It was warmer now, though. Prey was plentiful, and even if they didn't have a permanent home yet, it was okay. They were all surviving, and the kits seemed to like always having an adventure. Nettle had her paws full taking care of her kits and also volunteering to take care of the others.
Dreamstar looked up when she saw Rippleblaze padding over to her.
"You okay?"
She nodded.
"Ya, just homesick I guess. I miss my den. I was born in that nursery... grew up in that apprentices den. It's just so weird."
He lied down next to her.
"I know. But it gets easier, really. I left MarshClan. All for you."
She smiled weakly.
"Ya..."
She pricked her ears as she heard a noise.
"I'll be right back."
She stood up and padded to where it came from. What she saw, shocked her. A kit, probably 5 moons was nudging a form. Dreamstar took a careful step towards the mewling kit, gasping as the form came into clear view. It was... Archwhisper. Grayshadow's kit who left moons ago to be with her mate who was outside the clan. The kit spun around, looking up at Dreamstar.
"Is this... your mother?"
The kit looked back at Archwhisper, then nodded.
"Come with me. You'll be safe. Where is your father?"
The kit looked at Archwhisper again.
"My mother told me he died before I was born."
Dreamstar nodded, and gently grabbing Archwhisper's scruff, led the kit along with her tail. Once she got back to the clan, they gathered around. Grayshadow immediately recognized Archwhisper's still form.
"Archwhisper! What happened!?"
Dreamstar shook her head.
"It looks like she was attacked."
The small red kit spoke up then.
"She was defending me. A fox came, and almost got me before she rescued me, driving the fox away."
Grayshadow looked at the kit, then realizing this was her kin, thus making this kit Dreamstar's kin.
"What's your name?"
The kit looked at Dreamstar.
"Crykit."
Dreamstar purred.
"You can stay with us. Your mother is my kin, you'll be safe here."
Crykit nodded, looking at Grayshadow who smiled warmly. Nettle padded forward.
"I can look after her before she becomes an apprentice."
Dreamstar looked at the 5 moon old kit.
"I think I'll look after her this time, thank you though, Nettle."
Any cat could see the longing in Dreamstar's eyes for kits of her own again, so no one said anything.
::---::
A couple days later once they had stopped to rest again, Bluegaze padded up to Dreamstar while Crykit was playing with the other kits.
"Dreamstar? What are you going to do?"
She looked at the blind tom, blinking slowly.
"What do you mean? Is this something to do with Crykit?"
Bluegaze shook his head.
"No, nothing with her. But you. You're getting older Dreamstar, so is Rippleblaze. He can't even walk anymore without a limp, and his sight is only getting worse after his injuries. You're... slowing down too Dreamstar. Grayshadow's pretty much taken over Ivypaw's training, even though she's older too. Any other cat.... your age, would already be an elder by now. Rippleblaze is still only a warrior because you are."
Dreamstar stared at Bluegaze. Of course she had considered her age, and how she would have to find a replacement, but she had to lead her clan to their new home.
"I'll lead my clan until my last breath. This clan needs me, and I need to protect it."
Bluegaze sighed.
"But how can you protect your clan when you're getting weaker with age? I just think... that once we find our new home, you should consider retiring and letting a younger cat become leader. It would be in the best interest of the clan, isn't that what you want? I don't mean any offense, but... we can't have elders fighting a fight that is meant for warriors. You should be able to enjoy the rest of your life in peace Dreamstar."
He turned away, and Dreamstar bristled.
"I'm not an elder Bluegaze. I can fight just as well as any warrior here!"
The tom simply shook his head and didn't respond. Dreamstar sighed. He's right. I just don't want to admit it to anyone else. Who could replace me anyways? No one would be right for the job... or there are some, but they're getting older too...
She shook her head, smiling as Crykit ran over to her. She treated Crykit as her own, and even though the kit was pretty independent, she was glad Crykit had warmed up to her. She looked up and saw dark storm clouds on the horizon.
"Come on, we should try to find some proper shelter before this storm hits."
She stood up and waited for the clan to gather around before moving on again as the wind picked up.
20 comments:
I think they're this way,' Wolfwind whispered to his companion.
Dawn was far from convinced. 'How do you know they won't go on a rampage and try to own the forest, like the last Clan you swore your fealty to? Great discernment in Clan choices, by the way.'
Wolfwind rolled his eyes to StarClan and punctuated his exasperation with a sigh, 'Well, I'M going to talk to them.' He mewed and dashed off into the clearing. Dawn cursed to herself but stayed in the underbrush.
Wolfwind headed straight in the direction of the one he heard was Dreamstar, 'Hullo!' He said cheerily.
Dreamstar looked around, tail sweeping around Crykit, bringing the kit closer. She surveyed the new comer.
"And who are you, may I ask?"
Bluegaze narrowed his eyes and sniffed the air.
:~~Dreamstar:
Wild looked around warily through a coil of ferns. "I can't see them, but I can definitely smell them.. They're close by." He flattened his ears as he informed his companion, a small white and brown tabby she-cat.
"I wonder why they are traveling in such a large group." The she-cat wondered aloud.
"I don't know, Hazel. But I don't like the looks of it." The tom flicked his ginger and white tail irritably. "What should we do?" His shoulder sagged. They had settled here about 3 moons ago, when both of their parents had been shot by a twoleg, and they had fled, thankful to find shelter here. They were now just a few moons old, only about 7.
"Well, it's no use in hiding. They'll find us anyway when they come around here." She sighed. "We'll just have to wait." She shuffled her paws nervously.
Wolfwind grinned to mask his growing intimidation of this imperious she-cat, 'I am Wolfwind. Me and my sister Dawn, over there in the bushes,' He mewed gesturing to the foliage where from a volley of protests soon erupted, 'We would like to be Warriors in your Clan.'
