CHAPTER 10: SUMMONING STARCLAN

Moonlight cast a silver sheen on the gently swaying grass stems. With the advent of winter, all the wildflowers had withered and so the meadow seemed barren and uninviting. I wonder if it's a sign about how tonight will end? Looking up at the stars offered no assurance; they glittered overheard, impassive.

"Could you keep walking, please?"

Embarrassed that his worries distracted him so, Twister hurried to catch up with Flora and Redbud at Luna's request. Muted voices carried to the approaching cats on the breeze. Ahead, the ground sloped away into a shallow hollow. When he reached the ridge, Twister could see the many cats waiting below.

Why're there so many of them? Then, as he scanned the still shapes below for Dawn's tabby and white pelt, he realised: Flora was right. They're expecting to fight. StarClan, I hope it doesn't turn out like that.

As Flora trotted down the low-grade slope and Twister followed, he glimpsed Dawn beside Dusk on the far side. A third cat, a dark orange mackerel tabby, sat alongside the leader's opposite flank. Storm sat some distance apart on an exposed patch of red earth littered with small stones.

"So many of them," whispered Rosemary as she huddled against Luna.

Luna stroked her friend's spine with the tip of her tail. "I know." She sighed. "Let's hope we don't have to fight."

"Blood will be shed tonight." Twister overheard Redbud mutter. The blood-red tabby stared at her paws, amber eyes slitted though blank. "Only then can they understand how precious life is." Then she looked up suddenly at Twister and he resisted the urge to recoil from her frenzied gaze. "I hope you're ready."

I hope not. Disturbed, Twister slunk away to where Creek, Luna, and Rosemary sat. As he settled down beside Creek, he noticed no mingling among the assembled cats. But why should they? This isn't a clowder meeting. The hostile stares that ricocheted from cat to cat, however, set his heart to thumping. Still, I was hoping they'd maybe have been willing to give peace a chance. A quick glance at the dark heavens told the dark blue tabby that moonhigh was near. StarClan, let all this go well. No starry ancestor responded to his plea.

Movement caught his attention. A stout yellow tabby with long fur pelted through the midst of the gathered cats and halted before Storm. Five cats followed him, though only a gaunt black tom who looked like Pepper followed the yellow tabby to where the other leaders gathered.

Dusk was the first to speak. "Murphy?"

"I heard about your plan, and I want a part in it." The yellow tabby sniffed in response, then glared at Storm. "I want the territory I had in town and all my cats back."

Storm met his eyes but said nothing. Twister thought that he saw her neck fur begin to bristle, though from this distance, perhaps he had imagined it. Then, she gestured to the black tom. "Who's your friend?"

"My name is Dark. Murphy asked my clowder for help some moons ago, and has stayed with us since. We thought this would be an ideal opportunity to negotiate some compromise for his lost territory."

Storm twitched an ear. "Were there any other clowders coming that you know of?"

"No." Dark shook his head. "Myrrh, my friend, only wanted to send greetings. She was curious about what might happen tonight, but feared a pointless fight, so she decided not to come. Every other clowder in the northern forests are too far from the both of us to be affected either."

Dusk, Storm, Flora, Murphy, Dark, and now Myrrh. That makes six Clans. There could be at least one more, maybe even two more. I wonder who those cats might be?

Dusk padded to the bare patch. "Then let's get started. We're wasting moonlight, and I want to get this done in one night."

"That's right," Murphy agreed. "There's much to be discussed and made right."

Every cat formed a tight half-circle around the leaders. Some even mingled with their enemies. As Twister wound past cats to near the front of the crowd, he heard Dusk yowl, "We will begin by airing our grievances. These must be considered during the negotiations." Approving murmurs, most of which originated from Dusk's cats, followed her statement.

A cream tabby and white molly pushed forward. "If we're airing our grievances, then I'd like to ask Storm to allow all the housecats to return home." After an embarrassed lick of her chest fur and glance at Dusk, she amended, "Not that I'd be going back myself, but I'm sure some of the cats might want to – like Francis."

"I wouldn't go back." A small dark brown tabby, presumably Francis, stood and Twister slid into the gap he made. Once he finished speaking, he sat down again on Twister's right forepaw.

Whilst wincing, Twister flailed his bruised paw. It struck Creek, who let out a yowl and cannoned into a large brown tabby. The brown tabby hissed in kind and as Creek faced the hostile cat, no trace of apology appeared in his expression. Instead, his short fur bushed and as his back arched. "You'd dare to show your face here? You almost killed my daughter!"

The brown tabby snorted, his fur still flat. There was no anger in his expression, only a wry smirk. "Well, she was a fool to think she could fight me and win. So think of it this way: I showed mercy in letting her live. If you ask me, she deserves to die."

Screeching like a hawk, Creek bowled over the brown tabby. The lanky black cat Redbud hated lunged and sank her teeth into the blue tabby's thin scruff. With little effort, she hauled him off the brown tabby. Faster than a fox, the brown tabby stood and battered his muzzle. To Twister, his paws moved so fast they almost blurred.

