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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Sept 22, 2019 20:22:23 GMT -5
Banner by: Me
Summary:
Hollowpaw is a young she-cat just trying to do her best in life. At first, life is relatively great, until her family must leave her, and she has to find a new one among a strange clan. However, she is faced with the reality that she possesses almost zero skills that the Warriors of the clan need, and most are not happy to have a ‘useless’ cat within their ranks, until Hollowpaw finds her talents to lie in medicine. Soon, a new enemy to the clans starts to encroach on the territories, and she must find a way to help herself and the other clan cats survive. Even better, in the midst of it all, a mysterious and never-before-seen, fatal illness sweeps the clans and surrounding prey, snuffing out many lives along the way of its deadly path. It begins to seem as though bad luck and suffering plague the poor she-cat and those around her. Battling not only physical enemies but her own traumas and mysteries, Hollowpaw must do her best to overcome it all in order to help save herself and aid those innocent. Of course, it doesn’t help when StarClan rejects her efforts for clan aid.
Warning:
This story contains violence, bloody scenes, death, and mental trauma. Nothing is too graphic, but you have been warned!
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Sept 22, 2019 20:27:25 GMT -5
Map by: Me The Territories - Descriptions LeafClan Territory: A forest area is adorned with rocky hill-scape half way through. A small stream runs along the east from the northern border mountains. Meeting Crag, where the clans meet during each full moon, is in the south-western corner. FireClan resides to the west, and WaterClan sits to the south. Camp itself sits more to the north and is formed by an old, boarded up mineshaft in the side of the Beyond Mountains. Camp is only a little way inside the mine with branching tunnels as dens, most blocked off not far in by cave-ins. Small pools of water form along the edges of the main cave. The Leader’s Den is inside an overturned minecart with the entrance being a jagged chip out of the side. The art is also stood upon to address the clan. Some tunnels, including the main cave, continue on but are not used except in very desperate situations.
FireClan Territory: To the West of LeafClan, it resides, sharing forest with LeafClan on eastern side. Some rocky hills sit in the north and east, because of the Beyond Mountains. Meeting Crag is in the south-eastern border, and small streams follow throughout the territory. WaterClan is to the very south. Clan camp is in a hollow with thick ferns and fallen trees making up the walls and dens with the Leader’s den made up inside of an old fox den, under a stump.
WaterClan Territory: Forest turns into mostly a short stretch of swampland in their territory thanks to water coming down from LeafClan’s mountain and FireClan’s streams. They share their northern border with both FireClan and LeafClan. Meeting Crag is in the middle of the border. The southern border of their territory is made up by a wide river with a single, twoleg-made wooden bridge connecting the two sides. Twoleg Place is beyond their southern border and also expands a little west. Their camp is made up of an old fishing shack and boat docked within, sitting in the middle of the swampy land. The Leader’s Nest is right inside the docked boat.
IvyClan: In the midst of Twoleg Place.
Meeting Crag: It’s a large rift in the earth with steep, rocky slopes. Some bushes have struggled to grow inside. A, large, yellow twoleg monster skeleton sits within, providing a good perch for the leaders to speak at meetings.
Moon Tree: An ancient cherry tree that is found further west of FireClan’s western border, and of the other clans is used. It blossoms beautifully in green-leaf and allows Leaders and Medicine Cats to speak with StarClan. Medicine Cats meet there often to share medical related news and share tongues with StarClan.
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Sept 22, 2019 20:35:05 GMT -5
Cast of Characters:LeafClan:
Leader: Riftstar – black she-cat with amber eyes and white ‘stripe’ on her chest and 'V' in left ear.
Deputy: Batclaw – brown tom with white paws and green eyes. (apprentice: Rainpaw)
Medicine Cat: Dappleleaf – torti she-cat with white underside and no eyes.
Warriors: Buckleap – tan tom with white paws and muzzle and amber eyes. (apprentice: Webpaw)
Featherfur – long-furred, cream orange she-cat with green eyes.
Littleripple – small tiger tabby she-cat with green eyes.
Grayfoot – white tom with gray patches and blue eyes. (apprentice: Rosepaw)
Echofinch – golden tabby she-cat with white underbelly and green eyes.
Acornfall – tiger tabby tom with amber eyes. (apprentice: Vinepaw)
Sootbreeze – light gray she-cat with yellow eyes.
Queens: Duskstone – black she-cat with amber eyes.(mates with Grayfoot)(mother of Shadekit and Lightkit).
Elders: Timberfall – orange tabby tom with yellow eyes. Deaf.
Apprentices: Rosepaw – reddish tabby she-cat with yellow eyes.
Vinepaw – pale reddish tabby she-cat with yellow eyes.
Webpaw – lithe light gray tom with a black tail tip, ears, and muzzle and green eyes.
Rainpaw – bulky dark gray tom with yellow eyes.
Hollowpaw – lithe, silvery-white she-cat with black speckles and stripes and pale yellow eyes and bobbed tail.
Kits: Shadekit – black tom with blue eyes.
Lightkit – white she-cat with amber eyes.
FireClan:
Leader: Nightstar – Dark gray tom with white ‘star’ on chest and yellow eyes.
Deptuy: Silverrose – light gray she-cat with black tail tip and paws and blue eyes.
Medicine Cat: Bubblepelt – ginger tom with darker dapples and stripes and amber eyes. (apprentice: Gravelpaw)
Warriors: Spidertail – gray tom with long tail, white paws, and green eyes.
Thornstorm – brown she-cat with amber eyes and many battle scars.
Brackenwhisper – bulky tiger tabby tom with black ‘socks’ and green eyes. (apprentice: Harepaw)
Fallowwing – lithe torti she-cat with yellow eyes.
Strongstone – molted gray tom with yellow eyes.
Gingerfoot – white she-cat with ginger tabby patch on back, ears, and forepaw and blue eyes.
Queens: None
Elders: None
Apprentices: Harepaw – Sandy brown-gray tom with blue eyes.
Gravelpaw – dark gray tom with black paws and green eyes.
Kits: None
WaterClan:
Leader: Brindlestar – torti she-cat with shredded ear. (apprentice: Shrewpaw)
Deputy: Tansyheart – orange and white she-cat with amber eyes.
Medicine Cat: Eaglegaze – big white tom with brown paws and amber eyes. (apprentice: Willowpaw)
Warriors: Swiftowl – sandy-tan tom with yellow eyes.
Stumpfang – brown tom with amber eyes and missing top fangs.
Yarrowwing – long-furred tiger tabby she-cat with blue eyes. (apprentice: Whisperpaw)
Tallstrike – Tall light gray tom with black speckles and blue eyes.
Grayshade – dark gray tom with black stripe down back and pale green eyes.
Queens: Tawnystream – sandy brown-gray she-cat with yellow eyes. (mates with Stumpfang)(mother of Shrewpaw, Fawnkit, and Sparrowkit)
Elders: None
Apprentices: Willowpaw – tiger tabby she-cat with amber eyes.
Whisperpaw – white she-cat with light gray ears, paws, and tail tip and blue eyes.
Shrewpaw – brown tom with black stripes and yellow eyes.
Kits: Fawnkit – light tan she-cat with white belly and yellow eyes.
Sparrowkit – brown-gray she-cat with amber eyes.
IvyClan:
Leader: Dexter – large pure white tom with green eyes and red collar with his tag.
Deputy: Jay – lithe white tom with black patches and yellow eyes.
Warriors: Rust – reddish tabby she-cat with yellow eyes.
Kink – silvery she-cat with half-broken tail and yellow eyes.
Sparky – white tom with gray tabby stripes and blue eyes.
Juniper – ginger and white tabby she-cat with amber eyes.
Midnight – big black tom with blue eyes.
And many more…
Rogues and Kittypets:
King (King Tut III) – silvery tom with darker stripes and spots and blue eyes. (Kittypet).
Jingle – molted brown, black, and white she-cat with amber eyes. (Kittypet).
Birch – white tom with black patches and green eyes. (Rogue).
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Sept 22, 2019 20:58:26 GMT -5
Infected (Fans):~Sapphire~ phantomstar57 mintedstar/fur🦇 Wolfyy- prophet Fan-Art:Hollowpaw by: mintedstar/fur🦇Story Fun Facts:- Hollowpaw is half Egyptian Mau, lending her excptional speed and agility, as Egyptian Mau's are the fastest breed of domestic cat. - Duskstone is an eatser egg reference to a cat of the same name from a previous fanfic of mine - 'Death Wish.' - Hollowpaw is an only kit. No siblings were born with her. - I made Mother a fox and for Hollowpaw to be raised as foxes because I wanted to do something different but not too out there. It is well known that animals who had previously given birth will sometimes adopt other baby animals, as well as raising their own young. Thus, she took in the abandoned Hollowpaw. - Hollow gets her name from both her personality of feeling 'hollow' inside sometimes and for the place in which she was found - a hollow with a single boulder. - The title of the story comes from several different plot points that will 'plague' the clans - including the new plague illness - but it also comes from the personal problems that plague Hollowpaw herself throughout the story. - This story is my 6th to be finished, though I have started more before. - Egyptian Maus are my favorite cat breed irl, besides the typical domestic shorthair.
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Sept 22, 2019 21:00:11 GMT -5
✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Prologue: A Fox’s Way “Hollow, you can’t climb trees like that! You know we can’t do it,” complained the kit sibling. He looked up at the silvery she-kit with his ears back, annoyed. “It’s not fair to play tag that way.” Around him, their sisters came to stand by and gaze up at her, as well.
Hollow’s bobbed tail twitched with both annoyance of her own and ornery amusement. It was a rather interesting mix of emotions. “Alright, alright. I’m coming down. It’s just not fair to me either when you’re all chasing me to tag me, you know?” she pointed out while slowly descending the tree backwards.
The other siblings watched, but one of the sisters sat down instead of going to tag her instantly like her brother and other sister. “She does have a point,” she told them.
As soon as Hollow was by the ground, her two siblings poked her with their noses to tag her. “At least you understand, Frost,” the she-kit sighed. Now, she was just disappointed in losing like this.
“Well, she always climbs trees, and that’s not fair,” the brother piped up again, puffing out his white chest.
“Yeah, Oak is right,” the other sister agreed. “It’s not fair to us when she does that. We can’t climb like she can, so how are we supposed to get her?”
Hollow shrugged. “I don’t know, but it’s not as fun playing with you guys when you all gang up on me like that,” she chimed in, causing the three other kits to give her looks of guilt. “I don’t stand a chance at all that way.”
“Let’s just get back to the den. I’m sure Mother has prey ready,” the more calm of the sisters said and rose to her feet. “And I’m pretty hungry.”
Oak, the brother, agreed to that readily, jumping about lightly at the thought of fresh prey. “Oh yeah, I’m starving!” he exclaimed then bounded off, his fluffy tail trailing after him like a white bob.
“Wait for me!” the one sister, Mallow, called after him and gave chase. This left Frost and Hollow alone together, like usual.
The four kits were very close, having been raised together, after all. However, Oak and Mallow were closer with each other, and Hollow and Frost were the best friend kind of sisters.
“Let’s go,” Hollow sighed, not entirely up for eating right now. She simply didn’t feel hungry and wasn’t in the best of moods anymore. Yet she would follow her siblings and do what they did, especially if it meant listening to Mother.
Frost nodded and walked along with her much smaller sister in the direction of their den. “Are you okay?” she asked of the she-cat. She knew Hollow could get like this sometimes – quiet and even depressed – but she did always want to make sure things would turn out alright.
A now was given in response. “Yeah,” she also added quietly. It would just take some time for her to get back to normal and not have such dreadful feelings linger. As long as nothing bad happened for a bit, she would be perfectly fine.
Back at the den, they came across two rabbits lying beside each other, at the den entrance. Oak and Mallow were already chowing down on one of them, while the other was left for Frost and Hollow. However, inside the den’s entrance started to emerge a white and orange snout from the darkness.
Yellow eyes glinted as the head of a fox appeared, mere whisker-lengths from the feasting kits. Yet they didn’t seem to care at all, happily eating. Frost walked right over to face the fox figure, and, without a word, nuzzled its cheek. “Hello, Mother,” she greeted happily.
The fox’s expression was warm as she gave her kit a lick on the head. “Hello, Frost. Did you have fun playing with everyone?” she asked sweetly then looked to Hollow. “What about you? Did you have fun, my little kit?”
Hollow padded over to her adopted mother and nodded. “Mostly, yes,” she replied then crouched to begin eating the rabbit.
“Well, that’s good then,” Mother yipped and nudged Frost to join in the food. “I have some news of my own, this sun. I feel like it’s time for you all to go out on your own. You’re all seven moons old now, and you’ve grown strong enough to defend yourself and hunt well. I’d say you’re all ready.”
The three fox kits looked up from their meals in astonishment. None of them had been expecting that news to come today. Oak then jumped for joy, excited to be out on his own and establish his own territory to call home. Mallow also seemed to be happy about this, knowing it meant they were all really growing up. Frost seemed rather indifferent, not happy nor sad about it. However, Hollow felt her world come crashing down.
“What?” she exclaimed, almost not swallowing the piece of prey that had been in her jaws. She jumped to her feet. “But I’m not ready! They might be, but I’m not! Look at how small I am! And I can’t fight at all. I don’t know how to fight, because I’m terrible at it. How am I supposed to establish a territory and keep it when I can only hunt and run? Every other fox is so much bigger than me!”
Mother’s ears went back, her expression showing a look of pure sympathy and some heartache. “Hollow,” she started, not entirely sure how to say this. “I’m sorry, but you’re not a fox like us. You’re a cat.”
The fox kits looked over at her, at Mother, stunned that she would say such a thing. “No, she’s not!” Oak stepped in then. He left his meal to come stand by Hollow in a defensive manner, even though there would be no physical attack. “She’s a red fox, just like all of us! She’s out sister!”
Mallow said nothing and merely looked away. She had known the truth for quite some time, but now wasn’t the time to give that away. It was best to let Mother do the talking.
“I’m sorry, but no. Hollow, you’re a cat, and I adopted you when you were a tiny little newborn,” Mother told her.
Hollow’s eyes were as big as moons, and it felt as if her heart had stopped beating entirely as the world spun. A cat? She was a cat all this time? Her mother and siblings weren’t actually her family? “How…?” was the single word that could manage escaping her jaws, only barely.
Mother sighed and crawled out of the den to come over and sit beside her kit, wrapping her fluffy tail around Hollow gently. “I was out in the forest, not too far from here, looking for food. I’d just had your brother and sisters a sun ago. While I was searching, I had mewling, desperate. So, I followed it, and the sound led me to you. You couldn’t have been more than a sun old yourself,” she explained with a gentle tone. “I sniffed around and could smell a she-cat around, your real mother, by the smell of milk along with the scent. She had brought you into a small clearing in the trees and left you on top of a flat boulder.” It had been the perfect place to leave prey for a large bird, but she wouldn’t mention that. “I had to make a decision then – leave you to most likely die, or I could take you in as one of my own, raising you alongside my own kits. So, I took you. You may be a cat, but no child of any kind deserves to be left behind like that. I fed you in this den with my kits. You were so much smaller than them, and they pushed you around a lot, but you still fought and fed. The next sun, I went out back to that boulder, in that clearing, to see if your real mother had come back for you, but there was no fresh scent of her, or any other cats. I did this for several suns, each sunrise and sunset going back to check for fresh scents of cats. Yet there was never anything. After that, I decided you were my kit just as much as your siblings are, and I raised you with them. I love you like them.”
Hollow couldn’t believe her ears the whole time Mother spoke. All she could do was sit and listen, frozen by the tale. She was not only a cat, but she had been left to die by her real mother? Why? What had been so wrong with her that she had abandoned like that? It made no sense! And now she was going to be left again, cast out to be on her own. Sure, it was normal for foxes at this age, but she wasn’t a fox, apparently.
Mother leaned down and licked Hollow’s head lightly a few times. Though she may not have been her true mother, the fox did treat her just like her own kit. “I’ve always loved you like my own, Little Hollow,” she whispered affectionately. “And it’s for that reason that I know you will be alright after you leave the den. You are much stronger than you think you are, and you will do wonderful things in this world.”
“I don’t believe it,” Oak interrupted, annoyed. He still sat on Hollow’s other side. “She’s not a cat; she can’t be! Cats are bad and try to steal our prey when they come around, the rogues! Hollow’s nothing like that!”
“Will you just stop already?” Frost half-snapped at him form where she was by her rabbit meal. Her eyes didn’t look at him or anyone else, but they stared down at the ground with a hard glare. “Of course, she’s a cat. Don’t you get it? She’s our sister, of course, but she’s adopted. Don’t you see how it all makes sense she’s different from us? She can climb trees, and we can’t. She can retract her claws, and we can’t. We have orange and white fur, and hers is silvery-white with black speckles and strips. Plus, if you just looked at her compared to any of us by her figure shape and face, you’d know she wasn’t a fox,” she sternly said. “I love her like my sister, but I know she’s not a fox. I’ve known for a long time.”
Mallow nodded then and quietly added, “I’ve known, too.”
Oak stared at both of his fox sisters in disbelief for a moment. “So, that’s how it is then?” he asked, disappointed in them both. “I see. Fine, whatever. But she’s still my sister, fox or not.”
“Duh!” Frost exclaimed then. “I already said she was still our sister, just not the same species as us.” Her lips curled a bit to show her anger and teeth.
Mother stood up abruptly, casting a sharp glare at both tussling kits. “That’s enough. I won’t hear anymore fighting about this,” she told them sternly, to which both foxes submitted a bit.
She turned to Hollow, who only continued to stare with wide eyes, her mind racing. “Hollow, my dear, I want to show you something.” This earned only a blink and glance up at her from the cat. “Please, I think you really need to see this.”
Without a word, Hollow nodded slowly and stood up, her legs shaking. Mother padded off, warning her other kits to stay off each other’s throats, and that they should finish eating before they had to go off on their own. Silently, Hollow followed.
Together, the two walked in silence through the forest’s undergrowth. It was all discolored and overgrown, showing signs of being the leaf-fall season, after a very productive and lush new-leaf and green-leaf. Beneath their paws, the ground was laden in multi-colored leaves which crunched with every step. Occasionally, a few more would flutter down from above, around them.
“Where are we going?” Hollow asked after a few more heartbeats. She stuck close to her mother’s side, even though she now knew the fox wasn’t her true mother. Still, as much of a shock as it was, it made sense in the end. Even she had noticed the differences, yet a huge part of her had denied believing the truth. It was easier to opt for peaceful bliss, after all. Even if, deep down, she had known all along that she wasn’t the same as her siblings.
“To where I first found you,” Mother answered, not looking back at her. “I have seen rogues, and you have seen them. You’ve seen how they reacted to finding a cat like them with foxes like your siblings and I. And I’ve heard tales of ‘clans’ of cats nearby. I don’t know if one of these clans left you, or if it was a rogue, but I do know that cats aren’t meant to be alone, not like foxes.”
Hollow’s whiskers twitched nervously as they padded along. “What do you mean?” she asked, needing that clarification, even though she had a good idea of what was being implied.
“I mean that I think it would be a good idea for you to try and join one of these nearby clans,” Mother replied simply. “The others will find territories of their own and defend it; they’re meant to. But you, I think you and other cats are meant to be together, to defend territories in groups and live like wolves in packs. Besides, for a fox, they are just about full grown, but you’re still very young and require someone to be there to help you grow.”
“So, why can’t it be you?” Hollow demanded, now getting frustrated and scared. “Why can’t you just stay with me some more?”
Mother responded quickly. “Because I can’t do that forever like you’ll need.” It broke her own heart to have to leave her little Hollow like this, to tell her everything and then let her go. But it’s what had to be done. It’s what she thought was best.
She stopped in her tracks and turned to face Hollow, leaning her head down and touching noses with her. “You may not be my kit by blood, but I have always loved you like you were. Now is no different,” she informed her gently, her voice growing a bit raspy as the heartache started to creep out. “But foxes need to let go around this time. The kits must go out on their own, and the mothers must rest before the next litter. Cats, on the other paw, must stick together. They have to help each other grow throughout their lives and work together, living like a pack. You are a fox by heart; I do not doubt that. But by nature, you are a cat, so you must be with other cats now and live like they do. It’s the only way you’ll have the best possible life, and I only want what it best for you. No matter how much it pains me.”
No words would come to Hollow’s jaws. How could they? She had to face the horrific realization that she was not only not a fox like her family, but also that her true mother had abandoned her as a newborn, and now she was to leave her family to join other cats – strangers. Nothing made sense enough to her painful mind to speak about.
Mother pulled away with one last lick to her kit’s head then continued walking on. “Come. We’re nearing the boulder.” Wordlessly, the she-cat followed as her mind continued to race.
The rest of the way was traveled in total absence of their voices. Birds continued to chirp as normal, and the occasional rustle of leaves could be heard from the wind. It all was like normal, other than the silence between the two travelers.
Eventually, they pushed through some low hanging evergreen branches and came to their destination. Before them sat a hollow in the forest, a place of absent foliage with a dip in the ground. Resting in the almost exact center of that dip was a medium sized boulder with a flat surface atop. And, above it, showed the blue sky with fluffy clouds rolling by, clearly visible from anything above or below.
“This is it,” Mother spoke up and padded through to the stone. “This is where I found you.” She rose up onto her hind legs, placing her forepaws onto the rock’s surface and pointing her snout at the slab, barely tall enough to look over it. “Right here.”
Hollow stood for a moment, gazing out over the hollow at the stone and the fox that now stood over it. Somehow, familiar scents began to wash over her. It was as if a distant, buried memory came rushing back and slamming her like waves on a lake’s shore with a storm. Nothing was clear, but there was a faint remnant of memory here. It compelled her to go forward.
So, she did. Hollow slowly took it step by step, walking slowly towards the boulder with her gaze transfixed onto it, almost as if it would disappear should she blink or look away for even a moment. The soft soil underpaw left her prints within it, and, when compared to Mother’s, they looked almost nothing alike. Yet she didn’t notice, never looking down or away from the rock.
Once she came to it, a glimmer of cat scent hinted at her nose. It was not real, but that faint trace of memory that had been buried within her subconscious. Now, it wanted to resurface.
“This is it,” the she-cat murmured, still staring wide-eyed at the gray shape. “I know this is where I was. I can…I can still smell her somehow, my real mother.”
Mother’s ears went back slightly, only thinking that her kit was so sad she was hallucinating or making things up. But that didn’t quench the sorrow she felt for the cat whom she’d lovingly raised all this time.
Hollow did as Mother had and was still doing – she stood onto her hind legs and placed her forepaws onto the rock’s surface. Her height didn’t even come close to being the same, her own face only making it half-way up the full height of the rock. Yet it felt as if a jolt went through her, coursing her veins and heart the moment her pads touched its cold body.
She blinked and shook her head lightly, snapping out of that transfixion. “I want to see the top,” she told Mother, now turning her head to actually look at her, eyes still moons.
“Then jump,” Mother replied softly. “Cats can jump much higher than foxes. You’ll make it.”
Hollow turned her attention towards the sky, just beyond the boulder’s edge. She had to aim it just right, she thought. So, she quickly calculated the ump in her mind and, with all her force, leapt with all fours on the ground to start.
She overshot the height by a good tail-length, but she did get the short distance forward correct and landed on top of the boulder, albeit a little clumsily. Her feet scrambled for a heartbeat, her claws instinctively trying to find some sort of hold, even though there was none. Still, it was flat on top, so she came to stand just fine.
That’s when the awe came back. There wasn’t a single speck or imprint on the rock to tell her this was the place or that she had ever been there before, but something inside of her just knew. It compelled her to lie down on its surface, and so she did. Her paws tucked under her, she laid down on the cold stone, but it seemed to be wrong. After a moment, she instead shifted to lie down on her side, sprawled out, and closed her eyes.
This felt more natural. It caused that memory scent of her true mother to come flooding back once more, along with faint, distant sounds of crows cawing and a warm breeze caressing her pelt. The caws scared her, and she felt the fear of being alone like she had once before. However, the warmth of the breeze was soothing, a comforting being among the isolation. Then, came the sound of sniffing in the darkness. It grew louder as the nose came to her head, hot breath in her ear. Footsteps circled the stone then, the nose having moved on as the being made one, two, three laps around her. After that, it came back, and she felt the urge to mewl loudly, desperately for comfort and food while her limbs struggled to move at all. Finally, a faint memory of pure kindness came to her as gentle teeth scooped her up off the hard bedding and carried her away with the crunching of leaves.
Her eyes opened, and Hollow sat up, blinking. Mother stayed right where she was, her head barely coming up over the stone to watch her. “I remember now,” the she-cat informed. “I don’t know how, but I remember being here. I remember feeling so alone and so scared then hearing you come by and look around. I could almost feel your breath just then while you sniffed me so many moons ago, and then came your jaws to pick me up and take me home.” Her head turned to the fox, expression sadness, overwhelmed. “How could I remember such things?”
Mother shook her head, unable to give a viable answer. “I don’t know, but you always were exceptionally smart. Even now you’re much more mature in nature than your siblings, and they’re close to being adults in fox standards. It doesn’t entirely surprise me that you can remember things from even back then, when you were only newborn.” It did, in fact, inwardly shock her to know Hollow could remember all of that at all. How could anyone remember when they were so young? Still, that surprise was not something she would allow revealed.
Hollow nodded then, seemingly to herself. “Maybe,” she said quietly. “Maybe I do need to find these clans. If not just for doing what you say and living the best I can, but to also figure out who my real mother is and why she didn’t want me. I have to know now…” The mystery was already gnawing at her heart and mind, her very being even.
Mother understood completely, and she was glad, too, that Hollow would take her advice. All she wanted was her kit to have the best life possible, and being with other cats would make that happen more so than staying with her. She also knew this situation would come up eventually anyway, so it was good that Hollow wanted to figure out what happened. She could only hope that her dear kit didn’t get hurt too badly in the process or because of the answer.
“Then, it is time,” the fox said and brought all four feet back to the ground. Hollow jumped down and looked up at her while Mother gazed down with such love and adoration in her amber eyes. “I am so proud of you. No matter what, I want you to know that always.”
Hollow felt her heart twist. She knew now that this had to be done, but she was still so young. She still had to love Mother unconditionally. Even if she wasn’t her true mother, she had still given her food, a home, siblings, and as much love as possible. No matter what, she would always consider this fox to be her mother.
“And I love you, so much,” the she-cat told her, her voice choking up. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I’ll never forget you or the others.” It hit her then. “Can I go back and say goodbye to them, at least?” She couldn’t just leave without telling her siblings goodbye, too.
Mother nodded. “Yes, of course. I would never deny you that,” she answered. “Hurry then.” She turned and went back to the den with Hollow in tow.
As soon as they got back, the siblings all surrounded their feline sister and nudged her affectionately. They knew what was happening and what was to come, so they didn’t hold back any feelings.
Oak seemed to be the most upset, almost, with the way he was acting. He whined and stuck close to Hollow, his muzzle never leaving the feeling of her fur. “I’m gonna miss you so much,” he whimpered. Despite having been excited to leave at first, he now had to come to realization that he’d most likely never see his family again, as most male foxes never did, since they ventured far from home for a territory of their own.
Mallow laid down by her feet and nosed her chest. “We had so much fun together all these moons. I know this is what we have to do, but I don’t want to say goodbye just yet.” She may have a chance to see Hollow or Frost or Mother again, but even for her it was a slim one, so she whined, too.
Frost had always been the closest with Hollow, but she merely sat at her sister’s side, head bowed and eyes closed. She tried to hold the emotions in, to not show the deep sorrow that stabbed at her heart like thorns.
Hollow took it all in. She whined like her siblings, having picked that up that ability since living with foxes all her life up until now. She knew it was how they cried, and she wanted desperately to cry her heart out. Yet she also wanted to be strong and leave with some joy, knowing that her adopted family cared for her as if she really was one of them. So, she gave each sibling an affectionate lick, lingering her gaze on Frost.
“I’ll see you later,” Frost muttered, her voice cracking just a bit as the emotional dam she built up cracked with it. Emotions began seeping out. “I love you, Hollow. You’re one of the best sisters I could have asked for.” Her eyes finally opened, and she caught Hollow’s gaze. That’s when the dam really broke, and she couldn’t help but let out a loud, sorrowful whine.
Hollow nudged her with her cheek. “We will see each other again someday. I’ll make sure of it,” she promised softly. “I have to go and find a clan of cats like me now, but I’ll be back eventually. You can’t get rid of me that easily,” she lightly teased at the end.
Frost nodded but continued to whimper and whine. It broke her heart – all of their hearts – but she understood. “I’ll make sure you keep that promise,” she told the cat.
“I hope you do. I love you.” Hollow stood then and parted the sad siblings, walking through them. She turned to face all four of the foxes, doing her best to hold her stump of a tail high with her head. Though anguish chewed her heart, her yellow eyes glinted with subtle confidence. “I love you all and thank you so much for being my family. No matter where we are, we’ll always be family. Goodbye, everyone.”
With that, the young she-cat forced herself to turn and pad away, although her paws felt heavy like stone. It tore her heart out to do this, but it’s what had to be done, sooner or later. It was just always best to pull out a thorn quickly, rather than trying to be ginger and cause more pain and let it fester. So, off she went, back to the boulder with her family’s mournful yips echoing behind her. Now, she had to find out where these clans of other cats were and how to join one.
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Chapter 1: A New Home Hollow stood atop the boulder that she had been found on moons ago, gazing out at the land around her. All the leaves of oranges, golds, and reds melted together with the brown of tree trunks, causing a very profound and beautiful effect on the terrain. Yet this did not aid the she-cat in her quest to find these clan cats. Honestly, she had no idea how to go about this or where to start. There had only been one occasion in which she had seen another cat before. About two moons ago, her and her fox siblings were playing when they heard meowing. All four of them had sneakily followed the sound to find a white tom with black patches fishing in one of the streams. However, judging by his harsh tones, he wasn’t having very good luck. Then, Hollow had observed with her siblings, yet she hadn’t understood much of a word he said to himself. Being raised with foxes, the poor she-cat hadn’t learned a word of feline language, herself. The only things she could remotely understand was some of his body language, tones, and only a couple words shared by both foxes and cats. To her, then, she hadn’t been a cat, but he was a strange creature of other proportions. Eventually, she and her siblings had gotten caught by him. At first, he had hissed and slashed the air, his fur puffing out in warning. But she had noticed the look of pure confusion on his face once he noticed her among the fox kits. At the time, Hollow hadn’t thought too much of it, thinking he was just an odd creature. And, when he turned and left instead of trying to attack them after, she merely counted that as luck. Now, Hollow realized that him seeing a cat among foxes was a highly abnormal thing. The rogue must have simply been too confused and decided not to attack a kit of his own kind, opting to just leave instead. This memory brought another obstacle into her search – she had no idea how to speak the language of other cats. How was she to find and join a group of cats if she didn’t even know how to communicate with them beyond body language and emotional tones? Sure, she could figure out a few words that both felines and foxes shared, but that wouldn’t be nearly enough! Hollow sighed to herself and laid down on the boulder’s flat surface once more, much like she had before. Her limbs sprawled out, she rested on her side and closed her eyes, hoping beyond hope that something would happen to show her the way. Surely enough, something actually did. A warm breeze blew across her nose, carrying with it the scent of another cat. This caused Hollow’s eyes to open and reveal an entirely different world to her. What once was oak, maple, and poplar forest all around her was now littered in pine. The rock beneath her had also changed to be a bed of soft, squishy moss, rather than an elevated stone. Even the warmer air hinted at green-land, instead of the cool color-leaf she had just been in. Hollow sat up and gazed around, scanning the surrounding new area attentively. It wasn’t hard to find the source of the other cat’s scent. Nearby, a tiger tabby tom sat in a nook made by jutting pine roots. He watched her with warmth in his yellow eyes, and then he stood. Slowly, he began to pad towards her. Instinctively, Hollow’s body stiffened at the sight of a stranger – cat or fox. She had always been told to avoid strangers and different creatures at any cost, even when she had found that other cat as a younger kit with her siblings. It had been a dangerous situation, and now that lesson was coming back to her mind. Yet the tom was calm, and his footsteps slow, ginger. It put Hollow at ease a bit, along with the peaceful setting around her. Sure, it was extremely odd – perhaps impossible – to have laid down on a boulder in color-leaf and to wake up in a pine forest during green-land with a strange cat. But something about it all - the atmosphere - helped to reassure her. She may not move away or lash out, but her body continued to stay stiff, nonetheless. Then, the tom stood right before her, saying something in meows that she could not understand. His warm expression did not change, even when the she-cat responded with only a confused look. A low rumble emanated then from his throat, but it didn’t sound like a growl to Hollow. No, this was something she had done before, only a select few times, when she had been extremely happy. The she-cat didn’t know what it was called or why he was making this sound now, but she could deduce it meant great joy or affection from her own actions before. But why would he do it now? Before she knew it, the tom was stretching his neck out, bringing his nose to hers. Hollow flinched away, unsure of what was happening. But he only gave a slow, gentle blink then came closer until their noses touched. It felt warm, like the kind of warmth one could only get from true affection. Slowly, afterwards, the tom stepped back and sat down. “Can you understand me now?” he asked, his words actually making sense to Hollow’s ears.
The she-cat perked up, her eyes growing wide as she realized what she’d just heard. “You can speak to me? I can actually understand you?” she asked in disbelief. Her own words sounded different to her but still very understandable. They just weren’t the language of the fox anymore. The tom seemed to brighten even more at this. “Yes, there we go,” he meowed happily. “I was hoping that would work. Never heard of anyone else having to do that sort of thing before, honestly. But I’m excited that it worked out well,” he purred. Hollow understood that all, too, and it astounded her. “How what worked? How can you understand me? How can I understand you?” None of it made any sense, but it was honestly quite amazing. Now, she even knew that he was purring and what it really meant. “I gave you the ability to speak and understand cat language,” the tom reported proudly. He puffed his white chest out a bit. “And I have to admit I’m rather proud of myself for having pulled it off.” The she-cat merely stared, unable to come up with words now as to describe how she felt about this. It was amazing by all standards, but how was this even a thing that was possible? “Anyway,” the tom continued, “I suppose you should know who I am, my name, at least. I’m Gentlestripe, and it’s a pleasure to meet you finally, Hollow. I’ve been waiting a long time for this, ever since you were born.” Hollow didn’t know how it was possible, but she could feel her eyes growing even larger. Soon, they would be as big as the sun themselves. “You’ve been waiting to meet me since I was born? So, you knew my real mother?” she inquired, hoping this would be the kind of start she needed for her new journey. “Yes, I did, but I can’t tell you how. Not yet,” Gentlestripe informed her calmly. “You have to figure some things out on your own, but I have provided you with a critical tool to do that. Now, you can keep your knowledge of fox speak but also communicate with other cats like you’ve done it all your life. It’s a gift from me, and from a few generous friends here in StarClan.” “StarClan?” Hollow had never heard of this ‘StarClan’ before. Was it a group of cats she could maybe join? Perhaps it’s where she really belonged, since this tom knew her real mother? Though, it didn’t make sense to her why he couldn’t tell her how he had known her mother or how he knew her now. Still, one question needed to come at a time. Gentlestripe nodded in response. “Yes, StarClan. It’s where you are right now, a land among the stars of the night sky. It’s where good and noble cats who’ve passed from the clans come to rest and be at peace,” he explained. “I brought you here from the boulder you were lying on. You’re actually asleep right now, and this is a dream. But rest assured, you will wake up with the ability I’ve given you, so you can find the clan you belong in.” A dream? She was simply dreaming right now? That made things seem a whole lot more likely. None of this was real, and she had only fallen asleep atop her boulder. That was it. It would be disheartening to wake up and find out that she didn’t actually possess the knowledge to speak to other cats, but dreams didn’t actually come true. And this ‘Gentlestripe’ was only a figment of her wandering mind. Perhaps he was a fragment of memory from her very short time with her mother somehow? Either way, she had to try and wake up to get back to her journey of finding a clan, even though she had absolutely zero leads. “That’s nice, but I have to go now,” Hollow decided, but, dream or not, she did try to keep her tone polite. “Sorry.” Gentlestripe purred a bit more and curtly nodded. “I understand your skepticism, but you’ll see. I’ll see you again soon,” he told her then blinked slowly at her, a gesture she now knew to be trusting and affectionate. “Just remember to keep moving forward.” Hollow shut her eyes to blink, and when she opened them again, she found herself to be back in the color-leaf forest she had left behind for the dream. The chilly air nipped at her nose, indicating she was truly back. Slowly, the she-cat rose to her paws, fluffing out her fur a bit against the breeze. She scanned around but saw nothing different than before she’d laid down. Yet a faint scent lingered in her nostrils of that tom. Though, she shrugged it off and sighed. “Now, where to start?” she thought out loud to herself, looking around for any sort of possible sign to help her along her way. Nothing presented itself, however. “Well,” she sighed once more, “I guess I might as well move forward…” It was as good as anything else she could right now. So, Hollow jumped down from the now familiar boulder and started heading into the trees, going forward to where her sleeping head had been pointing. It was the exact opposite way of the den she’d grown up in, so it might be promising as a spot to find avoiding cats. It didn’t take too long for her to come across a stream cutting through the earth. It was about a fox-length across, and its waters did appear to be strong. They were probably extremely cold, too. Swimming would be a bad idea at this juncture. Hollow gazed down the steam for any way to cross but saw nothing. Looking upriver yielded a different result, thankfully. A little bit away was a fallen log, slightly buried in the mud; it had probably been there for a while, by the looks of it. She made her way over and peered inside its hollow form. It was a perfect tunnel to the other side, safely. “Well, it’s something,” she told herself and entered it, gingerly poking her head out the other side after crossing. The wind changed directions just then and blew the scent of many other cats right to her nose. In that instant, panic, fear, and slight joy rose up within her all at once. They swirled like a torrent inside her belly, making her unsure of how exactly to feel about this. Her instincts told her this was dangerous and to go back to Mother, to where she knew she would be safe. But she knew that couldn’t happen. She had to leave the den like her siblings, like the fox she had been raised to be similar to. There was no going back, not now. She had to shove her emotions and contradicting thoughts down, no matter how much they screamed at her for it. Hollow braced herself and walked out from the hollow log, her muscles stiff and tensed up, ready for anything. In fact, she was so tense and alert that a crow taking off quickly from the ground ahead startled her greatly, causing the she-cat to jump with fluffed up fur. But she rolled her eyes to herself and calmed down a bit upon realizing what the sound had actually been. “Get ahold of yourself, Hollow,” she scolded herself. “You’ve made it this far. That’s good, right? Maybe…” “Rogue!” Suddenly, a voice pierced the air, and a light gray tom about her age lunged at her from the foliage ahead. That’s why the crow had fled, avoiding the upcoming cat. However, he now set his sights upon Hollow, aggression flaring in his green eyes. Hollow instinctively darted out of the way of the attacking tom, his claws not even touching her as she dodged the attack and spun around to face him. Her stumpy tail swished the air. “Wait!” she exclaimed, knowing finding another cat was exactly what she had been trying to do, although, this cat did not seem the least bit welcoming. The gray tom didn’t miss a beat, skidding in the wet grass, by the stream. He jumped for another attack, claws out and a cry of fury escaping his jaws. Hollow dodged once more, quick on her own paws. “Stop! I don’t want to fight!” she exclaimed, but it occurred to her that he probably had no idea what she was saying. After all, that whole thing about her now being able to communicate effectively with other cats was only a dream. He must have only perceived her as a threat. It didn’t occur to her, however, that she had understood his call of alarm, of her being a 'rogue.' The tom went in for one more attack, just as she spotted other cats emerging rapidly from the forest, out of the corner of her eye. This was bad. He lunged one final time with his black ears folded back, and she, again, dodged to the side. However, this time, the tom wasn’t able to catch himself and ended up slipping in the wet grass and leaves. With a surprised yowl, he was sent sliding into the rushing stream. Hollow watched as his eyes flashed from fury to fear, right before his head was submerged underneath the churning waters. Behind her, she heard one of the other cats cry out worriedly, “Webpaw!” There were no thoughts in Hollow’s next actions, only instinct. She had swum many times and had the strength to do so, even in these waters. The only reason she hadn’t wanted to do it before was because of the numbing cold. Within several moments, the cold, she knew, would grip her in its claws and paralyze her body. However, she couldn’t just let anything living drown. Her morals wouldn’t allow for it, and so, she dove in after the tom who had tried so hard to hurt her. As expected, the water stung her skin, piercing her pelt easily. But she pressed on and began to claw and kick with the current, keeping her head above the water. Further down the stream she saw the tom’s paws splashing desperately for a moment as his body tumbled in the torrent, his head above water becoming his tail as he was tossed about. On shore, Hollow noticed the other cats, four of them, chasing after. They all shouted what she assumed to be the tom’s name, 'Webpaw.' Each one showed nothing but worry and concern. With a deep inhale, Hollow focused her attention on the drowning tom. She had to hurry. No thoughts raced through her mind in the moment beyond having to save this cat. Nothing else mattered right now. With the help of the current, she swam closer to his thrashing form. His movements were slowing, however, showing how the frigid waters were taking hold of him. Hollow could feel herself starting to get to that state, too, but she knew if she kept moving and grabbed him quickly enough that she could get them both out of this mess. Hard, she kicked at the water again and propelled herself to a now mostly limp mass of gray and black. His body merely bobbed in the water with only a little bit of movement happening as a last-ditch effort to keep his nose above water. She did what Mother had done to carry her and her siblings around and clamped her jaws down onto the scruff of his neck. After securing her hold, she began to turn toward the side of shore they’d come from and swim towards it, not fighting the current of the stream but rather allowing it to somewhat help them along. A heartbeat later, her claws caught some tangled roots of an oak tree that grew right on the bank, and she struggled to pull the tom up with her. Her size outmatched his, but he was still only dead weight at this point, though, hopefully still very alive. Her claws dug in as far as they would go into the wooden roots, and she closed her eyes against the struggle. It almost felt like her teeth might rip out with his weight, but she did not want to let go while her back legs scrambled to find their own hold. Suddenly, Hollow noticed the familiar sensation of something grab her own scruff, on the back of her neck. The force started to pull, giving assisting force to get her and her target out of the water. Other cats came over and surrounded them, grabbing for the tom’s pelt on his shoulder and then his tail, all helping to pull him out. Hollow finally felt solid ground beneath all of her paws and let go of the tom’s fur, seeing he was also safe. Her legs shook and buckled. The she-cat collapsed and panted, her body now racked with cold and shivering. “Webpaw, are you okay?” A tan tom with white paws and a white muzzle nudged the younger tom. Thankfully, the gray tom let out a cough and then another and another. He got into a fit of coughs but then started breathing normally again after. The tan tom sighed in relief. “Oh, thank StarClan.” The other cats had gathered, as well. Each one made sure the gray tom was alright then one she-cat turned her attention to Hollow. “You saved his life,” she stated, padding over to her. This she-cat was older by many moons, and her cream-orange pelt was long and wispy, just like a downy feather. “Thank you,” she meowed, truly grateful. She even bowed her head, which seemed to be a gesture of respect. Hollow’s vision was a bit blurry from the cold and exhaustion now overtaking her, but she managed to move her head in a small nod while she laid there, barely even able to hold her skull up against gravity while she laid there with her paws tucked underneath her belly. She couldn’t speak, unfortunately, only able to pant tiredly. One of the other cats, another young she-cat padded over. Her fur was short and rust colored with darker stripes, but her yellow eyes were bright and friendly. Behind her came the final cat of the group – a white tom with gray patches dotting his body. “You’re a hero,” the red she-cat told her. The white and gray tom nodded. “Yeah, which is nothing we’d expect from a rogue. Thank you, stranger.” Hollow blinked to them, not sure what else to do. In her mind, she now realized that she was understanding everything they were saying. It dawned on her that what she’d been told in her dream was actually true, unless this was still a dream. However, if it was, it was the most realistic dream she’d ever experienced, because her whole body ached and was frozen. It was exceptionally miserable. “We should bring her back to camp,” the wispy-furred she-cat commented to the others. The gray and white tom nodded agreement, as did the red she-cat. They all turned to look at the tan tom, who was still by the younger gray one. “Any cat who would risk their life to save another cat in need at least deserves to be seen by Dappleleaf for any injuries and should get a warm nest for the night,” he decided. They all agreed, so Hollow was gently nudged to her feet by the garrison. Once up, the rusty she-cat and the cream one both took to either one of her sides, supporting her with their own weight. The two toms did the same for the one she had rescued. Then, they started moving, and Hollow didn’t say a word. She sensed no hostility or trickery from any of them, so she simply trudged along silently as she tried to catch her breath. Before she knew it, Hollow opened her eyes to the strong scent of herbs and flowers, finding herself in a dark cave. Her body still ached, evident by the soreness that racked her as she tried to lift her head too quickly. She groaned but pushed through it to sit up. The cave was small, looking around, and it was filled with sorted leaves and flowers of all different kinds. Along the damp walls were some small pools of crystal water, and, sat by them but out of reach by the water, were moss and feather nests. One of these, she sat in now. It was warm at her paws, so she opted to lay back down but kept her head up to look around. A figure appeared in the entrance – another she-cat. This one was a tortoiseshell with a white underbelly, yet something was very off about her. Hollow squinted in the darkness and quickly noticed the problem. This cat had her eyes closed. Still, the newcomer padded right inside the den, her face close to the wall so her whiskers just barely brushed its surface. “Are you awake yet?” she asked, seemingly talking to Hollow, as she was the only other one in the cavern. Her tone was light and inviting. “Uh, yes,” Hollow replied, hoping that it was true that this other cat would understand her. Thankfully, it seemed to be so as the much older she-cat began to purr with delight. “Oh, that’s wonderful,” she responded and started sniffing at various sorted leaves. She stopped at a stack of light green leaves that clung to a long stem. Carefully, she picked up a single stem in her jaws then carried it over to Hollow, stopping right before her and placing it down. “Eat this. It’s catmint. We normally use it to treat green cough and white cough, but it’s a good treat, too. You’ve earned it.” Hollow was instantly skeptical, not wanting to just eat whatever weird plants this strange cat told her to. Yet, once the scent of it hit her nose, she found her mouth to be watering. Carefully, however, the she-cat did sniff it more first, examining it. But then temptation overtook her, and she gulped it down, the flavor satisfying her tongue as it bathed in gloriousness. Catmint was awesome! “Good, isn’t it?” the older she-cat mewed. “Nobody, not even me, gets to just eat any of it. But you’ve really done a great thing in helping Webpaw like you did. Buckleap and Featherfur told me the story. Grayfoot and Rosepaw backed them up on it, as well. Of course, Webpaw wasn’t very happy about it, but I expect nothing else from that arrogant, young tom.” She sighed and shook her head. “Is he alright?” Hollow asked of the she-cat then. “He had nearly drowned…” Even if he had tried to attack her, she still had to know if he would be okay in the long run. “Oh, yes. He’s fine,” she meowed. “My name is Dappleleaf, by the way. I suppose I should have introduced myself sooner. My apologies.” She came over and began to lightly sniff at Hollow’s pelt in several places. “You don’t seem to be injured, just cold and tired. A good rest in a warm nest will fix you right up.” Hollow stiffened as the she-cat came over closer, but she allowed the actions. “Uh, thanks,” she said, not sure what to make of this cat. She seemed friendly enough, but she was still a stranger, in a strange place, and with her eyes closed in a dark cave. “Hey, um, can I ask you something?” Hollow inquired awkwardly. She had to know. The other feline sat up and tilted her head to the side slightly. “If it’s about my eyes, I don’t have any. I lost them to a nasty infection many moons ago when I was a young Apprentice,” she answered without even having been asked the inquiry. She must have gotten it often enough to know what had been coming. Hollow’s ears went back, now feeling bad about wanting to ask something so personal. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said and twitched her stumpy tail. She hoped this cat wasn’t offended, but it didn’t seem like she was. Dappleleaf shrugged. “It’s fine, dear. I’m used to it, and I’ve long since accepted it. I still get around and do my job just fine without them. It’s an obstacle, of course, but I’ve learned how to manage.” She stood up. “Now then, I’m sure Riftstar will want to see you soon. What’s your name, by the way?” “Sorry, it’s Hollow,” she responded, kicking herself mentally for not introducing herself earlier. It was plain rude. Mother had taught her better than that. “But who’s Riftstar?” That was an unusual name. All of these cats she’d met so far had unusual names – Dappleleaf, Webpaw, Buckleap… They were all so weird.✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 2: A New Life “So, you’re the strange rogue I have heard so much about, hm?” The black she-cat circled Hollow as her eyes scanned the young feline up and down, examining her every detail. “You don’t look like much,” she stated rather bluntly as she slowly paced.“I am, I guess. I still managed to pull a cat out of angry waters, looking like much or not,” Hollow retorted, not sternly but still making her point known. The dark-colored cat paused in her steps, at Hollow’s face. Their eyes locked for only a moment before Hollow broke the line and looked down. “Perhaps.” She turned her attention to the Medicine Cat. “What do you think of her, Dappleleaf?”Multi-colored pelt shrouded in half-darkness of the den, the she-cat shrugged. Her blind face pointed right towards Hollow, staring her down with a gaze that didn’t exist. “She seems like a fine cat to me, honestly,” she replied. “Maybe she isn’t the largest cat ever, but she is still very young. And it is true that, as a rogue, she saved Webpaw’s life, even after he attacked her. If anything, this young one has a good heart, and I value that greatly.”The black she-cat took in her words then nodded after a moment, looking back to the silent Hollow then. “You wish to join LeafClan then?” she asked of the silvery feline. Hollow’s heart pounded as the two others discussed, afraid that they may decide to cast her out or worse. There was no real evidence provided to state this as a likely possibility, but even the mere thought made her quiver. She had to find a new family in this clan – or one of the others which, presumably, existed – or she would be all alone forever. What other chance would she have? No way could she live alone, either. It just couldn’t happen!Once addressed by the Leader, Hollow gave a small nod, her eyes not able to meet the black cat’s for too long at a time. “Yes, please, Riftstar,” she almost squeaked out, nearly like a scolded kit. And she hadn’t even been given any harsh words or tones, only tension. “Why?” the Leader demanded immediately after Hollow’s answer. Her expression was stern and posture tall and steady. It was clear that this she-cat was well seasoned.Hollow flinched ever so slightly but pulled some inner strength buried deep within her to force herself to sit up a bit more. She had to grasp some remnants of confidence. Still, she could not meet the other cat’s eyes for long. “Because I want a family again,” she responded honestly, sadness creeping into her yellow eyes. “I had to leave my last family, because they said it was natural at my age. And I was apparently abandoned before by my mother as a newborn kit… I just want a family to stick with me,” she finally managed to drag her gaze up to meet Riftstar’s, “and I’m willing to work for it.”Riftstar studied Hollow’s expression as her mind pondered the young she-cat’s words. It was evidently odd how her last family would say it natural to leave at her age – only seven moons – but there as only so much she could do at one time. Finally, the Leader nodded her approval. “Very well. Prove to me your value within the clan then. You’ll become an Apprentice and be trained by one of my Warriors, and you will serve LeafClan with all of your heart, no matter the task. Is that understood?”Hollow couldn’t believe it. Her heart skipped a beat as Riftstar acknowledged her desire and accepted it. Was this really happening? She was in a clan that easily? Joy rose within her, but she had to keep it contained to remain somewhat composed. “Thank you,” she replied, her glee hinting in her mew and glinting in her eyes.Riftstar responded at first with a curt nod but then turned and headed to the den entrance, speaking again once there. “Come. A meeting is about to begin.”Hollow stood and glanced to Dappleleaf. “Um, where should I go for this meeting?” she asked rather shyly. It seemed foolish to have to ask such a question, in her mind, but she had no idea of clan customs nor their way of life. The only things about the clan that she knew were that they stayed within their territory, they helped take care of each other, and that they had a Leader and Medicine cat specifically, along with cats called ‘Warriors’ and ‘Apprentices.’ She definitely had a lot to learn.“I’ll show you,” Dappleleaf mewed kindly without any hesitation. She got to her feet then headed to the den entrance. As she walked, her form stuck close to the cavern wall, so that her whiskers could always be brushing against the rocky surface.Quietly, the young she-cat followed, sticking close behind Dappleleaf. Once outside of the den, her eyes wandered the extensive cave which presented itself to her. Of course, she had taken in what she could when first entering the clan camp, but she had been rather delirious from exhaustion at the time, after having saved Webpaw in raging waters. Its size provided plenty of room for the cats. Its walls were sturdy and only allowed for one entrance for attack at the front. Along the walls, pools of fresh, drinkable water collected for anyone’s use. And the additional, branching caves provided perfect dens, just like the Medicine Den. Space was so open, too, providing clear sightlines around camp.“See that odd stone in the middle of camp?” Dappleleaf meowed to her, gesturing vaguely with her tail. “That is where Riftstar sits to address the clan, and her den is underneath it, as it’s hollow inside.” The Leader already sat upon the overturned minecart, settling in before calling the meeting. “You’ll sit where the rest of the clan does, right in front of the stone, a group.” She turned her gazeless face towards Hollow. “Now, if you don’t mind, dear, could you lead me over to the stone? I sat at the base of it with our deputy, Batclaw.”Everything rose some anxiety within Hollow’s chest, tightening it. She had to sit among a group of cats she didn’t know? Just right by their sides? What happened when Riftstar would inevitably address her and all attention turned to her? The thought of so many eyes on her pelt at once made her shudder. However, she came back to reality a bit at Dappleleaf’s request. “Um, I’d like to, but how?” she asked, uncertain of how to lead a blind cat anywhere.“Just use your tail, dear. I can navigate along the walls just fine on my own, but going to the middle of the camp requires aid. I’ve done it plenty of times by having others allow me to gently grip their tails in my teeth,” the Medicine Cat replied sweetly. “It’s easy, and I won’t hurt you.”“Oh, um…” How did she put this? “I don’t have much of a tail…” Hollow confessed. “It’s only a small stump, maybe a whisker-length long. Is that going to be enough?”Dappleleaf didn’t seem the least bit off-put by it. “That’s not a problem. I’ll just have to stick a little closer is all.”Hollow was glad that the Medicine Cat didn’t seem bothered by her short tail at all. She, a bit awkwardly, guided her bobbed tail to the other cat’s nose. Dappleleaf light clamped her jaws around her tail, just hard enough to not easily let it slip, but no pain came. Slowly then, the pair made their way over to the overturned cart, pausing at its base. Riftstar looked down at them. “Thank you for guiding her,” she said to the silvery she-cat. Something glimmered in her eyes, something Hollow couldn’t make out, but it seemed to be a positive thing. “Now, we can get this meeting under way.”As Dapplelaf took her spot at the base of the weird stone, the black feline let out a loud yowl. The sound echoed throughout the large cavern, reverberating her call to every cat within the clan without fail. “Gather for a clan meeting!”Some cats had already been out and had watched Hollow leading Dappleleaf to the minecart, but Hollow had been hoping they would stop staring eventually. However, as she sat down in front of the Leader like instructed, those cats came over with Riftstar’s call. More emerged from the other open dens. Most of the cats gathered around her, all siting behind her. None chose to sit beside her yet, and every eye was on her rather than the Leader who had made the call. After all, she was an alien cat in their home. One cat exited a den but stayed by the entrance, two dark kits coming to sit at her paws. An elderly orange tabby did the same from another den, after the younger tom Buckleap went to fetch him. The tabby was then left to sit by himself as other gathered by the cart.Hollow shrunk into herself while the final few cats came and took their places. Their gazes all bore into her back like scorching embers. Why did she have to be in front?