Jasper(26 Moons)-Ginger She-cat with Brown stripes and White paws, Her eyes are a Gold/Amber Color. Doesn't often think things through and can jump to conclusions. Energetic & Never seems to be tired, Clever: Well really its more like she's a good hunter and good at escaping Predators. Friendly:*Not this applies to friends and other Loners Clan cats will NEVER receive a Friendly Treatment*. Aspen(26 Moons)- A Tom with a Sandy colored pelt and black stripes,paws,tail tip and ears white underbelly & Teal eyes. Aspen can come off as cowardly most of the time but despite this he is fiercely to his friends and will take huge risks to defend them. He's Loyal to his Friends, Aspen is unfortunately a Poor hunter. Aspen was born a clan cat but later kicked out for reasons he won't say it took him awhile to ear Jasper's Trust. Became a rouge along side Branchtail but he changed his name unlike her. Branchtail(35 Moons)- A Dark brown she-cat with a even darker brown tail tip white underbelly and through and Aqua blue eyes. Not much is said about Branchtail throughout this story but she does play a major role in Aspen's life before a rouge. She seems the most logical out of the three cat's and is often warning them to be careful when they go off to do things that Jasper comes up with.
Other Rouges(or Kittypets)
Kilo(Age is Unknown Seems old)-A Old tom with Totally gray pelt matched with his black eyes. In the Few times he's mentioned he is talked about as if he's otherworldly and incredibly wise(Kilo is pronouced like Kilo-Meter without meter in it) Vera(15 Moons)-A Plump Kittypet Who often Visits Jasper and Aspen at the farm. She is described to be a lilac Calico with emerald eyes and a bushy tail. Vera is Excitable and Easily impressed but also eager to grow up she'll often try to be like Branchtail when talking to the rouges.(Vera is pronouced like Very(without the y at the end so Ver-ah(H is silent)
Cats In Mentioned Clans
Thunderclan
Leader:Pebblestar[54 moons]- Gray tabby she-cat with sharp blue eyes: Clever, brave and stubborn, she can be sharp-tongued and short-tempered but is a nice cat to her clanmates.
Med Cat:Unknown[Suggest Cat]
Deputy:Fernclaw[36 moons]-A white she-cat with Lilac Patches. Soft Green eyes. Despite Appearance, Aspen Describes her as being a strict she-cat and often times will look scary However she does well as a Deputy and also raised a litter of Kits who have so far proven themselves to be amazing Warriors. (Mates with Goldenclaw) Warriors: [2 Toms & 2 she-cats) Goldenclaw[33 moons]-Large, golden-colored tom with long claws. Sharp blue eyes and has a scar across his hind right leg and short fur. Ambitious, respectful but dislikes rudeness and his strength is mainly fighting, he can be funny and tell great jokes, he's also a bit oblivious of some things. Mousepool[20 moons]- A Small, brown furred she-cat with small(Compared to many warriors) claws. Mousepool has dark brown eyes almost black and a thin tail with a dark brown tail tip. Calm, collected, tends to be kind and sweet, she is a skilled hunter as well.(Trying to use suffixes the correct way Pool is given to cats that are usually calm, Mousepool is a calm cat XD) Apprentices:{Suggest Cats *needs 2 apprentices should be Unique} Queens & Kits: (Unknown) Elders:Dusty~Eyes-(Looks Unknown,Has Clouded Eyes, Personality Unknown)Tom Riverclan Leader:Eaglestar-[Suggest Looks *Anything that Eagle would fit would be good/Personality]Tom Med Cat:Troutheart[Tom]-Branchtail Describes him as having a cream pelt with a white underbelly and brown ear tips. Branchtail ALSO Describes him as Incompetent and Cowerdly. However it is known she was kicked out of her clan while being a medicine cat so it can be assumed this Personality is Incorrect/biased. Deputy:[Suggest Cat] Warriors:[Suggest Cats *Needs 3 Toms & 3 She-cats] Apprentices: [Needs 1 more apprentice, must be unique) Batpaw[11 moons]:Lithe, black she-cat with white paws, tail tip and muzzle(tuxedo) and has hazel green eyes, sleek fur with a feathered tail. Sweet, loyal and friendly. She's protective of her clan but she is curious of everything and she's soft-spoken, fierce only in battle. Queens & Kits: (Unknown) Elders:Unknown[Suggest cats]
To Suggest Cats All i need is 1.Which Clan there in 2.Cat's name(If its a suggest for a cat who already has been given a name but needs a personality/Appears Use that name) 3.If its for positions that just need cat's then specify that as well please 4. Age that fits with Rank(SO put that in there as well) 5.Personality And/or Looks 6. Most cats won't have a Appearance so much more than a quick mention. Buuuut once this story is over i may make side stories featuring your cats so i do still want a short or brief backstory or some ideas on how they might fit in. How this Story is going to be written. This will Switch between two POV I will Tell you who's POV your in though. The main characters are the three rouges in the story but Branchtail is only a side character who if i get enough support will. Get Bonus Chapters Going on her Adventures. Other Rouges are Also Side-characters If i get enough support i'll eventually put up a poll for the three cats and ask which cat you want me to write more on. Anyways Enjoy the Story and Remember I NEED support for this to keep going
A She-cat and Tom come into view they look happy for one moment then furious the next. However no matter what the emotion is, the she-cat and the tom's tails are always curled together never separated. "Three cats...were born...three cats with a story to tell, a family that was killed, a tom blamed for things they never did, and a she-cat who may have mad a mistake but never forgiven for it, so bitter they could become". A old tom comes behind you he has a friendly but mischievous gleam in his eyes. "But lost and alone, friends can appear in weird places, and it is this barn they shall make their home" you look up at him confused for a moment before the world suddenly fades away.
Chapter 1(A Rabbit's Foot)[Jasper] Jasper yawned as she stretched her hind legs, blinking her eyes as she adjusted to the sight of early morning. Outside the barn was Branchtail, whose paws scraped the ground impatiently. Branchtail glanced at the barn once more and then started over to Jasper, who looked impatient and mad. Jasper tried for a friendly smile but gave up when Branchtail just scowled even more. "Aspen is missing," Branchtail meowed. Jasper was awake the moment she said that. Her heart felt like it had just fallen 20 feet and somehow survived. "Wait, wait, wait! you didn't think to wake me up as soon as he disappeared?!" Jasper said, her tail bristling. Jasper's claws were unsheathed but she wasn't going to attack the she-cat. Meanwhile rolling her eyes Branchtail meowed, "I'm kidding! Don't worry, mousebrain, your precious friend isn't gone." Jasper sighed. Sometimes she hated Branchtail. The she-cat always liked to do that same trick to Jasper, but she supposed she deserved it. Last night she had gotten the last bite of a huge fish despite Branchtail being the one to catch it.
Although, telling Jasper that Aspen was missing seemed a bit over the top. Was Branchtail really that mad at her? "That was mean, Branchtail," Jasper said finally after a couple minutes. Branchtail shrugged. "Meh, you were sleeping in late and I wanted you awake." she said simply, as if there was no better logic than that. Jasper rolled her eyes. Branchtail was impossible at times. Although Jasper wanted to argue, she knew it could wait and she wasn't in the mood to do so. She did have to admit that it had woken her up. As soon as she had heard Branchtail's lie, her mind had been filled with thoughts on what could've happened to Aspen. After a couple minutes of waiting, she started to wonder if Branchtail was actually kidding or if she was just trying to ease Jasper's worries. Luckily at that very moment, Jasper spotted Aspen walking up the hill. He appeared to be carrying - or rather struggling - to drag a huge brown rabbit up the hill. Jasper raced over to help, but Branchtail stayed behind. Branchtail was usually a distant she-cat despite being friends with Jasper and Aspen.
"Jasper! You're up!" Aspen exclaimed, "When I left to go hunting you were sound asleep! I thought I'd get to surprise you with this present when I got back, but now my plans are ruined..." He meowed playfully, setting the rabbit down to talk to her. Jasper purred. "I got a good enough surprise from Branchtail... She tricked me into thinking that you had left and just disappeared!" Jasper meowed. Aspen smiled. "Oh, that sounds hilarious...! I wish I had been there to see it."
