Welcome to the new blog’s first ever fan fiction page! Post your fan fiction in a comment box below to share it with BlogClan. Have fun and keep creating.
[image description: a black-and-white photo of a kitten sleeping in a cavity of a typewriter]
“Nobody will stop you from creating. Do it tonight. Do it tomorrow. That is the way to make your soul grow – whether there is a market for it or not! The kick of creation is the act of creating, not anything that happens afterward. I would tell all of you watching this screen: Before you go to bed, write a four line poem. Make it as good as you can. Don’t show it to anybody. Put it where nobody will find it. And you will discover that you have your reward.” Kurt Vonnegut
Rainstar’s Hope
Allegiances
Leader- Darkstar
Deputy- Briarheart
Med.Cat- Shadowfoot
Warriors- Toms, and queens not expecting or nursing kits
Hawkmoon- Golden tom with green eyes
Foxtail- Red tom with green eyes and white tail tip
Bumbleheart- Golden tabby tom with green eyes
Rookfoot- Brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Mousear- Light brown tom with amber eyes
Violetdusk- Cream coloured tabby she-cat with amber eyes
Flowerheart- Ginger she-cat with white flower-shaped patch on chest
Nettlemoon- White she-cat with green eyes
Streamshine- White she-cat with amber eyes and ginger paws
Mintfur- Cream coloured tabby she-cat with green eyes
Queens- She-cats expecting or nursing kits
Petalfur- Ginger she-cat with green eyes- Mother of Rainkit, Poolkit, Dewkit and Streamkit
Daisytail- Cream she-cat with patches of white- expecting Hawkmoon’s kits
Elders- Toms and She-cats that retired
Speckleheart- Tortishell she-cat with weird grey eyes
Stripetail- Light brown tom with striped tail and amber eyes
Prologue
Petalfur looked down at the two cats she loved most, dead, killed by one another. “Oh Raintail, Streamshine, what will I do without you?” Petalfur once again felt a nudge inside her belly. “How will I raise these kits without you?”. The scent of her beloved Raintail wreathed around her. “R-Raintail?”” You will do a fine job raising these kits. And I will be watching over you all, in Starclan.” Raintail’s scent faded, and Petalfur was on her own once again. Reassured, she swam across the river and laid Raintail on the border. ‘Maybe his clan would think he drowned or something’ she thought. It was probably best if they did. She carried Streamshine bac to camp and was greeted by horror at the entrance. “Streamshine?” Petalfur’s littermate Shadowfoot looked horrified. They carried her in together, and Darkstar walked up. “What happened to her?” he asked. “We were walking along the stream, and she fell in and drowned” Petalfur hated lying to her clanmates, but to keep her kits safe, she had to. “Why is there Dawnclan scent on her then?” Darkstar was staring at Petalfur suspiciously. ” A Dawnclan warrior saw her fall in and tried to save her, but they both died…” Petalfur knew that Dawnclan’s leader, Brightstar, would announce Raintail’s death at the next gathering, and this was the best way to avoid suspicions. She walked to the nursery and laid down in her nest. ‘You will not suffer the same fate as your father. I will protect you with my life’ she silently vowed to her unborn kits, and at that very moment, knew that everything would be alright.
