Post by Kiki on May 19, 2008 10:36:54 GMT -5
Prologue
A group of five cats moved silently through the dark tunnel, following the faint scent of a rare flower that grew only at their appointed destination. The group arrived several minutes later to a wide cave that was faintly illuminated by moonlight. A small light brown tabby she-cat pressed against a larger black tom that was barely visible in the darkness. He purred quietly to calm his apprentice's frayed nerves. As the moon rose higher in the sky, the sights and smells of the cave became sharper.
In the moonlight, small silver flowers growing through the floor of the cave slowly opened and their sparkling petals to absorb the life-giving moonlight. As the moon rose higher still, the cave suddenly became bathed in light from a large crystal in the center of the cave. The crystal reflected and refracted the rays from the moon which caused the mysterious light to fill the cave.
"Come." The black tom motioned with his tail for the light brown tabby to walk to him by the large crystal. With her legs shaking violently, she managed to walk the few paces to her mentor and stand by the crystal. "Breezepaw, ever since you were a kit, you have had contact with StarClan and they have chosen you to beome the next medicine cat of SilverClan. You have taken the choice to walk the path your ancestors have laid before your paws. Do you, Breezepaw, wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan and learn the ways cats have for generations?" Nightpelt watched Breezepaw as she gulped and her legs trembled.
"I-It is," she managed to meow shakily after several moments of terrifying silence.
"Then come forward. Warriors of StarClan, I present to you this apprentice. She has chosen to accept her destiny as a medicine cat. Grant her your wisdom so she may understand your ways and heal her Clan in accordance with your will. Now, Breezepaw, touch your nose to the Mooncrystal." Breezepaw glanced around as Nightpelt and the other three medicine cats touched the Mooncrystal and fell into dreams with StarClan. She took a deep breath and did the same.
Breezepaw suddenly found herself on Highrise, the low plateau in the center of the Jeshong Valley where the Clans held their Gatherings in an increasingly uneasy peace every full moon. She looked to the four small hills where the leaders of the Clans sat and was startled to see two of them occupied. One one of them sat a large white she-cat with long, luxurious fur. Her deep cerulean eyes were as round as the full moon and reflected countless years of wisdom. To the right sat, in stark contrast, was a tiny silver tabby she-cat that was no bigger than Breezepaw herself. Breezepaw's amber eyes went as round as the white she-cat's when she realized who these two cats were. Angelstar and Silverstar...the first leaders of AngelClan and SilverClan! Breezepaw thought in amazement.
"We welcome you as a medicine cat apprentice." Angelstar's voice was surprisingly deep for a she-cat's and Breezepaw was instantly reminded of a thundrestaorm rumbling from far away over the high mountain peaks that sheltered the Jeshong Valley. Breezepaw's body tensed with nervousness as the first leader of AngelClan spoke to her. "Don't worry, young apprentice. There is no harm meant for you here." Breezepaw managed a small nod. Angelstar opened her mouth to continue speaking, but a sudden gust of wind stopped her. Silverstar, Angelstar and Breezepaw loked toward the source of the wind.
A monstrous cat, larger than any of them had seen before, stalked toward them. About six tail lengths tall at the shoulder, the large cat towered over the three smaller ones. His fur was the color of the setting sun and stripes as dark as night covered his body. His belly and paws were pure white. It was a cat just like out of the legends of TigerClan. The three Clan cats stared in awe at the huge tiger. "Greetings," he said in a deep, authoritative rumble. "I am Tigerstar, very first leader of the legendary TigerClan." Breezepaw's eyes went wide again as she dipped her head in respect to him. "I come to deliver a prophecy.
Legends old, thought to be past
Shall come to rise again
The winds of change are rising
As the no-furs bring them in
Rays of night on setting day
Seek the rising, snowy wings
Shining streams of gleaming day
Stalk silently to the sterling ones
Tawny shadows of the high peaks
Climb silently in search of frozen ground
Spots of night on glowing day
Come to greet the burning fire
Rising legends seek refuge in the hidden valley
So the whole of them die not
Ones of recent years shall find peace
As the rising legends bring resolution
Those that watch from above
Have no say in the doings of the rising legends
The legends whill respect the starry ones
But obey them not
In their quest for peace between setling, fire, snow and wings."
