Prologue
The sun had barely started its climb over the horizon, leaving most of the sky still dark. Several stars were still visible, and the waning moon had already descended. Two cats – a large pale gray tabby tom and a black-and-white patched she-cat – were padding alongside each other slowly and steadily, step matching step. The tom's pale green eyes were fixed ahead, his tail swishing impatiently.
Their walk was in a cold and deafening silence, despite the wind whistling through the leaves of the oaks and the occasional rustle in the bushes. The patched she-cat mostly kept her gaze on the forest floor, but couldn't help herself to glance at the tom here and there. He never turned his head in her direction and simply padded on and on without a single word.
Eventually, the two reached the space where the deciduous trees grew into tall, great pines, and they stopped in unison at the tallest of them. The tabby curled at the roots of one of them, and the she-cat rested her head on her forepaws by him. Their eyelids lowered and closed as they began to dream.
The two cats found themselves standing on nothing other than a sky dotted with countless stars. The she-cat glanced all around, whereas the tom's face was blank, yet his fur flattened against his body in anticipation. The stillness in the air seemed to move on from their walk into their dream, until a slender tortoiseshell bounded in their direction.
"Willowstar!" the gray tom exclaimed as his eyes lit up. The new cat began to slow down, and stopped as she was right in front of him.
A purr rumbled in the throat of the tortoiseshell she-cat. "I hope you are just as excited to become leader as I was when I was in your position, Thislefoot."
"Will you be giving me one of my lives?" he asked with curiosity, perking his ears up, although the answer was quite obvious.
Willowstar nodded her head as she reached forward and touched her nose to the top of the tom's head. "With this life, I give you certainty. Use it well to push MudClan forward and to support it well."
As she stepped back, a wave of pain flooded over him, something that felt like teeth and claws sinking slowly into his pelt. The tabby tom winced as he wondered how much worse the other lives could be.
A small, pure white she-kit smiled softly as she padded toward the tom. His gaze softened as he bent his head down to level with her. "Frostkit," he purred. "I haven't seen you in so many moons."
The she-kit's tail swished in agreement. "Same to you, brother," she mewed. "I always thought you'd be able to become leader." She reached her head and touched noses with the tom. "With this life, I give you wisdom. Use it to find what is best for the Clan and to lead it well."
A hard jolt shook inside the tom, catching him by surprise. Frostkit padded to stand next to the former leader as a black tom stepped forward. Thistlefoot dipped his head in a mock formal greeting, and lifted his head to show a spark of amusement dancing in his eyes.
The dark-pelted cat mimicked the tabby's gesture as amusement flickered in his own dark blue eyes. "You know, I still would have made a much better leader than you."
The pale gray tom snorted, "I doubt it, Badgertail, even though you were a decent deputy to say at most."
Badgertail flicked his tail in disagreement as he touched his nose to the top of Thistlefoot's head. "With this life, I give you honesty. Nothing good comes out of lies, and everything good comes from the truth. Use this gift to give MudClan a strong foundation and keep it together."
A surge of strength rushed through the tabby's body for just a second before Badgertail took his place beside Frostkit and Willowstar. A lithe brown tabby she-cat padded toward the pale gray tom next, and he cocked his head to the side as confusion clouded his gaze.
"Who are you?" he asked curiously. The black-and-white she-cat to his left shook her head in disappointment, having recognized the brown cat already.
The brown tabby purred, "I don't suppose that your elders have ever told of a certain leader named Larkstar."
Thistlefoot blinked in realization and dipped his head in respect. "The elders of when I was a kit had told the stories of your deeds," he mewed politely. "It's an honor to meet you."
Larkstar shook her head, "I just did what I could for the Clan that you will be leading." She touched her nose to the tom's head. "With this life, I give you faith in StarClan. Your ancestors are always watching you and will be there to guide you if you let them."
The gray tabby began to nod, but a shove from nothingness cut him off and pushed at his side. He felt as if he should have collapsed to the ground, yet he managed to stand on all four paws. The lithe she-cat's green eyes reflected of memories of her own ceremony, but she stepped to the side.
