#obviously a very messy doodle but. background practice yknow

[fallenclan]

Buzzardcry Fic

By Dragon Anon

Buzzard couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance as Kestrel practically glued herself to his side, shorter pelt ruffling his own. Still, Buzzard chose not to comment on it, knowing his sister was only seeking some form of comfort, since Vulture didn't seem keen to offer any.

"Where are we even going?" Buzzard demanded, hating the way his voice took on an almost whine-like quality. 

"The mountains."

Buzzard blinked in surprise. This was the first real answer Vulture had given them in days. "Why?"

" . . . " 

Buzzard sighed. Evidently, his mother was returning to her silent brooding. "What are mountains like?" Kestrel whispered, her muzzle brushing against Buzzard's cheek.

"I don't know. Tall?" Kestrel frowned. Hating the saddened look in his sister's eye, Buzzard hurriedly continued, "But it'll be a new sort of adventure for us to find out."

"Really?" Kestrel's gaze brightened. She loved stories about adventures. Vulture used to tell all kinds of stories, before Falcon had died.

"Yeah. Don't you worry, Kes. It'll be fun."

"Okay." Kestrel smiled, vacant gaze becoming more focused. "I like adventures."

"I know, Kes. I know."

***

"We have to cross this?" Buzzard hissed, gawking at the river Vulture had pointed out. Its waters were moving at relatively slow pace, but the way they sloshed against the stepping stones Vulture had instructed them to use made Buzzard's stomach flip. 

"Don't complain. Watch what I do, and copy me," Vulture replied briskly. With allowing further room for debate, Vulture leapt forward, pouncing from stone to stone with the skill of a mink hopping through the snow. 

Buzzard remained rooted to his spot on the river's bank opposite of Vulture. "Don't worry, Buzz," Kestrel chirped. "See how easy Mama made it look? We can do this!"

"I don't-" Before Buzzard could finish, Kestrel had already begun to leap from stone to stone. She had almost made it when---

SPLASH. She had mis-stepped, flailing wildly for a few moments before landing in the river with a tiny shriek. "Kestrel!" Buzzard yowled, racing along the riverbank. "Kestrel?!"

After several moments of wild searching, Kestrel's head resurfaced. Buzzard dove towards his sister, paddling fiercely against the river's current. His limbs seemed to howl in protest, struggling to move in the direction he wanted them to, until finally, finally...

Buzzard latched on to Kestrel's scruff, swimming the rest of the way across the river and collapsing against the far riverbank. Kestrel was trembling violently and coughing. Buzzard was silent, inhaling and exhaling deeply through his nose.

Vulture watched with wide eyes from a few paces away.

She hadn't even moved a paw since Kestrel had fallen.

***

"Mama?! Mama, get up!" Buzzard hissed, heart beating wildly against his chest. It wasn't fair, she couldn't leave them now, they had almost made it to the mountain!

Vulture wheezed, throat torn open after a vicious tussle with a vixen. The fox had tried to take off with Kestrel, and before Buzzard could even react, Vulture had flown after the vixen. 

Kestrel's nape was bleeding badly and her eyes were wide like two pale moons. "Go--" Vulture gasped, legs spasming as she fought to get up. "--the mountain. She said---she said she would come here if--" 

"What are you talking about? Mama?" Buzzard demanded, blinking furiously to try and force back the sob threatening to escape his chest. 

"Find Cedar---she---" Vulture let out a final, wretched gasp, and fell still.

All that was left was the scent of blood, and the ragged breathing of her kits.

***

Buzzard lay still. He had no energy left to move, or to call for help. They had made it to the mountain, and for what? Kestrel was gone, unable to fight off the infection that grew within her bite wound. 

Now Buzzard was alone.

He didn't know how long he had been laying there when a soft, frantic voice spoke: "Stars above! Little one, are you all right?" A spotted black cat with a distinctly white chest was peering down at him. Vaguely, her pelt reminded Buzzard of a magpie.

"Don't worry, I'm going to bring you somewhere safe and get you all healed up, okay? Stars, you're skinny... I'll get you some prey to eat, too."

