A New Era

Wow. 4 people have voted so far on weather I should put SkyClan in the story or not. Thx. Just four. You know, 3 voted yes, and 1 no. If you hate SkyClan and you want me to hurry up and finish the story, go vote no! If you wanna see Leafstar die a funny/weird/tragic/normal death then hurry up and go vote yes! Either way, the votes will be closing January 16th, 2009 (that's my Birthday!) and then SkyClan will/will not make an appearance. Don't worry, I'm still updating daily! So, there'll be a few more chapters before SkyClan comes/will not come. If they don't, I'll just jump to the end. If they do, then I get the privilege of killing another cat! I'm not evil; it just keeps the story interesting!

There is also a lot explained in this chapter. Read carefully; and you might find some clues!

~Crystal Cavern

Chapter 6: The Rest of the Visit

Barkface tensed. "What are you saying, Spottedleaf? Scourge? That rotten scent on my leader (and the other leaders and deputies) is from Scourge?"

"Yes, Barkface." Spottedleaf mewed. She seemed sad.

Leafpool gasped. Barkface continued, "So what does he want? Why is he here? I have a right to know!" His pelt bristled, and he yowled in fury. "Explain more to me, Spotedleaf!" It sounded more like a demand than a request.

"Is that really what you want, Barkface? Once this information is exposed, you will have to stick to our plan. There will be no turning back." Spottedleaf explained.

Yellowfang spoke next. "Because Scourge has declared war on us, we can either step up to meet it, or run away. He probably has a strong force backing him up for him to act this rash. By saying you want a clear explanation, you're saying that you want to battle him. The road will not be easy, but there is hope. Is that really what you want, Barkface?

Barkface unsheathed his claws and stabbed it in the ground to prevent himself from going mad. "The leader and deputy are both dead! They blame their medicine cat!" he yowled. "What more do you want my clan to suffer? If nothing is done, then WindClan run away and scatter. It almost happened once before, I will not let it happen again!"

Yellowfang's gaze drifted to Littlecloud. "WindClan has made their decision. What does ShadowClan think?"

Littlecloud replied, "ShadowClan is right now being led by an elder, but he is weak. I'm afraid that he will die soon. I cannot help him through this one. ShadowClan will perish as well." He stood on all four paws and arched his back. "If Scourge is fighting us, ShadowClan will fight back!

Bluestar padded to Leafpool and whispered in her ear. "Leafpool, ThunderClan has already agreed to take part. You don't need to make the decision. One of the three has done it for you. I don't think you can change his mind; you are of equal rank." Leafpool nodded. Jayfeather.

But then Leafpool looked over to Leopardstar. "What about RiverClan? What will you do?"

Leopardstar boldly responded, her eyes full of determination. "RiverClan are not cowardly. We will join you. I have sent Willowshine a message. Rest assured, Leafpool."

Russetfur lashed her tail, impatient. "Now that we have all agreed on issue number one, I'd like to start on issue number two: explaining." She looked at Littlecloud. "Now I will answer your question."

Russetfur stepped back until all the cats were in front of her, and not all clustered around her. She sat with authority. "In ShadowClan, Runningnose was framed as being the culprit, but Runningnose as a loyal cat. He will fight for us, even if it kills him. He did not kill me. He did not kill Blackstar. Scrouge did." She paused. "We felt his presence, then we died."

Barkface interrupted. "How did he do that?"

Firestar answered the question. "All cats have a spirit. When a clan cat dies, their spirit rise up to StarClan. When kittypets die, their spirit also rises."

"What does that have to do with this?" Litlecloud asked.

"Let him explain!" Yellowfang snapped, "He'll tell you! Nothing will be repeated, so listen carefully! Now, I don't want any more interruptions until Firestar finishes!"

All the cats, including Bluestar and Spottedleaf, obeyed.

"As I was saying," Firestar continued, "all cats have spirits. That includes Scourge. Normally, kittypets go to other skies, but it seems that he was the founder of the Dark Forest. His thoughts were harsh, which is what made him go there. Never in the history of cats, has one been so bitter at life." Firestar got up, walked to a spot where grass didn't grow, and smoothed it. He used one claw and drew a circle.

"Let's say that this is StarClan territory." He drew another circle, bigger than the first, next to it. "This is kittypet territory. The reason it's bigger is because, there are many kittypets who don't know about StarClan and believe them. He drew another circle, the biggest one of all, placed under the first two. It looked like an upside-down picture of a pyramid. "This would be rogue and loner territory." He lifted his paw and moved it onto a stray patch of grass about an inch apart from the circle representing StarClan. "This," he said, "would be the Dark Forest." He drew another circle, twice as big as the StarClan circle. It was centered near the StarClan circle and the Bark Forest. "This is tribe territory, and what other else." The last thing he drew was a line outlining the four of the five circles with a narrow tunnel running from the Dark Forest to StarClan. He drew another circle around the Tribe circle and scratched out the remaining area that had not been used. "The rest of the sky is space for other life forms, such as foxes and badgers."

Leafpool flicked her ears.

"Speak, Leafpool." Firestar said.

Leafpool asked, "Why is there no connection between the Tribe territory and us?"

"Good question. The reason is because they walk different skies. When your spirits rise, they just go to one of these territories." Firestar indicated the circles with his paw. "They can leave if there is a path, but if there isn't, then they must stay in their territory. Our journey to the lake is an example. When the clans traveled, they traveled by foot, which is why you could enter the Tribe's territory. When StarClan traveled, we traveled another path to get here, which was why it was hard to connect to us there. Does that answer your question?" Leafpool nodded.

"Now, let's say that when Tigerstar died, his spirit immediately joined the Dark Forest. Then there would be two cats there, and who knows how many more that we don't know about." He put his orange paw on the Dark Forest and dragged it to StarClan territory. "Now Scourge has finally made a move, and has traveled far to get here."

