Chapter 3
Asuna, Kirito, and Suguha entered ShadowClan's camp, the cats in the clearing giving them curious looks. Tigerstar had noticed them and immediately approached them.
"Asuna, Suguha, Kirito, what are you three doing here?" The dark brown tabby asked them. "Is something wrong in ThunderClan?" The cream she-cat shook her head.
"Bramblestar made all cats not from this world leave ThunderClan." Asuna explained, the ShadowClan leader's eyes widening in shock.
"Really? Even with this weather? The three nodded.
"I know it might be too much to ask…and I don't want to seem like I'm using our friendship, but I was wondering if the three of us could stay here in ShadowClan for the time being?" The hazel-eyed she-cat requested.
"Of course! I mean, I don't mind doing this as a friend, but you three are heroes to the Clans. I can't just let you freeze to death." He meowed. "Cloverfoot!"
"Yes, Tigerstar?" The deputy walked over to the tom's side.
"Can you help these three get situated in the warriors' den?"
"Oh, I can stay in the medicine cat's den so you don't need to make much space." Asuna offered. Tigerstar nodded, the she-cat now walking over to the den.
"Follow me, you two." The gray tabby she-cat meowed. Kirito and Suguha followed behind her as they walked towards the warriors' den. "Is what Asuna said true? Did Bramblestar really send you three off?"
"Yeah. We didn't see it coming." Kirito replied.
"I can imagine. You've been living in ThunderClan for so long. There has to be a reason why."
"He said it's because the other Clans would think that he'd use us to deal with the code-breakers." Suguha answered.
"So…he let you three leave, and you're now in another Clan? That doesn't seem to make sense to me."
"It's not like we'd do anything. ThunderClan's where we stay, but we'd never try and hurt any of the other Clans." The black tom told her. When they entered the warriors' den, Dovewing got up from her nest and approached them.
"Kirito, Suguha, it's great to see you! How's ThunderClan?"
"Bramblestar made them leave. They'll be staying with us for the time being." Cloverfoot explained, the she-cat looking at them in surprise. "Dovewing, can you get them situated for now?" The gray she-cat nodded. "Thank you." Once the deputy left, Dovewing motioned them to follow her.
"There should be some room over here. Lightleap and Pouncestep sleep around here, but I'm sure they won't mind making some room for you both."
"Especially for someone over here." Suguha teased, giving her cousin a shove.
"Oh, I know. It'll be a dream come true to Lightleap." Dovewing said with a giggle, causing Kirito's face to grow hot.
"I-I swear I won't do anything with her!" He quickly assured the she-cat. "Maybe I should've just stayed in SkyClan with Lelouch and Makoto." The gray she-cat looked at Kirito in shock.
"Wait…Bramblestar made Lelouch leave, too? That's horrible! I hope Ivypool and the kits are okay." She said. "Why didn't he come with you?"
"We didn't want to take up so much space here, especially with the weather." Suguha told her.
"Oh. Is Asuna here, too?" Kirito nodded.
"She's gonna stay in the medicine cat's den."
"That's good. Shadowpaw's missed having her around back when she and Alderheart were here helping cure Puddleshine." She stated. "Kirito, you mentioned someone else was with Lelouch as well?"
"Yeah. Her name's Makoto. She was brought here to help with the code-breakers. She was just brought here today, actually, so it's not like she had time to get situated in ThunderClan or anything."
"Still…this doesn't sound like something Bramblestar would do at all. You three are more than welcome here." She assured them. "Hopefully everyone's welcoming when you meet them. This weather brings out the worse in some cats."
"Right, and it's apparently brought us more mouths to feed." Scorchfur meowed from his nest. "We're already running low on prey as-is. I don't know why Tigerstar let these three stay here."
"What?! They're heroes! It's an honor that they're here with us!" Blazefire exclaimed.
"Calm down, Blazefire. I know how enamored you've been about cats from other worlds ever since we first met Tigerstar, but Scorchfur has a point." Cinnamontail replied.
"You don't have to worry about running low on food. I'm a pretty great hunter." Kirito assured them.
"Really? We'll have to see about that." Strikestone challenged. "We're not exactly like ThunderClan. We do most of our hunting at night."
"That's when I hunt best."
"Are you sure about that?" Suguha questioned her cousin. "Last time Fernsong and I caught more than both you and Lionblaze."
"W-Well that was just luck! C'mon, you know I'm a good hunter, Sugu."
"He's not wrong. Kazuto's the type of cat who won't stop hunting unless he catches something." She meowed. "I'll help hunt, too. It's the least we can do."
"We're all grateful." Tawnypelt meowed. "I know that Dovewing already said it, but I can't believe that my brother would exile you out of ThunderClan. I'd never expect him to do something like that."
"He doesn't want to cause any tension between the Clans by making them think he'd use us to force them into finding out about the code-breakers." Kirito explained.
"Maybe StarClan told him something." Snowbird suggested. "Even so…no cat from another world has harmed any Clan cat. Do they think they might this time around?"
"I hope not. We're the same cats we've always been ever since we were brought to this world." Suguha meowed. "We want to help the Clans reconnect with StarClan as much as any other cat. We just don't know where to start."
