It had only been a few sunrises since the broken truce of the gathering, and the ShadowClan camp was abuzz with energy. Even though the fighting had not directly involved them, everyone was still on edge, especially since the storm StarClan had sent after the gathering had raged all night and the next day. A branch from the Oak Tree had even broken off from the vicious winds and had fallen smack into the center of the camp, almost crushing Dustleap, who had been walking past at the time. Luckily, the wide limb had mostly missed him. He had only been grazed by the smaller branches at the end, so the ginger warrior just had some bruises and scratches to show from the close call.
The big, two fox-length long and tail-length wide, branch hadn't yet been moved out of the camp. It remained lying right in the center of the clearing, constantly reminding everyone that looked at it of what seemed to be a clear omen— StarClan was angry, and their anger was not limited to only ThunderClan and SkyClan.
It wasn't raining anymore now, though. It was sun-high, and there wasn't a cloud to be seen. The green-leaf sun was shining hotly down on the camp as cats lounged about, gossiping about the other clans, sharing tongues and eating prey.
Frostpaw had just got back from a hunting patrol, and she and Pinepaw were now carrying a pair of frogs to the nursery for Snakeeyes and her kits. After they had been fed, the apprentices could go get some prey for themselves. Snakeeyes' long, slinky form was sprawled out in a pool of sunlight in front of the nursery, watching her three kits tumbling a few tail-lengths in front of her with drowsy, half-lidded eyes. Frostpaw's gaze flickered to Lizardkit, and she watched the small white tom pounce on his brother, giving Yewkit's ear a sharp nip.
Lizardkit's deafness was now an open secret in ShadowClan. Every cat knew, but it was only talked about in hushed whispers. And, especially no one talked about how it would impact his future in front of Snakeeyes. Unless they wanted to get their whiskers clawed off by her that is. Frostpaw had been keeping an eye on Lizardkit for the past couple of moons. He didn't speak, of course, but beyond that, he was still an oddly silent kit. He didn't meow or growl or yowl, even if one of his siblings nipped his tail too hard. Frostpaw had heard him purr before, though, and she wondered if maybe he didn't make growls or yowls because he never heard them, so didn't understand what they meant. But, he knew how to purr because he could feel the vibrations in his body and in the body's of other cats when they purred, like his mother or his litter-mates. Beyond his silence, though, he seemed to be a relatively normal kit. He at least got into the same amount of mischief that his litter-mates did.
Snakeeyes' gaze flickered open as Frostpaw and Pinepaw padded over to her, giving them a welcoming purr. Lizardkit disentangled himself from Yewkit and Lizardkit, bounding over to Frostpaw and Pinepaw, his tail raised and waving in greeting.
"Hello," Frostpaw purred to Snakeeyes and the kits.
She raised and waved her tail back at Lizardkit. Snakeeyes, Rowanheart and their kits had started to develop their own sort of language to talk to Lizardkit. Some signs were easy; cats already often greeted each other by raising their tail and vibrating it in a small wave, so it had been simple for Snakeeyes to adopt that and teach it to Lizardkit as a way to say "hello." Frostpaw had made an effort to try to learn the signs as well. When she was a kit, without a family, she had felt so isolated and alone. She didn't want Lizardkit to feel the same way, being only able to talk to his litter-mates or his parents his whole life.
"Hi Frostpaw!" Featherkit squeaked excitedly. "Is that frog for us?"
Featherkit signed her words as she spoke them, splaying her paws out like webbed feet to mean "frog," then flicking her tail to indicate the cats around her, as in "Our frog?"
"Yes," Frostpaw said, being sure to nod too, so Lizardkit understood, as she drop the frog by the kits.
Featherkit and Yewkit had learned to speak right along with Lizardkit learned to sign, and they were just as fluent in signing as Lizardkit was. It seemed like Featherkit and Yewkit were in constant motion every time Frostpaw spoke to them, the signs coming to them just as easily as words.
Pinepaw carried the other frog over to Snakeeyes as Lizardkit swiftly signed thank you by blinking his eyes before bending his head to take a big bite of the frog.
"I'm glad you came to bring us fresh-kill!" Snakeeyes purred to Frostpaw as she padded over to the queen. "I've got some more signs to show you!"
Snakeeyes taught Frostpaw the sign for hunt, a crouch, which seemed obvious enough.
"And, Lizardkit came up with these next signs," Snakeeyes said, her chin raised with pride.
She showed Frostpaw the sign for bird, a swift swish of a claw. And, a sign for strength, a slight arching of the back in combination with the straightening of the tail. Frostpaw copied them and Snakeeyes nodded her head in approval.
"I'm also working on something new with Lizardkit," Snakeeyes said. "I'm hoping that he will be able to watch our mouths and figure out the words we are saying by the shape of our mouths and our expressions. I'm pairing words with signs to teach him what signs go with what mouth shape. He's starting to get it. And, I think him being around his litter-mates definitely help, since they sign everything they say anyway!"
"Wow! That's such an amazing idea!" Frostpaw said, her eyes stretched wide. "Then he'll be able to understand everyone that talks to him!"
Snakeeyes nodded, her gaze shining with pride and satisfaction.
"Soon nothing will be able to stop him," she said.
Frostpaw purred. Her chest filled with warmth for the queen. And, for Lizardkit. He was fortunate to have such a supportive and fierce mother. Snakeeyes stretched languidly, her back arching inwards as she stretched each hind leg out behind her individually.
"I'm just going to step out of camp for a moment and walk around the barrier. Do you have any duties to attend to or do you mind keeping an eye on them for a few moments? I feel like I'm dying to stretch my legs; it's hard work being stuck in the nursery for moons!" Snakeeyes said.
"No worries," Frostpaw said, waving her tail to send Snakeeyes off. "I'll keep them out of trouble."
"You're the best Frostpaw!" Snakeeyes purred with an affectionate blink.
She playfully swatted at Frostpaw's ear with her thin white tail as she padded off, but Frostpaw dodged the blow, ducking swiftly.
