Skyclan's Journey
A Warriors FanFic
By Jayfeathernya9
Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, but I do own this FanFic.
Allegences
Leader
Cloudstar- Pale grey tom with white patches and very pale blue eyes.
Deputy
Buzzardtail - ginger tom with green eyes.
Medicine Cat
Fawnstep - light brown tabby she-cat.
Warriors
Birdflight- light brown tabby she cat with long, fluffy fur and amber eyes.
Fernpelt- dark brown tabby she-cat
Mousefang - sandy colored she-cat
Nightfur- black tom
Hailstorm- grey and white flecked tom with brown ears and tail and yellow eyes
Lilyfur- pale cream and white tabby she-cat with green eyes
Eagleclaw- dark brown and black tortoiseshell tom
Forestpelt- brown tabby she-cat with green eyes
Apprenticies
Featherpaw- white and grey tabby she cat with bright blue eyes
Oakpaw- black and white tom
Smallpaw- unnaturally small ginger tom with amber eyes
Queens
Poppytail- ginger and black patched she-cat (Leafkit and Barkkit)
Redwhisker- dark ginger she-cat with white paws
Wingsnow- beautiful grey she-cat
Kits
Leafkit- light brown tabby tom
Barkkit- black tom with amber eyes
Shadowkit- long furred dark grey taby tom
Leapkit- grey tom with black paws
Dapplekit- tortiseshell she-cat
Elders
Willowscar- pale ginger tabby she-cat with a long scar across her flank
Fallownose- brown tabby tom
Birchfang- black and white tom
Chapter One
Hailstorm crouched on a long, thick branch in a large oak tree. He padded slowly forward, stalking a large black and white bird. He crouched, preparing to pounce. He froze as the bird lifted its head, but then it went back to preening itself. He pushed off and came down on the bird. It screeched as his paws touched it, but it was too late. Hailstorm quickly silenced it with a swift bite.
"Nice catch!" Eagleclaw called from below. Hailstorm hopped down and blinked his thanks. Lilyfur purred as she dropped her catch at her paws. "I think we have enough. Lets go back." Hailstorm nodded and picked up his bird. He fell in step beside Lilyfur, happy to have his sister with him. It was Greenleaf, the most prey-rich season. There had been a lot of twolegs this year, but there was still plenty of prey.
They entered the camp and dropped their prey in the fresh kill pile. Hailstorm saw Cloudstar and Birdflight sharing tounges in the last rays of sun filtering through the trees. Eagleclaw padded over to a small group of chatting warriors. Lilyfur and Hailstorm padded over to a soft mossy patch where they usually ate. Hailstorm dropped his thrush and Lilyfur settled down with her blackbird. The sun warmed his pelt and he began to feel drowsy. When he finished he began to smooth Lilyfur's fur. She licked her paw and then began to groom Hailstorm's pelt. She picked out a bramble and flicked it away.
"Well, Pokeypelt, it seems you walked through some thorny bushes today."
Hailstorm flicked her nose with his tail tip. "You're one to talk, Tanglefur," he joked.
That night as Hailstorm curled up in his nest next to Lilyfur, he felt sure that everything was going to be perfect this Greenleaf.
. . .
The next morning Hailstorm was woken to join the dawn patrol. As he, Forestpelt, Eagleclaw, and Birdflight rounded the largest tree on the edge of their territory, Forestpelt abruptly stopped.
"What's wrong?" Eagleclaw growled. Forestpelt pointed her tail toward several huge yellow monsters standing in the midst of the trees. They were still, but the smell of twolegs was fresh. Several trees lay, uprooted on the forest floor. Hailstorm could hear twolegs yelling to each other. The cats backed into the trees as several twolegs wearing brightly colored pelts came into the clearing. The pointed at some trees as one got into one of the monsters. It awoke with a roar and the twoleg yelled to the others. Hailstorm suppressed a yowl of alarm as the monster lurched forward and began to head for a tree.
A long arm reached from the monster and grabbed the tree with a strange, silver claw. It backed up and the arm lifted, pulling the tree right out of the ground. Hailstorm growled and quickly backed away. Eagleclaw turned to the others.
"We have to tell the clan!" Hailstorm nodded and they turned and fled to the camp.
The patrol burst into camp, which was now full of cats mulling around.
"Cloudstar! Cloudstar! Twolegs are pulling up trees!" Cloudstar came out and Birdflight hurried over. She quickly relayed what they had seen. Cloudstar thought for a moment, then jumped onto the highbranch. The clan didn't wait for his call, they quickly gathered below him.
