...
Oh, hi.
Sorry for procrastinating...again...
Don't worry, it's not the writing I'm procrastinating, it's the uploading.
Cats and Clans
MeadowClan
Leader: Nightstar - handsome black tom with ice blue eyes (Mate: Blossomheart)
Deputy: Breezefur - dark grey she-cat with violet eyes (App. Icepaw)
Medicine Cats: Mintfur - pretty fawn tabby she-cat with emerald-green eyes (App. Duskpaw)
Warriors:
Grassheart - mottled brown she-cat (Mate: Branchwing; App. Mistpaw)
Branchwing - dusty brown tom (Mate: Grassheart)
Treeheart - bark brown tom with amber eyes (Mate: Berrytail)
Finchtail - brown tabby tom (Mate: Honeypelt)
Berrytail - lilac she-cat
Darkpelt - chocolate brown tabby tom
Aspenclaw - mottled brown tom
Berrysplash - golden tabby tom with a splash of russet on back
Rockclaw - brown tabby tom with very tall ears
Flamecloud - ginger tom with a very bad ego
Grass - marbled cinnamon tabby with copper eyes
Honeypelt - honey-brown she-cat (Mate: Finchtail)
Inventors:
Blossomheart - light tortoiseshell she-cat with blossom-shaped splotches and light green eyes
Snowpelt - whitish tabby tom (Mate: Mallowleaf)
Dawnstrider - brown she-cat with russet paws
Greystorm - grey tabby tom with white flecked fur
Apprentices:
Mistpaw - blue-grey she-cat
Icepaw - light silver tabby she-cat tinted with blue and bright periwinkle eyes
Duskpaw - pretty tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with intense emerald green eyes (Med)
Queens:
Heatherfur - lilac she-cat with violet eyes, mother of Lionstar's kits: (Flowerkit - pretty tortoiseshell she-kit and Nutkit - chestnut brown she-kit, and Leafkit - brown tabby tom with green eyes) All three kits very close to becoming apprentices.
Mallowleaf - pale lilac she-cat with a sweet scent, mother of Snowpelt's kits: (Aspenkit - brown she-kit with darker flecks, Smokekit - smoky grey tom, and Skykit - light blue-grey she-kit; and Burnkit - flame pelted tom (Cherryleaf's kit) All four kits close to becoming apprentices.
Elders:
Swiftstripe - black tom with white stripes
Greenleap - mottled grey tom with green eyes
Mossflower - tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes
OwlClan
Leader: Needlestar - black, yellow, and white tom
Deputy: Darkfur - dark brown tabby tom
Medicine Cats:
Honeytail - cream she-cat
Marshnose - dull brown and red tom
Warriors:
Birdfang - blue-grey tom
Shadowfeather - black she-cat (App. Spottedpaw - mottled blue-grey she-cat)
Tinyflower - small black and brown she-cat
Blacktail - black tom with a white ear
Flysong - mottled brown she-cat
Whitenose - white tom
Scratchtail - tabby tom (App. Blackpaw - jet black tom)
Inventor Cats:
Fernleaf - smart calico she-cat
Skyear - light blue tom (App. Mudpaw - brown tom)
Queens:
Beeberry - pretty, plump black and white she-cat; mother to Birdfang's kits (Snakekit - dull tabby tom with a snake green tinge, Toadkit - mottled brown tom, Ferretkit - brown and white she-kit, and Whitekit - white tom with a black ear)
Elders:
Tangleclaw - golden brown tabby tom
Mangotail - light tabby she-cat
LakeClan
Leader: Streamstar - blue-grey she-cat
Deputy: Troutstrike - silver tabby tom
Medicine Cat: Splashleaf - mottled gray she-cat
Inventor Cat(s):
Pikefoot - grumpy brown tom
Warriors:
Seasong - tabby she-cat
Shellfur - cream tom
Riverlight - pretty silver tabby she-cat
Watertail - white tom
Snowpetal - white-and-cream she-cat
Minnowstripe - fawn tom with amber eyes
Peachfeather - tabby she-cat
Duckclaw - light tabby tom
Queens:
Swanbreeze - pure white she-cat with light blue eyes; mother to Shellfur's kits (Growlkit - fawn tom who growls a lot and Cloudkit - white she-kit)
Cloverfur - lilac she-cat; mother to Troutstrike's kits (Podkit -chocolate pelted tom, Frecklekit - lilac tabby she-kit, Mudkit - brown tabby she-kit, and Nightkit - black tabby she-kit)
