IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: I have read the First Look of SkyClan's Destiny and the allegiances that came with it. Let me just say one thing: Leafstar, you crazy she-cat, what in StarClan's name were you thinking with the day-light warriors! Billystorm? Harveymoon? SNOOKPAW? -deep breath- I can tell you right now this fic is NOT SD compatible. I already have the allegiances/characters/plot for SkyClan planned out as far as this story's end and I'm not gonna to accommodate with SD's new material. So no griping about my SkyClan. 'Cause I have no kitty-warriors.
Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. All original material belongs to me.
"Not the snow not the rain can change my mind
The sun will come out wait and see
And the feeling of the wind on your face can lift your heart
Oh, there's no place I would rather be"-
-On My Way, by Phil Collins
A quarter moon had passed since that unthinkable day by the lake shore. When Leafpool had discovered her father lying prone in a fox trap, helplessly lost in a trance as he used up another of his nine lives while Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw had stood over his lifeless form. They had been debating heatedly, most likely how to finish Firestar off and peacefully instill complete control over all of ThunderClan. The patrol had wasted no time in surging forward, rescuing their leader and dragging the attempted murders back to camp for their punishment to be decided.
Since then, Leafpool's life had been crumbling slowly like a mountain against the unrelenting winds. Unless she received relief from the trouble soon, the last of her restrains would give way and everything left would come crashing down all around her.
Most of ThunderClan blamed her for what happened with Brambleclaw. According to them, it had been her vision from StarClan that had put the former deputy into a position to attempt to usurp power from Firestar. Cats believed she had favored her sister's mate above other season and qualified candidates for the deputy position. That Leafpool had deliberately faked a sign to trick ThunderClan into thinking it was destiny that Brambleclaw become second only to Firestar.
When Firestar had appointed Brackenfur as deputy the moonhigh of the day of Brambleclaw's banishment, he had publicly told his eldest daughter that he placed no blame on her for the unexpected turn of events. He had wholeheartedly forgiven her for 'misinterpreting' StarClan's will and had made no secret that he expected his entire Clan to do the same. True, some sympathetic warriors like Brightheart and Sorreltail did. Stubborn Clanmates weren't so easily persuaded. Rumors and harsh whispers about Leafpool's involvement in Brambleclaw's betrayal raged through ThunderClan like wildfire.
Her pregnancy wasn't helping matters either. Her knowledge as a medicine cat was thankfully able to stop production of milk and mask her changed scent from the Clan, but she was already nearly a moon pregnant. What would happen when the kits were actually born? The Clans had learned enough about mysterious kits to question their whereabouts when a litter with no explainable origin turned up. Leafpool needed a she-cat to cover for her and she trusted only one ThunderClanner with her devastating secret...
"No!" Squirrelflight shook her head, voice quivering slightly but firm nonetheless. "I refuse to!"
Struggling to contain the overwhelming panic welling up within her, Leafpool released her frustrations as a sigh that turned into a hiss. "Please, Squirrelflight, you're the only cat I can trust to pull this off. I'm over a moon pregnant but we can always say the kits came early-"
"It won't work." The ginger she-cat scuffled her paws, gazing down at the ground as if ashamed of herself. "I haven't been intimate with Ashfur since before our last break-up. I just can't stand another tom to touch me like that after what he did to me. The time differences wouldn't match up."
Frantically wracking her brains for a solution, Leafpool brightened hopefully as she offered another suggestion: "Pretend their Brambleclaw's kits. No cat will blame you for trusting him at the time of the supposed-"
"NEVER!" Leafpool recoiled with a yowl of surprise at her sister's outburst. Squirrelflight was trembling like a leaf, shaking her head violently as she slowly backed away. "Bearing the children of the tom that tried to murder my own father and tore my heart out, even just pretending to... StarClan forbid... I have been praying that wasn't so the moment he was exiled... I'm still not sure if I'm out of danger yet..."
ThunderClan's medicine cat could contain her emotions no longer. Days of harboring a dark secret and silently tormenting herself had formed enough pressure so that she finally cracked. "I'm your sister, Squirrelflight! Remember when I caught you trying to sneak off with Brambleclaw all those moons ago? I kept your secret then and hid your absence as long as I could. I even gave you traveling herbs for the journey. Why can you return the same loyalty for me?"
