#grebeglade story

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Grandfather's Ghost (short story)

“So, medicine cat, eh?” Redjay settled beside his grandson, who had snuck out of the nursery and kept to the shadows of the camp wall to avoid being shooed back in or be seen talking to air.

Myrtlekit nodded enthusiastically. He had told Hickoryskip his decision earlier that day, and guessed that either Redjay or another of his family had seen the discussion. “A good choice, right?”

Redjay made a doubtful grunt. “Are you sure it’s the path for you? You have a bloodlust in you, little one, battles are a good way to quench the thirst.”

“But it’s so mindless,” Myrtlekit responded, pulling his mouth to one side. “Slashing around is fun, but it’ll get boring in time, right? And what am I gonna do when there’s no war for moons?”

His grandfather grinned, his teeth glinting in the moonlight. “Aw, so mind games has piqued your interest, has it?” His smile dropped. “But you’ll have to target the weak, and you’re better than that. Stronger than that.”

Anger clawed Myrtlekit’s chest. “I’m no coward! If they’re not weak, I’ll make them weak, then I’ll make them all beg for mercy and give them none!”

Redjay’s eyes sparked. A ring of energy seemed to shoot through his body, lifting his fur in enthusiasm. “Oh, the fire in you, my little one!” He tilted his head, so far it almost looked like the bones inside had split apart. “I suppose I do see the benefits. Herbs and poison right by your paws, to be used at your disposal…”

“Trusted by my Clanmates and leader,” Myrtlekit added, remembering Bella-May’s advice.

“StarClan won’t rat on you, because you’ll be their messenger.” Redjay’s grin was returning.

“Gorsedaisy will hate it.” Myrtlekit spat the name. The elderly medicine cat had never liked him, and wasn’t shy on making her thoughts clear. 

Redjay’s eyes darkened. “Indeed she will. The Clan knows she’s lost her petals. Ha! They’ll trust you more than her!” Redjay’s whole body shook. “I can just imagine what she’d say! ‘No! Please don’t let him become a medicine cat! He’s evil, I tell you! Evil!’”

Myrtlekit pressed his paw to his muzzle, stifling the laughter that threatened to choke him, his shoulders shaking as he struggled to breathe. The impression Redjay made was perfect. For a second, he thought that Gorsedaisy really had spoken. Sure, it was a little dramatic in its mockery, but the idea was still clear. “Do it again, do it again!” He prompted.

Redjay did so, though he had to control his own chuckles before he could speak again.  “‘You’re all fools! Fools! I guess I’ll speak to you when you get to StarClan, because that’s where the lot of you will end up, mark my words!”

Myrtlekit burst out in a fit of open laughter, rolling onto his side until he gasped for air. “One more!”

“Myrtlekit, what are you doing out here?” Myrtlekit whipped around to face Grebeglade, his aunt, who had been on guard duty. “What’s got you so amused?”

Myrtlekit looked over his shoulder. Redjay’s spirit had already disappeared. “I saw a frog jump on a squirrel, and I thought it was really funny!” 

Grebeglade looked around. Her whiskers twitched, and she blinked at him with warm amusement. “Must have been a dream. Go back to your mother, alright? You could freeze out here.”

“Okay, I will!” Myrtlekit told her, and bounded back to the nursery. His fur still buzzed as he settled in the nest beside Blacksong, and the smile remained on his face as he fell into the darkness of sleep.

==================

--Probably one of the cutest stories we'll ever see of Myrtlwing.

--I like to think that Redjay does his mimicry often for the amusement of the little ones.

@ambitiousauthor

--Base found in this stash: FREE Warriors Lineart Pack 1 by LexisSketches on DeviantArt

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Some more:

In Marblegaze’s story, it was revealed that 

--Lightstream’s mentor was Sedgeshell

--Aspentalon (Birchflight’s mother and Flickerpine’s bio grandmother) was Swanmist’s mentor

--Oatflight (Rainstar’s mother) was Brokenwhistle’s mentor

--and Drizzlespots (Hootpetal’s father) was Grebeglade’s mentor

All Together Now

Computer died and I forgot my charger at work, so posting this from my back-up blog on mobile. First post here, I think?

