AN: TWO chapters are coming out today, back to back! Make sure you check out the next chapter after this one!
I'm excited (and a little nervous) about these chapters since big things are finally revealed. I hope you all like it :)
Frostmask's thoughts whirled with excitement, anticipation, and anxiety as she rose from her nest. She gently stepped over her sleeping kits and crept out of the nursery into a camp wreathed in shadows. It was darkest time of night— sunrise still a while off. It was also the quietest time in camp, when the evening patrols had long since returned, but before the dawn patrols needed to be organized. Most cats were sleeping peacefully in their dens. The only cats who would be awake at this time were those seeking a solitary night-hunt, or those like herself, with secretive motives.
Yesterday, Larchtail and Mottledflame had agreed to meet Frostmask at the boundary between SkyClan's territory and the twoleg-place at dawn. They couldn't be gone from their camp for too long, or else someone would notice they were missing, but they had offered to at least show Frostmask the area of the twoleg-place that SkyClan most frequently patrols— the most likely location for the black-and-white kittypet Birdstrike had mentioned to reside. Frostmask was uncertain how long it would take her to reach their meeting point, except that it would be a long trek from ShadowClan's camp. The least risky path would be for her to skirt the outside borders of ThunderClan territory until she hit SkyClan, but she had no concept the distance that would be. It very well may take her the rest of the night to get there.
So I better get going now.
Autumnleap's somber amber eyes blinked at her from the shadows of the thorn barrier as she padded over to the tunnel. Knowing that she'd have to leave and wanting to avoid any questions, she'd assigned him as the camp's guard for the night. That made for one less clan-mate questioning her whereabouts. But, it did mean that she had to fend off Autumnleap's concerns for a final time. He'd already made it abundantly clear what he thought of this 'frog-brained' plan.
"Is there anything I can say to change your mind?" Autumnleap whispered, touching his nose to her ear as she reached his side. "Meeting with SkyClan warriors at Fourtrees is one thing, but heading all the way out to the twoleg-place with them?! I love you, Frostmask, but sometimes I worry you have tadpoles swimming in your head."
"I need to do this," Frostmask whispered. "It's the only other lead I've got. It doesn't matter that it's risky."
"Of course it matters!" Autumnleap whispered back, blinking hard. "You have to weigh the risks to the rewards. What if it doesn't even work out? What if you can't find the cat you're looking for?"
Frostmask stretched up on her toes to brush her cheek fur against his, both affection and annoyance towards his protectiveness swirling inside her.
"Then I come back home. We forget all this nonsense about my parents' past, and you can stop fretting about me like a mother goose," she said.
Despite her light and teasing tone, worry clenched in Frostmask's belly. Autumnleap was worried what might happen if she was caught by SkyClan today, or if something bad happened to her in the twoleg-place— hypotheticals. But, she and the rest of ShadowClan had plenty of problems that weren't hypothetical. If she failed to find this kittypet, or learn anything new about Paledusk, none of her problems would be solved. She'd be just as lost as before about the source of the conflict building against ShadowClan, and they would still be barreling on a collision course towards it. Things would end poorly— one way or another.
"I'll see you soon," Frostmask said. "Watch over the kits and keep the Clan from asking too many questions while I'm gone, okay?"
Autumnleap sighed.
"I'll try my best," he murmured. "But come back as quick as you can."
Frostmask nodded. She faced the tunnel, but a sudden impulse came over her that made her turn back, pressing her muzzle to his.
"I love you."
Autumnleap gave a soft, melancholic purr. "I love you too."
Frostmask gave him a final, fond blink before slipping into the tunnel and exiting camp. She stepped into ShadowClan's dark pine forest, pointing her paws in the direction of the ThunderClan's border. She started forward at a brisk trot, one which she could maintain for some time; she had a lot of distance to cover tonight. But, she'd just made it away from the vicinity of ShadowClan's camp and entered into the denser woods when there was a soft rustling behind her.
"Whatcha doing?"
Frostmask almost jumped out of her fur at the sudden voice. She whipped around and the dark spiky-furred figure of Pineshade melted out of the darkness, the faint glimmer of starlight in her one amber eye the only clear visual indicator of her presence.
Frostmask exhaled sharply. "Great StarClan Pineshade! You nearly scared the life out of me."
Pineshade blinked at her.
"You didn't answer my question," she said, her tail-tip flicking in impatience.
"I'm just… going for a night hunt," Frostmask said, some nervousness starting to twist in her belly at the intense glimmer in Pineshade's eye.
Pineshade padded closer to her, one of her brows arching.
"Really? How about I come with you then," she said smoothly. "I don't feel like sleeping."
Frostmask's ears angled back.
"Er…" she mumbled. "I'd prefer to hunt alone tonight…"
"It's funny," Pineshade said, her amber eye narrowing. "Autumnleap told me the same thing when I asked him what you were up to after I saw you leave camp. But, you and I both know my brother has always been a terrible liar."
Frostmask froze, her chest tightening as her nervousness grew into full-blown anxiety.
"Seriously, Frostmask," Pineshade said, locking her under the heat of her amber gaze. "What's going on?"
Frostmask hesitated, silence yawning between them as she weighed her options.
Pineshade was one of her best friends. Couldn't she simply just trust her with the truth, like she'd done with Autumnleap? She could tell her that she was investigating her father— SkyClan's deputy.
Intense worry stabbed through Frostmask.
But, what if that changed the way Pineshade saw her and destroyed their friendship? It'd been seasons since she used to ridicule Frostmask as a rogue, but if she found out she'd been keeping this secret about Paledusk… it may bring those old feelings back to the surface.
Frostmask's stomach twisted nauseatingly at the thought, but her mind quickly bounced to a new possibility.
Will I even be able to keep this a secret from Pineshade, or anyone else for that matter, for much longer? If I find out that Paledusk has been up to something— causing the other Clans to threaten ShadowClan— I'll have to explain how I came across the information, right?
Pineshade's tail twitched with more vigor. Patience was quickly draining out of her expression. Frostmask needed to make a decision.
"I'm sorry. I can't talk about it right now," she finally whispered. "But, please trust me when I say it's important, and that I need to do it alone."
Pineshade rolled her eye with an annoyed huff.
"I'm not the only cat starting to ask questions, you know," she said. "Dampfang came up to me yesterday around sunhigh, demanding to know if I knew where you were."
