#jackdawnudge

"Gentle, Mulberry." he chided all the same.

"Yurph my preph." Mulberrykit mumbled around his tail fluff.

"It's rude to use your teeth on other cats." Almondfern said sternly, and his tail was released.

"Sorry." Mulberrykit said, hanging his head.

"Just don't do it again, alright? Your mother and the other medicine cats don't need to see cats with kit bites." Almondfern said, purring to let the kit know he wasn't mad.

Hazelkit's paw slipped and went in his ear at that moment, but he just gently shifted the kit to the side. He could have played with the kits all day, to be honest, and he let them practice their pouncing and battle moves on him, the older kits no longer interested in him since they were so close to being apprentices. Unfortunately, it didn't last. After sun-high, the kits were getting cranky, in need of a nap, and Skypelt called him to patrol with Quietback, Aphidrise, Laurelbright, and Furledseed, the older warrior taking the lead.

They covered themselves in protection and Almondfern wanted to huff, because as much as he liked serving his clan, he had to put on many times more protection than the rest, and it took forever to come out of his fur.

But he followed the patrol all the same, not about to disobey, and they headed out far from camp. Border, at the moment, but they were planning to hunt on the way back. They headed toward the border of the unclaimed lands Foggyclan was up against as well, and Almondfern had to admit, he didn't mind patrolling with two of his sisters. He was rather quite fond of it, actually, even if the last patrol, Tulipscratch had fallen in the river. That had been an accident, after all, and you could never predict an accident.

There was a chill to the air today, but new-leaf, as warped as it was likely to be, was starting to peak through in the weather. Not in the growth, though. The rainfalls had taken care of that.

They patrolled the territory, but they were lucky. Few foxes and badgers settled on their territory, dogs were not common, and it had been some time since threatening rogues had been around. Weedclan still caused their usual trouble, but Foggyclan had always been respectful of them.

They patrolled thoroughly and Almondfern flicked his tail across Laurelbright's shoulder, nudging Furledseed, glad for their company. Furledseed rolled her eyes, but Laurelbright purred, and they continued on their way. They were not traveling all the way to the border, as a patrol to do that would have required setting out earlier in the day, but they were going a good distance toward it.

So far, everything was clear. Nothing of concern, and they would likely find prey on the way back.

As they walked, Almondfern found himself wanting to talk to Quietback, ask the older tom for advice on kits and mates, and if the clan would really be worried if he liked a cat for another clan, if he wanted a mate from another clan... But he wasn't sure how to bring it up. And maybe it was better to discuss with Goldstar.

He shook his head and held his tongue for now, and Quietback ordered them to spread out and scent the area at one point.

They obeyed, staying within yowling distance of each other, and Almondfern found a thick clump of growth worthy of green-leaf, wet with raindrops, obviously from a rainfall that had come and gone not too long ago.

He was about to go around it, not wanting to get his protection wet if he didn't have to, when he heard a faint sound. Stopping, he pricked his ears, and waited. He waited so long that, for a moment, he thought he had imagined it. Then he heard it again.

A pitiful mewling sound, like he had heard kits make when they were hungry or distressed, and his heart lurched.

He plunged into the ferns, searching carefully, and, in a hollow formed from the tangled roots of a bush, he found a kit.

No nest, no scent of another cat, just a tiny, shivering kit with a silvery, white-dappled pelt, its eyes and ears firmly shut. It let out that faint, pitiful sound, so faint Almondfern couldn't believe he had heard it, its tiny body shuddering with each breath.

"QUIETBACK! APHIDRISE! LAURELBRIGHT! FURLEDSEED!" he yowled, sliding into the cramped hollow.

The kit didn't make noise now, but they flailed at his presence, struggling to crawl to the warmth of his body. The others came running and found him, and Almondfern looked up.

"Abandoned. No nest, no scent..." he said quickly, his heart breaking.

"Go. Take it to camp, now!" Quietback ordered, and Almondfern didn't need to be told twice.

He picked up the little scrap of fur, as light as feather, and he ran as fast as he dared with his delicate passenger.

He had only run like this when they had been bringing fire to the Burning Caves, he thought, and he didn't let that slow him. The kit squeaked occasionally in his jaws and he ran and ran, right past Wiggity Wack, who was sitting guard outside the camp. He didn't stop until he reached the medicine cat den, nearly slamming into Jackdawnudge.

He skidded to a halt and placed the kit gently between his paws, his chest heaving.

"Jackdaw- the- kit- need-" he panted, struggling to breathe, struggling to speak.

Jackdawnudge didn't need him to explain, though. He picked up the tiny kit after ordering Lester to find Stoneleaf, and began to vigorously groom the little thing. Almonfern collapsed on the ground, catching his breath, and watched as Jackdawnudge groomed and rubbed the kit for all his was worth. Stoneleaf came into the den, sitting nearby, but she didn't move as Jackdawnudge worked.

Between licks and rubs, it soon became apparent that Jackdawnudge was speaking.

"Come on, you little scrap. Come on." he was saying, occasionally saying something else.

Lester took a turn when Jackdawnudge tired, and it seemed to take an eternity, but the kit was soon warmed up and squealing weakly.

"There you go, little one. There you go. Stoneleaf is goin' to feed you, don't you worry." Lester purred as Almondfern let out a sigh of relief.

He hovered as Stoneleaf settled in one of the empty patient nests, Morbius watching through half-closed eyes; the medicine cat kept her on low doses of poppy in hopes of keeping her calm and still enough for her spine to heal.

Stoneleaf nuzzled the kit to her swollen teats and it took several tries, but the kit soon latched and began to nurse.

"He's very weak." Stoneleaf said softly.

Almondfern swallowed hard.

"I want to keep him." he blurted out, and Jackdawnudge glanced at him.

"Don't go gettin' too attached, Almondfern. He might... He's not outta the woods yet." Lester warned gently.

"I want him." Almondfern repeated stubbornly.

He would nurse this kit back to health, he would protect them... Maybe it was because he and his sisters had been found and taken in by the clan, but he wanted to do what his mother had done for them. And it wasn't fair, for him to die just because he had been abandoned. It wasn't fair.

"Go wash up, and when you're dry, you can help me with him. Maybe come up with a name?" Stoneleaf said kindly, and Almondfern did just that.

He cleaned the protection from his fur and by this time, word of the kit had spread around the camp. Gillfeather came and helped him dry himself off, grooming his pelt just as she had when he had been a kit. When he was dry, he went back to the medicine cat den, finding Stoneleaf curled around the little kit.

She shifted in the roomy nest until there was room for both of them and they curled up with the kit together, Almondfern gently rasping his tongue over the kit. His whole body seemed to shudder with his breathing and when he flipped him over, Almondfern could see his heartbeat jumping through his tiny chest. He snuggled closer, knowing his fur held warmth; his sisters always crawled into his nest on cold nights.

"Do... Do you think he has a chance?" Almondfern asked Stoneleaf fearfully.

"I think he does. Amberleaf was a sickly little kit, and he pulled through. Starclan might not be ready for this little one just yet." Stoneleaf said soothingly.

They lay together, keeping the kit warm, and Almondfern pondered names for a while. Tried a few out and discarded them.

"Mistkit." he said eventually, drawing the kit to his belly.

"That's a lovely name. His fur is a misty gray, too." Stoneleaf said, purring.

Mistkit squeaked and lifted his head, snuffling blindly, and Almondfern nuzzled him gently until the squeaking calmed.

He sent a prayer to Starclan, hoping they would have mercy, hoping they would give him a miracle. Kits didn't deserve to die. He would do everything in his power to make sure Mistkit didn't. He hoped it would be enough, and he hoped Starclan was looking out for them.

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His next few days revolved around the medicine cat den. Stoneleaf had the other kits to look after, of course, but Yellowlily moved into the nursery to keep an eye on them when she came and looked after Mistkit with him. The warriors brought Stoneleaf the best prey, though that wasn't new. She had been nursing kits almost non-stop for moons, and they wanted to make sure she had enough to eat, and enough milk.

Stoneleaf showed him how to care for Mistkit, how to clean him and groom him, and Almondfern found himself wishing he could produce milk. It would be much more convenient, honestly, and he felt bad whenever Mistkit tried to suckle from him. He was a hungry little thing, but he also had trouble suckling for long, Almondfern noticed. He just wasn't strong enough. He licked and rubbed the kit vigorously, stimulating him, keeping him warm and getting his blood flowing, keeping him tucked against his belly with his tail draped over him.

Almondfern knew he shouldn't have gotten attached, should have been cautious... But he fell in love with Mistkit from the first day. He talked to him even though his ears were sealed, telling him about the clan, and about the other kits there were for him to play with once he was strong enough.

Morbius watched from her nest, her eyes always poppy-glazed, but she asked Almondfern questions, and there was always at least one medicine cat present. On the morning of the fifth day after finding Mistkit, Almondfern woke shortly after dawn and shifted, yawning and then turning his attention to Mistkit. He leaned down to lick him and paused, realizing there was no little snuffling breaths, no squeaking, no fidgeting as his tongue rasped over the silky fur.