Jasper couldn't help but laugh at Branchtail's prank. "If you were there, her joke wouldn't have worked because you wouldn't have disappeared," Jasper commented. Then she bent down to grab the rabbit which was surprisingly heavy. Aspen bent down next to her and together they carried the rabbit back to the barn. "So," Aspen meowed once they'd finally reached the barn and the three cats were seated around the rabbit, "how's this for an amazing morning?" Jasper and Aspen had both had some of the rabbit, but Branchtail just stared at it. "Its.. a sign," Branchtail murmured, and Jasper looked up, her head tilted slightly. She glanced at Aspen who shrugged, clearly having no idea of what Branchtail meant. "Uh... Umm... Branchtail... are you all right?" Jasper said, concern showing in her eyes. Branchtail shook her head and then shuddered. "No... no, nothing will be alright... the rabbit's foot is crooked. It's a sign from starclan..." Branchtail murmured.
Jasper instantly scowled. She didn't believe in starclan and she never would, not even at the moment of her death. "Starclan doesn't exist and you both know it! It's just a crooked rabbit's foot. That's good luck for us because slow food is hard to come by here anyways!" Jasper hissed and looked at Aspen to back her up, but he just shrugged. He seemed indifferent about starclan. "Jasper, you may not believe in Starclan, but Branchtail basically has to... she was a Medicine cat after all..." Then Aspen turned to Branchtail and meowed curiously, "What does that mean, Branchtail? A crooked rabbit's foot?" Jasper growled and didn't wait to hear the answer. She hastily got up and left the barn. She wasn't going to listen to some silly ideas about Star cats who only let clan cats join their special little home. Why did it have to be a clan? why not a group? a pack? a family? Anything but a clan!
What was even more important was how Branchtail thought the rabbit foot was supposed to be something bad! How could that ever be bad?! It made hunting easier for all of them if animals were sick or injured so it was obvious that this had to be a good thing.
Aspen suddenly dashed outside the barn, leaping on Jasper. "You NEED to listen to Branchtail! it's important!" Aspen meowed. Jasper hissed again. "Let me guess... It's some omen from starclan. Ugh! Aspen, you know quite well that I never will believe in Starclan so just let me be!" Aspen didn't release her though.
"Well, then what are you going to do? Explore?! You've barely eaten... if you're not going to listen, at least eat some more prey first." Aspen meowed before finally getting off Jasper. Jasper sighed. "Fine. Then do you want to explore the borders. I bet some mouse-brained clan cats are sitting all around acting all proper and stuff." Jasper meowed. Aspen chuckled. "Hey, don't insult us too much... not all of us are proper! Take me for example." Aspen said, puffing his chest out. Jasper smiled. "Okay, so all the cats IN the clans are mouse brains, but all the ones who make the smart decision to leave the clan aren't." Chapter 2(Wishes)[Jasper] Jasper followed her friend back to the barn. She didn't admit it out loud, but Aspen was right. Her stomach growled. She was incredibly hungry even after having some rabbit, and she wouldn't be able to focus when her stomach was so empty. She and her companions were always hungry, despite prey usually being plentiful in the barn. The trio didn't usually hunt inside; It was often that younger cats, new to the outside world and the life of a loner, would stumble inside the barn, so if Jasper and the others were to hunt often there, no prey would be left for the those cats. Jasper had watched a newcomer - a kit actually - come across the barn once, and it was, to say the least, a different experience.
She had never seen Branchtail so compassionate. Her friend had put every ounce of energy into the kit that had come, and she'd never seen Branchtail look so heartbroken so shattered after her attempts to save the kit had failed. After that they had stopped hunting entirely in the barn, but it was harder in winter. Prey in the barn and outside were scarce, hiding in holes and never coming out. So Jasper and her friends tended to go days without food, but it didn't stop her from being happy. She could never be sad as long as Aspen was right there next to her. She would always be happy, and that's how she liked it. Being a rouge was probably the most perfect life a cat could ask for...
Jasper sat down next to Aspen who looked at Branchtail, and Jasper sighed, "Don't EVEN mention it. I'm just going to eat the rest of this till I'm full and then we're going out to explore the forest." Branchtail hissed while flicking her tail then meowed, "You shouldn't be heading near the clan territory. It's dangerous; we're rouges, not clan cats, and they won't like it." Still, despite her grumpy words, her voice sounded a bit shaky, as if something really bad had happened. Jasper's curiosity got the better of her. Rolling her eyes, she stopped eating and muttered, "Okay, fine, tell me what these so called "star cats" told you with this rabbit's foot." Aspen smiled. "I knew you'd be too curious to NOT ask," Aspen meowed edging himself closer to Jasper. Jasper sighed, flicking her tail from side to side to just make it clear that she still wasn't happy about it. Branchtail glanced at Aspen who shrugged as if to say to Branchtail: 'Go on, its fine, Jasper won't bite this time.' Branchtail sighed and began, "I didn't expect Starclan to reach out to rouges, but my connection with them is still just as strong... Starclan has allowed me to know the truth, but my clan may not..." She closed her eyes and whispered, "Now I will repeat the soft whispers of Starclan's voice." After pausing for a moment she took a deep breath and continued: "The twist and turns of the thunder path, The cracks and burns of one clan's wrath, betrayed to nights mark, or, rise above to a days lark The bone cracks beneath the stone, so soon is traveling to a new home..." Jasper rolled her eyes. "That's a nice poem you came up with. Come on, Branchtail, like that would make any sense! I mean, why should we rise above a 'day lark'? That's prey. Of course we're above it! Whether Prophecy, actual-words-that-make-sense or not, we already have a new home, and we already know bones can crack beneath stone. "Now I'm going to clan territory. If you care to join me you're welcome - unless you're scared of some non-existent prophecy." Chapter 3(All Cats have Shadows)[Aspen's POV] Aspen sighed while he got to his paws. “S-sorry, Branchtail, but you must understand her view on the matter. Knowing her history, we can’t expect her to listen to everything we say,” Aspen meowed. “No need to apologize for the ignorant who don't wish to learn,” Branchtail spat and stormed out of the barn, her tail lashing behind her. Aspen sighed deeply. “I’m the one who has to keep the peace around here, aren’t I? Oh, thank you, life, thank you.” He muttered under his breath, clearly being sarcastic. Then remembering he was going to hunt with Jasper, he too left the barn and went and found her waiting nearby a large birch tree. "What took you so long?" Jasper said with her usual sharpness.
“Calm down! No cat needs to get clawed; all I did was talk! I hope I can still at least do that without getting my face ripped off around here,” Aspen meowed playfully, a friendly glint in his eyes. Jasper purred. “Well, come on then, Aspen! The prey can’t wait forever.” Jasper meowed, heading for the trees, and Aspen followed a tail length behind her. The two would often go to the forest on days like these when they were able to eat more early in the day. Branchtail didn’t approve of it. Of course she knew about all the dangers better than Aspen, but it still felt like she sometimes worried too much about the threat of the clans.
Aspen halted as they approached the rivers. The stepping stones they usually crossed weren’t there and it may have been a sign that the river had indeed flooded. “Well... I guess we'll need to swim across then,” Jasper meowed, not sounding particularly excited. “What, and act like those clan cats who spend all day in the water?!” Aspen fake-gasped, sounding shocked, “please, Jasper! We're cats; not fish! We’ll find another path.” Jasper chuckled. “Oh, ha ha ha... don't you go too far with that; Branchtail has ears like a hare, and that’ll get you a storm of sharp remarks for the next moon.” Jasper meowed with a slight smile at the tip of her mouth. Aspen rolled his eyes. “She’d never hear me all the way over here unless she could sneak around in the shadows like a shadowclan cat,” Aspen meowed. Jasper sighed. “Don’t come crying to me when your ears are both ripped to shreds” Jasper meowed, then added, ”but, on the topic of clan cats that sit around all day, I bet those thunderclan cats are just yowling about, like saying, 'I’m THE BEST! blah blah blah!' Pff, they couldn’t tell the difference between a mouse and a vole, I’m sure of it!” Aspen sighed suddenly. “Ahahah,” He uttered a weak attempt at laughter then looked away. Then he heard Jasper move a bit closer and, meeting her gaze, he caught a flash of worry in her eyes.
