If Feathertail had lived (part 2)

Here's part 2 of Feathertail's fight for survival!

Feathertail closed her eyes. Silverstream! Feathertail pleaded to her mother, please, save my kits! They are Clan cats, and they are warriors! Tell me, will they be able to join StarClan?

Feathertail willed herself to Silverstream, to StarClan, to the truth. She blinked open her eyes and found herself staring into a pool of water. It reminded her of the Moonpool. She looked around, and saw a meadow of long grass, fluttering in the light breeze. She turned back around, and faced a beautiful silver tabby cat.

"Silverstream!' Feathertail purred. Her purr was cut short when she saw the look in her mother's eyes. 'What is it? Silverstream, please tell me1 Will my kits be able to join StarClan?" Feathertail searched her face, her worries increasing by the second.

"I am sorry, my daughter, but your kits have not received the blessing of a true leader. If you want your kits to join you when you die, then they must be blessed by a Clan leader. I understand that your love for Crowfeather is immense that you would be foolish enough to create your own Clan. But there are only four Clans, and there will only ever be four Clans."

"That's a lie!' Feathertail cried, her grief swelling up inside her. "Graystripe told me about SkyClan! He said that Firestar went off and made a new Clan! If he can do it, Crowfeather and I can too!" She wailed.

"That was different. SkyClan existed from the beginning, just like the other four. They were a lost Clan, and it was time for them to be revived .There was never a FeatherClan. Your Clan is not a Clan. It does not have the approval of StarClan. I managed to plead with StarClan to give you another chance." Silverstream's eyes grew desperate. "I started this when I let you return. I was supposed to bring you to StarClan, but I was weak. Feathertail listen to me. You must make a choice, or you, your mate, and your kits, will perish."

"What? How can I stop this? " Feathertail asked, her heart thumping. What did StarClan have in store for her family?

"For the rippling smoky rain to become whole, two must return to those of old." Silverstream breathed. Then she began to fade into black.

"Wait! Silverstream! Tell me what you mean!" Feathertail yowled frantically. What did the prophecy mean for her mate and kits?

Feathertail awoke with a start. Overwhelming terror and dread filled her, and buried her nose into her paws.

"Feathertail?" Crowfeather's gentle breath stirred her ear fur. She raised her head and looked into his blue eyes. They were filled with concern and behind that, worry. But mostly they were filled with love. It sent cracks into Feathertail's heart. How could she bear to lose him? She turned and saw her three kits returning with prey. How could she bear to lose any of them?

'What did StarClan say?" Crowfeather asked.

"For the rippling smoky rain to become whole, tow must return to those of old."

"What?" Crowfeather looked at her in bewilderment.

"That's what Silverstream told me. I think it means that if Ripplecloud, Smokeshadow, and Rainpool to become true warriors, you and I have to go back to the Clans."

"No!" Crowfeather howled angrily. "We can't! Why? If we go back, we'll be torn apart!"

"I know. If we go back, they won't let us leave again. Silverstream told me that we are not a true Clan, and we do not have the approval of StarClan. If our kits are deemed warriors by one of the leaders of the Clans, then our kits will perish." Feathertail murmured.

Crowfeather looked into her eyes, and she saw her desperation and despair reflecting in his heart. "I think I know where we can go." She whispered.

"I don't understand," Smokeshadow said as they walked. They had been on their journey for several days, and were all rather grumpy from walking all day. "If StarClan didn't want us to be a Clan, why didn't they tell you before?" He grumbled as he stepped on a thorn. They stopped as he pulled it out.

"I don't know. Perhaps it's because we never asked before." Feathertail replied. She leaned over and licked him in between the ears. "Don't worry my sweet, soon we will be at Clan territory, and you can rest."

She and Crowfeather exchanged a swift look of alarm, but quickly averted their eyes. Feathertail looked at her kits with concern and sadness. Was their home really that bad? Sure, they weren't a very large Clan, but that could've changed. They had the basic system. Crowfeather was like their leader, and a very good one. Feathertail worked as deputy and medicine cat, and their kits were brave warriors. They were just fine on their own. Why couldn't StarClan just be happy for them?

