Work Text:
The forest was in that wonderful state of half alive and half dead that many long furred cats adored. The light and dark greens of summer mixed with the reds, oranges, yellows, and browns of autumn to form a tortoiseshell pelt across ElkClan territory. A formation of geese flew overhead. The sky mimicked the forest in its bright dawn hues. Four toms trailed down a deer path, each one huge and fluffy.
“Every mentor teaches their apprentice to climb on the Scratching Oak,” Roachspring scoffed. He walked beside Cardinalblaze while their apprentices trotted behind. “You don’t really want to follow tradition, do you?”
“I don’t!” Weaselpaw chirped, jumping between Roachspring and Cardinalblaze.
“Then where should they learn to climb?” Cardinalblaze snapped. Roachspring smiled a wicked smile. He leapt off the deer path, with Weaselpaw close behind.
“Wait up!” Pondpaw yowled, running away from his mentor. Cardinalblaze groaned and followed the group.
Roachspring stopped beside a mossy pine. Cardinalblaze glared at his brother. Pine trees were terrible to climb when you didn’t know how! They couldn’t start Weaselpaw and Pondpaw on a pine tree! Roachspring flourished his paw and pointed to a tree in front of him. There was a tall weeping willow with thick, sturdy branches. Some of the leaves were bright yellow, turning it into a mix of green and gold.
“It’s beautiful,” Pondpaw gasped.
“I must admit, dear brother,” Cardinalblaze laughed, “I wouldn’t have expected you to pick such a gorgeous tree for our lesson.” Roachspring started to speak, but Cardinalblaze added “I’m sure you have some morbid story about liking the tree, but I’m not hearing it.” Roachspring frowned while Weaselpaw hid a laugh. Pondpaw ran to the base of the tree and dug his claws into the bark. His back paws kicked at the ground.
“It won’t work that way!” Roachspring scoffed. He trotted to Pondpaw. He jumped onto the trunk, limbs splayed across the bark. His back claws dug in, keeping him steady. “Copy me, come on.” Weaselpaw bolted to the willow and jumped at the bark. His back paws slipped, but he held on as tight as he could. Pondpaw carefully looked over Roachspring, noting his tail, his hindlegs, his forelegs. He stretched out and dug his fore paws into the willow, then pulled his hind legs up to mimic Roachspring.
“Here’s the full technique,” Cardinalblaze declared. He launched at a less grand and colorful maple. For a moment, Cardinalblaze ran up the tree, paws flying like he was on stable ground. In a moment he was copying Roachspring’s pose. As he climbed, he pulled himself with his forelegs and caught the tree with his hindlegs. He was soon standing in the branches of the maple, watching everyone from above. “Can you do that?”
“Yeah,” Weaselpaw chirped. His forelegs, which had grown muscular in the half moon since he began his training, propelled him to the nearest branch. He towered over his brother, smiling.
“Should I take this slow?” Pondpaw gulped.
“Don’t be scared!” Weaselpaw laughed, running to the edge of the branch. “Just copy us!” Pondpaw dragged himself up the willow. His forelegs shook. He felt like his claws were going to rip away.
“Let’s get you some help,” Roachspring sighed, hopping off the tree. He got under Pondpaw and shoved him up. Pondpaw scrambled to join Weaselpaw.
“You still have kit fat,” Weaselpaw scoffed.
“I do not!” Pondpaw whined.
“Ah, memories,” Roachspring purred, looking at Cardinalblaze. “Were we ever so young?”
“Not much has changed,” Cardinalblaze grumbled. He hopped further up the maple. “Try and get higher!” Now that the apprentices were in the jumping range of the willow’s thick and sturdy branches, Weaselpaw and Pondpaw could jump from one branch to another. Weaselpaw easily landed on a higher branch. Pondpaw’s back leg slipped. He dug his claws into the branch and stayed on.
“Cardinalblaze, I’m not sure about this,” Pondpaw whined.
“ElkClan belongs in the trees!” Cardinalblaze declared. “It simply takes time to learn. Up, up, up we go!” Roachspring joined him in the maple. He launched up the tree, scurrying like a squirrel. Weaselpaw’s grip on the tree was clumsy, but he was pulling himself up. Pondpaw strained under his own weight. He hissed, falling back onto the branch.
“Someone needs a better mentor!” Roachspring laughed, rump wiggling in the higher branches of the maple. Cardinalblaze leapt from the maple to the willow. He passed Weaselpaw, who was still continuing his climb. Cardinalblaze stopped by his apprentice, who glared at the willow with hate.
“I’m doing what you’re doing,” Pondpaw snapped. “You pull yourself up by your forelegs, then support your hindlegs. I can’t pull myself up!”
“That’s surprisingly detailed,” Cardinalblaze noted. “We never said that.”
“My mom taught me to pay attention to the little things,” Pondpaw muttered, grooming to hide his shame.
“If there’s anything my brother can teach,” Cardinalblaze huffed, glancing at the gray tabby tom at the top of the maple, “it’s how to come up with creative solutions. If that way of climbing doesn’t work for you, try something else!” A gray squirrel darted towards the maple tree. Pondpaw watched it climb. As it ascended, it seemed to run up the tree, foreleg and hindleg moving in unison, then giving way to the other foreleg and hindleg.
“You aren’t allowed to make fun of me,” Pondpaw grumbled.
“I’m your mentor!” Cardinalblaze laughed. “Why would I make fun?” Pondpaw gritted his teeth. He dug his claws back into the bark. He let go of one foreleg and one hindleg and pulled them up. His body strained once more, muscles screaming, but he could get the other legs up too. He did it one, two more times until he was at the next branch. He laid on the wood, panting.
“There we go!” Cardinalblaze cheered. “We should name you Pondsquirrel!”
