ZephyrClan Writings | Rise | DNP

[Kazin]

Main ZephyrClan Thread | Rise Adopts Forum

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Welcome to ZephyrClan's writing thread. I will be sharing my original stories of ZephyrClan cats (apart from personalities and histories, which can be found on my main thread).

[Kazin]

A single cat, living in a big area. Some might find that exceptionally lonely, or exceptionally boring, but the ginger tom felt neither emotion in the long moons he spent living alone. He was just glad to find somewhere that felt like home, rather than wandering around like he had been nearly his whole life. The trees around him felt familiar, like they were his brothers, and the stream allowed for a constant babble of soft conversation - whether it made the cat crazy or not, well, time would tell. For now, at least, he was happy, even if he was alone, and even if he talked to himself, the sky, or the stream. It wasn't as if anyone was around to call him crazy anyway. He wasn't worried about the empty camp, or the territory he was patrolling each day by himself. Fate would bring him a companion, he felt sure of that.

As fate would have it.

It was a cold, leafbare day when the leader's hunch seemed to come true. Blazestar, having received his nine lives and his leader name quite some time ago, was doing his normal rounds through Breezeclan territory, stopping to admire a bit of color that had managed to survive the first snow, popping through the fluffy coldness like there was nothing wrong in the world, like it wasn't leafbare at all. He wasn't even sure what kind of plant it was, but the color was mesmerizing. It was here that he let his guard slip, and didn't hear a set of approaching paws until the newcomer was practically right beside him. It was the other cat's own colors that gave him away.

Blazestar had just happened to look up from the pretty blue flower to see a different spot of blue... accompanying a cat. A curious brown and white stranger, with odd eyes, staring with an awed expression Blazestar was sure matched his own.

"Erm..." Blazestar stammered, unsure of where to begin. He hadn't had a real conversation in... ages. "Who are you?" He finally managed to ask weakly, ashamed that he missed this stranger so completely. Even now he could barely scent the cat, though he was sure it was because his scent blended in with the freshly fallen snow. It was strange.

The newcomer shifted on his feet a few times, uncertain himself. "Well, I was known as Copperpaw in my old clan... if you know what that is?" At Blazestar's nod, Copperpaw continued. "I'm not really of apprentice age anymore, though. I just left my Clan because I didn't want to deal with them anymore. I've been looking for a place to go, and my paws led me here. Fate, I guess," the tom shrugged, looking down at the flower Blazestar had seen.

"I'd be happy to welcome you into Breezeclan, if you don't mind that I'm currently the only cat. Blazestar is my name," the leader said, recovering himself. This cat didn't seem dangerous at all, and Blazestar was actually quite excited to have a potential cat in his Clan. Copperpaw's gaze landed on Blazestar's, both sets of eyes shining with happiness as Copperpaw nodded. "I'd like to give you a warrior name, too, if that's alright?" Blazestar said, tilting his head slightly.

Copperpaw jumped up, bouncing around like a kit a few times in good-natured happiness. Blazestar let out a laugh, happier with each passing second. Copperpaw seemed like his kind of cat - definitely a friend. "Yes, I have been wanting my own warrior name for a long time! I thought about giving myself one but it just... didn't feel right since I'm not a leader and don't plan on being one."

Another nod from the ginger tom. "Good," he said simply narrowing his eyes to think. "I would like StarClan to look down upon BreezeClan as I induct this warrior into the Clan, and give him a proper warrior name. Copperpaw, do you promise to help BreezeClan grow, and protect the Clan and its' members for as long as you are a warrior?"

A soft "I do" from Copperpaw.

"As fate would have it, I would like to give you the warrior name of Coppersplash. Your bright personality is something I look forward to getting to know better. You have brought a splash of hope into the world of BreezeClan, just like this splash of color in a white Leafbare gives me hope that the Clan will survive this cold season." Coppersplash, well versed with seeing warrior ceremonies, stepped forward to touch noses with his new leader.

"As fate would have it," Coppersplash repeated, smiling down with Blazestar at the blue flower.