Frostmask's eyes stretched wide, every muscle in her body tense. She'd had no idea Dampfang had noticed her absence. He hadn't said a word to her after she'd returned from Fourtrees.
"He did? Then what happened? What did you say?" Frostmask asked, her chest tightening.
The last thing I need right now is Dampfang causing more trouble by finding out about my meeting with the SkyClan cats!
Pineshade waved away her concern with a swish of her tail. "I'm not an idiot! Of course I told him the same thing that I heard Autumnleap tell him— you were worried about WindClan and decided to do a patrol down the border alone just to check."
Frostmask relaxed slightly, silently thanking StarClan for Pineshade's quick wit.
Pineshade shook her head. "Speaking of idiots, though, did you come up with that frog-brained story about WindClan or did Autumnleap? Doing a border patrol alone is an even dumber excuse than night-hunting alone. At least the latter is believable, but only an idiot would patrol WindClan's border alone right now, when they're being so hostile to us."
Frostmask grimaced slightly.
I shouldn't have left yesterday without giving Autumnleap an excuse to give the Clan. I just didn't think anyone would notice or care! Sunhighs are a cat's own time— they can spend it in the camp, or out in the territory, whatever they see fit.
"It doesn't matter who came up with that," Frostmask said, shaking her head.
Pineshade snorted. "Autumnleap."
"I just can't have Dampfang on my tail about this," Frostmask continued, her tone insistent.
Pineshade's ears pricked, her expression growing more serious. She took another step towards Frostmask.
"Then you admit that was just an excuse yesterday? Why were you really out? Is it secret deputy stuff you and Sedgestar planned? Is something really important happening?" she asked.
Frostmask shook her head helplessly. "I don't know. I'm trying to figure that out."
Pineshade opened her mouth, another question clearly burning on her tongue.
"Pineshade, please," Frostmask said before she could speak. "I promise, I'll explain it to you soon, but I need to go now."
Pineshade's mouth closed slowly, her ears angling back and her lips twisting into a surly expression. For a moment, Frostmask feared that she would refuse to let her go unless she gave her some real answers, but then Pineshade sighed sharply.
"Fine," she grumbled. "But, you better keep that promise. Otherwise, I'll claw your whiskers off."
Frostmask nodded, nervousness still knotting in her belly at the thought of telling Pineshade the truth, but she shoved the sensation away. That was a problem for another night. She had other, more pressing matters to deal with right now.
"Can you help Autumnleap with keeping the Clan off my back?" Frostmask asked, her ears pricking hopefully. "I might be gone for a while. Not more than a day, but… long enough that more cats than Dampfang will start to ask questions if we're not careful."
"Wait, only Autumnleap knows to lie for you?!" Pineshade said, her eye stretching wide. "StarClan, you're in way more dire need of my help than I thought! Was he going to just tell the Clan you're still out for a night hunt when it's in the middle of the day?! Sedgestar will be sending out search parties!"
Frostmask's ears heated with embarrassment. "I don't know… I was just going to let Autumnleap come up with something. I know cats will ask questions, but I really need to do this. And, he told me that he would handle it."
Pineshade shook her head dramatically.
"I'll handle it," she insisted. "I'll tell the Clan that you asked me to organize the patrols for you. You'll be… sheltering in a den outside of camp because you're sick to your stomach from a bad mouse, constantly spewing your insides out."
Frostmask wrinkled her nose at the gross mental image. "Ew."
Pineshade gave a sage nod. "Exactly. You don't want to see anyone else in that state, and no cat will want to see you."
Pineshade's brow furrowed.
"Well, except Elmclaw to bring you medicine, and Redclaw to make sure you're okay. But, I'll figure something else out to tell them," she said.
Frostmask sighed softly.
"Thank you, Pineshade," she murmured. "Truly."
Pineshade flicked an ear to dismiss her gratitude.
"Whatever," she said with a shrug. "But, you do owe me big time, so you better tell me everything when you get back."
With that, Pineshade swished her tail in goodbye, turned around and stalked off. Frostmask waited a moment longer, her ears pricked and muzzle lifted to the breeze to make sure that she'd really gone before she disguised her scent in a nearby patch of fennel and resumed her trek. Anxiety buzzed in her head like a persistent mosquito as she made her way to the thunderpath before turning to follow it down the ThunderClan border, until she passed the place where she'd found Newtkit, Mistkit, their sibling, and their birth mother, and reached the edge of Clan territory.
Frostmask paused at the very edge of the thunderpath to check for monsters, but it was quiet this late at night. She inhaled a deep breath.
Here goes nothing.
Frostmask darted across the sticky black stone and into the forest that stretched beyond Clan borders. The area here looked largely like ThunderClan territory, but she could tell from the scents on the breeze that it wasn't prey-rich. However, the scents of twolegs were fairly strong in this area.
Maybe the proximity to the twoleg-place scares prey away. That's probably why ThunderClan doesn't mark this area. It's not worth maintaining.
Frostmask kept each of her senses strained as she continued, on high alert for any predators— dogs, foxes, badgers— that might lurk in this area without fear of being harassed by Clan cats. The fur down Frostmask's spine prickled at the eeriness that came with being outside of Clan territory. Things here seemed both so similar, but also so foreign.
Is this the same way May took me? The thought struck her out of nowhere like a lightning bolt from a blue sky. Am I retracing our pawsteps from seasons ago? That long, terrible trek in the snow from the border of SkyClan into ShadowClan's pines?
Despite the warm air, Frostmask shivered, glancing around at the trees with a new fear and awe as she pictured the green-leaf canopies instead ladened with ice and snow. Would she walk right by the hollow tree den that she'd been born in?
I never thought my paws would ever travel this way again.
The night wore on as Frostmask padded through the strip of woods that bordered ThunderClan's territory. With every step she took, she could almost feel the ghost of May walking beside her.
Tiredness was beginning to drag at Frostmask's paws, but she jolted out of her weary trudging as she realized the environment around her was starting to turn from black to shades of grey. Her ears perked up as concern washed away her exhaustion.
It's already almost dawn?!
Frostmask's jaws parted to drink in the air. The forest around her looked the same as it had when she'd crossed the thunderpath, and the scent of ThunderClan remained heavy on her tongue. Was she even close to the SkyClan border yet?
I can't miss meeting with Larchtail and Mottledflame!
