Post by Yoko on Nov 29, 2010 22:08:31 GMT -6
=o Kay, I'm starting from scratch. Recent Bio info helps. Correct me if I make any bio/history mistakes.
DISCLAIMER: YOKO DOES NOT OWN ANYTHING, REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA IS NOT MY IDEA AND NOT MY WORK. ALSO WARRIORS BELONGS TO ERIN HUNTER!
((A dark and foggy night in the swamp. A pale glow of moonlight hangs in the thick mist, but the actual white globe is nowhere to be found. Far from silent, crickets and rustlings resound through the ShadowClan Territory. These sounds are a perfect mask for the splash of careless and frightened pawsteps. The panting of the fearful she-cat is not to be heard. A shadow passes before her in the fog and she slides to a halt. No chance to turn back. A manic dark laughter fills the air around the shadowy she-cat. The thick furred tall tabby is a tail-length from her nose. Staring at her with pale amber eyes))
Snaketail: My, my, you were rather rude. How poorly mannered of you to eat and run. Won't you stay and share one last mouse?
She-cat (hissing): You'll never escape justice!
Twistedclaw (stepping through the fog from behind her, smirking cruelly and flexing his claws): But we already have.
Lizardeye (forming a triangle around the trapped she-cat): You stand no chance. Even if you told every cat in the Clan, they would never believe a traitor like you. You made a vow and failed to honor it. This is the end for you.
(Twistedclaw leaps at her from behind. The she-cat ducks and rolls, before backtracking through the fog and veering up towards the WindClan border. She doesn't get very far before she's tackled by three sets of claws in different directions. Her yowl is heard, but the scene goes black.)
Eclipseclaw: Thus began a Glorious Age for ShadowClan.
((A bright morning, the sunlight comes in at a slant, leaving a lovely dappled glow on the ShadowClan Camp Clearing floor. Morning patrols are heading out. Mentors and their apprentices flock to the entrance. Dawn Patrol returns, Nightshade at the forefront, her usual team (Dreamstep and Thornclaw), trotting behind her. She steps up to Specklestar who looks with narrow shifty eyes at the group and beckons them away with her tail. Unlike the rest of the hustling, bustling, camp, Ivypaw and Adderpaw lounge boredly just beside the entrance of the Medicine Cat Den.))
Adderpaw (whispering with narrowed eyes): We should just go! No one will miss us.
Ivypaw: No way! Father would have our heads!
Adderpaw: Shush! We’re not supposed to call him that…And besides, he’s just gone out hunting…(long, bored pause, Adderpaw’s tail twitches violently) It’s stupid! Don’t you think? That all the other apprentices get to go out and train and we get stuck here with Lizardeye.
Ivypaw: (licking her paw) Lizardeye’s not so bad…He’s fath-I mean
Snaketail’s brother, and the Medicine Cat. The other apprentices think it’s pretty cool we get to hang out here all the time…
Adderpaw: And that’s another thing! Just why can’t we have apprentice’s visit us? Why do they hide us in back whenever anyone new has to come in the Medicine Cat Den.
Ivypaw: (looking down and flattening her ears) You know
why….we’re sick Adderpaw…Remember what happened last time we went out, we almost died…It’s better here and safer too! And if we’re good, we get to come out and watch the Clan.
Adderpaw (huffing): I don’t want to watch! (stares back out at the Clan) I want to be there…
Lizardeye (brushing by): Stay here.
Adderpaw: (sticks her tongue out and whispers) Where would we go?
Emberthorn: That’s a rather rude thing to do to the Clan Medicine Cat. (coldly eying the apprentice) Especially when he’s taken such good care of you.
Ivypaw (brightening up): Hi Emberthorn! How’s life as a full Medicine Cat? What was the ceremony like?
Emberthorn (indifferent to the cheerfulness): I can’t tell you. The ceremony is sacred.
Ivypaw: …Oh…Well, congratulations anyway. (she went back to grooming)
(Emberthorn follows Lizardeye, presumably to help gather some herbs.)
Tawnypaw (sliding out of the Medicine Cat Den): Hey guys!
Adderpaw (rolling her eyes) WHY is everyone so cheerful today?
Ivypaw: Hi Tawnypaw.
Aren’t you going with your mentors?
Tawnypaw (proud): Nope. They told me to stay and sort herbs BY
MYSELF.
Ivypaw: Whoa! They must really trust you!
Tawnypaw: Want to help?
Adderpaw: No Thanks
Ivypaw: Maybe later,
(Tawnypaw shrugs and bounces back to work)
Ivypaw (wrinkling her brow): You think it’s unfair that our Clan has two Medicine Cats AND a Medicine Cat Apprentice?
Adderpaw: What’s it matter? No amount of Medicine Cats can cure us.
Nightshade: ARGH! Can't you fuzzbrains get anything right?!
(The sister apprentices turn their heads to see the spitting new warrior march out of the warriors den and look at a Ashpaw, Yellowpaw, and Blazepaw who had the misfortune of being the only apprentices eating at the time. Nightshade marched over, shortly followed by Thornclaw and Dreamstep.)
Dappleheart: Don't get your tail in a knot, leave them alone.
Nightshade (hisses at her and watches Dappleheart walk briskly out of camp, for yet another patrol. Then turns back on to the apprentices): If you think, that I'm going to sleep on those stinky, pitifully shaped lumps of moss you collected for bedding, you're out of your dung-eating minds!
Yellowpaw (scowling and lashing her tail): Shut it, Nightshade. We'd like to see you handle ALL the Clans chores while the warriors are busy circling the borders like buzzards.
Nightshade (leaning in nose to nose): Little filth-blood brats shouldn't speak to their superiors like that! Chang that moss, or you're going down Yellowrunt!
Yellowpaw: Well, war it is then Nightshade! You're going down.
((Nightshade stormed off. The three siblings glared after her.))
Ivypaw: Whoa! This will be fun to watch.
Adderpaw: Yeah! Nightshade is totally going to win. She's a warrior!
Ivypaw: Yellowpaw is brilliant. No way will she lose. Besides, her brothers are way more useful than Thornclaw and Dreamstep.
(Fade Out, Fade into a shadowy sunset in the Clearing. Adderpaw prods her sister)
Adderpaw (getting to her paws): Snaketail’s back. (starts to move towards him)
Snaketail (deposits prey and bounds over): What are you doing outside the den? And why are you up so late?
Adderpaw (hissing): Lizardeye SAID-
Lightningclaw: Don’t be so hard on them, Snaketail. I’m sure they meant nothing by it.
Adderpaw: I don’t see what the big deal is!
Snaketail: It’s a-
Ivypaw: A dangerous world out there, we know. Let’s go get some sleep Adderpaw. (prods sister to go into the Medicine Cat Den)
(Apprentice sisters leave.)
Lightningclaw: Is it really necessary to keep them cooped up like that, Snaketail?
Snaketail (frustrated): They don’t have a mother to keep them in line. With no one else to protect them, what more can I do than leave them in my Brother’s care?
Lightningclaw: I suppose you think of them as “your own”? (winks)
Snaketail (small smirk): Of course! I found them after all! All alone in the forest-
Lightningclaw: Beside their dead loner mother?
Snaketail:….What’s done is done…I have to go now…Specklestar will be expecting me.
Lightningclaw: Yes I suppose…What does she keep meeting you and your brothers about? Surely not adding more patrols? The Clan does triple as many already! I mean, I know we’re the largest Clan and in danger of attack, but we’re really wearing ourselves down…Not to mention, since she banned apprentices going on Border Patrol, their training is a bit neglected.
Snaketail: Oh Lightningclaw, for shame! Have you no faith in the good judgment of our glorious and wise leader? Did Specklestar fail to claim Snakerocks and the Owl Tree when our Clan was desperate for food?
Lightningclaw: No but still-
Snaketail: No time, Lightningclaw. There’s Lizardeye now, we must be off.
ACT ONE SCENE 2
((The SC Brothers walking down a two-leg path with thick wood fences on either side of them and the occasional streetlamp to light the way. All the same, the three tabbies stick to the shadows, but by no means are they skulking. Its obviously late, the street is quiet except for the occasional yap of a two-leg dog.)
Snaketail (sighing): I don’t see what we have to go and meet Her for again. Or why we continue this ridiculous business with the rest of the loners, rogues and kittypets. Wouldn't this be easily solved by killing her?
Lizardeye: You're the one with the debt, Snaketail. Even if we killed her, she has plenty of kin to avenge her.
Snaketail: If they really are so sick and weakly that they have to rely on our herbs to survive, then isn't it possible they'll die out quickly without our help
Lizardeye: They are too great in number…Even weak, combined with ThunderClan forces we might actually have a real battle on our paws. It's too much of a risk. This problem has too many random factors. We should lie low for the time being, and strike only when we are certain it won't be our doom.
Twistedclaw: What’s it matter? If you ask me, it’s a good business.
Snaketail (smirking): Anything to get your claws bloody, aye Brother?
(The three turn a corner and slip through a hole in one of the twoleg fences. A petite white feminine figure waits on the porch. On his right are three young cats, two bronze and one silver while all are spotted, on the other four more cats, one tabby tortoiseshell looking distrusting of the three, two identical dark-furred cats.)
Wynter (in a scathing tone): You’re late!
Snaketail: Excuse us for handling your merchandise so gently and ensuring that we brought it hear unshredded. Here, do you want us to tear it up for you? Or do you want to use your very own claws to waste all of our time and negotiations.
Nyx/Ciar: Such insolence!
Winnie (batting her eyelashes): Such wit.
(Snaketail smirks and nods to the sandy spotted she-cat)
Wynter: On to business. How much time do you want?
Lizardeye: Specklestar wants two moons.
Wynter (long hiss): You can’t expect me to hold them off so long on the little supplies you brought!
(The other loners and kittypets hiss and raise their fur in agreement)
Snaketail: You have our services, as always, Wynter (bows humbly) We’ll help keep them in line.
