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The few days after Crow's arrival in Summerclan were torture, for both the sisters. Rosethorn avoided camp at every possible moment, wrought with guilt and hating the look in Crow's eyes. Orchiddrop spent her days holed up in the nursery, terrified of running into Crow and alerting Goldenshadow to the real father of her kits. The few times she had spoken to him, the passive-aggressive comments he made about her situation left her sobbing along behind the nursery in the dead of night.
And to make matters worse, rumors were circulating. Rumors that Crow and Orchiddrop were former lovers- rumors that seemed to be validated by Crow's incessant anger. Goldenshadow was getting suspicious, demanding more affection from her in public and surveying Crow closely at every possible moment.
Finally, he asked Orchiddrop to walk with him. This was new- she was undoubtedly at or past her due date, and walking was difficult. But there was no questioning Goldenshadow. She followed him meekly from camp, and thankfully Rosethorn was there to see them leave. Something about the anger in Goldenshadow's eyes tipped her off, and her heart dropped to her paws.
Without a second thought, she darted to where Crow was sulking, near the warrior's den. "Crow, you have to go after them. Please," she pleaded openly, heart slamming in her throat. "I know you hate me- I don't care. Right now, you need to follow them, or I think something bad is going to happen to Orchiddrop. Please, Crow- for the kits."
With every movement Orchiddrop made, his heart jerked and moved as if a puppet she was directing. Crow could not bring himself to be cordial, couldn't falsify niceties, which meant their limited interactions were tinged by his unresolved emotions. Each time the anguish materialized in her gaze, his own pain tripled, but then Goldenshadow would coalesce from the sidelines and step in, reigniting his bitterness. It burned to watch them lounge together and to see the handsome tom whisper his loving little secrets into her ear.
He was no stranger to the rumors circulating the camp, rumors that brought to life memories of those several moons and that last night. Whispers that spoke of a rogue tom who loved a SummerClan she-cat, and rumors that spoke of an infidelity that caused Goldenshadow to wrench his shoulder into Crow's chest if they passed each other in the night. Orchiddrop never confirmed nor denied them, and neither did Crow.
He would move throughout the camp without speaking to many of the others, avoiding Rosethorn and especially Orchiddrop, but he never avoided Goldenshadow because that would be weak. He would never deny the rumors because that would be a lie, and he never confirmed them because no matter how hard he tried to hate Rosethorn, her pleas still rang in his ears and the image of her concern for her sister was branded on his heart. That's why when she approached him breathlessly, he was on his paws and following the couple out of camp, hardly daring to breathe as he tailed them.
Goldenshadow was still reeling from his encounter with Ratstar, and his frayed nerves were already breaching the surface of his composure when the bedraggled, winter-inured cat swept into camp and the talk of he and Orchiddrop started not long after. He was frantically trying to piece together the fragments of his reputation already, teetering on the cusp of madness.
Days passed and nothing changed. If anything, the situation appeared to be worsening before his very eyes. He would catch Orchiddrop and Crow in passing, or hear her stifled sobs in the dead of night, or feel the prickle of a bonfire gaze tracking his every move. That just wouldn't do. He could not allow for this. Anything but this-- another ripple in the illusion.
He stalked ahead of Orchiddrop, muttering to himself mostly, unaware of their follower. "I am displeased, Orchiddrop." They were very far away from camp now. Clouds stretched across the sky and growled thunderously overhead, threatening sheets of rain and harrowing lightning strikes. "Do you know why I am displeased?"
“I don’t,” Orchiddrop said softly, though she did. In the stormy afternoon, their voices floated back to Crow, whom both of them were still unaware. Out here, Orchiddrop was far from the loving mate she was back in camp. Her voice was quiet and restrained, bare hints of fear peeking through. Why were they so far away from camp? Could it be that he meant to harm her- truly harm her?
