Chapter 2: Unchoosen

Featherface shifted quietly in the cold, dark, damp den. Stonepad, one of her own, and Mistpad, one of Leafface's kits, were quietly curled up, resting against my stomach. Dawnface had my other kit, now named Swiftpad and Leafface's other kit, Ravenpad. Leafface has been assigned taking care of the remaining kits, Wolfpad and Lynxpad.

Their den…well, she wouldn't call it a den, really. It was far from the warm, comforting Thunderclan nursery. It was mostly underground. Damp rock shelves surrounded them, with three ledges leading up to a ledge that was large enough for a cat to put their front paws on and bark orders down at them. Each of them had old moss that was pretty dry, but the dampness of the cave made them cold unless they lay on the scratchy thing for a while. There was a small cavern in which Featherface slept. It was just as cold as the other beds, and it had the bloody claw-marks etched into the back of the stone. Whose blood it could be was left to her imagination, and she shuddered at what she came up with.

The kits had woken up and played in the tiny clearing at the bottom of the cliff, where the rock steps were. In order for them to leave, they scramble up the steps, clumsy and kit-like. Only the kits could leave freely. Unchoosens were only supposed to come out when summoned.

Night had fallen, and the one beam of moonlight lit the rock prison. How she missed the warmth of Thunderclan, both the literal and symbolic warmth. She missed her mate, Darkfoot. She missed her clanmates, and their soothing voice, not like these monster's harsh, degrading remarks.

Suddenly, a voice snapped at them, at which they all shrank back with fear, their ears plastered to their heads.

"Featherface, get up here!" It could only be the voice of Chill. She felt herself tremble as Dawnface and Leafface gave her looks of both empathy and sympathy. She slowly got to her paws and climbed up the three steps, remembering to look down as she got to the ledge. You can't look them in the eye unless directly told to; One of the many new laws of The Order. She still felt the sting of her last reminder by him on her flank.

She spoke in a whisper. "Yes, Chill?"

He smiled and said. "Ripple wants to see you. Get to the leader's den. Now!" With the last word, his clawed paw landed on her flank, and she felt his sharp dog-tooth claws break skin. She flinched, sinking down till her belly grazed the ground, and she felt her tail go between her legs in submission.

"Yes, Chill. Right away, Chill." She dipped her head nervously and scurried toward the leader's den, pushing aside the torn blanket that covered the entrance.

Shard was lying on her side. There were claw marks on the ground around her. She wore a pained expression, and Ripple, a worried one. He looked up and noticed her. She looked down meekly, addressing him with the same whisper of a voice. "Yes, Ripple?"

He flicked his tail and said calmly, "I need you to help Shard until I return. She's kitting soon, and I need to go ask a favor of an old friend. Do what she asks until I return."

She nodded and sat next to her leader's head, avoiding her thrashing claws. She knew the pains of kitting, and hoped Ripple would return to her in time.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him touch his nose to her flank, whispering a promise to be back, and then he was gone, leaving a wind to ruffle the blanket hanging in the entrance.

Dewfoot had arrived at the Thunderclan border again. He had easily taken out the two cats on guard/border patrol. They lay unconscious by a tree near Thunderpath, where the horrid stench would cover his, and the two knocked out cats, scents until he returned. He waited outside the hole in which they escaped until he was sure it was clear. He wiggled through the hole, padding quickly, but quietly, toward the medicine cat den. He peered though the ferns covering the den. There was Lilysong. His littermate, his old friend, caught in a blissful dream. She looked like a kit again, with her tail resting over her nose, exposing her familiar birthmark on her flank.

He shook his head, clearing his vision from the semi-painful memories. He was on a mission to save Shard. He stepped quietly into the den. He put a paw on the sleeping cat's mouth. She jumped, her eyes snapping open, then widening in horror. She pushed his hand off of her mouth, and opened it to yell, but he placed his tail on her mouth.

Whispering, he spoke. "Please, Lilysong. Don't yell. I came here because of Shard. Just let me explain. Please." His eyes pleaded. It went against Bloodclan morals to grovel, but what choice did he have? Lilysong's eyes softened at Shard's name. He removed his tail and waited for Lilysong to speak.

