Post by ~*~Shiningstar~*~ on Jun 6, 2007 14:11:18 GMT -5
Chapter 1
I padded down the territory… my territory. All of it, the hills, the moors… they were mine and WindClan’s. My heart ached as I remembered my mother, Ashfoot. She was as noble as any warrior in StarClan, but alas, she died of green-cough last leaf-bare. When it became evident that Onestar needed a new deputy, he named me. Shocked, but pleased, I faithfully served my Clan for many moons… until Onestar died peacefully and went to hunt with StarClan.
Just thinking of that made me gulp. After all, I was one of the younger warriors when I had been made deputy. Was I truly ready to take on the responsibilities of the entire WindClan and then try to make peace throughout the forest? The thought made my stomach churn.
My paws carried me to the Moonpool. Leafpool had found it, along with another warrior; I can’t remember what her name was. Leafpool… my secret love. I can still remember the brush of her fur against mine, the shine in her eyes when she confessed she loved me. The memory made my fur tingle. But, I remembered, our love could not be. Medicine cats are not supposed to fall in love, and neither are cats of different Clans. It hurt me so much when she chose ThunderClan over me, but in the end, I knew she was right. We could have never been together.
My heart lifted slightly as I thought of my current mate, Nightcloud. Sure, she wasn’t Leafpool or Feathertail, the brave she-cat that journeyed to the sun-drown place with me, Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, Stormfur and Tawnypelt to save the Clan. She died to save me, to protect me from Sharptooth, a large mountain cat that was terrorizing another Clan of cats called the Tribe of Rushing Water. But Nightcloud understood me and took me under her wing after my escapade with Leafpool, when the rest of the Clan did not trust me.
And together, we had a beautiful kit named Breezestorm. He was always a handful. I like to think he got his personality from me, but maybe I’m pushing it.
As my thoughts drifted from Nightcloud, to Breezepaw, to Feathertail and to Leafpool, my paws carried me toward the ThunderClan border. I didn’t fully realize it until a patrol walked in on me. It was led by Squirrelflight. The dark ginger she-cat didn’t seem to be happy to see me, even though she knew I was fully capable to be there.
“What are you doing here Crowfeather?” she asked gruffly, her emerald eyes narrowed. I protested, “I can’t come to see old friends?”
There were several unsettled murmurs, and Squirrelflight growled, “No.” I was definitely startled. What had happened to the fun-loving Squirrelflight I had come to know? “Why?” I asked, a tremble in my voice. I was pushing it, I knew by the dark rage in a few of the other cats on patrol.
“We need to keep our borders in order.” Was the curt reply. In a last ditch attempt to make peace, I asked, “What about Brambleclaw?” He was, after all, Squirrelflight’s mate. A faint look of pride crossed her face. “You mean Bramblestar.” She corrected.
Shocked, I took a step back. Firestar was dead? The great leader of ThunderClan, gone? Startled as I was, I dipped my head in respect. “He will make a worthy successor.” I murmured. Squirrelflight nodded and began to move her patrol elsewhere when a crashing was heard in a nearby brush. I opened my jaws to drink in the scent and confirmed it was only ThunderClan.
A black she-cat with glittering green eyes burst out of the bush, crashing into Squirrelflight’s patrol. I barely missed her as she ran past me. As she did, I caught a glimpse of her green eyes, and I was startled by the sheer fear burning in them.
“Squirrelflight, Squirrelflight!” she yowled, making birds take off from trees. Squirrelflight turned, her dark ginger pelt bristling. “What is it Hollyleaf?” So this was Bramblestar’s daughter? I scanned her. She certainly was in shape. I made a mental note to train a few more kits this new-leaf.
Hollyleaf was still panting as she spluttered fragments out of her encounter. “Jaywing… fell… badger… set….” She collapsed onto the ground, flank heaving. Jaywing… Could he be that Jaypaw that intruded on WindClan territory a few seasons ago? That blind cat?
