Five. One of each place in the Clans; one a gentle beast, one a sturdy tree, one as old as fear, one as swift as a breeze, and one that shines like a black star. They will save us against the silver-tongued prey.
Scrabbling to his paws, Turtlestar looked all around himself disoriented in the pale cavern. Cherrycloud padded forward from the edge of the tunnel they'd entered from.
"Welcome back, Turtlestar." The she-cat mewed with a bow of her head that made his pelt burn with embarrassment at hearing his new name. "Congratulations, you are now leader of ShadowClan!"
Shaking his fur out from the odd sleep he'd just had, a jolt went through the tom as he remembered what the StarClan cats had said.
"Something happened, after they gave me my nine lives." He explained as his medicine cat's eyes widened. "I think they gave me a prophecy, and they gave it to Mousestar before...it wasn't just for our Clan, it was for all the Clans in the forest. It sounded like a warning. And the enemy they must have been talking about was there too, but I couldn't see them clearly-" The thought occurred that the ShadowClan camp was still in mourning for Mousestar and could be easily attacked. "We have to get back to camp, we have to prepare for them!"
"Slow down!" Cherrycloud hissed at him as he was about to bolt through the tunnel. "You're meowing on like a kit who's just seen a hawk for the first time! Start again, slowly."
I don't need to be scolded like a kit too. Turtlestar twitched his tail in frustration. He told her what had happened after the ceremony's completion, about the ancient leader's ominous words and the creatures that stirred all around the StarClan cats, whose beady eyes glowed with an indescribable evil. The she-cat listened, her fur ruffling with unease but she remained straight and calm.
"So what do I do?" The tom asked, realizing afterwards that he sounded like an apprentice about to receive a punishment. He was leader now and he couldn't keep whining like a soft kittypet!
"You go back to ShadowClan and lead them." Cherrycloud said firmly while getting to her paws. "This prophecy will take time to decipher, and some prophecies aren't understood until after they've past. The best thing we can do is go home and carry on like normal."
"How can I just "lead" when there's something that could attack us any sunrise!" Turtlestar growled.
Cherrycloud's green eyes flashed at him. "You were given nine lives to stand up to any horror that came our way, or have you already forgotten what StarClan told you?" Her sharp words made his fur bristle with a mix of anger and shame. "ShadowClan is still recovering from this...Carrioncough that's been rampaging through the forest, if you suddenly announce that little black monsters with twinkling eyes are coming after them too, the queens would flee to be kittypets and the rest might desert us to be rouges!"
He gave a deep sigh and thought of his Clanmates; Nettlepaw, Talonflight, and Rabbitwhisker were all still staying in the medicine cat's den recovering themselves from the ordeal that Carrioncough brought with its chills, fever, and fatigue like death. It had killed six of their Clanmates, and countless others in the neighboring Clans. It was pure luck that the two medicine cats in RiverClan had found an herb combination to help fight the disease. Even so, that remedy had come too late for many.
The she-cat was right, they deserved at least a short time of peace before charging into a new battle, this one they knew even less about.
"I'm sorry, I just want to keep them safe. I don't want to fail." He muttered, looking upwards to the hole to the sky where the claw-moon was receding and the stars seemed to be gently leading it along. Some of those stars were perhaps those who had just given him his nine lives and he was more terrified of failing them than anyone.
Cherrycloud softened her gaze. "As long as you follow the path that seems best for your Clan, you can never fail, Turtlestar."
He nodded in response, then followed her as they entered the darkness of the tunnel again. When they emerged, the horizon was fading to shades of blue as dawn began to roll across the clouds. The journey seemed less tense this time with Turtlestar walking alongside his Clanmate instead of following her as though in a dream. The ground became covered in brown grass again as they approached the Thunderpath, which was nearly blocked off with dirty piles of frozen snow that Twoleg monsters had piled up there throughout the cold moons. The two followed the icy wall down a ways, both jumping at the occasional glare of a monster's eyes as it raced along, which was made extra bright with the snow crystals to send the light in all directions.
When the sky was paler with the tiny twinkle of stars fading, they had gone up the slope that led to the smaller Thunderpath that bordered ShadowClan. The smell of pine and marshy undergrowth filled Turtlestar's nostrils and made him even more impatient to return to his home. Only I won't be just a warrior returning home, I'll be the leader returning. He thought huffing out white breathe as he and Cherrycloud scampered up onto the snow wall to see clearly before they dared to cross the Thunderpath.
The frost had tempered the harsh smell it usually had and no signs of monsters could be seen or heard.
"Let's go, before my tail freezes off." Cherrycloud meowed while sliding down from the ice bank which brought a shower of snow down onto the she-cat.
