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| List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: None |
Destiny | Succeded by: Ice |
Cats of the Clans:==
CedarClan-
Leader: Kestrelstar-mottled brown tom with bright green eyes
Apprentice, Goldenpaw
Deputy: Brindlestorm-light gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes
Apprentice, Rosepaw
Medicine cat: Thornfoot- spiky furred gray and white tom
Apprentice, Oakbreeze-golden tabby she-cat with an elegant, triangular face and a very long tail
Warriors:
Frosttail-black she-cat with a white tail
Fogheart-pale gray tom with dark gray paws and big ears
Brackenpelt-dark ginger tom with blue eyes
Apprentice, Smokepaw
Owlwing-brown and white she-cat
Stormcloud-gray and black striped she-cat with orange eyes
Apprentice, Adderpaw
Shrewtail- dark brown tabby tom with green eyes and a white underbelly
Hawkfeather- dusky brown tabby she-cat
Apprentice, Sandpaw
Silverclaw-silver gray tom with darker gray stripes and pale amber eyes
Foxtail-tortoiseshell she-cat with a bushy red tail and midnight blue eyes
Apprentice, Snowpaw
Apprentices:
Goldenpaw-pale ginger tom with bright amber eyes
Rosepaw-dark red tabby she-cat with white paws and one ear
Smokepaw-gray-black tom with green eyes
Adderpaw-pale tabby tom
Sandpaw-sand colored she-cat with amber eyes and one white forepaw
Snowpaw- white tom with gray ears
Queens:
Littlemist-long legged light brown tabby she-cat with dark green eyes (mother of Fogheart's kits: Spottedkit-spotted gray she-cat with one white mark on her tail and blue eyes, Lightkit-pale tabby she-cat, and Shadowkit-black tom with amber eyes)
Willowtail- cream colored she-cat with tabby markings (mother of Shrewtail's kits: Dustkit-sandy brown tom with a white belly, and Icekit-silver tabby she-cat with a narrow, striped muzzle and ice-blue eyes)
Elders:
Petalleaf-dark gray she-cat with blue eyes
Blackear-reddish tom with one black ear and amber eyes
MapleClan:
Leader: Ravenstar-black she-cat with pale blue eyes
Deputy: Birdtalon-small tabby and white tom
Apprentice, Smallpaw
Medicine cat: Crookedleg-red tom with a bent leg and blue eyes
Apprentice, Whitepaw (white she-cat with amber eyes)
Warriors:
Redfrost-reddish tabby tom with ice blue eyes
Apprentice, Nightpaw (black and white tom)
Sagetail-brown tabby she-cat
Riverpelt-silver tabby tom
Apprentice, Harepaw (light dusky brown tabby tom)
Breezefang- large ginger she-cat with dark green eyes and a white chest and paws
Apprentice, Fawnpaw (tabby she-cat with a white chest and muzzle)
Tornheart-ginger she-cat with bright green eyes
Voleheart-pale ginger tom with blue eyes
Windheart-wiry black she-cat
Apprentice, Featherpaw (tortoiseshell she-cat)
Queens:
Cloudface- gray tabby she-cat with a white, broad, flattened face and wide amber eyes (mother to Thistlekit, Flowerkit, and Yellowkit)
Dusktail-dark gray she-cat with broad shoulders and black stripes (expecting Birdtalon's kits)
Fallowcloud-brown she-cat (mother of Riverpelt's kits: Stonekit, Leafkit, Mistkit, and Mottlekit)
Cats outside of the Clans:
Lulu-black she-cat with a brown underbelly and legs; rogue
Tiger- orange tabby kittypet with blue eyes
Bask-pinkish ginger tom with watery eyes;loner
Stare- ginger and white she-cat;loner, mother to four kits: Rain, Spider, Shell, and Lost
Gorse-dark brown tabby tom with large paws and blue eyes;loner
Pebble-black and white tom;rogue
Chapter One[]
Littlemist's dark green eyes glowed with pride as she looked down at her three new kits, face showing signs of relief for the season before when the light brown tabby queen had had her third litter of kits, they'd all died.What was unusual however, was the fact that her mate, Fogheart, hadn't shown up to see his kits, instead, his brother, the clan leader, Kestrelstar, had. The mottled brown tom's eyes were glowing with happiness for Littlemist. He'd wanted to take her as a mate long ago, when all three were young, but she had fallen in love with Fogheart, and the leader just hadn't had it in his heart to break up the love between those two. Now, the CedarClan leader looked down at the three kits for the first time, and wondered, as he had so many times before, what it would be like to have a mate. He worried for the kits however, because it was leaf-bare, and there was little chance that all three would survive, for it had been unusually tough this season and prey-poor, which was usual, but still, normally, warriors could find enough prey to get the clan through the winter. If only because there were a few warm spells in the beginning, he realized.