Frostmask leapt forward, forcing her tired legs into a lope. Thankfully, she didn't have to run for long before the powerful scent of SkyClan scent-markers washed over her.
Thank StarClan!
Even though ThunderClan's territory didn't extend into this part of the words, Frostmask quickly realized that SkyClan's did when ran into a line of their scent markers in front of her. She crept over the markers and traveled for just a few tree-lengths more before the forest ended abruptly. The area in front of her was an expanse of churned up dirt and stumps, and the scent of twolegs and monsters were heavy in the air.
This must be the Treecut-place Larchtail and Mottledflame told me about.
Frostmask glanced around, searching for their pelts; this was the place that she was supposed to meet them. To her right, the destroyed forest continued on for only a little bit before transforming back into normal, healthy woods, but to her left side, it stretched on until it hit a cropping of twoleg dens and monsters. Beyond them, there was nothing but more towering dens, their dark roofs stark against the pale dawn sky. Frostmask's pelt itched uncomfortably as she gazed towards the strange territory.
The twoleg-place.
Frostmask turned towards it and began down the edge of the Treecut-place, sticking to the shadows cast by the bordering trees. Her ears pricked in eagerness as she caught the scent of Larchtail and Mottledflame, and she soon spotted two silhouettes perched on a large stump. Frostmask waved her tail to catch their attention and bounded forward.
"Sorry I'm a little late," she panted as she reached them. "It was a longer journey here than I'd thought."
Mottledflame sprung off the stump to meet her and dipped their head in greeting. But Larchtail just blinked down at Frostmask, a wary gleam in her eyes. Frostmask's chest tightened in worry as she met her gaze.
Is she having second thoughts?
"It's weird seeing you here, so deep in our territory," Larchtail muttered finally.
Mottledflame arched a brow.
"Well, we did allow her here," they pointed out.
Larchtail's flipped her striped tail in response, her brow furrowing, but she still rose to her paws. "Come on. The dawn patrol will have left camp at first light. Let's get to the twoleg-place before they make it here."
Larchtail leapt down and started trotting off, leaving Frostmask and Mottledflame to follow.
"Will they also patrol the twoleg-place?" Frostmask asked as she put on a short burst of speed to catch up with Larchtail.
Larchtail shook her head. "No. We don't patrol the twoleg-place regularly like we do our borders. Once we are beyond the woods, we shouldn't have to worry about running into any of my clan-mates."
They walked in silence for awhile, leaving Frostmask to fearfully marvel at the approaching twoleg dens. Closer, they were even larger and stranger than they appeared from far off. They weren't the tallest structures she'd ever seen— most were shorter than trees, but they were quite wide, with unnaturally sharp and straight angles.
Mottledflame glanced over at her, quickly noticing her prickling pelt.
"Oh, have you ever seen a twoleg den before?" they asked.
Frostmask gave her head a small shake.
"There's a really little one by the Carrionplace," she murmured. "But nothing like this… there are so many."
"This isn't even a fraction it it," Larchtail murmured. "And, the twoleg-place just keeps going. I don't think there's been any Clan cat who's been able to find the end of it."
Frostmask glanced over her shoulder at the trees that had clearly been destroyed by something unnatural.
And, they're making it even bigger, aren't they? Frostmask thought, recalling the information she'd gleaned from the conversations she'd had with Paledusk. The twolegs are the ones that did this to your forest, right?
But, Frostmask had enough sense not to ask that out loud. She needed Larchtail and Mottledflame to keep helping her, and she wouldn't win any favors with them by asking probing questions about SkyClan's problems.
Larchtail's and Mottledflame's pawsteps were confident as they led Frostmask past massive, slumbering monsters from only fox-lengths away. Every hair on Frostmask's pelt strained against going so close to the enormous, foul-smelling beasts, but Larchtail and Mottledflame were going that way…
"Aren't you afraid that they'll wake up?!" Frostmask hissed as she hurried to catch up to the SkyClan warriors.
The pair exchanged an almost amused glance.
"Monsters only wake up if there are twolegs around," Mottledflame explained. "And, the twolegs aren't here yet."
"…Oh."
The SkyClan warriors continued to look a bit amused at her discomfort and worry. Frostmask shook her pelt to flatten her bristling fur, feeling a bit like a foolish apprentice out on her first patrol.
"There are a few thunderpaths here that SkyClan knows well. They are the places we'd be most likely to patrol, when we go into the twoleg-place," Larchtail said as they continued. "Mottledflame and I don't have the time to escort you around them, but we will give you directions. The dens along those thunderpath are the best chance you have of finding this kittypet that knew you mother. After all, it makes the most sense that… that Slatewhisker would have met him here."
Frostmask nodded, but she didn't miss how Larchtail's voice hiccuped slightly over Slatewhisker's name. She was clearly still uncomfortable with the idea of her father having such close connections to cats outside of SkyClan, and a kittypet especially.
But she is still willing to help me. Frostmask felt a sudden flash of gratitude towards Larchtail— her kin, even if she didn't know it.
They entered into the shadows cast by the fences of the first row of twoleg dens, and Frostmask's pelt lifted again off her spine despite her best efforts of controlling it. But, even Larchtail and Mottledflame looked more wary now.
"Twolegs typically don't come out until a bit later in the morning," Larchtail murmured. "But it's always good to stay alert."
They turned the corner of a fence and reached the first thunderpath. No monsters prowled down it yet. Instead, they sat placidly in tiny thunderpaths next to the twoleg dens.
"Alright. This is where you will want to start," Mottledflame said, lifting this muzzle to point their nose down the thunderpath. "You'll want to head down this path until you reach a yellow den with a huge maple tree in the yard. Then you will turn right, and travel until you see the den next to the strange pond. Don't drink the water in that pond, by the way; it tastes terrible and will make you sick if you have too much. Turn right there again and keep walking. It will take you back to the Treecut-place. You'll emerge somewhere down that way." Mottledflame vaguely waved their tail down towards the right. "From there, you will have to make your way back to your own territory."
"Be careful when you come back here to the Treecut-place. You don't want to run into any patrols," Larchtail warned.
Mottledflame nodded. "Yes."
They turned their hazel gaze onto Frostmask. "You'll want to look for the black-and-white kittypet in the dens that border that thunderpath boundary and the ones in-between them. Does that all make sense?"
