Two worlds collide

Chapter 9 Veil of darkness

A couple days after the attack, Bramblestar was able to return home. Though was told to take it easy.

It was the night before the full moon. Simba had escorted Bramblestar to the tunnel and asked to bring the clans to the pridelands for the gathering as he was interested to know what goes on.

The cats in Thunderclan were grateful to have their leader back and relieved he was okay.

Bramblestar had gathered the other leaders and after much consideration decided to have the next gathering in the pridelands. They knew Simba was a leader too, and was interested about the clans customs. And that the pridelanders were starting to become allies with them.

The next evening, the cats chosen to attend the gathering gathered in Thunderclan and went through the tunnel into the pridelands.

The cats all looked around at the wonderous sight. Eventually they came to Mizimu grove. They looked around at the grove, there were sixteen trees planted around and in the center was a rock.

Simba, Nala, Kiara, Kovu and Kion were all standing on the rock. Simba had told Bramblestar about Mizimu grove was a place for events similar to the gatherings the clans had.

The cats all gathered around in front of the rock. Lionesses from Simba's pride and the lion guard were also gathered at the grove.

Warriors from the other clans looked in astonishment at seeing lions. They couldn't believe that lions were real. They were also surprised about other animals like badgers and birds could talk too.

The cats gathered around and started talking to the pridelanders. Tiifu and Zuri came up to a white tom with blue eyes and a tortoiseshell cat.

"Hi," said the white cat cheerfully. "I'm Cloudtail, and this is Brightheart."

The two lionesses looked at Brightheart. She looked like she was missing an eye and there was a scar along where the eye should've been and it was missing some fur.

"Ugh, what happened to your face?" said Zuri in disgust.

"Hey!" snapped Cloudtail defensively. "That is my mate you're talking to and she did not go through an attack by a dog and almost dying just so you could call her ugly! She'll always be the most beautiful cat to me."

"Sorry" said Zuri guiltily, realizing Brightheart had been through a lot.

"Cloudtail it's okay," said Brightheart softly, putting a paw on her mate's back. "Don't worry about my mate, he might be arrogant but he's one of the friendliest cats you'll meet."

"It's alright," said Tiifu. "I'm sorry about my friend. She might be obsessed with appearances, but she does mean well."

The leaders all gathered up on the stone and talked with Simba for a moment and then they started the gathering.

Simba, the pride and the lion guard all listened as the other leaders talked about new apprentices and warriors, recent deaths and incidents with rouges and predators.

"Do you think daddy should tell them about Zira and the rouge?" Kiara whispered to Kovu. "I don't want to make the clans mad by making it look like we put their lives at risk bringing them here."

"It's up for Simba to decide" replied Kovu.

Bramblestar went up last.

"A few days ago," announced Bramblestar. "Starclan visited me in a dream and gave me a prophecy. It said two worlds must collide to defeat the rising darkness. And I had an omen that had a lion and a cat together."

The pride and the cats all exchanged looks and started talking. After a moment, Kestralflight raised his tail in silence.

"Starclan visited me too," he spoke up. "And told me the same prophecy."

"So did we" cried Willowshine.

"So has Skyclan" said Frecklewish.

"And so has Shadowclan" added Puddleshine.

"Did the king get the prophecy from Starclan?" called a Windclan she-cat.

"No," Kion spoke. "Starclan hasn't visited my dad or any of us."

"It's obvious Starclan wanted you to find our world," Simba announced. "And so did the lions of the past."

"Is there anything you'd like to report Simba?" asked Mistystar.

The pride and the lion guard all held their breaths as Simba stared down at the clans.

He then took a deep breath.

"We've had trouble with a rouge," he stated calmly. "One of our pride members got attacked. But we've got it under control."

Cats exchanged worried looks and some started whispering. Thunderclan cats though remained quiet.

"If that's all," announced Leafstar. "Then the gathering is over."

Everyone watched as cats started to leave the grove.

"Well that went pretty well," said Bunga. "With Zira and a rouge on the loose, it was no trouble."

"They didn't seem too happy that we let them come here with a rouge on the on the loose," said Fuli doubtfully. "We're starting to become allies with them, so we don't want to make them mad."

"Dad's doing what he thinks is best for the pridelands," declared Kion. "We're all patrolling the boarders and keeping a look out for Zira and the rouge."

"Hey Beshte," said Bunga. "What do you think about that whole prophecy stuff? about the whole two worlds collide and rising darkness?"

"I don't know Bunga," said Beshte. "But it sure sounds strange."

As the cats all left Mistystar stayed back and talked with Simba.

"So you're Bluestar's daughter?" asked Simba. "How is it that a leader of Riverclan is the daughter of a Thunderclan leader?"

