Somewhat fluffy chapter inbound!
I had someone ask me on fanfiction yesterday on the AU Dump as to why I don't write other AUs with other characters besides Fires and Brambo and I'm like- I DonT knOW hOW to WrITe pEopLe?
I'm comfortable with writing Fire and Bramble but not so such with other cats. I mean, I probably could write about other cats, but I don't have any ideas for them. Which is why I turn to my reviewers to give me suggestions!
A lot of people liked Kitsune!Firestar actually...
I encourage anyone to take these ideas and run with them themselves though. I love seeing what other people can do with the ideas I put out.
But enough about the AU Dump, this is Ignite. But I'm still taking suggestions and ideas on where to take Ignite. I'm thinking that the next chapter will have more serious stuff- maybe something to move the plot along HHHhhhhMMmmmm
Reviews are appreciated!
Firestar padded through the undergrowth idly, not paying any attention to his surroundings. He could make out talk from the camp, which worried him, since before he could be outside camp and not hear the whispers. But now his hearing was getting stronger.
So was his sense of smell, as he scented a mouse scamper by him and he swiftly but gently pierced it with his tail. It shocked him, being so familiar and graceful with his new body. He wanted his body back to the way it was before, to be normal again, not for this to be his new normal!
"You're getting better at that." His hearing was so good that he wasn't at all startled at Brambleclaw coming up behind him. He could hear his pawsteps coming at him from a little ways away. He wasn't sure if there was anything that could sneak up on him now.
He turned around to face Brambleclaw, a careful neutral look on his eyes. Brambleclaw hesitated, a worried look on his face. He fidgeted a little, not sure if what he said was wrong.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked softly.
Firestar waved his tail. "It's just... I don't want to be better with this body. I just want everything back to the way it was." He sat down on his haunches. "Back when the clans weren't watching my every move and waiting and wondering when I'd kill them all. Back when the cats in my own clan weren't scared of me." He turned his head to face Brambleclaw again. "Is that petty and selfish of me? To hate this body despite all the power it gives me?"
Brambleclaw was silent, trying to think of a response. He finally lifted his head up to meet Firestar's eyes. "I... would definitely be a lot happier if the clan treated me normally instead of tiptoeing around me if I were in your paws. And I wouldn't want some stone to put new thoughts and instincts into my head either. I don't think it's petty or selfish of you to want to be you again."
To be himself again... his thoughts were jumbled lately, and he was never sure if he was ever really himself anymore. Half of him hates what he's become and the other half... wants him to embrace who he now was.
He didn't want to embrace this new self- the side of him that would mercilessly kill everyone to keep his loved ones safe. Of course he wanted them safe, but he didn't want to hurt anyone. It just wasn't him.
But he would rip anyone apart if they dared hurt what was rightfully his, friend or foe alike.
He was snapped out of his thoughts as he felt a rough tongue rasp itself over his head, trying to avoid his horns. His eyes focused onto Brambleclaw, who gave him a worried look.
"You just stood there and stared off into the distance again. The stone isn't doing anything to you again is it?" Brambleclaw meowed.
"...I don't even know anymore," he said resigned. "I can't tell if it's the stone, or if it's me. I can't tell which thoughts are my own anymore."
Brambleclaw wasn't sure what to say to lift up Firestar's spirits. It just seemed that the stone would be forever implanted into Firestar, instilling thoughts and instincts that might not ever stop. He frowned as a thought came to him; what if the stone didn't stop at warping Firestar's mind? What if it continued to change his body? Jayfeather's warning of the giant creature with Firestar's feature came to mind. What if that was why he had sounded so angry and set the lake territories on fire- because he was angry and sad that his body had changed so drastically that he was forever out of reach from the cats he lived with? With the stone messing with Firestar's head, it seemed like something he might do.
"I can't say for certain anymore that the clan supports you but I'll never stop believing in you. I know you aren't some monster; you're still the same deep down, you've just... grown some wings and scales and horns. But that won't change who you really are," Brambleclaw said softly.
