SUNHIGH arrived and with it came the heat of day. After being plunged in the smoke and flames within the Land of the Fallen, Sedgestrike was ready to relax in the cool of the shade in camp. She relished the feeling of water soaking her fur once again as she waded through the marsh with her patrol. Though the sight of a new land was breathtaking, she was content to be back in her own territory.
Coming upon the sawgrass that framed camp, as she rustled through it she began to hear the bustle of cats going about their day. The scents of MarshClan wafted through the grasses to welcome her home. It pained her to think about the forces working beneath the surface to change her Clan forever. It pained her even more to realize that she was the one destined to initiate the metamorphosis.
Upon entering camp, she absorbed the tranquil sight of MarshClan going about their day. Beyond the Fallen Cypress, Mother Lake twinkled in the background, holding the sun on its shimmering surface. Juniperheart bathed in the sunlight outside the nursery while Shellshine groomed her pale tortoiseshell fur, taking care to be gentle around her very pregnant belly.
Foxpaw was tending to the elders den alone, looking fatigued. He was likely saddled with the task on a whim. His paws fumbled beneath him as he wrestled with a large cluster of soiled moss.
"Pebblepaw, go assist Foxpaw," Snakefang ordered, sounding annoyed.
"R-right…" The dappled gray apprentice hurried to the other, glancing back anxiously at the patrol.
"I'll go debrief our patrol with Spiderfang," Sedgestrike murmured. "You all can eat or rest until you receive more… tasking." She was unsure how to properly break a patrol, but that sounded about right.
"I'll come with you," Zinniablossom offered.
"That's not very necessary."
"I insist."
"No," Sedgestrike growled firmly. She was not ignorant to Zinniablossom's intentions. The she-cat was trying to overstep her authority throughout the entire patrol; the last thing she wanted was to be overshadowed in her own debrief. "Thank you, but no."
Not wanting to argue with the eager warrior further, she briskly made her way toward the Fallen Cypress. She felt nervous as she came upon the hollow tree. She heard murmurs within, and hesitated outside her leader and deputy's fortress.
The voice came from Jasminefur. "They're my kits just as much as his." She was arguing, but her voice was as soft as a flower petal.
"I understand, but I am their kin too, and I agree with him. Two moons, and they will be apprenticed, that's final." Whitestar's cold voice rang clear, freezing Sedgestrike.
"You may be their aunt, but I am their mother." Jasminefur refused to budge. "I can't believe you won't listen to me… What could you possibly need all these apprentices for? Our borders are quiet. The challenges we face come from nature, not the Fallen."
"Don't chastise me," Whitestar snapped. "You don't know of the dangers threatening our Clan. We need to be strong to defend ourselves!"
"I only don't know because you won't tell to me," Jasminefur reasoned. "I don't know what's happened to you, Whitestar. You used to tell me everything."
"And you think I want to burden you with the knowledge of everything?" Whitestar scoffed. "You should be grateful you do not know what I know, or see what I see… I allow you to live a comfortable life with Snakefang, a safe life. How easy it must be to ask for more, when you know not what 'more' entails?"
"All I ask is they be apprenticed as normal," Jasminefur mewed steadily.
Sedgestrike's ears perked. They were talking about Hawthornkit and Magnoliakit. Whitestar did make the decree for all apprentices to start their training at five moons, but was she asking for them to start even earlier? The distress in Jasminefur's voice attested to it.
"Two moons. You have two moons with them in the nursery, and then they'll begin." Whitestar's words were final.
The silence that followed was too much for Sedgestrike. She purposefully brushed against the cypress log as she made her way to the entrance. Before she could approach the mossy curtain, she saw Jasminefur's white pelt hurriedly exit for the nursery, her head downcast.
Sedgestrike hovered at the entrance, watching Jasminefur leave with a heavy heart. Whitestar's harsh mew sounded. "It's rude to linger… enter, now."
