"Just up ahead!"
Bramblepaw raised his head, feeling the wind buffeting his fur and pushing it backwards, his body resisting the wind as his amber gaze noticed Blackfoot's pelt standing atop a rock. His body stood before a short trail downwards, somewhat steep but not as bad as the trail had been behind the remnants of the clans. Each cat gazed past the Shadowclan leader, beyond his jet-black paws and into a forest just below. They weren't far now, and Bramblepaw could feel their journey finally coming to an end. Even his paws – which had fallen sore due to the lengthy journey through the mountains – had felt revitalized as he saw the oranges and greens down below.
With a sigh of relief, the cats began to move forward, careful not to fall down any of the steeper rocks as each cat pressed onwards. Their ears had begun to perk again, the deputies of each clan, including Graystripe, remained in the back with their tails raised and their eyes alert.
The entire mountain previous had practically been dead of life, few mice or even birds had been around, and Bramblepaw was noticing it amongst his clanmates. Many were thin besides the apprentices and queens, who had all been fed to the best of the abilities of the warriors. Even Bramblepaw felt and looked better than his warrior counterparts, they were trying their best to get the clans through on the journey so the youngest and eldest ate first.
That extended towards the leaders too, Leopardstar looked the most different than when it all started. What had once been extra fat that once was supplemented by the fish only Riverclan ate, was almost all gone. Firestar and Blackfoot, the largest of the four leaders currently, seemed more exposed by their ribcages while Tallstar was looking vastly frailer than the other three leaders. He was the eldest of the four leaders, but he seemed to take that in stride, even if he looked more like a twig that could easily have his back broken by the smallest kit…
Hopefully Tallstar's deputy makes for a good leader, Bramblepaw thought with slight worry etching his mind. Tallstar is a good leader, hopefully Moon was right… if the stars are connected and he passes before we get there, then he may find us again. Starclan has us in their care, we can make it.
Bramblepaw slipped down the trail like a snake, rapid but careful about each of his movements. Making sure not to be too quick to bump into another warrior but not too slow as to block his clanmates behind him from moving up.
"Oh sweet Starclan." Bramblepaw glanced up to see that some clanmates were already reaching the bottom, heading out into the newfound forest with their tails raised into the air and smiles of delight spreading across their faces. The apprentice caught sight of Tawnypaw, who had rushed out with her own clanmates to race into the forest. Seeing her smiling and meow with glee was uplifting for Bramblepaw's heart, the tom feeling his paws touch the soft ground as he let out a long purr and glanced around.
"Let's move up a bit further!" Firestar suggested to the other three leaders, his leaf green gaze glancing over all the cats gathered together now. "Let's find a place to rest, and let our warriors handle the hunting for the clans."
"Agreed," Leopardstar replied, looking proud for her clan having made it to the other side now. Several Riverclan cats howled in agreement and excitement, their eyes gleaming various shades of blue, green, and yellow as they poured forward. With them howled some cats from the other clans, though some howled only in half-heartedness…
Probably because some clanmates aren't here to see this, Bramblepaw kept the thought to himself. He didn't think that should be a reason for their half-hearted natures, Starclan was watching over them for certain… Such a big clan in the stars – however – must have made it difficult to move across the skies. Especially if they were similar to the world they watched over, an entire set of mountains for Starclan to cross? It seemed difficult and Bramblepaw didn't even want to think about how a journey such as that would entail, but nonetheless, they would be where they were supposed to.
It wasn't long until the deputies brought up the rear of the clans, their gazes glowing with excitement and tiredness at the same time. Each cat moved forward in a more spread out mass, their gazes continuing to reveal their excitement.
They all deserve this, Bramblepaw thought with a small smile on his face, whiskers twitching with amusement as a Thunderclan apprentice leaped up and caught a leaf with a loud purr. No warrior made a motion to stop them from doing such, and Bramblepaw didn't either. Seeing any cat just enjoy themselves again made his heart beat faster and stronger.
It wasn't long until the clans reached a smaller clearing, and while still a bit small for the group of travelers, no one complained as the leaders found a thick branch to sit upon, their howls raised to gather the attention of the remnants. Their gazes were brought down to their respective clans, though some cats mingled together with their heads raised and pride in their eyes for getting through the mountains in one piece.
"We gather today – in this clearing – to celebrate passing those mountains and surviving their paths!" Tallstar called out, his whiskers twitching and tail raised as he stood on all four paws. The Windclan leader seemed stronger than before, his pride revitalizing his body and his claws unsheathing to scrape the branches of the bark. "I want our deputies to decide who will hunt, we need all the fresh-kill we can get around here!"