"There's a big difference between defying the warrior code for the sake of your Clan's very existence and succumbing to lust and willingly betraying your vows as a medicine cat," Squirrelflight retorted icily. "After all the mousedung that happened in the past moon I thought you would come to realize that honesty will best redeem you from your mistakes." She sighed regretfully. "Apparently I was wrong about you as I was about him."
All of Leafpool's anger fled her at Squirrelflight's despairing look. The brown tabby's amber eyes softened, and she took one pleading step toward her distraught little sister. She had never meant to hurt her like that. Not after all the distrust and scorn Squirrelflight had received from fellow Clanmates since Brambleclaw's banishment.
"She is right," a third voice spoke up. Ears pressing against her head, Leafpool glanced nervously about. Ashfur emerged from the bushes and into the secluded clearing the sisters had chosen to argue in. The gray tom padded over to sit by his mate, licking the side of her face soothingly. "Honesty is the best path right now, Leafpool. ThunderClan can't handle anymore earth-shattering betrayals from their most trusted members. You have to reveal yourself now or risk dividing the Clan even further."
Stumbling back in astonishment and hurt, Leafpool's amber eyes narrowed into molten slits as she arched her back defensively. "Betrayal comes from all sides now, doesn't it?" she whispered, looking between Ashfur and Squirrelflight in disbelief. "What happened to keeping your sister's secrets?"
Squirrelflight snarled. "Treason doesn't count! Deception nearly tore this Clan in two less than a moon ago. Would you have Dustpelt follow through with his threats of leaving and take a good section of ThunderClan with him?" She sighed, but her expression was immovably stern. "I did what I thought was best for the Clan, Leafpool. I did what was right."
Ashfur cautiously placed a comforting tail on his mate's back. Squirrelflight flinched at the touch but didn't draw back. Purring at her reassuringly, he turned back to Leafpool with understanding on his features. "All of ThunderClan knows you ran off that one night with Crowfeather already. Yet you returned to us knowing the dire punishment you could have received. We know where your loyalties truly lie." His blue eyes darkened as he smiled sadly. "Love can make us do foolish things. Your heart made your devotion falter only once. ThunderClan can forgive you for one mistake." Ashfur's smile faded, somberness replacing it. "If you have the grace to come clean about it."
Leafpool backed away uncertainly. She didn't want to listen anymore. Her own flesh and blood had betrayed her for some... tom. Part of her just wanted to run away from the forest as Brambleclaw had and never return. What was left for her here?
"Please, Leafpool," Squirrelflight begged beseechingly. "Where can you go? No other leader in the forest will be willing to offer a pregnant medicine cat shelter. Your kits are due in only a moon! StarClan, you're not even trained as a warrior! Stay. If only for the safety of your unborn kits."
"Even if Firestar was a heartless monster willing to cast out an expecting mother, no leader would exile their only remaining medicine cat," Ashfur pointed out reasonably as he noticed Leafpool's lingering indecision. "Cinderpelt's gone and your the only ThunderClan cat that can fill her pawsteps. There is no other cat to replace you as medicine cat."
"There's Brightheart," the brown tabby she-cat mumbled halfheartedly. Her head was bowed in resignation, and Leafpool's struggle was nearing its end. "Cinderpelt was beginning to teach her about herbs and healing when Daisy first arrived. She has knowledge of what to do when a Clanmate is injured."
Squirrelflight shook her head. "Not nearly enough. Besides, Brightheart has no idea about how to communicate with StarClan and receive prophecies and aid from them. You're ThunderClan's sole connection to our warrior ancestors." Wriggling out of Ashfur's embrace she tentatively approached her older sister, careful to maintain a respectful distance in case Leafpool was still upset. "Also, Brightheart already has a loving mate and a daughter. She is content with her role as a warrior. Would you really take that all away from her and force Brightheart into a position she is just not meant to have?"
Sighing heavily, Leafpool's tail drooped in final defeat. "I could never ask any unwilling cat to take my responsibilities. I return to camp and announce I am expecting Crowfeather's kits." She raised her head slightly in defiance at future accusations against her. "They can judge me as they wish. StarClan has not stopped visiting my dreams and still guide my paws along a destined path. I am not alone. StarClan walk by my side. Firestar will certainly support me. Sorreltail will be happy to nurse to nurse my kits for I will be unable to."