Buzzard didn't respond, glaring at the unknown cat. Leave me alone, he wanted to screech. He remained quiet, even as her felt her teeth sink into his scruff, lifting him up as if he were a kit and she his mother. 

He had stopped being a kit a long time ago.

***

"It's a good thing Eris found you when xe did. You're lucky to be alive," Shrewscratch murmured, brows furrowed deeply. "You said your name was Buzzard?"

"Yeah." Buzzard flattened his ears. It appeared as though every cat in FallenClan had something to say to him. 

"Well, she and Cedarberry have offered to look after you for now. You're too young to be on your own. Once you're old enough, you can decide if you want to stay or not."

Buzzard scowled for a few moments before freezing. "Cedarberry?"

"Do you... know her?" Shrewscratch tilted her head.

"Not really." After that, Buzzard stopped speaking, not wanting to entertain conversation any longer. 

***

"Did you know a cat named Vulture?" Cedarberry's eyes widened at Buzzard's question, her mouth opening slightly in shock.

"I--yes, I did, once upon a time. Why, d'you know her?"

"She was my mama. She told me to find you." Buzzard eyed Cedarberry accusingly. Who was this cat, that Vulture had trusted so deeply?

Cedarberry sighed, glancing at Eris, who was listening with a placid expression. "Vulture an' I were friends a long time ago. We, uh, made a promise to look after each other, if anythin' ever went wrong. I used to dream about livin' in these mountains. Talked her ear off about it, actually. I didn't think she was actually listenin' to what I was sayin."

"Why did she never mention you until--" Buzzard winced. "Until right before she died?"

"Things didn't end well between us," Cedarberry replied wistfully. "She was a strong cat, but a stubborn one too. I'm sorry to hear 'bout her passin'."

" . . . " Buzzard glared at his paws.

Clearing her throat, Eris mrrowed, "Why don't we go set up a nest in the nursery? Ain't many cats in there right now. We can use any sort of bedding you like, okay?"

" . . . okay."

***

"Please please please please please?" Palekit was practically jumping up and down, little paws batting at Buzzardcry's side. "It isn't fair! You know tons of battle moves! Can't you just teach us one?"

"Yeah!" Darkkit whined. "We wanna be strong like you!"

"You'll be apprentices in a moon." Buzzardcry gently shook Palekit off of himself. "You can learn all the battle moves you want then."

"Noooooo," Palekit collapsed dramatically, acting as though he'd struck her.

"Boo!" Darkkit stuck out his tongue as well. Nearby, Eris and Cedarberry were both chuckling. 

Buzzardcry shook his head. Kestrel had always been so timid, so gentle. Nothing at all like Palekit and Darkkit, who always seemed to be yowling about this or that and running whirlwinds around camp. 

"Don't be botherin' your big brother too much, kiddos. He's got adult cat stuff to do, too," Cedarberry rumbled, amusement radiating from her whole body,

Unbidden, Buzzardcry felt a tiny smile sneak its way onto his features. "Actually, I think I have time to show you one battle move..."

"Yes!"

"...if both of you agree to help clean out the elders' den later. I'm sure Cliffpaw and Inkypaw would be greatly appreciative."

"What!" Palekit exclaimed, eyes widening in disbelief. "But only apprentices clean out the elders' den!"

"Only apprentices learn battle moves, too," Eris piped up, chuckling.

As Palekit begin to squabble with Eris about what constitued as "apprentice duties," Buzzardcry could only purr contentedly.

Somewhere, he hoped Kestrel was watching. Buzzardcry had been given a second chance to be a big brother, and he wasn't going to squander it for anything in the world.

-🐉

(dedicated to the several individuals who agreed that a buzzardcry fic would be interesting! i'm sure buzzardcry will continue to have fun sibling times with paledawn and darkpaw and that nothing bad will happen ever... smiling in an evil and autistic way)

(beetle note: ok this one made me lose my mind a little. i was at work when i read it and i just KNEW i had to use it as inspiration for today's warmup. big brother buzzard :(((( side note i especially love the "pouncing from stone to stone with the skill of a mink hopping through the snow" line, it envokes such vivid imagery)