Chapter 15
Moon 56 | Frosty
Leaf-fall was as saddening as it had ever been for Gingerleaf, she continued to keep company with Haillaurel as she watched over the Clan from the elder's den. Poppycry would usually be with them, but ever since Sleetcrash found a pair of kits in need of a mother, Poppycry had been spending more time in the nursery to help out. Last she heard, Sleetcrash was having a terrible headache and needed time to relax and recover.
However, despite the grief, life continued on with Rainstar's commanding yowl announcing Dolphinrain's new name and beginning of warrior-hood. She wanted to be happy, but it was hard to find any sort of happiness. Especially when Bugpaw was seen storming out of the camp. It was odd, but she supposed the young tom needed more time to himself. A lot did happen in a few moons, so she wasn't too surprised.
Regardless, Gingerleaf could only turn back to her only living mother left to try and heal alongside. It was the most she could do, the most any cat could during a time that broke her heart over and over. She wanted to speak with Rustyfeather more than anything, but she knew it was not possible.
She was gone.
And all that was left behind were the painful memories of both happy times and sad times.
It almost seemed as though the raging sea had taken all the prey they once had in camp. Thus, their stores were low, but Weevildusk had taken over the Clan and ensured that they hunted for prey and stretched the cats who were able to still hunt and patrol so thin that it was almost impossible as days passed. The first frost of the season clung to foliage and rocks and the old planks of wood as the days drew nearer to the beginning of leafbare.
As though welcoming it, Kingmask didn't survive much longer. His condition worsened until, at last, he faded away and succumbed to his redcough. Gingerleaf didn't like the news, but Eagletide was swift to take care of the vigil. Sure he was her friend, but now the cat was gone. No stories were made for him, no words were said.
Kingmask would be missed, but even Gingerleaf knew that the young tom was in a better place where he could no longer be sick like that again.
Moon 57 | Long Night
Ever so slowly, leafbare began to sink it's cold talons into the beach and inland forest. With it, the grief only seemed to have lessened for Caveswoop, leaving Gingerleaf curled with her mother, trying to comfort her and herself. Chirppaw's mood only dampened further as a warrior ceremony began outside of the elder's den.
Rainstar seemed keen on trying to boost their morale and spirits, but it only caused more fractures in Gingerleaf's heart. She couldn't remember hurting this much in a long time, she wasn't sure it was going to ever lessen either. The voices of the cats out in the clearing fell into a hush after the summons began.
"Cats old enough to swim in the sea, gather around the Slanted-Deck for a Clan meeting!" Rainstar's meow echoed into her ears; she could almost imagine the dark gray tabby she-cat's head lifted high and mighty despite the grief that glowed in her gray eyes.
"Splashbone and Peakstreak have told me that their apprentices are ready to become warriors." She swept on in the hushed murmurs of the clowder. "I, Rainstar of StormClan, ask our ancestors and loved ones to look down upon these apprentices before me. They have worked hard to learn the ways of our Clan and to help provide for many seasons to come. Whisperpaw, do you promise to protect StormClan with your life?"
"I do." Whisperpaw answered in a soft, yet strong voice.
"Whisperpaw, from this day forward your warrior name will be Whisperpurr. We honor your realism."
There was a pause, leaving Gingerleaf to imagine Rainstar with her chin on Whisperpurr's head as she got her shoulder fur rasped gently in a ceremonial thanks.
Then, Rainstar spoke up again, her meow ringing out powerfully. "Riverpaw, do you promise to protect StormClan with your life?"
"I do." Her younger brother answered bravely.
"Then, by the power of the Sea of Stars, I give you your warrior name. Riverpaw, from this moment on, you will be now known as Riverthrift. We honor you for your hard work and know full well that Rustyfeather is proud of how far you have come."
There was a moment of silence, pain searing in her chest as her throat seemed to close up from emotion. Would Rustyfeather be able to see or hear the ceremony? She hoped so, even as the cats in the clearing began to cheer loudly, their voices rising higher and higher as though they wanted the Sea of Stars to be able to hear them.
"Whisperpurr! Riverthrift! Whisperpurr! Riverthrift!"
Gingerleaf whispered the names softly, committing them to memory as she spared a glance at Chirppaw, knowing that he, too, should have had his warrior ceremony as well. Soon he would, but until then, they had to wait as patiently as they ever could.
Life continued on, never stopping even when it felt like Gingerleaf's world had already ended. She could only hope that, somehow, some way, newleaf would bloom again deep in her heart. For now, the world was slowly reflecting the cold leafbare that she felt trapped in.
