****Goldenclaw's POV****
It is Vultureclaw that spots the golden tabby tom first. Amber eyes blaze with recognition and anger as Goldenclaw slides down the slope into the hollow. Once he hits the bottom, Goldenclaw has to crane his head up to see the deputy. He keeps his fur lying flat as he does in an attempt to appear calm.
Ashwhisker and Frondleap take this moment to reappear, their pelts spiking as they notice him. Goldenclaw glares at the two toms menacingly. He knew that Vultureclaw was a piece of crow food, but he hadn't thought some of his clan mates were working for the mad deputy. Just how far does Vultureclaw's treachery run in HunterClan? He supposed that he'll find out soon enough, if his place comes into fruition.
"Goldenclaw! What are you doing here!?" Ashwhisker hisses.
"How long have you been listening in?" Frondleap asks, casting a wary glance up at Vultureclaw.
The deputy sits up on the fallen log, his tail thumping behind him. Goldenclaw rolls his eyes at their questioning, finding most it to be relevant. The two toms circle around to stand in front of Vultureclaw, their claws unsheathed in preparation. Not wanting to have a fight on his paws, Goldenclaw takes this opportunity to start talking.
"I've been here for long enough. Though, there's something I don't understand." He mews.
"That's not an answer!" Ashwhisker exclaims. "Vultureclaw, can I tear him apart." Beside the gray warrior, Frondleap remains oddly silent.
Vultureclaw's head tilts to the side in thought. "Humor me. What is it that you don't understand?"
Goldenclaw gulps, forcing down the fear in his chest that makes his heart pound. What he was about to do was attempt to trick possibly the most dangerous cat in HunterClan. He had no idea if his acting skills would be sufficient in lying to Vultureclaw, but he had to try.
"How come I wasn't invited?" He meows with an air of arrogance, tilting his golden head to the side in what he hoped looked like annoyed confusion.
Vultureclaw's eyes narrowed and Frondleap and Ashwhisker regard him with surprise. Goldenclaw can't say he blames them. I would be suspicious of me too if I were them....but I need this to work. He knew he would have to do some things he would never want to do, not on his life.
And so he grapples at a connection to the madness as he gives out a curt response.
"But of course. I'm Frostfang's son after all. I should be involved in your plans."
A look of understanding flicks across Ashwhisker's face, the gray warrior accepting his words rather quickly. Frondleap didn't say a word and his expression did not give Goldenclaw the slightest hint as to what the warrior was thinking. Eventually though, Frondleap did give a small nod. Vultureclaw still looks suspicious, though Goldenclaw cannot next entirely sure what is going on in the deputy's mind.
Overhead, a bird caws, the sound reminding him of the scratchy voice of Sour Cream. Everything else remains silent. Goldenclaw watches Vultureclaw with bated breath, waiting for a response that he hoped wouldn't be along the lines of orders to maul him or worse yet: brutally tear off his limbs before leaving his carcass to rot. This hollow was not where the golden tabby tom wants to die.
"He's not wrong about that...maybe we should let him join in on our plans." Frondleap says, albeit timidly.
Vultureclaw shares a look with Ashwhisker. "And what do you think of this....?" The dark tabby waves a paw in Goldenclaw's general direction. The golden tabby doesn't know if he should feel offended or not that the other toms were talking right over him, arrogantly figuring out what to do with him.
Ashwhisker shrugged. "If you ask me, I don't know if I'd believe him off his word."
"So your suggestion is..." Goldenclaw murmurs, hoping that whatever Vultureclaw said would not be too distasteful.
Vultureclaw smirks. The expression on the deputy's face is a crooked, evil sort of smile that Goldenclaw decidedly does not like. He watches with bated breath as Vultureclaw contemplates something long and hard.
"If you wish to join us, then you must be tested." Vultureclaw says decisively. "And I know just how to test you." A dark gleam was in those amber eyes. Goldenclaw barely suppresses a shudder.
