Thorn's Reprise

Thorn 

It had been several moons since Thorn had left her old life behind. Being a rogue wasn't easy, but she had learned to adapt. Most cats here worshipped her, but Thorn could see it was fake. They feared her. Word had spread quickly about Hemlock and ShadowClan. Rogues that had traveled near clan borders picked up on idle chatter from the remaining clans. It hadn't taken them long to figure out who had committed such brash crimes. 

It was the middle of Greenleaf now, or as the rogues called it, Summer. The sun was shining bright, leaving no relief from the heatwave that had been ongoing for nearly a quarter moon. The air was thick and hard to inhale. A storm was brewing. 

Good. We need the rain. All the streams that run through the city have dried up. 

Thorn stepped out of her den, a cardboard box that leaned alongside a building. In the shade, the heat was bearable. Out in the sun, however, it was sweltering. Most cats were smart enough to stay in their boxes until nightfall. 

But I'm not like most cats.

As thunder started rumbling in the distance, Thorn made her way out of the city and into the forest. She never adapted to eating leftover rubbish out of bins. She has always preferred fresh prey. The black tabby crouched down and started stalking.

Like the prey was waiting for her, Thorn started smelling the strong scents of rabbit and vole. Her stomach growled loudly, though a deafening crash of thunder drowned it out.

Shit. I better hurry up if I want to eat before the storm arrives.

Keeping her ears flattened to her head, the black tabby perked up her head slightly. Her deep heather-colored eyes caught sight of a small vole nibbling on some plants about three tail-lengths in front of her. She used her tail to judge the direction of the wind, satisfied when she confirmed she was downwind. She slowly stalked forward.

Steady. Don't want to give the vole any signs you're here.

Bunching up her muscles, she leaped once she was one tail-length from the vole, landing squarely onto its hindquarters. Quicker than the lightning that flashed overhead, she made her kill and started to devour her meal. 

Fat raindrops began to fall, hitting Thorn straight on the muzzle. She shook her head, quickly gulping down the last of her meal, and started making her way back to the city as the rain became heavier.

                               ------------------------------

Blair

A pretty brown she-cat drowsed softly atop a large pillow in a patch of sunlight. This was Blair's favorite pastime. The warm sun on her fur made her feel like a kit again, snuggling against her mother. 

She blinked open her soft green eyes, purring when she saw that her server had brought her a fresh silver bowl of ice-cold water. Blair sat up and took a long drink with gentle laps of her tongue before stretching out all of her limbs and making her way toward the large window on the other side of the room. 

As she moved, the bell on her collar echoed around the room, making Blair feel small. Her human den was the largest in the city. She was treated by humans and cats alike as royalty. All the special treatment had to do with her performance in the cat shows. She had won first place every year since she was only a few months old. Thus, she had always been pampered. 

The large window had perches sticking onto it, which Blair used to climb as high as the ceiling. It made her feel tall and free. Blair made her way to the top, jumping from one perch to the next. Once she reached the top, she took a deep breath and sat down, staring at the outside.

Her eyes drifted to a large house next door. Inside, her assigned mate would be drowsing on his large pillow. She felt a twinge of pain thinking about him. Macgyver was a purebred Maine Coon. The humans assigned them to each other as mates to create pure-blooded future show cats. 

That's how both his and Blair's parents were mated, and many of their ancestors before them. Pedigree was important to the humans and the show people. 

Blair let out a sigh, her gaze drifting to the sky above as she noticed the lighting change.

Clouds dark as night were rolling in. Lightning sparked and thunder roared. Anxiety suddenly started bubbling in Blair's belly. She'd never seen clouds that dark before. The air pressure changed, causing the hair on her spine to stand up. Something terrible was coming. As the light of the afternoon sun dimmed, a raspy, loud howling broke through the air. Panic squeezed Blair's heart and she jumped from her perch, running underneath the sofa and flattening her ears against the noises.

Her humans rushed down the stairs and shouted for her. Blair hardly heard them over the wailing and the sound of the wind as it picked up outside. She trembled in fear. 

Heavy rain pounded against the roof, making the large room seem small as sound took up all the space. Blair's head started to pound. The amount of noise was overwhelming. 

Blair didn't know how long it had been when suddenly, the noise stopped. It was eerily silent. Blair slowly peeked out from under the sofa but dove back under once a loud crash broke the silence.

Blair noticed the roaring becoming louder, and out of nowhere, water swept her and the sofa off the ground. She tried to scream but her muzzle was dragged under the wild waves that filled her home. One of the windows had broken, and now, the lake was inside the mansion. 

Calling all her strength, Blair tried to swim but the surface was impossible to find. Panic was surging through her, clouding her train of thought. All around her furniture and objects swirled in the water. 

This is how I'm going to die.

Her lungs started to hurt and yearn for air she couldn't reach. Using the last of her strength, she fought in one final effort to reach the surface. Right when she had started regaining hope, a strong wave sent a large object right toward her head. Pain split her skull in two as her consciousness disappeared and her body was swept away.

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Thorn

The storm raged on for what seemed like days. Pouring rain, hail, and strong winds threatened to destroy everything in its path. The black tabby hid in an alleyway between two large buildings, sheltering under a ledge on a wall. This storm didn't bother her one bit. It was just rain, after all. 

It wasn't until Thorn heard a loud rumbling sound that she started to panic.

What in StarClan's name is that? 

She fought back her nerves and made her way out of the alleyway to investigate. What she saw in front of her chilled her right to the bone.

A cloud had reached down from the sky like a long claw and was tearing up everything below it. Thorn had never been so terrified as monsters were flung through the air like birds. 

The wind pulled at her, threatening to carry her away, but she held on with all her might as the cloud passed several tree lengths in front of her. At one point, her paws did leave the ground, but she grasped onto a windowsill not far above her head. 

As quick as it all began, it was over. The cloud moved on, leaving pouring rain in its wake. Thorn hauled herself up atop the windowsill, panting. Her muscles burned and her heart was pounding so hard, her whole body trembled to its rhythm. 

Is it over? 

Something told Thorn not to get too comfortable just yet. Her fur started to stand on end. There was more danger coming. 

Lavender eyes scanned the walls of the buildings around her. She had to get to higher ground to investigate.

