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PrologueCassowaryfang was sent from Starclan to be a warrior. The tom, while shorter than a majority of his clanmates, was stronger than ten cats combined. Something to be feared in battle and respected by leaders and deputy alike. It surprised cats at first when they learned that this cat was not the deputy of Doveclan, but it took only one conversation with him to understand why. Cassowaryfang did not give most cats the time of day unless he wanted something done right, and the way he spoke in clipped statements and endless staring was unsettling. Had the elders not witnessed his birth, it would be easy to assume he came from another world entirely with his strange customs and speech that put off his own clanmates.He was easy to spot, his once stunning white pelt turning more ashen with every moon. Rumors were that his pelt darkened every time he broke the warrior code, following his own law instead of any leader’s. It ranged every gathering whether it was a severe transgression or something minor, but no one would dare ask him to his face.
Chapter OneDean would do anything for his brother, even give himself up to the fierce cats who lived in the clans just so Sam could live another moon. The clan cats that called themselves warriors of Shallowclan were antagonistic and prey-thieves, having killed off a few of their kin already. Most recently, Sam’s mate Jessica was slaughtered by a patrol of these cats and her entrails spread the length of the road in a horrid display all for the amusement of these wild cats. Sam was perfectly rational in Dean’s opinion, and his fury was well earned as twelve wild cats fell to his claws and teeth in quick succession in a horrifying battle that didn’t last longer than the first cat’s warning wail as it bled out in Sam’s jaws.Sam had always shown an unnaturally large amount of strength and dexterity compared to others, but the worst part of it was that he was damn smart and near impossible to catch. Most big cats had water between their ears, fat and dumb but could still knock teeth from your skull. Sam was more muscle than fur, and he had a lot of fur too. Dean could see why forest cats saw potential in him, a lot of bigger and meaner cats did. To him however, Sam was still that young cat with paws too big for his body that couldn’t hunt for shit. Sam didn’t deserve to get chased out to the woods where he would no doubt starve under all that hair even if he did fight better than those clan cats. So, he made a deal with Shallowclan.One of the brothers would be to join their ranks as a peace offering after the death of their deputy, Yelloweyes, and in return Shallowclan would leave cats beyond the tracks alone. Dean couldn’t bear the thought of his brother being forced to fight again, seeing how withered he had become in the days following the slaughter. So, he agreed to join the clan in order to give his brother some peace.
Four Moons Later…
Slipping from the branches of the great oaks, Cassowaryfang easily dropped beside Sweetwhim who yelped in surprise at the sudden movement.“Starclan, Cassowary! Can’t do that to me, I’m delicate!” Sweetwhim hurried to flatten the fur standing straight up on his back, checking to see if any other cats saw the entrance of his mousebrained clanmate. Cassowaryfang tipped his chin up proudly but said nothing as he looked to the leader’s perch. He had a reputation to uphold after all, even to his brother. They weren’t littermates from birth, Sweetwhim’s mother had taken Cassowaryfang in after he had been found on the clan’s territory as a kit not long after Sweetwhim’s apprenticeship had begun. The two got along for the most part, but they didn’t go out of their way to speak to each other until after the great sickness took the lives of many cats which included their shared mother. Nothing like tragedy to bring cats together.Cassowaryfang watched the leaders wind their way up the large boulder and chat among themselves briefly before Emptystar, leader of Frostclan, yowled for attention so the gathering could begin. Silence was quick to fall, Emptystar had nothing but contempt for noise but seemed always willing to be the loudest. They spoke in a soft voice, like it pained them to speak but no medicine cat could relieve them of their constant migraines. Emptystar had a lovely black pelt dappled with white hairs, as if they were a liquid glistening under the hot sun.“The gathering,” Emptystar grit out, looking all the more irritated when they saw Cassowaryfang sitting front and center, “is beginning now. My peers had spoken on who shall speak first and it has been decided that our clan’s news will go first.”Soft shuffling of pelts was the only sound as cats settled. Emptystar looked pleased as they scanned the crowd. Cassowaryfang considered hacking up a hairball just to piss them off and only refrained as Gorgestar was glaring a silent warning at him.Frostclan had little to announce, apprentices made into warriors, preparations for leaf-fall, and the odd fox scent along a borderline were all the leaders had to share before stepping back and letting the leader of Briarclan step to the front. Briarclan’s leader was a lanky she-cat with short white and brown fur and large bat-like ears named Eveningstar. Her clan was the largest after the sickness had past, the clan lost few to it and seemed to grow hungrier by the day whether it be for land, prey, or blood. Eveningstar kept it no secret that her clan had more than one camp in their territory and while all cats reported to her, they each had their own faction deputy and subsequent codes.“Prey runs well, and we have welcomed a new litter into the clan this moon. We are thriving as this green-leaf ends.” Eveningstar proudly meowed to her eager clanmates who cheered and howled in response much to Emptystar’s disdain. “Our borders are still open to the other medicine cats through the next moon before the throes of leaf-fall threaten our stocks. Despite the illness that spread through the forest, we continue to grow and protect our territory. Upon the first leaf to turn brown and fall, my warriors have the right to chase any cat off our land regardless of status.” She turned to the three other leaders, “You must understand.”Below the rock, deputies and medicine cats vocalized their displeasure. Frostclan was notoriously reluctant to let any pass it’s border regardless of reason whether it be a loner looking to join or a leader wishing to speak. This was nothing new, but after the last leaf-bare was so harsh all four clans had relied heavily on Frostclan’s herbs and there was fear of another plague killing off an entire clan. Cassowary scoffed at Moor puddle’s dramatic wailing; he played like a kit at gatherings! His job wasn’t even that difficult, Cassowary was typically the one to cross borders to retrieve herbs or information and even if the border was closed he could still do the exact same job. It’s not like there was a physical wall in the forest or anything, and if there was he would just break it down. He tuned out as cats argued a bit and then got settled by whichever leader was speaking, honestly he understood Emptystar’s dislike for the cacophony of voices that rose during the full moon. It was grating at times, much like a dog’s howls and sharp barks. Instead, he watched the crowd as cats wove between each other mixing pelts and insults until everyone had returned to sitting and the gathering resumed as the leaders continued to discuss Briarclan’s choice.There was some news about the outskirts, where the strange rouges and loners lived. Shallowclan announced the death of a beloved elder, ad the naming of a new apprentice. He then issued a warning about a large tom cat that still lurked the borders after butchering a patrol. As tragic as it was, Cassowaryfang wondered what that patrol was doing so far out of clan territory in the first place.