Boy Troubles

''This is the fifth episode of Vale, season 3. Written by Rainy. Read, enjoy, & comment!''



Boy Troubles
If I had to come up with a "plus side" to threats of doom and destruction, I would say that it brought cats together.

For example, I wouldn't know Ryan or Chamomile if it weren't for the rogues' arrival.

(I wouldn't know Lily either, but I didn't really like her, so that wasn't a huge loss.)

Right now, as I practice fighting techniques with Cammy, Specklepaw, and Daisypaw, I felt pretty grateful for Cammy's presence. It was refreshing to have a new perspective on fighting; she actually had some pretty great tips. Also, she managed to pin Specklepaw with his face in the dirt. Daisypaw and I howled with laughter at that--until Cammy flipped us both onto our backs too.

She might come off as cute and fluffy, but dang, that she-cat could pull her punches.

After training, the four of us collapsed onto the grass, panting and tired, but in a good way. "That was fun," said Specklepaw.

Out of breath, with her thick fur sticking up wildly in all directions, Cammy nodded. "Ryan and Lily are so predictable, since we always wrestle with each other. It's nice to have some new opponents to own."

"Shut up. I almost had you," Specklepaw retorted.

"You wish," Cammy sassed back. "Toms can be so stupid, lunging and charging blindly. If I had a mouse for every time I've eaten Ryan, I'd be bigger than High-Rock."

"Eaten Ryan?" gasped Specklepaw.

Cammy blushed. "Er, beaten. I don't eat cats, I swear. I'm not a cannibal."

"Sure, uh huh," I said in an exaggeratedly sarcastic tone. In a loud whisper, I added, "Everyone run!"

"Shut up! Although if I did gobble a cat, it'd be Ryan. He's so annoying, I swear," Cammy said.

"Are you telling embarrassing stories about me?" Ryan demanded, walking towards us.

Eyes glittering humorously, Cammy said, "Ah, brother, where would I start with those? There are so many, countless as the stars in the sky." She gestured dramatically and accidentally whacked Specklepaw in the face. He sneezed.

I giggled. Cammy was so funny. She had a tendency to trip over her words and start stammering, or say awkward things... it actually made her more endearing. Lily was a bit snooty and gave off an air of hostility, but I liked the other two rogues. In spite of the fact that our lives were so different, I still found them quite relatable.

I wished they weren't so adamant that they were going to leave SpringClan as soon as the threat of the rogues was gone. I was going to miss them so much.

"You should tell us stories about Ryan. I need things to blackmail him with," Daisypaw said.

"Okay. Well, once when we were kits, he painted himself in berry juice, stuck leaves on his head, and pranced around screaming-"

Ryan tackled Cammy. Shrieking with laughter, the two of them rolled around in the grass, slamming into us as they went.

Pretty soon, all of us had piled into the wrestling match. I punched Specklepaw in the jaw on accident, and Daisypaw tripped over me and nearly broke my spine as she fell on top of me. At one point, Minkpaw arrived. She took one look at the writhing mess of young cats, shoving and hitting each other, and promptly turned on her heels and walked away.

By the time the match had ended, my sides literally ached from laughing. I boxed Ryan's ears playfully, saying, "All that because you don't want your sister to embarrass you? Geez, what an ego."

"Hush, Breezeflight," he said, batting me lazily with a paw.

Beneath us, Specklepaw choked out, "Guys, I'm literally underneath all of you. I can feel my ribs breaking, one by one." He waited patiently. There was silence. Then, "ARE YOU GUYS STUPID? GET OFF OF ME."

We scrambled off and helped him up. "Am I flat as a leaf?" he said worriedly, examining each of his limbs.

Cammy jabbed him with her paw. "Ow!" he yelped.

"Nope," she said happily. "Fat as ever."

Indignant, Specklepaw said, "Did she just call me fat?"