A muscular dark gray tom with white paws approached next slowly. Thistlefoot put one paw forward toward the other tom, his green eyes filled with surprise and a hint of anger. "Bouldershade?" he murmured softly. "How did you make it to StarClan?"
Bouldershade lowered his head in uneasiness. "I still have faith in my ancestors, and they considered me as a warrior at heart, my son," he answered. His deep blue eyes lay on the pale gray cat as he padded closer. Touching his nose to Thistlefoot, he mewed, "With this life, I give you exploration beyond borders – "
"Of course you're giving me a life for that!" Thistlefoot interrupted rudely. "You were the one who abandoned your own son and Clan to live a life as a loner!" His tail lashed from side to side as his light green eyes narrowed. "Do you know how much it hurt? Do you even think about me?"
He flattened his ears to his head when Bouldershade's expression remained blank. "No, you didn't care whether you had one kit left. You didn't think about how much that last kit would wonder why his father left and how I had to face the other kits, apprentices, even warriors mocking me for your action. Why did you get your place among the stars?"
The previous life giver opened her mouth to answer, but closed it as she realized this situation didn't include her. Bouldershade sighed, "Thistlefoot, do you want to be a leader that had been given only eight lives?"
The pale gray tom blinked, caught off-guard by the question, but shook his head without a word. The father mewed, "Then let me give you this life of exploration beyond borders. There is much more to life than what is just inside your own territory, and there are many cats outside of them. Be sure to watch what's going on outside your own Clan, because there is much, much more that you haven't seen."
Thistlefoot stepped back from the thickset tom as a rush of energy flowed through him. Bouldershade padded and stood beside the others who had given lives. The dark gray tom turned his head away from the approaching cat. A calico she-cat walked into view, and sparks of joy replaced the anger and reluctance in Thistlefoot's eyes. "Mapleflower!" he called out.
The calico let a purr rumble deep in her throat and touched her nose to the tom's ear. "I'm sorry I couldn't have lived long enough to at least see you make it to apprenticeship," she whispered. "And if I lived, your father could have stayed to help raise you." With that, she sent a glare at Bouldershade.
Mapleflower continued, "With this life, I give you endurance. You've endured so much already, my son, and there will still be much more in store. Use it to help our Clan live through the tough times." She licked her grown kit's ear and stood next to her former mate unwillingly. A second surge of strength rushed through the pale gray tabby as his mother stepped away.
A bright ginger tabby tom padded forward, and Thistlefoot nodded curtly in greeting. "Firepaw," he mewed simply as greeting. "I'm sorry that you never could become medicine cat as you wished."
Firepaw shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "StarClan decided that it wasn't my fate." He touched his nose to Thistlefoot's. "With this life, I give you healing, whether emotionally, mentally, or physically. Use it not only to heal yourself but your Clanmates as well."
The life was much less powerful than the others and sparked warmness inside of Thistlefoot's heart. The apprentice took his place next to the others as a ragged smoky gray tom drew near. Thistlefoot cocked his head to the right. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"
The smoky gray cat answered calmly, "I am Stonefall, the first deputy of MudClan."
Thistlefoot nodded, recalling vaguely of the stories. Stonefall touched his muzzle to the gray tabby's head and mewed, "With this life, I give you honor. You will hold the honor and legacy of the Clan I helped establish. You must maintain our honor and dignity, for that is the heart of MudClan."
Strength seemed to flow through all of Thistlefoot's limbs as the ragged tom stood next to the deceased apprentice. A long-haired dark brown tom with small, stern amber eyes padded up next, and each of the other life givers dipped their heads in respect. Despite not recognizing the dark brown tom, he dipped his head in turn, as well as the black and white patched she-cat to his left.
"I am Mudstar, founder of MudClan," the long-haired tom introduced, and Thistlefoot's eyes widened in surprise. Padding nearer, and touching his muzzle to the gray tabby's head, he mewed, "With this life, I give you hope for the troubles ahead. Let hope burn like a fire in your heart and burn bright in the Clan."