She bunched up her muscles and lept, grasping onto a ledge above her head. She kept climbing until she reached the roof of the building. Glancing around, her eyes widened in horror at what she saw.

Buildings were torn apart like they had been stepped on. The large cloud was still on the ground, tearing up everything, just farther away now. Water was spilling over onto the Thunderpaths. The lake must've flooded. Thorn shuddered. This was horrifying. 

------------------------------------------

The rain started to ease not long after Thorn had carefully made her way off the building and onto the ground. The water was up to her belly, and she had to swim around piles of debris. Twolegs started climbing out of their fallen dens, many with wounds.

Where is everyone? Are they all dead?

While Thorn didn't know the cats that lived in the city very well, the thought that all but her were killed turned her blood to ice. 

She continued swimming down the Thunderpath, looking everywhere for any sign of cats she recognized. 

Relief flooded beneath her pelt as she heard a yowl behind her. She turned around, spotting a gray-and-cream tabby she-cat named Sunshine.

"Sunshine! Is everyone okay?" Thorn fought to keep the fear out of her voice. 

It was rare Thorn felt emotion. Since she was a tiny kit, she was criticized for even having emotions. Nowadays, she rarely felt anything other than numb. Though in extreme cases like now, Thorn found herself struggling against panic, and it overwhelmed her.

Sunshine's blue eyes were filled with relief. "Yes, we are all okay. You were the only one unaccounted for. I'll show you where we are sheltered." Sunshine started swimming towards the abandoned building on top of a hill. That abandoned building was an old gathering place for the Twolegs. A large thorn on the roof touched the clouds, and stones with strange markings littered the yard around the building. Thorn was shocked to see that it hadn't been torn apart in the storm. 

At the bottom of the hill, Sunshine and Thorn both paused to shake the water from their pelts.

"I'm surprised this building is still standing," Thorn remarked. 

"We were as well. I suppose since it's on a hill, the water isn't able to reach this height. Perhaps the hill had to do with the tornado avoiding it as well." Sunshine spoke matter-of-factly. 

"Tornado? Is that what the cloud was? I've never heard of such a word before," Thorn murmured.

"O-oh! Yes! Sorry, Thorn. I always forget you weren't raised around humans." Sunshine looked embarrassed.

Thorn just flicked an ear and led Sunshine up the hill. 

Once they started approaching the building, they were met by several cats Thorn recognized as being a part of the group she lived with. She felt relief at how many cats there were. Thorn spun around when she heard another familiar panicked yowl.

"Thorn! I'm so glad you're here. I need your help!" 

The voice was a brown tabby named Oak, who had taken a healer role in the group. He was the only one who knew Thorn had prior herbal knowledge from her clan life. His one eye sparked with panic, his other eye white and lifeless.

"What is it, Oak?" Thorn trotted over to the tabby tom.

"I found a cat washed up downhill. There's a large wound on her head and she's unconscious." His face was frantic. He added in a low voice, "She's an expecting queen." 

Thorn's pelt prickled with urgency. Any kits or queens were at the top of her priorities when danger was awry. That's one part of her warrior instinct that never faded when she left.  "Take me to her." 

Oak briskly nodded before breaking into a run down the hill. Thorn followed right behind him, his tail tickling her nose. 

At the waterline, a pretty brown and cream-dappled she-cat lay unmoving. Thorn nudged the stranger with her muzzle, feeling for breath with her whiskers, feeling dread when she felt nothing.

"She's not breathing. Move her into her back." 

Oak helped Thorn roll the unconscious and stiff feline onto her back. As soon as her fur touched the damp grass, Thorn started pumping her chest.

"Check on the kits!" 

Oak pressed an ear to the she-cats belly. "There's a faint heartbeat but it's getting weaker. We need to get air in her lungs." 

Thorn nodded and mimicked what she had seen the old medicine cat in ShadowClan do countless times. She opened the she-cat's jaws and covered her nose with a paw, placing her own jaws over the unconscious she-cats mouth and breathing into her lungs, watching in satisfaction as the spotted queen's chest rose.

Thorn continued doing chest compressions until the queen jerked, water spraying out of her jaws.

Oak, whose ear was still on the queen's belly, smirked in satisfaction. "Kit's heart rate is rising and getting stronger!" 

"K-kit?" The queen murmured, letting out wheezy breaths.

Thorn looked at the dappled she-cat. "Yes. You're expecting. Were you not aware?" 

The queen's eyes widened in shock. "I wasn't." 

Oak gave Thorn a hesitant glance. Thorn just twitched an ear in response.

"...Surprise," Oak said awkwardly. "Um, what's your name, darling?"

"Blair. My name is Blair. Where am I?" Yellow eyes glanced around in fear.

"Safe, that's all that matters. Can you stand? Do you feel dizzy?" Oak started examining the wound on the queen's head.

"I think I'm okay." Blair attempted to stand. She stumbled, and Oak leaned against her to steady her.

"Let's take you to our camp and we'll get you some food and herbs." Oak wrapped his tail over the expecting queen's shoulders, leading her up the hill and towards the building. Thorn followed behind, making sure Blair didn't fall.

Once they reached the top of the hill, Thorn nodded to Oak.

"Get her the herbs she needs. I'm going to inspect the damage a little more."

"Be careful, Thorn." 

As they disappeared inside, Thorn turned and started trotting back downhill.

                          -------------------------

Blair 

The moon was high in the sky, lighting up the room in the faint reflections of the colorful windows that lined the walls. All around her, the gentle sound of snoring and low murmuring filled the air as countless cats slept inside the small building. In a dark corner near a ledge, Blair lay on a small blanket, her mind foggy and head pounding. Her fur was sticky with herbs and cobwebs covering her wounds. Besides the wound on her head, she had several scratches lining her body. She ached all over.

All she could remember was her chest being pushed on by a pretty black tabby with stunning purple eyes. Beyond that, Blair's head only pounded in pain, failing to bring any memories back to her. However, she could still vividly remember one thing: the brown tom telling her she was expecting kits.

How is that even possible? Macgyver and I only mated once.

Blair wasn't sure how to feel about her pregnancy. Sure, her humans would be pleased, but it just meant that now she was mated to Macgyver for as long as she could bear his purebred kits. The thought made her chest feel tight.

