Okay, first off I'd like to start by saying I'm sorry for how late this is. xD I actually finished most of the chapter on time-ish, about two weeks ago. But then Katie and I decided it needed another scene and I just couldn't find the time to write it. That was due to a multitude of reasons, but one of them being the Blue Moon Christmas Surprise! If you've checked the Blue Moon One-shot Book lately, you'll have noticed that I posted 5 new one-shots this month! And on my DeviantArt page (my username's "Streamwhisker") I've posted a piece of art I did to celebrate the holidays! So, that's my little gift to you guys, this festive season!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate! I also hope you have a spectacular new year! In a global sense, 2016 has been a bit of a useless year, but for me personally it's actually been brilliant (apart from my GCSE exams, that wasn't so great) and a lot of that is down to you guys' support! So thank you so much!
We also hit 100 reviews lately, so thank you so much for that too!
~ Review Replies ~
Molly ~ Thank you! I also apologise for killing you a little inside with the chapter. This chapter is a lot more upbeat; I hope you enjoy it!
Brian ~ Eh, the last book I'm reading is Moth Flight's Vision (which I started months ago, but am struggling to motivate myself to finish), so after that I probably won't be reading any more Warriors books. I did love the books, but I've outgrown them a bit. I can explore more grown up issues and stuff with my own writing. I'm glad you're enjoying them though, I've heard some mixed views about the next series. ^^ Thank you for the review, as always! I love hearing your thoughts. ^^
Hallie ~ Yup, we have met the toms! They are only background characters I'm afraid, but I'm going to try and slot in more LGBT characters where possible. ^^ Thank you!
Redfeather ~ Thank you! Well, that's a good question! I actually posted a one-shot to the Blue Moon One-shot book which is focused upon Puddlefrost and the events leading up to him joining the Divisions, so you can read that to find out. ^^
And without further ado, I present chapter 6. Enjoy.
Rapidstream
It was so quiet beneath the surface.
So quiet and wonderfully still.
There was something liberating about it. The water lifted Rapidstream up, cradling him in its arms as he floated. His limbs felt light as feathers, his shoulders lighter than they had been in weeks. It was like exhaling after holding his breath for so long.
He wasn't even aware of the tightness in his lungs. Nor was he aware of the bitter chill in the water or the movement in the world above. The water muted all sound to muffled babbling.
It was just Rapidstream and the river.
Alone with his thoughts, with nobody to interrupt or-
The peace was shattered with a sudden crash of water. Rapidstream scarcely had time to register it before he felt teeth sink into his scruff and he was being hauled onto the river bank.
"Great StarClan, Rapidstream, are you trying to drown?!"
Rapidstream's head was still light, his eyes still adjusting to the sudden flood of light, so he hardly registered Ducktail's words. Instead he blinked sheepishly and gave a brisk shake of his pelt, sending water droplets flying.
Only then did he at last look to Ducktail and their third companion, Heronbeak. Both were drenched, their pelts stained several shades darker.
Ducktail was regarding him with a look of concern, whilst Heronbeak's expression was that of awe.
As he licked his paw and then drew it behind his ears, Rapidstream meowed coolly, "So, how long was I that time?"
Ducktail's jaw hung slack. "You're not serious."
He sent his friend a look. "Of course I am. That felt like my longest time yet!" He paused, a horrifying thought suddenly occurred to him. "You did count, didn't you?!"
The grey-and-white tabby gawked. "I lost track after 50 heartbeats! I thought you were drowning!"
Rapidstream suppressed a snort. "Ha, I wasn't going to drown! I have you to save me, my love." He batted his eyelids sweetly at Ducktail, flashing his teeth in a smirk.
Ducktail rolled his eyes. "Honestly, why am I friends with such fish-heads? Breath-holding contests! Seriously?"
Rapidstream and Heronbeak exchanged wicked grins.
"You know you love us really," Heronbeak crooned.
"I mean, it's kind of hard not to," Rapidstream purred.
Once again, Ducktail rolled his eyes. "Come on, we should have returned to camp ages ago. The Clan will be wondering where we are."
Rapidstream yawned and stretched languidly. "Or we could play another game. That would be much more fun."
Heronbeak nodded eagerly. "What about diving? We haven't done that in a while."
The brown-and-white tom sat up immediately. "Ooh, yes! Diving!"
Ducktail shook his head slowly, his expression worn. "No, we're not diving now. We're bringing our prey back to camp before Hollowstar has our pelts!"
Rapidstream pouted. "Aw, come on, Ducktail."
"You sound like a kit. No, we're going back."
"Geez, Ducktail, why do you have to be so boring and responsible?"
The dark grey-and-white tabby had risen to his paws and was striding purposefully towards where their pile of prey lay. Or at least, he tried to stride; his twisted forepaw meant that it looked more like a determined hobble. He glanced over his shoulder, gesturing for his friends to follow. As he did so, his features softened a little. "C'mon guys. I'll play diving with you later, I promise, but we really should get back to camp now." His eyes briefly strayed to the sky, where the sun was steadily rising.
After a pause, Rapidstream heaved a little sigh and made to follow Ducktail. His expression solemn, he glanced over at Heronbeak. "Come on, Ducktail's right. Play time's over, we should head back."
His friend groaned, rolling onto his back. "Fine." Reluctantly, the tabby tom got up and padded after them.
Rapidstream grinned to himself as he picked up his catches: a small minnow and a gleaming carp. A pretty impressive haul, if he didn't say so himself. The Clan would be pleased.
He eyed his friends' catches: a pike and two minnows between the two of them. His grin grew a little wider. Ha. Beat them.
Ducktail caught his smug gaze and rolled his eyes (he'd lost count of the number of times he'd done that today Rapidstream wondered if he had a twitch). But there was a hint of a smile at his lips. "Stop smiling at yourself, Rapidstream, let's get going."
Rapidstream grinned back. "Whatever you say."
