Marigoldpaw tore across Cliffclan territory, taking the shortest route she could. The wind urged her on, hissing her name and Oriolepaw's alternatively, shoving at her back to make her faster. Keep going, it told her, even as her steps floundered and stumbled. We'll get you there, come on, the wind insisted. Marigoldpaw didn't know if she believed it but she didn't stop. She didn't stop for anything. Not until she reached the border.
And there she was. She stood just the same as Marigoldpaw had seen her both other times, but this time her eyes were bright and alert. She leaned forward as Marigoldpaw got closer, and Marigoldpaw could swear that for just a moment she had seen the faint shape of a cat standing beside her.
Oriolepaw, the wind sighed one last time, dying off. She didn't need its help anymore anyway; she staggered the last few steps to her friend and collapsed, relief sapping the last of her exhausted energy out of her bones.
"You're here," Marigoldpaw mewed. "You knew."
"I am," Oriolepaw agreed. She sat down by Marigoldpaw, close enough that their fur touched. "I knew you would be here. I knew you would need me."
Marigoldpaw let herself sink into despair. Oriolepaw sat with her, not even shifting in discomfort. She let Marigoldpaw push her face against her chest, and even, after a moment, began to wash her ears, purring just the slightest bit.
Marigoldpaw sat back up eventually, head still bowed. Even then Oriolepaw didn't move away. She let her friend set the distance and boundary, and Marigoldpaw was content to stay as close as she could. Oriolepaw mewed, "Your paws are bleeding," and Marigoldpaw lashed her tail, just once.
"I don't care," she mewed with less venom than she would have liked but more than she really felt. Oriolepaw nudged her, just once, with her shoulder. Marigoldpaw stiffened at the familiar gesture. Oriolepaw paused, obviously confused. Marigoldpaw sighed.
"What happened?" Oriolepaw mewed eventually.
"Don't you know?" Surely she'd seen the whole thing.
But Oriolepaw shook her head. "I only saw that you and I would be here."
"Sounds unreliable," Marigoldpaw muttered.
Oriolepaw's ears twitched. "Yes. There's a lot of problems wrong with it. But I think it'll get easier with time. But, really, do you want to talk about it?"
Marigoldpaw considered that. She shuffled her paws and considered some more. And then she decided that she trusted Oriolepaw. She trusted her wholeheartedly, even though others in her Clan would say she shouldn't.
And so she told Oriolepaw everything. How her brother had died; how she still felt like it was her fault. How her mother had begun ignoring her and how angry it had made her, slowly at first and then building up until.. until she had attacked her. "I don't regret it," she mewed to Oriolepaw and to herself. "She deserved it."
"That and more," Oriolepaw agreed. Marigoldpaw sighed and shifted closer to Oriolepaw. Her friend set her chin atop her head and left it there.
"What am I going to do now," Marigoldpaw mewed. "I don't want to go back. I can't go back." She thought of having to climb back over hills and cliffs to get back to camp, of having to scale that, and anxiety rose in her throat.
"Then don't," Oriolepaw said. Marigoldpaw stiffened and made a small questioning nose. "Don't go back," Oriolepaw mewed. "Stay with me. In Caveclan."
"Could I do that?" Marigoldpaw wondered hopelessly. "Would they let me?" She pulled back from Oriolepaw, enough to look her in the eye. "Why would you want me to?"
"Because I need you," Oriolepaw mewed. Her tone was frank and honest.
Needed her. Had anyone ever needed her before? Poppyface hadn't. Had Hawthornpelt? She'd needed him, certainly, but Marigoldpaw couldn't remember anyone ever saying they needed her. Oriolepaw needed her. Maybe she needed Oriolepaw too.
"Okay," Marigoldpaw mewed. "Okay, yes," and she was surprised at how Oriolepaw's eyes lit up, how her face scrunched into a smile. Marigoldpaw's heart stuttered in her chest.
"Batstar is very kind," Oriolepaw mewed. "He let my parents into the Clan. They're from Brushclan and Shaleclan. I was born in Caveclan, but they weren't. He let them in seasons ago. I think he would do the same for you."
"Do you really think so?" Marigoldpaw mewed. "Did you see it?"
"I don't have to see it," Oriolepaw said. "I know it anyway," and Marigoldpaw's heart fluttered again. "Are your paws okay?" Oriolepaw asked.
Marigoldpaw shrugged. "They don't hurt," she mewed. She stood up to prove it. Oriolepaw looked doubtful.
