This Clan

This Clan

A songfic by Star
Based on *This Town* by Niall Horan
You can also find it here

Enjoy

*Waking up to lick you and nobody's there*

*The smell of your scent still stuck in the air*

*It's hard*

*Yesterday I thought I saw your shadow running round*

*It's funny how things never change in this old Clan*

*So far from the stars*

Ivyfoot sighed. She missed Arrow so much already. It isn’t fair that he had to leave and I had to stay. But BloodClan had to move on. It still didn’t stop her from hurting. She got up and went to the RiverClan deputy, Pricklestream. “I need a patrol. Any kind, really. To . . .” She couldn’t bear saying it, but everyone knew it the rest would be *to get my mind off Arrow.* No one was surprised. Ever since the five Clans joined as one, gossip and news got around fast. Besides, everyone saw her getting cozy with Arrow.

“Fair enough,” murmured Pricklestream. His deep, dark brown fur, melodious voice, and sarcastic, yet kind personality made her feel happy, but not nearly as much as Arrow did. He leaned in. “You know, just between you and I, I miss Bullet too. And I’d like to be on your patrol. You lead. I . . . I need to get my mind off everything too.”

Soon cats all around signed up for a patrol, not to get their minds off anything but to stick to daily routine. “It’s not fair . . .” whispered Ivyfoot. The gray-and-white she-cat soon stepped into what used to be ShadowClan territory. A brown-and-ginger tom stopped to greet them. “Morning. Hunting?”

“Actually Runningwing,” Ivyfoot corrected, “we’re patrolling. Seen any signs of trouble?”

“Nope, but there’s no use moping around. Routine helps us.”

All around, cats murmured their agreement, but they also murmured sympathy for those who were still attached. It was hard not to dislike the aggressive Clan, but underneath the bloodshed were warmhearted cats who just felt misunderstood. However, there would never be enough room in the forest for both of them. It was too much.

They passed the old barn Barley and Cherrytail passed away in. Inside were old cat Cloudmist and her grandson Rainflight. “No sign of trouble,” grunted Cloudmist. Her white pelt still had the shine from when she was young. “Still waiting to join Hawkwing in StarClan.”

Pricklestream waved his tail tip in acknowledgement as they made their way back to the Gathering Island, a.k.a. home base. Before they crossed the tree bridge, Pricklestream pulled Ivyfoot over. “Ivyfoot . . . I realize that we both have empty holes in our hearts. It won’t do us any good to dwell on the past. But . . . if you don’t want to . . .” he stammered.

Several thoughts raced through Ivyfoot. *I—I can’t! I’m betraying Arrow. StarClan knows I just can’t do this to him! But Pricklestream is nice. We both know that we can never be together. We both know I need a Clan cat for me to be happy.*

“Not want to?” Ivyfoot brushed her tail tip across his face. “Pricklestream . . . you mouse-brain! How could I not?” More seriously, she added, “It’s time that we both moved on.”

*I want to tell you everything*

*The words I never got to say the first time around*

*And I remember everything*

*From when we were the kits playing in this camp*

*Wish I was there with you now*

Arrow stared out from his guard place. Cold. Freezing. Yet leaf-bare was not here. Mace stepped up with him. “We live and we learn,” she sighed. “We love, we cry, we fight, we play, we do everything. But now . . . I think nobody wants to do anything.”

“Of course they don’t want to do anything. Most of them have known the Clan cats since they were kits!” *I’ve known Ivyfoot since she was Ivykit!* he thought.

Mace shook her head. “We need to move on. Find mates in our own camp. You know,” she purred, “I think Blade has taken a liking to you. Ever since Dagger died, she’s been feeling so lonely. Maybe that’s why she fell for that Clan cat. I understand. I still haven’t truly gotten over Talon’s death. But . . . we need to move on. Don’t dwell on things you can’t change.”

