Chapter Text
The sun shone brightly against a light blue sky, its hot rays baking the air. Puffy white clouds streaked across as a steady wind guided them along their course. Birds glided through the breeze, squawking as they drifted to fly over a long stretch of almost barren sand, walled in by a line of high cliffs.
A large, brown tabby tom sat in the warm, golden sand, watching the water that surrounded the small beach he had found himself on lap over his paws. He breathed in the tropical air, and wrinkled his nose when he caught a whiff of the salty stench that wafted off the water, which only served to confuse him. Water didn’t usually smell like that.
Curiosity tugging at his fur, he dared to tread into the briny expanse, and a cold feeling rushed up his legs and leapt into his spine. He shivered.
He had no idea how he had ended up on this beach, but the peacefulness it emanated gave him no reason to be troubled by it, and he allowed himself to relax, letting out a calming breath as the tension built up in his body released itself.
His ears pricked up at the sound of a loud caw. Looking up, he saw that the flock of birds had migrated over to soar right above him. He watched in amusement as they danced in the sky, performing tricks that he could only dream of doing himself. Closing his eyes, he let his mind wander as he listened to the song of the birds and the waves that were washing against the shore, lulling him into a sense of much needed security.
But as he continued to be entranced by the serenade, it was soon interrupted by a piercing shriek. The tom’s eyes flew open and his head rocketed towards the sky, where the bird's once tranquil gathering had turned into a tumultuous panic.
Confusion and terror overtaking him, the tom stumbled around, trying to get an understanding of what was happening. As he did, the ground suddenly began to rumble under his paws.
Frantically, he looked back out at the water to find the source of the shaking, and froze in place when he saw a colossal wave surging towards the beach. Taking a breathless gasp, he began a clumsy attempt of escape, but he could not outrun the wave. It crashed into him, swallowing the coast whole and dragging the tom away as he was sloshed backwards and into open water.
After a painstakingly long moment of struggle, he managed to crash his head through the surface of the water, releasing a coughing fit as he attempted to expel the salty liquid from his lungs, his eyes stinging intensely. He thrashed about, trying to stay above the black expanse and pushing against the current that threatened to pull him back under.
Looking around, his eyes widened in shock as he realized the scenery had changed. The sky was now dark and empty, the clouds and birds having disappeared. He stretched up his neck, straining to find the beach, but all he could see were endless, heaving, blue-green waves.
“Help! Help me!” The tom called out desperately, summarily choking as a sharp, salty wave filled his mouth, dragging at his fur and pulling his body halfway under. His paws worked even harder as he struggled to keep his head above the surface. On the horizon, he caught a glimpse of the sun sinking into the waves in a pool of flame, its dying rays tracing a path of blood that stretched toward him. Then his head went under and the cold salt water flooded into his mouth once more.
I’m drowning! He wailed silently as he fought for his life. StarClan help me!
His head broke the surface and a strong current spun him around with his back legs dangling helplessly beneath him. Choking and gasping for air, he found himself gazing up at a sheer wall of smooth sand-colored rock. Had he been swept into the gorge? No, these cliffs were higher still. At their base, the waves sucked at a dark hole, edged by jagged rocks that made it look like a gaping mouth with teeth. The tom’s terror increased as he realized that the swirling water was carrying him straight towards the stony jaws.
“No! No!” He yowled. “Help me!” He kicked and thrashed in a panic, but he was growing weaker and his sodden fur was weighing him down. The waves drove him onward, crashing against the rocks; now the black mouth loomed over him, spitting salty foam, as if it were about to swallow him alive.
Suddenly, amidst the hysteria, the tom heard an echoey voice calling out to him.
“Brambleclaw, can you hear me? Brambleclaw.”
The bemused tabby extended his ears and head to pinpoint the location of the voice, and he saw that the beach had returned. He spotted a grayish shape as well, standing on the shore, and upon further inspection he realized it was a badger, recognizing the creature’s distinguished black-and-white face. Though it was hard to tell, its mouth appeared to be moving, another runoff of words escaping through its dog-like fangs.
“Brambleclaw, you need to wake up. Wake up!”
Wake up? Then the tom felt a light prodding at his side. He twisted his head to see what or who was doing it, but nothing was there. The feeling persisted, however, the invisible force behind it now jabbing at him, digging itself into his body.
“Brambleclaw!”
Brambleclaw was jarred out of his nightmare. As he took in his surroundings, breathing heavily, he turned to face an orange-furred cat with striking green eyes staring directly at him. He yelped and slid back in a startle.
