130 reviews! You guys are so absolutely amazing, I swear. Now, without further ado, here are the comments:
Butterfly that flies at dawn: That IS funny! HailxRain…I didn't even notice that lol. And don't worry, Hailsplash is a major role in the story so there'll be plenty involving her.
Spottedfire7: I like her name as well. It just seems to…fit, you know? And yeah, most everybody seems to hate him.
Rainy1212: Heehee…. :D get your tissues ready….LOL
Quadethepeanutbutter: Lol good to know that one of the side effects of my story is that it induces vomiting. XD and also, I'll leave the response from the PM at the end of this chapter (:
CheyRaye: I honestly have no clue about who's gonna die. Just taking it one chapter at a time and we'll see what happens. :P
Silent Steps in Silver Snow: you know, I was rereading that chapter and I actually realized that there was some resemblance to that! :D :D :D Didn't mean to make it look like I stole it lol. I just needed to get the drama ball rolling again.
This might be kind of a slower chapter, but it's also when something really big happens. ^-^ So, read on!
Echowing shivered as the harsh, freezing breeze cut through her wispy fur all the way down to her bones. Leaf-fall had officially ended and leaf-bare took no time letting the cats know what was in store for them. Most trees were now just skinny remains of the lush beauty they once were and a soft layer of snow coated the ground. Her paws were now permanently numb with cold no matter how many times she tucked them under her when she went to sleep.
The quarter moon that had appeared on the night of her silent warrior vigil now hung low and full across the treetops and the stars of Silverpelt were beginning to glimmer down. Echowing paced back and forth in the center of the clearing, trying to warm herself up. Her Clanmates were also continuously moving, though she knew Ivypetal and the Elders were tucked firmly into their cozy nests away from the frigid air.
Earlier, Mouseclaw had been complaining about his stiff joints and Goldenmist suggested they not attend tonight's Gathering. Needless to say, the grumpy old tom had been more than willing to sacrifice a night of walking in chilly air for one of resting in his warm nest.
"Brrrr…" Rowanstrike chattered as he padded up to the creamy she-cat. His fur was fluffed up against the cold but his eyes held a soft warm glow that Echowing somehow felt all the way to her frozen paws and tail tip. "When's Hawkstar going to announce the cats that are going tonight?"
She shrugged, glancing at her father's den. "I don't know but I hope it's soon. I feel like I'm becoming part of this stupid snow!" She shook her pelt for emphasis and multiple flakes drifted off.
A purr rumbled through his body as he pressed against her to conserve warmth. She leaned against him and twined their tails together. They stood like that for a moment and she closed her eyes thinking, I could stay like this forever.
Only she couldn't.
Echowing let out a small sigh and pulled back from the ginger tom even though she wanted nothing more than to bury her muzzle in his sturdy shoulder. He blinked down at her and she noticed frozen drops of water hanging from his whiskers and dragging them down. She let out a mrrow of laughter and flicked him on the muzzle. She then spotted Hawkstar emerging from his den and bounding down to the clearing.
"Come on, droopy-whiskers, let's go see who's going to the Gathering," she meowed, racing to where her father stood.
"ThunderClan!" the tabby tom called. "The cats going to the Gathering tonight will be Petalstream, Littlewhisker, Echowing, Tinyfeather, Stormstripe, Rowanstrike, Dustclaw, Hollyfrost, Fishleap, Iceheart, Furzebelly, and Forestfur."
Echowing felt a thrill of excitement course through her. Tonight was going to be her first Gathering as a full warrior! Her tail curled up in anticipation and she could hardly keep herself from bouncing forward like a kit.
"We're leaving," Hawkstar announced and, after gathering his cats with a sweep of his tail, led them through the forest and towards the path to the island.
As Rowanstrike settled into a conversation with Dustclaw, Echowing dropped back to walk next to Tinyfeather. Her silver friend had been strangely quiet lately and she was getting a bit concerned. Tonight though, Tinyfeather looked more in despair than ever with her shoulders hunched against the biting wind and her slow pawsteps.
"Hey," Echowing murmured, matching the silver she-cat's sluggish pace. "You look as if you've just seen a fox eat a kit or something. What's wrong?"
Tinyfeather flinched slightly. "Nothing," she replied too quickly. Echowing's green eyes narrowed curiously.
"You know you can tell me right?" she asked. "Even if it's about-" here she lowered her voice- "Blackfrost."
