Being in the lead for once felt strange for the young medicine cat. Her pawsteps felt oddly heavy as she trekked on through the winding paths that led to the Starcave, as if traversing the forgotten path of ghosts. How was it only three moons ago, she'd come this way with Stormstar—Dusklion, then—with both of them anxiously excited and determined to get their new names? Everything had felt so much... brighter. Even with that ancient medicine cat that had terrified Berryshine with his threats, Fawnlight's encouragement and Stormstar's endless determination had fueled her into blissful hope and rejuvenation.
And now, not even a full three moons later, she was trudging the same path she had walked alongside her gray-furred leader who was now dead and gone. Both lives, her main one and the one extra she'd received, gone. In one fatal slash from a coyote. It was cruel to consider, hard to comprehend, and brutal to imagine. Was Storm watching them now, from the stars? Would she speak to either cat tonight? Berry was half-tempted to press her nose to the stone herself, to get some answers and guidance from Fawnlight; maybe the former medicine cat would know what to do, what to say. Maybe she'd offer at least some semblance of comfort.
But Berryshine knew it wasn't her time; it was Cobwebfern's, and Owltalon's. With a deep breath, the herbalist flicked her tail in acknowledgement to Owl's inquiry, the deputy's familiar voice bringing her out of her fog of thoughts. "Er, yeah... a-almost there. You see the stones dipping away there? T-That's where we're headed."
The little exchange between Owl and Cob was wholesome despite the somber mood, knowing both of them were wrestling with a mixture of grief, excitement, and anticipation. It made a somber half-smile tug on Berryshine's maw while she led them down by the cave entrance. Knowing she had these two passionate she-cats at her side to continue leading RiverClan, who shared mutual grief and pain over this loss (and a common drive to keep going regardless), everything felt less... dark. Like a cloud briefly evaporating under the moon's light to allow more of its glow.
Pausing, the medicine cat felt Cobwebfern brush up beside her and her tail wind around her smaller frame. Glancing over to meet her blue eyes, Berry's distant gaze softened, and she forced herself back to reality from her wandering thoughts. Right now Cob and Owltalon needed her to focus, to tell them what to do, and... to encourage them however she could. So she'd do that.
"O-Of course, Cob... it's gonna be just fine," she assured softly, briefly touching her nose to Cob's ear. "You've worked so hard for this... no one can say otherwise."
Then she glanced over at the cave mouth that gaped into a wide expanse, going down into blackness that even their night-vision eyes couldn't pierce. The thought made her shiver, both from the cold mysticism of the cave and what she knew lay beneath the rocks. She stepped in front of the entrance, keeping her tail on Cob's shoulder for a moment as she addressed both her apprentice and the deputy for the last time in their former ranks. The thought sent a little thrill through her. There was a brief hesitation as she weighed the words she was about to say, but figured the warning was apt, given the circumstances.
"You two should know, when Stormstar—" she paused to swallow thickly, then continued, "—a-and I came here, we each received a dream with our respective ceremonies. There was, um... this other spirit that came in, threatened us if we didn't do well. I dunno if he'll try and talk to you, but figured I-I should warn you. But... w-we have RiverClan's best interest at heart, and I know we'll do well. Stormstar did so much even in just three moons. Don't listen to anycat except the ones who're supporting you."
Looking up, the herbalist saw that the moon was starting to rise higher and higher into the sky; it would be moonhigh soon. Berryshine hesitated once more, briefly touching noses with both she-cats in an affectionate gesture, her eyes swimming with both grief and pride, encouragement and determination.
"Generally there's no talking at this point. Y'know... sacred ceremony stuff. I'll lead you down into the cave. Once we get there, you'll... well, y-you'll know when it's time," she remarked with a somber half-smile, remembering seeing the glory of the dazzling stone for the first time. "You'll touch your nose to it and be put into a sleep-like state, where you'll share dreams with StarClan. I... I-I just want you both to know I'm very proud of both of you, a-and... this is a tough time. But together, I know we'll get through it. Stormstar trusted us to help lead RiverClan, a-and I know she's looking down at us from the stars right now in pride. Let's show her what we've got, yeah? Ready?"
