He was in water. He had no idea how or why he had ended up here, but he was here, and he wasn't drowning. He was floating, drifting, and he looked around, able to breathe, able to swim. The water was just as Amberpaw had described it, actually, he thought, clear and blue with a white sand floor and just... The ocean.
Flintfur had dove in the ocean a few times, but not long or far, and as he clawed through the water, he paused, watching in shock as whales swam by above him, pale in color, huge, but they had no interest in him. Something tugged in him, like something was holding his tail but deeper, rooted in him, and Flintfur turned in the water, looking, trying to find that tug.
He swam, legs pumping, and then... He saw it. His body. No longer covered in protection, floating limply beneath the waves, and it was oddly washed out, despite the gray fur. He remembered what Amberpaw had said, that he had found his body, that he had touched it and been brought back.
And even as Flintfur thought that, he could see a little black on his body, threading through the fur, drifting upward, some vicious matter he had never seen through, seeping through the fur and drifting upward in the waves. It leaked from the closed eyes and even as he floated there, a few tail-lengths from his body and the possibility of coming back, he stopped.
He wanted to be with Goldstar and their kits. He didn't want to leave them, not yet. He didn't want Yellowpaw to carry those memories with her for the rest of her life. He could go back. He was tempted.
But something in him told him no. No, this was different than Amberpaw. If he did this, if he touched that body that was no longer his, slowly leaking that strange black liquid, he had the unshakable feeling that something terrible would happen.
So he didn't.
Flintfur turned away and swam after another pull inside him, pulling him up, pulling him away from his body, and he swam by a whale, breaking through the surface, and then-
And then... He woke on the beach. At first glance, he thought it was the Beach of Stars.
It certainly looked like it, with black sands and cliffs on either side, rolling green, tree-less hills behind him, and rocks out in the water, but Flintfur had the distinct impression that it was not.
He could not say how he was sure, looking around, the light softly filtered by thin gray clouds, the water looking gray as well, but he knew it was not the Beach of Stars. And yet he felt calm. He was not scared or confused, though memories of Yellowpaw and Amberpaw were still at the forefront of his mind, despite the journey through that other place. He knew they were safe. He knew they were okay. And that made what came next easier.
He had no idea where he was or what was going on, whether or not this was Starclan since that other place certainly hadn't been, but he felt drawn to the waves lapping at the black sands. He pushed himself to his paws, looking around more, and he noticed that here and there, a crab lay upside down in the sand or a fish lay just at the touch of the waves, dead and still.
That in itself was odd, but he couldn't smell them, which was odder.
But the water, the waves, were calling him, and Flintfur looked regretfully back at the green hills and the open sand behind him, but he couldn't go back. He couldn't explain it, but he had to go to the water, and he did.
The water was neither cold nor warm as he stepped into it, the waves buffeting him, and Flintfur waded further, slowly going deeper, until the sand disappeared beneath his paws, and there was no choice left but to swim. So he swam, until the moment he realized he could go no further, and he dove beneath the waves instead, following that pull inside of him, tugging him forward in a way he couldn't describe, telling him what to do.
He was in the clear water again, swimming through it, but it was different than last time, and as he swam further out, further away from the black sands of the shore, he saw something else drifting in the water.
It was a body, a cat, but it was not him. No.
This cat was covered completely in the black that had been dripping from his own body, the black dripping off in an upside-down way, floating up to the surface, and this cat... This cat was wrong.
Several long... Things, like vines or tails, drifted around them, but they couldn't be tails, because they appeared to be bursting from the cat's underbelly, long, black, thick, and odd.
It chilled Flintfur to the bone. Something was so wrong here, so wrong, and yet... And yet he could not feel pity for this cat, as wrong as they looked.
The pull was not toward them, however, and he hesitated for just a moment before swimming over.
There was something he could not shake in his mind, but the further he swam the more things slipped from his mind, and he sank his teeth into the scruff of the limp, drifting oddity, pulling them, beginning to tow this cat with him.
Flintfur had to have faith that the pull was leading him to Starclan, because this certainly wasn't it. And maybe this cat, as weird as they were, as wrong as the black liquid seeping into his jaws was, had merely gotten lost on their journey. If so, Flintfur would not leave them.
He swam, clawing through the water, and suddenly the cat came loose, still limp, drifting away, but Flintfur couldn't stop, no matter how much he wanted to, no matter how far he fought. The cat slipped away and he looked back, trying to get back, but it was like something had captured him and wouldn't let him go.
The cat was still limp, still drifting, but the... The tentacles- like an octopus, that was the word he needed- were reaching toward him, and one snagged around him.
Flintfur jolted with surprise and the tentacle drove into his stomach, through the fur, pulling at him, piercing him, even as the thing that had hold of him yanked him hard, and then...
Having Yellowpaw as his co-apprentice did not bother Amberpaw in the slightest.
He was disappointed that Civetbeak was still recovering, so he couldn't continue his training, but Flintfur was a good mentor, and fun to have another apprentice alongside him. Fogpaw was okay, but they weren't really close and didn't really talk, and Tulippaw had hated Amberpaw since they had been in the nursery together. Quailpaw fell in the same camp as Fogpaw, more or less. Almondfern, Laurelbright, Pumaspot, and Furledseed were all so much older than him that they hadn't done much together either.
But Yellowpaw didn't hate him and Amberpaw didn't mind that she was four moons younger than him, and it was nice. She also respected the fact he did not like touching other cats, though he did tolerate it for combat training.
It was fun and it was nice, and for the first time in his life, Amberpaw could say that he actually had a friend.
Today, they were on patrol with Flintfur, covered in protection, Amberpaw carrying the conch, and Yellowpaw was pestering them both for details about the small dog they had chased off yesterday.
"It wasn't that big, and it ran when I started chasing it." Amberpaw said with a shrug, not seeing what the big deal was.
"How big?"
"Not as big as some, but most certainly had some size to it. Most cats would have felt some kind of caution. Amberpaw dove at it like one of them was going to die and it wasn't going to be him." Flintfur said, purring with amusement.
"I didn't want it to get to camp." Amberpaw muttered, and it wasn't like he had been alone.
Flintfur had been right there with him, after all, and they had chased it off together.
"I think I would be so scared. I don't like dogs!" Yellowpaw said, looking impressed.
Amberpaw shrugged, not sure what else to say, but Yellowpaw thankfully dropped the subject.
He still felt... Odd. He was now firm in the knowledge that he didn't seem to be able to die; when Skypelt and Quietback had gone to the lighthouse, he had gotten into a border skirmish with Hollowclaw from Weedclan and cracked his head on a rock. It had killed him and he had found himself in the ocean again, his body above him, and he had done the same thing as last time. And here he was.
He wasn't sure what to make of it, though Skypelt was convinced that it was a blessing from Starclan, that he had been chosen or something. Amberpaw hated that, but he couldn't dissuade her, and had given up arguing about it. He could only imagine the look on Hollowclaw's face when he turned up at the Gathering; the other warrior had definitely fled in a hurry by the time Amberpaw had gotten back to his body.
He had told Goldstar, gathered with those who had already known about it, but no one knew what to make of it or what to do. Plumsong had wryly said that Amberpaw would save them some herbs, and Amberpaw knew the cold medicine cat had merely been trying to cheer him up, make light of it, but it hadn't worked.
They were in an open stretch of ground toward the edge of their territory, on the edge of a narrow gully toward the Burning Caves, where a stream trickled toward the ocean, cliffs that were sharp and straight leading down to that little trickle. A fall from there would certainly kill a cat, and Amberpaw thought of jumping and seeing what would happen, but he didn't have the courage.
Flintfur quizzed them both as they walked, giving them each a question, and they answered dutifully, but then, Amberpaw caught a familiar scent.
Metallic like a monster and blood, and-
"Rainfall!" he called out as he spotted the dark cloud rapidly sweeping toward them.
"Run! Go, head for the hills! There should be a cave!" Flintfur ordered and they began to run.
Yellowpaw was the slowest of them, but Flintfur and Amberpaw stuck with her, and Amberpaw stopped to blow the conch before racing after them. They ran, swerving, looking around, and finally Amberpaw spotted a small niche up ahead, a spot under an overhang... But the way up was a slick wall of rock.
"There!" he called, jerking his muzzle, and Flintfur nodded.
"Get up there, Amberpaw, and I'll give you Yellowpaw." he ordered and Amberpaw didn't argue.
The rain came over them before they reached it, however, and Amberpaw shuddered, but their protection was working.