Quickly, Sedgestrike pushed through the moss, setting foot inside the den for the first time. The massive hollow of the log was larger than she imagined. Spongy moss and steps of fungi layered its insides, emitting a musty, earthy smell. Feathers of all hues painted the floor where more moss piled for bedding. To think, the leader and deputy shared such a spacious den. The warriors den looked like an ant pit in comparison.
"Whitestar," she greeted, bowing her head.
"Ah, Sedgestrike," Whitestar sounded relieved as she meowed. "I pray you have good news?"
"Yes, the fire is well within the Land of the Fallen. It will most likely not reach our border."
"Good." She shuddered. "Such a destructive element. I am glad our territory is blessed with boundless water. We will never have to deal with such chaos."
"Right," Sedgestrike muttered in agreement.
"Maybe those flames will finally purge us of the Fallen, hm?" Whitestar mused, smiling to herself.
"Their territory is vast," Sedgestrike reasoned, disturbed by her leader's grin. "They likely avoided the fire and found shelter."
"You're right," Whitestar hissed, shaking her head. "Elders have long said their land is cursed..." Her amber eyes glinted. "Their pine forests are constantly plagued by fires. Even the forces of nature want them gone! And yet, they remain." She laughed humorlessly. "I fear there may be only one way to rid of them."
"Rid of them?" Sedgestrike pressed, heart skipping a beat. "But, you've already banished them. Surely they are harmless in exile?"
Whitestar shook her head. "So naive, young paragon. Our perfect society cannot come to fruition if they continue to exist; it's like they have a sickness in their brain… and it spreads to others in MarshClan, infecting good warriors one by one, daring them to doubt me. We cannot have our warriors doubt me or Spiderfang or any of the paragons-not if we are to bring the Eternal Night into its true form."
Sedgestrike felt uneasy, and she instinctively inched away from her leader. The hatred in her voice was frightening. Whatever Eternal Night's true form was, she did not want to find out, but she knew she had to know. "What will you-I mean, we do?"
"Whatever it takes," Whitestar hissed, eyes glinting. "But first, we need to snuff out the traitors within."
"You think there are more?"
"I know there are more." Whitestar's leaned in, and Sedgestrike stiffened. "You will help me find them."
"O-of course, Whitestar." Sedgestrike knew she could not refuse, even if her heart wailed at the thought of putting cats on trial. "Whatever it takes."
Whitestar stared at her for what felt like moons before reclining with a nod. "Good." She gazed through the curtain of moss with narrow eyes. "I know Minnowtail couldn't have acted alone. There were others… The Place of Eternal Night comes to me, telling me MarshClan harbors dissenters in all dens. I am beginning to fear They are right."
Sedgestrike's eyes widened. She was not used to hearing Whitestar sound… helpless. The rare moment of vulnerability vanished as her leader's glare hardened. "No matter. The Order will prevail. We always have." A chilling laugh escaped her lips. "StarClan is just too good at screwing up."
"What will you have me do?" Sedgestrike asked. She did not want to be trapped within the wooden walls of Whitestar's den any longer. She needed to be tasked and sent away before she broke down.
"Keep your eyes on Molefoot," Whitestar murmured. "They were the one that filled Ospreyflight's head with all that nonsense about Hemlockstar, no doubt, despite my banning of discussion of his tactics. As admirable as they were, we need MarshClan to view the Order and its paragons in a favorable light, don't you agree?"
"Yes, Whitestar," Sedgestrike mewed robotically. Just get me out of here…
"Once the time comes for Night Eternal to take form, and for us to unveil ourselves, we want as little backlash as possible. This will be a smooth transition," Whitestar mewed tactfully.
"I'll be going now," Sedgestrike muttered.
"Take care, young paragon."
As Sedgestrike left the den, she was able to breath again. Gulping in deeply, she shuddered. The more she learned about the Place of Eternal Night, the more she feared Them. The thought of putting Molefoot on trial made her stomach churn unpleasantly. They were always so pleasant to her, and clearly they did a good job training Ospreyflight. Why banish a good warrior for pursuing the truth? Sedgestrike knew why… having the truth meant having power.