Instead of answering, Frostmask stared wide eyed at the alien landscape before her— the many thunderpaths, the manicured yards with unnaturally short grass and strangely shaped bushes, and as soon as the sun grew higher in the sky, it would be crawling with twolegs and monsters. Unfamiliar scents washed over her wave after wave.
I really have to navigate this all by myself?
She was starting to regret not letting Autumnleap come with her.
"Frostmask?" Larchtail prompted.
Frostmask blinked, jerking herself out of her fear and summoning her strength.
"Okay," she said with a sharp exhale. "So, first right turn at the yellow den with the tree, and the next right at the weird pond, correct?"
"Yes," Larchtail said.
"Alright…" Frostmask turned from the twoleg-place to instead focus a grateful gaze on Larchtail and Mottledflame. "Thank you for all of your help— truly."
Mottledflame dipped their head in a graceful acceptance, but Larchtail hesitated.
"If… if you find the kittypet, you'll let me know if he tells you anything about Slatewhisker, right?" she asked.
Frostmask nodded. She could tell that, in her own way, Larchtail needed answers about her parent just as desperately as Frostmask needed answers about hers. Neither of them could fully move on with their lives with these mysteries swirling in their pasts.
"I will," she said.
"Thank you," Larchtail breathed. "Well… good luck."
Larchtail and Mottledflame hung back as Frostmask ventured into the twoleg-place. Even though she had to work to keep her paw-steps steady, she didn't look back for reassurance from Larchtail and Mottledflame, if they were even still lingering at the Treecut-place's border. Frostmask knew she was on her own from here.
She kept her mouth parted to search for cat scents as she darted from yard to yard. But was difficult to pay much attention to searching for cats when so many other, stranger, things assaulted her senses. Morning sunlight was growing stronger, and with it, the twolegs were stirring as the SkyClan warriors had warned.
Odd yellow lights flickered on from inside dens. She caught glimpses of twolegs' massive figures through the holes in the sides of the walls. Dogs were barking from nearby, but she couldn't see them. Then she nearly jumped straight out of her fur when a monster roared to life further down the thunderpath. It's eyes glowed a harsh yellow as it crawled out of its little thunderpath and onto the main one. Frostmask ducked beneath a hedge, terrified that it may have spotted her, but it turned away from her and started traveling down the thunderpath in the opposite direction.
Frostmask heaved a sigh, but as she crawled out of hiding her relief that she was unharmed was eclipsed by a growing sense of frustration and worry. How in StarClan's name was she supposed to find a single cat in all this terrifying chaos? She hadn't even yet made it all the way down this single thunderpath that Larchtail and Mottledflame had marked out for her, and there were likely many more thunderpaths for her to check. She'd probably have better luck trying to find a single, specific squirrel in all of ShadowClan territory, than finding this one kittypet here.
"You need some help? You're looking a bit lost, young'un."
Frostmask started at the sudden voice, her head jerking towards. Perched in the sunlight on top of a fence was a plump, older tom. He was grey-and-white furred, with the center of his face split with white that trailed up from his nose. A collar hung around his neck.
He's a kittypet then.
The rest of the tom's muzzle was speckled with white fur from age, and he gazed down at Frostmask with kind eyes.
"You new in town? Wander a bit too far from your house?" the old cat asked. "Just ask, and I'll point you in the right direction. I know this neighborhood like the back of my paw."
Frostmask blinked hard a few times, her surprise beginning to fade. She didn't understand several of the words this old tom used, but he sounded friendly. Help from a local cat that knew the area might be exactly what she needed.
"I'm… I'm actually looking for someone," Frostmask said. "Or er— someone who knew someone. But, I don't know where he lives. He's a black-and-white cat who once knew some cats named May, Paledusk, and Slatewhisker."
The cat stiffened, all traces of friendliness in his expression wiped away. He narrowed his eyes at Frostmask, sinking unsheathed claws into the wooden fence beneath him.
"Those are wildcat names. Are you looking for a Clan cat?" he asked, a growl rumbling beneath his words.
Frostmask's eyes widened, more surprised than frightened by his sudden defensive display.
"You've heard of the Clans?" she asked.
"Have I heard of the Clans?" the cat echoed with an incredulous snort. "Of course I've heard of the Clans! SkyClan loves to roam the neighborhood like they own the streets as well as the forest. Bunch of bullies."
The cat gave a low growl, raking a gaze that was as sharp as thorns over Frostmask. "Don't tell me that you're one of them?"
"No," Frostmask said quickly. "Well— er— yes."
The cat's ears flattened against his head.
"I'm a Clan cat I mean," Frostmask continued, trying to explain. "But, I'm from ShadowClan, not SkyClan. SkyClan are our enemies too."
At that, the old tom relaxed slightly, sweeping a keen gaze up and down Frostmask.
"'ShadowClan,' huh? I can't say that I've ever met a ShadowClan wildcat before," he mused. "Now that you mention it though, I can see your scars. All ShadowClan cats look like you? I've only seen a fur pattern like yours on housecats and strays before. Didn't know ferals could look that way."
Frostmask's ears warmed slightly. Even here in the twoleg-place, where there were apparently other cats that looked like her, her fur pattern was still getting pointed out.
The irony wasn't lost on her:
A lot of Clan cats think I look too much like an outside. But, I am too much of a Clan cat for these kittypets to accept me easily.
"No…" Frostmask admitted. "My mother wasn't from ShadowClan. She was from here actually." The tom's gaze sharpened with interest, and Frostmask uncomfortably shifted from paw to paw under his scrutiny. "Her name was May, and she knew this black-and-white kittypet. That's why I'm here looking for him. May is dead now, so this cat is the only cat who I know of that might be able to tell me any information about her."
"Hm…" the old cat considered, impressing Frostmask with his balance when he reached a hindpaw up to scratch his ear as he remained perched top of the narrow fence. "Alright, I'll help you out. Just 'cause your mother is from the town, and it seems like she taught you some manners. You're the most polite wildcat I've ever met."
A sigh of relief slipped from Frostmask's mouth.
"Thank you," she said, deciding it would probably be best to not tell the cat that her mother had died long before she had the chance to impart any proper manners on to Frostmask.
The old cat sprung down from the fence, nimble despite his age, and landed a tail-length away from Frostmask.
"My name is Bingo," he said. "And you are?"
"Frostm— Frost. Just Frost," Frostmask said, cutting herself off just in time before she could give her full name.
Her pelt prickled.