“I’ve done everything you asked, Goldenshadow,” came the plea that followed, desperate to save her kits. “I’ve been good. If- if it’s the rumors, you don’t have to blame me. I didn’t start them. I can be better- I’ll be more affectionate.” She did not deny the rumors either- she could not deny Crow publicly, even if she pretended she barely knew him.
"I am displeased," he continued, as if she'd never spoken, as if he was the only one there, "because there is talk that you and th-that thing were together. That he is the father of my children!" Suddenly, all too fast, he swung around and let his claws strike her cheek. When she recoiled away from him, he only stepped closer, bearing down on her. "Is that the truth? Maybe your punishment won't be so bad if you tell me the truth." Sickeningly, he chuckled, a humorless laugh all too similar to the one he'd emitted that day when Ratstar confronted him. No matter what Orchiddrop pled in her defense, whether she lied or answer him earnestly, bloodlust churned in Goldenshadow's gaze.
Orchiddrop stumbled away from his blows, clumsily and awkwardly, trying to maintain her balance as he struck her. She was used to his blows, but these were harder and sharper, more deadly in their intention. These blows elicited a soft cry from her when they landed, when she had normally learned to be silent.
He was going to kill her- he had already decided. Orchiddrop was not as perceptive as her sister, but she wasn’t stupid. Tears pricked her eyes, a new wave of shame washing over her. This was how it ended, what it came out to. All the actions taken to protect her kits were in vain. At least she would not go out as a liar. At least she could fight back verbally, just this once.
“It’s true,” she said hoarsely, squaring her shoulders and looking back up at Goldenshadow. “I was pregnant with Crow’s kits before I accepted you as my mate. I thought, foolishly, that I could give my kits a better chance at success that way. But you- you were the worst mistake I’ve made. I gave up on the one man I love- a good, honorable man who used to love me- to be with a pathetic, manipulative, abusive piece of crap. You wanted to own me, Goldenshadow, and you thought you succeeded. You owned me body and soul- but never heart. I hope that after you kill me, the knowledge that there was a part of me you couldn’t own haunts you.”
Despite her brave words and steeled shoulders, tears flowed openly down her cheeks. Orchiddrop did not want to die. She wanted to apologize before her death- to Crow and her kits once again- but she would not, since Goldenshadow might hear those words and think they were meant as atonement for her lying to him.
Goldenshadow-- perfect, charming Goldenshadow-- reeled. His breathing was faster now, sharper, labored. Suddenly, his charade was crumbling. First, with Ratstar's laughter. He still couldn't figure out why he laughed. Then the pity; who could pity him, handsome and wanted Goldenshadow? And now the holy grail of betrayals: Orchiddrop revealing the truth of her pregnancy.
He was not the father.
He was a tool in her arsenal, a pawn in her game of chess; but when had he lost the control? She was the tool! She was the pawn!
He was sure Ratstar would be laughing at him now. At pathetic, manipulative, abusive Goldenshadow. Why? This wasn't funny.
"Do you think this is a game, you wretched wench?" Rain pelted him, but if he noticed, it didn't deter him. He was going to enjoy this. This would be far, far better than the day he'd slit his brother's throat. He hadn't enjoyed that; but this time, when his claws ripped the life right out of her, he would revel in it.
He lunged, and he collided not with Orchiddrop's white figure but instead a solid black mass. Crow was much smaller in comparison; where Goldenshadow was lanky and defined, he was stocky and hindered by his handicapped leg. Nine times out of ten, he would lose. He couldn't muster up the raw firepower of a warrior seasoned by age and experience, who had at least one murder under his belt.
And still, disadvantaged as he may have been, he took the brunt of Goldenshadow's attack without a wince or even a sound.
The golden warrior recoiled in shock, but his features were quickly enveloped by murderous rage once again, enhanced now by the presence of the cat he blamed for everything-- for the laughter, the pity, the lies. It was all Crow, and Crow blamed Goldenshadow for all that was wrong in his own life-- the betrayal, the abandonment, but mostly for the emptiness of Orchiddrop's eyes, which had once been brighter than his own.
