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oldfacesnewdawnoffical · 2 years ago

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Ignite - A Dream of Destiny (Outline)

Google Docs version found [HERE]!

• Opens in a black-and-white fever dream-esque state, featuring a brutal scene between several cats at the edge of a river over a large expanse of smooth stones.

• Two specifically end up as the focus. After a while of back-and-forth fighting, one of them ends up victorious, slashing and clawing until their opponent crumples into the water.

• The victor lifts their eyes to meet the POV’s, and they are blue. A striking sight, the only color to be found within the entirety of the dream state.

• The POV makes a note that color has never been seen beforehand within “these sorts of dreams”.

• And then…

• Rust wakes with a start.

• After calming down and collecting himself, dismissing his dream as “one of many he’ll never see the outcome of” (+ an additional note that he’s had this specific dream several times in a row), he decides to walk around - as there’s little else to do in the ruins other than walk, scavenge, or interact with others.

• He does this part to set the theme and setting for the reader.

• He resides in a world ravaged by war and radiation, having long since been reclaimed by nature.

• The ruins specifically are the long-decayed remains of a human city, now claimed by nature and several animals.

• Eventually, he comes to the edge of the ruins, right on a border marked with a pile of debris and barbed wire to keep outsiders away. He just sits and watches for a while, ears pricked towards the sounds of the forest, feeling inexplicably drawn into it but hesitant to take that first step.

• He’s ultimately interrupted by Scourge: a cat who leads an organization known as “the Bloodbound” who controls and governs the ruins, and also personally looks after Rust specifically.

• He and Scourge tease one another for a while before a wolverine named Bone comes to fetch Scourge. He retreats, but not before leaving Rust with a message to pass to his adoptive father, Pine: “I know that he’s important to you, Rust, so I’ll give him a warning. He’s not welcome here. Tell him to stop testing my boundaries; I don’t want to make an example out of him, but I will if I have to.”

• Rust is uneasy, but he takes the message to Pine, tracing along the outskirts of the ruins until he’s closer to the softpaws-place, which is where Pine lurks. They spend some time together; Pine is far more jaded than Scourge, but also more outrightly warm and caring.

• He watches Pine hunt and tries to coax out a story from him about where he learned how to hunt so effectively, but Pine shuts him down. Rust delivers Scourge’s message, and Pine (who is distinctively elderly and short-tempered) snaps back that he’ll go where he pleases, and that Scourge doesn’t govern him.

• Rust, torn, then leaves to find Haggler, an ancient hound who runs a pseudo-gambling ring. He hangs out with her for a few days, occasionally stepping out to tag along with Frazzle, one of Scourge’s closest and most trusted companions.

• If he’s not with Haggler or Pine, he is with Scourge or Frazzle.

• This is because Rust is essentially Scourge’s unofficial heir, which in turn makes him a target for those who want to leverage more power for themselves.

• Some time passes. Various points are expressed:

• Scourge and Pine do not get along, on account of Pine being an ex-fealty cat and Scourge (+ the majority of the Bloodbound) holding a deep-rooted contempt for the forestfolk.

• Rust spends time with Haggler, exchanging prey (caught on the edges of the fealty territory) for stories, secrets, and rumors - specifically on Pine’s past, as the ragged ginger cat has grown increasingly more and more guarded about his origins, and increasingly more and more aggressive with Scourge and the Bloodbound.

• Rust worries for Pine. A lot.

• Rust is trained in combat by Frazzle!

• The Bloodbound heads dislike him immensely for the favor in which he is given.

• After even more time, Rust is fetched by Fury - one of the Bloodbound’s heads.

• Rust takes note of how Fury is usually a very hostile presence, eager for power and thrilled by bloodshed. He also takes note of how pleased and borderline gleeful she appears as she guides him from Haggler’s side.

• She takes him deep into the heart of the ruins, towards a makeshift arena where countless ruin wanderers, unaligned animals, and members of the Bloodbound have gathered.