“No thanks,” Pondpaw scoffed. Cardinalblaze jumped and climbed to Pondpaw’s side. The apprentice glanced at Weaselpaw, who was almost at the top of the tree. A determined fire shone in his eyes. He climbed up the willow, moving faster this time. The strain was fading away, drifting into the background of his thoughts. He was onto the third branch, and then the fourth branch! He darted to the tip of the branch and stuck his head through the green and yellow canopy.
Pondpaw wasn’t even at the top, yet the world seemed small already. The once thick grass was a thin pelt while the leaves and needles seemed huge. Pondpaw plucked a yellow leaf from the willow and tucked it in his fur. Stoatpool might force him to take it out when he got back to camp, but he thought it was pretty.
Something shook the tree opposite of Pondpaw. He peered through the needles, looking for squirrels. After all, Weaselpaw and Cardinalblaze were in the willow with him while Roachspring watched from the maple. They were the first group to leave that morning, so no one else was around. Yet the sudden smell of crowfood stung Pondpaw’s nose. He gagged, rubbing his muzzle to get the smell out. Did a squirrel die?
Two blue eyes blinked to life from the shadow of the tree, narrowed pupils burning with anger. Pondpaw yelped, backing up. His back paws slipped. His flank tumbled off the willow. He held on for dear life, one paw slipping off with searing pain. Pondpaw grabbed back on, blood dripping down his paw. His willow leaf fell out.
“Help!” Pondpaw squealed, sounding like a kit.
“I’m coming!” Cardinalblaze yowled. He launched up the willow. He scrambled to Pondpaw’s branch and grabbed the apprentice’s scruff. With a loud groan, Cardinalblaze dragged Pondpaw back onto the branch. Pondpaw was frozen, fur fluffed in panic.
“Nice going!” Weaselpaw scoffed, tail dangling off the tree.
“There’s something in the pine tree,” Pondpaw gasped, shooting his tail towards the tree that spooked him.
“I’ll check it!” Roachspring called. He jumped from the maple across two other trees to get to the pine. He got a few needles stuck in his fur as he stuck his face out of the same spot where Pondpaw saw the eyes. “I don’t see anything! Smells like carrion over here.” Pondpaw licked his paw. His claw was nearly torn out, soaked in blood.
“Saltfrost can see to that, never fear!” Cardinalblaze assured him.
“You got scared by a squirrel?” Weaselpaw asked.
“It wasn’t a squirrel!” Pondpaw hissed.
“Well I call this a successful lesson,” Roachspring chirped, disappearing into the pine needles. “If the claw falls out, it’s a souvenir!”
“I’d rather have this,” Pondpaw muttered. He grabbed another willow leaf with his good paw, tucking it back in.
“The branches are close enough that we can jump down,” Cardinalblaze sighed. Cardinalblaze hopped off the branch, jumping like a squirrel until he landed on the ground. At least Pondpaw was a better jumper than he was a climber. He followed Cardinalblaze’s path, wincing each time he landed. Weaselpaw plopped beside his brother, grinning.
“I swear I saw something,” Pondpaw huffed. “I’m not making it up!”
“I never said you were!” Cardinalblaze said. “Spiderstorm’s rubbed off on me, I wanna get your paw looked at.”
“If you’re not keeping it, I will,” Roachspring chuckled, suddenly appearing beside Pondpaw. The apprentice jumped, making Weaselpaw laugh.
If there was one thing Weaselpaw and Roachspring had to do when they got back into camp, it was to look sad. For a pair of jokesters like them, it was tough, especially for Roachspring, since someone was dead.
Stiltpelt’s body laid beside Nutstar’s stump, covered in lavender. Cranefeather was still saying his final goodbyes, standing after a long vigil. Frogbelly watched from the warrior’s den, ears low. Spiderstorm was talking to the kits, since half of them couldn’t remember when Tidefang, a warrior, overheated and went to StarClan. Since there were no more elders in the clan, Drizzlecloud and Bearclaw waited for Cranefeather to finish, muttering to themselves. Starlingkit’s gaze drifted from Spiderstorm’s lecture over to the four toms entering camp. Pondpaw was walking close to Cardinalblaze, limping to avoid his paw. Starlingkit stepped away from the nursery and hurried over to Pondpaw.
“Are you okay?” he asked, sniffing at Pondpaw’s wound.
“He tore a claw,” Weaselpaw scoffed.
“That looks like it hurts!” Starlingkit huffed.
“It does,” Pondpaw winced. Scauppaw and Smallpaw came back from the dirtplace and headed towards the group.
“You’re gonna get way tougher wounds in a fight!” Weaselpaw scoffed, batting Pondpaw’s ear. “You can’t be such a kit about it.”
“I’m not being a kit!” Pondpaw snapped.
“Hey, Weaselpaw, making fun of pain isn’t going to help,” Smallpaw interrupted, flanked by Scauppaw, who glared at Weaselpaw. Roachspring sat to soak in the apprentice drama. “Did you tear a claw, Pondpaw? I did that during my first climbing lesson too. It hurts a lot.”
“Thanks,” Pondpaw chuckled awkwardly.
“He didn’t even get it by climbing,” Weaselpaw grunted. “He sucks at it, by the way. He got scared by a squirrel.”
“It wasn’t a squirrel, mouse-brain,” Pondpaw hissed. “It was big and smelled like crow food. Leave me alone.”
“It’s a dumb reason to get hurt,” Weaselpaw explained. “You gotta be better than that!”
“Maybe he would be better at climbing if he didn’t have such an annoying pest breathing down his back,” Scauppaw grumbled, standing beside Pondpaw protectively.
“What do you know about Pondpaw?” Weaselpaw snapped.
“Did someone say something?” Scauppaw scoffed, flicking an ear. “Must have been a bug.”
“Roachspring, control your apprentice,” Bearclaw hissed. He and Drizzlecloud had Stiltpelt’s body flung over their backs, age bearing upon their muzzles. Scauppaw bowed her head. “Throwing insults when a clanmate’s just died is pathetic.”
