The coyote attack on her mate had Wrencry in a negative fit during the height of her pregnancy. She was devastated by the loss—not only for herself, but for her unborn kits who would grow up without a proper father figure. The single mother sat in one of the designated hollowed out cacti and fell ill with grief. Fellow queen Wasptongue took it upon herself to give the grieving mother some company so as to not worsen the illness and give the kittens a chance at a normal birth.

Two beautiful and strangely quiet kittens were born on a hot humid day with enough push from Wrencry and consistent encouragement from Wasptongue and the medicine cat. The tired mother curled up with her new kin and dozily named them with her family’s bird scheme in mind. She passed out from exhaustion moments after murmuring;

“Hawkkit. Owlkit.”

Around this time, concerning Cougartooth’s death, Newtchirp was named deputy in his place.

Admiring a cat in a position of power, Hawkkit soon began showing the signs of her true personality. She would most certainly grow into a bright blossoming warrior with boundless confidence and high energy. Almost as if to balance her out, Owlkit certainly lived up to his name. He sat in silence, blinking occasionally to prove to any passersby that he was alive. The young kit was often roped into his sister’s shenanigans and while he certainly played along with similar childlike innocence, there was an almost motherly feature about him considering how often he worried about how reckless Hawkkit tended to be.

Figuring the quiet tom would naturally take the role of guard and the fierce molly would make a striking hunter was Wrencry’s train of logic when she presented her children for their ceremony. Thus, Peccaryfur became Owlpaw’s mentor and Gorsewind became Hawkpaw’s. 

Peccaryfur was aware of Owlpaw’s quiet nature, as was most of the Clan by now, and still, from day one she knew his stiffness was not simply his nerves or general attitude. He sat in silence for nearly all of their lessons, quietly absorbing the information that was shown to him with upright posture and wide eyes. Still, his mentor could see it in those bright orbs that his heart wasn’t in this line of work. She didn’t confront the matter any further yet. 

The first time Owlpaw was treated to a border meeting with their CaveClan neighbors, was the first time the young tom made a friend who went by the name Starlingpaw. The other ‘paw seemed jubilant and simple-minded with a rather loud air about them. The complete opposite of Owlpaw himself but he rather found it amusing. 

They only had so long to make small talk at the borders when the Clans became too hostile with one another. Border meetings were quickly abolished thanks to the high tension environment. And yet, curious about the CliffClan lifestyle, Starlingpaw insisted on meeting up with Owlpaw on their own time regardless of the rules. Torn with true loyalty to his Clan and the chance to speak with a cat he soon valued as a true friend, Owlpaw softly agreed to meet. Starlingpaw was blind so whenever the pair met, Owlpaw’s watchful gaze kept them safe from wandering CliffClan warriors. 

Hawkpaw, meanwhile, expressed vocal disdain for hunting. She announced it was too much effort trying to be quiet and swift footed to take down prey. As she grew, her build wasn’t suited for streamline attacks and she was notably more successful with combat training. Owlpw suggested swapping positions. He had the physique and the tenacity to become a powerful hunter. News of their dilemma reached their leader’s ears and with some extra convincing from Peccaryfur, who no doubt wanted the best for her apprentice, their training regime and mentors were swapped. 

Gorsewind proved to be significantly less patient. Despite being a hunter, his tactics revealed a certain kind of unhurried swiftness. This fierce ginger warrior stalked the border of rushing and patience. He was too fast on the field to ever consider taking his time and yet, he made the kill every single time, his paws always in motion, his fur always caught up in the breeze. Like a piece of gorse swept around by the wind. 

Now of age and in high regard by his mentor’s standards, the ‘paw arched and bloomed into a strong and calculated hunter with a new name to bear with pride: Owlgaze. Even though she was no longer his mentor, Peccaryfur had a watery shine to her eyes, implying some sort of leaking emotion, meanwhile Gorsewind offered a subtle, yet exceedingly prideful smirk. He’d made both of them proud and the young tom offered a gentle smile of his own in return as well as an appreciative bow of his head. 

A new rank granted new freedoms and Owlgaze had full range of the territory without a looming gaze of a mentor watching his every move. He did, however, have an assigned team which made being truly alone difficult but it’s not like he minded their company. 