"You're getting quicker!" Snakeyes laughed over her shoulder.
"Of course I am! Swoopstrike's been training me," Frostpaw purred.
Frostpaw watched the queen pad off towards the thorn tunnel for a moment before turning her head back towards the kits. Frostpaw blinked in surprise to see that Pinepaw was still there, sitting a few tail-lengths away from the still eating kittens. Frostpaw had thought Pinepaw would've left to eat something herself while she and Snakeeyes had been talking. Pinepaw looked away when Frostpaw glanced at her; the air around her seemed to be a mixture of embarrassment and wary curiosity. After a moment of hesitation, Frostpaw closed the small distance between the two of them, giving Pinepaw a friendly blink.
"Did you hear what Snakeeyes was telling me about teaching Lizardkit to understand what words go with mouth-shape?" Frostpaw meowed in an even voice, like having Pinepaw still hanging around with her was the most natural thing in the world.
Frostpaw knew better than to ask Pinepaw why she was still there. The prickly apprentice would view such a direct question as accusatory and get defensive. Then all Frostpaw would succeed in would be getting her whiskers clawed off, or Pinepaw stalking off. Or, both most likely.
Pinepaw nodded silently, her expression stiff.
"That's pretty cool isn't it? Soon it'll be like he's no different than any hearing cat," Frostpaw said, turning from Pinepaw to watch the kits.
The kittens had finished eating and now were grooming the last bits of food from their whiskers. Frostpaw watched Lizardkit twist his head around to try to flatten an unruly piece of fur on his back with swift licks of his tongue. Frostpaw felt Pinepaw shift slightly beside her as she relaxed a bit as they watched the kits.
"That's not true though, right? How will he hear orders in battle?" she asked in a low voice. "When it's dark or when there are a lot of cats swarming around so it's confusing for him to see?"
Now it was Frostpaw's turn to tense up. Her tail flicked behind her uncertainty.
"I don't know," she admitted. "It will still be hard for him. Harder than normal. But, Lizardkit is very smart. He must be to figure it out. He's already figured out this whole new language. He even makes his own signs for new things now and teaches them to his family!"
Frostpaw glanced over at Pinepaw, and she thought she saw an impressed expression on the black-furred she-cat's face.
"Would you like to learn a few signs?" Frostpaw meowed, her voice becoming a bit shy.
The question was a gamble. Frostpaw wasn't sure if Pinepaw would ever accept learning anything from Frostpaw.
She is so proud, and I'm just a lowly rogue to her. What could I teach her?
And, sure enough, Pinepaw tensed up like Frostpaw had just asked her if she wanted to eat fox-dung. Frostpaw looked away from her, feeling a flash of bitterness.
"Forget I—" Frostpaw began, her tail twitching.
"Okay," Pinepaw said curtly, interrupting her.
Frostpaw's ears pricked in surprise. She turned to look at Pinepaw, wide-eyed. The she-cat next to her was still stiff, her ears slightly angled back, but she had agreed!
"I— oh— okay," Frostpaw said quickly. "…That's great! I know Lizardkit will be really happy to have someone else able to talk to him!"
Frostpaw rose to her feet and padded closer to the kits. Pinepaw followed her just a footfall behind.
"Hey guys!" Frostpaw called, waving her tail to get their attention.
The three little kit-faces turned to look at her. Yewkit's tongue still peeked out of his mouth, caught mid-groom.
"Pinepaw would like to learn some signs so she can talk to Lizardkit! Do you think you could show us?" Frostpaw asked, settling down into a comfortable crouch in front of the kits and tucking her paws under her body.
Pinepaw hesitated for a moment before sitting a tail-length away from her.
"Sure!" Featherkit said before giving Yewkit a shove. "Hey! Your tongue is hanging out, frog-brain!"
"Oops," Yewkit said, closing his mouth, making Frostpaw purr. "What do you want to learn Pinepaw?"
"Er—," Pinepaw said, shifting uncertainly. "Maybe how to tell him my name?"
As Featherkit and Yewkit showed Pinepaw the correct motions to sign a greeting and the parts of her name, the signs for pine and for paw, which also had a double-meaning— either an actual paw or an apprentice, Lizardkit came bounding over to Frostpaw, disinterested in his siblings explanation of signs. He greeted Frostpaw with a purr, then nuzzled into her fluffy side, his bright blue eyes blinking sleepily like he was on the verge of nodding off after his big meal. Frostpaw purred back at him and leaned over to groom flat the piece of stubborn fur on his back that Lizardkit hadn't been able to get himself. But, then Frostpaw nudged his face with his muzzle to wake him up, and flicking her tail at Pinepaw to draw his attention to her.
"I think she has something to say to you," Frostpaw said, accompanying her words with rudimentary signs, which she hoped Lizardkit understood.
Lizardkit blinked curiously at Frostpaw before turning his gaze to Pinepaw. The other kits had finished explaining the signs to Pinepaw, and she now turned towards Lizardkit.
"Um… hello," Pinepaw said. "Wait… I mean— hello."
This time Pinepaw waved her tail in greeting along with her words.
Lizardkit waved his tail back, his gaze curious. Frostpaw saw Pinepaw's face brighten at his encouraging response.
"My name is Pinepaw," she said, touching her paw to her chest to indicate herself, before signing "paw;" shaking her own paw to indicate it, followed by "pine," which is a sign that involved bristling out your straight tail.
Not to be confused with the sign for "fear" which involved bristling out your curved tail, Frostpaw reminded herself.
Lizardkit perked up, his little face becoming excited. He rose to his feet and signed back I'm Lizardkit.
The "kit" sign was a little different from the apprentice one. Lizardkit still waved his paw, but it was with the foot curled inward, towards himself. The sign for a warrior was also a wave of the paw, similar to the apprentice sign, but with the claws extended.
"He said his name is Lizardkit," Featherkit said helpfully.
"I know his name," Pinepaw said, her ears flattening in a way that looked a little flustered.
"But, you didn't know how to say his name in the way he would understand it," Yewkit meowed helpfully. "Now you do!"
