Chapter 13: Fake?
Allegiances:
NightClan:
Leader:
Nightstar: Light grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes. A real mystery nowadays...
Deputy:
Foxflame: Russet-coloured furred she-cat with a darker brown on legs and a white tipped tail with a right blue eye and left brown eye. Easily offended and desperate to prove herself the best she can be.
Medicine cat:
Mosslight: Brown pointed she-cat with green eyes. Has a good sense of humour but can become rather serious and often daydreams. Rather lazy and has a bad memory.
Warriors:
Sparkflight: Dark grey she-cat with white on muzzle and chest with golden eyes. Bold and quick to fight but loyal to close friends.
Other cats:
Moon: Dark grey tabby she-cat with white paws and amber eyes. Very strict and demanding. Rainstar's mother.
Strike: White furred tom with a black hind leg with green eyes. Strict but good-natured. Foxflame's foster father.
D.A.R.K.N.E.S.S:
Jessica: Slightly dark grey tabby she-cat with icy blue eyes. Convincing and cunning, not very merciful. Brilliant fighter.
Spruce: Dark brown she-cat with a splash of black on her back with blue eyes. Bossy and boastful, likes things her way.
Pumpkin: Light orange tabby tom with amber eyes. Quick thinker and first to think out flaws in plans.
Luna: Black she-cat with russet fur on chest and brown eyes, has a slightly squashed muzzle. Unusually more flexible than most cats and has fast reflexes.
Sailor: Black tom with white splotches and yellow eyes. Good hunter and though not the brightest cat around, can be the cat to unexpectedly come up with a good idea.
Blueberry: Grey-brown tabby tom with grey-blue eyes. Loyal to Jessica, can be a little shy.
Scar: Light grey and pink hairless she-cat with orange eyes. Self-conscious, and jealous of other cats' fluffy fur.
Eli: White longhaired tom, but his coat is so dirty it looks grey-brown, he has green eyes. Though annoying and just plain stupid at times, very aggressive.
Peter: Orange tabby tom with brown eyes, scrawny. Though he was forced to go with the rouges he tries to live life to the fullest.
Mushroom: Lilac coloured coat with darker points, blue eyed she-cat with abnormally short legs. Good climber and surprisingly fast despite her short legs.
Ginger: Cream coloured tom with dark blue eyes. Has lots of energy and gets excited by small things.
Curls: Curly grey long haired she-cat with yellow eyes. Grumpy and easily annoyed.
Bamboo: A pink hairless cat with abnormally short legs. Like Scar, he is jealous of the other cats for their fluffy fur, and he is jealous of some of the rouges longer legs, very self-centred.
AIR!
The medicine cat gasped, oxygen flooding her.
Mosslight's head was throbbing, a mental force repeatedly hitting her head. She felt dizzy.
Blinking water out of her stinging eyes, she looked up to see Foxflame and Sparkflight.
"Did you pull me out?" Mosslight raised her head off the ground slightly. Sparkflight nodded, "I did, Foxflame saved Nightstar."
Slumping back down onto the grass, Mosslight let her energy slowly come back.
Finally, she was able to turn her head weakly to one side to see Nightstar. Sparkflight called to Foxflame, "I'm going to catch some prey alright?"
Foxflame agreed, but before Sparkflight could leave-
"Who pulled me out?" Nightstar rasped.
Foxflame stiffened, and turned towards the leader. Sparkflight had frozen. Mosslight feebly raised her head.
How will Nightstar react when she realizes the deputy she called a traitor, the deputy she banished, was the cat that saved her?
Foxflame meowed nervously. "M-Me."
Nightstar stared at her, eyes wide and blank. After a while of silence, she spoke slowly and quietly. "Foxflame..."
Mosslight felt anxious, though a bit of hope sparked in her. Nightstar was using Foxflame's warrior name instead of Fox. Still... What would she say?
"Thanks." Nightstar rested her head back down on the grass.
Foxflame looked bewildered and happy at the same time. Mosslight relaxed. Maybe she'll forgive Foxflame and let her back into the clan! The thought of her friend returning was glorious.
