Ghoststar got back to camp with Darkmoon's patrol. Those who stayed behind were eager to know why their leader had rushed out. The white she-cat leaped up onto the Twilight Rock. Dusk was falling, but the half light didn't dim her bright pelt. "Cat's of Twilightclan," Everyone was already gathered. "Darkmoon's patrol found a clan not far past our borders. They call themselves Roseclan."
The group of cats murmured quietly, excitement and anxiety crackled through them. "There was unclaimed territory between our two borders so both of us were able to expand and claim that evenly. It's just past the river. We will meet there tomorrow night under the full moon for the Gathering." Ghoststar tried to keep a even tone but she couldn't hide her excitement. Cats were glancing at eachother, trying to figure out who Ghoststar would choose to go.
"I'll have Darkmoon, Scorchtooth, Silverpaw, Brownfur, Thistlefur, Tawnynight, Owlpaw, and Talonpaw to go with me." The cat's chosen shuffled as excitement filled them, all except Scorchtooth. Ghoststar waved her tail for the cats to be dismissed. They broke into excited conversation, chatting in groups.
Ghoststar jumped down and quietly went into her den. My dreams were right! The thing to find past our borders was another Clan. The white she-cat curled into her nest, wrapping her tail around her tucked paws. The cat's in my dreams know things I don't...The red cat lead me to our Medicine Cat and now they warned me about the other clan. She was burning with curiosity now. She had to know what Starclan is, who it is. She stood adruptly, peeped outside her den and called out to Scorchtooth. She somehow had a feeling he would know.
Scorchtooth looked up from his vole, annoyance in his eyes as he was being interrupted. Couldn't this wait? He thought exasperatedly. Grudgingly, he rose to his feet, and walked over to his leader. "What is so important that you had to interrupt my meal?" He asked impatiently. He still had to go collect more comfrey, and see if anyone catnip had grown anywhere in their territory. It's always good to start early.
ReplyDeleteGhoststar flattened her ears at his attitude, but she still had to ask. "Have you heard of Starclan?" She couldn't keep anxiety out of her tone. Her gray eyes starred at the black tom.
ReplyDeleteScorchtooh narrowed his eyes. "I'm a medicine cat, of course I have!" His tone was near a hiss, as if he was taking the question as a challenge. "Who hasn't? You are the leader, right? 9 lives, everything?" He asked, suddenly curious of how this conversation was going. He had to admit, Ghoststar did seem a bit off in the spiritual way ever since he joined the Clan. Could it be..?
ReplyDeleteGhoststar looked shocked. "Nine lives! That's what the cats said in my dreams..." She had looked away into the distance for a moment, but her gaze flicked back to him as she realized she said that out loud. "What do you mean nine lives? Who is Starclan then? Why do you know about them? Why should I?" She was full of questions and was able to ignore his attitude.
ReplyDeleteSpade was not a snooping kind of cat, but when his curiosity peaked, he gained those traits. He heard Ghoststar and Scorchtooth's hushed mutterings, and he couldn't help but swivel his ear towards them to try to listen to their conversation. He was busy burrowing his face into a vole, so he could look casual as he "over heard" what they were saying.
ReplyDeleteBrownfur was excited to know she was going to this Gathering. Sure, she barely knew anything about it, but by the looks of the other cats' faces, it was a great event. She let out a low purr and flicked her tail. It was tonight, so she would have to save her journey for the journey there and then for the journey back.
Talonpaw was excited to be going to the gathering. He puffed out his chest and pricked his ears proudly.
ReplyDeleteScorchtooth took a deep breath. It's like talking to a kit! "Sit down. This is going to take a lot of explaining." He muttered, sitting down himself, not much in a rush like Ghoststar. "StarClan are our warrior ancestors, cats who have died before us noble ways." Or at least I hope they're noble.. He had heard many folktales about the twisted souls 'up there', or, to be more clear, The Dark Forest cats. He hope they remained just that; folktales. "They come to us in dreams, or visions, to pass on their wisdom unto us, whether it be in a time of trouble or need." He then got on to the more pressing issue. "One of the most important parts of being leader of a Clan is gaining your nine lives which are granted by our ancestor. This means you do not die just once before you are sent to StarClan, but are able to look over your Clan for a longer time. 9 'times' to be exact. To do this, we must go to the most sacred part of our Clan's territory. Which, we are currently lacking.." He paused, knowing the she-cat probably had more questions.
