Chapter Text
A firm breeze buffeted against Feathertail’s face, flattening her long silver and black fur as she stared out over the sea. The salty air nipped at her tongue when she inhaled deeply, but she didn’t find the taste unpleasant. In the morning light, the endless expanse of water seemed less intimidating than it had during yesterday’s sundown— when it had looked less like water and more like blood. But now, with the golden sunlight glimmering on its blue-green surface and the melodic, rhythmic lapping of the waves against the coast at the foot of the cliffs below her, the water had an alluring beauty to it. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to swim through it.
Would it be even more thrilling than the river and its rapids? It must be, given the size of this sea, or ‘ocean,’ as Midnight called it. The power of the waves could propel her on like a bird riding the air currents, but if she underestimated its strength, it could just as easily pound her mercilessly into the jagged rocks until she was nothing but a bloody pulp of meat.
Feathertail shuddered as she recalled how the sea had almost done the same to her friends just last night when Brambleclaw had fallen in. If it hadn’t been for Squirrelpaw and Stormfur braving the vicious waves to pull him out, he could have easily died. Feathertail had even feared that they’d already been too late when she’d pressed her ear to his chest and could barely hear the rasping of his breath because of all the water in his lungs.
Feathertail gave her fur a shake, snapping herself out of the grim thoughts.
Brambleclaw is okay. We all are.
The full night of rest in Midnight's cave had done them good, and Midnight’s herbs had helped both Tawnypelt with her rat bite wound, and Brambleclaw as he recovered from his near drowning. Midnight had even provided them with fresh water from the puddles in her cave and fresh-kill that she’d caught last night. Now well-rested and with full bellies, they were finally ready to continue on their journey.
…But, will we be okay for long?
Feathertail sighed heavily, the dark thoughts re-emerging. Although they had triumphed in reaching the sundrown-place and finding Midnight as StarClan had commanded them, Midnight’s message had been a dire one: the forest was being destroyed by twolegs, and the Clans must all leave if they were to survive.
But, how will we ever be able to convince Leopardstar to leave? She’s the most stubborn cat on earth, and she’ll never want to give up RiverClan’s ancestral home.
“Are you alright?”
Feathertail blinked, pulling herself out of her thoughts as her brother, Stormfur, padded over to her, his deep orange eyes concerned. Feathertail purred in greeting as he reached her side and gently bunted his head against her shoulder.
“I’m okay,” she responded. “Just thinking about Midnight’s message… And, how in StarClan’s name will we convince Leopardstar of it when we get back.”
Stormfur blinked at her. “Leopardstar will understand once we explain the gravity of the situation.”
“Or, maybe she won’t even need much convincing,” Feathertail muttered gravely, her tail swishing in agitation. “Who knows what the state of RiverClan’s territory is like already.”
Stormfur’s eyes clouded with worry.
“Do you think Mistyfoot is alright? And, Reedpaw, Pikepaw, and Primrosepaw?” he asked.
Feathertail sighed, her ears twisting back.
“I hope so,” she murmured. “We can’t do anything but pray to StarClan that they are... I miss them.”
“Me too,” Stormfur murmured, his shoulders sagging slightly. “You know, it seems silly to worry about this now, knowing what’s happening in the forest. But, I still find myself thinking about Reedpaw’s training, and if he’s been doing okay without me. Do you think they picked a good new mentor for him?”
Feathertail pressed her side to his.
“Mistyfoot would make sure of it,” she reassured. “We will be back with them soon, and you two can go back to training together.”
But, Feathertail didn’t say that their training may be changed beyond recognition if things really had become so different back in the forest. When they arrived, would there be a beech grove for battle training? Or even the river to practice fishing in?
Stormfur gave his ears a small shake, as if pulling himself from his thoughts. “Speaking of, I think the others are all ready to go. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover between here and home.”
Stormfur twisted, pointing his muzzle back over his shoulder. Feathertail turned as well, blinking as she faced the rising sun and their new beacon back to the Clans. Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt, and Squirrelpaw all stood closely together, speaking with Midnight, while Crowpaw was a few tail-lengths away from the others in the group, facing her and Stormfur instead. Feathertail blinked, feeling his intent gaze on her. She lifted her tail in greeting, and Crowpaw’s ears flattened down shyly as he glanced away.
Warmth blossomed in Feathertail’s chest as she gazed at him, but she quickly shook off the feeling as Stormfur began speaking again, tugging her gaze from Crowpaw to glance back at her brother.
“Tawnypelt’s shoulder is looking much better, and Brambleclaw isn’t coughing anymore,” he reported.
“That’s great,” Feathertail murmured, although a part of her mind still lingered on Crowpaw.
