Chapter 2


FearClan / Willow

"Willow! Hurry, there is white stuff falling like feathers in the sky!"

The silver and white tabby tom opened his amber eyes, looking over to his siblings. He remembered what Heather had told him about this season. Slowly, he pushed himself to his paws and loped over. He peered out between his siblings, their voices merged together as they wondered, aloud, what the tiny white-feathers were.

"It's snow." Dusk meowed behind them.

"Snow? What's that?" Nettle mewed, her green eyes wide. "Is it bad?"

"Of course not," the Kit-Watcher mewed gently. "It's like rain, just very, very cold. It will cover the clearing before you know it. When it does you can touch it and feel how cold it is. It's like the stars themselves have fallen down from the sky."

"But why does it snow?" Thistle asked, her pale green eyes a mirror of their father's.

"Well, the earth gets cold, so the stars come down to try and warm it with their bodies. They take all the cold from the earth and keep it for themselves. Of course, they could never take all of it, but they try very hard." she answered.

Willow barely listened, twitching his ears as he heard the soft scuffs of a cat approaching. Gently, he pushed his way through his siblings, ignoring their complaints. Quietly he stepped out into the freezing air. The warmth of the willow den was more appealing, but he hid his shivers the best he could. His fur was long and thick, he was confident it should be preventing the cold chill around him.

He padded over to the entrance, blinking in surprise as Hawk entered the clearing, holding a finch and a water vole. Usually his advisor had trouble hunting, but she seemed to be doing much better lately. She always had a prey item in her jaws, whether she caught it or not, but he could tell these were her catches. The way her head was lifted in pride and padded confidently to Shadow.

"What are you even proud for?" the black tabby tom snapped. "It's not like you caught those."

Hawk placed the prey items down, her gaze level. "Actually, I did. I have plans to keep catching more. Lion is a great mentor. I hope to pass her patience unto Willow so he may be a fair leader who takes great consideration for the good of the group."

"The only good he can do is destroy BushClan." Shadow hissed.

Willow padded over, hardly afraid of his own father. "And cause another all out war?"

Shadow looked over, his pale green eyes blazing. "Go back to the den, Willow. It's too cold for a kit like you."

"Am I not second in command?" Willow pointed out loudly, making his father flinch. "I will come out to meet with my advisor as I see fit. After all, she's taught me more than you ever could. Now, Hawk, those are excellent catches, I have faith you will be very helpful this leafbare and many more to come."

"Thank you, Willow. I promise to do my best for everyone." Hawk replied respectfully, adding in softly. "I owe a lot to FearClan as it is, they didn't have to let me live so I will make the most of it while I still can."

"Nonsense." he purred warmly, "You have worked hard enough to not owe FearClan a thing."

"Willow," Shadow growled, "Just because you are to be leader doesn't mean you are already leader. If Heather says she is going to die when you are old enough to not need her anymore than that is what will happen."

"I don't need you anymore, but we keep you around." Willow pointed out dryly.

Shadow looked startled, as though he had never considered his flesh and blood to think so lowly of him. Which wasn't a shock to Willow. The most he had seen of his father was how cruel he was. He had given Hawk many new scars and never came to his rescue when Heather struck him out of frustration. He lashed his tail impatiently, even as Hawk lightly scolded him.

"That is no way to speak to your father."

"Why should it matter how I speak to him?" he looked to Hawk, his eyes wide in innocence. "Doesn't he do the same to you like how Heather and the others pick on the cat who teaches you things?"

Hawk hesitated, he saw the flash of pain and concern. I'm a kit, I shouldn't know these things. But I do. I'm not blind or deaf. I know what I see and hear. He thought bitterly as those pale green eyes became soft and sympathetic. Finally, his advisor spoke. "That doesn't mean you have to treat everyone that way."

"Then how am I supposed to treat them?"

"With respect." she answered solemnly.

Willow felt the fur on his shoulders rise with irritation. "Why?"

"Because we are older than you. We have seen things you would never dream of." Shadow answered.

"Well I have seen and heard enough." Willow declared before turning away coldly. "Hawk, I wish to learn what respect is and how it is properly earned. I'm confident you have earned mine, but what do I know. I'm just a kit."

He didn't bother waiting and padded away. The snow was gathering around them, still falling in gentle flurries. Decorating their fur with white clumps of flakes. Anger was in their gazes, especially Heather who glared at him like he was disrespectful. Narrowing his amber eyes, he pushed himself further and further. The cold flakes freezing his pads, but he refused to give into the cold.

I was chosen for this. I had no choice in the matter. I will change things. Even if it kills me, I will break free from the anger I smell and see. Willow thought stubbornly. He stopped beneath the willow tree before climbing up onto a large root. His claws sinking satisfyingly in the hard bark. He turned to see Hawk padding up to him. Moons ago he wouldn't have been able to climb up it, but he had grown a lot since then. He was almost big enough to be considered an adult, at least he hoped so.

"Willow, you need to watch your tongue, if you are to earn any respect." Hawk scolded gently, jumping up beside him with ease.

He looked away, anger boiling in his veins. "But they treat you and your mentor so badly."

"That is just how they are." Hawk explained, sitting beside him. "Lion is used to it. They have been doing it since her mother betrayed Cedar."

"Then what did you do?"

"I killed your mother."

"You tried to save a cat who was foolish enough to fight and not even think of putting us first." Willow corrected her bitterly.

"I'm sure she had you and your littermates in mind." Hawk tried to assure him.