Firestar looked at him, a soft purr rising in his throat. A burst of affection washed over him and he reached over and gave Brambleclaw's head a few licks. "Hatchling..." he murmured. Brambleclaw lifted his head, startled at the name Firestar had given him. But Firestar was too enamored with Brambleclaw's eyes to notice. He never noticed that his hatchling had such a lovely set of amber eyes. They were so shiny, like an actual piece of amber!
"Firestar?"
"Hm?" Firestar's body swayed lightly, affection for his hatchling warming him in up inside.
"Why do you call me that?"
"Call you what?"
Brambleclaw hesitated before opening his mouth. "Why do you call me hatchling?"
Firestar blinked, trying to wake up from his trance. His eye twitched a little. 'Please don't tell me I called him hatchling without thinking!' he groaned in his head. He knew the day would come where he would just spout it out without thinking, he knew!
"I... did I actually call you hatchling?" he fretted.
Brambleclaw titled his head confused. "Is that some other word for kit? Because you know you're not actually my father right?" he tried joking.
"More than a father to you than Tigerstar ever was..." Firestar growled, his eyes briefly flashing red.
Brambleclaw gave a sad purr. "It's the stone again isn't it? It's making you think differently again?" Now that he mentioned it... Firestar titled his head to stare down at the stone, which was glowing lightly and sending out weak waves of warmth through his body.
He had spout out things without thinking, but that didn't mean... He didn't want to admit that maybe what he said were his own thoughts this time.
"I'm... not sure if those thoughts in particular were put there by the stone," he said embarrassed. "Maybe it only amplified them..." Firestar trailed off.
Brambleclaw went rigid, processing his words. Firestar thought him as his own son? Brambleclaw shuffled his paws, wondering what to do with this new information.
Firestar wilted; he should have kept his mouth shut shouldn't he? Now Brambleclaw was going to be awkward around him.
'Wonderful, another relationship I just ruined!'
He moved to get up and walked away, embarrassed, when Brambleclaw blocked his path. "Firestar, I- I don't mind really. You're right, you've been there for me more than Tigerstar could ever hope to claim."
Firestar looked down, ashamed. "I'm sorry. I just- these new instincts-" he tried explaining.
"Honestly, it kind of made sense. Why else would you be so affectionate towards me?" Brambleclaw purred.
Firestar gave a weak purr in response and turned to the forgotten mouse that near his paws, and buried it. "I could use some time away from all of this."
"Hunting?" Brambleclaw asked.
Firestar brushed past him and gestured towards the woods beyond. "Shall we?" It would be nice to not talk about the weirdness worming its way into their lives. He just wanted one sun-high to relax.
"You know I think Jayfeather had more to say about what happened at the Moonpool," Brambleclaw said as he followed Firestar.
"Oh?" he gestured for Brambleclaw to elaborate.
"He said the medicine cats had that specific dream but didn't say if he dreamed it again. Maybe he saw something else and didn't have the chance to tell us?"
Because he had broken down at the thought of the other clans waging war against Thunderclan, all to get back at him. But Jayfeather said that he already received that same dream before the half-moon meeting and never said he saw it again. Maybe he did see something else. He would have to talk to Jayfeather later.
For now, he just wanted to relax.
Why was Firestar so fixated on Brambleclaw's eyes? Dragons like shiny things... you know, like gold and gemstones.
How do cats know what amber is anyway?
Firestar's senses are getting stronger. Is it possible for his body to continue changing in the future? Possibly.
If you haven't seen my AU Dump, I recommend checking it out. I have no idea how many people just click on the first chapter and click out after seeing the A/N. I swear on fanfiction I have over 200 views for the first chapter alone and... not as many for the rest of the fic? Is the A/N off-putting or something or do people just not bother actually looking at the subsequent chapters? The world may never know.
Tell me how I did.