SkyClan's Return; Book 1- Whispering Cave
Author's note: This is the first book in my series I plan to write. I need to upload more with the allegiances and plan to submit more chapters soon. Negative reviews needed! Check out my profile if you wish to contact me.
ALLEGIANCES
SKYCLAN
LEADER Leafstar- brown-and-cream tabby she-cat with amber eyes
DEPUTY Sharpclaw- dark ginger tom
MEDICINE CAT Echosong- silver tabby she-cat with green eyes
Apprentice, Frecklewish- mottled light brown tabby she- cat with spotted legs
WARRIORS (toms, and she-cats without kits)
Sparrowpelt- dark brown tabby tom
Waspwhisker- grey-and-white tom
Ebonyclaw- striking black she-cat
Billystorm- ginger-and-white tom
Harveymoon- white tom
Shrewtooth- skinny black tom
Rockshade- black tom
Bouncefire- ginger tom
Sagepelt- pale grey tom
Mintfur- grey tabby she-cat
Rabbitleap- pale brown tom
Creekfeather- skinny white tom
Nettlesplash- dark brown tom
Plumwillow- brown tabby she-cat
Firewing- ginger she-cat
Harrypelt- brown-and-cream tabby tom
Stormfoot- ginger-and-white she-cat
Rookfeather- slender silver she-cat
Lightningwhisker- grey tabby she-cat with jagged whiskers
APPRENTICES (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)
Blackpaw- solid black tom
Cloudpaw- dark grey she-cat with white belly
Beetlepaw- black and white tom
QUEENS (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)
Tinycloud- small white she-cat (mother to Rabbitleap's kits: Rubblekit, and Mottlekit)
Cherrytail- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat (expecting Sharpclaw's kits)
Fallowfern- pale brown she-cat
ELDERS (former warriors and queens, now retired)
Patchfoot- black-and-white tom (retired early due to broken leg)
Clovertail- light brown she-cat with white belly and legs
Petalnose- pale gray she cat
Prologue
The sun was going down, casting deep shadows over the gorge. A cool breeze ruffled the surface of the river and deep shadows crept over the rocks as the last golden rays melted into the dusk of the night. The only sound was the murmur of water that surged from a black hole in a pile of boulders, coiling into a pool before winding away into the darkness beneath the cliffs.
Cats had retreated into their dens, climbing winding stairs of stones to reach gaping caves in the side of the gorge. Inside, faint meows were heard as they settled, their voices turning to whispers, and then silence. Near the river at the base of the gorge, a slender she cat appeared out of a moss covered cave, her silver pelt glowing from the starry light above. Her brilliant green eyes flickered this way and that, then she turned and bounded across the pebbles and into a den under a rocky outcrop. From a larger cave along the rock wall, feeble meows were hushed as young kits settled into sleep. Above, the moon slowly began its journey up into the sky, casting an eerie glow on the gorge below. A dazzling display of light lit up the night as a vast gathering of icy stars stared down in frosty silence.
From outside the gorge, the sounds of the forest melted into a quiet lull as nature settled into a deep slumber. A faint yip of a vixen was last heard as she herded her kits into their set. A rook flew to its nest, and a squirrel climbed into its hollow as the moon appeared on the horizon. Night animals crept out of secret burrows into the cool air. newleaf was on its way as new buds of hope from forest trees appeared along slender branches, promising food and warmth after a cold leafbare.
Deep in a small cave, a white-and-ginger tabby twitched in her sleep. She was settled in her moss nest, tail curled around her muzzle white with age. Ever so slightly, a faint meow would escape her jaws as she twitched. Moonbeams cast faint streams of light into the den around her. Her ginger-and-white pelt was dappled in a milky glow as the light washed over her like water. In a single beam of light, starlight suddenly appeared, lighting up the cave.
"Leafstar." A voice whispered into the ears of the she-cat, making her eyes flicker and flash open. Her amber optics settled on a figure that had appeared in front of her nest, leaning over the moss. Looking up, she saw she was no longer in her den, but in the Whispering Cave. This cave was the lifeline of her Clan, letting her speak with her warrior ancestors in the gorge. Above, dew-glistened moss hung from the ceiling and walls, and a murmur of water from the river that flowed through reached her ears. The floor was slick and wet, causing cats to be cautious if they ever entered to gather moss or speak with their ancestors.
The she-cat scrambled to her feet, blinking away sleepiness as she stared at the mysterious cat before her. In the starlight, she could make out a dark grey pelt and blue eyes. Then the scent hit her nose and her eyes lit up as she recognized her starry ancestor.
"Skywatcher!" She meowed, happy to see her old friend. The tom had been a former loner, living in the gorge before modern SkyClan was formed. She had been a loner too, long ago, before she was asked to join SkyClan by Firestar, leader of ThunderClan. The old SkyClan had left the forest and journeyed here after their territory had been destroyed. Rats had infested the gorge before and killed most of the Clan cats in the gorge, forcing them to break up and go their separate ways. It had been Firestar who had remade SkyClan, gathering cats and choosing her as leader before going back to his own Clan. That had been long ago, feeling lifetimes away as memories flowed back through her.