“We did prevail however, in convincing one of these once hostile toms a place in the clan instead of living as a captive in hopes of teaching this former rouge to live peacefully alongside us clan cats. No more blood must be shed between us clan cats and those outside of it.” Crowstar purred proudly to the warriors of all clans who congratulated this victory earnestly. Outsiders were strange and often had tense relationships with the clans. To know there would be less tension was a relief to all as outsiders would feel more inclined to join clans rather than kill patrols or wandering kits. Still, Cassowaryfang felt there was an underlying motive for Shallowclan to take in on of the very cats who killed many of his clanmates. He would have to take this up with Gorgestar back at camp.Finally, Crowstar finished his longwinded boasting and let Gorgestar say some closing remarks and the gathering came to a close. About time too, several cats were nodding off and the moon was low in the sky. Cassowaryfang yawned and stretched out as cats followed their leaders out of the mossy clearing. Sweetwhim was struggling to keep his eyes open beside him, so he gently guided his brother to his paws and led him to catch up with the others. It was unlikely any of the cats here would get out of their nests before noon anyway so he would hardly be missed if he stayed out longer. He was curious about this rouge in Shallowclan.Cassowaryfang looked around quickly, making sure no one would spot him heading the opposite direction towards the other clan. He feigned his exit with his clan and hid under a thick bush at the last moment as his clan went on without him and his disappearance went unnoticed. It was wise to wait here for some time still to better muddle his scent and decrease detection of any passing patrols, so wait he did. The green-leaf night was warm, and the rare gust of wind was dry as it blew between his ears. Crickets began chirping now that the gathering of cats had departed, and they were less likely to be pounced upon by apprentices or sat on by shuffling elders.
Cassowaryfang looked around quickly, making sure no one would spot him heading the opposite direction towards the other clan. He feigned his exit with his clan and hid under a thick bush at the last moment as his clan went on without him and his disappearance went unnoticed. It was wise to wait here for some time still to better muddle his scent and decrease detection of any passing patrols, so wait he did. The green-leaf night was warm, and the rare gust of wind was dry as it blew between his ears. Crickets began chirping now that the gathering of cats had departed, and they were less likely to be pounced upon by apprentices or sat on by shuffling elders.Deciding it had been long enough, he worked his way from the bush with care as to leave as little trace as possible. Under his paws, the moss and grassy clumps had been flattened by lounging cats and the stench from other clans was overwhelming. Perfect to roll in. Cassowaryfang grinned as he dropped into a patch that was overwhelmed by Shallowclan scent and began rolling around strategically to cover as much of his pelt as he could in practically no time. When he stood, his fur stuck out in all directions, he couldn’t be bothered to groom his fur since he had no intention of being seen. Satisfied with his work, Cassowaryfang melted into the shadows and began his mission through Shallowclan territory.
The moon was nearly on the horizon by the time he arrived to the other clan’s camp. Time was going to be short getting back to his nest, so it was likely he would have to run back to the gathering place rather than take to the treetops. Cassowary kept low to the ground as he figured the best entranceway. The thick brush walls were clearly reinforced, and any possible holes were covered with patches of thorns and brambles. ‘Dammit!’ He lashed his tail angrily, disturbing the dirt beneath him. There was no way to see into the camp unless from above, but the likelihood of him being spotted was higher than if he tore himself an entrance. He pricked his ears, hoping to catch anything over the sound of warriors snoring on the other side of the wall but he couldn’t hear anything new. Cassowaryfang bit his tongue to keep from growling aloud. He would have to risk being spotted then he decided as he looked towards the sky to find an overhanging branch where he could get a better angle. The branch looked old and dead, but sturdy enough for a quick peek as he traced the branch to which tree held it aloft. Good enough for him. Cassowary took a running start to the base of the tree and leapt off the ground gracefully, his claws contacting the bark and digging deep. The tree was little more than a dead long standing upright and he hesitated for a moment as he considered the integrity of its boughs. Shaking his head to clear any doubt, Cassowaryfang began making his way up the trunk with his gaze locked on that overhanging branch.’One paw after another’ became his mantra as he scrambled to get a good hold on the branch that had lost a great deal of bark. Every inch brought him closer to the weakening end of the branch and his heart thundered from excitement as he finally could see into the Shallowclan camp from above. He still had some distance ahead of him on the creaking branch, and he prayed there was enough leaf coverage to conceal his position still. Looking down, Cassowaryfang saw simple nests tucked into thorny caves of red bramble, a fresh-kill pile, the leaders den, and everything a camp should have. But that wasn’t what he was interested in. What he was interested in was the lone cat curled up in the center of camp in a barren patch of dirt stained by blood in a near perfect circle around the tom. Eyes widening, Cassowaryfang crept forwards to get a better look. He was nearly over the stranger, and there was little branch left but that was the last thing he had in mind as he watched from above.The tom was large, that was unmistakable. Their pelt was sandy brown, unlike any cats he knew from Shallowclan. He could see a white marking on the strangers shoulder, ‘Almost looks like a pawprint from Starclan.’
Cassowaryfang shifted to the edge of the branch, trying to get a better look from above. The moon had almost set behind him, but time was still in this moment.Time was still, until he heard the hollow cracking of the branch behind him moments before he found himself hurtling towards the center of Shallowclan’s camp.
