Greetings to one and all! :) It's been quite a while for me, but I've come back with a vengeance!! To put it all basically, over the past year or two of no updates, my writing style has been increasingly improved, and this story is my first sample to you all of my new writing style. Please do enjoy it, all those who are either fans of me, my work, Warriors, or some combination of those three.
Love you all!
~ Rose
P.S. *looks at name* Oh, almost forgot! For those who have known me in the past to be FantasyObsession, my new penname is One . Summer . Rose. MUCH more creative than that old name I came up with when I was still in my pre-teens. I'm quite proud of it! ^_^
TITLE: Love's Reminiscence (originally "My Heart Will Go On")
CATEGORY: Books -- Warriors
RATING: PG / K+ -- just because it can be a bit hard to follow or comprehend; and if you count Feathertail's death...
GENRES: Romance | Hurt/Comfort (Misc. = Drama | Tragedy | Spiritual | Supernatural)
PAIRINGS: Crowfeather x Feathertail
SUMMARY: It's a peaceful night in the mountains, and the Tribe and Clans have all gone to sleep in the Cave of Rushing Water. Crowfeather is just made a warrior and has stepped out that night to serve his vigil. But he shares it with someone else, someone near and dear that he had lost moons ago... Feathertail. This aura... is it really her? Or is it merely an illusion?...
AUTHOR: One . Summer . Rose
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Warriors series or the song "My Heart Will Go On" in any way possible!
Warriors (c) Erin Hunter
My Heart Will Go On (c) Celine Dion
This story (c) ME!
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Story Text Key:
Normal = Present POV of Crowfeather
Italicized = Song Lyrics ("My Heart Will Go On")
Italicized Mixed With Normal = Crowfeather's thoughts; indications are given by the triple dashes
Bold Italicized = Flashback
Underlined Italicized = Small Author Notes (just for good convenience...)
Love's Reminiscence
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The waning moon hung above the half-starry sky, the other half shrouded in dark, misty clouds, signaling a snowstorm was soon approaching. The moon shone through a small break in these clouds, sharing its eternal light with the entire sky and the world below it, making the jagged peaks of the mountains glow a milky pale white. Echoing across these peaks was the roar of a mighty waterfall, resembling that of a grand veil of silver sparkles, numbering almost as much as the stars in the skies above.
Twilight had all but passed by much too quickly to create such a night, leaving all creatures of the waking world to a deep slumber. Among these were a large group of ancient wildcats, soundly sleeping in the cave hidden away behind the falls, gathering all their strength for the morn soon to come.
But not all were asleep. Next to the falls, underneath the dim light of the moon, a dark tom cat slipped out away from the others, heading down the rocky slope. A curious gaze came from his piercing, icy blue eyes as he took each pawstep with care, very clearly taking his time as he descended down the path, briefly skimming over the ground beneath him.
---
(music opening)
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A small thud in the stubbed grass sounded when the tom had reached level ground. After another quick skim, he silently crept across the cold, craggy ground. He did not cease until he spotted his target across the shadowed moor. As he slowly approached it, a slight fear scent hung in the air and feelings of nervousness and distress could easily be spotted across his prickled pelt and anxious eyes.
This was present until his paws stopped at a small hill of dirt the shape of a waning moon, a thin outline of lichen complimenting the edges. All other past feelings had instantaneously vanished from memory and were quickly replaced with more calm, loving feelings of longing and remembrance that touched across his face and pelt like a warm beam of sunlight. Sudden happiness reigned within the tom, the very thing he had been searching for much longer than memory can faintly recall.
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Every night in my dreams,
I see you, I feel you,
That is how I know you go on...
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A light snowfall was introduced to the dark night as the tom continued to stand motionless in front of the single mound of lifeless earth. But just then, a warm, radiant aura of peace surrounded the dark cat, leaving only him and the mound in an impenetrable world of their own. The tom was now oblivious to anything beyond this aura, for he now felt warmer than a kit snuggled safely against its mother's belly. This aura was his friend, so he did not resist.
Although he was forbidden to do so on this one night of all other nights, a single word had managed to slip through his lips, soft as a breeze of wind:
"Feathertail…"
Sudden surprise struck the dark tom's blue eyes. Before him, a silver she-cat stood on the mound, her pelt shimmering with the everlasting radiance of stars. She smiled lovingly to the dark tom, her eyes also holding starlight far beyond what the tom could ever imagine, even in his limitless dreams. The tom had felt insignificant, for this she-cat stood in glorious magnificence before him, too great to be standing by a cat still among the living.