“We have gathered here this sun for a very important reason,” Riftstar started out. She watched each cat briefly, glad that all of their eyes had moved from Hollow to her the moment she started speaking. “As you can all see, we have a new face among us.” And then the gazes went back to the silvery feline momentarily, causing her to shrink down more. “This is because she will be one of us, as of now.”Murmurs began to sound between cats, whispering growing gradually louder as the cave walls contained it all. ‘Why?’ was the most commonly occurring question among the crowd.Riftstar held her tail up for silence, and thus the clan shushed instantly. “I know many of you are confused as to why, but I have been informed of an amazing act that this young cat has performed for us. Earlier, she was caught on LeafClan territory. However, one of our Apprentices fell into the cold river and nearly drowned. Instead of fleeing, Hollow here jumped in voluntarily and pulled the Apprentice out, saving his life,” she announced, much to the shock of half the crowd. “Therefore, I have decided to grant her wish to join our family.” She looked down to the small she-cat. “Hollow, please step forward.”Anxiety like never before crippled her limbs and sickened Hollow to her stomach. This was what she had wanted, to be in the clan, but having so much attention on her was the exact opposite of what she enjoyed. It terrified her, and she was so scared to mess this obviously important ceremony up.Shakily, Hollow forced herself to get to her paws and take a few steps ahead, further putting herself in front of the crowd. Behind her, harsh whispers hit her ears. ‘She has no tail! It’s only a stump!’ ‘Did someone so small really save another life?’ ‘Look at her shaking!’ She closed her eyes as she stopped before the Leader, placing her ears back to stop the comments.“Hollow, from this moment on you will be known as Hollowpaw,” Riftstar announced. Inwardly, she felt bad for the young cat, but she also couldn’t help but wonder if this terrified figure was really the one to save another’s life, to be a hero. Hollow managed to open her yellow eyes enough to look up at the Leader questioningly. They were changing her name? Why?“To live with LeafClan, you will adopt our customs. As such, you will be like any other Apprentice and have ‘paw’ to end your name, until you’ve earned your Warrior name,” Riftstar explained. “And you will now have a mentor to help teach you our ways and train you to be a true Warrior. Featherfur, please, step forward.”A cream-orange she-cat stepped through the parting crowd, her head held high. As she walked, her pelt flowed elegantly, fur long but well kept. This cat, Hollow recognized to be one of the ones who had found her by the river. She stopped in front of Hollow and turned to face her, a sort of pride in her expression. “Touch noses with your new mentor. I know she will teach you well the ways of the Warrior and of LeafClan,” the Leader meowed.Featherfur. Another odd name, but now Hollow supposed that her name was just as odd. Hollowpaw. Hollowpaw and Featherfur, training together and living in a clowder called LeafClan… Everything about this whole situation was foreign and weird, but this would be her life now.The newly renamed Hollowpaw did as she was told and stretched her nose out to Featherfur as the long-furred she-cat did the same. Touching her nose sent a chill down Hollow’s spine, but whether it was a good or bad type of chill, she couldn’t say.“I’m happy to finally have an Apprentice,” Featherfur mewed to her gleefully. “I’ll teach you everything I know.” She nodded to the crowd. “Now, face everybody, and stand tall. Be proud.”Hollowpaw didn’t feel proud, just terrified. Sure, there was a bit of joy inside her heart for having completed her main objective of joining a clan, but the meeting was still very uncomfortable. She turned hesitantly and stared out at the many eyes staring back. As much as she tried, though, she couldn’t bring herself to appear any more confident.Silence sat awkwardly among the cats, heartbeats ticking by without so much as a murmur from anyone. That is, until a Dappleleaf, Featherfur, and a red she-cat about Hollowpaw’s age lifted her nose to the cavern ceiling and started to cheer. “Hollowpaw! Hollowpaw!” She was the rust-colored cat from the river also. This prompted a large but young dark gray tom whom she’d never seen before to do the same. Gradually, those others who had witnessed her act of heroism – Buckleap and Grayfoot – joined in. Finally, most others followed suit, chanting her new name. However, two still refused. Webpaw sat in the back with a scowl on his face. A paler red she-cat sat next to him and chanted for a moment, before noticing his expression. Then, she stopped. The other cat who flat out refused to cheer was a light gray she-cat who stared at Hollowpaw past the heads of others, her yellow gaze seemingly in a trance.Eventually, the cheers stopped entirely, and the meeting was called to an end. The crowd dispersed, and Dappleleaf was led back to her den by Riftstar. The deputy, Batclaw did come over to congratulate Hollowpaw quick, though, while Featherfur sat next to her still.“Welcome to LeafClan. I hope you like it here,” he told her in a friendly tone. His brown fur blended in well with the lower light of the cave, but his white paws and green eyes stood out massively. His eyes also glowed with open delight. “It’s good to have another future Warrior in the clan, too.”“Thank you,” Hollowpaw somewhat squeaked out, shuffling her paws nervously in the dirt. His cordial attitude did help to sooth her nerves a tad, but it would take much more or a lot of time for her to be at complete ease. The brown tom nodded curtly then turned and left, going to join a group of other cats and chat, presumably. Next up, the reddish she-cat from before came bouncing over. She stopped close by and purred.“Welcome to LeafClan! I’m so glad you’re here, after what you did to help Webpaw. That was seriously amazing,” the tabby purred to her. However, when she really noticed Hollowpaw’s small complexion, she calmed down and got more serious but stayed gentle in her tone. “I know being part of a new clan can be pretty overwhelming. I mean, I figure it would be. Just give things some time. Trust me, you’ll learn to really love it here. We’re all one big family. Oh, and my name’s Rosepaw, by the way. Nice to meet you, Hollowpaw.”Hollowpaw appreciated the kind words. Though she could only half believe them right now, the effort was appreciated. “Thanks,” she mewed back, letting her shoulders relax a bit and raising her head some. just then, her stomach growled loudly, much to the she-cat’s embarrassment. Rosepaw seemed amused by this. “Come on, I can show you where the fresh-kill pile is,” she offered. “As long as prey is plentiful, you’re allowed to eat two pieces of prey a sun. Just make sure not to waste any of it.” She turned but looked over her shoulder, waving her tail for Hollowpaw to follow.“Go on,” Featherfur purred. “You’ll need your strength. After you eat, I’ll show you around some of the territory,” she informed her new Apprentice. “Maybe we’ll go over some battle training, too. But, for now, go and have your fill and make a new friend.”A new friend did sound nice, as did the option of food. Hollowpaw nodded, loving the thought of sinking her teeth into some prey, since most of her anxiety had passed. It helped that most cats were no longer staring her down. Without a word, she got up and followed Rosepaw to a pile of tasty looking prey.✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 3: Friendship and Faults Rosepaw licked her lips as she searched the pile of freshly killed prey. Her paw sifted through the small bodies, the scent wafting into her nose. “I think I’m in the mood for squirrel today. Do you like squirrel?” she asked Hollowpaw, who merely stood by and watched. She wasn’t sure if she could just reach in and take what she wanted or not, even if Rosepaw was doing just that. Confirmation would be needed. At the question, she shrugged. “I never tried it before,” she answered slightly sheepishly. “I could never catch them. Nobody could.” “Well, then you have to try one now!” Rosepaw exclaimed, surprised by the reply but determined to change that fact. “They’re tricky to catch, for sure, but they taste so good.” She turned over a mole with her paw to reveal a red squirrel’s pelt underneath. “Ah-ha!” Bending down, she grabbed its fuzzy tail in her jaws and dragged it out. “Here,” she said, her mew muffled by the fur. Carefully, it was set down, and she went on to continue to search. “Now, if I can find one of my own, we’ll be as golden as leaf-fall leaves.” Another bit of digging, and she managed to produce another, slightly smaller rodent. Again, she held it by its bushy tail then nodded to a spot by the cave wall, where a large stone jutted out from the floor, ending in a point towards the ceiling. Hollowpaw got the message and picked up her prey, the scent making her stomach crave it more. Together, the two took their prey and padded over to the stone and wall, settling where the two structures made a sort of corner among camp. She set her prey down there and crouched as Rosepaw did. “Dig in!” the reddish tabby meowed hungrily. She then followed her own words and tore into the prey. Hollowpaw observed for a moment, making sure to take in how to properly eat a squirrel. It may have been silly, but she really had never eaten one before, so she wasn’t sure if there was a certain way to do it. But, judging by Rosepaw’s actions, it was the same as any piece of prey. However, the silvery she-cat took it more slowly and cleared away some fur first. Then, she bit into the meat of the squirrel, her tongue being instantly bathed by its erotic flavor. It tasted amazing! Not as good as her favorite food, but it still tasted great. “Hey,” Rosepaw spoke up after swallowing a few mouthfuls of her prey. “Where did you used to live before you came here?” she asked her, curious. It wasn’t every sun that a new cat just appeared and joined the clan. “I’ve never met a rogue before, so I don’t know a thing about that sort of life.” That word caused her to flinch a bit. ‘Rogue.’ It sounded so horrible, like she didn’t belong, like she was some sort of savage. “In the forest,” she responded in a quieter mew, after swallowing her own bit. “with my previous family. We had a den under a maple tree, and lichen hung over the entrance to shelter us better. It was really nice.” Thinking back to it all made Hollowpaw’s heart wretch. She missed her previous home, the one she had grown up in. Even if she was a cat and should be with other cats, how could she ever not miss the mother who raised her and the siblings she grew up with? Frost, Mallow, Oak, Mother… She missed them all so much. Her expression dropped, as did her appetite. Rosepaw noticed easily and instantly felt remorse for having asked. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” she apologized, genuinely sorry. “I was just curious about where you came from… But it doesn’t matter. If you ever want to tell me then I’ll be happy to listen, but I won’t ask anymore. Promise.” The words did help a bit, and Hollowpaw nodded slowly. “Thank you,” she said though didn’t continue her meal. She just couldn’t right now. “Do you want to know more about me and LeafClan?” Rosepaw inquired, hoping that would help lighten the mood a bit. “I don’t mind answering any question you have, and I’s certain you have to have at least a couple.” “I do.” Of course, there were so many unique things about being in a clan, so many questions did circle in her mind like buzzards. “Um, why does my name end in ‘paw’ now, exactly?” “Oh, that’s an easy one,” Rosepaw responded. “All Apprentices have that at the end of their names, to signify that they are Apprentices. Before that, it’s ‘kit,’ after whatever the parents of the kits want the first part of the name to be. Also, after you’ve completed training, too, Riftstar gives you an entirely new end to your name based on your performance as an Apprentice, an act of heroism, or just whatever she sees fit. It can be anything, like ‘fur,’ ‘leap,’ ‘fang,’ and so on. That’s your Warrior name. Oh, and hers is ‘star’ because she’s the Leader,” she explained extensively. “Finally, Medicine Cats like Dappleleaf don’t get named by the Leader, but their Medicine Cat mentors give them their new, final name whenever they’re ready.” Hollowpaw took in everything Rosepaw said, making sense of it and storing it within her mind. “Okay, I guess that all makes sense,” she decided after a moment of pondering. “So, when I complete my training as an Apprentice with Featherfur, I’ll be given my Warrior name, right?” Rosepaw nodded, seemingly excited that her new friend understood. “Exactly.” She took another bite of her prey then but looked over as the larger dark gray tom who had cheered for Hollowpaw before came over, a plump mouse dangling in his jaws. “Hey, guys. Mind if I join you?” he asked through the mouse’s fur. Rosepaw nodded, and he crouched next to her then set his prey down. “Hello, Hollowpaw,” he greeted the new Apprentice. “Really cool of you to help out Webpaw, and welcome to the clan. I’m Rainpaw. We’ll probably be training together sometime, so it’s nice to meet you, and I’m sorry if I ever accidently hurt you during training. I don’t know my own size sometimes.” Rosepaw rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah, you’ve squished me plenty of times,” she chuckled. She turned her attention to Hollowpaw then. “He’s big, but he can be clumsy sometimes. And don’t let his bulky muscles fool you. He’s a total kitten.” Rainpaw looked away in slight embarrassment. “Yeah, kinda. But, hey, it’s better than acting like Webpaw all the time. He’s so self-absorbed and thinks he’s better than everybody else. Hard to believe he and I are littermates.” He shook his head. “I wish he’d be nicer to everyone.” “Well, no offense, but he takes after your mother a lot,” Rosepaw pointed out then bit off another huge portion of her food. Rainpaw nodded, seemingly ashamed. “I know. At least he doesn’t take after our father in size like I do, or we might have a real problem on our paws with him,” he sighed then shook his head. “Anyway, again, welcome to LeafClan, Hollowpaw. I do sincerely hope you enjoy it here.” Hollowpaw had listened to it all, and she honestly couldn’t say she was surprised to hear these things about Webpaw. He just seemed like the type. But the welcome was nice, and Rainpaw appeared to be a much kinder soul, like Rosepaw. Hollowpaw looked down at her half-eaten food, disappointed in herself for not eating more of it. It was a waste, but her homesickness deterred her from finishing it. Or, it tried to, at least. However, the she-cat had been told not to waste food, and she knew already that was an act never to be done. So, she mustered up the ability to bite down into the squirrel once more, her angry stomach thanking her in the end. Unfortunately, the meal would not go on to be peaceful, as a light gray tom sauntered over with a she-cat much like Rosepaw, only this feline’s pelt appeared much lighter in hue. Hollowpaw instantly recognized Webpaw, but the other she-cat was unnamed to her. Webpaw narrowed his eyes at Hollowpaw, stopping before her and the little group she’d acquired. “What are you two doing eating with this stumpy-tailed outsider?” he addressed his clanmates. Rosepaw sat up, not happy with the tom’s rudeness. “She’s not an outsider. Riftstar made her one of us officially,” she stated firmly. Her attention then went to the she-cat with him, concern now coming to her face. “Vinepaw, what are you still doing padding after him? You know he’s not a good influence.” The paler tabby orange Apprentice shrugged slightly, not giving a verbal answer nor meeting Rosepaw’s gaze. “She knows who’s actually cool here,” Webpaw chimed in, his chest puffed out. “If you two were even sensible then you wouldn’t be hanging out with this rogue reject.” Hollowpaw felt thorns stab her heart at Webpaw’s hateful words. Her food forgotten again, the Apprentice merely stared sadly at her silvery paws. Why again had she come here? First the crowd stared bramble thorns into her pelt at the meeting, then they whispered about her tail and her nerves, and now the very cat whose life she risked her own for was degrading her. Was this really all worth it to be here? Rainpaw rose to his paws then, standing considerably taller than his brother. “Leave her alone,” he demanded sternly of Webpaw. “We don’t care what you think, but you have no right to say such harsh things, not to anyone, but especially not to the cat who kept you from drowning, even after you attacked her. I don’t understand why you have to be so horrible to others, but if you’re going to do it then at the very least don’t do it to her face.” He held his head high. “Leave. Now.” Webpaw looked his littermate up and down for a moment, silent. Then, he finally turned away, scoffing. “Whatever. Not worth my energy anyway.” With that, he padded off, flicking his tail for Vinepaw to follow, who did without question. Rosepaw watched them leave and shook her head, ashamed. “I wish my sister had more common sense to see he’s a horrible cat, but no. She has to be blinded by her stupid crush,” she sighed then turned back to Hollowpaw, feeling bad about what had transpired. “I’m really sorry for him. Don’t listen to him, though. He’s a huge jerk.” Rainpaw nodded his agreement. “Yeah, he really is. Always has been, but I’m his usual target. I don’t know if he’s insecure about his size compared to me or what. Either way, just try not to let him get to you,” he told Hollowpaw, also sympathizing with her. “You can have the rest of my squirrel,” the silvery Apprentice muttered, not even able to force herself to finish it. “Thanks for standing up for me, but I’m going to go now. Featherfur said she wanted to show me around the territory when I was done eating anyway.” With that and no other words, she got up and left. Leaving her newfound – possible – friends behind, she headed over to her mentor. “I’m ready to see the territory.” Featherfur sat with Buckleap and a golden tabby she-cat that Hollowpaw did not know. The long-furred Warrior turned to her. “Are you alright?” she asked, easily noticing Hollowpaw’s quietness and the sorrow within the few words spoken. She nodded, not wanting to talk about what had happened. All she wanted was to leave it behind her as much as possible. Although, she knew Webpaw’s taunting would haunt her anyway, in a way she had never experienced with her fox family before. The feeble attempt at reassuring Featherfur did nothing to achieve its objective, yet she pried no further. If Hollowpaw didn’t want to talk about it then so be it. “Alright then, let’s go,” she decided and bid farewell to her conversation companions for the time being. The two exited camp together, neither saying a word to the other as they entered a forest laden with jutting rocks. For every tree, a stone seemed to emerge from the earth, as well. Eventually, a few small landmarks appeared, and Featherfur was obligated to explain them. Most ended up being more rocks, just ones with slightly more distinct figures, so the imagination could see them as other animals or objects. Hollowpaw, however, was not shown any borders yet. That would come with patrols. Overall, the standard tour was uneventful and unexciting.* At the end of the small, interior tour, the duo came to a clearing among the trees. Out of nowhere, this patch of dirt and gravel resided, not even the larger stones littering the ground around sat in this clear circle. It was completely open. “This is the Training Area,” Hollowpaw’s mentor informed her. “This is where you’ll be performing combat training and learning new battle moves.” She padded further into the clearing while Hollowpaw lingered at the edge. “Don’t be shy now,” she told her Apprentice, looking back over her shoulder, “come check the place out. You’ll be spending a lot of time here, so get used to the area.” Gingerly, Hollowpaw stepped forward, her pads feeling odd on the gravel beneath her. Living in the same patch of forest her whole life, she had never experienced gravel before. Even the banks along streams and rivers were sandy with finely ground stone and dirt, rather than these pebbles. She scanned the clearing, taking in its every part – not that there was too much difference to take in anyway. Oak, maple, and the occasional hickory tree surrounded the spot. Within were the stones and exposed dirt with only patches of weeds popping up here and there. Above, the sky broke through looming canopies, showing its blue essence with some fluffy clouds. Other than that, the area itself was rather boring and bare. “Alright, now, let’s se what you’ve got,” Featherfur said and turned towards her Apprentice, spreading her paws into a combat-ready stance. “Right now, we’re going to do a bit of battle training, so I can see what you know.” Hollowpaw stared at the older she-cat, her eyes growing to moons. She wasn’t ready for this! That dreaded feeling of prickling anxiety washed up, and she placed her ears back. “I don’t really know much of anything… I won’t win,” she half-murmured. “Doesn’t matter,” Featherfur retorted. “This isn’t about winning. It’s about seeing what you can do. Just don’t actually use your claws or bite hard, since this is a mock battle. Now, I’m coming for you!” Without a moment’s hesitation after, she lunged straight for Hollowpaw, quick on her feet. But the younger she-cat was very agile. Playing with her fox siblings, she had learned to be quick. Plus, it all just seemed to be natural for her. Without being entirely ready, Hollowpaw still managed to dodge to the side and then sin around to face Featherfur again. Once more, he cream Warrior lunged, and Hollowpaw dodged again. “You can’t just keep avoiding my attacks,” Featherfur told her as she went in for yet another failed altercation. “That’s not fighting. You’ll never win this way.” “I’m telling you, I don’t know how to fight,” Hollowpaw meowed back, jumping out of the way of a few swipes. “This is all I can do.” Featherfur’s ears laid against her skull. “Then think of this as hunting,” she said and swiped again, missing. “I am the prey, and you have to pounce on the prey to get it, right? So, pounce on me.” Hollowpaw really didn’t want to, but she knew she had to listen to learn. And she had to learn to be in the clan. Reluctantly, the silver feline jumped onto her mentor from the side. She landed on Featherfur’s side with the Warrior lying on her other, in the dirt. “Not bad,” the Warrrior commented but then twisted her body and battered Hollowpaw’s muzzle, casing her to back off easily. She jumped up then. “But you have to get some blows in. In actual battles, you won’t have time to think or let the enemy ponder. Get some hits then then get out.” Nodding, Hollowpaw stepped back a bit, not sure how to feel. It felt almost wrong to fight, even if it was all a simulation. But she also knew that it was something she’d have to do and improve at. Deciding she would do her best to improve, she looked up to her mentor. “Can you show me a battle move or two?” Featherfur was glad to hear her ask that, and she nodded. “Absolutely. Just remember, you won’t be great at first, but you have to keep practicing. You’ll get there.” She went into the middle of the circle and waved her tail for Hollowpaw to come over. She closed the distance and watched as Featherfur demonstrated a pretty basic battle move. “Alright. Pretend there’s a cat right there in front of my,” she told her Apprentice and crouched. “First, I lunge at them, either from the side or behind.” She pounced on air. “Then, while I’m on them, I batter them with my claws. If I hit them correctly, they’ll be on the ground, or their hind legs would at least be buckled. This allows for me to easily get some hits in before they twist around to defend themselves.” She waved her paws in the air as if to simulate a battering motion. “After a few hits, before they can turn around, I jump away.” And she followed her words by doing just that. “Now, I want you to pounce on me and do the same.” Hollowpaw clenched her teeth a bit. It all sounded pretty complicated to her. Well, it wasn’t supposed to be in theory, but actually executing the plan would be something else entirely from watching or listening to it. Still, she had to try. She had to do this. “Okay…” she mumbled to herself and spread her paws out in a battle-ready stance just like Featherfur had at first. Then, she leapt onto her mentor’s side, knocking her over. So far, so good. However, when she tried to swipe at her, Featherfur didn’t give in at all and twisted right around, not giving her any attack opening. Featherfur shoved her off with a few swipes to the muzzle like before. It was the move Hollowpaw had tried but failed at, and now she failed again. The orange she-cat scrambled to her paws and shook her head. “You have to be quicker than that,” she lightly lectured. “You’re definitely agile and swift on your paws, but I can already tell that you lack that speed once actually faced with attacking the opponent. And you lack confidence. Those are some things we’ll have to work on.” Hollowpaw mentally cursed herself for not getting it right. Sure, it was nearly impossible to execute such a move the first time, but being called out always hurt. She couldn’t help but berate herself a bit for it. As for confidence, that was impossible, in her mind, for her to just acquire. “Let’s try it again,” Featherfur told her and got back into position. “We won’t leave until you get it right.” Hollowpaw sighed mentally, knowing this would be a waste of time if it went on for too long, but who was she to argue? So, the she-cat went into for the attack again. She lunged, knocked Featherfur over, but then failed to get those swipes in again as her mind raced about where to strike and replying the comment of lacking confidence. Again she tired, and again she failed. Over and over. Finally, Hollowpaw was panting heavily before Featherufr decided to call it quits, after many failed attempts to correct her battle move. The Apprentice’s legs felt weak and shaky, and her heart pounded while lungs burned. “Alright, that’s enough,” Featherfur decided, disappointment evident on her face and in her mew. “We’ll try it again later. Let’s head back to camp for now.” Though she was quite disappointed her Apprentice couldn’t complete even the simple battle tactic after so many repeats, she couldn’t discourage her. “Just keep trying, and you’ll get there eventually. Now, let’s head back to camp.”
* “Come on, Hollowpaw! It’s been four sunrises since I showed you that move! You have to be getting the hang of it by now!” Featherfur called out as she watched from the sidelines. Beside her, other Warriors sat while watching their Apprentices do mock battles. “Be a little easier on the poor she-cat,” a tiger tabby tom mewed to his fellow Warrior. “She’s obviously trying very hard.” Featherfur sighed and watched as Hollowpaw was knocked off of Vinepaw, just like always. That’s always where her technique faltered. “Yes, I know she is, Acornfall, but any other Apprentice would have had it down by now,” she complained, exasperated. “In fact, all the other Apprentices do have it down by now.” The tiger tom observed Hollowpaw pick herself back up and easily avoided Vinepaw’s outstretched forepaws and leap. “Well, if anything, she’s very good at dodging attacks. Her agility is unmatched by the others, maybe even by us, too.” He hoped that would be something to Featherfur, as it was quite amazing. Yet he knew how serious about battles and battle training the long-furred Warrior could be. Featherfur shook her head. “She just can’t do it, and I don’t understand why. Yes, she can dodge pretty much any attack, but that alone will never win in a fight,” she argued, getting more and more frustrated as they talked about it. “Maybe I could teach her a bit for you,” Grayfoot offered, though, his gesture wasn’t entirely out of kindness. “Rosepaw is practically top of the Apprentices right now. I’m sure she and I could teach Hollowpaw where you’ve failed to thus far.” His gray and white face held a smug expression. Featherfur narrowed her eyes at him, but Buckleap spoke up before she could retort anything. “Not all cats learn the same ways,” he said, not taking his eyes off the mock battles. “I think while all of ours learn by trial, Hollowpaw learns visually. However, techniques can be very difficult to learn simply by watching it be done. The movements have to be done just right.” He then turned his head to Grayfoot for a moment then to Featherfur. “Remember when you both were Apprentices. Some moves are harder than others, and it took us all a while to get the techniques correct.” With a sigh, Featherfur nodded. “Yes, you’re right,” she admitted. “But I still wish she could do better… I realize how much effort she’s putting in, but it’s not enough. There’s no significant improvement. I just wish she’d improve…” Hollowpaw heard every word the mentors said from the sidelines. Nearly each one struck her like a bolt of lightning. Yet it was all true. Four sunrises had passed since ‘learning’ some of these battle moves, and she had yet to perfect any of them. Yet the other Apprentices knew them all and could perform them with ease, all against her. The only thing she could do in her defense was continue forcing them to miss. After training, Rosepaw met up with Hollowpaw, while the mentors left the Training Area. “I watched you and Vinepaw mock battle,” she told the silvery she-cat with welcoming glee. “You’re so fast, it’s unreal. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cat who could dodge so many assaults so easily.” Hollowpaw shook her head, ashamed that’s all she could do. “Avoiding attacks isn’t enough,” she muttered. “But I just can’t counterattack right at all, no matter how hard I try.” “You’ll get it eventually. Keep in mind that all of us have a moon of training already under our claws. You just got here, so you don’t now as much and haven’t had as much practice,” Rosepaw pointed out, hoping that would help convince her and lift up spirits a bit. “Maybe,” was all Hollowpaw could reply with. Of course, Webpaw came strolling over with Vinepaw in tow. “Nice dodging skills,” he sarcastically articulated to Hollowpaw. “With that fancy footwork, maybe you could dance the enemies into submission.” His taunting caused Vinepaw to stifle a laugh. “Shut up and get out of here,” Rosepaw growled. “Or I’ll knock you on your tail again, only this time it won’t be for training.” She narrowed her eyes and flattened her ears back at him, tail twitching in annoyance. Webpaw narrowed his eyes back but stuck his nose in the air. “Whatever. I’m hungry anyway,” he responded, trying to still act tough. “See you around, Stumptail,” he insulted Hollowpaw one last time then padded off with Vinepaw. Hollowpaw just let it all happen, staying quiet as Rosepaw had to defend her. The words of their mentors kept echoing in her mind, and she decided then and there to train harder. She had to. No giving up, no long breaks, no excuses. She had to do this. She had to prove to Featherfur, Webpaw, and the clan that she could do this! If not, she feared they may exile her being useless...✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 4: Meeting of the Clans “You really should take more breaks,” Rosepaw meowed before taking a bite of their juicy robin meal. The red she-cat swallowed soon after and licked her lips. “You’ve been practicing and practicing almost nonstop forever now, ever since you became an Apprentice half a moon ago.” Worry laced her mew as she looked to her best friend.“I know that,” Hollowpaw sighed, having just swallowed her own bite but quickly now losing appetite. “But I have to get this right. Yet no matter how much I practice and how much I try, I just can’t… I’m no good at fighting. I never have been.” The poor she-cat was on the brink of giving up, but something in her told her not to. Giving up would do her no good. It would only bring about more disappointment.“You’ll get it eventually. I’m just worried about you overworking yourself,” her friend told her then took another bite of the fresh kill, continuing with her mouth full. “You need rest.”Hollowpaw simply shook her silvery-gray and speckled head. “I’ll rest once I can actually get these moves down,” she mewed stubbornly then turned her attention to Acornfall as he limped into camp. His paw was held in the air, a small gash in the side of it that dribbled tiny specs of blood as he moved. The tabby warrior made his way to the Medicine Den, a smaller, branching off tunnel from their main camp cavern. Before he even made it to the entrance of the den, Dappleleaf was there to greet him.It always amazed Hollowpaw how Dappleleaf did anything when she had no sight at all, not even eyes. Yet, she was an amazing Medicine Cat and always fixed up every patient she had almost flawlessly. Hollowpaw watched in awe as Acornfall was sat by the entrance and Dappleleaf gathered a small bundle of moss then dipped into one of the various small pools of water which collected along the cave walls. She then proceeded to dab the tom’s injury, after sniffing to locate it, with the moist moss before grabbing some green leaves from a flower and then some dried oak leaf. Dappleleaf chewed it all up into a wad of plant fibers then used her paw to rub it right into Acornfall’s wound. Afterwards, some silvery strands of cobweb were gathered and wrapped around it all.“Wow, thanks, Dappleleaf. It feels better already,” the gentle warrior purred. “I really appreciate it.”“It’s not a problem at all. It’s my job, after all, and I do enjoy helping out any way I can,” the blind she-cat replied sweetly. “Just don’t rip those cobwebs off for a while, okay? Take it easy with the mock fights next time.” Acornfall nodded then took his leave.“Hey, Hollowpaw? Are you listening?” Rosepaw’s loud mew in her ear snapped the silvery she-cat out of her dazed state. “What? Uh, yeah,” she replied but got a doubtful look from her friend. “No…” she then admitted, embarrassed.Rosepaw sighed and rolled her eyes. “Featherfur said that once you’re done eating, she wants you to go with her, Rainpaw, and Batclaw to the Training Area for mock battles,” she relayed. “Do you think you’d be able to handle that with all the extra training you’ve been doing on your own? I don’t want you passing out from exhaustion or anything.”“I can manage,” Hollowpaw assured her then stood up. “I’ll just go now. They’re waiting by the entrance anyway,” she noticed. “I’ll see you later.” With that, the lithe she-cat trotted over to the mineshaft entrance, where her party was waiting.“Ready to go?” Rainpaw asked her, his bulky form seeming much larger next to her smaller frame, even if she did have some size on the other Apprentices now. “Just because you’re my friend, don’t think I’ll go easy on you,” he told her with a small purr.“I know,” she replied, though, she knew inside that he would kick her stumpy tail like always. She said no more as they headed out. If her tail had been any more than the small stump it was, it would have been twitching anxiously in a more noticeable way.“Come on, Hollowpaw! Dodge then swipe!” Featherfur yelled to her Apprentice from the sidelines of the small clearing. Her cream orange pelt of wisps quivered in the gentle breeze, yet her eyes were not so gentle. “You’ve been practicing these same moves for a moon now!”“I know!” Hollowpaw called back. She half-crouched with her small tail in the air and head down as her dark gray sparring partner ran at her head on. She tried to jump out of the way and spin around to hit him. The attack was dodged correctly, however, as she turned back to swipe, the larger tom reared up and brought a paw down onto her head, slamming it into the ground.Hollowpaw fell, dazed for a moment. Rainpaw stopped his assault instantly and bent down to her. “Are you okay? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hit you so hard,” he apologized, worried for her.An annoyed sigh sounded from the sidelines. “She’s never going to get this,” Batclaw told Featherfur. “You’ve had her for almost as long as I’ve been training Rainpaw, and she hasn’t even mastered one move yet except dodging.” The black tom shook his head. “I don’t know what advice to even give you at this point.”Featherfur sighed as well, knowing full well how far behind her Apprentice was falling. “I’m trying my best. I know she is, too. But no matter what I do, she just doesn’t improve much at all,” she told him, clearly disappointed and unsure how to proceed.Hollowpaw laid there, hearing every word despite the Deputy and her mentor trying to keep their voices hushed to each other. They were right. No matter how hard she tried, or what method Featherfur tried to train her with, she never got the hang of any actual attacking moves. All she could ever do was dodge. “I’ll be fine. Give me a moment,” she told Rainpaw quietly, wanting to simply lie there for a bit, being tired anyway.“Alright,” he meowed softly then reluctantly padded away to train on his own, hoping she really was okay. The mentors were conversing still, so he resorted to attacking a tree instead, clawing at it and jumping on then off it. Being the largest of the current Apprentices, he left long gashes in the oak’s bark. However, it seemed that nature itself was not happy by this, and as he went in for another attack, the tree seemed to go on the offensive. A branch fell from the canopy above, causing Rainpaw to yowl in pain as some fur was taken off his side where it had hit. Crimson began to seep out of the wound. Thankfully, though, the jagged edge of where the branch broke off had only scraped his side, instead of the entire thing falling right onto him.“Are you alright?” Featherfur asked, coming over to see exactly what had happened to him, concerned he may be more hurt. Batclaw accompanied her but didn’t seem nearly as worried since the dark gray tom was still standing. “Uh, yeah. I guess the tree didn’t like me practicing on it,” Rainpaw replied, bending to look at his side. “It really stings, though.”Hollowpaw jumped at her friend’s cry and padded over, as well. She observed the blood seeping from the wound and recalled what Dappleleaf had done for Acornfall earlier. Without even thinking, she glanced around until she found a patch of moss, damp from the previous sun’s rain. Carefully, she clawed up a wad then brought it over. “Hold still,” she told Rainpaw through the moss then dabbed at his wound. Slowly, the bleeding ebbed away with the dew, and she dropped the moss. Next came those stems. Quickly, she noticed the same yellow wildflowers growing right by the tree he had gotten hurt on. Without a word, the she-cat picked a couple, plucked off the leaves first, then chewed them up, along with a dried oak leaf by the base. The mix was applied to the wound then finished off with some near by cobwebs. “There.”All three other cats stared in astonishment. “Wow, Hollowpaw. It feels better already,” Rainpaw told her, shocked she had just done this all right in front of him. “Thanks.”The other two had their jaws open in disbelief until Featherfur spoke up. “It looks as though Dappleleaf had done it herself, almost.” She examined the patch work then nodded. “I think she should check this out.”Batclaw nodded his agreement. “Rainpaw will need to be properly looked at anyway,” he decided. “Let’s go.” The dark brown deputy turned and led the way back. Oddly enough, everyone was silent on the way back. And Hollowpaw worried she had done something she really wasn’t supposed to. After all, she was no Medicine Cat; she had only done what had first come to her mind to help her friend out.Back at camp, Batclaw took the two apprentices to the Medicine Den, while Featherfur went to Riftstar’s den to talk to her. Hollowpaw noticed her mentor disappear in the crack of the weird rock which formed the Leader’s Den, and a lump formed in her throat. Yet, her attention was quickly called back to the task at paw – being worried about what Dappleleaf would say.“Rainpaw was injured by a falling branch,” Batclaw began to explain to the Medicine Cat, his tone stern and firm. “And Hollowpaw did this to him.” He used the tip of his tail to guide the blind cat’s nose to the wound, his fur barely brushing against her whickers.The tortoiseshell she-cat followed along effortlessly until her darker speckled muzzle was near the injury sight. She sniffed it a few times then ever so gingerly ran her paw across the web works. Her ears perked up with interest. “Oh my. It feels almost flawless, and there’s even oak leaf for infection and comfrey to sooth the sting,” she meowed then turned her head right towards Hollowpaw. “And you’ve done this all on your own? How?” Her voice held no anger or disappoint, only interest and curiosity, maybe even some pride. Now, that was something Hollowpaw was not used to in this clan.She shuffled her forepaws along the stony floor and looked down. “I just saw you do it with Acornfall earlier, and he needed help… So, I helped…” Hollowpaw half-muttered, not sure if she would still be in trouble or not but anticipating it, anyway.Dappleleaf’s ears perked up more. “You saw this done once and replicated the ingredients and technique this well?” She couldn’t believe her ears, but she knew by the young Apprentice’s tone that she was not lying. “My dear Hollowpaw, I do believe you have the talent of a true Medicine Cat,” she said excitedly. Hollowpaw’s own ears perked up. “Really?” she asked, gazing at her with her own excitement yet uncertainty. She was actually good at something that would be useful for the clan?“Yes, really,” Dappleleaf assured her. “If you’d like to, I’d love to take you on as my own Apprentice. Of course, Featherfur and especially Riftstar would have the final say, but I think I could teach you so much, and you could do some really great things.”“I think that’s a great idea,” Batclaw chimed in. “It’s no secret you can’t battle, but it’ll be great for the clan to have a Medicine Cat Apprentice. It’s been too long, and we need one.”Though Batclaw’s words seemed kind of harsh, Hollowpaw knew he was right. She couldn’t hold her own in combat at all, but this, this was something she had done right for once. She could finally be of use to the clan as a Medicine Cat Apprentice. She could actually feel like she was worth something to everyone here. “If I’m allowed to, I’d love to be your Apprentice,” she decided, speaking to Dappleleaf hopefully.“Oh, that makes me so happy!” Dappleleaf purred. “Gives an old cat something to really look forward to again.” It was no secret that her last Apprentice had perished from a bad case of greencough, which had swept the clan before Hollowpaw had come. So, to have an Apprentice again, it clearly made the Medicine Cat jovial.Just then, Dappleleaf turned her attention to the den entrance, causing Hollowpaw to look, as well. Nothing was there at first, but only a couple heartbeats later, the black form of Riftstar, along with the much fuzzier Featherfur stopped at the entrance. “Hollowpaw, I’d like to talk to you,” Riftstar meowed, her mew giving away nothing by tone.Before she knew it. Hollowpaw was at the base of the Leader’s Den with Riftstar calling for a clan meeting from atop the odd stone. Her silvery paws prickled with anxiety as cats emerged from their dens or stopped conversations to come to their Leader’s call.“Don’t worry, you’ll be just fine. Nobody will judge you,” Dappleleaf tried to reassure from the side where she sat. How did she know about her nerves? Hollowpaw wondered a lot about Dappleleaf’s abilities to sense such things when she had no eyes and thus no sight. Yet, somehow, she must be able to feel the young cat’s anxiety. Frankly, it was amazing.The clan gathered beneath the weird stone and in front of their leader, and Hollowpaw. Eyes were on them both but soon shifted more to Riftstar as she spoke. “I have gathered you here to announce some very special news.” Her authoritative tone echoed the cavern walls. “Hollowpaw will no longer train as a Warrior’s Apprentice.”Murmurs began to ring out, along with hushed whispers from the crowd. Yet, the stone walls held and then tossed every sound, so nothing was ever too silent or secret. But, with one flick of Riftstar’s dark tail tip, everyone quieted down to listen.“Instead, due to her already promising talent, she will switch to being a Medicine Cat Apprentice and train under Dappleleaf,” the leader announced. A harsh laugh burst forth from a single cat in the crowd, earning a hard glare from Riftstar. “Is this funny to you, Webpaw?” she demanded, instantly silencing the tom’s laughter. “Do you think the clan should not have a Medicine Cat Apprentice? So, when Dappleleaf eventually joins StarClan we are left without any way to heal ourselves?” she challenged him.The crowd parted to reveal the light gray tom, his darker markings standing out against his pale pelt. His green eyes, which normally held arrogance, seemed to dull as they flowed to the ground. “No, Riftstar. Sorry,” he murmured, shuffling his paws slightly.Riftstar continued to glare at the young tom for a moment then nodded. “That’s what I thought. Do not think that just because you may not like Hollowpaw that you have any right to mock her any way you see fit, especially not during a Ceremony,” she scolded him then took a breath and continued to address the clan as a whole. “I am proud to say that now our LeafClan can once more have an Apprentice for Medicine Cat. And, I will be even more proud to announce this at the Gathering tonight.” Next, she turned her attention down to Hollowpaw, who’s anxiety was rising even more, thanks to Webpaw. “Hollowpaw, would you please touch noses to your new mentor and bow your respect for your old one?”Hollowpaw nodded, though her limbs felt stiff like tree branches. She managed to stand and turned to face Dappleleaf, who already had her nose outstretched to make things official. Pushing down her fears, Hollowpaw stretched her own nose out and met her new mentor’s. Then, she turned to Featherfur, sitting at the front of the crowd and bowed to her, nose to the ground and her bobbed tail in the air for all to see.Altogether, the cats of the crowd cheered for her, just like they had when she had first became an official Apprentice and member of the Clan. But, this time, it felt better, honestly. Despite the nerves tumbling in her belly, some form of pride welled up inside her, especially when her gaze scanned the cheering cats. Rosepaw’s cheer was probably the loudest of them all as she showed real pride in her best friend. Then, there was Rainpaw. He was the best of the two brother Apprentices, always kind to her and supportive, unlike snarky Webpaw. It was because of her larger friend that she was given this opportunity in the first place – or maybe it was just fate. Yet, deep down, Hollowpaw couldn’t help but wonder what Mother would think. Would she be proud of her feline kit? What about her real parents? She knew next to nothing about them, just that they were most likely clan cats, based on location of where she had been found and where Mother had said the scent trail led towards – the clan territories. But that was it. Who were they really? Would they be proud of her if they could see her now…?* Hollowpaw followed along beside her new mentor while they trekked to the Meeting Crag, a place she had never yet been. Nerves made her paws tingle while she padded along the rocky terrain, slowly, with the rest of the group. Dappleleaf worried her, but the Medicine Cat was getting along just fine with Riftstar guiding her way with a tail gently in her jaws. Batclaw padded at Dappleleaf’s side, telling her what to expect next, whether she’d have to step down off a rock or step over one. In this stone-covered half of their territory, they had to be sure Dappleleaf was always fine to travel through it to meetings or to the Moon Tree.Hollowpaw stayed on her other side, watching her new mentor’s paws nervously. Even with help and with how fine the she-cat got around normally, the random stone placement the camp’s outside had to offer did not put her at any kind of ease.Behind, the rest of the garrison followed. Featherfur was among them, along with Rainpaw. Webpaw had not been allowed to attend due to his disrespectful outburst during the clan meeting, but he had been sure to give Hollowpaw his exact, hurtful thoughts about her not being good enough to be a Warrior. She shook her head and glanced back at the others, sad Rosepaw hadn’t been able to attend, either. Echofinch, Gentlestripe, Buckleap, and Littleripple were all attending. Each one followed along behind, occasionally exchanging conversation quietly.“Alright, not much further now,” Riftstar meowed, talking to Dappleleaf. “We’ve come out of the rocks, so it’s just trees from here, until we get to Meeting Crag.”“Good to know, thank you,” Dappeleaf said politely, always having a joyful tone. “I can’t wait to get there and tell the other Medicine Cats about the good news.” Now, she sounded more joyful than ever, and it did bring a warmth to Hollowpaw’s heart.It wasn’t too much longer before the group reached the Meeting Crag, as foretold. Before them stretched a large rift within the very earth itself, the skeleton of a huge monster towering over the throng of cats which milled throughout the crag. Everyone was bathed in moonlight from the high hanging full moon. It seemed as though both FireClan and WaterClan had already made it to the Gathering, and LeafClan was last, as usual.“Alright, nice and easy,” Riftstar meowed as she carefully made her way down the steep slope with Dappleleaf, Batclaw helping to guide her. “LeafClan is here,” one cat from the crowd announced below, causing all others to look up at them. One tom pushed his way past others to come to them as LeafClan descended into the Crag. His ginger tabby pelt shone with a silver from the moon as he padded over, a smaller gray tom with black paws following. “Dappleleaf! It’s so good to see you again,” the orange tom greeted. “I’m glad you’ve made it here alright.”“Ah, Bubblepelt, I’m glad you’re here, as well,” Dappeleaf meowed happily. “Is Gravelpaw with you, too?”“Yeah, I’m right here,” the gray tom replied excitedly. “You know I wouldn’t miss a Gathering for the world.”“True,” Dappleleaf chuckled. “I love gatherings, too. I just wish they weren’t so loud in the beginning. Would you mind showing me to our space?”“Of course,” Gravelpaw responded politely. Though the blind Medicine Cat couldn’t see it, the young tom’s eyes were bright with joy and spirit. Dappleleaf turned to Hollowpaw. “The Medicine Cats all sit right under the monster skeleton. Come meet us there once the Gathering really starts, but you’re free to mingle until then,” she told her new Apprentice, who meowed in understanding.“Wait,” Gravelpaw said and looked at Hollowpaw. “You’re a Medicine Cat? Or her new Apprentice?” he asked, clearly very curious and needing clarification.“Apprentice, as of earlier today,” Hollowpaw told him, feeling sheepish about it for some reason. She did kind of half expect him to laugh at her like Webpaw had done, or mock her on his own. Unexpectedly, the gray tom leaped slightly into the air with excitement. “Yes! Another Apprentice! This is awesome! Willowpaw is gonna be so happy, too!” He took a step towards her, getting more in her face, but not in a threatening way. He didn’t seem to understand what he was doing and that personal boundaries were a thing. “What’s your name? How much do you know already? Do you like being a Medicine Cat Apprentice, so far?” he asked, question after question tumbling out of his mouth like a waterfall. Before she could even attempt to answer any of them, he continued with a statement that sent heat to her ears. “Your pelt shines so nicely in the moonlight; it’s pretty.”“Alright, Gravelpaw,” Bubblepelt interrupted, not angrily but stern enough to get the young tom’s attention. “Are you going to help me show Dappleleaf to our space, or do I have to do it myself?”Gravelpaw instantly calmed down, putting his ears back in embarrassment and taking a few steps back from Hollowpaw, who was pretty stunned by his over-the-top, jovial reaction. “I’ll help,” he replied then glanced back to Hollowpaw. “It’s very nice to meet you. I’ll see you again soon,” he told her with a purr then helped Bubblepelt guide her mentor away, through the gathered cats.The rest of the clan had already dispersed and mixed into the crowd to chat and catch up, leaving Hollowpaw now alone on the very edge of it all. She glanced up at the cliff side where they’d come from then sighed and looked out among what she could from where she sat. Cats of all colors and sizes mingled and chatted loudly, the scents of them all wafting into her nose together. No wonder Dappleleaf needed extra help getting through. She couldn’t properly hear or smell a thing in this loud mess. As Hollowpaw looked around, she didn’t see anybody she really knew. There were a few cats she’d learned the names of from border patrols, when she had stuck by Featherfur’s side. A tall light gray tom with white paws and blue eyes conversed with a brown tom. The gray one was Tallstrike, a kind and noble warrior from WaterClan. And the brown one was Stumpfang, named so for his missing top fangs. He was said to be an aggressive WaterClan warrior, obsessed with the fangs he still had. With them was a cat she hadn’t seen before, some yellow she-cat. Near them was Thornstorm, a brown she-cat whose body was littered with battle scars like the ground was with fallen leaves. She was a fierce fighter and formidable opponent from FireClan, Hollowpaw recalled Featherfur’s words. But, she was rather polite and friendly outside of battle, like now. Conversing with her was another FireClan cat, she assumed, and Batclaw. Hollowpaw was relieved to finally spot someone she actually knew, but Batclaw wasn’t her favorite cat ever with his hurtful words earlier and obvious disappointment in her as a Warrior’s Apprentice. Still, he was a great Deputy for LeafClan. Hopefully, now that she was a Medicine Cat Apprentice, things would get better. She then noticed a light gray tom with black speckles, a very long tail, and yellow eyes giving her a sort of death glare from a short distance away. She was taken aback but couldn’t look away for some reason. The two, for a moment, locked gazes and stared at each other. Then, without a word, the tom got up and walked away, disappearing into the clowder. “Hey.” The sudden meow to her side startled Hollowpaw, causing her to jump and fur to bristle. She spun around quickly to see who had scared her only to find Gravelpaw there.He put his ears back momentarily. “Whoa, sorry,” he said loudly, having to be loud to be heard over all the background chatter. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just figured you’d want someone to talk to until the Leaders speak.”Hollowpaw felt her heart slowly calm down from racing and let her fur lie flat again. “Uh, yeah. I guess so. That could be nice,” she said, feeling way too awkward sitting there alone. “I’m Hollowpaw, by the way.”Gravelpaw nodded and sat down next to her. “Nice to meet you, for real this time,” he purred, his green eyes glowing in the moonlight. “I’m FireClan’s Medicine Cat Apprentice. Bubblepelt is my mentor.”Hollowpaw nodded. “That sounds cool,” she said, not entirely sure what else to say. It took her a moment to think of a couple questions to keep the newborn conversation going. “How long have you been an Apprentice for Bubblepelt? Is it hard learning all the herbs and stuff?” Maybe he could actually give her some tips?“Three moons,” the gray tom answered then shook his head. “Nah, it’s not too hard to learn names and what everything looks like, or where to find them. What’s hardest is learning what everything does and what it’s for.” He leaned in slightly. “First tip, never give a kit or kitting queen poppy seeds. Probably one of the most important things to remember.”With a nod, she stored that in her mind, repeating it inside a few times. “What does poppy seed do?”Gravelpaw answered without any hesitation. “It’s supposed to calm an anxious or grieving cat, also slightly numbs physical pain. But it doesn’t sit well with kits, and it’s dangerous for kitting queens.” He sat back a bit, now ready to ask some questions of his own. Hopefully, they could be answered this time. “Okay, so, since you didn’t really get a chance before to answer this; how much do you know already? About herbs and such?” Hollowpaw shuffled her silvery paws in the dust. “Uh, not too much,” she replied. “Just how to patch up a small wound, apparently.” She tensed slightly, fully expecting him to make fun of her for lack of knowledge and/or confidence.“Huh. Well, since you said you’ve just started studying under Dappleleaf earlier today, that makes sense. You’re not gonna know much yet, but there’s plenty of time to learn,” the tom told her, not at all indicating any sense of disapproval or mocking. “You do look a little old to be a new Apprentice, though…” He narrowed his eyes at her, thinking. Then, he perked up. “Wait, I know! I remember now! Some of the Warriors said they saw you around the borders with Featherfur. You were training to be a Warrior’s Apprentice, after you came to LeafClan as a rogue, right? That’s what everyone always said, anyway.” He paused then. “What happened?”Hollowpaw visibly flinched once he blurted it all out. Her ears went back, and she shrunk inside herself, shuffling her paws again. Behind her, her bobbed tail twitched from side to side nervously. “I…uh…” She couldn’t bring her gaze up to meet his.Gravelpaw now felt bad, seeing how clearly embarrassed and scared she was. “It’s okay. You don’t need to tell me,” he mewed gently. “I’m not going to push you like that, but I can tell you right now you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. Medicine Cats do just as much for a clan as the Warriors, if not even more. And whatever reason you have for being here instead of training to be a Warrior is nothing to be ashamed of, either.” He nudged her then, trying to be friendly and comforting. “Okay?”Hollowpaw couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It was completely the opposite of what she had been expecting this entire time. But…it was nice. Really nice. She slowly moved her eyes up to meet his warm, green gaze. “Thanks,” she said, flicking her own gaze back down but then back up. Gravelpaw nodded, gentle warmth radiating from his being. “No problem.”That’s when FireClan’s leader, Nightstar, yowled to call for everyone’s attention from high atop the yellow monster skeleton. “The Gathering is about to begin. Please, take your places and quiet down.” His dark gray form melded with the night sky, only the white mark on his chest and yellow eyes standing out against the dark background. Next to him stood Riftstar and WaterClan’s leader, Brindlestar. Her tortoiseshell pelt half-blending in, as well. “We’d better get going to meet the others,” Gravelpaw meowed and got up, after glancing over his shoulder at the Leader. “Come on, I’ll lead the way. Just stick right behind me.” He turned and began to pad away.Hollowpaw followed as instructed, staying right on his tail as they pushed past other cats taking their places. She heard Gravelpaw giving out the occasional ‘excuse me’ as he led the way through. He was extremely polite but excitable, she thought. She liked him.It didn’t take too long for them to make it to the base of the skeleton and meet up with the other Medicine Cats and Apprentice. Bubblepelt sat right next to Dappleleaf. Beside them sat a large, white tom with mud brown paws and stern, amber eyes. Beside him was a much smaller tiger tabby she-cat who was looking down at her paws nervously.“That’s Eaglegaze,” Gravelpaw whispered to Hollowpaw once she took her place by Dappleleaf, and he sat next to her. “The big, white one. He’s pretty grumpy, but he knows his stuff, so don’t take anything rude he says personally. He’s like that to everyone, pretty much. And Willowpaw is his Apprentice. She’s really shy but sweet once you get to know her. Eaglegaze is pretty hard on her, though. He’s SUPER strict.”Hollowpaw already felt bad for poor Willowpaw, knowing what it was like to be anxious about things, like being at such a large gathering. Her nerves had calmed down some, but she was still terrified. She just hoped Eaglegaze wasn’t TOO hard on Willowpaw.“Alright, let this Gathering begin,” Nightstar said from above, causing Hollowpaw to have to tilt her head back to even remotely see him. But, Gravelpaw told her to not bother with that and just listen, so she did, looking out at the now quiet crowd. “Who would like to speak first?” FireClan’s leader asked his fellow Leaders.“I will,” Brindlestar replied, stepping forward. She looked out at the mass of cats, standing tall with her head high. “As green-leaf gives way to leaf-fall, I am proud to announce that our queen, Tawnystream, has recently kitted two new, healthy kits – Sparrowkit and Fawnkit.”The crowd, especially WaterClan, cheered loudly for a moment then quieted again so the Leader could continue. “I am also to proud to announce that we have a new Warrior added to our ranks – Smallsand.” The crowd cheered once more for a few moments. “Prey is also running well, and the clan is well fed and strong for the upcoming cold.” With that, seeming very satisfied with herself, she nodded to Nightstar to speak, finished.The gray tom stepped forward as the she-cat stepped back. “FireClan is also doing well with a steady supply of prey, despite the changing weather. We have not gained any new kits, but I’m very happy to announce Gingerfoot as a new Warrior,” he meowed, causing more cheers from the crowd, now mostly from FireClan. “Our clan continues to grow strong.”“Not too much,” Gravelpaw muttered under his breath, catching Hollowpaw’s attention. What did he mean by that? Was something happening that the clan didn’t want to announce? Something that really meant weakness? She wanted to ask but knew that it’d be rude to, doubtful she’d get answers, anyway. “I guess it’s my turn then,” Riftstar’s voice came from above. “We have not had any new kits born or any new Warriors, but I am extremely happy to tell you all now that we have gained a new Medicine Cat Apprentice.” Murmurs erupted from the cats below her, to which she flicked her tail for silence. “Hollowpaw, a rogue who saved an Apprentice’s life and came to us a moon ago, has found a talent with herbs, treating one of our cat’s wounds with having seen the technique done only once before and from a distance. She clearly possesses the talent and skills necessary for being a Medicine Cat, and I could not be happier to have her in the position of Dappleleaf’s Apprentice.”Hollowpaw felt the eyes of the other Medicine Cats and Apprentices on her, as well as those from the front of the crowd, and she shrunk back a little, not entirely comfortable with this yet. Although, Riftstar’s words of pride did warm her inside. It felt good to hear her leader say such high praise of her.“Wow! You fixed up a cat’s wound after seeing it once?” Gravelpaw’s astonished mew came from beside her. “That’s amazing!” He nudged her. “You’re amazing.”“Uh, thanks,” the she-cat meowed, relaxing a bit. It helped that Dappleleaf had begun to lightly pat her back with her tail, a gesture of reassurance from the blind cat.“Unless someone else has something they’d like to share, I think we’re done here,” Riftstar said. There were more murmurs from the crowd, but no one spoke up. “Okay, it has been a pleasant, yet quick, Gathering,” she said politely then made her way off the yellow skeleton, landing by the little group beneath. “I’m glad everything went well,” Dappleleaf told her Leader. “Yes, I am, too,” Riftstar replied happily. “I meant everything I said, too,” she said, looking to Hollowpaw now. “I am glad to have you in this new position, and proud as a Leader. I know you’ll take care of us all well.” She turned her attention back to Dappleleaf and moved her tail tip right at the blind cat’s nose. “It’s been nice talking with you all again,” Dapplelaf told her fellow herb-lovers. “I look forward to seeing you all at the Moon Tree soon.” With that, she softly clamped her jaws around her Leader’s tail to be safely guided out. Batclaw quickly came over to help, as well.“I’ll see you again soon,” Gravelpaw meowed to Hollowpaw happily. “I really look forward to talking to you again. Later.” He waved his gray tail at her then walked off with Bubblepelt. Eaglegaze and Willowpaw had already gone off without much word at all.Hollowpaw watched Gravelpaw walk off for a moment, all nerves now replaced with joy as the Gathering was over. She was glad to have made a new friend in the other Medicine Cat Apprentice and to have heard such nice things from Riftstar. This Gathering was definitely a successful one. Yet, as she followed her clan out of the large crag, she couldn’t help but think about what Gravelpaw had mumbled to himself earlier. What was going on in FireClan that they were trying to hide? Also plaguing her mind now was that light gray tom who had given her such a sinister glare, too. What was that all about? Who was he?