"What would you like to name them, Littlemist?' The medicine cat, Thornfoot, asked.
Looking up, the new queen sighed, her eyes troubled for a moment before she answered. All three kits were lovely of course, but the spotted gray one should be named for her fur, just like the other three would be. Only, this time, she had more trouble on deciding what to name them. A cold north wind blew in through the ancient brambles of the nursery, getting through the leaves that were supposed to protect them, and it sliced through her kits's fur. All three let out tiny whimpers, so the experianced mother curled her body around them protectively, shielding them from the harsh wind.
"Spottedkit, Lightkit for her pale tabby fur, and Shadowkit for his black fur," A deep meow sounded from behind them, making all three cats jump. It was Fogheart, shown up at last to see his offspring.
The warrior had gotten a glimpse of all three, and had decided on their names before Littlemist could say anything. She glared at her mate suspiciously, a low growl sounding from deep within her throat. Kestrelstar stood beside the she-cat protectively, while a nervous Thornstep watched on before cutting off Fogheart's path to the kits.
"Now Fogheart, Littlemist needs time alone with the kits. You may see them later. In fact, all of us should leave Littlemist in peace to grant her a little rest," Thornstep meowed brusquely before shouldering Fogheart out of the way and stalking out of the den, his eyes troubled. Reluctantly, Fogheart left, eyeing his kits with impatience and Kestrelstar with annoyance before coming out, lashing his tail back and forth.
Back in the nursery, Littlemist was gently licking her three kits, Spottedkit, Lightkit, and Shadowkit were good names, though still, she wished that she'd said the names, and not Fogheart. After all, the question had been pointed at her, but Littlemist did not dare to speak with him, for Fogheart had become different as of late. More moody and watchful, always jumpy whenever a cat went up to talk with him, more distant with his kits- Silverclaw, Foxtail, and Hawkfeather from the second litter, while her first litter of kits had only resulted in one, Willowtail. Sighing, she nosed the three tiny lives closer to her, letting them feed as their tiny paws pressed against her warm body as they struggled to feed.
Fogheart, what's gotten into you? She wondered as she began to doze off.
Chapter Two[]
5 and a half moons later....
"Hey, get back here!" Spottedkit meowed as her brother, Shadowkit tumbled away from her attack. It was just before sunrise, and Spottedkit and Shadowkit had gotten up early, and as expected, started to play. Her brother's amber eyes glowed with mischief as he suddenly disappeared within the shadows beside their older sister, Willowtail, and by accident, Spottedkit toppled onto the silver gray Icekit, who got up in surprise to feel tiny little claws poking into her fur.
"Watch it," Icekit complained in a high pitched voice.
"Sorry Icekit," Spottedkit meowed to the little she-kit before hopping off, feeling embaressed and ears growing hot. Unknown to her, Littlemist had gotten up, and was suddenly looming over her daughter, having come from the nest.
"What are you and Shadowkit doing up this early?" Her mother's sweet voice sounded from behind.
Looking up, Spottedkit whirled around, little blue eyes round and ashamed. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as her younger brother, Shadowkit, crept from the shadows to sit beside Spottedkit. His ears were pricked, and face serious as he answered.
"Just playing," he meowed in a little voice.