“Shit!” Cassowaryfang yowled in surprise as he let go of the branch just before it hit the ground. There was no way he was undetected now as the tom snapped awake just in time for Cassowaryfang to land squarely on top of him. The tom wheezed in alarm; the wind knocked out of him from the impact. Shallowclan cats were rushing out of their dens from all of the commotion, the large branch Cassowaryfang rode in on lay over the medicine cat den. No time to examine the wreckage, Cassowaryfang dug his claws into the tom’s shoulder, just over the marking, and pulled him along as he sprinted for the tree branch. The warriors were waking up and they were pissed, Cassowaryfang could hear Crowstar screaming orders in a rage, no doubt bristling at the intrusion. He didn’t free his claws until halfway up the branch, when the tom twisted himself loose with a stifled his of pain. Cassowaryfang looked back, apologetic as the two fled up the branch and over the camp wall. They jumped in tandem from the height of the trunk, Cassowaryfang landing hard on his front paw. If it hurt, the adrenaline pumping through his veins kept him from feeling it as the cat pushed him onwards and they resumed running as fast as their paws could take them with all of hell at their tails. He wasn’t sure what direction they were running, but the two kept pace even as the trees thinned.“This way!” The tom turned sharply towards the monster graveyard, taking the lead as the distance between them and the clan cats started to grow. Before them was a large barrier made of thin silver twigs interwoven like a cage. Cassowary did not hesitate to jump up to the top of the barrier, his injured paw slipping only slightly on the peak. The tom couldn’t get that much height in his leap and clung to the silver half a tail-length from the top. He could see the clan cats approaching, it wouldn’t take much for them to overwhelm the tom again if he fled and left him to his demise. Cassowaryfang could escape still, it was possible his scent was hidden enough that no one would discover his transgression if he slipped away now and made his way back to camp by sunrise. Wide green eyes met his, but there was no fear in them. He wanted Cassowaryfang to escape.“Go!”Making the split-second decision, Cassowaryfang grabbed the tom firmly by the scruff and hauled him over the barrier and threw him to the opposite side. He tumbled in the dirt for a moment before Cassowaryfang was at his side once more and shoving him upright. Something flashed across the tom’s face for a moment, but vanished as the fierce clan cats emerged from the woods with a terrible battle cry. They ran further into the monster graveyard, dodging between still beasts packed on top of one another. Cassowaryfang could still hear the rattling of silver brambles as the quickest warriors overtook the barrier. There was no coverage as they neared the two-leg den, and he wondered for a moment if they would take on the cats by themselves in the dusty clearing. However, they did not stay in the clearing long as they dashed around the side of the den where a sleeping monster with a slick black pelt stood. The tom did not hesitate to scramble up the muzzle and disappear into the beast and out of sight.Cassowaryfang skid to a stop just in front of the monster. He could still hear clan cats, though from a distance now, he would have to trust this strange cat who had led him here.The muzzle of the monster was rock hard and smooth with no where to dig his claws in as he desperately struggled to get a hold. Whatever was left of his adrenaline was fading fast, and the pain in his paw was throbbing as he slipped again and landed chin first on the monster. It was fortunate the tom was there in an instant to grab hold of him by the back of the neck and drag him the rest of the way into the open mouth of the monster.Inside the monster was softer than Cassowaryfang expected it to be. He lay panting on the firm cushion of strange material across from the strange cat who was trying to clean the claw wound Cassowaryfang gave him.“You’re hurt.” He grunted as he pulled himself to his feet and came closer to inspect the bleeding wound he gave the tom. Two brown paws pushed against his chest, putting distance between the two cats.“Whoa, personal space! You don’t see me licking some strange cat’s blood.” He laughed awkwardly before turning his head at an odd angle to try to tend to his own wound.“You can’t reach all of it yourself.” He huffed impatiently, shoving the cat’s head aside so he could help clean the claw marks far more effectively. Cassowaryfang ignored the indigent meow from the tom and got to work. He wished now more than ever to have some kind of medicine cat available, even if it was a cat like Moorpuddle. The bleeding had slowed to a near stop thankfully, but it would have been nice to have cobwebs to keep it that way. He took his time working out the dirt and dried blood in silence for several minutes until the cat cleared his throat and spoke.“Name’s Dean, by the way.”Cassowaryfang paused and lifted his head, their muzzles almost touching and their whiskers tangling together like weeds “Hello, Dean.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
He was born of hope.
Foreseen are the days where war will reign, led by a cat who was swallowed by corruption and at his side his twin forged in his image.
Unnatural is their strength.
Supernatural is their force.
And they will tear the clans apart and shake the trees to splinters before their bloodlust is settled.
Starclan’s soldiers will be sent with the energy of a thousand suns, born of hope and heart they will rise to vanquish the cats with dog blood in their veins.
Jackdawpaw was supposed to be special. From the moment he stepped out of the nursery, he was greeted by wide eyes and praise that he was sent from Starclan. Dawnhope told him that the medicine cat got a prophecy from Starclan, and she received visions of the future he would bring to their clan as she counted down the days until his birth.The cat in the clearing was supposed to be special too, but everyone told him to stay away from the captive until he received his warrior name. Crowstar wouldn’t tell him why, and it was hard to press warriors for answers when Dawnhope kept him restricted to the nest and not a pawstep further. Still, gossip traveled. The rouge was one of two cats who tormented the border, one of the cats who had dog blood! Crowstar promised to explain his role in the prophecy when he began training, and he was tired of being treated like some stupid kit. It was his prophecy; he was supposed to be special.
