OKAY! Officially, here it is - ELEMENTAL BOOK FOUR: THE FINAL STEP. This is, as the title suggests, the FINAL book of the Elemental series, and we are in for such a ride. I mean, it's only Chapter 1, and things are happening. The conflict is going up exponentially, and though the climax doesn't arrive for a solid thirty chapters, it's going to be pretty big. This is a really, really ambitious book. More so than War of Shadows.
If you haven't comletely caught up (Books 1-3 plus Sunstrike's Story and War of Shadows), I recommend doing that before getting too far into this one. I don't know when I'm going to start bringing in connections. Oh, yeah, and Willowshine's Adventure is on its way, too! It won't have that much to do with this book, but it's still a fun project to fully understand everything. The other note is about Hollyleaf's Retelling, which I will be posting alongside this book even though Hollyleaf's Retelling spans like three years (the only thing chronologically earlier than its first chapter is the first few chapters of Sunstrike's Story). Both will reveal spoilers at the same time. If you aren't reading this while I'm still uploading, read this BEFORE Hollyleaf's Retelling. Because Hollyleaf is basically a giant walking spoiler.
If you are brand new to this, then the rest has really, really confused you! That's okay! My name is Elsi, and this is my AU called Elemental! It is a four book series with an official prequel - War of Shadows - and three special editions. You can tell they're special editions because they belong to someone. Anyways, this is the final book in the series! There are some major changes between canon and this: 1) LionXIce and IvyXBumble are the official main pairings. 2) Squirrelflight can and does have kits. 3) Dovewing is named DoveHEART. 4) the plot? I deviate after Fading Echoes. Which, you know, is also why Doveheart is named what she is, the pairings are as they are, and characters like Flametail are still alive while others are dead. :)
Please, please, enjoy! And I don't own Warriors. Just my fanfiction plot.
Chapter 1: The Four Clans
A new morning, and Lionstar padded calmly into the light cast from the sun that had not yet fully risen. He sniffed the Greenleaf air with a contented sigh, and for a few moments at least, he focused on the Clan.
Sorreltail and Molewhisker were leading Honeypaw and Snowpaw out of camp, and the two apprentices were yawning as they protested moving so early. Most of the warriors were still in their dens, although Cinderheart, Squirrelflight, Dustfur, and Skysong were heading out of camp for what Lionstar assumed was the dawn patrol. Lionstar sat at the base of the Highledge, watching the Clan come to life as the sun rose.
After a few more rays of sun had bled into camp, dying it a light golden color, the rest of the Clan stirred. Doveheart slipped out of the warriors den, tailed by Littlefalcon, and then warriors slowly followed. Poppyfrost poked her head out of the nursery purely to deposit a bouncy Nightkit and Marshkit, who at once launched themselves onto a passing and yawning Greyheart. Birdpaw slipped out of the medicine den, followed by an unsteady Mouseclaw. Seeing the young tom's arrival, Foxleap and Willowleaf hurried over to greet the warrior. Brackenheart and Stealthstep were chatting idly as they grabbed a mouse from the fresh-kill pile, and Hazeltail was stretching in the corner as Thornclaw pouted about being up so early.
"Good morning, Lionstar!" said Doveheart. The deputy of ThunderClan came to a stop before him, with Littlefalcon tailing her. "Cloudtail reported no disturbances on their patrol last night."
"Excellent," said Lionstar. "All is quiet near WindClan?"
"All is quiet near WindClan," said Doveheart. She flicked her ears, and Lionstar knew that she was casting her senses out to listen.
"Are we going to do our duties?" asked Littlefalcon, his amber-blue eyes bright.
"You should assign the patrols today," said Lionstar. "If the Clan asks questions, tell them I had to talk to Doveheart."
Littlefalcon nodded, his tail waving as he darted back into camp.
"Hey, Berrynose!" he called. Lionstar narrowed his eyes, watching as the cream-colored tom narrowed his eyes. "Can you take a hunting patrol?"
"Who says?" said Berrynose.
"Doveheart asked me to assign patrols," said Littlefalcon in an even voice, loud enough so that the rest of the Clan could hear him. "And I know you're a good hunter."
