Longberry pawed the ground, agitated and restless energy bleeding into his stiff muscles. His paws brought up chunks of loose earth that got caught in his short fur and between his claws but he didn't care enough to notice. He just remained sitting tall with his eyes fixed on the island bridge, the bank, and the moor in the distance.
It was the night of the full moon and ThunderClan, SkyClan, RiverClan, and WindClan were waiting for their invitees. For once, the tension between clans had died and the energy lingering among the cats was nothing more than a soft hum of nervousness. The clans have been at peace for the most part for the past few seasons thanks to the efforts of their mediator so these Gatherings weren't particularly tense in general but tonight, it felt like the four clans were one. They were unified by one shared feeling, one shared fear. It was left unsaid but there was a mutual understanding that the clans would stand together if it came down to it. Longberry was proud to be among those cats.
Snaketail, Redpath, Patternheart, Rushstalk, and Echopelt sat close around Longberry in place of the usual deputies. WindClan and RiverClan's deputies were nearby but they'd taken a step back in favor of letting the patrol who had invaded ShadowClan territory sit closer to the great oak's base. Longberry noticed a distinct lack of the SkyClan cats who'd been part of the patrol but Redpath assured him that they were fine when the ThunderClan warriors asked. Apparently Longear insisted that they rest tonight.
Vigilstorm was hesitant to let Longberry and Echopelt leave the camp as well but the two had argued with him and battered him with endless promises to be careful until the medicine cat gave in. Longberry understood where Vigilstorm was coming from, he really did. Longberry hadn't received many deep wounds like Echopelt- in fact, Rushstalk's flank wound was worse than any of Longberry's injuries- but Longberry had the bad luck of taking more hits in unfortunate places. His shoulder and one of his thighs had been jarred badly and even now, a jolt of pain shot up his limbs anytime he moved but Longberry thought that it was worth it. He may have to rest for another moon after this but at least he was here. He had to hear firstpaw what the leader of the Others had to say.
"Ugh. If those trashpelts don't show up soon, I'm going to start something," Rushstalk complained, lashing his long tail. He glanced at the others. "Any of you see anything yet?"
Longberry thought he could hear Patternheart murmur something under his breath but the noise of soft conversation on the island drowned it out so Longberry decided to ignore it and shake his head. "Just be patient, Rushstalk."
Rushstalk tilted his head down and gave Rushstalk a baffled, deadpan stare. "You do know who you're talking to, right Lolo?"
"Don't call me that."
Rushstalk smirked and waved his tail victoriously. "You know you love me."
"Stop. Why are you like this?"
Rushtalk shrugged and yawned loudly, curling his tongue and flashing his fangs, but didn't continue.
"Should we really be waiting?" Snaketail questioned, watching Rushstalk as he settled down and put his head on his paws. Snaketail looked ever so slightly annoyed but Longberry was almost positive Snaketail was used to Rushstalk's antics. "We have no reason to trust their word. They could-"
"They're coming," Patternheart interrupted, eyes trained on the distance. "They're going to show up on that ridge in just a few heartbeats. Watch."
Redpath opened his mouth to question him but Rushstalk sat up abruptly, cutting him off. "Hey! I see them. Great StarClan, that's a lot of cats. Did Lizard bring her whole clan? Er, group?"
"Vinestar," Longberry called up to his leader.
Vinestar looked down from his leader's place on the great oak overlooking the clearing. "I see them, Longberry. Thanks."
The faint conversation floating among the island cats died and dozens of pairs of eyes focused on the approaching mass on the mainland. In the moonlight, the Others looked more like shadow creatures slinking through the night than actual cats. Longberry felt Patternheart shiver beside him. He put a tail tip on the other tom's shoulder, silently telling him everything would be fine.
The cats eventually came upon the tree bridge. A ginger form led them, leaping onto the fallen trunk without hesitation and crossing with the confidence of a fox trotting through a forest marked as his own. More cats followed close behind and the ginger cat jumped neatly off the bridge onto the island.
The Gathering was silent as the cat pushed her way to the oak, the black and white tom and the orange tabby close behind her. Briefly, the ginger she-cat paused and let her green gaze linger on Longberry and Snaketail. Snaketail's lip peeled back but he had enough self control to prevent a snarl from escaping. Longberry merely narrowed his eyes and greeted her with a curt nod. "Lizard."
