Author's Note: I said I'd reveal which cats are which characters. Here it is:
Sides- Longberry: Logan, Vigilpaw: Virgil, Snaketail: Deceit, Wolfkit: Remus, Patternheart: Patton, Roarkit: Roman
Real People- Vinestar: Thomas, Frostbark: Foster (Thomas's childhood dog), Talonstar: Talyn, Terrainstar: Terrence, Valorstar: Valerie, Beanstar: Joan
Cartoon Therapy- Echopelt: Dr. Emile Picani, Hazelpaw: Elliot, Dottail: Dot, Larkwhisker: Larry
Short Vid Characters- Sunnybrook: Mom Character, Treeshade: Teacher Guy, Dapplefoot: Dad Guy, Antpatch: Anxiety Guy, Inktrail: Magenta (Printer), Icetooth: Ice Machine,
Other Characters- Spiderwatcher: Susan (Virgil's pet spider), Blazefeather: Steve the Stove, Hedgepaw (Mr. Squiggles the Brave), Molebriar: Bill (Drill), Poppyclaw: Aunt Patty, Leafwillow: Lee, Mintleaf: Mary Lee, Rushstalk: Remy (Sleep), Bramblethorn: Brain, Wildheart: Heart, Thyemestalk: Story Time Guy, Marchbranch: Marco (Joan's Beanie), Lizard: Dragon Witch, Cat: Manticore Chimera, Orange (Theorized seventh side, unknown as of the time this story was written)
StarClan was a fickle place that not even its inhabitants fully understood. Or rather, Silverpelt was. StarClan was not a place. It was a community and Silverpelt was their home. A piece of it was anyway. The terrain varied from place to place, matching the homes of the living cats in the real world below but it also had nooks and crannies that not even the bravest of star-furred warriors dared venture into. Of course, it was here that the greatest cats of clan history made their homes. Far from ShadowClan's marsh, SkyClan's trees, ThunderClan's undergrowth, WindClan's moor, and RiverClan's waters, stone and bog hid behind a thick, ever present mist. This was the place Silverpelt's guardians decided to make their homes.
She knew the mist should cause her worry. Afterall, the border between Silverpelt and the Dark Forest's territory was covered in it. Logically, the mist's presence at the edge of StarClan's hunting grounds implied something on the other side of the border. Something dark. Sinister even. Something she didn't want to see. But she couldn't help but feel comforted when she stepped into it and bathed in the crisp, damp air. Maybe it was because she was so far from other cats. Maybe it was the fact that legendary cats like Thunderstar and Windstar or lesser known heroes like Finchstar and even Cloudstar resided here. She always felt awed in their presence. She knew they were cats just like her but each and every one of them had an aura of something she just couldn't identify. That could've been it. Or maybe it was because she only ever came here for one reason. Seeing the cats that gave her past life meaning always brought warmth to her heart. That was probably it.
"Ivypool!"
The sharp voice cut through the mist like a thorn digging into the soft pad of a kit. Ivypool lifted her head, blue eyes locking with another pair. Instinctively, she wanted to leap back but she merely squared her shoulders and held her stance strong. There was no reason to fear these cats and showing weakness would do nothing to benefit the situation.
"Jayfeather," Ivypool greeted with a curt nod. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
The once blind tom snorted and he beckoned Ivypool closer with his tail. The mist cleared around him somewhat and Ivypool eagerly jumped at the chance for some respite from its effects. Only those who made their home in the mist could navigate and control it. Ivypool was not one of those cats. Part of her hated that she had to rely on others like this but at the moment, she did not care.
"You're the one who called us here," Jayfeather grunted. He began walking, not bothering to check if Ivypool was following. It annoyed her to some end but she supposed that she shouldn't expect more. This was Jayfeather she was talking about and every cat in StarClan, the Dark Forest, and the Tribe of Endless Hunting knew how prickly he could be. Especially when he was doing something he didn't want to.
"Where are the others?" Ivypool asked, glancing around but she saw no pelts beside her own silver and white one and Jayfeather's tabby fur. The mist was too thick. No matter how hard she peered, she couldn't see past a couple of tail lengths.