Slowly dragging herself across camp, she noticed warriors gathering in the shade. When the day was at its hottest, MarshClan took to the shade for sharing-tongues and rest. She noticed a cluster of paragons talking in a group: Snakefang, Zinniablossom, Longscar, and Grayjaw. She purposefully avoided them, spotting Blueflower resting in the shade alone. Her heart skipped a beat as she got closer.
"Hey, Sedgestrike!" Grayjaw called out. "Don't be shy, come on over."
Sedgestrike hesitated, groaning internally. She needed to play the part, or risk Whitestar losing faith in her. Grudgingly, she turned from Blueflower and trotted up to the paragons, eyes downcast. As soon as she arrived, Longscar grunted and left. Sedgestrike watched him go with a curled lip.
"Don't let him get to you," Snakefang hissed. "He takes pride in thinking he is better than everyone else."
Longscar snarled in response as he walked away.
Grayjaw chuckled. "He'll come around." His whiskers twitched in amusement. "You must have really ticked him off as an apprentice."
"Shocker," Sedgestrike grumbled. "What doesn't tick him off?"
The paragons laughed, nodding in agreement. Sedgestrike felt weirdly comforted by their inclusion. As an apprentice, she only had her siblings and Ospreypaw. Now that she was a warrior, she never thought she would be able to make more friends. Wait… She shook her head slightly. They only like me because they think I'm one of them. Sedgestrike knew she had to be careful not to get entangled in the politics.
"So, I heard the Blossom Festival would be coming up soon," Zinniablossom began.
Grayjaw chuckled. "Maybe Palemist will finally realize she's madly in love with me?"
"Get a grip, Grayjaw, she's way too good for you!" Snakefang laughed.
"Oh, and Jasminefur isn't too good for you?" Grayjaw countered, grumbling. "I still don't know how she's your mate."
Snakefang's eyes were half-shut as he sighed whimsically. "Guess I'm just lucky," he purred. "Don't be jealous."
Zinniablossom rolled her eyes. "Ugh, you're getting mushier than a mallow, Snakefang, I swear."
Sedgestrike laughed softly, but it petered off when she caught Zinniablossom's curious gaze. "What about you, anyone barking up your tree?"
"Uhhh…" Sedgestrike shrugged. No one ever pursued her in that way, and whenever Sedgestrike thought of the Blossom Festival, her mind immediately went to Blueflower. "I don't know. I don't even know how to make a promise wreath."
"Oh, so you want to be the one to make the proposal, eh?" Grayjaw realized, chuckling eagerly. "So, who's the lucky tom?"
Sedgestrike felt her face grow hot, but thankfully she was saved by Snakefang's groan. "Oh, please, you two are so dense… She clearly has feelings for Blueflower!"
Feeling like her head was about to explode with embarrassment, Sedgestrike cleared her throat. "Uhm… maybe not so loud?" She stole a glance at Blueflower as she rested; the warrior seemed peacefully asleep, thankfully.
"Ohh." Grayjaw's eyes were wide. "Apologies," he rumbled, large frame shaking with laughter.
Snakefang was shaking his head. "Literally everyone in the Clan knows about them. Sedgestrike was pining over her since she was a 'paw."
"I never knew you were so up to speed on Clan gossip, Snakefang," Sedgestrike teased.
The skinny tom shrugged, smiling. "Perks of having a queen in the nursery, I guess."
"Really?" Zinniablossom grunted. "Her? The only rumor I ever heard was of you and Ospreyflight..."
Sedgestrike's eyes narrowed. "Ospreyflight?" She never thought about her friend in that way, but her memories went back to the night they snuck out with her siblings to the Great Cypress. This rumor had those rambunctious kits written all over it… One of the queens likely caught wind of their gossip. If a queen had an ear for anything, it was a crying kit and a fresh bout of gossip.
