Starless
by:
rainfeather's hope
--(frostfur's pov)
My paws have grown wings. I fly down the lesser-known path to Fourtrees, my heart shrinking. No… no! How can I be doing this, to my only sister left alive? I can only think of what it would cost her to know. But she… she abandoned Oakheart herself. How can she blame him for this? How can she blame me?
Stonefur and Mistyfoot have grown up now. Bluestar's abandoned Oakheart… in favor of Redtail, if you can imagine that. No wonder she made him her deputy. I can remember to this day, her telling me of all she had done…
Bluefur curled a little tighter around her three mewling kits. Her eyes were wide open as I stepped into the corner of the nursery belonging to her. "Bluefur? What's wrong?"
Bluefur started, jerking out of her daze. "No- nothing, Frostpaw. Don't you worry." She wrapped her tail around herself as Mistykit began to blindly suckle her. I pushed my nose into her fur.
"I can see something's troubling you, Bluefur. You can trust me, you know."
The queen's wide blue eyes settled on me, and her fierce gaze softened. "Well… I'm not proud of what I've done." I gestured with my tail for her to continue. "My mate… is Oakheart."
I cast about in my mind wildly, coming to the instant conclusion that there was no tom by the name of Oakheart, much less Oakanything in ThunderClan. "Oakheart," her voice disturbed my thoughts, "of RiverClan. And these are our kits."
My breath caught in my throat, but I was not thinking of the wrongs they had done, but of the mere thought of having a mate. "What does he look like?"
Bluefur's face became radiant in the den's little light. "He's reddish-brown, and deeply loyal -except… except when…"
"Except when it comes to you?" I guessed. Bluefur nodded, and her eyes slowly fell shut. I whisked my tail over her side, brushing off a scrap of bracken, and emerged from the nursery into camp. Oakheart! His name stuck in my head as though songbird sung it to me and only me again and again.
I struggle to come back into the waking world; I strive to forget how happy Bluefur and Oakheart had been.
I've got to put it behind me, I tell myself as I race through the forest. Oakheart is waiting for me beside a tall burned-out shell of an elm tree. His face beams, and he uses his tail to quickly sweep leaves off of a patch of ground next to him. "Frostfur!" he purrs. His voice is low and strong, and I lean into his muscled shoulder happily. "How're you doing?"
I gaze up into his hazel eyes and say, "Much better now we're together." The look which he returns my gaze with is full of unspoken affection, and I mew, "How's RiverClan life for you?"
The grin disappears off his face, wiped away like the leaves from a moment ago. "It's… it's getting more dangerous for me to meet you," the tawny deputy slowly reveals. "Crookedstar is more and more plotting to regain Sunningrocks from ThunderClan." He looks at me cautiously, all traces of playfulness gone. "Won't you join RiverClan with me? We could be together there, for moons to come."
I've told him no before, several, several times. But suddenly, rage-filled words tear from my mouth. "How many times did you ask Bluestar that?"
His jaw drops, and he stares at me, his eyes wide with fear.
I hate myself for asking that! "No, no, Oakheart! I didn't mean it… no, really, I love you, but I can't leave my Clan!"
His mouth is closed, but he stares at me like my white pelt represents a ghost, not Frostfur of ThunderClan. "How did you… who tol-" he rasps.
I cut him off. "Bluestar herself told me. I swore to keep it secret. Anyways… she's got Redtail now…"
For an instant Oakheart's eyes blaze, but then he presses himself against me with the softest touch. "Okay, Frostfur. You can keep Bluestar's secret… and you can keep ours too, right?"
It's my turn to stare. "We've only met together and talked." We've done nothing wrong…
Oakheart's tail snakes gently around my own. I don't resist his touch; I've been craving it, for the love of StarClan! A blissful purr bursts forth from me.
--(oakheart's pov)
She is exquisite. My Frostfur, beauty of ThunderClan. I rest my eyes on her from above, drowning in her scent. This is perfection; even more so than Bluestar.
It is indeed ironic that Bluestar, the girl I had to give up, is the sister of my new flame.
Night touches her fur underneath mine, staining it silver. A moan escapes Frostfur's lips and easily I step away from her. Her eyes instantly open and I stare, mesmerized, into the cerulean shade for a heartbeat. "Don't leave me," she whispers.
Frostfur rolls over onto her back. I look away. "Frostfur, I have dawn patrol in the morning, then evening patrol tonight…" It is a truly feeble argument, and I am well aware of it. She lets out a teasing growl, but to my surprise she gets off the ground, flicking her tail in an indignant way.
"Bye, then." She sounds offended, and begins to stroll away from Fourtrees. I chase after her, painfully aware that this is enemy territory.
"Frostfur, wait!" I hiss. She stops short, and turns to face me slowly.
Frostfur meows, "What, Oakheart?" I wave my tail invitingly.
"I changed my mind."
She purrs and winds herself around me.
-x-
My fur is prickling like ants are tramping through it. Uneasily I lead my patrol past the black-watered river, onto Sunningrocks, as Crookedstar ordered. "Catch what you can, then repot back to me," I call commandingly to my warriors. The patrol disperses at a flick of my tail, and I fall into a hunter's crouch. My belly fur brushes the ground as I work my way toward a shrew. It never sees me until my jaws are sunken into its neck. I allow myself a quick smile and continue to scent among the prey-filled crevices.
Vole. I begin to stalk toward the fat prey when I see my son, Stonefur, doing the same. I abandon that hunt and slink off the rocks further into ThunderClan territory. My mouth is open, and a squirrel-scent is fresh nearby. I follow its trail. Clumsily, within sight of my prey, I trip on a stick.
Crack!
