The Puzzle Piece
by: Featherdance
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PoX's Note: Hello everyone! This is PoX (yes, LITERALLY the PoX who had abandoned her previous account and is now on a new one) here! If any of you know me, my old account (Ms Amber) is now being abandoned. This means that all the stories on that account will be discontinued … unless my writer's block disappears. Then I will update.
Anyway, yes, this is a new story! I've actually written this a long while back, but then started to take my time editing it because I wanted to make the chapters sound really good. You'll notice that my style of writing has changed like, dramatically, but you know, I still haven't stopped my randomness!
So now, enjoy the very first chapter of The Puzzle Piece!
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Chapter One: Out Of Time
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Main Characters: (mentioned in this chapter)
Blossomfall – ThunderClan: green forests and bushes
Furzepaw – WindClan: bare hills and long grass
Time – The World Of Empty Time: pitch-black with nothing
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Disclaimer: (said by Blossomfall)
Blossomfall: PoX definitely doesn't own Warriors.
PoX: Erin Hunter does. Thank the Erin Hunters for the story, because... you know...
Blossomfall: If they didn't create Warriors, then The Puzzle Piece wouldn't have been created!
PoX: Uh-huh. Just like Ms. Blossomfall said.
Blossomfall: And also... PoX doesn't own ME! Muahaha!
PoX: I wish I did. Then I could beat the crap out of you.
Blossomfall: Except you don't. LOL!
PoX: ... shut up. Just shut up.
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A peaceful time at the lake.
The soft breeze swirling around the four Clan territories. The rustling of prey hiding in the bushes. Birds singing songs as the Clan cats stalked their food. And in the camps, cats talking happily to each other, eating, and even playing with each other.
It was really peaceful, but what they didn't know was that their lives were saved by four cats.
Four cats that were not remembered.
Four cats that will never be.
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"You must go back in time to recover the lost puzzle pieces which create your path in defeating the darkness that will overpower even those who look after you if you don't stop it...
"You will never see the sun rise, nor the breeze which brings life...
"Yet if the pieces were found, time wouldn't stop...
"Bring those pieces back to the one who used to control time, and all will be peaceful...
"But you have to pay the price..."
Those were the words that rang in Blossomfall's ears as she left camp with the rest of the dawn patrol. Those were the words that Blossomfall had heard when she was dreaming. Those were the words that made Blossomfall shiver every time she thought of it.
Was it a dark omen from StarClan? It couldn't be, because the voices had said, "... that will overpower even those who look after you..."
"Blossomfall, look out!" that was Graystripe's voice. Blossomfall quickly came back to reality when she realised that she almost crashed into a tree. Both Lionblaze and Dovepaw were staring at her worriedly, as though there was something wrong with her.
"What's wrong, Blossomfall?" Dovepaw asked. "You're not like yourself..."
"I-I'm fine," Blossomfall stammered. "I was just thinking..."
"Well, you better stop thinking now," Graystripe meowed cheerfully, "because we've got to patrol the WindClan border, and we need to concentrate!"
"Are you sure you're OK?" Lionblaze added as they trudged towards the border that separated ThunderClan and WindClan.
"I really am," insisted the tortoiseshell and white she-cat.
As they reached the border, Graystripe's ears pricked. "WindClan patrol ahead!" he warned. "No fighting, OK?"
"OK," Lionblaze replied.
The WindClan patrol headed towards them. Blossomfall recognised the four cats: Sedgewhisker, Heathertail, Furzepaw and Whitetail. She had seen them numerous times at the Gatherings. But she had never spoken to them, because she didn't really trust them.
"What are you doing here?" Heathertail asked, hostile.
"Patrolling the border," Graystripe replied steadily. "What else? And I'm guessing that you're doing the same thing?"
"Yes," Whitetail replied. "Well, if we're done talking, let's re-scent the border." Heathertail nodded.
"Furzepaw, you keep an eye on the ThunderClan cats," Heathertail commanded. "In case they're lying."
"Like we ever lie!" Dovepaw snapped.
"Shut up," Lionblaze hissed to his apprentice. "Don't say anything unless I say so."
As the rest of the WindClan patrol separated to re-scent the border, Furzepaw sat down and continued staring at them. After a while, Graystripe announced: "Are we going to patrol our borders or not?" Lionblaze nodded and they both left. Dovepaw quickly ran after them.
