Guest (KH Fan)- Yes. He is.
Atliersky- Yeah, Skystar isn't one to admit a defeat. Some of the SkyClan cats do plan to leave to their dream Clan (or already have), but SkyClan will still stand. And they don't have a connection to StarClan until another prophecy a lot later. And soon we'll have some trouble with the outsiders, so yeah.
Shouts of alarm and the pounding of pawsteps woke Brindleface from sleep. She immediately scrambled to her paws and burst out of the den. What now?
Mossflower followed her. "I smell ShadowClan!" The gray-and-white she-cat nervously hissed.
From the apprentice's den, her kits, Fernpaw and Ashpaw tumbled out while Willowpelt, who had recently given birth, poked her head out, nervous, too. "What? Where?"
"We found them by the Owl Tree," Darkstripe, who had been leading the patrol, explained to Tigerclaw, gasping for breath. He must have run back to camp. "They were asleep!"
"Sleeping?" Thistlestar's snarl sounded and Brindleface jumped as he shoved past. "ShadowClan!"
Brindleface looked at the two warriors, who shrank away and recognized the smaller one as Littlecloud. The other was Whitethroat.
"They didn't seem afraid of us. When we woke them up, they begged us to take them here," she heard Stonefur whisper to Whitestorm.
Brindleface turned to them, confused. "What?"
"Mouse-brains," Mousefur commented nearby.
"Trespassers!" Swiftclaw growled.
"We-we're alone," Littlecloud rasped.
"Right," Thistlestar snorted and rolled his eyes. He ordered Mousefur and Dustpelt to scour the territory for more ShadowClan cats.
The two called their apprentices and hurriedly left camp.
"Now. What are you doing here?" Thistlestar glared down at the wretched-looking cats.
"We-we came for help!" Littlecloud stammered.
Brindleface exchanged a glance with Frostfur. What?
Spottedleaf pushed forward. "They're sick, she announced. Immediately, everyone drew back.
"Nightstar was hacking a lot at the Gathering," Runningwind muttered to Mistyfoot.
"I thought it was just furball season."
Spottedleaf stepped forward but Thistlestar snarled, "don't. ShadowClan lives near Carrionplace! Who knows how many diseases they carry! Maybe that's where the sickness came from!"
"Please, at least give us herbs," Whitethroat rasped. Thistlestar ignored him, ordering Longtail and Swiftclaw to escort them out of the territory.
"They're lucky I'm letting them leave alive," Brindleface heard her leader mutter as she headed back to the warrior's den.
She inwardly flinched.
Pebble Heart paused to take a deep breath. The forest was peaceful and quiet, illuminated by pale dawn light. But his mind whirled with speculation.
The Blazing Star.
He remembered his dream of ShadowClan. He had to help them he was sure and something called the Blazing Star would work.
But he didn't know how it looked. And how could he help ShadowClan without anyone knowing?
Pebble Heart bumped into Skystar. His uncle had stopped at the ThunderClan border. "Let's get back," he said nervously to his nephew.
Pebble Heart had come along to collect marigold and watermint, the two herbs they were low on. Skystar had come along for obvious reasons by now.
They suddenly tensed when they heard someone moving through the undergrowth close by. Whoever it was, they weren't trying to be sneaky.
A brown tabby she-cat with a missing eye and a collar studded with…dog teeth? Appeared.
Skystar narrowed his eyes and subtly shifted in front of Pebble Heart, protectively.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded.
The she-cat blinked in surprise, then smiled sweetly. "My name is Fury. I don't mean to cause trouble. I've heard of the Clans before."
"And?" Skystar growled.
"I'd like to join yours," she purred. "I heard SkyClan is the best." She was sweet-talking now. For some reason it made Pebble Heart grossed out and wary of her. Her appearance was already suspicious, but he knew not to judge a cat by looks.
"I dunno…" Skystar murmured, looking wary too, but Pebble Heart knew his uncle was always looking for new warriors to build SkyClan up to strength again.
