I love this chapter so much, I can imagine it being like Clara in the doctor's time stream but it's Ravenpaw looking epic with fire all around her, I just simply can't... I love that episode so much...
Sorry, I love doctor who.
Anyway. Your probably wondering where are all the cats that you wanted to be in the story, well I wrote this before I started doing that, so that's why, yes I write the chapters before the authors not at the beginning, I think I wrote this chapter... about five days ago, but I wouldn't upload it till I have other chapters after in case of writing block, always keep some spare :D But your OCs should be in not the next chapter but the one after, because I know who will be in it now and I haven't written chapter 28 yet.
Chapter 27: An accepted destiny...
Ravenpaw opened her eyes warily, her green orbs franticly scanned the area, on the lookout of a normal sign of a beginning of a nightmare. But she found she was not in the usual blank, dark expanse of mist she was used to. She was in a beautiful forest, the leaves a pattern of bright green above her head, rustling in the light breeze. The air was slightly dry, with a crisp tang. The final sunbeams casted by the setting sun sunk through the thick green and lime canopy above her head, and dappled her coat with reflections of the bright yellow light.
She trotted along the path, carved by the trees, letting her paws lead the way. The sound of cats talking made her stop abruptly. She twisted her ears toward the source, straining to hear. The sound of cat's thoughts, which she had learnt by now had a faint echo to them were far clearer and she followed them without hesitation. She came to a holly bush, and gritting her teeth as her pelt snagged on its barbed leaves, she peered into her surroundings.
There were two cats sitting by a gentle stream, its ripples danced with the light of the sunset, and it made a gentle trickle as the water flowed downhill. Ravenpaw narrowed her eyes, one cat was a pale grey tom, with clear blue eyes. She recognised him to be Jayfeather immediately. The other cat, was a flame coloured tom, with a orange pelt much like the sunbeams that were falling into the clearing. His eyes were bright green, like the forest canopy in Greenleaf and a copy of Ravenpaw's. She remembered being told about a cat who looked just like the one she was staring at, except he glittered with starlight, his paws being shrouded in a faint glow, and his pelt scattering miniature stars as it shook. His eyes were far brighter than any other cat she had ever seen, like they were miniature stars.
"Firestar" Jayfeather mewed, dipping his head to the flame coloured tom. Which made Ravenpaw's suspicions true, this was the legendary Firestar. She pricked her ears, her interest only getting more so by the second. "Jayfeather, I guess you are wondering why I have summoned you." Firestar growled, making sure to keep his voice low and quiet. Ravenpaw strained forward, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"You've found the five?" Firestar asked, with his eyebrows raised.
Jayfeather nodded. "One of them knows about the prophecy, I've even trained her to make her powers stronger. The others know nothing."
"Haven't you thought about telling them?"
"I will soon, I just needed to be sure we had the right cats, we don't want another Hollyleaf situation."
Firestar nodded, his eyes darkening. Ravenpaw's mind flashed to the image of a black she cat with green eyes, probably a strong surge of mental activity from Jayfeather after being reminded about his dead sister. She pushed it away, knowing any mental contact with the medicine cat would alert him that she was there.
"Why am I here Firestar? I'm not a kit I am well aware that I need to tell the five their destiny." Jayfeather growled, seeming to have limited respect in his voice.
"I'm glad you are!" a cheery mew emerged from the bushes and a blue cat, with three cats following, one spotted, one white and the other black. They were all she cats.
Firestar sat down next to a faded spotted she cat, her pelt was dappled with brown, white, black and hints of gold and her amber eyes glinted with humour. The blue she cat glared at the pair and sat next to the black cat, who had a face of pure seriousness. The last, a beautiful white faded cat with bright green eyes sat next to Jayfeather, purring constantly. Ravenpaw raised an eyebrow, Jayfeather looked in pure peace of the moment, his fur dangerously close to the faded white cat.
The blue cat glared at the two pairs before mewing. "The prophecy needs to begin, thunderclan grows in more danger everyday and we have far worse matters here in Starclan."
"what?" Hissed Jayfeather.
"Starclan is being invaded brother." Mewed the black she cat who Ravenpaw recognised to be Hollyleaf. "Every day we gain scars on our pelts where we have gone to fight on the border to keep the dark forest out. They know if they take over this place they will be closer than ever to destroying the clans."
"You may live your lives fighting occasionally, but you are blind to the spiritual war going on around you constantly, you think Starclan does nothing? You couldn't be more wrong. The dark forest tries to harm you every day, breaking through the surface of reality, only Starclan is what stops them from murdering you in your sleep." The dappled she cat mewed gently, her voice like honey.
"Spottedleaf is right, Starclan protects you more than you think. Obviously you are not being harmed daily, but frequently we have to protect a cat that is about to be killed or worse being dragged off into darkness by some dark forest cat. Only with the arrival of Tigerstar did this become more common." Firestar growled, backing up Spottedleaf.
