Chapter Four- Lovely Words
It was sunhigh. The sky stood clear and blue, like a pristine pool of rain stretching as far as the eye could see. The sun created ripples of light across the sky. Wind blew where there were no clouds, bringing a small cooling breeze.
The silver dappled deputy sat beside the old queen by the elder's den, under the chestnut tree, gazing across the RiverClan camp. It had been two days since Saltwhisker had discovered Graymoth tucked away beneath a willow. The queen had felt such a strong connection to the old she-cat. And Graymoth did not burden RiverClan in any way. She ate very little and she kept to where Foamstar said she could stay.
Foamstar padded up to them. His yellow eyes gleamed in a new way, as if he had found a piece of himself once again. Saltwhisker noticed the shine in his eyes, feeling hopeful that he had found a way to fight his depression.
"Is Graymoth well enough to return to WindClan?" The old leader meowed, sitting down by his deputy near the den.
Saltwhisker turned her head over to Graymoth. The tabby blinked her amber eyes and stared at them confusedly.
"Do I have to leave so soon?" The old queen cried. "I like it here in RiverClan."
Before Saltwhisker could say a word, Foamstar eagerly nodded. "You may stay as long as you like, Graymoth."
The long-furred tom purred, gazing into the eyes of the WindClan she-cat. Saltwhisker felt the rush of warmth of the two old cats, even through the breeze that blew through the chestnut tree. Her heart then clenched with dread. Foamstar cannot love her.
"Graymoth is well enough to return to her Clan." She growled, shouldering the white tom away.
Foamstar shrugged and padded back to his den. Saltwhisker turned towards Graymoth, her tail twitching. The gray tabby shrugged as well and looked up at the sky through the leaves.
"We have a prophecy, Graymoth." The young deputy meowed in a low voice. "You can't be my leader's mistress."
"Hedgehogs will fly." The tabby croaked, twitching her whiskers.
Suddenly, a brown ball flew over camp. Saltwhisker crouched down as it soared across the river. It was a hedgehog. A hedgehog that flew!
"My StarClan, Graymoth!" She hissed, looking at the queen with wide eyes. "Say something else."
"So Firestar." The black she-cat swiped a paw over her ear. "Tell me about Clan life with Sunstar."
The red-and-cream leader groaned, leaning against the cold wall of the dark, damp tunnel. "Sunstar was my brother."
Marshfoot's eyes widened in surprise. That crow-food cat was Firestar's kin?
"Our mother, Redflower, died when he was born. But his foster mother was kind and his father Featherfur was very good to him. But Sunstar was always ambitious. He trained hard every time of the day even as a kit. He went out to find trouble in the forest so he could prove to Barkstar that he was a warrior."
"Is that why he was such a young warrior?" The black queen tilted her head, remembering the Gathering long ago when Sunpaw was announced a warrior.
Firestar nodded. "He lured a small dog into the forest and killed it. He was only ten moons old. Then he got his own apprentice a couple seasons later."
A small growl echoed from faraway. Then it became louder quickly. They both ducked down as the tunnel rumbled and the earth shook. A monster roared from above, loosening a cloud of dust onto the cats.
"He trained his apprentice hard, but obviously Rockystep is a good warrior." The red she-cat sighed through her nose, closing her round yellow eyes when the monster had passed. "He was set to become deputy. And when Brokenleg retired, he did. And he killed Barkstar."
"And made ThunderClan his slave." Marshfoot shook her head.
"No," Firestar said surprisingly. "He treated his toms well, but put only us she-cats under his paw. He had a mate and kit alreadt, but he took on Pinepelt and Dustrose as mates as well. And he raped Littlebranch, forced himself upon Narrowtail and Tawnyclaw, and even made Brokenleg bear his kits. And poor Flowerfur was only an apprentice when Sunstar..."
"Thank you, Firestar. ShadowClan did not know of this." Marshfoot brushed against her. "Wait," The queen lurched back. "Isn't Littlebranch a medicine cat?"
Firestar did not reply, but ony said a few words. "She's my half-sister."
"What about Applefur?"
"Applefur stopped being my sister long ago. But she was the only cat to stand up to our brother. And she is still paying for it. She is blind and deaf."
Marshfoot nodded, resting her head on her paws and she laid down to the cold earth. This red-and-cream cat was amazing. She was a star-chosen leader; just an old queen suddenly becoming leader of a broken Clan. The black she-cat closed her green eyes tiredly.
Firestar rested too. She laid close by the ShadowClanner, feeling no fear and only companionship. It was no coincidence that they were meant to be together.
"My kits!" Marshfoot suddenly mewed, startling Firestar. "Oh it's dawn and my poor kits! I left without a word. Oh, Grayclaw!"
The long-furred queen sprang up, the fur along her spine spiked. Firestar looked up at her. She realized she had said nothing to her deputy, only telling the sentry that she was out for a walk. Her Clan must be worried.
"Well, let us meet at Fourtrees tomorrow night." She meowed, standing up on her paws and stretching.
"Yes." Marshfoot nodded briskly before running out of the tunnel and into the sun's light.
A/N: Just a quick little chapter. You can read Firekit's Diary for more of Firestar's, Applefur's, Berrystripe, Sunstar, and Narrowtail's life.
Congrats, Lilliana Dragonshard and DaSizzlesSwig! You both get an ominous plushie of a Himalayan cat! Hint hint. SkyClan is both inbred and colored to hunt in the trees. :D
