Marrowfrost managed to finish chapter 23 last night. And that was amazing, because I was dozing off the entire time.
Reviews:
Whitespirit: 1) I know! 2) You're welcome. It took me a while to figure these out. 3) Yes, I can't wait to include her and Dylan's kits as well! 4) It's okay. I'll use Icekit(foot) and make her as Cloudkit's sister. It is an AU, after all.
Blaze narrowed her eyes at Dylan. Just what is he up to? Dylan had been extremely fidgety the entire time she and him had been searching for herbs. Is he that worried about Firegaze? She'll be fine. It's not like she's been captured by ShadowClan, for StarClan's sake. His white tabby pelt bristled with anxiety.
"Look, what's wrong? I've never seen you this agitated." Blaze meowed. Dylan sighed.
"I just have a lot on my mind." Dylan murmured. He kept his pace, his paws unevenly trudging across the pathway. It's about Firegaze, isn't it? "Come on, let's go find more herbs."
"And perhaps we'll find your mate on the way back." Blaze lightly teased. Dylan didn't even bother snapping a retort back; his fur still bristling. "Dylan, come on. You don't need to be acting like this. Firegaze will be alright." Dylan immediately whipped his head to face her.
Dylan hissed at her. "You're just saying that to make me feel better! It's not helping me at all!" He stopped walking and crouched down onto the floor. Is this hurting him that bad? "Blaze, just don't. I-I can't…no. Please don't mention it anymore, okay?" His eyes shone with regret and sorrow. Blaze sighed and walked ahead. He's just not in the mood for it, is he? Soon two familiar scents wafted into Blaze's nose. That's Firegaze and…Wasppaw? They were talking about something, and it seemed serious by the sound of it. Blaze pricked her ears forward to hear more.
"It's alright, Firegaze-" Wasppaw began.
"No it isn't! Things could turn out horrible!" Firegaze wailed. "You don't understand, Wasppaw!" What is she meowing on about? Blaze shared a sideways glance with Dylan. Just what does she mean?
"Firegaze, just shut up. You aren't even a medicine cat, so why should you be worried?" Wasppaw hissed. Although I've said something similar to Firegaze multiple times…just…wow. Dylan had already began padding forwards in the direction of her voice. Not wanting to be left behind, Blaze followed after him. After pushing through the bushes, Blaze saw Firegaze and Wasppaw, both relieved that Blaze and Dylan had found them.
"Thank StarClan you came when you did!" Wasppaw breathed in exhaustion. "She's been clawing my ears off with her complaints!" Sounds about normal to me. Dylan chuckled lightly.
"Firegaze is kind of a blabbermouth!" Dylan joked. Firegaze shot him an irritated glare, but Blaze could tell by the amused spark in her eyes that she didn't care one bit. StarClan, those two have grown so close…
Firegaze glanced at Blaze. "Did you guys come looking for me?" Her face then twisted into a smug grin. "You just couldn't wait for my endearing presence, could you?" Blaze resisted the urge to claw the smirk off of her face. Remain calm, Blaze. You can do it your dreams.
"Well I don't know about Blaze, but I missed you so much Firegaze," Dylan purred, also winking at her. Firegaze purred back, her eyes lighting up with joy. Is he…flirting with her? Wasppaw looked like she was about to burst out in laughter.
Blaze cut inbetween them. "Anyways…thank you for bringing home this annoying furball home." She mewed. Firegaze glared at Blaze, but said nothing. "How have you been, Wasppaw?" Wasppaw sighed.
"My mentor's dead, an apprentice is missing, ShadowClan attacking…ya know, the usual." Wasppaw grumbled. Spottedleaf's dead? Did ShadowClan cats do that? Blaze mused. And who's that missing apprentice? Please don't tell me it's- "Ravenpaw is missing. Do you have any idea where he is?" Firegaze narrowed her amber eyes. Firegaze, DON'T.
Blaze's tail was lashing, her claws unsheathing and sheathing. "Firegaze, keep your mouth shut." Firegaze's eyes glimmered with anger, as if she was saying 'Your threats won't stop me.'
"Blaze, if you won't say it, then I will." Firegaze growled. No! She immediately turned to Wasppaw, who was puzzled what was going on. "Wasppaw, we know-" Her words were cut short once Blaze leaped for her. Blaze rammed into Firegaze's flank, knocking her down. Firegaze let out a hiss of fury and swiped a sheathed forepaw in Blaze's face. Blaze narrowly dodged the attack, raising her forepaw to attack back.
"Blaze! Leave her alone!" Dylan snarled. Blaze self-consciously stepped away from Firegaze, realizing the horrible mistake she'd made. Oh StarClan, why'd I attack her? Firegaze immediately got up and ran over to Dylan, her eyes glinting with anger and fear. Dylan's eyes flashed with distrust. He looked over to Wasppaw. "You dropped off Firegaze. Now leave."
