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Post by <Raintalon> on Aug 12, 2020 16:03:11 GMT -5
"It's not..."
Spiderpaw winced, drawing his gums back along his teeth as he focused back in on the memory. He took a breath, willing his speeding heart to slow.
"It's not completely clear to me," he said at last, shaking his head in frustration. "At least, the meaning isn't clear. More than a speech, it was a jumble of images. Death, violence, and things I've never seen before, that I do not know the meaning of. One thing was clear, though," he said, raising his head to look Splashpelt straight in the eye even though he couldn't see a thing. "It was a warning. Silverpelt, at least, believes that something is coming to destroy us."
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Aug 12, 2020 16:09:01 GMT -5
Splashpelt stared, and fear flickered in his eyes at the intensity of his apprentice’s unseeing eyes. He didn’t move for a long moment, and he didn’t speak, and then when he did his voice was low and serious. “Can you talk to Cowstar about this?” He asked. “She needs to know if something is coming. And a message from Silverpelt is extremely important and unusual...we need to go straight to Cowstar with this. He knew he sounded troubled. That was because he was.
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Post by <Raintalon> on Aug 12, 2020 16:15:31 GMT -5
Spiderpaw hesitated, his tail twitching slightly in the sand.
"I'm not trained in interacting with a leader," he said at last, trying not to voice his nerves in too pathetic a manner. "We had Lionstrike, but she was more of a comrade than a leader. She didn't require etiquette."
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Aug 12, 2020 16:26:43 GMT -5
Splashpelt managed a small smile at that. “Don’t worry, she won’t bite.” He reassured his apprentice, getting to his feet. “She’ll just want to know what you saw, that’s all. No etiquette necessary.” Well, almost none. Yelling at the leader was probably a bad idea, but he didn’t think he needed to mention that. He couldn’t quite see Spiderpaw getting into a shouting match with Cowstar.
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Post by <Raintalon> on Aug 12, 2020 16:33:55 GMT -5
Spiderpaw nodded, satisfied with that answer. "Then I will go."
--
Cowstar sat in her den, watching a beetle crawl its way up the wall towards the moss that lined the various cracks and crevices. Fall would be here soon...well, at least she knew they could survive the winter here. And with the foxes gone...
With Bracken gone...
She shook off the thought, disconcerted by the numbness that seemed to hover over her these days at the thought of cats like him. Had death just become a fact of life to her now?
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Aug 12, 2020 16:44:55 GMT -5
Splashpelt approached the den, glancing behind him the make sure Spiderpaw was following. He made sure to walk Louder than usual, hoping to make it easier to follow him. “Cowstar?” He asked, coming up to the den. “May we come in? Spiderpaw and I have something we need to talk to you about.”
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Post by <Raintalon> on Aug 12, 2020 16:50:37 GMT -5
Spiderpaw, despite his best efforts, was not used to being blind, and was therefore struggling. He took a few steps, listening for Splashpelt's footsteps, and then bumped into a wall. Confused, he backed up, and tripped over a rock. Hissing, he staggered out of the den and onto the cool dirt and grass of the clearing, his tail lashing in confusion as he lost sight of where he was.
--
Moments later, Spiderpaw arrived at Cowstar's den, guided by a very concerned looking Blazeclaw.
"He said to bring him to you," she said, glancing first at Splashpelt, then at Cowstar. "He says...he can't see?"
Cowstar turned, her gaze traveling to Splashpelt, then to Spiderpaw, then to Blazeclaw. Well, this was unusual.
She sat. "Spiderpaw, I'm glad to see you're doing better," she said, then turned to Splashpelt. "What is it?"
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Aug 12, 2020 16:54:21 GMT -5
Oops. Splashpelt looked away, embarrassed to have lost his apprentice already. He should have led him, obviously. He cleared his throat awkwardly, trying not to beat himself up about it too much. “Sorry,” he whispered to Spiderpaw. Then he turned to Cowstar. “Spiderpaw says he’s had a vision from Silverpelt.” He said. There was no need to beat around the bush. He breathed out, relieved to get it in the open.
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Post by <Raintalon> on Sept 9, 2020 22:39:01 GMT -5
"From Silverpelt?"
Cowstar turned fully to them, eyes wide. "No one's heard from them at all since Crowfur," she said, her tone distant. "And now..." She shook her head. "Nevermind...Spiderpaw, what did you see?"
"Something is coming," said Spiderpaw, eyes fixed blankly on his paws as he winced, trying to recall all that he'd been shown. "I saw blood...rivers of blood...and corpses, enough to fill a Clan twice this size. She...the cat in the vision...seemed to be trying to warn us. I don't believe she means us any harm."
"What else?" asked Cowstar, her expression sharp now. Calculating as she considered this. "Did you see anything that might tell us where this is coming from?"
"The cat in the vision said 'he' is coming, and I saw a cat...or, maybe, several cats, all overlayed onto one face. It was..." He paused, the fur rising involuntarily along his spine. "Unsettling. But did not tell me who is coming, or what their part in this will be."
Cowstar nodded to Spiderpaw, and then gestured to Blazeclaw, who was sitting, prone and expressionless, near the entrance of the cave. "Thank you. I need to speak to Splashpelt alone."