"Mistkit?" he said, his voice a whisper.

Stoneleaf stirred beside him and Almondfern nuzzled the kit, but he was still and cold.

"Mistkit?" His voice was louder now, thick with fear, and Almondfern didn't want to believe, he didn't...

His yowl pierced the silence of medicine cats' den and Stoneleaf shot up, the medicine cats shooting from their nests, Confetti, who had been sleeping with Morbius, leaping into the air and hissing.

"No, no, no... Please, Starclan, you can't... Grandpa! Grandpa!" Almondfern cried frantically, Jackdawnudge bounding over.

But there was nothing to be done. Mistkit had slipped away in his sleep, too weak, left too long by the time Almondfern had found him. His sobs chased Stoneleaf and Confetti away, and Plumsong tried to say something to him, but Almondfern ignored him. He curled around Mistkit's still body, his own shaking, his muzzle wet with tears.

Skypelt came and tried to take Mistkit from him, but Almondfern smacked his claws across her muzzle. He shocked himself, but Skypelt left, and Almondfern realized with a start that Amberleaf had been sitting nearby for some time.

He stared at Amberleaf for a long moment and Amberleaf stared back, saying nothing, just watching and waiting.

Eventually, Jackdawnudge came and settled down beside the nest.

"Almondfern, I know you loved that little kit. You took good care of him. But you need to let him go." he said gently and Almondfern shook his head.

"Why is Starclan so cruel?" he whispered, staring at his grandfather.

"This wasn't Starclan, Almond. We'll never know the truth, but you found no nest, no scent, and he was only a day or two old when you discovered him. This is the fault of the cat who left him to die. There was nothing you could have done other than what you did. You loved him and cared for him. That was more than he got from the cat who left him." Jackdawnudge said and Almondfern sniffed.

"I don't want to burn him." he croaked.

"You have to. You know that. Better than letting an Unseen get him." Jackdawnudge said.

He leaned forward and pressed his muzzle to Almondfern's cheek.

"Starclan will take care of him. It's just his body now. His spirit isn't there." he said and Almondfern swallowed.

He looked at the tiny, delicate body between his paws and his vision blurred.

"I'll take him." Amberleaf offered from where he was sitting.

"No. No, I... I'll do it." Almondfern whispered, because he had to.

He needed to. And he knew Jackdawnudge was right, and that he had to let him go. He did not have the luxury to sit here and mourn, especially when it was a few-day journey to the Burning Caves.

He forced himself to leave Mistkit's body and Gillfeather helped him coat himself in protection, licking his tear-soaked fur comfortingly.

"I'm so sorry, honey. I'm so sorry." she murmured, nuzzling him.

She offered to go with him, but Almondfern shook his head. In the end, it was Amberleaf who went with him, and Almondfern slid on an herb-sling, Mistkit's body tucked into it. Lester added the herbs that had once been used, and coiled around him comfortingly.

Then they set off slightly together, and Almondfern had never been close to Amberleaf, but he was grateful for the other cat's company. He wasn't sure if he woud have been able to complete the journey on his own.

He had taken his turn as a firewatcher and enjoyed the work, but he had never taken a body himself. He had the sudden terrible thought that one day he would have to do this for Jackdawnudge, for his mother and her siblings, maybe even for his siblings... His chest tightened and he swallowed hard at the thought.

Amberleaf said nothing and did not touch him, just gave him a reassuring nod, and that was better than words. Almondfern was glad he was not alone, and he was glad it was not a member of his family with him. Because he would need their comfort when he got home, and it wouldn't be the same if they were here. And it was only because of Amberleaf that he ate. The younger tom hunted for them both, dropping prey in front of Almondfern, and he ate it because Amberleaf would watch him. He also knew better than to waste prey or his clanmate's efforts.

It took several long, quiet days to get here, and part of Almondfern wanted to ask if this was what it had been like when Amberleaf had helped take Flintfur, but he did not. It was rude and invasive, and if Amberleaf wanted to talk about it, he would have said something.

Almondfern kept the sling close, not wanting to lose Mistkit, and they kept watch for Unseen. They encountered two rainfalls on the journey, but no Unseen, and it was... Peaceful. He didn't know what else to call it. But, eventually, they got to their destination, and Almondfern's heart was twisting.

They were greeted by cats from the other clans- Civetbeak and Quailpaw were here as firewatchers right now, the apprentice having begged to go, but they must have been further in the caves. First, there was confusion about where the body was. Then a sense of sadness spread through the cats; the death of a kit was something all the clans could mourn with a better understanding together.

They were lead into the caves and Almondfern was surprised to see Softflight here, but he did have to admit, he was grateful for her company. He didn't know the rest of these cats well. They were allowed to rest and Almondfern left Mistkit's body wrapped in the sling, trying to delay things, but he couldn't. He had to give Mistkit's body to the fire, and not delay it.

Amberleaf came back with a bundle of flowers in his jaws, daisies that were cheerful and white, and Almondfern thanked him. They all gathered on the edge of the fire pit, the heat incredible, and Almondfern wanted to say something. He really did. But he couldn't think of anything.

"Starclan, take care of him." he said, eventually, a prayer, a demand, an order.

He gently eased Mistkit from the sling and took a deep breath, gently nuzzling the little, cold body.

"I loved you, little kit. I love you. I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to live. But you are loved. You are precious to me." he whispered, tears slipping down his muzzle.

Then he gave Mistkit to the flames, and he and Amberleaf scattered the daisies in after.

Almondfern didn't mean to, but he turned and buried his head in Amberleaf's shoulder, sobbing, and he felt Amberleaf flinch. He backed off immediately, backed away from the scorching heat of the flames and curled up, crying again. Softflight curled up with him, and the others quietly went further into the caves.

Softflight said nothing, just curled against him and groomed his ears gently, comfortingly. Almondfern curled into her and swallowed, mourning again, wishing that Mistkit had a least had a chance. Wishing that he had not been abandoned for whatever reason, or that he had found him sooner or...

Eventually, Softflight and Civetbeak got him up. They took him to the nests where the firewatchers slept, and he curled up, his heart no lighter than before.

Amberleaf settled in the nest nearest him, and, eventually, Almondfern spoke.

"Amber?" he said softly, his voice hoarse.

"Yeah?" Amberleaf said.

"Thank you for coming with me. I couldn't... I don't think I would have made it here without you." he said, swallowing.

"You're welcome." Amberleaf said, and said nothing else.

They would spend the night, and, in the morning, they would head back. Right now, all Almondfern wanted to do was stay in the nest. And when Softflight curled up with him for the night, he pressed close to her, resting his chin on her shoulder, eventually drifting off to sleep.

5/4/2026-5/9/2026

Flowers used:

Daisy- Innocence, often used to represent children and at funerals for them.

Bonus: Mistkit

None of them slept long. It was the same as always now; unending darkness that should have held the forests of Starclan, and they woke up before too long.

They all looked at each other and shook their heads, and got on with it. Jackdawnudge had had to figure out a lot of this himself; Plumsong had been so sick when he had become a medicine cat that he hadn't been able to impart lessons for a while. But Lester would receive proper guidance, at least, and so would the other two apprentices. And while they were lucky to loners had come to them with interest and skills in herbs, Jackdawnudge hoped that it wasn't too long before a young cat of Hyacinth wanted to take up the role of medicine cat.

"I think we need to talk about what happened at the Gathering. Or rather, what Dapplestar mentioned." Birdtail said, coiling her tail around her paws when it came to the time they talked.

"Dashclaw's body being devoured?" Pinestrike asked, niddling the fur between his toes.

"Yes. But didn't you notice it? Dashclaw was dead, and that... That... Silence happened. Foggyclan reported it when Icywind's patrol was slaughtered, and Lester, you said it happened when Palethicket died?" Birdtail said, Jackdawnudge catching on.

"You're pointing out that it doesn't happen just when living cats are killed. When the bodies are devoured, too." he said, disgust and fear pulsing through his belly.

"It could be because Dashclaw was freshly dead, because none of the other graves on our territory were disturbed. Has anything touched Loudclaw's grave?" Tansynose said, looking over at Birdtail.

"It has been dug at, but the body was still there. We covered it back up, and nothing tried again." Birdtail answered, Redpaw nodding his agreement.

"So, it's lookin' like it might be the livin' and the freshly dead they want... But that ain't good. We can't keep cats from dying, and who knows how deep these unseen monsters can dig. We can't know how deep we need to dig, and I for one do not want to have more monsters runnin' around because we needed to experiment and didn't figure it out." Lester said, scuffing the ground with her paw.

"How else are we supposed to respect our dead?" Pinestrike demanded, curling back his lips.

"We... Well, burying isn't the only way to get rid of a body. Moons ago, when I was a kit-" Cloudrunner began.

"Here we go." Shardpaw muttered.