“Sorry, Bearclaw,” Scauppaw muttered, ears dropped.
“You’re mentors now,” Drizzlecloud sighed, watching Roachspring and Cardinalblaze. “You need to encourage good behavior with the apprentices.”
“Now if you’ll excuse us,” Bearclaw grumbled, “it’s time for Stiltpelt to rest under the roots of her favorite tree.” The group scurried back as Bearclaw and Drizzlecloud carried Stiltpelt out of camp for the last time. Smallpaw bowed her head in respect.
“Come on, Pondpaw,” Scauppaw muttered. “Saltfrost should look at that.” The group escorted Pondpaw across camp to the holy den, leaving Roachspring and Weaselpaw alone. Weaselpaw hissed softly, fluffing up in indignation.
“Let’s find Hazelear, eh?” Roachspring chirped, shaking out the needles in his pelt. “She’ll get us on a hunting patrol. You can bully some mice!”
“You’re such a weird mentor,” Weaselpaw scoffed, relaxing slightly.
“Thank you!” Roachspring giggled, trotting towards the warrior’s den. Weaselpaw hurried after him. Meanwhile, Saltfrost was deconstructing Stiltpelt’s old nest in the holy den. The moss was still usable, but what patient would like to rest in someone’s death nest? She was absorbed in her task when Pondpaw’s large entourage entered the den.
“Did you say it smelled like crow food?” Starlingkit asked.
“What’s with the crowd?” Saltfrost sighed, still picking apart the nest.
“We’re just talking,” Scauppaw said. “Pondpaw tore a claw.”
“It smelled like carrion and had angry blue eyes,” Pondpaw explained. He held his aching paw to Saltfrost.
“Dowitcherpelt,” Starlingkit gasped. Saltfrost sniffed Pondpaw’s claw.
“Go ahead and take a nest,” Saltfrost muttered. She shoved the torn moss away.
“What did you say, Starlingkit?” Smallpaw asked as Pondpaw sat.
“The dead smell and the blue eyes reminds me of Dowitcherpelt,” Starlingkit stammered, laughing awkwardly.
“You already know the story of Dowitcherpelt!” Cardinalblaze cheered. “You’re one step closer to being the clan’s greatest story-keeper!” Pondpaw frowned softly, staring at his paw, but no one noticed. Saltfrost chewed up some comfrey root, but her ears were turned towards Starlingkit.
“Who’s Dowitcherpelt?” Scauppaw asked.
“Yes, let’s see what you know!” Cardinalblaze declared, sitting beside Starlingkit. “Tell the story just as you remember it, no details left out!”
“I’ll try,” Starlingkit gulped. “Before the reign of Nutstar and her predecessor Lilacstar, during the leadership of his predecessor… I can’t remember the name.”
“It was Bitternstar,” Cardinalblaze whispered.
“There was a warrior named Dowitcherpelt,” Starlingkit explained. “She had big blue eyes and a gray coat that got caught in the trees when she hunted. She had an apprentice named Pollackpaw. He turned out to be a terrible hunter who could barely climb. He was loved by the clan for his storytelling, at least. One day, the healers were walking near the Scratching Oak. One of them was Sootpaw, Pollackpaw’s sister. Sootpaw smelled something horrible, like the fresh kill pile left out too long. She left her mentor behind and followed the scent. She found Pollackpaw’s smashed body at the base of a pine.”
“Let me guess, Dowitcherpelt killed him?” Scauppaw guessed.
“Let him finish!” Cardinalblaze shushed.
“The story-keepers were called to the scene,” Starlingkit said. “When they climbed the pine tree, they found tufts of gray fur stuck in the needles. All eyes turned to Dowitcherpelt. She was brought to trial and found guilty of murdering her own apprentice. She was given one chance before her sentence to explain her actions. Dowitcherpelt admitted to murdering Pollackpaw in a fit of rage, humiliated by her failure to train him properly. When he revealed he wanted to be a counselor, she pushed him out of the tree. Bitternstar ordered the execution of Dowitcherpelt.”
“I saw the figure in a pine tree,” Pondpaw gasped. He flinched as Saltfrost rubbed comfrey root into his paw.
“For the rest of her life, when Sootpaw wandered through the forest,” Starlingkit muttered, “she would smell carrion in the trees and see flashes of gray fur and blue eyes, always trying to get close.”
“Starlingkit, are you trying to say Pondpaw saw a cat from the Eternal Tide?” Saltfrost sighed.
“The story fits,” Cardinalblaze gulped.
“Really?” Saltfrost scoffed, layering a cobweb over Pondpaw’s claw.
“He had to see something,” Smallpaw mumbled.
“Not a ghost,” Saltfrost huffed.
“Why not?” Cardinalblaze grunted, tail raised high. “I’ve seen one.”
“You have?” Pondpaw gasped. “Where? Who was it?”
“He…” Cardinalblaze began. His gaze drifted onto Starlingkit. His ears lowered. He rubbed his paw, which bore a small scar on the pad, into the den floor. “He was a StarClan cat. I don’t think it would be ridiculous to think the spirit of Dowitcherpelt is stalking the trees!”
“Here’s the reality of what happened,” Saltfrost sighed, shaking her head. “Pondpaw nearly tore out a claw. He’s going to have to rest his paw while it heals. That means no hunting, no battle training, and no climbing.”
“I want to know more about ghosts, Cardinalblaze,” Pondpaw stammered, standing on three legs.
“Then more stories you shall hear!” Cardinalblaze declared. “Starlingkit can join! Onwards, future story-keepers!” Cardinalblaze marched out of the den, tail high.
“Try to keep off that foot!” Saltfrost ordered as Pondpaw limped away.
“You’re going to have a lot of ghost stories once you’re in the apprentice’s den,” Scauppaw giggled, playfully batting the air.
