Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors!
Title: Deep Dive
Summary: In a world where ThunderClan absorbed ShadowClan seasons ago, young warrior Weaselface is tasked to rebuild the fourth Clan and take her place as leader. But how can she betray all she's ever known and loved, all on the word of one ghost with a grudge?
...
Surges of panic and dread washed over Weaselface in increments as warriors began to come together for the Gathering. Beetooth and Mintfern were near the front, chatting about various things. Plumpetal was grooming her chest next to Smokescar; her stomach was beginning to grow plump with unannounced kits. Spiderstar and Flintpoppy lovingly brushed pelts near the back, the leader not quite ready to move to the front and part from his mate.
"You look like you ate a monster," Sweetshine meowed. The queen had agreed to stay behind this moon with the kits, just as Weaselface had done the moon prior. "Briarstar isn't even that mad anymore, I promise. It should be fairly quiet."
Weaselface felt herself smile a little in spite of herself, padding over to clean the calico between the ears. "Let's just say I'm planning on doing something a bit stupid and leave it at that." Worry curdled her stomach as she looked down at the sleeping kittens. I can't tell her. Not yet. She'll overthink it, and I won't let her decide to do this for the kits. This has to be a choice she makes for her own interests. "Thank you, Sweetshine. For everything."
"Should I be worried?" she asked, bemused.
She didn't respond, pulling away. She gave each kitten a little lick to the head before slipping out into the clearing. Weaselface forced a pep in her step as she came up beside Adderpelt, intertwining their tails in a friendly manner. She was scared, most of all, of his reaction to all of this, and how it would affect their friendship. We've always been together. And what about the kits? If he tries to keep them, I won't be able to stop him. Spiderstar and Beetooth would back him up in an instant. Something sharp lodged in her chest, making it hard to breathe. What if... what if none of them come with me? What if they keep the kits and raise them and I'm just... alone?
A different tail brushed against her hip, making her jump. Fogfur nudged Adderpelt supportively. "Have fun at the monthly drama," she meowed, then pressed her head to Weaselface's, lowering her voice. "You'll do great, Weaselstar."
Something settled in her spine. Something strong. "I wish you could come with."
Fogfur's whiskers quivered with poorly-contained nerves. It was nice to know she wasn't alone in being worried about tonight. "Meh, not much I could do. But don't worry; I'll be right here when you get back."
"ThunderClan!" Spiderstar called, and they separated.
The trip to the island was quiet and without problems, and, as usual ThunderClan was the last one to arrive. It was as Sweetshine had said; Briarstar grumbled as Spiderstar took his usual place, but she didn't glare at him. Rainstar gave his usual polite hello.
Sap and flowers filled her nostrils, and Weaselface knew who was beside her before she even looked.
"Go," Beethroat whispered.
Weaselface leapt to her paws and took off at a sprint, ignoring a confused cry from Adderpelt.
Time around her felt frozen as she darted between and around various cats, leaping over one unfortunate apprentice. The sky was as clear as the moon was bright, turning her brown pelt a sickly gray as she pushed to the front. The deputies all called out to her, probably wanting to know what she was up to, but Weaselface cleared them in a hop. If she hesitated now, she was sure she wouldn't be able to pluck up the courage again.
Climbing the large oak was a dream for most apprentices, certainly not something Weaselface ever planned on making reality. Her claws sunk into spongey bark, feeling rather than seeing the multitude of pawholds carved by leaders over the seasons. Brackenstar climbed this tree, once. Now it's my turn. Weaselface hauled herself onto the branch Spiderstar had taken residence upon, the black tom dumbstruck by her actions.
Weaselface threw back her head and yowled, "StarClan has spoken to me!"
There was a long, drawn out silence as eyes from all over the island pierced her pelt. Trembling, Weaselface lifted her chin to meet them. They think I've lost my mind. I probably have. She looked over the crowd and saw Adderpelt, jaw dropped, looking at her with confusion and hurt.
"Stars, Weaselface," Spiderstar meowed finally, shaking herself. "You couldn't have told me before all this? You just had to throw yourself up here?"
"ThunderClan is pretty dramatic," Rainstar commented.
Briarstar rolled her eyes. "As always."
Weaselface ignored them. "Would you have believed me if I didn't? Or would you think I was just asking for attention?"
"Probably not," he admitted. "But this can wait until after the Gathering. ThunderClan's business is ThunderClan's business, and you've already made pretty big mouse-brains of us with this little stunt."
"This is business of all the Clans," cut in a new voice, and Brackenstar landed on the branch from above. His golden tabby pelt was almost see-through in the night. "Look out over the crowd, Spiderstar. StarClan is with you."
Weaselface squinted; sure enough, the Gathering was almost twice as large as it had been before. Warriors cried out in horror and glee as family and friends stood beside them again. She looked up and saw the visages of past leaders dappled throughout the branches, looking right back. Weaselface shuddered. It took all her effort not to shrink down at all the attention.