[Kazin]

It had been a hard day for the clan. It wasn't even because of the weather - no, quite the opposite, really. It was a near-perfect Newleaf day - sun warming the pelts of the cats, birds calling through the forest, and prey was bountiful on this day. It didn't seem right that tensions should be this high... but they were. Perhaps it was because of the addition of so many new cats so quickly. Hemlockflame, Elmstrike, and Sootmask all seemed to come in at the same time. Blazestar seemed to be overwhelmed with the conflicting personalities, already breaking up a shouting match that could have easily turned into a fight between Elmstrike and Sootmask; or mostly Elmstrike, who had gotten frustrated at Sootmask's unwillingness to speak.

And so Coppersplash took it upon himself to self-appoint a role of 'tension calmer.' Really, it wasn't that big of a deal, but he was going around every few moments making sure each cat was happy and not yelling at each other. Well, he thought maybe it was more so for Elmstrike's sake. He seemed to be really the only cat with a problem, and that problem was only Sootmask. It was he who Coppersplash was watching, as he seemed to get an idea, perking up and walking straight into Blazestar's den without so much as a greeting to the leader. Feeling immensely curious, not necessarily wanting to eavesdrop but still wanting to keep tabs on Elmstrike, making sure he wasn't going to ask Blazestar to kick Sootmask out of the clan. If anyone would be able to keep Blazestar's head in check, Coppersplash felt it should be him.

The voices of Elmstrike and Blazestar were just audible enough as Coppersplash waited at the entrance. He did hear Sootmask's name being brought up, but Blazestar's tone told Coppersplash he didn't need to intervene after all. He felt a strange smugness towards Elmstrike, wanting to gloat to the cat and tell him he couldn't have his way just because he didn't like a cat. But something else was brought up; Elmstrike being deputy. This thought turned Coppersplash's blood to ice. Elmstrike, in a leadership position of Breezeclan? When there were cats he clearly wanted to kick out? It would never work. He hoped Blazestar was smart enough to see that too, because there was a deep part of Coppersplash that knew Elmstrike was very manipulative when he wanted to be. Perhaps Blazestar would see his side and make him deputy after all, there was no telling how he would take Elmstrike's words...

About ready to break up the meeting between the two, the only thing that stopped Coppersplash was Blazestar's next words. "Besides, Elmstrike, I can't make you deputy. I already have a cat in mind, and he's been here longer than you." Coppersplash's jaw dropped immediately, and he couldn't even bring himself to get out of the way to seem like he hadn't just been listening in on the conversation. Elmstrike stalked out of the den, tail lashing, barely giving Coppersplash a second glance.

"Well, come in then. I know you're there, I'm not oblivious to the things around me," Blazestar called, his voice alight with amusement. "I know you almost as well as I know myself," Blazestar continued as Coppersplash slowly stepped his way inside his leader's den. His best friend's den.

Blazestar seemed to be waiting for Coppersplash to speak. It took a few moments for Coppersplash to gather his thoughts, but when he did he could only open and then close his mouth shaking his head. It took a chuckle from Blazestar before Coppersplash was truly able to speak. "Blazestar, I know you can't mean what you said," he said hurriedly, his tail twitching slightly. "I am not deputy material. I don't think I'd be able to lead the cats like you can, especially if something happened to you and I was expected to... replace you. I wouldn't be able to!"

Waiting to be sure Coppersplash was completely finished, Blazestar gently patted Coppersplash's head with his paw. "Do you care for each and every one of the cats in this Clan, right now?" The leader asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Yes, but-" Blazestar cut Coppersplash's statement off with a raise of his paw again.

"Do you want to keep every single one of the cats in Breezeclan safe from threats; internal or external?"

Sighing, Coppersplash nodded, though he nodded with certainty.

"I have seen you taking it upon yourself to keep more fights between Elmstrike and Sootmask breaking out. You want to protect your Clanmates, and your Clan. I think that makes you the perfect choice for deputy. Of course, I will honor your wishes, and if you do not wish to remain deputy, I will not force you to. I do, however, think we need a second cat in charge so that Elmstrike can cool his jets. And you are the cat I'd want by my side - because you are my best friend." There was a short pause, and Coppersplash still seemed uncomfortable with the idea. "You do want to help protect your clan and your Clanmates, right?" Blazestar finally added, frowning slightly.

"Of course!" The brown and white tom answered hurriedly. "I know where my loyalties lie; it is with you, and my clan, and I have always wanted to make this a safe place for any cat that wishes to stay here."

