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You wake your healer and deputy the next morning, tired and already dreading the conversation ahead. They both seem confused by your presence, helped along by your clearly bedraggled state, and you can only wave off their concern as you all come together in your den. Both prickle slightly when they catch Hecate and The Oracle's scent and, just like their concern, you brush it off with a tired wave. You all have bigger things to worry about.
Shaking yourself slightly as you sink down in your nest, you turn your attention to your two most trusted advisors, both of them looking back in turn with questions in their gazes.
"Hecate and her Oracle were here last night." Before either has a chance to react to that news you barrel onwards,
"They came with what they say is a prophecy from our ancestors." Your deputy takes a step forward, frowning.
"Why would they speak to them and not us? They aren't their ancestors."
"They have spoken to the rogues before, though," your medicine cat reminds, rolling their eyes at the look they receive in turn from your deputy. They sit, bringing their tail flush around their paws before turning to fix you with a look of their own.
"What did they have to say?"You can only blink at your healer for a moment, sending a vaguely confused look to your deputy, who only answers with a sour face. After taking a moment to collect your wits, you repeat the prophecy to the pair. You trail off at the end, watching them both intently for their reactions. It makes you feel a little better that both seem just as struck by the words as you were, but there's a creeping doubt in the back of your mind about the fact that none of you seem to know what to do with this. Instead of giving it time to roar into an inferno, you lean forward to add, almost rushed,
"Hecate said she'd be back in two days for our answer. We have that time to decide."Your deputy furrows their brows and shifts their weight, clearly deep in thought.
"Can we have time to think about this? We can meet tomorrow and work it out."Their words stir your healer from their own thoughts and they nod in agreement,
"Give it time to sink in. Tomorrow at sun high in your den?"You can only agree, even if you don't want to sit with no plan for even a few hours longer, much less a day. You understand, even if you don't like that you do, that they need time to align their own thoughts on it before you all hash out a plan. Seemingly relieved, both drift out of your den, presumably back to their own duties for the day. With a tired sigh, you join them, hoping to abate your own worries by drowning them out with day to day clan life.
The day still passes in a haze, Hecate's words hanging over you like a dark cloud, and when you finally sink into your nest that night you know any sleep you do manage to get will be scarce and restless.
When you wake the next day you're groggy and everything aches, and you know this is telling of the day ahead of you. You decide you're going to pass the morning in your den, not up for dealing with others on top of your already sour mood.
At sun high, as promised, your deputy and medicine cat creep into your den, both looking as tired as you feel. You give them both time to settle, mindful of your comfortable spot in your nest. They come to lay near you, and you spare them both a tired smile. As soon as they seem okay with their spots you start, not wanting to drag it out any longer than needed.
"What have you decided?"Your healer sighs but allows your deputy the floor. Said cat stretches their paws out, flicking one in emphasis as they talk. "
We don't know if this isn't a trick. They may have kept to their own since the last greenleaf but we can't forget how they came here originally. Hecate is still inexperienced and you remember how volatile she was." Their tail lashes with their emotion, even as your healer reaches out a paw to still their movement.
"We can't assume they mean us harm. Just because we haven't received word yet doesn't mean they're wrong. The ancestors didn't alert them of us the first time." They turn their attention to you.
"You're the one that talked to her. In the end, you have more insight on this than we do right now."You can't hold their gaze for long, eyes falling to the floor of your den. You don't want to make the decision when you're all so clearly divided and uncertain. Your thoughts race, too fast for you to grab onto a single one, and you shut your eyes briefly. Taking a deep breath, you shake your head slightly to clear it. Perhaps it would be best to err on the side of caution before you knew more information. You could always change your mind later and hope you saying no to Hecate won't cute all ties.
"For now... we can tell them no. Just until we no more, and hopefully the ancestors approach us as well." At your healer's stricken look you hurry to add,
"This isn't the permanent answer. We just need to know more before we commit to anything." This seems to appease both other cats in your den enough, though neither seems completely happy.
"And if this makes Hecate decide not to work with us at all?"You sigh, casting your gaze skywards, even if you can't see it through the roof of your den.
"We most hope it doesn't."You all decide to break up the meeting at that point, having your own duties to attend to, and not wanting to dwell on the decision any longer. You can only hope it's the correct one.
The remainder of the day passes in a blur again, but you can feel the weight of the decision in the back of your mind, weighing on your shoulders and making your steps heavy. You already dread Hecate's visit tomorrow; she won't take kindly to the decision. You briefly wonder if this bad feeling means you're making the wrong choice but brush it off; what's done is done. You can only hope she won't turn you away should your answer change.
That night your sleep is just as restless at the first, any sleep you do have plagued with nightmares. When your deputy comes to wake you in the morning you're almost thankful, glad to have something distract you. This slight lift in mood is shattered when you catch sight of Hecate at the camp entrance, flanked by two of your warriors and Pan at her back. Pan waves his tail enthusiastically at seeing you, nearly falling over his paws attempting to push his way next to Hecate. She sends him a mildly exasperated look, poorly masking the fondness in her eyes, before turning to pin you with her gaze.
