A/N: Hope you guys are having a great weekend!
BraveSeeker3: Oh, no! That's horrible. As for Darkstripe, well, we'll see...
Vinejay: Yeah, school is rough. I think/hope I can do it!
AnonChan1: Hm. (1) Yeah, Mapleshade is dead canonically speaking and in the Dark Forest. She was going to make an actual appearance sooner but I didn't want her stealing the spotlight from Tigerclaw. (2) Mistleleaf loves Foxy, but doesn't want to upset Goosefeather by talking to her. (3) Yeah, I do, except I don't think I'd know unless I actually wrote a story featuring it. (4) Yes, someone is going to notice... eventually.
Spottedfire629: Thank you so much! I honestly want to be a professional writer, but I've got a lot to figure out on how to make outlines before that. I won't begin until I'm satisfied with myself but I honestly think I'm almost there.
lemon: Thank you so much! They've been fixed. I'm honestly surprised it was only two. Ah well. What's the show?
Foxshadow greeted Yellowfang with a timid mew as the dark gray padded out of the medicine cat den to meet her. "Is Darkpaw here?"
"He's out collecting herbs," rasped Yellowfang. "He was eager to get out of the camp."
Foxshadow sighed in relief. "That's good to hear. I was worried he wouldn't be able to walk again."
"He wouldn't be injured at all if you hadn't made him climb a tree," groused Yellowfang. "He barely has any muscle on him right now. It's no wonder he fell."
The dark brown she-cat flattened her ears and dipped her head. "I'm sorry. I promise to be more careful next time." I promise I won't take him out "training" next time I get angry.
But didn't you promise to kill him? a nasty voice in her head asked.
That's different, she thought, if he can't obey me - his deputy - despite his feelings about me, then he's a liability to the Clan.
The thought didn't even sound right in her own head. An image of the stunned tom lying on the ground for what felt like an hour cut through her mind as sharp as claws. She didn't have the stomach to kill Darkpaw anymore. If he had been a warrior and if he had tried to kill Sorrelkit, then things would be different. Foxshadow wouldn't even hesitate to send him into the gorge. But right now, Darkpaw was a kit and he reminded her too much of when Ravenpaw was an apprentice, scared out of his mind about his mentor.
I'm just like him, she thought, bile rising in her throat. I'm just like Tigerclaw.
"Don't you have patrols to attend to," meowed Yellowfang, her fur ruffled.
Foxshadow blinked at their senior medicine cat and quickly nodded. "Yes," she meowed quickly, glad to have a reason to leave. "I need to check on Bramblepaw's training."
She padded off quickly and began looking around for the apprentice or his mentor. A sudden urge to ask Bluestar to make the apprentice a warrior right away surged through her but she suppressed it, reminding herself that Bramblepaw was both still a kit and not nearly ready to be a warrior yet. She just couldn't wait for Fireheart to be ready to take over her duties. Now more than ever, she wanted nothing to do with the leadership position or nine lives.
I'm going to have to train Darkpaw, eventually, she thought to herself, torn on the thought. He can't be a warrior if he doesn't have the muscle memory for it.
But last time you told him you would train him, you nearly killed him, the nasty voice said. He's never going to trust you now.
I know it was a bad idea! she thought, desperately looking for some solid justification. Besides, he tried to kill Sorrelkit. He deserved it.
But she knew he only did that in another life. Who knew what this Darkpaw was capable of, especially now that he had died and come back? He might have a change of heart and become a true warrior of ThunderClan. Foxshadow hoped so, or else kicking him out of that tree would have been for naught.
Perhaps StarClan did send him back, she thought bitterly, as a test to see if I would kill him. They've been wanting to get rid of me since I tricked Mistleleaf into giving me information on Bluestar's nine lives. Bluestar herself still hasn't told me if she has one life left or two. I thought we were over these trust issues!
