by Hail. » Mon Nov 19, 2018 2:29 am
Username: howlingtothestars
Cat Name: Foxlily
Clan: Cinderclan
Rank: Warrior
Gender: Female
Age: 35 moons
Family?:
The sun crept over the tree line, casting long and clawed shadows on the thick forest floor which rested on her. Foxlily sat, her eyes gleaming with hatred towards the leader and deputy - our parents. A frown crept onto my face as the words of the past seeped into my mind once more; the conversation they had held the previous night.
Our parents - Wildstar and Swiftwind - were monarchists. Wildstar had inherited the roll of leader from his father, who got it from his mother, and so on. Foxlily and I knew about this for sometime, it wasn’t exactly some great secret that the leaders played favorites with their kin, and so it wasn’t much of a surprise to either of us when they approached Foxlily and told her she would be come the next deputy. However, she didn’t take kindly to this announcement.
They argued for several minutes, and I stood near the den, listening anxiously. I wanted to go in and defend her, but their words made one thing clear: Foxlily was now the favorite. If I were to interfere, banishment would be the minimal punishment.
The day came and went, fading over the sky above and melting into the dark cover of night. I couldn’t sleep and laid in my bed of moss, watching the world outside of my den and thinking of my sister. My mind circled in a never ending spiral, pondering what could be done for her, to help her smile again. That spiral was broke as a shadow darted by, rushing from the clan and into the woods.
My paws did not hesitate and I launched myself from my bed and through the dens opening, stumbling slightly as I turned a little too sharply but catching my balance and running on a moment later. I followed her trail, the wind soaring over my back and the moonlight guiding my path.
When I caught up to her, she was stopped beneath the trees, her chest heaving as she pulled in her breaths. I slowed as I got closer, but still startled her. She whipped around to face me, her eyes betraying her fear of who might be there, and she stood rigid as our eyes met.
“Foxlily, I-“
“What are you doing out here? You should get back to the clan, Stormbreeze.”
I closed my mouth and took a few breaths, my eyes drifting behind me where the clan slept deep in the wall of trees. Without much thought, a smile slipped onto my face and I turned back to her and shrugged. “Who wants to be part of a clan like that, anyway?”
She frowned, studying my face, then slowly smiled too. I strode up to her and touched her shoulder with my own. “Come on, lead the way!”
Foxlily walked beside me, her tail held high and her features relaxed for the first time in six moons.
Wolf Forest loomed overhead, it’s tall and thick trees gazing down at us with invisible eyes, casting long shadows which reached for our feet and backs. Above, an owl called, it’s head cocked in our direction. A prickle of fear tickled my spine, but the feeling faded as the owl turned away and flew in the opposite direction. Foxlily laughed as I visibly relaxed, and the sound lifted my heart.
“So, what is your big plan, anyway? Run from the clan and then live as a rogue in the same forest?”
Foxlily shook her head. “No, not the same forest.” Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me, both of us still pressing forward through the woods as dawn slowly crept in overhead. “There’s another forest separate from Wolf Forest. I’ve met a cat from there! She said there’s a young clan inside it and that the world there is very different from our gloomy one amidst these dark trees.”
My ear flicked and I eyed her. The plan didn’t sound half bad, I could use a change of scenery if it made her happy. Still, my elderly-brother senses tingled in my whiskers and screamed at me to question and tease her until I caved.
“So, some cat from another forest says it’s better than Wolf Forest? And, you’re trusting a stranger? I thought I taught Foxpaw to not do that!”
She caught onto his tone and smirked at him. “Well, Mr. Smart-tail, she was from Wolf Forest, so I think she had adequate experience to make that claim. And, Stormpaw told Foxpaw, but proceeded to have a casual conversation with a rouge no more than three minutes later.”
I broke into a laugh, impressed that she remembered that, and she grinned triumphantly. “Alright, alright. You win for now. So, are you sure we are going the right way?”
She nodded firmly, determination sparkling in her eyes. “Yes! It should take us three nights until we reach the edge of Wolf Forest.”
I yawned dramatically. “Well, let’s press on then! I want to get to the new clan quickly, maybe they’ll have some good prey.”
She laughed and bumped into me and I smirked at her as we pressed on.
It may seem strange, or selfish, but I was glad for this trip. As kits and apprentices, Foxlily and I were as close as could be, despite attempts from our parents to make us into rivals. However, they put a gap between us when we reached a warriors age. By then, they had determined she would be their heir, and so she was given her warriors name immediately - and nearly twelve moons before me. We tried often to still be around each other and spend time together, but every time they saw us near each other they always had a hefty patrol for me to go on. They eventually gave me a warrior name and role when my mentor persisted daily in his complaints, but it didn’t change very much. They did everything they could to keep us apart, and I was forced to watch Foxlily slowly change, turning bitter and angry, while I could do nothing to help her.
The time spent on the trip was not enough to rekindle moons of distance and change, but it was enough to draw us closer again for the first time since she became a warrior, and I was grateful. To see her smile again was a blessing I never thought I would have.
Dawn woke me within the small den we had dug the night prior. Song birds echoed above, dancing in the trees. Behind me, Foxlily slept, her back pressed against mine. As I stirred and stood, she grumbled and her eyes flickered open and glared at me. “Come on, sleepy head. We don’t have much more to go.”
Foxlily stood and stretched, shaking off the sleepy daze of morning, and followed me outside and into the light of morning.
