Well here is another chapter! Multiple points of views in this one! Also guess what? I've met a fan of my fics on Reddit!!! Completely by accident!!! They are amazing and I'm just so glad to find people that read my fics; If you're reading this! Hi!!
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Squirrelflight kept checking over her shoulder. Making sure that Spottedfeather was still following them, being hardly able to wrap her head around seeing her sister alive and well, keeping in step just behind her and Sootfur.
After so long and imagining the worst. It was almost unreal to see just how well taken care of her sister appeared to be. Her towering, dark ginger sister certainly had more meat on her bones than anyone else in the Clan's currently. Perhaps wherever Spottedfeather went had better prey options. Or options in general.
Though not just her physical appearance was different. There was something else, something in her sister's amber eyes. As though Spottedfeather had brought back more than just herself. Or perhaps maybe Spottedfeather left a part of herself behind.
Squirrelflight didn't know how to start a conversation now. But she still tried. "Spottedfeather…" Squirrelflight whispered. Her voice was weak and shaky. She inhaled sharply and when she spoke again, she sounded more focused. "Where have you been this whole time? Why did you leave us in the first place?"
Squirrelflight felt a shiver go down her spine as a pensive look appeared over the massive dark ginger she-cat's face. It was an expression that the bushy tailed warrior would never before have linked with her youngest sibling.
When she spoke, her voice was firm and confident, "It's not something easily explained. It will take time to get through it all. I'll tell you once you take me back to the rest of the Clan."
Squirrelflight bit her tongue before she could protest. Though the single white pawed warrior badly wanted to know where her sibling had been for the past couple of moons, she could detect the urgency behind the request.
There was a momentary silence before Spottedfeather decided to be the one to break it with a question of her own. "What had all happened since I've been gone. Where is everyone?"
Squirrelflight nearly missed clearing a fallen branch as her paws froze underneath her. All the horror's of the past few moons sped so fast through her mind that they all blurred together. How could she admit that she let one of the apprentices die while on her watch?
"A few cats have died. Many are missing. And the forest is nearly completely destroyed. That's what you have missed." Sootfur answered firmly. Not sparing any details. They didn't try to fill the silence that followed the lighter gray tom's statement.
Squirrelflight shared a glance with her former-nemesis turned friendly companion, who had been shooting distrustful looks Spottedfeather's way this entire time, and both wordlessly picked up the pace till the trio were practically sprinting through the ruined remains of their home.
They only slowed down when Sunningrocks came within sight. Hopefully they will soon get their answers.
So Squirrelflight hope's.
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Returning home should have been heartening to Spottedfeather. The dark ginger she-cat had been gone for far too long. She had dearly missed everyone while on her journey and had thought of them often. However at this moment all she felt was sheer dread with what she had been burdened with telling them. Part of Spottedfeather just wanted to turn tail and flee as far away as her legs could take her from the entire situation. Though the she-cat knew she couldn't. Spottedfeather was chosen with an important task sent by StarClan and she had already tread across literal mountains to fulfill it. Now she had to finish what had already been started.
Nonetheless it was impossible to be prepared for the sight of her starved and listless Clanmates that ambled aimlessly around Sunningrocks. Spottedfeather could smell the rancid scent of crowfood in the air as well as some sickness.
Returning home to her Clan wasn't anything like how Spottedfeather was expecting it would be. Everyone was eyeing her warily. Not yet seeming to recognize who she was. That would have broke Spottedfeather's heart if it wasn't already.
Suddenly, the giant ginger she-cat could hear her name being called, "Spottedfeather, you have returned." Turning her head, Spottedfeather spotted Spottedleaf briskly making her way towards the hunting party of two and ThunderClan's missing warrior. "We all missed you while you were gone." Spottedleaf touched noses as a way of greeting, and after the long and hard journey Spottedfeather had been on, the she-cat was happy to see that at least one of her Clanmate's outside her family are happy that she had returned.
"Did she just say, Spottedfeather?"
"I think she did?"
"Impossible! Spottedfeather is dead!"
"But she's standing right there!"