"And what about me?" Blossomfall asked.
"Stay right there," Lionblaze replied. "I don't really trust that apprentice."
"Why?"
"Well... because..." Lionblaze stopped talking.
"Lionblaze!" Graystripe hissed. "Are you coming or not?"
"Coming!" Lionblaze replied, and he pelted after the other two cats. Blossomfall felt uncomfortable staying with a WindClan cat. She'd never done something like this before, but at least it gave her time to think about the dark omen she had received.
It seemed to be based on when time had stopped. The sun wouldn't rise and the wind wouldn't stir. Would that also mean that Greenleaf wouldn't come either? It would stay dark and grey forever? Was she the only one who could stop this awful thing from happening?
Nothing really made sense to her right now. She glanced at Furzepaw. He was sniffing around as though he scented prey. Blossomfall scented the air and then heard rustling in a bush. A mouse appeared, and it was heading straight towards her! Furzepaw stared at her as she watched the mouse race right between her paws.
What a dumb mouse, Blossomfall thought as she killed it with one swipe of her claw. It must have seen something it was scared of and ran blindly towards her. She picked it up between her jaws and then Furzepaw asked, "What happens when you dream about something bad... like an omen?"
"Are you saying that you had an omen?" Blossomfall asked.
"Well, I think so..." Furzepaw replied. "I couldn't really see anything. I just heard voices telling me to meet three other cats who would have also had a dream similar to mine. It was about time, or something like that. Do you think that's an omen? It sounded scary."
"W-w-what?" Blossomfall stammered. "I-I had the exact same d-dream! It was about time stopping, wasn't it?"
"Well, yes..." Furzepaw answered. "I guess so. But I still don't get it. Was that from StarClan?"
"No, I don't suppose it is," Blossomfall replied. "It didn't sound like it was. But the voices were from two cats; a she-cat and a tom. They both sounded pretty young, and I'm guessing that they could be from neither StarClan nor the Dark Forest."
"But why would they ask an apprentice?" Furzepaw asked.
Blossomfall shrugged. "How am I supposed to know this? But what we should do is find out who the other two cats are. After all, you said that there were three other cats that also had this dream. I'm one of them." Furzepaw nodded and then they heard the patrols returning. "Don't say anything to them," Blossomfall added.
"We're going now," Heathertail growled to her apprentice. Furzepaw nodded and the patrol left.
"Did that apprentice do anything of the sort?" Graystripe asked.
"No," Blossomfall replied. "He just stood there like Heathertail wanted him to."
Lionblaze nodded. "Good," he meowed. "We've finished scenting the borders," he added. "Let's return back to camp." They padded back to ThunderClan camp and reported what everything that happened while they were at the border. Except for the part when Blossomfall and Furzepaw were talking about a bad omen.
"Now what I really want is a nap," Dovepaw meowed. Blossomfall nodded in agreement. She was really tired herself.
Following Lionblaze into the warrior's den, she found a nice patch of moss that was untouched, and Blossomfall guessed that an apprentice had just recently come in and changed the bedding. Probably Ivypaw, because Dovepaw and Ivypaw were the only apprentices so far in the Clan.
Drifting off into sleep, Blossomfall felt as though her dream was oddly familiar, even though she was sure she'd never seen a dream like this before...
CRUNCH!
The ThunderClan warrior whipped around to see a sparkling blue she-cat with blue eyes. Guessing that she was from StarClan, Blossomfall dipped her head in respect – like any other cat would do – and asked, "Umm... you're... from StarClan, are you not?"
"I'm ThunderClan's former leader, Bluestar," the StarClan cat replied. "You are one of the chosen to save everyone."
"But what am I supposed to do?" Blossomfall asked.
"You are to go back in time and visit two cats that will help you," Bluestar answered. "The Clans – and everyone else in this World – are in deep trouble. Something terrible is happening, and time will stop."
Blossomfall was shocked. "Time will STOP?" she gasped.
"Yes," Bluestar meowed. "Not a single thing will move, and darkness will come forever. StarClan, and even the Dark Forest, cannot stop this, and we, too, will become lifeless."
"And so Furzepaw, two other cats and I are to stop it?" the warrior mewed quietly.
Bluestar nodded. "But I must warn you of one thing," she added. "That once you save time and it begins to flow like normal, you have to pay a price to the two cats."
