Moon 28 pt 1
Greenleaf
Things had been… fine for Pantherpaw.
Not good.
Not bad.
Just fine.
He’d gotten to hunt a few times. Earlier that morning he’d even managed to catch a gull.
It wasn’t much, but Briarpaw had thanked him when he’d dropped it beside the oven. She’d offered to save him the feathers afterward.
He’d walked away before answering.
Combat training remained slow.
Shadowdive spent most sessions drilling stances, breathing exercises, and stretches meant to “control his emotions.”
Pantherpaw suspected his mentor simply didn’t feel like trying.
At least sometimes Shadowdive let him spar with Sunfrost. The massive warrior was one of the only cats in camp large enough to face him fairly.
During the day Pantherpaw kept his head down.
He hunted.
He trained.
He tried very hard not to notice all the things Leopardpaw got to do that he didn’t.
When jealousy surfaced, he counted breaths.
When anger surfaced, he swallowed it.
When neither worked, he left.
At night he slipped from the apprentice den.
If Briarpaw noticed, she never said anything.
Not that he gave her much opportunity.
The burning glare he shot her whenever she stirred usually convinced her to roll over and mind her own business.
So most every night Pantherpaw climbed to the rocky ledges overlooking the dens, just barely able to squeeze between the ledge and the thorn bush lining the camp.
The stone still held the day’s warmth long after sunset.
Out there he could breathe.
The ocean stretched endlessly before him, waves rolling against the shore in a steady rhythm that drowned out the noise inside his head.
The buzzing never truly left.
It lived beneath his skin.
In his paws.
In his teeth.
A restless energy that never stopped moving.
His claws scraped against the rock.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Grinding against the rough stone helped sometimes.
Other times— like tonight— he bit himself.
Not enough to break skin.
Just enough.
Enough to feel the pressure in his jaw.
Enough to feel something sharp and grounding.
That hunting feeling.
That bloody feeling.
The feeling of sinking teeth into prey and knowing exactly what to do.
It soothed him.
The same way nursing beside Nighthowl once had.
A heavy sigh escaped him as the tension slowly drained from his shoulders.
“What’re you doing?”
Pantherpaw nearly jumped out of his pelt.
His teeth clamped down too hard.
Pain shot through his forearm.
Below him, a pair of wide golden eyes stared upward.
Moonkit tilted her head.
“Why’re you sleeping on the rocks?”
Pantherpaw blinked.
“I…”
His brain supplied absolutely nothing.
“Don’t you have a nest?”
Still nothing.
Moonkit’s expression brightened.
“I can help you make one,” she offered. “Mommy taught me how.”
Pantherpaw stared.
“What are you doing awake?”
Moonkit immediately looked guilty.
Her paws shuffled in the sand.
“I wanted to see the stars.”
“You should be asleep.” He grumbled.
Her eyes shot back to his incredulously. “But you’re awake, too.”
The protest came loud enough that Pantherpaw instantly flattened his ears.
“Shhh!”
Moonkit jumped.
He dropped from the ledge beside her, heat shooting up his bitten forearm.
“Keep your voice down,” He hissed. “We’ll get caught.”
“Okay.”
The agreement came immediately.
Moonkit purred and stepped forward, attempting to rub against his leg.
Pantherpaw flinched backward before he could stop himself.
Moonkit froze.
The buzzing returned briefly beneath his skin.
“I don’t…” He glanced away. “Just don’t rub on me.”
Moonkit blinked.
“I don’t always like it.”
“Okay!” She said brightly.
Pantherpaw frowned, skeptical. “That’s it?”
She tilted her head.
“Daddy says lots of cats don’t like cuddling.”
“Oh.”
“Sometimes I forget.”
She sat neatly several tail lengths away.
“So we practice being friends with words instead.”
Pantherpaw stared at her.
Then huffed.
“Whatever.”
His hackles had completely flattened now.
“You still need to go to sleep.”
