My Life -- A poll story -- Where should you go?
Aug 2, 2019 13:04:29 GMT -5
Sand, Katanaheart, and 4 more like this
Post by mintedstar/fur on Aug 2, 2019 13:04:29 GMT -5
I remember these being super popular back on the old forums. I wanted to see how tricky they would be on these ones. So I decided to start this and find out!
Title is subject to get more interesting as the story progresses.
Chapter 1:
You open your eyes in the nursery and look around. The den is dark, but you think you can hear a faint sound of someone calling you from outside.
What name are they calling again?
Answer chosen: Honeykit
"Honeykit!" shouts the voice again, shaking you out of the last of your sleepy dreams. Oh yeah. Honeykit. Why would you think your name was anything else? The cat calling you is your brother, Aspenkit. His voice is very high pitched for such a large kit. Shaking out your soft, orange tabby fur, you take several steps out of the sandy hollow the nursery is located in.
"Hey Aspenkit!" you say brightly. You'd talk brightly to Aspenkit no matter how you were currently feeling.
"Hey," he says, looking over at you, bouncing a little. "You're late! Remember what we planned yesterday?"
"Of course," you scoff. "We were planning ..."
What were you planning?
Answer chosen: Go to the Quiet Place where the dead are buried.
Your breath catches in your throat with both excitement and trepidation. After last night's rest, you'd almost forgotten what you and Aspenkit had been planning. Your heart pounds a bit with the thought of what you might find there. Maybe nothing ... but still ... it's supposed to be a place of quiet and peace. But also death. Always death.
"We should go," you say, voice suddenly low just from thinking about it. You don't want to say its name just in case your mom decided to stop you after hearing where you were going. "Come on," you say, scrambling forward first.
The Quiet Place is just above the camp. It's on a rise, just out of view of where the camp is. You can look back at where you live as you and Aspenkit bound forward, your tail high. You haven't been spotted, but then again, it's early. And it isn't like you can't be up here. It's just not what your expected to do.
Your haste to reach the top case you to tumble down the slight incline on the other side. You scramble, but loose your foothold. You roll down into what is probably the middle of the Quiet Place. Hurriedly scrambling to your feet, you look down at the green grass, and think about the fact that there is a generation of dead cats under your feet. You can't help shuddering.
But while you're shuddering, Aspenkit yelps. You look up and notice he's spasming a bit. Your fur fluffs up. Your brother's pelt is on end and his eyes are darting around all over the place!
What should you do?!
Answer chosen: Remain calm - this happens and you know what to do.
It's okay, you think, trying to breath. You slowly walk over to him, trying not to spook him. His pelt looks like a hedgehog's and his eyes are showing the whites. Cautiously, you lick at his shoulder, trying to reassure him. His breath is coming fast, and you're afraid that this time it's bad. But after several seconds, his fur begins to lie flat. You relax as he calms down.
"Are you okay?" you ask. "Should I get mum?" You don't think he'll yet you, and as you suspect he shakes his head.
"N-no. I'm okay now."
"Are you sure?" you ask again. "Was it ...
What happened to your brother?
Answer chosen: "Was it dad?"
The words catch in your throat. You know they aren't very tactful, but you can't help yourself. You know what the words mean to Aspenkit.
Your brother seems to clam up, looking at you with deep, hurt eyes. You swallow. You know mentioning the father you both hardly know is hard. But you felt it had to be said. After all, he's the reason - or rather, his absences is the reason - that Aspenkit sometimes has panic attacks.
"I'm sorry," you say, looking down at the thin amber stripes along the back of your paws. You mentioned it so he didn't have to feel alone. So he didn't have to feel like he couldn't talk about it. Because you know what happened too. But Aspenkit didn't take it that way. It's clear in his eyes.
"It's okay," he said, looking away, still short of breath.
You know it's not.
"Should ... should we try and find someone in particular here instead?" Aspenkit asks. He waves his tail at the small mounds all around you. Some faint scents even now still linger. You also knew a bit about who lies under the ground because of the tales.
What should you do?
Answer chosen: "Yes! Let's find Morningstar's grave!"
You almost choke on the words. They're kind of serious for you. You haven't been here before and this is kinda ... kinda ... You're stuttering over the words in your own head and you realize it. You catch yourself before you start moving forward. You walk toward the mounds ahead of you. They're like markings. Places made to respect the dead, even though they are far further under the ground. "Come on!" you breath out in excitement. Suddenly you're moving fast, darting between the graves. Aspenkit is right behind you, the shaking subsided now. He doesn't look excited, but he tries to hide it every time you look back.
You pull to a halt as soon as you reach the mound almost near the edge of the clearing. It's as far back as you can go, and you can feel the little flutter of your heart in your chest. This is where Morningstar is supposed to be buried. This is the founder of your clan. Fables and myth surrounds them, but the fact that they have a grave here makes it seem like they could actually have existed.
"I wonder what it was like back then," Aspenkit pipes up. Your tail twitches as you shrug. You don't think it was that different. All the stories you hear from the elders make it sound like it was a very dark time, but you can't really wrap your head around the idea.
"Do you think we'll see them during our apprentice ceremony?" Aspenkit pipes up.
You huff. "The Founder of the SunClan isn't going to be visiting us when we drink the Sun-Water. We're just kits. We're not even going to be Medicine Cats."
Aspenkit seems disappointed. You are too, but you don't want to say.
"Should we just head back to camp now?" he asks.
Should you head back to camp?
Answer Chosen: Head back to camp and prepare for tomorrow. Chapter Ends.
Chapter 2:
There was something about the soft afterglow of sunhigh that always fascinated you. It felt like it could warm your fur through anything, the gentle race casting a fine filament of light over your pelt. It made you drowsy and excited all at once. You can hardly believe that yesterday you were a kit and today, very soon, you will be an apprentice.
Patiently (or as patiently as you can) you wait in the Nursery. Aspenkit is nervously shifting right next to you. The ceremony isn't even started yet, but neither of you feel like you can go out. You're so nervous, you hardly notice someone trying to get your attention from the back entrance of the den.
"Pssst," they say. You look over and nearly jump. It's Heronpaw, one of the younger apprentices, and she's trying to catch your eye. You look around, but though you're sure the queens should have noticed, they aren't even looking over. "Psst," Heronpaw repeats.
You bump Aspenkit's shoulder and Aspenkit goes over, you trailing behind.
Heronkit leans down a little and whispers, "Come with me."
You freeze. Should you go with Heronpaw?
Answer Chosen: Yes! You should follow Heronpaw! Sounds fun!
You find the confidence to continue forward, away from where the queens are. Aspenkit follows you with far more spring in his step than you. But that's alright. You prefer that to his reaction yesterday. At least one of you is having a good time. You're just not sure what's happening.
"Budge up, Honeykit," Aspenkit hisses behind you. You realize the exit has narrowed more around you than the last time you came this way. You must have ended up growing at least a head taller than you had been before!
Pressing you side to the ferns, you let Aspenkit pass and take a position by Heronpaw's tail.
"Were are we going?" he asked. But Heronpaw shushes him.
You open out into the edge of the camp, away from the main onlookers. No one sees as you sneak past. Then you're in the back of the apprentice den and Heronpaw is beckoning you with a tail. You hesitate, but you've gotten this far. You continue after the apprentice and your brother.
When you enter your future den, you're greeted by excited mews and fur pressing against you.
You gape at the other four apprentice - two of which who are almost ready to be warriors - all huddled around the middle of their den.
