Chapter 30: Fern Dapple
They sat vigil for Tumbling Stone until sunrise. The new dawn broke with a periwinkle-blue sky after endless thick clouds. Fern Dapple stirred out of a slight doze as she felt the weak rays caress her back like the strokes of a mother cat's tongue. She shook off the snow that had settled on her back during the night, frostier than the day before, turning the rain to snow. The frigid air, made worse by gusts of wind that rattled the barren branches above the gorge, turned her breath to little ghosts. She shifted from paw to paw, trying to get some feeling back into her limbs as she surveyed the camp. A dusty layer of snow had settled during the night, giving the camp a serene and otherworldly feel in the twilight fitting for the heavy silence that hung over the crowd.
Around her, the other Clan of the Morning Sun cats were rousing themselves as well. They sat in a large ring-like clump around Tumbling Stone's body in the center of the camp. Fern Dapple had huddled close to Blossom Dust during the night near the edge of the ring, Tall Pine and Spotted Owl not too far away on either side of them. Over the heads of her Clanmates, the silver tabby she-cat could see the firm stance of Mossy Moon's shoulders as the chieftain sat near the center, supporting her Clanmates despite her wounds. Pride swelled inside her chest. Mossy Moon is a loyal chieftain to the core, always putting her Clanmates first. I hope to live up to her example one day. But that's why we need her to take care of herself. She bit her lip. We can't lose her. The earth-shattering terror that had taken hold of her when she'd seen Mossy Moon's lifeless body was seared into her memory. I never will.
Fern Dapple's gaze drifted to the center of the ring where Tumbling Stone's body had been laid out on a bed of the freshest moss they could find. With his pelt groomed and rubbed with dried rosemary and lavender from Red Maple's den, and body arranged on its side with dried flowers and leaves, he looked as if he could be sleeping. She shook her head, her gaze roaming over the heads of her Clan. But the grief and loss are so deeply etched within us that no one, not even for a heartbeat, can forget that he was gone. She looked back toward the center of the ring. Shining Feather, Tumbling Stone's sister, crouched by his head, her own bowed. As his daughters, Willow Leaf and Dawn Sky, sat by his side, leaning against one another. A silent sob shook Willow Leaf's shoulders every once in a while. Fern Dapple's heart clenched. I can't imagine what it is like to lose a loved one. I am fortunate to have not lost anyone. She swallowed as she glanced from her father, Raven Swoop, who sat beside Waving Fern, his pelt nearly covered with cobwebs, to Mossy Moon. But I don't know how much longer that will last.
"I can't believe Tumbling Stone is dead," Blossom Dust said, her voice no louder than a whisper of wind in the branches.
The hunter shook her head. "Neither can I."
Other murmurs sprouted up here and there as the crowd stirred. After several more heartbeats, Mossy Moon pushed herself to her paws and took a step forward. "It's time." Her mew was soft but carried the weight of a chieftain passing judgment.
"Okay." Dawn Sky rose to her paws. Her expression was taut as if engraved from stone, stunned and serious and yet angry at the same time. She draped her tail over her sister's shoulders, guiding Willow Leaf to her paws.
"No!" Fern Dapple's head jerked up as a cry split the air, followed by a low sob. Mossy Moon had approached Shining Feather, touching her tail to her shoulder, but the elder was bent over her brother's body.
"Shining Feather, I am so sorry for your loss. I know that this is extremely difficult for you. But it is time to bury Tumbling Stone," she said softly.
"No, no, you can't." The entire Clan watched as Shining Feather hunched over Tumbling Stone as if protecting him from predators. Her yellow eyes blazed with a feral light, and her tail swished dangerously like a snake ready to strike, yet sobs shook her frail form with every breath she took. "He's not going anywhere."
Mossy Moon stepped back as Dawn Sky headed over. "Shining Feather-" she tried.
"No!" Shining Feather interrupted. Glancing over her shoulder, she glared with enough force to make both cats move backward. "For the last time, you cannot take him. Tumbling Stone isn't dead. He's coming back. He's coming back, I know it. We cannot give up on him. We can't..."
On soft paws, Willow Leaf padded over to her. She said nothing but settled by the elder's side. "I miss him too." Her words were almost too soft for Fern Dapple to hear. The silver tabby she-cat turned away, feeling like an intruder in a private conversation between cats going through the unimaginable. "He was our father and your brother. He was always there to comfort me if I had nightmares as a kit, and he used to tell the best stories. Despite his flaws, he was a dedicated hunter and...a good father." Reaching over, she placed her paw over Shining Feather's. The old she-cat slowly turned her head to meet Willow Leaf's gaze. "We are both mourning him, but this isn't Tumbling Stone. The cat we knew is gone. He is in a better place, with our ancestors in the Clan of the Bright Stars."