Chapter 1
“Come on, Rainkit! You can do it!” Poolkit’s encouraging mew rang through the nursery. Slowly, Rainkit opened her eyes. She heard a gasp from her mother, Petalfur. “What’s wrong?” Dewkit asked. “Oh, nothing dear, just that I must’ve laid on a thistle.” Petalfur said. “Oh, okay!” Streamkit said enthusiastically. “Wow! You’ve got such beautiful blue eyes!” said Daisytail’s kit, Skykit, then looked a bit embarrassed. “Th-Thanks.” Rainkit mewed. “Yay!! Now we can go play in the clearing!” mewed Poolkit. “I’m not sure, Rainkit just opened her eyes, and they might need a little adjusting.” Petalfur mewed, sounding unsure. “But I’m fine! Oh please can we go play?” Rainkit mewed, a little unsure what her littermate were mewing about. “Oh, let them go out, they need to leave the nest someday!” Daisytail said. “Please?” All the kits mewed together. “Oh fine, but don’t get into any trouble!” Petalfur didn’t get to finish her sentence before all five kits tumbled out. “Wow! It’s huge!” Dewkit mewed. Skykit gave him a friendly nudge. “Come on! Last one to the fresh-kill pile is a mouse!” Skykit raced off. Even though Skykit got a head start, Rainkit overcame him, and was first to it. “Okay, I’m a mouse!” mewed Streamkit in exhaustion. They looked around, and found that the forest around camp had large pine trees, and a lot of undergrowth. “Perfect for stalking prey!” Her brother Poolkit said. “Or ambushing!” Streamkit mewed. “Why would we do that?” Rainkit was confused. ‘Why would we ambush our own clanmates?’ Rainkit thought. “Oh, right! Don’t you remember the story Stripetail told us? About Dawnclan invading?” Dewkit asked. “Well, yeah, but that was just a story. There are no other clans. Every cat knows that.” Rainkit wondered why her brother was talking such nonsense. The four other kits started laughing historically, except for Skykit. “She’s right. Dawnclan doesn’t exist, or Sunclan, or Moonclan. We are the only clan in the forest.” Skykit looked just as confused as Rainkit. The other kits started laughing even harder, until Dewkit toppled over. “That wasn’t just a story! there was an actual battle with Dawnclan! Just ask Shadowfoot!” Poolkit said. “Fine, we will!” Rainkit said. They walked up to the medicine cat den, or at least what she was pretty sure was the medicine cat den. “Shadowfoot?” She called. A smoky black tom walked out. “Yes? Oh! It’s Rainkit and Skykit! Welcome to the clan, kits.” he said. “Does Dawnclan exist?” Rainkit asked. Shadow foot purred. “Well of course it does! You know, you look almost exactly like one of Dawnclan’s warriors, Raintail.” Shadow foot said, starting to look thoughtful. Her mother walked up. “Yes, remember how Duskclan is the original clan? Maybe some of his blood runs through her.” Petalfur said. “But what about her name?” Now Shadowfoot was looking suspiciously from his niece to his sister. Petalfur snorted. He was the cat trying to save our mother, or have you forgot?” Petalfur looked annoyed. Rainkit creeped away and wondered if all her clanmates were like this, and hoped that she wouldn’t be judged by her clan by her pelt colour and name.
If anybody’s wondering, yes, I’m writing a fan fiction about myself! 😛
Interesting chapter!
Interesting,,,,,,,,, I believe Raintail was the father, and Streamshine found out about his affair with her daughter, and tried to get rid of him for her daughter’s own good, and they fell in the river after Streamshine sliced Raintail’s neck, but before he died, he sliced her’s too, they died and it all happened in front of Petalfur, I’m guessing they are in DuskClan. Other than DawnClan, are there other clans?
yes, all correct, and there are Sunclan and Moonclan too
Oooh cool. I now everything since I am correct!
Nice! Btw Petalfur, Daisytail, and Mintfur are canon.
oh srry i didnt know. 🙁
Lost At Sea
Proluge
My fur was hot in the sun as I chatted with her siblings.
“Woah woah woah, medicine cats DON’T learn how to swim?! How is that even possible Willowmist?!” Screeched Shimmerfrost, her fur fluffed out a bit as she spoke.
“What if you need to go out in the sea to save a cat?” Wavesplash asked, pointing to the big, blue ocean splashing onto the shore beside them with her tail.
“We have other cats do it I guess.” Willowmist meowed in embarrasment, knowing she shouldn’t have spilled a secret like that.
“I can teach you!” I purred to my sister. I ran to the shore and jumped into the wavy water.
“Wait! The waves! Briarstar said it was dangerous! Seabird!” Called Shimmerfrost. I was already to far out. A huge wave splashed over me, I spit spluttered the salty water out of my mouth.
“Seabird! JAYSTREAK! MY KIT!” My mother, Bubblestream. Jaystreak ran into the water and tried swimming out to me, but she washed right back up to shore with the strong force of water.
“I need strong swimmers! Raspberrywing! Clouddrift! We need to get Seabird!” By the time she yowled that my mouth was full of water.
I vomited and coughed up lots of salty water. My blue-grey head bobbed just above the water. I was sucked under again my another wave, it was forceful this time. It took me a while to come back up. I knew my clan was obviously sure I was dead or almost dead. I swam back up and splashed with my paws screaming and screeching for help. Bubblestream was crying, tears and more tears streaming down her beautiful, usually happy silver face. “SAVE MY KIT! PLEASE! HELP MY KIT!” She was shrieking.
Now I was so far my clan looked like rabbits. I yowled for them to see me, “HELP! I’M DROWNING!” I splashed more with my paws. My pelt looked like the ocean with it’s color and how wet it was. My eyes blazed with hope and fury. Hope for my clan-mates to save me, and for me to live. Fury for the horror me and my clan were suffering from, along with keeping up. The I realized something.