Jayfeather flicked his ear dismissively, still not looking at her. "We met around the… It doesn't matter. The five original clan leaders have a favorite spot. Any cat in the mist goes there when anything important happens. We're meeting there. I didn't think you'd be able to find us so Lionblaze made me go get you."
Ivypool purred and shouldered him playfully. "Don't blame your brother. You know you were worried."
Jayfeather glanced at her, no humor in his blank stare, making it clear he did not appreciate the friendly nudge. Ivypool shrank back slightly. Death did nothing to lighten Jayfeather's demeanor. If anything, it made him more serious. Ivypool thought a life free of responsibility would be beneficial for him but it seemed that was not the case. Or the cats that held the power of the stars in their paws didn't get the same opportunity to have a peaceful afterlife like the warriors and medicine cats that wandered Silverpelt. Ivypool suspected that much for seasons but never found the right way to ask.
The rest of the journey was spent in silence. It wasn't much of a journey anyway. Jayfeather knew exactly where he was going, avoiding certain patches of mud and treading through batches of reeds like they weren't there at all. Ivypool couldn't fathom why any cat would want to live in a place like the mist when the rest of StarClan wasn't far away. The edges of Silverpelt were cold and damp while StarClan's forests were warm and filled with prey. But, to each his own, Ivypool supposed. She was sure Jayfeather and the others had a reason for living here.
Jayfeather led her up a slight incline until the mist began to roll back a bit, revealing three more forms waiting not far ahead. Ivypool's eyes lit up and a purr rumbled in her throat at the sight of them. She got along with these cats far better than the tabby tom at her side. Seeing them always brought her joy.
"Dovewing! Lionblaze! Firestar!" she greeted. Excitement bubbled up in her chest and she found herself unable to contain it. Breaking from her guide's side, she darted forward. Dovewing looked equally happy to see her and she met her halfway, the two sisters rubbing their heads against each other affectionately.
"Why can't we be like that?" Lionblaze joked as Jayfeather padded to sit beside him.
"If you try anything like that, I will claw your ears off," Jayfeather threatened, eyes narrowing, but his words did nothing to faze the larger tom.
"You know you love me," Lionblaze responded with a laugh. After a few heartbeats, his mood became a bit more somber and his gaze shifted to meet Ivypool's. "Ivypool, why did you call the Four together? You know we don't like leaving the mist."
"And I'm not asking you to," Ivypool said quickly. She knew it would be useless to try anyway. The Four were stubborn and resolute in their ways. They wouldn't leave if she asked and it would take a lot of convincing on her part to get them to do it on their own accord. "I just wanted- needed- to tell you something."
"What could be important enough to bring the four prophezied cats together?" Firestar asked, waving his tail to gesture at the group. In the dim light, his pelt didn't quite shine the way it did when struck by the sun but his flame colored fur still looked as brilliant as his green eyes. Nothing could steal Firestar's beauty, not even the dirtiest and darkest of places.
"The Four's reign has ended," Jayfeather spoke. "It ended seasons before any of the Three died. Whatever you want us to do, it doesn't concern-"
"But it does," Ivypool interrupted stubbornly. She wasn't about to let Jayfeather dismiss her, not after all she did to get the Four together again. StarClan, why were they all so reclusive? Not even Sandstorm could get them to visit StarClan's hunting grounds. Neither she-cat understood the Four's motives or had any idea what they did in the mist but Ivypool doubted it was important enough to ignore their friends and kin. She shook her head. Now wasn't the time to worry about that. "The Four's time will never end."
"The prophecy has been fulfilled," Dovewing told her softly, pressing her muzzle against her sister's ear. "Whatever it is-"
"The prophecy hasn't been fulfilled," Ivypool interrupted again, ignoring the shocked looks from her former clanmates. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see their faces.
"Excuse me?" Jayfeather sounded offended. Ivypool could understand that. Out of all the prophesized cats, Jayfeather had given up the most for the sake of the prophecy. It was understandable for him to take her words most personally.