“Nutstar said I’ll have a ceremony in half a moon,” Starlingkit added, smiling.
“Ducky, I think Sunfang wants you,” Smallpaw noted. She pointed to the clearing, where Sunfang and his sister Shovelerthroat peered into the apprentice’s den.
“I’ve already got a nickname for you,” Scauppaw laughed as she and Starlingkit left the holy den. “How does Ghost sound?’
“If you like it,” Starlingkit chuckled.
“Hey, what happened to waiting until they’re apprentices?” Smallpaw whined after them.
Starlingkit joined Cardinalblaze and Pondpaw in the sun while Scauppaw snuck behind Sunfang and Shovelerthroat. Shovelerthroat was the only one to notice her. She grinned and pointed her tail at Sunfang. Scauppaw dropped into a crouch. She crept across camp, tail still and paws gentle.
“Did she sneak out again?” Sunfang huffed, stepping back from the apprentice’s den. Scauppaw pounced at Sunfang’s flank. Her mentor yowled, jumping away as Scauppaw and Shovelerthroat broke into violent laughter.
“It would have been nice to not train a copy of my sister,” Sunfang grunted, smoothing his ruffled pelt, “but StarClan has other plans.”
“Oh, has the day come?” Shovelerthroat gasped. She glanced between Scauppaw and Sunfang.She waved a paw over Sunfang’s head. “I think Scauppaw’s taller than you!”
“No she’s not,” Sunfang huffed. “And we’re not testing it! The only thing we’re testing is if she can hunt squirrels in trees.”
“We’re going hunting?” Scauppaw asked.
“No, we’re going moss collecting,” Shovelerthroat scoffed, flicking her ears. “How else could we test your squirrel catching?”
“I’m testing her, not you,” Sunfang grumbled. “We’re burning sunlight here, mollies. Let’s go.” Sunfang stomped out of camp, his lanky sister and tall apprentice smirking to each other as they followed.
Sunfang took the patrol down one of the most traveled deer paths in the territory, as it led straight to camp. Just off the trail, Bearclaw and Drizzlecloud were filling a hole below a thin pine tree with dirt.
“I am going to miss Stiltpelt,” Scauppaw sighed. “She had great stories.”
“I will too,” Shovelerthroat whispered, “but the last thing I’m going to do is admit that.” Sunfang climbed an alder and waited in the upper branches. Shovelerthroat and Scauppaw quickly joined him.
“Scauppaw, you’re going that way,” Sunfang grunted, pointing his tail to the northern pines. “I want you to bring back three squirrels by the time we come find you. Otherwise, expect to gather moss all day.”
“I can do this,” Scauppaw said, glancing over the pines. “I was born to hunt in the trees, even if I’m half loner.”
“Scauppaw, no one cares who your father is,” Shovelerthroat muttered. Scauppaw ignored her, jumping from the alder to a tall pine.
“When you have the squirrels,” Sunfang called, “bring them to the Log Tunnel.” Scauppaw was already gone, stalking through the trees.
Scauppaw had only been an apprentice for a couple of moons. This was the first time Sunfang was trusting her to hunt alone, without his presence nearby. Failing to impress him would be the biggest humiliation of Scauppaw’s apprenticeship. She jumped to another pine, fur catching in the twigs. The only chatter to accompany her thoughts was the bird song, which quickly faded when Scauppaw jumped between the trees. How could anyone in ElkClan hunt without a friend to chat with, to share witty looks between even when they couldn’t speak? Scauppaw didn’t like how loud her thoughts got when there was no one else around.
A glimpse of red fur caught her attention. There was her first squirrel! It sat on the branch above Scauppaw, watching the world. Scauppaw grabbed the trunk and hurried up, trying to stay quiet. The squirrel had nowhere to run when she got to the base of its branch. She moved fast and grabbed the squirrel just before it ran.
She licked the blood from her fangs. Scauppaw took the squirrel out of the tree and buried it at the roots. She dug her claws into one of the exposed roots and left a noticeable mark.
“I think Sunfang’s trying to test my navigation too!” Scauppaw scoffed, trotting over her fresh kill. “Send me off somewhere and see if I can find my way back, find where I leave my prey. Would have been nice if he told me about that.” She paused, confused. “Why am I talking to a squirrel?” She’d been alone for five minutes and she was already losing it. She needed to find someone, but she had no idea where anyone would be that morning. Stiltpelt’s vigil the night before threw everyone off. She could entertain herself and hunt down the last two squirrels.
“There was once a warrior named Dowitcherpelt,” she muttered as she trotted through the trees. “She was gray with blue eyes, fur snagged in the trees. Got an apprentice named Pollenpaw, no, Pollackpaw, she killed him, and now she haunts the trees smelling like crow food. And she maybe attacked Pondpaw.” Scauppaw glanced at the trees. These squirrels couldn’t be that hard to find. She didn’t believe in the Eternal Tide haunting the living. She didn’t.
Something ruffled a nearby bush.
“Dowitcherpelt!” Scauppaw yelped, scrambling up a tree like a lightning bolt from the pits of the earth. A golden brown face ringed with ginger emerged from the bush. Sorrellight stepped out of the shadows, tail gently waving.
“Someone got scared,” Sorrellight chuckled, sitting.
“I didn’t know anyone was out here!” Scauppaw hissed, clinging to the tree branch.
“Come down!” Sorrellight called. Embarrassment warming her pelt, Scauppaw jumped to the ground.
“Where’s Sunfang?” Sorrelllight laughed.
“He’s testing me,” Scauppaw explained, fluffing herself up. “I need to catch a couple more squirrels.”
“I’ve been hunting since the sun rose,” Sorrellight yawned. She stretched her back legs. “I hate how sad it gets during vigils. I caught enough to feed all the queens. I did catch one squirrel if you want to claim it for yourself.”
“That’ll save me a lot of time!” Scauppaw chirped. “Thanks, Sorrellight.”