“Can I stay a little longer?”
Moonkit looked up hopefully.
Pantherpaw immediately regretted looking back.
Nobody looked at him like that.
Not without worry attached.
Not without pity.
Not without fear.
Just hopeful.
Waiting.
Certain he’d say yes.
“…Fine.”
Her entire face lit up.
“But be quiet.”
She squealed. “I can do that!”
“You literally just shouted it.” He said through gritted teeth.
Moonkit slapped both paws over her mouth.
Pantherpaw groaned.
Still, she stayed.
The two sat together beneath the stars.
Watching the Silver Pelt stalk across the sky.
Listening to the waves.
Listening to the wind.
At some point Pantherpaw realized the buzzing was gone.
Not quieter.
Gone.
A soft weight settled against his side.
He glanced down.
Moonkit had fallen asleep curling into him.
Tiny snores puffed against his fur.
His muscles twitched automatically.
Waiting for irritation.
For discomfort.
For the need to move.
None came.
So Pantherpaw stayed perfectly still.
For once.
As dawn painted the horizon pink, he finally nudged Moonkit awake.
She was so exhausted she could barely stand.
By the time he escorted her back toward the nursery, she was stumbling with every step.
At the entrance he gave her a gentle nudge forward.
Moonkit mumbled something unintelligible and vanished inside.
Pantherpaw watched until she disappeared.
Blue eyes watched back.
Hee returned to the apprentice den.
The buzzing returned almost immediately.
Not as bad as before.
But enough.
Curled into his nest, tail flicking restlessly against the moss, Pantherpaw stared at the ceiling.
Exhausted.
Wide awake.
Familiar feathers now lining the nest.
Greenleaf sunlight spilled across SaltClan’s camp, bright enough to turn the sand a pale gold. The day had barely begun, yet camp was already awake. Briarpaw sat near the ovens stoking the fire, Lynxdawn sorted herbs beneath the shade of her den, and the kits chased each other around the driftwood log.
Shadowdive was sprawled beside them.
Jaggedkit climbed onto his back while moonkit batted at his tail. He endured it with the long-suffering patience of a cat who’d already lost this battle moons ago.
“You’re supposed to be a terrifying warrior.”
Wolfstar’s voice came from behind him.
Shadowdive glanced over one shoulder with a wiley grin. “I am.”
The kit currently standing on his head squealed triumphantly.
Wolfstar sat beside him, amusement flickering briefly across her face before fading.
The silence that followed made Shadowdive’s ears twitch.
Something was wrong.
“What?” He asked, letting the kits slide off him.
Wolfstar stared across camp.
“I spoke to Pantherpaw this morning.” She began.
There it was.
Shadowdive carefully lowered his head so the kit could slide off.
“Oh.”
“That’s all you’ve got?” She asked, dissatisfied.
He looked away, staring at the waves. “What did he tell you?”
Wolfstar’s tail lashed once.
“That he hasn’t trained in combat for nearly half a moon.”
Shadowdive winced. “He has.”
“Shadowdive.” She hissed, voice low.
“Not every day.”
Wolfstar fixed him with a stare.
Not angry.
Disappointed.
Somehow worse.
“You took him out to the borders twice last moon.” She prodded his side.
“I know.”
“Twice.”
“I know.”
The kits had apparently decided this conversation was boring and wandered off. Only morningkit staying to watch her parents speak in low tones.
Shadowdive watched them go before sighing.
“I’m trying.”
Wolfstar frowned.
“Trying?” She huffed.
“I am.”
His voice remained calm.
Not defensive.
Just tired.
He shook his head. “You think I don’t know how bad it looks?”
“Then why is it happening?”
Shadowdive gestured toward the kits.
“Because somebody has to be here.” He muttered.
“That’s not fair,” Her ears pinned back. “You chose to be here and you requested pantherpaw.”
He rolled to face her, large paws covering her as he looked up imploringly. “That’s not what I meant, it’s just….”
