Here with the last chapter of Exile!! This one-shot is finally at its end so here comes the Gathering!!!
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Also one-shot's for Exiled coming soon!
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"I've never once heard of a Clan cat being attacked by their StarClan ancestors in their dreams before."
Fireheart listened to Runningnose prattle on about the new discovery of there being cats beyond StarClan who have the ability of being able to walk and attack others in their dreams.
"Mapleshade wasn't necessarily part of StarClan, or so I think." Fireheart murmured, glancing over at the ShadowClan medicine cat, who looked ready to burst with more theories.
Runningnose had been horrified to find the state of both Fireheart and Tigerstar after they awoke. Fireheart should have been surprised to find that the wounds she had received in her dreams had appeared on her body in the waking world; but the pain that was inflicted by Mapleshade was all too real.
Runningnose had fluttered back and forth between the two injured warriors. Calling upon the apprentice's to gather the needed supplies to treat the pair, even now Fireheart still had a herbal mixed poultice wrapped around her injured shoulder as they headed to tonight's Gathering.
When they had first explained what had happened, Runningnose didn't hesitate to call them both Toad-brains, but on further explanation the small gray-and-white tom had changed tunes. The ShadowClan medicine cat was now fascinated by what he had been told and wanted to hear every detail ten times over. Fireheart knew she would never hear the end of this now.
"Neither of us were in StarClan when we met her." Fireheart added on. "We were in the Place of No Stars."
"Fascinating."
Fireheart wondered how fascinating it would still seem to Runningnose if he were the one to be lost and alone in such a horrible place. Especially with such a cat like Mapleshade hanging about.
I wonder if anyone knew her. Fireheart mused to herself. I wonder if I can ask at the Gathering.
Fireheart was brought out of her inner musing by a pelt brushing up against hers. The flame-colored she-cat tilted her head slightly to the side to see Tigerstar crouching beside her, peering over the crest of the hollow, which lead down into the clearing where they held their Gathering.
For the first time in a while, a look of uncertainty flickered across Tigerstar's face, as the time came to debut himself as the new official leader of ShadowClan.
Fireheart pressed back against him, drawing Tigerstar's attention to herself. When green met yellow, Fireheart whispered so that only he could hear, "Everything is going to be fine. You have the entire support of ShadowClan. I'll be here for you as well, so if you are in doubt, just look down and find me."
He gave a jerky nod as he padded forward to take the lead and signaled the go ahead to the ShadowClan warriors. The group of ShadowClan cats streamed down from the crest of the hollow and down into the clearing that housed the rest of the Clans. It seems as though ShadowClan was the last to arrive.
Fireheart kept taking deep breaths. This would be her first Gathering as a ShadowClan warrior, and it also meant having to face her former Clanmates. It had been such a long time since she had seen any of them or them seeing her. What are they going to think when Fireheart show's up amongst the cat's she had once fought against, the band of rogue's that had attacked their camp and followed the former ShadowClan tyrant, Brokentail, not so long ago. Or Tigerstar, who had plotted to murder Bluestar.
Fireheart gave a vigorous shake. She couldn't care what her former Clanmates might think, she was a part of ShadowClan now and her life now lays on the path of a ShadowClan warrior.
Taking a small step forward, Fireheart began mingling with the other cats who have been chosen to come to the Gathering tonight.
The first former Clanmate that Fireheart hadn't seen in moons was one that she wasn't expecting.
The sudden sound of a gasped, "Fireheart." meant that the banished fire pelted she-cat had been spotted.
The former ThunderClan she-cat raised her head, her ears twitching in the direction of the sound. The snowy-white warrior Whitestorm stood straight across from Fireheart, staring frozen in place, as if unable to believe who he was seeing.
Hardening her nerves, Fireheart put one paw in front of the other, approaching her former Clanmate with her head and crooked tail held high.
Her confidence evaporated when she approached the senior ThunderClan warrior. Although they were no longer Clanmates and Fireheart had nothing to prove, this snowy white warrior had a lasting commanding presence in Fireheart's life. She nodded respectfully, and Whitestorm dipped his head in return.
"Good day, Whitestorm." Fireheart decided to treat her former Clanmates like she would any other rivaling Clan warrior. It would be easier that way.
"A good day to you as well, Fireheart." Whitestorm murmured, his yellow eyes glanced briefly over her. "It's good to see you again."