She and Stormfur padded back over to the others. Midnight dipped her large head to them as they approached, and Brambleclaw blinked back at them too. He did look a lot stronger than he had last night. His amber eyes were bright and his dark brown and black tabby pelt sleek— all the salty water groomed out of it.
“Ready?” Brambleclaw asked, squaring his shoulders and lifting his chin.
Feathertail blinked, tensing as, for a moment, she didn’t see Brambleclaw before her but Tigerstar. He would square his broad shoulders and raise his chin in that exact same way when he’d call Clan meetings from his perch on the top of the Bonehill.
A shudder ran through Feathertail’s pelt when the terrible memories gripped her in razor talons, dragging her mind back to that time and place.
Tigerstar would sneer down at her, her brother, and their mentors from that perch on the Bonehill. He’d taunt them for their half-Clan blood, spewing lies and curses at them. All the while, Featherpaw would cower behind Stonefur and Mistyfoot, her belly clenching in terror and hunger as they remained trapped in their filthy, cramped prison.
“Yes,” Stormfur responded, snapping Feathertail from the fragmented images.
She blinked hard, inhaling deeply as she drove the horrible memories away.
Brambleclaw isn’t his father.
Feathertail forced out a soft purr of agreement with Stormfur before anyone could notice her prolonged silence, although her stomach turned over in guilt that she still saw such a shadow cast over Brambleclaw— even now after they had been through so much together on this journey. Brambleclaw was a good cat; she should know better than to think he harbored the same darkness as his father. There should be plenty of Goldenflower in him too— the kind, loving queen who had cared for Feathertail and Stormfur alongside Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt when they were in ThunderClan. Goldenflower raised Brambleclaw far more than his father ever did... But, then why were there still times when Feathertail looked at him, but saw only Tigerstar?
Feathertail forced the thoughts from her mind. She shouldn’t dwell on Tigerstar right now.
“I will join you on your journey back. At least for today,” Midnight rumbled. “I will make sure your wounds are healed enough for your travels, and I will see you set on the right path.”
“Thank you Midnight,” Brambleclaw said, gazing at the badger gratefully. “You have done so much for us.”
“I care much for the Clans. I would not allow them to be destroyed and do nothing,” Midnight said as they began padding down the gently sloping fields, the sundrown-place at their backs.
The sun climbed higher while they walked, and the sky became a deep, clear blue, dotted with fluffy scraps of clouds. Feathertail closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her pelt. Even though leaf-fall was beginning, it was still a beautiful, balmy day.
Feathertail slowed her pace as they walked on, soon falling to the rear of the group, the sounds of the screeching white seabirds fading behind them. It wasn’t long until Crowpaw had fallen back too, matching his stride to hers.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” Feathertail echoed, a purr already starting to rumble in her throat.
Crowpaw’s deep blue eyes brightened at the sound of her purr, his entire lanky form seemingly growing taller. Hesitantly, he reached his tail over to sweep it across her side, as light as the touch of the breeze.
“Are you doing okay? You seem kind of quiet this morning,” he murmured.
“It’s just been a lot to think about—” Feathertail gave a small sigh “—everything that Midnight said.”
“Yeah.” A deep furrow formed between Crowpaw’s brows that Feathertail found oddly endearing. “I’m worried about them. My Clanmates, I mean.”
Feathertail shot a quick glance at the cats in front of her. After checking that they all seemed more focused on the path ahead than what Feathertail and Crowpaw were doing behind them, she swiftly caught Crowpaw’s tail with hers, twining them together. Crowpaw began to purr now too, his body vibrating with the force of it.
“They’ll be alright,” Feathertail reassured, turning to gaze at Crowpaw gently. “Don’t tell RiverClan I said this, but I’m convinced that WindClan is the toughest Clan in the forest. They’ve been through so much, but they always persevere.”
Crowpaw puffed his chest out.
“We do,” he said, but then he deflated slightly. “Although I still don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
“Of course,” Feathertail murmured.
They padded on in silence for a moment as Crowpaw turned his eyes forward again, towards the others, shooting them a troubled look before he angled his ears back towards their twined tails.
“Aren’t you worried about anyone noticing this?” he asked in a low voice before glancing away from her, hesitating for a moment. “I mean… I know we’re not in the Clans right now, so we’re not really doing anything wrong. But, they might still be weird about it. Since, you know, we’re still not really supposed to…”
Crowpaw’s voice trailed off, and he gave a half-shrug as Feathertail could feel his skin heating beneath his pelt.
…Court cats from other Clans.
Even though Crowpaw didn’t say the words out loud, Feathertail still understood. Her ears started to warm slightly too as she glanced forward again, her eyes resting on Stormfur’s back for a moment before she self-consciously swept her tail away from Crowpaw’s.