For leaf-fall, it was a relatively mild morning. Even though the sun was hidden behind a thick covering of clouds, the air didn't have the sharp bite that he'd grown used to lately. Rapidstream was beyond grateful for it; he would never give Ducktail the satisfaction of knowing it, but the water had been much colder than expected. He knew his friend was just looking out for him, but he wasn't sure if he could sit through another lecture about catching a cold.
It wasn't far back to camp, but Ducktail insisted they travel at a brisk pace. Rapidstream had no idea why he was in such a hurry, it seemed a little off, even for Ducktail.
"Do we really have to walk so fast?" Rapidstream asked, a little out of breath.
The grey-and-white tabby didn't slow for even a second. "Yes, we do. It's nearly sun-high!"
Rapidstream frowned. "What's so important about sun-high? None of us are on patrols."
Suddenly, Heronbeak stopped. "Ohhhhh."
He glanced back at his friend. "What is it?"
The brown tabby's lips tilted into a smirk. "I think I know why Ducky's so keen to get back for sun-high."
Ducktail flinched at the nickname they used for him. "Oh really?" He tried to keep his voice even, though Rapidstream didn't miss the hint of panic.
"Uh huh," Heronbeak purred, nodding slowly. "I overheard Rainsplash earlier; you're going on a romantic walk together."
"It's not a romantic walk!" he huffed, though there was no mistaking the embarrassment in his voice.
"Oh really?" Rapidstream gave a mrrow of amusement. "I guess now that you mention it, I don't know why I'm surprised; she has talked quite a lot about you lately."
"S-She has?" Ducktail's voice rose to a squeak. He flushed, quickly regaining his composure. "I mean, she has?"
Rapidsteam's smirk grew. "Ha! You do like her!"
Ducktail seemed to cave in on himself. "I do not!"
It wasn't very convincing.
Rapidstream gave him a knowing look. "Sure." He and Heronbeak exchanged smirks.
The grey-and-white tabby gave them both a shove before striding off again. "Oh, shut up!"
Rapidstream chuckled to himself, following him. "Oh, relax, Ducktail, we're just teasing you." He smiled at him for a moment, then his expression became very serious. "But if you break my sister's heart, I'll rip your pelt off, okay?"
Ducktail's eyes widened and he nodded mutely.
Rapidstream felt a flash of guilt and gave a sheepish smile. "So, you two are a thing, huh?"
Some of the fear left the grey-and-white tabby's eyes. "I… I don't know," he confessed. "I mean, I like her a lot. I don't know how she feels though."
Rapidstream nudged him gently. "Relax, bud. You'll win her over." He paused for a moment, studying his friend closely. "Though… I have to admit, your flirting could do with some practise."
Heronbeak snorted. Ducktail looked like he'd just suggested that they drown themselves. "Flirting?" he echoed.
Rapidstream nodded profoundly. "Yes, flirting." His lips quirked into a smirk. "I'd be happy to give you lessons-" He broke off, suddenly pulling a face. "Actually no, forget that, I don't want you using my pick-up lines on my sister, that's weird."
"Hah!" Heronbeak couldn't suppress his laughter. "Flirting lessons from Rapidstream! Since when have you ever been successful with a she-cat?" He rolled his eyes and then turned his attention to Ducktail. "Look, I'll give you some tips, okay? Take it from someone who actually has a mate." He shot a pointed glare in Rapidstream's direction.
Rapidstream recoiled. "Wow, thanks for the support. What if I don't want a mate?"
Heronbeak flicked his tail dismissively. "Excuses, excuses."
"I don't think I want flirting lessons from either of you, thanks," Ducktail interjected with a sly grin. "I don't want to scare her away."
Heronbeak flinched, offended. "Fine, but don't come crying to us when you need help with her."
"I don't plan on it. Now can we please stop talking about this?" Ducktail's voice had a desperate note to it.
Rapidstream was still grinning to himself, but he reluctantly gave a nod. "Okay, okay, fine."
They lapsed into silence as they walked, their pawsteps thrumming a steady beat. As they emerged from the forest, Rapidstream paused to gaze out over the lake. After yesterday's storm, the waters had risen and now lapped gently at the reed beds.
Everything was so still and serene. Even the breeze had lulled, leaving the water's surface unruffled and pristine.
As he took it all in, Rapidstream's eyes snagged upon the oak forests on the opposite side of the water. His heart quickened. ThunderClan.
He turned sharply to Heronbeak and Ducktail. "Did I tell you about that patrol I went on with Hollowstar a few days ago? To visit ThunderClan?"
Heronbeak frowned. "I think you were going to, but we had to go on patrol? I think you were going to tell us when you got back, but you must have forgotten." Ducktail nodded in confirmation.
Rapidstream stared. "Oh fish-guts, I didn't tell you?!"
Both cats shook their heads.
Great StarClan, I can't believe I forgot!
"Well, are you going to tell us, or are you going to just leave us in the dark?" Heronbeak prompted, the hint of a smile in his voice.
Rapidstream nodded eagerly. "So, we met this ThunderClan patrol at the border and they were all acting really oddly for some reason. They all seemed to be injured too, but it didn't look like their medicine cats had tried healing them at all! Anyway, we asked them if we could meet with Bramblestar, but they refused and told us to get off their territory."
Heronbeak snorted. "ThunderClan have always been weird. Sounds perfectly normal to me."
Rapidstream's voice took on a strained note. "No, no, I'm not at the important part yet!" He cleared his throat, his voice dropping to a sharp whisper. "I'm sure I scented the Divisions on them. Hollowstar thought I was imagining things, but either way, something was up with them… I think they've been attacked."
Heronbeak was regarding him with an expression of amusement. "Great StarClan, Rapidstream, you should see your face. I don't think I've ever seen you so serious!"
