Darksong
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Prologue
The moon was nearing half full, and right now looked like half an eggshell in the sky. The green eyes of a cat found their way up to face the moon, which flooded the clearing in a small amount of light. There were few crickets on this cold night of leaf-bare; white bits were beginning to fall from the clouds, landing coldly on the cat's gray pelt, causing her to shiver.
Something yowled out from the bracken on the edge of the clearing. "Leafshadow! Leafshadow, come quickly!"
The cat's ears pricked as she stared towards the voice, apparently from one of her Clanmates. As fast as her legs could carry her, she tore across the ground that was fading from white into brown and green speckled with the gray snowflakes, under the cover of the trees. She didn't notice anyone was there until she barreled into another cat, sending it rolling until it landed softly in some fern bushes.
"I'm sorry, Brackenclaw!" Leafshadow mewed, watching with her head down in a humble way as the brown cat shook itself off, then stepped towards her. Brackenclaw's shocked expression had become serious for a moment, but his eyes soon widened again to bring him back into the mood he was in previously.
"Leafshadow, did you bring herbs?"
The gray she-cat shook her head, but hastily asked, "What do you need?"
Brackenclaw cried alarmingly, "Spottedpaw has been bitten by a snake! We were hunting at Snakerocks, and the snakes weren't supposed to come out in winter, but --"
Leafshadow held up a paw to silence the warrior. Then she disciplined the black-and-white apprentice, without looking at him, "I told you not to--"
But when she glanced at him, she was too strangled to say any more. He was writhing in pain, his claws unsheathed, as if he was being pinned by someone and trying to fight that someone off, his claws ripping through the air as if it were fur. The one who had faith in becoming a medicine cat... who had a very powerful belief in StarClan... was dying before her very eyes....
"I can't do anything. The poison has already taken too much effect."
Her leaf-colored eyes were still full of grief and shock as Spottedpaw's thrashing movements slowed down, his amber eyes already beginning to get a look in them that told Leafshadow that he was heading for StarClan. "I'm sorry."
There was another rustle in the ferns, and a somewhat larger cat entered the scene. Leafshadow didn't look all that shocked. "Oh. Goldenstar..."
The cream-furred leader looked oppressed and worried. "If we keep losing members, how will we survive this constant battle that we have with ShadowClan? I'm sure they're still hungry for our territory..."
Leafshadow was silent for a moment. Then the medicine cat mewed, with a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes, "Last night, I received a prophecy... It was.... something like ... 'Moonlight's spirit brings rainclouds?' Did I just have a weird dream?"
For a moment, the dark gray cat looked as if she was thinking. "Wait!" She shouted suddenly, jumping up to her paws. "There was also something else... StarClan said something about a warrior of moonlight. I haven't figured anything out yet."
Goldenstar's expression became grave. The blue-eyed she-cat murmured, "I hope you figure it out soon, because we need some help." Then Goldenstar looked the medicine cat in the eyes, gazing wistfully, as if Leafshadow were invisible, blending into the night's silence and dark tinge. The air became slightly ominous, and the cats' fur pricked. Leafshadow took another doleful glance at Spottedpaw, who by now had completely stopped moving. The sound of his quick and uneven breathing still haunted Leafshadow.
Goldenstar continued, "We only have one queen, and she only has one kit...."
Leafshadow tried to cheer Goldenstar up, without much success. "Every member of the Clan counts..."
But still, the leader of ThunderClan began to pad away, and Brackenclaw slowly followed, with Spottedpaw's body in his fangs, being carried by the scruff. For another moment, Leafshadow stared up at the stars, as if with a wish in her heart. How could StarClan let us come this close to losing our entire territory?
"Leafshadow!" Someone called.
The medicine cat realized that Goldenstar had turned around, with a slightly scolding look. "Come back to camp," she growled seriously, and began to walk back to the clearing.
Leafshadow quickly nodded, bounding after her leader into camp.