“I know,” she sighed. “I should know more than anyone that these sort of relationships don’t usually work out. I mean, my parents are the perfect example of why.”
Crowpaw’s ears flattened, and he looked away from her, his jaw setting in a sad, stubborn look that made Feathertail’s heart twinge. She hesitated a moment, her mind whirling.
“But maybe… things could be different this time,” she murmured, pulling his gaze back to her. “Midnight said that the Clans would have to come together like we did to survive. …Maybe things could change.”
Crowpaw’s ears remained twisted back in uncertainty, but Feathertail didn’t miss the look of hope that flashed in his eyes.
“Midnight said that the Clans would have to learn to work together,” Crowpaw grumbled. “Not that all the Clans would stop existing. There will still be cats who hate the idea of two cats from two different Clans being together.”
“Probably,” Feathertail conceded. “But at least our friends should be understanding right?”
Crowpaw hesitated for a moment.
“Well… I suppose Squirrelpaw is at least,” he muttered.
Feathertail’s ears pricked in surprise. “What?”
Now it was Crowpaw’s turn to look surprised, his blue eyes widening.
“Has she really not said anything to you about it?! That’s so unfair!” His lips twisted into a scowl. “She’s been teasing me about you for days! It’s been so annoying.”
Feathertail shot another glance towards their friends, her gaze sweeping over Squirrelpaw as the apprentice cheerily talked with Tawnypelt before Feathertail’s eyes settled again on Stormfur.
“No. It’s good that she’s so unbothered,” Feathertail said. “But, I just need to talk about it with Stormfur before anyone else finds out about us. He… He should hear it from me first.”
Crowpaw blinked, glancing away from her.
“Better be quick then,” Crowpaw murmured. “I’m not sure how much longer Squirrelpaw will stay quiet about it. She’s not exactly well known for being taciturn.”
“I’ll bring it up with him today,” Feathertail promised.
Crowpaw dipped his head. His pelt rippled, although Feathertail couldn’t tell if it was from nerves or excitement at the prospect. Maybe it was a bit of both.
Crowpaw and Feathertail eventually caught up with the others as they continued down the slopes, back towards the forest. Tawnypelt flexed her shoulder, glancing back at the herb and cobweb patch, and Feathertail noticed that she was hardly limping.
“The bite is feeling so much better. There’s hardly any pain at all anymore. That burdock root is fantastic,” she meowed, glancing over at Midnight.
“Good. You all will need all your strength for what lies ahead,” Midnight rumbled.
“What does lie ahead?” Squirrelpaw chirped, bounding over to shoot Midnight an inquisitive look. “You know right? Since you’re a ‘Watcher?’ So you’ve seen it?”
“Seeing it and sharing it are two very different things, little warrior.” Midnight’s voice was stern, but her dark eyes sparkled in amusement. “Creatures must be allowed to live their own lives, no? What kind of existence would it be if it was just me telling you to ‘do this and do that’ each, every day?”
Crowpaw’s eyes flashed with the challenge. “Well, didn’t we come all the way here for you to tell us what to do? And, you’re still with us now to make sure we’re on the ‘right path.’”
Squirrelpaw vigorously nodded in agreement. “Exactly!”
“Of course, I will share if it is important,” Midnight rumbled. “As I’m sure you all understand, I do not like to see the creatures I care about suffer. And, I am very fond of the Clans.”
“It’s strange though, since we’ve never heard about you,” Stormfur muttered under his breath, his contemplative voice so quiet that Feathertail barely caught it even as she padded at his side.
However, Midnight certainly didn’t miss it. Her wedge-shaped head swung around to stare directly at Stormfur.
“I do not care to be known. It is like Squirrelpaw asks: I do not want creatures showing up at my sett always asking, ‘Midnight, tell me of my future. Midnight, explain to me my past.’” The badger shook her head dramatically. “Bah! Then not only do Clans have to move homes, but Midnight too.”
Feathertail’s heart lightened slightly as mrrows of amusement rang out around her. Despite the grimness of Midnight’s prophecy looming over them, she was grateful that she was with her friends and at least able to share these little moments with them.
Brambleclaw’s ears pricked, and he lifted his nose suddenly.
“I think I smell a rabbit,” he said. “Crowpaw, do you want—”
“On it,” Crowpaw said, haring off before Brambleclaw could even finish his question.
A moment later, Feathertail spotted a bobbing white tail burst from a stubby, gnarled bush and shoot off across the fields, but Crowpaw was only a footfall behind it. She started to purr, her heart swelling with admiration as she watched him skillfully run it down, his long-legged form stretching and compacting with stunning elegance with every stride. Then he pounced, tackling the rabbit and coming to a skidding stop with the large piece of prey clutched in his jaws.
