Warriors: Seeds of the Forbidden: Hollow Forest
Chapter 5
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Floodkit watched as the two toms, Rowanwhisker and Elmfur, slowly begun to isolate themselves from all of the other cats. He watched as Willowkit's mother became shrouded in the shadows of her own mind. He watched the kits escape Nettlefang's gentle eyes, and he watched as they ran and hid in the elder's den to listen to Brokentooth's stories. He watched, but did not understand.
He later confronted Nettlefang about it. "There is something… strange happening in the clan. I don't understand. Isn't a clan supposed to bring cats together, not tear them apart?"
"Yes. But it is those who are nearest who hurt a cat the most. I wouldn't worry; the clan is simply in unrest due to all that has been going on. Give it a few more moons and everything should have been sorted out and repaired by then." She mewed, holding him in place to give him a through washing, which he tolerated only to please her.
It was not any kind of answer to his question, and he resolved to ask another cat. He even considered approaching Willowkit after catching a knowing look in her eyes as she stared with pity and guilty relief at her mother's state. She had obviously been aware of the odd relationship between her mother and the two toms for nearly the moon that he'd known her.
"The cats of this clan are too wrapped up in guarding their own secrets." He muttered, earning a snort from Nettlefang.
"Says the mysterious kit who arrived starved and alone needing five warriors and an apprentice to best his fighting skills. If anything, you, my Floodkit, are the one with the most secrets to guard."
Floodkit regretted the wince that he involuntarily gave upon hearing his name in her voice in the way that Nightingale had said it. A vague impression was just about all he could summon of the cat-who-wasn't-his-mother-but-was, and that impression still whispered in her hushed voice, called him 'her little Flood', and existed in his dreams as a shadowy, vaporous form that emanated warmth and lingering safety.
"But," Nettlefang forced out in an attempt to cover up her shame. "You are right. This clan is too wrapped up in secrets. Sometimes secrets are all that there is." She turned away and stared at the moss, laying down upon it and shutting her eyes. "Sometimes we forget that we are one clan and not simply a mere gathering of individuals."
As soon as he determined that she was asleep, Floodkit left the den and followed the scent of the other kits until he reached what he assumed to be the elder's den. It smelled faintly of sickness, and that mingled with a stale, slightly bitter tinge of what he assumed to be old age and the emotions that accompanied it. Shrugging that away, he continued toward it until he heard the voice of an old tomcat, which was filled with such power he stopped and crouched in the shadow to listen to the tale Brokentooth appeared to be spinning at the whim of the kits.
"…now, this warrior, Blazeheart, saved our clan from that fire. She was very brave indeed, though a bit selfish and petty at times, and her strong heart was the trait that earned her warrior name."
"And what happened after Blazeheart spotted the fire? Where did ThunderClan go?" Brightkit asked eagerly.
"We swam across the river into RiverClan territory. They welcomed us, after spotting the fire in our Clan, and their medicine cat helped treat the wounds of our cats. The RiverClan medicine cat, in fact, was Blazeheart's downfall."
"Did he murder her?"
"The medicine cat was a she-cat. And, though she did not kill Blazeheart, for all that counted she was her murderer in the end." Brokentooth's voice had grown louder and Floodkit noticed something akin to hate in the old tom's voice. He couldn't tell if it was directed at Blazeheart or the medicine cat.
"Is that why RiverClan doesn't have a medicine cat anymore?"
"Blazeheart's downfall was her love. And also, her hate. She was a spiteful cat at her worst, cruel, unforgiving. And she fell in such a love, it was so sweeping, so utterly wrong, it brought her into a rage that blinded her enough to kill her own clanmate. It was then we knew she truly had no heart. All that existed within her in the space where her love should have been was emptiness. Hollow. And so she was renamed Blazehollow, and made an exile from the clan."
"I don't see how the RiverClan medicine cat brought about her downfall." Willowkit mewed.
"That cat had everything to do with the death of Blazeheart and the creation of Blazehollow! I told you there was a love that was so utterly wrong, StarClan themselves condemned it? They sent signs, dreams, fragments, prophesies, but we were so blind, so deafened by our pride, we ignored it and tried sticking the blame on innocents. And we didn't even have the courage or the strength to kill such a traitor." He spat.
"My kits! There you are!" called Morninglight. She rushed past Floodkit and he heard the protests of the kits from within the den as their mother dragged them away. Something about the story had shaken him, and he ached to learn more. Hesitating at the den's entrance, he finally gave in and crept inside.