"Oh… right," Pinepaw said, her brow furrowing slightly.
Lizardkit was still watching Pinepaw with interest, like he was hoping for her to continue.
"Why don't we play a game?" Frostpaw cut in, rising to her paws.
"Let's play moss-ball!" Yewkit yowled.
"Let me find some moss!" Featherkit said, whirling around in a circle, her eyes wide as she scanned the area around them.
Lizardkit shot over to his siblings, going from sleepy to wide awake almost instantly when the prospect of a game appeared.
Pinepaw and Frostpaw's gazes met. Pinepaw rolled her eyes exaggeratedly at the rumbustiousness of the kits, and Frostpaw stifled a purr. But, then a dark shadow drifted over Pinepaw's face. Her head jerked up suddenly.
"I smell ThunderClan," Pinepaw growled.
Frostpaw tasted the air, her heart dropping into her stomach. Pinepaw was right. ThunderClan's musty, nutty scent had twined its way into the clear, powerful odor of the ShadowClan camp. ThunderClan warriors were close.
Frostpaw's gaze followed Pinepaw's towards the bramble barrier and the tunnel entrance in it. Frostpaw's stomach went tight with nerves as she saw the brambles shake, and she tensed her muscles, springing in front of the kits, her teeth and claws bared as she prepared to see enemy warriors come streaming through the tunnel. But, it was Dawntail that emerged. The grey and white warrior's expression was tight, but calm. Frostpaw's stance relaxed as the swirling fear and aggression in her stomach settled. Her gaze slid behind her clan-mate to see Morningstar emerge from the tunnel just after Dawntail. After Morningstar came Acornear, the ThunderClan deputy. Then the rest of the ShadowClan patrol entered behind him, flanking the ThunderClan warriors.
"ThunderClan?" Featherkit echoed, her voice a squeak as she peered around Frostpaw's legs. "Are those cats from ThunderClan?"
"Yes," Frostpaw said quietly. "The grey cat is Morningstar, their leader. The tabby is Acornear, the deputy."
"Why are they here?" Yewkit said, gazing at the unfamiliar cats in confusion.
Frostpaw's gaze sought Pinepaw's and their eyes met.
"I don't know," Frostpaw meowed.
Lizardkit rose to his paws, his expression quizzical. He took a few steps in the direction of the ThunderClan warriors. Frostpaw quickly thumped her tail down in front of him. His clear blue eyes flickered up towards her, and Frostpaw firmly shook her head at him. Getting the message, Lizardkit took a seat, content to watch the strangers from the distance. The ThunderClan cats remained surrounded by the ShadowClan patrol in the center of camp, while Dawntail slipped into the leader's den at the roots of the Oak Tree to get Sedgestar. The quiet buzz of conversation that had filled the camp moments before the enemy warriors' appearance was silenced, and now everyone around camp just silently stared wide-eyed at the ThunderClan cats like a big group of owls. Frostpaw saw Acornear and Morningstar shift uncomfortable under the heat of so many eyes. Frostpaw's gaze flittered over their coats. The ThunderClan cats seemed unusually skinny, considering it was still the heart of green-leaf.
"How do I tell Lizardkit that it's ThunderClan's leader?" Frostpaw whispered to Featherkit, keeping her voice low to prevent attention being drawn to her.
Featherkit touched one of her paws to her forehead.
"This means leader," she meowed in a soft voice.
Featherkit rubbed her cheek against Yewkit's.
"And, this means clan. Like, because clan-mates like each other and share tongues," Featherkit said before hesitating, her expression unsure. "But, I don't know how to tell him that it's ThunderClan."
Frostpaw touched Lizardkit's flank with her tail to get his attention. His gaze flickered over to her. Frostpaw twitched her tail in Morningstar's direction before touching her paw to her forehead and leaning down to rub her cheek against Lizardkit's. When Frostpaw lifted her head, Lizardkit's eyes were round with confusion. Lizardkit flicked his tail towards Sedgestar's den before signing clan leader back at her.
Frostpaw's brow furrowed.
He thinks I mean Sedgestar.
Frostpaw shook her head at him. She leaned down, rubbing her cheek against his to sign clan again. Then when she raised her head, she tapped her paw on the ground five times, one for each of the five clans to show it was a different leader. Frostpaw wasn't sure if Lizardkit totally understood, but the confusion clouding his gaze cleared, and his ears pricked in interest. His paws and tail began to move too quickly in signs for Frostpaw to understand, but they were interrupted when Snakeeyes reappeared, stalking quickly over to her kits, gathering them up towards her. Frostpaw saw the queen shoot a suspicious look towards the ThunderClan cats.
Then, Sedgestar and Grovepelt emerged from the leader's den, followed closely by Dawntail. Sedgestar met his gaze evenly to Morningstar's, his head and tail held high.
"Greetings, Morningstar," Sedgestar said, his voice cooly polite but not hostile. "Dawntail told me that her patrol found you and your deputy at the border, waiting for an escort. What do you need from ShadowClan?"
"Sedgestar," Morningstar greeted him, bowing his head deeply in a sign of respect towards the ShadowClan leader. "I was hoping that us and our deputies could speak in private. I came to discuss a sensitive matter."
Frostpaw saw a somewhat amused expression creep across Sedgestar's face.
"I know this may come as a surprise to you because I am aware of ShadowClan's secretive reputation among the other clans," Sedgestar said, his whiskers twitching slightly. "But, we are only reserved with outsiders. Within this camp, there are no secrets among my warriors."
Sedgestar inclined his head towards the Oak Tree.
"But, we may go speak in my den, if it makes you more comfortable. Just know that as soon as you're gone, my clan will hear about all that's transpired," Sedgestar said.
Morningstar's ears twitched back in a displeased expression, but the ThunderClan leader did not move towards the den.
"Very well then," Morningstar rumbled. "We can speak here."
Sedgestar took a seat on the damp earth in the center of camp, nodding for Morningstar to continue. ThunderClan's grey leader took a deep breath.
