A/N: Hi and welcome to another installment of Together We Stand! ... for some reason I felt like saying that XP
I would like to thank Stormfeather of LakeClan, xWillowsongx of RiverClan, Wishheart01, and Dragonflywing for reviewing!
And especially Dragonflywing for helping me figure out a name for an upcoming cat :D
Also, I would like to tell everybody to please join my forum. (Most of my reveiwers have joined, but for the rest of you we would LOVE to have you!) There is an RPG game, chat, and a whole bunch of fun things and it would be great to get more people!
The link is on my PROFILE. Have fun!
So, onto the story...
Ch.14
Feathersky yawned and peered over the edge of her den at the top of the medicine stone, as the smaller boulder had been dubbed. The camp was still, the sun just beginning to rise. The only the kittypets- Bandana and his mate Song- were out in the mild dawn light. Well, she couldn't call them kittypets anymore. They had officially announced yesterday that they would be staying with the clan. In fact time had seemed to fly for the sapling clan. Five sunrises had passed since its creation. Unfortunately not much had happened. Blizzardmoon had yet to receive her name and lives, the apprentices had yet to get their mentors, Forest and the two newbies still needed warrior names, and most of all the clan still needed a name itself. But the clan had indeed set a foundation. They apprentices were being trained at a moderate rate, everybody was full fed, the camp was in order, herbs had been collected, and borders had been fully set and were patrolled twice every day.
Feathersky shook her head, attempting to knock away the sleep that threatened to drag her back into her warm nest. Instead she exited the den and jumped down a level to the herb storage cave. As she entered she noticed several stacks of her neatly arranged herbs spread out across the ground. Her tail flicked with annoyance. Sunkit and Bonekit couldn't have gotten in again.
Instead of seeing the two troublesome kits she spotted a brown tabby tail.
"Mosskit, what are you doing?" she growled.
Mosskit immediately sat up, an innocent expression masking his face, "I just wanted to look at the herbs."
Feathersky picked up on of the battered leaves, shooting the kit a glare, "Go bother Song, she can tell you some good stories or teach you battle moves."
"But I've already listened to so many stories and I don't want to learn battle moves!" Mosskit whined, "I want to learn about herbs."
Feathersky looked up in interest, "Well, start picking up these herbs for starters."
Mosskit grumbled but complied.
"The bundle of leaves you scattered is marigold," Feathersky directed him; "It keeps infection out and is necessary for any warriors survival."
Mosskit put on a determined expression, attempting to remember the information that was given to him. Once he had finished Feathersky showed went from bundle of leaves to bundle, explaining each.
"This is catnip, used for curing greencough. These are Juniper Berries, used for coughs and stomach aches," She stopped at a pile of little black seeds, "These are poppy seeds, used to relieve pain and bring sleep, but a kit only needs two or so and a full grown cat maybe five."
Mosskit shuffled his paws, "Is that all a medicine cat needs to know?"
Feathersky flicked her tail irritably, "No? What do you think we do all day, sleep?"
"N-no, Blizzardmoon just said you also interpreted dreams from StarClan," Mosskit stuttered.
The medicine cat's eyes softened, "Yes little one, we do. Why?"
"I had this really weird dream last night," Mosskit explained, "I was at the border between the forest and the pines at night. There were no stars in the sky and I started walking until I reached this really old birch tree by this cave. Suddenly all of the stars appeared, their light shining on the branches of the birch."
Feathersky froze, "Mosskit would you mind holding down the fort? Your mother and I need to talk about something."
"Sure," Mosskit stationed himself in the storage den as if he was guarding an extremely dangerous enemy prisoner.
Feathersky nodded and jumped off of the medicine boulder, quickly making her way up the largest stone to the nursery.
"Blizzardmoon?" Feathersky called out.