"-Lightning started a very bad fire in Foggyclan territory. Two of our clanmates were trapped, and no one could get to them. By the time the fire was out and the ground cool enough to walk on, there was nothing left but their bones." Cloudrunner finished, ignoring the apprentice.

Jackdawnudge pricked his ears.

"That could work. Old bodies and bones... Nothing these things want." he said, mulling the idea over.

"Excuse me, but how are we going to get fire? We can't depend on a lightning strike every time a cat dies, especially since Starclan has left us." Pinestrike said, shaking his head.

"Fire burns when it has fuel. We gather some and trap it, and keep it burning. I've seen Twolegs make little fires when they come make nests for a few days. They feed it but keep it contained." Birdtail offered, tail flicking.

"But where? It would need to be somewhere safe! We can't have fire and then let it loose to burn the clans!" Pinestrike exclaimed, his own tail lashing.

"There are caves up in the mountains, just beyond the borders of Foggyclan and Hycinthclan. We take it there and fill the cave with prey, and we cycle through cats every now and then to keep it burning and fed. Then they switch, and patrols gather fuel to keep it burning. When a cat dies, we hold a brief vigil, and warriors deliver their body." Cloudrunner said, eyes shining with ideas.

"I don't know... Burning them..." Tansynose said, looking uncomfortable.

"Well, I think it's a good idea! I hate thinkin' that Palethicket is out there now, trapped as a monster, and I know she was alive when it got her, but if we can stop more cats from havin' that happen to 'em, I want to do it!" Lester exclaimed, leaping to her paws.

"It's not just our decision." Tanynose pointed out softly. "We'll have to bring it to the leaders and the deputies, who will have to discuss it with the clans."

She had a point, but Jackdawnudge didn't even have to talk to Goldstar to know what her decision would be.

They discussed it further and it would be a long walk, a lot of work, but it seemed like the best option. Better than their clanmates being dug and devoured, whether or not they actually became monsters, though those silencings seemed to signal it.

As they closed the meeting, they agreed that in three sunrises, they would all return, one medicine cat each, with their leader, and the decision would be made.

Jackdawnudge froze when Lester asked one final question as thunder rumbled; the storm looked like it was going around them.

"Say... Have any cats that have been badly wounded recovered real quick? Survived when they shouldn't have? Other than a leader, I mean?" she asked and Jackdawnudge held in a snarl.

All of the medicine cats said no, looking at Lester curiously, questioning her, but she backstepped quickly, spewing out something about wondering if it was just the leaders Starclan blessed or what. In the end, the others seemed to accept this answer, but Jackdawnudge hissed at her when they were alone.

"Do not mention that again! We do not know what happened to Amberpaw, even if it's happened again, and we do not want the other clans thinking he is cursed or anything of the sort!" he snapped, baring his teeth.

Lester shrank back.

"I'm sorry, Jackdawnudge. I just wondered, if any other cat had that happen, maybe we'd all be able to figure it out together." she said and Jackdawnudge sighed.

"Well, don't bring it up again. They could be protecting their own clanmates for all we know and lying, or it really hasn't happened to anyone but Amberpaw." Jackdawnudge said and with that, stalked away, leading the way home.

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In the end, the leaders agreed.

Jackdawnudge was surprised, but he sat beside Goldstar at the Pool and listened, and the leaders and clans were all in agreement.

It took some work; patrols raced across each territory as Cloudrunner lead the other medicine cats in finding a cave, and they got volunteers for the Firekeepers, as they would be called. They found a cave with what looked like a dried-up spring in it and an odd channel in the ceiling leading to the roof, and it was deemed perfect.

Dry branches, sticks, twigs, and bark were piled in the cave and then... They waited.

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long. They almost didn't get it done in time, but Jackdawnudge was sitting in the entrance of the cave, looking out over the territories, when the storm hit.

A regular thunderstorm, it was fueled by the ocean, with strong winds and more lightning than wind, and somewhere in Foggyclan territory, a tree was struck.

They could see the fire burning, but all Jackdawnudge could do was wait, a cat from each clan beside him, including Aphidrise.

Soon, though, they saw the runners. The fastest cats in the clans, passing burning branches down a line, hoping that one would survive the journey.

The fire was soon getting closer, the storm leaving, and they could see it moving closer and closer as the runners raced to them. Just in case, Jackdawnudge had supplies to treat burns on paw, because there was no telling what would happen.

Finally, though, the runners arrived, the fastest, steadiest cats for the last leg- Flintfur and Almondfern, with Sandystone of Foggyclan and Rabbitpounce of Kinkclan. All four held burning branches and they shot into the cave, almost too fast for Jackdawnudge to get out of the way.

They flew into the back and hurled their branches into the pit with fuel sitting in it, and it caught, Almondfern sitting down and letting out a wail best suited for a kit.

Then-

"FUCK!" he yowled, pawing at his muzzle as the others collapsed on the stone.

"Quit your screaming and let me see." Jackdawnudge ordered, hurrying over to his grandkit.

Almondfern obeyed, his eyes wide and filled with pain, and he did have a decent burn on his muzzle.

Licking Almondfern on the ears, Jackdawnudge set to work treating it- He did care about his grandkits, after all, even if his own kits could be quite annoying.

"You were supposed to drop it if you were starting to get burned." Sandystone huffed, stretching out her long legs.

"We were almost here." Almondfern mumbled, letting Jackdawnudge do his job.

When he finished, they all looked at the fire roaring in the pit, the smoke being sucked up the sky tunnel, which quelled Jackdawnudge's fear of the Firekeepers choking on it.

"Do you think it will work?" Flintfur asked, gazing at the flames.

"We'll see." Jackdawnudge said, because he could make no promises.

All of this could be for nothing, in the end, but they had to try.

As morbid as it was, they wouldn't know until a cat died, and then... Well, either way, there would be decisions to make going forward. But Jackdawnudge hoped this worked, because if it didn't...

He wasn't going to think about that either. What mattered now was that they had options, even if, for now, they were going to have to wait and see.

10/14/2025-10/15/2025

It would regrow, but not in time, and Plumsong cursed, dashing away. The warriors followed on his heels ad this was what he had been dreading since these rainfalls had started; vital herbs being hit when their stocks needed to be replenished.

Goldstar had only lost one life before, so she had plenty yet, but Plumsong did not want to risk her losing one. No leader had lost a life since their connection to Starclan had broken, and he had no idea if she would be able to come back to them, or if her lost life would go to Starclan like it was supposed to.

They raced through the territory, searching, and part of Plumsong had half the mind to run straight to Foggyclan or Weedclan rather than carry on a desperate search when time was wasting away, but given the state of the world now, they might not be too willing to share. It would also be better to have Wiggity Wacks with him for that, not two warriors, and he shook himself mentally.

They raced to the next spot where they gathered time, the spot the medicine cats had collectively decided to leave alone to regrow and flourish so the patch would still be there, but they did not have much of a choice right now.

Luckily, there was still thyme to be had, and though it went against his instincts as a medicine cat, Plumsong harvested it with the warriors.

It was perfectly fine, but it smelled sickly to him, the nubs of the stalks seeming to glare accusingly at them as they bundled the herbs into their jaws, but needs must.

They turned away and sprinted back to camp, but the detour and racing away to a further part of the territory had cost them.

By the time Plumsong careened into the private part of the den, he found Jackdawnudge and Skypelt sitting beside Goldstar, who was very still in her nest.

"She's losing a life." Jackdawnudge said gruffly.

"Starclan damn it!" Plumsong shouted after setting down his bundle of herbs.

"It happens, Plumsong. She'll be mostly recovered, at least from the worst of it, by the time the life is gone." Jackdawnudge said and Plumsong peeled back his lips.

"I know that! But Starclan had abandoned us! What if she doesn't come back? What if her lost life starts forming some kind of monster? I was a medicine cat long before you ever were, Jackdaw!" he snapped, bristling.

"Hey, there's no need for that." Petalcurrent butted in, setting her herbs down as well.

"Plumsong has valid worries." Skypelt said, looking down at Goldstar.

She curled around the still form of the leader, burying her nose in her fur, and closed her eyes, likely praying to Starclan that everything would be fine. There was nothing to be done but wait and see, and as they watched, a pale, ghostly shape rose up from Goldstar.

It drifted aimlessly above her, curled and limp, and Plumsong's stomach churned. He held his breath, the four of them with their eyes open watching, waiting. It was taking too long, this wasn't how it was supposed to happen... Then suddenly the pale form of the life jerked, rising higher and higher until it had disappeared into the roof of the den.

Goldstar was still for a little longer, but then her flanks began to move again, and her eyes soon cracked open. The worst of it was gone, but she was still in shock, and as Skypelt rose and pulled away from her, the medicine cats set to work.

They did all they could, but Goldstar was still suffering from the shock, even though she was out of danger, and there was no way she could pick a deputy by moonhigh.

So the clan gathered, save for Lester's kits, Goldstar, and Goldstar's kits, and while it seemed wrong to do this with four of their warriors absent, they had no choice.

The clan cast votes by not shouting for the cat they wanted to stand in, because that could have been messy, but by laying stones gathered from around camp in that cat's nest.

