Chapter Text
Chapter Text
》 SCENE 1. SOUP'S HOUSE. SUNRISE, FALL.
[Note: Use Deadpaw's apprentice/Deadpaw design for this episode until scene 3. Use Salad's young design until scene 3 as well.]
Salad and Deadpaw are sleeping in a cat bed. Above them, Soup and Breadheart stare out the window.
SOUP
So, Little Bread-
BREADHEART
Her name is Deadpaw.
SOUP
Little Bread. What happened to her?
BREADHEART
Her father didn't want her. He thought she'd die without milk, so it wasn't worth getting attached.
SOUP
You thought otherwise.
BREADHEART
I couldn't just sit by and let her die without trying. It worked.
SOUP
And the scars?
BREADHEART
Her mentor. I'm not sure what exactly happened, but when I arrived, she was pinning Deadpaw down. I fought her, and she blamed me for the fight. When Loyalstar arrived, she convinced him this must've been the sign from StarClan that got her the position of deputy.
SOUP
Sign? If StarClan appoints kitten abusers as deputies, they can fuck off.
Breadheart looks away. Soup flattens her ears, realizing that she's growing too harsh.
SOUP
I just... don't understand why you would want to be there. It sounds terrible.
BREADHEART
I thought it was a beautiful place. Everyone helped each other, and no cat went hungry even though we had to catch our own prey. But I was wrong.
A brief silence passes. Soup is about to speak, but Breadheart takes a breath and talks again.
BREADHEART
Everyone was nicer than they were here, but now everyone is just as awful. Maybe I don't belong anywhere.
SOUP
You belong here-with me. I missed you, Bread. I thought you were dead.
Breadheart brightens slightly, though it's obvious that he's still upset.
BREADHEART
Thanks, Soup.
Soup licks his ear. He leans into her.
SOUP
Just don't forget-as long as I'm here, at least one cat around cares about you.
》 SCENE 2. SOUP'S HOUSE. DAY, FALL.
Deadpaw wakes up to a kick in the head.
SALAD
Get out!
Deadpaw, unamused, shifts her head away from his feet.
SALAD
I said, get out!
Salad kicks her in the hip.
DEADPAW
(mumbling)
Maybe you should get out if you're so awake.
SALAD
This is my bed and my home!
DEADPAW
So?
Salad stands up.
SALAD
So get out!
Deadpaw ignores him.
SALAD
Get the fuck out!
He pauses. His eyes go wide.
SALAD
Aw, shit! I'm not supposed to swear!
Deadpaw turns to him.
DEADPAW
That's a swear?
SALAD
...yes?
DEADPAW
Swears are things like 'fox dung' and 'mange-ridden flea pelt,' not 'fuck.'
Salad blinks at her, stunned. Then, he laughs.
SALAD
Forest cats are so weird. Those definitely aren't swears.
Deadpaw squints at him.
DEADPAW
Sure.
SALAD
I mean it!
Deadpaw stretches and gets up. Then, she heads over to the water bowl and takes a drink. Salad watches her the whole way, not moving an inch.
DEADPAW
Why can't you swear, anyway? Did your mother tell you not to?
Salad scrunches up his face in annoyance.
SALAD
Mother?
DEADPAW
Soup. She said you're her son.
SALAD
She takes care of me, but she's not my mom. We aren't even related!
DEADPAW
Breadheart is my dad, and we aren't related.
SALAD
No, he's not! You have to be related. Otherwise, it's not real.
Deadpaw unsheathes her claws and her fur spikes.
DEADPAW
Not real?
SALAD
Not. Real.
Deadpaw leaps at Salad. He dodges at the last moment, but she manages to scratch his face. He runs out the cat door and she follows.
DEADPAW
Take it back!
Salad looks back over his shoulder.
SALAD
No! It's true!
He jumps onto a trash bin and over a fence. Deadpaw follows. A sign on the fence reads, "BEWARE OF DOG."
They land in the yard. A dog house is on the other side of it. Deadpaw finally pins Salad.
DEADPAW
Take. It. Back.
Eyes flash in the back of the dog house. A low growl travels through the yard. Both of the kittens freeze. Guard Dog emerges from the dog house.
Deadpaw leaps off of Salad as Guard Dog runs forward. Salad barely dodges Guard Dog as it chomps at his tail.
Salad and Deadpaw are backed into a corner as Guard Dog storms forward again. It growls at them. Deadpaw steps in front of Salad and assumes a Halloween cat pose.
DEADPAW
(to Salad)
Run.
Salad looks at the fence. It towers over him.
SALAD
(whispering)
I can't jump that high!
DEADPAW
The dog house! Now!
Deadpaw launches herself at Guard Dog's face. Guard Dog yelps.
Salad runs for the dog house and jumps onto it. He looks back toward Deadpaw, who is holding onto Guard Dog as it flails. She bares her teeth and bites Guard Dog's eye.
Guard Dog howls in pain as she drops off its face and runs. Too distracted by its injured eye, it doesn't pursue her. As Deadpaw reaches the dog house, the door to the (human) house opens.
Deadpaw nudges Salad and they both jump over the fence. They land, panting from exertion and fear.
SALAD
You saved me...
DEADPAW
(slightly offended)
Why wouldn't I?
SALAD
I thought you were just a nasty forest cat, but I was wrong. That was amazing!
DEADPAW
(ambivalent)
Sure.
SOUP'S HOUSE.
Deadpaw and Salad are home now. Soup and Breadheart are with them.
Soup is licking Salad's face where the scratch from earlier is. Salad pulls away, but she just pulls him back.
SOUP
What did you say happened again?
SALAD
(suddenly enthused)
There was a huge dog, and Deadpaw bit its eye out!
SOUP
Yes, I heard that part. How'd you get there?