"Cats of Skyclan, I have just been told by the dawn patrol of strange monsters pulling up trees from the ground down by the old oak at the edge of our territory. We have reason to worry, but will remain calm. A new patrol will be made, keeping a constant watch over the area. The first patrol will consist of Lilyfur, Mousefang, and Nightfur. A replacement will come for you at sunhigh.
The three cats nodded and quickly headed out. Hailstorm watched his sister go with worry. I hope she'll be okay… he thought.
Hailstorm spent the remainder of the day worrying, until Lilyfur came home unscathed. Her patrol reported more trees being pulled out, but only small ones. Hailstorm purred with relief. "I was so worried!"
Lilyfur flicked his flank with her tail tip. " I was fine. Don't worry!"
Hailstorm sighed. He heard Cloudstar talking to Fawnstep.
"Have you had any signs from Starclan?"
Fawnstep shook her head. "Not for many moons. But tomarrow is the half moon, perhaps they will tell me what to do then." Cloudstar nodded, satisfied. Hailstorm knew he would be anxiously awaiting the answer.
Lilyfur poked him in the shoulder. "Let's hunt." Hailstorm nodded and they padded out.
. . .
Buzzardtail nodded to Hailstorm. "You are to join the sunhigh watch patrol."
Hailstorm nodded. Buzzardtail looked around the camp. "You will go with Mousefang and Forestpelt on a hunting patrol. Be back before sunhigh to rest before going out again. You will lead both patrols." Hailstorm nodded, and Buzzardtail padded off to talk to Cloudstar. Hailstorm bounded over to Mousefang and Forestpelt.
"We're going hunting. We'll return by sunhigh to rest before taking up the watch patrol."
Forestpelt nodded and Hailstorm led them out of the camp. He decided to steer clear of the old oak and hunt closer to Thunderclan territory. Forestpelt padded up beside him.
"I think we're far enough," She meowed. Hailstorm nodded. He didn't want to leave the cover of the trees. Mousefang had stopped to stalk a chickadee, and Forestpelt slid silently into the trees. Hailstorm pricked his ears at the sound of nearby birdsong. He clawed swiftly up a birch and looked around.
He saw a thrush sitting on a thin branch in the next tree. Hailstorm dropped into a crouch and leapt into the tree. He landed lightly on a branch above the thrush. It stopped singing and froze. Hailstorm held his breath until the bird began singing again. He slid down the tree and lunged forward. With a quick bite he killed it.
As Hailstorm landed, he saw Mousefang carrying the chickadee and a squirrel in her jaws. Forestpelt came a moment later with a large blackbird. Hailstorm dropped his prey at his paws.
"Let's go back. We can hunt more on the way."
Mousefang and Forestpelt nodded and they headed back. Hailstorm caught another squirrel as they rounded the corner. It practically ran straight into his paws. They ducked into the camp and dropped their prey in the pile.
"Meet me here at sunhigh, okay?" Hailstorm meowed. The two warriors nodded.
Hailstorm padded over to the Warriors den. He wanted to find Lilyfur. Suddenly Fawnstep appeared infront of him. Hailstorm blinked in surprise.
"Sorry I surprised you….I was just checking for fleas." She meowed. Hailstorm snorted.
"You want fleas? Try the elders den."
Fawnstep flicked his nose with her tail. "On my way, Hailstar." She purred as she passed. Hailstorm watched her as she padded away. It must be hard to be medicine cat, he thought.
Lilyfur broke into his thoughts. "Hey, its sunhigh. You need to get going," she mewed. Hailstorm nodded and padded to the entrance of camp where Mousefang, Forestpelt, and Cloudstar were waiting. Cloudstar stood up.
"I decided to join you, if that's alright." Hailstorm nodded.
"Its fine. You can take over the lead, if you want." Cloudstar shook his head.
"No, you can. I don't mind. It's good for warriors to have lots of experiences." Hailstorm dipped his head and walked out of the camp. When they reached the old oak, Hailstorm was taken aback.
The monsters were gone, but half the trees were also gone, and the ground was churned up, raw dirt piled high in places. The place smelled of twolegs and the reek of monsters. There wasn't a single scent of prey. Hailstorm skirted around the clearing. He weaved through the trees, sniffing the air. Suddenly, he stopped. He yowled in surprise at what lay before him. Cloudstar bounded up beside him.
