ȚȞË ŅÏĠȞȚ BÏŖĐ: ĐËŚĊËŅȚ

by Blizzard of the Caverns

The ancient clans of the Great Valley are rife with corruption, ruled by powerful ruling classes that have oppressed and brainwashed the lower classes. Owlmask has spent his entire life in this rigid society and is convinced that he has no purpose. That is, until he is presented with an opportunity that will bring the devastation of not only the to clans, but his own sanity.

Our world is a special thing, full of so much mystery and wonder that it would take more than a hundred lifetimes in order to discover the full extent of its potential and its boundaries. The world is as old as time itself, and the story of its creation has been passed down from each generation to the next to ensure that the spectacle of its birth and life will never be forgotten from the minds of those who live on it. And while there are many different stories that attempt to explain the phenomenon behind the world's inception, we will choose that of the clan cats of the Great Valley, whose vivid tale is kept alive through a strong oral tradition and serves as a reminder to maintain a solid moral ground:

"Hundreds and hundreds of moons ago, before the first cat, the first tree, or even the first mountain, the world was ruled by an entity known as Water. Water covered every inch of its domain which stretched as far as the eye could see, and nothing else lived there. Water cherished its reign over the world, but soon felt that something was missing from it. Then, one day Water watches the Sun's journey across the skies to chase the Moon, which in turn chased the Sun. Water felt lonely and was jealous of the companionship between the Sun and the Moon. Water decided that it would create a companion for itself, someone that it could interact with.

And so Water birthed Earth from its great aquatic womb, and Water was proud of what it had made. Water had showered the young Earth with gifts, bearing it with trees, flowers, and every different type of plant. Water also gave animals to Earth, ranging from the tiny flea to the majestic eagle, and even the curious tall-walker. But soon, Earth felt that Water had become far too overbearing. Water had dominated Earth to the point that Earth had become flooded with water, which choked the life out of the plants and animals that lived there. Earth had no choice but to push back Water to a position where Water could no longer do any more harm to Earth.

'How could you do this to me?' Water cried out. 'I created you, cared for you, and gave you the beautiful mountains and living creatures that you treasure! Why have you betrayed me?'

The Earth did not reply, but instead kept pushing Water back until it was no larger than a river. Earth knew that to erase Water completely would be foolish, as Water did provide for the living things on Earth and without it there would be nothing that Earth could be proud of. Earth did allow Water to rain down upon it for a portion of the year, but shriveled Water during the remaining parts of the year so that Water could never again regain its power over Earth. That is the reason why Earth is dry for much of the year and that the rainy seasons are so short. Any irregularities are caused by either Earth exerting too much power over Water or Water attempting to seek vengeance for Earth's betrayal."

Despite the cataclysmic struggle between Earth and Water, the animals that lived on Earth were able to live in harmony for hundreds of more moons. Then from the mountains to the south and later from the mountains of the east came the great pink tall-walkers. Though similar to the dark tall-walkers native to the Great Valley, the pink tall-walkers drove the other tall-walkers out of existence to make more for more pink tall-walkers. They came in masses, carried by their great monsters made of wood and white pelts moved by horses, oxen, and other great beasts.

With the new tall-walkers came the first cats, which eventually strayed from their tall-walker owners and began to inhabit the parts of the Great Valley near the river. From there they learned the tale of Water and Earth from the animals that already lived there. The population became torn as different cats interpreted the story of Water and Earth differently: some believed that Earth was justified for taking action against Water; some believed that Earth was wrong for betraying Water and acting so cruel; and some didn't care either way. However, after being provoked into conflict, the three sides found themselves at war, and the river and earth were soiled with the blood of the fallen.

The slaughter continued as cats from all three colonies went into a frenzy, brutalizing all enemy cats within their territories. This continued until the combined efforts of the three kits of the three leaders of each respected group were able to end the violence by convincing the clans to unite as one, forget their petty quarrels, and defeat a common enemy. After their qualms had been settled and peace was restored to the Great Valley, the three colonies sought to properly organize themselves into the three clans known today: PineClan, MarshClan, and PrairieClan.