You drop your own eyes, uncomfortable. The air is charged around you and you aren't sure if you're simply imagining it as a result of your choice or if those around you can feel it as well. When you finally come to stand in front of Hecate she seems to sense something off in the air as well, pulling herself up to her full height and holding your gaze.
"Well," she prompts, edges of anxiety creeping into her voice though you can tell she's trying to hide it,
"what's your decision? Are you with us?"Your eyes find the ground again, and it's telling that you have to drag up your courage to tell her your answer; all of it had fled the moment you set eyes on her.
"We think it unwise to join forces with you as of yet. Our ancestors haven't approached us, and my counsel isn't comfortable going by your words alone."Hecate immediately bristles, though you aren't sure if it's in offense or fear.
"Think about what you're deciding," she hisses,
"This is not merely the fate of one group or another. This is all of us.""I'm sorry." You shift your paws, turning your head away. You are sorry, but this is what you had decided on. Ancestors above may it be the right path.
Hecate wheels on her paws, startling you out of your thoughts. "
The disaster that follows be on your head then, clan cat. Remember it was you that condemned us all." She pushes Pan out of the camp in front of her, the small tom in question sending you a hurt look over his shoulder as he's herded out. You find you can't hold his gaze. The interaction weighs heavily on you the rest of the day and you constantly catch your deputy and healer watching you in concern on the edges of your sight, clearly unsure what to do now that your die had been cast. You could only hope you'd be afforded an answer soon.
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You awaken a few mornings later by outright chaos, the clan's various voices raised into a caterwaul of cries and yowling. You curse your luck- the past week has been unkind to your sleep schedule- and leap to your paws, scrambling to exit your den and see what's gotten everyone so panicked. You're hardly out into the camp before the smell of smoke hits you. You immediately bristle, eyes going wide as you whip your head around in an attempt to find its source.
The panic makes sense now, you dimly think, your world going hazy as Hecate's words come back to you. You murmur them quietly to yourself, eyes unfocused. A world on fire, a clan's worst fear say goodbye to all held dear. Indeed, you muse, thoughts almost edging into hysteria. You're shaken out of the bubbling panic as your deputy nudges your shoulder, clearly unsettled as well.
"It's not close to camp, just carrying on the wind. We spotted it out on the edges of our north border. It seemed small but you know how fast it can get out of hand." They pause for a moment to weigh their next words.
"Perhaps we should seek out the rogues," they suggest, clearly not happy with any part of the situation, but who can blame them. You can only nod, tail twitching with a number of emotions you can't express at the moment. It seems your paw is being forced. Maybe this was the sign you were waiting for.
"Stay here and calm the clan. If it gets close to camp evacuate to somewhere safe." You catch the gaze of one of your senior warriors, motioning for them to follow you as you bound out of camp. You can only hope Hecate will still have you. Perhaps you'd been too hasty to turn her down, too afraid of what danger they could pose that you overlooked the larger one looming behind her.
Your clanmate with you seems to realize that it isn't the time for questions, matching your steps silently as you rush towards your destination. The path out of your territory is as familiar as the whiskers on your face but your rate slows once you cross your borders, wary of the land you don't have dominion over and weary from your previous speed. The warrior at your side seems to pick up on your uncertainty, moving to lead the way the further you go. At your curious look they shrug, "
It seemed important to know where they resided, even beyond our borders." You don't ask when they figured out where you were headed; they likely figured it out along the way.
The rest of your journey is silent, both your and your companion caught up in your own thoughts. Every so often wind shifts and blows the acrid smell of smoke in your direction, each time only serving to increase your panic. You cast your thoughts back to your clanmates, hoping they are safe in all the chaos. After a moment you spare the same though for Hecate's group; they were likely in shambles as well.
After, in what your opinion, was entirely too long, you and your clanmate are scrambling into the rogues camp, trying to ignore the panic that you feel at the smell of smoke that's only gotten stronger. It's telling that not a single cat challenged you as you pushed your way in, and you can see why once you make your way fully into the camp. Hecate has herded them across the other side of camp, away from the large downed tree in the middle of camp that's burning merrily, uncaring for the cats around it and they seem to have made a tight mass of bristling fur and scared eyes. It cuts them off from where you stand. And their exit, it seems.
You call out to them, startling a little yourself as Hecate swings out of the crowd, kittens huddled at her paws becoming visible when she shifts, and you can only wince in guilt and sympathy. She nudges the small beings away and breaks out of the cluster, making her way towards you. Even from where you stand you can see the accusation in her eyes and drop your own away in shame. If this had been your clan in this situation you'd be furious at whoever put them there, and you have a feeling she may blame you a little for this. It had been you who turned down her olive branch, after all.