Fireheart felt awkward underneath the senior warriors' heavy and unwavering stare.
"Where is Bluestar?" Fireheart asked, glancing around but the blue-gray leader wasn't anywhere to be found. When Fireheart looked back at Whitestorm she had to hold in a gasp. The pure grief in the white warriors eyes was overwhelming. "She isn't--"
Whitestorm shook his head. "Bluestar's not dead."
Fireheart let out a sigh of relief that she wasn't aware she had been holding.
"No, we made Bluestar step down as leader." Whitestorm sighed, shocking Fireheart. "She was …is unfit to be leader. There is nothing, no herbs or cat with special abilities that is able to fix the madness she has fallen into."
Fireheart blinked in sympathy. The flame-colored warrior had known all this time just how unstable Bluestar had been to banish Fireheart and her kits from ThunderClan, if things had been different, if Bluestar had been in her right state of mind, then perhaps Fireheart and her kits would still be in ThunderClan right now.
"Who's acting as leader now?" Fireheart murmured.
Whitestorm blinked back at her, looking more old and tired than usual. "I've been chosen to take over the role as leader."
Fireheart nodded. Whitestorm was a wise warrior who showed leadership abilities, he was also popular and well respected amongst Fireheart's former Clanmates, so there was no surprise that he would have been chosen.
Fireheart looked back into the snowy white warrior's eyes, "Should you really be telling me all this."
Whitestorm shrugged. "I have replayed the day I had helped send you and your kits away in my dreams ever since the day you were banished. It has haunted me and many others in
ThunderClan. Many of them no longer listen to Bluestar's orders or simply outright defy them. I, as one of those who have wronged you for a crime you have never committed, apologize from the bottom of my heart for the whole of ThunderClan. We should have never listened to Bluestar and exiled both you and innocent kits. I hope that one day you can forgive us."
Fireheart clenched her jaw, loathing how soft Whitestorm's tone had gotten. Despite how he had treated Fireheart and her kits, the flame fured she-cat still admired the warrior. Truthfully, Fireheart couldn't fault the snowy white warrior either, he was just following the orders of their leader at the time.
Fireheart nodded, accepting Whitestorm's apology. They can't change what had happened but they could move on in a healthier way.
Before she could speak, a familiar cry pierced the air. "Fireheart! Fireheart!"
Like a bolt of lightning streaking across the sky. Cinderpelt thundered through the surrounding mass of cats and practically threw herself on to her former mentor. Fireheart was almost bowled over by the smokey she-cat, her former apprentice had gotten both bigger and better in shape than Fireheart last remembered her being.
Cinderpelt completely covered Fireheart's face with long strokes of her tongue. Behaving as though Fireheart was her kit. The older she-cat had to bat the younger more excitable she-cat away with her paw, but Fireheart's eyes still shined fondly down at her first apprentice.
"It's good to see you again, Cinderpelt!"
"Not as good as it is seeing you!" Cinderpelt purred, nuzzling underneath Fireheart's chin. Fireheart allowed her to do so. It had been so long since she had seen someone she cared so strongly about. It was also touching to know that Cinderpelt also seemed to still care about her as well. "We've all been told that you've joined ShadowClan. How have they been treating you and the kits? How are the kits? Have you joined for good? Have their been any problems? Why are you hurt? What about--"
When Cinderpelt's endless supply of questions showed no sign of dying down, Whitestorm gently raised his voice. "Quiet down now, Cinderpelt. You've asked plenty of questions and gave Fireheart no time to answer a single one."
Cinderpelt went quiet but still looked expectantly at Fireheart.
Fireheart dipped her head in thanks to the older warrior. "To answer a few of those questions the kits and I have settled in just fine. The kits are happy and healthy. Everyone has been very respectful and most are easy to get along with. Some more so than most. I got into a bit of an accident but it's nothing serious. The only real problem that I see is being stuck living with Dirtstripe."
Cinderpelt nodded at each answer Fireheart gave. Cringing at the last one that mentioned Darkstripe, neither she-cat liked Darkstripe, and Fireheart was a little jealous of how Cinderpelt wouldn't have to put up with him outside of Gatherings.
"Are the others here tonight?" Fireheart asked, not having to explain who the others were.
Cinderpelt nodded rapidly, "Most of them are here, except for Yellowfang, she stayed back at camp to look after--" Cinderpelt didn't have to explain who Yellowfang stayed behind for.