"Wait, where's Spruce?" Mosslight asked. Foxflame flicked her tail, "She ran off."
Soon enough, Sparkflight had come back with a plump rabbit and blackbird. Sharing the fresh-kill between themselves, Nightstar and Mosslight were finally were strong enough to get back to their camp.
Nightstar, though a little shaky and unsteady on her paws stepped up onto the pile of rocks where she now called clan meetings.
"Let a-all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath... Join here."
Mosslight and Sparkflight padded forward. Foxflame looked uncertain and sat a little way off from them.
"Do you want... Her"-Nightstar pointed to Foxflame with her tail-"to come back to NightClan?"
"Yes!" Mosslight answered. Sparkflight nodded. Nightstar shifted her paws, glancing at the russet she-cat. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Mosslight repeated firmly. Sparkflight simply nodded once more. Nightstar sighed. "Foxflame, come forward."
Foxflame stepped nervously in front of her. Nightstar gazed at her, blue eyes unblinking. "Foxflame, I..."
There was no ceremony known to them for accepting a banished warrior back into the clan, and Nightstar seemed lost. After a moment of silence, she simply murmured-
"Welcome back."
• • •
Nightstar slumped down mutely into her nest. What am I doing? Why am I doing this? What is the point?
Her life was just filled with questions of why. Why did I let Foxflame back? She was a traitor...
She saved your life.
But I wanted my life to end, there is no point...
Confused and frustrated with her choices, she buried her head into the soft moss of her nest. StarClan help me...
There was no answering murmur of comfort, or any sign to show they had heard her.
More like they don't care. No cat cares. This whole world is a selfish, cold place. Why shouldn't StarClan be the same? Where is the proof the exist anyways?
Nightstar wanted to go on another walk but remembered that Mosslight and Sparkflight were still being quite fussy over her. They wouldn't let her go out alone, and she needed to be alone.
"Nightstar?"
Ugh not again!
"What?" She snapped irritably. Mosslight entered her den, looking wary. "Um, hi." She mumbled.
Mouse-brain! "Is that all you came in here for, to tell me hi?" Nightstar spat. So much for being alone. "You have better things to do!"
Mosslight bowed her head so low her whiskers almost brushed the ground. "Sorry." She whispered. "But I need to tell you something."
"Then tell!"
Mosslight's gaze fell to her paws. "Well- You see- I- I kinda-"
"I've been seeing signs."
What?!
Nightstar looked reproachfully at her. Mosslight didn't see the look Nightstar had given her as her gaze was still fixed on her paws.
"What kind of signs?" Nightstar asked in a very bored voice. Mosslight shifted her paws. "Um, feathers."
Feathers! Nightstar getting more annoyed by the passing heartbeat. "Well, what about them?"
"Um..."
"I think they're representing you."
WHAT? Nightstar stared incredulously at the medicine cat. Mosslight had finally lifted her head, green eyes still not meeting Nightstar's blue ones.
"There was this light grey one, the colour of your fur. It started appearing around the time we were... Um... Back in the original camp. B-But then it started to become ripped and torn apart, more... Shattered."
I don't think I've ever heard so much fox dung in my life. "Pfft! And who is giving you these 'signs'"
Mosslight looked uncertain. "U-uh, well, I don't know... StarClan I suppose?"
StarClan! "What's your evidence?"
Mosslight looked even more confused and lost. "I- I-"
"It was grey... Just like your fur..." Mosslight mewed more to herself than Nightstar. "A representation of Nightstar... How can I... I don't..."
"Yeah! Grey!" Nightstar meowed dryly. "My name is Nightfrost!"
"Grey... Light grey just like your fur..."
"Nightfrost. Frost so white." Is she that stupid?
Mosslight stood still for a while. "Just... Be careful Nightstar." She whispered, before the medicine cat turned around and headed out of the bush.
"Whatever." Nightstar growled without Mosslight hearing. Idiot. What a waste of time. At least she left me alone, these cats are so clingy and fussy.
