The Liberation of Shadowclan [Clan Plot Topic]

"I'm here, Faizah!" Tavora snarled, darting out into the blinding light of the morning without the cover of her pelt. She had been hunkering down for a well-deserved rest. She had just hardly sent Galloway off to his own sleeping quarters when the commotion had stirred her. Now, her little son was darting around her paws as he observed the scene, brandishing a proud scar on his left shoulder. His sooty face was twisted in confusion as he rounded on Faizah, pressing his nose to her shoulder in greeting.

His glimmering eyes scoured his sister's. "They said... Eris is dead, and Theron too," he whispered, out of earshot of their mother. If she could find out on her own, it would spare both of them of brunt of her rage. They had to talk quietly. "Tavora didn't hear yet. But I did. The Asylum is standing down. I don't know what that means. I think we're leaving the forest, though."

As her kits conversed, Tavora's head spiraled around to Mistyfalcon. Having caught the tail end of his report, she was at first too aghast to believe it. It wasn't possible. He was lying. He said that a ThunderClanner had lead their brigade, and that they spoke at the borders. But Tavora knew that it was a lie, because she had been on many patrols with him, and the only times he ever met other cats, they had fought. They tore each other to pieces. It was a spectacle; every scuffle was a sign of a crumbling society. The other Nightstrikers had seen similar displays of desperation. They were all coming to the brink of chaos and decay, and they were taking it out on each other. She began to giggle and shake her head, amused by his fairy tale.

She laughed indeed, until she came close enough to see the power bubbling behind his eyes. Those were not a liar's gaze. Suddenly, she recalled an enormous tabby tom, with strange fangs. You could not forget such fangs. They were fighting. Beecloud had engaged him from across the Thunderpath, then sprinted across like a bat out of the Dark Forest and sent Mistyfalcon down a ravine. She had watched from a distance, gasping along with the ThunderClan tom's guard. It was the first such thing she had seen. Most of all, she recalled how all she could hear were scattered yowls, and that Beecloud had run away without so much as a scratch. At the time, she mocked him as a coward.

They both had deceived her. Yellow eyes flickered to the side, and she saw a tuft of Eris's fur, which they had brought as proof of her demise.

Tavora's claws came unsheathed with the sound of a low growl hardly rolling in the back of her throat. I could kill him, she suddenly thought. They would put me down like a dog, but Mistyfalcon will be dead. My undoer.

When she looked around, there was not an Asylum cat in sight who lifted their teeth or claws. No one was on her side. Without Eris, without Theron, and without Iniko, they were losing speed. Their drive and passion was gone. It was all fizzling out around her, and Flintstar was asking them to leave and follow Roe. Ivory asked for her mother.

It was like someone had lifted a veil off of her eyes. She was the Asylum for what it was... rather, what she decided it would be, from now on. It didn't matter if she was wrong, in fact, she didn't think she could be. Everyone around her was simply a dirty, spineless, cheating liar. The Asylum's victory was beset by the death of their leader. They had established no failsafe against the possibility that a captain or head may die. There was no deputy. Somehow, Roe, a petulant worm of a tom, was now ordering their retreat.

They were just as flawed as the Clans were, and just as defective, and just as incapable of protecting her. Iniko's promises were empty and leaf-thin. Tavora felt swindled.

"Maybe we can go see the homeland now!" Galloway whispered excitedly.

Incomprehensible rage caused Tavora's pelt to bloom like a broken cattail. She roared her agony, redirecting from her spot in front of Mistyfalcon to leap nearly on top of her son, who cowered at the sight of her. Galloway turned his cheek to his mother and locked sight with Faizah, silently pleading for help.

"We are not following them!" she screeched. She struck his scruff like a viper and yanked him in the direction of the camp entrance. "We will find our own way. The Asylum is no longer our home. Nor is ShadowClan. You will never speak of any of this again. Ever, Galloway! Do you understand?!"

The little foxlike tom cast his face to the ground, picking at the melting slush. He shook his head up and down, long fur fluttering in the wind. "I'm sorry, Tavora. I understand. I won't," he whispered.

She spotted each of her kits in the crowd. "Hyacinth, Kirabo, Galloway, Faizah... we're done here. We're going back to the beginning. Let's go."

"Hey, leave him alone! He didn't know!" She fixed her mother with a glare, her hackles rising as she avoided looking at Galloway. She didn't want him to see her fear. In this moment, her brother was counting on her, and she had to be deserving of that faith. She refused to let him down. "How could you be willing to treat him that way? Any of us that way?" Tavora seemed to have changed completely in just these few moments. Sure, she was always distant, but now? She acted like she would genuinely hurt them. Faizah never thought she would be afraid of her own mother.

"I-I'm sorry, Tavora. But I don't wanna go with you! I won't go with you! Galloway, you don't have to let her do this to you. Hyacinth. Kirabo. We can all stay here. We can be together." She looked back at Flintstar, the question in her gaze obvious. She did not have a defense for herself, and she was scared. What if Flintstar said no now? He was looking for assets to ShadowClan, surely a weak cat like her wouldn't qualify? How would Tavora punish her? She had never spoken out like this before, it was unheard of! After all, despite everything, she was still her mother.

