I don't own Warriors!
The Quest of Shadows: Dark Horizons
Allegiances
ThunderClan
Leader ~ Sunstar - long-furred golden tabby tom with green eyes
Deputy ~ Sprucebranch - pale brown tabby she-cat and frost blue eyes
Medicine Cat ~ Maplebreeze- caramel brown she-cat with white dots over her green eyes
Warriors
Talonclaw - muscular dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Sharpwhisker - slender, pale ginger she-cat with one blue eye and one amber eye
Halftail - scarred brown tabby tom with a stumpy tail (Apprentice, Bluepaw)
Losteye - ginger and cream she-cat with a missing eye (Apprentice, Rainpaw)
Cinderbird - dark gray she-cat with lighter flecks and green eyes
Leafclaw - golden and ginger tom with green eyes
Cloudheart - white tom with green eyes
Fawndapple - fawn colored she-cat with cream dapples and green eyes
Redflame - dark ginger tabby tom with green eyes (Apprentice, Bramblepaw)
Roseheart - calico she-cat with blue eyes (Apprentice, Stonepaw)
Silverstripe - silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes
Frostwillow - pale gray she-cat with blue eyes, guards and manages the prey pile
Sleekfur - golden she-cat with lighter markings and blue eyes
Shimmersplash - silver she-cat with blue eyes
Mouseclaw - gray tom with yellow eyes
Apprentices
Stonepaw - dark gray tom with white splotches and amber eyes
Bramblepaw - dark brown tom with yellow eyes
Rainpaw - gray tabby she-cat with white splotches and pale blue eyes
Bluepaw - brown tabby tom with striking blue eyes
Queens
Dapplefeather - calico she-cat with green eyes, mother to Stormkit (Black she-kit with violet blue eyes), Wolfkit (long-furred dark gray tom with amber eyes), and Willowkit (calico she-kit with blue eyes)
Mintsplash - gray she-cat with lighter splashes and green eyes, mother to Cloudheart's kits, Ivykit (calico she-kit with green eyes) and Oakkit (dark brown tom with green eyes)
Lilypool - white and cream she-cat with blue eyes, mother to Hollykit (dark brown she-kit with yellow eyes)
Shinefur - golden tabby she-cat with a white paw with green eyes, mother to Redflame's kits, Wrenkit (brown tabby she-kit with green eyes), Darkkit (white tom with gray markings and sky blue eyes), Ashkit (dark gray tom with amber eyes)
Elders
Gemheart - gray dappled she-cat with black stripes and blue eyes, former kittypet
Amberfeather - pale ginger she-cat with a white chest with green eyes
Nightwhisper - black tom with white splotches and yellow eyes
ShadowClan
Leader ~ Ratstar - muscular scarred dark gray tom with amber eyes
Deputy ~ Crookedwhisker - pale yellow tabby she-cat with bent whiskers and green eyes
Medicine Cat ~ Smalltail - black-and-white tom with a stubby tail (Apprentice, Daisypaw)
Warriors
Slateclaw - dark gray tom with light gray flecks and amber eyes
Tawnyfoot - tortoiseshell and white she-cat with one green eye and one blue eye
Cloudtooth - pale gray tom with darker stripes and blue eyes
Foxfeather - dark red she-cat with green eyes (Apprentice, Raggedpaw)
Amberfall - ginger and russet she-cat with amber eyes
Mossfire - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
Snowpetal - white she-cat with blue eyes
Jaystreak - gray tabby tom with dark blue eyes (Apprentice, Sleetpaw)
Shrewfur - dark brown tom with amber eyes (Apprentice, Blossompaw)
Sparkfire - pale ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes
Brightmist - ginger and cream she-cat with green eyes
Nettlevine - brown tabby tom with cream markings and yellow eyes
Bluenight - blue-gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes
Featherstream - sleek-furred silver she-cat with green eyes
Firefoot - ginger tom with a white belly and tail tip, paws are slightly darker colored, green eyes
Apprentices
Sleetpaw - pale gray she-cat with blue eyes
Blossompaw - dark brown and white she-cat with blue eyes
Raggedpaw - dark brown tom with amber flecks and a white underbelly and paws with green eyes
Daisypaw - pale brown she-cat with darker flecks and orange eyes
Queens
Icebreeze - white she-cat with orange eyes, mother to Shrewfur's kits, Pebblekit (pale gray she-kit with amber eyes) and Eaglekit (brown and white tom with amber eyes)