Squirrelflight glanced at me and meowed, “I think it’s best you leave.” I dipped my head, casting one look back and disappeared into the brush. But in my mind, I imagined the blind little gray apprentice suffocating underneath the sand, and my fur bristled. It didn’t matter it was moons since I had last seen him. I had to save him again. My paws seemed to have wings as I dashed toward the old badger set on ThunderClan territory.
When I arrived, I saw a sinking gray shape. Without any hesitation I clawed at the sand and managed to drag out the cat to a safe spot while I worked at his chest to clear it out of sand. After it seemed Jaywing would live, I rested beside him, knowing that the little apprentice that had wandered into my territory had become this fierce medicine cat.
A bit later, Squirrelflight arrived. At one glance at her son, she threw herself on him, licking him. She glanced at me and murmured, “Thank you Crowfeather. You saved him.” Being modest, and tired from dragging him out, I merely grunted and mewed, “I’ll be going now.” The last I heard, Jaywing was wheezing as he tried to cough the sand out of his lungs.
With my paws once more on WindClan territory, my mind mused over the news I had heard of today. Bramblestar was now leader of ThunderClan. It only seemed right. I didn’t know about the other Clans, but at least two of the cats would had made the journey to the sun-drown place have become leader.
Thinking of this made me long to turn back. I didn’t want to be leader. I just wanted to be a normal warrior again, just hunting and patrolling for the sake of my Clan. But, I reminded myself, that those activities wouldn’t change, just my perspective of it. That helped.
When I reached the Moonpool, it was nearly moon-high. Bending down, I lapped up a few drops of the star shine water and the coldness, the starry flavor, startled me to sleep.
* * *
I felt cold beyond belief, nearly inhuman. I shivered and shook with cold, and for a moment, I could feel frost beginning to form on my whiskers. I thought that StarClan wouldn’t receive me, so I opened my eyes.
A beautiful forest confronted me, and for a moment I sat there like a moonstruck rabbit, just taking in all of the beautiful scenery. Then, I looked up.
The stars swirled around me, getting closer and closer until I could feel the star shine sparkling on my fur. The mist took shape as nine cats appeared from seemingly no where. My heart skipped a beat as I saw Onestar, Ashfoot, Tallstar, all waiting for me. Behind them, I saw Barkface and Webfoot and Weaselfur. My heart grew with joy. They were my friends, my allies, my family. An apprentice greeted me. It was Owlpaw, who had died not too long ago. He had not been made a warrior and set out to prove himself. We found his body a few days later.
Then, as the ranks of StarClan shifted, I saw a beautiful silver she-cat sitting alone. I didn’t recognize her, but she reminded me of some cat I knew. Then, she raised her piercing eyes toward me, and moved.
Behind her I saw my love, the beautiful silvery she-cat that often haunted my dreams. Feathertail. I wanted to run to her, but awe and reverence kept me rooted to the spot. She padded toward me, eyes sparkling, star shine shimmering in her breath-taking fur. My heart yearned for her.
She touched noses with me tenderly, and my throat felt constricted, as though I could not breathe. Her voice was a miracle to me; I had seen her in my dreams, but never as clearly as this.
“Are you ready to receive your nine lives Crowfeather?” Love washed over me like rain pouring out of a storm cloud. I could not speak, only stood there, nodding, waiting.
Ashfoot stepped forward, her eyes shining as she beheld me, her son. “With this life, I give you wisdom. Use it well to judge others’ actions.” As she touched me, a jolt of lightning burst through my body. Lights flashed before my eyes, and I though I would burst. Then, the pain ebbed away, and I stood there panting. How am I supposed to bear eight others?
Onestar padded forward, his eyes holding respect. “With this life, I give you tireless energy. Use it well to lead your Clan in dangers.” As soon as the words left his mouth, I felt my paws skimming the moorlands, felt the rush of wind upon my face and the exhilaration that I knew I could go on forever. He stepped down.