If I died, I would be in StarClan, with my father, Splashingwave. He was said to look identicle to me ears to claws. Wavesplash was named after him. I’d actually get to meet him! He died before I was born, he was deputy, it was said that he died saving our mother from a rouge attacking the nursery in the Rouge Battle.
Splashingwave….. the name kept flashing in my mind as soon as I thought about him. Soon, a huge wave was rising above me. I knew it was the end, I just knew it. I held my breath as it took me under.
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Yep, Proluge. Not too bad. Never really do them. 😛
Nice and interesting prolouge! Love how the cat sacrificed himself / herself to save a cat!
Awesome! Thanks for the cameo 🙂 so sad!
Tigerstar’s Weakness
by Honeypaw
Tigerstar opened his amber eyes. The Dark Forest surrounded him. He felt at home here.
“Tigerstar, where are you?” Darkstripe’s voice made Tigerstar shiver. He was whining like a pitiful kit! Tigerstar bared his teeth and marched over to a thick thicket. The dark gray tabby was tangled in bushes. Thorns were pressed into his fur.
“Darkstripe, you need to be stronger than this,” hissed Tigerstar. He lashed his tail. He bent one paw down. A light shimmered in the foolish tom’s eyes. Was he thinking that Tigerstar was going to help him? As if! Tigerstar whipped out his claws and slashed Darkstripe’s paw. Dark red blood ran down Darkstripe’s arm. His eyes flashed with pain.
“Have you no sense? Kittypet!” Tigerstar growled as he walked away from the dark briar.
“But Tigerstar! There was something else! That Ivypool cat? I don’t trust her. I think she is a spy for ThunderClan. I wouldn’t put it past the little ginger kittypet they call leader!” Darkstripe hissed. Tigerstar stopped walking and faced his “friend”.
“If Firefluff and his soft friends turned Ivypool into a spy, they will be punished accordingly!” Tigerstar growled as he plunged his claws into the ground. Mud slowly foamed at his paws.
“What’s the meowing about?” sneered Brokenstar as he slid in and stood next to Darkstripe. His eyes gleamed as he saw Tigerstar’s gaze.
“Darkstripe thinks Ivypool is a traitor,” retorted Tigerstar. His fur bristled as Brokenstar gave a thoughtful look at Darkstripe.
“He couldn’t even tell when his friend was a traitor, hm?” Brokenstar purred as he slid his gaze towards Tigerstar. He remembered when he was exiled. Darkstripe was shocked, but the weak kit couldn’t tell if a fox walked into his den!
“He wouldn’t tell me his plans!” Darkstripe sniffed. Brokenstar gave him an unsympathetic gaze.
“Pathetic!” Brokenstar spat. Tigerstar nodded. Darkstripe said nothing. Serves him right!
“Snowtuft, call the rest of the cats into Shadow Hollow! We have important subjects to discuss!” Tigerstar ordered the scarred white tom. Defiance glimmered in his dark eyes, but he knew better. Shadow Hollow was a hidden sandy hollow like the one in old ThunderClan territory. Ivy framed a wall around it. A towering rock stood above it. That’s where Tigerstar stood. The tom watched Snowtuft fade into the shadows before he headed towards Shadow Hollow. No living recruits have been shown the hollow, but Antpelt stumbled into it once before Ivypool killed him a second time.
Tigerstar let the thistles from briars stroke his fur as he strode through thick plants. Finally, he reached the hollow. The sand felt oddly cool under his paws. It was one of the most comfortable things in the whole land.
“What’s the deal, oh leader?” snorted Mapleshade. The fading tortoiseshell’s yellow glare was the brightest thing she had.
“We are planning patrols for our little attack,” Tigerstar growled. Mapleshade nodded it. He wondered if she should fight. She is an amazing fighter no doubt, but would she be tempted to take it all over?
Tigerstar hopped onto the high rock. The dark sky above him had no light, stars, or a warm sun. The sky had an odd red gleam. He loved it! He looked down and saw his faithful cats below him.
“Now, cats of cunning and power! It’s time to think of the past for a short time. Which Clan would you like to attack? I have a plan for myself. If you would like to bare your fangs at RiverClan, go to the corner with the small spring of water. If you would prefer WindClan blood on your paws, go to the corner with the flat grass. If ShadowClan fur is where your claws belong, go to the corner with the swampy mud. Or if you want to hear ThunderClan wail under your grasp, go to the darkest corner!” He ordered. Thistleclaw surprised Tigerstar and padded over to the ShadowClan corner. Mapleshade padded swiftly to the ThunderClan corner of course.