"He's doing surprisingly well," said Doveheart softly. "There's still something he isn't telling me, something bothering him."
"It will come out soon enough," said Lionstar. "These things usually do."
Doveheart nodded, a small smile on her face.
"Maybe he has a she-cat on his mind," she teased.
"Who?" said Lionstar, instant possessiveness jumping into his chest. It was one thing to have Willowleaf running after Mouseclaw and Greyheart confessing his love for Skysong. Mouseclaw had proved time and time again that he was capable of taking care of Willowleaf. Skysong hadn't acted towards Greyheart's advances. But Littlefalcon…for some reason, Lionstar couldn't picture it. His son was so small, so innocent – there was no way…right?
"Bluemoon, do you think?" said Doveheart, grinning at the look on Lionstar's face. "Or, no, Honeypaw's been sticking close to him for the past moon."
"You're j-joking," strutted Lionstar. Doveheart winked.
Then Littlefalcon trotted over them, his tail drooping as he approached. The frown grew on Lionstar's face as his son raised his amber-blue eyes to them.
"They still don't listen to me," he said.
"That's to be expected," said Lionstar. He tapped Littlefalcon on the shoulder. "You're receiving training from me and Doveheart, and no one is sure why. You've only been a warrior for a moon and a half now. Don't put too much pressure on the subject."
He rose steadily and yawned, glancing back at his den just as Icecloud slipped out of it.
"Oh, good," said Lionstar, greeting his mate. "I wanted you to come to the stepping stones with us."
She twined her tail with his and mewed a hello to Doveheart and Littlefalcon.
"We're going down to the stepping stones?" said Littlefalcon, flicking his tail in surprise.
"The other Clans have been on my mind, and the Gathering is tonight," said Lionstar. "I wanted your help."
"You're concerned?" said Icecloud as they began to walk. "What about?"
"Yesterday, I heard something in ShadowClan's camp," said Doveheart hesitantly. "Some of their warriors were discussing how no ThunderClan warriors were killed in the earthquakes, even though we live in the woods as well."
"ShadowClan lost eight warriors to the earthquakes," said Lionstar. He glanced up through the green leaves in the trees above his head. Trees had fallen during the earthquakes, but the combination of bringing the Clan to the center of camp and Birdpaw's work had stopped anything major from falling into camp. ShadowClan hadn't been so lucky.
"So they're upset," said Icecloud. They walked on a little longer in silence, until the hill leading down to the curving river. The four cats padded down along the beach until they came to the edge of the lowest point of the river, near the stepping stones, where water lapped over their paws. Littlefalcon curled his tail around his paws, staring at the water as it touched his fur.
Lionstar watched the hills across the river, where RiverClan and WindClan had divided their border.
"WindClan haven't gotten any less jumpy since leaf-bare," said Lionstar. "I was expecting them to recover this newleaf."
"The sickness killed many WindClan warriors," said Icecloud somberly. "That's hard for anyone to recover from."
"What do you think, Littlefalcon?" asked Lionstar, turning to observe his son. Littlefalcon was staring at his reflection in the water, his amber-blue eyes locked with the matching pair in the water. His ears were alert, but his tail was still, and his shoulders were stiff. There was a slight tremor in his blue-grey paws that Lionstar knew wasn't just from the water's chill. "Littlefalcon?"
At the sound of his name, Littlefalcon jumped, wildly looking towards Lionstar.
"Is everything alright?" asked Icecloud, shifting so she was pressing up against her son. Littlefalcon flinched at the contact, and Icecloud sat back, shocked.
"S-sorry," he said. His eyes closed painfully. "My head is pounding."
"We can go back, and you can see Jayfeather," said Icecloud. There was a desperation in her voice that Lionstar hated, and he knew that it was from how Littlefalcon had flinched away from his mother's touch.
"I'm fine, I just…" Littlefalcon shook his head for a few seconds and went silent. Lionstar, Doveheart, and Icecloud stared at the young tom in silence. "I'm sorry, Lionstar. I just have a lot on my mind. My thoughts are all…jumbled together. I'm listening. Go on."
Lionstar didn't know whether or not to ask his opinion again, so he hesitantly turned back to Doveheart.