Owlpaw padded up toward me now. I didn’t know what happened to him, and so I murmured, “I’m sorry.” Owlpaw’s eyes shone with the light from StarClan. “With this life, I give you understanding. Use it well to mentor young cats of your Clan.” The pain was so real that I thought it would stop the beating of my heart. I was still panting as though I had run all the way around the lake when Owlpaw stepped down.
A black and white tom approached me next. His fur was sprinkled with star shine, and he didn’t look old and tired as I had last seen him. “With this life,” Tallstar murmured, “I give you friendship. Use it well to keep peace throughout the Clan.” This life didn’t hurt as much I had prepared for. I soaked in the light of it and when the light receded, I looked toward the next cat.
Webfoot stepped up. “With this life, I give you the ability to follow your heart. Use it well to judge others.” Pain shook my body, and I panted, my legs shaking.
Weaselfur padded toward me. “With this life, I give you determination. Use it well to lead your Clan throughout tough times.” I shivered as the feeling slide down and spread throughout my body.
When Weaselfur stepped down, I managed to glimpse a torn ear as another cat started toward me. “Tornear,” I murmured. Tornear had died only a moon ago, defending the camp from a fox. He gave no sign he heard me, only touching his nose to my fur and whispered, “With this life, I give you trust. Use it well to keep your faith in StarClan and your warriors.”
The pain was less intense than I had expected. It racked my body, but in it, I felt StarClan’s expansive wisdom. It calmed me as I thought about the task ahead in leading my Clan.
Finally, the silver tabby she-cat that looked so much like Feathertail padded toward me. Wisdom glimmered in her sapphire eyes as she looked at me and she murmured, “With this life I give you compassion. Use it well to protect others weaker than yourself.” Instead of gentleness, I felt as though fire was rushing through my body. My mind grew blank as I dared the shadows and darkness to harm a hair on the faceless shadows that crouched by his paws. As I sucked in a breath, the she-cat left, and the cat I had been waiting for arrived before me.
Her fur sparkled with star shine, her sapphire eyes gleaming with love and admiration. My heart throbbed as I saw her, Feathertail, standing before me. My lost love. She had visited my dreams before, but never in such clarity.
“With this life,” Feathertail murmured, pushing her nose into my fur, her soft, sweet scent overwhelming me, “I give you love. Use it well for all the cats in your care, especially Nightcloud.” The life that coursed through my veins held no pain. Warmth touched me from the tip of my tail to the bottom of my paws. Satisfaction overcame me, and I simply stared at Feathertail lovingly, affectionately. At least now I knew I could love Nightcloud without being unfaithful to Feathertail. What about Leafpool? The nagging thought wormed its way through my mind. Feathertail leaned forward, her breath warming my ear. “As well as Leafpool.”
For a moment, I couldn’t see. In my mind, I saw both Leafpool and Nightcloud. To my surprise, I couldn’t choose one over the other. I love Nightcloud, not Leafpool! But at the sight of her, I could feel love spill over my heart.
Feathertail interrupted me and meowed, “I now hail you by your new name, Crowstar. Your old life is no more.” The ranks of StarClan cheered my name as they would any new warrior. “Crowstar! Crowstar!” The air ran thick and rich with the sound of the voices of all generations, legacies. I could nearly taste the sweet scent of their voices. As I craned my head, I could see a flame-colored cat with emerald eyes. Firestar looked at me and dipped his head in respect. I began to do the same, but Feathertail laid her tail on my back.
“You no longer need those,” she murmured, “We are all equal in StarClan.” I looked at her, brimming with joy. “I must now bid you farewell Crowstar. We will meet again.”
As she turned and disappeared, I opened my eyes to see the light of the Moonpool just fading as the sun rose over the horizon. I rose to my paws and stretched luxuriously, yawning my exhaustion. As I turned with shining eyes to the last star in Silverpelt, my heart brimmed with hope. The hope that I could live up to Feathertail’s expectations, and soon find my way as leader of WindClan.