#the camp WolfHeart monster

[cowboyjedii]

Second annual werewolf comic! Should I do this every year? This took me forever to color! I was having some comic burnout. Also coloring night scenes are hard. I did this for a SCAD class like my last one. Gay werewolves are my specialty. I posted this on my art blog @halofthebramblewoods but I posted it here to since my last comic got so much love on here!

[halofthebramblewoods]

Second annual werewolf comic! Should I do this every year? This took me forever to color!! I was having some comic burnout. Also coloring night scenes are hard. I did this for a SCAD class like my last one. Gay werewolves are my specialty.

[signs-of-the-moon]

Moon Rise: Chapter 53

Snow stared up at Tall Stone, tail thrashing violently. Her fur bristled to the point where she didn't even look like herself anymore.

"Idiots!" She snapped suddenly, whipping around to look at the crowd of her former clanmates. The lynx point molly's eyes blazed like icy blue flame, baring into each and every last member of Grassclan.

"Imbeciles...! You think exiling me will do you any good?" She scoffed, lifting her chin. "I have been killing you off one by one for moons, and none of you ever suspected. Why do you think the last two Leafbares have plagued us so terribly with greencough? You think if it were actually treated, so many would still have died?" A dark chuckle rose from Snow's throat. "Our catmint stores were purposely lost. I was prepared to let all of you die; ready to watch each and every last one of you rot... Until..." she turned, setting her sights on Swiftcloud. The white and black patched she-cat stood at full attention with ears flat against her head. The crowd behind her moved back, allowing the she-cats space in case a fight should ensue.

"You. You just had to ruin everything didn't you? Swiftcloud. Pathetic little kittypet. Why couldn't you have just died like a good little kitty, hm? Deathberries too good for you? Afraid Starclan won't accept you with open paws? Or are you just bound and determined to destroy me and all that I've worked on?" Snow began to circle Swiftcloud menacingly, never breaking the deputy's gaze.

Swiftcloud kept turning to keep watch, not trusting enough to turn her back on the crazy medicine cat.

Another chuckle erupted from Snow's throat. It started off soft, barely audible, but slowly built up in volume. As the chuckle reached its limit it bubbled into a chilling maniacal laugh. Snow threw her head back to part her jaws and howl out the hilarity. The cats of Grassclan bristled at the noise, backing away with caution. Swiftcloud bared her fangs as the lynx point molly began to settle down, resting her icy blue eyes back on her target.

"You were the one to find Waspwing's corpse. You were there during Butterflytail's last moments, and knew he couldn't have just been seizing. Ambereye too. Somehow you figured out that they had been poisoned. Heatherwing was found bleeding out all over the Forest Patch because of you. And you were right beside Jaybird when her drowned body was returned to us. You saw my fur between her claws too, didn't you? What a clever little cat you are." Snow's words came out like venom, oozing with sarcasm and loathing. Her lips peeled back into a sickening smile.

"Why...why would you do all of this?" Mistyleaf asked quietly. Snow whipped her head around to look at the fluffy silver she-cat, eyes narrowed to icicle thin slits. Mistyleaf stepped forward bravely in response, looking her aunt directly in the eye. She wanted answers, and it seemed that she was going to get them. For a moment, Snow's expression softened.

"Mistyleaf...Mistyleaf...! Darling little one. My sweetest daughter. I did it all for you; for all of my kits! You, Rabbitstorm and Frostfeather are my children after all. I had to take care of those who tore us apart." Snow paused in her path circling Swiftcloud, turning to fully face the medicine cat apprentice. Mistyleaf stood tall despite the enemy before her, though her eyes betrayed the fear that undoubtedly gripped her heart.

"You see; Goldensong was the one who told Whitestar about your birth, so I had to make her pay. Wasn't it obvious that I was the one who poisoned her? I even killed off her mother and her brother to torment her. I killed Butterflytail to get revenge on Whitestar too, you know; to throw her off my trail and to punish her for giving you to Jaybird. Heatherwing had to die for taking Rabbitstorm away from his duties. And Jaybird--oh my dear, sweet sister--she tried to keep me away from you three. After taking you and raising you in my place; not even allowing me to so much as mentor you, that alone had me ready to snap. But then she went on to have another litter. More kits! As if the three of you were not enough; as if the precious lives I had brought into the world were not good enough for her to be satisfied with. She had to go on and have her own kittens. That's when I knew I had had enough of her. But I couldn't actually kill my sister. I loved her.... So I let the river do my dirty work. As for Ambereye, I never liked her. She took my sister away from me; poisoned her mind. So, I poisoned her to teach her a lesson." The lynx point molly took a pace towards Mistyleaf, her expression sinister.