Why am I so upset by this? Macgyver is a great tomcat. He'll make a wonderful father and mate.

No matter how much she tried, Blair couldn't stop the feeling of hurt from flooding her chest. She knew she wasn't in love with Macgyver, and Blair longed to feel true love more than anything.

It was obvious my parents weren't in love with one another. They hardly ever spoke.

Blair didn't want her own kits to experience the same pain she did as a kit.

But what can I do? This is just how life is for show cats. 

Blair let out a sigh and rested her head on her paws. She must've dozed off as she opened her eyes to the brown tom named Oak shaking her awake. 

"Are you okay? You were whimpering in your sleep," he murmured quietly.

"Yeah. Just bad dreams." Blair sat up, shaking out her pelt.

"Do you want me to give you some poppy seeds? They'll help you sleep," Oak offered.

"No. I think I'm just going to go for a walk to clear my head." 

Oak nodded in understanding. "Don't go too far. Most of the city is still underwater, and the storm caused lots of debris to be mixed in with it." 

Blair murmured her thanks before padding outside of the building. The wind brushed her fur into small knots which she knew she'd struggle to groom out later. Though, right now, she didn't care. 

In the distance was the sound of sirens from human rescue monsters. As Blair stood near the slope of the hill and looked down, what she saw broke her heart in two.

Most of the city was underwater. Many buildings were destroyed. Flashing red and blue lights lit up the water as boats zoomed across its surface. 

"It's devastating, isn't it?" A cold, deep monotone voice came from behind Blair, causing her to jump. She spun around, her fur flattening when she saw Thorn. 

"It is. It really is." Blair sat down, curling her tail over her paws.

The two sat together in silence, just gazing over the wrecked city.

"Where's your Twoleg nest, kittypet?" Thorn asked, breaking the silence.

"Kittypet?" Blair looked at Thorn in astonishment. "Excuse me?"

Thorn twitched an ear. "My apologies. I'm not a city cat. It's what my-" Thorn broke off, anger flashing in her eyes for a second, which puzzled Blair.

"It's alright. You don't have to finish. Though to answer your question, I'm from the other side of the lake. I lived in one of those huge mansions, or er-, nests." Blair felt heat rising underneath her fur. She hated admitting out loud that she lived a life of luxury.

"Is that where your mate is from as well?" 

Blair nodded wordlessly. She wished things were different. She wished she wasn't expecting Macgyver's kits. While normal queens would be over the moon, she felt deep anxiety.

"How did you know I'm a kittypet?" 

Thorn nodded towards the collar around Blair's neck. "I can hear the bell around your neck before I even see you. Collars are dead giveaways."

Blair ducked her head in embarrassment. That should've been obvious to her. However, Blair was never known as being the brightest flower in a garden.

Thorn stayed silent, and they sat together for several moments, a warm wind brushing their fur. Blair took in the comfortable silence. It brought peace to her mind.

After several moments Thorn lifted her muzzle in the air, sniffing curiously.

"The hunting party is back. Come, you must be hungry." The black tabby stood and started walking back towards the building they were sheltering in.

Blair had no clue what a hunting party was, but the mention of it being related to food made her stomach grumble. She didn't eat after arriving as the herbs she was given made her stomach feel queasy. Now, her appetite was back and causing her stomach to growl louder than a dog.

She followed not too far behind Thorn. As they neared the building, the overwhelming scent of blood hit Blair's nose. The smell made Blair want to run away, but Thorn's calm posture reassured the dappled she-cat that there was no danger. Thorn must've sensed Blair's sudden panic because she turned and glanced at Blair. 

"I suppose you've never had fresh kill before."

"No..." Blair didn't like the sound of whatever fresh kill was.

Thorn blinked before entering the building. "You'll love it." 

Though it was dark inside the building, Blair could make out the shapes of cats. Most had woken up now that the hunting party was back. They were all crouched together, eating different types of foods ranging from human leftovers to whole birds, mice, and squirrels. Blair was left astonished. 

"They're eating whole animals!" Blair couldn't believe it. Sure, she's heard of cats catching mice and other small creatures, but eating them? That was beyond her comprehension.

"Welcome to the life of a wild cat." Thorn walked up to her with a small mouse in her jaws. "Try it." 

Blair hesitated. The thought of eating another living being made her queasy. Though she doubted they could find fancy paté out here, and she was famished. She stretched out her muzzle and took the mouse from Thorn, setting it in front of her paws. Then, she bent down her head and took a bite.

The flavor was pungent and sweet. Aside from the strange texture of the fur, this had to be the best meal Blair has ever had.

"Woah!" She breathed, quickly swallowing and wasting no time taking another bite. 

For a moment, Blair thought she saw a gleam in Thorn's eyes but it disappeared before she could be sure.

Blair finished the mouse in a few ravenous gulps. Her belly felt warm now it was full. She glanced around, wanting to thank Thorn but the black tabby had vanished.

"Don't take her coldness personally. Thorn is like that towards everyone," a soft voice said from behind Blair.

The former show-cat turned to see a gray and cream tabby she-cat walking towards her.

"Really? I thought it was because I'm a new face around here." 

The other fae shook her head. "Thorn has had a really rough life. She finds it hard to trust others." She sighed. "It took her several moons to open up to me."

Blair twitched an ear. "How did you do it?" 

The other queen purred. "I guess it's in my nature. I have the role of caretaker here. I help soothe cats who've experienced the worst in life. I take care of new mothers and help them through birth. It's only natural I helped Thorn, I suppose." 

Blair nodded. "Would you be helping me when I give birth? If I'm still here, that is?" 

The tabby dipped her head. "It would be my honor."

A cat yowled from the back of the building, "Sunshine!" The gray tabby stood up.

"That's me. I have to go. We'll catch up soon, okay?" Sunshine smiled before bounding towards the voice. Blair stared after her until her tail tip disappeared into the blackness of night. Once Sunshine was out of sight, Blair made her way to her nest where she curled up and closed her eyes.

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Thorn

It was midmorning the next day when Thorn made her way back to the temporary camp. By the time Thorn had arrived, most cats were awake and sorting into their groups for the day. Against a sidewall, Oak and Sunshine were talking to Blair. By the way Oak was pointing with his tail, Thorn could tell they were explaining the way of life and why they all gathered in groups at the beginning of each day. Thorn made her way to them.