Tanglefur - long-furred ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes, mother to Slateclaw's kits, Creamkit (cream she-kit with green eyes), and Thornkit (golden tabby tom with amber eyes)
Elders
Dustsong - ginger tabby she-cat with blind green eyes
Flintwhisker - gray tom with lighter flecks and amber eyes
WindClan
Leader ~ Lightstar - pale ginger tabby tom with a white paw and amber eyes
Deputy ~ Palethistle - pale cream tabby she-cat with green eyes
Medicine Cat ~ Bristleleaf - white and brown she-cat with amber eyes (Apprentice, Poppybreeze)
Warriors
Amberbreeze - ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Icefern - silvery white she-cat with blue eyes
Foxwind - dark ginger tom with yellow eyes
Lynxpelt - long-furred gray tabby tom with yellow eyes (Apprentice, Harepaw)
Wolfpelt - shaggy black tom with gray splotches and amber eyes
Russetdawn- dark russet she-cat with yellow eyes
Bumblelight - pale brown tabby tom with green eyes
Wishfrost - silver and white she-cat with blue eyes (Apprentice, Tallpaw)
Firespots - golden tom with ginger spots and amber eyes
Blackpoppy - black she-cat with a white muzzle, underbelly, and tailtip with blue eyes
Branchflame - brown tom with ginger splotches and green eyes
Breezewhisker- dark brown tabby tom with orange eyes (Apprentice, Sandpaw)
Rainstrike - brown tabby she-cat with cream splotches and blue eyes (Apprentice, Swiftpaw)
Hawkswoop - brown tabby tom with green eyes
Apprentices
Poppybreeze - brown, ginger, and cream dappled she-cat with amber eyes
Sandpaw - white tom with ginger paws and ears with amber eyes
Tallpaw - Tuxedo tom with big ears and blue eyes
Swiftpaw - light ginger tabby she-cat with a white chest and paws with green eyes
Harepaw - quick, light brown she-cat with bright yellow eyes
Queens
Fernstone - pale gray she-cat with darker flecks and blue eyes, mother to Wolfpelt's kits, Stonekit (gray and black tom with blue eyes), Featherkit (cream she-kit with amber eyes), and Kestrelkit (brown tabby tom with amber eyes)
Elders
Hollowbranch - dark brown tabby tom with hazel eyes
Gorseberry - prickly furred cream tabby she-cat with blind blue eyes
RiverClan
Leader ~ Clearstar - blue gray she-cat with ice blue eyes
Deputy ~ Coldfur - black and white tom with green eyes
Medicine Cat ~ Ripplestone - Tuxedo tom with amber eyes (Apprentice, Antpaw)
Warriors
Thornleaf - sleek-furred ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Scarletflower - ginger tabby she-cat and green eyes, former kittypet
Brindlethorn - pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Rowancloud - brown tom with green eyes and a scarred leg (Apprentice, Eaglepaw)
Blazepounce - ginger tom with a russet stripe down the back with yellow eyes
Reedstripe - black tom with white splotches and green eyes
Leopardwhisker - golden she-cat with darker spots with amber eyes (Apprentice, Loudpaw)
Hazelnose - brown tabby tom with a lighter muzzle and orange eyes
Fishleap - silver and gray tom with blue eyes
Hailheart - gray tabby tom with a white paw and orange eyes
Lilystream - silver and white she-cat with yellow eyes (Apprentice, Waterpaw)
Ebonynose - black she-cat with a white face and yellow eyes
Pebblesplash- white tom with ginger splotches and yellow eyes
Stormwater - dark gray tom with a white belly and blue eyes
Apprentices
Eaglepaw - brown and white tom with yellow eyes
Loudpaw - ginger tom with darker patches with yellow eyes
Waterpaw - dark gray tom with blue eyes
Antpaw - dark brown tom with ginger markings and green eyes
Queens
Streamtail- cream she-cat with blue eyes, mother to Coldfur's kits, Owlkit (tawny tom with green eyes), Grasskit (gray tom with green eyes), and Silverkit (white she-cat with a silver paw with blue eyes)
Flowerwisp - silvery white she-cat with green eyes, mother to Skykit (white tom with orange eyes) and Littlekit (small ginger and cream she-kit with green eyes)
Elders
Sprucefrost - dark brown tom with darker flecks and green eyes
Yarrowstem - brown and yellow she-cat with hazel eye
Prologue
Darkness. The peaceful, quiet, darkness loomed not ominously, but rather like a thick blanket, protecting all the plants and animals sleeping in its wake.
