Path's End

image by @wiggles-the-tuff on twitter

### Sons:

Snow Storm, Ice Drift, Howling Blizzard, Falling Stone, Rolling Creek, Rushing Cascade, Prickly Pine, Olallie Toes, Wandering Star, Falling Rain, Quiet Moon

### Daughters:

Pebble Drop, Bubbling River, Silent Splash, Towering Fir, Dew Berry, Strawberry Nose, Fluttering Butterfly, Ash, Setting Sun, Little Echo, Golden Dawn

## History

#### **Kithood (0 - 6 moons)**

Path's End was born Spotted Shell and was raised by two loving parents, but lost them when she was young. They also adopted Path Walker when she mysteriously appeared at the mouth of the Tribe's cave. Both she and Spotted Shell were kittens at the time.

#### **Training (6 - 12 moons)**

Spotted Shell struggled during her training moons, having no affinity for protecting, hunting, or healing. Her head was always "in the clouds."

#### **Young Adulthood (1 - 3 years)**

Mountain's Shadow eventually confesses his love for Spotted Shell, and they have their first litter, consisting of Snow Storm, Ice Drift, and Howling Blizzard. This first litter, however, didn't survive due to leaf-bare conditions.

#### **Adulthood (3 - 5 years)**

Spotted Shell and Mountain's Shadow have two litters during this time: their second litter (Pebble Drop and Falling Stone), and their third litter (Rolling Creek, Bubbling River, Rushing Cascade, and Silent Splash). Falling Stone falls to his death during this time, and the entire third litter doesn't survive due to Leaf-Fall Illness.

#### **Adulthood (Pre-Journey) (5 - 7 years)**

Spotted Shell and Mountain's Shadow have their fourth litter, consisting of Prickly Pine and Towering Fir. Both go missing around five moons old. They are not found and are assumed dead.

A fifth litter is born: Olallie Toes, Dew Berry, and Strawberry Nose. All die from starvation and/or sickness.

#### **Senior (Journey) (7 - 8 years)**

About a week before the journey, Pebble Drop dies from starvation and sickness.

Soon after, Mountain's Shadow also dies of starvation, pushing Spotted Shell and Path Walker to finally make up their minds and lead willing cats to another territory that isn't so deadly.

During the journey, Spotted Shell births her sixth and final litter with Mountain's Shadow, consisting of Bumblebee Foot and Fluttering Butterfly. Fluttering Butterfly falls into a river and hits their head during the journey, drowning very young.

The Journey lasts about nine moons.

#### **Elder (8 years +)**

The group reaches the Wolf Forest and are attacked by wolves after meeting some of the local cats. Enraged at the sight of Path Walker being torn apart by the beasts, Spotted Shell attacks them and loses her own life - and most of the right side of her body. Bumblebee Foot, terrified, blindly runs into the Wolf Forest and isn't seen again. Eventually, the surviving cats drag Spotted Shell's body across the aqueduct bridge, escaping the wolves and arriving at the place Path Walker was trying to lead them.

Mountain's Shadow appears to his mate when Spotted Shell dies, and he gives her eight more lives in order for her to lead the rest of their Tribe. Spotted Shell returns to the living and renames herself "Path's End" as an homage to Path Walker and to signify that they have reached their true home. Path's End is now the Oracle.

When Lamb returns the next day, they bring the news of their failure to locate Bumblebee Foot. When Path's End asks about Tumbling Stone, Lamb confirms that they hadn't found him, either. Both share a moment of grief for her losses.

Path's End meets Mau, a cat many mistake as a spirit at first, in the structure the cats eventually call their camp. They bond over their love of the stars. She's sad when he leaves to travel more, but accepts it.

[Warnings about Ash]

[Finds Star Pool]

[Takes on Persimmon Spice as an Oracle apprentice]

[Visits MS and Pebble Drop]

While Mau is gone, Path's End has her first litter with him, consisting of Setting Sun, Wandering Star, Falling Rain, Little Echo, and Quiet Moon. Falling Rain is stillborn. The strain of the pregnancy and birth costs Path's End one of her lives, leaving her with seven. Shade Wanderer, panicking from seeing Path's End die and not realizing that she could revive, attacks Elm Frost and nearly blinds him (he blamed the tom for PE's death).

[The games!]

[Spider joins]

[Ash returns and wounds her throat badly (lives: 5)]

[Mau returns with TF and PP]

[Rift with Roach]

[Spider's deceit revealed, PE lets him stay if he tries to regain her trust (and not tell anyone about what he did)]

[Shade Wanderer returns as Wander]

[Sickness: lasts two weeks; "waited on" by primarily Little Echo; last time speaking with Mountain's Shadow]

[Second litter with Mau: Golden Dawn]