"We came here to talk, not fight!" Dawn shouted as she stormed toward the fight.

It looks like you were right after all, Redbud.

Rosemary bit into one of the black cat's shoulders and ripped tufts of fur out, while Luna yanked the brown tabby's tail with such ferocity that the much larger cat stumbled and collapsed. As Luna swarmed onto the brown tabby's shoulders, he flung her off. Before the black-and-grey calico might scramble to her paws and re-join the fray, Francis raced over and pinned her down. Rosemary did not fare much better. A black tom jumped up, wrapped his paws around her throat, and pulled her to the ground where he scratched at her head with his hindpaws.

Twister staggered when a large cobby tom first swatted his head then ducked around to nip one of his hindlegs. All he could hear was Dawn wailing in protest as more cats attacked. The cobby tom slammed Twister to the ground. I wish we had never come. Coloured spots swam before the dark blue tabby's half-closed eyes. There will be no Clan.

"Do you see them?" Twister opened his eyes and saw the ginger-and-white tom crouched in the distance. Dark shadows surrounded him; their red eyes little more than slits. Overheard, a blood-red disk began to slid over the full moon. "Spirits inhabit every realm from here to the stars. There is evil as much as there is good. The future of these cats is yours to decide. Will you fight for them or will you give up?" Warmth spread through Twister as the stranger stared at him; a burden lifted.

He saw Dawn overheard, yellow eyes wide and pupils dilated. "How can we end this?" Regret strangled her voice.

"StarClan. That's the only way." Twister pushed himself to his paws, ignoring the stinging sensation in his leg. The ginger-and-white cat was nowhere around and neither were the shadowy creatures.

Where'd he go? Twister wondered. There's no way he'd have gotten away by now. Then, a notion dazzled him like the sun in his eyes: Did I just meet one of my ancestors? But that made little sense when Redbud entered the equation.

The dark blue tabby hared toward the patch of earth; Dawn, bewildered, trailed him. "What do you mean?"

I don't have time to explain right now, but you'll know soon enough. StarClan cat, just give me the words to say!

Redbud loomed up from the distance; she clutched a bleeding foreleg to her chest. "We have to get to that bare patch!" howled Twister as he passed; she stared at him, gaze blank, though her head tipped on one side as though she questioned him. "The Clan!"

"Twister!" Dawn skidded to a halt beside Redbud, but Twister did not hear her. His range of vision narrowed to the path he needed to follow; all else dimmed into nonexistence. Then, he hit the ground and his teeth gnashed together. Twister rolled onto his back as his vision came into focus. It's that cat Redbud hates!

Claws pierced his sides; Twister howled. "I won't forgive you for helping her."

Will you give up? Will you fight for them? Pale blue eyes burned in his mind.

With a hindleg, Twister hooked his attacker's legs from below her. Harsh breath came from her mouth as the force drove it from her lungs. The dark blue tabby wriggled from beneath her heavy form and scrabbled to his paws. Every breath was a struggle as he raced toward the meeting place, where Redbud and Dawn waited for him. Redbud slumped, unconscious, against Dawn's shoulder, while Dawn surveyed the fight with wide eyes as though she warred with her desire to separate the fighting cats and her hope for Twister's plan.

I'll make sure you don't regret your decision to trust Redbud and I.

"Redbud?" Twister attempted to take her weight from Dawn.

The red and white tabby frowned. "I don't think you should do that. She's lost a lot of blood."

"You've got to wake up now." Her amber eyes fluttered open, then shut. "We need to tell them everything."

Dawn shook her head. "Whatever you want to do, you'll have to do it alone."

But we're the storm-cat and the blood-cat! Twister wanted to protest, though he stepped onto the dry earth. Droplets of rain spattered his face as he turned his face upward. Where are the stars? Shouldn't they be here? "Listen to me! This fighting can end! We were once a Clan, and we have to become Clans again." His words seemed to spark no reaction; the battle raged on in the distance. Horrified, Twister nudged Redbud away from Dawn. "You have to wake up now! I need you. You're the only cat that knows about StarClan. You have to tell them."

Amber eyes shot open. Redbud straightened up and though it seemed as though the pain from her injuries evaporated like the morning dew, there was a peculiar coldness about her that frightened him. Stiffly, she marched to the exposed earth and tipped her head back to the sky. At the same time, a thundering yowl came from her mouth that echoed throughout the hollow. Every cat turned to see the source of the noise and when all eyes rested on her, Redbud began. "Have I got your attention now?" Her voice carried over the cold night air. "Do you see the stars above you? They are the spirits of your ancestors, and every one of them looks down on you as you fight like kits. Your petty quarrels and disunity tire them They want to guide your paws with prophecies and omens, but you are unwilling to heed them."

A blue tom objected. "Nonsense. When cats die, they're dead. They see nothing but dirt."

"I agree," inputted Dusk.