"Welcome!" says Heronpaw. "To your future den! We're the welcoming crew!"
Aspenkit looks surprised. "Wow! Um ... okay ... What does that mean?"
One of the older apprentices curls a tail over his paws and purrs, "It means a lot of things. For now it's just a nice thing we've done since ... well ... a while. Before my time. We can answer questions or give you a bit of an idea of which cat you can choose for your mentor. That sort of thing."
You feel excited now. You can ask them questions?
What questions should you ask?
Answer Chosen: What questions should I ask?
You take a breath in. That's a bit too much power to you. And you want to be smart about this. These are the senior apprentices and they know about what you should ask. This has to be a test of some sort.
They look at you a bit oddly as you ask your questions. Maybe they didn't expect you to think of it that way. Well, you did. They're just going to have to deal with it. Aspenkit nudging you with his shoulder isn't going to stop you either.
For a second, Heronpaw looks stunned and then whispers to two of the other apprentices - the ones who look like they're going to be made into Warriors soon.
You're a bit afraid you made the wrong choice, and after a second Heronpaw turns back and confirms that. "Well ... I mean, being a bit more curious would have been nice." Looking around, the apprentice seems to be trying to hold in amusement or a snappish retort to your question. Either way, the words sting. You just wanted to have a safe question! What was wrong with that?
"Look," said Heronpaw gently. "I can't expect you kits to get this yet, but the apprentice ceremony is supposed to be secret. You can ask questions, but it's up to us to figure out what you need to know to get through it. If you just ask for free information then we can't give you any."
Just when you were hoping that the den floor would open up under you, you hear a noise from outside. It's your mother, loudly calling your name. You look at Aspenkit, glad for an excuse to get out of here, but he looks a bit annoyed at you too. You try not to whimper. Instead, you just hurriedly thank the apprentices (not like they did anything) and hurry out the back entrance that you used to get here. It takes a second, but Aspenkit follows you as well.
You reach your mother after hurriedly pulling to a halt in front of her flank, just missing running into her. She looks at you with curious (maybe knowing) eyes, and then glances past you at Aspenkit. Then her face splits into one of concern. "Did you two have a fight?"
Aspenkit must look as frustrated as you feel.
What should you do?
Answer Chosen: Make up with Aspenkit
You look guiltily at your paws and then turn to Aspenkit. "I'm sorry," you whisper. Your mother is right. You haven't exactly been thinking this through. It might be that Aspenkit is blaming you for nothing, but you don't want to be on bad terms with him. So instead you chew on your lip and wait to see what he says. He relaxes. "It's okay."
Just as you say that, the leader of SunClan calls out your name.
"Honeykit, Aspenkit!"
You look up, ears standing on end.
"Come forward," purrs Tanglestar, his amber eyes bright and tabby tail flicking.
You take a very hesitant step forward.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
Are you ready?
Answer Chosen: Yes!
You walk forward, small tail held high. You are ready for this! You can do it. Aspenkit is by your side and you feel confident that you can do anything with him next to you.
Tanglestar waved his tail, indicating the tunnel that was under the leaders den.
"Then enter!" he called to the two kits. "And discover the fate in store for you!"
Your fur stands on end, nervousness raising through you. You slowly pad toward the tunnel, Aspenkit beside you, his fur brushing against yours.
Inside the tunnel it was dark, but your eyes quickly adjust. There was a jagged crack running along the roof, letting in a thin shaft of sunlight you can see by. You look up, watching the line. It follows the turn into a branch, but the other branch of the tunnel is dark. Aspenkit pauses. You do.
"Which way are you going?" you ask, curious.
He has a puzzled expression on his face, then steals himself. "This way," he said, following the path without any sunlight from the crack to illuminate it.
Which way should you go?
Answer Chosen: The sunlit tunnel
You're left alone in the tunnel, facing a choice that will affect your future. You take a breath in, feeling the tightness in your chest. It refuses to go away, but you finally feel ready to enter a tunnel after a couple of seconds. You take the tunnel with your brother did not. Following the light seems like a better option. Maybe it will lead you to the Sun-Water.
You continue to follow the sunlight from the crack in the tunnel roof and after a while you are left in the darkness as well as the sunlight disappears. You continue with your pelt pressed against the wall, the darkness not complete but enough to reveal various tunnels all around you. You keep to the side you are on.
You stop at one intersection though. You can see just a bit of a faint light to your left, down another tunnel.
Should you head for it?
Answer Chosen: Yes
This is supposed to be the Sun-Water after all. You probably have to head for the light sooner or later.
You turn into the tunnel where the faint light can just be seen. Almost at once your paws hit water and you almost stumble into it. You hiss a complaint and back up, shaking your forepaws and squinting at the floor. You thought this tunnel was dry.
On closer inspection, it's not so much a tunnel as it is an entrence to an underground lake. The tunnel's dark edges stop a bit ahead of you and all that's visible is the slightly bright reflection of light against the water. You feel your heart pick up with excitement. This is it. You know what this is.
You have to drink this water and talk to your ancestors. This is the ceremony. This is also the only detail you know about it apart from its name.
Your fur lies flat again and your heartbeat slows.
What if you do this wrong?
"It's okay," you mutter to yourself. You have to do this right. If no one has told you how to do it, then that must mean there isn't a way to get it wrong! Right?
It's called Sun-Water, so you probably have to get closer to where the sunlight it. You don't like it, but you step forward again.
The water is cold. Ice cold. It's underground. It touches your belly fur and gets between your toes. You gasp, but then take another step forward. You have to keep moving. You aren't that far away.
That's when, on the next step, the floor under your paws disappears. You slip in surprise, your head going under, and you hold the yelp inside your throat only to release it in a stream of bubbles. The water is freezing, getting into your bones. You can't even feel your toes. Your feet strike out, searching for a bottom, but your small body has twisted so much that you aren't sure which way is up! It's dark, you can't breath, and even the small beam of light from before is gone. You don't think you can find your way back to the surface.
BAD ENDING: You have drowned (maybe
). Please select a new player to gain a new chance.
Chapter 3:
You wait in the center of camp for the ceremony to be over, a bit board over the whole thing. You remember your ceremony of course. Becoming Heronpaw. It was all anticlimactic really. The real fun were the tunnels. You kind of which you could go back there. It was ... an experience you wouldn't even begin to be able to describe.
You shake the thoughts from your fur as an outline of a set of ears appears in the exit of the tunnel. You at once stiffen. This is it. The first returning apprentice! You bet it's going to be Aspenkit - paw now.
You aren't disappointed. The head that appears is is clearly Aspenpaw, shaken, but returned from his journey. You stand with the other members of the clan, ready to shout his new name, but he cuts everyone off before you can.
"Wait!"
You freeze, hesitant, and the cats around you do the same.
"I saw Honeykit," Aspenpaw says, fur spiking up along his spin. You look at your nearest denmate. So?
"In StarClan," Aspenpaw finishes.
What should you do?
Answer Chosen: Ask him to describe what happened.
Your tail goes up and you hesitate, fur on end. What could he mean by that.
You step forward then, though you aren't alone. Raindapple, Honeykit and Aspenpaw's mother, does as well, worry alight in her eyes.
"What?"
You feel bad, but you cut her off. "What do you mean in StarClan?" You can feel your fur bristling.
Aspenpaw pants, but manages to get his tongue around the words.
