Moon 13 - Building relationships.
"It feels like it's been raining for an eternity." Asterseed complained, shaking out his soggy fur.
Shinelight nodded. "It's miserable, isn't it?"
Ponddrop huffed. "Don't complain too much. We're lucky to have any kind of shelter in camp." The tom motioned up to the overhanging rock that was sheltering them right now.
Shinelight had to agree. It could be much worse. "Asterseed, can you get this patch behind my ear? I can't seem to get it."
Asterseed smiled. "Sure, Shinelight." The tom sat down and began grooming the she-cats fur.
Ponddrop rolled his eyes and scowled.
Shinelight snickered. "What's wrong, Ponddrop? Missing Stemstripe? Wishing she could help you?"
Asterseed let out a quiet laugh.
Ponddrop huffed. "Whatever you say, Shinelight."
"Oh don't be such a big baby." Shinelight teased. When Asterseed was finished grooming all the damp fur behind her ear and head, she got up and sat beside Ponddrop, working on places on his back.
"Shinelight, you don't have to do that. I can get it myself." Ponddrop grumbled.
"No, no, I insist!" Shinelight smiled and Ponddrop grumbled something.
"So, first I want us to work on throwing off the balance of our opponents. I noticed when we fought the rogues that many cats seemed to get trapped under cats bigger than them." Shinelight was looking at the small group in front of her.
"Back in my old clan, we were taught to kick at the cats back legs." Curlthorn offered up. The older she-cat seemed a little disinterested.
"Back in old TreeClan, I heard the apprentices talking about that move." Asterseed smiled.
"My old mentor in CloudClan taught me that move! But I never was good at it." Silkdance sighed and glanced over at Asterseed.
Shinelight nodded. "Alright. Curlthorn, you seem to be the most knowledgeable about it. Minkstar taught me it, but I'll let you lead this exercise."
Curlthorn nodded, stepping forward.
Marshstalk sat in front of the elders den, eating a robin.
"Hey, Marshstalk." Shinelight approached the elder with a smile.
Marshstalk looked up, a feather stuck to his face, but he didn't seem to notice it. "Well hello, Shinelight. How can I help you?"
"Well, I was going to ask about a story I remember you telling me when I was a kit, but I think I'd better let you know that you have a feather on your face." Shinelight motioned to the area where the feather was.
Marshstalk raised a brow and patted that area, removing the feather. "Well, I thank you kindly!" Marshstalk smiled. "Now, tell me, what story was it that you were wondering about?"
Shinelight settled down beside him. "The one where you were talking about the thing you called a 'wolf'. Where did you even encounter that?"
Marshstalk grinned. "Well, you know me and my Bittern were wanderers back in our prime. We used to cross the mountains way out there. You can barely see them from here. They're small specks. That's where the wolves live. It was always a challenge to cross the mountains, but we did it." He motioned off in the direction where the mountains were. "But with the trees here, you'd never see them. You'd have to walk out to the closest moor, and even that is about a half-days journey."
Shinelight looked amazed. "I don't think I've ever been out to a moor. Snowyfeather told me about one when he was still alive. Apparently, it's where a clan called LittleClan used to live."
"Ah yes, I remember them. They weren't all that welcoming when Bittern and I passed through there before with our third litter." Marshstalk was nodding. "Not the most happy cats. But living on the moor is harsh, so the cats there have to be too."
"The moor is harsh?" Shinelight tilted her head.
Marshstalk nodded again. "Oh yes, there are many dangers. There's barely any place for a cat to hide, and it's very open so there's nothing to shield you from weather. And the hawks are bad there. They can pick up a kit and there would be nothing you could do. And the occasional owl or eagle. You're more likely to see an owl out here, though. And eagles rarely make it far in these woods."
Shinelight's fur prickled. I can't imagine a hawk plucking up some cats kit. That must be awful... She shook her head. "You said your third litter? How many litters have you and Bitternlightning had?"
"Just three." Marshstalk smiled. "Four kits in our first, two in our second, and one in our third. By the time we had our third litter, both of us were up in age. But I imagine Birch, our son from our last litter, would be about twenty-four moons now. Most of our kits left us when they turned twelve moons old. And only a few would ever come visit if we were back in an area they lived around."
