Ayooooo peeps! (I'm late again. Whatever, y'all are probably bored of apologies…)
Welcome to the chapter that's about to set it ALL OFF because everything's about to go wrong.
Review Replies:
KaiLover: Not IMPORTANT? Le gosh, how could you say such a thing?
Night of the Cheshire: Dark and Lightning, huh? Cool. Usually it's one or the other, but whatever broils your brisket, bro.
crazylegs(That's a heck of a name XD): Hmmmmmmm good to see you're doing your research, but are you correct? We shall see!
Starrysong: Yeaaaah, halfway through the planning I realized that was kind of how it was, but that's going to be a bit important at some point. I don't like leaving loose ends all over the place.
Crowfrost(I hath been blessed for such a celebrity to visit my lowly story!): AUUUUGH! I DON'T KNOW! OH WAIT I DO BUT Y'ALL ARE GONNA HAVE TO WAIT AND SEEEEEEE!
Well, onwards!
Disclaimer: I don't actually own warriors… (quelle surprise)
Chapter 35.
It never dries, does it? Wavepaw thought to himself, inspecting the delicately dripping reeds. That storm was nearly a moon ago, but any cat would think it hit us yesterday; everything's still wet. I'm not complaining, though, it meant I could go to Lightningpaw again. Easier than swimming across the lake.
I can't believe Fallowspots wasn't even a tiny bit suspicious when you could suddenly swim like you were… Rippl- Riverstar. Pondfrost muttered in his head, yawning loudly. He ain't the fastest fish in the lake, huh.
Could you keep it down? Wavepaw demanded irritably. I'm supposed to be fishing, you know.
He'd been assigned the river nearest to the WindClan border and instructed to bring back four fish by sunhigh. There was a pile of fish next to him, many more than he had been told to catch, but he found the routine of stillness then sudden movement rather calming, almost therapeutic.
You've got plenty. Pondfrost pointed out. You can just go back.
Didn't ask for suggestions. Wavepaw snapped. Can't you go back into your little dream world and leave me some peace?
Why yes, I can go back and torture myself with deathly boredom for days on end, eventually going mad and torturing you in your dreams. Pondfrost declared dryly. Sayonara.
Wait! Maybe not. Wavepaw clarified. Just… shush, okay?
Pondfrost did as he asked, his mind silent and calm once more. That's weird; she usually doesn't do what I ask… Wavepaw thought.
Then they came.
Crushing down on him, tearing his mind apart.
Lightningpaw. In a hundred different situations, but each with one thing in common. The blood. Everywhere. Not the blood that Duckfeather had coughed up as she lay dying in the medicine den after the badger attack, not the blood that covered his muzzle after a particularly juicy vole, but blackish-scarlet liquid that beaded quicker and quicker, until he was drowning in it, the salt stinging him and the liquid covering him.
"H- help!" He choked out, the scarlet blood splashing thickly into his muzzle.
He coughed and heaved, the saltiness of it getting into his ears and nose and mouth.
Then it was gone.
I'm back. Pondfrost whispered, making zero attempt to veil her smugness. How was that?
How could you do that?! He demanded, furious. Why did- why do I- where did that come from?
You're asking the wrong questions. Pondfrost snapped.
What are the right questions?! He hissed, fishing forgotten.
Well, those images were always there. She corrected. The question is, why aren't they anymore?
Okay, fine. He relented, irritated. Why aren't they here anymore?
Because I am. Pondfrost's smirk was audible. I'm helping you; don't push me away. You know what will happen.
Uh, no. No, I don't. He growled.
You are a fish-brain. Pondfrost hissed. You will see her like that, over and over again until your mind becomes nothing but the prison of your soul, and you will make it come true.
Wavepaw said nothing. Silence lapped at his mind like waves, but Pondfrost was there; he could feel her hovering at the end of his consciousness.
He focused on fishing.
…
"Where were you?!" Fallowspots demanded as he slunk back into camp, the sun's amber rays slowly fading from the evening sky. "You were supposed to come back by sundown!"
"It is sundown," Wavepaw snapped. "Besides, I brought back more than eight fish!"
"Which just shows you don't listen to direction," Fallowspots hissed back. "You were told to bring back four! You could have gone on patrol or done something helpful for the Clan, but noooo, you had to be selfish and take all the time you wanted, just so you could get a little extra praise from your daddy. Sorry, but that isn't happening."
Bad day? Pondfrost whispered in his head, causing him to snicker.
Bad choice.
"Excuse me, but I'd like a little respect while I'm talking!" Fallowspots exploded. "Go to the apprentice's den and stay there until you've learned the proper way to treat your father, mentor, and superior!"