"They're dead," he says, eyes wild. "I'm sure of it. They're dead. I'd just stepped into the Sun Water when I saw StarClan and I saw ... I saw Honeykit with them. And they looked just like the other StarClan cats." His jaw closed hastily. We all knew he couldn't give more details without defiling the tradition of SunClan
Your fur bristled. You don't remember anything like this happening before.
How do you deal with this information?
Answer Chosen: Ask the leader what to do
You don't know what to do and you can't be expected to make any large decisions yourself. Aspenpaw is looking at you like he expects you to somehow choose what to do.
Instead, you hurriedly cast your eyes to Tanglestar. He should know what to do in situations like that. Tanglestar frowns, his tail flicking as he slowly walks toward Aspenpaw. He sniffs at the apprentice, as if searching for some scent of his sibling. He glances at you, then at the rest of the clan.
"We will morn Honeypaw, but no one but kits may enter the tunnels and only apprentice may exit. I cannot go against what StarClan has willed long before I came."
He sounds hurt, the choice clearly tearing at him. But he makes the choice anyway.
"But-" Aspenpaw starts, but then he looks at you. Searching for some sort of support.
Should you speak up against Tanglestar?
Answer Chosen: Yes, someone needs to find Honeypaw!
Fear and a touch of anger bubble up in your chest. Honeypaw was still a life. You know tradition as much as the next cat. You've been raised on it. But Aspenpaw's gaze prickles at your fur and you feel Honeypaw's eyes on you. You remember the questions from earlier that day. There has to be a reason. You can't just leave this.
"Tanglestar?" you say quietly. Speaking up it like a sharp thorn in your throat. The pressure on you is sudden. This is practically the code you are going against. StarClan's traditions, the sanctity of the Ceremony of Sun Water is weighing on you.
You have your life and position in SunClan hanging on what you say next. But you can't back down. Not now.
"What is it, Heronpaw?" asks Tanglestar slowly. His words are patient, but you can hear a warning there. Respect for Tanglestar nearly has you swallowing your words, but finally, you choke them out.
"No. That's wrong. It's a kit's life. Shouldn't we do everything we can to save it?"
The fur along your spin bristles and your head dips. You can feel the atmosphere around you shift. It's like the spirit of Morningstar is hovering in the air around you.
Eyes narrowed, you wait. You swallow, then open your mouth. "Please. Tanglestar. It's ... Honeypaw is just a kit."
The new name that Aspenpaw's sibling should have gotten is ash in your throat.
It doesn't matter though. Tanglestar's eyes are wide, almost fearful. His eyes look left and right, not meeting the gaze of any cat he looks at. It's only after a second that he stiffens, tail held high.
"Heronpaw, these sorts of statements from kits I understand. After all, grief can be excused. But you know that the Sun Water is sacred. Only StarClan can dictate who goes into that tunnel."
The warning is so thick in his voice that you almost stop talking. But it's too late. You can't stop how you feel.
"Then StarClan is wrong! Honeypaw is more important than the sanity of the Sun Water!"
Silence falls. Every cat is stiff, fearful as if waiting for StarClan to pronounce judgment on you. Even Aspenpaw has picked up on the feeling.
Tanglestar doesn't need to wait for StarClan though. You can see his stance straighten, his eyes harden.
"I am sorry, Heronpaw ..."
His tail flicks and he paces a few steps toward you.
"I, Tanglestar, with the spirit of Morningstar as my guide, demand that you leave SunClan."
STORY SHIFT ENDING: You have picked a choice that vastly dictated a character's personality and sent the story in a new direction which will dictate where this story goes. Because of this, I will give you a choice:
Answer Chosen: Heronpaw
Chapter 4:
You walk out of camp. What else can you do? Cats are hissing at you and you have the gaze of your leader (past leader) burning into your back.
The sun no longer feels as warm as it once did.
The shadow of what haunts this Clan has darkened it.
Turning, you hurry up the rise around where the dens are located, paws hitting against the soft earth. Nothing you can do anymore. Honeypaw is somewhere down in the tunnels, and you have no idea if you're going to make it past the night.
You're just an apprentice, after all.
A rogue.
You're sure that Tanglestar will make an order that you're to be chanced out of Clan territory if you ever turn up here again. But what does that mean?
You're leaving friends behind. It's not like they got a choice in your exile.
But leave them behind you do. You pass the trees and the large rocks which make up SunClan's territory, jump the stream which marks the border, and check where the sun is positioned.
Mid-day.
Where are you going to go?
Answer chosen: Follow the Stream
You follow the stream slowly, staying close to the reads and the other water plants which you pass. You don't think any SunClan warriors will be after you, but you don't really want to risk it. This is the sort of place that you need to escape from now, and they wont likely find you important.
Everything that's happened has started to sink in. You aren't sure what to make of it, not at all. This is just ...
Your pawsteps are heavy and your tail droops. Your Clan. The place you grew up in and the territory you've hunted in is falling away beside you. Your side of the bank seems to remain the same, but the other - along with the SunClan territory - is rising to form bluffs and crags along the edge of the river.
You saying goodbye.
For what?
You're not sure if you're mad at yourself or your leader.
No. Past leader.
And Honeykit ...
You look along the river, and start padding at a faster pace. You need to be away from the area, and the stream turned river will take you there. You're only sure where it goes in relation to SunClan territory, so you don't have far. At least for now, you aren't in anyone's territory. No Clan, at any rate.
It's past sunhigh by the time you stop. The river has gotten faster and SunClan territory is far behind you. There isn't much to do now. You're an apprentice. You know how to hunt and fight, but that's about it. You don't have anywhere to go. You'll have to find somewhere to sleep for the night.
Where should you sleep?
Answer Chosen: Don't sleep, keep moving.
You know that even though you are tired, you can't just stay here and you don't know the area, so it isn't a good idea to find something nearby. It may be getting late, but you don't feel safe.
Sadly eyeing the nearby trees, you continue walking. Your pace has slowed, however. You have no idea were you are, you're outside the territories now and the ground has started to slope up over yet another rise before you look ahead with the last of the fading light.
There. You might not be familiar with the area up til now, but you remember just enough of senior warriors' tales that you recognize what you're seeing.
On the other side of the rise stretches a twolegplace. Small at the point nearest to you, but you can see many of their unnatural lights dotting the slopes almost as far as you can see.
What should you do now?
Answer Chosen: Approach the twolegplace
You don't see any reason why you shouldn't avoid twolegplace. What do you have to lose? Even the possibility of a life as a kittypet cannot be as harsh as where you have just come from.
But you approach the lights with a wariness that you haven't experienced before. All of this is new and there is a lot to it which you can't really connect up in your head.
Maybe its the shock of your banishment finally catching up. You can't really be sure right now.
You reach the first dark houses. They seem tempting to explore the area off, less dangerous than the distant glow of lights.
Pausing, you debate. The nearest house has a fence that looks promising. It should give you a good outlook point. Maybe even lead to something on the other side.
Should you explore beyond the fence or should you move on?
Answer Chosen: No, keep going.
You decide to move on. You don't like the idea of being in an enclosed location. The fence seems to enclosed for your liking.
You are getting tired, however. You've walked longer than is reasonable, you feel, to go in one day and night. You stop at the side of a black expanse of stone with the occasional large trundling beast crossing it. Your fur spikes and you wait for one to take advantage of your tiredness and to jump off the path to smash you beneath its large paws. Do you really have to cross this?
"Psst!"
You freeze. That's a voice!
Should you answer?
Answer Chosen: Yes, find who said that!
Pelt bristling, you look around. What was that? And why is it trying to get your attention?