Crow situated himself between them, his rain-drenched pelt slicked against his frame. "Orchiddrop, I need you to leave now. I'll take care of it from here." Even now, with his heart tinged by darkness, he couldn't let her see the truest form of himself, the Crow that would slay the devil where he stood.
Orchiddrop couldn’t reconcile what she was seeing with what she had expected to happen. Here was Crow- Crow, who should by all accounts hate her, who should have left Summerclan the moment he found out the horrible lie she had constructed. And now he was defending her from the man who would have her dead.
She would not leave him.
“Kill him,” she spat, sapphire eyes brimming with hatred and ire. In her weak and heavily pregnant state, she could not do it, but she desperately wanted to. However much she may have brought this on herself, in that moment she wanted nothing more than to see her abuser cut down. Gone were the mercies she had learned in the hunt for her parents killers, replaced by the brimming over of months of silent torture.
She made no move to leave Crow, though she did give them a good distance, still mindful of the kits in her stomach. Speaking of… Orchiddrop paused suddenly, then let out a choked gasp as the pain gripped her abdomen. No. Not here. Not now, she pleaded, knees buckling. Rain lashed against her long white fur, her world spinning as the pain wracked her body.
Plead as she may, it was no use. Her kits were coming, making their entrance in the middle of the battle between their true father and the tom who would have played the part.
The gales brought the sound of her gasp to him, and it was enough for Crow's concentration to lapse momentarily, glimpsing behind him at where Orchiddrop had collapsed and shriveled in on herself. It was enough to give Goldenshadow the edge he needed, unwilling to concern himself with his traitorous mate.
He was fast. Lightning cracked the sky in the same instant he used his shoulder to uppercut Crow, and then darkness settled as he hit the ground again, Goldenshadow upon him once more. The battle went on like this for several minutes-- Goldenshadow tossing Crow around like a ragdoll, effortless in his savagery.
It may have stayed that way if not for Crow catching another glimpse of Orchiddrop-- his Orchiddrop; his love and his life-- with her body wracked by contractions. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that if he was felled here, his wouldn't be the only blood spilled today. His whole family would be wiped out before it had a chance to thrive.
He lunged. He was a shadow in the storm, clawing and spitting and snarling, and every advancement he made had Goldenshadow moving backwards, alarmed by the sudden onslaught he was subjected to. He was beaten and ragged by the end of it, his body littered by the wounds inflicted by the bright-eyes demon, the rainwater running red at his feet. Crow loomed above him, claws raised to deliver the finishing blow with absolutely no remorse, when a great, shuddering sigh ripped the willpower out of his body and he backed away, unable to bring himself to do it.
Goldenshadow took this opportunity to regain his bearings, absolute murder wild in his halcyon gaze, and he advanced towards Crow when--
(stardance can reply next with the huntress and have her beat up golden a lil c:)
Since her meeting the Crow, she found herself stalking SummerClan's territory. She had to make sure that he followed through and found his mate. She didn't see him again after that meeting, but she hung around. She had seen this tom and the she-cat wander before. She saw the fear in the why Orchiddrop moved, but ultimately decided to wait. It was not her place to interfere within this Clan. But that was before she noticed her pregnancy. This time she was close enough to see how pregnant she was, and when Goldenshadow readied himself to attack her, she was ready to defend. But then her shadow confronted the demon. And she couldn't have been more proud, until he started to actually fight. Goldenshadow clearly was the better fighter, but she waited to step in. Her son had more inside of him. She saw his conflict, his rage, and his love. When he found that inner strength, the difference was clear.
He ragdolled the poor tom around, no doubt driven by a mixture of rage and desire to protect his mate. She knew how much pent up anger he had, and Goldenshadow was taking the brunt of it. Igziq stayed there in silence, and held her breath as Crow finally ended up on top with his claws raised. The blue-eyed bengal silently egged him on. And then he hesitated, and Igziq got ready. Goldenshadow had rage too, and the abuser never let that rage go. Ever. She stalked to within striking distance, and then when Goldenshadow moved toward her son, she leaped from her hiding place.
