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Chapter 1: TheProphecy
A lone kit stumbled across a snow covered clearing, towards a fallen tree with a large leaf-covered crack in one side. Pushing his way through the entrance he felt the warmth of the den envelop him, driving out leaf-bare's persistent cold.
An old, pale orange she-cat looked up from the mouse she had been eating "Redkit, what are you doing here? Isn't it a little cold for a kit to be out?" Redkit shrugged, "Mom was asleep and I was bored. I thought maybe you could tell me a story?"
Seeing her hesitation he added, "I haven't been out in days Sandstorm. I need to do something!" The old she-cat purred. "Fine. What would you like to hear?"
Redkit padded happily up to her and curled into a ball at her side. "Anything," he yawned. "Maybe something I haven't heard in a while." Sandstorm looked thoughtful. "How about something you haven't heard at all? About how the four clans were formed"
Redkit purred. "That would be even better." Finishing her mouse Sandstorm carefully licked her lips."I'm not much of a story teller, but I'll do my best. Here it goes."
Flying branches barely missed the head of a young she-cat as the storm raged on. Ears pinned to her head, moving low to the ground, she struggled forward, trying her best to protect the four kits stumbling along in front of her. She had to get them to safety, away from the hard life of the streets… and the menacing shadow that threatened to kill them. As a loner she would never be able to protect them, but they might stand a chance in with the forest cats.
She staggered forward, tripped, and rose to see an old black she-cat picking a kit up in sure, strong jaws. Without a word the mother watched as three other wise looking cats picked up the rest of the kits and, forming a circle around her, started forward. She didn't know if these cats meant harm, but she was to tired to argue.
The mother cat soon found herself being escorted into a small, long abandoned badger set. The wind quieted immediately as the ground enveloped them. Used to dark spaces the she-cat's sight recovered quickly. Along wit her sight though, came the hardships of the past three moons. The long, cold nights without food and water had taken their toll. All her bones were clearly visible through her thin tabby pelt. Her throat ached from what she new was the coughing sickness.
"We will shelter here for the night," the voice of the first cat to pick up a kit echoed eerily through the air. "You will feel better in the morning, and will be escorted to one of our camps, with your kits." The she-cat shook her head almost desperately. "I will not live to see another sunrise. This I know. But I ask you, please, take care of my kits. You are the forest cats, are you not? Peaceful and civilized, but strong. They will be safe here."
The other cats exchanged glances. "We were once peaceful but, although we are still strong, we use our strength to fight over territory." The she-cat groaned, and sank to the ground. "Please. Watch over my kits anyway. The prophecy says they will bring about the destruction of one life, but be the beginning of a new one. Screave would never let them live. He is positive the prophecy is talking about my kits."
There was a long pause, then, just as the she-cat was loosing hope, "I will take one kit to the Clan of the Hunting Cat. There it will be raised to the code of Tooth and Claw. But first, tell me of the prophecy. How was it given?" The she-cat hesitated. Finally she murmured,
"Son of Thunder
Lord of Shadow
Wind of Ages,
River's Daughter
All shall witness brutal slaughter
The doom of the Old Clan, the birth of a New
The Fate of all is two and two.
Answering to the Clan of Star,
Who they were and who they are.
They shall flee from friend and foe
Chased o'er mountain of rock and snow.
Through the lands where harsh winds rage,
Across the realm of timeless age.
Beware you, Lord of Death, King of Hate
For with these four is tied your Fate
'Tis your demise that they are born
Saviors after years of scorn.
River's eternal, flawless grace
Wind's unrelenting, breakneck pace
Shadow's strength, and Thunder's cry,
Shall bring the Time of Changes nigh."
She paused, as if this was hard, then went on. "It was given to one of our cats in a dream. He claimed the Stars came down from the sky and told him. Nothing like this has ever happened before, not in the history of cat-kind!" The black cat nodded. "A prophecy," she murmured, then shook her head as if clearing away unnecessary thoughts. "They are still kits and must be taken care of. They will die if they go another night like this"
Another cat nodded. "I will take one kit to the Clan of the Running Cat." The last two hesitated, then nodded. "A kit will be taking to the Clan of the Fighting Cat and the Clan of the Swimming Cat. The she-cat's entire body sagged with relief as the black she-cat went on, this time speaking to the others. "We can tell no others about the origins of these kits. Or about the prophecy. We will say that we each found one kit near the Sacred Grounds. As Medicine Cats of our Clans, we will be trusted. Since the ritual of the Gathering of the Clans has been ignored for so many seasons we need not worry about that." The others nodded, but then one spoke up. "They should know, though, at least someday, how they came to be here."