• Rust is confused and scared, but he does his best to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut.

• Eventually, Scourge stands above them all, fully donned in all of his armor, and announces that this is what happens to transgressors, to those who deny the power of the Bloodbound…

• Frazzle seeks Rust out and tells him to stay put lest he displays any weakness. Rust is made to sit as a haggard, heavily injured Pine is dragged out and left in the arena… alongside one of Scourge’s captive archfiends.

• He watches in horror as Pine is publicly executed, slaughtered, and torn to shreds by the archfiend as the Bloodbound howls their approval. He looks up to Scourge, standing high above it all, face entirely impassive. He did this. What’s to say he won’t do it to me if I disobey him as Pine did?

• Frazzle continues to urge him to stay; if Rust leaves, or looks away, he’ll be chased down as the Bloodbound take such executions like this very seriously. Any sign of disapproval from anyone watching is grounds of being dragged down into the arena themselves.

• But Rust rips himself away, horrified and traumatized, body wracked with sobs. Even as he hears those sitting closest to him turn after him, snarling and hollering, sensing his weakness and eager to take advantage of it.

• He runs away, ultimately finding himself at the barricade between stone and forest, and launches himself over it, following along the edge of the trees until they part upon a stretch of dark, jagged rock. He knows whoever is chasing after him won’t follow him into the claimed forestlands; Scourge’s distaste of the valley extends deep into those he rules over.

• He races over the jagged rock, so blinded by horror and rage that he loses his footing and falls, slicing his leg open on one of the sharper, black rocks. The pain is blinding, but he somehow manages to scramble off of the path and into a forest; his leg pours blood, buzzing with agony. It’s difficult to move, difficult to breathe, difficult to see…

• He staggers and finally falls, slumping against the roots of a great, grand tree, bigger than any he had seen just from the edges of the forest… and descends into a world of darkness.

• Dream state v.2 (electric boogaloo).

• A strictly black-and-white sequence of horrific images:

• Infection claiming lives at horrifyingly breakneck speeds.

• Small animals being snatched and dragged across stones.

• Blood being spilled over dark, jagged rock.

• And images of Pine, being torn apart in the many jaws of the archfiend that took his life.

• After what feels like an eternity, yet merely heartbeats all the same, Rust forces his eyes open - and immediately freezes. He finds himself in the depths of a cool den, with its walls painted with various symbols and scenes, with carved shelves lined with seemingly hundreds of herbs, and a large, fluffy, pale cream-gray figure sorting through them.

• Rust warily rises to his paws and bolts out of the den, panic pumping him full of adrenaline and making him deaf to the other cat’s pleas for Rust to wait. As soon as he pushes his way outside, though, he is suddenly gripped and blinded by agony that makes him cry out and slump to the ground.

• The cat in the den rushes out to try and help him, gentle and kind but clearly worried.

• “Don’t push yourself so hard so soon! You’re recovering well - miraculously, in fact - but you won’t survive if you just rush out like that…”

• Rust is just about to submit and follow her, bone-tired, before he freezes up, realizing that he’s stumbled into the heart of a camp filled to the brim with cats who are all looking straight at him. Some wary, some curious, but all of them staring and making his heart pound.

• He hears some kittens loudly ask a golden tortoiseshell if that was “the loner dragged in last moon”; the molly quickly shushes them. The realization of how much time has passed makes Rust’s fur prickle.

• A lean gray colorpoint climbs to the top of a stone spire and calls to “Purrheale Featherwhisker”, remarking how their “guest” is finally awake. The fluffy cat that Rust presses himself against for balance dips their head respectfully and agrees, stating that he woke shortly ago.

• Rust does not follow the senior cat’s respectful gesture and glares up at the molly that stands well above everyone else. Instead, he grits his teeth against the pain and snarls: “Where am I? Who are you? Scourge won’t take kindly to you taking me hostage!”

• Despite it being Rust himself bringing up Scourge’s name, it still sparks some panic within him that he desperately tries to smother.

