Apollo: Wow Aspen, how long has it been since you last updated?
Aspen: *Creeps cautiously out from the safety of a random boulder* More than over a month. ;a;
Apollo: You are a disgrace of humanity! If you're on FanFiction you have to be dedicated!
Aspen: Sorry. ;-;
Apollo: Ugh! I can't deal with you.
Aspen: *Whispers* Sorry.~ *Creeps back behind the boulder*.
SHADOWCLAN
Leader: Flamestar - Long-haired black she-cat with orange toes, orange markings on her face, a plumy tail, and fiery amber eyes
Deputy: Snowscar - Pure white she-cat with green eyes
Medicine Cat: Cedarsplash - Chocolate-brown she-cat with a distinctive pink nose and dark green eyes
Apprentice, Lemonpaw
Warriors:
Reedfoot - Brown tabby tom with darker-colored paws and hazel eyes
Apprentice, Scorchpaw
Stonesun - Mottled gray tom with white chest, white paws, and yellow eyes
Birdsong - Mottled brown she-cat with blue eyes
Beetleclaw - Dark gray tom with black tabby stripes and amber eyes
Sagefur – Cream-colored tabby she-cat with brown-flecked fur and green eyes
Swiftstrike – Long-limbed dark brown tabby tom with blue eyes
Apprentice, Dawnpaw
Duskclaw - Tan-colored tom with hazel eyes
Jayfrost - Gray-blue tabby she-cat with icy blue eyes
Crowface - Sleek black and white tom with amber eyes
Apprentice, Petalpaw
Paleshade - Small pale gray almost white tom with dark gray points, a bushy tail, and dark amber eyes
Goldenfall - Long-haired golden tabby she-cat with yellow eyes
Rockwhisker - Long-limbed dark brown tom with a white underbelly and dark blue eyes
Apprentice, Lionpaw
Whitethorn - Muscular white tom with silver points and dark blue eyes
Apprentice, Willowpaw
Foxnose – Fluffy, reddish-brown tom with a white underbelly, white paws, a bushy tail, and light blue eyes
Cinderfire - Smoky gray tabby she-cat with fiery amber eyes
Apprentices:
Dawnpaw – Golden-colored she-cat with ginger tabby stripes and amber eyes
Petalpaw – Cream-colored she-cat with ginger-colored paws and amber eyes
Scorchpaw – Ginger tom with darker spots of fur and amber eyes
Lemonpaw – Cream-colored she-cat with a pale brown and dark brown flecked fur and sage-colored eyes
Swiftpaw – White tom with dark brown splotches of fur and amber eyes
Lionpaw - Golden-colored tom with yellow eyes
Willowpaw - Pale gray she-cat with blue eyes
Queens:
Brindleflower – Brown tabby she-cat with a white underbelly, white paws, and bright, leaf-green eyes
Cloverheart - White she-cat with brown ears, a brown patch on her nose, and green eyes
Mistfeather - Gray and black she-cat with blue-green eyes
Kits:
Dustkit – Dark brown tabby tom with dark green eyes; Brindleflower's kit
Aspenkit – White and brown tabby she-cat with large, leaf-green eyes; Brindleflower's kit
Briarkit - Dark brown she-cat with a long, fluffy tail, and blue-green eyes; Cloverheart's adopted kit
Darkkit - Dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes; Mistfeather's kit
Adderkit - Dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes; Mistfeather's kit
Elders:
Frogpelt - Brown tabby tom with furry ears and amber eyes
Ravenface - Black tom with dark green eyes
THUNDERCLAN
Leader: Yellowstar - Small, light ginger she-cat with bright yellow eyes
Deputy: Ravenfeather - Black tom with green eyes
Medicine Cat: Skyfall – White she-cat with ginger splotches of fur and green eyes
Warriors:
Echofur – White she-cat with dark ginger splotches of fur and green eyes
Stormpelt - Gray tom with blue eyes
Grassheart - Ginger tabby she-cat with vivid green eyes
Apprentice, Larkpaw
Hawkflight - Dark brown tabby tom with green eyes
Silverleaf - Light gray tabby she-cat with night-blue eyes
Apprentice, Sootpaw
Stonefang - Dark gray tabby tom with yellow eyes
Apprentice, Robinpaw
Talonclaw - Large, dark brown tabby tom with a cream underbelly and dark green eyes
Nettlehawk - Ragged-furred golden-brown tom with dark blue eyes
Firefly - Fiery ginger tabby she-cat with white paws and amber eyes