"What wrong, Hailstorm? ... Oh!" he gasped. Forestpelt and Mousefang stopped and stared at the sight before them.
Several large trees were gone, but where they stood were the strangest stumps Hailstorm had ever seen. When trees fell naturally, the stumps were jagged and dark, but these had perfectly smooth tops. The tops were a light brown, sap oozing out. Forestpelt stepped forward slowly and sniffed a strange, shiny twoleg thing. It had a bright red handle and a long, jagged claw at the end.
"It smells like a monster!" she growled. Cloudstar sniffed the nearest stump. He hopped up onto it and sniffed the top.
"The twolegs are cutting down our trees with huge claws! Their monsters can pull them up, and they can cut them down!"
Suddenly, they heard twolegs coming. The cats streaked into the nearest trees. Hailstorm watched as one picked up the claw. The twoleg pushed something and the claw began to growl and shake. The twoleg walked over to a tree and shouted to the others. Then, to Hailstorm's horror, he began to slice the tree. In a matter of heartbeats the tree fell over with a deafening crash.
The cats watched as they cut down and hauled more and more trees away. Finally, they stopped and began to hack up the stumps. The cats were horrified.
Cloudstar growled. "We must tell the clan!"
. . .
It was hardly a moon later, and more than half of Skyclan's territory was plain gone. The twolegs were marking the trees with brightly colored, stinky stuff and tearing them up. The bigger ones they had to cut down. The old oak was gone, as well as the training clearing and Fawnstep's herb patches. Prey was scarce, if not completely gone.
Fawnstep had gone to the moonstone twice, but she hadn't said much anything helpful.
It was a mere week later that the monsters crouched around the camp. Cloudstar leapt up onto the Highbranch and looked down at his weak, scared, and hungry clan. He sighed.
"Let all cats of Skyclan join to hear my words!" Cloudstar yowled. The Skyclan cats padded into the clearing and gazed up at their leader desperately.
"Tonight it is the gathering. We have no choice but to go, every cat of Skyclan, and ask the other clans for help. We have no choice. If Starclan wills it, they will give us territory." The camp was filled with yowls of anger and despair, but Fawnstep stood up.
"We have no choice! Do you want our kits to die? Do YOU want to die? We must swallow our pride and have faith in Starclan!" the clan quieted down and murmurs of agreement swept through the clan.
Cloudstar nodded. "Fawnstep has prepared traveling herbs for the elders and kits. We leave at moonrise."
Hailstorm padded close to Lilyfur. She licked his ear comfortingly. They sat together until it was time to leave. Hailstorm and Lilyfur padded side by side. As they exited the camp, Hailstorm looked back at the empty dens.
Goodbye, home.
. . .
Hailstorm couldn't believe his ears. The other clans were refusing to help them! There had always been five clans! He looked up at the moon, still shining brightly. Lilyfur huddled close to him, watching intently. Mousefang was growling softly, Fawnstep was soothing the despairing elders and queens. Smallpaw, Oakpaw, and Featherpaw were huddled close to their mentors, Mousefang, Nightfur, and Fernpelt.
"Skyclan don't belong here! Lets drive them out now!" Hissed a silver tabby. The Skyclan cats hissed and unsheathed their claws.
"Stop! Warriors of Skyclan, we are not cowards, but this is a battle we cannot win. We have seen tonight what the warrior code is worth. From now on we will depend on no cat but ourselves," Cloudstar said as he lept down and padded through his clanmates.
"Cloudstar, our kits are too small to make a long journey. I'll stay here with them, if any clan will have us," Birdsong murmured as Cloudstar stepped in front of him. Cloudstar's eyes flashed with grief. Kestrelwing stepped forward.
"You will all be welcome in Thunderclan."
"Are you sure? After what your leader said to us today?"
"I believe my leader was wrong. But he won't condemn helpless kits to die. They will have a future in Thunder clan, and so will you, Birdflight." Birdflight dipped her head.
"Thank you." She turned to Cloudstar, sorrow in her amber eyes. "Then this is goodbye."
Cloudstar looked horrified. "Birdflight! No. How could I leave you?"
Her voice quivered. "You must. Our clan needs you, but our kits need me just now." Cloudstar bowed his head miserably.
"I will wait for you. I'll wait for you forever!" He whispered as her pressed into Birdflight. "Stay with Kestrelwing. They'll help you." He turned to the medicine cat. "Take care of them," Cloudstar growled. Kestrelwing nodded.