Rapidstream narrowed his eyes at him. "This isn't a joke. Just because the Divisions haven't attacked us yet, doesn't mean they're not going to. And if they caused that much harm to ThunderClan when they have so many warriors…" he shuddered.
Ducktail, thankfully, was taking the news much more seriously. He wore a grim expression as he spoke. "That sounds strange… Did anyone else scent the Divisions?"
Rapidstream frowned. "No..." He paused, studying his friend closely. "You do believe me, right? I'm not making this up. I'm not that much of a fish-brain."
Ducktail nodded hurriedly. "Of course I believe you, I just think it's odd that no one else scented them."
"Did you ask them about their injuries?" Heronbeak questioned. There was still a note of scepticism in his voice.
"Well, of course," Rapidstream replied a little too sharply, his tail flicking from side to side as he spoke. "They were really touchy about it."
"Huh. How weird," Ducktail murmured.
"I want to try and talk to them again, to see what's happened." Rapidstream meowed suddenly. He looked to his two friends hopefully. "Will you come with me? I thought maybe we could go this afternoon, none of us are on patrols…"
Ducktail hesitated. "Have you asked Hollowstar?"
Rapidstream smiled sheepishly. "Uh, yes, I have asked him about it."
"And?"
"He told me I wasn't allowed to go," he meowed slowly. "But he'll never have to know! We'll just sneak out of camp and tell him we're going to hunting or something, it's not like we're doing any harm-"
Ducktail stiffened, offering up a wan smile. "I'm sorry, but if Hollowstar said no, I'm not coming."
Rapidstream's shoulders fell. Though he hid his disappointment with a feigned grin. "Oh, come on Ducktail! Live a little!"
The grey-and-white tabby shook his head bashfully. "Hollowstar was my mentor, he trusts me. I can't break that trust."
Rapidstream let a sigh escape his maw. Trying to convince Ducktail was futile, the little tom was too dedicated to his leader. He turned to Heronbeak. "What about you, bud? You'll come with me, right?"
The tabby tom ducked his head sheepishly. "I can't, I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be watching over the kits so that Littlestream can have a break." He paused hesitantly. "Besides, I really don't think you should go. Whatever's up with ThunderClan is nothing to do with us. You don't want to stir up more hostilities."
Rapidstream gave a frustrated huff. "Fish-guts."
Ducktail touched flicked his tail to his side gently, a faint smile warming his features. "I know you're worried about them, but Heronbeak's right, I really think it's best if you don't go."
The brown-and-white tom looked to Heronbeak, then back to Ducktail. After a pause, he expelled a sigh. "Okay, fine, fine. I won't go."
Relief passed over Ducktail's features and the tom relaxed visibly. "Oh, thank StarClan. I thought I was going to have to watch you to make sure you didn't go or something."
Heronbeak smiled goofily. "Should we get back to camp then? We don't want Ducky missing his romantic walk!"
Ducktail gave an exasperated snort. "Stop it!"
Rapidstream nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
But before they left, Rapidstream sent one last glance over his shoulder at ThunderClan's forests.
He just hoped his friends hadn't seen through his lie.
Rapidstream waited until sun-high had passed before he left. At this time of day, as the sun began to slip in the sky, RiverClan camp was at its emptiest. The afternoon's patrols had just set off, a few cats had taken their apprentices out training and Rapidstream could relax, knowing that Ducktail was far away with Rainsplash somewhere.
Ashkit, Sleetkit and Galekit were playing outside the nursery, but they were too engrossed in their game of fox tag to notice Rapidstream slink past. Nor did the dozing elders turn a head in his direction as he passed them. He was just beginning to release a sigh of relief when a figure suddenly blocked him in the entrance.
"Where are you going?" Shadewing queried, inclining her head thoughtfully.
Rapidstream made his body language as casual as possible. "Fishing," he replied smoothly. Then, suddenly realising the most vital part of his act, he smirked; that was always enough to send she-cats into a daze.
The grey she-cat certainly seemed to flush a little, but it wasn't quite the reaction Rapidstream had been anticipated. She gave him a doubtful look. "Really? You look like you're trying to sneak off?"
Rapidstream feigned horror. "Sneak off? Why in StarClan's name would I try and sneak off? I'm just going fishing! Do you not trust me?"
Okay, maybe he'd overdone it a bit.
Shadewing looked even more suspicious. "You weren't strutting," she interjected, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You always strut."
Rapidstream frowned to himself. I strut?
He glanced over his shoulder, conscious that the conversation was drawing attention to himself. "Look, I swear I'm not sneaking off, I just want to go fishing."
Shadewing took him in with one long, pensive look. Then, in a very grave voice, she asked, "Are you going to meet with the Divisions? Are you a spy?"
Rapidstream nearly choked on his own shock. "No!" he squeaked. "Of course not! Where did you get that idea?!"
Shadewing's eyes narrowed. "You know, that's just the sort of thing a cat working for the Divisions would say."
A sigh of resignation fell from Rapidstream's maw. "Okay, fine, I'll tell you where I'm going." He surveyed the rest of camp through narrowed eyes, checking they weren't being watched. Then he spoke again, keeping his voice barely audible. "But if I tell you, you have to cover for me. You can't tell anyone, okay?"
The grave look had disappeared from Shadewing's features. Instead, she looked delighted that she was being trusted with a secret and grinned wildly at him. "Okay. I promise."
Rapidstream hadn't realised how fast he'd been walking until he had suddenly reached the ShadowClan border.
Though he felt a small, nagging anxiety that he'd told Shadewing where he was going, at least he knew that someone had his back and would defend him if anyone asked where he was. Or so he hoped.
Tentatively, the RiverClan tom took a step forward and lifted his head to taste the air. Pine needles, marshland and… is that a squirrel? But there was no scent of ShadowClan. Thank StarClan. Rapidstream wasn't sure he had the patience to handle them today.
