Hey everybody,
First off I want to apologize for not updating in gosh…how long? 8 months or so? Wow. That is so long and I'm sure I've lost plenty of readers because I took so long. My only excuse is that I just lost all motivation for this story. Honestly I have the whole thing planned out and I know exactly where I want it to go but I lost my fire for writing.
I worked long and hard on getting this chapter up after scrapping idea after idea and starting over I don't know how many times. I really hope that it makes up for the long wait and I'm going to try to get the next chapter written and revised and posted soon.
Once again I apologize for the long wait, please read and review or send me a message if there is anything you want to talk to me about.
-Tigerflower
Swiftbreeze stood by the edge of the bank, the cool dark water lapping at his paws as he watched the patrol of Riverclan cats vanish into the darkness, heading back to their camp. A chilling breeze picked up, ruffling his pelt, and for a few heartbeats the blue tom looked up at silverpelt desperately.
"What am I going to do?" he murmured quietly "I have to tell the clan about Sunvine, he is trying to provoke an all-out war. I have to tell" he growled firmly, turning away from the river, letting out a shaky breath "I love Moonstream, but we will never be together with all this fighting."
"I have to tell" he meowed again as if convincing himself with his own determined words. He moved from the open area, of the clearing by the river, back into the congested stand of tree. His paws moved on their own along the well-worn paths, back towards the Thunderclan camp, while thoughts raced in his mind.
"Swiftbreeze?"
Swiftbreeze stopped in his tracks, looking up and meeting Hazepaw's blue eyes with his own. The young warrior frowned, looking back and forth between Hazepaw and his mentor "W-what…where are you going?"
"Half-moon ceremony" Hazepaw responded glancing up towards the moon hanging in the sky. Hazepaw frowned at the troubled look on his brother's face and his distant eyes.
"What is going on? Did something happen?" he whispered earnestly, his fur rising in anxiety, Swiftbreeze shook his head carefully eyeing the ginger she-cat cautiously for a moment.
Topazmist snorted trotting ahead of the two brothers "Come along Hazepaw, we got a late start and we don't have time to be jabbering like bluejays."
"Of course Topazmist. I'm coming" the blue tom meowed as his mentor went ahead without him. He turned his head, giving his brother a look clearly meant to say "You will explain yourself later" before following Topazmist.
Swiftbreeze watched the two medicine cats disappear into the darkness before turning to face the worn out path heading in the direction of camp. He took a step forward, feeling his paw settle into the deeply ingrained but faded mold of a pawstep on the path. He looked down, staring down at his paw, settling into the track of his ancestors, his heart began to pound in his chest and Swiftbreeze yanked his paw up off the ground as though it had been burned.
He spun on his heels and began to run.
He took off through the forest, letting his paws carry him and sinking into the familiarity of running. His paws moved without thought, his claws allowing him to grip the ground easily as he naturally weaved between brambles and holly bushes. Damp leaves sent refreshing bursts of energy through his body and his muscles ached in the most painful yet exhilarating way. The trees opened up before him like they were welcoming him home and Swiftbreeze raced into the clearing before him, finding himself at Sunningrocks once again.
Swiftbreeze's heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to catch his breath. He stared at the large rocks for a moment, not understanding how something so trivial as basking rocks had caused countless wars and so many deaths between Riverclan and Thunderclan for generations. As he stared at the churning river the sound of leaves rustling behind him caught his attention.
"Swiftbreeze!"
The young blue tom looked up at the sound of his name to see Bluecloud and Shimmerlight trotting toward him. Swiftbreeze remained standing by Sunningrocks waiting as his parents approached him. Shimmerlight's ginger fur was fluffed out and Bluecloud's eyes blazed like blue flames.
"Where have you been?" Bluecloud demanded while Shimmerlight buried her face in her son's blue pelt.