Staring into Willow Leaf's gaze, Shining Feather's eyes stretched wide. After a heartbeat, her entire body began to tremble with sobs. Willow Leaf scooted closer, pressing her body against her side as Shining Feather cried. The Clan of the Morning Sun watched them as the silence stretched on for several long heartbeats. Eventually, Shining Feather's flanks stilled. Helped by Willow Leaf, the elder got her paws and limped away from her brother's body.
Mossy Moon's eyes were round and exhausted, holding all of her Clan's grief. She dipped her head to Shining Feather, then looked from Dawn Sky to Willow Leaf. "We should bury him now. Would either of you like to carry your father?"
Willow Leaf flattened her ears, and she shook her head mutely, but Dawn Sky stepped forward. "I will do it."
Running Wave moved to stand by her side, touching his tail to her shoulder. "We will do it."
With help from Sharp Wind, the two hunters hoisted Tumbling Stone's body onto their backs. Dawn Sky's legs buckled under the weight, but she set her jaw and straightened up. The crowd parted to allow them to pass, then the cats fell behind them in a long, winding procession. Fern Dapple joined her Clanmates near the end, falling into step with Blossom Dust. They followed their Clanmates out of camp and then curved to the right, trudging up the mountain slope. The snow under her paws became firmly packed by the multitude of paw-steps ahead of her, though it disguised sharp rocks and roots and patches of ice that made the steep slope slippery and treacherous. I don't know how Dawn Sky and Running Wave are doing it, the blue-eyed she-cat thought as she steadied Blossom Dust, whose paw had caught a patch of ice. This path is dangerous enough as it is, without carrying a body.
As they climbed, the forest around the gorge, dotted with a few birches, oaks, beeches, and elms among the evergreens gave way to gnarled spruces and pines that clung to the rocks before they gave way as well to a bare, sheer cliff that plunged dozens of tail-lengths to the camp floor. A gust of wind blasted Fern Dapple in the face as she hurried across the clifftop, weaving through countless piles of stones-one pushed up against the roots of a pine, another out in the open and dusted with a layer of snow-before joining her Clanmates at the far side of the cliff. They stood in a semi-circle around where Dawn Sky and Running Wave had chosen to lay Tumbling Stone's body in its final resting place.
The crowd rippled as Mossy Moon padded to the front. Halting before Tumbling Stone's body, the chieftain bowed her head, closing her eyes for a long heartbeat. When she opened them again and began to speak, her mew was taut with grief. "My Clan. My heart is heavy today as we are gathered here for the most somber ceremony for a chieftain. Tumbling Stone, our father, brother, friend, and Clanmate, has left us. We will all mourn his loss, but we know that he will be watching over us from the Clan of the Bright Stars."
An uncertain but heavy silence stretched on for several heartbeats as the chieftain stepped back into the crowd, signaling that other cats could speak. Eventually, Quick Clouds cleared his throat. "Many cats might not recall that Tumbling Stone was my instructor when I was a hunter trainee. He was tough but fair and always pushed me to train harder. I would not be where I am today without him."
"He was a skilled hunter," Smoke Pelt said gruffly. "He always knew where to find the best prey. It was always a privilege to hunt alongside him."
"There was one time-" Amber Mist spoke up, her ears pulled back hesitantly. "-as a kit that I accidentally hit him with a moss ball. I was scared because Tumbling Stone was usually very grumpy when disturbed, but he actually started to play with me. We played until dusk that evening."
"Tumbling Stone wouldn't do this very often-" Whispering Rain said softly. "-but when he did, he told the best stories."
"Despite his flaws, my father showed me how to be a better mother to my daughters," Willow Leaf said, smiling a little as she draped her tail over Amber Mist and Whispering Rain's shoulders despite her gaze dark with sorrow.
A loud snort came from nearby. Dawn Sky stalked to the front of the throng, turning to face her Clanmates as her tail lashed. "This is ridiculous. You are all mourning Tumbling Stone and praising his memory as if he was a great cat. But if we really want to tell the truth, then we're forgetting almost everything about him."
