Chapter 23
BushClan/Tumbleheart
The BloodClan Fragments were blending into Clan-life as naturally as a second pelt. Each of them finding a role and doing it well to give back to the BushClan-cats who slowly warmed up to them. Even the former loner and kittypet were becoming powerful warriors in their own right. Tumbleheart had taught them the best she could, sometimes Timmy didn't bring prey back, but when he did he looked proud of himself.
There was no doubt in Tumbleheart's mind that he would soon turn his back on the Twoleg's to join them permanently. Yet, a small shard of doubt wormed it's way into her heart like a burr. Twitching her whiskers uncertaintly she kept an eye on Ruby as the young tom lifted his head with a scrawny mouse that dared to leave it's warm nest. Prey was still running scarce, leaving them all with hungry bellies, however it was helping in thinning out the cats who were once plump with kittypet food. The russet-colored tom glanced to her, his yellow-green eyes sparkling with delight in his catch.
"Wonderful job." she praised warmly, before looking to the long haired black tom as he carried a pigeon their way. "And you too, you are both doing so well!"
"Thanks." Timmy's muffled mew sounded behind the feathers. "What about you? Won't you hunt?"
"I can do that later, I promised Morningstar to make sure you both caught something." she explained, pride in her mew. "Let's bring those back before they loose their warmth. Applemist, Minteye, and Blackdapple should be able to share it between themselves nicely."
"What about the others?" Timmy asked carefully.
"Rat, Stone, Maggot, Jaggedcloud and Turtlepaw can bring back prey. I'll be going with Foxgaze and Twilightsky to hunt after them for the sick cats." she informed them, feeling a small pang of loss.
Dappledrift had passed away and, despite Icepaw's best efforts, Blazekit had slowly passed on as well. In fact, he had gone just before dawn. Applemist had been grieving ever since and Foxgaze had been claiming it was a sign from StarClan that Poppyclaw was no longer fit to be a medicine cat. She shuddered at the thought, Icepaw was still so young and not yet fully trained. She didn't even have her full medicine cat name! Tumbleheart felt her legs trembling beneath her.
"Are you alright?" Ruby suddenly asked, placing his prey down on the cold snow.
"I'm fine, pick that back up, we better get going." she spoke quickly, hoping he would forget. He had to, so she could let her worries fall behind her again. Steadying herself, she turned and led the way back to camp, knowing that soon everything was bound to change.
Poppyclaw was like her mother's father, there was no way the Clan could turn against him. He had only ever done his best, hadn't he? Her worries tumbled further and further out of control from deep inside her. Swiftly, she burst into the camp, shaking off the snow from her pelt and padding aside to let Ruby and Timmy pass her. They toms still looked at her with worry in their gazes, but said nothing. Obviously they wanted her to come to them should she feel she had to. Feeling thankful for them giving her time, she looked to the russet tom who was whispering to Jasmine, a delicate cream-colored ear twitching at every word spoken to it.
StarClan, please let it be wrong. she begged, They can only work so hard without anyone going on ahead without them.
Poppyclaw seemed to nod to his mate before padding across the clearing to the leader's den. His tail raised high with dignity, yet Jasmine looked concerned and guilty. Blinking slowly, she padded to the advisor to see if there was anything she could do. After all, the tom seemed troubled and could need another ear to listen to him. His frosty blue eyes seemed shadowed with guilt and concern as their eyes met.
Before she could speak, he spoke first. "I convinced Poppyclaw that he should follow his instincts."
Tumbleheart blinked, her green eyes wide in surprise. "Oh? And is that a bad thing?"
"His instincts tell him that he should give up his position after the sick have recovered or died. He would still help if he needs to in the future, but he wants to give it up to make Applemist and Foxgaze feel happier." he explained softly.
"They blame him for the loss of their kit?" she gasped in shock.
"It's only natural, but he feels it will give them proper closure after this morning."
"Icepaw isn't ready." Tumbleheart blurted out, before stopping herself. No, that's up for Poppyclaw and StarClan to decide. Not me, her friend.
"I know it can be hard to see someone you care about to be given so much responsibility, but you have to remember," Jasmine mewed softly, his tail tip touching her shoulder. "She isn't a kit anymore. She is a full-grown cat now. He will still advise her when needed, but he has taught her well I am sure."
"What if she doesn't have all the answers?" Tumbleheart whispered, her tail tip twitching anxiously.
"StarClan will help her." Jasmine promised, "Just as they helped Poppyclaw all those moons ago."
Tumbleheart blinked, suddenly feeling comforted-only a little bit though-as she nodded slowly. "They helped Poppyclaw?"
"They had to, no cat is naturally born knowing all the herbs." He told her gently, nudging her away. "Go on, things will be changing, but you will see that it will work out before you know it."
