The Tribe of Birds Wings

Leader-Birdwing

Herb Bearer-Bluebird That Swoops in Air (Bluebird)

Bird Hunters-

Breeze of Leaf-Bare Day (Breeze)

Shadow of Swooping Owl (Shadow)

Petal of Growing Rose (Petal)

Duck That Swims in Pond (Duck)

Trout That Splashes in Lake (Trout)

Territory Watchers-

Rustle of Falling Leaf (Rustle)

Mud of Puddle in Rain (Mud)

Water Flowing in Stream (Water)

Fighters-

Heather That Grows Near Stream (Heather)

Puddle That Forms in Rain (Puddle)

Cave That Sits Under Mountain (Cave)

Squirrel That Leaps In Trees (Squirrel)

Skill Learners-

Dip

Splash

Reflection

Quarry

Traditions

 * If leader has kits, then one kit is chosen to be leader.
 * If one cat is bad, then the kits of him/her and her/his mate will be killed, or if lucky, will be able to escape. Also, brothers,sisters and mother and father of the bad cat will be a prisoner till they can prove their loyalty.
 * If a kit is born with one silver spot on his/her back leg, they will become an herb bearer
 * If leader has no kits, the reflection of the next leader will show up in a puddle.

Proluge
They called themselves The Tribe of Birds Wings. Mainly because the leader was named Birdwing, and the very first thing the tribe saw was a birds wing.

They lived in a cave, near a mountain, and if you walked about 3 miles, you'd come to a stream.

Birdwing walked to her den, The Room of Puddle Reflections.A boom of thunder roared in her ears. As she looked in one, she saw her reflection, but then it dissapered and the reflection of a small, orange kitten with a dark ginger stripe across his forhead. "This shall be the next leader after me." Birdwing murmed.

Suddenly, she heard a cats footsteps running up to her cave, the sqeak of kits, and the Bird Hunters and Territory Watchers running after them. She got up quickly. A pale gold she-cat burst into the light, with a 2 kits behind her. One kit was pale gold like her mother, and then she saw the other one. It was orange with a ginger stripe on it's forhead. She stared at it, horrified. If this was to be the new leader, then that meant that she was going to not have any kits, and that she was going to die soon. Very soon.

The Bird Hunters and Territory Watchers circled the pale gold she-cat and the two kits. 2 cats in the circle scooted over, and Birdwing stepped in the circle. The pale gold she-cat looked around in panick. "Why have you come?" Birdwing said smoothly. "I need shelter, and it's storming outside." the pale gold she-cat said. "And would you tell me your name?" Birdwing said. "I am Shine, and these are my kits, Gold and Sunset." she said, moving her tail from the pale gold one to the orange one with the ginger streak. "You are welcome to stay, but you will remain a prisoner, and must give Sunset to us for our tribe." Birdwing said. "But, what will happen to him?" Shine said. "He will become one of us, and if you would like we will keep the other to." Birdwing said. "If you accept, you will remain a prisoner till your kits are about 5 moons old." Birdwing said. "I accept." she said. "How old are your kits?" Birdwing asked. "They are only 1/2 a moon old." Shine said. "Now, follow me to your new den. She flicked her tail at a brown she-cat and a blueish-gray she-cat. "Heather, Puddle, come with me." she said. They followed.

Birdwing, Heather and Puddle were working hard at shoving a large boulder at the prisoner cave. Shine looked terrified. "I have to stay in here with that huge boulder blocking the enterance?!' she said. "Yes, you are a prisoner." Birdwing said. "No wait! I don't want to stay here anymore! Let me out!" she yowled as they pushed the boulder right into the spot. "Sorry, you can't come out now! We need Sunset!" Birdwing hissed, and with that, they left her there.

Chapter 1
Sunset looked around the cave in fright. They were trapped here, and he was going to be a tribe cat for the rest of his life! He began to cry. "Don't worry sweetie, I won't let the tribe cats take you away." Shine said. But she knew she had no chance of getting free. She was agianst a whole tribe! She looked over at the pile of feathers and grass they had left there for her two build a nest. "Let's at least make this place comfy." Shine said to her kits. "Ok." they said. They looked at bit exited. They found a nice dip in the ground, and placed the feathers and grass there. "See? Now this feels a bit more like home, doesn't it?" Shine said. "Yeah! This feels a bit more like back at the waterfall!" Gold said. Sunset nodded. He wished that they WERE home.

