The Time of Three
By Lightkit
Hey all! I just got caught up in imagining what the time will be like, and BAM! The idea for this story was born! Lemme know if you like it! XD NO FLAMES! I'll use them to roast marshmallows…and maybe Mousefur…I don't know. XP
Oh, and FYI, I wrote this before I read Sunrise, so…yeah. Enjoy!
I don't own Warriors BTW...
The Time of Three
'Something's going to happen tonight. I can sense it,' Jayfeather thought. He was sitting calmly, waiting for Firestar and Leafpool to come out of Firestar's den.
"Ugh," Hollyleaf groaned, and paced in circles around her brother. "Great StarClan, what's taking them so long?" She sat down for a moment, then quickly got back up and started pacing again.
"Calm down, Hollyleaf!" Lionblaze rolled his eyes. He was sitting nearby, giving himself a thorough cleaning. "They won't let us be late for the Gathering." He narrowed his eyes, his paw held behind his ear. "I have a funny feeling about tonight."
That stopped Hollyleaf in her tracks. She turned toward her brothers, wide-eyed. "Really? You too? I've felt different since I woke up this morning for the dawn patrol." Hollyleaf looked straight into Jayfeather's blue eyes. "What about you, Jayfeather? Have you been feeling differently today?"
"Yes," He said simply. Turning his head to the rapidly darkening sky, Jayfeather closed his eyes and tried to contact Yellowfang, but all he could sense of her was a sense of preparation.
Hollyleaf and Lionblaze just kinda watched him, giving confused glances at one another throughout Jayfeather's entire exchange. When his jay blue eyes opened, Hollyleaf asked excitedly, "What happened? Did you get a sign?"
"They're…preparing for something," Jayfeather murmured. "I-I don't know what, but…"
"Alright ThunderClan!" Firestar had made his way over to the group of cats going to the Gathering while the three were talking. "Move out!" He and Leafpool lead the way, streaking out the entrance leaving the rest of the Clan to follow. The three ended up almost right behind Firestar and Leafpool as they crossed the WindClan border. Jayfeather pricked his ears to see if he could pick up any chatter between them, but both leader and medicine cat were silent. When he crossed their minds, dark swirling fog obscured his vision. Jayfeather pulled out with a snort, and focused on the journey to the island.
The rest of the way was uneventful. The crossing of the tree went smoothly (Jayfeather didn't stumble on his landing), and the full moon Gathering began quietly. But just as Leopardstar called to begin the Gathering, Hollyleaf felt something drawing her away. She tensed, keeping her gaze on Firestar. Lionblaze, who was sitting beside her, quickly noticed.
"What's wrong?" Lionblaze hissed quietly. "Why --?" Before he could finish, the same strange power washed over him. He understood then what was going on with Hollyleaf and dug his own claws into the ground. When he glanced to Jayfeather, who was sitting slightly away from the other medicine cats, he saw the tip of his tail disappear into the bushes. Tapping Hollyleaf with his tail, Lionblaze gave himself over to the power, and followed Jayfeather through the bushes.
Hollyleaf gave a final look at the leaders, and followed her brothers. As she slipped through the bushes, Hollyleaf noticed that they didn't make a sound. Confused, she walked on.
"Hey! Breezepelt!" Heathertail nudged him sharply. "Why are they leaving?" She pointed with her tail to Lionblaze as he slipped through the trees.
Breezepelt snorted. "Why should I care? They're not WindClan, so I don't have to save them from getting in trouble with their leader."
"Well, I'm going to find out!" Heathertail slipped silently through the crowd of cats. No cat noticed, as they were all intent on Leopardstar's talk. Breezepelt sighed, and followed Heathertail into the dark night.
Across the clearing, Flamepaw, Dawnpaw, and Tigerpaw would soon follow too. Flamepaw was the first to notice. "Hey! Dawnpaw, Tigerpaw! Where are they going?" He asked, pointing to Hollyleaf's tail disappearing into the bush.
"Let's follow them!" Dawnpaw whispered, excitedly thrashing her tail.
"Well, come on then!" Tigerpaw lead the way, sliding through the crowd on silent paws, Dawnpaw and Flamepaw hot on his tail.