—Grebe once called Broken her little brother. They’re littermates, and he is the youngest. I imagine Broken was always very sensitive, and his sister was his protector.

—Though he cared nothing for Marblegaze, Redjay did love his kits deeply and was very involved in their lives (Black and Grey not included, he died before they were born).

—Lightstream put up a strong, confident front in front of his Clanmates, but alone with Redjay, he would confide and talk about things that worried him, his anxieties and insecurities. After Redjay was revealed and died, he kept to himself completely.

He is also gay, but never had the Realization until after he died and reunited with a tom friend.

—Swanmist was the first to suggest ending their bloodline, distraught at the pain it was still causing the family. Marblegaze had often failed to fight back in battles, not wanting to shed blood anymore, and got deeply hurt because of it.

—

ref by Turukhan

@ambitiousauthor @wills-woodland-warriors @starfalcon555 @umbranoxs @elementaldeityoffood

main blog btw is @residents-of-the-darkforest

[ambitiousauthor]

Chapter with Gorse (let me know if she comes off correctly)--

“May I come in?” Rainbur asked, poking his head into the den. Neither elder seemed to hear him, Gorsedaisy holding Greydusk’s tail down while she groomed the dirt off. He grumbled as she did, clearly not caring if she got it clean at all.

Rainbur decided to enter, padding carefully around Grebeglade, who was snoozing, curled in her nest. 

Finally, as Rainbur neared, Gorsedaisy and Greydusk noticed his presence. She nodded in greeting, well he blinked, opened his jaws, then closed them and rested his head back on top of his paw.

Rainbur dipped his head to them respectfully, sitting with his tail curled neatly around his paws. “May I ask your opinion?” he asked Gorsedaisy. He felt wary, the old she-cat hadn’t been herself for some moons now, it was why they hadn’t immediately reinstated her position as medicine cat. He was sure the responsibility would be too much for the elderly Gorsedaisy, but perhaps her brain was still in some parts well enough to give reasonable advice.

Gorsedaisy shrugged. “What else are elders for? There hadn’t been a kit to demand a story for a couple moons now. ‘Course there was Mossflake’s litter, little dears, but then that no good freak murdered her! I always knew he would be trouble! I was an idiot to do nothing!”

Rainbur nodded again, wanting to show that he was listening, and hoping that the bristling she-cat hadn’t noticed him inch away. He opted to stay silent until her fur lie flat again. “Right. I’m sure there’ll be more soon, but first I wanted to ask what you think we should do about the medicine cat situation? Cedarsky wants to train, but there’s no mentor for him–aside from you, of course– but you already worked so hard for so long and I don’t think we should–”

“You shouldn’t,” Gorsedaisy interrupted irritably, then smiled. “A senior warrior, yet you’re still so young and foolish. The answer is obvious! Ask for help from your allies!”

Rainbur frowned. “But then they will know our weakness.” He knew the argument sounded kit-like, but it was a reasonable concern, wasn’t it?

But Gorsedaisy snorted. “Only a monster would take advantage of a Clan that had already lost so much. What are the chances of two having lead at the same time?”

Rainbur let out a breath. She was right. That was one matter solved, for now at least. The next would be more difficult. “What about the leader?”

Gorsedaisy raised her heard and stared through Rainbur for such a long moment, he was beginning to wonder if there was something dangerous creeping up behind him. Then she chuckled. “Not a bright star, are you?” Rainbur had no idea what that meant other than an insult on his intelligence. He had no idea what the knowing smile Gorsedaisy gave him meant either. 

“When was the last time you went on a regular patrol?”