"Cactusleaf will help you," she mewed. "She's very skilled." She sighed when Marigoldpaw shrugged again. "I don't want you to be hurt," Oriolepaw said, and finally Marigoldpaw acquiesced. She followed Oriolepaw deeper into Caveclan territory, feeling weird even though she was with an escort. Would this place ever feel like home, she wondered? Cliffclan didn't anymore. She supposed it wouldn't make much difference.
Oriolepaw walked confidently. She knew this area, it seemed. Of course she would. She knew this terrain like Marigoldpaw knew the cliffs and ridges in her own birth clan.
Oriolepaw spoke up. "I'll show you everything soon," she mewed, like she'd read Marigoldpaw's mind. "It won't be so strange then."
"Thank you," Marigoldpaw said from beside Oriolepaw. She felt her friend's tail brush against her flank in response.
Their path lead them to the river. Oriolepaw looked nervous, but only a little. She mewed, "I have to look," in an apologetic tone. For a moment Marigoldpaw was confused; then she realized that water must be connected to Oriolepaw's visions.
"Are you sure that's safe?" Marigoldpaw mewed in concern.
"With you here?" Oriolepaw said, stepping forwards until she was staring into a small inlet where the water was relatively still. "There's no doubt in my mind." She fell silent and so did Marigoldpaw, though her ears felt hot. There was long, passing moments, and then Oriolepaw let out a long, fluttering sigh and took a step back. "Okay," she mewed. "That's alright, then."
"Nothing too bad, I hope," Marigoldpaw mewed. Oriolepaw smiled at her.
"No, nothing too bad," she assured her, and then they were walking again. Caveclan territory was much easier to travel over, something Marigoldpaw was grateful for, as she found the longer they walked the more her paws began to ache. Grit and small stones lodged in the wounds on her feet, and they had to stop a few times so Marigoldpaw could wash them off in the river.
Eventually their path veered from the river; Oriolepaw had seemed to know that Marigoldpaw would need the water, because she felt the way they'd taken was more roundabout than it should have been.
Oriolepaw was lost in thought for much of the journey after her look in the water. Occasionally she'd glance at Marigoldpaw, as if reaffirming she was still there.
And then, finally, they reached the entrance to the Caveclan camp. It was a wide, yawning hole sloping down into darkness. Marigoldpaw balked momentarily, but Oriolepaw seemed unbothered. She simply waited for Marigoldpaw to build her courage up, and then they continued on.
"Oriolepaw?" The blue-grey tabby sitting at the top of the hole mewed. She must be the sentry, Marigoldpaw figured. "What's.. Who is this?"
"Hello, Falconstripe," Oriolepaw mewed. "Did you tell my parents and Fawntail that I would be back soon?"
"Well yes, but.." Falconstripe eyed Marigoldpaw. "You do know you have a cat with you, don't you?"
"Yes," Oriolepaw mewed. "It's fine. Her name is Marigoldpaw. We're going to go see Batstar."
Falconstripe muttered something that sounded like "I'm just the lookout," and shook her head. "Okay then," she mewed so they could hear. "You missed Crowfur and Honeypelt's warrior ceremonies, by the way."
"I figured I would," Oriolepaw said. Marigoldpaw shot her a concerned look as they entered the tunnel. "You may want to come inside soon though, Falconstripe," Oriolepaw called over her shoulder. The sentry made made a noncommittal noise.
Inside the tunnel, Marigoldpaw asked, "You missed your friend's ceremonies?"
"You were more important," Oriolepaw mewed. Her was voice was so casual as she said that, like she didn't think it was a big deal. It was simply just a fact.
Marigoldpaw was glad it was dim in the tunnel. It helped hide the smile on her face.
Going underground was an odd sensation. It almost felt too close, too stifling. The caves were cool, and it was still possible to see, just.. Everything was a little bit more muddled. There were small holes dotting the roof in places, long shafts to the surface that let in a little sunlight so that it wasn't pitch black. The deeper they went, Marigoldpaw almost felt..
"Oriolepaw!" a voice up ahead called. "Oriolepaw, there you are!"
"Little bird, you shouldn't have left without telling us!" another one said. It took Marigoldpaw a moment to see them through the gloom, but then the forms of two of the cats from the border yesterday appeared.
"I told Falconstripe to tell you," Oriolepaw mewed.
"She did, but.. We were worried about you," the gray cat said. "You can't just keep disappearing like that."
"I'm sorry, Darkgaze," Oriolepaw mewed. "It was important."
"What was?" the pale cat mewed, a moment before she caught sight of Marigoldpaw behind Oriolepaw. "Is that- Marigoldpaw?"