She offered one last encouraging smile and an extra brush of her flank along Cobwebfern's side. And then the small brown molly led way into the cave, her lean form immediately getting swallowed into darkness as she stepped inside. It sent a spark of fear through her like the last time, being so consumed and surrounded by inky blackness with no real gauge of where she was other than the brush of her whiskers along the tunnel. The air got cooler as they went, seemingly endless pawsteps later, and Berryshine swore for a moment that she could still catch hers and Stormstar's scent from the last time. It was likely in her head, but still, it was a comforting afterthought. As if maybe the strong, fiery leader was still with her... even if it was only in memory.
Finally, she led them to the wider room that held the mysterious stone in the center. She curled her tail over her paws, waiting in silence between the two she-cats. And when the moon finally rose to its full height, it shone down onto the stone with an unmatched brilliance. Berryshine had to squint her eyes again, the dazzle of the stone reflecting in her green eyes like stars. The sheen bathed all three of them in its light, turning their pelts silver.
With a shaky sigh Berryshine took in its beauty, then glanced between her two companions with a single, wordless nod. It was time. And she stayed back, letting her two Clanmates step forward, vowing a silent guard over them as they'd dream... and a prayer that it would all go well.
Her gaze followed Berryshine's as she searched for slopping rocks. Upon feeling the touch of a furry head against hers, she turned and managed a small smile. "Yeah... 'M pretty scared myself. Kinda odd ain't it?" She couldn't help but tear up a bit at Cobwebfern's next statement, her smile faltering. "Aye, thanks chap." Such words could never hold as much gravity as those.
She rubbed her forehead against the smaller cat and purred. "You're gonna do great ta. Yer shapin' out ta be a nice herbalist." And she meant it, she just hoped her sincerity had come across.
She then turned away from the soon to be medicine cat as large paws padded onto stone as Berryshine lead her into darkness, and Owltalon might as well have been blind. She unsheathed her claws to keep her balance, and narrowed her good eye as best she could, breathing in the familiar scent of the herbalist to keep her within her "sights" or the lack thereof.
Once they reached an opening, it was like coming back for air after being shoved underwater, which wasn't very pleasant, mind you.
Once Berryshine halted at the mouth of the cave, Owltalon staggered to a stop as well, her ears perking alertly. Ah, spirits. Owltalon was expecting them, honestly, but what Berryshine spoke wasn't something Owltalon was familiar with. She worked her jaw before responding. "Really angry cat, eh? Nice thing ta add ta the list." She'd always wanted to be yelled at by her ancestors, what joy. "But, if Stormstar could handle a few threats, I think we'll be al'ight. Thanks, squirt, probably saved my pelt from quite a startle." She joked lightly.
Ah, no more taking? Okay, back to darkness then.
The same routine followed, Owltalon unsheathing her claws and probably scraping every rock as she trotted at Berryshine's tail, looking behind her every so often to make sure Cobwebfern was still with them, occasionally brushing her tail to what she thought was the younger cats chest. Just to make sure.
As her eyes started adjusting, she got hit with the worst blast of light ever, like looking directly at the sun. Owltalon winced against the radiance of the large stone, her eyes squinting. She blinked rapidly a few times, hoping she hadn't just gone completely blind. Now that she was looking at it, it was quite pretty, but definitely a unwelcome surprise after traveling in the dark for so long.
As she watched Berryshine sit curtly, Owltalon couldn't help but spare her a glance. Maybe it didn't communicate much, but she was glad she was here. She then looked to Cobwebfern, a sad but determined smile lacing her maw. She didn't have any more time to waste or bargain, she had to get on with it.