Nightstar stayed in her den, alone but not lonely, yet her thoughts tangled with each other as the days went past.
• • •
Mosslight purred happily. "Great to have you back."
Foxflame and Mosslight were padding to the warrior's den. "Thanks." Foxflame slipped into the bush.
"I'm going to go sleep to, see you in the morning." Mosslight flicked her tail in farewell and was about to go into her den when-
A black feather came spinning out of the sky, landing by her paws. It was once again, broken and in some parts, twisted.
I... I should tell Nightstar.
But are they really signs? The Four Clans tale is just.. Fiction, made up, and as interesting as the story is... Are these feathers really signs?
Just do it, we're supposed to be a real clan right?
A clan with a uncertain leader, lost medicine cat, banished deputy, and one warrior.
Mosslight meowed through the branches of her leader's den. "Nightstar?"
There was a rustle of moss and Nightstar replied rather crossly, "what?"
Mouse dung! She's not in a good mood. Too late now. Mosslight stepped in. "Um," Mosslight muttered, unsure of what to say. "Hi."
"Is that all you came in here for, to tell me hi?" Nightstar spat. "You have better things to do!"
Mistake! "Sorry." Mosslight dipped her head. "But I need to tell you something."
"Then tell!" Nightstar hissed.
"Well- You see- I- I kinda- I've been seeing signs." Mosslight mumbled, eyes fixed on her paws.
"What kind of signs?" Nightstar asked. She sounded uninterested.
What do you mean, 'what kind of signs'? "Um, feathers." Mosslight felt like she was saying something very childish.
"Well, what about them?"
"Um..." Mosslight shuffled her paws. "I think they're representing you." She meowed at last, and her words tumbled out. "There was this light grey one, the colour of your fur. It started appearing around the time we were... Um..."
Mosslight hesitated- she didn't want to say 'RainClan' for fear of Nightstar becoming more distressed and lash out at her. "Back in the original camp. B-But then it started to become ripped and torn apart, more... Shattered."
"Pfft! And who is giving you these 'signs''" Nightstar sneered.
Who? Mosslight thought of the Four Clans tale. "U-uh, well, I don't know... StarClan I suppose?"
"What's your evidence?"
"I- I-" Mosslight stammered. "It was grey... Just like your fur..." Mosslight whispered under her breath. "A representation of Nightstar... How can I... I don't..."
"Yeah! Grey! My name is Nightfrost!"
What does your name have to do with?... "Grey... Light grey just like your fur..."
"Nightfrost. Frost so white." Nightstar spat.
Mosslight's paws were frozen to the ground. What if she's right? Am I just wishing to be a clan cat that I'm making up that a feather is actually a sign? It's just a random feather, what if it doesn't mean anything?
"Just... Be careful Nightstar..." With those last words, Mosslight stumbled out of the den, hardly noticing she had done so. The medicine cat left Nightstar alone in the bush with Mosslight's thoughts more confused and lost than before.
• • •
Mosslight lay in her nest, staring out through the space between the branches of the den at the frosty stars. Why didn't I tell Nightstar about the black feathers?
But even as she asked the question to herself, she knew the answer already. I don't want do believe that Nightstar is becoming more battered and torn, more... Dark, like the black feathers...
To say it aloud would be like marking it down on stone, permanent- but while it stayed in her head, private and secret...
StarClan... Do you really exist? Are you up there, watching us? Nightstar had always been very close to StarClan, praying and thanking them, but now... Now she's just... Disconnected or something to the heavens above...
Maybe I'm just imagining things, is want to pretend like I'm important, that I can actually see signs...
But they seem like signs...
Mosslight sighed, turning her head away from the dark night sky.
• • •
"Where's Sparkflight?"
Foxflame turned to Mosslight. "I dunno. She's not here?" Mosslight shook her head worriedly.
"Nightstar!" Foxflame called. Nightstar stuck her head out of her den. "What?"
"Sparkflight's gone off again." The warrior had been disappearing for long periods of time lately. Nightstar growled, "This time, try to follow her. Don't let her know you're there. Find out what she's up to. We don't want another betrayal."