"...And we have a group for basic survival skills like hunting and self-defense," Oak said as Thorn approached.

Blair's eyes were wide. "Wow. How do you know which group each cat goes to?" 

"It depends on their current skills. The groups they frequent are the ones they lack the skills in." Sunshine said. "Which one do you think you'd go to, Blair?" 

"Human avoidance skills, survival skills, and patrol skills," Blair murmured the group names under her breath. "What if...I don't know how to do any of that?" 

Oak and Sunshine turned to look at Thorn, confusion and shock apparent on their faces. 

"We've never had a cat that didn't know at least one. What should we do, Thorn?" Oak asked.

It was a very particular situation. Usually, cats who were the most skilled in a particular group were the ones to train the others. That would mean Blair would need a teacher proficient in all three. She let out a breath. There was only one cat that fit those requirements, and that cat was Thorn herself.

"I'll train her," Thorn said. She looked Blair directly in the eyes. "I know you only expect to be here temporarily, but these skills are a requirement if you are to stay with us for any amount of time. Training won't be easy, and you will be exhausted and bruised at the end of the day. However, it's for our mutual benefit. Is that understood?" 

Blair looked fearful. She swallowed and shakily mewed, "Yes." 

Thorn motioned with a flick of her tail for Blair to follow her. Once they emerged outside, the humid air hit Thorn right in the face. What an interesting day of training it will be.

Since most of the city was still underwater, it was hard to find flat land to train on. Any that the tabby did happen to find was covered in mud and much too soggy. Thorn decided, after much too long of searching, to train on the small stretch of flat land behind the camp.

"Now, since you're expecting I will go easy on you. But considering you have no prior experience with battle moves, it will still be taxing on your body. If it becomes too much, just say so and we will pause for a break." 

Blair nodded in understanding, her eyes round with anxiety. 

"Let's start with the most basic skill you need to master in order to live out in the wild: the hunting crouch." 

Thorn took a stance across from Blair and got down into a hunting crouch. Doing this brought back nostalgic memories of hiding in bushes and spying on her fellow clanmates as they mentored apprentices. These memories caused anger to bubble in Thorn's chest. How could they have treated her so cruelly? How could they have shoved her to the side and treated her like an outcast when she had suckled alongside some of their top warriors? She was never allowed to leave camp unless she snuck out. She was banned from ever receiving proper training from a mentor or an apprentice name, and was only given a warrior name to keep suspicion from the other clans low. They only let her eat scraps and old prey. She spent most of her youth cleaning up after cats and being used as a practice dummy for battle moves. 

None of that matters anymore. I had gotten my revenge against them. I need to leave the past in the past and only focus on what I have ahead of me.

"Thorn?" Blair's frightened mew snapped Thorn back to the present. The black tabby fae cleared her throat. 

"Copy me," Thorn ordered, her voice harsher than intended. 

The spotted brown she-cat did as Thorn instructed. Thorn had to stifle a laugh. Her form was all wrong and she was obviously leaning heavily to one side. 

"...Not bad," Thorn said evenly. She made her way over to Blair. "Equally distribute your weight between each of your paws." The black tabby ran her tail down Blair's spine. "Duck your head down and keep your tail straight and still. Flatten your ears to your head. When you're ready to pounce, call strength to your rear legs and leap!" 

Blair lept, landing clumsily. Thorn held back a sigh. She was putting too much weight on her front paws.

"That was really bad. I'm sorry, I'll do better I promise!" Blair meowed as she shook out her pelt.

"You will do better next time. The more you practice and push yourself, the better you'll become." Thorn stepped close to Blair, close enough their fur touched.

"You have no muscle. You're all lean and bone. You need to build muscle to survive in the wild city."

"How do you build muscle?" Blair murmured, her voice trembling.

"Hard work." Thorn stepped away, once again moving straight across from Blair. 

"Try again. This time, remember to keep your weight equal between all paws." 

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Blair

Several days had gone by since the first training session with Thorn. Blair was aching all over, and she didn't think she had ever been so exhausted. However, it all seemed to be well worth it. The queen was already noticing improvements in her strength.

Since the weather had been unbearably hot the past few days, Thorn had moved their training sessions to late night into the early morning before sunrise as it was becoming difficult for Blair to catch her breath in the sun's unforgiving rays.

I can't wait until I can go home. I never had to worry about being too warm or too cold.

Thorn and Blair had patrolled near her house the day before. To Blair's dismay, all that remained was a large pile of debris and no sign of her humans. Blair missed them terribly and hoped they were safe and missing her too. 

The dappled she-cat was laying on her bed in the corner of the camp, her head on her paws. Sleeping on shallow bedding was new to Blair, and she couldn't seem to get comfortable at night. Her plush, custom-made bed back home seemed all the more inviting with each passing day. The sleepless nights made Blair even wearier before and after training sessions. 

"Blair," a mew came from behind her, bringing her out of her thoughts. She lifted her head, giving a small purr of welcome as she saw Oak standing behind her.

"Hi, Oak. Do you need something?" 

Oak padded over to Blair, sitting down beside her. "It's time for your check-up. Thorn wanted me to make sure you were doing alright." Oak bent his head, sniffing at her limbs. "How are you feeling? Anything swollen or painful?"

Blair shook her head. "No more sore than normal after training."

Oak gave her a satisfied nod. "Good. Please roll onto your back so I can check your vitals."

The show cat did as she was told. The brown tabby pressed his ear to Blair's chest, listening to her heartbeat and breathing. It was now Blair was close enough to notice something about Oak's face. He had bright amber eyes, but one of them looked...off. 

"Oak? Are you...blind?" Blair hesitantly asked after Oak sat up.

Oak's gaze lit up with laughter. "Have you just noticed? Yeah, I'm half-blind. It doesn't stop me from being the best healer I can be though!"

Scars were raked down his blind eye and muzzle. It made Blair feel pity for him.

"Before you ask, I was not in a great living situation before I found Thorn's group. For many moons, I was a killer. I've since sheathed my claws. It's been many seasons since I was that cat." Oak looked directly into Blair's eyes, making her feel guilty for asking such personal questions.

"You're much older than everyone else here, aren't you?" She whispered.