"On the border with the Darkforest we are being invaded, we have just returned from another battle, luckily no one died this time.." The white she cat mewed.
Jayfeather's eyes widened, and he looked deep into her green eyes, his blue orbs brimming with concern. "Half moon! Are you ok!? You didn't get hurt did you!?"
Half moon purred and gave his ear a quick lick, ignoring a growl from the blue cat who Ravenpaw had guessed was Thunderclan's legendary leader Bluestar. "mouse brain, I'm fine Jayfeather, I'm helping the medicine cats, so you don't need to be worried about old me going into battle."
Ravenpaw pricked her ears at the two cat's obvious affection. She wasn't sure who Half moon was or how Jayfeather had even forged this bond with her if he had never met her. Or...he had?!
Hollyleaf frowned at the two cats before growling. "Brother, please focus, Starclan and all the clans are in the greatest danger. The Darkforest is rising again but this time they are openly attacking Starclan, and they are in full control of one the most powerful clans around the lake."
Bluestar nodded. "You need to tell the five their destiny, the reason they were born was to save the clans."
"Will it just end up like last time? With a huge battle and no real end to it? We thought they were gone but they're back, what we did was wasted. What we gave up was for nothing!" Jayfeather shouted, his hackles raised and a defiant glare pierced into Bluestar.
Firestar's green eyes narrowed. "Jayfeather listen, you cannot let that situation cloud your judgement, we had to send you back, you had to be here."
Jayfeather turned to Firestar his claws unsheathed. Ravenpaw shivered, she had never seen him so angry. "You could have left me in the mountains! Me and Half moon could have lived happy lives! You ruined it all!"
Half moon shook her head. "We could have never done that Jayfeather, you destiny was with the clans...it never could have been with me." He voice was tinged with hurt and regret but covered in a golden glow of love with a soft purr that soothed the angry medicine cat. "your destiny is not over yet Jayfeather, your powers are still needed."
Jayfeather's eyes gleamed with curiosity, but he bit back more questions. "I will tell the five." He narrowed his eyes and a small smile crept on his muzzle. "We will mentor them, help them use their powers effectively. Ivypool can help too."
Firestar gave an approving nod, but Ravenpaw's stomach knotted in fear. She didn't want a destiny covered in bloodshed and darkness, she wanted to be a warrior, and one day Ravenstar, leader of thunderclan. The flame coloured tom got up and swept his tail, beckoning the cats to follow. Jayfeather nodded and all the cats left the clearing, leaving glittering starlight as a trail.
Ravenpaw, silently stalked through the bushes, making sure she couldn't be spotted by staying in the shadows, her dark pelt keeping her hidden. Eventually the cats stopped at a small pool surrounded by smooth pebbles, the water was crystal clear and was still, it reflected the dark sky full to the brim of stars above. Everyone settled down with their tails wrapped around their paws at the water's edge, Firestar looked into the pool and gently, made the water ripple by brushing it lightly with his paw.
Ravenpaw's eyes widened, she could see in her hiding place, the pool rippling, circular waves travelled to the edge, and colour filled the dark liquid like a morning sunrise over mist. She gasped quickly, and slapped her tail over her mouth as she saw all the cat's ears lock onto her. Six pairs of eyes locked on her position and Hollyleaf let out a growl. She glanced at Bluestar before padding slowly towards Ravenpaw, her green eyes narrowed to the tiniest slits. Her claws scratched the pebbles and with a growl she leapt for the bush that Ravenpaw was hiding in. Ravenpaw let out a shrill cry of fear as the larger she cat tumbled into her, Ravenpaw was out in the open now, on her back, looking up into the eyes of her father's dead sister, the stories were true, with her dangerous green eyes and courage of a lion, Hollyleaf was the formidable warrior that her father had told her about.
Hollyleaf's growl faded and the snarl she bore was wiped off her muzzle when she took in Ravenpaw's wide green eyes and terrified expression. The Starclan warrior's eyes widened and she took her unsheathed paw off Ravenpaw's neck, allowing her to breathe for the first time.
All the gathering had grown silent, all eyes were burning into her pelt as Ravenpaw rose from the ground and stood to face the consequences. Jayfeather looked horrified to see her here, while Firestar's face was full of awe and Bluestar gave her a nod of approval. "I-I'm sorry..I thought you were a dark forest cat.." Hollyleaf gasped, looking very guilty.
Ravenpaw met her guilty gaze and green met green as she tried to act strong. "Don't worry Hollyleaf, it's not your fault, I shouldn't be here..."
Jayfeather gave a pleading look to Spottedleaf. "She's not dead is she?"
"Mousebrain! Do you see any starlight on her pelt!? I thought you were smarter than that Jayfeather, of course she's not dead, and your all birdbrains for not noticing her.." a low growl emerged from the bushes, and Ravenpaw found herself staring at a fluffy grey she cat, with a squashed muzzle and many scars, her orange eyes gleamed with interest as she stared intently at Ravenpaw.