Brownstripe – Lithe, pale brown tom with a darker-colored stripe running along his spine and green eyes
Finchtail – Small, sleek, pale gray she-cat with black tabby stripes, an unusually-colored black tail, and blue eyes
Apprentice, Redpaw
Apprentices:
Larkpaw - Small tan she-cat with white paws and amber eyes
Robinpaw - Ginger she-cat with amber eyes
Redpaw - Mottled brown tom with a ginger tail-tip and pale yellow eyes
Sootpaw - Dark, smoky, almost black tom with a long tail and dark green eyes
Queens:
Frostcloud – Fluffy white she-cat with green eyes
Brightsnow - Slender, long-haired white she-cat with dark blue eyes
Kits:
Snowkit - Large, long-haired, pure white tom with one dark blue eye and one dark green eye; Brightsnow's kit
Webkit - Small pale gray tabby tom with distinct black stripes, unusually long tangled whiskers, and dark green eyes; Brightsnow's kit
Patchkit - Long-haired white she-cat with dark, smoky gray patches of fur and dark blue eyes; Brightsnow's kit
Elders:
Crowsight - Gray and white tom with blind blue eyes
Weaselspring - Mottled black tom with a white tail-tip and green eyes
Rainstorm – Small, sleek black she-cat with icy blue eyes
WINDCLAN
Leader: Smokystar - Dark gray tabby tom with green eyes
Deputy: Poppyfang – Small tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes
Medicine Cat: Sparrowsong - Light brown she-cat with dark brown tabby stripes and pale blue eyes
Warriors:
Cloudygaze - White tom with gray-blue eyes
Apprentice, Morningpaw
Dapplefur - Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with blue eyes
Flowerstripe - Pale gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Thornbreeze - Dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice, Harepaw
Waspfur - Golden-brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Cinderdusk - Dark gray tabby she-cat with darker-colored paws, a darker-colored tail, and green eyes
Brambleface – Brown tabby tom with green eyes
Apprentice, Runningpaw
Larksong – Lean, light brown tabby she-cat with a cream-colored underbelly and dark blue eyes
Rainbreeze - Lean, slender, silver tabby she-cat with a white underbelly and icy blue eyes
Buzzardclaw – Brown tabby tom with darker-colored paws and amber eyes
Apprentice, Blackpaw
Songwhisper – Pale blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes
Tallhawk – Large, broad-shouldered brown tabby tom with blue eyes
Apprentices:
Harepaw – Tan-colored tom with a white underbelly, white paws, and blue eyes
Runningpaw - Mottled gray she-cat with long-limbs and amber eyes
Blackpaw – Small black tom with a white snip on his muzzle, white fore-paws, a white underbelly, and topaz-colored eyes
Morningpaw – Slender cream-colored tabby she-cat with white paws and pale blue eyes
Queens:
Honeysky - Ginger tabby she-cat with blue eyes
Kits:
Moonkit - Gray tabby tom with blue eyes; Honeysky's kit
Sunkit - Ginger she-cat with green eyes; Honeysky's kit
Emberkit - Dark ginger tom with blue eyes; Honeysky's kit
Elders:
Mouseheart - Gray and white tom with green eyes
RIVERCLAN
Leader: Silentstar - White she-cat with gray-black streaks of fur and leaf-green eyes
Deputy: Swiftshine - Long-haired, long-limbed, black she-cat with white paws, a long tail, and orange-colored eyes
Medicine Cat: Fernshade – Silver tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Apprentice, Otterlight
Warriors:
Meadowfern – Ginger tabby tom with white-flecked fur and green eyes
Sunheart - Gray tom with yellow eyes
Lightningripple - Gray tom with pale yellow eyes
Willowheart - Light gray she-cat with pale blue eyes
Rapidstorm - Gray tabby tom with blue eyes
Apprentice, Poolpaw
Shimmerstream - Long-haired silvery she-cat with blue eyes
Amberlight - Cream-colored tabby she-cat with golden-colored eyes
Pebbledash - Gray tom with darker flecks and blue eyes
Apprentice, Russetpaw
Mossyfire – Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes
Fogfrost – Silver tabby tom with lake-blue eyes