Foxflame didn't flinch, but her eyes gave away her discomfort at the word 'betrayal'.
"Sh-Should we go now?" Mosslight stammered, trying to ignore Nightstar's hint towards Foxflame's traitorous actions.
"No." Nightstar ordered. "Wait to see if she will come back on her own- if she hasn't come back by Sunhigh, go look."
Mosslight nodded. Foxflame waved her tail, "I'm gonna go hunting, see ya. I might forget the time while I'm out, so come get me 'Kay? I'll be near the stream."
"Alright, bye." Mosslight turned away as Foxflame slipped out of the camp.
• • •
"MOSSLIGHT! ARE YOU DEAF?! GET UP YOU CLOUD-BRAINED BERRY-EATING USELESS DORMOUSE!"
Mosslight's head shot up from where she was laying. An assortment of herbs were scattered around her. I fell asleep...
"MOSSLIGHT!"
Mosslight scrambled to her paws. "Y-Yea?" She answered. She padded out into the open. Nightstar was there, eyes furious slits. Her leader sprang at her, claws unsheathed.
Completely unprepared, Mosslight crumpled under her weight.
"You forgetful mouse-brain! I told you to go look for Sparkflight, and Foxflame told you to get her once it was Sunhigh since she was out hunting but look!" Nightstar swung her head around to look at the orange glowing sun. Mosslight followed her gaze. I slept that long?
"It's nearly sunset! Is your memory that bad?!"
Unsure what to say, Mosslight stammered, "Um, where's Foxflame?"
"Tired out by her hunting. She's sleeping. But unlike you, she deserves and has earned her rest." Nightstar slashed her claws over Mosslight's ear, blood trickling down her fur. "Now get up! Let's go look for my missing warrior."
Mosslight had almost thought she was going to say 'missing friend'. She still doesn't regard any of us as friends...
Nightstar led the way out of camp. Neither of them spoke.
Attempting to make the silence less uncomfortable, Mosslight purred, "Heh, it's like you had no honour, attacking a weak and defenseless kit like me." She usually teased her friends by insulting both herself and companion.
Though Mosslight had meant the words as a joke, Nightstar stopped dead. Mosslight halted just behind her.
Her leader whipped around, claws unsheathed, eyes blazing. "You're the one who hasn't got any honour!"
She took my words seriously! But Mosslight was so unprepared by Nightstar's words that she didn't quickly tell her that she was making a joke. I don't have any honour?
"U-Um, e-explain?" The medicine cat stammered.
"You're the traitor." Nightstar hissed. "The trouble. The lazy lump. The stupid mouse, the forgettable fish, the kit that doesn't care."
The words sank into Mosslight like a snake fang, sharp and painful. "And I can't banish you!" Nightstar continued. "The others love and trust you so dearly, the clan would fall apart once you left!"
"You've changed. You aren't my best friend when we were kits anymore, are you? Huh? You've changed. I gave up Branch for you."
Branch was Nightstar's friend from when they were around two moons old. Mosslight had nearly forgotten who she had been, as Branch and her weren't close friends.
"I gave Branch up for you," Nightstar repeated, "Even though I know it injured her deeply."
Gave up Branch?... Mosslight couldn't remember that. "You didn't have to!" She blurted out at random.
"Yes I did!" Nightstar spat.
"Why?"
"You were getting so upset! You said that I wasn't your friend anymore because I played with Branch so much." Nightstar growled.
What? "When?..." Mosslight mewed timidly.
"When you were my friend!" Nightstar yowled. "When you were three moons, I was four moons old!"
Rage shot through Mosslight. "I WAS THREE MOONS OLD!" She snarled.
"Yes, so what?" Nightstar retorted. Mosslight was seething at the unfairness of her leader's accusation. "KITS DON'T UNDERSTAND STUFF LIKE THAT AT THAT AGE! OR AT LEAST, I DIDN'T!"
"But you told my mom that I liked Branch more than you, and you cried! How can you?! I did everything for you."
