The Clans Beside the Waves - A Beginning | A ClanGen Story

Chapter 11

Clawpaw felt as though the ground underneath her paws just vanished. "Wha-what?" She stuttered. She couldn't process the idea that her mother was a cat from a different Clan, a former Keeper cat to be more specific, when she was a kittypet! Sure, she never knew where she came, or knew who her parents were, or why she always had a sense of adventure. Or even where her 'strange' nature came from. But her mother being Budtree?! It made...

...a lot of sense actually.

Clawpaw looked down at her claws, unaware of her breathing becoming unsteady. Budtree's eyes widened and curled her large tail around Clawpaw. The apprentice. The WetClan cat? Her daughter? Clawpaw wasn't sure anymore.

Budtree reassuringly rested one of her paws on Clawpaw. "Hey, hey. Calm down. Everything's going to be okay." When Clawpaw didn't answer Budtree repeated, "Okay?" Clawpaw eventually sighed and looked up at the WheatClan she-cat. "Alright." She mumbled. Budtree patted Clawpaw gently. "This doesn't change anything." Budtree meowed. "You are still a WetClan cat, you are still Clawpaw. You are yourself. Nothing is going to change that." Budtree said to her. Clawpaw looked up at Budtree, feeling very reassured. But many thoughts started to pop up in her brain and she unable to keep quiet about them. "What happened, nine moons ago?" She asked. "How did I get separated? Did I have siblings? Who's my father?" She asked.

Budtree sighed, clearing unhappy with some of the questions, and maybe their answers as well. "Ten moons ago, the Twolegs had started to get a little bit... well, strange to say the least. They started to bring things to our lovely meadow, and everyone started to get a little suspicious. I was nervous of course. I was expecting kits, and I didn't want them to grow up in a place where Twolegs were acting strange. And to answer your question about your father, I may or may not have had a bit of a fling to say the least with a loner named Hare. When I had you, and only you, one kit, I felt a surge of love and protection for you. I truly loved you, but the Twolegs started to grow stranger and stranger each day. And with it brought danger. The day was very clear in my mind. Twolegs and their monsters started to invade camp while cats were away. I hissed and spat at them, but they took you." Budtree looked as though she was going to wail all the way to StarClan. "They took my only kit away from me." She sniffed and straightened up. "And I've never seen you since. Until when we started to move. I saw you, a strange little kittypet ready to guide to the ocean. I didn't recognize you then because I only saw glimpses of you and you were often somewhere else, but now I realized that you're my missing kit." She meowed happily and licked her between the ears.

Clawpaw felt so happy to find family. Many cats in her Clan had family, even if most where already gone. But now she felt connected and true. Though something did make her feel angry. "Why didn't you go after me?" She asked. Budtree blinked in surprise. "I did. I truly did want to search for you. But the Twolegs were destroying my home and so many of my kin and friends started to die or get captured. It was life or death out there and if I went anywhere near those Twolegs, I would be walking with the stars right now." Clawpaw was silent. The older she-cat made a good point. Budtree purred. "I'm just so happy now that you're alive." She purred and rested her head on Clawpaw's head.

Clawpaw embraced her and was happy to see Budtree. However, Budtree soon stopped her licking, and a conflicted expression soon crossed her face. "However, I don't think that we should tell this to anyone." She said, pain slicing through it. Clawpaw blinked. "Why not?" She asked. Budtree pinned her ears. "Well, you see, Lightstar is a fearsome cat. Someone not to reckon with. And with some of these cats in general," Clawpaw followed her mother's gaze to Lightstar, to Wisptail, Owlmuzzle, Amberbite, Sneezewhisker, Rattlegleam, and a few other cats. "I just think that some will be skeptical while others won't take it too well." Clawpaw understood what her mother was talking about and nodded. "Alright, I won't tell anyone." The young apprentice promised. Budtree smiled and nuzzle her one last time. "I'm so glad that I finally reunited with my daughter." She meowed before inching away from Clawpaw and closer to her mate, Clawcurl.

Clawpaw felt sadden by her mother walking away, but her attention soon was taken by the other apprentices as they called her over. "What was that all about?" Luckpaw asked. "Oh, nothing too important." Clawpaw lied. Luckpaw seemed a bit skeptical about it, but her worried expression soon changed. "Well, that's good because the leaders are about to make their speeches!" She exclaimed happily. Clawpaw nodded and turned her focus onto the four leaders on the Great Willow.

"WheatClan is doing very well!" Lightstar exclaimed, starting the Gathering. When the rest of the other Clans gave him odd looks Lightstar awkwardly shuffled his paws. "We were a bit late because Snowkit went missing. He was just outside of camp." Lightstar explained. He ruffled his pelt. "Anyway, I am happy to report that both Heavyshriek and Budtree are much better." The cats murmured to each other, and some cats mewed warmly at Budtree. Lightstar smiled, clearly happy that he didn't lose any cats. He nodded toward Fiercestar.

Fiercestar padded forward, her eyes shining with happiness and pride. "I first off what to explain that why Thistlefleck isn't here currently is because he got a sprain from a strange Twoleg contraption. So, I warn you all to be wary of them." Fiercestar mewed, nodding toward the leaders who seemed to take in the information with gratitude. Fiercestar looked back at the cats. "But I'm not too worried because we have our first medicine cat apprentice! Please welcome Murkpaw!" She exclaimed.

"Murkpaw! Murkpaw!" The Clans cheered the new apprentice's name. The BubbleClan cat didn't seemed to falter and puffed out his chest in pride.

Fiercestar flicked her tail for silence. "And with that I would also like to announce that Flowerchomp has moved to the nursery for her kits. They are due to be born in about a moon, and we got word from Sloestem that it's going to be a large litter! I couldn't be prouder of my Clan." Fiercestar announced and the Clans cheered happily. Clawpaw's cobalt eyes were shining. There were going to be newborn kits in the Clan, even before the Clans were six moons old! It was incredible. They really are going to survive.

Fiercestar nodded to Fuzzstar who walked up. Clawpaw noticed Oatblur stiffen when his leader came up next. "First off, I would like to say that we welcome one new warrior and one new apprentice! Please cheer for the newly named Howlpaw and Oatblur!" She yowled. As the Clan cats yowled their names to the sky, Howlpaw stood calmly where he was, not trying to show of or hide himself. All he did was sit calmly where he was. Meanwhile Oatblur was licking his chest fur in embarrassment and seemed to shrink from all the cats shouting. Fuzzstar waited for silence. "And while I have nothing else super major to report, I would like to point out that next moon we will have yet another apprentice." She called before letting the last leader, Petuniastar, take the show.

"First off, I'm glad to say that Rattlegleam has healed from his stomachache and now has an apprentice of his own, Siltpaw!" She soon paused and glanced at Fuzzstar. "One of our patrols found a small dog and while we chased it off, I think it was the same one that you found two moons ago." She meowed to Fuzzstar who seemed shocked the dog came back. Clawpaw shuddered, not wanting to think what would happen if she had to face a dog solo.

Lightstar flicked his tail. "Well, if that's all then I would like to head back to our camps." He yawned. "After all, we need to get a good-nights sleep. And I would like to have a word with that little kit." He added, a lot quieter than the rest of his words but still hearable. Clawpaw pitied the young Snowkit, not wanting to deal with Lightstar's wrath. But as the Gathering came to an end, Clawpaw wandered over to the rest of her Clanmates to go home. She cast one longing glance at Budtree who looked back at her lovingly. "Good-bye." Clawpaw mouthed before dashing off to go follow her Clanmates home.