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*Kyubi pulls on a rope. Thousands of colorful balloons fall from above as well as confetti and strobe lights, Kyubi smiled at it all.*
Continue reading. Don't mind me. ~ Kyubi
Chapter 30
"Family Dysfunction, Part 2."
4/17/17 - 4/18/17 - 4/19/17
Nightsong and Snowpelt wait until they see Spiderdusk and Beechclaw step on the island.
Nightsong frowns. "Where's Owlpaw?"
"No idea. I didn't see him." Beechclaw replies.
Nightsong flicks her ear.
Owlpaw must be dead on his paws looking after his Clanmates.
Spiderdusk and Beechclaw settle in a small ring with the two cousins.
"So, what do we have?" Beechclaw asks.
Snowpelt decides to start.
"The only thing we have to go on are the bites, but the bodies are already buried."
"That wolf scent is gone, too." Nightsong adds.
"So are we expected to wait until they attack us again?" Spiderdusk demands. "They might have been the ones who killed Creekstar!"
"At the moment, we don't know where the wolf pack is hiding. And we most certainly can't look for them while our Clanmates have little trust in us."
"We were made warriors." Nightsong points out.
"It doesn't mean they trust us." Beechclaw retorts.
Spiderdusk twitches his tail. "So what is the plan?"
Beechclaw's eyes flash in the darkness. "For now, we wait until they make a mistake. Then track them down and warn our Clan."
Owlpaw hated standing up his friends, but that night was exhausting, both mentally and emotionally.
He was glad Mosscloud tried to explain to their young littermates as gently as possible. They didn't take it well. Fernkit bawled her eyes out. Shrewkit is both confused and furious with Splashpelt's suicide. Smokekit fell into a deep state of depression and refused to leave the nursery for anything.
Owlpaw growls.
Look what you did, Splashpelt.
"Owlpaw?"
Kestrelwing enters the den and strokes Owlpaw's spine with his tail.
"Waspsting has ticks, could you check his pelt for me?"
Owlpaw knows Kestrelwing is trying to distract him from Splashpelt's suicide, and he appreciates it. The light brown tom decides to put his mind on his work.
Just four days after Splashpelt's death, Owlpaw follows Kestrelwing to the Moonpool. He sees Hazelheart and Softpaw from WindClan, Sootdust from RiverClan, and Hailstone and Duskshade from ThunderClan.
"Greetings everyone. You remember Owlpaw?" Kestrelwing nods to the light brown tom.
"Yes, we saw you at the Gathering." Hazelheart said.
"We're glad to see that you've become a medicine cat." Sootdust put in.
Kestrelwing purrs. "And to commemorate his decision, I have decided to give him his medicine cat name. He's a quick learner and he deserves it."
Owlpaw feels his heart quicken. He sits down as Kestrelwing stands in front of him, waiting for the medicine cats' attention.
"I, Kestrelwing, medicine cat of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help he will serve for many moons."
"Owlpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan, and protect all cats equally, at the cost of your life?"
"I do." Owlpaw says softly.
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your name as a medicine cat."
Owlpaw feels a rush of fear. Why was he scared? This is what he wanted, and being a warrior didn't make him feel useful as he does now.
"Owlpaw, from this moment you will be known as Owlflight. StarClan honors your thoughtfulness and courage, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of ShadowClan."
"Owlflight! Owlflight! Owlflight!"
"Now we can share tongues with StarClan." Kestrelwing told him. Owlflight crouches down, and looks into his reflection. Owlflight closes his eyes and allows his consciousness to drift.
Owlflight finds himself in the pine trees. He looks to his left and sees the moors of WindClan, and a terrible stench that made him wrinkle his nose.
Fur brushes his shoulder. Owlflight sees a skinny dark grey, almost black tom by his side. For a moment, Owlflight pictures Smokekit all grown up and a warrior. He was obviously a WindClan cat by the shape.
"Your littermates are better off in ShadowClan." The tom states. "No matter what your rabbit brained father says, they can't go to WindClan with the danger they're in. You'll fight for them, right?"
Owlflight bristles his fur. " Of course I would! They're my brothers and sister!"
The dark grey tom smirks. "Good. At least I got some smart kin."
"Kin? You're my family?"
"Yes. I'm-." The tom abruptly vanishes. Owlflight is left with glowing, yellow eyes glaring at him across the moors. It was the wolves.
Owlflight snaps open his green eyes. He lifts his head and notices the other medicine cats still in their slumber. Except for Softpaw, who is wide awake.
"Did StarClan speak to you?" She asks Owlflight.
"Y-Yes. I think I met my ancestor."
Softpaw purrs with delight as Owlflight turns to her.
"Softpaw. Could you take a message to your brother?"
"Surrender, ThunderClan!"
Smokekit knocks over Juniperkit in the pouring rain and mud covered ground.
"Never!" Juniperkit rolls over and pins Smokekit to the ground. Shrewkit and Mallowkit playing with each other. Only Fernkit remains in the nursery. Owlflight starts to become worried about his young sister.
Heatherstar has been trying to get her to eat, but Splashpelt's death had traumatic effects on her, despite her brothers recovering so quickly in just two days. And not a day went by without Owlflight cursing Splashpelt for selfishly killing herself with no regard for anyone else.