Blazestar nodded, happy again. "That's why I knew you would be the choice. I mean it when I say you won't have to do this forever, if you don't want to. I am sure that once the Clan grows, there will be more level-headed cats like you. I will say this though; none can replace you as my best friend, because I, too, know where my loyalties lie."

The two toms purred at each other, bickering lightly about their friendship. They had been together, just the two of them running a clan, for so long before Hemlockflame or Elmstrike or Sootmask showed up, that nothing would seem that different, in truth - at least not until the clan obtained more members. They would still be best friends, and nothing could change that - not internal threats in the clan, not external. Deputy or not, Coppersplash would always consider Blazestar his best friend. A cat that believed in Coppersplash, even when he had doubts in himself, and he would always feel the same way about Blazestar. After all, wasn't that what best friends were for? The bonds of friendship ran deep, and nothing would be able to break them.

[Kazin]

Sunshine streaming down through the branches of the tall trees in the forest, broken up into patches by the knotted branches and swaying leaves. The warmth made most cats drowsy, especially during sunhigh, each Clan member taking the opportunity to enjoy the last of the Greenleaf warmth - after all, it couldn't last forever.

Coppersplash didn't really remember how he found himself lounging with Sootmask, but he wasn't going to complain. The she-cat was already half-asleep, a look of contentment on her face. He got so caught up in watching her that he wasn't really aware of what he might look like, staring at her, if she happened to wake up. Which was exactly what happened.

"Hey..." Sootmask's groggy murmur caused Coppersplash to snap out of his stupor of watching her. "What's wrong with your face?" She said, closing her eyes again and missing the appalled expression that replaced Coppersplash's previous goofy look.

It took a few seconds for Coppersplash to formulate a response, so floored as he was by Sootmask's question. What was wrong with his face? Well, he was staring at the prettiest she-cat he had ever seen. He was thinking about just how much he loved her. And he definitely did not expect, nor want to hear, the words that had just come out of Sootmask's mouth.

"Nothing is wrong with my face!" Coppersplash finally exclaimed, causing Sootmask to open her eyes, slightly alarmed. "I was just, and don't take this the wrong way, watching you in the sunlight... the way your pelt looks, it was just so... beautiful," he trailed off in his speech towards the end, sighing and looking away. He didn't know why he got so awkward around her. They had always been close, but it seemed whenever Coppersplash got the chance to tell Sootmask that he liked her, it was always bad timing, or just made to be such an embarrassing moment that Coppersplash would give up and change the subject. At least, thankfully, Sootmask was either too kind to him to bring the topic of conversation back to what he would have been trying to say or to oblivious to notice his affections.

This time, however, to Coppersplash's huge surprise and delight, she responded to him. Without changing the subject. "Relax," Sootmask purred, lazily hitting him with the tip of her tail. He continued to look at the tortoiseshell incredulously, wondering how exactly she could expect him to relax after saying a statement like that, but she rolled her eyes, smirking. "What?" She finally said, nearly laughing at his new expression. "I meant it as a compliment!"

Coppersplash's mouth formed into a surprised 'o.' "You... you... meant it as..."

Sootmask cut off the larger tom, laughing harder now. "Yes, as a compliment you silly cat!"

The tom was shaking his head, though his eyes shone with happiness. "I can't believe... that you would insult my face... and then tell me you were complimenting me!"

Rolling her eyes again, Sootmask stretched into a sitting position. "Yes, well, I suppose love can make you say strange things." She froze, wrinkling her nose before slowly turning to look at Coppersplash. It was now his turn to laugh, feeling giddy and happy that the awkward moment had passed, at least for himself.

"Don't worry," he purred, pressing himself into Sootmask. "I love you, too," he said, as Sootmask let herself relax against Coppersplash's side. "And I will always compliment you," he added, "even when you think you embarrass yourself."

Sootmask sighed contentedly. "I love you," she whispered, closing her eyes in the sunlight, feeling the happiest she had ever felt.

[Kazin]

Two completely different personalities. Extraordinarily different. There was no way such a small Clan would be able to handle these two being in the same area, having to go on the same patrols, trying to get them to work together. These thoughts ran through Blazestar's head on a daily basis, getting him anxious about the coming moons with the tensions between the two newest members of Zephyrclan. Everything about being a leader had been great. Until now.

