#lilyeye

CHAPTER CW: HEAVILY implied death, mentions of blood

“Tuniapaw!! ‘Tuniapaw!” 

Petuniapaw purred as they pushed into Amber’s den. Maple and Briar, who had been play-fighting when they arrived, stopped in their tracks and darted towards the pale-colored tom.

Petuniapaw gave both kits gentle nuzzles and licks on their heads, before looking around the den. They quickly noticed something wrong. Very wrong.

“Where’s your mother?” They asked, looking down at the kits. 

“Las’ night she left!” Maple squeaked, frowning and shifting her paws. “Heard real, real loud noises!”

“Mama said ‘ts a dog…” Briar mumbled, looking down at the frosty ground. “I miss her lots…”

“Me too…”

Petuniapaw stiffened. Loud noises, a dog, and the fact that Amber still wasn’t back yet…Things didn’t look good.

“Stay.” They instructed the kits, backing out of Amber’s den and beginning to rush through the grass.

Amber’s scent was faint, beginning to grow stale. However, the awful scent of dog filled the apprentice’s nose, and that just made them more fearful.

They padded through the territory with caution. At one point, they smelled a cat, but it wasn’t Amber. It must’ve been a passing loner. 

They were going to give up, when suddenly they smelled something new that made their ears perk.

Blood.

This wasn’t like the first time, when Amber had a mere scratch on her leg. This scent was strong. Strong enough to make Petuniapaw lightheaded. 

They pushed through a tall patch of grass, hoping to find Amber. Even finding her body would be enough. At least they’d be able to conclude their search with answers.

Instead, they found nothing but an already fading patch of blood, with a trail of crimson that led further into the grass.

Trembling and holding back a sob, Petuniapaw retraced their steps. Their tail dragged along the ground as they solemnly made their way to Amber’s den. 

Maple and Briar eagerly greeted them.

“Tuniapaw! Did you find Mama?” Maple asked, expression hopeful.

Petuniapaw forced a smile. “I, um…No. I’m sorry, I didn’t. Listen…Why don’t you two come with me?” They offered. “We’re going to where I live! Um…Until your mother comes back.”

“Yay! We’re going with ‘Tuniapaw!” Briar exclaimed, waddling over to the older apprentice and flopping at their paws. 

“Yep…” Petuniapaw’s stomach sank. They dipped their head and grabbed the black and white kit by her scruff, gesturing for Maple to follow. “Can you walk?” They asked, voice muffled.

Maple nodded, puffing out her little chest as she took wobbly steps behind Petuniapaw. “Not even cold!” She stated.

Nodding, Petuniapaw began to walk. They kept their steps slow so that Maple could keep up. Briar curled in their jaws, shivering.

Their mind was racing with thoughts, and they felt a cluster of emotions that twisted their stomach. They were grieving for Amber, who they had considered a friend over the past moon. They were worried about the kits, and how the clan would react.

What would Blossomstar think?

What would Lilyeye think?

What would their mother think?

The thought of facing Rosewing made Petuniapaw shudder. 

If only I were Dahliapaw, They thought. Then Mama wouldn’t care what I did.

They were so lost in their thoughts that they didn’t even notice they were on top of the small hill above CraneClan’s camp entrance. The waterfall had frozen over, leaving a frozen pool of water in the middle of camp. Petuniapaw could see cats milling around, sharing tongues, and using whatever rays of sun they could to bask.

“Is this your home? That’s a lotta cats!” Maple whispered, peering over the ledge with a gasp. “Whoa, it’s bigger than Mama’s home!”

“It is,” Petuniapaw whispered back, lowering Briar to the ground. The kit whined, nuzzling closer to their pale fur. “Now listen. If you two want to stay here you have to be very good and stay quiet. Don’t speak until I tell you to.”

“Are there other kits here to play with?” Maple questioned.

Petuniapaw sucked in a deep breath. “No.”

“Okay.”

“Now, let’s go…”

The three padded into camp. Petuniapaw tried to appear confident.

The first cat to notice the group was Hazelcrest. She peered at them with a confused expression, before leaning over to Pinebreeze and whispering into his ear. The tom lifted his head, fur ruffled from a good nap, and when he noticed the kits his eyes widened.

Petuniapaw could hear their clanmates murmuring around them as they sat in front of the TallHill. Eventually, the commotion seemed to drive Blossomstar from her den, and she emerged with a yawn.