• The molly is intrigued, if not a little shocked by Rust’s sharp tone; Rust takes note of the flicker in her gaze with a flash of satisfaction. She answers easily enough: “I am Rhema Rainfall, orator and leader of the Woodruff faction. You’re not a hostage, young one; you were found on the cusp of death. We took you in to save your life.”

• A calico shoulders her way to the front of the crowd. Her pelt is heavily decorated, cats easily part before her, and she carries herself with an air of superiority. Rust instantly decides that he dislikes her.

• “I was the one who found you,” she says, proudly. Her gaze glitters, uncomfortably keen and appraising. “I had a vision, sent by the stars! A flame would come to guide us through a coming darkness… and you’ve come, just as I have predicted!”

• The crowd around her murmurs and shifts, uncertain and suspicious, but some hopeful.

• Rust fluffs out his fur. “Dunno’ if you’ve noticed, bitch, but I’m a cat. Not fire.” (Or… insert some other dry commentary here cause’ this sounds like the comeback of a 9 year old trying to be tough…)

• Shock flares from the calico, and Rust takes note of it with a sense of satisfaction. Before she can speak again, though, another cat marches forward: a mostly fawn torbie.

• “What, an outsider?” She snaps. “There’s no way the stars would ever send an outsider to guide us! Just look at him! He came to us in need of our help! He’s no fire!” She flexes her claws and stalks forward. “I’ll prove it.”

• A few cats murmur eager approval to this statement. Particularly: Minktail, Tanglethroat, Yewstripe, Mousesnap, Patchedpelt, Cherrystorm, Robinwhisker, and Jackdaw.

• Alarm flares white-hot within Rust, and he frantically looks between Rainfall and Featherwhisker, uncertain and still heavily in pain. Rainfall just looks contemplative, her expression guarded, but a smaller dark tortie at her side looks horrified and enraged.

• “Sand!” The tortie snaps. Rust’s challenger flinches. “Enough! This is no way to treat a guest of our faction!” He falters as Rainfall’s tail flicks over his paws.

• “No.” She muses. “If Sand wishes to challenge the legitimacy of Spottedleaf’s vision, she may. Unless, of course, our guest is not yet recovered enough to face her.”

• That lights a challenge within Rust. He limps forward, shaking off Featherwhisker, still unused to the pain flaring up his side from his left hind leg, and bares his teeth at Sand.

• They fight.

• Even with Sand’s age and advanced combat skills taught in the fealty, Rust grew up within the Bloodbound and he fights dirty.

• He ends up tearing one of Sand’s ears.

• Rust ends up victorious!

• As he stands back, triumphant, a beam of sunlight slides over his fur, lighting up the tufts of brilliant red that speckle his coat, and highlighting the blood that drips from his maw. The faction is silent, in awe, before Spottedleaf speaks, her voice shrill with excitement:

• “Our fire is here!”

• Rust then proceeds to pass out, overcome by agony.

• No dreams this time! Just a blissful state of blank unconsciousness.

• Rust wakes a few days later to a slight commotion. Featherwhisker is gone, replaced by a skittish dark-furred cat with three eyes. He confronts the newcomer, who immediately whirls around, panicked; Rust awkwardly adjusts his tone.

• The newcomer introduces themself as Raven.

• “Its the Gathering tonight… oh, um… you probably don’t know what that is. Uhm, Purrheale Featherwhisker was needed somewhere else, b-but she’ll be back!”

• Rust shifts in his nest. “Uh… Kay’. Why are you here, then?”

• Raven flinches. “I was training under her for a little while… I’m the second most knowledgeable in herbs. I-I figured I could watch over you until she got back, be useful… I didn’t expect you to wake up…”

• The two continue to talk. Slowly, Raven becomes more at ease, and Rust finds an odd sense of comfort in him.

• Some talking points:

• Rust asks more about the faction.

• Raven asks how Rust was driven into Woodruff territory, leading to a PTSD flashback of Pine’s death that he manages to shake off.