Giving a snort of amusement mixed with exasperation, the old nursery queen led the two back to their nest, where Lightkit lay asleep, her body moving up and down as she breathed in and out, not aware that her siblings had been up to mischief. Spottedkit sighed, her little body curling up next to Lightkit's. The nursery wasn't any fun now, with Willowtail moving in and then having more kits. It was starting to get crowded, with she hated. Her mother's warm breath stirred across her fur, brushing Spottedkit's whiskers softly.
"Go to sleep until dawn, little one," her mother meowed softly.
Eyes closing, Spottedkit drifted off to sleep reluctantly, feeling her mother's soft fur curl around her. Though it had now become new leaf, the queen had always been protective of her and her siblings, and their father, Fogheart, was rarely in the nursery. He seemed more interested in going on patrols and helping to take care of the clan than visiting his own kits.
It was nightfall now, and Spottedkit had been in the elders den all day, listening to them tell stories and teasing them. She and her sister Lightkit had left now, for it was time for a warrior ceremony. One of the apprentices, a she-cat with dark red tabby fur, white paws, and one ear was going to become a warrior of the clan.
"All cats old enough to catch their prey gather round the Tall Ledge for a clan meeting!" Their leader and her uncle, Kestrelstar, called out.
Warriors with a mix of brown, tabby, gray, tortoiseshell, and white pelts gathered around the rock, ears pricked and eyes alert, looking up at Kestrelstar, waiting for him to tell the purpose of the meeting. Two cats gathered around Spottedkit, one was the warrior, Fogheart, and the next was an elder named Petalleaf.
The dark gray elder's eyes gazed with pride on at Rosepaw as the apprentice quivered with excitement, muscles rippling under her sleek pelt as she padded forward.
"It is time that Rosepaw recieved her warrior name!" Kestrelstar called out, his deep voice echoing out among the camp.
A light gray tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes stepped forward to lead the young apprentice to a small circle that had been kept clear, just underneath the Tall Ledge. Brindlestorm, the CedarClan deputy, sat down two fox lengths away from her apprentice, never looking around at her clan, just staring calmly ahead with a serene expression on her wise face.
"Brindlestorm, are you satisfied that your apprentice has been taught in the ways of the warrior code?" The leader called down to the deputy.
"Yes," Brindlestorm replied coolly, though there was a tinge of pride in her voice.
Rosepaw looked around at her clan, shaking with excitement, and found her mother, Petalleaf, sitting there, looking at her daughter with pride. Barely able to keep control, the apprentice heard purrs of amusement erupting from the onlooking cats, their eyes shining with delight.
"I see that she's still as energetic as a kit," Kestrelstar meowed mildly in an even tempered voice.
Spottedkit, not able to see, pushed her way through, getting under the paws of different cats before going to sit at the edge of the crowd, watching the apprentice, Rosepaw intently, secretly wishing that she was up there as well. Suddenly, another two forms pressed against her, this time, Lightkit and Shadowkit, their forms silver in the full moonlight.
"Rosepaw, do you promise to defend and uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your own life?" Kestrelstar demanded.
However, before Rosepaw could reply, the pale gray warrior with black paws and big ears sprang from where he was as cats cleared before him, lunging at the light gray tabby Brindlestorm. The deputy sidestepped him easily, a stunned look on her face before Littlemist, Shadowkit's, Lightkit's, and Spottedkit's mother sprang from where she was at the edge of the crowd, barreling into her own mate, claws out, dark green eyes blazing.
"What has gotten into you, Fogheart?!" Littlemist exclaimed before the tom twisted his body around, pushing her off with a huff.
Kestrelstar, feeling a surge of fury sweep through him, leaped down smoothly, landing on all four paws before going over to his brother.
"Get out of my clan, now." Kestrelstar hissed. Spottedkit shivered, having never heard their leader so angry before.
Fogheart glared up at his leader, eyes cold as ice. Shivering, Spottedkit stayed frozen where she was. The whole clan was just staring in shock at Fogheart, with Brackenpelt, a dark ginger tom with blue eyes, open mouthed and tail lashing back and forth, for those two toms had never had a good relationship. Meanwhile, Littlemist's flanks were heaving with effort, though her eyes were distraught and at the same time, distant as the stars shining up ahead. Brindlestorm on the other hand, just gazed calmly at Fogheart as he started to pad away, the tom never even saying a word as the cats parted to make way for him, Sandpaw shaking and pressing close to her mentor, Hawkfeather.