When everyone had placed their stones, Plumsong went and counted them, and there were really only three contenders. But even then, the chosen cat was obvious.

"Skypelt." he said, emerging from the warriors' den.

"Our clan has chosen you to lead us and guide us until Goldstar is able to name our deputy. Do you accept this role? And do you understand it does not mean you are the deputy?" he asked, looking the she-cat down.

She bowed her head.

"I understand, and I accept this role. I will serve my clan however I can." she said and Plumsong nodded.

That was it, then.

Most of the clan gathered outside after that to hold a small vigil for Flintfur even though they did not have his body, and Plumsong returned to his patient.

He couldn't help but notice that Jackdawnudge was curled in his nest, the scent of grief wafting off him, and he was curled up as tightly as a cat could be.

Jackdawnudge was older than Plumsong, and while they had all lost their clans in the great war, Plumsong noticed that since forming Hyacinthclan, Jackdawnudge seemed a bit more effected by grief.

Copsespots and her kits, Ashtalon, and now Flintfur... Each time his fellow medicine cat had been struck heavily by his grief. Plumsong worried that one day, Jackdawnudge might not recover from that grief.

He checked on him, but Jackdawnudge ignored him, and Plumsong curled up with Goldstar, keeping her warm and monitoring her, doing his best to swallow down his own grief, too.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Goldstar was out of danger, but the shock still took some time to wear off, along with the grief. Plumsong was also concerned that something had gone wrong when she had lost her life. The shock seemed to be gone, and the grief was to be expected, but she was so still and quiet that the medicine cats, and the clan, were worried.

Jackdawnudge was also refusing to leave his nest now, succumbing to his own grief, and Plumsong was glad that Skypelt was taking charge of the clan, because the medicine cats had enough to handle at the moment.

With a clan as small as theirs, especially in a clan formed of such tragedy, every loss hit hard. They were lucky to have only lost five cats over the past thirty-five moons, and each one was still a hard blow.

Copsespots, Firkit, Shrewkit, Ashtalon, and now Flintfur.

And Plumsong couldn't shake it out of his head that Jackdawnudge and Yellowlily, not to mention himself and even Goldstar, were getting on in moons.

More losses were more likely to happen sooner rather than later, and hopefully the clan would be able to recover from them. Of course, losses from old age were far different than the five losses they had suffered.

Yellowlily, Quietback, and Amberpaw were still gone, Yellowpaw and Quailpaw still restricted from the den because they did not need to see their mother like this, when Goldstar finally spoke, the shadows long and the light fading.

"Flintfur...?" she croaked and Plumsong turned away from the thyme he was taking care of.

Goldstar's eyes were open and unfocused, and he rushed over.

"Goldstar? It's Plumsong." he said, crouching in front of his leader.

She looked at him, her eyes dull with grief, and Plumsong had seen this enough times to know that while the shock was gone, the grief was not.

"He's gone." Goldstar whispered and Plumsong nodded.

"I'm so sorry." he said, and he was.

There wasn't a cat in the clan who had disliked Flintfur, and even his prickly old pelt had found comfort in the dark gray warrior.

"How do you feel?" Plumsong asked next.

"Thirsty." Goldstar said, and he fetched water.

Soaked the ball of moss in the little pool in the den, giving it to his patient, and fetched Lester, who got Wasp and Skypelt.

By the time he made it back, Jackdawnudge had heaved himself from his own nest and was curled up with Goldstar, white and dark ginger-spotted pelt and golden, white-marked pelt pressed so close together they seemed to be one cat, and Jackdawnudge was being oddly tender, licking Goldstar's ears.

"Goldstar. I am so sorry." Skypelt said, sympathy pulsing in her voice.

Goldstar nodded, her ears laying back at the sight of all of them, and Lester and Wasp left without a word, being the junior medicine cats. Though Plumsong wasn't quite sure if Jackdawnudge counted as a medicine cat right now, considering he was also a patient.

"Yellowlily, Quietback, and Amberpaw have taken Flintfur to be burned. He is in good paws, Goldstar, you know that." Skypelt assured her and Goldstar gave a dull nod.

Goldstar gave a feeble nod.

"My kits...?" she asked, her eyes filled with worry, despite how dull they looked.

"Quailpaw and Yellowpaw are looking after each other. Yellowpaw is as fine as she can be. She blames herself, little scrap, but we're all making sure she understands that it wasn't her fault." Plumsong said and Goldstar closed her eyes.

"I should-"

"No. You may be their mother, but you are allowed to grieve. And forgive me, Goldstar, but they really shouldn't see you like this. Not right now." Skypelt cut in, her voice firm.

"Goldstar, I hate to ask right now, but we need to know. What... What happened when you lost your life? Was it like what Amberpaw described?" Plumsong asked, because they had to know.

Starclan had been silent for eight moons now, and while Amberpaw had revived, Flintfur and others had died, and no leaders had lost lives (that they knew of) since all this had started happening.

"I... I was on the Beach of Stars. But it wasn't... It was quite right. I couldn't move, I couldn't do anything. I felt... Stuck." Goldstar said, her breath hitching.

She had lost a life before, and this was certainly not how it had gone. The beach and the ocean were consistent with what Amberpaw had said, but being on the sand rather than the water and being stuck was not.

"Then?" Skypelt prompted.

"I think... Flintfur... I think he guided me to Starclan." Goldstar said softly and Plumsong's ears pricked.

"You made it to Starclan?" he asked, shocked.

"Someone... A cat with gray fur... They pulled me into the water. And when I surfaced, I was standing in Starclan. I saw Mallowstar." she said, referring to the last lives-blessed leader of Oleanderclan.

"Did she say anything?" Plumsong asked softly.

"I couldn't hear her. It was like she was trying to speak underwater. There was... Something between us." Goldstar said and laid her head on her paws.

"I'm sorry. That's all I remember." she said, voice growing soft as she did.

"Don't apologize." Plumsong said sharply, because this was better news than he had hoped for.

Well, not exactly better, but it at least meant despite all the strangeness, Starclan was still there. Still trying to talk to them, it seemed. Even if they were unable. But that still left all the questions they had been grappling with for moons, and part of Plumsong wanted to demand more answers out of Goldstar, but he knew she did not have them.

There was nothing more to discuss right now. Goldstar was in clearly no state to choose a deputy, so they let her have peace. She refused the mouse Plumsong brought her and he let it go now, bringing her herbs instead that she lapped up. Then she curled up with Jackdawnudge and closed her eyes, the two pressing tightly against each other.

Plumsong let them be, sitting at the entrance of the den, watching as the last of light slipped away. He would tell Lester and Wasp what Goldstar had said soon, but right now, he wanted to ponder it. What did it mean? Why was Starclan cut off from them? Why did this cut Starclan off from them in the first place?

Clearly, Starlcan was aware and trying, but what was this ocean and beach? It wasn't truly the Beach of Stars. And a cat with gray fur... Had it been Flintfur? Another warrior? Perhaps Ashtalon? But no, the length must have been obvious, and Flintfur had- had had long fur. So not Ashtalon.

Had it been... Had it been Skypelt? Plumsong had to wonder that for an instant. After all, the she-cat had curled up with Goldstar, and shortly after, Goldstar's life had broken free.

But no. No, Skypelt had never shown any unusual abilities nor had she come to him or Jackdawnudge about dreams or omens.

Then again, Amberpaw had seemed completely normal... Until he had been killed. And he somehow possessed the ability to sense the Unseen as well.

It was late when Plumsong sought out Skypelt, Wasp and Lester informed, thoughts to be puzzled over even though no answers would come.

Tumbledaisy was perched in the tree as the rainwatcher, as usual, a post she took pride in, because admittedly, a blind cat as a warrior could be difficult at times, but these days, well... But her sense of smell was unrivaled, and she had proved wonderful at detecting rainfalls.

Skypelt was sitting at the edge of camp, looking out over the ocean, and Plumsong joined her.

"Skypelt, I need to ask.. Have you ever had strange dreams before? Anything... Unusual... That you can't quite explain?" Plumsong asked bluntly when neither of them said anything.

Skypelt blinked, swiveling her head, and angled her ears.

"What? Like Amberpaw?" she asked after a beat, as if processing his words.

"Yes, or something else." Plumsong said and Skypelt shook her head.

"Not that I know of." Skypelt replied, letting out a soft mrrow. "Why?"

"I was just wondering." Plumsong said, shaking his head.

It had been foolish. They had been in a clan together for thirty-five moons, had traveled here before that, and surely he would have noticed if there was something strange about her, if she had dreams or abilities.

Skypelt nodded and Plumsong began to get to his paws, but Skypelt spoke.

"Plumsong... If you don't mind, would sit with me for a while? I could use some company." she said and Plumsong was surprised.

But he found he couldn't deny her the request and he sat next to her, their pelts brushing, looking up at the stars until, finally, they both returned to their nests.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Let all cats of the clan gather beneath the tree for a clan meeting!"

