The Hidden Star wanders...

[wolfwarrior4jesus]

Burning looked over, noticing his mother for the first time since he'd started talking with Hiddenpaw. The cat Hiddenpaw had introduced as Starpaw stood before Sunset...Then he saw the worry, veiled though it was ,on his sister's face. "Hey, why the- ohhhhhhhh." He meowed, as he finally recognized Fireclan's scent. He tilted his head, merely observing. After Darksky, he wasn't immediately judgemental of all Fireclan cats...


Starpaw swallowed. "I'm Starpaw. Yes..." she added lowering her eyes. "I'm from Fireclan.." She fell quiet, unsure of what else to say...

[lakeripple]

Hiddenpaw hissed. Why did moms have to be so pushy? Hadn't she realized that the pointed ignoring meant that it was none of her business? Kneading the ground, she stared at Starpaw, willing her not to do anything dumb.

Sunset flicked her tail slightly. "So I smell," she murmured. "And why are you here?" Her blue eyes flashed. Why had Hiddenpaw brought a FireClan apprentice here? Was she completely out of her mind?

[wolfwarrior4jesus]

Starpaw shuffled her paws, still looking at the ground. "Trying to avoid someone." She said at last, wincing at the memory in her mind's eye, of Foxcloud's death glare..

Burning shouldered his sister curiously, and leaned towards her. "What is she doing here?" He asked curiously. "Fireclan cats just trod on everyone's territory without being stopped?" He asked, simply curious to know Hiddenpaw's answer..

[lakeripple]

Sunset refused to be thrown off the scent that easily. "Who?" She was trying desperately to keep calm, this was only an apprentice, about the same age as her own kits! But the bitter rage she felt toward FireClan was welling up inside, threatening to burst. She bit back the fowl taste of her hatred. It was meant for Foxcloud, not some young apprentice who called herself Starpaw.

Hiddenpaw wanted to snap at her brother, but she settled with a thin glare from her flashing blue eyes. "NO!" she snarled, bitter resentment in her voice. She should have never brought Starpaw here, it would only put her in danger. "She's a friend. She's just trying to help me." Hiddenpaw stared at Starpaw hopelessly. She felt like such a bad friend.

[wolfwarrior4jesus]

Burning's ears flatted against his skull. "Hey," He meowed, wounded, "I'm on your side okay? I was just curious is all." He fell silent, hurt in his eyes...

Starpaw could feel Hiddenpaw's gaze on her pelt, and she knew what she'd see if she looked at her friend, but she couldn't look anywhere but at the ground or at the fiery orange she cat in front of her- Sunset's gaze riveted her on the spot. Starpaw opened her mouth, then timidly looked up at Sunset, "Foxcloud." She said at last, her tail curling protectively around her paws. "Trying to hide from Foxcloud..." Her voice was small, and she could feel the tension emanating from Sunset...

[lakeripple]

Sunset's ears twitched. Why did that name always come up? She stared at Starpaw silently. "Indeed. And why do you need to hide from your own deputy?" Curiosity pricked against her pelt. Was Foxcloud starting to turn her own Clan against her? She didn't want to fight cats that were being forced to battle... And she really didn't want to fight WaterClan. Her ears flattened to the side of her head. Lakeripple, her mate's sister. And her kits...

Hiddenpaw couldn't bring herself to apologize. She felt like vomiting.

[wolfwarrior4jesus]

Starpaw's eyes glinted, with a slight anger. "Well, wouldn't you wish to escape your deputy if they tried to kill you? You and a little kit?" She meowed softly, her voice on edge, though she left out the fact that Smallkit had been from Skyclan. To her, all that mattered, was the fact that Foxcloud could even think of hurting a kit! "Do you know what it's like," She added, all the anger and resentment gone now, "to have Foxcloud give you that look, the look that tells you you're dead? No one gets between Foxcloud and her prey and lives..."


Burning grimaced, anger rising in his chest, but with the anger, came understanding. No wonder Sunset had been so upset when she'd tracked him to Fireclan....If Foxcloud could kill kits with no remorse, how much less would she care about an apprentice aged cat? His claws sheathed and unsheathed silently, digging up blades of grass...