StarClan above, he's in a bad mood. Wavepaw thought to hiimself as he turned away from the hissing gray and white tabby.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a fluffy white shape storm up to Fallowspots, a gleam of murder in her eyes. Cloudfall. Wavepaw thought, a little devilish glee running through his fur. Now he's gonna get it.
Sure enough, their argument reached fever pitch quickly, echoing over the camp. Wavepaw felt a stab of anxiety. He didn't want them to fight; not like this. The whole camp knew that they didn't have a happy relationship.
What happened to make them like this? He wondered.
You'll find out soon enough. Pondfrost promised ominously. And you need to keep yourself under control when you do.
What do you mean, under control? He demanded.
You'll see. Pondfrost whispered, retreating to the back of his mind.
His body felt like it was being torn apart. He couldn't look at Cloudfall or Fallowspots, but he couldn't move either. Go. Run! His mind cried. RUN!
And finally, he bolted.
He couldn't control his paws and they led him to the furthest reaches of RiverClan territory, away from every border except the one the separated RiverClan from the rest of the world. The twolegs place loomed.
Wavepaw paused right before he stepped over the border.
Was he really going to leave? Not for long. I just can't be in this territory right now. I'll come back; I'll go to the Gathering. He promised himself quickly, and lightly padded over the scent line.
Where to now? He wondered, looking around at the cold and unforgiving stone structures of the twolegs place. It was the opposite of welcoming. Even the scraggly little trees looked hostile.
The shadows seemed to shift right before his eyes, and he whipped around to try to look at all of them at once.
A creeping chill of foreboding crept up his spine as he realized that the little glowing fireflies weren't fireflies.
They were eyes.
Watching him.
He stealthily slipped into the shadows of a large building, the noise of cats arguing reached his ears.
"It just feels like you're trying to get rid of me!" A young she-cat's indignant voice echoed over to Wavepaw. "I don't want to go!"
"You're doing this for us; for Rust," an older tom's voice responded. It was vaguely familiar. "You're just helping your family."
"But this isn't about us!" The first cat snapped back. "This is about your pathetic revenge."
"Sin, calm down," another voice, this one of a she-cat, probably around the age of the tom. "You were the one who suggested this. You know she's probably distracted and mixed up by now. You can help her; don't you want to?"
Who are these cats? Wavepaw wondered. They sound familiar, but…
"I guess…" the she-cat, Sin, replied uncertainly. "Scar never could focus on anything."
Wavepaw shivered at her tone. It was halfway between fond and malicious.
"All the more reason to go help her," the tom reasoned, sounding impatient. "Besides, you have just as much reason to hate the Clans as we do."
They're talking about… our Clans? Wavepaw's fur rose on his spine. Scar, Sin, what kind of names are those?
"Willy, sir, there's a cat here to see you," a fourth voice, a young, nervous tom, joined the other three. "Shall I send him in?"
"Who?" The older tom, who Wavepaw assumed was Willy, demanded.
"Uh- uh- Benny," the young tom muttered, as though the name alone could get his head mounted on a stick.
"It's been ten moons and suddenly that good for nothing piece of smooth-skin trash wants back?" Willy exploded, black fury erupting through the area.
Wavepaw took the moment to peep out of his hiding spot into the shadows to catch a brief glimpse of the cats. What he saw shocked him.
First, he spotted Willy. While he wasn't the biggest or scariest cat Wavepaw had seen, there was a quiet air of danger around him, every cat near him bowing slightly, accepting him as the leader.
Willy's ragged gray fur was on end, his yellow eyes blazing as he snapped at the young messenger.
It's him. Ice cascaded over his insides. Cherryfish. Acornkit. Pikepaw. Willy. Willy. He's the one who stole Acornkit.
The gray tom had definitely aged, but it was most certainly the same tom.
Waevpaw glanced at the older she-cat. She too was very familiar, a ginger she-cat with a velvety sweet voice. Satin. She's Willy's mate, isn't she?
And the third cat. A thick-furred ginger she-cat with darker brown tabby stripes. And golden eyes. Very, very familiar golden eyes. Lightningpaw? No. Lightningpaw has brown fur, not ginger, and she has white stripes, not dark brown ones. She's probably around Lightningpaw's age, though.
Sin. The name was unfamiliar, but the she-cat threw him into a hazy memory.
"She was pretty and red," his younger self murmured.
Pretty and red.
Acorn.
Acornkit.
Is that… Acornkit?
His mind whirred.
He barely passed a glance over the messenger, a thickly muscled ginger tom who looked very uncomfortable in his own fur. He was mildly familiar, but Wavepaw had a strong feeling that he'd never seen him before. Sparx? No… Sparx was bigger, and he would be old by now. This cat is young. His son, perhaps? Wavepaw theorized silently before settling back into his hiding spot to listen to the rest of the conversation.
