AN: Guys, I've been quite busy lately with several art and writing commissions, and my spoof story. For those reasons, I haven't had a chance to sit down and, well, write. So here you go, another chapter of Leap! I really like how this story is playing out as of now! If you have any tips, feel free to drop some in a review, I don't mind! Anyway, on to the story!
"What does that mean?" Wolfsky tilted his head in confusion. Foxbreeze winked mysteriously.
"You'll never know until the time comes, young one."
Birdcry purred affectionately, smoothing down Wolfsky's head fur.
"You take care of your Clan," she mewed, "I'll miss you." She lifted her head up to the sky, and lifted her foot, Foxbreeze at her side.
"No!" Iceshade yowled, "Don't go! We need answers!" The two starry cats swirled up into the sky, flashing and twinkling happily. Wolfsky blinked, and they were gone. He let his head drop, staring at his paws. Talonflight nudged him, a searching look in his eyes.
"You could talk," Wolfsky whispered, "Talonflight, you can talk." Talonflight blinked, and then let out a tiny, sighing purr. Iceshade was staring at the sky.
"Whatever that was," he murmured, transfixed, "It meant something big." Wolfsky glanced at Foxbreezes body.
"We need to bury him." Heronpaw stumbled towards the lifeless tom's body, and propped him up as best she could. "Come help me, guys." Wolfsky and Talonflight hurried to help her, Sootrose jumped up as they began to lift her fathers body.
"No! N-no! You can't take him! He's just hurt!" She yowled, hissing and scratching. Wolfsky pushed her aside, giving her a lick on the head.
"Trust me." He said. Sootrose sat there for a moment, an empty gaze in her eyes. Then she sprang to her feet.
"Okay." She helped carry him to the center of camp. A large crowd was already gathered, prepared to say their goodbyes to the fallen elder. Gingerstar stared at Wolfsky, a look of awe in his gaze. He padded up to him, and sat before him, trembling.
"Wolfsky. I feel it is your duty to speak the words of farewell." Wolfskys ears twitched in surprise. The farewell speech was a privilege only given by Medicine cats or Leaders. He dipped his head in respect.
"Thank you, Gingerstar."
He jumped up onto the fallen tree, his bones and muscles aching with exhilaration from StarClans visit.
"A-all cats old enough to climb their own tree gather to hear my words!" A powerful, confident feeling gripped him, and he stood, head raised high, cats teeming underneath him. Every cat was staring at him, a look of awe in their eyes, including in Soulfogs eyes, a wise elder known for her knowledgeable status in EclipseClan. His ears lay flat. Why is everyone looking at me as if I've just risen from the grave?
"Cats of EclipseClan! I stand here to share memories with you all. Of a very special cat." Wolfsky yowled, his face growing hot with grief. Then he met Heronpaws eye, full of pride, and love. He knew he could do this.
"Today Foxbreeze, a respected elder of EclipseClan has made his journey to StarClan," He paused as he heard murmurs of grief pass through the clearing, every cat dropped their head in sadness. "Foxbreeze was a loyal, loving cat. He proved himself useful to our clan when he got the chance, and dealt with many grievances that he didn't deserve." Sootrose was sitting upright, staring up at Wolfsky. "We will miss him for the rest of our lives, and he will watch over us, just as his father watches over him. We will honor his services to our Clan." Many cats began to speak up
"Foxbreeze was a loving father."
"A loyal warrior."
"A friend."
"The best cat I knew."
Wolfsky waited for the cats to be silent, then continued, looking straight at Foxbreeze's cold body.
"Foxbreeze, we hope you are well. We hope you are happy, up there with Birdcry and Petalkit. May you find good hunting, dry shelter, and loving friends. EclipseClan will never forget you."
And just like that it was over, the elders began to carry the body away. Wolfsky leapt off the fallen tree and padded with them, head hung low in grief. To his surprise, every cat in the clearing began to follow. He looked back to see elders, kits, and even injured or pregnant cats trailing behind him. A faint fluttering buzzed in his heart. Foxbreeze deserves this. A tear leaked out of his eye and slid down his face, and he smiled and rubbed it away. Foxbreeze deserves an audience this big. He felt warm fur on both sides of his flank. He turned his head to see Talonflight and Sootrose, Sootrose was sobbing quietly under her breath, and Talonflight was holding Wolfskys gaze, his eyes full of pride, love, and grief. Ahead of him, Heronpaw walked along with the other apprentices, Silverpaw occasionally shooting a sympathetic look towards Wolfsky and his siblings. He leaned into Sootrose as a new wave of grief hit him.