All around her, her Clanmate's began to slowly come to realize that Spottedfeather had finally returned from where she had disappeared off too. There was a mix amount of reaction from her Clanmate's. Mostly disbelief. Some with great relief. The one reaction of all was regardless of recognizing her as their Clanmate, there was still the distrust in their eyes as she passed by.
"I've went away on an important mission from StarClan and--" Spottedfeather was about to explain everything when Spottedleaf's tail lightly rested upon the giant dark ginger she-cat's muzzle, silencing her.
Spottedfeather's amber eyes met those of her namesake, the medicine cat's eyes were warm and understanding with no judgment. "Let's wait till your mother has the chance to see you."
Spottedfeather perked up at the mention of her mother and eagerly began looking around in search of her. "Where is--" Spottedfeather didn't need to finish her question as her mother camp within sight, being drawn by the rest of the Clan's sudden restlessness.
Firestar appeared to have seen a ghost as she stared transfixed on Spottedfeather seemingly in disbelief as everyone else.
"Mother!" Spottedfeather tearily called out, causing her mother and leader to hurriedly run over to her wrapping herself up as much as she could around her youngest daughter. Spottedfeather buried her face into the soft curls of her mother's fur ignoring the flickering of the ears and just breathed in the fresh mint smell that was her mother. Spottedfeather tightly curled around Firestar's much smaller body that was tightly pressed against her own allowing the smell of the forest to envelop the much bigger dark ginger she-cat.
"Where have you been all this time?" Firestar meowed, a deep purr emitting from her chest obscuring any anger that might have been there during her daughter's disappearance.
"I've been on a long journey, mother." Spottedfeather replied, just taking a moment to enjoy the reunion with her mother.
"I have so many questions--" Firestar sounded choked up for a moment. Unable to properly get the words out between how relieved she was that her daughter had returned and the sorrow at what her youngest daughter had returned too.
"And I have a lot of answers to our current problems." Spottedfeather meowed, because although she wanted to stay wrapped around her mother for a bit longer, Spottedfeather had important news to share with her.
Firestar reluctantly pulled back away from her youngest daughter. Just enough to look Spottedfeather in the face. "It must be important for it to lead you away from us so suddenly."
"It is." Spottedfeather told her gravely. "We'll need to speak with the other leaders soon as well. What I have to tell you involves them as well."
Firestar's eyes narrowed but she nodded. The small flame-pelted she-cat leader waved over her senior warriors. That consisted of Graystripe, Mousefur, Cloudtail, Brightheart, Dustpelt, Brackenfur, Ferncloud and Thornclaw. It was shocking to see so many of her Clanmate's missing. Spottedleaf and surprisingly Squirrelflight stayed as they all gathered around Spottedfeather.
"You've been gone for almost an entire moon!" Are the first words out of Cloudtail's muzzle as he came forward. "Where have you been?"
Spottedfeather shuffled around rocks, her massive paws feeling suddenly self-conscious but a voice sounding like Crowpaw told her that what she had to say was more important than how everyone else would feel. It helped that Squirrelflight was pressing herself reassuringly against Spottedfeather's much larger flank.
"Bluestar came to me in a dream and told me great trouble was coming to the forest, and I would have to meet with three other cats at the new moon to hear what midnight tells us." Spottedfeather began, "Myself and six others decided to--"
"Wait-why didn't you tell me this when you first had this dream?" Firestar interrupted, her jade green eyes stretched wide in wonder but also disappointment.
"We had our reasons." Spottedfeather said vaguely, not really sure how to voice the fact that she had her doubts about how her mother would react to knowing about her receiving a prophecy and whether or not her mother would allow her to follow through with it.
"Did Feathertail and Stormfur go with you? Were they also the ones chosen?" Graystripe asked, looking hopeful.
Spottedfeather instantly felt grief wash over her at the mention of her two dearly departed companions. Stormfur had died trying to bring down rocks that they were trying to use to kill the monstrous animal known as Sharptooth and Feathertail had disappeared when pushing Sharptooth over the waterfall. Graystripe was their father and now Spottedfeather had to tell him that he had lost both of them.
"Yes. Feathertail was given the same prophecy." Spottedfeather replied, "Stormfur decided to come with her."