"Embyr, tell Benny to get his tail off the order of the Rust's territory before we rip it off," Willy ordered coldly.
"And if he refuses?" The tom, Embyr, asked nervously.
"Then kill him," Willy responded simply, his voice devoid of any compassion.
It sent a cold shiver down Wavepaw's spine. Kill him. The words echoed deafeningly in his ears.
"Sin, say good-bye to Embyr," Willy ordered sweetly. "This will be the last time you see him."
Embyr's eyes widened in fear, but Willy made no move to strike him.
Sin nodded softly, making her way over to Embyr and resting her muzzle on his shoulder, whispering a few intimate words that Wavepaw couldn't make out. Embyr responded, pain clear in his tone, his words inaudible.
Sin drew back, nodding shortly, her golden eyes pools of sadness.
"Sorry, Sin," Satin murmured to the young she-cat. "I'm sure you'll have many more opportunities; a pretty young thing like you will have all the toms falling at her paws."
Wavepaw grimaced. It sounded like Embyr and Sin had been mates or at least very close. Were Satin and Willy forcing her to break off her relationship with Embyr? Are they… are they her parents?
Suddenly, another piece of flashback came to him.
"She looks just like one of our own, wouldn't you agree, Satin?" Willy smiled wolfishly.
"Just like Cin," Satin agreed.
Cin and Sin? That's practically the same name. Pondfrost snorted contemptuously.
Unless… Sin isn't Acornkit… Wavepaw was completely confused. Are Cin and Sin the same cat? Then who is Acornkit? But… Sin or Cin or whoever she is looks just like the kit from my memory…
But remember what Satin said? Pondfrost countered. 'Just like Cin'. So maybe they named her Sin after their kit, Cin.
Then what's become of Cin? Wavepaw wondered, perplexed.
"And Embyr, on your way out," Willy said icily, "would you take care of that little silver tom over by the fence?"
…
He didn't know how long he'd been running.
His lungs felt like they were on fire, his paws felt like torn up leaves, and his fur was unkept.
The twolegs place was like a maze; he couldn't find his way out no matter how hard he tried.
Every corner he turned greeted him with more identical gray buildings. RiverClan territory just felt further away than ever. He figured that turning around might help, but he could hear Embyr hard on his heels and wasn't going to slow down for any cat.
"Hurry up, you fools!" Embyr's uncertain, kind tone from before had disappeared entirely, replaced with a harsh, commanding tone of a hunter. "We have to catch him!"
Wavepaw didn't think it was possible, but he sped up. His paws were flying across the hard, rough stone, his breath pumping in and out raggedly.
He suddenly started coughing, coughing hard. He screwed up his face, closing his eyes as he suddenly found himself running across a large expanse of sand. He swerved, nearly crashing into an obscenely bright structure of some kind with little twolegs kits hanging off it.
Suddenly thinking of something, he bounded forwards, jumping as high as he could, then as he landed, slammed his back paws hard into the sand, kicking up a great cloud of dust.
Satisfaction rammed through him as he bounded across the rest of the sandy expanse, hearing the coughing of the other cats. Now you can lose them! Pondfrost urged him. Just a bit faster! I'll guide you.
He continued running, too out of breath to think. He reached the edge of the sand and leaped off it, faced with two directions.
Left! Pondfrost shouted.
He obeyed, swerving to the side to avoid a thunderpath. He slowed slightly, his legs finally announcing to the world that they weren't going to obey anything else that Wavepaw was telling them.
Jump onto this fence! Pondfrost screeched in his ears. He obeyed, bunching his aching legs underneath him and leaping onto it. Now, quickly, get on top of this big… thing. Ugh, Whiteshadow would know…
Who's Whiteshadow? Wavepaw asked, not really caring, just hoping that Pondfrost wouldn't leave again. I'm not dealing with those visions while running away from a vicious group of rogues. Nope. Not happening.
My… well, not anymore, I suppose. Pondfrost purred drily, but her voice was laden with long-embedded sadness. She… was my… my… Look out!
The sudden screech of panic from Pondfrost sent a shot of fire through his veins and he sped up, barely sparing a glance behind him to see Embyr hot on his heels, now with a large amassment of rogues, all wild-eyed and haggard-looking.
He leapt onto the covering part of a twolegs nest, clattering across what seemed to be shiny, leaf-shaped stones.
His instincts taking over, he bounded from one nest to the next, eventually spotting RiverClan territory over the rising smoke of the twolegs trash.
He wasn't making any effort to control his breathing at this point, it was just his lungs yanking in polluted breath after polluted breath. His legs burned and stung, but he knew the alternative was death, and he wasn't in any hurry to be dead at the paws of some mangy rogues.
