Disclaimer: Don't own Warriors, yup, all that jazz.
And now you know. My tale is done. My greatest friends, my favoured deputies. My leader, my kin. Almost anything I grew close to, StarClan called; they all answered.
I have almost every reason to join them and give up the last seven lives I hold. Almost.
You see there, throughout my torment, there is one cat that hasn't left. One cat I know has always been there. And if she hadn't, I wouldn't be here, voicing my thoughts.
Sandstorm.
Her name is beautiful, she is graceful. Sandstorm is my jewel in ThunderClan. She's been here all the time, her pain echoing mine.
Graystripe and Ravenpaw were her best friends as well. She knew Lionheart better than I did. Whitestorm was her mentor. Cinderpelt became a good friend after some quarrels. Yellowfang was another cat she knew and hated to see die. Spottedleaf was a beloved medicine cat to ThunderClan. She never knew Smudge or Princess, because she is Clan born. But she knew Leafpool and Squirrelflight. They were her daughters, my daughters. Our daughters.
Sandstorm is more than a friend that stuck by me. I new her since I came to ThunderClan, seasons ago.
The first time she saw me, she hated me. I was a kittypet, trying to fit in. I found her attractive, but that doesn't make a cat like you. Fair enough, I didn't really know her, so I showed no signs of becoming friends with her.
Sandpaw's mentor was Whitestorm. He was a noble white cat, strong willed and loyal to the core. He was an excellent fighter and hunter; I can see why she is one of the best now.
As Firepaw, Sandpaw threw scorn in my direction, always trying to make my life harder. It worked; sometimes I felt that I was just a kittypet, instead of the loyal ThunderClan apprentice I was becoming. Her best friend, Dustpaw, followed her example. They both hated me. They became extremely hostile when I was made warrior after the incident with Brokenstar.
Fortunately, during the harder times when WindClan disappeared, their rein of hatred began to ease off. They regarded me as a Clan mate, not a friend, but not an enemy.
On the day Graystripe and I brought WindClan back, we decided to go home past RiverClan. We were tired and it seemed more logical. Besides, it was a special mission, right?
We were wrong. Oh so wrong. Whiteclaw, a RiverClan warrior, accidentally fell into the gorge separating WindClan and RiverClan territory. It was only Graystripe and I, Deadfoot and Onewhisker. The RiverClan cats were really angry; we had gone beyond a border fight. Suddenly a ThunderClan patrol came, yowling at the enemies and making the numbers even again. Sandpaw was battling furiously with a RiverClan tom and he kicked her off. The pale ginger she-cat almost went over the edge just before I grabbed her scruff, pulling her away. At the time I thought she was going to attack me instead of the other cats. She looked serious enough. But later she thanked me.
After that, Sandpaw became a steady friend. I reported to Bluestar at how well she fought in the battle against Brokenstar and his other exiled ally's. She and Dustpaw earned their warrior names. She became Sandstorm, he Dustpelt.
From then on, we were good friends. Sandstorm, Graystripe and I hunted a lot together, although Graystripe drifted off and never really focused. Not long after, Silverstream died and Graystripe was in a state of grief. He left ThunderClan because of it, taking his kits to their mother's Clan.
Sandstorm was there to comfort me, and I felt grateful.
Not soon after, Graystripe and I proved Tigerclaw's treachery. Bluestar named me Clan deputy, it was an honour.
Sandstorm consoled me when most the Clan rejected Cloudkit, she helped me try and rescue him when he was taken by twolegs. I found comfort in her and never once thought she cared for me more than a friend would.
Cinderpelt was a medicine cat, even though Yellowfang hadn't retired. I would sometimes go to the medicine cat clearing for a scratch or sore paw, to find Sandstorm and Cinderpelt bickering. I never knew why.
She-cats.
After the fire, I never felt so distraught. I had lost Yellowfang in the fire. It was my fault she died.
I had been deputy for a few moons after Tigerclaw's treachery. Bluestar asked me to decide the mentor's of Ashpaw and Fernpaw; I made the grave mistake of choosing Darkstripe and Dustpelt.
Sandstorm was angry, for she was the obvious choice. I had already had two apprentices, while she had none. I promised her one of Willowpelt's kits, but she was too upset to think about that.
