The sky was dark and starry, and the moon was round and full. The broad-shouldered she-cat walked slowly, breathing in the crisp, refreshing air. She weaved her way around the trees of the forest easily and with an effortless grace, all but melting into the darkness despite the white and ginger patches of her fur. She was home, and something about the smell of birch leaves and oak bark reminded her that she belonged here.
Catching the scent of her prey, she crouched down and slunk towards it. Easily and instinctively, she crept forwards in a natural hunting crouch. She stepped lightly, silently tracking her prey until it stopped by a tree, lifting it’s muzzle and sniffing the air.
It noticed she was there a heartbeat too late, and a moment later, she held a dead squirrel under her claws triumphantly.
It was then that the air turned ice cold, and she was struck with a sudden awareness that those weren’t stars. They were eyes, thousands upon thousands of searing white eyes staring down at her, silent and judging and cold.
And that was when she woke up.
Molly heaved herself to her feet in a cold sweat, her head dipped and eyes bleary. She laid in her bed and shuddered, trying in vain to collect herself as she pulsed from her rapid heartbeat. She glanced up, focusing on the wooden ceiling above her and the daylight streaming in through her window. She stayed there for a while, curling in a ball and trying not to think too much.
It wasn't until a couple minutes later that she found the bravery to get out of bed, sighing deeply. Almost all of her dreams had been like that lately. They were different, but she was always far from the twolegplace yet felt like she was home. She was doing something, hunting or tracking or even fighting, once or twice, and before that she could have sworn you couldn’t feel pain in a dream. What happened might have been different, but by the end, the stars always… did that.
… reflecting on it wasn’t going to get her anywhere. It never did. She walked outside, smiling as she poked her head outside and watched her little sister chasing after leaves. “Morning, Smoky!” She called, waving her tail in greeting. The younger cat beamed in response, one of the leaves blowing onto her nose, which she shook off with a shake of her head.
“Good morning, Molly!” Smoky called, trotting over to her sister happily. “The housefolk got a new kitten five doors down, and he’s the most adorable little thing.” She hummed happily. “They don’t let him out of the house much, but I guess that’s probably for the best, with the dog packs roaming around. Little puffball can’t fend for himself yet.”
“Someone needs to deal with those dogs already.” Molly nodded in agreement, frowning slightly. “It’s too bad we won’t be able to see him much, but at least he’s safe.”
Smoky nodded, with a knowing gleam in her amber eyes. “I’ve been staying on the rooftops, don’t worry.” She said proudly with just the hint of a chuckle. Molly sighed in relief. “Misty says the forest is really nice this time of year. Oh, I don’t go that far, though.” She added quickly, before her sister could protest.
“Good.” Molly added. “I’ve heard the cats there are strong enough to take down dogs and use intruder’s blood to mark their borders.” She mused, biting her lip as the thoughts of her dream drifted back into her mind. In those dreams, she had always been in a forest, and of course she’d considered investigating it, but it wasn’t safe there. The cats who lived there were downright feral, and Tiger said he got his scars in a battle to the death with one of them.
Smoky frowned, though. “Misty actually said she hasn’t ever seen any cats there. She got in a fight with old Tiger about it, I heard. Wonder whose right?”
“I think Misty’s more trustworthy.” The older sister said. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she couldn’t help but wonder. If there weren’t any cats there anymore, or more likely, there never were in the first place… well, going there was probably a bad idea. Even if there weren’t cats there anymore, who was to say there weren’t other threats?
“Alright, I’m going to be on my way.” Smoky beamed, stepping towards the fence. “I’ll see you soon, sis!”
“Okay, be careful exploring!” Molly called with a smile and a nod. She wasn’t going to hold back her sibling, but really, that kind of life just wasn’t right for her. The world could be frightening, and she was happy at home.
That’s what she would have liked to think, at least, as she stirred from her slumber with her claws unsheathed and her open wounds bleeding, the chaos of a battlefield as she fought for some irrelevant cause, and worst of all, the fierce memory of the stars boring through her, sharp and cold as daggers carved from ice.
“That’s one every day this week.” Molly muttered out loud, shaking her head, looking down at her unsheathed claws just to double check they weren’t dripping red. And they’re getting worse. She thought very clearly, but did not say. She saw her reflection in one of the tall windows beside her bed, with her blue eyes dull and her fur disheveled.