"What makes you think it's about that?" her friend hissed sharply, glaring at her from her blue eyes. "I'm perfectly fine, okay?"
Echowing blinked in surprise. "Oh-kay…" she answered slowly, confused at this sudden outburst of anger. "If you don't want to talk about it-"
"I don't." And with that Tinyfeather sprinted forward to catch up with the rest of their Clanmates leaving a dumbfounded she-cat in her wake.
Echowing could only shake her head in shock. StarClan help me, I'll never understand forbidden loves.
0-0-0
When the ThunderClan cats arrived at the dead tree that served as the only entrance and exit to and from the island, Echowing leaped up onto it and easily made her way across. She jumped to the sandy round on the other end and cast a triumphant glance at the tree bridge. Even though it was silly, the small victory of conquering her fear of the water sent a nice glow through her.
"Echowing, come on!" Forestfur called and she realized she was still standing by the shore like a mouse-brain while everyone else was already heading deeper into the island.
"Coming!" she meowed. She padded quickly to where her former mentor stood waiting for her and together they entered the thin trees. "Forestfur, do you think Crowstar is going to be there? Or Shadestar?"
The black she-cat was no more than a shadow of the night as they made their way towards the center. "I highly doubt Crowstar is going to be there, seeing as RiverClan hasn't come in moons. And as for Shadestar, well, to come would just be like asking to get ripped apart by WindClan," she answered after a thoughtful pause.
Echowing nodded. "I hope neither of them comes."
"The balance of peace must be restored but I don't think that time is going to come anytime soon," Forestfur meowed softly, glancing up at the sky to where the moon shone.
A thorn pierced Echowing's conscious and she winced slightly. It's me that has to restore the peace, she thought, feeling a strange sense of loneliness at the thought. She was the only one that could stop Crowstar before all the Clans fell to ruin, the one StarClan themselves had chosen to save them all. No pressure though.
The tress thinned out and the two she-cats entered the clearing. Echowing let out a breath of relief when she realized that only WindClan and ThunderClan were there at the moment. She hoped it stayed that way because she was sure she wouldn't be able to stop herself from clawing Crowstar's or Shadestar's eyes out.
Swallowstar sat on one of the highest branches of the great oak, shifty eyes flickering over the clearing as if he wasn't sure who to trust anymore. The attack had left WindClan weak and Echowing knew they had lost their elders and a warrior while everyone else suffered major scars. The gray tabby leader's ear was completely shredded and even from down below she could tell that the wound on his shoulder had not completely healed.
"Hawkstar!" Swallowstar called, rising to his paws in greeting.
The ThunderClan leader climbed swiftly up the huge tree and settled down on the branch opposite of the tom. "Greetings, Swallowstar," he replied, his sharp eyes effectively assessing the wounds the WindClan leader still had. "How is WindClan?"
Swallowstar said something that Echowing couldn't hear so she turned back to the crowd of cats and left the two leaders to their discussion. She spotted Tinyfeather talking animatedly with Foxleaf, her tail making dramatic sweeping motions as she described something, and she felt a twinge of envy. So Tinyfeather could talk freely with a cat from a different Clan but not with a friend from her own Clan? She shoved away the thought, guilty for thinking of such a thing. Tinyfeather could talk with whoever she wanted.
"Echowing!"
The creamy warrior turned when Iceheart called her name and saw the white she-cat sitting with Bluepool, WindClan's Medicine Cat. She padded to where the two were settled and dipped her head respectfully to the blue-gray she-cat.
"Oh you don't need to do that," Bluepool meowed, rolling her eyes in amusement. "I was just telling Iceheart here that I saw how you tried to save Featherpool and Littlewhisker and that was very brave of you."
Echowing dropped her gaze to her paws and shrugged uncomfortably. Why did it seem as if everyone was always praising her for something any other cat would have done in a heartbeat as well?
"I miss her too, you know," Bluepool continued softly. "She was a great Medicine Cat and no one could ask for a better ally or friend."
Iceheart nodded her agreement, blue eyes sorrowful. "But she's watching over us in StarClan now, I'm sure of it."
"I bet she has all the mice she can eat in StarClan." Echowing tried to purr but it got stuck in her throat.
"Oh yes," Bluepool mewed wistfully. "She'll never have to be hungry again."
"So, how's WindClan doing?" she asked quickly, not so subtly changing the subject.