Oak nodded. "I'm probably old enough to be the grandparent of most of the cats here." He murmured something under his breath before shaking his fur out.

"Anyway, your heart sounds strong and steady and your breathing is clear. Let me check on your kits." He bent his head down on her belly.

"Do you know how many kits I'm going to have?" 

Oak blinked at her and his face hardened in deep concentration. "One kit and I'd guess you're about a moon along. The kit's heart rate is a little slow, but that may be due to you resting. All in all, you are both perfectly healthy." Oak stood up with a friendly purr. "I'll let Thorn know you have nothing to worry about, and you can continue training as normal." The tabby tom turned to leave but stopped and froze mid-step.  His eyes went blank and stared unblinkingly into the distance, his fur spiked up.

"O-Oak?" Blair murmured, getting to her paws as quickly as she could. She sniffed Oak's fur, looking for signs that something may be wrong. Right as she got close, Oak's head snapped to stare right at her with intense eyes, seemingly digging for Blair's soul.

"You will be the one to break her walls. You are her destiny." A harsh voice rasped from Oak's throat.

Blair flinched. "W-what? Oak, you're not making any sense!"

Almost as suddenly as it began, Oak snapped out of the daze, looking at Blair with a horrified expression. 

"I-I'm so sorry," he whispered before running away. 

"Wait! Oak!" Blair called after him but decided it was better off leaving him be. 

What did he mean by that? Who's she? 

Blair decided to take a walk to clear her head after that strange incident with Oak. As she stepped out into the hot sun, she felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She wasn't used to being able to go outside as she pleased. The sun felt much better when it wasn't just shining through a window. The air was more refreshing when it was fresh rather than stale and smelling of ancient wood.

I will miss my freedom when I go back home.

Blair took this moment as an opportunity to explore the land farther than she and Thorn had ventured. By now, the water had gone down quite a bit, but the city was still ravished. As Blair made her way down the hill, she found herself nearly bumping into large pieces of debris left behind by the water. A whole car was nose-first in mud, and Blair shuddered. 

The farther Blair wandered, the more the devastation became even worse. As Blair padded passed a storm drain, the overwhelming scent of death hit her nose, causing her to gag.

It's crazy what storms can do.

There wasn't a single building still standing. What used to be the busiest road in the city was now unrecognizable. 

 Blair found herself weaving through large planks of wood and other pieces of homes. What used to be a bustling city was now a wasteland, and it broke her heart in two.

How many lives were lost in this storm?

Nausea caused her stomach to turn. Running to a nearby puddle, she vomited, unable to handle what lie before her.

I should go back to camp. This is way too much for me to bear.

She turned around and started making her way back as quickly as her paws would carry her, wanting to avoid being sick again.

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By the time she made her way back inside the camp, the sun was starting to lower in the sky. She had to stop for several breaks, the weight of her belly making it hard to move fast for long distances.

As she sat down to catch her breath, her mind started wandering back to what Oak had said to her earlier that day. 

What could he have meant? 

Blair needed to discuss it with some cat. It was making her uneasy keeping it bottled in.

Is Thorn around? She and Oak seem to be close. She should be able to help.

But as Blair glanced around, there was no sign of the pretty black tabby. Though, in the corner of the building not too far from Blair, gray and cream fur caught her attention.

Sunshine! She's perfect to discuss this with! 

Waiting for the she-cat's eye to catch hers, Blair beckoned her over with a twitch of her tail.

"What can I help you with, Blair?" Sunshine purred.

"It's..." Blair glanced around to make sure nobody was close enough to overhear. "It's about Oak," she murmured once she was sure there were no prying ears.

Sunshine's eyes darkened. "Oh no...did something happen?" 

Now Blair was really concerned. "He was doing a health check on me earlier when he suddenly went completely still and said something about how I'd break someone's walls? Sunshine, what was going on? Is Oak possessed?" 

Sunshine glanced at her paws for a moment, only glancing up when Oak made his way into camp carrying bundles of herbs.

"This is something that he must tell you," she murmured, looking up at him. Unspoken words passed through the two and Oak gave the herbs to Sunshine, beckoning with his tail for Blair to follow him.

"Let's talk outside," the tabby tom whispered, a grim, knowing expression on his face.

Blair followed him to a shady spot behind the building they'd made their camp. They both sat down, Oak looking tired and defeated.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine. I just wish I hadn't done what I did this morning. Unfortunately, I can't help it, and you deserve an explanation." The half-blind tabby cleared his throat and started telling his story.

"I was born a long time ago in this city. Except this wasn't a city yet. This land used to be a dense forest filled with wildlife. A group of cats lived here called The Nature Speakers. These cats were born with the ability to talk to nature. Whether it be through communication with the dead, or speaking to plants, everyone had some sort of ability.

My sister, Maple, and I were born with the rarest abilities. These abilities were only passed down through bloodlines. My ability is Prophecy, while Maple's was called Undead, the power to revive and regrow plants.

There was a dark secret to my sister's ability though. With this power, it also meant she was immortal herself. She could also pass the power onto another cat of her choosing as well.

Savage cats from outside the group heard of her power and tried everything they could to get it for themselves. I was her guardian, and I had to kill many cats who tried to hurt her. Though, the cats wanting her power grew in numbers. And sadly, it leads to my sister's demise. The cats attacked and slaughtered her. Protecting her is how I lost sight in my one eye." His eye started brimming with tears.

"But, if she was immortal..." Blair tried catching his eye but he glanced away, choking on a sob.

"She passed her ability on to me with her last breath. You see, her power didn't make you completely immortal. Not in the slightest. Your body would still die." He drew in a breath. "But your spirit never would. She didn't want to live like that. So she gave her powers to me. Afterward, I continued the battle for her. I ended up dying from my injuries just days after Maple died from hers. The only difference was I woke back up like this, still bearing the scars that killed me. Just separate from my physical body."

Understanding hit Blair right in the face, her eyes widening. "You're a ghost?" 

Oak chuckled. "You could say that. In actuality, I'm just a being. The power makes it seem like I'm real. Cats can touch me, see me, and hear me. But it's just an illusion." He grabbed one of Blair's paws, placing it over where she should feel the beat of his heart. Instead, there was nothing. Not even warmth radiated from his pelt. 