Russetfur spoke. "Now, Mistyfoot will explain how Scourge managed to kill us."

Mistyfoot got up from her spot and sat so she faced the three medicine cats, who were trying to cram all the information into their heads.

"I remembered feeling dizzy", she said, "and I remember getting whacked by that fish, but I also remember the feel of Scourge. You're probably wondering how he managed to kill us when he's up here, but think about it. I'm surprised that StarClan had kept the secret for so long."

Barkface asked, "How is this possible? To go back down? He can't become alive again, can he?"

At the sound if his words, Leafpool tensed. Cinderpelt…and Cinderheart… They were one, yet two.

Mistyfoot glanced at Leafpool, as if sensing what she was thinking. Ashfoot padded up to Leafpool, and whispered in her ear, "It's not the same as Cinderpelt." And she sat down.

Mistyfoot continued. "No, Barkface, you can't."

Ashofoot whispered again. "She means, you can't if you want to be the exact same form. There will be some memory loss, but the personality will be the same." Leafpool flicked her ear in thanks and gratitude.

"Unless…" Mistyfoot paused. "Unless there is a sacrifice... A Spirit Sacrifice. It gives you access to the earth below, but you must have a body. Even with a Spirit Sacrifice, you need somebody to be in. Now, can you guess how Scourge got a hostage to use?"

Leafpool thought. The last outside that was here was Sol. Sol also knew of the eclipse.

"Think of Scourge. He probably had a visit with a cat. Then crept into his body. Then Scourge has a choice. He could just use the body with his own mind, use the body but let them control themselves, or he could harm the body." Onestar explained. "That was how he killed us. By harming us. When there is physical contact, Scourge can switch bodies. Which cat would he contact, get into, and slip out of, without getting caught?"

Leafpool was unsure but she asked anyway. "Was it Sol?"

"Yes. StarClan suspects that it was." Ashfoot said. "We think that he got in Sol without harming him, and made him do all the traveling."

"But how did Scourge travel through the clans?" Leafpool questioned.

Leopardstar answered that one. "He stayed in ThunderClan when Sol passed through, and killed after a while. Then he paid WindClan a visit. A boarder patrol, most likely. Then he somehow got contact with the lake, and seeped into a fish. Did we ever day that his hostage had to be a cat? No. From there, he visited ShadowClan, and finally from ShadowClan, he got into a fox, and from the fox, into RiverClan. Barkface, your Clan has had contact with a fox, right?"

"Yes we have."

" I think from the fox, he put himself onto a plant. It must have taken a lot of energy, because plants are not like us. They do not move, and thus different. But they do grow, like us. After a while, RiverClan cats picked up the fox scent, right to the plant he was in. Then he got to RiverClan. Wherever he is now, he is probably planning his next move."

"Wait." Littlecloud said. "You mean you don't know where he is?"

"No. We don't know for sure, but we suspect that he's in ShadowClan."

Littlecloud was horrified.

Back at the camp, Jayfeather was restocking the herbs. "Hey, Foxpaw, would you help me deliver a message to Sandstorm?"

"Sure Jayfeather, what would you like me to tell her?" Foxpaw asked.

Jayfeather had had Foxpaw help him with his errands since Leafpool left, which was about a few moments ago. "I need to take a nap." He explained, "which is why I want you to tell Sandstorm that she's in charge until I wake up. Nobody comes in here unless there is an emergency. Understand?" Jayfeather hated to sleep in the middle of all the crisis, but he had to speak with StarClan.

"Are you sure, Jayfeather?" Foxpaw asked.

"Yes, it will only take a while."

"Ok, then." Jayfeather heard Foxpaw scamper off.

Jayfeather curled up and tried to sleep. It was hard, with all the noise and all, but he tried hard. To keep his mind off of everything, he wondered about his vision. As soon as Leafpool had left, he told Hollyleaf and Lionblaze about his vision. They seemed shocked, and Hollyleaf had given him a suggestion. She said that it probably had something to do with the unusual deaths of Firestar and Brambleclaw. Jayfeather wasn't so sure, but he needed to check, to make sure. He closed his eyes.

When he opened his eyes, he knew he was dreaming. It was obvious, because he could see. Firestar was standing before him.

"Greetings, Jayfeather." He dipped his head.

The first thing Jayfeather had wanted to ask was what happened to him on that night, but he didn't. Instead, he said, "Has Leafpool gotten to the Moonpool yet?"

"No." Firestar watched him. "I know why you are here, Jayfeather."

"Ok. Then tell me what I want to know."

"Is there any chance you could leave without acquiring the knowledge you seek?"

Jayfeather's reply was confident. "No."

"Very well. Scourge is on the prowl again."

"Again? What do you mean by again, Firestar? Has this happened before?"

"No. I mean, he wants to spill unnecessary blood again."

Jayfeather nodded. "Tell me everything."

Firestar told Jayfeather the whole story of Scourge. At last he finished. "So, Jayfeather, make the decision for ThunderClan. Are we going to fight?"

Jayfeather's blood surged. "Yes, we will." Lionblaze is going to love this!

"Jayfeather, now that you know the Scourge, is there anything else you need to know?"

"Yes. I'm guessing that all the other clans have lost their leader and deputies too, right?"

"That is correct. The battle has already started. Scourge had the element of surprise."

"What about appointing new leaders and deputies?"

"I cannot tell you, until the battle is over. Try to understand."

"Yes, Firestar." But inside, Jayfeather was furious. He knows that the clans are in turmoil. Why won't he help us?"

"Jayfeather?"

"What is it, Firestar?"

"Wake up and go check on Squirrelflight."