AN: Well, here's another collab. This time it's with someone I shall name OBP. We decided it would be good to write this story in light of some... recent events. This story may take some time to update, due to my schedule being filled to the brim. As for why exactly we're writing it, I'll let her explain.
OBP: Me and Cali decided to write this story in memory and honour of Kitten, a dear friend we shared who passed with the angels recently. We decided the best way to keep her spirit alive would be to add her in this story, representing the character Lily. If you would like to see how and why she passed, i encourage all of you to look at my profile. She was a very brave and amazing girl, and it saddens me, and many others, that her death was so soon, too soon, put out like a flick of a switch. We all grieve her deeply, and pray that she is in a happier place.
In Memory: 2002-2018
AN: So there you go, this story is dedicated to an amazing person who light was put out way too soon, and who we all miss deeply. I hope you guys enjoy it, and if you do, go ahead and leave a review. I'd like to know how we can improve on it if we have too.
And old silvery white she-cat sat in a nest, surrounded by a litter of kits. Her quiet soothing voice could be heard all around the camp in a whisper, blending in as easily as the crickets singing and a nearby streams gentle flow.
"These clans had cats called Medicine cats, which was a very important role. They job was to deliver messages from starclan and tend the wounded."
"You mean the cats that live in the sky? Those tiny dots that you always talk about?" A dark grey she-cat with wide brown eyes asked.
The elder purred with amusement, looking up at the open sky above them. "Yes, those are the ones. Now, this medicine cat, a she-cat named Brittleleaf, she had messages from them, saying that the clans were falling apart from not obeying the warrior code well."
"Why don't we have a warrior code Whitemoon?" Asked a brown maine coon with curious amber eyes. "Or a medicine cat?"
"I'm getting there, Leaf," Replied Whitemoon gently. "Now, she had went and told Birchstar, the leader of Riverclan at the time of the grave news, warning her that the clans must follow the path of the stars again or all will be lost. Birchstar, having very little faith in our ancestors himself, waved the warning away and continued to lead the clan down that same path.
"The moons that followed brung a plague worse than anything you can imagine. Cats were dying daily, And the ones who didn't were either destined to or leaving the clans for their lives."
"But how could they?" A golden she-cat asked, tilting her head. "Didn't they have loved ones to protect, and a clan to stay loyal to?"
Whitemoon looked at her, sadness penetrating her gaze. "Well, my dear Lily, by then no one had any loyalty left to the clans. All of the cats thought Starclan had brought this upon them, as punishment for not following the code. The clans had become nothing more than a group of rogues.
"As for family, you were lucky if you have a sibling or parent to stay with. Most of them didn't.''
The Lily nodded, her sea green eyes a little to understanding for a kit. Whitemoon continued, wrapping her tail around the four kits as she did so.
"Eventually we all had gathered, a mere pawful of cats left, and decided to leave. We all agreed this plague was to deadly just to be nature's will, and Starclan was punishing us for losing our clan ways.
"My mother was one of the few who hadn't completely lost faith in Starclan. She had raised me and my sibling, all passed away now, in the clans ways. Most cats disliked her choice but she didn't let that affect her. She raised us, taught us as apprentices and gave us warrior names."
"Why aren't we taught to be apprentices and warriors?" Asked a golden tabby, her blue eyes wishful.
"Because most of your parents have forgotten about Starclan, or if they know about it they don't feel any loyalty to them anymore. There parents, which would've been my littermates, were raised without the stars as guidance."
"Do you still believe in Starclan?" Asked Leaf.
Whitemoon sighed, and looked up at the sky. But before she had time to reply a Orange she-cat walked up to the nest.
"Are you telling them tall tales about cats living in the sky again? Whitemoon, you know how i feel about telling my kits myths like that."
The elder looked up at her daughter, sighing." I suppose so…"
"Besides, it way past their time to be asleep, tomorrow only knows how grumpy they'll be…" She rounded up the sleepy kits, nodding one last time to Whitemoon before heading out to her own nest, open to the night sky other than a huge, ancient willow fanning out above them.
As the kits slowly fell into slumber, one golden she-cat looked up at the stars, curiosity and wonder filling her sea green gaze as she imagined the warriors protecting her as she too, slowly fell asleep.