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Title: Deep Dive

Summary: In a world where ThunderClan absorbed ShadowClan seasons ago, young warrior Weaselface is tasked to rebuild the fourth Clan and take her place as leader. But how can she betray all she's ever known and loved, all on the word of one ghost with a grudge?

...

By the time the sun started to rise over the hills, Weaselstar was ready to collapse. The Gathering, which had felt like seconds and hours all at once, had left her exhausted, and it occurred to her as they waited to cross the Thunderpath that she hadn't slept at all. The two kitten-sized boulders on her back and the kitten-sized one in her mouth didn't exactly help things. Stars, how are they so big already? They're just barely two moons old!

Dovefrost came up on her side after crossing. "We should probably iron out some details on how this will work."

Weaselstar blinked at her, sluggish.

"Do you have any idea who your deputy will be? Your medicine cat?" She paused, then leaned in. "Do you have your lives?"

She lifted her chin pointedly. Dovefrost took Larkkit so she could speak. "I have my lives. I have no idea who will be deputy. Dew is going to be medicine cat."

Dovefrost's muzzle screwed up. Her words were muffled around the kitten's fur. "Are you sure that's wise? Our first medicine cat being a rogue who doesn't even believe in StarClan?"

"Do you know how to apply mallow?"

"No, but neither does Dew."

"But she knows the basics. That's what we need right now- someone who can get us started." Weaselstar struggled to think about the deputy position. It was an important question. There was no last deputy, so I don't need to pick before Moonhigh, do I? Just before the next Gathering. "Did you want to be deputy?"

"Absolutely not," she snorted. Dovefrost took in her bedraggled features and softened slightly. "But I can be a stand-in until you make your choice, if you'd like."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. And there's one more thing I'm worried about. You."

Weaselstar cocked her head to the side. "What'd I do now?"

"It's what you haven't done, actually. You've never had an apprentice. It's an important rite of passage."

"Ah." She had a point. Weaselstar didn't have the first clue on leading. There was a reason that was usually a necessary feature to being leader. "Well, there's not much I can do about that right this second, is there? Ashkit and Hootkit aren't old enough- and that's if Squirrelwhisker decides to stay and double if she allows me to teach one. It'll be four moons until the others are ready, and they're my kin."

"Ratpaw needs a mentor."

Weaselstar slowly shook her head. "He's almost old enough to be a warrior. I'd be a crutch."

Larkkit squirmed in Dovefrost's jaws. "I'll be your apprentice! I'll squish Ratpaw and Bumblepaw in battle training, and catch you huge voles, and-"

She cut her off with a gentle press of the nose. "I believe you, but kin can't train kin."

"Aw, rats," Larkkit pouted.

Ratpaw perked up from behind them, picking up the pace with a sheepish tilt to his ears. "I heard my name?"

Weaselstar opened her mouth, then shut it, unsure of how to broach this particular topic. Dovefrost gave her a friendly jostling, making Honeykit perk up a little. "We were just talking about how I've never had an apprentice," she admitted, and Ratpaw's eyes grew wide. "I was hoping you and Bumblepaw might be okay with me watching your training sessions, so I can get a feel for guiding."

"Oh." He stared at his paws a second, thoughtful. "I guess that would be okay. But I- I'm not going to be very good. I never really learned a lot of fighting, and dad never let me hunt any big game, and-"

Weaselstar draped her tail across his back. "And that's on Smokescar. You're not to blame for him not letting you learn." She attempted what she hoped was a reassuring smile, though she felt it came across more like she was trying not to yelp when someone stepped on her tail. "I've got a lot to learn too."

The black tom slowly smiled back. It was all nerves. "Thanks, Weasel. Um. Weaselstar?"

"Weasel is fine too. I'm not picky."

Dew was in the middle of grooming when Weaselstar pushed her way into camp, followed close behind by Sweetshine and Dovefrost. She blinked at them, tongue sticking out, before saying, "You absolute mad bastard. You actually did it?"

"Was I literally the last person to know?" Adderpelt grunted as he came up, trading a gentle head bump with the she-cat. "Sorry about barging in like this. Spiderstar didn't give us much of a choice."