"I don't think any cat does." Dovewing meowed. "Oh, you might need to get ready, Kirito." The she-cat meowed. Lightleap and Pouncestep entered the warriors' den, the brown tabby she-cat looking at the black tom in joy when she noticed him.
"Kirito! What are you doing here?" She asked.
"Kirito, Suguha, and Asuna are staying in ShadowClan for the time being." Dovewing told her daughter. "He's even found a spot right next to your nest."
"D-Dovewing!" Kirito looked at her in surprise.
"We're not just living in a Lightleap fantasy, are we?" Pouncestep meowed, letting out a sigh.
"You can sleep over here near my nest, Kirito." Blazefire offered.
"Blazefire, no!" Lightleap objected.
"She doesn't hide how much she likes Kirito, does she?" Suguha meowed. "Kinda like Swiftfrost."
"Right, but the way she likes me is totally different." Kirito replied. "I'll take you up on that offer, Blazefire!"
"What?" The dark tabby she-cat pouted.
"Maybe try not to be too clingy. Kirito and Asuna are mates already, after all." Dovewing told her daughter. "Suguha still needs somewhere to sleep, too, by the way."
"I know I'm not Kirito, but I'd appreciate it." The black she-cat meowed.
"No, of course you can, Suguha! Here, you can sleep next to my nest." Suguha followed the she-cat to where she slept in the den. "There's usually enough room when Pouncestep and I sleep, so you should be comfortable."
"Thanks, Lightleap." Suguha said, letting out a gentle smile.
"It's nothing. Sorry that I'm a bit clingy to your cousin as my mom put it. I just remember when I first saw him when I was a kit, and it kinda has stuck with me ever since."
"I know he didn't say it, but he probably thinks it's cute."
"R-Really?" A blush formed on Lightleap's face.
"That's how he was with Swiftfrost, but then it turned out that she had a bit of a crush on him."
"I knew it! She said she didn't the last time I saw her!" The she-cat exclaimed.
"She still probably has a better chance than you ever will, Lightleap." Pouncestep meowed when she joined the two.
"You don't have to be mean about it…" Her sister responded. "Maybe I was too excited to see him and scared him. He's just…really cute."
"Well, if you act like he's just a normal tom, then you might get to know him more." Suguha suggested.
"Sugu, what are you telling her?" Kirito called from the other side of the den.
"N-Nothing, Kazuto!" She responded. At least this is starting to somewhat feel like ThunderClan. I just hope Alderheart, Nightheart, and the others are okay.
In the medicine cat's den, Asuna took some of the bedding used for the patients to make a small nest for her to rest in.
"I'm sorry that this happened to you and the others, Asuna." Puddleshine meowed.
"It's alright. Bramblestar's just doing it to protect ThunderClan. We understand his concern."
"But does this even seem fair for Lelouch? He has a family and is pretty much a Clan cat. He should at least have let him stay." The tom replied. "Anyway, Shadowpaw and I are happy to see you here again."
"I'm happy to see you both, too. Don't think I'm just staying here for shelter, though. I'm going to be helping whenever you need it."
"I'd like nothing more than having one of my mentors assisting us." The brown tom meowed. In the corner of Asuna's vision, a small red exclamation point appeared in front of an envelope. She swiped a paw down and saw that she had received a message from Makoto.
"Excuse me, you two. I'll be back." Asuna exited the medicine cat's den and made her way over to the exit of camp.
"Asuna, where are you going?" She turned and saw that it was Tigerstar.
"Oh…I'm just going to speak with someone using my chat menu. It's a bit of a private thing."
"Are your powers involved?" She nodded. "I'd probably get too confused if you explained. Just try not to stay out there for too long."
"It'll only take a minute or two. No need to worry." The tom nodded and watched as the cream she-cat left camp. Once Asuna walked for a few more seconds, she looked around and tasted the air to make sure no cat was around her. When she confirmed that she was alone, she swiped her paw down and navigated her way to the chat menu. Near Makoto's name, she pressed on the camera icon. The screen in front of her turned black and she waited a few seconds before she saw Makoto. "Sorry for not answering you earlier, Makoto. I was in the medicine cat's den."
"That's okay. I just wanted to call because Lelouch and I found out something vital."
"Really? What is it?" Makoto moved so that Lelouch and Rootpaw were now visible to her.
"Is that Rootpaw?"
"You both sound alike!" The apprentice meowed in shock.
"Yeah, it's him. No cat is around you, right?" Lelouch asked.
"I made sure of it. If Rootpaw's there with you…does that mean you let him know about what's going on?"
"That's just it; he knew about Bramblestar." Makoto stated.
"Really? How?"
"He has a power similar to Tree's. He's able to see Bramblestar's spirit. We talked to him, which confirms our suspicion that he's being possessed. He doesn't know by who, however."
"I'll make sure to tell Kirito and Suguha. Are you going to tell Ren and Futaba, Makoto?"
"When I get the chance, yes." She assured her.
"Is anything strange going on in ShadowClan, Asuna?"
