Captivate

Allegiances

ThunderClan

Leader: Whitestar                                                                                                                                             Deputy: Moonflower                                                                                                                                          Medicine Cat(s): Dawnfur, apprentice Hornpaw                                                                                                                          

Warriors:                                                                                                                                                          Creekheart |  Redtail                                                                                                                                     Hawkthorn  |    Leafbreeze                                                                                                                          Duskwater  |    Thornpelt                                                                                                                               Hollowbreeze  Softfur                                                                                                                                         Mintnose    |  Mousepelt                                                                                                                                 Rosefur      |  Rowantail                                                                                                                                 Dappletail   |  Featherheart            

Queens:                                                                                                                                                         Fallownose (kits: Treekit, Mintkit, and Fernkit)

Elders:                                                                                                                                                              Purdy                                                                                                                                                                 Sandstorm

 ♦    ♦    ♦    ♦    

"How many more moons did Dawnfur say till your kitting?" Reedfur asked gently.

"About one," Fernpelt replied easily. "Don't look so concerned—I'm not that scared!" She sighed. "We'll just have to think logically on what this means for us."

"Mmm," Reedfur replied. He shifted his hind legs to get comfortable on the rocky ground overlooking the lake. "Look, Fernpelt, I know this will be hard for you and me together, but we can do it. I have no doubt on that."

Fernpelt gazed at the horizon, the setting sun casting blood-red colors on the lake. "Let's hope so. If only I were a kit again, whole and healthy..."

Chapter One

Fernkit gazed out over the camp. The ThunderClan hollow was bright with sunshine filtering in, and cats were hustling about on their daily activities.

"Fernkit, Mintkit, Treekit!" her mother called from the nursery. "Return here this instant! The clearing is no place for little kits like yourselves."

Mintkit rolled her eyes. "Come on, Fernkit, Treekit, let's go!" She sped off and skidded to a halt in the middle of the ThunderClan clearing.

Fernkit heard her mother give an exasperated sigh, then followed Mintkit into the large, dirt-packed space. She almost crashed into Creekheart, who muttered, "Kits, always getting into older cats' paws."

The sound of "older cats" sparked Fernkit's attention. There were no apprentices yet—her mother, Fallownose, and her father, Featherheart, were gifted with the first kits in a long time—Treekit, Mintkit, and herself.

"Hey, Fernkit!" Mintkit shouted into her ear. "Wake up, will you? We're going to visit the elders. Coming?"

"Yeah," Fernkit replied. She followed Mintkit and Treekit as they led the way to the elders' den.

"Purdy! Sandstorm!" Treekit called. "Are you in there?"

Sandstorm crept out of the den first. Most of her fur was gray, with patches of light brown to reveal the younger cat she used to be. Once graceful, her old bones creaked as she came toward them.

"Tell us about the old cats!" Fernkit exclaimed. "About Firestar, and Jayfeather, and Leafpool..."

"Ah," Sandstorm murmured. "Firestar was one of the greatest cats of the forest." Her eyes shone as she spoke of her mate and her former leader. "Firestar was a bright, burning flame wherever he went. Once he arrived somewhere he would always make things better." She leaned in, a mischievious glint in her eyes. "And, he showed somewhat more tolerance for troublesome kits like yourselves!"

"What happened to them?" Treekit asked.

"A great flood shook the hollow," Sandstorm's voice trembled. "But ThunderClan overcame it. Just as it went down and they thought they were safe, another flood came. And that was enough for us to lose our ground. Still, this was many seasons ago, and our survivors managed to return here to rebuild our reputation of the once strong and proud ThunderClan." Though her voice came strong, her eyes were giant pools of sadness. She had seen so much, and had lived from before the Great Journey all the kits had heard much about, but still all her loved ones had disappeared, and no one she was close to still lived.

"That's sad!" Mintkit declared loudly. "If I were there, I would have saved every single cat and came back to the hollow and lived!"