Maybe it was just the age gap between them, Blazestar thought, trying to make some sense about the hostility Sootmask and Elmstrike showed towards each other. Well, he should really say that it was just Elmstrike, the tom having gone so far as to try and get Blazestar to kick Sootmask out of the Clan. She was insubordinate, Elmstrike said, she never talked. What kind of warrior could she be if she didn't communicate? And still, Blazestar refused to let Elmstrike's whims decide Sootmask's fate. She had found this Clan, and she had been fine towards Blazestar and the others. Just not Elmstrike. It wasn't as if she was being intentionally hostile towards the older tom either, no. It seemed to be the other way around - Elmstrike being hostile towards her. All because she refused to speak to him.

Blazestar had tried telling Elmstrike that it wasn't just him. Sootmask didn't talk to anybody when she first arrived, jumping a little at every word someone else spoke, her eyes becoming wide. It had been a few moons before she would say anything to anyone but Blazestar, and even still she would only speak to Coppersplash. Hemlockflame and Elmstrike had been out of luck, and Hemlockflame seemed to accept this fate of not speaking to Sootmask. Elmstrike, however, took at as a personal offense to both him and Zephyrclan as a whole.

Which was why, when Blazestar decided the entire Clan would hunt as one unit, the leader realized that this may go terribly.

He didn't say anything, but Coppersplash's eyes were on him as the Clan gathered to get ready to hunt. He gave his best friend a small shake of the head, pointedly looking away from his stare and striking up conversation with Hemlockflame. Sootmask was the last to arrive, and Blazestar led the way out into the forest, keeping a close eye on Elmstrike and Sootmask.

Thankfully, Hemlockflame and Coppersplash kept Elmstrike's attention - talking about his past, what he had done before finding Zephyrclan. Blazestar only quieted them when he scented rabbit, signalling for Sootmask and Elmstrike to take it down without thinking much about it. Thankfully, Elmstrike's head seemed to be too engrossed in the coming hunt to think much of it either, and he signaled for Sootmask to go around to scare it without saying anything or looking at her. She obliged, focusing on the hunt as well, looking for Elmstrike's signal to chase it into him. The two hunted beautifully together, taking it down with speed and ease, barely giving the rabbit time to think. Sootmask flashed Blazestar, Coppersplash, and Hemlockflame a happy look, padding over to Elmstrike, who's mouth was occupied with the rabbit.

"That was great!" She said, giving Elmstrike a nervous but happy grin. "You're a good strategist."

Elmstrike seemed to freeze where he was, dropping the rabbit at his paws, still in mid-walk. Sootmask, taken aback, stepped slightly away, unsure of what he was doing. It seemed to take a minute for Elmstrike to gather his thoughts, shaking his head slightly. "I didn't know you could talk," he finally said half-heartedly, picking up the rabbit between his teeth and leading the way back to the other Clanmates. By then, Sootmask had thought of her own response.

"I can," she mused, tilting her head and gaining a faraway look. "I just don't like to do it much," she added, looking away.

At first, Elmstrike only grunted, working on burying the rabbit to come back to later. "Well," he finally said, looking at Sootmask. "I can respect that, I suppose. You are a member of Zephyrclan after all. So even if I don't understand your actions, you belong here."

Blazestar let out a breath he had been holding since the two came back, exchanging a bemused look with Coppersplash. Perhaps not everyone in the Clan would get along and like each other, but they definitely could co-exist. Everything would work out just fine.

[Kazin]

"Let it be known that we are officially starting the meeting as soon as everyone gets settling." Blazestar's voice rang out over the clan with confidence, the ginger tom gazing over the four other cats in his Clan. He let his gaze rest on each one - first, looking at Coppersplash and Sootmask, the latter's belly round with kits. She was the primary cause for this meeting, though it wasn't as if she knew it. Coppersplash was joking around with the tortoiseshell queen, causing her to roll her eyes and shake her head, though her expression said that she was amused. Her mate chuckled to himself, though Blazestar couldn't make out what he had said. Elmstrike was next, situated closer to the stream, gazing over the running water thoughtfully. He glanced at Blazestar, as if feeling his gaze, giving the leader a small nod. The final cat, Hemlockflame, was fidgeting. She was the main topic for the meeting, and Blazestar knew the cinnamon she-cat was not keen on getting the attention and potentially being bombarded with questions. To save time, and get the announcement over with for Hemlockflame's sanity, the leader hadn't even gotten the chance to tell Coppersplash about the changes he was going to make. Well, perhaps it was better to get it out now. All the cats were as settled as they were going to be.