• Sand is mentioned; Raven says how she’s pissed at having been beaten and injured by an outsider. Featherwhisker left her ear untended as punishment for attacking an injured cat, only giving her necessary herbs to fight infection and nothing for the pain.

• Rust finds some interest in faction life as he asks Raven about certain cats: Featherwhisker, Spottedleaf, Sand, Rainfall, etc. Rust asks after Spottedleaf, specifically - mostly, about her weird “fire” ramblings. Raven awkwardly explains that Spottedleaf is their augur, and as they’re recovering from famine, she’s been especially keen on trying to find anything from the stars that might help them. Rust is a little weirded out by this but mostly he’s just kind of “uh… kay’. Cool. Wtf does that have to do with me?” Raven shrugs.

• Shyly, Raven offers to show him around the camp while it's not quite so crowded - so long as Rust is up to it, of course. Rust is, of course, up to it.

• The camp is mostly empty, with a majority of cats had gone to the Gathering. Most of the cats are asleep, which strikes Rust as somewhat odd, but a few stragglers are awake. Cherrystorm greets Raven with a flurry of signs, but glares at Rust; a mound of gray fur (Brindleface) turns their head to follow Rust from where they lay beside a den of carefully woven brambles thick with blackberries and thorns; a younger colorpoint cat (Jackdaw) fiddles with an unfinished toy made of twigs; etc.

• Rust is introduced to Bear, who woke up as soon as Raven tried to show Rust the inside of the den (after a glaring match with Jackdaw). Raven tried to apologize and backpedal, but that just led to Bear springing up and peppering Rust with attention and questions.

• “Your leg scars are so cool!! It's so awesome you were able to get back up off the darkpath!!!”

• “Your fur is weird looking!!! But in a nice way!”

• “Will you be staying? Are you gonna leave after you’re feeling better?”

• Etc. Note that Bear is like,, the equivalent of a young teenager with MASSIVE amounts of ADHD. Dude is bouncing off the walls and just excited to meet someone new.

• Rust just stammers and backs away, overwhelmed. Raven apologizes meekly for not asking Bear to take it easy, and explains that Bear is just excited because his official naming ceremony was shortly after Rust arrived - he thinks the two occurrences are linked.

• Rust is intrigued by the mention of a “naming ceremony”, but he doesn’t press, sensing that Raven is even more overwhelmed than he is.

• Exhausted, Raven guides Rust back to the den. Rust is happy he’s seemingly made a friend in this skittish cat, and sheepishly asks if Raven would be willing to stay in the allay’s quarters until Featherwhisker returns. Raven beams and scraps together their own little nest to sleep near Rust’s side.

• Small time skip to a few weeks after Raven and Rust’s little friendly friends friend time.

• Rust is recovering nicely! Featherwhisker instructs him on how to do daily exercises and physical therapy (Rust hates physical therapy. Just like Spotty), he’s made fast friends with Raven, and he’s slowly warming up to being in the faction.

• Rainfall and Spottedleaf are watching him. Very closely. The entire faction is watching him, really, but he takes note especially of how those two always seem to be making mental notes of his every move.

• Spottedleaf also tries to talk to him, a lot. He dislikes her, gets the heeby jeebies from her, and tries to avoid the weirdo religious fanatic lady who bragged about dragging an injured stranger off the side of a road to said injured stranger.

• Rainfall, however, keeps her distance. Rust sees her a lot with Sand, and with the cat who called Sand out initially. While Rainfall appraises him coolly, Sand shoots him a lot of death glares.

• Bear brings his first catch to Rust. The cat overseeing his training, Fritillaryheart, is incredibly friendly; Rust likes them. He’s also somewhat touched by Bear’s eagerness to share such a milestone with him, even if they’re both a little awkward about it.

• Rust also notes, though, how self-serving Bear is. He chalks this up to Bear’s youth, energy, and easy excitement.