A++++

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Blacksong's Check-up (short story)

“You’re wrecking my patients’ nest,” Gorsedaisy’s dry-crackled voice cut into Blacksong’s thoughts. The dusty-brown she-cat looked at her dark paws, noticing for the first time that she had shredded the moss and leaves that lined her nest to crumbling bits.

“Sorry,” she mumbled awkwardly. “Do you think…” She wondered if she should speak. She felt so isolated. Ever since she told her siblings she was pregnant, Swanmist refused to so much as speak to her. Lightstream and Brokenwhistle were more forgiving, but stuck to Swanmist more than they stuck to her. If they didn’t share his thoughts to the same extent, they stayed by his side to soothe him in his anger. 

Meanwhile, Grebeglade refused to pick a side, and Marblegaze was fearful. She wasn’t angry, but she wasn’t happy, either. The only one in her family Blacksong felt wasn’t mad or disappointed in her was her littermate, Greydusk. 

Blacksong wasn’t even sure where the father was. She was sure Buck wouldn’t leave her. She knew something must have happened to him, and she hated not knowing what or if he was safe. Part of her hated that she couldn’t tell him that he was to be a father before he was taken away, while the other part was grateful that he wouldn’t have to suffer the knowledge of being parted from his kits.

…She was going to introduce kits into the world, the world that right now felt so split apart. Her pregnancy certainly didn’t help with her emotions. One moment, she wanted to scream at Swanmist for being so petty, the next she fully believed he was right and that she was the worst sister in the world for breaking her promise of ending the bloodline. 

She never even met Redjay! He had died before she was born!

But Gorsedaisy knew him. And she was a medicine cat. Perhaps hers was the best advice Blacksong could receive. “...Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”

Gorsedaisy lowered her paw from where she had been running it along Blacksong’s belly. She didn’t speak for a few heartbeats. “New warriors are always a good addition to the Clan,” she responded, but the words sounded forced.

“But other she-cats are having kits, too. And I promised my family, I agreed that we would never have kits on my life….But I never even met my father. Is it fair for them to be so angry? I said that I wouldn’t, but I was still young, and I don’t want to live in their grief,” Blacksong spoke semi-rapidly.

Gorsedaisy returned to checking her over. “There’s nothing that can be done now,” she replied simply.

Blacksong wished she could be more assuring, maybe actually talk. “Right. And, er, surely blood doesn’t make someone evil, right? I mean, I’m not evil, none of my brothers are and my sister’s not. But they act like I’m doing something wrong…I just want to be a mother.”

Gorsedaisy didn’t look at her. Her gaze was focused on Blacksong’s fur, but the queen noticed the stilled movements and the shadow that seemed to have entered the medicine den. “Your concern is good. You care for your kits already. As long as you attend to them, and keep them on the right path, and…and…You, uh, you should be alright.”

Blacksong narrowed her eyes inquizzically. Gorsedaisy didn’t seem to believe her own words. You’re being paranoid, Blacksong told herself. Her pregnancy was just fogging up her brain. “I do care for them. So, so much. I just wish that my brothers did, too.” Blacksong’s throat tightened. She shut her eyes tightlty, willing the strong emotions away. 

“Have you thought up names?” Gorsedaisy asked. 

Blacksong was thankful for the change in subject, now that she had gotten a good answer. She couldn’t help but wonder if that’s why Gorsedaisy had asked it, and was grateful for the distraction. “I think so. Ha, unless you have any suggestions?”

“Maybe Spotkit would suit them.”

“Why?” Was Gorsedaisy trying to guess the father? Worry dug into Blacksong’s stomach. Did she suspect the father was a loner?

“I just imagine one would be spotted. Or Red.”

Redjay…

Suddenly Blacksong didn’t want to be here anymore. “So am I good?”

Gorsedaisy looked at her, and only then seemed to realize that she had been checking her over. “Yes. Everything’s fine. Just get good rest and eat lots.”

“Okay, I will.” Blacksong stood up and left the den, but she couldn’t stop herself from glancing over her shoulder at the elderly medicine cat sitting completely still, staring at nothing at all.