You slowly pace away from the thunderpath, fur still prickling along your spin. You step forward again, breath fluttering in you chest. It's dark and you're tired, but after a second the form of a bush is clearer as you step forward.
"Psst."
The hiss for attention is coming from the bush and you're not sure if you should call out. But to take up your courage and hiss back, "Who is that?"
There's a brief flash of movement from within the bush, like a very small cat moving away. You hurry forward, but when you try and look under the bush, there's no one there. However, whoever - whatever - it was seems to have left something. You can see it, just out of paw-length. You're not sure what it is.
Should you reach out?
Answer Chosen: Yes
You reach your paw under the bush. You have to stretch a bit to pull out whatever it is. It feels odd against your paws. Crunchy ... a bit wet.
What you pull out isn't something you would have ever expected. Your pelt bristles up before you even get a good look at it.
It's golden color haunts you as you take several pawsteps backward. There is no reasonable way that this should be under the bush. None.
So why is it?
The honeycomb looks so innocent. Just a small piece. Is it a sign or an omen?
You don't know, but whatever it is, it's like the ancestors telling you that you haven't escaped Honeypaw or the Clan. Not really.
Your paw is still sticky with some honey and you wipe it off on the grass. Who or what was here? A StarClan cat?
Honeypaw?
You can't decide. But you don't want to go this way anymore. You hurriedly turn away from the thunderpath, darting back the way you came, toward the twoleg den you were first considering.
Once you reach the edge of its boundaries, you gasp for breath.
Once again the choice to go in or not stands before you.
Do you go into the twoleg garden?
Answer Chosen: Yes
You watch the barrier between you and the twoleg den. But nothing shows up yet. It's hard to tell what to expect when you don't know a lot about twolegs. They're something you hear about from stories from the elders who've traveled outside of clan territory. So you're not sure what to expect just because you've never been there.
You jump onto the fence, glancing down at the garden beyond. From there, it also looks empty. Opening your mouth, you scent the air. Nothing.
You just jump into the garden, set on doing this before you second guess yourself.
The garden has several bushes, a small pond with darting shapes under the water, and a slab of hard grey rock in front of the entrance of the twoleg den.
Where should you go?
Answer Chosen: Porch
You look at the block of stone, unsure, but figuring that it might be the most safe. You aren't even sure why you're here, other than the fact that you're trying to get away from ... from whatever that was that you just left. That was the scary thing ... you don't know what that was.
If that was Honeypaw.
You shake the feeling off and slowly step toward the block of stone. It's hard and a bit unnatural under your paws. It's too smooth, like the twoleg thunderpaths. Your pelt bristles when you think about that, checking around. Is this maybe a small thunderpath?
But so far, it seems safe. You step forward again and sniff at the clear stuff, where your reflection is waterly reflected in it. Beyond it's dark, though you think you can see something there. It looks like maybe it's the interior of the twoleg den, with odd pelts on floor and odd rocks that are also covered with pelts slowly becoming visible behind the clear substance.
Huh.
Well, if you can't see any twolegs here, then it should be fine. You settle yourself down on the odd rock, fur still bristling with hesitation over whether or not it's safe. But eventually you relax.
You close your eyes and rest.
For now.
Chapter 5
You open your eyes, unsure where you are for the time being. Then you remember the events of the previous night and your pelt bristles up. It's only then that you hear a scratching behind you.
You stand, spinning as you do, ready to hiss and claw at something.
Only what you see is something completely different.
A familiar pelt.
Behind the clear substance is a face you can place at once. Scratching at one of the pelt covered rocks in the twoleg den.
Honeypaw.
What do you do?
Answer Chosen: Call out.
“Honeypaw!” you call, the name catching in your throat over both excitement and confusion. You know that it can’t be Honeypaw - there is no way.
But the cat looks up at you and smiles. She’s clearly heard you, even through the strange substance blocking the way between you and her.
She opens her mouth, as if you say your name …
And then her form slowly fades away.
You back-pedal hurriedly. There is no possible way that you just saw what you saw. You know that there are ghosts - they haunt the place were you bury your ancestors … back when had a clan.
But this?
Honeypaw?
Why would she be a ghost?
Should you still try and get into the twoleg nest after this?
Answer Chosen: Yes
You hesitate. This doesn't seem like a good idea. There is a lot of things which could go wrong. It's a twoleg den and you're chasing ghosts.
But there wasn't a lot of other options that you can think of.
You shake out your fur and sigh. Then you try to look around for a way into the nest.
You notice an open space that you could easily slip though. Then again, maybe you can just get through this weird clear rock?
Should you go through the opening or try to get through the clear rock?
Answer Chosen: Opening
The gap is easy to squeeze through and you manage to get through without much issue. Inside, it smells vaguely of smoked meat. Not in a bad way - you briefly worry there might be a fire - but there seems to be a sizzling noise from another room and you carefully pad forward, looking through a gap to see a twoleg huddled over a piece of flesh.
This isn't your priority, but you are hungry. You hesitate, briefly, but then continue deeper into the den.
"Hello?" you meow. "Are you ... there?"
Is your 'ghost' you're looking for somewhere in here? It seems possible.
You get further in, then tip toe around a large, padded rock as you sniff the air. You can smell something that smells suspiciously ... but it has to be a mistake.
You shiver, then jump onto the padded rock. "Honeypaw?" you ask. "Is that you?"
You hesitate. No response.
Should you try and go for the food?
Answer Chosen: No
Even though you sniff at it, you don't trust it. Instead you back away, almost fumbling off the little padded rock, and hurry off into a different room. It's only there where you discover what you were looking for - the scent and almost vague image of your lost friend.
You stare. Only just several moons younger than you, but unmistakingly the kit you knew.
"I was hoping," you breath.
You were hoping that maybe Honeykit would still be alive. But clearly, that's no longer something you can possible think.
Amber eyes blink up at you from only a slightly lower position before Honeykit says, oh so softly, "You need to go back."
What should you do?
Answer Chosen: "I want to, but it's a lot harder than that!"
I couldn't help but bristle a little and said, almost softly, "Things are harder than that." My gaze falls. I wanted to explain. That fighting my Clan's ruling was the whole point, wasn't it? That I had to leave. There wasn't really any way back.
Tanglestar had banished me for my questions. Returning could be a death sentence. Why would Honeykit offer such an option? Why claim it was a good idea?
What do you consider Honeykit's motivations?
Answer Chosen: She wants something else: to have you stand up against things more directly.
"If you don't do something, who else will?"
Honeykit's fur puffed up and you couldn't help shivering. This spirit, almost my height, glaring at you as if you was somehow at fault.
"What do you even want me to do? This is how we've always done things. There isn't just a magic way to convince them. I can't just waltz up and say, 'StarClan told me to.'"
Even if they had told you to.
Honeykit eyes roll. Clearly this idea is silly to her. She turns away, stalking away from you.
"Fine," she says. "Be like that. There will continue to be hundreds just like me, just as there already are."
Your blood feels cold. What?
Where should you go?
Answer Chosen: n/a
Allegiances:
Title is subject to get more interesting as the story progresses.
Chapter 1:
You open your eyes in the nursery and look around. The den is dark, but you think you can hear a faint sound of someone calling you from outside.
What name are they calling again?
Answer chosen: Honeykit
"Honeykit!" shouts the voice again, shaking you out of the last of your sleepy dreams. Oh yeah. Honeykit. Why would you think your name was anything else? The cat calling you is your brother, Aspenkit. His voice is very high pitched for such a large kit. Shaking out your soft, orange tabby fur, you take several steps out of the sandy hollow the nursery is located in.
