Hey, guys! My name's Shadow and this is my first fic. It's my prediction of the events of Sunrise in the Warriors series. I've read a few fics like this, so I'm gonna give it a try myself! I've never written a lot, unless you count essays in school, so this is a little new for me! Please feel free to give me any critiques or comments you want, but please try and keep it constructive; I'm going to try and do my best to make this in the right style, but please point out any typos, bizarre wording, or plot weirdness that you see. :D
Hope you guys like it!
Night had fallen on a small, round clearing, bathing the landscape in shadows. The undergrowth shivered as a powerful blue-gray she-cat shouldered her way through the tangle of branches and brambles, glancing around with piercing blue eyes. She padded towards the center of the clearing where a small pool reflected the bright stars above. Peering down into the water, she watched the wind ripple the surface of the shining water.
Gazing around her, she suddenly threw her head back and yowled. Then, sitting back down, she proceeded to wait patiently, only her twitching tail giving away her tension. She did not have to wait long; dark outlines of feline bodies were already filling the clearing, forming a circle around the edge of the pool. Foremost among them was a small she-cat with a beautiful dappled pelt, who quickly trotted up to the cat who had summoned them.
"Bluestar," she said dipping her head in greeting to the blue-gray she-cat. "It is strange that you have called only ThunderClan cats to this meeting. Isn't this something that the rest of StarClan needs to know as well?"
"No, Spottedleaf." Bluestar's eyes reflected the shining stars as she gazed to the night sky. "This is a meeting for only those of us who have known life in ThunderClan. No other Clan can know about this."
Spottedleaf opened her mouth to protest, then closed it and tilted her head. "Is it Firestar? Is he in danger?" Her fur began to rise, and she sunk her thorn-sharp claws into the soft ground.
Bluestar inclined her head. "This is a matter which could change ThunderClan forever," she said resignedly. Turning to the cats encircling the pool, she raised her voice and said, "You know why we meet here, separate from the rest of StarClan. You too have been watching our former Clan, and have seen the dark clouds than circle ever closer, like buzzards for crowfood." She paused for a heartbeat to let her words sink in. "We meet here in death as we did in life to discuss this matter. Let any who wish to speak come forward to talk about the fate of our Clan." Bluestar spun around and padded to an open space in the circle, leaving the clearing silent except for the soft wind that ruffled the former ThunderClan cats' pelts.
A lean, brown tabby stepped forward from the circle, isolating himself from the rest of his Clan. Turning so that his back was to the water, he said, "I have seen what is happening to our Clan, and I wish to stop it before anything… bad happens." He turned to Bluestar, who was watching him with an inscrutable expression in her wide eyes. "I have seen the three, the same that were given great powers. I… I believe that they may not be as noble as we first thought." He flicked his tail nervously under the gaze of all those watching, then cleared his throat. "I believe," he continued, "that we should be watching the three even closer than before. I think that we have been trusting them too much."
His words sparked a growl from several cats in the circle, foremost among them a pure white queen. She padded out of her place in the circle towards the tabby. "It is interesting that it should be you to say that, Runningwind," she rasped, glaring at the former warrior. "I seem to remember you had similar thoughts about Cloudtail, and now he's one of the best trackers in the Clans!"
Runningwind flinched as if a bee had stung him, then narrowed his eyes and flattened his ears. "Even after all these seasons as a loyal ThunderClan cat he still doubts us, Frostfur! Him and these three kits. They don't even think the prophecy is about them anymore."
Frostfur pulled back her lips to expose sharp, white teeth. "They aren't kits anymore, Runningwind. They're strong, loyal Clan cats!"
"Enough!" Bluestar was bristling at the two warriors. "It pains me to see two of my own apprentices bickering like a nest of jays! Are you not warriors?" Turning to face the white queen, she added angrily, "Can you please try to get along, Runningwind? And you, too, Frostfur!"
The queen looked astonished to be talked to by her leader as thus, then fell into a resentful silence.
Bluestar took a deep breath. "Now, Runningwind," she said turning to the tom, "Now that we have heard what you have to say, why do you believe that we can't trust them?"
Runningwind ducked his head. "It's just a feeling I had," he whispered sadly. "I don't think that just because they are Firestar's kin that they should be above the warrior code." He turned tail and padded back to his place in line.
Spottedleaf leapt to her paws at the tabby warrior's words. "It's not just because they are Firestar's kin!" she growled. "The three will use their powers for the good of the Clan!" She cast her amber gaze around the circle of cats; many looked away uncomfortably.
A low chuckle rang out from around the circle, echoing off the rippling surface of the water until the entire clearing was filled with its cynicism. "Don't be so sure of their nobility, dear Spottedleaf. I, for one, know of treachery lurking behind their prophecy." A long-furred gray she-cat strode towards the speaking position and calmly sat down as snarls erupted from all sides. She lifted her orange gaze and locked eyes with Bluestar. "You are aware of what I speak of?" she asked her leader questioningly.
Bluestar shook her head, her eyes never leaving the she-cat's flattened face. "No, Yellowfang. I have seen nothing except the looming threat of darkness." Soft mews of agreement were murmured around the clearing.
Spottedleaf watched the former medicine cat with a clear amber gaze. "Why don't you show us some evidence for your claims, Yellowfang?" she asked frostily.
Yellowfang nodded solemnly. "So I shall. It is true that I have delved deeper into the future of our Clan than most. Jayfeather has created some… unusual problems." She whirled around to face the pool. Extending a large paw over the surface, she whispered, "See as I see, my friends. See the face of the darkness that threatens our Clan." She extended her claws slowly, and the water ceased its movement even though the wind continued to buffet the cats' fur.
The pool went completely black; the only light in the clearing coming from the stars glittering above. The circle broke as all cats rushed to the pool to see their soon-to-be enemy. Slowly the dark cloud revolved in the still water, creating complex patterns that reflected in the ancient Clan's eyes.
With a slicing motion, Yellowfang parted the clouds in the water, revealing an image that made the warriors recoil, hissing in fear and disbelief.
"No!" The cry came from more than one voice, the pure force of the horrified rejection shattering the image of the cat like a stone. The cats pressed themselves to the ground in shock, unblinkingly. A chilling wail rang out over the still clearing.
Bluestar's fur was bristling in dread. "How?" Her voice sounded as if she were choking on a tough piece of fresh-kill. "It's not possible! Are you sure that this is correct? Are you sure that this is the only outcome? That we could have made that kind of mistake…" she trailed off, her eyes wide and filled with disbelief.
Yellowfang slowly retracted her paw from its position over the pool. "Yes," she said in a harsh whisper filled with emotion. She turned her face to the ground and shut her eyes. "Unless something drastic happens," she rasped towards the ground, "this will happen. That cat will use all the powers we gave up…and ThunderClan will be destroyed."
As the ancient cats of ThunderClan looked at each other with dismay, the cold stars above continued on their never-ending cycle through the dark sky.
I'm personally a Runningwind fan, so he got his own little cameo here. Not much a Frostfur fan though... I always got the impression that she was all fussy and hoity-toity and whatnot. And who better to do some awsome StarClan-bending-the-natural-laws-of-physics thing than lovely Yellowfang! Haha, I love that old crochety she-cat.
Shadow