"Do you not think we tried, little one?" Sandstorm murmured with a half smile. "In the end, once you survive many hardships, darkness will prevail. You, too, my kits, will one day come upon this as well. If you do not understand now, I only hope you will in the future." She rolled onto her back. "Scurry on now, little ones, there's much to do for the warriors and I'm sure your mother would love to have you back."

"Thanks, Sandstorm!" Fernkit called over her shoulder as her siblings ran across the camp to the nursery. Fallownose stood outside the entrance, clucking her tongue in disapproval. "How many times have I told you? You kits should listen to your mother for once!" She licked Fernkit's ears lovingly and led them inside.

As Fallownose tidied up their nest for a nap, Fernkit asked, "Fallownose, did you know any of the cats from before the flood?"

Fallownose looked stricken. "Did Sandstorm tell you this?" She sighed. "Yes. In fact, my parents were from before the flood."

"Who?" Mintkit queried excitedly.

"Squirrelflight and Bramblestar," Fallownose murmured. Her eyes welled up, though she tried to hide it from the kits. "They were just expecting kits as the rainy seasons began. When Squirrelflight gave birth, we had to relocate from the hollow because of the flooding once more. A few moons later, nearly time for my apprentice ceremony, the floods hit and this time all of ThunderClan was wiped out. Sandstorm and Jayfeather, I remember, carried me into safety. All the suvivors took my siblings. In due course, though, they died from greencough or illness and Sandstorm, Purdy, and I were the only survivors." She shook her head. "I've told you this before, kits, why must you keep hearing it?"

"You never told us your parents' names, though," Fernkit replied, intrigued.

"Yes, but what difference does it make?" Fallownose sobbed miserably. "Everything I knew in those few moons are gone. Only you three and Featherheart ever give me joy from the pain." She lay down on the springy moss, and launched silence in the nursery, as she was buried in her thoughts.

"Fallownose," Mintkit whispered, for once not boisterous and loud. All three of them huddled up to her and soon fell asleep.

Chapter Two

They slept until sunrise the next morning. When Fernkit awoke, Fallownose had gone. She wondered where she was. Was Fallownose upset at her? What had she done?

Since Treekit and Mintkit were still yet to wake, Fernkit decided to wander around the sleeping Clan. Today must be a late day. I wonder why everyone's so sleepy...?

Fernkit padded to the camp entrance, where Creekheart and Redtail were on guard duty.

"Hold it, where do you think you're going?" Creekheart mewed, halting her. Fernkit gazed up at her. She was beautiful, with a blue-gray pelt littered with white patches and eyes to match, clear and as blue as the lake.

"I guess...to find Fallownose."

"She's just gone with Featherheart to have some time with him," Redtail replied kindly. "It's okay, you can stay here and I'll alert them that you needed them."

"Okay," she meowed. But her head was already trying to search for ways to get out of camp. Even if she didn't find her parents, she would need to have a way to get out eventually. A kit couldn't leave camp, ever, but Fernkit was going to find a way. And if she did, she would bring Treekit and Mintkit along next time as well.

"What are you looking for?" a soft voice mewed from behind. Fernkit whirled around. She spotted Sandstorm there, and sighed with relief.

"Oh, um...just looking around the camp," Fernkit spluttered. "You know, the view of the camp at sunhigh is really....nice."

"You know, you can tell me the truth," Sandstorm purred, her whiskers twitching in amusement. "You were looking for a way out, weren't you?"

Fernkit nodded.

"I know a way. Follow me." Sandstorm led Fernkit to the rocky sides of the camp, where no one could see them. After rummaging through the thick debris littered at the base, she found one section and dug until Fernkit could make out a steep slope leading from out of the hollow.

"Wow!" she breathed. "How did you know about this?" 

"Actually, it wasn't me. Leafpool, I think you've heard of her—my daughter and our old medicine cat— found it and used it to get out of the hollow."

"Why did she need it? Medicine cats aren't questioned when they leave the hollow, right?"

Sandstorm sighed. "No. She used it for...special reasons. She got into much trouble for that special reason." Sandstorm leveled her eyes to Fernkit's. "Which is why sneaking out of camp is never a good thing for young cats like yourself."