"W-What does that mean?" Breezepaw asked, her amber eyes as wide and round as the full moon. Tigerstar merely locked eyes with Breezepaw for what could have been seasons or a heartbeat, then turned around and stalked off.
Breezepaw's eyes snapped open and she looked around. The other medicine cats stirred and woke up. The group quickly exited the cave of the Mooncrystal and looked around, daring the others to speak. After fifteen minutes of uncomfortable silence, a ginger she-cat with deep blue eyes meowed nervously, "So, what did you guys dream"
Nightpelt stepped forward and meowed, "Cougarstar came to me and told me a prophecy.'
"Leopardstar came to me," Snowpetal, the TundraClan medicine cat, a white she-cat with light blue eyes, meowed.
"Lionstar came to me." Starwind, the FlamingClan medicine cat, a white she-cat white amber eyes, meowed.
"Oakstar of CougarClan came to me," Flameheart, the AngelClan medicine cat, the ginger she-cat with blue eyes, meowed. Nightpelt gazed at Breezepaw, his green eyes unblinking. The apprentice looked down nervously and shuffled her paws, now wanting to meet the gazes of the other medicine cats. Flameheart purred to reassure Breezepaw it was all right.
"Well... Tigerstar came to me and told me a prophecy..." Breezepaw meowed finally.
"So, we all recieved prophecies," Nightpelt muttered. He wheezed in the cold air and puffs of white were visible in the pale moonlight. The other medicine cats nodded. He recited the prophecy Breezepaw had recieved from Tigerstar and then asked if it was the prophecy the others had recieved. They murmured quietly and nodded in solemn agreement.
"This is troubling," Starwind meowed. "The leaders of the very first Clans came themselves. I can't imagine it's a good; this prophecy." Nightpelt looked up and saww the horzion becoming light eggshell blue.
"We must get back to our Clans. They might send out search parties if we don't get back soon," Flameheart muttered. The longing in her voice to spend more time on deciphering the prophecy was clear, but with tensions high as ever between the waring Clans, it wasn't safe to spend anymore time there. The other medicine cats sighed and nodded, then headed their separate ways.
•
In a darkened forest, the light of the half moon shafted through the pine needles, creating dappled patterns on the ground. A lithe white shape stalked through the underbrush of the virgin pine forest. The white she-cat's ears pricked forward as an unfamiliar scent hit the roof of her mouth and strange noises reached her ears. She continued forward silently toward the source of the noises and scents. When she reached a clearing a strange sight met her eyes.
Strange creatures with now fur and standing on their pack paws pulled a length of thick, shiny stuff. A loud roar shattered the frigid, frosty air of ending frozenwater. The white she-cat crouched against the ground, her fur fluffed out in fear, but the creatures pulling at the length of shiny stuff didn't react to the roar at all. The creatures continued to pull at the length and a huge cat grudgingly walked out of a strange, shiny box-thig on wheels. The she-cat's eyes went wide as she stared at the huge cat. Even in the moonlight, the she-cat could see the distintive orange coat and black stripes on the cat. Several other tigers stood in cages. The she-cat backed up slowly, wide eye and then she turned tail and ran west, toward her Clan's camp.
Chapter 1
Light ebbed through the moss that hung from the opening of Angelstar's den. She blinked her leaf green eyes sleepily, then stood up and streched. The events of last night's prowl through the forest seemed like a dream to her and maybe they were. Tigers in the Jeshong Valley? What an absurd idea. She ndoded to herself and decided that it was no more than a dream caused by overeating. With frozenwater coming to an end, prey was beginning to run again and the warriors in AngelClan were taking advantage of the short seasons meltingsnow, freewater and freezingwater. The warriors had returned the previous night with copius amounts of prey and the whole Clan ate well for the first time in moons.
Angelstar padded out of her den, smiling as she looked up at the sky which was free of clouds except for a few whisps which would clear up in a few hours. She looked toward the camp entrance and saw a dainty ginger she-cat with deep blue eyes walk into the camp, clearly tired but on guard as she looked around warily. Angelstar padded over to the she-cat. The ginger she-cat acknowledged Angelstar by dipping her head in respect. "Hello, Flameheart," Angelstar meowed, dipping head to the medicine cat.
"Hello," Flameheart mewed wearily. She sighed. "I'm sorry, but I had a long night. There's something I must tell you after I've gotten some sleep."