Hecate brings your attention back to her with a sharp call, tail lashing behind her. She stops short of the tree, motioning for you to come nearer. Against your better judgment, you do, eyeing the flames in distrust. Even this far away it you can feel it's heat licking your pelt.
"Well, clan cat? I can't imagine you're here for a chat. Change your mind already did you?" You bristle at the hostility in her words, but you know they aren't particularly uncalled for. She may be rough around the edges but she cared for her group, and you had tilted the scales out of their favor.
"I'm sorry," you start. She sniffs, clearly unimpressed.
"I cannot take back our original decision but we've agreed we should at least try to work together. For both our sake."She snarls a little at you, shifting so you can see her fearful group behind her. You wince again, dropping your eyes.
"You're blind clan cat." The malice in her words makes you flatten your ears. You can hear your clanmate shift behind you, to chime in on your behalf, perhaps, but you stop them with a flick of your tail. This is your responsibility, not theirs.
"But, I understand the need to work together despite our differences. If it will keep both our groups alive I will do it." You finally chance a glance back up to see her frowning at her cats, worry clear in her eyes. It's endearing, a little bit, to see the harshness of what you assume is a front get smoothed out around her own group. You almost laugh when it turns back into a glare as she turns back to you.
"I can't bring them over this. Is there a way you can help us out on this side?"You're about to say you'll have to look for one when your clanmate steps forward, drawing both of your attention.
"I may know of one. Let me loop around back and see if I can find it."Hecate twitches a bit at that, clearly unhappy that someone has the knowledge and can get into their camp. You can see her visibly set it aside for the moment, turning back to reassure her group.
As she does you bring your paws underneath you, coiled like a spring, ignoring your instincts screaming at you to back away from the fire, not get closer to it. You can feel it roaring around you as you rush through it, not lingering long anough to really harm you but enough to singe your fur and whiskers and send your heart racing. You land on the other side and quickly drop to roll around in the dust to smother any embers that may have caught your fur, not wanting your entire pelt to catch fire. You return Hecate's reproachful look with a sheepish smile, getting up and trotting over to stand beside her. You can see why she had been hesitant to bring her cats over it now. You had struggled to make the leap yourself, there was no telling how the rogues, still so new and undisciplined would fare, especially the kits and elders, much less Hecate herself. Every cat struggled to fight basic instinct, you can only imagine how much harder it would be with her group. Not even all of your warriors would brave fire like that. Sighing, you settle to wait for your clanmate and thankfully, after a relievingly short amount of time you hear their voice float through the barrier that surrounds the camp.
"I've found a weak spot. Should be able to dig it out. Work from your end and I'll work from mine."It takes much longer than you'd like clearing their way out, the ground still rolling threateningly under your paws now and then, making every cat freeze when it does. They've thankfully seemed to slow in their frequency but you aren't willing to bet on them subsiding completely. But, eventually, you do all squeeze through the small opening, collecting haphazardly on the other side. You give everyone a moment to gain their bearings before you approach Hecate, and you're mildly surprised to see her surrounded by kittens again. It's almost funny, how much it clashes with what you know of her, but you suppose you never really did get to know her, and time had passed since then. She does seem mildly disgruntled by the presence of the tiny beings but isn't doing much to deter them, seeming to favor outright ignoring them as they tumble over her paws and squeeze themselves under her short frame. She fixes you with a look when she notices you coming closer, practically daring you to say anything about it. You smile a little to yourself, amused. She isn't nearly as cold-hearted as she tries to make herself seem.
"I know we got off on the wrong paw about this, but going forward I would be honored to work together."Hecate considers you for a second, like she weighing your words, before dipping her head in agreement.
"I'll hold you to it, clan cat. Do not back out of it. We can meet at sunhigh tomorrow on the edge of your territory."You nod in turn, casting a concerned look at her group. You're about to ask if you could offer them somewhere to stay when Hecate cuts in, seeming to sense your next words.
"We'll be fine. We have another place to stay while this blows over." She turns, flicking her tail in farewell as she herds the kits under her paws back to, whom you assume, are their mothers, before continuing forward to take the point, her cats following after her as they make their way to their new place to stay.
You watch them go for a bit, still worried but assuring yourself they know the territory here better then you do and as such will be fine. Heaving a sign you push it out of your mind, for the time being, instead returning your focus to your own clan. It was time to return and check on them. You could only hope no one was seriously injured. With your clanmate at your flank, you turn homewards, hoping that your luck would hold, and wondering how you would begin to even explain the days to come to your clanmates.
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Writing Prompt 3b: How does your Clan feel about the decisions that have been made? Why would your leader choose not to work together - any reason for that? How do they feel about this upcoming danger? This is a personalized reaction of your leader and your clan to the events.
Art Prompt 3b: This is an open prompt - draw any scene from the above story.
Hecate |
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Writing Prompt End Date: August 12th, 11:59 PM EDT