Wynter: You had better! It’s hard enough to be top cat as it is, and you want to add this to it? I run this town! No cat meows without my say so. I keep my cats out of your forest, and you repay me by cheating me out of a moon’s supply? (silence) Very well then. Are you ready for your assignment?
Twistedclaw (hungrily): Been waiting on it all night.
Wynter: There’s this gray tabby she-cat, goes by the name River, she missed her payment and left town.
Nyx/Ciar: She was heading up to the loner’s barn last we saw.
Wynter: Can it be done tonight?
Twistedclaw (crazed grin): It was done the second you said her name.
Wynter: Oh, and Toms, I want her spine.
Lizardeye (dryly): You collect a lot of those. Can it be that there's a shortage of them here. (looks over the surrounding cats)
Wynter (squinting at the cold tabby): Get out of my sight.
((THIS SCENE MAY OR MAY NOT BE MOVED TO ACT 2 AS IT IS NOT EXPOSITIONARY))
(Another clear cool newleaf morning finds Lizardeye out collecting herbs. The bright-furred tabby tom thinks himself alone, having left his assistant and apprentice behind. But as he begins to slice the herbs carefully from the earth, his ear twitches...then his nose.)
Lizardeye (without turning around): Brindlepelt, good morning.
Brindlepelt (sliding almost guiltily out of the shadowy trees): Good morning, Lizardeye. I hope you are well.
Lizardeye: I'm not ill.
Brindlepelt: I didn't think you were.
(Lizardeye continues working)
Brindlepelt: It's just that...you've been so busy these days. I don't remember the last time I saw you eat anything.
Lizardeye: Tawnypaw brings my meals to the Medicine Cat Den.
Brindlepelt: You're always working and-
Lizardeye: Our leader ordered me-
Brindlepelt: You always serve the Clan-
Lizardeye: I have no time you see...
Brindlepelt: The others can work more-
Lizardeye: They are not yet ready.
Brindlepelt: Don't they do the chores?
Lizardeye: Yes, but they aren't quite steady.
Brindlepelt: What about Emberthorn?
Her training is complete.
Lizardeye: Her sister's kits were born.
Her responsibilities-
Brindlepelt: Are to her Clan!
Lizardeye (snapping): KIN!
Brindlpelt (tilting her head): That's not in the Warrior Code.
(Lizardeye picks up his herbs begins to walk away. She cautiously follows)
Brindlepelt: How are Ivypaw and Adderpaw?
Lizardeye: They aren't doing too well.
Brindlepelt: Will they ever be warriors?
Lizardeye: It's hard to tell.
Brindlepelt: Will they die?
Lizardeye: It's not up to me.
Brindlepelt: They're lucky to have a Medicine Cat like you to take care of them. Have you ever lost a patient?
Lizardeye (chilling mumble): Several actually.
Brindlepelt (freezing in her steps): No one's died recently...and I can't remember anyone that sick or injured...
Lizardeye (stopping and placing the prey on the ground): They weren't any clanmates of ours. Just the occasional injured loner or stray. They're so numerous and careless about wandering into the forest these days.
Brindlepelt (moving again): I wish they wouldn't wander like that. It makes me feel unsafe...Clan-Cats try hard to observe borders unless its intentional...Loners and Rogues have no code. Who knows what horrible things they could do.
Lizardeye: Any cat can do horrible things, Brindlepelt. You never know who's a monster in cat's fur.
(Lizardeye picks up the herbs and keeps walking, a she-cat's laughter can be heard in the distance and Lizardeye pauses to observe. Snaketail walking in stride beside a rather uncomfortable looking Whiteheart.)
Snaketail: ...so I told Heronstripe that if he really wanted to make Honeyfur happy, as we all know that he does, he would wash himself, because presently he smelled like fish and mouse-dung.
Whiteheart (an awkward giggle and her eyes shift): Oh, good morning, Brindlepelt, Lizardeye.
Lightningclaw (entering from behind the underbrush): My, you're all working hard aren't you? I see tons of prey! It's just invisible, right?
Snaketail: No need to be biting. Whiteheart and I were a little behind-
Lightningclaw (dryly): I can believe it.
Snaketail: -and we were just on our way to fetch piles and piles of prey for you to enjoy tonight, Fair Lightningclaw.
Lightningclaw: Oh, quit your flower-talk Snaketail! We have a Clan to feed in Wartime.
Snaketail: If they don't need to eat until wartime, what's the issue?
(Lightningclaw hisses, Lizardeye steps between them)
Lizardeye: Snaketail will accompany me. I've cut more herbs than I can carry.
Lightningclaw (suspicious): But Brindlepelt-
Snaketail: Oh, I'll help Lizardeye. May your day be Merry,
Lightningclaw.
Lightningclaw: I sniff a flaw-
Snaketail (whispering): Let's go now-
Lightningclaw: Wait! I have a message Twistedclaw-
Lizardeye: The herbs will spoil. We have to leave.
Lightningclaw: If you happen to see, that snoozing brother of yours, tell him its about time for him to come hunt with the rest of the Clan. Even if he's awful, he's not above Clan duties!
Snaketail: We'll be sure to tell him.
(Exeunt the two brothers with herbs)
Brindlepelt: What was that about?
Whiteheart: What?
Lightningclaw: We had it out.
A big fight between me and that (spits) Snake.
Brindlepelt: Why?
Whiteheart: Huh?
Lightningclaw: I personally think he's a total fake.
He's acting stranger, we might all be in danger!
Brindlepelt: From what?
Whiteheart: Why?
Lightningclaw: Come here.
(they all lean in)
Lightningclaw: I think they've all been sneaking out at night.
Snaketail talks all day to conceal their plight.
But everyday Lizardeye is nowhere to be seen.
And Twistedclaw is getting far more mean.
And violent too. His eyes are wild.
Brindlepelt: I haven't seen him in a while.
Should we watch them?
Whiteheart: They're our Clanmates!
Lightningclaw: They're up to something!
Brindlepelt (quietly): I think we should watch them.
Whiteheart: It's wrong!
Lightningclaw: It's for their own good!
Brindlepelt: We have to watch them...
Lightningclaw: We definitely should!
(Both stare at Whiteheart)
Whiteheart: I won't tell.
Lightningclaw: Because you'll help!
Whiteheart: No!
Brindlepelt: A loyal warrior would help us protect our clanmates...
Whiteheart:.....v_v Fine. But I don't like it....
(Little did they know, that stalking the shadows was yet ANOTHER cat, a thick durred pale yellow-tom))
Reedwhisker:
My my, what have we here?
Another plot for Reedwhisker's ears?
ShadowClan is so exciting!
The preamble to war sounds so inviting!
Will our favorite trio be caught?
By the truth these she-cats sought?
Well just stay tuned and we'll find out.
What the dung this is about.
((In the Medicine Cat den. The glow of fading sun's light flikers weakly through the entrance and the root/branch ceiling of the expanded Medicine Cat Den. In the far corner, Tawnypaw and Emberthorn are rehearsing herbs. Lizardeye is nowhere to be seen))
Tawnypaw: Yarrow is for....for?
Adderpaw: Barfing.
(Ivypaw sighs)
Emberthorn (glaring iciliy): Come here you two. It wouldn't hurt you to learn a few of these herbs yourself.
Adderpaw: Why, cause we're never getting out?!
Ivypaw: We know them all... (yawns)
Emberthorn: Prove it!
Adderpaw: Tansy is for coughs.
Ivypaw: Rat wounds need Burdock.
Adderpaw: Cobweb stops your bleeding.
Ivypaw: Coltsfoot helps your breathing.
Tawnypaw (chiming in): Honey helps your throat!
Ivypaw: Mousebile makes me choke.
Adderpaw: Mousebile is for ticks.
Tawnypaw: Spread goldenrod with licks.
Ivypaw: Juniper berries for bellies aching.
Adderpaw: Enough my head is aching!
Snaketail (appearing in the entrance): Then go to sleep. (licks each of his kits on the forehead)
Lizardeye (looking neat and well-groomed as he leaves the den farthest back): Something wrong? A thorn in your paw?
Snaketail: It's nothing at all. I just want to talk. I'll be short. GO to bed girls!
(Ivypaw scampers off while Adderpaw walks slowly with her ears perked to listen)
Snaketail (murmuring tiredly): I can't make it tonight...
Lizardeye: That's no problem at all. I understand, Brother. (blinks) You get the least sleep at all. Being Deputy and all.
Snaketail (without looking up from the ground): To SLEEP, Adderpaw!
(Adderpaw raised her head and tail proudly and trots off, hiding just in the entrance of her den against the wall.)
Lizardeye: Go rest now. We'll be fine tonight.
Snaketail: Thank you...(touches his nose to his brother's shoulder then half staggers out towards the warrior's den)
((The very dark niche of the Medicine Cat Den. Two fluffy well-kept nests for the sisters. The only real light is a small crack in the roof, beneath which, Ivypaw is shuffling a few leaves and rocks. The noise finally makes Adderpaw's ears twitch.))
Adderpaw (hissing): Ivypaw! Cut it out. Lizardeye will come and check on us if you don't.
Ivypaw: I can't help it...One of my bugs is missing...
Adderpaw: Gross, you still collect those? What for? They're all dead anyway.
(Ivypaw bites her lower lip and shuffles her paws, looking around worriedly.)
Adderpaw (finally concerned): Which one is it?
Ivypaw: My Earthworm!
Adderpaw: Oh....I think that one was still alive...
Ivypaw: You saw it leave?!
Adderpaw: Shhh! I did...I thought it was just another bug...We'll go find you a new one out on the Swamp.
Ivypaw (with a small gasp): We can't!
Adderpaw: We'll be right back.
Ivypaw: But last time-
Adderpaw: We'll bring some of our Medicine with us this time. That way we can be out longer. What's wrong? We're going to get you an earthworm.
