Chapter 7 a vixen in shadow pines
Isla woke up to a strange place she had never seen before it looked like the forest she knew but instead of of leaves the trees had pointy needles on their branches and the trees had a unfamiliar smell to them that she had never had never smelled before and when she looked around she saw nothing she remembered from her home in the gray lands but she saw a cat roaming through the dark woods that she hadn't noticed before because of the trees making it look like it was night outside the cat was lean with a light brown pelt of fur with dark brown stripes and a dark brown tail and clear green eyes Isla knew cats were easy prey from her ma great ma and fa as well as the only cat she had ever knew was a lazy creature that lived on the farm outside her and hers family territory as she stalked closer to the cat it seemed to notice her and lunged at her ready to attack her but Isla would not go down without a fight this cat would be her dinner just like the berries she was trying to get just before she got here in the first place and then the cat landed on top of Islas back and started to hook her claws into her fur and Isla tried to roll onto her back and squash the cat but the cat was smarter than she looked and quickly jumped off her back before Isla could squash it and three new cats jumped out of some bushes one was a small light brown male the other was a male with white fur except for his paws which were jet black and the last was a lithe muscular dark ginger male with amber eyes what's going on here asked the white white male with black paws then the cat who originally attacked Isla spoke and from its voice the vixen could tell it was a female like her the she car answered this fox attacked me while I was investigating our border with thunder clan like any cat would believe that said the dark ginger male once a thunder clan cat always a thunder clan cat how do we know you won't betray us like you did them tawny kit which seemed to be something the female cat was happy about because her tail was lashing back and forth but her voice sounded angry because she answered what more can I do to prove myself a loyal shadow clan warrior I am always at the head of any border patrols where I to deal with any dangerous threat first I always have to wait until every other cat has eaten before I can have a piece of fresh kill from the pile and I am almost always outside of the camp by myself to guard it from intruders to which the white male cat with black paws said with rage in his voice who has been telling her to do these things was it you Rowan claw while staring at the dark ginger male cat to which the newly named Rowan claw said I'm sorry black star I just thought we would be better off without the daughter of a traitor like tiger claw in our clan to which the newly named black star said well if you ask me Rowan claw you should be punished for the next moon the exact same way you tortured tawny pelt is that understood yes black star said Rowan claw and to deal with you he pointed to Isla since you didn't harm tawny pelt we will offer you safety in our camp for the time being to which Isla was grateful to black star for and with that the cats left for the camp with Isla following them to her new temporary home which was through a thorn tunnel in a wide hollow between tangles of brambles and low hanging branches between more of the strange trees Isla had been seeing since she first came to to this forest and then black star jumped onto a branch of one of the trees below a small hole in said tree and said all ants old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the low pine for a clan meeting to which more cats then Isla could imagine existing started to come out of caves around the clearing and sit around as close to black star as possible as all the cats sat down black star began to speak as you can all probably guess we have a guest in the clan this is Isla she is a fox that has been separated from her skulk or family so for the time being we are to treat her as if she were any other clan mate to which a young small mottled brown she cat began to rub her face under Isla chin which surprised the fox and then a long legged brown tabby she cat pulled the small cat towards her and began licking her all over like a vixen would her pups so she guessed the long legged cat was the small ones mother and then black star began speaking again it has also come to my attention that that some of you have been abusing our clan mate now I will give those responsible one chance to confess to what they were doing for lighter punishment or I can have the victim come up and name her abusers to which tawny pelt came up to sit just below black star and then a minute passed without a sound and then black star said alright describe them now there were ten in total the list was tall poppy who was the cat who pulled Islas new friend away from her next was a sleek long legged small black tabby-she cat followed by a yellow she cat with amber eyes next was a sleek scrawny ginger she cat with green eyes next was a thin gray Tom followed by a bigger gray and skinny Tom with a torn ragged ear