Sunset decided to take down some details about the cave. there were these sharp, pointy thingies on the ceiling that dripped down water. He noticed a crack, big enough for some prey to get through. Maybe..."Mommy, see that crack? Maybe us me and Gold could fit through it and get out during the night. We'd go back to the waterfall, and meet up with Fall." Sunset said. "Yes, but do you know the way?" Shine said. "Show us!" Gold and Sunset chirped. "Well," Shine began, and then explained the whole route to them. Sunset nodded. He would remember. The funny thing is, Sunset had an amazing memory, which seemed to come quite in handy today.

Sunset looked out through the crack. Cats were sleeping. "Goodbye Mommy." Sunset said. Tears came to his eyes. "I love you all!" She whispered as they climbed through the crack.

Sunset and Gold tiptoed through the cave, not making a sound. When they came to the enterance, they saw a guard posted there. But then when they heard his loud snoring, they realized he was asleep! They giggled. Some guard he was!

Sunset looked around the forest. It sure was spooky at night. He noticed a twisted tree. An owl hooted. Sunset and Gold quickly hid in the swamp. They knew that if the owl saw them, they would become dinner. Sunset was very afriad. "Um..why don't we just walk a ways enough that they won't find us, and then settle in for the night?" Sunset said. Gold nodded, her eyes wide. As they walked through the forest, they heard a rustle in the leaves, a hoot, and a squeak. A owl was near and had a mouse! Sunset and Gold ran through the forest, terrified.

Finally, they came to a safe place where they could hide for the night. It was a small log. Sunset layed down beside Goldkit. Sunset tossed and turned, and shut his eyes, but it was no use. He wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.

"Gold?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you sleep?"

"No."

"Me niether."

"Why don't we go out?"

"Sure!"

Sunset and Gold got up and streched. Then they began to walk into the forest. It was pretty amazing at night, if you thought about it. Sunset listened to the crickets, and watched the trees sway in the breeze, and the owl circling Gold...THE OWL CIRCLING GOLD!! "GOLD!!' Sunset screamed. Gold looked up, and started to run but it was too late. Sunset watched in horror as the owls long taclons glinted, then picked up Goldkit and began to carry her away. Goldkit screamed in terror.Then suddenly, he jumped up on the owl and began to scratch it. The owl showed little pain, and dumped Sunset of it's back. Sunset fell down. down, down, till he hit the ground. He felt dizzy and lightheaded, and watched helplessly as Gold was carried away, never to be seen agian.

Chapter 2
Sunset woke up on the ground, the same place that he had fallen last night. Why did he run away? Now his mother was probably dead, because of those mean tribe cats, his sister was dead, and he was lost! If he had only stayed home...

Sunset picked himself up, but fell down again. His back leg felt...like nothing! What if it was broken and would never heal! He began to cry and moan. He would never see his mother or sister agian, and wouldn't survive out here. He was going to die. He just knew it. But still, a spark of hope lit up inside him, and he began to drag himself towards the cave where the tribe lived. They were his only hope.

He stopped at a twisted tree. He had seen this on his way out! He was getting closer! He thought about how mad he was at those..those mean, sinister tribe cats! They locked him up, and he would never see his mother agian, and...and...

Suddenly the bushes rustled. A fox jumped out of the bushes. "This is the end. I'm dead meat" Sunset thought. He prepared to be gobbled down. But to his surprise, the fox gently picked him up, and carried him away. He felt very uncomfortable. He knew that anytime, those jaws could clasp down on him, and devor him. But the fox just carried him on.

Finally, they arrived at a small hole. The fox squeezed in, and placed Sunset next to 2 baby foxes. Then it left, put placed a stone at the enterance. Now Sunset knew what was going to happen. The fox was saving him for dinner. It wasn't hungry, but didn't want to waste a easy meal. The 2 baby foxes were nibbling at his feet, as if they couldn't wait to taste him...

He wasn't going to die! Not without trying to escape at least! As pushed his way to the blocked enterance. The baby foxes squealed in protest, wanting to nibble him more. He pushed and pushed at the stone, but it didn't work. He pushed till he could push no more, and then collapsed. The baby foxes squealed in delight, and began to nibble at his feet agian. He began to cry. The baby foxes sensed his feelings, and began to rub against him, trying to comfort him. Sunset froze. Maybe if....maybe if he could hide for a week, then the foxes would be grown up, and like him, and help him escape! One backed away, and began to nibble at his feet. Nope, they were still anxious to eat him...

Then he began to feel the blood rush to his leg agian. It was back! The foxes had helped him without realizing it! They had gotton the blood to come back down to his leg. He whooped with joy. They stared at him, confused what that meant. Now, he only had to wait till the mother fox got home...

Sunset squeezed into a hole near the enterance in the wall of dirt. He was watching, waiting for mother to get home. Then the stone moved, and moved agian, until it was off and the mother squeezed in. He stood silent, and she walked right past him down to her babies. Then Sunset dashed out of the hole, and into the light.

