Flametalon stared around the field. This place was much warmer than the snowy mountain he had met Whisperstar on. Though that wasn't to say it couldn't be cold. He had been there when the snow was lightly falling, and well...brrr. Speaking of Whisperstar, she was walking ahead of him with her deputy Whitefoot, who looked like he was filled to the brim with questions, but for Whisperstar's sake, was holding them back. Back at home, Cloudscent had been just departing on an herb hunt, muttering about needing Coltsfoot or Tansy for sickly little Hawkkit. The poor guy. And Mudpaw had been bouncing around while she waited to go with her mentor on patrol, as well as with Hawkthorn, and Whitesong.
Whisperstar's mind was elsewhere and Whitefoot knew it. Ever since she came back from the moonpool with Flametalon, she's been quiet. Distant even. Though it wasn't anything new it was still unsettling. Whitefoot had been curious about his leader since he joined, worried for her and wanting nothing more than to be there for her. And yet she kept him at paws length. He sighed looking at her with a longing glance. He wished she'd just confide in him... Oh well. Thunder screeched across the sky and his fur was getting soaked. Whisperstar sneezed but kept walking, causing worry to fill Whitefoot more. He hoped she wouldn't catch anything...
After returning with the herbs, Cloudscent had gone right for the nursery, to heal little Hawkkit.
Shadowtail had left with Mudpaw for one last training session before her warrior ceremony next moon, and Whisperstar had left for the moonpool. But this time, she had a shadow. Whitefoot was following her, to make sure nothing happened on the way there.
Whisperstar couldn't help but shiver at each step she took. She didn't like the feeling she got with her every move. Like she was being watched. But when she turned to look behind her, there was no signs of a source. She was slightly nerved by this but she didn't let it deter her. She was determined to make it to the moonpool. Last time Emberclaws personally appeared and gave her Flametalon. She wanted to see him again, ask him how he was, if he knew of how the others of Iceclan were doing and what had become of them, why he kept taunting her with his appearance and reminding her of the old days. Whisperstar reached the moonpool, entering the cave with that same feeling of being watched but managing to ignore it as she dipped her nose into the crystal moonlit waters. "Emberclaws, please. I need answers." She said before her eyes fell close and she curled up to sleep.
Whitefoot stayed in the hidden shadows of the cave entrance to keep out of the soft rain, his eyes narrowed in confusion as Whisperstar uttered the name of the Starclan cat Mudpaw had conjured up. What was even going on? Who was Emberclaws?
Whisperstar felt warm. Not her usual worth no, but as if she was surrounded by many dozens of others. Her eyes blinked open to find a small cat nuzzled up against her side sleeping soundly. She looked at the little kit, confused but then purred, knowing she had a soft spot for the young ones. But that didn't explain the rest of her warm feeling. She then felt the weight of something -or someone- against her other side. Her gaze shifted over and found the shimmering form of Emberclaws pressed up against her with his head in his paws and and sweet smile on his face. Whisperstar's breathing hitched as she say him. When she had asked for him in Starclan, they mentioned never receiving a cat by that name, and that alone worried her. But he was right here, covered in the shimmering coat that all the Starclan cats adorned. "W-Why aren't you in Starclan?" She stuttered out, tears beginning to fill her eyes but not yet falling. Her old deputy continued to smile at her but it was much sadder than before. "I don't belong up there yet.. I have things I still need to do.." He said in a melancholy tone. "What is it Emberclaws? What's keeping you here? Tell me. Let me help you." She said, a smile on her own face as she placed a paw on top of his. But he just shook his head, saying nothing. "Emberclaws, you can tell me." The tom shook his head again, and gave her a gentle lick on the cheek. "Stay safe Whisperstar." "Emberclaws, don't go! Let me help you! Please! Emberclaws!" But her voice fell upon deaf ears as the flaming orange tom disappeared in shimmer of sunlight. She didn't understand at all. Why couldn't Emberclaws pass on? What was rooting him so deeply to Earth that was keeping him out of Starclan? She needed to know! "Miss?" Came a small voice in shape of a wide yawn. Whisperstar quickly wiped her eyes before her tears fell and looked down at the little cat with a smile. "Are you ok Miss?" "Yes little one, I'm just fine. But I'll feel better once I bring you back to camp so you can meet everyone." "Camp? I can go with you? Thank you so much." The kitten purred, nuzzling into the leader's belly once more.
Meanwhile, Whitefoot began to make his way back to camp undetected. He had heard everything, but say no sign of who ever Whisperstar was speaking. And that left many questions that went unanswered. Emberclaws... who ever he was, he was causing his leader to go crazy. And that was not going to happen.
Whisperstar had known. The moment she saw the now named Smokepaw race through the grasses. This was one of Clearsight's kits...one of Clearsight...and Embertoes's kits. She knew that her feelings for her lost deputy so long ago would have been looked down upon had anyone else known, but he and Clearsight had been growing so far apart....that Whisperstar had let herself fall for the flame tabby tom. And when he had died, it had broken her. Maybe that was why the clan had fallen apart. Was it because she had fallen in love? But now...now she had proof. somewhere, Clearsight was alive. Smoke had been so young when the clan left, Clearsight must have taken on a new name, he had mentioned his mother was blind. And oh, he was so similar to her, but she could see the similarities to his father as well. Now she had proof. Clearsight was alive, as were the rest of her kits. It was just a manner of tracking them down. She had let Whitefoot take Smokepaw on as an apprentice, hopefully it would help him stay busy. It seemed every time she saw him, he was watching her in some way. Perhaps he had feelings for her? But no. She would not accept his love. It was because of her love for Embertoes that Iceclan had fallen apart. She would not allow herself to love again. She would not lose Lunarclan as well.