Batglow didn't mind being shoved off by Mistyfalcon. The tall tom sat off to the side, sitting straight up, ears at attention as he listened to the explanation. It made sense. All of it. If only they managed to think of it before things got to bad.. It was sad to hear that the Thunderclan warrior didn't make it. Though he was relieved to hear that there wasn't more casualties on the clan's side. He knew that the clans would be celebrating tonight.

Yellow green eyes turned to the figure of the medicine cat as he moved to Murkystrike's side, grabbing her to move her to the medicine den. The black tom stood on his paws ready to help Rookfire to attend to the cats who needed it. Even if he wasn't as trained, he was ready to help with anything, but he paused in his tracks as soon as Tavora showed up.

Big ears fell flat to his head, his maw was drawn back into a snarl at the sight of the traitor. "Leaving? Good. We don't want you here. Run off with your failures called Asylum." He growled out towards the former warrior. Though he never expected one of hers to want to stay. His dark look dropped away as he turned his gaze towards Faizah, he didn't want to speak on behalf of Flintstar but he wanted to spite Tavora. "Of course you can stay Faizah, you don't have to suffer because of your mother's stupid choices. You still have Shadowclan blood in you. Come on, you can help me and Rookfire if you would like?" The fanged tom offered, looking at the she-cat with a questioning gaze. If she followed him, there would be no going back. Anything to get her away from that traitor, and to keep her from getting hurt.

“Faizah, what's wrong with you?!” Galloway gasped, ears folded in distress. “How could you side with them? They murdered Theron! They snuck around our backs and attacked when we weren't looking. They cheated! You can't really want to stay here, after everything you know they did!”

He took a few leaping steps closer to his sister, close to her flattened face. “Look, I'm fine. Tavora’s just angry… I’m angry too. Don't be scared of our mother. ShadowClan cats did this. Not her.”

Tavora walked towards them with tender calmness and laid her tail across Galloway’s back, stroking his beautiful pelt with her coiled, messy fur.

“Attaboy,” she purred. There was something very unnervingly relaxed about how she watched these proceedings. It was a far cry from how she hissed and spit just moments ago. Galloway wondered if she was planning something… but Tavora never planned. She only acted. She was never this controlled. “But we are not hypocrites. Every cat deserves the free will to live with their own choices, no matter how uninformed. No matter how treacherous. No matter how ridiculous.. Say goodbye to your sister.”

Galloway’s eyes snapped up to his mother in shock. Despite his horror, he understood. She was protecting them. When a tree became infected, you had to prune the sickly branch, so the whole plant did not rot. The world was rugged and dark and unkind. Loyalty was what bonded the family together. Even in the absence of love, they did not break the bond of blood. Not for anything. He would choose his brother and sisters over anything, including the Asylum. And Faizah was breaking that unspoken promise, and shown weakness. Everything suddenly connected in his mind; his sister was abandoning him. Faizah would rather camp with their enemies than live with him. He saw that now… especially as Batglow led his sister away. Furious tears dribbled from his eyes, snotty, kittish, and indignant.

“Faizah! That cat just called us failures! You’re gonna live with them!? You're gonna leave us, like we don't even matter!?” he wailed, paws stammering in discomfort. “They're only letting you stay because they hate mom! Who cares if you're mad at Tavora! Your brothers and sister are leaving, and you're walking away!”

No matter how his tantrums escalated, or how much he begged, or how hard he cried, all Galloway received in return were concerned, confused, and stern looks from every clan cat in the clearing. He loathed them for it. The bunch of hypocrites. Batglow had shown him quite clearly why this group was called ShadowClan… and Faizah was falling for it, right into their claws. “FINE!” he snarled, “I hate you, Faizah! I hope they betray you just like you betrayed us! You're a big cry-kitty, and I hope you forget all about me, because I never wanna see you again!”

Galloway spun on his heel and tore out of the camp entrance. He didn't turn around; he just kept running. One day, when he was big enough, he'd come back. He’d make her sorry for leaving. He'd grow big enough, and he'd remind Faizah that they were siblings once… before she tore them all apart.

Back in camp, Tavora watched her son with wide, shocked eyes and mouth agape. She had expected an outburst… not that.

Tavora lifted her eyes up to the Jaggedrock. "Flintstar," she began, a deep sigh building in her lungs. She never released it. Her voice sounded high and strained. "Good luck. I mean it. Because if Eris had killed Beecloud from the start, you would not be standing up there right now. The simple fact that one cat’s actions could make-or-break your entire way of life says more for its fragility than any war could. We may have failed, but the ultimate failure will be yours... and when it happens, maybe ShadowClan will finally listen to me, take me seriously. None of you ever cared about who I was, not even when my mouth was shut. You named me Tanglerose… and, well, that says it all.”

She began ushering her remaining two kits with her tail, until she realized some more goodbyes might still be in order. Tavora hesitated, stuck between Kirabo and Hyacinth and going after Galloway. Ultimately, she trusted the pair to follow her when they were ready. But in his current state, Galloway was speeding towards disaster. He needed someone to knock some sense into him before he got himself in trouble.