Just as Mudstar had said, a fire seemed to ignite inside of him, burning him from the inside out. Thistlefoot gritted his teeth together to not yowl out, but saying that he was relieved when it was over was much an understatement.
Mudstar declared, "I hail you by your new name, Thistlestar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of MudClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."
The name Thistlestar echoed through the air among them, and Thistlestar couldn't feel happier to bear the name.
But the chants died and silenced as Mudstar raised his tail, a distant look in his eyes. "Thistlestar, you will be leading MudClan through its toughest seasons," he mewed. "You must be willing to accept the help of your ancestors in the upcoming moons to prevent the Clan from falling apart forever."
Thistlestar blinked and for the first time in the dream, glanced to the she-cat on his left. However, her eyes were just as wide with shock as his.
"As black clouds cover the moon, the heartless will rise to power." The sentence hung in the atmosphere for several moments, still as they wondered, and then just as Thistlestar blinked, he was back in reality.
A large, dark ginger tom rose to his paws opening his jaws in a wide yawn. He stood up and left his moss nest and warm den, padding outside to be greeted with a chilly breeze flowing by. He flattened his fur against his body for warmth and noted the activity around the clearing. Cats were grooming themselves, discussing matters with others, and all the usual actions.
The tom climbed up the oak tree from which his den was under, seating himself on a high branch. "Let all cats gather beneath the Oakbranch for a Pack meeting!"
Several aroused to seat themselves closer, whereas others remained in their spots but with their eyes fixed on the ginger. A scarred pitch black she-cat climbed up on the oak as well, taking her place beneath him.
He announced, "Our Pack must survive for generations to come, and to ensure that, I must have a second general, who will be…" The tom eyed all the cats in the Pack before continuing. "Shadow, please come up here next to me to see all the cats you will assist me in leading."
In all honesty, he didn't feel like he needed another to help him, yet it felt like it must be done. He motioned his left paw in a 'come' gesture to a black she-cat in the audience.
Her eyes gleamed with surprise for a moment, but dipped her head with respect and leaped onto the lowest branch. She stared down at the other cats, smiling wordlessly. A lithe gray she-cat beamed, excited for the new general, flicking her tail, but didn't dare interrupt the ceremony.
"I hope you serve the Pack well for the moons and seasons to come," he mewed with a small nod to Shadow. Looking back at the cats he led, he continued, "We all have been keeping a very close eye on the group living just across the river, and they are high in numbers. They prove to practice hunting and fighting, functioning much like the Pack. And we all know what happens when we see potential enemies."
The scarred she-cat below him yowled, "It is about time that we take them down. They shall see that the Pack will never let any cat get away!"
Cheers erupted from the audience, and then the dark ginger tom raised his tail for silence. "Are there any more questions?"
"When will we attack?" a small cream tom asked, his tail swishing in anticipation.
A wicked smirk tugged at the leader's muzzle. "When they are unprepared and surprised, we will strike," he growled, "guaranteeing surrender."