"Dawn Sky," Willow Leaf started, her expression alarmed. "Not now-"
The hunter's eyes flashed. "If not now, then when? Yes, he was a good father at one time. But that was only for the first few moons of our lives. Then Bird Wing got sick, and he changed. He was such a good hunter because he threw himself into his duties, completely neglecting us. He couldn't bear seeing our mother ill, so he didn't want to see her at all. Whenever we tried to talk to him, he got angry. He was gruff and angry and temperamental. By the time Bird Song caught greencough and died, it was as if he was dead as well." The fur on her neck rose as she curled her lip. "He was not a good father and not an honorable cat."
"That Tumbling Stone is the cat you knew," Shining Feather rasped as she stepped out of the crowd. Her expression was twisted with grief, but she lifted her chin to firmly meet Dawn Sky's gaze. "But he was not the cat I knew. The Tumbling Stone I knew, many moons ago when we were young, was dependable and kind. His one ambition in life was to serve his Clan, and he put everything he had into doing so. He was always willing to help others, no matter what it was. He was stubborn but steadfast, just like his name." She tipped her head, her voice softening. "You never got to see that side of him, and for that, I am sorry. I miss that cat."
Dawn Sky was silent for a heartbeat, holding Shining Feather's gaze. Then she bowed her head, the anger seeming to seep out of her like a great sigh of the wind. "I miss him too." Taking the stone that Shining Feather offered her, both of them set their stones beside Tumbling Stone's body. Willow Leaf placed hers next, followed closely behind by her mate and kits. Once they had stepped away, the rest of the Clan of the Morning Sun cats added their stones, which they had all found during the climb. They covered Tumbling Stone's body until it was concealed in a coffin of stones like other heaps on the clifftop.
Fern Dapple was one of the last cats to pad forward, gripping her stone in her mouth, its gravelly taste bitter on her tongue. It was small enough to carry, so it was not that heavy, but for some reason, her paws felt as if they had grown roots as she plodded over to the pile. Her chest tightened as she halted before it, now nearly as high as her muzzle. She hadn't known Tumbling Stone well-the gruff elder had kept almost everyone at a distance-but he had still been her Clanmate, and he had still been slaughtered. He didn't deserve to die like that. A deep, bone-aching sorrow rose buried itself inside her like a burrowing rabbit, making her feel exhausted. No one deserves to die like this. Battles are devastating and destructive. We have begun a pointless war, and I don't want to imagine how many more cats we will lose. I know Mossy Moon made the only choice she could to protect our Clan, but all the same, we need to end this. Reaching out, she set her stone on top of the pile before rejoining her Clanmates.
Once everyone had placed their stones, Mossy Moon stepped forward again. She padded up to the pile, which sat at the edge of the cliff, looking out over the gorge as the sun rose between the Twin Peaks towering above them. "Tumbling Stone, our Clanmate," she murmured, addressing him though he was no longer there. "The Clan of the Morning Sun mourns your loss today. But as the dawn is breaking over the Valley of Hidden Stars and a new sunrise starts, we must start anew as well. And so must you. May the Clan of the Bright Stars light your starry path as you climb into the sky to join them. May the prey leap into your paws, and may the trees shelter you when you sleep. May you forever find peace. Once the sun sets tonight, we will see you again in the Silverpelt."
As the chieftain bowed her head and stepped back, a heavy silence descended on the Clan of the Morning Sun cats like the early morning fog coating the mountainsides. For a long time, no one moved, and no one spoke. But the sun rose higher in the sky, and a new sunrise was starting.
. . .
Fern Dapple lay in a pool of weak sunlight just out of reach of the narrow shadows of the gorge walls in the sunhigh-sun, watching Spotted Owl pace back and forth as if her fur was teeming with ants. Eventually, the Clan of the Morning Sun cats had roused themselves from their grief and trekked back down the slope. A gloomy cloud had hung over them the entire way, and no one had seemed particularly inclined to start their usual routines and duties, but as soon as they had returned to camp, Falling Star had leaped into action. Wasting no time, she had sent several of the injured cats, including Mossy Moon, to Red Maple's den to get checked out, ordered Willow Leaf and Dawn Sky to take the day off, and got to work assigning the patrols.
Blossom Dust, who was stretched out beside Fern Dapple, her eyes half-closed lazily, raised her head as her sister heaved a sigh. "Spotted Owl, what's wrong? You should rest with us. It was a difficult night, and our instructors said that we're not going to train until a bit after sunhigh."
Pausing for a heartbeat, Spotted Owl shrugged. "I know I should. But something doesn't feel right."