ReplyDeleteGhoststar's gray eyes were wide. "I get nine lives!?" She whispered in shock. "We all share the same ancestors and they all go to Starclan? Even rouges?" She had watched her mother die in a fight over a scrape of food. Was that noble? Would hoststar even go to Starclan when she died? She wasn't a noble cat either...you do what you need to when you're a rouge. "Can Starclan choose not to give me nine lives? How do we get a part of our territory to be sacred or find a part? And what makes it sacred?" The white she-cat's fur began to lift on her shoulders as she grew more and more anxious. "Scorchtooth...I have dreams. Strange dreams. I think it's Starclan but I can't be sure. I'm always trying to reach these cats but I never can. The are too far away and shrouded in mist. I catch things they say sometimes though.." She shuddered. "That's why I had that patrol sent out. That's what I thought my dream was telling me to do..go find something past the border. And we found a clan! When I found you I was being lead by a cat with really red fur. I never clearly saw them and they seemed to vanish after I bumped into you. Was that Starclan? I was thinking we needed a Medicine Cat before it happened..." If Starclan speaks to me and helps with things we need then surely they think I'm a good cat?
ReplyDelete"Rogues... Well, I don't know all about them. But yes, we all share the same ancestors, somehow. We are all in one Clan, after all." He was having a hard time keeping track of all of her questions. "Yes, StarClan can reject your 9 lives, but that rarely happens. And considering your visions, I doubt it will happen.. We will have to search for the sacred spot. And it's not just a random patch of grass, mousebrain! It's something big, like a crystal, a pong, anything. StarClan will speak soon, even though they may seem very protective of their whereabouts..." He still couldn't believe she hadn't heard of them before. "But yes, other than that, StarClan can shroud their answers, they are very careful about revealing information they withheld." He paused again, then continued. "Were you ever in a Clan, before?" He asked, a judgmental stare in his eyes.
ReplyDeleteGhoststar flattened her ears. They could reject me! She flashed her teeth at his remark about a random patch of grass. I'm no mousebrain! She realized how much she hated not knowing about something. She was always in the know before, but this Starclan was a complete mystery to her. "Maybe they will show me or you the sacred spot in a dream?" The white she-cat looked away from his gaze for a moment. "No...I wasn't in a clan before this..." Ghoststar felt a sudden guilt about her past flush through her. Was it so bad being a rouge? Scorchtooth had no right to look at her like that! "But the past is the past." She spat, lashing her tail once.
ReplyDelete"That doesn't mean it can't have consequences." The dusty gray tom mused. "You have much to learn, then. Because as of right now, a kit would know more about clan life than you." He said it merely, as if he didn't know it was an insult. Before Ghoststar could react, he got up stiffly and stretched, glad to be relieved from his sore joints. "But remember, they may also like to send you a message while you are awake, don't forget that red cat just yet." He pointed out. "Then again, StarClan can be very tricky. They may want us to wait, but they may also want us to find this spot on our own."
ReplyDeleteSpade flicked his ear and took a long bite from his vole. StarClan, eh? The tales of ghost cats were still around? From his wandering around, he heard plenty of stories from the rogues of StarClan, many musings over them. This would definitely be good gossip- Ghoststar knew nothing of the ancestors of the Clans. But, he wasn't one for gossip, so he continued eating.
ReplyDelete(Oo that would just be wrong lol)
DeleteGhoststar wished she had something to say back to him but she didn't. The white she-cat realized she didn't know a lot about clan life...did she even deserve to be leader. "I will keep my eyes open." Was all she could say.
ReplyDelete"As will I." He murmured. "Anything else you want to tell me, perhaps?" To save the hassle later? So I could actually get on with my job? He tried to sound patient.
ReplyDeleteGhoststar flicked her tail in dismissal. She was more nervous then before. Would they find a sacred place for Starclan? Would they even grant her nine lives even if she was able to find a place? The white she-cat did know very little about clanlife and that could definitely be a weakness. She pondered silently on what to do.
ReplyDeletePadding outside the den, he didn't think much of the conversation. Even though he was critical, he knew Ghoststar would learn more about the Clans farther down the road. Well, at least hopefully. He thought as he excited the camp to check on the comfrey, dew drops scattering on his pelt as he brushed against the ferns.
ReplyDelete