Chapter 1
Stranger
"UP! Napping on the job is not an option!" A harsh voice growled. That was wake up call. Leopardfang is not a gentle cat.
"IT'S HUNTING SEASON!" then my tail was stepped on.
"OW, WHY?!" I moaned.
"SABERPAW, OUT NOW!" I opened my eyes, dragged myself out of the apprentice den and collapsed in front of my mentor. She just gave me the evil eye.
"We're going alone on this trip, so move your lazy butt!" she commanded. I know better than to defy her when she does that. I looked around, it's barely sunrise and no other warriors or apprentices are around. Probably because of Leopardfang, they were all scared of her, other than the leader and deputy.
I got up and started following Leopardfang toward the entrance to the nearest mountain.
Stoneclan were very well hidden, though we hear rumours of clans other from Skyclan whose territory is right beside ours from rogues and loners that come once in a while.
"Stay." my mentor commanded and I do as I'm told. Then the spotted tabby disappeared into the bushes. I never found out where she goes, she just leaves then comes back after a while. I usually go off and do my own things, also known as exploring the territory and unknown places like this underground tunnel.
I go my usual path, left, straight, right then left to my favourite part of the cave system; a large chamber with four giant crystals. The yellow one is staticy, the white one is oddly cold, purple is always emitting smoke, light blue is windy? I don't really know about that one.
I'd better go back before Leopardfang comes back and starts ranting about caves. I raced toward the exit. Unexpectedly, I tripped over something… Soft? I landed on my back and looked at a fuzzy figure on the roof, I mean floor. It's a kit about my age but slightly smaller with dirty, tangled white coat and a torn claw.
"What the? Who are you, kit?" I asked, slightly annoyed. The kit managed to open her eyes. I don't want to admit that I am astonished by these haloed frost blue eyes. Haloed eyes are rare, especially in my clan.
"You're definitely not from here, why are you in StoneClan's territory?!" I questioned, wrinkling my nose from the weird smelling coming from the kit.
"I, I don't know…" The kit answered as I caught a flash of panic slid across her eyes.
"Huh, how about you come with me," I demanded, "I'll take you to my camp, you need to see my leader. Trespasser." I snorted as I lead the strange kit out the cave. And standing outside, pacing back and forth impatiently, is my lovely mentor. The spotted tabby's gaze landed on me, then the kit.
"Can somebody explain to me, what is happening right now?! My apprentice with this strange kit?!" Leopardfang demanded, I can feel the atmosphere changed slightly. Uh oh, Leopardfang's really pissed off.
"I, uh, found this kit in the cave…" I replied with a barely audible voice while Leopardfang squinted at the poor thing, observing. With her bloody torn claw and her tangled, messy fur and incredibly large haloed eyes, the kit must have an advantage over Leopardfang's history of losing her kit, who looks a bit like her.
"Well, we should take her back to camp and let Cedarbreeze and Moonpetal take at look at him." Leopardfang decided. I stared blankly at my mentor.
Is this really Leopardfang?! The spotted tabby turned and gave me a dirty look.
"What are you looking at?! Staring into absolutely nothing like a total mouse brain?!" She scolded. Yup, this is Leopardfang alright. and the three of us went back to camp.
It was two days later that the kit woke up again. The next few hours were filled with a) screaming "WHO ARE YOU?!" and "WHO AM I?!", b) me sitting in the corner, sulking, and c) Leopardfang barking orders to others like she's the commander of all the warriors with Astralflight glaring at her behind some moss.
The kit also forgot her name apparently too. So that's also a problem.
"FOR THE LAST TIME, WHAT IS WRONG WITH HER." that was the fourth outburst so far. Yup, I'm keeping track.
"I-I don't know, all I know is that s-she has memory loss! And is probably homeless for a few days judging on how skinny and unclean she was..." Moonpaw whimpered. I felt bad for the medicine cat apprentice, being under an anger powerhouse is not fun, first paw experience. The kit was shivering in a bed of moss, maybe fear, maybe the cold.
"Leopardfang, stop yelling. You're sending the whole camp into a panic." A stern voice meowed, "Saberpaw."
I bolt up. I knew that voice, heck the whole camp knows it.
"Yes, Kestrelstar?" I ask as the leader of Stoneclan appears in the medicine den entrance.
"Starclan is asking for your presence, Cedarbreeze wants you to go to The Star Pyre with him" the dull orange tom says calmly.
