Greetings my lovely readers! Welcome back to Downstream, I don't know about you guys but I've just come to terms with the fact that this is going to be a really long story, looks like were in for the long haul! Now in order to write a substantially long story I need lots of motivation and the best way to motivate me is, you guessed it, reviews! So a big thank you to everyone who followed, favorited and reviewed, you guys are the best!
Meow is Back From The Dead - Daaw, that's so nice of you! If things go to the current plan then some it will be fairly important. I probably won't include Shadecloud, you're absolutely right about it not being her thing.
Swirlspot - As per usual you're a little too close to the truth, stop being so good at guessing! I'm glad you find the subject of Shadecloud's genealogy so interesting, sorry about the lack of info! Fear not though, I will explain it at some point!
Lilacfrost of Tecnoclan - I'm glad you like the idea so much, I'm going to follow your advice and do just that!
Maplestar of Dawnclan - Thank you for the OC, I will absolutely be including her in the story! As for the next chapter, here it is!
And so, onwards to the story!
Once Frost had finished explaining what had happened to Fallow and Rooster he left to help Lotus with her investigation, leaving Shadecloud alone with the older cats. During Frost's account she'd watched their faces and found, to her dismay, that they both looked scared and worried.
"Seems like you've had another eventful day!" Rooster said with his usual smile though his amber eyes were troubled.
"Yeah, I'm starting to wonder if nearly getting killed is going to be a daily thing." Shadecloud joked, trying to conceal the shiver that ran down her spine.
"I hope not, whatever's happening needs to be stopped." Rooster said, the smile fading from his greying muzzle.
Fallow hummed in agreement and moved closer to Shadecloud, pressing her brown and cream pelt against the younger she cat's.
"What do you mean 'whatever's happening'?" Shadecloud asked, both curious and concerned. "Is this not normal?"
"I wouldn't say so, not even by our standards." Rooster agreed thoughtfully, "I don't think I've ever seen this many Fallen Ones in such a short period of time."
"Well there were only two recently." Fallow reminded the mottled tom gently, "It could be that we won't see more for quite some time."
"I still don't like it, they seem bolder as well. They usually lurk in the trees but coming right into the sandy clearing..." Rooster shook his head.
"I suppose you're right." Fallow conceded, "But why don't we talk about this later, when Frost and Lotus get back?" She suggested, subtly indicating Shadecloud who had watched the whole exchange with wide-eyed horror.
"Yes, you're right." Rooster rumbled, catching her hint. "Well young'un, I'm off for a run. You don't stay this fit without putting effort!" He said with a grin and wink.
"I think I'm going to take a nap for a bit, would you watch the kits for me?" Fallow asked and suddenly Shadecloud noticed how tired the queen looked.
"Absolutely, I'll try to keep them out of trouble!" She purred, rising to her paws and following Fallow out of the den.
"I'm sure you will, they can be a pawful though!" Fallow said affectionately as the pair padded over to where Junco and Swallow were playing with a feather.
As it turned out watching the kits simply meant stopping the occasional attempts at mischief and fetching the feather when it flew too high. Other than those small tasks all Shadecloud had to do was keep an eye on the kits.
Finding a patch of sun near where Swallow and Junco were investigating a beetle, Shadecloud settled down and soon found herself slipping into a warm daze.
Her whiskers twitched with amusement as Swallow batted the beetle at her brother, making him squeal with surprise as it landed on his muzzle. Junco stumbled back, shaking his head vigorously in an effort to dislodge the bug, he came to an abrupt halt as he back straight into a silver tabby she cat who couldn't have been much older then him.
"Junco, come here!" Shadecloud called, standing up to apologize to the young she cat.
"Don't worry about it, I don't mind." The tabby said quietly, averting her eyes from Shadecloud, who had padded over.
"Ghost!" Swallow cried, bouncing over to the older she cat and shoving her brother out of the way. "Are you going to play with us?" She chirped, jumping up to touch noses with the tabby.