"Hey Aspenkit!" you say brightly. You'd talk brightly to Aspenkit no matter how you were currently feeling.
"Hey," he says, looking over at you, bouncing a little. "You're late! Remember what we planned yesterday?"
"Of course," you scoff. "We were planning ..."
What were you planning?
Answer chosen: Go to the Quiet Place where the dead are buried.
Your breath catches in your throat with both excitement and trepidation. After last night's rest, you'd almost forgotten what you and Aspenkit had been planning. Your heart pounds a bit with the thought of what you might find there. Maybe nothing ... but still ... it's supposed to be a place of quiet and peace. But also death. Always death.
"We should go," you say, voice suddenly low just from thinking about it. You don't want to say its name just in case your mom decided to stop you after hearing where you were going. "Come on," you say, scrambling forward first.
The Quiet Place is just above the camp. It's on a rise, just out of view of where the camp is. You can look back at where you live as you and Aspenkit bound forward, your tail high. You haven't been spotted, but then again, it's early. And it isn't like you can't be up here. It's just not what your expected to do.
Your haste to reach the top case you to tumble down the slight incline on the other side. You scramble, but loose your foothold. You roll down into what is probably the middle of the Quiet Place. Hurriedly scrambling to your feet, you look down at the green grass, and think about the fact that there is a generation of dead cats under your feet. You can't help shuddering.
But while you're shuddering, Aspenkit yelps. You look up and notice he's spasming a bit. Your fur fluffs up. Your brother's pelt is on end and his eyes are darting around all over the place!
What should you do?!
Answer chosen: Remain calm - this happens and you know what to do.
It's okay, you think, trying to breath. You slowly walk over to him, trying not to spook him. His pelt looks like a hedgehog's and his eyes are showing the whites. Cautiously, you lick at his shoulder, trying to reassure him. His breath is coming fast, and you're afraid that this time it's bad. But after several seconds, his fur begins to lie flat. You relax as he calms down.
"Are you okay?" you ask. "Should I get mum?" You don't think he'll yet you, and as you suspect he shakes his head.
"N-no. I'm okay now."
"Are you sure?" you ask again. "Was it ...
What happened to your brother?
Answer chosen: "Was it dad?"
The words catch in your throat. You know they aren't very tactful, but you can't help yourself. You know what the words mean to Aspenkit.
Your brother seems to clam up, looking at you with deep, hurt eyes. You swallow. You know mentioning the father you both hardly know is hard. But you felt it had to be said. After all, he's the reason - or rather, his absences is the reason - that Aspenkit sometimes has panic attacks.
"I'm sorry," you say, looking down at the thin amber stripes along the back of your paws. You mentioned it so he didn't have to feel alone. So he didn't have to feel like he couldn't talk about it. Because you know what happened too. But Aspenkit didn't take it that way. It's clear in his eyes.
"It's okay," he said, looking away, still short of breath.
You know it's not.
"Should ... should we try and find someone in particular here instead?" Aspenkit asks. He waves his tail at the small mounds all around you. Some faint scents even now still linger. You also knew a bit about who lies under the ground because of the tales.
What should you do?
Answer chosen: "Yes! Let's find Morningstar's grave!"
You almost choke on the words. They're kind of serious for you. You haven't been here before and this is kinda ... kinda ... You're stuttering over the words in your own head and you realize it. You catch yourself before you start moving forward. You walk toward the mounds ahead of you. They're like markings. Places made to respect the dead, even though they are far further under the ground. "Come on!" you breath out in excitement. Suddenly you're moving fast, darting between the graves. Aspenkit is right behind you, the shaking subsided now. He doesn't look excited, but he tries to hide it every time you look back.
You pull to a halt as soon as you reach the mound almost near the edge of the clearing. It's as far back as you can go, and you can feel the little flutter of your heart in your chest. This is where Morningstar is supposed to be buried. This is the founder of your clan. Fables and myth surrounds them, but the fact that they have a grave here makes it seem like they could actually have existed.
"I wonder what it was like back then," Aspenkit pipes up. Your tail twitches as you shrug. You don't think it was that different. All the stories you hear from the elders make it sound like it was a very dark time, but you can't really wrap your head around the idea.
"Do you think we'll see them during our apprentice ceremony?" Aspenkit pipes up.
You huff. "The Founder of the SunClan isn't going to be visiting us when we drink the Sun-Water. We're just kits. We're not even going to be Medicine Cats."
Aspenkit seems disappointed. You are too, but you don't want to say.
"Should we just head back to camp now?" he asks.
Should you head back to camp?
Answer Chosen: Head back to camp and prepare for tomorrow. Chapter Ends.
Chapter 2:
There was something about the soft afterglow of sunhigh that always fascinated you. It felt like it could warm your fur through anything, the gentle race casting a fine filament of light over your pelt. It made you drowsy and excited all at once. You can hardly believe that yesterday you were a kit and today, very soon, you will be an apprentice.
Patiently (or as patiently as you can) you wait in the Nursery. Aspenkit is nervously shifting right next to you. The ceremony isn't even started yet, but neither of you feel like you can go out. You're so nervous, you hardly notice someone trying to get your attention from the back entrance of the den.
"Pssst," they say. You look over and nearly jump. It's Heronpaw, one of the younger apprentices, and she's trying to catch your eye. You look around, but though you're sure the queens should have noticed, they aren't even looking over. "Psst," Heronpaw repeats.
You bump Aspenkit's shoulder and Aspenkit goes over, you trailing behind.
Heronkit leans down a little and whispers, "Come with me."
You freeze. Should you go with Heronpaw?
Answer Chosen: Yes! You should follow Heronpaw! Sounds fun!
You find the confidence to continue forward, away from where the queens are. Aspenkit follows you with far more spring in his step than you. But that's alright. You prefer that to his reaction yesterday. At least one of you is having a good time. You're just not sure what's happening.
"Budge up, Honeykit," Aspenkit hisses behind you. You realize the exit has narrowed more around you than the last time you came this way. You must have ended up growing at least a head taller than you had been before!
Pressing you side to the ferns, you let Aspenkit pass and take a position by Heronpaw's tail.
"Were are we going?" he asked. But Heronpaw shushes him.
You open out into the edge of the camp, away from the main onlookers. No one sees as you sneak past. Then you're in the back of the apprentice den and Heronpaw is beckoning you with a tail. You hesitate, but you've gotten this far. You continue after the apprentice and your brother.
When you enter your future den, you're greeted by excited mews and fur pressing against you.
You gape at the other four apprentice - two of which who are almost ready to be warriors - all huddled around the middle of their den.
"Welcome!" says Heronpaw. "To your future den! We're the welcoming crew!"
Aspenkit looks surprised. "Wow! Um ... okay ... What does that mean?"
One of the older apprentices curls a tail over his paws and purrs, "It means a lot of things. For now it's just a nice thing we've done since ... well ... a while. Before my time. We can answer questions or give you a bit of an idea of which cat you can choose for your mentor. That sort of thing."
You feel excited now. You can ask them questions?
What questions should you ask?
Answer Chosen: What questions should I ask?
You take a breath in. That's a bit too much power to you. And you want to be smart about this. These are the senior apprentices and they know about what you should ask. This has to be a test of some sort.
They look at you a bit oddly as you ask your questions. Maybe they didn't expect you to think of it that way. Well, you did. They're just going to have to deal with it. Aspenkit nudging you with his shoulder isn't going to stop you either.