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Chapter 5: StarClan “So, we’ll have to pass through FireClan territory to get to the Moon Tree?” Hollowpaw padded alongside her mentor while she was led along by the guiding tail of Echofinch. “Isn’t that dangerous? Wont’ they attack us?” she asked worriedly, knowing the blind she-cat could never stand up against an attack of any kind. After all, that’s why a Warrior was accompanying them and escorting the Medicine Cat. “It’ll be fine,” Echofinch answered for Dappleleaf, since the tortoiseshell’s mouth was holding her tail. Her golden pelt bleneded in perfectly with the leaf-fall leaves. “As long as we stick to the designated trial for Medicine Cats, we’ll be alright. FireClan knows we have to cross their territory to get to the Tree,” she assured. “We’ve done it many times before.” Dappleleaf couldn’t easily say anything, but she did at least nod. She carefully padded along behind Echofinch, stepping gingerly as they crossed the rocky terrain. Hollowpaw couldn’t help but still be nervous about it. Her entire time with the clan, she had been told to never go into other clan territories, because it would cause problems. She may have been a Medicine Cat Apprentice now, but she had been told that even Medicine Cats needed to know how to somewhat defend themselves. And her fighting skills hadn’t changed at all in terms of mastery. If a battle broke out anywhere along the way to the Moon Tree, there wasn’t much at all she could do to defend herself or Dappleleaf. Her muscles instinctively stiffened as the scent border between LeafClan and FireClan wafted into her nose. Soon, her paws tingled as they crossed the invisible wall. Inside, it felt so wrong to do this, but Echofinch and Dappleleaf kept carrying on, so she had no choice but to follow yet. In FireClan’s territory, Hollowpaw noticed that a slightly worn path was carved among the rocks and undergrowth, a trail which the three cats now followed. It was narrow and didn’t leave much room for more than two cats, side by side at a time, but the Apprentice figured this was their safe path, so she would be sure to stick to it without fault. The trio walked on for a little while, maybe getting half-way through the territory, before a sandy-gray tom came barreling towards them with fury in his eyes. “Intruders!” he yowled as he sprinted closer. Dappleleaf let go of her escort’s tail, and Echofinch spun to face the incoming cat. “Stop!” she ordered harshly. The tom, however, did not faulter in his pawsteps and lunged for Echofinch. Hollowpaw watched with fear as their attacker didn’t do a thing to listen. She assumed, by his size, that he was an Apprentice younger than her. So, maybe he didn’t know any better, but it still scared her that Dappleleaf was in danger. As such, without knowing much about fighting still, her instinct pulled her to step in front of her mentor as a shield. Echofinch didn’t even let the sandy tom get close to the pair. As the tom lunged for her, she reared up and slammed her paws down onto his head, right before he could even touch her, to Hollowpaw’s amazement. Their attacker fell to the ground, winded. “I told you to stop,” she growled down to the younger feline. Just then, two larger cats came bounding over. A very large tiger tabby tom trotted over, a look of embarrassment on his face. “I’m so sorry,” he spoke to Echofinch, much to Hollowpaw’s astonishment. “He’s still new and is overeager.” He prodded the fallen Apprentice with a paw. “Get up, Harepaw. You’re doing bedding changes for the Warriors’ Den for this.” The sandy tom slowly got to his feet, swaying a bit as he was still semi-dazed. He blinked a few times and shook his head. “What?” he asked his mentor, only half-focused. “Why?” The accompanying, brown she-cat with them placed her torn ears back, just as embarrassed. “Because you attacked LeafClan Medicine cats on their way to the Moon Tree,” she told him with an annoyed sigh. “We’ve told you before that this path is reserved for them to travel through the territory safely. It’s dishonorable and wrong to stop a Medicine Cat from traveling this route.” Hollowpaw’s legs shook a bit, residual fear from the thought of being assaulted still going through her. Still, she was glad to have moved in front of Dappleleaf, just in case. She watched and listened carefully, noting the stray Apprentice’s name and remembering what FeatherFur had told her about this she-cat. The one lecturing Harepaw was Thornstorm, the furious fighter of FireClan. Her battles scar riddled pelt proved that fact. However, even though it was said that she was always ready for battle, the she-cat was navigating away from one right now. It was clear that above battle skills, she had honor, thankfully. “But there’s three of them!” Harepaw protested, coming back to his senses gradually. “Only one of them can be a Medicine Cat.” His mentor narrowed his eyes at him. The tiger tom flicked his tail towards the small LeafClan group. “Yes, and one of them is. I realize you have yet to meet her, but Dappleleaf there is blind. She cannot navigate territory on her own, so Echofinch here – the one who so easily took you down – is escorting her. And that young she-cat,” he nodded to Hollowpaw, who quickly lowered her gaze, “is LeafClan’s new Medicine Cat Apprentice. So, if either Dappleleaf or,” he paused and looked back to Hollowpaw. “What’s your name again?” “Hollowpaw,” she answered in a murmur, not liking the attention, especially for a lecture. It just felt awkward. “If Dappleleaf or Hollowpaw are with any Warrior or even alone, on this path, then you NEVER attack them,” the large tom told his novice. “Understood?” Harepaw looked down, not ashamed but rather irritated and somewhat embarrassed. “Yes. Brackenwhisper,” he muttered back. Brackenwhisper nodded curtly then turned his attention to the small squad, his gaze instantly softening. ‘I’m so sorry for his behavior,” he apologized and bowed to the group, his nose to the ground and tail in the air. “It won’t happen again.” “It’s fine, dear,” Dappleleaf spoke up, her tone as cheery as ever. “It happens. He just needs to learn, but I’m certain he’s already learned well from this experience here. However, we do have to be on our way, if you’ll please excuse us.” “Of course,” Thornstorm meowed back, dipping her head but not fully bowing like her companion. She gestured for Brackenwhisper and Harepaw to follow her then padded off in the general direction they’d come from. Soon, the browning undergrowth concealed them. “Well, that was something,” Echofinch sighed. “Hopefully, nothing like that happened again.” She gave her tail back to the blind she-cat, and they all began to move again. Nothing else eventful happened on the way to the Moon Tree. Only the remaining birds called, and a breeze rustled what leaves still clung to the trees. The Moon tree itself, once they arrived, was no different. In this weather, it boasted no beautiful blossoms nor vibrant leaves. Instead, it followed the lead of the other trees and held leaves of color to make up only a half-canopy. Still, the tree itself was huge with a thick, sturdy trunk and gnarled roots that stretched far in all directions. Below it, among the roots, was a hole leading underneath the tree. An old fox den made up the area in which the cats would enter for sharing tongues with StarClan. “Here we are,” the golden she-cat announced. She further led Dappleleaf down into the den, underneath the tree’s being. “Are you doing alright, Dappleleaf?” she asked and stopped the Medicine Cat at the center of the underground den. Hollowpaw gazed up at the tree in awe for a moment, wondering how old it really was to be so large and ancient looking. Still, she didn’t hesitate to follow the others down into the den. The structure of it reminded her of home, the home where she’d been raised. A pang on homesickness hit her heart, but she pushed it down and listened patiently. “Yes, I’m fine,” Dappleleaf replied, panting a tiny bit. “I’m just getting too old. The journey will be harder and harder with the coming seasons, but I’m not dead yet. Let’s just rest some on the way back, at about the half-way point,” she suggested. “Of course,” Echofinch agreed, not wanting the elderly she-cat to overexert herself. A trip to the Moon tree was very important, but so was Dappleleaf’s health and wellbeing. “Buy, anyway, the root is right in front of your nose. I’ll be at the entrance to stand guard.” With that, she padded over to the hole in the ground and sat down, her back to them. “Alright, Hollowpaw,” Dappleleaf spoke up. “This is Moon Tree, and this thick root coming down in the middle of this den is the conduit we’ll use to share tongues with StarClan,” she explained, nodding to a large root which hung from the den’s ceiling and anchored itself into the floor straight down. “All you have to do is lie down and touch your nose to it then close your eyes. Then, StarClan will be waiting for you. You’ll be asleep, and your dreams will instantly be transported to them. Easy enough, right?” Hollowpaw listened, examining the root. “Yeah, it sounds easy enough,” she agreed, hoping it really would be that easy. Though, it was hard for her to imagine simply touching a tree’s root would somehow transport her back to the magical world knowing as StarClan. But why would they need to travel all this way for this tree anyway? She had been to StarClan once before on her own, while sleeping on the boulder Mother first found her at. Maybe next time they could just go back there. “Good.” Dappleleaf crouched down and then tucked her paws underneath herself before touching her nose to the root. Almost instantly, her body fell limp. Her chin lightly hit the ground, but her nose remained in contact with the root. Hollowpaw just barely stopped herself panicking, having to remind herself that she was just told that cats who touched the root would fall asleep. Looking at Dappleleaf’s evenly rising and falling sides, that theory was thankfully, confirmed. She sighed with relief and looked over to Echofinch, who was focused on standing guard for them. Guard from what, though? Nobody had said what could be out here that they needed to worry about. Was it bears? Coyotes? Other cats? It didn’t occur to her that the clan cats also feared foxes, which this den had been made by. To her, foxes weren’t much to fear at all, having been raised by one and alongside more. Still, she wondered. But, even so, Hollowpaw knew that they had come to the Tree for a reason, and she had to fulfill that mission. As such, she did as her mentor did and laid down with her paws tucked below her belly then took a deep breath. Gingerly, she touched her nose to the root, feeling its coldness seep into her, and she closed her eyes. What seemed like only a heartbeat later, she opened them and found herself in a familiar pine forest. Sure enough, squishy moss sat beneath her pads, and a warm breeze brushed her pelt. Looking around, she also recognized the area in which she now stood as being where she’d met Gentlestripe. However, there was no one else around that she could see this time. She scanned the area further, more carefully, but no other cats jumped out at her. It appeared as if Hollowpaw was all alone. “Well, at least I made it to StarClan,” she said to herself, under her breath. “But now what?” She didn’t even fully understand why she had to be here. Dappleleaf only said it was important for Medicine Cats to converse with StarClan twice a moon, or during emergencies. But that was it. Since this was a routine trip, why was she alone? Confused and with anxiety rising up at the thought of having done something wrong, the silvery she-cat started to walk. She passed under low-hanging pine branches and looked around as she went. Yet nothing seemed to change. When a twig behind her snapped, she jumped nearly out of her fur and spun around. There stood Gentlestripe, his brown tabby pelt shimmering in rays of warm sun and the breeze. “There you are,” he meowed, amusement glinting in his eyes at her reaction. “I was looking for you.” Hollowpaw let out the breath she had apparently been holding and straightened, allowing her fur to lie flat again. “You scared me,” she told him unhappily but not angrily. “I can see that,” the tiger tom replied and padded over. “It’s good to see you again. Been a while.” He stopped before and purred. “You’ve grown so much.” Hollowpaw looked down at herself but didn’t really see it. “Um, I guess so.” “I’ve been watching you, too,” he continued. “Your battle skills are far from great, but I do admire your determination to make them better. Don’t give that up just because you’re a Medicine Cat Apprentice now. Even they must know how to fight.” Hollowpaw’s ears went back. She’d hoped no one would bring up her fighting skills, so ashamed of them. The praise for her determination was nice, but it felt fake. After all, she had only been so determined due to the pressure on her shoulders to improve. Featherfur had been such a hard and serious trainer, every other Apprentice was way ahead of her, the other Warriors always commented on how bad she was, and Webpaw never ceased to make fun of her for her lack of skills. In her mind, it felt like her only choices were to either get better or continue to be a huge disappointment and laughingstock. “I know,” was all the she-cat answered with, shuffling her paws in the fallen pine needles and watching them shift. Gentlestripe instantly knew how she felt about it. “It’ll be alright. You’ll get there. Just keep trying,” he told her and moved to drape his tail over her shoulders comfortingly. “But, anyway, I suppose we should get right down to things, huh?” He pulled away a bit and then tilted his head back, so he could look towards the sky – or what could be seen through the evergreens, anyway. “As of now, you are officially LeafClan’s Medicine Cat Apprentice. This means that you may receive dreams from us, hinting at prophecies. However, I have none, at the moment. But I do have news to spread to you, regardless.” Hollowpaw watched him, noticing a grimness which had made its ways into his amber eyes. “Okay,” she meowed, her ears perked up and listening intently. “I’m ready for it.” “Since I am not FireClan, I can’t tell you everything yet, as I don’t have all the knowledge needed. But, what I do know, is that a new illness is encroaching on FireClan, and it threatens to spread,” Gentlestripe informed her, glancing at Hollowpaw from the corner of his eye for a moment. “It is something none of us, alive or dead, have ever seen before. This means that there is no known way to stop or treat it yet, but this is a warning to keep a lookout. The only thing we know about it now is that it causes animals to go crazy – even prey. So, be careful.” A rock sat in Hollowpaw’s stomach. A new illness that nobody knew about was lingering? What was she supposed to do with that information? Obviously, she could tell Dappleleaf and others, but if they couldn’t prevent nor treat it then what was the point? She’d still pass the message on, but it scared her to know nothing could be done about it. Even so, she needed to know more. “What do you mean by animals ‘going crazy?’” she inquired, hoping he could elaborate on that, at the very least. “They don’t think and only attack instead, like mindless savages. Prey, cats, predators – all of them can be infected,” Gentlestripe informed her, closing his eyes. “And it seems to spread quite easily. But that’s all I know. That’s all any of us know.” He exhaled in a sigh and turned his head towards her. “It hasn’t quite made it to the clans much yet, but FireClan, as far as I know, has experienced it a bit. Maybe you can ask Bubblepelt or Gravelpaw about it. They may know even more than us here.” Perhaps she would have to, but that task in itself would be difficult. The next gathering a moon from now may be too late. However, it’s not like she could simply waltz right into FireClan territory and up to their camp, Medicine Cat Apprentice or not. Harepaw didn’t even know her position yet, so who was to say that the rest of the clan would? She could easily be mistaken for an intruder and attacked. And with her complete lack of fighting skills, it wouldn’t be hard to take her down, unless she dodged everything and managed to talk the Warriors down. In the end, Hollowpaw decided it was best to gather more information about the illness. She couldn’t go to FireClan camp just yet, but she could, hopefully, visit StarClan more and get further knowledge that way. Plus, Gentlestripe said it wasn’t affecting the clans much yet, so she’d opt to ride that out for as long possible and let things go for a while. After all, what could she, a completely new and novice Medicine Cat Apprentice, do about it anyway? Relaying the message to Dappleleaf was really her best bet currently, if she wasn’t already being told by StarClan. “Thank you for telling me,” Hollowpaw meowed to him. “Is that all that I need from here? I feel weird…” The physical body she was away from felt odd now, an indescribable feeling. “Yes, you’ll wake up soon,” the tiger tabby told her. He stood and blinked slowly to her. “Be careful with whatever you do. I’d hate to see you get hurt.” Hollowpaw nodded. “I will,” she promised, not wanting to put herself too out there and in danger, anyway. “Goodbye.” With that, she blinked and opened her eyes to the dimly lit den. She sat up and stretched a bit then looked around to see Dappleleaf awake already and sitting patiently with Echofinch. “Hey,” she said, letting her mentor know she was finally up. “Ah, welcome back,” Dappleleaf meowed in response. “How did your first time in StarClan go?” she inquired rather excitedly, wanting to know every detail. “Was it delightful? Beautiful? I remember how amazing it is there with the ever-present new-leaf sun and evergreens, the flower fields and waterfalls, too…” Hollowpaw felt bad for her mentor. Hearing her recall such beautiful sights with such bliss broke her heart for the poor old, blind she-cat. “I only saw the pine forest,” she informed her. “And it was fine, I guess. It wasn’t my first time, though. I went there once before I even joined the clan.” Dappeleaf perked up at hearing this, as did Echofinch, which, honestly, made Hollowpaw shrink a bit like she had possibly done something wrong. “You’ve been to StarClan before this? And before being in leafClan even?” Dappleleaf inquired. She purred a bit then. “Then, I suppose it was destined that you be a Medicine Cat someday if you’ve got a bond with StarClan already.” Hollowpaw silently sighed with relief that neither of her authority were upset about her previous visit. “Hey, um, what did you talk about there?” she asked her mentor then. “In StarClan this time?” “Oh, we can’t discuss that here,” Dappleleaf replied. “It’s a rule that only we must wait until we get back to the clan to speak about it. And we can’t have anyone else but us and maybe the Leader in the conversation’s presence.” The silvery she-cat looked down. “Oh, sorry,” she muttered, now wishing she hadn’t asked, even if nothing bad had occurred because of it. “No worries, dear. You’re still learning,” Dappeleaf told her and stood up. “Now then, let’s head back before it gets dark. I’m sure some time has passed since we’ve been here, right, Echofinch?” The golden Warrior rose to her own feet and nodded. “Yes. We have a bit before dusk, though.” She stepped outside of the den and glanced around before lending Dappleleaf her tail. She had to ensure it was safe first. Hollowpaw followed along behind as the little garrison made its way away from the Moon Tree. However, the peace didn’t last long, as a snarling sound came from within a thick patch of bracken. Echofinch and Dappleleaf froze, but the golden she-cat quickly assumed a position of defense in front of Dappleleaf to protect her. The Medicine Cat herself crouched down, making herself a slightly smaller target and ensuring she didn’t panic and try to blindly flee. Hollowpaw physically felt her heart sink at the sound, her eyes transfixed onto the now rustling bracken. Whatever was in there was big and coming right towards them.
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Chapter 6: The Plot Thickens Hollowpaw watched with paralyzing fear as the bracken before them began to part. However, that fear quickly dissipated as she saw what the threat really was. A white and orange snout emerged, followed by yellow eyes and a large head. A male fox stepped out from the undergrowth, his ears back and teeth bared at them. Echofinch hissed and gave a warning swipe to the fox, but Hollowpaw felt only joy rising up. She stepped forward, her stumpy tail in the air as far as it would go. “Oak!” The fox’s locked gaze instantly went from Echofinch to Hollowpaw, and he stared at her in shock and growing joy. Suddenly, all aggression vanished from his being. “Hollow?” A gleeful yip escaped his jaws, and he stepped closer to her, but Echofinch got in between them and hissed again, her pelt fluffed out. “Wait!” Hollowpaw told her and moved away from her protection. She instead went over to Oak and stopped underneath his chin, turning to face her clanmate. “It’s alright. He’s my brother.” Echofinch instantly gave her the most confused and dubious expression. “What?” Her defensive stance faltered, but she didn’t let it go. “What are you talking about? Are you insane?” she demanded. “Get away from that fox before it tears you apart!” Hollowpaw, for once, stood firm and didn’t move a muscle to obey. “No, I’m telling you the truth,” she meowed sternly back. “I was raised with him. He’s my brother, and I won’t let you hurt him.” Hollowpaw’s steadfast gaze and the fact that Oak stood by without now attacking made Echofinch’s mind whirl. But she did stand down, lowering her guard only a bit, though. “You were raised by foxes?” she questioned, extremely confused. How could a cat be raised by such beasts? “Yes.” Hollowpaw nodded. “I was abandoned as a newborn by my birth mother, and my fox mother took me in. She raised me like one of her own kits, and this fox here is one of those other kits. If you don’t hurt him then he won’t hurt you.” Dappeleaf listened from where she stayed crouched, intensely curious. “How intriguing,” she piped up. “I’ve never heard of such a thing happening before, but you are certain we are in no danger?” She didn’t sound very scared or cheery, just neutral. “Absolutely. Oak won’t hurt either of you, or me,” Hollowpaw assured them. She turned to him then and purred. “It’s great to see you again,” she told him, her dialect switching to fox speak without even thinking about it. Oak had since stood down and listened to his sister talk to the other cats in a language he didn’t understand. But he paid attention to her once she spoke in a way he could understand. “Yeah, it’s great to see you again, too,” he replied and dipped his head down to whisper to her. “What are you doing with these idiots, though?” Hollowpaw narrowed her eyes a bit, not liking that very much. “They’re not idiots. They’re my new family,” she told him. “I joined a clan, and these cats are my clanmates. That one crouching over there is my mentor even. She’s teaching me how to help heal other cats now and use herbs and such. I tried to be a Warrior, but I sucked at it, because I can’t fight well.” Oak tilted his head slightly. “Clan? You mean that group of cats some ways from Mother’s den?” he asked, to which she nodded. “Oh… Well, I guess I’m happy for you to have found another family, but why? Aren’t you supposed to go off on your own like we all did?” “No, I said I would find another group to be with, remember? Since I’m a cat,” the silvery feline reminded him. “And these cats, their clan, are who I found. We’re called LeafClan, and I’ve made some good friends already in it. Some of the cats are pretty mean, but it’s okay.” She shrugged, not wanting to make it seem like a big deal to her brother. “I’m happy.” But that was only a half-truth. “I’m glad you are then,” Oak replied and nuzzled her. “But I have missed you and the others so much. I really am glad to have found you here.” He pulled away then. “but what are you doing out here, though? This place is well outside the cats’ borders. I made sure of that.” “Because there’s a cherry tree over that way,” she gestured with her knob tail, “and that’s where cats go to do important things. It’s a sort of sacred place.” Oak looked disappointed by that. “Oh. I was trying to establish my territory here, but I don’t want a bunch of strangers coming in it all the time…” It defeated the purpose of having his own territory, and he didn’t want to have to get into fight after fight. Sure, he’d hold off on it if his sister was there, but only then. Hollowpaw looked down for a moment, thinking. “Well, then make your territory just not go within the trails we use to get there,” she suggested. “Just stop short of those trails, and you should be fine. Nobody else likes foxes, but if you stay away from them then they should stay away from you. Simply make your territory stretch further one way, just not over the cats’ trails. Easy.” The fox didn’t seem too into the idea, having wanted his territory to be like any normal one. But he would comply, just for his beloved sister. “Alright, but I have to tell you now that I won’t hesitate to defend myself or my borders if another cat gets too close, okay?” “Hey, Hollowpaw, do you think we could go now?” Echofinch asked from behind, awkwardly. She didn’t know how to feel about a clanmate conversing with a fox. And it felt wrong to have the beast so close, acting friendly now or not. Hollowpaw could understand that, and she nodded. “That sounds reasonable,” she agreed then nuzzled his front leg. “But I have to go now. Echofinch, the one with the gold fur, says we have to get home. But maybe I’ll see you again soon.” “I’d like that,” Oak replied and nodded. “Just come alone next time, okay? Like I said, I don’t want other strange cats around. But you can come by any time.” She nodded, and he gave her a lick on the head farewell then turned and disappeared back into the bracken from whence he came. Hollowpaw watched him go then turned back to her clanmates, her ears suddenly growing hot with embarrassment because of the look Echofinch gave her. “Sorry, but we’re good to go now,” she informed the two she-cats. Dappleleaf rose to her paws, still looking curious. “We’ll have to talk about this more once we’re back at the clan,” she decided. “of course, Riftstar will have to know of this, too. It’s remarkable, simply.” Hollowpaw had hoped that nobody else would have to know about her odd upbringing, but she doubted there was anything she could say to prevent that form happening now. “Okay,” was all she said, her volume low. Back at camp, her and Dappleleaf had concealed themselves within the Medicine Den, while Echofinch went to inform Riftstar of the incident. Hollowpaw, meanwhile, told her mentor everything about being raised by foxes, her first visit with StarClan that gave her the knowledge to speak feline, and of her journey to join the clan. She also didn’t fail to mention what she’d been told at the Moon Tree. Dappleleaf listened to it all, only occasionally asking a question but never interrupting for long. At the end, she settled into her nest. “Well, that sounds like quite the life, so far,” she commented. “Never before in all of StarClan, I’m sure, has a cat been able to also speak to foxes with ease. Nor has a cat received the ability to speak to another species entirely, either. You must be special.” Hollowpaw, for some reason, hated that idea. Her special? Absolutely not. “No,” she respectfully disagreed with her mentor. “I just got lucky. I got lucky not dying on that boulder. I was lucky to be found by such a caring mother, who just happened to be a fox. I got lucky to gain the ability to speak cat. It’s all luck and nothing more. Nothing in this world would ever make me believe that I’m special.” “Perhaps you’re not special to the world,” Dappleleaf meowed, “but you are special to the family you grew up in, and you must mean a lot to that cat in StarClan who gave you your language skill,” she pointed out. “What was his name again?” “Uh, Gentlestripe,” Hollowpaw answered, wondering why she would want to know. “Is it possible you knew him when he was alive?” That would be a start in figuring out just who he was and what his interest in her was. She still had to know those things. She also needed to figure out who that light gray tom with the black markings was at the Gathering that gave her that death glare, and why he’d done that. Not to mention, she wanted to find out who her true parents were, desperately. Gentlestripe knew about her mother, at least, but he wouldn’t tell her. How come? Maybe, just maybe, Dappleleaf could help her discover. “The name is familiar, yes,” the old she-cat responded. “I believe he was a warrior when I first became a Medicine Cat Apprentice, but that was so long ago.” She sighed, reminiscing about those far away times. Hollowpaw’s attention peaked some. “Do you know anything about him?” she questioned, hoping to get something useful from her mentor. “Like if he had a mate? Kits? If he did anything significant in the clan?” Dappleleaf thought for a moment. “Oh, I’m not sure just how much I can recall,” she meowed and paused to ponder for another few heartbeats. The tension ate away at Hollowpaw in the meantime. “Ah! I do remember that he did, in fact, have a mate and kits, yes. Yes, that’s right. Sootbreze is one of his daughters, actually. As is Littleripple. I never thought about it much before, but she is one of his kits.” Sootbreeze and Littleripple? Why did it have to be them of all the LeafClan cats? Hollowpaw knew very well who they both were. Sootbreeze was one of the cats who was not a fan of the young Apprentice. Sootbreeze hadn’t cheered at her ceremonies, and she always acted super aloof towards her. Not once had the she-cat spoken a word to her in all the time, so far, Hollowpaw had been in the clan. In fact, she older she-cat seemed to avoid her at all costs. Littleripple was virtually the same in not enjoying Hollowpaw’s presence within the clan. Well, she didn’t enjoy much of anyone, being a rather rude and cranky she-cat. She also happened to be Webpaw and Rainpaw’s mother, which was great. It made sense for Webpaw, since he got all his lovely personality traits from her, but Rainpaw was so different. It made no sense for him to be related to Littleripple. Either way, Hollowpaw knew that the small Warrior wouldn’t happily answer any questions she had, just like her sister Sootbreeze. Rainpaw most likely wouldn’t know anything she wanted to, either. “Is there anything else you can tell me?” Hollowpaw asked, knowing she had to now get as much information out of her mentor as she could No way would Sootbreeze willingly speak to her. Besides, Dappleleaf was the oldest cat int eh clan, besides the elder Timberfall. However, he was completely deaf, and she had no idea how to go about communication with him, let alone be able to ask him questions. “You said Sootbreeze was one of Gentlestrips daughters. Who are the others? How many kits did he have that you know of?” “Well, he had three in total, all she-cats. There’s Sootbreeze, Littleripple, and a deceased cat named Yarrowstep,” her mentor answered. “She was a nasty cat.” She shook her head as she made that remark. Hollowpaw tilted her head to the side at that comment. “What do you mean by that?” Clearly, this Yarrowstep would be like her sisters, but the way Dappleleaf reacted while thinking of her implied something more. “She was, in a sense, evil,” the Medicine Cat replied unhappily. “In short, her pride got in the way of many things, and she tried desperately to become Leader. When that failed and Riftstar got the position instead, she tried to murder our current Leader. In her attempt, she ended up killing herself with some falling rocks. I’m certain, after that, she was sent to the Dark Forest for her crimes and powerlust.” “The Dark Forest? What’s that?” “The opposite of StarClan, basically. It’s where bad cats are sent when they die. I’ve only ever heard stories of the place, but it’s said to be a dank swampland of dead trees and murky water that reeks of death always.” “Oh, wow…” Hollowpaw hoped she would never have to personally see that place. Since she wasn’t exactly evil, though, she wasn’t entirely worried about it. But this was good information to keep stored away in her mind. So, Gentlestripe had three daughters, two of which that didn’t like her and one that was dead and in a place for evil cats. Great. It didn’t help her search for connecting dots much, but it was all at least something. Now, she just had to figure out how this related to her, why Gentlestripe was attached to her. Was it maybe because she was friends with his grandkit Rainpaw? Or maybe because Webpaw bullied her? Maybe, but neither made much sense, since he came to her before she ever even knew the two toms. None of it made much sense at all! “Thanks for telling me,” Hollowpaw told her mentor, regardless of the usefulness of the information in her endeavors. “I don’t suppose there’s anything else remotely important you could tell me about Gentlestripe?” By chance, the elderly she-cat was just forgetting something, something that really could help. Dappleleaf thought but shrugged. “Not entirely,” she replied. “I can say that he was killed in a battle with WaterClan, but that’s about it. Other than that, he was a noble Warrior with a kind heart. His mate wasn’t quite as kind, but she was nothing like her daughters turned out to be.” The apple never fell too far from the tree, Hollowpaw thought. But she got all the information she could from Dappleleaf now. She was about to say something more, but she and her mentor both turned their heads to the entrance when a new voice joined them. “I heard you stopped a fox attack by speaking with it.” Riftstar strode into the den and stopped short of standing by Hollowpaw. “Echofinch told me how you and that fox were raised together? And you can fully speak fox language?” Hollowpaw nodded but failed to meet her Leader’s gaze, like most instances. It didn’t help that Riftstar didn’t seem very happy about the news. “Yes. It’s all true,” she spoke quietly. The black she-cat was silent as she thought for a heartbeat or two. “This is information that I should have known earlier,” she scolded the Apprentice. “Talking to foxes and being raised by them is not information that should be kept secret from your Leader, understand? It’s dishonorable, disrespectful, and dangerous to the clan.” The silvery she-cat nodded, flinching at Riftstar’s authoritative tone. She hated being called out, but being scolded by the Leader like a kit was even worse. “If there is any other information that I should know like this, now is the time to speak up.” Hollowpaw’s mind raced. What would she consider to be important? Her heart began pounding against its bone prison, threatening to break free as the heartbeats passing felt like agonizing moons. “Uh…I, um…” What should she say? “Be easy on her, Riftstar,” Dappleleaf spoke up, much to the Apprentice’s amazement. “She didn’t know that was something worth sharing. After all, she was a rogue before coming here. Maybe she has lived here a moon, but a moon is hardly long enough to learn all there is to clan life.” She flicked her tail, her face pointing right at the black feline. “Only proper communication can solve such a problem, and yelling like a disgruntled mother to her kit is not the way to do it. Please, refrain from doing it any further. I’m sure that if anything else comes up, she’ll go right to you to report.” She turned her blind face towards Hollowpaw. “Correct?” Hollowpaw didn’t know how to react for a moment, but she abruptly nodded, perhaps more vigorously than she should have. “Yes, absolutely,” she meowed. Part of her was so desperate to get Riftstar off her case, while the other part was just scared of punishment for unknowingly withholding knowledge deemed important. Riftstar narrowed her eyes, looking from Hollowpaw to Dappleleaf and then back to the Apprentice. Silence and extreme tension befell the den, but the Leader finally sighed. “Very well,” she decided then gave Hollowpaw a stern look. “But if there is anything else I should know – ever – you come straight to me and report. Understood?” Again, the she-cat nodded then watched as Riftstar left he den without another word. Without realizing it, Hollowpaw let out a loud sigh of relief. But she then momentarily froze up when Dappleleaf addressed her, knowing she’d heard that sigh. “Hollowpaw, do defend yourself once in a while,” the Medicine Cat told her gently. “I’m not telling you to talk back to our Leader, but don’t simply let anyone treat you as less than what you are, alright? No matter what the circumstances, be the Medicine Cat Apprentice you are. Be the confident cat I know you can be.” I don’t know if I can be that confident cat you think I could, Hollowpaw thought. “Thank you for standing up for me anyway,” she told her mentor. “I think I’m going to get something to eat now. Do you want me to bring you anything specific?” “Anything will do, dear,” Dappleleaf replied, huddled up comfortably in her plush nest. Feathers and moss stuck out everywhere, and she sank in it all. “But a bird of some sort would be preferable. I’d like to add some new feathers to my nest, since it’s getting colder.” Her nest was already the softest and most plush in the entire camp, but Hollowpaw already learned how much Dappleleaf enjoyed adding to it. “Alright. I’ll try to find you a nice bird of some sort,” she promised then exited the den. As she crossed the camp to near the fresh-kill pile, Hollowpaw’s pelt prickled with the feeling of eyes on her. Gazing around, she spotted the culprit. From on the other side of camp, adjacent to her path and by the Warriors’ Den, Sootbreeze watched her. But, the moment the gray she-cat spotted she now was the one being observed, she moved to disappear into the near by den. Hollowpaw watched, weirded out by the odd experience, but she didn’t deviate from her minor mission of food.✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 7: Oodles of Herbs Hollowpaw sat with Dappleleaf in the Medicine Den, looking down carefully at the different herbs laid out before her paws. Purple flowers, yellow petals, dark stems with broad leaves, dark stems with narrow leaves… “Is it this one?” she asked her mentor, using a claw to drag a darker green and also fuzzy leaf out of the options. Dappleleaf bent down and sniffed the leaf then nodded, purring. “Yep, that’s borage alright. Now, what is it used for, and how do we use it?” she asked her Apprentice. Hollowpaw felt a tinge of pride at correctly identifying the herb. Three suns as a Medicine Cat Apprentice, and she was already learning so much. Yet she also knew this was all just the basics still. “It’s used for bellyaches and fevers,” she answered as if reciting part of a song or rhyme. “And it’s eaten to be used.” “Very good!” the blind tortoiseshell praised, quite pleased. “I think you’ve got the most common herbs and their uses down. Now, we have to move onto the less common herbs. But don’t forget that just because they’re not as common, doesn’t mean they aren’t as useful. They’re just harder to get.” She padded further back into the den with her whiskers brushing the wall. For a few moments, the she-cat lingered back there, but she eventually came back with a large leaf curled up in her jaws like a bundle. She set it down by Hollowpaw’s feet, and it unfurled on its own to reveal some new types of herbs. A wooden stem with a single, drying, yellow flower and tiny leaves sat before her, along with a stem of light green leaves that looked similar to a miniature fern; a flower with white petals and a large, yellow center; and a single, red berry. “Now, pay careful attention to what I am about to tell you. This is something that you must never forget,” Dappleleaf meowed, her voice and expression stern. It was the most serious Hollowpaw had ever seen her. “This berry here,” she nodded to where she’d placed the leaf bundle, “is called a death berry. As the name implies, it brings only a fast death to any cat who consumes it. This berry is only used by Medicine Cats to end unnecessary suffering and nothing else. As such, only a few are kept at any given time, and no other cat is to come into contact with them.” She gingerly reached out her paw and felt around for a heartbeat before feeling the berry and rolling it towards herself. “This also means that you should never pick them up with your teeth, only use your paws or carry them in a leaf. Understood?” Hollowpaw didn’t know how she felt to know such a deadly thing was allowed in such close proximity to healing herbs. But she would always take her mentor’s advice. “Yes, I understand,” she responded, her eyes locked on the berry now by Dappleleaf’s paws. How could one, tiny berry be so deadly, though? “Now then,” the older she-cat continued, “this one,” she bent down and sniffed then carefully picked up the wooden stem with the yellow flower in her teeth just long enough to separate it from the other herbs, “is called broom. It’s a great herb for poultices that we place into wounds. It’s also a remarkable plant, because it can be obtained even during leaf-bare. This is one herb that the snow doesn’t deter. It can be used for broken bones, too, if need be. Wildly, it grows in a big shrub, so it’s not hard to spot if you can actually find a bush.” She then went for another stem, this time the miniature fern look-alike. She isolated it from the group and sat up again. “This one here is burnet. It’s used for giving strength to traveling cat or kitting queens when eaten. It’s also an herb that I should really start taking before journeying to the Moon tree,” the she-cat chimed. “As I’m sure you can tell, it looks very similar to ferns, only on a much smaller scale. It grows about the same way, in large bushels.” Finally, she nosed the white-petaled flower with the yellow center. “And this is known as chamomile. We use it for soothing panicked cats and is another herb good for traveling strength. Additionally, it can strengthen a cat’s heart. It’s always eaten. It’s also extremely hard to find, as it normally only grows in twoleg gardens. However, it can occasionally be found in sandy soil, like what Sand Island has to offer. This herb is one of the reasons that we and FireClan constantly battle over the land mass, because it grows in a few places there,” she meowed and shook her head. “If you ask me, I think we personally should just share the island, but clans are too full of pride for that.” If she had eyes, Hollowpaw was certain that Dappleleaf would be rolling them. It was a tad amusing, honestly. But she also got the point and the knowledge she needed. “Alright, got it. What-“ she was cut off as a yowl echoed. Looking over to the entrance, Hollowpaw watched as Webpaw limped heavily into the den, aided by Buckleap. The light gray tom’s pelt was shredded with claw wounds all throughout, and his forepaw dangled limply as he held it up. Blood stained most of his fur, leaving only some actual natural color left. He panted heavily as he leaned against his mentor, his eyes rather dull. “Oh my gosh!” Hollowpaw exclaimed, shocked by her fellow Apprentice’s condition. “What happened?” Dappleleaf moved past her and went right to the pair as Buckleap carefully led Webpaw to an empty nest and had him lie down. She sniffed along Webpaw’s body furiously, assessing him in her own, unique way. “We were patrolling the FireClan border, and he got in a fight with one of their Apprentices, after he chased a rabbit into FireCan territory,” Buckleap answered, worried for the novice he was responsible for. “Harepaw was the other cat’s name. They started going at it, and Silverrose was there. She got involved and beat Webpaw good. I tried to help, but Thornstorm got in the way, saying that it was a lesson for crossing the border and trespassing.” Hollowpaw knew Harepaw from earlier. He had tried to attack them while going to the Moon Tree. Thornstorm had been noble at the time of the incident, but she clearly didn’t take kindly to cats she thought were actually trespassing. The FireClan Deputy, Silverrose, apparently wasn’t so friendly either. “What about Brackenwhisper? Was he there?” she asked, wondering about the previously gentle giant. Buckleap nodded. “He was, but he didn’t do anything. He didn’t stop the fight or get involved. Just watched,” he answered, his ears back. “Just help Webpaw.” Hollowpaw had bene waiting for orders from her mentor before initiating treatment. She was still very new and figured she shouldn’t act on her own yet. Dappleleaf was still running her nose and whiskers along Webpaw’s pelt, though. “Get me some marigold, broom, and dried oak,” Dappleleaf instructed then. “Scratch that. Get me a lot of it.” “On it.” Now, Hollowpaw knew what to do. She knew what each herb looked like, but, yet, her nerves racked her body. Her muscles trembled slightly, and her mind began to race as her eyes glossed over the many herbs they had stored. “Calm down. Focus,” she told herself under her breath. “You just learned broom, so grab the wooden stems with yellow flowers and small leaves.” She did just that, grabbing what small pile they had of it within her jaws. She brought that over to her mentor then went back for the others. “Marigold is easy. Orange and yellow petals, like fire flowers.” She grabbed four shriveling flower heads that had been nipped off their stems. Those went to Dappleleaf next. Finally, she grabbed the dried oak leaves – perhaps the easiest thing to identify. “Now chew them into poultices,” the Medicine Cat instructed and started doing it herself. She took a few petals from the marigold flowers, a single oak leaf, and a stick of broom then began to chew it all up together into a fine pulp wad. Hollowpaw had never done this for real before. Sure, she had helped out Rainpaw that one time during training when he’d gotten hurt by a falling branch, but that was different. She hadn’t even thought about it then, but now her mind was like a tornado. What if she messed up? Still, she had to try. She had to at least try to help. Following her mentor’s orders, the silvery she-cat copied what Dappleleaf did, replicating it almost exactly the same. She chewed the bitter herbs up while Dappleleaf dabbed her share onto some of Webpaw’s wounds. Soon, Hollowpaw added her own. “Be nice and gentle, but make sure the mixture actually comes off your paw. It’s no good to him if it’s sticking to your pads,” the tortoiseshell told her then started chewing another batch. Hollowpaw spit out her bit and rubbed it carefully over a long gash on the tom’s side. Carefully, she spread it with her paw, not looking away for even a moment. After that, she had to make more poultice. The two medicinal felines worked together, carefully covering every visible wound with the poultice. Webpaw had since passed out, probably due to exhaustion. Hollowpaw was glad of that. Even if he was too hurt to be snarky, she still preferred him to not have the chance. “What about his forepaw?” she asked, noticing they hadn’t a done thing with it yet. Dappleleaf nosed his paw gently and pondered. “It’s most likely broken, so we’ll have to set it and then make a splint,” she decided. “I’ll grab some rush, while you get me four sticks.” Hollowpaw went right over the pile of sticks they had accumulated. She picked out four smaller ones, estimating what they would be used for. Dappleleaf took them once she handed them over, and the Medicine Cat used her jaws to clamp down onto Webpaw’s paw. With a quick jerk of her head and loud, sickening crack, Webpaw’s body jolted. He was jerked awake by intense pain in his paw, and he instinctively pulled away. “What are you doing?” he demanded, a new fire in his eyes. Great. Now Webpaw was awake and going to be as rude as ever, if not more so now that he was in pain. Hollowpaw wished he could just stay asleep. “Setting your paw. Now, give it here,” Dappleleaf demanded, not going to have any of his dung today. “It needs fixed if you ever want to walk on it again.” Webpaw’s angry gaze went to Hollowpaw, like this was all somehow her fault. But he did give his paw back to her mentor. Dappleleaf then went on to use the sticks as splints to hold his paw in place. Hollowpaw had t help hold them in place while she worked to then wrap the long, slender stalks of rush around them to keep them steady. She also had Hollowpaw fetch some cobwebs to aid that. When it was all finally done, Webpaw was given some dandelion leaves to eat, as they acted as a natural painkiller when consumed. Of course, he didn’t want to eat them, but with word from Dappleleaf and a stern look from Buckleap, he relented and chewed them up with a wrinkled nose. Dappleleaf sighed with relief that things seemed to turn out well. “Alright, I’m glad this went well,” she meowed. “Now, you’ll have to rest here for at least a moon,” she told the injured Apprentice, much to his disapproval. “What? No way! I’ll miss so much training!” Webpaw complained with severe annoyance. “I’ll fall behind everyone else. I don’t want to spend so long doing nothing in this dank den that reeks of herbs.” Buckleap placed his ears back, not liking the sound of that either. “Are you sure?” he asked the Medicine cat, at least being a lot more respectful about it. “He can’t at least move back to his own nest? Or go back to training a little bit sooner?” “I’m certain,” she answered with a curt nod. “He needs to stay so that we can monitor his wounds for infection and catch it early, so it doesn’t spread. And his paw will take at least a moon to heal, no matter what. But if he starts to use it or hurts it again before it’s fully healed then it’ll only take longer to fix itself. Or it will have to start the healing process all over again. The best thing for him is to stay here and let us take care of him.” Buckleap looked down but nodded. “Alright. You know what’s best,” he decided. Although, it was clear just how unhappy he was about it all. For at least a moon, he would have no one to train. And he would obviously worry for his Apprentice, too. Hollowpaw couldn’t believe her ears. She would have not only put up with Webpaw for a moon but also take care of him? Seriously? She could already hear him bossing her around and criticizing everything she did, whether he knew better or not. “We will take good care of him,” Dappleleaf assured the tan Warrior then turned and began to clean up the mess her teachings had left, along with the new one due to the treatment. “I’ll see you later then,” Buckleap told Webpaw then left. He knew his Apprentice was in good paws. Webpaw glared at Hollowpaw as she sat there. “I’m thirsty,” he said then, watching her. “Get him some water, would you, Hollowpaw?” Dappleleaf asked with her back to them while she cleaned. “Just soak some moss, and he can lick that.” Hollowpaw knew what Webpaw was doing. She could see it in his devilish eyes. He was testing her to see what he could get her to do, so he could further agitate and her boss her around later. Still, she had her orders, and she had her duty. Like it or not, he was her patient, and her job was to take care of him. So, she grabbed a wad of moss in her jaws and then dropped it into a small pool of collecting water, against the den’s wall. Then, she brought it over to Webpaw and set it down in front of him. He began to lick at it with a satisfied, mean glint in his eyes. Hollowpaw already knew just how fun this would end up being.✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 8: A Tangled Web “I’m going to go out and look for some fresh herbs, before they all get too cold and die in this changing weather,” Dappleleaf meowed as she headed towards the den entrance. “I’ll be back in a little while.”Hollowpaw looked up from studying the stems and leaves at her paws. “Wait, you’re leaving me here alone? With Webpaw?” she asked. Obviously, this was the opposite of an ideal situation for her, but she had to hold back her displeasure in front of her mentor. Instead, her usual fears of making mistakes replaced it.“You’ve been helping take are of him for a quarter of a moon now, and I know you’ve been studying the herbs religiously. You’ll be fine, dear,” Dappleleaf reassured her, figuring she was just nervous like the young she-cat tended to get. “I trust you.” With that, she exited the den and was escorted away by Buckleap, who had been doing just about anything to keep busy while unable to train an Apprentice.Webpaw listened to the entire exchange from his cozy little nest. He already was planning on fully messing with Hollowpaw as much as possible, starting now. “I’m hungry,” he piped up. “Get me a thrush.”Hollowpaw already prepared for this to happen, but she still couldn’t help the intense irritation rising up inside of her. Still, she had to do her job. And part of that job also included treating each patient equally and with gentle care. That’s just how a Medicine Cat had to operate. “Fine,” she muttered. Duty or not, she didn’t have to be happy about it, though. The she-cat moved from her study spot and walked out of the den and started across camp. As usual, she now scanned around the cavern to see if Sootbreeze was observing her. Lately, she had found the gray she-cat to be watching her quite often, and it was rather unnerving. The Warrior never said a word to her nor acknowledged her presence much when in close proximity. Yet she could often be caught watching Hollowpaw from afar, and then she’d slip into a den once spotted. It was beyond weird.Sure enough, Hollowpaw caught Sootbreeze’s stare while she sat outside the Warriors’ Den. And, as per usual, the gray Warrior slunk away into the den the moment Hollowpaw caught her sight. The silvery she-cat shook her head, used to the weirdness by now.“Hey!” Rosepaw trotted over, joining in the short walk. “I haven’t seen you too much, ever since Webpaw’s been staying in the Medicine Den. I miss you.” “Yeah, I miss seeing you, too,” Hollowpaw replied. In her time with the clan, her and Rosepaw had gotten very close. Hollowpaw would easily consider the other Apprentice to be her best friend. Rainpaw wasn’t far behind her, either, as the trio often hung out together when possible. “He’s just been a pawful. I have to get him some prey right now.”Rosepaw rolled her eyes. “Ugh, I can imagine. I don’t know what I would do if I had to put up with him for so long, constantly. You’re a real champion for doing it,” she told her friend.Hollowpaw shook her head, though, her ears grew a bit warm. “Nah, I’m not. I’m just doing my job. But he is driving me pretty crazy. Not to mention when Vinepaw comes to see him, and they making snarky comments to each other about me and others. Guess I’m simply good at hiding it all.” She stopped at the fresh-kill pile with Rosepaw and started to push pieces of prey around with a paw, looking for a thrush. But she honestly doubted she’d find one.“Well, either way, I hope Dappleleaf gives you a break soon,” the rusty she-cat meowed with sympathy. “I know it’s experience, but you deserve at least a small break.” She started to search for own meal with her.“I wish, but as kind as Dappleleaf is, I don’t think she’d do that. She’s a great cat and mentor, but she really wants me to learn as much as I can, as quickly as I can. I think it’s because of how elderly she’s really getting,” Hollowpaw said with her ears back and a twitch of her tail. Dappleleaf was worse than Featherfur in that sense – pushing her to learn as much as she could, as quickly as she could. Still, it saddened her to think her mentor could die soon, but that was just reality.Rosepaw nodded and picked out a vole from the pile. Left without a thrush, Hollowpaw grabbed a sparrow, since they were similar. “I’ll see you around,” she said to her rust-colored friend with a muffled mew. Rosepaw nodded once more, her apathy showing in her yellow eyes.Reluctantly, Hollowpaw took the sparrow back to the Medicine Den and to Webpaw. She dropped it at his paws. “There.”Webpaw took one look at it and turned his nose up. “I said I wanted a thrush. This is a sparrow,” he complained then narrowed his eyes at her. “How stupid are you?”Anger rose up in Hollowpaw, but she managed to contain it yet. “There aren’t any thrushes in the pile,” she told him, having to grit her teeth just a bit to keep from snapping. “They’ve all migrated by now.”“Well, I’m not eating this. In fact, I’m not going to eat at all now,” the light gray tom stated as a matter-of-fact. He expected Hollowpaw to half-beg him to eat or something, because he needed to in order to heal. However, he was surprised when she shrugged and turned away. “Fine. Then don’t eat,” she responded flatly, going back to her studies. She didn’t want to deal with him more than she had to. And no way was she ever going to beg Webpaw for anything, ever.The smaller tom narrowed his eyes at her. “Hey, you’re supposed to take care of me! That’s your job! Why are you so bad at everything? What’s wrong with you, Stumptail?” he taunted, needing that reaction from her. He needed to feel like he was winning. The tom thrived on it.Hollowpaw’s pelt bristled. “Leave me alone,” she nearly growled at him. Her back stayed to the tom as she continued to try and sort the herbs in peace. Although, it was a fruitless effort.“Not until you tell me why you’re such a failure,” Webpaw continued, having to prod at her more. “Is it because you were raised by foxes? Pretty bad when even your own mother doesn’t want you,” he remarked, knowing that had to get her.He was correct, but not in the way he’d expected. Hollowpaw spun around and stomped over to him, her fur bushed out and eyes flaring with yellow fire. “Shut your disgusting mouth!” she snapped at him, baring fangs. “What did I ever do to you to warrant such taunting? Nothing! I never did a thing to you, except take every bit of poison you’ve thrown my way! Oh, and treat your wounds here with gentle care. Unless not having a mother and a small tail means I deserve to be treated like dung in your toxic mind regardless. You ask what’s wrong with me, but you should be asking yourself what’s wrong with you for acting like such a jerk to everyone, especially to me, for no reason at all.” Her stumpy tail lashed the air as much as it could, her claws even sliding out as she ranted furiously. “You treat everyone like dirt, except authority and Vinepaw. And we all know you only act a little better for her because she pads after you like a lovesick kit. But nobody knows why, because you obviously have no redeeming qualities, you arrogant, selfish, pathetic jerk!”Hollowpaw’s body trembled as steam could almost be seen coming off of her. She was absolutely fuming, having finally reached her breaking point with the mean tom. Webpaw was actually taken aback by her reaction and the fire-fueled rant. He didn’t know what to say for once as he looked up at her, his ears back and eyes wide, actually showing some fear. He looked down then, that fear turning to shame. “I’m sorry…” he mumbled quietly.Hollowpaw was ready to unleash another torrent of insults and remarks, but she stopped herself short. Wait, what? Did he just say what she thought her ears heard? Truly? In an instant, boiling rage turned to tumbling confusion. “What did you just say?”The tom sighed and kept his head and gaze low. “I said I’m sorry,” he muttered again. He paused but continued when Hollowpaw could only stand there in stunned silence. “You’re right. I am pathetic. I always have been, but it makes things easier when I don’t feel quite as bad about it.”Hollowpaw was extremely confused by his sudden shift in attitude, but it also made her curious. “By making others feel worse?” she inquired, going to be rightfully bitter about that, though. “And how much better about yourself does being a jerk make you feel, huh?”He could only slightly shrug at that, unable to answer with words.“All it does is make others resent you and want to avoid having you around,” she told him, not going to sugarcoat anything. “Honestly, if you had come into this camp dead instead of just injured like you are, I wouldn’t have cared much. Maybe I would have even been joyful about it, because then I never would have had to deal with your abuse again.”He finally turned his yellow eyes up to look at her, remorse flooding them. “I know. Nobody would miss me if I was gone. Not even my own mother…”“But you have one,” Hollowpaw pointed out. It was no secret how his mother, Littleripple, didn’t treat her son very well, not Webpaw. Rainpaw was treated just fine by her, but his literally little brother got the exact opposite. “I do, too, anyway. She may be a fox, but she still loved me regardless.”“That’s why I’m envious of you…” Webpaw spoke up, his gaze falling once more. “Your birth mother may have given you up, but the one who found you clearly loved you a lot. My real mother is here in the clan, but she despises me. She always has, and she’s always favored my brother.”Hollowpaw listened and even crouched in front of his nest, now not intending on going anywhere else. Her interest had been grabbed and was now held hostage, along with a deep and tiny ember of sympathy. “How come?” How could a mother not love her kits? How could hers but, also, how could his? She had observed it now and again, but Webpaw tended to avoid Littleripple, so exchanges didn’t occur often.“Because of my size,” Webpaw admitted, now growing embarrassed by it. “Look how small I am. Even you’re bigger than me. Everyone is. Littleripple is small in size, too, yet she berates and belittles me for it.” He shook his head with a sigh. “She always tells me how toms are supposed to be big and strong, tall and fearless. They’re supposed to be like Rainpaw, but I’m not like that. I’m tiny and weak, because I was sickly as a kit. I’m weak in every sense.”Now, it was all starting to make sense. “You lash out because you want to feel more powerful,” she speculated, her tone now much softer. His aggression was his only, minor savior in his mind. “Because Littleripple takes all of your self-doubt and enlarges that while crippling your sense of self-worth…” She straightened then, serious again. “But that doesn’t make what you do justified, at all. You’re still a huge jerk. You still hurt others in a feeble attempt to help yourself, but no one heals themselves by hurting another. You’re only giving yourself more scars.”“I know, I know,” the tom replied sadly. “Like I said, I’m sorry. I just…I want to feel like I have more power in life than I do. I want to feel worth something.” He’d do it, even if it meant making others feel worthless.“Well, I can tell you that’s not the way to go about it,” Hollowpaw stated and rose to her paws completely. “What you need to do is stand up to Littleripple and don’t let her push you around, your mother or not. And you need to stop being so mean to everyone, or you won’t be worth anything to anyone. The way to have worth is to be kind, to help those in need. That’s what Dappleleaf has been teaching me. You can be the strongest or bravest or best hunter ever, but no one will remember you for long once you’re gone if you weren’t kind. Souls remember kindness, always. They remember the ones who helped.”Webpaw took it all in, her words bouncing in his mind and echoing in his ears. Maybe…maybe she was right. He rose his head to her, a newfound determination coming to his expression. “How do I start?”✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 9: Yellow Eyes Twilight sparkled above, but clouds obscured the sky. Below, Hollow awoke to temperate air and blades of grass tickling her nose. It caused her to sneeze once, but she merely shook it off and sat up, glancing around at her new surroundings. She sat atop a small island of grass with lush, green trees all around of maple and oak. Upon peering over the edge of the raised-up land mass, she found stagnant water. Crystal clear, it sat with shining pebbles beyond the surface.“Is this StarClan?” Hollowpaw asked herself in a low tone. She had never been in this part of it before, but it didn’t seem like her paws could be planted anywhere else. After all, the last thing she remembered was drifting off to sleep, after Dappleleaf got back from collecting herbs.“Glad to see you awake.”Hollow jumped at the sudden voice, although, she shouldn’t have been so jumpy with it anymore. Cats always seemed to come out nowhere in StarClan, just appearing right when she thought she was alone.Before her, a she-cat slid out of some bracken. Her gray pelt somehow blended into the dying undergrowth more than usual. Perhaps it was due to the darker stripes which adorned her pelt and the fact of dusk. However dreary her fur seemed to be, her eyes nearly glowed yellow in the low light.She stopped a fox-length before reaching Hollowpaw, the body of stagnant water separating them and their respective islands. There, at the edge, the strange she-cat took a seat and curled her tail neatly around her paws. “I’ve been waiting for you,” she meowed with a voice like honey.Hollowpaw stared across their narrow gap at the newcomer – or, rather, she was the newcomer here. “Who are you?” Of course, the most basic of questions had to come out first. “Why did you bring me here?”The she-cat’s eyes twinkled. “Yelloweye,” she replied, maintaining her honey-like tone. “I’ve been wanting to see you for a while now, but it’s hard when others want the same thing. We have to take turns.”“Others?” the Apprentice questioned. “You mean Gentlestripe?”Yelloweye nodded curtly. “And, before you ask why I wanted to see you, it’s because I think you’re special.”Hollowpaw narrowed her eyes a bit. “Special? You too, huh? I’m not, though. Like I told Dappleleaf before, I just got really lucky a few times,” she respectfully argued.Yelloweye shook her head. “No, I don’t mean about all that. I mean you’re special in that you can help fulfill a prophecy I happen to know of,” she replied with a slow blink. “You see, Hollowpaw, there will be a lot of disaster coming the clans’ way. Most of it is a good while off yet, but you can help with that, eventually.”Disaster? “What disaster?” the Apprentice questioned, growing more eager by the heartbeat. If she could help prevent unnecessary pain and suffering then she would gladly do it. “I can’t tell you that yet. It’s not time,” the gray she-cat replied and flicked her tail. “But what I can tell you is something else, something I know you’ve been trying to figure out. I can help, just a bit. You want to know who your true parents are, correct?” Hollowpaw nodded vigorously with wide eyes. “Well, I know the answer. I can’t tell you everything just yet, but I can tell you that you and I are kin. We are connected by blood. If you can figure out who my living sibling is then you’ll find out who gave birth to you, plus more.”Hollowpaw’s heart sank. Just when she thought she would finally be getting some straight answers to her personal mysteries, it was just yet another riddle. Only a tiny morsel was thrown her way, just enough to keep her wanting more while depriving her of the rest.“Alright, fine. But why can’t you just tell me how we’re kin?” The young Apprentice had to know! “Or tell me who my parents are? Why is it such a big secret?”Yelloweye chuckled, her shoulders bouncing lightly with the action. “Because, darling, watching you work for it is so much fun,” she replied with a purr. “Besides, you’re not ready to know until you’ve figured it out on your own, anyway. But I do suppose I could give you another, tiny hint, if you want it.”Hollowpaw’s silver ears perked up just a bit. “Yes, please.” She would take any bit of information she could get in regards to figuring out who she truly was and where she’d come from. Stemming from those answers, she could then find out why she was left on that boulder as a newborn. Half of her entire identity replied on finding these answers.“Remember that tom who glared at you during the Gathering?” Yelloweye meowed to her, to which she received a confirming nod. “Well, he, too, is your close kin. His name is Tallstrike, and he’s a WaterClan Warrior. Figure out how he relates to you, and you’ll know half of who you are. He’s not your father, so don’t think that. That’s too easy, but he is close to either one of your parents by blood. Just don’t give up the search. Your family is a lot closer than you think.”Back to the Gathering, Hollowpaw’s mind flashed. Mental imaging portrayed that tom once more. She remembered his hateful glare at her, before he had quietly slipped into the chattering crowd. Paying more attention to details, she saw his light gray coat and the black speckles which dotted his pelt, along with his exceptionally long tail. Aside from his tail and blue eyes, they did seem to share similar physical attributes. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say they really could be close by blood, but how? What was that Warrior to her? It also raised another question in her mind. If he was her kin but from WaterClan, had she joined the wrong clan? Was her family truly residing in WaterClan, rather than LeafClan? If so, she knew by now that simply trading homes was not an option. Family or not, the she-cat was stuck in LeafClan, loyal to them.“Seems you’re about to wake up soon,” Yelloweye interrupted Hollowpaw’s thoughts. “How unfortunate. I was hoping you’d be able to stay longer, but I won’t keep you. However, next time you come to visit, I think we should do some battle training,” she mewed with that glint growing stronger within her gaze. “You still need to know how to fight, and an elderly Medicine Cat could never teach you that. Seems like no one else in the clan could, but I know how. Still, it will have to wait until next time. See you then.”Hollowpaw’s eyes opened to the familiar location of her nest, in the Medicine Den. She blinked sleep away from her eyes but, upon looking around, she found both Dappleleaf and Webpaw to be sound asleep. It must be the middle of the night still. With a quiet sigh, she rested her head back down onto her paws. Yet sleep would not be coming back so easily. Her mind now raced with what she had experienced. The new information swarmed her brain like a horde of angry wasps. Tallstrike – a WaterClan Warrior – was somehow her close kin, but he clearly hated her. Although, that had to mean he knew her and knew how they were related. Why else would a cat who wasn’t in her clan act in such a way but only towards her? He had no way nor reason to do it purely to bully, as he’d only see her once a moon at Gatherings, or maybe along the border. And this new cat, Yelloweye, was her kin, too. In fact, she even said that her real parents were much closer than originally perceived. Did that mean that one of the cats of LeafClan could be a parent? Or maybe they really were from WaterClan, or maybe even FireClan. Who knew? But she had to find out. Somehow, she would.Once morning came, Hollowpaw was prodded awake by her mentor. She hadn’t gotten much sleep at all after having woken up so early. It took a long while of her mind racing and trying to piece together bits of information, speculating, before she could finally rest again. Yet, just when it seemed she had fallen asleep once more, Dappleleaf was waking her up for the day.“Come on, get out of that nest. We have to get ready for the day and make sure Webpaw is taken care of,” the tortoiseshell told her then turned and went right into sorting herbs by how they smelled and the feeling on her pads they gave. Hollowpaw groaned some but hauled herself up to her paws. Glancing at Webpaw, he was still fast asleep, so she wouldn’t have to bother with him too much yet. She just hoped he kept his word and actually tried to be friendlier now.Before Hollowpaw could do too much, a ruckus occurred outside the den, grabbing her attention and instantly peaking it. “A WaterClan patrol has invaded!” ✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 10: The Medicine Cat Code “Four cats incoming!” Hollowpaw darted to the Medicine Den entrance to see what was going on. Acornfall had been on guard duty just outside the camp entrance, but he came running in when he spotted the small garrison. Riftstar emerged from her den, her fur still ruffled with sleep. She wasted no time in going to the camp entrance with many Warriors behind her. Hollowpaw couldn’t help but want to listen in, so she glanced back at Dappleleaf then padded out and made her way across camp. She tucked herself away against the wall and in a slight alcove made by a collapsed tunnel, her ears perked forward. “What is the meaning of this?” Riftstar demanded, presumably talking to the invading cats. “You can’t just parade into our territory and right up to our camp!” she spat at them. “Apologies,” a tom spoke back. He sounded out of breath. “But there are coyotes attacking our camp as we speak. They’re too much for WaterClan alone to handle. Please, we beg you for your help.” There was a small pause. “We had to at least bring our kits here.” Hollowpaw gasped to herself. How many coyotes were attacking WaterClan if they had to bring their kits and would stoop to begging for help from another clan? It didn’t take much to figure out clan pride meant nearly everything, but it didn’t surpass the worth of kit lives. “Very well then,” Riftstar decided. “You may leave your kits here to be protected, but I will spare no more than three Warriors to aid you. If the coyotes aren’t here, then there’s not much of a need for us to expend our ranks.” “But they could come!” a worried she-cat exclaimed. “Hush, Whisperpaw!” the tom from before spoke up. “We will accept any help you can give us,” he said then to Riftstar. “Thank you.” “Take the kits to the Nursery. Shadekit and Lightkit can help comfort them,” Riftstar ordered. After a moment, Acornfall and Grayfoot came back into camp with two tiny kits dangling in their jaws. Acornfall carried a pale she-kit with a tan coat and white underbelly, while Grayfoot held a she-kit with a pelt of mixed brown and gray. They didn’t seem to notice Hollowpaw as they rushed the kits – who couldn’t even be more than three moons old – to the Nursery. Riftstar spoke again then with more authority. “Featherfur, Sootbreeze, Batclaw – you three go and help defend WaterClan’s camp. The goal is to drive the coyotes away, but if things become too much then don’t lose your lives over it.” “Understood,” Batclaw meowed back, and the sound of thundering paws rushed away, soon fading. Riftstar came back into the camp then, and Hollowpaw quickly pretended to be looking for prey in the fresh-kill pile. “We will fortify the camp here,” the Leader announced. “Be on guard and ready to attack anything that’s not a cat that gets too close.” Hollowpaw watched from the corner of her eye as cats dispersed. If coyotes were attacking WaterClan’s camp, then a lot of cats had to be getting hurt. And she was willing to bet it would be more that Eaglegaze and his Apprentice could handle. Their herb supplies probably wouldn’t cut it, either. She had to do something to help. However, a quick glance through the camp entrance told her that it wouldn’t be easy to leave now with Echofinch on guard duty. The she-cat pondered, racking her mind for some sort of solution on how to leave the camp to help aid another clan. Why? The question did come up. Why should she risk her own life and the clan’s herbs for another, rival clan? Because, her consciences countered, it was the right thing to do. What kind of cat could she call herself if she didn’t help others in need? Not a good cat, that was for sure. Besides, Dappleleaf had taught her that Medicine Cats always aid those sick or injured. It was their code, and she would abide by it. Maybe Dappleleaf would help her even? It would be a long shot, but she had to try. So, the young Apprentice trotted back to the Medicine Den. By now, Webpaw had woken up with all the commotion, but that wasn’t of importance to Hollowpaw right now. Although. Nervous stones tumbled within her belly at the thought of asking such a daring thing of her mentor. Dappleleaf turned her head towards the Apprentice. “Something on your mind?” she inquired with the same caring tone as ever. Hollowpaw stiffened and opened her jaws to ask how she could tell, but Dappleleaf answered that before a word could be spoken about it. “The tense determination your aura is giving off is quite heavy. Anybody could sense it.” The silvery she-cat glanced to Webpaw, but he looked just as astounded as she did by the blind cat’s remark. “Yes, I do. A pack of coyotes are attacking WaterClan’s camp directly. It’s so bad they even brought their kits here. I want to go and help them,” she confessed. “The amount of injuries will be enormous, and I’m certain their herb stores won’t be enough, either. If I can just bring a bundle or two of the common herbs to help…” “You want us to waste our herbs on a rival clan?” Dappleleaf asked, her voice suddenly a lot more harsh. “And what happens when you go but get injured yourself? Do you think your clan here can just spend you like that? Do you even have a plan on how to leave without being stopped by our Warriors?” Hollowpaw instantly shrunk down into herself at her mentor’s harsh tone. It was something she had never heard from the sweet, old she-cat before. And it scared her. Her nerves were shriveling up as her heart beat. “Well, no… I don’t have a plan…” she mumbled and shuffled her paws. “But you taught me that Medicine Cats help any cat in need, no matter the ailment or injury,” she meowed more confidently and sat up a bit taller. If she wanted to help, then she had to prove it and stand her ground. “It’s the right thing to do, and I’ll find a way to do it.” “Even at the cost of severe punishment for defying your mentor and the Leader’s orders of guarding camp?” So, Dappleleaf had heard at least some of what had been going on. Fear clawed at the Apprentice’s mind, dragging doubt along with it. Yet she couldn’t give up, not now. “Yes,” she stated firmly, though her legs felt weak and shook. Dappleleaf sat in silence for a moment, but that moment felt like an eternity. Even Webpaw was silent as he observed from his nest, feeling the thick tension for himself. “Well then,” the blind she-cat finally spoke up. “I suppose I have no choice but to help you. Well done on passing the test,” she congratulated her Apprentice. Hollowpaw’s jaw dropped. Test? Was this entire thing just one, big test for her to pass? But it couldn’t be, not with actual WaterClan kits involved. No way would another clan agree to hand over their kits for a simple test. “Um, what?” “My dear, the Medicine Cat Code is something I follow quite strictly, and it states that we must help those in need, even if they are from a different clan,” Dappleleaf told her, back to her normal and gentle tone. “My questions were all just to see if you would also abide by the Code, and you have. So, you passed.” She came over to the entrance but paused by it. “Now, let’s get you out of here, so you can put those words into action. And, Webpaw,” her head turned to face him, “I trust you won’t speak a word about this. If you do, I’ll be sure to put ants in your nest.” Webpaw stared, uncertain. Was that a joke, an empty threat, or an actual threat? Not wanting to take the chance, he nodded. “Yeah, I’ll keep quiet,” he promised, much to Hollowpaw’s relief. “Good. Let’s go then,” Dappleleaf meowed and grabbed a hefty bundle of herbs within a large sycamore leaf she had been working on during the whole exchange. With it, she walked out of the Medicine Den with her novice. “Now,” she said with a muffled mew and turned, only having taken a few steps from the den, “there won’t be any way for you to get past anybody guarding the camp entrance, but I know another way out.” Needless to say, Hollowpaw’s interest was piqued. There was another way out of camp, other than the cavern entrance? Her mind instantly went to the tunnels, the ones that had always been told not to use or risk getting lost. In the giant cavern, several other tunnels branched off and bore deep into the earth. No cat was to ever take them, she had been told, unless in an absolute emergency. They were supposed to be extremely dangerous. “Come.” Dappleleaf strode along the cave wall until her whiskers no longer brushed against solid stone but air instead. She paused, seemingly waiting for something to happen. “Is anybody watching us?” Hollowpaw followed behind then glanced around, her heart pounding, even though they only walked a couple fox-lengths away from the Medicine Den. Everything she was planning to do felt so forbidden, and it ate away at her nerves. “Uh…” Thankfully, by the looks of it, nobody else was watching them. Everyone else appeared to be preoccupied with watching the main entrance or conversing amongst themselves. “No, I don’t think so.” “Very good,” Dappleleaf replied then slipped away into the darker tunnel. “Hurry, before anyone sees.” Her voice echoed in a low whisper from within. Although a bit hesitantly now, Hollowpaw stepped into the branching tunnel. As her paws passed the rocky threshold, it felt as though her body was transferring into another world entirely. The main cave of camp was rather dark, but this smaller cavern produced a blackness darker than the night itself. In fact, much to her discomfort, no light entered her eyes at all. It was as if she was floating in a void. Had it not been for the cool ground beneath her paws, the she-cat could have mistaken the surroundings as being nonexistent. “I can’t see anything,” Hollowpaw spoke up to her mentor. “How do I know I’m going the right way and not bump into any walls?” “How do you think I get around?” Dappleleaf answered simply. “Just follow me up until I say so, then I’ll tell you what to do.” Hollowpaw felt foolish for not thinking of that on her own. Of course, all she had to do was run her whiskers along the wall like her mentor always did. She scooted gradually to the side until she finally felt the earth beyond her whiskers. A few more moments of padding and Dappleleaf’s pawsteps stopped, so she stopped, too. “Here is where you’re on your own,” the tortoiseshell meowed then turned and moved close in the darkness, so their breaths could be felt together. With their noses barely apart, she bent down and placed her herb bundle. “Take this and go right. Here, the tunnels branch. The left is a dead end full of water, but the right tunnel will take you out towards WaterClan. It won’t be far from there to their actual territory. However, the tunnel grows narrow in places, and you will have to crawl for a bit in one area,” she warned. “But you should be fine.” Hollowpaw slowly knelt down and found the bundle by its strong scent. “Thank you,” she told her mentor sincerely before picking it up. “You’re welcome. Just do be careful, please. Your life means so much more than you think. Not just for the clan but in general. Every life is precious, so don’t do anything to throw it away.” Those words touched Hollowpaw in a way she could never describe, but it was such a pure feeling. “I will try to be careful,” she promised then padded off. Keeping her whiskers against the wall, she veered right. Sure enough, after a while of walking, the Apprentice could feel the cavern walls closing in on her. Damp stone brushed against her pelt on the left side, and she had to press her whiskers closer to the right wall, as well. More and more, the walls confined her, pressing in harder against her sides. Soon, the ceiling began to give way and sloped downwards, causing the feline to have to crouch while walking. Just like Dapppleleaf had said, Hollowpaw was forced to crawl while the caverns throat swallowed her and fear rose higher. What if she got stuck? What if, by chance, the tunnel had caved in and was a dead end now? What if she got to the end but it was too narrow for her to turn around and go back? More terror rose as these thoughts swirled through her mind. Thankfully, the cavern finally seemed to let up after a bit of crawling, and the ceiling rose once more just a bit. Stone turned to dirt against her pads. But the tickle of something unexpected brushing her nose caused the she-cat to yowl out in surprise, which, in turn, dropped her precious bundle. “Oh no!” Hurriedly, Hollowpaw fumbled blindly in the dark to regather the plants. Sure, her paws could scrape up some that fallen from the crash, but dirt had to come with them. Even then, not all the stems could be reclaimed once more from the earth itself. Still, she tried her best and retook the leaf bundle in her jaws. But what had she felt across her nose? Carefully, her muzzle lifted until the source of her scare could be located. A root. “Geez, being scared by a root, Hollow. Come on,” she scolded herself in a muffled whisper before pressing on. Finally, light started to present itself ahead after another fox-length or so. Joy sparked, and Hollowpaw moved faster to escape the earth’s clutches. Much to her relief, when the she-cat poked her head out of the small exit hole, sunlight flooded her vision. It was a bit blinding for a moment, at first. But she was so happy to be done in a place so dark. The exit was no more than a mere rabbit hole, so for Hollowpaw to escape with the herb bundle intact, she had to be exceptionally careful. Luckily, the feline managed because of her lithe body. Now, all she had to do was get into WaterClan territory, somehow help fight off coyotes when she couldn’t fight, and then do her best to treat injuries without the guidance of her mentor… Hollowpaw sighed to herself. “This is gonna be a lot harder than I realized…” Yet she pressed on, determined to do what was right. After all, she’d already come this far. There was no turning back now.