Suddenly, a flash of light sped by. An animal that emitted out a faint glow, as if made by the stars themselves, ran as fast as it could, yet its chest wasn't heaving and it showed no sign of being tired. It carried four small objects in its mouth.
The light animal suddenly veered off to the side, disappearing among the thick undergrowth. He emerged on the other side to see several star animals like himself sitting around a gleaming, rippling pool. It slowed down, making it very evident that they all were cats.
"Ripplepool," meowed a voice. The cat in the center of all the group called out to him. "I was beginning to think you had forgotten."
"Not for the world, Skystar," Ripplepool replied through the objects in his mouth. He had a sleek, muscular frame with red patches on his fur that glowed like embers. The cat set down the objects. Four smooth stones gleamed, even though no light passed through the branches of the forest.
"I am glad to see you have brought them," Skystar meowed, flicking his bushy tail from side to side. Ripplepool nodded.
"It took a while to retrieve them," he grunted. "I hope you're grateful."
"Of course," Skystar replied briskly.
"When you two are done talking it up," said an irritable voice from the crowd of cats, "I'd like to know what the rocks are for." Ripplepool dipped his head, then disappeared into the crowd.
"A good question, Sweetmeadow," Skystar mewed cooly. A wiry brown she-cat with glowing greenish yellow eyes swished her tail impatiently. "I believe," meowed Skystar, raising his voice, "that we all know about Sunstar." There were solemn nods and sad meows. Skystar continued. "In order to restore faith in StarClan, four cats must make a noble sacrifice." Murmurs broke out among the group.
"What kind of sacrifice?" asked a deep voice that came from a gray tabby tom.
Skystar nodded towards to stones Ripplepool had brought. Even in the darkness, they managed to gleam. "These are stones Ripplepool has generously brought to us," he said solemnly. "Four cats must harness all their energy into these stones. Or, in other words, four cats must become the stones."
There were fast, suspicious murmurs from the crowd of cats. "What will happen?" "How does this work?" "How will we become the stones?"
Skystar flicked his tail, and the cats quieted. "I know what you are wondering," he meowed. "'What will happen to me when you become the stone?' Sadly," he continued, "you can never return to StarClan once you become it. And if the stone is destroyed, the cat will forever cease to exist." The murmurs resumed, but much more quick and panicked than last time. There was no denying it: four cats had to go.
"Skystar," Sweetmeadow meowed once again, "we have already sacrificed our lives for our Clans. Do you expect us to sacrifice ourselves again? Why?" She looked expectantly at the leader.
"Yes, Sweetmeadow, I do. And for the answer to your second question," he said, flicking his tail, "I was just about to get to that. Sunstar, as some of you know, has done many things. Things such as killing others who opposed him when he was just a young cat, hardly an apprentice. Cats much larger, and more skilled than him. No one could be able to accomplish this feat unless they had outside help."
Almost every cat in the group pricked their ears forward at once, listening closely, their eyes wide in anticipation. Skystar continued. "I have reason to believe that Sunstar has had a taste of the power of the Dark Forest. No cat will be able to stop him if he has this kind of power. If we cannot stop him, the Clans will turn their backs on StarClan.
"With these stones, any worthy cat who can access them will be able to have power equal to that of Sunstar's. The power of StarClan." He paused, took a deep breath, then spoke again.
"A cat from each Clan will be sacrificed. The cat chosen will have the liberty of choosing a cat currently living to gain access to the powers the stone provides. Choose wisely," Skystar finished, swishing his tail over the stones. One was dark as shadows, another gray as storm clouds, the third one blue as a river, and the final one yellow as moor grass. The cats shifted and murmured, kneading the ground with their paws. Finally, a voice spoke up. "I will-"
"No, NO! Clearwing, don't do it!" A gray and silver splotched tom slowly padded forth, followed by a frantic-looking blue-gray she-cat. "I've already lost you once, Clearwing! You can't leave me again!" she shrieked.