She was a blur when she collided with the tom, and in their tumble his surprise let Igziq grab onto his foreleg and end up on top. Without a moment's hesitation and with all the strength in her forelegs, she pulled up and a loud pop could be heard by everyone as she dislocated his leg. She threw him by that foreleg, no doubt causing him immense pain, and growled. "You lousy piece of abusive filth!" She knew the fight was over, his was incapacitated. No cat could fight on with a dislocated limb. But she was not her son. She had no moral code that would hold her back her. In a moment she was on his other leg, and did the same. Another pop. This time, she twisted his leg with her jaws for good measure. A sick cackle left her jaws as she let go of his leg. "No one threatens my family. No one!"
She glanced between Crow and Orchiddrop. To Crow, the meaning was simple: mommy's got this, help your mate. To Orchiddrop, it was somewhere between 'welcome to the fam, hope you like it', and 'help is on the way.' She turned her attention back to Goldenshadow, and this time placed one paw on his neck and on his face. She slowed curled her claws into his neck, no doubt getting dangerously close to his airway and arteries. Her other paw curled into his skull, and she made sure to hover one of her claws above an eye. "How does it feel to be powerless." She pushed down on his neck and started to suffocate him. "This is how she felt. This is what you did to her!" His previously immaculate pelt didn't escape her. With the paw that was curled into his skull she split one ear straight in two, and gave the other a distinctive bite mark. There no tear, only a tooth sized hole in his ear. Her tone dropped and she turned to look at Crow and Orchiddrop. "Crow, mommy's gonna rehabilitate this tom. You don't have to worry about him anymore."
(GidgetGal it's time for ratstar to make his appearance!)
There was more than one pair of eye watching the series of events that had just transpired. After Crow had left to spy on Goldenshadow and Orchiddrop's meeting, Rosethorn - ever the dutiful sister - had run to fetch the Summerclan leader when he returned from a Dawn patrol. Ratstar had arrived just in time; in time to see Goldenshadow ready to strike down a pregnant she-cat, and that she-cat's true mate fight tooth and claw to protect her. He had to fight every instinct in his body to stop himself from jumping in and assisting Crow, for reasons similar to that of Igziq. He wanted to see what Crow was really made of, and he was filled with pride when the tom not only won the fight, but chose on his own to be merciful to his opponent. That was actually when Ratstar was about to come out, but the one thing that the Summerclan leader hadn't accounted for was Crow's mother. Yeah...Goldenshadow kinda deserved that. But as much of a jerk as he was, nobody deserved death, so the fun was over. Time to step in.
"Alright, alright, I think the poor fool gets the picture, lady." Chuckling softly, Ratstar emerged from the undergrowth and padded over to stand over Goldenshadow, gently lifting Igziq's claws from the golden tom's neck. "Geez, ya really did a number on 'im, huh?" Glancing down at the completely helpless tom beneath them, the leader sighed sadly, leaning down til Ratstar and Goldenshadow were eye-to-eye. "I really hoped ya were better than this, Goldie. I'm sadly not surprised, jus' disappointed. Honestly the only reason I'm not lettin' 'er kill ya 'ere an' now is cause I don' want your kits livin' without a father. Unfortunately, that don' mean I'm lettin' ya off easy. We'll let the clan decide how t' punish ya. And, fer the record, if ya ever pull somethin' like this again..." Ratstar's face suddenly twisted into a terrifying snarl, his voice low and feral. "I'll make ya wish you died today. Got it? Good talk, Goldie." Cheerful smile back of him face again, the leader lightly patted Goldenshadow on the head with his paw, and stood up straight.