****Arrowheart's POV****
His heart hammers long after they cross the final ThunderPath in the long row. He can feel his own chest heaving with the effort of so much exertion. Patchfur was right next to him, the bicolored tom taking in his own several lungfuls of air.
"That...was...horrible..." Simon pants out, his ears still plastered tightly to his forehead in fear.
Arrowheart finds himself agreeing with the vampire. He could not recall having ever ran as fast in his life. Silverthorn and Strikeclaw had been kind enough to lead them to the least busy stretch of road for crossing, but that had not stopped four monsters from almost trampling them. Each and every time, he had found himself praying to StarClan they made it through. Luckily, they had, but now they were all just trying to catch their breaths, and also recover a steady heart rate.
"Tell me about it." Sparkpaw said.
The she-cat's voice is muffled from her ginger muzzle being pressed into the earth. Sparkpaw had collapsed onto the ground the second they made it across the asphalt back onto dry grass. Prickly blades of grass brush up against the apprentice's belly fur and sides. Arrowheart knows the sprawled out position his apprentice is in is in no way comfortable, though he doubts she'll be getting up anytime soon.
Strikeclaw lets out a small grumble. "If you thought that was bad, just wait until we bring the rest of WolfClan across on our way back."
Silverthorn nods in agreement. "The first time was bad enough. And it'll be even more dangerous now that some of our Clan mates are sick."
"Are you sure that's the only way back? Maybe we can find something else?" Simon mews.
Strikeclaw shakes his head. "We wondered that too. But if there was a way, we didn't find one." The brown tom frowns. "I think that's why Rookstar picked this place for us to live. It's secluded and hardly anyone would be able to cross all the paths of get to us so we'd be safe."
Silverthorn nods with a sad smile. "I'm sure. Regardless, he didn't account for food. WolfClan can't survive here for much longer. We need to go home."
"And that's why we're here." Patchfur mews. "Right Arrowheart?"
"Yes. We'll get Rookstar and the others so we can all go back to the forest together." Arrowheart murmurs. The Shadowhunter hopes everything goes well, his dream from last night still bouncing around in his head, flickering with bright warning lights.
"That sounds good and all...but where is WolfClan anyways? I thought you said they'd be right beyond all the ThunderPaths." Sparkpaw mews. The apprentice had lifted her head up from the grass so she could be heard clearly. Simon helped her get back up onto her paws, giving the flame colored cat a lick behind one ear once she was standing beside him.
Strikeclaw rolls his eyes and Arrowheart has to resist doing the same. "Only an absolute moron would make their camp right next to an obnoxiously loud, smelly ThunderPath. What are you, a kittypet?"
The question was meant to be rhetorical, but Arrowheart could still see the vampire stiffen. Strikeclaw has no idea how right he was. That pegs Simon right on the head. Inwardly, he wills Simon not to say a word. Arrowheart felt bad that he hadn't told Silverthorn about Simon's true origins, but it's not exactly as though it mattered.
Nor did she ask, he reminds himself. If Silverthorn had, the Shadowhunter knows that he would've told her. Then again, that is Simon's business, not mine. He did not have the right to give away information that wasn't his own. He knew that Simon was not likely to mention it anytime soon either though, considering that the vampire's recent outcasting from his family was still a deep wound on the tom's heart.
"Well actually..." Sparkpaw begins.
Simon cuts her off sharply, his amber eyes wide. "Hahaha! Yes, I can't believe that didn't occur to me. I guess it just slipped my mind as it were. Uh...so where are they staying then?"
Sparkpaw tilts her head in confusion at her friend. Arrowheart can tell his apprentice is surprised by her friend's actions. Who would've thought the vampire had it in him. I certainly did not.
"It's after this copse of trees. Once we get through here you'll be able to see where we've been living for the past few moons." Silverthorn explains.
"Don't think too much of it. It's nothing like our real home is." Strikeclaw says defensively.