Spiderstar's voice was deathly quiet. "What?"
"We've come to see a new day," Brackenstar responded. "Cats of the Clans, ShadowClan has been gone for too long. If all the Clans are to live in harmony, every section of the territory must be used appropriately."
Rainstar and Briarstar exchanged a look. The gray tom's eyes were glowing. "The fourth Clan is coming back to life?" he asked.
"Yes." He waved his tail to Weaselface. "I give to you, ShadowClan's new leader- Weaselstar!"
Starlit cats cheered. Most of the living warriors did not, caught up in the shock of so many ghosts around them. Spiderstar's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as Brackenstar brushed his nose to her head and said, "I've done all I can for you, Weaselstar. It's your turn now."
She shuddered again, but this time it wasn't fear. Weaselface had been given that name a little while ago now, and had been called it before, but only now did it truly feel like it was hers. She was Weaselstar now, and everyone knew it. She blinked and he was gone, and so were the throngs of StarClan observers.
"Well," said Briarstar, getting her attention. The brown and white tabby regarded her for a moment, no doubt wondering what kind of cat she was, before dipping her head. "Can't exactly argue StarClan, can I?"
"You can't seriously support this!" Spiderstar's hackles rose. "ThunderClan can't just half its territory for one cat!"
"Odd, but the rest of us survive with that amount of land," Rainstar meowed reasonably. "Weaselstar, if I may, would you like a patrol to escort you to camp for your kits? As a bit of neighborly insurance."
Weaselstar felt herself grow warm at the polite request, even if she knew it was only political. "Thank you, but I'll be alright. I've got a warrior waiting for me."
"You've been plotting this!" Spiderstar screeched. "How could you, Weaselface? And now you're going to take my grandkits away forever?"
"You can come to see them on the Halfbridge every quarter-moon." Weaselstar bowed her head to the gathered cats. "I won't force families to split for me. ThunderClan and ShadowClan are linked as thick as roots on a tree. I want to use those roots to build a bridge for our future."
His ears flattened against his skull. Weaselstar could see him trembling. "And if I don't let you?" he asked.
"You'll have to fight WindClan and RiverClan," Rainstar broke in, with a quick approving glance to Briarstar. "ThunderClan may deny StarClan, but we won't. I look forward to seeing you at the next Gathering, Weaselstar, and for many to come."
"That means a lot to me," she said, and meant it. "And if there's ever anything I can do in return for this, I will stand with you."
"Fancy words," Briarstar grunted. "We'll see if you keep to 'em."
Rainstar gave the gruff molly a playful shove. "Well, I don't reckon I have any news that can beat literally bringing the stars down. I propose we table this until next moon, when ShadowClan can give a proper report. Spiderstar?"
Spiderstar's muzzle squished up into an awkward smile-snarl. "I don't have anything new to report."
"All right then. The Gathering is at an end!"
Weaselstar didn't think she'd ever seen the island clear out so fast. Spiderstar leapt down and called for the others, taking off at a dead sprint- probably to tell the others of her presumed betrayal. RiverClan went next, and last came WindClan, the two leaders smiling smugly. I'll have to be careful of those two. They're only being kind to piss off Spiderstar.
With a neat jump, Weaselstar hit the dirt, only to realize she was almost completely alone. StarClan was gone, and with it had gone everyone else. Only one ThunderClan cat had stayed behind. Her heart sank as she gingerly approached Adderpelt.
"How long?" he asked.
Weaselstar shrugged. "I fell into the Moonpool when I disappeared that one night. I was getting dreams before that."
The black and white tom's claws sank deep into the mossy ground. "And you didn't tell me?" Adderpelt's voice wobbled with anger. "Weasel, I thought you trusted me."
"I do! I just... I didn't want you to feel pressured to-"
"Of course I feel pressured!" he barked. "Spiderstar's my dad, Weasel! I can't just leave him!"
"Then don't," she snapped, feeling something hot flare inside. I just told everyone they could visit each other. Didn't he listen? "No one's forcing you to go anywhere, okay? You can be a ThunderClan cat and find someone you love and have a whole new family. You can start over from scratch. But I'm not going to live the rest of my life terrified of stepping on someone's paws. I'm going to be me."
Adderpelt shook his head. "I'm not- I can't just leave the kits. I love them. So, so much. And I'm going to be their father, regardless of how big of a mouse-brain you can be. But that doesn't make any of this okay."
Weaselstar accepted this with a heavy heart, sighing. "You should go ahead. I'll wait a bit, then join."
"Don't be stupid," he replied. "You might be an idiot, but you're my idiot. We're going together."
She can't help it. She laughed. "You're a good friend, Adderpelt."