She sheathed her claws as she padded up to the stone. She breathed in deeply before touching her nose to it.
a very scarred, grey fluffy bengal with a missing back right leg. she has fluffs of white and darker grey fur. purrks ; herbal knowledge tier two, the collector | formatting creds to wolfie <3 | lesbian/sapphic + demigirl
trigger warning ; this character frequently talks and thinks about past abuse, panic attacks, anxiety, and depression. interact with care <3
' absolutely, positively terrified. ' cobwebfern returned with a smile. she inhaled and exhaled, tips of her ears turning pink at owltalon's praise. ' thankyou. ' her words mushed together, something that happened often when she was nervous. at the contact with berries, the aforementioned blanket of grief that wrapped around her lifted just a little bit. she could breathe again.. and cobwebfern took in a gasp of air so deep that she felt like she hadn't inhaled in days.
berry's thing about the angry spirits re-wrapped the blanket, though. stars above- how did she EVER think this would be a good idea? she was a failure, a disappointment, pathetic to ever dream of becoming a medicine cat. the spirits would kick her out, someone else would take her spot in riverclan, and she'd be reduced to an outsider again. someone like her dad would find her and kill her, and it would all be because of this.
cobwebfern's anxious spiraling was interrupted by berry's ' no talking ' announcement. she dipped her head, nodding, and followed the two cats down the tunnels into the moonstone, bringing up the rear. the walk down was cool, not as cold as it was outside, but her fur still ruffled and she flattened her ears, glancing warily around at the stifling darkness. the medic stuck close to owls and berries, their warmth and scent keeping her grounded.
as they stepped into the giant moonstone room, cobweb blinked in surprise at the immediate brightness of the cavern. stars almighty. she breathed in again, eyes squinted against the light. she offered berryshine and owltalon a small smile, stomach twisting in worry, before laying down, pressing her nose to the stone, and falling asleep.
⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅
" it’s awful out here, socrates . "
__________________
cobwebstorm is one of riverclan’s medicine cats !
she and berryshine have a semi-closed den policy .
There were trespassers in her cave. To be fair, it wasn't really hers, but Lark knew the scent of RiverClanners when she smelled it. One of them was very familiar... and Lark couldn't quite put a paw on it until she spotted the cat in question. Ah. The RiverClan... Medicine Cat Apprentice, Berrypaw. Or at least, that was who the brown ticked tabby had been when the other three Clans had attacked them. Berrypaw had an apprentice now... so did that mean the seemingly younger of the pair had ranked up? Or was this the Medicine Cat a replacement for Mistyshard? Their words soon confirmed her musings.
Utterly silent, she knew they could probably see her if they squinted hard enough in her general direction, but as a former ShadowClan, she valued her skill in stealth. And she was pretty out of view from the main opening, tucked away in a shadowed crevice. If the brown-furred, scarred cat was here for her leader ceremony... RiverClan had lost another leader. A track record, at this point. She wondered when they'd finally gain their footing.
The would-be leader fell into dreams first, followed soon by the - yes, Medicine Cat Apprentice, she now realized, after hearing their conversation (the cave echoed, in her defense). Lark supposed she should reveal herself before they woke. She'd rather face one potentially hostile cat instead of three, and she'd rather get herself a better vantage point, just in case she had to run.
[ Shadow Fiend Purrk Inactive ]
Sliding out of the shadows and dragging her paws slightly on purpose to give her conscious companion some semblance of a warning, Lark slinks over to sit on the other side of the starstone, near the reflecting pool, as she'd named it, in clear view of Berryshine. Aiming to gauge the Medic's reaction, Lark merely inclines her head in silent greeting, feathered tail lifted in a wave.
All things considered, the moment had been good. Owltalon and Cobwebfern were nervous, but the healthy kind, in Berryshine's mind; she'd been anxiously nerved as well for her own ceremony. And with everything that had just happened, tensions were already high and grief was deep. But at least... her best friend finally getting promoted was a good thing. A bit of light shed up on the dire situation. And Owltalon, though through a somber situation, was rising up to be the next leader of RiverClan. Prayerfully... they'd get more than a few moons of stability this time.
Berryshine had silently watched her companions settle down and press their noses to the stone. Just like her own ceremony, she saw them immediately be pulled down into darkness, plunged into a vivid dream. A brief shiver ran down her spine from the cool of the cave, paws prickling with the urge to move, but she dared not; though her small frame and short fur did little to keep her warm, especially in the dank cave, she dared not intrude on StarClan's dreams with her friends.