For the first time in her life, Tavora went peacefully from defeat. She walked with head high towards the camp entrance, and did not turn around when she said: “Please strip Faizah of her Asylum name. She does not need it anymore.”

And then she was gone.

Faizah was speechless as she stared in horror. This was really it. They were leaving her. Tavora even acted like she didn't care. She probably didn't. And in truth, neither did Faizah. Tavora leaving was just a weight off her shoulders, and she was shocked seeing it like that.

But Galloway. Did he truly hate her so much now? She wanted him to come with her. No matter what, the two of them would be safe here. Didn't he see that? Didn't any of them see? How could they be so willing to walk away, even after Tavora gave a clear display of how much of a mother she was? Faizah knew in her heart that she was doing the right thing, so why did it hurt so much? She hadn't even realized she was crying when Galloway stormed off.

"I'm sorry Galloway. I love you."

She couldn't bear to watch this anymore, and so she ducked her head, following Batglow away. It would be nice to busy herself. She didn't want to feel this pain. She just wanted to grow numb to it all. In one moment, everything had fallen apart, because her family was so blind. She was torn between rage, sadness, guilt, doubt, and surrounding it all a sense of stubbornness that refused to let her follow her family. This was just going to be her life now.

Ivory's eyes were downcast. Her mother had been in that battle... But before she could ask the hard question... Tavora happened. Her eyes flicked up and she listened to the exchange, saw the rage and hurt in her eyes. A part of Ivory felt guilty for being more concerned with herself than anyone else in the Asylum. Dawnhawk had survived the battle, she knew that much. She had hope that Eosphoros was alive too. Dawnhawk wouldn't let her die... right? She wanted to make her case to Flintstar, as he seemed to be willing to hear Asylum members out.

As soon as Tavora had left, Ivory slunk down low until her belly nearly touched the ground and approached the Shadowclan leader. What could she even say? She opened her mouth but words didn't come out at first. She swallowed and tried once more.

"Flintstar... I... I've tried to be helpful during my time here. I have contributed to the fresh-kill pile and learn your culture. I'm fascinated by it. I know the Asylum is gone-" Her voice cut off as images of her mother and father being injured came to mind. She pushed the images away and refocused. "-But it was the only home I had and all I knew. I would like to be considered to become a full member of Shadowclan. I'll take a proper warrior's name and leave my Asylum name behind... if you'll allow it." Unsure of what else to do, she cast her eyes at his paws and waited.

OOC: I'd like her to become an apprentice, be assigned to Mistyfalcon, aaaand change her name to Moonpaw, soon to be Moonshine. Thanks! Unless you have objections of course.

Things were happening almost too quickly for Hyacinth to comprehend, even if she wanted to.

Eris was dead, the Clans were freed, Tavora was angry- and not just the usual angry, no- and Flintstar was offering ShadowClan to those Asylum cats who might have intentions brighter than the likes of their family. Though her head was spinning with possibilities, deep down Hyacinth knew she could never leave her mother's side. She would never dare to upset Tavora in such a way. Faizah, however, didn't seem to share that opinion. She'd always been far more free-spirited, like their ancestors in the Oasis. It was something she seemed to be proud of, yet another thing that Hyacinth couldn't fathom.

Her mother's anger seemingly seeped into Galloway, and he threw an absolute tantrum. Hyacinth simply watched from her mother's side as the display unfolded. She didn't want to lose Faizah, but she also didn't want to live alongside a cat who was disloyal, especially to her own sisters and brothers. Galloway was right- she was a cry-kitty, but Hyacinth seemingly had the self-control to keep such statements in her head. "Come on, Galloway. She's not worth our time." The calico she-cat mewed, her fluffy tail snapping from one side to the other. Though her heart hurt, they had to do what was right for themselves. "Congratulations, Faizah. Or whatever you end up calling yourself now. I hope you're proud of yourself." Hyacinth meowed bitterly, turning to her mother. As Tavora made her way out of camp with Galloway, Hyacinth followed quickly behind, turning her back on ShadowClan.

Flintstar said nothing as Tavora made moves to leave - only for one of her kits to refuse. He said nothing as they traded words, even when her attention was turned onto him and spoke warnings before she turned and left with a few of her kits following after. What a mess...The leader sighed, before his ears perked and looked down to see one of the Asylum cats was crawling her way to the Jaggedrock, begging for a place to stay. He flickered his tail at her as he spoke. "Of course, you may have a place here in ShadowClan. You have been not an enemy to my Clan and if a warrior name is what you desire, than you shall have it in due time." He paused, before his eyes turned to Faizah as she stuck close to Batglow. "Faizah, was it?" he called out after her. "Have no doubt - your place is within ShadowClan as well. But despite your mother's...Request, your name shall remain yours unless you feel otherwise. I am...Sorry for your loss. Family is...Important, but know that you still have some within ShadowClan," he added, shifting on his paws as he glanced around to see if any other cats had anything to say. He felt tired, drain. For all of the excitement that the new freedom carried, it also meant a lot had happened and he had to come to terms with it all.

Everything was a bit of a mess at the moment, mostly with new paws to train no doubt...