The ginger molly before him sat back on her haunches, then barked a laugh. “Ha! I scared you, didn’t I?” She jeered.
Brambleclaw shook himself from his disarray, his eyes narrowing in irritation when he recognized his rude awakener. “Squirrelpaw, what are you doing in here? This is the Warriors’ Den.”
“I know that you fox-heart! I came to wake you up. You overslept.” Squirrelpaw meowed harshly, pointing her nose up in defiance.
Brambleclaw blustered. “What are you talking about? I didn’t-” He cut himself off as his gaze reflexively drifted through the den, realizing its vacancy. “Wh-where did every-cat go?” He mewed as he stood up, his head darting around.
“They left. Because it’s morning. Which means it’s time to get up. StarClan, do I have to explain everything to you?” Squirrelpaw huffed impatiently.
Brambleclaw’s head snapped back to her. “And why did you have to be the one to come and get me?” He growled. “Does some-cat want me?”
“Yes: Me! I want you to go hunting with me!” She chirped brightly, an encouraging smile gracing her face.
“What! Wait, are you telling me that you woke me up just so you could make me go hunting with you?”
“Uh, yeah, that’s literally what I just said.” Squirrelpaw groaned. “You are so bad at this.”
“Well the answer is no.” Brambleclaw pushed past Squirrelpaw and out the den entrance. He stopped outside it, and breathed in deeply the fresh, morning air, trying to rid himself of the salty smell of the lake that still lingered in his nose. He glared around the camp, and his eyes were immediately drawn to the fresh-kill pile. Brambleclaw heard his belly growl, and he licked his lips and stalked off to get some prey.
Behind him, Squirrelpaw let out a whine.
“Please, Brambleclaw? I really want to go hunting but I can’t by myself and no cat else wants to come with me! I promise I won’t annoy you and listen to whatever you say. I’ll even let you choose where we hunt. Just please go with me!”
Brambleclaw growled an agitated sigh. “Why can’t Dustpelt take you hunting? He’s your mentor.”
“Because he’s spending daylight in the Nursery with Ferncloud. Their kits were born super early this morning. Hey!” Squirrelpaw suddenly exclaimed, leaping in front of Brambleclaw. “You should go see them! They’re so cute! It’s two mollies and one tom, and one of the mollies is big and dark brown like Dustpelt and the other molly is small and gray like Ferncloud and the tom is a mixture of his parents being medium sized and brown but a light brown not a dark brown and flecks instead of stripes and-”
”Squirrelpaw!” The blabbermouth apprentice snapped her head up to be met with Brambleclaw’s red eyes, popping out and practically steaming in fury, fur sticking up at all angles.
“Yes?”
Brambleclaw took a steadying breath, but his pelt did not lie flat. “If I go see the kits, will you stop bothering me?” He hissed pointedly, his gaze still sharp with anger.
Squirrelpaw’s expression turned bitter, and her body deflated as the excitement left her, eyes drawn to the ground.
“…Yeah…” She conceded.
“Okay, then let’s go.”
The pair set off for the Nursery. Brambleclaw squeezed through the narrow entrance, wincing as thorns scraped against his broad shoulders.
Inside it was warm and quiet. Ferncloud was laying on her side in a deep nest of moss. Her green eyes glowed as she gazed at the three tiny kits curled up snugly in the curve of her body. Dustpelt was crouched beside her with his paws tucked beneath him, occasionally rasping his tongue affectionately over her ear.
“Hi, there, Brambleclaw.” He meowed as the younger warrior appeared. “Come to see the new kits?” He looked ready to burst with pride, quite different from his usual prickly, detached air.
“Yep! I told him they were adorable!” Squirrelpaw blurted, poking her head out from behind Brambleclaw.
Inwardly Brambleclaw rolled his eyes, but his mind was more focused on the newborn kits before him. His heart was swelling with affection, even if they weren’t his, but he knew that he would protect them from danger just as their parents would. It was his duty as a warrior, as a Clanmate; a member of ThunderClan.
It’s what a leader would do.
“They’re beautiful.” He mewed, touching noses with Ferncloud in greeting. “Have you chosen names for them yet?”
Ferncloud nodded her head, blinking drowsily up at him. “Yes: Birchkit, Hollykit, and Larchkit.” She nuzzled each kit gently as she spoke, causing them to mewl and squirm further into her belly fur.