Aspen looked at the river. “Well, if we're done talking, I guess our adventure into the forest will have to be cut short. I think I want to try a paw at fishing.” Aspen meowed quickly, to hopefully change the topic and to assure Jasper that nothing was wrong. Jasper gave him a puzzled look. “Well, I’m not getting my paws wet... I guess I’ll just have to watch.” Jasper meowed, though the terseness in her voice sounded clearer than usual. Aspen looked at the river, unsure exactly of what to do. He didn’t see any fish, so he moved forward a tad to see into the river more clearly. Then a flash of silver caught his eye. “Oh, A Minno-!” Aspen’s meow was cut off as he swiped at the shape and then missed completely. Unfortunately for him, this resulted in falling straight into the river. He sat up looking quite miserable and heard Jasper purr in amusement. “Oh, yes, this is so funny! Get over here and help me out,” Aspen growled. Jasper nodded and, hauling herself to her paws, walked over to help pull him out before with his claws gave out and sheathed. Aspen, frantic for a grip, clung to Jasper and pulled her into the river with him. “H-HEY!” Jasper hissed with annoyance and obviously shock. “Oh, what? You didn’t think that I’d get you back for laughing at me by pulling you in too?” Aspen meowed. Jasper paused for a moment. “Well, maybe, but I took the risk,” she responded. “I think you're too trusting,” Aspen meowed, though with a smile. Then looking up he realized that it was getting late. “We should probably start heading back to the barn. The sun’s starting to set,” Aspen meowed, getting out of the river and this time helped Jasper out, grateful that Jasper hadn't pulled him back in for revenge. “I suppose you're right that it's getting late, but how are we going to explain the wet fur? Branchtail is going to be furious... I mean, she does worry about us,” Jasper meowed, sounding sincerely worried. Neither of them actually liked worrying Branchtail, and falling into the river would earn two things: A very long lecture on why they shouldn’t go into the forest, and her own fretting over what could have happened. “Well, we will just have to dry off before she sees us then,” Aspen responded, hoping that they’d be able to dry soon enough. The forest started to become darker as the sun set behind the horizon, and during this time of the season, fireflies would be coming out soon, since it was too early right now. Suddenly, voices rang nearby. “...Riverclan has been....what?! " "Illness struck…” Aspen’s ears twitched as he caught the words of two cats. Looking back at Jasper, the she-cat seemed either to be unaware, or indifferent. “Aspen, are you coming? We can't stand around in the forest all day,” Jasper meowed, glancing back at him. “Er, Yeah, I’m coming... but you can go on ahead without me... I, uh, want to try and dry off better?” Aspen meowed, the excuse coming out more like a question than a statement. Despite this, Jasper sighed and started toward the barn without him anyways. Following the voices, Aspen crouched below a bush. He could see the cats now: a large, golden-colored tom. Goldenclaw. Aspen thought silently as he recognized the mate for Fernclaw, who was the deputy of Thunderclan. Next to him a way's off was another cat; a small brown she-cat with a thin but long tail. If he remembered correctly, that was Mousepaw.... or was it Mousepool? He was sure he heard that name when he had watched the gathering. “Yes, I’m sure of it, Goldenclaw! The twolegs have been coming here more often. It bothers me that after such a serious illness struck the prey, it can’t be coincidence that the twoleggers have started to come more frequently," Mousepool meowed. Aspen inched closer, but it knocked a pebble into the clearing where the two cats sat. “Hey, Who’s there?! Show your self!” Goldenclaw yowled. Aspen raced back to the barn as quickly as he could. He didn’t stop to listen to Branchtail make a remark on his pelt which was still still dripping wet. He quickly curled up in his nest and wished for sleep to come. Chapter 4(Broken Wind)[Aspen's POV] Aspen yawned as he looked around the barn. He could hear the soft pitter patter of mouse paws across the barn’s floor. The moon was still high in the sky, and his companions were sound asleep. It was a oddly warm night, seeing as it was leaf bare. Aspen got to his paws, stretched for a bit, and then padded to the entrance of the barn. He looked at the twolegs' house that still had its lights on. He wondered what it was like in there. A kittypet kit named Vera said it was nice and warm, but the food was terrible. Still, it had to be better than living like a rogue. Oh, what he would do to know the future; to know that he'd be safe! Yesterday when he and Jasper were talking about clans, Thunderclan came up. At the very mention of his past home, he couldn’t help but return to a memory that would forever remain an impactful moment in his life. “Mama?, where are you going?” Aspen mewed, looking up at his mother. He had been woken up by her movement as she started towards the entrance of camp; the other cats were asleep of course, since it was the middle of the night. The cream colored she-cat turned towards her son. “Mama’s going for a walk. That's all, Little one, that's all,” she meowed. She nuzzled him and and let out a purr that almost sounded forced. Aspen tilted his head. For some reason, she sounded sad... and worried. “I can go with you, mama! I’m brave!” Aspen mewed, puffing out his chest to prove his point. His mother made a small, weak smile. “No, the clan is safer than the outside; mama doesn’t want her strong and brave son to get hurt.” Then she picked him up, placing him next to one of the new queens and her kits. Aspen was too tired to follow her, but he wished with all of his heart that he had. He -- “ASPEN!” Branchtail snapped, whisking Aspen back to the present. The memory he'd been reliving faded to nothing more than a fog. “W-what? S-sorry, I was just thinking,” Aspen stuttered, still a bit dazed and slightly surprised. He looked to the sky; the sun was already up. He must have fallen asleep at some point after his stroll in order to have Branchtail wake him up. “What are you? A owl? Go back to your nest and sleep like a normal cat, you mouse-brain! But if you have some time first, I'm going to give you the same lecture I gave Jasper,” Branchtail meowed, her eyes narrowed. Behind the somewhat angry stare, Aspen could see the worry in her eyes. “Branchtail, I’m fine, and so is Jasper. I didn’t get sick, and we're perfectly okay, aren’t we?” Aspen meowed. Suddenly, he noticed Jasper’s nest was empty, probably meaning that she was hunting in the fields for prey. Branchtail lashed her tail whilst rolling her eyes. “Oh, yes, totally fine, except that you two were both shivering in your sleep! Do you know how easy it is to get a cold from being wet? I’m not in a clan anymore - I can't just go around gathering herbs! which I would need to if you two got sick! And if you did, I... well...” Branchtail’s voice wavered. Aspen moved next to her and brushed his tail against her back. “'Well' nothing. We would be fine... even if we got sick, I know you’d find a way to make us better. You were an amazing medicine cat in your clan,” Aspen meowed. Branchtail gave a heavy sigh filled with longing. “And just because you're not in a clan doesn’t mean you've lost your ability to heal. You know me and Jasper won’t stop going to the forest, but... what if we tried to grab some herbs while we were out there?” Aspen added. Branchtail’s tail was curled around her paws, her eyes closed for a moment. “...If I can’t stop you from going, then I suppose that’s all right... Hmm... Any cat can tell what cat-mint looks like, and if you can't identify it by its looks, then you can recognize it by my scent, since I had been tending to the plants so often... Oh, next time, go look for it on the outskirts. But don’t take too much. I can grow new catmint from the plants so we can have some here,” Branchtail meowed, then got to her paws and added, “but I don’t want either of you going there today. It's supposed to be a full moon tonight; a gathering will be held and it's not safe for us to be around there.” Then she left the barn, most likely to go hunt with Jasper.