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Sept 22, 2019 21:00:27 GMT -5
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Chapter 11: Heat of the Moment Hollowpaw’s heart raced as she ran through the breaking forest. She’d already passed the border scent markers, which had sent a jolt through her. Now, as she ran for the heart of the territory, the trees thinned, and the ground turned from firm turf into sodden grass and moss. “WaterClan’s territory consists of mostly swamp land. The ground is always soaked and unstable. Your paws will sink in deep if you aren’t careful,” Featherfur’s words from when she still trained Hollowpaw echoed in the Apprentice’s mind as she ran. “If we ever have to go there for any reason, keep in mind that running is a bad idea, as it’ll make you sink deeper into the ground and expend too much energy. It’s also covered in water, most land being tiny islands, so be aware that land could stop at any moment.” As the soil beneath her feet engulfed her paws more, Hollowpaw heeded her former mentor’s words and slowed down to a trot. Her nostrils flared with ragged breaths. Her body would thank her later for going more slowly now. Trees became a lot sparser but still maintained, anchoring themselves firmly into what land there was. As she walked, the ground squelched, and murky water engulfed her paws, seeping up from the overtaking moss. It didn’t take her long after to reach the edge of the mainland. She stopped at the end and looked down into the drop-off below. A good tail-length of soil had been eroded away, causing a minor cliff with muddy water at the bottom. There was no telling how deep it was, but she had to get to the other side, to the next island a fox-length away. Hollowpaw was sure she could jump it, having the ability to jump relatively far. That’s just what she would do then. Bunching her muscles, she waggled her haunches as her mind calibrated the distance and amount of power needed to reach the other side. Then, she sprang. The distance was cleared with ease, but the new ground beneath gave way without warning. Her paws sank and slipped, the sodden ground fragile and easily crumbling. The silvery she-cat let out a yowl of surprise as even her claws didn’t help against the sliding mud. Consequently, the herb bundles within her jaws were freed and unfurled, scattering around her as she fell into the water with a splash. Thankfully, the water itself wasn’t super deep, and she was able to stand up with it only coming up to submerge her belly. It didn’t even reach her shoulders, but because of the folly, her entire pelt was no soaked. “No! The herbs!” the shock of falling quickly faded from her mind as panic set in over her scattered herbs slowly being washed away by the lazy current. Frantically, the Medicine Cat Apprentice pawed what pieces she could back towards her and set them up onto the landmass, having to stand on her hind legs and stretch to do so. It was time consuming, but she had to gather back up what she could. In doing so, most of the precious plants washed away, splitting up and getting lost in the waterway maze that the territory was. By the end of this little side quest, Hollowpaw only managed to recover a fraction of the herbs she’d brought. She grabbed onto an exposed root dipping into the water and hauled herself up and onto the island which doomed her leaping attempt. It was only then that she remembered some of her old mentor’s words. “Don’t try to leap from island to island. Wading through the water is the best option when getting from landmass to landmass.” Hollowpaw sighed. “That would have nice to remember earlier,” she muttered to herself, looking down at her meager supply of herbs. The she-cat mentally kicked herself for making such a stupid move and losing most of her supplies in the process. Now what? The carrying leaves had also been lost, so what herbs she did have left couldn’t be easily transported. She looked around, glancing first up to the canopies. Most of these trees had already lost their leaves for leaf-fall, and those had nearly all been washed away when she looked back to the ground. The leaves were small anyway. Plenty of brush was flourishing in the wet environment. Looking closer, a tangy smell hit her nostrils. Following the scent, Hollowpaw stuck her head into the brush and inhaled deeply, her nose stinging a bit with the strong smell. Before her sat a low-lying plant with large, broad leaves spread in al directions. What was the name for this again? Her brain racked for a moment when it hit her. Dock! “Good for soothing wounds but may sting when applies,” she reminded herself out loud. “You’ll do perfectly for carrying those other herbs.” Carefully, so as not to rip it, Hollowpaw plucked the largest leaf and took it back to her mobile supply, making it mobile once more. With the new, large bundle in her jaws, she continued onwards, this time wading through the water and using roots to climb back onto islands. It wore her out, but she pressed on. Soon enough, the sound of furious fighting hit her ears. She angled them towards the commotion, able to distinguish feline yowls of pain and battle cries, along with the yips and yelps of coyotes. She was close. Picking up the pace, Hollowpaw came to a large body of water, a small branch of the river which made up WaterClan’s southern border. This wasn’t that river, but it fed into that larger river. This one, however, did house their camp. On the other side of this stream sat an old, falling apart twoleg den. It was small and had a gaping hole in the side from what she could see, but it was definitely their camp. The fact that it was on the other side did make it harder for the other clans to invade, forcing them to either swim over in rushing waters or find another way to cross the water. Hollowpaw knew she couldn’t full on swim to the camp, not with her herbs and how strong the rapid tides appeared to be. Additionally, the water here was murky and showed nothing below, so it both terrified her and would likely submerge her if she were try and swim across. There had to be another way. Looking downstream, nothing helpful presented itself, to her dismay. However, upstream was different. An entire tree had fallen over in the distance, locking the two landmasses together – the side Hollowpaw currently stood on and the one which housed WaterClan camp. With a sigh of relief, the she-cat made her way upstream but continuously flinched at each and every scream she heard coming from the fight, the fight she’d be walking right into. Fear gripped her, but she forced her legs to keep moving. She had to help. After all, she’d come this far already, within eyesight and earshot of their camp. Hollowpaw’s heart races, and her muscles screamed for her to stop. They begged her to turn around while the stomach writhed like an angry snake. For a moment, right before her first pawstep onto the fallen trees could occur, she paused. Trembling, her body halted while her mind raced. Maybe she should turn back. Besides, how much help could one, little Medicine Cat Apprentice be in such a large fight? How many were already dead? What could her tiny bundle of herbs and novice skills do to help them? Maybe turning back would be best for now, so she wouldn’t risk her own life and had the opportunity to become better… “If you don’t leap when you’re most scared, you’ll never get anywhere,” a soft, male voice whispered into her ear, a gentle breeze following and ruffling her whiskers. She whipped her head around but saw no one else around. Yet, in her other ear, the voice came again. “Every act of kindness helps, not matter how small. Help them. Heal them. Save them.” With that, the breeze ceased, but the cries of agony from WaterClan camp did not. Hollowpaw continued to glance around for a moment, her body still trembling with fear and fur bristling out against stiff muscles. Still, those words made her feel something deep inside, something the she-cat could not easily explain. Perhaps it was motivation, true motivation that wasn’t simple pressure to be better but, rather, to be good. Or, perhaps, it was a sense of confidence so fleeting in her world that her mind boggled at the feeling yet relished in it. Either way, those words were right. If she were to never take a step anywhere or take the risk when she was most scared, then she would never move forward. “I’ll help them,” the silvery she-cat decided through chattering teeth and herbs. “If I get hurt then at least I know I tried.” With that and her newfound confidence – even just a little pebble of it – she leapt up onto the fallen tree and crossed the river slowly. Once on the other side, the Apprentice raced on some slightly more solid ground towards WaterClan camp, closer to the screams and fighting. With each step she took, Hollowpaw’s heart beat twice as fast. Yet, her whiskers twitched at the palpable presence of another soul. It felt as though power imbued itself with her, like the extra spirit melded into her own physical body to lend its strength. However, this presence felt female, not that of the male voice to gift confidence. This she-cat gave pure strength instead, strength and drive to rid WaterClan of the coyotes. Faster, she ran, until Hollowpaw rounded the side of WaterClan’s camp wall – the abandoned twoleg den wall. There. She skidded to a stop as war and blood filled her eyes. All around the camp laid the bodies of fallen Warriors and even a couple canines. Crimson streaks adorned old wood like peeling paint, and loose fur tufts acted as failing carpet. The screeches and yowls, louder than ever, rushed to her ears, making them nearly ring with the volume. Putting them back against her skull did nothing to quell the noise. Multiple cats fought valiantly against far larger opponents. Though fewer in numbers, the enemy appeared to be winning this war. Before her, one WaterClan Warrior was grabbed by a large male and thrashed about. Her allies desperately tried to save the poor cat by jumping on the coyote’s hindquarters and back, clawing furiously. Yet, none of it was enough. It seemed as though the beast toughed out the pain until his target fell limp within his teeth. Only then did he drop the poor she-cat and turn to snap at her clanmates. Horror flooded every fiber of Hollowpaw’s being as the scene unfolded right in front of her very eyes. That strength from before flared within her, as if fueled by anger. Yes, it flared like flames within her entire being, in her shared soul. Furyunlike any other she’d felt before rose up, and she dropped her herb bundle while watching Sootbreeze get pinned under the same coyote’s paw. Sootbreeze, along with Featherfur and – LeafClan’s deputy – Batclaw had come to aid in driving off the coyotes. They weren’t supposed to lose their lives over this, but it looked as if Sootbreeze might be just about to. That couldn’t happen! Hollowpaw still had so much to know, to ask her, about Gentlestripe. The young she-cat was sure that if she could figure out who Gentlestripe was then she’d figure out who her family was, at least somewhat. Sootbreeze had to remain alive! Fire and fury fueled Hollowpaw as she sprinted and launched herself at the coyote without a second thought. Guided by the spirit sharing her soul, the Apprentice went blind with red as her claws sliced through the coyote’s side and then belly. Her grip faltered as gravity dragged her off the beast, but it left her body underneath its own, allowing just a few moments of safety from snapping jaws. The coyote’s attention now off Sootbreeze, the smoky she-cat rose and slipped away to rest a bit, only glancing back once in astonishment at the Medicine Cat Apprentice. The other two who had been fighting this large male – Batclaw and Featherfur – paused in stunned shock at Hollowpaw’s appearance. However, the coyote continued to snap angrily at her while she danced under its paws, swiping at ankles and soft underbelly. To Hollowpaw, it felt as though her body was no longer her own. The she-cat soul of another took over nearly completely, malicious passion burning like wildfire as they fought the beastly canine together, in the same pelt. Her own spirit felt warm, no, blazing. It was like being trapped in forest fire, surrounded on all sides by scorching heat and fury. Yet, she didn’t feel all too trapped, allowing it to happen, all the while being perplexed about the sensation and who this presence was, why it was so enraged, why her mind had the notion of wanting to kill. The coyote snapped close to her short tail. Had it been any longer, she surely would have been caught. The Apprentice swiped one last time at the creature’s vulnerable underbelly, ripping through fur with ease. The coyote let out a loud yelp and jumped away, spinning back to snarl while the other cats could only watch in astonishment. ‘Wait!’ Hollowpaw’s mind screamed to her spiritual visitor. ‘I didn’t come here to fight! I came to help, to heal those who were hurting while fighting! I can’t fight, even with your help like this. I’ll get hurt, and I’m not supposed to fight, anyway. I’m a healer!’ Willingly, she pushed back against whomever had possessed her, pushing back the flames which licked at her mind. Reducing the heat was a struggle, but she came out on top as the other soul relented and allowed her control of her own body back, though the fury still burned hot. Hollowpaw blinked and turned towards the coyote as it looked ready to snap at her again. “Wait!” she shouted to it, quickly remembering that foxes and coyotes shared words. Maybe she could talk to him and get him to just stop? It was nothing more than a wish, but it was worth a try. Astonished, the coyote did pause in its attack to stare at Hollowpaw in disbelief that she had uttered a word he understood. However shocking, his body was still pumping with adrenaline and the desire to fight. His guard didn’t lower at all, but curiosity did grab hold loosely. “How you speak?” he growled back, the fur along his spine bristling. Hollowpaw gulped and stiffened up. “I speak fox,” she told him in that very language. “I was raised by some. Why are you doing this?” she demanded, having to put a paw down. “It’s horrible!” The coyote placed his ears further back and bared his fangs. “Hungry. Very little prey in territory. Must come here. Need eat,” he growled back, taking a step forward. There was nearly no prey in their territory? It was the middle of color-leaf, so a lot of prey would have migrated by now, but there should have still been plenty of squirrels, rabbits, and mice around. Up until early no-leaf, prey should still be running decently enough. Why would the coyotes not have enough, so much so that they had to invade a cat clan for food? The desperation was too great for them to simply be hungry. Looking closer at the large male now, she did notice his ribs beginning to protrude through his pelt some. There really couldn’t be enough prey for them if he was going hungry, so much so he and his little pack would risk so much injury just for food. “I’m sorry you’re so hungry,” Hollowpaw told him, taking a step back since he took one forward. “But you can’t do this. You can’t attack and kill innocent cats like this. They haven’t done anything to you,” she pleaded with him, praying somehow he’d listen. “Maybe I can help you figure out why there’s so little prey, or I could teach you how to fish in the river. Just, please, stop attacking these cats.” Pleading had to do something, right? Coyote or not, he was still a living creature. He didn’t need to do this. He could show some compassion. Every living thing was capable, even him. For a moment, the male seemed to ponder her offer but soon growled again. “Will die before take help from filthy cat,” he snarled and lunged at her with gnashing fangs. Hollowpaw, thankfully quick as ever, was able to dodge just in time by jumping off to the side. Batclaw and Featherfur bunched their muscles to spring into action and help, but Hollowpaw wouldn’t have that. She wouldn’t have any more deaths or injuries on her watch. “No!” she yelled to them, back int heir native language. “I have an idea.” She squeaked as her tail barely dodged another snap. “Tell everyone to back off!” “What?” Batclaw couldn’t believe his ears! She wanted the cats to STOP fighting? The battle may have been bad, butt hey had Warrior’s honor, and WaterClan needed their territory, or they’d likely fall apart. Even if they were another clan, they were all cats, and they had to stick together against the common enemy of coyotes. “Never!” “Please!” Hollowpaw shouted back, jumping out of the way of yet another bite and then slipping under the beast’s belly, making him basically prance to try and get her. Thankfully, her agility and speed allowed her to continue the avoiding game. “I’m going to drive them away myself. If I taunt them, they’ll likely come after me, since they’re already fired up from hunger and battle.” “Are you insane?” Featherfur called back, wanting to spring into action, but part of her knew that if she did that right now it may hurt her former Apprentice more than help. “Maybe just a little bit.” Hollowpaw bolted between the coyote’s back legs and ran right towards the other two remaining ones. If Batclaw and Featherfur wouldn’t help her by warning the clan to back off, then she would do it herself. “Stop fighting!” she announced and jumped onto a female canine’s haunches and right back off again, just getting her attention. “I have a plan, but the need to follow me!” Then, she went to the next coyote and pounced on the side of its face and rebounded off. Landing a fox-length away, she turned with her tail towards them and wagged it. “Come and get me, carrion breathed beasts!” she called to them in fox speak, taunting them. “Gonna let one little cat humiliate you?” The fighting cats all paused, wondering what this singular Apprentice could do. Some wanted to leap back into the fray while the beasts were distracted, but Batclaw and Featherfur finally came through and warned them not to, though both their hearts and minds raced. The coyotes, though also astonished by this feline speaking words they could understand, hated it. Each one had been humiliated by Hollowpaw, dodging attacks, inflicting some, bouncing off their bodies, and taunting them in such a manner as to waved her stumpy tail at them. Unforgivable! The large male seemed to be the one in charge, and he was definitely arrogant. When Hollowpaw continued to insult them, he howled and then charged at her. The other two followed, all fueled by prideful rage.
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Chapter 12: Dreams Upon Dreams A chilly, early autumn breeze blew against her fur, ruffling it like a newly hatched bird’s downy feathers. All the while, thin blades of grass brushed and tickled her nose. Hollowpaw jerked awake with a yowl escaping her jaws as her body forced her paws underneath. She stood and whipped her head around, frantically looking for the source of fear clutching her pounding heart. Yet only colorfully changing leaves blowing within the dusk-lit breeze revealed themselves.The Apprentice’s mind raced yet was numb, blank of memory or of reason for existing in this current plane. Where was she? What had happened to put her here? Why was she so scared? Then, something hit her. She recognized this place.Her eyes went over the edge of the bit of land upon which she stood. Beyond, the earth was stagnant water, a little murky but still showing the pebbles below in its haze. This was where she had met Yelloweye before, but the she-cat didn’t seem to be around right now. Still, the fact Hollowpaw herself was here, meant she had to either be dreaming or dead. That realization triggered a flash of memories, quick and fleeting like the twinkle of a star but just as impactful. Running, lots of hard running. Large, angry beasts and gnashing teeth. Then, cold and rushing water engulfing her body. After that, everything was black. What had happened?Glancing around the small land mass, Hollowpaw tried to see if Yelloweye – or any other cat – was around, but the young she-cat appeared to be completely alone. “Yelloweye?” Her voice rang out and echoed but was only met with silence. “Yelloweye, are you there?” She lowered her volume. “I’m scared.”“Don’t be.” Hollowpaw jumped nearly out of her fur as the voice came from behind. She whirled around with pelt bushing out but immediately calmed down by the face of the familiar she-cat.“Yelloweye, there you are,” the Apprentice sighed in relief. “I thought I was here alone… Why am I here?” The gray she-cat sat between two jutting roots of a maple tree and licked a paw then brought it up over her ear. Her casual energy resonated with Hollowpaw, calming her, as well. “Because of your little stunt. You’re unconscious right now, nearly drowned,” the older feline replied in such a calm and casual way that it actually sent shivers up Hollowpaw’s spine, along with shock.She exclaimed, “Nearly drowned?” The flash memory of a roar from angry water flooded her mind for just an instant. With it, though, came an almost palpable sting of cold against her skin. “How? What happened?” She had to know.Yelloweye locked gazes with Hollowpaw, her own gaze holding nothing distinguishable. It was as if emotion simply didn’t exist to her in this moment. “Your little stunt happened. Don’t you remember?” she asked but didn’t wait for an answer to explain. “You taunted the coyotes until they chased you, and you headed full speed for the river. I told you not to, but you told me it was ‘either the river or the beasts.’ You made it to the edge and jumped into the water, and the coyotes followed, moving too quickly and too blinded by furious pride to stop. They drowned, and you would have, too, if it weren’t for me.”Hollowpaw felt her heart skip a beat. She had really done that? “I just jumped into a raging river - freezing waters - to kill some coyotes?” The shock of it all racked her body, and another memory came. The jump. Yelloweye was right, because in her mind, Hollowpaw saw the white water below, the cliff on the other side growing nearer, ground underneath her paws disappearing, and then the water rapidly growing nearer. Splash. Yelloweye padded over and stopped at the other she-cat’s muzzle, only a tiny distance away now and gazing straight at her, even though the Apprentice could no longer rip her stunned stare from the ground. “Just like in the battle, I possessed your body. I guided you as you let me, and I helped you keep your head above water just long enough for some of the WaterClan cats to jump in and pull you out of the river where it grew calmer,” she meowed. “I helped save your life, so don’t try to waste it again.”The silvery she-cat blinked once and slowly allowed her gaze to meet Yelloweye’s. “Thank you,” she whispered then gulped, opening her jaws to stammer out another question. “The coyotes…are you sure they’re dead?”“Absolutely,” Yelloweye meowed back, a glint of satisfaction or pleasure in her eyes. “Their bodies bobbed limply in the water past you, just like pinecones floating on the river. So much for your oath of not killing, huh?”Hollowpaw shook her head perhaps a bit too vigorously. “No, it’s okay they’re dead because of me,” she told the other feline, hoping herself that it was true. She wanted to believe it was the truth, but the thought of lives being lost because of her…it gnawed at her stomach. She tried to justify it. “It’s okay if a Medicine Cat kills if it’s prey, a cat’s suffering is just too great, or if it’s in self-defense. That’s what Dappleleaf has told me.”Yelloweye nodded but only seemed to half-believe her. “Perhaps, but just remember that those lives, the lives of other animals you could talk to, are gone because of you. Death is nothing to scoff at or brush off. If you don’t accept it then it will only haunt you,” the older she-cat told her seriously, but that glint remained. “Just, like I said before, don’t throw yourself away so readily. It isn’t your time yet. There’s still much work to be done.” She turned abruptly and took a few paces away then glanced back over her shoulder. “It’s time for you to wake up.”With a jolt and gasp, Hollowpaw’s eyes flew open to see a blue sky and cats leaning over her. “She’s alive!” one cat called excitedly. Featherfur’s familiar face appeared in her vision, relief flooding her being with a purr. “Oh, thank StarClan! Hollowpaw, what the Dark Forest were you thinking?” she exclaimed and then growled out, “Don’t you ever do anything like that again!”Hollowpaw blinked a few times and then felt an overwhelming burning sensation deep within her chest and then throat, moving quickly upwards. Se wretched to the side and spewed out water, followed by a fit of coughing. All the while this happened, she couldn’t help but think this was probably what Webpaw had felt when she saved him from freezing water.“Take it easy,” a gruff tom’s voice told her with a paw patting her back. “Just let all the water out but don’t try to move much yet,” he ordered in a firmer way.Hollowpaw had no choice as her stomach and lungs heaved, her body forcing herself to get every little bit of liquid out as possible. After what felt like forever but was probably only a few moments, the she-cat finally managed to gasp in some more breaths and force herself to breathe more normally. She looked around at the little group who had gathered.Featherfur and Batclaw were there, both definitely relieved but somewhat angry, also, at her actions. A large tom that she recognized from the Gathering stood looming over her, his paw the one on her back – Eaglegaze. Beside him, a timid looking, tiger tabby she-cat whose form was much smaller, sat – his Apprentice, Willowpaw. The final cat encircling her was an orange and white she-cat she knew to be Tansyheart, who was Deputy to WaterClan.“I must admit, for a LeafClan Apprentice, you are a brave one,” the rival clan’s Deputy spoke. “However, you’re also horribly stupid to jump into freezing water like that, not to mention in the rapids. You’re lucky to be alive.” She inhaled deeply and then sighed to let it out. “But WaterClan owes you a debt for your service in getting rid of the coyote pack. Don’t assume it’ll be anything big, since Eaglegaze and I had to pull you out of the river, but I’ll grant you a small favor to be used later on.”Hollowpaw was silent the entire time, rather unable to will herself to speak, honestly. Now that she thought about it, she did notice that Tansyheart and Eaglegaze’s pelts were sobbing wet, just as her own was. Yet the other cats were dry, but it made sense. WaterClan cats would know the river much better, as it was cutting their territory., and they’d be much more adapted to swimming in its currents.“You may have helped the clan,” Batclaw spoke up then, his tone and demeanor much harder and stern, “but you still went against orders and snuck out here to fight, as a Medicine Cat Apprentice.” He knew she had to have snuck out, as there was no chance Riftstar would have allowed such a novice in all aspects to leave on her own and aid in a coyote pack battle. “Not to mention how inept you actually are at battling.” His whiskers twitched a bit as the memory of her dodging the coyote’s snapping fangs with ease danced in his brain. It was so abnormal for her, even if she had shown an ability in attack evasion. That had simply been on an entirely different level. Featherfur nodded her agreement. “Absolutely. Your presence here went against orders, and you nearly died because of it. We simply can’t afford to lose a Medicine Cat Apprentice like that – no clan could. As such, you will be punished for you disobedience and reckless behavior,” she stated firmly.“Indeed,” even Eaglegaze agreed. “If Willowpaw were to ever do such a thing, she would be strictly punished for certain.” He nodded to himself and finally removed his paw from the silvery she-cat’s back. “Now that the fight is over, however, I must return to my camp. The clan is surely in need of medical attention after the fight. Hopefully, I won’t have anymore casualties.”Hollowpaw remembered the bodies littering the camp during the fight. She wondered just how many had died in that battle, how many lives had been needlessly ripped away. Yelloweye’s voice whispered, “You took lives, too. Those coyotes are dead because of you.” She willed the thought out of her mind, but part of her did find some kind of delight in knowing those beasts would no longer bother any cat again. Though, most of her being felt sick at having done such a thing, even if she tried to justify her actions. The fact remained that she had killed, that those souls were lost because of her, and they would no longer breathe even once.“Come on now,” Batclaw meowed, snapping Hollowpaw out of her trance. “We’re going home, and you’ll be speaking to Riftstar about this.” He nudged her with a paw, and Hollowpaw heaved her soaked self on shaking legs. “Let’s go.”He and Featherfur turned to head towards the log upstream, so they could trek back to their own territory while Eaglegaze and Willowpaw padded away. However, Hollowpaw paused. “Wait,” she finally managed to rasp out, her throat hurting from heaving up so much water. “I came here to help the injured,” she told them, trying to stand her ground, if even just a little bit. “I had herbs to help… I didn’t intent to fight; I just wanted to heal those who had fought.”“Didn’t intend to fight, eh? Well, look how that turned out for you,” Batclaw replied, flicking his tail for her to follow, a bit more impatiently now. Hollowpaw’s tail drooped. With a quiet sigh, she began to follow slowly behind, her limbs trembling and weak. Yet the others did not help her, perhaps as a punishment for disobeying orders to stay back at camp. She did notice however, Sootbreeze approaching from the WaterClan camp finally. Her gaze landed on Hollowpaw, sympathy within her eyes in which the Apprentice had never seen the like before. Still, the she-cat passed her by like the other Warriors, and Hollowpaw had to struggle along behind.Getting back to their home camp was slow going, but the Apprentice made it, exhausted by the time she’d gotten back. All she wanted to do was go to her nest and collapse, but she was met just inside the camp entrance by Riftstar’s unhappy aura. “So, it’s true. You did sneak out of camp against my orders,” the black she-cat said gruffly. “Not only that but you traversed unfamiliar territory all alone to join a deadly battle with hardly any successful battle training. You’re lucky to even be able to walk back here.”Hollowpaw opened her jaws to reply, to explain her reasoning, but Riftstar merely held her tail up for silence.“Not a word. You went against my direct order to put yourself in the line of danger, indirectly also putting the entire clan in danger,” she scolded. “Do you not understand how much your life and training are worth to us? We haven’t had a Medicine Cat Apprentice in many, many moons, and Dappleleaf is old. When she passes – any moment possible – you will be the one this entire clan has to rely on when sick or injured. You’re not a Warrior nor a Warrior’s Apprentice, so don’t try to act like you are. Act like what you really are – a Medicine Cat Apprentice. That means you stay out of battles and help us during the aftermath, not the fight. Especially not fights that aren’t even ours to battle.”Her ears back in scolded shame, the young she-cat could only nod her understanding. But was she really only good enough as a healer? As a cat who sat in a small cave all day, sorting herbs and treating wounds but doing nothing more? Not that she had grievances with her position or the job of a Medicine Cat at all. Yet part of her longed to be of more direct use, to be able to help those in need not only with plants but with her mind and other abilities. After all, she had saved WaterClan a lot of spilled blood with quick thinking, however self-deprivating it may have been.“I won’t deny what the others said you’ve done, and WaterClan does owe you somewhat, but that doesn’t excuse you from disobeying orders. I will speak to Dappleleaf about giving you your punishment shortly. For now, I suggest you rest up. You look like a coyote dragged you through a bramble patch.”Without a word but, at least, a nod of understanding, Hollowpaw made her way to the Medicine Den, her paws dragging on the ground by this point. Once inside the den, she noticed Webpaw already fast asleep in his own nap. Dappleleaf was sorting through her herbs again, making a routine to do so every day. Or, maybe, she was just bored and did that to occupy time. Even so, the blind she-cat turned her head towards Hollowpaw, gazing over her shoulder with those absent eyes. “How did it go?” she asked quietly, not wanting to disturb her sleeping patient. “By the sound of your pawsteps, I’d say it was exhausting, but you don’t appear to have any fractured or twisted limbs, at least. Your ragged, raspy breaths do suggest a near drowning, though. Mind telling me the story before you pass out?”As usual, Dappleleaf’s medical skills astounded Hollowpaw, even now. She had gathered so much correct information simply from sound. “Uh, you’re right,” the she-cat meowed quietly, noticing how raspy her voice actually was. She made her way to her nest and settled down into it. “Basically, WaterClan terrain fought me the whole way there, and when I got there I started talking with the coyotes. They share a decent amount of words with foxes.” She paused, her mind growing fuzzy on what had happened next. “I think, after that, I taunted the coyotes into following me and then ran for the river. I don’t remember jumping, but I did, apparently. Eaglegaze and Tansyheart had to pull me out, and Eaglegaze helped get the water out of my lungs. After that, we just basically came back here, but the coyotes are definitely dead, drowned in the water,” she reported. Minorly, that same feeling of satisfaction crawled within her at the thought, but she pushed it down like before.“I see. Well, that all must have been quite scary for you,” Dappleleaf responded. “And seeing as you’ve been figured out like you have, I suppose I’ll be getting a talk from Riftstar about your punishment for not following her orders to stay here. But you knew that would be coming; we both did even before you left. And I will have to follow through with it. But don’t worry yourself too much over it, dear. It won’t be that harsh, considering your heart was in the right place and the good you have done this sun.” She picked through a couple more herbs then padded over. “For now, get some rest.”Opening her eyes, Hollowpaw woke up to the same dusk-lit scene she had before. The grass tickled her nose on her little island, and she sat up. Part of her was surprised to be back in StarClan so soon, and she hadn’t even remembered falling asleep. Yet here she was, and there was Yelloweye, sitting across the stagnant water as if time was being replayed from their last encounter.“Welcome back,” Yelloweye greeted, but her voice was not soft. Instead, her tone held thick irritation and anger. Hollowpaw shrunk into herself some at the she-cat’s tone, knowing she was still peeved about her little stunt. How much grief would she get over something that couldn’t be changed?Yelloweye sighed, seemingly reading the Apprentice’s mind. “I will admit you certainly are incredibly quick on your own paws, more so than anyone else I’ve ever seen. Speed and agility are on your side, but even the swiftest cat would need help running from three angry coyotes. Don’t blame me for being upset about that and other things.” She flicked her tail. “Anyway, I brought you back here because I wanted to make sure you never try to throw your life away like that again. I need it ingrained into your mind like gashes on a tree. After your experience, I doubt that you will be so reckless again, but this is the second time now you’ve flung yourself into freezing waters. Do make it the last, alright? You really don’t understand how much your life is worth.”Hollowpaw gave a curt, shallow nod as he eyes scanned the ground. Despite the words of everyone, she just couldn’t see how her life meant all that much. Maybe some training would go to waste, but the clan could always find another Apprentice to study under Dappleleaf. She wasn’t even really sure yet if she belonged to LeafClan, anyway. Her parents may not even be in the clan. And, even if they were, they certainly hadn’t have wanted her if she was left to die in the forest as a newborn.“Doubting your place, are you?” Yelloweye’s voice snapped the living she-cat back to her dreamt reality with a look of shock. “You can’t hide your thoughts from me when you’re in my domain, young one. Just trust me when I say you are important to this story. Everyone is important to their own story, after all, and even to the tales of others. For instance, you’re quite the character in mine.” A twinkle sparkled in her eyes, but that soon fizzled and turned into a serious spark. “Listen closely now, Hollowpaw. There was another reason I brought you back here so soon. Our time together draws near with its end for this dream, but I must warn you once more of the great danger coming to you and the clans. It draws closer, and StarClan refuses to see it. They wish to remain in ignorant bliss until the blight occurs, until damage is already done. But I am telling you now that you cannot run like they will want you to. They will be scared and will wish to flee, but you cannot. If you do, all will be lost. The only way to fight fire is with fire.”Suddenly, flash images of cat’s wailing in pain and others scrambling with fury in their crazed eyes engulfed her mind. She saw flames lick the trees, scoring them with ashen scars, and twolegs – what she had come to understand of them from stories – raced into the chaotic forest with snakes at their sides. All around her, Hollowpaw only heard pain and fear ring out, and all she saw was death and destruction.The Apprentice jolted awake to intense darkness. She panted as her eyes soon adjusted, showing that daylight had faded within the cavern. Now, the moon took hold of the land, causing blackness to envelope her nest more than she was used to in the waking hours. She panted as she examined the others in the low light. Webpaw remained asleep like before, and Dappleleaf now also fit that description. However, Hollowpaw herself knew that sleep would not come back to claim her for the rest of the night, unease and anxiety prickling within her heart at Yelloweye’s warning. Yet she had now idea what this danger was supposed to be and, thus, did not know how to fight it or warn others.✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 13: The Color of Change Come morning’s dim light filtering through the cave entrance, Hollowpaw couldn’t help but feel only exhaustion and worry. After her nightmare, she hadn’t slept another wink, and now she had to be concerned about the punishment for disobeying orders. Even so, all the she-cat could do right now was lie in her nest until told otherwise. “Good sunrise,” Dappleleaf meowed from her own nest heartbeats later, just having woken up. She stood and arched her back into a long stretch then padded over. “I trust you slept well. Would you mind grabbing Webpaw and I some prey? You and I have some important business to attend to this sun.” Hollowpaw glanced up and nodded, even though the she-cat couldn’t see it. Stiffly, she rose from the comfort of her nest. Webpaw was still asleep, glancing over at him, but he’d wake up for prey, no doubt. “I’ll be right back.” With that, the she-cat emerged from the den, only to find many eyes of Warriors and Apprentices alike watching her as they gossiped to each other. The whispers made her pelt prickle uneasily, but she continued on and tried to keep her head down. She made it halfway to the fresh-kill pile before two cats approached her. Rainpaw and Rosepaw fell into step on either side. “You look like you haven’t slept at all,” the dark gray tom remarked. “Gee, thanks,” Hollowpaw replied sarcastically, her state of sleeplessness causing an attitude to emerge. Rainpaw folded his ears back slightly. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just, you seem tired. I would be, too, if I had done what you did.” Rosepaw nodded her agreement from Hollowpaw’s other side. “Yeah. I can’t believe you actually snuck out to go to WaterClan camp on your own then lured a bunch of coyotes into a raging river and nearly died.” She shook her head in disbelief then showed her worry. “Please don’t ever do anything like that again, okay?” “Yeah, we would really miss you,” Rainpaw added. Hollowpaw wanted to snap at her friend for also commanding her like others about not wasting her life, but she held it back. They only cared about her. She couldn’t angry about that – no matter how many times she was told the same thing over and over. “I won’t,” she simply sighed back. They reached the pile, and she started to pick through its contents for a good meal for Dappleleaf in particular. She still didn’t care what Webpaw got, and she didn’t feel too hungry herself at the moment. An awkward silence fell over the young cats for a moment before Rainpaw spoke up again. “So, I am going to be assessed this sun,” he told the two she-cats. “Batclaw is going to see how my training is really progressing in some real scenarios like actual hunting and some tracking. I’m hoping it goes well.” “Oh, really?” Rosepaw was a bit surprised but obviously happy for him. “I’m sure it’ll go well if he thinks you’re ready enough to be assessed,” she assured him. “You train hard and definitely know your stuff.” Hollowpaw, even in her stupor, still had to also be a little happy for her friend. After all, these two were the only real friends she had in the entire clan, in all of the clans. Dappleleaf was great, but she was still a mentor – a cat to look up to – more than a friend. “You’ll do great,” she added to Rainpaw. “Don’t worry.” She had trained with him before when she still learned under Featherfur, so she knew just how good the tom was with lessons. “I hope so, but I do have to admit I am nervous for it,” he replied then fished out a mole for himself to eat. “I just hope, right now, I can keep this prey down. My stomach’s kind of in knots,” he said with a nervous chuckle. “Eating can be pretty hard when you’re nervous about something,” Hollowpaw admitted, knowing that all too well. “The key is to just go slow and don’t focus on it. Just kind of do it and focus on something else while you’re eating.” Rainpaw nodded. “Thanks. I’ll have to try that.” He was grateful for the little bit of advice. Rosepaw picked out a squirrel and handed it over to Hollowpaw. “You should take this. It’s pretty plump, and I think you’ve earned it,” she told her friend with a mild purr. Hollowpaw did appreciate the gesture and nodded. “Thanks.” She hooked out a vole and crow for the others then. “I guess I’d better get going with these,” she sighed, wanting to stay with her friends and chat. It wasn’t often she was able to do that since she either was studying in the den, treating somebody, or they were off training. Being a Medicine Cat Apprentice while your only friends were Warrior Apprentices didn’t leave much time for them to just hang out together. “Yeah, but we’ll talk again soon,” Rosepaw promised. “I’ll come by later, and we can just talk in the Medicine Den or something. I know having Webpaw as captive company for so long gets really tiring.” Rainpaw nodded his agreement. “We both know that all too well,” he said and rolled his eyes. “I’ll be sure to come by later, too. After all, I’ll have plenty to tell you guys about my assessment and how it went.” The large, young tom picked up his preay in his jaws. “See you,” he said in a muffled meow and left. “I’ll see you later,” Rosepaw said again with a glimmer in her eyes. She then picked up her own prey and gave a final nod before leaving, also. This left Hollowpaw alone. The she-cat sighed and worked carefully to pick all of the prey pieces she’d gotten up at once. It took some doing, but she managed and started back to the Medicine Den. Now, the feeling of eyes on her was strong again, but she kept her gaze tunneled on the den. Once there, she found Vinepaw to be by the now awake Webpaw. She came in for visits now and again, and they would talk and make fun of others. Now, she wondered if the two would keep that up after Webpaw’s confession and promise to be better. Hollowpaw came over and dropped the crow by Webpaw’s nest. “A crow?” the tom asked with some disgust. “Everyone knows crow doesn’t taste that good.” Vinepaw was about to say something, but with the way Hollowpaw was feeling after everything, she wouldn’t take any backtalk from them. She glared at them, a glare that simply and sternly said ‘deal with it.’ Webpaw actually looked down and muttered a ‘thanks,’ but Vinepaw was caught off guard by the quiet pushover’s sudden aura, so much so she didn’t reply. Hollowpaw then turned and headed further back into the den to Dappleleaf where she dropped the squirrel. Rosepaw had picked it out for her, but she figured it’d be better off for her mentor. She’d take the vole for herself. Stopping down, the Apprentice dropped it as well then bit into it. Dappleleaf bent and sniffed the squirrel’s pelt. “Fresh squirrel; it smells delightful. Thank you,” the old cat said politely then dug in. A moment of silence fell upon them until the mentor spoke up, after her first bite. “I’ve pondered your punishment.” Hollowpaw wasn’t surprised all that much, but a part of her did wonder why she had to be punished still, especially by the cat who told her to sneak out. But it’s what Riftstar wanted, and it had to happen, she figured. Whatever it was, she just hoped it just wasn’t anything too harsh. “You’re going to go to the Elder’s Den and clean Timberfall’s bedding then check him for ticks. Remmeber that he’s deaf, though, so you’ll have to demonstrate what you’re going to do. He doesn’t like not knowing what’s going on,” Dappleleaf instructed. “You’ll also change the bedding in the Nursery. I’m sure Duskstone, Shadekit, and Lightkit will appreciate it. But, before all that, you and I are going to go out and pick some herbs to replenish and replace our supplies. I’d like to show you the best spots for certain herbs, too, since I haven’t gotten the chance yet. We need to do it before the chill gets to them and frosts over.” Well, at least her punishments didn’t seem to be too bad. Changing bedding and checking for ticks was a usual Apprentice duty, though, it was often reserved for Warrior Apprentices. Still, she would perform her duties. The promise of picking herbs and seeing more of the territory itself in full promised to be better. “Do you know how to get to the places we need to go for these herbs?” she asked her blind mentor, wondering how it would be done. “No, not in my state,” Dappleleaf replied with a shake of her head, also. “But Grayfoot does. He often accompanies me when I need to go out like this. He’s a very kind tom in this way, puts up with me so easily.” She chuckled a bit. “But I suppose that’s not too hard when he has two young kits to also put up with.” “Oh yeah. I forgot that Shadekit and Lightkit are his. I never interact with them much. Seems like Duskstone doesn’t let them stray far from the Nursery yet,” Hollowpaw remarked. Dappleleaf sighed and shook her head. “No, she doesn’t, but they’re old enough to at this point. She’s so overprotective. Too much so.” They all continued to eat their fill, finishing off the prey. Afterwards, the two medical she cats gathered a couple birch leaves as baskets and headed out of the den. “Can you spot Grayfoot?” Dappleleaf asked through her foliage. Hollowpaw scanned the camp, finding others chatting or eating, but she didn’t see the white and gray warrior. “No,” she replied. Dappleleaf nodded then continued down the cave wall, her whiskers brushing it. “Then let’s check the Nursery. He might be in there.” Hollowpaw followed along behind, watching her mentor carefully to make sure she didn’t bump into any rocks or trip as they went. Thankfully, they made it safely to the den where playful squeaks echoed from inside. She peeked in to see Grayfoot rolling around on his back with the clans only kits jumping on him happily. Duskstone laid curled up in her nest and watching, a loving look in her amber eyes. Seeing that sent a pang through Hollowpaw’s heart, awakening a longing to have her own mother look at her the same way. But she knew, by now, that was nothing more than a fleeting fantasy. After all, she still had yet to even find out who the she-cat was. “Excuse me, Grayfoot?” the Apprentice spoke up, clearing her throat a bit, too. He looked up, a playful and happy glint still in his eyes. “Dappleleaf and I would like it if you’d be kind enough to escort us around the territory for more herbs.” A tinge of nervousness at asking him lurked in her voice. The white Warrior nodded and got up, gently sliding his kits off his belly. “Sure thing.” He turned back to Lightkit and Shadekit as they started to plead with him to stay. “Aw, come on! Stay and play with us!” Lightkit begged, her white pelt ruffled up messily from the play. Her brother nodded his agreement, his oppositely colored pelt in the same state. “We were having so much fun!” He pouted then. “Now, don’t be like that,” Grayfoot told his son and rubbed noses with him then Lightkit. “I’ll be back before you guys know it, and then we’ll play some more, alright?” He touched noses with his mate then. “I love you guys.” “We love you, too,” Duskstone replied with a light purr. She flicked her tail dismissively then but kept her light and loving tone. “Go on then. Come back soon. We’ll be waiting.” Grayfoot nodded to them. “Goodbye.” He turned from them and exited the Nursey, his cheerful mood staying. “Alright, let’s head off then.” He offered his tail to Dappleleaf, and she dropped her bundle to take it softly in her jaws. Hollowpaw took the extra leaf and followed them out. “So, is this your first time out looking for herbs then?” the Warrior inquired of Hollowpaw as he led the way. “Yes, it is,” she replied in that muffled way because of the leaves carried. Grayfoot nodded and looked back ahead while they slowly moved forward. “It’s not bad. All we do is trek around a bit then head back. The worst part is maybe seeing some prey but having to leave it be since we’re not a hunting patrol,” he chuckled. The trio went on for a bit before coming to a little clearing that Hollowpaw hadn’t seen before. She had only wandered the territory sparsely as a Warrior’s Apprentice, plus what she’d seen coming in as a rogue, going to the Gathering, and going to the Moon tree those times. Other than that, she hadn’t seen much that she could recall. The clearing was small but beautiful. It blossomed with late blooming wildflowers of purple, blue, and yellow. The trees parting enough in the leaf-fall with their own arrangement of color allowed for rays of golden light to drape the landscape, illuminating the flowers even more. It was so beautiful, so majestic. Simply it left the young Apprentice in awe. Dappleleaf sniffed the air and let go of Grayfoot’s tail. A deep inhale and exhale later, the old she-cat padded into the small flower field. “It’s been a while since I’ve been back here,” she remarked softly, a hint of something other than cheer in her mew as she began to examine the flowers with her nose. “What is this place?” Hollowpaw asked, following her mentor slowly. The sweet scent of the plants wafted around her, and their petals lightly brushed her pelt as if trying to tickle her. “It’s so amazing, beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it before.” “This is Lavender Spot,” Dappleleaf answered quietly. “The purple flowers you’ll see here are the lavender. The other flowers are merely for show, but the lavender is what we’re here to get. It’s good for curing chills and fever.” She carefully sniffed a stalk of the violet petals then plucked it with her teeth nearer the stem’s base. “Here, put the leaved down, and we’ll gather some in a bundle.” Hollowpaw did as instructed and rested the stalk on the leaf. Only then did it hit her, what was lingering in her mentor’s voice – sorrow and longing. She’d forgotten that Dappleleaf couldn’t see in her awe. She couldn’t behold the majesty of these fields, and the poor old cat wished to. Had she before? Did she know what these fields look like? It was then that her curiosity outweighed the rising anxiety of asking, and she inquired anyway. “Do you miss it?” she meowed quietly to her mentor, trying to at least tread carefully. “Do you miss being able to see? To see flowers?” Dappleleaf turned her head slightly at Hollowpaw’s words, her ears angling. “Of course, I do,” she answered, more of that sorrow coming forth. “I was only a young Warrior’s Apprentice when I lost my sight to the infection. I was like you and made to transfer to Medicine Cat Apprentice, if I were to be of any use without sight. I made it work, obviously, but that doesn’t mean I don’t miss what are now only faded memories.” She paused and lifted her muzzle to the sky slightly. “The sun used to sting my eyes in this little clearing, but it was also the best place to see the stars at night. Their gentle light twinkling in the sky, watching down over me…” Her head fell again, her nose now a mere whisker-length away from another stalk of lavender. “But the sight I miss the most are the lavender buds. They were always so beautiful, so small and welcoming like a happy kit’s eyes. So beautiful…” Hearing Dappleleaf talk like that made Hollowpaw’s heart ache for her. She couldn’t imagine the underlying pain her mentor must face on a daily basis, fighting her own, invisible battle all by herself. In a way, the Medicine Cat was a lot like her, as they each had silent battles to constantly fight. She just felt so much hurt for the old cat, though. Even if she wanted to, Hollowpaw couldn’t imagine the pain and sorrow of losing her sight, of knowing she’d never be able to be normal again. She padded closer to her mentor’s side and leaned against her slightly, so their pelts brushed She would have draped her tail over her shoulders, but her stubby tail wouldn’t allow for that, in reality. “I’m sorry,” came the soft apology. “Can…can you tell me what happened?” she asked then carefully. “How you got that infection? I’m sorry if that’s too personal…” “No, it’s quite alright, dear. I would be curious, too.” Dappleleaf took a deep breath first. “I snuck out of camp when I was still a new Apprentice. That sunrise, I had just learned about hunting. I thought that if I could go out and catch my first bit of prey that I’d prove myself capable, prove I was better than the others.” She paused for a heartbeat. “I wanted so desperately to be the best. I was arrogant and naïve. Because of that, I made my way to this spot. During the day, mice love this little field. During that night, I thought that maybe some would still be around. It was only my second time here, but, like you, I was still so in awe at the flowers’ beauty. The shine of the stars with the moon’s silver light made it all the more amazing, especially the silver on violet lavender. Then, some of the flower stalks rustled ahead. Of course, I got into my hunting crouch and stalked forward, thinking this was it. This was my moment, but I was wrong.” She shook her head at her past self. “What I thought was a small mouse turned out to be a raccoon, something I was not ready for. It was small, but so was I. I was already upon it before I realized, having pounced blindly on only the wiggling flowers. We fought, and in the fray, it scratched my eyes. I screeched and ran blindly. Thankfully, it didn’t pursue, but the noise had attracted some of my clanmates. They came and found me stumbling around, my eyes bleeding sight nothing but blurry red. I was taken back where the cat who would become my mentor – Applenose – took care of me. Despite his best efforts, infection ravaged the injuries, and it took not only my sight but the eyes themselves. After that, I could only try to be Applenose’s Apprentice, but I was never so arrogant again. I had learned my lesson.” Hollowpaw listened intently, her heart only aching more for her mentor. So, all because she had wanted to prove herself, she was punished by never being able to see again? It didn’t seem fair at all. Dappleleaf now was so sweet and understanding, so kind and passionate about her herbs, about helping others. Thinking of her as anything else didn’t seem to fit, but that didn’t dampen the sorrow she felt. All Dappleleaf wanted to do now was see the flowers, the lavenders. But she never would again. “I’m so, so sorry,” she whispered again. Dappleleaf shook her head. “Don’t be, dear. That was a long, long time ago now. I’ve learned to live with it. Still, I do wish I could see the lavenders one more time, but smelling them is nearly as good. Maybe once I’m in StarClan, I’ll be granted that ability again. Who knows?” She stretched out her neck to pluck another lavender stalk. “But I can’t imagine how hard that must have been, to only want to succeed and then be so…punished.” She sighed, shoulders sagging. She quietly muttered, “Kind of reminds me of myself failing as a Warrior…” Dappleleaf moved her tail over the Apprentice’s shoulders, looking at her with an eyeless face but still somehow expressing such gentle love. “My dear, sometimes you have to fail in order to succeed. Sometimes, you have to lose in order to gain.” A soft purr emanated. “Just as I failed as a Warrior Apprentice to succeed with medicine, and how I lost sight to gain compassion and understanding. Not every loss and failure come without rewards.”✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 14: For Whom the Lavender is Picked “Alright, I think we have enough lavender now,” Dappleleaf spoke up after dropping the last flowered stalk in the leaf bundle. “We should move on and gather any poppy seeds that we can before they all fall to the ground.” She took Grayfoot’s tail once more while Hollowpaw grabbed the leaf bundle. Then, they set off. Hollowpaw looked around as they went, examining the forest environment and memorizing whatever landmarks she could for future use. After all, she would have to remember these places – the best spots for certain herbs. A stone jutting from the ground served as a good example, and she noted it in her mind. The walk was quiet, her own mouth being full of herbs and Dappleleaf’s with Grayfoot’s tail for guidance. Grayfoot, after a while, did speak up, though, when a rabbit rushed away from their incoming footsteps. “There goes a perfectly good rabbit,” he sighed but didn’t seem too disappointed. “Maybe I’ll get it tomorrow for Duskstone. They’re her favorite.” Soon, the trio came to a patch of drying poppy plants, most of the pods having already opened up and seed lost. Still, a few did remain for them to gather. So, Hollowpaw went about doing just that and biting off the pods at the base. As she did so, a few seeds did fall out and spill onto the ground, to her dismay. “Aw…” “Don’t worry about a few loose seeds,” Dappleleaf told her, sitting back. It would take her a lot more effort to gather the seeds, having trouble finding where the unbroken pods were. So, Hollowpaw would have to do it herself. She would simply sit back and ‘supervise.’ “I know I shouldn’t, but it still kind of sucks,” Hollowpaw sighed but continued her work and set a few of the pods onto their other gathering leaf. Grayfoot rose to his paws from sitting. “I’m going to be right back. Gonna survey the area a bit,” he told them. “I won’t be far at all, so you’ll still be able to see or hear me.” Dappleleaf nodded. “Take your time, dear.” Grayfoot went a couple tail-lengths away when Dappleleaf’s ears pricked. “Stop!” she suddenly called out, but it was too late. Grayfoot turned his head to look at her but continued to place his front paw down, right onto a snake that had been slithering by. He jumped away with a yowl as the snake sunk its fangs into his foreleg with a distinct rattling sound emanating. In an instant, Dappleleaf was by his side, the snake slithering away quickly. “Did it bite you?” she asked worriedly, but Grayfoot didn’t answer, too shocked as he gazed down at the two puncture marks within his fur. “Did it bite you?” she then demanded more urgently, bending down to start sniffing him for the wound. “Y-yeah…” the white Warrior finally stammered out, his pelt looking paler than it ever had before. Even the gray patches looked lighter, or maybe that was Hollowpaw’s own shock setting in. “My left foreleg. There’s marks…” Dappleleaf used her whiskers to guide her face down to the wound and sniffed it, her nose wrinkling slightly. “There’s venom in it,” she stated coldly and rose, her voice instantly a lot more sympathetic. “You know what that means, Grayfoot. I’m sorry.” The Warrior continued to stare down blankly at his wound with moons for eyes. How could this be happening? It was only supposed to be a routine herb collecting. He’d done it with Dappleleaf a thousand times, but this time was the last. Hollowpaw didn’t know what to do, but she knew what that rattle had meant, what having venom in your system meant. She’d heard about it before and how dangerous their territory could be in the warmer seasons while snakes prowled the area. But it was mid leaf-fall now. There shouldn’t have been any snakes out anymore, yet there was one. And it was the one they had to find – that Grayfoot had to find. “It burns…” the Warrior murmured. His voice started to crack then. “I don’t want to die.” Dappleleaf turned and sniffed out the poppy seeds, grabbing a few. She returned to Grayfoot’s side and gave them to him. “I know. Eat these. It’ll help the pain some,” she told him, trying to be calm for him. “But I can’t die yet!” he shouted abruptly at her, not angrily but on the verge of wailing. “I have to Lightkit and Shadekit grow up! I have to see them become Warriors! I have to see Duskstone and tell her how much I love her. I have to tell them how much they mean to me.” By the end, the tom was full on wailing in anguish, as if he was losing his family rather than his own life. Hollowpaw could only watch on in horror and sorrow for the tom. He was so nice, even from day one, he had been so kind to her. He was so kind to everyone. How could this happen to him? Was she really just about to watch a cat she knew die before her very eyes? Frozen in place, only her mind raced. “I know,” Dappleleaf meowed solemnly, “but you know that can’t happen in life anymore. You’ll have to do it from StarClan.” Grayfoot’s breathing became ragged, rapid, and shallow. It was so uneven and quick, it was hard to tell if this was from panic, shock, or the venom. “Lie down,” Dappleleaf instructed him. She reared up on her hind legs and placed her forepaws on his back, pushing down and forcing him to lie down. She rolled him onto his side. “Try to breathe normally, as much as you can. Control it.” Like Hollowpaw had seen before in times of treating others, her mentor was nothing but serious and efficient. She turned to Hollowpaw. “There should be a bush around here with red berries on it. Do you see any?” she asked, crouching by the Warrior’s side and draping her tail over him while he struggled to breathe. Hollowpaw felt her heart sink then rise up into her throat. Suddenly, all of those thoughts in her head halted and disappeared, leaving her brain completely blank. She looked around frantically, too frantically. Nothing registered. There was no focus, only internal panic. Only the roaring of her own hyperventilation in her ears. “Calm down, Hollowpaw,” Dappleleaf snapped, gaining the Apprentice’s attention. “You have to control your own breathing. Focus. You don’t get the luxury to panic in a medical emergency. You’ve been in emergencies before. This is no different. Control yourself and look for those berries.” It felt as if time stopped itself. Hollowpaw took the scolding and felt that familiar presence of another soul inhabiting her body. However, this time, it wasn’t Yelloweye. This presence was different, much softer and radiant. It guided her head to the side, forcing her sight to focus on the bush of dark leaves and little, crimson berries. No, not these. Dappleleaf couldn’t be talking about these, right? “Do you see it or not?” Dappleleaf demanded again. “Uh, j-just dea-“ “Those are the ones,” the Medicine Cat cut her off. “Be careful and bring me two, now.” Hollowpaw hesitated but did as she was told, hoping there was some secret cure from these forbidden berries. Very careful as to not get juice in her own mouth, she plucked two berries off the bush and approached the other two, that invisible force helping to guide her shaky legs. She dropped them at Dappleleaf’s paws. “Alright, Grayfoot. Eat these. They’ll lessen the pain,” the Medicine Cat told him gently. “Even better than the poppy seeds. I promise, it’ll all be over soon. You won’t feel the burning or panic anymore.” Grayfoot looked up at her while still breathing erratically, but he gave a shallow nod and lapped up the berries then chewed them. As he did so, his eyes briefly met Hollowpaw’s, and she was hit all of the emotion they harbored. Never before had she seen – or even felt – such intense fear, sorrow, and even regret. Only moments after eating the berries, his body started to convulse, causing Hollowpaw to jump back some. He shook violently with foam coming from his mouth, but it only lasted a few moments before he fell still, even his heaving sides. Dappleleaf used her paw to close his eyes and mouth, her ears back and shoulders drooping. “I’ll tell your family how much you love them and that you’ll watch them from StarClan. I promise,” she meowed softly then turned and went to the gathered lavender. Hollowpaw stared in shock, her mind unable to fully process what had to happened. “I…why?” she asked Dappleleaf quietly in a cracked voice. “W-why did you…?” “The poppy seeds helped him with the sting of the venom and bite, and the death berries ceased his agony,” she replied simply while gathering some of the lavender up from the bundle. “He was going to die, so it was best to end the suffering as quickly as possible, and best he didn’t know what the berries were.” She went over to his limp body and placed the lavender stalks onto it, adding one to his severely swollen leg. “You’ll have to go back to camp and get Warriors to carry his body back, and to guide me back,” she curtly stated, sitting where she was. “But-“ “No, don’t argue. I’ll be fine here for a little bit. Just go. Please.” Hollowpaw wanted to say something, not wanting to leave her mentor alone where they had just encountered a rattlesnake, where a Warrior had just died, when she had just killed him… However, she had to obey, that presence telling her to do so. So, she turned and padded away, her mind numb as the extra spirit left her body. It didn’t take long for Warriors to gather up Grayfoot and Dappleleaf. Hollowpaw had to escort them to the sight, and then she carried the herbs back herself, behind the garrison. Back at camp, the white and gray Warrior’s family obviously mourned. Duskstone’s wails bounced off the cavern’s walls repeatedly, adding to the sorrow and eeriness of it all. Her kits did the same for their father. Grayfoot’s friends sat in silence with their heads bowed, only occasionally daring to glance at his body covered in purple flowers. Hollowpaw sat back in the Medicine Den, watching from just inside the darkness of the entrance. Rosepaw was among those who sat around his body to mourn with her sister – Vinepaw – there to comfort her. After all, he had been her mentor. Rainpaw and Batclaw were still out for the assessment, so they weren’t even aware of the events yet. Behind Hollowpaw, Dappleleaf sorted their new herbs silently. Even Webpaw was quiet among the grief and wails. It felt not only as if a respected Warrior had died but also that a friend to the entire clan was lost. Among it all, the gaze of yellow eyes caught her attention. Sootbreeze was staring at her again, but Hollowpaw didn’t care this time. This time, it didn’t matter. For the first time ever, she ignored the piercing of those eyes on her pelt. Instead of caring, she turned and went deeper into the den, to her nest. There, she curled up and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry you had to experience that.” The tiger tabby tom sat before Hollowpaw with his head bowed but gaze still softly on her. “Medicine Cat or not, the death of anyone you know is hard to experience. You should not have to go through that at such a young age.” Hollowpaw stood in tall grass, the warm breeze no longer comforting but haunting. “Was it you who helped guide me while it happened?” she asked. Her sad mood was now edged with determination and even distain. Gentlestripe nodded. “Yes.” The she-cat sat quietly for a moment then took a deep breath before letting it out in the form of a long, shallow sigh. “It was your first time, wasn’t it? Possessing somebody else’s body?” He was silent. “StarClan doesn’t do that too well, do you? It felt different when you did it, like it was foreign, wrong. It wasn’t just your first time, but it’s something that StarClan cats just don’t do in general, is it?” The starry tom blinked then let out his own sigh. “No, it’s not,” he admitted. “Why does that matter to you? You don’t have to expect it often.” “Not from you,” Hollowpaw stated, the wheels within her brain turning. Yet she halted them on this subject, for the time being. Something else was more important right now. “Is he here? Grayfoot?” Gentlestripe shook his head. “No, not yet. His spirit lies with his mate and kits for the night,” he answered solemnly. “He must accept that he’s dead in order to come here, and to that he wanted one more night with his family.” Hollowpaw nodded, her eyes on her paws as sadness flooded them once more. “It was horrible to watch… I wanted so badly to help him, to cure him, but all I could do was panic and watch as Dappleleaf…” “You know what she did was for the best,” the tom told her and padded over to place his tail over her shoulders. “It was the method of the most painless and the quickest death he could have had given the situation.” “I know that,” Hollowpaw choked out and shut her eyes tight. “But what if I have to do that to a cat I know someday? What if I have to kill them…?” The thought sickened her. Dangerous coyotes were one thing, but having to feed a cat death berries to end their suffering just a bit quicker? To have their death suddenly by her own paws? How could she do that? Gentlestripe nodded his understanding. “Many things in life are never easy, including death. The most you can do is doing what’s right, what’s best for yourself and for those whom you care about. That’s all any of us can ever do, no matter how sad or frustrating that can be,” he told her, sweeping his tail lightly over her spine to be of what comfort he could. “I don’t think I can ever do what Dappleleaf did,” Hollowpaw admitted, opening her eyes back up at look numbly at the grass. “If I do…it might just kill me, too.” With a sigh, Gentlestripe removed his tail and looked out at the vast stretch of field they sat in, their personal sun shining from above and bathing the land in its warm rays. “Hollowpaw, I need to know something,” he meowed then, serious. The she-cat looked up at him, a little more curious. She said nothing yet, however. “Who else has been taking control of your body in dire situations? Who else has been guiding you?” Hollowpaw’s curiosity grew. He didn’t already know? “Uh, a she-cat called Yelloweye,” she answered, wondering what that had to do with anything right now. Gentlestripe’s gaze suddenly hardened a bit. “Do you know what she looks like?” he asked of her. “I just want to know. You won’t be in trouble.” Skeptical of his words, Hollowpaw made a split moment decision. “No,” she lied while her gaze fell once more. “I’ve only talked with her but never saw her yet.” The tom sat in silence, watching her, assessing her answer. It made her more nervous, but Hollowpaw did her best to hide it. Finally, he nodded. “Alright,” he said, seeming to believe her. “But if she does it again, please let me know as soon as you can, alright? I just want to make sure you’re safe.” That statement was, at least, genuine. “I will,” Hollowpaw promised. “I have to go now. I think I’ll be waking up soon, and I have to get ready for the Gathering soon.” “Very well.” The tabby tom rose to his paws and walked in front of her, facing her. “I’ll talk to you again soon, and I’ll make sure to tell Grayfoot to say ‘hi’ next time you’re here, as well. I know it’ll help you both.” “Thank you,” was all Hollowpaw said before the dream faded.
