Well…There's not much to say when I've disappeared off the face of the Earth for almost a year…I honestly have no excuse for you guys, it would be an absolute wonder is anybody is actually still reading my story. I bet most of you gave up anyways, I would do the same if I were you XD Well I actually have an update for you this time…so let's go! Quick A/N: If the paragraphs seem abnormally short, it's because I'm writing on my phone right now. Let's also pretend that there's been a time skip to a few moons ahead. Chapter 26 (I think):
"Fernspirit! Fernspirit, wait up!" The she-cat slowed to a walk, waiting for her companion to join her. She looked back absentmindedly to her light furred partner, Mothstorm. "Gosh dang it, she-cat, you walk fast," he panted. She twitched her whiskers in amusement.
"Yeah." Her answer was short. Mothstorm shot her a curious, green-eyed glance.
"What's up? You've been pretty quiet these past few moons. You okay?" She nodded slightly, just enough that Mothstorm picked it up.
"I'm fine." Yeah. Totally fine hiding the death of Longstorm. Thankfully, Mothstorm dropped the topic, not keen on quizzing Fernspirit. "Why don't we do some actual hunting now, hmm?" She allowed a touch of humour to reach her voice, as she flicked his ear and sped off towards the river.
"Fernspirit!" She heard him call after her, but this time, she ignored his persistent yowl. Flicking her tail at him, she bounded across the river, claws delicately scratching the surface of the pebbles. The scattering of stones announced Mothstorm's arrival to her. "What are you doing? We're not CreekClan," his amused purr sounded above her.
"Yeah, I know that," she grinned at him, an actual grin, which was increasingly harder to provoke out of her.
"Then what are you doing?" His dumbfounded question just made her smile more, as she gazed at the river. The same river you put Longstorm's body in. And just like that, her smile dropped, and she became the same, stony-faced cat FrostClan had grown to accept.
"Nothing," she replied shortly. "Go back to camp, Mothstorm." His worried face appeared beside her.
"You don't look okay," Mothstorm objected. "I don't think I should go back to camp." Her temper was growing ever so short.
"Please. Just go," she pleaded, willing her temper not to snap. He must've sensed the desperation in her voice, because he shrugged, and bounded off. Fernspirit's shoulder's sagged in relief. As soon as she could no longer see Mothstorm's brown pelt, she stood up, pawsteps quick as she padded through the river, swimming confidently. She had learned the technique of swimming from her CreekClan foes, the Clanmates of Longstorm. By moons of studying, she had begun to swim. After swimming a good few badger-lengths, she stopped and stepped out of the water.
"Hello?" She breathed softly. The amber eyes of an tabby cat glowed, and she stepped out of the shadows, tabby pelt on full display in the sunlight.
"You've looked like you just got dunked in the river," she observed her FrostClan counterpart. Fernspirit rolled her eyes, patience wearing thin.
"Please. I got Mothstorm to leave, not tell me why you needed me so urgently, Branchleaf." Branchleaf curled her lip at Fernspirit.
"They found Longstorm's body. Your fur is still in his claws." Her heart quickened.
"I thought you managed to get the fur out?" Fernspirit hissed angrily. Branchleaf shook her head.
"I tried, dear friend, but Smokeclaw, that damned tom, had to be near. I tried, Fernspirit." The FrostClanner shook her head, pacing along the riverside.
"It was for the good of the Clan. It was vengeance for Moonfrost," she whispered. "Do you think they'll understand?" Branchleaf shook her head, and the hope died from Fernspirit's eyes. "You have to cover for me!" Fernspirit pleaded. "At least until I rid FrostClan of Sunfeather! Please!" The broken look in her friend's eyes were all it took to get Branchleaf to nod her consent.
"Sure, I guess," Branchleaf shrugged. "But you owe me big time for this one, Fernspirit." The brown and white warrior didn't acknowledge Branchleaf's comment, just stood there, eyes fixated on the sky.
"Moonfrost, hear this. I'm avenging you and me. I killed Longstorm for you, and now, all I need is Sunfeather gone, and my life will be complete." She nodded at Branchleaf. "Take me to Longstorm." The CreekClan warrior, still unsure about her reckless agreement, nodded and padded forward.
"Follow me." So the two she-cats padded, side by side, to the dried out ditch where Longstorm's body sat, still in the same defensive position, vicious look in his eyes, face forever frozen in an ugly snarl. Fernspirit gently traced her unsheathed claws over the scars on his body.
"I did this to him," she breathed. "These…scars." Her face crumpled up with regret, before standing straighter, her face becoming blank. Branchleaf could vaguely hear Fernspirit's random mumblings. "You did it for Moonfrost," she was whispering to herself. Together, they picked out the last of Fernspirit's fur from his claws, quickly and efficiently, as the smell of cats drew near.