But it seemed all of them had taken it to heart. Even Firestar seemed upset. Not quite angry but his voice was a bit harsher than usual. "Explain yourself, Ivypool."
"The Four still hold power greater than StarClan. That's why you hang around in the mist. You do everything StarClan doesn't. Or can't." Ivypool had no idea if that was true or not but judging by their reaction, it was true. "You still have a role in the safety of the clans. Until the clans are safe, the prophecy will never be fulfilled."
"The clans will never be safe," Jayfeather snorted.
"The prophecy only gave us the power to protect the clans from the Dark Forest," Lionblaze agreed. He waved his tail. "That's what we do here. Guard the border, venture beyond, keep the balance."
Huh. Ivypool never knew that. She had to admit she wasn't surprised. She had died generations ago and spent the seasons she'd spent away from her sister's side wondering what the Four did at the border. The idea that the Four continued to protect Silverpelt crossed her mind more than a pawful of times.
But now wasn't the time to think about that. Ivypool shook her head, trying to get her mind back on track. "So you know that the Dark Forest hasn't been subdued? That they're getting their strength back?"
"They are?" Firestar questioned, sounding genuinely surprised. For a heartbeat, Ivypool doubted herself but a quick look at the Three was all she needed to silence those thoughts. Guilt suddenly appeared on Lionblaze's broad face, nervousness wormed onto Dovewing's soft features, and an emotion Ivypool couldn't identify had etched itself into Jayfeather's sharp expression. It seemed she was right about this one.
"I've been able to hear old warriors from the Dark Forest pulling themselves back together," Dovewing admitted. Her green eyes focused on Ivypool. "Old, old ones, I mean. The ones that faded. And some that we killed during the battle."
"I've had a few encounters with them," Lionblaze spoke up, shuffling his massive paws. "I got into a fight with Houndleap. You remember that scrawny old tom?"
"Yeah," Ivypool replied bitterly. She always hated that cat. It physically pained her to look at him. He just rubbed her the wrong way.
"How about you?" Firestar asked, looking at Jayfeather. "Did you see anything?"
"Silverpelt's light's been whispering to me," Jayfeather sighed, giving in. "A few… particularly interesting souls have found their way to the clans. It may be time for another one."
"Another what?" Ivypool asked, lost. The rest of the Four didn't share her confusion though.
"Are you sure?" Dovewing asked.
"We might be able to do this ourselves," Lionblaze added.
"No, let's put this in the clans' paws," Firestar argued gently. "It worked out last time."
"History doesn't always repeat itself," Jayfeather pointed out but his voice lacked the bite it usually did. He was agreeing with the old ThunderClan leader. He looked to Lionblaze and Dovewing. "You know how these things work. You two have to want it too."
Lionblaze and Dovewing exchanged a glance before looking back to the medicine cat and nodding.
"I'm sorry, what are you talking about?" Ivypool asked. She wasn't following the conversation at all.
"Tell me, Ivypool," Firestar said, green eyes peering at her like he could see her soul, "have you ever witnessed the creation of a prophecy?"
Ivypool reeled back, blinking, too stunned to respond.
"Well, not the creation of a prophecy. We can't just make one. All the prophecies were made the day the first dawn let its light shine on the lake. When the time comes, some star cats can draw on them," Jayfeather explained. "And when that time comes, a number of star cats gather to choose which cats will carry out the prophecy. Case in point…"
"You're going to give living cats powers to fight the Dark Forest," Ivypool realized, voice barely more than a whisper.
Jayfeather flicked his tail in annoyance, looking away with a huff. "No! Weren't you listening? We can't create prophecies so we can't create powers. Pay attention!"
Ivypool glared at him, going on the defensive. "Well forgive me for not knowing how this works! I've never done this before."
"We're going to share some of our power with some living cats," Lionblaze told her. He spoke a bit softer than his brother, clearly the more patient littermate. His eyes flickered to the others. "The power of the mind, the power of the body, the power of the senses, and the power of the soul… All powers greater than StarClan itself."