What if Bingo mentions meeting me to some other cats, and it gets back to SkyClan or Paledusk? 'Frost' at least gives me some plausible deniability, but I doubt there are many 'Frostmask's running around twoleg-place.
Bingo's gaze narrowed skeptically.
"Just Frost, huh? That doesn't sound like any wildcat name that I've heard," he said.
"It's the name my mother gave me," Frostmask said truthfully.
Bingo gazed at Frostmask for a moment longer before shrugging dismissively, seemingly deciding that it wasn't worth an argument.
"Alright then, Frost," Bingo said briskly. "Now, I have to admit that I don't know where this cat that you're looking for is. But, I can take you to someone that might. There is a cat who lives nearby. His name is Leo, and he's ancient."
Frostmask's gaze widened slightly.
"And, I know that you're thinking that I look as old as dirt, so how can this other cat be ancient?" Bingo continued without a beat, making Frostmask's ears start to warm. "But, Leo has been around in this town forever— far longer than me. He knows everyone around her. If anyone knows about this cat you're looking for, it'll be him. And, he's had dealings with the wildcats in the past too."
Bingo took off down the thunderpath without anymore preamble, his tail held high. After a moment of hesitation, Frostmask trotted after him. She had no reason yet to distrust the friendly tom, and she'd already decided it would be near useless for her to search the twoleg-place alone. Still though, Frostmask hoped they would stay in the area the SkyClan warriors had marked for her. She wasn't confident in her ability to find her way back to the Clan's territory if not. Thankfully, although they passed a few dens, it didn't take long for Bingo to veer off into a garden and head straight towards a fence.
"He lives over here," Bingo said before projecting his voice. "Hey Leo!"
Bingo leapt to the top of the short, stone fence without breaking stride, springing into another yard. Frostmask hurried to keep up with him, following him into a small, cool, and shaded garden, framed by bushes and ferns. Frostmask relaxed marginally. This area at least reminded her more of the forest than the yards in the other dens had.
"Leo? Leo! I want to talk to you about something!" Bingo yowled, pacing in front of the back part of the twoleg den.
Frostmask's pelt prickled as she slunk up behind him.
"Aren't you worried about catching the twoleg's attentions?" she hissed.
Bingo shot her a puzzled look. "Why would I be worried? That's kind of the point."
Muffled, but loud footfalls thumped from inside the den. Then a large flap in the side of it creaked open, sending a rush of strange scents into the yard. A towering figure emerged from the den.
Utter terror seized Frostmask in an icy grip. She darted for cover beneath a nearby bush, every instinct screaming at her to hide. Even though logically she knew that Bingo was a kittypet, who was used to twolegs, it still stunned her that he didn't even shrink away from the huge creature. The twoleg bent towards Bingo, who indulgently allowed it to stroke his back with a hairless paw. As the twoleg pawed at Bingo, a fluffy auburn tom shuffled out of the den behind the twoleg, padding into the yard. After a final stroke from the twoleg, Bingo turned away from it, striding over instead to the cat, Leo, presumably. The twoleg murmured something in an incomprehensible language before it turned as well and entered back into the den.
"You can come out now." Bingo was staring right at Frostmask's hiding spot, sitting next to the dark ginger cat.
Frostmask's pelt was still bristling, but now it was partly in shame as she crept out of the bush. The kittypets were so nonchalant about being around such massive creatures, her fear was almost embarrassing.
The kittypet they'd came here for, Leo, had clearly once been a large cat. But his frame now had been shrunk and hunched by age, like he was slowly collapsing within himself. His long, auburn fur was still magnificent though; it encircled his neck like a mane and gleamed in the sunlight. Frostmask found the color oddly familiar— it reminded her a lot of Autumnleap's fur.
As Frostmask approached the pair of toms, Leo swung his muzzle towards her, his mouth parting slightly to drink in her scent.
"So Leo, this is Frost," Bingo introduced her. "She came from ShadowClan, and she's looking for someone from around here who might have known some other Clan cats. I thought if anyone would be able to help with finding them, it'd be you."
"ShadowClan?" Leo echoed, his eyes widening. "Now that's a Clan I haven't heard of in a long time."
"I'm not looking for cats who knew ShadowClan cats," Frostmask explained quickly. "SkyClan actually."
Leo blinked at her, but Frostmask noticed his eyes didn't exactly focus on her face. His pupils were stretched far too large for the sunny morning, leaving behind only a thin circle of green around them.
"What's a ShadowClan cat want with cats who had business with SkyClan?" he asked, his head tilting curiously. "ShadowClan territory is far from here. What… a half day's walk at least?"
Unease rippled through Frostmask's pelt. So far the kittypets all seemed to know a whole lot more about the Clans than she'd expected.
Their knowledge of SkyClan isn't too surprising I guess, but ShadowClan? Leo talks like he's been there!
"Frost isn't really a ShadowClan cat," Bingo explained. "Her mother lived here in town and knew this housecat she's looking for."
"I am a ShadowClan cat," Frostmask said tersely. "My mother is from here. But I've lived in ShadowClan nearly my whole life."
Leo blinked his unfocused eyes at her again, and his ears angled towards her with increased interest. "So you know ShadowClan well then."
Frostmask nodded, but when Leo showed no sign of acknowledgement, she spoke. "Yes, of course."
"Have you met a cat named Roseflight?" Leo asked.
Frostmask's brow furrowed. While that certainly was a Clan cat's name, it wasn't one she'd ever heard before.
"No. There's no one named Roseflight who lives in ShadowClan," she said.
Leo sagged, his already shrunken frame somehow looking even more hunched in on itself.
"Oh. I shouldn't've… Well it's been so long now…" Leo mumbled to himself under his breath before his voice trailed off to nothing.
His eyes stared out blankly, although Frostmask was starting to suspect that the elderly tom was unable to see anything at all.
"…Do you know a Roseflight of ShadowClan?" she prodded.
"I did once. A lifetime ago," Leo said softly.
He fell silent again, his expression forlorn and tired. Bingo just seemed confused, glancing from Leo to Frostmask a bit accusatively as if wondering what she'd done to his friend. Frostmask wasn't sure herself. She suspected that she'd stumbled upon some sort of buried history outside the one she was looking for, but she hardly had the time to investigate it now. She did, however, tuck the name 'Roseflight' into the back of her mind.
"The cat I'm looking for is a black-and-white kittypet," Frostmask continued, getting back on track. "And, he would have met with cats named May, Paledusk, and Slatewhisker."