As the cats organized each other, a weird scent drifted into the hollow. A scent of starlight! StarClan invaders! Tigerstar bared his fangs. He launched off of his high rock. He landed on the cold sand and he fled to find the invaders.
“Stay!” Tigerstar hissed to his cats when they started to follow him. He plunged into a slope with black ivy that raveled itself around his paws.
“Kits, get back here!” a familiar she-cat hissed. Leopardfoot? His mother? No!
“Leopardfoot! What are you doing here?” He challenged as he saw the black she-cat crouched in grass.
“Your sisters wandered in here and I’m trying to get them out!” Leopardfoot meowed with fear in her voice. Was she afraid of him? Two kits’ heads rose up next to Tigerstar. Mistkit and Nightkit! They looked so small! Was he ever that small and weak? Mistkit rubbed against his brother’s legs. He was ten times bigger than these kits! He knew he should kill them.
“Brother!” Nightkit cheered. Tigerstar bared his teeth. He couldn’t let this happen. They must die!
“Don’t kill them! They are just little ones!” Leopardfoot warned. Her own claws became unsheathed. Her green eyes glowed. Tigerstar lashed his tail. He was a leader! She was just a cat. Tigerstar rushed forward and slashed her shoulder. Blood splashed onto Tigerstar’s pelt.
“Mama!” Mistkit shrieked. The gray she-kit rushed to her mother with Nightkit behind her. Blood reached their tiny paws. Tigerstar didn’t like this feeling he had. It was guilt.
“Tigerstar, save her! She is your mother too!” Nightkit hissed. His tiny sister sent him a chilling glare. What could he do about it?
“I’m not a medicine cat,” snorted Tigerstar.
“Don’t let her die! We know you aren’t that evil!” Mistkit wailed. Tigerstar was sent back to the days when he was in the nursery. Leopardfoot truly loved him. The black she-cat made sure someone always played with him. He was loved then, not feared. He could never show his soft side. Tigerstar looked at Leopardfoot once. Her gaze was like the one she gave him when he did something wrong. He wasn’t the needy kit anymore.
Tigerstar lunged forward and slashed Leopardfoot’s neck. More blood rushed out and it splashed the kits. The starry black cat faded to nothing. Mistkit and Nightkit stood frozen with shock, grief, and fear.
“She was right! You are a monster!” Nightkit yowled. More guilt swamped the tom. He was a different cat now. He didn’t need his family. Tigerstar snorted and pointed his tail north. The kits nodded and ran there. That was the way out. It was the least he could do. Ice ran through his gaze. The tabby padded to the Shadow Hollow with his mother’s blood running from his massive paws. Hawkfrost noticed the blood first.
“Who’s blood?”
“My mother’s. You know Leopardfoot?” He grumbled. Hawkfrost nodded in approval. In a sense, he did feel proud of himself. There was no more softness. He had no weakness, but killing his own mother was extreme. His only weakness had died, but shame became his new weakness.
Wonderful! Do you mind if I do a part two? I think I have a random idea that would go along 😛
Sure! I wont stop u!
YAY!
So sad and wonderful! It just felt like Silverstream’s death 🙁
awesome writing!
Meowing is uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh *tries to think of something*
Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War
Novella 1: Sushi’s Society
Chapter Seven
Every cat froze. A horrible sinking feeling came over Sushi. Paws heavy with dread, she turned to face the cat who had spoken.
A skinny black-and-white tom was padding towards her, his yellow eyes wide with shock. The orange collar that hung around his neck was unfamiliar, but it didn’t take her long to recognize the tom. “Zoom?” she mewed warily.
Zoom lifted his head, eyes suddenly bright with joy. “It is you!” He bounded towards Sushi, tail curled in delight. “I can’t believe you’re back, Screech! And…” The black-and-white tom looked around Sushi, eyes widening as he noticed the three young cats behind her. “Are… are those his kits?”
Sushi sighed. As the kits of Bone, Zoom and his littermates had always been closer to Scourge and his guard than most young cats in BloodClan. He had never seemed like a cruel cat to Sushi, but he admired Scourge and the other guards greatly, not seeming to see their cruelty.
Before she could answer, Sunny rose to her paws, coming to stand beside her mother. Seeing her on the streets of BloodClan, a proud glint in her eyes, her head held high, it was so easy to see Scourge in her. “Yes,” she mewed clearly to Zoom. “My brothers and I are the kits of Scourge.”