Squirrelflight subconsciously winced at her sister's exclamation. "You're not alone in this, Leafpool. I'll always stand by you." She tentatively took another step closer to the other she-cat, hoping vainly for a positive response.
Nodding curtly to Ashfur and his mate, Leafpool prowled off back in the direction toward camp, giving the two other cats a wide berth. Heartbroken, Squirrelflight watched her sister depart, shoulders stooped in defeat. She had managed to convince Leafpool to remain in ThunderClan, but their close bond had not survived the confrontation. Both sisters could sense the previous close connection had shattered beyond repair. Their lives would never be the same.
Hawkfrost may have been traveling with his admittedly older and wiser half-brother, but the former RiverClan warrior still considered himself to be in charge. He believed himself to know how to best navigate through the perilous Twolegplace. Soon becoming tired of weaving through yards and dodging both territorial kittypets and fierce dogs for days on end, Hawkfrost thought he had discovered a solution to the time-consuming method.
Sheltered from the unpredictable Twolegs and the chaos that tended to follow them around underneath a convenient bush, the two half-brothers peered through the branches to the obstacle ahead. Right in front of them was yet another dark Thunderpath. Monsters roared down it at a frantic pace, passing by rapidly. They were so dense in numbers there was barely a gap of silence before yet another monstrous beast zoomed past.
However, Hawkfrost paid no attention to the deathtrap. His attention were on the two light gray paths that ran alongside the main Thunderpath. Twolegs walked down these without fear of the terrifying monsters that raged barely a few fox-lengths away from them. Indeed, no monsters even attempted to invade the white paths. Where they scared of the white paths? Hawkfrost didn't care about the reason behind it, all that mattered was how the monsters avoided them.
"See?" Hawkfrost crowed smugly to Brambleclaw. "Monsters avoid those white paths like sickness! We could put them to good use. Imagine how much time we could save if we avoided weaving through all those Twoleg yards? Days could be shaved off our journey!"
Unconvinced at his half-brother's claim, the dark tabby tom glanced skeptically at the paths ahead of him. "Are you sure about this? I was in a Twolegplace similar to this one before, and our guide avoided those paths whenever possible! Look, Twolegs are walking up and down those white paths frequently. Some of them even have dogs with them. Is saving a few days really worth the tremendous risks that will come with traveling down those paths?"
Hawkfrost scoffed. "What choice do we have, Brambleclaw? This unusually warm weather is deceiving, but we know leaf-fall is just on the horizon. Some unforeseen blizzard could strike us any day now! Do you want to be stranded here in Twoleg place when that happens, blundering through thick snow as we search for our new home? I don't. That's why I want to be safe and sound in that lost Clan as soon as possible." Seeing Brambleclaw was still partly worried, Hawkfrost purred reassuringly. "Trust me. This will be as easy as eating freshkill."
Reflecting back on that moment of prior foolhardiness, Hawkfrost strongly wished he could travel back in time and throttle his impatient past self for his thoughtlessness.
But it was already too late. Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw were on one such white path, once again running for their very lives. They had barely made it ten pawsteps on it before a dog had wrested itself free of its Twoleg's hold and had begun to chase after them. Trapped with towering fences to their left and a dangerous Thunderpath to their right, their was nothing left for the toms to do but run for their very lives.
Brambleclaw had been lucky enough to have an initial boost of speed, putting Hawkfrost between himself and the dog's snapping jaws. That very unfortunate brown tabby now had a monstrous beast baying ravenously for his blood. Hawkfrost fled with all the energy he possessed, but he was no WindClan warrior. When the dog's jaws nearly closed down on his tail for a third time, the exile figured it was time to form another plan before both he and Brambleclaw became freshkill.
"Any bright ideas before we become a dog's meal?" Hawkfrost yowled up at his half-sibling.
Looking wildly about him for a way out, Brambleclaw didn't respond to his companion's desperate question. Suddenly, he veered sharply to the left and lunged at a wooden fence without warning. Effortlessly sailing over the obstacle, the brown tabby landed in the safety of the yard beyond.
Sure, it's simple for the ThunderClanner, Hawkfrost thought wryly. He's the one that has been climbing trees and leaping after birds since kithood! What about for the average warrior that grew up on solid ground?
But what option did he have? Following Brambleclaw's reckless lead, the RiverClan exile mustered up all of his remaining strength and channeled it into his back legs. Springing at the same fence, Hawkfrost expected to make it only part way before plummeting back down to the earth and into the waiting jaws of the dog.
