Diagnosed with a developmental disorder at a young age, Duskelle Waterlee has always been special - but not necessarily in a good way. Even at the age of fourteen, she is still unable to truly grasp human ways of life.
Her only relief is River, a st...
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Note: This does happen in RiverClan of the old forest, but the way the camp built is different from the way it is in the books.
As Duskelle padded through the forest after Nightstone and Streampaw, she started to smell more and more cat scent. She assumed that they were getting closer to where these cats made their home. They got to a small creek and the two cats in front of her swam through easily. Duskelle hesitated. The water looked cold and her bare skin was so different from other cats'; it wouldn't keep the frost out. But she needed to look strong in front of these other cats. She couldn't look weak, even for moment. Duskelle squared her shoulders and stepped in the water. To her surprise, it wasn't cold at all. In fact, it was slightly warm and comforting.
Behind her, Frostmist called out, "Move faster! We don't have all day!" Duskelle made a face and waded through the water faster. Frostmist shook out her fur when she stepped out, splattering Duskelle with drops. Duskelle frowned, but followed after the she-cat when she strode forward.
Nightstone and Streampaw were slightly ahead. "You two! Get back here!" Frostmist snapped. Duskelle realized abruptly that ever since she'd met the group, Frostmist had been giving her uncertain glances with a hint of fear in them. Could the uptight she-cat actually be scared of her? It was an odd thought, the idea that a being could be scared of her.
Suddenly, she realized that she was falling behind and scurried to match the cats' pace. They reached a small area completely surrounded by a thorn thicket. Duskelle could see no way to go through, and she frowned, confused as to where they were supposed to be going. Streampaw bounded ahead, where a small opening that Duskelle hadn't noticed was concealed by the thicket. Duskelle took note of the advantages that this would give them as she trotted after the cats. The opening was hard to see and a large number of cats wouldn't be able to get through at the same time.
They walked through and Duskelle gasped. She had never seen so many cats in her life before. They were all bustling around, doing different things. Some kittens played in a corner. A few cats were dropping killed mice and other small rodents onto a pile, and still others were eating. Elderly cats were stretched out on a flat rock at the edge of the clearing, basking in the sun. But all activity stopped when they noticed Duskelle.
"Twoleg!" some cat yelled and all the cats fell into an organized pattern, the kittens and old cats ushered away, with the young and middle aged cats rushing forward. It took Duskelle a moment to understand that they were running straight at her with their claws out. She shrank back and closed her eyes.
"Stop!" Frostmist yelled. "This is no ordinary Twoleg! It can understand and speak to us!" The commotion died down and Duskelle tentatively opened her eyes. All the cats were staring at her, some eyes filled with curiosity, and others mistrust.
"Where is Minnowstar?" asked Frostmist calmly. Duskelle wondered why Frostmist had such authority over the other cats. All of them listened to her. Thinking back to their first conversation, she remembered that Frostmist had said that she was a "deputy," whatever that meant. Perhaps that gave her power over the others.
"Right here!" called a voice from the other side. A she-cat was bounding down a rocky structure that looked like a miniature mountain. Duskelle could make a dark hole at the top of the structure. She wondered if those were her living quarters or the like.
"What is it? Why is this Twoleg in our camp, Frostmist?" Duskelle whipped her head back to the she cat and froze. She was beautiful. Extremely beautiful. She had slightly shaggy fur on her chest, body and tail that were streaks of soft gray among snowy white fur. Her face fur was much sleeker and she had beautiful electric blue eyes that contrasted sharply with her fur. Right now, those eyes were flickering from her to Frostmist, who dipped her head to the cat and started talking. Duskelle could almost feel the respect rolling off in waves from the other cats situated around her. This cat had to be their leader. Duskelle felt a surge of excitement come off her. This was the cat who she could talk to about River!
"So she can understand and talk to us," Frostmist finished, stealing a glance in her direction. The leader cat, whose name appeared to be "Minnowstar," turned her gaze onto Duskelle. She looked like she was thinking about what to do with Duskelle.
This was her chance to explain everything. Duskelle started talking. "Hello, uh, Minnowstar, right? I'm Duskelle Waterlee and I'm looking for my friend, a gray tabby with green and blue eyes, named River. I heard a rumor that she might be with you, so I came to-"
"Gray tabby with green and blue eyes, you say?" Minnowstar interrupted. When Duskelle nodded vigorously, she continued. "I think that fits Riverdawn's description quite well indeed." She turned to Streampaw, who was lingering at the edge of the group. "Streampaw, go grab Riverdawn for me, will you? From what I remember, she's out hunting at the forest near Sunningrocks."
The young tom, eager to please his leader, blurted out a "Sure, Minnowstar!" and raced away.
"Riverdawn has been visiting here, looking at our ways, for a long time, and she actually joined our clan yesterday morning." Duskelle inwardly scoffed. River would never have actually wanted to join! These cats were just cooking up some scheme.
Something must have showed in her expression, because Minnowstar caught her eye and added, "She appeared to be very eager to fully immerse herself in Clan life."
Duskelle contemplated what Minnowstar said for only a second before she cast aside the she-cat's words. She knew what River was like. Who River was. And she knew River would never abandon her of her own free will. She jerked out of her thoughts just in time to catch Minnowstar say, "Show our guest to a free den," to Nightstone and walk away.
Nightstone gestured wordlessly with her tail for Duskelle to follow, and she reluctantly followed, now wondering if this Riverdawn was a completely different cat. Her physical description fit River, yes, but her motives and personality didn't seem to at all.
She'd stay anyways, she decided. It wouldn't hurt to get a look, to properly quell her doubts.
