The White Raven

Note

I would really appreciate some constructive criticism. Thank you!

This is not my art, and I give full credit to the original artist.

SwiftClan

Leader:

Crowstar - black tom

Deputy:

Greywhisker - very pale silver tabby she-cat

Medicine Cat:

Rainpelt - grey tom

Warriors:

Suntail - speckled golden furred she-cat

Acornfall - light brown tabby tom

Gorsenose - grey tabby she-cat, amber eyes

Bluepelt - blue-grey she-cat

Brackenheart - long-haired ginger tabby tom

Thornfrost - golden-brown tabby tom, white patches

Brightflame - pale ginger she-cat, amber eyes

Apprentice, Honeypaw

Firpelt - dark brown tabby tom

Cinderfur - dark grey tom

Hawktalon - brown tabby tom, white patches

Apprentice, Cricketpaw

Yellowclaw - golden-brown tabby she-cat

Snailtooth - brown-and-white tom

Tawnyfang - tortoiseshell she-cat

Spotmuzzle - white she-cat, brown spots

Apprentices:

Cricketpaw - pale tabby tom 

Honeypaw - golden-brown she-cat 

Queens:

Hollyspots - dark brown tabby she-cat, black flecks, mother to Cedarthroat's kits: Ravenkit (black she-cat, white patches), Dovekit (white she-cat, black patches).

Sleektail - black-and-white she-cat, green eyes, mother to Firpelt’s kits: Antkit (dark brown tabby tom), Redkit (dark ginger tom), Finchkit (golden-brown she-cat).

Feathercloud - white she-cat, expecting Brackenheart's kits

Elders:

Duskypelt - dark brown tabby tom, lighter patches

Oakfall - brown tabby tom

EchoClan

Leader:

Mossstar - grey-and-white she-cat

Deputy:

Larkheart - pale brown tabby tom

Medicine Cat:

Nightfur - thick furred black she-cat

Warriors:

Emberfur - black she-cat

Reednose - dark brown tabby tom

Flamesong - dark ginger tom

Apprentice, Pebblepaw

Ivystripe - pale tabby she-cat

Sparkheart - pale ginger she-cat, darker patches

Firefoot - big ginger tom

Sweetfang - pale grey she-cat, darker flecks

Apprentice, Scorchpaw

Willowflight - grey she-cat

Smokestep - dark grey tom

Apprentice, Beetlepaw

Mouseleap - brown tom

Flintfeather - dark grey tabby tom

Longleg - pale brown tom

Whitetail - white she-cat, dark brown eyes

Apprentices:

Scorchpaw - dark grey tom

Beetlepaw - dark brown tabby she-cat

Pebblepaw - pale grey she-cat

Queens:

Eagletalon - brown she-cat, mother to Smokesteps kits: Owlkit (white tom), Turtlekit (dark brown tabby tom).

Clovetail - long-furred black-and-white she-cat, mother to Larkheart's kit: Larkkit (brown tabby she-cat)

Elders:

Hazelfoot - brown tabby she-cat

Prologue

The moonlight shone upon the cat, the white brightness of it's light in stark contrast to the cat's black fur.

"This has got to stop." The black tom boomed out. "I am your leader, I have been since Twilight was killed."

The many cats gathered below him stayed silent, and he frowned. "Do you doubt my claim? I was Twilight's deputy, so that makes me your leader."

A lithe grey tom ran his tongue through his pelt, then got to his paws. "Crowstar, we all support you."

Crowstar snorted. "I wouldn't be saying this if that were true. Another has been killed tonight." He watched as gasps of shock ran through the gathered cats, searching for a group of cats who seemed unsurprised by this. His yellow eyes rested on Bluepelt, who was watching him with cold, knowing amber eyes. He hissed.

"Bluepelt."

The blue-grey she-cat nodded, and stood. "Crowstar." A tom sitting beside her, Acornfall, whispered something to her that Crowstar couldn't quite hear, but Bluepelt seemed to ignore him.

"Crowstar." She hissed up at him. "You are not our leader. You sit on that rock like it is a throne, like SwiftClan is still in the clutches of Twilight. You are no leader of mine." She spat a gob of spit at the foot of the High-Rock, causing a lot of titters to spread around the crowd. Bluepelt turned to the rest of the Clan.

"Yes, he was Twilight's deputy. But Twilight wasn't a leader! She was never blessed by StarClan! Our last true leader was Ravenstar!"

Yowls of approval rose up from figures Crowstar couldn't identify. He pinned his ears back, and hissed his reply.

"Ravenstar is dead! Yes, Twilight never got nine lives, but I did. I think you will find that that makes me your leader."

Bluepelt shook her head. "No! Ravenstar had a son."

Crowstar frowned. Where was the she-cat going with this? Cedarthroat was dead. "But Cedarthroat is dead. He died yesterday."

Suntail glared at Crowstar when he said this, and Crowstar understood why. Cedarthroat was her son, it was natural for her to be angry when he mentioned him. SwiftClan usually didn't mention the deceased names for a moon after they had died, for it was thought that mentioning the name would call the dead back, and stop them from reaching StarClan. Crowstar dipped his head apologetically to the old she-cat, then turned back to Bluepelt. She was watching him with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, he is dead!" She called out. "But his blood remains. Hollyspots had his kits just before you summoned us here."