"And were the others Tawnypelt and Hawkfrost?" Firestar meowed, not giving Spottedfeather the time to explain further about Graystripe's kits.
The giant dark ginger she-cat nodded. "Yes. Tawnypelt received the dream and Hawkfrost decided to join. The last to join us was Crowpaw, a WindClan apprentice." There was more that Spottedfeather wanted to add about Crowpaw, but she felt it best to keep things simple and straight to the point.
"Like I was saying. I then had another dream, where I was drowning in salty water. I could see a cliff that opens up into a cave, and the sun setting in the water. When I woke up, my mouth was salty. We traveled all the way to sun-drown-place, Ravenpaw helped us figure out that the place I dreamed of was real and pointed us in the direction we should take, and we eventually found it or rather who Midnight was. Turns out Midnight was a talking badger--"
"Okay, I've heard a lot of what you've said and some of it is believable but a talking badger?! Firestar you can't really--"
"Shut up, Dustpelt!"
Spottedfeather was shocked as the normally sweet and kind Ferncloud rounded on her mate, fangs bared and looking ready for a fight. It was a little horrifying to note that all that hostility was aimed at her mate, Dustpelt. The dark brown tabby senior warrior's muzzle instantly snapped closed, almost as shocked as the rest of them at Ferncloud snapping at him.
"Well, are you going to continue?" Ferncloud grouched, her pale gray tail with darker flecks impatiently lashing out behind her.
"Yes, well, um…Midnight told us that Twolegs are destroying the forest and we need to leave and find a new home."
Silence.
Spottedfeather watched as everyone who wasn't already on edge tensed, Spottedfeather could feel her own sister's body tense like a fluttering bird trying to hold still. Firestar's eyes flicked between her warriors and rested on Spottedleaf.
"I feared something like this would happen." Spottedleaf sighed, seeming to have come to this conclusion long before Spottedfeather had come back to confirm it. "It's why StarClan was so restless and so insistent about Spottedfeather's prophecy."
"But to leave the forest?" Brackenfur gasped, his amber eyes flickering off towards the piles of rocks that served as makeshift dens. "But where will we go?"
"Did this talking badger tell you anything else?" Firestar questioned, looking pensive.
Spottedfeather hesitated for a moment, recalling Midnight's vague warning, "Midnight said we will not be without a guide. When returning, stand on Great Rock when Silverpelt shines above. A dying warrior, the way will show."
Graystripe let out a low dragged out hiss, and shared a look with Firestar, they were thinking along the same lines.
"We have plenty of us currently dying, I'm sure one of them can show us which way we can go." Ferncloud morbidly grunted, tail wagging as she turned from the group. "Let me know when you figure out which one can tell us." Spottedfeather watched the queen stalk off and Dustpelt hastily rose to go after her.
Firestar watched as her former apprentice walked off, and sighed. "I think it's best if we follow through on what this Midnight has told you."
"Firestar we can't leave without finding Leafpool!" Thornclaw protested, drawing Spottedfeather's attention at the mention of her sister's name. "And Brambleclaw would never leave without Cinderpelt!"
Squirrelflight was nodding along with the golden-brown tabby warrior. Clearly something had happened to Leafpool and Cinderpelt since Spottedfeather and the others had been away.
"I think we should discuss this more." Firestar meowed, before eyeing her daughters. "And I think you both should check on your Clanmates."
"But--" Firestar gave them a firm stare down when both Squirrelflight and Spottedfeather tried to protest being dismissed. They both had no choice but to leave it to the senior warrior's.
Spottedfeather felt dejected, being brushed off from an important conversation that mostly had to do with herself and her companions was disheartening. Though the call of her name from a shadowy overhang of rocks that jutted out from the side of Sunningrocks drew her away from her negative emotions.
Sandstorm was waving her over. The pale ginger queen seemed happy by Spottedfeather's return and that got the giant ginger she-cat warriors paws moving towards the queen who had been still pregnant when she had left. But Sandstorm was no longer pregnant. Instead three fluffy kits were curled up asleep pressed against Sandstorm's stomach.
