Fire and Shadows
Chapter 3
"But what does it mean?" Fireheart muttered, pacing back and forth at the edge of the camp. Graystripe sat watching him not far away. They'd left Goldenflower with her kits –both old and new – after she'd told them what the strange little kit had said. Bluestar had returned to her den, having kept her promise to let the kit stay. Fireheart was trying to decipher the meaning of the kit's single word. "Yami. What does it mean?" He stopped abruptly and rounded on his friend. "Graystripe, do you know?"
The gray warrior sighed. "Fireheart, if I had known, wouldn't I have said something earlier?"
"Oh, yeah…" Fireheart muttered. "Sorry."
"What are you two doing?"
Fireheart turned to see two of the elders, One-eye (the oldest she-cat in ThunderClan) and Dappletail watching them curiously.
"Well, Fireheart here is wrecking his brain trying to figure out the meaning of a little kit's word," Graystripe replied.
"You mean the new kit the cats have been talking about?" Dappletail asked.
"Yes, that's him," Graystripe meowed.
"What's this about a word?" the elder meowed curiously.
"Do you know what it means? That kit said only one word. 'Yami'. What does it mean!" Fireheart demanded, rounding on the old she-cats.
Dappletail looked at him calmly. "I have no idea," she meowed firmly.
"Wait… 'Yami', you said?" One-eye asked, tail twitching in sudden recognition.
"Yes, yes!" Fireheart gasped, feeling hope flood his veins. "Please, One-eye, you must tell me if-"
"Now calm down, youngster, and sit. Listen to my story."
The four Clans that roam the forest today are the decedents of the first Clans: LionClan, TigerClan, and LeopardClan. StarClan watched over them from above. At first, they were happy, and all was well. But then disagreements erupted, and the Clans started a war that none could win. StarClan became angry, and in its rage wiped out most of the Clans. They wiped out all treachery, all deceit, and all dishonor, and spared only the true warriors, who, in an effort to survive, cast away all previous rivalry and bonded together, thus forming DragonClan. These were the bravest of the brave, and the most honorable. They were the true children of StarClan.
These warriors started over. They were determined not to revert to the ways of war. They left their old customs, and created a new language, and new traditions. StarClan loved these cats, and granted them special powers that were laced into their blood. All was well, and all was peaceful. That was the Golden Age.
But it is all too true that all good things must always end. As time wore on, the original members of DragonClan passed away. As generation after generation lived and died, the old habits started to emerge. Those who still honored the traditions and beliefs of DragonClan became alarmed, and swiftly took action, separating themselves from these 'traitors.' And so the forest was split, between DragonClan, and the group that called itself IceClan.
But IceClan did not live long; there were simply too many different opinions within the group. So they divided into the four Clans we know today.
No one knows what happened to DragonClan after IceClan split up and took over the forest. They were never seen again. Most knowledge of the Old Ways and Old Language are long lost.
Some believe that DragonClan is still out there, roaming, and watching over the four Clans that are their children.
It took Fireheart took a moment to absorb all this information.
"But…what does that have to do with the kit?" Graystripe asked, puzzled.
"Now, old as I am, I have gathered some information about the ways of the Old. If I remember correctly, 'Yami' is a word from the Old Language. It means, I believe, 'darkness.'" The old cat nodded, confirming herself.
"Are you sure?"
Fireheart jumped. None of them had heard another cat come up; they had been concentrating hard on the story.
"Yes, Bluestar, quite sure." The old she-cat nodded again.
"According to this, then, one can assume that the little kit is a direct descendent of DragonClan…that certainly explains the strange scent…" the leader looked thoughtful.
"Bluestar? You're not turning him out because of this, are you?" Fireheart meowed nervously.
His leader purred with amusement. "Goodness, Fireheart, you sound like a worried Queen! No, I'm not sending him out, no matter what the others may think. We do need warriors, and if his blood is that of a DragonClan cat, we cannot have a better ally. I'll talk to the Clan about this, and hold a naming ceremony when he's well enough to attend it himself."
The warrior sighed deeply in relief, causing the others to shake their heads in amusement.
xxx
"Cats of ThunderClan." Bluestar sat on the Highrock, looking down at her Clan. It was seven days after the little kit had been discovered, and he was recovering well. In fact, he now sat by his adopted mother and siblings. Bluestar had called the Clan together at sundown for the naming ceremony. Sliverpelt was starting to appear. "As you all know, seven days ago, a kit was discovered on our territory. You are aware, I am sure, of our need for warriors. I have decided to keep this little kit, and raise him as one of the Clan." She eyed the cats steadily. "I expect you to treat him as you would a pure-blood ThunderClan kit."
Fireheart was relieved to note that there wasn't much hostility towards the kit, due to the fact that after all, it was forest-born, and very, very young. Tigerclaw, the deputy, hadn't liked the idea much, and neither had Darkstripe, but most of the Clan was accepting.
Bluestar continued. "I shall now give him a name, to be used until he has earned his apprenticeship." She leaped down form the Highrock, and Goldenflower nudged the kit forward a little. He stumbled slightly, but steadied himself and stood looking up at his new leader.
The blue-gray she-cat lowered her head and gently touched her nose with the small kit's. Raising her head, she announced, "I say these words now, under the eyes of our warrior ancestors. I call upon StarClan to look after this kit, and to protect him, that he will grow up and become an honorable Warrior of ThunderClan." Looking down again, she said solemnly, "By the power given to me, I now give you your name: Shadowkit. ThunderClan welcomes you."
The kit blinked, confused, but sensing the serious atmosphere, stood quietly, still gazing at his new leader.
"Shadowkit!" Goldenflower purred delightedly, saying her adopted kit's name for the first time. "Shadowkit!"
Her clan mates echoed her. "Shadowkit! Shadowkit!" They chanted, accepting the little cat into their lives.
The newly named Shadowkit looked around with wide, crimson eyes, as the cats chanted his new title.