AtlierSky- Thank you for reviewing. To answer some of your questions; like I said it's just for fun, but let's just say the medicine cats were sent dreams from StarClan on how to name their Clans since Gray Wing's kits aren't alive yet. Wind, Gorse and River Ripple are loners for now, but I was thinking when the outsiders join they would all join SkyClan for now.
Rusty's name will be the same, but with a space like the rest, and for Clear Sky's character...well let's just say the only reason he's emotionally healthier is because he isn't going to cause any deaths to push him over the edge.
As for Bright Stream and Fluttering Bird and anyone else who dies...well the title itself should explain a lot, BUT I may keep some Canon deaths alive because some characters being in this timeline may save those deaths. And for the other characters I just forgot to list them all in the allegiances, but they all exist, except Tom because really I can't deal with him.
Gray Wing awoke the next morning and padded outside, blinking against the bright sunshine. He grabbed a mouse off the fresh-kill pile and started to eat. As he did, he observed his Clanmates.
Jagged Peak was prancing around camp alone and Gray Wing frowned, worrying about Fluttering Bird. There were times she could barely leave her nest. He made a mental note to bring her some prey later after he finished.
Bright Stream was gossiping with Rainswept Flower outside of the nursery. Shaded Moss was organizing patrols with Hawk Swoop by his side, waiting for her mentor to finish his deputy duties. Shattered Ice was outside of the apprentices' den calling for Jackdaw's Cry.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Gray Wing spotted Dappled Pelt talking with River Ripple while Cloud Spots' tail poked out…and then he remembered…the reason River Ripple was here.
He finished his mouse and padded towards the medicine den. He nodded at his younger brother on the way, who was currently jumping into a pile of crisp colorful leaves now that leaffall had taken hold of the forest.
He poked his head in the den and spotted Cloud Spots checking over the kittypet. His wounds were plastered with cobwebs and herbs and his twisted paw was back to normal. Overall he looked better than he did last night. Apparently, he had looked half dead, according to Shattered Ice.
"How is he?" Gray Wing asked, nodding at the flame-colored tom. Cloud Spots sat back, looking satisfied from his check-up which meant the answer would be good.
"Better," Cloud Spots meowed. "In a day or two his wounds will be completely healed and for the paw…a moon give or take."
Gray Wing sighed in relief. "He's an awfully stupid kit. Adventurous and somewhat brave…but stupid. Imagine walking into Thistlestar?"
"Well, in his defense, he probably didn't know where he even was." The black-and-white tom was now in the back, sifting through herbs. "He seems like Bumble, but more…warrior-like. I mean what kit could run so far and escape Thistlestar alive?"
"Yeah, and kittypets usually don't wander in the middle of the night…" Gray Wing looked down at the ginger tom curiously. Suddenly, the flame-colored tom stirred and opened his forest green eyes, looking up at Gray Wing groggily.
"Is this cat heaven?" He asked.
"Um…"
"If you mean StarClan then no," Cloud Spots answered, whiskers twitching. "But stay still. You need to rest your paw and let your scratches heal."
"O-okay," he mumbled and closed his eyes again. Soon he was asleep.
"Well, I'll go hunting, I guess," Gray Wing announced after a bit and backed out of the den. He almost ran into River Ripple and Skystar. Dappled Pelt was nowhere in sight. Skystar caught sight of Gray Wing and beckoned him over.
"He's trying to convince me to let the kittypet stay with us and try to train him to be a warrior." Skystar looked at River Ripple. "Gray Wing tell him about Bumble, would you?"
"Why? She die?" The silver tom asked curiously.
"Not yet. But she almost did after her encounter with a ShadowClan patrol." Gray Wing sat down.
"That doesn't mean all kittypets aren't capable of defending themselves. Listen, he ran halfway across three territories and did I mention he escaped a Clan leader?" River Ripple leaned forward, whiskers twitching and eyes bright, trying to convince the stubborn leader.
"Yes," Skystar growled softly. "You've said it three times."
Gray Wing laughed softly and nudged his brother's shoulder. "Let's just give the kit a chance. Okay? How about I train him and tell you about his progress?"
Skystar hesitated, opened his mouth, closed it, hesitated again before relenting with a muttered, "fine."
"Anyway, I'm off to hunt for the Clan, so see you." He touched his nose to Skystar's and nodded at River Ripple before he left camp.
When Rusty woke up again it was later in the day. This time instead of the black tom with white ears and paws there was a tortoiseshell she-cat. The sleek dark gray tom was nowhere in sight either. He struggled to his paws and the she-cat looked up. "Oh, you're awake!"
"C-can I go outside? I need fresh air," Rusty whispered, feeling hollow in his belly. His stomach grumbled and he realized why. His head ached and his legs trembled. The tortoiseshell gave him an incredulous look. "Well, I can't deny that you need fresh air but at least don't move around."
Rusty nodded and wobbled outside. The clearing was dappled with sunlight and he squinted against the golden light until he could bear it. When he looked around he saw what seemed to be some kind of gorge. There were tan rocks everywhere and nearby was a forest. Wow. This place looks cozy. He settled down on a small, flat rock and closed his eyes as the sun lit up his fur.