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Chapter 15: Gathered Secrets “I don’t think she should be allowed to attend the Gathering tonight. It’s a privilege, and she has not earned the right after what she’s done. She needs to still be punished.” Riftstar was adamant on this, that Hollowpaw needed more punishment for directly disobeying orders and putting her life at such risk with reckless abandon. Simply changing bedding was not enough in her mind. “I understand, or I would understand, if she were a Warrior’s Apprentice,” Dappleleaf replied calmly but with a hint of sass in her voice. “But she’s not. She’s a Medicine Cat Apprentice, and it’s a necessity for us to attend all Gatherings, if we’re able. Just as it is for Leaders to do the same. She’s going, and that’s final. There is no choice here.” Riftstar’s black tail twitched with irritation, obviously not used to – or enjoying – being talked back to in such a manner. Yet even Leaders had to follow the advice of Medicine Cats. In a way, they had more authority than the Leaders themselves. “Fine,” the irritated she-cat begrudgingly meowed. “But she’s not allowed to mingle with the crowd. She must go directly to her place beneath the monster skeleton with the other Medicine Cats.” “Fine,” Dappleleaf replied, satisfied with that. “Now, you’d better go and get everyone ready to leave then, hm?” Hollowpaw didn’t like how the two were talking about her as if she wasn’t even there. Yet she was only a little further back in the bed. She watched as Riftstar turned and left with her head high but pride clearly hurt, no matter how much she tried to hide it. “I wish I could go to the Gathering. This is the second one I’ll be missing,” Webpaw growled out of frustration. Thankfully, he wasn’t directing that attitude towards anyone yet. “Be more careful then,” Hollowpaw replied bluntly. Anger flashed in the young tom’s eyes, instinctively ready to be defensive and aggressive, but he took a breath slowly. “I guess,” he mumbled instead. He really had been trying to be better, to not be so snappy and hurtful. It was hard work for the tom, but it was going well, so far. He sighed then. “Can you… Can you tell me how it goes? I want to know what it’s like…” Hollowpaw was a bit surprised, never having the tom outright ask for a favor or help – without being bossy about it – before. Still, it was a nice change of pace, so she nodded. “Sure. I’ll tell you all about it when I get back.” “Thanks.” He placed his light gray head on the moss and let out a sigh through his nose. Batclaw’s brown form appeared in the den entrance then. “Let’s go, Dappleleaf. Everyone will be ready to leave in a few moments.” The tortoiseshell made her way over to the clan’s Deputy and soon took his tail in her jaws to be led out. She flicked her own tail on the way out, indicating Hollowpaw to follow along. To which, she complied. Hollowpaw exited the den and looked around for Rosepaw, easily finding her by the pile of lavender where Grayfoot’s body had been not too long ago. He had been buried by now, but the lavender which had covered his body remained for the vigil. She made her way over and sat by her friend’s side. Rainpaw was already there, too. “How are you feeling?” Hollowpaw asked her grieving friend quietly. Rosepaw didn’t say a word and merely shook her head, nothing but sadness written all over her face. She was taking her mentor’s death quite hard. This also meant that she’d have to be appointed a new mentor soon, but that would be taken care of tomorrow, probably. “She hasn’t spoken in a while,” Rainpaw whispered to the other she-cat, leaning closer. “I get why, but I’m getting worried a little.” He sighed. “I’ll keep her company while you’re all at the Gathering, though. Let me know how things go.” Hollowpaw replied back like she had with Webpaw. “I will.” At the sound of Riftstar’s call, she glanced back to the waiting garrison. “I’ve gotta go, but I’ll be back soon. I’ll see you guys later. Hope you feel better, Rosepaw. Just remember that Rainpaw and I are always here for you.” With that, she turned and padded to join the traveling party. She noticed Vinepaw among the ranks as they started to move out. She wasn’t going to stay behind and comfort her sister? She had been there while Grayfoot’s body was, but now that it was buried, she didn’t seem to be sticking with her sister too much. Dumb, Hollowpaw thought. The walk to the Gathering was uneventful, but the Meeting Crag was full of chattering cats mingling and milling about, loud and lively as ever. The clan descended into the earth’s scar and split up quickly, but the young Apprentice stuck with Dappleleaf as told. It didn’t take long for the bubbly Gravelpaw to come bounding over to them, though, he didn’t seem quite as cheerful as last time. “Hello, Dappleleaf, Hollowpaw,” he greeted politely. “Can I show you to the monster skeleton’s base?” Dappleleaf noticed the change instantly herself. “Of course, but you don’t seem as happy as usual. Is everything okay, dear?” she asked before taking her tail and slowly padding off with him leading. “Oh, yeah. Everything’s fine. I’m just tired is all,” the dark gray tom replied unconvincingly. He got Dappleleaf to her spot, where she instantly began to chat to the other Medicine Cats, letting his answer slide, for now. Hollowpaw, however, wanted answers. She knew how much of a lie he was spinning. She took a seat next to him, sitting a bit away from the others but still under the base of the yellow skeleton. “What’s going on?” she asked him, letting all her skepticism of his previous answer show. “Really?” Gravelpaw looked down and shuffled his paws a bit. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just tired. It’s been busy lately is all,” he said with his ears going back unintentionally, really showing his lie. She narrowed her eyes a bit. “We both know that’s mouse dung,” she told him. “Seriously. If there’s something going on then I want to help, if I can. Even if you just need someone to talk to then I’ll listen.” The tom looked up at her for a moment. He wanted to ask why she would do that when they barely knew each other, why she would care so much. But he only shook his head instead. “It’s nothing. I shouldn’t say…” She stared at him for a heartbeat, something clicking in her mind. “Is it a new sickness?” she asked suddenly, remembering what Yelloweye had told her. Gravelpaw’s eyes hot up to lock gazes with her, nothing but surprise swimming in his own emeralds. “How did you know that?” he inquired before he could stop his own jaws from moving. Hollowpaw leaned in a bit, not wanting to have others hear. So far, she had been keeping her meetings with Yelloweye secret. Why, she did not fully know yet, but it felt like the best thing to do. “A cat from StarClan told me,” she whispered to him. “Not much, but I do know that FireClan is being hit with a mysterious illness never before seen, and that it will soon spread to the rest of the clans. At least, that’s what I’ve been told.” His eyes grew wider, leaning in now also. “Why haven’t you told anyone else yet? You didn’t, did you?” he glanced back at Dappleleaf, chatting away with Bubblepelt. “No, not yet. I wanted to confirm it first,” Hollowpaw responded. “I guess I just did. What’s going on, though? What are the symptoms of the illness? What does it do? How do cats get it?” She had to know everything possible, and she knew by now that the best way to get real answers was not from her riddle-making StarClan guides but from asking real, living cats. Gravelpaw hesitated but, after mild contemplation, decided it would be best to spread the news and information, in order to slow the progression of this illness as much as possible. “We don’t know much yet, because we only had two cats affected, so far,” he started quietly. “Bubblepelt thinks it comes from biting each other, because the first cat we had infected went mad and bit another Warrior. Then, he got it. But I think it has to do with the decline in prey lately. All the squirrels, rabbits, and mice are so hard to find now, and sometimes when we do find them, they run at us instead of away. It’s insane. I think the prey spreads it, and when we eat it, we get it.” His speculation surprised Hollowpaw, but she listened intently. If that was the case then cats would have to even be careful what they ate, if any prey could be infected. Still, they had decent prey numbers in LeafClan, and she didn’t hear anything in WaterClan yet about it. Maybe it was coming from FireClan’s side and going to spread from there? “What are the symptoms of the illness?” she asked him then. “Besides ‘going crazy?’ And what do you mean by that?” “Well, the first cat we had affected was an Apprentice, Harepaw. He suddenly had trouble walking, like, he would stumble all over the place. After a couple sunrises of that, he couldn’t even eat, and he got a fever. One sunhigh, he just started growling and babbling incoherently then attacked Bluespot when he came to visit him. I’m honestly lucky it wasn’t Bubblepelt or I, but he bit Bluespot on the leg. After that, he started to show the same symptoms, and Harepaw died shortly after that.” He looked down, shaking his head slowly, defeated. “I don’t know what’s going on and how to deal with it. Every herbal remedy we try isn’t doing anything. Only feverfew works to bring the fever down a bit for Bluespot, but that’s it. He’s still uncoordinated when he tries to move, can’t hardly speak, and he’s starting to have trouble eating and drinking. I’m scared he might go crazy on us, too.” Genuine fear overtook his eyes as he looked up at Hollowpaw. “I don’t know what t do. No one does.” She didn’t know what to tell her fellow Medicine Cat Apprentice. Never before had she heard of such a thing, and if even Bubblepelt had no idea then would anyone? He seemed to be nearly as old as Dappleleaf. Maybe she would have an idea? The symptoms were so bizarre and abnormal, though. No illness that she knew of had any of them match up. “We’ll figure out what’s going on,” Hollowpaw promised him then. They would have to, or things could get really bad, really quickly. “I think it may have something do with what happened in WaterClan, actually. A pack of coyotes attacked them, and I helped get rid of them. But before that, they told me about how prey was getting harder to find. Maybe this illness isn’t just transmitted by prey but killing it all off, as well.” Just then, a booming voice entered her ears. She turned to see the WaterClan Warrior known as Tallstrike strode over, a look of distain on his face with the fur along his spine raised and tail bushed in anger. “What are you saying about our clan? It’s none of your business what happened. Medal in your own clan’s affairs and leave WaterClan out of your gossip.” Hollowpaw felt a pang of excitement at having Tallstrike come right up to her. This was a possible opportunity for them to talk, since he was somehow related to her. He would have to know who either her mother or father was! Yet, now was not to the time for that. As badly as she wanted to know, the safety of the clans was far more important. “We’re trying to figure out something that will soon affect all of the clans and prey, something that’s already starting to,” she tried to explain, also trying very hard not to shrink back timidly at his anger. Even though she also knew she could speak about whatever she wanted; he wasn’t her boss. “Affect all the clans, huh? Mouse dung,” Tallstrike hissed, standing as tall as he could, his form towering over both Apprentices. “If you have something to say about WaterClan then say it to me right now.” He leaned in a bit, narrowing his eyes at her and her solely as he dared her. “Say it to my face.” Hollowpaw found herself looking away from his daggers, glancing to the ground instead. “I…” “That’s what I thought,” he growled and straightened again. “Keep your gossip to yourself, mistake.” He gave a curt nod to Gravelpaw, as if being polite and apologizing to him. Then, he sauntered away, disappearing into the crowd. Hollowpaw only looked up once the gray tom was gone, but a word lingered in her mind. ‘Mistake.’ Why had he called her a mistake? He definitely had to know who her parents were, and he obviously wasn’t happy about it, either. Gravelpaw sighed. “I’m sorry about that. I don’t know what his problem is,” he said with ears back. “He’s always had a temper from what I’ve see, but I’ve never heard him talk like that… Or look at someone with so much hate before. What did you do to him?” Hollowpaw couldn’t believe he had just asked that. “Nothing!” she answered a little too loudly then shrunk back a bit from it. Glancing around, nobody else seemed to really notice in all the noise of the Gathering. “That’s the first time I’ve ever talked to him even, and I barely said a word.” “Sorry,” the gray tom apologized. “I’m just on edge from everything that’s been happening.” He glanced back at his mentor, Dappleleaf, and Eaglegaze still chatting away. Willowpaw was simply sitting by them quietly. “I don’t even know if Bubblepelt will share what’s been going on. I’m just so scared about it…” A yowl from atop the colossal monster skeleton silenced them and the entire crowd. “The Gathering will now commence.” Riftstar stood tall against the moonlit sky, her head high. A few moments late, once everyone was settled in and Gravelpaw went back with his mentor, she continued. “To start, LeafClan has been fortunate to have continuous prey still running well, even as the air grows colder. However, I am sad to say we have lost a Warrior just earlier to a rattlesnake late to den. He died protecting our Medicine Cats; Grayfoot died a true Warrior.” Murmurs erupted from the clowder below. Hollowpaw twitched her stump of a tail. That was a lie. He hadn’t died protecting them. His death was little more than a fluke, an accident. It shouldn’t have even happened. He shouldn’t have tried to wander off at all. Then, he would still be alive. She wouldn’t have had to watch the kind tom die in such a horrible way, with so much fear and agony… She wouldn’t have had to watch Dappleleaf feed him death berries. “We know he is with StarClan now, watching over us and his grieving family,” Riftstar continued. “other than that, we have no more important news to share.” She stepped back, leaving Brindlestar to take her place. The proud WaterClan Leader held her tail high as she spoke. “WaterClan took a devastating hit when a pack of savage coyotes attacked our camp directly. I will not lie, and I will say we suffered much damage. However, we are resilient and continue to heal every moment that passes by. Those of us who could not be here on this land anymore are watching over us from StarClan, having died like true Warriors in battle to defend our home.” She paused and glanced back at Riftstar then cleared her throat, swallowing some of her pride. “And I would like to thank LeafClan for aiding us in that trying time. Thank you for housing our kits in safety and for sending reinforcements to help fend off the coyote enemy.” LeafClan cats cheered from the crowd. After a moment, Brindelstar held her tail up for silence and received it quickly. “Additionally, I would like to send special thanks to their Medicine cat Apprentice. Hollowpaw, for risking your life in such an extraordinary – and perhaps stupid way – you have my favor.” Hollowapw shrank back as the entire Gathering turned shocked eyes on her. Every single cat who could see had their gazes landing upon her pelt, and it was immensely uncomfortable. Even the cheers that followed from WaterClan didn’t ease her. She noticed, however, that LeafClan – her own clan – did not cheer, besides Dappleleaf and the kind Warrior, Buckleap. WaterClan, obviously, was at least grateful. Gravelpaw did begin to cheer with them, though. Despite his worry for the future, he at least was happy for his fellow Medicine Cat Apprentice. The quiet Willowpaw even managed a low volume cheer. Eaglegaze, however, merely grunted and looked away, finding her actions motivated by stupidity alone – to be a fluke thing. In his mind, it was nothing worthy of such praise. The cheers soon died down, and Brindlestar went on to speak about how rebuilding the camp’s defenses were going and – not so subtly – that they were still able to fend off any invasions. After that was said and done, it was FireClan’s turn to be heard. Nightstar replaced Brindlestar and cleared his throat. His head was high, but Hollowpaw could see from below just how his eyes sparkled with uncertainty in the moonlight. “FireClan remains strong in the face of danger,” he started. “Prey has become rather scarce lately, but we will not faulter. In fact, we have been blessed with a new Warrior among our ranks. Please welcome Strongstone.” Among the clowder, a molted gray tom straightened and puffed out his chest while the clans cheered for him, FireClan obviously being the most enthusiastic. Once that was done, the Leader spoke once more. “I am full of sorrow to announce, however, that Bluespot and young Harepaw died in a tragic accident. May their souls watch us and rest from StarClan.” He bowed his head, as did others of FireClan. Hollowpaw glanced over at Gravelpaw while he copied his clanmates, but she saw the fear his face tried to hide in this position. Looking around, she noticed the same look on every other FireClan cat. Each one wasn’t just bowing their head in respect. They were trying to hide what their faces tried to betray – the truth. “Now,” Nightstar announced, “that is all I have to share this time. I believe that should wrap this Gathering up, hm?” He looked back to his fellow Leaders, who seemed to agree. “Then, we will see you all next moon.” With that, he jumped down from the skeleton and gathered up his clanmates to lead them away. Gravelpaw stepped over to Hollowpaw first, though. “I’ll try to figure out more information on what’s happening,” he promised her. “It won’t be easy or liked, but can you meet me here in seven suns? So we can share what we know? I’m going to try and get Bubblepelt to tell the other Medicine Cats, too, or have StarClan send them a message in dreams. What’s going on…it’s going to spread. I know it will. We all have to be ready.” Hollowpaw scanned the leaving crowd, her own clan beginning to gather on near their territory’s border. “Yeah,” she agreed, despite the nagging anxiety bubbling up inside of her. She absolutely hated breaking the rules, but this was something that had to be done. It wasn’t just the Medicine Cat Code this time, but it was for the benefit of the entirety of each clan. Because she, too, knew whatever sickness this was, it would spread. Everyone would soon be afflicted by its damage. “I’ll m-meet you here in seven s-suns, on the seventh ni-ght,” she promised with a determined nod, yet her words faltered. “Alright. I’ll see you then.” With that, the gray tom turned and bounded to his clan. Hollowpaw rose and did the same, joining up at the back of the leaving group. She cats one last glance back, watching FireClan leave and then catching Tallstrike’s hateful eyes, right before vanished into the brush. She placed her ears back but left with her own clan. The entire way back, Hollowpaw stayed at the very rear of the group, contemplating what she had talked about, what she had heard, piecing together any bits of information she could to make remote sense. The she-cat was so lost in thought that she went headfirst into a tree. “Ow!” Shaking her head, she backed up a bit then sighed at her stupidity. “Gotta what where you’re going, mouse brain,” she insulted herself under her breath. However, right before she could join her still moving clan, she noticed a flash of gray movement among the distant brush. What was that? An enemy spying on them? A predator? She should have run to her group and told somebody. She should have gotten help. Or she should have just left it alone, since the movement had been heading away from camp. However, curiosity nagged at her, outweighing her better judgement as it tended to do. It would be the death of her one day, but, this time, she listened anyway. Silently, the silvery she-cat placed careful paws upon the ground to creep up on where she’d seen the movement. Avoiding fallen leaves that would surely crunch underpaw, she made her way to the spot and sniffed the ground. The familiar scent of Sootbreeze wafted into her nose, confusion welling up. What was she doing out here by herself? She had to be alone, as no other scents came to her on the trail, a trail her feet blindly followed.✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 16: A Tale of Three Hollowpaw ducked behind a holly bush, which still struggled to keep its leaves, as Sootbreeze paused and turned to glance back. The Apprentice held her breath, only a mere three fox lengths away from the smokey she-cat. There was no telling what would happen if she was caught, only that she would never find out what Sootbreeze was doing out here all on her own, sneaking around. Thankfully, the Warrior didn’t appear to notice anything amiss and continued onwards with Hollowpaw in close pursuit. Sootbreeze walked until she left LeafClan territory altogether. She walked into fox territory a decent distance then headed down towards WaterClan but still staying well away from the border. Where was she going? This sole question bounced around in Hollowpaw’s mind while she followed silently. Even when they left the territory, she didn’t feel afraid. Perhaps she was a bit anxious to get into trouble once others noticed her missing, but the fox territory itself didn’t scare her. After all, it’s where she had grown up, even if they headed away from the land in which she was familiar. Finally, after passing the border between WaterClan and LeafClan, still in fox territory, Sootbreeze stopped. She sat under a large oak tree, one that had to be many seasons old with a thick trunk and gnarled, winding roots. She sat and began to wait. Hollowpaw took refuge under another holly bush. Their leaves were only just beginning to brown and fall, so it was still lush enough to provide adequate cover for a spy. She watched Sootbreeze sit under the tree and wait for something, but what? The answer didn’t take long to come, and it was quite startling. Out of the bracken came a stunning silvery tom. His pelt shimmered elegantly in the moonlight, black stripes and speckles seeming to dance among the silver glow with eyes of deep blue shining just as bright as the stars themselves. Hollowpaw had to stop herself from letting out a gasp when he strode over to Sootbreeze, and they nuzzled each other. “It’s been a long time,” the tom said to the Warrior, his voice rich and sweet like amber honey. “I’ve missed you, Sootbreeze.” In return, the smokey she-cat purred. “It’s only been another moon, just like every time you say that.” She nuzzled him again. “But I have missed you so much.” “Let’s lie down for a little while,” the tom suggested and curled up among the fallen tree leaves. Sootbreeze snuggled right up to him, as closely as she could. Her eyes said it all when she looked up at him, how very much in love she was. A love that even Hollowpaw knew was forbidden. For a while, they laid like that, snuggled up closely to each other and sharing tongues. It was quiet, only the sound of a distant owl’s hoot and the chirping of the last crickets breaking the silence. That is, until Sootbreeze spoke. “How are the kits?” The tom placed another stroke of his tongue over her shoulder before answering. “They’re well. Just like any other time,” he replied casually. “At least, as far as I understand. You know that the humans always take them away early with their mothers. But I may be able to see them again soon. I’ve heard word from some of the street cats that I may get to keep one this time.” He sighed. “I really do wish I could keep at least one of my kits for once. I know what must be done, but I always love them. Just once, I’d like to see one grow up.” Sootbreeze glanced away, a pang of guilt playing in her eyes. “Yes, I know you would,” she meowed quietly. “Maybe soon you will be able to.” “How is my brother?” the tom asked suddenly then. “Is Cesar doing alright? I know he was always better at wild living than I could ever be, but I still do worry about him, even if it’s been seasons now.” “He’s fine,” Sootbreeze assured him. “From what I’ve seen, Tallstrike has as much attitude and fight in him than ever.” The tom shook his head. “I never did like that name for him,” he sighed. “’Tallstrike.’ It sounds so violent. Yes, he’s tall, but he should have a name with more elegance for our kind. It just doesn’t seem to fit.” Sootbreeze chuckled a bit. “Trust me, you haven’t seen him on the battlefield. His name fits him perfectly there.” She rubbed her chin against his then looked up. “It’s about time for us to part ways again, unfortunately. I must get back before anyone gets suspicious, and so I can still get some sleep before morning patrols.” Placing a silver paw on her back, the tom gave her pleading eyes. “Do you really have to go so soon? Can’t we stay here for just a little while longer?” he softly begged. “I would love to, but you know that I can’t. It’s a long walk back to my camp, King,” Sootbreeze responded, although not happy in any way to go. “We will see each other again, next full moon. You can count on it.” King nodded, understanding but still not happy. He let her go and gave her one last lick on the forehead. “I’ll see you then, my love,” he told her. “Be safe.” With that, he turned and padded off slowly into the bracken, allowing it to engulf him. Sootbreeze let out a sigh and looked down. “If only we see each other more often,” she murmured to herself then turned to leave back to camp. However, she was met with the mixed emotions of Hollowpaw standing in her way. With wide eyes and a sturdy stance, Hollowpaw stood out in the open, facing Sootbreeze now and staring her down. “You’re meeting an outsider tom in secret!” she confronted the dark gray Warrior. “But there’s more, isn’t there? I saw that guilt in your eyes when he mentioned kits. His pelt, it looks so much like mine.” Her heart began to race, paws growing numb. “It’s him, isn’t it? You know, don’t you? He’s my father.” Sootbreeze stepped back a bit, startled to see a cat she knew from the clan all the way out here. The questions felt like venom to her ears and heart, stinging them in waves of pain. Her ears went back and fur fluffed up a bit defensively, instinctively from the fear now welling up with the truth. “I…” “Tell me!” Hollowpaw found herself screaming as anger flared. “Tell me the truth, now!” She had to know. All the pieces were finally coming together, falling into place like perfectly fitted leaf-fall leaves on the forest floor. It was starting to make sense, but she had to hear it come from someone else’s mouth. Lowering her head, Sootbreeze easily gave in, not wanting to start a fight or have the other she-cat continue to be loud and attract more unwanted attention. “Yes,” she quietly muttered. “He’s your father, and I’m...your mother. But it should have never happened.” This was it. Those words, those answers, sent her world crashing down. Hollowpaw’s anger wavered and was replaced by feelings she could not describe. All she could do was stand there and stare, bobbed tail in the air and claws sunken into the dirt. It all explained so much. That’s why she always caught Sootbreeze staring at her from afar. That’s why her pelt was so unusual in the clans. That’s why she had never known her true parents – because all of it was supposed to be a secret. But there was still one burning question that ate at her stomach, her mind, her heart. One question needed to be answered before she could decide how to really feel. “Why?” “Why what?” Sootbreeze could barely get her own inquiry out before Hollowpaw snapped back. “Why did you leave me on that boulder to die?” Sootbreeze flinched and shrunk into herself, not able to meet the other she-cat’s fiery gaze. “I’m sorry,” she whispered out. “I’m so sorry.” Hollowpaw’s claws dug deeper into the ground, and she took a few angry steps forward. The fur along her spine rose straight up with ears back and fangs bared. “I said tell me why!” she snapped again, willing herself not to pounce and force the answer out. But part of her, despite her quiet and gentle nature, longed to do just that. “Because I was scared!” The gray Warrior cowered more. “Because I was never supposed to have kits with a kittypet like King. I was never supposed to even fall in love with him,” she sadly regaled. “But I couldn’t help it. So, when I found out I was to have kits, I hid it. I hid it so well that even for a while I thought for myself it was just all in my head, but then you came one night while I was out for a walk.” She paused. “I knew that if anyone in the clan saw you, they would know I had a mate not of LeafClan. Maybe they would have thought it to be Tallstrike. I was so scared that they would shun me, turn me away from the only family I had, from the life I loved. I was terrified I would be exiled for having a forbidden love, so I set you on that rock the same night, after you’d fed. Part of me was hoping your death would come swiftly and painlessly, and the other part hoped that by some miracle of StarClan you’d be spared and able to grow up. I suppose StarClan chose that option, but I never imagined the one to raise you would be a fox. I’m so sorry for what I’ve done. I really am. Seeing you in the clan now…I thought it to be a punishment, for you to be a ghost here to haunt me for my actions. But, no. You’re real, so alive and thriving. You’ve grown so much, and I’m so proud of you.” Her gaze narrowed. “I don’t want your pride,” Hollowpaw hissed after listening. Her mind decided on anger and fury in that moment. “You left me to die as a newborn. You were too scared to be left alone that you left me alone! You’re nothing but a coward, a heartless coward!” Her stumpy tail lashed in the air. “How many others?” she growled then. “How many other kits did you do this to?” The wind picked up, as if enraged along with Hollowpaw. Sootbreeze stayed where she was, crouched against the ground with paws tucked in tight and head down. “None,” she responded quietly. “You were the only kit I’ve ever had.” Now, she looked up for only a moment, but the fire burning within Hollowpaw’s eyes made her look back down quickly. “I swear.” The Apprentice’s mind raced, reeling with the information and torrent of emotion. She wanted to tear Sootbreeze apart, make her feel so much pain for what she had done. No. That wouldn’t do. Physical pain wasn’t what she needed. It wouldn’t be a suitable enough punishment. Only one thing would be. “I’m telling Riftstar.” “Wait!” But it was too late. The moment those words, dripping with venom, left her jaws, Hollowpaw was off. Sootbreeze tried to desperately chase after her. “Stop! Please!” Hollowpaw ran like she never had before. Rage blinded her to the environment, only what was directly in front of her and blocking her path little more than just a blur. Paws barely touching the ground, she ran until her lungs burned but still continued on even then. Only this one goal in mind now, she had to see it fulfilled. She had to see Sootbreeze punished. She didn’t even look back as she ran, but she did hear the pawsteps of the other she-cat fading behind her, the Warrior unable to keep up with her exceptional speed. It didn’t take long for Hollowpaw to reach camp. She burst through the cavern entrance and went straight to Riftstar’s den, under the metal rock. “Riftstar!” she called in, the echo of her voice bouncing all throughout the main cave for all to hear, gathering attention. “I need to speak with you right now,” she heaved with determination. Calmly, the Leader’s black head poked out of the den and looked to her, registering the fire burning up her being. “Very well. Come in, but do calm down a bit when speaking with me,” she decided and slipped back into darkness. Hollowpaw glanced back at the cave’s main entrance, expecting Sootbreeze to come in any moment now, but she didn’t care. It was already too late. The silvery she-cat slunk inside the Leader’s Den like a snake, ready to ruin her birth mother’s life. Inside, Riftstar laid among her nest of moss and feathers. She gestured with her tail for Hollow to sit. “Have a seat. Relax a bit,” she ordered gently. “And tell me what’s so important that you disturbed my sleep? You know, after you disappeared from the Gathering garrison?” For a moment, that fear returned, the fear of getting into trouble. She was still being punished for going off on her own, and here she had done it again. But this time, she wouldn’t be the only one going down. Taking a deep breath to both calm herself and her heavy breathing from running so fast and so far, she forced muscles to relax a bit. “Sootbreeze is seeing a cat from outside the clans, a kittypet.” Riftstar’s ears perked a bit. “That’s a pretty large accusation. How do you know? Have you seen them do it?” she inquired, not convinced yet but listening all the same. “Yes,” Hollowpaw answered with a nod. “That’s where I was just a bit ago. I saw her sneaking off while we were coming back from the Gathering, and I got curious, so I followed.” “You should have said something to one of us,” Riftstar responded, not happy the young she-cat had gone off on her own yet again. Hollowpaw flinched a bit at the words and nodded. “Yes, I know. I should have, but I didn’t,” she meowed. “Instead, I followed her through fox territory, all the way down past the WaterClan border. She met a tom there…” She paused, having to take another deep breath to continue calmly. “I spied on them. They…I found out that they’re my parents – Sootbreeze and this kittypet tom.” Riftstar watched her, listening in silence. Her own mind began to process what was being said and how it might be true. “Do you have proof?” she asked finally, after what seemed like a season of tense silence. “How do you know this tom was the one to sire you and not another?” Hollowpaw’s heart sank. Proof? What could she offer as proof? “I…uh…” Her mind scrambled to think of something, some sort of evidence. Yet nothing in particular came to mind. That is, until Sootbreeze herself barged into the den, slinking in beside Hollowpaw. “Wait,” she desperately pleaded. “I can explain!” Her sides and chest heaved with the exertion of running so much and the adrenaline coursing through her veins. But her eyes showed nothing but defeat and fear swimming in them. That alone was proof enough for Riftstar. No cat would exhibit so much distinct fear like this unless they were guilty of something they were trying to hide. It was like a kit trying to leave the camp and getting caught by a Warrior; that was the look on Sootbreeze’s face. “I see.” The Leader with a pelt as black as the shadows in her den rose to her paws. She remained calm in demeanor and voice. “Go on then, Sootbreeze. Explain to me everything.” She waved her tail at her. Hollowpaw watched with the most satisfied, evil look any cat had ever given in LeafClan as Sootbreeze stuttered to say a word. So much satisfaction stemmed from her mother’s anxiety. It was a feeling never before felt by the young she-cat, a feeling she never thought possible for her own self to feel. Yet it was amazing right now. Sootbreeze, seeing the Dark Forest in her daughter’s eyes and a calm meadow in Riftstar’s had no choice but to spill everything. “It’s true. I have been seeing a kittypet tom for a long time now. I love him,” she admitted, defeated with head bowed in shame. “Hollowpaw is a product of our love, but she was never meant to be. When I found out, I hid it. And when she was born one night, I left her in fox territory, too afraid that LeafClan would abandon me for having a forbidden love and a forbidden kit. I broke the Warrior Code, and I was scared of the consequences.” That satisfaction Hollowpaw felt faded, replaced once more with anger. “So, I really am just a mistake to you,” she growled coldly. “I should have never happened, and you cast me aside because you couldn’t handle being wrong. You couldn’t handle giving birth to a mistake. I-“ “Quiet.” Riftstar held her tail up, her tone commanding and stern. She turned her gaze towards Sootbreeze. “What you’ve done is harshly punishable. Not only have you found a mate outside of LeafClan, but you’ve left a kit to die on its own? How cruel.” She shook her head. “I should exile you for your heartless behavior and treachery. However, living in fear and with the guilt of knowing what you’ve done for so long is punishment enough,” she decided, much to Hollowpaw’s dismay and disappointment. “And now you will live with the guilt eating away at you even more, knowing your daughter detests you. StarClan will decide the rest.” “What?” Hollowpaw blurted out. “That’s it? That’s not enough! She needs to be punished more!” she demanded and turned to Sootbreeze with her claws unsheathing. “Guilt is too good for you.” Bunching her muscles, she prepared to lunge and sink her fangs into a smokey pelt. Hatred fueled her.✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 17: A Dark Place “My, my, someone sure is angry, aren’t you?” The words felt muffled in Hollowpaw’s ears, drowned out by the sound of her own blood pumping. Slowly, she cracked open her eyes, blinking a few times to allow her vision to focus. Before her, dim scenery shown with a pitch-black sky above. Hollowpaw’s head pounded. No. Her whole body hurt, as if she’d been slammed by a large Warrior in combat and knocked into a tree. Every joint and muscle ached to the point where even her bones might be broken. Yet she was able to haul herself up and clear her vision further. Yelloweye sat a fox-length in front of her, perched neatly on her little island with the stagnant water between them. However, things were different than before. It quickly became apparent that this place was not the one she had come to know when visiting Yelloweye. This place was like it but much more rotten. What had once been leaf-fall trees were now bare and gnarled. The bark peeled from their trunks in places and was covered with gray fungus in others. Twisted branches stretched above her head, reaching for stars that simply didn’t exist in this night sky. Below, what should have been grass beneath her paws were slimy blades and course dirt. Even the water itself was dank and disgusting, filled with muck and algae too thick to see the bottom, and dead insects floated on top. In her chest, Hollowpaw’s heart pounded. The anger in which she felt was now fear, fear of surroundings unfamiliar and intentions of Yelloweye unknown. “W-what is this place?” she questioned, her jaws stuttering the words. “W-hy am I he-re?” “I suppose it is rather different than the last times you’ve come to see me, isn’t it?” Yelloweye remained casual like she always had before. “But it’s still basically the same, at least, in shape.” Hollowpaw glanced around, her ears falling back. Then, it hit her. It really was the same. This was the place she’d always come. It had just taken a moment for her to realize. “Why does it look like this?” she inquired worriedly. “Is it because of me? Did I do this?” “Well, yes and no,” the gray she-cat replied with a small sigh. “You see, you’re unconscious right now. Only, I made it happen this time.” Hollowpaw’s eyes widened. “Oh, don’t look so surprised, sweetie. I couldn’t have you attacking my sister. That wouldn’t have been goof for anyone, not even yourself.” “Your sister…? Sootbreeze is the living relative you told me to find?” Yelloweye nodded. “Indeed. She’s your mother, as well as my sister. I’m glad you’re finally starting to put the pieces together. It was taking a smart cat like yourself a little longer than I’d expected.” “So, you knew about my father then?” Hollowpaw asked, focused solely on gathering as much information as possible now. This happened every time a bit of newfound information was presented – she had to focus on solely it and gathering more, or her mind would never be satisfied. “The kittypet?” “I did. I knew the entire story. I’ve been watching Sootbreeze for a long time now, ever since I died. Of course, it’s a little more difficult here, but I managed,” the yellow-eyed she-cat meowed. “I watched her visit him. I watched you be born and the worry on her face. I watched as she left on that boulder and then felt the sorrow she felt while doing it. She does regret it, but even I find leaving a newborn kit to die quite evil.” She shook her head with a disappointed sigh, disappointment in her sister. “But then I watched as that fox found you, and I saw you grow up with that little fox family. You thrived, and I relished in it. It made me happy to see you growing up so big, so kind. Then, you found LeafClan, and I began to worry. I knew you’d need some help, so here I am. I’m here to continue your story and my own. But Sootbreeze’s doesn’t end yet, so I had to stop you on that. Unfortunately, knocking you unconscious before you could strike her ate up a lot of my power. I wasn’t able to keep up the illusion.” Hollowpaw looked around. “Illusion…? The illusion of this place being nice?” she asked, sure of the answer already. “If this is what the environment really looks like, then where are we? Where have you been bringing me?” Yelloweye purred a bit with amusement flashing in her eyes. “I’m surprised you haven’t figured that one out yet. I really did expect more of you, Hollowpaw, but I suppose that I can finally tell you. After all, a lot of mysteries are being revealed lately, aren’t they? My dear, welcome to the Dark Forest.” That was the moment Hollowpaw’s world came crashing down around her. All this time – every single instance she had come to visit Yelloweye in this place – she had really been allowing her spirit to journey to the Dark Forest. She had wandered into a place forbidden by good souls and feared because of the evil it harbored. Yet here she was, standing once more upon the slimy ground with her own four paws. Her ears fell back as abrupt waves of nervousness washed over her like tumbling rapids. She could no longer fix her gaze to the she-cat she’d come to believe as a friend, instead allowing her eyes to only look upon her own paws in shame – shame that she had blindly followed this dark path for so long without much question. Yelloweye’s casual demeanor fell, replaced instead with disappointment. “I never intended for you to find out this way,” she spoke up, her mew oddly soft. “I know what you must be thinking – feeling – but I’m not here to harm you or to cause you join my side, Hollowpaw. What I want is for you to succeed.” The young she-cat’s mind raced as much as her heart. She had heard countless warnings and tales of evil pertaining to this very forest and those who resided within. Dappleleaf herself had given many of those warnings, but so had Gentlestripe, also. He was a true StarClan cat, she knew. He had the stars twinkling in his fur; he always had. Hollowpaw cursed herself silently for not realizing Yelloweye had never had that feature, that her coat had always been dull, duller than a normal gray pelt should have been. She should have seen this coming, but what did Yelloweye mean now that the truth was out? She only wanted her to succeed? Succeed in what? Taking over the clans? But the Apprentice had no intention of ever doing such a thing! Even if it was for something else, what benefit would Yelloweye get from this? “You’re being awfully quiet,” the deceased cat commented, tilting her head slightly to the side with a dull look in her eyes, even though Hollowpaw still dare not gaze up. “I suppose I should make it clearer what I mean. I can tell that you’ve got a lot going on inside of your head by just watching you.” She let out a small sigh. “I’ll start from the beginning.” “As a young Warrior’s Apprentice, I did all that I had to do in order to become a great Warrior, as most cats did. I trained hard, fought for my clan, and I made friends along the way. But I will admit that I was arrogant,” Yelloweye told her from where she still sat. “Everyone wanted to be the best, but I had to be the best. I guess my mentor feared the true potential I had. Gentlestripe trained me well, but he held me back on purpose, as well.” Hollowpaw’s eyes widened some when that bit of truth was revealed. So, Gentlestripe had been Yelloweye’s mentor in life? Come to think of it, she had never asked the starry tom about his own life or about Yelloweye, and he had never mentioned her. Maybe those were some things to do when she saw him next, if she ever saw him again. “Of course, I still managed to become a great Warrior, and I was sure to be destined to become a great Leader. However, this next part, I’m not sure you’ll fully believe given my situation here, but I can promise you that I only did what I thought was right and for the good of LeafClan.” The Apprentice’s muscles tensed as she stared at the ground, noticing her claws had involuntarily slid into the dank earth. This was the part where she knew Yelloweye would reveal how she ended up in the Dark Forest. She would tell what terrible deed she had committed to be thrust down here. Yelloweye observed Hollowpaw’s tension but continued, her words as sincere as they could be. “I overheard Gentlestripe’s brother, Oaknettle, talking with another Warrior named Poppystalk while I was out on a walk one day. Poppystalk was a FireClan Warrior, and they were conversing about how weak and frail our old Leader had become. Oaknettle bragged about how he would become the next Deputy, since our current one was also in the Medicine Den due to serious battle injuries. He wanted to take over the clan himself, and he wanted Poppystalk to rally FireClan forces and help him overthrow the clan and get rid of the other strong cats who would protest,” she told Hollowpaw, a newfound fire burning from within. “He didn’t say those things directly, I’ll admit, but the way he spoke and with how arrogant he was – even more so than myself – I knew he would stop at nothing to accomplish that goal. So, I killed them.” Hollowpaw’s heart paused. The way Yelloweye spoke those last few words…it was chilling. The other she-cat clearly took pride in what she had done. But, in Hollowpaw’s mind, it wasn’t the act itself or the pride from it that chilled her the most, it was the fact that Yelloweye was so sincere in what she said. This murderous cat fully believed that she had done something good by killing two cats. Of course, Hollowpaw only had one side of the story for right now, so maybe a small portion of what Yelloweye was saying was true – that maybe these cats did, by some chance, actually plan to take over LeafClan. Yet there was only the word of a Dark Forest prisoner to say, a cat who sat a mere fox-length away from her. “I realize that is quite a lot to take in, so far,” Yelloweye continued, “but I’m not finished yet. There’s still the matter of what I want from you.” That made Hollowpaw all the more tense. “I know StarClan doesn’t understand what I did was for the good of the clan. I’ve long accepted that by now, and while I may be somewhat bitter, I still only wish to help you. Hollowpaw, you are my kin. I have watched you grow up from the moment you were born, and I want to see you become the great Medicine Cat I know you are destined to be. I did not fail in saving the clan, and now you will not fail in saving them all. My actions were not just, but my intentions were. Now, I want to help you make both your actions and intentions just, so that all the clans here may be saved, along with your fox family.” For the first time since the young Apprentice had visited Yelloweye, the older cat moved stepped across the stagnant water. She placed a paw over the gap between islands, and the water below never touched her pads. Floating on air for a few steps, Yelloweye crossed over to Hollowpaw’s island and only stopped when her forehead lightly pressed against hers. Yelloweye closed her eyes, and the softest yet most serious mew she could produce came forth. “The first plague is here, and I will help you.” Hollowpaw’s head pounded as she cracked open her eyes, dim light seeping into her vision. It took a moment for her sight to full adjust to the usual darkness of the cavern, but once she was able to see properly again, her gaze fell upon Dappleleaf. The old Medicine Cat sat by the nest in which Hollowpaw laid, a look of worry on her face. She said nothing, not aware yet that Hollowpaw was conscious, but her ears were pricked forward to listen for any sound of her stirring. The silvery she-cat blinked, a bit startled by her mentor’s close presence. She very carefully started to rise, her head spinning as she did so, but she pushed through it to get to her paws. “Dappleleaf,” she muttered out, “what happened?” Her mentor instantly came to attention, knowing the Apprentice was awake once more. “I’m not fully sure,” she meowed back, some of that worry she wore on her face seeping into her words. “You were so angry and going to attack Sootbreeze, but before you could manage to lunge at her, you just fainted. You’ve been out for quite some time, dear.” “Oh…” That was all Hollowpaw could manage to say. What else could she say? That she had visited a cat in the Dark Forest but just now realized it was actually the Dark Forest and not StarClan, even though she had been visiting since she joined LeafClan? That was simply way too crazy, and she was sure she’d only make a fool of herself to admit it. Maybe Dappleleaf would even get furious at her for going there. Before she knew it, two other cats pressed themselves against her side and shoulder. It was startling, to say the least, and Hollowpaw recoiled. Only, she found Rosepaw and Rainpaw to be the one to have done it. The concern on their faces far surpassed that of Dappleleaf’s, but it was rapidly switching to relief. “Oh, thank StarClan you’re alright!” Rosepaw blurted out. “We thought you might never wake up, or that you’d had something seriously wrong with you to just faint like that!” Rainpaw nodded his agreement. “Yeah, we were so worried about you. I’m sorry to hear about what happened, though, with Sootbreeze.” Hollowpaw, at first, felt joy for knowing these two cared so much about her to be worried for her wellbeing. But the mention of Sootbreeze sparked anger within her belly. The whole clan must have known now. She would probably be shunned even more so than ever before with every cat knowing her mother was traitor who left her, and that her father was a kittypet. “Don’t feel sorry for me,” Hollowpaw actually growled out, turning her head away from them with ears folded back. “I don’t want your pity. I don’t need anyone’s pity anymore.” ✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 18: Inner Demons Rainpaw and Rosepaw flinched at the growl they never would have expected. They looked to each other for a moment hen back to Hollowpaw. “We don’t pity you…” Rosepaw tried to explain, though her words were small in comparison to the angry aura coming off of the silver she-cat. “Yes, you do,” Hollowpaw growled back. “Don’t pretend anymore to care about me. I finally get it. Nobody every really wanted me. I was only kept around out of pity, because the guilt would otherwise eat away at others’ souls like a disease.” “You aren’t making any sense,” Rainpaw stated back, taking a step forward and planting his feet. He wasn’t one to back down so easily, even if his friend was being irrational. “You’re just saying this stuff because you’re angry about Sootbr-“ Hollowpaw jumped to her feet and whirled around, facing Rainpaw with her fangs bared in a snarl only a mere whisker away from his face. “Don’t you dare say that name!” Rainpaw analyzed her quickly, assessing the situation. Hollowpaw’s fur was raised, and her little tail was flicking back and forth with claws dug deep in the ground and fire in her eyes. He decided the best course of action was to back down, so they didn’t start to fight. He didn’t want to battle his friend, and he knew that he’d easily win and maybe really hurt her if they did go at it. So as to not hurt her, Rainpaw stepped back, his ears following to show his discomfort for the situation. “I get you’re angry, Hollowpaw,” he said to her carefully, trying to keep his tone calm. “But you’re not thinking clearly. You’re jumping to such drastic conclusions. Do you really think-“ Again, he was cut off by Hollowpaw’s snappy, fired-up reply. “Yes! My mother didn’t want me. She left me to die as a newborn. The only reason I survived was because a fox had more of a heart than her, but even then, it was a heart she didn’t want to get eaten away by the guilt if she left me there. But even she didn’t really want me, forcing me to leave. Sure, I was brought in here, but why? More pity! Just admit it already! The only reason you two have ever been around me was out of pity for the pathetic cat who couldn’t even perform a simple combat move right, no matter how hard she tried.” Rosepaw would have been crying had she had the ability. The same energy radiated from her pelt as she stared in agony. “Hollowpaw…no…” “Enough.” Dappleleaf’s stern mew sounded throughout the den, echoing in everyone’s ears. Hollowpaw spun around to face her, ready to unleash another flurry of emotion-filled words. Yet none came as Dappleleaf’s own aura ripped through the tension. “It’s senseless to say such cruel things to these two. Will it help you feel better, Hollowpaw? Will it make the pain you carry inside of your own heart go away? Will tearing the hearts from these two – two cats who chose to be around you and be kind to you all of this time – somehow heal your own heart? No, It won’t. All it will end up doing is ending your friendship. Is that what you want?” Hollowpaw’s mind raced again, but it was so driven by anger and spite for Sootbeeze and the poison of her own thoughts that she couldn’t drown it all out. She looked away, calming at least somewhat thanks to Dappleleaf’s strong and rational demeanor. Although, her body language did not change one bit, even if the volume of her angry meows lowered. “It wasn’t real anyway,” she muttered back, shutting her eyes tightly. Silence fell upon the small group for a heartbeat, until Dappleleaf broke it. “Rosepaw, Rainpaw, I think you both should go. Don’t hold this against Hollowpaw, but I think it’s best if you left her alone for a little while,” she told the other Apprentices, a hint of sorrow leaking out for them. Rainpaw and Rosepaw hesitated, watching Hollowpaw and waiting for her to say something to get them to stay, to apologize – anything. But she didn’t move nor say another word. So, Rainpaw placed his tail over Rosepaw’s shoudlers. “Come on, let’s go,” he told her with his own bit of firmness. Rosepaw couldn’t move her feet at first. They felt like stone, just like her chest. It was so hard to breathe, to move at all. All she could do was stand there and stare at the cat she thought was her best friend. But she finally did have to will herself to move away. Without a word and clenching her jaws tightly, she turned and dragged her paws as she left with Rainpaw. Dappleleaf listened to them go, her ear twitching some as they went. Once they were free of the Medicine Den, she turned her full attention back to Hollowpaw, who hadn’t moved at all. “What do you plan to do now?” she asked her, still calm and so serious. “Are you going to leave the clan?” “No,” Hollowpaw answered right away, her inner turmoil at least not clouding all her judgement. “If I leave the clan and go out on my own, I’ll surely die. I don’t want to do that.” Her eyes opened, and she stared blankly at the ground, her claws sheathing and muscles relaxing somewhat. “Even if the world doesn’t want me, I’m not ready to die yet.” Slowly, she lifted her head up and gazed at the narrow slits where Dappleleaf’s eyes had once been, eyes she had never seen herself. “I’ll keep doing duty as a Medicine cat Apprentice, but I don’t want anyone’s pity anymore. I won’t pretend that I’m wanted for anything other than my talents. I don’t want you to pretend that anymore, either.” The tortoiseshell stared back with a nonexistent gaze, but it was still somehow intense. “Very well,” she finally replied after some silence and contemplation. “I never was pretending, but if you no longer wish to receive my empathy, then you won’t have it anymore.” She stood, having been sitting calmly the entire time, and turned towards another nest. Webpaw was still residing in his own nest, having watched the whole thing. “Webpaw, I’d like to ask you to act as if none of this ever happened. Your only priority right now to continue healing. Is that understood?” Webpaw actually looked scared, as if at any moment he may jump out of his skin if shouted at. “Uh, yeah…” he said back in a shaking voice. His eyes were mainly on Hollowpaw, pupils wide. Hollowpaw merely narrowed her eyes a bit and turned her head away. She didn’t feel like looking anyone in the face right now. “What chores need performed right now?” she asked, wanting to do something with her paws, with all of the pent-up energy now burning inside of her. “Timberfall’s bedding will need to be changed, and I’m sure he’d got ticks and fleas. They always like to try and feast when the weather gets colder like this, so they’ve done it before winter,” Dappleleaf answered simply, bluntly. Take some mouse bile and apply some to any ticks you find so they suffocate and fall off.” “Fine.” Hollowpaw walked past her mentor and over to the rows of herbs and other medical supplies they had stored up. She picked up a small leaf with bile in her jaws and exited the den without another word or even glance to anybody. Out in camp, the whole place was buzzing. Now that everyone knew about what Sootbreeze had done and who Hollowpaw really was, gossip was flying through the air like flies over carrion. Cats huddled together to discuss, and many cast questioning looks Hollowpaw’s way. The young she-cat did nothing to acknowledge them as she made her way to the small cavern that was the Elder’s Den. She knew that Timberfall was deaf these days, so she made her presence known by her shadow as it stretched over the far wall, deeper into the darkness. The orange tabby looked over from where he laid in his nest. His frail body weakly rose into a standing position with a symphony of cracks and pops. The poor old tom’s ribs showed, along with every other bone and joint throughout his body, underneath ragged ginger fur. Yet, despite that and Hollowpaw’s clear distaste for life now, his whiskers twitched happily when he stepped out of his nest and sat down on the cold, stone floor. He even closed his eyes slowly to her, showing the upmost trust and gentleness of his nature. For a moment, all of that hate in her heart wavered. For a single heartbeat, it ceased to burn at her. However, it would take a lot more than to quench her fury. It was just taking over too much now. Still, she had no reason to take any of it out on the ancient tom who had never done a single thing to wrong her. She barely even saw him, because he hardly even left his nest. As the weather got colder, she knew now that he wouldn’t last much longer. He’d never live to see the next new-leaf. Hollowpaw said nothing, knowing it’d be pointless anyway due to him being deaf in his age. She simply came over and set the leaf down then used her paws to search for fleas and ticks in his course fur. From inside the tiny cave, quiet pierced her ears. The only sound allowed to exist was Timberfall’s congested breathing. In a way, it was unsettling. She found a flea then and quickly nipped at it, cracking it apart between her teeth. That was satisfying. Soon enough, she found another and swiftly dealt with it same as the first. It didn’t take long before she was killing fleas left and right, the tom’s pelt riddled with them just like Dappelealf had predicted. Now and again, she would find a tick tightly latched onto his wrinkled skin, and she would have to dab some foul-smelling bile until it fell off. She wasn’t sure how long she had been working, but keeping count of the insects she’d defeated, the she-cat came up with a total of twenty so far, and she wasn’t even done yet. A small part of her felt sorry for the former Warrior. That part was buried deep within the recesses of an irrational mind, but it would never full go away. “Thank you for doing this.” The sudden speech startled Hollowpaw, and she leaned to the side slightly from behind the tom to get a better look at his face. Had he really just spoken when he was deaf? Then, his jaws moved again. “No one ever comes to visit me anymore, so it’s nice to have the company, even if you’re only here to kill the fleas on my pelt.” Hollowpaw said nothing back. It would be pointless to. Still, the fact the tom had spoken to her was a surprise, and it did send a pang through her heart with what he said. Even the way he said it with such genuine gratitude had a small effect on slightly quenching her anger. Timberfall was a cat kept alive from pity. His own body would be giving out soon enough, but, somehow, he was still kept alive by those who felt the need to do so. His toothless jaws would not be able to chew prey, so someone else had to do it for him, no doubt. His bedding was thicker than any other cat’s, aiding in trapping all the heat possible to keep him warm, and it was soft for maximum comfort. He was a great Warrior once but now was reduced to nothing but a frail, deaf tom that no one really cared to visit for any other reason besides feeding him and occasionally changing bedding. Despite it all, he still radiated such warmth, not thermal warmth, but the kind of warmth someone with a soul of kindness exudes. It was stunning. Hollowpaw continued her work in silence, Timberfall’s words bouncing around inside her head. When she eventually finished clearing his pelt, she went to his nest and wrinkled her nose at just how gross it had become. It must not have been changed in a while. Without words still, she dragged out the old and disgusting bedding. She moved it out of the den and then out of camp and dumped it where the dirt was. She then gathered new, fresh materials from right around the camp. Dry moss, some excess bird feathers scattered about, and fallen leaves were all perfect. Looking at the bare nest of twigs and bracken, she knew her only obligation was to refill the frame, so it was a general nest again. However, something inside her wanted to do a little bit more. Was this what it was like to feel pity for someone else? Was this sensation to help and go beyond her obligation just pity? Or was it something she had felt countless times before when helping others? Whatever. She couldn’t afford to care much. She just did as her paws guided her to do. First, the nest was lined with the fallen leaves for insulation. Next, she added the layers of thick moss over the leaves. Finally, the feathers came to add some comfort and softness for Timberfall’s fragile bones. Overall, the nest looked amazing by the end, much more comfortable than even the nests in the Medicine Den. Once it was done, the she-cat stepped back and nodded to the end product as a gesture for Timberfall to get in. The tabby tom gratefully and stiffly stepped back into his nest. Leaves crunched under his meager weight and as he settled down, but a raspy purr rumbled deep within his throat, maybe even shaking his whole body. He tucked his paws underneath himself then turned his fogging gaze to Hollowpaw. “Thank you. You’re a good soul.” With that, he closed his eyes to rest. Hollowpaw stared at him, disbelief swimming around in her brain. For a moment, all she could was sit and watch this frail being of pity be so happy to simply have fresh bedding. It amazed her so much. Finally, she shook her head and collected the remaining bile of that leaf and left. Cats still gossiped out in the camp, but she ignored them. She didn’t need to get involved in any of it. In fact, she didn’t need to get involved in the clan at all right now. She’d done her duty and helped Timberfall out, so now was her time. She consulted no one as she walked out of camp and headed away. She would leave forever, but the Apprentice did need some time to herself and to just exist in her own mind. Gazing up at the sky, she saw the sun was nearly at its peak. When she had confronted Sootbreeze and then tattled to Riftstar, it had night. She had been out the entire morning then, after Yelloweye had forcibly knocked her out. Whatever, none of it mattered to her. Hollowpaw simply began to walk away once more. Maybe she would take the rest of the daylight to just walk. Her head had stopped spinning a while ago, but her muscles did ache from the strenuous sprinting and then being so tense for so long after. Oh well. Walking felt good. With no destination in mind, it was nice to just go.