"I'll take a look around and see if I can find them before the Gathering starts." Fireheart announced, dipping her head in farewells to Whitestorm and Cinderpelt, though the flame-colored warrior did take a moment to rasp her tongue over one of Cinderpelt's ears.
It wasn't to hard to find who Fireheart was looking for, or more like they found her, and the two parties met up in the middle.
"Fireheart! Fireheart! Fireheart!" The sound of her name coming from her closest friends was the best thing Fireheart has heard all day. Much like Cinderpelt, Cloudpaw threw himself at his aunt, but though he was much bigger than he used to be, he still wasn't able to do more than make Fireheart take a step back.
Fireheart purred as she leaned down to nuzzle her head against Cloudpaw's cheek. The warm greeting was interrupted as Cloudpaw's mentor, Sandstorm, and Brackenfur quickly followed the apprentice.
"Fireheart! You're okay!" Brackenfur exclaimed while Sandstorm stepped towards to touch noses with Fireheart. "We were all so worried about you and the kits…the kits are okay right?"
Fireheart put the golden brown tabby's worries to rest as she nodded her head. Her unofficial apprentice seemed to take a big sigh of relief, he looked as though s great amount of worry was taken off his shoulders. "That's a relief."
"But what are you doing here?" Sandstorm mewed, eyes shimmering with interest.
"Who cares." Cloudpaw loudly exclaimed.
Sandstorm gently cuffed her apprentice over the ears but didn't reprimand him further.
"Things have changed since we last saw you." Sandstorm meowed, looking over the head of the white apprentice. "You left a lasting effect on all of us."
"Brindleface wouldn't let Bluestar within a whisker of the nursery." Cloudpaw mewed. "Not that she ever visits anyway. She hasn't made new apprentices or warriors in moons." Coming from her nephew it sounded even worser than she had originally thought.
"The elders aren't taking it very kindly to being left behind." Brackenfur added softly, looking down in shame.
Sandstorm laid a comforting tail on the younger warrior's shoulder. Her nose pressing into his ear as she spoke softly to him.
"And they have every right not to!" Cloudpaw growled. "They shouldn't have been left in the first place!"
"Was anyone hurt?" Fireheart murmured, looking worriedly around at the assembly of cats.
"No, no, everyone is fine. Though we did lose a few elders." Brackenfur was the one to reassure Fireheart this time. "We crossed the river into RiverClan territory and waited it out."
"Look who else is here." Sandstorm meowed, pointing with her tail over at a group of RiverClan and ThunderClan.
It took Fireheart a moment to realize who the pale ginger she-cat was pointing too, but when Fireheart caught sight of Dustpelt and Longtail amongst the group, she gasped.
Sandstorm nodded her head, clearly expecting this reaction. "Dustpelt and Longtail came back to help the Clan during the fire. They saved all of our lives and we allowed them back into the Clan."
"That's surprising of Bluestar." Fireheart was a little confused to hear that Bluestar would do such a thing, knowing how paranoid her former mentor and leader was now. But the full body flinch Sandstorm gave made it clear that wasn't the case.
"Bluestar didn't want them back." Sandstorm admitted. "She wanted to drive them away. We all put our foot down. Dustpelt and Longtail proved just how much they care about the Clan and risked their own lives to protect it. They are true warriors of ThunderClan."
"I bet Bluestar didn't like that."
Brackenfur shook his head. "No. She really didn't," the golden brown tabby tom appeared defeated. "She called us all traitors."
Fireheart blinked sympathetically. Everyone seemed to be suffering now. Though the mention of RiverClan made Fireheart remember another one of her dearest friends.
"Do any of you know if Graystripe is here?" Fireheart asked hopefully. The flame-colored she-cat had missed her first and oldest friend ever since he had left to be with his kits in RiverClan, and had been secretly hoping in the back of her mind that maybe tonight she would be able to see him.
Fireheart's pelt prickled as someone else spoke up. "Mudfur has said that Graystripe was still adjusting to life as a RiverClan warrior. He isn't ready to represent RiverClan at a Gathering just yet."
A warm, familiar scent drifted into her nostrils and she turned her head to see Spottedleaf. She padded up to the flame-colored she-cat and touched her nose gently to Fireheart's. "I prayed that StarClan was watching over you, Fireheart," she murmured. "I'm glad that they listened."
"Spottedleaf," Fireheart murmured, taking in the medicine cat's sweet scent. "I'm glad to see you too."