Taking one last glance at Sootmask and Coppersplash, Blazestar took a moment to pause before speaking again. "I have some news about rank changes in our Clan, once again." Coppersplash was the only one to really seem confused, but Blazestar gave him a reassuring look before continuing. "As you all are aware, we do not have a medicine cat. Which hasn't been a huge issue for our clan until very recently; Hemlockflame and I were talking about the necessity to have a cat who could at least recognize herbs, use simple ones if needed, especially as Sootmask is ready to have kits." Another pause, taking a quick survey of the cats. Hemlockflame had stopped fidgeting, her eyes now locked on Sootmask. The three others looked vastly confused, Coppersplash and Elmstrike sharing a look. It was the older of the two who stood up, looking to speak.

"But we haven't encountered any new cats," he began, a bit of frustration coming into his voice. "You can't simply expect us to learn herbs now?"

Blazestar shook his head, expecting this out of the senior warrior. "No, Elmstrike, I do not. We do have one among us who has a significant skill set. I won't speak for her, but I want her to come up here and explain what you know and why you know it. It won't sound sincere coming from me."

This, too, Hemlockflame had expected. She had tried to get Blazestar to not make her speak, but he insisted. It wasn't going to be right for the cats to simply believe Hemlockflame knew what she was talking about.

Taking her own moment to draw a deep breath, Hemlockflame crossed the short distance to the base of the tree Blazestar was on in a couple of strides. She made the short jump to the branch Blazestar was occupying, the two nodding at each other before Blazestar jumped down, allowing Hemlockflame to take control of the meeting.

"I know this may sound weird," she began, her voice betraying none of the nervousness she felt. "But I do have basic herb knowledge and skills that I think Zephyrclan needs to be able to utilize. I do want to be able to put any skill that I have to use, and I don't believe we need me as a warrior, at least not right now, so I offered to fill in as medicine cat, whether it be permanently or temporarily until we get another with greater knowledge."

A short silence spread across the camp, most of the cats looking impressed. It was again Elmstrike who broke the silence, still standing from before. "Where'd you learn that?" Was his question.

"In my old Clan, I spent a lot of time in the medicine den learning about herbs and their usages because I truly wanted to be able to help all the cats in my Clan. When I left, I had to put some of my knowledge to practical use when I traveled alone, making sure that I was able to heal myself. I helped others along my way as well, until I stopped here. I know my knowledge is not as extensive as others who have had training their whole lives, which is why I am willing to step down should another with more knowledge join Zephyrclan."

Elmstrike nodded, sitting back on his haunches. It was hard for the older tom, not understanding why any cat would want to leave the path of a warrior, but he decided to pick his battles and leave this one alone.

"That's settled then." Blazestar said, standing where he was. "May the winds of Zephyr look down on our Clan as I declare Hemlockflame the medicine cat of Zephyrclan!" As Hemlockflame's name was chanted into the calm of the forest, Blazestar couldn't help but feel proud of his Clanmates and what they were willing to do for their Clan.

[Kazin]

How was it possible to just lose a cat? No trace of him, no scent, nothing. It was baffling. Everything had seemed fine, the Clan had been getting along well, and Blazestar had been hopeful that they would find more clan members soon. Until one of their own had just disappeared.

Things hadn't been going well for Zephyrclan.

It wasn't as if Zephyrclan was huge; noticing someone was gone should have taken a short amount of time, right? Well, Blazestar would have thought so back then, but he was proven wrong when Elmstrike had seemingly taken his own leave after being assigned to a hunting patrol with Coppersplash and never showing up. The tom was gone, his scent stale in his den.

"But... where would he have gone?" Coppersplash had asked dully, not really speaking to anyone in particular. He had a faraway look in his eyes, blaming himself. He was close to Elmstrike, he should have known that he was thinking of leaving. Blazestar could only shake his head in response, gazing out into the forest as if Elmstrike would come back.