"Ospreyflight, huh?" Spiderfang was waltzing up to the group, having returned with the day's hunting party. The warriors had a successful hunt, for as soon as they entered camp, the rich scent of fresh-kill came with them. Their bounty likely granted Spiderfang permission to relax and talk with his Clanmates. The deputy sat beside them. "That would definitely lift Kiteclaw's spirits." He snickered. "She's in distress after her daughter's failure last night. Oh, how desperately she wanted her to be a one of us!"
"It's not happening," Sedgestrike mewed. "Ospreyflight is my friend."
Spiderfang shrugged. "Well, she's a better match than Blueflower-no offense."
"Offense taken," Sedgestrike grumbled, causing Grayjaw to chuckle heartily.
"I'm just saying!" Spiderfang relented, a lopsided grin on his face. "At least Ospreyflight had the potential to be a paragon… Blueflower? Ehhh…"
"I don't care about that stuff," Sedgestrike growled, starting to bristle. The last thing she wanted was criticism from Spiderfang.
"Ah, young love," Spiderfang mewed whimsically. "Once you get a little older you'll realize the perks of having a mate with some status. For now, just enjoy the romance."
Sedgestrike lashed her tail. At this point, she would much rather have Longscar sitting with them glaring daggers at her than Spiderfang and his loud mouth. Getting to her paws, she decided it was best to excuse herself from the group before her temper got the best of her. "I'm going to grab a bite to eat," she muttered stormily.
"Aw, you're leaving us?" Spiderfang crooned.
"Let her go," Zinniablossom mewed, rolling her eyes. "You got her in a mood now."
Stalking away toward the fresh-kill pile, Sedgestrike sought solace in the perfume of marigold wafting off the medicine den and the warm, tangy aroma of fresh-kill. With riverswell in its second moon, fish were abundant, and the pile way layered with plump trout and bass; the healthy sheen to their scales made Sedgestrike's mouth water.
"Not bad, huh?" Shaleheart was coming to stand beside her, instantly putting her on edge.
Sedgestrike glanced at her father warily. "Yeah… good eats," she mewed awkwardly. He only ever approached her to dish out words of caution or haphazardly ask about her day; either exchange was mildly unpleasant… like an old ant bit that retained a dull sting.
Plucking a particularly fat fish, Shaleheart plopped it between them, clearing his throat. "How about we share?" he suggested.
Sedgestrike was too hungry to refuse, despite her misgivings. "Sure."
They laid beside one another in silence, each taking a modest bite before sliding the morsel to the other, both refusing to meet the other's stare. After several bites and several missed opportunities to strike up a conversation, Sedgestrike felt her stomach gurgle with unease. Why did she feel a divide broader than the river border between them? She could never pinpoint the disconnect, but she felt the longing in its spark, for it desired to form some sort of connection with her father.
"Can you… show me how to make a promise wreath?" she asked suddenly. If there was one thing she wanted to talk about with her father, this was it. She eyed him uneasily, gauging his reaction.
Shaleheart's eyes widened. "You… wish to be mated with someone?" The surprise in his voice caused Sedgestrike to flinch.
"Well, yeah, that's why I'm asking," she deadpanned. It was Shaleheart's turn to flinch.
"Hoo-okay." Shaleheart cleared his throat, nodding. "Of course, uhm, I'll show you."
Sedgestrike's eyes widened. "You will?"
"Yeah, you need to know these things, right?" He laughed nervously, shuffling his paws. "I just… may I ask who it's for?"
Of all the cats in MarshClan, the one cat that remained oblivious to Sedgestrike's attraction to Blueflower was the one she wished noticed it most: her own father. She rolled her eyes. "It's Blueflower," she answered.
"Blueflower?" Shaleheart echoed. His eyes were nearly bulging out of their sockets as he failed to control his shock. "Really?"
"Yeah." Sedgestrike lifted her chin defiantly. "Is that a problem?"
"N-no, no! It's just… Blueflower, hmmm, wow… Uh."
Sedgestrike began to bristle. "Is it because she's a she-cat?" she growled.