For a second, Heronpaw looks stunned and then whispers to two of the other apprentices - the ones who look like they're going to be made into Warriors soon.
You're a bit afraid you made the wrong choice, and after a second Heronpaw turns back and confirms that. "Well ... I mean, being a bit more curious would have been nice." Looking around, the apprentice seems to be trying to hold in amusement or a snappish retort to your question. Either way, the words sting. You just wanted to have a safe question! What was wrong with that?
"Look," said Heronpaw gently. "I can't expect you kits to get this yet, but the apprentice ceremony is supposed to be secret. You can ask questions, but it's up to us to figure out what you need to know to get through it. If you just ask for free information then we can't give you any."
Just when you were hoping that the den floor would open up under you, you hear a noise from outside. It's your mother, loudly calling your name. You look at Aspenkit, glad for an excuse to get out of here, but he looks a bit annoyed at you too. You try not to whimper. Instead, you just hurriedly thank the apprentices (not like they did anything) and hurry out the back entrance that you used to get here. It takes a second, but Aspenkit follows you as well.
You reach your mother after hurriedly pulling to a halt in front of her flank, just missing running into her. She looks at you with curious (maybe knowing) eyes, and then glances past you at Aspenkit. Then her face splits into one of concern. "Did you two have a fight?"
Aspenkit must look as frustrated as you feel.
What should you do?
Answer Chosen: Make up with Aspenkit
You look guiltily at your paws and then turn to Aspenkit. "I'm sorry," you whisper. Your mother is right. You haven't exactly been thinking this through. It might be that Aspenkit is blaming you for nothing, but you don't want to be on bad terms with him. So instead you chew on your lip and wait to see what he says. He relaxes. "It's okay."
Just as you say that, the leader of SunClan calls out your name.
"Honeykit, Aspenkit!"
You look up, ears standing on end.
"Come forward," purrs Tanglestar, his amber eyes bright and tabby tail flicking.
You take a very hesitant step forward.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
Are you ready?
Answer Chosen: Yes!
You walk forward, small tail held high. You are ready for this! You can do it. Aspenkit is by your side and you feel confident that you can do anything with him next to you.
Tanglestar waved his tail, indicating the tunnel that was under the leaders den.
"Then enter!" he called to the two kits. "And discover the fate in store for you!"
Your fur stands on end, nervousness raising through you. You slowly pad toward the tunnel, Aspenkit beside you, his fur brushing against yours.
Inside the tunnel it was dark, but your eyes quickly adjust. There was a jagged crack running along the roof, letting in a thin shaft of sunlight you can see by. You look up, watching the line. It follows the turn into a branch, but the other branch of the tunnel is dark. Aspenkit pauses. You do.
"Which way are you going?" you ask, curious.
He has a puzzled expression on his face, then steals himself. "This way," he said, following the path without any sunlight from the crack to illuminate it.
Which way should you go?
Answer Chosen: The sunlit tunnel
You're left alone in the tunnel, facing a choice that will affect your future. You take a breath in, feeling the tightness in your chest. It refuses to go away, but you finally feel ready to enter a tunnel after a couple of seconds. You take the tunnel with your brother did not. Following the light seems like a better option. Maybe it will lead you to the Sun-Water.
You continue to follow the sunlight from the crack in the tunnel roof and after a while you are left in the darkness as well as the sunlight disappears. You continue with your pelt pressed against the wall, the darkness not complete but enough to reveal various tunnels all around you. You keep to the side you are on.
You stop at one intersection though. You can see just a bit of a faint light to your left, down another tunnel.
Should you head for it?
Answer Chosen: Yes
This is supposed to be the Sun-Water after all. You probably have to head for the light sooner or later.
You turn into the tunnel where the faint light can just be seen. Almost at once your paws hit water and you almost stumble into it. You hiss a complaint and back up, shaking your forepaws and squinting at the floor. You thought this tunnel was dry.
On closer inspection, it's not so much a tunnel as it is an entrence to an underground lake. The tunnel's dark edges stop a bit ahead of you and all that's visible is the slightly bright reflection of light against the water. You feel your heart pick up with excitement. This is it. You know what this is.
You have to drink this water and talk to your ancestors. This is the ceremony. This is also the only detail you know about it apart from its name.
Your fur lies flat again and your heartbeat slows.
What if you do this wrong?
"It's okay," you mutter to yourself. You have to do this right. If no one has told you how to do it, then that must mean there isn't a way to get it wrong! Right?
It's called Sun-Water, so you probably have to get closer to where the sunlight it. You don't like it, but you step forward again.
The water is cold. Ice cold. It's underground. It touches your belly fur and gets between your toes. You gasp, but then take another step forward. You have to keep moving. You aren't that far away.
That's when, on the next step, the floor under your paws disappears. You slip in surprise, your head going under, and you hold the yelp inside your throat only to release it in a stream of bubbles. The water is freezing, getting into your bones. You can't even feel your toes. Your feet strike out, searching for a bottom, but your small body has twisted so much that you aren't sure which way is up! It's dark, you can't breath, and even the small beam of light from before is gone. You don't think you can find your way back to the surface.
BAD ENDING: You have drowned (maybe
). Please select a new player to gain a new chance.-- Choices --
Which discovered character do you wish to continue the story as?
Aspenkit
Heronpaw
Tanglestar
Answer Chosen: Heronpaw
Chapter 3:
You wait in the center of camp for the ceremony to be over, a bit board over the whole thing. You remember your ceremony of course. Becoming Heronpaw. It was all anticlimactic really. The real fun were the tunnels. You kind of which you could go back there. It was ... an experience you wouldn't even begin to be able to describe.
You shake the thoughts from your fur as an outline of a set of ears appears in the exit of the tunnel. You at once stiffen. This is it. The first returning apprentice! You bet it's going to be Aspenkit - paw now.
You aren't disappointed. The head that appears is is clearly Aspenpaw, shaken, but returned from his journey. You stand with the other members of the clan, ready to shout his new name, but he cuts everyone off before you can.
"Wait!"
You freeze, hesitant, and the cats around you do the same.
"I saw Honeykit," Aspenpaw says, fur spiking up along his spin. You look at your nearest denmate. So?
"In StarClan," Aspenpaw finishes.
What should you do?
Answer Chosen: Ask him to describe what happened.
Your tail goes up and you hesitate, fur on end. What could he mean by that.
You step forward then, though you aren't alone. Raindapple, Honeykit and Aspenpaw's mother, does as well, worry alight in her eyes.
"What?"
You feel bad, but you cut her off. "What do you mean in StarClan?" You can feel your fur bristling.
Aspenpaw pants, but manages to get his tongue around the words.
"They're dead," he says, eyes wild. "I'm sure of it. They're dead. I'd just stepped into the Sun Water when I saw StarClan and I saw ... I saw Honeykit with them. And they looked just like the other StarClan cats." His jaw closed hastily. We all knew he couldn't give more details without defiling the tradition of SunClan
Your fur bristled. You don't remember anything like this happening before.
How do you deal with this information?
Answer Chosen: Ask the leader what to do
You don't know what to do and you can't be expected to make any large decisions yourself. Aspenpaw is looking at you like he expects you to somehow choose what to do.
Instead, you hurriedly cast your eyes to Tanglestar. He should know what to do in situations like that. Tanglestar frowns, his tail flicking as he slowly walks toward Aspenpaw. He sniffs at the apprentice, as if searching for some scent of his sibling. He glances at you, then at the rest of the clan.
