Cinderstar stirred when she felt the feeling of warm sunshine on her back. This doesn't seem right she thought to herself. She opened her eyes to be standing in an unfamiliar forest. Sunlight shone brightly through the trees. She saw a small brook running a few feet from her with some rocks that looked wonderful for sunning on. She then noticed a familiar flame colored cat sitting atop them his green eyes shining with the light of stars. His gaze was warm and inviting.
"Given the circumstances I thought this might be a nice place for us to talk." He mewed. Cinderstar padded over to the rocks. Firestar beckoned with his tail for her to sit on one facing him. Cinderstar did as directed. The sunlight felt great on her back as she lay there.
"Why have you brought me here?" She asked. "Is there a prophecy?"
"There is no prophecy." Firestar replied. "I've come to you tonight to try and give you the advice you need to make some difficult decisions in the days to come."
"Advice about what? Do you know where the rogues are? Are they even still alive?" Cinderstar asked frantically. Firestar simply beckoned with his tail for her to calm down.
"We know the answers to all of these questions, but I am not at liberty to answer them." Firestar replied. Irritation bit at her, but she said nothing.
"You are doing well so far." Firestar began speaking again. ", but in the coming days you will be forced to make some very tough decisions. These are decisions that could shape ThunderClan's destiny in the years to come." Nodding intently a grim look crossed Cinderstar's face.
"I want you to remember that there are two sides to every story and both of them need to be heard. I'll admit I was guilty of not listening at times during my life. I sometimes find it shameful the way I first judged Bramblestar. For a time, I could only see his father when I looked at him." Cinderstar absorbed Firestar's words.
"What did Waspsting and Fawnleg have a good reason to murder their deputy?" She asked. Her voice unintentionally had a rude tone to it. Annoyance flashed in Firestar's eyes, but he remained patient.
"What I'm saying is that everyone deserves the chance to be heard and considered fairly." It then hit Cinderstar that she might not be able to do that when the time came. She knew how Harestar felt about losing a child. There was no pain worse.
"I'm not completely sure I can do that." She admitted looking back into Firestar's green eyes. Understanding flashed in them.
"I didn't say it would be easy." He began, "but there is much riding on you trying."
"Well, what does that mean?" She asked. "What exactly is riding on me giving these two a fair chance? Are the clans in jeopardy because of these two?" The questions coming out almost instantly following the first.
"Nothing that severe." He replied. "I won't lie to you, either choice you make will have consequences for you and your clan." His words chilled Cinderstar. No matter what there's the possibility I lose she thought to herself.
"Do you already know the choices i'll make?" She asked. Firestar's gaze remained the same making it hard to read a reaction.
"We know many things and yes we do know what you will eventually do. My job is just to try and point you in the right direction whether you listen to me or not." He replied. "Either way you've now heard my advice about your present situation. Now since this whether is much nicer than what you are currently experiencing I'll allow you to sit and chat with me here for a short while." Cinderstar wasn't sure that she was completely satisfied with his answer, but she was perfectly contempt sunning herself a bit longer. Firestar's expression softened.
"So how do you like running a clan for yourself?"
"It's not so bad." Cinderstar replied still half thinking about the previous conversation. "Ivypool has been a big help with that."
"Yes, it was certainly a wise choice naming her your deputy. I'm glad you have been satisfied with your time so far." Cinderstar thought about her actions as leader. Then she thought of her clanmates.
"You said that you can try to guide me to make the right decisions, correct?" She asked
"Yes, I can always try to do that. What is it you wish to ask about?" He inquired.
"Well, there's this kit in ThunderClan i've been trying to help." She began
"Ah, so this is about Volekit." Firestar mewed. Cinderstar was a bit caught off guard by his awareness, but didn't question it.
"Yes, I'm trying to help him feel like he belongs in the clan. It seems though like nothing I do can convince him that he belongs. I thought i'd got through to him in the forest the day Bramblestar died, but he still doesn't really want to talk to any of the other cats. He visited the elders a few days ago, but that was only after I made him meet Brackenfur and had to run off to check out the place where the Rogues were hiding. Can you please give me some advice on how to help him?" She asked.
"I'm sorry, but that is a problem I can't help you with." Firestar replied
"Why not?" Cinderstar asked confused. Firestar simply chuckled.
"Because his problem is not yours to solve. Just as we've seen yours we also know Volekit's destiny. We know the things he will do in life and his path is not one you need to worry about. He will eventually learn to accept his place in ThunderClan, but you will not be the one who shows him that. Do not fear for his destiny it is in our hands."
"Well if it's not my problem to solve then who's is it?" Cinderstar asked
"As i've told you before I cannot tell you all the answers about the future. Just know that great things are in his future and eventually he will become a strong and brave warrior of ThunderClan. That is something I can guarantee you." Cinderstar still wished that he could tell her more, but it was at least she had the comfort of knowing that the sweet young cat would be ok. It was at that point that Firestar looked over into the trees across the clearing from where they were laying. She followed his gaze to see Sandstorm standing there. His eyes were bright as he looked at her.
"Is it time?" He asked. Sandstorm nodded to him. Firestar stood up and then leapt from the rock where he was sitting. He began padding towards the pale ginger she-cat not looking back.
"Time for what?" Cinderstar mewed scrambling to her feet on the rock. Firestar turned his head back to look at her.
"Remember what we discussed and good luck with the days ahead of you." He said before turning and padding off towards Sandstorm.
"Wait!" Cinderstar yowled from the rock. "Tell me more. what's getting ready to happen? Please" Firestar didn't turn around. He just kept padding, Cinderstar prepared to call out again, but then she noticed the forest vanishing around her. The warmth of the sun disappeared and the smooth rocks she had been laying on was now gone. All that was there was empty darkness.
"Cinderstar!, Cinderstar!" The frantic mews came through the entrance to her den. Both her and Lionblaze stirred in their nests. She was still trying to get the sleep out of her eyes. When they adjusted she looked up she could see Finshade sticking his head through the entrance to her den.
"Cinderstar you need to come see this!" His mew was still frantic, and his eyes seemed to show a mix of alarm and confusion.
"What's the matter?" She asked concerned.
"Just come see this for yourself." Cinderstar and Lionblaze then followed Finshade out of the den. The warrior leapt down on the rocks that led into the clearing. Cinderstar cast her gaze to see what was happening below. Ivypool and every other ThunderClan warrior surrounded two cats in the middle of the clearing. The two cats shivered in the cold dawn air. They were both lanky cats. The first was a dark gray tabby tom. He was tall and very thin. His fur was messy and ungroomed. Cinderstar could also see that he was clearly starving as every one of his ribs showed. The second was a pale ginger she-cat with white feet. Her situation was a bit different. Her fur was still messy and ungroomed. She was also obviously starving, but she was much plumper than the tom. Cinderstar obviously knew who they were. She tried to think of what Firestar had said about giving them a chance to share their side of the story, but her mouth reacted to the situation.
"What are you doing here?" Fury sounding in her mew. The gray tom looked around at the wall of warriors surrounding him. Cinderstar could see that he was weighing his words very carefully before he spoke. He finally looked up directly meeting her gaze.
"We've come to ask for shelter and safety." Fury flashed in Cinderstar's mind at what he had just said. Then she heard Firestar's voice in the back of her mind.
"It's time"
Thank you for reading chapter 8 of Cinderstar's family. I hope you enjoyed it. I'm sorry it took so long to get out myself and my editor are busy getting ready for finals. I am almost finished with chapter 9 though. Please review and thank you for reading.