"I understand," Angelstar meowed, a slight tone of annoyedness finding its way into her voice. Though she understood the medicine cats had to meet at the half moon, that didn't mean she liked it. The fact Flame heart had to meet with cats from other Clans. "Go get some sleep." She gently touched the tip of her tail to her friend's shoulder, then Flameheart padded to her den.
Angelstar looked around the camp at her Clan and purred, happy for the small fragment of peace. After the battle with SilverClan a half moon prior, Angelstar had been on constant guard. Her fur fluffed out at the memory of the battle. The light of the nearly full moon beating down, the sound of cats yowling and writhing in the clearing, the...
"Angelstar." The white she-cat looked up, woken from her transe as a small blue-gray she-cat with amber eyes trotted over.
"Coldpaw, what is it?" Angelstar asked, blinking. A larger gray-blue tom whit white paws and a torn right ear trotted up behind Coldpaw. "Torn ear?"
"May we speak to you in your den?" Tornear asked. Angelstar nodded and the trio of cats padded back to her den.
"Coldpaw, Tornear, what is this about?" Angelstar asked again. Tornear gently touched his tailtip to Coldpaw's shoulder. The apprentice looked down, nervous, and shuffled her paws. Angelstar swept her long, plumy tail across Coldpaw's shoulders. "Coldpaw, you can tell me anything."
The blue-gray apprentice took a deep breath and meowed, "Early this morning, we saw some strange no-furred creatures on their hind paws bringing tigers in." She looked down and began shuffling her paws again. Angelstar looked at the apprentice, wide-eyed. An uncomfortable silence fell of ther trioand Coldpaw pressed into Tornear for comfort. "Y-You don't believe me, do you?"
"I-I passed it off as a dream from too much fresh-kill last night..." Angelstar meowed hoarsely. "I saw it last night, too, Coldpaw." The small blue-gray she-cat's head snapped up at Angelstar's words, her eyes wide.
"What does it mean?" Coldpaw asked.
"I don't know," Angelstar meowed hoarsely. "I really don't know, Coldpaw."
Around sunset, Flamheart trotted out of her den and into her leader's den. ANgelstar rose to her feet when she heard the moos that hung in front of the den rustle. "Oh, Flameheart you starled me," Angelstar meowed.
"I'm sorry." Flameheart dipped her head in respet and apology to the snowy she-cat. "Harpfur told me you were free, but if you're busy thinking..."
"No, no. It's all right," Angelstar mewed quickly. "What happened at the meeting that you needed to talk to me about?"
Flameheart closed her eyes, and dipped her head, thinking of how to begin. Several minutes passed and she finally opened her eyes which sparkled with the light of the Mooncrystal. "Oakstar of CougarClan came to me. A prophecy is to strike us soon." She recited the stanzas of the prophecy that all of the medicine cats had recieved the previous night. Angelstar's eyes went round as th efull moon. "What is it?" Flameheart's sparkling blue eyes peered into Angelstar's leaf green ones, searching for an answer.
"Rays of night on setting sun
Seek the rising, snowy wings," Angelstar quoted from the prophecy. "It's already coming true...." Flameheart blinked, her eyes showing confusing and wanting answer. "The rays of night on setting sun are tigers being brought in... TigerClan are coming..."
"Are you serious?!" Flameheart asked. Her blue eyes flared widely with shock and disbelief. Angelstar nodded grimly.
"Last night while you were gone to the meeting, I was out hunting and saw the strange no-furred reatures bringing tigers ouit of a strange thing..." Angelstar meowed hoarsely, her words beginning to fail her. "It's not long until they come here..." The white she-cat gulped hard, her leaf green eyes still wide and round. Flameheart's eyes went as round and wide as Angelstar's.
"T-TigerClan...f-for real?" Flameheart asked hoarsely. Angelstar gave a solemn nod and the ginger medicine cat gulped.
Chapter 2
The waning, pale sun of late frozenwater shone dully above the pine forest and glited coldly off of a small she-cat's silver tabby coat. She opened her mouth slightly to allow the freshening scents of late frozenwater in. The deep scents of the pine forest hit the roof of the silver tabby's mouth. She decided her Clan needed fresh-kill after so many moons of going hungry. The short seasons of meltingsnow and freewater were blessings when they released the icy grips of frozenwater that held the Jeshong Valley most of the year.