Aspen watched the she-cat leave and then looked to the sky: for the most part, it was a cloudless day except for a couple of patches spread out across the sky here and there. As the wind picked up, he could smell the scent of a clan cat, possibly WindClan. For the rogues, this wasn’t unusual; WindClan cats were luckily friendly to them, and usually didn’t come over unless they were on a journey to moonstone. During their visit, the only thing he worried about was Jasper and her rude remarks, though the WindClan cats seemed unfazed by them. However, what made this occasion odd was that the scent was growing stronger than it should, and suddenly he heard several fits of mewling. Aspen looked to where the noises were coming from and was shocked to see a kit stumbling about. It looked dazed and confused. Aspen's eyes widened with concern for the little scrap. Out here in the open grass, a predator could easily catch the kit. Aspen couldn’t wait to ask permission - he had to act now, or danger could come to the young kit. Running out to meet the tiny tom whose eyes were half closed. He picked it up, while the kit let out a small mewl of protest. “Aspen?" Jasper's voice appeared out of nowhere, her tone drenched in confusion, "What’s with the kit?” Her head was tilted a bit, looking mildly upset that Aspen was carrying the little bundle. “What? Oh, yes, the kit... I saw it wandering the fields ahead of the barn, and I was worried a fox or hawk might get to it.” Aspen placed the kit down on his nest. “We should get something for it to eat; We've have no idea how long its been out there,” Jasper muttered, looking around the barn and not even taking a moment to catch the scent of prey before pouncing and coming up with a mouse. Aspen looked outside the barn, hoping that Branchtail was coming soon. “Hi, what's your name? you smell weird,” A squeaky voice mewed. Aspen turned to the kit and purred quietly. Kits were quick to ask questions to feed their curiosity, though he hadn’t expected it to be so soon. Aspen padded over to Jasper, and when he looked at her he was surprised by the amount of warmth in her eyes as she gazed at the kit. He honestly had never seen that amount of kindness and happiness make any sort of appearance in her expression - even on a good day. “I’m Jasper," She mewed, then gestured to Aspen with her tail, "This is Aspen. Why were you out there all by yourself?” Jasper smiled, leaning closer to the kit. The kit had bright blue eyes, and pure white fur which Aspen was sure was even more of a reason to bring it inside; white fur was easy to spot in a open field. Without a clan to protect it, the kit was sure to die on its own. "I wanted to explore," The kit answered, "my sister keeps saying that its so much fun to be outside, so I wanted see the outside too! Then it got windy and I got scared, and I ran off and ended up here... and where's my clan? You don't smell like my clan... You smell similar but you're not my mama, or my leader, or my sister, or anyone I know!" The kit looked up with wide eyes, looking like he was about to cry. "Don't worry, we're going to bring you back home soon enough. We're just waiting for a friend of ours to-" Jasper started to say before she was cut off by Branchtail: "A kit?, is it alright? It is, right? Hopefully? We have enough food if it's hungry... it's not sick, is it?" Branchtail sounded worried, which was understandable. Aspen knew that the kit would bring back memories of her failed attempt to save a rogue kitten. "You look mean, and sorta smell a bit like the yucky herby things. Don't get close to me, weird cat! You're not mama so you can't get close to me," The kitten mewed, backing up a bit. For a second Branchtail looked hurt before she hissed, "kits are always like this. I don't care about who you want near you; I need to make sure you're fine, you ungrateful, rude--" Aspen stepped in between she and the kit. "Jasper, can you lead the kit back to the clan?" Aspen meowed, and glanced at the ginger she-cat who nodded before quickly picking up the kit and leaving the barn. "Branchtail, calm down; it was just a little kit. I'm sure he meant no harm and kits can be a bit rude," Aspen continued, hoping the words would calm down his companion. For once, it seemed to ease her nerves. Branchtail let out a exhausted sigh. "Fine, but I'm going to my nest. Not all kits are rude, by the way - just the ones you don't need to save," Branchtail muttered, the last part coming out quite bitterly. Aspen sighed and left the barn to find Jasper padding back from the WindClan camp. The she-cat had a soft smile and once she caught up with him she shook her head. "Those clan cats must really be mouse brained to let a little scrap of a kit like that out of their sight," Jasper meowed. Aspen tipped his head to one side, his eyes distant. "Yeah," He commented, sounding like he was somewhere else. Wanting to change the subject in order to cure the impending awkwardness, Jasper muttered, "The kit was cute though." Jasper scrunched her nose slightly, realizing how unlike her that had sounded, then added, "His parents were really happy to see him back. Despite being an annoying little furball, they seem to enjoy having him as their kit." "That's what it's like being a parent, I guess," Aspen replied, still sounding distant. Jasper nodded, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. Probably. They padded on in silence for a while longer, until Aspen suddenly muttered very quietly, "Wouldn't it be nice...?" Jasper looked at him with confusion. "Wouldn't what be nice?" Jasper meowed, her voice tinged with the usual sharpness that never really intended any rudeness or harm. Aspen's eyes swiveled awkwardly to the side and rested on a tree they were walking past, his ears pointing back slightly. "Um..." He croaked, "Just... forget I said anything... it wouldn't matter anyways." Aspen ran back to the barn again to sleep in his nest his tail curled around him tightly. For the first time in a while he slept without Jasper next to him. Chapter 5(Broken Hearts)[Jasper POV] Running. She was running again... she didn’t know why she was running, but she only knew she had to keep running. The shadows, the darkness of the forest had been getting closer to her; it had made her scared and so she fled. Her paws started to burn from running for so long, so quickly... She paused for a moment, unable to run with her paws in so much pain. But before she even had a chance to rest, the world was engulfed in a bright light... A new sound in the distance.... were those paw steps she heard? Jasper never got a chance to find out. Immediately her eyes shot open, her heart pounding hard within her chest. She looked at her surroundings at first with much confusion. Where’s the forest? She thought warily, before she realized that it had all been a dream. A stupid, meaningless dream that had been happening ever since that dumb whatever-it-was-called-future-telling-thing Branchtail had warned them of. She just couldn’t be given a goodnight’s sleep, could she?
At the entrance of the barn were 4 cats, two of them being Branchtail and Aspen; the other two looked unfamiliar for a moment, but as soon as she got up and padded closer she realized that it was just Kilo and Vera. Kilo was sitting down, waving his tail and sometimes pawing at the air; based on that, Jasper knew that he was going on about one of his wild stories. “An’ there was a huge storm cloud! Verily, Vera, it brought’ fish flyin’ in the sky. No! I'm not lying! REALLY No lies. Cross my abdomen, I'm telling the truth” Kilo had been saying, but he halted in the story when he saw Jasper approach. Jasper flicked her tail, motioning him to go on, and Kilo returned to the story. As the strange elder continued, Jasper found herself rolling her eyes when Kilo mentioned of the 'flying fish', which she knew obviously were not real, but when Jasper looked Vera to see her eyes grow wide as Kilo went on, she realized that the poor kittypet believed every word. Jasper glanced at Aspen with a small smile. Aspen returned the gaze; he didn’t look particularly interested in Kilo's story. In fact, he looked like he wasn’t even here; completely unfocused. Jasper sighed as she felt the tale lag on. Listening to other cats talking just wasn't her style. “Uh, Vera, would you like to join me in hunting?” Jasper broke in, interrupting whatever Kilo had been talking about by this point. Vera met her gaze. The plump kittypet had probably never hunted once in her entire life. While Vera didn’t have any reason to hunt since she was fed by her nasty twolegs, a little practice couldn't hurt, and Vera clearly had the makings of a good hunter, while being very energetic to top it off. The kittypet spent most of her time outside anyways and seemed to actually dislike her soft kitty pet food, describing it as simply edible. Vera suddenly whisked Jasper out of her thoughts by meowing, “But I’ve never hunted before...! A-are you going to teach me? I’d really love to learn how to hunt!!” Jasper widened her eyes in suprise: Vera was already bouncing up and down with excitement. Jasper purred, then glanced at Aspen. She frowned at his expression. That's Weird... he looks as if he’s done something wrong. Ever since they had rescued the kit, Aspen had kept to himself more and more until Jasper was certain he was surrounded by some invisible shell. By now she even felt like she didn’t know him anymore. All that she could hope for was for him to open up to her... even just a little bit. Then realizing her previous task, she shook herself as she got up and lead Vera out the barn and towards the forest. Kilo got up, ready to follow them. He tended to tag along despite his stories which were most of the time only half true. He was a smart cat and had a lot of wisdom that he had gathered over the years. Vera smiled at her companion as he joined them then asked very excitedly, “Is it hard to hunt? Do I have to do weird moves are there weird strings attached to prey?” “Yes; I don’t know if I hunt doing weird moves. Depends on how you hunt; And what kind of strange prey has string attached to it?” Jasper tried to imagine prey having string wrapped around it for no apparent reason. To her it sounded absolutely ridiculous. Walking towards the forest, Jasper started to hear coughing. She glanced behind her and spotted the grey pelt of Kilo matching the direction of the sound. “Kilo?” Jasper called, trying to get the elderly tom’s attention since his hearing was not exactly sharp. The tom glanced at her but gave no response. “Kilo, how about you go back to Branchtail? we found something called coltsfoot a while back in the forest; I think she said it was good for breathing and sore throat. Go get some of that,” Jasper meowed. Kilo gave her a grateful look and started heading back to the barn. Jasper made no mention of his apparent gratitude; as she watched him grow smaller and closer to the barn, she caught the shape of a cream pelt leave it and start off to the forest, almost in a way that implied that he was trying to avoid getting spotted. Aspen... Jasper sighed and then turned to Vera as she came across the edge of the forest. It was easy enough to teach around this area. “Okay, Vera, copy me,” Jasper meowed once they'd come across the spot she'd picked for training. She crouched down in what most cats called a 'hunters' crouch', and stalked forward a couple paw steps before sitting up again. As she watched Vera attempting to copy her Jasper held back a snicker; the kittypet’s tail was sticking straight up and she kept jumping at every noise. “Vera lower your tail. You look like you're trying to alert prey, not hunt them; and stop jumping! There is nothing scary about a bird's call and the crackle of a leaf,” Jasper instructed. To give the kittypet some credit, Vera was surprisingly able to get crouch down pretty soon. While watching Vera practice, Jasper suddenly glimpsed Aspen off in the distance again; she sighed sadly. She had to talk to him soon. “Vera, you're doing great! How about you try to scent some prey and then attempt to hunt it? While you're doing that, I need to go check on something... or rather, someone...” Jasper meowed. Vera nodded awkwardly, trying to figure out certain smells. Jasper left Vera on her own and began to track down Aspen. She watched as he very carefully checked his surroundings before crossing the river. He was heading towards... a camp... Drawing in an anxious breath, she quickened her pace in order to keep up with him and watching as he finally paused, now standing only a little ways away from Riverclan’s camp... Her eyes widened with realization and terror. He wants to JOIN?!! It should’ve been obvious...! I know him better than anyone... Then in her mixed emotions she thought uncontrollably, How could be BETRAY ME?! Jasper was soon filled with rage that had come from horror and disbelief, a wrack of sudden emotions rousing from her worst fears appearing to be coming true.