"What is going on with ShadowClan now?" he asked. Doveheart didn't reply for several seconds, and then she nodded thoughtfully.
"It sounds like a normal day to me," she said. "Nothing out of the ordinary."
"Blackstar is on one of his last lives," said Lionstar. "As is Onestar."
"You think that's what's making the Clans so jumpy?" said Icecloud. "Even when Firestar was down to his last life, the Clan didn't worry."
"There's something else, but I can't put a paw on it," said Lionstar. "Doveheart?"
"RiverClan sounds normal as well, but I can sense some sort of tension in their voices," said Doveheart. She shook her head. "I don't know what's going on."
"You can look into it at the Gathering tonight," said Icecloud. She edged closer to the water, so it lapped on her paws as well. Icecloud meditated on the way the water hit her paws, and Lionstar knew that she was contemplating what it was like to be Littlefalcon.
"We're all united in this," said Lionstar softly. "I just feel somehow that the Clans aren't together right now. Even though we must be."
Another soft silence, and then…
"The Clans are all one," said Littlefalcon so softly Lionstar had to strain to hear him. "We share everything. But RiverClan was torn apart in the battle of the foxes, and WindClan suffered dearly from the sickness, and ShadowClan lost good cats in the earthquakes. What has ThunderClan lost?"
"We have lost plenty of good warriors since the foxes," said Doveheart, her voice edged with anger. "Briarpaw and Brightheart. Spiderleg, Rosepetal. Brackenfur, Rustfur, Runningpaw, Cherrymist. We have lost just as many cats."
"I wonder, though," said Littlefalcon softly. "I wonder if the others think we have suffered enough?" There was silence, so he went on. "Skysong and Mouseclaw should be dead, but they were spared. Birdpaw and Ivypool, too." He looked up, eyes intense. "Something is saving us, and I don't know what it is, but we each have an extra life. That shouldn't be happening. It's not fair."
"The other Clans can't know that," said Lionstar, but he had to admit that Littlefalcon's words made him feel weak. He could have lost more cats than he had, and they had already saw the deaths of too many cats. For the other Clans to not think they had suffered…it was wrong.
"What would put those ideas in their heads?" asked Icecloud to no one. Littlefalcon shrugged, miserably glaring into the river again. Lionstar let the question hang out there, in the forest they still didn't know how to live in. All was quiet in ThunderClan for at least a little while.
XXXX
Lionstar buried his claws deeper into the pine tree and let Mistystar call for attention. Blackstar, a branch above Lionstar, was glaring down at him. Onestar was still pacing along the tips of his branch lower down on the tree. Doveheart was at the base of the tree, and she flicked her ears and peered up at him. Lionstar gave a keen nod, recognizing that she had heard something. She could tell him once all of this was over.
Mistystar flicked her tail, her grip firm on the tree branch.
"Newleaf has allowed RiverClan to prosper once again," she said in a firm, level voice. "Splashpaw has become a warrior. Her name is now Splashwater."
Lionstar smiled as his Clan joined in the others in greeting Splashwater, a slender grey she-cat who blinked gratefully at the praise. Maybe nothing was wrong after all.
"The Thunderpath has been more active lately," said Mistystar. "We believe more Twolegs are coming nearby."
There were murmurs at that, but it wasn't anything drastically unusual.
"Other than that, the fish have been running well, and our Clan is perfectly contained," said Mistystar, and she stepped back, her eyes flashing over at Onestar. As if on cue, Onestar cleared his throat. Lionstar stared at the easy trade-off, narrowing his eyes. Perfectly contained, but she and Onestar seem to have a routine…
"WindClan recovered quite well from the land-shakings," said Onestar, puffing out his chest proudly. "We are proud to say that we have lost nearly no one in this catastrophe." Lionstar heard a hiss from Blackstar, barely audible, but by the way Onestar flicked his ears, it was clear that he had been expecting the response. "We have one new apprentice, Volepaw, and two new warriors – Thrushflight and Ivychase. Ivychase wasn't feeling well and has stayed behind, but Thrushflight is here."
Lionstar knew the proud young tom, and he sought him out easily enough. But Thrushflight didn't drink in the praise as Lionstar expected him to, instead glaring into ThunderClan's crowds. Unusual.