Northstar's head whipped sharply to the right when she heard a rustle in the underbrush. THe wind shifted slightly and she recognized the scent: squirrel. She instintively dropped into a hunter's crouch and slowly began moving forward. Several minutes passed andshe reached the white-furred creature. Northstar licked her lips, already tasting the creatue's sweet meat. She tensed, ready to pouce when a large, jet black creatue with twisted horns walked into the clearing, scaring the snow squirrel away. Northstar hissd under her breath, frustrated at the gazi. She turned and walked back toward camp. ON the way back, she met up with a white she-cat with amber eyes."Hello, Starwind." Northstar greeted the medicine cat with a dip of her head.
"Good afternoon, Northstar." Starwind dipped her head in respect for her leader.
"Good weather after the long frozenwater." Starwind nodded in agreement with her leader's statement. "How was the meeting?" Northstar's voice had an edge; Starwind knew that Northstar didn't like the fact that she had to meet with cats from enemy Clans.
"It went well," Starwind meowed.
"Any news from StarClan?" Starwind unconciously licked her chest at her leader's question, then looked away. "I take that as a yes. What was it?" Starwind took a deep breath and repeated the prophecy Oakstar had given her and Nortstar's eyes went wide. "What? Is that true?" Starwind bowed her head.
"Yes, Nortstar," Starwind meowed. Northstar gulped, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat. She was uncertain about the future of her Clan.
Chapter 3
A new day gleamed brightly off a black she-cat as she trotted in the tall grasses of her Clan's territory, trying to calm her frayed nerves. The pervious night, she had gotten little sleep after Nightpelt and Breezepaw had told her of the unsettling prophecy handed to them by leaders of the four Clans of legend. Soaringstar's amber eyes were livid with worry for future of her Clan. Thoughts kept running through her mind about what would happen when the prophecy was set in motion. Would the kits be all right? Would the prey keep runing? Would the grass stay tall? Would...
Soaringstar's thoughs were interrupted by a loud crack that sounded like the snapping of bone and a strangled cry. The fur on the back back of the she-cat's neck rose instantly. Was another Clan stealing prey? No. That snap was too loud to be from normal prey. Soaringstar gulped and creeped toward the source of the sound. Many heartbeats passed until she found the source.
In the middle of the field, a large male lion with a completely black mane sat near a large black gazi that had been killed only minutes prior. Soaringstar's eyes went wide as possible as the sight unfolded before her. Several more maes with manes walked out of the grass, one of them trailed by a smaller female. Larger females also followed, one of them trailed by the three smalles lions which were clearly too young to be away from her just yet. Soaringstar's ears perked foward as her body went rigid, listening to strains of conversation.
"That, Shinepaw, is how you take one of these down," the male with the black mane rumbled. His strange silver eyes glittered as he looked down at a young female.
"Can I try?" the female, clearly Shinepaw, asked, bouncing enthusiastically. The male shook his head. "Aww... Come on, Clawstar..." She looked at the male with the black mane imploringly.
"No, Shinepaw," Clawstar rumbled. The small lioness opened her mouth to protest, but another, larger lioness cut her off.
"Shinepaw, don't argue with Clawstar. He is the leader of your Clan and your father," the lioness rumbled. Shinepaw's head dropped, signaling she wasn't going to argue anymore.
"Thank you, Glossfur," Clawstar rumbled, giving the large lioness an affectionate lick on the ear.
Soaringstar stared wide-eyed at the larger-than-life lions. These were the cats the prophecy was talking about. She dropped low to the ground, her tail waving back and forth, eyes wide in a mixture of fear and awe as they began to devour the gazi. One of the smallest lions raised her head and sniffed.
"What's that strange smell?" she asked, looking at a larger lioness that was clearly her mother.
"I don't smell nothin'," a small male her said. After sniffing a few times, he changed his mind. "Wait. I smell it too." The two kits looked straight in Soaringstar's direction though they couldn't see her. The black she-cat tensed, ready to run if the lions began to chase her. Upon seeing the two kits' strange behavior, Clawstar raised his head and sniffed, then stared straight in Soaringstar's direction.
"Come out!" The command rumbled deeply from the lion's throat meancingly as he narrowed his eyes. Clawstar continued to growl lowly to scare Soaringstar off. The black she-cat stood up and her fur instantly fluffed out in fear, her eyes still wide. She took three small steps forward until she was under the meancing gazes of Clawstar and his Clan.