When the white she-cat didn't respond Feathersky entered. The nursery itself had grown much cozier, moss had been laid to cover the whole floor and three nests had been woven and filled with feathers. With the kits almost four moons and a half, four of the five kits had been moved to different nests. Bonekit and Mosskit shared a nest, Sunkit and Rainkit shared a nest, and Crystalkit continued to sleep by her mother's side.
"Blizzardmoon," Feathersky shook her awake.
Her crystal blue eyes narrowed, "What, can nobody get sleep around here?"
Feathersky ignored her, "Its dawn and I just had a very interesting conversation with Mosskit."
Blizzardmoon's fur rose when she realized that her youngest tom was not in the nest with his brother.
"He's in my den," Feathersky assured her, "And he had a dream. I think StarClan is telling us where to go so that you can receive your lives and name."
"Really?" Blizzardmoon whispered, carefully detangling herself from Crystalkit's sleeping form, "We should go right away. I'll leave Cloudwhisker in charge of the camp. Wolfpaw and Hazelpaw can watch the kits. I'll meet you in the clearing- oh, and you better take Mosskit along." The white queen hurried away.
Feathersky quickly collected Mosskit and waited in the clearing, chowing down on a tasty vole. Finally Blizzardmoon appeared.
"Ready?" Feathersky asked.
"Ready," Blizzardmoon nodded, her voice shaking somewhat.
When they reached the border Mosskit began to retrace his steps in the waking world. They continued along the border until they reached the junction with the field and silver-birch filled river land. Just like in Mosskit's dream a dark cave stood, a small crevice in its roof allowed sunlight to stream in. Beside it stood on of the oldest looking silver birches Feathersky had ever seen.
"I think you're suppost to climb it and lay on one of the branches while pressing your nose to the bark. That's how we did it back in BrightClan," Feathersky suggested.
Blizzardmoon nodded and stepped forward.
"Bye mom," Mosskit called.
"I'll see you both soon," Blizzardmoon looked back before leaping up onto one of the widest branches.
She pressed her nose to the trunk and quickly drifted off to sleep.
At first there was nothing, a gray land with gray trees and a gray sky. She stood ridged, afraid she had did something wrong. Suddenly a white light showed in the distance, becoming warmer and warmer and chased away the gray. The land became beautiful, a land flowing with milk and honey. Prey ran past her nose, she felt alive. Slowly cats who she hadn't seen began to appear.
"Hello Blizzardmoon, my sister," Lilyfrost stepped forward, her green eyes once again shinning with light, "I am here to give you your first life. I give you a life for remembrance of what is right. Killing Icefang would have led to nothing, for he will get the punishment he deserves in time."
Blizzardmoon nodded and Lilyfrost touched noses with her sending shocks of pain down the white she-cats spine. For a moment she felt what Lilyfrost felt when she saw her sister about to kill her brother. Suddenly the pain was gone and Blizzardmoon was able to breathe again.
A large gray tabby tom took Lilyfrost's place, muscles rippled under his pelt, "Hello my apprentice."
"Blueheart!" Blizzardmoon grinned, "Have you perfected your snow-on-the pelt idea yet?"
Blueheart sadly shook his head, "I never got the chance to before I ended up here. With this life I give you craftiness, may you use it to protect and feed your clanmates through many seasons of hardship."
Once again they touched noses, but this time fonder memories settled into Blizzardmoon's mind. A small light brown she-cat with white socks took her mentors place.
"I'm Swiftrace, Breezeheart's sister. I died as a kit but StarClan gave me a chance to grow up into a warrior," the she-cat explained, "I give you a life for strength, not only strength against the enemy but strength to help a grieving mother."
They didn't even need to touch noses this time; the grief was so overwhelming that Blizzardmoon almost collapsed. She didn't even see a small dark gray tom replace the StarClan warrior.
"I am Jaycall, Swiftrace and Breezeheart's brother. I died as a paw, but StarClan also gave me the ability to become a warrior. I give you a life for endurance. Your clan will face many hard times and only endurance can allow you to survive."
Once again they touched noses and a long-haired ginger tom replaced him.