"But...Sandstorm, I thought you were showing me so you could help me get out!"

Sandstorm snorted. "And hedgehogs can fly. No, I won't let a kit go out alone into the forest, and I never will!" She nosed Fernkit's shoulder affectionately. "I shouldn't have told you, I was delved so deeply in memories, I guess it spilled out. But now you'll want to get out, right?" She let out a mrrow of amusement. "Well, don't, or Whitestar will have it with you. Off you go!"

Fernkit sighed dejectedly. Great StarClan, why won't anyone let me out? Is it some kind of crime? Well, I guess it would be...but even Sandstorm would not!

"Cheer up," Sandstorm meowed. "I'll you and your littermates a good story tonight."

"Really? Wow!" Fernkit exclaimed.

"Now, run along, and don't daydream about silly things like this again," Sandstorm mewed. "You know, there was once a RiverClan leader, and in many ways he was like you, always daydreaming about getting out of camp. He regretted it later."

"What happened?" Fernkit asked, mystified. How could a Clan leader be anything like scrawny little Fernkit?

Sandstorm yawned. "Give me a break, will you?" she purred, her ears flicking with humor. "I've to take my afternoon nap with Purdy. Stay out of trouble!"

Sandstorm returned to the elders' den, and Fernkit padded to the center of the clearing. Now what to do? She returned to the nursery and slipped inside. Treekit and Mintkit were still asleep. Fernkit couldn't take it—she prodded them until they awoke.

"F-Fernkit?" Mintkit drawled sleepily. "What do you want?"

"Wake up, will you? The whole Clan is going to be awake soon."

"Great StarClan, shut up," Treekit grumbled, "I'm trying to sleep. I'd give anything to have you gone."

"Fernkit," Mintkit mewed. Fernkit joined her at the entrance. "Let's go visit the elders! They might have a story for us."

"Nah, Sandstorm said she wanted some sleep," Fernkit declined. "I was thinking more of...getting out of camp?"

Mintkit's eyes widened. "We'll be caught! And anyways, there's no opening on any side of this hollow."

"Sandstorm showed me this gap," Fernkit whispered. "Follow me." She bounded over to the secret place and pawed aside the foliage.

"Wow!" Mintkit meowed, her voice thick with wonder. "But I think we're going to get caught. What happens if Fallownose or Featherheart come back?"

"What happens, happens," Fernkit meowed. "I'm going out to see the world. I'm tired of living in this bleak place. And there's a whole half moon until our apprentice ceremony!"

"Suit yourself." Mintkit turned, and added over her back, "I'm not taking chances of getting into serious trouble. If you want to do it, go ahead." She took a few paw steps forward, and then looked back, as if she expected Fernkit to opt out. When she saw she didn't, she shrugged and continued.

"'I'm not taking chances of getting into serious trouble,'" Fernkit snorted. "What a kit." She struggled to get a paw hold, but managed to hoist herself up onto one stone that stuck out of the steep slope. Gradually, she worked her way up, her muscles screeching with fatigue. Is this a good idea after all? She shook her thoughts aside. I've come this far—no point in going back.

In what seemed like moons, Fernkit finally reached the top. She collapsed and rested for a bit, and gazed around, surprised. The forest went on forever! Wherever she gazed, a thick line of bushes or tall-standing trees blocked her vision beyond.

Soon she decided to stop daydreaming and explore. Her paw steps were muffled by the dense layer of leaves underpaw, so Fernkit thought no cat could hear her.

She continued along the path, mesmerized by the shattered pieces of sky above her head. A mouse scuttled along the roots of a beech tree—Fernkit waggled her haunches and leapt, but the creature was long gone.

A foul smell arose in the air. Probably crow-food, Fernkit thought. Though she knew she should stay away, Fernkit wandered closer. Huh, nothing here.

A low, gutteral sound came from behind, though Fernkit was too bothered by the mystery of the crow-food to notice. Then it broke to an all-out snarling, and Fernkit froze. "Do not turn around, Fernkit, don't!"

She turned.