"They all have green eyes and look like Shadow or Cedar." he whispered, sounding as small as he felt. "I don't. Why do I have to look so different?"

"Well, who knows what Cedar's mother and father looked like." his advisor mewed, "Not to mention Dusk has amber eyes, you must have gotten it from Shadow's side of the family."

Willow hummed softly, before asking, "Lion has worked hard, hasn't she?"

"Well, yes, but it takes more than that to prove loyalty and earn respect."

He looked up to Hawk, his ears twitching as he tried to mind his temper. "So why haven't I met her?"

"I'm sure Heather has her reasons." Hawk answered softly, "I mean, to give respect you also have to trust the other with your whole heart. Lion's mother had made a decision that kept BushClan thriving. Lion will forever be punished and distrusted by Heather."

"It makes no sense." Willow meowed, looking to the dark brown tabby. "Lion did nothing wrong, so why must she be punished for what her mother did?"

"Anger never makes sense." Hawk answered slowly, a thoughtful look in her pale green eyes. "Young Willow, you have much to learn and many curious questions that you need answers to. Even cats as old as Heather can have them, but they also are expected to know all of the answers. You must first understand that no cat knows everything.

"I cannot talk for Heather or Cedar on why Lion must be punished. All I can tell you is, it is what it is. Lion doesn't like it, I don't either, but this is how FearClan is. FearClan is like a stone. Tradition has weathered it this way. So there is nothing we can do."

Willow listened, twitching his whiskers as he felt calmed, knowing that he wasn't the only one who was curious now. Blinking slowly, he felt more and more at ease. "But I can."

Hawk blinked warmly. "Of course. This is not a path you have chosen, but it is the path we have been given. It is best to make do with it as you can. One day you will be leader of FearClan and you can change it for better or for worse."

"Well, then I have to make it better!" Willow sat up straighter, "As future leader, I will make it better so it isn't unfair and curious cats can wonder and learn like they should!"

"That is a big dream." Hawk nodded approvingly. "May you one day see to it."

"Thanks, Hawk."

"You are welcome. Now, do you have anything else you wish to ask before we go over Heather's teachings once more?"

"Yes. What is StarClan? You spoke of it before and I always wanted to know more." Willow asked, feeling less like he was training to be a leader now.

Hawk looked away, her pale green gaze glancing over the clearing before them. "StarClan are spirit-cats that BushClan believe in. They are wise and have advice for the cats who watch over them. They wish to protect them for as long as they can."

"Do you believe in them?"

"Of course. I used to be in BushClan after all."

"Do you see them?"

"Only in dreams." she answered wistfully, a faraway look in her eyes. "They have fur lined with stars that glitter like frost does on the leaves and twigs in the early morning. They looked beautiful and breathtaking when I saw them three moons ago. Heather would never approve, let alone your father. It's all thistledown and cloud-fluff to them."

"Will I ever see them?"

"Only if you became a Clan leader." Hawk murmured, shaking her head. "But that's enough talk about that. If I get too carried away I won't notice if some cat comes and overhears. No FearClan cat is supposed to even think of them."

Willow nodded, feeling disappointed, but he didn't hold it against Hawk. The she-cat had to look after her position just as much as not to get claws raking through her fur. Shame flowed over him as he realized he might have added a few more scars in her pelt in the near future. After a moment, he nodded half to himself. "May I go apologize to Shadow?"

"Apologize?"

"I spoke out of turn like a fish-brain." Willow admitted, "Even if it felt right to say then, I should have been more respectful about it."

Hawk purred warmly, "Of course, go on. I'll be right here."

Willow nodded as he hopped back down the gnarled root. The willow tree was massive, it's roots buckling out of the ground even on the other side of the clearing away from it. He wanted to be just like it. Protective and flexible. Two moons ago it seemed like the tree would fall in a windstorm, luckily no cat was hurt, but the branches had been bent in weird ways. Although a branch did almost fall on top of Thistle from a different tree. It almost crushed his litter-sister when she poked her nose out.

It was the only time Shadow had to save them. They were trapped in the den and it took every cat to move the branch. He supposed he owed his father an apology in thanks of it. Slowly, he padded to stand in front of him. Even if he didn't accept his apology, that was alright. He stepped up first and that was all that he needed to prove to the other cats that he was quick to fix his mistakes.

"What do you want?" Shadow snarled.

"I wanted to apologize for speaking out of turn." Willow meowed calmly, looking away slightly. "Though, I suppose I shouldn't have bothered. Clearly bitter roots are better than fresh caught prey for you." He began to pad away, ignoring the calls of his father.

Perhaps life wasn't that easy to fix things. Clearly position in FearClan was most important. He will have to fight tooth and claw to change anything that Cedar had created for moons upon moons. He may have only known his mother for a short time, but he did know her influence was all around him. Dusk, a Kit-Watcher, was far more respected than Hawk and Lion was. He just needed to figure out why.

Was it because she was in place of their mother? What did the former kittypet do to be respected enough to be valuable to Heather? Narrowing his eyes, he knew he needed to ask her. He can do that later, when he had free time to speak with her. If he told Hawk his plans she could help. She would help, right?


Author Note:

Willow is a new main character who takes place of Hawksight! Why? Because then I would be writing three things for FearClan and I'm not finished with Lion's arc of perspectives. She still has a lot to give and Willow will give a nice perspective of what its like to be expected to be the next leader of FearClan!

So, does this mean BushClan will have a second perspective? If so, who would it be? I am still currently deciding as I write this.

Thank you for reading this chapter! Hope you continue to! - NightSky