Here's the beginning of Crimson Red, sequel to Rising Dawn. First of to any new readers, I suggest you read Rising Dawn first because otherwise you might be a little confused. I'm going to start off by saying that the time span between Rising Dawn and Crimson Red is about three moons, so some positions in the Clan have changed and will soon change as well. You'll see once you get to the Allegiances. Review please!
ThunderClan
Leader Firestar-ginger tom with a flame-colored pelt
Apprentice Redpaw
Deputy Brambleclaw-dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Medicine Cat Leafpool-light brown tabby she-cat
Warriors
Dustpelt-dark brown tabby tom
Sandstorm-pale ginger she-cat with green eyes
Apprentice Honeypaw
Cloudtail-long-haired white tom with blue eyes
Apprentice Cinderpaw
Brackenfur-golden brown tabby tom
Apprentice Birdpaw
Sorreltail-tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice Dawnpaw
Squirrelflight-dark ginger she-cat with green eyes
Ashfur-pale gray tom with darker flecks and blue eyes
Apprentice Poppypaw
Spiderleg-long-limbed black tom with a brown underbelly
Brook Where Small Fish Swim (Brook)-brown tabby she-cat
Stormfur-gray tom with amber eyes
Apprentice Bravepaw
Whitewing-white she-cat with green eyes
Apprentice Robinpaw
Berrytail-cream-colored tom
Hazelsplash-small gray and white she-cat
Mouseclaw-gray and white tom
Apprentices
Honeypaw-light brown tabby she-cat
Cinderpaw -gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes
Dawnpaw-golden tabby she-cat with green eyes
Redpaw-dark ginger tom with amber eyes
Birdpaw-tortoiseshell she-cat with a white underbelly, chest, and muzzle (amber eyes)
Bravepaw-brown tabby tom with green eyes
Robinpaw-light brown she-cat with blue eyes
Queens
Ferncloud-pale gray she-cat with darker flecks and blue eyes;
Brightheart-ginger and white she-cat; mother of Cloudtail's kits (Cloverkit-white she-cat with ginger paws and green eyes, Tansykit-pale ginger she-cat with white paws and very light blue eyes, and Hailkit-long-haired pure white tom with dark green eyes)
Daisy-long-furred cream she-cat
Elders
Mousefur-dusky brown she-cat
Longtail-pale tabby tom with black stripes
The forest was dark. Above the canopy of overflowing leaves there was a starless sky. There were no clouds obscuring the view here. There was no moon light the forest floor just enough to see a few mouselengths ahead of you. Here, cats were sentenced to a forever residence for their crimes.
A dark tabby pelt slid into the small, shadowy clearing. Despite the darkness surrounding him, his amber eyes glowed brightly, a dangerous gleam shining in his gaze. Padding forward, he showed his massive paws and strength in the rippling of his lean muscles.
"Tigerstar," a pitch black she-cat meowed with a measured voice. She sat in the center of the clearing, clearly waiting for him with her tail wrapped over her paws. "How did the meeting go?"
"It didn't," Tigerstar snarled, lashing his tail angrily. "Cloudwhisker stopped me from entering her dreams once again. I still don't know how he does it."
"You never told me that he's done this before," the she-cat commented with a slight edge to her voice.
"I didn't think anything of it before now," Tigerstar replied, growling as he paced in front of her.
"Try again tomorrow, then," the she-cat told him eagerly.
"Don't you get it?" Tigerstar spat. "Ebonyflight, she's untouchable now."
"That's impossible," Ebonyflight scoffed. "You just aren't trying hard enough to summon her."
"Don't undermine me," Tigerstar growled warningly.
"I will do whatever I want, Tigerstar," Ebonyflight hissed viciously, her eyes flashing. "You cannot stop me even if you wanted to. I've more power than you'll ever have."
Tigerstar hissed defiantly, his neck fur fluffed up. "And now we have lost one of the three prophesized either to destroy or aid us."
"There are six others that possibly have that power," Ebonyflight pointed out. "It won't be long until the other two begin to show their abilities."
"What about Cloudtail's first kit?" Tigerstar asked.
"She's already a warrior. If she had had any powers, she would have showed them by now," Ebonyflight dismissed the idea immediately. We only have two more chances to get one of the three on our side."
"We won't have to wait long," Tigerstar added. "I know that we're close."
"Don't fail me once again Tigerstar," Ebonyflight meowed warningly. She turned her head toward him, revealing her narrowed eyes. "If it had been any cat other than you, they would cease to exist by now."
Tigerstar dipped his head to her. "Of course Ebonyflight. I'll see you again once I have news."
"Have it soon," Ebonyflight advised as Tigerstar turned away. Her green gaze watching as he padded into the undergrowth, leaving her standing in silence.
In a separate clearing not far away from where Ebonyflight stood, two cats sat beside one another, the fur on their flanks touching. The gray and white tom leaned down to whisper something to his companion. The golden tabby she-cat responded by pressing her muzzle against his, prompting a purr from his chest.
Up the slope beyond the edge of the clearing, a pair of eyes watched the pair interact. A glimmer of sadness and regret entered her dark blue gaze.
"Mistymoon, why are you spying on them?" The she-cat turned to see the white she-cat with silver paws standing just a few tail-lengths away from her.