All was still and quiet, almost... eerily quiet, that is. An occasional water drip from somewhere in the cave and the steady, soft sounds of her companions' breathing weren't enough to settle the sudden uneasiness in Berryshine's gut. It almost felt like she... was being watched... no, that was just her paranoia talking. And in a spooky place like this, technically the only one conscious and awake for miles (that she knew of), did nothing to help her fears. But... it was alright. She just had a bit of an active imagination.
...That is what she'd told herself, anyway, when every sense that had been unnaturally alert given the stillness of the cave suddenly flared to life. There was the faintest sound, the brush of paws against stone, that made Berryshine's ear fur tingle; it was soft, but in such a lifeless place, it might as well have echoed. Or maybe that was just the blood roaring in Berry's ears.
Immediately, wide green eyes flicked rapidly across the shadows, trying to pinpoint the source. The jumpy she-cat had leapt to her paws without even realizing it, fur bristling in alarm. Claws had instinctively unsheathed, scraping against the stone beneath her; an uncommon defense for the medicine cat, but she was already on edge, being the sole watcher over her fellow high ranks as they shared dreams with StarClan. Berryshine's breaths were coming in short gasps to keep up with her erratic heartbeat when she finally saw the source of the sound.
A lithe cat with long fur and piercing orange eyes, like the depths of flame, finally revealed herself from the shadows. The bathing light of the moonstone before them turned her gray-and-white coat nearly all silver from Berry's perspective. Heart pounding, Berryshine found herself frozen, unsure what to do; was this cat... living here, or something? And how in StarClan's name had she been so quiet? How long had she been here!? The questions raced across the young medic's mind and she parted her jaws, as if to speak— but then clamped them shut. Both from fear of saying something, anything wrong on the sudden tension that descending into the quiet cave, and not wanting to intrude on the ceremonies.
Suddenly conscientious of her own fear-scent, Berryshine took in a deep breath, her eyes fixed on the only other conscious cat in the cave like two mini moons. The she-cat merely greeted her with a silent lift of her tail. Was that... friendly? Neutral? In her panicked state, it was hard to tell. But... she wasn't getting attacked. Neither were her friends. Maybe... just maybe... this cat was friendly? She just happened to live here and was unaware of Clan traditions?
That's what Berryshine's hopeful mind wanted to believe. But something in her gut nagged her that the scarred, elegant cat before her seemed to be much more than a simple loner biding her time in a dank, dark cave. Maybe it was the glow in those piercing eyes. Whatever it was, Berry felt unsettled to her core. Still... she wouldn't need to act unless something needed acting upon, right?
Cautiously, the small brown molly slowly flicked her tail as well in wordless greeting, forcing the fur to lie flat on her spine. She was attempting to control her breathing while managing a tiny dip of her head, never letting her eyes be taken off of the stranger before her. Her gaze seemed to hold many questions: who are you? Why are you here? Do you... know who we are, what we're doing? But none of these left her tongue. Berryshine's throat had closed for more reasons than one, and she couldn't help but warily keep Owltalon and Cobwebfern in her periphery; if anything were to happen to them, any danger befalling them... she snapped her full attention back to the mysterious cat before her, as if waiting for her to say something, to explain... or make the first move.
This cat was afraid of her. Why? Had her simple action of greeting set the molly on edge? Made her look violent? Had it come across as hostile? Or perhaps it was just the matter of how Lark looked. Finding cats who were scared of her upon first glance was not uncommon - for all her fire, Lark could be quite frosty sometimes. And for those who didn't fear her, it was more than too late when they realized their misstep, for they were already knocking on death's doorstep. Perhaps this cat had common sense. Survival instinct. That was nice to know.
Fiery hues lit up by the glow of the Starcave crystal, Lark didn't blink once as she stared across the expanse at Berryshine intently, taking in her widened eyes. The initial scent of fear had faded, but it still lingered. Anyone with a working nose and half a brain could recognize it. And yet, regardless of everything, there was a lack of recognition in the Medicine Cat's eyes. Did she truly not remember Lark from her Medicine Cat days in ShadowClan? Perhaps she was younger than Lark thought. Her said 'apprentice' looked older, if anything.
That is when it clicks.