Once they had gone, she turned to Splashpelt. "What do you think?" she asked, her tone serious. "I know you haven't been involved much in the Silverpelt side of your job...but do you make anything of this? Spiderpaw..." She paused, quieting her tone. "Spiderpaw was blinded. Can we be sure this vision came from a benevolent source?"
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Sept 13, 2020 8:33:02 GMT -5
Splashpelt listened quietly, not interrupting his apprentice. He knew this was probably difficult to recount, and he felt for the younger cat, though he also knew this was necessary. There was no other way to get the information they needed to have. He watched as the other cats left, and he raised his head to look at Cowstar, she was old, he realized suddenly, old enough perhaps to be an elder, if she chose it. Then again, he wasn’t exactly young, either. He felt like it has been mere moments since Creekfang’s death and his subsequent appointment as medicine cat. He shook his head. These musings did nothing to stop the threat. They only served to make him wish for guidance he no longer had access to. “I don’t think we can be sure of anything.” He said quietly, meeting his leader’s eyes. “My apprentice is blind. Our warning could be read as a direct threat. It’s possible that StarClan itself is behind the danger, I don’t know. I don’t know.” He looked away. “I’m sorry I’m not more help. As you said, I haven’t been as involved in this side of things.”
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Post by <Raintalon> on Sept 13, 2020 16:50:54 GMT -5
"It's alright," said Cowstar, shaking her head. "None of us do. Not even Creekfang. Silverpelt has been silent for as long as any of us have lived, and now this..."
She stood up. "Whatever the reason, I have to tell the Clan. Silverpelt has been reached again."
--
Crowfur stared silently up at the fluffy black and white cat he'd come to know so well, who was now unknowingly blurting out his entire plan for all to hear. So Spiderpaw had been contacted by Silverpelt...well, that put some pieces together on how Catchpaw knew so much.
Whoever had ratted on him would be hearing from him later. For now, though...he had another problem.
Making up his mind, he turned and padded towards Firepaw. He was going to have to speed things up a little.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Sept 15, 2020 14:13:00 GMT -5
Firepaw started up at the leader, her heart thumping in her chest. She didn’t know what to think. This was bad, she knew that much, though she couldn’t have said how she knew it exactly. She just had a feeling that something very bad was about to happen. She turned, glancing up in surprise as she noticed Redwhisker approaching. She tended, then forced herself to relax. Panicking would do nothing, she had to keep a level head.
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Post by <Raintalon> on Sept 15, 2020 19:50:17 GMT -5
She wasn't wrong.
"I know," he said simply, sitting down next to her. "Come with me, or Sootpaw ends up like he did."
He then calmly stood, his expression stoic as ever, and padded into the forest, his long tail swishing behind him as he vanished.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Sept 15, 2020 20:38:40 GMT -5
Firepaw started at him. She considered screaming. That was the correct response, wasn’t it? Screaming would probably get her friends to help her, perhaps even the leader. No, it wouldn’t. Screaming would get her and everyone she loved killed She didn’t say a word. She just stood up and moved to follow the older car.
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Post by <Raintalon> on Sept 18, 2020 21:09:58 GMT -5
For a long way, Crowfur did not speak. He padded silently through the forest, only occasionally glancing back at his shadow to make sure she still followed.
Finally, he stopped, and turned to finally face the young apprentice. Despite the red-gold tint remaining the same, Redwhisker's usual warmth and friendliness behind them was gone - in its place, simply a cold, calculating stare.
"You and your friends have been following me," he said, his tone lilted as he stared at her, tilting his head slightly. "Tell me - do you know my name? And - " he added, with a small flick of his bushy tail, "I wouldn't lie. You know, if you like your friends being alive."
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Sept 19, 2020 13:57:19 GMT -5
Firepaw stopped when he did, her eyes never leaving his tail until he turned and they found his eyes instead. Cold. Ice cold. There was no warmth there, nothing like what he’d appeared to be before. He was finished. The only reason he would bring her out here and tell her this? He was going to question her and then he was going to kill her. Firepaw stared at him, her eyes wide. She didn’t want to die. She didn’t even know whether there really was a StarClan at all. “Why should I tell you?” She asked, forcing her claws to stay where they were. She wouldn’t unsheathe them, not until she actually had to fight. She had to keep her body calm. “You wouldn’t confirm everything unless you didn’t plan to let me go alive. Why would I betray my friends just so you can kill me?”
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Post by <Raintalon> on Sept 21, 2020 18:26:54 GMT -5
Crowfur snorted. "Are you really that stupid? Why would I bother bringing you all the way out here if I was just going to kill you? That would be a waste of our time." He flicked his tail, considering her. "You want your friends alive. I want to avoid being discovered just yet. So, I propose a deal. You convince your friends that they have the wrong cat, and I'll leave them alive. For now."
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Sept 21, 2020 18:35:26 GMT -5
Firepaw blinked. She watched him closely, eyes narrowed, claws still sheathed for the present. Then she sat down, curling her small tail over her paws. “Am I just supposed to believe you?” She asked, trying and failing to keep her voice steady. She was scared. Really scared. But she also knew that she couldn’t panic. “Okay,” she said finally, her voice low. “But tell me who you are before I agree to anything.”
