The taste of Lament
Windclan
Leader: Redstar
Deputy: Rowanfire
Medicine cat: Crowflight
Warriors:
Heronflash: beautiful gray she-cat
Lionhawk: golden tom
Apprentice: Daisypaw
Hawkheart: white tom with gray splotches, and ice blue eyes, formerly of Shadowclan
Raineye: black and white tom
Amberclaw: beautiful amber she-cat
Apprentice: Runningpaw
Shorttail: tom with frosty coat and small tail, oldest warrior
Ashroot: dark gray she-cat with abnormally long claws
Apprentice: Sagepaw
Queens:
Willowfur: white she-cat, mate of Redstar
Mother of Sagepaw and Daisypaw, Firekit and Goldenkit
Risingstorm: gray cat with amber eyes
Mother of Runningpaw and Raineye, Hollykit and Stormkit and Blazekit.
Elders:
Ringingneck- old grumpy tom, father of Willowfur
Mossheart- once beautiful dappled she-cat
Bravefur: once beautiful black and white she-cat, mother of Willowfur
Apprentices:
Daisypaw: bright yellow she-cat
Runningpaw: rusty brown tom, was hurt terribly and denied his warrior ceremony for a couple more moons.
Sagepaw: the newest apprentice, icy gray she-cat
Prologue
"Are you sure Barkface?" asked Tallstar. The old medicine cat nodded solemnly. "She is the one. The one who will save the clan." Each cat nodded to each other.
"I am receiving a sign…" mewed the brown tom. "There will be one Redstar, kin of yourself who will hold the power of the stars in her paws, the powers of a true warrior. So let it be written, so let it be done." Whispered the cat. They watched the star of prophecy descend towards the clan's camp, and into the den of Redstar.
Chapter 1
Redstar awoke with a jolt feeling slightly anguished to know who the prophesized cat was. Quick as lightning he was in the medicine den, Crowflight was sitting upright sorting herbs. "You're up early Redstar," he was taken aback by how early Crowflight was up, but then he realized StarClan had chosen him to be the medicine cat with not sleep, he never seemed to be tired.
"I must speak with Yewpool, immediately."
Crowflight nodded, "You had the sign too. I see. Well, come on, the den is this way." He twitched his tail beckoning the new leader forward.
Redstar pulled back his lips at the apprentice, anger rippling through his fur. How dare this apprentice insult him with denying him time with Yewpool. Crowflight shook his head. "Take it or leave it. But if you refuse to speak with me I have to show you the way out."
"Why do I have to speak with you, Crowpaw?" he growled. Crowflight shook his head. "Because I am the clans medicine cat."
"No, you're only the apprentice. Now, where is Yewpool."
"Redstar, while you were away on StarClan's mission, Yewpool died, you heard yesterday, I thought at least." Redstar was so full of rage. How could this kit become the medicine cat? He was the rudest cat ever. He knew how to push every cat's buttons. But he realized that it was better to tell someone than no one at all.
"Crowflight, I had a dream, Tallstar came to me and told me There will be one Redstar, kin of yourself, who will hold the power of the star in her paws, the powers of a true warrior. I was thinking they spoke of Daisypaw. Crowflight shook his head. "Redstar, what you must know is not to make assumptions of StarClan's prophecies. I have always looked at the prophecies and let them play out before making any ideas at all, just watch what happens and you will understand in time." The leader bristled and he let out a hiss of rage.
"How dare you?" the leader turned and marched out of the large den, head held high.
The morning dawned clear and sunlight sparkeled down from StarClan itself, as Sagepaw could see. Daisypaw was sucking up to her mentor, Lionhawk, who was completely infatuated by his apprentice, as every cat could see. Ashroot came padding up to Sagepaw, "Ready for a training session?" she asked, her tail twitching irritably. Ever since the Clans had to leave the lake Ashroot had missed her old home, now all the territories surrounded a abandoned Two-leg nest. Sagepaw had only been a tiny kit in the nursery when they had left and now could only imagine living in her new home. ThunderClan bordered them to the right, and ShadowClan to the left, the ones on the right never caused trouble, and the ones on the left always did.
Ashroot dragged her apprentice out into the middle of the territory and stood in front of her. "What do you smell?" growled the she-cat.
"Fox, stale though, fish, stale again, ThunderClan, stale, and ShadowClan, new." Her eyes flew wide open. "Ashroot!" she meowed softly.
"Its not your fault they were here, lets inform Redstar."
"ShadowClan? In our territory?" mewled Redstar, his fur standing on end. "Its time to end this once and for all. Heronflash, Raineye, Amberclaw, Shorttail we're invading ShadowClan!" howled the leader.
"Redstar," spoke Sagepaw timidly. "What if ShadowClan is looking for help, don't you think we should listen to what they have to say before going attacking them?"
The leader rounded on her. "How dare you? You piece of mousedung!" the apprentice readied herself for a battering and she got one. Redstar flew at her, biting into her shoulder. Everyone stood frozen, frightened to death. Daisypaw leapt to her sister's aid at once, without hesitation. She tore at her father's shoulder until he snapped out of his trance. Sagepaw lay on the ground twitching, her side opened in a bloody gash. Willowfur ran to her kit, but Redstar stopped her with his tail. "Don't try to comfort her, she's a lost cause. Come Daisypaw." He beckoned his daughter with a look. Daisypaw simply stared up at him. "Obey me at once, not only am I your leader I am your father." Ice pierced in his voice.
"You're no father of mine." She spun around and nuzzled her sister up so that she could stand. Daisypaw's mentor leaped quickly to her aid. Crowflight looked solemnly at their leader.
"You have broken the warrior code, Redstar, how could you? You hurt your own daughter. You can't do this, you may be my leader but there is more to leading than killing." The medicine cat helped Daisypaw and Lionhawk carry Sagepaw inside his den.