The small she-cat sat up. "Nothing feels right right now. The Clan of the Flowing Waters attacked us not even two sunrises ago. Tumbling Stone died. We're all grieving, exhausted, and in shock. It's okay not to be okay."
"I guess so." Spotted Owl frowned. "But I think there's something more than that." She was about to return to pacing but turned back. "Have either of you seen Tall Pine?"
Tall Pine. Fern Dapple scowled, though she felt a twinge of guilt at the same time at the rush of angry and cold emotions she felt at the mere mention of his name. I really shouldn't be so harsh and mean to him. It was as if a bee was burrowing its way into her side. But he's such as stupid furball-
"Yeah, I spoke with him earlier when we got back to camp," Blossom Dust responded, startling Fern Dapple out of her thoughts.
The blue-eyed sat up as well. "The last time I saw him was when we first found Tumbling Stone's body. Why?"
Spotted Owl shrugged, though the fur on her neck bristled almost subconsciously. "Oh, no reason."
Blossom Dust furrowed her brow, looking from her sister to her friend. "What is going on with the two of you and Tall Pine?"
"Nothing," both she-cats said at the same time.
"Really?" Blossom Dust lifted a brow at them. She was about to say something more when a caterwaul echoed in the passageway, making the three of them leap to their paws and whirl around, their fur lifting immediately.
Oh, stars. Fern Dapple's chest tightened as she saw Drifting Leaf burst into the camp. Upon seeing her mother, Blossom Dust hurried over, the other two cats close behind her. What's happened now? Has the Clan of the Flowing Waters attacked another one of our patrols so soon? Is someone else dead? Her exhaustion from earlier washed over her. We just finished burying Tumbling Stone.
Drifting Leaf skidded to a halt, her yellow eyes as wild as sunlight dancing on an untamed river. Her chest heaving, she stopped just long enough to catch her breath. "Mossy Moon," she called again.
The chieftain was already halfway across the camp to her, her neck injury half-covered with cobwebs and a cross-looking Red Maple trailing after her. She shouldered her way through the cats that had already gathered like bees to a flower, alerted by the Drifting Leaf's cries and still on edge, and halted in front of the fighter. "What is going on, Drifting Leaf?"
The fighter took another ragged breath. "My border patrol...encountered a Clan of the Flowing Waters patrol…"
"Oh stars," Passing Storm muttered. "Not again."
"Those fox-hearts," Spotted Owl growled, sinking her claws into the dirt. Both of them echoed Fern Dapple's sentiments.
Mossy Moon furrowed her brow, her gaze flickering over Drifting Leaf's dusty-brown pelt, which carried fresh scratches from the battle, so it was difficult to tell if any were new. "Where is the rest of your patrol? Do we need to bring reinforcements?"
To everyone's puzzlement, Drifting Leaf shook her head. "No, they did not attack us. The rest of the patrol is making sure that they don't trespass on our territory and try to attack us again."
"Then what, for the ancestors' sake, did they want?" Dewy Grass stepped forward, her tail lashing.
Drifting Leaf glanced in her direction before she returned her attention to Mossy Moon. "They gave us a message for you from Gray Moon. He is inviting you to speak with him at dawn in three sunrises on the central island in the marsh on our border about the conflict between our Clans."
"What in the stars?" Dewy Grass exclaimed incredulously.
"Why would that sleazy fox-heart want to talk all of a sudden?" Yellow Sky narrowed her eyes into slits. "He got what he wanted; a war between our Clans."
"Maybe he came to his senses, or Mossy Moon's threats got to him?" Rabbit Nose offered with a shrug.
Yellow Sky snorted. "Have you met Gray Moon?" Turning to the chieftain, she said, "Mossy Moon, there is no way you can go. I don't know what he's playing at, but it's nothing good."
"But if there's a chance he wants to make peace, shouldn't we-" Dappled Fur protested.
"Are you mouse-brained?" Passing Storm turned to his sister. "It's probably a trap."
Mossy Moon raised her tail for silence. "Thank you all for your input. Yellow Sky, I agree; there is no way I am going to trust Gray Moon. Whatever he is doing smells fishy-and not just because they are the Clan of the Flowing Waters. But Rabbit Nose and Dappled Fur are also right. If there is a chance that Gray Moon has realized that going to war is a mistake, or he was scared enough to back down, or for whatever other reason, he has called this meeting to make peace, it is worth attending." Turning back to Drifting Leaf, she asked, "Did the Clan of the Flowing Waters cats say anything else or give you any hints that might help us?"