Without caring about Aspen's reaction she approached him furiously. Aspen looked away from her as a flicker of surprise crossed within eyes. He couldn't meet her gaze. He knew what was coming. She felt sick to her stomach. A betrayal by her best friend, the one she loved, and he couldn't even do it with confidence. Without thinking, Jasper leapt at Aspen who managed to avoid her. She growled. Once the emotions came to her, she found them hard to stop. It seemed like right now she wasn't even trying. "Too scared to even face your best friend, Aspen?" She hissed, but recieved no response. "What in the name of all cats, of everything, are you doing here?!" She exclaimed. Aspen whispered something inaudible while finally meeting her stare. "SAY THAT AGAIN!" Jasper could barely take this. Her emotions whirled in her mind and took control. Random thoughts came from nowhere, the fears she'd suppressed resurfacing and seeming real. Does he care NOTHING about me?? "I...I said I'm going to join RiverClan... they'll let me in. I know they will," Aspen muttered very quietly. He sounded like he was signing for his own death sentence. He knew Jasper. He knew this wouldn't end well. "How, Aspen?" Jasper uttered, "HOW could you do this?!" Jasper's pelt was bristling, her teeth were bared, and yet despite all her anger she somehow managed to have her claws sheathed. "...I-I haven't done anything yet..." Aspen stammered, "Y-you... could join me." Aspen stared at the ground, seeming to have some sort of hope within his hiding gaze but his entire face expressing that he knew Jasper wouldn't dare take such a suggestion. Jasper growled. "Oh, yes, totally! What about Branchtail? SHE CAN'T COME!! Aspen, I thought you cared about me!" Jasper didn't pay attention to his broken and hurt look when she hissed at him. "Didn't I mean something to you? Maybe life is hard but at least in the barn we only need each other! At least we're together!" Jasper continued, "But now I see that maybe we were never together, were we? YOU never gave a rat’s tail about us, did you? NO! OF COURSE NOT! YOU BETRAYED ME AND BRANCHTAIL!" Jasper finally shouted, her voice filled with heart breaking emotion. Her eyes closed and she unsheathed her claws, slashing at him and just barely missing his eyes. "Jasper! Wait... Don't... I-" Aspen cried, but Jasper turned at looked at him. "Don't ask me to wait, Aspen... you've lost the trust you had worked so hard to earn." Jasper's voice was bitter and angry. She gave him one more glare, but this one was different; this one was filled with hurt, with a regret for what she'd just done. But she knew she couldn't go back now, so she ran off into the forest, not knowing where her paws would take her. Chapter 6[Mending the Path](Jasper's POV) Jasper stared outside the abandoned badger den, the world was briefly illuminated by a flash of lightning. From a distance she could hear the low rumbling of thunder, the storm clouds in the sky reminding her of a river: constantly moving, bashing against rocks... It was oddly calming to watch the storm go on, chaotic and angry. She lashed her tail, shivering slightly. She never had realized how cold it became at night. She was used to the warmth of her friends to keep the cold at bay. Aspen, honestly! how could you do this? Believing a clan would accept you! Jasper narrowed her eyes at the thought of the tom. Despite the nagging desire to know what had urged Aspen to try out clan life once more, Jasper knew she couldn’t dwell on it. She had to go hunting, or do something to distract herself. Wasting time on feeling bitter and angry fed no one. Sighing, Jasper left the abandoned badger den and entered into the dark gray world only brightened by the flashes of lightning. Padding along the fields she found her thoughts drifting back to when she returned the kit to his clan. Before that day she had never felt so proud of herself. It had been surprising to see Windclan from the inside. It was completely different from what she had imagined.
Was what she saw really what a clan is actually like? A community built on honor, on something more than just working with no gain? The experience was strange to her; the cats in the clan had never given her a dirty look. Their eyes were only filled with gratefulness, as if they had expected her to abandon the kit but instead she did something that surpassed their expectations, and now they felt indebted to her kindness. And then Jasper was reminded of Branchtail. Every cat in that clan knew about Branchtail’s past, but any bitterness Branchtail might have harbored for her former clan appeared non-existent as she had worried over the poor lost kit and fussed over it like a mother. But What stuck with her the most was the leader’s words; Longstar’s words that she would keep with her for the rest of her life. Jasper looked back at the two cats who gave their son worried licks, their eyes shining with joy over their son's return. A tom with a long tail came over to her; he bowed his head and then, looking over to his clanmates, he spoke addressing both her and his clan. “We, the cats of Windclan, thank you for returning our lost kit. While we have not made such an offer before, if you would join our clan we would be grateful,” He meowed. Jasper actually felt a little embarrassed; she’d never been addressed in front of so many cats, or treated with so much respect from a cat like him. Still, this was an offer she couldn’t accept. “T-thank you, but... I’m afraid that I’ll have to turn down such an offer. I wasn’t the only cat to help... my friends, Aspen and Branchtail, also aided me in this. Aspen found the kit. I just brought him back.” Jasper looked away quickly, feeling shy. The leader tilted his head. “I see no problem. They could join as well, then. With all do respect, I must ask... why can’t you accept the offer? After what you've done, you would be a valued member!” He meowed, sounding puzzled. “...I...I couldn’t. I’m sorry... I just can’t. I’ve lived as a rogue for my entire life, and I don’t know if clan life is for me... so I'll have to decline. For now, that is... your offer is entirely turned down. We'll wait and see if anything changes,” Jasper replied. The leader smiled, his expression filled with an understanding, like he saw her past more clearly than even she did. He nodded respectfully. "Very well. Oh, and, before you go... I don't believe we for your name. I’m Longstar the cat’s you just met are Windwhisker and her mate, Roseclaw,” Longstar meowed, nodding to them. Jasper glanced around. She supposed there was no harm in introducing herself; something told her this wasn't the last time she'd interact with the clan. “Er, Jasper. My name is Jasper. Thank you very much for being so kind..." Jasper meowed, then retreated out the clan entrance to join with Aspen, who was waiting for her in the distance. It was odd; she'd always laughed at the clans, and scorned them because in her past she'd only seen a dark side in them. But this was a completely different experience. She wouldn't have expected the clans to be so grateful to her, yet... they were. Though, that didn't mean her opinions had changed. She just couldn't accept the idea of "starclan". It didn't sit right with her. And although she wouldn't change what she thought of the other clans, WindClan was the only exception. Breaking out of her thoughts, Jasper paused and looked around with confusion. How did I get here? She thought. She'd been so focused on WindClan that she was completely unaware of where her paws were taking her. Jasper sniffed the air for a moment to try and find the scent of prey, which had anyway been her original plan. But, instead of catching the scent of prey, she picked up something else... Jasper lashed her tail. She could recognize the familiar scent of her former friend anywhere. What is he doing here? Ignoring the growing hunger in her stomach, she let suspicious curiosity take over and dashed into the forest, following the scent of Aspen. She even shrugged off her hate for water and leapt over the infamous stream with a powerful jump. Finally, she approached 'Four Trees' as the clan cats called it, and spotted Aspen sitting in the center, looking up at the gigantic oaks with a wistful gaze. “Aspen?” Jasper called. Promptly, he turned around, and Jasper blinked with surprise to find that the edges of his eyes were a bit red. He'd been crying. Aspen didn't respond to her. He didn't even shift as she approached. He was still as a stone. Jasper's gaze softened as she looked at him, and then she examined the nick in his ear with was a dark red. Guessing from the fact that