He didn't. At least not right away.

Perhaps a fortnight passed before any of the Zephyrclan cats had seen Elmstrike. Blazestar, Coppersplash, and Hemlockflame had taken turns searching for the tom, even wandering out beyond the clan territory to see if they could find any signs of, well, anything. It was an evening border patrol consisting of Blazestar and Coppersplash that managed to see him again.

Coppersplash had been the first one to catch sight of the brown tom, stopping dead in his tracks as Blazestar was trying to tell him a story. Blazestar did a double take to look at Coppersplash, finally gazing in the direction of where he was looking... to see the shape of Elmstrike, leaning heavily against a small tree, one of his paws held up.

"Elmstrike?" Blazestar breathed, trotting quickly to the warrior's side. "Where have you been, are you alright?" He nudged Elmstrike's side gently, and the older tom growled.

"I'm fine," he snapped, limping on his three good feet. "I needed a break, and I was on my way back here when I stepped on an impossibly large thorn. I'll just mosey on to Hemlockflame, and I'll be fine."

Coppersplash and Blazestar shared a look, but didn't say anything, helping the warrior back to the clan.

_____________________

"There isn't anything damaged beyond repair, at least," Hemlockflame said, pressing a concoction of herbs on Elmstrike's paw. "You just won't be able to use it for a while."

Elmstrike nearly rolled his eyes, but managed to contain himself. "Thanks," he said gruffly, peeking out of the medicine den at Blazestar and Coppersplash. They were waiting for him to come out, ready to talk about why he had left and what they should do. "Can I just stay in here for the night? Tell those two worry sacks I'll talk to them in the morning. I just don't have the energy to explain myself right now."

The she-cat nodded, stepping out and sending both leader and deputy away with a short conversation. As she came back into the den, she sighed. "You know, I'm not going to let you off the hook either. I need to know why you left. And if you're alright - more than physically."

It was Elmstrike's turn to sigh. "I wasn't in the best mindset before," he admitted after a slight pause. His words came out uncharacteristically quietly. "I needed to get away from the clan for a little, clear my mind, think some things over." He glanced at Hemlockflame, seeing her about to open her mouth. "I'm cured, I swear," he said quickly, giving her an apologetic look.

Hemlockflame nodded once, her gaze softening. The two cats sat in silence for a few moments before they both settled down, preparing to fall asleep as the sky darkened. "You know," Hemlockflame said, causing Elmstrike to open his eyes again. "You can talk to me. About anything. I'll always be here for you."

"I know that now." Elmstrike whispered, giving Hemlockflame the closest to a smile she had ever seen on the harsh tom.

Yes, perhaps he hadn't been alright before, but he was going to be ok now. She believed that, she had to. No matter what, she would always be there for him, even if the surly tom got on her nerves.

[Kazin]

Not a day had gone by that Blazestar didn't think about her. She had been his home, his safe place, his protector... but he left her. For that, he had always felt like he had done something wrong, but it wasn't anyone's fault. They just had different paths to take.

Their friendship had started when they were kits, when Blazestar had been living as a loner in a Twoleg barn, filled with all sorts of large animals. He lived with his mother, his siblings... and many other cats. Known as Flame in the past, Blazestar was the ringleader of a bunch of different antics. And one day, when he was warrior aged, thinking about leaving the barn to find his own destiny, Flame found her.

It had been a dare, presented to Flame by one of his friends. To prove that he was truly the bravest cat, truly the leader of their small group, Flame was told to waltz into the territory of a nearby rogue group. It wasn't a large group, and they had never seemed aggressive towards any of the barn cats when the two groups wandered near each other, but they presented a scary unknown. Flame, however, was devoted to his pride, always wanting to prove that he could lead, despite the terrible mistakes Flame blamed himself for in the past. So the dare wasn't just about proving that he was a leader to the other cats, but it was proving that he could be a leader to himself. Thinking about starting his own group of clans had been an idea that played in Flame's head for a while.

And so Flame found himself walking away from the barn, towards an unknown group of cats. But before he could approach the camp, walk in and introduce himself as he was dared to do, a lilting voice made his head turn. And he saw her.