"I will not mince words. I came to ask if ShadowClan will aid ThunderClan in our fight against SkyClan," Morningstar growled.
Frostpaw's eyes widened in surprise. SkyClan. But, her surprise quickly soured to fear, and she felt a river of cold run through her as the recent memory of Paledusk at the gathering flashed in her mind. Frostpaw glanced around the camp. She saw her emotions of surprise reflected back to her on her clan-mate's faces, but they didn't look as frightened as she felt. Frostpaw gave her pelt a small shake, trying to shake away the memory of Paledusk's fierce and cruel eyes, as ShadowClan waited in silence for Sedgestar to respond.
Sedgestar tilted his head, his smooth expression and calm amber eyes giving no hint of his thoughts away.
"I mean no offense to ThunderClan when I say this," Sedgestar meowed in an even voice. "But, why should ShadowClan help you? I must think of my clan-mates health and safety before those of ThunderClan's. Why should I put my cats at risk for ThunderClan's sake?"
"SkyClan has been threatening my clan for moons now," Morningstar said with a growl. "They hunt on our land, raid our camp. They are relentless. If left unchecked, they may very well come for ShadowClan next. You are shortsighted if you believe that they are only a threat to ThunderClan."
Frostpaw's brow furrowed as she recalled Grovepelt's words from a few training sessions ago that distance meant nothing to a power-hungry cat.
But, Grovepelt and Sedgestar do realized they could be a threat!
Frostpaw saw a few of her clan-mates shift in anger at the "shortsighted" insult, and she even saw Dampfang across camp bare his teeth. Still, Sedgestar's expression gave nothing of his emotions away.
"Why come to us though?" Sedgestar said smoothly. "If SkyClan is such a threat, surely RiverClan, who also shares borders with them, would be more willing to help you. Or, even WindClan perhaps?"
Morningstar snorted.
"WindClan is more likely to grow wings and learn to fly than to help us," he rumbled. "Remember, we went to war with them only a few seasons ago, during leaf-bare. Rabbitstar has not forgotten that so quickly. As, for RiverClan, I already spoke with Willowstar. She will do nothing. She says that she doesn't think SkyClan is a threat, and that we are exaggerating our claims about them. I suspect that she has made some sort of truce with them."
The ThunderClan leader had started pacing agitatedly, his tail lashing and his fur rising on his shoulders.
"I think SkyClan promised her hunting rights on both sides of the river if they take our territory, and we get driven out of the forest," Morningstar said, closing his eyes for a moment as he gave a bitter growl.
"Do you think that's what SkyClan is trying to do?" Sedgestar asked, his eyes flashing sharply. "Drive you out?"
Morningstar shook his head. His fur flattened and his shoulders sagged. The large grey leader suddenly looked much smaller. He gazed hollowly down at the ground.
"I don't know. It seems like it though. You know that the last leaf-bare the forest experienced was the longest and coldest memory. ThunderClan made it through, but only barely. But, since SkyClan has been at our throats for moons now, we haven't been able to recover. We should be fat and sleek in the height of green-leaf, but look at us. We look like half-starved rats. We don't have the strength to drive back SkyClan alone," Morningstar mumbled.
Frostpaw's eyes widened in shock at Morningstar's brutal honesty.
Sedgestar would never dream of admitting such weakness in the middle of an enemy camp!
Frostpaw's gaze flickered to Acornear for a moment, as she wondered what he thought of his leader's admittance, but the deputy said nothing. He simply stood at his leader's side, his brow furrowed and his jaw set. Morningstar's gaze rose back to Sedgestar's.
"Please Sedgestar. I know you are an honorable cat, and you won't fall to Fennelstar's silver-tongue as Willowstar has," Morningstar said, his deep voice imploring. "ThunderClan needs your help to battle SkyClan, before it's too late for us. We still have a couple moons of green-leaf left, if StarClan is good and the frost doesn't come early this year and scare all the prey to their burrows… With the might of fearsome ShadowClan with us, SkyClan will be forced back behind their borders, and we will be able to access our best hunting-grounds again. And, ThunderClan will be able to recover before leaf-bare comes. But, if not… I fear ThunderClan will have to leave the forest. Or, else die here in the snow."
Total silence had fallen over the cats, and Sedgestar was silent too, his tail swishing thoughtfully behind him. Frostpaw bit the inside of her cheek, anticipating nipping at her as her thoughts whirled anxiously. As the silence wore on, Morningstar met Sedgestar's gaze evenly, and Frostpaw saw some strength return to the ThunderClan leader's eyes.
"There is something else you should know," Morningstar said so quietly, Frostpaw had to strain her ears to hear him. "If you choose not to help us… I cannot promise that our borders will remain peaceful anymore."
Frostpaw flattened her ears. She sensed the mood of the ShadowClan cats around her shift dramatically as everyone tensed up in the face of the threat. Frostpaw saw the hackles on Sedgestar start to rise.
"This is not a threat," Morningstar meowed quickly. "But, I don't know if I can keep my authority when my cats begin starving. They will do whatever it takes to survive. Surely, you must understand that?"
Frostpaw saw Sedgestar give a single nod, flattening his hackles, and the camp relaxed somewhat.
Sedgestar shifted and rose to his paws.
"Thank you for telling me this," Sedgestar said. "I will think on what you've said here, consult with our ancestors, as well as my deputy and medicine cats, then send word, letting you know of my decision in no more than a quarter of a moon."
"Mouse-dung. Why do you need to wait and consult our ancestors?" Acornear snapped, speaking up for the first time. "You think there's any chance StarClan approves of an entire clan being driven out?"
"Enough Acornear," Morningstar said, but Frostpaw thought he sounded more resigned than angry.
Morningstar dipped his head to Sedgestar.
"A quarter moon is fair. We will eagerly await your response," he meowed.
Sedgestar nodded.
"Darkpelt and Rowanheart can escort you to the border," Sedgestar said.
