Okay, the next chapter! I'm considering switching POVs a lot in this story because so many characters are interesting! Right now, I have Fawnspots. She'll probably be one of our main Forestclan points of view.
- Mossy
There are warnings for implied dysphoria and misgendering here!
Review Replies:
forever-snowy- Don't worry, we'll have all the angst here. It's going to be fun! And I also really like Russetblaze! She's definitely a fun character to write, and I do have a plan for her! She's just going to be snarky for a while though haha. Ferretsoar is best boy, hands down. And Spiderdream looks fun! I swear, all the medicine cats in the story have anxiety.
succulentsofa- Thanks! I'm really glad to hear that! Ferretsoar is a treasure. I'm also glad people are liking Russetblaze, we'll be seeing more of her. Also, glad you picked up on that. Featherpaw isn't as thrilled about her life as she pretends to be.
Hissing Mist- Unfortunately, you'll be waiting for Featherpaw's name till next chapter. I wanted to introduce Forestclan! But thank you!
Rowan Wisteria- Omg, thank you so much. I desperately needed a leader for Featherpaw's ceremony! And Pigeonstar looks interesting, I'll definitely play with him!
Phoenixlight of Fallenclan- Featherpaw is what we call disaster when it comes to crushes. Also, I already love Skyshade and his family. They show up in this chapter (some of them!)
Cactopus- Thank you for clarifying Sandkit and Squirrelkit! I changed the allegiances! And Flowerpaw looks like a fun character. She'll be a menace to all the toms.
The dock was running low again.
Fawnspots let out a faint sigh. She supposed she could get Blazingpaw to go out and get some more. Though, she knew her apprentice would complain about it. She swallowed, not wanting to make him upset.
She never could figure out why Blazingpaw had become a medicine cat apprentice. He was often gazing towards the apprentice den with longing. She supposed he could just miss his littermates.
"Blazingpaw!" she exclaimed, watching the ginger tom stumble out of his nest. It was an old group of bushes that made up the Forestclan medicine den, and that was evident in her her apprentice's pelt. Twigs and leaves stuck out, making him look like one of the bushes himself.
The young tom let out a yawn. "Wha… what is it?"
"I need you to-" Fawnspots bit her tongue. No, she could do this. She could delegate tasks to her apprentice. "I need you to… gather some dock!"
"Huh?" Blazingpaw blinked, eyes still bleary, "Oh! It's a little cold, and it's the morning though…"
"We… we still need that dock?" Fawnspots cringed at the way her words sounded more like a question. "Go on, you… you can bring a friend with you. And maybe a warrior too. Yeah, a… a warrior."
Blazingpaw's eyes lit up as he blurted, "Could I bring Redpaw?" Then he winced and looked down, "I mean, I just want to. He's good at… herb carrying! Oh yeah, all the herbs. He'll carry 'em!"
"That's… good," Fawnspots nodded, "Still, don't forget to bring a warrior with you too. In case there's a fox, o-or a Gladeclan warrior, or… you know-"
"Yeah, yeah… I do know!" Blazingpaw was looking at her with bright green eyes, "Don't worry, Fawnspots! I'll stay safe!"
He bounded off, "Redpaw! Hey, uh, Redpaw! Fawnspots wants us to get leaf-things!"
"Dock!" Fawnspots exclaimed, "It's dock, Blazingpaw!"
She smiled softly as he gave her a curt nod before taking off again. Her apprentice might seem unmotivated, and a bit lazy at times, but he had a kind heart and a good head on his shoulders.
With a sigh, she turned back to grabbing some herbs. She wanted to check on the queens, and she knew some were expecting. She pulled out a few leaves. Borage, and burnet too. Possibly a bit of honey so it goes down easier.
She set off towards the nursery, ears flicked forward and tail head high. She liked this part of her day. She didn't need to stumble through her words, or forget how to breathe because she was trying to remember basic conversation starters. She knew what to ask, what herbs to give.
It was a routine that she had been doing for almost her entire life. The steady rhythm that kept her sane.