As Crowpaw began to drag the rabbit back over to the others, Feathertail blinked, noticing the feeling of another pair of eyes on her. She glanced over to see Stormfur staring at her, his brow furrowed slightly. Feathertail quickly ducked her head, rasping her tongue down the fur of her side self-consciously.
Did he notice me staring at Crowpaw?
She wasn’t exactly being that subtle about it.
Nervousness prickled through Feathertail. Would Stormfur approve when she told him about her feelings for Crowpaw? Stormfur and Crowpaw hadn’t really interacted much in their journey so far. Stormfur had always been reserved towards cats outside of RiverClan, but as they traveled, he’d opened up a lot more to everyone in their little group… besides Crowpaw.
Feathertail suspected that the reason for Stormfur’s avoidance of him went a bit deeper than just his natural shyness. Early in their journey, after the day when Squirrelpaw had gotten stuck in the fence, Stormfur had pulled Feathertail aside to tell her that he thought Crowpaw was a ‘bully.’ Feathertail had tried to defend Crowpaw to him— she knew that Crowpaw’s heart was good, even if he often cloaked it in thorns— but she wasn’t certain if her brother had taken her words seriously.
But, so much time had passed since then, and Crowpaw had proven himself to everyone over and over. Besides, their group got along so much better now! Stormfur surely couldn’t still be harboring a grudge against Crowpaw, right?
“There we go,” Crowpaw said, dropping the big rabbit near them. “Plenty for everyone to have a bite.”
“Thanks, Crowpaw,” Tawnypelt said.
“Great catch,” Brambleclaw added with a purr.
“...I’ve seen better,” Squirrelpaw sniffed.
Crowpaw growled irritably, but he only rolled his eyes when Squirrelpaw bumped her shoulder to his, her green gaze sparkling with mischief.
Once Squirrelpaw moved away, Feathertail gave Crowpaw’s cheek a brief affectionate nudge with her muzzle. He glanced over at her out of the corner of his eyes, his ears flattening shyly. Midnight waited for them as they all gathered around to eat, but even as they tucked into the food, Feathertail could still sense Stormfur’s gaze on her.
Even with Midnight to lead them by the most direct route, it was sunhigh by the time they reached the crest of a gentle hill and saw the edge of the woods in front of them. It had gotten even warmer as the day had worn on, and the shade underneath the trees looked as inviting as running water to Feathertail after traveling through the heat of the unprotected fields.
They entered into the narrow stretch of forest, padding through the trees for a bit, and Feathertail’s ears pricked as she noticed a flicker of movement in the shadows ahead of them.
“Purdy!” Brambleclaw meowed, sounding pleasantly surprised as the shadowed silhouette emerged from the undergrowth, revealing the old tabby tom.
“There you youngsters are!” Purdy said, a rusty purr rumbling to life in his chest. “I just came over to check if you’d gotten back, and if you needed a guide back through the town. I was wonderin’ if you’d found…”
Purdy’s eyes stretched wide as he suddenly noticed Midnight at the back of the group. His back arched, his tail bushing out.
“Look out!” he yowled urgently. “There’s a badger right behind y’all!”
Giving a hiss, Purdy crouched as if preparing to lunge.
“Wait!” Squirrelpaw meowed quickly, stepping in front of him. “This isn’t any badger. This is Midnight— what StarClan sent us to find.”
Midnight dipped her head to Purdy.
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” she rumbled. “Thank you for helping these warriors.”
Feathertail’s ears pricked in surprise that Midnight was aware that Purdy had helped them. They had briefly explained their journey to the sundrown-place to her, but hadn’t mentioned Purdy. Although really… by now Feathertail should no longer be surprised by the amount of things Midnight somehow knew.
Hesitantly, Purdy’s fur flattened, but a wary glimmer remained in his eyes as he stared at Midnight.
“Can’t say I’m all that pleased to meet you,” he muttered. “But I suppose you must be alright if they say so.”
Backing away, he turned to Brambleclaw.
“Why are we hangin’ around here?” he demanded. “There are upwalkers and dogs all over the place. Say goodbye and let’s be on our way.”
Purdy cast another narrowed-eyed look at Midnight, and Feathertail got the sense that the elder was actually more eager to leave Midnight’s presence than was really concerned about twolegs and dogs. Any scents Feathertail could catch of them in the air were faint and stale.
“Hang on a moment,” Crowpaw grumbled, his tail-tip flicking. “We’ve been walking all morning and none of us had anything to eat for today besides a bite of rabbit.”