"No, everything's fine here. How about in SkyClan?"
"We're fine." Lelouch meowed. "If Shadowpaw brings anything up that can help, let us know."
"I will, don't worry. Be safe, you two…oh, and you too, Rootpaw. Welcome to the group." The apprentice let out a small smile, Asuna doing the same before she ended the call. So Bramblestar actually is being possessed and Rootpaw is able to see his spirit? There has to be more to this. Who could be possessing Bramblestar…and how did they even do it?
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Ren, Foxpaw, and Nightheart trudged through the snow, the frigid air blowing through their fur. After failing to access Nightheart's palace, they returned to ThunderClan, Bramblestar ordering Ren to go out and train with Foxpaw, Nightheart tagging along.
"Thanks for coming with us, Nightheart. I have no idea how to train Foxpaw."
"That's okay. We don't really need to train him, though. I think we'll both help you hone your skills as a cat."
"Right. If you're going to be Molewhisker, you need to learn how to hunt and fight as a cat. I rather lose one training session than have you not know how to be a cat, Ren." Foxpaw meowed. "We'll need to find a way to help Futaba, as well."
"Maybe mother can help her? It wouldn't be suspicious for her and Swiftfrost going out together." Nightheart suggested.
"That'll work. She's not really made for fighting to begin with, so she needs this more than I do." The brown-and-cream tom stated. "I still wish we could figure out how to access your palace, Nightheart. The MetaNav apparently works differently in this world than what I'm used to."
"That's alright. I'm sure you and Futaba will figure something out." She meowed. "Here should be a good spot to practice hunting. I can sense a mouse nearby."
"I can, too. Can you, Ren?" The tom closed his eyes and sniffed the air. An unfamiliar scent touched his nose.
"I think so. It's coming from here." He walked slowly towards the scent. It's like sensing shadows in palaces, but instead I'm using my sense of smell. Sneaking up on prey shouldn't be any different. When he caught sight of the mouse, Ren stopped. He got into a hunter's crouch, Foxpaw and Nightheart surprised that he even knew that step in hunting. This is usually what Morgana does before he jumps, so this should be it. He cautiously closed the distance between him and the mouse as much as he could. As quickly as he could, Ren leaped towards the mouse, grasping it in between his paws.
"Now what?" He asked, watching as the mouse struggled.
"Kill it!" Nightheart meowed. "Give it a killing bite!" Ren did as she told him and gave the mouse a powerful bite, its body going limp. "Ren, that was amazing! I thought you said you've never hunted before!"
"Yeah, this is my first time." He replied. "When going through palaces in my world, I'd sneak around to get the upper hand by ambushing Shadows."
"You might be as good as Kirito. He's a pro when it comes to hiding and staying hidden." Foxpaw told him. "We didn't even need to teach you at all. Maybe combat will be the same way."
"Why don't we find out now?" Nightheart suggested. "Why don't you both spar for a bit?"
"N-Now?" The violet-eyed tom looked at his sister in surprise.
"Why are you worried, Foxpaw? Ren won't hurt you. Actually, I think he should be careful the most." The she-cat meowed. "Are you okay with practicing now, Ren? I'll instruct you as you both fight." The tom nodded. "Foxpaw can help as well."
"I have to fight Ren and instruct him?"
"It'll be good practice for when you become a warrior." Nightheart meowed. "No complaining now, Foxpaw. You're a hero to the Clans, after all."
"Don't worry, I won't hit you hard or anything. Promise." The brown-and-cream tom meowed.
"I know that. I just didn't expect to do both." Foxpaw meowed as he stood across from the tom.
"Okay you two…start!"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Oh my gosh, it's really good!" Futaba meowed, her mouth full of fresh-kill as she continued to devour the mouse in front of her.
"I'm glad you like it…but maybe try not to eat like you haven't had a meal in moons?" Ivypool suggested. "Everyone's looking at you." Futaba shot her head up and looked around the Clan. Eyes all around were glaring at her, causing her stomach to churn.
"C-Can they stop looking at me?" She whispered. Ivypool glared back at the other cats around camp, causing them to avert their gazes and continue what they were doing. "Thanks, Ivypool."
"You're welcome." She replied. Ivypool noticed that the sudden energy Futaba had was gone now. She didn't even bother taking any bites of her mouse. "Are you okay, Futaba? You can still eat, just slowly."
"I know. I just…I lost my appetite." She replied softly. Ivypool's ears fell flat. She knew that Futaba wasn't her daughter, but being in Swiftfrost's body didn't help make her think that way.
"Is it about everyone looking at you?" The silver-and-white she-cat asked, concern in her meow.
"Y-Yeah. I've always been uncomfortable in public spaces. Ren's helped me with it, but he's not here right now." She stated. "I was fine up until I saw everyone staring at me. I thought that it might not happen since they're cats…but it felt the same as it does with people."
"I didn't know that, Futaba. We don't need to eat out here if it makes you uncomfortable. We can eat in the warriors' den."
"N-No, it's okay. You made everything better, Ivypool." Futaba told her. "Maybe you could be my Ren for when he's not with me."