ThenIt was hell. A dozen clan cats with sharp claws emerged from the forest. They came looking for a fight. Clan cats were vile creatures with pelts slicked with scum like rats crawling up to the surface, and for seasons their family had overseen the efforts of pushing back these prey-thieves by any means necessary to protect the innocent cats that the wild cats targeted for their own amusement. A family business of sorts.Now Sam’s mate Jessica lay dead at his paws as the clan cats jeered and taunted him. He wanted so badly to keep Jess out of this, for both of them to escape the trail of bodies in his past, and now she was gone.Dean was snarling insults back, but Sam couldn’t hear a word he said, ‘Was she scared?’Sam’s paws were moving, ‘Did she suffer?’There was fur and blood in his mouth, someone was screaming in agony as he tightened his hold and let the red wash over him. ‘Why would they do this?’
‘Why her?’
‘It should have been me.’
“You damn dog-blooded freak!” A black tom yowled in rage as they threw their weight at Sam’s claws.
‘Only a dog is capable of this much carnage.’
Dean told him later it wasn’t his fault, that he did what any cat would. The only thing Sam could think about was the blood that flowed so easily down his throat.
Now
Sam was restless. Ever since his brother made that deal to join forest cats, he had been unable to sheath his claws. A growl rumbled in his chest as he tore up the dirt beneath his large paws. She was late again. It was a terrible game they played, but it was for a better cause. Sam swore he would tear apart those clan cats for what they’d done to his brother. What they did to Jess.Suddenly a crash came from an overturned bin across the street and Sam crouched low as he scanned the empty alley. His fur stood up along his back as his claws clicked along the smooth stone as he approached warily. Sam scented the air; traces of trash and the odd scavenger were overwhelming here. Among it all was the faintest scent of another cat, Ruby, a former warrior turned barn-cat who quickly warmed herself up to Sam despite her clan roots. He never asked her warrior name, didn’t seem important, Ruby was Ruby because she looked like the old barn-cat who used to live nearby. Naturally the housefolk call her Ruby since they’ve such poor senses and couldn't tell the two cats apart.“Hiya Sam.”Her voice came from behind Sam, how she moved so quickly he could never understand so he tried to pretend it didn’t bother him. They had work to do, after all.“Ruby.” Sam grunted, shoulders flexing tensely as he stood still and did not turn to face the she-cat.“Caught a live one, you up for it?”Sam nodded firmly. This is what he has been working towards for a very long time, training under many moons until he was strong enough to tear the forest apart for his brother.
Hours later, sunhigh…
Sam stumbled his way back to the scrapyard around sunhigh, he was exhausted, and his long fur was clumping into mats already. Maybe his pelt could do with a thorough cleaning before climbing back into their den, no, his den. Dean was still gone. Sam hadn’t bothered with much upkeep like he once did before Dean was taken and a part of him felt guilty at the state of their home. The brothers lived inside an old beat-up car that sat on angled rocks not far from the housefolk den where the scrapyard man lived. Dean loved their den, curling up under the steering wheel or stretching out on the flat black hood on a sunny day. Sam liked the back cushion better and the darkness of the back box where he kept odd trinkets he found when wandering.But without his brother, it wasn’t the same place full of fond memories anymore. It was empty. And the emptiness filled with anger, at himself, the clan cats, at Dean. It didn’t change anything though.Squeezing under the fence, Sam wondered when the last time he went through the hole since it definitely seemed a tighter fit as the metal raked across his skin and tore up clumps of fur along the way. He sighed heavily, mourning his lost fur briefly as he pulled himself to the other side. ‘Looks like I should stick to the longer way around.’
It took a little longer, but soon enough Sam was back on track to arrive home. The sun was warm on his back as he passed by the wooden porch that had a bowl of stale water sitting in the shade and a weird fake housefolk made of dead grass lounging by the entryway to scare off opossums. He was less than a quick dash away from the car when he saw something move inside the car. Not bothering with stealth, Sam bolted for the front entrance for an ambush. On the flat hood of the car, Sam arched his back as he pulled back his lips to bare his teeth in a snarl.The smokey cat in the backseat folded their ears back in alarm how that they were caught, but wasn’t as paralyzed by fear as Sam hoped as they dodged the incoming fury of claws and teeth by ducking into the footwell. Sam lunged again, snapping his jaws where the cat’s tail was moments ago but this intruder was quick as they jumped up into the front bench and out the open front with Sam in hot pursuit. They must have been injured recently, landing unevenly on loose dirt and making a tight half-spin to face him.“Last chance to leave with your life.” Sam grit out dangerously, bouncing on his toes in anticipation of a fight. The cat, a tom, did not stand down. Instead, his eyes narrowed, and he lifted his tail in a warning, tip twitching furiously like a rattlesnake while making a gradually increasing guttural hiss.“Sam!”Dean’s familiar yowl called out, breaking the standoff as Dean slid in between the two cats and faced his brother.“Dean?” Sam dropped to his paws in surprise, the fight vanishing from him instantly.“Sammy, hey, it’s okay he’s cool.” Dean reassured his brother easily, moving forwards slowly to let Sam assess his scent, “I’m okay. Really.”“You’re back,” Sam quickly closed the distance between the two, “You- you’re, but, how?”“Nice to see you too, big guy.” Dean laughed as he butted his head against Sam’s in a friendly greeting, “What a welcome home party, huh?”“Yeah.” Sam glanced back at the strange cat who was now staring at him with wide eyes. The tom’s fur stuck up in several directions, making it hard to tell if he was still bristling or not. His blue eyes were calculating and cold. Sam pushed Dean back, flattening his ears and flicking them upright in quick succession.“Sam, I’d like you to meet Cas.”The tom, ‘Cas’, sharply turned his attention to Dean, “Cas?”Dean scratched his ear idly, “Yeah, well, Cassowaryfang is a mouthful. ‘Sides, you give nicknames to cats who seem friendly enough.”Cas tilted his head at Dean and peered at him for several seconds through narrowed eyes, Dean returning the stare, until he nodded and looked away.“So, what happened? Last time I saw you, those forest cats looked like they might’ve eaten you.”