“What’s going on now?” The leader grumbled, freezing mid-step when she saw the kits. “Petuniapaw, what…Explain, please.”

Petuniapaw’s gaze lowered, and they suddenly found the ground very interesting. “I found these kits abandoned in the territory. It’s against the warrior code to leave them to freeze, so I figured I’d bring them here.”

Blossomstar’s eyes narrowed. “Hm. It’s the middle of leaf-bare, and we barely have enough prey to feed ourselves…Why should I allow more mouths to feed?” She asked.

Petuniapaw looked around nervously. They locked eyes with Rosewing, who was in the small crowd, and silently begged for some kind of defense.

Please, Mama. They were thinking. Help me like you would help Dahliapaw.

Rosewing was silent. Treewhisker stepped forward.

“Blossomstar, with all due respect, you’re tired. I think your exhaustion has clouded your judgement,” He meowed. “Our clan is lacking in cats. We haven’t had new kits since Rosewing’s kits were apprenticed, and our numbers haven’t gotten any bigger. Our fresh-kill pile is full enough for two more. Besides…”

He gave Petuniapaw a gentle smile, before looking back at the leader. “Like Petuniapaw said, it’s against the code to turn away kits in need.”

Blossomstar sighed heavily, sitting and neatly wrapping her tail around her paws. “Very well. But I do have one question…Who will raise these kits? I refuse to give an apprentice the title of ‘parent’.”

Again, the clearing fell silent, before Lilyeye stepped forward with a gentle smile.

“I suppose it’s a good time to make this announcement,” She said with a chuckle. “I’m expecting kits. They should be arriving either at the end of leaf-bare or the beginning of newleaf.”

Shocked gasps, murmurs, and congratulations rippled through the camp, while Treewhisker whipped his head to face the she-cat with wide eyes.

“What? Kits? Whose kits?” He exclaimed. “Mine?”

“Who else, silly?” Lilyeye purred, stepping forward to nudge her mate’s shoulder.

Blossomstar raised her tail, signaling for the clan to fall silent.

“Congratulations, Lilyeye,” She meowed. “I take it to mean you’ll raise these kits? What about your deputy duties?”

Lilyeye shook her head. “I can be a mother and serve my clan at the same time.”

“Alright,” Blossomstar sighed. “Very well, Petuniapaw. The kits may stay.”

Petuniapaw’s body filled with relief, and they gave Lilyeye a grateful glance before looking back at Blossomstar.

“Thank you, Blossomstar.” They meowed. “May I name them?”

“I’m not stopping you.”

The apprentice looked down at the kits. Maple and Briar looked up at them, smiling innocently. They sighed, and smiled back.

CHAPTER CW: Purposeful misgendering

Dahliapaw could tell Petuniapaw was hiding something.

Despite the two’s punishment being over for about a moon now, he noticed that they were still leaving camp in the early hours, usually taking a piece of prey or small herb bundle with them. At first they lied and said they were heading to the dirtplace, but eventually they stopped telling the lie and just outright said nothing when they returned in the early hours. 

Dahliapaw growled. Leaf-bare had begun just days prior, and according to Blossomstar, it was bound to be a harsh one. Snow was already beginning to cover the ground, and cats huddled in their dens at night to keep warm.

Once again Petuniapaw had left their nest and stalked out of camp, and this time, Dahliapaw followed. 

He made sure to stay far enough behind for his scent to be faint, but close enough to see where his sibling was going. He kept his pawsteps light, trying to avoid the usually satisfying crunch of the snow beneath him. 

The two walked for a while, and Dahliapaw could feel his paws beginning to grow sore. He didn’t like walking much, and was relieved when Petuniapaw finally made it to their destination. He crouched behind a large rock, resting his front paws on his tail to avoid getting too cold. He was confused when Petuniapaw slipped into a makeshift bush den, and even more confused when he heard voices.

“Thank you again for doing this, Petuniapaw.” The voice was gentle, a hint of a purr in the speaking cat’s tone.

“It’s no problem, Amber.” Petuniapaw purred in reply. They could be heard settling down. “How are the kits?”

Kits? Dahliapaw’s fur bristled, and he held back a growl. Petuniapaw was helping outsiders! Surely this was against the rules!

“They’re fine, sleeping now,” Amber was saying. “It’s about time I gave them names. Would you like to name one, Petuniapaw?”

Dahliapaw heard Petuniapaw gasp. “What? Me? Are you sure…?”