He scrambled and clawed his way up the quickly wetted stones and got up, digging his claws in. He turned and reached down, Flintfur trying to carry Yellowpaw up with him, and the pair slid down
"Papa, let me climb!" Yellowpaw cried, wriggling in his jaws.
Flintfur released her and climbed right behind her, shoving her up with a paw when she slipped, and Amberpaw managed to catch her scruff. He heaved and hauled her up, her paws churning, and then they were under the shelter.
"Papa, hurry!" Yellowpaw said, reaching out, but Amberpaw kicked her back.
"Let me." he grunted as Flintfur slipped down, his protection beginning to bleed off.
"Flintfur, come on!" Amberpaw said, stretching, digging his claws into the rocks.
Flintfur did his best, but then he paused, staring at the sky, and Amberpaw followed his gaze.
A rainbow was in the sky, but it was not like any rainbow Amberpaw had seen. It was a perfect circle sitting in the dark cloud of rainfall, shining like an outline of the sun, oddly bright, and he stared for a moment.
Then he yowled at Flintfur, who was still having trouble getting up, and then a... Sense... Washed over him, his fur prickling, an awareness washing over him, like he could tell that a cat had just come close. But it hadn't.
There was no cat, no other animals, nothing, and then...
"Flintfur." he whispered, spotting pawprints pressing into the earth close behind the cat.
Huge pawprints, bleeding black into them when what was making them lifted, filling with rainfall, and Flintfur saw it, too.
"Papa. Papa-"
"Shh! Be quiet, be still!" Flintfur hissed and looked up at Amberpaw.
"Protect her." he said, his blue eyes shining, and Amberpaw realized what he was going to do.
Flintfur let himself slide down the rocks and onto the ground; he couldn't make it up without moving, and the rainfall was going to run through his protection sooner rather than later.
"P-" Yellowpaw began, but Amberpaw grabbed her.
He risked it, flattening her beneath him, watching as Flintfur yowled, turning, skittering across the ground, the Unseen, as they had started to call them, following him, its pawprints suddenly changing direction.
Yellow was shaking beneath him and Amberpaw shifted a paw over his muzzle, draping himself over Yellowpaw to muffle her breathing, holding as still as he could.
He watched as Flintfur yowled and unsheathed his claws, and then the Unseen pounced. A blow sent Flintfur flying and he skidded across the ground, and he got up as the pawprints approached.
Amberpaw watched as a blow ripped through Flintfur's protection and pelt, drawing blood, and Flintfur moved further back, drawing the Unseen away from them, and...
Flintfur fought bravely, but he couldn't take the Unseen alone. He took a huge blow across his shoulder, scarlet pouring from it, and another across his flank. And Amberpaw knew he should obey, because Flintfur was the deputy, a senior warrior, and his mentor, but he couldn't. Especially when Yellowpaw got her head out from under him, saw what was happening, and screamed.
"PAPA!"
"Stay here!" Amberpaw ordered and launched himself from the shelter.
He landed heavily on the ground and yowled, drawing the Unseen's attention away from Yellowpaw, and Flintfur mimicked him.
Maybe they could distract it until it went away, the one on the beach had gone away-
Flintfur leapt on something invisible and attacked viciously, clawing, biting, fighting like a true warrior, but the blood was pouring fast from his wounds, and Amberpaw could see that his exposed fur and skin around the wounds looked wrong.
The rainfall. The rainfall was making the injuries worse, was hurting him like that deer. Amberpaw took a blow himself, his blood spilling onto the ground, but Flintfur was there to protect him, drawing the Unseen away, but then he was lifted off the ground, writhing, trying to get away-
It was going to eat him. And Amberpaw lost it.
Something in him snapped and he yowled, launching himself forward, blood splattering from his wound onto the Unseen, making parts of it somewhat visible, and-
A cry, high and mournful, and then suddenly Flintfur was falling, Amberpaw was falling, and the Unseen was... Gone.
No more pawprints were pressed into the earth and the rainfall was letting up, Amberpaw running over to Flintfur.
He was lying on the ground, sides heaving, and there was so much blood. The rainfall had made the wounds bleed faster and there was blood everywhere, Amberpaw pressing his paws against the worst one desperately.
"Flintfur-"
"Yel... Yellow...?" Flintfur wheezed, sides heaving jaggedly, his breathing wrong, his voice too soft.
"Safe. She's safe." Amberpaw promised, the blood flowing sluggishly beneath his paws.
The rainfall was almost gone now, the sky lightening, the clouds disappearing as quickly as they had come, and Flintfur's head shifted a little, like he was nodding.
"Papa! Papa, Papa, Papa!" Yellowpaw cried, appearing next to them, looking down at her father.
Flintfur's eyes locked on her, and she pressed her head against his, shaking, Flintfur returning the gesture, and then he went still. His sides stopped heaving and his eye unfocused growing vacant, and Amberpaw's heart lurched.
"Flintfur?" he said, lowering his head to the other cat's mouth, but no breath met his ear.
"Papa...?" Yellowpaw whispered, her voice small and frightened.
"He's gone, Yellowpaw." Amberpaw said gently, swallowing hard.
Yellowpaw let out a high-pitched wail and buried her face in Flintfur's side, crying softly, and Amberpaw sat with her.
Her sat with her until the sky fully cleared and everything was normal again, the vegetation around them wrong for the season, and then he could give her no more time.
"We have to go, Yellowpaw. We have to take him back to camp." he said, pulling himself together.
It took some effort, but he roused her and gave her the conch, and they got Flintfur's limp body on his back. Amberpaw refused to drag him, and going for help would take too long.
He walked, bearing the weight of his dead clanmate, and Yellowpaw walked beside him, both of them mourning silently as they walked.
It seemed to take forever, but finally they reached camp, and Skypelt was the first to see them.
"We heard the conch-" she began, stopping when she got a good look at them.
"Oh, Starclan! What happened?!" she exclaimed, rushing over to them.
Amberpaw didn't stop until he reached the medicine cats' den, but the clan, those in camp, had already seen and were gathering, Jackdawnudge freezing when he saw them.
"Flintfur." he gasped, rushing over.
He helped Amberpaw lay the body on the ground and Yellowpaw collapsed, Lester rushing over to her.
"Where is Goldstar?" Amberpaw asked, swallowing.
He felt... Numb.
"She and Pumaspot are returning kits to Weedclan's camp." Almondfern replied from the entrance of the den.
"What happened?" Skypelt repeated as Jacknudge examined Flintfur.
Amberpaw explained as Plumsong fussed over his wound and it felt merciful that Quailpaw was out with Gillfeather, though Yellowpaw could have used her family right now.
The entire clan that was in the camp seemed to be crowded in or around the medicine cats' den, and grief was heavy in the air. Amberpaw swallowed hard, but he forced himself to be strong, because right now he knew what had happened and he didn't want Yellowpaw to have to recount it at any point.
"We need to take him." Quietback said softly after a long silence.
"We can't even have a vigil?!" Yellowpaw cried, jerking away from Lester.
"This was discussed-"
"He deserves a vigil!" Yellowpaw cried, Lester gently wrapping around her.
"We can say goodbye to him, little one, he just can't stay here so long. That's all." she soothed, but it didn't seem to help.
The warriors started talking and Yellowlily slipped in, comforting Yellowpaw, and before long, Quailpaw arrived back with Gillfeather. Amberpaw didn't know who told him, but the crowd of cats parted and the apprentice ran through, his gray-and-white pelt on end.
"Papa! Oh, Papa!" Quailpaw cried, rushing to Flintfur's side.
He cautiously nosed his father and his face crumpled, but he didn't linger by the body. Instead, he went to Yellowpaw, and he curled up beside her, leaning on her, his eyes round.
"What happened?" he asked, voice choked.
Amberpaw explained, but he hadn't finished by the time Goldstar and Pumaspot returned, and Goldstar rushed through as well, stopping in front of her mate's body.
"Flintfur. No. No, no, no." she whispered, dropping down beside the body.
She buried her nose in his muddy pelt and her kits crept over, nestling on either side of her, and Amberpaw started over. He swallowed hard again when he finished, and Quietback spoke.
"Goldstar, we need to take him now, just in case. It's not an easy journey and night will fall..." he began gently.
"Mama? Mama, are you okay?" Quailpaw was saying, and Plumsong rushed over.
Something was wrong with Goldstar; she was shaking violently, even more violently than Yellowpaw, and she reacted fiercely when Plumsong tried to pull her away from Flintfur.
Yellowlily and Lester herded Yellowpaw and Quailpaw away and between them, Wasp and Plumsong took Goldstar away to the more private part of the den. Wasp emerged to get herbs, and it seemed to take a long time before Plumsong emerged.