"I think the rest of us can agree to that, Tallstar," Firestar replied with a small twitch of his lips.
"When we are done eating, we will travel a little farther and see if we can find this supposed lake," Leopardstar added, her ears twitching. Bramblepaw noticed that her gaze had darted between Firestar and her own clan, which were residing just a bit to his right. Her voice was lined with distrust and disgust for the Thunderclan leader, and Bramblepaw narrowed his eyes towards her. If she wasn't going to trust Firestar's word, then Bramblepaw wasn't going to trust her intentions. "I – for one – hope that this lake is worth the trouble it was to get here. Otherwise, we should've fought against-."
Blackfoot's tail flicked over Leopardstar's ear, the spotted she-cat flinching and whirling on the large white tom, her teeth bared at him briefly.
"Leopardstar," Blackfoot addressed as he lifted a jet-black paw and then proceeded to lower it. "While I may not exactly be in favor of Firestar – in fact – I don't like the kittypet much at all…" The Shadowclan leader admitted before his eyes turned to Leopardstar, turning into a piercing gaze as the Riverclan leader lowered her head, her teeth still bared in her snarl. "We have to put our faith in Starclan. I, for one, will trust Firestar with the information he received. After all, he's the one who went to Mothermouth and spoke with our ancestors."
"And what say do you have in this!?" Leopardstar growled, raising her head again as several Riverclan cats slipped away from the others, seeming to remember their hostilities from before. "You were in league with Tigerstar if I remember correctly! You didn't exactly go easy on my warriors."
Bramblepaw's fur stood on end now, Leopardstar was prepared to fight all the clans and she was starting to become reckless with her words. If she gave the order to attack…
A long silence filled the air between the cats, Bramblepaw feeling the sparks of war seeding themselves in the moment. His ears perked as he listened intently, waiting for Blackfoot's response. The Shadowclan tom was just as silent, his eyes less like claws and softening to patches of grass.
"If I could take back what I have done, Leopardstar, I would." His response was simple, his ears relaxed and his body not tensing as Leopardstar accused him (or at least implied) horrid crimes. When Leopardstar seemed to refuse to respond, Blackfoot continued to speak. "The boundaries between us will last as long as you and I are alive, Leopardstar. You and I don't forget easily, so I expect us to fight in the future. But is now really the best time to be fighting?" Blackfoot queried, his tail slowly flicking. "This isn't the time to bother fighting. If you are that worried about this supposed lake existing, then I can agree to traveling a little further today, if the other two leaders decide the same."
Leopardstar brought her glaring gaze to Firestar and Tallstar, who were sitting patiently and waiting for the two to quit bickering… Or for Leopardstar to quit accusing the other leaders of something every few heartbeats.
"I will agree as long as our medicine cats get time to check over the warriors," Firestar agreed, his voice distant as if his mind was on other things. "We just made a journey across mountains we have never touched; I think it is best we take the time to rest but if we don't journey far, it shouldn't be too bad."
"Then it is settled," Tallstar bowed his head to Firestar and then addressed Leopardstar and Blackfoot. "We will hunt, rest, let our medicine cats do the extra work of making sure the clans are good to go, and then we will move a little further before moonrise."
Several warriors breathed a sigh of relief, the tensions would be settled… For now.
The leaders departed from the branches, the deputies of the clans mingling amongst their clanmates as they got small patrols ready to head out into the forest to hunt. Bramblepaw's paws itched for a hunt now as well, to release the tension of his muscles from preparing against Leopardstar's grief-driven threats. While nothing major happened today, Leopardstar seemed to be trying to isolate herself from the clans.
"Bramblepaw!" Graystripe's voice rang above the rising sounds of meowing amongst the remnants of the clans, though Riverclan seemed to remain quiet for now.
The dark tabby glanced up to see Graystripe limping over towards him. "Please join Mousefur and Thornpaw for a hunting patrol, head along the base of the rocks and see if you three can scrounge up anything." Graystripe leaned down a bit and gave Bramblepaw an amused twitch of a whisker. "Maybe catch something for Firestar too? I think the stress is pricking at his fur lately, a fat juicy mouse might get him in better spirits."
