'ello people! Just got back from a trip, and I have with me a long, long chapter for you so enjoy it, I shall have more up soon. Thanks to you three who have given a positive reaction to my story, the next chapter will be dedicated to you! Keep reviewing and thanks!
Leo Ginger sighed as she padded slowly back toward the others. Capricorn Orange had rejected the ancient Stars for Starclan and was now to be called Orangepelt. She stopped and saw that all the cats accept her had eaten and she narrowed her eyes. "Have all of you forgotten your loyalty? We eat together."
"Oh lay off it." Virgo Black yawned, waving a paw lazily in the air. "So how is dear Capricorn Orange."
"Orangepelt now." Snapped Leo Ginger. "She spent all day with those two Medicine cats and they convinced her to believe in Starclan. Now she has a new name and is naming her newborn kits in the way of Starclan."
"She rejected the ancient Stars?" Gasped Taurus Blue. "In only one day? Her poor kits, lost in this nonsense called Starclan."
"Where are Leo Red and Libra Silver?" Asked Leo Ginger, hoping to get off the subject of Orangepelt.
"Oh they just went to meet cats, or something like that, stop worrying." Said Sagittarius Gray lazily. "They left a while ago and should be back soon."
Just then the two cats bounded toward them, tails very high, grins on their faces. They settled down next to their clan mates and just stared ahead.
"What is with you two?" Asked Virgo Black looking at the abnormally happy cats.
"You'll see." Said Leo Red. Then a loud call from Firestar caught the six cat's attention. Leo Red and Sagittarius Gray were the first ones up and over to Highrock. The others followed more hesitantly as cats started to gather in front of the rock. It was crowded and loud until Firestar signaled for silence, everyone was instantly quiet.
"Cats of Thunderclan! Seven loners have come to our lands, seeking acceptance! Three of them have accepted Starclan and wish to receive their names under Starclan. One has given birth to kits and already has her new name and shall be moving into the nursery. Goldenflower, as the oldest nursery queen you have spoken with Orangepelt and she is ready to be a mother and would be a fit warrior?" Firestar asked.
"Yes." Replied Goldenflower with a small smile.
"Then let us Welcome Orangepelt into Thunderclan."
The she-cat had left her kits only temporarily for the ceremony. She smiled as the cats around began to chant her name. Only three cats would not join in. Virgo Black, Taurus Blue and Leo Red. As the chanting calmed down, Orangepelt dipped her head toward Firestar then went off to her kits.
"Leo Red and Sagittarius Gray step forward." Said Firestar. Three gasps were heard from the remaining three Star Signed cats as their clan mates stepped up to Highrock. "Brightheart, are you satisfied that these are loyal and brave warriors after what you have seen in their hunting skills and their new faith in Starclan?"
"Yes, Firestar." Answered the ginger and white queen.
"Leo Red, Sagittarius Gray, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do."
"I do."
"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior names. Leo Red, Sagittarius Gray, from this moment on you will be known as Redclaw and Grayfoot. Starclan honors your loyalty and faith and we welcome you as a full warriors of Thunderclan."
Yowls broke out all around them and cats congratulated them. Only the three Star Signed cats sat in shock that three of their own had so easily forgotten their past for this clan. The three turned their back on Redclaw and Grayfoot, knowing that the two would not be sleeping in their nest anymore. The cats were different, Orangepelt, Redclaw and Grayfoot, how could they do this?
"Ancestors of the Stars, guide us and help us, do not let us die out." Leo Red whispered as she soon fell to sleep.
Once more a paw prodded at Leo Ginger. It was gentler than last time, but still enough to wake her. The white and ginger she-cat woke and blinked. She was now looking at her former clanmate, Redclaw. The long haired tom simply stared down and her and said. "Firestar wishes you to go on a hunting party with Cloudtail."
"I see." Leo Ginger said glaring at Redclaw. She couldn't keep it in before she hissed. "You betray us Leo Red. What about your family? Your tribe?"
