Chapter Text
“starclan, give me the strength to forget”
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The sound of crunching leaves and autumnal smell wafted in the leaf-fall breeze. Irispaw made careful strides in his walk, as the rain shower the previous night left the territory mushy and gathered mud. The black-and-white apprentice took a big sniff with his nose raised high, his bright sunny eyes shut to better process the scent. In a dissatisfied manner, he shook his head softly and turned to the silhouettes of two cats observing him just a fox tail‘s length away.
”You’re absolutely sure he knew what he saw?“ He inquired, “I don’t smell anything out of the ordinary, especially not with the rainfall on the territory the other night.”
The shorter of the two cats stepped out from the shadows, taking a sniff for herself.
Irispaw turned to the source of the alleged sighting of the Encroacher. Even though very few have witnessed the being, (or, to be frank, those who had convinced themselves it was real and not just their sick imagination) the few accounts they did have was enough for any sane cat to not venture too far out the clan cat’s borders and into the abandoned twoleg nests.
Yarrowroot of Windclan said it had fangs the size of an average warrior’s head.
Rockslide of Thunderclan said it had the keen eyesight and hearing to lock into your position from across a river.
One of Riverclan’s messengers, Squirrel, said it grew to a tremendous size whenever provoked.
Darkpaw of Shadowclan said it told her that it was her imaginary friend since kithood.
Irispaw exhaled softly and looked to the shorter cat, ”Stonestare, if I may,” he began, “Why bring me here? Eagle has proved herself more than capable as a skillful hunter, even for being an outsider.”
The second feline had been quiet up until this point, letting out an approving huff. “Yuh, I’d like to know too, miss ‘stare. Kitten’s only become an app’le just a few moons back.”
Looking at the molly, who at this point was a considerable distance from the two, her optics unmoving as her tail swayed. Finally, after what felt like a moon, she spoke; “Irispaw. Do remember anything about Shadefang?”
”What?”
”I’m sorry, what does that have to do with anything?” chided the older tom.
Stonestare didn’t answer. Irispaw and the tom cat glanced unnervingly at each other.
”I, um, I don’t recall much of her. I only remember her in, dreams—what I get told from the queens.” He admitted. “Why.. why do you ask?”
Stonestare waved her tail, gesturing the two over to her, without looking back. They did so. And they saw that she’d been staring at a collapsed nest of twolegs just acres away. Irispaw, like many others, had been accustomed to the melancholy sight.
”There once was twolegs in those structure, Irispaw.” The molly meowed. “Can you guess as to what happened to them?”
I could but I don’t want to.
”Shadefang.”
He looked to the tom opposite of Stonestare. He wished to thank him for that.
”Correct, River. Irispaw,” she looked at him, “You understand you’re not at fault, hear me? Your mother is. Starclan knows of our distaste of their destructive practices but what she did was a mockery of nature. A mockery to peace. A mockery to us.” She put a paw on top of his own. “I know it’ll be hard to admit it, but I believe it’s time to consider if this is her doing.”
Her doing. Shadefang’s doing. His mother’s doing.
”I’m the only of in Riverclan who is also her kin.”
River looked to the side, as if pretending he were deaf in the ears. But the molly was quick to nudge him back into the conversation and return her attention to Irispaw.
”Yes. And the rest of her clan resides not in Riverclan borders. Do you recall their names.”
”Of course.” No one will let me forget. “Marigoldpaw, is in Shadowclan. And Barkkit, Tinykit, Firekit, and Forestkit all reside in Thunderclan.”
”Actually,” River chimed in, “They’ve been appointed as apprentice the other moon. One of them s’mentored by the leader herself. Forestpaw, I think.”
Starclan, they grow up so fast. He mused flatly.
”I called you two out here for a reason.” She announced, “It will confess. It may linger on your backs for quite some time, as it has done so to me,” the molly grimaced, her face gone tenser than before, somehow, “You’re the two closest cats to her before her… whatever happened to her. I wouldn’t be telling you this if I didn’t trust you.”
Irispaw and River shared a look before stepping back several paces for Stonestare to address them directly. “I know I am, technically, not the leader, yet, nor have I been gifted my lives, but I can do this.” She lifted herself up and hauled on top of a low branch of a tree, the wind blowing intensely as she opened her mouth to address the toms.
They both felt their fur stand up at just the sight before them. Their future leader stared with them with great intensity and assertiveness. Irispaw swallowed the built up dread sitting in his stomach, and he’s certain he heard River breathe a prayer.
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Starclan, please protect my kin. I don’t want them to share this burden Shadefang had cursed us with.