AN: So I've been bugging Darkie to do this idea. She says that she hasn't the time, being kicked off the computer and such. So I've decided to write this myself, since I hate seeing ideas left to rot. Sorry if updates come late, I need to read Tailchaser's Song. -.-
Should the main pairing be femslash? I don't know if that would freak some people away from reading this story.
Chapter quote:
Black Rose
Chapter 1
Fallen into Wonderland
The day had been long and dreary, shadowing the promise of a bright day anytime soon. It always seemed to be raining in Rainclan territory. So much that no other creature dares to come anywhere close to the vicious cats.
Life was survival of the fit, the stronger you were the more food you got by right or prowess. It seemed quite unfair for the likes of the Healer's Apprentice. Ranked not too high on the food chain, the poor young she-cat hardly had much in the ways of food. Her mentor on some days was kind enough to supply her some food from his own share.
Now it was Shadow-High time, where the hunters of the clan travel in packs fro search of prey no matter how big it may be. That was how Tansypaw, the Healer's Apprentice, had lost her brother. Not saying that she really missed him or anything, for he was just as cold as the rest of the clan. Even the mothers of the kits were harsh to their own, some even killing their weakest kit in ritual.
"This is not something that you can fix," A wise, old voice broke through Tansypaws thoughts.
A grayish white tom cat was sitting with his tail tucked neatly over his paws. The graying coat failed to hide the still hard muscles of the tom, showing his undeniable skill at fighting. It was customary to be a fighter before becoming a Healer, though Tansypaw was one of the few exceptions to that rule. Proven at birth to be too weak to become a Fighter like the rest of her family, she had to be sent into the forest for the Death-Stalkers to kill.
The only thing she remembered of that night were the golden eyes, trained into mere slits when they saw the young kit. Long claws, longer than the usual for any cat, raked against the ground around Tansypaw, but never once touching a strand of fur. It was a Death-Stalker, but yet it hadn't killed Tansypaw but instead gave her a once over before disappearing away.
Tansypaw believed that she was meant to do something great, like rescuing her clan from the existence that they had created. In the back of his mind, even her mentor agreed that she was meant for something special. It had been he would had took her back to the camp, recounting the tale of her fated survival.
Good thing her mentor's brother was Snakestar himself, or else her leader would have her on the spot. It was a wonder to how Snakestar and Grizzle were related in any way, for Snakestar was a large brown tabby with dark amber eyes. His unnaturally sharpened claws poked a bit from their sheaths, and he never hesitated to kill. While Grizzle was kinder, with a wise disposition and a knowledge for the herbs and signs.
"I am meant for something, though," Tansypaw mewed, raking her claws along a pile of moss she had gathered. "If not this then something just as bad."
"Don't let the others hear you say such things," Grizzle snapped, always the father to Tanasypaw. "You are already different enough, don't give them more reason to fear you."
"Fear me?" Tansypaw snorted, pushing the moss away from her with one angry swipe. "The runt of the litter? The one that couldn't really fight to save her own life? What kind of Fighter am I?"
"Physically, not hereditary," Grizzle said, placing some bright berries carefully on one of the back alcoves of the Healer's Den. "But emotionally, spiritually, you are. Don't ever forget that, for courage prevails were the claws can not."
"Speaking in tongues again, you old fool?" A young, male voice snarled.
Tansypaw turned around slightly to see a bulky black tom cat with faint stripes. His amber eyes narrowed at Grizzle, his posture proposing a dominant nature. The black cat was Snakestar's only son, his mother had long ago died of mysterious causes. Almost the carbon copy, Poisonpaw was destined to follow in his fathers paw steps as a vicious Fighter.
"You should have died, Grizzle, you only didn't due to my father seeing something special about you. I fear that he was wrong, as you are about this runt," Poisonpaw spat out, his whiskers bristling.
"You only say such things for I was to be your proposed mate," Tansypaw mewed, her voice filling with venom. "Something that even I detest, don't worry."
"Who wouldn't like me?" The pompous black tom wailed as he shot out of the den.
"Thank you Ahslatar for creating bipolar cats," Tansypaw muttered as she went back to raking her claws through another pile of moss.
"It seems as if we are running low on marigold," Grizzle muttered to himself as he eyed the assortment of herbs. "If you would be so kind as to gather some for me Tansypaw?"
The she-cat blew out a soft sigh, walking out of the den. The camp itself matched the clan, piles of bones and bodies littered the ground as if it were natural for every camp to have this happen. It was a wonder that the she-cats still even had kits anymore, this mood would kill any of them born. A prickle of sadness shot through her belly when she saw the small, limp body of a four moon old kit.
The grieving mother was caterwauling her guts out, the other two kits pulled close to her body and away from their dead sibling. They weren't that young that they didn't know of death, that it was stalking this clan with a passion and hunger so mighty that the clan would someday be gone. Every cat was told that after they first learned to crawl and mewl, their eyes developing to the scene around them.
She couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her as she left the camp. The dense foliage of thorns and thistles scraped hungrily against her pelt as she dashed towards the quarry. It was strange to see all of the needed herbs growing in the quarry, though there was no threat of snakes for the cats. The clan had already killed and eaten the giant adder and its young that was living in the darkness below.
The marigold was growing by one of the false entrances to the quarry, clumps of them pressed together in silent fear. It was a wonder that they were still living, Tansypaw mused as she bit at the stems of a couple.