"Now Crow," he turned to address Crow, considering the young ebony tom for a moment with a flicker of an amused smile. "That was pretty good technique. Ya deserve a proper warrior name jus' fer your fightin', and your determination to protect those you love. Try an' get Orchiddrop as close t' camp as ya can. As fer you..." Ratstar turned back to Igziq, suddenly staring at the she-cat with the biggest puppy-dog eyes (or, well, eye) that she'd ever seen. "I would literally never forgive myself if I didn't try and convince ya t' join Summerclan. You are absolutely phenomenal, lady. Whatever it takes, whatever - minus killin' Goldenshadow - ya want, jus' you name it. Please, give me an offer."
Rosethorn had been hot on Ratstar's heels on their way out through the storm, hanging back at his request until the fighting was over. Then she broke forward from her hiding spot, rushing to her sister's side.
Orchiddrop was curled around herself, taking shuddering breaths as the contractions wracked her body. She was drenched from the rain, shuddering and pitiful, and blood still welled from the wounds on her cheek, mixing with mud, rain, and tears. Rosethorn took a deep breath, tears welling in her own eyes as she leaned down beside her sister.
"You're okay, Orchid. You're alive," she whispered, trying to soothe the rightfully hysteric queen. "I'm so sorry- I should've intervened earlier. I didn't know-" She cut herself off, realizing it wasn't the time. "You have to be strong for just a little longer, Orchid. For your babies." She turned to Crow, exhaling deeply. "Go get Graythorn. Get him to bring labor herbs. There's no way she's moving until the kits are here."
There was nothing to do except wait, so Rosethorn laid down beside the queen, trying to keep her warm in the icy rain. She rested her chin on Orchiddrop's back, murmuring soothing words as Orchiddrop wept- wept from pain, from regret, from fear, from relief that Crow had not been killed. The others could discuss Goldenshadow all they wanted- as much as Rosethorn wanted to see him dead, her obligation was first and foremost to her battered and trembling sister.
Igziq glared at him as he emerged from the brush. She new the poise that cat carried, even if it was an odd one. She carried it once, the poise of a leader. She had no respect for this tom whatsoever, but she respected that she was on his land, and it wasn't her place now to decide his fate. As much as he deserved it, she couldn't do it with his decree. She let him move the claws from his neck, and then growled. "Well, he deserved it, and more." She continued to glare a Goldenshadow through Ratstar's lecture. A clan with any sense would put him to death on the spot. No one deserved to ever get lured into his trap again.
The sound of Orchiddrop's suddering breaths snapped her attention over. She assumed the other cat was her sister or a close friend, but frankly didn't trust her to help deliver her grandkits. Ratstar's offer was only a distraction. "We'll talk later." She rushed over and nearly shouldered Rosethorn out of the way. She bended down to eye level with Orchiddrop. "I've delivered three litters on my own, and I know you can do one. You were strong enough to be able to stand up to him, so delivering your kits is gonna be easier than catching a fish out of the water. We're gonna get you some water and a stick," She glanced between Rosethorn and Crow. "And we're gonna deliver your kits. I just need you to focus on my breathing, and copy it." She starting taking deep breaths, each one long and deliberate. "Just like this."
Crow could feel his legs begging to buckle underneath him when his mother threw herself into the fray, the strength that had held him aloft and carried him through the battle seeping out knowing that Igziq would take care of everything from here. He knew he couldn't, though. Showing weakness now was the last thing he wanted to do, the last thing he wanted Goldenshadow to see before he would watch his mother's claws rip the life right out of him.
At least, he'd hoped that would be the resolution to the events of this evening. Reality was a lot less sweet-- Ratstar arriving in time to spare the abusive pile of bones laying crumpled at his paws. He bit back a snarl that he was sure the leader wouldn't appreciate, his eyes glinting with an immediate guilt that he'd ever doubted Ratstar, and he raised his dark chin when he was addressed. There weren't any words for him to say, the gratitude mute between the two toms. Ratstar would surely see it in his eyes before they flickered away to rest on Orchiddrop, and Crow may have lurched across to her if not for Rosethorn's arrival next.