Willowshine glanced over to glare at Jayfeather. She still hadn't gotten over the fact that he had been allowed to go to the Moonpool without his mentor while he was still an apprentice. But when she finally tore her gaze away from her leader, Jayfeather was no where to be seen. 'Where could he have gone to? The meeting's starting, he should be here!' she thought. It was then she noticed Hollyleaf slipping away into the bushes lining the edge of the clearing. 'Gotcha.' Willowshine narrowed her eyes and smirked. Glancing at Mothwing and the other medicine cats to make sure they weren't watching her, she silently slid backward until she could turn and pad through the bushes.
Back in the clearing…
"Prey is plentiful this season," Leopardstar announced. "StarClan has been merciful, and no cat has caught sickness. Two of our apprentices have been made into warriors, and we have a new litter of kits. RiverClan thrives." She stepped back and motioned for Firestar to step forward.
Firestar padded to the edge of the branch, balancing gracefully as he addressed the assembled cats. "ThunderClan is well too. The prey runs thickly in our forest. We have three new warriors; Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Cinderheart." ThunderClan let out yowls for their Clanmates, but when they looked around, only Cinderheart could be found. Firestar narrowed his eyes, but continued on. "StarClan grant that we continue to endure."
He stepped back, and Blackstar took his place. "ShadowClan lives well. We have many apprentices, and Dawnpaw, Flamepaw, and Tigerpaw are with us this Gathering." Yowls from ShadowClan began to circulate, as the three apprentices could not be found. They turned and began muttering amongst themselves. Blackstar showed nothing, but any cat could see that his eyes were smoldering with anger. "Prey is plentiful and we are thankful."
Onestar rose to his paws, and reported, "WindClan, too, has had no problems. Another litter of kits has been born, and Heathertail and Breezepelt have had their warrior ceremonies." When they could not be seen in the clearing, cats from all Clans finally noticed the disappearances. Onestar waved his tail for silence. "Where are Heathertail and Breezepelt?" he yowled.
"And my apprentices," Blackstar added, stepping forward into a patch of moonlight.
"Willowshine is gone as well," Mothwing called from where she sat.
"Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze have disappeared!" cried Squirrelflight. Panicked yowling broke out among the cats below and some dashed frantically around trying to catch a scent.
"They went this way!" some cat cried. The leaders dashed over, their medicine cats at their sides.
"Follow me, ThunderClan!" Firestar cried. The other leaders called out similar commands, and they padded out of the clearing.
---
Firestar burst out of the bushes, every cat from the gathering hard on his paws. He skidded to a halt, and, with much jostling, bumping, and cries of "Ouch!" and "Oops, sorry," everyone else stopped too. "What are you…" The words died in his throat as he looked at the scene in front of him, and suddenly he could barely move.
A spur of rock jutted out over the edge of the lake, ending at three points. Jayfeather sat facing the lake on the center spike, as were Hollyleaf and Lionblaze on his left and right respectively. At the base of the rock crouched Willowshine, Dawnpaw, Heathertail, Tigerpaw, Breezepelt, and Flamepaw. Their eyes glistened and reflected the stars in the sky as they looked up at the three ThunderClan cats on the rocks.
Back in the crowd, some cats began to mutter discontentedly to each other. The four leaders flicked their tails and all fell silent. That is, until Jayfeather, Hollyleaf, and Lionblaze began to glow.
The crowd of cats gasped, and their eyes went wide, wider than the full moon that shone from overhead. The three slowly looked up, and their fur began to glimmer with the light of stars and the air around them grew ever so slightly colder.
A pelt swished by Firestar's ear, and a sweet scent flowed around him. "Spottedleaf!" he gasped as the starry she-cat leaped past him onto the water. Similar cries began popping up everywhere.
"Crookedstar!" cried Leopardstar, as the previous RiverClan leader brushed past.
"Mudfur!" breathed Mothwing, watching her mentor pad by.
"Tallstar!" Onestar and Barkface cried out in joy.
"Nightstar," Blackstar called out to the old tom.
It seemed as though all of StarClan had come down to the lake that night, to briefly brush pelts with their loved ones before returning to the skies. Sootfur, Molepaw, and Rainwhisker slipped around their families before joining the ranks on the waters of the lake. Redtail touched noses with his daughter before leaving her to walk onto the water. Feathertail, Silverstream, and Stonefur padded forward long enough to touch noses with Graystripe and Mistyfoot, and then slipped back into the ranks of StarClan.