next was a mottled brown and ginger Tom with a wide head and nick in his ear next was a black Tom with yellow eyes and lastly was Rowan claw to which black star had to let out a sigh of disappointment and said to think so many of my clan would be so cruel to one of their own even my own deputy who I trusted above all others as punishment each of you are to suffer the same treatment you gave to tawny pelt or you can be exiled to which all of the abusers started leaving for the exit of the camp the last to leave was tall poppy who tried to make her kits leave with her to which two Tom kit's agreed to but Islas new friend who introduced herself as apple kit decided to stay with Isla and the rest of shadow clan because in her own words she had loyalty to her clan mates which she would rather have than loyalty to a bunch of bullies like her mother and brothers which brought a small to black stars face so with all of that business dealt with let's all go back to our dens for a well deserved rest the only one who was confused about what happened next was Isla and black star smacked himself on the head with his tail and said how could I have forgotten it is with a heavy heart that I have to choose a new deputy to which Isla asked apple kit what a deputy was to which her new friend quickly explained that the deputy was black stars second in command who would one day take black stars place as leader of shadow clan and Isla was surprised about that but then black star called out the name rat scar who was a dark brown Tom cat with a long scar a cross his back and then the clan separated to go to a pile of dead animals in the clearing to which Isla guessed was the clans cash of food and apple kit asked Isla if she would like to share a squirrel with her to which the young vixen happily agreed to because it was similar to what she did with her own family even though she often had arguments with her brother pirie and ma she would always share meals with them so a deep part of her would always miss them no matter how long it took her to get back to her home from this strange forest once she and apple kit had eaten their squirrel Isla exited the main camp and sat down just outside of the border so she could help whoever was on guard duty tonight to Isla surprise it was a gray tabby she cat she had never seen before along with both of her new friends apple kit and tawny pelt the new she cat introduced herself as clover paw who was the first apprentice of tawny pelt and once Isla asked them the reason they were out here was tawny pelt answered we thought you could use some company since it gets cold out here at night so we came to be some company for you Isla said thank you and curled up on the floor with her new found friends for a good night sleep around midnight or so she was poked in the side by a claw which made her wake up it was apple kit who said she was having a bad dream about her mother and brothers attacking the camp along with all of the other outcast of shadow clan and she asked if she asked to cuddle up close to Isla who excitedly agreed saying that it would help her feel more secure as well and the young vixens tail started to wag enthusiastically and apple kit tried to jump on top of it which Isla found incredibly cute and wondered to herself if this was something only shadow clan cats did or if this behavior was common amongst all cats when they were young and as the cat and vixen were settling down to return to sleep Isla opened her mouth and mimicked the sounds of the crickets chirping Isla quickly saw apple kit trying to fight off sleep and continued with her mimicry until the young cat fell asleep and then she noticed clover foot listening in beside her and asked how much of that did you see to clover foot answered since apple kit woke up and she mentioned that it was nice of you to play with her and then Isla said actually I wasn't playing my tail just responded to me being happy as for my ability to make another animals noises I never quite understood it myself but it always made hide and seek more fun for me and my brother pirie more fun for and more of a challenge for him and then clover foot said I wish we cats could do that the closest thing we can do is chittering and with that both the teenage she cat and the vixen fell asleep and as Isla slept a strange male fox came into her dream and started chanting a strange phrase that went I am the fur that ruffles your back I am the twist and shake of your tail let me appear in your body no one can tell others will fear dare not come near and then the mystery fox said I am the great coyote then the fox seemed to transform becoming larger and more muscular and its fur changed from silver to a mixture of tan and black and gray and also lost a lot of fur from its tail which became more of a stick rather than a brush of a normal foxes tail and the the new Tod scratched her on her nose and went back into a fox before starting a new chant which went with my touch I sense you with my eyes I heal you by canistas light I share what I have we are knit together and you are whole and then the cut on Islas nose healed like it had never happened and