Tailchaser sat on the outskirts of StarClan's hunting grounds, staring out into the starless mists beyond it.
"Do you ever wonder what's out there?"
Tailchaser glanced at the looming tabby beside him for a moment before shrugging.
"Not particularly." His ears twitched. "Although from what I've gathered, it's mostly cats that don't believe in StarClan, or have been banished from it, or have lost their way and stumble blindly through the dark."
It was the tabby's turn to stare at Tailchaser, who briefly met his gaze before looking away.
"I ran into some of them on my way here," he mewed softly. "It was…not a pleasant experience."
The tabby nodded. "I went through similar hurdles on my way here as well, although the path from the lake's hunting grounds is a little more illuminated than others."
Tailchaser frowned. "Because of the clans that lived at the lake being related to the clans of the forest, despite the time between them being immeasurable and ancestries being impossible to trace back there?"
The tabby's fur rippled and he tapped his tailtip on the ground. "I think it's less related and more history repeating itself, although the script has changed. There's a lot here that's familiar to me, yet I can't for sure say I've been here before."
"I suppose if you travel far enough and enough time has passed, you're bound to see something similar, or perhaps…" Tailchaser's voice trailed off as he tried to organize his thoughts. "Perhaps it seems similar because you want it to be? You're scared of change and look for things that remind you of what used to be, and take comfort from that?"
The tabby pressed his lips together and frowned. "…There's some truth in your words, although I am not sure if they relate to me and what I have seen. As far as I know, this series of events is completely new." He laughed bitterly. "I can see why StarClan prefers a non-interference approach to helping the clans. Could you imagine watching and living the same events on repeat forever, guiding things in a direction you're comfortable with and not letting anything change?" He shuddered. "No, that's not what the clans need. They need guidance, but guidance that helps and encourages them to grow. To be better. To not repeat mistakes of the past. Real or imagined."
"The clans have good leaders," Tailchaser mewed. "Even though Bluestar's young and Russetstar's inexperienced with what's expected of her, they've led their clans with the same dedication that Crookedstar and Tallstar have."
"It's-" The tabby suddenly flicked his ears forward, and he got to his paws. "Someone's coming."
Tailchaser twitched at the swift change in the tabby's demeanor and peered out into the gloom, and soon could make out a shape slowly getting larger. He admired the tabby's skill in sensing it from so far away and waited, tail waving to and fro curiously.
Soon, the shape of a cat could be made out, and as it neared, a ginger pelt faded into view, and the cat came to a stop in front of the duo and blinked its green eyes at them politely.
"It's nice to see light again," the cat mewed, his voice causing the two cats to relax as well.
"Well met," Tailchaser mewed. "Has your hunting been well?"
The ginger wrinkled his nose. "Not really, given the cold, but I've made do so far."
The tabby's nostrils flared. "You smell like a kittypet." His tone wasn't accusatory, but his eyes narrowed.
The ginger glanced at him for a moment, then flicked his ears dismissively. "Kittypet," he mewed wistfully. "Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time. So this is StarClan territory?"
"Yes," the tabby mewed, before tilting his head. "I'm sorry, you are…?"
"My name's Jake."
Tailchaser blinked in surprise. "My, you've grown a fair bit since I last saw you. It's me, Tailchaser."
Jake chuckled, nodding his head. "It'd be hard to forget you, grandfather." He glanced at the tabby curiously, before shaking his head. "I don't think we've met?"
"No, we haven't," the tabby mewed. "It's nice to meet you nonetheless."
"He's forgotten or cast his name aside," Tailchaser mewed. "Makes it rather interesting to talk to him as a result."
"Given how easy it is to not use names among those you're familiar with, I suspect it hasn't done much to cause issue. You two seem to get along well enough," Jake noted.
The tabby's fur rippled and Tailchaser shrugged.
"Where did you come from?" the tabby asked.
"From the north and west," Jake mewed, then tilted his head. "Why, is that your territory?"
"In a manner of speaking," the tabby replied. "Did you see a lake, or any cats on your journey?"
Jake frowned, thinking. "Not directly," he mewed slowly. "But I did hear a lot of stories about a massive quake that cracked the ground open and completely reshaped the local area, but it seems to have happened several moons ago."
The tabby blinked at that and sighed, shaking his head. "I've heard of things like that over the years. Thankfully never experienced it myself." He ducked his head. "Or at least I don't remember it all that well." He looked at Tailchaser, who was regarding his grandson curiously before leaning towards him.
"You don't smell dead," Tailchaser mewed, wrinkling his nose. "And it's rare to see living cats in StarClan on a regular basis. Usually it's just leaders, medicine cats, or the occasional apprentice or warrior who has a particularly strong sense for that kind of thing. So you just wander around in your dreams, or what?"
Jake chuckled. "I usually find a place to sleep, then see if I can find a way forward up here." His shook out his pelt. "Not that easy or useful, I'm afraid, and I still wind up winging it most of the time." He looked aroud, whiskers twitching. "But this is familiar, which is always great to see. How have things been here?"
"Rather well, from what I've heard. Mostly quiet, with the odd rogue wandering by and causing trouble," Tailchaser mewed.
Jake grimaced. "Ah, that's never good. Always preferred it nice and quiet. Made it easier to appreciate everything that's going on."
"Will you be making yourself known to the clans? Should we warn them?" the tabby asked, whiskers twitching in amusement.
Jake paused at that and licked his lips. "I…don't know yet. It's been a while since I've been here, and while I'm curious, I'm also rather apprehensive. Left a lot of good memories here, but plenty of bad ones as well." He shrugged. "Whatever happens, happens."