Had it been any of situation, Wavepaw might have found beauty in the twilight slowly encompassing the dark twolegs place, the last golden-amber rays of the sun fading away, leaving a dark, velvety violet that weighed heavily on the sky.
However, this was a life-and-death chase with a bunch of deranged rogues. Admiring a sunset was a one-way ticket to StarClan at this point. Wavepaw, you're almost there, just a little more! Pondfrost urged.
Thanks, I get it. He replied, his breathing speeding up right along his heartbeat.
As his paws pounded across the top of the largest twolegs nest yet, his bouncing, crazy vision spotted the looming edge of the nest.
Jump! Pondfrost screamed.
And then his legs were stumbling, bunching, and pushing off messily as he took a flying leap off the edge.
For a beautiful, sparkling moment, he was flying.
Flying right through the breeze.
And then, for an electrifying terrifying moment, he was falling.
Falling straight down, straight into the ground
Explosions of pain jolted through his shoulder as he landed flat-footed, pain screeching through every nerve.
He cried out, raw and vulnerable, collapsing onto the earth.
It's the end for me… He thought sadly. You win, Breezepaw. Goodbye, world.
Get up! Pondfrost yowled into his ears. Quit being a drama queen! ON YOUR PAWS!
The vehemence of her tone was nearly enough to propel him to his feet, but the fiery agony blasting through him had a very different opinion.
"Stop!" A sudden scream of fury so red and flaming that even Wavepaw froze echoed over the area. "Go back! Get out of here, Embyr, before I tear your throat out!"
He heard a mumble of surprise, before everything went dark.
…
"You alright?" A flash of reddish-brown loomed over him. "Wakey, wakey."
His eyes fluttered open.
"Who- who are you?" He managed, his words muddled.
"Your mother," the cat snorted. "Not. It don't matter in the least, just- are you alright? Flippin' Clan cats, always fainting when they see me, weaklings. No offence. I'm not that ugly, am I?"
"Sin?" He mumbled, the named alighting on his tongue when he saw the familiar bright pelt of red with darker brown tabby stripes.
"Sin?" She echoed. "'aven't heard that one in a while. Some memories there… nope. I don't know who you are, little silver, but you better go before the Rust gets their claws into ya."
He nodded slowly, delirious.
"Thanks, Acornkit…"
"Who?" She looked completely nonplussed by the name. "I ain't no kit. Or an acorn. Are you sure you didn't hit your head?"
He lifted his tail to give her a shaky salute, and walked away.
That- that wasn't Sin. Pondfrost murmured. Sin had golden eyes, remember?
Yeah… but you're dead! Wavepaw snickered to himself as he walked, swaying slightly as he went, his muscles tense and aching. How can you see anything?
I see through your eyes. Pondrost told him patiently. That cat had very familiar eyes… but she couldn't have…
There was a pregnant silence for a moment. Then-
HOLY SWEET CHILDREN OF THE STARS.
Wavepaw was pretty sure his ears were bleeding.
IT'S HER. IT MUST BE. Pondfrost was screaming. B-BUT SHE WAS- FROM THE RUST? BUT THAT WASN'T HOW THEY SAID IT WOULD BE, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A CLAN THAT SHE WAS BORN INTO, HOW-
Then more silence, and Wavepaw winced.
Oh. Oh no no no. Pondfrost whispered. She was born into there, then was taken, then came back, but to the wrong- OH NO. THIS IS VERY BAD.
What's going on?! Wavepaw demanded. Who are you talking about?
And then Pondfrost was gone.
The images were bearing down on him, but every time they were close, he felt Pondfrost pop back into his mind to shield him for a moment.
Thanks, real helpful. Wavepaw snapped sarcastically.
He walked silently to the Gathering island, not caring how furious Fallowspots probably was about his disappearance. Confusion roiled through his mind like the lake in the middle of a storm.
Don't think about any of that. Right now, you have to go see Lightningpaw. No more acting weird; you're not wasting so many journeys across the lake just to stammer and act like a kit that's never been out of the nursery! He told himself brusquely. Now, where is she?
For the first time, he spotted her right away.
His heart sped up a little, but his paws didn't so much as twitch. Improvement. He noted to himself. I can do this.
He took a took a deep breath and stepped forwards. I can do this, I can do this. It's just another cat. Imagine she's… uh… Crowstrike! Yeah, just an easy conversation with a Clanmate. He nodded to himself, trying to slow his racing heart.
He swallowed. Confidence! You can do this!
Wavepaw approached her slowly, from the back so she wouldn't see how he was shaking.
"Breezepaw?" Her soft mew reached his ears.
Grrr. Forget about him. He thought, but quelled the thought.
"Nope," another deep breath, "just me."
"Wavepaw," her mew was blank, almost uninterested.
Better than scared and angry. He told himself. Improvement. She'll come around; I know she will.