then the new Tod fox began speaking again but this time more of a riddle than a chant there is a disturbance between five worlds and the only way to fox it is for the dragon of mud and sky the dog of city and thunder the vixen of farm and shadow the owl fire and river the wolf of wind with the heart of a bear to join forces with the crown of holly from the feather of a crow from a pool of leaves the tail of flame from the claw of a shrew and the pelt of a tawny cat the doves wing from the white wing and the fallen birch and lastly the heart of alder from the flight of a squirrel and the claw in brambles to join forces and beat back the forest of darkness which made Isla more confused then she was about the chanting this Tod was doing earlier what was this forest of darkness and how was she even to start looking for it of the wolf of the wind with the heart of a bear or a dog of thunder and city but the two strangest were the owl of fire and river and the dragon of mud and sky she had never even heard of a dragon before and how can a bird be made of both fire and water but just as she was about to jump at the strange Tod to force her to answer her questions she woke up to a sound that sounded a lot like likelihood talking but not from a voice she had ever heard before and when she looked out side she saw the outcast of shadow clan they were speaking to a black Tom with a brown underbelly amber eyes and long limbs and a long tail what are you doing here thunder clan filth asked tall poppy and then Isla decided to awaken tawny pelt so she could hear what the traitorous cats we're talking about and who the intruder was but as Isla turned around she saw that tawny pelt was was already awake and listening in on the conversation what is spider paw doing here she stated questioningly well that's one question from me answered thought Isla but then spider paw began speaking I may look like a thunder clan weakling but trust me I am no friend of theirs I am your former leader tiger star even though in this new body you will call me tiger claw since I have been dethroned and killed which is why I had to borrow the body of this thunder clan apprentice and if you agree to help me and my new allies to take over the lake territories I will personally see to it that each of you is rewarded beyond your wildest imagination and dreams to which all of the shadow clan traitors pledge their allegiance and loyalty to this so called tiger claw and tawny pelts fur was sticking up and every which direction and then she leaped into the center of the clearing and tried to claw out tiger claws throat but Rowan claw jumped in between them and landed a blow on tawny pelts back before she could reach him to which tiger claw said well well well if it isn't my miserable excuse for a daughter to which tawny pelt answered with what I think makes me an miserable excuse for a daughter was that I didn't sacrifice myself for you when scourge killed you or was it that I actually care about my clan mates rather than just seeing them as a tool to help me gain power if that's your reason for me being a miserable child you may as well kill me now because I will have always have the the one thing you lacked a true warriors spirit to which tiger claw said well when you put it like that I would rather much kill you now rather than let you live and then as if waiting for a signal Rowan claw began putting more of his weight on tawny pelts throat and in response Isla quickly sprang into the clearing and grabbed Rowan claw by the scruff of his neck and threw him in tiger claw who had the wind knocked out of him and in the rush of confusion island quickly picked up tawny pelt and fled back to their hiding place when they arrived back inside it Isla quickly woke up apple kit and clover paw and explained to them what had happened in the clearing only for two new cats Isla had never seen before to show up in front of the entrance to the hiding place one was a she cat with a fur coat that almost looked like fire with a white paw the other was a muscular gray pale gray tom with darker flecks and dark blue eyes and a torn ear we know you're in there sneered the Tom and then apple paw responded in fear that sounds like ash fur of thunder clan and as apple paw Isla tawny pelt and clover paw tried to exit out the back end in the cave and back into the camp there were two more cats and and a mature vixen blocking the back way as well one of the cats was a slender ginger she cat with barely visible darker stripes and pale leaf green eyes the other cat was a Tom with dark brown fur and amber eyes not these two said apple kit lastly was the vixen who had a muscular frame with only one gray eye the other was missing and rounded ears with gray fur what are dust pelt and sand storm doing here so close to the camp clover paw asked I guess they are more willing to be bad and join tiger claw rather then working for their leader fire star you get ready to run with apple kit tawny pelt said to clover paw to which apple kit and clover paw agreed to with no hesitation and then Isla started the transformation chant I am the fur that ruffles your back I am the twist and