Elders:
Weedclaw - tortoiseshell tom
Cloudfur - white she-cat with one eye
Reddawn - red tabby she-cat with one missing leg
Pebblefoot - long haired gray tom
StormClan
Leader: Lichenstar - mottled grey tom
Deputy: Brackenbark - golden brown tabby tom
Medicine Cats:
Yellowleaf - tabby she-cat
Lightshine - light tortoiseshell she-cat
Inventors:
Hazelstripe - hazel colored she-cat (App. Starlingpaw - brown she-cat with a white belly)
Tallfoot - handsome blue-gray tom
Flowermoon - tortoiseshell she-cat
Warriors:
Brairfall - golden brown she-cat
Robinwhisker - dark ginger tom with a blind eye
Kinkclaw - tabby tom with spiky fur
Yarrowleg - cream tabby she-cat
Elmblaze - russet tom with brown paws
Thunderblaze - gold and russet tom
Sorrelheart - long haired tabby she-cat
Violetglow - lilac she-cat
Racoonleg - dilute tortoiseshell she-cat
Flashear - cream tabby tom
Queens:
Gingerpelt - ginger she-cat; mother to Robinwhisker's kit (Sunkit - small ginger tom) Kit is very close to becoming apprentice
Goldenface - golden she-cat with a torn ear; mother to Elmblaze's kits (Barkkit - ginger tom and Dustkit - cream tom)
Elders:
Longface - a brown tabby tom with long, tall ears
Redfur - red furred she-cat with grey flecks on pelt and white paws
DumbClan
Medicine Cats:
Eagleheart - russet tom; former warrior but trained to be a medicine cat and has a reckless personality
Cedarpelt - brown tom with no caring soul (App. Blindpaw - golden brown tom who has blind amber eyes)
Inventors:
Weirdface - oddly colored tom with a twisted face
Iglooheart - all white tom whose words are as cold as living in an igloo
Warriors:
Eggnose - tabby tom with a white nose (smells like a rotten egg and current leader)
Greeneyes - battle-hungry she-cat with green eyes (App. Brutalpaw - brutal white tom with a nasty personality)
Tickpelt - shabby black tom with lots of fleas and ticks
Perfectheart - long-haired grey tabby she-cat who is cleaned to perfection
Hissflight - grumpy brown tom who hisses a lot (Mate: Foxheart)
Handsomestripe - a chocolate brown tom who constantly looks at his reflection in puddles and rivers
Foxheart - a fox colored, selfish she-cat (Mate: Hissflight)
Rushcloud - battle-hungry orange tabby tom (has a crush on Woodwillow; App. Diamondpaw - cream she-cat with diamond blue eyes)
Woodwillow - brown she-cat who loves the sight of blood (has a crush on Rushcloud)
Sassytail - white she-cat with darker flecks near tail; very sassy
Cherryleaf - chocolate tortoiseshell she-cat
Other cats and animals
Rain - blue tabby tom (loner)
Sarabi - lithe, power-hungry, blue-grey she-cat with bronze yellow eyes
Nala - plump, self-centered pale yellow tabby she-cat with bronze yellow eyes
Ghostwhisper - mysterious, pale grey tom with a husky voice; does not mention his background
Prologue: Rebirth
Tigerstar surveyed his surroundings. Next to him, a river of blood flowed, gurgling and searching for its next victim. He glanced at the endless field of grass, a few cats here and there. He knew this place well. It was his home.
He remembered that infuriating Firestar sinking his teeth into his neck. He remembered his burning fury as he faded. Then his shock as he reappeared in the Dark Forest, like there had been a mistake.
Settling down, Tigerstar made himself a nice, thorny nest. Tigerstar closed his eyes, and dreamt.
The darkness of his dreams first changed to a bloody battle, yowls and screeches echoing through the forest. Tigerstar relished in the bloodbath. It comforted him.
As Tigerstar's claws lashed down on another worthless opponent, a faceless she-cat drowned in blood, the entire scene wavered. Was he being called somewhere? He closed his eyes as the world disappeared.