“I can’t live like this.” She realized, gritting her teeth as she stood up. She wasn’t sure what was causing those nightmares, but waiting around and doing nothing was only making them worse. More than likely, this would solve absolutely nothing, but… she had to try. She poked her head out of the door and saw her sister sunning in the bright morning light, breaking into a smile as she saw her approach.
“Hey, Smoky.” She smiled in response, but it was thin and shaky, and her voice sounded much more confident than she felt. “Think you could take me to the forest?”
Last Edit: Jul 25, 2017 15:41:19 GMT -5 by Rival Hummingbird: Fixing typos
Post by Rival Hummingbird on Jul 22, 2017 18:21:30 GMT -5
Reparation ~ Prologue, Part 2
Smoky hadn’t known the way to the forest personally, but it was easy to find just from Misty’s stories. She had stressed how close it was, if you just crossed the treeline. The black she-cat stepped first, slowly, and Molly could see the wonder in her eyes as she gazed at the open fields and untouched horizon. “Wow.” She murmured, closing her eyes and soaking in the cool summer breeze.
Molly sniffed the air cautiously, but she didn’t see or smell another cat for miles. “Let’s head that way.” She said, pointing her tail towards a group of trees in the distance. Smoky nodded, walking a little faster, happy that her sister was finally joining her on one of her wanderings.
The trip to the forest was uneventful. It was quiet, almost eerily so, with little noise besides the gentle whoosh of the breeze. Molly scanned the ground for footprints, or tufts of fur, or blood-marked borders, but there was nothing. Gaining a little bit of confidence, she trailed the smaller black cat through the wild.
She blinked a couples times as the smell of birch and oak hit her nose, just like it had in her dream the night before last. She paused for a moment, taking it in. That scent was… exactly the same. Her expression flickered into a thoughtful, worried frown. She felt like she was supposed to be here, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be.
“Hmm? Molly, you alright?” The form of Smoky bobbed in front of her, tilting her head. “You look sick. We’re going to lay down for a minute, my paws are getting tired anyways. I think I see somewhere we can take shelter up ahead.”
She nodded silently, breathing deeply and trying not to let the memories overwhelm her. She had never been here before, so why…? Smoky was walking a little bit slower now, the smile faded from her face, her steps careful and her ears swiveling at the slightest bit of sound. She led the way slowly past a wall of thickets, frowning faintly.
“Hey, Molly…? Those look like dens. This place looks… lived-in.” Smoky offered faintly, glancing back up to her sister for guidance.
“Don’t worry, it’s safe here. I haven’t seen or heard any other cats for miles.”
“Well, yeah, me neither, but isn’t this place spooky?” She didn’t want to admit it, but it was, a little bit, like walking through a graveyard. It was too empty, too lifeless, and entirely too silent, like the bones of a once-lively creature.
Smoky shifted a bit closer to her sister. “Hey, I’m not sure why you wanted to come here, but it looks like there’s a storm coming in. We should head home soon.” She suggested, already walking back towards the exit. “Nothing else you need here?”
“No… no, I guess not.” Molly murmured, following Smoky back towards their home with a vacant look in her eyes.
The two walked like that for a while, picking up their paces. Smoky cringed as rain began to drip onto her pelt, shaking it off as best she could. “Ugh, we need to find shelter before it gets worse.” She muttered. “Our housefolk are going to be worried, but I’m not walking through a storm like this.”
“I think I see something up ahead. Let’s stop there.” Molly suggested, taking the lead as she guided her sister, standing between her and the wind as it began to pick up. The black cat huddled closer to her, glancing up constantly at the dark gray sky.
The two reached a strange area just as the first crash of thunder broke. In the center was a boulder, just small enough to jump on, circled by four towering trees. Smoky laid next to one of them, plopping down on her side to take pressure off of her aching paws. Molly curled up by the side of the large rock, mostly, if not entirely, sheltered by the rain.
“It’s not going to let up anytime soon.” Smoky muttered. “Think it’s safe to sleep?”