She sighed. "You kidnapped the queens, you're practically Dark Forest cats now, and your pelts are wanted by Duskstar. You're a disgrace to Starclan and you're ancestors! You kidnapped your own mother! How did you even get in camp? Kill a few more of your former clanmates?" Her eyes began to blaze with anger and hurt.

Ripple sighed. "No. They're fine. But Shard might die without your help. She's having kits, and we have no medicine cat, and…" his voice broke off into a short gasp or sob, "Lilysong…I love her…I can't lose her." He looked up with those same pleading eyes. "You were her friend, and as a medicine cat, you can't turn away a cat, not even from another clan."

"What about cats who kill their leader and take off? What about Emberheart, who left me and broke my heart to be with that Risingeye!" She spits the last word like its crowfood in her mouth. She turns away from him while she settles the fur on her shoulders with a few licks. "Starclan told me to harden my heart…and I'm not going to be hurt again…now you'll know how it feels to lost the love of your life, brother…consider it punishment for turning against Starclan. And-"

He had back-pawed her on the head, knocking her out. She collapsed on the floor of the den, a small gash on her head behind her ear where her paw had struck. He hadn't fully remembered what force made him upset with her. Maybe he was angered she wouldn't help Shard, after their friendship. Maybe he felt sadness that she chooses Starclan over her friend's clan.

He dipped his head and took a deep breath. Herbs…I need herbs…which one was good for queens? I remember Foxtail telling me about some herbs… He grabbed a few of each herb in her stack and wrapped it in a huge sycamore leaf, holding the bundle in his tail. He grabbed Lilysong's scuff with his teeth. You know how to use herbs, you're coming with me. You're helping Shard, whether you like it or not!

Lilysong awoke with a throbbing head-ache. She kept her eyes closed against the bright light outside her eyelids. Why do I have a horrible head-ache all of a sudden? Suddenly, memories raced across her vision. Dewfoot…he wanted... herbs…for Shard? She groggily got to her paws, and blinked against the harsh sunlight. A voice caused her fur to rise. "Morning, sister" it purred.

She glared at her brother, sitting a fox-length away from her. He had caught two rabbits, and one was just a pile of bones with a few clumps of fur and meat. She looked at the uneaten one, and he pushed it toward her. Her ears flattened. Eating it would be like saying she accepted being knocked out and dragged away, but she was hungry, and ate it anyway.

They were in a large, grassy field, filled with coltsfoot and goldenrod. Their fur smelt faintly of Thunderpath. She remembered its scent because she was going by it a long time ago, back when Shywing and her, as an apprentice, went to see the other medicine cats. She sighed after finishing the rabbit and glared at her brother. "Dewfoot…"

"I go by Ripple now." He meowed.

"Fine then. Ripple, I add kidnapping your littermates to your new clan's faults. Which way to camp? The sooner I treat the traitor, the sooner I can return home." She gave her tail a lash.

Ripple gave her a warning growl before bounding off. Lilysong grabbed the herbs and took off after him, practically sprinting just to get within sight of him. Soon, a large bolder circle loomed ahead. She saw faint blood stains on each and every one of them. She heard herself gulp, blushing in embarrassment afterwards.

Ripple had already climbed one of them, and she scrambled up clumsily, like a kit would. She struggled to scale the face, using the claw marks made for their dog-like claws, not her flimsy ones. She broke one before she scampered up, looking down into the clearing. Ripple lashed his tail and meowed "Hurry" before jumping down, landing gracefully into the clearing. She slid down as best as she could, trying not to spill the herbs. As she padded quickly toward the den where Ripple had disappeared to, she gazed around the dreary looking camp. Her spine tingled and her paws prickled in fear. I hope I can get out of here soon. This place gives me the creeps…maybe I can take the queens and kits back with me. Thunderclan is surely a better place for them than here.

She brushed aside the dirty, tattered rag to see her friend lying on the ground, obviously in much pain. She set the herbs down and shooed Ripple out, asking Feathertail to help her. Ripple nodded, giving Shard an encouraging glance before padding out.

