A/N Hello everyone! This is my first ever fan fiction, it takes place in the old forest, some time between the exile of SkyClan and "The Prophecies Begin". I'm not sure how often I'm going to update...once a week possibly? I guess it depends on how the first few chapters go. So here is ThunderClan and the prologue, I will fill out the other clans eventually. Constructive criticism is accepted and encouraged, and I hope you enjoy! I also don't own anything.
Allegiances
ThunderClan:
Leader: Snowstar - huge white tom with fluffy white fur and blue eyes
Deputy: Brightdawn - brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Medicine cat: Gorsepelt - grey and white tom with spiky fur and blue eyes. Greying around the muzzle
Apprentice: Mistwhisker - small tabby tom with yellow eyes
Warriors:
Darkfoot - large dark grey tom with green eyes and black paws
Apprentice: Gingerpaw
Swiftclaw - black and white mottled she-cat with amber eyes and short hair
Longear - tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes and large ears
Apprentice: Hawkpaw
Cloudstripe - large black tom with a large white stripe down his sides and ice blue eyes
Leafpelt - tan tom with yellow eyes and long claws
Apprentice: Fernpaw
Stoneheart - thin grey tabby tom with amber eyes
Pinefur - orange and white she-cat with yellow eyes
Lilystep - white she-cat with green eyes
Apprentice: Greypaw
Apprentices:
Gingerpaw - lithe ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes
Hawkpaw - grey tabby tom with amber eyes
Fernpaw - small tortoiseshell she cat with green eyes
Greypaw - extremely pale grey tom with yellow eyes
Queens:
Brambleberry - small ginger she cat with green eyes
Duskfur - black she cat with green eyes
Elders:
Half-foot - brown tabby tom with amber eyes and a mangled fore-paw, a result of a dog bite
Ambertail - brown tabby she-cat with yellow eyes and a long brown tail
Smoke-eyes - dark grey tom with blue cloudy eyes
Prologue:
The half-moon shone high above the windswept entrance to the Mothermouth. Although new-leaf had begun to take hold, the harsh cold of leaf-bare still had a grip on the night. Mistpaw could hardly feel the cold, however. Tonight was the night that he would receive his full medicine cat name! He thought his pelt might burst from excitement. He sensed that the other medicine cats could tell, as they kept shooting him amused glances when he shifted his paws impatiently. Even his mentor, Gorsepelt, who always tried to remain stoic among the company of other cats, could not help and shoot an approving glance down at him. Can we get on with this already? Mistpaw thought ruefully to himself. As if Gorsepelt had read his mind, he signaled to the other medicine cats with his tail and led the way into the cavern. Mistpaw followed, and although he had been through this passage many times before, he began to feel as though the passage would go on forever. Hurry up Gorsepelt! Don't you know that time is of the essence? Eventually, after what seemed like moons, the group of medicine cats entered the center cavern and gathered around the moonstone. When everyone had settled, Gorsepelt motioned for silence among the gathered cats, and began the ancient ritual that Mistpaw longed to hear.
"I, Gorsepelt, medicine cat of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat, and with your help he will serve his Clan for many moons. Mistpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"
Mistpaw's throat felt as if he had just swallowed sand, but forced himself to croak out the words, "I do".
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as a medicine cat. Mistpaw, from this moment you will be known as Mistwhisker. StarClan honors your spirit, kindness and heart, and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of ThunderClan."
As if the conclusion of the ceremony was a signal, as soon as Gorsepelt finished, moonlight struck the Moonstone and lit the cavern up with a dazzling white light.
"Mistwhisker!" "Mistwhisker!" "Mistwhisker!"
The four other cats chanted his name, and Mistwhisker felt as though he was floating on clouds. This is what I've always dreamed of!
When the chanting died down, Gorsepelt approached him, and with a look of pure happiness and pride in his blue eyes, asked, "Are you ready to meet with StarClan as a full medicine cat?"
Mistwhisker couldn't find the words so he just nodded vigorously.
"Well, let's not keep them waiting."
Gorsepelt went to lay with the dazzling white of the Moonstone, and Mistwhisker lay beside him. Although he had been here many times, the sheer cold of the stone still startled him as he lay down to sleep.
Mistwhisker's eyes flew open when he felt himself being buffeted by a heavy wind. He was in the clearing at Fourtrees. The leafless branches of the trees were swaying dangerously, as if they would snap any minute. Clouds swirled in the dark sky above him and blocked out the sky. There were no cats of StarClan present, but when Mistwhisker looked around, he saw Gorsepelt a few tail lengths away. He had a look of confusion and surprise when he saw Mistwhisker.