"Heya, Kittypet!"
He jerked and turned to see a kit that seemed four moons younger than him. He was a gray tabby with bright blue eyes.
"Um, hi? I'm Rusty."
"Jagged Peak. Wanna tour of the camp?"
"I dunno, that she-cat said I shouldn't walk too much." Rusty looked back at the medicine den. "Um, what's her name?"
Jagged Peak sat beside him on the rock and meowed, "she's Dappled Pelt. She and Cloud Spots are the clan medicine cats and treat our wounds and sickness like they did for you."
"Who's Cloud Spots?"
"The other medicine cat, silly. The black tom over there with the white ears." Jagged Peak flicked his tail to Cloud Spots, who was talking with a gray-and-white tom.
"And who's that he's talking to?"
"That's Shattered Ice. His apprentice is Jackdaw's Cry. I assume he sent him on a hunting mission or something."
Rusty nodded, surprised and pleased, that he understood the whole apprentice and hunting mission stuff. "So apprenticeship is like being trained, right?" He asked to make sure. Jagged Peak nodded.
"I won't be an apprentice for a while now," he sighed. "We have to be six moons before we can leave camp and start training."
Rusty nodded again because he didn't know what else to do. Meanwhile, Jagged Peak started pointing out cats.
"That's Bright Stream, my older brother, Skystar's mate. She's going to have his kits soon. And Gray Wing just went hunting a while ago. He's my other brother and the oldest of us all."
"Wow. How many siblings do you have?"
"Three. Fluttering Bird, our only sister is in the nursery right now. She isn't really feeling good." His voice shook a little and Rusty wondered what was wrong with his sister. It made him feel guilty that he had such an easy life back in Twolegplace while cats were out here surviving all these hardships.
"Anyway," Jagged Peak shook himself and nodded at a black-and-white tom, who was sparring with an orange tabby she-cat nearby. "The tom is Shaded Moss, our deputy and that's his apprentice Hawk Swoop. She's one of the nicest cats right up there with Turtle Tail."
"Who's that?"
"I think she's out on patrol but I'll point her out later. And anyone else not here right now. So how about I introduce you to my sister?"
"Okay!" Rusty flattened his ears in embarrassment when his stomach grumbled. "Sorry."
"Wait here." Jagged Peak raced away to a stump that had prey piled on top of it and grabbed a mouse. He raced back and dropped it in front of Rusty. "You've never had a mouse before, right?"
Rusty shook his head, feeling excited at the new enticing smell emitting from the small creature.
"Well, go on then. Have a bite," Jagged Peak mewed, pawing it closer. Rusty bent down and took a huge bite. It was tender and juicy and had flavors of the forest. This is way better than that dry food my twolegs always give me. He swallowed it with relish. "How is it?" Jagged Peak asked.
"Fantastic!"
"Well, move over, I want some too."
The two young cats sat side-by-side sharing the prey as cats moved around them, doing their duties. Rusty felt more warm and comfortable afterwards. He never wanted to go back but knew he wouldn't be able to stay. Apparently, outsiders like him weren't allowed in the Clans, but that was okay. At least these clancats were nice enough to save his life and he'd have an amazing story to tell Smudge along with scars to show.
"Now let's go see Fluttering Bird," Jagged Peak meowed, nudging his shoulder before leading him over to a den. It was dark, warm and cozy inside.
"Fluttering Bird?" Jagged Peak headed to a nest near the back. "Fluttering Bird?" Rusty felt that something was horribly wrong as Jagged Peak tried to rouse his sister awake.
Gray Wing returned from his day's hunt, jaws laden with fresh-kill. As he entered the camp, he spotted cats crowded around the nursery and this time he could be sure Bright Stream was kitting even if it was early. Hopefully all was well.
His heart stopped for a moment when he heard a wail. Jagged Peak! This couldn't be right! He dropped his prey and raced over, pushing his way through the crowd. "Jagged Peak? What's wrong?"
He bumped into Dappled Pelt, who gave him a sad look. "Prepare yourself Gray Wing," she whispered as she let him past. Gray Wing gulped as he padded over the nursery.
His heart sank as he spotted Jagged Peak curled around Fluttering Bird.
Fluttering Bird not moving.
Not breathing.
His only sister…
Dead.
Dead. Dead. Dead.
Tears filled his eyes and he felt so heartbroken as he watched Jagged Peak cry over their sister's body. He numbly moved forward and curled around the two and groomed them. Like his mother would have. He curled himself tightly around the two, holding them close to him.
One alive. And one dead.
He held them tight and pressed his nose to Fluttering Bird's still warm body and breathed in her scent for the last time.
So he may never forget it.
Rip Fluttering Bird. Sorry for the abrupt death scene.
And just to clarify there will be POV's from any necessary cats, but the biggest main characters will consist of Gray Wing, Rusty, Thunder (when he gets here), and Ravenpaw. And maybe there will be more major POV cats in the future.
Review, please.