"Goldstar is in shock right now. She isn't... She can't... She won't be able to take Flintfur, or name a deputy." he said gravely and murmurs went through the camp.
"It's only right if she takes him." Lester protested.
"We can't wait that long. We can't risk it. You know how soon after they buried Dashclaw it happened." Plumsong said sharply.
"I want to take him. I'll take him." Yellowpaw croaked, her eyes still wide.
"No, little one. You can't. You and your brother are too young; you would never make it." Almondfern said, shaking his head.
"He was my mentor. I will take him." Quietback said, his voice raw with grief.
"I would take him. He trained me well. But I can't make it that far. Not quickly." Civetbeak said, sitting beside Amberpaw.
His voice was heavy, too.
"I'll go." Amberpaw volunteered and everyone looked at him.
"I carried him here, and I'm fast and strong. I can go with Quietback." Amberpaw continued firmly.
"And I'll go as well. Three will be easier so someone can switch." Yellowlily put in, and that was it.
"While you're gone, we will appoint a temporary deputy until Goldstar is able. And if she still isn't, the medicine cats and Wiggity Wacks will confer." Plumsong said, and no one protested.
Amberpaw was coated in fresh protected and Yellowlily and Quietback followed suit. They let the clan say a brief goodbye, but then they left, Quietback and Amberpaw carrying Flintfur between them.
Yellowlily took the lead and Amberpaw glanced back, seeing Yellowpaw and Quailpaw sitting just outside of camp, pressed together, watching them carry their father away.
Jackdawnudge was fuming. Plumsong was an idiot. A damn idiot. It had been the plan for the three of them- he, Plumsong, and Lester- to go to the Pool tonight, but they had barely begun their journey when Plumsong had tripped on a rock and sprained his paw.
Now he was hobbling back to camp himself and it was just Jackdawnudge and Lester, coated in protection, Lester carrying the conch, making their way to meet the other medicine cats.
The entire journey there, Jackdawnudge was in a bad mood, especially since good old-fashioned rainclouds were beginning to crawl in. He could smell the storm on the breeze, but they were too close now to turn back, and the oaks would offer some shelter.
They were the first ones there; Hyacinthclan always set out early for such meetings, since they were the furthest from the Pool of Five Oaks, but it seemed they had arrived a little too early tonight.
Lester wandered around, as giddy as a kit to explore the place when it was empty, but it wasn't too much longer before Cloudrunner and Shardpaw emerged, meaning that Foggyclan was here, too.
"Hello! I remember you from the Gatherin'! Cloudrunner and Shardpaw, yes?" Lester said, bounding forward to greet them.
The huge gray tom purred with laughter and touched his nose to hers, Shardpaw looking at Lester curiously, and they touched noses, too.
"Oh, don't bother him. He's been in a foul mood the whole journey, and it ain't changing any time soon." Lester called as she sat down with Shardpaw.
"Uh-oh. What's got this old bear in a mood?" Cloudrunner chuckled, sitting down next to Jackdawnudge.
"Plumsong sprained his paw on the journey. We had to send him back." Jackdawnudge growled, glaring at the other cat as he bumped him with his shoulder.
"Oh, I can see how this would ruin the entire evening. Of course he did it on purpose! How dare he!" Cloudrunner exclaimed, laughing.
If it hadn't been sacred, Jackdawnudge would have tossed him in the pool for that.
"He's getting on in moons, Jackdaw, and it's dark out with a storm coming in. Accidents happen. No reason to grouch about it, especially when Wasp has to deal with it, not you." Cloudrunner said, sobering.
Jackdawnudge didn't reply, but soon enough, Birdtail and Redpaw arrived from Weedclan, Tansynose from Kinkclan, and Pinestrike finally meant that Ferretclan was here, too.
These days, none of them held their breath in hoping to see their ancestors. It had been so many moons now. But they all scattered around the small pool, positioning themselves so they aligned with the trees, and touched their noses to the water. Lester, Shardpaw, and Redpaw still had training to do, so they would do it, even if Starclan wasn't there.
None of them slept long. It was the same as always now; unending darkness that should have held the forests of Starclan, and they woke up before too long.
They all looked at each other and shook their heads, and got on with it. Jackdawnudge had had to figure out a lot of this himself; Plumsong had been so sick when he had become a medicine cat that he hadn't been able to impart lessons for a while. But Lester would receive proper guidance, at least, and so would the other two apprentices. And while they were lucky to loners had come to them with interest and skills in herbs, Jackdawnudge hoped that it wasn't too long before a young cat of Hyacinth wanted to take up the role of medicine cat.
"I think we need to talk about what happened at the Gathering. Or rather, what Dapplestar mentioned." Birdtail said, coiling her tail around her paws when it came to the time they talked.
"Dashclaw's body being devoured?" Pinestrike asked, niddling the fur between his toes.
"Yes. But didn't you notice it? Dashclaw was dead, and that... That... Silence happened. Foggyclan reported it when Icywind's patrol was slaughtered, and Lester, you said it happened when Palethicket died?" Birdtail said, Jackdawnudge catching on.
"You're pointing out that it doesn't happen just when living cats are killed. When the bodies are devoured, too." he said, disgust and fear pulsing through his belly.
"It could be because Dashclaw was freshly dead, because none of the other graves on our territory were disturbed. Has anything touched Loudclaw's grave?" Tansynose said, looking over at Birdtail.
"It has been dug at, but the body was still there. We covered it back up, and nothing tried again." Birdtail answered, Redpaw nodding his agreement.
"So, it's lookin' like it might be the livin' and the freshly dead they want... But that ain't good. We can't keep cats from dying, and who knows how deep these unseen monsters can dig. We can't know how deep we need to dig, and I for one do not want to have more monsters runnin' around because we needed to experiment and didn't figure it out." Lester said, scuffing the ground with her paw.
"How else are we supposed to respect our dead?" Pinestrike demanded, curling back his lips.
"We... Well, burying isn't the only way to get rid of a body. Moons ago, when I was a kit-" Cloudrunner began.
"Here we go." Shardpaw muttered.
"-Lightning started a very bad fire in Foggyclan territory. Two of our clanmates were trapped, and no one could get to them. By the time the fire was out and the ground cool enough to walk on, there was nothing left but their bones." Cloudrunner finished, ignoring the apprentice.
Jackdawnudge pricked his ears.
"That could work. Old bodies and bones... Nothing these things want." he said, mulling the idea over.
"Excuse me, but how are we going to get fire? We can't depend on a lightning strike every time a cat dies, especially since Starclan has left us." Pinestrike said, shaking his head.
"Fire burns when it has fuel. We gather some and trap it, and keep it burning. I've seen Twolegs make little fires when they come make nests for a few days. They feed it but keep it contained." Birdtail offered, tail flicking.
"But where? It would need to be somewhere safe! We can't have fire and then let it loose to burn the clans!" Pinestrike exclaimed, his own tail lashing.
"There are caves up in the mountains, just beyond the borders of Foggyclan and Hycinthclan. We take it there and fill the cave with prey, and we cycle through cats every now and then to keep it burning and fed. Then they switch, and patrols gather fuel to keep it burning. When a cat dies, we hold a brief vigil, and warriors deliver their body." Cloudrunner said, eyes shining with ideas.
"I don't know... Burning them..." Tansynose said, looking uncomfortable.
"Well, I think it's a good idea! I hate thinkin' that Palethicket is out there now, trapped as a monster, and I know she was alive when it got her, but if we can stop more cats from havin' that happen to 'em, I want to do it!" Lester exclaimed, leaping to her paws.
"It's not just our decision." Tanynose pointed out softly. "We'll have to bring it to the leaders and the deputies, who will have to discuss it with the clans."
She had a point, but Jackdawnudge didn't even have to talk to Goldstar to know what her decision would be.
They discussed it further and it would be a long walk, a lot of work, but it seemed like the best option. Better than their clanmates being dug and devoured, whether or not they actually became monsters, though those silencings seemed to signal it.
As they closed the meeting, they agreed that in three sunrises, they would all return, one medicine cat each, with their leader, and the decision would be made.
Jackdawnudge froze when Lester asked one final question as thunder rumbled; the storm looked like it was going around them.
"Say... Have any cats that have been badly wounded recovered real quick? Survived when they shouldn't have? Other than a leader, I mean?" she asked and Jackdawnudge held in a snarl.
All of the medicine cats said no, looking at Lester curiously, questioning her, but she backstepped quickly, spewing out something about wondering if it was just the leaders Starclan blessed or what. In the end, the others seemed to accept this answer, but Jackdawnudge hissed at her when they were alone.