"I know," Adderpelt meowed proudly. "This, though? This was a terrible friend moment. Gotta. Gotta really work on your friend stuff, Weasel."
Somehow, stepping into ThunderClan was ten times as terrifying as the Gathering. Even with Adderpelt by her side, Weaselstar felt herself shaking nervously as she walked into a world of eyes that had known her all her life. Everyone was awake now, staring at her like she was an oddity.
At the center was Spiderstar, every hair on his pelt prickling. Weaselstar couldn't help but think he looked like a pinecone. "So," he hissed, "StarClan has poisoned you against me. And you went willingly. And now you stand in my camp, like you have the right to be here?"
"I'm just here for my kits," Weaselstar meowed, and was proud her voice only wobbled a little.
"They're ThunderClan kits. Sweetshine can take care of them."
Sweetshine padded forward, only stopping when she was nose-to-nose with Weaselstar. "You should've told me," she said quietly.
"I'm sorry." Weaselstar bowed her head, more exposed than ever. "I was selfish. I didn't want to stop sharing a nest with you."
The calico looked to Adderpelt a moment, then Spiderstar. "I'm going with her."
"What?" Spiderstar bunched his muscles up to pounce. "You flea-bitten-"
A gray paw barred his way. "Let them go," Beetooth said, glaring at them. "ThunderClan doesn't need traitors."
He forced his pelt to lie flat. Spiderstar regarded them the way he would a particularly sticky slug. "You're right. Take your spawn and get out of my camp. I should've known, the night Mudcloud betrayed me. You're born for it, Weaselface. And now you're turning my own son against me."
"I'm going."
Weaselstar whirled her head towards the voice of Dovefrost as she came to stand by her. "Dovefrost? But-"
"I'm getting old," she said, looking at Spiderstar. "I would've been sent to the elders' camp eventually. I'd rather it be my own choice."
Fogfur pranced up to them, waving her tail behind her. "C'mon, Nutstripe, let's go!" she called. Nutstripe didn't move. She looked at him, eyes wide. "Nutstripe?"
The light ginger tom shrank under her stare. "Why? ThunderClan is our home, Fogfur. Antpaw died here. I'm not leaving."
"It's nice to see we're not completely filled with traitors," Flintpoppy added, coming up on Nutstripe's side. She glared at Fogfur. "Your mother would be so ashamed of you."
Fogfur flinched, ears flat, but didn't move.
Unable to watch, Weaselstar slowly went towards the nursery, Sweetshine behind her. I haven't even left yet and cats are turning on each other! Elmkit was snoring softly as they entered, Featherkit on top of her. Spottedkit had rolled onto her back. Larkkit had woken during the noise, and was staring at them. Honeykit was trying to wake the others.
"Are we leaving?" Larkkit squeaked.
Sweetshine gave her a quick nuzzle. "We are, dearest."
The silver and white tabby squished herself into the moss. "But we can't! I don't wanna leave Elmkit and Featherkit and Spottedkit!"
"We're going with," Spottedkit slurred, only half-awake. "Right, mama?"
"Right."
"Oh." Larkkit immediately calmed down. "That's okay, then."
Weaselstar scooped Spottedkit up and set her on her back, then Honeykit. Sweetshine held Elmkit in her maw and motioned for her to set Featherkit on her back, leaving Larkkit for Weaselstar to carry by the scruff. She took one last long look at the moss nest Flintpoppy had made her, and realized she wouldn't miss it. That's probably the seaweed's fault.
She left the den to find Smokescar glaring at Bumblepaw, who had moved between him and Ratpaw. "I'm your father," he hissed. "You can't just-"
"I can and am!" Ratpaw called over Bumblepaw. "I want to be a warrior! I can't do that if you're going to cut me off at the knee forever!"
"I'm just looking out for you! You're not old enough to make this decision, and neither is Bumblepaw."
Spiderstar's eyes were slits. "Traitors are traitors, Smokescar. Let them go."
He stared at the tom, stricken. "But, sir, he-"
"Now, Smokescar."
Smokescar leaned in, and for the briefest second looked ready to argue, before finally dropping his head and backing away.
"Sir," said Birchfoot.
"Are you serious," Spiderstar replied.
He stood and dipped his head. "It's not a belief thing, sir. Bumblepaw is my apprentice, and I need to see her training through. You understand."
"You walk out that camp, you don't ever come back."
Birchfoot didn't second-glance him, coming around Bumblepaw's side. Weaselstar, mouth full, nodded gratefully to him as she came up to him, then to Ratpaw and Bumblepaw.
Spiderstar was shaking now. He looked far less intimating with over half his camp gone. "Get. Out."
They did.
Author's Note: I do kinda feel bad for how many cats Weasel took, but Spiderstar's got more buddies incoming, so no worries.
-Mandaree1