Suddenly, one of the few apprentices in the Clan came dashing up to Leafshadow, their noses practically touching. The black-pelted apprentice's blue eyes were wide, and his face was so close to Leafshadow's that the latter felt slightly uncomfortable. After the apprentice realized that he was somewhat misbehaving, he shrank back bashfully. But he retained his stressed expression, and cried, "Leafshadow! The deputy, Nightclaw, has contracted greencough!"
When will this ever end? Leafshadow asked, going to fetch catmint. The supply of the sweet herb was running out; she hope not much more would happen. She took the herb in her jaws and rushed towards the leader's den, where Nightclaw usually hung out. Sure enough, he was coughing wildly.
"Eat this, hurry!" Leafshadow yowled, shoving the catmint in front of the black cat. He was so busy coughing that he could hardly even put it into his mouth. But finally, he swallowed it, and although it didn't work immediately, Leafshadow still raced out and into her den so she didn't catch it too. She would probably end up making the only kit her apprentice; Leafshadow could hardly keep up with collecting herbs and treating cats. But still, the best she could do was pray to StarClan. She was confident they would always keep four Clans in the forest.
----
Two cats sat mysteriously in the sky, next to each other and looking down at the camp. One of them, who looked older and also a little more noble, stood up, blinking her amber eyes at the smaller cat. "Not even Leafshadow can think clearly enough. We're sorry that we can't help ThunderClan. We can just guide them..."
"Did you foresee the prophecy, Lightstar?" the small cat asked, and if one heard her voice just after the larger one's, they would definitely assume she was younger.
"Yes, Smalltail, but StarClan is troubled with the recent death of both RiverClan's and WindClan's leaders; it is a time of doubt. Not even we are sure of what to do anymore." Lightstar looked down at the short-tailed she-cat beside her, gazing into her blue eyes. The starry glitter of their pelts seemed to intensify for a moment. "I don't know what we can do, but whatever it is, we won't let ThunderClan die."
The moon was nearing half full, and right now looked like half an eggshell in the sky. The green eyes of a cat found their way up to face the moon, which flooded the clearing in a small amount of light. There were few crickets on this cold night of leaf-bare; white bits were beginning to fall from the clouds, landing coldly on the cat's gray pelt, causing her to shiver.
Something yowled out from the bracken on the edge of the clearing. "Leafshadow! Leafshadow, come quickly!"
The cat's ears pricked as she stared towards the voice, apparently from one of her Clanmates. As fast as her legs could carry her, she tore across the ground that was fading from white into brown and green speckled with the gray snowflakes, under the cover of the trees. She didn't notice anyone was there until she barreled into another cat, sending it rolling until it landed softly in some fern bushes.
"I'm sorry, Brackenclaw!" Leafshadow mewed, watching with her head down in a humble way as the brown cat shook itself off, then stepped towards her. Brackenclaw's shocked expression had become serious for a moment, but his eyes soon widened again to bring him back into the mood he was in previously.
"Leafshadow, did you bring herbs?"
The gray she-cat shook her head, but hastily asked, "What do you need?"
Brackenclaw cried alarmingly, "Spottedpaw has been bitten by a snake! We were hunting at Snakerocks, and the snakes weren't supposed to come out in winter, but --"
Leafshadow held up a paw to silence the warrior. Then she disciplined the black-and-white apprentice, without looking at him, "I told you not to--"
But when she glanced at him, she was too strangled to say any more. He was writhing in pain, his claws unsheathed, as if he was being pinned by someone and trying to fight that someone off, his claws ripping through the air as if it were fur. The one who had faith in becoming a medicine cat... who had a very powerful belief in StarClan... was dying before her very eyes....
"I can't do anything. The poison has already taken too much effect."
Her leaf-colored eyes were still full of grief and shock as Spottedpaw's thrashing movements slowed down, his amber eyes already beginning to get a look in them that told Leafshadow that he was heading for StarClan. "I'm sorry."
