I'm not really sure how to start this author's note XD.
Anyway, here's my disclaimer: I don't own Warriors! And while I mentioned no names in the first part of this chapter... I was writing about cats that are ALSO owned by Erin Hunter.
Now that we're done stating the obvious... On with the chapter!
(but before that I have to mention that I did indent every paragraph... it just wouldn't show up on Doc Manager D: And there might be a couple of other formatting errors.)
(And before anyone says anything... Blackwhisker counted a tribe as a clan, but I don't).
We're fading," A blue-grey she-cat sighed dispiritedly.
Her ginger companion nodded wordlessly.
"We have to do something," A mottled brown tabby she-cat snapped, "Skyclan can't be destroyed again!" Her amber eyes burned with fury.
"And you think I want Thunderclan destroyed!? There's nothing we can do," snapped the fourth cat, a dark brown tabby tom.
"This is your clan's fault," the cat who had spoken out for Skyclan jabbed an accusing forepaw at another tabby, nearly identical to the former Thunderclan leader.
"All the clans are starving. Shadowclan is doing what is best for itself. If Skyclan would just accept the fact that it cannot remain neutral, maybe they could save themselves!" He growled defensively.
"We're fading," The blue-grey she-cat repeated, captivated by the translucence of her paws. No cat responded, but the ginger tom shifted his forepaws uneasily, and the other leaders shared disheartened glances.
A misty grey she-cat spoke up, "I'm sure that there is something we can do. Have we not guided the clans for countless moons? We must send a sign. There lies our duty."
For a moment, there was silence. The breeze whispered softly, murmuring inaudibly as it ruffling each cat's fur. The group was left to contemplate its options. As the blue-grey she-cat had pointed out, the leaders were hardly more than a wisp of colour, waiting to be erased by time. If they were going to act, it had to be soon.
Finally, it was the ginger tom that broke them out of their speculations. His leaf-green eyes reflected sunlight in way that made him appear more concrete than the others. He had yet to be forgotten, a fact that had not escaped the attention of the others. "No."
The former warriors blinked in surprise.
"The Thunderclan meddler wants us to remain silent. I didn't see that one coming," The Shadowclan cat muttered, "Speaking of Thunderclan, why are there three of you here?"
The remarks fell on deaf ears."We have given out countless prophecies, each warning the clans in times of great danger. I more than any cat know that they have a great impact."
The blue-eyed she-cat lifted her gaze from her paws as he spoke. The memories associated with his words had brought a somewhat darker sheen back to her pelt.
"But..." she urged him on.
"But, if there is one thing that I have learned, purely from observation, it is that the clans only ever make sense of our signs after a disastrous sequence of events has already been unleashed." The flame-pelted tom finished.
The mottled brown she-cat lashed her tail angrily, but the Riverclan leader saw sense in his words, "Even if they deciphered it on time, I fear it is too late to sway the clans from their path."
"So, what can we do?"
"We're going to have to use an old trick of the Dark Forest's," The ginger tom's words made a few of the cats recoil, but his former mentor bowed her head proudly.
"What!? Care to elaborate?"
Above the hill, far enough to be out of sight, five cats, the first of leaders, gazed down at their descendants pensively.
Lightning flashed overhead, momentarily illuminating the Warrior's den. A heartbeat passed before thunder rumbled, drowning out all other sounds as it drummed and echoed throughout the hollow with heart-stopping intensity. Greyfeather muttered a curse as she was roused from her state of half-awareness. It felt like the storm had been going on forever.
She sat up in her nest, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. None of the others had stirred, she noted with a hint of surprise.
If she squinted, she could make out a small puddle of water near the center of the den. It brushed the pelts of the eldest warriors, fed by a steady stream of water that ran down the trunk of the bracken bush within which they sheltered. Luckily, her own nest had been spared, and it lay intact, if not slightly bedraggled, beneath her paws.
She nearly did a double-take as her attention was drawn once more to the puddle. Not a single spot of black or grey could be seen amongst the patchwork of ginger, brown, and white pelts. Both Blackwhisker and Cinderfoot were missing from the crowd of senior warriors. Why would any cat go out in this weather?
Her whisker twitched with amusement as she thought of Birdeye and Leaffang. Fireflight had assigned them to guard duty moments before the beginning of the rainshower. Only mildly concerned, she turned to settle back into her nest. She would question her parents' whereabouts in the morning.
Mere moments after she settled down, she flicked her ear irritably as she was forced to wrench her tail out from underneath some cat's paw. Cinderfoot? No, this cat's fur is darker. Ashwhisker? The presence lingered as she shifted, practically holding its breath. She forced herself to lie still, and waited for what felt like an eternity before the distant squelch of mud indicated that the cat was gone.
Her muscles, still sore from training with the apprentices, screamed in protest as she lifted herself to her paws. Evidently, I won't be able to rest any time soon. Her littermate's scent still hovered beside her long after he had departed. First Blackwhisker and Cinderfoot, then Ashwhisker. Who's next? Sootflare? Is there some sort of family gathering I haven't been invited to?
Stretching, she yawned. She knew she should be minding her own business, but curiosity overtook her morals, and she found herself fluffing her fur out against the rain as she headed towards the camp's secondary entrance.
A miserable-looking Leaffang intercepted her, "You too? I swear to Starclan, you must all have a death wish going out in this weather." His eyes were narrowed slightly, suspicion glimmering in their icy depths.
Greyfeather answered with an honest smile, because the golden tabby had provided her with all the information that she needed, "So they did come this way."
Leaffang blinked, his expression guarded, "Yes. They were heading towards the old twoleg path."
"They were?"