Turtlestar bit his tongue to conceal a mmrrow of laughter as the red-splotched medicine cat cursed and shook her pelt furiously. He jumped down more carefully beside her before quickly darting across the Thunderpath and climbing up the smaller snow wall on the other side to finally leap down into familiar land. The tom raked his claws into the hard ground in relief to be back in ShadowClan.
Even if this prophecy is about all the Clans, my priority will always be ShadowClan. They make me who I am, the warrior I've been and now the leader I'm to become.
A nervousness twitched in Turtlestar's whiskers as they approached the hollow. It would be his first time arriving as leader. Bright sunshine was streaming through the sky now, sparkling the frozen earth all around. It seemed like a perfect scene to begin leadership though he didn't fully agree with his ability to do so. Before they went towards the thorn tunnel that served as the entrance to the camp, Cherrycloud stopped and turned to him.
"Remember, don't mention what StarClan told you to anyone else yet, or mention any of the cats who gave you lives, it's meant to be in confidence with StarClan." She mewed with a seriousness in her tone. "I'll tell Moonbriar maybe once I think it over more, but I'll talk to you again before that."
His heart sank a bit that he couldn't tell his father and sister that he'd seen their kin. "Why would you tell Moonbriar?"
The she-cat narrowed her eyes. "You named her your deputy before we left, remember?"
His fur bristled in embarrassment at asking such a mouse-brained thing. "Of course, it was just a long day yesterday..."
The day before seemed like a faded nursery memory. Mousestar had nearly been a medicine cat apprentice during the outbreak of Carrioncough, bringing water to the sick and encouraging his Clanmates to eat to try and regain some strength. He caught the disease three times over, losing his final three lives in just two moons.
They'd left him to sleep peacefully alone after Cherrycloud had given him a dose of herbs to try and heal him, but StarClan had claimed him in their absence. The sun was beginning its decent as Turtlestar had helped carry him into the clearing where he'd had to announce that the tom was dead. All their eyes filled with grief, the cats had formed a ring around him, each at least resting their chin on the old leader's head in respect and giving thanks for his seasons of service to the Clan.
His grown kits, Birchstrike and Hazelflower, groomed their father's pelt gently as though he were a napping kit himself. Cherrycloud had asked the others to make sure that the she-cat didn't stay up the entire night for the vigil since she was expecting little ones of her own and needed rest.
Turtlestar, or Turtlefoot then, announced to his Clanmates that he would set off to the Moonstone immediately so he could gain the blessing of StarClan to lead them into a new season after such harsh moons. They'd cheered for him, calling him by a leader's name before he'd been granted it.
Now it was time to keep the promise he'd made to them.
The black tabby slipped through the thorns in a way only ShadowClan cats knew. Like many things throughout the territory, it was in order to keep them more secure in case of invasion. The hollow of the camp was a welcome sight after Turtlestar's journey; it was surrounded by thick thorns and briers on the outer side with some large stones that made lovely cave dens for the medicine cat and apprentice's on the interior wall. Several pine trees shaded the hollow with one large oak tree with a root den for the leader and a large bramble bush to the side of it that was the warrior's den. A few tail lengths beyond that was a woven den against one of the boulders for the elders close to the tunnel leading to the dirtplace. A small hollow behind the stones protected by a large thorn bush was the nursery, the safest and driest location. In the center of the clearing was a smooth stone for the leader to call Clan meetings and in front of that was the fresh-kill pile, which was mostly empty at the moment. The ground was hard and slightly damp from the frosty night, but the sun was gleaming down through the trees making it glow like a star in the sky.
Turtlestar and Cherrycloud met Foxfang still standing beside the entrance from night watch, his thick dark ginger coat shining like leaf-fall in the morning light as he bowed his head to welcome them.
"It's great to have you both back." The tom purred. "Welcome home, Cherrycloud, and you Turtlestar." He lifted his green eyes to them.
Turtlestar padded over to the tom and touched his flank with his tail. "There's no need for all the formalities, I have a different name true, but I'm still your Clanmate." The tom straightened up at his words. "Where's Moonbriar?"
"Out getting water for the cats still recovering from sickness." He meowed while swaying his tail on ground. "She should be back any moment. She organized the dawn and sunhigh patrols, along with a hunting party for after the dawn patrol returns. Webpelt is leading the patrol now with Duskheart, Smokefur, and Leopardpaw."
This report made Turtlestar's chest relax a bit. He'd been wise to choose Moonbriar as deputy, she'd always been organized and thoughtful. She'd mentored his sister, Silverclaw, moons ago and had never faltered in her dedication to ShadowClan. "That's great." He mewed. "Now go wake your replacement, you look like an owl that kept waiting at a mousehole for three sunrises."