"Warrior," she responded before turning away and leaping onto the great oak, taking Beanstar's place among the clan leaders.
Redpath looked like he wanted to protest. His sour expression was shared by Echopelt and Rushstalk but no cat said anything. Lizard didn't deserve to stand where Beanstar stood but there was little they could do without making it worse. The situation was fragile, they all knew that. Longberry hoped that the clans would walk away tonight without injury. Even if these cats weren't clan cats, they stood under StarClan's starlight tonight and therefore the rules of a Gathering applied. No fighting.
No cat spoke. Not the leaders, not the Others, not the deputies, not the patrol, not the warriors, not the medicine cats. Even the apprentices and elders were silent. If kits could attend the Gathering, Longberry was sure even they would be quiet. Longberry swallowed and leaned uncomfortably from side to side, unable to keep still in the awkward atmosphere. His throat itched, urging him to break the silence with a cough. Just a cough. Nothing important. But he didn't give in. He wasn't a clan leader, he had no right to speak right now.
Finally, Valorstar got fed up with the lack of action and growled. "You and your cats dare take ShadowClan's place?"
Lizard flicked her ear in passive disinterest. "I was invited after SkyClan and ThunderClan attacked my cats on my territory."
"You weren't invited to drive ShadowClan out of its home," Talonstar growled under their breath but Lizard ignored them with a bored flick of her ear.
"You attacked and killed our warriors, medicine cats, and mediator when they came to you in peace," Terrainstar spoke evenly, voice betraying nothing. His yellow eyes were narrowed and his body was tense with incredible restraint. Vinestar… not so much.
"You killed Frostbark," Vinestar growled, tearing tree bark off the oak with one paw, "and several ThunderClan and SkyClan warriors. You may not follow our code but in the clans, your actions are unforgivable."
"I have no interest in getting forgiveness," Lizard said, tone light and almost mocking.
"Then why are you here?"
"The Others are taking ShadowClan's place around the lake," Lizard stated, leaning forward and digging her claws into the tree bark. "That's all for now."
"You can't do that," Talonstar hissed, the hostility reflected in their black eyes spiking sharply. Longberry felt some cat nearby flinch. All the clan leaders at the moment were kind, likeable cats but they could all fight and roar like LionClan warriors. Longberry didn't know if he'd ever seen Talonstar this angry. He couldn't say he liked it. Like their namesake, they looked ready to cause some damage.
"Can't I?"
"The clans are bound by a code. We will stand together if you stand against us," Talonstar said sharply. "You may have a lot of cats but you're not invincible. Four clans united would crush you."
"Oh, I know," Lizard said, flicking her tail. "We twolegplace cats are no warriors. We're strong and we've can stomach what clan cats can't but I'm well aware that the way of the warrior has been going on long enough to give you clan cats the edge on us. Doesn't mean that a battle wouldn't hurt both sides."
Longberry flattened his ears. Lizard had a point. The twolegplace cats weren't the best fighters but they were vicious. Longberry and Snaketail had such a hard time fighting Lizard not because of her skill but her size, strength, willingness to fight dirty, and unwavering will to keep fighting. She was stubborn and would not go down easily. Longberry had been too focused on her to see any of the other fights but he thought it was safe to say that all of the Others shared these qualities. A battle between the Others and the remaining four clans would leave both sides bloodied and battered. The clans would probably win but at what cost?
Just one patrol had lost five cats. Granted, they were outnumbered but the Others hadn't been fighting their hardest. They had what it took to cause a lot more damage. Longberry wanted the Others gone as much as the next cat but he was a cat of reason and logic. Logic and reason said that a battle wouldn't be worth it. Compromise was always less than ideal but in this case, the clans and the Others might be able to reach a mutual understanding of self-preservation and agree to stay away from each other.
Longberry looked to his leader, trying to figure out what Vinestar was thinking. Vinestar was a great leader but he led with his heart, not his head. He was far from a mousebrain by any means but Longberry was deputy for a reason. When it came to leading, they were an unparalleled pair. They balanced each other. Longberry brought the knowledge and strategy that Vinestar overlooked while Vinestar always remembered how their actions and decisions would affect their clanmates and reel Longberry in when he was looking at the clan too objectively.
