Chapter Two
"This is ridiculous!" a star-pelted tom stormed around a shaded pool. The tranquil forest surrounding stirred subtly as a gentle breeze passed through. The dark tabby swiped a white paw over the water and the warbled image of a forest clearing dissipated. He flicked his paw in passing, ridding it easily of the peculiar water. He flopped grumpily down in a patch of long grass with his ears low in frustration. A slim blue she-cat wove her way around the waterside and purred, brushing her cheek against the tom's head in an attempt to sooth him.
"Calm down, Cliffstar. He's only doing what he sees is best. You haven't given him any sign as what to do, what did you expect?"
"I expected my sons to be competent, capable cats. But I was mistaken." the tom growled darkly. His tail still flicked irritably. The she-cat frowned, her tail dropping.
"Don't speak like that. Strathfang is a talented medicine cat, and Thunderstar is doing what he has to do in troubled times-don't forget who taught him to lead!" she added sharply, her soft demeanor momentarily compromised. Cliffstar scoffed.
"Bah! He was weak when he was born. Both of 'em. Strathfang was too fearful to become a warrior, so he chose the second most cowardly way out and instead of becoming a kitty-pet, he chose healing. Thunderclaw was just lucky they were a small litter and we had no better kits."
The she-cat growled quietly and the tom fell silent, looking back at the pool. Suddenly he pricked his ears, focusing intently on the water as it quickly shimmered and then stilled, showing the fuzzy image of a cat. The she-cat grew silent, too, watching carefully. Gruesome images flashed across the surface, and it seemed a long time before either cat managed to speak.
"Is.. does that mean that… a prophecy?" the she-cat whispered. The tom nodded slowly.
"I believe so, Gorseflower." he murmured.
Gorseflower swallowed hard. "There hasn't been a prophecy since the birth of the Clan, correct?" Cliffstar nodded again.
"Only once, when Valley's ancestors and father Pike were the only cats to walk the forests of StarClan."
"What does this mean?"
"There will be a hardship in the Clan not seen in generations. And I fear it's weaknesses will be used to destroy it entirely…"
"Cliffstar!" Thunderstar sat straight up from his slumber. His chest heaved all at once, his breathe lost and forcing him to gasp quickly, shallowly. He could feel his eyes straining-barely slits despite the darkness surrounding. His forepaws began to shake and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to calm himself. Longwhisker sat up beside him, having chosen to sleep in his den that night. He could practically feel the worry spilling from her plump body.
"Thunderstar, what's the matter?" she meowed, her soft voice anxious. He shook his head.
"I.. I dreamt that my father-" he shuttered, "That mouse-heart pinned me to the ground and spit in my face. He told me to go to the Star cave.. I don't know why he couldn't tell me what he needed to in this dream, though." he growled. Longwhisker drew her tongue over his shoulder.
"Your father… was a hard-headed tom. He probably just didn't want to have to explain all of it in the wrong place, the wrong time." the she-cat rationalized.
"Why are she-cats the only sensible ones?" her mate purred.
Her whiskers twitched. "There are plenty of sensible toms. Just none that are your kin." she teased.
Thunderstar opened his eyes and sighed, staring at the ground. His breathing was calmer and his body tamed. He shook his head and peered under the roots of the den to the camp outside, the before dawn sunlight barely turning the clearing a pale blue color.
"I guess now is no better than any to take a few of the apprentices to the Star cave. We ought to get ready, soon. Would you mind telling Ravinefall she's in charge while I'm gone?" he stood, stretching for a moment before flicking his mate with his tail playfully. She batted it good-humoredly.
"I suppose not, my great leader. By the way, you ought to take Gorgepaw, Gullypaw, and Flamepaw to the Star cave. They still haven't gone and it won't be long before the older two are warriors." Thunderstar laid back his ears a second but nodded. He slipped out of the den and made straight for the medicine den. The long fronds of the ferns surrounding it caressed his spine as he passed. He found his brother in the midst of them, deeply asleep. He thwapped him on the head with a paw to wake him abruptly.