The brown and tan tabby she-cat wasn't so sure, but she nodded in agreement with him. Perhaps it was all for the better, or maybe it was for the worse. Whatever it is, she knew that everything was falling apart ever since her return after being chased by foxes. Jasmine flicked his ears to the small hill in the middle of the clearing where Morningstar's pale cream pelt glimmered like the faint rays of sunlight.
His tail raised high with authority as he spoke calmly, uncertainty glimmering in his golden eyes. "Cats of BushClan, this leafbare will be the last time Poppyclaw will be our medicine cat. He will still offer to help Icepaw, but he will place her fate in the paws of StarClan. They have guided him well for many seasons and they, too, will guide her. When all of the sick are healthy again, Poppyclaw will take her to Highstones when the half-moon arrives to give her full medicine cat name. He will do all he can one last moon before retiring to the elder's den."
"Why should he get to stay in the elder's den?" Foxgaze angrily snarled.
Morningstar trained his gaze upon his younger brother and told him sternly, "He is reaching elderhood, Foxgaze, and he has worked hard for us for many, many moons. Besides, if he goes there he can keep Talonshine and Shadewhisker company and ensure that Icepaw will be able to have updates on their health."
"I don't think we should trust him with our elders, what if he lets them die?"
"It was not his fault." Icepaw snapped, her indigo eyes glittering with anger as they trained onto the dark ginger tom as though she could see him. "It was just bad luck and it was too late for Blazekit. I didn't blame anyone for Gingerstrike's death or even Drizzlepaw's."
Silence answered her friend, making Tumbleheart snort in slight amusement. Icepaw may be young and has her own worries and anxieties, but she at least can remind the tom that he and his mate weren't the only ones suffering from these losses. Although, she had to hope the young she-cat wasn't blaming herself, after all it was in the paws of StarClan ever since the expedition.
However, she couldn't begin to fathom on how fast her friend had grown. Already she looked like a proud adult she-cat with as much fire in her words as Poppyclaw. Being a warrior had caused her friend so much insecurity and anxiety about her pelt, now she was clearly in her element. Something more her speed and skill. Her young paws once unable to decide where they should be placed, now were firmly on a path that she could proudly walk.
Clearly, she felt that she was contributing much better now than before. With a nod, she could agree with her. All of them have suffered loss, some were younger than others when it happened. With how appalled Applemist looked, she had to hope it felt as though the blind medicine cat apprentice had struck the queen with her claws. The light orange and white queen shook her head, yellow eyes wide in horror.
"He didn't mean it like that!" she tried to reason.
Icepaw's indigo eyes stared as they always did, unseeingly at Foxgaze who looked as though he truly believed she could see him. "Poppyclaw was there when you were both kitted." she pointed out calmly, "Remember that."
Chastened, the pair looked to their paws silently. While Morningstar pushed through the argument like a soothing drizzle of rain. "Poppyclaw, would you like to speak?"
The dark ginger tom nodded, his amber eyes dark as he padded forward. "Cats of BushClan, I have served you from under Bushstar and Nightstar. Before you know it, I will be old enough to be an elder. After the loss of Blazekit, I have decided that for the good of the Clan I should step down. I believe StarClan led Icepaw onto this path because I would find Jasmine once more in my life. Whether or not having a mate is all that bad, I will never know. However, I vow to give advice to Icepaw should she ever need it."
Shadewhisker nodded, "I will welcome you warmly to our den the day you come to join us."
"I agree." Talonshine meowed, casting a glare to his youngest son who only hunched his shoulders in embarrassment.
Morningstar blinked slowly, "Very well. Now, onto some happier news," he swept on with a sweep of his tail. "Ruby and Timmy have been doing well during their time here. However, Tumbleheart cannot be expected to watch over them both forever. So, I will take Timmy under my paw to be taught the ways of the wild."
Tumbelheart watched, her whiskers quivering anxiously. Only yesterday her father and Ruby had asked to formally join the Clan. The reasoning for the russet tom was simply that he was enjoying Clan life and wished to try it out even at the cost of his life. While for her father, it was far more personal. It was so the black tom could fully understand why Leaftail, her mother, had chosen her Clan over becoming a kittypet.
"... From this day forward, he shall be called Crowpaw until he earns his warrior name." Morningstar spoke the familiar words, touching noses with the newly made apprentice. He was much too old to be one, but his green eyes held pride in his choice. No longer would he be a kittypet.
Her eyes flicked to the russet tabby tom who stared wide-eyed, his yellow-green eyes seeming to quiver anxiously. Their eyes met and she blinked warmly at him. She trusted that Morningstar would pick the perfect mentor for him. Her paws prickled with anxiety, hoping that it would be soon. Just as she focused back in on Morningstar's mew, she felt surprise spark through her.