Numbly, he registered her order. Most things were starting to fizzle out of his awareness as the exhaustion and blood loss drained him of what little energy he had reserved, wanting nothing more than to be warm and dry and snuggled up somewhere with his mate like they'd done before their relationship became complicated by abandonment, deceit, and bitterness. He should hate her for it. Somewhere, that dark little seed of anger that had been planted the day his childhood ended was threatening to bloom, but it withered and died anytime they so much as made eye contact or he caught her distinct lavender scent when they passed each other, wordlessly, in camp. Crow couldn't hate Orchiddrop anymore than he could have killed Goldenshadow.
His mother once again claimed the remnants of his attention, taking charge as she so easily did. He struggled between the two orders poised to him before, begrudgingly, he addressed Rosethorn. "I'll get Graythorn." Haggard, it was clear there wasn't much left in the fiery tom-- and he definitely didn't want to leave, not with his mate giving birth to his kits-- but he knew Rosethorn would be harder to convince to go. "You get the supplies until then." Firebright eyes resting on Orchiddrop's pained gaze, an unspoken I love you flashing within them, he summoned up the last dredges of strength and vanished from the scene.
(Whitemuzzle hope you don't mind adding graythorn to this mess!)
(whitemuzzle i am sorry for this long thread LOL the long and short of it is that orchiddrop is giving birth out in the storm after being attacked by her former mate. all we need graythorn to do is deliver the kits!)
Post by Whitemuzzle on Jan 26, 2021 16:49:59 GMT -5
(No worries! )
If it wasn't one thing it was another! Graythorn thought as he followed Crow through the wet territory at a break-neck speed. His small log of herbs banged against his chest as it dangled from the vine handle in his mouth. Why can't queens stay inside the camp when they're so close to delivering? There was nothing he could do but follow the fleet footed tom. It seemed like an eternity before he picked up the scents of other cats just ahead of them and was surprised to see their leader, Ratstar, among the group. He stopped when he saw Goldenshadow laying hurt among the group but the sound of a cat in pain drew his attention to Orcharddrop.
"How far apart are the contractions?" he asked after dropping his herb log on the ground near the pregnant queen. He was pleased to see Rosethorn was here. She could help him with the herbs. At least she'd be the only cat here who would know what herb was what.
"Too close. She'd been laboring for a bit by the time we stepped in," Rosethorn said, unwilling to admit she'd been a little overwhelmed and had not timed the contractions. Still, she knew that these kits were coming now. She moved aside to let Graythorn work, helping her sister take the stick between her teeth to distract her from the pain.
"It hurts," Orchiddrop whispered, voice fractured with pain. "I-oh!" To her surprise, it was then that the first kit was born, a damp gray she-kit who squealed and wiggled. Instinctively, she moved to clean it off, ignoring the pain in her abdomen.
The rest of the kits came in a similar fashion, between the contractions, and Graythorn and Rosethorn and Igziq worked to clean them and nuzzle them as close to Orchiddrop's stomach as they could in the pouring rain. After everything had died down, and Orchiddrop seemed to float in and out of consciousness due to exhaustion and cold, Rosethorn sat back on her haunches. "We should get them back to camp," she told no one in particular, looking between Ratstar and Graythorn and Crow. "And him," she added, casting a disgusted look at Goldenshadow.
Post by Whitemuzzle on Jan 28, 2021 11:34:32 GMT -5
Goldenshadow had been pushed from Graythorn's mind in the flurry of activity surrounding the birth of the kits. He noted Rosethorn's voice and look of disgust as she looked at him laying there on the ground. Then a quick look at the others present told him the same story, Goldenshadow had somehow fallen from grace in the eyes of his clanmates. Well, he'd get the story later. Right now it was important to get Orcharddrop and her new-born kits safely back to camp. "I need some cats to help Orcharddrop and the kits get back to camp." He emptied the contents from his herb log and placed two of the kits inside. He wished he had another log to accommodate the rest but this was all he had. "Some cats take the other kits and get moving now!" He knew the importance of getting them all to the dry, warm nursery quickly. He picked up the log with the two kits inside and walked at a brisk pace back toward the camp.
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