Weaselstar took a long glance around the camp. It was the same exact heap it had been the day prior, but it felt very different to her now. This was ShadowClan. Her Clan. And it was her duty to rebuild it, starting with the dens. "We should decide which den goes to what, and start fixing according to necessity."

"First we should take a nap," Dovefrost shot back, setting Larkkit down. "Most of us have been awake all night. We need to rest."

Fogfur padded up to them. "I managed to get a little sleep, so I should be okay. How's about me, Bumblepaw, and Ratpaw go hunting? We could start a fresh-kill pile."

Bumblepaw perked up. "Yeah! I've always wanted to try catching frogs, and there's a whole bunch of them near here!"

"Can we?" Ratpaw asked, with a nervous glance to Birchfoot.

"Birchfoot?"

The brown and white tom thought about it, then dipped his head. "It's good to have some food laying around. We can go training once we're settled a little."

Fogfur turned her piercing gaze on Weaselstar. "Well?"

She swallowed, not used to cats asking her for permission. "Yeah, I... yeah. I believe in you."

The makeshift hunting patrol left without delay, leaving Weaselstar three cats shorter and even more tired, somehow. Tiny pawsteps caught her ears, and Weaselstar turned to see Ashkit and Hootkit eagerly meeting the other kittens, sniffing them. With a pang, it hit her that neither of them had ever had other kits their age.

"You're so big!" Featherkit squeaked.

"Nuh-uh! You're little." Hootkit puffed out her chest. "We're four moons old!"

"Four whole moons?" Honeykit's jaw dropped. "It'll take forever to get that big!"

Pinethroat crept out of the elders' den with her nose flared, ears pinned back. "What's going on? I smell so many cats."

"Special occasion?" Mossytooth guessed, coming up along the brown molly's side. Pinethroat instinctively leaned into his pelt. "Did something bad happen at the Gathering last night?"

"Something like that," Dovefrost said. "We're bringing ShadowClan back. StarClan's orders."

Mossytooth stared at her blankly. Pinethroat took a staggering step to the side with a little yelp. It was less horror and more surprise. He took in a deep breath. "S'like you're trying to kill me."

"I'm serious."

"I know. That's why my heart is losing its dung."

Pinethroat was trembling now. "What are we going to do? Where will we go?"

That's my cue. Weaselstar came up and nosed the elders' forehead. "You can stay if you want. And if you don't, I'll walk you to ThunderClan myself."

"Weasel?" she asked. "Does- is Spiderstar aware?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"What does he say?"

"Something about traitors and liars."

"Oh, stars." Pinethroat pressed her nose to Weaselstar's chest. "Who is- am I supposed to... follow Dovefrost now?"

"No, ma'am. I'm ShadowClan's leader."

She paused. "You?"

"Yes."

"StarClan introduced her at the Gathering and everything," added Dovefrost. "It was impressive."

"Well," broached Mossytooth. "I suppose that isn't so bad. I know you'll do right by us."

"Are you sure?" Weaselstar pressed. "I won't blame you if you don't want to. You've spent your whole life as ThunderClan."

"Are we, though?" Pinethroat meowed, ears flat. "Clans are supposed to take care of their elders. I know things are much more peaceful here, but... it's so hard, sometimes, to grab myself something to eat. Will you take care of us, Weaselstar?"

Hearing the words from the skittish molly only made her resolve harden. I made the right choice. If nothing else comes out of this, at least I'll have done this. "Always."

"Well, isn't that sweet."

Weaselstar's fur rose defensively. Dovefrost grumbled a mild curse under her breath as she dipped her head to the red she-cat marching over. "How's the prey, Squirrelwhisker?"

Squirrelwhisker ignored her, shoving her nose firmly into Weaselstar's face. "Who in their right mind would pick you to be leader? You're hardly out of the apprentice's den! You've spent your time as a warrior hefting around kittens! You didn't even have the guts to name one after Antpaw!"