"I WAS THREE MOONS OLD!" Mosslight repeated furiously. "Then how could you say that?" Nightstar growled. Mosslight didn't understand what she meant, but continued defending herself. "I DON'T UNDERSTAND STUFF LIKE THAT WHEN I'M THREE MOONS OLD!"
"How can you do this to me, how can you?!" Nightstar looked like she was glaring right through Mosslight. "Why did you understand, you knew it would hurt me, you knew."
What?! Nightstar wasn't making any sense. I just said I didn't understand!
"You love that precious little bush." Nightstar sneered. Mosslight didn't know what she was talking about. What bush?
Ignoring her statement about the unknown bush, Mosslight snapped, "Actually, I didn't know. I was even more stupid and dumb back then when I was THREE MOONS OLD."
Nightstar didn't seem to be listening. "How can you betray me?! You. Are. The. The. The..."
Mosslight felt like she was going mad. Just what is going on?! "I'm sorry Nightstar I just can't have this fight anymore! Please, please can we stop? I'm sorry if I betrayed you before, I can not help that I am flawed. Every cat makes mistakes. Mistakes that change lives and crush hearts. If I have done anything, anything that had or has made you more upset, I am truly sorry, but I can't have more fights with you like this!"
Mosslight stood panting in front of the grey tabby she-cat who was also breathing heavily. The sun had evidently set long ago, it was dark and shadowy, the stars glinting coldly above.
"I..." Nightstar's voice cracked. "Can't do it. I can't. This clan is falling apart." Her legs trembled. "Fine. I won't exile you for now. I can't. But I won't forgive you either. I can't. You simply. Are faking."
Mosslight's paws were frozen to the ground, eyes fixed on Nightstar's shaking shape. Shaking with fear, remorse, fury, whatever it was, it scared the medicine cat.
"How many times. Have you lied to me?" Nightstar's sentences were broken up by short pauses. "How many times have you played tricks on me? I knew them all along. I knew. But I hid them, and pretended that they weren't there."
"Sloooow down there..." Mosslight mumbled. "First of all, which tricks..."
But Nightstar carried on as if Mosslight hadn't spoken, or done anything at all. "The nice frost, has melted. I can't hold it back anymore. I. Am. Nightfrost. And. You. Will."
"Will..."
"M-My name isn't Will." Mosslight joked nervously. Nightstar didn't respond.
"Sorry," Mosslight's apology tumbled out. "Bad joke? I just desperately want to lighten this dark storm cloud. But seriously, there's quite a wind that will be coming." Mosslight joked again.
The tabby she-cat shook more violently than before. "I can't say it." She whispered, as if Mosslight had once again hadn't said anything. "I can't say it!"
"Say what? That I'm gonna die? You're gonna kill me? I'm gonna have mice in the morning? I'm gonna fall asleep for a day?" Mosslight tried to be humorous again.
"Liar. Liar." Nightstar growled.
Liar?
"I, uh, I was joking." Mosslight muttered hastily without knowing why Nightstar was calling her a liar. "Look." She meowed, remembering what had started all this. "I'm sorry I called you dishonourable okay?"
Nightstar's eyes were blazing with a peculiar emotion that Mosslight couldn't understand.
"Lies. All lies." Nightstar hissed.
Mosslight looked away from the blue eyes, fixing her gaze on a nearby bush.
"Let's go find Sparkflight." Nightstar's voice was cold. "Before I fall into another trap of your lies."
Mosslight nodded, eyes still on the bush. She finally looked up once Nightstar's pawsteps grew fainter.
She padded slowly after Nightstar's dark shape, letting out a small sigh.
A black, torn and tattered feather spun in circles as it twirled to the ground.
Mosslight did her best to ignore it, though was aware of every broken and battered detail of the feather as Nightstar's harsh words echoed in her head.
Sorry for the later chapter than usual, I have been mildly sick for a while (and I still am). Hopefully I can get better soon!
Check out my other Fanfiction, Tigerstar's Hatred!
Review!