"Hmph!-wh-huh?" the black tom rolled over, his eyes squinting and opening and closing in the brightening light. "Um.. Thunderstar? What do you want so early?"
The leader waited impatiently as Strathfang slowly woke, sitting up and beginning to groom himself. His eyes still remained partly closed. The patched tom sat and wrapped his tail around his paws.
"I need travelling herbs for four cats."
"Four? What are you planning on doing?"
"I need to visit the Star cave… Cliffstar visited me in a dream and told me so."
"StarClan, will he ever stop haunting us? Surely there are other cats in the sky who can bother us just as much."
"This is serious, Strathfang. The Clan could be in jeopardy."
"Whatever you say. I'll get the herbs ready. You.. go wake whomever I'm making these up for." Strathfang stood and disappeared in the clumps of ferns. Thunderstar stood and left the clustered plants, walking towards the warriors' den. He poked his head through the brittle tendrils of bramble and looked around. It was much gloomier inside, but he could still identify the pelts of his loyal cats. He picked his way past the few warriors in his way and stopped beside the smoke and fire pelt of a young she-cat.
"Dellsong." he nudged her softly with his muzzle. She said something incomprehensible, prying her eyes open.
"Thunderstar? What is it?" she whispered. She sat up and pricked her ears politely.
"I need you to accompany me to the Star cave. It's important." she nodded silently and followed him carefully back out of the den.
"Is there something I should be aware of?" she asked tentatively. He shook his head quickly.
"It's nothing to be concerned about. Just something I've been asked to. I have to go wake a few of the apprentices to accompany us and we can go. Strathfang has travelling herbs ready for you."
Before she could reply, he brushed past her towards the tall grass beside the warriors' den. He nosed his way through the entrance to the apprentices' den and found the three he was looking for quickly. They were all closer to the entrance and he let out a quiet meow to wake them. Flamepaw was on his feet quickly, shaking his fur of the scraps of his nest. Gullypaw rolled into Gorgepaw before she sat up, yawning. Her brother sat up after she got off of his back.
"Gorgepaw, Gullypaw, Flamepaw, I'm taking you all to the Star cave today. I'm sorry I didn't get to tell you last night-and I'm sorry you went on the dusk patrol, Gullypaw." he added to the still yawning she-cat. "But it's a surprise to me as well. Strathfang has travelling herbs ready for you in the medicine den. I'll meet you there in a few moments."
He waited for all three groggy young cats to nod before ducking back out. He loped towards the nursery, just catching the tip of a silver tail disappearing into the depths. He slipped in just behind. Longwhisker turned in the gloom, surprised. He purred, placing a lick on her forehead.
"I thought you were in a hurry?" she purred in confusion; he met her eyes.
"I know, I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate the most wonderful she-cat in my Clan."
"Don't say that.." she growled quietly, but she closed her eyes slowly in gratitude. He looked down at her plump sides for a moment.
"Don't have the kits without me, will you?" he asked quietly. She tilted her head.
"What do you mean? They're not due for a few more days.." she purred reassuringly; her mate just shook his head.
"Just that-if you do.. nevermind. What StarClan wills, we cannot change. Just be safe, will you? Promise me you won't leave camp until they arrive?" he begged, fear scent crowding the den.
"I'll try." she sighed. "Now go, before your father claws you from beyond the stars." she licked his ear and nudged him out the way he came.
He cast one glance back before looking towards the camp entrance. Dellsong and her son sat side by side, awaiting their leader, while Gullypaw and Gorgepaw entertained themselves with a mock fight a few paces aside. He dipped his head and silently the four cats stood and they left. Their pawsteps thrummed evenly on the damp soil, throwing dew into the air and onto their pelts as they kept a steady pace. Quickly, the tabby and white tom veered left and led the patrol towards the stream near the camp. They slowed down, following the stream down a ways until they reached the shallow spit. Here, they were able to cross while only wetting their paws.