“Yeah, I think so. I haven’t seen anyone else around since we got here.” Molly replied, flinching at the rumble of thunder. She sighed faintly, resting her head on her forepaws. Even if something felt off about this place, she hadn’t learned anything about those dreams. Would she have one if she fell asleep now?
She sighed lightly, rested her head on her forepaws, and hoped quietly for a dreamless sleep.
…
She stirred awake in the same place she’d fallen asleep in, but it was… different. She was surrounded by cats that looked past her and through her, every eye turned to the a tall rock with four cats on it, who stood tall and bold. She couldn’t have described it, but something about this place felt… off.
“ShadowClan fell first.” The black cat said, her voice echoing as it rebounded into the entire forest. “I had been careful, but I could do nothing but watch in disgust of my own weakness as my warriors shriveled away and disease killed me slowly, seven times over. Robinstorm fled with her kits, Blacktooth turned to the Moonstone demanding answers, and Shadeclaw ran to the twolegplace to become a kittypet. I never saw any of them again.”
She glared down at the cats below her, as if daring them to refute her words, but they were still. Deathly still, and deathly silent. “Cinderpaw ran to the Gathering and tried to warn the others. He kept the clans safe for a time, and may the stars bless his soul for that.”
She stepped back, and the white cat stepped forward. Molly flinched with a start as she realized that none of the cats surrounding her were blinking, or breathing. “Cinderpaw’s warning saved the other clans from the illness for a time, until Cherrypaw and her brother Dapplefang were chased onto ShadowClan territory by a fox. They didn’t realize they were infected until the disease already spread to ThunderClan. Although we were the fiercest clan in the forest, we fell to this invisible enemy.”
The brown cat stepped forward, malice dripping from his voice. “Outraged by their fate, and deciding to take down ThunderClan’s worst enemy with them, the infected warrior Adderheart charged into battle with WindClan alone. He fought with no regard for the Warrior Code, as if he were feral. The warriors of WindClan had to dispatch him, but not before he killed one and infected two more.”
“Between him and Beepaw, who caught the disease on a tour around the WindClan border, WindClan never stood a chance.”
The blue cat practically shoved him out of the way, glaring out across the clearing. “So who could blame RiverClan for panicking? Some of us fled from the forest before it was too late, but the bravest of us tried to fight. Our medicine cat, stars bless his soul, believed he found a cure. For a while, our cats regained their strength, but in the end his medicine only made RiverClan succumb faster. I watched from the stars and screamed the cruelty of fate while I watched the final survivor of RiverClan die without his mother’s milk.”
The white cat took the spotlight again, her head held high and her expression grim. “Even StarClan began to fade as the living cats who remembered us died. Now we survive off of the half-suppressed memories of ex-clan cats and the urban legends told by kittypets to keep their kits obedient.”
The black cat nodded in agreement. “StarClan sent a champion to try and save the clans, but he never learned his destiny. He wanders through life without purpose.”
“This the end of all things.” The blue cat echoed hollowly and dipped her head. “The clans have fallen.”
The brown cat looked at Molly, now, his amber eyes piercing and cold. “Kittypet. If you wish to change this story, head north. Wait until midnight and find the place where the stars touch the earth.”
“Look how far we’ve fallen, begging her for help.” The white cat murmured, her voice soft and mournful.
“I think you’ll fail us, ŗ̢҉͜ò̶͘͡g̡̕͢i̶̡̧͏͠h͠͏̵̡̀ǹ̢̧͝r͢͜e҉҉͠m͘̕͜͟͠n̸̨̢͡͝a̢t̸̸́̕͡.” As the black cat tried to speak, her voice was flooded with static that seeped into Molly’s mind and made her bite her tongue to stop herself from crying out. “Prove me wrong.”
And Molly woke up in a cold sweat, with Smoky looked down at her in concern. “Hey, Molly? Wake up! The storm’s passed, we can head home.”
The older cat shook her head, clearly frantic. “Smoky, I… I have to head north. You don’t have to follow me, but there’s something I have to do, there are cats who need me and-”
Smoky frowned, then. “Wait. Please, you’ve been acting weird all day. When are you going to tell me what’s going on? Are… are you okay?” She trailed off, biting her lip.