shake of your tail let me appear in the shape of your body no one can tell others will fear dare not come near and once she got done chanting she burst out of the hiding spot as she finished with I am the great coyote and quickly leapt for the Tom's throat to bite and kill him which went quickly just like Isla planed it the she cat and evil vixen tried to jump at Isla but not before the she cat yelled one of us has been slayed to which tiger claw jumped out of the bushes on the entrance side of the hiding place and went up to the Tom's body and said what a waste of such a good warrior but not to worry said tiger claw he called Rowan claw to get on one side of the body of dust pelt and tall poppy on the other side and then tiger claw stepped on the shadows of all three cats then by some night mare the shadows of the cats seemed to separate from their bodies one was staring around and was in shock and awe of where he was the other two seemed nonchalant about coming out of the shadow of a living creature they were just looking around laying back inside the forest as if they had just arrived in a new place and were just getting acquainted to their new surroundings where was I just now said the cat who was in shock and awe who stepped out of the body of dust pelt it was a forest with no light except from some weird mushrooms and no other cat for as far as I could see to which rowan claws double responded with well dust pelt now you know where we came from then he spoke to tiger claw and said this is a good body you picked for me my friend well I do my best with what I'm given broken star while the cats were speaking Isla quickly retreated back into the shadow clan camp so she could inform black star so he could come up with a plan to deal with the groups of evil ones as Isla was almost away the new vixen appeared in front of her and said well well well what do we have here the reason why I get to join tiger claw I don't know what you mean said Isla to which the new vixen said my name is karka and there can only be one of us who survives which was a shock to Isla who quickly tackled karka and fled into the shadow camp as Isla entered the camp black star and little cloud were standing outside the den where that the strong scent of herbs were coming from and as Isla was explaining to the two cats about everything that she tawny pelt clover paw and apple kit had seen and heard to which black star said this is a serious problem we must have a new clan meeting as soon as day break why not now asked Isla but then she looked around the camp and noticed all the other shadow clan cats were in their nest asleep and then black star told Isla to pick a place to sleep and rest for tomorrow morning when we plan for a battle with these traitorous cats to which Isla thought was best as well and with that Isla fell fast asleep to be prepared for what her new friends came up with to deal with this new enemy that for some reason didn't want to attack their camp while sleeping to which was thankful for but still left her questioning what the plan was and what the evil ones were waiting for the next morning came quicker than Isla would have liked as she was still a little bit tired from all the excitement of last night so she went to her new friend apple kit to ask her about the two names she had heard the male cats called each other and when she found her new friend and asked her what she knew and apple kit turned around with a look of horror on her face and apple kit asked Isla where she had heard those names before and when Isla explained apple kit said those names are the names of cats who have done horrible things to the clans according to the stories queens tell their kittens in the nursery from tigger claw he killed two of his own clans deputies and tried to blame another recently deceased cat for one of the murders he also tried to kill his own clans leader out onto a thunder path to be hit by a monster to squash her flat and kill her and when that plan failed because of another cat going to the thunder path to investigate it and when that plan failed he lead a group of exiled clan cats in a attack against his own clan and tried to kill his true clans leader again which got him exiled from thunder clan itself and then he killed a shadow clan cat before taking advantage of a weakened and desperate shadow clan and not even when he found a way to take over shadow clan as our new leader was he still not satisfied he found a way to unleash a pack of dogs right into the heart of thunder clan by feeding them rabbits and once he got close to thunder clan and killing a thunder clan queen so the dogs could gain a taste for cat's blood and when the thunder clan survived he then lead a group of violent and blood thirsty cats into their old forest home and tried to literally starve four other cats from river clan just for their parents coming from the same clan then he forced one of the half clan cats to either kill two kittens who were also half clan or fight another cat to the death so what did the half clan cat decide to do Isla asked to which apple kit answered he chose to fight and actually defeated one opponent even