“Wow!” Zoom mewed, eyes wide. “Everyone thought you died after the forest battle.” He stiffened, realizing aloud, “The other guards! They’re having some kind of meeting tonight – they’ll be so glad to see that you’re back!”
Sushi froze, horror sinking in. Zoom wanted to take them to see the top guards in BloodClan. Everyone would know that she was back in Twolegplace. She would be Screech once more, she would never be able to leave Twolegplace again, and she would be seen as the vicious killer she had tried so hard to escape.
She was too frozen in her fear to answer. It was Sunny who spoke. “Then lead us there.” Sushi gave the tabby an alarmed glance, which Sunny met carefully. She could see the underlying fear in her daughter’s gaze, and the warning – she knew that they had no choice but to go with Zoom.
For a moment, the thought crossed her mind that she could overpower Zoom easily. Just a quick flick of her paw, and her claws would slice Zoom’s throat open before he could so much as mew. She had killed before; she could do it again. This skinny tom was the only thing standing between her and the freedom of her family. She had killed for far less in the past.
Then, she saw Sunny’s gaze, still train on her. When Sushi glanced back at her, Sunny gave a minute shake of her head, seeming to guess her mother’s thoughts. Sushi’s gut clenched in horror. She had killed before, it was true. But never in front of her family. Never in front of her kits. She had put that part of herself in the past, and she wanted it to stay there. The thought of her family, her kits, seeing the monster she could be, nearly overwhelmed her with horror. Sushi forced her fur to lie flat, murmuring, “Do as my daughter says.”
Zoom didn’t seem to have noticed Sushi’s internal turmoil. He was all cheer as he started leading the family out of the alley, taking them along the twisting paths of Twolegplace. Sushi’s heart sank as she recognized the streets and alleys; they weren’t far from Scourge’s old den. Sunny walked at the rear, watching behind them for any signs of danger, while Snuggle and Scraps stayed beside Catflap, helping him to walk. Wrapper and Shy walked side by side. Sushi couldn’t read Shy’s expression, but she could see Wrapper’s clenched jaw, and the hatred smoldering in her eyes. Sushi felt a rush of dread; she had thought she’d rescued her family from this life, but now they were being dragged back in as well. She only hoped she could stop Wrapper from up and attacking any cat.
Finally, they were led to Scourge’s old den. The old leader’s sent had long since faded from the old dumpster, but the smell of BloodClan still hung in the air. Cats were gathered everywhere; draped across the dumpster, resting under it, sitting across from it, sprawled across the pavement. Sushi bristled as she recognized most of Scourge’s old guard, as well as some newer faces.
Every cat looked up as Zoom led the family into the alley. Sushi had to fight not to flinch away from their looks of shock, joy, suspicion, and in some cases anger. She could see Frenzy and Viper sitting near the dumpster, glaring at her with undisguised loathing. Frenzy had never forgiven her for humiliating him in front of Scourge all those seasons ago, and for scarring his face. The long, ugly scratches were still plain to see across his muzzle and nose. When Frenzy caught her looking his way, he bared his fangs in a snarl. Other cats were staring at her with clear suspicion. She couldn’t blame them – she and Scourge’s heirs had disappeared under mysterious circumstances. It must seem to the guards that they had abandoned the Clan, which was exactly what had happened.
But other cats were watching her in clear awe. Some of the younger recruits were whispering to each other fiercely, casting awe-filled glances at Sushi. A few of them were the age of Sushi’s kits, or younger. They must have grown up with stories about the brave and vicious Screech.
“Screech?” Sushi turned to see Hiss staring at her, eyes wide in shock. Sushi’s pelt began to lie a little flatter. Hiss was the only one of Scourge’s guard that Sushi was actually glad to see. While Hiss never hesitated to carry out Scourge’s orders, Sushi had always gotten the feeling that she didn’t like it any better than Sushi. In addition, she was an old friend of Catflap and Bellchime, and had always looked out for Sushi as much as she could while she was on the guard.
“Hiss,” she murmured. Sushi approached the tortoiseshell, brushing muzzles with her. “It’s good to see you again.” She stepped back, letting Hiss greet Catflap. As Hiss murmured to the elderly tom, Sushi realized with a shock how thin the tortoiseshell was. She glanced back at the other guards, realizing that they were all far thinner than they should have been, even for leafbare. Sushi and her own starving family didn’t seem as weak in comparison now. Even more surprising was that every cat she could see bore the marks of battle. Each cat had wounds, both old and and fresh. Her ears flew back in surprise; who had they been fighting?