"I don't think I'd be a good mother if I wasn't." The she-cat replied with a small laugh. "I'll make sure you're comfortable here, Futaba, I promise." She gave her a lick on the forehead, causing her to blush.
"I haven't even known you for a full day yet…but you're so kind, Ivypool. It's probably just because I'm in Swiftfrost's body, though. I-I don't mean that in a bad way."
"I'll admit that it does help, but you do remind me of her, Futaba. You both would get along just fine if you get the chance to meet." As they were talking, Stemleaf walked over to the two, greeting Futaba with a small smile. "Hello, Stemleaf."
"Hi Ivypool. I was wondering if I could speak with Swiftfrost for a bit. You both aren't busy, right?" The white-and-orange tom asked. Ivypool looked over at Futaba to see if she was okay being alone with the tom for a bit.
"I-It's okay, mom." She meowed. I have to practice being Swiftfrost, after all. It's better if I start off small now speaking with him.
"I'll be in the warriors' den." Once Ivypool left, Stemleaf sat down where she was.
"You seemed to be enjoying that mouse a while ago. It must've been really good, huh?"
"Oh, y-yeah." She muttered. Stemleaf let out a sigh.
"Is it too soon to be talking to you again?" He asked. Futaba looked at him in confusion.
"Why's that?"
"Because I told you we couldn't be mates." Futaba felt the fur on her face begin to grow hot. Swiftfrost likes him?! I have no idea how to act now! I've never been in this situation before in my life! She began to panic, looking around camp for some way to escape.
"I-I just remembered that I had to talk to my mom about something! I'll see you later!" Futaba ran towards the warriors' den, resting down next to Ivypool, panting for her breath. "Why didn't you tell me Swiftfrost liked him?! I'm taking mother points away from you now!"
"I'm really sorry about that. I was going to say something, but then you said it was okay!"
"Well you should've still said something! I have no idea how to speak to someone Swiftfrost likes!"
"Is…everything okay over here?" Lionblaze asked the two. "Why's Swiftfrost talking like that?"
"Ah!" Futaba jumped when she realized the golden tom overheard her and Ivypool talking just moments ago.
"S-Shouldn't you be out hunting or something, Lionblaze?" Ivypool stammered, the she-cat as flustered as Futaba was. The tom scoffed.
"I think me staying here compensates for the four Clanmates we lost today." He meowed. "I can't believe Bramblestar just made them leave like that. You both definitely feel that way, losing Lelouch and all." Ivypool nodded. "Why didn't you go with him?"
"He told us to stay here." Ivypool replied. "It's much safer for us to be here than try and survive in this weather."
"That sounds like something Lelouch would do. He's always trying to be the hero." The tom said with a hint of laughter. "Swiftfrost, did I ever tell you that time your father—." Lionblaze stopped when he saw a menu screen appear in front of Futaba. Ivypool looked at it in shock, and so did Futaba herself.
"I-I gotta go!" Futaba quickly ran out of the warriors' den and looked around. There's no way I can answer this privately! The only exit's over there and everything surrounding me is stone! What do I do? What do I do?
"The apprentice's den, follow me!" Ivypool meowed when she caught up to her. "Can you make that screen disappear for now? We're just going to attract attention if we run over there." Futaba saw the 'X' at the top right corner and pressed it before she and Ivypool entered the apprentice's den. Once they were inside, Ivypool let out a sigh. "What was that, Futaba?"
"It looked like Makoto was trying to call me. I'll try to call back." Futaba swiped her paw down and with a few presses, she began to call Makoto. In a few seconds, the she-cat answered, her face appearing on the screen.
"Futaba, I wasn't sure if—."
"What's the deal calling me like that?! The screen popped up out of nowhere and everything!" Futaba exclaimed.
"I'm so sorry! I was going to call Ren, b-but you're the first name that appeared!"
"What's going on?" Ivypool wondered, bringing her head into frame so that Makoto could see her. "Are we actually speaking to Makoto as if she was here?" The brown she-cat nodded.
"Someone here wants to say hi to you."
"Don't make it sound like I'm a kid." Makoto moved so that the two could see Lelouch now.
"Lelouch! Are you okay?" Ivypool asked.
"I'm fine. How about you and the kits?"
"We're okay. Foxpaw's out training with Ren and Nightheart." She replied. "Sorry for sounding like I'm worrying about you. You only left a few hours ago."
"Don't be. As long as we're separated, I don't think I'll stop worrying, either." The violet-eyed tom meowed. "Makoto and I needed to tell you both something."
"Right. We're both staying with SkyClan, and the other three are in ShadowClan. While we were here, Lelouch and I found out that Rootpaw is able to speak with Bramblestar's spirit. We actually saw him as well." Makoto stated.
"So he actually is being possessed by some cat." Futaba said. "Did he tell you by who?"
"He wasn't sure. We told Asuna about it before calling you." The red-eyed she-cat meowed. "Futaba, Ivypool, can you make sure to tell Ren and the others? One call that almost gives you away is more than enough." Ivypool nodded.
"This is…interesting, to say the least. Do all Twolegs have this sort of thing in your world?"