Owlflight finishes refurbishing Waspsting and Harewhisker's nests.
"Thank you, Owlflight." Waspsting says. "It feels a lot better than how Patchflower did it."
"She sucked at it." Harewhisker sniffs, holding no hesitation. "She may be a warrior again but she still proved to be a lousy apprentice next to Dewpelt."
"By the way, Owlflight, how is your sister? Fernkit?"
Owlflight looks at Waspsting. "She's not doing so well."
"I can't imagine what she's going through. I can't believe Splashpelt was so selfish when she did what she did."
"I do."
Harewhisker ignores Waspsting's glare for not sparing Owlflight's feelings.
"What? She was a stuck up she-cat who betrayed Daisyleaf. They were close as littermates and she-!"
"It's alright." Owlflight insists. "She stopped being a mother to me long ago."
Waspsting grunts. "Why don't you bring Fernkit and her brothers here? It will be good to take their mind off of it."
"I'll try."
The moment Owlflight leaves the den, Brackenstar, Grassclaw, Hollyclaw and Frogskip enter the camp and is immediately met with hissing and glares.
Grassclaw's eyes fall on Shrewkit and Smokekit, who stopped playing to look at the WindClan cats with awe until Swiftstrike and Mosscloud usher them away from the WindClan deputy.
Owlflight cringed internally.
StarClan, give me a break!
Heatherstar looks out of the nursery and quickly pads to Brackenstar, dipping her head. "Brackenstar." She adresses him.
"Greetings, Heatherstar. Are those your kits?" He gestures to the three kits next to Shrewkit and Smokekit.
"Yes." Heatherstar replies stiffly. Juniperkit sniffs Hollyclaw.
"You smell funny!" She states. Hollyclaw smirks with amusement as Mallowkit pulls her sister back, fearful of the visitors.
"Brackenstar. I assume you didn't just travel all this way to praise my kits?"
The brown and white tom looks at Grassclaw. "I was told that you have three kits here, who are also my deputy's kits."
Heatherstar drew in a sharp breath. "I saw that coming… I'm going to have to decline that request. Those kits are ShadowClan kits."
Grassclaw curls his lip.
"Hardly. They're as much WindClan as they are ShadowClan. Where is Splashpelt? She should say it to my face."
Heatherstar glares at Grassclaw. "She died."
Grassclaw's amber eyes became hardened with shock for a brief moment.
"Well, since she's gone, I should take the kits to WindClan…"
"You're all kinds of arrogant, you know that?!" Swiftstrike growls, curling his tail around Shrewkit.
"They were born in ShadowClan and will stay in ShadowClan." Mosscloud adds.
"We believe that the father should also raise his kits." Brackenstar said to Heatherstar.
"And from what Grassclaw told me, you had no problem letting a kittypet see his kits." Hollyclaw says.
Owlflight sees Heatherstar's muscles tensing up. She glares at Brackenstar evenly.
"The answer is no. My warriors will escort you out."
"No need. We'll keep in touch."
Grassclaw had snuck away from the patrol and smiles at his sons fondly.
"I'll see you soon, okay?"
Swiftstrike hissed. "Don't count on it, Dad."
Grassclaw frowns at his oldest son and follows the WindClan patrol out of the camp. Owlflight watches the whole thing silently, and wonders if this could get any worse?
Fight, fight, fight. That's all Fenris could remember when he thinks of his mother and stepfather. He doesn't know how Loki is able to tune it out. Back in the old forest, Fenris walks near the den of the Alphas and hears the usual argument.
"I don't understand why Fenris is being punished for something that wasn't his fault."
"He was born! If he'd just behave like a proper wolf like his brother, instead of a-!"
"A what, Crystal? Like a dog? That's your own fault for not being faithful in our bond!"
"He seduced me!"
"That's not what I saw with my own eyes! You better be lucky I didn't throw you out and kill those pups, because as far as I'm concerned they're innocent, unlike their mother!"
A black and grey wolf steps out of the den and sees Fenris. A kind smile curls on his snout.
"Hello, Fenris."
Present day Fenris wakes to feel tears dripping from his snout. He wipes his snout with his front paw and winces at the scars on his body. A shadow blocks the faint sunlight of his bramble den.
Loki strides toward Fenris with a condescending gleam in his eyes. "How are you, brother?"
Fenris shook his fur to reveal the many scars on his white pelt.
"You know it's your own fault. If you just put in the effort to make it up the ranks…"
"You know full well that the pack will do anything in their power to stop me."
Loki narrows his eyes. "And you think that moping around is a better option?"
Fenris looks at Loki. "You already know what my option is."
"You're not leaving the pack."
"Says who?! You?! I'd like to see you try and stop me."
Loki growls. "It's not the way of a wolf."
"And the pack has made it perfectly clear that I'm not a wolf!"
"Keep your voice down before Alpha hears you!"
Fenris gives his brother a withering glare. "Mother's favorite pup, her favorite cover up for her past lust. If Zeus were still alive he wouldn't allow this to continue."
"He also would try and convince you that being half-dog isn't a disgusting disgrace."
Loki smirks seeing Fenris' ears fold back, until Fenris said. "... You're not as pure as she says, you know. We're brothers. You're a wolf-dog, too. And it will only take one mistake for you to be demoted to Omega, just like me."