"Hiya, Lightningpaw," he smiled as gently and unthreateningly as he could.
She breathed out softly, sounding nearly relieved. What, you think I'm going to attack you or something? A faintly amused part of him snarked rhetorically as another, lovesick part piped up, I'd never hurt you! I love you!
"So how's RiverClan been?" She asked.
Starting a conversation! Okay, okay, now remember, speak with confidence and smoothness. He directed himself silently, not trusting himself to form an intelligible response.
"Well, after fourteen assassination plots directed at Snowstar, I think-" he grinned.
"What?! Assassination plots?" She had obviously believed him.
"Kidding. We've been pretty good," he nodded warmly. "I mean, other than Crowstrike pretending she's deputy, that is."
There, make some jokes but keep the conversation moving. He announced to himself.
"Crowstrike?" Lightningpaw tilted her head, an invitation to continue.
"She was made a warrior a little while ago," Wavepaw told her.
"Ah," she nodded knowingly. "We have a cat like that too. Rosefire."
Finding common ground! He cheered silently. I've got this!
"She sounds delightful," Wavepaw employed his secret tactic; a smirk. "Well, I'm guessing Rosefire doesn't have a brother who flirts constantly with your sister like a starving fox."
Actually, he knew very well that Oakpaw and Mallowpaw had each taken an interest in one of Lightningpaw's sister. Ripplepaw had befriended Vixenpaw, Lightningpaw's sister, enthusiastically declaring they were littermates seperated at birth. And Seednose may not have made any progress with Ripplepaw, but how could he know that, the way she leads him on?
"Oh-ho, you guess, do you?" She purred, and Wavepaw quivered with delight. "You'd be wrong! In fact, mister 'I-know-it-all', Rosefire has two brothers and they're both after my sisters!"
Is that so? Pondfrost gasped in fake surprise. Wavepaw sure didn't know that! Gosh!
Wavepaw stifled a purr at Pondfrost's antics.
"Is there one after you?" He joked. "Or are you and Rosefire the star-crossed lovers of ThunderClan?"
Oh no, what if she likes she-cats? A little worry niggled at the back of his mind.
"It's unofficial," she quipped. "And how about you and Crowstrike? Have you announced it yet, or are you waiting to be made a warrior?"
Yeah right. You're the only for me. He breathed to himself, but he didn't say anything except:
"Hilarious," he narrowed his eyes. "But seriously, I want to hear all the ThunderClan gossip. Who are these toms after your sisters?"
His genuine curiosity was grossly outweighed by his desire to keep her talking.
"Well," she settled down, tucking her paws under her chest adorably, "one's name is Mallowdrop, and… I suppose it would be more accurate to say my sister's after him since it would be a miracle from StarClan themselves if he did anything proactive ever, but I think Vixenpaw'll set him straight. Oakpelt and Slatepaw, on the other paw, are obviously destined to be; they stare at each other all the time while they're 'hunting' and their crushes on each other are so obvious."
Wavepaw nodded slowly, trying add an air of amused mystery to himself.
Pondfrost roared with laughter as he tried to be flirty.*
"If only it was that easy for the rest of us," he sighed dramatically, shooting her a hinting look that he was fairly sure she completely missed.
Something glimmered in the golden folds of her eyes, but it vanished quickly, just leaving sunny ice.
"I'm not interested in a mate," her tone was blunt and hard. "Who needs some tom to tie them down?"
"Is that so?" He allowed an amused smirk to play across his face. "Then what are you interested in, Lightningpaw?"
He savoured her name for a moment, noting with sweeping delight that she stammered for a heartbeat.
"I'm going to be leader of ThunderClan one day," she announced to him. "Just ask- ask Vixenpaw."
Oh, I will. He murmured to himself, trying to make a mental note.
"I wouldn't doubt you could get there," he tilted his head amiably down to her. "You seem like a cat that wouldn't settle for anything."
"What do you know about me?" Her face dared him to try to find out.
"I know you believe me when I say that you'll be leader," he tried to make his eyes as round and magnetic as possible.
"Really. And why is that?"
"Because you're a good cat. You have something the rest of us don't," then blue fire, like he'd practiced in the puddles. "Determination."
"I- I-" she stammered, and he felt a surge of delight. "I have to go!"
I've got her. I've so got her. He thought to himself, wishing he were alone so he could dance around. That she-cat is mine, mine, mine!
His eyes glowed.
Wavepaw allowed himself to be envelopped by triumph and joy for a moment, ignoring Pondfrost's snide remarks. Eventually, he had to pull himself out of pleasant reveries as he heard the nasally mew of the ThunderClan leader ring over the area.
Ugh, I hope that decrepit old fossil kicks it soon. He thought viciously to himself.