Drifting Leaf flattened her ears, deep in thought. "No, they didn't say anything more, but come to think of it, the patrol was actually not hostile for the first time in a while. They approached us in a wary but respectful manner, didn't make any threats, and seemed hopeful about the meeting."
"See, maybe they are seeking peace," Dappled Fur meowed, giving Passing Storm a meaningful look. He rolled his eyes.
Mossy Moon nodded. "Thank you, Drifting Leaf." She turned to the other gathered cats. "This is an important matter that has given me a lot to think about. Please spread the word that I will meet with Falling Star, Red Maple, and the council cats as soon as everyone has returned to camp. In the meantime, return to your duties. We must remain vigilant and ready. This invitation does not equate peace."
As the crowd broke up, Fern Dapple watched Mossy Moon stride back toward the healer's den with Red Maple, her tail tip twitching. Her mind still reeled with shock. This is surprising news after everything that has happened recently. I think that Mossy Moon made the right decision. I am hesitant to believe that Gray Moon suddenly wants peace, though I can't imagine why else he would like to talk, but if there is a chance for peace, we have to try. I hope Mossy Moon will be okay.
"Hey, Fern Dapple." Spotted Owl's voice broke through her thoughts. The blue-eyed she-cat turned to see that the two sisters were waiting for her. "Are you coming?"
"Yeah, right." Fern Dapple fell in beside Blossom Dust as the three of them headed back over to their sunny corner of the camp.
"What a strange turn of events," Blossom Dust mused as she flopped on her side and stretched out her limbs. "What do you think happened?"
Spotted Owl took a seat, flexing her unsheathed claws. "I agree with Yellow Sky. Gray Moon is a fox-hearted dirt-pelt. He's pushed us continuously to try and start a war even though the Bands are threatening all of us, so there should be no reason he would change his mind now." Her green gaze was hard. "It has to be a trap or something like that."
Blossom Dust lifted her head. "But just because he never changed his mind before doesn't mean he never will. He didn't necessarily have had to come to his senses. Like Rabbit Nose said, maybe Mossy Moon's threats got to him. She was frightening."
Spotted Owl opened her mouth to reply, but Fern Dapple responded instead. Sitting down, she wrapped her tail around her paws and tilted her head. "I think that we could spend the next three sunrises debating Gray Moon's true motivation, but we won't know unless we ask him. So, we need to look at the facts. Gray Moon asked for a meeting, and one possible reason is that he wants peace. I agree with Mossy Moon; if there is a chance for peace, we should take it. We have all seen firsthand the death and destruction this pointless war has caused already over the past few sunrises. But we can't be too cautious, so we need to take time to prepare beforehand, so our Clanmates and our chieftain are safe."
Blossom Dust nodded. "Good thinking. I wonder what Mossy Moon and the other cats will talk about later. It sounded like she plans to attend, but I imagine she'll develop a backup plan. Have you found anything out, Fern Dapple?"
The silver tabby she-cat shook her head. "No, I have not, unfortunately." Glancing over her shoulder at Mossy Moon's den, she made a mental note to check in with the chieftain later.
Blossom Dust sighed. "I haven't found out anything from anyone in our Clan either."
As Blossom Dust and Spotted Owl continued the conversation, Fern Dapple's gaze strayed across the camp. She frowned as she spotted Dewy Grass speaking to Jagged Path in a corner. The she-cat's back was to her, and she couldn't hear what they were saying, but from her posture, Dewy Grass looked angry. Jagged Path was nodding, his gaze cast on the ground. His pelt was raggedy and unkempt, and his eyes were hollow. Fern Dapple frowned. He looks very disheveled, almost guilt-ridden. He probably hasn't been sleeping well. Though, to be fair, none of the Clan of the Morning Sun cats had. Something is bothering me with the two of them. I still feel like something isn't right with what happened with them the last sunrise.
Another chapter is done! This one was quite long and I did a lot of editing, so it took me a little bit longer than usual. It was another Fern Dapple chapter! I enjoy writing from her perspective. It's fun to try something new and develop other characters. Unfortunately, this is the last Fern Dapple chapter as we are now in the final countdown of chapters before the ending! Wow!
Fun Fact: Fern Dapple was named after her mother, Waving Fern, who is the daughter of Mossy Moon. As the only kit of the chieftain, Waving Fern grew up beloved by the Clan, which led to her becoming a little conceited and attention-seeking, impacting her relationship with Fern Dapple so it is strained.
- A Warrior At Heart