Longberry had to admit that he was making that same old mistake right now. Objectively, making peace with the Others was the best choice but no cat would be happy with that, least of all Vinestar. Vinestar believed deeply in the bond that the five clans shared and he cared about Beanstar like a littermate, not to mention Lizard had already killed his medicine cat and warriors. He would not take whatever Lizard demanded lying down.
Vinestar looked angry and upset but he was a level headed cat and faced Lizard with an even stare. "What is it that you want?"
"What do I want? Not much," Lizard said with a shrug. "For a long time, the loners and rogues of the twolegplace have been tired of digging through twoleg bins for scraps and drinking out of puddles on the thunderpath. We longed to feast on the fresh prey of the forest."
Terrainstar growled. "That gives you no right to invade clan territory. There is plenty of land on the other side of the twoleg place and beyond the lake. You're more than welcome to take that. You must have had another motive."
"You're right," Lizard said, letting her tail hang low. Longberry resist the urge to attack it. How easy it would be to fasten his teeth on it and drag her down. Snaketail was a fast cat, he could pin her easily, and any one of the four leaders on the tree could swoop down for the final blow.
Longberry shook his head and reminded himself that was not the way. Objectively, it might be the solution but he knew deep down it was not the right one.
Still, Longberry couldn't see any reason to steal another cat's home let alone a whole clan of cats' home for any reason other than selfishness. He had never been a loner, he didn't understand what it was like to wander aimlessly through the rain or take refuge behind a twoleg nest for the night, but Longberry had left clan territory once or twice and he knew that there was plenty of land available. A cat might have to travel for days but there was a place waiting for him or her somewhere. Stealing the pine forest and marsh just seemed like Lizard wanted to hurt the clans.
And even though Longberry's mind came to this conclusion, surprise hit him like a monster racing down the thunderpath in the dead of night when Lizard uttered her next words.
"The Dark Forest sends its regards."
Longberry froze as the island broke into confused murmurs. Snaketail stumbled, losing his footing even though he was sitting down. His eyes went wide and his gaze flooded with panic. Longberry wanted to make some sort of comforting gesture like lapping his cheek or resting his tail tip on his pelt but his muscles refused to move, cold shock settling into his bones.
Of all the clan cats who knew about the Dark Forest, Longberry probably knew the least but Lizard's words were still alarming. How did the Others know about the Dark Forest? Nevermind, that didn't matter. What was their connection to the clans' evil ancestors? What did this mean for the clans?
Talonstar, Terrainstar, Valorstar, and Vinestar all exchanged alarmed, terrified looks. The Dark Forest's return was every leader's greatest fear, the deepest secret shared between clan leader and the next. None of them could have expected this and Lizard looked thrilled by their reaction.
"Soon, all cats under StarClan's light will see the truth," she declared, head held high.
Terrainstar found his voice first. "Which is?"
"The way of the clan cat is idiotic," Lizard spat with sudden fury. She dug her claws deep into the oak's dry bark. "Your pawsteps are guided by the fools of the past. Your every breath shouldn't be dictated by cats who died seasons ago. StarClan's will is a mousebrain's excuse to stubbornly ignore changing times. This is not some legend or story. This is real life with real cats and you clan cats are so caught up in your own little world to see them. Clan life is not superior to the livelihood of kittypets, loners, rogues, or any other band of cats and looking down on them the way you do is ignorant. You stay here in your little nests by the lake, oblivious to what's happening beyond your borders. The world has changed since the dawn of the clans and you're too blind and stupid to see that your way of life has no place here. You've all lost sight of what it means to truly be a cat. You're no worse than moths desperately being pulled into a flame. Looking at Silverpelt with stars in your eyes will just make your kind burn. The Dark Forest awaits the day you do with glee but even they want their legacy to be more than just faded memories. Any cat who leaves their clan and joins the Others will be spared the Dark Forest's revenge."
The vast majority of the cats didn't understand Lizard's message but they understood it enough to be angered into an explosion of yowls. Longberry couldn't pick out any specific voice or words out of the flurry but a fire roared in his chest, causing him to lift his head and let his own voice ring out above the rest.