“I… no. I’m fine, it’s just...” Molly trailed off, sighing lightly. She glanced at the sky, and the sun was low, but she had time until midnight. Even if she didn’t, she realized with a start that she’d been cruel, worrying her sibling like this. She trusted her, and she needed to start acting like it. She looked back at Smoky and steeled herself.
Post by Rival Hummingbird on Jul 24, 2017 11:42:00 GMT -5
Reparation ~ Prologue, Part 3 (Finale)
Smoky hated this.
She hated how her sister walked out from that cavern looking and walking like a completely person. Her collar was gone, her posture was straighter, her gaze somehow simultaneously more focused and piercing a thousand yards past her.
“There were four clans, once. The cats who lived in them were the same ones Tiger fought, I think.” Molly explained briefly. “The spirits of those clan cats live on, and they want me to rebuild them.”
“So…” Smoky’s mouth felt dry, eyeing the empty spot on her neck where her sister’s collar used to be. “… you’re not coming home.” It was a declaration, not a question, not an accusation. Just a fact.
“I… I can’t. Not yet. These cats need me, Smoky, I’m so sorry.” Molly said, her voice soft and quiet, as if she would break a beautiful piece of stained glass by speaking too loud. “My name is Maplestar now. They gave me nine lives, kind of like in Sunny’s stories, if I agreed to rebuild their clans, and… I did.”
“Well.” The black she-cat was silent for a long moment, taking a deep breath. She could feel the distance growing between them, and by the sun and moon, she hated it.
She only had one real option, didn’t she?
“I can’t let you go alone, can I? What would you do without me?” Smoky beamed, and her smile was fake, but she meant those words. “I know it’s going to be hard living out in the wild, but… I’m ready. I can handle it. I’ll do whatever clan cats have to. Just let me come with you.”
Her sister could never say no to her. That was her mortal weakness, really.
Maplestar rested her head on her shoulder, and Smoky could tell she was grateful. “I’d be honored to have you by my side.”
“Rightfully so.” The little cat boasted, grinning in a joking fashion, and feeling the tension melt away as M… Maplestar rolled her eyes at her. “Love you, sis. Let’s go bail out these clan cats, yeah?”
“Alright then. Let’s.” Maplestar laughed, honestly laughed, and Smoky stood a little taller. “Are you alright with taking a clan name? I wouldn’t want to force you to, but-”
“I’ll do it. It’s only fair if I’ll be in a clan, right? I’ll let you pick it. Just don’t name me something dumb.” Smoky remarked with a glimmer of mischief. “I’ll ditch the collar, too. I’ve been outgrowing it anyways.”
Maplestar paused. “Smoky, are you really okay with all of this?”
No. But if she didn’t act now, she’d lose her sister forever, and that was unacceptable.
“Of course I am!” Smoky beamed. “I love adventure, you know that.”
Maplestar dropped the topic, glancing at the sky and silently deciding it could wait. Smoky silently thanked the sun and moon for that small mercy. If nothing else, it would buy her some time to come up with a better excuse. “Let’s make a shelter so we can get at least a little of sleep. Follow me.”
“Right behind you.” Smoky chirped, shadowing her sibling until they reached a mysterious place where the ground was wet and the shadows were long.
“You sure this is the place?” Smoky questioned.
“For the first clan, yes. The first one to fall was ShadowClan, so I think we should rebuild the ShadowClan equivalent first.” Maplestar replied with a flick of her tail. “Every clan leader was anxious for their clan to return. This was the only fair way I could find to decide.”
“Hm. Yeah, I see what you were thinking.” The black she-cat nodded, stepping over a puddle as her sister set down her nest. This place… was still kind of a dump, she thought but did not say.
“The camp won’t be very big yet, and that’s alright, we should just work on creating a couple dens for now.” Maplestar decided. “Let’s work on making them for you and me first. Meet me back here with as many brambles as you can carry.”
Smoky nodded, and scurried off into the night. She returned a while later, watching as Maplestar set down the last in a circle of rocks.
“What’s that?” She asked, dropping her brambles to speak.
The ginger tabby smiled with pride. “It’s the Stone Circle. It’s where the leader will hold clan meetings. I wanted to finish it so we can do your naming ceremony, it’ll make you a real member of the clan.”
Smoky nodded slowly. “Okay. I’m ready whenever.”