"Do not mention that again! We do not know what happened to Amberpaw, even if it's happened again, and we do not want the other clans thinking he is cursed or anything of the sort!" he snapped, baring his teeth.
Lester shrank back.
"I'm sorry, Jackdawnudge. I just wondered, if any other cat had that happen, maybe we'd all be able to figure it out together." she said and Jackdawnudge sighed.
"Well, don't bring it up again. They could be protecting their own clanmates for all we know and lying, or it really hasn't happened to anyone but Amberpaw." Jackdawnudge said and with that, stalked away, leading the way home.
Jackdawnudge was surprised, but he sat beside Goldstar at the Pool and listened, and the leaders and clans were all in agreement.
It took some work; patrols raced across each territory as Cloudrunner lead the other medicine cats in finding a cave, and they got volunteers for the Firekeepers, as they would be called. They found a cave with what looked like a dried-up spring in it and an odd channel in the ceiling leading to the roof, and it was deemed perfect.
Dry branches, sticks, twigs, and bark were piled in the cave and then... They waited.
Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long. They almost didn't get it done in time, but Jackdawnudge was sitting in the entrance of the cave, looking out over the territories, when the storm hit.
A regular thunderstorm, it was fueled by the ocean, with strong winds and more lightning than wind, and somewhere in Foggyclan territory, a tree was struck.
They could see the fire burning, but all Jackdawnudge could do was wait, a cat from each clan beside him, including Aphidrise.
Soon, though, they saw the runners. The fastest cats in the clans, passing burning branches down a line, hoping that one would survive the journey.
The fire was soon getting closer, the storm leaving, and they could see it moving closer and closer as the runners raced to them. Just in case, Jackdawnudge had supplies to treat burns on paw, because there was no telling what would happen.
Finally, though, the runners arrived, the fastest, steadiest cats for the last leg- Flintfur and Almondfern, with Sandystone of Foggyclan and Rabbitpounce of Kinkclan. All four held burning branches and they shot into the cave, almost too fast for Jackdawnudge to get out of the way.
They flew into the back and hurled their branches into the pit with fuel sitting in it, and it caught, Almondfern sitting down and letting out a wail best suited for a kit.
Then-
"FUCK!" he yowled, pawing at his muzzle as the others collapsed on the stone.
"Quit your screaming and let me see." Jackdawnudge ordered, hurrying over to his grandkit.
Almondfern obeyed, his eyes wide and filled with pain, and he did have a decent burn on his muzzle.
Licking Almondfern on the ears, Jackdawnudge set to work treating it- He did care about his grandkits, after all, even if his own kits could be quite annoying.
"You were supposed to drop it if you were starting to get burned." Sandystone huffed, stretching out her long legs.
"We were almost here." Almondfern mumbled, letting Jackdawnudge do his job.
When he finished, they all looked at the fire roaring in the pit, the smoke being sucked up the sky tunnel, which quelled Jackdawnudge's fear of the Firekeepers choking on it.
"Do you think it will work?" Flintfur asked, gazing at the flames.
"We'll see." Jackdawnudge said, because he could make no promises.
All of this could be for nothing, in the end, but they had to try.
As morbid as it was, they wouldn't know until a cat died, and then... Well, either way, there would be decisions to make going forward. But Jackdawnudge hoped this worked, because if it didn't...
He wasn't going to think about that either. What mattered now was that they had options, even if, for now, they were going to have to wait and see.
Laughing my ass off because @sarcasticsciencefictionwriter made some memes for the last moon update (Moon 34, Part 2). It might also give some context to that last scene. She is graciously allowing me to share it with you all. ^^
Flintfur felt ready to burst with pride as he watched Yellowkit and Quailkit line up in front of the clan, their pelts perfectly groomed, Quailkit quivering with excitement, Yellowkit looking as dignified as her mother.
How reluctant she had been, a moon ago, to become an apprentice, and while she was still unsure, she was better than she had been.
And how excited her brother was, perhaps feeling the pressure of being the son of the leader and the deputy, despite their small clan and how they worked.
His beautiful, sweet kits. So grown up already, when it seemed like they had just been blind little patches of fuzz nuzzling at their mother's belly. When had they gotten so big? How had they grown up so fast?
No more nights in the nursery with them and Goldstar, and though they had the warriors' den when they were older, it wouldn't be the same. Flintfur couldn't imagine stuffing four fully-grown cats into a nest together, or that his adult kits would even want that. Part of him was tempted to ask Goldstar about another litter, though they were both getting on in moons.
Goldstar, perched in the branches of her den, was beginning the words to the meeting, and beside Flintfur, Amberpaw was waiting, and he wished he had gotten the chance to explain things to the young cat before this, but he was sure Amberpaw would understand.
"...Until they have received their warrior names, they will be known as Yellowpaw and Quailpaw. Gillfeather, step forward." Goldstar called out, and the cat obeyed.
Some of the clan was surprised, but with so few cats, there weren't really that many options for mentors, and the new warriors certainly weren't ready. And some cats, quite frankly, just did not want to be a mentor. So, even though Gillfeather had just mentored Almondfern, she stepped forward.
"Gillfeather, you have already guided one young warrior well, and I trust you to be able to teach Quailpaw the things he needs to know." Goldstar said and Gillfeather smiled.
Quailpaw rushed forward to touch noses with her and Flintfur could just hear his purr, and he knew Gillfeather was a good choice.
"Flintfur, step forward." Goldstar called out next, and Tulippaw stared with shock at him, Amberpaw sliding back, head hanging.
Flintfur would explain when he got the chance, but he could tell that Tulippaw was going to cause trouble with this. Mentoring his own kit... In other clans, bigger clans, clans that weren't as tightly knit as Hyacinth, it wasn't done. But their clan was small and Yellowpaw still so nervous of becoming a warrior that Flintfur and Goldstar had agreed that it might be easier if he mentored her. And it had been some time since he had had an apprentice, too.
"Flintfur, I know you will guide Yellowpaw well on the path to a warrior, and prepare her the future, so from this day forward, you will be her mentor." Goldstar continued and Yellowpaw turned to touch noses with him when he approached.
"I didn't want it to be you." she mumbled before they touched noses and he turned his chuckle into a purr.
"You're stuck with your old tom, my little one." he teased and they touched noses.
After the ceremony ended, Flintfur could hear Quailpaw already asking Gillfeather about finding good spots to gather moss, and he asked Yellowpaw to wait while he went to talk with Amberpaw.
Civetbeak's wound had healed, but his leg was still too weak for him to use, which meant that Flintfur was still unofficially his mentor.
Yellowpaw bounded up to her mother, complaining loudly about her mentor, and Flintfur caught up with Amberpaw, who was slipping into the apprentices' den.
"Amberpaw." he said and Amberpaw stopped.
"What?"
"I want to talk to you." Flintfur said, seeing how the young cat's tail was dragging on the door.
Amberpaw sat dutifully in front of him, and Flintfur wanted to sit next to him and wrap his tail around the apprentice, but he didn't. He did sit beside him, but he did not touch him, knowing Amberpaw did not like that. As he sat beside him, he realized how big Amberpaw was at ten moons; not nearly as formidable as Ashtalon, but he would be one of the bigger cats in the clan.
"Just because I have Yellowpaw doesn't mean I'm going to neglect your training. I can handle you both, and I'm not going to set you aside in favor of Yellowpaw. I'll train you right until Civetbeak can take back over, and if I need to train you all the way to your ceremony, that is what I will do." Flintfur said firmly and Amperpaw looked down, seeming embarrassed.
"I..." he said, swallowing.
"You had every right to be worried. I didn't have the chance to talk to you before the ceremony, but I wanted to make sure you understood. I'm going to do right by you." Flintfur told him and Amberpaw gave him a grateful look.
"Thank you." he murmured and Flintfur nodded, biting back the urge to lick the young cat's ears.
Yellowpaw bounded up to them at that moment.
"You're my co-apprentice." she said seriously and Flintfur wasn't sure where this was going.
"Yes." Amberpaw said.
"Then you better back sure Papa doesn't treat me like a little kit! I can't believe Mama did that!" Yellowpaw said and Amberpaw chuckled.
"Hey! I may be your mentor, but at the end of the day, you're always going to be my little kit. Same with your brother." Flintfur said, hooking her with his paw.
He hauled her between his front paws and drew his tongue over her ears, making her squeal and wriggle.
"PAPA! I'm an apprentice now!" she protested and Flintfur chuckled.
Why had they ever been worried about her?