Spottedfeather's amber eyes widened in wonder at the sight of them. They were all gorgeous and strong looking kits. I wonder what Crowpaw and mine are going to look like? Spottedfeather shoved that thought aside, not willing to dwell on that future decision at the moment. She needed to focus on the present.
"What did you name them?" Spottedfeather asked, turning to look at the proud queen that was gazing lovingly down at her first litter of kits.
Sandstorm pointed to each kit in turn as she informed Spottedfeather of each kit's name and their origin. "Flamekit, Stonekit and Redkit." Spottedfeather repeated, liking the sound of them. "Those are great name's."
"Yes and they're going to grow up to be great warriors." Though Sandstorm had meant what she said, Spottedfeather noticed a bit of doubt. Did Sandstorm not think that her kits won't make it to apprentices? Or does Sandstorm not think there'll be any warriors left to teach them? Or a Clan entirely.
"Sandstorm, where is everyone else?" This question has been bugging Spottedfeather the entire trip back and now that she's seen her Clan there was much of it missing. "I haven't seen Cinderpelt, Sorreltail or Rainwhiskers, and what Thornclaw said about Leafpool --"
Sandstorm stared sympathetically at her old apprentice. Clearly she saw how lost and confused Spottedfeather was about everything and broke the news as gently as she could, "Leafpool, Cinderpelt, Sorreltail and Rainwhisker are all currently missing," Sandstorm halted any of Spotted feather's questions as she wasn't quite done speaking. "When you left the Twolegs began destroying the forest. We've lost a lot of the forest already. Then of course cats started dying. Spiderpaw was crushed by a tree beside the Thunderpath. Two of Ferncloud's kits have died. Sorreltail, Leafpool, Cinderpelt and Rainwhisker have been taken by Twolegs. Everything has been falling apart." Sandstorm sighed and began grooming Redkit's pale-ginger fur as the kit began squirming inside the crudely made nest.
Spottedfeather blinked sadly. This whole time she'd been gone her Clanmates had been suffering and dying. Maybe she should have listened to Hawkfrost more when he was insisting that they hurry and not dawdle.
The dark ginger she-cat wandered away as Sandstorm became distracted by her kits. Glancing around Spottedfeather found the distraught faces of her Clanmates, some of which wouldn't meet her eyes. However she did find her older brother, Brambleclaw, he appeared as though he hadn't slept in days and going by the fact that Cinderpelt had been taken by Twolegs, she wasn't surprised.
Spottedfeather made her way over to him and sat by his side. The dark ginger she-cat seemed to startle him into awareness as she gently pressed herself against him. Brambleclaw must have been really out of it to have been snuck up on by Spottedfeather of all cats. "Spottedfeather, your back." Brambleclaw said, as though just now noticing. "I'm glad." His words, while sounding true, were overshadowed by worry and desperation.
Spottedfeather blinked sympathetically. "I heard Cinderpelt was taken by Twolegs. I want you to know we'll get her back."
Brambleclaw nodded, but surprised his younger sister by dropping news that Spottedfeather hadn't yet heard. "It's not just Cinderpelt I'm worried about. I'm also worried about our kits and whether or not they'll be okay."
"You have kits?" Spottedfeather meowed in surprise. Rethinking just how much time had passed while she was away.
"Having kits." Brambleclaw amended, "we found out just after you left."
Spottedfeather's ears swiveled at such an announcement. The dark ginger she-cat was beyond happy for the pair and a little sad that she wasn't there to hear it directly from the couple when they first found out, but all that was overshadowed by the pressing issue of Cinderpelt, and many others, disappearance.
"Both you and Cinderpelt are going to be great parents," Spottedfeather meowed, comfortingly laying her slightly crooked tail on her brother's shoulder. "And I'll be sure to tell Cinderpelt that when we find her."
Brambleclaw looked slightly more uplifted at Spottedfeather's supporting words, but not by much. Nothing but Cinderpelt's safe return would fully put Brambleclaw at ease. The giant dark ginger she-cat hoped that she would be able to help bring Cinderpelt and everyone else back to him.