"You have no right to judge our ways or try to change us," Longberry declared, voice carrying across the island, and the cats around him quieted. "Our paws are guided by StarClan and yours by our worst ancestors so it's already impossible for our two sides to see eye to eye but we don't want violence. I hate to ask this but can we come to some kind of understanding? This conflict won't end without bloodshed but I see that you have no intention of acting on the Dark Forest's will quite yet. Can we agree to respect each other's borders until the issue gets worse?"
The island broke into angry yowls, this time directed at Longberry, but the ThunderClan deputy kept his chin held high. He knew he was right. Cats might not be happy with it but if this was the way to keep his friends and allies safe from the Others' claws, then so be it. If his clanmates and allies wanted to keep their hearts beating and their blood inside their bodies, they would have to agree to these fragile terms.
A small voice in the back of his mind told him that breathing wasn't living if those breaths were ones of fear but Longberry tried to ignore it. When he got the chance, he and Vinestar would think of something better. They always did.
Vinestar's eyes met Lizard's. "My deputy has a point. Right now, no one is ready for battle. Can we try to keep peace between the clans and the Others? We might be able to reach an agreement if have more time."
Lizard looked unhappy but Longberry could tell she was considering it. "Fine. We will be your neighbors and respect your ways until the Dark Forest sends another sign and we have the strength to enforce it. The Others will be taking our leave."
Lizard jumped off the tree, landing lightly a tail length in front of Longberry and Snaketail. Snaketail's yellow eyes were filled with hostility as Lizard padded away, her cats following her across the tree bridge and back toward ShadowClan territory.
"The warrior code still stands, right?" Valorstar spoke up. Longberry blinked a few times, not expecting that question to be the one that resumed the Gathering. It was a good one though. "WindClan and ThunderClan won't be the Others' neighbors but RiverClan and SkyClan are. I need to know that ThunderClan and WindClan are still faithful to the sixteenth rule."
"Each Clan has the right to be proud and independent, but in times of trouble they must forget their boundaries and fight side by side to protect the five. Each Clan must help the others so that no Clan will fall," Talonstar recited. They glanced between the other leaders and dipped their head. "WindClan will stand by RiverClan and SkyClan should the Others pose a threat."
"ThunderClan as well," Vinestar said immediately, "but I think we need to be more progessive than just wait for the Others to attack another clan."
"Agreed," Terrainstar said. "Longberry's proposal was a good one, seeing as our paws are tied at the moment but he'd have to be a fool to think it'll last and we all know Longberry is no fool."
"Then what do you think we should do?" Talonstar asked. They lowered their voice a bit but remained loud enough for the island to hear them. "When the clans first fought the Dark Forest, borders and clan traditions were completely forgotten and each clans' hunting grounds and camp were shared. I don't think any of us want to do that again."
"Wait, again?" Rushstalk spoke up. He, Patternheart, and Redstalk shared a look of confusion. Even Snaketail, who was familiar with their new enemy, didn't know what the WindClan leader was talking about. Talonstar shot a meaningful look to her fellow leaders.
"The Dark Forest is another realm for dead warriors to go," Vinestar explained but he didn't look too keen on sharing anything more. "It seems the Others have been listening to them."
"The Others are no Dark Forest though," Terrainstar pointed out. "As Lizard said, they are real cats and they are weaker than the four clans combined. I see no reason to do as we did in the past."
"Agreed," Valorstar said with a nod. "The warrior code states that a clan must be proud and independent and I believe that in this case, we can keep our pride and independence as well as our borders but still stand together."
Vinestar nodded. "You're right but perhaps we should be less strict? No hunting on each others' territory, of course, but if two patrols see each other, it may improve clan relations if they were at least courteous to each other. They don't have to share tongues but they could at least greet each other and share news."
"And we can take advantage of the three tail lengths lake rule," Terrainstar suggested. "I don't want ThunderClan cats visiting my territory on a whim but assuming that the cats follow the rule and stay within three tail lengths of the lake, I see no harm in letting cats pass between the clans a bit more frequently."
Talonstar looked to the clans' mediator. "Echopelt? Do you think this could work or would we just end up making things worse?"
Amusement glowed in Echopelt's eyes and he waved his tail. "I'll never object to clan cats being a bit more friendly to each other. That's essentially all you're proposing."