Bluepool blinked but easily shifted topics without question. "Leaf-bare has not been too kind so far," she murmured. "It almost never stops snowing and most of the rabbits are in their dens almost all the time. But we'll survive, as we always have. How's ThunderClan?"
"Not much better. The prey has all but vanished and there is a constant layer of snow on the ground. I don't think it can get much worse than it is now. I hope so anyway." Echoing shifted on her paws to try and create heat. "I wish Hawkstar would start the Gathering already; tonight isn't exactly the best night to be lingering."
Iceheart cocked her head to the side slightly and sniffed the air. "So ShadowClan has decided to come after all," she muttered darkly.
Prickled with shock, Echowing whipped her head towards the tress and could see the movement of cats emerging out of them. The scent of ShadowClan reached her nostrils and she wrinkled her nose at the horrible odor. She squinted and could just make out the dark form of Shadestar as he stood at the top of the small slope.
The ShadowClan warriors slowly followed their leader as the warily made their way down in the clearing where the other two Clans were. Hisses sprung from every WindClan cat and even some ThunderClan cats as Shadestar clawed his way up the oak tree and settled on a branch just below the two leaders.
Swallowstar leaped to his paws and glared down at the tom. "You have some nerve bringing your Clan to the Gathering," he growled, claws sliding out. Echowing could see how hard he was trying to control himself.
Shadestar flicked an ear dismissively. "It's a night of peace, Swallowstar," he drawled almost lazily. "Surely you do not want to anger StarClan, do you?"
"You have no right to talk about peace!" The yowl came from Breezewater who was on her paws with her fur bristling. "If you honor StarClan, you would never have conspired with RiverClan to attack us!"
"Shadestar," Hawkstar interjected coldly. "I would advise you to leave before this escalates into something worse."
"Is that a threat?" Graystorm shouted from the tree roots. "Come down here then and prove just how strong you are!"
Dustclaw pushed his way forward through the crowd. "If you want a fight, you can have one," he snarled, crouching down and preparing to spring.
Graystorm's eyes gleamed and with a yowl he collided with the ThunderClan warrior in a tumbled of claws and caterwauls. Swallowstar didn't even wait before throwing himself at Shadestar and the two fell down to the base of the tree in a writhing heap. Before Echowing knew it, every ShadowClan warrior was engaged in some type of skirmish or fight with a WindClan cat, ThunderClan cat, or both. Her heart was pounding rapidly when she suddenly spotted a pale gray ShadowClan tom holding down Poppyheart of WindClan. Without hesitating, she rushed forward and crashed into the tom, sending him sprawling across the ground.
The ShadowClan warrior leapt to his paws and she turned to face him. With a screech, he threw himself at her with claws outstretched and she barely dodged away in time. She lashed out and yowled with pleasure as her thorn sharp claws connected with his hind leg, creating a shallow gash. Just as she was about to leap at him, a voice stopped her.
"ENOUGH!"
The entire clearing froze at Hawkstar's sharp command. Echowing looked up at her father standing on the highest branch with the fain starlight shinning down on his pelt.
"Look at the moon," he yowled, lashing his tail. "StarClan is furious at us for disrupting a Gathering like this!" She glanced up and saw that he was right; the moon was completely obscured by the clouds. Hawkstar scowled down at the cats below. "This Gathering is over. Collect your Clans and leave."
Shadestar broke out of Swallowstar's grip and shouted, "ShadowClan, to me!" With a sweep of his tail, he turned and led the way out of the clearing while the cats left behind called out jeers and taunts as they disappeared.
"And don't come back!" a WindClan cat shouted; Echowing could see who it was. The rest of the calling slowly died down until there was only a silence that was so loud in her ears she wanted to cover them with her paws. It was the type of silence that screamed what do we do now?
Hawkstar cleared his throat and abruptly slid down the tree trunk until he stood on the ground in front of Swallowstar. "You should not have let him provoke you like that." He was talking quietly but Echowing was close enough so that she could hear as the other cats began to murmur between themselves.
"Did you think I was just going to stand there and stay silent when the cat who attacked my Clan acted as if nothing was wrong?" Swallowstar was shaking and she knew he was struggling to keep his anger in check. "He's the reason three of my cats died!"
Hawkstar sent him a sharp look of warning. "No," he answered in a low voice that Echowing strained to hear. "He is just part of the reason they died. Crowstar was part of it too, remember? And besides, did it ever occur to you that maybe Shadestar wanted you to react tonight? Think, Swallowstar. He's trying to get you to make the first move."