Instead, he found his paws scrabbling to gain a purchase on the wooden fence. Hawkfrost at last gained a grip, and looked bewilderingly about him. He hadn't cleared the fence altogether as Brambleclaw had, but had managed to perch safely at the top of it. Below, the dog was jumping frantically in a vain effort to reach him. Hawkfrost watched in smug satisfaction as the dog's Twoleg master at last caught up to it. Shrieking and scolding the poor creature in its own language, the Twoleg male dragged the whimpering thing away with him.
Leaping off the fence to land beside Brambleclaw, Hawkfrost returned his half-brother's astonished look with a triumphant smirk. "What's the matter? Expected me to meet my death back there?" he asked jokingly.
Shock melting away to amazement and relief, Brambleclaw purred and batted his half-brother affectionately across the ear. "'Course not," he meowed playfully. "It would take far more than a mere dog to kill the legendary Hawkfrost. That's why I'm planning to shove you over a cliff when we come across one. Not even you can survive a fall like that."
Hawkfrost waved a paw in dismissal. "Good luck with that. I have enough common sense to avoid ravines and steep drops at all costs. There's no way I'm passing away anytime soon." He shivered. "I can't even fathom spending eternity with Swiftpaw as company."
Brambleclaw winced at the statement, glancing frightfully around as if expecting his dead half-brother to punish his living kin for such insolence. When no lightning bolt came down to strike Hawkfrost, the dark tabby relaxed slightly. "Just agree to let me lead the way from now on, alright?" he meowed sternly. "I have more experience with these matters than you'll ever have."
Rolling his blue eyes in annoyance, Hawkfrost still inclined his head in agreement. The two half-brothers set off on their journey again, this time with Brambleclaw setting the path. Padding invisibly beside them was an insulted Swiftpaw, his devious mind already forming the perfect vengeance against an unwitting Hawkfrost. Revenge against this arrogant tom was going to be worth whatever consequences in the end.
Tawnypelt's entire life had been cursed since the revealing of her father's treachery and his permanent exile from ThunderClan. From the time she had just opened her eyes cats had expected her to grow up to be just as cruel and ambitious as Tigerstar had been. Her kithood had been filled with suspicious glares from the other queens and scornful comments from the more judgmental warriors. Things had become so bad as an apprentice that Tawnypelt hadn't been able to bear it anymore. Leaving ThunderClan to join her father in ShadowClan, at the time she felt she had made the best decision.
To this day, Tawnypelt never regretted it. ShadowClanner didn't judge her as ruthlessly as her ThunderClan comrades had. She had soon dispelled any lingering doubts regarding her loyalty by fighting fiercely against ShadowClan's enemies and obeying her new mentor as obediently as any other ShadowClan apprentice. Here Tawnypelt could live out her life in peace without the ghosts of Tigerstar clinging to her pelt.
Or, so she had believed. Tawnypelt should have suspected something was wrong when Tigerstar had visited her dreams and had attempted to persuade her about swearing allegiance to him. She had known where her father's betrayals and vicious tactics had got him, and she and immediately and brusquely rejected his 'generous' offer. Tawnypelt had been smart enough to resist temptation.
Her half-brothers? The tortoiseshell she-cat felt uneasy of Hawkfrost ever since meeting him at his first Gathering as an apprentice. At first she had thought her paranoid mind had invented the eerie resemblance between the dark tabby tom and Tigerstar. It had never come as a surprise that they were indeed of blood relation. If any of Tigerstar's kits were to succumb to his corruption, Tawnypelt had always rightfully assumed it would have been Hawkfrost.
Brambleclaw? Tawnypelt thought, shaking her head in disgust. Stupid fur-ball! What were thinking when you agreed to listen to Tigerstar? We've been avoiding everything to do with him since we were kits in ThunderClan together! How could you just forget about everything you had going for you just to follow in our father's doomed pawsteps? She snorted. I'm sure you realize that trading your deputy position and a beautiful mate for Tigerstar was a poor decision now. If only you had figured that out sooner...
"Tawnypelt?" a voice inquired cautiously. "Are you alright?"
Startled from her musing, the tortoiseshell she-cat found herself looking into the concerned gaze of Rowanclaw. Realizing she had spaced out right in the middle of ShadowClan camp, Tawnypelt nodded curtly and gave her shoulder a few embarrassed licks.