The warrior's heavy eyes merely blinked. "No, I'm fine for a while longer. Ashwing was next, but he stayed up most of the night comforting Hazelflower."
"Ashwing is a loyal warrior and mate and will make a good father," Cherrycloud sat beside Foxfang, touching her pelt to his. "But you deserve rest as well. Go sleep, with the two of us back the camp will be plenty secure."
The tom opened his mouth to argue, but padded away when Cherrycloud raised her tail to quiet him and firmly stated that it was an order from his medicine cat.
Cherrycloud mewed with triumph. "They never argue with me once I say that!"
Turtlestar purred in amusement before crossing to the warriors den to peer inside. Most were curled up tightly in their nests against the cold, except for Foxfang who was just settling in and the tortoiseshell she-cat, Willownose, who was stretching with a yawn about exit the den. She bowed respectfully to him as she passed before settling in a patch of sun to groom her shoulder.
"Welcome back, Turtlestar." She mewed. How long before everyone can say that without sounding so stiff? "I trust your journey to the Highstones with Cherrycloud went well?"
"As well as having to cross Thunderpaths can go," He answered. "How were things in camp last night?"
"Oh just fine...or, as fine as they could be." She muttered with an edge of sorrow in her voice. "I know Birchstrike went with Grayfall and Icepounce to bury Mousestar a bit ago, I heard them telling Moonbriar. They didn't want to announce it to the Clan because they didn't want Hazelflower to know. Poor dear, she only got to sleep a little after moonhigh."
Turtlestar walked with the she-cat across the clearing as more cats stirred with the sunshine growing stronger.
"There's a lizard or two left on the fresh-kill pile. Blackflame, Sweetpaw and I popped out around dusk yesterday to catch a bit of prey for everyone since the patrols were disrupted due to everything. I made sure there was a little something left for you and Cherrycloud when you got back. I'm leading the hunting patrol so they'll be more soon." She purred warmly as they approached the fern patch near the medicine cat's den where the ill cats were being kept.
Nettlepaw, the light brown and ginger apprentice, was curled up asleep and nasally snoring. He hadn't eaten in three days when the sickness was at his its height, but he'd eaten half of a sparrow the day before.
The she-cat put her paw on the tom's forehead gently to not wake him. She was an experienced mother and often helped Cherrycloud in addition to her warrior duties. "No fever, thank StarClan for that. I put Rabbitwhisker inside Cherrycloud's den last night because his fevers haven't let up quite yet. Another round of herbs will hopefully see him through."
He purred in agreement as she checked on Talonflight whose spiky fur poked out of her nest in the ferns. She stirred and lifted her head to look at Turtlestar.
"Our new leader!" She meowed weakly. "Congratulations, er...well yes, congratulations. Though we all will miss Mousestar...and Longpetal. And all of them."
Her sunken eyes were filled with grief for her littermate who'd been killed by the Carrioncough. The leader wanted dearly to tell her that her sister was well now and watching over her, but knew he couldn't since his nine lives ceremony was so sacred. "Your sister was a great warrior. She watches over us all now."
Talonflight's eyes brightened and she purred. "I want to go back to being a warrior so she won't think I've joined the elder's den." She got to her paws shakily then fell back on her haunches.
"Not so fast," Willownose interjected. "You're no where near strong enough to go out of camp yet. You look as though you haven't eaten in a half-moon." She touched the visible ribs of the she-cat with the tip of her tail.
"I'm not going to sit around getting fat like a kittypet!" Talonflight growled.
"Me neither!" Nettlepaw suddenly added, poking his head out of the ferns. "Leopardpaw and Acornpaw will be seasons ahead of me in training if I don't get back to my duties soon! They'll become warriors before I do!"
Willownose sighed while Turtlestar raised his tail to silence both of them. "Once the hunting patrol returns later and you two get something in your stomachs, I'll ask Cherrycloud to give you both some tasks around her den. That way you'll get exercise but be able to rest when you need to."
The two impatient young cats muttered in agreement and Willownose gave a nod in thanks before turning continuing to question the ill. He turned and padded around to the dugout entrance of the medicine cats den and dipped inside. The cool mix of stone and soil lingered with the smell of herbs and berries that Cherrycloud kept neatly stored in smoothed sided holes deep in the back of the cave to keep dry in case of leaks from rain. The she-cat's nest was mostly dried ferns filled with moss and feathers that the apprentices brought her regularly. In a smaller nest on the other side of the cave laid Rabbitwhisker, a well-built light brown tom, who was licking his pelt while Cherrycloud was preparing a batch of herbs for him to take.
