Howdy all! Bluebird here, and I'm sorry, but I'm not feeling very crazy at the moment. I just had a hang out with my friends, and I think that got out all my craziness. Oh well. Anyway...
Disclaimer: If I owned Warriors, Spottedleaf and Firestar would have never looked at each other, Bluestar wouldn't have had forbidden kits, Hollyleaf would be one of the Three and they would be Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw's kits. Leafpool would never had ran away with Crowfeather, because Feathertail would have survived :D
Basically, since none of this is true D: I don't own Warriors. The Erin Hunters do.
Review:
Moonlit Demise: YAY! Three time reviewer! Big Xtra special um... Tawnystar (your favorite :D) plushie just for being awesome! Oh yeah, and the answer was NightClan/Tawnystar and GustClan/Eaglestar left, and BrookClan/Snowstar called them back. You were almost right, you got the regular question right, but not the bonus. IT'S OKAY! YOUR STILL AWESOME. So you get... *Throws Xtra big ginger snap cookie and hopes that it doesn't fall on the ground. (Did you catch it?) Also throws a plushie of Lionpaw and Nightfeather and Sandpaw too just for fun. (Did you drown in all the plushies? :D)
Chappie 4:
Willowpaw stretched open bright blue eyes, careful not to wake Lionpaw, who was getting some rest before the battle as well. The battle. The thought made Willowpaw remember her strange dream and the snow cat. What was her name again? My name is Frostfall, the snow cat's voice rang through Willowpaw's head. The apprentice jumped, surprised as the "StarClan" cat's voice sounded in her ears. Willowpaw twitched her silver ears and padded out of the apprentice's den. Once outside, Willowpaw blinked, trying to let her eyes adjust to the light. She glanced upwards and saw that the sun was creeping slowly toward the horizon. Hurry up, Willowpaw! Frostfall's mew rang through her head, and the silver apprentice shook her head to clear it. She bounded over to Flamestar's den, hoping the fiery she-cat would be there. Willowpaw mewed quietly in front of it, hoping to get Flamestar's attention.
"She's not in there."
Willowpaw whipped around to see Bluepool looking apologetically at her. The blue-gray warrior twitched her ears toward the camp entrance as she said,
"Flamestar said that she couldn't sleep, so she left to go to Clear Stream. She said it helps her think."
Willowpaw managed to nod at Bluepool before racing out of camp. Bluepool stared after the apprentice before purring softly and heading down to the fresh-kill pile. Willowpaw raced through the forest, dodging tree after tree. When she got to the area that held the Clear Stream, she stopped. Memories of the dawn three moons ago came flooding into her mind.
"What does your heart want, what will make you happy?"
Willowpaw shook her head and padded into the clearing. Flamestar was sitting by the stream, her head bowed. The leader raised her head when Willowpaw joined her, and meowed quietly,
"What do you want, Willowpaw? Is something wrong?"
"No."
Willowpaw replied quickly, then thought again and sighed,
"Yes, there is."
Flamestar turned bright green eyes on Willowpaw, and sighed. She turned back to the Clear Stream, staring at her reflection. Flamestar turned a questioning gaze on Willowpaw, who quickly elaborated,
"Well, remember when you told me to go get some sleep before the battle? I had a dream-"
Flamestar's green eyes never wavered from Willowpaw's face, and the silver apprentice shivered with the intense gaze burning into her fur. Willowpaw gulped and continued,
"I had a dream, and a snow cat came to me. I mean, it was a she-cat and her pelt was as white as snow. She told me that we cannot fight with GustClan. She said that lives would be lost, lives that SparrowClan cannot afford to lose. I questioned her, and she said to tell you-"
Flamestar's eyes widened as Willowpaw continued, and her scorching bright gaze made Willowpaw anxious. The apprentice's tongue seemed to be tied, and she couldn't form a word no matter how hard she tried. Flamestar's eyes softened and she prompted,
"Go on, Willowpaw. What did she want you to tell me?"
"She said that you would confirm that she was a StarClan cat if I told you her name was Frostfall."