Now the spotted leader was out searching for a sign of Clearsight. If Smokepaw had found his way to the moonpool's cave, then the blind queen must be somewhere near. Upon her return, Mudpaw would be made a warrior. The little one was out with her mentor now, one final hunting assessment before the ceremony.
Whisperstar just followed her instinct, letting her gut tell her paws were to move and maneuver. Her only lead had been Smokepaw's appearance next to her in the moonpool but upon her search back there she had found nothing. But she continued on looking, albeit much slower this timeto allow her eyes to actually gaze upon the area and actually search. Still, it was all proving to be a fruitless effort. Whisperstar was beginning to doubt Clearsight was even around still.. that is until, she heard the familiar voice of the very molly she was searching for. "Smoke! Smoke,! I swear that brother of yours is always running off." The molly's voice spoke as she emerged from behind a tree, a smaller young molly walking by her side with an amused look on her face. "I know Mama..." The younger spoke with a soft grin as if she was eager to see her brother get in trouble once found.
But that wasn't what had Whisperstar so tense. What had the black and white molly frozen was the sight of Emberclaws walking alongside his blind mate, tails entwined as if he was really there. His eyes locked with Whisperstar's before he whispered into his ex-mate's ear. Immediately after, Clearsight's eyes perked up and he blind gaze swept the forest. "Whisperstar? Did someone say Whisperstar is here? Where?" The leader looked at the tom who grinned at her shocked face before her nuzzled Clearsight's head in Whisperstar's direction. "Whisperstar? I-Is that you over there? I t-think I smell you..." The younger molly looked at her mother, generally confused before her sights fell on Whisperstar, and she was instantly standing in front of her mother protectively, glaring at Whisperstar suspiciously. "Mama, I don't know who Whisperstar is, but I don't think this stranger is it.. please don't randomly give names to cats." The molly held a little teasing in her tone but otherwise she was serious as she glared at Whisperstar. Clearsight looked down to where her child's voice had come from and smiled. "Oh you and your will to protect. You were so young back then so you don't remember, but I'm sure of it! That scent, it may be different but I can still scent Iceclan all over her. Whisperstar that has to be you. Starclan say it's true!" She purred as she stepped around her kit to walk quickly to her old leader, steps cautious though and careful. Once she felt Whisperstar's pelt brush with hers she nuzzled into her and purred madly.
Whisperstar only stood there for a moment, mind drifting through memories with her clan of ice. But she reacted soon enough nuzzling her old comrade right back. "It has truly been too long." She whispered, glancing up to find Emberclaws gone, leaving just the young molly staring at her mother confused. Not long after, another young cat, a tom padded up to the young molly, a vole in his mouth as he joined her side. "You guys move too fast. You were supposed to make sure Mama stayed still while I found some prey." The tom seemed to scold what could only be his sister, causing the little molly to roll her eyes. "It's not my fault Smoke ran off." "Again!? Ugh.. that guy... where's Mom?" The little molly tilted her head in her mother's direction, both kits turning their heads to cast glances upon Whisperstar.
Clearsight finally stepped away, beaming a smile at the black and white leader. "We've got so much to catch up on! How have you been? Are you eating well? Have you-" "Mama who is this?" The tom said, approaching the two old friends with a distrust in look on his face, the little molly dragging the vole back their way. "Ah, son, this is Whisperstar." The tom continued to gaze at Whisperstar before sighing and looking back at his sister, truly tired from his inexperienced hunting. "Don't mind him. He's a little grumpy. Smoke has been running off on his own and it's been taxing trying to find him sometimes." Whisperstar grinned a bit and she pressed her pelt into that of the blind molly. "Actually, that is one of the reasons I was looking for you. Come on. I knew exactly where Smoke is." She purred beginning to lead her old friend to Lunarclan. The two younger cats gazed at each other warily, worried about their blind mother and her trust in this Whisperstar, but a sense of welcoming familiarity let their paws follow after their mom to wherever their wondering brother may have went.
Whisperstar smiled as she watched Clearsight speaking with Winternose. The Blind she-cat had fit right back into Clan life, as though she had never left.Sure the whole Tradition of the Grasses was new, but she had taken to it quite quickly. Another thing she had become accustomed to, was cuffing the ears of the cats who spoke behind her back about a 'blind cat not being able to hunt'. Though she had accidentally been about to tell them of Iceclan, before Whisperstar had pulled her, and her kits aside. She told them that she had yet to tell Lunarclan of her past as leader of the clan of Ice and Snow, and she would rather keep it that way until she knew how to explain everything. Clearsight had agreed, but she had warned Whisperstar to do it soon, before some cat got hurt because of what she was hiding.
Rising to her paws, Whisperstar left camp, and began the familiar trek to the moonpool. Sitting down, she stared at the waters for a moment. Before sighing, saying Starclan, please help and touching her nose to the waters, entering the familiar sleep walking with the ancestors.
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