“Let’s track down that last squirrel together and bring everything back to camp, does that sound fun?” Sorrellight giggled, pointing her ears east.
“Of course,” Scauppaw said with a smile. “I gotta stop at the Log Tunnel and present my catches before then.”
“It’s too bad we weren’t apprentices together,” Sorrellight chuckled. The two slipped into an easy walk through the forest, finding a deer path. “We would have gotten into plenty of trouble.”
“I started a nickname tradition,” Scauppaw added. “You should get one! We only missed each other by a moon after all.”
“What do you think would fit me?” Sorrellight giggled.
“Okay, just because it rhymes…” Scauppaw hummed, “What about Sore Loser?”
“Oh, harsh!” Sorrellight laughed, shaking her head. “If that’s what rhymes. What was it you shouted when I scared you? Something-pelt?”
“Dowitcherpelt,” Scauppaw scoffed, a touch of her early embarrassment returning. “Starlingkit told this story of a mentor who pushed her apprentice out of a tree because Pondpaw thinks he saw her ghost, it’s silly.”
“Bounceface told me that story,” Sorrellight gulped. “It always freaked me out. I avoided climbing lessons for a quarter moon after that.”
“There’s my squirrel,” Scauppaw whispered. She pointed to the edge of the deer path, where a squirrel farther ahead was digging up a nut. She dropped into a stalk. A minute later, she had another squirrel in her jaws.
“You’ll really let me claim your squirrel was my catch?” Scauppaw said as Sorrellight joined her.
“It’s easier than catching three squirrels alone,” Sorrellight sighed. She scrunched up her nose. “Ugh, I think that squirrel’s sick. It smells rotten.”
“That’s not the squirrel,” Scauppaw gulped. She looked into the trees. The forest was quiet, shifting in the gentle winds.
“Scauppaw, there’s no ghost out here,” Sorrellight muttered. “A bird probably died.”
“Something scared Pondpaw out of a tree,” Scauppaw groaned, trying to make herself look bigger. “Normal cats don’t smell like carrion.” Sorrellight watched the branches overhead.
“If there’s a loner out here, we need to scare them off,” Sorrellight muttered, frowning as her shoulders tensed.
“You first,” Scauppaw whispered.
“Insolent apprentice!” an eery voice yowled through the trees.
“It’s Dowitcherpelt!” Scauppaw screeched. She bolted back down the deer path, leaving her squirrel behind.
“Scauppaw, wait!” Sorrellight stammered. She chased after the apprentice, glancing up at the golden canopy of leaves. She didn’t notice the blue eyes watching the pair from the top of a spruce.
“She’s going to kill one of us as soon as she catches us alone in the trees!” Scauppaw stammered, sitting with Pondpaw and Smallpaw at sunhigh approached. Starlingkit was close by, eating a mouse, but he kept his ears turned to the conversation.
“What if she gets Weaselpaw?” Pondpaw gulped. “I don’t wanna find his decomposing corpse!”
“It’s probably someone pulling a prank,” Smallpaw scoffed, whiskers twitching. “This is exactly the sort of thing Roachspring would do.”
“I didn’t fail my test because of a prank,” Scauppaw snapped.
“He doesn’t have blue eyes!” Pondpaw groaned, biting at his paw.
“Something’s out there,” Scauppaw huffed. “It yowled about apprentices. It smells like carrion. How could it not be Dowitcherpelt come to punish us?”
“Excuse me?” someone snapped. Scauppaw looked behind her to see Hazelear glaring at all three apprentices. Starlingkit pretended not to notice the conversation and took the rest of his mouse to the nursery.
“Is there something you want, Hazelear?” Smallpaw asked, gulping.
“I knew you failed your test, Scauppaw,” Hazelear grunted, eyes closed. “Are you telling your friends that the reason you failed to bring back any prey from your hunt was because you got scared by a ghost?” When she opened her eyes, they were narrow and cold.
“Hey, Pondpaw saw it too!” Scauppaw stammered. She pushed Pondpaw closer to Hazelear. “Tell her, Pondpaw!”
“Cardinalblaze said he saw a ghost once,” Pondpaw mumbled, not meeting Hazelear’s gaze. “It could be Dowitcherpelt.”
“I’m not having ElkClan apprentices fear the trees because of a ghost,” Hazelear muttered. “Everyone enjoys a good story, but you’re letting it get into your heads!”
“Starlingkit’s the one who told us,” Scauppaw grumbled.
“I really don’t care,” Hazelear snapped with a quick flick of her tail. “What you saw is probably a disgusting loner that takes pleasure in terrorizing young cats, which means I will handle it. If you see something, call it out and don’t run away like mice, understand?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Pondpaw mumbled. Scauppaw and Smallpaw nodded. Hazelear groaned and scanned the camp. Cardinalblaze and Berryfrost were carrying a merganser to a shaded spot of the camp.
“Even if ghosts are real, which for the sake of discussion, I will say they are,” Berryfrost sighed, “then cats of Dowitcherpelt’s nature would be trapped in the Eternal Tide. Her spirit would be unable to interact with the real world.”
“If ghosts are real, which they are,” Cardinalblaze huffed, sitting with his merganser, “cats from the Eternal Tide have snuck out plenty of times! I can name nine stories off the top of my head about cats escaping the Eternal Tide to mess with the clans. And why would a cat smell like crow food?”
“Perhaps if that was their diet,” Berryfrost hummed.
“You two,” Hazelear grunted, trudging over. “Don’t eat yet, I have a job for you.” Cardinalblaze groaned, throwing his head back. “The apprentices are scared of ghosts in the trees, and usually I’d let them tell their stories but it’s already ruined one hunting patrol. They think the ghost of Dowitcherpelt is planning their deaths. I need you two to hunt down whoever’s snuck into the territory.”
“See, Hazelear agrees with my theory,” Berryfrost noted, motioning a paw to Hazelear. “The owner of the blue eyes and rotten smell Pondpaw noticed is a loner.”