A humongous creature was facing here, five times bigger with gaping jaws and beady eyes glittering with malice. Fernkit let out a squeal of terror and backed away into a tree. Cornered, she gazed up at the large black animal, a white stripe running from its ears to its large tail. Great StarClan...! Is this what the elders call a "badger"?

With a single swipe, the badger knocked her off balance. Fernkit feebly tried to fight back, pawing at the badger's belly. But the thick fur blocked her blows, and the badger took advantage. Its hooked claws ripped through her fur and well into flesh. A hot pain shot up her leg, and Fernkit cried out in agony. Her head filled with millions of echoes, a turmoil of confusion, and her vision went dark. She crumpled to the ground and took more blows from the badger, the pain so severe her body started numbing. Blood trickled into her eyes, and she blinked to rid of it.

"Fernkit!" A high-pitched wail escaped the mouth of a she-cat. Using all of the strength she had left, Fernkit turned her head and gazed at her.

It was her mother.

Fallownose screeched and landed above the badger's ears. She clawed at its eyes, and flipped over and raked her claws along its belly. The badger roared in rage and used both paws to crush Fallownose's body. It struck her legs instead.

There was Fallownose's body, broken and ugly.

"Fallownose!" Fernkit wailed. Ignoring her screaming muscles, she dragged herself until she reached her mother's side. Her mother's eyes gazed back, glazed in pain.

A loud scuffling sound announced the arrival of a third cat. Fernkit was too weak to look up.

"Fernkit! Fallownose!" her father shouted. "What happened?" His voice choked.

"B-badger....came...." Each word was a struggle.

"Fallownose?" He nosed her mother. "Fallownose!" He gazed back at Fernkit. "You need Dawnfur immediately. Stay here!"

Soon Dawnfur arrived with her father and apprentice, Hornpaw, along with Leafbreeze, Duskwater, and Whitestar himself. Dawnfur collapsed next to Fernkit.

"Hornpaw, use cobwebs to stop Fallownose's bleeding," Dawnfur meowed calmly. "Use a poultice of tansy and maybe give her a juniper berry—it looks as if her breath is hard going."

Hornpaw nodded frantically, the hurried off. Dawnfur herself secured cobwebs on Fernkit's flank. Then she massed some on her legs, but Fernkit could feel the blood soaking through. As she added more cobweb, her wound shrieked and Fernkit along with it.

"Help! Get more cobweb," Dawnfur hissed, more hurriedly now. "The blood is soaking through everything!"

"Duskwater, search that way. Leafbreeze, come with me!" Featherheart hissed directions. Everyone assembled to their rightful group and left to search for cobwebs.

Fernkit was acutely aware and embarrassed when Whitestar leaned in close to her. "How are they doing?" he meowed, just as Hornpaw returned and started chewing up a poultice to press to Fallownose's fur.

"I don't know about either of them," Dawnfur muttered between a bundle of herbs worriedly, while still working her paws efficiently. "Fallownose might make it, but Fernkit's leg was damaged and she could easily die because of her youth.

"Fernkit, this might hurt," she continued, showing her a poultice of herbs. "For your leg wound we need to press in good, or it might fall off."

She wasn't prepared for the pressing that followed into her own wound.

Fernkit blacked out.

Chapter Three

The sky was a deep midnight when Fernkit awoke. She sat up stiffly, then wondered why there were so many noises of activity outside. Shouldn't every cat be sleeping?

Then her blurry vision cleared and she was gazing at a rocky ceiling. Suddenly the sharp scent of herbs hit her nose. She was in the medicine den.

Fernkit stretched her neck taller and gazed around. Not a cat stirred. She attempted to get up on her paws, but instantly regretted it; her leg throbbed with the frequency of an owl's deep warble.

"Fernkit, you might not want to do that." Out of a crack in the rock, where the tangy scents came from, Hornpaw slid out. "You're in a serious condition, and you'll wriggle the poultice off."

"What poultice?" Fernkit mewed. She strained her neck to look at her hind leg, but collapsed in exhaustion before setting her eyes on it.