Arrowheart nods, feeling sympathetic towards the werecat. WolfClan had suffered so much recently. Who would he be to judge them if they're temporary home was a mess or simply just looked bad.
"I'm sure." He gestures to a Silverthorn. "Lead the way."
And so Silverthorn does. Arrowheart and the rest of his companions follow right behind the silver she-cat, with Strikeclaw left to bring up the rear. The trees blotted out most all the light as they stepped underneath their shade. The comfort the fauna around them brought was amazing, and Arrowheart felt a bit sorrowful when they pushed through it.
Without the protection of the trees, wind blasted them with all the prowess it had. He could feel his fur getting ruffled up, making some of the soft black strands uneven. Normally, he would've elected to groom it down, but since the wind would just blow it up once more, he deemed it a useless endeavor.
His annoyance at the wind left him however when he spotted what he had come for. In the grassy plains ahead many cats milled around. Unruly grass gave way to sand and grit, leaving only a few large tussocks and a medium sized scraggly tree in its wake. Silverthorn led them in the direction of the clan, her gray tail whisking behind her as if pleased.
As Arrowheart, Patchfur, Sparkpaw and Simon passed by, the cats in the makeshift camp whispered to one another in hushed tones. By the way they kept glancing at Arrowheart and the others with curiosity and worry Arrowheart knew they were talking about them.
Hopefully it's nothing bad. I would hate to come all the way here for WolfClan to turn us away.
"Do you think Rookstar will agree to come back to the forest?" Arrowheart asked Patchfur, his voice a small whisper into the bicolored tom's ear.
The Shadowhunter had been searching the clearing for the leader, but he had yet to spot him amongst the many cats. This was frustrating, though he found himself become worried as he took in the state of the WolfClan cats. Like Silverthorn and Strikeclaw these cats were gaunt in frame, their eyes hollow with tiredness. It was clear the group had not been getting enough food.
To make matters worse, a stench of sickness hung in the air that made him feel nausea. He did not envy Dawnpaw who has to deal with sick cats almost every moon. Arrowheart would never be medicine cat material, if one thing is for sure.
Patchfur's ear twitched. "I'm not sure. Rookstar has always been a stubborn tom. Even so, we have to bring them home."
Arrowheart felt the niggling worm of doubt curl up in his heart. "What if I can't convince him?"
"Don't worry about that."
Arrowheart huffs. "How can I not?" His head hangs. "WolfClan needs to come home....and Blossomstar will be so disappointed if I fail."
He could picture the light brown tabby she-cat eyeing him scornfully. She had entrusted this mission to Arrowheart, despite all the other cats she could have chosen, it was him who was entrusted with this momentous task.
The fate of the Clans depends on me.
Vultureclaw's sneering face popped into his head, as did Frostfang with his ugly snarl. HunterClan has so many enemies now. He knows that the Shadowhunters will need all the help they can get to battle the oncoming darkness.
Only an arrow can pierce the cold heart of darkness....
He can remember the first prophecy with great clarity despite all the moons. He still had no idea what it meant. Arrowheart wonders if it could have anything to do with now. Something told him that wasn't the case, but he couldn't be certain.
"Arrowheart. I say not to worry because I know you. I know you can do this." Patchfur tells him with an encouraging grin.
Arrowheart flashes his boyfriend a smile of his own. Patchfur always knew how to sooth the fear in the young Shadowhunter's heart. Now was no exception. He was lucky to have such a good partner in his life.
Hopefully Goldenclaw can find the same thing someday. Nightrose too.
Thoughts of his siblings struck a pang of longing in his heart. It had been a little over half a moon since he, Sparkpaw and Patchfur had embarked on their mission. This marks the longest time he had ever been away from his siblings. He misses them greatly, but finds that feeling lessened whenever he is around Patchfur. The warlock knew how to make him happy, and there was a part of Arrowheart that would be willing to leave the clans behind forever if it meant being with his boyfriend forever without any judgement.
Alas, Arrowheart knew they had to return home; the value of responsibility was too large for him to just ignore.