You went behind her back and campaigned against her deputy when you were the only one available to take over, the nasty voice said. I think there's reason not to trust.
Horror at this realization squeezed her heart. Great StarClan, what have I done? I'm becoming just like Tigerclaw and Brokenstar! If I kill Darkpaw, I'll be just like them!
Foxshadow clawed the earth in frustration, desperate. But I need him to be convinced I will kill him, she argued. Or else he will never change!
Who says you are the one who is going to change him? Maybe nothing will ever change him.
Feeling stung by her own thoughts, Foxshadow turned and padded out of camp. The responsibility of being deputy and her desire for Fireheart to succeed Bluestar just suddenly seemed too much to handle.
The nasty voice continued; How can you train Darkpaw for his whole apprenticeship when you're planning to retire to the nursery the moment Bramblepaw becomes a warrior?
She tried to focus on hunting but instead found herself unable to track any of the squirrels that danced between the trees. So instead, she padded to the stream, hoping to catch a minnow for herself. But once she got there, she couldn't bring herself to put any effort into it. Her heart had sunk down into her paws.
Is there any hope for Darkpaw? she thought, staring down into her reflection. Or is he just going to follow in the pawsteps of Tigerclaw and Brokenstar before him?
She stared at the ripping waters but there was no answer in their muddy depths. It took her a long moment to realize that the water had risen a lot since she had last been there.
The newleaf season brought with it a ton of rain and weather as the winds dragged the clouds in from the southwestern shores. Every storm rolled up from ThunderClan territory and spread rapidly across the northern territories. She vaguely remembered from the books that the storms sometimes got so bad that RiverClan had to abandon their camp, the whole island submerged in the river. An ripple of unease filled her. The Gathering wasn't that far away and, if the waters rose too high, ThunderClan would be unable to attend.
All thoughts of Darkpaw suddenly took a backseat. With a new problem to focus on, she turned away from the stream and padded back towards the camp and straight into Bluestar's den.
"Bluestar," she meowed, dipping her head respectfully before realizing that someone else was also present. "Fireheart?"
The bright orange ticked tabby dipped his head. "Foxshadow."
"Fireheart was just telling me about the river. It has burst it's banks and much of Sunningrocks has been turned to mud," meowed Bluestar.
Foxshadow felt like Bluestar had just slapped her in the face. Even when not being deputy of ThunderClan, Fireheart was a better deputy than her. She nodded, hiding her emotion behind a mask. "I was about to mention it to you, Bluestar. I was thinking about the Gathering. Has there ever been a moment in the past that a rainstorm or the rising river banks would cause a Gathering to be cancelled?"
"If the moon is covered, yes," meowed Bluestar carefully. "But we must not refuse to meet at a Gathering just because of the river, even if some of the other Clans are unable to make it."
"It would be foolish to go only for no one to be there," meowed Foxshadow. "I'm sure WindClan would prefer to stay in their dens than go to the Gathering."
"Yes, but you forget that this Gathering marks a special occasion. DarkClan must prove that StarClan is ready to accept them as a full Clan."
Foxshadow had all but forgotten that DarkClan was still on trial for having been under Brokenstar. After the last three moons, Blackfoot still had not received his nine lives. Foxshadow hoped this would change at the next gathering, or else the potential problems would be too much to bear.
"There is some evidence to suggest they have already broken the warrior code," meowed Bluestar. "If you remember from the last Gathering, Blackfoot announced that four of their kits have already become warriors though none of us have seen any of them at the Gatherings."
"You think that Blackfoot made them warriors too early and is hiding it?" Foxshadow could already feel her heart starting to pound. Was Brokenstar's exile and death for nothing? She dug her claws into the ground and gritted her teeth. Sabletail, I hope none of your kits are warriors yet. "We cannot assume that is true. We have to give them the benefit of the doubt."
"I agree," meowed Bluestar, before looking at her former apprentice. "As does Fireheart."