As he ran toward the cave of the tribe, he could hear the fox, trailing right behind him. He could feel it's breath on his tail. Then suddenly, in less than a second, the fox had a good grip on his tail, and was pulling him backwards.

He pulled away and away. And just when he thought the fox had him, he heard a sharp crack, and zoomed forward. His tail hurt so badly...He looked back, and saw the fox with part of his tail! Then that meant...he stopped and looked at his tail in horror. half of it was gone! The fox began to run after him, seeing he had stopped. So he quickly stumbled to his feet and ran agian.

Finally, the cave came into view. He yowled as hard as he could, and Heather and Cave came rushing out. When they saw him, they froze in amazement. But then they shook their heads and ran towards the fox, ready to battle. Bluebird came rushing out, and then the world began to spin, and everything blacked out.

Chapter 3
"Huh?" Sunset mumbled. He opened his eyes to find himself in the healing den. "Wha-What happened?" he said. Bluebird gracefully stepped towards him. "Half your tail is gone." she whispered. He looked back. A stub showed where his tail ended. He yowled. "Shh! Do you want to make everyone worried?" Bluebird hissed fiercley. He quieted down.

"Shine." Birdwing sighed. "I know it's been hard for you here. Being locked up, losing one of your kits, and the other one with only half a tail. I think you should know why I needed your kits to stay." Shine sat up. "I had a vison. It showed me the next leader. That kitten was Sunset." Birdwing said. Shine gasped. "But why?" she stammered. "I don't know. It is Ancientclan's decision. They are our ancestors." Birdwing whispered. "But..." she grew back her old voice. "Now I realize how hard this is on you. You may leave with Sunset." "But, what will happen to you with no leader?" Shine asked. "We will break up and scatter, to hope that some of us survive, and live alone." Birdwing said. Her sad voice hinted tears coming. "I will have no such thing happen!" Shine meowed. "What?" Birdwing was startled. "I won't be responsible for your tribe's destruction!" "You are so kind." Bluebird whispered. "Just my part." Shine said proudly.

"What?!?" Sunset screeched. "Shh!" Shine shushed Sunset. "I know you wanna go back home, and you will. In your dreams you can go to the peaceful waterfall and play with me in my dream. And you can see what's happening. And if anything goes wrong, then you can have one of these nice cats take you there and get me away from the danger." Shine said. "But how will I be able to go there? My head might not want to dream about you." Sunset said. "Don't worry. Birdwing can ask her ancestors to give you the nice dream every night, and I'll be in the same dream." Shine said gently. "What are ancestors?" Sunset said in a shaky voice. "You'll learn about them in good time. Now, mommy's gonna go when you're a skill learner." "I don't want you to go!" Sunset cried. "But I'll never really be gone. I'll alway's be in your thoughts, and you can dream with me too."Shine said.

"Birdwing!" Bluebird said as she came rushing into the room. "What is it?" Birdwing asked quickly. "I have seen a omen. Danger is coming. And fast." Bluebird said shakily. "And Sunset might not survive."

"I want double the guards at the cave enterance! And Sunset is not to leave the cave!" Birdwing said as she stood on the leaders rock. "Why is she making me stay in the cave momma?" Sunset asked Shine. "Because she had a dream that told her danger is coming." Shine tried to soothe Sunset. "Why would she do that? It's just a stupid dream!" Sunset whined. "JUST A STUPID DREAM?!" Birdwing boomed. "I'll let you know, un-learned kit, that it was not JUST A DREAM! My wise ansestors told me that it was coming! And they know EVERYTHING!!! They know the present, the past and the future!! But they can't tell me everything or that would ruin our lives!" "Wha-Wha-Wha-What are ansestors?" Sunset stammered. "Ansestors are cats who died long before us!" Birdwind snapped. "Then how did they get into your dreams? And where to they go when they die?" Sunset asked. "They can just go into your dreams whenever they feel like it! And they go to the land above the clouds!" Birdwind said."Ohhh. I get it." Sunset nodded."Ok." Birdwing sighed. "Good."

Sunset peeked over her mothers paw. She looked around. Everyone was asleep. She stifled a laugh. This was gonna be so much fun! She crept down the long hallway to Birdwings den. She peeked in. Birdwing was fast asleep. Sunset tiptoed over to Birdwing. Then she poked her ear. Nothing happened. She splashed in a puddle. Still, Birdwing stayed asleep. Sunset beamed. She began splashing from puddle to puddle, softly singing this:

I crept down the halls,

Into Birdwing's Den

There she lay fast asleep

She probably won't wake up till ten

I'll splash in the puddles,

And play in the halls,

Till morning comes,

When I will not stall

To run back to my mother,

And snuggle in her fur,

Pretend I was asleep

so not to worry her.