She forced herself not to respond to the mention of Antpaw's name. A dark sort of anger was gurgling just below the surface of her paws, threatening to swallow her whole. "I didn't choose for this to happen how it did, Squirrelwhisker. I know I have a lot to learn. I'm not asking anyone to see me as an authority figure. My goal right now is to fix the camp, and that's it."

"And kick out anyone who doesn't agree with you," she sniffed.

"I seem to recall Spiderstar doing the same," Dovefrost butted in. "I seem to especially recall that one of those cats was you."

Squirrelwhisker's tail lashed. "I'm not following the fluff-brained fox-heart who got my apprentice killed. That's final."

"Squirrelwhisker," she pleaded, and the she-cat fell silent, eyeing her up and down. "I'm not asking you to respect me. I'm not asking you to follow me. Stars forbid, I'm not asking you to like me! I'm just putting the offer out there." Weaselstar's eyes flickered back towards her own kittens, instinctively. They were piling on Ashkit, whom was beginning to look overwhelmed. "I'm glad that my kits won't have to go through all we did to be warriors. Don't you want the same?"

A blur of fiery red was the only warning Weaselstar had before Squirrelwhisker brought a paw down across her muzzle, claws unsheathed. She stumbled back with a yowl, rubbing the scratches. They weren't deep, and they'd missed her eyes, but she knew a warning when she felt one.

"Don't ever assume you know what's best for my kits," Squirrelwhisker snarled, turning on her heel. She stormed away; and, to her mild surprise, didn't try to take Ashkit and Hootkit away from their playtime, choosing instead to vanish inside the nursery. She's... not leaving?

"First day in the big leagues. How're you feeling?"

Weaselstar groaned into her moss.

"That good, huh?" Dew meowed, collecting cobwebs on her paw. She carefully chased a spider away from one. "Kid, could you not dig your paws into that? You're gonna give her an infection."

"Sorry," said Spottedkit, and didn't stop. She ran her paws gently but insistently across the long scratches. The patch of white on her nose was beginning to trail further up, coming almost to her eyes. "Are you gonna give her catmint?"

"Catnip? Naw. That's for coughin'."

"I know. Mintfern tried to give me some catmint when I got a scratch, once. She said she wanted to know what it'd do."

Weaselstar's claws dug into the moss. She hadn't known about that. It must've happened when I was so busy. Still. If I ever seen Mintfern near my babies again, I'll skin her.

"That's irresponsible," Dew replied. "And it's catnip. Catmint is just Clan cats trying to be fancy. Get over yourselves."

"Catnip sounds like it'll bite you."

"Mint is supposed to freshen your breath, not get you high."

"Aren't catmint and catnip two different plants?"

"No one asked you," Dew said, slapping the cobwebs onto her face. "I thought it was going pretty well, honestly,"

"It is, for the most part." Weaselstar knew it was silly to complain of one no amidst so many maybes and even a few yes's, but Squirrelwhisker's words stung far worse than her claws. "Do you think she'll leave?"

She adjusted the webs so they wouldn't hinder her eyesight. "Her? No. If she went back to ThunderClan now, all she'd be is the cat who trained the dead apprentice. She can be someone here, even if that someone is the cat that hates the new leader. If I were you, I'd keep my eyes on Ratpaw."

"What? But he's a great kid."

"He's never had to work before. He wants to, but until his body and mind adjusts it's going to be hard on him." Dew hesitated before going on. "It was for me."

"You think he might leave?"

"I think he might give up, and he's too damn young for that. Don't give him a hard time for it unless he's a brat." The rogue patted her dressing one last time before pulling away, smiling lopsidedly. "It's a shame I didn't get to see you at the Gathering. I'll bet Spiderstar blew his top."

"Yeah," she agreed. "I just... hope he wasn't right."

Dew reached out to bump noses with her. "Weaselstar," she meowed. "What a wonderful, wonderful name."

Author's Note: Time for a lot of den-building, training, and Weaselstar stumbling her tail into respect. The next coupla chapters are gonna be breathers of sorts, watching the kitties settle in and go to their first Gathering as ShadowClan, before heading into a new arc.

-Mandaree1