"I'm sorry, Runningbreeze," Mistymoon meowed softly. "I couldn't help but watch them. He's going to break Dawnpaw's heart."
Runningbreeze nodded in silent agreement. "He's foolish for leading her on like this. He is her first love."
"Poor Dawnpaw," Mistymoon sighed. "But she won't accept his reasons for leaving her, that much I know."
"She may look like Sundapple in that respect, but she is different in spirit," Runningbreeze meowed, her eyes gleaming as she remembered the young she-cat she used to know. "Sundapple may not have liked it, but she would have respected his decision to leave."
"It must be done, after all," Mistymoon sighed. "It has been hard for Cloudwhisker, though. He's finally being able to follow in Sundapple's pawsteps."
"They'll be reunited soon," Runningbreeze sighed. "And we won't be able to see him again for such a long time."
"Are you two gossiping again?" A golden and white she-cat revealed herself, stepping out from the ferns. She padded over to the two other she-cats, spotting the couple not too far away from them. "I was just with Frostblaze."
Mistymoon wrinkled her nose in disgust as if she had smelled something bad and Runningbreeze's ears fell flat against her head. "Why would you be with that horrible she-cat, Goldenlily?"
Goldenlily shrugged. "I just managed to come across her."
"I take it that she knows that Cloudwhisker is leaving?" Runningbreeze sniffed indignantly.
"Of course, and she made her opposition to the idea very clear," Goldenlily continued, her tone scathing. "She tried to pin it all on Dawnpaw, that jealous mousebrain."
"I still can't believe Duskstar allowed her to join StarClan. Now we all have to deal with her complaints and whiny attitude!" Mistymoon hissed. "She very nearly killed Sundapple multiple times, too!"
"You would think that Frostblaze would understand that one of the main reasons Cloudwhisker is leaving is so that he doesn't have to be around her any longer," Runningbreeze scoffed, rolling her eyes.
The three fell silent for a moment, smoldering in their own fury toward the pompous StarClan she-cat, when Cloudwhisker's and Dawnpaw's conversation floated closer to them.
"I have to get back before I oversleep again," Dawnpaw told Cloudwhisker, rubbing her muzzle against his neck. The rumbling of her purr was so loud that it reached the hidden she-cats' ears.
"She's so happy," Goldenlily sighed sadly.
"Just wait 'till she finds out," Mistymoon whispered. "She'll be furious with him."
"Goodbye, Dawnpaw," Cloudwhisker murmured to his golden tabby companion. His dark blue eyes were soft as he gazed down at her. He licked her ear and touched his nose briefly against her before she disappeared into the undergrowth, leaving him to stare after her.
Runningbreeze turned away from the clearing. "He's running out of time to tell her," she fretted. "The longer he keeps the truth from her, the angrier she will be."
Goldenlily nodded in agreement. "As much as I don't want to see Dawnpaw get hurt, I agree that Cloudwhisker needs to tell her soon."
"At least she's lucky enough to have been with him for this amount of time," Mistymoon pointed out. "Bluestar was gracious enough to allow him to stay longer in StarClan. He could have been gone moons ago."
"Well, Cloudwhisker just needs to tell her soon," Runningbreeze meowed stubbornly. "Or we'll tell her ourselves."
"Tell who what?"
The three she-cats jumped in fright and they all whirled around to see that Cloudwhisker had dropped in on the conversation. He observed them warily, his eyes still shining from his meeting with Dawnpaw.
"Tell Dawnpaw that you're leaving StarClan," Mistymoon meowed casually with a neutral tone. She even threw in a lick to her forepaw for effect, drawing it over her ears. She put on an innocent expression.
Suddenly, Cloudwhisker's eyes flared with anger, becoming two identical, flickering flames. "Don't you dare tell her," he growled. "Any of you!"
"You have to tell her sometime," Goldenlily insisted, her voice soothing, trying to douse his fiery temper. "You can't just tiptoe and delay the subject until it comes time when you have to leave her. She'll never forgive you for not telling her the truth."
Cloudwhisker sighed resignedly. He sat back, smoothing down his ruffled fur. He closed his eyes. "You're right, I know. I'll tell her soon, I promise. I just…don't want to upset her."
Runningbreeze started forward, resting a tail across his shoulders. "We know that, Cloudwhisker. I will be hard for her to cope with you leaving, but you've no choice but to tell her."
Cloudwhisker nodded and he opened his eyes again, calm once again. "I will," he vowed. He dipped his head to each of the she-cats in turn before he left them, padding into the forest.
"They're adorable together," Mistymoon purred after he had disappeared. Her blue eyes were alight with amusement. "So much better than if Cloudwhisker ever chose Frostblaze over her."
Goldenlily narrowed her eyes. "Speaking of Frostblaze, she'd better watch her tail. If she tries anything, I'll have her in the Dark Forest before she can say 'mouse'."
So how's that? I know I promised that I would have this up faster, but last week was a whirlwind of just about everything so I never had time to edit and update. But now, here it is! Notice that the Allegiances don't mention Snowkit. I had no way of listing him since he has no official mother in the nursery. But he's there, and he'll be important too.
Read and Review! :)