One choice could change the course of a thousand moons, if only one has the courage to act.- Bluestar of ThunderClan

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A Juniper Blue Gaze

There was a loud cracking, then the flash of thunder. A crack and a flash, the cycle continued over and over, again and again. If a cat had asked you what you had thought about a full moon walking through rain, you'd probably cried in laughter, no one took to warning to heart, and that had caused too many lives that could have been avoided. The last moon, the grounds of StreamClan had been completely flooded, even the strongest swimmers snatched away by the relentless river water. The rain continued to pour, taking all the juicy fish with it and scaring off whatever prey resided at the riverbed.

Now, the pale grey cat who had been gifted with the nine lives of StarClan padded through the muddy banks with wary eyes. Torn claws sank into the bank, amber eyes patrolling the once soothing river. What have StreamClan done to deserve the endless punishment, the grey tom looked to the star filled sky, those amber eyes searching for hidden answers trotting in the night. As he expected, there was no answer.

"Dovestar!" A silken voice called out. The speaker was quite the sight for sore eyes. Her pale ginger fur was covered in tabby stripes, a pretty coat when it was gleaming in the sun with drops of morning dew clinging to the ends, but now clumps of mud and grime hung awkwardly from the sides. Her bushy tail and long tail dragged behind her, coating her white paws and tail tip with dirt. The she-cat's bright eyes were a startling blue and such color gave Dovestar memories of when the river was so blue the apprentices had asked if someone had put juniper berries in it. " Thornwhisper found a place upstream where the river is calmed down and it's not too far from here!"

Dovestar chuckled at the she-cat's antics. The ginger had been quite an excitable cat since the morning she had first opened her eyes and was scrambling around the nursery. "Good work, Tigerberry." He mewed, dipping his head in acknowledgement at the deed. Crossing any stretch of territory in this weather was a proud feat for any other of the new warriors. "Then let's go and see what Thornwhisper found, shall we?"

The tom left it at that, padding through the wet ground, casting one look over his shoulder, making sure that Tigerberry was following. For a moment, he slowed his pace until the long-legged tabby was leading them through the territory, her head held high and her tail standing straight up towards the sky. A light smile crossed Dovestar features, the old leader cherishing the thought of young warriors leading the experienced ones. Dovestar was admittedly slower than her, his old age seeping into every movement he made; he was on his last life, three others being sacrificed for the lives of his Clanmates Silverfang, Wolfbite, and Snakepaw.

The territory had certainly been affected by the floods, nearly if not as much as the cats themselves. The trees were clumsily bent in odd directions and clumps of stray plants littered the forest floor, rendering much of Littleflower's herb store useless. He suppressed a laugh in spite of his cheerful mood; the tiny black she-cat spent much of her time fussing over the growth of her plants, like a queen would with kits. Littleflower had a certain aura that radiated something which Dovestar had always assumed was similar to a queen's motherly love. Well, Dovestar thought of it like that.

"Um, Dovestar?"

The questioning voice pulled him away from his ponderings and back to reality. "What? I'm sorry, I was absorbed in my thoughts." Dovestar directed the conversation to Tigerberry.

"Of course, apology accepted! I was asking why you thought the Great Rain has fallen upon the Clan. I was wondering if maybe StarCan sent us this, to prepare us for a greater threat, possibly to give a warrior a chance to become the next leader. No offense though!"

"None taken." Dovestar said light-heartedly, a deep purr rumbling in his throat. It had been a long time since the StreamClan leader had taken a moment to escape the rough times with a bit of small talk, and it felt better than the pale grey tom could hope for. "I think it could be a number of reasons, it might not even have anything to do with StarClan. It could just be a harsh Newleaf, or a sign of warning. I just don't know what to think of it as."

A yowl of greeting sounded, just as a mottled form erupted into sight. "There you are Dovestar! For a second I was thinking my former apprentice decided to catch a fish rather than her leader." Thornwhisper spoke teasingly, his olive green eyes sparked with relief. The tom had a dark mottled coat of short and messy, and a slight touch of softness. His rather short tail looked out of place when compared to his bulky figure and long whiskers. Patches of cream glimpsed throughout his ebony pelt, the most noticeable patches on his chest and above his eyes. "Now come on! This news deserves to be told to the Clans, it'll be good for them to hear something progressive for a change."

