And the World Listened
Over the sound of the river, most couldn't hear it, but I could, and so could Lilypaw. We could hear them, the sound of the dead. You see, we aren't supposed to be alive; actually, we weren't supposed to be born. Rabbittail of WindClan and Willowwing of RiverClan are our father and mother. Or they were. We can hear their voices when we are by the river. We can hear their voices in the breeze. They couldn't deny we were their kits either. Willowwing was gray with pale purple- gray eyes while Rabbittail had white paws and black specks. We look exactly like them. "Lilacpaw," the breeze will whisper, "She isn't worthy of RiverClan, kill her. Kill her so you can become stronger."
"I will. She doesn't deserve to live." It goes on and on.
"Lilacpaw, please listen!" I turned around and saw a perfect copy of me. "Why should I Lilypaw?" I only found joy in murder, Lilypaw found joy in so much more. "Lilacpaw! You're killing cats who are doing the same thing mom and dad did. Forbidden relationship's are the reasons were alive!" Don't listen to her, she is a fool. I heard the voice of the breeze. You should kill her, she might tell. The rivers voice rang in my ears. No, I need her alive, she might be of use. That's the only way I'm able to let my sister live. I know I'll have to kill her eventually, but not now.
Another thing about me is I don't see the way everyone else does. I see the cats of the dark forest walking among the living. I see StarClan cats too, but they surround Lilypaw. Before we were born our mother, who happened to be a medicine cat, told our leader, Lightstar, a prophecy she received.
*LiNe BrEaK*
"Lightstar, I need to talk to you!" a pale gray tabby she-cat ran inside the leaders den. Her usually calm, gray- purple eyes were in a state of panic as she paced the leaders den. "What is it dear sister? If you are here to remind me that no one is to now you are having kits, I told you I wouldn't tell!" a gray she- cat with brilliant golden and ginger patches covering her stood up, her green eyes glowing with fury and concern.
"No, it's not that! I received a prophecy from StarClan! Innocent as they may seem, fire burns in their veins. They both look to the past for guidance, but do not be fooled, one is evil one is good. Never let them leave your sight for in the night they will persecute. The good is pure of heart, but that they will both seem." Willowwing took a breath, startled by the words that came out of her mouth. Is my clan doomed to everlasting war? "What do you think Lightstar?"
She blinked her brilliant green eyes, a hint of worry crossing her face. "I'll listen and wait for these twins to come. How hard can it be to find them? Once we do, it shall be easy to tell the evil from the good!"
*LiNe BrEaK*
Ha, easy they said! They never even figured out it was us! They couldn't decide if it was Lilypaw and I, or Lightstar's own kits, Bramblepaw and Stormpaw, who are both gray with brown patches with black paws. My mentor in the Dark Forest, Tigerstar, had taught me so much. He told me how he went for moons with no one figuring out he killed Redtail, it was his pesky apprentice and his friends that made Bluestar realize the truth. "I got lazy and didn't finish what I started, Lilacpaw, make sure you don't make the same mistake."
"My dear Tigerstar, you've been teaching me well. I have been careful to clean up all of my messes. When I killed Lightstar everything started going my way. Berrystar is a fool and has no idea of the prophecy. I made sure he would become deputy because he wouldn't be a threat to me. When I killed Lightstar I made sure to pick the death berries from the bush farthest away from camp. I smuggled them in because I hid them within the moss I was carrying to her den anyway. I was told to change her bedding. I also brought her some fresh kill, a mouse because it would be easy to roll around in the crushed death berries, while it was small enough to not be suspicious. I also made sure Lilypaw was the last one in there, for if it was me in there, I would've been a suspect."
"Then why wasn't Lilypaw a suspect, Lilacpaw?" Tigerstar asked, narrowing his eyes. "Because I made it seem like a natural death. It was convenient it was leaf bare when I murdered her. The clan concluded she simply froze to death for that dreadful den of hers did have an awful draft." I looked up at my mentor, his amber eyes shining with pride. "When you wake up, you and Lilypaw shall have your warrior ceremonies. Don't get to comfortable when you become a warrior, you are still my apprentice."
"We shall not be equal until I become Lilacstar, future leader of RiverClan and creator of TigerClan." Tigerstar purred and brushed his pelt against mine. "I knew I choose the right apprentice."
*LiNe BrEaK*
"Lilypaw, we have some disturbing news." The young gray and black she- cat entered the starry clearing, knowing something was the matter.