"Now, there's a bit of catmint for flavor, but I have to save some in case of more cats falling ill." The red and white she-cat was explain as she gently folded the shredded leaves together on a piece of bark with her clawtips. "The rest is hawkweed, feverfew, juniper berries, and a some sorrel to build up your appetite." She turned and mewed a greeting to her leader. "Later I should really go out with some help to find some more juniper berries and lavender. Thank StarClan Liondapple figured out that this needed to be treated with several strong medicines all at once, we may have lost more without-"
She was interrupted by the loud coughing Rabbitwhisker was making while trying to force his medicine down. "Greetings. Turtlestar. I hope. You're. Journey went well?"
"It did thanks, I'm back and ready to serve my Clan." He meowed as the warrior coughed a juniper berry up whole. "I heard you're still trying to shake off your illness?"
The tom chewed the berry up, gagging and cringing at the bitter taste. "I'll soon be back on my feet!"
Cherrycloud snorted. "You make more of a fuss about taking your herbs than your son does."
Rabbitwhisker chuckled and curled his tail around himself as a bout of chills came over him. "Nettlepaw's always too stubborn to admit he's in discomfort."
"I wonder where he gets it from." The voice of Moonbriar came from behind them. She was carrying a bundle of damp moss in her jaws and took it to her sickly Clanmate to let him drink. "When you were an apprentice, you went all the the way to a Gathering and back with a thorn in your back paw because you didn't want to stay behind. It was almost too far in to be pulled out!"
"Moonbriar, the elders tell a story about how when you were a kit and had white cough, you spat a poultice back into my mentor's eyes." Cherrycloud teased with a pleasant mmrrow.
The deputy's fur bristled slightly, but she ended up laughing as well. Turtlestar beckoned her to follow him out of the cave while Cherrycloud went back to her herb sorting.
"Thank you for keeping the camp from plunging into chaos while I was gone." He mewed gratefully. The camp was buzzing with activity now; the dawn patrol had returned, Birchstrike was heading towards the warrior's den wearily with Webpelt, both talking about getting some well-earned sleep. Leopardpaw was sharing tongues with his mother, Maplestorm, by the apprentice's cave while Willownose was gathering Briarstep, Ashwing, Darkbird, Featherpaw, and Acornpaw to go on hunting patrol. Blackflame had taken over guard duty by the camp entrance while her apprentice, Sweetpaw, was dragging out the elder's bedding to be changed. "It's good for all of us to feel like it's a normal day. I'll call a Clan meeting to discuss all that's happened with them after the sunhigh patrol."
The silver-dappled she-cat purred in agreement. "It'll take some time for us all to get used to this," She said while looking out onto the hollow with him. "If there's anything else I can do, just tell me, Turtlestar. Go and rest awhile now." She bowed her head then walked over to Sweetpaw to give her some help with the bedding.
His own tiredness was finally setting in, but another pang of grief for all that had happened in the previous moons hit him when he suddenly realized that he should be heading for the leader's den and not the bramble bush. Mousestar is gone, you are now leader. You have to help ShadowClan move forward. The black tabby crossed to the large oak tree and slipped in under the roots. He almost yowled in alarm when he crashed into his sister, Silverclaw, who was just about to leave.
"You mouse-brain! Those nine lives didn't make you any less clumsy I see." Silverclaw grumbled as she straightened her fur. "I was just adding some extra moss to your new nest." Her annoyance faded and her silver-gray pelt brushed past him and she briefly pressed her muzzle against her sibling's shoulder. "I'm glad you're home, and I'm proud of you. You'll make ShadowClan proud."
Turtlestar purred and nuzzled his sister's ear. He padded over to the warm looking nest of dried pine needles and moss. "I'm glad to be home. Thanks for making my nest, too."
"Oh I didn't." The she-cat responded as she poked her head back in.
He flicked his tail in surprise. "The apprentices?"
"Well Hazelflower took Mousestar's bedding out last night, she wanted to surround him with it." She recalled sadly. "But Darkbird woke up from the vigil early to make it up for you. She borrowed some lavender from Cherrycloud's store to get rid of poor Mousestar's sick smell, so you'd be more comfortably she said. She asked me to add a bit more moss because she had to go hunting." Her emerald eyes flashed with amusement. "I think she really did all this to get over the heartbreak of not having a nest next to yours anymore."
"What do you mean by that?"
His sister merely rolled her eyes and padded out of the den. Turtlestar inhaled deeply and did find the tinge of Darkbird's scent among the pine needles and...surely enough, small bits of lavender. He reminded himself to thank the she-cat later as he settled down in the soft nest.
Mousestar's scent still hung around the den, but in a way it comforted him as he remembered what the old tom had told him while giving him his final life. His heart did tighten a bit at the memory of the warning he'd given as well, and knew deep down that he had to start trying to understand the prophecy if he was going to lead ShadowClan into the future or the mysterious black shapes from the vision would destroy them.