She remembered this little birdie now. It was a miracle in itself that Lark had forgotten to begin with - she'd dismissed it as unimportant, because it had not affected her at all. The last time their paths had collided, it had been in the midst of the siege on RiverClan, in the heat of battle. But it seemed odd that. . . ah, it dawns on her after a moment. Berrypaw had never seen her. Likely, with the excess of blood Lark had been bathed in that night, the brown ticked tabby didn't even know what she smelled like. But perhaps...
Lark had a singular weakness here, and it was her voice. She could not use it, not in the presence of a cat who'd - if she had not already and was not just bluffing - recognize her in an instant. Thankfully, it’s not entirely a problem. During her stay with Vanta, she’d refused to use her voice at all, making him believe she was mute. It was an experiment, to see if communication was still possible — and also, it had been an excuse for her not to make small talk and converse with others. The task was too bothersome.
Circling back to the problem at paw, Lark mulls over it silently, turning multiple options over in her head. She'd have to separate the Medicine Cats, even if briefly, if she was to speak with them, because if she was going to be seeing a new High Rank every few moons, she might as well gain favor with them. She supposed she could help them out, give them a herb to validate. They could choose whether they wished to return and seek more knowledge from her or not after that.
Amber eyes slowly drag from Berryshine to her sleeping apprentice, assessing. She knew where she recognized her now. In the heat of battle, writhing beneath her daughter's merciless claws. Her gaze drifts to the rosetted feline's backleg. Still as a statue, Lark doesn't even blink as recognition dawns. The leg had been amputated because of the injuries Sleepysunrise had inflicted.
Her interest lay in protecting ShadowClan, and above all, her family. Would it really be so bad to pull a few strings? She lived alone for the most part, anyway. She wasn’t a threat. Or, well. She was not an active threat. Unless someone provoked her, she was fine where she was. All the Clans were their own sets of families, weren’t they? Even if she’d torn apart some of them.
…Maybe this was to be her atonement.
Finally, supposedly unseeing eyes flutter shut for a couple seconds, head angling to the side as she mulls over the thoughts swirling in her head. Head rotating back in Berryshine’s direction, Lark sits as still as a statue, save for the stray breeze that filters into the cave, ruffling her long fur. Her attention fixes somewhere over the other she’s shoulder, gazing towards a distant wall. Lark had grown accustomed over the moons to pretending to be blind — she looked it, of course, since the dulled pupil and foggy eyes were a dead giveaway of her shattered eyesight. If it weren’t for whatever power that seemed to come from StarClan or the Dark Forest, she’d be sightless still, even today.
She lifts a gloved white paw into the air, brandishing a sheathed paw, before slowly lowering it back to the ground and turning her gaze to the water, as if to portray her disinterest. Lark had no intention of hurting any of them. Unless they hurt her first.
Another to fall. Another to rise. The cycle seemed endless. Stormstar had been the first in a long line of failures to impress him, and now... now she was gone. Done in by mutts, no less. At least her end had been graceful - a noble sacrifice, rather than faithless abandonment.
Now her replacement came crawling to the cave, and he was already unimpressed. Stormstar had wrenched RiverClan away from her brother's jagged claws and brought them back from the edge of the cliff they had been teetering on under Fadingstar's rule, but Owltalon? What had she done to stand out from the rest?
The answer was nothing.
When Owltalon would open her eyes, she would be greeted with a crack of thunder and a blinding streak of lightning. Dark clouds swarmed the sky as torrential rain battered the cliffside, and harsh waves bashed jagged rocks hundreds of feet below as if intent on smashing straight through them. A single slip would be enough to pitch her off the edge of the cliff mere inches behind her.
In front of her, Goosefury materialized - green eye first, then the rest - melting out of the rain like he was made of it. Despite the roar of the raging storm, his voice rang out loud and clear: "I am tired of having this same conversation over and over and over again."
Another to fall. Another to rise. The cycle seemed endless. Stormstar had been the first in a long line of failures to impress him, and now... now she was gone. Done in by mutts, no less. At least her end had been graceful - a noble sacrifice, rather than faithless abandonment.
Now her replacement came crawling to the cave, and he was already unimpressed. Stormstar had wrenched RiverClan away from her brother's jagged claws and brought them back from the edge of the cliff they had been teetering on under Fadingstar's rule, but Owltalon? What had she done to stand out from the rest?