Wasppaw looked appalled. "But I-" Dylan unsheathed his claws, giving Wasppaw one last warning. "Fine. I'll leave." She hissed, padding away from the SkyClan-ThunderClan border. Blaze looked back over to Dylan and Firegaze, who were already heading back to camp. I-I… She weakly followed them from a distance, her guilt growing with every step she took. I attacked a Clanmate. I don't deserve to go back to camp. I don't deserve to be in SkyClan…
Blaze wearily padded into Violetstar's den, trailing behind Firegaze and Dylan. They'd been silent for the most part, much to Blaze's surprise. Violetstar's going to exile me, isn't she? Violetstar was sleeping in her nest, her flank rising and falling as she slumbered. Is it worth waking her up for this…? Blaze wondered to herself. Yes. It is. After all, she must get rid of me to keep her Clan safe. Violetstar began to wake up, her amber eyes glittered with both pain and anger.
"What do you want?" Violetstar snapped. Her tail was lashing back and forth, almost reaching both sides of the den. She's going to exile me, isn't she? "Well? Speak up!" Firegaze looked down at her paws while Dylan glared at Blaze, glowering her.
"V-Violetstar, both me and Firegaze had a fight." Blaze whispered. Violetstar glanced at Firegaze and looked back at Blaze, her eyes narrowed.
Violetstar sighed. "Can't ever seem to get a break." She grumbled. "Blaze and Firegaze, I'm sick of the two of you fighting like you're enemies. You are Clanmates. You will treat each other as such." Firegaze opened her mouth to hiss at Violetstar. Violetstar shot her a silencing glare. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. I want both of you to go to the mediator's den and work this out." Violetstar narrowed her eyes at Dylan. "And as for you-" Dylan gulped. "You'll be coming with them too. Get out of my den." Blaze followed Firegaze and Dylan out of Violetstar's den, grumbling to herself. I don't need to go to the mediator's den.
Firegaze shot her a bitter glare. "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be in this situation. Thanks a lot, Blaze." She immediately stomped over to the mediator's den with Dylan behind her. Do you think I don't know that? Blaze's ears pricked when she heard pawsteps coming up to her. She turned to see River padding towards her, his silver eyes gleaming with sympathy.
He gently stroked her back with his tail. "I'm sorry you have to deal with that mouse-brain, Blaze. She doesn't know how to hold her tongue very well." Blaze stifled a purr. Leave me alone, River. "Oh come on, you know I'm right. I overheard that you needed a mediator to help out. I'm sure I can relieve your worries-" His purr was cut short when Blaze saw her foster father Spiritmask whack him in the head with his tail.
"River, go back to sorting out the moss. I'm sure Blaze doesn't want your help." Spiritmask hissed. River's pale gray and white tabby pelt bristled with anger. River, just go away. Spiritmask is making it clear that you need to go.
River snorted. "Yeah, and hedgehogs fly. That's not my duty, Spiritmask. I'm a mediator, remember? I'm not a kit." River isn't even making any sense. Spiritmask cuffed his ear with his claws sheathed. "What was that for?"
"That was for disobedience. And if you don't hurry it up, the next one will be for being unpunctual. Understand?" Spiritmask growled. River scowled at Spiritmask before walking back over to the messy and torn up pile of moss. That's our bedding! Doesn't he care about anyone other than himself?! "I'll be coming with you. Dove will want to hear about this…if she remembers River." How can a cat just forget others like that? Dove must be really forgetful, or she's doing it on purpose. Blaze walked over to the mediator's den, with Spiritmask padding beside her. As soon as they entered the den, Blaze could tell that Firegaze and Dylan were in the den, but Dove wasn't. Where'd she get to?
"Where's Dove?" Blaze cautiously asked. Firegaze shrugged her shoulders, while Dylan just flat out ignored Blaze. "Great. Just great." Spiritmask was looking behind her, his gaze fixated on something. "D-Dad? What is it?" Spiritmask moved closer to Blaze, whispering something in her ear.
"Dove's back. And judging by look on her face, she's both afraid and confused at the same time." Spiritmask muttered. But what's up with her? Isn't she alright? Dove padding into the mediator's den, looking a tad overwhelmed.
"Why's there so many cats in here? Oh well. There's more important things to worry about." Dove whispered, barging into Firegaze and Dylan. She quickly got up and began shifting her nest like crazy. Spiritmask narrowed his red eyes.
