In the light of battles past,
StarClan has made a unanimous decision.
Give not to your friends but to your enemies.
Share not with your Clanmates.
Trust not your sisters.
Believe not your brothers.
You are destined to fall, O Silent One.
Bear your shame with no indignance, no pride.
And fall into murky nothingness, forgotten and alone.
"Great StarClan, that's the most depressing prophecy I've ever heard." Arrowstar's russet ears pricked as his medicine cat recited the words in his dream.
"Depressing or not, Brightspirit herself delivered it." Jaggedbranch was chilled to the core by the fierceness of this prophecy. He had always loved and respected Brightspirit as a fellow messenger of StarClan. But now, he didn't know what to think of her.
"Then StarClan is cruel and ridiculous!" Arrowstar bellowed. He must be thinking of his daughters and son, who he loved and cherished beyond normal standard. He would never be able to turn his back on them, as the prophecy commanded. Jaggedbranch pitied him, though he could not relate. He had no direct family in WindClan. His mother and father and brother were dead. He had no uncles or aunts or grandcats. And of course, he had no mate.
"Calm yourself, Arrowstar." Jaggedbranch laid his tail across the shoulders of his leader. They had always been close, had trained together and become warriors on the same night. "I may have... misinterpreted it."
"How could you misinterpret something so horridly frank?" Arrowstar wailed. Jaggedbranch cringed, willing the leader to be quiet. The Clan was sleeping.
"StarClan often plays with words. However annoying, this can sometimes be... a comfort. They could be talking about... um... mice." Jaggedbranch avoided the leader's hurt blue gaze.
"Mice?! Impossible. This prophecy spells doom for all of the Clans!" Arrowstar began to pace. Jaggedbranch watched him, worry creasing his expression. "Who is the 'Silent One'?" Arrowstar demanded.
Jaggedbranch shrugged. "If I'd figured that out by now, I'd be the greatest medicine cat there ever was." Arrowstar cocked his head. "But I'm not. I'm just a mediocre former loner kit."
Arrowstar's stare hardened. "How can you say that? You were brought to WindClan before you were old enough to remember your own name."
"Nonetheless," Jaggedbranch sighed heavily. "I don't have pure blood."
Arrowstar narrowed his eyes. "What does that prove?"
"It proves that I will never be great," Jaggedbranch concluded.
Arrowstar gasped. "Tell that to Firestar!"
"Firestar? That old fool didn't know the first thing about leadership," Jaggedbranch scoffed, recalling several stories about the flame-colored leader.
"But he's a legend!" Arrowstar, clearly a Firestar fan, protested. Jaggedbranch narrowed his eyes.
"He's a fool who should have stayed inside of the fence."
Arrowstar also narrowed his eyes, his blue-yellow gaze hardening into a glare. "You are faithless, Jaggedbranch. Remember what good Firestar did for the Clans! He brought us to this lake. Without him, your paws would tread alone. You would be Clanless. Surely you don't want that?"
Jaggedbranch bristled, "Do not turn this on me, Arrowstar. Don't question my loyalty. Your claws could not slice deep enough to penetrate my loyalty in a thousand battles!"
"Battles are fought and lost, Jaggedbranch. Loyalty is forever."
"My point."
Arrowstar flicked his tail. "Enough bickering. We will discuss the prophecy with the Clan come morning." He began to pad back to his nest, but Jaggedbranch stepped forward.
"Not the entire Clan! Think of the innocent minds of the young!" Think of your kits! Wallowpaw, Shinepaw, and Burrpaw.
"The senior warriors, then."
Arrowstar nodded curtly, and Jaggedbranch understood that he had been dismissed. He lowered his head and backed out of the leader's den.
well that was pretty much really depressing stuff. sorry i saw a shakespeare play very recently and i'm in a weirdo mood. tell me what you thought anyway!