"Well, it's not exactly a screen we summon with a swipe of our hands. It's a device that we carry called a cell phone." Futaba explained. "It allows us to keep in touch no matter how far we are." She turned her attention back to Makoto. "Oh, we should hang up now! I think some cats might be suspicious of us. We're in the apprentice's den right now and we don't exactly belong here."
"Okay. Just remember to tell the others about Rootpaw and Bramblestar. I'll also try calling you only when it's absolutely necessary so your MetaNav screen doesn't pop up out of nowhere. Talk to you both again soon, hopefully."
"Bye Makoto, bye Lelouch!" Futaba and Ivypool both waved before their video call ended. "Okay, so we just need to figure out how to access palaces in this world."
"What was that?" The two she-cats jumped when they heard Lionblaze's voice at the entrance to the apprentice's den.
"W-Why did you follow us?" Futaba asked the tom. "Can't you mind your own business?"
"Not if it means I can't be a part of helping the Clans." The golden tom meowed. "I won't tell anyone, I promise." Lionblaze walked over to the two. "So…are you not Swiftfrost?"
"Um…" Ivypool placed her tail on Futaba's shoulder.
"We might as well tell him. We can trust Lionblaze, and we might need an extra paw later on." The silver-and-white she-cat meowed.
"Our party's pretty full as is…but I guess we've been caught." She responded. "Can you tell him, Ivypool?" The older she-cat let out a sigh.
"This is Swiftfrost, but right now, she's being controlled by a Twoleg named Futaba. She was brought here to help the Clans along with Makoto and their friend, Ren. He's in Molewhisker's body."
"Really?" Lionblaze looked at them both in surprise. "This is…odd. Could they not be brought here as themselves?"
"You saw what happened to Lelouch and the others. Unlike Makoto, it's almost impossible to tell that Futaba and Ren are in ThunderClan." Ivypool replied. "You overheard what we said about Bramblestar, right?"
"About him being possessed? Yeah." The golden tom said. "It explains why he made the cats not from this world leave." He glanced outside of the den before looking at the two she-cats. "How do we save Bramblestar?"
"We're still trying to figure that out. Ren and I thought we had it, but apparently we don't." Futaba meowed. "If we need your help, we'll tell you…Lionblaze?" The tom nodded. "Sounds fierce. I like it." Ivypool turned her gaze towards the tom.
"I'm sure you know that we can't let anyone know about Futaba or Ren, and Bramblestar, too. If he hears any of this, we'll all be in trouble." She told him.
"Right. I won't tell anyone." Lionblaze meowed. "Bramblestar being possessed…the last time something like this happened was with Tigerstar back when Sora, Riku, and Kairi were here, but that was by someone from another world. Is he being controlled by someone from your world, Futaba?" The she-cat shook her head.
"I was brought here after he was being controlled. Whoever's in his body is someone native to this world, most likely." The three heard pawsteps beginning to approach from the outside and turned to face the den entrance. They saw that it was Foxpaw, Ren, and Nightheart, the three returning from training.
"L-Lionblaze? What are you doing here with my mother and sister?" The silver-and-black tabby asked.
"You don't have to be scared around him. Makoto called me and he followed us and found out what was going on." Futaba assured the tom.
"Oh…well having a strong warrior like Lionblaze on our side helps." The apprentice meowed. "I guess I should introduce you to Ren. He's over there by Nightheart." Lionblaze looked over at the brown and cream tom, who simply greeted him with a wave of his paw. "Jayfeather and Alderheart also know about everything going on as well, so don't feel worried when talking to them."
"That makes sense. They're medicine cats after all." He meowed. "Futaba, didn't you have something to tell them about?"
"Oh yeah! Foxpaw, Nightheart, Ren, Makoto called me earlier and said that she and Lelouch were staying in SkyClan. She also told me that a cat named Rootpaw was able to actually see Bramblestar's spirit. They were able to speak with him too, but even Bramblestar has no idea who's controlling him."
"Still, at least it confirms our suspicion." Nightheart stated. "Also, it's a relief knowing that the others are staying with other Clans. Now all that's left is for you both to learn how to use the MetaNav in this world."
"Before that, we need Futaba to do something." Ren meowed.
"M-Me? What?"
"You need to learn how to fight and hunt in this world." The brown-and-cream tom told her.
"W-What?! I'm the group's designated navigator! I never fought in the Metaverse at all! Is giving you all buffs in battle not enough?"
"If you want to be Swiftfrost, you have to learn how to live like a Clan cat, Futaba." Foxpaw told her.
"Right, and you know how the Metaverse can be. Better safe than sorry, right?" Ren added. The silver-and-white she-cat let out a sigh.
"Fine…but the second I get tired, I'm coming back to camp!"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
The chilly night air blew into the apprentice's den, causing Foxpaw to shiver as he curled into his bedding. There were no other apprentices in ThunderClan at the moment, which meant any frigid air flowing into the den touched him alone. I'm just glad father and the others are okay. I wouldn't be able to sleep if I knew they were out there without any shelter. He thought, letting out one final yawn before falling asleep.