"What happened earlier was me receiving a prophecy. I don't know the details about it. All I know is it has to do with you." 

Blair nodded, placing her paw back on the ground. "Does Thorn know? I noticed you two are close." 

Oak nodded. "I'm close to Thorn for a reason. I grew up with one of her ancestors." His eyes clouded as he started replaying memories from long ago in his head.

"Her name was Onyx. She had the ability to see the dead and communicate with them. As such, she was extremely spiritual, but that's what I loved about her. We were born around the same time and were best friends from the get-go.

We fell in love as we got older. Though, the stars must've had a different plan in store for her. She pulled me aside one day and said she was ordered by a group of ancestors called StarClan to leave our home to join one of the warrior clans: SkyClan. I begged her not to go, but she refused to ignore the ancestors speaking to her. She left, and we never saw each other again." 

By now, Oak was crying heavy tears. Though, Blair was now able to notice that they didn't touch the ground where Oak sat.

"I miss her more and more every day. I wish I could walk with her in the stars, but it's not meant to be." 

He glanced at Blair, giving a small smile. "I see a lot of her in Thorn. In fact, she even shares a similar scent to Onyx. That's how I knew she was one of her descendants, and deep in my heart I like to think Onyx sent her here for a reason." 

"What about Sunshine? I didn't want to assume, but aren't you two mates?" Blair asked.

"I love Sunshine, I truly do. But she knows everything I've told you and has decided to look past it all. I know it's only a matter of time until she passes and leaves me alone once more, but I prefer to avoid those thoughts." 

Blair wrapped her tail around Oak's shoulder. Knowing what she knows now, she knows she isn't really touching him, but she felt the gesture was needed nonetheless.

"Thank you for talking to me, Oak. I appreciate it." She murmured.

He glanced at her with a thankful look on his face. "I needed to get it out. I appreciate you listening to me." 

By now the sun was starting to set. A shadow the shape of a cat was cast over both Blair and Oak. The dappled she-cat glanced up to see Thorn standing not far from them.

"Ready to go?" The black tabby asked Blair.

Shit! I'd forgotten Thorn wanted to train early! 

Dipping her head to Oak, Blair trotted over to Thorn, excited for what this training session was to bring.

Thorn

When the black tabby went inside the building the city cats were temporarily calling home, she had been shocked to find that neither Blair nor Oak was anywhere to be seen. Thorn was surprisingly panicked by their disappearance. Usually, cats wandering off on their own didn't phase her, but the idea that Blair had left made her belly turn.

Finding both the missing cats alone and seemingly discussing private matters both relieved Thorn and made her wrongfully furious. Why was Blair alone with Oak? Why were they obviously hiding from everyone else? These questions flowed through Thorn's head faster than the floodwaters that destroyed their home.

Now, with her and Blair being alone and walking side by side, she was tempted to spit out accusations. However, Thorn kept her head on straight and just lead Blair downhill.

"What are we doing today, Thorn?" Blair asked.

"I simply want to chat. You're doing very well training-wise. I figured we could take a break." Thorn kept her voice cold and steady as she sat down, looking up at the stars.

"Okay. That works for me." Blair laid down next to Thorn, their fur brushing together.

Thorn let a few moments of silence pass between them. The biggest question on her mind was threatening to overwhelm her with anger. She needed to ask.

"What were you and Oak doing behind the camp?" 

Blair didn't look panicked or shocked at all. She just sighed. "He was telling me about his past and his secret." 

Thorn immediately felt like an idiot. Of course, there wasn't anything going on between them! Oak was mated with Sunshine, and Blair has a mate back at home. Still, the latter didn't stop the anger flowing through her. 

"That actually brings me to a question I want to ask you, Thorn," Blair whispered hesitantly. 

Thorn twitched an ear. "Go on." 

Blair looked at Thorn, making direct eye contact. "What's your story? Where did you come from?" 

That question caused all of Thorn's fury to boil over. "That's none of your concern," she snapped, more harshly than she meant to.

Blair flinched. "I-I just-" 

"No. That's something I will not be discussing with you. End of story," she growled.

Thorn didn't even want to be laying here anymore. Without another word, she got to her paws and stalked off.

Fucking spoiled she-cat. My past is none of her business.

She made her way to the top of the hill that overlooked the city and plopped down in the grass. Her fury was starting to melt away, being replaced by guilt.

"Why did I snap at her? Of course, someone would be curious about a cat they spend a lot of time with," she scolded herself aloud. 

"It's okay," Blair's soft voice came from behind Thorn. "I knew it was a sensitive topic for you. I shouldn't have asked." The pretty dappled she-cat sat down next to Thorn.

"No, you were right to ask. I'm training you, after all. You deserve to know what kind of cat I am, and what crimes I committed before coming here." 

Blair didn't shy away like Thorn expected her to. Instead, she looked at Thorn with eyes that gave her confidence and encouraged her to continue.

"I was born into ShadowClan, one of the 5 warrior Clans. I had it rough growing up. Before I was weaned, the cat believed to be my mother, the leader of the clan, murdered my father in cold blood. My clanmates decided from then on, I would receive the punishment since Hemlockstar--the cat believed to be my mother--fled before she could. I wasn't treated fairly. I wasn't allowed to leave camp, have a mentor, nor was I allowed to eat with the rest of the clan. I was fed crowfood and stale leftovers nobody else wanted. I was used as a practice dummy for the apprentices. I was the one given all the chores. I had to sleep outside on dirty bedding.

I snuck out of the camp to watch the apprentices train and I taught myself how to hunt and fight. Eventually, I was given a warrior name because the other clans were becoming suspicious, but their treatment of me stayed the same. Not much later, I overheard some of my clanmates talking about scenting Hemlockstar here in the city, so I decided to come here and ask her why she did what she did and abandoned me." 

The next part was the hardest part for Thorn to say allowed. As she took a moment to get her bearings, Blair wrapped her tail around Thorn's shoulders.

"I spoke to Hemlockstar and she revealed that she wasn't my mother. Instead, she had forced my father into being mates with her, and when my father found true love in my real mother and had my sister and I, she murdered them right in front of my father as punishment. She only let me live because I looked enough like my father to be played off as her kit." She had to clear her throat. "My mother was from a different clan called SkyClan. Late one night, my father tried to flee with me to SkyClan to get away from Hemlockstar. That's the night she killed him." 