"Yes, she called you fat. Didn't you hear her?" Daisypaw said. Her tone was snarky, but her eyes twinkled with a teasing light. I was relieved to see them not at each other's throats. It was a welcome change.

So was this. I had to admit that, while my Clanmates had become less opposed to having rogues among us, they hadn't exactly been buddy-buddy with the outsiders. Even though all of us shared the apprentices' den, the line between the Vale Squad and the rogues had been pretty distinct.

Now, finally, walls were starting to crumble. Friendships were forming anew.

I didn't want to think about the repercussions of that just yet. I wanted to be able to trust these cats without a thousand qualifications and justifications. To just look at them and think,'' they're my friends. They wouldn't intentionally hurt me.''

In fact, I wanted that for Fire too. I hoped she wouldn't let us down. If she betrayed us and led an attack on us with the League, I didn't know what would happen. SpringClan couldn't face all of Claron's rogues again, not in this unfamiliar territory, with our spirits so low.

Although, today, for once... my spirits finally felt like they weren't in a trench anymore. My dream last night had left me feeling like there would never be anything but shadow in my life, yet my friends had managed to lift me up with their stupidity and antics.

As long as I wasn't alone, I had something worth fighting for, I realized.

"Breezeflight?"

Cammy's voice jolted me out of my thoughts. I looked around and realized the others had disappeared, probably heading back to camp. "Sorry, spaced out."

"That's all right. C'mon, or there'll be no prey by the time we get back," Cammy mewed. She said it lightly, skirting around the very real struggle the Clan faced to feed itself everyday.

I fell into step with her, and the two of us simultaneously fell into conversation. I was surprised at how easy it was to let my guard down a little around her; I wasn't sure if it was because I was learning to become less wary (highly unlikely) or if Chamomile was simply as calming as her name implied.

"Can I confess something, Breezeflight? I really like it here. I like you and your Clanmates, and I like the feeling of community and security," said Cammy unexpectedly.

"I'm glad to hear that," I said, taken aback but happy all the same.

The she-cat sighed, her ears twitching. "It would be, if my siblings felt the same way."

Momentarily, Ryan's face flashed across my thoughts. I pushed away the image and said, "Do they really hate it that much here?"

"Ryan... Ryan's getting used to things. But he and Lily have always been so close--all three of us are. And Lily hates being in SpringClan. If Ryan and I are letting the place grow on us as time goes on, the opposite is true for Lily. She hates it more and more with every passing day."

My heart sank, and I was seized by the sudden impulse to claw Lily's pelt off. I knew I was being unfair. Ryan was her brother before he was ever my friend.

Yet I still wanted to scream at Lily. I couldn't lose Ryan and Cammy. She couldn't drag them away from me.

"Doesn't Lily care for you two as well? That means she'll consider staying for your happiness, right?" I reasoned.

Cammy nodded, but she didn't look convinced. "I'm afraid staying in SpringClan would be a lot worse for Lily than leaving SpringClan would be for us."

That sort of stung, the thought of it not hurting to leave us.

But I was being oversensitive. I wasn't an apprentice any longer. I was a warrior. I had no excuse for being all mopey over this situation; after all, it was near inevitable that Ryan and his sisters would leave sometime or another. Friends were important, sure, but I didn't need these rogues. Life had existed before them, and it would go on without them.

"Anyway, I'm sorry. I'm being pessimistic and silly, focusing on when we're gonna go. We're not leaving till you guys have your territory back."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We want to fight Claron and the rogues as well. We might not be warriors, but we do still have a code. SpringClan took us in--if it weren't for you guys, Claron would've killed us for betraying her. Of course we're going to help you defeat her." Her whiskers twitched. "Besides, Ryan likes it here."

I looked at the ground. "We're glad to have you three."

That was the tiniest bit of an understatement. Inside, I was singing and skipping in circles, throwing flowers in the air. But I had to remain calm on the outside, lest I toss the remaining shreds of my dignity into the wind.