Not long after leaving camp, he'd rolled in the most pungent mud he could find, to try and disguise his scent. He'd thought it was a great idea at the time, but the smell was starting to bother him now. It was so strong that he was starting to worry it would actually attract cats.
It was too late to think about that now though, so he pushed the thought aside. It was just as he was about to step over the ShadowClan border that it hit him. A wave of ShadowClan scent.
Rapidstream froze, instantly stepping backwards.
No sooner had he done so, a patrol of cats emerged from the treeline. Oh fish-guts…
Instantly, he reverted into casual, non-suspicious mode and called cheerily, "Good afternoon!"
Judging from their perplexed expressions, he'd been a little too friendly.
The ShadowClan patrol halted a few paces away from the border, eying him warily. It was only a small patrol, comprised of only four cats, but Rapidstream knew there was no way they were going to let him pass through. He fought to hide his disappointment.
"What do you want?" the patrol leader, a cream-furred she-cat who Rapidstream acknowledged as Dawnpelt. He glanced over at the other three members of the patrol: Starlingwing, Shrewfoot and a dark grey she-cat who he didn't recognise.
"Great StarClan, you smell awful!" Shrewfoot suddenly exclaimed. She wrinkled up her nose in disgust, edging away from him.
Rapidstream smiled sheepishly. "I fell," he meowed by way of explanation.
Dawnpelt snorted. "What, in the dirt-place?"
Rapidstream shook his head. "Fortunately, no. It was mud."
The cream she-cat didn't look at all impressed. "You still haven't answered my first question."
The RiverClan warrior ducked his head. "Right. I wanted to talk to you."
All four cats stared at him as if he'd suggested they jump in the lake. He laughed dryly to himself. "I'm not that bad at conversation, am I?"
Now they were staring at him as if he'd sprouted a second head. Fish-guts. Okay, be cool, Rapidstream, be cool.
"What do you want to talk to us about?" Dawnpelt ventured, caution written upon her features. "If it's about an alliance, Crowstar isn't interested, so don't even-"
Rapidstream shook his head. "No, no, it's not about that."
"What is it then?"
"I wanted to ask about the Divisions."
There was silence.
"The Divisions?" repeated Dawnpelt, as if uncertain she'd heard him right. "What makes you think we know any more about them than you do?"
Rapidstream had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. Great StarClan, what is it with ShadowClan overreacting about everything? He shook his head. "I don't mean like that. I just mean have you noticed any unusual activity from them? Their scents on the border?"
Dawnpelt narrowed her eyes, but Rapidstream didn't miss the spark of panic in those amber depths. Ah ha! He'd uncovered something.
"What's it to you?" she challenged. "ShadowClan are perfectly capable of defending our own borders."
Oh for StarClan's sake. This time, he wasn't able to stop himself from rolling his eyes in time. "We've noticed increased Division scent around our borders," he lied. "We were wondering if you'd found the same."
The ShadowClan she-cat exchanged a glance with Shrewfoot, a silent question passing between them. Then a sigh rattled her chest and she finally let her haughty façade down a little. "Yes, fine. We've found a lot of the Divisions' scent on the ThunderClan border. But we haven't seen so much as a whisker of them."
Rapidstream's chest constricted. I didn't imagine it! Ha! I told you, Hollowstar! But he forced himself to conceal his victory and instead nodded gravely. "We've had the exact same thing." He kept his voice even and his expression solemn. It wasn't hard lying to them, they couldn't read him in the same way that his Clanmates did. "They don't seem to have crossed the borders though, which is odd."
Dawnpelt nodded, though her expression had hardened again. "Well, I'm not complaining. As long as they keep to themselves, I don't have a problem."
Rapidstream couldn't help but sigh at her ignorance. Is that how you really feel? Do you really think the Divisions are going to just leave you alone? He knew that several of ShadowClan's kits had been stolen. When Cloudysky and Duskfur had been captured, so had Snowbird and Ravenclaw. Wasn't it clear by now that the Divisions weren't going to leave them alone?
He kneaded the ground, needing some way to let his frustration out. "What about ThunderClan?" he pressed. "Do you know if they've got the same thing?"
The suspicion had re-entered Dawnpelt's eyes. Hesitantly, she replied, "I don't know. We've hardly seen them lately. They're as skittish as mice."
The dark grey she-cat snorted at this. "That's nothing new though. They've always been mouse-hearted."
"Do you plan on interrogating us any further or are you done now?" Dawnpelt asked bluntly, eying him with suspicion. "Because I don't know about you, but some cats actually have duties to attend to."
As much as he would have liked to press them further, Rapidstream realised he'd probably gotten as much information as he was going to get. Reluctantly, he shook his head. "No, I'm done. Thanks for speaking with me."
The ShadowClan patrol just stared back at him.
Rapidstream ducked his head sheepishly. "Okay, so, uh, bye."
With a half smile, he turned upon his paws and padded back towards the willow trees. Even without looking, he could feel their eyes searing into him, making his pelt prickle with discomfort. Clearly, they weren't going to leave until they'd watched him leave. Good to see that ShadowClan are as distrustful as ever.
He ducked around a reed bed, a smile tugging at his features at the sight of the meandering river. He hadn't been able to speak to ThunderClan directly, but the information he carried back with him was just as valuable. Something was up with the Divisions and ThunderClan. And as soon as he could get away from camp, Rapidstream was going to find out what.
I didn't imagine it, Hollowstar. Just you wait and see.
Dewclaw
"Where are we going?"
"I'm not telling you."
"Creekfeather, I swear to StarClan, if you don't tell me where we're going-"
"You'll just have to wait and see."
"Oh for StarClan's sake-"
"Don't get your tail in a twist, we're here now, okay?"
Dewclaw refrained from cuffing Creekfeather over the ears and at last turned his attention to their surroundings. The grey tabby tom had dragged him from his nest at the crack of dawn on "an important mission". He wasn't sure what was so important that he had to be awoken so early, but Creekfeather had been persistent and left him no choice but to go with him.