She was stunning, her pale ginger pelt seemingly glowing in the sun, acting like it's own sun, her amber eyes bright and curious. She had been sitting in a patch of sun, blending in with the bright rays despite the pale quality of her fur. Flame nearly did a double take, unsure if he was actually seeing a real cat, or if the sun was playing tricks on him.

"Interesting to find you here," the she-cat said slyly, approaching Flame without caution, already trusting. "You're one of those barn cats. The ones that seem afraid of us." She wasn't asking questions, not as far as Flame could tell.

It took Flame a few moments to recover himself, shaking his head slightly to clear his daze. "Er, yeah, I am. I wanted to... say hi," he finished lamely, not taking his eyes off of the she-cat. Stars, she was pretty.

The she-cat laughed, sitting and wrapping her tail around her paws. "Well, hello to you too. You seem to be their leader. Is that why they sent you down here?"

Flame could only manage a nod.

"Nice to meet you. You seem like a dependable and responsible cat. My name's Wren, by the way." Wren's eyes crinkled when she was happy, stunning Flame once again.

"Flame," the ginger tom breathed, nodding slightly in a greeting. "It's, uh, very nice to meet you too." His statement came out more like a question, though he barely noticed.

"Are you always this eloquent?" Wren laughed, standing again. "Come on, I'll let you introduce yourself to the rest of my group."

Wren took him back to her camp then, and Flame was able to meet the rest of the cats from the very friendly bunch that called themselves Wanderers. Truthfully, Flame could barely focus on any of it, so caught up in thinking about this new she-cat he met. The friendly one named Wren. Hers was the only name that stood out in his mind, the only name he was able to repeat to his friends to prove he had been down there to meet the Wanderers.

Even with this she-cat on his mind, both groups had ended up leaving, Flame and Wren barely able to say goodbye to each other. Flame founded Zephyrclan not long after he had left, Wren still on his mind, always wondering if he would cross paths with her.

"I will find you again," Blazestar whispered to himself, closing his eyes to fall asleep in his den. His dreams were always about Wren, and they always would be.

[Kazin]

It was a sad day for Zephyrclan, despite the sunny weather and chirping birds. Moods should be high, celebrations should be in order because of the increased amount of prey... and yet, Blazestar could only feel sadness. For it was time for the first cat to leave the clan...

Blazestar's intention had always been to let cats come and go as they pleased, especially since Zephyrclan was meant to be a clan for drifters, but he had never expected to care this much about cats he would meet, the cats he would take care of. Perhaps it was his own fault for telling each and every new clan member that they could leave whenever they wanted, that they owed no loyalty to this clan if they didn't want to... he was rethinking that. A home to drifters Zephyrclan should always be, yes; but it should remain home if they stay after a certain time. This was also what he had discussed with Fallowfrost and Coppersplash individually, getting agreements from both of them. He wanted to ask Elmstrike as well, but the older tom was also taking the new absence quite hard. Blazestar could almost see that he was going to leave soon.

But now, the clan was losing one of their best. And he completely understood why, but it still hurt, and not just because she had knowledge no other cat in the clan had about herbs. Not because she was the medicine cat for a short while. But because she was Blazestar's friend. One of his first friends, one of the cats he had sworn he would protect. It was truly awful, saying goodbye to her, listening to her tell the newest addition to the clan where she stored the herbs. Emberlily, the new medicine cat, was very cheery and bright, someone Blazestar was glad to have, but he didn't want it to be the cost of Hemlockflame.

"Blazestar," the older she-cat's quiet meow sounded behind the ragged leader, causing him to take a deep breath and close his eyes before turning. "I am about to depart." Her voice was soft, but there was no mistaking the slight waver to her voice. This was as hard for her as it was for Blazestar.

Steeling himself for a few more moments, Blazestar put on a more happy face before turning to face the departing she-cat. "Hemlockflame," he greeted sadly, getting to his feet finally and crossing the short distance between them. "I will be very sad to see you go, but I wish you great luck." A gentle breeze ruffled the two cats' fur, causing Blazestar to give a small smile. "The Zephyrs also wish you luck, wherever your journey brings you."

"Thank you," the cinnamon she-cat mewed, touching noses with her leader one last time. "I hope we will meet again one day, and I will see Zephyrclan has grown into a bold and formidable clan as it has potential to be. I will always think of this clan as my first home, and I will definitely not forget the cats I've met. Especially you Blazestar - thank you for everything."