Shadowdive looked over his shoulder.
Wolfstar followed his gaze.
Their two youngest were now attempting to convince Briarpaw to let them help gut fish. The apprentice looked seconds away from surrendering, mercifully Mallowstripe sent them back to the driftwood.
Shadowdive continued. “You lead the clan.”
Wolfstar opened her mouth.
He cut her off. “No. Listen.”
The bluntness earned him a scoff, but he pressed on anyway.
“You lead patrols. You handle disputes. You attend every gathering. Half the clan comes to you whenever they have a problem.”
Wolfstar didn’t argue.
Because it was true.
“And Mallowstripe practically runs half this camp, without him we’d be in trouble.” Shadowdive nodded toward the prey pile. “He cooks. He preserves prey. He manages stores. He trains Briarpaw. If either of you spent all day kitsitting, the clan would suffer.”
His gaze softened.
“So I do it.”
Wolfstar’s ears lowered slightly.
“Shadow—”
“No.” For once, he sounded frustrated.
Not angry.
Just exhausted.
“I want to be there.”
Wolfstar purred.
Shadowdive rarely admitted things so directly, but when he did it made her heart leap.
“I know Pantherpaw deserves better.”
The words came slowly.
“I know I’ve been failing him.”
He looked toward the apprentices’ den.
“But these kits need me, I don’t want to pawn them off on a nurse or clanmate all day.”
A pause.
“They only get one kithood.”
Wolfstar looked away.
The sounds of camp filled the silence.
Gulls overhead.
Waves crashing beyond the rocks.
One of their kits laughing.
Shadowdive’s voice grew quieter. “When I was young, my parents were always somewhere else.”
Wolfstar’s tail twitched.
Shadowdive almost never spoke about his kithood, his life before Saltclan.
“Snowspeckle is closer to my dad than I ever was.” He looked down again. “I told myself if I ever had kits—“
He stopped.
Then shrugged.
“I wouldn’t do that.”
Wolfstar’s expression softened.
“I know you’re trying.”
Shadowdive exhaled.
“Good.”
“But Pantherpaw still needs a mentor.” She finished.
His shoulders immediately tensed again.
There it was.
The real problem.
Wolfstar stood.
“I’ll take him.”
Shadowdive stared.
“No.”
Wolfstar blinked.
“No?”
She looked offended enough that Shadowdive almost regretted saying it.
Almost.
“Why?” She asked.
He hesitated.
Because saying the real reason sounded ridiculous.
Because it sounded petty.
Because it probably was.
“Nighthowl.”
Wolfstar groaned, eyes rolling. “Oh, stars, we’ve been over this.”
“Well she hasn’t gotten the message.” He growled, tail lashing. “You know exactly what I mean.”
“I do not.” She pressed a paw to his side with a giggle. “You’re being ridiculous, she’s laid off since returning to warriors duty. It was just a crush.”
“You know she’s not over you.”
Wolfstar sat back down, giving him a firm look, still smiling. “Shadowdive.”
“Nighthowl already worships the ground you walk on.”
Wolfstar opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Because that wasn’t too far fetched.
“We’ve already discussed this.” Shadowdive continued. “If Pantherpaw starts training under you, she’s going to think it’s validation.”
Wolfstar rubbed a paw across her face. “I know but that’s not a good enough reason to stall his training.”
“There’s gotta be another option.”
Wolfstar sighed.
“Fine, let’s go over those options.”
She sat quietly for a moment.
Then began listing names.
“Sandswipe is not ready, maybe in a season, but not today.”
Shadowdive nodded reluctantly.
“Ottersplash already has an apprentice, and you agree that those paws should be kept separate.”
“Agreed.”
“Snowspeckle’s an artisan and has already asked to not mentor any warriors.”
“Yes.”
“Nighthowl can’t train him.”
Shadowdive flicked an ear.
“Because?”