“You know what, this mission is perfect,” Cardinalblaze grunted, getting to his paws. “When we find Dowitcherpelt’s ghost, you’ll see the Eternal Tide can haunt us.”
“If you can prove its existence,” Berryfrost muttered, brow raised, “you’ll earn my undying respect.” The challenge nearly made Cardinalblaze glow.
“Let’s not wait around!” Cardinalblaze declared, trotting towards the camp exit. “It’s a mission from the deputy, after all!”
“I swear to StarClan, if he tells the apprentices it’s a ghost…” Hazelear muttered, shaking her head. Berryfrost followed Cardinalblaze without comment.
“You know where Pondpaw saw the loner,” Berryfrost sighed when they got into the forest. “We should begin there.”
“I’m sure you can agree to look through the trees, rather than the ground,” Cardinalblaze purred, waving to the pines surrounding camp. Berryfrost launched up a spruce and flicked his tail for Cardinalblaze to join him.
The trees were warmer than the ground now that sunhigh had arrived. Many of the trees grew close together, so the story-keepers could safely walk from one tree to another without jumping. Berryfrost was far smaller and sleeker than Cardinalblaze, leaving no sign of his path beyond his scent. Meanwhile, Cardinalblaze broke a few small twigs and got loose fur tangled in the leaves.
They got closer to the northern border, but as they walked, the sound of cracking wood and human yowls grew louder. Berryfrost climbed to the top of an oak to spot the sound. Beyond the border, in a thin part of the forest that stretched towards the Sky Fires of legend, a group of humans were surrounding a pine. A few were split from the group, their paws in the dirt as one carried a sapling. They placed the sapling in a hole and pushed dirt over it. One tall human by the pine carried a long, shiny claw. The claw whined and seemed to spin in place. The human brought the claw down and cut into the pine. Another loud crack of wood echoed through the forest. The pine tree slowly fell, tearing from its stump and landing with a loud thump.
“I’ve never seen humans taking a tree,” Cardinalblaze muttered. “I’ve only heard of it from Riverwhisker.”
“We have nothing to fear,” Berryfrost sighed. “Humans never take trees from our territory. Should the stories be true, humans can turn trees into twigs to build their dens and control fire.”
“I knew that,” Cardinalblaze grumbled into his shoulder. “We’re not far from the willow.” Cardinalblaze dipped below the tree line.
A few minutes later, Berryfrost climbed into the pine tree that started the whole mess while Cardinalblaze watched from the willow branch, still stained with the blood from Pondpaw’s claw. The tree was a thinner one, half dead with brown needles. Some of the smaller branches looked ready to snap off with the next storm. Berryfrost found the closest branch to the willow. The sun shone on his muzzle, lighting up his eyes.
“Is this similar to what Pondpaw saw?” Berryfrost asked.
“Your eyes do seem to glow…” Cardinalblaze groaned. The wind blew a few dead pine needles into Berryfrost’s face. Something soft tickled his nose. He snatched it before it blew away. It was a tuft of silver fur, too light to be Roachspring’s.
“We’re looking for a gray or silver cat,” Berryfrost called, showing the tuft to the light.
“Gray fur in the trees!” Cardinalblaze gasped. “Just like the stories!”
“Ghosts do not catch their fur on evergreen needles,” Berryfrost huffed. “This is a clear sign of a living cat.”
“Thunderkit looked like a real cat too when I saw him,” Cardinalblaze grunted. He leapt out of the willow and into the pine, nearly pushing Berryfrost off.
“Watch where you jump,” Berryfrost snapped. “And I hope you refrain from mentioning that little story in Frogbelly’s presence.”
“It’s not just a story, it really happened!” Cardinalblaze hissed. He shoved off his scarred paw. “Why else did we take the Blood Bond?”
“To make sure Starlingkit was properly raised,” Berryfrost grunted. “I would have pointed out the obstacles he could face in life even if Spiderstorm hadn’t said anything.”
“Do you even care about our clan’s stories?” Cardinalblaze asked, sneering.
“Frankly?” Berryfrost said, almost chuckling. “No.” Cardinalblaze gasped loudly.
“You take that back right now!” Cardinalblaze demanded.
“The type of stories you tell,” Berryfrost continued, “those of monsters and ghosts, they serve little purpose. Stories should educate and guide, not distract.”
“My stories do teach cats!” Cardinalblaze hissed, getting in Berryfrost’s face.
“To fear monsters that don’t exist,” Berryfrost shouted, claws out, “and waste time! We may have a dangerous loner stalking our territory, and you would rather tell ghost stories than find the true culprit!”
“You tell ‘em!” someone cheered. Cardinalblaze and Berryfrost quickly looked down. A dark tabby stood at the bottom of the tree, watching the toms argue. Panic swept his face.
“I shouldn’t have said anything, should I?” the tom gulped.
Cardinablaze pounced off the tree, yowling. The loner scurried away, tail tucked, with Cardinalblaze hot on his trail. Berryfrost ran through the trees, keeping pace with the stranger. The loner stumbled through the bushes, breaking bracken and falling over rocks. Berryfrost’s instincts itched to jump and pin him down, but he had to wait until he was ahead. He picked up speed when the loner spun onto a deer path.
“Get back here!” Cardinalblaze yowled. The loner glanced over his shoulder. Cardinalblaze was nearly on him. He didn’t notice Berryfrost plunge from the trees until he landed on his shoulders. The loner’s feet flew out and his belly dug into the ground. Berryfrost was smaller than him, but the story-keeper kept his claws in the tom’s shoulders.
“I was leaving, I was leaving!” the loner wailed, trying to squirm out. Cardinalblaze stopped, panting.
“I know you,” Cardinalblaze huffed. “You’re Dolphin, right? You’re usually by the western border.”