"Yes, I know those cats," Leo responded swiftly despite his solemn expression. "I never knew a Paledusk, but some seasons ago, Slatewhisker, May, and Pepper would pass by here often."
A jolt of excitement fizzled through Frostmask, and she eagerly leaned towards Leo.
"Pepper? Is that his name? Is he a black-and-white kittypet? Er—" Frostmask's gaze flickered over Leo's unseeing eyes. "I mean, if you saw him. If you were able to…"
A brief look of amusement cracked through the melancholy on Leo's face.
"My eyes still worked a bit back then," Leo said. "Yes. Pepper was a black-and-white cat. A little fella too. But, I haven't seen him for moons."
Frostmask's heart sank.
"Is he still alive?" she asked.
Leo's tail flicked thoughtfully.
"I don't see any reason why he wouldn't be. He was young when I knew him, or at least a lot younger than me." Leo snorted. "Although when you get to be my age, all cats start looking like kittens."
"Then why haven't you seen him recently?" Frostmask pressed.
Leo shrugged. "That I can't say. He lives deeper into the town, so it's not easy for me to check. It may be that his housefolk just decided to keep him inside. Or, maybe they all moved. If my health was better, I might have gone out to his house at some point. But right around when Pepper and his friends stopped coming around, my eyesight got much worse until I couldn't see anything at all. I don't leave this garden anymore."
"It's important that I find Pepper, if he's still around," Frostmask said, her claws flexing impatiently into the ground. "Is there any chance you can tell me where he lives?"
"Well I certainly can't take you there myself," Leo said. "I'm too old for that, and besides, my poor housefolk would be worried sick if I disappeared from here. Bingo, though—" Leo inclined his head toward him, "—may be just the cat for that."
Bingo's eyes had gone half-lidded as he'd started to doze in the sunshine as Leo and Frostmask's conversation had gone on, but his eyes snapped open as Leo said his name.
"What? You're volunteering me?" Bingo asked indignantly.
"You're the one that brought her to me," Leo pointed out, his voice mild.
"But I didn't think I'd be guiding her all across town," Bingo protested.
"Not all across town," Leo said. "Just to a house close to the park. The white one flanked by oak trees. That's where Pepper used to live."
"The park is still quite a walk," Bingo grumbled. "And, I wanted to nap."
"Please?" Frostmask asked, widening her eyes at him pleadingly.
Bingo glanced at her and sighed, the grumpy front he'd put on fading quickly.
"Okay, fine. Let's get going then." Bingo rosed to his paws. "Good to see you, Leo."
"You too," Leo purred. "Come back at dinnertime, and we can share the chicken my housefolk's been cooking for me lately."
Bingo swiped his tongue around his jaws, suddenly in a much better mood. "I'll be here!"
Leo directed his gaze in Frostmask's direction.
"And, nice to meet you Frost," he added.
Frostmask dipped her head to him before remembering that he couldn't see it.
"It was nice to meet you too," she meowed. "Thank you for helping me."
She followed Bingo back over the short stone wall, and scrambled after him as he began trotting down the side of the thunderpath, his tail held high.
As the morning wore on, Bingo led her down thunderpaths, across yards, and through narrow gaps between twoleg dens. Although Frostmask tried to mentally mark landmarks, the twisting, twining path they took left her head spinning. They'd long ago left the paths pointed out to her by Larchtail and Mottledflame.
Frostmask felt a stab of gratitude that she had Bingo guiding her. Without him, there would have been no way she'd have made it out to Pepper's den. As soon as she'd left the few thunderpaths defined by Larchtail and Mottledflame, she'd have been truly and utterly lost in the maze of the twoleg-place.
Bingo wiggled through a narrow gap in a wooden fence, and waited on the other side for Frostmask to squeeze through behind him.
"Nearly there," Bingo promised. "The park is just at the end of this street."
They took off down the edge of the thunderpath at a trot. Frostmask followed right at Bingo's tail, but she flinched at the sound of loud footsteps coming from the other side of the thunderpath. She turned to see that a twoleg had emerged from one of the dens and was stomping around his yard. But, his gaze met Frostmask's and he froze, staring over at the two cats for a moment before making a cooing noise with his mouth and stretching one of his massive paws in their direction. Despite the fact that he was on the other side of the thunderpath, Frostmask shied away from him, her fur prickling as every hair on her pelt yowled to run. But, Bingo didn't even spare the twoleg a second glance.
"Ignore him," he said, continuing on as if the twoleg was nothing by a nagging fly buzzing around his ears.
Frostmask swallowed hard and tore her gaze away from the twoleg, hurrying after Bingo.
How can he be so calm while being so close to such a massive creature?!
Thankfully, Bingo's instincts seemed to be correct, because the twoleg didn't try to pursue them, although Frostmask kept casting worried glances over her shoulder to be sure.
The twoleg disappeared behind them as they rounded a corner, and Bingo pointed his muzzle at a large den at the end of the thunderpath that was flanked with two towering oak trees, just like Leo had promised.
"There it is. That's Pepper's house," Bingo said, coming to a stop. "But, this is where I leave you, Frost. If I stay away from my house for much longer, my housefolk will start wondering where I am."
"Thank you for bringing me here. You've been a huge help," Frostmask said.
Bingo looked faintly embarrassed. "It's nothing. I hope you find what you're looking for." He started to turn away, but paused. "You think you can make it back from here alone?"
Frostmask nodded. The twoleg-place's environment might be a confusing mess, but she knew she could at least still rely on her own tracking abilities.
"I'll follow our scent trail back," she said.
"Alright then," Bingo said, turning to leave. "Nice meeting you, Frost."
"You too. Goodbye," Frostmask said, waving her tail in farewell.
As Bingo rounded the corner again, heading back the way they came, Frostmask turned towards Pepper's house, a flash of nervousness appearing in her chest. She trotted down the thunderpath, feeling much more wary for twolegs and monsters now that she no longer had confident Bingo at her side, guiding her. But, she made it to the end of the thunderpath and the front of the large twoleg den without any of them appearing.
The yard in front of the den was devoid of any sheltering ferns or tall fronds, like how most of the twoleg yards were. Short, uniform, bright green grass pricked at Frostmask's paw-pads as she stepped onto it, creeping towards the side of the den. Thankfully, the yard wasn't completely bare. Bushes and flower beds ringed the den, providing places for Frostmask to hide if need be. Frostmask opened her mouth to scent the air, hoping that Pepper was nearby. Beneath the reek of monsters and twolegs, and the powerful, cloyingly-sweet scent of flowers, she did indeed pick up the scent of cat. It wafted over to her from behind the den.