ALLEGIANCES
MudClan
Leader: Thistlestar - large pale gray tabby tom with pale green eyes
Deputy: Thornstrike - golden-brown tom with dark amber eyes
Medicine Cat: Blossomcloud - black-and-white patched she-cat with light amber eyes (Apprentice, Briarpaw)
Warriors: Boulderfrost - silver tom with blue eyes
Hawkclaw - dark brown tabby with white paws and green eyes (Apprentice, Brackenpaw)
Waterlily - white she-cat with cream patches and amber eyes
Shadeheart - black she-cat with green eyes
Flamepelt - ginger tom with white muzzle and green eyes (Apprentice, Molepaw)
Hollycloud - dark gray she-cat with sky blue eyes (Apprentice, Berrypaw)
Patchstorm - large white tom with black patches and yellow eyes
Riversplash - dappled brown-and-black she-cat with white parts and blue eyes
Brindleleaf - dark tortoiseshell she-cat with bright green eyes
Dappledflower - light gray spotted tabby she-cat
Gorseheart - long-haired dark gray tom with blue eyes (Apprentice, Lilypaw)
Sparrowsong - reddish-brown tabby she-cat with cream chest fur and underbelly, former kittypet
Oakthorn - lithe dark brown tom with blue eyes
Feathercloud - pale gray tabby she-cat with darker stripes, white paws, and leaf-green eyes
Apprentices: Briarpaw - brown broken mackerel tabby she-cat with green eyes, training to be medicine cat
Lilypaw - light gray tabby she-cat with white chest fur, underbelly, and dark blue eyes
Molepaw - dark ginger tabby tom with green eyes
Brackenpaw - dusty brown tom with amber eyes
Berrypaw - brown tabby with amber eyes
Queens: Sandcloud - slender light ginger tabby she-cat with icy-blue eyes; mother to Grasskit (cream tom)
Frostflower - light brown-and-white patched she-cat with dark green eyes; mother to Heatherkit (light ginger she-kit), Dustkit (dark brown tabby tom), Doekit (pale brown and white she-kit)
Elders: Marshtail - ragged dark gray tom with stubby tail
Brightblossom - bright ginger tabby she-cat with light green eyes
Cloudfall - pure white tom with bright blue eyes, born deaf
The Pack
Leader: Lucifer - scarred dark ginger tom with dark amber eyes
Generals: Midnight - scarred pitch black she-cat with
Shadow - scarred jet black she-cat with white chest fur and bright green eyes
Defenders: Lark - dark tortoiseshell she-cat with dark amber eyes
Starling - black-and-gray mottled she-cat with amber eyes (Learner, Branch)
Thrush - dark gray tom with black stripe down his back and bright blue eyes (Learner, Leaf)
Patch - light brown-and-cream patched tom with amber eyes
Claw - scarred dark ginger tabby tom with lighter paws and green eyes (Learner, Ash)
Cinder - black she-cat with green eyes (Learner, Snake)
Pigeon - silver tabby she-cat with white paws and blue eyes
Dove - black-and-white patched she-cat with blue eyes
Smoke - lithe gray she-cat with yellow eyes
River - brown tabby tom with cream paws and green eyes
Scouts: Raven - black tom with white chest fur, underbelly, paws, and blue eyes (Learner, Oak)
Viper - lithe light ginger tabby tom with dark green eyes
Flame - bright ginger tabby tom with lighter paws and green eyes
Dust - pale brown mottled she-cat with amber eyes
Spark - light ginger spotted tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Learners: Branch - dark brown mackerel tabby tom with green eyes
Leaf - light brown tabby she-cat with white paws, muzzle, and bright green eyes
Ash - gray she-cat with darker stripe down her back and blue eyes
Oak - light brown mackerel tabby tom with dark green eyes
Nursing Cats: Mist - white she-cat with black patches and blue eyes, mother to Thrush's kits: Magpie (white she-cat) and Eagle (dark gray tom)
Poppy - slender dark ginger tabby she-cat with white chest fur and green eyes
Stream - pale gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes, expecting River's kits
Prisoners: Kestrel - long-haired pale cream she-cat with scarred amber eyes, blinded
Pineheart - cream tabby tom with amber eyes, formerly of MudClan
The Haven
Leader: Lion - golden tabby tom with blue-green eyes
Travelers: Gale - cream tom with white chest fur, paws, tail tip, and blue eyes
Dusk - dark gray tom with darker flecks and amber eyes
Learners: Sage - black she-cat with dark green eyes
This was once an idea for a roleplay that I had, but when I reloaded, my progress was deleted. This is the third rewrite of the prologue and by far my favorite out of them all, but I want to hear what you think of it so far! I love earning seeing feedback and critique to improve.
For the first time, I'm going to do a Question of the Day (QotD): Which life-giver seems to be closest in relation to Thistlestar?
Remember, the follow, favorite, and review buttons all adore you!
Signing out,
~Lauren