he hadn't had any herbs placed in the nick to remedy the injury, Aspen probably hadn't returned to the barn after their quarrel. "...A-aspen? What... are you doing here?" Jasper's voice was soft, yet cautious. Right now, she wanted to talk with him, not fight with him. Already she had hurt him, lashed out at him... him, the very cat that she cared about. Despite what she had said before, she knew that trust couldn't just disappear in a day. It could fade in the moment that you're blinded by pain, but it would still be there deep down... After a long hesitation, Aspen replied in a croaky voice, "I... can't live as a rogue. I can't live my life as a loner... You don't want me anymore. You know that's true." He sounded faraway, lost in the darkness he had created. "Aspen, I was just angry. I didn't mean to hurt you. But... the thing is... as a rogue, you have me... isn't that enough?" Jasper murmured in reply, wrapping her tail around his. Aspen shifted to the side a little but didn't untwine his tail from hers. "Because I can't, Jasper. You know me. I have so much to prove, a legacy to live down... I'm not a rogue, and you know it," Aspen meowed, his voice rising to a low hiss. Jasper looked at him. "...Is... it honestly about being a clan cat? Or... is it about kits?" Jasper whispered, her voice never having been so gentle. Aspen gazed at her, his eyes filled with a mix of shock and anger. "I... I can't raise kits as a rogue. I would fail as a father... you know how my father was to me! I'd only be like him... Ugh, not that I'd even have kits! Jasper, admit that you hate me! Give me proof that I'm good enough for you - give me proof of what I've always thought! Why don't you just tell me that I don't belong?!" Aspen's angry yowl died down as he held back a sob. Jasper rose back up to her paws and untwined her tail. She felt her anger returning and her paws ready to unsheathe, ready to strike, but then she hesitated. What... what am I doing? When did I stop seeing him as a cat I loved, and instead only an enemy? Jasper let her fur raise and suppressed the tension in her paws that longed to let the anger out. Her fury then died to a mere confusion and hurt. "You should never love a clancat," she blurted quietly, tears forming in her eyes. Then, realizing what she had just said, she stammered, "I-I... I mean... I'm sorry...... I didn't mean..." Eyes widening and her fur flat against her thin frame, her ears pressed back and she looked away. Aspen's eyes widened, a mixture of feelings that Jasper never wanted to see.
"I... I should... go..." Jasper whispered, and then turned around and ran off blindly, unknowing of where her paws were taking her. All she could do now was run. Then she heard Aspen get up, probably following her. She felt like the world was growing dark.
At some point the grass of the forest changed to a harder texture and her paws began to hurt. She paused to lick them. That was a mistake. A huge life-changing mistake. A blinding light and the roar of a monster stole all of her senses as it hurtled towards her. All she could do was stare, frozen in place. Then she heard Aspen yowl, "NO!! I WON'T LET YOU DIE!" It was the last thing she heard before the world became pitch black and everything slowly faded into unconsciousness. Chapter 7[The Past of Us](None/Both POV]
She was young, only a kit. She was a bright ginger she-cat following after her ginger furred mom and the brown tabby tom that was her father. Happily, she would smile and show her mother a butterfly or a moth she had caught. Her mother would purr, nuzzling her daughter and murmuring words of praise. “Well done, Jasper! you’ll be a wonderful hunter. Just like your brother,” the young kit's mother would say. She was happy. She knew this was how life should be and how it should always stay.
He was young too; the world was unknown. A cream tom-kit, a newborn, mewling... blind... deaf. A clan proud of his birth, a kit of a brilliant and strong warrior and a caring and clever she-cat. They would name him Aspenkit after his grandfather, a former leader, who had wanted the kit to carry on his legacy. Meanwhile, the kit's father was ambitious; some said too ambitious, but he still cared about his kit and put aside - for a time - his dark desires.
The she-cat is older now; her life has changed. Her father has gone hunting. She is with her mother, preparing for the cold leaf-bare season. Her father returns, streaked in blood. He looks worried; his eyes are wild. He only says, "...A cat with jet black fur... he’s coming! We have to run..... abandon the den!!” but she doesn't understand. My family is strong. And besides, no cat would kill without reason...! Ah, she is naïve too believing that all cats are good. You hide far from the den as your mother and father talk with some new cats; the one with jet black fur leaps. After his companions follow, she watches her parents die. She is found, discovered; death right at her doorstep. She escapes. One cat helps her, she heals her wounds... She is her only friend. No other cats can be trusted.
The Tom is older now. His life is harder, and he sees the darkness surrounding his father. Murder. Destruction of other clan's members. At least it has been put to a stop; he is gone. The poor tom is also left alone, without a mother; she left because she was untrusted. Despite such loss, the tom knows still that he could be great. He’ll keep up with this hope. He’ll rise to the top because at least one cat can trust you out of all the cats that don’t. He’ll try... He’ll work hard.... He’ll be proven to his clan as a great cat. Then it all fell apart for him. He, an apprentice, framed for murder... it was a perfect set up, and his clan bought it. He was chased out, then ran into a fox, and was saved just in time by the aspen tree. Climbing up to safety, the fox luckily didn’t follow... Ah, he may have been safe in the tree, but he was still battered and injured... harmed.
I spent many moons alone after that day. Or... well... mostly alone. I was sometimes joined by an elderly loner name Kilo. I’m grateful for this. If not for him, I would’ve died in leaf-bare after only a couple days. I was surprised to find that, where the aspen tree grows, there was a tom about my age, battered and bruised, laid recovering on a branch. He was a loner, I could tell... but somehow he looked... different from most loners. He had a strange scent that I hadn’t smelled in ages. Clan cat. I hissed, wanting to abandon him there... but something tugged at me. My mother always told me, “No matter the cat, no matter the background, if they're hurt or injured, you don’t abandon them to the elements. We aren’t cruel cats. We’ll help them all we can and then send them on their way.” So I followed her advice, even though I couldn't do much. It was a code all rogues and loners lived by. Suppose it was our own warrior code. Contrary to popular clan cat opinion, we may not have many rules, but we aren’t cruel. I climbed up, helped him down, led him to my own home, and helped him heal. Then I told him to leave. And he didn’t.
I was told to leave after she helped and healed me. I could’ve left; some say I should’ve. But I didn’t. I stood by her and decided to deny her offer. “I can stay, I can help hunt... I can repay you back for all you’ve done,” I responded. She didn’t seem interested, but I persisted... In so many ways I insisted. She considered me to be a pest. She wasn’t entirely wrong... I couldn’t put things to rest. Her other friend was rude, a former clan cat, but still my rescuer had so much trust in her, and I valued that. I wanted that. So I’d stay and stick by and earn that.
He was a nuisance. An annoying little pesky cat. He insisted that he had things to offer, and he insisted that he’d be helpful. But he wasn’t a trustworthy cat. He couldn’t be. He was a clan cat. Clan cat... the words made me sick. I’d allow him to stay this long... but no longer than that. He would have to go soon. I couldn't stand him.
She was hard to understand. Everything about her was a mystery. I never knew what I could say to get her to open up. I always felt stuck. I guess its like searching for one small stone in a pile of sand. It felt impossible, and half of the time when you grabbed the stone, you lost it again. I’d open up to her and tell her everything: My mother who left, my father who was cruel, that I was all I had left; yet all I got in return was silence, or at best a word of sincerity; maybe a “Sorry”. My cause was looking bleak, but this was something I had to persist in, and just push on. Every cat has a shadow. Sometimes you need a sun to send it away.