Dovewing frowned and glanced at her comrades. "We've never done this before and we don't exactly keep an eye on clan cats. How will we pick the right heirs?"
"I've got an idea," Jayfeather said, "but each of us will still have to pick an heir on our own."
"You mean the souls that Silverpelt's light has been telling you about?" Firestar asked.
Jayfeather nodded. "We just need to pick four. Maybe keep an eye on the others but each of us needs to find the one that connects with us the most."
Lionblaze nodded. "We're ready. I trust that you'll handle the… y'know, actually finding the prophecy and giving the chosen cats their powers?"
"Of course," Jayfeather snorted, some of that old humor leaking back into his tone. "I can't let you mousebrains do it, now can I?"
Firestar purred. "We're ready when you are."
Jayfeather nodded. "Ivypool, step back. This is something only the Four can do."
"Can I watch?"
"... Sure."
"Awesome."
Ivypool retreated back a bit but kept her eyes on Jayfeather as he traced a circle in the earth with a lone claw. He tilted his head back to look up at the unseen sky above and the mist around them began swirling. For a few heartbeats, Ivypool lost sight of them but the mist pulled back once again. When it did, the circle was filled with water.
The four huddled around the puddle, staring into it. Ivypool craned her neck a bit and realized that she could see the distorted reflection of cats in it. It was unclear and she couldn't recognize or identify any of them but the Four watched them with sharp interest, each one staring with unwavering focus. One by one, each cat tapped the surface of the water before stepping back, forming a ring around the puddle.
"I hold the power of the sharp eyed jay," Jayfeather spoke. He didn't project his voice but it was even and clear. "My domain is the mind. The heir to my power will be a cat who believes himself unworthy. A cat with a past like mine, unable to follow his dreams. A storm cloud who scares away the good weather but brings the rain needed for the flowers to grow. With my power, he will be able to walk freely through dreams, the mind, Silverpelt, and time and hear the thoughts and feelings of other cats. I choose vigilance."
Ivypool didn't understand Jayfeather's words but she didn't dare speak up. The others seemed to understand what he was doing and stepped forward themselves.
"I hold the power of the roaring lion," Lionblaze said. As always, his deep voice held a power and confidence to it that few cats could pull off. "My domain is the battlefield. The heir to my power will be a cat who dreams of tales bigger than himself. A cat with a past like mine, ambitious to fight in great battles. A warrior who fights for glory but holds a special place in his heart for the cats who matter. With my power, he will be able to run without fear of falling, fight without risk of injury, and defeat any foe that comes his way. I choose bravery."
"I hold the power of the gentle dove," Dovewing announced. Her voice, as always, had a softness to it but at times like these, Ivypool remembered how powerful she truly was. Her voice carried far, holding onto a strength that could come only from the heart. "My domain is the place the heart lies, wherever it may be. The heir to my power will be a cat who has more love to give than he can bear. A cat with a past like mine, wanting to serve and love his clan. A caring soul who struggles to do what is right but always finds his way. With my power, he will be able to listen to the world, find the voices of the cats he seeks, and see the places too far to visit. I choose love."
"I hold the power of the great fire," Firestar finally spoke. He projected his voice, letting it wander deep into the surrounding mist. "My domain is the clan. The heir to my power will be a cat who struggles to connect with the cats he longs for. A cat with a past like mine, stepping forward because he is needed. A leader different from his friends but can think more clearly than any other. With my power, he will be able to speak with a voice that reflects his unwavering willpower and become a cat others look to for guidance. I choose intellect."
The water in the puddle stirred, spinning rapidly. Ivypool couldn't help but let her eyes widen. It was fascinating.
Jayfeather inhaled deeply and yowled to whatever lay above the stars.
One was four and four was one. The sharp eyed jay, the roaring lion, the gentle dove, and the great fire's reign has ended. Now comes the rise of new heirs. Vigilance, bravery, love, and intellect seize power of time passed. Light will overcome darkness.
And with that, the paws that would guide the clans to a new future began leaving their mark on the rest of clankind.