"Of course not! No!" he snapped. He shook his head, flustered. "It's just… why her? I mean… she does not have a good reputation. Her upbringing… it's—it's questionable to say the least."
"I don't care about that," Sedgestrike retorted, miffed. Why was he sounding like Spiderfang? Her skin crawled with disgust at the thought of comparing her kin to the deputy. "I love her."
Shaleheart nodded solemnly. "I… understand." He stretched and flexed his toes in the grass, staring absently as the half-eaten fish. "My father gave me the same rebuttal when I wanted to propose to Fernstream," he admitted.
Sedgestrike shook her head, confused and hurt. "Then why are you reacting this way? You must know how this feels?"
"I just… want the best for you, Sedgestrike. Cats talk." Shaleheart lowered his head, solemn. "I don't want you to have to go through what I did, not if you can help it."
"What, and you couldn't? Why is my love for Blueflower any different than yours for Fernstream?" Sedgestrike protested. She was not sure what she felt more: anger or hurt.
"This is different," Shaleheart argued. "Cats will already be talking because two she-cats were mated, let alone you being with someone like Blueflower."
"Her only crime is being the offspring of Fallen, and that's not even her fault!" Sedgestrike countered, seething. Though her outburst caught the attention of some cats in the clearing, it did not temper her rage. Her hisses escaped between her clenched fangs, and her claws dug into the earth. "You're the only one that cares about what they think; why should I let that change my mind?" Her voice broke. "I thought you would be happy for me."
"How can I be?" Shaleheart hissed. His words dug into her like a spear, impaling her. "Our reputation is at stake! You think life is going to be easy with her? You'll be treated different."
"The only one treating me differently is you," Sedgestrike murmured. "Everyone knows about my feelings for Blueflower. You didn't even know this whole time… you don't pay attention to me!"
"Not everything is about you, Sedgestrike," Shaleheart pointed out. "I have a life to live that's my own. I can't be there watching out for you all the time."
"You don't care," Sedgestrike realized, growling. "You never cared about me!"
"Now, that's enough," he spat, golden eyes blazing. "Don't dare doubt my love for you! All I ever did was try to steer you in the right direction!"
"You were always embarrassed of me. You always thought I was different," Sedgestrike cried. Her emotions threatened to take over. "You would always shoo me away when I wanted to eat with you… when you would laugh with your friends, and I'd want to laugh too, you would pretend I wasn't there. What makes me so different? You don't treat Mudpaw or Yewbranch this way."
"You're just… you're difficult, Sedgestrike!" Shaleheart snapped. Upon unveiling the truth, he recoiled, shriveling into a small tomcat with a glum face and lowered chin. "I couldn't handle you. I never could. You wouldn't listen to me. You wouldn't let me help you when you'd fall or get hurt. How could I be there for you when you didn't let me? Your temper would get the best of you, and only Fernstream could calm you down. What was I supposed to do? Watch?" He sighed shakily. "I know I failed you as a father. I'm sorry. But you have got to let me help you this one last time."
"Help me?" Sedgestrike scoffed. "What's this? Some last ditch effort to make you feel better about yourself? To say 'I tried' and then walk away forever?" She sucked her teeth, chuckling bitterly. "Well, congratulations, you did it," she hissed softly. "Your final gambit worked. You can rest easy now. I don't want your help or forgiveness… I don't want your love." The words tasted like bile in her mouth as she uttered them; a small voice inside her head warned of her later regret, but her fury strangled all reason.
"Sedgestrike—"
"No!" She shook her head. "Just—just leave me alone."
"But—"
"Leave!"
Hesitating, Shaleheart stared at Sedgestrike, hurt shining in his eyes. She met his stare, rage blinding her to the cats around her that whispered and eyed their argument with curious, eager gazes. Sniffing, Sedgestrike swatted their shared fish away before angrily making her way toward the sawgrass. It was all too much. Whitestar, Longscar, Spiderfang, Shaleheart… The Place of Eternal Night. All these faces stared at her, expecting the moon and stars in her paws, or awaiting her failure with baited breath. Too much…