"Just fine, Rowanclaw," she meowed. "Though I suppose Russetfur thinks I'm plotting on how to assassinate her and leave no evidence behind. Can you believe I actually saw her checking her frog earlier to see if I had poisoned it with deathberries?" Tawnypelt rolled her green eyes sarcastically. "Next thing you'll know that paranoid old hairball will claim I was in league with my half-brothers from the very beginning."
Rowanclaw eyed her in a way that suggested he wasn't entirely convinced of her innocence. "Really? Because the cats that were exiled were your kin-"
"I barely even knew Hawkfrost," Tawnypelt retorted tartly. "To me he was just another enemy RiverClanner, even after the discovery of his parentage. Brambleclaw?" She laughed humorlessly. "The mischievous kit I grew up with and the brave and loyal warrior that traveled alongside me on the Great Journey both have changed beyond recognition. The tom that tried to murder Firestar was not my brother."
"I believe you," Rowanclaw spoke up suddenly. Tawnypelt looked at him in amazement, and the ginger tom hastily explained. "I remember when you first came to ShadowClan as a young apprentice desperate to prove herself. Since then you've been nothing but a dedicated and loyal Clan member. You never tried to rejoin ThunderClan after the battle against Scourge. You returned to us after the Great Journey, where some weaker cats would have fled and left their Clan to die. You've never had an apprentice and I don't recall you ever trying to get one." He fell silent for a moment, chuckling softly. "Come to think of it, you seem perfectly content to be a normal warrior. Most cats at least try to ascend higher through the ranks."
"'Tawnystar' doesn't have a good ring to it," the tortoiseshell she-cat quipped lightly. "Besides, I have no desire to be leader. I am happy to faithfully serve a just and worthy cat like Blackstar. Even Russetfur would make a better leader for ShadowClan than I ever could be."
Awkward silence settled between the two while Rowanclaw shuffled his paws nervously. "So... Do you want join Oakfur and me on a hunting patrol? Russetfur says we need one more cat on it before she allows us to go out."
Tawnypelt's green eyes glowed warmly. "I'd like that. Let's just pray we find Russetfur in a good mood. She may think we're conspiring to unleash a band of rogues or something upon the forest to gain control of ShadowClan if she's not."
Padding off with Rowanclaw, the tortoiseshell she-cat found herself in much higher spirits than before. Who knew what her future might entail? Receiving her first apprentice when the oldest kits were ready for mentors? Being selected by Russetstar as deputy? Having a litter of kits of her very own?
Who cares what the future brings? Whatever lies ahead of me I know I deserve. Unlike Brambleclaw or Hawkfrost, I never attempted to seek out the aid of a murderer in order to gain power quicker in my Clan. The path I travel down is solely my own.
Next chapter: Just one more chapter left of this montage-thing. More on Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost is ahead, as if Swiftpaw's idea of revenge for an insult against him. Also, expect our first real glimpse of SkyClan life and maybe more of Leafpool's dilemma. -squeals in excitement- Yay, I finally get to bring up my own version of a future SkyClan!
1. Squirrelflight's kinda had it with all the deception going around ThunderClan. She knows the Clan can't handle any more earth-shattering secrets. She and Ashfur forced Leafpool to come clean about her kits. And, no, Leafpool will NOT be leaving ThunderClan soon. Firestar is too compassionate to throw his daughter out with his unborn grandchildren. Besides, what leader in their right mind would get rid of their only remaining medicine cat?... Aside from possibly Brokenstar.
2. We will be seeing more of the lake territories and the drama unfolding there. It just won't show up until way down the road. Like, long after Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw establish themselves in SkyClan. Yes, we will be seeing more of the Three (though obviously their story will be different now that their big secret is out long before their birth.)
3. One thing on the brothers segment: Warriors and sidewalks do not mix. Also, first real sign of their SkyClan blood. (Besides, this segment was a lot lighter than the angst-fest before it 0o.
4. First hints of RowanxTawny, 'cause I love Tawnypelt and totally feel she deserves way more screen-time than she gets. Oh, well. At least she has an apprentice in OotS, even if Tigerheart predictably became a Dark Forest follower -.-' Also, her kits will have parts of their own to play later. And this version of Tigerheart will be named after a completely different crazy cat in his family tree other than Tigerstar.