after having nothing to eat for at least four days but then tiger claw forced black star into the fight and then black star and a Tom who betrayed thunder clan named dark stripe to gang up on the river clan warrior named stone fur and killed him while the kittens were still in the arena had to see everything what happened to tiger claw asked Isla to which apple kit responded well remember the blood thirsty cats I told you about well their leader literally sliced tiger claws belly open and he lost all nine of his leader lives at once right on the spot and then there was broken star who when he was in charge of shadow clan he murdered his own father as well as training kittens when they were half the age that a normal apprentice would be and started training them with unsheathed claws and when he did injure two kittens almost to death he sent them to the clans medicine cat who was his own mother and had her blamed for killing the kittens and exiled her from shadow clan as well as forcing another clan to leave their own territory just so shadow clan can steal their prey and forced another clan to agree to share hunting rights with us and made the whole clan starve while he and his best warriors while all of the extra prey would rot and decay and then after he was exiled from shadow clan he and his most loyal warriors tried to attack the thunder clan camp itself before his mother who had been accepted by thunder clan killed him to take one of his leader lives and blind him and after all that he helped tiger claw with the attack on thunder clan that I mentioned tiger claw used to almost kill his former leader even after thunder clan risked their lives to protect them from all of the other clan's because they wanted to kill him for all the things he did to them he even bad mouthed his own mother as she was trying to heal him from his wounds she finally decided to end his last life by poisoning him with yew berries just by the description apple kit gave her of these two cats Isla could tell these two cats belonged in this dark forest place and she would make sure to send them back herself even if she died herself she would give everything to protect her new friends then Isla asked apple kit the question that had been burning in her mind since she had first heard tiger claw talk to tawny pelt so what connection does tawny pelt have have with tiger claw oh that's easy said apple kit tiger claw was tawny pelts father from him and a thunder clan queen named golden flower and when thunder clan started saying that she acted the exact same way tiger claw had when he was a apprentice she left for shadow clan and joined us now it all made sense to Isla why tawny pelt behaved the way she did if Isla had a father like tiger claw and be constantly reminded of it she would have been like tawny pelt as well and then three new cats Isla had never seen met before came out of little clouds den one was a lithe sleek thick furred she cat with dark green eyes and night black fur the other was a dark gray she cat with orange eyes a broad flattened face and long matted fur and the last was a small lithe thick furred gray tabby Tom with blue eyes and a twisted limp hind leg they introduced them selves as shadow star yellow fang and jagged peak and apple kit bowed to shadow star and asked her what brought her here from star clan to which shadow star answered we in star clan sensed there was a great trouble that the living clans would not be able to handle on their own so I and a council of star clan members decided to join in and assist the clans physically rather than a spiritual means because desperate times call for desperate measures and yellow fang joined little cloud and said we will continue your training in how to be a proper medicine cat to which little cloud answered I would be honored to learn from one of the greatest medicine cats of both thunder clan and shadow clans past to which yellow fang let out a merow of laughter and said well I wouldn't go that far but I am at least more experienced than my former apprentice who was your mentor and then as if by summoned by a ethereal force came a new cat out of the elders den the new cat was was a small gray and white Tom with patchy grizzled and ungroomed fur with a gray muzzle and rheumy and amber eyes the new cat came up to yellow fang and asked is it really you yellow fang have I died and joined star clan in my sleep to which yellow fang answered with no you silly kit me and some of the warriors of star clan have come here to join you and the rest of the clans for the time being running nose until you no longer need us to which the new cat introduced himself to Isla and said well at least things won't be boring I was beginning to think that I would be able to pass quietly in my sleep at my old age to which little cloud laughed and said the day I allow you to pass quietly will be the day when star clan runs out of prey to which all of the cats began to purr out a laugh at the statement from little cloud and as Isla quickly brought the star clan cats and medicine cats up to speed as to what tiger claw and broken star had been up to last night well said yellow fang