"Why would he do that?" Swallowstar exclaimed, bewildered.
Hawkstar shrugged. "I don't know but I have a feeling him and Crowstar are planning something. But I have no idea what it might be."
As they continued their discussion, Echowing scanned the crowd to try and find Tinyfeather to ask her if Blackfrost had told her anything about a plan Shadestar might have had. She looked at every cat but none of them was the pretty narrow one of her friend. She walked along the edge of the clearing, the wind picking up and sending a hard tremor through her. Hawkstar is absolutely mad to keep us waiting here any longer!
However, along with the breeze, Tinyfeather's familiar scent reached her and Echowing turned to follow it deeper into the island. She swerved around a bush of pointy thorn and went around a little bend before she spotted the silver warrior sitting by herself with her head tilted back and her eyes closed. Echowing deliberately stepped on a hard leaf so that Tinyfeather would know that she was there.
Her friend's eyes snapped open and she jumped to her paws looking guilty about something. "Echowing! W-what are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you the same question," Echowing replied, narrowing her eyes as Tinyfeather looked everywhere but at her. "Why are you sitting way out here by yourself when the Gathering isn't even completely over yet?"
Tinyfeather shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant but failing. "No reason exactly…"
Echowing stepped forward, squinting at her friend worriedly. Obviously something was seriously bothering her. "What is it Tinyfeather? And don't try to hand me that mouse-dung about you being perfectly fine because something is on your mind."
Without any warning Tinyfeather let out a sudden small wail and crumpled onto the ground, staring aguishly at her paws. "I can't tell you Echowing," she whispered, sinking into herself. "I can't…"
Concerned, the creamy she-cat raced quickly forward and lay down next to the dejected warrior. "You can tell me, Tinyfeather. Please, I want to help."
"There's no way you can help me. It's already done."
"What is?"
Tinyfeather locked gazes with her and Echowing saw fear and something else she couldn't name in the blue depths of her eyes. When she spoke, her voice was remorseful and flat as she whispered, "I'm expecting kits."
Echowing sucked in a sharp breath of frigid air, staring at Tinyfeather with eyes as wide as moons. There was, she knew, no question who the father was. "Tinyfeather…" she breathed.
Tinyfeather nodded despondently. "What am I going to do?" she cried, her voice quivering. "They can't find out of everything will be ruined!"
Echowing sat silent for a moment, her thoughts whirling around in her head as she tried to think of something. "Then they won't find out," she answered finally. The solution was so simple and easy in her eyes. At Tinyfeather's confused look she explained "They won't find out because neither of us will tell them. A queen has the right to stay quiet about who her mate is so that's what you'll do."
"But doesn't it seem like that'll make it even more suspicious?" Tinyfeather argued.
"Look, the only other option is to tell them about you and Blackfrost so unless you want all of ThunderClan and ShadowClan discovering your secret, this is the only way," she insisted. "And besides, think of your kits. If someone knew they were only half ThunderClan…you know how some of our Clanmates aren't the most understanding cats."
After a moment Tinyfeather nodded slowly, looking slightly less fearful than she had a moment ago. "Alright, Echowing. This stays between us."
"Does Blackfrost…?" She let the question hang there.
"No, not yet. I tried to tell him tonight but they left so fast I could hardly say more than 'I need to talk to you' before he had to go." Tinyfeather rested her head on her paws. "I'm sorry I'm putting you through this Echowing."
Echowing pressed against her comfortingly and looked up at the moon that hung surrounded by multiple stars. "You're not putting me through anything," she assured her. "I'm sticking by you because I choose to, not because I have to."
Tinyfeather let out a weary sigh. "Thanks Echowing."
The creamy warrior rose to her paws and nudged her friend with her muzzle. "Come on, let's get back before they wonder what happened to us."
Tinyfeather nodded and got to her paws before the two began to make their way back to where the rest of the cats were still gathered but getting ready to leave. Echowing slipped to the back of the group of ThunderClan cats and found herself next to Iceheart. The white she-cat looked deep in thought and jumped when Echowing said her name.
"Oh Echowing, didn't see you there!"
Echowing broke into a purr. "What's got you so serious looking?"
The cluster of the cats began making their way off the island and Iceheart meowed, "I was just wondering how Hailpaw and Birchpaw were doing. I don't even know if they're warriors now or not because they haven't been to the Gatherings and the last time I saw either one of them was right before I left RiverClan."