"I've heard you are now a part of ShadowClan." The dark tortoiseshell-and-white continues, "I hope that you found peace amongst them."
"We have." Fireheart had reassured for the dozens time that night. "We're all doing fine."
"Yes. Runningnose had been telling me earlier about how helpful Mothkit has been."
Fireheart stiffened up at the mention of Runningnose. Had he said anything to Spottedleaf about Mapleshade? If so then what had he told her? Fireheart forced herself to relax. Runningnose wouldn't say such things without first having time to ponder over and figure out what was going on first. Fireheart chose to ignore it. For now at least.
"I'm sorry that Mothkit won't be able to be your apprentice." Fireheart murmured.
Spottedleaf's eyes seemed to brighten for a moment. "Perhaps she still can."
Fireheart didn't comprehend what Spottedleaf was imply and before she could ask, Spottedleaf was turning to look up at the Great Rock.
"I see that Tigerclaw has truly taken over as the new leader of ShadowClan." There was no mistaking Tigerstar's massive body and dark coat. Everyone could see him crouched on the top of the Great Rock, looking down into the hollow, he was highly respected and recognizable warrior amongst all four Clan's. His head swiveled back and forth as he scanned the crowd of cats.
What could he see from way up there?
"He's changed for the better." Fireheart may have sounded a bit defensive on Tigerstar behalf.
But there was nothing discouraging in Spottedleaf's voice as she responded, "I'm sure Tigerstar will bring about good thing's for ShadowClan."
Both she-cat's fell into a moment of silence, just gazing at one another with some many things exchanged in just a mere look. But something like a self-resolve appeared in Spottedleaf's mottled face.
Spottedleaf discreetly gestured with a sweep of her tail for Fireheart to come closer. Never one to hesitate to an order from Spottedleaf, Fireheart pressed in close.
"I don't understand what this means, Fireheart, but I need to tell you this."
The look Spottedleaf gave her made Fireheart's heart freeze. "Great change is coming to the forest. The sparks of fire that burn brightly in the shadows will lead the way."
Fireheart did not know how to respond to her confession. Her scent was a myriad of emotions, each complex and challenging to analyze in the moment.
Fireheart could only dip her head, "Thank you for telling me this, Spottedleaf."
A voice sounded from the Great Rock. Fireheart looked up and saw the RiverClan leader, Crookedstar, standing on top of the massive boulder, his thick pelt gleaming in the moonlight. Whitestorm sat on one side and Tallstar, the WindClan leader, on the other. And on the far side, half hidden by the shadow of an oak tree, sat Tigerstar.
And then the Gathering finally began.
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I am done! I am so done! Done. Done. Done. Done. DONE!!! I'm so happy! I know I left it on a sort of cliffhanger but that was my intention all along! Gives you readers to make your own speculation!
Fun Facts;
I will be doing one-shot's on Exiled like I do one-shot's from my main series! The only one I got planned for a fact is Bluestar's pov! (Also the one-shot's are apart of the series so if something were in the one-shot's then it happened in the series!!!)
Yep, Fireheart cannot run from her destiny no matter were she goes!
Basically the whole of ThunderClan saw just how crazy Bluestar became and felt awful for what they did to an innocent queen and her kits and that got the snowball going of realizing that they need a new leader.
Whitestorm was chosen as leader for obvious reasons.
Dustpelt and Longtail were accepted back into the Clan after the fire incident! That was a real motivator and beginning of the defiance of their leader. Bluestar didn't want them back in the Clan but everyone else did.
I left it ambiguous but you catch on to the hints that not all of Fireheart's kits were destined to remain in ShadowClan.
Thought about Graystripe only afterwards when I was finished and I am not rewriting this.
Basically this whole chapter wrote itself. I always planned for Fireheart to run into her old Clanmates, Cinderpelt, Sandstorm, Spottedleaf, etc. And also for Dustpelt and Longtail to rejoin ThunderClan. And also Spottedleaf telling Fireheart a prophecy. But nothing else besides those things I didn't plan for. Never planned on Mapleshade or bringing up the Place of No Stars, none of that. Didn't plan on Whitestorm or Bluestar and the ThunderClan situation (besides Dustpelt and Longtail rejoining ThunderClan that's all I had) didn't even know what the prophecy was going to be before I got to that part!
I personally believe this came out great! Tell me what you think in the comments section!