Now, Dewclaw was regretting not holding his ground more. Staring around at the spreading trees around him, Dewclaw couldn't help but wonder what was so special about where Creekfeather had brought him. As far as he could see, it was no different from the rest of SkyClan's territory.
The trees here had shed all of their leaves and now stood like skeletons against the leaden sky. Through the trees, Dewclaw could see the glimmer of light on the lake's surface.
"So, are you going to tell me why we're here or what?" he asked, giving Creekfeather a long, hard stare.
It didn't quite have the desired effect; the grey tabby just grinned at him. "Yes, I am."
Dewclaw waited. After a few moments it became clear that he wasn't going to continue. "Well?" he demanded, impatience edging his words.
Creekfeather seemed to relish in his irritation. "I'm going to teach you to climb."
The grey tom stared. Slowly, the words sank in. He eyed the towering trees; suddenly, they appeared a lot taller. "I can climb perfectly well, thanks," he tried to meow coolly, though he failed to disguise the waver in his voice.
Creekfeather beamed. "Oh really?"
Dewclaw's gaze hardened. "Yes, actually. Is that really why you dragged me out here? I could still be sleeping right now!"
The grey tabby smirked at him. "A little birdy told me that you have a fear of heights."
Redflower. Mouse-dung.
"That traitorous little-"
Creekfeather cut him short, mischief gleaming in his green eyes. "So it's true then. The fearless Dewclaw is afraid of heights."
The warrior drew himself up taller, glaring at the grey tabby. "I'm not afraid of heights," he interjected. "They just make me… uncomfortable."
Creekfeather could hardly contain his laughter. "Ha! Uncomfortable! That's the most pathetic excuse I've ever heard!"
Dewclaw glowered at him with an expression that was cold as death.
When the SkyClan warrior had finally stopped laughing, he finally continued speaking, though his face was still lit up with a smirk. "You're a member of SkyClan now, buddy. Climbing trees is a requirement."
Dewclaw breathed out sharply through his nose, willing himself to keep a leash on his irritation. "I've managed perfectly fine without climbing trees so far," he meowed curtly. "Besides, it's not that I can't climb trees, it's just that I choose not to."
Creekfeather gave him a disbelieving look. "Okay, sure, whatever you say!" He cleared this throat, lifting his head high to give himself a look of importance. "You won't mind proving yourself then?"
The grey tom nipped his tongue, his gaze rising to the trees towering above them. "Sure. I don't mind."
Evidently, his tone hadn't been very convincing.
Creekfeather rolled his eyes. "Okay, the first step to getting over your fear is admitting that you have a fear."
"No."
"Yes. Say it, 'I have a fear of heights.'"
Dewclaw grinned wryly. "Creekfeather has a fear of heights."
The SkyClan warrior rolled his eyes. "Don't get smart on me." He watched Dewclaw expectantly. "Go on. Say it."
Dewclaw thought for a moment. Then, drawing it out on his tongue, he meowed a single word. "No."
The grey tabby shook his head in exasperation. "Fine. We'll skip to step two."
"And step two is..?" Dewclaw prompted.
Creekfeather's eyes gleamed with humour. "Climbing the tree."
The grey tom tried to ignore the prickle of anxiety in his belly. "Okay then." He surveyed the surrounding trees, examining each one until his eyes at last came to rest on the smallest tree, a young beech tree. Keeping his expression even, he padded towards the tree.
But Creekfeather's words halted him his tracks. "No, no, not that one. This one."
Reluctantly, Dewclaw followed the other warrior's gaze. He'd been expecting a slightly larger tree, but what he was not expecting was quite possibly the tallest tree Dewclaw had seen in his life. It was easily as tall as the Sky Oak back in ThunderClan, its branches reaching desperately towards the sky, as if trying to touch the clouds.
Never had Dewclaw felt so small.
A lump in his throat, he glanced back at Creekfeather. "You're not serious?" he croaked.
"I'm totally serious."
Dewclaw stared at the tree again. The tree seemed to stare back at him. "I can't climb that." The words were barely audible, not meant for anyone else's ears. But Creekfeather managed to pick up on it.
"Sure you can," he meowed coolly. "You just can't overthink it." He flicked his tail lightly to Dewclaw's side and then bounded over to the base of the tree. "Come on, just follow where I climb!"
Creekfeather didn't wait for confirmation. In an instant, he had scrambled up the thick trunk and settled upon the lowest boughs. With a smile, he called down to Dewclaw. "Come on, Dewclaw! What are you waiting for?"
It was obvious that Creekfeather was never going to let him leave until he climbed the tree. So, with a sigh, Dewclaw reluctantly approached the roots. I don't have to climb to the top, he told himself, As long as I climb a little bit, he'll be happy.
So, hushing those panicked thoughts, he bunched his muscles and leapt.
For one heart-stopping moment, Dewclaw thought he'd miscalculated the distance and expected to crash straight into the trunk. But he was able to sink his claws into the bark, landing with an audible thud.
Not even pausing to catch his breath or calm the panicked beating in his chest, he clawed his way up the tree trunk until, to his great relief, he reached the lowest branch.
That relief soon dissolved however when he looked down.
Instantly he felt queasy and the world seemed to sway a little around him. Great StarClan. If he was getting dizzy and they were only on the first branch, what would it feel like at the top?
I don't have to go to the top, I don't have to go to the top, he repeated to himself, gritting his teeth.
When he'd finally grown accustomed to the swaying sensation, he looked to Creekfeather. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Creekfeather purred.
Dewclaw was able to manage a dry laugh. "No. Not bad at all."
"Let's keep going then!"
Dewclaw suppressed a groan.
Nimbly, Creekfeather sprung from the branch he had been perched on and to the next. Dewclaw watched carefully through narrowed eyes, trying to remember where the SkyClan warrior put his paws. After far too long, Creekfeather eventually stopped and waited, watching him expectantly from above.