The trees were sparse here, and the forest floor bore few reaching shadows. We pressed onward, our conversation minimal as Foxlily’s mind was still clouded with hazy slumber.
It had been two nights, and we would be leaving Wolf Forest tonight. Though a part of me felt eager and ready to embrace this new life, something deep in me hung heavy. Worry for Foxlily clung to my mind as thoughts of how this new clan would treat her wiggled in and made themselves at home. I glanced at her and watched her stroll along, her paws dragging on the ground as she did.
I soon pushed those worries behind, promising myself that whatever was waiting for us would have to be better than what we had lived through already.
“Come on, Foxlily, the edge of the forest is just ahead!”
Foxlily chuckled behind me, her stride picking up only slightly. “Well look whose eager, now.”
I smiled and looked back at her to joke, but her expression stopped me in my tracks.
Her eyes were wide and her pupils enlarged. Her back was arched and her fur was puffed up, making her look much larger. I quickly followed her gaze and fell the chill of fear blow ice down my back.
Just ahead, only a few feet, a large dog stood, its head near the ground as it investigated something. Slowly, it lifted its head and took a few deep breaths through its nose. We stood still and held our breaths, pleading it would pass us by, but the wind shifted.
The dogs head turned to us and it’s dark eyes shimmered. That light broke the petrifying ice from my body in an instant as the need to protect ignited a fire within my chest and stomach.
“Run.”
“Stor-“
“Run now!”
Foxlily followed my order, startled by the sharpness of my tone, and turned away to flee. As she ran away, I rushed towards the threat.
The dog snarled and lunged forward, but it’s lumbering size slowed it. I ducked beneath its jaws and latched onto its chest and neck and bit down, using my hind-legs to rake its chest and tear flesh. It whipped around wildly and I sank my claws into it to cling on. The world lurched and smeared chaotically, churning my mind and in dizzying circles. Eventually, my claws slipped and I lost my grip, falling to the ground and striking my back. I looked up as I turned to stand and watched as it reared up and descended, it’s jaws open and fangs shimmering with saliva.
She was in a den, curled up and trembling, on the verge of tears. Her pelt was ruffled and chaotic and twigs rested in parts of it from her frantic flight. I frowned and hesitated, my paw hovering over the ground, but I stepped forward and dipped my head into the den. “Foxlily.”
Her head shot up and her eyes latched onto me. I watched as the hope and eagerness slowly melted into heartache. I stepped forward before she could speak and smiled softly, then touched my nose to her forehead. “Come on, we still have a journey to make.”
She climbed from her den, following after me with wide eyes and wild fur. It was a silent and short trip to the edge of the forest. The sun was high in the sky as we stepped from the heavy forest for the first time. Ahead, medium-high grass swayed, leading to a large body of water, then feeding into a strange looking forest. The trees were rounded and a light, shimmering green color and they cast patchy, uneven, soft shadows on the leafy ground. We walked together by the lake, but Foxlily stopped as we began to break away from the water to enter the forest.
“Stormbreeze, I- I’m sorry. I ran, and you-“
I smiled at her warmly. “You did what I told you to, and for that you survived as I wanted you to. What happened to me doesn’t mater, because you’re alive and that is all that counts. So please, Foxlily, don’t blame yourself for it and smile again. Above all, I just want to see you happy.”
She stared at me, and I could tell what she was thinking. Despite it, however, a small smile still appeared on her face and I laughed softly. “Come on, let’s go meet your new clan.”
In the new forest, the first cat we encountered was almost immediately recognized. Her name was Hidden Flame - a style of name which mimicked that of other clans within the Wolf Forest. The she-cat greeted Foxlily warmly and they spoke for a moment together before Hidden Flame invited her to come and meet the clan. Foxlily agreed and walked along. As she looked over her shoulder, I smiled and nodded, encouraging her to press forward to her future. She slowly turned away from me and entered the brambles of the new clan, where she met the other cats and leader. Hidden Flame explained their initial meeting to the cats, who were all warm to Foxlily and cheerful to see her.
Later that night, the leader pulled her to the side and took her to a rock just outside of the camps border. There, Foxlily told her almost everything, keeping the identity of the others involved in her life hidden. As the conversation came to a close, Cedarstar asked the fateful question: “Do you have any family members in Wolf Forest?”
Foxlily did not flinch or hesitate in her reply. “My only family passed on the journey and now walks with StarClan.”
Cedarstar apologized to her, and they sat in silence for a moment. Then, Cedarstar offered her a place in the clan. As Foxlily accepted, a soft peace fell on my chest as her journey finally came to a victorious closure, but I still didn’t feel ready to move on. I followed from a distance as they returned to the camp and watched as they broke apart and entered separate dens.
Standing in the center of it, I took a moment to look around at the new clan. It was a quiet place, simple and nice and well cared for. No trees hovered in the camp, letting in the light of the moon without obstruction. A medicine den rested near the center of the clan, a nursery with three kits was near it, and the warriors den was shaded by a smooth stone near the fresh kill pile.
A slow, faint smile appeared on my face and I made my way to the warriors den. Inside, Foxlily had already fallen asleep, curled up right and exhausted from the long toll of the days journey. I watched for for a moment, then sighed softly and touched my nose to her forehead, wishing her the best as I finally accepted the call of the stars and faded from her world.
Last edited by
Hail. on Fri Nov 23, 2018 3:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
(formerly howlingtothestars)