Ivypaw: It still feels bad...But...you won't let anything happen to me, right?
Adderpaw: Of course not. Let's go.
((They creep over to the thick interlocked branches and roots that make a sort of shelf for the Medicine Cat herbs. They sniff each pile until they find the mixture of familiar ones that Lizardeye gives them. Adderpaw points at it, they both roll a small mouthful into a leaf, and sneak out. Ivypaw glimpses back, but goes.))
((The apprentices freeze at the entrance and crouch in the shadows of the den, only their eyes peering out. Twistedclaw, their small tabby uncle, is slinking out into the darkness.))
Ivypaw: What's he doing out so late?
Adderpaw: Don't know, let's get out of here before anyone else comes.
((They get to their paws and duck back down. Reedwhisker slides out of the Warriors Den as well. He peers in the direction Twistedclaw left and goes another way.))
Ivypaw: Just how many secret ways out of camp are there?
Adderpaw: I don't know, but I think we'd better follow Reedwhisker. At least he's not kin to us.
((Ivypaw nods and they are on their way, out into the night))
((Out in the muckiest, stickiest part of the swamp, under the light of a waxing crescent moon, the two apprentices trudge over the mudfield and dig))
Adderpaw (growling): I'm starting to regret this. Just how important is an earthworm?
Ivypaw (snapping): I'm out here aren't I?!
((They continue to dig, not seeing the figure approach them from the side.))
Reedwhisker: Well, my oh my, look who we have here. Snaketail's precious litter out for a night stroll?
Adderpaw (jumping): Mousebrain! You scared me!
Ivypaw (flattening her ears): Are you going to tell on us? Turn us in?
Reedwhisker (snorting): It's none of my business. No, it's not my business at all.
Adderpaw (tilting her head and slanting her eyes suspiciously): What are you saying?
Reedwhisker (brushing her fur as he passes): Poor kits. Seven moons old and don't know a thing about the world you live in.
Ivypaw (worried): What do you mean?
Reedwhisker: There are cats in this world that suffer more than you.
They need medicine and they pay for it too.
But should they take herbs and forget to pay,
Their murderous debt collector will be on his way.
Adderpaw: That's stupid. Why would any cat risk their neck for herbs?
Ivypaw: Yeah! It's a Medicine Cat's duty to treat them. Why would they have to pay?
Reedwhisker: Poor ignorant kits. Clan cats are not alone,
There are cats out there who would kill for a bone.
They have no one to feed them when they are hungry and sick.
There's no guarantee they'll even care for their kits.
And with no Medicine Cat, they are sure to fall ill.
And to survive their sickness, they'll risk being killed.
Ivypaw (teary eyed): That can't be true! No one should have to like like that!
Reedwhisker: In matters of street life it is simply a fact. Rogues and loners have always lived this way.
Adderpaw: Reedwhisker you're lying. (to Ivypaw) Grab your worm and let's get away.
Ivypaw: But you're business, what is it? You're a ShadowClan Cat. What is a cat like you doing mixed up in problems like that?
Reedwhisker: Well there's one herb not so vital, to which the cats are enslaved.
Where I stash it? I'll take it To. My. GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVE!
Adderpaw: SHHHHHH!
Ivypaw (cowering): Reedwhisker stop! You're scaring me!
Adderpaw: Some cat is coming for sure.
Reedwhisker (flicking his tail) This way.
Ivypaw: Can we trust him?
Adderpaw: We're caught if we don't. Grab the medicine, forget the worm, and let's go.
(They run until they reach the Thunderpath. It is dark and still and shining beneath the moon.)
Ivypaw: We're not going to cross it are we?
Reedwhisker: Of course not, we're going under.
(He ducks down the small dip at the roadside and slips into the tunnel. The sister's look at each other grimly and follow. More ShadowClan territory thank goodness, but Reedwhisker is edging along the underbrush beside ThunderPath, large green grasses shine before the asphalt.)
Adderpaw: What are you doing? That's clear ThunderClan scent! We can't leave our borders.
(Ivypaw shrinks back towards the tunnel)
Reedwhisker: Stay here then. It's no problem to me.
Adderpaw: ARGH!
(But Reedwhisker stays true to his word and vanishes in the bushes and tall grass. The apprentices have no choice but to follow)
((Dark green bushes and little moonlight. Three figures, the largest leading, emerge from the darkness. Ivypaw gasps as she looks at the glow of streetlights along the chalky stone side-walks and the gravel greay road))
Ivypaw: Where are we...?
Reedwhisker (walking non-chalantly): Two-leg place.
Adderpaw: TWO-LEG PLACE!
Ivypaw: Shhhh....
Adderpaw (spitting at Reedwhisker): Can-Cats shouldn't be here!
Reedwhisker: I don't see any cat rushing to stop us. (starts to leave)
Ivypaw: Where are you going?
(No answer, Reedwhisker glides calmly down the street. Adderpaw crouches and looks around as if the white-picket fences might attack her. Ivypaw slowly becomes interested in the passing houses. It's not long before Reedwhisker stops before a fence and looks up.))
Drake: Well, well, if it ain't Reedy. What brings you out here?
Reedwhisker (smirking): ReedWHISKER, Drake, I'm a warrior.
Drake: With a name longer than you're tail, Reedy. Who are the Dames?
Reedwhisker: Snaketail's kits.
Drake (eyes widening): No kidding?! (he jumps down and stands almost nose-to-nose with Adderpaw.
Adderpaw (startled): Knock it off! D<
Drake: That's Aunty Helen's kit alright!
Ivypaw (tilting her head): Aunty Helen? You know our Mom?
Drake: Who doesn't? (realizes how ironic that was) Sorry. (turns to Reedwhisker) So, here to work?
Reedwhisker: Yeah, I'll take the this side of town tonight. It's in the fish pond tonight, isn't it?
Drake: Yup.
Reedwhisker: (kinking his tail) Let's go then.
Drake: Hey, look out. I hear Wynter and her kits are lurking about the town.
Ivypaw (wrinkling her nose) Wynter? What's that?
Drake: Jeeze! They don't know whose the bigshot in this town?
Reedwhisker: They don't know anything at all.
Adderpaw: HEY! We're right here!
Drake: 'Kay, so allow Cousin Drake to...illuminate,
Wynter is the Queenpin, the bigshot of Two-leg Place,
When the plague broke out she established her base,
She offered medicine for any cat who would pay-
Ivypaw: Where is all this medicine coming from anyway?
Reedwhisker: From a secret source in the forest.
Adderpaw: No way! Those herbs are strictly for us.
They're a Clan cats right!
Reedwhisker: These cats would have died!
Adderpaw: It's not our concern.
Drake: HEY! (every cat looks at him) Back to the story.
Wynter, her mate and kits, are the most powerful family here.
They have a source behind them that every cat fears.
Blood (hisses): Be careful with the Poppy Seeds!
Drake: Yowza! That's them. I'm splittin'. If ya know what's good for ya, you'll make like a dog and flea.
Ivypaw: What?
Reedwhisker: Come with me. Maybe you'll understand better.
((They slip through a whole in the fence to Drake's pretty white house. Reedwhisker wastes no time scrambling up the tree and the apprentices weakly struggle to follow. Peering into an apparently vacant untrimmed back-yard they look down and spy five cats, about their own age.))
(Plague puts the herbs down in a random pile)
Bone (rolling his eyes): My thyme does fly...Quit dropping it, Plague!
Plague (licking the back of his paw): Sorry Bone, tastes terrible.
Bone: Well, we're all sorry that your little pink tongue had to suffer a few moments of an icky taste for the benefit our family. Do you want me to carry it for you, Brother?
Plague (slyly): Actually-
Bone (snarling): Tough luck! (whips around) Whose got the Juniper Berries?
Freeze (mouthful of berries): Ooo! Ooooo (jumps around) I oooo! I ooo! Pwauey poo.
Blood (hissing): Knock it off Freeze! You're going to squish them.
Freeze (big smile showing berries): A 'ot (Am not)
Bone (hissing): Blood? Where's you're load? Don't tell me you swallowed them, because if you did I'll personally retrieve them (unsheathes claws).
Blood (not carrying herbs): You're a lot less clever than I thought if you thought that I was going to sully my claws with this dung. (snickering) Anyway, who put Bonehead in charge? Where's Mom?
Bone (striding over to face his sister nose to nose): She left me in charge.
Blood (loud mrrow of laughter in his face): Yeah, and I saw a dead mouse come back to life. Where is she?
Bone: I will not tolerate your insolence tonight, Blood! (lowering his voice) You've been a knot in my fur from the start.
Blood: And I'm a knot that's staying.
Bone: You'll be out when Mom leaves the whole business to me!
Plague (shocked): Wait-what?!
Fester: Yessssss, Bone is the obviousssss choice for mmmmommm to mmmmakkke.
Freeze (spitting out her berries): Someone's been sniffing catnip too much! Obviously, Bloody-boo will be Mom's choice. (bounces to her sister's side).
Rat (coldly skeptical): Neither of you will be her choice. Blood's a maniac, and Bone is a pipsqueak.
Blood (spitting): Oh yeah, genius? And who's going to win?
Rat: Plague.
Plague: WHAT?!
Bone (whipping around): So you're trying to take my place?
Plague (backing up a little): I don't know what she's talking about, but its nothing to fight over...
Blood (butting in between them): It doesn't matter what either of you are planning, you'll fall to my claws!
Bone: You'll fall to my brains!
Rat (dripping icily): Plague will be the most popular in the streets. He's not a freak, unlike you too.
Blood: And you're so normal?!
Ivypaw (covers ears): What in the name of StarClan is wrong with them?
Adderpaw: They're all bee-brained!
Fester: We're being watchhhhhhed....