Maplestar lifted a paw, and opened her mouth to speak, but then she paused, and her smile faded. “If you’re certain. This will be a big commitment, and I don’t know if I’ve given you the time to think about it.”
“I’m sure. Don’t worry.” The smaller cat said with a nod.
“Okay.” Maplestar breathed in deeply. “I… made a meeting place, but if there’s a ceremony for bringing cats into the clan, they didn’t teach it to me. Besides, you’re my sister. Being too formal would just make this seem fake.” She mused, her voice lowering in volume as she spoke, only to pick back up as she found her train of thought. “Alright. Smoky, if you’re sure about this?”
“Completely.”
“Then from this day forward, you’ll be known as Ravenpaw.”
The newly named Ravenpaw stepped forward, dipping her head as Maplestar cut through her collar. She stepped back as it fell to the ground, frowning faintly as she stared down at it. It had to go sooner or later, it had been a bit too tight.
She glanced back up at Maplestar and grinned. “Raven’s don’t have paws, do they?”
“It’s only until you’re a warrior, then you can have your permanent name. Besides, maple trees don’t have stars in them, do they? It’s just how clan names work.” Maplestar explained gently. Ravenpaw nodded.
“Hmm. Alright, I think I get it. I can deal with Ravenpaw, then. Was Smokepaw too easy?”
The two bickered like old times as they set up their nests, curling up near each other as night gradually ticked into dawn.
Exhausted from her long day, Maplestar curled up in her nest and fell swiftly to the warm escape of sleep, while Ravenpaw laid on her side wistfully.
The black and white she-cat stared up at the stars and wondered if, in six moons, she would thank them or curse them. She wondered what would happen next to her and M… Maplestar. She hoped that clan life would bring them some joy, or at least not much grief, and she hoped above all else that her sister would be happy.
She glanced back at the sleeping ginger tabby beside her and shot a melancholy smile into the darkness.
Smoky could never say no to her sister. That was her mortal weakness, really.
Post by Rival Hummingbird on Jul 25, 2017 15:08:29 GMT -5
Thanks guys! I really appreciate it. This is mostly just for fun, but it's awesome to know that people have enjoyed it. ^^ And yeah, I got Smoky/Ravenpaw there through sprite editing. I tried using NPCs for a while, but I didn't have the patience to get them where I wanted them to go.
(Minus the final shot, that's actually an NPC Ravenpaw with her clan symbol edited to match Maplestar's.)
Post by Rival Hummingbird on Jul 25, 2017 15:53:01 GMT -5
I also had an idea, that I could let people who are reading add to the daily event list, because there aren't many in the original challenge.
Since the challenge is about to officially start, this seems like a good place to introduce it. If you have any daily events you'd like to add, post them below and they'll have a random chance of being rolled each day. ^^ They can be positive or negative, your choice, ideally I'd like a balance of each.
Post by Rival Hummingbird on Jul 25, 2017 21:02:24 GMT -5
Reparation ~ Leaf-fall, 1-1
Ravenpaw held a frog in her mouth, trying not to bite down on it. It was sort of slimy, but she had to admit, it still tasted better than kibble. She felt a little bit guilty than she had killed it, she’d used to enjoy searching for frogs in their lawn after it had rained, but she’d have to get used to it. This was how they were going to survive now, and it would get easier with time, she hoped. She silently apologized as she dropped her prey in the rough pile she and Maplestar had made next to their meeting place.
“Now we have prey. That should be the first step to getting cats to join us, I think.” Maplestar mused. “Let’s see. If I was a feral cat, why would I want to join a clan?” A clan led by two ex-pets, at that. It still felt so strange not to have her collar.
“Food. Shelter. Protection.” Ravenpaw offered. “Company, maybe? I get that wild cats would be tougher than us, but I’d get lonely if I was wandering around the forest alone.”
“Maybe…” Maplestar glanced up at the sky. “Let’s focus on marking some shelter, then. We’ve still got some daylight to work with.”
Hopefully, they could go to sleep earlier tonight. She was still so exhausted from staying up last night. They’d been through a lot, to be fair. Ravenpaw’s head was still spinning, and she wasn’t even the one who’d been summoned-slash-cursed-slash-made-basically-unkillable by a bunch of dead cats.