The tom was in full hypnosis. He took a few unhesitant pawsteps closer to the silver beauty. With all his self-control and agency lost, the tom slowly lifted his paw and reached out to her.
---
Far across the distance,
And spaces between us,
You have come to show you go on...
---
The silver mirage suddenly faded back into the dark of the snowy night. The tom had no time to react, for his paw was still in the air, finally landing on the snow-flaked rise in the earth. The tom's warm aura completely shattered in response; what he thought was his friend away from the world had utterly betrayed him with this mirage. And now, the object which he had tried to avoid had finally found him.
The tom broke into a terrified panic, his icy eyes wide with fear. An effort to try and pull back had quickly failed, for all feeling of his foreleg had frozen over his nerves, telling him that he truly wanted this. His mind kept disagreeing, but it was too late, the memories started pouring back, leaving him more vulnerable than ever…
(A/N: FYI: This following flashback paragraph is a small excerpt from "Moonrise" recalling Feathertail's death, and therefore belongs to Erin Hunter, not me. But all paragraphs that follow after are my own work, so don't steal those. Thanks, sorry...)
The rock split and broke under Feathertail's weight. With a terrifying wail she plummeted down, straight at Sharptooth. The lion-cat looked up. His throaty growl changed to a scream as the spike of a rock plunged into him; he fell writhing to the ground. Feathertail plummeted to the floor of the cave beside him.
The tom winced from the terrifying vision of Feathertail's deathly crush. His eyes, still full of fear, had now stretched across his face like two full moons. The sight was too unbearable, but it did not cease just yet…
A young, dark tom had heard the crash and saw a silver cat fall from the roof of the cave. Feathertail! The tom jumped to his paws and dashed over to where Feathertail lay next to the lifeless Sharptooth. He could see Stormfur crouching next to her.
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Near, far, wherever you are,
I believe that the heart does go on...
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"Feathertail?" he whispered silently, receiving no reply. "Feathertail?" His word this time came out in an utter cry. "Feathertail, are you okay?"
Feathertail didn't move. The dark tom noticed other Tribe cats gathered around the three cats, curiosity and fear painted across their faces. He crept closer to Feathertail to touch his nose to her flank. "Wake up, Feathertail," he whispered softly, feeling tears swell up in his eyes. "Please wake up..."
Not even a shift signaled Feathertail's response.
---
Once more, you open the door,
And you're here in my heart,
And my heart will go on and on.
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The tom's heart struck with fear of what he thought was Feathertail's destiny. But before he could bear it any longer, he had heard Stormfur say softly, "Silverstream?" He lifted his head up to see that Stormfur was staring at the falls. Not knowing what he was looking at, he looked back down at Feathertail and felt her shift slightly. She inhaled a staggered breath, making Stormfur's head shoot straight back.
"You'll have to go home without me, brother," the silver cat murmured faintly, looking at Stormfur. "Save the Clan!"
She then shifted her eyes back to the dark tom, a small gleam in her eye as she focused on him. "Think you have nine lives, do you?" she whispered. "I saved you once… Don't make me save you again."
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Love can touch us one time,
And last for a lifetime,
And never let go till we're gone...
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"Feathertail... Feathertail, no!" The tom had some trouble getting his words out, but finally managed with: "Don't leave me..."
"I won't." Her whisper was now scarcely audible. "I'll always be with you, I promise..."
Then her eyes closed, and she did not speak again.
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Love was when I loved you,
One true time I hold to,
In my life, we'll always go on...
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The tom inhaled sharply, finally finding himself back to reality, back on the shadowed moor with the mound of dirt. Recognizing his sudden gain-back of his control, he swiftly took his paw off of the mound and took a few pawsteps away.
No, no, no, the tom chanted in his head. These memories aren't real! They aren't—
The tom could not finish his thoughts because he now recognizes that he, in all this mental chaos, is deliberately lying to himself. Even though it had been moons ago, these visions he had just witnessed for the second time, were real memories. The aura he had befriended earlier was the fake one here, a mirage to his past experiences.
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Near, far, wherever you are,
I believe that the heart does go on...
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I can't go living a lie, the tom thought; it's… it's not what Feathertail would've wanted.