Terrainstar chuckled. "I suppose. So we're all in agreement."
He got a series of nods in response.
"Then a truce."
"A truce," the other cats echoed.
As the clan headed back home, Roarpaw kept his mouth shut and remained far quieter than he had in a long time. Contrary to what many cats believed, he wasn't a complete mousebrain. He knew everything going on with the Others was serious, more serious than anything that had happened to the clans in his short life. Tonight's revelations made his belly churn with unease.
He didn't believe a word Lizard said, not for a heartbeat. He didn't think anything about clan life was wrong. Sure, they may live different from other cats and maybe clan cats lost some of the experiences of life because of it but he truly believed they gained so much more. Kinship, camaraderie, a reason to live other than to fill one's own belly, the ability to claim loyalty, a warm nest each night, there was so much that Roarpaw knew he wouldn't have as a loner. He wouldn't have his mentor or any friends or even his brother at his side.
Speaking of Wolfpaw, the other tom was unusually quiet. Roarpaw knew he was quiet too but Wolfpaw was quiet in a whole different way. Wolfpaw had seemed… upset the past few sunrises and Roarpaw expected tonight's news to distract him but it looked like Wolfpaw's misery only intensified. Roarpaw couldn't fathom why.
Roarpaw softly shouldered him, getting his attention. Wolfpaw turned to face him and Roarpaw tilted his head, making sure to catch his eye. "Are you alright?"
Roarpaw expected it to take some coaxing to get an answer out of Wolfpaw and even then it wouldn't be the whole truth. He didn't expect his brother to give him a straight response.
"No," Wolfpaw said flatly. He shook his head and closed his eyes. "Roarpaw… Something happened. Something bad. And I don't know how to fix it."
Roarpaw frowned, concern flashing in his chest. "What happened?"
"A few nights ago, I had a dream," Wolfpaw told him. His voice suddenly became very quiet, mumbling something not even a mouse could hear.
"I'm sorry. I didn't catch that."
"I dreamed of the Dark Forest," Wolfpaw said a bit louder. He ducked his head, ashamed. "I dreamed of the Dark Forest, Roarpaw."
Roarpaw nearly stopped in his tracks as confusion came over him. "What? How? We just found out about them tonight."
"They weren't invented just now," Wolfpaw said almost bitterly. "A few nights ago, I was having this dream and this ghost cat came up to me. Snaketail was there and he begged me not to listen to them but I… I…"
"Snaketail was there?"
Wolfpaw nodded. "He told me that the Dark Forest visited him when he was an apprentice and he's been trying to get away from them. Roarpaw, he looked so broken when he saw me there. It felt like I was… I don't know, betraying him. I don't know what to do."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Roarpaw asked before he could catch himself. He sounded angrier than intended when in reality he wasn't angry at all, just scared and worried for his brother. Wolfpaw flinched at his tone and hurt flashed in his eyes. Roarpaw wanted to slap his tail over his mouth but he knew that would do nothing more than make him look like a featherbrained kit. He pressed to his brother's side and rubbed his cheek against his neck, silently letting him know everything would be okay.
"I got scared," Wolfpaw admitted softly, looking down at his paws. Roarpaw let his eyes follow his gaze. He'd forgotten how beautiful Wolfpaw's paws looked compared to his own. Roarpaw liked his ginger markings but they barely stood out on his russet fur. The silver splashes on Wolfpaw's pelt and paws were something different entirely and Roarpaw loved it. "Shredtail- that's the name of the Dark Forest cat who visited me- grabbed me by the scruff and dragged me away. At first the dream was fun but once he showed up… I was just too scared to do anything. Roarpaw, I'm so, so scared. I tried to stay up all night these past few nights so I wouldn't have to go back but I just…"
Roarpaw soothed him with a murmur and lapped his ear. A passing warrior gave them an odd look and Roarpaw remembered that the clan was still walking together but he didn't care. He shot the warrior a glare and turned his attention back to Wolfpaw. "Have you talked to Snaketail? He might be able to help you."
Wolfpaw shook his head. "He tried to talk to me the morning after but I didn't want to talk about it. And there's nothing he can do to help me. He doesn't know how to escape either or if there even is a way."
"But he can protect you," Roarpaw told him softly. "Together you two could do something."