They had to stop talking when it was Echowing's turn to cross the tree. The small warrior leapt up and carefully made her way across to the other side. A few moments later Iceheart jumped down beside her and they continued their conversation while padding towards ThunderClan territory.
"Do you miss your Clan?" Echowing asked.
Iceheart cast her a thoughtful glance. "I miss the way it used to be," she responded dryly. "But no, I don't exactly miss it so much as I wish things were different."
Echowing nodded. That, at least, was something she could relate to. Thinking of Tinyfeather pregnant with Blackfrost's kits made her question, "Do you ever regret being a Medicine Cat?"
"No, why would you think that?" the RiverClan she-cat exclaimed in puzzled surprise.
"Didn't you ever want kits or a mate?" She countered the question with another.
Iceheart blinked. "No," she admitted truthfully. "I never doubted that being a Medicine Cat was the destiny StarClan laid out in front of me. I always felt like the cats I treated were like kits to me in a way even though they were just my Clanmates. I guess it's just a matter of perception. Why did this suddenly come up? Are you...with Rowanstrike…are you…?"
"No!" Echowing's pelt heated up with embarrassment and her denial came out more forceful than she'd intended. "No…I'm not expecting kits. Not now and not anytime soon."
Iceheart looked amused. "It's not a crime for a she-cat to want to have kits, you know."
Even if they're half-Clan? Their conversation held such irony that Echowing fought back a hysterical mrrow of laughter. StarClan was nothing if not cynical. "I don't even want kits anyway."
"You might be surprised. I've known lots of she-cats who say they don't want kits and then end up expecting some anyway."
Echowing ducked under a low hanging branch and meowed firmly, "I really don't want any."
Iceheart paused and turned to look at her. "And what if Rowanstrike wants a family, Echowing? Could you deny him that just because you don't want one?"
"It's not that I don't want one," she burst out before she could stop herself. "It's just that if I do have kits…I…"
"You're afraid you'll lose them as well, right?" Iceheart prompted gently. "Because you've lost so many already."
Echowing shrugged and looked away, feeling more exposed than ever. "It just seems like every cat I care about dies," she whispered wretchedly.
Iceheart brushed against her. "Then you have to take a look around and realize how much you have left that's still living and breathing. You may not believe it, Echowing, but a lot of your Clanmates care about you. Including me."
Her words reached someplace deep inside the creamy she-cat that had been filled with loneliness ever since Pinepaw had died. She leaned against her friend and let out a loud purr. "Thanks Iceheart."
Iceheart's blue eyes glowed in the moonlight. "Just remember Echowing, you will always be loved no matter what. And don't lose sight of what you want just because it might create a block in the path you're walking. Life is too short to second guess yourself. Take a risk every now and then. You might be surprised with what you find."
"How did you become so wise?" Echowing joked.
Iceheart let out a trill of laughter. "When you've lived as many seasons as I have, you tend to learn a few things."
And as she glanced up towards the moon, Echowing realized that her Medicine Cat friend was right. Life was all about taking chances and taking risks. Like hurling oneself off a cliff, not knowing if the fall was long or short, or if anything was waiting at the bottom.
She just hoped there would be someone strong and loyal beside her then, unhesitant when the time came to take that final plunge with her into the unknown that awaited them from below.
TINYFEATHER'S EXPECTING! *gasp* what's going to happen? Will the secret stay hidden forever? Will the kits have to choose between ThunderClan and ShadowClan? You'll just have to wait and find out!
And here's the response to Quadethepeanutbutter's PM:
I'm so glad that this story could be so inspirational to you! And just tell me when you posted the first chapter because then I'll advertise it in an author's note in one of my chapters. :) If you don't finish it during this story, I'll certainly promote it in my next one that I'm going to be writing. I would be honored to give you advise if you want it! Now, about your description:
'Sothyeno is a rogue and her father was killed by Thunderclan. Now shes out for revenge. At the same time evil Redstar leads his band of rogues to do the same thing.'
You might want to add some more description during the first part such as "Sothyeno is a rouge struggling to survive ever since her father was brutally attacked and killed by ThunderClan." or something like that. And I'm a bit confused with the last part. Clan does Redstar lead and why does he have a band of rogues? And what is going to do that's the "same thing"?
Hope this helped a bit. If you want any more advice, just PM me.
~Starr