Chapter 8: Our Haven

I had only time on my paws as I recovered from my creation spree. My companions were busy personalizing the camp to their tastes. I couldn't complain. This place is dreary enough. They both had ideas of what to create, but it was obviously not coordinated. Frecklewish was building something similar to the old Thunderclan camp while Splitpelt was making something more esoteric. He was creating strange likenesses of cats I'd never seen before. These fake cats were made of many materials. Some had bark to give them brown patches. Some were a mix of different types of stone. I knew not their purpose, but he seemed to be something nostalgic to him. I wouldn't begrudge him for making them, but things would get out of paw soon if we remained this uncoordinated.

I pushed myself onto my paws to address my comrades.

"I call forth another meeting of the Unseen Stars."

Frecklewish and Splitpelt dropped what they were doing to see me. I was glad that despite my weakened state, they still valued me enough to heed my call.

"Mapleshade, what is it? I was making our camp."

"I was expressing what I thought was necessary for our base."

I looked out at their creations and they held no relation to the other. It was like looking at two separate clans.

"That is what I want to address. As we've been working now, our ideals are clashing. Frecklewish, you are building based off nostalgia. I miss Thunderclan too, but if the Unseen Stars is to be a haven, it must be accommodating to all clans. Splitpelt, your cats are impressive but also intimidating. I can tell you put in a lot of work to make them, but they are purely aesthetic and don't seem to be aligned with anything. I don't mean to belittle your work, but we need to start coordinating. I suggest this."

With some effort, I created a small simple model of our current camp.

"With this, we'll be close to each other and able to bounce ideas off each other."

Frecklewish and Splitpelt looked at my model with skepticism. It wasn't so much that they didn't trust me or my idea, but both believed that they were doing the right thing in the beginning and didn't like the idea of having to work with one another.

"I know. This will take longer, and we'll tread on each other's tails, but we'll be happier in the end. This isn't just my home or your home. Its our home and we need it to something we all can stand."

I used my power to push all of my companion's model creations to the side of the facsimile and pulled my sleeping boulder to the edge closest to me. I then used a claw to draw a rough circle in the middle of the model map. Frecklewish and Splitpelt were just watching me silently.

"I don't think we should build anything within this circle. It is a good place for a central clearing. Besides this, we'll need places for cats to rest, heal, raise kits, and raise apprentices assuming we encourage the idea of having kits here. I think this should be Frecklewish's duty. She was the daughter of a Star and seems the most interested in creating a traditional camp. On the other paw, we'll need sites of significance. Since belief is power, I think sites of ritual or ceremony will be important. I don't know who the cats are you created, but I think that falls under this category. I'll leave it up to you Splitpelt. I'll be assisting either of you should you need it. Feel free to ask me for anything."

"As you wish our beautiful leader."

I could feel my face blush and I stammered, "I don't know about that. I don't think I can be the leader."

Splitpelt had a twisted smile as he replied, "I see you don't deny your beauty."

I could only sputter in reply. I tried to look at Frecklewish for support, but she was just as embarrassed as me. What could she be embarrassed for?

"I-I don't think it's a bad idea for you to be the leader. I mean you are the strongest of us. You came up with the idea of the haven, and you rescued both of us. Without you to lead us, we'd still be wandering aimlessly. It doesn't hurt to have a pretty leader."

I could only freeze more. My pelt felt like it was on fire with all the embarrassment I'd been put through. These two would be the death? Redeath? Of me if they kept up this teasing. I never saw myself as leadership material, but if I needed to fill that mantle for now I would. I know I am a selfish cat looking for only her own redemption, but is it selfish to be a light of hope for these two when I've got my own demons to face? I am the one most deserving of being here. Is it right for me to guide when my own selfish path brought me here? I pushed those thoughts aside. There would be time later for questions of morality. Maybe we'd find some cat more suitable to lead eventually.

"I… Ok. I'll be the leader for now, but if we find some cat better, I'd be fine with stepping down." I stated trying to ignore that fact that the two had both hit on me.

I was not in the right state of mind to consider another relationship. The wounds of my heartbreak still felt fresh. I didn't feel ready to open myself to loving a cat again. Those I loved tended to get removed by choice or by fate. I feared loving another would just put them in harm's way.

Frecklewish looked a bit put out since I didn't respond to her flirt. Splitpelt just nodded like my statement was reasonable and he hadn't made a pass at me. With that, we turned our attention to the miniature camp. We shaped and reshaped it many times. I'd had a few arguments with both cats and mediated a few in the placement and creation of some structures.

What we decided was to have a meeting figurehead stone on our agreed North edge of the central clearing. The figurehead stone would just be my boulder but boosted in height so only a cat who could create like us could climb it. Towards the west end from North to South was the warriors' den, the apprentices' den, and finally the nursery. Given how Splitpelt was ancient but still seemed in his prime, an elders' den was deemed unnecessary. Due east from the central clearing was the medicine den. It may be unnecessary, but maybe the healing properties of herbs would carry up here. If not, the location still had spiritual significance. North of the medicine den was what could only be described as a gateway. It led to our hunting grounds with two of Splitpelt's statues standing adjacent to it. I was told that the two were likenesses of Thunderstar and Windstar. South of the medicine den was another gateway, but it currently led nowhere. It was guarded by a Riverstar and Shadowstar statue. Immediately south of the center was a Skystar statue presiding over the comings and goings of the main entrance.

The camp was by all means an ideal camp. It was something we'd never be able to build in life and held none of the shortcuts we'd have to do in the living world to fit a camp in this space. With no threat of flying predators, we could have an open sky to see our stars. Our outer wall was a stone ring from which we could patrol and watch the outside. It was largely unnecessary, but a feeling of safety would only amplify how safe the camp would actually be. After agreeing our model was complete, we created the camp. I can only say the model did not do it justice. Our camp was a wonder to behold. Some things were smooth in a way we'd never be able to do in life. We could afford to decorate without the wasting of resources. It looked like a fantasy and it was all ours. The idea that we made it with our own paws left me with a burning feeling of pride. Given how Splitpelt and Frecklewish looked, I could tell they were proud of our creation too.