“Clan cats don’t eat cats.” Cas said simply, turning to face Sam once more.“Right. ‘Course not.” Sam wasn’t certain if he believed Cas quite yet. Forest cats were huge, not from overeating, but because of their sheer muscle mass and imposing presence. Who knows what they ate to achieve such size?“Dung-faced bastards wanted to train me for some kind of wishy-washy star dream. I’ve slept under enough skies to know that stars don’t talk and neither do the dead.”Sam wasn’t as quick to discredit Starclan as his brother, he heard of the great and terrible things they were capable of from Ruby. She told him about the prophecy the clan cats believed him and Dean to be a part of, and the path he needed to take to free himself and his brother from the wrath of the ancestors. Dog’s blood was a necessary evil to fully separate himself from any control Starclan could have over him from the moment he stepped paw into the territories they presided over. Spirits could do a great many things in Ruby’s tales, lead the living to their death, to good fortune, or even possess a cat if they had the power. Who knows how much power a clan cat had through channeling their ancestors?Ruby said it all came down to warrior’s blood. And Sam knew he and Dean had clan cat blood flowing beneath their pelts. He had been visited by his grandfather in dreams, confirmed by Ruby to have been a clan cat long ago before being taken far away from the forest by housefolk.All of this had happened over the course of many moons, the dreams and strange occurrences increasing in frequency ever since Dean was taken. Now Sam could protect himself from these cats and their prophecies, and he would do anything to protect his brother as well.“Sam?”Suddenly breaking from his trance, Sam re-centered as Dean waved a paw in front of his muzzle.“Hey, Sammy, you with us? You kind of spaced out toward the end there. What, my great escape bore you too much?” Dean meowed.Laughing it off, Sam reassured his brother that nothing was wrong, he just ate something funny last night is all. Dean didn’t seem like he believed it, but he accepted the response all the same before announcing his hunting plans for the morning.Cassowaryfang glowered at Sam wordlessly, baring his fangs as if he would start hissing and spitting, but he regained his composure quickly as Dean called for him to follow along since he couldn’t catch much with the clawing he endured.Sam narrowed his eyes at the forest cat, unease prickling under his fur as he wedged his claws into the dusty earth below.There was something off about that cat, and he was determined to find out what.
Something was wrong with Dean. There was a hesitancy to each step, like he was new to the world outside of the forest. Sam watched through half-lidded eyes as his brother jumped out of his skin at the rattling of some junkyard rat. Dean wasn’t the skittish type, not before his time with the forest cats. Now, he seemed to steer clear of any rat holes and dark crevices between piles of junk that the tom once dove down without fear. And the way that forest cat was always over Dean’s shoulder, curiously asking about the strange housefolk objects they came across or whispering something into his ear after getting spooked by the rats. There had to be some ultimate plan behind this, some agenda to get Dean back into Starclan’s claws. Cas must have been sent to dissuade staying in the junkyard, a cruel trick letting Dean go only for him to crave the safety in numbers and rejoining those cats.Dean didn’t need numbers. He needed Sam.But could Sam trust his brother’s current state?Making up his mind, Sam waited until the sun had just touched the horizon to slip into the shadows and seek out Ruby. The route was easy, alarmingly familiar already as his paws remembered the way while his mind wandered, and paranoia began to set in about leaving Dean with that strange cat. Whatever this cat’s intentions, he didn’t like it.Faster than he anticipated, he found himself in the empty alleyway again. Sam lashed his tail impatiently, circling the perimeter anxiously.“Hey, kitty. Who pissed in your kibble?”Sam’s head snapped up to the back wall. Ruby, a sleek reddish she-cat, casually sat on the ledge with her tail curled around her paws. “Clan cats. Dean’s back, but he isn’t…” he shook his head to clear it, “He didn’t come alone.”Ruby tipped her head to the side, “You think some goody-two-paws clan cat rebelled against the leaders, against Starclan, to help your brother?”“No, but that’s what they want him to believe.” Sam growled, “Whatever Dean experienced was clearly more than he could handle, but those cats want him to believe they are his only option.”“That cat that got him out is feeding him lies to lure him back into Starclan’s reach.” She concluded wisely, “Did you get the cat’s name? What they looked like?”“Smokey pelt, blue eyes. Practically attached to Dean’s flank, the bastard tried to fight me in my own den.” Sam’s fears were all but confirmed as Ruby’s eyes widened, he claws slipping out onto the solid rock wall anxiously. She must know this cat then! “Cassowaryfang. That’s what he said his name was.”Ears now flat to her skull, Ruby hissed in frustration, “Sam, your brother is in the jaws of the beast. You were right to come to me, that cat is dangerous.”
Kill him, kill him, kill, kill, kill-
“I don’t doubt his clan is using him to get Dean back under their wing. Cassowaryfang is from a rival clan to the one who took your brother, those zealots are so far up Starclan’s ass they must have been drooling for an opportunity to get their paws into the prophecy!” Ruby leapt from her perch and landed neatly beside Sam, “If your brother is as fragile as you say, there is no way we can cleanly get rid of this cat. We gotta be smart about this, Sam.”“What do you have in mind?”“You need to keep an eye on them, report back to me everything you can and if Cassowary goes into the woods, you need to follow him. Starclan is using him as a vessel to ensure your brother is returned to the forest, you aren’t strong enough yet to take him on.”“I’ve been training for moons!” Sam snapped, “I am strong, stronger than Dean or any cat in the forest.”“Stronger than a fat housecat, sure, but not enough to take on a leader or a clan. You aren’t ready.” Ruby swiftly turned on her heel and clawed Sam’s ear, making him recoil in shock as her claws sliced easily through the soft tissue. “A real warrior would have predicted that and pinned me before I could’ve turned. You aren’t ready.”Sam’s tail fell. “What do I need to do?”“I’ll show you.” She purred, flicking her tail along Sam’s flank, haunches no longer raised, and her ears pricked upright once more. Sam followed her lead out of the alley just as he had done many times before.