“I’m sure. You’ve helped me so much, without you…I think we wouldn’t be here.” Amber chuckled. “Go on, name whichever one you’d like.”

“They’re both she-cats, correct?”

“Mhm.”

“Okay,” There was a brief silence, and Dahliapaw assumed they were thinking. “I want to name the black one. Maybe…Briar? Her fur is all fluffy, and it looks kinda spiky…”

“Briar is a good choice.” Amber said. “I suppose it’s my turn..I’ll name my other daughter Maple. Her colors…The name fits her.”

“Briar and Maple…Those are good names!” Petuniapaw laughed, and Dahliapaw’s ears pinned against his head.

“They are,” Amber murmured. “I hate to cut our meeting short, but I feel tired…I don’t want you to get caught out here. I think you should head home, for your own good.”

“Okay…Bye, Amber. Bye, kits!” Petuniapaw could be heard standing.

“Goodbye, Petuniapaw.”

Dahliapaw watched as Petuniapaw exited Amber’s den, and when they started to walk home, he followed.

…

“Great StarClan, how much sleep did you two get?”

Dahliapaw sleepily blinked up at Hazelcrest as she spoke. It was the dawn patrol, and he had been sent along with Hazelcrest, Rosewing, Petuniapaw, Lilyeye, and Treewhisker to check the borders. 

He hadn’t slept much since returning home. He was too busy thinking about Amber, and how his own littermate was blatantly breaking the warrior code! 

He didn’t know what to do, who to tell.

Rosewing puffed out her chest at Hazelcrest’s comment. “They’re growing toms, they must need more rest than us warriors!” She purred.

Lilyeye scoffed. “Petuniapaw isn’t a tom anymore, Rosewing.”

Dahliapaw could see Rosewing’s demeanor shift in an instant, and she gave Lilyeye a glare. “Are you claiming you know my kit better than I do?”

“At this point, Rosewing, maybe I do.”

Rosewing’s claws unsheathed, and she growled, only to be interrupted by Treewhisker’s voice. 

“Stop it, you two. You’re acting like a couple of squabbling kits. Look, an EagleClan patrol.” The tom’s voice was soft, yet still stern as he gestured towards the border. 

The group of cats stopped to speak with the three EagleClan cats, dipping their heads in greeting. 

“Yewsplash! Hello!” Lilyeye exclaimed, stepping forward to touch noses with the calico she-cat. 

Yewsplash responded with a purr, nudging her friend. “Good morning, Lilyeye!”

“How’s EagleClan?” Treewhisker asked, stepping forward.

The expressions of the EagleClan cats dropped, and they shuffled their paws awkwardly before one of the warriors, Tansystone, spoke.

“So far…Not well.” He said quietly, his gaze fixed on the ground. “Valleystar’s kits are sick with kittencough, and I’m afraid Gorgefeather isn’t doing too well either.”

“Oh, so sorry to hear that.” Lilyeye murmured, a solemn look crossing her face. “I do hope they recover. If there’s anything we can do, please let us know.”

“Thank you. I knew we could rely on CraneClan.” Yewsplash smiled, before looking down at the smaller she-cat by her side. “Oh! Mistpaw, would you like to say hello to the CraneClan cats?”

Mistpaw, who Dahliapaw noted to be only about seven moons old, shook her head.

“That’s alright.” Yewsplash looked up at the CraneClan patrol. “I apologize, she’s a bit shy…Still getting used to apprentice duties and all.”

“Oh, we completely understand. Our apprentices aren’t talkers either.” Treewhisker chuckled. “Well, we don’t want to keep you long. We’ll be on our way now. Goodbye!”

“Bye, now!” Tansystone meowed, and the two groups remarked their borders before parting ways.

“Sounds like EagleClan is weak,” Dahliapaw said when they were far enough away. “We should invade their camp! Take their herbs, their prey, their-”

“Don’t be mouse-brained, Dahliapaw.” Lilyeye snapped.

Rosewing lashed her tail. “Never speak to my son that way again!”

Hazelcrest groaned. “Save it, both of you. Stars, my head hurts…”

CHAPTER CW: Young pregnancy, mild blood

Petuniapaw’s steps were careful. They slunk through the tall grasses of the riverlands, trying to keep their body low to the ground. The only sound around them was the sound of their own heart beating in their chest, and the shrill cry of cicadas near the water. It was a bit chilly, and the apprentice’s body shivered. Leaf-bare would come soon.