I still don't even know what happened. How he died.
They reached a sunny, inviting spot. Flowers were blooming around a grassy clearing, lichen clothed trees bordering it in on all sides. Wolfsky halted, and so did the rest of the Clan.
"Here." he said. With no further explanation, he began to dig close to a young tree. The elders gently placed Foxbreezes body onto a soft patch of moss and joined Wolfsky, digging. The Clan silently dug for a while. And finally, The elders gently lowered Foxbreeze into the hole. The Clan sat around the spot. They would sit vigil for him until the moon came out. Everyone sat. The sun sank slowly in the sky, blue turning into pink, pink into orange, then gray, and finally, black. Wolfsky lifted his head to Silverpelt, watching the stars dance and spin.
"I hope you are well, Foxbreeze." he whispered, "Birdcry and Petalkit too." He closed his eyes, taking in the fresh, cool night air, and the smell of his clanmates beside him. A soft tail brushed against his flank, and then he felt a cat lean into him. He inhaled the cat's scent, but didn't recognize it. Startled, he opened his eyes and looked around. Sitting next to him were several starry cats, among them sat Birdcry, Foxbreeze, and a small ginger kit that was identical to Foxbreeze. He looked around at his Clanmates. Could they see them too? Every cat was looking right through them, if even in their direction at all. Besides three. Iceshade, Talonflight, and Heronpaw. He closed his eyes again. This has to be a dream.
"May the power of StarClan compel you." a kits voice whispered in Wolfsky's ear. He opened his eyes to see the ginger she-kit, sitting, looking up at him. The other starry cats were rising into the sky.
"Petalkit! We have to go!" Birdcry whispered, her voice carrying on the breeze. The small kit swirled into the air, and took her mothers tail between her teeth. "We are happy here!" Petalkit mewed to Wolfsky, "There is no need to fear death!" then they were gone. Wolfsky padded across the clearing to Talonflight, who gave him a lap on the muzzle. Every cat began to push a pawful of dirt into the hole. Earth spattered against Wolfskys body, and Sootrose panicked.
"No! He needs to breathe!" She pushed back her clanmates and jumped into the grave, brushing the dirt off of her deceased father. Wolfsky calmly jumped into the hole, and pulled Sootrose out. She collapsed into him, burying her head in his fur, sobbing. Talonflight twined his tail with hers, and the cats began to bury Foxbreeze again. Finally, Wolfsky and Gingerstar patted down the dirt. Swallowstride placed a few pieces of moss over it.
"Lets head back to camp." The deputy declared, and began to lead the way back.
No cat moved until Wolfsky began to pad solemnly down the trail. Once they returned to camp, Gingerstar pulled Wolfsky aside.
"Wolfsky. About Foxbreeze's death..."
"Yes?" Wolfsky leaned close to hear him."
"He.. I mean... We found him at the bottom of a tree."
"So did he fall?"
"Well.. maybe."
"What?"
'Wolfsky, it looked like he was trying to get away from something. Or someone."
"Show me."
Gingerstar led him to a tree, it wasn't tall, or short. It was just the right size for tree leaping. Gingerstar nodded his head towards the trunk, and Wolfsky noticed several claw marks gouged deep into the tree.
"Maybe he was just having a hard time getting up."
Gingerstar shook his head. "Look closer."
Wolfsky padded all the way up to the tree, and squinted at the claw marks. In one of the slots, a scrap of ginger fur lay there limply. Foxbreeze couldn't have ripped out a piece of his on fur that long with his own claws. Wolfsky darted up the tree
"Wolfsky! Don't-"
Wolfsky mewed, his voice trembling in horror.
"Gingerstar. You've got to come see this."
"Did you do it?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"When everyone was stuffing themselves with prey."
"Was it messy?"
"Well..."
"Answer me! Did you leave any marks?"
"Uhh.."
"You did, didn't you."
"Y-yes..."
"For StarClans sake! You do know what the punishment is?"
"Y-yes, Honeyclaw."
"Well, we can't leave any proof."
"Yes, Honeyclaw."
"We have to wipe away the evidence."
"Good idea, Honeyclaw."
"Okay. Hold still."
"W-what?"
"You're the evidence."