The answer was nothing.
When Owltalon would open her eyes, she would be greeted with a crack of thunder and a blinding streak of lightning. Dark clouds swarmed the sky as torrential rain battered the cliffside, and harsh waves bashed jagged rocks hundreds of feet below as if intent on smashing straight through them. A single slip would be enough to pitch her off the edge of the cliff mere inches behind her.
In front of her, Goosefury materialized - green eye first, then the rest - melting out of the rain like he was made of it. Despite the roar of the raging storm, his voice rang out loud and clear: "I am tired of having this same conversation over and over and over again."
Last thing she knew was the feeling of cool stone against her nose, but now she was being pelted in rain, her matted fur sticking to her sides like mud to ground.
Daring to search her surroundings, she was welcomed by the rage of thunder that chased after the shock of lighting. Amber eyes looked up to darkening clouds as she felt wind ruffle her fur. She blinked away water droplets and unsheathed her claws, seeing as the stone she was standing on was far more slippery and far up than she would've liked.
She had stood atop the Skyridge before, but nothing could compare to the sense of height she felt, gravity pulling down at her very stomach. She'd been on a mountain before, but said mountain was not a ledge. She was seconds away from falling.
Oh, she was in for it.
The bulky she-cat looked out Infront of her, a voice calling for her attention. Guessing on environment alone, she already knew that Goosefury didn't take much a liking to her. She took a moment to shake away pelting raindrops (to no avail) before she responded to his rather open ended yet narrow statement.
"Aye, not very happy with our situation either, ya know? Starclan knows the ch--- Stormstar didn't deserve ta die so early. Curse those mutts..." Owltalon wasn't sure if he could hear her, yet she found herself talking at normal volume, not putting in any effort to yowl. She assumed her voice would have the same affect as Goosefury's unless he didn't want to hear her talk.
"I'm just gonna say what I came 'ere ta, and I know ya don't 'ave any faith in me, don't see that ya 'ave any reason ta. I care 'bout Riverclan. As weird as thin's 'ave gotten, as horrible, I wanna give the home I love the stability they deserve. We've gone through countless amounts a leaders in less than twelve moons. I knew Stormstar would end the cycle, but now it's gotta be me. Ain't no way am I leavin', Riverclan has been through too much crap ta go through anymore changes like this." She shook her head mournfully, her eyes to her claws as she thought about what was lost.
"I know my words mean nothin', ya 'aven't seen me do anythin' worth while, and yer faith has probably been wasted countless times. But I can promise ya this. I will stumble, I will trip, I'll eat the dirt a thousand times, but I'm sticking ta my roots, and I ain't leavin' Riverclan's side. One day, I'll come back 'ere and ya'll see me as worthy. And if it's not today, that's al'ight." Goodness, those jagged stones were making her queasy. Not like sick, but moreso more alert and definitely anxious. Owltalon doubted she could die during her visit with Starclan, but she didn't want to mess around and find out.
She then looked to the former leader as best she could though blurry vision and angry raindrops. "Al'ight, whatcha gotta say?" To balance herself better, she lowered herself into a sit, but she still kept eye contact with Goosefury. "I know it's probably a heck of a lotta stuff if ya brang me 'ere." She gestured to the stormy area with a sway of her tail.
"Also, do ya think any other spirit will intervene? Squ--- stars above! ---Berryshine said somethin' 'bout a tomcat comin' in and threatenin' her n'... Stormstar. That if they failed, they'd be killed. Ya don't suppose I'll be kickin' the bucket soon?" Let that spirit come, whoever they were. Even if she'd just end up clawing at air, she was going to fight with her whole being to stay alive. Riverclan needed her, they needed stability, and she wasn't going to let any fussy old cat take that right from her home. Thus, her voice rang with an air of challenge.