"Mrr! Is this water cold!" Gullypaw gasped. "Leaf-bare must be coming early.." the fur along her spine and tail fluffed up in emphasis. Gorgepaw lifted a paw and flicked water at her.
"S-stop your whining." he said through chattering teeth. Flamepaw just snickered as he bounded past them, sending small plooms of water drops onto his denmates. Thunderstar barely stifled a loud purr, watching the apprentices. Dellsong was less amused, and nipped her kit's tail tip.
"Keep up the pace, 'paws. It's a longer journey than you might think. We need to keep ahead of the sun."
By sunhigh they had left the safety of the trees and it wasn't too much longer before they arrived. Dellsong kept up the rear as the apprentices drug their paws in exhaustion, led by their persistent leader. A rise in the moor ahead showed the mouth of the Star cave not far off.
"Thank StarClan! I thought we'd never get here." Gullypaw sighed in relief. Thunderstar rolled his eyes, whiskers twitching. I wish I had more time like this.. to spend with the young cats. He thought. Maybe then I wouldn't have so many disloyal warriors. He sighed, tossing the idea away immediately and stopped a few fox-lengths from the cave mouth. He turned to the quizzical apprentices.
"We have some time before we need to enter the cave, so it'd be best for you to hunt and rest while we have the time." he advised. Gullypaw flopped down under some heather while the two toms and Dellsong headed away to hunt. Thunderstar turned in the opposite direction the trio had gone and tried his luck among a group of scraggly trees. He paused in the long shadow of the tallest of them, parting his jaws to scent the air. His ears turned to hear the faint, tiny scrabbles of a mouse in the leaf mold. He drew himself into a crouch. The scrabbling continued. Thunderstar drew himself forward. Scrabble. Step. Scrabble. Step. Now the tom was just two tail-lengths away, enough to leap, and… the scrabbling stopped. A spike of fear that the mouse had heard him struck him and he threw himself toward its hiding spot. A terrible squeal from the leaves told him the mouse was suffering under his paws. He ducked his head and nudged the leaves off of the mouse, crunching down on its neck. The squealing stopped.
I don't know how you ever convinced me you deserved your warrior name. As he lifted his head, the mouse in his jaws, Thunderstar swore he heard his father's mew in his head. He couldn't remember Cliffstar ever saying it, although he criticised his sons so often Thunderstar wouldn't have doubted if it had been one of the many less memorable ones. The leader sighed in worry. He knew he wasn't a young warrior anymore, but he never imagined being a leader would make him feel so old.
He turned back towards the Star cave and sat down with his Clanmates. Gullypaw must have gone hunting after all, now munching on a plump vole. Flamepaw and Gorgepaw shared a squirrel but Dellsong had no prey at all. Thunderstar stopped in front of her and dropped his mouse at her paws.
"No luck hunting?" he queried, surprised. The she-cat was usually a flawless hunter. Dellsong looked down at his paws.
"Well, um.. I would've caught a blackbird, but something startled it.." Thunderstar looked away, his skin growing hot under his fur. He purred nervously.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Er, you can have my mouse. This whole business has my belly in knots, anyways." he sat a few paces away from the other cats, frazzled. He'd felt off all day. But for now he was content to blame it on his lack of sleep and fresh-kill. Absently, he began to groom himself. The rhythmic moving of his tongue over his fur helped calm him somewhat. High above, the ValleyClan leader could see the sun waning to the setting side of the sky. He hauled himself to his paws and stretched.
"I think it's about time I entered the cave. Gullypaw, Gorgepaw, please keep watch at the mouth of the cave. Flamepaw, you can accompany me and your mother inside." Gullypaw gaped, jealous, but nodded along with Gorgepaw. Flamepaw's emerald eyes widened in awe. Thunderstar blinked warmly at him and the small tom bounded excitedly towards the cave mouth. The eager rubiginous apprentice reminded him of his own apprentice. He'd really have to make these past few days up to her. He had to be a better mentor. She deserved it, especially after losing her parents. I'd hate to see her follow in Red and Emberpelt's pawsteps.