Especially after so many losses…
"I can hunt and fight," Fury added as if she knew that'd convince him. And it did!
"Fine," Skystar meowed. "We can test you out I guess."
"We promise to not disappoint," Fury purred poisonously.
"Okay, let's-" Skystar paused. "We?"
Pebble Heart stiffened as another cat slid out of the bushes. It was a ginger tom, also with a missing eye.
"Oh, this is my friend One Eye. He would like to join too," Fury meowed casually as if none of this was odd.
"Oookay," Skystar muttered. He led the way and Pebble Heart stayed in the back. Clearly, Skystar didn't actually trust them.
But he was accepting them, so he could keep a good eye on them. If they had rejected them, then they would have roamed freely and they wouldn't have been safe.
Well…this'll be interesting.
He paused when he caught of flash of black racing by in the distance. He glanced back at the others, who paid him no attention before he snuck off.
Tall Shadow led her patrol of Raven Hope and Dew towards the ShadowClan border.
"They're quiet today," Dew commented, referring to ShadowClan.
"They've been quiet for a while now," Raven Hope added. "Fire Heart told me they seemed really sick at the Gathering after all."
Tall Shadow frowned as she stared at the trees of the pine forest. "Yeah…we should get back to camp."
She flicked her tail for the other two to leave and waited before she snuck along the Thunderpath.
Up ahead, she saw two ShadowClan cats stumbling along the verge. Then they disappeared. Tall Shadow's eyes widened and not just because they had vanished.
Why were they in ThunderClan territory? And how did they leave alive?
She padded after them and found where they had gone. A tunnel that led under the Thunderpath. A perfect way to cross safely. It must be a secret if they've never mentioned it.
She leaned her head into the darkness, trying to maintain balance or she would fall in.
"Heya, Tall Shadow!"
She jumped and nearly slipped in. The cat steadied her with its tail.
She turned to see Pebble Heart.
"StarClan, you scared me!" She hissed.
"Sorry." Pebble Heart grinned, not looking exactly sorry. "Whatcha doing?"
"...nothing."
Pebble Heart looked around as if someone was listening before he leaned in and whispered, "do you wanna check on ShadowClan?"
"What? Why would we do that?"
Pebble Heart told her about the vision.
"I can't go alone or someone will notice, but if you came with…"
"I dunno," she shuffled her paws.
"C'mon!" Pebble Heart pressed. "We could visit Turtle Tail's grave too." His gaze dropped.
Tall Shadow felt guilty. She'd almost forgotten that Turtle Tail was buried on ShadowClan land. If they did run into any cats, they could say they were visiting her. They wouldnt stop them, right?
"Okay, let's do it."
Pebble Heart's eyes brightened and he immediately hopped into the tunnel. Tall Shadow followed.
It was damp, stinky and really dark. She could barely see Pebble Heart ahead, but it wasn't as dark as the Moonstone cave.
Pebble Heart had reached the other side and his hindlegs dangled as he struggled to get out. Tall Shadow boosted him up with her head. He scrambled out and she jumped out after him.
She gazed around in awe. The sights never got old, but none of her clanmates never understood. The cool breeze blowing the scent of pine sap towards them. The squishy, yet cool feeling of the ground. The mysterious mist that made the place seem to shimmer beautifully.
Pebble Heart nodded and mewed, "cool." Before he padded ahead. Tall Shadow refrained from pouncing on him. It was more than cool. She shook herself and raced after him.
"I'm going to go fetch a clanmate, so just settle down…and meet the Clan," Skystar said to Fury and One Eye.
The Clan were all crowded on one side of camp away from them.
"Do we we have have live with them?" Gorse Fur asked Skystar and Gray Wing in a whisper.
"It's the only way to keep an eye on them," Skystar hissed back. To his surprise, Mud Paws and his friends were glaring darkly at One Eye like they knew him.