Frostmask began to circle the structure warily, her ears pricked and her gaze sharp as she scanned the yard. There was still no sign of Pepper, despite the growing cat scent.
Frostmask's every muscle was tense and alert for the appearance of twolegs, and when a nearby bush suddenly rustled, she nearly jumped right out of her skin. Frostmask turned towards the noise, scanning the shadows uncertainly. The bush was much too small for a twoleg to be hiding in, but there was definitely something in there.
"Hello? Pepper?" she tried.
The bush rustled again. A cat-shaped shadow emerged from beneath it and stretched up to his full height. The first thing that struck Frostmask about his appearance were the scars. His long white and grey tabby fur was criss-crossed with them. Both of his ears were in tatters, and there was nothing but a crater in his face where one of his eyes should be. Fur had grown the crater, and the scarring around the wound was clearly older than the similar one that Pineshade had. But even with all the time it'd had to heal, in someways, it still looked much worse than Pineshade's missing eye—whatever injury that caused it must have been especially gruesome. But, the cat's remaining eye was a clear, intelligent green, and it looked over Frostmask shrewdly.
Despite the cat's outward appearance, he was well-fed and sleek-furred, with a colorful blue and yellow patterned collar peeking out from the thick ruff of fur around his neck.
So he's a kittypet after all, no matter his scarred pelt.
"You're on private land," the tom rumbled. "I suggest you move along."
Frostmask took a step back, her ears flattening against her head. She didn't know that kittypets could be territorial like Clan cats were. Both Leo and Bingo hadn't seemed to care at all about her showing up in or near their dens.
"I'm sorry," she meowed, her eyes flashing as she looked at the intimidating cat. "I didn't mean to trespass. I'm just looking to speak with someone… You're not Pepper, are you?"
It didn't hurt to ask, but this cat wasn't black-and-white, and he also hardly matched the 'little fella' description that Leo provided.
The tom seemed to share her sentiment since he snorted, his amusement taking the edge off his alarming features.
"No," he said. "The name's Salt."
"I'm Frost," she said, dipping her head politely to him. "Do you know Pepper? Does he live here?"
The kittypet's eyes narrowed, and his mouth parted as he caught her scent on the breeze.
"Who's asking? You don't look like you're from the area," Salt said, a faint growl entering his voice.
Frostmask's pelt itched, wanting to bristle, but she forced it to stay flat. So far, Salt had been a lot less welcoming than the other kittypets she'd spoken to. It set her on edge, but she didn't want to appear aggressive. Otherwise, he might not tell her anything at all.
"I'm not," Frostmask meowed, giving another nod. "I'm from the forest. My home is a place called ShadowClan."
"I see," Salt said, but his brow furrowed, making Frostmask wonder if the word 'ShadowClan' even made any sense to him.
Bingo and Leo knew about the five Clans, but do all these kittypets?
"What's a cat from ShadowClan doing here?" Salt asked.
"I'm looking for answers about some cats Pepper used to know," Frostmask said, her tail-tip twitching anxiously. "Their names were Slatewhisker and—"
Salt jerked like he'd been struck.
"Slatewhisker?" he echoed, his ears pricking.
Excitement ran through Frostmask at the flash of recognition in his voice.
"You know him?" she asked.
Salt blinked once, his one eye glazed. "I used to…"
He dipped his head to flatten a clump of fur on his shoulder with a few brisk licks, a faraway look in his expression.
"Can you tell me about him?" Frostmask asked, unable to keep the eagerness from creeping into her voice.
Maybe Pepper did die or move away, but if this cat knows something, then this whole journey may still be worth it!
Salt slowly lifted his gaze from the ground and up to Frostmask. He shook his head.
"No. You're on a wild goose chase, Frost," he said, his voice turning hard. "There's nothing to tell. Slatewhisker is dead. Has been for seasons."
The finality in Salt's voice hit Frostmask like a heavy weight, her shoulders slumping under it. The tingle of excitement that had been running through her veins only moments ago was already fading to disappointment.
I know Slatewhisker's been dead for seasons, but some cat must know something about what happened back then with my parents, right?
"What about Pepper? Is he around? Can I ask him?" she attempted, but the questions sounded weak, even to her own ears.
Salt didn't respond. He just stared at her, his blank, impassive expression giving nothing away. The longer his silence stretched on, Frostmask's despair only grew.
Does he even know Pepper? Maybe he really is gone, just like May and Slatewhisker, and I'll never find out what happened back then…
Frostmask swallowed hard as she tried to wrangle her emotions back under control before they spiraled completely. But, Salt was right. This whole trek out into the twoleg-place had been a stupid idea— a wild goose chase. She belonged in ShadowClan, with her mate and her kits and her duties as deputy… What was she doing out here, searching for ghosts?
Frog-brain!
Frostmask shook her head to clear her mind.
"Thanks for helping me," she murmured to Salt. "I'll leave your territory now. I'm sorry to have bothered you."
Frostmask turned aside, but Salt's voice stopped her.
"Why?" he asked. "Why do you want to know?"
Frostmask's ears twisted back. She didn't want to answer him. She just wanted to slink off, go home to her family and forget about this whole thing. But, she felt like she couldn't be so rude to the cat that had helped her out, even if it wasn't in the way she hoped. The least she could do was humor his curiosity.
"Not that it matters…" Frostmask muttered from over her shoulder. "If Pepper is gone, I won't learn anything now. But, I thought he could give me some answers about my family. You see, my mother, May, was Pepper's friend, and Slatewhisker and I were kin. He's the brother of my father."
Out of the corner of her gaze, she noticed Salt stiffen. Frostmask's stomach tightened, and she slowly turned back to him, her pelt prickling with intuition.
"You knew them too?" she asked, although it wasn't really a question.
Salt gave a timid nod.
"I did." His voice was rough with tension.
"It's very important that I get information about them," Frostmask spoke quickly, afraid that if she hesitated, Salt might pull away again. "I need to know about my past. It's a lot to explain, but it's not just important to me but also to my Clan. I think my father may be lying to me, and if he is, it could put a lot of cats in danger…"
Salt was completely still for several long moments, as if he was a cat craved from stone. Then he nodded, his one green eye deadly serious.