Alarm shot through Swiftcloud, causing her muscles to bunch. She had to restrain herself from lashing out at the mad she-cat, not even wanting her to be within a flea-length of her mate. Especially after confessing to murder. Murders that the whole of Grassclan had wrongfully blamed on another of the Land's Star.

"And finally we come around to Swiftcloud," Snow continued. "That naive little kittypet. She thought she could come into our clan, make you fall in love with her, and have you make the same mistakes I did when I was your age. I couldn't bare to see that happen to you. So of course I had to poison her as well. But then...then you saved her. Why..? All for love? Love is useless to medicine cats! Your place is with your herbs; your heart belongs to the well-being of your clan. I expected better of you....I was only trying to protect you." Snow took a few more paces forward, closer to her supposed daughter. Mistyleaf reacted by backing away slowly; Frostfeather and Rabbitstorm coming to stand by her sides. Swiftcloud came around, jumping in front of the littermates protectively.

"You're lying!" Frostfeather caterwauled insistently. "You can't be our mother!"

"But I am! You are my kits. You three are the kits of myself and the Treeclan deputy, Wolfheart!" Snow countered. "Why else would I do all of this? It was all for you!"

"Shut up!" Rabbitstorm snarled. Snowfrost blinked, surprised. "Even if you did give birth to us, you will never be our mother. Jaybird and Ambereye are our mothers. You are barely worthy of being called kin. You killed the cat carrying your grand-kits. You poisoned your union-sister. You murdered your own twin! You are not our mother. You're hardly even a cat. Now...you're nothing more than a monster!"

"No!" Snow shrieked, swiping a paw with claws unsheathed in the littermates's direction. Swiftcloud was quick to tackle her, pinning the furious she-cat to the floor. Snow caterwauled, struggling in the deputy's grip. She so desperately wanted to reach her children, but Swiftcloud would never let her. I would die before allowing you to reach them!

"You are a disgrace to Grassclan," Whitestar snarled from atop Tall Stone, interrupting the scene. Snow froze at the sound of the Grassclan leader's voice. "The crimes you have committed are so severe we cannot allow you to stay. Live as you have acted; like a rogue. Warriors, attack this cat without mercy. Kill her if you must. If she is not dead, then she must leave the Land's Star and never return. For if you shall, Snow, you will be met with the death you so rightfully deserve. You are no longer welcome among the Land's Star; BEGONE!" Whitestar roared and Swiftcloud finally let Snow go.

The lynx point molly rose to her paws. She panted for a heartbeat, glancing at the Grassclan warriors who snarled and growled at her. The clan began to close in on her, leaving only a narrow path for her to escape from. Snow at last darted, disappearing through the bramble tunnel. When she was out of sight, the warriors chased after her, spilling out of camp and into the meadow beyond the camp walls. The only warriors that remained were Swiftcloud and Shadowfang. The mates checked on Mistyleaf, grooming her cheeks affectionately.

A long time passed before Grassclan's warriors returned, exhausted from running all across the territory. The sun was just beginning to rise. No one had gotten any sleep.

Swiftcloud rose from her place beside the medicine den, checking everyone over. "What do you have to report?"

"We chased Snow all the way to the Treeclan border," Gingerstrike meowed. "When we got there she turned tail and attacked Thornpaw, splitting his ear. But he scared her off the rest of the way across the Thunder Path. She's far from Grassclan's territory by now."

Swiftcloud looked at Thornpaw with concern. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. At least I've got a cool new scar." The young tom chuckled.

"Well go see Goldensong and have it cleaned. As for the rest of you, I want all of you to get some rest, you deserve it. We'll be doubling our patrols along the Treeclan border, and I want all Guard warriors protecting the nursery, medicine den, and the bramble tunnel." Swiftcloud announced. Warriors muttered their appreciation as they slipped past to rest in the warriors' den. Swiftcloud watched as each one disappeared, then escorted Thornpaw to see Goldensong.

Whitestar came trotting over along with her other kit, Lightpaw, worry stuck on their faces. She licked at the tom's bleeding ear profusely.

"Mom, you have to let him go," Lightpaw groaned, bumping her forehead against the Grassclan leader's chin. Whitestar glanced at her, pulling away.

"He'll be fine," Swiftcloud assured, leaving him by the medicine den's entrance. Whitestar sighed, beckoning the deputy to follow her with a swish of her tail. The two mollies walked together back to the leader's den.

"We'll need to be vigilant for now on," Whitestar whispered. "I believe we should send a message patrol to each clan to warn them about Snow. Until she's dead, no cat or clan is safe. Who knows what she is capable of now that she has nothing left to lose."

