In this AU, Spottedleaf has wanted to be a medicine cat for her entire life, and Thistleclaw started grooming her partially so that he could take advantage of her being a medicine cat. He is physically abusive towards her, and she pretends that she's just really clumsy when her clanmates ask her about her wounds, since she's scared of what he'll do if she tells them. Thrushpelt and Bluestar are very concerned for her and believe that something else is going on, and they're starting to suspect the truth. Meanwhile, Spottedleaf is in love with Thrushpelt and fantasizes about them running away together and becoming kittypets.

Part 1

I know Seymour's the greatest

But I'm dating a semi-sadist

Spottedleaf is sitting in front of the medicine cat den. She is holding a front paw off the ground at an awkward angle. She looks fondly at something off screen, and the shot switches to reveal that she is watching Thrushpelt, who is chatting with Bluestar. They both laugh at something that he said. The shot switches back to Spottedleaf. She suddenly looks alarmed, but quickly controls her expression and looks neutral afterwards. The shot switches to reveal that she saw Thistleclaw come through the camp entrance near Thrushpelt and Bluestar. They both stop talking and look suspiciously at him. This part ends right after the last line.

Part 2

So I've got a black eye

And my arm's in a cast.

Spottedleaf quickly turns towards the medicine cat den and walks inside. She tensely looks at the entrance for a few seconds, making sure that Thistleclaw didn't see her, then sighs with relief. She distractedly tries to walk on her injured paw and winces slightly, but not as much as would be expected. This part lasts until right before the first line of Part 3.

Part 3

Still, that Seymour's a cutie

Well, if not, he's got inner beauty

Spottedleaf carefully walks over to a crack in the wall, checks to make sure no one's watching her, and pulls a thrush feather out of it. She sits down and pets it with her uninjured front paw contemplatively. She questions whether or not Thrushpelt is cute for a second, then shakes her head, determining that it's not important, and holds the feather to her chest. This part ends right after the last line.

Part 4

And I dream of a place

Where we could be together at last

Spottedleaf turns around and walks to the exit. She shakes herself and closes her eyes for a second, then smiles when she opens them, mentally preparing herself to exit the den. She leaves, but the outside of the den isn't revealed yet. This part ends right after the last line.

Part 5

A matchbox of our own

A fence of real chain link,

Spottedleaf exits the medicine cat den onto the yard of a house. She sighs contentedly, then looks expectantly at a mailbox, which has a small bit of brown fur sticking out of it. Suddenly, Thrushpelt bursts out of it and lands on the ground in front of her. She pretends to be scared for a second, and then they laugh. Spottedleaf affectionately presses her head against his chin, and he closes his eyes contentedly. This part ends right after the last line.

Part 6

A grill out on the patio

Disposal in the sink

Thrushpelt gestures towards the house with his head, and they start walking towards it, with Spottedleaf falling slightly behind him. She easily catches a fat mouse along the way without having to slow her pace, and they enter the house.

Part 7

A washer and a dryer and an ironing machine

Thrushpelt hops onto a washer easily, then turns back towards Spottedleaf. He notices that she caught a mouse and is impressed. Thrushpelt offers her a paw and pulls her up onto the washer with him, and she settles by his side.

Part 8

In a tract house that we share

Somewhere that's green.

Spottedleaf and Thrushpelt take turns sliding the mouse to each other and taking bites out of it. Thrushpelt slurps up the tail, and Spottedleaf giggles. This part lasts until 1:23.

Part 9

He rakes and trims the grass

Spottedleaf pushes the mouse off of the washer, contentedly lays her head down, and closes her eyes. Thrushpelt yawns and rests his head on her neck gently, then closes his eyes. Right before the line "He rakes and trims the grass," Spottedleaf reaches a front paw outwards and snaps her claws, and she and Thrushpelt appear back in the yard. Thrushpelt is bravely patrolling the parameters of the yard, and Spottedleaf is patrolling as well, slightly behind him.

Part 10

He loves to mow and weed

I cook like Betty Crocker

And I look like Donna Reed

Thrushpelt comes across a stray thistle and hastily hides it in a bush, then turns around and smiles nervously at Spottedleaf. She pretends to not have noticed and somehow presents a bowl of cat food that must have appeared out of thin air to him. As Thrushpelt looks excitedly at the bowl, she quickly brings her head down, making the fur on her head into a stylish curl. Thrushpelt switches to excitedly looking at her, and she smiles and snaps her claws.

Part 11

There's plastic on the furniture

To keep it neat and clean

In the Pine-Sol scented air

Spottedleaf and Thrushpelt are now loafing side by side on a plastic-covered chair in the house. Thrushpelt is playing with a slipper, and Spottedleaf is playing with a rope toy. Near the middle of the part, they coordinately switch toys, touching their noses together in the process, then play with the new ones.

Part 12

Somewhere that's green

Spottedleaf looks at her paw that Thistleclaw broke, and it suddenly goes back to being at an awkward angle. She is extremely distressed by this, and lets the slipper drop to the ground. Thrushpelt quickly drops the rope toy, presses into her side, and reassuringly licks her ears. Spottedleaf is calmed by this, and her paw goes back to normal. She looks at him gratefully. He still looks distressed, so she snaps her claws. This part lasts until 2:09.