"Come on! Quailpaw's getting ready to go out of camp. I don't want him to see everything cool before I do!" Yellowpaw said, wriggling free.
"Protection first." Amberpaw said to her and Yellowpaw nodded.
"Come on!" she said to him, beckoning with her tail, and Amberpaw rose to his paws.
She raced off, Amberpaw following after her, and Flintfur did, too.
He really had been worried for no reason, he thought. In the days to come, this would be proven to be true. He shouldn't have worried at all.
Sometimes, it was easy to forget that Amberpaw had died and come back to life, but other times it suddenly just... Hit Flintfur, and he found himself staring at his apprentice.
Like tonight, as Amberpaw, grooming himself before getting ready to be coated in protection, exposing the scar on his throat.
It was still a secret from most of the clan, and definitely something the medicine cats had edged around when they had talked to the others about it. They had no explanation.
The general thought was that Starclan had blessed him- Skypelt was convinced that Starclan had given him another chance- but what Amberpaw had described did not match with the accounts of Starclan any of them had, or Goldstar losing a life. It was very hard to tell, and to Flintfur, he felt it was more ominous than anything.
They already had proof that the monsters on the beach had been the dead queen and kits Plumsong had found, and now Amberpaw had died yet hadn't... Were souls not going to Starclan now?
Not that Flintfur was complaining that Amberpaw was still alive, but the thought that Starclan was so closed off that souls couldn't find their rest did bother him.
If Starclan had given him another chance, despite their silence, Flintfur knew it would have been Ashtalon's doing. His friend had loved Amberpaw more than anything, and if he could have saved him like that, he would have.
Flintfur looked away before Amberpaw caught him staring and they all coated themselves in protection- Well, most of them. Those going to the Gathering, anyway.
Goldstar (of course), Flintfur, Plumsong, Lester, Skypelt, Quietback, Aphidrise, Stoneleaf, Petalcurrent, Buzzardglide, Almondfern, Amberpaw, Tulippaw, and Fogpaw. It was too soon for Yellowpaw and Quailpaw to go, and just in case something happened, Flintfur and Goldstar wanted to wait until their kits had a little more training first.
Lester's litter was meowing from where Yellowlily was curled around them, the queen Foggyclan had sent them gone now that they were weaned, and they were pestering Lester to go, begging her to stay.
She got away, though, and soon they were heading out, walking away from the see, toward the Pool of Five Oaks. Not only was the place where medicine cats met with Starclan, but it was where they held Gatherings, a way to ensure peace, because no cat would dare cause real trouble directly in front of Starclan.
They had to walk the border that divided Foggyclan and Weedclan, sliding to the Foggyclan side because Foggyclan was allies. Weedclan... Well, they had peace now, but that moon-long bout of fighting and border crossing that wasn't quite a war was still fresh in everyone's minds, despite it have been two cycles ago.
They set out earlier than the other clans since they had the furthest to go, and they met the Foggyclan group on the way.
A good collection of cats, coated in protection too, and at the head were Icywind and Snowstar, the sisters, without protection, almost completely identical.
Flintfur had to confess, he understood what had happened that day on the beach with the dead whale and the monsters, but part of him had lost respect for Icywind with that. She had led her clanmates to die and though she hadn't known, it was a risk that had been obvious, and five of her warriors had died.
It had been moons ago now, but Flintfur could not shake the feeling, and he knew he was likely being unfair, but emotions weren't simple.
So he nodded politely and the two groups walked together, talking as they did, and it wasn't too long before the clans arrived at the Gathering place together.
Weedclan and Kinkclan were already present, surrounding the grass-and-moss-covered ground around the large pool, which reflected the moon perfectly.
Each leader sat in one of the great oaks, but not until all the clans had arrived, and in the meantime, the leaders mingled with the other warriors.
Flintfur noticed that Weedclan had forgone their protection, for the most part, and Skypelt curled her lip at that, but there was nothing to be done.
"Peace." he muttered, watching as the apprentices went to find each other.
Amberpaw was reluctantly dragged along with Fogpaw, because Tulippaw would not have insisted on him coming, and Flintfur went to mingle with the other deputies.
Runningstar approached Goldstar before Flintfur got too far and he noticed Hollowclaw was missing, and Runningstar looked apologetic.
Dapplestar joined them and Flintfur dipped his head to Canarywing and Fleetwhisker, of Kinkclan and Weedclan, respectively. Icywind trailed and soon all the clans presen were mingling, waiting for Ferretclan a little impatiently.
Finally, though, they arrived, led by the Curlstar, who greatly dwarfed the shape of his deputy, Webweaver. Upon their arrival, the clans began to settle, though the leaders first met with each other, and so did the deputies and medicine cats.
Plumsong and Lester (it was Lester's first Gathering) were in a group with Tansynose, Cloudrunner, Pinestrike, Birdtail, Redpaw, and Shardpaw, and Webweaver ran up to join the other deputies. Only a little bigger than Yellowpaw and Quailpaw, Flintfur kept thinking she was a young cat, when in truth she was about the same age as Quietback, and he touched noses with her.
Finally, though, things broke up and the deputies and medicine cats went to sit at the bases of the five oaks, the leaders climbing into the branches and settling on the lowest. Luckily, the Pool of Five Oaks was not that large, enabling the leaders to be heard from every nook and cranny of it, the way the land was carrying their voices easily.
Tonight, Curlstar began.
Ferretclan was doing well, despite everythig, it seemed, the leader announcing the birth of two litters and new apprentices, and sometimes all this news surprised Flintfur. He had been born into a larger clan, but he had become so used to Hyacinthclan tht it had become normal to have few kits and apprentices compared to other clans.
They reported an encounter with one of the unseen monsters, but no one had died, holding still and being quiet was definitely the method to deal with them.
Runningstar went next, reporting the death of one of Weedclan's elders to a rainfall, the cat found dead after going for a walk, not wearing protection, found in the territory. He also apologized for the encounter with Hyacinthclan on the border (though he had already done so through Wiggity Wacks) and that was a bold thing for a Gathering, though Flintfur knew neither Weedclan nor Hyacinthclan wanted to have a war this time.
They said prey was running well, and Fintfur wondered if any other clan had fond prey with black running from its eyes, but the medicine cats had reported that the others had not reported anything, and they were a little more free with information.
Snowstar was third, and announced that a warrior had lost their life while dealing with a badger, and that several others had been injured. Flintfur found himself glancing at Amberpaw and wondering if any other cats had experienced the same thing, and it was just being called 'injury' by the leaders.
Now was not the time to ask, however, and after Snowstar went, it was Dapplestar's turn.
Her news was the most disturbing. She reported that one of their warriors, Dashclaw, had died because of an infected wound and they had buried him sooner than was normal, as the warrior had requested it. But a rainfall had come during the burial (very soon after death) and with it had come one of the unseen monsters, and... The monster had dug up the body and consumed it.
There were murmurs of horror throughout the crowd and Dapplestar continued, describing the gray, fog-like time of silence that seemed to have exploded from the body after it had been eaten, just like with the Foggyclan cats on the beach, just like Palethicket.
Unease went through Flintfur at this and he exchanged looks with the cats around him, and he could tell which cats had witnessed this, judging by the looks on their faces.
The horror still prickled through Flintfur, even though this was the third time it had happened, about these cats who were no longer cats consuming the dead and causing these strange, gray silences.
Near him, Lester was shuddering visibly, no doubt remembering Palethicket, and Flintfur could see Plumsong running his tail down the she-cat's flank.
Questions were called out and Dapplestar did her best, but there was really no way for her to truly answer. Right now, most everyone knew about the same as the next cat.
If only Starclan would or could talk to them.
Flintfur glanced at the sacred pool they were all gathered around and looked up at the full moon, thinking of the Beach of Stars. Where were their ancestors? Was something truly cutting them off, or they had they merely abandoned them for some reason they didn't know?
He didn't truly hear everything else Dapplestar said, too wrapped up in his thoughts, and then it was Goldstar's turn to speak.
She said everything they had planned on, proudly announcing their kits becoming apprentices, but she kept quiet about what had happened to Amberpaw, and they had agreed that was for the best. Just to be safe. They didn't want anyone to think that Amberpaw was cursed or a monster, or that Hyacinthclan was as well.
She mentioned the black-eyed prey they had come across as well, but that was it, and soon, the Gathering would break up. Cats had a little more time to mingle, but then the leaders were calling them and the clans divided once more.
They went separately from Foggyclan and Weedclan now, giving them a head start despite the fact they had further to go, though they didn't give them too much of one.
Just enough so they wouldn't bump into each other and mingle, and Flintfur walked beside Goldstar, looking forward to cleaning the protection off his fur and curling up with his mate in their nest.