(All eyes on the branches. Adderpaw ducked into the trees, too late. Ivypaw began to sway dizzily, apparently not out of fear. Her face was sickly in expression and her eyes were rolling up a little. She fell sideways off the branch, Reedwhisker snapped his teeth around her neckscruff, only to go down with her. One of them had to land on their feet, right? Wrong. Reedwhisker fell with a thund on his side and Ivypaw lay motionless over his chest. Adderpaw, beginning to look sick as well, clung to the branches.))
Adderpaw: Ivy...paw...we forgot our Med-
((The scene through their eyes is blurry. Vaguely they see the wild mess of Blood's fur marching up to them. Their noses were assaulted by terrible firlthy scent of these loners, the closest reaking of blood. And from another direction, two familiar blurrs emerged. Who? A bunch of muffled mumurs and hisses)
Wynter: Let them go.
((At first, everything is a blur of brown. The scents are all too strong and dizzying, threatening to knock the young ones out again. The two she cats raise their heads with eyes unfocused and half closed.))
Ivypaw: What....what are we...
(Snaketail's face comes into focus, he's nearly touching noses with his beloved daughter.)
Snaketail: You both forgot to take your medicine last night.
Adderpaw (waking up more): Dad...? Dad...were we outside?
Lizardeye (entering from the back with a mouthful of herbs): Outside?
Snaketail (with a fond fatherly expression): Don't be ridiculous. You two have been safe in your nests all night.
Adderpaw: But we were! We had to be!
Snaketail (scowling a little): Shush, and rest a while. (concerned) You really put us through a scare.
Tawnypaw (coming in with Emberthorn): You're up! (bounds over) You two have been asleep all day.
(Sure enough, the beyond the den, only faint orange light was visible.)
Adderpaw (stubbornly insisting): But we were outside! Look, we're filthy with mud! (looks over herself, then over Ivypaw)
(Miraculously, all the swamp mud and filth of the night before had vanished. She scented herself. There was no trace of loners, or thunderpath, or anything else on her. She looked up at her father in horror. Snaketail raised an eyebrow.)
Snaketail: The two of you have truly fascinating dreams.
(The tall tabby chuckles in his throat and presses his nose against each of them. Adderpaw scowls and turns her cheek away.)
Snaketail (frowning a little): Goodnight you two. And behave. No running off like in your dreams.
Lizardeye (coldly ignoring the family drama): Tawnypaw. Fetch some fresh-kill for these two. They must be starving. Emberthorn, I suppose we're done for the day. You can do as you like. (disappears in the back of the den, presumably to sleep).
Emberthorn (nodding): Of course, Lizardeye. (bows out of the medicine cat den).
Adderpaw: I don't believe this...they're treating us like dumb kits. You remember being out too right?
Ivypaw: Yeah...but look how clean we are...and Tawnypaw said we slept all day. We did forget to take our medicine before we fell asleep.
Adderpaw (lashing her tail): Only because Dad made us go too bed. And besides, its mouse-brained to think we dreamed the same thing!
Tawnypaw (entering with two big toads for them): This is the best they had.
Ivypaw: Yum, toads. (genuine smile)
Adderpaw: Tawnypaw, you saw us go out last night didn't you? Or you at least had to see us come back, right?
Tawnypaw: What do you mean? You were asleep like I was...
Adderpaw (irritated): But you heard us be brought back, right?
Tawnypaw: I didn't hear a thing...
Adderpaw (frustrated): Nevermind Tawnypaw. Go back to your dung-smelling herbs.
(Tawnypaw looks stunned, then runs out)
Ivypaw: Tawnypaw wait! (hisses at her sister) Adderpaw, that was really mean! She's only ever been nice to us!
Adderpaw (spitting): Don't be so blind! She's helping them keep us in here! Keeping us shut up in this wretchedly small den and hidden away from our Clanmates as if we're monsters!
Ivypaw: It's not their fault...it's our Mom's for giving us this...this curse! It's not anyone else's fault for our being sick. They're only trying to protect us.
Adderpaw (darkly): I'd rather die free than live in a cage.
Ivypaw (nearing tears): Don't say things like that! What am I going to do if you leave me?!
Adderpaw (startled): Ivypaw..?
Ivypaw: Just shut up and leave me alone then! If you're going to talk about dying like that. (runs off to their small room).
Duskpaw (marching in): ADDERPAW!
Adderpaw (rolling her eyes): Great...what is it Duskpaw?
Duskpaw: You were unbelievably rude to my sister. All she ever does is put up with your mouse-dung speeches about how your lives are unfair! Well, some of us are going to grow up to be proper warriors and fight to defend the whole Clan, including your mouse-brained dirt-making tail! So if you think you have any right to talk to MY sister that way, you answer to me.
Adderpaw (bristling): LISTEN, you pompous-!
Snaketail (sticking his head in): Duskpaw! What do you think you're doing in here?!
Duskpaw (whipping around angrily): Adderpaw-!
Snaketail: GET OUT IMMEDIATELY! (reaches his paw in and drags Duskpaw back out by the fur)
Duskpaw: OW! Let go, it hurts!
Specklestar: What's going on here?
Ivypaw (comes back into the main den): What's going on?
Adderpaw (shaking her head): Father's lost his mind.
Lizardeye (icily): To. Your. Nests. Now. You've caused enough trouble as it is.
((Only faint muffles of a rather angry conversation could be heard. Ivypaw and Adderpaw went to bed hungry. Neither suggested going outside...not tonight at least.))
((Night in ShadowClan is far from silent. Crickets sing, toads moan, and slithery creatures slurp through mud. In the damp fog, one cat walks slowly through the fog. He is the tall, furry, tabby. His amber eyes fall dully to the ground and he is barely keeping his fluffy tail out of the mud.))
Snaketail: Where did my daughters go? How long were they out in the brutal world before their medicine stopped them? Did they struggle through the thick underbrush? Did they feel the cool waters on their paws? Did the wind of the moor brush their pelts the wrong way? How long were they unattended to? Lizardeye does his best to keep watch, but there's only so much my cold sibling can do...(pauses to examine a sound to his right. Goes forward with a lowered head again)...In any case...They should be running away...from me..The crimes I've committed are so heinous, so horrendous! How can I expect them to grow and flower in the shadow of their monstrous lone father? Their mother...they belong with her...if only I had saved her...(another sharp sound, swift padding feet but no scent) Helen? Is that you?
(He sounds a little delusional, but also as if he's just talking to himself and not really her ghost)
Snaketail: It's been seven moons and the pain and shock of your death never dulls, it never fades! Our daughters are good she-cats...I've raised them as best as I can...But I keep them so carefully sheltered from the truth. This life I lead is only a lie! And a poorly constructed one at that! I've thought of just telling them everything....or I could send them away...so far they'll never hear of the truth...But they''re my everything! They must never leave! Yes...they shall forever stay in my care...I can afford no mistakes with them...You see, they're all I have. But a lie...it's a horrid lie. You see the truth is...
(A sudden cut scene, up in the tall grasses along the loner barn. A she-cat flees toward the barn. A mad sort of laughter follows after her in the fog. Quite suddenly, she is bright down from behind. Her neck is slashed and she is dragged by her hindlegs, still breathing, still wide-eyed with horror.)
Brook: Wha-what are you?
Twistedclaw (with a wide-pointy toothed smile): I'm the monster.
(Slash. Snaketail crossing under the bridge.)
Snaketail: I tell them that I'm Deputy of the Clan...the Hero...but there is no greater villain...Such perfection and balance, don't you agree, Helen?
(Slice. Twistedclaw stands over the body of the she-cat. But its not him doing the cutting. A taller tabby with cold, precise eyes.)
Twistedclaw: What precision, Brother.
Lizardeye: It's what I'm here for, isn't it? Keen incisions? Unscathed bones.
(Here he proceeds the delicate process of ripping out her spine. Twistedclaw chuckles at the sheer gore of the situation. But there's no suffering for him to enjoy. The she-cat is long dead.)
Lizardeye (clutching the long bone in his teeth): I'm going to clean this up for Wynter. Tell Snaketail, I'll be there soon.
Twistedclaw (smirking): But of course.
((It's been a few nights. Snaketail is still being closely watched for his earlier actions against Duskpaw. He has not visited Ivypaw or Adderpaw since the incident. Lizardeye keeps a watchful eye on them, hardly ever leaving the den these days. Murmurs of war can be heard outside their den, but Ivypaw is in denial and Adderpaw doesn't give a mouse-dung. The only thing that holds their interest these days are the bouts of open arguments between Yellowpaw and Nightshade. This afternoon they crept out to hear the latest one.))
Nightshade: Mouse-brained little spit of a cat! You can't possibly believe you'll get away with it, can you?!
Yellowpaw (looking up coolly from sharing tongues with her brother): Get away with what, Queenie?
Nightshade: The thorns! In my nest!
Yellowpaw: There were thorns in your nest? How unfortunate!
(Beside Yellowpaw, her brothers chuckle. The yellow she-cat smirks.)
Nightshade: I know you did it!
Yellowpaw (smirking): Prove it!
Nightshade (lashes out and smacks her face): Don't do it again.
Yellowpaw (turning her head slowly back to her): You'll be sorry for that...
Nightshade (smirking now): No, I don't think I will be.
Adderpaw (from the entrance of the Medicine Cat Den): She's dead.
Ivypaw (flattening her ears): Clanmates shouldn't be so cruel to each other!
Adderpaw: You want Nightshade to rule us forever? She's got toms hanging all over her, and none of the she-cats can control her attitude. It's about time someone taught her a lesson.
Emberthorn (walking in): Isn't it about time for you two to take your medicine and sleep.
((Adderpaw rolls her eyes. Ivypaw nods half-heartedly. Tawnypaw walks by))
Ivypaw (grinning): Hi Tawnypaw!
Tawnypaw (tilts her nose up and keeps walking): Humpf!
Ivypaw (saddened): I hope you're happy Adderpaw! Now she's mad at both of us.
((They ate their respective piles of herbs and walked off to their nests.))