Tigerstar opened his eyes, and stood in endless fields of healthy grass. A crystal clear river curved elegantly along the long blades of green, bubbling cheerfully. He grimaced. It was… nice. Too nice. Much like the old forest where he was born. Was this MoonClan?
Tigerstar's ears pricked as he heard a slight rustling. A mottled, pale ginger tom with one eye missing emerged from the grass.
"Who are you?" Tigerstar demanded.
"No need to speak like that to the true leader of the Dark Forest," The tom hissed. "In fact, I was the very first cat that ever existed there, the great One Eye!"
"Yeah, yeah, but this isn't the Dark Forest, mouse-brain." Tigerstar sniffed. "It is much too happy."
"I know that." One Eye rasped. "I can't wait to get out of this horrible haven."
"You can't get out of MoonClan," Tigerstar mewed flatly as a nearby squirrel chittered happily at him. He fought back the urge to destroy its happiness, to rip it to shreds.
"This isn't MoonClan." One Eye spat. The squirrel scurried away upon hearing the scratchy voice. "This is the Fields of Waiting. Where forgotten cats wait to be reincarnated."
"Who wants to reincarnate a Dark Forest cat?" Tigerstar sneered.
"Hmph," One Eye lifted his chin. "I'll find a way out."
More grass swishing alerted Tigerstar as a tom that looked much like him passed the two Dark Forest cats. Pinestar! That traitor, here? Out of angry instinct, Tigerstar slashed at the kittypet. Pinestar yowled in pain; blood dripped from his wound. Suddenly, the wound closed itself, the blood disappearing.
"I tried that before," One Eye grumbled. "They bleed and feel the pain, but the wound instantly heals. You just have to stay. No matter if you try to die, nothing happens to you."
"Well, that's sad." Tigerstar laughed; One Eye lunged at Tigerstar. Tigerstar stepped aside.
"How dare you…" One Eye growled.
"How dare you." Tigerstar mimicked; One Eye roared.
"You can't kill me here, remember?" Tigerstar grinned.
"Why are you still in the F.O.I?" One Eye muttered. "Who could ever remember you?"
"Cherryleaf," Tigerstar replied. "And her three kits. Thinks I'm a legend, silly she-cat."
"You should be grateful," One Eye flicked his tail, "You don't have to wait here for countless season-cycles of boredom."
A shriek of pain sounded from the distance.
"What. Was. That?" Tigerstar hissed.
"Oh, that?" One Eye smirked. "I never said you couldn't torture any cat you'd like. That was Clear Sky. The most mouse-brained, two-faced cat in the Clans. Also his mate, Star Flower. I tried to get rid of their filthy pelts, but you can't kill here. So I just set up my allies to torture him once and awhile," One Eye smiled evilly. "Even if Star Flower is my daughter."
"Nice." Tigerstar gave a noise of satisfaction.
"Well, my allies say that you died in the Great Battle. Killed by that pathetic kittypet Firestar."
There was a more shrill, higher shriek as Tigerstar shrugged. "I did die. But something went wrong and instead of going here, I was teleported back to the Dark Forest. After a while, the trees started disappearing and the place was barren. The Clans had died from illness, destroying the territories of StarClan and the Dark Forest while they crumbled. We, the Dark Forest cats, left that place and found the Fields of Insanity."
"Hmph." One eye said as Maggottail and a few other cats dashed past, in pursuit of the screaming Clear Sky and Star Flower.
"Well, since I'm here, I might as well look for Hawkfrost." Tigerstar said. "He could be helpful."
"Hawkfrost and his band camp over there," One Eye pointed his tail to a shady area. Shrieks and wails echoed throughout the area. "He likes to torture the rouges that ruined ShadowClan. Needletail, Rain, Darktail." One Eye pointed his paw in the other direction. "You'll find the true Dark Forest cats over there."
"What do you mean by… true?" Tigerstar felt the hair on his neck bristle; no cat had ever insulted his favorite son.
"The oldest. Me, Thistleclaw. Mapleshade would be in here too, but I'm told she's still in the F.O.I.. And Brokenstar," One Eye mewed. "I'd better join them. We're torturing some of Firestar's closest friends today." One Eye sprinted away, leaving Tigerstar alone.
Quickly deciding to visit his son, Tigerstar raced to the shadowed hollow, scanning the place. A few familiar cats caught his eye. Redwillow. Shredtail. Antpelt. But Hawkfrost was nowhere to be seen. Redwillow and Shredtail caught sight of Tigerstar's scarred pelt.