"My family died during the wolf attack and so did my tribe. I might as well start a new life here." Redclaw looked around fondly as cats poured from the dens. "I like it rather well. And if you ever want to become a respected member of this clan you might want to start acting like them. It was you who said we should start getting to know them and their ways, I did and I found them more believable than the Stars. Now, I am going to see Orangepelt's kits."
"Traitor." Muttered Taurus Blue as she woke up beside Virgo Black. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Redclaw, apparently she'd heard what he'd said. "I hope the Stars strike you down one of these days, fool."
"Don't say anything you might regret, Blue." Growled Redclaw. Then the tom stalked off towards the nursery.
"Filth!" Cried Taurus Blue as she leapt to her paws. Her claws instinctively unsheathed. "How dare he!"
"Taurus Blue, please, not now." Complained Virgo Black as he lifted his head. "Let's try to get through the day without any more outbursts okay. Listen, I told Brightheart I'd go on hunting patrol with Mousefur and her apprentance Spiderpaw. I'll be back, but just don't wait up for me if your going to eat or something." Virgo Black got from the nest and leaped off towards the entrance where Mousefur already stood.
"Those two look chummy don't they." Growled Taurus Blue who was glaring at Virgo Black and Mousefur who were whispering to each other. The cats tails' almost touched as they spoke. "If he decides to reject us, then I swear I'll."
"Look. I am going to see Orangepelt again. If we have any hope of restoring our clan it will be through her kits. I hate lying to any cat, but I can't just let our race die out. I shall determine their signs, their colors will determine their single name then we shall pray that they will be led on the right path. When they are beginning to be weaned, we shall ask if they need a babysitter and tell them stories of their ancestors, the ancient Stars, that way they will not already have that Starclan nonsense buried into their minds."
"Good plan. Capricorn Orange had always been a slow one, she will never suspect you of doing something." Agreed Taurus Blue.
"This is not for evil or revenge Taurus Blue, but for the good of the feline species." Said Leo Ginger calmly before going toward the nursery.
"Wow! Look at all of this prey!" Mousefur said as she trotted back to where Virgo Black stood proudly. "How did you catch all of this?"
"What do you mean?" Asked Virgo Black modestly, but truthfully, the prey was very easy to catch despite what he was used too. "This prey is so dumb and slow, a kit could catch this much."
"What are you talking about?" Mousefur had only brought back three mice. Virgo Black's pile consisted of two mice and three voles. "You and your friends are master hunters, I don't get it."
"Where we come from it is usually colder. It doesn't get this warm, so prey is very hard to catch. No one could eat until we have enough prey for everyone in the clan. So we became masters at hunting. I don't mean to brag, but our hearing and scenting have been well refined over the years."
It was true. Virgo Black's pads were so sensitive that if a mouse nested not to far under the ground, he could pick of their smallest movements and dig till he found the nest. The long furs were not only used to make sure he was warm in cold climates. But they were as sensitive as his whiskers and by simply rubbing up against a tree, he could tell in any animal was nesting in the hollow. When he found that out, he wasn't afraid to climb.
"Did Spiderpaw come back yet?" Asked Mousefur suddenly, looking around for her black and brown apprentance.
"Yes. He brought back a vole and a mouse, he went off to see if he could find more." Answered Virgo Black. "While we wait, tell me more about Starclan? Perhaps I shall tell you more about the ancient Stars."
"Of course." Mousefur said. She sat down and then started. "Starclan are the stars you see in the sky every day. Each star represents a cat that has passed on."
"Really? That is quite different. In our clan, a cat either went to the Caven or the Horanm." Explained Virgo Black. "The good, loyal felines when to the Caven when they died and the bad. Unworthy cats went to the Horanm."
"Interesting." Mousefur said quietly. "We don't know where the evil cats go. But the one's who remain faithful to Starclan go to hunt with their old clan mates. Starclan tell us of prophecies, warn us of danger and generally guide us."
"How does that work?"