"I'll be back!" Fogheart's voice rang from the edge of the camp clearing as he faded away into the black shadows.
Kestrelstar merely watched before turning back to Rosepaw.
The new apprentice, about to become a warrior shifted her paws before replying in a shaky, breathless, yet determined voice.
"I do."
There seemed to be a shine in the white pawed apprentice's eyes when she gazed up at Kestrelstar, ears erect, standing at super attention, not even letting the recent shock deter her. Spottedkit and her siblings were glancing from her to their uncle, and then back again. Lightkit whispered into Shadowkit's ear.
"I think that Rosepaw likes Kestrelstar," the pale tabby she kit meowed in a low voice.
Spottedkit on the other hand, was paying close attention to the ceremony.
"Then, by the powers of MoonClan, I give you your warrior name. Rosepaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Rosefur. MoonClan, I ask you to watch over and guide this young warrior, as she becomes a full member of CedarClan. They honor your stamina and loyalty." He went on, ending the ceremony by leaping down and resting his head on top of hers, though his tail twined with the newly named Rosefur's as the she-cat licked his shoulder respectfully.
Cheers echoed up through the clan, with Blackear and Petalleaf shouting their daughter's name the loudest.
"Rosefur! Rosefur! Rosefur!" The clan went on, yowls splitting into the night sky as the full moon shone brightly down upon them.
Chapter Three[]
Three moons later.... (Kestrelstar's point of view)
The tom's mottled brown coat blended in with the forest as he stalked a mouse, crouching down, carefully placing his paws lightly onto the moss and pine covered floor. Ferns tickled his nose, while long and thin grasses brushed his pelt, forming a striped shadow. Luckily, the tom's scent was downwind, and pawsteps were light, so light that the mouse didn't even hear him. However, the leader of CedarClan's mind wasn't on the hunt, or on Rosefur, the she-cat that he liked, but on a recent dream that he'd gotten from MoonClan. It disturbed him, and his bright green eyes were narrowed as he landed a swift deathbite to the back of the mouse's head. Ears pricking, the tom turned to hear Shadowpaw, his newest apprenticeand lively nephew.
"Kestrelstar! Kestrelstar!" The young tom cried as he nearly crashed into his mentor.
Backing up easily, Kestrelstar turned to face the black furred, amber eyed apprentice. Briefly, Kestrelstar thought of his old apprentice, Goldenpaw, who'd died in a recent skirmish with MapleClan, and his eyes clouded with ancient grief.
"What is it, Shadowpaw?" Kestrelstar asked.
The eight and a half moon old apprentice sighed for a moment before disappearing. Curious, Kestrelstar followed him to where Owlwing, a brown and white she-cat, had been caught in a fox trap, and was wailing her head off. The she-cat's eyes widened in relief when she saw the leader, and two other cats, Stormcloud and Adderpaw, were trying to find something to help get her loose.
"Stand back," Kestrelstar ordered in a firm voice.
At that, everyone backed away, including Shadowpaw, while his mentor sniffed the forepaw which had been caught. The salty tang of blood and Twoleg, combined with MapleClan sent the leader into a rage. Bright green eyes blazing, he started to uncover the trap stick, getting it uncovered enough to the point where he could pull it out of her brown and white tail. Grunting in great pain, Owlwing limped unsteadily out of the way as the trap closed once more, some of her fur was stuck there however, and Kestrelstar backed up.
"What was going on here?" He demanded, needing to know.
Suddenly, his ears pricked to the sound of thundering pawsteps, and whirled around to see a patrol of MapleClan warriors and their apprentices-Tornheart, Breezefang, Birdtalon, Smallpaw, Fawnpaw, and Riverpelt heading towards them, ears back against their heads, and eyes narrowed in fury. Hissing, the small patrol of CedarClan cats was outnumbered as another wave of enemy clan cats showed up, pouring in, leaping onto their foes. Facing Sagetail, a warrior from the other clan, he slashed her muzzle and the she-cat spit with rage before bowling the experianced warrior over.
