Summary: A few times cats sought comfort under Firestar's wings
Ta da! It's been like ten months since this updated, so I assumed it would be a good time to do so now.
Slight Thunder spoilers ahead...
If any of you have read the Thunder excerpt yet, you'd know that the Erins have done a marvelous job of confusing literally everyone as to whether Squirrelflight will actually become leader. If they were going to time-skip to morning to reveal Squirrel being leader, they wouldn't have made Nightheart be the camera to see what happens at the Moonpool. So maybe something gets interrupted... if so, that makes my job at lot easier. If not... yeah sorry, she's not getting wings.
Hopefully I can get a Halloween chapter out again before the month's end. Halloween during a full moon anyone?
Reviews are appreciated!
Bramblepaw hesitantly crept through the dark undergrowth. The trees above him were bare of leaves, yet the branches stretched endlessly towards a dark sky. There were no stars or even a moon to guide him. His fur fluffed up from a cold wind that made the trees creak and groan. The forest stank of blood and rot, and he stopped every so often in fright as something within the woods around him seemed to moan and scream.
The sounds sounded like cats in pain, yet he couldn't see anyone.
"Bramblepaw…" something whispered his name.
"Whose there?" he called out into the shadows, shivering slightly.
"Bramblepaw…" The voice sounded like it was getting closer, and his ears pricked at the sound of pawsteps and rustling undergrowth.
His nose was suddenly assaulted by the scent of crowfood and blood. A dark tabby paw stepped out from the shadows.
His breathing hitched as Tigerstar pulled himself from the darkness, blood dripping down his belly, fresh from when Scourge ripped it open. The wound was crusted with pus, infection clear to see.
Bramblepaw stepped backward, and Tigerstar stepped forward to match. His paws were stained in blood, leaving bloody pawprints behind with each step. His wings hung limp by his sides, as if he didn't have the strength to keep them folded anymore. They too dragged blood through the earth as he inched forward.
"Bramblepaw… son… you didn't join me," Tigerstar rasped, barring his teeth at the frightened apprentice, his fangs glistening with blood. "Coward…"
His wings suddenly filled with strength as they were lifted to their full wingspan, eclipsing Tigerstar's and Bramblepaw's bodies. Any natural light that was present was quickly sucked into the void that were Tigerstar's wings, leaving him in pitch black.
The scent of blood and infection and the sounds of Tigerstar's labored breathing told him that the former Shadowclan leader was still there.
"Father please! I'm sorry!" he tried calling out, but couldn't help but let out a whimper at the end.
Tigerstar stilled for a few heartbeats. Then all he could hear was the sound of beating wings and Tigerstar's horrible screeching as he saw a flash of claws be brought down on him.
He awoke with a startled gasp. His claws gripped at his nest as his body shook from his heavy breathing. His wide eyes took in the sight of the other apprentices within the apprentices' den, sleeping soundly.
A whimper sounded from his throat, but he stiffened up as Ashpaw grumbled something in his sleep, curling up into a tighter ball.
With his fur fluffed up and his body still lightly trembling, he felt around his nest with a paw. He hit something round and firm, and slowly rolled it over until it was under his nose. He was somewhat thankful that he kept his moss-ball around, as it still faintly smelled of lavender and rosemary.
He hadn't had a nightmare that intense since before he received the moss-ball.
It wasn't helping him this time around, with the scents being too diluted to help him relax. Without a second thought, he picked up the moss-ball in his jaws and carefully tip-toed his way out of the apprentices' den. As soon as he was out, he made a beeline for the leaders' den.
He could see faint light streaming out from the lichen covering the entrance. Firestar always illuminated every den he slept in.
He quietly walked inside, sighing through his nose as he found Firestar alone, sleeping on his stomach with his wings splayed out at his sides.
With moons of practice, he easily slipped through in between Firestar's pelt and a wing, gently pulling on the wing closer to him as he snuggled next to Firestar. The tom shifted in his sleep, but otherwise didn't wake up.
Bramblepaw let his breathing slow as he took in Firestar's presence. His muscles finally eased up. He closed his eyes as he laid his chin on his paws, breathing in the scent of his moss-ball and taking in Firestar's warmth.
He was safe here.
.
.
"Wake up. Come on, Leafkit," Squirrelkit demanded, poking her sister with a single claw. Her sister groaned softly, batting away Squirrelkit with a paw. Undetered, Squirrelkit continued poking her sister until Leafkit's eyes flew open, glaring at her sister.
"What?" she growled crankily.
"Come on, now's the perfect time to see Father!" she whispered excitedly.
Leafkit didn't share her excitement. "Father visits us all the time. He even sleeps with us most of the time for Starclan's sake!"
"But he's not here tonight!"
"Mother said he needed some space for himself tonight. We need to leave him alone," Leafkit yawned.
"She said he needed some space, not that he couldn't sleep with us! Now let's go!" Squirrelkit hissed, urging her sister to her paws.
"It's only for one night Squirrelkit!" Leafkit growled, wanting to snuggle into her mother's fur and go back to sleep.
But Squirrelkit was visibly becoming increasingly upset, like there were ants crawling around in her pelt. "What is up with you?" she muttered, letting Squirrelkit drag her out of the nursery. She glanced at the sleeping queens, thankfully dead asleep.