The three clans were led by the three founders of the original colonies, but the heroism of their kits hadn't gone unnoticed; the leadership displayed by the three kits convinced the leaders that they all deserved to succeed their own parent as clan leader after their own passing. And so it was established that all clan leaders would descend from the original three founders and that they would be chosen from the first-born kit of the current leader.

The rules of succession were initially a success, as it ensured that the future leaders of the clans would be trained from birth to be kind, just, and fair rulers. However, over time the growing reverence for the leaders that possessed the blood of the original founders created a distinctive social gap between the leaders/kin of leaders and the rest of the clan, which resulted in a powerful aristocracy absorbed with their status and a legion of common cats that believed the ruling class had descended from the stars themselves. The direct worship of a higher power (StarClan) decreased for the common cats as the ruling class slowly took its place, and soon the clan leader practically came to be regarded as a reincarnate of the heavenly founders.

The clans became tainted with corruption, though none would ever admit to it. A gluttonous and powerful ruling class had brainwashed those of lower positions that the absolute rule of an aristocracy over the lives of others was natural, for StarClan ordained it to be this way, as did the original founders of the clans. Obedience and compliance to traditional rules made up the core of the three clans of the Great Valley. Every cat appeared to be happy and content within their place in society, which strayed further from morality and closer to crookedness with each passing day.

"They must be punished," said a voice from the middle of the darkness, characterized only by a pair of glowing blue eyes that flickered like giant stars. "They must atone for their sins once and for all."

"Do you forget that these are the descendants of you and I?" came a second voice. A giant pair of yellow eyes appeared, seeming to stare directly at the blue pair a few fox-lengths to the side (that is, if length could be measured in darkness). "You call for violent reform but fail to recognize that these are the kin of your own kin."

A third set of eyes with a deep green color appeared an opposite length away from the other two, creating a perfect triangle. "And must you forget that you are wishing to abolish a system that you previously advocated for all those moons ago?" spoke a deep, gravelly male voice.

"If they are my kin, then they are an excuse to my blood and do not deserve to associate themselves with my name. They have abused their power and their clans, which we fought tooth and claw to give to them," the first voice replied.

"I still refuse to believe that this will do anything to benefit them. Why change now when we have come so far? Why choose to radically alter the course of our history when you could have done so the second they were contaminated with demoralization!" the deep voice roared. Though there was nothing more to the voice's physical manifestation than a pair of glowing, pupilless eyes, the tone of voice made it clear that the speaker was visibly, downright angry.

"So you admit that they have sinned, Pine?" the first voice challenged in a confrontational, yet smooth tone.

The pair of green eyes narrowed with anger, but before he could say anything more the yellow eyes moved in front of the two, rapidly increasing in size in attempt to intimidate the others. "Silence!" the speaker of the yellow eyes, a female, commanded with an authoritarian voice. "Marsh, this is unreasonable. If the clans have to reform, they must do so themselves in a gradual process. Even if it takes years, they must do so in a way that prevents the least amount of lives from being slain. Taking immediate and violent action would decimate the clans and would take them even longer to recover. Lives will be lost, families will be shattered. Do you really think that they can afford that? They will turn to us for help and ask, 'who could have done this?' It was us who did it!"

"They don't even pray to us, Prairie," Marsh, the speaker of the blue eyes, replied in an exasperated voice. "They don't worship us the same way they did hundreds of moons ago. They have abandoned their morals and everything that we have taught them. The leaders will never incite reforms to change the way of the clans, not when the current system benefits them so greatly. They have succumbed to their arrogance and have oppressed the masses! How can we say that the clans are noble when even a rogue is better off? They are free and independant; we are slaves to our own society."

To this, neither Prairie nor Pine replied, though they seemed to have heard every word of it.

There was silence.