Maplestar had explained that clan cats followed a Warrior Code. There were sixteen rules to it, and she’d explained the first while they were building the den, just after their hunting trip. “We’re supposed to thank StarClan for each piece of prey that we catch, because they had lives, too, and so they deserve respect. We are to kill lesser animals only so we can eat.”
Ravenpaw nodded in agreement after a moment. That seemed fair. Something about the way she’d worded it helped cleanse the bitter taste on her tongue. “Alright. Do we have some kind of formal ceremony to thank StarClan, or…?” She trailed off, obviously a little lost.
“I… don’t know. If there is, they didn’t teach it to me.” Maplestar admitted. “I think we just sort of… do it.”
“Er. Alright. Thanks, StarClan!” Ravenpaw glanced up at the sky and shouted, blinking a couple times. “… Maplestar, I feel silly. Do I have to do that every time I catch a frog?”
The ginger tabby chuckled, and shook her head. “No- Ravenpaw.” She cut herself off awkwardly, as if she was about to say something different. “I think doing it in your thoughts is fine.”
“... oh.” The black cat smiled awkwardly, setting down her thicket. “Anyways! I think it’s coming along well. It’s getting dark, can we head to sleep?”
“Alright.” Maplestar agreed with a nod, placing down the final thicket. It wasn’t quite finished yet, but she thought they’d made some decent progress.
The two returned to their dens, and Maplestar yawned loudly. “I really appreciate you joining me, Ravenpaw. I know this must seem strange to you… it does to me, too. But rebuilding the clans is a lot less intimidating when you aren’t alone.”
“... be hopeless without…” Ravenpaw muttered, already half asleep.
“... Yeah, I would be.” The leader laughed faintly, and let herself fall into the comforting embrace of sleep.
(The written part of the next update is finished, just have to get the screenshots for it. ^^)
Last Edit: Jul 26, 2017 20:04:09 GMT -5 by Rival Hummingbird: Fixing an error.
Post by Rival Hummingbird on Jul 26, 2017 20:00:59 GMT -5
Reparation ~ Leaf-fall, 1-2
“-ey wake up!” A small, high-pitched voice squeaked, stirring Maplestar from the first dreamless sleep she’d had in a while. She lifted her head, but Ravenpaw was faster, springing to her paws. Had she already been awake? As she stood up, another voice, only slightly higher, squealed in alarm.
There stood two cats, or kits, rather, who couldn’t have been older than three months at most. A tiny gray tabby stood with her fur fluffed up and tiny claws unsheathed, hissing with her back arched. She barely reached Ravenpaw's stomach, if even that, spitting as she hissed.
Behind her stood another kitten, backing away with wide eyes and trembling paws, holding two frogs in his mouth.
“Give those back, you brats! That was my catch!” Ravenpaw hissed, leaping into action. She sprung over the thicket wall and batted the she-kit to her side with sheathed claws, bowling her over onto the soft grass.
“Urgh.” The she-kit muttered, hauling herself back up to her feet with renewed determination and stubbornness gleaming in her green eyes. She took a defensive posture, glaring at Ravenpaw. “Toad, get out of here!”
“Polly-” He cut himself off, flinching as Ravenpaw hissed loudly, towering over the two kittens with her fur puffed and back arched.
Maplestar finally shook herself to attention, breaking through her surprise. “Ravenpaw, stop!”
“Maplestar, they’re stealing from us!” Her little sister protested when Polly took the chance to leap up and slash her cheek, glaring up at her with a devilish grin. “Oh, you little-!”
“Clan cats don’t hurt kittens.” She explained gently, giving her sibling a knowing glance. “I’m sorry, this is my fault. I should have explained it sooner, but I didn’t think it would come up this quickly.”
Ravenpaw huffed, taking a step back and letting Maplestar take the reigns, trying her hardest not to glare at the kitten. “Polly and Toad, then?”
“Pollywog.” The feisty little she-kit corrected.
“Pollywog and Toad.” Maplestar amended. “I will not allow you to take our food, however, you’re free to eat as much as you’d like if you join us. My name is Maplestar, and I’m trying to rebuild the ancient clans with my sister, Ravenpaw. We aren’t numerous yet, but we promise to keep you safe. You won’t have to steal anymore, and you’ll have a warm place to sleep, even in winter. Would you like to become members of our clan?”