Squirrelpaw nodded fiercely.
“My stomach is roaring like a monster!” she complained.
“We should rest and eat for a while,” Stormfur said in agreement.
“Let’s split up and hunt quickly,” Brambleclaw suggested. “We’ll meet in that place where we camped last time. Tawnypelt, do you want to go straight there?”
Brambleclaw glanced at her, his gaze drifting over her injured shoulder.
Tawnypelt’s eyes flashed. “No, I can hunt as well as any of you.”
Before any of the cats could respond, Midnight padded up to her and gave her a gentle nudge.
“You know better than that. You’re supposed to be the wise one! ” she rumbled, a spark of amusement appearing in her eyes. “Rest while you’re able. Show me to the camping place. I will stay for a while longer.”
Tawnypelt huffed, but flicked her tail in acquiescence. “Okay, Midnight.”
They padded off into the trees, and Purdy, Brambleclaw, and Squirrelpaw slunk off too, tasting the air for prey-scents. Crowpaw padded over to Feathertail, his ears angled back slightly in shyness.
“Do you want to come hunting with me?” he asked in a soft voice.
Feathertail opened her mouth, about to accept when she spotted Stormfur still lingering behind, his gaze locked on Crowpaw and his face set in a frown. Feathertail’s tail flicked as she realized that now might be the best chance she got today to speak with Stormfur away from the curious ears of the others.
“Actually, I might hunt with Stormfur, if you don’t mind?” Feathertail said to Crowpaw, blinking at him meaningfully.
Crowpaw’s eyes widened in understanding, and the inside of his ears seemed to turn a darker shade of red.
“Of course I don’t mind,” he mumbled, dropping his gaze down towards the ground. “I’ll see you later then.”
Crowpaw hurried off, sparing a curt nod to Stormfur before he disappeared into the undergrowth, his dark pelt easily getting lost in the shadows. Stormfur gave Feathertail a welcoming purr as she walked over to him.
“I’m glad you wanted to come with me,” he said as they fell in step, side by side. “It’s been a while since we’ve gone hunting, just the two of us.”
One of Feathertail’s ears twitched. She knew Stormfur was referring to Crowpaw, since she’d spent a lot of time hunting with him lately, but she didn’t press him on it yet as they entered deeper into the forest. She still was trying to figure out the right way to formulate her thoughts into words.
They soon came across a chattering stream. Stormfur splashed into it immediately, sighing at the cool touch on his pelt. Feathertail, though, remained at the edge, only dabbing her paws into the water. She could spot tiny fish, half the size of one of her paws darting through the water. They were much too small to waste time trying to catch, but Feathertail watched them for a few moments longer anyway. Her belly clenched in longing as she thought of the river back in Clan territory and the bountiful fish it held.
“I miss the river,” Stormfur meowed, as if echoing her thoughts.
“Me too,” Feathertail murmured.
Stormfur sighed, his expression turning forlorn. “But, even if we make it back to it, we will have to leave it again soon.”
“There will be other rivers,” Feathertail pointed out.
“But it won’t be the same.”
Feathertail arched a brow. “Cats don’t need rivers to live.”
“RiverClan cats do. It’s in our nature.” Stormfur met her gaze stubbornly.
Feathertail heaved a sigh.
She didn’t know how to respond to her brother when he said stuff like that— when he talked about RiverClan like it was some kind of immutable part of who they were. Sure, there were plenty of parts of RiverClan that Feathertail liked— the swimming, and the beautiful decorations, Mistyfoot and her kits, and Stormfur of course. But, there were just as many things about RiverClan that made Feathertail feel physically ill.
“What?” Stormfur asked.
“Nothing,” Feathertail muttered.
“You sighed.” He splashed out of the water, his gaze round with concern.
“I did.”
Feathertail turned away from him so she could stare out into the trees, her brow furrowing.
“Hey. Don’t do that. Don’t shut me out,” Stormfur said, coming around to force her to look at him, his orange eyes blinking in hurt.
Feathertail’s ears twisted back.
“I’m not ‘shutting you out,’” she retorted. “I just don’t think it’s productive for us to have the same conversation over again for the hundredth time. Especially when I know it makes you upset.”
Stormfur’s brow furrowed.
“So, you’re thinking about it?” he asked.
Feathertail rolled her eyes. “‘It?’ You know I’m not going to collapse just because you say the word ‘TigerClan,’ Stormfur.”
“I know,” Stormfur said, a bit defensive. “But, I’m just trying to be considerate.”
“I’m not as fragile as newleaf ice,” Feathertail grumbled, her tail starting to twitch.