You didn't think to ask me first? Foxshadow wondered, hurt. She swallowed it and dipped her head. It was only natural that Bluestar would consult her former apprentice and potential future deputy of ThunderClan. Foxshadow wished that her old jealousy of Fireheart would stop; they weren't apprentices anymore. "Then I suppose we will simply have to wait for the Gathering."
Bluestar nodded. "I want you to select who is going."
"Yes, Bluestar," meowed Foxshadow, relieved at the dismissal. "I'll tell you who I chose when I return."
She could have done this herself, the nasty voice thought. She doesn't do anything, really.
Foxshadow ignored it. She already had a good idea of who was going to the Gathering and she didn't want her apprentice anywhere on the list. She would wait a day before telling Bluestar who would be going. Hopefully the Gathering wouldn't be cancelled on account of some bad weather; the fate of DarkClan could depend on it.
As the Gathering patrol headed towards Fourtrees, Foxshadow made sure to keep a tail length behind both Fireheart and Bluestar. Brackenfur had been left in charge back at camp during their absence and Foxshadow was convinced they couldn't have left the camp in more capable paws - not even Fireheart's. She glanced at the orange Abyssinian ; he had walked the whole way with his head high as if he was already leading the Clan. Foxshadow resisted the urge to glare at him.
I'm not Tigerclaw, she told herself. There's no reason to antagonize Fireheart.
She looked around for her mate, ignoring the fluffy conversation Ravenfeather and Cinderheart were having together, and padded over to Dustpelt right away. He, Longtail, Swiftwind and Thornclaw had gathered together at the edge of the group, as far removed from Fireheart as they could get without being at the back of the patrol. Foxshadow noted this with a nervous flick of her ears.
The Clan is so accepting of me being deputy, but if Fireheart becomes deputy it could cause a divide in the Clan. Would this Longtail, Thornclaw and Dustpelt stand for Fireheart being leader when I'm here in the Clan? Would Fireheart be able to get them to follow him despite their animosity? Or would a civil war threaten to brew?
She gave a half-nod to Swiftwind and Thornclaw, with a more proper nod to Longtail, before turning to her mate. "Hey, Dustpelt. I was hoping we could hunt together sometime after the Gathering."
"Sure," meowed Dustpelt, before pausing. "What about your apprentice?"
"He's gotten himself into trouble again. Disobeyed me, showed off, and fell out of a tree." Foxshadow wished that she could stop lying. She couldn't bring herself to look Dustpelt in the eye. "Anyway, I wanted to hunt with you alone because I thought it might be fun."
Dustpelt twitched an ear at her and agreed. "It would be nice."
Foxshadow purred but trailed off with a worried frown, wondering if she should tell him about her plans... or her fears. She wanted to, especially since she was planning something big for the Gathering. She hoped that it would be the best for all five Clans.
They finally crested the rise and the patrol was standing at the edge of the giant bowl. The deputy padded quickly up to her leader, wanting to present a united front against the other cats. Bluestar greeted her with a nod and raised her tail, gesturing for the cats to descend. Without a second thought, Foxshadow raced to her spot underneath the Great Rock where all the other deputies would normally be when the meeting started. She was surprised to find Blackclaw there and even more surprised when he dipped his head to her like an equal.
"Hello, Foxshadow," he meowed, expression stoic.
"Blackclaw," she greeted, sounding winded, and frowned. "Who died?"
Blackclaw dipped his head. "Crookedstar died of greencough near the end of Leaf-bare. Stonestar is our new leader."
Foxshadow was surprised that it wasn't Mistyfoot in Blackclaw's place, but she dipped her head respectfully anyway. "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure Oakheart and Crookedstar are resting peacefully in StarClan." She paused. "How are your daughter and mate?"
"Shadepelt's kits are just learning to speak," meowed Blackclaw, awkwardly. "Mistyfoot is deciding whether or not she wants to return to the nursery."