“Because Pantherpaw needs a hunter and fighter, and that’s not her.”
He couldn’t help the pleasant thrum of his heart at her words.
“Thistle’s a caretaker.”
“Yes.”
“And Rippleclaw is still missing.”
Silence.
That one stung.
Neither spoke for several heartbeats.
Finally Shadowdive sighed.
The fight drained out of him.
Because he knew she was right.
There wasn’t anyone else.
Wolfstar rose to her paws.
“I’ll make it official.”
Shadowdive watched her.
“You’ve already decided?” He asked wryly.
“I decided before I walked over here.” A faint smile tugged at one side of her muzzle. “I just wanted to know why.”
Shadowdive smiled back sadly.
“I’m sorry,” He said, paw resting on hers again. “I know this wasn’t easy for you.”
She brushed her tail briefly against his cheek as she passed, giving his ear a loving lick.
A small gesture.
A thank you.
Then she leapt onto the Pale Trunk overlooking camp.
The chatter below immediately quieted.
Cats looked up.
Wolfstar lifted her head.
“SaltClan!”
Conversations stopped entirely.
Warriors emerged from dens.
Apprentices abandoned their chores.
“Let all cats old enough to swim in the tide pools gather for a clan meeting.”
The sun bore down heavily on Ottersplash’s pelt as he led the patrol east, heat pressing through the canopy in thick, wavering shafts. The forest had gone strangely quiet beneath Greenleaf’s weight. Even the insects seemed sluggish.
Leopardpaw stalked at his left flank with obvious displeasure, amber eyes cutting sideways toward Sandswipe, who paced easily at his right.
Her tail lashed.
His eyes narrowed.
“Don’t-“
But she spoke faster.
“I should be on his right, I’m his apprentice.” She said haughtily.
“Leopardpaw.” He hissed, shooting her a sharp look.
“I’m just sayin-“
“Not every patrol uses that formation.” Sandswipe shot back just as fiercely. “Plus you’d still end up on the left as an apprentice.”
“Sandswipe don’t encourage this debate.” He sighed, hackles rising.
“But I’m HIS apprentice, that means in this specific patrol I should be right flank.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“If you it’s not a big deal, then let me be right flank.”
“Well now I’m not gonna since you’re being a flea about this.”
He loud out a low pitched hiss, tail lashing as they finally looked to him.
Ottersplash wheeled so sharply dead leaves scattered beneath his paws.
“That’s enough!”
The snarl cracked through the trees hard enough that both cats froze.
His tail lashed once, shoulders tense. “I don’t want to hear another word out of either of you.”
Silence.
Not obedient silence, exactly. Leopardpaw’s ears pinned flat while Sandswipe stared stubbornly off into the brush, both of them still bristling with leftover irritation.
“Go cool off.” He said after a long breath. “Leopardpaw, head toward the graveyard . Sandswipe, to the Hollow Nest.”
Leopardpaw opened her mouth like she might argue again, then thought better of it beneath his stare.
“Fine.” She muttered.
Sandswipe flicked her tail dramatically. “Gladly.”
The two split off through opposite sides of the clearing.
Ottersplash remained where he was, letting out a long breath as ocean wind drifted faintly through the trees. It carried salt, damp earth—
—and something dry.
His nose twitched.
Ottersplash bit back a groan. Leopardpaw wasn’t cruel by nature, but she’d been doted on since kithood—praised for every clever comment, indulged through every sulk. She carried herself like the world ought to shift around her simply because she expected it to.
“Acting like kits,” He grumbled instead, shaking the thought away. “Arguing over nonsense during a border patrol.”
He knew what this was about, Pantherpaw receiving a new mentor.
The exact mentor Leopardpaw had tried to demand.
Since that day, Leopardpaw had been an urchin, huffing and puffing all day like every moment offended her.
Coralheart and Wolfstar had assured him, she’d eventually adapted and move on.
Still, unease prickled beneath his fur.