"Do you know where any of your kits went after they left?" Shinelight titled her head.
"Some. Birch set out early, and then those flames rained down on us, so I have no idea where he is. Both kits from the second litter, Magnolia and her brother Leaf became kittypets. Their two-legs as you call them lived next to each other. But we had them on the other side of the mountains, and it's a much too far journey to travel now. But when Bittern and I lived in that area we'd visit them." Marshstalk looked wistful.
"What about your first litter?" Shinelight was extremely interested now.
"We had them in the same area as the second. Meadow, Borage, Sparrow, and Cassie." Marshstalk smiled.
"Cassie?" Shinelight echoed. "That's such a strange name."
Marshstalk chuckled. "She chose to become a kittypet and that's the name her two-legs gave her. Originally we named her Burnet."
Shinelight wrinkled her nose at the thought of being a kittypet.
"I know you clan-born cats are judgmental of kittypets because of their soft life, but I assure you it was the best thing for her. She wasn't any good at hunting or fighting. I'd rather have a kittypet daughter than a dead one." Marshstalk said firmly.
Shinelight looked down at her paws. "Sorry."
Marshstalk touched his nose to her ear. "It's quite alright. I understand that this was simply how you were raised."
Shinelight lifted her head. "It must be hard not knowing where they're at now."
Marshstalk closed his eyes. "I just like to imagine that the sky flames only affected this area. Best not to let my imagination go too wild though." He was silent for a moment. "But back to the topic. You wanted to know about the wolves, huh?"
"Asterseed, I'm worried." Shinelight admitted, lowering her head.
Asterseed looked surprised. "About what?" He shuffled a little closer to the she-cat.
"About the war." Shinelight looked up and locked eyes with Asterseed. "The rogues have cost us so much!"
Asterseed shook his head. "Don't be silly. There are plenty of us still. We can fight them. And Minkstar has all her lives! I know she'd gladly spend them protecting us."
Shinelight narrowed her eyes at the latter part of his statement but said nothing. "I just want you to know that if something happens to me--"
"Stop." Asterseed frowned. "I know you're going to say that you want me to 'Go on living!' and 'Find someone!',." He sighed. "But that isn't going to happen. Nothing bad is going to happen. We're going to win this war, I know it."
Shinelight's smile returned and she placed her paw on Asterseed's. "You're right. We'll be fine."
Asterseed smiled as well, looking happily at Shinelight.
Ponddrop's figure could be seen in the distance as he slowly slunk out of camp, probably thinking he was going undetected.
Shinelight's brow furrowed and she sent a silent prayer to her ancestors. Please StarClan, keep him safe. Don't let anything happen to him. She sat there, contemplating, until she heard her name being called.
"Shinelight." Minkstar approached her daughter cautiously.
"Minkstar!" Shinelight was surprised to see her mother out of her nest. "What can I do for you?" She dipped her head.
"There's no need to be formal. I just wanted to talk to you." Minkstar sat beside her with a heavy sigh. "I'm worried about this war. It's taken a toll on me. And everything else that's happened." She shook her head. "I don't know what I'm going to do."
Shinelight smiled softly. "You know, Asterseed and I were just talking about that the other day. He's convinced it'll all be fine."
"But what do you think?" Minkstar turned to her.
Shinelight suddenly looked very tired. "I don't know, mama. I really don't know." Shinelight looked up at the morning sky that was slowly getting lighter. "I really don't know."
"I told you to watch where you were stepping." Stemstripe hissed.
"I know." Ponddrop growled. "I don't need to be reminded again!" He huffed as he leaned on Stemstripe's shoulder, carefully keeping his paw off the ground.
Shinelight rushed over. "What happened? Ponddrop, are you okay?"
Stemstripe answered before the tom could. "He was helping me clean up by the burial grounds and stepped on a thorn when I told him there were thorns scattered on the ground." She side-eyed the tom.
"Well, as long as you're alright." Shinelight let out a short sigh of relief.
"He will be once I patch up his foot." Stemstripe rolled her eyes. "He was complaining like a kit on the way here."
Ponddrop muttered what sounded like a curse under his breath before stalking away towards the Healer's den, leaving the two she-cats to their quiet laughter.