"We will morn Honeypaw, but no one but kits may enter the tunnels and only apprentice may exit. I cannot go against what StarClan has willed long before I came."
He sounds hurt, the choice clearly tearing at him. But he makes the choice anyway.
"But-" Aspenpaw starts, but then he looks at you. Searching for some sort of support.
Should you speak up against Tanglestar?
Answer Chosen: Yes, someone needs to find Honeypaw!
Fear and a touch of anger bubble up in your chest. Honeypaw was still a life. You know tradition as much as the next cat. You've been raised on it. But Aspenpaw's gaze prickles at your fur and you feel Honeypaw's eyes on you. You remember the questions from earlier that day. There has to be a reason. You can't just leave this.
"Tanglestar?" you say quietly. Speaking up it like a sharp thorn in your throat. The pressure on you is sudden. This is practically the code you are going against. StarClan's traditions, the sanctity of the Ceremony of Sun Water is weighing on you.
You have your life and position in SunClan hanging on what you say next. But you can't back down. Not now.
"What is it, Heronpaw?" asks Tanglestar slowly. His words are patient, but you can hear a warning there. Respect for Tanglestar nearly has you swallowing your words, but finally, you choke them out.
"No. That's wrong. It's a kit's life. Shouldn't we do everything we can to save it?"
The fur along your spin bristles and your head dips. You can feel the atmosphere around you shift. It's like the spirit of Morningstar is hovering in the air around you.
Eyes narrowed, you wait. You swallow, then open your mouth. "Please. Tanglestar. It's ... Honeypaw is just a kit."
The new name that Aspenpaw's sibling should have gotten is ash in your throat.
It doesn't matter though. Tanglestar's eyes are wide, almost fearful. His eyes look left and right, not meeting the gaze of any cat he looks at. It's only after a second that he stiffens, tail held high.
"Heronpaw, these sorts of statements from kits I understand. After all, grief can be excused. But you know that the Sun Water is sacred. Only StarClan can dictate who goes into that tunnel."
The warning is so thick in his voice that you almost stop talking. But it's too late. You can't stop how you feel.
"Then StarClan is wrong! Honeypaw is more important than the sanity of the Sun Water!"
Silence falls. Every cat is stiff, fearful as if waiting for StarClan to pronounce judgment on you. Even Aspenpaw has picked up on the feeling.
Tanglestar doesn't need to wait for StarClan though. You can see his stance straighten, his eyes harden.
"I am sorry, Heronpaw ..."
His tail flicks and he paces a few steps toward you.
"I, Tanglestar, with the spirit of Morningstar as my guide, demand that you leave SunClan."
STORY SHIFT ENDING: You have picked a choice that vastly dictated a character's personality and sent the story in a new direction which will dictate where this story goes. Because of this, I will give you a choice:
* Continue with Heronpaw's Point of View (Title will stay: My Life).
* Change Points of View to another discovered character (Title changes to: Sun Water):
Aspenpaw
Tanglestar
Raindapple
Answer Chosen: Heronpaw
Chapter 4:
You walk out of camp. What else can you do? Cats are hissing at you and you have the gaze of your leader (past leader) burning into your back.
The sun no longer feels as warm as it once did.
The shadow of what haunts this Clan has darkened it.
Turning, you hurry up the rise around where the dens are located, paws hitting against the soft earth. Nothing you can do anymore. Honeypaw is somewhere down in the tunnels, and you have no idea if you're going to make it past the night.
You're just an apprentice, after all.
A rogue.
You're sure that Tanglestar will make an order that you're to be chanced out of Clan territory if you ever turn up here again. But what does that mean?
You're leaving friends behind. It's not like they got a choice in your exile.
But leave them behind you do. You pass the trees and the large rocks which make up SunClan's territory, jump the stream which marks the border, and check where the sun is positioned.
Mid-day.
Where are you going to go?
Answer chosen: Follow the Stream
You follow the stream slowly, staying close to the reads and the other water plants which you pass. You don't think any SunClan warriors will be after you, but you don't really want to risk it. This is the sort of place that you need to escape from now, and they wont likely find you important.
Everything that's happened has started to sink in. You aren't sure what to make of it, not at all. This is just ...
Your pawsteps are heavy and your tail droops. Your Clan. The place you grew up in and the territory you've hunted in is falling away beside you. Your side of the bank seems to remain the same, but the other - along with the SunClan territory - is rising to form bluffs and crags along the edge of the river.
You saying goodbye.
For what?
You're not sure if you're mad at yourself or your leader.
No. Past leader.
And Honeykit ...
You look along the river, and start padding at a faster pace. You need to be away from the area, and the stream turned river will take you there. You're only sure where it goes in relation to SunClan territory, so you don't have far. At least for now, you aren't in anyone's territory. No Clan, at any rate.
It's past sunhigh by the time you stop. The river has gotten faster and SunClan territory is far behind you. There isn't much to do now. You're an apprentice. You know how to hunt and fight, but that's about it. You don't have anywhere to go. You'll have to find somewhere to sleep for the night.
Where should you sleep?
Answer Chosen: Don't sleep, keep moving.
You know that even though you are tired, you can't just stay here and you don't know the area, so it isn't a good idea to find something nearby. It may be getting late, but you don't feel safe.
Sadly eyeing the nearby trees, you continue walking. Your pace has slowed, however. You have no idea were you are, you're outside the territories now and the ground has started to slope up over yet another rise before you look ahead with the last of the fading light.
There. You might not be familiar with the area up til now, but you remember just enough of senior warriors' tales that you recognize what you're seeing.
On the other side of the rise stretches a twolegplace. Small at the point nearest to you, but you can see many of their unnatural lights dotting the slopes almost as far as you can see.
What should you do now?
Answer Chosen: Approach the twolegplace
You don't see any reason why you shouldn't avoid twolegplace. What do you have to lose? Even the possibility of a life as a kittypet cannot be as harsh as where you have just come from.
But you approach the lights with a wariness that you haven't experienced before. All of this is new and there is a lot to it which you can't really connect up in your head.
Maybe its the shock of your banishment finally catching up. You can't really be sure right now.
You reach the first dark houses. They seem tempting to explore the area off, less dangerous than the distant glow of lights.
Pausing, you debate. The nearest house has a fence that looks promising. It should give you a good outlook point. Maybe even lead to something on the other side.
Should you explore beyond the fence or should you move on?
Answer Chosen: No, keep going.
You decide to move on. You don't like the idea of being in an enclosed location. The fence seems to enclosed for your liking.
You are getting tired, however. You've walked longer than is reasonable, you feel, to go in one day and night. You stop at the side of a black expanse of stone with the occasional large trundling beast crossing it. Your fur spikes and you wait for one to take advantage of your tiredness and to jump off the path to smash you beneath its large paws. Do you really have to cross this?
"Psst!"
You freeze. That's a voice!
Should you answer?
Answer Chosen: Yes, find who said that!
Pelt bristling, you look around. What was that? And why is it trying to get your attention?
You slowly pace away from the thunderpath, fur still prickling along your spin. You step forward again, breath fluttering in you chest. It's dark and you're tired, but after a second the form of a bush is clearer as you step forward.
"Psst."
The hiss for attention is coming from the bush and you're not sure if you should call out. But to take up your courage and hiss back, "Who is that?"
There's a brief flash of movement from within the bush, like a very small cat moving away. You hurry forward, but when you try and look under the bush, there's no one there. However, whoever - whatever - it was seems to have left something. You can see it, just out of paw-length. You're not sure what it is.
Should you reach out?