"What in StarClan's name are you doing?" He growled. "You have three patients assigned to you by Violetstar! Why're you acting like this?!" Dove shot him a deafening glare. She gave a warning look to Blaze, Firegaze and Dylan. Clearly this not the time to ask her anything.
"Could I…? No. No, too small." Dove hissed to herself. She bursted out of the den, still muttering to herself. What was that about? Everyone else had thought the same. Just what's up with Dove? "YEEEESSSS! THIS IS IT!" Something is very wrong with that she-cat. Blaze immediately rushed out of the mediator's den to see Dove completely covered in moss, her tail being the only thing seen. "River, get some more moss!"
"You are a mouse-brain to think that I'd-" River snapped. Dove hissed at him. "Fine, fine. I'll go get more dumb ol' moss." River grumbled aloud before walking out of camp. "Mouse-brain." He muttered under his breath. Even I have to agree. Just what's up with Dove today? In the corner of her eye, she saw Hazel padding towards her.
"Dove?" Hazel asked in an irritated tone of voice. Dove tilted her head. "What in your right mind made you think that this is acceptable? Do you enjoy ruining our bedding?" She hissed. Dove popped out of the moss pile. "That just proves my point even more. That was perfectly fine moss until you went ahead and ruined it!" Dove looked down at her paws, in which Blaze guessed was shame. "Dove, can't you go wreck stuff outside of camp instead of inside? Your behavior is like a kit's!"
"Hazel, that's enough." A growl resounded from the camp entrance. Blaze turned to see Ivy, who had returned from a hunting patrol. "Just leave my sister alone." Hazel ignored her. "Hazel!"
"Ivy, you are not the boss of me. Who's the deputy of SkyClan? Last time I checked, it wasn't you." Hazel snarled at her. She returned to glaring at Dove. "If you're going to act like a kit, then you'll do apprentice chores like one. Go clean Holly's pelt which is full of ticks." Although Hazel's doing her job, I don't think this is right…
Dove let out a tiny whimper. "H-Hazel, I'm sorry! I wasn't thinking-"
"You're never thinking! Which is exactly why you get on everyone's nerves!" Hazel snapped. She turned to Violetstar's den. "This will not go unnoticed, Dove. This was the last straw." Hazel stomped into Violetstar's den, leaving the commotion behind her. Dove glanced around herself, on the verge of tears. She then bolted out of camp, surprising many of the current cats in it. Where's she going? Blaze wanted to find out, but not with everyone still watching. I must wait for the right moment.
Her father only looked down at his paws, as if he was ashamed. Dylan and Firegaze were behind them, their eyes closed. I should go. Now. Quickly and quietly, Blaze padded away from them and over to the camp exit where Dove had left. She looked around herself. Everyone was paying attention to something else, for now at least. Blaze quickly ran for it, following Dove's scent. She shouldn't've gone too far… Soon after a little bit of running, Blaze found Dove just like she'd expected. Dove was laying on the ground, her paws covering her eyes.
"Go away." Dove murmured. "I only want Stargaze right now." Speaking of which, where is he? "I said go away!"
"Dove." Blaze shakily meowed, her voice uneven and unsteady. "You need to come back. Everyone's worried about you." Dove looked up at Blaze, her light green eyes shimmering with despair.
"They only want someone to yell at! The only cat who truly cares about me is Stargaze!" Dove wailed. Her pelt was messy and matted, as if she'd stopped washing it all together. She's not having a good time of it, huh? "Stop trying to tell me all those lies! I'm not in the mood for them right now!"
Blaze took a step closer to Dove. She's my Clanmate. She wouldn't attack me, right? "Dove, no one is lying but you. You are a wonderful and unique cat and SkyClan's glad to have you." Dove narrowed her eyes.
"No, they aren't! Stop telling me that load of fox-dung over and over!" Dove snarled. Her light green eyes were shadowed by hatred for herself. "Stop trying to make me feel better; it doesn't help at all!" She then got up and raced away from Blaze. Dove, why're you so angry? You know I'm telling the truth. She heard pawsteps come up from behind her. Blaze saw Stargaze and Hazel behind her, both looking worried.
"S-She ran away, didn't she?" Hazel choked out the words. Blaze nodded. "StarClan, please forgive me for this…" Stargaze glared at her for a brief second, then looked forwards in the path Dove had run in.
Stargaze's eyes were narrowed to slits. "Dove's in danger. We need to save her instead of grieving, Hazel. I'll go after her first." Immediately Stargaze broke into a run after Dove. StarClan, please protect Dove…
QotD: What are your thoughts on River, the battle hungry mediator apprentice of SkyClan?
Personally, I don't really like writing him that much cause in most scenes he's a piece of fox-dung. It's only with Blaze that he seems to be more gentle with. (But I really don't like River/Blaze)