Mustering his courage, the grey tom slowly began to make his way after him. It was a long and painful process, nothing like the graceful ease that Creekfeather had demonstrated. Each time a branch groaned or crackled beneath his paws, he went rigid. As soon as he was sure that the branch wasn't going to collapse beneath him, he continued climbing at the same hesitant pace.
Don't look down. Don't look down. Don't look down.
His paw slipped on branch. Dewclaw felt his weight give out beneath him. He looked down.
That fluttering of fear exploded to a full on whirlwind. So high, so high. He snatched desperately at the nearest branch, his mind shutting down in a state of panic. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to-
Teeth sunk into the scruff of his neck. Dewclaw felt himself being hauled upwards onto the next branch.
For what felt like an age, he lay there, gasping for breath. He didn't dare open his eyes and risk catching sight of the ground again. Instead, he just focused on each breath- in, out, in out, in, out- until his heartbeat had at last returned to normal.
Only then, when he could breathe a little easier, did he open his eyes again.
Creekfeather was studying with a look that Dewclaw had never seen on him before: worry. "Great StarClan," he exclaimed. "I didn't realise you were that terrified."
The grey tom drew in a ragged breath. "Neither did I," he confessed.
Creekfeather paused, his brow furrowing. "We can go back down now if you want? Redflower will have my pelt if you fall out of a tree on my watch."
Dewclaw swallowed. It would have been so easy to say yes, to climb back down and to feel the reassuring solidity of the ground beneath his paws. Yet something stopped him. He bit his lip, glancing up at the branches above.
"No, I'll keep going," he found himself meowing.
I'm going to regret this. I am so going to regret this.
Creekfeather looked startled. "Really? Why?"
Dewclaw gritted his teeth. "If I'm going to be a SkyClan cat, I've got to act like one."
He owed it to Redflower to try at least, even if he failed. She'd been pressing him about trying to join in more with Clan life. So, as much as it terrified him, he was going to do this. He was going to climb this tree.
Creekfeather blinked, as if still comprehending the information. "Well, okay then." He drew in a deep breath and lifted his head to study the branches above. "Do you want to go first this time? Then I can catch you if you fall." That characteristic grin of his returned.
Dewclaw swallowed, plastering a look of grim determination upon his features. "Okay. Let's go."
The further Dewclaw climbed, the more he was in awe of SkyClan. He'd seen cats leap gracefully from tree to tree as if they were merely hopping across a puddle. They made it look so effortless and easy. The reality was far from it.
Dewclaw was even more cautious than before after his fall and made sure he studied each branch carefully before he tried to climb it. He was sure that Creekfeather must be getting impatient behind him, but the grey tabby never once mentioned a word and allowed him to travel at his own sweet pace.
The ground dropped below them, but he forced himself to keep looking up, up, up.
He knew his legs were still trembling, but he'd practically numbed himself to the sensation. He simply focused on each careful step and each steady breath.
It was long and difficult and more than once Dewclaw had to fight the urge to turn and go back down. But he kept climbing, kept scaling higher and higher.
But with the branches growing thinner and his fear growing thicker, he knew he wasn't going to make it to the top. So instead he focused upon reaching half-way, which was no easy feat in itself.
He kept to his careful technique. It might be slow, but it worked and, ultimately, that was all that mattered.
Only a few branches more.
He focused on that thought as he climbed. Just a few more branches, a few more steps, until…
Dewclaw sunk his claws into the final branch, using his little remaining strength to pull himself up. His limbs groaned at the effort, but he persisted. This was the final hurdle, the final heave…
"I'm done."
The words came out in a gasp. Dewclaw slumped against the trunk of the tree, his flanks heaving and his paws quivering. But he'd done it. He'd actually done it.
The relief mixed with the fear, sending warm shivers through him. Creekfeather leapt up onto the branch beside him, his eyes bright. "Half way up the Giant Beech! See, I knew you had it in you! I don't know many cats who've ever made it to the top," he purred. "You'll be leaping from tree to tree in no time!"
Dewclaw gave a dry laugh. "I'm not so sure about that."
He still didn't dare look down. Just being up here made his stomach roil.
"It's just in your head." Creekfeather flicked his tail lightly to Dewclaw's forehead. "The more you practise, the more confident you'll get and the easier it'll be."
Dewclaw nodded distantly, though he wasn't so sure. He'd climbed trees plenty of times and this time had been just as terrifying as the last, if not more.
The SkyClan warrior studied him for a moment, his expression growing increasingly thoughtful. After much consideration, he leaned in and whispered, "I'll let you in on a little secret. My brother used to be afraid of climbing trees."
Dewclaw blinked. "Nettlesplash?"
Creekfeather shook his head, grinning. "Nope. Rabbitstar. Our brave and noble leader."
Dewclaw's jaw dropped. "Rabbitstar was afraid of climbing?"
The grey tabby beamed back at him. "That's right."
He stared. Rabbitstar was a SkyClan cat born and bred. When Dewclaw had once glimpsed him hunting, he'd thought that he looked more comfortable in the trees than on the ground. So to think of him being afraid of climbing… It was unfathomable.
"He… He can't have been afraid of climbing."
"Oh, yes, he was!" Creekfeather nodded eagerly. "Terrified of it. As an apprentice, he used to always try and get out of climbing practise."
Dewclaw's brain was still spinning, though whether that was from the height or from finding out about Rabbitstar's fear, he couldn't tell. "How did he get over it?" he finally ventured.
"Time and practise," Creekfeather replied. "Plumwillow and I teased him to no end, so that probably motivated him to get over it too," he added, his smile twisting into a grin.
Dewclaw was quiet. He still couldn't quite believe it. Rabbitstar. Afraid of heights. Well, if he can get over it, so can I, he thought, feeling a surge of determination rush through him.