The three cats padded down to the bank, the smell of water and mud over powering in Dovestar's sensitive nose and the sound of rushing water filling his ears. Tigerberry was the first to reach the shore, then Dovestar, Thornwhisper lingering behind the pair. "I'm afraid you were quite wrong, old friend," the Clan leader said through gritted teeth, his one chance to drill some hope into the minds and hearts of his Clanmates being revealed as a missed opportunity. "The water hasn't lowered, in fact, I believed it's risen higher than it was." As Dovestar turned, he found himself taking a step towards the river, his fangs bared threateningly.

Thornwhisper shook his head, his glowing eyes focused downwards. "If only you were correct. This is exactly how I want it to be. The higher the water, the more likely no one will expect the 'devastated' new leader for the death of Dovestar and Tigerberry, two brave warriors who were stolen by the river." His head shot up, looking Dovestar in the eyes. "I don't want to be second best anymore. And to be the best," he paused, a dark grin plastered on his face and his green eyes emotionless, "well, you need to beat the best. And that's what I plan to do." Moonlight bounced off long claws and sharp fangs glinted in the reflection.

The she-cat's eyes widened, surprise spreading like a wildfire, bristling her ragged pelt and shock sending her body trembling. "Thornwhisper?" Tigerberry whimpered, her voice shaking in her fright. "How-" She steadied her voice, this time keeping it at a mild pitch. "How long have you been planning this?"

"Since the moment you became my apprentice." Thornwhisper's smirk turned into a frown as he stalked around the ginger, his eyes running her up and down. "You presented a threat to my power, even then. You excelled in most areas of your training, and possessed leadership skills. Too bad that they'll never be put to use." Thornwhisper hissed without a trace of feelings audible in his voice.

Fast as lightning, the mottled raised a paw and slammed it down on Tigerberry's neck. A yowl split the air as Dovestar bowled him over, pinning him down, and raked his claws over the deputy's eye, leaving a trail of blood dripping from his paws. Thornwhisper responded quickly, thrusting his fangs towards the soft flesh of Dovestar's throat, the grey cat's screech proof of the strike's success.

"Dovestar!"

Thornwhiper's eyes widened suddenly and his tight grip loosened, just before he collapsed, lifeless to the ground the leader was laying on. Dovestar felt the weight lifted off his chest and his gaze was met with bright eyes, juniper blue eyes. Tigerberry stood above him, scarlet blood splashing from her fangs, staining the river red. Those blue eyes shone with such intensity Dovestar mentally swore that he was locking gazes with a warrior of StarClan. "I-I killed him." She choked out, after a moment. "I killed the deputy and I could have helped you instead!" She whimpered, her eyes glazed with guilt and terror. "Now the Clan will be left with no leader or deputy! How am I supposed to explain that?" She wailed in her confusion, millions of thoughts entering and exiting her mind to fast to process.

"Shhh," Dovestar hushed her, flicking his tail over her mouth, a tiny smile forming on his face. "It's okay, young warrior. It is my time, I hear them calling to me. As for the Clan being left with no leader, I know the perfect she-cat." He beckoned her closer to him, "I say these words before StarClan, so our warrior ancestors may hear and approve my choice." The dying tom wheezed, scrunching his muzzle and eyes closed. After a moment to recollect himself, he continued proudly. "The new deputy, no, the new leader of StreamClan will be Tigerberry."

"No, please don't leave me!" The newly chosen leader cried out, "I-I can't do this alone."

Dovestar blinked slowly, his amber eyes soft and loving. "I'd never leave you alone, you're the only living kin I have. I'll watch you until you join me in the Clan of Stars. Now go, claim the new life that calls you. Go and become the greatest leader StreamClan has ever seen."

And as his final left his body, the rain that had etched itself into the memories of all who lived in the forest, began to fade. Tigerberry looked up to the stars of Silverpelt, wondering which one was Dovestar. She bowed her head in a moment of grief, then turned her attention to her home, the watery forest that was StreamClan territory. It had never looked more beautiful; the golden sun started to rise in the horizon, casting its light across the calm waters of StreamClan and causing morning dew to shine brightly on every plant and leaf. What stunned her the most was blue of the river, it reminded her of a rushing stream of juniper berries. A long purr escaped her mouth as Tigerberry gazed at the place she and so many others were lucky enough to live in. A place with a golden sky and juniper blue skies.

"I promise," the pale tabby slid to her muddied white paws, her eyes focused on the fleeting stars,"I will keep all of you known. I will tell stories of the brave warriors and playful kits and the occasional naughty apprentice so that StreamClan never forgets the ones who died to let us live. And that, is a promise I will never break. Not in this life, nor the next one. You can count on that, father."