SALAD
...we were playing tag.
Deadpaw, surprised by the lie, makes eye contact with Salad. Salad grins.
TIME CHANGE: NIGHT.
Breadheart, Soup, and Salad are sleeping. Deadpaw sits awake. Slowly, taking care not to make noise, she creeps to Breadheart's side. Then, she taps him. He stirs.
BREADHEART
(under his breath)
Deadpaw?
Deadpaw settles beside him. He snuggles up to her.
DEADPAW
(whispering)
You're the best dad ever.
Breadheart licks her head.
Fade out.
》 SCENE 3. TWOLEGPLACE BORDER. DAY, WINTER.
[Note: Since enough time has passed, use Deadpaw's adult/Deadheart design from this point on. Same with Salad and his adult design.]
Deadpaw, Salad, and Breadheart are under the bench. Snow has piled on top of it, making it a terrible sitting place. Despite this, Boris, Buster, and Bruce are half-buried in the snow.
Bruce yawns and it knocks some of the snow off of him. The snow lands in front of Deadpaw and Breadheart. They exchange a disgruntled glance.
Boris looks at Bruce. Then, he looks at Buster, who has caught the yawn from Bruce.
BORIS
Well, looks like we should head out.
BREADHEART
Wait—
Boris, Bruce, and Buster jump off of the bench, sending snow flying in all directions. It forms walls around the bottom of the bench.
BREADHEART
—you'll drop snow on top of us.
Breadheart shakes his head to clear the snow from his muzzle.
SALAD
Great job, f—
Breadheart glares at him.
SALAD
Fidiots. Idiots.
BREADHEART
Alright. Time to dig.
Deadpaw nods and shovels a pawful of snow out. The snow hits Salad. He grumbles, but shakes it off and joins her. After Breadheart joins in, they clear the way quickly.
Deadpaw slips out first, followed by Breadheart. Salad exits last.
When Breadheart makes it out, Deadpaw is staring at something a short distance away. Then, she runs.
BREADHEART
Deadpaw?
Breadheart chases after her. Salad hesitates before also running. All three run for a while, passing by a few houses. At one point, Breadheart hesitates at a familiar scent. The ground grows progressively icier as they near a wetland.
Then, Deadpaw pounces. The thing she was chasing—Fuzz, one of Tailfur's rats—squeaks beneath her. Breadheart and Salad come to a stop.
TAILFUR
Hey!
Deadpaw freezes, Fuzz still in her claws. Tailfur appears from behind a dead tree.
TAILFUR
Let Fuzz go!
Deadpaw is confused, but she releases Fuzz. Fuzz runs over to Tailfur. Tailfur sniffs him before turning back to the group.
TAILFUR
Do you chase everything you see?
His eyes scan the group. He pauses as he recognizes Breadheart.
TAILFUR
Hm. What are you doing here?
DEADPAW
Living.
Tailfur looks at her for a moment before looking back at Breadheart.
BREADHEART
We were exiled.
Tailfur's expression changes from irritated and off-put to sympathetic.
TAILFUR
Oh.
He takes a breath.
TAILFUR
You could come with me, if you wanted. I'm just here to check if the kittypets saved any of the herbs from their twolegs' gardens, but they usually forget. NastyClan needs warriors as much as we need herbs in leafbare.
Breadheart looks at Deadpaw.
BREADHEART
Um, well—
DEADPAW
Yes.
Breadheart and Tailfur turn to Deadpaw. Then, they look toward each other.
BREADHEART
Uh, yes. We'll go.
Tailfur turns away.
TAILFUR
Good. We should head back—
SALAD
Wait!
Everyone turns toward him. He runs toward Deadpaw.
SALAD
You can't just leave like that!
Deadpaw stares at him.
SALAD
What about me?
DEADPAW
(confused)
What about you?
Salad blushes.
SALAD
I, uh! I really, really like you!
DEADPAW
Okay.
SALAD
So, you should stay!
Deadpaw turns away.
DEADPAW
No thanks.
Breadheart looks between the two. Silence stretches on awkwardly.
BREADHEART
Tell Soup where we went, okay?
Salad's face falls as Breadheart, Deadpaw, Tailfur (and Fuzz) walk away.
》 SCENE 4. SHININGCLAN CAMP. DAY, WINTER.
Strongclaw enters the camp. Longstep and Tremortail follow her. She nods to them before heading toward the Leader's Den.
SHININGCLAN LEADER'S DEN.
Strongclaw pokes her head in. Loyalstar is curled in his nest.
STRONGCLAW
The midday patrol is finished.
Loyalstar doesn't react.
STRONGCLAW
Spinepaw and Thornpaw are almost done with their training. Do you have any ideas for their names?
Loyalstar stirs.
LOYALSTAR
No.
STRONGCLAW
You should start thinking.
Loyalstar shifts back to the same position he was in when Strongclaw entered. Strongclaw takes a step into the den.
STRONGCLAW
You should get up.
Loyalstar stays still.
STRONGCLAW
You're being pathetic.
LOYALSTAR
Don't you have something else to do?
STRONGCLAW
The patrols are set, so no. Don't you?
LOYALSTAR
There's nothing else for me to do here.
STRONGCLAW
You're our leader. You lead.
LOYALSTAR
It doesn't matter.
Strongclaw digs her claws into the ground.
STRONGCLAW
Fine, then. I'll lead the Clan myself. Maybe StarClan chose me to save ShiningClan from your incompetence.
She's almost out the exit when Loyalstar speaks, causing her to freeze.
LOYALSTAR
Do your best. The stars are fickle.
Strongclaw's eyes widen, her fur bristling with shock. As she looks back at Loyalstar, her face morphs into a snarl.
STRONGCLAW
I always do my best.