They were most of the way home when a rainfall came. They scattered, hiding beneath bushes despite the trees around them, and Flintfur blew on his conch; the other clans didn't use them but they knew the signal now.
The sound carried across the land and they waited it out; the rainfall never lasted long. Flintfur pressed himself to Goldstar as much as he could, taking comfort in her, remembering how he had once enjoyed the rain but now there was always fear that it would have that scent that indicated it was more than the usual kind.
Soon enough, it passed and the stars and moon were visible again, and they headed the rest of the way home. They broke through the trees, heading down toward the little cove where they made their camp, but as soon as they were free of the trees and the bare cliffs and hills, Flintfur halted.
Someone ran into him from behind, but he barely noticed, everyone soon stopping and staring.
"What is it?" Tulippaw gasped, staring.
Because far on the cliffs, far, far away from the Beach of Stars and their camp, stood on the Two-leg Stone Tree. It wasn't really a tree, being built of stone and completely branchless, and it was always a thing that stood in the distance, out in the territory no clans had claimed.
Once, when they were new here and looking for a camp, they had gone to look at it, and it had been so strange and abandoned. Nothing they could really find or be bothered with, though if they had managed to get inside that strange stone tree, it would have likely made an excellent camp, particularly in these times.
And yet, now, that skinny black shape in the distance, always unnoticed and unimportant, had a star shining from its top.
His skin itched. Covered in protection, Amberpaw would be safe from a rainfall, but that didn't stop how uncomfortable he was, how his fur was stiff and clumped and sticky, too.
Normally, he didn't care about the protective mixture, but today, everything seemed wrong.
He couldn't apply the purple-tinted stuff himself, not entirely, and his body still tingled from the unwelcomed contact with Skypelt, who always insisted on touching him, on cuddling and licking, when he didn't like it. She was kind, she had always been kind to him, he loved her... But she just didn't understand that the touch of someone else made him want to vomit.
"Keep your tail down, Amberpaw." Flintfur's voice said sternly, making Amberpaw realize he was swishing it around.
He stilled it and crept through the forest, searching for prey, but finally, Flintfur stopped him.
"Come here." he said and Amberpaw obeyed, paws dragging.
Was he in trouble?
"It's alright to be upset, you know. To not be okay. That was a terrible thing that happened. You are allowed to sit out your training for a few days, you know." Flintfur said, sympathy shining in his bright blue eyes.
Amberpaw scraped a paw against the ground.
He was talking about Civetbeak, of course. Civetbeak, who yesterday had taken Amberpaw out training, and come face-to-face with a band of rogues. Civetbeak, who had had to be rushed back to camp, leg mangled, losing so much blood from it and his other wounds.
All Amberpaw had been able to do was hide in the tree his mentor had shoved him up, and then run to camp, hoping Civetbeak didn't bleed to death, and cursing himself for not even being able to bring himself to pack the wounds with moss or find cobwebs before he had run off. Because the thought of touching Civetbeak, even to save him, had been too much.
How could he be a warrior if he couldn't even bring himself to help his injured mentor?
"I should've helped him." he mumbled.
"You did help him."
"I didn't try to stop the bleeding."
"That's not your job, Amberpaw." Flintfur said gently.
"I-" Amberpaw began.
"You got help for Civetbeak when he needed it. You don't know how to pack wounds, and you certainly couldn't have carried him, even if you're a big 'paw. You did everything right. Your parents would be proud of you. Skypelt is proud of you. So is Goldstar, and me, too. The whole clan is." Flintfur said, voice firm.
Amberpaw just stared at the ground.
"Amberpaw, do you want to go back to camp? I'll mentor you until Civetbeak is better, but I'm not going to force you to train or due your duties right now if you don't really want to." Flintfur said, his voice warm and gentle.
"I want to. I don't want to be in camp right now." Amberpaw said and Flintfur nodded.
"All right, then we'll work on your hunting." he said, and there were things Flintfur could teach him that Civetbeak couldn't.
Civetbeak was hard of hearing, after all, and while Amberpaw did his best, someone teaching him how to listen for signs was needed, especially when he might not know what the prey sounded like.
They set out again and the lesson with Flintfur was relaxing, took Amberpaw's mind off things, and it was exciting to learn the things Civetbeak couldn't teach him.
Amberpaw was an okay hunter, but he was determined to be better. And Skypelt was always pushing him. Train hard, learn quick, be the best, because she knew he would be. And Amberpaw wanted to be good for his clan, but he didn't want to be the best. He didn't want to be better than everyone else.
The other appentices didn't seem to think that was true, however, though it wasn't exactly like they had talked about it.
At least Pumapaw, Almondpaw, Laurelpaw, and Furledpaw would be doing their assessments soon, meaning he only had to share the den with Tulippaw and Fogpaw. The older apprentices didn't like him at all and Tulippaw didn't like him much either, but Fogpaw didn't bother him and he didn't bother Fogpaw. But at least the different treatment from his clanmates had been slowly ebbing since he had become an apprentice.
Hopefully, by the time he was a warrior, no one would treat him differently. Though he doubted Skypelt would stop or believe that he wasn't special somehow. That he wasn't destined to be the best, that he was just destined to be a warrior of Hyacinthclan.
Flintfur was much kinder than Skypelt and even different the Civetbeak, but of course Civetbeak was going to be hard on him, because he was his mentor. Flintfur wasn't pushing him like Skypelt would, gently correcting Amberpaw's mistakes, giving him tips.
They caught a few mice and voles and buried them to collect on the way back, going down to the beach to see if there was anything else worth collecting for the clan.
No fish in the shallows or pools, as far Amberpaw could see, but he did discover a large seashell one the way back to the treeline, where Flintfur was looking for birds. It was white and a creamy brown, the inside pink, and he poked it with his paw, wondering if something would come out. It did not, but he was fascinated by the spiraled and spiked object, watching it wobble on the sand.
Feeling like a little kit, he played with it, and gave into the urge to blow into the end of it, as he had with a hollow reed Skypelt had brought him to play with once. To his shock, it let out a loud noise after a few blows, and he leapt back.
"Amberpaw? Amberpaw, what was that noise?" Flintfur exclaimed, racing down from the treeline.
"I, umm..." Amberpaw said, looking at the shell.
"I blew into the shell."
"Did you? Do it again." Flintfur said, head tipped curiously.
Embarrassed, Amberpaw obeyed, and the sound was a little louder this time, vibrating through the air.
Flintfur was looking at the shell intently, his eyes shining in that way they did when he was coming up with an idea.
"What is it, Flintfur?" Amberpaw asked.
"I'm not sure yet, but... We might be able to use this conch. You've given me a brilliant idea, Amberpaw." Flintfur said, but he didn't share it yet.
Instead, he awkwardly picked up the shell in his mouth and signaled to Amberpaw that they should head back to camp. Amberpaw collected the two mice and a vole, and though he wasn't sure how he would carry it, when a rabbit suddenly burst across their path, he dropped the prey and lunged after it.
It was pure luck that he caught it, if he was being honest with himself, and he looked back proudly at Flintfur, heart beating fast.
"Amberpaw, back away from that!" Flintfur exclaimed, dropping the shell, and Amberpaw sprang back.
"Why?" he asked, Flintfur edging forward.
He tipped the rabbit's head with his paw and Amberpaw's fur stood on end, seeing that some black substance was leaking from its eyes.
"Is that... Is that bad?" he asked, pawing at his mouth, worry flooding through him.
His paws were clean and it was only the eyes of the rabbit, but he had bit it, the taste of its blood in his mouth.
"I don't know. We need to get back to camp, now. Leave the rabbit." Flintfur said, then added when he looked at Amberpaw, "You'll be all right. I just want to be safe than sorry. And if there is anything wrong, the medicine cats will fix you right up. Jackdawnudge isn't going to let you go to Starclan for a long, long time."
Amberpaw nodded and traded the shell for the prey with Flintfur, struggling with it even though it wasn't that big, terror pounding his heart now.
When they got back to camp, he was forced into the medicine cat den, and Flintfur took Goldstar and Plumsong to go see the rabbit.
"Do you think the rabbit was sick?" Amberpaw asked Jackdawnudge as the old tom sorted through his herbs.
"I honestly can't answer that, kit. But what I do know is that a lot of strange things have been happening for moons now, and it's probably just that. That whale from last moon? Yellowlily told me it had black coming from its eyes, too. Just didn't think much of it because it came from the sea, and sea creatures are all kinds of strange." Jackdawnudge answered, sorting out the herbs.