Bramblepaw couldn't agree more. "Of course, Graystripe," he replied, standing and letting the gray-furred tom limp away. Taking a look around, he was able to spot the brown she-cat and golden-brown tom of her apprentice. Without hesitating a heartbeat more, he joined them.
"-get your warrior name soon, I'm sure," Mousefur told Thornpaw with a small smile, though her gaze betrayed how annoyed she was. "Firestar won't withhold that from you."
"I hope you're right," Thornpaw sighed. Bramblepaw had forgotten that the apprentice was essentially a warrior at this point, Thornpaw was the eldest of any Thunderclan apprentice and the poor tom still hadn't been given his warrior name. Even now, Bramblepaw could feel the sense of defeat emanating off the apprentice until Mousefur spoke up again.
"When we get a new camp set up, I'll make sure to talk to Firestar… These past few days have been a bit stressful for him," Mousefur mumbled. "We lost, we had to travel through mountains… Everything is changing," Mousefur continued, her tail brushing down Thornpaw's back. "We just have to trust that Firestar will give you the warrior name you deserve when the time comes, we just need a little more patience." Her gaze glanced up to Bramblepaw and she gave the tom a bright smile, though Bramblepaw could see through it. She was angry, Firestar hadn't given her apprentice a warrior name, but it was long overdue since Bluestar was the Thunderclan leader.
I don't blame him for not thinking about warrior names much, and I guess Brightheart's original name was a bit more important… Bramblepaw forced a smile back, though he was sure that Mousefur could see through him too.
"Alright then, let us get to hunting," Mousefur continued a bit more loudly and with a lot more power behind her voice, flicking Thornpaw's ear. "Let's go ahead and catch enough to feed more than just the clan."
She's trying to get him to prove himself to Firestar, Bramblepaw thought with a hint of dread, his ears flicking. Thornpaw seemed to notice but he took the words in stride more than Bramblepaw would've expected. "Agreed," Bramblepaw meowed back as he began to follow the two into the forest, the sounds and thick undergrowth more comforting than the wind and storms in the mountains. Bramblepaw felt warm and at home here… It felt like Thunderclan's old forest, and a part of Bramblepaw couldn't help but seethe at the idea of Scourge and Bloodclan ripping up prey in the forest for fun.
And if Moon was right, that Scourge would return and try to cause another bloodbath… Bramblepaw didn't know what to think, but he was certain that a cat ancestor like her wouldn't just lie to him. He wondered just what exactly Scourge thought he could do… How would he know to follow the cats all the way to the lake? By then, their scents would be washed away in the mountains. How could Scourge find his way through those mountains?
The question occupied his mind as they moved deeper into the forest, Bramblepaw keeping his head lowered as his large paws stepped on a twig, snapping it purely in half.
"Bramblepaw!"
Thornpaw's growl ripped Bramblepaw from his daydreaming, and the young apprentice glanced up towards Thornpaw, who was now glaring at him with hatred. A vision flashed across Bramblepaw's mind, that of Firestar standing in Thornpaw's place with his lips drawn into a snarl and his green gaze staring Bramblepaw down, as if waiting for him to attack.
"I almost had that thrush, you bumbling mouse-brain!" Thornpaw growled, Bramblepaw taking a step back as Thornpaw's claws unsheathed.
"Thornpaw!" Mousefur spat quickly, standing up by the apprentice and flicking his ear with her tail. "It's fine, just… go hunt on your own, okay? I'd like to talk to Bramblepaw, and we can't come back with nothing."
Thornpaw looked bewildered.
"Go on, I'll catch up in a bit," Mousefur purred softly.
Thornpaw watched her for a moment before he fled into the forest, Bramblepaw sensing his anger slipping further and further into the forest. Bramblepaw lowered his ears and tail, feeling sorry for Thornpaw. His anger was justified, Bramblepaw was certain of that. He just didn't know how to talk to anyone at this point, and he sighed and sat down on the grass, eyes closed.
"Sorry, Mousefur," Bramblepaw mumbled.
The small she-cat sat in front of Bramblepaw and swiped her tongue over her forepaw, then ran it over her left ear and shrugged. "Let me guess, you were thinking of Firestar? Are you worried about him too?"
Bramblepaw lowered his head even more. Part of that was right, the implication that he worried over Firestar… but there was more to it that he just didn't have an explanation for.