Apprentice, Nightpaw
Softnose - Pale gray, almost white she-cat with soft fur, a pale pink nose, and pale blue eyes
Rookwing – Black she-cat with a white muzzle, soft, feathery fur, and golden-colored eyes
Apprentices:
Otterlight – Long-haired dark brown tom with bright yellow eyes
Poolpaw - Long-haired white, pale gray and smoky gray she-cat with a feathery tail, and large yellow eyes
Nightpaw - Pure black she-cat with amber eyes
Russetpaw – Very dark ginger tabby she-cat with a bushy tail and blue eyes
Queens:
Sunsky - Brown tabby she-cat with lighter brown splotches and light blue eyes
Pondfur - Pale gray tabby she-cat with a white chest and light blue eyes
Kits:
Fernkit - Brown tabby tom with green eyes; Sunsky's kit
Kinkkit - Gray tom with long, kinky fur and amber eyes; Pondfur's kit
Hopkit - Ginger tabby she-cat with bright amber eyes; Pondfur's kit
Furzekit - Pale gray and white she-cat with large blue eyes; Pondfur's kit
Elders:
Swanfeather - Pale gray and white she-cat with soft fur and light blue eyes
Eelheart – Dark gray tom with white markings and amber eyes
CATS OUTSIDE OF THE CLANS
KITTYPETS:
Jame - Light brown tom with a sandy-tan chest and blue eyes
Lily - Cream-colored she-cat with brown paws, a brown chest, and violet-colored eyes
Damien - Light brown tom with dark amber eyes
LONERS:
Pebble - Big brown tom with darker brown ear-tips
ROGUES:
Fallen - Huge white tom with creamy patches and yellow eyes
Scratch - Ginger tabby tom with white paws and piercing, leaf-green eyes
Aspen: I hope you guys don't mind that I wrote in first person!
You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows that they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift."
― Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus
I've always heard that greenleaf is the best compared to the other so-called "seasons". I've heard that the prey is plentiful, despite a few days where the sun would beat down on the earth and force the poor creatures back into their burrows. The nights were always so delightfully warm, and I've even heard them say that the kits were always so full of life, most always born in the early moons of newleaf. Though, my brother and I were born on the brink of the change between greenleaf and leaf-fall. We weren't able to take in the full effect of the so-called "glorious greenleaf". I mean, we got a scrape of it, but we were only about a half-moon when the warmth was still holding about in the air. I don't remember it very well.
So now, here I am, sitting back on my haunches and staring with an expressionless look on my face as I watched the other kits play leader. My brother, Dustkit, or Duststar of ShadowClan, had pinned down Darkkit, or Darkstar of ThunderClan and was now nibbling at the dark gray she-cat's neck fur, causing continuous squeaks and squeals to emit from the smaller kit. Adderstar of WindClan was, well I really couldn't determine what in the name of StarClan he was doing. His yellow eyes were narrowed as he stared out in front of him, away from the other two kits. His dark brown fur was bristling and he was hopping around like a grasshopper, managing to keep his low, crouched position as he did so. Now, that entertained me more than Duststar and Darkstar. Or, his new name through my eyes is Grasshopperstar.
"Um, Grasshopperkit, what are you doing?" An amused, laugh sounded from behind me and I nearly leaped out of my fur. My eyes instantly flicked behind me and I noticed a fluffy, reddish-brown tom towering over me, his light blue eyes glimmering with amusement as he stared in the direction of the so-called Grasshopperkit. Great minds think alike, right? Wait, this tom isn't really "great"…
"W-what?" The dark-colored tom immediately stopped hopping up and down and swiftly glanced in my direction, his yellow eyes seemed to pop out of his skull as they enlarged upon landing on the tom standing behind me.