He gave a mixture to Amberpaw as a 'precaution' and Amberpaw at all of it, even if it tasted bad, and then sat in the next he had been given, waiting.
"Why did Flintfur want the shell?" he asked after some long silence.
"Oh? That conch? What happened that made that featherbrain bring it?" Jackdawnudge asked, casting a look at the shell.
"I was playing with it. I blew in it, and it made noise." Amberpaw answered sheepishly.
"Then that's why he wanted it. We've been trying to find a way to alert the camp or patrols to rainfalls. Sending a runner or yowling our heads off doesn't work if cats are too far. I saw Twolegs once, blowing into them and making noise. Couldn't hear their squabblin', I was so far away, but I heard that shell." Jackdawnudge answered, going back to his herbs.
That was... Interesting.
Amberpaw studied the shell intently and, eventually, he fell asleep.
In the morning, he was fine. And they had all eaten meat from that whale, after all. But the rabbit had buried, and the warriors were bringing conchs from the beaches, though there weren't many. Amberpaw watched as his clanmates attempted to thread vines around them, trying to mimic how Twolegs did it with things, apparently.
Flintfur praised Amberpaw for finding a way to alert the clan, but Amberpaw only nodded. He was still thinking of the strange rabbit, and everything else, too.
And, to no one's surprise, that rabbit was only the first of the strange prey that would soon be everywhere, appearing in their territory, dripping with the black substance. It wouldn't be the only thing strange about them, either.
When the patrol came back to camp, Goldstar immediately knew something was wrong. She was outside the nursery, watching Yellowkit and Quailkit play, relaxing with her kits, when they returned, and immediately alarmed prickled her pelt.
Flintfur was leaning on Skypelt, walking a bit slowly, and the scent of fear came with the patrol, Civetbeak and Amberpaw at the back. Strangely, the apprentice seemed to be the most calm.
Flintfur's black pelt was splattered with white and Goldstar was already on her paws, leaving her kits under the eye of Yellowlily, Tulipkit, and Fogkit.
"Goldstar." Flintfur called to her, but she was there in an instant.
"What happened?" she demanded, brushing her nose against her mate's cheek.
The lingering scents of fear and pain clung to his pelt and she realized the white splatter was actually his fur, not something on it, and she recoiled.
"What happened?" she repeated.
"I believe we need to discuss it privately first, with the medicine cats." Flintfur said, though those in camp were all peering at them curiously.
"You need to go to the medicine cat den, Flintfur." Skypelt said.
"Then we can meet there." Goldstar said, taking her mate's weight from the she-cat.
They went to the large medicine cat den, expanded to house their multiple medicine cats and patients, and Jackdawnudge was the first to meet them.
"What happened?" the old cat asked, seeming puzzled when there was no obvious injury.
"We're not sure. It doesn't hurt now, at least." Flintfur said, but he allowed himself to be guided over to the nest.
Plumsong was sorting herbs and Wasp was nowhere to be seen, but Amberpaw was sent to fetch her. They were in the clearing and came immediately as Jackdawnudge inspected his patient.
"This is strange to me." he said, parting Flintfur's pelt, and Goldstar saw the mottling of black across his skin.
"What happened?" she demanded for a third time and the patrol recounted what had happened.
The animals fleeing, the storm, the rain, what it had done when it had touched Flintfur and the deer, and Goldstar had to force her fur to lay flat. But there was terror in her heart, not only because of this strange rain and what it could do, but what had almost happened to Flintfur.
They had been since early in the founding of Hyacinthclan and he had been her deputy since they had formed, and she loved him dearly. She didn't know how she would lead the clan without him, and the terror that he had nearly died, that he could have ended up like this deer, terrified her in ways she could not describe.
"Could this be some kind of sign from Starclan?" she asked, getting her head together.
She was the leader, she had to stay strong for her clan, even if she was currently a queen. Goldstar turned her gaze to the medicine cats, looking them over, hoping for answers. Wasp was new to the clan, with them for less than six moons, but she had an undeniable connection to Starclan and was good with herbs besides. Plumsong technically had seniority, but still, they all deferred to Jackdawnudge.
Plumsong seemed to be thinking, paws kneading the ground, Wasp just looked dumbstruck, and Jackdawnudge's expression was unreadable.
"Starclan doesn't typically send such... Deadly things. There have been no whispers, no dreams, no omens, nothing. I don't think this could be Starclan." Plumsong said, flicking his tail.
"I never saw anything like that, not even on my own. Never heard of it either." Wasp said, coiling her own tail tightly around herself.
"I... Was any of it black? Did you see anything... Strange?" Jackdawnudge rasped and they all looked at him.
"Like what?" Skypelt asked.
"If you have to ask, then you didn't." Jackdawnudge said and everyone wanted answers.
Except Civetbeak; hard of hearing, the tom hadn't heard what his father had quietly said, though he had become adept at reading lips.
He had been watching Plumsong, however, and Jackdawnudge refused to elaborate.
"I felt something." Amberpaw said, his voice quiet.
Goldstar looked at the apprentice, sitting well out of everyone's reach, and Plumsong sat forward.
"What did you feel?" he demanded, bronze eyes sharp.
"I- Uh- I don't know. It was just something. Like something was there, but there was nothing to see." Amberpaw said, scuffing his paw against the floor.
Plumsong seemed annoyed, but there was nothing more they could get out of Amberpaw. Perhaps it had been a Starclan cat, perhaps something in Amberpaw's head... Or soemthing else altogether.
But there was no way now, and Jackdawnudge and Plumsong said they would go to the Beach of Stars tonight, even if it wasn't a half moon tonight.
"Do you think the other clans saw anything? It came from over Weedclan's territory." Flintfur said and that didn't help Goldstar's unease.
What if all of Weedclan had died from that? What if they were lying like that deer that had been described to her in the territory and camp? And what if it happened again? Would Hyacinthclan be safe? How could they protect themselves?
"I'll send warriors, and you as well, Wasp. A medicine cat is sure to ease anything. Wiggity Wacks as well." Goldstar said, speaking of their mediator.
"I can do that-" Flintfur began, but Jackdawnudge's paw shot out.
"You're staying here and resting. This injury is strange; there is no telling what could come of it." he growled and Flintfur sank back down to his moss.
Goldstar organized the patrol quickly, not only to go to Weedclan but to Ferretclan, Kinkclan, and Foggyclan as well, if they could. Skypelt headed it and took Stoneleaf, Wasp, Wiggity Wacks, and Tumbledaisy with her.
Then she checked on Flintfur, burying her nose in his pelt, breathing in his scent, and he licked her cheek.
"I'm all right, Goldstar." he murmured, licking her again.
"I know. I know. But I can't imagine losing you." Goldstar whispered, rubbing against him gently.
She stayed a little longer and then went to her kits, checking on them and explaining to them that Flintfur was in the medicine cat den, but he was in good paws.
Then she sought out Amberpaw, who was sitting on the shore of the lake, batting listlessly at a piece of kelp.
"Amberpaw." she said and he glanced up.
Truth be told, she still saw him as a little kit, even though he was six moons. It wasn't so long ago that the entire clan had been worried about his wellbeing and feared he would die, and the day Ashtalon had died, he had been brought back to camp in Skypelt's jaws, even as she helped Quietback carry Ashtalon.
Amberkit, as he had been called then, had snuck out of camp because he had wanted to see his father on patrol, go with him like a warrior, because his father had been a great warrior, and luckily he hadn't seen what had happened. They had found him on the way back, wet and bedraggled from a tumble in a stream, repeatedly asking what had happened to Ashtalon.
How little and innocent he had seemed that day. But he was a 'paw now, and had become a very closed-off cat. He hadn't been able to stand for anyone to touch him since Ashtalon had died, and no one knew why. Jackdawnudge said that it was likely a result of trauma; he had only been three moons old and been through so much, after all.
"Yes, leader?" Amberpaw asked, sitting up.
"I want to thank you for saving Flintfur. I... That was a very brave thing you did. Thank you." Goldstar said earnestly.
Amberpaw just shrugged. "I wasn't going to leave him."
"You saved our deputy, but more than that, you saved my mate, the father of my kits, and thanks to you, they still have their father. I... Thank you." Goldstar said weakly, realizing she was being incredibly vulnerable to a six-moon-old apprentice, and neither of them needed that.
He just nodded and that was that, she supposed.
"Get some fresh-kill and rest." she told him.
Later, she would make an announcement to the rest of the clan about the strange rain and what had happened. They needed to know, even though she hoped it was something that would not happen again. The patrol she had sent out would only return in the morning, reporting that the other four clans were safe and had not seen anything of the sort. But they were warned, and in the days to follow, the medicine cats from those clans and deputies would come and demand answers.