"I have already received a vision," Marsh spoke quietly, recomposing herself. "Something is coming to the clans, something that will ignite the spark of revolution and sweep through them like wildfire. And because we are powerless to aid those who do not believe in us, we can only watch and hope that the clans are not devastated. As powerful as we may be, or once were, within the range of the three clans, we are vulnerable to whatever powers may lie beyond our grasp. Only time will tell if they can endure what comes."

Allegiances

PineClan - The clan in which the story is set in. As their name suggests, PineClan inhabit the pine forests and steep slopes located along the southern end of the river. They are known for being able to move silently in the darkness of nights and scale steep ledges. PineClan cats are large and well-built, easily distinguishing them from other cats. They have thick, dark fur generally ranging from black and ginger, and thick pawpads to cushion their feet against hard rock and pine needles. They are proud, ambitious, and the strictest followers of the Warrior Code. They feed off of mice, birds, lizards, and occasionally even fish if a MarshClan patrol isn't nearby.

Ruling Class:

Leader: Eaglestar - big, hearty brown-and-white tabby tom with a white face, thick fur, and yellow eyes

Berrymask - small, dark red she-cat with darker points, thick fur, and dark green eyes; Eaglestar's mate

Foxclaw - dark ginger tom with thick fur, white paws, pointed ears, and golden eyes; Eaglestar's son and leader-to-be

Beavertail - short, pudgy brown tom with darker points, thick fur, and round, pale yellow eyes; Eaglestar's son

Deerwhisker - lean brown she-cat with small white specks, long whiskers, and pale green eyes; Eaglestar's daughter

Bouldercrash - muscular gray tom with light green eyes and thick fur; Deerwhisker's mate

High Guards:

Elmheart - sturdy brown tabby tom with a snow-white chest, thick fur, and warm amber eyes

Ravenwing - long-legged black she-cat with a white strike on her forehead, thick fur, and dark blue eyes

Apprentice: Hummingpaw

Owlmask - big, thick-furred dark brown tabby tom with a dark mask, a white chest, chin, and flecks around his dark amber eyes

Pheasanteye - dark tortoiseshell she-cat with a glossy, thick coat and pale yellow eyes

Ratclaw - gray tabby tom with thick, messy fur and amber eyes

Medicine Cats:

Birdwatcher - old silver tabby she-cat with tufted ears, thick fur, and blind gray eyes

Apprentice: Opossumpaw

Warriors:

Vernalpond - mottled gray tom with thick fur, a long tail, and sharp green eyes

Firestripe - ginger tabby she-cat with thick fur, white toes, and amber eyes

Morningsun - thick-furred ginger-and-white tom with bright golden eyes

Lightcloud - dark cream-and-white she-cat with thick fur and blue eyes

Fogeye - dark gray tom with thick fur, a lighter chin, and one, misty green eye

Blackbird - small, sleek black tom with thick fur and light yellow eyes

Snakestripe - dark gray tabby tom with thick fur, a long tail, and yellow-green eyes

Redbark - dark ginger-brown tabby she-cat with thick fur and amber eyes

Apprentice: Sunpaw

Mottledflower - tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with petal-shaped white and orange patches, thick fur, and green eyes

Apprentice: Rainpaw

Mossclaw - mottled, dark gray tabby tom with thick fur, a pale belly, and pale green eyes

Stormrise - black-and-gray tabby she-cat with thick fur and dark green eyes

Apprentices:

Opossumpaw - striped gray-and-black tabby tom with white socks, a white muzzle, thick fur, and pale blue eyes; medicine cat apprentice

Hummingpaw - small black-and-white tom with thick fur and light green eyes; High Guard apprentice

Rainpaw - gray she-cat with darker gray tabby patches, thick fur, and sea-green eyes

Sunpaw - bright ginger tabby she-cat with a white chest, thick fur, and bright yellow eyes

Queens:

Oakbranch -big, reddish-brown she-cat with thick fur and amber eyes, mother to Fogeye's kits: Squirrelkit (dark ginger she-kit with a fluffy tail, thick fur, and amber eyes) and Pebblekit (gray tom-kit with lighter paws, a lighter muzzle, thick fur, and pale green eyes)

Fernpatch - dark tortoiseshell she-cat with thick fur and dark green eyes, expecting Elmheart's kits

Elders:

Addertooth - dark reddish-brown tabby tom with thick fur, a gray muzzle, and yellow eyes

Cricketear - light brown tom with a patchy muzzle, thick fur, long ears, and light green eyes

MarshClan - MarshClan territory encompasses the freshwater swamplands that blends into the northern side of the river. They are cunning, quiet cats with streamlined bodies, webbed paws, rudder-like tails, and glossy pelts possessing dark, mottled patterns. Their primary food source is the river, which means that most of their diet is made up of fish. However, they will also feed off of lizards and water birds.

Ruling Class:

Leader: Mallardstar - big black-and-white tom with glossy fur and blue-green eyes

Reedstalk - speckled light brown she-cat with a glossy coat, long tail, and light golden eyes; Mallardstar's mate, mother to his kits: Mudkit (deep brown tom-kit with black flecks, black legs, a glossy coat, and bright amber eyes), Twigkit (speckled brown she-kit with pale amber eyes and a glossy coat), and Graykit (gray tom-kit with a glossy coat and green eyes)

Nighthawk - small black tabby tom with a white chin, a glossy coat, and sharp blue eyes; Mallarstar's brother

Stonestream - old gray-and-white she-cat with long, glossy fur and blue eyes; Mallardstar and Nighthawk's mother

High Guards:

Goosewing - black-and-white she-cat with a long tail, glossy coat, and green eyes

Scaupfeather - black tom with a glossy coat, white chin, and pale yellow eyes

Apprentice: Scoterpaw

Pelicanflight - big, mottled gray-and-white tom with a thick, glossy coat, broad face, and blue eyes

Apprentice: Turtlepaw

Medicine Cat:

Padstream - dark gray tabby tom with black-tipped fur, a glossy coat, pale paws, and mint-green eyes

Warriors:

Cranemask - mottled white-and-gray she-cat with a glossy coat, gray face, and amber eyes

Apprentice: Basspaw

Bullrushtail - dark brown tabby tom with a mottled, glossy coat, a fuzzy tail, and amber eyes

Frogpelt - small, speckled dark brown she-cat with a glossy coat and olive-green eyes

Creekstone - speckled gray tom with a glossy coat, thick tail, and light green eyes

Salmonjaw - big, mottled silver-gray she-cat with a glossy coat, pale jaw, and orange eyes

Tealface - gray-brown she-cat with darker points, a glossy coat, a white chin, and blue-green eyes

Rivertail - dark gray tom with long, glossy fur, lighter points, and pale green eyes

Pondskipper - dark brown tabby she-cat with an unusually short tail, glossy coat, strong legs, and light green eyes

Duskwater - large black tom with thick, glossy fur, a white chest, and dark blue eyes

Apprentices:

Scoterpaw - black tom with a white chin, a glossy coat, and pale yellow eyes; High Guard apprentice

Basspaw - mottled brown tabby she-cat with a glossy coat, a pale belly, and sea-green eyes

Turtlepaw - dark tortoiseshell she-cat with distinctive brown patches, a glossy coat, and blue-green eyes

Queens:

Swanwhisker - big, mottled white she-cat with gray flecks, a thick, glossy coat, and deep blue eyes, mother to Bullrushtail's kits: Heronkit (dark gray-and-white tom-kit with blue eyes and a glossy coat), Fishkit (big, dark gray tom-kit with a glossy coat with silver flecks and amber eyes), and Lizardkit (mottled brown tabby she-kit with a glossy coat and light yellow eyes)

Skinkpelt - glossy brown she-cat with darker patches and yellow eyes, mother to Scaupfeather's kits: Scoterpaw and Basspaw (shown above); Snakekit (black tom with a long tail and green eyes) and Duckkit (black-and-brown with white patches and yellow eyes