“Polly, didn’t granddad talk about clans?” Toad murmured in what he surely thought was a tone too soft for the two older cats to hear. “Maybe it’s a good idea.”
“What’s the catch?” Pollywog demanded, her fur still bristling and claws digging into the wet marshy soil.
Maplestar paused to think for a moment. “When you’re each six months, you’ll have to start training to hunt and fight, so you can also help feed and protect everyone else in the clan. We also follow a code of honor that separates us from rogues, and I recommend you take a clan name. Like how I’m Maplestar, instead of just Maple, and she’s Ravenpaw, instead of just Raven.”
The two kittens exchanged glances, and they were silent for a long moment. Toad nodded first. “I think we should think about it, Polly.”
The gray tabby nodded, lifting her head and craning her neck to try and look Maplestar in the eye. “Fine. Tell me more about it.”
Ravenpaw deflated slightly. She knew, morally, this was the right thing to do, and tried to focus on that, not the stinging scratch on her cheek. That kitten was little, but her claws were still sharp. They’re only kittens. Besides, they’re clanmates now. She reminded herself, standing up a little straighter.
“Ravenpaw, would you show them to their den?” The black apprentice nodded, motioning for the two to follow her. Pollywog sat down restlessly in the shade of the dead tree.
“This is where you two can sleep. It’s not done yet, but Maplestar and I are definitely going to finish the walls before winter rolls in.”
“Winter?” Toad peeped, green eyes wide with curiosity. “What’s that?”
She blinked a couple times, realizing these kittens must have never seen winter. “It’s beautiful, the ground’s filled with this soft white powder that falls from the sky in place of rain. It covers everything in a brilliant white shine. But it’s very cold, and walking it in too long can hurt your paws, so you need to be careful around it.”
“That doesn’t sound real. I think you’re a liar.” Pollywog scoffed.
“Just wait and see.” Ravenpaw said with as much patience as she could muster. “You two get some rest and eat if you need to. You’ll get your clan names tomorrow. Maplestar’s going to come by and answer any questions you have about clan life, and if you decide to stay, you’ll get your clan names tomorrow.”
“Okay. Bye, Ravenpaw!” Toad called, curling up by the wall of the den. Pollywog curled up just a little bit closer to the entrance, speaking of something in hushed tones with the kitten next to her.
Ravenpaw walked up to her sister and frowned. “Your turn. Remind me to never have kits.”
“Your choice, sister. I wish I could say I blamed you.” Maplestar purred in laughter, flicking her sibling with her tail. Kittens were wonderful, of course, but she didn’t have any interest in having them for herself.
Ravenpaw flicked her tail and headed back into the territory. “I’m going to calm down a bit and collect some more den building stuff, then. Good luck! I don’t envy you.”
Maplestar talked to the kittens, explaining different aspects of clan life as Ravenpaw occasionally dropped by to work on the den, setting up brambles and placing down moss.
“... so, I get to eat before Ravenpaw?” Pollywog said loudly, glancing at the apprentice with a devilish smirk.
“Yeah, yeah, and you’ll have to pick off my ticks when I’m old and moody.”
“So, as soon as I join? I dunno, that might be a dealbreaker.”
Ravenpaw glanced up at Maplestar, shot her a glance that somehow said without words, I can’t stand kittens, and hiked back west to grab more brambles.
Maplestar entered her den again when the sun was low in the sky, curling up in her nest with Ravenpaw close beside her. “I hope they decide to stay.” She mused quietly. “Not just because the clan needs more members, you know?”
“Yeah. I get it.” Ravenpaw replied. “Something bad could happen to them out there.” Or to us. We don’t know how to fight, and it took us all day yesterday to catch as much as we did. She thought, but did not say. Molly - Maplestar! - had barely ever left the yard before all of this had happened. She wondered vaguely why the stars had chosen her sister. They didn’t even have any former clan cats in their family, as far as she knew.
“I suppose we’ll know for sure in the morning.” Maplestar murmured. “Goodnight, Smoky… sorry. That will take me a while to get used to. Ravenpaw.”