Dellsong flicked his shoulder with her tail, reminding him that he had a job to do. He loped just behind the warrior, catching up to Flamepaw at the entrance. He led the apprentice and she-cat into the cave, taking no time to adjust himself. A short, wide tunnel led steadily downwards, a steady dribble of water covering the floor as soon as they entered. Flamepaw's breathing grew louder, his fear scent growing.
"It'll be lighter in a moment, Flamepaw." Thunderstar said softly, feeling wrong disturbing the quiet. As he promised, just a moment later the tunnel widened into a low-ceiling cave. The trickle of water fell into a wide pool, taking up almost the entire cave. Thunderstar flicked his tail to the wall of the cave, the one place where it was dry.
"Wait there, if you would, you two." he murmured, and approached the water. He heard the soft pawsteps of the pair as they obeyed. He crouched by the water, overcome with nostalgia as he recalled when he came here to receive his nine lives. He lapped for a long moment, drinking as much as he could. He felt a pleasant cool feeling settle in his stomach and he laid back against the cold stone. As he lowered his head onto his outstretched forepaw, he drifted almost immediately into unconsciousness.
Light flashed before Thunderstar's eyes. Cries of pain and fear and attack roared in his ears. What frightened him most were the young voices uttering them. He knew them. He vaguely felt his sleeping body flinch in shock as he saw a wave of blood fly at him. As he thought to turn, he heard a cry of pain and fear, again. Duskpaw! A slope full of rocks rose before him, streams of red water running between the cracks. The cry echoed from above the impenetrable stacks of stone. He launched himself up before he could have the chance to doubt himself. Despite the slippery substance he scrambled up and up, the wall growing taller and taller, steeper, until it was a sheer cliff like the ones that surrounded their territory. A cry of battle echoed off of the walls around him.
"Ravinefall!" he yowled desperately. His daughter didn't reply. He turned his back to the wall, staring around, when a flash of orange streaked past him, fear scent saturating the air. All at once, his chaotic surroundings fell away and he was left in the quiet territory of StarClan. A soft voice echoed off the trees around him. He strained his ears, trying to understand the words. Seemingly in slow motion, his father stepped out of the undergrowth in front of Thunderstar, and the whispers screamed in his ears.
The rocks will be red, and peace will be long in coming.
Thunderstar shot to paws with a gasp. He stared around the cave, his pupils dilated in fear. Flamepaw crouched in the corner, his fur raised. Dellsong was even frightened, half-crouched above her son, as if protecting him from something. But the otherwise, the cave was as cool and peaceful as it had been before. The light filtering in was now blue with moonlight, some time having past. The grey and white tom stood on shaking legs.
"I… it's okay.. We just need to return to the Clan as soon as possible." he gasped as calmly as he could. He loped unsteadily up the tunnel and into the slight light beyond the mouth. He swiveled his ears to confirm that his Clanmates followed him. As they left the stone cavern, Gorgepaw and Gullypaw sat up with a start, half asleep. They stumbled to their paws, exchanging yawns. Their leader didn't bother to speak again as he continued at a brisk pace. Dellsong kept pace beside him.
"Thunderstar, we need to rest. The apprentices are exhausted, I can't imagine they'll make it all the way back to camp." she mewed worriedly. He sighed, but shook his head vigorously.
"No, we can't waste any time. I know they're very tired, but they're strong cats, they can make it to camp. Then, they can sleep for a quarter moon for all I care. It's just that, my dream.."
Although Dellsong was still unhappy, she seemed to understand, and fell back to keep up the rear. Almost inaudibly, the apprentices grumbled and scoffed and whined unhappily. He was relieved that they didn't challenge his decision. Maybe the prophecy was wrong, or at least under exaggerated. Perhaps peace was on the rise in his Clan. Maybe he could be a leader worthy of succeeding his father.