"Mouse-brain," I muttered as the fluffy tom slid past me, an entertained chuckle rumbling in the tom's throat. The other two kits had stopped tussling with each other and right as their eyes set on the tom they quickly brightened. What is so great about the warrior? He is just like a kit himself! I inwardly groaned at the thought.
My eyes flattened against my head as the excited and happy squeaks erupted from the other kits and their continuous yapping quickly surrounding me. I knew I couldn't get away from it though, considering their irritating voices could be heard many fox-lengths away. My mother, Brindleflower, always told me that "Friends were made to aggravate you". I would always grimace at her words and merely retort by saying "I don't need friends then". Of course, that would always make her mad at me and she would usually force me to play with the other kits, especially my brother who was probably the most aggravating ball of fur there was! Oh StarClan, why did you curse me with such a burden!? I always heard our leader, Flamestar, say that at night when the black she-cat was in her den, I never knew why though, but I guess it kind of mashes in with my own situations here.
"Oh Foxnose, guess what?" Darkkit mewed enthusiastically to the larger cat and began to hop, just as Dustkit was doing just moments ago, around the warrior, her yellow eyes bright with happiness and a crooked, goofy grin painted her features.
"What?"
"Earlier I had caught a feather!" The she-kit squeaked and I rolled my eyes in annoyance, the dark gray she-cat must think that catching a feather makes her the best warrior in the whole world. "I'm going to be the best warrior in the Clan!" Well then.
"Every kit says that," I let out an aggravated growl and I felt all the eyes of the cats of that small group flicker over to me, they all looked as if I just murdered a cat and I narrowed my eyes at them, pushing as much bitterness into the stare as possible. If there was going to be a mature kit in the nursery, it sure wouldn't be any of them, more so me or Briarkit. The both of us have at least some common sense, though the dark brown she-cat can become a little, um, crazy at times, despite only being one moon old.
"Ugh, Foxnose can you tell Aspenkit to stop being such an uptight mouse-brain?" Dustkit looked pleadingly up at the warrior and I felt my neck fur bristle upwards, feeling anger rush through me.
"I can't tell her to stop being herself, Dustkit," Foxnose meowed softly to the dark tabby kit and I felt my lip twitch in displeasure at Foxnose's choice of wording, he was implying that I was an uptight, low-minded cat? That's nice to know that's how cats see me as.
"Whatever, I'm not dealing with you all," I snapped bitterly at them before raising to my paws and stalking off towards anywhere that would lead me away from the group, and my brown-and-white tail dragged along in the dirt behind me. My shoulders sagged and my ears pinned as flat against my skull as they would go. Why do they have to be so irritating? Why can't I just become an apprentice already to get away from them!?
I in took a large amount of air and steadily exhaled it through my mouth. I decided that I might as well get as far away from those other kits, considering if I stayed there any longer I might get a large, throbbing headache, and I knew I didn't want that. Their voices seemed to be echoing in my ears despite all of my seemingly futile attempts to block them out. I could hear Darkkit's high-pitched voice say "She is such a stinky badger!" And the mews of agreement erupting from the other two kits, while Foxnose tried to explain to them that it was just my personality and such.
"Calling me a stinky badger? Pfft, at least I don't have the brain a size of a mouse's," I muttered angrily as I felt my paws swerve to wherever they desired, I didn't really care where they carried me, as long as it was far away from that group.
I found myself walking towards the elders' den, I guess it would be nice to listen to a story, to take my mind off of those kits for a while. Hopefully the two elderly toms weren't taking a mid-day nap or they were in a grouchy mood, yet the reputation of the two toms didn't call them "moody, snobbish toms". So, the only thing I would have to worry about is them passed out in their nests. Well, their snoring would be better to listen to than Darkkit's squeaky voice, Adderkit's loud, questioning voice, and Dustkit's aggravating, somewhat hurtful words.