Sunset laughed a soft laugh, and cannonballed into a deep puddle. Suddenly, Birdwing jerked awake.

Chapter 4
Birdwings eyes were glazed with fear. "No...this can't be happening...." She gasped. Her gaze shot to Sunset. "You!" She hissed. She stalked over to Sunset. "What do you know about Shine?" Sunset stammered. "She-She's my mommie..." Birdwing snarled loudly. "I mean MORE than that!" "She's...she mates with...Rock...and she likes to swim, and she's very nice..." Sunset stammered, trying to pull himself together. "She's evil isn't she!?" Birdwing groaned. "No!" Sunset growled. "Anything BUT that." "She's going to run away with you tonight, isn't she?!" Birdwing's eyes were now not only glazed with fear, but with insanity too. "I will never let that happen! She lied! All lies! I must kill her!" Sunset screeched in horror. "No!!" He ran down the long passageway, not caring about the sharp stones that pricked his pads.

"Birdwing's gone crazy!! She's gonna kill you!" Sunset screamed. Shine awoke with a jolt and bolted out of the enterance. The guards watched curiously. Birdwing suddenly appeared from the passageway. "Don't just sit there you fools, get her!!" Birdwing screamed. The 2 cats looked confused, but obeyed orders. Sunset scrambled after them. Suddenly Birdwing grabbed him. Her eyes blazed on him, scorching his pelt. "As for you, little kit." She hissed. "Your not going anywhere!" Sunset's jaws opened wide in a silent scream. "Birdwing, don't do this to me!" He wailed as she carried him off to her den. "I want to go home with mom!" He screamed. "Birdwing, what are you doing?!" Bluebird screamed. "I'm protecting our tribe!" Birdwings eyes were glazed with craziness. "No! You're crazy!" Bluebird screamed. Then she shoved some black seeds down Birdwings throat. "How DARE you!" Birdwing screamed. Suddenly Birdwing began to stumble. "Oooh...I feel...tired..." Birdwings eyes were half closed. She meltled down onto the floor, and began to snore. Bluebird closed her eyes. "Sunset, I'm so sorry. She is feeling panicked and confused by her dreams. She will soon understand, and ask for forgivness. I hope you will forgive her." Bluebird then walked into her den, leaving Birdwing laying on the floor.

Shine-

I raced through the forest, my steps pounding. Birdwing had gone crazy. I knew it would happen. I knew it would all happen. Finally, I reached the stone. I layed a paw on the stone and chanted:

Stone, oh stone of ancient age,

Bring me back to thou land of peace,

Where flowers grow and never die,

Leaf-bare wind never touches thou soul,

Bring me back,

To thou original home.

A gust of wind hit me, and colors flied all around me. I calmly waited for Stoneteller to appear. I opened my eyes and saw the white cat. "Stoneteller." I said. "Ah, Shine of Moon on Stone." Stoneteller nodded. "You have done well. But much has changed since the days of the ancient." "Ah, yes." I said. "I must admit, you had become very fond of that kit. You acted well. You acted like you'd never seen them before." Stoneteller said. "Ah, yes. It twas hard, but I made it through." Shine said. "You have played your part. Welcome home agian." Stoneteller purred. "Yes, it was such a joy to go back and be a real cat once again. But I know that I have done my part, and now the kit is on his own." Shine sighed. "Yes. Let's only hope Sunset will make it through." Stoneteller said. Then they walked off into the hills, leaving the real world behind them.

Chapter 5
Sunset huddled deep into the corner of Birdwing's den. He hadn't been allowed out of her den for 3 days.

''Stupid tribe. Stupid Birdwing. Stupid cave.''

Sunset angrily thought of all sorts of insults, insulting everything about the tribe cat's life.

''I wish I were home, at the waterfall. Then I would be happy and safe, not trapped in this dump they call a cave.''

Bluebird catiously entered the cave. "Sunset, are you here?" her voice echoed around the cave. Sunset burrowed deeper into his nest. "Sunset?" Birdsong called out again.

"Go away!" Sunset growled.

"Please don't be mad." Birdsong mewed softly.

"I hate you dumb tribe cats!" Sunset's voice sounded like he was about to cry. "I hate your stinking cave! I hate your stinking culture! And most of all, I hate your stinking leader!" Sunset screamed at Birdsong and ran into another cave, crying. Birdsong sighed. ''So much hate and anger. How will he ever become leader?''

More Coming Soon!