HEY PEOPLE! :D I'M BACK! I wanted to apologize(I don't think I'm spelling that right...?)for the long wait, but I had a lot going on the last few weeks, including my dog passing away and having to quit dance because of certain circumstances(My dance teacher is a bitch...Excuse my language!). I've also just found out I'm not actually blood related to my family because my mom was adopted, and that I have another family out there that I never knew about. It's kind if a shock. Not traumatizing, but shocking. I don't plan to meet them, because they don't know I exist, but learning your grandparents aren't your real grandparents is really difficult to understand.
Oh, and this chapter is slightly longer than usual do to lots of information being shoved into it that will blow your mind...Hope you enjoy! ;)
...
"Cloudeyes?!"
My adopted mother's eyes were wide with fear as she came towards me and it shocked me. What had her so scared?
"Oh, Tinypaw!" she gasped out, panting heavily. It was only then I realised she had dropped two kittens at my paws. They were Dapplekit and Onekit! "It's horrible! I tried to find you after the Clan meeting, but Clawstar wouldn't allow it, and the kits, oh, the kits..."
Foxpaw stood forward, his eyes flickering in confusion. "Tinypaw, who is this? What's going on?"
I shook myself head. "I'll explain later. Right now we need to get these kittens back to the hollow. Will you take them?"
Foxpaw nodded and reached for Onekit, but before he could pick him up, Cloudeyes shocked me even more by scoring her claws against his cheek and hissing fiercely. I was disturbed. Where was my caring, loving mother?
"I-I'm sorry, I should have asked first," Foxpaw stuttered, taking a step back. Then, he added, "I won't hurt him...?"
Cloudeyes snarled wickedly and covered her kits. Her entire body was tensed and her eyes narrowed in fury. "Don't come near my babies, you Windclan scum! I'll rip you apart if you come even one paw step closer!"
I stepped forward, my head lowering. "Cloudeyes, calm down...What has happened?"
My adopted mother growled, her eyes turning to me, before she realised who she was glaring at and softened her gaze.
"I'll tell you everything, but first we need shelter for the kits," Cloudeyes murmured. Her eyes slid to Foxpaw and she stared at him with distrust. "Is...Is he coming too?"
"Yes," I said hesitantly. "He won't hurt the kits. Just follow me."
Soon enough we were at the hollow in the willow, but instead of going up in the tree, Cloudeyes refused and dug a den in the soil. We bedded it with leaves and covered it with twigs before placing the kits inside and allowing Cloudeyes to suckle them before reappearing in front of us.
"Start from the beginning," I commanded. "Where is Acornshell? And Spiritkit?"
Cloudeyes took a deep breath and then closed her eyes, swallowing loudly. "Acornshell...Acornshell...He's...He's dead."
My entire body froze. Acornshell dead? No. It wasn't possible. He was the only one other than Cloudeyes who tolerated me. He wasn't my real father, and we hadn't had a real relationship, but he was still the mate of my adopted mother and father of Cloudeyes' kits. I couldn't, wouldn't, believe it.
"W-What?" I said, voice cracking. Cloudeyes looked like she was gonna fall over. "How?"
"It's Clawstar," she whimpered. I felt my heart drop. "He's gone crazy. After you left, he declared war on Windclan-" I heard Foxpaw gasp. "-and said that Shadowclan would be ultimate. Any cat who defied him was killed. For Starclan's sake, Tinypaw, he killed his own son!"
I heard myself choke. Shadedsoul was dead?
"Shadedsoul wanted part of the power," Cloudeyes whined. "Clawstar couldn't have competition, so he killed him. Sunfur tried to save him, but Crashpaw tore out his throat. This escalated and Acornshell...H-He told me go get away, to take the kits and run...But I couldn't...I-I..."
Cloudeyes began to sob. I pressed against her fur in comfort and tried to calm her, but it was no use. She'd just lost her entire Clan and mate and was left with nothing.
"Cloudeyes, hush, now," I mewed, "Where is Spiritkit?"
"He's with Vinetail, along with the Windclan kits," she hiccuped. "She ran away too after Clawstar wanted her to be his new mate. She's a very religious Medicine Cat, so going against any rules of Starclan was something she just couldn't do. She offered to take the kits and hid while I got away. I'm not sure where she went, but I know she's safe with the kits."
I nodded, relieved, and then told Cloudeyes to go rest in her den. The sun was setting, and it had been a stressful day for her. I couldn't believe it myself.
Later, when the moon was bright and high in the sky and the world was dark, me and Foxpaw stood a little away from Cloudeyes' den.
"Sometimes I wonder what I'll become."
The softness in Foxpaw's voice made me look at him. He was usually very high-spirited, one of the reasons I cared for him so much, and this soft-spoken side of him was different to me.
"What do you mean?" I whispered, pressing close to him. Foxpaw sighed.
"My whole life has been...complicated," he started, nuzzling my fur. "My father was never really there, and when he died, it made me realize what I had and that I needed to appreciate it more. My brother, Racepaw-" Foxpaw gave a sad chuckle here-"-was always beside me. He was my best friend, my other half. In fact, he was my twin. We were exactly identical."