"Like what?"
"I don't know… spy for the clans? The Dark Forest is a threat right now. We could use whatever we can get."
Wolfpaw's gaze suddenly became hollow. "Roarpaw, no."
"Why not?"
"Because we could die!" Wolfpaw exclaimed a bit louder than he probably intended. Roarpaw felt a stab of guilt. Of course his brother's safety was more important. Roarpaw loved him. He would fight every cat in the Dark Forest if it meant his brother was safe.
Wolfpaw was shaking and that made Roarpaw's heart crack like ice. He tried to remember a time he'd seen Wolfpaw like this. It took awhile but eventually he found something deep in the back of his memory that he thought he'd forgotten.
Wolfpaw and Roarpaw had been kitted in late leaf-bare. It was fortunate they had no littermates or they wouldn't have survived. It had been a harsh one, the cold killing a lot of the forest's prey. There was one night where a storm had raged through the forest. It was a bad one as well as their first. Now, neither apprentice had any problem with storms- both have them actually enjoyed them, assuming they were dry and warm in their nests- but they'd been so young and small back then and their mother Sunnybrook could do little to calm them. Somehow, she coaxed them both to sleep and fell into a deep slumber herself.
But sleep couldn't ward off the claps of thunder or the roar of the rain. The two kits awoke, terrified out of their fur, without any comfort except each other. Roarpaw remembered the two pressing against each other, shivering in the cold and their own fear.
As bad as that experience was, Roarpaw remembered it fondly. The day prior, the two had heard a story from the elders. Roarpaw couldn't quite remember if that had been the first time he heard stories about the Great Clans or not but he did remember that his tiny kit mind couldn't quite recall exactly how those stories went when it came down to it. So, they made up new ones.
The brothers spent the whole night distracting themselves with stories of brave warriors who could stand up to anything. Big cats like Goldenstar and Thorntooth were each strong in their own right and even though they all had flaws, the kits could forget about that and conjure up amazing images of them in their minds, tricking themselves into believing the warriors were watching over them from the stars. Even now, Roarpaw sometimes caught himself looking up at the night sky and trying to figure out which star was Shadestar or Fleetfoot, wondering if they were watching him.
Maybe that's why Roarpaw loved those old stories so much. He'd almost forgotten about that night so long ago but that was where it all started. To him, lions, tigers, and leopards were protectors. That was what he wanted to be. Tonight, that was what he needed to be. He knew this wasn't something he could fight with his own teeth and claws but there was no way in StarClan's name he wouldn't do anything to help his brother.
"You're right. I'm sorry," Roarpaw sighed. His amber eyes shifted to look up at the stars for a few heartbeats as he tried to get his thoughts back together. "Just… Try to stay safe, Wolfpaw. Everything's going to be okay."
"I hope so," Wolfpaw whispered and the two brothers walked back home in silence.
Vigilstorm was already pacing around the medicine den by the time Lonberry and Echopelt collapsed in their temporary nests in his den for the night.
"Calm down, Vigilstorm," Echopelt said, his usually cheery tone tainted with exhaustion. "You need to rest."
"How can I rest when-" Vigilstorm started then cut off and sighed. He looked down at his paws. "I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Longberry told him as he curled up in his moss and bracken. "We're all a bit… tense right now. It's completely understandable if you're not feeling well but the clan is counting on you. For their sake, go to sleep, Vigilstorm. Maybe StarClan will share a dream with you and clear some things up."
"Even if they don't, sleep is important for your wellbeing," Echopelt added. "We need you at your best."
"I know," Vigilstorm sighed and padded over to his nest. He flopped onto his bedding messily and was immediately hit with a wave of tiredness. He hadn't realized how drained he was. It was late, well past moonhigh. He knew he'd have no trouble falling asleep. Hopefully that meant he'd have no trouble trying out those powers Jayfeather mentioned. Murmuring goodnight to his clanmates, Vigilstorm closed his eyes and drifted off to the realm of sleep.
When he opened his eyes, he was hit with a blinding white light and immediately knew he was in StarClan. A startled yowl sounded from beside him and Vigilstorm leaped back in surprise and alarm.
It seemed that Bluestar and Yellowfang had done the same thing because they stood a tail length away from him, eyes wild and chests heaving.