"Until we meet again, Hemlockflame." Blazestar whispered now, nodding as the she-cat stood and padded out of the camp. She looked back once, giving him her own reassuring nod, the stars reflecting in her eyes. "Good luck."

[Kazin]

Patrols weren't something that Zephyrclan took very seriously, at least not the border patrols. Of course, the cats would still do them, making sure there were no hostile creatures in their territory, but it hadn't been necessary for the length of time Zephyrclan had been around. Their forest was so secluded, only seeing an occasional visitor. Even so, Fallowfrost or Blazestar would send out one border patrol a day, though they usually only sent two cats at a time. On this day, however, a lot of cats felt they had pent up energy - Leafbare had just ended, and the Newleaf that rose up from out of nowhere had been especially warm on this day. As such, most of the cats were volunteering to go out on patrol. Blazestar, instead of only selecting two, decided that as long as there was at least one adult cat left in camp, they could all come. Thankfully, both Emberlily and Brightpaw volunteered to stay back, already having spent most of the day gathering herbs in the forest. It left the rest of the cats free to go on the patrol, which they were all happy to do.

The large patrol of eight set out as the sun was halfway down the sky. They would have just enough daylight to explore the entire border before having to head back in, for which they were all thankful. Softer conversations had broken out around the patrol, spirits high. Most cats' minds were on hunting as the weather grew warm - there had been a competition to see which cat could bring down a crow first, a challenge that most accepted, wanting to be the first to catch the large, crafty birds. It was how the topic of hunting was brought up on this patrol.

Blazestar was having a side conversation with Coppersplash, hanging back from the others as Rainshadow and Icethistle went to go remark the border, the latter pushing Stormecho jokingly and bouncing out of the way as he tried to retaliate. Fallowfrost was listening to the conversation between the two that were closer to him, hearing the leader complain about being spotted way before he could even get close to the birds.

"Let's face it, you don't exactly blend in." Fallowfrost said nonchalantly, smirking slightly at his leader. Blazestar looked at Fallowfrost with an expression of mock horror, which caused Coppersplash to laugh heartily.

"He's right, you know," Coppersplash chuckled, giving Blazestar a playful shove. "We all blend in with something, but you stick out like a flower."

"I resent that," Blazestar said dramatically. "You know I can't help that my pelt is this bright."

A small commotion caused the three toms to look over at Icethistle and Rainshadow, who were just coming back from their job. Icethistle had let out a yowl of surprise, and the three cats watched in awe as the bright she-cat tumbled into a puddle, getting her usually clean and sparkling pelt very muddy. "Nooo!" She yowled mournfully, getting to her feet swiftly before glaring at Rainshadow, who was laughing. "You'll pay for that," she said, playfully grabbing him and tugging him into the same puddle. Blazestar, Fallowfrost, and Coppersplash all looked on in amusement as Rainshadow fell ungracefully into the puddle and Icethistle stuck her tongue out at him. "Serves you right," she meowed as she came back, shaking off her paws as she walked past the trio, causing a bit of mud to hit each of them. Rainshadow, already out of the puddle, raced past them as well, splattering their pelts with even more of the mud.

Fallowfrost shook his pelt in disgust, not wanting to be wet, though he didn't care so much about the dirt. It blended in with his pelt anyway... but it did give him a thought.

"Hey, Blazestar," he said, watching the leader flick his own mud off his paw and onto Coppersplash's already brown pelt before laughing. He turned his attention to Fallowfrost after Coppersplash glared at him jokingly.

"Yeah?" He said, smiling and trying not to look at Coppersplash as he smeared his own pawful of mud along the leader's back.

"I think I've figured out a way for you to blend in, so the crows can't see you coming."

Blazestar's eyes lit up like a kit's. "How-" He was cut off by Fallowfrost, who had swiftly grabbed a large chunk of mud and promptly used his paw to coat Blazestar's orange head in brown.

"Like that!" The deputy laughed, running away to lead the patrol again as Blazestar did his best to clear the mud from his face, smiling and shaking his head amiably at Fallowfrost and at Coppersplash. It was then that all the warriors seemed to realize... maybe border patrols could be fun after all.