They lapsed into a silence filled only by faint birdsong. Creekfeather turned his head to gaze out over the forest below, his gaze softening. "Pretty beautiful, huh?"
Dewclaw kept his eyes fixed upon the sky above. "I'd rather not look down."
Creekfeather chuckled to himself. "Fair enough."
The grey tom fell silent for a little more, thinking.
A faint breeze ruffled his fur, stirring the branch they were sat on. Dewclaw felt his legs shake and immediately clamped down on his fear. With a nervous laugh, he looked to Creekfeather. "Can we go down now?"
Creekfeather grinned at him. "Of course."
Dewclaw released a sigh and rose to his paws.
"So," Creekfeather meowed casually, a grin lighting his face. "Want to climb that tree next?"
Whitefern
Even though almost a quarter-moon had passed since the Great Shake, the medicine cats' den was still hidden behind a pile of debris. Several warriors had been working on clearing it, but Whitefern still had to wriggle around the rock-pile to slip inside.
Over the last few days, the den had been bustling with activity, with cats toing and froing with the injuries the tremors had caused. But today, it was remarkably quiet.
In fact, there only seemed to be two cats in the cave. Mouseleap and Frecklewish, presumably. Starlingkit had been moved to a separate cave to prevent infection.
But when her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, she saw she was wrong.
Mouseleap was there of course, dozing quietly in the corner. But the cat watching over her fretfully wasn't the medicine cat. It was Cloudfoot.
Upon spotting her, the warrior instantly went rigid. Clearly, he didn't want to be seen here.
"Uh, hi."
No sooner had she opened her jaws to speak had Cloudfoot risen to his paws. The expression on his face was impossible to read, a mess of guilt and bitterness and… fear?
He left without a word.
For any other cat, that would have been rude. But, this was Cloudfoot. He was rude and he had no regard for it. Whitefern had never liked him much.
In his absence, she allowed herself to breathe again. Slowly, she turned her eyes to the reason she was here: Mouseleap.
Whitefern had never been close friends with Mouseleap. To say that they'd even been friends would be an exaggeration. Mouseleap had always been an oddball and so, since she'd been apprenticed, Whitefern had steered clear of her. It had only occurred to her over time that maybe the reason she seemed so strange was because she was lonely.
So, with Sparrowfoot out training Frostpaw and no other duties to attend to, Whitefern had decided to visit the little brown she-cat.
Only she was asleep.
Well, that defeated the point of this.
Whitefern padded a few steps closer and then halted again, a few tail-lengths away from the slumbering cat. Mouseleap had always been on the small side but after being with the Divisions she looked smaller than ever. The white she-cat could taste bile in her throat as she took in the younger warrior. Even standing a few paces away, she could count each of Mouseleap's ribs. And her wounds…
"Whitefern."
The white she-cat nearly leapt out of her skin. But it was only Frecklewish who was gazing back at her from the den entrance. The medicine cat ducked her head apologetically, dropping a bundle of herbs at her paws. "Sorry."
Whitefern quickly shrugged it off and clearing her lungs with a deep breath. "I just came to visit Mouseleap," she explained, glancing back at the sleeping she-cat. "But maybe now isn't the best time…"
Frecklewish frowned. "Well, she's hardly stopped sleeping since she got back, so now is as good a time as any really."
Wow. It had been three days since Mouseleap had returned. Whitefern couldn't even begin to imagine how exhausted she must be to need that much sleep. "How has she been?"
Frecklewish padded over to her side, her expression faintly troubled as she studied her patient. "Physically, she's doing a lot better. Her wounds aren't infected, which is a relief, and I've set her tail with a splint, though it may always be a little crooked…" she trailed off, clouds gathering in her eyes. "But mentally…"
"Mentally?" Whitefern prompted, her brow creasing.
Frecklewish bit her lip subconsciously, trying to work out how to continue. "I think she's still very traumatised. It could be moons, seasons even, before she's fully recovered." She hesitated for a moment. "You know how she didn't say anything when she arrived?"
Whitefern hadn't witnessed Mouseleap's arrival personally, but she'd heard all about it from her sister. She nodded.
"Well," Frecklewish continued, "She still hasn't spoken. I thought it was just shock at first, then I thought she might have damaged her throat or something… But she's been crying out in her sleep, so she must be able to speak…"
Whitefern gazed over at Mouseleap, her brain struggling to process the information. "You mean… She hasn't spoken because she's so traumatised?"
Frecklewish nodded grimly. "I think so."
"But she'll speak again though, right?"
The hesitation in the medicine cat's response spoke for itself. "I hope so."
Whitefern looked back at Mouseleap again. The thought of her never speaking again was unfathomable. Whitefern couldn't even begin to grapple with what horrors she must have experienced to become so traumatised. Whitefern certainly wasn't the chattiest cat in the Clan (that title belonged to Creekfeather), but she couldn't imagine not speaking, even just for a day or two. All the unspoken words would surely devour her from the inside. She knew the pain that came from bottling up feelings, bottling up words was undoubtedly worse.
"I've never really dealt much with mental wounds," Frecklewish murmured absently, breaking Whitefern free from her reverie. "They're so much harder than physical wounds. You can't treat them with a poultice or a splint. And it's hard to know sometimes whether you're making them better or worse."
"Uh huh," Whitefern replied absently, not really taking in the medicine cat's words. Her mind was elsewhere.
She tried to untangle herself from her thoughts and rose to her paws. "Well, I'd better leave her in peace then," she meowed, glancing back at Mouseleap. "I'll come back later and see if she's woken up… But if she wakes up before then… can you tell her I came to see her?"
She thought that the knowledge that she had come to visit her might make Mouseleap feel a little less alone. She had her mother, Fallowfern, but other than her, the brown she-cat didn't really have any friends or family. Well, Cloudfoot had come to visit her, but Whitefern wasn't sure what the relationship between the two cats was. Mouseleap had lived in awe of him for moons, but Whitefern wasn't sure if the feeling was reciprocated.