Acornear gave a soft growl at the mention of an escort, but he didn't say anything more. The ThunderClan cats left camp with the two warriors flanking them. Once the bramble tunnel stopped shaking, and the ThunderClan scent in the air was fading, the camp exploded into conversation. Autumnpaw came bounding over to Pinepaw and Frostpaw, a whirlwind of auburn and white fur.
"Can you believe it?" he asked, his eyes gleaming in excitement. "ThunderClan's leader, in our camp, begging for our help!"
"What do you think we should do?" Frostpaw asked, shifting on her paws anxiously.
Her stomach twisted. She felt too overwhelmed by the moral dilemma Morningstar proposed to find the fact that the ThunderClan leader was in their camp exciting.
Will we help them? It would be wrong to let them all die right? But, the warrior code says we should defend our clan above all else… And, if fighting SkyClan with ThunderClan will put us in danger, then maybe we shouldn't do it…?
Then an image of Paledusk began to take shape in her mind again; his sleek-furred white pelt forming slowly as if he was emerging from dense swirling fog. Frostpaw could almost sense his cold green gaze on her. His voice snarling 'any tragedies that befall ShadowClan will be all your fault' echoed in her ears, and she shuddered.
I'm not sure what ShadowClan should do. But, I would fear any Clan that has Paledusk as their deputy. Is Fennelstar like that too? Is all of SkyClan?
Autumnpaw shrugged, bringing Frostpaw back to the present.
"I don't know. That's up to Sedgestar to decide, right?" he said, but his eyes flashed as he took the worry in Frostpaw's expression.
"Hey! Don't worry; it'll be okay," he said, giving her shoulder a gentle nudge with his muzzle. "Sedgestar will know what's best."
Frostpaw just nodded mutely.
"I don't know if we should help them," Pinepaw said, her eyes wide and serious. "If SkyClan is so much of a threat, and ThunderClan might be threatening at our border soon, we should be preparing ourselves to defend our territory from both them and SkyClan."
Frostpaw's tail twitched, and her brow furrowed, uncertain if ShadowClan could really stand against them both. But, before she could say anything in response, the voices around her got louder and louder as her ears were bombarded by fragments of conversation.
"Why should we go to battle for them?" Marshnose yowled out.
"I don't care if ThunderClan starves," Dampfang snorted.
"But, what kind of cats would we be if we just stood aside and let them all die?" Emberflower challenged, her green eyes flashing.
"We must put the good of ShadowClan before everyone else," Swoopstrike growled, rising to his paws and lashing his tail.
"Quiet!" Sedgestar called, his voice cutting through all the others.
The light brown tabby still stood in the center of camp, his long tail held high. Everyone turned to look at him.
"What do you think we should do, Sedgestar?" Weaseltail called out, looking expectingly at their leader.
Frostpaw padded closer towards the center of the camp to hear better. She noticed other cats doing the same, and soon all of ShadowClan was grouped tightly around Sedgestar and Grovepelt. Frostpaw ended up nestled next to Redclaw and Leafbreeze as they waited for him to respond.
"I… am not sure, to be honest," Sedgestar admitted, his tail lowering to swish uncertainly behind him. "While I agree with Morningstar that SkyClan is a threat, I'm not sure we should put our lives at risk to help ThunderClan."
Voices again rose up all around Frostpaw, clamoring for their opinion to be heard over the others.
"Shh!" Grovepelt hissed, his tail twitching in irritation. "I know you all have a lot of thoughts, but one at a time!"
Grovepelt turned to look at Sedgestar, and the old tom's eyes gleamed with an idea.
"Perhaps a council is in order?" Grovepelt asked.
The cats around Frostpaw began to murmur. Frostpaw's brow furrowed in confusion.
"What's a council?" she whispered into Redclaw's ear.
"It's kind of like a clan meeting, but every cat older than a kit gets to say their turn," Redclaw murmured back. "It's a very old tradition. The stories go it extends all the way back to the creation of ShadowClan and our clan's first leader."
Frostpaw's eyes went wide with interest.
All the way back to the very beginning?
"ShadowClan cats have always had an independent streak, I guess," Redclaw said with a somewhat amused shrug. "And, have always wanted their thoughts to be heard."
"Good idea," Sedgestar said with a nod to Grovepelt. "We will hold a council."
Sedgestar turned and pushed his way out of the crowd of cats, bounding up Clanrock. There was no need for him to call the clan because everyone, besides Darkpelt and Rowanheart, were already out in camp.
"I will speak first," Sedgestar said, sitting on Clanrock and wrapping his tail around his paws. "Then the medicine cats and Grovepelt. Then the elders. Then the senior warriors, and then the rest of the warriors. And, finally the apprentices."
Sedgestar looked around at the crowd.
"Anyone older than six moons who wants to speak on this topic may, but you don't have to," he continued. "And, when someone else is talking, there will be no interrupting them. Rest assured, everyone will have a turn to voice their opinion. Now, everyone, gather close so you can be heard."
The clan settled down in a semi-circle around Clanrock. Frostpaw sat close to Redclaw. She glanced over at her face, wondering what the queen thought about ThunderClan. Redclaw's expression was uncertain, but she gazed at Sedgestar steadily like she was drawing confidence from him. Sedgestar cleared his throat before beginning.
"I feel undecided about if we should help ThunderClan in their fight against SkyClan," Sedgestar said. "While I pity their plight and think that SkyClan could be a threat to ShadowClan in the future, they are not a threat now, and I value the safety of our clan more than the safety of ThunderClan."
Sedgestar dipped his head towards Clearstream, who was sitting at the base of Clanrock, near the fern-framed entrance of her den.
"Clearstream, you may go if you wish," Sedgestar said.
The fluffy grey tabby rose to her paws.
"I think we should travel to the Moonstone and consult with StarClan before making any definite decision," Clearstream meowed, her blue eyes troubled. "I do think Acornear is right that StarClan would never want a clan to be driven from the forest, but our ancestors may be able to show us better way to solve this problem that doesn't involve ShadowClan going to battle."
Sedgestar nodded approvingly.
"That is wise. If there is a solution that doesn't cause ShadowClan blood to spill, we should try to find it," he meowed.