"It's nice to have friends," mused Cammy. "Lily's always been the popular, cool one."

Confused, I said, "But you're so-"

"Awkward? Bumbling? Not as pretty as her?"

"Charismatic? Sweet? Sincere?" I countered.

She ducked her head. "I appreciate that. Now... race you back to the camp! Last one there has to wrestle Specklepaw for a piece of fresh-kill!"

We dashed back to the camp. I could've easily won the race, but I chose to run alongside Cammy. We tumbled down the rocky ravine and joined our friends. Daisypaw, Specklepaw, and Ryan were talking animatedly while Lily looked on with a sour expression. However, there was no sign of Minkpaw.

When I inquired as to her whereabouts, Dewfrost looked over from nearby and said that he'd seen her slip out of camp a few minutes earlier. I asked him what direction she'd gone in.

"Breezeflight, relax. She'll be back. She's probably hunting or something," said Daisypaw, touching my shoulder with her tail.

That was probably true, but I couldn't help my curiosity. This wasn't the first time Minkpaw had been missing in action lately. "I'll be right back," I promised the others.

With that, I scurried back out onto the plains. Minkpaw's trail was easy to pick up on, since she hadn't made any real effort to hide her tracks. Oddly enough, she wasn't the only cat to have come this way. I also scented-

"Breezeflight?"

Turning, I nearly slammed noses with Bluebird. "What in StarClan?" I squawked, stumbling backwards. He looped his tail around me to steady me--and I have to admit, despite the fact that I considered myself fully over my crush on him, my heart gave a small flutter.

Two more cats emerged from the grass. Duskwatcher's golden eyes watched me with a mix of caution and annoyance at my interruption. Minkpaw just looked resigned. "You followed me. I figured it was only a matter of time."

"What are you three doing out here?" I asked, utterly bewildered.

Out of all the trios possible in our Clan, this was the last one I would've ever expected. Since Shinecloud's death, Bluebird and Duskwatcher had been rather estranged--Bluebird resented his brother for the way he came unhinged in his grief. And Bluebird and Minkpaw... those two literally argued straight through the entire night once. Redbelly finally threatened to throw them both into the dirtplace if they didn't shut up. So they went outside the camp and argued there.

Minkpaw looked embarrassed. "I'm going to tell her."

"If you must," grumbled Bluebird.

Duskwatcher said nothing, which was almost scarier than him threatening me. I hated those empty, leering golden eyes. Shinecloud may not have been the kindest she-cat in the world, but I wished she was still alive--if only so she could bring Duskwatcher back.

Then again, I wasn't sure if anything could. It was like nothing could heal him or save him from the shadows he dwelled in.

I couldn't imagine being like that, a mere shell of a cat. If there was a fate worse than death, that was it. Losing someone you loved so much that without them, you were irreparably damaged.

"I'm holding therapy sessions."

Lost in my own thoughts, I hardly even processed what Minkpaw said. I gave an absent nod. "That's nice--Wait, what?"

Patiently, Minkpaw said, "You know, like counseling? I'm trying to help Duskwatcher and Bluebird get over, uh, past incidents and arguments and... stuff."

Now I'd seen it all. Minkpaw, playing peacemaker? "I see," I said.

Mistaking my bewilderment for apathy, Minkpaw snapped, "If you don't think it's a good idea, you can just leave. I didn't ask you to follow me. It wasn't any of your business in the first place."

I ignored her outburst; I'd learned to tune out Minkpaw's snarkiness. It was simply a side effect of being friends with her. "I think it's a great idea. Very kind of you to agree to do it."

"Actually, she offered," said Bluebird. His blue eyes were a storm of conflicting emotions, and I imagined I knew why. On the one hand, he didn't want to appear ungrateful for Minkpaw's willingness to step in and help Duskwatcher out. On the other hand, this was probably rather hard on his ego, admitting that this young apprentice was making him and Duskwatcher play nice, like they were a pair of misbehaving kits.