"Is there something you wish to tell me Firestar? Has something gone wrong?" Lilypaw blinked her gray- purple eyes, filled with genuine worry and concern.
"They are rising! We didn't plan for Lilacpaw to live to be a warrior. Do you remember when Rainflight died?" the ginger tom asked the young apprentice, knowing she remembered all too well.
"Yes, the tree was falling and Lilacpaw was standing right under it. She didn't see it or hear it for she was concerned with catching a mouse that was scuffling for seeds by the roots. Rainflight saw the tree falling and pushed Lilacpaw out of the way, saving her life. Rainflight wasn't meant to join us that day, Lilacpaw was. We have to kill her before it's too late."
"Kill? My sister? But Firestar! She's all I have left! I think I can save her! Give her a chance, please. As your apprentice I would do anything to let her live."
"I know how you feel. Let's hope she doesn't turn on you before it's too late."
*LiNe BrEaK*
"I Berrystar call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices, they have trained hard and I command you to make them a warrior in turn!" he looked at the four apprentices on top of the high rock. "Stormpaw, Bramblepaw, Lilypaw and Lilacpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do." They all replied in turn, Stormpaw and Bramblepaw's smokey blue eyes wide with excitement and Lilypaw and Lilacpaw's eyes calm but each hiding a bit of fear. Lilacpaw saw Tigerstar and Firestar standing on either side of Berrystar. "By the powers of StarClan I give Stormpaw the name of," Berrystar paused and Tigerstar whispered something in his ear, "Stormsound!" Lilacpaw saw the clan cheering Stormsound's new name. The two dark forest apprentices made eye contact and looked away quickly. "I give Bramblepaw the name of," he paused yet again and Firestar whispered something in his ear, "Bramblestep!" the clan cheered Bramblestep's new name. Lilacpaw noticed the two goody goody StarClan apprentices make quick eye contact. "Lilypaw! Please step forward! By the powers of StarClan I give you the name," Firestar looked at the apprentice and quickly whispered something in Berrystar's ear, just before Tigerstar could. "Lilyfall!" the clan cheered Lilyfall's new name. It sounded graceful and good just like her. "And last but not least, Lilacpaw, please step forward. By the powers of StarClan" Lilacpaw gagged quietly where she stood, "I give you the name," Tigerstar and Firestar both went to whisper the name in Berrystar's ear but it looked as if Tigerstar got there first, "Lilacsong!" The clan cheered her name. Ugh! Tigerstar would have some explaining to do. She expected her name to be Lilacclaw, Lilactalon or Lilacfang, even Lilacstorm would have sufficed but Lilacsong! Ugh! Well she couldn't show how displeased she was with her name; she had a reputation to uphold.
"Congratulations Lilacsong," she turned around and saw the current medicine cat and her mother's old apprentice, Fogshadow congratulate her. "I know your mother must be proud." He purred. Fogshadow was a dark gray tom with even darker gray streaks crisscrossing his pelt. "I'm sure she is." She paused, knowing if she wanted to become Lilacstar and overthrow Lilyfall later that she would need to get him on her side. "You are so lucky you got to know her. I was only a moon old when she was murdered." She paused, seeing the sympathy growing in his eyes. "If you like, you may come visit me and Miserypaw in our den. I can tell you about her." Lilacsong knew she was playing him right. One more cat I will have on my side. She started to purr and brushed her pelt against his. She then looked at the she cat sitting beside him, Miserypaw. She was born the day her mother was murdered. In her sorrow, Miserypaw's mother named her two kits Miserykit and Sorrowkit. She knew Miserypaw and Sorrowpaw were both on her side for when they learned the origin of their name they were filled with rage. Brokentail and Breezepelt took that opportunity to get them to join the Dark Forest. She scanned the clan to see if there were any other cats that trained in the Dark Forest but it was just them four and one of the queens, Nightleaf. She knew StarClan only allowed Lilyfall and Bramblestep train with them so they could one day overthrow her but she knew they wouldn't prevail. She had followers in every clan, while they only had the two weaklings. The four new warriors made their way to the clearing and prepared to stand silent vigil. She shivered as the snow fell onto the ground and longed for her warm nest back in the apprentice den. Shut up! If I can't withstand this I won't be able to withstand whoever rebels against me. She pressed her pelt against Stormsound's and waited for the first light of dawn to appear. Before she knew it she saw the weak sunlight coming above the horizon.
