Greetings my lovelies and welcome back to Downstream! I can't believe we're already on chapter 13, I couldn't have done it without your support; it's your reviews that really keep me going so cookies to all my reviewers! (::) (::) (::)
Meow Is Back From the Dead - That was quite the review! I'm glad that I managed to convey Ghost's personality and character correctly, that is pretty much what I was going for when I wrote the chapter. I'm also glad that you seem to like her, I want to make sure everyone is happy with how their OC is presented.
Flower - Thank you so much, you leave the nicest reviews; they always make me smile! You absolutely can make an OC, I'd love to see it!
Iheartwarriorcats - Thank you, I'm glad you liked it. Junco is funny, I hope I get a chance to write about him more in the future!
Maplestar of Dawnclan - I'm glad you like Ghost, she's interesting to write and she'll get a bigger part later on in the story, if things go as planned that is. The kits are indeed pawsome, I like your choice of adjective!
Swirlspot - To be honest I have a soft spot for Swallow, I've even entertained thoughts of a sequel about her, I'm not sure if it'll happen. As for your (scarily accurate) predictions, I don't mind you sharing them, sometimes I steal the really good ideas.
And now, on with the story!
The morning began with a sharp jab in the side and someone saying Shadecloud's name, repeatedly and far too close to her ears.
Rolling over and blinking Shadecloud found herself looking up into Lotus' face, which bore an irate expression. "Whuzzappenin?" She muttered, her mind still fuzzy from sleep.
"You're going to get up and come with me, that's what." Lotus said crisply, clearly frustrated by Shadecloud's slow wakeup.
"Why?" Shadecloud groaned but was soon silenced by a look from her denmate. "Fine, give me two hearbeats." She grumbled, sitting up.
"Good, I'll see you in the main clearing." Lotus ordered then turned on her heel and left the den.
Shadecloud shook the scraps of moss and bracken from her pelt then proceeded to smooth her fur down with a few hurried strokes of her tongue. With her pelt more or less presentable and her brain more or less alert she bounded out of the den.
To her dismay the sun had barely cleared the treetops and the sky was still a pearly pink that mean it was too early to be awake. Suppressing the complaint that rose in her throat the grey she cat made her way over to where several cats were gathered in the center of the clearing.
As she neared them the opened her mouth to say something along the lines of; 'whatever this is it better be good or I'll claw you faces off.' Shadecloud was not a morning cat.
Before she could make a sound Frost turned to her and signaled for silence, beckoning her over with his black tipped tail.
"What's going on?" She asked the tom in a whisper, trying to see what they were all so fascinated by.
His only response was to step out of the way to reveal a bedraggled she cat lying in a crumpled heap. As they watched the she spluttered, seemed to choke for a second, then vomited a torrent of water onto Shadecloud's paws.
Unable to suppress a yelp of disgust the dark grey she cat leaped back, trying to shake the water off her paws. This prompted several chiding hisses from Lotus and Frost and a snort of laughter from Rooster.
Shadecloud glared at them, sitting down to clean her paws and nurse her wounded pride as the others went back to studying the she cat. With a jolt she realized that they must have watched her that way when she'd first arrived. It was a little unnerving at how intently they were watching the half drowned she cat, sizing her up it seemed.
Shadecloud finished with her paws and stood up to rejoin the others then thought better of it and sat back down, just in case the she cat decided to vomit again. Now at a safe distance Shadecloud proceeded to scrutinize the she cat in much the same manner than she'd just been criticizing.
Lotus leaned forward and, scrunching her eyes closed in concentration, rested one paw of the she cat's chest. For a heartbeat nothing happened, then a small stream of water rose from the she cat's mouth. It hovered in an ever growing bubbled beside Lotus, then, when the water stopped coming from the she cat's mouth the bubble dropped.
It was all Shadecloud could do to jump out of the way with a shriek of irritation and surprise. Once again Lotus and Frost turned to shush her but it was too late, the she cat spluttered then opened a pair of bright green eyes.
There seemed to be a collective intake of breath from the Cursed ones then, as one, they sprang to life. Lotus sprang away from the she cat and bounded away, Frost also padded away with Rooster leaving Shadecloud and Fallow with the strange she cat.
"Where am I?" The she cat, who's now dry fur was patched black, orange and white, asked. "Who are you?"
"Calm down dear, you're in the Hollow, it's a safe place." Fallow said soothingly, sitting down next to the calico she cat. "What's your name?" She asked gently, flicking her tail to Shadecloud.
