An Ash Stained Blizzard [Closed]

Blizzardshine padded across the green grass of Fourtrees, how she missed that feeling. She smiled and allowed her paws to carry her through the usual path ThunderClan used to follow when heading towards a gathering during the full moon. There were times when even she needed a small break of everything going on inside the clan, though she wasn’t planning to star away for too long, not in the condition the fire had left the forest she used to call home.

The time it took her to reach the clearing was way shorter than she expected, probably because of how lost she had been in her thoughts at the time. This place surely brought memories to her, both good and bad. The scent of all five clans always present on this part of the territories, reminding her that she wasn’t alone and there were always more cats beyond the borders of ThunderClan that could either be friends or enemies.

Without giving it much of a thought, she sat on the green grass and started to groom her long white fur, trying to get rid of the soot that stained it and more than once had proven to be quite a challenge to deal with. Though it was true that she was getting used to wash it off and taste of the black power, it didn’t mean she was learning to like it in any way. All she wanted at the time was for the forest to heal and return to the green paradise she had grown to love so much.

The afternoon was cool and breezy, thanks to the clouds obscuring the sun overhead. Ashstar had decided to just go for a walk. StarClan knew she needed it, after all the goings-on. The Tribe, the fire, the mist, Rockthorn, the appearance of Lightfoot. Good mixed with bad, spitting out some entirely new jumble of events and feelings that she wasn't altogether sure she liked. The horrible rogue who had committed so many atrocities was gone, at her paws- that, she didn't regret for a minute. And if reports- and the tom's bragging- were to be believed, Rockthorn had started the fire. But how had he? Had he just magically encountered some fire in Twolegplace and decided to burn the whole forest? It hadn't been stormy, or particularly hot and dry enough to cause spontaneous flame. So.... what had started the fire? And why had some of the territories been saved? How did all of this fit together? There were many pieces to this puzzle, but the design of it wasn't one the WindClan leader recognized. And the pattern where they should have connected was missing an important link still. It felt like the last clue was right in front of her eyes, but danced just out of her reach. That, or she was just too obtuse to see it.

Lost in frustrated contemplation as she stalked across the charred grass, the leader hardly realized that she had crossed through WindClan territory and ended up at Fourtrees, someplace different entirely. She hadn't been thinking at all about where she was going, and somehow her paws had led her here. The breeze that ruffled her fur smelled faintly and distinctly of each separate Clan. ShadowClan, her birth Clan- the Clan that was no longer hers, that she held no loyalty to. ThunderClan, their current allies- the Clan who had been the home of Rockthorn, but thank StarClan that Darkstar and Blizzardshine showed reason. RiverClan, their enemies- she hadn't seen much of the proud Fishstar lately, and couldn't say she was sorry for that. SkyClan, the arrogant fools- how dare they make Rippedsky their deputy? Crowstar had become even more of a mouse-brain than she remembered. Had he done it just to spite her? Though each Clan scent brought with it different thoughts and feelings, the musty forest scent of ThunderClan was the strongest.

Ashstar realized with a startled movement of her ears that there was another cat there. She turned around abruptly to see an extremely fluffy white patterned cat. Blizzardshine, deputy of ThunderClan. How odd was it that they would meet there? StarClan, you've been up to your old tricks again, haven't you? Oh well, I don't suppose I can complain. The WindClan leader sat on her haunches, head tipped curiously to the side. "Fancy meeting you here, Blizzardshine," she meowed, not unkindly. "What brings you to Fourtrees today?"

Blizzardshine was lost in her thoughts at the time Ashstar spoke to her, watching at the clouds that soared across the sky before they disappeared between the dancing leaves belonging to the trees surrounding the clearing, the soft breeze bringing memories of times when everything seemed to be way more peaceful and simple at least for her clan. It was then when the well-known voice of the WindClan leader gave the signal to her memory to stop roaming across the times past and return to the present.

After a couple blinks, the white deputy turned her had towards Ashstar, her surprised expression soon changing into a warm smile and a soft yet polite gaze “Greetings, Ashstar” It was nice to be able to speak normally instead of having to clear her throat constantly to get rid of the ash and soot stuck in it, it was impressive how efficient medicine cats could be even after nearly all the herbs on ThunderClan’s territory had been lost to the raging flames, though she couldn’t deny that most of it was because of the huge help they had received from several cats willing to help outside the clan “I just missed to feel the grass under my paws, and see the leaves dancing with the breeze. It feels weird to walk across a territory that is nearly nothing but ashes, soot and charcoals. I look forward to the forest’s regrowth, but who knows? Maybe the fire will help the forest to grow stronger after it heals” Her expression, somewhat gloomy when she started speaking as she remembered the current state of the forest, changed quickly into an optimistic smile when she finished. She tended to try and see the mythical rainbow between the clouds of even the worst storm, a trait that some found surprising while others found it dumb.