"Brokentooth?"
"Back so soon?" The elder asked, having been expecting the others.
"I-I was wondering if you could tell me about the prophecy." Floodkit asked as the old tom's squinting eyes turned upon him. Brokentooth was a small cat whose body bent at all of the wrong angles, fur flaking off in patches and tightly matted in others. In one, shaking yawn, his jaw parted to reveal a tooth that was indeed missing half of its yellowed length and only a jagged edge remained where it had been chipped and wrenched apart.
"Prophecy? Ah, the one that foretold Blazehollow's betrayal… I no longer can recall it by the exact word. It was a terrible thing, and we made the worse mistake of not ending that kit before she even drew her first breath."
"Brokentooth," Floodkit started, searching his mind for anything to turn the subject, which was beginning to rankle the elder. "what's going on with Morninglight, Elmfur and Rowanwhisker?" he saw no harm in answering a few of his other questions.
"StarClan ought to banish them from their skies forever!" Brokentooth yowled. Instantly, Floodkit realized he had prodded the same nerve and riled the elder even further. "What is going on between them is wrong, it is an accursed thing, vile and unforgivable."
"W-why?" Floodkit asked before he could bite back his curiosity.
"The love of a cat toward a mate should extend to one cat alone. Morninglight claims Rowanwhisker as the father in words, but Elmfur in her actions. And worse, Elmfur and Rowanwhisker are aware of her indecision, yet both of them encourage her."
"If there is no fighting between them to cause conflict within the clan, then why would that be a problem?"
"It isn't right."
"Why not? Is it in the Code?" Floodkit realized that his unfamiliarity with the Code might end up getting him into trouble.
"No! If the loyalty of a cat must extend to two mates, then why won't it extend also to two clans?"
"Oh. So you suspect that Morninglight might be betraying the clan?"
"No, it's her love that's the problem. And the love between the others…"
"What's wrong with them?" Floodkit couldn't tear himself away. He felt a desperate need to understand the cats of his new home, but all they did was confuse him further when he tried.
"What is love between mates if it will yield no kits? It is such a twisted thing, their love."
Rowanwhisker and Elmfur? But… Floodkit thought, shocked. It struck him then that they had been acting as if they were mates, sharing tongues every day, and as the other warriors had mentioned, sleeping beside the other each night.
"Is it possible that all three are mates? Wouldn't that strengthen the bond between each other as warriors and make them even more adept at defending the clan?"
It had been entirely the wrong thing to say. Floodkit noticed the elder's eyes steel, feeling the tom's low growl reverberate through the air and tingle in his paws as Floodkit took an unsteady step backwards. He finally gave in to his fear as it overpowered the force of his interest and fled in a run.
"That is not love, it is an abomination!" screeched Brokentooth after him. "You, murderer, are an abomination as well. We will regret letting the fox join the clan, we will-"
"Brokentooth!" Nettlefang called. "Foxstar has said that Floodkit will face no prejudice from this clan." Slipping past Floodkit, she started off towards the elder's den, intending to protect her adopted kit, and Floodkit banished all sounds of the conversation with Brokentooth from his mind, disliking how it had felt like the clan cats had reopened their mistrust all over again. He believed that it was a justified mistrust, at least it was now, before he became a respected warrior whose loyalty no one would dare question, but it still stung.
Entering the nursery again, Floodkit immediately claimed a corner and pretended to be asleep, trying to avoid the questioning of the other kits.
"What did you do to make Brokentooth so angry?"
"Yeah, we've asked him silly questions before, but he's never responded like that."
"Brokentooth has simply put the opinions of the entire clan into words. Really, kit, did you believe that we would accept a murderer into our presence so readily, as if badgers and foxes were allowed free passage through our camp and given free rein to attack our queens and kits?" Morninglight mewed, her voice hushed. She seemed to fear being heard by any but the kits.
"But Floodkit's only a kit!" Mosskit said.
"And that's the only reason Foxstar is handling the matter how he is: he sees Floodkit as a potential asset against the other clans to be conformed into the shape of a ThunderClan warrior with all of his strength and his dislike focused on one prey. And that prey is to be any rival of this clan.
"But," she continued. "we warriors won't stand for this. Foxstar made a feeble attempt to make Floodkit feel welcome, to boost ThunderClan's appeal, but if one listens just close enough, one will hear our true mind. Flood doesn't belong here. He is truly the fox among us cats."