Flamestar froze, green orbs clouding with sorrow, fear, confusion, and helplessness. Memories raced through the SparrowClan leader's mind, and suddenly she seemed older than her moons. The fiery she-cat turned away from Willowpaw so that the apprentice wouldn't see the grief in her eyes. Flamestar was wallowing her own misery when she felt a tail on her shoulders. She looked around, and saw nothing but kindness in Willowpaw's bright blue eyes. Flamestar managed to choke out,
"Frost…she was my best friend. Stood by me through thick and thin, never mean, always the best friend anyone could have. Then she fell in love with Windstorm. Windstorm was a good cat, and I could see why she fell for him. He was my littermate, my only one. When we were kits people wondered why Jaystar didn't chose Windkit instead of little Flamekit. Windstorm and Frost…(pain clouded the SparrowClan leader's eyes even further), Frostfall fell deeply in love with each other. We had just become warriors, Windstorm and I, Frostfall had been a warrior for half a moon already. I was waiting for Brightkit and Applekit to become apprentices so that I could be a mentor. After I had completed an apprentice's training, I would become deputy. I got Brightpaw as an apprentice, and my backup Thrushclaw got Applepaw. Brightpaw became Brightsky and Applepaw became Applefall. Not three moons after receiving her warrior name, Brightsky was killed by a deadly outbreak of Greencough. Ivytail, you know, one of our elders, was struck by the disease as well, she survived, but was blinded from it. That's why she's in the elders den. Poor Ivytail couldn't be a warrior any more. But her fate was better than Brightsky. Brightsky was the first to be infected, and the last to still have it. She had Greencough for maybe, three moons? Then she died. Berryfern tried so hard to save her, but nothing could be done. Anyway, when I was grieving for Brightsky, Frostfall came up to me. I remember it so clearly…
Flamestar Flashback:
"Flamecloud! I have something to tell you! I'm so excited!"
"Sh. She's grieving for Brightsky, poor thing."
"But I have really important news, Jaystar! It's really important, and I have to tell her!"
Flamecloud kept her eyes closed, willing the voices to disappear and leave her in peace to think about Brightsky. Brightsky. She was so lively as an apprentice, and a warrior. She…she…Brightsky…. Flamecloud's thoughts were broken as she thought of the bouncing blue-gray she-cat. A pelt brushed against hers, and Flamecloud opened weary green eyes. They were not bright with confidence and happiness as they usually were, but clouded with sorrow and grief. The flame-colored but not so fiery at the moment she-cat glanced at the intruder, which happened to be her best friend, the owner of the first voice, Frostfall. The white she-cat's blue eyes were closed, but her ears were perked, giving her away. Flamecloud closed her eyes again, willing her thoughts to return to the dead Brightsky. But no, her thoughts remained on the snow white cat beside her and the excitement coming off of her in waves.
"Alright, Frostfall. What is it? Make it quick, I want to sit vigil."
Frostfall's blue eyes shot open, but the glow that emanated from them dimmed a bit when she saw Flamecloud's ragged orange pelt and dull green eyes. Then they brightened and she beckoned for Flamecloud to follow her. Flamecloud did so, surprised to find Frostfall leading her out of camp. They followed a path that Flamecloud had definitely used before, but she couldn't place it. They arrived at a familiar clearing. The Clear Stream. The stream ran though the clearing, and you could see all the way to the bottom, and the brightly colored fish swimming through it. Frostfall stopped at the stream, and wheeled around to face Flamecloud.
"I'm expecting Windstorm's kits!"
End Flashback (for now, teehee)
Flamestar closed dull green eyes, identical to those of before. The Clear Stream, where her paws always seemed to take her when she needed to think. Memories flashing, Willowpaw's sympathetic face, excited blue eyes, a blue-gray apprentice bouncing up and down, the same cat lying weak in a medicine den, and Jaystar. At the Clear Stream, again…
Begin Flashback again: :D
Flamecloud was sitting, staring at the brightly colored fish swimming in the water. Everything reminded her of Brightsky. A grunt caused the ragged she-cat to turn around. Green eyes settled on amber ones, amber eyes of Jaystar. The gray tom had a sad look in his eyes, and settled down beside his deputy. He mewed softly,
"Flamecloud. You should probably groom yourself a bit better. You've looked this way for about three moons now. In fact, probably about six moons. Ever since Brightsky got sick."
"Don't say her name."