[lakeripple]

Sunset studied Starpaw silently. So Foxcloud had tried to kill a kit. Fear ruffled her orange fur. What did that mean for her own kit? By now Foxcloud must know that the HHB was not siding with FireClan, would she think that keeping Jet and Mint alive was worth the hassle any more? She shivered in fear.

"Yes Starpaw, I know the look." Sunset glanced at the moon, thinking back to her first meeting with Foxcloud. Foxcloud and Moonlitpaw, Moonlitice now. That look had never left her mind.

[wolfwarrior4jesus]

Starpaw looked up swiftly, surprised etched on her face. "What? You know the look? But how...?" Her voice trailed off, but her confusion was still evident....Everything seemed to grow quieter, as Starpaw stared at Sunset... So..She'd seen Foxcloud? More than, that she had to have met her too...That simply boggled Starpaw's mind- how? If she'd met Foxcloud, why hadn't she challenged her for her kits?

[lakeripple]

A swift look down, ears flattened, and Sunset knew that the apprentice would expect an answer. And why should she hide it? It was no secret, and it wasn't embarrassing. She hadn't done anything wrong...

"When I was young and foolish, older than you, but foolish all the same, I went wandering into FireClan territory. The Dry Fields I believe that part is called. There I ran into a young apprentice, Moonlitpaw by name. We fought. I was confused, having only wanted to get through and forget myself, but this she-cat was angry. I was more than a match for her, but she, apparently, was not alone. Foxcloud showed up."

"We talked. Foxcloud was impressed by my skills and offered me a home in FireClan. That look in her eyes... like I was her prey and she wanted to skin me alive. She wanted me in her Clan to kill me, I was sure of that. And if I said no, she would try and kill me anyway."

"I said no, and another fight concurred. We were more evenly matched than I had been with Moonlitpaw, but she held the upper paw. She was better, and she knew the land. I fled."

"Foxcloud always hated me after that, and I think that Moonlitpaw did too. Everywhere I went the fiery she-cat seemed to go too, finding out about my family, hurting me in every way possible. Taking Jet is the latest one, one meant to force me to side with her. But I still remember that look she gave me, like she wants to flay me alive. I've done everything in my power to protect my family, even if it made certain cats feel unwanted..." here Sunset took a fleeting glance at Hiddenpaw. "But I can assure them that they have always been wanted, always been missed. There is nothing to do now. Even my youngest son knows that look Foxcloud gives so well by now. Like prey we seem to be."

[wolfwarrior4jesus]

Starpaw was rooted to the spot as Sunset told of her experience with Foxcloud. She'd ventured into Fireclan territory? And managed to leave? No wonder Foxcloud had it in for her.... She didn't take lightly to those who tried to escape her power....She shuddered at Sunset's description, for that was exactly what it was- Foxcloud considered all her enemies prey merely to be hunted and exterminated...

Everthing was quiet, unnaturally so..Starpaw didn't know how to reply at first- she suddenly felt a kinship with Sunset, who'd gone through what she was going through now, and much much more. "Yes," She whispered, "Like prey we seem to be. But... perhaps we can change all that...Not every Fireclan cat is happy to be under her iron paw... But they don't all know the things Foxcloud has done- she hides them, hides them under a false personality, under accusations and lies." She meowed,her voice seeming small and shaky. "Therefore they don't challenge her, even if they did know, they're too afraid, but I'm sure you know all this." Starpaw's eyes narrowed as she thought of the two cats Foxcloud had imprisoned.. "I could always try to help your kits go free...I'm..willing to do something, anything that will put an end to Foxcloud's madness..."


Burning was silent throughout the whole conversation. Yes, Foxcloud was an evil the clans should never have had to bear. He was fiercely glad Sunset, despite the fact that Foxcloud held his brother and Mint captive, had refused to submit to the murderous deputy. He would find it an honor to fight alongside Earthclan and Skyclan against her...

[lakeripple]

Sunset smiled at Starpaw. "A noble offer, but you have to think of yourself too. What would happen if Foxcloud caught you? No Starpaw, you shouldn't do anything." It hurt to say those words and they stuck in her throat. Sunset flicked her ears, flicked the words away. She wanted her son back.