"Did you come from a clan before? That is a warrior name if I am correct."
Bluegaze padded up to Dreamstar.
"I'll take Crykit so you can deal with them."
Dreamstar nodded at the blind warrior.
"Thank-you."
She looked back at Wolfwind, and flicked her ears back as she heard someone coming towards her. She looked to see Birchstorm coming towards her.
"We've scented two young cats near by. I was going to take Grayshadow and see if they're any danger."
Dreamstar nodded approval and once again turned back to Wolfwind.
:~~Dreamstar:
"I've been in a Clan before, if you could call is a Clan, but Dawn has not. We are willing to serve you. I have been watching you for the past few days, and there is no other Clan I'd rather be a part of, if you'll take me."
The hair along Wild's neck bristled. "Two of them are coming over here.. They probably have scented us!" His claws tore up the ground in nervousness.
"What do they look like?" Hazel asked, unusually calm.
"One of them is kind of a creamish color with blue eyes, and the other one is gray and fluffy..." The tom lashed his tail, wishing he had his companions calm personality.
Silence clung to the air for a few moments, until Hazel rustled the leaves of a honeysuckle as she nosed her way through. "Hi..." She mewed tentatively, as if she were trying to decide if they could trust these cats or not. She shuffled her paws, and relief shown in her eyes as Wild padded up beside her. "My name is Hazel and," She flicked her tail towards the ginger and white tom. "This is Wild." A few heartbeats passed, and the tabby she-cat finally blurted. "Can we trust you?!"
Dreamstar laughed slightly.
"Serve us? We work together as a family, serving no one. We'll gladly welcome you. We're in need of more warriors."
:~~Dreamstar:
Grayshadow looked at Birchstorm, and remembered when he first came, when Bluegaze and Nestflame. They were all so much older now. They needed younger cats, because even Bluegaze's muzzle was growing lighter. She knew Rippleblaze and Dreamstar should have been elders by now. Rippleblaze's muzzle was quite grey, and Dreamstar's pelt was getting lighter. She sighed, and sniffed the air.
"We know you're there, we can scent you clearly. Come out."
:~~Grayshadow:
The light brown tabby tom stalked through the trees, his green eyes hidden behind his expanded pupils. He paused a moment to take in the scent of the strange cats. They were odd, but not completely unfortunate smelling.
There are so many. he thought. Must be that one Clan.
He tried to remember their name but couldn't quite place his tongue on it.
I need a Clan. he thought hopelessly. I need a home.
Wolfwind blinked. Dawn padded out from the undergrowth and sat beside him,
'We will be happy to be in your family.'
Grayshadow looked at the young cats. She twitched her whiskers.
"Trust us? Do you think we're going to bite your tails off?"
:~~Grayshadow:
Dreamstar nodded, glad more cats wanted to join even though they had no home.
"You will be a welcome edition. If you want you can go introduce yourselves a bit before I announce it. I'm just waiting for my deputy and kin to get back."
Dreamstar twitched her ears, hearing a rustling coming from somewhere.
:~~Dreamstar:
He took a deep breath and stepped from the bushes and ran straight into a black and silver she-cat.
"Alright," he meowed, puffing out his chest to look bigger. "Which one of you is the leader?"
Before Hazel could answer, Wild stepped forward. "Well, what would you expect?" He challenged. "A group of cats stumble upon two young cats. How would you think we were going to react?" The tom lashed his tail, claws tearing into the grass. Though he was small, he had a temper. "Now what do you want?" Hazel lay her tail on her companions shoulder, though she saw it was pointless to try to calm him down.
Grayshadow let out a mrrow of laughter.
"Us? Stumble upon you? I think it was the other way around."
She smiled slightly, amused with the young cat.
"What do we want? I was going to ask you the same thing. We want nothing from you, we were just curious what you two were doing so close to us. We have young kits in our group, and we have to make sure there are no threats to them, or any cats from the clan."
:~~Grayshadow:
Dreamstar looked at the next new comer. So many cats around here. She stood up, tilting her head.
"You are?"
:~~Dreamstar:
"I used to be Sparrowstripe of a far off Clan until about seven moons ago." his gaze flickered through all the cats. "But now they just call me Sparrow. Your turn."
(Omg, I've missed so much 0_0 I miss this place <3)
Featheredpaw padded up to Ink, her green eyes bright. "This is so exciting isn't it Ink? Do you think we'll be in our new home soon?"
~-~Featheredpaw~-~
Wild narrowed his eyes, and was about to step forward challenging when Hazel held him back with a flick of her tail. "We are no harm to you, or your..Clan? I think you called it. We have no interest in a fight, all we want is peace." She meowed.
Dreamstar tilted her head slightly.
"What happened to your clan?"
:~~Dreamstar:
Ink shrugged.
"I guess it's exciting. I..."
He looked away.
"I miss my twoleg home."
:~~Ink:
Grayshadow narrowed her eyes at Wild.
"I wouldn't try to threaten us, young one. I have years of experience behind me, and also many cats who will happily drive you away if you pose any harm to us."
She changed her stance and looked at Hazel.
"We will not fight unless provoked."
Her gaze flickered back to Wild.
:~~Grayshadow:
Hazel nodded, chuckling. "Don't worry about Wild - his meow is worst than his claws." She saw his pelt bristle, but gave him a glare. Do you want a home or not?! She thought irritably, rolling her eyes at the tom. Taking a breath, she started to talk again. "Well, we were wondering... Could we join you and your others? We're young, and we barely know how to fight. If a trespasser were to walk through here, I don't think we would be able to fend them off. And we're looking a for a new family..." She studied the ground, too nervous to look up.
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