I shook my head to clear my mind as I ducked under the low-hanging tree limb that sheltered the cave-like den, instantly the smell of Frogpelt and Ravenface hit my nostrils, and my nose slightly wrinkled. Not to be rude, but they weren't the best smelling pair of cats. I guess that I was just because they were old and stuff like that, but I held my tongue. At least I was sensible enough to not say those kind of things out-loud, unlike my brother who would carelessly blurt them out. He actually did say that Cedarsplash, the ShadowClan medicine cat, smelled like a large mound of mouse-bile. And, when Brindleflower snatched him up by the scruff and carried him to the center of the camp and proceeded onto yelling at him in front of all of our Clanmates made me fall to the ground laughing. Public humiliation at its finest.
"This blackbird is very good, Briarkit! You picked wisely this time!" As I slipped into the den I could hear Ravenface's cracked voice echo against the stone walls of the cave, his words laced with delightfulness.
"Yup, it was right off the top! Willowpaw told me that she had just brought it back from her hunting trip!" A smile crept its way on my face when Briarkit's somewhat prideful voice rang in my ears. The younger she-cat seemed like the only kit that I could put up with, yes, at times the dark brown she-cat could become a little crazy, but at least she did so without aggravating me.
"Oh, hi Aspenkit!" Briarkit's blue-green gaze glued onto my leaf-green eyes and the two elders mimicked the kit, giving me warm, welcoming looks. "I just gave Frogpelt and Ravenface a blackbird!" The she-kit purred happily and I let out a low chuckle as I padded over to the smaller she-cat.
I watched with amused eyes as the two elders munched on the bird, Frogpelt even stifled a loud, embarrassing sneeze as a coal-colored feather tickled his nose. His elderly companion let out a deep-throated laugh beside him and continued to hungrily rip into the poor creature. I sent a swift glance downwards at Briarkit and she too had a large, cheerful grin curled on her face as she intently watched the two toms eat, it was as if she was just waiting for something to happen; whether or not it was bad.
"What brings you to our den, Aspenkit?" Ravenface swallowed a large piece of bird and ran his pink tongue over his muzzle, removing any remains of flesh from his whiskers and fur.
"Er, well I kind of came here to escape from the other kits," my smile slightly deepened into a frown and a lowered my rump to the cold floor of the den. "And I came here to ask if you could possibly tell me a story."
A raspy purr emitted from Frogpelt who too wiped his muzzle clean of any flesh that may have clung to his whiskers and muzzle. "Sure we can tell you a story, any ideas?"
"Ooh! What about the story of Lichenstar!" Briarkit let out a loud, excited squeak as she happily jumped up and down on her paws, through my eyes she looked like Dustkit when he was bouncing around in the grass earlier. Grasshopperkit! I couldn't help a laugh that bubbled in my throat, and I think Frogpelt and Ravenface had the same issue.
"Alright, alright, settle down and we can get started," Ravenface mewed calmly, despite the amusement that was flaring up in his dark green eyes.
The dark brown she-kit managed to plant herself on the edge of Frogpelt's moss nest, her paws dangled off into the round roost and her eyes enlarged as she waited for the story to start. I, still trying my best to hold back any more laughter, pulled myself downwards to settle myself down beside Briarkit and tucking my paws neatly under my paws. I flicked my eyes upwards to the larger cats and felt my head voluntarily tip to the side, it could have been out of curiosity, or if it was just me trying to show the two elders how desperately I wanted them to start the story. Lichenstar…Brindleflower talks about her a lot with Cloverheart and Mistfeather. I've heard of her before, but never her story.
"Well, as a young warrior Lichenstar, who was Lichenheart at the time, was a very loyal and dedicated warrior to ShadowClan," Ravenface began, his dark green eyes beginning to glow with reminisce. "She was that kind of cat who would risk her life for her Clanmates. You could describe her as selfless, courageous, and sometimes just a little fierce."
"Indeed, but she had one flaw about her," Frogpelt's meow was grim as he spoke up and his eyes began to sparkle with sorrow. "She was one of those "chosen" cats, meaning that a group of specially chosen StarClan cats get to change the fate of their "chosen cat". From what we've seen from Lichenheart, the StarClan cats change the chosen cats' lives into something dreadful."
"What happened to Lichenheart?" Briarkit meowed, her blue-green eyes were at their widest point and I could only see curiousness buried within their depths. I too felt a lot of curiosity boiling within me and many questions filled my mind, creating a whirlwind within the endless space, but I held my tongue, thinking that possibly one of the two elders would answer those questions.