"I hear that it's a difficult choice for all queens," meowed Foxshadow slowly. "I am thinking about becoming a queen."
Blackclaw flicked an ear at this and hesitated before mewing, "You would make a great mother."
With a purr, Foxshadow gazed out over her Clanmates.
"Do you mind if I ask who is your mate?" meowed Blackclaw.
Foxshadow looked back at Blackclaw in surprise. "Oh, no, I don't mind. He's Dustpelt."
Blackclaw's gaze swept ThunderClan. "Does he look like Mousefur?"
"Yes. They're siblings from two different litters." Foxshadow's gaze swept the RiverClan cats. "Does Shadepelt plan to come to the Gathering soon?"
"Not that she has told me," Blackclaw meowed slowly.
"You know you don't have to talk to me if you don't want to," Foxshadow meowed with a purr. The smokey black tom blinked gratefully and looked away.
It wasn't long after the four Clans and (technically) one rogue group had settled down that the five leaders leaped up to the Great Rock to announce to everyone that the Gathering had begun.
Stonestar stepped forward first, his dark amber eyes staring out over the whole Gathering. "Cats of all Clans, a halfmoon ago, RiverClan's leader, Crookedstar, died from greencough. He rests with his brother and our former deputy, Oakheart, in StarClan, but as long as Tigerclaw lives his spirit cannot be at peace. Now that I have been granted my nine lives by StarClan, I promise that RiverClan will continue to hunt down Tigerclaw no matter what. If he should ever show up on our territory, rest assured he will be killed."
Foxshadow shuddered at the conviction in Stonestar's voice and glanced at Blackclaw, but the stoic tom revealed nothing.
"Also, before anything else is said, RiverClan would like to know what is to become of DarkClan." The blue-gray tabby turned his gaze on Blackfoot and then on Mudfur. "Has StarClan sent a sign?"
Foxshadow followed his gaze, where Mudfur and Primrosepaw were curled beside each other as mentor and apprentice. When Primrosepaw noticed that Foxshadow was looking at her, she ducked behind Mudfur with a shudder. Foxshadow inwardly flinched at the reminder of what happened at Sunningrocks so long ago. Her scaring the she-cat had been what had convinced her to become a medicine cat in the first place. Her siblings still hadn't forgiven her - and neither had Heavystep.
However, Barkface of WindClan rose to his paws instead. "I have been training Rosepaw of DarkClan. She has been selected by StarClan to become their next Medicine Cat."
The whole Gathering erupted into murmurings, finally taking notice of the black tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat crouching beside Barkface. The six-moon-old apprentice was the first apprentice a lot of them had seen from DarkClan. Foxshadow's gaze swept the group of DarkClan cats and she identified about three more apprentices, all of them around nine to ten moons old, and definitely not of the same litter. Foxshadow wondered why she had never seen them before and her eyes narrowed. Could those three be the new warriors that Blackfoot had been talking about?
"If StarClan accepts them," meowed Bluestar slowly, "then ThunderClan accepts them."
"ShadowClan agrees," meowed Nightstar, sounding relieved. "This is surely a sign they are meant to be a Clan."
Deadstar, once Deadfoot of WindClan, rose to his paws with his hackles raised. "WindClan does not accept this as a good reason for DarkClan to stay on our border!"
Yowls of agreement rose from the WindClan warriors. Foxshadow nodded, silently agreeing with them, and she mentally checked over what she had wanted to say. Now, she just needed an opening.
"RiverClan accepts DarkClan," meowed Stonestar, fur relaxing. He looked at Deadstar. "WindClan's concern is not RiverClan's concern, however, so we will make no comment on such an issue."
Murmurs of approval from RiverClan greeted this statement. Foxshadow rose to her paws and a hush suddenly swept through ThunderClan, DarkClan and ShadowClan.