Then, slowly, the ranks parted, leaving a single glowing aisle in the middle. On either side of the glowing path, the most familiar faces waited and watched. Bluestar, Feathertail, Tallstar, Redtail, Spottedleaf, Rainwhisker, Lionheart, and Willowpelt were some of the faces on one side. On the other, if one looked, they could see Mudfur, Sootfur, Silverstream, Crookedstar, Nightstar, Molepaw, Whitestorm, and Yellowfang to name a few. Closest to the rocks were Spottedleaf and Yellowfang, their eyes sparkling, waiting, watching. Then, they spoke.
"Come, oh daughter of Frostfur, sister of Brackenfur, Thornclaw, and Brightheart," they chanted. "Though born once before, you come again to this world, to walk the path you could not. It is time to fulfill your purpose, and lead the three to their destiny!"
As though controlled by outside forces, the crowd of living cats parted, and the newly named Cinderheart strode through confidently. She called, "Come have I to guide the three. I will help them fulfill their destiny, as I fulfill mine!"
"Cinderheart?" Firestar asked incredulously. "What's going on?"
The gray she-cat turned her eyes to her leader. "I am not just Cinderheart," she said quietly. "My true name is Cinderpelt."
"Cinderpelt?!" Firestar cried. "But—how…?"
Cinderpelt brushed the tip of her tail across his muzzle, silencing him. "Now is not the time. You shall find out later. But now…" She turned back towards the lake and the waiting StarClan warriors. She padded out onto the glowing path, and turned around to face the living.
"It is time!" She cried. "Time for the three to take their places as the leaders of StarClan!" She padded up to the rock, and leaped lightly up to the tip of Hollyleaf's spur of rock. "I hail you, Hollyleaf, guardian of kits and queens! I hail you by your new name, Hollystar!"
"Hollystar, Hollystar." The name was caught by the winds and whisked around the island. Hollystar lifted her head and purred, loud and long. Muscles relaxed and eyelids lowered in bliss as the soothing sound washed over the Clans.
After the last note faded into the night, Cinderpelt leaped to the other side, and balanced before Lionblaze. "I hail you, Lionblaze, protector of warriors and elders! I hail you by your new name, Lionstar!"
"Lionstar, Lionstar." StarClan murmured their approval, and his name was carried on the breeze around the lake. He nodded to Cinderpelt, then rose to his paws and roared with all the strength of the ancient Clans. As it rumbled across the land, claws unsheathed and fur stood on end at the power it held.
Cinderpelt leaped up onto the final spike, landing just in front of Jayfeather. "I hail you, Jayfeather, mentor to medicine cats and leaders, guardian of all! I hail you by your new name, Jaystar!"
"Jaystar! Jaystar!" His name was cried out loudly, and Leafpool looked like she would burst with happiness. He nodded, and flicked his tail. Instantly, all aches and pains were washed away, however major or minor. Small injuries were healed, and scars were minimized, until you could barely see them.
Cinderpelt nodded to each of the new leaders of StarClan and leaped back down to the beginning of the starlit path. She cried, "From the barren moors, to the fish-filled lake; from the oaks and birches to the evergreen pines, we who have gone before grant you the guardianship of all life in the clans. Hail, Jaystar! Hail, Hollystar! Hail, Lionstar!"
All the Clans raised their voices. "Jaystar! Hollystar! Lionstar! Jaystar! Hollystar! Lionstar!"
"It is time for you to take your rightful place as leaders of StarClan with us in the skies." Cinderpelt meowed, blinking softly at the three. They nodded and leaped down from the rocks to the start of the shining path. Hollystar and Lionstar seemed to be unsure of whether they could walk on the starry water, but Jaystar padded right onto it, and Hollystar and Lionstar followed close behind.
As they passed each rank of StarClan, those cats crouched in respect. Firestar and the other leaders quickly followed suit, and all the living soon mirrored.
Jaystar, Hollystar, and Lionstar began to pad past faster and faster until they were running past. The ranks of StarClan followed in an arrow formation, each row longer than the last. The Three continued to run faster and faster up into the skies. Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
Wow, 6 pages. XD I must luv you guys so much. XP
So, what'd you think? I know I borrowed a few lines from the Magic Tree House series, but I don't own those either, happy? XP
Anyway, all reviews are appreciated, and I hope you enjoyed it.
Luv,
Lightkit