his mate. He can’t believe that she and so many of their kits are gone. At least she, Stormrush, Antlersky, and Rosemaryquake are all reunited in StarClan. Yellowcreek’s kits survive the kitting and are named Fumblekit (0) and Gladekit (0). Gladekit got Graysong’s earth-blessing and is already making the plants around him grow to hide him so he can sneak up on the older kits. Fumblekit on the other paw. . .well, the plants seem to grow towards him as well. But Caterpillarmallow is surprised when she checks in on him to see steam rising from his pelt as well. And he’s not glowing. . .she looks at Graysong, who curls his tail protectively around his son. He knows. She immediately goes and tells Yuccastar (103) that one of Yellowcreek’s kits is dark-cursed. Yuccastar, so much less sure of herself than they used to be, decides that, as is tradition, the Clan will vote on what to do with the kit. Graysong is not allowed to vote, as the kit is his own, biologically, and nor are the other kits. But no other cats are excluded from the voting. Despite the support of Yellowcreek’s other friends and loves, the Clan votes to get rid of the kit, leaving the final decision of how to do so up to Yuccastar. She says she’s going to exile him, and takes him away from the warmth of Graysong’s nest and his brother. But once she’s far from camp, she breaks the newborn kit’s neck. Cressfreckle, who had followed to see if he could find a place to shelter the kit, watches. Later, in a dream Yellowcreek tells him about what really happened to Judaschaser and Rindlefish. Yuccastar is a murderer.
Meta: So. . .this is a heavy moon. I almost cried when I saw that Yellowcreek had died. And then Fumblekit. . .Per the game's rules, an insecure leader will let the Clan vote on whether to keep or get rid of the kit. I went through and decided which cat would vote what, and, based on that, getting rid of the kit won. For the sake of the story, I had Yuccastar initially decide to exile Fumblekit (which is a death senetence for a newborn kit in and of itself), but, once she thought she was out of sight of the Clan, I decided that she would most likely kill the kit. And Cressfreckle took Yellowcreek's place as a witness. This moon was hard to write and I did my best to include any trigger warnings I could think of in the tags. Let me know if I missed anything.