that seems like a big problem we had known it was cats from the place of no stars who were behind the problems but now that we know who it is this may be a problem bigger than any one clan can handle thankfully the whole of star clan knows and at least the representatives from the other clans have decided to come back to life and help them deal with tiger claw and black star as well as all of their cohorts to the dark forest and seal off them from the rest of the clans to which every cat in shadow clan started chanting death to all cats who have allied themselves with the dark forest but then Isla noticed that apple kit was the one who was not chanting and when Isla asked her apple kit stated that she felt like she was being a traitor to the only family she had ever known because her mother had never even told her who her father was or even if he was alive somewhere in the clan or in the lake territories which made Isla feel incredibly sad for her new little friend and even more rage at tall poppy for not telling her kittens who their real father was because Isla couldn't imagine how horrible she would feel without her father she then made it her mission to help apple kit find her real father or a suitable replacement because in her mind no matter what creature you are you should always have a father and then to every cat in shadow clans surprise little cloud spoke up I noticed you've been taking interest in my herb store I would be grateful to take you on as my apprentice that is if yellow fang and black star allow it and then black star looked like he just remembered something important and said that's right it's been so hectic as of late that I forgot to give apple kit her or her brothers apprentice naming ceremony or give them mentors but I will rectify that at once that is if our guest from star clan and Isla give me the right of holding a apprentice naming ceremony to which black star star said I see nothing wrong with that as long as I get to help you with it and jagged peak actually likes listening in on every apprentice ceremony since he joined star clan no matter what clan they call home and considering how much this apprentice has gone through in such a short time she has earned her new name in spades which surprised Isla greatly when she thought she had figured everything she could want to know about the clans and their ways of living the more questions were revealed to her what was a naming ceremony and what did it have to do with her new found friend and then she saw a spot just big enough for her to sit between tawny pelt clover paw and behind yellow fang which Isla quickly and happily took and clover paw began explaining the ceremony to Isla what will happen is that black star will ask apple kit if she is willing to risk her life for her clan if she answers yes she will be given a new name which we all chant together as one clan and she will also be given her mentor by black star who if we are lucky will be little cloud because that Tom needs a apprentice to pass down his skills as a medicine cat to and with yellow fang as well to start training from scratch and that kitten has the makings of a fine medicine cat which Isla was thankful for her most recent friends explanation and experience and then finally black star and shadow star began speaking together and said today is our favorite things to do as clan leader to bestow upon this kitten her apprentice name from now on until this she cat has fully trained her name shall be vixen paw in honor of her new friend and the heroism and bravery that both of them have shown and then the whole clan started chanting her new name with great excitement and as the whole clan quoted down the leaders began speaking again and said and her mentor shall be our medicine cat little cloud which got the whole clan to start chanting little clouds name for getting his first apprentice and wishing him luck and then black star began to speak to little cloud you have wisdom and courage far beyond your years and it is my hope you will pass on your skills to your new apprentice to then little cloud answered with I will do my best black star and then little cloud turned to vixen paw and asked her do you agree to ignore the fighting between the clans and always help a cat in need even at the cost of your own life to which vixen paw answered yes I agree little cloud and then both black star and shadow star said then by the power granted to us by star clan we now pronounce you as apprentice and mentor to which little cloud and the newly named vixen paw touched noses and every cat started chanting their names but none moor loudly than Isla who was so happy that her new friend had found a father figure in her life and wished the pair many years of safety and happiness which they would have if she were to say anything about it because if anyone wanted to get through shadow clan they would have to go through her first .
Thus ends another chapter of the story I hope everyone who is reading it finds it interesting and remember that I hope you have a wonderful day/week/month/year of your life and just as a disclaimer I do not own any of the characters in this story