Sushi was so distracted, she almost didn’t hear the gasp from one of the older guards. “Are those Scourge’s kits?” Cries of shock and joy came from the gathered cats. Guards came to their paws, leaping down from the dumpster, coming to investigate Sushi’s kits. At first, Sushi had drawn all of the attention, but now that her kits had been noticed, every cat was desperate to see them. Cats were sniffing them, touching their noses to their pelts, and staring at them like they couldn’t believe they existed. Snuggle looked uncomfortable, flinching away from so many cats surrounding him. Shy was perfectly still, his golden gaze completely blank, while Sunny had her chin lifted, her ice-blue eyes filled with determination.
Once the crowd began to calm, one cat turned to Sushi. She recognized the elderly white tom as Gouge – she didn’t see Gash anywhere, so she assumed that he was gone, and now Gouge was the oldest guard. “How are you here?” he asked, sounding stunned. “After the forest battle, everyone assumed that you were dead, and that someone had stolen the kits.”
Sushi hesitated. She knew that she had to act like the loyal guard they had known her as – anything else would result in punishment for them all. Slowly, an idea came to mind of how to justify leaving the Clan. “I was there when Scourge died,” she lied, the words coming easily. “His last words were to order me to take our kits somewhere they would be safe.”
Shock rippled through the crowd of guards. “Scourge ordered you to leave the Clan?” mewed a tortoiseshell tom with a stumpy tail. Sushi recognized him as Snipe – according to Catflap, he had been a good friend of Barley’s growing up. “Why would he send his own heirs away, when we needed them so badly?”
The old role of Screech was coming back easily to Sushi. She drew herself up, looming over the other guards, hackles bristling just a little, her voice lowered to a growl. “Because there were cats among his guard that he did not trust,” she growled, sweeping a meaningful glance across the gathered guards. She could see expressions of shock from the others, or defiance, in the case of Frenzy and Viper. “Our kits were too young to defend themselves. He did not trust that they would be safe with all of you sniffing around for power, but he trusted me to take them somewhere they could grow up safely.”
“But now you’re back,” Tooth mewed. He and his identical brother, Fang, were standing near Snuggle, staring at the huge tom in admiration.
Fang added, “Have you come back for your kits to lead us?”
Sushi stiffened in surprise. Her kits, the leaders of BloodClan? She had almost forgotten it was a possibility. Before she could think about that too much, Snuggle spoke up. “We didn’t come to take leadership from any cat.” He glanced uneasily at Gouge. Sushi followed his gaze, wondering if the oldest guard had taken up the leadership of BloodClan.
She was surprised to hear a raspy mew of laughter from Hiss. “There is no leader of BloodClan,” the tortoiseshell rasped. “Not anymore.” Sushi glanced at her old friend in surprise. “After Scourge and Bone died, and you disappeared, cats kept trying to take over as our leader. But none stuck very long.”
“For a while, Snake and Ice tried to be leaders,” Snipe grunted. “But they were weak. When cats came from the forest to attack us, they rolled over quick as a mouse to save their own skins.”
Viper hissed, “They haven’t shown their faces here since.”
Hiss nodded slowly. “Since then, we’ve been even more divided than ever,” she told Sushi wearily. “The attack from the ThunderClan cats left us weak and without leadership. We haven’t had anyone to really unite us since then, and the Clan has suffered for it. Dogs and rats take our prey, leafbare drove away the rest, and cats are scared.”
“Ever since Snake and Ice fled, cats have been fighting over the leadership,” Shatter added, throwing a glare at Night. The huge black tom glared back, unsheathing his claws. With a final glare at Night, Shatter turned her attention back to Sushi. “Factions have been battling each other, stealing prey – it’s been complete chaos. The fighting has left every cat weakened, and no cat is eating as well as they should.”
“We called this meeting tonight, among the leaders of a lot of these little factions, to bring a stop to the fighting,” Hiss added. “It’s only brought us more chaos and death. We’ve agreed that we need a strong leader to bring us together. But no cat could agree who.” Sushi could barely stand to look at the hope in Hiss’s gaze. “It must be the intervention of some spirit that brought you here when it did, just when we needed a leader.”
Snipe glanced over at Sunny, eyes bright with hope. “Scorch, you were Scourge’s heir,” he rasped, using the name Scourge had given the she-cat. With a pang, Sushi remembered that no BloodClan cats had known the true names of her kits. “You should lead us now.”