The scent they had picked up matched that of the cat they had met the day prior, with Dahliapaw. Their pelt bristled slightly as they remembered how afraid the she-cat looked, the sadness on her face as she ran away, and just how harsh Dahliapaw had been towards her.

They knew they didn’t have permission to be out, especially not so late. But they also knew that they longed to find this mysterious she-cat, and make things right with her.

The smell was growing stronger, combined with two new scents that made Petuniapaw freeze. The first was a sweeter smell, a smell they recognized from their days in the nursery as the scent of milk. The second smell, however, almost made them gag. It was metallic and sour, the smell of blood.

Pawsteps quickening, Petuniapaw began to run, following the strange combination of scents until they stumbled upon a den made from a bush. There, huddled inside, was the same she-cat from before.

A nest had been hastily created for the young, shivering molly to lay on. She looked up at Petuniapaw with wide, frightened green eyes, her fur matted and mildly dampened with sweat. The scent of blood Petuniapaw smelled before came from a deep cut in her right hind leg, the ground below it stained with a dark crimson.

The final thing Petuniapaw noticed was the two young kits huddled at her belly. They were less than a moon old. In fact, they were probably mere days old based on their appearance. One of the kits was a tortoiseshell like their mother, with white markings. The second kit was black, also with white markings. 

This confused Petuniapaw. The she-cat was young. She appeared to be the age of a young warrior, and definitely far too young to be responsible for the lives of others.

“Oh, please, spare me!” The she-cat pleaded, visibly tensing as if preparing to run away. “I recognize you from yesterday! Please, I can’t leave! I’m too weak to carry these kits…”

“No, it’s okay,” Petuniapaw replied. They looked around, making sure no-cat was around before turning their attention back to the queen. “Are you okay? What happened to your leg?”

“Oh…I hurt myself running away from you and your friend…” The she-cat looked down at her front paws, curling her tail to both protect her kits and cover her injury. 

“I’m sorry. My brother…He isn’t the nicest cat to stumble upon.” Petuniapaw sighed heavily, their shoulders sagging a bit. “Do you need help? What’s your name?”

“Amber.”

“Amber…Well, maybe you can come back with me! I’m sure Blossomstar wouldn’t turn away a mother with kits-”

“No.” Amber’s whiskers twitched, and she tensed her body further. “I appreciate the offer, truly, but…I would rather build my strength and leave with my kits. I don’t want to be a burden to you or your group.”

“Can I at least help you? We have enough herbs and prey to spare!” Petuniapaw let the words spill out of their mouth. They knew that they should just leave Amber alone, turn around and walk away, but the sight of her looking so sad and hurt tore at their heart.

Amber was silent. She laid her head down between her front paws, sighing heavily before responding. “Do what you please.” 

Petuniapaw nodded. “O-okay! Hang on, I’ll be back!”

They scrambled back, turning and rushing away from the bush. They stalked back into CraneClan camp, trying to keep their pawsteps silent-

“Petuniapaw?”

Fox-dung! Petuniapaw froze and looked around camp until they met eyes with Lilyeye. The deputy was staring at them with her head tilted, sitting outside of the warrior’s den. Her tail was tucked around  her paws neatly.

Petuniapaw padded over to Lilyeye, looking up at their mentor. “Sorry. I was going to the dirtplace…I woke up with the worst stomach ache...” They lied.

Lilyeye’s eyes narrowed, and the tip of her tail twitched. “Hmm. You should see Tallsky and Orchidpaw, then.” She stated.

“I will, if it doesn’t go away before patrols.” Petuniapaw meowed. 

“Alright.” Lilyeye chuckled, leaning down and nudging the apprentice’s cheek with her nose. “I hope you’re not trying to get out of your little punishment!”

Petuniapaw laughed, shuffling closer to the gray and white she-cat with a purr. “I promise I’m not. That’s something Dahliapaw would do.”

Lilyeye sighed, wrapping her tail around Petuniapaw. “I’m aware. I hope that he changes soon. He has so much potential, and I would hate for it to be wasted on a…Useless cat.”

“It’s my mom’s fault.” Petuniapaw blurted out, before looking away with a frown. “Um..I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that-”

“No, I agree.” Lilyeye shook her head, before standing and turning to leave. “Both of us better get rest the best we can. Oh, and Petuniapaw?”

Petuniapaw, who was already walking away, turned to face Lilyeye. “Yeah?”

The deputy smirked, before slipping into the warrior’s den.

“Bring her cobweb, horsetail, and borage.”