“You know that I don’t think you’re fragile,” Stormfur protested, shaking his head. “But, you think I am, right? That’s why you think talking about it will make me upset.”
“I know it will make you upset,” Feathertail insisted, meeting Stormfur’s gaze stubbornly. “You always hate it whenever I talk about all the things that are wrong with RiverClan.”
True to form, Stormfur’s ears flattened down against his head, his brow troubled.
“I just don’t think you’re always entirely fair to our Clanmates. They were scared of Tigerstar too...” he began.
Feathertail swept her tail across the ground, biting back a growl of irritation.
“We’re not going into this right now,” she said. “I just said that I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Fine,” Stormfur conceded with a sigh. “Then we won’t.”
He turned back towards the trees, tasting the air.
“We’re supposed to be hunting right now anyway,” he murmured. “I think I smell a bird.”
Feathertail trailed after her brother as they departed from the small stream, her paws prickling with a bit of frustration. She knew that Stormfur always meant well, but somehow a lot of the time, he just didn’t seem to understand her. It was absolutely baffling to Feathertail that they’d managed to go through the same experiences and come out of it with entirely different responses. How could Stormfur so easily put everything their Clanmates had done behind him? They had betrayed them! They had turned them over to Tigerstar’s claws! They’d let Leopardstar put Stonefur to death— their own deputy and Stormfur’s mentor! And, Stormfur just forgave them all for it?
Feathertail shook her head to herself.
Is Stormfur right? Could it really be that I am just being unfair, and he isn’t?
Feathertail’s thoughts turned back to the reason that she’d gone out here alone with Stormfur in the first place.
…Well I guess it’s a good thing he’s so understanding, though, since that at least means that he’ll be understanding when I tell him about Crowpaw, right?
Feathertail’s belly fluttered nervously. She should do that soon, before they had to return to the others.
Feathertail hesitated, lingering back to give Stormfur the space to stalk up to the blackbird. It was too focused on pecking something on the ground to notice him, and Stormfur swiftly pounced on it, his paws slamming down on it and killing it instantly.
“Nice catch,” Feathertail commented, giving an approving nod.
Stormfur flashed her a grateful look. “Thanks!”
Stormfur went to store the catch beneath a bramble bush for them to collect later, and Feathertail shifted her weight from paw to paw.
“You know, there is something else that I do want to talk to you about,” she muttered.
Stormfur’s ears pricked and he glanced back at her, easily picking up on her nervous energy.
“What is it?” he meowed, taking a seat and turning his full attention onto her.
Feathertail inhaled a deep breath. “Well, I’m sure you’ve noticed that Crowpaw and I have been spending more time together. I just felt like I should tell you…”
Stormfur’s brow furrowed as he immediately understood.
“Feathertail, no!” he gasped, rising to his paws, his orange eyes intent.
Feathertail blinked in surprise at his sudden, strong reaction.
“...No?” she echoed hesitantly.
“You’ve developed feelings for him?!” Stormfur demanded, his tail-tip flicking in agitation.
Feathertail’s ears twisted back, but she kept her chin held high. “I have. But you have to understand, Crowpaw is a good cat—”
Stormfur stared at her wide-eyed.
“This isn’t about Crowpaw!” he interrupted, shaking his head. “Crowpaw could be the greatest cat who’s ever lived— it doesn’t matter! This is about you being in RiverClan and he’s not. You can’t court a cat who’s outside our Clan! We should know that better than anyone! Do you really want to make the same mistake as our parents?”
Feathertail flinched. Her ears flattened, guilt growing in her.
“I know. And, I don’t,” she muttered, her eyes dropping down to her paws.
“If you know, then put an end to it now before it gets worse,” Stormfur said, his mew now much more gentle. “Maybe your feelings are nothing more than a passing infatuation. Like how you felt about Sasha.”
Feathertail grimaced at the sudden mention of the loner who she had such a thorny history with.
“The situation is different,” Feathertail said in a low voice. “Sasha… there was never a chance. She didn’t see me that way, but even if she did, she lied to me about something really important. I wouldn’t… couldn’t forgive her for it. But, Crowpaw has always been honest. Brutally so sometimes, sure—”
“Feathertail, please,” Stormfur said, his eyes round and imploring. “At least try to let this crush fade away. These sorts of things happen sometimes, and that’s fine, but the important part is that we don’t act on them.”
Feathertail stared into her brother’s eyes— the eyes of the cat that she loved the most out of anyone else in the world— and she felt her resolve start to crumble away.
“...Okay,” Feathertail whispered finally. “I’ll try.”
Stormfur purred in relief, padding over to her to press his muzzle supportively against her shoulder.