Thorn dug her claws into the ground, gritting her teeth. "After Hemlockstar told me the truth, I killed her. Then, I went back to ShadowClan where I poisoned all their prey with deathberries. Everyone in the clan died." 

She bowed her head. "That's when I came here to start anew." Thorn expected Blair to run away from her. She, instead, pressed against Thorn, which sent waves of shock through her.

"You've never experienced love, have you?" Blair murmured.

"No," Thorn responded. "I've only known hate." 

Blair stayed silent for a few moments before asking, "What was your warrior name?" 

Thorn sighed. It had been ages since she even had to speak her clan name. "Nightbriar." 

Blair pressed her nose to Thorn's, looking deep into her eyes. "Although Nightbriar never knew love nor compassion, I promise that Thorn will. You're surrounded by friends here, and you'll never experience the pain you grew up with again." 

Thorn felt something inside her crack, and weight was suddenly lifted off her chest. For the first time, tears welled in her eyes and she started to sob into Blair's fur.

Blair held her close and licked her ears, letting Thorn take all the time she needed. Thorn lay down in the grass, and Blair curled around her, licking her ears and soothing her until she fell asleep to the calm beating of Blair's heart.

------------------------

Thorn woke up to the sound of birdsong. Lifting her head, she let out a yawn. Beside her, Blair was grooming herself, struggling to reach parts of her spine due to her swollen belly. The queen was starting to show.

Looking at how Blair's fur glowed in the early morning light made Thorn feel a kind of warmth in her chest towards her.

She's beautiful.

Shaking her head, Thorn sat up.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked Blair.

Blair purred. "Better than I've slept in ages." She tried to stand, but Thorn noticed she was struggling to.

"Are you okay?" Thorn asked, helping her to her feet.

Blair was already out of breath. "I'm okay. I'm just not used to being so huge!" 

Thorn purred in laughter. "Did Oak tell you how far along you are?" 

"He said I'm about a moon along, so halfway there. It feels like ages from now, though." Blair licked a paw and drew it over her ear. "At first, I wasn't happy to find out I was pregnant, but now I'm getting used to the idea of having a little one to care for." 

"Is your mate excited?" 

Blair's eyes turned sad. "The father isn't my mate. We were assigned to each other by our humans to create purebred show cats." She sighed. "I wish it was different. My parents hated each other. I don't want my kit to face the same upbringing."

Thorn touched her nose to Blair's ear. "It will all be okay. You don't need two parents to raise a family. I can already tell you'll be a terrific mother." 

Blair smiled warmly. "Thank you, Thorn." 

The two stared at each other in comfortable silence for several moments until frantic pawsteps pulled both of them out of their daze and back to reality. Thorn spun around to see Sunshine running up to them, her eyes wide in panic.

"Thorn, Blair! Thank goodness I found you. There's an emergency in camp. One of the hunters was attacked by a fox and is gravely injured!" 

Thorn sprang into action, sprinting back to camp, Blair following behind. As soon as Thorn stepped into the building, the iron scent of blood hit her nose.

Sitting in the middle of the clearing, a gray tabby was laying sprawled out on the floor. Blood was pouring from a large bite wound on his belly and half his face was torn to shreds. Oak stood nearby, chewing herbs into poultices. 

Thorn started examining the tomcat. He was losing extreme amounts of blood and his breathing was hoarse. 

"Cobwebs!" She yelled. Sunshine ran up to her with large bundles of the webbing which Thorn quickly started covering the tom's wounds with. Oak started rubbing the herb poultices onto the cobwebs.

To Thorn's horror, the bleeding didn't slow down at all. The belly wound was just getting worse.

"Blair, I need you to put pressure on this wound. Your extra weight will help," Thorn ordered.

Blair didn't even hesitate. She did as she was told. The gray tabby's breathing was getting shallower and shallower as Oak, Thorn, and Sunshine did everything they could to save him. A group of cats gathered around to watch and assist however they could.

Thorn soaked cobwebs in herbs and tied them tightly to his wounds, but the blood soaked right through. By now, the tom had stopped breathing, but Thorn refused to give up.

"Thorn...." Blair murmured, breaking Thorn from her concentration. 

"No!" She snapped.

"He's gone, Thorn," Sunshine mewed sadly. 

Thorn sat back, her shoulders slumped. Despite her best efforts, the blood didn't slow down. His injuries were too grave, and he had lost too much blood.

A loud wail of distress came from somewhere in the crowd and a small she-cat ran by the deceased hunter's side.

"Papa!! Papa!!!" She screamed.

Thorn and every cat surrounding bowed their heads. After a few moments, Thorn softly nudged the grieving she-cat.

"Are you his only kin?" She asked.

The she-cat nodded, her blue eyes sparkling with tears.

"I'd like your permission to perform a warrior's death ceremony so that he may find his way to the stars." 

"Okay," the female mewed.

Thorn stood up, clearing her throat. A hushed silence spread throughout the building.

"I, Thorn, a former member of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this tomcat. While he wasn't born a warrior, he showed the same pride and courage of any clanborn cat and I ask that you help guide his paws to the stars so that he may rest as honorably as his sacrifice was today. If there ever were a cat as deserving of walking amongst the greatest of ancestors, it would be him." Thorn bent down to touch noses with the deceased tom. 

"May StarClan light your path. May you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where you sleep." 

With the ceremony concluded cats started dispersing into their groups for the day. Several cats stayed to help the daughter of the deceased bury her father. Blair padded up to Thorn, who was sitting with her head bowed.

"That was really honorable, Thorn," Blair murmured in her ear.

Thorn gave a small smile. "I may not be a warrior anymore, but I was born one. StarClan guides me and runs in my blood. My faith in them will never dissipate." 

Blair pressed her muzzle to Thorn's. "You're a great leader for all these cats."

Thorn snorted in amusement. "They follow me because they fear me. I'm a killer, and they all know that." 

Blair's eyes widened in shock. "Is that really what you believe? Thorn, you're entirely wrong!" 

Thorn looked at her disbelievingly. 

"I always hear other cats talking about how much they respect you and look up to you. You bring them a sense of security. They feel safe with you here to lead and guide them." 