"I think everyone in Thunderclan is worried, I don't think I could imagine what kind of anxiety that Graystripe, Cinderpelt, and Sandstorm have because of him," Mousefur continued before letting out a mrrowr of laughter. "They should worry about him, that warrior has been nothing but trouble since he arrived. And being the only warrior to discover Tigerstar's betrayal? I can't even begin to imagine how anyone would feel knowing such, and… you? I think you have as much anxiety as he does, being young as you are," Mousefur added with a softer voice. Bramblepaw wasn't used to her using a softer voice, Mousefur was usually the badly tempered she-cat of the warriors…
"I guess so," Bramblepaw replied, though his voice didn't contain all of his attention that he should have reserved for the more senior warrior.
"You have a journey ahead of you, I'm sure," Mousefur mewed, whisker twitching in amusement. "You are like a kittypet, or at least, I think you'll be like Firestar." Bramblepaw glanced up, seeing that amusement in Mousefur's eyes and he quickly went to defend himself, but was silenced by a solid whip of Mousefur's tail over his jaw. "What I mean is that you – and Tawnypaw – are outcasts to many other warriors," Mousefur explained. "Like Firestar, you'll have to prove that you are worthy of being a warrior of Thunderclan, and I think you'll make a fine warrior. You have spirit, many of us saw how you reacted to Tigerstar trying to invite you into his Tigerclan."
Mousefur almost seemed to spit at the idea of Tigerclan, and Bramblepaw could understand every part of that. Like himself, everyone now hated Tigerstar and the damage he had done. The calamity of his actions had driven the clans so far away from home… A home that could no longer be theirs.
Bramblepaw didn't say that part of him also wanted to be with Tawnypaw again, to join Tigerstar just to be with his sister. In the end, it worked out, but something told him there was more to the situation. Was Tawnypaw just as coerced by Tigerstar as many were to him? The large brutal leader had been very persuasive, especially if he was able to offer the entire forest to a rogue clan to think that he would be able to gather everyone together and drive Bloodclan out…
The she-cat seemed to have noticed Bramblepaw's quietness and she didn't stop giving him a warmer smile. "You're a very strong cat, you have your mother's heart, I'm sure," Mousefur purred. "You can go ahead and talk to me, you know," she added hastily. "You're leaving me nothing to chew on here."
"I… um… sorry," Bramblepaw sighed and thought for a moment before glancing up to the mountain, able to see it barely above the trees. "I just don't know how to react to all this, so much has happened, and none of it was necessary."
"You got that right," Mousefur replied as she watched the mountain with him, the sun a little past sun-high now.
"I don't want Tigerstar's legacy to define me, I want to prove that I'm the warrior Thunderclan needs," Bramblepaw continued, his claws digging into the dirt. "I want all that left behind, but I feel like… I feel like Firestar sees him in me."
Mousefur paused, letting the words blurt from Bramblepaw's mouth before responding herself. "I can't blame him, many of us saw Tigerstar in you. But at the same time, I think Firestar knows best that looks and origins don't make a cat who they are. He's a kittypet, and if you told me back when he arrived that Bluestar would've made him deputy and very quickly become one of the youngest leaders Thunderclan ever had, I would've swiped my claws over your eyes thinking you were blind. I didn't like Firestar then, Longtail and Darkstripe despised him together, everyone besides a select few thought he would perish in a few moons… And Bramblepaw, we were so wrong." Another mrrowr of laughter, Bramblepaw shifting his gaze to Mousefur. "Look at him now! Young and still not even at the peak of his power! Another few moons and he will be one of the strongest cats we've ever seen, and that's saying something considering he fought off actual dogs!"
Bramblepaw shivered at the memory of the dogs, the ones that tore Swiftpaw into a filet and destroyed the right half of Brightheart's face. He had seen the damage… And he wished he could just forget the blood that Brightheart brought back with her.
"Firestar has saved the clan more than once and has had a lot of pressure on his shoulders since he first got here," Mousefur mewed, breaking Bramblepaw of his thoughts on Swiftpaw and Brightheart. "So like Starclan, I think we should put our faith in him. As Thunderclan leader, that weight will never be off him to be great, to be some mythical warrior. The day he finally passes? He will be a legend amongst the clans, even if the result of his work only ended up with us losing the old forest."
"I miss our home," Bramblepaw replied with his head lowering. He hadn't meant to say it, but he felt compelled by Mousefur's kindness, he had to speak up about it.
"We all do," Mousefur replied, brushing her tail against Bramblepaw's shoulder. "But keep that head up, you'll be a great warrior that the clan can be proud of. All that Tigerstar's legacy stuff? Everyone will forget in a few moons, well… Maybe not Leopardstar, let's hope she loses those lives, huh?" Mousefur snickered, standing up and shaking out the rest of her fur. "Alright, enough talk, hop along now. And I want you to catch as much prey as you can! No holding back… and no daydreaming!"