Floodkit squeezed his eyes shut, acting as though he hadn't heard. He wondered how he could have been so blind. He felt Willowkit's eyes upon him and heard the slight gasp of breath she gave, as if she had meant to say something, and then he felt her turn away and leave him in an uneasy peace. Almost, she had taken enough pity on him to stand up to her mother.
"Floodkit, would you rather eat vole or sparrow? The fresh-kill pile is nearly as tall as highrock today!" Nettlefang called, slipping into the den with both prey secured between her teeth. She seemed to be making an extra effort to extend extra kindness toward him as if she was compensating for the unkindness he had experienced.
He deliberated whether his hunger was stronger than his need to appear to be asleep, and concluded that it wasn't worth satisfying the small pain in his side. He made no move to show Nettlefang that he had heard her, and the vole was passed instead to Morninglight.
"Willowkit! Play with us!" Brightkit whined, shaking Floodkit abruptly from his sleep. "We need to defeat WindClan before they defeat us!"
"No, not now."
"But, why?!" Wailed Brightkit. Floodkit wondered if she ever took the time to rest herself, for he certainly never saw her asleep.
"I'm busy. Don't distract me."
"You're not busy. You're not doing anything."
"I'm listening."
"Listening to what? Is it interesting?" Mewed Brightkit, all requests to play forgotten in her curiosity.
"N-nothing. Play with Wrenkit or Mosskit."
"But you never want to play with me, and Mosskit has decided that she's too old for play. Wrenkit doesn't listen to me anymore, and you're the only one-" She paused. "Floodkit! You've never played with me before." He winced, annoyed at himself for being unable to predict this.
"Play with me now?" She pleaded.
He provided her with no answer at all and did not feel guilty when her tail drooped and her head fell in disappointment. Instead, he concentrated on the sounds of the clan and attempted to determine what Willowkit had been so preoccupied with.
Nothing seemed outside of the ordinary. Sedgeberry was testing Larkpaw's knowledge of herbs, and some warriors were gossiping over a plump rabbit and enjoying the newleaf sun. Something caught his ear among their conversation, however.
"What is Foxstar thinking? Wasn't Spottednose's death enough?"
"But he hasn't done anything else yet, much less lift a claw against another."
"He doesn't play like the others do. He just sits there, with those staring eyes, and lets Nettlefang dote after him like a young warrior after her mate. There's obviously something… off about him."
Morninglight was right. Floodkit shook his head to brush the pressing thoughts from his mind, and distracted himself with dreams of revenge against Prophet and Rose's group. He needed to remind himself of his purpose, he realized. If he forgot that then he would have nothing.
"Cats of ThunderClan! Listen to me!" A voice yowled, silencing the clan. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highrock. I have something to say."
Floodkit was confused, the voice was not that of either Dawnheart or Foxstar. He turned toward Nettlefang.
"Dustflower? Why would she have need to call a clan meeting?" Morninglight muttered, answering Floodkit's unspoken question.
"This isn't good. The clan is still not over Elmfur's withdrawal into depression or Rowanwhisker's patient attention with him. We can't have another rift in the clan while things are still uneasy with WindClan. They were nearly tearing out our throats at the last gathering as it is; Thistletail's death has unburied a deeper hatred."
"Whatever it is, we better go. Kits, behave yourselves." Morninglight said, exiting the den with Nettlefang at her side."
"Come on!" Brightkit whispered after they had left. "Flood, come with us!"
He complied, fighting an unsettling churning inside him as they dashed out of the den.
Cats were emerging in a steady stream from the surrounding underbrush and dens, whispering amongst themselves and pricking with worry and unease.
"There is a betrayer amongst us." Dustflower calmly stated. Her fur hung lank from her lithe body, mangy and filthy in prolonged stress.
"Who would think to betray us at a time like this? What is going to come of us, of this clan?" Dawnheart called, summoning a growl of approval among the cats. "We have been meeting like this far too often, with some danger at hand, or some matter to push us further apart. Is this going to be the end?"
"The end in the prophecy?" Brokentooth growled, limping into the clearing.
"Two will be born to hate, one to love, and from their union will rise the seeds of the end." Sedgeberry stated. "The prophecy tells us."
"Who is the betrayer? On what basis do you make such a claim?" Foxstar addressed Dustflower.
"She has been doing it for nearly a moon now. Sneaking in and out of our camp to enter their territory."
"WindClan? Has she been trading them information?" Nettlefang mewed sharply.
"No, by StarClan, we've been so mousebrained! It's not WindClan, it's… ShadowClan."