A group of five cats moved silently through the dark tunnel, following the faint scent of a rare flower that grew only at their appointed destination. The group arrived several minutes later to a wide cave that was faintly illuminated by moonlight. A small light brown tabby she-cat pressed against a larger black tom that was barely visible in the darkness. He purred quietly to calm his apprentice's frayed nerves. As the moon rose higher in the sky, the sights and smells of the cave became sharper.
In the moonlight, small silver flowers growing through the floor of the cave slowly opened and their sparkling petals to absorb the life-giving moonlight. As the moon rose higher still, the cave suddenly became bathed in light from a large crystal in the center of the cave. The crystal reflected and refracted the rays from the moon which caused the mysterious light to fill the cave.
"Come." The black tom motioned with his tail for the light brown tabby to walk to him by the large crystal. With her legs shaking violently, she managed to walk the few paces to her mentor and stand by the crystal. "Breezepaw, ever since you were a kit, you have had contact with StarClan and they have chosen you to beome the next medicine cat of SilverClan. You have taken the choice to walk the path your ancestors have laid before your paws. Do you, Breezepaw, wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan and learn the ways cats have for generations?" Nightpelt watched Breezepaw as she gulped and her legs trembled.
"I-It is," she managed to meow shakily after several moments of terrifying silence.
"Then come forward. Warriors of StarClan, I present to you this apprentice. She has chosen to accept her destiny as a medicine cat. Grant her your wisdom so she may understand your ways and heal her Clan in accordance with your will. Now, Breezepaw, touch your nose to the Mooncrystal." Breezepaw glanced around as Nightpelt and the other three medicine cats touched the Mooncrystal and fell into dreams with StarClan. She took a deep breath and did the same.
Breezepaw suddenly found herself on Highrise, the low plateau in the center of the Jeshong Valley where the Clans held their Gatherings in an increasingly uneasy peace every full moon. She looked to the four small hills where the leaders of the Clans sat and was startled to see two of them occupied. One one of them sat a large white she-cat with long, luxurious fur. Her deep cerulean eyes were as round as the full moon and reflected countless years of wisdom. To the right sat, in stark contrast, was a tiny silver tabby she-cat that was no bigger than Breezepaw herself. Breezepaw's amber eyes went as round as the white she-cat's when she realized who these two cats were. Angelstar and Silverstar...the first leaders of AngelClan and SilverClan! Breezepaw thought in amazement.
"We welcome you as a medicine cat apprentice." Angelstar's voice was surprisingly deep for a she-cat's and Breezepaw was instantly reminded of a thundrestaorm rumbling from far away over the high mountain peaks that sheltered the Jeshong Valley. Breezepaw's body tensed with nervousness as the first leader of AngelClan spoke to her. "Don't worry, young apprentice. There is no harm meant for you here." Breezepaw managed a small nod. Angelstar opened her mouth to continue speaking, but a sudden gust of wind stopped her. Silverstar, Angelstar and Breezepaw loked toward the source of the wind.
A monstrous cat, larger than any of them had seen before, stalked toward them. About six tail lengths tall at the shoulder, the large cat towered over the three smaller ones. His fur was the color of the setting sun and stripes as dark as night covered his body. His belly and paws were pure white. It was a cat just like out of the legends of TigerClan. The three Clan cats stared in awe at the huge tiger. "Greetings," he said in a deep, authoritative rumble. "I am Tigerstar, very first leader of the legendary TigerClan." Breezepaw's eyes went wide again as she dipped her head in respect to him. "I come to deliver a prophecy.
Legends old, thought to be past
Shall come to rise again
The winds of change are rising
As the no-furs bring them in
Rays of night on setting day
Seek the rising, snowy wings
Shining streams of gleaming day
Stalk silently to the sterling ones
Tawny shadows of the high peaks
Climb silently in search of frozen ground
Spots of night on glowing day
Come to greet the burning fire
Rising legends seek refuge in the hidden valley
So the whole of them die not
Ones of recent years shall find peace
As the rising legends bring resolution
Those that watch from above
Have no say in the doings of the rising legends
The legends whill respect the starry ones
But obey them not
In their quest for peace between setling, fire, snow and wings."
"W-What does that mean?" Breezepaw asked, her amber eyes as wide and round as the full moon. Tigerstar merely locked eyes with Breezepaw for what could have been seasons or a heartbeat, then turned around and stalked off.