"Quiet down!" He heard Reedtail snap.
He turned to see who had incurred the fishy-breathed wrath of the elder, only to spot Lightningpaw sitting right next to Darkpaw, being harassed by the old fart.
He slipped over to the trio with the speed of a diving salmon.
"Reedtail, why don't you come sit by me?" He invited smoothly. "I have a great spot. The leaders haven't started yet, so we'll have lots of time."
"Okay," he grumbled, allowing himself to be led away as Wavepaw lightly laid his tail on his shoulders.
As he left, he threw a wink over his shoulder at the pair of she-cats.
He heard Darkpaw stammering incoherently with anger, drowning out any reaction Lightningpaw had, and he felt a surge of amusement and delight.
Today is a good day.
…
After Thornstar had finished babbling about his kits and the new warriors, things really started to get interesting for Wavepaw.
"Wait! I forgot something!" Thornstar yelped like a vole being poked with a twig.
"Sorry, continue," Snowstar rolled his eyes.
Agreed. Wavepaw silently concurred with Snowstar's loud vibe of impatience.
"RiverClan," Thornstar, suddenly deadly serious, stalked across the branch he was perched on until he was nose to nose with the fluffy leader. "Care to explain how it came to be that our patrols found scents in our own territory?!"
"RiverClan scents?" Whatever Snowstar had expected Thornstar to say, it clearly wasn't that. "In your territory?"
"Yes!" Thornstar snapped.
"But… RiverClan hasn't been in ThunderClan territory for several moons!" Snowstar didn't even seem angry, just extremely confused.
"Stop trying to deny it! We found scents deep in our territory!" Thornstar hissed.
"None of my warriors were anywhere near your camp!" Snowstar snapped. "We live on the other side of the lake!"
"Yes, he's right. Any cat would have to pass through our territories before they could reach yours, and I think I speak for both of us when I say that we've seen no cat," Spottedstar took a threatening step towards Snowstar, Ivystar mirroring her movements.
"Maybe you should patrol your borders better!" Thornstar exploded, undeterred by their threatening stances. "I know what I smelled!"
Wavepaw watched all this with an icy chill slowly sinking its fangs into his fur. Scents deep in their territory? Like… in their camp, perhaps?
Wavepaw, you idiot, you're going to cause a war! Pondfrost snapped. What have you done?
Only what you told me! Wavepaw protested.
Oh, I am going to get an earful tonight. Pondfrost hissed to herself. Pondfrost, what have you done? This is worse than the Birdwhisker issue, worse than the kits, worse- well, probably not worse than being at fault for the slow and painful death of-
What are you talking about? Wavepaw demanded.
Nothing! Pondfrost shouted. I- well, honestly… a war would be better than the utter obliteration of everything the Clans have ever known…
When you put it like that… Wavepaw snarked.
"Are you saying that we're not doing a good job of protecting our borders?" Ivystar demanded, her voice colder than the peak of a blizzard.
"I'm saying that a RiverClan patrol didn't swim across the lake," Thornstar hissed.
No indeed, squirrel-cruncher. Pondfrost remarked acidly. Just one, fish-tail brain.
"No RiverClan cats touched our borders," Spottedstar's mew was low and dangerous. "Do not argue."
"I will defend my Clan!" Thornstar refuted her words with the vehemence of a mad cat.
This is very very not good. He thought to himself. Very bad. Snowstar's going to chew him up and spit him out.
"Thornstar, no RiverClan cats were in your territory!" Snowstar mewed, his voice impressively calm. "Perhaps you should just calm down and think rationally-"
"Don't tell me what to do!" The older leader yowled furiously.
"Hey," Wavepaw jumped as a voice came from right beside him.
"Darkpaw," he frowned at her.
The little calico inspected him. His pelt prickled under her unblinking amber stare.
"I've rethought my earlier statement," Darkpaw declared diplomatically.
"Which one?"
"I believe we may be able to help each other after all."
…
Wavepaw ignored Fallowspots hovering creepily around a group of ShadowClan apprentices, staring especially hard at one that had a familiar golden and black pelt, he ignored two apprentices, one ShadowClan and one WindClan sneaking around, snickering to each other.
He was on a mission, and he wasn't letting any cat distract him.
Of course, should Lightningpaw show up begging to be my mate, I may have to reconsider that policy. He giggled like a kit to himself. Now where's Breezy?
"Fine," Lightningpaw's broken mew barely reached his ears.
"Fine," Breezepaw echoed.
They'd obviously had some sort of fight, but Wavepaw wasn't interested in what. As much as his paws were itching to chase after Lightningpaw and comfort her, he had to befriend Breezepaw for Darkpaw's plan to work.
He approached his enemy slowly, trying to suppress the urge to leap on Breezepaw and yank out pawfuls of his fur.