Answer Chosen: Yes
You reach your paw under the bush. You have to stretch a bit to pull out whatever it is. It feels odd against your paws. Crunchy ... a bit wet.
What you pull out isn't something you would have ever expected. Your pelt bristles up before you even get a good look at it.
It's golden color haunts you as you take several pawsteps backward. There is no reasonable way that this should be under the bush. None.
So why is it?
The honeycomb looks so innocent. Just a small piece. Is it a sign or an omen?
You don't know, but whatever it is, it's like the ancestors telling you that you haven't escaped Honeypaw or the Clan. Not really.
Your paw is still sticky with some honey and you wipe it off on the grass. Who or what was here? A StarClan cat?
Honeypaw?
You can't decide. But you don't want to go this way anymore. You hurriedly turn away from the thunderpath, darting back the way you came, toward the twoleg den you were first considering.
Once you reach the edge of its boundaries, you gasp for breath.
Once again the choice to go in or not stands before you.
Do you go into the twoleg garden?
Answer Chosen: Yes
You watch the barrier between you and the twoleg den. But nothing shows up yet. It's hard to tell what to expect when you don't know a lot about twolegs. They're something you hear about from stories from the elders who've traveled outside of clan territory. So you're not sure what to expect just because you've never been there.
You jump onto the fence, glancing down at the garden beyond. From there, it also looks empty. Opening your mouth, you scent the air. Nothing.
You just jump into the garden, set on doing this before you second guess yourself.
The garden has several bushes, a small pond with darting shapes under the water, and a slab of hard grey rock in front of the entrance of the twoleg den.
Where should you go?
Answer Chosen: Porch
You look at the block of stone, unsure, but figuring that it might be the most safe. You aren't even sure why you're here, other than the fact that you're trying to get away from ... from whatever that was that you just left. That was the scary thing ... you don't know what that was.
If that was Honeypaw.
You shake the feeling off and slowly step toward the block of stone. It's hard and a bit unnatural under your paws. It's too smooth, like the twoleg thunderpaths. Your pelt bristles when you think about that, checking around. Is this maybe a small thunderpath?
But so far, it seems safe. You step forward again and sniff at the clear stuff, where your reflection is waterly reflected in it. Beyond it's dark, though you think you can see something there. It looks like maybe it's the interior of the twoleg den, with odd pelts on floor and odd rocks that are also covered with pelts slowly becoming visible behind the clear substance.
Huh.
Well, if you can't see any twolegs here, then it should be fine. You settle yourself down on the odd rock, fur still bristling with hesitation over whether or not it's safe. But eventually you relax.
You close your eyes and rest.
For now.
Chapter 5
You open your eyes, unsure where you are for the time being. Then you remember the events of the previous night and your pelt bristles up. It's only then that you hear a scratching behind you.
You stand, spinning as you do, ready to hiss and claw at something.
Only what you see is something completely different.
A familiar pelt.
Behind the clear substance is a face you can place at once. Scratching at one of the pelt covered rocks in the twoleg den.
Honeypaw.
What do you do?
Answer Chosen: Call out.
“Honeypaw!” you call, the name catching in your throat over both excitement and confusion. You know that it can’t be Honeypaw - there is no way.
But the cat looks up at you and smiles. She’s clearly heard you, even through the strange substance blocking the way between you and her.
She opens her mouth, as if you say your name …
And then her form slowly fades away.
You back-pedal hurriedly. There is no possible way that you just saw what you saw. You know that there are ghosts - they haunt the place were you bury your ancestors … back when had a clan.
But this?
Honeypaw?
Why would she be a ghost?
Should you still try and get into the twoleg nest after this?
Answer Chosen: Yes
You hesitate. This doesn't seem like a good idea. There is a lot of things which could go wrong. It's a twoleg den and you're chasing ghosts.
But there wasn't a lot of other options that you can think of.
You shake out your fur and sigh. Then you try to look around for a way into the nest.
You notice an open space that you could easily slip though. Then again, maybe you can just get through this weird clear rock?
Should you go through the opening or try to get through the clear rock?
Answer Chosen: Opening
The gap is easy to squeeze through and you manage to get through without much issue. Inside, it smells vaguely of smoked meat. Not in a bad way - you briefly worry there might be a fire - but there seems to be a sizzling noise from another room and you carefully pad forward, looking through a gap to see a twoleg huddled over a piece of flesh.
This isn't your priority, but you are hungry. You hesitate, briefly, but then continue deeper into the den.
"Hello?" you meow. "Are you ... there?"
Is your 'ghost' you're looking for somewhere in here? It seems possible.
You get further in, then tip toe around a large, padded rock as you sniff the air. You can smell something that smells suspiciously ... but it has to be a mistake.
You shiver, then jump onto the padded rock. "Honeypaw?" you ask. "Is that you?"
You hesitate. No response.
Should you try and go for the food?
Answer Chosen: No
Even though you sniff at it, you don't trust it. Instead you back away, almost fumbling off the little padded rock, and hurry off into a different room. It's only there where you discover what you were looking for - the scent and almost vague image of your lost friend.
You stare. Only just several moons younger than you, but unmistakingly the kit you knew.
"I was hoping," you breath.
You were hoping that maybe Honeykit would still be alive. But clearly, that's no longer something you can possible think.
Amber eyes blink up at you from only a slightly lower position before Honeykit says, oh so softly, "You need to go back."
What should you do?
Answer Chosen: "I want to, but it's a lot harder than that!"
I couldn't help but bristle a little and said, almost softly, "Things are harder than that." My gaze falls. I wanted to explain. That fighting my Clan's ruling was the whole point, wasn't it? That I had to leave. There wasn't really any way back.
Tanglestar had banished me for my questions. Returning could be a death sentence. Why would Honeykit offer such an option? Why claim it was a good idea?
What do you consider Honeykit's motivations?
Answer Chosen: She wants something else: to have you stand up against things more directly.
"If you don't do something, who else will?"
Honeykit's fur puffed up and you couldn't help shivering. This spirit, almost my height, glaring at you as if you was somehow at fault.
"What do you even want me to do? This is how we've always done things. There isn't just a magic way to convince them. I can't just waltz up and say, 'StarClan told me to.'"
Even if they had told you to.
Honeykit eyes roll. Clearly this idea is silly to her. She turns away, stalking away from you.
"Fine," she says. "Be like that. There will continue to be hundreds just like me, just as there already are."
Your blood feels cold. What?
Where should you go?
Answer Chosen: n/a
Allegiances:
SunClan ---
Leader: Tanglestar - tabby tom with amber eyes
Deputy:
Med. Cat:
Warriors:
Apprentices:
Heronpaw - One of the newer apprentices. Also You, after Honeykit's POV ended.
and 3 others
Queens:
Raindapple - Honeykit's and Aspenkit's mom.
Kits:
Honeykit - You. Orange tabby.
Aspenkit - Your brother!
Elders:
StarClan:
Morningstar - Founder of Sunclan. No one remembers much about them.
Leader: Tanglestar - tabby tom with amber eyes
Deputy:
Med. Cat:
Warriors:
Apprentices:
Heronpaw - One of the newer apprentices. Also You, after Honeykit's POV ended.
and 3 others
Queens:
Raindapple - Honeykit's and Aspenkit's mom.
Kits:
Honeykit - You. Orange tabby.
Aspenkit - Your brother!
Elders:
StarClan:
Morningstar - Founder of Sunclan. No one remembers much about them.
All polls are closed either after three days or, if three days pass, when there are more than three votes.