"Adderpaw, go back and get help!" Kestrelstar's friend, Stormcloud, ordered after fending off Birdtalon, a small tabby and white tom, who was also the deputy of MapleClan.
The last thing Kestrelstar saw before a slashing pain sliced through him was Adderpaw speeding off to go get help.
Chapter Four[]
Back in camp, Spottedpaw sighed as she took care of the two elders ticks, listening to Blackear tell a story. He was her favorite cat in the clan, besides her mentor, Shrewtail. Then, the young apprentice pricked her ears to hear the pawsteps of Adderpaw.
"Excuse me for a moment," She told Blackear before bounding out of the den.
Warriors had already crowded around the young tomcat, among them, Lightpaw, Brindlestorm, the clan deputy, along with Smokepaw, Shrewtail, Snowpaw, and last but not least, Silverclaw and Littlemist. All of the cats were peppering the poor apprentice with questions, when Brindlestorm signaled for them to be quiet.
"Okay, I want a patrol of some of our warriors and apprentices to help Kestrelstar, Shadowpaw, Stormcloud, Owlwing, and Adderpaw. Spottedpaw, you, Snowpaw, Shrewtail, Smokepaw, Rosefur, and Frosttail all go out and help them. Lightpaw, you, Sandpaw, and Petalleaf will all guard the camp." Brindlestorm ordered and with a wave of her tail, went back to helping to rebuild the nursery.
Snowpaw's gray ears flicked as he and Spottedpaw started to race off with Smokepaw, Shrewtail Rosefur, and Frosttail came behind. Adderpaw had to stay behind to have his wounds checked, but was trying to come back into the battle later. Looking back for one moment, Spottedpaw noticed jealousy flicker on Lightpaw's face for the barest of moments before plunging in after her clanmates.
By the time they got to where the battle was taking place, Owlwing and Stormcloud were both down, covered with MapleClan warriors. Without a second thought, the new apprentice raced to help her brother Shadowpaw fight off Fawnpaw and and Smallpaw, who were trying to get the drop on her black brother. Blow for blow, the two apprentices pressed Fawnpaw and Smallpaw back before Shadowpaw disappeared into the fray. Disappointed, Spottedpaw didn't have to wait long before hearing a cry of pain. Pricking her ears, she realized that it was Kestrelstar. Her uncle was pinned beneath Birdtalon, a small tabby and white tom who was struggling to keep hold of Kestrelstar. However, the young she-cat was blocked by another warrior, this one bigger and more powerful, with silver tabby fur. Riverpelt. She remembered him from the previous gathering, and for a few moments was held in terror by his hard gaze before he leaped onto her.
Yet, he wasn't clawing or biting her, except into the scruff of gray fur. Struggling with flailing paws, the young apprentice somehow got him on the muzzle, and the warrior growled, suddenly flanked by his clanmates-Tornheart and Ravenstar.Terrified, Spottedpaw watched in dismay as the battle broke up in the clearing, with MapleClan warriors retreating, and her clanmates racing off without even looking for her.
"No," she murmured.
"Be quiet, kit," the black leader of MapleClan snarled as they headed deeper into the enemy clan territory, filled with maples and long, slippery barked elm trees. The ground was peaty and wet, which Spottedpaw could feel everytime Riverpelt started to drop her. The other cats held an icy, determined air to them, from which the eight and a half moon old apprentice shuddered from. The scent of MapleClan hung heavy and grew stronger as they came to a camp surrounded by stones and mud. There was a small entrance, big enough for a warrior to get through, and wide enough for about two to enter in at the same time. However, the entrance was barricaded by a dense wall of brush and thorns and burrs, all grabbing into Spottedpaw's pelt as she was hurtled through. The enemy clan cats looked up at the warriors' returning with stunned and angry silence. Two of the cats, queens, she guessed, were huddled together, murmuring in low voices when among the crowd, she saw a familiar pale gray head-her father, Fogheart.