"Hi Blizzardmoon, I suppose you remember me?" he asked.
"Of course, Oakleaf, but you were so young, how did you end up here?" she asked.
Oakleaf dipped his head, "When Icefang came back to camp I tried to treat his wounds…"
Blizzardmoon shook her head, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"Very well. I give you a life for patience. We all need it sometime or another," he touched her nose.
A she-cat replaced him, "In Feathersky and Breezeheart's clan I was the only elder, Graynose. I give you a life for strategy. It will help you to win the upcoming battles that you will face."
Next up was Reedfall, one of CloudClan's elders when Blizzardmoon was part of the clan. The now young she-cat gave her a life for remembrance.
Blizzardmoon was left weakened but she had three more lives to endure. A dark gray she-cat with green eyes took her place in front of the worn out soon-to-be leader.
"I am Thunderpaw. Just like Swiftrace and Jaycall I am making my way up to being a warrior. I almost didn't make it to StarClan, I was so young when I died. My mother was Darkstar of BrightClan and Feathersky was the one who lost her place trying to let me have life. I give you a life for hope, never forget that we watch over you and care for you. When your time is done you shall join our ranks here."
Thunderpaw's life was peaceful compared to the others and gave Blizzardmoon a relaxing break. A yellow pelted she-cat with unblinking yellow eyes took the apprentices place.
"My name is Yellowfur, the sister of the one who betrayed Feathersky because of a threat from Darkstar. Windstrike always blamed himself, but finally he found forgiveness. I give you a life for forgiveness, so that you make be able to forgive yourself and others."
Unprepared Blizzardmoon was thrown back by the ferociousness of the life. Finally the last life-giver stepped forward.
"I give you a life for love," Squirrelfang breathed into her ear, "for our kits and our clanmates. But especially for the one you have met and have yet to know."
Once again the life left Blizzardmoon breathless and horribly confused.
"Take care of our kits. They are growing up wonderfully," Squirrelfang disappeared into the crowd, "Your old life it no more. We now greet you by your new name, Blizzardstar!"
"Blizzardstar! Blizzardstar! Blizzardstar!" the cats cheered.
Suddenly the surrounding cats disappeared leaving only one. A huge jet black tom with pericing crystal blue eyes, just like Blizzardmoon, gazed down at her from his perch among a boulder.
"Do you know me?" his voice boomed.
Blizzardstar suddenly felt small and insignificant.
"I am Cloakedstar, the first leader of CloudClan. I bring a prophecy to you, Blizzardstar of the Clan of the Forest," he took a deep breath.
"The two, innocent, cast away from their homes found each other as they were destined to. Now they must find the three bright hearts that are destined to save them. One kin. One rogue. One stranger. For old enemies find and come, vengeance set as an old scar into their hearts. One enemy for each of the three, only they can change the path that leads the forest to its death. Third a stranger, forever more, but will save the second half as before. Help a guided star they will seek, the first, and the guidance will set them forever more to be."
"Can you tell me what it means?" Blizzardstar asked.
Cloakedstar shook his head, "That is for you to figure out. Now you must go, you've been here long enough. Your clanmates are waiting."
Feathersky had watched the nine lives ceremony, as was tradition for the medicine cat. When she woke up Blizzardstar was still in StarClan, her nose pressed tightly against the silver birch. Mosskit waited below, fast asleep. The night was still dark, the sun barely noticeable as it rose. She jumped off of the branch that she was on and settled down by Mosskit, waiting for the new leader to wake up.
A/N: So, this time I kind of did a strange combo. If you haven't realized all through the book it was going from cats associated with Blizzardstar in one chapter, and cats associated with Feathersky in the next. In this chapter I did the P.O.V. of both of our main characters.
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Goodnight! :P
Q) Did you remember Cloakedstar from the story Blizzardstar told to her kits a (couple?) chapters back?
A) Yes
B) No
Adios,
Willow