That image--Minkpaw bossing around two full-grown warriors--made my whiskers twitch.

However, Minkpaw clearly didn't see anything amusing about the situation. In fact, she appeared to take it quite seriously. Her golden eyes glittered with disapproval, and she mewed, "Breezeflight, you're interrupting and distracting us. If that's all you came here to say, you can go back to camp now. And try to avoid poking your nose everywhere in the future."

"Avoid being nosy? Do you even know me?" I purred.

She glared at me. Then she sighed, dropping the queenly act. "Save me a piece of fresh-kill when you get back, if there's any left. And tell Daisypaw we still have to practice that one fighting move she said she'd show me in training."

"Sure thing." I dipped my head at Duskwatcher and Bluebird. Bluebird turned away, in either embarrassment or frustration. Duskwatcher stared back at me with such vacancy in his luminous eyes that I turned and all but ran.

"Oakstar, you're crazy."

I flinched and waited for my leader to yell at Quailfeather. He didn't. He only gazed at his deputy for a long, sad moment. "That I might be. I'm old. I've seen too much. Perhaps it's affected my mind."

"Please. Reconsider," Quailfeather said in a softer tone.

I was inclined to agree with her, but I didn't dare speak up. I wasn't even sure why I was here. The rest of the committee was understandable: Goldenburst, Thistleblossom, and Dewfrost. All older warriors with experience and courage on their side.

Me? I was tempted to cry like a kit and beg Oakstar to make everything better without a fight.

But that wasn't going to happen. Clearly.

"We have to attack the rogues. I don't want to. There's been enough bloodshed. But we can't remain here, living in the ruins of a fox den. Now, even in these warmer moons, it's hard to find prey. Imagine what leaf-fall and leaf-bare will be like. We'll starve. Cats will die. It will grow harder and harder to sustain SpringClan." Oakstar sighed. "I've thought long and hard about this. It's the only way. We will have to start making plans to take back SpringClan's territory. Starting with High-Rock. It's a good post to serve as our base; from there, we can send out various patrols and reclaim the pine forest, the clearings, and make our way back to our old camp."

He made it sound so easy, so simple.

Like she'd read my thoughts, Quailfeather said, "It'll be a lot harder than you say, Oakstar. Claron's rogues are going to put up a fight thicker than an oak trunk."

"Let them." Our leader looked resigned. "I'll do whatever I can to minimize casualties."

I couldn't help but wince at that. Seeing my horror, Goldenburst laid his tail across my shoulders. "I still don't understand why you brought Breezeflight here. She's young, she shouldn't have to hear this-"

"But she must. I have to talk to her about something else, a special role." Oakstar dipped his head, dismissing the rest of the cats. One by one, they filed out. Quailfeather was the last to go. She bumped her cheek to mine, a silent wish of good luck.

Then it was just me and Oakstar. "Y-yes?" I quavered. I suppose it was technically an honor that my leader had asked to speak with me alone, but I only felt scared. What if it was really bad news?

"I've been having dreams lately, Breezeflight," Oakstar said. He spoke to the wall, as if I wasn't even there. "I've seen things, I've seen what must happen."

"But StarClan can't-"

"I trust the skies. I trust my visions, whether StarClan is directly visiting me or not. And one thing I know for certain, Breezeflight, is that you must watch over the Clan. Your loved ones, your friends, the cats who you've grown up with. Please. Protect them." Oakstar's emotionless facade melted away, and he raised his face to meet my eyes. The pain in his expression made my heart clench.

"Of course I will. But why me?"

"I trust you," he said simply. "Please, please watch over Mintwhisker. While I worry about all my leadership concerns... I want her to be safe."

"I will," I promised.

I would've said more. I had so many questions. ''What must happen? What have you seen in your dreams? Are we really going to attack the rogues? Why do you think I can protect any of the cats in SpringClan when I can barely take care of myself?''