DISCLAIMER: YOKO DOES NOT OWN ANYTHING, REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA IS NOT MY IDEA AND NOT MY WORK. ALSO WARRIORS BELONGS TO ERIN HUNTER!
Prologue
((A dark and foggy night in the swamp. A pale glow of moonlight hangs in the thick mist, but the actual white globe is nowhere to be found. Far from silent, crickets and rustlings resound through the ShadowClan Territory. These sounds are a perfect mask for the splash of careless and frightened pawsteps. The panting of the fearful she-cat is not to be heard. A shadow passes before her in the fog and she slides to a halt. No chance to turn back. A manic dark laughter fills the air around the shadowy she-cat. The thick furred tall tabby is a tail-length from her nose. Staring at her with pale amber eyes))
Snaketail: My, my, you were rather rude. How poorly mannered of you to eat and run. Won't you stay and share one last mouse?
She-cat (hissing): You'll never escape justice!
Twistedclaw (stepping through the fog from behind her, smirking cruelly and flexing his claws): But we already have.
Lizardeye (forming a triangle around the trapped she-cat): You stand no chance. Even if you told every cat in the Clan, they would never believe a traitor like you. You made a vow and failed to honor it. This is the end for you.
(Twistedclaw leaps at her from behind. The she-cat ducks and rolls, before backtracking through the fog and veering up towards the WindClan border. She doesn't get very far before she's tackled by three sets of claws in different directions. Her yowl is heard, but the scene goes black.)
Eclipseclaw: Thus began a Glorious Age for ShadowClan.
Act One Scene One
((A bright morning, the sunlight comes in at a slant, leaving a lovely dappled glow on the ShadowClan Camp Clearing floor. Morning patrols are heading out. Mentors and their apprentices flock to the entrance. Dawn Patrol returns, Nightshade at the forefront, her usual team (Dreamstep and Thornclaw), trotting behind her. She steps up to Specklestar who looks with narrow shifty eyes at the group and beckons them away with her tail. Unlike the rest of the hustling, bustling, camp, Ivypaw and Adderpaw lounge boredly just beside the entrance of the Medicine Cat Den.))
Adderpaw (whispering with narrowed eyes): We should just go! No one will miss us.
Ivypaw: No way! Father would have our heads!
Adderpaw: Shush! We’re not supposed to call him that…And besides, he’s just gone out hunting…(long, bored pause, Adderpaw’s tail twitches violently) It’s stupid! Don’t you think? That all the other apprentices get to go out and train and we get stuck here with Lizardeye.
Ivypaw: (licking her paw) Lizardeye’s not so bad…He’s fath-I mean
Snaketail’s brother, and the Medicine Cat. The other apprentices think it’s pretty cool we get to hang out here all the time…
Adderpaw: And that’s another thing! Just why can’t we have apprentice’s visit us? Why do they hide us in back whenever anyone new has to come in the Medicine Cat Den.
Ivypaw: (looking down and flattening her ears) You know
why….we’re sick Adderpaw…Remember what happened last time we went out, we almost died…It’s better here and safer too! And if we’re good, we get to come out and watch the Clan.
Adderpaw (huffing): I don’t want to watch! (stares back out at the Clan) I want to be there…
Lizardeye (brushing by): Stay here.
Adderpaw: (sticks her tongue out and whispers) Where would we go?
Emberthorn: That’s a rather rude thing to do to the Clan Medicine Cat. (coldly eying the apprentice) Especially when he’s taken such good care of you.
Ivypaw (brightening up): Hi Emberthorn! How’s life as a full Medicine Cat? What was the ceremony like?
Emberthorn (indifferent to the cheerfulness): I can’t tell you. The ceremony is sacred.
Ivypaw: …Oh…Well, congratulations anyway. (she went back to grooming)
(Emberthorn follows Lizardeye, presumably to help gather some herbs.)
Tawnypaw (sliding out of the Medicine Cat Den): Hey guys!
Adderpaw (rolling her eyes) WHY is everyone so cheerful today?
Ivypaw: Hi Tawnypaw.
Aren’t you going with your mentors?Tawnypaw (proud): Nope. They told me to stay and sort herbs BY
MYSELF.
Ivypaw: Whoa! They must really trust you!
Tawnypaw: Want to help?
Adderpaw: No Thanks
Ivypaw: Maybe later,
(Tawnypaw shrugs and bounces back to work)
Ivypaw (wrinkling her brow): You think it’s unfair that our Clan has two Medicine Cats AND a Medicine Cat Apprentice?
Adderpaw: What’s it matter? No amount of Medicine Cats can cure us.
Nightshade: ARGH! Can't you fuzzbrains get anything right?!
(The sister apprentices turn their heads to see the spitting new warrior march out of the warriors den and look at a Ashpaw, Yellowpaw, and Blazepaw who had the misfortune of being the only apprentices eating at the time. Nightshade marched over, shortly followed by Thornclaw and Dreamstep.)
Dappleheart: Don't get your tail in a knot, leave them alone.
Nightshade (hisses at her and watches Dappleheart walk briskly out of camp, for yet another patrol. Then turns back on to the apprentices): If you think, that I'm going to sleep on those stinky, pitifully shaped lumps of moss you collected for bedding, you're out of your dung-eating minds!
Yellowpaw (scowling and lashing her tail): Shut it, Nightshade. We'd like to see you handle ALL the Clans chores while the warriors are busy circling the borders like buzzards.
Nightshade (leaning in nose to nose): Little filth-blood brats shouldn't speak to their superiors like that! Chang that moss, or you're going down Yellowrunt!
Yellowpaw: Well, war it is then Nightshade! You're going down.
((Nightshade stormed off. The three siblings glared after her.))
Ivypaw: Whoa!
This will be fun to watch.Adderpaw: Yeah! Nightshade is totally going to win. She's a warrior!
Ivypaw: Yellowpaw is brilliant. No way will she lose. Besides, her brothers are way more useful than Thornclaw and Dreamstep.
(Fade Out, Fade into a shadowy sunset in the Clearing. Adderpaw prods her sister)
Adderpaw (getting to her paws): Snaketail’s back. (starts to move towards him)
Snaketail (deposits prey and bounds over): What are you doing outside the den? And why are you up so late?
Adderpaw (hissing): Lizardeye SAID-
Lightningclaw: Don’t be so hard on them, Snaketail. I’m sure they meant nothing by it.
Adderpaw: I don’t see what the big deal is!
Snaketail: It’s a-
Ivypaw: A dangerous world out there, we know. Let’s go get some sleep Adderpaw. (prods sister to go into the Medicine Cat Den)
(Apprentice sisters leave.)
Lightningclaw: Is it really necessary to keep them cooped up like that, Snaketail?
Snaketail (frustrated): They don’t have a mother to keep them in line. With no one else to protect them, what more can I do than leave them in my Brother’s care?
Lightningclaw: I suppose you think of them as “your own”? (winks)
Snaketail (small smirk): Of course! I found them after all! All alone in the forest-
Lightningclaw: Beside their dead loner mother?
Snaketail:….What’s done is done…I have to go now…Specklestar will be expecting me.
Lightningclaw: Yes I suppose…What does she keep meeting you and your brothers about? Surely not adding more patrols? The Clan does triple as many already! I mean, I know we’re the largest Clan and in danger of attack, but we’re really wearing ourselves down…Not to mention, since she banned apprentices going on Border Patrol, their training is a bit neglected.
Snaketail: Oh Lightningclaw, for shame! Have you no faith in the good judgment of our glorious and wise leader? Did Specklestar fail to claim Snakerocks and the Owl Tree when our Clan was desperate for food?
Lightningclaw: No but still-
Snaketail: No time, Lightningclaw. There’s Lizardeye now, we must be off.
ACT ONE SCENE 2
((The SC Brothers walking down a two-leg path with thick wood fences on either side of them and the occasional streetlamp to light the way. All the same, the three tabbies stick to the shadows, but by no means are they skulking. Its obviously late, the street is quiet except for the occasional yap of a two-leg dog.)
Snaketail (sighing): I don’t see what we have to go and meet Her for again. Or why we continue this ridiculous business with the rest of the loners, rogues and kittypets. Wouldn't this be easily solved by killing her?
Lizardeye: You're the one with the debt, Snaketail. Even if we killed her, she has plenty of kin to avenge her.
Snaketail: If they really are so sick and weakly that they have to rely on our herbs to survive, then isn't it possible they'll die out quickly without our help
Lizardeye: They are too great in number…Even weak, combined with ThunderClan forces we might actually have a real battle on our paws. It's too much of a risk. This problem has too many random factors. We should lie low for the time being, and strike only when we are certain it won't be our doom.
Twistedclaw: What’s it matter? If you ask me, it’s a good business.
Snaketail (smirking): Anything to get your claws bloody, aye Brother?
(The three turn a corner and slip through a hole in one of the twoleg fences. A petite white feminine figure waits on the porch. On his right are three young cats, two bronze and one silver while all are spotted, on the other four more cats, one tabby tortoiseshell looking distrusting of the three, two identical dark-furred cats.)
Wynter (in a scathing tone): You’re late!
Snaketail: Excuse us for handling your merchandise so gently and ensuring that we brought it hear unshredded. Here, do you want us to tear it up for you? Or do you want to use your very own claws to waste all of our time and negotiations.
Nyx/Ciar: Such insolence!
Winnie (batting her eyelashes): Such wit.
(Snaketail smirks and nods to the sandy spotted she-cat)
Wynter: On to business. How much time do you want?
Lizardeye: Specklestar wants two moons.
Wynter (long hiss): You can’t expect me to hold them off so long on the little supplies you brought!
(The other loners and kittypets hiss and raise their fur in agreement)
Snaketail: You have our services, as always, Wynter (bows humbly) We’ll help keep them in line.
Wynter: You had better! It’s hard enough to be top cat as it is, and you want to add this to it? I run this town! No cat meows without my say so. I keep my cats out of your forest, and you repay me by cheating me out of a moon’s supply? (silence) Very well then. Are you ready for your assignment?