"Let's go." Branchleaf nudged her friend forward, and together, they ran, quickly, silently, like the assassin Fernspirit had become. As they reached the border, Fernspirit slowed to a stop on the other side.
"Thank you," she breathed, before pelting off, leaving Branchleaf in a swirl of dust. You did it for Moonfrost, your sweet, innocent sister. Those words immediately calmed Fernspirit of the daunting guilt she felt at killing Longstorm.
"Fernspirit!" She could hear Mothstorm calling for her again. "Fernspirit! Get back to camp! You've been out here for half a day!" Fernspirit crouched behind a bush as Mothstorm brushed past her a few fox lengths away. Her gaze followed him until he disappeared behind the brush, and she scurried off, back to camp.
"Fernspirit!" Rockflame must've spotted her, because he came, relief flashing across his eyes. "You're back! Finally! Mothstorm went looking for you, that boy sure cares for your wellbeing!" His eyes twinkled, and Fernspirit let out a half-hearted purr.
"I'll go and replenish the nests, dad." She loped off, after making her excuse, into the medicine cat's den. She sniffed the air, making sure Rosespiral's scent was stale, before closing in on the catmint. She delicately took a few leaves, before grabbing a mouthful of moss and rushing to the back of the nursery, where she found the hole she used to escape out of camp.
Ducking out, she skirted Mothstorm's fresh scent trail, heading back to the dried out ditch in CreekClan territory. She raced, full on pelting, to Longstorm's fly-infested body. She began rubbing the catmint on him, trying to mask whatever scent she still held on him, before taking the remaining leaves and rubbing it on herself.
"It was for Moonfrost," she reminded herself. Why did she feel so much guilt, whenever she looked at Longstorm's rotting body? Taking one last, remorseful glance at the corpse, she headed back, through the camp entrance.
"Where did you go? I was so worried about you!" Mothstorm immediately launched himself at Fernspirit furiously, eyeing her up and down, as if checking she wasn't some sort of fake.
"I went to collect more catmint," she replied. "I know we used up a lot of catmint from that greencough infection, so I figured we needed more." The lie slipped out so easily, she almost didn't notice the guilt that followed. Mothstorm seemed to accept her excuse, and stepped aside for Fernspirit to head into Rosespiral's den. The she-cat was inside, sorting through her herbs.
"Fernspirit?" She snapped. "What is it? I'm busy." A flash of annoyance went through Fernspirit, as she marched past Rosespiral and placed the catmint with the rest of its leaves. Without even uttering a thank you, Rosespiral snatched up the leaves, and stormed out, as if being in Fernspirit's presence was too much for her.
"Bad-tempered old hag," Fernspirit muttered.
"You won't like it when I tell Brackenstar," an oh-so-familiar feminine voice sounded. Fernspirit had the urge to roll her eyes. "Don't roll you eyes at me, pathetic waste," Sunfeather sneered. Fernspirit hissed, rounding on her mother.
"Don't you have to tend to your kits?" She snapped. Sunfeather chuckled.
"My kits can wait. You've been awfully quiet these few moons, haven't you?" She advanced towards her daughter, eyes cold. Fernspirit hissed at the golden she-cat.
"So have you. What happened between Hatredsoul and you?" She challenged, eyes alight with anger. Sunfeather's beautiful face twisted into an ugly snarl.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Hatredsoul is just another legend." Fernspirit rolled her eyes.
"Please mother, you know as well as I do that Hatredsoul exists. What happened to the deal you made? Paid back what you owe, yet?" She taunted her mother. Sunfeather hissed, lunging at Fernspirit, catching her across her bad eye. (A/N: If you've forgotten, it's the one she injured in a training session with Mothstorm, where he had his claws unsheathed)
Fernspirit hissed in pain, ducking away from the older warrior's jabs and blows. She rolled, before scrabbling to her feet. She cast a pained glance at the exit to the medicine cat's den, when she felt claws grasp her tail. She was given a hard shove into a wall, and she crumpled, awaiting the next blow.
It never came.
And she was left to dwell on her memories, to happier days, when Moonfrost was alive.
That concludes this chapter! What do you think? Just a fair warning for all my "Different" fans out there, the updates will be pretty sparse from now on, maybe an update every two weeks at the most. I'm sorry guys, the life is just catching up to me now. I'm training to compete in IHSA shows and clinics now (riding, for all you non-equestrians) and I'm busy breaking in green horses. Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed this update! xx Wish (and Amberflower)
R&R please!