"Marigoldpaw?" Darkgaze mewed, and Marigoldpaw was surprised at the tone of her voice. She sounded genuinely pleased to see her.
"Hello," she mewed, ducking her head.
"Hello," Darkgaze mewed, real warmth in her tone. The other cat echoed her, and then Darkgaze continued, "What brings you here?"
"I.." Marigoldpaw stopped, confused as to how to explain it. She stammered for a moment, feeling foolish, and Oriolepaw stepped in to save her.
"I invited her," she said. "Would you and Astertail come with us while we talk to Batstar?"
"Of course we would," the pale cat, Astertail, mewed. "He's in the Rubble Hill Outlook tunnel, I believe."
"Then let's go. Still going okay, Marigoldpaw?" Oriolepaw mewed, casting a concerned look at her friend.
"Fine," Marigoldpaw mewed. It came out as a garbled squeak and she had to clear her throat. "Fine," she repeated. "Rubble Hill Outlook. Let's go."
"It's a collapsed tunnel," Oriolepaw explained as they walked through a giant cavern. There's a pond in the middle of it, with rocks like stepping stones. Oriolepaw seemed to have no trouble ignoring the stares of the cats in the chamber as they walked by. "But, it wasn't because of structural integrity or anything," she continued. "There's a story about it I'll tell you someday. Now the tunnel's just kind of nice to look out of. I played there a lot when I was a kit."
"Sounds nice," Marigoldpaw murmured. She wondered what it had been like to grow up in the cavern system, being able to see perfectly well in the dark, knowing all the tunnels like you'd know your own paws.
The Rubble Hill Outlook tunnel is bathed in a slanting shaft of light. It illuminated the curled up form of a brown cat, and for a moment Marigoldpaw thought he was asleep, but he sat up as they draw near and didn't even yawn.
"Hello, Batstar," Oriolepaw mewed. Astertail and Darkgaze hung back to let her talk.
"Hello," he said back. "What's all this, then?" His eyes narrowed at her and he briefly looked confused. "Ah, that's.. Not a Caveclan cat."
"This is Marigoldpaw," Oriolepaw explained. "She's from Cliffclan."
Was, Marigoldpaw wanted to put in, though she said nothing.
"Ah, Marigoldpaw. Yes, I remember you telling me about her. Did something happen?" Concern crossed over Batstar's face.
"What I said to you and Cactusleaf, about my visions, wasn't a lie," Oriolepaw mewed.
"I know," he said. "I never thought for a moment it was."
Some of the tension Marigoldpaw hadn't even known Oriolepaw was carrying drained out of her. "Oh, well. Good." She paused for a moment, and then continued, "Batstar, I'd like for Marigoldpaw to join Caveclan."
"And does Marigoldpaw want to join Caveclan?" Batstar asked, looking at Marigoldpaw.
Oriolepaw let her answer. For a long heartbeat Marigoldpaw didn't know what to say. "Yes," she started, but she knew that wasn't a good enough answer. "I can't stay in Cliffclan anymore," she finally said, choosing the words carefully. The next ones came easier. "I want to be where Oriolepaw is."
Don't make me go back to Cliffclan, she thought to herself. Please don't.
Batstar took a moment to consider. "I don't see the harm," he finally said. "Though I'm sure the Clan will want to know why."
"No voting?" Astertail put in.
"She hasn't broken the code," Batstar mewed. "And she's only an apprentice, besides. But Oriolepaw, it will be you who tells them. If your powers are here to stay, then you will be invaluable to your Clan- Perhaps, eventually, to every Clan. But that has to start somewhere, and I can't think of any situation better than now."
"Okay, Batstar," Oriolepaw mewed. She glanced at Marigoldpaw, who gazed back steadily. You can do it, she thought. Oriolepaw gave an almost imperceptible nod, and started back down the tunnel.
/
Nervous didn't even begin to cover it. Oriolepaw had known this was going to happen, had seen it, but that didn't calm the butterflies flickering in her stomach. Having Marigoldpaw there, right beside her, grounded her as always, and the faint form of Duskfang accompanied her as he usually did. Still, the walk back to the antechamber seemed to take a long time.
Batstar called the Clan to attention. His voice projected through the tunnels, echoing off the stone walls, bringing cats up from their dens. Oriolepaw even saw the curious faces of kits in the crowd.
"Thank you for joining us," Batstar called over the mews of cats asking what was going on. "It isn't me who will be addressing you today, however. Oriolepaw has something she needs to say."