“Nice to know I’m remembered,” Dolphin chuckled. “Now, can you get off me please?”
“You know you’re not supposed to be in here,” Cardinalblaze sighed as Berryfrost hopped off.
“I wasn’t,” Dolphin groaned, sitting and licking his shoulder. “I heard you two lovebirds arguing and wanted to see what was what.”
“You live by the western border?” Berryfrost asked, examining the long gray fur stuck between his claws. “Why are you over here, then?”
“Temporary relocation,” Dolphin explained, shaking the dust from his pelt. “One of you clan cats has been stalking in the trees yowling weird threats lately. Not sticking around to find out who.”
“Did you see this cat?” Cardinalblaze asked, perking up.
“Only a few glimpses,” Dolphin admitted, rolling a shoulder. “Big blue eyes.”
“Another ghost sighting!” Cardinalblaze cheered quietly. “And you can’t claim he’s the ghost because the fur doesn’t match!” Berryfrost refrained from rolling his eyes despite the powerful urge.
“We’re looking for this individual,” Berryfrost sighed. “Can you lead us to where you last saw them?”
“Sure, sure,” Dolphin said. “Just don’t jump me again, okay? Away we go!” Dolphin marched into the trees, ringed tail straight. Cardinalblaze and Berryfrost waited a moment, glancing at each other.
“He’s never—” Cardinalblaze began.
“He’s never been here before,” Berryfrost finished his sentence. The two hurried after Dolphin, vanishing into the tall plants and trees.
With Berryfrost making sure Dolphin didn’t get lost, the group soon arrived at the western border. Cardinalblaze and Berryfrost crossed into the outer regions without hesitation. Dolphin took them further into the trees, which began to spread out.
“If you’ll take a left,” Dolphin declared, waving his tail left, “you’ll see my lovely home.” Dolphin pointed at a thick bramble bush with a den opening just big enough for a large cat to squeeze through. “Away from your territory, as ordered.” Dolphin trotted around the bush, patting the sturdy walls. “Protected from the rain with a bit of moss inside, it's a good place to spend my days. At least when I wasn’t being stalked.”
“Never fear, for we will defeat this ghost and allow you to live in peace!” Cardinalblaze cheered as Berryfrost climbed into the trees.
“Ghost?” Dolphin stammered. “That was a ghost?”
“We believe so,” Cardinalblaze declared, not getting the point.
“You didn’t tell me I was pissing off a ghost,” Dolphin yelped, backing into his den. Berryfrost frowned. Cardinalblaze hadn’t noticed him leave because he was so preoccupied with the loner. Typical.
A flash of silver darted past. Berryfrost’s heart soared. He could see the mystery loner! They were far off and hidden by leaves, but they were moving away from Dolphin and Cardinalblaze. They shook the leaves each time they landed on a branch. Cardinalblaze would whine about not being informed, but Berryfrost truly didn’t care. If Cardinalblaze wasn’t aware enough of his surroundings to notice the loner, he could do as he pleased. Berryfrost followed the silver loner, keeping his paws light.
They moved parallel to ElkClan territory, veering closer to the Hollow and PuffinClan. Eventually, the loner stopped running. Berryfrost crouched in a pine tree, carefully watching. The loner muttered to themself as the leaves shook. They jumped out of the tree. It was a silver faced molly with long white fur tangled with leaves. She had a mouse in her jaws
“StarClan cursed trees,” she growled. She started picking the leaves out of her fur, leaving her catch at her side. Part of Berryfrost wanted to deny it. Many cats said he took more after his father, bearing more silver than white. But he couldn’t deny the truth. It wasn’t in his nature.
Berryfrost landed beside the loner. She jumped back, hissing and showing her claws. Berryfrost watched with cold eyes.
“Hello, Silverthroat,” Berryfrost said. Silverthroat’s fur relaxed. She took in Berryfrost’s scent. Recognition flooded her eyes.
“Berrykit!” Silverthroat gasped, a smile overtaking her face. “Wait, you wouldn’t be Berrykit anymore.”
“My name is Berryfrost.” The tom sat tall, tail delicately draped over his paws.
“You recognize me,” Silverthroat purred. She stepped forward, but paused and moved back. “I thought about coming to see you, but I knew ElkClan would only attack me. Please, tell me, have you had a good life? Do you have friends? A mate? An apprentice?” Berryfrost thought for a moment. He should tell Silverthroat off. Really, he should attack her. SealClan still wanted her dead. He supposed, as she was his mother, he could humor her.
“I am a story-keeper,” Berryfrost explained.
“Runs in the family,” Silverthroat giggled.
“I do, in fact, have many I consider friends. I am mates with Frogbelly, a counselor.”
“She sounds very pretty. Do you have kits?”
“He is a tom. It wouldn’t be possible to have kits, and at this point, neither of us feel comfortable with surrogacy.”
“Sorry to assume. I can’t believe it’s you. You have the same quiet charm as your father.” The comment caught Berryfrost off guard. The only cat to ever call his monotone, logical nature ‘charming’ was Frogbelly.
“Why have you been entering ElkClan territory?” Berryfrost asked.
“I stay on the outskirts usually,” Silverthroat sighed, “but I needed to find new prey. I was only going to stay for a short while, but then an apprentice saw me. I remembered the story of Dowitcherpelt and thought I could use it to sneak around and gather food without worry. I must admit, seeing that one apprentice run off screaming did make me laugh.”
“That can’t continue,” Berryfrost huffed.
“The prey should have returned by now,” Silverthroat said, “so that won’t be an issue.”
“You realize SealClan would want to know where you are,” Berryfrost explained.
“Do they still want to kill me?”
“I would assume so.”
“Berryfrost, you’re my son.” Silverthroat got close to Berryfrost, peering deep into his eyes. “Everything I did was so you knew you had a mother who loved you.”