"I told you not to move!" Hornpaw hissed. He hurried over to Fernkit and placed his front paws on her back, massaging it rhythmically. Fernkit relaxed gratefully and sank into sleep.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Whitestar's deep voice echoed across the camp.

Fernkit jolted awake. As her eyes adjusted to the murky gloom of the medicine cat's den, she realized Hornpaw wasn't there anymore. She crawled out of her nest, and tried her best not the notice the intense flare of pain on her hind leg.

Fernkit was surprised to see Dawnfur pad into the den. "Do you want to see the apprentice ceremony?" she whispered in a low voice.

"The apprentice ceremony?" Fernkit queried. "But there are no cats old enough to become apprentices!"

"Just watch," Dawnfur mewed. "You'll need to see this, however disappointed you may be."

Fernkit dragged herself forward a bit more so she had a view out of the den at the ceremony. Momentarily she was able to ignore the hurtful sensation in her leg as she got excited for her first time at a Clan ceremony.

Then the shock came. Fernkit gazed at the two cats at the front of camp, under the shadow of the Highledge. Their fur was groomed so neatly, shining and glossy, and their chests seemed to burst with pride. Fernkit couldn't recognize them.

But the she did. Mintkit! Treekit! What are they doing there? Are they becoming...apprentices?

"Great StarClan!" she whispered. "How long have I been in here?"

"Long enough to equal a half moon," Dawnfur murmured from behind her. "Your littermates are becoming apprentices."

"What about me?" Fernkit yowled. "I've got to get down there. I'm late!"

Dawnfur held out a paw to stop her. "No," she meowed. "You're going to be held back another moon to oversee the progress of your leg." She looked away. "If it doesn't reconcile, I'm afraid you'll never become an apprentice."

First Hornpaw, now Dawnfur too, Fernkit thought. "Dawnfur, what exactly has happened to my leg?"

Dawnfur dodged the question. "I'll get you a half poppy seed to send you to sleep. It should be enough for your size."

"Dawnfur!" Fernkit shrieked, growing more frightened by every heartbeat. "What's happened to my leg?"

Dawnfur sighed, looking downcast. "I suppose I must tell you, however old you are. It's your leg, after all." She came closer and braced her paws along Fernkit's shoulder and neck, which blocked out some of the pain.

"The badger has clawed your leg to tatters," she mewed calmly but carefully. She twisted Fernkit's head to the direction of her leg, and this time it didn't pain as much because of Dawnfur's bracing.

Fernkit gazed at her leg. But it wasn't a leg anymore. It was a horrible sight. Most of her leg was cleaner, but still patches of fur had dried blood on it, which showed that Hornpaw and Dawnfur had tried to clean up most of it.

Her leg was literally divided into two parts, with angry red flesh exposed to the air. It was a large weeping sore, and pus oozed on the edges of it. Fernkit squealed in utter horror as she set her eyes upon the gruesome sights. My leg! How will I ever become an apprentice now?

"It's okay," Dawnfur meowed. "With the right care, I'm positive you'll be better in no time. Now, sleep well and I'll make sure you don't receive any disturbances." For all her words, Dawnfur's voice quivered. Not without stumbling some, Dawnfur gave Fernkit a relaxing lick to the head and padded out of the den.

What am I going to do? The shock of it all crashed over Fernkit like a black wave. Can I ever be an apprentice? Will Mintkit and Treekit become warriors when I'm still a kit? Despair battled in her heart, and she closed her eyes once again to welcome the pull of sleep.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Next morning, Fernkit felt paws scrambling over her pelt. She jolted awake to find herself nose-to-nose with Hornpaw.

"Hornpaw!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm only fixing your poultice," Hornpaw explained. "It was practically falling off."

"Where's Dawnfur?" Fernkit wondered. "Shouldn't she be doing this right now?"

"I'm a medicine cat too!" he protested, his eyes sparkling with annoyance. "Besides, I'll become a full medicine cat next moon. Dawnfur promised me."

"Really? Wow!" Fernkit replied. "I thought you were older than that, though. Shouldn't you have been made a full medicine cat a long time ago?"