Bramblepaw returned with two mice and a vole, having found the vole drinking at a river. All three pieces of prey were a bit on the fatter end for being so close to leaf-fall. Bramblepaw set the prey on a large fresh-kill pile amidst the clans, quickly noting that Thornpaw and Mousefur had returned early. Thornpaw was with the other Thunderclan apprentices and Brightheart, and Mousefur was talking amongst the small group of Thunderclan and Windclan warriors, excitedly talking about what they were hoping to see at the lake.
Feeling as though he fit in neither of those groups, Bramblepaw took one of the mice from the pile, not caring whether it was one he brought back or not, and moved to the edge of the clearing. He could feel some eyes staring at him, though he paid them no heed, not wanting to start something else in case it was a Riverclan warrior.
As he ate, Bramblepaw did his best to keep his mind clear, just letting himself forget even the idea of daydreaming.
Only when he noticed Firestar walking over to him did he glance up, having already mostly eaten the mouse…
"What's up, Firestar?" Bramblepaw asked, trying to sound natural though thinking he had failed in that regard too. Royal screwup and runt, wasn't he?
The flaming orange tom flicked his ear, showing his own greeting to Bramblepaw. His eyes were hard to decipher, but Firestar's fur was flat and he seemed much calmer than he had been in the previous days. Maybe the mountain had stressed him more than the others could've thought, but the tom still looked thin… And they had a leaf-bare left to go before they would probably be eating too well.
Firestar sat beside Bramblepaw, tail brushing over the blades of grass. "I just wanted to let you know that Thunderclan will defend you no matter what," the tom replied with his head slowly tilting. "I don't care what Leopardstar says, I don't care what threats she makes to Shadowclan or Thunderclan for harboring Tigerstar's kin. We will do what is necessary to keep you protected, you know that, right?"
"Of course," Bramblepaw replied as his gaze followed Firestar's, taking note that Leopardstar was hunched over with her senior warriors, talking quietly. The way the base of her tail fur was on end was showing how annoyed the Riverclan leader was.
"Good… When we find our new territory, and when we set the new borders, we will start training again," Firestar meowed. "You have a lot of catching up to do, and while there is still a ways to go until you are a warrior, I want to make you into something Thunderclan will be proud of. And I'm… I'm sorry if I've been a bit snappy with you."
You haven't, Bramblepaw thought, but understood what Firestar was trying to say.
"How was the hunt?" Firestar abruptly asked.
He wants me to talk to him, Bramblepaw realized, his tail curling around his front paws. "It was a good hunt; I caught a couple mice and vole. Nothing all that impressive, really."
"For not hunting much since the old forest, and mostly mountain hunting, I would consider that impressive for any apprentice," Firestar replied with a light shrug of his shoulders. While the Thunderclan leader seemed thin, Bramblepaw could still see the muscle beneath the layer of orange fur, growing in a thick pelt for the coming leaf-fall. "Even one as young as you are, you've only been an apprentice for a few moons, but we haven't had that much time to train with all that has happened. Dog attack, Bloodclan, mountain traveling… We will change that, I promise on Starclan," Firestar purred.
The purr was forced.
Bramblepaw pretended not to notice.
"I would enjoy that, Firestar," Bramblepaw purred in return. "Now you can go on… I'm sure Graystripe and the others are waiting for you," Bramblepaw pointed out, indicating to where he saw the darker ginger pelt of Sandstorm crouched with two gray cats. "I'll be okay, I promise on Starclan."
Firestar watched Bramblepaw for a moment, but Bramblepaw couldn't help but think that in Firestar's gaze was some doubt.
Doubt about what? That Bramblepaw wasn't okay… or that he wasn't loyal?
Bramblepaw didn't want to think about that, he had enough of thinking like that lately. Even before Bloodclan, it had been too much, and it was unnecessary stress that weighed on his mind. Tigerstar was dead, the visions Bramblepaw had were nothing but his imagination. A very active, nightmarish imagination…
~~Author's Note
Welcome back, have another chapter! Hope you all enjoy Halloween tomorrow! Maybe I'll make another short Halloween based chapter again... I don't know how much it would work here so maybe not, nevermind. Anyways! Happy (1 day early as I post this) Halloween!