Eventually, Wavepaw managed to place himself in front of Breezepaw without murdering him.
However, the golden tom didn't acknowledge him in the least. If Wavepaw didn't know about Breezepaw's nasty and cruel demeanor, he might have thought that Breezepaw couldn't see him.
"Breezepaw," he impressed himself with the lack of venom in his voice as he spoke to his least favourite cat, second only to Fallowspots.
"Leave me alone," Breezepaw's bowed head hissed venomously.
"Breezepaw," he repeated insistently.
"Go away!" Breezepaw growled pathetically.
Wavepaw had a strong urge to whip out his claws and scar Breezepaw until he couldn't walk straight, but if he injured Breezepaw, Darkpaw would probably pull out his ears and feed them to the fish.
It's in every cat's best interest for me to befriend Breezepaw. Wavepaw told himself.
You're scared of Darkpaw. Pondfrost cackled. You're a little scaredy-bunny.
Scaredy-what now? Wavepaw repeated.
Just something that my- some cat used… Pondfrost muttered.
"Talk to me," Wavepaw tried to sound soft and approachable.
Breezepaw finally lifted his head to stare Wavepaw right in the eye.
His wounded green eyes were cut deep with pain, so raw and vulnerable that Wavepaw was taken aback. What's wrong with him?
"Wavepaw?" Breezepaw gaped.
"In the flesh," he lifted a paw and flicked out his claws, inspecting them.
A little smile wormed its way across his face at the thought of Pondfrost's favourite expression, but he suppressed it, knowing that Breezepaw obviously needed a serious shoulder to cry on, not a joking fish-face with the voice of his dead sister who clearly had secrets in his head.
"Come to gloat?" Breezepaw snarled injuredly. "She's all yours. I don't care. I can't care. She can't just- she carved open my heart, and now she's just left me to bleed- bleeding- everywhere…"
"Drama queen," Wavepaw snarled contemptuously, unable to suppress an eye-roll. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Get up mouse-brain. Well, go on!"
Breezepaw blinked his watery green eyes, snivelling like a kit as he staggered to his paws.
"Why- why are you doing this?" He sniffled.
"I can't just look at a tom leaving his pride out in the forest for all the creatures to devour, now can I?" He looked away so Breezepaw wouldn't see how sincere he was.
"Now who's the drama queen?" Breezepaw quipped irritatingly.
Wavepaw looked down at him, struggling on the precipice of losing all control and attacking the frustrating, pathetic excuse for a cat in front of him. Pretend he's… er… Wavepaw racked his brain for a tom he could actually stand. Um. Fallowspots? No, that would make me want to kill him more. How about uh, Seednose? No… um. Pikepaw! Pretend he's Pikepaw.
A little quiver ran across his fur, and he relaxed, projecting the darker brown, bland fur of the medicine cat apprentice onto the shadowed golden fur of Breezepaw.
"Sorry if I've been a fish-brain to you," Wavepaw apologized to Pikepaw, remembering how he'd been nasty to the apprentice when he had been so torn up about his sister.
"Yeah, what was up with that?" Pikepaw asked in his monotonous voice.
"I-" he was torn. Pikepaw didn't know much about him besides the fact that he was his age. Perhaps the ice would melt between them if Wavepaw knew what he was going through.
"I…" He swallowed hard, making up his mind. "I didn't have the happiest kithood. My… my mother and my father… I don't know if you know them, but their names are Cloudfall and F- Fallowspots. They… Cloudfall and Fallowspots don't have the nicest relationship."
Pikepaw nodded understandingly.
"Cloudfall is the best mother a cat could wish for," Wavepaw declared vehemently, and Pikepaw didn't argue. "But… I think something happened between them. Cloudfall… she's just really jealous, but I can't figure out why! Fallowspots always seems to have a burr in his fur, but I couldn't begin to guess why. My only theory is that Fallowspots might have cheated on Cloudfall with another cat, but… I don't know, Breezepaw! I don't know!"
He had been close to addressing Breezepaw as Pikepaw, but he managed to avoid it by a fish-tail. Careful, Wavepaw, don't mess this up. Pondfrost warned.
"That… sounds awful," Pikepaw managed, laying his tail comfortingly across Wavepaw's shoulders. "I'm really sorry."
"To make matters worse," Wavepaw sniffed, "Fallowspots is my mentor. I have to see him every single day until I'm made a warrior. I just hope I'm good enough to become a warrior quicker than most. It hurts, Breezepaw, when your father doesn't care."
"I've got lots of problems, but a father isn't one," Pikepaw shared, sighing morosely. "That's not exactly mice and moonlight either. I hear some of the older warriors gossiping sometimes. 'Oh, Oatpad was always too friendly with the kittypets. Oh, remember when Oatpad would disappear out of training for moons at a time? Oh, isn't she just awful, poor Breezekit, whatever shall we do'."