'Hopefully Mother doesn't freak out come morning,' she lamented.
"It's just cold without him, okay?" Squirrelkit grumbled, eyes shifting around the nursery. She nodded to herself, thinking they were in the clear. She crawled over to the entrance of the nursery, before giving a harsh jerk of her head towards Leafkit.
Rolling her eyes, Leafkit stepped lightly and quietly over to her sister.
"Aren't there cats on guard tonight though?"
"Who cares! It's not like we're leaving camp!" Squirrelkit meowed.
It wasn't hard for their tiny paws to carry them towards their father's den. If the guards posted saw them, they didn't say anything. The two could already feel a gentle heat coming from inside the leaders' den, bright from the light of Firestar's wings.
Squirrelkit pranced in, excepting a night alone with her father and sister.
Except there was already a tabby shape under one of Firestar's wings.
"What? Why'd you stop?" Leafkit asked, before poking her head around her sister. "Oh."
Squirrelkit huffed angrily. She marched right up to Brambleclaw, ignoring her sister's whispers of "No, don't!" and unsheathed her claws. She gave the encroacher a sharp poke in the side. She glared at him harder when he only mumbled to himself.
So she poked him again. And again. And again. And again-
Brambleclaw forced one eye open and looked down at the tiny kit trying her hardest to give him her best intimidating glare. But Brambleclaw was too groggy to really care, only that Firestar's annoying three-moon old kit was bothering him in the middle of the night.
"Shouldn't you be in the nursery?"
"You're in our spot," she hissed.
He scoffed at her. "Firestar doesn't care who sleeps with him at night. He's everyone's spot. Now go away." He yawned and moved to fall back asleep.
Squirrelkit's pelt bristled in anger. "Let it go Squirrelkit. It's not the end of the world if we sleep without Father for one night," Leafkit tried placating her.
"No! He's our father! Not his! We should be his only choice!"
"Move you dumb furball!" she hissed, deciding to bite down hard on Brambleclaw's leg. He jerked up harshly and hissed at her, kicking her off with a leg.
The jostling and noise finally stirred Firestar.
"What is going on here?" he growled, seeing his kit and Brambleclaw look ready to fight each other to the death. His other daughter was to the side, looking distressed.
They both turned to face him, eyes wide.
"I-um-" Brambleclaw's ears flattened onto his head, embarrassed at having been caught sleeping next to his leader.
"He was in our spot," Squirrelkit said. Brambleclaw averted his eyes, but it was clear how angry he was by his lashing tail.
"Spot? You woke us up because you wanted to kick Brambleclaw out despite the fact he was here first?" Firestar narrowed his eyes at his daughter.
"I should go…" Brambleclaw mumbled, hesitantly backing away. In a flash, Firestar reached out with a paw.
"Stay," he commanded.
He turned to face his daughters. "You both should be in the nursery. Does Sandstorm know you're here?"
Squirrelkit stayed silent with her head down. "No… Squirrelkit said it was cold without you, so we snuck out," Leafkit mewed.
He sighed. "Perhaps I spoiled you too much." It was no secret that he spent his nights in the nursery, ever since his kits were born. Squirrelkit and Leafkit only ever knew warmth since they opened their eyes. They always knew he would be around.
'Perhaps they grew too attached to me?'
"Look, there are no 'spots'. The entire clan has snuck in to sleep next to me at some point or another. I really don't mind," he emphasized. "But you can't kick a cat out because you think you should be there instead Squirrelkit," he said sternly.
"Now apologize to Brambleclaw."
Her head shot up. "What?! Why should I?"
He only narrowed his eyes at her. She huffed and bowed her head at Brambleclaw. "I'm sorry I bit you and woke you up," she mumbled.
"Just don't do it again," he muttered.
Firestar sighed, figuring he wasn't going to get much more out of Squirrelkit at the moment. "Leafkit, come here," he murmured. She obeyed, walking over to him stiffly.
"Did Squirrelkit put you up to this?" he asked her, nuzzling her when she nodded mutely. "Alright, both you get under," he opened up the wing on his other side for the two kits to climb under.
As soon as the two kits were snuggled into his side, fast asleep, he lifted his other wing. "I have two wings you know," he explained Brambleclaw, amusement alight in his voice.
The warrior hesitantly settled down next to him. "I'm sorry. I really shouldn't be doing this anymore. I'm too old to keep going to you," he mumbled, positioning himself so that he was pointed away from Firestar, too embarrassed to make eye contact.
Firestar only snorted. "I had Cloudtail and Dustpelt sleeping next to me in the nursery the other day, even though their kits are due to be apprenticed any day now. If you're too old, what's that make them?"
Brambleclaw turned his head around. "Ancient?" he asked, whiskers twitching in mirth.
"Go back to sleep," he murmured.
His former apprentice merely shoved his head on top of Firestar's paws, closing his eyes and letting his breathing even out.
Firestar settled his own head on top of Brambleclaw's, purring as the three bodies snuggled deeper unconsciously.
I had other cats planned for this, so more than likely I'll come out with a second part for this one.
Firestar is Bramble's safe spot. He does this less as he gets older and more independent, and still gets embarrassed whenever someone catches him snuggling with his leader.
Firestar is aware that most cats are only doing it because of his wings, but as long as his clan is happy...
Tell me how I did.