Goldstar would take them to the remains of the deer and they would have to admit it wasn't natural, that Hyacinthclanw wasn't making it up.
And Jackdawnudge and Plumsong would have nothing to report. No word from Starclan, no omen, no sign, no explanation, no dream, nothing. Either it was something Starclan was keeping silent about for a reason, it was something they didn't know about, or... Or Starclan had abandoned them. That was something Goldstar could not even bring herself to consider.
But, that rain, what had happened... It was only the beginning.
Amberpaw had been excited to have Civetbeak as his mentor- Civetbeak was a kind cat, a good warrior, and was a little legendary in the clan for adopting a litter so young.
The young black tom was walking behind Flintfur, who was leading the patrol, and Skypelt, who was walking side-by-side with the deputy, her long gray fur blending into his long black.
The entire patrol was dark in pelt color, actually, though Amberpaw was certainly the palest, his coat a lighter gray. He looked like his mother and his father both, they told him, but he had never seen his mother, and in all honest, he only had a few fuzzy memories of Ashtalon.
Sometimes, he felt like the entire clan fussed over him, because he was the son of Ashtalon and Copsespots. Because his mother had died giving birth to him, and his father had died barely three moons later, crushed beneath a branch while defending the clan. And because his siblings, Firkit and Shrewkit, had died before the first moon of their life.
He didn't see why that made him special. He didn't want to be special. He just wanted to be Amberpaw, apprentice of Hyacinthclan, nothing special, no one to watch and fuss over. And Skypelt fussed over him quite a bit.
She had adopted him, taken care of him until he was ready to be an apprentice, and he was grateful to her, but... She was always pushing him, even before he had had his ceremony.
Train, learn, watch, because you will be the best, my little kit.
Skulking at the back of the patrol, Amberpaw really wished that it could just be him and Civetbeak today. He didn't like that Skypelt was here to watch his every move. But he followed and kept his mouth shut, ears pricked, keeping an eye out. A border patrol, but they would get some prey on the way back, if they found any.
The other four clans didn't bother much with Hyacinthclan's coastal territory, with their cliffs and thick forests, and lush green, rocky cliffs and shores. They called them crazy for living here. Amberpaw liked it, though. Maybe because it was the only place he had ever known, so he couldn't like anything else. He had never even been anywhere else, hadn't seen the other clan's territories, or anything like that. He hadn't even been to a Gathering yet.
Pumapaw, Laurelpaw, Almondpaw, and Furledpaw all refused to tell him much; they didn't seem to particularly care for him, and Amberpaw knew it was because of how the clan treated him. He hadn't asked to be treated like that. He hadn't asked to be special. He didn't want to be. But he didn't care what the older apprentices thought. They might have been his clanmates and he would fight for them, but he didn't have to like them. Skypelt had told him that.
Tulipkit and Fogkit didn't like him much either, but they hadn't played too much in the nursery. Amberpaw did not like other cats touching him. It set his fur on end and made him flinch, and Civetbeak had been exasperated during the battle training they had done so far by it, but Amberpaw couldn't help it. He didn't know why he didn't like other cats touching him, he just didn't.
"Amberpaw, pick those paws up!" Civetbeak called; they hadn't been mentor and apprentice long, but Civetbeak was strict.
Amberpaw obeyed and caught up to the rest of the patrol, the back of his neck prickling, the wind picking up. He glanced over his shoulder, feeling like someone or something was watching him, but he saw nothing.
They kept walking, walking along the green cliffs, the trees further back, when the wind picked up even more, and Flintfur raised his fluffy tail, halting the patrol.
"Looks like rain." Civetbeak commented.
There had been a lot of frequent but quick storms for the past few moons, confining the kits to dens, making everything unpleasant and wet and damp, in a different way from how the breeze off the ocean did.
Amberpaw didn't mind getting wet; he was getting to see the territory, after all.
"If we walk faster, we can hopefully beat it." Skypelt said and there was a general murmur from the other two warriors.
They kept walking, but Amberpaw couldn't help but shake off the feeling that something was there, something was coming, and he kept glancing over his shoulder.
"Amberpaw, quit dawdling and-" Civetbeak began, breaking off as Amberpaw's fur fluffed up.
"Something's wrong." he said, hackles rising, and he didn't know why.
Then, suddenly, a dark cloud swooped from the sky and he flattened himself, because it wasn't moving like a natural cloud, and then the thunder of noise hit them.
Flapping. Caws. Shrieks. Birds. The cloud was all birds, flying away from the storm, and as Amberpaw huddled down, more animals kept appearing. Mice, shrew, voles- Everything was fleeing. Fleeing from the storm, and a strange smell was on the wind, something like when they got near a monster and something like blood, a word Amberpaw had no way to describe.
"Run! Run, come on!" Flintfur shouted and rushed back, tugging at Amberpaw to get him moving.
They pounded across the lush ground, the storm driving down on them in thick, dark clouds, and that scent.
"There!" Flintfut shouted, at the back of the patrol, and Amberpaw spotted it.
A cave in the dark side of the cliff, where the cliffs were sort of stacked before they went up into the forest above, and Skypelt shot toward it. Civetbeak was on her heels and Amberpaw was following, stumbling when his paw caught on a root. He slammed into the ground, knocking the breath from his lungs, and then teeth grabbed his scruff.
Flintfur picked him up like he was a little kit and ran with him, but they didn't beat the storm. A deer flew out of nowhere and though it missed them, Flintfur rolled to avoid it, and he flung Amberpaw into the mouth of the cave. He landed heavily on the stone and Skypelt gathered him close, making him squirm and whimper, his skin prickling unpleasantly, and then the skies opened.
Flintfur was almost to the mouth of the cave when it hit and the raindrops began to slam into him, and then... He started screaming.
He went down, yowling in pain and confusion, and Amberpaw saw that white was spreading across his fur wherever the rain touched it. He was partially protected by an overhang of rock, but his contortions of pain were threatening to drive him into the full downpour, and the deer went down as well, not protected, contorting, writhing, bellowing.
Amberpaw shot forward without thinking and sank his teeth into Flintfur's scruff, hauling on the big tom as best he could, towing him out of the rain, and then Civetbeak was helping him, pulling Flintfur to safety.
Skypelt was just staring with a dumbfounded expression on her face and Flintfur was shaking, a white pattern across his fur like he had gotten snowed on, but the smell was strange, and Civetbeak suddenly slapped moss on it. Flintfur stopped writhing and panted, and Amberpaw curiously poked his paw into that fluffy fur, revealing the skin underneath. It was like the color from his fur had leeched into his skin, staining it weirdly black, and Flintfur hissed when Amberpaw pressed.
Outside their shelter, the deer had stilled, stained white, flesh looking oddly sunken on its bones, any visible skin mottled black like Flintfur's.
"Flintfur?" Amberpaw asked tentatively, and those blue eyes locked on him.
"Are you... All right?" Flintfur wheezed.
"Yes."
"Good." Flintfur said, sucking in a ragged breath.
"Are you hurt? What happened?" Skypelt asked, coming back to herself.
"I'll live. I... I don't know what happened." Flintfur said and they sat there, staring at the rain.
The pain seemed to fade quickly for Flintfur and he was sitting up, taking regular breaths, the white spots on his fur still looking strange.
"What is this?" Civetbeak whispered.
Even as he said it, the rain stopped, gone as quickly as it had come, and Amberpaw started forward.
"No!" Skypelt snapped, grabbing him by his tail and hauling him back.
"I'll check." Flintfur said and padded out before anyone could protest.
But despite what the rain had done, it was harmless now, and they all slunk out, gathering around the deer.
"It looks half-rotted." Civetbeak whispered, eyes ground with terror, fear stinking his pelt.
The deer was completely white, white as a bone, and there was almost no flesh on it, it seemed, bone showing through the hide here and there.
It didn't smell like rot, and yet it looked like it had been dead for ages.
"We're going back to camp. Now. We need to report this to Goldstar and the medicine cats." Flintfur said and Amberpaw wondered if the rain had hit the camp.
He didn't think so, but... What if they went back and the whole clan was like this deer?
He didn't say it and followed the warriors, smelling the fear and the worry on them, and for a moment, he swore something touched him. But he looked and there was no one there, no prey, no cat, no wind-blown leaf. Just nothing.
Uneasy and not even sure if he felt scared like the warriors did, his fur still prickling from Skypelt's touch, Amberpaw picked up his pace, following after the patrol.