His gaze flickered to Elmclaw. The large, dark tabby rose to his paws as his mentor took a seat.
"We are strong and healthy now in green-leaf and our herb stocks are overflowing," Elmclaw said, his voice a low rumble. "If SkyClan may be a threat in the future, say, after they drive ThunderClan out, we would be much more ill-equipped to battle them without allies, in leaf-fall or leaf-bare, weakened by sickness or hunger, than we would be now."
"Elmclaw! We're healers not fighters," Clearstream hissed, her voice slightly scolding.
Elmclaw's ears flattened.
"I'm not saying ShadowClan should go to battle," he rumbled. "Just pointing out the fact that if we did, it would be easiest on the clan to do it now. Not later."
Elmclaw took a seat, and Clearstream gazed at him with a furrowed brow.
"Thank you, Elmclaw," Sedgestar said. "That is a good point."
Grovepelt rose to his feet without prompting.
"I say we should fight," the deputy said without hesitation.
Frostpaw's eyes widened in surprise. While she knew Grovepelt had valiantly fought in numerous battles throughout his life, he had still always seemed more of a pacifist than an aggressor to her.
"SkyClan needs to be taught a lesson. They seem to have no respect for our ancestors or our traditions," Grovepelt continued. "There have always been five clans in the forest, and there always will be. And, if we don't act now, there's no telling what SkyClan may do to us next."
Grovepelt took a seat, and Sedgestar nodded.
"Thank you, Grovepelt. The elders may go now," Sedgestar said.
Greytail and Flymask were staunchly against battle, seeing no need to interfere with ThunderClan's problems, while Treefur was undecided. Sedgestar then moved on to the senior warriors, who's opinions were mixed. Emberflower, Dustleap, Weaseltail, and Larkfoot thought ShadowClan should fight. Dawntail, Marshnose, and Fogfur thought ShadowClan shouldn't. Redclaw, after a long pause of hesitation, also put her support with the anti-battle group, shooting an apologetic look at her mate Weaseltail as she did so. Kestrelmoon and Amberberry refrained from commenting. Sedgestar then moved on to the younger warriors. Swoopstrike was the first to rise to his paws, beating out Dampfang, who had risen to a half crouch and shot Swoopstrike a scorching look for stiffing him.
"ShadowClan has always protected their own above all else," Swoopstrike said, his voice ringing confidently throughout the camp. "Not only is this what the warrior code commands us to do; our devotion to this creed is what makes us strong; stronger than all the other Clans. We are truly independent and always have been. We shouldn't help ThunderClan."
Frostpaw shifted on her paws. She felt like Swoopstrike made a decent point.
Dampfang was now on his feet. Frostpaw rolled her eyes. He seemed determined to speak next even though there were plenty of other warriors older than him who had not yet had a turn.
"ShadowClan shouldn't fight," Dampfang said definitively. "If SkyClan is going to drive out ThunderClan; let them do it. We will be able to stand against SkyClan alone if we need to fight them later. Plus, once ThunderClan is gone, and SkyClan has weakened themselves by fighting them off, we can move in on the old ThunderClan territory, and secure more hunting grounds for ourselves. There's no need for SkyClan to take it all."
Dampfang's propositions got a few murmurs of approval from Marshnose, Flymask and Hootflight. Frostpaw's brow furrowed, her ears twitching back.
Dampfang just sees this as an opportunity to exploit another Clan's weakness. He doesn't understand how risky it would be for ShadowClan if SkyClan was strong enough to drive ThunderClan away.
Frostpaw's gaze flickered up to Sedgestar, but he didn't respond to Dampfang's proposal, his expression unreadable.
Snakeeyes went next. She had been sitting in front of the nursery to make sure her kits stayed inside, but now she rose to her paws and strode over to the semi-circle of cats.
"ShadowClan should fight SkyClan now, when we have the chance to do battle outside of our territory, rather than waiting and risking an invasion," Snakeeyes said, her blue-green gaze startlingly intense as she swept it over the crowd and brought it up to Sedgestar. "I will not put the lives of my kits at risk by waiting until SkyClan attacks our camp in a couple of moons. We need to strike now, preemptively."
Sedgestar bowed his head to Snakeeyes.
"Good point," he meowed. "Thank you."
Snakeeyes headed back towards the nursery. Dappledtail, Dewleaf, and Beeclaw ended up supporting Snakeeyes' decision to fight, while Hootflight and Thornheart wanted not to. Leafbreeze didn't comment. And, finally Sedgestar turned his attention onto the apprentices.
"Would any apprentices like to speak?" he asked, his tone slightly warmer as he looked down at the young cats.
Frostpaw gazed around at her wide-eyed den-mates. It felt foreign for them to even be invited to share their opinions. Apprentices were normally expected to watch and learn from the older cats, not to speak up about their thoughts. It seemed that the other apprentices felt the same way, since they all just shifted their weight on their paws, gazing at each other like they were trying to figure out what everyone else would do.
Frostpaw blinked in surprise to find herself rising to her feet, and seemingly without realizing it, she was now standing and everyone was staring at her. Frostpaw froze under the paralyzing cold of their many gazes, her blue eyes wide as moons.
"Yes, Frostpaw?" Sedgestar asked, yanking her attention away from the numerous eyes of the clan and freeing her from their paralysis.
Sedgestar blinked kindly down at her. Frostpaw swallowed hard and forced herself to speak.
"I—I think we should fight," Frostpaw said, her voice barely above a squeak in volume and wavering.
Her mouth was suddenly dry. Frostpaw paused for a moment to lick her lips, trying to make her voice work again. As she hesitated, an image of Paledusk's cold green eyes formed in her mind.
"SkyClan is a threat to us," she said, her voice becoming a bit louder and more certain. "Look at their pattern of behavior against ThunderClan. They won't stop once ThunderClan is gone. But—but—"
Frostpaw swallowed as her tongue tripped over itself, but she closed her eyes for a moment and forced the rest of the words out.