[wolfwarrior4jesus]

Starpaw shrugged. "If it means that you get your kits back... what does it matter? I'm willing to do it." She meowed, not afraid. "You can think about it....I'm not going anywhere...unless it's back to Fireclan." She said, sighing as she wrapped her tail around her paws, suddenly weary...

[lakeripple]

Wincing, Sunset stared at Starpaw. Would Jet have acted like that had he been here? Sunset didn't know. She missed him so much and could hardly remember what he had last said to her. It might have been 'Can we go hunting tomorrow?' She couldn't remember.

"You're young Starpaw." Don't throw your life away for my family. Think of your own life." Think long and hard Starpaw... Sunset's eyes seemed to say. Think long and hard and then help us. Ignore what I say.

[wolfwarrior4jesus]

"I don't need a long time to think. This is the right thing to do." She meowed quietly, her blue and silver eyes looking steadily into Sunset's blue ones. "Think of my own life? When there's other cats that need help? What kind of warrior in training would I be then? No." She dipped her head. "no, I don't need time to tell you that I'll help, no matter the cost. If something happens, so be it. I go to Starclan with a clean concience." She lifted her chin, the mannerism a bit defiant. All around them, the grass swayed gently, everything quiet and calm, a direct contrast to the tension that had been there. The sun sank lower in the west, coloring Starpaw's fur an orangey purple. She didn't blink..

[lakeripple]

Sunset nodded slightly. "I can see that you have decided and will not be swayed. But how do you think you can help? Can you get to my son and Bird's daughter?" Sunset's tail twitched. "I'm sure Foxcloud has them under guard."

[wolfwarrior4jesus]

Burning stepped forward, looking excited. He meowed quickly to his mother, interrupting Starpaw. "Well, what if Darksky helps? You did hear her talk about that..."

Starpaw's eyes flitted to the fiery orange tom. "Darksky? Our medicine cat?" She looked faintly surprised. "Well, I was thinking of creating a diversion. Foxcloud already hates me, I don't doubt she'll come after me if I step out of line somehow." She meowed, faintly amused. "I'll try to talk to them, your kits I mean, beforehand, get them ready for it... I don't know if it'll work, but... i'm willing to try anything. I can't just sit by anymore."

[lakeripple]

Sunset twitched her tail at Burning for silence. "Why would we bring Darksky into this? Do you want to put more cats in danger?" Her blue eyes shone. "Darksky is a noble cat, let's keep her alive as well." She stared silently at Starpaw for a few moments. "A diversion... yes, that would work, but would you be able to go back to your Clan? Think of it Starpaw, Burningstar trusts Foxcloud. You would be banished. No, we must stay undercover with this." She glanced at Hiddenpaw lightly. "What do you know of Firemist? She has protected my family once before against Foxcloud."

[wolfwarrior4jesus]

"Well of course no-" Burning stopped abruptly, before he said anything else stupid..it was just...well.. that she'd been on his mind. He sighed softly...

"I don't know much about Firemist...I don't see her too often..." Starpaw meowed. "Of course I know her, but not well...Why? Are you saying she can help again somehow? And if not a diversion, then what do you have planned?" Starpaw asked, totally focused on the fiery she cat in front of her. "What do you propose? I'd willingly take banishment if it means challenging Foxcloud." she meowed, growlign quietly...

[lakeripple]

Sunset kneaded the ground in anticipation. "All I require is information. The whereabouts of the kits. That's all I need. After that... there are ways I can do things." Sunset smiled and the moon glinted off her pearly teeth. "I have been working on a plan for a long time Starpaw. All I really need is to know where the 'deputy' is keeping my son. I am missing that key detail." She glared at a tree, daggers coming from her blue eyes. Yes, she had a plan. Sunset wouldn't risk anyone else's neck. She could do it herself and keep everyone she held dear out of harms way.

Hiddenpaw rose up to her full height, her silver fur puffing out. "I want to help." She didn't leave anything open for discussion. Hiddenpaw had made her mind up. She would do something, and she would show her mother just what she could do. Nothing would keep her from glory.