Goldstar's voice rang out clearly through the clearing, but the clan had more or less already been waiting, and it hardly took them any time to gather.

Goldstar had certainly looked better and she was still grieving deeply, but she had managed to get up from her nest and speak to her kits, and today she was doing her duty to the clan by appointing the new deputy.

Yellowlily, Quietback, and Amberpaw had returned by this point, and they had told them how the journey to and from had gone, as well as how the burning had gone. It seemed to have worked as originally planned, which was good, and Goldstar plunged on.

"I need to appoint our new deputy. Flintfur... Flintfur served us well, but we can not have the place vacant, and he would understand. So Starclan, hear and approve my choice. Skypelt, if you are willing, I would like to become Hyacinthclan's new deputy." Goldstar said, and no one was surprised.

Skypelt stepped forward and bowed her head respectfully.

"I am willing, Goldstar."

"Do you swear to uphold the duties of a deputy, to look after your clan, to care for them when I am unable, and to ultimately lead them when I am gone?" Goldstar asked, not the traditional words, exactly, but much about their clan was not traditional.

"I do."

"Then I am name you deputy of Hyacinthclan. May you serve us well." Goldstar said, leaping down to rest her muzzle on Skypelt's forehead.

When she was done, she climbed back into the tree, waiting until the clan's cheers had died down. The cheers felt almost inappropriate with their grief, but they cheered anyway.

"And there is another matter I need to address. Yellowpaw, you not only lost your father, you lost your mentor. And you need a new one. I will mentor you, when I am able, and for now, I ask that Civetbeak take Yellowpaw on alongside Amberpaw, if you can." she said, looking at the dark warrior.

Buzzardglide leaned over and repeated the words in her brother's ears.

"Yes, leader, I am fine with that." Civetbeak said with a nod, and that was it.

Goldstar ended the meeting and slipped back into her den, and Plumsong followed after. She was still grieving, still in pain, and so was Jackdawnudge. Well, they all were, but those two cats, they were suffering from it the most.

But, at least, Goldstar had ensured that even in her grief, the clan had stability, and that was all Plumsong could ask her for right now. He had to hope, that in the moons to comes, despite another loss, that Hyacinthclan would recover once more.

When the patrol came back to camp, Goldstar immediately knew something was wrong. She was outside the nursery, watching Yellowkit and Quailkit play, relaxing with her kits, when they returned, and immediately alarmed prickled her pelt.

Flintfur was leaning on Skypelt, walking a bit slowly, and the scent of fear came with the patrol, Civetbeak and Amberpaw at the back. Strangely, the apprentice seemed to be the most calm.

Flintfur's black pelt was splattered with white and Goldstar was already on her paws, leaving her kits under the eye of Yellowlily, Tulipkit, and Fogkit.

"Goldstar." Flintfur called to her, but she was there in an instant.

"What happened?" she demanded, brushing her nose against her mate's cheek.

The lingering scents of fear and pain clung to his pelt and she realized the white splatter was actually his fur, not something on it, and she recoiled.

"What happened?" she repeated.

"I believe we need to discuss it privately first, with the medicine cats." Flintfur said, though those in camp were all peering at them curiously.

"You need to go to the medicine cat den, Flintfur." Skypelt said.

"Then we can meet there." Goldstar said, taking her mate's weight from the she-cat.

They went to the large medicine cat den, expanded to house their multiple medicine cats and patients, and Jackdawnudge was the first to meet them.

"What happened?" the old cat asked, seeming puzzled when there was no obvious injury.

"We're not sure. It doesn't hurt now, at least." Flintfur said, but he allowed himself to be guided over to the nest.

Plumsong was sorting herbs and Wasp was nowhere to be seen, but Amberpaw was sent to fetch her. They were in the clearing and came immediately as Jackdawnudge inspected his patient.

"This is strange to me." he said, parting Flintfur's pelt, and Goldstar saw the mottling of black across his skin.

"What happened?" she demanded for a third time and the patrol recounted what had happened.

The animals fleeing, the storm, the rain, what it had done when it had touched Flintfur and the deer, and Goldstar had to force her fur to lay flat. But there was terror in her heart, not only because of this strange rain and what it could do, but what had almost happened to Flintfur.

They had been since early in the founding of Hyacinthclan and he had been her deputy since they had formed, and she loved him dearly. She didn't know how she would lead the clan without him, and the terror that he had nearly died, that he could have ended up like this deer, terrified her in ways she could not describe.

"Could this be some kind of sign from Starclan?" she asked, getting her head together.

She was the leader, she had to stay strong for her clan, even if she was currently a queen. Goldstar turned her gaze to the medicine cats, looking them over, hoping for answers. Wasp was new to the clan, with them for less than six moons, but she had an undeniable connection to Starclan and was good with herbs besides. Plumsong technically had seniority, but still, they all deferred to Jackdawnudge.

Plumsong seemed to be thinking, paws kneading the ground, Wasp just looked dumbstruck, and Jackdawnudge's expression was unreadable.

"Starclan doesn't typically send such... Deadly things. There have been no whispers, no dreams, no omens, nothing. I don't think this could be Starclan." Plumsong said, flicking his tail.

"I never saw anything like that, not even on my own. Never heard of it either." Wasp said, coiling her own tail tightly around herself.

"I... Was any of it black? Did you see anything... Strange?" Jackdawnudge rasped and they all looked at him.

"Like what?" Skypelt asked.

"If you have to ask, then you didn't." Jackdawnudge said and everyone wanted answers.

Except Civetbeak; hard of hearing, the tom hadn't heard what his father had quietly said, though he had become adept at reading lips.

He had been watching Plumsong, however, and Jackdawnudge refused to elaborate.

"I felt something." Amberpaw said, his voice quiet.

Goldstar looked at the apprentice, sitting well out of everyone's reach, and Plumsong sat forward.

"What did you feel?" he demanded, bronze eyes sharp.

"I- Uh- I don't know. It was just something. Like something was there, but there was nothing to see." Amberpaw said, scuffing his paw against the floor.

Plumsong seemed annoyed, but there was nothing more they could get out of Amberpaw. Perhaps it had been a Starclan cat, perhaps something in Amberpaw's head... Or soemthing else altogether.

But there was no way now, and Jackdawnudge and Plumsong said they would go to the Beach of Stars tonight, even if it wasn't a half moon tonight.

"Do you think the other clans saw anything? It came from over Weedclan's territory." Flintfur said and that didn't help Goldstar's unease.

What if all of Weedclan had died from that? What if they were lying like that deer that had been described to her in the territory and camp? And what if it happened again? Would Hyacinthclan be safe? How could they protect themselves?

"I'll send warriors, and you as well, Wasp. A medicine cat is sure to ease anything. Wiggity Wacks as well." Goldstar said, speaking of their mediator.

"I can do that-" Flintfur began, but Jackdawnudge's paw shot out.

"You're staying here and resting. This injury is strange; there is no telling what could come of it." he growled and Flintfur sank back down to his moss.

Goldstar organized the patrol quickly, not only to go to Weedclan but to Ferretclan, Kinkclan, and Foggyclan as well, if they could. Skypelt headed it and took Stoneleaf, Wasp, Wiggity Wacks, and Tumbledaisy with her.

Then she checked on Flintfur, burying her nose in his pelt, breathing in his scent, and he licked her cheek.

"I'm all right, Goldstar." he murmured, licking her again.

"I know. I know. But I can't imagine losing you." Goldstar whispered, rubbing against him gently.

She stayed a little longer and then went to her kits, checking on them and explaining to them that Flintfur was in the medicine cat den, but he was in good paws.

Then she sought out Amberpaw, who was sitting on the shore of the lake, batting listlessly at a piece of kelp.

"Amberpaw." she said and he glanced up.

Truth be told, she still saw him as a little kit, even though he was six moons. It wasn't so long ago that the entire clan had been worried about his wellbeing and feared he would die, and the day Ashtalon had died, he had been brought back to camp in Skypelt's jaws, even as she helped Quietback carry Ashtalon.

Amberkit, as he had been called then, had snuck out of camp because he had wanted to see his father on patrol, go with him like a warrior, because his father had been a great warrior, and luckily he hadn't seen what had happened. They had found him on the way back, wet and bedraggled from a tumble in a stream, repeatedly asking what had happened to Ashtalon.

How little and innocent he had seemed that day. But he was a 'paw now, and had become a very closed-off cat. He hadn't been able to stand for anyone to touch him since Ashtalon had died, and no one knew why. Jackdawnudge said that it was likely a result of trauma; he had only been three moons old and been through so much, after all.

"Yes, leader?" Amberpaw asked, sitting up.

"I want to thank you for saving Flintfur. I... That was a very brave thing you did. Thank you." Goldstar said earnestly.

Amberpaw just shrugged. "I wasn't going to leave him."

"You saved our deputy, but more than that, you saved my mate, the father of my kits, and thanks to you, they still have their father. I... Thank you." Goldstar said weakly, realizing she was being incredibly vulnerable to a six-moon-old apprentice, and neither of them needed that.