The first cat spoke, "Someday, yes. But not now. You will know when it its time." All four cats turned to look at the she-cat… only to find her dead, with, for the first time in moons, a look of peace on her face.
The sun shone down on the gray back of a solid, strong looking tom. He made no noise as he crept through the foliage, all senses riveted on the mouse just a few paces in front of him. The poor animal didn't notice his presence until it was to late. A rustle of leaves, a flash of claws and it was over.
The tom proudly buried his prey under some branches to fetch later. He was strong for his young age, and handsome, with a thick neck and fur, broad shoulders, and powerful hind legs. The only odd thing about him were the small lightening shaped marks on the inside of his legs.
"Thunderfoot!" The tom turned, then smiled. It was Bristle, the Medicine Cat of the Clan of the Hunting Cat, and his foster mom. His real mother had died at birth, along with her three other kits. "There you are! You know you shouldn't be this close to the border alone! The tensions are high enough between the Clans. No need to add to that with hunting on the Running Clan's territory. Plus, you should be heading back, you'll be getting your first apprentice at sunset."
Thunderfoot purred, rubbing his face against his foster mother's. "Sunset isn't for a while Bristle," he meowed, eyes twinkling.
"Not for a while! You'll barely make it back as it is, with all that ground to cover!" The tom looked at the sun and swore. "Your right, curse it!" He grabbed his mouse and started back to Base Camp at a sprint. Bristle lumbered behind him, putting on a burst of speed to catch up. "Just because you're a sprightly green warrior doesn't mean we all are. Wait up!" Thunderfoot slowed, rolling his eyes. He could remember when this same cat used to knock his lights out in training. She probably still could, but nothing could stop time and her endurance wasn't what it used to be.
"Thank you," she puffed sarcastically.
As they whizzed past one of the Sentry Posts Thunderfoot let out a yowl of greeting, doing the same as they passed one of the Barracks, where the Frontline Soldiers lived. He ran hard through the forest, Bristle panting at his heels, skidding suddenly to a halt on the edge of a cliff.
Turning he padded down a well worn, but well disguised, path along the edge of the outcropping that meandered down the to bottom. Once there, he hurried forward through a small opening in the thick wall of brambles and bushes, intertwined and sealed with mud to create a practically impenetrable mass surrounding the camp. He pushed through the rather long tunnel, emerging at the other end into a huge clearing as well worn as the path had been.
A small stream, headed by a minute waterfall, ran through the middle, shaded not only by the several larger trees that dotted the outside of the camp, but also the large rock on the far bank that the General slept under. As usual, two Guards were sitting outside the entrance their front paws a stride away from the running water. Just in front of the General's den, on the other side of the stream, was a hallowed out tree stump with a small opening in the ground were the deputy slept. Beside that was the Garrison, were the Soldiers slept, made of a large willow tree. Branches and mud had been put to use here too, as they were where ever possible, to insulate it. Diagonal to that was a large thick bush, were the hunters slept. Across the stream and to the left of the Generals den was the Guards Quarters, a large rock that was hollow and padded underneath.
The elders slept in a hollowed out log behind the General's den, right against the wall. That side of the stream was soft and padded with grass. On the other side of the General's den was the large thistle dome with a small entrance that was the nursery. A few paw-steps in front of it was where Thunderfoot and Battle, his female counterpart, slept. A small, dense bush served as their den. In the far corner was a small tunnel, possibly stronger than the camps walls but still let sunlight through, that led to the Medicine Cat's clearing. The trainees slept in a small, moss padded hollow behind the waterfall.
Thunderfoot padded up to the prey pile beside the General's den. "Thunderfoot," a voice growled behind him. Whipping around he found himself face to face, or rather face to chin, with none other General Splitfang himself. The large tabby backed up, a rare smile threatening to appear at the corner of his mouth, and studied his male Elite. "Your getting your first apprentice today, which I believe you know. Impressive. Already an Elite and just on your original apprentice." Thunderfoot nodded, starting to get his confidence back.
"I never really got to congratulate you on your new position. Then again, you've only had it for a little less than a moon."
Thunderfoot nodded again. "I have no idea what I was thinking, challenging Claw like that. I didn't even realize what I was doing until he nearly tore my leg off. I still don't know how I won." Splitfang let the smile escape, along with a little purr. "It's better to have tried and failed than not to have tried at all. You've earned your station." With a nod, he left, leaping to the top of the large rock and letting out a deafening battle yowl.
Warmed by his leaders praise, Thunderfoot prepared to receive his apprentice.