"But, I'm sure we can beat them easily with ThunderClan's help," she said. "Without ThunderClan's help though… it seems much harder."
"Of course the rogue thinks we should fight!" Dampfang hissed in a hushed voice across camp as soon as the last words left her mouth. "She doesn't care if ShadowClan lives are lost! She doesn't have a whisker of loyalty to us."
Frostpaw's ears flattened, and her pelt burnt hot with anger and shame.
I can't believe that Dampfang just said that about me in front of the whole clan!
"Silence!" Sedgestar snapped, his amber gaze glowering down at Dampfang. "I thought my instructions were clear, Dampfang! Every ShadowClan cat over the age of six moons is allowed to speak without interruption!"
"But, she was done talking!" Dampfang protested, his green eyes glaring back at Sedgestar.
Frostpaw dug her claws into the ground, staring down at her feet.
"That's not for you to decide," Sedgestar rumbled, his eyes narrowing. "Now put a mouse in it, or if you can't follow simple instructions, you'll have to go to sit in the nursery with the kits."
Frostpaw's gaze flickered up to see Dampfang's muzzle wrinkled in fury, but he clenched his jaw shut.
At least Sedgestar defended me.
As the leader turned his attention back to Frostpaw, she quickly sat, gazing back down at her feet.
"Any other apprentices?" Sedgestar meowed, his gaze flickering around them.
There was a long pause as no one moved, like the awkwardness in the air after Dampfang's outburst and argument with Sedgestar was too heavy to fight against. But, finally Autumnpaw rose to his paws. Frostpaw breathed a sigh of relief that Dampfang's insult against her wouldn't be the closing note of the council, and the thing that stuck in all of her clan-mates minds.
"I'm with Frostpaw. It makes more sense for us to fight now," Autumnpaw said concisely, his chin raised with confidence.
Pinepaw was rising to her paws as Autumnpaw was sitting. Frostpaw had to flatten a reflexive bristling of her fur. She already knew that Pinepaw disagreed with her, but she just hoped that she wouldn't pile on with Dampfang's insults against her.
Once Pinepaw was on her feet, stretched up to her full height, she hesitated for a heart-beat before beginning.
"Before you called this council, I didn't think we should fight," Pinepaw said, her voice clear and steady. "But, after hearing everyone speak about it, I've changed my mind. Frostpaw makes a good point. Fennelstar does have a pattern of exploiting ThunderClan whenever he can. SkyClan doesn't have a grudge against them or anything like that; they just see them as a good target, which is enough of a motivation for them to attack. And, of course, ShadowClan isn't weak, but if ThunderClan is gone, I think we will become that next target, and it will force us into war whether we like it or not. And, as my mentor told us once during training: Aggression is like fire; it consumes in all directions. SkyClan is a threat not just to ThunderClan, but to us as well."
Frostpaw's eyes were wide with shock as Pinepaw sat, her speech done. The spiky black-furred she-cat had somehow managed to say everything she had wanted to say, but in a way much better than she had. Frostpaw shook her head incredulously.
Frostpaw's gaze flickered over to look at Grovepelt, and she saw the deputy's chin raised in pride, his green gaze shimmering as he looked at his apprentice.
"Well said Pinepaw," Grovepelt meowed, while Sedgestar nodded.
Mosspaw rose to her paws next, but the normally bubbly apprentice looked uncertain as the clan's attention shifted to her.
"Is SkyClan really all that bad? At the gathering I've spoken to some of them, and they seemed okay…" Mosspaw's voice trailed off, and she shrugged before sitting, her brow furrowed.
No other apprentices stood to take her place.
"Thank you Mosspaw. Alright, then," Sedgestar said. "This concludes this council. Thank you all. You have given me much to consider. But, I will still journey to the Moonstone and speak with our ancestors before making announcing my final decision."
Clearstream rose to her paws.
"The half-moon is in three days. You can join me and Elmclaw going there, if you like," she said.
Sedgestar bowed his head gratefully to Clearstream.
"I would appreciate that, thank you," he meowed.
Sedgestar bounded down from Clanrock, and cats began to disperse. Frostpaw padded over in Autumnpaw's direction, who saw her coming, and then flicked his tail towards Pinepaw to indicate he was heading towards her. As Frostpaw walked up to the siblings, Autumnpaw turned to Pinepaw.
"I thought you thought we shouldn't fight?" he said, his voice teasing.
Pinepaw shrugged, the fur on her shoulders bristling out a bit defensively.
"I changed my mind. Is that a crime?" she snapped, glaring at him.
Autumnpaw took a pace back from her, adverting his gaze as if to pacify her.
"Relax, Pinepaw. I was just teasing. I'm glad you're on our side. And, that you came to your senses for once," he said, his amber eyes glinting, seemingly unable to resist a final jab.
Pinepaw glared at him again, but Frostpaw stepped in before the bickering could turn into a real fight.
"You spoke very well," Frostpaw meowed, before glancing down at her paws as a wave of hot embarrassment came over her as she relived her stuttering speech and Dampfang's jeers. "Grovepelt looked like he was very proud of you."
"Really?" Pinepaw said, sitting up a bit straighter, and twisting her head around to search for Grovepelt in the crowd.
It wasn't Grovepelt she spotted though, instead the large, fluffy black-and-white form of Poolpaw was bounding over to them.
"Great, look what you frog-brains have done now; we're going to be trapped in a war between two clans!" Poolpaw said, his tail flicking behind him.
"We don't know that yet," Frostpaw cautioned. "Sedgestar still has to make up his mind."
"Besides, don't blame us!" Autumnpaw protested, frowning at Poolpaw. "We're only apprentices! Our opinions to Sedgestar probably weigh as much as a piece of prey begging for its life."
"Yeah, if you want to be mad at anyone, blame the warriors. Or, Grovepelt," Pinepaw said, tossing her head with a huff.
Poolpaw playfully shoved Pinepaw.
"But, I can't call Grovepelt a frog-brain!" Poolpaw said with a purr.
She shoved him back. Harder.