There was another rustle in the ferns, and a somewhat larger cat entered the scene. Leafshadow didn't look all that shocked. "Oh. Goldenstar..."
The cream-furred leader looked oppressed and worried. "If we keep losing members, how will we survive this constant battle that we have with ShadowClan? I'm sure they're still hungry for our territory..."
Leafshadow was silent for a moment. Then the medicine cat mewed, with a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes, "Last night, I received a prophecy... It was.... something like ... 'Moonlight's spirit brings rainclouds?' Did I just have a weird dream?"
For a moment, the dark gray cat looked as if she was thinking. "Wait!" She shouted suddenly, jumping up to her paws. "There was also something else... StarClan said something about a warrior of moonlight. I haven't figured anything out yet."
Goldenstar's expression became grave. The blue-eyed she-cat murmured, "I hope you figure it out soon, because we need some help." Then Goldenstar looked the medicine cat in the eyes, gazing wistfully, as if Leafshadow were invisible, blending into the night's silence and dark tinge. The air became slightly ominous, and the cats' fur pricked. Leafshadow took another doleful glance at Spottedpaw, who by now had completely stopped moving. The sound of his quick and uneven breathing still haunted Leafshadow.
Goldenstar continued, "We only have one queen, and she only has one kit...."
Leafshadow tried to cheer Goldenstar up, without much success. "Every member of the Clan counts..."
But still, the leader of ThunderClan began to pad away, and Brackenclaw slowly followed, with Spottedpaw's body in his fangs, being carried by the scruff. For another moment, Leafshadow stared up at the stars, as if with a wish in her heart. How could StarClan let us come this close to losing our entire territory?
"Leafshadow!" Someone called.
The medicine cat realized that Goldenstar had turned around, with a slightly scolding look. "Come back to camp," she growled seriously, and began to walk back to the clearing.
Leafshadow quickly nodded, bounding after her leader into camp.
Suddenly, one of the few apprentices in the Clan came dashing up to Leafshadow, their noses practically touching. The black-pelted apprentice's blue eyes were wide, and his face was so close to Leafshadow's that the latter felt slightly uncomfortable. After the apprentice realized that he was somewhat misbehaving, he shrank back bashfully. But he retained his stressed expression, and cried, "Leafshadow! The deputy, Nightclaw, has contracted greencough!"
When will this ever end? Leafshadow asked, going to fetch catmint. The supply of the sweet herb was running out; she hope not much more would happen. She took the herb in her jaws and rushed towards the leader's den, where Nightclaw usually hung out. Sure enough, he was coughing wildly.
"Eat this, hurry!" Leafshadow yowled, shoving the catmint in front of the black cat. He was so busy coughing that he could hardly even put it into his mouth. But finally, he swallowed it, and although it didn't work immediately, Leafshadow still raced out and into her den so she didn't catch it too. She would probably end up making the only kit her apprentice; Leafshadow could hardly keep up with collecting herbs and treating cats. But still, the best she could do was pray to StarClan. She was confident they would always keep four Clans in the forest.
----
Two cats sat mysteriously in the sky, next to each other and looking down at the camp. One of them, who looked older and also a little more noble, stood up, blinking her amber eyes at the smaller cat. "Not even Leafshadow can think clearly enough. We're sorry that we can't help ThunderClan. We can just guide them..."
"Did you foresee the prophecy, Lightstar?" the small cat asked, and if one heard her voice just after the larger one's, they would definitely assume she was younger.
"Yes, Smalltail, but StarClan is troubled with the recent death of both RiverClan's and WindClan's leaders; it is a time of doubt. Not even we are sure of what to do anymore." Lightstar looked down at the short-tailed she-cat beside her, gazing into her blue eyes. The starry glitter of their pelts seemed to intensify for a moment. "I don't know what we can do, but whatever it is, we won't let ThunderClan die."