There was something just... almost familiar about the she-cat across from her. Not that she recognized Lark at all; that day had been drenched in the smell of blood and a chilling whisper from the shadows. Part of Berry still believed she'd hallucinated the ghostly cat that had held her back from helping Cobwebfern. This feeling was... well, call it a sixth sense or just the simple familiarity of being horrified by a cat that seemingly blended with the shadows themselves, reappearing at will. The prickle of unease from the sense of being watched, studied, threatened, all from a source you could never see or pinpoint exactly. The only time she had really been affected like that had been...
No no no. That wasn't a memory she needed to dwell on right now. Pushing away the onslaught of images from of the horrific raid, Berryshine couldn't help but hitch her breath as she watched Lark turn her head towards Cobwebfern, as if inspecting her apprentice. Berry's body tensed instinctively, fighting the urge to unsheathe her claws in protection. But what could she do, really, if anything happened? For the first time, as the medicine cat desperately searched those fiery-amber hues for any indication of intentions, she noticed they were... foggy. Blank, almost?
When Lark stared at the wall past her, Berryshine also took the small risk in glancing over her shoulder, as if expecting somecat to be peering from the darkness as well. It wouldn't surprise her; this cat had supposedly been so silent and stealthy that she hadn't even noticed her presence when they'd entered the cave. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to think she had other dark friends in the shadows, would it? But to her relief, Berryshine could see and smell no one else. Unless they were just as quiet and undetectable as this stranger, here, had been; in that case... the herbalist might as well write off her chances if something were to happen. Her limited battle training—what had it been, a session or two?—raced through her mind; remembering her own poor performance only hammered in the sobering idea that she was extremely, undeniably unprepared to take on anyone if the need arose. The feeling of helplessness twisted her gut into knots.
As she turned her head back to Lark, Berryshine tried to keep her trembling to a minimum as the she-cat raised a sheathed paw. She still didn't speak. Was she... mute? Or did she just have a sense of the sanctity of the Starcave and the ritual happening before them? Apparently she was blind, if that fogginess in her vision spoke to anything. And her expression was rather unreadable, especially to the half-panicked medicine cat. Part of Berry almost wanted to use this as an excuse to say something, anything that might give her some semblance of an answer or indication on who this was—after all, what cat would voluntarily live in a place like this?—but every word was stuck unsaid on her tongue.
Paranoia made every sense heightened and every nerve feel like it was on fire, but the longer that Berryshine stared at the mysterious cat, the more she came to the conclusion that maybe... just maybe... she was right in presuming that she was friendly. Well, not friendly, but... neutral? Non-hostile? Whatever it was, the medicine cat slowly lowered her haunches back to the stone floor, not even flinching as the coldness seeped through her short fur, as if a sign of her acquiescence of defense. At the very least, it was a test to see if the stranger would simply turn away and continue whatever dealings she had in this dark, mystical cave. That was it, right? Just a loner, a rogue, whatever who'd made her home here and was disinterested in the trespassers. Maybe she was used to them; they surely weren't the only Clan cats that had been here recently...
And yet Berryshine couldn't shake the gnawing, icy feeling that she was shaken to her core for more reasons than just paranoia, even as she cautiously 'relaxed'; her eyes never left Lark, even as the stranger turned her head away. The air felt thick with a tension that the medicine cat couldn't decide was gut instinct or anxiety of her own making. Either way, there was no way her guard was dropping, even for a moment. Not even in the suffocating silence.
She talked. A lot. Goosefury's ripped ear twisted sideways as Owltalon ran her mouth. Most of it were promises he'd heard before and proven to be empty; the rest was useless chatter. How irritating.
The storm continued to rage, though the droplets passed right through him to pool on the rocky outcropping they stood on. "You are correct in three things: I have little faith remaining, my Clan has gone through countless leaders faster than flies can swarm their bodies, and your words having no meaning. That's why you're here - to prove me wrong."
He stalked forward, just a few steps, but enough to crowd her closer to the edge of the cliff, single eye reflecting the lightning that flickered behind the clouds. "Stability has been withheld from my Clan for seasons now by leader after leader who abandoned them when they were needed most. In your time as deputy under Stormstar, you've done little to convince me you are worthy of the position. You certainly haven't convinced me that you're deserving of a life. So prove me wrong, Owlstar. Spread your wings, take flight, and lead my Clan back to greatness - or it'll be me who drags you beneath the waves."