"Fox dung!" Yellowfang hissed angrily. "Do you have to just appear like that? At least Jayfeather had the courtesy to rise up or appear farther away. You… Oh by the stars. You really are another Jayfeather, aren't you?"
"Um… Surprise?" Vigilstorm said hesitantly, creeping forward. He glanced around. "I was actually hoping to talk to him. Do either of you know where I can find Jayfeather?"
"As powerful as you may be," Bluestar told him, "Jayfeather's stronger. You're not going to find him if he doesn't want to talk to you."
"But I need to find him!" Vigilstorm insisted. "You two already made it clear you don't know anything. The Dark Forest is working with the Others. ShadowClan is already gone, who knows what they might do next? We need the Four and I don't know how to find them."
"Really?" Yellowfang sounded surprised and hope flashed in Vigilstorm's chest.
"You know how to find them?"
"What? No, of course not," Yellowfang responded and Vigilstorm's heart sank. "Jayfeather just used to complain a lot about StarClan being vague. I'd think he of all cats would be better than those before him."
"Whatever," Vigilstorm grunted, not caring about being rude. With a flick of his tail, he padded away. "See you around."
The clearing that Vigilstorm appeared in was vast. In fact, it wasn't really a clearing. It was just a field that bordered some trees. On one side, the field led into moorland and the other looked like a swamp, complete with a river. He was near the usual desolate meeting places. He was in the heart of Silverpelt. In one glance, Vigilstorm saw dozens of cats of all different colors and frames. Surely Jayfeather or at least a cat who knew how to find him was out there.
"Where do you think you're going?" Bluestar asked as Vigilstorm tried approaching a pair of cats lounging by the river. Vigilstorm glanced over his shoulder, realizing that Yellowfang and Bluestar had followed him. He shot her a deadpan look. Bluestar rolled her eyes and sighed. "You're not going to find him by wandering around our hunting grounds. Now quit bothering Flametail and Tigerstar. Can't you see they're sharing a nice meal?"
"Oh, he's not bothering us,. We were done eating anyway," the cat that Vigilstorm assumed was Flametail spoke up. His bright blue eyes watched Vigilstorm with interest. "You're a medicine cat, right? A live one? What are you doing here? It's not half moon yet."
"He's the new Jayfeather," Yellowfang grunted, padding over. "Ignore him. He'll wake up eventually."
"I really need to talk to Jayfeather," Vigilstorm begged, eyes darting between the two new cats. "Any chance you know where to find him?"
"I wish," Flametail grumbled. "He died season cycles ago but he was barely in our part of StarClan for a pawful of moons. He and the rest of the Four went off to the mist to do Silverpelt knows what. I've only seen him once or twice since then. I was hoping to spend some time with him after we died but he's not really open to it. Mist cats don't really leave their part of Silverpelt for social reasons."
"This isn't social."
"Just give up," the tom called Tigerstar said. He sounded tired. "There's no point in trying to find the Four. Even if you find the mist, it's impossible to find your way in there. You'll just get lost. You, luckily, will just wake up and leave but you don't really want to spend the night there. It's better to just forget it."
"And I thought I was the pessimistic cat," Vigilstorm responded sarcastically. "Haven't you ever tried?"
"Yes. Yes I did," Tigerstar growled and Vigilstorm regretted his words. "I tried for three season cycles. Did you know my mate, Dovewing, is one of the Three? We spent about a season together in Silverpelt before Jayfeather rounded up the Four and said that destiny was calling them to StarClan's border. I've only seen her once since then and it was when I got so lost in the mist that my mind started playing tricks on me. She found me and guided me out. When I asked her to come with me, she just told me not to try again. She said we'd be together again one day but my pelt's been fading for lifetimes and I haven't seen her again."
"I'm sorry," Vigilstorm murmured. Tigerstar closed his eyes and sighed. Vigilstorm almost wanted to comfort him but he didn't know this StarClan cat and it seemed like Flametail was doing a good enough job by putting a paw over his. "Hopefully when this is over, the Four will be able to go home."
"Just because they can doesn't mean they will," Tigerstar said bitterly.
Flametail bumped him. "Hey, don't talk like that. They'll help bring ShadowClan back and maybe we'll see them again."