"I think I might still be able to help you," he said. "Follow me. Let me go get Pepper."
Salt got to his paws and walked swiftly down the edge of the twoleg den, heading towards the back. After a stunned moment, Frostmask rushed to follow him, her head spinning.
"Wait, Pepper's been here this whole time?!" she asked, almost indignant that Salt had led her to believe that he was gone.
Salt didn't blink, entirely unapologetic. "He's inside," was all he said.
Frostmask's ears perked. Just a few moments ago all her hopes about getting any answers had been dashed, but now anticipation thrummed through her again.
She might just find out some of the truth today after all.
Salt turned the corner, and Frostmask followed him quickly, her fur lifting slightly as they stepped into the deep shadow of the twoleg den. Salt padded up close to the den's wall, and Frostmask spotted a small flap in it, just large enough for a cat to fit through. Judging by the strong cat scent on it, it was a passage frequently taken by Salt, and presumably also Pepper. Salt glanced back at Frostmask, noticing the anxiety in her bristling fur.
"Don't worry. You don't have to come in," he reassured. "Wait here in the yard. I'll be right back with Pepper."
Frostmask nodded and turned to creep beneath a nearby holly bush, out of sight just in case some twolegs decided to show up. Salt pushed his way through the flap, his board shoulders just barely fitting through as he entered the den. Frostmask fidgeted, uneasy hiding so close to the twoleg structure, but she didn't have to wait long. Salt was already pushing his way back out again, and this time, a smaller, plump tom followed him.
Pepper was much gentler looking than Salt— more like how Frostmask imagined a kittypet to be. While Salt was all spikes and angles with his long, bushy fur and sharp scars, Pepper was soft and round. He had short white fur with a smattering of black splotches down his back and on his face. His head was round, as were his eyes, which were a soft yellow color.
Salt and Pepper met Frostmask beneath the bush, and Pepper's eyes widened as soon as he saw her face.
"Oh," Pepper gasped, his eyes searching hers as his mouth gaped open. "Oh… You really are… You're May's kit."
Frostmask's heart clenched. Of course she knew she looked like May. She'd known that since she was a kit. But when most cats saw at her for the first time, they didn't see her mother; what they saw was simply foreign. Paledusk had been the only other one who'd seen Frostmask as May. But, even he hadn't reacted to her like Pepper. Paledusk had looked at her like he'd seen a ghost; Pepper was staring at her like a long-lost friend.
"I was told you knew her," Frostmask rasped.
Pepper nodded emphatically, his yellow eyes welling with emotion. "She was my best friend for seasons! I could never forget… Your fur and eyes, they're the same as hers."
Frostmask ducked her head, suddenly bashful under the gaze of the cat who'd known her mother so well. Although it must be just as strange to him as it was to her— to see this other cat show up in his yard, wearing the face of his old friend.
When Frostmask didn't speak and offer up more information about May, Pepper's ears began to flatten as he came to the obvious conclusion of why she remained so quiet.
"Is she…" Pepper said, his voice wavering. "She isn't…?"
Frostmask fixed her gaze on her ground.
"I'm sorry to break this to you," she murmured. "She's dead. She died seasons ago, when I was only one moon old."
Pepper let out a long, slow breath. Frostmask forced her gaze back up to him. He and Salt exchanged mournful looks, and Salt wrapped his fluffy tail around Pepper while Pepper leaned into the much bigger cat's side. Pepper's eyes had darkened with grief, but he didn't seem all that surprised by the news.
"It'd been so long since I last saw her…" he murmured. "I always hoped some nice housefolk had adopted her, and that's why she went away. But, I feared…"
He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep, trembling inhale.
"Thank you for telling me," he murmured. "Although I'm sorry that I never got to properly say goodbye."
Frostmask nodded, a lump of emotion suddenly in her throat. A strange feeling was settling over her. She was sensitive to the grief Pepper felt for May— StarClan knew she felt it too. But, although she grieved for her mother, this was also a rare instance were she struggled to miss her. It was the same as her walk from ShadowClan territory, like May was with her right now. Pepper had been her best friend. He'd truly known May, in a way Frostmask did not and could never hope to.
"Can you tell me what happened to her?" Pepper asked, pulling her out of her thoughts. "I'm a little confused. You're May's daughter. But Salt told me that your name is 'Frost,' although you're from ShadowClan? How did May's kit end up in ShadowClan, but without a warrior's name?"
"I am a ShadowClan warrior. My real name is Frostmask," she freely admitted.
There was no point in continuing to omit her true name to them. Pepper had given her no reason for her to be suspicious of him, but more than that, this entire mission would be pointless if she couldn't trust Pepper. If Frostmask couldn't even entrust him with her name, how could she trust that he was telling the truth about her parents?
"I was born outside of Clan territory in the woods two leaf-bares ago. May couldn't find enough food for us, and my littermates died. My father, Paledusk, lives in SkyClan, but she didn't bring me to him for…" Frostmask shifted uneasily. "Well I'm not sure why she didn't. It's also possible Paledusk turned me and my mother away. I'm still trying to figure all that out. Anyway though, whatever happened with him, when I was around a moon old, May decided to take me to shelter in ShadowClan so that I'd survive. We made it there, but she didn't live for much longer. May named me Frost. That's the name I told Salt so that… other cats wouldn't know that I was here, if they came around asking for me."
"You don't need to worry about that. We don't talk much to strangers," Salt rumbled.
Frostmask blinked in understanding.
"Is that why you tried to send me away when you first saw me?" she asked.
Salt dipped his head slightly in concession.
"You do look like her," he murmured. "But, I didn't know for sure. And, I don't like to take risks."
"Can you tell me what you know about her?" Frostmask whispered, her gaze darting from Salt to Pepper. "And, about Paledusk and Slatewhisker?"
Salt slowly brought his eye back up. He and Pepper exchanged another long look. As if drawing strength from Pepper's gaze, Salt set his jaw and nodded firmly. Pepper gave a smaller nod in response and glanced back over at Frostmask, his yellow eyes hardening into something cold and sharp.
Frostmask blinked in surprise.
Even though she would bet that this small, gentle tom had never raised his claws against anyone in his life, the look in his eyes was identical to that of a warrior who was readying himself to charge into battle.
Pepper lifted his chin.
"We will tell you everything."