Why is he calling himself Breezekit? His name is Pikepaw. And his mother is Cherryfish, not Oatpad. Wavepaw was confused for a moment, then realized he was acting like his brain was made of stones. Oh wait, that's Breezepaw, not Pikepaw. But… I guess I never thought about who Pikepaw's father was… Cherryfish never talks about her time in the nursery. Not after what happened with Acornkit. Or Cin, or Sin, or whoever she is.
Wavepaw snickered through his fake sobbing, trying to melt Breezepaw's heart. And lo and behold, every thought was etched on Breezepaw's face. His green eyes went softer than moss as he regarded the new Wavepaw.
Yes! He fell so hard for it; what a fish-head. He thought maliciously.
"Come WindClan! We must return!" The black and white WindClan leader yowled.
The other leaders called out similar summons directed at their respective Clans.
"Gathering's over?" Breezepaw asked in surprise.
"Yeah, but nothing important happened," Wavepaw couldn't let Breezepaw know that RiverClan and WindClan had been at odds; it would jeopardize Breezepaw's sudden trust in him. "Nothing at all. I'll see you around, Breezepaw."
Breezepaw nodded silently. He's a little weirded out by it, but not so much that he'll remember it. Wavepaw told himself. Good. Okay. We're good.
You talk to yourself. Pondfrost noted mockingly.
You're dead. Wavepaw snapped.
Touché. Pondfrost replied.
…
By the time they reached RiverClan camp, Wavepaw had heard about forty different cats complaining about Thornstar's ridiculous accusations. He was sick and tired of his overly aggressive Clanmates speculating about war brewing. He just wanted to collapse into his nest and sleep for a couple moons.
That's why when Snowstar spotted a shape standing in front of the entrance and called for the Gathering patrol to stop, Wavepaw wanted to claw off the pelt of whatever RiverClanner was causing the holdup.
That is, until the moon shifted out from behind a cloud to show the appearance of the dark figure.
Dark russet fur framed brown tabby stripes on a thick, sleek pelt over the physique of a cat that could only have been from strong descent. The most striking feature on the she-cat, however, were her golden, luminous eyes that shone brighter than the moon above her. They roamed over the Clan, searching for something that she seemed to be not entirely sure that she wanted to find.
Who. Is. That. Pondfrost's voice had never had more ice in it. She's dead. She's not even supposed to be in this Clan, either. White- Whitesh- she said that she was supposed to go to- this- but her eyes- that's not-
Wavepaw ignored her rambling, his eyes stuck to the she-cat illuminated by the moonlight. She looked like she'd come from StarClan.
"Is this RiverClan?" She spoke with the tone of some cat who had seen far more than any cat ever should.
"Who are you?" Snowstar ignored her question.
"You must be Snowstar," the she-cat grinned toothily, lowering her head in a sweeping bow. "I'm honored; truly."
"How do you know my name?" He asked, but all the hostility had drained away with a single comment.
Wavepaw stifled a purr of amusement and admiration at how easily the she-cat, that couldn't have been much older than himself, manipulated the leader of RiverClan.
Then suddenly, like a bolt of lightning striking him, Wavepaw realized who the she-cat was.
Cin. Sin. The rogue. In the twolegs place. Wavepaw thought. Holy StarClan above; she's that rogue. But- does that mean- she's- is that Acornkit?
"I know many things," the she-cat told Snowstar and the whole Clan. "I came from far; terribly far. I was told there were Clans that lived in harmony together around a lake, and that RiverClan ruled over all of them."
Snowstar nodded along with what she said. "Well, er, we don't exactly rule over them, but we are the strongest."
She's good. Wavepaw purred out loud, terribly amused by how easily she manipulated Snowstar.
"What is your name, rogue?" Snowstar demanded.
"I am… I'm-" the she-cat bowed her head, as though summoning courage. "My name is Cinnamon."
Suddenly, a dark blur, faintly illuminated by the moonlight to reveal his identity as Pikepaw, burst away from the rest of the cats. His face was so hopeful that it felt like a sharpened icicle lancing through Wavepaw's heart.
"Acornkit?"
BOOM.
Well. There ya go. Some speculation fuel.
So the QOTD is: Who is Cinnamon? Go wild with this one. The crazier the better.
Okay. SO I'll try to update this weekend, but I might fail. Over 5 000 words is hard to do in two days.
Yeah, believe it or not, I don't write during the week, I start and finish(sometimes) the whole chapter in two days.
*This was happening in real life. (My cackling at his pathetic flirting)
So anyways, please review any confusion and bemusement at my nutty plottwist setup type thangs.
:D
~Pondfrost