"Big maybe," Tigerstar muttered and looked up. "I hope that they can see us. I hope they know how much they're hurting us by staying away."
Vigilstorm followed his gaze and looked up. As usual, the sky above StarClan's hunting grounds was overcast. Before now, Vigilstorm had never given it much thought but now it had meaning. "Is that…?"
"The mist, yeah," Flametail told him. "Up, down, all the sides. It's everywhere around us."
"Don't give him any ideas," Yellowfang snapped but Vigilstorm's mind was already working.
Tigerstar got to his paws. "Oh no. I wouldn't try that if I were you, medicine cat."
Vigilstorm ignored him. He bunched up his muscles in his haunches, preparing to launch himself upward. After a few heartbeats, he paused. That little voice in his mind was yowling at him incoherently. He tried his best to ignore it and prepared to leap.
"Don't jump. You look ridiculous," Yellowfanf snorted.
Vigilstorm shot her a glare. "Then what should I do?"
"Run," Flametail told him, sitting up like a brilliant idea struck him. He shook himself a bit, letting his flame colored fur catch a bit of sunlight. With no sun above, Vigilstorm didn't have any clue where the beams of light raining down came from but he tried not to think about that right now. Flametail was helping him. "When cats die, their spirits step out of their bodies and run to Silverpelt. If you want to go any higher, that's the only way to do it."
"Don't encourage him!" the other three cats hissed harshly. Vigilstorm's violet eyes widened ever so slightly and he dipped his head to the orange tom. He murmured his gratitude, thankful that there was finally a cat with enough sense to aid him.
Without another word, Vigilstorm took off. He could hear Yellowfang and Bluestar calling after him and Tigerstar scolding Flametail but he tried to focus on the sound of his own heart beating in his chest, the blood roaring in his ears, and his paws thrumming against the earth. Abandoning his place on the damp bank of the river, the earth changed under his paws and he streaked across land into the field where dozens of cats chased rabbits, sunned, and played. He could see trees in the corners of his eyes and plenty of cats milling around him.
He saw a grey tom with long hair talking with a beautiful silver she-cat. The she-cat had a paw over his, gaze soft as a kit's fur. He saw a golden brown tabby racing a smaller tortoiseshell. The tom was winning, glancing over his shoulder teasingly, while tortoiseshell laughed a couple foxlengths behind him, promising to catch him. There was a black and white tom with a long tail winding around a bright orange tom like he was the only thing in the whole world. The bright orange tom's green eyes glowed like he was looking at the cat who put the stars in the sky. It was a beautiful sight to behold. All around them, there were so many other cats, all caught up in their own little lives, sharing their afterlife with the cats they so clearly cared about. It made Vigilstorm's chest flood with warmth and he would love nothing more than to stop and watch them but he couldn't let himself be distracted.
Cats looked up as he shot past them, running like a rabbit being chased by a WindClan warrior. Vigilstorm was fast, he always was. His build was perfect for running. His paws barely grazed the grass as he skimmed over it. And soon, they weren't touching at all.
Like Flametail described, he could feel himself rising. He turned, spiraling upward as he ran on an invisible surface. He was running on air, he told himself. He risked a glance down and saw Bluestar, Yellowfang, Tigerstar, and so many other cats watching him with shock in their eyes and mouths agape. Flametail's eyes were bright as he looked up at him. It almost looked like he was purring.
But Vigilstorm wasn't that high yet. He was barely a tree length up. So he kept pushing, pushing himself higher and higher. He turned his attention back to the foggy sky above and reached for it with everything he had.
And he caught something. He didn't know what, it wasn't physical, but he was close enough to feel that whatever little bit inside of him that was connected to the place above Silverpelt was reaching back and holding onto him. A brief flash of victory flooded his system. He was going to make it.
But then that feeling faded. Like claws slicing through a vine dangling from a tree, it was severed and Vigilstorm's vision went black.
AN: Can you guess the StarClan cats mentioned? I'm pretty sure Vigilstorm saw Graystripe, Silverstream, Thornclaw, Blossomfall, Tallstar, and Jake (I know he's not in StarClan) but I didn't write it down when I wrote this so I don't exactly remember.
I have a number of new stories going up today on my ao3 account. My username is the same as it is here so go check them out if you're interested.