But Storm gasped and Twister looked up. What? There were clouds there just a moment ago. Now, it seemed the stars gathered into clusters that resembled cat faces. Their glittering jaws opened and closed in a chant; their eyes stared at the moon, now a wholly blood-red disk overhead.

"Their message is clear: you can no longer fight over territory. You must set down changeless boundaries between yourselves and your neighbours. You must become Clans." Ripples of voices moved through her audience. "Long ago, cats lived in the northern forests. The stars guided them. They set down boundaries and made themselves strong against outsiders. They called themselves EmberClan, and you must become like them. You will live by morals and you will not allow grudges to rule you." Her head swept the awestruck masses. "Twister, Dusk, Storm, and Dark." She gestured with her tail for them to stand forward. All did so, save Twister. "A single cat led EmberClan. Now you must do the same."

Me? There must be some mistake! Flora should lead, not me! And what about Murphy? Twister looked around until he spotted the yellow tabby's body, motionless and bloodstained, stretched over the ridge as though he attempted to crawl away from the fight in his final moments.

"Flora is our leader." Creek stepped forward, lip curled. "Not him."

Some sense, finally.

Redbud looked down at Creek for a long moment. The only movement Twister detected was her steady blinks. "Did you miss the signs in the stars? Don't you see the corpses around you? The moon is red as blood. More blood will flow if you ignore StarClan's will. They need Twister to lead a Clan." Creek backed away as though he reconsidered his earlier objection. "Now, stand forward, all of you."

Dawn nudged Twister, who still remained behind the four leaders. "Go! It's your destiny."

How can this be my destiny? I can hardly speak my mind, much less tell some other cat what to do. I'll never make even a decent leader! Besides, what if my destiny doesn't involve you? Twister glanced back at the cat he loved. I promised to remake the Clans. That's all I ever promised.

"You will lead them well. You're selfless and brave and you stopped the battle." Dawn rubbed her cheek along his; he inhaled her sweet scent and felt some courage return to him. "They ask little more from a leader than that." When she withdrew, he took a hesitant step toward the other leaders.

Redbud swished her tail as he fell into step. "StarClan, hear me! See the four cats that stand before me tonight, as well as the fifth cat elsewhere in this forest. EmberClan died moons ago, but their descendants wish to surrender their rogue ways. They, with your help, will restore the traditions of their ancestors and lead five Clans. Twister, Dark, Storm, and Dusk, do you swear to do this to the best of your ability?"

"I do." Twister was the first to respond.

Dark, Storm, and Dusk chorused, "I swear it."

"Do you swear to listen to the guidance of your ancestors henceforth?"

"I do." All four cats said at once.

Redbud puffed out her chest. "Good. As thanks for your vow, StarClan will give a gift to each of you." Then, she proceeded to touch noses with each of the new Clan leaders. Dusk almost flinched away from the touch, while Storm leaned into it. When Redbud reached Dark, who stood adjacent to Twister, she asked, "You'll make Myrrh promise this as well?" Dark nodded, Redbud touched noses with him, then reached Twister at last. "We have achieved our destinies. The Clans have begun again. I couldn't be prouder of all of you."

The light then drained from her eyes and she collapsed. No! A collective gasp rose from not only the new Clan leaders, but every cat present. Twister nudged her still flank with his muzzle. "Get up. Please get up." With each insistence, his voice became louder until it bordered on a wail.

I should have listen to Dawn and not pushed her so hard! We've just remade the Clans; she can't die now!

"Cobwebs! Some cat fetch cobwebs!" Dawn ordered.

The cobby tom ran off, presumably in search of the sticky substance.

Where's she bleeding from? Twister scanned Redbud's small form, his heart racing like a hunted rabbit. His eyes were drawn to her chest. I thought it was white? So he planted his paws there. Sudden cold came over him as he realised it was dark with clotted blood. It was! Most of it had dried already; there was little blood flow to stop.

"You won't find any cobwebs here." Dark rested his tail tip on Twister's shoulder. "You should hurry back to your camp. Maybe there will be some there."

He's right. Twister felt his heart sink at the prospect of the arduous journey. They could travel little more than a snail's pace even if his clowder-mates – no, his Clanmates – were relatively uninjured. But I have to try. I can't let her die. It'll be my fault if she does. He stooped to shoulder Redbud and began to stagger toward the edge of the hollow. "My Clan, after me!"

Creek, though bloodied, bolstered Flora with his shoulder and limped after his new leader, the dislike momentarily gone. The black-and-white queen had deep bites on both her shoulders as well as her broad back. Luna, meanwhile, headed toward Rosemary's corpse and struggled to heave Rosemary's corpse onto her back. Dawn hurried over to the small tortoiseshell and pushed the limp body into position. Then, she bounded to Twister.

"Shall I go ahead? It'll give Juniper time to find the cobwebs and herbs before you get back."

Twister nodded and watched as the red and white tabby disappeared into the long grass. The Clans have formed, but I don't think any of us expected it to be like this. I wonder if we'll have to sacrifice another life for peace before the morning comes.