"O-ok." I stutter. Only medicine cats have permission to enter there. I leave the medicine cat den and find Cedarbreeze waiting for me.
"It's nice to have some company after going to the Pyre alone after all these moons." he says, "Come now, you'd better get going."
"R-right!" I said and went after him.
I'm scared. I'm FREAKED OUT! My head hurts when I tried to recall my memory. Just try to remember something, anything! Who are they?! Strange cats... I hiss at them when they got close. Why am I here? Did they capture me? Except the limp one and the smaller, brown tabby tom. Where was the smaller one. Where was he? He smelled so familiar yet I cannot place it. The world, it's darkening, fading to nothing…
The Pyre was in the cave I visited each time, only in a different chamber. It was a large spire of blue crystal and emitted a very powerful aura. Cedarbreeze walked up to the spire then turned to motion me to come. I do that. He touched his nose to the crystal and I follow his example.
The world turns white, then pale blue and trees and grass materialize in front of me. A chorus of meows fill the air.
A tiger at night, Twilight at dawn
A dragon near evening, no trace for long
Wolven threat, windows to where
Cuts in fabric, enter you so dare
Heroes to places unknown to thee
From different planes than you believe
Gaze at the Gods, their words ablaze
'The path ahead is clouded with haze'
Transparent cats stepped out onto the grass, their faces blank of any emotion. I recognize some of them as StoneClan warriors with the same blank faces.
So go forth young one with your clan of many
The destiny upon your shoulders is heavy
The ground opens up and the world returns to white.
Why am I not awake yet?
I woke just in time to see another cat drop a squirrel in front of me. My stomach growled as I saw food, but fear held me back. I stared at the cat. It is a blue tortie tom with blazing golden eyes. Some of the tension vanishes as he smiles warmly at me and gave me a comforting lick on the shoulder.
"Here, aren't you hungry? Try some squirrel, it's really good." He meowed temptingly. I hesitated a bit before hunger took over and took a huge bite. As I ate as the tortie tom sits near the entrance of the room looking outside. I observed the room. It is made of bushes and brambles, a strong smell of herbs hit my nose. I wrinkled my nose, trying to reduce the revolting smell. Just then a pale gray she-cat with a limp front paw appears behind the leaf curtains.
"I know the smells are strong, but you'll get used to it, I promise." She says as her odd eyes gazed at me warmly. I breath out my nervousness and found myself getting used to this unknown place, feeling more and more comfortable as time passes. I finished the squirrel quickly and tried to stand up and carry the remains to take somewhere else. As I struggled, the pale gray she-cat spoke softly.
"Blueflame will take care of that." she mewed comfortingly and signalled the tortie tom with her tail to take the remains outside. I watched as Blueflame disappeared behind the leaf curtains, revealing a small portion of the camp. A few cats were laying around, chattering away as the sun sank slowly into the horizon behind the mountains.
"Have you remembered anything yet?" The pale grey she-cat's voice dragged my attention back. I open my mouth and try to speak, but nothing would come out, so I just shook my head, only vaguely remembering a word: Twilight.
"That's okay," The she-cat says as she lowered her head to hide the disappointment in her eyes, but she raised her head again, this time her copper eyes comforting yet firm.
"It's going to be okay. I promise that you'll remember someday. Now get some rest. If you need anything, just call me. My name's Moonpaw. " She yawned and gave me a comforting smile as she disappeared behind the bushes, deeper into the room.
"SABERPAW!"
"AHG!" I bolted up onto my paws. Cedarbreeze sighed with relief.
"Good grief, I thought you died from the exertion." he said, thick with worry, "So, what happened?"
I told him everything, the cats, the ground swallowing me up and...
"That's basically it." I told him that, withholding the rest from him. It was on impulse. Cedarbreeze's gaze goes from worry to confusion to neutral.
The trip back is uneventful. When we crossed the border between Stoneclan and Skyclan. There were no signs of a Skyclan patrol. I sighed. My paws were itching for a fight. I guess I'll pass this time. And we continued deeper into our territory. Only the occasional bird calls ruined the silence.
Our leader and the medicine cat apprentice greeted our return. I return to my den and collapse, the whole ordeal taking its toll on me.
A/N: well, wasn't that fun? A revamped version of Between the Lines with more grammar mistakes then the last one. Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this 'cause it was one hellava thing to write. ~Storm