Protests rang out in the crisp air, no cat able to believe that they had been targeting the wrong enemy, that a life had been lost in a battle with those who weren't even responsible.
"That Thornstar, hiding in the shadows while we all squabble amongst ourselves, while he is the true enemy."
"Dustflower, you must tell us, who is the betrayer?" Dawnheart called.
At Floodkit's side, Willowkit staggered back. Instantly, he noticed that she knew what Dustflower was speaking of. She knew and did not reveal the treachery to the clan. Her head swung back and forth, denying it. "Don't tell them. She doesn't deserve what they'll give her." Willowkit muttered.
"My own sister is the betrayer!"
Heads turned back, catching a golden tabby she-cat and snaring her under the gaze of many glittering eyes. Her face shone with innocence, amber eyes drawn open until white was revealed at their rims.
"Goldeneye." Spat Dustflower.
The sun-streaked pelt of the she-cat rippled as her powerful legs took her away. Fawnpaw skidded in front of her, barring her path.
"You shall not pass until you face your shame." The apprentice mewed.
"Goldeneye, who snuck out nearly every night to visit him. She loved him for the allure of the forbidden nature of their courtship at first, nothing more. I tried to get her to see the absurdity of it all, but she was blind. I coaxed her to struggle free from his grasp while she still had the willpower to do so, but she was deaf to that, too. And now, my sister, though I loathe to use such a term in relation to her, will see the result of her recklessness."
"Dustflower, I… I trusted you. I thought you would understand." Goldeneye whispered. "Who I love is not something I am capable of changing."
"Then I had to bring about the change for you. Don't you see? I did this for you."
"No, you did it for you. My love was doing the clans no harm."
"Your loyalty was harmed. And your loyalty harms the entire clan"
"If I could prove to you, Dustflower, the cats of ThunderClan, that I could keep both my loyalty and my love, would you let me?" She mewed, bitter.
"That is impossible." Foxstar said.
"Not if I leave the clan. I'll join them. ShadowClan lost many warriors recently to a sickness from the carrionplace, they- they'll have to accept me."
"You'd leave your home and leave me, all for the love of a single tom?"
"Oakshade means my life to me. Without him I am nothing."
"Then leave! Go from me, never let me sight you on ThunderClan territory again." Dustflower tore her eyes away from Goldeneye and stared instead at Foxstar, addressing him. "Can I have your permission to exile the traitor from our clan? If Thornstar accepts her, then let her join them. If not, let her wander forever, alone and unwelcome anywhere in the forest."
"Very well." Foxstar dipped his head in response, silencing Dawnheart, who had opened her mouth in protest. "Goldeneye, you are no longer a ThunderClan warrior. We will not fight you until you pass the borders. If you should choose to return, you will be treated as any other enemy warrior and we will not hesitate to battle you. Farewell."
Goldeneye led a silent procession of one through a corridor of cats ringed with glares and the buzzing of rumors and hate-filled murmurs. The foggy consequences of her affair seemed to trail after her, and they were given a wide berth by the spectators of her banishment.
Willowkit was mute and she sat as still as stone to the side of Mosskit and Brightkit.
"Why her and not the others?" Floodkit asked to no cat in particular.
"Which others?" Nettlefang asked, appearing at his side. A rustle of fur told Floodkit that Willowkit had turned to stare at him.
"Morninglight, Elmfur and Rowanwhisker. Have you seen either of the latter two at the nursery since Thistletail was killed? They're always together, Rowanwhisker treating Elmfur like a mate, attending to him and soothing him through his withdrawal from the others. The clan doesn't know what to think of the love they share between them and extend to Morninglight as well. The clan doesn't allow them to participate in normal activities, like visiting their own kits, as long as they openly reveal their love."
"How does that relate to Goldeneye?"
"She was able to keep her love. It was far more damaging to the clan and it lost us a warrior, but it was still allowed. Morninglight and the two toms aren't given that."
"You notice more than the others, Floodkit."
He nearly told her that Willowkit noticed even more, but he realized that such a thing was something the kit would want to keep to herself. Instead, he only responded with an ambiguous mumble and stared after the retreating form of Goldeneye.
Note: No one died this chapter. Otherwise, I guess not much has really been happening to the characters directly yet, but they're not going to be kits for much longer.
Writing about a polygamous relationship is certainly an interesting experience.
And forgive me, but the next chapter is going to be a little late. I had a homework assignment that needed to get done, and I am unable to complete chapter 6 by Sunday.