"What's going on?" Mistwhisker had to call loudly to Gorsepelt, the wind threatened to swallow his voice as soon as it came out.
"I'm not sure." Returned Gorsepelt, "I've never shared a dream with StarClan and another cat before!"
Then, without warning, the wind stopped. The four trees came to rest, and everything went quiet. Mistwhisker looked up to notice the clouds had dissipated and a row of stars began to dance down from the dark sky. Before he could gather himself, they were surrounded by the ranks of StarClan. Mistwhisker felt an uncountable number of eyes gazing at him and Gorsepelt. Then, a single cat stepped forward. She was a black she-cat, and her green eyes blazed with an intensity that Mistwhisker was not accustomed to. She looked unfamiliar to Mistwhisker, and she looked as though she had been residing in StarClan for some time. He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it. She began speaking, but the sound didn't seem to originate from her mouth, but from the mouths of every cat in the clearing, from the trees, and from the sky. The voice said, "Under the sky containing a falling light, you must mold the stars to ensure that they do not go dark forever."
Mistwhisker woke with a jump. What did the starry cats mean? How could he, or anyone mold the stars? Gorsepelt had awaked as well and when Mistwhisker rose to his paws, Gorsepelt rushed over, confusion clouding his gaze.
"What could that have been about? What did StarClan mean?" Mewed Mistwhisker.
It took Gorsepelt a while to answer, and when he did, Mistwhisker could tell that he was not confident in what he was saying. "I-I'm not sure, Mistwhisker. But I think that when we return to camp we must try to figure this out. I believe StarClan has sent us an omen."
The journey home was long and tiring. Mistwhisker's mind raced with thoughts of his strange dream, and his paws felt as though they wouldn't carry him anymore, but he kept padding along. When the other medicine cats departed at Fourtrees, the sun was beginning to set. They padded in silence until they were illuminated from a streaking light across the sky.
"Do you thin-" Mistwhisker could not even get his question out before Gorsepelt streaked off towards camp.
"Hurry!" He called behind him, "This could be what StarClan warned us about!"
The two medicine cats raced towards camp, but as they approached the ravine, they heard something that made Mistwhisker's blood turn to ice. A low, painful yowl carried from down below, and as the two cats made their way down the ravine and into camp they saw Cloudstripe pacing outside of the nursery. He rushed over to Gorsepelt.
"My kits! Duskfur is having my kits! You have to help her!" Cloudstripe yowled, his blue eyes flashing with panic.
"Calm yourself Coudstripe," Gorsepelt meowed calmly as he walked towards the nursery.
"Mistwhisker! Fetch me borage and thyme leaves from the stores and meet me in the nursery!"
Mistwhisker dashed to the fern tunnel and into the medicine den. He went to the store and found only a few dried leaves and stems. They had not been able to go look for more with the cold of leaf-bare hanging around. "These will have to do." He muttered to himself. He rushed into the nursery to find Gorsepelt placing his paws on Duskfur's belly. Brightdawn was by her side. Of course, Mistwhisker thought to himself, Brightdawn has kits of her own, she would know how to help.
When Mistwhisker entered, the deputy nodded slipped out of the den.
"What should I do?" Mistwhisker asked, feeling cramped in the small space.
"Be ready, the kit is almost here!" Gorsepelt growled, "One more push Duskfur!"
With a low moan that quickly turned into a harsh screech, Duskfur shuddered and a small bundle of fur came out. Mistwhisker nipped the membrane sac surrounding the kit and began to lick it vigorously. Its head was completely white, and jet black everywhere else.
"It's a tom!" Mistwhisker mewed triumphantly. He looked up and was confused when no one seemed to share his enthusiasm. Then, he noticed the blood. "Is...is she...dead?" Mistwhisker could hardly get the question out. She can't be, he thought, fear rising in his stomach.
"No, but...she has lost so much blood, she does not have much time before she goes to hunt with StarClan" Gorsepelt mewed, sounding sad, but resigned.
He's seen this before, Mistwhisker thought.
"Fetch Cloudstripe" Gorsepelt mewed. "Now."
Numbly, he walked outside where Cloudstripe was waiting impatiently.
"Mistwhisker! How is-" He stopped. Seeing the look on Mistwhisker's face, he dashed into the den. Mistwhisker followed behind, and heard Cloudstripe gasp, and then meow softly, "Duskfur, hold on, everything is going to b-"
"No, my love" she interrupted him, her mew sounded weak. "I must leave you to join our ancestors in the stars" she raised her tail to silence Cloudstripe before he could speak, her green eyes revealing more love than she could express with any words. Not just for Cloudstripe, but for her new born kit. "This kit...born under a shooting star...the last thing that I see before joining StarClan...I wish to name him...Starkit."