“I’m afraid you failed at that,” Berryfrost hummed. Silverthroat shrunk. “If that was the truth, I wouldn’t live in ElkClan, would I?”
“I had a reason for that,” Silverthroat muttered.
“Tell me,” Berryfrost ordered. Silverthroat nodded.
In the time of Silverthroat’s story, the clans were in the deep heat of summer. There were far more trees in the forest back then. The heavy rains of the past moon made each pawstep sink into the mud. There was no cool ocean to dip into and wipe the grime away. No, Silverthroat was stuck in a cramped forest maneuvering around trees and looking over her shoulders, ready for her former clanmates to strike and kill her.
Silverthroat leaned over a small stream, drinking heavily. The water had a little salt from the ocean, but it was still drinkable. Her newborn son squirmed at her paws. His silver coat was soaked in mud. When Silverthroat was finished, she picked Berrykit up by the scruff. He rarely mewed, though in the brief time Silverthroat had been in the nursery with him, Emberpool had assured her he was healthy. He was just quiet.
She stopped at the roots of an oak and laid down for Berrykit to nurse. He immediately went for her milk.
“The wild isn’t safe for a kit,” Silverthroat muttered. She thought about bringing them both to a human and becoming a kittypet, but Lobsterspot’s horror stories made her stomach churn. How could Silverthroat hope to hunt and watch Berrykit at the same time? She’d killed Littlepetal, someone she loved like a sister, so she could be with her son.
“This is exactly what you want, isn’t it, StarClan?” Silverthroat hissed, looking at the sky shining through the leaves. “Make me go all the way for my son, only to give him back. I didn’t want to kill her! I panicked!” Berrykit mewed softly and snuggled deeper into Silverthroat’s stomach. Silverthroat’s heart broke.
“He’s not going back to SealClan, do you hear me?” Silverthroat snapped. “He’s not going to live under my brother.” Silverthroat licked Berrykit’s head. “Eat up, Berrykit. Eat as much as you need.” She nearly cried when Berrykit unlatched from her and settled for a nap. She wanted more time. But the sun was starting to set. She picked up her son and walked against the wind, deeper into the forest.
The ElkClan border was strong and clearly marked that day. Silverthroat stepped over without hesitation. The smell of cats clung to the forest like a fog, trailing towards the source. Would Brinestar have SealClan warriors hunting for her in ElkClan territory? Nutstar wouldn’t allow that, surely. The cats she was following were ElkClan. They wouldn’t attack on sight. They wouldn’t deny her. They couldn’t.
“I told her, if it’s buried under that much fresh kill,” someone laughed up ahead, “it’s probably rotten. And she goes ahead and eats it!” Berrykit’s nose twitched. Silverthroat had to push herself not to run away.
“There’s no fresh kill in camp over a day or two old,” another voice scoffed.
“If that was true, she wouldn’t be in the holy den,” the first voice retorted. Silverthroat could see the patrol now. There were three cats on the patrol; Grassleaf, Bounceface, and Grassleaf’s apprentice, Morningpaw. Bounceface used to be a friend, he wouldn’t turn her away.
“Rainsong’s not one to waste prey,” Bounceface sighed, shaking his head.
“I wish she’d cheer up,” Morningpaw huffed. Silverthroat stepped forward. A twig cracked under her paw. Bounceface turned around.
“Grassleaf, Morningpaw, get back, now,” Bounceface ordered. The counselors obeyed, standing behind Bounceface with raised hackles. There was no turning back now. Silverthroat faced Bounceface with as much confidence as she could muster. She set Berrykit on the ground.
“I can’t do this anymore,” Silverthroat cried. “He deserves to be in the clan of his father.” Closing her eyes, she tucked her tail and ran away.
“Stop!” Bounceface yowled. Berrykit whined, searching for his mother, but Silverthroat wouldn’t stop, even as sobs filled her throat.
“Six moons later, I came back,” Silverthroat finished, “and I saw you hunting. I knew you were safe.” Silverthroat was crying in soft hiccups, staring hopelessly into her son’s eyes.
“Brinestar’s order of execution extended to all the clans,” Berryfrost muttered. “All four leaders agreed to it. The code dictates that I should kill you right now.”
“Please,” Silverthroat begged, crouching before her son. “You wouldn’t do that. We’re kin.”
“Why should I consider you kin?” Berryfrost asked, more venom in his voice than intended. His tail shook. “I don’t know you. I’ve only heard of you in stories. The first year of my life, I was the son of a queen killer.” Silverthroat’s grief mixed with horror. She buried her face in the dirt at his paws. Anger bubbled in Berryfrost’s stomach. He closed his eyes. He unsheathed his claws.
“Leave the territory,” he muttered, trying to restrain himself. “Go farther than the outskirts, go beyond the mountains and rivers into StarClan forsaken lands. Never return.” He turned his back on her, refusing to look at her silver pelt. “That is my gift to you as your son.” He leapt up an oak tree. He kept his back turned for what felt like moons, though he knew it was only seconds. Only when waiting grew ridiculous did he look back.
Silverthroat was gone. A tuft of silver fur caught in the breeze. It spun around the trees and drifted into the sky.
When Berryfrost rejoined Cardinalblaze, the ginger tabby had finally convinced Dolphin to leave his den, though from his tucked tail, he still seemed nervous.
“There you are!” Cardinalblaze snapped as Berryfrost climbe out of the trees. “Where did you go?”
“I scared away the loner,” Berryfrost sighed. He didn’t look at Cardinalblaze. “They won’t be bothering us again. We should report our success to Hazelear.”
“Success?” Cardinalblaze stammered. Berryfrost walked away, towards ElkClan. “What about the ghost?” Berryfrost slipped through a bush. “Fine, don’t tell me! Have a good life, Dolphin.” Cardinalblaze marched after his friend, calling for him to wait. Berryfrost traced his way back to camp with closed eyes, images of his mother stained into his head.
A silver molly stared across the sea she once called home.