"Spottedfeather, Brambleclaw! Come on! You're both needed!" Both siblings turned at the call of their name's as Squirrelflight waved them over with her bushy red squirrel-like tail.
Sharing looks of confusion both siblings followed behind their shortest sibling as they were led back to Firestar where four groups were forming.
"We'll send each group to give a message to the other Clan's to meet together at Fourtrees," Firestar was ordering, "and another, smaller, one that will begin searching for our kidnapped Clanmate's."
"I'd like to join the search party!" Both Thornclaw and Brambleclaw eagerly volunteered at the same time, both desperate to find their missing mates.
"Alright, you both can join the search party." Firestar meowed, probably sensing that they wouldn't be of use any other way and how easily distracted they would be in any of the other groups. "Squirrelflight will be the one leading it."
"M-me?" Squirrelflight stuttered, her green eyes stretching wide in surprise. "You want me to lead the search party."
"Of course." Firestar meowed, "I trust you, Squirrelflight."
The dark ginger she-cat warriors chest puffed up in pride as she nodded to their mother. "You can count on me."
"Take one or two others with you, traveling with more eyes to keep watch will help keep you safe."
Squirrelflight nodded once again. Gesturing for the three others to follow her off to the side as Firestar kept giving out orders for the patrols sending out messages to the other Clan's. Spottedfeather was somewhat disappointed that she wasn't the one going to WindClan but shook it off as she realized finding her Clanmate's was more important.
"Dustpelt! Come join us!" Squirrelflight called out after a moment of searching through the limited available warriors.
Dustpelt, from where Spottedfeather could see him grooming Birchkit, perked up at the sound of his name being called. The dark brown tabby nudged Birchkit over towards Sandstorm, before quickly making his way over towards the gathering patrols.
"Let's join the same patrol, Ferncloud." Dustpelt looked at Ferncloud hopefully, but the pale gray and dark speckled she-cat just coldly turned away from him and joined the other group.
Spottedfeather was surprised. Never before has she ever witnessed Dustpelt looking so defeated as his tail drooped and staring longingly after his mate. This was the second time she's witnessed that happen between them today!
"Are Dustpelt and Ferncloud fighting?" Spottedfeather leaned over to whisper to her brother.
Brambleclaw shook his head. "Ferncloud has been acting that way towards Dustpelt and Birchkit for a while now. She doesn't interact with Birchkit outside of nursing him, and then she treats him and Dustpelt as though they don't exist."
Spottedfeather could hardly believe what the sweet and kind nursery queen was doing. "What, why?"
Brambleclaw looked tired as he gazed at a sad Dustpelt who had turned away from Ferncloud and was padding towards their group. "Everyone has been through a lot. I think what Ferncloud is doing is just her way of protecting herself."
By throwing herself into her warriors duties and completely ignoring Dustpelt and Birchkit? Spottedfeather didn't understand Ferncloud's actions, and was sad to see how it was affecting Dustpelt and Birchkit, but Spottedfeather didn't have the first clue as to what she could do to help.
"We should focus on the search." Squirrelflight interrupted her siblings' conversation. "And once we do we will have all the time in the world to gossip about one another's love life."
Both Spottedfeather and Brambleclaw straightened up, nodding as they took the task much more seriously.
"You're probably the only one that can tell us where to find them, Thornclaw." Squirrelflight meowed, turning to the golden-brown tabby warrior. "So you'll be the one to guide us to the spot where Leafpool was taken."
"Yes, Squirrelflight." Thornclaw meowed, his pale blue eyes stormy like a leaf-bare winter.
Then they were off in search of their Clanmate's.
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Fun Facts:
Yeah. So a mixed bag of how everyone feels about Spottedfeather right now.
Spottedfeather doesn't have the heart yet to tell Graystripe about what happened to Feather and Storm.
My favorite kit name from Sandstorm's litter is Redkit, but my favorite cat from her litter is definitely going to be Flamekit.
Got to love how concerned Thornclaw and Brambleclaw are over the she-cat's they love.
Squirrelflight coming in with maturity and grace!
Poor Ferncloud and Dustpelt. (The course of love never did run smooth. -- William Shakespeare)
The search for the missing cats have finally commenced!!!