"I agree," Swiftcloud replied. "I'll lead the patrol to Treeclan myself at Sunhigh. And I'll send warriors to the other clans before I depart. But I will be leaving Ladybugbite, Rabbitstorm, Tigerfang, and the apprentices here to help guard camp. Just in case Snow flees back to our territory. We can't risk her getting to the nursery, or harming either of our medicine cats. Or Starclan forbid, having her try and kill you."

Whitestar dipped her head gratefully. "Thank you, Swiftcloud. I did right when I brought you into this clan. Look at you now... You've grown into such an amazing cat. I'm proud to have you as my deputy. I'm proud to have had a cat like you to fulfill the prophecy given to me all those moons ago."

Swiftcloud tilted her head curiously. "Prophecy?" she echoed. Whitestar sighed, turning her eyes upwards.

"'Swiftness will fortify your ranks, but hurry, snow's unyielding frost threatens the balance of the Land's Star'. I didn't know what it meant back then. But I do now. You are the Swiftness who has strengthened our ranks. Snowfrost was the one threatening the balance. You've saved us, Swiftcloud. Grassclan is forever in your debt."

Swiftcloud blinked. "In my debt..? Stars, if anybody's in debt, it's me. To you, and to all of Grassclan. I'm so grateful to know you all, and to be able to fight so hard for you. I'd give up nine lives for this clan if I could."

"I don't think it's a matter of 'if you could', or not anymore.... You'll make a fine leader someday, Swiftcloud."

Swiftcloud looked at Grassclan's leader with concern, her question silently answered. The life Whitestar had lost in the battle... she only has two left now. Swiftcloud dipped her head, the weight of this realization almost too heavy to bare. Whitestar swiped her tail under Swiftcloud chin, encouraging her to stand more proud.

"Chin up. We must remain strong for the clan. No matter how hard things may become. That is the first lesson you must learn before your time to earn nine lives comes. And there are many more things I must teach you before then. Come."

~~~~~~~~~~

Swiftcloud found herself standing at the heart of a sparkling field the following evening. The sky was a vast inky blue ocean above her head. Silverpelt shone brighter than the white and black patched molly had ever seen it before. The stars themselves appeared to dance, welcoming Swiftcloud's presence. Where was she? Last thing she remembered was curled up in the medicine den, tucked between Shadowfang and Mistyleaf. She had no recollection of going anywhere else. Could that mean she was dreaming?

Swiftcloud took a few paces forward, parting her jaws to taste the air as she glanced around. A few fox-length ahead, she caught a whiff of a group of familiar scents. They tasted of Grassclan. But there was an icy hot crispness to the collective smell too.

Swiftcloud continued onward. She padded down the steep slope of a hill, surprised to find a veil of mist settled just below. Swiftcloud hesitated for a moment, noticing a group of cats standing just before the fog. Her heartbeat suddenly picked up. She recognized those warriors. The patched she-cat suddenly found her paws moving for her, pulling her closer and closer to the patrol waiting at the bottom of the hill.

At the head of them stood a beautiful and proud fawn colored she-cat. She talked amongst her group, before turning to face the approaching warrior.

"Chicorynose-" Swiftcloud choked out, finding her voice failing her. And it wasn't by choice. It felt as though there was dandelion fluff clogging in her throat, preventing her from saying more.

The recently lost deputy was not the only cat among the crowd. Waspwing was there; Butterflytail and Ambereye too. Heatherwing, Dovekit, Cricketsong's litter, and all of the other cats Grassclan had lost in the past couple of years were also present. Even a few that Swiftcloud had met previously in a nightmare. Everyone looked well groomed and healthy, their pelts gleaming with stars. There weren't any signs of sickness or pain in any of them. They all seemed happy. Were these Starclan warriors?

There was so much Swiftcloud wanted to say at this moment. So many questions she needed to ask. But the deputy knew it was not her ancestors' will to be spoken with at this time. So instead, Swiftcloud bowed to them; a silent way of paying her respects and getting her message across, that she was grateful to them all. To have known these cats. To have brought them justice at long last.

Chicorynose stepped up to her, swiping her tail beneath her apprentice's chin. Swiftcloud lifted her head to lock eyes with her mentor--her mother figure-- one last time.

Chicorynose purred softly, touching her nose to Swiftcloud's. She smiled as she pulled away; a sad yet grateful grin.

"Thank you," she whispered, then turned. She padded back into the crowd of spirits, leading them through the misty veil and out of sight. The only thing left to prove they had been there at all, was stardust.