Maybe it was the weather. Greenleaf heat had settled strange over the territory these past few days—too dry, too still. The underbrush crackled beneath pawsteps now.
He exhaled slowly.
Should’ve brought Sunfrost, he thought bitterly. Even Frostcurl.
Leopardpaw especially seemed impossible around most any warrior— but especially Sandswipe. Like she viewed the older warrior as some personal challenge she needed to overcome.
Meanwhile Sandswipe barely notices she exists half the time.
At least Leopardpaw mostly avoided Pantherpaw. The few times they did interact ended in snarling matches loud enough for the whole camp to hear.
Ottersplash grimaced.
“It’s been long enough.”
He pushed himself to his paws and headed first toward Leopardpaw’s assigned route.
The graveyard trail sat empty.
His irritation sharpened immediately.
“Leopardpaw?”
Nothing.
He lowered his nose to the earth, following her scent trail through crushed ferns and brittle grass. At first it headed correctly westward—
Then curved sharply east.
Toward the border.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he hissed.
If she thinks she’s being sneaky—
He spun and broke into a trot through the undergrowth.
Branches scraped his flanks as he pushed forward, pace quickening.
Behind him came pounding pawsteps.
“Hey!”
Sandswipe burst through the brush to catch him. “What’s wrong?”
“Didn’t I tell you to check the Hollow Nest?”
“I did. Then I came back.” She rolled her eyes. “I was gonna apologize before you died of stress.”
Ottersplash ignored that. “Leopardpaw doubled back toward the border.”
Sandswipe swore under her breath. “Mouse-brained little showoff.”
“If she crossed into the kittypet paths—”
“I know.”
They ran harder.
The forest blurred around them in flashes of shadow and sunlight. Dry brush snagged at their paws. Dust rose from the earth with every stride.
And that strange scent returned.
Stronger now.
Ottersplash slowed abruptly.
The air had changed.
The forest no longer smelled green.
A sharp bitterness coated the back of his throat.
Sandswipe coughed beside him. “What is that?”
Another gust of wind slammed through the trees.
This time it carried heat.
Not sunlight.
Heat.
Ottersplash’s eyes widened as dark smoke rolled between the trunks ahead.
“Fire.”
The word barely left his mouth before panic exploded through the forest.
Birds shrieked overhead. Something large crashed blindly through brush deeper in the trees.
Then came the sound.
Crackling.
Alive.
Flames burst suddenly through a wall of dry undergrowth ahead, racing sideways faster than seemed possible. They climbed dead brush in an instant, orange light swallowing the shadows.
“Foxdung!” Sandswipe leapt back as sparks scattered across her paws.
Smoke engulfed the clearing almost immediately, thick enough to sting Ottersplash’s eyes shut. Through the haze he caught glimpses of shiny Twoleg roofs somewhere beyond the trees.
Too close to the border.
“Where’s Leopardpaw?” he yowled.
No answer.
Another crack split the air.
“Ottersplash!”
Sandswipe slammed into him just as a burning branch crashed where he’d stood moments before.
The impact sent them tumbling hard across the dirt.
Ottersplash clawed desperately for purchase while smoke choked his lungs.
Beside him Sandswipe hit a stone with a sickening thud.
“Sandswipe?”
She didn’t answer.
Fear punched straight through him.
He crawled toward her low against the ground where the air was barely clearer. Blood trickled from a gash across her head, her breathing thin and uneven.
“Dammit.” He wheezed.
The fire roared louder now.
Where is she? Panic clawed through him. Leopardpaw—
A shower of sparks rained overhead.
He couldn’t stay.
Couldn’t leave.
His vision blurred violently as smoke filled his lungs.
“Fuck—”
Coughing hard, he grabbed Sandswipe by the scruff and hauled her over his shoulders.
A burning tree limb crashed nearby.
Another blocked the path behind him.
The exits were disappearing.
“Leopardpaw!” He screamed hoarsely into the smoke. “Run! I’ll find you later—just RUN!”