"Oh. Okay. Thank you for coming to visit," Frecklewish replied, blinking the cloudiness from her eyes and looking up at the white she-cat.
Whitefern ducked her head in farewell and, without a further word, stepped back out into the cloudy daylight.
It was a relief to be back out in the open air. There was something about the air in the medicine cats' cave that was heavy. It wasn't noticeable until she suddenly found she could breathe a lot easier.
Outside, the Redstone Gorge was busy as ever, a well-oiled machine in motion. Just as a patrol padded down the rock-path, jaws laden with prey, another patrol departed. With no duties to attend to, Whitefern felt a little disconnected watching her Clanmates at work.
"It's exhausting watching everyone else at work, huh?"
For the second time that morning, Whitefern started. She hadn't even noticed the Clan leader approaching. "Mouse-dung, why is everyone sneaking up on me today?" She asked, but there was a smile on her face as she turned to gaze up at her former mentor.
Rabbitstar grinned. "I thought you were unflappable. I guess I was wrong."
He sat himself beside her, but left a small gap between them. A brief silence ensued before Rabbitstar turned to her again. "So, I saw you enter the medicine cats' den. Is everything alright?"
It was only when he met Whitefern's gaze that she at last saw it; the grief. With a harsh sting, she was suddenly reminded that he was still mourning Mintfur. It must have been a heavy burden to bear: the grief and the responsibilities of Clan leader. Whitefern herself was still shaken from the death of her mother, though it couldn't quite compare; she had never been that close to Cherrytail.
"I'm fine," she meowed, resurfacing from her thoughts. And for once, it was the truth. Things certainly could have been better, but having Sparrowfoot at her side made all the difference. She felt a lot more confident in herself, like she could lift her head a little higher.
She glanced back at Rabbitstar, taking in the hollowness to his gaze and the creases in his brow. "Are you okay?"
The brown tabby looked a little startled at being asked the question. "Me? Oh yeah, I'm… okay, I guess."
Whitefern wasn't convinced in the slightest, but the brown tabby didn't look too keen to discuss it, so she didn't press him any further.
He veiled his pain with a smile. "I heard about you and Sparrowfoot," he purred, ducking his head. "Congrats."
Gosh, has news really spread that quickly? The thought of cats gossiping about her was a little unsettling.
She smiled awkwardly. "Thanks."
"You know," Rabbitstar began, his eyes brightening, "when I saw you entering the medicine cats' den, I wondered if you were expecting kits."
Whitefern nearly choked on her own breath, recoiling in shock. "StarClan, no!" she exclaimed, staring incredulously at her former mentor. "I was just visiting Mouseleap… Kits! Gosh, no. Not for a while. Maybe never."
Unlike her sister, starting her own family had never been Whitefern's dream. She was perfectly content with watching kits scamper around, but having to take care of them every hour of the day? No thanks.
Amusement sparked in Rabbitstar's eyes. "Ah well, just thought I'd ask." He studied her for a moment, a purr rumbling in his chest. "Who'd have thought that when I assigned Sparrowfoot to keep any eye on you it would backfire like this?"
Whitefern's posture went rigid at his words. She'd done her best to try and forget about the shadowing, about the reason why some of her Clanmates still didn't trust her fully. And could she blame them, really?
She was still learning to reconcile with her mistakes. The guilt of them still weighed heavy on her shoulders, even after moons.
Sensing the shift in her, Rabbitstar's expression softened. "I'm sorry, I know you probably don't like thinking about that." He hesitated, his expression growing thoughtful. "I want you to know I'm proud of you though," he added gently. "I know things haven't been easy for you, but you've come a long way, not just since you were an apprentice, but in the last few moons." He smiled kindly.
Whitefern's shoulders dropped a little. It eased the knot in her chest to hear those words, especially from Rabbitstar. Even though his duties as leader meant that they didn't talk much anymore, he still understood her better than many.
His head suddenly lifted, realisation washing over his features as he glanced over at the opposite side of camp. "Oh, mouse-dung, I should probably get going. I'm supposed to be joining a border patrol."
A small part of Whitefern was relieved he had to go. It spared her from having to respond to his earlier words; she'd never been good at voicing her feelings.
"That's okay." She smiled faintly up at him. "I should probably make myself useful and help Redflower with the kits or something."
That seemed to please Rabbitstar. "Good luck," he purred. He stood still for a moment, glancing over at where the patrol were starting to gather as if hesitant. "You know, we've hardly spoken lately. We should go hunting together at some point to catch up, for old time's sake." He smiled- not the polished, respectful smile of Rabbitstar, but the lopsided, kind smile of Rabbitleap.
Whitefern couldn't help but smile back. "I'd like that."
The brown tabby nodded. "Great." He glanced over his shoulder again. "Well, I'll talk to you later!"
Whitefern watched as his form grew smaller, her expression warm. Inside, her heart felt a little fuller.
All those moons ago, it hadn't just been her friends and family that Whitefern had pushed away. Rabbitstar too had been a victim when she'd cut herself off.
She'd managed to reconcile with Redflower and Sparrowfoot already, but she'd kept her distance from Rabbitstar. Though talking to Rabbitstar today had been only a small step, it felt good to be rebuilding that relationship.
With a lighter heart and a smile curving at her lips, Whitefern set off towards the Nursery.
Well, that was a lot more upbeat than the last chapter! Hopefully you enjoyed it. ^^
Question 1 ~ Do you think Rapidstream is right to be poking his nose into ThunderClan's business or is he stirring up unnecessary hostilities between the Clans (i.e. ShadowClan in this chapter)?
Question 2 ~ I know I ask this a lot, but... Who's your favourite couple? They can be a couple who are already together, or a couple that you just want to be together?
Again, have a wonderful new year! See you in 2017!
Live, Love, Read and Review,
~Leafy