He was endearing, kind, caring, honest... how does one's heart change from hatred to fondness? I know nothing about life except cruelty and strife... So what is this? Something new, a joy, an excitement? I never knew why I wanted to fight it. Finally, something more... more than my silent reserve. He would tell me so much and I didn’t get why. Eventually I couldn’t keep up this lie. So... fine... here’s one more word, one more day, then you’ll finally hear what I have to say. “...You do know how annoying you are, right? Why do you persist in wanting to stay?” Jasper mewed, looking out at the night sky. Aspen purred, glancing over at the ginger she-cat. “Because I’m all I have left. It's easier when you're not all alone and you can put your fears to rest by telling someone else. It's better to have someone than have no one,” Aspen replied. He inched closer, just a little bit... she didn’t move away... would she finally open up? Was it his lucky day? “...Even when that someone doesn’t care for you?” Jasper murmured in a soft, sad tone. Aspen looked at her, matching her steady gaze. ”Yes.” How could someone be happy when the other doesn’t care for them? He accepted it... it wasn’t what mattered to him... He just wanted to have someone that wasn’t himself. When did that change... when did that change... when did that change....... when did- Chapter 8[Trust is like a Memory](Aspen's POV) Aspen slammed into Jasper, knocking her out of the path of the incoming car, but he was too slow to save all of her; he yelped as her left hind leg flailed underneath the large vehicle. A tremor of horror emerged from the depths of his heart as a loud, sickening crack of bone breaking under the weight of the car followed by a sharp yowl in pain came from his best friend... No, came from the cat I love... loved… I don’t know! Aspen shook his head in confusion. The world felt like it was spinning rapidly as he started to panic. Taking a deep breath, he sternly told himself to focus. Aspen padded over to Jasper, trying to lift her up. She gave a sharp gasp and he set her back down. “…Jasper?” Aspen asked softly, praying to starclan that she wasn’t hurt anywhere else because he may have been slower than he thought. “H-heh...you always look so worried about things that…. that are really nothing,” Jasper gasped gently, breaking him from his thoughts. Her smile was clearly forced. One eye was closed and there was a little blood trickling from it, probably because of him knocking her out of the way with so much force. Aspen was shocked that even he had avoided the car crash. “Almost dying isn’t nothing, Jasper,” Aspen mewed, his voice flooded with relief. Jasper was alive, and despite the state she was in, she was smiling. “...Dying is nothing compared to living without a friend you care…. s-so ... much a-about,” Jasper’s smile faltered as she finished her statement, temporarily curling into a frown but then after a moment recovering back to a smile. Aspen sighed and muttered, “...How can you forgive me? You’re like this because of me.” Aspen turned away, his head hanging. “Maybe ... because ...trust is like the memories we make ... some memories fade but others stand tall and strong, like the branches on a tree… sure, sometimes they’ll break... but that tree is still there,” Jasper murmured, her voice growing quieter, like she was starting to fall asleep. “…And, sometimes... it’s not the mistakes we make that destroy trust ... but the path we take. I guess you got lucky and didn’t take the wrong path.” Eyes widening, Aspen lifted his head and turned to look at her, but she was already asleep.
Aspen sighed and began to lift the she-cat with tender care. The stars seemed especially bright tonight, poking out as the storm clouds began clearing. The forest was illuminated by fireflies, and he could hear the soft hum of crickets. Leaf-bare was over, Newleaf was beginning, and what had happened throughout leaf-bare he hoped to never forget. Trust is like the memories we make... How was it the she-cat always seemed to know exactly what to say? She even appeared to understand things about himself that even he didn’t understand. Taking a break from his thoughts, he looked around at the forest surrounding him. Aspen usally never payed attention to the forest, so it was surprising to see how beautiful it turned out to be when you gave the place you live in a moment of observation. The Oak and Pine trees towered above him, reaching high above as if they were trying to touch the starry night sky; the sound of wind through the trees was like a soft whisper, and the fireflies from far away were like small stars coming down from the sky. As he continued walking he thought about the way the forest changed during seasons, and how Newleaf would cause trees to bloom with vibrant flowers. Prey would become more plentiful, and would make it easier to hunt while Jasper was recovering. Midst such deep thoughts, he almost forgot to stop when he made it to the barn. “Branchtail?” Aspen called out as he approached the entrance. Branchtail didn’t make any response, but he could see her brown pelt through the darkness. Heading into the barn, he set Jasper down on her nest. “Care to explain why you were carrying Jasper? I’m sure she’s perfectly capable of walking unless… something happened. Not to mention why neither of you were back at the barn yesterday? Do you know how worried I was? I was sure some hawk picked you up and carried you off with you both being so light and all. You can never seem to eat enough. You also spent the entire day out during a storm. A rainstorm!” Branchtail spat, lashing her tail and narrowing her eyes at him. Aspen couldn’t help but look at his paws like a guilty kit. “Er… I-it’s a long story… but Jasper got hit by a car… or well her left hind leg did… I mean, she was conscious for a little bit but i think she fell asleep - or passed out - or she’s really good at staying silent… Ahahahaha…” Aspen meowed nervously, trying to add a little laughter to cool down the intensity of Branchtail’s wrath. Without even meeting her gaze he could tell that he had failed. Without saying a word, Branchtail retreated to the back of the barn to retrieve something. As she returned with some herbs he didn’t know, Aspen could tell that her anger hadn’t eased an inch. Then he wondered where she’d gotten the herbs and realized that she must’ve found them while she was looking for he and Jasper. Carefully, Branchtail felt Jasper’s hind legs with her muzzle as if to calculate the damage, then applied a plant to tie around one of the legs in order to keep it stiff and straight. She also chewed some herbs and applied them to Jasper’s leg, then wrapped a leaf around it. “She should be fine for now. I can’t do much more except hope it heals correctly. Now… on to the obvious questions… how on earth did she get hit? Thunderpaths are dangerous and both of you aren’t kits, so you should be well aware of this fact and smart enough to avoid them. What exactly were you doing on the thunderpath?!” Branchtail exclaimed. Aspen sighed, not too excited to explain how they got into this mess. For the rest of the night Aspen was by Jasper’s side while explaining what happened to them. Afterwards he stayed by her side so he’d be there when she would wake up in the morning. Aspen sighed, then looked over at Jasper who, for the time being, was sleeping soundly. How long had he been up? He remembered having watched the moon set to make way for the sun, so it must’ve been the entire night; then again, he hadn’t really slept much the night before encountering Jasper again, so maybe he’d been up for two moon sets. Despite this, he hardly cared about how little sleep he’d gotten; he was wholly occupied with concern for Jasper. He was worried Jasper wouldn’t wake up, or if she had been hurt worse in the car accident than he’d thought. Though she’d spoken with him just before she fell asleep, so she had to have been alive. She wouldn’t leave him... right?
“Aspen?” Aspen snapped out of his thoughts to see Jasper with her eyes squinted open. She was awake and alive. “Y-you’re up!” Aspen breathed, his chest filled with relief and a warmth in his heart. “How are you feeling?” Immediately after asking the question, he imagined her answering that she couldn’t walk. How would he assure her that in due time she’d be able to walk again? “F-fine, It’s just… my hind leg hurts really bad… but I’m pretty okay.” Then her eyes widened and she continued, “Wait a second - What are you doing here? How did we get … how are we at the barn?” Jasper’s tone was drenched in confusion. She probably didn’t remember much of last night. Aspen hesitated to answer. He wondered how he could re-explain their argument, the reason she’d been so angry at him, and then the car crash. She’d only hate him all over again; he was the reason she was in this situation. If he hadn’t lashed out, she wouldn’t have run off and she wouldn’t have gotten hit. Then he flinched as another voice besides his own broke the silence. “Aspen brought you back to the barn, after you were hit by a Monster – or, well, not the entire thing… Aspen knocked you mostly out of the way. He also had to look out for himself so you didn’t make it out entirely injury-free.” From further back in the barn was Branchtail’s voice, which grew louder as she padded up to join them. He gave her a grateful smile. She had saved him from having to explain what happened; he probably would’ve messed up if he tried. Jasper didn’t say anything; she just looked at the ground like she was thinking deeply about something.
