Chapter 11-

Blood sticks stubbornly to Sagepaw's pelt, Tansypaw's blood, and It won't leave. It is Tansypaw's blood on his paws, isn't it? But it feels like so many more, compiled into one blood stain. Sagepaw looks up, eyes narrowing in the fog, and he sees the blood on his pelt, glimmering. Through the haze sits accusatory glare of the icy blue eyes.

~~~

There is no blood on Sagepaw's fur.

It is only mud. Cool, dark, mud, perfect for the backdrop of the forest shrouded in black. Sagepaw's green eyes open, shimmering in the night. His panting seizes. It is only mud.

The aftermath of the rain is a sludgy, sloshy, mud pit. The dirt is soaked, resembling Sagepaw's scrunched-up and dripping pelt. The trees seem tall and threatening, their long branches looking like dripping dog mouths. Sagepaw has never been alone in the dark woods. There's a first time for everything.

Sagepaw stands, muddy water streaming from his pelt. His eyes narrow against the fog and he inhales. His stomach rumbles, the mild hunger back and ready to expand. The wind holds no answers. Sagepaw sighs in frustration.

The minutes of bliss ignorance, when all Sagepaw thinks about is hunger, are amazing. Until the crippling sadness returns, the mud on his pelt reminding him so much of blood Sagepaw can't focus. The scent of a wood mouse flies by him without the tom twitching an ear.

Sagepaw furiously grooms his pelt, the dull scent of sticky water-downed mud leaving him. His scent billows into the air, but Sagepaw can't care less. As long as the blood leaves.

The orange and white tom flicks his tail, eyes swinging to survey his surroundings. He's on the border with Windclan, but the border is freshly marked this time, as if a sign of courage. Are the Windclan cats really wanting their demolished territory back? Fine then. Sagepaw slips beyond the border, head low.

"Stop!"

Sagepaw's head goes up instantly, eyes slitted against the humid fog. A silhouette of a small, long, cat stands in the haze. And then, with surprising speed, the cat sprints toward Sagepaw.

The tom doesn't move, watching the cat's feature be revealed. A black pelt, similar to the night sky, and one single green eye. Voidflicker. Sagepaw feels fear and adrenaline pump through him, his legs urging him to run.

"What are you doing-" the black tom starts, before his eye narrows in remembrance, and his crooked smile lights his face. "Sagekit. Sagepaw. You're on Windclan territory-"

Sagepaw hears only the blood in his ears as he runs, no, sprints, across the moor. His paws thrum against the ground, an energy exploding from him. He shoots into Thunderclan territory, tumbling over his paws. Sagepaw feels his panic nudging, shoving, him forward. Voidflicker chases like Sagepaw is merely a rabbit, ready to be crushed under delicate paws.

The wooded ground proves to be helpful and Sagepaw leaps and scrambles over leaves and brambles, slowing his pursuer. The branches once looking so threatening and dangerous feel helpful as their branches entangle Voidflicker for a few moments. But a second is only a second. Voidflicker doesn't give up, so Sagepaw doesn't give thanks. Not yet, anyways.

Sagepaw's chest burns by the time he veers around a hill, disappearing into his camp walls. His breath catches in his throat, large, hiccuping, inhales. Breath. Sagepaw can't.

Voidflicker's dry laugh sounds from a bit outside of the walls. "Fine then, run from me, run back to Snapstar," he chuckles and Sagepaw looks cautiously over his shoulder. The black tom sits peacefully, his green eye shining with amusement. "After all, he isn't your father."

~~~

Sagepaw collapses into Aloestar's pelt, his chest heaving. The sun pricks over the clouds, shining a deep orange-red. Sagepaw is home. Finally home, with Tumblecry and Aloestar.

Tumblecry tsks, tail flicking. "Why'd you leave?" she questions softly, sniffing at Sagepaw, mumbling about nothing wrong. And nothing is wrong. Physically.

Sagepaw is confused. He's sad and scared and confused and dizzy. He wants to vomit. He wants to cry. He wants to sleep with Smoothpaw licking his head and Flickerpaw curled around him. Like he's a kit again, playing moss ball in the shaded leader-den. Giggling in the mud. Unaware that the mud would soon feel like blood. Unaware that his father would morph from a father then a mentor then what? Something other than that? A stranger?

Tumblecry doesn't care about him, no, not ever. Her eyes are nothing but annoyed and maybe a little bored. Sagepaw doesn't want her to care. If she did, perhaps she'd notice the dead look in his eyes. Aloestar doesn't. No cat does.

Smoothpaw trots into the medicine cat den, Flickerpaw on her heels. Both their smiles are oddly crooked, like a smile could hurt him. But is she wrong to be cautious? Sagepaw is fragile now. At any moment he could shatter, like mere sea glass.

"You're home!" Smoothpaw falls into her brother, purring deeply, tail curling around his small form, "I knew you would! You just needed some alone time, right?" Smoothpaw never acts this bubbly and social. She must really think Sagepaw will crumble.

Well, he won't. Not today, anyway.

Sagepaw purrs too, landing a lick in between Smoothpaw's ears. Flickerpaw doesn't speak much, but relief billows off of him in clouds. Sagepaw forces his mouth to be upturned, happy. That word. That lie.

The siblings exchange smiles and licks and purrs. Sagepaw acts happy, and if glad is considered happy he definitely is. No cat asks where he's been, and he doesn't give hints. Sagepaw is only more glad about this.

Happiness, at least his, might be just an act, but such a smile and scrunched-up eyes can get Sagepaw far. Perhaps he's not a kit, a broken kit, anymore. Perhaps Snapstar will train him again. Perhaps this will impress him. Good boy, Sagepaw. Sit, Sagepaw.

Snapstar. The label father is already gone, Sagepaw knows. It's been since the very first day. When has Snapstar let Sagepaw bat at his tail? When has Snapstar brought Aloestar prey? When has Snapstar gawked about how handsome Sagepaw is? Never. When has Snapstar been a father?

But Voidflicker really puts it into focus. How could Snapstar be his father, in any sense of the word? Do looks really determine kin? But if Snapstar isn't his father, what is he? A mentor, a roll model? Only Snapstar knows.

And soon, will that knowledge be Sagepaw's?

~~~

there's more content in my book of stuff!! a spoiler for other side too, so please check it out.

also, please don't hate me for disappearing for a few days and panicking everyone and then immediately popping back. my stuff is still not quite together, but I've seen (after I left sadly) how much this support is helping me. thank you for showing me this!! just thank y'all.

sorry to get all sappy LOL. here's the update and major plot twist!! any ideas on who their father is, or if Voidflicker is lying or not? those would be fun to hear!! have an amazing day and sorry for the long authors note!! happy early valentines day <3