When the gray tabby spots them, he leaps down from the scraggly tree to come over to them. Arrowheart can't help but wonder why Grayfur was up in the tree in the first place. Only HunterClan and FaerieClan climb trees so it doesn't make any sense. What was even more odd was how gracefully the deputy made his way down. It was clear the gray tom had a lot of practice climbing trees, but Arrowheart didn't know why the deputy would.
A possibility niggles the back of his mind, making his blue eyes widen. He can recall something Mistwing said. The elder she-cat acts depressed most of the time, but she was a decent source of information.
Is Grayfur actually Skychaser??????
It would make sense if that was the case. Arrowheart knows that Grayfur is not a born werecat, the scar down the tabby's shoulder making that pretty obvious. But did that mean that Grayfur was a former HunterClan cat? Arrowheart wants to find out.
"Silverthorn, Strikeclaw. I see you've come back." Grayfur says with a welcome nod. Brown eyes flick over Arrowheart and the others. The gray tabby looks startled when he looks at Sparkpaw, almost as though he recognizes her, though Arrowheart doesn't know how the tabby could. The black tom feels himself straighten up when Grayfur's gaze lands on him. "You must be Badgerstripe and Silvermoon's son. You look just like them. Arrowpaw was it?"
Arrowheart dips his head in greeting. "It's Arrowheart now actually. I'm glad we finally found you all. We have plenty to tell you. Where is Rookstar? We'd like to talk to him as well."
Grayfur lets out a sigh. "I wish you could. Rookstar has a fever right now. He's hardly coherent enough to speak properly, let alone think clear thoughts. We fear he will lose yet another of to the sickness."
"That's terrible news. I hope it isn't his last one." Patchfur murmurs.
Grayfur's eyes darken. "You and I both. I'll take you guys to him, but I doubt it'll be much help." The tabby changes topics quickly. "Patchfur, why are you here? You're a MagicClan cat last I recalled so why're you with HunterClan?"
Patchfur shifts uncomfortably. Arrowheart rests his tail along his boyfriend's back, stroking him reassuringly. "That doesn't matter. All you need to know is that he's a HunterClan cat now." Arrowheart tells the deputy firmly. There is an underlying challenge in the tom's voice, a warning not to dare bring up Patchfur's clan membership again.
Grayfur's eyes narrow as he recognizes the challenge. Thankfully he does not mention it again. Instead, the deputy leads them to a shaded overhang of a few piled rocks, allowing Strikeclaw to rejoin his apprentice in training. Silverthorn surprisingly remains with the group, seeming eager to go wherever the deputy is leading them.
Arrowheart can smell the heavy stench of sickness in the air, and he does his best not to gag as he steps under the overhang that provides a cave like shelter. Here, five cats are curled up in their nests, all of them gaunt and ragged looking. Two cats are looking over the brown tabby Arrowheart recognizes as Rookstar, their murmurs hushed.
"Bellflower! It's so good to see you." Silverthorn purrs as she approaches one of the she-cat's.
Bellflower turns immediately at the sound of Silverthorn's voice. The second the healer's eyes land on Silverthorn, she's bounding over to the young warrior with bright eyes. The two embrace each other tightly as they come together, just like a mother and daughter should. Arrowheart feels vaguely confused by this.
Medicine cats aren't allowed to have kits. So Silverthorn can't actually be her daughter....can she? At least, not physically at any rate. Arrowheart wonders who Silverthorn's mother actually is. Maybe she died when Silverthorn was a kit and Bellflower just took her in? That's the only reasonable explanation I can think of.
Little did he know, Silverthorn's familial situation was a lot worse than that.
"Silverthorn, sweetheart, I'm so glad you're back." Bellflower purrs as she pulls away.
The two give each other loving smiles, so happy to be reunited once more. Arrowheart feels awkward standing there to witness their reunion though he knows it cannot he helped. And so he shuffles closer to Patchfur in response. If he has to be in someone else's bonding scene then it can at least benefit him in some form or fashion. The warlock lets Arrowheart press close easily, intertwining their tails in response.