In the coming days Dolphinrain and Wooddapple found a kit and took them in as their own. Not long after, a new cat joined them as well, although they were sick. The moon was eventful despite the sadness that seemed to center in the elder's den.
Moon 58 | Storm
After several moons of sadness, Gingerleaf finally started to leave the elder's den. She still wished to keep close to Haillaurel, especially after the nightmares started. Yet, it was a relief to finally begin walking around the camp. She started simple, keeping lookout for danger, starting to talk with Caveswoop again; it was all she could do to try and return to normal after the pain of losing Rustyfeather began to lessen. It was never truly gone, but she felt ready to try and move on with her life for the first time in four moons.
She even began to see Rainstar from time to time, the older she-cat lounging in the leafbare-weak sunlight. A sadness still was in her eyes, but clearly, she was trying to also enjoy life once more for those who were still alive with her. Pixel, the speckled light brown tom, had begun to join Rainstar more and more each day. Something about the former kittypet just seemed to bring a new sense of joy to Rainstar. In fact, she had seen them head off to patrol on their own, probably to talk and feel more at ease with life without important loved ones.
.
It was a few days later when Gingerleaf was finally ready to patrol with Caveswoop after so long. It was also the day that Eagletide announced that Downwind, the sickly kittypet that joined their Clan, had died from his ailment. A murmur of sadness swept through the Clan, but none could truly grieve for him. They barely had known him for half a moon or so. Still, they shared how brave he was at his morning vigil, brave to try and survive without his Twolegs after he was abandoned by them.
The patrol went smoothly as they explored the territory to mark their borders.
Moon 59 | Ice
Gingerleaf couldn't believe her ears.
Sleetcrash had died from her sickness. She wasn't even aware she was sick. Eagletide had explained that Sleetcrash had whitecough for a while, but she must have grown too old to fight it off. The thick of leafbare felt colder and darker than it ever had before. They shared stories of Sleetcrash, remembering the good times altogether.
However, Rainstar had fallen back into her cycle of grief all over again. She wasn't accepting of anything, finding solace in the healers nest despite how fast the scent must have been fading. Poppycry stepped up to take over the healing duties, wanting to ensure their Clan survived for many moons to come.
.
It was almost the full moon night when tragedy struck. Eagletide had been out on a walk, Gingerleaf saw him go with promise to bring back herbs. He didn't come back. Worried, she led a patrol to find him.
She managed to... but he wasn't alive.
Whatever got him was the same creature that got Darkwhisper all those moons ago. Gingerleaf helped bury Eagletide that day, shaken and wondering just how they were going to survive without a trusted medicine cat.
.
Leafbare was becoming a blur for Gingerleaf, she started to feel a little off. She wasn't paying much attention to the summons that Rainstar had done. She followed the motions, but her mind was still reeling from everything that had happened so soon.
"Bugpaw, do you promise to protect StormClan with your life?" Rainstar's meow broke into her fractured thoughts.
"I do." The young cat answered.
"Then, by the powers of the Sea of Stars, I give you your warrior name. From this day forward, you will be known as Bugleaf. We honor you for your adaptability."
"Bugleaf! Bugleaf!" The Clan cheered, Gingerleaf following along more softly.
"I have one request to make." Bugleaf meowed aloud, silencing the clowder around her. "Poppycry is caring for StormClan alone, I wish to join her and help heal our Clan-mates. It is the least I can do to show how adaptable I can be."
.
In the last few quarter-moons things slowly changed. A new cat joined their group, a rogue who grew up with knowledge about herbs. For the first time in a while, it felt welcoming. To help, Gingerleaf accompanied him to gather herbs and even nesting materials. She learned his name was Quillpelt and he was thankful for all the help she could give in gathering some rosemary.
"You really didn't have to come along." The pale gray tom told her around his mouthful. "You should be resting rather than helping me."
"Why should I be resting?" She inquired, padding alongside him as they approached camp. "I've rested for three moons in grief, I don't need any more rest."
"Really?" He seemed puzzled, his gaze flickering over her before he looked away. "I must be losing my touch already."
"What do you mean?"
"The way you carry yourself reminds me of a queen just beginning to expect a litter." He replied, "But I suppose I can be wrong, not all queens and she-cats are alike."
The ginger tabby almost stopped in her tracks. Pregnant? Her? She supposed it could be possible, but last she checked she still felt fine!
Although, I guess I have hung around Haillaurel long enough to kind of act like she does?
It was a stretch of a thought, but it could be just as likely, right?