He just nodded and that was that, she supposed.

"Get some fresh-kill and rest." she told him.

Later, she would make an announcement to the rest of the clan about the strange rain and what had happened. They needed to know, even though she hoped it was something that would not happen again. The patrol she had sent out would only return in the morning, reporting that the other four clans were safe and had not seen anything of the sort. But they were warned, and in the days to follow, the medicine cats from those clans and deputies would come and demand answers.

Goldstar would take them to the remains of the deer and they would have to admit it wasn't natural, that Hyacinthclanw wasn't making it up.

And Jackdawnudge and Plumsong would have nothing to report. No word from Starclan, no omen, no sign, no explanation, no dream, nothing. Either it was something Starclan was keeping silent about for a reason, it was something they didn't know about, or... Or Starclan had abandoned them. That was something Goldstar could not even bring herself to consider.

But, that rain, what had happened... It was only the beginning.

7/27/2025-7/28/2025

She came in and found her mother in her nest, grooming her golden coat, exactly like the golden parts of Yellowpaw's own pelt. The nest was still big enough for multiple cats to share and an ache struck Yellowpaw just then, because there was still space for her father. But he wasn't every coming back.

"Hi, Mama." she said and Goldstar rose to her paws.

"What's wrong?" she asked, reading Yellowpaw instantly.

"Umm... Mama, I need to talk to you about something. And maybe I should have before, but..." Yellowpaw said, shuffling her paws again.

Immediately, Goldstar sat beside her, wrapping her tail around her and pulling her close. Her scent wrapped around Yellowpaw and she felt like a kit again, because her mother's scent was comfort and warmth.

"You can tell me anything, my sweet. Anything at all. You don't have to be scared. I might be leader, but I am still your mother." Goldstar said, licking her ears comfortingly.

"I've... I've been having... Nightmares. Mostly since Papa died, but they're not about Papa." Yellowpaw admitted and it all came spilling out.

Everything she had told Amberleaf, the details, including the thing pulling cats down into the water, and Goldstar stiffened at that part.

"What is it, Mama?" Yellowpaw asked, looking up at her mother.

"It's... We need to go talk to the medicine cats, all right?" Goldstar said and Yellowpaw's fur stood on end.

"Are they signs? Should have I spoken up sooner?" she asked, her voice choked.

"No, Yellowpaw, no. It's all right. But this is something they should hear." Goldstar said quickly, licking her ears.

Yellowpaw followed her as she went to the medicine cats' den, Goldstar calling out for Skypelt to send Quietback and Amberleaf to the den, and all four medicine cats were present when they entered.

Lester was covering herself in protection, Wasp helping, and they looked surprised when Goldstar walked in.

"Thorn in your paw again, eh?" Jackdawnudge said, looking at Yellowpaw.

Yellowpaw felt a flush of an embarrassement; as a kit, her parents had brought her to the den frequently because she had had a talent for finding any stray thorn in camp and getting it stuck in her paw.

"No. Yellowpaw has been having dreams, Jackdawnudge. Dreams I think the four of you need to hear about." Goldstar said and Yellowpaw shrank down under the gazes of the cats.

"I ain't very good at this dream stuff, Goldstar. I don't think I'll be able to do much." Lester said, shaking her head.

"You're a medicine cat, you learn." Plumsong said sourly, weaving his way out of the storage.

Lester made a face at him and Goldstar sat down, Yellowpaw sitting down as well.

"Well, kit?" Plumsong said impatiently before anyone else could speak.

"We need to wait for Quietback and Amberleaf." Goldstar said and Jackdawnudge frowned.

"But not your deputy?" he asked, but Goldstar ignored him.

The two warriors joined them and Amberleaf looked around, nodding to Yellowpaw, and Quietback seemed very confused.

"Why are we here, Goldstar?" he asked respectfully.

"I want you all to hear what Yellowpaw has to say. I know this is a lot of cats, kitten, but you already told Amberleaf and I. You can do it again." Goldstar said and Yellowpaw swallowed.

She found herself focusing on the nettles hanging by Amberleaf's ear as she spoke again, because she didn't like all the eyes on her, but she was distracted by the stink of fear that suddenly came off Quietback. Wasp looked at the warrior, but to Yellowpaw's surrpise, no one seemed too surprised about this cat with the tentacles.

"Did... Did you already know?" she asked cautiously, guilt prickling her pelt.

If this was something they had already known, then she should have told someone a long time ago, when she had first started having the nightmares. Though she had only seen that black, tentacled shape once, truth be told.

Jackdawnudge's tail was bushed, she noticed, and the old cat looked stricken.

"I... I saw something like that moons ago, on the beach." Quietback told her, shivering a little.

"When?" Yellowpaw blurted.

"About-"

"Yellowpaw, before anyone says anything further, I want you to promise me you will not discuss these things with anyone but the cats currently in this den. Not even your brother." Goldstar said and Yellowpaw blinked.

"Why, Mama?"

"Because I do not want to frighten the clan. Not until we have more information." Goldstar answered and that made something squirm in the pit of Yellowpaw's stomach.

"Yes, Mama. I promise." she said and Goldstar nodded.

"About four moons ago now. It was in the ocean... But it was gone in the blink of an eye." Quietback said, describing the thing he had seen in the ocean.

It made Yellowpaw press into her mother again, because this was even more terrifying than her dreams, and Amberleaf curled his tail more tightly around his paws.

Jackdawnudge was gripping the ground tightly with his claws.

"Are you sure it was real?" Amberleaf asked softly.

"Well, no. It was gone as soon as it had come, and there was no black or anything when it had gone." Quietback admitted with a shake of his hand.

"It could be this Starclan, right?" Lester asked and everyone looked at her.

It was no secret that Lester didn't quite believe in Starclan, though she didn't not believe in it, but sometimes her bluntness regarding could be little surprising.

"Visions, perhaps. You could be right, Lester." Plumsong said, scraping a paw over the ground.

"But why would Starclan send them to someone so young?" Wasp asked and the fact she didn't even question Quietback annoyed Yellowpaw a little.

Not that she wanted Starclan to send her messages and prophetic dreams- some cats got forced into medicine cat training for that in the other clans- but it did annoy her that she was immediately questioned because of her age.

"Starclan has been silent for moons now. If they haven't abandoned us, maybe they are merely reaching out to any cat they can, and it so happens that Quietback and Yellowpaw are the cats able to receive the messages for the time being." Plumsong argued and that made something in Yellowpaw relax a little.

Maybe she wasn't special like that after all. Maybe it was just that Starclan was trying everyone, and she so happened to be the one they could reach at the moment.

"It felt very real when I saw it." Quietback said uneasily.

"Some visions and messages do. I saw plenty of things that seemed real during the war." Plumsong said, flicking his tail.

"Amberleaf has had nightmares, too." Goldstar chimed in and Amberleaf hunched down when everyone looked at him.

"What sort of nightmares?" Wasp asked, tilting her head.

"Just nightmares. Sort of like Yellowpaw's." Amberleaf said with a shrug.

Yellowpaw felt guilty for telling Goldstar about it, but Amberleaf didn't seem mad about it, at least.

"We will just have to keep our eyes out and prepare. That is all we can do for now." Jackdawnudge said into the silence that followed, and there were murmurs of agreement.

Yellowpaw blinked. She had always imagined the medicine cats, leaders, and deputies having far more intense discussions when it came to things like the possibility of visions, not just decide to wait and see what would happen. It made the medicine cats feel less... Mystical was probably the right word there.

"That's it?" she blurted out and everyone looked at her.

"What else do you think we can do, Yellowpaw? If these are visions, there is nothing to do but wait and prepare. We will likely bring it to the medicine cats of the other clans to see if any of them now of something similar." Plumsong asked, looking her over.

Yellowpaw felt embarrassed and shuffled her paws, and shortly after, she, Amberleaf, and Quietback were dismissed. Quietback hurried away without a word, seeming disturbed, and that startled Yellowpaw, if she was being honest.

Once away from the den, Yellowpaw looked up at Amberleaf.

"Are you mad at me for telling Mama?" she asked worriedly.

He shook his head.

"I probably should have told the medicine cats a long time ago. Don't worry, you did good." he assured her, then went off to join the patrols.

Yellowpaw had to wait, since her mother was her mentor, and she sat in the clearing, grooming her pelt, her eyes going to the sky. No stars, but that didn't matter.

Were they really visions? Her nightmares, Amberleaf's nightmares, and what Quietback had seen... What Quietback had seen seemed so real, the way he had told it.

She shuddered because whether that had been real or not, the nightmares could be visions from Starclan, and that... That scared Yellowpaw to her core.

11/27/2025-12/5/2025

The waves washed against the black sands, gentle and calm, as it always was on the Beach of Stars. The other clans had a different place, a pool surrounded by five old, twisted trees, but this, this was Hyacinthclan's alone.

Jackdawnudge sat just out of reach of the licking waves, heart heavy, his old bones aching from the climb up here and the damp.