Cloudstar looked at his mate one last time, then led his clan away. Redstar called from the great rock.
"May Starclan go with you!"
Cloudstar's eyes flashed. "Starclan may go where they please. They betrayed us. From this day on, I will have nothing to do with our warrior ancestors." Hailstar gasped. Starclan would always be with them! He knew the rest of his clan agreed with him.
"Starclan let the twolegs destroy our home. They look down on us now, and let the moon go on shining while you drive us out. They said there would always be five clans in the forest, but they lied. Skyclan will never look to the stars again." He flicked his tail and Skyclan left Fourtrees forever.
. . .
Hailstorm plodded miserably alongside Lilyfur across the moor. He couldn't get his fur to lie flat. He noticed Forestpelt walking alone. The forest had been the last she had of her kin. He stopped to wait for her. She blinked thankfully as she fell in step beside them. Hailstorm noticed she was limping. She tried to hide her paw from his gaze, but he could see a long thorn embedded in her paw.
"Fawnstep! We have a thorn over here!" Lilyfur called. Fawnstep bounded over and quickly called for a cobweb. Mousefang brought one over. Forestpelt winced as the medicine cat pulled the thorn out, but then relaxed. She blinked and muttered "Thanks." as they continued on.
Finally they reached the edge of the moor. Hailstorm looked back across the moor to the stumps of what was once SkyClan's territory. His heart felt cold. But he pushed the anguish away and shook his head to clear his thoughts. He had to be strong for his clan. They had to move on, to go forward. Hailstorm turned and began to weave through his clanmates. He heard Birchfang wail as he approached the elders.
"There's no point in going on! We might as well give up now!" Hailstorm growled and plowed to stand in front of the frail cat.
"No! Never say that! This is our destiny! We must go on. Don't ever loose faith in Starclan!" he growled loudly. Birchfang huddled down on his paws and Hailstorm sighed. He leaned in to whisper in Birchfang's ear. "Don't worry. I'll protect you. I'd gladly give my life for any of my clanmates, no matter what." Birchfang nodded and grew peaceful, so Hailstorm moved on.
Hailstorm stopped in front of the four whimpering kits. "We miss Birdflight! Where are we? We want to go home!" Hailstorm crouched down.
"Shhh. Birdflight and her kist couldn't make the journey, so they had to stay with Thunderclan. And we have no home back there. Starclan is guiding us somewhere better."
"But Cloudstar said Starclan left us!"
Hailstorm shook his head. "No. Even leaders make mistakes. Don't loose faith." He got to his paws and padded softly up to the rock where Cloudstar was sitting and looking at his paws.
"Cloudstar? May I ask you a question?" Cloudstar nodded. "Is it true that you've really given up on Starclan?"
"Yes. They have abandon us. Left us to die."
Hailstorm shook his head. "No, you are wrong. Starclan knows there was no hope for us. They want us to move on. We have a new destiny!"
Cloudstar sighed. "You are brave. But you do not have the connection a leader has with Starclan. It is different to me. If you do not like my ways, you are free to leave."
Hailstorm was taken aback. "No! I would never leave my clan! I will stand by you, no matter what!" he cried. Cloudstar's eyes met his. A burst of pride flickered in his eyes.
"You are so loyal, I always new you would make a great warrior. I'm sorry this has happened in your time. I'm proud to have you in my clan. Maybe we will make it. I don't know." Cloudstar closed his eyes and Hailstorm dipped his head as he backed away.
He padded up a small outcrop. Hailstorm gazed up at the stars. He sent a silent prayer to Starclan. Please help us find a new home! He opened his eyes and gasped. A shining grey cat was padding toward him. She smiled and her sent washed over him.
"Mothleap!" He gasped. The she-cat smiled.
"My son, how much you've been through!" Mothleap purred. "Now, I don't have much time. But I came here to tell you this: I promise, some day, SkyClan will rise again. I can't tell you if it will be soon, and if you will be there, because I don't know. But SkyClan will survive!" Hailstorm watched as she faded away. He tried to stop her, but all that was left was her scent.
Forestpelt broke into Hailstorm's thoughts. "Hey, you have been sitting here forever. Come on, Lilyfur made a nest." He followed the pretty she cat to a bush where Lilyfur had made several small nests. Hailstorm curled up and closed his eyes. He fell into a restless sleep riddled with nightmares of the monsters crushing his Mother, his sister, his clanmates, Forestpelt...
