Party!
Chapter 3: Meeting the Clans
Lisa, Ashley, and Kelsey's eyes widened, the rest looked puzzled.
Alex brought her horse over to Lisa.
"What odd names, especially Brambleclaw and Frostfur," she murmured to Lisa.
Lisa murmured back, "They're from Warriors."
"Isn't Warriors about cats?"
"Yeah, I don't know how they became human."
Lisa hopped off Umaneroku and walked to the newcomers.
"Are there any others in the forest?" Lisa asked Firestar.
"All five clans," he replied.
"Five clans?" Ashley asked. "I thought there were only four."
"How'd you know that?"
"Never mind."
"Anyways, Thunderclan, Riverclan, Shadowclan, Windclan, and Starclan are all in the forest. We need help and we thought that if we come out here, someone could help us."
Frostfur stepped out. "What are your names?" she asked.
"I'm Lisa," she said. The rest of the group recited their names. "What do you need help with?" Lisa asked.
"We were transported here somehow after we stepped out of our camps. Our camps are the same, but nothing else. Also, we turn into twolegs when we step out of the forest. Can you help us get back to the lake?"
"We'll see what we can do, but probably not much because we got trapped here in a similar way," Lisa replied. "I'd like to see who all we'd need to help"
Firestar nodded and turned into the forest. The people who were still on the horses dismounted and they all followed. As they stepped into the forest, they realized they had all turned into cats.
Lisa was a blue-gray cat with ice-blue eyes, Ashley was a white long-furred cat with blue eyes, Alex was a ginger cat with brown eyes, Jeremy was a black cat with green eyes, Kelsey was a silver and white cat with aqua eyes, LeChez was a tabby with amber eyes and Toby was a black cat with red eyes.
The group stepped under a bush, where they saw 5 more cats.
"Interesting," the older ginger cat said. "You turn into cats too when you step into the forest."
Now, Lisa could recognize the cats as Warriors cats.
"Follow us," Frostfur said.
The group left from under the bush and headed deeper into the forest. They got to a huge hole with rock sides and cats panicking inside. Some of the cats' fur shone and glimmered and were apparently Starclan cats.
The group entered the hole through a tunnel and Firestar bounded up part of the wall to a ledge.
"Cats of Thunderclan and Starclan, We have found help to get us back to our own territory," he called to the other cats. "These cats must be the answer to your prophecy, Starclan!" The other cats started murmuring as Firestar leaped down.
Lisa approached Firestar and asked, "What prophecy?"
"Only the power of seven can bring you home," He replied. "Spottedleaf!" He called. A cat with tortoiseshell fur that shone like Starshine came running up.
"Yes, Firestar," she softly replied.
"Could you accompany these cats to tell the other clans our discovery?"
"Of course, but there is more to the prophecy. Six of seven will light your way."
Firestar nodded and jumped up to his den. The group of cats, led by Spottedleaf, ran out of the camp and headed even deeper into the woods, slowing into a walk.
As they walked, Toby asked Spottedleaf, "Why are you going with us and not Firestar?"
"I am both a medicine cat and a Starclan cat," she replied. "That means that I am looked up to by all the clans and normal clan boundaries aren't as important to me; if Firestar came with you, the other clans would think that it is an ambush and attack you."
"Why are the clans so hostile to each other?" Alex asked, tilting her head.
"It's been that way as long as any cat can remember," Spottedleaf replied.
They came to an area in the forest where most of the trees are pine trees and the smells of the forest changed. Three cats emerged from behind a big tree. One of them had dark ginger fur; one had lighter ginger fur and the smallest one had brown fur.
The dark ginger cat snarled. "What are you doing on Shadowclan territory?" he asked.
"Russetfur" Spottedleaf said, dipping her head to the dark ginger cat. "I have news to share with the clans."
"Then why are the other cats here?"
"They are what I have to share with Blackstar."
"Ivypaw," the lighter ginger cat said to the youngest cat.
"Yes, Rowanclaw?" Ivypaw asked.
"Run ahead and tell Blackstar we're coming."
Ivypaw raced off, flicking pine needles into the air.
The rest of the group followed more slowly behind, the Shadowclan cats on both sides and Spottedleaf leading.
They eventually emerged in a clearing edged with brambles and cats all around. At first, all the cats looked hostile, but upon seeing Spottedleaf, they looked down in respect, but some still looked ready for a fight.
The Shadowclan cats led Spottedleaf and the others to a large tree with twisted roots. Sitting in front of the tree was a white tomcat with large, black paws. Sitting beside him was Ivypaw. The white cat whispered something to Ivypaw, who darted off. He then twitched his tail, signaling the other cats to resume what they were doing.
Spottedleaf dipped her head in a greeting. "Sorry to disturb you, Blackstar, but I have information that you would be interested in."
"Does it have anything to do with how we're going to get out of this strange place?" he asked in a hostile tone.
"In fact, it does." Spottedleaf replied, bringing her head up.
"I'm listening."
"I assume that you've received the prophecy 'Only the power of seven can bring you home'."
"Yeah," Blackstar said impatiently.
"These are the seven. Six of seven will light your way."
Blackstar nodded. "Is that all?"
"Yes."
"My warriors will accompany you to the border."
"We aren't in our usual territory; there aren't any borders," a voice said from the side of the clearing. Lisa turned to see whom the voice belonged to. A small tabby tom was walking towards the group.
"But, Littlecloud," Blackstar started to say before he was hushed by a flick of the cat's tail.
"And I assume you still need to visit the other two clans, correct?" Littlecloud asked.
"Yeah," Ashley replied.
Littlecloud turned back to Blackstar. "I'll accompany our visitors to Riverclan's camp," He told his leader.
"Very well, then." He said, turning his back on the camp and heading into the roots.
"Let's go," Littlecloud said, bounding out of the camp and towards Riverclan, with the rest of the group following close behind.