I felt my heart reach out to him. I never knew he had a twin, but the fact the he used the word "had been" allowed me to know I would never meet him.
"What happened?" I gently prodded. We were now cuddled together in the darkness.
"He caught blackcough," was the sad response. I gave my condolences and licked his cheek. Foxpaw just pressed closer and sighed. "I never got over it. Loosing Racepaw took away a part of me that I'll never get back. I grew up a little that day, and it got easier over time, but the pain came back full force when Cloudypaw left me."
My fur rose unconsciously and I coughed, "Cloudypaw?"
Foxpaw "hmmed" and didn't seem to notice my irritation. "She was my lover, you could say," I felt a sudden rage at this "Cloudypaw". What had she done to hurt MY Foxpaw? "We had some good times, some fun times. It...It was nice. But it was a one time thing. Nothing ever really came out of it. We were young and adolescent, not knowing what we were doing. And when she lost the kits, we were broken apart."
I coughed again, completely mortified. Foxpaw had been a father? And mated to another she-cat? How could I be so stupid?
"I didn't know," I stuttered, pulling away. "I'm sorry. I really didn't..."
Foxpaw gave me a startled look. "Oh! No, they weren't my kits. They were Racepaw's. That's why I couldn't be with her. She was with Racepaw and with his kits, and when he died, we leaned on each other for comfort, however inappropriately. Cloudypaw lost the kits, then, in such a stressful time, and we never really talked again. She's told me she has feelings for me, but I've always refused her."
I nodded, for some reason feeling a little relieved and a little sad. It was a tragic story, even compared to mine.
Suddenly, Foxpaw leaned over close, our noses almost touching, and his tail curled around mine intimately. I felt my breath catch, and my heart sped up. What was he doing?
"I've always refused her because she's not the one for me, Tinypaw..." Foxpaw's voice was all but a whisper, soft and sweet against my ears. "But...I think I've found the cat for me..."
"Foxpaw...?" I gasped. "What...?"
"Just this night, Tiny. Let me hold you," Foxpaw muttered. "Only that. I know we don't know a lot about each other, but with all this chaos and stress, I know I can count on you to be there when I'm down, to help me when I fall, to pick me up when I break. I promise to never hurt you, ever, even if this doesn't work out. But, Tiny, will you give us a try? Will you let me catch you if you fall for me as I've fallen for you?"
I stepped away from him, despite how much my heart longed to be near him again. I was embarrassed, and torn. How could Foxpaw lie to me like that? I knew I was hideous. I couldn't amount to anything. I'd never be able to raise kits, if I had any, because I'd be a terrible mother. I couldn't let him try. I knew it was me who would be desperate in the bitter end, and I couldn't put that kind of weight on Foxpaw.
"I...I can't let you do this, Foxpaw," I sigh, looking away from his pooling eyes. "You don't want me. I can't give you what you want. It won't work. And though it pains me to say this, I don't think we're meant to be together."
"But I love you!"
The response wasn't what I expected. My head whipped back and my eyes widened with shock.
"I've always loved you," Foxpaw said desperately, his voice rising higher and higher. "Form the first day we met, when I saw you in those trees, your white fur shaded silver in the shade, making you glow as radiantly as the bright moon, my heart beat so fast in my chest I thought I would pass out. I didn't know what that meant back then, but I do now. I love you, Tinypaw, with all my heart, no matter what you think."
I closed my eyes, tears gathering. It was too much. With Acornshell's passing and Cloudeyes' circumstances, I couldn't take this. Foxpaw had said he loved me, and I knew I loved him too. I just couldn't say it yet.
"I...I have problems, Foxpaw," I whisper sadly, looking up to meet his eyes. "My life hasn't been easy either. My father is a murderous killer, my mother is a dead corpse, my brother is an evil follower and the powers of the universe decided to make me hideous just to complete the package. Are you sure you want someone that broken?"
Foxpaw met my gaze, his eyes narrowing with determination.
"I do," he said calmly. Honestly. "And I want them to want me just as much."
I gave a small smile. He meant it.
"I do love you, in a way, Foxpaw," I laughed slightly. "But please, give me some time to figure this out. I need a little time."
He nodded, and I leaned over and licked his cheek again.
"I promise to love you someday, my fox. But until then, let's just enjoy each other's company, yes?"
"As you wish, my sweet little Vixen..."
Unknown by the pair, two bright yellow eyes watched from the shadows, hearing every word.
WOW!
What's with that mind blowing chapter? Since when did Foxpaw have a brother? A twin, no less! How did that relationship work, especially with Cloudypaw? How did she mate with Racepaw but like Foxpaw? What The heck is going on?!
Well, you'll understand later.
As for the ending of their chapter, I don't even know. It was basically Foxpaw and Tinypaw admitting there was an attraction between them, but they, mostly Tinypaw, didn't know how to go about it. It resulted in this mess.
Next up: Cloudeyes talks to Tinypaw about Foxpaw, while said red tom learns about his Clan trading his younger siblings to Shadowclan, and Vinetail makes a visit to our willow wood residents...