PrairieClan - PrairieClan has the most expansive territory of all three clans, as well as the highest population of cats. They live in the tall prairie grass that lies beyond the pine forest and makes up a majority of the Great Valley, though obviously they stick to the section closest to the river. Their close proximity to farmland means that they have the greatest knowledge of tall-walkers and their medicine cats have even begun to practice primitive forms of agriculture. PrairieClan cats have lean builds with light pelts, long legs, and wide paws which are used for burrowing through the dirt in order to make their homes. They feed off of field mice, rabbits, and some small birds.

Ruling Class:

Leader: Yarrowstar - young cream tabby she-cat with tall ears and sharp yellow eyes

Poppystem - light ginger tom with dark ears and pale yellow eyes; Yarrowstar's mate

Oatpaw - dark ginger she-cat with a pale orange underside and pale yellow eyes; Yarrowstar's daughter

High Guards:

Falconbeak - mottled light brown-and-white tabby tom with sharp, watchful yellow eyes

Apprentice: Oatpaw

Bushberry - sandy-gray tabby she-cat with dark spots, a white underbelly, paws, muzzle, and bright green eyes

Sheeprunner - big, fluffy white tom with long legs and blue eyes

Grasswhisker - skinny, light brown tabby tom with long legs, a curved muzzle, and grass-green eyes

Bumbleflight - fluffy yellow tabby tom with bright yellow eyes

Medicine Cats:

Blossomtree - pale tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with light green eyes

Apprentice: Windpaw

Warriors:

Coyotehowl - tall gray-and-tan tom with long whiskers and bright amber eyes

Apprentice: Lonepaw

Vulturecry - dark brown-and-white tom with big ears and sharp yellow eyes

Harejump - small, pale brown tom with white toes and green eyes

Daisyleap - light golden she-cat with tufted ears, long legs, and amber eyes

Apprentice: Sandpaw

Sunnycloud - cream-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

Gopherwatch - small brown tom with lighter flecks, a lighter chest, and round golden eyes

Rainshadow - pale gray tom with darker patches, a white stomach, white paws, and blue eyes

Tallgrass - tall, pale brown she-cat with long legs, a cream belly, and light green eyes

Lizardstone - small, pale tortoiseshell she-cat with a long, thin tail and round, pale yellow eyes

Wildflower - brown-and-white tabby she-cat with thick, fluffy fur, broad shoulders, and bright green eyes

Apprentice: Sedgepaw

Apprentices:

Windpaw - pale silver-and-white tabby she-cat with a white face, soft fur, and blue eyes

Lonepaw - tall, lithe, pale reddish-brown tom with pale amber eyes

Sandpaw - tall, light brown-and-cream tom with light amber eyes

Sedgepaw - short-furred light brown-and-white tabby she-cat with a short tail, white paws, and green eyes

Queens:

Rabbitear - light gray she-cat with big, tufted ears, soft fur, a short tail, and green eyes, mother to Coyotewind's kits: Volekit (light brown tom-kit with long ahiskers and amber eyes), Condorkit (big gray-and-white tom-kit with round golden eyes), Sparrowkit (speckled brown tom-kit with green eyes), and Cottonkit (very pale gray, almost white she-kit with fluffy fur and bright green eyes)

Birdsong - pale calico she-cat with a long tail, fluffy fur, and blue eyes, mother to Sheeprunner's kits: Cowkit (big, black-and-white tom-kit with short fur and blue eyes), Ferretkit (small brown-and-white tom-kit with green eyes), and Wolfkit (gray she-kit fluffy fur, a white belly, and piercing blue eyes)

Elders:

Cloudwatcher - old white she-cat with patchy fur and blue eyes, deaf in one ear

Wheatfur - pale gold tom with flecked fur, long ears, and yellow eyes

Rockfall - big, solid gray tom with short fur and orange eyes