"Yellowfang!" Firestar croaked.
"Yes, you think you can have this meeting without me Firestar?! Well you can stop me! I may have been fighting but i wouldn't miss this meeting. The one in denial will finally see."
Ravenpaw looked at her paws, knowing the scarred she cat was speaking about her. Yellowfang sat beside Bluestar, and ushered Ravenpaw closer with one large paw. Warily, she sat down next to Yellowfang, trying to avoid the intense, starry stares of the Starclan cats. "Ravenpaw, Jayfeather has told you of your destiny, yet you still deny everything you were born to do. I have come here to get rid of that issue." Yellowfang purred.
"You have heard the prophecies that tell of your powerful future, but you still don't want to face what you are. You are one of the five Ravenpaw, and nothing can change that. It started with this prophecy, given to Jayfeather before you were born. Five, the rulers of the stars, the kin of Thunderclan's strongest blood will rise to battle the ghosts of the forgotten past. They will face great terror and tragedy to defeat the shadows that deceive us in the dark... Your mother even received the prophecy when you were born. Then moons later, once you were born, Songpaw was given this one; The sightful Raven, the unseen Storm, the swiftest fire, the Wolf's heart and the endless Song are the strongest blood of fire and thunder, they must learn of the shadows that haunt them, and the ghosts in the shadows of the past, for the war of flame and shadow is coming.. and they will have to sacrifice everything... even themselves..."
"But that's it! Yellowfang I'm scared, both of them tell of us facing terror, tragedy and sacrifice, the second says we have to die!" Ravenpaw's paranoid voice rose to a tiny wail.
Yellowfang's gaze darkened. "Starclan does not know what you will have to do, our vision is blurred and dull we cannot see into the future anymore. We believe it is due to Starclan being weakened by the Darkforest but I believe something else..."
Ravenpaw's ears pricked. "You Ravenpaw, and the other four, your power is over Starclan. It drowns out our own powers, for seeing into time, Songpaw has blurred that out, her power is far stronger than ours, and now due to that power we cannot do what she can." Firestar growled.
"Now, we have come here to show you what must happen Ravenpaw. We are the only cats that know of the five, except from some very trusted friends." Bluestar mewed.
"Who, and why so secretive?" Jayfeather growled.
Yellowfang frowned at him before giving a snort. "Tallstar, Crookedstar, Raggedstar, Oakheart, we had to tell at least one leader of every clan, ones we could trust not to tell any other cat. But Bluestar couldn't shut her mouth and had to tell Oakheart." Yellowfang growled.
Bluestar flicked her tail irritably. "I'm not the only cat that told her mate Yellowfang."
Yellowfang growled and gave the leader a hostile glare.
"We need to keep this very secret Jayfeather, if the Darkforest finds out the five will be killed, you can promise that." Spottedleaf mewed quietly.
Ravenpaw shrunk back, being crushed under the weight of what was happening. "Why have you brought me here? There's five of us." She mewed quietly.
Yellowfang nodded to the pool, Ravenpaw looked into the now still water and saw a formidable black she cat, with glowing green eyes, standing in the lead of a group of cats, defiant against the fire behind her. Ravenpaw gasped when she realised she was looking at herself. She looked back at Yellowfang, who growled, "Ravenpaw, you must lead the five, you have the leader's heart and you must unlock it. Stop this fear that holds you back, you must let yourself free and become the leader you know you are."
Ravenpaw kept staring at the image in the pool, her gaze locked with her own ferocious glare. Suddenly yowling sparked off at a distance. Ravenpaw's head shot up, and she looked around. The Starclan cats were looking around, eyes wide. Smoke was pouring out the trees in the distance. Firestar rose to his paws and gave Spottedleaf a gentle shove. "Go back to the whisperers, you need to get out of here."
Ravenpaw raised an eyebrow to Firestar. "I loved her once, but now my heart longs to be with Sandstorm again, I love her, not Spottedleaf."
Ravenpaw nodded understanding.
Spottedleaf nodded, and slowly she faded away till she was gone. Yellowfang bit Jayfeather's tail and he suddenly faded away. "What did you do!?" Ravenpaw roared at her.
"I woke him up idiot! Now go! A fire has started, we have to leave you!" Yellowfang hissed as the other cats sprang into the bushes, away from the roaring flames that approached ever closer.
"How!?"
"The Darkclan border, where the fighting was happening, must have been a Darkclan cat, or lightning, now go!" Yellowfang hissed as she shoved her into the pool, knowing the cold water would wake her up.
Ravenpaw struggled in the dark as she shifted from being asleep to waking up, her head was bursting with questions and what she had to do, but her heart grew warm as she realised with a clear, strong mind, that she had to lead the five.
And she was ready for her destiny.
Seriously, I love the last bit so much.
Ravenpaw becomes epic! Oh my gosh! Good bye wimp!
I don't know what to say now...
Bye my epic people, love your reviews I shall answer them in the next chapter.
Till next time,
Neon xx