Sushi was frozen in fear. This was exactly what she had fled Twolegplace to avoid. She had never wanted her kits to be dragged into the cutthroat world of BloodClan leadership. Even now, fears of corruption of her kits weighed heavy in her mind. She didn’t want to see her kits held to the standard of Scourge, expected to be just as cruel and controlling of leaders as he was. They were adults, but they were still young, and being given so much power and control could make a cat arrogant. She already knew Sunny had some arrogance and ambition, even though she was a good cat – what would a leadership like Scourge’s do to her?
Even worse, it seemed that Sunny did not have every cat’s support. Frenzy and Viper were glaring hatred at Sushi’s daughter, greed glittering in the littermates’ eyes. Shatter and Basher were muttering to each other, casting suspicious glances at Sunny, while Night looked uneasy. It was clear that not ever one of Scourge’s guards was ready to let a cat they barely knew lead them, even if she was the daughter of their previous leader.
Before Sushi could protest, Sunny lifted her head. The tiny tabby mewed clearly for every cat to hear, “I am the heir of Scourge, like you say. But Scourge would have wanted me and my brothers to know Twolegplace longer before I became it’s leader.” Her ice-blue gaze flitted to Viper and Frenzy briefly. Sushi realized that her daughter understood the suspicion against her by the other guards.
“So you won’t be our leader?” Snipe asked, sounding perplexed.
Sunny’s hackles rose, a growl escaping her. “Not yet,” she mewed firmly. Sushi watched her daughter, seeing more of Scourge in her now than ever before. Then, she stiffened in shock as Sunny glanced up at her. “My mother will be your leader. Scourge trusted her to train his heirs, and she will be a strong leader. She will unite BloodClan and make the Clan strong again.”
Sushi was rooted in place, frozen in shock. It took all of her willpower to keep her expression neutral, so no cat guessed how much her daughter’s words had surprised her. Frenzy was staring at Sushi with shock and hatred, but not every cat seemed as surprised. Shatter and Basher were nodding slowly, looking more pleased with this suggestion, while Night flicked his tail in agreement. Hiss was looking at Sushi with relief in her gaze, and hope. Even the cats who had been suspicious of Sunny were more accepting of the idea of Sushi leading them. She had left mysteriously for two leafbares, but they still knew her reputation, feared her, and respected her.
Inside, Sushi was reeling. Her, lead BloodClan? It had been bad enough being a guard, but to actually lead the Clan? Her legs nearly began to shake at the thought of all the cruelty BloodClan would expect from her.
Then, she began to really think. Scourge wasn’t here anymore. Whatever BloodClan expected from her, they would be under her command. Once she had the loyalty of enough cats, she wouldn’t have to bow down to the expectations of the cruelest cats anymore. Maybe Wrapper had been right, all those moons ago, when she’d said they could change BloodClan for the better. Maybe this was her chance. She could protect her kits this way, keep them from being influenced by the crueler guards, and Sunny could become leader when she was ready. But for now, maybe Sushi could do some actual good for the cats of Twolegplace.
Every cat seemed to be holding their breath as they watched Sushi. She took a moment to collect herself, then mewed clearly, “My daughter is right. I will lead BloodClan until Scorch is ready to take my place.”
Her announcement was met with relief from most cats. One by one, cats approached her, dipping their heads, murmuring their allegiance, or just gazing at her with respect. Hiss bumped her muzzle against Sushi’s, joy shining in her eyes. Even cats who Sushi distrusted or disliked seemed weary enough to accept the she-cat as their leader.
Frenzy and Viper were the last cats to approach Sushi. Viper shoved right past her, barely even glancing Sushi’s way. Frenzy came to a halt beside Sushi. He dipped his head, seeming respectful, until his muzzle brushed against Sushi’s ear. “Don’t think for once second that I’m going to roll over and take orders from you.”
For a moment, Sushi felt fear. Then, her resolve hardened. She growled in the same low tone, “And don’t think for one second that I’m going to tolerate disobedience from any cat.”
Frenzy just sneered, giving one last growl before stalking away. Once he left her side, Sushi realized that most of the guards were staring at her, waiting for orders. She gulped as she realized that it was her job to keep them united and alive now. StarClan help me, she thought.
Her own thought suddenly made her pause. An idea came to her. It was risky, but maybe it would be enough to assure BloodClan of her strength as a leader – and it could help give her enough time and strength, and the authority, to make BloodClan into whatever she wanted. With a determined flick of her tail, Sushi leaped atop the dumpster, where Scourge used to make some of his speeches.