Flamecloud's voice was choked with sorrow for her old apprentice, her best friend besides Frostfall. But Frostfall and Windstorm had grown apart from her recently. They used to be a threesome. Then Frostfall and Windstorm had become mates and the threesome changed into a twosome with a side of Flamecloud. Instead of Flamecloud, Windstorm, and Frostfall, it was Windstorm and Frostfall. Oh, and Flamecloud. The deputy looked up to see Jaystar's amber eyes even more grief-filled than before. She whispered,
"What? Is Brightsky okay? Is her Greencough better…"
Flamecloud trailed off, realizing what she had just said. Jaystar rested his tail gently on her shoulders, and whispered softly,
"Flamecloud, Brightsky walks with StarClan. And so does…"
Flamecloud leapt to her paws, shaking the gray tail off of her.
"What!"
She screeched, voice cracking with pain and grief. Jaystar's eyes clouded once more and he glanced away before whispering,
"Frostfall started to kit early and… she didn't make it."
"NO!"
Flamecloud let out a wail of pain and sorrow, so loud that BrookClan probably heard it. Another wail escaped from Flamecloud and Jaystar's mew was lost in it. Flamecloud ripped away from the clearing, racing across the forest, not specifically going anywhere, just running from the nightmare. Eyes closed, she chanted to herself, brambles and ferns ripping at her,
'I will open my eyes and be back at camp. Windstorm and Frostfall would never have thought of themselves as more than friends, Brightpaw will be waiting for me to take her on a border patrol, Frostfall and I will be sharing a piece of fresh-kill, everything will be as it was before…'
Flamecloud opened dull green eyes, never bright anymore, but didn't find her self at camp. Instead, her dull orange pelt was stained with blood from small bramble cuts and her eyes were as lifeless as ever. Catching her reflection in a small pool of water, Flamecloud saw a ragged, blood-stained, dull orange she-cat with lifeless, clouded green eyes. She looked horrible. Ever since Brightsky died, and now Frostfall too…
End Flashback (last time I swear)
Flamestar opened her eyes, trying and failing to let happiness brighten them. Willowpaw looked anxious and sad for her leader. The silver apprentice whispered,
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
Flamestar closed her eyes again and whispered back,
"It's… no, it's not. Thank you."
She forced herself to straighten and open her eyes. The leader focused on the present, the sign from StarClan, and the upcoming battle with GustClan. Focused on looking and acting like a leader. Jaystar's words to her when she was an apprentice came back to her,
"Flamepaw, just remember. Half of being a leader is showing confidence to the Clan, and always being strong. Even if there is no hope, stay strong, my dear apprentice."
Flamestar gripped herself, trying not to think of her dead predecessor and his words of wisdom. She spoke softly to Willowpaw,
"Just know this, Willowpaw. Frostfall was my best friend, and she's dead now. She is definitely in StarClan. So, what did she say?"
Willowpaw gulped. She was wrong, and had questioned a StarClan cat, and sent her mentor and clan leader into buried memories best left forgotten. Flamestar seemed to notice Willowpaw's anxiety through half-open eyes and smiled at her,
"Don't worry. I would have done the same thing. Many an apprentice have been tricked by Dark Forest cats pretending to be StarClan."
Flamestar stood and shook her pelt out, bending down to give her fur a few quick licks. The fiery pelted leader glanced towards the sky, and jumped in surprise. The sun was barely a mouse-tail away from the horizon, and the moon would be showing itself very soon. She turned to Willowpaw and decided,
"So, Willowpaw. Frostfall told you that the battle with GustClan must be stopped?"
The silver apprentice nodded, unable to speak. Flamestar nodded back, but her mind was drifting. Should she not go through with the battle. A talking patrol might work. And we can have reinforcements hidden nearby. Perfect. Flamestar nodded again, and hurried back to camp, beckoning with her tail for Willowpaw to follow. The two she-cats, mentor and apprentice, bounded back to camp, with a lot of news to share.
So everyone, chappie 4 done. The question for this chappie is...
In the last chapter, three kits were made into apprentices. What were their names? Also, for a bonus, What were their mentors? Since the bonus is hard, if you can get one you get the prize. Since I'm not feeling very crazy right now, I'll make the prizes a surprise. (half-hearted cheer). Sorry, readers, I'm just gonna go take a nap...
-Bluebird