She walked into the old hollowed out fox den that made up the Forestclan nursery. The entrance was underneath an old, massive oak tree, the root of which had made up the roof of the nursery for generations. Fawnspots looked up, remembering her own days playing under this tree. Curling up, tucked into Roseshadow's side.
Things had been so much simpler then.
With a sigh, she turned to see a smiling face. "Hello Fawnspots," Wolfstream dipped her head respectfully. It was something Fawnspots had never gotten used to about her job. The fact that she was held in such high regard.
"Wolfstream," she smiled uneasily, "How are you?"
The young she-cat had only recently started expecting, but Fawnspots could see she was already showing.
"I'm doing wonderfully," the dark gray she-cat purred, "Shadowstrike came by to visit earlier. He's hoping for a big litter."
"I'm sure he is," Fawnspots nodded. She knew Shadowstrike was still young, but ambitious as well. Having a big litter would certainly make him look good. Wolfstream's eyes were moony as she talked about her mate.
Fawnspots didn't know what kind of father Shadowstrike would be, but for the sake of his clearly lovestruck mate, she hoped he was a good one.
"Well, I think you can tell him his hopes aren't unfounded," she whispered. Wolfstream gave a small squeal.
"Oh, that's joyous news!" she beamed, "I've always wanted to be a mother you know! It's a shame you can't have kits of your own Fawnspots, it trying is a splendid feeling!"
"Yeah…"
"Oh, I wonder when they'll start moving!" Wolfstream exclaimed, grinning, "This is just… it's so odd to imagine a she-cat without kits."
"I know," Fawnspots winced, "But the entire clan is like my family, so I get by."
"Oh-" Wolfstream grimaced, "Sorry Fawnspots, I didn't mean it like that! You're a great medicine cat! Sometimes I don't know what I'm saying. Silly me!"
"Silly… silly you," Fawnspots agreed with a sigh. She handed Wolfstream some burnet and walked over to where Ashpoppy was lying. The speckled gray she-cat looked at her with a curious expression.
"Oh, hello Fawnspots!" she exclaimed, wrapping her tail around her swollen belly. Fawnspots swallowed. There were kits in there. Skyshade's kits.
"Hello!" she replied through gritted teeth. She knew she shouldn't feel like this. Just…
She could barely get two words out in front of Skyshade and suddenly this pretty young she-cat was expecting his kits. Not that Fawnspots could do much anyways.
"How are the kits?" she put on a fake smile. Ashpoppy gave her a more genuine one.
"Oh, they're doing fine," she nodded, "I hope they'll be healthy. Skyshade has been a good mate. I don't want anything to happen to his kits."
Of course he is. Fawnspots shook her head. "It is quite the honor, to be the- the mate of the deputy," she whispered.
"Oh, yeah…" Ashpoppy looked down, "We went on a hunting patrol together, and next thing you know, I'm pregnant!"
She let out a nervous laugh, "I mean, that is how these things are supposed to go. You don't say no to the deputy."
"Skyshade wouldn't make you do anything you don't want to do," Fawnspots narrowed her eyes. Ashpoppy looked surprised.
"No, of course!" she exclaimed, "He's been overwhelmingly kind. I think he feels a little bad. But, if I had to end up with a mate, he's not so bad!"
"Not so bad?" Fawnspots chuckled. Painfully.
"Yeah!" Ashpoppy smiled, "He's been really kind to me."
"Of course he has," Fawnspots nodded, "He's Sky- He's the deputy." She hated the way her heart lurched at even almost mentioning his name. Like he didn't have enough to deal with already. Like he didn't already have kits by two different she-cats and a third litter on the way.
Expected by none other than pretty, polite Ashpoppy.
"I know, and he's lovely," Ashpoppy smiled, "Wonder what he's doing right now."
"Sorting patrols," Fawnspots whispered. Starclan, I've spent too much time staring at Skyshade.
She looked down at her paws. "Here's your… your…" She almost threw the leaves at Ashpoppy and moved on.
Being near the she-cat was too stifling.
She walked over on shaky legs. "Hey… hey Dovebreeze," she whispered to their last expecting queen.