Arrow sighed. “It’s not just that. I never said good bye! I just walked out her den without saying anything. I didn’t wake her up, I didn’t lick her face, I didn’t do anything!” In a smaller voice, he added, “What kind of a tom am I if I can’t say good bye?”

“Oh . . .” Mace drew her tail around him. “Come here,” she meowed. “It’s all right. She’ll understand.”

“I remember it all,” mewed Arrow. “From when I first met her, to when we fought in our first battle, to when we became really close. I wish I was with her.”

“Don’t worry. She’s probably thinking of you. She’ll understand.”

*If the whole world was watching I'd still dance with you*

*Run highways and byways to be there with you*

*Over and over the only truth*

*Everything comes back to you*

“I don’t understand,” Ivyfoot whimpered. She and Pricklestream were standing face-to-face with Arrow and Blade. “Why did you never say good bye? I wanted one! I didn’t want to be left all alone, with you one morning and deserted the next!”

Arrow sighed. “I was a mouse-brain, okay? I wasn’t thinking clearly. I didn’t realize how much this meant to you.”
Ivyfoot’s eyes brimmed with tears. Arrow of all cats didn’t understand. How dare he? She calmly walked over to the black tom. “I journeyed for three days to find you. I walked Thunderpaths just to be near you. And now you say you didn’t realize how deep our relationship is?”

The tom looked taken aback. He unsheathed and sheathed his claws. When he finally looked up, his voice was barely a whisper. “I realized. But I thought you would understand. I thought our relationship was deep enough that we could know what the other was thinking. But I thought wrong.” With that, he turned away.

“No! Wait! Come back!” Ivyfoot ran after the black tom. But Arrow had already disappeared from sight. Blade, a stocky, well muscled ginger she-cat, stepped in front of her.

“No use trying. You’re both sad. But there are times where you have to let go.”

*But I don’t want to let go!* screamed Ivyfoot’s mind. *I don’t want to forget him!*

Pricklestream sighed. “Come on, let’s go.”

*I saw that you moved on with someone new*

*In the clearing that we met he's got his tail around you*

*It's so hard*

*So hard*

Arrow looked across the Thunderpath. It was snowing, and the wind was blowing heavily, but he could make out the lithe figure of Ivyfoot. This was the Willow Clearing, nicknamed for where Ivyfoot’s parents, Willowheart and Willowfang first met. And they had first met each other there too. But now, Ivyfoot and her new tom were standing side by side, laughing, and the tom had his tail wrapped around Ivyfoot.

“How dare you,” he muttered under his breath. “How dare you steal her from me?”

He ran onto the Thunderpath, not thinking of where he was going, what he was doing, and whether a monster was approaching. All he knew was that he needed Ivyfoot, and Ivyfoot needed him. He didn’t notice that anything was wrong until his love yelled, “Look out, Arrow!”

The world dissolved into darkness.

*And I know that it's wrong*

*That I can't move on*

*But there's something about you*

“No! No no no!” screamed Ivyfoot. It wasn’t real. This wasn’t real. Arrow wasn’t hurt. Arrow didn’t get hit. Arrow wasn’t dead. She would wake up from this nightmare to find Arrow by her side.

Pricklestream curled his tail around her. “I—I’m so sorry,” he stammered. He turned away. “I know how much he meant to you.”

He was the world to me, the she-cat wanted to scream. But now everything fell apart. She ran over and somehow managed to drag her friend over to the other side of the Thunderpath. “Wake up,” she murmured into his ear. “Wake up. I need you back. I need you, Arrow, wake up you can’t do this to me!” But Arrow was already lost, his sparkling eyes, once alight with joy, dull and blank. They would never see again. She collapsed into a sobbing heap, while faintly aware of Pricklestream murmuring soft words into her ears. But they didn’t matter anymore. Arrow was dead. There was nothing to live for anymore.