“It might be hard in the beginning, but I think this will work out for the best,” he murmured. “For you and Crowpaw.”
Feathertail nodded even as her belly clenched, conflict whirling in her. She knew it would hurt Crowpaw terribly if she started distancing herself from him, and every part of her dragged with reluctance to cause him any kind of pain. She did truly, deeply care for Crowpaw. But, maybe Stormfur was right. Would ending it now prevent more heartache in the future?
“Let’s keep hunting so we can get back to the others before they start thinking that a fox ate us,” Stormfur murmured, gently pulling away from her.
He padded back into the forest, and, with her stomach sinking, Feathertail followed him.
Allegiances
The Journeying Cats:
Brambleclaw— a dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes (ThunderClan)
Squirrelpaw— a dark ginger she-cat with one white paw, a bushy tail and green eyes (ThunderClan)
Crowpaw— a dark smoky grey, almost black, tom with deep blue eyes (WindClan)
Stormfur— a dark silvery-grey tom with amber eyes (RiverClan)
Feathertail— a long-furred silver tabby she-cat with thick black stripes and blue eyes (RiverClan)
Tawnypelt— a tawny-ginger and brown tabby tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes (ShadowClan)
RiverClan
Leader: Leopardstar— an unusually spotted, golden tabby she-cat
Deputy: Mistyfoot— a blue-grey she-cat with blue eyes
Medicine cats: Mudfur— an elderly, spotted light brown tabby tom with long hair
Mothwing— a dappled golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Warriors: Reedtail— pale grey tabby tom (Mate: Skyheart)
Sedgecreek— a brown tabby she-cat
Apprentice: Primerosepaw
Blackclaw— a black tom
Vixenleap— a black she-cat (Mate: Shadepelt)
Shadepelt— a dark grey she-cat (Mate: Vixenleap)
Apprentice: Pikepaw
Heavystep— a brown tabby tom
Apprentice: Swallowpaw
Mallowtail— a tortoiseshell-tabby she-cat with white
Hawkfrost— a dark brown tabby tom with a white underbelly and ice-blue eyes
Apprentice: Reedpaw
Apprentices: Swallowpaw— a dark brown tabby she-cat
Reedpaw— a black tom
Primerosepaw— a pale creamy-brown she-cat with white paws
Pikepaw— a dark grey tom
Queens: Skyheart— a pale brown tabby she-cat (Mate: Reedtail. Kits: Volekit—brown tabby tom, Stonekit— a grey tom, Splashkit—a pale brown she-cat)
Grasswhisker— a brown tabby she-cat (Kits: Beechkit— a light brown tom, Ripplekit— a dark grey tabby tom)
Mosspelt— a tortoiseshell and white she-cat (Expecting kits)
Dawnflower— a pale grey she-cat (Expecting kits)
Elders: Loudbelly— a dark brown tom (retired early due to health issues)
Beetlenose— a solid black tom
WindClan
Leader: Tallstar— a tall, elderly black-and-white tom with an unusually long tail
Deputy: Mudclaw— a mottled dark brown tom
Medicine cat: Barkface— an elderly brown tom with a short tail
Warriors: Rushtail— a light creamy-brown tom (Mate: Runningbrook)
Cloudrunner— a pale grey tom (Mate: Morningflower)
Sorrelshine— a grey and brown she-cat
Wrenflight— a brown she-cat
Ashfoot— a grey she-cat with blue eyes
Onewhisker— a brown tabby tom
Tornear— a grey tabby tom
Webfoot— a dark grey tabby tom
Whitetail— a small white she-cat
Robinwing— a light brown she-cat with blue eyes
Nightcloud— a black she-cat with amber eyes
Queens: Runningbrook— a light grey, tabby she-cat (Mate: Rushtail. Kits: Owlkit— a light brown tabby tom, Weaselkit— a ginger tabby tom with white paws, Thistlekit— a solid grey she-cat)
Morningflower— a tortoiseshell she-cat (Mate: Cloudrunner. Kit: Gorsekit— a pale grey and white she-cat, Antkit— a brown and black tom)
Elders: Stagleap— a dark brown tom
Ryestalk— a grey tabby she-cat
Darkfoot— a dark blue-grey tom
ThunderClan
Leader: Firestar— a ginger tom with a flame colored pelt and bright green eyes (Mate: Sandstorm)
Deputy: Greystripe— a long-haired grey tom
Medicine cat: Cinderpelt— a dark grey she-cat
Apprentice: Leafpaw
Warriors: Mousefur—a small, dusky brown she-cat
Apprentice: Spiderpaw
Dustpelt— a brown tabby tom (Mate: Ferncloud)
Sandstorm— a pale ginger she-cat with leaf-green eyes (Mate: Firestar)
Cloudtail— a fluffy, solid white tom with blue eyes (Mate: Brightheart)
Brackenfur— a golden-brown tabby tom
Apprentice: Whitepaw
Thornclaw— a golden-brown tabby tom
Apprentice: Shrewpaw
Brightheart— a ginger and white she-cat with one blue eye (Mate: Cloudtail)
Ashfur— a grey tom with darker flecks and blue eyes
Rainwhisker— a dark grey tom
Sootfur— a grey tom
Sorreltail—a tortoiseshell and white she-cat
Apprentices: Spiderpaw— a black and brown tom
Shrewpaw— a brown tom
Leafpaw— a brown tabby she-cat with white paws, a white belly and amber eyes
Whitepaw— a solid white she-cat with green eyes
Queens: Goldenflower— a golden she-cat (Permanent queen)
Ferncloud— a light grey she-cat with darker flecks and green eyes (Mate: Dustpelt. Expecting Kits.)