Holly turned and whispered something to Jagged Peak, who's eyes widened.
Skystar shifted uneasily as Birch and Alder scampered up to the two newcomers. Birch reached them first and gazed up at them.
He gasped and turned to Alder. "Look Alder, they both have only one eye! They're twins!"
Fury snorted as though offended while Petal hurried over and swatted the two kits back to the nursery, glaring nervously at the two.
"Why does he have a collar?" Cinder Flower wondered aloud.
"Because I'm not deaf and can hear you!" Fury snapped. "And I'm a she!" She shook her head. "Honestly, you don't look like a silky, pretty she-cat and suddenly you're a tom!"
Cinder Flower frowned. "I haven't even looked at you properly yet. I couldn't tell over that stink."
One Eye snickered.
Skystar coughed. "Anyhoo, I'm going to fetch Lightning Tail." He had tried taking him home the night of the Gathering. The apprentice had picked a fight with Darkstripe. Barkface wouldn't allow him until his wounds were more closed.
He's getting more reckless…
Skystar ordered in a whisper to Gray Wing and Gorse Fur to keep an eye on Fury and One Eye before he headed out of camp.
He was soon racing across the moor and burst through the camp.
"AHH!"
Skystar was pounced on as someone let out a battle cry and tackled him. He looked up to see a young creamy-brown tom glaring down at him.
"Rushpaw!"
Pigeonflight was suddenly there, yanking the tom off of him.
"Thanks," Skystar muttered.
"Oh, you're not an intruder," Rushpaw meowed after a moment.
Skystar rolled his eyes and headed to the medicine den. "Lightning Tail?"
A ball of fur flew out of the den and crashed into him. "Skystar!"
He smiled at the young tom. He looked better better than last time, but still had fresh scars that looked like they could bleed any moment.
"Um, he's not ready still," Barkface meowed, padding out after him.
"Too bad," Skystar sighed. "I have to take him home. Thank you though." He dipped his head to an annoyed Barkface and headed towards the entrance with Lightning Tail on his tail.
He nodded at Tallstar, who had just emerged from his den. The black-and-white tom narrowed his eyes and looked to Barkface. "Did you give him the clear?"
"Sure," Barkface grunted.
"Bye Lightning Tail!" Gorsepaw called as he passed them by out of camp, following his mentor. Onewhisker waved his tail at them.
"I can't wait to get home!" Lightning Tail meowed. "WindClan was nice and all, but I was so bored!"
Skystar smiled. "Well, some things have kinda changed."
"Already? In two days?"
"Just another day in SkyClan." Skystar grinned.
Tall Shadow and Pebble Heart were hopelessly lost. Well, until they found a sickly apprentice, dragging a skinny crow back to her camp.
They followed the ginger tabby at distance in order to not scare her. And get caught because even if ShadowClan was suffering they were still very outnumbered.
They paused as the apprentice pushed through a gap covered with thorny brambles. The two SkyClan cats paused.
"Do they want to suffer moving in and out of their entrance everyday?" Tall Shadow asked.
"Well, at least their enemies would think twice." Pebble Heart shrugged.
"Except for us," Tall Shadow said and launched up a nearby pine tree that overlooked the camp. Pebble Heart scrambled up behind her.
Down below the clearing was deserted and the only sound was coughing and sneezing. Then Runningnose frantically appeared and disappeared into another den.
"That's a sad sight," Pebble Heart commented.
"Yeah."
A cat, Tall Shadow recognized as Deerfoot appeared and sneered at the apprentice. "Seriously, Rowanpaw? That's all you could catch?"
"S-sorry," the apprentice stammered.
"Don't tell my apprentice what to do, fox dung!" Flintfang appeared behind Deerfoot. They seemed to be some of the only ones not sick.
"Fine, I'll go hunt myself!" Deerfoot spat and shoved past the two.
"No one will miss you!" Fernshade said, poking her head out of the den.