"Calm down, Featherpool," said the tom, trying to conceal the pain edging his calm tone. "This is for our kits."
"I know," said Featherpool, her voice strained with grief, "but what about me? I came to StarClan thinking we'd be together for the rest of time!" Her blue eyes flooded with tears. "How could you leave me again?"
"Don't worry," said Clearwing softly. "It's better this way." He touched his nose to Featherpool's then without another word, padded towards the stone. He looked Skystar straight in the eye.
"I choose Pebblesplash," he meowed calmly. "He is a just and noble warrior. I believe in him."
"A wise choice, Clearwing," replied Skystar. "I would expect nothing less of you." Clearwing dipped his head respectively, then padded over to the blue stone. He closed his eyes and touched his nose to the smooth surface. There was a flash of light, and he was gone. In the glowing pool, a white face with ginger patches rippled in the surface of the water.
"This stone," said Skystar, brushing his tail over the now slightly glowing blue rock, "will be named the Clear Stone." Featherpool let out a mournful wail. A cream she-cat padded forward and draped her tail over her shoulders.
Suddenly, heads turned. A long-furred tortoiseshell she-cat with a flat face padded forward.
"Marshflower," meowed Skystar. "I wouldn't think-"
"Yeah, yeah," she growled, brushing Skystar aside. "I know the drill. I pick Firefoot." There were murmurs coming from the crowd.
"Firefoot?" called one cat. "The kittypet?" There were quiet laughs from the crowd.
"No," responded Marshflower, rolling her eyes, "Firefoot the mouse. Yes, I mean Firefoot the kittypet," she spat. The cats went silent, knowing she was serious about her decision. Marshflower padded over to the dark colored stone and pressed her nose to it. There was another flash of light, and the grumpy she-cat was gone.
Replacing the ginger and white tom in the pool, another tom appeared. This tom was a fiery ginger color with white paws and tail tip. His paws were slightly darker than his fur. This cat looked nervous and skittish; quite different from Pebblesplash's dauntless and brave face.
"This stone," murmured Skystar, "will be called the Marsh Stone."
"Strange cat, isn't she, that Marshflower?" Heads turned to see a pale ginger tabby tom. Sweetmeadow flicked an ear.
"You're a fool, Moorblaze." she meowed bitterly. "You are risking your happy life in StarClan for an unfounded guess that Sunstar is getting outside help."
"I am aware of what I am doing, sister," he replied curtly. "And as you will remember from our training together as apprentices, I do enjoy taking risks." Moorblaze walked forward and nodded towards Skystar.
"I think," he meowed, "I will choose Harepaw." He then padded forward to the stone with the color of moor grass. He too touched his nose to it. With a flash of light, he was gone. In the pool, the ginger tom vanished, replaced by a slender, light brown she-cat running across the moor.
"This stone," Skystar meowed, "will be called-"
"The Moor Stone, I assume?" A very small cat, hardly older than one moon, stepped forward. Her dusty brown tabby fur was still mostly fluff, but her green eyes danced with wisdom.
"Rosekit," said Skystar. "You would like to do this, even though your mother is on Sunstar's side?"
"I would like to, Skystar," she confirmed, "to make up for my mother's mistakes." She padded forward.
"I would like to pick Wolfkit," she decided. There were gasps and mutters.
"A kit?" asked Skystar. "Rosekit, are you sure that we should weigh down a young kit with such a burden?"
"I sense great things from him, Skystar," she mewed quietly. "I have made up my mind."
She touched her nose to the stone the color of thunderclouds, then was gone in a spiral of blinding light. There was silence for a moment.
"I shall hide the Clear, Moor, Marsh, and Rose stones in far corners of the world," meowed Skystar, breaking the quiet, "so Sunstar cannot reach them."
Meanwhile, in the pool, an image of a small, long-furred, gray kit rippled in the clear water, sleeping soundly.
This is a collab story written by StarSpecks and Stormshadow 10. It is placed in an alternate universe where SkyClan does not exist. It can be found on both of their profiles, but the stories are discontinued. Please review! ^.^