“What about you? I hope WindClan is doing fine after the fire?” Her ears moved slightly as she waited for Ashstar’s answer, hoping to hear good news. ThunderClan was having to deal with the aftermath of the fire and being the deputy she was having to deal most of her clanmate’s sadness and despair to the huge loss while doing her best to give them hope to keep the above these trouble waters, as well as having to solve the occasional dispute between two cats when food was rationed, something she could understand completely. Even after being allowed to hunt on the undamaged borders of SkyClan under the constant supervision of their warriors, food shortage was still a thing, it felt like Leafbare all over again if not a bit worse. Everyone was hungry. Such thing was something she wished no other clan had to endure.

Ashstar listened intently to Blizzardshine's words, any thought of coincidences swept away by a genuine spark of worry for the ThunderClan cats. It seemed that no mysterious mist had come to save the forest-dwelling warriors. Shaking away her own worries and fears as the deputy addressed her, she simply nodded her head. "Yes, actually, we are doing rather well- as well as can be accepted. Luckily for us, the fire didn't reach the camp, but we still do have to deal with the difficulties of having a large percentage of our territory reduced to soot and charcoal. Ash coats every blade of grass from camp to Fourtrees, and that makes it even harder to hunt rabbits. But, we get by." There was a slightly awkward silence as the WindClan leader contemplated Blizzardshine with her green eyes. How much should she tell her? The white she-cat certainly seemed trustworthy enough. But she didn't want to make her Clan seem weak. Her ears pinned back against her head in slight worry. Did ThunderClan have enough to eat? "Do you.... Does your Clan need any help, Blizzardshine? I know that the fire seems to have affected the forest more than it did the moors. The eastern side of our territory still holds plentiful prey, and if you need any assistance, WindClan will not hesitate to provide it." Ashstar was taking a bit of a risk here, but she didn't really care. ThunderClan, so far as she was concerned, was a good Clan, with a sensible leader and deputy- which was more than could be said for either of their neighbors, SkyClan and RiverClan. If she could help them, then she definitely would. To the Dark Forest with propriety.

Most cats would feel envious or even have a spark of resentfulness to know that the clan of the moors barely dodged the complete destruction that they were being forced to endure. However, Blizzardshine wasn’t lie most cats and her kind heart held nothing but relief and hope after listening about the good luck that had rushed in the aid of Ashstar’s clan “It’s good to hear that your camp managed to survive the flames and that your cats still have some good hunting grounds left. StarClan surely watches over you and those under your command” The white she-cat’s words were soft and kind, yet holding that politeness that she always had when talking to cats of other clans, and especially with leaders such as the gray she-cat.

However, when she asked about her clan she felt like a stone fell deep within her stomach and lump formed in her throat. Even someone as optimistic as her would have a couple issues to fully accept the situation she was going through, especially if you had several other cats under your care that were suffering as well. She also had to work to make ThunderClan seem strong regardless of the fire that had engulfed their territory like a hungry beast made of blazing hot orange fur, but it was becoming more and more difficult to keep up the façade when everyone in the clan showed clear signs of weakness and hunger. Almost without thinking she licked some of the wounds of her muzzle, deep slashed caused during the fire alongside the ones in her paws. She had refused all treatments from the medicine cats to give the herbs to the rest of their clan, convinced that they needed those way more than herself. It was true that she could start to taste something weird on them each time she cleaned them to the best of her ability, and that the fact that they weren’t healing properly even after all this time should be ringing an alarm inside her mind, but with how few herbs there were for clan she had chosen to completely ignore these two facts.

She took a deep breath and lowered her ears for a couple seconds, putting her thoughts in order before answering “My clanmates should be praised by their great efforts. They won’t give up even if all they can see are ashes and coal to bring prey to the clan and keep us as strong as we can be. However I would be lying if I said prey is plentiful, and as soon as Fishstar decides that we are no longer allowed to stay in Sunningrocks, where we are forced to stay for the time being, we’ll lose the only place in the whole territory that still holds a fair amount of the prey we can catch” She knew that Sunningrocks weren’t even theirs to begin with, and the fact that Fishstar hadn’t tried to kick them out just yet was more than enough for the kind hearted deputy to be grateful “SkyClan decided to lend us a paw and let us hunt on their borders as well. Their kind decision is one of the main reason ThunderClan is not starving at the current time, but I think you can understand that there is only so much prey we can catch in that limited space that we share with their own hunting patrols. Every day we need to strictly ration the prey we manage to catch so everyone eats, with our priority being elders, kits and queens. I know that not everyone is happy with the choices, as even in Leafbare they tend to eat better, but they understand why such choices were done. We are having it though, but just like the forest we live in we will survive and return from the ashes stronger than ever before” She was not going to just lie and say that ThunderClan was being able to find prey between the ashes like if the territory had always been like that, especially when any cat that could see their warriors and territory would se straight through her lie without much effort “I’m really grateful for your offer Ashstar, and I wish I could give you an answer right away but you know better than anyone else that the decision to take is not mine’s. I’ll let Darkstar know about it as soon as I can though, and hopefully we’ll both get good news”.