"Marigold hunting at this time is dangerous, didn't ya know?" An unfamiliar voice halted Tansypaw's actions. "But then again, what do you cats have to fear?"
Foxes. It could only be the fox clan part of the Death-Stalkers, one of the more sly groups in the corrupt scheme of things. They would tell you one thing, and that one thing would lead to your inevitable demise.
Peeking over her shoulder, Tansypaw noted the color and size of the two foxes standing some good tail lengths behind her. One was bulky with russet fur, most likely the stupid muscle man of the pair. While the reddish colored fox that had spoken was thin but with a lean edge to his frame.
Both advanced on her, their intention unclear to the startled she-cat. The crumbled of rock underneath her paw shot fear throughout her body. She soon found herself falling, the pointed muzzles gazing down at her with smirks before disappearing into darkness.
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The bright sun casted long shadows on the Purrwhisper, a gentle stream that marked the end of Sunsnest and the start of both Rootwood and Firsthome. This was the the best place to meet with friends that you shouldn't have.
A beautiful tortoiseshell with patches of many different colors was resting gracefully by the bank of the Purrwhisper, her light green eyes watching the gently flowing currents drowsily. Tail twitching just once, in the way that only one of the Firsthome would, her dainty pink nose picked up the familiar scent of a longtime friends.
"Oh Fell, your tricks work nought on me now," The tortoiseshell said with a yawn.
A stunning ashy furred she-cat appeared from the shadows of Rootwood. The silver lining on her back, chest and face where that of tabby markings. White flecks of fur always appeared to dot her slim flanks. Where the tortoiseshell was fat, in a good way, the ashy female was slim and slender with lean muscles.
"At least I have the natural cunning to not sit in the open, like you seem not to have Fate of Firsthome," Fell mewed, her voice rough and gravelly.
"We are hunt-sisters, no matter how you think about it," Fate said wisely, her pink tongue flicking casually at her think coat of fur.
That little twitch again. Fell twitched her ear in a way that could only mean that she was irritated, if the narrowed eyes were also any indication. She opened her mouth, intending to say some snarky comment when a thud interrupted her. This sent Fate to her paws, pelt bristling and claws out. Motioning towards one of the collapsed tunnels after the fall of Grizraz Hearteater with her ear, Fell crept towards the sound.
Her eyes widened with surprise when she saw the dusty, thin form of Tansypaw. She had been expecting a creature of Vastnir, even Hearteater himself. But the small cat was anything but a Vastnir creep, sharing not one ounce of the same blood as Fell.
Coughing and spluttering, Tansypaw was waking up. Her yellow eyes opened slowly, the sun light blinding her after her long fall into darkness. The dust on her fur clung to to her skin, making her body feel heavy and slow as she twitched her legs.
"Why, a kit?" Fate mewed with surprise, licking her ruffled fur back into place. "What is she doing here?"
Noticing that Tansypaw was awake enough to talk, Fell leaned towards her dusty form. Her longer than usual claws poked from their sheaths, close enough to Tansypaw to be an act of power and dominance.
"Where's your mother?" She growled, her voice taking its gravelly edge. "where's your mother, kit?"
"Foxes, foxes, foxes," Tansypaw muttered, clearly in a state of shock. "Quarry, marigold, low. Fell, fell, fell. Darkness!"
The last word was a keening wail, her legs and claws twitching as though she was still falling. The pure white she-cat with yellow eyes looked so pathetic to Fell, that even she felt the sting of sympathy.
"We can't just leave her here," Fate mewed, still grooming herself as she thought aloud. "We must take her back to Firsthome."
"I cannot set paw in that place," Fell growled. "You know that. If you need help, get your pompous friends instead."
With that, Fell stormed away while angrily lashing her tail. Leaving Fate to sigh as she gently gripped Tansypaw by the scruff of her neck. Dragging the now still form, Fate coudln't help but wonder if the young kit had died on already.
She quickly dismissed that thought as the large and proud tortoiseshell body of her brother came into view. She wasn't far from Firsthome now, knowing that her brother never wandered far. Prince Tumbledown and his three hunt-brothers were currently resting in a nice patch of sunlight, their victory for catching a few nice bits of prey.
"Brother! Come help me please," Fate yowled, trying to sound desperate. "This poor kit! I just found her."
Prince Tumbledown shot up from his perch, dashing quickly to his sister to see the small scrap of fur. Songhunt was fast on his heels, her pale fur ruffled as she gazed sadly at Tansypaw.
"Firsthome then?" Prince Tumbledown boomed before bending over to carry Tansypaw.
Tansypaw squirmed a bit before sighing, her body relaxing. Songhunt beckoned for her brothers, Rufflefeather and Rumblestep, to follow them as Fate lead the way back to Firsthome.
Fell watched them from the shadows, her heart beating with pain at the sight that she could never join. Redemption was the only way to join them, the carefree of Firsthome. But nothing bad was happening in the lands, not ever since Tailchaser had taken Hearteater down.
Maybe that wasn't true, for the Death-Stalkers were weary. They were muttering about portals to other worlds, how they were opening. Could this young kit be the product of one portal that had opened?
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AN: Should I explain anything?
Like I said, from pretty sketchy with some of the slang. Others I just made up to fit into the world that I created (Evil laughter).
I'll give a brownie to whoever can name what existences both Firsthome and Rainclan live in.
Oh, and what pairing might be possible in the future.
~Watcher of the City