Crowstar blinked. Was this true? He flicked his tail to Snailtooth, which he understood as the command, 'Check if this is true.' The brown-and-white tom nodded, and slunk away, heading for the nursery.

Bluepelt continued to stare up at the High-Rock, like she was waiting for a retort. Crowstar thought for a moment. She is obviously popular. What she believes, they believe. And if I am not much mistaken, she is a member of the White Raven. Crowstar tensed, preparing himself for what he was about to do.

"See?" He does not deny it." Bluepelt glanced around her Clanmates, and to Crowstar she was the only one clearly in focus among the many figures. 

"There is more." Bluepelt whispered, and the cats closest to her seemed to unconsciously lean towards her, desperate to hear what the blue she-cat was saying.

"There is something odd about the kit's," Bluepelt continued, hardly audible. "There are two of them, she-cats. One is black, the other white."

Crowstar relaxed. What Bluepelt was saying wasn't terrible after all. Of course, he was proved wrong by her next words.

"The black kit has a large patch of white on her back. A patch in the shape of a raven. A white raven. The white raven."

Crowstar leaped. That was it. She could not do this to him. Defying him in public was one thing. Claiming that the kit had the sign of the rebellion on her back was another. He landed squarely on her back, ripping into her ears the moment he landed. She tried to roll, but he resisted. Crowstar knew he was stronger, and so did Bluepelt.

"I say this, and he attacks me!" She croaked out to the horrified Clan. "Doesn't this prove that I speak the truth?" 

Crowstar stiffened. She was right. If he killed her, Bluepelt would be proved correct, and the little control he still had over SwiftClan would die. He hissed, and a new plan came to him. He leaned out over her face, and sunk his claws into her bright eyes. Bluepelt wouldn't die. But she would never see again.

Chapter One

Dovekit stuck her head out of the nest, and sniffed the air cautiously.

"Hollyspots?" She whispered.

Her mother smiled, and gently stroked the back of Dovekit's head with her tail. "Yes Dovekit?"

"Hollyspots... what if Crowstar doesn't give me a mentor?"

Hollyspot's amber eyes softened. "Of course he will. He has no reason not too."

Ravenkit, Dovekit's sister, was not as sympathetic. "Don't be so dumb Dovekit! I mean, the ceremony's about to start! Why wouldn't he give you a mentor?"

Dovekit ignored Hollyspots, and chose to bat Ravenkit on the nose. "I'm not dumb!"

"Then stop acting like it!" came the retort. Dovekit was hardly surprised. Ravenkit always called her dumb. She called Dovekit dumb when Dovekit couldn't jump as far, when Dovekit could jump further, when Dovekit ate first, when Dovekit ate last, when Dovekit farted, when Dovekit didn't fart; Ravenkit basically called Dovekit dumb whenever she was searching for a good way to try and show SwiftClan that she should be made leader right away. Well, not exactly like that, but close enough.

There was a scuffle of paws outside the den, and Dovekit pricked her ears. "Is it a badger?" She whispered. Hollyspots smiled softly, but it was strained, and she seemed to edge slightly around Ravenkit, who was perched on the edge of the nest, ready to recieve the newcomer, so that the two kits were sheltered from view.

A broad, tabby head appeared around the corner, and Hollyspots relaxed. It was only Oakfall, her father. "Oakfall."

The tabby dipped his head, and a deep purring commenced. "Hollyspots."

Hollyspots let out a small purr, not as magnificent as Oakfall's, but still quite nice to hear. "Oakfall. Do you want to talk to Ravenkit and Dovekit one last time before the ceremony?"

Dovekit let out a small squeak. "For the last time? Does that mean we're going to die?"

Ravenkit snorted, and poked Dovekit with her paw. "No, silly! We'll be Ravenpaw and Dovepaw after the ceremony. We won't be kits anymore!"

Dovekit frowned. "Oh."

The sound of Ravenkit whacking Dovekit as a punishment for the black patched kit's stupidity, Hollyspots seemed to become aware of them, and grabbed Ravenkit. "Prepare to be clean!" Ravenkit let out a squeak of surprise and indignation, but Hollyspots ignored her, and began to vigorously groom the black kit's pelt.

"Dovekit," she mewed between licks. "Try to groom yourself."

Dovekit nodded, and ran her tongue threw her pelt in two long strokes. "I'm all clean!" Hollyspot's raised her head for a moment, eyes passing over Dovekit, and Ravenkit managed to scramble away from her mother. "And so am I!" Hollyspots sighed. "Fine.

Ravenkit ignored Hollyspots, and turned to Oakfall. "Oakfall! Badger ride!" The tabby tom smiled, and lowered himself to Ravenkit's level, letting her climb onto his broad back. "Of course. Dovekit, would you like a badger ride as well?" Dovekit shook her head, so he straightened, and exited the den. Dovekit watched them leave, and turned to Hollyspots.

"Are you sure I'll get a mentor?"

Hollyspots blinked, surprised that Dovekit was so insecure about this, then purred in amusement. "Of course you will Dovekit."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes."

At Hollyspot's word, Dovekit seemed to relax. "Good... Redkit's been saying I won't. He says I'm too dumb to possiblely ever get a mentor, or become a warrior, or get a mate, or become deputy, or become leader, or become a medicine cat..." Her voice trailed away.