The cat who had been beside Bellflower earlier gives a small nod of greeting to Arrowheart and the others. "It's nice to meet you all. My name is Tendrilpaw. I'm Bellflower's apprentice."
"It's nice to meet you too. I'm Sparkpaw, and this is Arrowheart, Patchfur and Simon." Sparkpaw gestures to each of them in turn.
Tendrilpaw looks at Simon curiously. "What's a non clan cat doing in your group? If you don't mind me asking."
"Uh....I...." Simon begins, the tabby tom trying to figure out his words.
"He's my friend. And by friend I mean boyfriend so no need to ask questions." Sparkpaw said plaintively.
Tendrilpaw looked surprised at that; Simon just looked stunned and too happy to utter words. Arrowheart is certain the faint purr he's hearing is coming from the vampire.
"Your boyfriend is an outsider? HunterClan sure is strange." The healer apprentice comments before leaning forward to sniff Simon. "He smells like a dead rat too." Her nose wrinkles in disgust.
Arrowheart sweat drops. The last thing they need is for any of WolfClan to find out the HunterClan cats brought a fledgling vampire into the heart of their refuge. We'll be kicked out immediately if that happens!
"He does not!" Sparkpaw growls.
Arrowheart casts a warning glance at the ginger apprentice, annoyed that she is causing trouble. This ends up getting mirrored by Bellflower, who reprimands her apprentice by sending Tendrilpaw to help out the elders. Silverthorn heads off with the apprentice, saying something about needing to check on her own apprentice. Grayfur goes over to Rookstar to wake him up, his brown eyes troubled.
"I'm sorry about that. Tendrilpaw just isn't fond of vampires, not that you can blame her." Bellflower murmurs quietly so only Arrowheart can hear.
"You're not going to say anything are you?" He asks worriedly.
"No. Your secret is safe with me. Though I do recommend him rubbing some of this on his fur." Bellflower nudges a smelly bundle towards him. Arrowheart bends down to take a whiff of it, picking up the spicy scent of garlic immediately.
Arrowheart wrinkles his nose at the pungent smell of garlic. "Won't this be harmful for him?"
Bellflower shakes her head. "That's just a common misconception. Garlic doesn't hurt vampires, though most cats don't know that. It'll disguise his scent from the werewolves though, and keep them away from him."
"That would be great. I'll give it to him now." Arrowheart turns his head. "Simon, come here." Simon, who had been sitting at the entrance of the overhang with Sparkpaw, padded over to join him. Arrowheart wrinkles his nose when he scoops it up, and he's happy when he finally places it down in front of the vampire.
Simon sniffs at it curiously, his mouth watering at the smell. "Ooh garlic! My favorite." The tabby leans forward to eat it, his eyes round. Arrowheart stops him from eating it with one paw, his blue eyes glaring.
"It's not for you to eat mouse brain. Rub it on your skin." He orders.
Simon nods, though he doesn't seem to understand why Arrowheart is so persistent. Sparkpaw notices and goes over to help the vampire. The two cats make quick work of rubbing the garlic all over the tom's skin. By the time they're finished a few minutes later, Simon reeks of garlic and does not have the slightest hint of death scent all over him. Arrowheart finds that makes him want to avoid the chattering vampire even more, but at least Simon won't be under the other cats' suspicion anymore.
"Arrowheart, shouldn't Simon have a Clan cat name so we don't have to worry about anyone asking questions?" Sparkpaw asks.
"Hmmm, I don't know. What do you think Patchfur?" He draws his boyfriend's attention as quietly as possible. Arrowheart whispers this to the warlock quietly, not wanting to draw the attention from Grayfur, who is busy trying to rouse Rookstar. To the Shadowhunter's relief, Rookstar is beginning to stir.
"I don't think Shuckle can have a clan cat name. He doesn't really hold himself like one." Patchfur murmurs.