"And you're going to follow them?" the young warrior mewed dryly.
"Maybe," Greyfeather shrugged.
"I was told not to let cats out. The storm could get worse. Heatherstar will not be happy," he warned, still standing in her way.
"Leaffang," she growled, lashing her tail, "If you don't move, I will sneak out."
A heavy sigh was enough to indicate her victory.
"Just be back by dawn," the blue-eyed tom relented hesitantly, shaking his fur out with something akin to anger etched in his features.
Her grin widened, and she raced out to the forest, struggling to find paw holds in the mud. Weaving past bushes and diving through hollow logs, she kept pace until she reached the overgrown path, where she paused, trying to catch a whiff of Ashwisker's scent. Finding none, she decided to follow the trail to the abandoned twoleg den. 'House', as Reedfur put it.
Now that she took the time to catch her breath, she was acutely aware of the rain beating down on her, and the proximity of old trees that were sure to attract lightning like magnets. She was completely soaked by the time she reached the dilapidated structure.
Dropping into a crouch, she crept closer, keeping to the treeline. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Blackwhisker pacing restlessly. Clearing a patch of bracken, Greyfeather could get a better view of the scene. Cinderfoot was shivering, seated a few tail-lengths away from her mate. Her gaze was distant, as though she was waiting for something-or someone, to appear. Probably Ashwhisker. The dark grey tabby was nowhere in sight.
The she-cat hesitated. If Ashwhisker was somewhere else, perhaps there was nothing to be worried about. After all, it wasn't particularly out of the ordinary to find her parents out on a rainy night. 'You aren't made of pine sap' They'd snap when she complained about the weather.
Shaking herself out, the pale grey warrior ignored her reluctance and padded out into the open. Both of her elders snapped to attention as soon as they caught sight of her.
"Thank Starclan!" Cinderfoot hurried over, burying her nose in her daughter's fur. When the queen took a step back, there was confusion glittering in her eyes. A frown lingered on her face as Blackwhisker joined them.
"Sootflare," He greeted gruffly.
Greyfeather tried not to look too surprised. They think I'm my sister... We don't even have the same fur colour! She silently thanked the rain and mud for dissimulating her black forepaws and darkening her fur. If there wasn't anything weird going on before, there definitely is now! Starclan, let me get to the bottom of this. She nodded, albeit slightly guiltily. She unsure of what to reply, but her father's attention had already shifted.
"There's something we need to tell you," he confessed.
"You don't say," she murmured. She was running out of patience. The gathering had already kept her up all too long. Talk already!
"There are other clans," Cinderfoot finally began.
"Of course there are other clans! I don't need a history lesson!" Greyfeather snapped.
"We don't mean those clans," Cinderfoot growled, cuffing her over the ears. She felt her mouth go dry.
Blackwhisker must have taken her silence as an invitation to continue, "Four, to be exact."
Greyfeather finally found her words, "And you're sure you aren't still talking about the other four lake clans?"
"Not unless their names are Ivyclan, Fireclan, and the Snow Tribe" Cinderfoot retorted, glaring at her. She had always been known for her short temper.
Unfortunately, Sootflare had inherited none of said temperment, and if she was to keep her cover, Greyfeather would have to hold her tongue. But I have to say something! The decision was taken for her, because before she had the time to speak, the bushes rustled. Fear sparking in his eyes, her father mewed hurriedly, "Just follow the setting sun to sundrownplace. From there you can keep travelling along the shore, as far north as you can go before you reach the river. Ivyclan should be there."
"I..." I'm not even Sootflare. She swallowed back the words, "What are you talking about?" she laughed uneasily instead. "Why would I...?"
"To get their help," Cinderfoot answered earnestly.
"Before Shadowclan can," Blackwhisker added.
"I thought we were allied with Shadowclan!" Greyfeather took a step back, "You've lost it. I'll... I'll fetch Poppywing." I don't think there are any herbs to cure insanity.
"Allies don't destroy one another," Cinderfoot's strangled yowl echoed around the clearing as Greyfeather turned away.
"They'll try to take over Thunderclan."
"With an imaginary cat army?"
"I'm not delusional, Greyfeather." She froze. That explains why she seemed confused when she greeted me! My scent must have given me away.
"They already have rogues, and Windclan, on their side!" her mother insisted.
"So ally with Riverclan! Or Skyclan, " Greyfeather shot back warily.
"Good idea," Ashwhisker purred from behind her. Startled, she turned to face him as he spoke, "At least it would be if not for Skyclan's wish to remain neutral and Riverclan's weakness."
"Not you too," Greyfeather buried her face into her tail. How did he manage to sneak up on me?
The dark grey tabby shook his head, "I have a very different point of view. Heatherstar has long since conceded that we had to ally with Shadowclan. It was necessary."
Greyfeather bit down on her tongue.
"We can't afford any traitors," her brother went on, "Shadowclan will crush us at the slightest hint of rebellion. We had to trade our fate." he rambled on. "This storm has been brewing ever since Skyclan joined the lake! The last straw was the expansion of twolegplace. It hindered us. We were no longer able to extend any of our borders to accommodate more cats."
"What are you implying?" She managed to choke out.
"That Skyclan must be the first to go." He unsheathed his claws, casting her an apologetic glance, "Skyclan and any traitors."
"We have to save Thunderclan."
This is madness.
Feel free to send in OCs, and please review!
And if you absolutely hated everything I just wrote, review anyway! XD. (constructive criticism is always welcome, I'm here to improve).
And here's a (very unoriginal because I had no clue what to ask) QotD: What do you think Starclan is going to do?
I feel like I'm forgetting to mention something... Oh well.
(I'll try to update every week)