The grey tom's pelt glowed with starlight as he leaned forward to touch his nose to hers. "It is good to see you, Leafstar. I have been watching you, and am glad Firestar made the right choice for their leader." The tom said, his wide words echoing in the cave. This had not been the first time she had seen Skywatcher, but it had been moons since she had spoken with her warrior ancestors. She was comforted by his words, yet something pricked within her.
"It's been a long time." Leafstar murmured, dipping her head. Her eyes suddenly clouded with worry. It was rare her ancestors come to her in her dreams, so it must be important if one so great came to speak to her. She wasn't at the Sky Rock, yet she had heard Firestar tell her he had received dreams from his ancestors asleep too, so it must be alright. "I hope everything is well?" She said it more like a question than she had meant too, but was anxious to hear what news StarClan had brought her.
The tom was silent for a long moment, and the she-cat guessed something was wrong, yet she didn't know what.
Skywatcher's friendly gaze had suddenly turned into a serious stare. He spoke slowly, his words sinking in as he spoke ever so carefully. "Change comes like the seasons, Leafstar. But with change also comes destiny." Leafstar froze, the warmth draining out of her into icy fear.
She found her voice, panic edging her meow. "Skywatcher, what d-do you mean?" she asked, padding closer. "Is there something I should know about?" The air around her suddenly felt cold, and the comforting sounds of the night outside fell into stony silence.
The tom was silent for a long time.
Skywatcher blinked slowly, his blue gaze flickering away for a heartbeat before settling back on her. "SkyClan's roots are strong, yet it's branches are weak. You must be prepared for what is to come, for this will change the destiny of your Clan forever." He meowed slowly, his voice calm but eyes betraying a hint of warning. Leafstar's breath caught in her throat as she stared at him, her optics growing wide at his words.
"But I am old in my age! I have served SkyClan well, how could our destiny be changed now?" She interrupted, backing away in disbelief as her voice shook in fear.
Skywatcher's gaze was glazed with sadness as he stared at her. "Journeys will be taken, cats will be killed, kits will be born, loyalties will be tested, and destinies will be changed forever. Listen to this wisely Leafstar, for your path has not ended yet." His words hung in the air as heavy silence followed.
Her head was swimming as she tried to take in all that he had said. What did that mean her path hadn't ended yet? The old tom gazed at her, his eyes full of words he couldn't speak. There were so many things she wanted to yowl to the stars at that moment, yet no words formed on her tongue. Hadn't she made her roots strong? She had saved her Clan from the flood, had her kits, driven out Sol. What did she still have to do?
In a heartbeat, Skywatcher vanished, and the Whispering Cave around her disappeared.
In its place appeared a dark forest. Eyes gleamed from the shadows, rotting smells hit her nose, and yowls of agony rang in her ears. She backed away, hissing as a new scent reached her. Something sticky and warm swam around her paws and she looked down to find her fur drenched in red blood. Every hair pricked on the back of her neck as she tensed. Her claws unsheathed, she fought to free herself from the blood that was trapping her. A screech of terror escaped her as she fought wildly to run, but her paws were rooted to the ground in the vile liquid. Around her the shadows moved wildly, claws glinted, eyes gleamed, and yowls echoed.
Where was she? This wasn't a dream, it was a nightmare!
Suddenly the faint light that had been glowing around her was blocked out as a shadow appeared along the floor of the cave. Leafstar whipped around to see a massive shape blocking out the light filtering in, causing her to be left in darkness. A scent washed over her, one she faintly recognized. But it couldn't be! No! The figure stood stone still, and then slipped inside the den, lost in the shadows with the rest. In a heartbeat, the scent was gone. The blood beneath her paws vanished and the yowls faded to silence.
She thought she was back in the Whispering Cave, but no. She was in a stony hollow, bright sunlight now gleaming all around her. Above the sky was a vast blue and sandy earth was beneath her paws. Where was she now? Another scent reached her nose, and this one took her a moment to recognize whose it was. Looking down in front of her paws, there stretched a limp body of a cat. It had a bright ginger pelt, the color of flames, its green eyes were open and blank. She knew who this was. She bit back a yowl of agony as she stared down in shocked silence. StarClan no!
It was Firestar.
She blinked open her eyes. She relaxed as comforting dawn light filtering into her den cave. She was still in her nest…it had only been a dream. She heard a faint clatter of rocks as paw steps raced along the path to her den. She guessed someone had heard her yowling in her sleep and was coming to see what was wrong. In an instant, she remembered everything from last night. Skywatcher's words and the dark vision, what did it mean?
Her heart stopped for a quick second as she heard the distinct words that were whispering in her ears next:
"Four must become five, to save the fate of the Clans forever."