"Keep your paws off me you great oaf!" she sniffed. "And, you can't call us frog-brains either!"
"Make me!" Poolpaw said, grappling Pinepaw with his big paws.
Autumnpaw purred loudly as Pinepaw squeaked in protest, writhing to try to get away from her brother while Poolpaw wrapped his forepaws tightly around her, trapping Pinepaw as his long, thick pelt enveloped her. Autumnpaw leaned in close to Frostpaw.
"It looks like his fur is eating her!" he said, managing to get the words out between the vibrating purrs that shook his shoulders.
Frostpaw purred back, and she felt her worries about the potential war melt away, at least for the moment. Still stuck in her brother's vice-like embrace, Frostpaw saw Pinepaw's desperate amber eyes seek out Frostpaw's from the thick tuffs of black-and-white fur pressed against her face.
"Don't just stand their like a sleepy dormouse! Help me!" Pinepaw called.
"Nuh-huh! This is between me and Pinepaw!" Poolpaw declared. "Asking for help is cheating!"
Ignoring him, Frostpaw sprung at Poolpaw with a playful growl, wrapping her paws around his neck to try to drag him away from Pinepaw. Poolpaw shook his shoulders, trying to dislodge her.
"Cheaters! You pair of snake-hearts!" Poolpaw wailed dramatically.
Frostpaw purred as Poolpaw buckled under her, and while he was distracted by Frostpaw clinging to him, Pinepaw managed to wiggle out of his grip.
"You should listen more during training, Poolpaw!" Pinepaw said, now a safe distance away from her brother's reach. "It's not cheating! ShadowClan's greatest strength comes from the element of surprise!"
Dampfang padded past the apprentices, letting out a huff of derision at their play-fighting. Frostpaw felt a tightness suddenly filled her belly like a rock had been dropped into her stomach. The insult and embarrassment she felt during the council rushed back over her. Frostpaw let go of Poolpaw, scrambling away from him and swiping her tongue across her chest fur self-consciously. Poolpaw whirled back towards her with a playful growl, but stopped when he saw her expression. Autumnpaw padded over to Frostpaw, head-butting her shoulder.
"Ignore that frog-brain," Autumnpaw said with a soft growl. "You heard what Sedgestar said. Everyone knows you're a ShadowClan cat through and through. No one takes Dampfang seriously."
"Really? You think so?" Frostpaw murmured, glancing up at him.
Autumnpaw nodded, and Poolpaw nodded along with him.
"Yeah. Dampfang has bees in his brain," Pinepaw added, a growl in her voice, and Frostpaw's gaze flew to hers in surprise.
Pinepaw was watching Frostpaw steadily. Frostpaw purred quietly in response, feeling a flicker of warmth inside her.
"But, speaking of ShadowClan through and through…" Autumnpaw said, a playful glint reapplying in his eyes.
Autumnpaw sprung at Pinepaw without warning, bowling her over and pinning her to the ground.
"You smelly frog-face! What was that for?!" Pinepaw spat from the ground.
"Weren't you just saying? Never underestimate the element of surprise!" Autumnpaw declared, dramatically puffing his chest out.
"You're a frog-brain," Pinepaw growled, but there wasn't any venom in her voice as she batted at Autumnpaw's face with her paws.
Autumnpaw ducked her blows.
"You maniac! Are you trying to blind me?" he wailed.
"Oh shut up! You're such a kit! My claws aren't even out!"
Author's Note: Thanks for reading and reviewing! Whew this was a long one, the longest chapter so far in fact! Sorry for the delay about it, I had some trouble getting this chapter out… It's been like 90% done for a while, but I've been sort of stressed because of life stuff, and have just been lacking any motivation to write :/ Anyway, I have big stuff happening for me at the end of the month that I have to deal with, so I won't be back with the next chapter until December probably.
Enough about me though— what do you think ShadowClan should do about ThunderClan/SkyClan? Do you think they will help? Do you think they should or have an obligation to? Also, ThunderClan's current plight and Acornear's comment "You think there's any chance StarClan approves of an entire clan being driven out?" is a deliberate parallel to the fact that SkyClan under Cloudstar, will end having exactly that happen to them; no other clans help them, so they get driven out of the territory. Of course, this story takes place before Cloudstar is even born, but you might notice little hints from SkyClan that the seeds of that tragedy have already begun to take root…
Reviews:
Kitty-Guardian Hootryd: You are totally right, Paledusk definitely does not deserve Frostpaw as his kid!
Brian.H.H: Thanks for your very thoughtful review! I sent you a direct message about it a while back, and I made a few small edits to the previous chapter based on your thoughts since I think you made some good points :) I feel like hearing about those sort of things really help me improve my story telling, so I really appreciate you sharing your perspective and advice!
Pandere: Thank you! And, thanks for your review! I'm really enjoying writing the progression of Frostpaw and Pinepaw's relationship too. I think you're right that they won't ever be best friends, but it's nice to see them start to grow to get along better. Also, your hunch about Paledusk is spot on! We will have to wait and see how that plays out for him. And, I'm glad you enjoyed the night forest trial scene! I'm really enjoying creating distinctive cultures and traditions within ShadowClan that makes it feel unique and different from the other clans.
xcc3: Thank you! And, I'm glad you also enjoyed Leopardstar's Regret! Yeah, I really like thinking about the older clans, between ancient era and Firestar era too. I feel like there is just so much room there for stories about what the clans were like then, and how the clans of the past were different or similar to the current era ones or how the events of the past can explain stuff about the clans we know of the current era. I picked this time-period specifically since the setting given in the Code of the Clans of the worst leaf-bare seen by the clans, and an "unusual" leader in the form of Morningstar admitting ThunderClan weakness and begging for food, and ShadowClan being unusually large and prosperous clan, really intrigued me. I felt like it was a great springboard for a story since we get a little bit of background on some of the leaders and their personalities, like Morningstar and Sedgestar, but there is still a ton of space for creativity to add in stuff and fill in gaps. I'm glad you like my interpretation of this time-period!