Month 21 - Leaffall
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Fogstalker had never been so deep into a forest. She had thought the Cornerstones were thickly wooded but these trees and bushes made them feel breezy by comparison. As Dawnbird led the patrol on a winding path between dry, orange bushes and the thick trunks of skeletal trees, Fogstalker couldn’t help but feel anxious any time the foliage brushed up against her whiskers.
She, Pantherhaze, and Sparrowsway had been joined by Dawnbird -- who had been on the patrol that had sighted the coyotes -- Bogmist, and Orangestar. The group walked quietly, ears straining to try and catch any sounds that might not have been caused by the eerie wind rustling against the few remaining leaves. Fogstalker kept thinking she had caught something moving only to realize it had been the shadow of a branch swaying back and forth. As they walked, her fur began to prickle in a tingling line up her spine.
It seemed that she wasn’t the only one feeling unsettled.
“We’re almost there,” Dawnbird said after scenting the air.
“I don’t like this,” muttered Orangestar. “It’s probably nothing but this is… this is where we killed Razor.”
That made Fogstalker stand up straighter. “Really? That does feel important, somehow.”
“Surely, it’s just a coincidence,” said Sparrowsway.
“I don’t know,” she shook her head. She felt it in her gut, that this was too significant to ignore. If it was Hui-che, there had to be some magical reason she chose the place. She screwed her mouth to the side to think of what it could be.
A sharp yip ahead through the trees snapped her out of her thoughts. The patrol froze, tails bristling.
“Coyotes,” whispered Bogmist.
“Don’t worry,” Fogstalker said, “I’ll handle this.” She padded deeper into the woods, ahead of the patrol. She could see a break in the trees ahead, maybe a small clearing.
“Fogstalker, no!” Sparrowsway hissed quietly but she ignored him.
“Hui-che!” she sang, trying to remember how the notes of it went. “Hui-che, it’s me! Your magic cat friend!” There was rustling up ahead. She glanced back at the patrol to find them all paralyzed. She curled her tail invitingly and said, “Come on, it’s gonna be fine.”
Very carefully, Pantherhaze moved to join her and the others carefully followed his lead, although the EarthClan cats shared a few worried glances. Satisfied, Fogstalker returned her attention ahead of her and ventured calmly through the trees.
“Hui-che, are you there?” she called again.
“Frog-paw?” sing-songed the familiar voice.
Fogstalker couldn’t help but grin and pick up her pace. “Yeah! Although, I have a new name now.” She broke through into the clearing, a small gap between the trees a few fox-lengths across which was made to feel smaller by the two coyotes standing in it. Behind them, against the roots of a large tree, there were signs of digging, the beginnings of a den.
Fogstalker recognized Hui-che instantly, with its ginger points and curious smile, but the second one was completely new to her. He was more grey than it was, bigger than it too, and wore a dark scowl -- or at least, what she thought a scowl might look like on a coyote’s face.
“Hey-lo, friend!” chirped Hui-che. “Good to seeing you again.”
Fogstalker nodded and said, “You too! Who is this?” She jutted her nose towards the second coyote.
“This Auch-lo,” said Hui-che, singing his name with a different melody than its own. “Heart-mate. We nest make-ing here. Good, rotting magic touch-ing here. You feel it?” It sniffed at the ground and grinned, yipping something in its language.
Fogstalker scented the air but didn’t notice anything immediate. There was a slight unease in the air, though, prickling at the back of her neck. “I think so,” she said, “but I’m not as good at hunting it as you are, I think.”
“Mm,” Hui-che nodded. “Show-ing you, sometime.”
“Yeah, okay,” Fogstalker smiled. Orangestar cleared her throat, which reminded Fogstalker why she was there. “Oh, yeah! I came to talk with you on behalf of my friends.” She gestured with her tail and the patrol behind her shifted uneasily.
“Bee-half?” Hui-che cocked its head to the side, eyes narrowing.
“Um, I talk for them,” Fogstalker tried to clarify, brows furrowing.
“Mm,” Hui-che hummed, shifting its posture.
“This is Orangestar,” Fogstalker said. “This is her territory. Her nest is nearby. She asked me to come talk to you about finding a different place for you to go.”
Hui-che was squinting at her with what felt like a scowl on its long face. “You chase-ing us? Make us run-ing?” It swiped a paw over the ground in front of it, brushing mulch to the side. Behind it, Auch-lo started to circle sideways. Bogmist and Orangestar tensed and adjusted their stances. Fogstalker could feel the tension rising dangerously.
“Well- No, we don’t want to chase you,” she said, stepping closer. “But if you stay here there won’t be enough food for everyone, yourself included.”