The taste of blood was becoming disgustingly familiar in Sam’s mouth. He unclenched his jaws and let the dark blood drip from his tongue as he gasped for air. Closing his eyes tight, he shuttered as the cooling blood clumped up in thick clots in between his toes. Sam could still see the glossy eye of the dog behind his lids. Ruby didn’t say how she got the head, just that he needed to ingest as much as he could stomach. The tremors in his limbs were dying down now, leaving a burning sensation flooding his bones just like every time before. A necessary evil. I have to do this for my family. He reminded himself as his stomach churned pitifully at the stench of dog meat. For Dean. For Jess. For-Sam’s thoughts were interrupted by his own retching, but nothing came up from his aching stomach.“Good job, Sammy.” Ruby praised, “Soon you can catch those dogs by yourself.”“And then the forest cats.” Sam coughed dryly, “That cat that killed my mate.”“Sure will. You’ve come a long way.” Ruby agreed, “The moon is starting to set, you better get cleaned up and back in your nest before that clan cat suspects our plan.”It was true, the night slipped away and now dawn was approaching. Unease and uncertainty filled Sam’s mind as he remembered that he had left Dean alone. He would have raced home already, but the amount of blood on him would only raise alarms. There weren’t many places to get clean quick, much less hide the blood scent, it’s not like he needed to hide his activities when Dean’s fate was unknown. He would have to find something on the way back.Nodding once, Sam then turned and left Ruby alone with another word.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Dean dreamt of fire. The thick black smoke billowing through the rafters and the heat shook him to the very core. He could remember when his first housefolk den burnt to the ground, it was shortly after Sam’s first moon when the old man had drawn the ire of some young housefolk, and they set their den ablaze. His father, mother, and younger brother all lived in the ceiling and the old man let them be. The old housefolk wasn’t scared of any cat’s claw, not even John could deter his persistence to befriend the family.
Then the fire came, his mom trapped in the ceiling while Sam, who was still so small back then, was passed off to Dean with the order to take him outside as fast as he could. Fire never stopped chasing him.
He watched the flame engulf the den from the roof of the black car across the street as Sam’s wailing was lost to the night. Dean never saw his mom or the old man again. Even as his father joined them on the car top, overwhelmed with grief and his fur half burnt off, Dean remained silent.
Even after the burnt-out den had been torn down and rebuilt, the new housefolk who lived there played with tiny flames that burned in the window at night as if they could be trusted not to repeat the same crime. In the junkyard, the new housefolk burned huge piles to dust and gathered a clan of housefolk to meet around the pyre when the moon was full.
Death was a fascinating beast to acknowledge. The veil between Starclan, the Dark Forest, and the Clans was thinnest on nights when the moon was at its biggest. Jackdawpaw was endlessly enraptured by tales of cats past who haunted the dreams of the medicine cats and prophesied coming days.His favorite stories however were about what the dead left behind. Dawnhope described the cats of the dark forest and their abilities, terribly cruel foils to Starclan. Where in Starclan your spirit thrived as you did in your prime, the Dark Forest cats stubbornly held onto their decaying corpses in the afterlife and kept rotting away until they faded completely. When their spirit faded from the Dark Forest, the rotten body remained. A shell of a former cat that falls from the Dark Forest and wanders aimlessly with an unsatiable hunger for blood. Cat blood.Dawnhope said there was a time the clans had to fight swarms of these decayers, generations of dead pulling up from the earth just to eat. But they were not alive, not really. Decayers couldn’t feel anything but hunger and unlike dogs, they never tired of the chase. And worst of all, they could turn you into one of them and you would fade forever without ever reaching Starclan. It only took one bite.Those stories were way cooler than prophesies about cats with dog blood ruling the forest and the Starclan blessed cats designed to stop them. He knew how the Clan saw him. Jackdawpaw had a destiny to fulfill, and his every pawstep was being watched.Jackdawpaw was training to be a warrior under his mentor, Berryslash, who discouraged any hypotheticals about cats cheating death in one way or another.“It disrupts the balance.” She said, kicking a pinecone out of her path “Besides, those are only stories made up to scare kits. There’s no truth in them.”“I know that.” Jackdawpaw had mumbled in reply, his tail tip flicking bashfully. He secretly wished the stories were true, and in his dreams he would fight off a clan’s worth of decayers and be a hero. In these fantasies, he was no longer looked at with fear or disgust, nor would cats utter the name of his father and his transgressions. They would accept Jackdawpaw as an equal, not as some cat toeing the line of good and evil just by existing. His mom said he was meant for big things, but every cat seemed to have a different idea of what that was.Some whispered about his father, Morningomen, and his cruelty which knew no bounds. He could twist a truth ten ways to get what he wanted, and his claws were always unsheathed. The elders said he smelled like death. Everyone whispered about Morningomen, but no one would tell him why he exiled in the first place. The only thing they told him was that he was not allowed to eat things with fur or feathers, and his hunting practice was restricted to frogs and lizards. It was embarrassing enough being the only cat who was old enough to catch their own prey and not even be allowed to do so!So Jackdawpaw was stuck under Starclan’s pelt, his father’s shadow, and his clan’s expectations. But today, he was going to prove he was just as good as any warrior in the clan. That he was worth all of this.As the sun stretched into the sky, Jackdawpaw sat himself down by the Shallowclan medicine cat and put on his best performance of kit-like innocence in his request to accompany them to gather herbs today.“I know I’m gonna be a warrior, but…” Jackdawpaw blinked slowly, wide eyes twinkling in the soft light of Reedflip’s den. “I’ve always wanted to know more about the plants in the forest. Maybe I can go with you to gather herbs today?”Reedflip, who was not used to such a request, sat amongst the sorted herb stocks with her jaw hanging open in surprise. She looked behind him, at the walls, and back at her paws as she calculated a response. “Oh? W-what brought this, um, sudden interest?”He could tell she was avoiding eye contact, so Jackdawpaw dipped his head to flatten the fur on his chest. Watching behind half lidded eyes, he paused when the medicine cat was looking at him once more before snapping his eyes open and staring dead on into the other cat’s eyes.Reedflip’s pale yellow eyes burned a glowing gold, mirroring Jackdawpaw’s usually blue eyes.“I’m coming with you into the forest.” Jackdawpaw stated, holding eye contact as he raised his head confidently as the glow faded from the pair’s eyes.The medicine cat opened and shut her mouth a couple times, briefly confused as she stood on all four paws. “Yes, that should be just fine. We should go before sunhigh, I will inform your mentor that you are coming with me today.” Reedflip brushed past Jackdawpaw and exited the den briskly, the suggestion easily taken up over the clouds of doubt in her mind. “Stay there!” She meowed over her shoulder.Jackdawpaw was alone in the den now. He casually glanced at the neat piles of herbs and berries; the names foreign to him just as a majority of his clanmates’ were. Dull berries still on a branch, bristled leaves stacked in alternating directions tangled their stems, the smells all muddled together in the still air. It reminded him of something familiar, though he could not place it. He looked back out into the clearing, Reedflip was on the way back, so he dutifully rose from his seat with his tail held high as he was beckoned to follow the medicine cat out of camp.