Twistedclaw (hungrily): Been waiting on it all night.
Wynter: There’s this gray tabby she-cat, goes by the name River, she missed her payment and left town.
Nyx/Ciar: She was heading up to the loner’s barn last we saw.
Wynter: Can it be done tonight?
Twistedclaw (crazed grin): It was done the second you said her name.
Wynter: Oh, and Toms, I want her spine.
Lizardeye (dryly): You collect a lot of those. Can it be that there's a shortage of them here. (looks over the surrounding cats)
Wynter (squinting at the cold tabby): Get out of my sight.
ACT ONE SCENE 3
((THIS SCENE MAY OR MAY NOT BE MOVED TO ACT 2 AS IT IS NOT EXPOSITIONARY))
(Another clear cool newleaf morning finds Lizardeye out collecting herbs. The bright-furred tabby tom thinks himself alone, having left his assistant and apprentice behind. But as he begins to slice the herbs carefully from the earth, his ear twitches...then his nose.)
Lizardeye (without turning around): Brindlepelt, good morning.
Brindlepelt (sliding almost guiltily out of the shadowy trees): Good morning, Lizardeye. I hope you are well.
Lizardeye: I'm not ill.
Brindlepelt: I didn't think you were.
(Lizardeye continues working)
Brindlepelt: It's just that...you've been so busy these days. I don't remember the last time I saw you eat anything.
Lizardeye: Tawnypaw brings my meals to the Medicine Cat Den.
Brindlepelt: You're always working and-
Lizardeye: Our leader ordered me-
Brindlepelt: You always serve the Clan-
Lizardeye: I have no time you see...
Brindlepelt: The others can work more-
Lizardeye: They are not yet ready.
Brindlepelt: Don't they do the chores?
Lizardeye: Yes, but they aren't quite steady.
Brindlepelt: What about Emberthorn?
Her training is complete.
Lizardeye: Her sister's kits were born.
Her responsibilities-
Brindlepelt: Are to her Clan!
Lizardeye (snapping): KIN!
Brindlpelt (tilting her head): That's not in the Warrior Code.
(Lizardeye picks up his herbs begins to walk away. She cautiously follows)
Brindlepelt: How are Ivypaw and Adderpaw?
Lizardeye: They aren't doing too well.
Brindlepelt: Will they ever be warriors?
Lizardeye: It's hard to tell.
Brindlepelt: Will they die?
Lizardeye: It's not up to me.
Brindlepelt: They're lucky to have a Medicine Cat like you to take care of them. Have you ever lost a patient?
Lizardeye (chilling mumble): Several actually.
Brindlepelt (freezing in her steps): No one's died recently...and I can't remember anyone that sick or injured...
Lizardeye (stopping and placing the prey on the ground): They weren't any clanmates of ours. Just the occasional injured loner or stray. They're so numerous and careless about wandering into the forest these days.
Brindlepelt (moving again): I wish they wouldn't wander like that. It makes me feel unsafe...Clan-Cats try hard to observe borders unless its intentional...Loners and Rogues have no code. Who knows what horrible things they could do.
Lizardeye: Any cat can do horrible things, Brindlepelt. You never know who's a monster in cat's fur.
(Lizardeye picks up the herbs and keeps walking, a she-cat's laughter can be heard in the distance and Lizardeye pauses to observe. Snaketail walking in stride beside a rather uncomfortable looking Whiteheart.)
Snaketail: ...so I told Heronstripe that if he really wanted to make Honeyfur happy, as we all know that he does, he would wash himself, because presently he smelled like fish and mouse-dung.
Whiteheart (an awkward giggle and her eyes shift): Oh, good morning, Brindlepelt, Lizardeye.
Lightningclaw (entering from behind the underbrush): My, you're all working hard aren't you? I see tons of prey! It's just invisible, right?
Snaketail: No need to be biting. Whiteheart and I were a little behind-
Lightningclaw (dryly): I can believe it.
Snaketail: -and we were just on our way to fetch piles and piles of prey for you to enjoy tonight, Fair Lightningclaw.
Lightningclaw: Oh, quit your flower-talk Snaketail! We have a Clan to feed in Wartime.
Snaketail: If they don't need to eat until wartime, what's the issue?
(Lightningclaw hisses, Lizardeye steps between them)
Lizardeye: Snaketail will accompany me. I've cut more herbs than I can carry.
Lightningclaw (suspicious): But Brindlepelt-
Snaketail: Oh, I'll help Lizardeye. May your day be Merry,
Lightningclaw.
Lightningclaw: I sniff a flaw-
Snaketail (whispering): Let's go now-
Lightningclaw: Wait! I have a message Twistedclaw-
Lizardeye: The herbs will spoil. We have to leave.
Lightningclaw: If you happen to see, that snoozing brother of yours, tell him its about time for him to come hunt with the rest of the Clan. Even if he's awful, he's not above Clan duties!
Snaketail: We'll be sure to tell him.
(Exeunt the two brothers with herbs)
Brindlepelt: What was that about?
Whiteheart: What?
Lightningclaw: We had it out.
A big fight between me and that (spits) Snake.
Brindlepelt: Why?
Whiteheart: Huh?
Lightningclaw: I personally think he's a total fake.
He's acting stranger, we might all be in danger!
Brindlepelt: From what?
Whiteheart: Why?
Lightningclaw: Come here.
(they all lean in)
Lightningclaw: I think they've all been sneaking out at night.
Snaketail talks all day to conceal their plight.
But everyday Lizardeye is nowhere to be seen.
And Twistedclaw is getting far more mean.
And violent too. His eyes are wild.
Brindlepelt: I haven't seen him in a while.
Should we watch them?
Whiteheart: They're our Clanmates!
Lightningclaw: They're up to something!
Brindlepelt (quietly): I think we should watch them.
Whiteheart: It's wrong!
Lightningclaw: It's for their own good!
Brindlepelt: We have to watch them...
Lightningclaw: We definitely should!
(Both stare at Whiteheart)
Whiteheart: I won't tell.
Lightningclaw: Because you'll help!
Whiteheart: No!
Brindlepelt: A loyal warrior would help us protect our clanmates...
Whiteheart:.....v_v Fine. But I don't like it....
(Little did they know, that stalking the shadows was yet ANOTHER cat, a thick durred pale yellow-tom))
Reedwhisker:
My my, what have we here?
Another plot for Reedwhisker's ears?
ShadowClan is so exciting!
The preamble to war sounds so inviting!
Will our favorite trio be caught?
By the truth these she-cats sought?
Well just stay tuned and we'll find out.
What the dung this is about.
ACT ONE SCENE 4
((In the Medicine Cat den. The glow of fading sun's light flikers weakly through the entrance and the root/branch ceiling of the expanded Medicine Cat Den. In the far corner, Tawnypaw and Emberthorn are rehearsing herbs. Lizardeye is nowhere to be seen))
Tawnypaw: Yarrow is for....for?
Adderpaw: Barfing.
(Ivypaw sighs)
Emberthorn (glaring iciliy): Come here you two. It wouldn't hurt you to learn a few of these herbs yourself.
Adderpaw: Why, cause we're never getting out?!
Ivypaw: We know them all... (yawns)
Emberthorn: Prove it!
Adderpaw: Tansy is for coughs.
Ivypaw: Rat wounds need Burdock.
Adderpaw: Cobweb stops your bleeding.
Ivypaw: Coltsfoot helps your breathing.
Tawnypaw (chiming in): Honey helps your throat!
Ivypaw: Mousebile makes me choke.
Adderpaw: Mousebile is for ticks.
Tawnypaw: Spread goldenrod with licks.
Ivypaw: Juniper berries for bellies aching.
Adderpaw: Enough my head is aching!
Snaketail (appearing in the entrance): Then go to sleep. (licks each of his kits on the forehead)
Lizardeye (looking neat and well-groomed as he leaves the den farthest back): Something wrong? A thorn in your paw?
Snaketail: It's nothing at all. I just want to talk. I'll be short. GO to bed girls!
(Ivypaw scampers off while Adderpaw walks slowly with her ears perked to listen)
Snaketail (murmuring tiredly): I can't make it tonight...
Lizardeye: That's no problem at all. I understand, Brother. (blinks) You get the least sleep at all. Being Deputy and all.
Snaketail (without looking up from the ground): To SLEEP, Adderpaw!
(Adderpaw raised her head and tail proudly and trots off, hiding just in the entrance of her den against the wall.)
Lizardeye: Go rest now. We'll be fine tonight.
Snaketail: Thank you...(touches his nose to his brother's shoulder then half staggers out towards the warrior's den)
ACT ONE SCENE 5
((The very dark niche of the Medicine Cat Den. Two fluffy well-kept nests for the sisters. The only real light is a small crack in the roof, beneath which, Ivypaw is shuffling a few leaves and rocks. The noise finally makes Adderpaw's ears twitch.))
Adderpaw (hissing): Ivypaw! Cut it out. Lizardeye will come and check on us if you don't.
Ivypaw: I can't help it...One of my bugs is missing...
Adderpaw: Gross, you still collect those? What for? They're all dead anyway.
(Ivypaw bites her lower lip and shuffles her paws, looking around worriedly.)
Adderpaw (finally concerned): Which one is it?
Ivypaw: My Earthworm!
Adderpaw: Oh....I think that one was still alive...
Ivypaw: You saw it leave?!
Adderpaw: Shhh! I did...I thought it was just another bug...We'll go find you a new one out on the Swamp.
Ivypaw (with a small gasp): We can't!
Adderpaw: We'll be right back.
Ivypaw: But last time-
Adderpaw: We'll bring some of our Medicine with us this time. That way we can be out longer. What's wrong? We're going to get you an earthworm.
Ivypaw: It still feels bad...But...you won't let anything happen to me, right?
Adderpaw: Of course not. Let's go.
