The Sky's Rise
Chapter 13
As the sun rose, Sunmist stood up in her nest and padded out of the warrior's den. She hadn't slept at all when she had gotten back from the forest, but she'd laid in her nest thinking. Now, she was going to the medicine den to speak with Birchleaf.
"Birchleaf?" She called as she stood at the den entrance.
"Yes!" She heard the medicine cat call. She padded into the den and looked around, but didn't see him.
"Uh, I need to talk to you," She mewed. She saw his head poke out from the cave where they kept the herbs.
"What is it?" He asked.
"Well, I've been having this odd dream. I spoke with Lionstar and he said it sounded like a prophecy." She told him. Birchleaf tilted his head and pulled himself into the main den.
"You spoke with Lionstar?" He asked, sounding surprised.
"Yes, why?" Sunmist asked.
"You two have seemed very distant lately," Birchleaf noted and sat down. "Oh well, tell me about this dream of yours," He mewed.
"There are cats scrambling in and out of caves everywhere. I've never seen this place before, but there are dogs and Twolegs and they keep attacking these cats. There's a river close by, and the cats, they're falling in and they're not coming out. There's this one cat who keep screeching and whenever I go to help her, I can't. I don't know who she is, but there's this weird flash and I see that it's helping her. The cat the was screeching has kits, but when she tries to move them, the dogs corner her and the cat that's trying to help. Then it all goes black and I hear the words: The night will fall, leaving the day alone, but the sky will bring them close when dusk comes during the storm." Sunmist told him what she'd told Lionstar.
"The night will fall, leaving the day alone, but the sky will bring them close when dusk comes during the storm?" Birchleaf repeated. Sunmist nodded and tilted her head.
"What does it mea-"
"How long have you had this dream?" Birchleaf asked, his voice hard.
"A few moons now. It started after Shadestorm and Featherstar died," Sunmist toled him.
"Sunmist, Lionstar was right. The last time I went to the Moonpool, I met with a cat named Firestar. He gave me this prophecy and said that the cats that are in this prophecy will find each other, but you have to go on a long journey," Birchleaf mewed in a rush.
"But what does it mean?" Sunmist asked, shaking her head. It was all happening so fast!
"I don't know, but you must go. You have to travel this journey like Firestar commanded," Birchleaf ordered.
"But how can I be part of it?" She asked.
"I don't know yet, but you are," Birchleaf paused. "I'll go talk to Lionstar," He mewed quickly and dashed out of the den, leaving Sunmist dumbfounded.
"What just happened?" She asked herself, her mouth gaping open as she padded back out of the den and into the clearing. She could see Birchleaf talking to Lionstar hurriedly.
"Hey, how are you?" Sunmist jumped in surprise and whipped around to see Stormcry standing behind her.
"I'm not sure," Sunmist mewed and shook her head. She saw Moonshadow coming into camp from the corner of her eye with a mouthful of herbs. Duskflame was speaking with Cloverlight, who was nodding with gleaming eyes while Dawnfern and Dreamwing were heading towards the warrior's den. Moonshadow padded past Stormcry and Sunmist and went into the medicine den. Just then, Lionstar padded up and yowled for a clan meeting. Birchleaf was standing beside him.
The clan gathered with questioning murmurs, but fell silent when Lionstar spoke. "Birchleaf has something important to announce," The leader mewed and stepped back.
"ThunderClan, I received a prophecy last moon, but have been unsure of what it meant until now. The night will fall, leaving the day alone, but the sky will bring them close when dusk comes during the storm. It has come to my attention that Sunmist and Nightclaw are two cats in which the prophecy speaks of," Birchleaf mewed. Before the clan could speak, he rushed on. "I believe that they are to go on a journey. I'm not sure where, but I think that StarClan will guide their paws an-"
"You're letting them go alone?" Moonshadow yowled.
"Well I-" Birchleaf began.
"They can't go to who-knows-where without protection!" Moonshadow said. Sunmist could see how scared and angry her sister looked, but opposite her Nightclaw was staring in awe. "I'll go with them. If you're sending them away, they're going to need a medicine cat and you're too needed here, Birchleaf," Moonshadow continued.
"Now wait a moment. Birchleaf, you didn't tell me any of this!" Lionstar yowled.
"It's StarClan's will," Birchleaf protested.
"I will not send two of my warriors and your apprentice out on a journey they may not return from!" Lionstar argued angrily.
"Than you will deny StarClan's wishes!" Birchleaf mewed. The clan stared wide-eyed at the medicine cat. He was acting crazed!
"Wait!" Sunmist snapped her head to see burning green eyes and the dark gray pelt of her father, Stonestorm. She wasn't the only one staring at him wide-eyed. He had the whole clan's attention. "These are my daughters you are talking about!" He yowled as he stood up. The large tom pushed his way through the crowd and stared at Birchleaf and Lionstar. "How do you know that Sunmist is part of this so-called prophecy?" He asked the medicine cat.