"I-I have to?" Blossomfall asked, alarmed.
"Your companions must, too," Bluestar replied. "But the price is a very, very big one, and if your companions aren't there to pay it with you, it can even cost your life."
"B-but if it's anything to stop time from standing still," Blossomfall meowed determinedly, "then I'll even sacrifice myself to save it."
Bluestar purred with happiness. "You are a brave young cat," she told her. "I see the courage in you. But remember that even though you are passing through time, you can still get injured and maybe even killed. You are the only one who knows about this, so please remember to tell your companions as you embark on your journey."
"I promise," Blossomfall said.
"Then I bid you well on your adventure," Bluestar answered, and she rested her head on Blossomfall's shoulder. It was a sign of respect and good luck, not a part of a warrior ceremony. Blossomfall nodded, her eyes shining with the determination that she needed when she headed off with the others to save the Clans and everything else.
Bluestar lifted her head and meowed, "Would you want to leave now?"
Blossomfall was shocked. "Now?" she asked. "Of all times? I still don't know who the other two cats are –"
"They are ready too," Bluestar cut her off. "Tallstar and the others are talking with them as we speak. They are waiting to see if you will leave now."
"But how are we going to go backwards in time?" Blossomfall demanded.
"With the help of Time and Spirit, of course," Bluestar replied. "They are the ones that will help you find the missing puzzle pieces."
"Puzzle pieces?" asked the confused ThunderClan cat.
"Puzzle pieces," Bluestar meowed. "Even I didn't know what it was until Spirit explained to me. Without the puzzle pieces, time will stop. Someone has scattered the puzzle pieces everywhere in time, and only the chosen can be able to retrieve them."
"So... what you're saying to me is, three other cats and I are the only ones that can get the puzzle pieces back?" Blossomfall meowed. "Meaning that Firestar and Graystripe can't get them?"
"They have saved the Clan many times," Bluestar replied. "Their job is done. And they are getting old. It was then that we – StarClan – realised that we needed new cats to go and save the Clans on this difficult task. We cannot ask the leader of ThunderClan to leave his Clan once more, can we?"
Blossomfall shook her head.
"I'm glad that you were easy to talk to," Bluestar sighed. "Tallstar told me that the apprentices are hard to chat with!"
The two cats purred with amusement. Then Bluestar stretched, meowing, "Are you ready?"
"Ready to go?" Blossomfall asked. "If it's that, then yes, I'm ready."
"Good." Bluestar flicked her tail, indicating that Blossomfall should follow. Without hesitating, Blossomfall pelted after Bluestar as the StarClan cat raced through the forest. The trees swirled and swirled until suddenly there was only black surrounding them. It was only once the trees had disappeared and there was only darkness when Bluestar had stopped.
"Where are we?" Blossomfall gasped, shocked that she couldn't see anything so suddenly.
"In the World of Empty Time," Bluestar answered. "The World where Time lives."
Just as she said this, a transparent white cat had emerged from nowhere. He glowed brightly so that Blossomfall could see. But all she could see was blacker. Blossomfall guessed that this tom was Time.
"Welcome," Time announced. "It is time to retrieve what had been stolen."
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PoX's Note: Yeah! Except you might know that there isn't much humour in this one. There isn't supposed to be, anyway. Interesting, right? Oh, and when Blossomfall and the others meet Time or any StarClan cats or when they're dreaming, I type in italics, okay? If Blossomfall is awake and is not talking with Time or any other StarClan cats, then it's not in italics. It's like how I'm writing now. But you should know that already, because most stories are also written in this way too.
Also, flashbacks – if I do write any, that is – are also in italics. Just pointing it out there ^^
So, was that a good story? I'm hoping it is, because I'm so excited to write the next chapter! I'm pretty sure that you would be waiting too! Oh, and if you thought that this chapter was boring, that's because usually all my first chapters are usually boring … OTL. I just have this issue with writing stories with a bad beginning. And if the endings are bad, that's because I stuffed something up while I was writing. Maybe I forgot what I was going to write or something like that OTL
Getting back to the point, I hope this story has reached your satisfaction and please review, either with feedback, a nice comment, or just some friendly thing. But no flames! I'll distinguish them with my awesome water gun I have just recently bought. I think I re-typed this from one of my old stories... heh …
I will update soon … hopefully!
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The End. Of The Chapter, Not The Story.