• Rust hears about Jackdaw from Raven. Jackdaw is the black sheep of the faction who sticks to his own company primarily, and his glares are similar to Sand’s, though in a more curious way. Raven always talks about him with a note of sadness in their voice. Rust doesn’t press on it.

• He also takes note of a massive, impressive cat with talons for forepaws. Raven is incredibly intimidated by her due to her power and her status as one of the most powerful cats within the valley; her name is Laurelstorm. Rust and Laurelstorm have a mini staring contest before a ginger tabby comes and draws her attention.

• Rust is eventually pulled to the side by Mottledtail, who introduces himself officially as the faction’s liaison - their second in command. Rust is immediately reminded of Brick and Bone, but he shoves the thoughts away.

• Mottledtail cuts right to the chase: Spottedleaf claims that Rust is the fire of her vision. Rainfall wishes for more bodies in the wake of a recently passed cruel season. Featherwhisker is almost ready to check off Rust’s recovery.

• “I won’t try and pressure you to stay. But… I will ask that you consider it. You’re wanted here, you know.”

• That almost makes Rust cry. Never has he really been told he’s been wanted anywhere, or by anyone.

• Rust promises to think about it. Mottledtail smiles warmly and awkwardly pats Rust’s shoulder.

• After some thought, watching Raven talk nervously with Mottledtail, watching Bear bounce around Willowpelt, watching Rainfall look over her cats with a sense of subtle pride and a legitimate warmth… plus the fact that he was quite literally chased out of the ruins… Rust’s decision comes easily enough.

• In honor of his decision to stay, Rainfall renames him “Fire”. The newly named tom is very hesitant to accept the name.

• In “celebration” of his acceptance into the faction, and to push Fire a little with his new limitations, he’s invited to the Gathering. Bear comes along, but Raven stays behind; the crowds and noise aren’t good for them. That description makes Fire a little nervous, but one of the other cats (Brindleface) steps up to soothe him and explain.

• They explain what the Gathering is, who the other factions are, and who leads them.

• Spottedleaf brushes her aside and takes Brindleface’s place, crowding into Fire’s space. His ears flatten but she doesn’t seem to notice.

• She boasts about how she is one of two augurs, herself and Sors Dreamtongue of the Fenland. She’s just that important!

• She rattles on further about how weak the other factions are, how the Woodruff is leagues above all of them, especially now that they have the fire to guide them.

• Her tone makes Fire uncomfortable, but he’s rescued by Laurelstorm, who snaps at her until she leaves.

• Fire sheepishly thanks the powerful molly, who just hums softly.

• “Its not a problem, kit. Spottedleaf has a tendency to talk too much and not read her room. She just needs somebody to knock some silence into her at times.”

• Fire notes that Laurelstorm didn’t address Spottedleaf by her “Sors” title.

• They arrive at the Gathering site, and Fire’s breath is stolen by the beauty of it. Covered in greenery and lit up by countless fireflies, bordered by color and flowers.

• Laurelstorm sticks to Fire’s side, and her presence is somewhat soothing for him.

• The other wards that came along (Bear, Jackdaw and Sand) all go in their separate ways, though Jackdaw does slink after Sand, leveling a glare at Fire while Sand just ignores him.

• They all settle with various cats, but Fire is invited to stay by Laurelstorm’s side - which he takes up.

• Yewstripe follows; Fire takes note that he doesn’t think he’s ever seen Yewstripe not in Laurelstorm’s shadow. Minktail also follows, and he and Fire get into a back-and-forth sharp meaningless bickering match until Laurelstorm cuts them off.

• Laurelstorm settles with some cats who smell of rushing, clean water and fish. She introduces them to Fire as Sunningstrike and Fogtongue of the Riverward, and introduces Fire to them in turn as the Woodruff’s newest ward.

• Sunningstrike glares a little at him but says nothing.

• Fogtongue is Bear 2.0: brash, excitable, touchy. The whole works. He eagerly points out his own orator - his father, Crookedstorm. He says this with a note of pride in his voice; Sunningstrike rolls her eyes.