The sun was at it’s highest as the pair dutifully made their way to the well-tended herb patch near the border of Doveclan’s territory. Jackdawpaw had no intention of reaching the patch regardless, trailing behind Reedflip until she would not notice him slipping away in the dappled light. He would make it up to her later and grab some plants that looked useful after he caught real fresh kill and not some scaly lizard. Passing the training area was the rocky place where snakes liked to hide, and just beyond that was where his mentor took him to hunt frogs. So if he went in a different direction he should be able to find a nice mouse or sparrow. He couldn’t help the smile on his face when he imagined how the clan would react. His mother would be proud when he presented his first real catch of course, but his clanmates would certainly be surprised. Maybe Crowstar would be so impressed that he will give Jackdawpaw a warrior name early!Imagining himself being congratulated by so many cats, each pressing their pelts against his and giving him praise, distracted him from his main goal until he stepped on a mouse’s tail and it squeaked in fright before bolting off and disappearing into the ground before Jackdawpaw could even think of chasing after it. Embarrassed by his lack of awareness, he shoved aside any thoughts from then on. He could fantasize after he had made the catch.Jackdawpaw cleared his mind and closed his eyes, letting the wind run between his ears while he scented the air. As quiet as the forest could be, it could be just as loud. Movement in the trees, insects buzzing about, the rustling of dry leaf bits and mulch as he shifted into a crouch. He had yet to see his first leaf-bare, the very idea of the forest being barren was unthinkable and the concept of being cold was foreign to him still having rarely been out of the den he shared with his mother until recently. Though it irked him to no end how much he was coddled, sheltered from the outside world and his own clan. Dawnhope was, and still is, Jackdawpaw’s only friend. Still, she told him stories about many other cats, names of his clanmates he could never recall in passing. Sometimes he imagined meeting his mother’s friend from Doveclan, the image of him clearer in his mind’s eye with every tale.Pelt the color of snow melting on the dark monster path, white fading into a deep black. He wondered which he would see first.Fluttering wings disrupted his train of thoughts and his eyes snapped open, pupils narrowing as he easily picked out a white pigeon pecking its way under a bush. It seemed to glow under the sunlight like it was sent by Starclan themselves! He stalked carefully, each pawstep counted after all. Birds, like lizards, had very acute hearing. Unlike lizards, birds relied on sight to watch for potential threats and suspicious movements.And Jackdawpaw intended to be a threat. Pigeons are larger than songbirds that he had seen his mother take from the fresh kill pile, and while he had some room to grow into a full warrior, he was barely twice the size of the bird. Drawing closer, he licked his chops in anticipation. The wind was blowing away from him, and his prey had yet to spot his careful approach. He could feel his heart drumming in his ribcage as he prepared to leap with his claws outstretched.He pounced with ease, landing squarely onto the pigeon’s back. His claw slipped between feathers, catching fragile skin just enough to get a weak hold. This small triumph didn’t last long as the bird struggled and beat its wings mercilessly against Jackdawpaw’s muzzle as it tried to flee. ‘I can’t lose it!’ He thought to himself as he tried to regain control. He snapped his jaws again and again in an attempt to grab the neck, prey was prey after all and no creature could survive his mighty bite.Teeth finally sunk into flesh, and claws tore free from between dirty wings as the pigeon turned itself around to scratch at his chest with the little fight it had left. Jackdawpaw needed this to be over quickly, but the size of the bird was posing more of a challenge than he anticipated as he tightened his grip on the neck and shook hard. Lizards and frogs seemed far more fragile than this prey, easier to snap their necks with just a paw. Fresh blood clogged up his nose and the thick taste stuck heavily on his tongue. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. And it was magnificent. Suddenly the tension between the hold he had on the neck vanished with a pop. The world slowed as he watched the bloody head slipped away from his clenched jaws and landed somewhere off in the bushes and the body stopped moving.Finally, he could breathe again. His jaws loosened and the neck was free to fall to the ground in a rain of its own blood.He did it. He did it!Jackdawpaw threw his head back with a triumphant yowl, paws kneading the earth below him in elation. His clanmates were going to be so impressed with his hunt, he was certain of it. Berryslash would congratulate him, and Crowstar would give him a warriors name, and finally he could be just like every other cat in the forest. He turned on his hind paw and strutted back through the foliage with the fat belly of the bird dragging in the dirt. There was more damage than he would have liked, the space between the wings was still oozing with blood and bone that had been pulled through the soaked feathers and into the air. The scent of the innards was something else entirely, he was used to the dull scent of long-eaten prey and the cool clotted blood of lizards that was lapped away by his mother after a meal. Never this fresh, never this warm.It made him feel powerful just to breathe it in.Weaving his way through the brush he avoided earlier, Jackdawpaw could easily slip past Reedflip and get back to camp to show his mother what he caught. As he went on, he could taste the bird still as his mouth filled with saliva and foamy bubbles of drool and blood poured out the sides of his lips. His stomach rumbled but he did not give in to the temptation, this was for his mother after all.