"I hope you get eaten by a badger!" Oakfur added, also peeking out.
Tall Shadow and Pebble Heart exchanged glances.
"Sheesh, what'd it be like to live in ShadowClan," Pebble Heart muttered.
Tall Shadow felt strangely defensive of them and meowed, reasonably, "they're just grumpy and afraid of the sickness."
"Yeah, I know," Pebble Heart whispered. "That's why I wanna help."
After a moment the two SkyClan cats decided to head back. They would come up with a plan back at camp.
As they headed back along their own scent trail, they heard someone hiss at them from the shadows. Like an idiot, Tall Shadow stopped.
And suddenly, they were surrounded by a group of rogues.
"Hello," Pebble Heart said after a moment with a friendly smile.
Tall Shadow sighed.
The leader stared down at the spy as she announced how Fury and One Eye had gotten accepted into SkyClan.
"Good. Phase one is complete," the tiny tom hissed. "Once we take control of SkyClan we can use their forces to kill ThunderClan!"
"Perfect! I told you One Eye was the best cat for the job!" The brown tom with white front legs, exclaimed gleefully.
The leader rolled his eyes contemptuously. "Yes. I suppose so." He turned his icy gaze on the she-cat. "Now get back to spyin-"
"ShadowClan is sick!" She suddenly blurted and then immediately felt guilty. Why did she have to say that? They were vulnerable so they were of no use! What if he decided to take them out?
"So then…they're on their own for now," the leader speculated. "I'm sure the other Clans won't go anywhere near them. So pause your spying on them for now."
The she-cat nodded fearfully and scrambled out of the alley, mewing a quick bye to her sister before she pelted back to the forest Clans' territory.
Well, at least that's one less Clan to leave alone for now.
She hated spying and spilling their secrets…but it was the only way to stay alive and keep her sister and friends safe.
So she did it anyway.
The biggest tom was white with familiar black paws. Tall Shadow gasped. "Blackfoot!" The tom blinked before recognization lit up in his own eyes.
"Tall Shadow? What're you doing here?"
"Tall Shadow?" That was Boulder pressing forth. Behind him stood his friend, Russetfur. Tall Shadow also recognized Tangleburr, but the other four were unfamiliar.
There was a dark brown tom with a long scar that curled from his back to his belly, a white she-cat with a strangely twisted forepaw, another brown tom and a huge ginger one.
"We were checking on ShadowClan," Pebble Heart meowed. "We're trying to figure out how to save them from the sickness."
Blackfoot looked at him curiously. "You're Turtle Tail's kit, aren't you?"
"Yeah…how did you know?" Pebble Heart mewed softly.
"Gossip reaches everywhere, even us rogues," Russetfur muttered. "We're sorry for what happened."
"But…you followed Brokenstar, so why do you care?" Pebble Heart blurted. "What ThunderClan did is pretty much a Brokenstar thing."
"Well, like ThunderClan…we follow our leader," Tangleburr said with a shrug. "Even if they are…wrong."
A silence followed.
"Hi, I'm Snow!" The she-cat suddenly exclaimed loudly. "And this is my brother-"
"SHH!" Her brother hissed, looking embarrassed for some reason. "Just. Shut. Up!"
Pebble Heart and Tall Shadow looked at each other.
"Well…" the other brown tom murmured. "This is getting kinda awkward, so Imma hunt. See ya." He waved his tail at the SkyClan cats.
"We should get going," Tall Shadow murmured and headed away.
"But we'll be back tomorrow," Pebble Heart added as he followed.
"Well, we'll be around here too," Boulder said. "We could help."
"Sure," Pebble Heart agreed.
Tall Shadow rolled her eyes. So much for keeping it low.
That ShadowClan part where they were insulting each other isn't the stereotypical rude, evil ShadowClan, like I said they're just grumpy and scared because of the sickness, because trust me when I say ShadowClan will be one of the better Clans by the end of this story.