"Shuckle isn't my name." Simon protests.
Arrowheart rolls his eyes at the amused chuckle Patchfur lets out. He's pretty certain his boyfriend knows Simon's name by now and that he just chooses not to use it. He has to force his own flanks from heaving with laughter.
It's so freaking hilarious!
"I suppose you have a point." Arrowheart concedes. "Simon, just try not to speak. Let Sparkpaw do the talking, you do both share the same thought span it would seem." He says jokingly.
Sparkpaw giggles. "No we don't."
Simon shrugs. "Yea but...oh alright fine." The tabby sulks.
Arrowheart pays one more second of attention to the pair before he's swinging his head around to look at the sick cats once more. Bellflower is leaned over another patient who takes the form of a small cream colored she-cat.
"Creampaw I need you to lap some of these up little one." Bellflower speaks gently.
Weakly, the young apprentice lifts her head to lap up the offered herbs. Arrowheart can't recognize all of them, though he does spot the small, round black seeds that are without a doubt poppy seeds.
She must be trying to ease her pain. He looks with a pang at the cream colored cat's thin frame and sunken eyes. The cat looks so unhealthy that Arrowheart thinks it's a miracle she's still alive. Would she even make the journey back alive? Luckily, the other sick cats look slightly more healthy.
"Arrowheart, Patchfur. Rookstar will speak to you now." Grayfur's voice sounds.
The deputy stands next to Rookstar, the old leader having risen from his nest and onto his paws. The silvery scar down the tom's flank is a small black shadow on the leader's pelt. Arrowheart wonders who the leader got it from. WolfClan was known for having strange traditions, one of which being that the leader receives a scar of honor somewhere on his pelt from a StarClan cat.
I wonder if HunterClan has a tradition like that. I'll have to see if Blossomstar will tell me.
HunterClan kept a very tight lid on their most sacred traditions. It made his clan different from the rest. Sometimes this was a food thing, but other times....
Other times it only hurts us.
The Circle and all it stood for flashes into his head. How much longer would Blossomstar keep their return a secret? His thoughts were interrupted by Rookstar's raspy voice.
"Arrowheart, I've heard you've come to bring WolfClan home." He mews.
Arrowheart nods, straightening himself up to meet the leader's gaze. "Yes. That's why we're here."
"Are you all ready to come home?" Patchfur asks hopefully.
"That's great news. Yes. WolfClan needs to return home now more than ever." Rookstar grunts, his amber eyes flashing with pain as he crumples to the ground.
"Rookstar!" Grayfur exclaims.
The deputy does his best to lower the leader safely to the ground. Arrowheart and Patchfur keep back, not knowing if they should provide help. Luckily, they don't need to and Rookstar manages to lift his head up tiredly.
"I'm sorry. The pain herbs have made it hard to stand. WolfClan will come home with you tomorrow morning. Grayfur, let the rest of the clan know." Rookstar murmurs. "For now, let me rest." The leader's head flops back down onto his nest, his eyes slipping closed.
****Goldenclaw's POV****
His paw steps are light as he follows behind Starkpelt. Goldenclaw knows that Vultureclaw wants him to get rid of the traitor to prove his loyalty. A small part of him would not mind doing this, seeing as if not for Starkpelt Frostfang wouldn't have the Mortal Moss. Yet, he does understand that even if Starkpelt is a traitor, death is not a fitting punishment for him.
And so, he has another plan.
The grass swishes around Goldenclaw as he follows the older warrior. Starkpelt had been left to his own devices for the day to hunt wherever he chose, per Vultureclaw's demand so that Goldenclaw had optimal time to off him and make it look as much of an accident as possible. He knows that the deputy wants him to kill Starkpelt, but Goldenclaw has another plan, a better plan that won't make him sick to his stomach and will also garner Vultureclaw's trust.
"Starkpelt." He calls out the tom's name loud and clear. The time for hiding is over.