"How could you tell anyway?" She asked as she caught back up to him.
The white and speckled pale gray tom blinked warmly. "I'm a Seer. Rogues call me that because I have a connection to knowing some things when looking at a cat or in my dreams or even when I'm awake. Sometimes, I think I see something, but I can be wrong. So, maybe you're expecting kits or maybe you will in the future. Whichever it is, I'll be there to help."
Gingerleaf blinked, nodding slowly as she followed, trying to wrap her mind around it. "Eagletide, a cat who was a healer before he was murdered; he used to kind of see weird stuff too. He saw when a storm came and took my mother away. I only have my other mother now, but he saw it and tried to warn us but it was too late."
"I'm so sorry." Quillpelt murmured softly, apologetic as though it was somehow his fault.
"Do you think," She started slowly, looking into his gray eyes. "Do you think Eagletide was a Seer too?"
"I have no doubt in my mind." He answered solemnly. "He more than likely knew he was going to die one day, but he still tried to live his life, probably not even knowing when it was going to happen."
"I'll vouch for you." She spoke strongly, "I won't let another disaster like that happen again. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that no one has to go through the same pain I had to."
Allegiances (as of Moon 59)
Leader: Rainstar - long-furred dark gray tabby she-cat with gray eyes
Deputy: Weevildusk - long-furred gray and white tabby tom with pale yellow eyes
Seer: Quillpelt - white and speckled pale gray tom with gray eyes
Healers: Poppycry - medium-furred unusually spotted dark brown and white she-cat with pale blue eyes (Formerly a loner)
Bugleaf - pale smoky gray long haired tabby she-cat with gray eyes
Warriors:
Shiverbark - dorsal-striped pale gray tom with hazel eyes and a purple collar (Formerly a kittypet)
Pixel - speckled light brown tom with heather blue eyes (Formerly a kittypet)
Pansyspeck - unusually dappled pale gray tom with pale yellow eyes
Miyun - long-furred unusually spotted pale silver she-cat with warm gray eyes (Formerly a barn cat)
Peakstreak - long-furred speckled black and white she-cat with heather blue eyes
Caveswoop - long-furred white and black tabby tom with heterochromia eyes (one cobalt, the other emerald)
Dorothyflow - long-furred cream tabby and white tom with yellow eyes and a pale cyan collar (Formerly a kittypet)
Gingerleaf - dark ginger tabby she-cat with pale green eyes
Zambia - long furred pale lavender marbled-tabby and white she-cat with pale green eyes (Formerly a kittypet)
APPRENTICE: CHIRPPAW
Splashbone - light brown and light ginger tortie she-cat with pale blue eyes
Wooddapple- unusually spotted brown tom with yellow eyes
Dolphinrain - an unusually dappled gray long haired she-cat with gray eyes
Whisperpurr - gray tabby and white long haired tom with cobalt eyes
Riverthrift - speckled gray she-cat with pale blue eyes
Apprentices:
Chirppaw - gray and white tabby tom with pale blue eyes
Queens and Kits:
Rubblekit - dorsal-striped ginger and white tom-kit
Burnetkit - speckled ginger and white tom-kit
Coconutkit - gray tabby and white tom-kit
Elders:
Haillaurel - pale cream ticked tabby she-cat with hazel eyes
New Residents of the Sea of Stars
Kingmask - long haired masked dark gray tabby tom with heather blue eyes (Formerly a kittypet)
Downwind - dark gray striped-tabby tom with amber eyes (Formerly a kittypet)
Sleetcrash - long-furred pale gray and white tabby she-cat with pale green eyes
Eagletide - brown tabby tom with gray eyes
Author's Note:
I never had a cat with redcough live as long as Kingmask had. They usually end up dead within a moon or two, but no, he wanted to live a long unfulfilling life. I was hoping he would make it, but he decided that he has survived long enough.
Life Goes On and Spring Day will never stop being the two songs I listen to when I have bouts of grief. Thus, I make sure they are symbolic with everything I write when it comes to sadness. It captures the feeling all too well.
I did not see it coming when I lost both healers. Like, bro, you cannot do this to me. I had to think fast and yeet two cats into healing positions. Then the game gave me a new healer. Thank the cat rng gods!
Thus, I give you a new role: Seer. As, for now, there are no medicine cats. They don't know what a medicine cat is. They know what a healer is and they know a seer is one who gets visions that surprisingly comes true (Eagletide was this before they knew what it was.) and Quillpelt will now be the seer, thus the true medicine cat.
Thank you for reading, have a fantastic morning, day, evening, or night~! - NightSky