It’s Time (Night Visions songfic)

 It’s Time



Song three of Night Visions.



So this is what you meant

When you said that you were spent



“Mothstar,” gasped Dapplestar. “I never expected the damage to be so much!”



The small Meadowclan leader gazed up at him, her face wrecked with sobs. “They’re dead,” she rasped. “All dead.”



Mosspaw cautiously approached Mothstar and rested his tail on her shoulder. “We’ll rebuild the clan,” he reassured her.



Rookpaw stepped forward. “Should I go run back to camp and get help?” he asked eagerly.



“Sure! And take Finchpaw with you. Get cats to help on the building, and ask cats to look for loners and kittypets in the nearby Twolegplace for new warriors for Featherclan.” chirped Dapplestar. He nudged Mosspaw further into the destroyed camp. “Now then, what are the most important dens to rebuild?”

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Mosspaw squinted into the camp. “The warriors’ den, because the new warriors need a place to sleep, and there is a good chance that there won’t be any kits. Then the camp barrier and a fresh-kill pile.”

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Dapplestar purred. “I like your initiative, Mosspaw,” he praised. “Gather some twigs and bracken. You too, Mothstar,” he ordered.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Mothstar blinked gratefully at Featherclan’s leader and hurried after Mosspaw.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Right to the top

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Mosspaw dropped the pile of twigs by the warriors’ den and paused to catch his breath. The moon had just risen, and Dapplestar was so determined to rebuild the fallen clan, that he set the deadline for the completed warriors’ den for midnight.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">“We’d better hurry,” said Mothstar, picking up a twig and secured it to remake the den frame. “We should get the frame of the den completed first. Then weaving the other twigs and stuff to make the walls will be easier.”

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Mosspaw nodded at her plan. Mothstar seemed much more confident when she spoke, and was no longer the ball of golden fur less than an hour ago.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">The frame took less time than Mosspaw expected, and soon he had learned to elegantly weave twigs between the branches of the frame.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">“What do we do with this moss?” he asked her.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">“Nests, of course! I found a lot of it by the small lake in my territory. I figured that we will need a lot, because of the large amount of new cats.”

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Mosspaw nodded in approval. “Should we get started?”

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">“Yeah!” meowed Mothstar. She dashed into the den, screamed, and was out in a flash.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">“Dead body!” she screamed. “Dapplestar hasn’t yet cleared out the dead bodies!”

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Don't hold back

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Packing my bags and giving the academy a rain-check

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">“At least you finished the den,” Dapplestar said gruffly. He slipped the last body into the newly-dug hole and scuffed dirt over it. The sun’s light peaked over the towering trees. “And those two pesky apprentices should be back by now.”

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Dapplestar was right. Rookpaw and Finchpaw had been gone the whole night. “Maybe they went with the other cats to help with the rebuilding.”

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Mosspaw could smell other cats approaching, all from Featherclan. “We heard about the attack,” mewed Petalface gravely. “We were summoned to help.”

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Soon all of the cats had a role in building or hunting. Flamegaze and Berryheart had gone hunting, after deciding to spend some time together.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">“That’s the nursery done,” said Dapplestar triumphantly. “I’m no builder, but this is really good!”

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Mosspaw turned around to look at the almost-done camp. He remembered what it had been yesterday. If only I could tell who did this.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I don't ever wanna let you down

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I don't ever wanna leave this town

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">'Cause after all

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">This city never sleeps at night

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">It's time to begin, isn't it?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I'm just the same as I was

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Now don't you understand

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">That I'm never changing who I am

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">So this is where you fell

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">And I am left to sell

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">The path to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Right to the top

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Don't look back

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Turning to rags and giving the commodities a rain-check

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I don't ever wanna let you down

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I don't ever wanna leave this town

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">'Cause after all

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">This city never sleeps at night

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">It's time to begin, isn't it?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I'm just the same as I was

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Now don't you understand

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">That I'm never changing who I am

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">It's time to begin, isn't it?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I'm just the same as I was

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Now don't you understand

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">That I'm never changing who I am

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">This road never looked so lonely

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">This house doesn't burn down slowly

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">To ashes, to ashes

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">It's time to begin, isn't it?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I'm just the same as I was

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Now don't you understand

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">That I'm never changing who I am

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:22px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">It's time to begin, isn't it?

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">I'm just the same as I was

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">Now don't you understand

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:18px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">That I'm never changing who I am