The two toms exchanged a swift glance with each other before Frogpelt let out a saddened meow. "All the cats she's ever deeply, truly loved were killed around her. Her father, her mother, her sister, her mate, her kits." I felt my heart crack in sympathy for the former ShadowClan leader, and I felt as if I was thrown in her place. I felt as if I could imagine the pain the she-cat must have been in, even though I never had that occur to me. Why would StarClan do that to her? That is just cruel!
Briarkit must have been thinking the same thing, because her widened eyes became narrowed and converted into pure anger. "Why does a cat have to go through that just because they were supposedly "chosen"!?" The small brown kit hissed bitterly and her small claws raked at the moss of Frogpelt's nest, much to the tom's dismay.
"Only StarClan knows," Ravenface let out a low, angered growl and Frogpelt, after he pawed Briarkit's claws away from his nest, mumbled in agreement.
"Anyway, after the death of the deputy, Spiderfang, the leader, Cinderstar, appointed Lichenheart as deputy for a reason we do not know," Ravenface continued on and a very small smile curled on his face. "Lichenheart was a spectacular deputy, I remember myself in the nursery and she would always tussle around with me and the other kits despite her busy schedule."
Frogpelt let out a raspy chuckle and his eyes began to sparkle up with happiness. "Oh yes, she would always pretend she was a badger and stomp around the camp with us clinging onto her pelt like burrs." Imagining that made me giggle along with Briarkit, it wasn't unusual to see kits jump onto the warriors and beg them to take them on a so-called "badger-ride".
"I wonder why she named her deputy," Briarkit's face deepened into a frown and it looked as if she was deep in thought, probably thinking about all the different possibilities. Most of them were most likely silly and highly unlikely, but I didn't say anything to the younger kit. I merely shifted my gaze back towards the two elders.
"How did she die? Did her fate cause it as well?" I tipped my head to the side as I questioned the two cats and both of them seemed taken back by the sudden, dark question.
"Um, she was taken by a terrible bout of green-cough. StarClan may have had an influence on it," Frogpelt shrugged at his last words and I heaved a heavy sigh, not completely happy about my answer.
I opened my mouth to ask another question, but I was quickly cut off when I heard my mother's call ring across the clearing. "Aspenkit, Briarkit! Time to come to bed, dears!"
I could hear a disappointed groan come from Briarkit as the she-kit heaved herself to her paws and arched her back in a soothing stretch. "Well, thanks for the story! It was great!" The brown kit purred and she quickly turned to scuttle out of the den, her long, fluffy tail waving behind her.
I turned to the two toms and dipped my head in gratitude before turning to head out of the den, my mind still filled with questions that went unanswered. Are any of the ShadowClan cats having their fates played with now? Is Lichenstar behind the toying? What if Flamestar is one of the chosen cats, maybe that's why she yells out "Oh StarClan, why did you curse me with such a burden!?"
I shook my head to try and blow away that whirlwind of my mind, not really wanting to think about the whole situation anymore. I thought at first it was very interesting and cool, but now it just seemed horrible and troubling. Thinking about how StarClan deliberately plays with an innocent cat's fate and causes pain to fall upon that chosen cat made me sick all the way to the pit of my stomach. The thought that maybe, just maybe Flamestar was a chosen cat, or any of my family members were chosen cats made me nervous. But I would never be able to know.
Oh StarClan, please, don't throw your wraith down on us! I silently pleaded as I dragged myself over to the nursery, and strangely, I felt as if I was being watched. I lifted my head and let it go on a swivel, but found no cat looking at me. Brindleflower must have slipped into the nursery with Briarkit already and the sunset patrols must have already left.
"Please," I whispered very quietly as steadily padded over to the nursery, still having the uncomfortable feeling of eyes bearing into my back. You never know whose out at night I guess.
Aspen: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, so sorry for the long wait! My computer broke down and well I couldn't get it fixed it for a while. ^^;
Apollo: Excuses, excuses.
Aspen: Shut up, mouse-brain. Aaaaaway 3 reviews for next chapter? :)