Pain shot through Riverstripe's leg as the lithe Elite tore viciously at her fur. Spinning, she swiped at Nacuda's head and found her target as her sharp claws drove into the side of her face. The small dappled she-cat yowled in pain and released Riverstripe from her hold. Using the pause the silver tabby lunged forward and, pinning her opposition to the ground, sank her teeth into her shoulder. Only when Nacuda raised a dappled paw, claws sheathed, in surrender, did she rise and step back.
The other she cat rose carefully, studied her silver striped, gasping, opponent carefully, and, after licking one paw delicately as if nothing had happened and drawing it over her ear, meowed, "Congratulations. I will rest easy with the knowledge that my successor is a worthy one." Riverstripe blinked in surprise, then said swiftly, "You earned your station well, when you held it. I didn't know such a small cat could be so powerful. I may have beaten you, but your definatly in better shape than me. I've never been this out of breath! I hope I am as good as you one day."
Realizing she was chattering she shut up. Nacuda purred slightly, still appraising her successor. "You will not be as good as me." Riverstripe blinked. "You'll be better. I can see it. Even so, your young and have a lot to learn. With that she walked away.
Riverstripe stared after her in admiration. Nacuda had been her hero as long as she could remember. She had felt bad about having to beat her, but rumor was the old she-cat, although supposedly 'unbeatable', had been thinking of resigning. Riverstripe had a feeling that the fight had been more of a test, to see if she was worthy. If the dappled she-cat had thought otherwise, Riverstripe would probably have ended up in the Medicine Cat's den for a long time.
The silver tabby followed her paws and soon found herself at the edge of one of the small streams that separated from the one that circled Base Camp. She always took peace in the sound of the river.
Studying her reflection she sighed. The Medicine Cat, Fernpelt, was her foster mother, so she had never met her real one. Supposedly she had died giving birth. Still, Riverstripe, although she knew that her name came from her black, wavy, horizontal stripes, different from the usual vertical, she had no idea were the stripes themselves had come from.She shrugged and dipped her head to take a drink, enjoying the privacy she knew would be rare in months to come as the new female Elite of the Clan of the Swimming Cat, before heading back to camp.
She trotted across the log that connected the camp to the shore, then squeezed through the smooth mud tunnel. Emerging on the other side the familiar sight of home reassured her as it always did. Everything was connected with sand paths, as the rest was filled with carefully controlled water. There were special 'doors' that were always opened to a individual height that let water out and in. During floods all the out 'doors' were opened as wide as possible, keeping the Clan safe. During droughts the doors for letting the water out were kept shut as much as possible.
The Clan didn't have to worry about kits, since the youngest couldn't move to escape and the ones that could move knew how to swim better than could walk. Almost all dens were made of branches and leaves, and insulated with mud. Placed on relatively high, if not always steep, islands they were safe, dry, and warm. Shallower but larger islands were scattered all around, for eating, resting, and , near the end of green-leaf and the beginning of leaf-bare, fighting. Fighting for stations, challenges, or just to show off in hopes of being promoted.
The only den that was not an island was the Medicine cats den. At the very end of the massive clearing was a large, steep rock. Small stepping stones led to the top. The General slept under it and spoke to the cats in Base Camp from the top of it. If one followed the small tunnel in the wall that covered the rest of it further into the bushes, they would find the small tunnel emerging on the other side of the rock with small stepping stones leading down. At the bottom would be the Medicine Cat's clearing, the elders den, and the nursery.
Riverstripe followed the sandy path toward the General's den. As she approached the two guards stationed on either side of the entrance Nacuda slipped out. Upon seeing Riverstripe she nodded and jerked her head back. "He's wants to see you." Riverstripe gave her chest fur a quick lick before taking a deep breath and sliding into the den.Used to the bright light of the outside it took Riverstripe a second to adjust.
When she did she almost gasped.
Not only was General Fire-eyes there, but his deputy Red, and the male Elite, Wren. She had no business among such legends! She had been an Elite for a grand total of ten minutes! "We hear you have beaten Nacuda and taken her place as the female Elite. She has resigned from all fighting stations, to become an elder."
Riverstripe suppressed a shudder. Stop it! she scolded. You're going to have to get used to them anyway! She raised her head proudly. "I wouldn't say 'beaten' sir. More along the lines 'tested by'. I don't think she wanted to win, just see if I was strong enough to handle it."
Wren purred. "I think she has a point sir. I doubt anyone could defeat Nacuda on her own terms!" He studied her. "But anyone who could put up such a fight is worth standing with."
Warmed, and surprised, by his praise she could only shrug.
Fire-eyes continued. "Congratulations. I will make the announcement at dawn. If anyone has a problem they will be allowed to challenge you then, so be prepared!"
Riverstripe nodded.
Read and review... please...Will get better, don't worry.