When Foxpaw's violet eyes opened, he saw that he was in the Forest of Moonlight, the moonlit area where C.C. would speak with him. He got to his paws and tasted the air, trying to catch the Twoleg's scent. He followed it into the nearby forest until he saw the green-haired girl sitting down on a lone tree stump in the center of a small clearing, the usual spot where he would find her.
"Foxpaw, it's good to see you. You've grown a bit since the last time we talked." She lightly groomed the tom, causing him to purr. "You've met the three new heroes Spottedleaf chose, correct?"
"Ren, Futaba, and Makoto. I'm sure you know what happened to my father, Makoto, and the others, right?"
"Yes, but luckily Spottedleaf anticipated it. We both chose Molewhisker and Swiftfrost as vessels for Futaba and Ren until Bramblestar is back in his own body. I'm the one who they last spoke to."
"So, do you know where they are?"
"Follow me." C.C. stood up from the tree stump and began to walk deeper into the forest, Foxpaw following behind her. They reached another small clearing, this time with two crystals in the middle of it. C.C. walked up to them both, and when Foxpaw got closer, he saw both Swiftfrost and Molewhisker inside of them. "Your father was in the same situation before you were born. In his case, he couldn't awaken unless they found Noctis, but in this case, Swiftfrost and Molewhisker will only awaken once Bramblestar is saved."
"Did they both volunteer to do this?" The tom wondered.
"Of course. Spottedleaf and I would never force them to relinquish their bodies without their permission. Do you remember the light aura you saw around them both? That was due to the two of them being our candidates. We only fully went on with it after they both agreed." She explained.
"Right. I'm sorry if I sounded wary by thinking you both did it on your own accord." Foxpaw meowed.
"It's alright. One of the cats here is your sister, after all. You should've seen how excited she was to volunteer when I explained everything to her."
"That sounds like Swiftfrost alright." The silver-and-black tabby chuckled. "I think I might have gotten us off-track by asking about these two. What did you bring me here to tell me about, C.C.?"
"It's about the MetaNav that Ren, Makoto, and Futaba use." She began, sitting down on the grass in front of the tom. "The power they have is key to saving Bramblestar. However, the way that it works in this world is different than what they are used to. There will be times where your Geass must be used in order to help them use it."
"My…Geass? How do they connect?"
"I've been able to learn about you Geass, Foxpaw, which is something the person who gives you Geass is rarely able to do." She explained. "From what you did to the rogues, it would make it seem like your Geass' main ability is to inflict nightmares…but that isn't the case. I'm sure your father and Nightheart suggesting the idea made it seem that way, but that was the only time you ever used your Geass." What C.C. said was true. Foxpaw had never used his Geass after that day, mostly because there was no reason to give cats nightmares, but now she was telling him that he was wrong.
"If it isn't meant to grant cats nightmares, then what does it do?"
"They were close when they suggested that it caused nightmares, but that was only because of the situation you were in at the time." C.C. stated. "Your Geass allows you to force any cat you look at into a deep slumber. However, you're in control of their mental state during that period. You were able to put those rogues into their worst nightmares, but that only lasted for a short amount of time. If you use it to simply make them fall asleep, they'll stay that way for a much longer period of time."
"Does that mean that the MetaNav can only be used when the cat we're choosing is asleep?" C.C. nodded.
"Correct. Simply put, the MetaNav allows you to enter the dreams of cats. You and the others can use this to your advantage by using the MetaNav at night, but you must be careful: the MetaNav has a radius that affects any cat inside of it, so only use it when you're sure no other cats are around. I'm sure Ren, Futaba, and Makoto are aware of that aspect at least."
"The ability to enter dreams…that would explain the nightmares my sister has been having."
"Yes. I know that you and the others have been talking about using Nightheart as a way to test yourselves before saving Bramblestar…but just because what's going on with Bramblestar is more drastic doesn't mean that you can take Nightheart's situation lightly. You all need to be careful when helping your sister, Foxpaw."
"We will, C.C. Thank you for telling me all of this. You don't know how much I appreciate it."
"I'm just glad that Spottedleaf and I were able to figure something out." She replied. "You need to get some rest now. You'll be helping your sister tomorrow, after all." Foxpaw responded with a nod before his surroundings faded away.
In the warriors' den, Ren's eyes slowly opened when he felt Nightheart's pelt constantly brush against his. He looked over at the she-cat and realized that she was having a nightmare, letting out heavy breaths as she struggled in her sleep. Ren placed a paw on her black coat and gave her a shake. Her violet eyes opened, revealing that they were glistening with tears.
"You're alright. You were just having a nightmare." The brown-and-cream tom told her.
"I woke you up, didn't I? I'm sorry about that, Ren." She apologized softly, letting out a small sniff.
"It sounded pretty bad. What was it about?" He wondered. Nightheart looked down at her paws. "I'm probably overstepping my boundaries right now, huh?"
"N-No, not at all. Although we've only met, I consider you a friend, Ren."
"Not just because I'm in Molewhisker's body, right?" The she-cat shook her head. "Thanks, Nightheart." She let out a small smile, but it soon faded as she turned her gaze away from his.