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Post by <Raintalon> on Sept 21, 2020 18:37:56 GMT -5
Crowfur's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you really think you're in a position to be negotiating?" he asked, the tip of his fluffy tail flicking slowly back and forth as he spoke. "It's really very simple. Agree to my terms, or everyone dies but you."
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Sept 21, 2020 18:43:55 GMT -5
Firepaw didn’t move. She’d expected that response, but she had to try, didn’t she? She didn’t have a choice. She didn’t have a choice. “Okay.” She said quietly, hating herself for the single word. A smarter cat could have figured out a loophole. A stronger cat could have killed him right here and now, or at least given him a run for his money. She was neither of those things. She was a kit who lied about her age in order to protect herself. “I agree to your terms.”
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Post by <Raintalon> on Sept 21, 2020 18:46:01 GMT -5
Redwhisker's face curled into a grin at the words.
"Good choice."
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Post by <Raintalon> on Oct 5, 2020 13:02:21 GMT -5
“Firepaw!”
Sootpaw trotted over to his sister, tail raised in a concerned greeting as he reached her. “Where were you? Rainpaw wanted to talk to us about something - I thought maybe you’d gone out training, but Adderleaf said you hadn’t.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Oct 5, 2020 13:20:57 GMT -5
Firepaw looked up, carefully smoothing her feature back into a mask of her usual bright expression. She was good at that, she found with a twinge of guilt. She was a practiced liar by now, and not only to strangers. “Shhhh.” She said, glancing around. “I sort of...needed some air, so I went for a walk by myself. I know I shouldn’t have, but I just couldn’t think with so many other cats around.” She looked at her brother, hoping he’d buy it. “What did you want to talk to me about?”
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Post by <Raintalon> on Oct 5, 2020 13:22:54 GMT -5
“Not me,” said Sootpaw, flicking his tail uneasily. He wanted to tell her off for going off on her own, and normally he would have, but they had bigger problems right now. “Rainpaw. He said he wanted to tell us something about Redwhisker.”
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Oct 5, 2020 15:04:41 GMT -5
Firepaw blinked. She had fully expected to get told off for being so stupid as to go off on her own. Maybe she wasn’t the only one who knew how dangerous this was. She should know better than to underestimate Sootpaw by now. “Okay.” She agreed. “Where is he?”
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Post by <Raintalon> on Oct 15, 2020 19:27:22 GMT -5
"I'm here."
Rainpaw flicked his tail from the entrance of the apprentices' den, ushering the two of them inside.
"Firepaw, are you alright?" he asked, flicking an ear at her although he was still watching the entrance to the den.
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Oct 15, 2020 19:36:28 GMT -5
Firepaw looked up, watching him as she slipped into the den. “I’m fine.” She said, which was a lie, but it wasn’t a lie to Sootpaw so she didn’t feel as bad about it. “What’s this about?”
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Post by <Raintalon> on Oct 15, 2020 20:04:27 GMT -5
"Good," said Rainpaw, and then, just as fast, moved on. "Anyway, it's Redwhisker. I'm almost sure."
"What?" Sootpaw's head shot up, and his tail curled tightly around his paws as he tried to process that. "Why?"
"He seems friendly, although that says very little in reality," said Spiderpaw, and Sootpaw jumped, not having noticed the spindly cat in the corner of the room. "I would also like to hear your reasoning, Rainpaw."
"He's off on his own all the time," said Rainpaw, subtly stealing glances at Firepaw every so often. What happened out there...why did you go off with him... "And although he's joined the clan in many ways, he sneaks out. I watched him do it one night, and tried to follow him, but he vanished." A lie. A necessary one. "Not to mention, Thornpaw said it would be someone new, and he's the only new cat we've had in moons."
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Post by ®Hawkpath® on Oct 15, 2020 20:36:16 GMT -5
Firepaw settled in, then realized what he was saying and almost jumped up again. She stared at him, watching as the world seemed to shatter under her and realized suddenly just how bad this was. Rainpaw knew. But he didn’t know. Okay. She couldn’t afford to panic. Everyone was going to die if she panicked now. “I don’t think it’s him.” She spoke up, forcing herself to sound thoughtful, like this was all just innocent speculation on her part. She didn’t quite look at Rainpaw. She was a good liar. She had lots of practice. “I mean, I think that’s kind of a leap, anyway. And the whole thing about it being a new cat could be meaning new in a different way. I don’t think we should put a maybe innocent cat in danger because we think we know something we don’t.” There. That was the best she could do.
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Post by <Raintalon> on Oct 15, 2020 20:56:10 GMT -5
"We have to make a decision here," said Rainpaw, carefully injecting just the right amount of conviction into his tone to, hopefully, make her think he didn't plan to back down. "Or it's going to be too late. It's already too late for Catchpaw, and he's not gonna be the last one."
"Redwhisker does seem suspicious," conceded Sootpaw nervously, flicking his tail. "But Firepaw's right. We can't just attack a cat who might be innocent - we need to find a way to prove it."
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