"Your vigil is over young ones." Lilacsong turned and saw Blacksun. He was a large black tom with a ginger muzzle. He always had a dark side so he would be easy to manipulate. The four warriors padded off to the den. The StarClan apprentices took the light side of the den and crawled into a single nest and groomed each other to sleep. Lilacsong smirked and went to a nest of her own on the dark side of the den. Stormsound took the nest next to hers. She blinked her eyes and found herself in the dark forest training hollow.
"Lilacsong? Really! That is the name you choose for me? I thought you wanted me to be feared!" she raked her claws on the tree next to where she was standing while she vented. She always had something to say to her mentor, and she told him while sharpening her claws.
"I thought about making you Lilacclaw, so you would have a fierce name but then I thought better of myself and gave you a name that would make it easy for your clan to trust you with. Hawkfrost did the same thing with Stormsound and Brokentail and Breezepelt will do the same thing with Miserypaw and Sorrowpaw." Lilacsong nodded her head. What Tigerstar said made sense and her name wouldn't give anything about the shadows in her life. "I see what you are saying, Tigerstar. It just shows how much I still have to learn." The two cats then continued on with their training.
Lilacsong woke up at sunhigh, feeling refreshed and ready to fight. She padded out of the den to see Fawnleap, the elderly deputy calling to her. "Lilacsong, you are joining Dustythorn and Sorrowpaw on a border patrol. When you get back, Berrystar needs to see you in his den." Lilacsong nodded her head in respect at the elderly deputy. Blacksun padded out of the hollow with the two young cats following behind, whispering to each other in hushed voices. "Lilacsong, Brokentail told me you are going to create TigerClan? Is it true?"
"Yes Sorrowpaw, it is. I need your help though. When I become leader I'm going to need to get rid of my dear sister, Lilyfall. Will you help me with that?" she asked the apprentice. He nodded his head and looked at her with his rain colored eyes. "What will Miserypaw do? I don't want her to get hurt, she is all I have."
"Don't worry. Miserypaw will be fine. I will keep her to the side, making sure we stay strong. Breezepelt is also a good mentor her. He is helping her keep her battle skills secrete and keeps her from waking up covered in blood. Also by the time this battle commences she will either be head medicine cat or we will have Fogshadow on our side." Sorrowpaw's eyes lit up and he purred in satisfaction. They finished the patrol quickly and went to rest in camp.
"Mouse- dung! I was supposed to go see Berrystar!" she yelled as she ran to his den. She stopped by the fresh kill pile and picked up a plump looking sparrow and continued to the leaders den.
"Berrystar, you wanted to see me?" she asked as she entered his den and set down the sparrow before him. "Yes I did dear Lilacsong. I know you have been a warrior for a day but there is no one I know better to take on an apprentice. Mousekit and Rosekit are approaching their sixth moon. Fawnleap also told me she is planning to retire and I want a young, responsible, beautiful cat to take my place. You may not be aware of this but I only have one life." Berrystar paused and flicked his ear and took a bite from the sparrow. "A huge brown tabby tom told me a cat who was currently an apprentice would become the next leader. He kept showing me signs that it would be you so I plan to make you my next deputy. Now you are going to have a long day tomorrow, get some rest."
A satisfied purr rumbled in her throat. I will announce this tonight. Lilacstar, it was all within reach.
*LiNe BrEaK*
"Lilyfall! This is bad, awful and horrific!" Firestar yowled when his young apprentice appeared.
"What is the matter?" she asked, her voice shaking. Her tail lashed nervously back and forth.
"They almost have all the power! Lilacsong will become Lilacstar! This is awful, they have almost won. I need you to kill her, kill your sister." Firestar looked at his apprentice sadly and began to groom her fur. "Kill my sister? Kill her? She is all I have! I could never-"
"You have to"
*LiNe BrEaK*
"Cats of the Dark Forest! By the next gathering I shall be leader of RiverClan! Berrystar has guaranteed I shall be his next deputy. I send my regards to Tigerstar for that. We are fortunate enough to have ThunderClan and WindClan's deputies among us, for they will become leader after we kill them. If you could, kill them and get your nine lives before the gathering. We shall murder the ShadowClan leader and deputy that night so if all of you ShadowClan cats could attend the gathering, that would be pleasant." She blinked her big purple- gray eyes and looked out among her followers. "Cats of the Dark Forest, TigerClan shall rise from the legends of the past! We will prove to those who doubt we are real! We will kill all who get in our way!" she finished her speech with a triumphant yowl, the cats standing below her, who listened to her testimony, yowled in triumph as well. Tigerstar stood next to his apprentice, his eyes filled with pride. She stepped down and woke up to the sound of a clan meeting gathering. She licked her pelt clean quickly and padded out with Stormsound.