"We were worried" Shimmerlight meowed "Snowpaw said he saw you leaving camp alone"
"What were you thinking? Leaving camp alone without telling anyone" Bluecloud meowed harshly "You're a warrior of Thunderclan, you have duties and responsibilities to your clan. You can't just go wander off whenever you feel like—"
"I don't need to tell anyone when I'm leaving" Swiftbreeze retorted back, interrupting his father's lecture "I'm a warrior, I can keep myself safe"
"How selfish can you be?" Bluecloud hissed "If you had been in camp where you were supposed to be you would have known that tonight is a special night for your brother. He is going to be made a full medicine cat tonight in the eyes of starclan. You should have been in camp to wish him good luck, he has worked very hard to achieve this and now you have disappointed him"
Swiftbreeze flinched, taking a step back from his father, guilt clawing its way through his body.
Shimmerlight frowned watching the two blue toms stand nose to nose bristling. She pushed her way between them before speaking.
"We were just worried. You can congratulate your brother when he returns from the ceremony. I'm sure you haven't disappointed him" she cast a sideways glance at her mate who narrowed his eyes before looking down at his paws.
"We didn't come out here looking for you, we both know you can take care of yourself" Shimmerlight continued "I needed to clear my head, I was overcome with a bad feeling, it got worse the closer we got to Sunningrocks" she blinked thoughtfully as if realizing for the first time where they were standing "Why are you at Sunningrocks anyways?"
"I just needed to think" Swiftbreeze replied monotonously. He looked to his mother who was staring blankly across the river as though her thoughts were miles away. In another time.
Suddenly she shivered and blinked a few times before meeting Swiftbreeze's dark blue eyes with her own icy glare "You should go back to camp"
Swiftbreeze opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it, trotting forward his blue pelt brushed softly against both his mothers and his fathers as he stepped between them before vanishing into the darkness, back in the direction of camp.
Shimmerlight watched the shape of her son vanish into the shadows before turning an icy glare at Bluecloud "Don't you think you were a bit harsh"
Bluecloud let out a long sigh, his shoulders slumping as though heavy with some unseen weight "I-I just don't understand" he admitted "Hazepaw is so committed to his duty and responsibility while Swiftbreeze couldn't care less, he is always sneaking out of camp off doing whatever he wants to do. When is the last time he has done a border patrol" Bluecloud snarled, ripping at the ground with his claws "He only gets away with it because we continue to allow him to"
Shimmerlight gently placed her tail tip on her mates shoulder in an attempt to calm him "He does his duty as a member of the clan, he is one of the best hunters we have and he always returns from his journeys with prey"
"He should be in camp with his clan" Bluecloud interrupted sternly "Just because he is a good hunter doesn't mean he can shirk his other duties"
"But don't you see, he is just trying to find his place among us" Shimmerlight whispered soothingly "You have never known what it is like to be different, to feel like you don't fit it among you clanmates even among your family. Duty and responsibility always came first for you because you knew that by being the best warrior you could be you would be able to protect those who were precious to you. "
Shimmerlight pressed her face against his neck, burying herself in her mate's familiar scent while Bluecloud purred loudly.
"Hazepaw is like you, he has already found his way, and he has found his place. You have to let Swiftbreeze find his path on his own, or else I fear we may lose him"
The ginger she-cat felt his tongue rasp gently over her ears "You're right, as usual. Swiftbreeze is a lot like you isn't he?" a chuckle rumbled in his chest "Were you also speaking of yourself before? How could you ever feel out of place?"
Shimmerlight looked down self-consciously "How could I not? My mother abandoned me as a kit, my father couldn't function as a warrior and my sister chose her mate over me countless times. Even now my mother refuses to acknowledge me as her daughter out of guilt for leaving me. I had a hard time letting go of my former ties and moving on from anger. But over time I was able to form new ties with new friends and family. And they saved me; they gave me a place among them to belong." As she looked at her mate, her pale blue eyes blazing with love "you saved me."
The moon was high in the sky, positioned at its apex when the small patrol of Riverclan cats reached the familiar hanging willow branches that marked the camp entrance. At the center of the camp lay Mintflower's now groomed fallen body, the light of the half-moon bathing her dark fur in a sickly silver glow. The former deputy looked as though she were sleeping, her features now peaceful as opposed to the last moments of terror that had been frozen on her face when she was brought to camp. Moonstream paused, unable to force herself to move forward into the camp, while Swirlspots and Galeforce joined the mourning crowd.