"Tumbleheart will be your mentor since she has already been doing a good job. As for your name, you claimed the name has suited you, therefore you shall be known as Rubypaw until you also become a warrior."
Blinking, she stepped forward, her tail tip curled slightly as she padded up to the tom and gently touched noses with him. Rubypaw trembled with uncertainty, yet she nodded to him, whispering, "We'll be fine. I promise."
"You're letting these kittypets stay?" Twilightsky gasped in shock.
Morningstar blinked, "It may seem unreasonable, but they have been a big help while Pigeonstream and Tangletooth have been sick. Who knows when those foxes will attack again, but with some battle training, we will be ready. Unless Flamepaw has recovered enough to be able to hunt and fight as he used to?"
"Well, not quite yet." Twilightsky admitted, "But he has improved a lot. He can't use any battle moves that once needed a tail, but he has learned to make up for it. His balance has also recovered to near normal. Icepaw would know. She checks in while we are refining every small movement."
The leader nodded. "Good, then Rubypaw and Crowpaw shall be welcomed into the Clan. We can use a couple of apprentices to give Turtlepaw a helping paw. Not that Jasmine hasn't been helpful."
Jasmine dipped his head politely. "I am only doing as I feel would be most helpful."
Jaggedcloud stepped forward next, her yellow eyes gleaming. "Shouldn't we also give Jasmine a proper name?"
"As long as he is an advisor, he cannot take one." Poppyclaw explained, dipping his head. "He has to break the news to his leader to cut ties first."
"Rightfully so, no need for him to have torn loyalties." Morningstar agreed gruffly, looking over the gathered cats. "Maggot, Rat, and Stone will teach us all the can on how the foxes struck their den so we would be best prepared."
Tumbleheart and Rubypaw backed a step, letting the dark tortoiseshell step forward with her mate. "I expect them to come during the next no-moon." Rat began.
Stone grunted in agreement. "That's what they did to us and our kits. I was hunting and heard their wild cries before I found them. I fought as hard as I could, we both did. It wasn't enough and we still lost our kits."
Rat took up the story again, "All I found who had survived was our daughter, Rook. I figured with her injuries and the Twolegs who helped her, it would be best she remained as a kittypet. It was still an awful night. If they were that vicious to us, then I couldn't imagine what they could do to your poor kits. So, we're here to help put those mange-pelts into place."
Applemist blinked, "Truly, you think we can do it?"
"I don't see why not." Stone growled, his tail flicking. "We will do everything possible to help keep those kits safe. We know a pain that no kit-parents should ever feel."
Applemist's gaze grew hard as she nodded. "I can agree on that."
Blackdapple twitched her whiskers, looking to Morningstar. "I believe this no-moon will be a war against those horrible foxes."
Their leader's golden eyes glittered with excitement. "I agree as well. We have only a few nights until that claw-scratch of a moon vanishes, so we better get to work right away. Fortify the nursery wells with thorny branches and the elder's den too. We need to make the entrances as prickly as possible to prevent them from getting inside."
"Then the medicine cat den will need some as well to protect the sick." Poppyclaw contributed, "I will begin to gather the thorn-covered branches at once."
"For the kits." Blackdapple murmured.
Rubypaw glanced to Tumbleheart, "You will teach me how to do this?"
"That is what being your mentor is for." she explained gently, "We will get you battle ready in time. I'm sure Morningstar will have Crowpaw come along as well so you both can learn from the apprentices who had been training longer."
"Great, I wouldn't want to mess up." he deflated with relief.
"Silly furball, like Morningstar would kick you out of the Clan over something that simple? Not all apprentices or Clan-cats know how to fight a fox. We put cats where we think their experience and skill is most helpful. If anything you and Crowpaw would be with the elders or queens to be extra help."
"I see, that would make sense. And the other two?" he tilted his head to one side.
"Turtlepaw and Flamepaw are trained to fight well, but I don't know if Flamepaw could take on a fox yet. Although, I suppose we will have to wait and see." her pale green eyes flashed to the young tom, he was a far cry from the whimpering mess he had been some time ago.
He seemed somehow older and much more wiser. His confidence had nearly shattered like a thin sheet of ice before Icepaw worked on helping him get better by telling him how he had been improving by the way he sounded when walking. Even now, he was actively watching the meeting with eager eyes, wanting to take part with a shadow of doubt deep within those amber eyes.
Only time would tell if any of them were ready, as far as Tumbleheart knew they weren't too far from being removed from the former moorland. Giving in, she sent a small prayer to StarClan to watch over them. She prayed that they would ensure that they would be kept safe for as long as needed.
Author Note:
At last, I finished this chapter. I didn't think I could. I almost got to 3,000 words. I was very tired when I wrote this, so hopefully it won't show too badly. ^^;
Thank you for reading and have a good day/night. - NightSky