"Because she came to me and described the same dream I've had for the past two moons," The glossy honey-colored tom mewed.
"What dream?" Blackdream stood beside her mate as she spoke.
"I'm staring at caves. Blood is covering the ground as dogs and Twolegs stalk cats running around frantically. These cats are falling into a river and not rising again while others are being beaten to death by the paws of the Twolegs. They're yowling in pain and fear as they try to scramble away from all the dogs," Birchleaf mewed and he turned directly to Sunmist. "She sees more though," He added. Lionstar flicked his ear and stared at her.
"Sunmist, go ahead and share what you've seen," The leader mewed. All eyes turned to her as she stood up and padded forward to stand in front of the clan. She turned around and saw Nightclaw staring at her in shock and it looked like Moonshadow was praying.
"What Birchleaf described is right. It's exactly what I see, except, I hear this screech. This really, really loud screech. I see this colorful flash run to towards the screech and then I see this flash with a she-cat. This she-cat is the one that she was screeching and she has kits, and she's trying to move them to safety, but she is getting cornered by dogs. The flash that was helping her, I can't tell what it is, is still with her, trying to help, but there are so many dogs. In my dream, I'm trying to run over and help them, but then I wake up before I make it there-" Sunmist stopped and watched each individual expression change in a whole to shock.
"Nightclaw has came to me and has told me of the same dream," Birchleaf mewed. Sunmist gasped and looked at the black tom in shock. "I can only assume they are what the prophecy speak of," Birchleaf concluded.
"Nightclaw, is it true? Have you been having this dream too?" Sunmist questioned. She watched as he nodded and looked at Lionstar.
"I think we should go. I don't know why, but there's something we're suppose to do," The loyal warrior stepped forward and stood beside Sunmist.
"No, not yet. I will travel to the Moonpool tonight and consult StarClan. Tomorrow night is when Birchleaf and Moonshadow are suppose to meet with the other medicine cats. When they get back, I will see what happened. If this is a prophecy and StarClan wants you two to go, they will have to say it themselves. I will not risk you two over a dream," Lionstar hissed, his eyes on Sunmist the whole time. The tortoiseshell blinked as Lionstar ended the clan meeting with a loud yowl and ordered Birchleaf to his den, his eyes blazing. Sunmist watched as they disappeared and turned to Nightclaw.
"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me about the dream?" She asked.
"For the same reason you didn't tell me," Nightclaw answered.
"I didn't want you to worry," Sunmist mewed.
"Like I said; I didn't tell you for the same reason you didn't tell me," He whispered and nuzzled her. Sunmist sighed and looked at Stonestorm and Blackdream talking with Stormcry while Redfur was trying to calm the worried Moonshadow. She noticed Cloverlight approaching her and Nightclaw with a concerned stare.
"Sunmist, can we go for a walk? Just you and me?" She whispered. Sunmist blinked and nodded with a bit of confusion. Cloverlight bowed her head to Nightclaw and padded out of the camp with Sunmist trailing behind her.
"Are you going away?" Cloverlight whispered after they had padded on for a while in silence. They were in the middle of the warm greenleaf forest. The green leaves on the trees were beginning to be dappled with orange and yellow. Leaf fall would soon come to the territories.
"I don't know," Sunmist admitted.
"I don't want you to leave. Nightclaw either," The younger she-cat murmured, her voice dripping with sadness.
"I don't want to leave either," Sunmist mewed.
"Than don't go!" Cloverlight yowled. Sunmist winced not because Cloverlight's words were hard and angry, but because they were hurt and scared.
"I'll have to if it is StarClan's wish," She answered. Sunmist turned to Cloverlight and stared at her as they walked. "You'll still have Duskflame," She whispered. For a moment, joy flickered in Cloverlight's green stare.
"He asked me to be his mate," She whispered. Sunmist couldn't help but purr.
"Duskflame is a good cat," She mewed.
"Yeah, he is," Cloverlight mewed with a nod. They both fell silent after that, but Sunmist and Cloverlight padded on still. Sunmist became lost in wonder again after so long. Will I really have to leave? If I do leave, will I come back? Will I ever see her again? She asked mentally as she looked at the she-cat beside her. Cloverlight was strong, but she had already lost so much. Her father had abandoned her. Her mother died for her. Her brother was dead too, and now she may have to leave Cloverlight too. Sunmist knew that if she left on this quest, Nightclaw would have to go too. Especially since they'd shared the same dream. Youngkit, please, show me what your wishes are. What am I suppose to do? She thought as her eyes flickered to the sky. The sun had almost risen to its highest peak, and it was time they were getting back.
"Cloverlight, I think it's time we go back to camp," Sunmist mewed. Cloverlight nodded and the warriors went back to camp, every pawstep in sync.