Breezepaw's eyes snapped open and she looked around. The other medicine cats stirred and woke up. The group quickly exited the cave of the Mooncrystal and looked around, daring the others to speak. After fifteen minutes of uncomfortable silence, a ginger she-cat with deep blue eyes meowed nervously, "So, what did you guys dream"
Nightpelt stepped forward and meowed, "Cougarstar came to me and told me a prophecy.'
"Leopardstar came to me," Snowpetal, the TundraClan medicine cat, a white she-cat with light blue eyes, meowed.
"Lionstar came to me." Starwind, the FlamingClan medicine cat, a white she-cat white amber eyes, meowed.
"Oakstar of CougarClan came to me," Flameheart, the AngelClan medicine cat, the ginger she-cat with blue eyes, meowed. Nightpelt gazed at Breezepaw, his green eyes unblinking. The apprentice looked down nervously and shuffled her paws, now wanting to meet the gazes of the other medicine cats. Flameheart purred to reassure Breezepaw it was all right.
"Well... Tigerstar came to me and told me a prophecy..." Breezepaw meowed finally.
"So, we all recieved prophecies," Nightpelt muttered. He wheezed in the cold air and puffs of white were visible in the pale moonlight. The other medicine cats nodded. He recited the prophecy Breezepaw had recieved from Tigerstar and then asked if it was the prophecy the others had recieved. They murmured quietly and nodded in solemn agreement.
"This is troubling," Starwind meowed. "The leaders of the very first Clans came themselves. I can't imagine it's a good; this prophecy." Nightpelt looked up and saww the horzion becoming light eggshell blue.
"We must get back to our Clans. They might send out search parties if we don't get back soon," Flameheart muttered. The longing in her voice to spend more time on deciphering the prophecy was clear, but with tensions high as ever between the waring Clans, it wasn't safe to spend anymore time there. The other medicine cats sighed and nodded, then headed their separate ways.
•
In a darkened forest, the light of the half moon shafted through the pine needles, creating dappled patterns on the ground. A lithe white shape stalked through the underbrush of the virgin pine forest. The white she-cat's ears pricked forward as an unfamiliar scent hit the roof of her mouth and strange noises reached her ears. She continued forward silently toward the source of the noises and scents. When she reached a clearing a strange sight met her eyes.
Strange creatures with now fur and standing on their pack paws pulled a length of thick, shiny stuff. A loud roar shattered the frigid, frosty air of ending frozenwater. The white she-cat crouched against the ground, her fur fluffed out in fear, but the creatures pulling at the length of shiny stuff didn't react to the roar at all. The creatures continued to pull at the length and a huge cat grudgingly walked out of a strange, shiny box-thig on wheels. The she-cat's eyes went wide as she stared at the huge cat. Even in the moonlight, the she-cat could see the distintive orange coat and black stripes on the cat. Several other tigers stood in cages. The she-cat backed up slowly, wide eye and then she turned tail and ran west, toward her Clan's camp.
Chapter 1
Light ebbed through the moss that hung from the opening of Angelstar's den. She blinked her leaf green eyes sleepily, then stood up and streched. The events of last night's prowl through the forest seemed like a dream to her and maybe they were. Tigers in the Jeshong Valley? What an absurd idea. She ndoded to herself and decided that it was no more than a dream caused by overeating. With frozenwater coming to an end, prey was beginning to run again and the warriors in AngelClan were taking advantage of the short seasons meltingsnow, freewater and freezingwater. The warriors had returned the previous night with copius amounts of prey and the whole Clan ate well for the first time in moons.
Angelstar padded out of her den, smiling as she looked up at the sky which was free of clouds except for a few whisps which would clear up in a few hours. She looked toward the camp entrance and saw a dainty ginger she-cat with deep blue eyes walk into the camp, clearly tired but on guard as she looked around warily. Angelstar padded over to the she-cat. The ginger she-cat acknowledged Angelstar by dipping her head in respect. "Hello, Flameheart," Angelstar meowed, dipping head to the medicine cat.
"Hello," Flameheart mewed wearily. She sighed. "I'm sorry, but I had a long night. There's something I must tell you after I've gotten some sleep."