"Fawnspots," the she-cat dipper her head, "How are you?"
"I'm-" she tried to refrain from looking back at Ashpoppy, "I'm doing fine."
"Ah, you looked a little shaky," she smiled, "Figured you might have skipped a meal."
"No, I'm fine Dovebreeze, really-"
"Are you sure? I can listen," she beamed, "Come on, tell me!"
"I don't want to… to talk about it," Fawnspots whispered. She watched the she-cat wilt slightly.
"Oh, okay," she nodded, "It's fine. Just… just want to help."
"You're… you're doing fine," Fawnspots sighed. She knew Dovebreeze was a good cat, even if she was a bit dense. Several young toms had practically been fighting over her and she didn't even notice.
"Now, roll over so I can check your stomach," she motioned for the queen to move.
"Oh yeah," Fawnspots felt Dovebreeze wince under her paw, "I'm… pregnant and stuff."
"You sound like you don't want to be," Fawnspots mused, "Isn't Foxclaw excited?"
" Ecstatic," Dovebreeze muttered, "It's not that I don't want kits, I just…"
"You just…?"
"Nothing," she smiled, "How are they?"
"You seem like a perfectly healthy queen to me," Fawnspots smiled. Dovebreeze didn't return it. Her gaze was firmly on the ground. She got up, startling Fawnspots.
"I… sorry, I just need to speak to Foxclaw," she whispered. Fawnspots looked confused.
"I haven't given you your herbs yet!" she exclaimed, flattening her ears, "They're good for you!"
"Yeah, good for expecting she-cats, I know," Dovebreeze turned away, gritting her teeth, "I'll… I'll pick them up later, I promise."
"Oh… okay," Fawnspots' voice was riddles with concern. The normally light-hearted queen wasn't acting like herself.
"I will," Dovebreeze nodded, and almost ran out of the den.
"Hey, I brought back prey- Dovebreeze?" an all too familiar voice called. Fawnspots felt her fur stand out. Oh no.
"Oh, hello Fawnspots!" Skyshade beamed at her, "I was just coming to check on Badgerpounce and the kits. How are you?"
"I um, I'm Fawnspots!" she smiled, and felt herself wilt a little inside.
Skyshade chuckled and her ears went red, "Well, I know that."
"I'm also uh- borage?" She hated herself. She truly despised herself with every fiber in her being.
"You're borage?" Skyshade sounded confused.
"No, I-" Fawnspots squeaked and ran out of the den.
Almost into the one cat she didn't want to see more than Skyshade.
"Mother…" she put on a fake smile, "How are you?"
"Still not pregnant," Roseshadow narrowed her eyes, "I saw you in the with the queens. It would be better if you were one of them."
"I can't take a mate," Fawnspots almost sighed, stealing a glance back at where Skyshade was giving a rabbit to a grumpy looking Badgerpounce.
"I can get my own damn food, you imbecile!"
"But-" Skyshade flinched. Fawnspots forced herself to tear her gaze away.
"Yeah, of course my only kit goes and studies leaves instead of toms," Roseshadow huffed, "Come on, I want to see our line live, Fawnspots!"
"It's literally against the code!" she sputtered.
"You're pretty," Roseshadow poked her in the ribs, "Eat a little more, and maybe that deputy will notice you. More fat is good for kits."
"The deputy will notice what?"
Fawnspots went rigid. "Skyshade, I-" she stepped back.
"See?" Roseshadow huffed, "Now this is a tom! Skyshade, do you think you could have one small litter with Fawnspots?"
"I uh, she's a medicine cat?" He looked so confused. Because, of course he did.
Fawnspots was just the quiet, sputtering medicine cat. She wouldn't grab his attention. She couldn't.
She stepped back. Her pelt felt hot and her heart hurt.
"Fawnspots, where are you going?" her mother asked.
"I need… fresh-" she almost choked on her words. "Fresh air."
She turned, storming to the entrance of camp.
She wouldn't be surprised if she died of embarrassment by the end of the moon.
Hmmm, how about a fun question. It's a bit early in the story, but any favorite characters so far, or anyone you want to see more of?