Then he reached out and shoved her, sending her tumbling off the cliff's edge into the surging black waters below.
She talked. A lot. Goosefury's ripped ear twisted sideways as Owltalon ran her mouth. Most of it were promises he'd heard before and proven to be empty; the rest was useless chatter. How irritating.
The storm continued to rage, though the droplets passed right through him to pool on the rocky outcropping they stood on. "You are correct in three things: I have little faith remaining, my Clan has gone through countless leaders faster than flies can swarm their bodies, and your words having no meaning. That's why you're here - to prove me wrong."
He stalked forward, just a few steps, but enough to crowd her closer to the edge of the cliff, single eye reflecting the lightning that flickered behind the clouds. "Stability has been withheld from my Clan for seasons now by leader after leader who abandoned them when they were needed most. In your time as deputy under Stormstar, you've done little to convince me you are worthy of the position. You certainly haven't convinced me that you're deserving of a life. So prove me wrong, Owlstar. Spread your wings, take flight, and lead my Clan back to greatness - or it'll be me who drags you beneath the waves."
Then he reached out and shoved her, sending her tumbling off the cliff's edge into the surging black waters below.
After what Owltalon could only describe as a speech, Goosefury replied and seemed rather unimpressed with her, but Owltalon held her own words as true. Though, she didn't blame the former leader, not at all. It was beyond disappointing seeing the mess Riverclan had become from those who failed.
Still blinking through raindrops and watching as the harsh pellets of water went straight through the tomcat, she listened to his words, confirming her three of her points as truth. She couldn't help the way her heart sank slightly as he confirmed she wouldn't be getting a life. Though, thinking back to Stormstar, she had two and was killed within an instant. As of right now, she had equal chances of survival that she had. A terrible thought... Stormstar should've lived.
With that conclusion, Owltalon was sure that while another life would be absolutely great, she had no need for one now. Plus, it was a miracle that she was even being given an actual chance to lead her clan.
An exhale of relief made her wet whiskers tremble. She'd done it. Not completely, she still had nine lives to earn, but she'd made it without much other divine intervention or another threat to add to the one given by Goosefury. A threat Owlstar would heed.
Though, she couldn't help the confusion that washed over her as Goosefury gave her a haughty shove, and the claws she thought secured her on the ledge were rendered useless as she tumbled, down, down, down. She might've screamed, she honestly couldn't remember. Maybe she just didn't hear her own yowls over the storm and the strengthening crash of waves against jagged rocks.
She briefly wondered if it would hurt when she tumbled down. If she got impaled, would she still be half cautious for a minute before she finally woke up and the pain left her? Instincts kicked in as she spun midair, her paws trying to find her footing desperately. Her mind suddenly remembered that when hitting the water at such a high point, it would feel as though hitting concrete.
*****
The sting of water still burned fresh in her nose as her ears rang. She wasn't wet, far from it, she was completely dry actually. The newly named leader looked down at her paws, her not wet paws, and puzzled for a moment. She looked over to Cobwebfern, her nose still to the stone.
That's when she smelt it.
The waft of fear and the unfamiliar scent of somecat who wasn't Riverclan.
She immediately raised her hackles and spun around. Berryshine was still there, seemingly unharmed, whilst an unfamiliar cat, one bathed in silver light, stood. She nearly couldn't make out the she-cat in the odd lighting, but her build reminded her of Lostspark, one of Shadowclan's former medicine cats. What was she doing here? Wasn't she supposed to be dead?
Owlstar knew she was supposed to be quiet, but she wasn't sure she could even allow the stranger to be in the same room as them. So, she batted at a loose pebble and flung it to the nearest rock. The sound of made was dull, but noticable. Owlstar wouldn't attack if she didn't need to, but she wasn't entirely against the idea of killing the she-cat all together.
But she had to think about this... She didn't have any lives, and she had no idea if this cat really was Lostspark. If only that stone was ten times less bright... Though, she couldn't shake the feeling. They were Lostspark, and while she knew better than to expect any verbal answers, that wasn't going to stop her from questioning.
Re: The Starcave
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Berryshine is RiverClan's medicine cat! 