"There is little else to report," said Onestar, and he sat back down. Lionstar glanced up at Blackstar, who shrugged. So Lionstar stood.
"ThunderClan has made four new warriors," he called proudly. "Mountainstone, Skysong, Willowleaf, and Littlefalcon."
He paused so his kits could hear their names echoed back at them. There was a wide grin on Willowleaf's face, and Skysong puffed out her chest proudly. Littlefalcon didn't seem affected – to be expected, since he was being treated like the deputy in his own Clan.
"Other than that, we have little else to report," said Lionstar. "The prey is running well, and since the land-shakings have stopped, we expect a wonderful peace."
"Such optimism, Lionstar," said Mistystar, raising her blue eyes to Lionstar's. Lionstar tried not to let the fur on the back of his neck stand up, but his tail couldn't wave as eagerly, no matter how hard he tried.
"I am concerned about nothing," he said calmly. "Is there something you'd like to call to my attention?"
"StarClan is troubled," said Onestar, his eyes turned to the moon. As he spoke, a cloud shifted over the full moon, casting a shadowy glare down on the island below. Lionstar didn't speak, although his paws were trembling in rage. StarClan! He could trust them for nothing, and they had turned against him. When Willowleaf and the others had managed to put a stop to the earthquakes, it had started to break down the border between the Place of No Stars and StarClan's hunting grounds. Something about that was turning all the StarClan cats who died before the War of Shadows evil. He didn't know what was going on, but he hated all of it.
"Certainly," said Lionstar. "StarClan does not agree with tensions between us at the Gathering."
"I'm not sure that's it," said Mistystar. "There's something you're hiding from us, Lionstar, and we do not appreciate it."
Lionstar shook with fury. He couldn't deny it, of he would look even more like he was concealing something.
"Make him tell us!" cried a WindClan warrior from down below. Lionstar glared down, but the shadows had died every cat pelt into a similar shape.
"What is ThunderClan's secret?" hissed a ShadowClan cat. Lionstar recognized the voice – Tigerheart? Could it be?
"I've always thought ThunderClan was suspicious ever since we got here," said a WindClan she-cat.
"What really happened to Bramblestar?" howled someone. "Did you kill him?"
"Lionstar didn't do a thing!" Doveheart had gotten to her paws and was screaming into the crowd.
"And who are we to trust you?" This time, Lionstar identified it to be Heathertail. His stomach filled with rage. She had no right! This was a personal vendetta! "You've been allied with him from the beginning!"
"Whoever threatens Lionstar threatens all of us!" screeched Sorreltail. He heard ThunderClan give a yowl of agreement.
"Enough!" cried Blackstar, his voice a sharp claw among a thousand battering paws. The ShadowClan leader's fur was on edge. Down below, there was quiet. "Do you really think arguing is going to help?"
"ThunderClan is hiding something," said Willowshine, her blue eyes shining up. Lionstar stiffened. "They have a warrior who nearly died, but by some miracle, survived. It's suspicious to me. I can think of no medicine that would cure a pierced lung."
Lionstar's tail flew up into the air, and he resisted the urge to hiss. Mouseclaw! Who had told the RiverClan medicine cat?
"I would prefer if your concerns about my methods could be kept between us," said Jayfeather in that level tone that terrified even Lionstar.
"What, the same way your secrets are kept between you and Birdpaw?" said Kestrelflight. "I think we have a right to know what's really going on."
"You shouldn't question it," said Littlefalcon. Lionstar heard his voice pass in an ear, linger in his brain, and then the order quickly dissipated into air as if only mist. Lionstar's confidence wavered. Littlefalcon's power failed.
"We want to know!" cried a young voice.
"It's not fair for ThunderClan to keep secrets that involve all of us!" called Onestar. "We deserve to know what exactly is so special about your –"
"I believe it was Blackstar's turn to speak." From the shadows, Lionstar recognized Birdpaw's voice. The small medicine cat apprentice's words hung in the air for a while, spreading through the gathered cats. Lionstar shivered as his mind instantly went to Blackstar, and he had to shake the feeling off. What was this power he felt radiating off of her? "I thought you all wanted to hear ShadowClan's news. ThunderClan has nothing to hide. I don't think you doubt me."