"My father Oakheart was a Riverclan cat," explained Mistystar. "Bluestar gave birth to me and my brother Stonefur in Thunderclan. Thunderclan needed a new deputy at the time and there was this cat called Thistleclaw. He was a great and loyal warrior. But he preferred fighting over solving things peacefully. If he had became leader he would've led the clan into unnecessary battles."

"So Bluestar gave you up to become deputy?" asked Simba.

"That's so sad" said Tiifu softly.

"Stonefur and I didn't know she was our mother till the last moons of her life," continued Mistystar. "Crookedstar was the only one who knew about our father's relationship with Bluestar. Oakheart wasn't just his deputy, he was our father's brother and you can imagine how close they were."

Must've been very close if he trusted him as his deputy Simba thought to himself.

"I have mixed feelings about Leopardstar," sighed Simba. "I know you say she was a good leader, but sometimes she reminds me of Zira. Because of her former loyalty towards Tigerstar and how she took part in the killing of Stonefur because he was half clan. I don't know how you could've become deputy after what she did."

"She barely did any of the killing and she begun to have her doubts in Tigerstar," said Mistystar. "She was only doing what she thought was best for Riverclan by joining Tigerstar when he tried to recreate Tigerclan. She might've been difficult with the other clans, especially Thunderclan. But she still cared very much for her clan and worked with the other clans when she had to. And you two are more alike."

"We do?" asked Simba.

"You both know what it's like to grow up with a parent," said Mistystar. "Her mother was ill when she gave birth to her, it spread to her kits. Her mother and all her brothers and sisters died. She was the only one who survived and she barely survived the night."

Hearing this gave Simba a new respect for Leopardstar, he realized he and Leopardstar did have a more in common then he thought.

Mistystar left to catch up with the other Riverclan cats.

As the pride walked home, Kovu and Vitani walked by each other talking.

"I think it's for the best Simba told the clans about the rouge," said Vitani. "You know mother. Bramblestar's lucky to be alive to tell anybody."

"It's a good thing he has nine lives," said Kovu humorously. "Otherwise, he would be dead. Mother would've made sure to finish the job if she hadn't been so surprised to see him come back to life."

"Cats are smaller than lions," Vitani reminded. "Mother would've killed him, they'd never be able to fight a lion, they've never fought anything bigger than a fox."

"You don't think mother and the rouge lioness are working together, do you?" asked Kovu.

"It wouldn't surprise me if they were," scoffed Vitani. "What do you think about the prophecy?"

"I don't know," said Kovu. "But I fear that the darkness will destroy both the clans and the pridelands."

Zira and Mapleshade were sitting at the boarder talking. Zira had told Mapleshade her story about her and Scar and how Simba overthrew him and banished her and her followers to the outlands. And how Kovu was chosen to succeed Scar and fell in love with Kiara and the other outsiders joined them.

"Sounds just like some of the dark forest trainees," huffed Mapleshade. "We dark forest cats have tried to make warriors stronger and see how weak the warrior code is, but some betray us."

"So, what's your problem with Thunderclan and Riverclan?" asked Zira.

"In my old life, I was a Thunderclan cat," explained Mapleshade. "I was a loyal warrior, and I had secretly fell in love with a Riverclan cat named Appledusk. And we had kits together. I had two sons Larchkit and Patchkit and a daughter Petalkit. I loved them very much, Patchkit and I were always close, he was very timid and always liked to stay near me."

"Sounds like a weak kit" growled Zira.

Mapleshade then slapped Zira in the face.

"You may not care for your cubs," she snapped. "But I cared for mine! Don't ever talk about my kits that way again!"

Zira stared speechlessly at Mapleshade and didn't say a word.

"When Thunderclan found about my relationship with Appledusk, my kits and I were exiled for mating with a cat from another clan, I plotted revenge on Thunderclan. I planned to move to Riverclan, but my kits drowned in the river. Riverclan wouldn't let me stay either and Appledusk left me! I went and killed the cats who ruined my life, especially Appledusk. I tried to kill his new mate Reedshine who was pregnant. But he jumped in the way and I killed him instead. His apprentice attacked me and I later died from my injuries."

"Wow," said Zira with a smirk. "We really do have a lot in common. I almost wish Simba had nine lives so I can take them one by one."

"Don't worry," said Mapleshade. "Soon we'll have the pridelands and the clans under our control."

Mapleshade then walked off.

"I want what I deserve!" she sang.

Kovu laid awake in pride rock as everyone else slept. He wondered about the prophecy. Was danger really coming to the pridelands?

He got up and walked outside.

He looked up at the stars for a while.

Just then he saw what looked like starry paw prints walking along the edge of pride rock and walking up into the sky. The outlines of two figures started to show up. As the figures become more clear, he could see a lion and a cat walking next to each other.

That must be the omen Bramblestar saw Kovu thought to himself.

He watched until the cat and the lion disappeared.

Kovu realized that Starclan had sent the pridelanders the omen too and went back inside.