Part 13

Spottedleaf and Thrushpelt appear in front of the fence, in the place where Spottedleaf initially entered this landscape. They start taking a walk, going to the right. Spottedleaf is slightly behind Thrushpelt, and she avoids looking at the forest next to their neighborhood by either looking towards the fence or mostly blocking it from her view with his body. She realizes that she can just get rid of it, and it is replaced with grasslands. Thrushpelt isn't fazed by this, and Spottedleaf starts walking more confidently. A bird flies overhead, interesting them for a few seconds before they resume walking. Near the end of the part, they twine their tails together, and Spottedleaf snaps her claws. This part lasts until 2:22.

Part 14

Spottedleaf and Thrushpelt appear back in the house. He is sitting with Nutmeg, Quince, and Ruby, and they are listening intently as Spottedleaf tells a story about her and Thrushpelt's old life in the forest. She pretends to dodge a claw slash, then quickly rolls onto her back, shoves herself backwards with her hind legs, and pretends to slash at an enemy warrior's chest. She gets up and bows, and they start clapping. Thrushpelt smiles proudly at her. Spottedleaf puffs out her chest and snaps her claws. This part lasts until 2:31.

Part 15

Somewhere that's green

Nutmeg, Quince, and Ruby disappear, and Pinestar appears in front of Spottedleaf. He is sitting in front of her and awkwardly tilting an ear with a fresh tear on it towards her. Thrushpelt sits to the left of them, watching Spottedleaf work supportively. Spottedleaf gently places a poultice on Pinestar's ear and isn't fazed when he slightly jerks his head. She expertly wraps a spider web around the poultice, and he dips his head gratefully to her. She beams and snaps her claws.

Part 16

Between our frozen dinner

And our bedtime, nine-fifteen

We snuggle watchin' Lucy

Spottedleaf is now in front of the chair from earlier, and Thrushpelt is loafing on it. Their two kits are slightly in front of her, facing away from the chair. Spottedleaf has a bag of cat treats in her mouth sideways, and she pours some out for her kits, jumps on the chair, and pours some out for her and Thrushpelt. She serves Thrushpelt before herself. They all smile gratefully at her after she gives them the treats. She and Thrushpelt snuggle close together. This part lasts until right before the first line of Part 17.

Part 17

On our big, enormous twelve-inch screen

I'm his

It is revealed that Spottedleaf, Thrushpelt, and their kits are watching birds through a tiny window. Thrushpelt and the kit that looks like Spottedleaf eat a few treats, and Spottedleaf lays her head down and sighs contentedly. This part lasts until right before the first line of Part 18.

Part 18

December Bride

He's Father, he Knows Best

Our kids play Howdy Doody

The kit that looks like Thrushpelt eats one of his sister's treats, and she unsheathes her claws and angrily jumps on him. He unsheathes his claws as well, and they start wrestling. Thrushpelt and Spottedleaf quickly jump off of the chair, and Thrushpelt gently pushes on their front claws, signalling that they should sheathe them. They obey and look apologetically at him, and he gives them a reassuring smile. While Thrushpelt does this, Spottedleaf sees that he has control over the situation and quietly goes and puts a treat from her son's pile into his sister's.

Part 19

As the sun sets in the west

A picture out of Better Homes

The kits nod determinedly, promising to not fight with unsheathed claws again, and Thrushpelt nods approvingly in response. Spottedleaf fondly licks their heads as they settle back down to watch the window, and she and Thrushpelt walk back towards the chair, jump on it, and settle back down, with Thrushpelt slightly in the lead.

Part 20

and Gardens magazine

Spottedleaf and Thrushpelt snuggle close together. Spottedleaf contentedly closes her eyes, and Thrushpelt lovingly licks her ears and gently lays his head on her neck, then closes his eyes as well. Near the end of the part, the shot focuses on Spottedleaf's eyes, and she jolts them open in a panic right before the part ends. This part lasts until right before the first line of Part 21.

Part 21

Far from Skid Row

I dream

Spottedleaf is back in the medicine cat den. She was jolted out of her daydream by Thistleclaw's shadow, which extends across the floor and back wall of the den and is distorted by it. She stays extremely still. The shadow stops moving to the left for a second, and she looks extremely panicked, but it keeps moving to the left and disappears. This does not reduce her anxiety very much. This part lasts until right before the first line of Part 22.

Part 22

we'll go

Somewhere

Spottedleaf looks for the thrush feather for a few seconds, finds it, and clutches it to her chest, then closes her eyes. She sighs, opens her eyes, and appears to be calmer. This part lasts until right before the first line of Part 23.

Part 23

that's green.

Spottedleaf lovingly strokes the feather and gently places it back in the crack in the wall. She slowly limps to the den exit and cautiously looks outside the den. She sees Thistleclaw eating a thrush to the left of the den and quickly draws her head back in, but moves one of the vines covering the entrance with a front paw so that she can see out. She looks forlornly into the distance.

Part 24

Spottedleaf watches Thrushpelt and Bluestar, who are now keeping their heads close together and talking very seriously and tensley. They occasionally glance over at Thistleclaw. This part lasts until 4:17.

Part 25

Thistleclaw becomes aware that he's being stared at and looks at Thrushpelt and Bluestar confrontationally. They hold his gaze, and he backs into the bramble bushes surrounding camp, swishing his tail angrily, and disappears into them.