"It is clear," meowed Foxshadow, her voice sounding strangely loud and causing the rest of the cats to become quiet, "that StarClan recognizes DarkClan as a Clan that is trying it's best to follow the warrior code. However, Blackfoot, your name concerns us all. Have you been to the Moonstone to receive your nine lives?"
The black and white tom twitches his tail at her. "Yes, I have."
"Then, are you not Blackstar?" Foxshadow asked, carefully.
There was a long pause. "No."
A murmur of confusion spread throughout the Clans. Nightstar turned to Blackfoot, hope in his eyes. "Perhaps StarClan wishes for DarkClan to rejoin ShadowClan."
"No," meowed Barkface. "Why would StarClan give DarkClan a medicine cat if that is what they wanted? ShadowClan has two capable medicine cats and they do not need a third."
Nightstar flattened his ears and his voice was edged in anger. "What do you propose StarClan means then?"
Barkface shifted. "Perhaps StarClan wishes for them to join WindClan."
A gasp of horror rippled through the WindClan cats. The mere suggestion of having Brokenstar's Clan join them was outrageous, despite the fact that they were both the smallest Clans currently in the forest. As if aware of this, Barkface dipped his head in silence.
Foxshadow raised her tail, feeling much like a kinder-gardener raising their hand to speak in class for the first time. ThunderClan became quiet and, after a moment of silence, ShadowClan and RiverClan followed. Foxshadow looked towards Yellowfang. "Do all medicine cats confirm that DarkClan is now recognized in the eyes of StarClan as it's own Clan?"
"Of course they do," Yellowfang rasped, with an annoyed look at her. "We were all there when StarClan chose Rosepaw to become medicine cat apprentice."
Foxshadow nodded. "Then I think I know what the problem is."
A ripple of surprise spread through the Clans. Foxshadow sat down and wrapped her tail around her paws, suddenly nervous.
"Explain yourself," Blackfoot meowed harshly, eyes flashing.
Foxshadow dipped her head respectfully, acknowledging Blackfoot's status as a leader but looked at Bluestar for permission. The blue-gray queen nodded and Foxshadow spoke.
"This is not the first time that StarClan has rejected a deputy from becoming leader of it's Clan," meowed Foxshadow. "Something similar happened to SkyClan. It was, in fact, key in SkyClan's destruction."
The mention of the missing fifth - now sixth - Clan caused the whole Gathering to fall silent. Looking resigned to the answer, Blackfoot waved his tail for her to continue.
Foxshadow sucked in a breathe to gather her thoughts and then spoke carefully. "Many moons ago, when I was an apprentice of SkyClan and my name was Barkpaw, a great tragedy struck our camp and forced us to flee. In the process, our Clan was split in two and separated from each other. My father, Thunderbird, was deputy of SkyClan and he led our group on a mission to find the rest of our Clan. But when we found our way back to camp, there was no one else there. We waited for moons as our group slowly began to grow smaller and, eventually, gave up our leader for dead. Thunderbird went to the Moonpool, the place where we would communicate with StarClan to receive visions, and asked to be made leader of what remained of our Clan in the hopes that it would rally them together and give the strength they needed to combat the future."
Foxshadow paused. "However, StarClan rejected him. They didn't even show up in his dream to meet him. Crestfallen, he returned to us with the news that our ancestors had abandoned us. Our group continued to die off until, one day, after my father had been killed by a badger, we found our former leader. He was still alive, trapped in a twoleg nest with no way to escape. When he learned of what happened to the rest of his Clan and told us the tragic fates of the rest, he denounced his name and his lives, claiming that SkyClan was no more and StarClan had abandoned us. Without a leader, medicine cat or deputy, we could not remain together and all who remained disbursed. I went to the Moonpool for answers as to why they had refused my father as leader of SkyClan, but they told me it was because our leader had still been alive at the time. After that, I became Bark and traveled the twolegplace for a while before I ended up in ThunderClan."