No response came.
Only fire.
Ottersplash lunged forward blindly.
Heat scorched his whiskers. Flames snapped at the undergrowth around his paws. The smoke grew so thick he could barely tell earth from shadow anymore.
Please, Tumblefall, guide me—
Pain exploded across his flank.
He screamed silently as fire caught his fur.
The smell hit first.
Burnt pelt. Burnt flesh.
Then agony.
But he couldn’t stop.
He ran harder.
Leaping fallen branches. Crashing through brush. Sandswipe’s foreleg hung limp against his chest, the only proof she was still there.
The world narrowed to smoke and heat and instinct.
Then suddenly—
Cold air.
Ottersplash burst from the flames into an open clearing so abruptly it barely felt real. Sand shifted beneath his paws instead of burning leaves.
He staggered forward blindly, lungs shredding with every breath.
A shape appeared ahead.
He slammed into another body hard enough to collapse.
The last thing he felt was cool sand against scorched skin.
Then darkness swallowed him whole.
“I’ll show him.” Leopardpaw hissed, the trees and brush a blur to her. “I’ll show her!”
Her claws tore up the ground as she sprinted, launching herself over a fallen log, landing hard enough to rattle her teeth.
Still she raced on.
“I’ll show them all!” She snarled, her lungs burning with the distance, limbs on fire.
Her vision narrowed to only a single dot.
Then—
Nothing at all.
Her body hit the ground with a thud as the forest blazed around her.
Cat Allegiances:
Wolfstar- 34 moons. Leader. Responsible. Compassionate. Keen eye. Apprentice- pantherpaw
Lynxdawn- 29 moons. Lead Cleric. Thoughtful. Faithful. Good teacher.
Snowspeckle- 45 moons. Deputy. Artisan. Loving→Polished. Thoughtful. Great singer
Nighthowl- 85 moons. Warrior. Insecure. Lonesome. Watches humans.
Nightleap- 49 moons. Warrior. Insecure. Sneaky. Incredible runner
Thistle-39 moons. Caretaker. Troublesome. Thoughtful. Keen eye.
Mallowstripe- 35 moons. Camp keeper. Nervous. Careful. Dream walker. Apprentice: Briarpaw
Shadowdive- 33 moons. Warrior. Blood thirsty. Loyal. Talented Swimmer
Rippleclaw - 21 moons. Warrior apprentice. Troublesome. Adventurous. Fast runner. Permanent condition: Partial hearing loss. Missing.
Ottersplash - 21 moons. Warrior apprentice. Insecure. Childish→Methodical. Good swimmer. Apprentice: Leopardpaw
Sunfrost - 18 moons. Warrior. Oblivious. Playful. Good climber
Frostcurl - 16 moons. Warrior. Bold. Faithful. Formidable fighter
Dropletshine- 16 moons. Historian apprentice. Nervous. Lonesome. Learner of lore
Kelpjay- 16 moons. Artisan apprentice. Charismatic. Responsible. Good potter
Coralheart- 16 moons. Mediator apprentice. Flamboyant. Confident. Fast runner
Sandswipe- 16 moons. Warrior apprentice. Fierce. Confident. Good hunter.
Briarpaw- 10 moons. Thoughtful. Lonesome. Picky nest builder. Mentor- Mallowstripe.
Leopardpaw- 8 moons. Inquisitive. Daring. Always wandering. Mentor: Ottersplash
Pantherpaw- 8 moons. Fearless. Unruly. Avid play fighter. Mentor: Shadowdive→Wolfstar
Cherrytail- 115 moons. Lonesome. Wise. Good mediator. Permanent Condition: Raspy lungs
Morningkit- 3 moon. Quiet. Inquisitive. Loves nature
Jaggedkit- 3 moon. Unruly. Troublesome. Avid play fighter
Moonkit- 3 moon. Sweet. Noisy. Loves to sing
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