Making it back to camp, Jackdawpaw was exhausted and panting from the long hunt across the territory and he was eager to rest. The camp was full of cats lounging in the sunlight, few were at work, however he was quickly spotted by a passing warrior the moment he came through the entrance but instead of a warm welcome he had been hoping for, the cat he didn’t know the name of shrieked in horror at the sight of him.This got more heads turning, and yowls of alarm as cats darted away from him as they stared in disbelief.“He’s covered in blood! Too much to be just from a bird!”“The prophesy…”“Is he sick?”“Where’s Reedflip?!”Unease loomed over Jackdawpaw as he took a careful step back and flattened his ears. Why weren’t they happy? He hunted like a warrior! Dropping the bird to speak, a thick mouthful of half-congealed blood and spit fell from his jaws much to the terror of Crowstar who had just emerged from his den to see what the commotion was about.“Crowstar will know what to do…”“I don’t understand!” He tried to make himself smaller under the fierce gaze of his leader, “Why is everyone looking at me like that-?”Like he was a threat. Internally he begged Crowstar to help with this miscommunication, for anyone to stop looking at him like that.“Stop it! Tell me what I did wrong, please!”“He’s killed Reedflip!”“Get him out of the camp!”“Drive him out of the territory before he kills us all!”“I didn’t kill anyone!” Jackdawpaw snarled as he jumped to his own defense. “All I did was hunt for the clan!”Various overlapping voices joined in the chaos as some braver warriors began stalking closer as if he were an enemy warrior.“Enough, all of you!” Dawnhope’s voice cut over the crowd as she reentered camp with a panting Reedflip on her heel. She circled in front of Jackdawpaw protectively, the fur on her back sticking up wildly as she hissed at the other cats.“What has gotten into you?! My son hunts for his clan and this is how he is rewarded? Accusations!” She snapped before turning on Crowstar.“And you do nothing to stop them? He’s just an apprentice! Would you let them tear him apart so easily if he were your kit?”“I had it under control.” Crowstar swiftly maneuvered through the crowd to face Dawnhope. “No need to unsheathe your claws.”“Control.” She growled, “You call this control? I’ve seen dogs better behaved.”“You dare question your leader?” Crowstar bit back, “Remember who you speak to before you lose your tongue.”“Don’t talk to my mother like that!” Jackdawpaw shouted, feeling the fight in him as he put himself between his mother and the clan leader. If he was punished, he would not regret it. Dawnhope didn’t deserve to be treated like that. Challenging the clan leader was not only daunting, but incredibly stupid.“Listen, kit-““My name is Jackdawpaw, not kit.”Dawnhope grabbed him by the scruff and pulled him away from Crowstar before a fight broke out. While he was grateful for the tension being broken, he had never wanted to sink his claws into a cat more than he did now.“Reedflip fetched me in camp when she lost sight of you.” She turned on him suddenly, “I was scared you got hurt, or worse killed! What in the hell were you thinking?”“I- I just wanted to catch a bird for you.” He looked down at his paws in embarrassment. He didn’t think things would get so out of paw like this.“Oh,” She swiped her tongue up the bridge of his nose fondly. “That’s very kind of you, Jackdawpaw. You shouldn’t have gone and made cats worry like that. I’d lose my pelt if anything happened to you.”“Sorry, Dawnhope.” He muttered softly as his mother continued to fuss over his fur and clean the blood from his whiskers.“You had asked for a sign.” Reedflip wheezed, “Here it is.”Jackdawpaw looked between the medicine cat and the leader, Crowstar nodded once. What sign was he looking for? One from Starclan?“I suppose it is.” Crowstar said coldly, not taking his eyes off of the apprentice. Then he turned to the crowd to speak much louder, “Cats of the clan, quit standing around like dazed rabbits and do something productive!”On his command, cats leapt to their paws and begun scrambling to find some busy work or important duty that must have slipped their mind that was as far from the clearing as possible. The only four that remained were Dawnhope, Crowstar, Reedflip, and himself.“Reedflip, come to my den. We have much to discuss.” Crowstar said, flicking the tip of his tail at Dawnhope as he sauntered off to the leader’s den with the medicine cat close behind.Jackdawpaw watched Crowstar disappear into his den, thoughts swirling around his mind as more questions surfaced- Only to be broken out of his thoughts by Dawnhope smacking the back of his head with a paw with a reprimanding hiss.“You know better than to challenge the leader! You’re lucky he didn’t-“ She frowned and shook her head. “I can’t- Jackdawpaw, you are my only claim in this clan and if anything were to happen to you it would fall on me for blame.”He recoiled, having not seen such anger from his mother before. “I just wanted to-““Just nothing! You could have gotten hurt, and what would I have done then? What would the clan do without you? Starclan has a path for you!”“Maybe I don’t want Starclan to have a plan for me!” Jackdawpaw said, beginning to pace anxiously as the adrenaline did not fade from his bones. “You’ve never been silent about what you’ve believed, and the walls of the dens are thinner than you pretend they are. I know the clan doesn’t trust me because of my father, and today they were scared of me.”“Jackdaw-““Why are they scared of me?” He demanded loudly, the glow of his eyes intensifying as he locked eyes with his mother. He hadn’t meant to, but once he felt the hook catch, he was determined to tear the answer from her tongue. Burning golden eyes glinted dangerously as misty gold filled his mother’s once clear blue eyes.Dawnhope opened her mouth, but it was not her voice that came in reply. Not really. The familiar kindness and warmth was gone from her voice, instead replaced by something hollow, cold, and full of resentment.
“Because you are an abomination.”