Blair's words made Thorn's heart swell, but deep down, there was still a part of her that was doubtful. 

"Thanks, Blair," she purred. She nuzzled the bigger queen, and for the first time in her whole life, she felt at peace.

Blair 

Half a moon had passed since the incident with the fox. The city was no longer a wasteland of rubble. The humans were starting to rebuild and the bustling activity that Blair was used to returned.

Blair was laying in a patch of sunshine, her large belly sprawled out beside her. She was due any day now, and as the time to give birth crept closer, so did the tug at Blair's heart to go back home.

Sadness washed over her at the thought of leaving. She had made so many friends here. But she couldn't abandon her humans or her life's work.

"Blair! Want to join me on a walk?" A purr came from above her. Blair glanced up to see Thorn looking down at her with lavender eyes filled with warmth.

"I'd love to. Just give me a moment." Blair struggled to get to her feet. Thorn helped her up, though by then, Blair was already out of breath.

"You okay?" Thorn asked.

Blair nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay. Let's go " She smiled warmly at Thorn. They've been spending a lot of time together the past half moon. Almost every waking moment was spent by each other's side. 

The two made their way outside. It wasn't as sweltering today, and there was cloud cover. All in all, it was the perfect day for a walk.

Once they made a bit of distance between them and the camp, Thorn invited Blair to sit next to her. They sat in silence for a few moments, though Thorn kept fidgeting, almost as if she was nervous about something.

"Is everything alright, Thorn?" She asked.

Thorn nodded. "Yeah. I'm just--" Thorn was cut off by a loud yowl.

"Blair! Is that you?" 

Blair stiffened. She knew that voice.

Macgyver! 

The large brown tabby stepped into view, his amber eyes shining with relief. "There you are! Your humans have been looking all over for you!" 

Blair felt Thorn stiffen beside her as well. Blair stood up and Macgyver gasped.

"Blair, you're huge! What happened to you?" Macgyver ignored Thorn altogether as he looked her over. "You smell different too...are you expecting?" 

Blair flattened her ears in embarrassment. "I am. You're the father." 

Macgyver just smiled. "That's great news! Princess just found out she was expecting as well. I'll have two lines of purebred show cats sharing my bloodline. Think about how much money our humans will get from them!" 

Blair could hear Thorn growl behind her, but Blair just bowed her head.

"Are you here to take me home, Macgyver?" She whispered. Her heart split in two at the mention of Macgyver having mated with another she-cat.

"Of course! I'll show you the temporary home your humans set up. They'll be delighted to see you." Macgyver started leading her away.

Blair glanced behind her at Thorn, who was staring at her with eyes filled with fury and hurt. Thorn turned around and ran back towards camp.

I knew this day was coming. I just wish it hadn't been so soon.

--------------------

Several days passed, and Blair had never felt so miserable. Her humans were delighted to see her again, but there was an ache in her heart that she couldn't push away.

Her humans were living in a large mobile home now, though the walls felt like they were closing in on her. Her pampered lifestyle felt foreign to her now. The taste of her food was unbearable. Even the water tasted foul on her tongue.

She lay in her bed, wincing again as pain rippled through her belly. The contractions started earlier that morning and were starting to get more frequent. But all Blair could think about was how hurt Thorn was when she left.

Thorn.

She had never felt these emotions toward another cat before. It hurt even more now Blair knew that what she was feeling towards the black tabby was love.

I'm in love with Thorn.

But Blair abandoned her to come back home, and it had to be the worst decision she's ever made.

She glanced up at Macgyver, who was flirting with another pretty she-cat. Memories of her kittenhood flooded her mind as another contraction spread throughout her body.

I don't want my kit to grow up as I did. I want my kit to have a happy family.

New determination flowed through Blair.

I want to raise my kit with Thorn.

She got to her feet, sucking in a breath as pain engulfed her.

I better hurry before this kit comes!

Making sure nobody was watching her, Blair left and started hurrying towards camp. She had to stop several times as the contractions got worse and more frequent.

I have to make it.

She kept pushing on until finally, she made it to the camp entrance. She fell to the floor as another contraction hit, her head spinning.

"Blair? Is that you?" Sunshine's voice came from somewhere above Blair.

"Where's Thorn?" Blair panted, struggling to get her bearings.

Sunshine looked solemn. "She's been in her nest for several days now. She refuses to do anything." 

Her heart ached. "Tell her I'm here, and I need her." She gritted her teeth against another contraction. "And hurry before this kit makes its way out!" 

Sunshine's eyes widened in understanding and she ran off. In her wake, Oak arrived by her side, carrying raspberry leaves.

"Chew on these. They'll help with the pain." He started pushing on her belly. "You're doing good." 

Blair glanced up as Thorn's scent hit her nose. Thorn looked at her with eyes willed with anger.

"What do you want? Don't you have a cozy Twoleg home to live in now?" She hissed.

"Thorn... I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to leave." She sat up, looking Thorn right in the eyes. "Thorn, I'm in love with you. I want to spend my whole life loving you and I want you to raise my kit with me." 

Thorn's eyes were filled with shock and hope. "Do you mean it?" She whispered.

Blair nodded, wincing as the pain started to spread through her belly again.

"I love you too, Blair. I would be honored to help raise your kit as my own." Thorn pressed her muzzle against Blair's.

Suddenly, the pain became agonizing and Blair let out a yowl. Her muscles started pushing, and Blair lost all awareness of her surroundings until Oak announced, "It's a female!"

The pain instantly died off as Blair bent down to lick her daughter clean. She let out small mews and wiggled over to Blair's belly to nurse.

"Blair... she's beautiful," Thorn whispered.

Oak smiled for a moment before his eye widened in shock.

"Onyx....?" He breathed.

Blair barely heard him, her world completely taken up by the small kit at her belly.

"I will wait for you forever, my love," Blair managed to hear him say. Now, Oak gazed down at Blair's daughter with tears dripping from his one good eye.

"You've birthed a special cat, Blair," he murmured. 

Thorn wrapped herself around both Blair and their daughter.

"What should we name her?" Thorn purred.

"I like the name June. It's what humans call this season." 

Thorn purred loudly and licked June's head.

"Welcome to the world June. I love you so much."