She heard murmurs of her name, and even a few cats asking about Marigoldpaw, but she didn't bother paying attention. Batstar flicked his tail at the ledge he usually addressed the Clan from, and Oriolepaw scaled it.
For a moment she stood there, anxiety crawling in her pelt. Marigoldpaw looked up at her from the very bottom of the ledge, surrounded by Darkgaze and Astertail. Oriolepaw drew in a breath and started speaking.
"Caveclan, I come to you with a confession," she started, though it may have been the wrong thing to say. Tension built in the crowd. "It is not anything you think, believe me. The truth is.. I am able to see the future. It's as open to me as it is to Starclan." Loud muttering erupted through the gathered cats, most of them disbelieving. Oriolepaw spoke over them. "I've had this ability since I was a kit, and it has only gotten worse. I cannot always control these visions. More often than not, really." It felt odd to admit her weakness, knowing the terror and fear it caused her. Warriors were meant to be brave.
"What is this, Batstar?" a furious voice broke out. It belonged to Stonewhisker. "Is this a joke?"
"Shut up!" another voice said, and Oriolepaw recognized Crowpaw- Crowfur, as she was now. "Listen to her. She's not lying."
"And how do you know?" Stonewhisker growled.
"She saved our lives!" Honeypelt burst out. "Don't you remember when Sedgestripe and Larchpelt were attacked by those coyotes?"
Crowfur took over. "Oriolepaw stopped us from going with them. If we had, we'd be crowfood."
"It's true!" Sedgestripe spoke up.
"Coincidences!" Stonewhisker hissed. "I don't believe this-" and here he stopped. Oriolepaw kept going from where she'd joined in with him. "For a moment. It's ridiculous."
"Is that what you were going to say?" she continued calmly. He only looked up at her, shocked.
Cypresspelt spoke up this time. "Surely there's a-"
"Rational explanation for everything," Oriolepaw finished for him, and then again, "How are you doing that?" The crowd had fallen silent. "Is there any other explanation?" she wondered aloud. "I see things in my dream every night, swirling through water. So many of them it is almost impossible to pick out specifics. Only the smallest of details get by sometimes. The future would consume me and leave nothing behind, if I let it."
"I believe you," Lizardfang mewed, and Patchfur followed up with an agreement. "You've been odd since you were a kit. This explains it."
"Thank you," Oriolepaw mewed. "But the explanation is only part of it. Sometimes I cannot wake from what I see."
"And I've seen that," Cactusleaf mewed, Fawntail backing her up. "Only a sunrise ago she was locked in a vision."
"How did you wake up, then?" Honeypelt wondered.
"Marigoldpaw," Oriolepaw said simply. "As far as I know, as far as I've seen, she's the only one who can reach me in the water."
"Her?" Stonewhisker spoke up again. "But she's not Caveclan, she's-"
"From Cliffclan, yes," Oriolepaw mewed. "Which is why I must ask a favor of you all. Will you let Marigoldpaw join us?"
"But she's Cliffclan," Tanagerfoot mewed, confused.
"Cliffclan holds no place for me anymore," Marigoldpaw mewed. "I would rather be here, with Oriolepaw, in Caveclan." Another buzzing murmur swept the assembled cats.
"What does it mean?" Snakeclaw mewed. "Your visions. Why do you have them?" The crowd hushed, eyes trained intently on Oriolepaw.
She didn't answer for a long time. Finally she said, "I don't know. I don't think there is a reason. It shouldn't happen, but it does."
"Starclan wouldn't give you this power without a reason," Cloverstream piped up. "Would they?"
The faint form of Duskfang shook his head. He still had no idea what it was about, as far as he had told her. Oriolepaw mewed, "We all know there are some things Starclan simply can't control. I wouldn't see these things if they could stop it. There are some things the living simply shouldn't know." She sighed and let herself hang her head, just for a moment, just long enough. Then she straightened back up. "Please," she started. "Will you let Marigoldpaw join us?"
Fawntail was the first to speak up. There's no hesitation in her voice. "Yes," she mewed, and Honeypelt and Crowfur join in. There were cats who frowned and said nothing, but there's enough who agree. Enough that Batstar beckoned Oriolepaw down and took her place to say, "Marigoldpaw will join our ranks," and that was it.
Oriolepaw gazed at Marigoldpaw's face, shining dimly with hesitant hope and looking across the crowd of Caveclan cats. She wanted to say something, started to, but-
"You're hurt," Cactusleaf mewed. "Why didn't you tell me? Come on. My den is this way."
Marigoldpaw glanced at Oriolepaw, mildly amused, and then both apprentices of Caveclan followed their medicine cat.