The squirrel looks up, looks either way, then takes off dashing in the opposite direction of the border. My tail streams out behind me as I give chase. My nose flares to draw in the scent of squirrel, and brings the smell of a ThunderClan patrol. I pull up worriedly and much more quietly walk back to Sunningrocks. My warriors cluster about me as soon as I step onto the boulders, though no cat speaks. I cannot shake the sense of foreboding; I glance up to the sky, haunted by only a half-moon.
The ThunderClan patrol sneaks over the rocks, eyes flashing about warily. I hear in the silence the soft sound of claws unsheathing. Suddenly they are all over us. A huge dark tabby leaps for me, and successfully pins me down beneath him. My vicious yowl pierces the sky, soon joined by screeches. "Oakheart!" My tormentor roars. "How dare you hunt in our territory? The Sunningrocks belong to ThunderClan!" I recognize my enemy quickly - Tigerclaw, a seasoned fighter.
"After tonight, Tigerclaw, this will be just another RiverClan hunting ground!" I challenge.
A wiry brown tabby, by the smell of her a she-cat, shrieks, "Look out! More RiverClan warriors are coming!" How I wish I could silence her, but instead I bare my fangs to Tigerclaw. His head turns, but his paws stay firmly planted on my chest.
I twist around and spot Leopardfur leading her reinforcements onto the territory as well. Whiteclaw and Mistyfoot soundlessly run up the shore and leap into the fight. Tigerclaw's gaze scorches my fur, and I look up to him. "You may swim like otters, but you and your warriors do not belong in this forest!" He too bares his fangs, and I claw upwards for his belly. I feel a dim twinge of pride when I feel warm blood spurting from him.
Whiteclaw has pinned down that brown female on her back. Her yowl split the skies, and I kick Tigerclaw again. As I watch, Whiteclaw leans down and I spot his fangs glinting in the moonlight near her neck.
Tigerclaw leaps off of me, and I get to my paws quickly.
We will not lose this battle!
--(frostfur's pov)
I was hunting.
Now I'm staring in horror at the bloody scene that is unfolding right in front of my muzzle.
I'd fancied a vole before I slept, so I'd come out here hunting for my prey. When I'd been searching, I'd smelt my mate along with a ThunderClan patrol - which I knew was composed of Ravenpaw, Tigerclaw, Redtail, and Mousefur. I had followed the tracks until I reached… this! A battle over Sunningrocks, headed by Tigerclaw and Oakheart.
As I watch, my heart feels torn in two. Tigerclaw has Oakheart trapped beneath his merciless claws.
Don't kill him, Tigerclaw!
Oakheart's legs rake Tigerclaw's belly. Suddenly I hear Mousefur's horror-struck yowl. "Help me!" A big brown warrior with snow-white claws has her against the rocks. She's struggling as he leans in to bite open her neck. I prepare to fly out of my hiding place.
I'm not truly loyal! The realization hits me like a blow.
Tigerclaw releases Oakheart and bowls over the warrior threatening Mousefur. I breath a silent sigh of relief, but I feel burdened anyhow. Redtail's voice crescendos above the screams. "Tigerclaw! This is useless!"
The huge warrior turns to our smaller deputy, whose flame-hued tail is waving frantically. "There are too many RiverClan warriors!"
My eyes swing upward to StarClan, composing a desperate prayer in my head.
The sky is starless.
"No, Redtail. ThunderClan will never be beaten!" Tigerclaw cries insistently.
My sister's mate argues his cause relentlessly. "ThunderClan will honor your courage, Tigerclaw, but we cannot afford to lose any more of our warriors! Bluestar would never expect her warriors to fight against these impossible odds. We will have another chance to avenge our defeat!"
Tigerclaw stares at Redtail, anger flaring in his eyes. I shrink back further into my shadowy cover.
Give it up! I don't want to see any cat killed!
"Retreat, ThunderClan, retreat!" Redtail howls. The patrol, bloodied and broken, huddles together in the rocks' center. The RiverClan warriors appear confused, and Oakheart swarms up the boulder toward them. He quickly tells them something, and they disperse back into their true territory.
How could ThunderClan lose?
Oakheart stands alone, silhouetted against the moonbeams. Tigerclaw dives into a nearby tree. I huddle backwards against a thornbush, and curse in my head as it digs shallow grooves into my flesh.
Redtail sizes up the tawny cat, and to my horror, hurls himself at Oakheart. My mate leaps backward and Redtail is left to face his claws.
No, Oakheart! Don't do it!
I can tell the skirmish is personal to Oakheart. This cat was too easily able to take Bluestar for a mate, and I feel dismissed. No longer does my conscience nag at me to fight. Emotion seems to drain from me, and again I sag into the bush. More curses fill my mind.
Redtail surges forward and Oakheart scrabbles backward into a looming mass of stone.
--(oakheart)
My back feels wrenched as I crash into a hulking mass of stones. I stare hatefully at Redtail, who stole one of my loves right out from under my paws. He returns the freaky glare, and mercilessly lunges at my ear to tear it. I glance up to the sky. Didn't he call a retreat?
The sky is starless.
Redtail takes advantage of my lapse in attention, and slams his body against mine. With a surge of horror, I feel the rocks shift behind me. Redtail glances up and runs away like the coward he is. The boulder blocks out my view of the sky. My prayer to StarClan flies desperately out of my mouth. My scream echoes about my ears as the boulder hits me. A flash of light crosses my vision, and the boulder almost seems transparent for a snatched second.
StarClan won't save me. I'm through. My prayer won't be heard… because the sky…
Is starless.
--
Yes. I have an odd
theory that Frostfur could totally be Bluestar and Snowfur's
sister. She looks like them and acts like Bluestar. So, has anyone
seen this pairing before?
Concrit appreciated.
--Rainey/