"I understand," Angelstar meowed, a slight tone of annoyedness finding its way into her voice. Though she understood the medicine cats had to meet at the half moon, that didn't mean she liked it. The fact Flame heart had to meet with cats from other Clans. "Go get some sleep." She gently touched the tip of her tail to her friend's shoulder, then Flameheart padded to her den.
Angelstar looked around the camp at her Clan and purred, happy for the small fragment of peace. After the battle with SilverClan a half moon prior, Angelstar had been on constant guard. Her fur fluffed out at the memory of the battle. The light of the nearly full moon beating down, the sound of cats yowling and writhing in the clearing, the...
"Angelstar." The white she-cat looked up, woken from her transe as a small blue-gray she-cat with amber eyes trotted over.
"Coldpaw, what is it?" Angelstar asked, blinking. A larger gray-blue tom whit white paws and a torn right ear trotted up behind Coldpaw. "Torn ear?"
"May we speak to you in your den?" Tornear asked. Angelstar nodded and the trio of cats padded back to her den.
"Coldpaw, Tornear, what is this about?" Angelstar asked again. Tornear gently touched his tailtip to Coldpaw's shoulder. The apprentice looked down, nervous, and shuffled her paws. Angelstar swept her long, plumy tail across Coldpaw's shoulders. "Coldpaw, you can tell me anything."
The blue-gray apprentice took a deep breath and meowed, "Early this morning, we saw some strange no-furred creatures on their hind paws bringing tigers in." She looked down and began shuffling her paws again. Angelstar looked at the apprentice, wide-eyed. An uncomfortable silence fell of ther trioand Coldpaw pressed into Tornear for comfort. "Y-You don't believe me, do you?"
"I-I passed it off as a dream from too much fresh-kill last night..." Angelstar meowed hoarsely. "I saw it last night, too, Coldpaw." The small blue-gray she-cat's head snapped up at Angelstar's words, her eyes wide.
"What does it mean?" Coldpaw asked.
"I don't know," Angelstar meowed hoarsely. "I really don't know, Coldpaw."
Around sunset, Flamheart trotted out of her den and into her leader's den. ANgelstar rose to her feet when she heard the moos that hung in front of the den rustle. "Oh, Flameheart you starled me," Angelstar meowed.
"I'm sorry." Flameheart dipped her head in respet and apology to the snowy she-cat. "Harpfur told me you were free, but if you're busy thinking..."
"No, no. It's all right," Angelstar mewed quickly. "What happened at the meeting that you needed to talk to me about?"
Flameheart closed her eyes, and dipped her head, thinking of how to begin. Several minutes passed and she finally opened her eyes which sparkled with the light of the Mooncrystal. "Oakstar of CougarClan came to me. A prophecy is to strike us soon." She recited the stanzas of the prophecy that all of the medicine cats had recieved the previous night. Angelstar's eyes went round as th efull moon. "What is it?" Flameheart's sparkling blue eyes peered into Angelstar's leaf green ones, searching for an answer.
"Rays of night on setting sun
Seek the rising, snowy wings," Angelstar quoted from the prophecy. "It's already coming true...." Flameheart blinked, her eyes showing confusing and wanting answer. "The rays of night on setting sun are tigers being brought in... TigerClan are coming..."
"Are you serious?!" Flameheart asked. Her blue eyes flared widely with shock and disbelief. Angelstar nodded grimly.
"Last night while you were gone to the meeting, I was out hunting and saw the strange no-furred reatures bringing tigers ouit of a strange thing..." Angelstar meowed hoarsely, her words beginning to fail her. "It's not long until they come here..." The white she-cat gulped hard, her leaf green eyes still wide and round. Flameheart's eyes went as round and wide as Angelstar's.
"T-TigerClan...f-for real?" Flameheart asked hoarsely. Angelstar gave a solemn nod and the ginger medicine cat gulped.
Chapter 2
The waning, pale sun of late frozenwater shone dully above the pine forest and glited coldly off of a small she-cat's silver tabby coat. She opened her mouth slightly to allow the freshening scents of late frozenwater in. The deep scents of the pine forest hit the roof of the silver tabby's mouth. She decided her Clan needed fresh-kill after so many moons of going hungry. The short seasons of meltingsnow and freewater were blessings when they released the icy grips of frozenwater that held the Jeshong Valley most of the year.