((They creep over to the thick interlocked branches and roots that make a sort of shelf for the Medicine Cat herbs. They sniff each pile until they find the mixture of familiar ones that Lizardeye gives them. Adderpaw points at it, they both roll a small mouthful into a leaf, and sneak out. Ivypaw glimpses back, but goes.))
((The apprentices freeze at the entrance and crouch in the shadows of the den, only their eyes peering out. Twistedclaw, their small tabby uncle, is slinking out into the darkness.))
Ivypaw: What's he doing out so late?
Adderpaw: Don't know, let's get out of here before anyone else comes.
((They get to their paws and duck back down. Reedwhisker slides out of the Warriors Den as well. He peers in the direction Twistedclaw left and goes another way.))
Ivypaw: Just how many secret ways out of camp are there?
Adderpaw: I don't know, but I think we'd better follow Reedwhisker. At least he's not kin to us.
((Ivypaw nods and they are on their way, out into the night))
ACT ONE SCENE 6
((Out in the muckiest, stickiest part of the swamp, under the light of a waxing crescent moon, the two apprentices trudge over the mudfield and dig))
Adderpaw (growling): I'm starting to regret this. Just how important is an earthworm?
Ivypaw (snapping): I'm out here aren't I?!
((They continue to dig, not seeing the figure approach them from the side.))
Reedwhisker: Well, my oh my, look who we have here. Snaketail's precious litter out for a night stroll?
Adderpaw (jumping): Mousebrain! You scared me!
Ivypaw (flattening her ears): Are you going to tell on us? Turn us in?
Reedwhisker (snorting): It's none of my business. No, it's not my business at all.
Adderpaw (tilting her head and slanting her eyes suspiciously): What are you saying?
Reedwhisker (brushing her fur as he passes): Poor kits. Seven moons old and don't know a thing about the world you live in.
Ivypaw (worried): What do you mean?
Reedwhisker: There are cats in this world that suffer more than you.
They need medicine and they pay for it too.
But should they take herbs and forget to pay,
Their murderous debt collector will be on his way.
Adderpaw: That's stupid. Why would any cat risk their neck for herbs?
Ivypaw: Yeah! It's a Medicine Cat's duty to treat them. Why would they have to pay?
Reedwhisker: Poor ignorant kits. Clan cats are not alone,
There are cats out there who would kill for a bone.
They have no one to feed them when they are hungry and sick.
There's no guarantee they'll even care for their kits.
And with no Medicine Cat, they are sure to fall ill.
And to survive their sickness, they'll risk being killed.
Ivypaw (teary eyed): That can't be true! No one should have to like like that!
Reedwhisker: In matters of street life it is simply a fact. Rogues and loners have always lived this way.
Adderpaw: Reedwhisker you're lying. (to Ivypaw) Grab your worm and let's get away.
Ivypaw: But you're business, what is it? You're a ShadowClan Cat. What is a cat like you doing mixed up in problems like that?
Reedwhisker: Well there's one herb not so vital, to which the cats are enslaved.
Where I stash it? I'll take it To. My. GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVE!
Adderpaw: SHHHHHH!
Ivypaw (cowering): Reedwhisker stop! You're scaring me!
Adderpaw: Some cat is coming for sure.
Reedwhisker (flicking his tail) This way.
Ivypaw: Can we trust him?
Adderpaw: We're caught if we don't. Grab the medicine, forget the worm, and let's go.
(They run until they reach the Thunderpath. It is dark and still and shining beneath the moon.)
Ivypaw: We're not going to cross it are we?
Reedwhisker: Of course not, we're going under.
(He ducks down the small dip at the roadside and slips into the tunnel. The sister's look at each other grimly and follow. More ShadowClan territory thank goodness, but Reedwhisker is edging along the underbrush beside ThunderPath, large green grasses shine before the asphalt.)
Adderpaw: What are you doing? That's clear ThunderClan scent! We can't leave our borders.
(Ivypaw shrinks back towards the tunnel)
Reedwhisker: Stay here then. It's no problem to me.
Adderpaw: ARGH!
(But Reedwhisker stays true to his word and vanishes in the bushes and tall grass. The apprentices have no choice but to follow)
ACT ONE SCENE 7
((Dark green bushes and little moonlight. Three figures, the largest leading, emerge from the darkness. Ivypaw gasps as she looks at the glow of streetlights along the chalky stone side-walks and the gravel greay road))
Ivypaw: Where are we...?
Reedwhisker (walking non-chalantly): Two-leg place.
Adderpaw: TWO-LEG PLACE!
Ivypaw: Shhhh....
Adderpaw (spitting at Reedwhisker): Can-Cats shouldn't be here!
Reedwhisker: I don't see any cat rushing to stop us. (starts to leave)
Ivypaw: Where are you going?
(No answer, Reedwhisker glides calmly down the street. Adderpaw crouches and looks around as if the white-picket fences might attack her. Ivypaw slowly becomes interested in the passing houses. It's not long before Reedwhisker stops before a fence and looks up.))
Drake: Well, well, if it ain't Reedy. What brings you out here?
Reedwhisker (smirking): ReedWHISKER, Drake, I'm a warrior.
Drake: With a name longer than you're tail, Reedy. Who are the Dames?
Reedwhisker: Snaketail's kits.
Drake (eyes widening): No kidding?! (he jumps down and stands almost nose-to-nose with Adderpaw.
Adderpaw (startled): Knock it off! D<
Drake: That's Aunty Helen's kit alright!
Ivypaw (tilting her head): Aunty Helen? You know our Mom?
Drake: Who doesn't? (realizes how ironic that was) Sorry. (turns to Reedwhisker) So, here to work?
Reedwhisker: Yeah, I'll take the this side of town tonight. It's in the fish pond tonight, isn't it?
Drake: Yup.
Reedwhisker: (kinking his tail) Let's go then.
Drake: Hey, look out. I hear Wynter and her kits are lurking about the town.
Ivypaw (wrinkling her nose) Wynter? What's that?
Drake: Jeeze! They don't know whose the bigshot in this town?
Reedwhisker: They don't know anything at all.
Adderpaw: HEY! We're right here!
Drake: 'Kay, so allow Cousin Drake to...illuminate,
Wynter is the Queenpin, the bigshot of Two-leg Place,
When the plague broke out she established her base,
She offered medicine for any cat who would pay-
Ivypaw: Where is all this medicine coming from anyway?
Reedwhisker: From a secret source in the forest.
Adderpaw: No way! Those herbs are strictly for us.
They're a Clan cats right!
Reedwhisker: These cats would have died!
Adderpaw: It's not our concern.
Drake: HEY! (every cat looks at him) Back to the story.
Wynter, her mate and kits, are the most powerful family here.
They have a source behind them that every cat fears.
Blood (hisses): Be careful with the Poppy Seeds!
Drake: Yowza! That's them. I'm splittin'. If ya know what's good for ya, you'll make like a dog and flea.
Ivypaw: What?
Reedwhisker: Come with me. Maybe you'll understand better.
((They slip through a whole in the fence to Drake's pretty white house. Reedwhisker wastes no time scrambling up the tree and the apprentices weakly struggle to follow. Peering into an apparently vacant untrimmed back-yard they look down and spy five cats, about their own age.))
(Plague puts the herbs down in a random pile)
Bone (rolling his eyes): My thyme does fly...Quit dropping it, Plague!
Plague (licking the back of his paw): Sorry Bone, tastes terrible.
Bone: Well, we're all sorry that your little pink tongue had to suffer a few moments of an icky taste for the benefit our family. Do you want me to carry it for you, Brother?
Plague (slyly): Actually-
Bone (snarling): Tough luck! (whips around) Whose got the Juniper Berries?
Freeze (mouthful of berries): Ooo! Ooooo (jumps around) I oooo! I ooo! Pwauey poo.
Blood (hissing): Knock it off Freeze! You're going to squish them.
Freeze (big smile showing berries): A 'ot (Am not)
Bone (hissing): Blood? Where's you're load? Don't tell me you swallowed them, because if you did I'll personally retrieve them (unsheathes claws).
Blood (not carrying herbs): You're a lot less clever than I thought if you thought that I was going to sully my claws with this dung. (snickering) Anyway, who put Bonehead in charge? Where's Mom?
Bone (striding over to face his sister nose to nose): She left me in charge.
Blood (loud mrrow of laughter in his face): Yeah, and I saw a dead mouse come back to life. Where is she?
Bone: I will not tolerate your insolence tonight, Blood! (lowering his voice) You've been a knot in my fur from the start.
Blood: And I'm a knot that's staying.
Bone: You'll be out when Mom leaves the whole business to me!
Plague (shocked): Wait-what?!
Fester: Yessssss, Bone is the obviousssss choice for mmmmommm to mmmmakkke.
Freeze (spitting out her berries): Someone's been sniffing catnip too much! Obviously, Bloody-boo will be Mom's choice. (bounces to her sister's side).
Rat (coldly skeptical): Neither of you will be her choice. Blood's a maniac, and Bone is a pipsqueak.
Blood (spitting): Oh yeah, genius? And who's going to win?
Rat: Plague.
Plague: WHAT?!
Bone (whipping around): So you're trying to take my place?
Plague (backing up a little): I don't know what she's talking about, but its nothing to fight over...
Blood (butting in between them): It doesn't matter what either of you are planning, you'll fall to my claws!
Bone: You'll fall to my brains!
Rat (dripping icily): Plague will be the most popular in the streets. He's not a freak, unlike you too.
Blood: And you're so normal?!
Ivypaw (covers ears): What in the name of StarClan is wrong with them?
Adderpaw: They're all bee-brained!
Fester: We're being watchhhhhhed....
(All eyes on the branches. Adderpaw ducked into the trees, too late. Ivypaw began to sway dizzily, apparently not out of fear. Her face was sickly in expression and her eyes were rolling up a little. She fell sideways off the branch, Reedwhisker snapped his teeth around her neckscruff, only to go down with her. One of them had to land on their feet, right? Wrong. Reedwhisker fell with a thund on his side and Ivypaw lay motionless over his chest. Adderpaw, beginning to look sick as well, clung to the branches.))