"Starclan will send a message through the Medicine cat or the Leader. They have the deepest connection with Starclan. We trust in their word. No regular clan cat has ever seen the true Starclan cats, we do see where our leaders and medicine cats receive messages though, at the Moonstone."
"The Moonstone?"
"A place past Windclan territory, every apprentance goes there before getting their Warrior name. The moonstone is a rock where leaders are given dreams from Starclan or messages that can help guide us. They usually only go to Moonstone is something really urgent is happening and Starclan haven't sent them a sign in a long time. Usually a Medicine Cat or leader can get an omen whenever, wherever."
"Amazing. In our clan we had nothing like that. All we had from the ancient Stars were the code of Stars, a way a living for us. We followed those rules with all our hearts in order to some day go to Caven and meet our greatest ancestor, Zodiac."
"I would find it quite hard to believe in the ancient Stars then. Starclan has always seemed so real to me, even though I have never received a message myself." Mousefur sighed. "Look, here comes Spiderpaw."
"Sorry I took so long Mousefur. I go two more." He said dropping to plump mice as his mentor's paws. He smiled and said. "Is that enough? I want to get back and see who is going to the gathering!"
"Yes, let's go." Mousefur picked up her prey and one of Virgo Black's voles and headed towards the camp. Virgo Black and Spiderpaw followed.
Leo Ginger was visiting with Orangepelt. She'd had to wait while other's visited the young queen until now when she could talk. She padded to Orangepelt and stood nearby, looking at young mother. Goldenflower was just finishing up talking with Orangepelt, while Leo Ginger took a peek at the kittens.
The first was a large male, light brown with dark brown tabby stripes. He had yet to open his eyes so his eye color was undetermined. Already he looked like he was would be a strong cat, a fighter, a cat that would protect better than he hunted. A Scorpio.
The next was a slightly smaller female. She too looked like a fighter. She was white with faint traces of orange. Her ears were slightly smaller than a regular cat's, but Leo Ginger knew that was nothing to worry about. An Aquarius.
The next was a smaller male. He looked like the hunting type already. By the way he squirmed around he would be an active kit. He was a long haired blue gray tom. An Aries.
Then there was the runt. Defiantly smaller than all of her siblings. She still squirmed a bit and Leo Ginger could tell she bore the markings of a fine hunter. But also a leader. Leo Ginger wasn't sure what it was, but this female would have a bright future. She was a tan color with a one black patch over her eye. An Gemini.
Finally, Goldenflower turned and pushed past her and Leo Ginger padded up. The white and ginger queen could see as soon as Orangepelt recognized her that she was anything but welcomed.
"What do you want?" Hissed Orangepelt who curled tighter around her kittens.
"Just to apologize. It is your decision how you raise your kittens and I shall respect that." Leo Ginger answered. "What are their names?"
Orangepelt sniffed, finding it hard to believe Leo Ginger. She flicked an ear before saying. "Stripekit, Wetkit, Bluekit and Smallkit."
"Beautiful." Said Leo Ginger softly. She herself thought of their true names, or at least what they would've been called if they was Star Signed. Scorpio Brown, Aquarius White, Aries Blue and Gemini Tan. "I brought you something."
Orangepelt nodded as the other queen pushed a small vole toward her. She nodded and said stiffly. "Thank you. But I've eaten. Grayfoot brought me something earlier."
"I see." Leo Ginger said stiffly. "May the ancient Stars watch over you and your kits, then."
"May Starclan grant you permission to join this clan completely." Countered Orangepelt. "I want you to speak nothing more to me about the ancient Stars, Leo Ginger. My faith is in Starclan and my kits' faith will be in Starclan. Dare you speak of the ancient Stars around them and I shall make sure you regret it."
Leo Ginger's fur prickled uncomfortably. She'd never heard such venom in Orangepelt's voice. The she-cat was usually kind and mellow, but then Leo Ginger remembered. This was not the sweet Capricorn Orange she'd known before, this was Orangepelt, the traitor. But if Leo Ginger had anything to do with it, Orangepelt's kits would be loyal and carry on the name of the twelve ancient Stars even if their mother didn't.