------------------

@ambitiousauthor

--Gorsedaisy changed the subject because she was uncomfortable, not for Blacksong.

--Blacksong having the same shape as Bella-May didn't make it into the dialogue, but I really like the idea! For some reason I thought that Gorsedaisy was guessing how the kits would look, hench the spotted and red comments.

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Dark Forest Resident: Brokenwhistle

Aliases / Nicknames: Father’s Son, Bad Seed, Monster, Kit Killer

Gender: male

Sexuality: pansexual

Family: Redjay (father), Marblegaze (mother), Grebeglade, Blacksong (sisters), Lightstream, Greydusk, Swanmist (brothers), Myrtlewing (nephew), Tadpolekit, Songkit (nieces)

Other Relations: Drizzlespots (mentor), Runningpaw (apprentice), Redjay (haunter)

Clan: Shadowclan

Rank: warrior

Characteristics: haunted by his father, not all there in the head

Number of Victims: 8

Number of Murders: 2

Murder Method: drowning

Known Victims: Grebeglade, Lightstream, Swanmist, Tadpolekit, Songkit, Birdflank, Blacksong, Greydusk

Victim Profile: nieces

Cause of Death: killed by Myrtlewing

Cautionary Tale: ??

Story:

Brokenwhistle pushed his way into the nursery, frowning when he saw his sister. Grebeglade- once so large and happy- had withered to almost half her size. Her fur was dull, and there were bags under her eyes.

She looked up and smiled. “Hey kiddo. Did you come to see the kits?”

Brokenwhistle reluctantly nodded, shuffling his paws anxiously.

Grebeglade moved, and the sight made Brokenwhistle recoil. These were not kits. That much was clear. They were shaped somewhat like kits, but their fur was patchy and thinning, and their still-closed eyes bulged out.

“Those aren’t kits.” He whispered.

“What do you mean?” Grebeglade asked, but her brother was already gone.

His head felt like it was full of wasps. He knew that those kits weren’t right, why couldn’t the others see it? What were they?

He slept poorly that night, dreaming of golden eyes and a smiling tom.

“Those kits bring death.” The darkness hissed. “They’ll kill you and your kin.”

The next morning, he went straight to the medicine den.

“Myrtlewing, I have a question.”

His nephew looked up, confused and surprised.

“Brokenwhistle, right? What do you need?”

Brokenwhistle’s ears flattened. “First I need to know that you won’t tell a soul I asked this. Swear it on Starclan.”

Myrtlewing took a step back, ears flat. “What’s this about?” He asked. Brokenwhistle saw his fear, smelled his fear, like a sulphur haze.

He would tell, he would tell, he couldn’t be trusted.

No one could be trusted.

Brokenwhistle went to his favorite place to get away from all the noise, all the horrible noise.

He wandered and wandered further and further away from camp until he came to with a small Windclan patrol staring at him. The scent of blood was thick in the air, but he couldn’t remember what the blood was from. All he heard was the smiling tom, whispering in his ears.

The Windclan warriors escorted him back to camp, speaking kindly- almost like they were trying to calm a confused elder.

After that incident, he was put under watch. Not formally, but everyone watched him. He could feel their eyes on him. And the things in the nursery were getting bigger, while Grebeglade was getting smaller.

The breaking point was when cats started dying. Fleetsong, Bluefeather, Fallendust.. after each death, The monsters grew bigger, as thought they had eaten the very souls of the missing cats.

On the night of the gathering, he stole the creatures, carried them all the way up to the Two-leg farm. He dropped them in the small lake that horses drank out of, then fled the clans. He didn’t want to be around when his siblings learned what he did.

Additional Information:

--Submission by @ambitiousauthor​

--The kits were normal, just premature.

--Myrtlewing not even knowing his name is so in-character.

--The fact that Myrtlewing was the one behind it the entire time, the nephew he didn’t suspect..