Foxshadow was secretly glad that her OC character Foxtail's background actually covered most of this, though she had to tweak the names and story a bit to make it more relevant. When she fell silent, she watched the leaders nervously as silence hung over the whole clearing.
"Are you suggesting," meowed a ShadowClan cat, voice raised in horror, "that Brokenstar is still alive!?"
Foxshadow looked sharply towards the voice, hoping that it wasn't Newtspeck. "A leader has nine lives. Unless the wound is too severe for StarClan to heal or they simply refuse to heal the wound because he has been exiled by his Clan, a leader will merely lose one life. Brokenstar must have had enough lives to survive both the fall from the gorge long enough to wash up on shore somewhere far downstream." Her mind mentally searched her own map of the warriors universe and she did not like where that would put Brokenstar. "Not only do I believe he is alive, I also think I know where he is."
"Where?" Blackfoot growled, the hunger in his voice reflected in many eyes in the crowd.
Foxshadow looked over the crowd of strangers, her voice going quiet under the ferocity of their gazes. "He is in the gorge where SkyClan was destroyed."
A stunned silence greeted this statement before the entire forest erupted into noise. Foxshadow didn't try to quiet them and simply wrapped her tail tighter around herself. Her heart pounded and she prayed that it was going to work.
"We have to go and kill him!" yowled a DarkClan tom.
"We need to avenge our kits!" yowled a ShadowClan she-cat.
"He should have died!" yowled Mudclaw, the WindClan deputy.
"Enough!"
Foxshadow looked up at Bluestar and was grateful to the queen for her composure. The brown-red-and-white she-cat felt like she was losing her mind. Saying it aloud had merely confirmed the theory which had floated around in her head for two days.
Brokenstar was alive.
Deadstar spoke, his voice clam and commanding. "Brokenstar may be alive somewhere else beyond our borders, but there is no way he can return here without guidance." He looked at Foxshadow for confirmation.
"Yes," meowed Foxshadow instantly. "Brokenstar would have been very disoriented after he woke up, with no idea of where he is or how to return here. He is not familiar with the flow of the river nor it's path, and would not be able to return here without figuring that out first."
"What about us finding him?" growled Blackfoot.
"That," meowed Foxshadow, relief making her paws relax, "is easy. I have traveled up and down that river before, back when I was a loner." And all this had been a dream I could explore freely, she silently added. "The river's strongest current is the one that leads you around the twolegplace, but you can reach the gorge through the twolegplace. It is only a quarter moon's travel that way."
Blackfoot nodded. "Then DarkClan will follow him and end him."
Stonestar's eyes flashed. "That would be the noble thing to do. If you do this, you will have made your Clan worthy of the warrior code." He dipped his head to Blackfoot, as if the DarkClan leader was his equal. Blackfoot returned the gesture.
"Before you go," meowed Bluestar. "Perhaps you should hear all our announcements and wait until your medicine cat apprentice is fully trained."
Blackfoot glanced at Bluestar and gave her a respectful bow of his head. "May I go first?"
"Of course," meowed Bluestar, dipping her own head.
As Stonestar stepped back, the DarkClan leader stepped forward. "DarkClan has four new warriors and eight new apprentices, including Rosepaw. Since they were all made apprentices and warriors on the same day, they were unable to join us at this time."
Foxshadow glanced towards the three DarkClan apprentices and wondered how many cats must be in DarkClan if they can handle eight apprentices. Their Clan couldn't possibly be almost as big as ThunderClan, not by any stretch.
Not unless their last litter had been made apprentices and then warriors too early, she thought, frowning.
"That is all," Blackfoot meowed before stepping back.
Nightstar, Deadstar and Bluestar had less abnormal news than this. The forest was clear and there was still no sign of Tigerclaw anywhere. Foxshadow pushed down the shiver that went up her spine at the thought of him wandering around somewhere on ThunderClan territory.
If Darkpaw knew his mentor was still out there, would he try and find him and tell him all ThunderClan's secrets?
A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to leave a review!