Life remained relatively normal. Owlgaze followed a rather monotonous day to day lifestyle with spontaneous changes. The next biggest change in his life appeared in the form of a little bundle of pale fur who was now dubbed his official apprentice. Cactuspaw was a shy thing. She sat in silence, much like Owlgaze had when he was an apprentice. He didn’t expect to coax her out of her isolation shell and rather use the skills he had to teach her like he was taught. It wasn’t his fault that the familiarity eventually brought the young ‘paw to bloom into someone totally more energetic and excitable, but nonetheless he was proud to see her grow. 

A certain glint of admiration sat in his gaze during her ceremony and he’d take it to his grave and swear that no tears had been shed in her honor. The young molly was certainly deserving of her -bloom surname. 

While not the best acquainted, Cliff’s death hit hard but Owlgaze allowed himself to move on.

In moving on, Owlgaze has damned himself in the eyes of his clan by continuing to seek out and meet with Starlingmoon. They had yet to be discovered but patrols were tight; it was difficult for any cat to have any interaction across the border without someone else knowing. Their relationship was held together by frayed strands. 

In the height of the clan feud, Cactusbloom was found dead by the border, the whiff of CaveClan scented off her corpse. Enraged, CliffClan struck back and Owlgaze was forced to comply along the wishes of his clanmates. He too, felt rage, for he had lost his former apprentice, but more violence was not the answer here. 

In the cave system, everything fell apart. Separated from his own clan, Owlgaze found Starlingmoon, and Jackaltooth found them. Trying to salvage a once calm situation, the amber-eyed tom ended up striking his own and began severing the bond the hunters shared as squadmates.

CliffClan returned from the battle, beaten and bruised; Owlgaze refused to look at any of them. He would have been content slinking in the shadows of his own and moving on yet again in life, until of course Jackaltooth spoke the truth and outed his fellow hunter as a code breaker who fraternized with a rival clan. CliffClan suddenly turned on their newfound traitor and Owlgaze was forced to speak, pleading with Newtchirp to take the high road and soon bring about peace that the hunter so desperately strived for. His case was not met with understanding. Newtchirp pronounced his actions guilty and the punishment given was exile. Stripped from his squad and his most recent apprentice, Smudgepaw.

Completely alone, Owlgaze has no choice but to leave, somehow satisfied with the unfolding chaos he leaves in his wake. 

prisoner ↟It’s time to pick a new side. 

Owlgaze was captured at the entrance of Moonshine Lake by the CaveClan patrol: Juncojaw, Foxspring, and Petalwish. There was a scuffle in which the CliffClan exile did not fight back but did end up with a nasty throat bite from Juncojaw regardless. Perhaps an eye for an eye this time. 

The final decision was to take him back to the heart of their camp, blind and gagged from one of their warriors’ pelts. He was unable to see the swarm of cats around him as this thin and frightened exile stood on trial to be judged by Grackleshade herself. Furious that he had been even brought before her eyes, she cast him to the medicine den as a prisoner until further notice. 

His senses were returned when he found his new temporary living space, sharing a den with the medicine cats Batwing and Adderpaw, but also, by proxy, Batwing’s mate—Juncojaw. The inevitable tension was palpable. In his new home, the prisoner of wartime became under scrutiny of name. No one would refer to him as “Owlgaze”; it had been “Birdsnatcher” since his arrival. And Birdsnatcher it would stay. 

The days blurred into a sort of monotony for the time being. He’d been barred from seeing his beloved but it was a nervous Adderpaw who approached with a message from Starlingmoon—well, now it was Starlingpaw as a result of his own traitorous display—and that was how they communicated.

Tallstep’s arrival was a proper slap in the face. Birdsnatcher could only stare in surprised horror upon watching his former clanmate in the medicine den with him. He’d just started to forget about CliffClan and now… here was someone from that former life coming to haunt him. The medicine cat brought an illness with him and alongside a pawful of other cats, Birdsnatcher remained quarantined with them, waiting for the gray tabby to recover. And when he successfully had, Grackleshade sent him back to CliffClan with a message for a treaty. Birdsnatcher could breathe easier now; his will for peace between the clans might finally come to fruition. 

The meeting that happens does not go peacefully. It seemed there was a planned assassination attempt from CaveClan’s side and the Birdsnatcher is left horrified watching the brutal events unfold. CliffClan’s leader Newtchirp dies. CaveClan’s deputy Falconwatcher dies. Killed at the claws of each other. 