"We have two new apprentices today; Mousekit and Rosekit please step forward. From this day until they receive their warrior name they shall be known as Mousepaw and Rosepaw!" he looked at the cats gathered below him. Lilacsong glanced around at all the cats and saw Tigerstar, Hawkfrost, Breezepelt, Brokentail and even Mapleshade mixed in with them. To her disgust she saw Firestar, Graystripe, Sandstorm, Spottedleaf and Squirrelflight gathered among the cats as well. "Mousepaw, your mentor shall be Hazeldusk!" she looked to the warrior. This would be her second apprentice, wise choice on Berrystar's part. Hazeldusk had also been willing to do what the leader said, no matter what it was. When the battle comes, I'll spare her. "Lilacsong, you shall mentor Rosepaw!" he paused and looked at Fawnleap. "It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Fawnleap has decided to retire, so I must choose a new deputy. Lilacsong, you are young but you are compassionate and will always do what is right! You showed natural leadership when you were an apprentice, so I name you deputy of RiverClan!" most of the cats looked shocked. She heard faint cheering from Sorrowpaw, Miserypaw and Nightleaf that steadily grew louder. The one voice she never heard cheer was Lilyfall's. I'll take care of her tonight. She stood on top of high rock letting pride fill her from ear to tail tip. I'll be Lilacstar by tomorrow night for sure.
*LiNe BrEaK*
Lilyfall walked through the forest feeling defeated. This is all my fault. If only I hadn't been so cowardly and killed her when I had the chance. She heard a faint rustle coming from her right. "Hello?" she called out into the night, "Is anyone there?" she heard it again on her left. "Whoever you are come out!" She lashed her head from left to right, trying to see someone, something anything. Her legs crumpled to the ground and she screamed as the sounds got louder and louder. They were coming from both sides. She tried to run but she felt frozen to the spot. She could hear the blood pumping in her ears when suddenly the noises stopped. She panted and shook her head. She had taken half a step when she felt something land on her back. It pinned her to the ground and exposed her throat. She saw a flash of purple- gray eyes then felt excruciating pain in her throat. "Lilacsong?" were the only words she could get out before her eyes glazed over, never to be seen out of again. The last thing she heard was the sound of many tails, at least three, brushing over leaves.
*LiNe BrEaK*
I killed her. My only threat and I killed her. Bramblestep is too much of a coward to act on his own. I'll take Berrystar out and catch him a mouse. He'll eat it and die the same way Lightstar did. They're fools, all of them. I'll come back in a state of panic, looking for them everywhere only to be found side by side, dead. I'll make sure to get my fur out of their claws, if there is any. I'm always a little bit too careful, but that's why I have never been caught. "Berrystar? Care to take a walk with me?"
*LiNe BrEaK*
"Lilacstar! Lilacstar!" the clan cheered her name. TigerClan was hers. The murder of Shadestar was easy, he was weak. His deputy, Hailstripe, wasn't much better. She named Birchleaf Birchstar and made him the fourth leader. The warrior code was no more, she had won. Are you proud of me Tigerstar? She heard a voice whisper in her ear; "yes" She looked at her clan mates. The previous WindClan cats would all learn to heal like a medicine cat. The previous ShadowClan cats would become battlers and be as strong as the legendary Lionblaze was. RiverClan will continue to be the swimmers. She still loved to get her paws wet and finally, the previous ThunderClan cats would be hunters, it would be easy for them to adapt after all. All females would be required to have at least one kit and if anyone rebelled they would be taken care of quickly. She rose to her paws and yowled for silence. "StarClan told me make this clan so we may all be united in peace in unity but anyone cat who doesn't know how to listen shall not live to see another dawn! I do not wish to frighten you with this but it simply must be said. With a clan this big you must all learn to understand me. Sorrowpaw and Miserypaw, please step forward. I know you two are worthy of being given these names so I won't even ask you to say 'I do' Sorrowpaw, from this day on you shall be known as Icefang! You have showed me you will be loyal even through the toughest situations! Miserypaw you shall now be known as Snowfury for you have been faithful throughout all these moons." As the clan cheered for the two new warriors she couldn't help but glance down at Rosepaw, who was shaking in fear. If she didn't know any better she thought there was a flash of hope in them bit it was gone quickly. She glanced around at the ancient StarClan cats all vanishing back into the stars, one by one. The last to go was Firestar with his green eyes that seemed to stare into your soul.