• Later, they’re joined by the Moorsweeper Morningwhistle, who in turn drags Onewhisker over; he’s a newly named supporter. (She wants him to have more friends) He and Fire hit it off after some initial awkwardness; he’s also friendly with Minktail, who later wanders off with Mousesnap and Skipperstripe.

• For a while, the three factions exchange pleasantries.

• The orators settle themselves upon a great, jutting stone while the cats below mingle and laugh with one another.

• Some of the Riverwardens settle in a corner and make music.

• More cats settle at the center of the grand clearing to swap items, give gifts, or exchange stories.

• The casual aura of the evening fills Fire with a sense of rightness.

• The last to arrive to the Gathering are the Fenlanders, who are led by a heavily-decorated golden cat with a gleam in his eyes.

• Immediately, the whole of the Gathering is murmuring. It breaks out into something far more outraged as the golden cat strides up to sit with the orators, and a siamese-marked cat sits with the liaisons.

• Tense, Fire asks what’s going on.

• Laurelstorm answers: thats Sors Dreamtongue, the Fenland’s augur.

• “Whatever game he’s playing, I hope he knows he’s not walking away from this without upsetting many…”

• The black-and-white orator asks lowly what Dreamtongue is doing. Dreamtongue announces that he has become the orator in the wake of his mother’s death. The crowd breaks into shouts, but Dreamtongue calls for silence.

• He announces that, as per Fenland custom, he shall succeed his mother. He is the next in line for the title, his blood is just as powerful as Raggedclaw’s (if not more so!), and him being an augur does not change this nor will “he allow it to limit him”.

• While Fire doesn’t fully understand, he can clearly tell that this isn’t right, and that it's upsetting many.

• Magpietail protests, but Dreamtongue whirls around on him, eyes glittering. Fire digs his claws into the ground as a shiver washes over him.

• “You should have the least to say! My mother was found on your lands! I had hoped I needn’t expose the bloodthirstiness of you Moorsweepers tonight, but yet, here we are!”

• The crowd explodes again.

• Onewhisker growls at a Fenlander who inched closer. Laurelstorm puts Fire behind her and looms over the Fenlander until they back off, though she eyes Onewhisker warily - and keeps Fire away from him.

• Fire is horrified and gladly stays away from Onewhisker after that. The thought of a brutal murder taking place within the fealty’s valley, the place he ran to in order to escape the blood-stained streets of the ruins while they reside under Scourge’s rule… It shakes him.

• The Gathering is short after that.

• Magpietail and Dreamtongue snarl in one another’s faces for a while; Crookedstorm breaks it up.

• The Moorsweepers and Fenlanders claim opposite sides of the Gathering space.

• Dreamtongue announces that while he will become an orator, he will not stop being augur. He will be taking the title “Rhema-Sors” from here on out.

• Rainfall calls the Gathering early.

• For the next several days, the camp is buzzing. It's obvious that Dreamtongue’s claim was incredibly controversial, but no one knows exactly how to handle it.

• Fire, meanwhile, has been at Featherwhisker’s side. Not only is Featherwhisker the main overseer for Fire’s physical therapy and various exercises, Fire has also taken an acute interest in the herbs which they manage. Watching various cats come and go, watching Featherwhisker care for them, knowing how skilled he must be as a healer… Fire admires him greatly.

• Occasionally, Spottedleaf pops up and messes with Fire. Trying to get him to admire her in turn, raving about how important Fire is and how important she is in turn. Mottledtail and Laurelstorm individually shoo her away more than once, and Fire is invited to train with Mottledtail and Raven a few times. Fire always wins the combat training, but due to the fact that he never learned to hunt prior to fealty life, alongside his balance being somewhat thrown by his injury, he’s a poor hunter.

• It's during one of these training sessions that Fire catches wind of an odd scent and follows it. The scent is that of illness, and it's clinging to a scraggly gray tortoiseshell.