But just then, Quailfeather burst back into the leader's den. "I'm so sorry for the interruption, but Oakstar--you'd better come see this."

"Breezeflight, come with us." Oakstar trotted out of his den with me at his heels. "Daisypaw, Cranelegs, you come too."

The four of us bolted after Quailfeather. She led us out of the camp, across the plains, in the direction of the old borders. As we drew nearer, with High-Rock looming up at the horizon... I smelled blood.

A dark shape bounded towards us. Minkpaw nearly slammed into me. "Breezeflight," she wheezed. "Breezeflight... I can't... I didn't... how..."

"Minkpaw? Calm down," I begged. She was frightening me; I could see the whites of her eyes, and her breath sounded like the hoarse shriek of a bird. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you what happened. We've struck." Quailfeather's tone was grim.

Confused, I looked towards the place she indicated. What I saw set ice in my bones.

In the middle of a trampled, bloodied patch of grass lay the body of a cat. A rogue. I actually recognized her: a beautiful, cruel she-cat called Cinnamon.

She'd been sliced open. The fur on her throat was the color of a rose. I felt bile rise in my own throat.

"Oh, StarClan," Daisypaw said.

Above Cinnamon's body stood a muscular gray cat. He looked up, and through my shocked daze, I saw the world in flashes: a ruby muzzle, two golden suns for eyes, ''so empty... falling forward into the nothingness of his gaze...''

So he'd cracked. He'd finally cracked. To my disgust, I found myself thinking, At least he didn't kill one of our own. That was sick of me. Killing like this, with a detachment that made it nearly a sport or a game, was absolutely repulsive. He didn't realize the weight of what he'd done in taking this life. He didn't have a reason or a provocation.

He'd just cracked. And I wanted to do something about it, but I was paralyzed--StarClan, those eyes, like happiness and light had been replaced by a black hole that was slowly sucking my essence away into chaos and insanity.

When I broke out of my trance, Duskwatcher had taken off.

"Get him!" Oakstar commanded.

Quailfeather, Daisypaw, and Cranelegs charged after him. Minkpaw pressed against me. "I failed," she whispered. "I failed, I failed, I failed."

It was marvelous, how many sides there were to Minkpaw. There were times when I'd thought that she was nothing more than her sarcasm and cynicism. But then, moments like this, like when Fuzzears had died, or at Shinecloud's murder, or when she told me about her parents' death... she really was one of the most sensitive cats I knew. She would do anything to help a cat out of a dark place, because she'd been there herself.

"It's not your fault," I whispered. "You tried to help him."

"I could've done more. He's a murderer, and it's my fault."

I was about to respond, but Oakstar interrupted. "Look there, in the distance."

I raised my head. "Oh, no. The rogues."

A patrol was coming towards us, descending High-Rock and breaking into a jog. They'd scented the blood, of course. And this time, we were in the wrong. We had killed one of their own.

Among the patrol, I saw Fire's bright orange pelt. In this confrontation, I realized, she had to play her role. I couldn't ever betray her status as a double agent. I had to treat her as an enemy, and she had to do the same to us.

"The others had better catch Duskwatcher," Oakstar said through gritted teeth.

Minkpaw and I exchanged looks, and instinctively moved to stand on either side of our leader. The rogue patrol outnumbered us, of course, but we'd do anything to protect Oakstar.

"SpringClan cats! Stay where you are!" Fire yelled coldly. I felt a chill of fear. She was unnervingly good at playing her part--maybe too good.

"Don't move!" called another rogue. He looked at Cinnamon's body, and though he looked angry, I was stunned by the lack of grief in his eyes. It was like he viewed Cinnamon's death as an opportunity to attack us, not a tragic event that needed mourning.

Under his breath, Oakstar whispered, "Don't move, you two."

So neither of us did. What right did we even have to fight these rogues? SpringClan was suddenly home to murderers once again.

The End