As she began to ignore me, I felt a loneliness inside that couldn't be stopped by anything. It was as if part of my soul had been pulled along with her as she padded away.
For days I felt horrible, from sunrise to sunset I tried to explain to her. Eventually she began to warm up to me. But she didn't trust me. Especially when Bluestar's mind began to crumble, and I had to make choices against her orders so ThunderClan wouldn't fall.
When the threat of the dog pack came to realisation, it was a terrible feeling. To be hunted in your own home, they hunters becoming the hunted. I realised that Sandstorm meant more to me than any other cat in ThunderClan.
I approached her and apologised. I could see hurt in her eyes. It affected me more than any pain I had felt in battle, any fight I had lost. It was pure grief and anguish.
But she accepted my apology; and for once, I felt whole.
She explained to me how she was torn between loyalty to ThunderClan, and loyalty to me. I then knew I had to confess to her. I told Sandstorm I loved her. And she only replied by telling me; she loved me too.
From then on I knew I could survive the harsh things, like Bluestar's death. I succeeded her and became leader; the great Firestar.
I chose Whitestorm as my first deputy, he served his Clan well. But Whitestorm was killed brutally during the war against BloodClan.
Sandstorm was torn with grief. He had been her mentor and a very wise cat. Whitestorm named Graystripe as his successor, telling me that in my heart I knew he was always the right cat to be deputy.
During the next seasons, we had peace. Sandstorm found she was going to have kits, and we were both pleased to welcome Leafkit and Squirrelkit into ThunderClan. Leafkit chose the path of a medicine cat, her mentor Cinderpelt. While Squirrelkit chose to follow in her parent's paw steps, becoming a warrior.
Sandstorm was then even more upset because her apprentice, Sorrelpaw, was injured badly for many moons from an accident.
More and more grief followed, the death of Dappletail, Shrewpaw, Squirrelpaw leaving unexpectantly, the prophecy of Fire and Tiger, Leafpaw then mysteriously disappearing alongside Cloudtail and Brightheart, Graystripe's abduction and the destruction of the forest.
I left behind many friends, some respected elders and past comrades in ThunderClan. We journeyed through the mountains to find a new home with the other Clans. As we've lived by the lake, we've only found more grief. Most my cats are gone. Leafpool left, Squirrelflight died bravely.
But now I know; I'm not alone.
Sandstorm's my mate, my love and my beauty. She walks wherever I walk, together. I know when I do leave to join StarClan, she will follow. Our paths will twine with each others in the stars.
And now you know.
My only reason to keep living is because she is with me.
Finally!!! Finished! Ok, please, please review and tell me what you think. I know this is a depressing story. But I had an idea, it came out through my fingers and I typed. I felt you needed to reflect on the harsher thoughts of Firestar, like the loss of friends. So there you have it. A few notes to explain my warped version of Warriors...
- I did not read Twlight or Sunset while writing this. I have now. So Firestar has 7 lives instead of 6. Brambleclaw is not mentioned in this fic.
- Squirrelflight did not die. Some people are asking me this, she didn't. 1. I needed her to die in this story, sorry Squirrelflight fans, I don't hate her or anything. 2. I hadn't read Twilight by then.
- Leafpool came back in Twilight guys. She gave up Crowfeather. ( I loved that pairing. But again, I needed her gone, so she went with him.
- Cinderpelt did die. Sad. She wasn't my favourite character, but we all love her anyway.
- Firestar did leave behind Smudge and Princess. Yup, t'is true.
- Graystripe has not come back yet. maybe in the Power of Three. But not in the New Prophecy.
- Oh, the 'before there is peace, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red,' prophecy, nope, didn't happen here. Leafpool wasn't around long enough to say that it had been fulfilled. Brambleclaw is not mentioned, Squirrelflight died. Firestar still has 7 lives left.
Well there you have it. My story that has been the most popular out of all my fics is finished. Sad, I won't come up with anything twice as good... or maybe. I'm working on something now but you guys will wait if you're interested. Sorry if I'm on you're author alert, because I put up Teen Titans fics as well, and you guys are Warriors fans. So you are alerted for stories you won't read. Same for the TT fic fans. Thanks for reading, reviewing, all that yummy stuff. No flames )
- Atrasoul