Cloud climbed up the tree and into his nest. When he first arrived in the forest by the Housefolk area, he took a liking to the trees. Even though other cats thought he was weird, Cloud felt safe up in the trees. The white tom looked up at the stars before falling asleep in his cozy nest.
He was dreaming about catching a mouse. Suddenly, a black tom with white socks appeared. The mouse that Cloud had been chasing ran into a small hole in the ground. "You made me lose the mouse!" Cloud snapped at the stranger. The black tom didn't move. "Are you gonna say something or what?" Cloud growled.
"My name is Shadowfur." The tom replied. "I am a StarClan cat." "A StarClan cat? What does that mean?" Cloud asked. "There is a forest, far from here. In this forest, four clans of cats live. When they die, they join their warrior ancestors in StarClan." Shadowfur began.
"So I'm being lectured by a dead cat?" Cloud meowed. Shadowfur nodded. Shadowfur began to walk away. "Come back!" Cloud yelled, running after the mysterious cat. He jumped through bushes to catch up. "Ouch!" He yowled when a branch hit him hard on the head.
"Shadowfur! Where are you?" Cloud called out. He stopped running and looked around. Cloud took a deep breath. He was in an unfamiliar forest. There were lots of trees and there was a mountain close by. "This way!" Cloud heard Shadowfur call. He followed his voice and found the black tom in a little valley. "This is Star Valley. The four clans meet here every full moon for Gatherings. On those nights, there is a peace between the clans." Shadowfur meowed as Cloud walked up to him. "So why am I here?" Cloud asked.
"I told you before about the four clans who live here, right?" Shadowfur replied. Cloud nodded. "Well, one of the clans, StoneClan, was destroyed." Shadowfur meowed. "Destroyed?" Cloud exclaimed. "How?" Shadowfur sighed. "Over time the clan lost many of its warriors. Eventually the clan was too small to keep going and the remaining cats joined the other three clans or left to become rogues. StoneClan was gone." Shadowfur said.
"So what does this have to do with me?" Cloud asked. "You are destined to bring the clan back to the forest, Cloud." Shadowfur replied. "Why me?" Cloud exclaimed. "Your mother was just a kit when StoneClan separated. She and her mother went to live as rogues. They were two of the four cats who left to live as rogues. You are the only rogue left with StoneClan blood." Shadowfur explained. "What about those cats who joined the other clans? Why can't they fix StoneClan?" Cloudtuft questioned. Shadowfur sighed. "Only two of the six StoneClan cats are still alive. The two remaining cats very old and would be unable to do it." He said.
"You are the only cat strong enough to reform StoneClan." Cloud sat in silence for a minute. Was he really going to leave his life behind so he could help save cats he never knew? "Cloud, the choice is yours." Shadowfur meowed. Cloud looked at Shadowfur. He sighed. "How can I help? I don't know where to start or how to get here." Cloud said. "Do you see that mountain?" Shadowfur pointed to the mountain Cloud saw before. The white tom nodded. "You can see the top of the mountain from the trees of your forest. If you head towards the mountain, you'll find your way to the territory." Shadowfur meowed. "How will I find members to join me?" Cloud asked. "You know there are other cats who live by you. You can start there." The black tom told him. "It is time for me to go." "You can't leave now!" Cloud insisted, but it was too late. Shadowfur was gone and Cloud had already awoken. The sun was already rising. "Well, I guess I better get started."
I hope you guys are excited for this story. Sorry for not posting anything in a week. I've been busy with break. I will be posting a new chapter for Prophecy of War tomorrow! Shade's Exile is still being written. If you have any suggestions, tips, or questions, don't be afraid to tell me! Thanks for reading!