Elders: Dappletail— a tortoiseshell she-cat
Frostfur— a solid white she-cat with blue eyes
Speckletail— a golden she-cat
Longtail— a tabby tom with an unusually long tail (retired early due to eye injury)
ShadowClan
Leader: Blackstar— a large white tom with huge jet-black paws
Deputy: Russetfur— a dark ginger she-cat
Medicine cat: Littlecloud— a small tabby tom
Warriors: Wetfoot— a grey tabby tom
Oakfur— a light brown tom with green eyes
Apprentice: Smokepaw
Cedarheart— a dark grey tom with yellow eyes
Nightwing– a black she-cat
Dawncloud— a pale ginger she-cat
Rowanclaw— a dark ginger tabby tom with amber eyes
Apprentice: Talonpaw
Kinkfur— a grey tabby she-cat with bushy fur
Snowbird— a white she-cat with green eyes
Ratscar— a dark brown tom with many scars
Snaketail— a dark brown tabby tom
Apprentice: Scorchpaw
Whitewater— a white she-cat with one sighted eye
Apprentices: Smokepaw— a grey tom
Talonpaw— a pale grey tom
Scorchpaw— a dark grey tom
Queens: Tallpoppy— a long-legged light brown she-cat (Kits: Applekit— a mottled brown she-cat, Toadkit— a dark brown tom, Marshkit— a brown and white tom)
Elders: Runningnose— a grey and white tom
Boulder— a solid grey tom
Tribe of Rushing Water
Seer: Teller of Pointed Stones (Stoneteller)— an elderly dark brown tabby tom with a white muzzle (former Healer)
Healers: Moss that Grows by River (Moss)— a brown tabby she-cat
Thorn that Grows in Cleft (Thorn)— a golden-brown tabby tom
Prey Hunters: Brook Where Small Fish Swim (Brook)— a light brown tabby she-cat with grey eyes
Flight of Startled Heron (Flight)— a brown tabby she-cat
Rock Where Snow Gathers (Rock)— a black tom
Mist Where Sunlight Shimmers (Mist)— a mostly white she-cat with golden patches
Wing Shadow Over Water (Wing)— a black and white she-cat
Cave Guards: Crag Where Eagles Nest (Crag)— a silvery grey she-cat with hazel eyes (Head Cave Guard)
Night of No Stars (Night)— a striking solid black she-cat with green eyes
Scree Beneath Winter Sky (Scree)— a dark brown tabby tom
Bird That Rides the Wind (Bird)— a pale brown she-cat
Sheer Path Beside Waterfall (Sheer)— a dark brown tabby tom
To-bes: Crest of Snowy Mountain (Crest)— a grey and white she-cat
Storm Clouds at Dusk (Storm)— a dark grey tom
Kit-Mothers: Star That Shines On Water (Star)— a pure white she-cat (Head Healer)
Swoop of Chestnut Hawk (Swoop)— a dark auburn and brown tortoiseshell she-cat (Head Prey Hunter)
Elders: Cloud with Storm in Belly (Cloud)— a white she-cat with a few dark tabby markings (retired Cave Guard)
Rain that Rattles on Stones (Rain)— a speckled brown tom with a missing eye and a white muzzle (retired Prey Hunter)
Unaligned Creatures:
Midnight— a mysterious badger
Purdy— an elderly dark tabby tom with patchy fur
Talon of Swooping Eagle (Talon)— a dark brown tabby tom with a distinctive scar across his face (former Cave Guard)
Jagged Rock Where Heron Sits (Jag)— a dark grey tom (former Cave Guard)
Grey Sky Before Dawn (Grey)— a silver tabby tom with a stumpy tail (former Prey Hunter)