Of course not. Birdpaw was telling the absolute truth. Why wouldn't she be? No one doubted her. They wanted to hear ShadowClan's news, after all.
"Yes," said Blackstar. The unrest passed as if it had never happened. Lionstar realized the direction of his thoughts and stopped listening, his eyes going instead to Birdpaw. By what he could make out, Jayfeather and Rushpaw were glaring at Birdpaw, but the others seemed quite content. Littlefalcon was still sitting, shell-shocked, in the center of ThunderClan's cats. Skysong had her tail wrapped around his back, and Willowleaf was trying to say something, but Littlefalcon didn't appear to be listening.
Then Blackstar stopped speaking, and before another would could be uttered, Lionstar let Blackstar close the Gathering and jumped down from the tree.
"ThunderClan, we're going home," he rumbled. They didn't look back, and they were the first ones across the tree bridge. Doveheart fell into step beside him.
"Littlefalcon's powers failed," said Doveheart. Lionstar nodded. "It was as if Birdpaw had the power instead."
"Is that possible?" said Lionstar quietly. "She couldn't have stolen Littlefalcon's power, could she?" Doveheart shrugged, shaking her head blankly. "What was it you heard?"
"Flametail sent Bearclaw to sit with the medicine cats at first," said Doveheart quietly. "He went off to chat with Tigerheart and Kestrelflight."
"Why?" said Lionstar. "Why Tigerheart?"
"I have a horrible feeling about it," said Doveheart. "Tigerheart knows everything, maybe even more than we do. I hate to think that he could be discussing the prophecy."
"I thought Kestrelflight already knows."
"Some details," admitted Doveheart. She shuddered. "They were talking about Jayfeather. Flametail and Kestrelflight are convinced that Jayfeather is hiding something from them that could have stopped their Clans from suffering. It seemed that Flametail and Tigerheart are using something Littlecloud knew to convince Kestrelflight."
"They're making it up," said Lionstar. "There's nothing Jayfeather could have done. It was Birdpaw who came up with that cure. Her and Rushpaw."
"I know," said Doveheart. "But I don't think Kestrelflight does."
"So Flametail and Tigerheart are trying to get Kestrelflight on their side," surmised Lionstar. "Why?"
"I don't know," said Doveheart. "But I don't think it was good, judging from Onestar and Mistystar." She shivered. "Whitetail has never been anything but friendly to me, but tonight she was cold."
"There's something going on," said Lionstar. His mind went back to what Littlefalcon had said that morning. I wonder if the others think we have suffered enough?
We have suffered tremendously, said Lionstar. And we are suffering still.
A flashing image came back to him, of a golden-pelted member of StarClan glaring at him through the trees. A cat who shared the first half of his name. Lionheart had stood there, threatening the safety of his kits. It had been a moon, but Lionstar couldn't breathe easy. He felt something coming, something that would involve all four of the Clans. If Lionheart was right about one of his kits dying, if Littlefalcon was right about the other Clans looking for revenge…he didn't know what to do.
Something has changed. I wonder how many people will figure out what it is. I wonder if anyone can figure out why it has changed.
I told you guys Tigerheart was going to be important. Speaking of Tigerheart, if you haven't voted in the poll on my profile, please do that as soon as possible! I'm taking an opinion poll so I can figure out how I want Tigerheart's plotline to end up. Because it's super open ended, I have about five options, so I want to know on a scale from 1-HATE how you like Tigerheart.
And I don't think Ivychase has told anyone she's pregnant except Thrushflight, Kestrelflight, and Jaystrike. And Littlefalcon, of course. Also - DAMMIT Willowshine! Why did you have to do that for? I thought you were a protagonist!
Stay tuned - next chapter is a Jayfeather chapter, and he'll have some words on the subject.
If you liked this chapter or are just generally excited about this story, drop me a review and tell me your thoughts! Otherwise, be sure to follow me or the story so you can stay caught up, and favorite so your friends can find the fic, too!
Thanks, everyone! I'm so excited about this one!
~Elsi