• After briefly interrogating her, Fire’s empathy outweighs his suspicion and he calls for Mottledtail and Raven’s help. The three of them guide the sick molly back to the Woodruff’s camp, where she introduces herself as Chanterellefang.

• She starts to call herself “Purrheale” but cuts herself off with a snarl.

• She’s presented to Rainfall, who asks (coldly) why a Fenlander is trespassing on their territory, especially so soon after Dreamtongue has made such bold claims against the Moorswept.

• Chanterellefang explains that she is desperate; Fire takes a note of how hesitant she seems to admit that. Rainfall clearly sees it too. She goes on to explain how the Fenland is suffering under Dreamtongue’s rule, and how, recently, they’ve not only taken in a large number of unaligned to bolster their ranks, but they’ve also driven out the Moorswept. The moors are soaked with blood.

• The entirety of the Woodruff is horrified by this, but some are more suspicious than others.

• Mousesnap challenges her words, saying that no one could possibly drive out one of the fealty’s factions. Its unheard of! Minktail and Skipperstripe back her up.

• Yewstripe snarls that Chanterellefang must just be a spy who was unlucky enough to get caught, and was scrambling for a cover story. Cherrystorm grunts her agreement.

• Speckledclaw grumbles about Dreamtongue’s reign, and how the stars must be displeased if they allowed anyone, let alone an augur, do such a thing - if Chanterellefang’s words are even true.

• Fire looks to Laurelstorm, and then to Featherwhisker, hesitant. Laurelstorm is impassive, contemplative. Featherwhisker looks as though she is itching to leap to Chanterellefang’s side to ease her clear suffering.

• Rainfall calls for silence. Chanterellefang is taken prisoner, and Fire blurts out that she needs medicine; she’s clearly sick. Unimpressed with his outburst, Rainfall instructs Fire to care for her, which Fire reluctantly agrees to.

• He spends some time with Chanterellefang, borrowing herbs to offer her.

• She reminds him so much of Haggler that his chest aches.

• They spend the remainder of that day together, with Fire challenging anyone who so much as glares at the haggard, exhausted, desperate molly now under his care.

• As the day slips into night, Chanterellefang becomes more active, and Fire does in turn; he hasn’t quite grown used to the Woodruff’s dinural ways.

• The two talk and grow surprisingly close in just a few hours. As they settle down to sleep, as Chanterellefang needs rest, Fire hesitantly tucks himself against her side to soothe her chill and keep track of her breathing.

• As he sleeps, Fire dreams.

• Another black-and-white dream.

• This time, its of the Moorswept Massacre, as it will later be called.

• The Fenlanders (+ company) brutally rip the Moorsweeper’s home to shreds. Ruining their gardens, dismantling traps, crippling their way of life. They return later, in a wave like a tsunami, and destroy the Moorsweeper’s current camp directly.

• Cats are murdered. Kittens are stolen. Magpietail falls. And above them all, Dreamtongue’s golden head is raised proudly.

• Fire wakes with a start; Chanterellefang shook him awake.

• Later, Fire goes to Rainfall to tell her that he believes Chanterellefang is telling the truth. Rainfall presses as to why, which leads to Fire admitting that, on occasion, he sometimes receives dreams that guide him on safer, better paths.

• Rainfall’s eyes glitter, but she thanks Fire and sends him on his way. He loiters with Raven and Bear for a while. He and Jackdaw get into a fight, with Sand coming to back Jackdaw up. The fight fizzles out on its own.

• Rainfall sends Chestnutfur and Willowpelt to the Fenland in an effort to collect information and send “good graces” to Dreamtongue. Only Willowpelt returns. Cherrystorm is distraught, fearing the worst, and hangs in the healer’s quarters for a long time.

• Eventually, Spottedleaf, Featherwhisker, Mottledtail, and Rainfall sit Fire down to interrogate him about his dreams. He awkwardly does his best to explain them, how they lack any sort of definitive detail and moreso rely more on Fire’s own feelings to interpret later when he wakes. Their “meeting” dissolves with only Fire feeling uneasy to show for it.