"Times are harsh," Hornpaw replied, his voice going to a low tonality. "The other Clans have stopped coming to Moonpool meetings long ago. Dawnfur and I used to return there now and then to pay our respects to StarClan, but after a while we stopped that too. So we've found it hard to travel there to perform the ceremony."

"Really..." Fernkit murmured, pondering the statement. Is that why StarClan allowed this to happen to Fallownose and I? A crash of nausea hit her as she thought about her injury. And Fallownose! How is she? I must see her!

"I have to see Fallownose," Fernkit mewed abruptly.

Hornpaw's gaze clouded. "You can't, little one," he murmured.

"Why not?" Fernkit demanded.

"Well...follow me, I'll show you," Hornpaw decided. "Just don't say I didn't warn you if the answer you get is the worst. Scoot up," he added a moment later, after realizing his mistake. "If you climb onto my back I can brace you and I'll get you over to the warriors' den."

"Why is she in the warriors' den?" Fernkit wondered.

"Do you really think Fallownose could get any rest watching her kit at this state?" Hornpaw replied gruffly. "And she would always be worrying about you. For her benefit, we need her separated from her kits."

Fernkit dug her claws into Hornpaw's scruff and hoisted herself up. Though Hornpaw staggered some under the added weight, he persevered and Fernkit held on.

The first sunlight she had seen in days blinded her. She blinked a few times to let her eyes adjust to the light, and then she saw the real seriousness of the situation.

Everywhere she looked, at least one cat stood staring at her with a mixture of horror and pity in their eyes. Not a cat was moving, and every gaze was locked onto her hindquarters. Fernkit resisted the urge to glance back at what they were looking at, because she knew very well what resided back there. All it would cause her was more pain and doubt, and possibly make her lose consciousness.

Finally Hornpaw reached the warriors' den. It was empty, except for Fallownose and a cat hunched over her immobile body, only the faint rising of her flanks any indication that she was still alive. On closer inspection Fernkit realized that cat was Dawnfur.

"How is she?" Fernkit meowed.

"Growing worse," Dawnfur murmured. "She wouldn't even eat! It makes it impossible for her to produce milk. I've started the kits on their prey diet now, and I've given her borage leaves to make her body function better without the need to produce milk."

Fernkit flinched, realizing that Dawnfur was giving her this much information because she thought she was talking to Hornpaw. Fernkit slid off Hornpaw's back and landed with a soft thump on a nest.

Dawnfur seemed to realize it too. Turning around, she spotted Fernkit. "Oh! Fernkit, I didn't mean it, I..."

"Tell me the truth." Her voice was barely more than a whisper. "Fallownose isn't going to make it, is she?"

Dawnfur closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Relaxing, she turned back to Fernkit. "Fernkit, I'll tell you the absolute correct answer now," she murmured. "I very highly doubt Fallownose will live to see another sunrise. I believe she may already be on her way to StarClan this very moment."

Before Fernkit could reply, Fallownose opened her eyes. They were red and glazed over in pain, and her mouth was poised open wide in a plea for desperate help. A thin wail came out instead, and all of her body contorted in agony. "It hurts! Help!" she screeched, her legs convulsing.

Hornpaw seemed on the verge of panic, but Dawnfur remained fairly calm. "There's nothing we can do," she murmured gently. "I feared this would happen. The badger's dirty claws caused heavy infection to her wounds, and it spread to her blood long ago. It was only a matter of time before it reached her heart."

"Fallownose!" Fernkit gasped. Her fear and anger blotted out the pain of her leg altogether, and she drew herself over to her mother's body and collapsed across it. She buried her nose into Fallownose's flank, and cried, "Don't leave me."

She could feel the seizure rippling beneath Fallownose's pelt. "Tell...tell the kits and Featherheart I...I love them," she gasped. "After...after my-my parents death....you all were the only happiness I—"

With a last shuddering moan, Fallownose went still.

"Fallownose!" Fernkit's eyes teared up and she sobbed into her mother's fur. Gently Dawnfur caressed her head, and Fernkit fell into a deep, mourning sleep.