Cats of the Stars appear before the clans and newly named Newtstar is given 9 lives. Not that Birdsnatcher is paying attention for he’s too busy staring wide-eyed at the starry coat of his sister. Moons ago, he’d shared a conversation with Skunknose wherein they shared differing opinions concerning his exile. The black and white molly had revealed while he’d been away, Hawkthroat had passed and oh how he mourned for his sibling that he would never see again. But here she was now! Bathed in glistening, starry light. She was ethereal. He does not speak to her but he’s happy to have caught a glimpse of her new form.

Birdsnatcher follows CaveClan back without a sign of their leader. She returns after a time of turmoil, appearing haggard and exhausted. It’s later revealed she was attacked by a clanmate, a warrior by the name of Snakefang. He was put on trial, a scene much too familiar for Birdsnatcher’s liking, and by means of cast stones, the traitor was exiled. Now wasn’t that a sight to see from a witness point of view.

apprentice ↡In a private meeting, he’d asked a favor of Gracklestar. And now it was time to bear witness to her gesture of kindness. Birdsnatcher was given an opportunity to train under members of the guard, a total of three mentors he must train with in order to be fully recognized in the clan. 

Ratbite was stern, quiet. She didn’t speak unnecessarily and kept her words concise. She was a cat the Birdsnatcher could relate to. They never shared a pointless conversation. She even gave the tawny tom the respect of calling him Owlgaze when it was just the two of them. The feelings that incurred were warm and flourishing. 

Scorpiontail was regal, thought provoking. He ensured his charge with a very important lesson: there were no guards to watch your back in the tunnels, unlike CliffClan. You alone bore the burden of caring for everyone else and in turn, they would care for you. 

Wolfdawn was noble, grounded. A sturdy member of the guard who simply took the mentor role as he was told. Nothing grandiose came from the endeavor but it was a gentle effort that pushed Birdsnatcher to the ends of his apprentice training. 

There was only one thing left to do.

A warrior’s ceremony.

warrior ↡

Birdwatcher. 

A name most fitting somehow. Owlgaze was finally put to rest.

The new name was a bit awkward, having now gone through three lifetimes, but with much relief it was not spoken with the same spitting hatred that his insult name offered. Now it was spoken as if he’d been given another chance. A chance that was fought for most fiercely with tooth and claw. 

Now a full warrior once again, the surface in isolation was granted. Though it didn’t mean he avoided the company. He’d apparently made quick acquaintances with Ratbite’s brother, Thistletooth, and the other tom was profoundly attached. Thistletooth had the honor of being the first to see Birdwatcher’s return to the surface with wings spread and hunting prowess bared. Oh how he’d missed the Sun. 

And now it was time to face his past. The first official gathering was called, this time without traitorous plots to overthrow leaders though the suspicion was high. Suddenly overwhelmed with the presence of former clanmates, Birdwatcher did his best to keep to himself. And to Ratbite, she looked like she could use some company. To himself though, he decided that any contact he would share with a CliffClanner tonight would have to come from their initiative alone. Not from a place of laziness, merely because the frightened tom didn’t dare step on any toes or burn any more bridges than he hadn’t already. Much to his surprise, Stagleap and Palewisp, mates to each other, revealed themselves and offered polite congratulations to CaveClan’s new warrior. Their concern was welcomed by Birdwatcher though he ultimately had to dismiss them a while later, feigning an urgency with a clanmate when he merely wanted a disgruntled Ratbite to be comfortable. The rest of the night went on seamlessly.

The gathering to follow was not such a jovial jaunt as expected. Birdwatcher was swept up in CaveClan company given that their clan had arrived first, no sign of CliffClan yet. After some personal bombarding questions courtesy of Palesight, a molly who he’d actually quite enjoyed the presence of given her niceties. Thistletooth was at his side moments later and for a while, it was the three of them conversing while the evening crept on. And trouble continued to brew. A handful of coatis barreled into the cavern, crying of mountain lion danger. Time seemed to slow and every agonizing second was spent waiting for CliffClan to crawl from their desert home on the surface and nestle in the caves for a chance of reprieve. News traveled quickly—they’d lost their home. And it now looked like CaveClan would have some new guests for the time being. Birdwatcher doesn’t know how to feel.