“We leave grass nest-ing ‘cause you ask-ing!” yipped Hui-che with a jab of its muzzle towards Pantherhaze. “We friends! But you chase-ing us! All cats chase-ing us!” Again, it swiped a paw through the mulch, clawing twice across the line it had previously drawn, its eyes locked on Fogstalker the whole time.
“I’m sorry,” Fogstalker said. “I know it probably feels like we’re targeting you. But cats already live here, this wouldn’t be a good place for a nest anyway. We can help you find a new nesting spot, though!”
Hui-che seemed to process about half of what she said. Shaking its head, it said, “No. Is perfect nest-ing spot! Strong rotting magic here! Show you!” The patrol was bristling, ready for a fight. She had to stop this now.
“It’s okay,” Fogstalker said, moving closer, “Let’s just calm down, okay?” Hui-che bared its teeth and lifted a paw, glancing briefly down at the mulch at its feet so Fogstalker lowered her tail non-threateningly and slowly blinked at it as she took another step.
“Fogstalker, wait!” Pantherhaze shouted and lunged for her. Hui-che slammed its paw down on the ground just as Pantherhaze threw himself in front of her and Fogstalker gasped at the rush of nausea that flooded over her like a physical wave. Pantherhaze cried out and her tail bristled in fright.
“Pantherhaze? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” She poked her head forward to check on him.
“Did it hit him?” Dawnbird asked.
“I don’t think so,” said Sparrowsway tensely. Pantherhaze was grimacing and stumbled back into Fogstalker, pawing at his face.
“Are you okay?” Fogstalker repeated, trying to look at his eyes.
“I- I don’t-” he looked up at her and around the space, swaying unsteadily. “Everything is double.” He blinked heavily, his head continuing to sway and wobble as if unconsciously.
“What did you do?!” Fogstalker turned on Hui-che, feeling tears starting to form in her eyes.
“Show-ing you,” snapped Hui-che. “Magic strong here. You see.”
Auch-lo barked something and Hui-che nodded. “Cats leave-ing. Now.”
“What do we do?” Bogmist asked Orangestar quietly.
“I’m gonna be sick,” moaned Pantherhaze.
There was a long beat before Orangestar said, “Let’s go. We’ll figure out a plan in camp.”
Fogstalker was burning with rage, hot tears spilling down her face. She had to work to pull her claws out of the mulchy earth and start guiding Pantherhaze away. Even as she did, she glared over her shoulder at the coyotes with seething bitterness. Auch-lo had rejoined Hui-che in the middle of the clearing and was licking its muzzle. Hui-che spared Fogstalker a glance and then turned away to start scratching shapes into the ground around the edges of the clearing.
“What happened back there?” Sparrowsway was asking, drawing Fogstalker’s attention back to the others.
“A spell,” she said, choking down her anger. “I don’t know what kind.”
“A spell?” Bogmist frowned. “That’s not- Spells aren’t-” She shut her mouth, frustrated.
“StarClan can do amazing things,” said Dawnbird. “Maybe there are other ways to perform miracles.”
“It’s got to be Dark Forest magic,” said Orangestar, “right? I mean that was where Razor died, that can’t be a coincidence.”
“Razor wouldn’t go to the Dark Forest, though,” frowned Sparrowsway. “He was a kittypet.”
“Maybe it’s just related to death?” Dawnbird suggested, but she didn’t sound sure.
“Are you okay?” Fogstalker asked Pantherhaze again. He’d been quieter than usual, his head ducked and his heart hammering against her side.
“I feel… gross,” he said lamely. “Every time I open my eyes I see double and its swimming and moving. I think I need to lie down.”
“We’ll get back to camp as soon as we can,” she assured him. “It’s gonna be okay.”
“What are we gonna do about the coyotes now?” Dawnbird asked eventually.
“I don’t know,” said Orangestar. “We don’t know what they’re capable of and even if they didn’t have… powers, fighting them would be risky.”
“It’s almost Leafbare,” frowned Bogmist. “We’re gonna be short on prey, especially with two coyotes in our territory. And if they have pups in the spring…”
“Maybe SkyClan will let us fish their rivers again?” Dawnbird said but the other EarthClan warriors shook their heads.
“No, that was a special circumstance,” said Bogmist. “We’re on our own.”
“I’ll talk to them,” promised Fogstalker. “And I’ll see if the other mediators have ideas on how to make peace with Hui-che. I- I’m sure we can work something out.”
“We’ll see…” Orangestar said but Fogstalker got the impression she didn’t have any hope it would work.