"I guess…if you're going to help me, you should know what my nightmares are about." She meowed, getting to her paws. "Do you mind following me? I don't want to wake any of the others, or let them hear about this." The two carefully exited the warriors' den and sat in the middle of camp, away from any of the dens. Nightheart turned her attention to the tom. "Do you remember the shadow you saw around me when you woke up in the medicine cat's den?" Ren nodded. "Before you came to this world, my brother and Suguha confronted these rogues on our territory. They made it back safely…but after hearing what almost happened to them, I was consumed by hatred and left to find the rogues that harmed them."
"So your nightmares are due to the revenge you took on them?" The she-cat nodded.
"It wasn't just any sort of revenge." She meowed. "You know that my brother has the power of Geass, correct?"
"Yeah. It's the thing in his eye, right?"
"Yes. I also have the power as well, but mine allows me to control any cat I make eye contact with. It used to belong to my father, but to save my life, he passed it down to me." She let out a breath. "With that power, I…I…" Ren noticed the she-cat begin to shake.
"You don't have to tell me, Nightheart." The tom assured her. "I can see how hard this is for you."
"N-No, I have to accept what I did." She responded. "I gave two of them the command to die…and I made one unable to move so I could kill him myself. The nightmares I have are a constant reminder of what I did that day. Situations where I use my Geass to kill keep occurring over and over…and I can't do anything about them." She sobbed. "I just…I want them to stop, Ren. Please…please make them disappear." The tom felt his chest tighten at the she-cat's plea. For this to scar someone like Nightheart, it's understandable…but I still don't understand how to access her palace.
"Nightheart, once I'm able to understand how the MetaNav works in this world, the others and I will help you as soon as we can. You don't deserve what you're going through at all. We'll end those nightmares, I promise."
"Thank you, Ren…" The she-cat pressed her head onto the tom's chest, causing the fur on his face to grow hot. He didn't push her away, however. He was in her mate's body, after all, so naturally she'd come to him for comfort. Once she moved away from the tom, a small blush formed on her face. "I-I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I know you're not Molewhisker, b-but I just wanted to show how much I appreciate what you're doing for me."
"I-It's fine, don't worry about it." He assured her. "Do you think you'll be able to go to sleep?"
"I hope so." The two made their way back into the warriors' den, and when Nightheart rested down in her bedding, Ren pressed closed to her, their coats touching. She looked at the tom.
"So you don't worry. I'm sure Molewhisker would do something like this to comfort you, right?" I mean, this is what couples would do in my world. I know I don't have to, but I'd like to help her in any way possible, at least until we figure out how the MetaNav works. Nightheart let out a small smile and snuggled closer to Ren. We'll find out somehow, I know it.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Foxpaw's eyes slowly opened the next morning, the tom remembering what C.C. told him in his dream last night. I need to tell the others! The tom ran out of the apprentice's den and rushed into the warriors' den. He saw that Futaba was fast asleep, and so were Ren and Nightheart.
"Foxpaw, you know you're not supposed to be in here." He turned around and saw that it was Ivypool, the she-cat noticing him run into the den.
"I'm sorry, mother, but I know how to help Nightheart." He whispered.
"You do?" Ivypool looked at her son in surprise. "Let's talk about it outside." After grabbing a mouse to share with Foxpaw from the fresh-kill pile, the two sat down in a vacant area of camp. "How can we help your sister?" Foxpaw took a bite of the mouse and swallowed before he spoke.
"C.C. spoke with me last night. She told me that my Geass' real ability was to put anyone to sleep, but I decide what happens in their sleep. Apparently Ren and Futaba's MetaNav only work if the cat they're selecting is asleep." Ivypool let out a sigh of relief.
"I'm glad the solution came so soon. We need to wake the others up and tell them so that we can help your sister right away." After they finished eating, Foxpaw went back into the warriors' den, while Ivypool made her way to the medicine cat's den to tell Alderheart and Jayfeather the news. The violet-eyed tom walked over to where Futaba was sleeping and gave her body a shake.
"Swiftfrost? You need to wake up now." He meowed, causing the she-cat to let out a groan.
"Not yet…I'm still tired…"
"You have to get up."
"Inari…still sleepy." The tom let out a sigh. Instead of trying again, he decided to wake Ren up. Like with Futaba, he shook the tom's body, but unlike her, his eyes slowly opened.
"Foxpaw…" He let out a yawn. "What's up?"
"Can you help me wake up Futaba? I know how your MetaNav works and we can help my sister now." He whispered.
"That's great! Where is she?" Ren got to his paws and walked towards Futaba. "Futaba? Wake up." He meowed, but she didn't move. Placing two paws on her, Ren shook the she-cat's body quickly, causing her eyes to open.
"Ah! What the heck was that for?!" She spat. "I was having such a good sleep, too. These nests are surprisingly comfortable."
"Foxpaw knows how to use the MetaNav. We have to help Nightheart now." He meowed.
"Why didn't he say so?! If we can help our big sister, we need to do it right away!"