Suddenly a voice spoke, unseen by her, but with a familiar tone. *Ivyfoot. Ivyfoot. Listen to me. Your world is not worthless. You are the most determined she-cat I ever knew. Would she have let you turn into this? Get back to your old self. Don’t cry over me. I lived a good life. You must learn to move on. Things happen, but they live in the past. Live in the present. Pricklestream is a good tom. He’ll support you. Just like I did. Now stop crying. The Ivyfoot I knew would not have done this.*

*He’s right,* Ivyfoot realized. *Arrow’s right. I can’t do this to myself.* Turning to Pricklestream, she whispered, “Between you and me, I will never truly move on. But to everyone else . . .” She wrapped her tail around him. “To everyone else, I have moved on, and I’m with you.”

“Sounds like a good plan. Shall we walk home?”

“Let’s bury Arrow first.” Together they dug a hole, and laid Arrow’s body to rest. Then they covered him up with dirt. Ivyfoot, who was closest, spoke the words that would send him off to StarClan, even if he wasn’t a true Clan cat. “May you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter when you sleep.” She bowed her head. “And thank you for the memories. I’ll never forget.” Together, they walked back to ForestClan, the five Clans joined as one.

## Epilogue

I never got over Arrow’s death. But I did learn to be happy. I now walk ForestClan with a smile on my face. But today, I have even better news.

“Pricklestream!” I run up to my mate. “Pricklestream!”

“What?” He turns around. “I was just in the middle of organizing patrols.”

I smile. “Patrols can wait. Guess what? I’m having kits! Your kits! You’re going to be a father!”

Pricklestream’s face turns into confusion. Slowly, it dawns on him. He barrels into me, licking me and laughing. “No way! I’m going to be a father! I’m going to be a father!” It’s not long before one of the cats clears his throat and tells us he’s waiting for his patrol.

“Sorry. Um . . . Fallowpelt, you lead a hunting patrol. Riverfish, Hollyflash, Mudheart, and Gorsefoot, you go with him,” Pricklestream lists off. He’s a good cat. I’m so lucky to have him.

I turn around and see none other than my mother. “So,” she purrs. “You’re having kits. I’m going to be a grandmother?”

“Yes!”

“Oh, my kit’s all grown up,” Willowheart yowls, and snuggles up close to me. My sister, Dawnthorn, who’s had kits, purrs her congratulations. Everyone congratulates me, even Cloudmist, who never congratulates or compliments anyone.

~\*~

“You’re doing great, Ivyfoot! Just one more . . .” I’m sweaty, hot, and tired. But now the fourth and final kit has popped out. I draw them all close. “Hello, little kits,” I sigh. “You’re safe with me and your father.” One’s a gray-and-white tom. One’s a dark brown she-kit. One’s a brown-and-white tom. And the tiniest and youngest is a black she-kit. An echo of Arrow.

“What shall we name them?” asks Pricklestream. He sounds like a kit ready to become an apprentice. “I think Cloudkit’s perfect for that one,” he says, pointing to the gray-and-white one.

“Perfect,” I reply. “And what about Briarkit and Reedkit for those two?” I suggest.

He nods. Together, we turn towards the black she-kit. “And what will your name be?” we ask. But we already know the answer.

“You say it,” I tell Pricklestream.

“No, you say it.”

“You say it.”

“Okay, we’ll both say it. One, two, three . . .”

“. . . Arrowkit!”

“You two are definitely soulmates,” sighs Willowheart. She licks my fur. “Even coming up with the same name for a kit!”

I nod at her. “Oh, we are definitely full of surprises mother.”

~\*~

It’s come full circle. My own kits are with kits. I still remember when Cloudspot, Briarfall, Reedcloud, and Arrowheart were kits But now you know how Arrowheart got her name. And now you know why I still look off into the distance . . .

Arrow’s love for me lives in my heart . . . forever.

*If the whole world was watching I'd still dance with you*

*Drive highways and byways to be there with you*

*Over and over the only truth*

*Everything comes back to you*

*You still make me nervous when you walk in the room*

*Them butterflies they come alive when I'm next to you*

*Over and over the only truth*

*Everything comes back to you*

*Everything comes back to you*