"Perhaps." The she cat, Ghost, replied with a smile. "It seems you already have someone to play with though." She said, tilting her ears towards Shadecloud.
"Oh, I was just keeping an eye on them, feel free to play with them if you want to." Shadecloud said cheerfully.
"Yeah! She doesn't do anything except sit around, you're much more fun!" Junco agreed; both Shadecloud and Ghost winced at his words though he didn't seem to notice.
"That wasn't very nice, apologize to Shadecloud." Ghost reprimanded gently, her chiding tone made her seem like an adult rather than the kit she looked like.
Shadecloud found herself wondering at the young she cat's manner and voice, both of which were far too mature for her age.
Junco turned to look over his shoulder and Shadecloud and tossed a very unapologetic 'sorry' in her general direction.
"It's fine." Shadecloud told the little tom, though she wasn't sure if he was actually listening to her. "Just remember to more respectful in the future."
When she looked up from Junco, an amused smile on her muzzle, the grey she cat was startled to find Ghost's eyes on her. Shadecloud's smile disappeared as she took in the little she cat's unearthly purple eyes. For a heartbeat they stared at each other, Shadecloud standing frozen as Ghost's eyes seemed to stare into her soul, paralyzing her in a state of shock.
Then, almost as suddenly as it had begun, the moment ended. Ghost dropped her gaze and turned to the kits, leaving Shadecloud with cold shivers down her spine.
"Why don't you ask her about where she came from?" Ghost suggested to the kits, both of them looked skeptical though Swallow seemed ready to give it a chance. "She comes from somewhere very different from here, I'm sure she has plenty of interesting stories."
"I guess so." Junco said, his ears and tail drooping a bit as he turned towards Shadecloud.
"How would you two like to hear about a great battle that happened many moons before any of us were born?" Shadecloud suggested, remembering her own excitement as a kit when the elders told her the story for the first time.
"Okay, that sounds like it might be interesting." Swallow said, her forced cheerfulness becoming more natural at the mention of a great battle.
"There we go, you don't need me to play with you now, do you?" Ghost purred as the kits settled down in front of Shadecloud.
"No I guess not, but it would still be fun!" Junco said in a last attempt to get the silver she cat to stay.
"I'll play with you some other time, when it's just the three of us, okay?" She suggested to the delight of both kits.
Shadecloud settled down in a patch of sun as the silver tabby turned to make her way towards the entrance of the clearing
"Tomorrow?" Swallow asked hopefully, almost falling over as she twisted to look at Ghost.
"Ask Fallow if she'll let me look after you and maybe we can arrange it." Ghost said without turning around, a slightly franatic note in her voice. "I have to go now, I'll see you tomorrow." She said quickly.
Shadecloud watched confusion as Ghost bounded out of the clearing and into the forest. She felt a jolt of shock at the wild look in the tabby's eyes, it seemed for all the world as though she was terrified of something.
"Well? Are you going to tell us the story or not?" Swallow asked, breaking Shadecloud's reverie.
"Yes, of course I am!" Shadecloud replied, shaking off her thoughts and focusing on the kits in front of her.
"This better be good." Junco muttered, still looking skeptical and less than excited about hearing the story.
Shadecloud ignored him and began; "Many seasons ago it was foretold that a great darkness was coming and that three heroes would rise to face it."
I hope you enjoyed that chapter, if you did feel free to let me know by writing a review, following or favoriting! This was mostly just a little bit of fluff but it was necessary fluff so I hope you'll forgive me for that.
QOTD: What do you think of Ghost and the kits, who's your favorite?
My other story All That Glitters is officially complete now, if you haven't read it yet feel free to go do that! That also means I'll be working on a new story, the poll I put up if closed now but I am accepting OCs for it so if you'd like to submit one and help me out you can find that on my profile.
And with that I leave you until next time!
~ Feathers