"We're here." Crowfeather whispered. Feathertail could smell the strong scent of ThunderClan. Even after all these moons, she hadn't forgotten the bittersweet scent that reminded her of her father, but also that they were enemies. Thinking about her father made her remember what Stormfur had told her when they first got back to the Tribe of Rushing Water. Had he gotten back to his Clan, or was still captive by Twolegs? She refused to consider the third possibility.

Suddenly a cat sprang through the ferns. "Who are you?" He snarled. "You're on ThunderClan territory, filthy rogues!" This tom was small, more than likely an apprentice or a new warrior.

"We are not rogues!" Crowfeather hissed. "We're warriors!"

Feathertail touched his shoulder with her tail tip. "We're friends of Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw. What's your name?" She asked gently. Fighting would get them nowhere. They had to keep calm and present themselves as friends rather than enemies.

"It's Foxleap. I assume you mean Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw. Are you from the Tribe too? No, you came from the wrong direction. Come on, I'll take you to Firestar."

"What do you mean from the Tribe? Are there Tribe members here?" Excitement fizzed through her.

"Yeah, Stormfur from RiverClan and his mate Brook." Foxleap replied.

"Stormfur's here?!" Feathertail asked. Joy filled her heart.

"Yep. You know him, then?"

"He's my brother!" Feathertail purred with happiness. Stormfur was here! She could see him too!"

"Oh, so your Graystripe's kit too. I better tell you know that he's not back." Claws stabbed her heart, but she held her head high. He would return. She knew it in her heart. He wouldn't let Twolegs turn him into a kittypet, and he was too tough to get killed by them. He was on his way. She knew it.

"Feathertail and Crowfeather! How nice it is to see you! What are you doing here?" Firestar said when Foxleap brought them back to camp.

"It's a long story." Feathertail replied, glancing around swiftly. Firestar nodded in understanding.

"Come in my den. Would you like your friends to accompany you?"

Feathertail glanced at Crowfeather and nodded. So Squirrelflight, Brambleclaw, Stormfur, Brook came inside Firestar's den with them. They were all squished, but the other cats pricked their ears to listen to what Crowfeather and Feathertail had to say.

"First of all, these are our kits, Smokeshadow, Ripplecloud, and Rainpool. Kits, these are our friends from the Great Journey we told you about. This is Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight. This is my brother Stormfur, and his mate Brook Where Small Fish Swim from the Tribe."

"Call me Brook." The small she-cat said kindly.

Feathertail told them everything, from when the left to her dream and what Silverstream had said. She finished by looking at Firestar with great hope.

He was quiet for a while. "So what you're telling me, Feathertail, is that you wish to join ThunderClan?" Feathertail looked at her paws. She knew that this was what Silverstream had wanted her to do, as it was that neither of their old Clans would accept them.

"Yes." She murmured softly. She pressed against Crowfeather for comfort.

"I see. Well. Stormfur and Brook are also learning how to become ThunderClan cats while the stay, so I will allow the five of you to learn with them. You will become ThunderClan warriors, and you will be deemed worthy ones by me when the time comes."

CHAPTER TWO

Feathertail sat by her mate. Her heart was heavy and proud at the same time. She was proud to have proven herself, but was sad that she could not be apart of her own Clan.

"Feathertail, Crowfeather, Smokeshadow, Rainpool, and Ripplecloud, you are fine warriors who have trained hard. I confirm your warrior names and welcome you into ThunderClan as true warriors. You have sacrificed much to be here. I commend you for your determination and dedication to each other and you're new Clan. I trust you to protect your Clanmates as they would for you. I suspect that you have all already done a vigil after this ceremony, but I ask you to do this again, as one final act to your new Clan."

Feathertail crouched by her family. "I remember the last time I did this." She whispered. "It was with Stormfur back in the forest. It was warm, in the middle of newleaf. What I would give to have it be newleaf right now!" She snuggled closer to Crowfeather for warmth.

Remaining silent for the whole night gave her a long time to think. She knew that she could never truly be happy here. She never was, not even with Crowfeather in their old home with their kits. Her heart longed for the river, for fish, and for her old Clanmates that she missed so much. She was willing to sacrifice all of this, however, for her mate that she loved so much and her kits that were so dear to her. She raised her eyes to the stars.

Thank you Silverstream, for all that I have. If you hadn't let me live, I wouldn't have my kits, my mate, and the family that I love so much. Without them, I would have been dead anyway.