"Maple, my name is Maple." The she cat, Maple, answered. Shadecloud padded over to join them, standing awkwardly beside Fallow.
"Well Maple, my name is Fallow and this is Shadecloud." Fallow introduced, flashing a vaguely reproachful look at the grey she cat.
"Hello!" Shadecloud said in the cheeriest voice she could muster up, the greeting seemed to appease Fallow who turned her focus back to Maple.
"Do you remember anything?" She asked the bewildered looking calico.
"I remember being chased away from home because I..." She trailed off, a look of fear in her eyes swiftly followed by a guarded expression.
"Because you were different? Special somehow?" Shadecloud pressed gently which earned her an approving look from Fallow.
"Yeah, how did you know?" Maple asked, suddenly suspicious of the other two she cats, her green eyes darting between them.
Shadecloud looked to Fallow, the cream and brown she cat nodded and Shadecloud turned back to Maple. "It's because we're all different too, the Hollow is a safe place for cats like us." She explained.
"What do you mean by safe?" Maple asked, getting to her feet and assuming a somewhat defensive stance.
"Normal cats can't find us here, it's a place where we can live, grow up. Many of us have fairly normal lives." Fallow said. Shadecloud found herself noticing the little uncertainties in the older she cat's tone and words.
Unfortunately Maple had picked up on them as well, Shadecloud was struck by how suspicious the calico she cat seemed. "Many? What about the others?"
"That's a thing for another time dear." Fallow said firmly, her tone clearly signaling the end of the conversation. "Shadecloud, why don't you show Maple around a bit?" She asked Shadecloud in a way that made it clear it was not negotiable.
"What?" Shadecloud hissed, arguing despite the fact that Fallow was giving her a look that mirrored Lotus' expression earlier that morning. "Why me?"
"Because you're in between, you're new enough that you remember how it feels to first arrive but you've been here long enough to be one of us." Fallow explained, "I trust you'll look after her for the day." She said with cheerful smile, then she turned and padded off the direction Rooster and Frost had gone earlier.
Leaving Shadecloud alone with the new arrival who was still glaring at her with claws unsheathed. The grey she cat sighed, if she managed to keep her pelt in one piece she'd be forever thankful.
Summoning up her most welcoming smile she turned to the calico she cat. "So, would you like a tour of the hollow?" She asked.
Maple stared at her, decidedly nonplussed. "I want to know what she meant about 'Many of you'." The calico demanded.
"Look Maple, I'm pretty new here too and I don't know what the customs are, I don't want to tell you anything Fallow wouldn't tell you." Shadecloud explained, deciding she'd set the law down then and there.
"You're new here too?" Maple asked, looking a little less angry. "Are they always this cryptic?"
"I'm afraid so," Shadecloud said with a wry smile. "They're actually doing pretty well right now, I had no idea they were special until I'd been here for a couple sunrises."
"I suppose I should count myself lucky then." Maple said with a small laugh, "Why didn't they tell you though? I mean you told me as soon as you could."
"Well, I didn't know I was Cursed when I first got here, I think they were trying to understand what my ability was before they told me anything major." Shadecloud said, thinking back to the day Shadow had 'explained' what they were and the consequences.
She hadn't spoken to the mottled tom since that day; in fact she'd barely seen him at all; just glimpse of dark grey fur or the tip of his tail.
"Cursed?" Maple asked tilting her head, "Another thing you aren't supposed to talk about?" She asked, seeing Shadecloud's reaction to her question.
"Probably." Shadecloud admitted, "I'd tell you if I could but I really don't want to make anyone angry at me. They can be very scary sometimes."
"Ah, well I'm sure they'll tell me at some point." Maple said with what Shadecloud though to be uncharacteristic patience. "And if they don't make it soon I'll have to force it out of them." She added in a tone that was partly joking and partly something more unsettling. "Now, are you going to give me that tour or not?" She asked Shadecloud with an almost cheerful expression.
"Yes, absolutely." Shadecloud said, returning the smile. With that she turned to lead the way towards the dens.
Despite the cheerful atmosphere she couldn't shake the feeling that Maple was just as dangerous as the rest of them.
So, did you like the chapter? Let me know what you thought of it by following, favoriting or reviewing; remember constructive criticism is always appreciated!
QOTD - What do you think of Maple?
That's all for today, until next time I bid you farewell!
~ Feathers