“...My leg hurts because it got hit. That’s the reason, isn’t it?” She paused before adding, “I’m going to guess I can’t move for some time.” Jasper’s voice didn’t exactly sound upset, but as she slowly clawed at the wooden barn floor, Aspen knew she was trying to restrain her anger. “Yes,” Branchtail answered for Aspen once more. He wasn’t sure how she’d stayed so calm through the whole thing. She always secretly fretted and worried about them and sometimes her shell cracked when there was a risk of their injury. He’d always expected the shell to shatter if anything ever actually happened. But instead it was as if she didn’t even see the fact that Jasper couldn’t walk or that Jasper would be upset. “H-How can I abandon you guys? I’m a liability... useless ... I’ll be stuck in the barn while you guys hunt and I’ll be contributing nothing,” Jasper muttered. Suddenly Branchtail broke out of the shell.. “How could you even SAY that?!” Branchtail hissed furiously, making Jasper’s fur rise and Aspen jump in surprise. “You’re acting like this is a crippling injury! Why, when I used to live in a clan, I’d seen many cats become crippled. But they always kept up hope, but you just give up and say you're defeated! The Jasper we both know never gives up!” Branchtail scolded, then moved closer to Jasper and rested her tail on the she-cat’s back like a mother. “If I know anything about you, Jasper, you’re going to be fine.” Branchtail gave Aspen one last glance and then left the barn. Aspen and Jasper stared at each other for quite some time in silence. Then Aspen broke it:
“You’d never be a liability to us, Jasper,” Aspen meowed, shifting from side to side awkwardly. Jasper lashed out her tail. “Well, sure, not right now! But what about if it never healed, and then we happened to have kits… how could I raise them?” Aspen searched for the words to respond before he reflected on her final words. Wait...did she say… kits? Did she use the word… we? “Wait. We?” Aspen meowed, appearing incredibly confused; he must’ve heard her wrong. Maybe she just meant if they found kits that she would want to help. Jasper rolled her eyes and sighed. “Aspen, you’re not deaf, are you? Yes... I said ‘we’.” Aspen still wasn’t sure he heard that correctly. Somewhere he made a connection though. “We??” Aspen repeated, still doubtful that he’d heard her right. “Does... Um ...Wait - What?” Aspen was left to stammer out words that formed no actual sense. He attempted to formulate coherent sentences, but everything was starting to come out a whole lot more confusing. “Does this mean were mates?” Jasper offered, trying to fill in the holes in his speech. Aspen nodded, still looking confused about the universe, his expression suggesting he was about to potentially drown in an existential crisis. Jasper chuckled, looking at her best friend with an amused expression that said, ’You’re stupid, but I love you. “Sometimes I wonder if you’re actually half mouse, but yes, Aspen! If you couldn’t tell already by everything I have just said, yes, it means we're mates! What do you think? That I’m going to let you save my life and have everything happen to us and NOT say that by those standards we’re mates? We’ve known each other since we were practically kits,” Jasper meowed almost sounding exasperated. When Aspen looked at Jasper, he realized that she was holding back a laugh. “H-H-HEY! It’s not my fault that you just decided to bring this up out of the blue!” Aspen meowed, pawing Jasper’s shoulder. Jasper smiled happily. “You look so cute when you’re embarrassed. But... I guess as long as you’re here with me, Aspen, I can live with this,” Jasper purred, her tail brushing up against his. Aspen let a purr of his own escape, and lied down next to her, giving her a couple affectionate licks.
Ch.10(It's actually a Poem)[Real Chapter title: Love]
I want to say before we go on.
I’m not always going to be strong.
Sometimes I’m going to fail
And want to hide behind my tail.
But your always there.
And you always care.
No matter what I do.
You’ll always see me through.
Is there honestly anyone better than you?
No? Hah, I thought so.
Were a pair, a duo.
Connected at heart and mind.
The cat I’d just need to think to find.
Curled up tight
We rested at night.
Together,
Forever.
Till the end of never.
“I love you”
Book 1 is done, but the series is not over.. (Non-edited, Because this takes a HUGE MOUSE-Dung-Load of a time to do) "...His name was blue..and he never got a chance at life" "Her name was Blackberry she passed away too soon" "My Name is Branchtail, and this is my...tale" Branchtail's past is shrouded in mystery, the only cats to even know some of it are Jasper and Aspen, but as the paths cracked and then came together, a new path has opened, and Branchtail is a part of it. Read book 2 "Winds of Hope" for a new perspective to join the narrative, Brachtail! Note: This won't be coming out any time soon, while i will be working on it with my editor (And another person) The first 3 chapters(of a hopefully 20 chapter long book) won't be released at least until September. LUCKILY I'll be leaving a link to a "Question and Answer Thread" to ask questions of my characters in the story.
Post by Willowisp🍃 on Feb 27, 2016 22:06:21 GMT -5
If you do want an editor like the thread name, I could do that if you want. I was editing a book my friend was writing. She calls me her spellcheck. Unfortuneately it is very true.
XD ah no not yet Holly said she'll do it for now but if she ever says she can't do it I'll keep you in mind right now i do need cats for the other clans. Also Plot ideas are nice i only have an idea up to a few chapters but i want to keep this going so ANY suggestions would be nice also what you want to learn more of all the cats after they have been introduced
Update this story STILL needs cat suggested for the story. It would be really nice and of course i plan on trying to make side stories you can vote on which cat you want to learn more on
Also please vote on the poll only choose one answer for each question. so the top two are which perspective you want for chapter 3. BUT below is asking how I should continue after that.
Clan: Riverclan. Name: Batpaw. Appearance: Lithe, black she-cat with white paws, tail tip and muzzle(tuxedo) and has hazel green eyes, sleek fur with a feathered tail. Personality: sweet, loyal and friendly. She's protective of her clan but she is curious of everything and she's soft-spoken, fierce only in battle. Age: 10-11 moons. Rank: warrior apprentice.
Pebblestar- gray tabby she-cat with sharp blue eyes: Clever, brave and stubborn, she can be sharp-tongued and short-tempered but is a nice cat to her clanmates. (Leader of Thunderclan)
Clan: Thunderclan. Name: Goldenclaw. Appearance: Large, golden-colored tom with long claws. Sharp blue eyes and has a scar across his hind right leg and short fur. Personality: Ambitious, respectful but dislikes rudeness and his strength is mainly fighting, he can be funny and tell great jokes, he's also a bit oblivous of some things. Age: 33 moons. Rank: warrior of Thunderclan.
Last Edit: Mar 19, 2016 15:01:22 GMT -5 by Lily~Myth
"Hmm...my favorite memory? I have too many to count,but i guess, it would be the memory of meeting all you and making friends here on the forums. :3" ”One day I’m going to sit down and make a list of all the books that I finished reading....” “It's going to be a long list...”
Clan: Riverclan. Name: Batpaw. Appearance: Lithe, black she-cat with white paws, tail tip and muzzle(tuxedo) and has hazel green eyes, sleek fur with a feathered tail. Personality: sweet, loyal and friendly. She's protective of her clan but she is curious of everything and she's soft-spoken, fierce only in battle. Age: 10-11 moons.
Pebblestar- gray tabby she-cat with sharp blue eyes: Clever, brave and stubborn, she can be sharp-tongued and short-tempered but is a nice cat to her clanmates.
Clan: Thunderclan. Name: Goldenclaw. Appearance: Large, golden-colored tom with long claws. Sharp blue eyes and has a scar across his hind right leg and short fur. Personality: Ambitious, respectful but dislikes rudeness and his strength is mainly fighting, he can be funny and tell great jokes, he's also a bit oblivous of some things. Age: 33 moons.
"Hmm...my favorite memory? I have too many to count,but i guess, it would be the memory of meeting all you and making friends here on the forums. :3" ”One day I’m going to sit down and make a list of all the books that I finished reading....” “It's going to be a long list...”
Sorta i've been a bit down on the fact that no one really gives me any suggestions kinda takes away from the inspiration i'll try updating but this week will probably have nothing. Seeing as my cousins are coming <3 (There adorable since their younger than me YAAAY)
XD my cousins (Two girls) Are both younger than me. The oldest is rougly 3 years younger than me maybe its 2. And the same goes for the sister except she's rougly 6 years maybe 5. So its weird how its basically (This isn't my real age but lets pretend it is) Me:18 Cousin 1: 15 Cousin 2: 12 (So its all by threes XD)
Anyways i'd like to know your thoughts on the story is it Interesting, what would you like to see more. Also is the Grammar and format good
I was editing a book my friend was writing. She calls me her spellcheck. Unfortuneately it is very true.