Ripple had paced so much his paw prints looked more like someone drug a rock in a line, causing a small dip in the earth. What's taking so long? Is she ok? Are the kits alright? Is there something I can do? He sighed. Every time he came toward the den, his sister told him the best thing he could do was go be somewhere else. Well, that was the nicer version.

After what seemed like an eternity, Featherface came out and nodded at Ripple, not looking him in the eye. He told her to go back to her den before dashing up the rock steps, up to the den. He poked his head inside, a smile spreading on his face. There lay Shard, with three little bundles suckling at her belly. There were two toms and two she-kits. One tom, who they named Dewpad, after Ripple's old name, had short silver fur. The other tom, named Blazepad, had thick brown fur. Ridgepad was the she-kit with soft black fur, and her sister, Kestrelpad, had short silver fur. Shatter came inside the den, looking at her tiny siblings with a warm smile. Ripple purred and gave Shard an affectionate lick on her ear.

He turned to his sister. "Thank you."

She dipped her head. "Shard, they're beautiful."

Shard blinked gratefully, too tired to speak.

Ripple told Lilysong he would take her back tomorrow, and offered her a place in an unoccupied den. She nodded and padded out of the den, leaving the new family.

Lilysong padded into the den Ripple gave her. It was a nice, big, roomy rock den, a little bigger than the one in Thunderclan. It had several shelves carved into the rock. She set the left over herbs on one and smiled sadly. She wished she could stay and watch her friend's and brother's kits grow, but Thunderclan was so broken already… and what would Starclan think? She sighed, wishing her torn thoughts would leave her body with her breath. She settled in a moss bed Emberheart had dragged in. It was painful to see him still, and much easier to check on the kits while he dropped off the bundles of moss. She watched the moon for a while before her eyes drooped. With her eyes closed, and the cricket's distant chirp, it almost sounded like home to her.

Alliances: (U=Unchoosen assigned for the care of) (B=Gave birth to) (doesn't include Shard's unborn kits yet!)*"Adopted"

Leader: Shard- Black pelt with brown spots on back, white, black and brown striped tail, blazing green eyes, she-cat (B: Shatter*, Dewpad, Ridgepad, Kestrelpad, Blazepad)

Deputy: N/A

Medicine cat: N/A

Elite warriors:

Ripple- silver pelt, teal eyes, tom

Silver-silver tabby pelt, blue eyes, she-cat

Eclipse- scarred dark grey pelt, dark green eyes, she-cat

Russet- grey-brown fur, brown eyes with tiny red flecks, tom

Chill- lean, grey fur, piercing amber eyes, tom

Cinder- dark grey pelt, amber eyes, she-cat

Bracken- grey ragamuffin, blue eyes, tom

Warriors: N/A

Apprentices: N/A

Kits:

Shatter- black fur with brown spots, teal eyes, she-cat (U: N/A)

Dewpad- short silver fur, stormy green eyes, tom (U: N/A)

Blazepad-thick brown fur, yellow eyes, tom (U: N/A)

Ridgepad-soft black fur, dark hazel eyes, she-cat (U: N/A)

Kestrelpad- short silver fur, yellow eyes, she-cat (U: N/A)

Stonepad-short, silver tabby fur, ice blue eyes, tom (U: Featherface)

Mistpad-fluffy white fur, bright hazel eyes, she-cat (U: Featherface)

Swiftpad-short silver tabby fur, dark amber eyes, she-cat (U: Dawnface)

Ravenpad-long black fur, yellow eyes, she-cat (U: Dawnface)

Wolfpad- short ginger fur, bright green eyes, tom (U: Leafface)

Lynxpad-fluffy brown-spotted fur, similar to a lynx's, bright hazel eyes, tom (U: Leafface)

Unchoosens:

Featherface- ragamuffin with grey fur, dark blue eyes, she-cat (B: Stonepad, Swiftpad, Lynxpad)

Dawnface-ginger fur, light-golden eyes, she-cat (B: Wolfpad, Shatter)

Leafface- short white fur, green eyes, she-cat (B: Mistpad, Ravenpad)