Northstar's head whipped sharply to the right when she heard a rustle in the underbrush. THe wind shifted slightly and she recognized the scent: squirrel. She instintively dropped into a hunter's crouch and slowly began moving forward. Several minutes passed andshe reached the white-furred creature. Northstar licked her lips, already tasting the creatue's sweet meat. She tensed, ready to pouce when a large, jet black creatue with twisted horns walked into the clearing, scaring the snow squirrel away. Northstar hissd under her breath, frustrated at the gazi. She turned and walked back toward camp. ON the way back, she met up with a white she-cat with amber eyes."Hello, Starwind." Northstar greeted the medicine cat with a dip of her head.
"Good afternoon, Northstar." Starwind dipped her head in respect for her leader.
"Good weather after the long frozenwater." Starwind nodded in agreement with her leader's statement. "How was the meeting?" Northstar's voice had an edge; Starwind knew that Northstar didn't like the fact that she had to meet with cats from enemy Clans.
"It went well," Starwind meowed.
"Any news from StarClan?" Starwind unconciously licked her chest at her leader's question, then looked away. "I take that as a yes. What was it?" Starwind took a deep breath and repeated the prophecy Oakstar had given her and Nortstar's eyes went wide. "What? Is that true?" Starwind bowed her head.
"Yes, Nortstar," Starwind meowed. Northstar gulped, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat. She was uncertain about the future of her Clan.
Chapter 3
A new day gleamed brightly off a black she-cat as she trotted in the tall grasses of her Clan's territory, trying to calm her frayed nerves. The pervious night, she had gotten little sleep after Nightpelt and Breezepaw had told her of the unsettling prophecy handed to them by leaders of the four Clans of legend. Soaringstar's amber eyes were livid with worry for future of her Clan. Thoughts kept running through her mind about what would happen when the prophecy was set in motion. Would the kits be all right? Would the prey keep runing? Would the grass stay tall? Would...
Soaringstar's thoughs were interrupted by a loud crack that sounded like the snapping of bone and a strangled cry. The fur on the back back of the she-cat's neck rose instantly. Was another Clan stealing prey? No. That snap was too loud to be from normal prey. Soaringstar gulped and creeped toward the source of the sound. Many heartbeats passed until she found the source.
In the middle of the field, a large male lion with a completely black mane sat near a large black gazi that had been killed only minutes prior. Soaringstar's eyes went wide as possible as the sight unfolded before her. Several more maes with manes walked out of the grass, one of them trailed by a smaller female. Larger females also followed, one of them trailed by the three smalles lions which were clearly too young to be away from her just yet. Soaringstar's ears perked foward as her body went rigid, listening to strains of conversation.
"That, Shinepaw, is how you take one of these down," the male with the black mane rumbled. His strange silver eyes glittered as he looked down at a young female.
"Can I try?" the female, clearly Shinepaw, asked, bouncing enthusiastically. The male shook his head. "Aww... Come on, Clawstar..." She looked at the male with the black mane imploringly.
"No, Shinepaw," Clawstar rumbled. The small lioness opened her mouth to protest, but another, larger lioness cut her off.
"Shinepaw, don't argue with Clawstar. He is the leader of your Clan and your father," the lioness rumbled. Shinepaw's head dropped, signaling she wasn't going to argue anymore.
"Thank you, Glossfur," Clawstar rumbled, giving the large lioness an affectionate lick on the ear.
Soaringstar stared wide-eyed at the larger-than-life lions. These were the cats the prophecy was talking about. She dropped low to the ground, her tail waving back and forth, eyes wide in a mixture of fear and awe as they began to devour the gazi. One of the smallest lions raised her head and sniffed.
"What's that strange smell?" she asked, looking at a larger lioness that was clearly her mother.
"I don't smell nothin'," a small male her said. After sniffing a few times, he changed his mind. "Wait. I smell it too." The two kits looked straight in Soaringstar's direction though they couldn't see her. The black she-cat tensed, ready to run if the lions began to chase her. Upon seeing the two kits' strange behavior, Clawstar raised his head and sniffed, then stared straight in Soaringstar's direction.
"Come out!" The command rumbled deeply from the lion's throat meancingly as he narrowed his eyes. Clawstar continued to growl lowly to scare Soaringstar off. The black she-cat stood up and her fur instantly fluffed out in fear, her eyes still wide. She took three small steps forward until she was under the meancing gazes of Clawstar and his Clan.