"Tigerstar! Tigerstar!" Redwillow gasped as if he spoke to a lover. "Tigerstar…"
"Redwillow." Tigerstar nodded. "Shredtail."
"W… we missed you…" Redwillow had tears of happiness running down his face. "It was so long…"
"Well, I don't miss you." Tigerstar meowed flatly; Redwillow nearly fainted.
"Are you forgotten as well?" Shredtail shoved Redwillow aside.
"No. I… I think this is a dream." Tigerstar assumed.
"Phew..." Shredtail sighed; Antpelt stayed silent.
"Where's Brokenstar?" Tigerstar asked. "And Hawkfrost? I don't see them anywhere!"
"Brokenstar is… somewhere. He won't show his face ever since he was defeated by... you-know-who."
"What about Hawkfrost?" Tigerstar's tail twitched slightly.
"He's probably torturing some cat. Again." Shredtail grumbled. A sudden blast of wind caused him to shriek. "Gah!"
It is time to choose Honeypelt of MeadowClan's kits, a strange voice called.
"Finally," Shredtail muttered. "I've been waiting for moons."
Honeypelt will have two kits. Both of them are she-kits. the voice announced. Goldenflower and Beestrider, you are the two cats who will be reincarnated into Beekit and Gingerkit.
Two beautiful she-cats trotted into the clearing. Shredtail groaned.
Tigerstar stared at his former mate. He kept it a secret from every cat, but he had truly loved her. She was his only weakness, the only cat who could ever melt his heart, even by just a little bit.
But his plans had gotten in the way. His ambitions made their relationship crumble to dust. But he wanted to fix that.
What are you thinking? a voice inside him screamed. Focus on your goals!
It won't hurt, Tigerstar told himself. And besides, she's about to be reincarnated. There's nothing much I can do.
"Goldenflower!" Tigerstar yowled; Goldenflower turned around slowly. Her eyes dimmed at the sight of her former mate.
"Tigerstar…what?"
Tigerstar loped to Goldenflower's side.
"I've missed you." Tigerstar thrust his muzzle close to her face; Goldenflower pulled herself away.
"Well, I haven't." Goldenflower hissed. "You are evil, Tigerstar! What have you become?"
"I… I…" Tigerstar was speechless, "I…"
"I will not hear any excuses!" Goldenflower lashed her tail. "Dark Forest cats are ruthless and cruel! I thought they weren't supposed to love."
"I loved you though…"
"I don't care!" Goldenflower whisked around. "You have to let it go, Tigerstar."
Brokenhearted, Tigerstar felt a hot liquid trickle down his cheeks. Shredtail narrowed his eyes.
"Tigerstar… are you… crying?" Shredtail gasped in disbelief.
"Am I?" Tigerstar sniffed.
"Yes."
"Sorry, sorry." Tigerstar shook his head. This mustn't get to his head. There were plans to make. "Goldenflower is right. I'm not supposed to love. Love is ineffectual."
"Right." Shredtail laughed; his voice was shrill. "And I thought you turned into a MoonClan cat!"
"Never in my life," Tigerstar grunted.
Goldenflower, standing next to the kit's body, closed her eyes. She took a deep breath as her spirit began to crumble away, turning to shreds and wisps that would reform to create a new individual spirit. This spirit, however, would always carry a bit of their former cat's personality. Tigerstar shook. Stop, stop! Love will never help you! The rest of him didn't listen. He wanted so desperately to call out to the beautiful golden she-cat, to tell her to stop… and then they could start over again…
It was too late now. The last of Goldenflower's silvery soul faded away, the remnants drifting into the tiny kit. Tigerstar forced a tear away. Shredtail and the others were watching him; he must retain his authoritative presence.
"I swear I'll protect you, Goldenflower." Tigerstar whispered as cats started to disperse. "I will watch over Gingerkit with all my heart."
Haha, every villain has a weakness. Unless they've turned themselves into an emotionless machine. And besides, weaknesses and backstories provide more depth. Like Harry Potter (mild reference in the prologue, lol)!
If you noticed that the writing has gotten way better...well, this was written months ago, and I actually bothered to edit it a while ago! Hooray!
BTW, since it's summer, updates will come a little faster. A little.
~~~Dusksong of MeadowClan~~~