Riding the Wind

''After many moons of living in a cruel WindClan, Icewhisker and Emberheart have had enough. But what will the cries of two young warriors do?''

Prologue - Sleeping Light - Thunderstar
I let out a purr, and closed my eyes. It was a beautiful, sunny Green-Leaf day- there was a faint breeze that ruffled my fur, a beautiful ray of sunshine that warmed my body, and a juicy vole beside me to keep me from getting hungry.  As two she-cats groomed me, I uttered a laugh. After so many seasons of chasing after power, I had finally caught it. Even if it had meant killing my mate and father, Treestar and Fireflight, it was worth it. Despite the angry protests I had recieved at the last gathering, none of the other Clans had the courage to question my new way of life, and that was good. Now, only my kin could become the leader of WindClan, and that was, in my opinion, the greatest thing that had ever happened to WindClan. After all, who would want a filthy half-Clan as their leader?  I felt a growl rising in my throat as I thought of Roseclaw and her kits, Frostwhisker and Emberheart. It was a known fact that they decended from two legendary cats, Snow That Covers Mountain and Ruinstar, but I didn't care. They were filthy and mange-ridden beasts. I rolled over on my other side, and opened my eyes, shooting a look at a ginger-and-white she-cat who had licked my back too roughly.   "You don't want another visit to the Scar-Pit, do you, Flamebird?" I snapped, before returning to my thoughts. Memories of my first visit to the Scar-Pit rung clear in my head. I had been sent there for killing SkyClan's Deputy, and forced to stay there the entire night. I shuddered, remembering the savage cats that had nearly torn me apart, leaving horrid scars across my body. Casting the thought out of my mind, I returned to thinking about Icewhisker and Emberheart. Digging my claws into the ground, I snarled as a she-cat nipped me. Jumping to my paws, I glared at the two.  "Who did that?" I snapped, flexing my golden claws. Of course, they weren't naturally golden, but I liked using a strange golden rock we had found near the camp to re-inforce my claws. The ginger-and-white one, Flamebird, shook her head in fear, and looked at the cream one beside her.  "Snowheart did it, I swear, Thunderstar! I was just grooming your neck!" she protested, her golden eyes flashing with fear and worry, "I have kits! Just two moons old! Please don't send me to the Scar-Pit!"  I purred, and stretched. Glancing over at my guards, Blackface and Silverstorm, I gave them a nod. In merely a few instants, they had both Snowheart and Flamebird by the tail, purring triumphantly.  "Send them both down." I commanded, ignoring their protests. If I spared even one cat, my grip on WindClan would come loose. I stretched again, hearing a small crack in my legs. Sitting down, I tapped the stones in front of me lightly. Just as I did so, and just as my guards dragged Snowheart and Flamebird out of my den, a brown tabby she-cat came running in. Brownbranch, one of my favored servants, sat down in front of me, her dim green eyes calm and relaxed.  "Brownbranch, send for Icewhisker and Windheart. I need them to groom me." I ordered, laying down. She nodded, and dashed away. For a few brief moments, I laid in silence. I flicked my tail, and saw a flash of Flamebird's horrified face in my mind. It was a pity that she was my daughter, but I couldn't, and wouldn't spare anyone. I would seem weak if I did. I turned my head up, pleased to see two she-cats run into the den. Icewhisker's pale amber eyes flashed with horror as she spotted me, and her silver tabby fur was on end. I growled, and dug my claws into the fresh dirt beside my head.  "Are you going to stand there all day, Icewhisker? Get to work!" I snapped. Immediately she joined her tortoiseshell clanmate in the grooming session. I let out a relaxed purr, and closed my eyes, slowly drifting off into sleep.  I opened my eyes, and growled. No familiar scents filled my nose... and I was surrounded my clouds. Had Icewhisker or Windheart killed me? If they had, then my guards would surely take them out quickly. But no- I was not surrounded my stars. Instead, everything was dark. I blinked, and got to my paws, slowly and cautiously making my way forward. I stepped into the cloud of darkness, and watched in silence as I rested my gaze on two cats, nearly twenty fox-lengths away. One was a muscular black tom, his eyes a bright gold. I froze, recognizing the other. Roseclaw. It was simple, identifying her sleek, silver tabby figure. She greatly resembled Icewhisker, and that enraged me. More half-Clans. Holding back a snarl, I listened intently on their barely audible conversation. <BR> "Ancient, surely my kits cannot be part of this prophecy!" Roseclaw exclaimed, raising my interest. So, this Ancient had given Roseclaw a prophecy... <BR> Ancient sighed, and looked at his midnight-black paws. "I cannot change the will of the Ancients, Roseclaw. Sol, Luna and Astrum have spoken- I must carry out their will." <BR> "No." Roseclaw shook her silver head in disgust, "No. I won't let you. Thunderstar would murder them if he knew!" <BR> I held back a confident purr- As soon as I figured out what these cats were talking about, Icewhisker and Emberheart would die. Two less filthy half-Clans to worry about. <BR> "Roseclaw, I stand by my word. Two will rise against the coming storm, and wake the sleeping light. There is nothing I could or can do about it." <BR><BR> So that's what the prophecy was. <BR> Two will rise against the coming storm, and wake the sleeping light. <BR> The prophecy echoed in my head as I slunk into the shadows. Once I figured the prophecy out, they would die. <BR> A slow, hard and painful death.