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Chapter 19: The First Plague “Halt!” A screeching command boomed in Hollowpaw’s ears. She paused in her steps and turned her gaze to the right to see a patrol of Warriors heading straight for her. She didn’t even try to run as they rapidly approached then stopped before her. “What are you doing on FireClan territory?” a ginger and white she-cat demanded with her tail lashing. She flicked her tail in a specific way, and two other cats of the patrol moved to surround Hollowpaw. This did cause her heartrate to increase and that familiar anxiety to start welling up. She looked around at the cats around her then back at the orange and white she-cat. “I didn’t know I had crossed the border,” she stated, nervous but her previous anger hiding it well. “I was preoccupied in my thoughts.” “Ha! Nice excuse,” the other cat mockingly said back. “You’re here to steal our prey, aren’t you? Just admit it!” The only other cat who hadn’t surrounded Hollowpaw stepped forward with his head high. He appeared rather regal as he looked down at the Apprentice, not in a condescending way but because he was simply quite tall. His exceptionally long tail didn’t even twitch at her. “No, she’s LeafClan’s Medicine cat Apprentice,” he spoke up before Hollowpaw could snap back to the ginger she-cat. “I’ve seen her at the last two Gatherings, the ones you weren’t allowed to attend, Gingerfoot.” He cast a side-eyed glance to his aggressive colleague. The she-cat lashed her tail more, now at him rather than Hollowpaw. “Okay then, Spidertail, tell me why she’s this far in our territory but not on the Moon Tree path,” she retorted to the tom. The gray tom looked back to Hollowpaw, his facial expression showing question. “Well, I think she already answered that, didn’t she?” He looked back to Gingerfoot and then to Hollowpaw once more. “This cat helped WaterClan drive away a pack of ravenous coyotes. Even Brindlestar herself admitted it at the last Gathering. How such an inexperienced cat could do such a thing I wouldn’t know, but I doubt with that feat she’s one to sneak into our territory to simply steal prey.” “Exactly,” Hollowpaw finally spoke up again, done with the situation. She just wanted to keep walking. If she had to turn back into LeafClan territory, she had no problem with that. These cats just had to let her go first. “I really was just walking and not paying attention to where. Can I just go back to doing that? I’ll go back to LeafClan territory. I don’t care,” she stated flatly. This only caused Gingerfoot to become more infuriated. “You think you can just waltz into FireClan territory and get caught then leave unscathed? You’re really stupid, aren’t you?” she hissed and unsheathed her claws. She readied her paw for a swipe at Hollowpaw’s face, raising shining claws to the sky. “Wait,” one of the Warriors who had surrounded her blurted, causing the angry she-cat to pause and all eyes to go onto him. “Maybe she could help us, too.” The molted gray tom relaxed his tensed muscles, not believing Hollowpaw to try and run since she hadn’t tried yet. “She helped WaterClan, right? And she’s a Medicine Cat Apprentice who’s talented, right? That’s what everyone at the Gatherings had been saying. Maybe she could help us with our problem.” Gingerfoot narrowed her eyes at the gray Warrior, lowering her paw back to the ground. “Are you insane, Strongstone?” she questioned like he really was crazy. “Even if she did help WaterClan, she’s still just Apprentice. What do you expect her to do for us? Even Bubblepelt has never seen this illness before, and he’s been alive since you and I were kits!” “Yeah, but isn’t it true this cat was raised by foxes outside of the clans?” a tortoiseshell she-cat – the other Warrior keeping Hollowpaw from leaving – added. Maybe she does know something about this that we wouldn’t?” “You too, Fallowwing?” Gingerfoot couldn’t believe her ears. She shook her head. “No, you’re all wrong. She’s just a punk Apprentice who needs to be taught a lesson about crossing borders.” She unsheathed her claws once more, bent on giving Hollowpaw some scars to take home. Spidertail moved to stand between Hollowpaw and Gingerfoot, facing his clanmate. He was protecting her while facing down the aggressive Warrior, much to Hollowpaw’s surprise. “We have nothing to lose by trying,” he told her firmly, “but we will keep losing if we don’t.” Gingerfoot looked as though she wanted to tear her clanmate to shreds, but she held back from doing so. Shedding their blood would do nothing to help in any situation. “It’s three of us against your say, Gingerfoot,” Spidertail remarked, narrowing his green eyes at her in an almost daring way. “Stand down and accept our unanimous decision.” The other two Warriors – Strongstone and Fallowwing – moved to stand in support of Spidertail. This was an opening for Hollowpaw to flee. With the Warriors no longer surrounding her, she could easily bolt back into LeafClan territory. If even Sootbreeze in her desperation couldn’t catch up to her then no doubt none of these cats could either. But she didn’t move to leave. Curiosity pulled her in, kept her paws planted firmly in place like a spider’s threads held a beetle within the web. She was hooked on their words. What was going on in FireClan that could so bad they asked for help? Then, it dawned on her. Her mind remembered Gravelpaw confiding in her that a strange disease no one had ever seen was making its way into FireClan. She recalled how he told her it caused infected cats to go crazy and attack allies, attack anyone. They wouldn’t listen to reason or even try to leave to not hurt anyone. All of that, and nobody knew what to do for it. Every piece of the puzzle present floated within her mind, desperately wanting the remaining pieces to fall into place and show the whole picture, the possible solution. “I’ll help you,” Hollowpaw spoke up from behind her little wall of cats. “I can’t say that I’ll be able to help much, but I’ll do what I can. It’s the Medicine Cat Code.” No matter how bitter and angry she was, that code was forever in place. It would never leave her heart, and she would not dishonor it. It’s all she really had in the end, the bare minimum to make her who she was. At least, that’s what it felt like to her. Spidertail looked back over his shoulder at her and nodded. “Thank you,” he said then turned his attention back to Gingerfoot. “Are you done?” Begrudgingly, Gingerfoot sheathed her claws. “Fine, but if she does anything to harm the clan then it’s not my fault. I tried to protect it.” The gray tom knew that wasn’t the exact truth, but he let it side. “Come on, then. We shouldn’t waste anymore time.” He started to lead the patrol back, making sure Gingerfoot was right behind him. Fallowwing fell in line next, and the molted tom Strongstone gestured with a flick of his tail for Hollowpaw to follow next. The Apprentice did as she instructed and followed along behind the torti she-cat. She was sure to take note of the surroundings should anything go wrong and she’d have to run back to LeafClan territory. The forest looked nearly identical to LeafClan’s own. The only difference was this wood was unfamiliar to her eyes. The trek back was quiet and tense, due to the orange she-cat’s ferocity radiating off her pelt. No one said a word the entire trip until they finally arrived at the camp’s wall. Nestled within this forest territory was a thick wall of ferns woven intricately together, so well that they grew into each other and provided a mesh so thick a cat would have trouble simply trying to break through. A few fallen trees and logs added to the mix, fortifying the walls further with tangled branches and sturdy trunks. It was impressive, safe to say. An archway of fronds provided their entry into the camp itself, and Hollowpaw padded along through it. On the other side, she saw no cats out and about. Not a single soul other than their own was within view. Were they all in their nests? It looked as if the camp was deserted. “This way,” Spidertail told her. “The rest of you can go back to your nests. Except you, Strongstone. Tell Nightstar the situation, would you?” The molted gray tom nodded and headed away, into an old fox den that sat underneath a mossy stump. The other cats, Gingerfoot included, left for a den made of the same ferns building their wall. Hollowpaw watched them all go and then proceeded to follow Spidertail into a fallen tree that had long since been hollowed out. “Bubblepelt, Gravelpaw, I’m coming in,” he announced before stepping into the dimly lit den. Carefully, the Apprentice set foot inside and glanced around. Her gaze immediately landed on a blue-gray tom who was lying in a nest, trembling. He was curled up tightly but shaking as if cold, yet the air wasn’t even that chilly yet. Bubblepelt sat next to his nest with a worried expression, yet he still kept his distance and reserved some of that worry for his own safety. “Hollowpaw?” Gravelpaw came over from sorting herbs, as evident by the little bits of leaves stuck to his paws. “What are you doing here?” He quickly glanced back to the trembling Warrior, who hadn’t even raised his head to see what was going on. “It’s not safe here…” the fellow Apprentice told her with a lower voice. “She’s going to be helping you and Bubblepelt figure out what’s going on here,” Spidertail responded. “Long story short, she was caught wandering in our territory, so we brought her back here given her talents. She willingly agreed.” Gravelpaw tilted his head slightly to the side at her, silently questioning the truth of the tom’s words. Why would Hollowpaw even be in FireClan territory just wandering around? It sounded a little farfetched to him. “It’s true,” the silvery she-cat told him. Her previous attitude – serious, blunt, un-caring for her own safety – remained. It was kind of startling to Gravelpaw, being a huge shift in the she-cat he’d met before and had come to enjoy as a friend. Medicine cats, at least, had the luxury of really making friends in other clans with each other. But she didn’t act so friendly now. “I don’t know how much I can do, but we’ll figure out a way to get rid of this sickness.” Hollowpaw, without even asking permission, walked right up to the blue Warrior as he shook. Her eyes examined him carefully, noticing some patches of fur recently missing and some skin sagging as if he’d lost weight. “Careful!” Bubblepelt warned sharply, swishing his tail for her to back up. “Don’t get too close. Bluespot hasn’t shown signs of being aggressive yet, but he could snap at any moment. We’ve seen it happen before.” Hollowpaw did as she was told and stepped back a little but kept her eyes fixated on Bluespot. She remembered at the end of the Gathering that Gravelpaw told her about him, that he was bitten and started showing the same horrible symptoms of illness. “What do you know about this illness already?” she asked, needing to gather all information possible, just like always. “Not much,” Bubblepelt answered with his gaze down. “We know it, so far, only spreads through bites from the infected, thankfully. We aren’t sure how Harepaw got it, though. He wasn’t in any battles recently to get bitten by anyone. Symptoms tend to be dizziness, fever, shaking, loss of appetite, weight loss, inability to speak normally, and then Harepaw’s final stage was to go crazy, all in that order.” He shook his head, closing his eyes. “He just suddenly bit Bluespot here then tried to stumble around and bite others. Bluespot restrained him, but he died pretty quickly after that. It seems like that once that stage sets in, death soon follows. The whole process lasted only a week for Harepaw. It’s been a couple of days of Bluespot.” “We’ve tried to use so many herbs to cure it,” Gravelpaw added in, coming over to stand by Hollowpaw. By now, Spidertail had simply left. “Nothing we use works, like I told you at the Gathering. Only a feverfew brings his fever down some, but it does nothing to stop the actual disease. Borage, yarrow, lavender, poppy – none of it helps. I don’t even know what to do anymore.” Hollowpaw thought, concentrating deeply as she stared at Bluespot’s trembling body. By the sound of it, he was still in the fairly late stages of the disease. He was already shaking so much, and by the looks of his loose skin, he had already lost some weight. It wouldn’t be long for he presumably went mad. She couldn’t focus on that, though. She had to wrack her brain for every remedy she knew, every single herb and medical supply she could think of to find something that might help. “What about catmint?” she inquired then. “Have you tried that yet?” Catmint was hard to find – extremely hard to find – but it was the one thing that could cure the deadliest ailments Medicine Cats knew, before this. It was the only thing known to cure greencough and whitecough. Maybe, just maybe, it would have an affect on this sickness, too? Bubblepelt shook his head once more. “Wen don’t have any. It’s too hard to get. The only known source is all the way in Twoleg Territory. That’s not only a long journey, but it’s too risky. Rogues, dogs, foxes, twolegs – all of it can easily stand in our way.” “Well, it’s either we go and try to get some to see if it works, or this sickness may just keep spreading,” Gravelpaw retorted to his mentor. “I’ll go with Hollowpaw then, and we’ll see if we can find some to bring back.” He gave Bubblepelt a determined look, not going to back down. Hollowpaw nodded her agreement. “I’m fast, so if we do find some, I can bring it back quickly.” This situation was beyond her own agenda now, beyond her emotions. If this sickness kept spreading without a cure, then the whole of the clans could be done for. Chaos would spread even faster than the virus. It had to be dealt with quickly, no matter the risk to herself. “Fine, but you’re taking a few Warriors with you then,” the dark ginger tom decided sternly. “It’s way too dangerous for only a couple of Medicine Cat Apprentices to go alone. I’m sure Spidertail and Strongstone will be up for the task. Just be careful, alright?” Gravelpaw gave a nod and turned his back. “We will be,” he said then exited the den with a trailing, “Come on, Hollowpaw.” And she followed without another word.
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Chapter 20: Journey for Catmint
As the sun shone strong and hot up above, the four courageous cats made their way towards the Twoleg Territory. Spidertail headed the group, keeping a close lookout for any signs of impending danger with his ears on a swivel. Gravelpaw and Hollowpaw both stuck close together among the middle, while Strongstone took up the rear. His demeanor was like that of his fellow warrior – on the alert and cautious.
Together, they crossed the whole of FireClan territory with no incident, but the moment their paws stepped over the threshold of marked borders, unease increased with uncertainty of wait laid ahead.
“Keep your senses heightened,” Spidertail warned the others as his gaze scanned the long grass. However, the stretching wheat stalks reached far above their heads with a chilly breeze blowing their stems back and forth, making it impossible to see anything beyond a tail-length ahead.
“I don’t like this…” Gravelpaw shifted a bit closer to Hollowpaw, their pelts now brushing against each other while he tried so desperately to see further into the field to no avail.
Hollowpaw felt his anxiety coming off in waves, and it made her wonder if this was what it was like to be around her sometimes. Yet it wasn’t pity she was feeling for the nervous tom right now; it was undoubtedly empathy. She allowed their pelts to touch for some assemblance of comfort to him and offered a few words. “It’ll be alright. We have two capable Warriors to help protect us, right?”
Gravelpaw turned his gray head towards her and gave a tiny nod after a moment. “Yes, we do.” The thought did provide some comfort, but he was still uneasy. Anything could have been creeping up on them, and they never would have known it. Then again, would anything else even know it was coming upon them? Or would it, too, be surprised to see them?
“Don’t worry,” Strongstone’s deep mew came from behind. “We won’t let anything happen to either of you.” He followed the words up with a reassuring purr.
Spidertail glanced back over his shoulder, confidence in his green eyes, despite his behavior. “He’s right. We’ll protect you both whatever it takes.” Protecting them meant possibly saving the entirety of FireClan, so he wouldn’t hesitate.
“See? I told you.” Hollowpaw was sure they’d be fine, at least, that’s what she kept trying to tell herself.
Part of her didn’t care about tasking the risk at all, whether it was because she’d lost some sense of self-preservation after finding out the truth, or because the risk was necessary for helping FireClan and the others. It didn’t matter. Part of her simply didn’t care about the risk of harm anymore. But there was still the other part of her that did. That was the part that made her worry about everything, now focusing on the ‘what if’s’ of the journey. What if they ran into a coyote? What if they didn’t find any catmint? What if they did find it, but it didn’t work?
Her thoughts were instantly disrupted by a loud shuffling of the wheat stalks directly in front of them. The group halted, Spidertail’s fur rising as his muscles stiffened in preparation for a fight. Strongstone did the same from behind, ready to defend the Apprentices. Meanwhile, Gravelpaw shrunk even closer to the larger Hollowpaw, and she felt her own claws slide out and heart start racing.
Before anything could come into view, Spidertail let out a yowl. “Show yourself!”
The rustling stopped for a moment at his command, and then a voice sounded back calmly. “Relax. We’re just hunting field mice.” Soon, stalks parted to reveal a white tom, a tom much larger than any of the Warriors. His pure snowy form rippled with muscle as he came forth, a red band around his neck with a bit of gold standing out drastically against his fur. Behind him came several other cats, some with bands of their own adorning their necks.
“Who are you?” a lithe tom asked, his pelt also white but marked with black patches. He stood close to the lead tom. “What are you doing in this field?” His inquiry wasn’t hostile or accusing but calm and with simple curiosity.
Spidertail didn’t drop his guard even a little. “What does it matter?” he asked back, ears folded but his claws not yet out. He didn’t want to provoke a fight if it wasn’t needed. His little group was clearly out numbered and out matched with five adult cats now showing themselves. There was no telling if more weren’t close behind.
“I was just curious,” the black and white tom replied with a shrug and then looked to the larger one with the collar. “What do you think about it, Dexter?”
“I think we should drive them out.” A small red she-cat with fire in her yellow eyes stepped forward, claws out and ready. Her expression wasn’t just one of hostility but also of enjoyment, like she would relish in a fight right now.
Dexter shook his head, bringing his tail down to block her path. “There isn’t really a need for that, Rust. I know you like to get into scraps, but you should save your energy for hunting,” he told her simply and turned his attention back to the group. “Again, we would like to know why you’re here, though. Think you can manage an answer? I am trying to polite here. The least you could do is show me the same courtesy.”
Spidertail clearly didn’t want to answer that. Neither of the Warriors did, and Gravelpaw was still frightened. Hollowpaw decided to be the one to reply. This stand off was only wasting time. “We’re going to the Twoleg Territory to find catmint. We need it to treat some sick cats,” she stated, trying to straighten and look taller. However, she barely managed as her body naturally wanted to shrink down with nerves, and her head stayed low. Her eyes, however, shown nothing but both determination and even daring.
The other group of cats watched her, Dexter examining her posture and gaze. He gave a little shrug then. “Oh, okay. It’s back that way,” he told them casually and nodded his head in the direction his group had come. “You don’t have very far to go. Once you exit this field, you’ll see all of the houses. It’s pretty hectic over there right now, though. So, I wouldn’t recommend going there, but if you have to then go for it. Just watch out for traps.”
“Thanks for the warning,” Hollowpaw replied, earning a glare from Spidertail. She ignored it and started moving ahead of them and towards the group. The other cats watched her approach but made no moves to attack.
Gravelpaw, Spidertail, and Strongstone all looked to each other for a moment began to follow, the rest of them still on edge. Yet nothing happened as they passed and continued onwards. Only when the garrison was out of sight did Spidertail take the lead again and relaxed a little.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” he scolded Hollowpaw, walking to take his place at the head again. “They could have hurt you.”
“But they didn’t,” Hollowpaw retorted. “Standing there was just wasting our time, time that is valuable. We need every bit of it we can get to help Bluespot, right? They weren’t even showing hostility. Only you were.”
The gray tom narrowed his eyes somewhat, but he couldn’t argue. She was right. “Just don’t do it again. You getting hurt is too much of a problem to think about,” he decided and pushed onwards.
Hollowpaw rolled her eyes followed, Gravelpaw soon coming up beside her again. “You were so brave,” he mentioned to her quietly. “I can’t believe you just stood up them like that. I didn’t know you were capable of doing that.”
“What are you trying to say?” the she-cat almost snapped at him. Was he implying that she was supposed to be weak or scared?
Gravelpaw placed his ears back and looked away. “Just that I couldn’t have done it…” he mumbled.
Hollowpaw took in a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. “Sorry.” Her emotions were getting a lot harder to control lately. She didn’t want to be mean to Gravelpaw when he had been nothing but nice to her, kindness that she knew couldn’t be pity. After all, he didn’t know where she came from or how poorly her Warrior training had went or what was happening in her life right now. All he knew was that she was a Medicine Cat Apprentice. That was it.
“It’s okay,” Gravelpaw meowed back quietly but not looking back up at her.
“Let’s just find this catmint and get it back to Bluespot, okay?” Hollowpaw wasn’t heartless. Sure, discovery what her mother had done had made her bitter, but she still had emotions. “I am sorry for snapping at you. I’ve just got a lot going on personally right now…” No way would she actually tell him what, though.
The gray Apprentice nodded his head. “Yeah, I get that. I guess we all do,” he replied, this time casting his gaze back onto her. “Thanks for coming to help. It really does mean a lot, especially since you didn’t have to.”
“What do you mean I didn’t have to?” she asked with a slight tilt her head. “I’m a Medicine Cat Apprentice, and the Medicine Cat Code states that we have to help any cat in need that we can, regardless of clan or other affiliation. I’m not about to break that code just because you’re all from a different clan. We’re all cats in this world. We have to stick together.”
“We’re here,” Spidertail announced just then, his head emerging from the tall stalks. Each of them followed and gazed down at the Twoleg dens below them and the small hill they stood on. “I’ve only been here a couple of times with Bubblepelt, so I don’t know my way around very well. However, I do know there should be some gardens with catmint around. And I know we’ll have to be cautious. Most of the kittypets in this area don’t take kindly to clan cats taking their catmint.”
“Is that why you and Strongstone were so on edge when those other cats found us?” Hollowpaw inquired. “Did you run into them before?”
“Yes, I was tense because of that, but I hadn’t come across those particular cats before. I’m surprised they didn’t attack us, honestly.” He started down the hill and towards the numerous twoleg dens and gardens. “Let’s just hurry and get this over with.”
In a stream of fur, the small garrison descended the hill and slipped into unfamiliar territory. It was a jungle of dens and stone and winding maze paths of reeking tar. Spidertail continued to take the lead as they slunk between two towering walls of red stone, his muscles and movements tense.
Hollowpaw followed along behind, her ears perked up and listening for the most subtle of sounds, any and all kind. Of course, she, too, was nervous. However, her unease compared like nothing to that of Spidertail’s and of Strongstone behind. Meanwhile, Gravelpaw glanced all around with curiosity, rather than immense fear.
Spidertail’s gray head poked out the other side of the alley and glanced up and down the ragged tar path before them. So far, nothing seemed to be of any real danger. However, the distinct sound of loud, constant roaring started up in the distance. But it was not so distant that their paws could feel the vibrations of heavy movement within the ground. Whatever was making that noise was gigantic and most likely extremely dangerous.
“We have to be extra careful here,” the lead tom quietly informed the rest of his group, keeping his eyes on look-out. “I don’t know what that is, but it can’t be good. We should avoid it at all costs. Get our herbs and get out as quick as we can.”
“And where should we go to find these herbs?” Hollowpaw questioned, a bit of her attitude showing involuntarily. She came up to stand beside Spidertail and crouched next to him, scanning the area with her own sight.
There were slabs of wood lined up in rows directly in front, which she had heard could indicate a garden. To the left were more stone dens and tar path, and the to right seemed to be where the rumbling came from, beyond more dens.
“That place right up ahead might prove useful, but we won’t know until we actually go over there,” she pointed out.
Spidertail cast his gaze down at her with frustration hinting in his amber. “Do you really think it will be that easy?” he retorted, trying to keep his voice down yet hissing slightly at her. “There are dangerous kittypets teeming here, twolegs, and not to mention whatever is making the ground shake. Even being where we are right now is a risk, and I’d like to keep it as minimal as possible, so we don’t lose any more lives trying to save some back home.”
Hollowpaw met his gaze, but she could only manage for a few moments. However angry she had become it did not define boldness or confidence. If anything, it took away her sense of self-preservation and judgement. “Fine, but we have to make a move now,” she at least murmured. “The longer we wait, the worse it will get back home.”
“She’s right,” Strongstone chimed in from the back. “As much as I hate to be here and go in any further, we have to, or things won’t even have a chance of getting better.”
The gray Warrior looked from his clanmate and then to Hollowpaw and finally to Gravelpaw. “And what do you think? Might as well throw your opinion into the pool.”
Gravelpaw, though normally talkative, didn’t have much to say right now. The quaking of the earth sent his heart into dark unease. He was obviously frightened, but he knew he still had a mission to do. “Let’s hurry up and do it, for the clan.”
Spidertail sighed and nodded. “Alright, then. I’ll go in first and do a quick recon. The rest of you wait here until I give you a signal to come forward,” he ordered then trotted quickly across the thunderpath with his head and tail low. The others crouched in shadow and watched.
Before him, the wooden fence stretched above his head and being, but Spidertail placed his ear to the cracks and listened inside. Nothing seemed to be moving, so he prepared his muscles and leapt up to nearly the top in one go. Using his claws to catch himself, he scrambled the last little bit up and stood high among the air. In another moment, he was gone, swallowed up by the other side and mystery.
“I hope he’s okay,” Gravelpaw whispered almost immediately, keeping close to his fellow Apprentice. His paws pricked at the hardened ground nervously as they waited, each heartbeat feeling like a season while they knew nothing of the Warrior’s fate.
Hollowpaw kept her ears forward and eyes firmly fixed upon the fence, waiting for the moment Spidertail either gave a signal to come forward or for his screams to fill the air. Bum-bum. Bum-bum. Bum-bum. Her heartbeat in her hearing, her mind tuning out all other sounds but the blood and her focus in anticipation. Any moment now…
She jumped a bit when the gray tom suddenly appeared back atop the fence, the seemingly deafening sound of his claws scraping wood accompanying his ascent. He gave a nod and flicked his tail to them, indicating it was safe to follow – well, as safe as a mysterious land of unknown could be.
Hollowpaw went first of the group, slinking across the thunderpath and making it safely to the wood bottom. She gazed up at how high it really was, only a shred of doubt creeping into her mind that she would not be able to do this. However, following that doubt were the memories of her playing with her fox brother and sisters. During those times, she had both scaled and conquered many towering trees with ease. This would be nothing. But she would wait for the others to come over first, wanting to make sure all were there safely before continuing on.
Looking back, Gravelpaw was to go next, but he was stiff. Fear was gripping his heart in icy claws as he sat at the edge of the tar line. He did try to fight the fear, as he placed a single paw daintily onto the path, but no sooner than he did, a monster came roaring down it. It showered the cats on the ground with stinking fumes and loose gravel, its cry making their ears ring.
Gravelpaw shrunk back, his pupils wide like moons and fur fluffed out as his small frame shrunk further into itself. “I can’t do it!” he shrieked, terror raking his voice and causing it to shake like the ground.
Before Hollowpaw could shout something over to him, Strongstone beat her to it. “Yes, you can,” he meowed firmly to the younger tom. “You are brave, and this is important. You can and will do it.” He nudged Gravelpaw’s flank, but he didn’t want to budge.
“No, I’m not brave!” he retorted, ears back and claws trying to sink into the packed earth below. “I’m not a Warrior or Warrior’s Apprentice. I’m not brave, and I’m not supposed to be. I want to help Bluespot and anyone else who gets sick, but that’s different. Healing is different than risking my life like this. It’s a more risk-free life, one that I can handle.”
Strongstone gazed down at the tom, his expression so stoic that even Hollowpaw could distinguish it from where she stood. “You risk your life every day by simply being alive. At any moment, something could happen to end your life, yet you move on. You live. There is no such thing as ‘risk-free.’ There are only the risks you beat and the ones you don’t, but by simply being alive, you’re vastly outweighing the risks that defeat you. One time versus a million, because that one time you are defeated, it’s over. But if you’re alive then you’ve beaten that risk,” the tom told him firmly. “Right now, Bluespot is dying. He’s losing the battle, and only we even have a chance to save him. We have to help him beat that risk of death by beating this thunderpath now. You can do it, and you will. Even if you don’t want to.” Without another word, the warrior plunged his fangs into Gravelpaw’s flank.
Going off of no warning, the Apprentice yowled in both pain and surprise then bolted away from the molted tom. In doing so, he crossed the thunderpath nearly to completion but buckled and crouched again only most of the way there.
The warrior wasn’t letting him get away with that, however. He followed, sprinting across the path and coming up behind Gravelpaw then tackling him hard. The two tumbled together the rest of the way, coming to land on a strip of soft grass, at the base of the fence.
“What was that for?” Gravelpaw demanded, jumping up to his feet and facing the Warrior. “Why did you bite me like that? Now I’m injured!”
Strongstone hauled himself to his paws and rolled his eyes. “Not really. I barely even put any power behind that bite. It was just for the shock factor, and it worked. You ran away, and now we’re on the other side,” he replied with a casual shrug.
Gravelpaw’s anger subsided quickly at the realization of his word’s truth. Looking around, they were, in fact, where they needed to be, across the tar. His eye seven met Hollowpaw’s, but hers didn’t hold any amusement or delight, only emptiness and a hint of determination.
“Come on, let’s see what this garden has to offer,” Strongstone meowed then to the Apprentices and tilted his head up. He bunched his muscles and waggled his haunches before leaping up into the air. Like Spidertail, he fell a bit short but caught himself with strong claws and pulled himself up.
Hollowpaw watched then turned her attention to the tabby next to her still. “You’re next. Just go,” she told him, not wanting to wait for him to be afraid, even though doubt was still plaguing her own if she could even make it or not.
The tom placed his ears back and lifted his nose to the sky, the eyes of the other two staring down at him. He drew in a deep breath then let it out slowly. “Alright, I’ll do it,” he decided, at least going to try. No monsters could hurt him while scaling some wood, right? It wasn’t quite like running across a deadly thunderpath.
So, he placed his paws firmly against the still rumbling ground and bunched his muscles. Carefully, his mind calculated the jump, deciding he had to put all of his effort into this to make it. With another deep breath in, he sprang.
Much like the others, he could only make it so far and had to rely on his claws to catch him. Thankfully, the two Warriors already there reached down and helped pull him to the top with teeth in his scruff. Once at the top, he panted a bit but was obviously okay and even managed a small, nervous chuckle from it all. Now, Hollowpaw remained.
She felt the doubt quell in her belly, fueled by every other doubt and negative thought her mind held. What if she couldn’t make it? What if she did and this garden didn’t have what they needed? Did Spidertail even look that hard for danger when he had only been gone for a short time? What if they were caught by aggressive kittypets or twolegs? What if- No. She couldn’t back out now. If she did, Bluespot may very well die, and the disease might spread. This mission required them all to function and do their part. Getting this catmint was their only shot of even having a chance to stop it all. Doubt didn’t belong here now.
Following the lead of the others, Hollowpaw brought her feet together, under her, and she bunched her muscles. The sun warm on her back and the encouraging expressions of the others at her front, she made her move.