“And I got to name them.” Squirrelpaw proclaimed, puffing her chest out like naming newborn kits was some sort of grand achievement.
“Wow. Congratulations.” Brambleclaw said dryly, not a hint of care in his voice.
“Brambleclaw.” Came a familiar scolding tone. With a wince, Brambleclaw turned his head to his mother, Goldenflower. The old queen was laying in a large nest across the den, eyeing him crossly. “Be nice.” She mewed sternly. Brambleclaw dropped his shoulders in submission.
“Yes, Ma.” He heard Squirrelpaw giggle at him, and he shot her a warning glare, baring his teeth in the beginning of a snarl. But before he could retort something nasty to her, he saw Goldenflower rise from her place of rest and pad over to him. She brushed up against him, purring soothingly. Brambleclaw leaned into his mother’s warm pelt, his irritation fading away.
“They’re strong, healthy kits, too. StarClan has truly blessed you.” Goldenflower purred, dipping her head at Ferncloud and Dustpelt.
“And they’re lucky to have you to help look after them.” Brambleclaw meowed, lightly butting his mother on the shoulder playfully.
“Well I didn’t do too bad of a job with you.” Goldenflower teased, but her eyes were shining with pride.
“When I’m grown up, I want to have kits, too. Lots of them! And we’ll play together and I’ll teach them all sorts of battle moves and hunting techniques, and maybe they’ll even become future leaders and medicine cats!” Squirrelpaw described gleefully.
“That’s wonderful, dear.” Goldenflower purred in amusement. “Sounds like you’ll be a splendid mother.”
“Well that’ll be a long time coming if you don’t get your hyperactivity under control.” Dustpelt meowed gruffly, getting back to his default personality. “Having kits isn’t just all fun and games. They require a good deal of attention and care, especially newborns, so you shouldn’t have them until you're ready to spend the majority of your time feeding, washing, and nurturing them.”
Squirrelpaw let out a bored sigh. “Okay, Dustpelt, you don’t have to lecture me.”
“So what’s your excuse?” Goldenflower questioned, giving her son a nudge.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Ya know. When am I gettin’ my grandkits?”
“What?!” Brambleclaw was flabbergasted, his face turning bright red. “Ma, that’s embarrassing!”
“It is not. You’re at that age now where you should be thinkin’ about startin’ a family.”
“But- I- what- uh- that’s it! I’m done here, now.” Brambleclaw abruptly turned on his paws and stormed out the den. “I’ll bring you a piece of prey, Ma!” He called over his shoulder.
“Wait, Brambleclaw.” Said Dustpelt quickly. Brambleclaw halted and turned his head back to the older warrior. The brown tom rose from his spot beside his mate and padded up to him.
“I think I’m going to spend a few more sunrises in the Nursery with my family, but Squirrelpaw needs some-cat to look after her.” Dustpelt gave him a deliberate look. A wave of dread filled Brambleclaw as he realized what Dustpelt was about to ask him.
“Uh, can’t some-cat else watch her? Some-cat with more experience… and patience..?”
Dustpelt shook his head. “I don’t want to put more work on the other mentors, and the rest of the Clan has better things to do. And besides, Squirrelpaw likes you, and it’ll give you some practice for when you get your own apprentice. But I’m not asking you to be with her every moment of daylight. Just know where she is and if she wants to go hunting or do anything in the forest go with her, and maybe you can even teach her some things. I’m sure she’ll be open to listen; I think she looks up to you in a way.”
Brambleclaw let Dustpelt’s words sink in. He did feel honored that the senior warrior was putting so much trust in him, but he just wished Squirrelpaw didn’t have to be involved.
Grudgingly, Brambleclaw caved into Dustpelt’s request, relinquishing a heavy sigh. “Okay, I’ll watch her.”
“Thank you.” Dustpelt dipped his head in gratitude and retreated back inside the den, padding past Squirrelpaw who had been eavesdropping on the conversation. She stood up with her head and tail held high, a satisfied smirk lining her face. Brambleclaw shut his eyes tight as she came over to him, bracing himself for the headache that was bound to hit him.
“So, can we go hunting now?” She purred smugly, blinking at him a feigning look of sweetness.
“Yes. We can go hunting.” Brambleclaw growled slowly.
“Yippie!” Squirrelpaw leapt up and hopped toward the camp entrance. Brambleclaw rose more sluggishly, but followed in pursuit of the excited apprentice, grumbling to himself as they both disappeared into the forest.