• Sand glares daggers at him.

• Illness strikes, carried from Chanterellefang. Mapletail and Robinwhisker succumb to it.

• Fire is stricken by the amount of such heavy loss that has struck the faction.

• He takes note of Laurelstorm’s behavior, how she suddenly becomes incredibly reserved, avoiding Fire, speaking in low, hushed tones to the likes of Yewstripe.

• More than once, Fire catches glimpses of her eyes, and how cold they are.

• Like Scourge’s.

• “Her eyes gain a glaze that he’s seen before in the colder gaze of Scourge”.

• Another Gathering occurs. Fire stays behind this time to care for Chanterellefang.

• When the party returns, gossip spreads like wildfire through the camp.

• Dreamtongue caught wind of Chanterellefang being within the Woodruff, and demanded her back.

• Bear looks especially guilty and stricken; he was the one who spilled the rumor to a few young Fenland wards.

• Rainfall refuses his demands and makes him confess to the Moorswept’s fate.

• He also confesses to the death of Chestnutfur, who he viewed as a threat, as Chestnutfur held no Fenland blood and acted with hostility.

• Rainfall calls Chanterellefang to her den. The two talk, but neither let Fire in on exactly what about.

• In the morning, just as the sun is breeching the sky, the Fire Nation (the Fenland) attacks.

• It is brutal.

• The nursery and allay’s quarters are targeted.

• Chanterellefang is attempted to be dragged out by several Fenlanders (+ company, PLUS some of mindless redwinged hawks that were stolen from the Moorswept). Chanterellefang refuses to leave and fights with the Woodruffians.

• Spottedleaf flees the camp, panicked.

• Mottledtail is targeted, but Laurelstorm comes to his aid before Fire loses sight of them both.

• Fire ends up grappling with Dreamtongue himself, who loses pitifully to him until Chanterellefang rushes to Fire’s side.

• Dreamtongue is overjoyed, begging at his mother’s paws to return to him, be happy with him, that he could keep her safe in the Fenland-!

• She slashes him across the face, and across the eyes.

• His bloodcurdling screams are seemingly a sign of the Fenland’s retreat.

• The death count in the aftermath is devastating:

• The kitten Duranta sustained heavy injuries having been ripped from his mother.

• Featherwhisker is found dead, having been protecting the herb stores.

• Mottledtail was murdered, his body found in the shadows of the orator’s quarters.

• Spottedleaf is missing.

• Elmheart is also found dead, alongside Nettlewhisper.

• It takes days for the faction to recover.

• Dreamtongue is holed up in the historian’s quarters, with the two remaining historians (Dappledfur and Tanglethroat) being moved to the nursery. He is now blind, and a prisoner.

• The whole camp reeks of blood and grief. Sand especially is horrified, and when Fire comes to grieve with her over Mottledtail, she doesn’t push him away.

• Sand is given her full name, Sandstorm, in honor of the ferocity with which she fought in such a devastating battle.

• Fire tells Rainfall that he will be the faction’s new allay. She is incredibly hesitant and resistant, but he’s dug his heels in, and she ultimately breaks.

• She hastily names him Firefall, after herself, and for his “graceless fall into the position”. He’s even less enthusiastic about this name change than the first.

• He, Chanterellefang, and Tanglethroat prepare the bodies for their funerals.

• Firefall specifically takes over preparing Mottledtail’s for burial.

• As the book comes to a close, he takes note of the wounds in Mottledtail’s throat. How they weren’t made by cat claws, but by talons - evidenced as to Firefall knowing what raptor wounds look like due to the number of vultures having lurked within the ruins, alongside Scourge’s own paws sporting talons.

• He’s confused, horrified, and as the book closes, he looks up to watch Laurelstorm across the clearing, conversing deeply with Yewstripe, licking her talons clean…

END

Time Elapsed: 5 moons

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