He now recognized his goal; he came to realize that he shouldn't be afraid of the past, but instead should be thinking about what is good for the future. But for now on this night of all nights, it was all about someone else… The tom looked down to the mound, what is now known as the burial grave of the tom's lost love, and gently closed his eyes.
"Feathertail, I'm a warrior now," he whispered, his breath's warmth tickling his whiskers. "I chose my warrior name in your memory; because of you… I am now known as Crowfeather." Crowfeather slightly opened part of his eyes and stared a short distance ahead of him. She'll never get the chance to see me as I am today... How was I ever to know that this would be her fate?...
---
Once more, you open the door,
And you're here in my heart,
And my heart will go on and on.
---
Crowfeather continued to look down at the frozen earth. He was focusing on one particular spot, thoughtfulness caressed in his eyes. Signs had shown that he felt something was missing. He then turned away from the grave and carefully took his time as he padded over to a small patch of frozen flowers across the moor.
These flowers arched in near-perfect condition, frozen in place for the spring to later thaw. The tops had feather-like petals and reflected a very light blue-ish color that combined with the frost and the fallen snow, it seemed to sparkle like the stars in the heavens. A fully white, round center completed the flower by resembling the full moon. Crowfeather selectively picked the most flawless one of these night flowers and picked it by its stem.
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(short music interlude)
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Crowfeather walked back in mental silence back to the grave with the flower gripped between his teeth. Gently as to not deform its perfect posture, he set the flower on the grave and then knelt by, still casted with a spell of silence.
The memory of Feathertail's death continuously replayed in his head, each time making Crowfeather wince in fear and pain. He tried as best he could to try and resist, but its raw power and skill to corrupt with his mind was just too overwhelming, especially for a tom so young in moons. His claws started flexing against the frozen dirt as he continued to resist, but he was trying so hard it was hurting him on the inside even more than the memory was attempting.
She's better off now, he tried to convince his mind to stop the piercing pain. My warrior ancestors haven't betrayed me yet. And she made a promise…
A gasp signaled his potential moment to speak. "Oh, Feathertail… my heart aches," he managed to meow, exhaust in his voice. "Where are you? I miss you so much..." His head bowed, both in relief and in respects.
---
You're here, there's nothing I fear,
And I know that my heart will go on...
We'll stay forever this way,
You are safe in my heart,
And my heart will go on and on...
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Crowfeather stood in his still stance for what seemed like seasons. The weather had not been on his side, for it was still snowing, now pressing into a storm. But the tom's mind had been shut away, too distracted in mental silence to pay attention to the world around him.
Just then, a soft touch tickled his whiskers. He thought of it only to be the wind, but it was warm, and it had somehow potentially settled his aching heart. His eyes then shot wide open; he now thought it was the aura back to create even more confusion to his troubled mind, but a still, small voice had sounded and proved his inferences wrong, one he hadn't heard with his own ears for what seemed so long ago…
"I promise."
Crowfeather's eyes and claws were gently settling, all the way to a point where he felt his cheekbones being lifted; he couldn't feel himself doing it, but could soon see his cheeks in his peripheral vision. It felt so good, so relieving, for him to smile again; and this time, it felt for real…
I knew she'd keep it… And he knew she was listening this very moment. "No matter what, Feathertail, even if I do find someone else..." He slowly breathed in, capturing her sweet scent, and then finished with, "...I'll never forget you..."
Crowfeather gently tucked his paws and laid his head upon them, falling into a deep sleep on Feathertail's grave. Though the snow and wind continued to push, it never affected him. Because he could feel Feathertail's invisible, yet real presence, warm as a blazing fire in the middle of greenleaf, soundly sleeping by him for the remainder of that night. Such a fire had lit the tom's own spirit, a fire that, no matter what his future held for him, was never to be blown out again…
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(instrumental and flute ending)
I hope you all enjoyed it! And for those who have already read the original, I hope you like my new style. Just so others can compare to the original, it's given in the next chapter; feel free to re-read the story there. And if you do, I ask that you please tell me if I've truly improved or not through a review. It's a lot for ME to say that I've improved, but when it comes from you guys, it really does have meaning. I won't beg any of you (because it's actually a pet peeve of mine which I will not become a hypocrite for), but if you would I'd really appreciate it, and I ALWAYS take suggestions into consideration.
But anyways, thank you all for your time and have a nice day! :)
~ Rose