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Chapter 21: Imprisoned Unlike the others, Hollowpaw made the jump in one leap, her muscles and memories primed for such a jump from a lifetime as a playful kit with her fox siblings. Jumping up into tall tree branches and scaling mighty trunks had done wonders for her physical state. Doing it again now merely seemed like an old memory. At the top, the others stared at her in clear surprise she had made it in one, clean go. However, that didn’t last long. A sudden, intoxicating smell hit their noses with a wind change. Immediately, all cats were under its tantalizing spell. “What is that?” Gravelpaw thought out loud, inhaling deeply afterwards with mouth open to better gather the scent. “It smells like the best fresh kill I have ever witnessed.” So good, in fact, that his fear was temporarily gone. “Have you ever smelled anything like that, Hollowpaw?” Maybe because she was from a different place, she may recognize it? Of course, this was something completely foreign to her, as much as it was to the others. “No, nothing like this, but it’s amazing,” she replied. It was as if all the scents of her favorite prey were mixing together in an elegant dance just for her nose. Spidertail, as captivated as he was by it also, knew he had to stay cautious. “Keep on your toes. This could be a trap,” he told everyone then jumped down, into the garden. The others followed. He glanced around, ears perked forward like always, carefully listening but still feeling his mouth water. “I only looked around a bit on my recon. We have to tread lightly. As great as this…whatever it is, smells, it could be a trap.” “A trap?” Strongstone chimed in then. “A trap from what? Kittypets? Why would they make a trap here? The odds of us coming here are slim to none. This is like a one-time deal with us being in this specific garden.” The gray Warrior looked back at his clanmate, not liking his more casual attitude towards everything. “Maybe so, but we’re here now, and we don’t know what the cats here are capable of. Maybe twolegs even made it a trap. We don’t know, and that’s why we need to be careful.” “Can we get going already?” Hollowpaw half-snapped then. “We’re wasting time arguing about if it’s a trap or not when Bluespot is DYING. We can be careful, but we still have to move and find some good catmint.” Part of her really wanted to find the source of that alluring aroma, too. Gravelpaw nodded. “She’s right. I hope it’s not a trap, but we do have to keep moving, even if it is. We have to find out and find what we came for. We made it this far, and I’m not going back across that thunderpath empty-pawed.” Spidertail was easy to relent, their points equally valid. “I know. Let’s go then,” he decided and flicked his tail for the others to follow. The garden itself was small with grass cut short. A single tree, small in size but still climbable, sat in the middle. All of it was enclosed by fence on three sides and one side by a den made of reddened stone laid across one and other. It looked old, though, nearly ready to fall apart. Along the den’s wall were bushes, thick and overgrown, unlike the grass. The cold air transitioning into leaf-bare gave the entire place an aura of chill, both cold and creepy. “The scent is coming from those bushes,” Strongstone announced, his nose pointed towards them and jaw agape while the wind brought it all right to him. “I think I smell catmint in there, too.” He glanced back at Spidertail and the others for their opinions. Spidertail followed his comrade’s lead, holding his head up and opening his jaws to inhale the scented flavor. After a moment, he nodded. “Do you guys smell it, too?” he asked the apprentices. Both younger cats had done the same and confirming gave nods in return. Excitement rushed through Hollowpaw’s veins, knowing catmint was right in front of them. Hopefully, this is exactly what they needed to be able to save Bluespot, to save FireClan. Carefully, Spidertail crept up to the bushes, praying to StarClan that this wouldn’t be a kittypet trap. The others slunk behind him, keeping their heads and tails low so as to attract as little attention as possible while crossing the open garden. Thankfully, getting to the bushes was an easy enough task. “What in the Dark Forest?” Spidertail exclaimed as his head poked through the bushes to see the source of their quarry. He emerged fully into a small space made up by the den wall and the shrubs, staring ahead. Like clockwork, the others followed behind and stared in unison. Before them was a den, wide open at the entrance and dusk inside. Obvious metal bits held the structure together, a tarp of some kind of moss covering its entirety, shrouding it in both shelter and mystery. Inside was a metal dish with what looked like chewed up fresh kill and a pile of freshly picked catmint lying beside it. The sight itself was rather grotesque and eerie, but the scent was stronger than ever and pulling them in, slowly. “I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Strongstone meowed, stepping forward but quickly being blocked by Spidertail’s long tail across his path. “Nor have I, and that’s why we should be even more cautious,” he stated, eyeing up the odd den. “It looks only big enough to accommodate a single cat at a time, but why leave this food and herb pile here for anyone to take? It’s too suspicious.” Gravelpaw moved around the bigger cats and up to the thing, earning himself a quick scolding from the party leader. But he ignored it and sniffed at the metal exposing itself. “It smells of twolegs,” he reported, muscles tense and ready to jump away at a moment’s notice if the need should arise. “Maybe it does, but it has what we need,” Hollowpaw decided and stepped closer, as well. She took in the scents for herself, the catmint most important in her mind. “If we can take this and get it back to the others then we have our chance to help Bluespot and FireClan.” “And what if it’s a trap?” Spidertail retorted. “It’s too risky. We’re better off finding it still growing somewhere else in another garden.” “Are we?” the she-cat rebutted. “How long will that take? For all we know, all of it in every other garden is gone already, either picked or dead by the day’s chill. This may be our only chance.” Shaking his head, the Warrior didn’t relent. “And this bunch has already obviously been picked. It belongs to somebody else, someone who could come back at any moment and catch us here.” “And then what? We run? We’re four cats against one,” Hollowpaw continued to argue. Spidertail was talking about risk, but it was too much of a risk in her mind to just walk away from this when they had no guarantee they’d find any more. You said it yourself, this den in only big enough for one cat, so I’m sure we’d only have to deal with one, if they even find us here.” Spidertail’s tail tip twitched as his temper with this she-cat rose. “You’ve done nothing but argue with me this entire trip. Are you the one leading this mission? No, I am. I’m trying to do what’s best for everyone, and that’s airing on the side of caution. The fact is we don’t know if a million cats will come back for this. Just because it houses one doesn’t mean there can’t be more dens like this around and whoever lives here can’t have friends. There’s no reason for anyone to leave such valuable items just lying around like this either, unless it’s a trap,” he stated firmly, his tail moving to more lash the air now. “We need to go and find some catmint that hasn’t been picked yet, some that we have a better chance at leaving with unharmed.” Hollowpaw took in his words, but her temper was flaring much like his. She had been through too much to turn back now. She had never turned back before – not when she went to the clans, not when she joined LeafClan, not when she faced those coyotes, and not now. With narrowed eyes, she stared Spidertail down a heartbeat then turned to the den entrance. “No, I’m taking it.” With that, she marched straight into the den and towards the herb pile, the aroma of the fresh kill dish still making her mind swim. Without warning, the den suddenly rattled, and metal mesh came flying down from the roof and sealed her in with a loud, metallic ‘snap.’ Hollowpaw spun around and pressed her face where the entrance had once been, but the mesh didn’t budge. All hostility and stubbornness were ripped away in an instant, replaced by only pure terror. “get me out!” she yowled and headbutted the door again, but it was no use. It only caused pain to surge and the den to rattle more. The others were over in instant, but there wasn’t much they could do. Nobody knew what had to be done. Gravelpaw circled the den and pressed his cheek against it as he went, trying to find another way out. Yet nothing presented itself. It was like she was stuck in a cave-in, sealed forever. “There’s no other way out!” Spidertail gripped the metal sticks with his front claws and leaned back on his haunches, trying to pry it open himself, but it barely budged. Something else he couldn’t understand was holding it all in place, making it immobile. “Come on!” he growled, trying again but failing once more. Strongstone bit down on the metal, thinking maybe they could chew through it somehow, but that plan, of course, was in vain, as well. “I don’t know what to do! Nothing’s working.” “Figure something out!” Hollowpaw shrieked, her heart pounding hard against ribs and the world going deaf. This was a fear she had not experienced, so intense it felt as if she may just pass out, her head even growing lighter, like it was swimming. As suddenly as that feeling came, it, too, was ripped away when the door to the stone den flew open next to them. She couldn’t see it due to the moss tarp over her head, but a twoleg’s face appeared above the bushes. The other cats yowled in surprise and scattered, fleeing the scene and leaving Hollowpaw there by herself, in her cage. Gravelpaw was the only one she could see pause to look back, his eyes like moons once more but for a vastly different reason than before. Her cage shook, and Hollowpaw knew she was being lifted up off the ground. She stared into Gravelpaw’s eyes for only a heartbeat before he ran off and her world spun around. Soon, she was face-to-face with a twoleg female. Quickly, the she-cat backed up and tucked herself away into a corner, pressing against it as far as she could, staring this beast down. The twoleg, something she had only ever heard stories about but had never seen for herself until now, smiled at her. Her lips curled up, and she spoke a language which the cat did not know, but her tone was surprisingly gentle sounding. Long, golden strands of fur cascaded down from her head and to her shoulders, eyes of blue hue and shocking soft in expression. Still, these facts did nothing to quench the intense fear fire in Hollowpaw’s racing heart. The frozen she-cat watched as her field of vision was occupied by grass and the fence as they started moving, turning towards the den. They went inside, and she could not comprehend what she was seeing next. The ground looked like grass but blue in color. Soft looking stones or stumps, or maybe oddly shaped nests, adorned the area as they headed through. A wooden slab sat atop four tree trunks, shimmering unnaturally. Something jingled, and they headed out another door, right to a sleeping monster. Hollowpaw began to panic and circled her prison, yowling incoherently. She slammed her head into the sides and door and clawed at the moss covering. Her claws easily catch and pulled it off, blinding her with bright sunlight right before she was shoved into the monster’s belly. The last thing she saw of the outside world, of the world she vaguely knew, were the eyes of her mission patrol, watching her in horror and guilt from a bush. Then, her view was blocked by monster skin fully consuming her, and the beast roared to life with her inside. The twoleg spoke gently to her again, but Hollowpaw didn’t understand nor care. All she could think about were the horrible things that could happen to her next. Calling for help was futile. Having tried a few times, no one except the twoleg who had captured her would hear. So, she resorted to simply giving into her fate and laid down at the back of the metal entrapment. Looking up, she could vaguely see glimpses of treetops flying by as if she were running beyond top speed, but here she laid without freedom and hope. After some time passed, the monster fell silent and still, and Hollowpaw’s heart began to race again. The skin opened to reveal the twoleg once more, who reached in and picked up her confinement. Then, she was carried inside a large den. Instantly, the sounds and smells of other animals pelted her senses. Dogs were barking, a bird chirped in alarm, and another cat called frantically. “Let me out! I’ll be good! I promise!” Hollowpaw gazed at the open space of animals and other twolegs with them as she was carried further inside then set down on the floor. Two dogs, one large and golden in color and the other small and black, barked at her but were held back from attacking by tethers their bipeds held. The other cat she saw immediately was in a similar cage to hers and was panicking as she had done earlier. But there was yet another cat who looked old and frail and wasn’t even in a container at all. He laid on the lap of a twoleg, not seeming to care about anything that was going on around him. “Hey!” Hollowpaw spoke up then, hoping to get his attention. “Old tom!” The brown tabby looked over at her, but his expression didn’t change at all, nor did he say a word. “What is this place? Why are you so calm?” Still, he said nothing and rested his head amid his paws without answering. How could he just act like nothing was going on? The she-cat couldn’t believe such a free tom would just ignore her like that! He had to know what was happening, right? How else would be he so relaxed about it all? She didn’t have much more time to think before she was picked up and carried somewhere else, through some hard curtains of some sort and into a white room. More twolegs’ faces appeared in her vision, looking in at her, after they removed the covering adorning her prison. Now, she was exposed on all sides. The humans talked for a bit, then the cage was opened from the side she had come in originally, but she didn’t dare move from backing up against the far corner. As odd as it was, this cage had now become her safe place, as she at least wasn’t able to be grabbed. That was further proven when a twoleg stuck its paw into the entrance, and she let out a hiss and swiped at it. The hand retracted, and the door closed once more. “Stay away form me!” Hollowpaw yowled at them, adrenaline surging throughout her body. “I’m not afraid to defend myself!” She pressed herself further back against the corner, feeling the lengths of metal pressing into her skin. Then, a sharp, localized pain shot through her flank. She yowled in surprise and whipped around, in the small space, only to find another human with what looked almost like a nettle needle in its hand. Suddenly, she started to feel sleepy. No. She had to fight it! If she fell asleep now there was no telling what would happen to her! The feline tried desperately to will herself to stay awake, but her eyelids felt heavier and heavier the longer she tried to fight. Even her paws felt like stone, unable to be moved. Pretty soon, vision blurred, and then she was out, her last thought a prayer to StarClan to let her be okay.✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 22: Dexter There was no telling how much time had passed, and not a way to figure out if it was day or night. Artificial lights shone down from above, bright and blinding, but they radiated no warmth. As Hollowpaw cracked open her eyes, that light flooded her vision, making her body hesitate in waking up. Then, came the flood of previous events’ memories. Involuntarily, her eyes flew open, blinding herself temporarily. She let out a small hiss and blinked to wash out the light overload. Her head felt like it was floating, a log on water, rocking back and forth with the tide’s current, light but stuffy. “Where am I?” the she-cat thought out loud, blinking some more as she turned her head to get some assemblance of bearings. Surrounding her were steel walls, slick and shiny and unbreakable on all sides but one. The only side without was instead more metal mesh of woven metal strands, allowing in the blinding white. However, her eyes were getting used to it now, and she could see other imprisoning dens like her own just across a small stretch of space. Inside, other cats laid or sat. Only then did she realize one in particular, a brown kit, was yelling for help, standing up with paws pressed against the mesh and screaming his little head off in fear. Hollowpaw watched him, vision returning to normal but still retaining that swimming sensation in her skull. Part of her wished to help him, to tell it would be okay. However, that was something she simply could not do. Her own fear started to well up again like boiling water about to spill over, the realization of her predicament returning. She had no idea where she was, why she was there, or how she might get free. “Help!” The word escaped her lips before the she-cat even realized it herself. Pupils dilated and fur standing on end, she joined the kit in a flurry of distress calls. Her paws forced her to pace, but as she did so, a dull and aching pain became noticeable in her underbelly. Was she injured? She sat down, rolling more onto her tail to get a look between her hind legs. There was definitely something wrong, as it looked like a long cut had been made, and her fur cut short in the area. But the cut was not bloody and didn’t look open. It was as if it had happened but was now sealed right after. It was odd. What had these twolegs done to her? “Looks like you got altered,” came a somewhat familiar voice from one of the other cages nearby. She looked over to see pure white cat with a red collar around his neck. He laid in the metal den directly across from her, inside a nest made of some material she did not now. “Don’t worry, I hear it doesn’t hurt for too long. Just a day or two.” Hollowpaw’s ears went back in confusion. His voice and appearance seemed familiar, but it wasn’t enough that she could place a paw on it. “Do I know you?” she asked, the fear subsiding for the time being as curiosity took its place. “What does ‘altered’ mean? What did they do to me?” The tom remained in his relaxed position. Clearly, no terror racked his body like others. It was as if he knew exactly what was going on. He must have, and his answer to her proved that enough. “It means they took something from you, and now you won’t have kits nor the desire to. Other than that, you’re completely fine, so there’s nothing to really worry about.” “What?” Hollowpaw couldn’t believe that. Eyes wide, she looked back down at herself, at the cut and her shaven fur. She couldn’t have kits now? Of course, it hit her then that she never could anyway, being a Medicine Cat. They were not allowed to acquire mates or bear kits in their lifetimes. That was the price of their knowledge and their connection to StarClan. Did this just make things easier? “Like I said, it’ll only hurt for a day or two, and you’re fine otherwise,” the distant tom meowed casually. “Oh, and the name’s Dexter. You and your little group met me on your way to the town. Remember? What happened to them, anyway? Aren’t they here with you?” he asked with a slight tilt of his head. Suddenly, the waves came flooding back. Spidertail’s face – all of their eyes – watching her from the bushes. They hadn’t been taken, only her, because of that stupid cage with the catmint and carrion prey. Shame washed over her, and her head fell. “No. I was the only one who was captured. I was stupid and arrogant, and this is the price I’m paying for it…” The tom rolled his eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic,” he replied and sat up for the first time. “You’ll be released here pretty soon. Then, you can go back to your little group and do whatever it was you were doing in the first place.” Those words sent the she-cat’s gaze shooting back up to Dexter. “How do you know?” Was he sure about that, or were they just comfort words? “Because you’re not the first one to come in here. I’ve heard it through the vine of other wandering housecats like myself,” the white and black tom told her. “There was another cat, a wild one like yourself, named Birch who had the same thing happen to him. King told me himself when we last saw each other. They were in here together, and that Birch character was freaking out, himself.” He shrugged, not finding any of it a big deal. “The humans are doing it to a lot of wild cats. They catch them in traps, alter them, then release them back where they were found. I think it has something to do with all the humans relocating.” That all peaked Hollowpaw’s interest, especially the relocating twolegs part. She figured ‘humans’ and ‘twolegs’ were the same thing, anyway, based off of context clues. The mention of her father’s name made her wince, but that wasn’t important currently. “Where are they going? Why leave? Why do this to us then?” So far, this tom had all the answers, so why not some more? Dexter gave another shrug, this one more unsure. “I don’t know all the details. I just know some other humans are invading with these giant monsters and tearing down the town’s dens. So, the resident humans are relocating. It’s sad, though, because some of them aren’t taking the cats with them, so they’re left here. I feel bad for them, but there’s nothing for me to do about it. At least I know my humans would never go anywhere without me, not for good.” He lifted his nose a little, like he was royalty in this aspect. “I can only assume people are altering wild cats to keep the population down while they’re gone, so you don’t overrun the area. They have that power, after all.” Hollowpaw’s already swimming mind started to feel like it was drowning with the new information. Was it true? The twolegs obviously had the power to alter cats, but why would their population matter to bipeds? Why were others invading? For territory? How could Dexter also be so calm about it all? And so arrogant because he thought this didn’t affect him? Did he not care for others? Or were a lot of them just strangers? “So, now what?” she finally asked, moving to crouch but wincing at the pain coming from her incision. “I just sit here and wait for them to hopefully let me go?” The idea of being helpless and having to wait things out sounded awful. Dexter nodded. “Pretty much. There’s nothing else to do but sit and wait and talk. But since you’re awake, it shouldn’t be too long now. Just relax.” “Relax? I wish I could,” Hollowpaw huffed. “A clan is dying. The cats I came to this twoleg territory with had clanmates who were dying in such horrible ways. A new disease is spreading, and we were hoping catmint that can only be found in the territory would help. Now I have no idea if they found any more, or if it even works, because I’m stuck here. I was also altered against my will, and I’m sure my clan is wondering where I went. Maybe they even think I ran away…” Did they? Sympathy finally came into Dexter’s eyes as he looked at her. “Well, I’m sorry to hear that. I truly am, but there’s nothing else to be done here. And being worked up about it all won’t help anything. I promise you that you will be released soon enough, and then you can go back to your clan or whatever it was. Heck, I’ll even take you back myself. I know the land around here like the back of my tail. I’m due to get out of here too anyway. It was just a routine check-up.” A light purr emanated from his throat, barely audible over the kit still yowling, though. “Promise.” Hollowpaw didn’t know why, but she felt better almost instantly. It was as if this tom knew exactly what to say to her to ease her strained nerves. His words were also genuine, and that helped a lot, as well. She took in a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. “Alright,” she meowed with a small nod. “Thank you.” It wasn’t much longer after the conversation when a twoleg came into the room with the same cage Hollowpaw had been brought in by. The female came over to her cage and opened the door, placing the more mobile den at the entrance. On instinct, Hollowpaw hissed and backed away, frightened. However, Dexter’s voice came from behind the twoleg. “It’s okay. Just let her take you and put you in the trap. You’ll be released from it back into the wild.” Her ears back, she decided to comply, praying he was telling the truth and knew what he was talking about. With a thick hide covering the paw, the twoleg reached in and grabbed her by the scruff of her neck like a mother taking a kit. She was dragged shortly and then placed into the cage. Hollowpaw pressed herself against the back of it, but relief washed over her as she realized she hadn’t been harmed at all from the exchange. She glanced back over at Dexter as she was taken away. “I’ll meet you on the other side. Promise,” he told her then watched her leave from his own perspective. Once again, like before, she was taken to a monster and loaded up inside, the skin closing up around her. It roared to life, and she watched as treetops flew by through transparent hide. Eventually, the beast laid to sleep, and she was removed from its stomach unharmed. Then, she was taken right back to where she had been captured, the garden and behind the bushes. With lips curled upwards but seemingly not in a threatening way, the young female twoleg placed the mesh down into the grass, and the entrance blockade was lifted. At first, Hollowpaw felt it was a trick, and she didn’t move, scared by what might happen if she did. But then the twoleg shook the den, and fear took over. Hollowpaw bolted from inside the cage and made a break for the fence. In one leap, she cleared it and stood high atop the wooden slabs. Heart pounding and mind clearing of that adrenaline, she glanced back. The twoleg’s face had contorted more, but she appeared to be pleased, her gaze soft. She turned and headed into the stone den, disappearing without a second look back. Maybe she was kind after all. In all of this, the she-cat hadn’t really been hurt. Altered and aching, yes, but she was alive. She could move just fine in most ways, and Dexter said the pain would disappear quickly even. And, now, she was free once more. She jumped down on the other side of the fence and looked up and down the tar thunderpath. Nothing was coming towards her in either direction, so she moved across it quickly, entering the alleyway her and the search party had come from. She could remember the way back on her own, but something told her to wait for Dexter. He had promised to escort her back, and there was safety in numbers – assuming he didn’t try to attack her for some reason. So, the she-cat listened to her gut and hunkered down beside a metal bin of some sort to wait. She hoped he would find her, and she also hoped it didn’t take too long. Silently, she prayed this wasn’t a mistake. As the sun went down, Hollowpaw grew wary and anxious at the same time. Her body was tired from all of the excitement, but her anxiety prickled at her mind and body. What if he never came? What if this was all just a waste of time? She had to move on. For too long she had sat in the alley, and now her stomach growled at her for sustenance. Now was the time to move on, with or without Dexter. She turned and started heading back the way her patrol had come, nervous but keeping her pawsteps careful and light. Before exiting, she cast one last glance back through to the other side, but it was void of another soul. She pressed on. Before her was the hill they’d cascaded down before, now reaching up towards the sky as it ascended high above herself. Its lush grass felt amazing on her paws once at the base, almost as if she hadn’t felt it in moons. To her, it had been moons. Under the cover of falling dusk, the she-cat slunk her way upwards, now and again looking back over her shoulder to ensure nothing dangerous was sneaking up on her. Half way up, another glance back yielded results. Something – or, rather, someone – was creeping up behind her. A few fox-lengths away, the shape of a white figure followed along, a flash of red shining in the dimness. Hollowpaw placed her ears back, but she got the feeling she knew who it was. “Dexter?” she called out, fear trembling her voice somewhat at the idea that it was possibly not him. Even if it was, that didn’t guarantee her safety, either. The figure’s head popped up more above the grass with ears perked. “Hey! I was wondering if that was actually you,” he called up then started trotting over, scaling the hill faster towards her now. He stopped beside her, even his large figure only comparing to her own. She never realized how big she was until now. “I wasn’t sure if I was following you or someone else. I was actually kind of afraid to call out,” he told her with an upbeat chuckle. “Sorry it took me so long to find you. I actually had no idea where they released you at.” His green eyes looked warm and inviting. Hollowpaw was so glad it really had been Dexter and not some other cat or predator. Even better, he appeared to be alone. Looking closer at him, their size practically matched, so if a fight were to break out, she might actually have a shot, if given help from Yelloweye. Thinking of her, it was a surprise the spiritual cat hadn’t visited her while she had been asleep at the twoleg place. Oh well. Maybe now that she knew the truth of who was - a Dark Forest cat – she may stop visiting. “It’s okay,” the she-cat deciding to tell him. “I waited for a while, but I’m glad you’re here now. I’ve been here once. I can remember the way back well enough, but having the company and extra set of paws in case something happens would be nice.” Dexter gave a nod. “Happy to be of service,” he replied and took a few steps forward more. “Come on, let’s get you home now. I’m sure it’s been too long, and I know you have to be eager to see how things are going. I hope the catmint works for whatever is happening.” “You and me both,” the silvery she-cat couldn’t help but sigh. She pressed on with him as the sun fell and the moon rose, waxing halfway. “Let’s just hope I get back safely, too. I was told this territory is dangerous.” “Only if you don’t know where you’re going or what you’re doing.” The tom stayed in the lead by a couple steps, his ears forward and on the alert. Yet his body and muscles were relaxed, like he knew everything would be alright. “Just stick with me, and you’ll be fine.”
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Chapter 23: Succession Stars started to appear between drifting wisps of ominous looking cloud, the night silent other than the faint chirping of late crickets. By now, the pair had traversed through some of the tall grass fields, but they had a long way to go yet, though no real way to tell. From the ground, it all looked the same. Tall stalks and green-brown blades bowed to them yet hung overhead, completely encasing their bodies within their shroud. Hollowpaw’s body was sluggish, and her eyelids were heavy with the desire for sleep. Even though she had been forced sleep not too much earlier, she wanted real sleep. A warm nest back at the clan would be amazing to sink into. But she had to get back first, and that meant following this kittypet’s tail. Dexter himself seemed to be wide awake, as if he did this all of the time and had it down to a routine. He kept a good pace with ears forward and tail out, muscles firm and fluid. “We should be getting close now to the end of this field,” he said back to the she-cat, keeping up a bit of chatter in order to ensure they both stayed awake. “It won’t be much longer now.” “Good,” Hollowpaw replied back, the envy of sleep woven in her voice. “I would normally be asleep by now, and after all the excitement lately, I think I’m more tired than ever.” After all, the high of adrenaline and then the crash afterwards did leave those involved exhausted. “Really? I’m always out and about at this time. Dusk and dawn are the best times to hunt and explore. Nothing much else is out at these times,” the white tom meowed back. However, no sooner had the words left his jaws did a rustling sound nearby. He paused in his tracks and turned his head towards the sound, ears angling. Hollowpaw, suddenly a little more awake, did the same. She didn’t know what she had been expecting, but what actually came out to them was nothing like it. At first, the rustling grew louder and erratic in origin. Whatever was there was moving in a way unlike anything she had ever known. It went left then right then left again but further. It was like it couldn’t simply go in a straight line, or it was staggering heavily. And then, right when they were about to leave, it came at them. A raccoon burst from the foliage, its eyes glossy and mouth foaming with saliva. Hollowpaw jumped back as it came for her, anticipating an attack. She hissed at it instinctively, but the thing only charged with ravenous snarls. The she-cat knew she couldn’t fight well, so she dodged again, jumping into the air and off the side. Dexter leapt at it and tackled the creature from the side, sending it reeling, but only for a moment. It recovered quickly and hissed back at them then barreled for the tom this time, flattening grass as it went along. “Dexter!” Hollowpaw had to help him, even if she couldn’t fight well. Still, she jumped into action and intercepted the coon, swiping at its face and landing a solid blow across its muzzle with sharp claws. The hit sent fur flying, and blood began to well. “Thanks,” Dexter meowed and followed up her strike with one of his own, scoring the beast across one of its eyes. It cried out in pain, an eerie echo chilling the air. “What’s going on with this thing?” Hollowpaw asked a bit frantically as it charged her again, and she dodged into the air. “I’ve never seen a raccoon this aggressive and crazy before!” living with foxes, she had hunted raccoons with them. Never had she actually killed one herself, but she had seen her mother do it, and they had always run and hid, maybe hissed or given a scratch here and there. Never had any of them come after them or been so ferocious. “I’m not sure,” Dexter responded and then went in for another attack, clawing the raccoon’s flank. It spun around, and Hollowpaw copied him by getting its tail. Again, it whirled and managed to land an erratic bite on her foreleg. It went left then faked her out and went right, biting down. Hollowpaw yowled, and Dexter took the opportunity to jump on the thing while it faced away from him. He landed squarely on its back, comparatively the same size as it. It flailed, but she battered its face to grab its attention, wound stinging. With it distracted and outnumbered, unsure of who to try and attack, the tom sunk his fangs into the back of its neck and held. With a screech the raccoon flailed a moment more then fell still, its body going limp. Dexter stepped off of it and looked back into its fading eyes. Even in death, it didn’t seem to be all there, as if its mind was clouded like the sky. “I’ve never seen one of these act like that either. It was so…crazy, like it didn’t know what it was doing. They don’t even usually attack cats, especially not so viciously.” His tone showed how put off by it he was. Hollowpaw glanced down at her leg, knowing she’d have to find some herbs to take care of the wound before it became infected. “Yeah, me either,” she replied, looking into the animal’s eyes. They stared back hauntingly, its mouth still in a snarl. “I think someone from the clans said prey was starting to act like this… Like it was attacking them instead of running away when hunted. Everything is going insane.” She shivered at the thought of prey hunting cats. “Let’s just keep moving. I need to get this wound patted down with some herbs before too long now, anyway. Are you hurt at all?” Dexter shook his head. “No, it didn’t touch me. I did all the damage to it.” He appreciated the concern, though. “Thanks.” He padded over to her in their new flattened area and peered down at her wound which trickled blood. “How bad does it hurt? Can you walk okay?” She gave a nod. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’ve been through worse,” she told him, knowing no wound would ever come close to nearly drowning. It stung, but it was bearable until she got back to FireClan where it could be cared for. “Alright. Just let me know if you need help or a shoulder to lean on,” the tom told her and continued on, leaving the raccoon carcass behind. Hollowpaw followed with a ‘thanks’ but nothing more, except a glance back. Why had it attacked them? The rest of the journey was rather uneventful. The two simply talked about their lives and ambitions for the future. While Dexter wished to be able to see his friends every day as he did now, Hollowpaw didn’t know what she wanted for the future. She wasn’t sure what was even possible anymore. Simply being a Medicine Cat when the time came seemed to be all there was for her, but at least it was something. She learned that Dexter had been a kittypet nearly all his life, though his mother had been a rogue, or ‘stray,’ as he called them. She had been taken in by a twoleg, along with his three siblings. They were all divided, but he still got to see his brother often within the tar streets. They were with bipeds now, but they still roamed the outside world often and were smart because of it. Dexter stopped as they crested a small hill, and the beginning forest of FireClan marked itself in the near distance below. “This is where we split ways,” the tom told Hollowpaw. “I know I won’t be welcomed down there, and I have tog et back to my own home soon, anyway.” Hollowpaw gazed down at the shimmering trees, sparce moon and starlight dancing upon their leaves and the grass before it. Had she not been on a vital mission and eager to find out if catmint cured this new, mysterious ailment, she would have loved to pause and take in the gorgeous scenery. Yet that couldn’t be done this time, but perhaps another. “Thank you for all of your help,” she meowed genuinely, turning back to the white tom who had gotten her through so much in such a little amount of time. “I owe you for this, if we ever meet again.” Dexter let out a small purr. “I’m sure we will someday. For now, go and do what you have to. Just be safe while you’re doing it.” “I will.” With those words, he gave a last nod and slow blink of affection before turning and bounding back they way they had come. Hollowpaw watched for only a moment, glad they had become friends. Though, it did make her sad to realize how she had been treating her friends in LeafClan lately, so coldly. She’d have to apologize and make amends when she got back, after visiting FireClan once more. Upon reaching the FireClan camp, Hollowpaw was not greeted with still silence or the calmness of slumbering cats like she had expected. Instead, the entire camp was bustling with panicked activity. Felines chattered loudly, fur bushed and pupils dilated. The largest crowd stood around the Medicine Den entrance with a few stragglers lingering a bit further back. Hollowpaw padded through the camp entrance and felt her heart skip a beat, the unknown instantly clawing at her gut. She went to the nearest cat, a small Warrior known as Fallowwing. “What’s going on?” The tortoiseshell jumped nearly out of her skin and spun around but relaxed the moment she realized who it was, a bit. “Hollowpaw? We thought you were dead for sure, after what Spidertail told us!” she exclaimed. “Dead? No. I mean, I thought I would be too, but here I am. What’s going on, though? Why is everyone so excited and scared?” She craned her neck to try and see past the wall of fur, but it was useless to get any semi-clear views. The Warrior shuffled her paws in the dust. “Well, I think you should go past everyone and hear for yourself. You were on the mission, so you have the right to know first-paw.” This didn’t sit well with the Apprentice already. She gave a slight nod then looked back to the crowd and took a breath. Pushing her way past them all would be a task all its own already, but it had to be done. Hesitantly, she made her way to the back of the crowd. “Excuse me. I need to get through,” she meowed more quietly than intended. When no one seemed to hear, she said it louder. Heads turned in her direction then gasped, but she just kept her gaze down and pushed forward, feeling claustrophobic as she made it through the throng. Relief washed over her, for a moment, when Hollowpaw finally managed to get through to the other end and into the Medicine Den. However, the sight that greeted her eyes was not a good one. In fact, it sent chills down her spine and horror through her heart. Bluespot laid in his nest like usual, only, this time, he was splayed out uncomfortably. His neck was also torn open with crimson leaking gradually still onto the moss below. Bubblepelt, Spidertail, Strongstone, and Gravelpaw all stood around him with bowed heads, until Hollowpaw appeared. Gravelpaw was the first to look up and spot her, his eyes going wide. “Hollowpaw? You’re alive!” He went over to her quickly and nudged her with his cheek without a second thought. “We all thought you were gone forever!” The others looked up, but none of them said a word. Of course, they were equally as shocked she had survived and made her way back to them, but the heavy atmosphere was too great for celebration. “We’re glad you’re back,” Spidertail at least commented. Hollowpaw barely even noticed the nuzzling from Gravelpaw, her vision too fixated on Bluespot’s corpse. “W-what happened?” Clearly, he had been murdered. Bubblepelt spoke up then, his tone solemn and weighted. “Spidertail did it. He had to,” he said quietly then stuck out his foreleg. “Bluespot bit me. The catmint didn’t work.” He placed his paw back down onto the ground with a deep sigh. “By the way this disease seems to spread, I will soon end up like him – out of my mind and a danger to the clans. Then, I will die.” His ginger tabby head turned towards Gravelpaw, amber eyes landing on him firmly. “My apprentice, when the sun rises, we head for the Moon Tree, so you may take my place as FireClan’s Medicine Cat.”
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Sept 22, 2019 21:00:42 GMT -5
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Chapter 24: Identity “But how could I ever hope to replace you?” Gravelpaw blurted out in rising panic. “I’ve only been your apprentice for five moons! I know I’ve been doing well, but I need so much more experience if I’m going to do well for this clan.” For a Medicine Cat Apprentice, five moons of experience wasn’t a lot at all. Warrior Apprentices could train and fight and get assessed to become Warriors at really any time. If they had the skills, then they could pass. However, Medicine Cats were a different story. Their training often lasted far longer, because they had so much more life-saving experience required for the job. Bubblepelt lifted the tip of his ginger tail. “Hush. It will all be okay. The Medicine Cat Code states that Medicine Cats of other clans can and should help each other out, so you can still learn from Dappleleaf and Eaglegaze if you ever need help with anything,” the tom stated calmly. Inside, he was terrified knowing his demise was already in the works, but he also knew that this must be accepted. There was no sense letting the fear control him. “I’ll help you, too,” Hollowpaw stepped up, coming to stand beside Gravelpaw and allow their pelts to slightly touch as a gesture of comfort and support. “Apparently, medicine is my talent. I’m good at it, so if you ever need help with anything, don’t be afraid to come and find me. I might even come back here once in a while to check up on you, anyway.” Right now, Gravelpaw was a good friend and someone she trusted. He was also the only friend she hadn’t pushed away yet. The gray tom nodded reluctantly, glad to have such good cats on his side but also still petrified. “We can’t waste any time then,” he decided, swallowing his fears for now. “Bluespot is still infected. Death doesn’t take away disease, so we need to get him out of the camp before anyone else catches it.” With his decision, the other cats nodded agreement. “Spidertail, you’re on watch from now on, too. Since we don’t know how this…whatever-it-is spreads, I don’t want you leaving camp for any reason for a few suns, so I can monitor your health. Since you had to deliver a killing bite, I have to make sure you don’t turn on us, too. I’m sorry.” The stoic Warrior nodded, not happy by it but understanding. “You have my word I won’t leave camp without your orders nor hide anything,” he promised, earning a nod back from the novice. “Alright, let’s get him out of here then. Bubblepelt, Spidertail, I think you’re both best suited for this. It’s best to take him a decent distance from camp and bury him there.” Bubblepelt could agree to that. “Understood. We’ll be back then. Hollowpaw, I suggest you head back to your own clan now. It’s been a little while, and I’m sure they’re all very worried about you there,” he told her then picked Bluespot’s body up by the scruff of his neck. Hollowpaw honestly dreaded going back, knowing she would be in so much trouble. However, LeafClan needed to know what was happening here. They needed to hear the news about the disease, so it could be avoided as much as possible. She’d have to take a trip back to WaterClan for the same reason, too. “Alright, I suppose I should,” the she-cat sighed and watched as the corpse was taken out, Strongstone following along behind as more of an escort for safety but keeping his distance. Her attention turned back to Gravelpaw the moment they were the last two in the den. Even though alone, she leaned closer and dropped her voice down to a whisper. “Whatever happens, I need you to keep me updated, alright? I think, for now, it’s best if we stay close and meet up often to share news. The clans may not like it so much, but we need to be able to keep track of this virus as best we can, even if that means we look like traitors sneaking out all of the time.” Gravelpaw placed his ears back, not liking the sound of being called a traitor, but it probably was for the best to stay updated on clans’ conditions versus this new threat. “Alright. Where are we going to meet up, and when?” he asked, then cast a glance over his shoulder, at the empty den entrance. They wouldn’t be breaking any codes, but it felt like it. “Meeting Crag, every quarter moon,” Hollowpaw decided, since they both knew where the Crag was, and a quarter moon would be exactly seven moonrises from now. It was perfect. “When everyone else in the clans are asleep, we will meet there without telling anyone. In three quarter moons, when we have an actual Gathering, I think we should announce what’s going on to everyone, if the leaders don’t do that already.” The young tom was skeptical of that but didn’t have much choice other than to agree. “Alright, we’ll od that then. Just try to be careful, okay? I don’t want to have to lose anyone else if I can help it,” he told her as he crouched there. Hollowpaw could agree to that easily. “Trust me, I will try my best to be careful. I don’t want to end up sick like this anymore than you do.” It appeared absolutely terrible and agonizing. “I’m going to go back to LeafClan now. Like Bubblepelt said, I’m sure they’re worried about me. I have some cats I need to talk to anyway…” She had to apologize to Rainpaw and Rosepaw so badly. “I’ll see you at the Crag in seven moon rises, right?” “Yes.” “Good luck then.” With that and a little nudge on the shoulder for reassurance, she she-cat padded from the den and out of the camp. Cats were standing by now, having noticed Bluespot get carried out. Yet none of them stopped her from leaving or even said a word beyond hushed whispers directed towards one another. In the dark of the night, Hollowpaw traced her way back to the clan. She knew the general direction and soon came to the steady streams that divided FireClan and LeafClan territories. Carefully, she jumped from jutting rock to slippery stone and made it across, the strong scents of LeafClan markers wafting up her nose. It sent a sense of familiarity and welcoming throughout her body. She just hoped, after everything, the cats themselves welcomed her back. Finding the camp was a bit more challenging in the darkness of the forest. It caused familiar scenery to become distorted and alien. However, a force she now recognized to be Yelloweye – or Yarrowfang – guided her onwards. Soon, camp’s gaping maw entrance came into view, along with the steep and rocky mountain walls it housed, peeking through the canopies. Yelloweye’s presence faded. “Thanks,” Hollowpaw murmured under her breath then padded forward. The cave was as dark as ever, though perhaps now more so, given the fact she’d normally be asleep by now. Actually, thinking of sleep caused her paws to suddenly become heavy like earth. Only now did the she-cat realize just how exhausted she was after all of this previous excitement. The camp itself was silent and in slumber. Not even a guard was posted this night, oddly enough. As silently as the feline could muster, she crept to the Medicine den and peered inside. As usual, Webpaw was asleep in his nest, foot awkwardly splayed out due to his stabilizing splint. Vinepaw was actually curled up with him, much to Hollowpaw’s surprise. Rosepaw’s sister normally hung out with Webpaw before, but she had only come to visit a pawful of times since he had been confined to his nest. Oh well. It had nothing to do with her or the mission right now. Her eyes scanned the pitch-black cavern, unable to see anyone else in the furthest shadows of the den. She knew from experience that Dappleleaf’s nest was at the very back, where no light ever shown, but she couldn’t tell if there was anyone there currently or not. She had to take the risk and assume there was. Carefully, so as not to wake the obvious cats, the Apprentice tip-toed deeper inside. Just when she had reached her nest for glorious sleep, a voice shocked through her ears like a jolt of electricity throughout her body. “A little late, isn’t it?” Hollowpaw jumped with an involuntary yowl and spun around, heart racing and eyes wide, fur lifting. Her nose pointed towards the deepest shadows, but she still couldn’t make out a thing beyond them. Yet, Dappleleaf was surely there and definitely awake. “Gentlestripe told me you would be coming back tonight,” the blind Medicine Cat continued, still not showing herself even a bit. “I was worried about you, as were Rosepaw and Rainpaw. Riftstar, too. You have a nasty habit of coming and going as you please without letting anyone else know.” A rush of guilt washed over Hollowpaw, and she lowered her guard, calming down from that initial surprise. Her paws shuffled on the damp stone floor. “I didn’t mean to be gone this long,” she muttered, glancing back at Webpaw and Vinepaw, glad to see them somehow still asleep. “I was just going for a walk, and things happened. A lot of things. I have so much to tell you.” “I’m sure you do,” the older she-cat’s voice came again. Even now, it held no malice nor displeasure. It was simply there, simply soft and calm as ever. In fact, it was almost as if nothing bothered this elderly cat anymore. Like she had seen it all before at least once. “Tell me about it in the morning, dear. For now, I can tell you’re tired. Get some rest, and then we will say whatever needs to be said.” Hollowpaw audibly sighed in relief, glad to have the ability so rest but also glad to push off the bad news for a little bit longer. “Thank you,” she mewed, genuinely meaning it. She stepped into her nest and curled up among the plush moss and feathers, a sense of comfort slowly engulfing her body. No more words were exchanged. No more hard feelings lingered. She simply fell asleep.
* “Get up.” With a startling jolt, Hollowpaw gasped and scrambled to her feet. Staring at her from only a tail-length away was Gentlestripe. His expression and lashing tail showed only hard-pressed irritation as he sat there and stared at her with a hard gaze. Hollowpaw stood and stared back for only a moment before looking around at the wheat field in which they sat, calming. “Oh. I thought I was somewhere else…” “You mean like the Dark Forest?” Gentlestripe asked, eyes narrowing a tad. “Hollowpaw, I know you’ve been visiting there, and I know now that you’re trusting Yarrowfang. You can’t be doing that,” he told her firmly. “It will only lead to pain and destruction. You’re forbidden from speaking with her ever again.” Hollowpaw felt the stars on her pelt, but StarClan didn’t feel welcoming this time. Now, it felt like she was either an invader or a prisoner, but she couldn’t tell which. She only knew it was hostile, more so than it should have been. Her eyes narrowed back at him, her anxiety no longer controlling her as much as it had been. Over the past couple of suns, she had found a new type of confidence. She could finally stand up for herself. “And? So what if I have been talking to her?” she asked, her bobbed tail moving back and forth slowly. “At least she’s actually been helping me. She actually helped me figure out who my family was, unlike you. And she helped me with that coyote pack at WaterClan, kept me from drowning in the river, and she guided me back to LeafClan! What have you even done to actually help me besides give me stupid riddles?” Anger rose quickly. How dare this cat tell her who she could and couldn’t talk to? Gentlestripe’s tail lashed more. “You weren’t ready to find out who your parents are,” he bellowed back. “You’re still not! You were ready to rip my daughter apart. Sootbreeze made a horrible mistake, but attacking her over it wouldn’t have solved anything-“ “Yeah, because I’m the mistake, I know. But I’m here now. I’m alive, and it’s my choice how I handle the reality of that, even if it means tearing some fur off her lying, disgusting pelt!” Hollowpaw’s claws dug into the loose soil, rage filling her heart. She held back, though, logically knowing that attacking a StarClan cat would get her only steps backwards. “That’s not the point,” the tom said in exasperation with a shake of his head. He took a deep breath to calm himself and straightened a bit as he sat there, composing himself. “Look, the reason I called you here tonight wasn’t to berate you, though you should know being around Yarrowfang is a terrible idea. However, the reason you’re here is because I need you to stop what you’re doing right now. Stop trying to get involved with FireClan and this disease. It will only bring about destruction for all the clans.” Hollowpaw nearly gasped. How could he say that? “No! This disease is unlike anything any of us have ever seen, and it needs to be studied. We need to figure out how it spreads and how to get rid of it,” she told him, placing her paw down firmly to accentuate her point. “If left to its own devices, it will fester like a wound and spread like the virus it is. More cats will die if we leave it untreated than if we try to fight it.” “And how do you honestly plan on doing that? You know nothing about it, other than that every herbal remedy in Medicine Cat knowledge can’t treat it.” Gentlestripe shook his head, an aura of some sympathy coming across his face. “I’m sorry, but nothing you can do will help. The more you try to find a way to treat it, the more you will only spread it. We have to be cautious, and that means we have to isolate. Gatherings shouldn’t happen, you can’t meet with Gravelpaw when he’s been directly exposed already, and you can’t meddle with nature. This is the natural order of things. It’s cruel, but it’s balanced. If FireClan has to die then it will, but you shouldn’t risk LeafClan’s safety to try and save them. I’m sorry, Hollowpaw.” The words that hit her ears were something like a ghost – transparent, haunting, scary. How could he say these things and believe them to really be true? Yes, FireClan was the one most at risk right now, but that didn’t mean they should just be left to die! Even if this plague had a chance of spreading, she had to do something to help them! She shook her head and glared with so much determination in her yellow eyes they almost burned like pale fire. “You are not a Medicine Cat, but I am. I live by their code, and I will die by it. If my life needs to be sacrificed in order to save the lives of others, then so be it. If I can do anything, anything at all to prevent the spread of this disease and stop it from claiming lives, then I will do what it takes. You’re not going to stop me. No one and nothing will,” she stated firmly, taking a step forward and holding her head and stump tail high. “I am Hollowpaw of LeafClan, and I am a Medicine Cat.”
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Chapter 25: A New Turn Searing pain snapped Hollowpaw out of sleep, and she jumped up quickly. Her foreleg burned, but the usual scent of mixed herbs hit her nostrils. It was also plain as day to see Dappleleaf sitting by her with a poultice dabbed onto her paw. “I suggest you hold still, dearie. I’m not quite finished tending to your wound,” she told the younger feline, sniffed the air for a moment, then went right back to applying the substance onto the bite that raccoon had given her earlier. “I thought something else was going on…” Hollowpaw breathed out and glanced over at Webpaw’s nest to find him missing. “Where’d Webpaw go?” Surely, he was not healed well enough to return to his own nest now, right? Dappleleaf answered without skipping a beat in her work. “In the camp, sweetie. He’s healed enough that he’s allowed short walks around camp. He has to keep up strength in the rest of his muscle and stretch them out, too. Plus, it’s always a good idea to leave this stuffy den every once in a while. I made sure Vinepaw and Rainpaw are looking after him, as well, in case he needs any help.” “Oh.” Rainpaw… She still had to apologize to him, and the guilt of that was eating her heart alive. Yet there were more important things she had to do at the moment. “Dappleleaf, I have to tell you something, a lot of things, actually. It’s really, really important.” “I know you do. Just take a deep breath and start from the beginning,” she advised and finished up with the poultice then placed a couple burrs on her leg to keep it in place and from rubbing off so easily. Hollowpaw did as she was told and inhaled deeply then slowly let it out. She told her mentor everything. She regaled her feelings of betrayal and hatred towards Sootbreeze and how it caused her to push everyone away and question who she was. She told Dappelleaf about Yelloweye – Yarrowfang – and of the times she had helped her get through tough situations, even for being a Dark Forest cat. She said about her walk and being taken to FireClan camp. The disease, the journey to the Twoleg Territories, her time at the ‘vet,’ Dexter, and of Bubblepelt’s impending demise were all spilled out like a flowing river. Through it all, Dappleleaf remained silent, only breaking her side of it for a simply question on occasion. Then, Holloepaw ended with Gentlestripe’s warning and how she planned to ignore it in favor of her own beliefs. By that time, it felt as if a huge boulder had been lifted from her back, but that didn’t quell any tension now starting to build in the little den. Dappleleaf remained quiet, only the sound of her light but gently rasping breaths coming from her being. Finally, after what felt like a moon, she spoke. “That is all very serious.” And that was it. That’s all she said. Hollowpaw’s eyes flicked side to side in small motions, waiting in suspense for more words that weren’t coming. “And?” she almost snapped out of anticipation. “What do you think about it? What should I do?” She needed words of wisdom from a cat she trusted, from someone she knew was on her side and would do what was best. “I think you should do whatever your instincts and heart tell you to do,” the torti replied with a simple shrug. “This is your journey, and clearly you are meant to lead it, as it’s your story,” she told her and spun to begin sorting through some older herbs. “I’ve told you before that my story is almost over, but yours is only just beginning. All of our stories – all cats from the clans – will be intermingled until each one comes to an end of its own. Whatever happens is what’s meant to happen, and it’s all meant to happen for a reason. What you do is how you tell your side of the story in this great tale. Just, whatever you do, make sure your part is a good one.” What? That was it? All her mentor could give her in the way of advice she so desperately needed was a cryptic message about stories? She didn’t understand! Well, most of it. One thing she could pull from that mini-lecture was the part about doing what she thought was best by following her instincts and heart. That, she could do. “Alright then. I’m going to meet up with Gravlepaw in secret. We’re going to figure out what’s going on and how to end it,” she decided, giving herself a determined nod. “Sounds fine to me. Just be careful when you’re out there. You never know what could happen. We don’t need you getting infected, either,” the mentor told her without missing a leaf as she sorted herbs. Hollowpaw shuffled her feet then spoke up once more, a lot more tentatively this time. “Dappleleaf…I’m really sorry for how I’ve been treating you lately, snapping at you and everything…” She shook her head then. “It wasn’t right or okay of me to do, no matter how confused and frustrated I was. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you, or anyone else, for that matter. I’m sorry.” Dappleleaf’s paw paused midair, and her head turned to seemingly watch her from the corner of a nonexistant eye while a small purr rumbled in her throat. “Apology accepted, dear. Thank you.” With that, she turned back to her work. “Go now and say the same to your friends. They care about you a lot, so I know it will mean the world to them to have you back.” “I will,” Hollowpaw responded with a warmth radiating to her, from that look of her mentor. “Thank you, Dappleleaf, for everything.” She stood and turned then, heading out into the camp. It was a busy as ever for a new morning in the cave. Warriors were gathering up for patrols with their apprentices, and some other cats were chatting or getting their freshkill for the sunrise. Shadekit and Lightkit were happily playing by the Nursey, under Duskstone’s watchful eye. Webpaw was also out and about, limping around the cave’s walls with Vinepaw by his side. Rainpaw and Rosepaw sat together with their mentors, no doubt getting ready to go on a patrol. Now was her chance. Hollowpaw bounded over, ignoring the tinges of pain shooting up her leg from the bite injury. “Rosepaw! Rainpaw!” she called over, not even caring that other cats from the patrol looked over in shock. Nobody had seen Hollowpaw return, and all thought she had simply disappeared or run away. Both fellow Apprentices looked over at their names being called, and both were stunned but joyous to see Hollowpaw coming at them. They sprang to their paws and went to meet her, closing the distance with purrs of delight. “I’m so glad to see you guys again,” Hollowpaw exclaimed and nudged them both. ‘Listen, I am so, so sorry about how I was acting earlier. I shouldn’t have treated either of you so badly when all you were trying to do was help and be there for me. I’m such an idiot, and I’m so sorry,” she blurted out before the others could even say a word. Rosepaw shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. We’re just glad you’re safe,” she told her best friend, so clearly relieved. Rainpaw could fully agree to that. “Absolutely! We thought something bad happened to you. We were so worried.” He nudged her again. “Riftstar was worried, too, but I imagine she’s gong to be pretty upset now, knowing you’re safe but still having been gone so long with no warning.” “Oh, yeah…” Hollowpaw was not looking forward to that meeting, but it had to happen. “I have so much to tell you guys, but it looks like you’ve gotta get going soon. Just do me a favor and don’t ask why yet, okay? If any prey acts weird and doesn’t run from you, run from it. Please. I will explain later, but you have to promise me you won’t try to fight or hunt anything that would normally run from you.” Rainpaw and Rosepaw glanced at each other in confusion but would go along with it if it was that important to her. “Okay, but you’d better explain when we get back,” Rainpaw replied. “I will. Promise. Just be careful out there.” Hollowpaw gave them each another nudge in parting then watched them go. Just then, Buckleap came over. He came up from behind, his voice causing her to spin around. “I’m surprised to see you back. Everyone thought you’d run away. I’m glad you didn’t,” he informed her, though hair tail did twitch. “Where have you been?” Hollowpaw sighed. “I’m going to tell Riftstar that now. If she wants to let you know then she can, but I’m only going to tell my tale a couple more times. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go and see her now.” She didn’t want to linger. The longer she put off speaking with Riftstar, the harder it would be in the end to do, and she knew that. With dragged paws, the she-cat made her way to the den, pushing past a mildly shocked Buckleap. She reached the entrance with eyes fixed on her from around camp, more adding to it the more cats realized she was there. “Riftstar?” she called into the ironclad den. “I’m back, and I need to talk to it. It’s very important.” Not even a moment of hesitation passed by before she was invited inside. “Come in. We have much to discuss.” The leader definitely was not happy. Hollowpaw swallowed a lump in her throat and proceeded to slink inside then sit at the entrance. Riftstar was curled up in her nest but rose to sit tall and straight among the Apprentice’s presence. “You’ve been gone for quite a while, nearly two full suns. Care to explain why?” Her body language, although regal, gave off an aura of authority and annoyance. For sure, Hollowpaw was quickly wearing on her nerves. “Yes, that’s why I’m here,” Hollowpaw meowed after taking a deep breath to keep herself from trembling in the leader’s attention. No matter how determined to help others she had become, or how sure in herself she was, it was still petrifying to be facing down your leader in any way. “I went to FireClan.” Riftstar perked her ears, her attention surely grasped tightly with clutching claws. She flicked her tail tip as a gesture to continue, holding questions for the time being, as they would most assuredly be answered before even being asked. “I was just on a run, and I crossed into their territory without realizing it,” the young she-cat told, trying to keep what composure she had. “They took me to their camp, because of a problem they had been having. A new disease has been plaguing them, one that is far more deadly than any other we have seen before. It has already killed an Apprentice and his mentor, and Bubblepelt will soon follow. We know very little about this virus as of right now, but what we do know is its symptoms, the fact it makes cats go crazy, and that it is at least spread through bites and prey.” The concern in her own voice and the growing nature of it on Riftstar’s face was plain as daylight. “It started with Harepaw hunting a certain piece of prey. This prey, instead of running away, attacked him. He was bitten, and he was infected shortly after, showing symptoms of fever, unbalance on his own paws, avoidance of drinking water, and finally going crazy and biting his mentor then abruptly dying thereafter. Bluespot soon exhibited the same symptoms, and I arrived shortly before his death.” Telling someone this in full detail, other than a fellow Medicine Cat Code carrier was intense. She had no idea how well the Leader would receive her news, much less how she would take her advice afterwards. But she had to try. She had to let Riftstar know what was happening and give her the best advise she herself had in order to prevent the most deaths possible. “Because of my title, I was asked to join Gravelpaw and a couple Warriors on a journey into TwoLeg lands in search o catmint. No known herbs had worked in curing the ailment thus far, so catmint was our best and last option, given it’s the only thing known to cure what we had thought our worst blights – white cough and green cough. I went with them, and I was captured by twolegs, taken to a place called the ‘vet,’ met a kittypet named Dexter, and had things done to me… I didn’t understand it before, but I now know the twolegs have altered me in some way. I feel different, unlike myself before but somehow more compassionate and less on edge. Even so, I never would have found my way back to the clan territories without Dexter. He’s not entirely important to this right now, but I would like to say that, as a side note, if he ever happens to come into LeafClan territory that he should be spared trouble,” Hollowpaw told the leader. Riftstar opened her jaws to speak, but Hollowpaw actually cut her off and continued. “What is important is that I made it back to FireClan only to discover that Bluespot had bitten Bubblepelt, infecting him with this fatal disease and was subsequently killed by Spidertail. As such, Bubblepelt will pass in a few suns, and Gravelpaw will be made FireClan’s new Medicine Cat. I’m going to say right now that if he ever needs help with anything, I am going to help him, no matter what you or anyone else says. It is the Medicine Cat Code to help any cat in need, regardless of clan affiliation. But we also need to all be aware of this disease now, in order to prevent its spread as much as possible.” When Hollowpaw finally seemed to be finished speaking, Riftstar took her chance. It was a lot to take in, but that didn’t mean it was unrealistic. “So, what you’re saying is that an illness even the most experienced Medicine Cats know nothing about has come into fruition? And it’s already spreading?” she asked, wanting to get everything clear. Hollowpaw nodded. “Well, then. That’s very serious,” she meowed with a look cast thoughtfully to the side and ground. “And what do you plan on actually doing about this? You know very little, and if it’s in the prey, then it’s going to be extremely difficult to avoid. We need to hunt and eat if we wish to survive, after all.” “Yes, I know. I think the best course of action right now would be to call a clan meeting once the patrols return and inform everyone about the dangers of the situation,” Hollowpaw decided, following her instincts on this one, as she was told to do. “We will also need to inform WaterClan, as well, and, if possible, gain peaceful alliances with both other clans. The less we fight over borders and prey, the less likely the virus will spread.” Riftstar, intrigued by this idea, raised her nose into the air. “That is going to be extremely difficult to do. I’ve known Brindlestar since we’ve become Leaders, and she isn’t one to stay peaceful for very long. She’s hot tempered and won’t back down from anything if it means her pride is at stake.” “If she cares more about her clan than her pride, as a Leader should, then she will listen.” She had to. “Very well then,” Riftstar said with a nod. “If you want to travel to the other clans and inform them of this mysterious new illness, then I will allow it. However, don’t think you’re off the hook for punishment. You still ran off and left us worried and wondering for more than a single sun. It seems you’re a bit of a glutton for punishment, aren’t you?” Hollowpaw’s ears went back for just a moment, before she willed them to stand normal and not show any anger, holding it back. “No. I’m just following my heart,” she replied steadily. The black she-cat couldn’t help but let a look of amusement dance within her amber eyes. “I guess I can’t argue with that. Even a Clan Leader isn’t above authority when it comes to Medicine Cats. However, don’t let that go to your head, Hollowpaw. After all, you are still merely an Apprentice, and I am still at liberty to deliver you orders.” “Yes, I know.” “Alright then. Let’s come up with a plan for the next couple of suns. You have a lot of work to do if you’re going to be an ambassador for the clans and spread this news faster than a virus.”✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 26: What May Become High in the air hung a brilliant sun, shedding golden light even into the maw of LeafClan’s cave. As cats filed in from returning patrols, Riftstar yowled from atop her own rusted den to call a clan meeting. Below her sat Hollowpaw with claws anxiously kneading the damp, solid ground and prickles in her stomach. Confused but obedient, the clan gathered before the metal boulder and the two she-cats. Among them, Dappleleaf moved to sit with the aid of Batclaw. His expression was serious and stern as ever, but now even a hint of envy showed among his emerald eyes when he glanced in Hollowpaw’s direction, as he sat among the rest of the clan cats, where he normally didn’t belong. Yet, in this throng, in this decisive instance, he wasn’t to be at authority with Riftstar. He was simply another member of the clan who had to hear what needed to be said. Rainpaw and Rosepaw sat together in the crowd, as well. Though, being also confused, they looked to Hollowpaw with encouragement and a type of love only friends could share. Together, they would support her from where they sat, as would Dappleleaf. Others chattered to each other at growing volumes, sending waves of echoing voices throughout the cavernous enclosure. What was going on? Why would a meeting be called just as patrols were returning? What was so important? These were the most frequent of thoughts and subjects. That is, until Riftstar put an end to all the noise with a single, booming yowl. Silence. She stood tall and swept her gaze across the small portion of felines then began. “You have all been called here for a very important reason. A new, very serious threat has arisen, and we must heed the warnings and information given to us, in order to ensure our safety not only as LeafClan, but as cats,” she announced, no amount of amusement or falsehood to her words or tone. “But I am not the one who will be giving you this information, as I know not the true depth of this problem. Instead,” she flicked her tail to Hollowpaw below her, and it seemed as if half of the cats in the crowd were just now noticing she was even there, “Hollowpaw, our Medicine Cat Apprentice, will be teaching you what she knows. I expect that you all give her your full, undivided attention and take what she has to say as seriously as you would if it were me giving the speech. But, for now, I am with you all, and she is the one we listen to.” With that, Riftstar leapt from her perch and padded to join the clan, much to their surprise. She sat in the front, tall and with her tail curling neatly around her ebony paws. Gazes shifted from her to Hollowpaw then, as the young she-cat hesitantly jumped up onto the Leader’s den to speak. “Um, thank you, Riftstar,” she meowed, the nervous energy clear in her trembling voice. “Okay, where to begin…” Her yellow eyes fell onto her paws for a moment, but she knew keeping there would do her no favors, so she forced her sight level once more. This only met her with watchful looks of anticipation from the crowd, along with a few of envy or disinterest. Her mind went blank. “Uh…” Then, she noticed a pair of eyes in particular staring at her with something she had known only from her fox mother – pride. Standing atop that metal stone, Hollowpaw noticed fully the measure of pride coming from a source she would have never thought possible. Sootbreeze nodded softly. ‘You can do this. I know you can,’ that simple gesture rang to her. Then, the silvery she-cat looked to Rainpaw and Rosepaw to see nearly identical ideas from them. Even the eyeless Dappleleaf knew to give some approving nods from context. This was exactly what Hollowpaw needed. With the aura assistance from those who cared about her, Hollowpaw forced herself to breathe and then start over, this time, with more conveyable confidence. She straightened her stance, lifted her nose, and even curled her bobbed tail to the stalactites. “I’m sorry for that,” she said with less tremble to her voice and more volume, so it echoed just a bit. “Let me start this by saying that what I’m about to tell you is what I have experienced for myself. It is 100% true, and this is a serious threat that we must treat accordingly.” She cleared her throat. “I went to FireClan’s camp about a sun ago.” That statement alone got cats gasping and gossiping. What was she doing in FireClan’s camp? Was she breaking the Code and seeing a tom there? Was she allying with them? Had she been captured and escaped? The voices of crowd cats drowned out her own. “Wait, please be quiet,” Hollowpaw pleaded, though not loud enough to be heard. “I said quiet. I need to tell you what’s really important! Stop!” Suddenly, a rage boiled up inside of her, and she let it all out in the form of a loud roar akin to that of what they imagined lions sounded like. With it, all other noises stopped and all eyes were on her once more. Even Riftstar, who had been about ready to call order herself, appeared stunned by the outburst. “Thank you,” the Apprentice meowed and cleared her throat once more before continuing. “While in their camp, I saw first-paw that a new virus was claiming in the lives of cats. To shorten the experience for your convenience, an Apprentice, a Warrior, and soon, Bubblepelt – their Medicine Cat – will all be victims of this fatal virus. As of now, no one knows exactly what it is or how to cure it. None of our known herbal remedies work, not even the best ones. This means that once you have it, there is no saving you.” The looks of fear and panic started to grow among the clan. Seeing this, she continued swiftly. “But we do already know symptoms of it and what seems to be the main way it spreads, so we can avoid it.” The cats calmed a tad, but tensions were still steadily rising. How could they not? The moment any being was told of a deadly virus that, once you were infected with would be certain doom, panic was sure to be instilled. This was especially true when no cure was to be found. Yet, all remained silent and now listened much more tentatively. Hollowpaw continued. “As far as we have seen, it seems to spread mainly through either being bitten by the infected. However, it is also known that the very prey we hunt can also be infected. This means that when we pounce on prey, it may bite us back. To avoid this, it is advised that if prey doesn’t flee while being hunted, it is best to flee from it.” She wasn’t sure how well the clan members would be able to follow this rule, but she had to try and get the information to them, at the very least. “The infected are bold, erratic, and can’t hold back the urge to bite and spread this virus in the later stages. As the virus progresses, behavior, physical wellbeing, and mental state all steadily decline.” She decided not to tell them symptoms of earlier stages of the disease, as then cats may only think they were infected and panic when, in reality, they were fine or being overly dramatic. This was something she had learned from Dappleleaf. The power of the mind was a lot greater than most would expect. “Because of this, I think it is in everyone’s best interest – not just us as LeafClan, but for FireClan and WaterClan, all of us, as cats – to avoid fights as much as possible. This means we stick to our own territories and don’t provoke others who are close. The less we get in into battles, the less we will bite each other and spread this disease. This also means that, when hunting, none of you can use the perfect pounce any longer. It is optimal to chase your prey, because if it flees then it’s a safe bet it’s safe to eat and bring back to the clan. I will also be traveling to the other two clans myself and informing them all of this same knowledge, so that we can live in peace in this terrifying time and save each other’s lives. Additionally, if any of you experience any sort of feeling of unwellness or get bitten by anyone or anything, let Dappleleaf or I know immediately. It could mean saving the clan.” As she finished speaking, the crowd was utterly silent, frightened. How could they not be? Each one of them has just been told that they could potentially die from this horrible new disease that they could get simply by hunting or a skirmish over borders, or even from a clanmate. Each cat now looked around themselves, a lot more wary of the others. Unrest already grew. Riftstar padded to her den and reclaimed her spot atop it, dismissing Hollowpaw from the position. She yowled once more to grab the clan’s attention onto her and spoke on their behalf. “What Hollowpaw said is to be taken seriously. However, this does not mean that we are to betray each other or wonder if our clanmate has this mysterious illness. We should not treat each other differently – not as carriers or traitors or the infected without evidence. This only means that we must be more careful in our daily lives,” she spoke. “Heed her warnings, but do not panic. Take her advice, but do not shun others. We are still a clan, and we will get through this together, only together, even if that means being at a truce with the other clans. This is bigger than just ourselves. This is about us as cats, as living beings, not as just ourselves individually or even as LeafClan. We are felines, and we will survive!” As their leader spoke, the cats of the clan settled and listened with intent. They were used to Riftstar’s speeches, and they enjoyed them, deriving confidence in her leadership skills, experience, and wisdom. By the end, they crowd rallied together, cheering a unified ‘Yes!’ They would survive. They had to. The meeting was then called to an end, and the cats dispersed to their own duties and leisure. Riftstar went into her own den, finished dealing with these affairs for now. She wished to ponder things on her own, mostly how to best keep her clan safe. This left Hollowpaw with her friends, and Webpaw. Rosepaw, Rainpaw, and Webpaw went to her after the others left. “So, that’s the reason we weren’t supposed to go after prey, huh?” Rainpaw asked then shook his head. “I never would have imagined… It’s all so wild, so crazy.” Rosepaw nodded her agreement. “Yeah. I never would have thought something like a serious, new disease would sweep the land in my lifetime. I guess you never really know what’s going to happen,” she meowed and placed her ears back slightly. ‘”It’s all pretty scary.” “It is,” Hollowpaw replied back. Her own heart thudded within her chest, and thoughts swirled wildly. How this was all going to turn out, she had no idea. The unknown itself was the biggest thing to fear. “We’ll be alright,” Webpaw chimed in then, a bit cocky, like usual. Perhaps, that’s how he hid his fear, Hollowpaw thought. Rosepaw and Rainpaw looked over to the pale tom as if skeptical of why he was even there with them. Hollowpaw, however, knew why. He was beginning to be her friend, too. “As long as we do our best and follow the rules of what we know, we should be okay,” she agreed with a curt nod. “Thanks for supporting me, guys. It means a lot, and I’m so sorry for how I’ve been treating you as of late. I’ve been hurt and confused and frustrated, but it’s still no excuse for my cold behavior. I’m sorry.” She said this to mostly her two main friends, but Webpaw still puffed his chest out a bit. “Of course. No one gets anywhere in life without friends. Apology accepted,” he said, leg sticking awkwardly out still as he sat there but his head high all the same. It would definitely take him a while to gain some humility, but even now he was getting better. He was becoming more of a friend, more of a truly good cat. After all, his words came from experience. Rainpaw and Rosepaw both rolled their eyes at Webpaw’s nature. “It’s okay,” the larger, gray tom told her warmly. “Things happen, but it doesn’t mean we aren’t friends still.” Rosepaw stepped forward and nudged Hollowpaw’s shoulder with a purr. “Yeah, apology accepted. We all get like that sometimes because of personal issues. It’s not good to be cold to the cats who love you, but it’s not something that can’t be forgiven either. We’re just happy you’re in a better place in your heart now, and that you’re okay.” Hollowpaw was glad to have friends by her side, along with her mentor and clan leader. It seemed that her mother also played a small role this time, her mind going back to how Sootbreeze had looked at her and how that look had made her feel. Instead of filling her heart with rage while she saw her mother’s figure, she instead felt a sense of accomplishment. By no means did she forgive Sootbreeze for what she had done, but it was a small step towards being better herself. “Well,” the silver feline piped up again, “I had better go.” “Go where?” Rosepaw asked, hoping her best friend wasn’t going to just up and leave them now. She wanted to hang out for a little while as a group, like they had done before. Now that things were settled between them, she wanted to be there with her and the others. The disappointment was clear as day in Rosepaw’s mew, but Hollowpaw had much more pressing matter to attend to than sharing a meal or tongues with those close to her. This was about the clans as a whole. “I have to go and spread the word to WaterClan and make sure all of the clans are in agreement to be at a truce,” she regaled. “It’s for the good of us all.” “So, you’ll have to take a couple suns to travel to the other clans, huh?” Rainpaw asked then paused before going on. “Well, then I guess we will just have to leave now. The sooner we get going, the sooner word can spread, and the safer we will all be.” Shock went through Hollowpaw. “What do you mean ‘we?’ You can’t come too. What about your training?” “The way I see it, this is bigger than just us,” Rainpaw replied, using Hollowpaw’s own words against her, turning them around for his own favor but still full of valid meaning. “Besides, I think you’re going to need escorts if you’re going to be traveling to both WaterClan and FireClan. You can’t go on your own. It’d be too dangerous.” “Exactly, which is why we’ll be coming with you,” Rosepaw chimed in, going along with the clever yarn their buddy was spinning. “No cat should travel alone, and Medicine Cats always have to have at least two escorts with them whenever they stray far from the camp. It’s the rules, for safety.” Webpaw, unfortunately, couldn’t add his services with his still-healing foreleg, but he made sure to at least give his input. “I’ll stay here and make sure Dappleleaf is kept company,” he decided, keeping his head high and chest out, as if what he was saying was so noble of him. “I can help her out a little bit, too, while you’re gone. Being in the Medicine Den so long, I’ve picked up a few things.” “But we could all be exposed more to the virus out there,” Hollowpaw commented worriedly to the others whom wished to be by her side. “It’s going to be dangerous in more aspects than just predators.” “We know that, but it doesn’t matter,” Rosepaw meowed back. “You’re our friend, and we want to be there for you. We want to be there for the clan, too, and the innocent cats. We want to help, no matter the risk to ourselves.” Hollowpaw couldn’t believe what they were all saying. They really wanted to help and support her that much that they – at least Rosepaw and Rainpaw – would put themselves in so much potential danger? It boggled her mind how these cats could care so much that they would be willing to risk their lives so willingly and readily. But, then again, she supposed that’s how it was for any cat in the clan. All Warriors and Warrior Apprentices were like that. They were trained how to fight to best protect their clan, even at the cost of their own lives. Even her own life was put at risk for the clan each time a sick cat wandered into the Medicine Den. She had every chance of catching whatever illness they had contracted, yet she did her duty to help them. Her mind recalled Grayfoot then, how he had been taken too early by the bite of a late-hibernating rattlesnake early in her training. While he hadn’t died protecting his clan, he had done it while escorting Dappleleaf for herbs. In a way, he had been protecting her by simply being there for her, but, in the end, it had cost him his life here in LeafClan. While she didn’t want anything to happen to Rosepaw and Rainpaw, she knew that arguing with them now would do nothing to sway their already made up minds. She could only pray to StarClan that they would all be safe during this journey. “Alright then,” she decided with a meow. “Riftstar already knows I’m doing this, but she won’t know you’re coming along. We should tell her, and you should tell your mentors.” The booming voice of Batclaw sounded to their right, approaching. “I don’t think so.” He sauntered over to them all, muscles rippling beneath his brown pelt as he looked down at the small group with piercing green eyes. “You lot won’t be going anywhere, not without me,” he stated sternly. Before anyone could say anything, he went on. “As Deputy of LeafClan and Rainpaw’s mentor, I will personally escort you myself,” he said now to only Hollowpaw. “Just myself.” Rainpaw and Rosepaw weren’t happy about this. Rosepaw placed her ears back and took a bold step forward. “You can’t, not without us!” she exclaimed but lost about half of that confidence the moment Batclaw shot her a look with narrowed eyes. Rainpaw was a lot more cautious but still spoke up, as well. “She’s our best friend, and we want to be there for her,” he told his mentor. “Please. It’ll be good experience for us, too, won’t it?” “And put you and the rest of the clan in danger? Absolutely not!” Batclaw didn’t want to hear any of this. He didn’t even want to be around Hollowpaw right now, given she had no right in his mind to have ever set paw onto the Leader’s den to address the clan. She had no authority and was too young. Not to mention, she was still a half-clan, half-kittypet outsider who had just waltzed into the clan one day. He would only escort Hollowpaw for the good of the clan, not because he liked or respected her. But he didn’t want to have to look after two other Apprentices, along with her. That was too much hassle. Riftstar’s dark head appeared out of the shadows of her den, of which this small group of cats was still right nearby. “Take them all, Batclaw,” she told him simply, short and sweet. “The experience will be good for them, and you’d be wise to not get between such friendship.” The Deputy spun around to face his leader, jaw agape at what she had just told him. “B-but, Riftstar, they’re merely Apprentices-“ “And that’s why the experience will be good for them,” she interrupted, not going to have him arguing. “Batclaw, you yourself would do anything for this clan and especially for me, wouldn’t you?” He stiffly nodded. “Then, let Hollowpaw’s friends go with you. You know as well as I do there was a time you would have followed me anywhere, regardless of what Snowstar would have said. You would have broken the rules for me, so let these young ones go with their friend.” The brown tom’s tail visibly swished against his conscious mind, but he couldn’t argue with his leader, with Riftstar. Deep down, he knew she was correct about it all. “Alright, fine,” he stifled out through stiff jaws then let out a sigh, turning back to the Apprentices. “I guess we will be leaving now then, but you all will do as I say and stay behind me. Understand?” They all nodded, all but Webpaw. He simply shrugged, knowing he was no longer involved. “I’ll be here then when you all get back,” he said and stood, his injured foreleg still stiff with sticks as a splint, his paw angled out awkwardly. “See ya later.” And, with that, he limped away as if nothing serious was happening. Batclaw barely even acknowledged him as the young tom left and let out another sigh, much more dejected to doing this. “Come on.” He began to head to the camp’s mouth then, not looking back to any of them. Hollowpaw glanced at her friends and to the Leader’s den entrance, but Riftstar had already disappeared inside once more. The silver Apprentice inhaled then exhaled slowly, grabbing whatever confidence she could. The support of her friends, though, helped a lot more when they moved to be by her side, on either of her physical sides. Together, the three of them shared a look of love that only they could have together and trotted after Batclaw. Hollowpaw did feel the jolting pain of her leg wound with each quick step, but she pushed that aside as much as possible, forcing herself not to limp as they caught up to the Deputy. Only then did she realize what that meant, what her wound was. It was a bite, a bite from something that had attacked her. A lump formed in her tightening throat, the pain in her leg suddenly no longer sharp. Instead, the true horror of what that injury could mean took hold, enveloping every fiber of her being. But could she tell them?✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 27: Messages – Part 1 “We will head to WaterClan first and foremost to alert their Medicine Cats of the impending disease. However, after that, we are heading straight back to our own camp,” Batclaw sternly uttered. “But we have to make sure all clans are truced, too,” Rosepaw pointed out. Rainpaw nodded his agreement to the matter. “If we don’t and fights break out, it’ll spread the disease anyway.” Batclaw turned his head around to peer at the two Apprentices with narrowed eyes. “The journey to WaterClan as it is will take most our daylight to complete. Adding more on to head to FireClan as well will take too long. Who are you two to say what we do and don’t do, anyway?” Both cats glanced down without another word between them. They may have been allowed to accompany Hollowpaw on her adventure, but they simply couldn’t keep arguing with their Deputy. Hollowpaw, however, had no problem with it. “They’re allowed to speak their minds, just as any cat is,” she retorted in their defense. Normally, she would be too shy or scared to talk back to the clan’s second-in-command, but not now. Too much had happened in the last few suns, and she had a lot to do in order to earn back her friends’ good karma. “Besides, they’re right. If we don’t go to both other clans, then the truce will be for nothing, one-sided. Half of a truce among three clans is worthless compared to getting all to agree, especially in this circumstance. We cannot allow this disease to spread any more rapidly than it already is.” Batclaw paused in his steps and whirled around to face Hollowpaw. He stuck his snout out to her with ears folded back and whiskers forward as a gesture of challenge. However, when the she-cat did not back down and, instead, held her place, he rose his head some and inhaled slowly, after a few moments of tension. “I don’t appreciate mere Apprentices giving me orders,” the brown tom stated, restrain in his voice as he tried to hold back being truly angry. “If we do this long of a journey, we will not stop to eat or rest. It’s too dangerous outside of camp walls to be out during the night for too long, and I highly doubt the other clans will allow us shelter for the night.” He drew in another deep breath then let it out through his nose, composing himself further. “the sooner we get this over with, the better. But don’t think I’m doing this for you, outcast. I’m doing it only for LeafClan. The clan comes before anything and anyone else, even myself. I’m only here in the first place because of its best interest.” Hollowpaw relaxed more as he did and gave a nod to his words. “I know exactly how you feel about me. I’ve seen it all before in so many others, and I don’t care anymore. What you think of me because of blood, origins, position – whatever – it doesn’t matter,” she stated with a rock steady firmness of her own. “What matters is saving lives, and that’s exactly what we’re out here to do, no matter the clan they’re from. We’re all cats.” Rosepaw and Rainpaw stood in stunned silence, watching these two felines battle it out with unwavering attitudes. It truly came as a shock to witness the once timid Hollowpaw stand up to their very own Deputy and seemingly win. She really had gone through a lot and changed, so far, for the better. Batclaw stood quietly, pondering over her words and delivery of them. The way she stood with rigid but yet relaxed muscles, her head high and even bobbed tail erect, even he had to admit she had the makings of a good leader. She would never become one, but Medicine Cats were their own special brand of leaders, and he could see she was evolving into one now. Good. Suddenly, the tom turned and began his march once more without looking back. “We’re wasting time then,” was all he said finally, trudging forward with the others quickly following behind. “Hault! Stay where you are!” As the group ventured into WaterClan territory, a patrol spotted them from distance and bounded rapid approach. Batclaw led his own cats the rest of the way over the fallen log, which spanned the gap of a raging river below, then paused to wait. He stood at the head of the group, his own head held high and chest out, not in threat but in confidence. The three Apprentices stayed behind his tail to let him do the talking, for now. As the garrison neared, thunderous footsteps could be heard trampling the weeds. Soon, cats were upon them with a long-furred tiger tabby in the lead. “What reason do you have for being this far into WaterClan territory unannounced?” she demanded. “Are you here to steal our already dwindling prey?” a loud-mouthed she-cat from beside the patrol leader growled. Her white fur starkly stuck out against browning vegetation. Even the light gray accents of her paws and ears did nothing to aid camouflage. The tabby snapped back at her. “Hush, Whisperpaw!” In another instant, she turned back to Batclaw and the others. “Well? What are you doing here?” she demanded to know. From behind, Whisperpaw lowered her head with an agitated gaze, while the other patrol cats silently watched the scene. Batclaw took center stage, keeping his head high and voice level. “We have urgent news to share and must speak with Brindlestar immediately. The lives of all of us could rest upon it.” “Ha! That’s a new one,” came Whisperpaw’s loud remark again. This time, one of the other adult cats agreed. “That does sound way too suspicious and vague.” The lead she-cat swished her tail in annoyance at them. “Silence, Swiftowl, Whisperpaw. This discussion is not between you and them right now. It’s between him and I.” She was clearly growing tired of their random, sudden outbursts of input. That’s when Hollowpaw stepped forward. Up until now, it seemed she had one mostly unnoticed by the WaterClan cats, as the lead she-cat – Yarrowwing, the Apprentice remembered from being in the camp before – grew a look of slight shock at the approach. “Actually, it’s between all of us, myself included,” she stated. Hollowpaw knew there wasn’t much time to be wasting, so she had to make this quick, even if that meant calling in a favor. “I have done all I could for Bubblepelt and Gravelpaw to save their clan and learn more about this illness. That includes getting kidnapped by twolegs. Let’s not forget I was also here to help your clan with fending off a pack of savage, starving coyotes and risked my life for you all then. What we have to say to Brindlestar is far too important to be wasting time here nipping at each other’s throats like those coyotes. We are not savage. We cannot act like it, especially not at a time like the present. We have to speak with Brindlestar immediately for the safety of all clans, including your own. I think after my aid earlier, you can afford to let me have this one thing, for all of our sakes.” The way Hollowpaw spoke without hesitation, her confident body language and tone, it caught everyone off guard. It was as if another cat entirely had possessed her and spoke in the normally quiet she-cat’s place. Perhaps that was truer than anybody actually thought. Yarrowwing’s jaw hung ajar after the small speech had concluded. Batclaw, even, had done the same, as well as Hollowpaw’s own friends. This Hollowpaw was not the same one who had ran away or that had gotten taken. This one was so much…different. “Um, well, I suppose if it’s that important…” Yarrowwing didn’t have any solid argument to give against their meeting with her Leader now. They did practically owe this she-cat a favor for her efforts, even if they had been more in vain. She had still tried hard to help them, and that should be rewarded, regardless of clan affiliation. Besides, if such a shy soul could stand up to them all with such gusto, then it must be urgent indeed. “Alright, let’s go then.” The tiger tabby spun slowly and padded off to lead the way back to camp. The rest of her patrol formed a protective circle around the LeafClan cats, just in case of real trickery. While they would allow passage through their camp walls, they would still be alert and cautious. The short travel to WaterClan camp was tense, but each cat remained where they should and followed through. Once into the enclosed, rotting walls of the camp, the patrol broke up but stayed near to watch and listen. Only Yarrowwing kept her spot. The firry tortoiseshell had been gathering a meal from their sparse fresh-kill pile when the cats entered, so she got a front row seat to meet them. “What are they doing here?” she demanded of her Warrior, eyes narrowed and unhappy. Brindlestar was known for her ferocity in battle and in attitude. Famously, that showed now. Yarrowwing bowed her head respectfully to her Leader before answering. “They said they had urgent news to discuss with you, Brindlestar.” She leveled her gaze. “It concerns all three clans, they said.” With a scoff, Brindlestar rested her attention on batclaw specifically, since he was the only Warrior among the small group, and LeafClan’s Deputy. “What is it then that so important you have the audacity to barge into my clan?” she demanded of him. Batclaw locked eyes with the Leader, not going to back down now. He had no reason to, unafraid of her intimidating glare. He had met her in battle before, so simply speaking to each other was nothing difficult. “Please, let’s go somewhere a bit more private for this, so others don’t eavesdrop and butt in,” he suggested smoothly, calmly. Brindlestar narrowed her amber eyes, her one good ear and the other shredded one going back somewhat. “No, I think this is a fine spot to say whatever it is you wish to say. So, spit it out.” This where the tom hesitated. What needed to be shared was not something to come from his own lips. It had to come from the source, from the one who knew most about it. He took a step back and nudged Hollowpaw with a paw in the tail. “She will tell you.” In an instant, all of that confidence Hollowpaw had been feeling lately shriveled. She could feel her heart sinking rapidly before plunging like a stone in deep water. It was one thing to stand up to a bully like Batclaw, but it was something else entirely to address another clan’s Leader like she had to do. She stammered out only a single, ‘uh,’ before Brindlestar interrupted. “Is this a joke?” the she-cat flatly questioned. “I’m not here to play games, and you’re not here to do that, either. If what you have to say is so important then spill it already! Quit wasting my time!” Hollowpaw flinched at her harshness. Her paws grew cold and rooted to the ground, mind shutting down with blank nothingness. What was she supposed to say again? She knew the subject but failed to recall how to actually deliver it. How did she do this so easily to Batclaw and Yarrowwing before? “You can do it,” Rosepaw whispered from behind, scooting closer so their haunches brushed against each other. Rainpaw moved to do the same on her other side, giving an approving nod. Both cats offered their full support and comforting aid. Suddenly, it was as though the rock had been lifted from those murky depths within her belly and dissolved, for the most part. Some fear would remain, but it was miniscule now to the love she felt from her friends. A little bit of support could go such a long way, and it did. It gave the Medicine Cat Apprentice just enough energy to be able to speak clearly as before. With a breath drawn in and exhaled, she began, eyeing the Leader and only her. “To make this short, we need to call a truce between all clans,” she stated first and foremost. “Put simply, this new disease, which is killing your clanmates, Bubblepelt included, appears to be passed on via direct contact from bites or infected prey consumption and possibly scratches from those infected. Symptoms also seem to take a sun or two to begin, so any cat could be infected without knowledge. Basically, fights over borders or prey or whatever else could lead to a massive, rapid infection rate. One infected cat could go to three in a matter of moments, during a skirmish. As such, we need a truce between all clans, for the time being, to prevent that from happening, so waved of innocent lives aren’t lost.” At the end, the silvery-furred feline let out a breath she must have been subconsciously trying to hold. As she spoke, it felt like she had used only a single inhale for it all. Now, a large weight was lifted off her shoulders, but another took its place as Brindlestar said nothing immediately. Then, she burst out laughing. Her amusement echoed in the hallowed walls of camp with every cat coming to stare. “Do you really expect me to believe that?” she mocked. “You just want us to call a truce because your clan is weak, isn’t it? It’s all a ruse to keep us from invading and claiming portions of your territory!” Abruptly, she cut her laugher off and stared with intense eyes. “It won’t work.” Once again, Hollowpaw’s heart sank deep down. “H-how could you n-not believe me?” she stuttered out. “Bubblepelt is infected and dying! Gravelpaw will have to take his place already. Bluespot is dead! I watched it happen!” The tori shook her head. “Irrelevant. They are all FireClan cats. They have nothing to do with us. I do believe this disease is real, but it’s not as bad as you say it is. It doesn’t call for a truce when you’re just scared of losing territory. We are still strong, or have you not nocied?” She hooked a squirrel onto one of her claws, from the pile. “Just like this prey, you will all fall when we come. For now, get off my territory. Go appreciate your own while you still have it.” Her voice was laced with venom. Around them, cries of agreement from spectators rang out. “Listen here,” Batclaw protested, stepping forward to face her. “We didn’t come all this way to beg for a truce, but we did ask for it civilly, for the lives of all cats here. How could a seasoned leader be so naïve as to think it’s a con to protect a weak clan that doesn’t exist? We are strong, and we’ll prove it any time you think you can step foot onto our land!” His pelt ruffled, lifting along his spine. “Get out!” Brindlestar shouted in his face, her own fur fluffing up and claws unsheathing. “If you’re so afraid of this virus then leave, before I infect you! You don’t know if I have it yet or not, right?” Her threat didn’t phase the Deputy at all, but it Hollowpaw. She shrank back for a moment then shook her head. “We should go and talk to FireClan,” she told him unhappily, devastated Brindlestar chose not to listen. She would rather endanger the lives of all her clanmates for some pride? Was she even a real leader then? “Hopefully, they will understand.” Just then, a soft voice from the other side of camp and approaching sounded. “I am with you.” Brindlestar spun around to see the clan’s own Medicine Cat Apprentice stepping up front and center with head high. He came to Hollowpaw’s side and halted, facing his leader to address her. “She is right. If this new disease is to spread, it could cause irreversible damage and unwanted death across all clans.” The tiger tabby’s voice was naturally soft and quiet. Up until now, Hollowpaw had never actually heard her speak. So, it was quite the shocker when she came to their defense. “As a Medicine Cat, it is my duty to ensure safety and health for all cats, of my own clan or not. A truce is not an unreasonable request. All we have to do is stay confined to our own territory and keep calm in the face of pressure.” Brindlestar, taken aback by the audacity of this young she-cat, was left speechless for perhaps the first time. Then, came another, much deeper voice to add onto the thoughts. “I agree.” A large white and brown tom with wild, rugged fur lumbered over. Hollowpaw knew him from Gatherings to be the Medicine Cat, Eaglegaze. His piercing yellow eyes lived up to the name. “Like it or not, Brindlestar, a complete truce between all three clans is what’s best if it stops, or even slows, the spread of this deadly new virus. Or would you rather come into my den and care for Grayshade yourself? Do you want to see him convulse and watch as he spits foam from his mouth every night, knowing there is nothing you can do to ease his suffering besides death berries for a quicker demise?” he questioned starkly, staring right through his Leader’s soul. Brindlestar, still without words, stammered a bit but was unable to correctly form any comebacks. She, clearly, had never been spoken to in this manner. It was like watching a spoiled kit who had previously gotten away with so much finally get nipped on the tail for their behavior. Those also listening from a distance were stunned into silence. Eaglegaze took that as confirmation and turned to the LeafClan cats. “It’s settled then. WaterClan pledges to be at a truce if the other clans can do the same, for the time being,” he told them all and flicked his tail to the camp’s entrance. “Begone now. You have little time to waste in sharing the news with FireClan.” Hollowpaw dipped her head respectfully, grateful. “Thank you.” She looked to Batclaw then who gave a small nod. “Let’s be on our way then,” he decided and promptly left the camp without further hesitation. Rosepaw and Rainpaw glanced to each other then to Willowpaw and Eaglegaze before turning to do the same. Hollowpaw gazed at Brindlestar’s remaining astonishment for a heartbeat, gave one last thankful nod to the medicine cats, then followed her clanmates. Now that that was over, they still had a while to go to FireClan. She hoped Bubblepelt was still alive for now…✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠ Chapter 28: Messages – Part 2 Light dimmed as the sun began to set on this day, causing the sky to emanate pinks and oranges above. Slow was the breeze, and quiet the forest fell as cats trekked. Only the sound of their pawsteps remained in the fading warmth, that and the soft chirping of crickets. That is, until a low growl rumbled.“I’m so hungry,” Rosepaw complained with ears folded and an expression of joylessness on her face. “Well, you should have eaten before we left,” Batclaw stated simply yet firmly, not going to stop now when they were so close to FireClan territory. Hollowpaw had wanted to get this mission done – all them had – so that’s what they would do.Rainpaw spoke up then., “Maybe it would be a good idea to stop for a quick hunt,” he suggested. “We have been traveling all sun, and we have to keep our strength up.” He, too, felt hunger nagging at his belly, tearing into it like his stomach wanted to devour itself. ‘And we are in our own territory right now.”“I said ‘no,’” Batclaw half-growled back over his shoulder at the younger cats. “If you’re so hungry then go back to camp and stay there.” He did not want to tolerate the whining, even though his own body craved sustenance. Hollowpaw said nothing as they continued on. Like the others, she, too, felt hunger, but she did not act upon it. The mission was more important, and they could always eat when they got home. For now, her mind was way too focused on the task at paw. As they neared the small, shallow river that formed the border between LeanClan and FireClan, all their ears perked forward as they heard the sound of screeching and scuffling ahead, coming from a small island made roughly of sand. The cats exchanged glances before picking up their pace towards the sounds. A shallow stream forced them to stop and assess before crossing onto the island. Up ahead, with the very sparce trees being the only source of vegetation on the sand bank, figures of several cats skirmishing were very visible. The sight itself was not a rare one, either, as Sand Island was a common spot for FireCland and LeafClan to have disputes over the tiny bit of territory. However, now as the worst possible time to have one of these disputes.“We have to break that fight up,” Hollowpaw meowed to Batclaw urgently. By now, she knew she could do nothing herself to get in the middle of a fight. All her talents lie in medicine and evasion, neither of which would help now.“Agreed.” Batclaw didn’t waste any time in traversing the stream, which actually only came up to his sides and did not fully submerge his body. Rosepaw and Rainpaw followed. “We’ll take care of it,” the red she-cat called back, already half-way there. Hollowpaw could do literally nothing in this situation, and that feeling of helplessness caused anxiety to well up, as well. Her paws picked nervously at the shoreline. “Don’t get bitten!” she called out to that, that being all she could manage.In the fray, Echofinch jumped onto a FireClan Warrior, clawing at his scruff while another two felines tumbled and rolled together, kicking up sand into the air. The last three were having their own kind of tussle. Two FireClan cats backed Vinepaw into the stream, clearly unable to take on two large Warriors herself.Thankfully, the tides changed when Batclaw and the others entered the arena. The brown tom lunged for the two rolling cats, yelling about breaking it up. Rosepaw went right to her sister’s side, while Rainpaw tried to get Echofinch to stop her assault on her own opponent.“Stop it! This could spread the disease!” Rosepaw shouted at the two Warriors now stepping closer to her and Vinepaw. “We don’t want to fight!” Although she tried, these soldiers did not want to listen. The heat of battle, the glory of feeling like winners by making these Apprentices nearly flee, was too great.It didn’t take long for Batclaw to get caught up in the fray, too. He joined the tumbling mass of fur. Screeches emanated from the ball, but with it being two on one now, LeafClan was winning that little duel. As for Rainpaw, Echofinch paused to listen but was only thrown off by the cat she’d leapt on, the tides turning against her favor for that moment of weakness. Things were not going well.Desperately, Hollowpaw tried to think of something she could do to end this dangerous game, but nothing came to mind besides begging. “Please! Stop this! You’re only making it worse!” No one seemed to hear, or care. All around her was sand, some trees, and water. Nothing she could feasibly do with these elements would work on a scale large enough to cease it all, either. In the end, all she could do was look on in horror and worry, waiting.Eventually, Batclaw and Echofinch were able to subdue the cats they fought by standing on their backs. Rainpaw aiding the golden she-cat in her endeavor. Rosepaw and Vine simply continued to take steps back, until they were no longer considered a threat to the two FireClan Warriors. They were the only ones to not actually fight. However, the big cats turned to continue the battle with the others left on the island, but, in the moment of reprieve, Hollowpaw saw her chance and took it.With panic in her heart, she sprinted through the water, slipping and falling into the chilly liquid with a splash but got right back up again to finish the job. Fur soaked and humiliation of the fall in her being, she got between the FireClan Warriors who still stood ready for a fight. ”Stop! Please, for the love of StarClan, stop it!” she half-begged, looking to both sides to see all cats. “Stop what? Defending our territory?” one of the FireClan cats demanded, taking a threatening step forward with ears folded back and blood trickling down his nose. “Your clanmates are the ones who started this fight by trespassing.”Echofinch’s fur lifted up more. “We are not trespassing! You’re the ones who are trespassing!” she stated loudly, her claws thoughtlessly digging into the brown cat upon which she stood. The feline, Thornstorm, struggled underneath her but was trapped.“Lies!” With rippling muscles and bulk for body, the tabby tom ran for Echofinch, but Hollowpaw put herself in the way by jumping in front of him. She was barreled down with force and sent flipping away like a wrecking monster. Sand flew in her wake, and, for a moment, she lie stunned. “Hollowpaw!” Rosepaw bounded through the water to make her way over and check on her friend. “Are you alright? Can you stand?”Thankfully, the Medicine Cat’s action had surprised the attacking Warrior into a hold. He looked over at her in shock that a non-Warrior would do such a thing. The split-second plan had at least worked.“That was too low, Brackenwhisper,” Vinepaw hissed over but kept her distance. “How could you hit a Medicine Cat Apprentice?” She had never cared much for Hollowpaw, to be honest, but the young she-cat wanted to defend her clan and clan’s honor, even if that meant trying to do anything to diminish their rival’s honor. “She jumped in front of me!”Hollowpaw rose to her feet, shaking some sat out of her fur, most of which clung tight due to the moisture from her clumsy fall in the stream. “Enough!” She gave her friend a small nod of thanks before stomping away from Rosepaw and back into the middle of the island and cats. “No more fighting! This is stupid and dangerous.” As serious as her words were, her appearance was a different story and hard to take seriously. FireClan cats looked to each other questioningly, unsure of whether to listen or continue to defend what they thought was theirs. Thankfully, the confusion alone was enough to keep their claws rooted.“We need to speak with Nightstar immediately.” Hollowpaw turned to the closest of the FireClan cats, Brackenwhisper, as she stated this. “it is a matter of life and death for the entirety of the clans here.”“What?” Thornstorm shouted from where she still laid underneath Echofinch. “How in the Dark Forest could anything you have to say be that big of a deal? You really think we’d just let you march right into our camp?” She struggled more futilely. “You’re mad!”Hollowpaw’s eyes narrowed at the arrogant yet now helpless Warrior. “You let me before.”“That doesn’t mean we will let you back into our camp again, not all of you,” Brackenwhisper growled, fury in his normally clam eyes, as he prepared for another lunge. However, his own clanmate stopped him this time. The final cat, Strongstone, had been listening and now moved to block the other tom’s path.“If what she says is true, then this information could benefit us all,” the gray tom declared to his comrades, though mostly now to Brackenwisper, as he needed to calm down. Strongstone had a feeling within his gut that he knew what this supposedly urgent information was about if Hollowpaw was to be the one to tell it. “We can settle our squabble over this island later.”Someone had to be the voice of reason here, to give these cats – Hollowpaw – a chance. No one else was willing to do it, but he stepped in and, thankfully, defused the situation, for now. Reluctantly, Brackenwhisper let out a huff, followed by a gruff ‘fine.’ Echofinch removed herself from atop the other cat. Thornstorm rose to her feet and shook sand out from her pelt then regained her place by her clanmates.“Are we really going to just forget this all happened?” she inquired of the tabby tom, irritated. “No,” Brackenwhisper answered immediately, his green eyes shifting from each LeafClan cat. “We’ll see what’s so important that Nightstar needs to hear it, then we will dispute about this island later.” With his decision final, as leader of the patrol, the tiger tabby turned and began to wade across the other side of the island’s shallow stream, which separated its sandy banks from the mainland. “Come on.”Thornstorm, her fur battered and clumped with blood and clinging sand in some places, nodded her head for the LeafClan cats to follow. This way, she and the other FireClan felines could trail and surround them, feeling more secure in their territory.“Go home,” Batclaw commanded the other patrol. “We are handling this.” They had too many cats to bring to the opposing camp, without it looking like a war effort. Besides, the others had injuries that would need tending to. Echofinch, a gash across her side and filled with irritating sand, had no problems with leaving. The stream would wash it out, anyway. “Just be careful,” she told them and gathered her apprentice. Vinepaw said something to her sister that Hollowpaw could not make out, but she didn’t attempt to either. No reason in prying into sisterly affairs. With that, the little border patrol swam in the opposite direction, while Batclaw led the others to follow Brackenwhisper into FireClan lands.In the coming times at FireClan camp, things had not gone well. The guides and garrison arrived with little issue, but, upon stating the need to speak with Nightstar, the leader had decided that anything so urgent was something his entire clan should hear. So, Hollowpaw had to muster up the courage to give a speech in front of the entire opposing clan but address Nigthstar most specifically. She brought up the point of Bluespot’s death and the failing condition of Bubblepelt. She speculated how this disease was spread by biting or the consumption of infected prey. By the end, Hollowpaw proposed the truce. By then, the clan was starting to have their own say about the matter.“A truce? No way! You just want Sand Island for yourselves!” one tom called out.“Yeah! You only want the prey there!” agreed another she-cat. To Hollowpaw, the yowls of mistrust and disapproval were dream-shattering. How could these cats be so blind to the problem that they acted like this? How could they focus on selfish desires, instead of what was currently best to keep an unknown, deadly virus at bay? As the clan roared in outrage, Nightstar sat before them and Hollowpaw, along with her little patrol. The black leader’s expression was one of contemplation. This only lasted a few moments before his final judgement. “We will not be holding a truce,” he decided sternly, locking eyes with the silvery Apprentice.“W-what?” Hollowpaw’s mouth went agape, disbelief at what she had just heard, especially coming from a cat who normally was level-headed much like Riftstar. “B-but Bluespot, Bubblepelt-“Nightstar interrupted, keeping his calm composure but having a condescending aura about him. “Are very unfortunate casualties. They will be missed greatly, but I do not believe that this is cause for a total truce. We are Warriors. We don’t back down from war when two of our soldiers fall. So, we will not call a truce because of it, either.” His yellow eyes narrowed. “I’ve heard what you had to say, and I’ve made up my mind. My decision is final.”From the crowd, Gravelpaw sat in worried silence, up until this point. Now, he felt there was no choice but to speak up as the clan shouted their approval of their leader’s choice. “No!” his call rang out loudly amongst the cacophony. When the entire clan, including Nightstar’s authoritative gaze, landed on him, the young tom shrank a little in his own fur. However, this lasted only a moment before he spoke up again with new confidence, addressing Nightstar. “Bubblepelt is dying because of this disease. He’s dying because Bluespot infected him when he had an episode of going mad and bit him. This disease still cannot be treated by any means we have. The only thing we can do to stop it right now is to slow the spread until the virus itself dies out. And, to that, we have to not fight each other.” His voice trembled only slightly, but it was only because he, still as an Apprentice, was going against his Leader’s word. “Bubblepelt can’t even get out of his nest anymore because of how unsteady he is on his paws. He’s worse than a newborn kit. We can’t let this happen to anyone else.”Hollowpaw felt so much gratitude towards her fellow Medicine Cat Apprentice. He knew firstpaw just how bad this disease was, even more so than herself. She could only hope that Nightstar considered his words, looking to the older tom now.“No truces.”✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 29: It's Here What little hope building inside of Hollowpaw from Gravelpaw standing up to his leader was shattered with those two words. How could he be so dense and stubborn? How could a Leader prioritize a small patch of land over the health of his entire clan? It made no sense! “Lives are on the line!” Gravelpaw shouted then. Frustration was clearly growing within. “Bubblepelt is dying!” His eyes flicked back and forth as his mind raced before he blurted out, “I’m the Medicine Cat, and my word surpasses yours!” The clan collectively gasped then fell silent, sudden tension like thick electricity surged through the air. Immediately, Gravelpaw’s ears went back as he shrank inside himself again at his arrogance. Nightstar’s eyes narrowed at the gray tom while he spoke with restrained anger. “No, it does not. While the Leader should listen to their Medicine Cat’s recommendations, it does not mean I have to follow them. My word is law, so long as it does not break the Warriror Code, and it doesn’t, in this case. You aren’t even a real Medicine Cat yet, not until Bubblepelt passes and you receive your name, after speaking with StarClan. None of these thing shave happened yet, so you have no real power in this conversation, no matter how much you may not like it.” Arguing had been futile. There was nothing any cat could say to sway Nightstar’s mind, and the group were soon cast out of the territory with warning of impending battles should any LeafClan cat step paw onto Sand Island, or any other part of their territory – only with exception of going to the Moon Tree. Once back at camp, news was regaled to Riftstar and soon spread to the rest of the camp. Of course, hearing that the normally arrogant Brindlestar was more willing to call a truce than FireClan’s level-headed Nightstar was quite shocking. It did not bode well for the clans in this way, but they at least had one of the other trio clans on their side. “What do we do now?” Rosepaw asked with ears back in concern. She sat with the Apprentices’ Den, her friends around her. Rainpaw shook his head, muzzle pointed to the ground out of defeat. “Only what we can do – try not to fight FireClan and keep the truce we now have with WaterClan as best we can,” he replied, though, with little hope. Hollowpaw knew there was only so much to be done by them. They were merely three cats among a grand scheme of plague and power-lust. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing much else that really could be done. Rainpaw was right. Although, maybe another perspective would provide aid. “I’m going to go take a nap,” she decided to her friends. “Maybe, if I dream, I can connect with StarClan and see what they have to say about all of this.” The two other Apprentices exchanged a glance then nodded in unison. “Try it. Hopefully, they can give us some real advice,” Rainpaw meowed back. With that and a temporary goodbye, Hollowpaw left to slip into her nest where she curled up and hoped for a dream. When her eyes next opened, the feline found herself in a familiar, grassy plain with pines in the background. She stirred to her feet, quickly spotting Gentlestripe sat nearby and watching her. He didn’t look very happy to see her, however. Before Hollowpaw could even utter a word to the tom, he cut her off with some dialogue of his own. “What do you think you’re doing?” he asked in slight anger. “These actions of yours will only lead down a road of chaos.” The silvery she-cat stared at her deceased kin in surprise. It took another moment for her respond, a little distain but more shock residing. “What do you mean? I’m helping them. If we can unite the clans, we can slow the spread-“ “That’s what I mean,” Gentlestripe countered with more of a firmness now. “You can’t unite the clans. They will never be able to unite and trying to do so will only cause more wars. Cats are greedy, Hollowpaw. Greed surpasses compassion.” She couldn’t believe the words hitting her ears and shook her head side to side to portray this. “That makes no sense. Not every cat is so greedy. Brindlestar agreed to a truce.” She hoped that by pointing this out, it would sway the tom more. She wanted as many cats on her side as possible, living or dead. Gentlstripe sighed. “You don’t seem to understand. Nightstar didn’t agree. He will keep fighting for what he believes is his – territory. Others will soon join with ease, including the other clans. There is never a chance to unite the clans, as each will only revert back to their selfish ways, even breaking contracts in the process. Pacts don’t last long, and wars break out when they don’t.” He shook his head this time. “If you continue down this path, the clans will be thrust into even more chaos and death. You are only the apprentice of a Medicine Cat, not a miracle worker. Stop acting like you are a messiah.” Hollowpaw’s blood began to boil then. How could her StarClan spirit guide – and kin – say such things to her? How could he have so little faith in her? Or tell her to not try and help others when it was in her code and her heart? Her jaws opened to sling a slough of choice words at him, but the peaceful plain was suddenly gone. Hollowpaw was thrust into darkness, falling into a nothingness void with only an echoed yowl. “Get up.” A familiar voice commanded in her ear. With a grogginess, the Apprentice opened her eyes a crack before blinking several times. It felt as though her mind was cloudy and body heavy, but it didn’t take long to distinguish the putrid smell of a grim swamp. The she-cat hauled herself to her feet with mind whirling and nose wrinkled slightly. Soon, vision focused on a figure she knew all too well anymore. “Yelloweye…” The gray figured sat right before her, only whiskers away, rather than residing on the close shore of another swampy island. “Glad to see you, too,” she replied with anything but happiness. Her serious demeanor didn’t let that occur. “I’ll get right to the point. I know you have just spoken with someone up in StarClan and that they told you not to further your efforts with this disease. I say the opposite.” Hollowpaw blinked a few more times, adjusting her blurred eyes to the sight of her other guide. “What do you mean? StarClan usually knows best, even if I don’t agree with it…” Yelloweye slowly turned her head from side to side. “They’re not always correct, you know?” she meowed in response. “They’re merely worried about what it is to come. They foresee death on the horizon, but so do I. Death is inevitable. However, not all deaths need to come so early. And, sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good.” Hollowpaw, now finally able to focus on the other cat narrowed her eyes a bit in confusion and slight concern. “What do you mean?” “I mean, cats are going to die anyway. This disease and other things will ravage the clans, such is how nature goes. This, however, does not mean that you can’t use these deaths as sacrifices to prevent even more tragedy.” Yelloweye’s eyes gleamed, but her words somehow resonated with Hollowpaw, and she could tell. “I want to help the clans. There are still cats alive that I’d like to stay that way, or, at the very least, die a noble death, rather than lying in a nest for days of sickness.” Perhaps, her helping Hollowpaw help the clans might also even get her a shot at finally going to StarClan. She took a step back then. “Just think about it. Think about if you really want to help these cats or not. If so, continue to do the best that you can. If not, watch them all die needless around you.” With that, she and the dream faded.
* After near a moon had passed, Hollowpaw found herself at the latest Gathering. She sat below the gathering’s Leader’s point and looked sadly down at her paws. She knew by now that Bubblepelt had passed away of his illness. Given the timeframe that it took to infect a cat and close in on their death, he was now long gone. Even at a time of peace like this, there was also much tension in the air. Most of FireClan was distancing itself from the other two clans. Only a few cats actually mingled. At least the truce had been upheld between Leaf and Water and no skirmishes had yet broken out against Fire. Dappleleaf sat next to her trainee as the sound of many cats chattering surrounded them form three sides. Her head hung low, physical sadness radiating off her old pelt for the loss of her friend, of a good cat. “Hey.” FireClan’s new Medicine Cat wandered over to them and took a seat next to Hollowpaw. His green eyes showed exhaustion and grief, even his ruffled fur mirroring this. “He wouldn’t even look to meet their gaze from the ground. “Hello, Gravelpaw,” Hollowpaw greeted quietly. He replied with a hollow voice. “Actually, it’s Gravelwing now.” She nodded and glanced away, feeling so bad for him. “Right, sorry. Gravelwing…” There was so much she wanted to say to him, so much she wanted to do to help. Yet nothing would come to be in the moment. No matter how much she thought of them, the feelings she so desperately wished to convey to her friend were unwillingly escape her jaws. It didn’t matter, anyway, for the Gathering began.First to step up and speak was Riftstar. She stood atop the monster skeleton with a proud, regal stance. “First off, I would like to say how thankful I am that in times of such danger and despair that we can still come here together, as StarClan intended.” Her gaze swept across the ravine, noticing how the majority of FireClan kept their distance from the others. “Next, I would like to thank Brindlestar for agreeing to a truce near a moon ago for the betterment of our clans in these terrifying times, and for upholding her word.” She stole a peek over her shoulder at the other leader, who nodded in response. Nightstar sat near but glared at them both. “I feel, because of this, it is my great pleasure to announce that LeafClan has not experienced any of this illness. We are careful about the prey we hunt. We do not fight or try our neighboring clan of WaterClan. And we uphold our side of the deal for everyone’s safety. This, I feel, is paying off.” LeafClan and even WaterClan began to cheer from below, filling the slopes with a cacophony of joyous, proud yowls which reverberated back to them. It made Hollowpaw’s ears ring, but she welcomed the sensation this time. Having the two clans be friendly in times like this and hearing them cheer together over it was simply refreshing. “Other than that,” Riftstar continued, “I have no more news. May we continue to thrive together.” With the end of her statement, she took a bow and backed away a few steps before twirling and sweeping her tail in a gesture for one of the others to go next. Brindlestar was about to go, taking a ste forward, but Nightstar rushed to the front instead. He stood with a steely expression, tail down but head high. The clans fell silent, all cats below who were able watching him closely. He took a moment to bask in the attention and decide in his mind what to actually say, so many thoughts racing. Then, he spoke loud and clear. “FireClan has not agreed to any truces, and we are still health-“ Screams erupted from the back of the crowd as cats began to fly and scatter. One after another, felines were flung into the air from the back, not far, but enough to scare everyone. A flash of orange and snarling growls resided as the source, causing panic among them all as its teeth foamed and gnashed for more victims to crunch.✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠✠
Chapter 30: Mallow “What’s happening over there?” Nightstar shouted. Even from his vantage point, all he could see were flashes of russet and the panic of cats. Pained screeches met his ears as the attacker darted between targets, biting everyone in its wake. A yowl erupted. “Fox attack!” With it came more chaos as cats scattered to escape. Pelts of all colors surged throughout each other in a mad dash for home. Although, confusion abounded. Some spun in circles, desperately trying to locate familiar landmarks to their own territories. Others shoved past, knocking fellow clanmates to the ground. Paws trampled upon them in the torrent, bruising capable Warriors at the least and cracking bones at the worst. “It’s a sign from StarClan!” someone shouted. “The truce is death!” A fallen Warrior nearby howled in agony as his spine was trampled and snapped. No one stopped to help. “My paw is broken!” cried another. Hollowpaw looked on in horror as the once peaceful Gathering turned into a nightmare within mere moments. Adrenaline coursed like floodwaters through her pounding heart, but her paws remained frozen in place. “Stop it!” Nightstar called firmly from his post. “Panicking won’t help!” But no one listened as every cat fended for themselves within the hollow. Riftstar jumped from her perch. She landed beside Hollowpaw and Dappleleaf. Her amber eyes glinted in the moonlight. Clouds had yet to cover the full moon, despite the horror. “We have to get out of here, now.” Her order came with a nudge to Dappleleaf’s flank to lead the blind Medicine Cat to safety. “Hollowpaw, you, too.” Riftstar’s mew fell onto ears clogged by terrorized cries. She stared into the fray, taking it all in as if it were a slow-motion show playing out before her. Only when Gravelwing nudged her did the she-cat snap out of her trance. “We have to move,” the gray tom reiterated. “It’s only a matter of time before the fox makes it ways to us, or we get trampled to death.” Hollowpaw’s eyes fell onto the exhausted tom’s serious gaze. No longer did the sweet, happy-go-lucky cat exist there. Instead, all she saw was sorrow and pain. she saw the wish to lose no one else, but that was a desire she simply couldn’t afford to aid, at the moment. Her claws dug into the soil. “You guys go on ahead. I may be able to stop this.” “Are you mad? Did bees get into your brain?” Batclaw hissed. He had come to assist in Dappleleaf’s relocation. “You can’t do everything. You’re just one cat, and a foolish one at that. Stop always trying to be the hero.” Hollowpaw turned to him. Her blood surged with fear, but her heart was set in stone. “I’m not trying to be the hero. I’m trying to do the best I can to do what’s right.” Even if no one else in LeafClan cared, even if she had to stand alone – if it meant she could help others, then she would gladly walk a lonely path. If you continue on this path, the clans will be thrust into even more chaos and death. Gentlestripe’s words echoed in her mind, but they were soon followed by Yelloweye’s own. Her words of using inevitable deaths as sacrifices to prevent further death came, too, and how there were cats still alive that she wished to remain that way. There were certain cats Hollowpaw wanted to stay alive, as well. But she would aid even those who would rather see her gone, such was the way of the Medicine Cat Code. “I’m going to see if I can speak with the fox. I know its language, after all,” the Apprentice told her superiors, determined. “If not, then there are at least injured cats out here who need assistance. Get Dappleleaf and yourselves to safety.” Riftstar stared to the younger she-cat as if she really were mad, but then came a curt nod. “May StarClan be with you,” she decided. With that, she nudged Dappeleaf forward, towards their territory’s border and at the edge of the fray. ‘I think the Dark Forest may have my back on this more,’ she thought, her pelt prickling with the sensation of a familiar pair of yellow eyes on her from the shadows. Batclaw gazed with narrowed eyes. “Don’t get yourself killed,” he growled before following his Leader. Hollowpaw nodded back. Her attention fell upon Gravelwing. “Go. I’ll be alright. There isn’t much time left-“ “I’m staying, too,” he decided, his expression and tone now just as firm as her own. “Like you said, there are cats here who are injured and need help. We’ll help them. You try and talk some sense into that fox if you really can, while I try to get the wounded to safety.” The she-cat took no time to argue. “Be careful,” she remarked, grateful for his kindness. “You, too.” Final words shared, they Medicine Cats departed, splitting off into different directions and entering the midst of fear’s claws. Shoulders anxiously shoved Hollowpaw as cats bolted past without regard for whomever else they hindered. She stumbled to stay upright, bombarded. Her jaws clenched and claws unsheathed, grasping for extra hold as she wove her way through. Shrieks pierced her ears and fur flew, drawing nearer with each clumsy step she took. “Help me!” An agony-laced plea stopped her in her tracks. “Please, somebody!” To her left, Hollowpaw turned to see Thornstorm, quite possibly the fiercest and most ill-tempered Warrior in FireClan, struggling on the ground. Her hindleg bent out at a painful angle, clearly snapped clean in two at the bone. Patches of her brown fur also lie missing, torn by frenzied claws stomping down onto her body. Each time she attempted to rise, another passing cat inadvertently knocked her back down. Hollowpaw’s feet stepped in the fallen Warrior’s direction, but she paused. There was no way she could Thornstorm out of the fray alive like it was Cats were finally dispersing enough to allow some passage, but, ultimately, the best thing to do to help her and others was to stop the source. She had to stop the fox. ‘Gravelwing, please come and help her,’ she mentally pleaded before quickening her pace towards the fox. As a clearing in cats opened up around it and she arrived, she watched in stunned shock. A few of the gathered Warriors tried to fend the fox off, but nothing worked. Hollowpaw witnessed a WaterClan tom launch himself at the creature’s russet flank. He tore into it, but the rabid animal seemed to barely flinch, as if the damage hardly mattered. Still, it spun around with wild speed and chomped down onto the tom’s neck. He fell limp. He, it appeared, was not the first, as other noble Warriors lie scattered around it, their faces contorted into snarls. “W-what are y-you doing?” Shaking words escaped Hollowpaw’s agape jaws. “Mallow…” She helplessly watched as her sister dropped the deceased cat’s figure. The snarl turned to her with foamy saliva dripping from its white lips. “Mallow, it’s me!” Hollowpaw shouted. She stepped back hesitantly when the fox stepped forward. “Don’t you remember me? It’s Hollow, your sister.” Her voice grew increasingly desperate. “We grew up together with Mother, remember? Please, Mallow! We’re sisters!” The fox’s curled lips slacked, and its growls lessened to a conclusion. Amber-brown eyes once clouded regained a bit of clarity. “Hollow…?” Hollowpaw’s own eyes lit up, her bobbed tail raising. “Yes! Yes, it’s me!” Another growl came, but it was strained. The fox shook its head as if shaking away attacking thoughts. “I can’t…control it,” she emitted through gritted teeth. “I…have to bite…” She looked to the she-cat with an ocean of love and grief. “Please, Hollow…run.” Before the she-cat had a chance to say anything in response, her sister was gone. The disease took full control once more, and gnashing fangs lunged for Hollowpaw. A blunt force knocked the she-cat off her feet and sent her rolling. She tumbled in the dirt but quickly picked herself back up. Although her world temporarily spun, she easily made out the form of Brindlestar standing guard, pelt fluffed to twice its size. “You’ve killed enough cats here tonight!” the WaterClan Leader snarled then let loose an emotionful battle cry before lunging at the wild fox. Brindelstar reared as the fox snapped at her, missing her fur by a whisker. She raked claws across its muzzle with a flurry of vicious blows and a fearless hiss. The fox recoiled then lunged again. The WaterClan Leader rolled to the side, but her tail was caught in tight jaws. Her body twisted and battered at the fox’s face, but it remained clamped. A sickening crunch resounded. The she-cat wailed. Just then, a flash of dark gray streaked across the now mostly abandoned clearing. It collided heavily into the fox’s side. With eh blow, the fox let Brindlestar free and was forced to stagger. Nightstar landed onto his paws and arched his back with a fierce hiss. Hollowpaw could only watch with frozen blood as the battle ensued. No amount of reasoning would work if the mysterious illness took control of one’s mind, she regretfully knew. And she could not fight with such lack of skill; nor would she ever be able to harm a being once her kin. All the she-cat could do was stand in place and witness. “Thanks,” Brindlestar said briefly to Nightstar. “Just fight if you can,” the FireClan Leader hissed back. They had to stop the fox. Together, the two clan leaders battered the tiring fox – Hollowpaw’s sister, Mallow. As she lost more and more blood from many inflicted wounds by many recent attacks, she grew weaker. Brindlestar and Nightstar fought together as if they had always done it. Fluidly, they moved. They attacked, ducking in and out of harm’s way like a synchronized routine, showing off their moons of skill. Until, finally, Mallow fell still with a final bite to the throat by Nightstar. Once the combat was over, the two leaders stood over the russet corpse and panted. Blood welled on Brindlestar from open wounds, but Nightstar remained unharmed. The torti she-cat turned to her fellow Clan Leader. “Thank you for your assistance.” She dipped her head to him. “Don’t thank me,” Nightstar responded more coldly than he had intended. “That fox needed to die.” His sight traveled to her mangled tail which dangled limply. “Your tail…it’s useless now.” Brindlestar glanced over her shoulder, shredded ears folding back. “Yes, I suppose it is,” she agreed sadly. “But that doesn’t matter right now.” She looked past the tom to Hollowpaw. “Are you alright?” The silvery she-cat stood on shaking support. Her pale, yellow eyes stretched wide like the moon above as she gazed upon the body. Crimson blood pooled, glistening in the silver light rays cascading forth. Grief welled like a flashflood. “Mallow!”
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Sept 22, 2019 21:04:43 GMT -5
Finally open for reads, comments, and Mint's Potluck!
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Post by mintedstar/fur🦇 on Sept 24, 2019 0:23:20 GMT -5
Nice, nice, nice! I'll try and read when I get home tomorrow, but I like the art!
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Sept 24, 2019 11:45:54 GMT -5
mintedstar/fur🦇 Thank you! Definitely one of the more detailed banners.
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Post by ~Sapphire~ on Sept 26, 2019 10:21:54 GMT -5
Ooh, I like this! I've never seen the 'cat raised by foxes' concept in a fic before, and the way you show that affects her and her relationship with her siblings is excellent. And I'm excited to find out what happens when we meet the Clans... Fan?
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Sept 26, 2019 10:28:56 GMT -5
~Sapphire~ Of course! Thanks for reading!
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Post by phantomstar57 on Sept 26, 2019 16:04:57 GMT -5
LOVE this concept! Please ping me with new chapters and FAN me please!
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Sept 27, 2019 11:48:35 GMT -5
It has been done. Welcome to the infected family, guys!
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Oct 27, 2019 17:08:07 GMT -5
Bump, as this is now my main story!
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Oct 30, 2019 15:34:05 GMT -5
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Nov 4, 2019 17:45:26 GMT -5
Bumpers
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Post by mintedstar/fur🦇 on Nov 8, 2019 14:42:03 GMT -5
I'm attempting to finish Death Wish before I start this, but I will have it known that I have started this one too. SHOOOOOOOT. ;-; The feels. Right in the feels. "'I love you all and thank you so much for being my family. No matter where we are, we’ll always be family. Goodbye, everyone.'"
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Nov 8, 2019 21:14:26 GMT -5
mintedstar/fur🦇 All the feels! But finish Death Wish so you don't have so many stories on your plate! Get the ending and its feels then come back here. You must have all the feels.
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Nov 8, 2019 21:16:06 GMT -5
~Sapphire~phantomstar57Forgot to mention chapter 2 is up now. Whoopsie.
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Post by mintedstar/fur🦇 on Nov 8, 2019 21:16:21 GMT -5
I shall, I shall. XD
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Post by ~Sapphire~ on Nov 11, 2019 5:14:00 GMT -5
I'm liking the new chapters! The StarClan plotline is very intriguing - obviously we know from the summary some of why Hollowpaw will be important, but I'm excited to find out how this all hangs together. Hollowpaw's bemusement with Clan customs is also very sweet and realistic. And the LeafClan cats seem cool so far! Seems like I was too late for the poll, but my vote's for 'interesting'. I can't help thinking Dappleleaf has more to her than the nice, mentorly side she's been showing... although I'm hoping she continues to be nice and mentorly for Hollowpaw's sake.
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Nov 11, 2019 13:26:33 GMT -5
Thank you! As usual, I worry about how I'm portraying the cats and if it's in the way I want. The realistic way she handles clan customs is very good to know is coming across well. Dappleleaf, I can say, will be a very interesting character throughout the story with several different layers. She honestly probably my favorite to write before, besides Hollowpaw herself.
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Nov 11, 2019 15:01:25 GMT -5
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Post by Wolfyy- on Nov 14, 2019 20:51:59 GMT -5
Fan me <3
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Post by ~Sapphire~ on Nov 15, 2019 17:21:32 GMT -5
Nice chapter! Poor Hollowpaw though! She's had a lot of adjusting to do and she's trying her best - she really does not deserve what Webpaw and Featherfur are throwing at her. (My vote in the poll is no, by the way. He seems to have good intentions but he's giving up on Hollowpaw far too quickly, which is a disastrous trait for a mentor.)
Hope I can reassure you about the reactions - they're continuing to feel very real in the new chapter. And I'm glad to hear that about Dappleleaf! Complex mentor characters are the best!
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Nov 15, 2019 19:00:19 GMT -5
Wolfyy- Gladly! ~Sapphire~Featherfur's personality is definitely a contributing factor to Hollowpaw's development, but I can say that not everything she tried to teach her is failing. There is one big theme for her as a mentor that will continue to stick with Hollowpaw for the better.
You're really helping a lot! mentioning how real they feel and just in general saying what you enjoy about the chapters and talking about the characters helps my writing so much! Thank you for it! Seriously!
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Post by 🍁Searipple101🍁 on Nov 22, 2019 14:37:26 GMT -5
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Post by mintedstar/fur🦇 on Nov 22, 2019 14:54:50 GMT -5
I think today I'm going to binge read both of your stories. >:3 I'll give an update report as I go.
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Post by mintedstar/fur🦇 on Nov 22, 2019 21:18:23 GMT -5
Finished reading chapter 1! I like Dappleleaf so far! She's a very interesting character and I want to see more of her. Huuum. I've noticed through a lot of your stories that it's fairly easy for a new cat to get in by some feat of bravery. I'm still interested by this line, but I'd be interested in seeing how it might play out if they were given a bit of a hard time in joining for a little. I love the dream content where StarClan gifts her the ability to speak cat. I smell foreshadowing and I love it, heh heh. Things are going to backfire and I can feel it. But also, I wounder who that StarClan cat is, because he totally doesn't seem suspicious. Not evil suspicious, but like he knows things.
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