"Is there anything I can do to help?" The three turned around and saw that it was Fernsong.
"Oh, Fernsong! We have it all under control." Foxpaw quickly assured him before waking up his older sister. Nightheart's violet eyes opened to see her younger brother. "Nightheart, C.C. told me how the MetaNav works. We can stop your nightmares now."
"R-Really?" Her brother nodded. "What do we need to do?"
"Follow me." Foxpaw told her, Ren and Futaba also following behind. They entered the medicine cat's den, Ivypool, Alderheart, and Jayfeather waiting for them.
"Where's Lionblaze?" Futaba wondered.
"I think he went out on a hunting patrol." Ivypool meowed. "We can't wait for him. Whatever we're facing, we should be fine." The she-cat was eager to immediately help her eldest daughter. She didn't want to waste any more time.
"So Foxpaw, you said you knew how the MetaNav works? How?" Ren wondered.
"C.C. told me. She's a friend of my father who helps guide me at times." He stated. "She said that the MetaNav works differently here in that it allows us to enter the dreams of cats. Because of that, it only works when they're asleep."
"Oh…well then why did you wake me up?" Nightheart asked.
"Because my Geass' real power is that it allows me to put anyone I look at to sleep." Foxpaw explained. "The rogues experienced nightmares because I wanted them to, but I'll just put you to sleep, Nightheart."
"Okay." Nightheart watched as Foxpaw's right eye changed, revealing his Geass. The others then watched the she-cat fall asleep mere seconds later, Foxpaw's eye reverting back to its normal violet color. Alderheart moved her onto one of the vacant nests in the medicine cat's den.
"So, we can enter her palace now?" Futaba wondered, swiping a paw down to open the MetaNav.
"Wait!" Ren quickly put her paw down. "We can't use it here, remember? The entire Clan could end up with us if we did!"
"Right, sorry!" The silver-and-white she-cat quickly apologized.
"I'll stay here with her. Hopefully you're successful in helping her." Jayfeather meowed.
"Should I take some herbs with me before I go?" Alderheart wondered.
"You're going into her dreams, Alderheart. I don't think any herbs will stay with you if you bring them." The blind medicine cat responded. "Just try to come back before anyone gets suspicious." The five cats walked towards the exit of camp, but were stopped by Squirrelflight.
"Where are you all off to?"
"Oh, um…" Alderheart stammered.
"I was going out with Alderheart to help him collect herbs." Futaba meowed.
"Foxpaw and I were going out to train, but Ivypool wanted to watch." Ren added. Squirrelflight looked at each of them once more before nodding her head.
"Very well. If you can, please bring some fresh-kill back as well."
"Yes, Squirrelflight." Ivypool dipped her head in thanks before they all made their way into the forest.
After walking for a few minutes, Foxpaw tasted the air, hoping that no other cats were nearby when they'd use the MetaNav.
"Is everyone ready?" Ren asked, swiping his paw down to open the MetaNav. "We have to be careful, everyone. We don't know what to expect when we enter Nightheart's dream." The others simply nodded. "Okay, let's do it." He tapped on Nightheart's name and then the 'Go' button at the very bottom right of the screen. The five of them watched as their surrounded began to warp around them, their vision fading to black as they entered Nightheart's dream.
When the five of them regained their vision, they looked around them. Unlike when they walked out into the forest, there was no sunlight. Instead, the dark blanket of night filled the sky above them, the trees around them also an eerie gray color. A thin mist flowed through the forest floor, which almost seemed sticky as they needed to make an effort to move their paws.
"This place is k-kinda creepy." Futaba meowed as she looked around.
"Futaba, what is that on your face?" Foxpaw wondered. "And…you look different, too."
"My face…Ah! Oh, they're just my goggles that I usually get when we use the MetaNav. Isn't Ren wearing a mask, then?" She turned to look at the tom, who had his mask hanging around his neck. "Huh? You don't look like Molewhisker anymore." Ren looked down at his paws and now saw that they were covered in black fur. The same could be said for the rest of his body. Futaba did the same and now saw that she was a ginger she-cat.
"I'm guessing this is basically our outfit change when we use the MetaNav." Ren meowed. "This is how we'd look like if we weren't brought into this world as Swiftfrost and Molewhisker." He told the others before looking back at Futaba. "Y'know, you don't need to wear your goggles if you don't want to." The black tom meowed.
"Um, hello? I need to analyze enemies somehow!" She responded. "I guess you three don't get any sort of masks, huh?"
"They seem a bit…bothersome, at least yours does." Alderheart meowed. "N-No offense, Futaba." Foxpaw walked over to Ivypool's side, but noticed that she seemed stunned by something.
"Mother? Are you okay?" He asked.
"This place…no…why would she dream about this place? It has to be a mistake!" She spat.
"You know this place, Ivypool?" Ren asked.
"Yes. More than ever, we need to be careful here. Whatever injuries we sustain here, we'll sustain when we get back."
"It sounds like you've been here before." Futaba said.
"I have. There's no mistaking where we are right now." Ivypool took one final glance around and let out a breath. "We're in the Dark Forest."
