Moon 0
[Moons on this account will be written instead of drawn out unless needed! This is a short moon since...Nothing happened. Lmao.]
CW: CAT DEATH
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“Well?”
Gatorfang padded into the medicine den. The scent of herbs and berries filled his nose, and the chilly air of Leaf-fall faded behind him.
Silentsnow looked up at the sound of Gatorfang’s voice, their ear flicking. They were crouched over a nest, and lying in the nest, stiff and unmoving, was a brown and white tabby molly. Her eyes were closed, and the look of her placed a pit of fear in his belly.
“It’s not going to be any news you like, that’s for damn sure,” Silentsnow meowed, flicking their tail towards the still molly. “There’s no mistaking it, Gatorfang. Falconsight is dead.”
Gatorfang felt his heart sink to the bottom of his chest, and he took a step forward. “But she was our deputy! What are we supposed to do now!?” He exclaimed, his pelt bristling slightly. “There’s only eight of us left after the illness, and two of us are KITS. What do you expect us to do!?”
Silentsnow shook their head. “It’s simple.”
“How? Don’t even think about suggesting we go to another clan- StreakClan would never accept us. And SplashClan is too far away for us to make the journey with a nursing queen.” Gatorfang felt the tip of his tail twitch. “Unless you have an actual, genuine suggestion, I don’t want to hear anything from you.”
Silentsnow looked away. “I had a dream- a vision. From…From StarClan,” they said, their voice low.
Gatorfang flashed the white-pelted cat with a skeptical expression. “I thought you weren’t capable of communicating with StarClan, Silentsnow.”
“Well…There are no other healers. Not anymore. Minnowfrost is dead now.” Silentsnow meowed. “Maybe StarClan finally decided they wanted to talk to me. And I had a vision. They want you to lead the clan.”
Gatorfang snorted, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, and I’m about to grow wings and fly away from here.”
“Stop it.” Silentsnow huffed. “If we bury Falconsight and start heading to the Crystal Cave now, we can get there before Moonfall.”
“But I-”
“StarClan wanted you.” Silentsnow insisted. “Who are you to deny them?”
“But Falconsight needs a vigil.” Gatorfang replied. “She was Fidgetwhisker’s sister, and…I know that he would want to grieve for her, at least.”
Silentsnow was silent for a moment. Finally, they let out a long, heavy sigh. “Fine. The vigil can be held while we’re away.”
“I’ll accept that.”
…
“We’re here.”
Gatorfang looked up. The mouth of the Crystal Cave gaped back at him, a gentle blue glow emitting from the inside.
This is where many leaders have received their lives before me, He thought to himself, his ears pinning back against his head. Why do I feel like I don’t belong here? Surely Silentsnow wouldn’t lie to me.
“Come on, Gatorfang.”
Gatorfang looked up. Silentsnow was already a few tail-lengths away in the cave, looking over their shoulder at him.
“I’m coming,” Gatorfang meowed, dragging his tail behind him as he padded after the healer.
The inside of the Crystal Cave was freezing cold. Gatorfang shivered as they reached the middle of the cave, only sound being the soft rumble of the waterfall flowing behind the crystal of the Shiverpool.
The black and white tom looked up with a wary expression, frowning. Something felt…Wrong. His paws were clammy.
“Go ahead,” Silentsnow meowed, nudging Gatorfang forward until they were standing at the edge of the Shiverpool. “Put your nose in it. You’ll receive your nine lives, and then…”
“I’ll be leader,” Gatorfang murmured. “And we can go home.”
“Correct.”
Taking a deep breath, Gatorfang leaned down and placed his nose into the water. Freezing jets of liquid shot through him, and he barely had time to gasp before he was dragged into a deep slumber.
He saw nothing. Nothing but a pure, empty blackness.
Then he heard a voice.
It sounded a bit far away.
What is this…?
No…
No, you weren’t supposed to be…
You all were supposed to…
Alright.
Fine.
We grant you your nine lives. Use them well, with our…
Gatorfang awoke with a gasp before the voices could finish, a strange feeling buzzing through his body. It felt like tiny jolts of lightning, and as he stumbled back, panting, his paws felt like static.
Silentsnow was sitting a few lengths away, their tail curled around their paws. “Welcome back, Gatorstar.”
Gatorstar shook his head, looking back at Silentsnow. “Weren’t you supposed to be there too?”
Silentsnow simply stood, shaking their pelt out. “Maybe I was and you didn’t see or hear me. My mother didn’t name me Silentkit for nothing.”
“Ugh…Fine. Whatever. Can we just go home?” Gatorstar grumbled, already making his way out of the Starlit Cave. “I want to go to camp. With Fidgetwhisker.”
“Of course, Gatorstar. I can tell you’re going to be the leader that we need.” Silentsnow meowed in reply, and the two began to head out, back to ShimmerClan’s camp.