Adderpaw: Ivy...paw...we forgot our Med-
((The scene through their eyes is blurry. Vaguely they see the wild mess of Blood's fur marching up to them. Their noses were assaulted by terrible firlthy scent of these loners, the closest reaking of blood. And from another direction, two familiar blurrs emerged. Who? A bunch of muffled mumurs and hisses)
Wynter: Let them go.
End Scene
ACT TWO SCENE 1
((At first, everything is a blur of brown. The scents are all too strong and dizzying, threatening to knock the young ones out again. The two she cats raise their heads with eyes unfocused and half closed.))
Ivypaw: What....what are we...
(Snaketail's face comes into focus, he's nearly touching noses with his beloved daughter.)
Snaketail: You both forgot to take your medicine last night.
Adderpaw (waking up more): Dad...? Dad...were we outside?
Lizardeye (entering from the back with a mouthful of herbs): Outside?
Snaketail (with a fond fatherly expression): Don't be ridiculous. You two have been safe in your nests all night.
Adderpaw: But we were! We had to be!
Snaketail (scowling a little): Shush, and rest a while. (concerned) You really put us through a scare.
Tawnypaw (coming in with Emberthorn): You're up! (bounds over) You two have been asleep all day.
(Sure enough, the beyond the den, only faint orange light was visible.)
Adderpaw (stubbornly insisting): But we were outside! Look, we're filthy with mud! (looks over herself, then over Ivypaw)
(Miraculously, all the swamp mud and filth of the night before had vanished. She scented herself. There was no trace of loners, or thunderpath, or anything else on her. She looked up at her father in horror. Snaketail raised an eyebrow.)
Snaketail: The two of you have truly fascinating dreams.
(The tall tabby chuckles in his throat and presses his nose against each of them. Adderpaw scowls and turns her cheek away.)
Snaketail (frowning a little): Goodnight you two. And behave. No running off like in your dreams.
Lizardeye (coldly ignoring the family drama): Tawnypaw. Fetch some fresh-kill for these two. They must be starving. Emberthorn, I suppose we're done for the day. You can do as you like. (disappears in the back of the den, presumably to sleep).
Emberthorn (nodding): Of course, Lizardeye. (bows out of the medicine cat den).
Adderpaw: I don't believe this...they're treating us like dumb kits. You remember being out too right?
Ivypaw: Yeah...but look how clean we are...and Tawnypaw said we slept all day. We did forget to take our medicine before we fell asleep.
Adderpaw (lashing her tail): Only because Dad made us go too bed. And besides, its mouse-brained to think we dreamed the same thing!
Tawnypaw (entering with two big toads for them): This is the best they had.
Ivypaw: Yum, toads. (genuine smile)
Adderpaw: Tawnypaw, you saw us go out last night didn't you? Or you at least had to see us come back, right?
Tawnypaw: What do you mean? You were asleep like I was...
Adderpaw (irritated): But you heard us be brought back, right?
Tawnypaw: I didn't hear a thing...
Adderpaw (frustrated): Nevermind Tawnypaw. Go back to your dung-smelling herbs.
(Tawnypaw looks stunned, then runs out)
Ivypaw: Tawnypaw wait! (hisses at her sister) Adderpaw, that was really mean! She's only ever been nice to us!
Adderpaw (spitting): Don't be so blind! She's helping them keep us in here! Keeping us shut up in this wretchedly small den and hidden away from our Clanmates as if we're monsters!
Ivypaw: It's not their fault...it's our Mom's for giving us this...this curse! It's not anyone else's fault for our being sick. They're only trying to protect us.
Adderpaw (darkly): I'd rather die free than live in a cage.
Ivypaw (nearing tears): Don't say things like that! What am I going to do if you leave me?!
Adderpaw (startled): Ivypaw..?
Ivypaw: Just shut up and leave me alone then! If you're going to talk about dying like that. (runs off to their small room).
Duskpaw (marching in): ADDERPAW!
Adderpaw (rolling her eyes): Great...what is it Duskpaw?
Duskpaw: You were unbelievably rude to my sister. All she ever does is put up with your mouse-dung speeches about how your lives are unfair! Well, some of us are going to grow up to be proper warriors and fight to defend the whole Clan, including your mouse-brained dirt-making tail! So if you think you have any right to talk to MY sister that way, you answer to me.
Adderpaw (bristling): LISTEN, you pompous-!
Snaketail (sticking his head in): Duskpaw! What do you think you're doing in here?!
Duskpaw (whipping around angrily): Adderpaw-!
Snaketail: GET OUT IMMEDIATELY! (reaches his paw in and drags Duskpaw back out by the fur)
Duskpaw: OW! Let go, it hurts!
Specklestar: What's going on here?
Ivypaw (comes back into the main den): What's going on?
Adderpaw (shaking her head): Father's lost his mind.
Lizardeye (icily): To. Your. Nests. Now. You've caused enough trouble as it is.
((Only faint muffles of a rather angry conversation could be heard. Ivypaw and Adderpaw went to bed hungry. Neither suggested going outside...not tonight at least.))
ACT TWO SCENE 2
((Night in ShadowClan is far from silent. Crickets sing, toads moan, and slithery creatures slurp through mud. In the damp fog, one cat walks slowly through the fog. He is the tall, furry, tabby. His amber eyes fall dully to the ground and he is barely keeping his fluffy tail out of the mud.))
Snaketail: Where did my daughters go? How long were they out in the brutal world before their medicine stopped them? Did they struggle through the thick underbrush? Did they feel the cool waters on their paws? Did the wind of the moor brush their pelts the wrong way? How long were they unattended to? Lizardeye does his best to keep watch, but there's only so much my cold sibling can do...(pauses to examine a sound to his right. Goes forward with a lowered head again)...In any case...They should be running away...from me..The crimes I've committed are so heinous, so horrendous! How can I expect them to grow and flower in the shadow of their monstrous lone father? Their mother...they belong with her...if only I had saved her...(another sharp sound, swift padding feet but no scent) Helen? Is that you?
(He sounds a little delusional, but also as if he's just talking to himself and not really her ghost)
Snaketail: It's been seven moons and the pain and shock of your death never dulls, it never fades! Our daughters are good she-cats...I've raised them as best as I can...But I keep them so carefully sheltered from the truth. This life I lead is only a lie! And a poorly constructed one at that! I've thought of just telling them everything....or I could send them away...so far they'll never hear of the truth...But they''re my everything! They must never leave! Yes...they shall forever stay in my care...I can afford no mistakes with them...You see, they're all I have. But a lie...it's a horrid lie. You see the truth is...
(A sudden cut scene, up in the tall grasses along the loner barn. A she-cat flees toward the barn. A mad sort of laughter follows after her in the fog. Quite suddenly, she is bright down from behind. Her neck is slashed and she is dragged by her hindlegs, still breathing, still wide-eyed with horror.)
Brook: Wha-what are you?
Twistedclaw (with a wide-pointy toothed smile): I'm the monster.
(Slash. Snaketail crossing under the bridge.)
Snaketail: I tell them that I'm Deputy of the Clan...the Hero...but there is no greater villain...Such perfection and balance, don't you agree, Helen?
(Slice. Twistedclaw stands over the body of the she-cat. But its not him doing the cutting. A taller tabby with cold, precise eyes.)
Twistedclaw: What precision, Brother.
Lizardeye: It's what I'm here for, isn't it? Keen incisions? Unscathed bones.
(Here he proceeds the delicate process of ripping out her spine. Twistedclaw chuckles at the sheer gore of the situation. But there's no suffering for him to enjoy. The she-cat is long dead.)
Lizardeye (clutching the long bone in his teeth): I'm going to clean this up for Wynter. Tell Snaketail, I'll be there soon.
Twistedclaw (smirking): But of course.
ACT TWO SCENE 3
((It's been a few nights. Snaketail is still being closely watched for his earlier actions against Duskpaw. He has not visited Ivypaw or Adderpaw since the incident. Lizardeye keeps a watchful eye on them, hardly ever leaving the den these days. Murmurs of war can be heard outside their den, but Ivypaw is in denial and Adderpaw doesn't give a mouse-dung. The only thing that holds their interest these days are the bouts of open arguments between Yellowpaw and Nightshade. This afternoon they crept out to hear the latest one.))
Nightshade: Mouse-brained little spit of a cat! You can't possibly believe you'll get away with it, can you?!
Yellowpaw (looking up coolly from sharing tongues with her brother): Get away with what, Queenie?
Nightshade: The thorns! In my nest!
Yellowpaw: There were thorns in your nest? How unfortunate!
(Beside Yellowpaw, her brothers chuckle. The yellow she-cat smirks.)
Nightshade: I know you did it!
Yellowpaw (smirking): Prove it!
Nightshade (lashes out and smacks her face): Don't do it again.
Yellowpaw (turning her head slowly back to her): You'll be sorry for that...
Nightshade (smirking now): No, I don't think I will be.
Adderpaw (from the entrance of the Medicine Cat Den): She's dead.
Ivypaw (flattening her ears): Clanmates shouldn't be so cruel to each other!
Adderpaw: You want Nightshade to rule us forever? She's got toms hanging all over her, and none of the she-cats can control her attitude. It's about time someone taught her a lesson.
Emberthorn (walking in): Isn't it about time for you two to take your medicine and sleep.
((Adderpaw rolls her eyes. Ivypaw nods half-heartedly. Tawnypaw walks by))
Ivypaw (grinning): Hi Tawnypaw!
Tawnypaw (tilts her nose up and keeps walking): Humpf!
Ivypaw (saddened): I hope you're happy Adderpaw! Now she's mad at both of us.
((They ate their respective piles of herbs and walked off to their nests.))