The clan sat in a half circle around the older she-cat, their heads bowed respectfully as they sent silent prayers to starclan. Reedstar sat beside Mintflower, his features stony with grief. His eyes were closed as he shared tongues with his apprentice and deputy for the last time. Beside him sat Sunvine. They sandy gray tom sat in complete contrast to the rest of the clan. His form was rigid, his head raised high and his yellow eyes glinted in the darkness, either with excitement or triumph.
Suddenly Reedstar lifted his head, meeting his daughter's green eyes with his own yellow. He said nothing at first, simply watching as she joined the crowd, sitting down beside Swirlspots and Galeforce.
"It has come to my attention that my daughter has some joyous news to be shared" Reedstar announced and Moonstream stiffened, her blood running cold and her heart pounding in her chest as her clanmates all turned their eyes to her. "She is expecting kits."
"It is my pleasure to announce that despite this tragedy we have suffered today life goes on and Riverclan will continue to grow strong, soon we will exact our revenge on those foxhearts across the river."
Moonstream felt her clanmates burning stars searing her pelt, quiet whispers of shock traveling through the mass of cats as Reedstar continued.
"She will take leave from her medicine cat duties and join the other queen in the nursery immediately."
"She broke the warrior code."
"Starclan will be angry."
"She should be punished."
"Who is the father?"
"She can't still be a medicine cat, can she?"
"Enough!" Reedstar's voice boomed loudly above the chatter of the crowd and Moonstream let out a shaky breath as her father signaled for her to approach. Shakily she stood to her paws and weaved through the crowd until she was standing beside her father.
"I will hear no more disrespectful words spoken about my daughter. Anyone who has a problem with how I run things, can leave" the large gray tom narrowed his yellow eyes as he stared confidently out at the crowd. Moonstream felt her heart clench in her chest as her clanmates looked down at their paws, no one making a move.
The clan quieted down and after a few heartbeats Moonstream visibly began to relax, movement caught her attention and she turned her head to see Sunvine stepping closer to Reedstar, murmuring quietly in his ear.
A light of excitement flashed in Reedstar's eyes before he nodded and turned to Moonstream.
"Who is the father?"
Moonstream's heart stopped and she could feel the eyes of her clanmates back on her as they curiously awaited her answer.
"I-I-I" Moonstream couldn't find her voice as she struggled to speak. She took a step backwards looking wildly between Reedstar and Sunvine. The sandy gray tom's yellow eyes glinting with triumph as he awaited for her to admit the secret that took him moons to figure out.
"An expectant queen does not have to tell anyone who the father of her kits is" a clear voice called out from the crowd and Moonstream felt relief wash over her as Swirlspots spoke out in her defense. The cream and white she-cat glared confidently up at Sunvine.
"Swirlspots is right" another voice responded strongly and Moonstream looked to see that it was Shadefoot, an older queen who wasn't known for speaking out at clan meetings. The usually quiet and docile queen stood bristling and baring her teeth glaring defiantly at Reedstar and Sunvine. "It is Moonstream's right to keep the information secret" the black queen glanced quickly towards the nursery where her two kits Perchkit and Ivykit were sleeping.
"But why not tell?" Sunvine counter, stepping closer to Moonstream, speaking out towards the crowd again as he had done so many times before "Unless you have something to hide of course"
At the accusation Reedstar narrowed his yellow eyes, the fur along his hackles raising "Tell me who the father is now" he demanded "Enough of that silly rule. I am the leader of this clan and I make the rules" he bared his teeth stepping up to Moonstream until their noses were briefly touching.
Moonstream quivered under her father's harsh anger filled gaze and opened her mouth to speak, she was cut off and stared in shock as someone spoke out.
"I'm the father."
Review Responses
Nokinami: Thanks for the review :D felt sad to have to kill Mintflower but its time for a new deputy to step in and I needed something to elevate Sunvine's treachery.
Willowdream of Forestclan: thanks for your review I really really appreciate it. I really love your comment that Swiftbreeze and Moonstream are a cute pair, im trying to make their relationship a bit more real so if you have any ideas for flaws I would love to hear them.