His kits had fretted, had been fretting, but the old medicine cat had needed to come here.

How... How had they come to this? How was the clan spinning into disaster so quickly, at such an unstoppable pace?

Copsespots, the kits, now Ashtalon... Jackdawnudge could still smell the tide of blood as the sick queen bled out beneath his paws, his paws pressed so hard against her belly that he feared she would be bruised for moons, but it hadn't mattered. She had slipped away, the moss soaking wet beneath his paws from her blood, Plumsong and Wasp rushing in with herbs, keeping Ashtalon back, rushing the kits out...

Then the kits, Firkit and Shrewkit. Poor little scraps of fur, sick from the start.

They hadn't stood a chance, and Copsespots had taken them to Starclan less than a moon later. Not surprising, really. Copsespots had been so sick, had passed it onto her kits, and they had been born sickly. But Ashtalon's mournful howl still pierced his ears late in the night, and he had wanted to scream with the tom. But he couldn't. He was the medicine cat and even if he had been a warrior first, the entire clan, even Plumsong, deferred to him as the senior one, too. He had to hold himself together for the clan.

Amberkit, though, sickly as he had been born, had become the light of the clan. A little scrap of fur too, Ashtalon had spent every waking moment in the nursery, tending to his little son and helping nurse him back to health. Jackdawnudge personally felt that it had been more of Ashtalon's doing than his own that had saved that kit.

And then, just three moons after Copsespots and the kits, Ashtalon had joined them in Starclan. Crushed beneath a falling branch while chasing off a rogue, Skypelt and Quietback had laid his mangled body out in the camp, and Amberkit hadn't understood.

The kit would be well-cared for, however. The entire clan, even the kits only a little older than he was, bound to spoil him and see to his every need.

Skypelt was sharing his nest in the nursery, determinedly saying it was her responsibility, because Copsespots had been her apprentice, the closest thing she had to a kit, and she had failed her before, but she wouldn't fail her now.

Quietback hadn't even been able to look at Amberkit and had been curled in his nest since the vigil had ended, speaking to no one, hardly seeming to hear.

Jackdawnudge swallowed, the grief thick on his tongue, and he wanted nothing more than to curl up in the sand and close his eyes and let his ancestors take him. But it wasn't his time yet, that was clear, even if his heart weighed in his chest like a stone.

He had come to the beach for clarity, for a reason, an explanation, from Starclan. Hyacinthclan had risen for ashes, their little group of mismatched survivors banding together, and they had been thriving for twenty-eight moons until now.

What had they done to deserve this? What had they done to have such loses so quickly? Within three moons...

And yet, Starclan would not answer him. He had slept and no dreams had come. No ancestor to explain anything, no ancestor to even offer comfort.

Jackdawnudge slid his claws into the black sand and wanted to yowl at them, opening his jaws to do just then, when something caught his attention out in the waves.

Leaping fish and creatures weren't unusual, and the near-full moon allowed plenty of light. But... It wasn't any of those things.

At once, Jackdawnudge's fur stood on end and an easy sense washed over him, sending him to his paws, his old back arching, fur fluffing.

The waves crept toward him, and they were odd. Black, black like the sand, but not the same, a different shade that drank the silvery light of the moon and stars and reflected it, but in an... Oily way. It seemed to move toward him, thicker, odd, wrong, and yet nothing spelled wrong. It crept through the waves like a spill of blood, branching out like roots or webs, and his eyes traced back to the thing in the waves.

He couldn't see it clearly. Not really. But a figure was stumbling into the shadows, or a shape, because it didn't look like anything Jackdawnudge had seen.

He thought, for a moment, it was a cat, but this cat... This was no cat. Extra limbs burst from it, as supple and mobile as tails, shooting into the water, helping the thing haul itself, and the stink of blood and decay filled Jackdawnudge's nose as the thing found its footing.

As he watched, more things burst off it, maybe not tails, more like long strands of spider silk that moved like tails, and sparks as if from a fire sizzled as they formed, the thing slithering through the shallows towards him.

Starclan, help me! Jackdawnudge thought.

He arched his back and hissed, ever a warrior even if he followed a different path now, and the thing staggered to a stop. The tendrils reached toward him, and he saw that it was covered in the glistening blackness, dripping off it as it had been dunked in it, and it was cat-shaped, but...

A paw, clawed wrong (what had claws so big, so sharp?!), reached toward him as the thing tried to move, but even as it did, it stopped, and Jackdawnudge realized it had stopped at the line of the water.

Could it not move beyond it?

The strange blackness could, however, and it touched Jackdawnudge's paw, causing a cold sensation before it began to burn.

Yowling, he sprang back, and then... A cloud covered the moon.

For one, terrifying second, everything was plunged into blackness, and Jackdawnudge prepared for a blow, a whisper of movement, straining to hear over the waves, and then...

Then the cloud moved, and he was alone, the thing was gone, the black was gone, and his fur was flattening itself.

Glancing to be sure, Jackdawnudge saw nothing wrong, smelled nothing wrong, and he blinked.

Had it been a dream? An omen? Or merely in his head? It wouldn't be the first time Jackdawnudge had seen something that was nothing, after all. It had only been a dream, or something in his head.

Taking a deep breath, Jackdawnudge looked up at the stars, wondering if it was a sign, if it was, somehow, the explanation he had come looking for. He thought not.

He had been a medicine cat for a long time now, and that was no sign or omen or dream sent by Starclan.

Still unsettled, even if it hadn't been real, Jackdawnudge turned and padded quickly from the beach, thinking his kits had been right.

Lost in his grief, lost in his head, he was seeing things again. It was nothing the clan needed to know. It had just been in his head.

But Goldstar had only lost one life, and he and Plumsong would be serving as medicine cats for a while yet, even if they might eventually have to remain in camp more than they liked. Without the rainfalls, Jackdawnudge knew he would not even consider retirement, but they existed and he needed to think practically. His only hope was that Lester's or Wasp's litters would have kits among that wanted to train as a medicine cat. The she-cats were young and healthy, but he and Plumsong were getting on in seasons, and it was best to have a young cat eager to learn at the ready.

When the rest of the clan had dispersed- Amberleaf taking Yellowpaw and Quailpaw to get new bedding for Yellowlily- Jackdawnudge went to his mate, rubbing his cheek against hers.

She purred and there was no need for words; Jackdawnudge was a cat of few words and she understood it. Tonight, he would have shared that new nest with her, but it was the half-moon tonight and he wanted to speak with the other medicine cats. Wasp's litter had been acting up all day, prompting her to request remaining behind, and Morbius seemed to respond better to Lester, so he and Plumsong would be making the journey.

And with the thoughts of getting older, Jackdawnudge admittedly didn't know how many more times he would be able to make the journey to the Pool of Five Oakes before it was too dangerous for him to do so.

"I have stories planned for the kits already." Yellowlily told him, purring.

This made Jackdawnudge chuckle, but Yellowlily had always liked telling stories. On their journey here, Yellowlily had kept the kits entertained with stories while the rest of them had hunted and scouted. She had even nursed Aphidrise briefly, though she had had very little milk and finding the clans here had been a relief.

She was a great warrior, and had worked tirelessly for their clan, training not only the apprentices Goldstar had assigned to her but helping with all of them as well.

She twined her tail with his and they lingered for a moment, but there was work to be done for those of them who had not retired. Jackdawnudge licked Yellowlily's ears and went into the den, taking stock of what was needed.

He spent most of the day in the den, actually, weeding out herbs that had gone to rot, sending out patrols, watching as Yellowlily teased the apprentices as they tried to construct her new nest. In all, it was a normal day, and Jackdawnudge found himself eyeing Plumsong, as he wanted to speak with the cat.

The best opportunity would be on their way to meet the others, but he was feeling rather impatient to speak with him.

He didn't speak to Plumsong until that night, after they had coated themselves in protection, eaten some traveling herbs, and set out. They were about halfway there, privacy guaranteeed, when Jackdawnudge spoke.

"Why don't you want to be mates with Yellowlily?" he demanded, which made Plumsong stop dead in his tracks.

"Excuse me?"

"Why don't you want to be mates with Yellowlily? She told me you rejected her again. Is she not good enough for you? She is a loyal cat, a beautiful cat. She has been in love with you for some time, and I have seen the way you look at her in return. You clearly feel the same way. So why not?" Jackdawnudge demanded.

He was angry, and he knew his anger was not exactly right. Plumsong had the right to accept or reject whatever mate he wanted, and it really was none of his business. But it was Yellowlily, and Jackdawnudge wasn't a fool. He had seen the way Plumsong stared after her longing, the same look Quietback trailed around giving Skypelt, or how Goldstar and Flintfur had looked at each other before becoming mates.

Plumsong loved her, and Yellowlily loved him, too. Yet he kept rejecting her, and Jackdawnudge wanted to know why. He was fairly certain that Plumsong, like him, could do no better than Yellowlily; they were both lucky a cat like here was interested in either of them. And Jackdawnudge did not mind sharing Yellowlily with whoever else she might have wanted. So, he wanted answers.

