Prologue:
A beautiful she-cat with blue-grey fur and eyes the color of the depths of the ocean stood on High Stone, looking down at her Clan. She saw that they were all trembling in fear, clearly in need of guidance. She took a deep breath and began. "Cats of StormClan. We all have witnessed the death of all four Clan leaders as..." Her voice choked up and she cleared her throat. "Eh-hem, as they...as the rogues threw them into the mouth of the volcano." A terrible wail broke out. The blue she-cat waited until it died down before continuing. "As well all know, none of the Clan leaders still had all nine lives. Who knows how many lives the leaders had? But the might of the lava...well, you know. Many cats have died from when the volcano erupted afterwards"
An elderly queen with dull white fur and a slightly golden tail raised her head. "The volcano has not erupted for 1000 years! Perhaps it was warning us of something wrong to come?" She glared defiantly at the younger she-cat. "You, Rainingfire, are not from StormClan. You were born in PhoenixClan. Had the volcano erupted to show that it was wrong of Strikingstar to have chosen you as deputy instead of one of our own?" "Goldtail, I believe it had erupted because the evil of the deed of throwing the leaders into the pit was too great." "Also Goldtail, StarClan has not spoken to me about her choice being wrong. And they would not have killen off the other leaders to show that this was the wrong choice." A tom with flame-colored fur flicked his tail. Though he was young, he had been medicine cat for a long while and was very wise.
"Well, Redclaw, perhaps it will effect all the Clans!" Goldtail's lip curled in contempt.
Rainingfire's voice sounded, gentle but firm. "If it will, then StarClan will tell me tomorrow when I receive my nine lives. But the law of StarClan says that the deputy becomes leader after the leader dies. And even you cannot change that. "As I was saying, we will go on with our lives. What's done is done and there's nothing we can change about that. The rogue army is gone for now, but we will still keep an eye out for them, as well as any others." She paused when she said this, her eyes darkening slightly. "StormClan will go on. We will all keep vigil tonight for our lost comrades. For our safety, we will keep vigil in the center of our clearing"
"What about food, Rainingfire?" A golden she-cat with rippling stripes looked up, her amber eyes troubled.
"Yes, Desertscale, gather a patrol to go hunt. Mosshadow," she added, nodding to a tabby tom, "you will gather a patrol to make sure there are no more rogues on our territory. Oakstripe, you will organize the rebuilding of our camp. Start with taking the crowfood out. Those filthy rogues left that stuff everywhere. If you are injured, line outside Redclaw's den. I don't want a jumble of cats either; make the line actually look like a line." She hesitated, as if wondering if she was forgetting something. "That is all. Go to your duties"
She dismissed the Clan and immediately headed for the Moonstone. She walked quickly, her premonition telling her that StarClan had something very, very important to tell her. "What? There's more trouble to come? What more can we take! Is it the rogues"
"Rainingstar, listen." Strikingstar, the majestic and lovely tortoiseshell who had led StormClan for so long, pressed her nose into Rainingstar's fur reassuringly before whispering into her ear,
"Fire shall be born from the golden tongue yet not even water can extinguish it.
Blood shall kill blood Fire will reign supreme Death shall whisper into the ears of your most dearest And even the sacredness of kin shall be forgotten." "What does that all mean, Strikingstar?" Rainingstar asked desperately, trying to control her fear scent. "How can StormClan face something that sounds so invincible?" But Strikingstar's mottled form was beginning to fade, as well as the rest of StarClan.
"Is StarClan abandoning us?" Rainingstar wailed helplessly.
The whole of StarClan answered, "We will always be there for you. You will not face this alone." And then they vanished.
A beautiful she-cat with blue-grey fur and eyes the color of the depths of the ocean stood on High Stone, looking down at her Clan. She saw that they were all trembling in fear, clearly in need of guidance. She took a deep breath and began. "Cats of StormClan. We all have witnessed the death of all four Clan leaders as..." Her voice choked up and she cleared her throat. "Eh-hem, as they...as the rogues threw them into the mouth of the volcano." A terrible wail broke out. The blue she-cat waited until it died down before continuing. "As well all know, none of the Clan leaders still had all nine lives. Who knows how many lives the leaders had? But the might of the lava...well, you know. Many cats have died from when the volcano erupted afterwards"
An elderly queen with dull white fur and a slightly golden tail raised her head. "The volcano has not erupted for 1000 years! Perhaps it was warning us of something wrong to come?" She glared defiantly at the younger she-cat. "You, Rainingfire, are not from StormClan. You were born in PhoenixClan. Had the volcano erupted to show that it was wrong of Strikingstar to have chosen you as deputy instead of one of our own?" "Goldtail, I believe it had erupted because the evil of the deed of throwing the leaders into the pit was too great." "Also Goldtail, StarClan has not spoken to me about her choice being wrong. And they would not have killen off the other leaders to show that this was the wrong choice." A tom with flame-colored fur flicked his tail. Though he was young, he had been medicine cat for a long while and was very wise.
"Well, Redclaw, perhaps it will effect all the Clans!" Goldtail's lip curled in contempt.
Rainingfire's voice sounded, gentle but firm. "If it will, then StarClan will tell me tomorrow when I receive my nine lives. But the law of StarClan says that the deputy becomes leader after the leader dies. And even you cannot change that. "As I was saying, we will go on with our lives. What's done is done and there's nothing we can change about that. The rogue army is gone for now, but we will still keep an eye out for them, as well as any others." She paused when she said this, her eyes darkening slightly. "StormClan will go on. We will all keep vigil tonight for our lost comrades. For our safety, we will keep vigil in the center of our clearing"
"What about food, Rainingfire?" A golden she-cat with rippling stripes looked up, her amber eyes troubled.
"Yes, Desertscale, gather a patrol to go hunt. Mosshadow," she added, nodding to a tabby tom, "you will gather a patrol to make sure there are no more rogues on our territory. Oakstripe, you will organize the rebuilding of our camp. Start with taking the crowfood out. Those filthy rogues left that stuff everywhere. If you are injured, line outside Redclaw's den. I don't want a jumble of cats either; make the line actually look like a line." She hesitated, as if wondering if she was forgetting something. "That is all. Go to your duties"
She dismissed the Clan and immediately headed for the Moonstone. She walked quickly, her premonition telling her that StarClan had something very, very important to tell her. "What? There's more trouble to come? What more can we take! Is it the rogues"
"Rainingstar, listen." Strikingstar, the majestic and lovely tortoiseshell who had led StormClan for so long, pressed her nose into Rainingstar's fur reassuringly before whispering into her ear,
"Fire shall be born from the golden tongue yet not even water can extinguish it.
Blood shall kill blood Fire will reign supreme Death shall whisper into the ears of your most dearest And even the sacredness of kin shall be forgotten." "What does that all mean, Strikingstar?" Rainingstar asked desperately, trying to control her fear scent. "How can StormClan face something that sounds so invincible?" But Strikingstar's mottled form was beginning to fade, as well as the rest of StarClan.
"Is StarClan abandoning us?" Rainingstar wailed helplessly.
The whole of StarClan answered, "We will always be there for you. You will not face this alone." And then they vanished.