"It is none of that!" Plumsong exclaimed, his ears going back.

"Then what is it?" Jackdawnudge demanded.

"I- It is very complicated, and she is already your mate-"

"Fox-dung, that's just an excuse. She wasn't my mate when she first asked you. And I don't care how many mates she has. You clearly fancy her, so why not? None of us are getting any younger." Jackdawnudge asked, staring the other cat down.

Plumsong's tail lashed, but he wasn't quite meeting Jackdawnudge's eyes.

"My reasons are my own, and I don't have to tell them to you. Just because we want something or someone means it is truly what is best." he said, and stormed ahead without another word.

Jackdawnudge growled under his breath and followed, and the air between them prickled with tension during the rest of the journey.

They were the last ones there, Cloudrunner, Shardstep, Tansynose, Pinestrike, Birdtail, and Redivy waiting on the edge of the pool, and Tansynose looked between the two of them.

"Do you two really need to fight tonight?" she asked softly, her eyes seeming to glow out of the protection that coated her fur.

"It's said and done." Plumsong said stiffly, sitting beside Pinestrike.

Jackdawnudge settled beside Cloudrunner, who was about as far away from Plumsong as he could get.

They exchanged the usual first bit of talk, about herb supplies and what illness there was, and they updated the rest of the medicine cats about Morbius; this was something none of them had seen before, and they were all learning from it.

Finally, though, Cloudrunner cleared his throat.

"There is something else I want to ask all of you. I've noticed it over the past few moons. Have any of your young cats been having nightmares? Can they sense the Unseen?" he asked bluntly, and they all went still.

"Why do you ask?" Pinestrike asked, his tone guarded.

"Because Shardstep and I have noticed something. Several members of our clan have been having nightmares for moons, about horrible things, and others can sense the Unseen... One apprentice even claims to have seen one." Cloudrunner replied, his claws digging into the moss on the edge of the pool.

"Seen one? What did it look like?" Birdtail asked, her voice hushed.

"Like a cat, black and dripping, she said. But also not a cat. More like... A memory of a cat someone didn't get exactly right. Huge, matching the size of those pawprints on the beach from the first attack." Cloudrunner replied, his fur bristling a little beneath his protection.

"None of our cats have claimed to have actually seen one, aside from the pawprints." Plumsong said and Jackdawnudge shook his head.

But now he was thinking. He was thinking about that... Thing... He had seen in the ocean. Dripping and black, with tentacles like an octopus. Had that been an Unseen this whole time? Before any others had been noticed, before the rainfalls, before any of this? Had it started three moons earlier than they had realized?

"We do have two cats who have had nightmares. One only a pawful of times, the other much more frequently." Plumsong was saying, drawing Jackdawnudge from his thoughts.

"How old are they?" Cloudrunner asked.

"Fourteen and ten moons. The younger one is the less frequent." Plumsong asked, Jackdawnudge flashing him a look.

"Hmm... All the others are eleven moons or younger, for the most part. Three, so far, and one elder." Cloudrunner said, flexing his claws again.

And this led to the other medicine cats admitting other such things. Cats- all eleven moons or younger, accept for the odd older cat- who had nightmares much like the ones Amberleaf frequently had and the handful Yellowpaw had had once. And... Similar to a few that Jackdawnudge himself had had, so infrequent he had forgotten about them until this conversation brought them back to mind.

He turned them over in his mind, but they were really no different than what Amberleaf and Yellowpaw had described. Jackdawnudge said nothing yet, just in case he was mistaken. He would discuss it with the other medicine cats back at camp, not in front of the ones from the other clans. Not yet. He wanted to be sure, and they still had not mentioned that... Thing... yet. They had agreed to wait on telling the other clans, because they could never be sure, and while Foggyclan did visit the beach to get whale meat when there was one, Hyacinthclan was the one of the ocean.

"Are these gifts from Starclan? Curses? Something born from whatever is going on?" Pinestrike said after they had all confirmed that it was in their clans as well.

"Nightmares might not be pleasant, but seeing Unseen, being aware of rainfalls, is that really a curse? I think not. It could be Starclan doing their best to help us. I don't know why it would primarily be younger cats, but maybe it's the only way they can." Redivy aruged, glowering at Pinestrike.

"I am just saying we should keep an eye on it. Just in case it is something related to this, and not given by Starclan at all. Starclan is not the only thing out there capable of giving 'gifts'." Pinestrike said, which made Jackdawnudge uneasy.

"It has been eleven moons. I imagine if it was a curse or something unsavory, it would have made itself known by now." he said curtly.

"We can not turn against our clanmates, especially kits and apprentices, for no good reason! Do we scorn those who have the gift of prophecy or interpreting omens? Do we think they are cursed? No, we think they are blessed and make them medicine cats." Birdtail said, her voice rising.

"Are you suggesting we make all these cats medicine cats?" Shardstep asked, ears flicking.

"No, there would be more medicine cats than our clans need. But I am saying that when cats demonstrate abilities that are unusual, rarely do we shun them, and there never is any reason to do so. We just need to watch and be aware, and treat them as we always have." Birdtail said, giving Pinestrike a sharp look.

They voted on it, Cloudrunner suggesting this when Pinestrike kept glowering, and agreed that it was best to wait and do nothing different. Their clanmates didn't deserve to be treated differently because of this, but Jackdawnudge would keep an eye on Pinestrike. Something told him that in the future, Hyacinthclan might need to take in some young cats looking for shelter. Jackdawnudge knew how some leaders could be easily manipulated by medicine cats; he had seen it when the clans had fallen and lead to the creation of Hyacinthclan.

They talked about this and other things at a great length, but if there was another cat that could cheat death like Amberleaf in the clans, they were either unknown or the medicine cats were not speaking up. Not that Jackdawnudge could blame them; they weren't telling anyone else either for good reasons.

The moon had shifted in the sky by the time their discussions had dried up and that was really what these meetings were, a chance for the medicine cats to compare what they knew and get help if needed, rather than connecting with Starclan. Starclan had been out of reach for so many moons Jackdawnudge wasn't sure if they were even still there.

He did not believe the cats who said Starclan would continue to ignore them if they had no faith. Starclan, in Jackdawnudge's experience, didn't work like that. Something had happened to them, if it wasn't how the world was now causing this rift between them. Amberleaf, at least, was proof that there was a divide between the living and the dead. And so did the Unseen. There was a... Space between them that hadn't been there before, Jackdawnudge supposed. It just seemed that no one had been able to cross it.

They all moved to lay on the edge of the pool and Jackdawnudge knew this was dangerous, but Cloudrunner volunteered to sit watch in case there was a rainfall.

They slept, and there was... Nothing. No starry forest, no dead clanmates. For a moment, Jackdawnudge thought he glimpsed it, but then it was gone, and he was waking up on the edge of the pool beside the others. They were all shaking their heads, and Pinestrike looked ready to launch himself into the pool in a fit of fury.

Tansynose brushed her tail down the other cat's flank to calm him, and Jackdawnudge did share that he thought had had connected with Starclan for a brief moment. It was the same for Shardstep but no one else, and there was disappointment and definitely a little concealed resentment among the others.

There was nothing else to do, nothing else to say, and they all bid each other farewell until the next half moon.

On the way back, his previous anger with Plumsong was forgotten in favor of the other things on his mind.

"Plumsong... Do you think it is possible that... Thing... Is an Unseen?" Jackdawnudge asked, though he really did not want to talk about that being again.

It unnerved him in ways he could not describe, and it especially unnerved him that Amberleaf had seen it in that place he went when he died. With all traces of it vanishing so quickly, Jackdawnudge chose to hope that it was just something of visions, just warnings, but...

"I think anything is possible now." Plumsong replied, his ears back at the thought.

Jackdawnudge lightly brushed his tail over the other cat's flank when he caught a trace of fear in his scent, Plumsong flinching away from him, and Jackdawnudge backed off. As they headed back to the clan, they discussed the 'space' Jackdawnudge had thought of, but there really wasn't much to discuss. They just didn't know, and it would be the same when they could speak to Lester and Wasp.

On the way back, a rainfall came. They were close enough to camp now that the conch warning was loud as whoever was sitting as rainwatcher gave the clan a warning. They ran, spotting the clouds covering the stars, and huddled in a hiding place near the camp together, their pelts brushing together.

Jackdawnudge appreciated the warmth seeping through their layers of protection and took a deep breath, washing as the rain fell down, warping the world around them as things grew, died, and grew again. Hopefully this time, they would remain alive. The clan needed things to stay alive, because even though it was leaf-bare, the rainfalls had been tearing things apart for so many moons.

Prey, food for the prey, herbs... As they huddled together, the moon swallowed by the clouds that spilled the rainfall down on them, Jackdawnudge couldn't help but wonder if they were cursed. If something had happened they were not yet aware of, and all of this was a punishment.

Starclan didn't work like that, not in his experience, but... Huddled in the dark with death just inches away from his muzzle, the thoughts crept in, and they would not leave.

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