“We lost the battle with the forest Clans,” she began slowly, addressing every listening cat. “We were the stronger Clan – we are faster, stronger, better trained, and fiercer than any of those forest fools. That battle should have been ours.” Privately, she believed no such thing, but she knew what the cats in front of her needed to hear. “But they had one strength that we did not have.” Her mind went back to Firestar, first laying dead in the grass, then standing alive once more, and to what Ravenpaw had told her of the forest Clans.
“In the forest, the leader of a Clan is given nine lives by their ancestors,” Sushi revealed. “The ginger leader who killed Scourge was only able to do so because he had extra lives to spare. If Scourge had been given the same blessing, he would still be with us today.” All around her, cats were staring at her with wide eyes, hanging on her every word. “If BloodClan is to become strong again, we must have a leader with the strength of nine cats.” She lifted her head. “Tomorrow, I will travel to the forest to receive the nine lives of a Clan leader. Then nothing will stand in BloodClan’s way to greatness!”
Cats began yowling their approval, tails waving in excitement. Sushi could see Frenzy watching her from the crowd with uncontrolled envy and rage in his eyes. She met his stare evenly, glaring firmly back at him. Right now, she was the only cat who knew how to receive nine lives, and she was going to protect that information from cats like Frenzy, who would only use it for greed.
When the cheering died down, she ordered every cat back to their dens for the night. Hiss offered to stay with the family and help them settle in. Some of the other guards seemed relieved to hear Hiss was staying – Sushi guessed they weren’t entirely sure she and her kits wouldn’t disappear in the night.
While Hiss was helping Catflap, Scraps, and Wrapper make nests for the night, Sushi pulled her kits aside to speak with them. Snuggle and Shy looked a bit spooked by everything, but Sunny was watching her mother calmly. “I’m surprised you told them I should lead BloodClan,” Sushi murmured to her daughter. “I know you’ve always wanted to be a leader.”
Sunny gave a half-amused snort. “Yeah, but what kind of leader would I make?” she pointed out wryly. “I know my own flaws, Sushi. I can be arrogant, I’m not compassionate like Snuggle, or tactful like Shy. If I had to be the kind of leader these cats expected… well, let’s say I don’t think I should have that kind of power yet.” She gave her mother an amused glance. “I’m still young to be a leader, anyway. I could use some teaching before I go trying to lead anything. But after a few seasons… we’ll see.”
Her expression grew more serious. “But I know you’ll be a good leader, mother. You’ve always looked out for our family so well.” She brush her muzzle against Sushi’s, adding, “You can make BloodClan better. I know you can. And if you really do speak with our ancestors tomorrow, they can help you too.”
Sushi was suddenly overwhelmed with pride. This was exactly the sort of cat she hoped her daughter would become. Smart, kind, and not so ambitious as to hurt others. She gazed at all three of her kits, too overcome with pride and joy to speak.
When she finally found her tongue again, she rasped, “I’ll do my best, for you and for BloodClan.”
“And if I do get my nine lives, maybe I really can make something better of this Clan.”
-~-
COVER: http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Cover-Sushi-s-Society-Novella-One-608430971
ALLEGIANCES: http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Sushi-s-Society-Allegiances-608432627
CHAPTER ONE: http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/EOTW-Sushi-s-Society-Chapter-One-608430691
PREVIOUS: http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/EOTW-Sushi-s-Society-Chapter-Six-613340141
Yay, another chapter. ^^
So yeah, Sushi is the new leader of BloodClan, and now she’s off to get her nine lives. 😀 Which is great, because nine-lives ceremonies are one of my favorites things to write. ^^ I dunno, I love writing the ceremonies in Warriors. 😛
We’re closing in on the end here – only two chapters left. Next chapter will be interesting in terms of what’s going to happen with the nine lives, and what will be discussed about what’s in the future for BloodClan. I can’t wait to write it. ^^
Hype is taking over me! I can’t wait to see what will happen next! Great chapter!
Awesome! 😀 Does Sushi know how to get her nine lives?
She knows about the Moonstone and everything, but she doesn’t know about the ceremony, since that’s something Clan leaders keep secret from every cat.
such a good writer you are jayie…look what I did. It’s like comparing a flower to a worm
Aw, thanks. 😀
So you guys have all been clamoring for me to Write a crackfic about Prettyfluffy*******star(the thing is still on! NO!) but I’lll have to do it once the thing is over, CAKESTAR WILL YOU PLEASE STOP IT?)
here is a very stupid from a very stupid story I (tried to, at least) wrote-
Twisted Path
by- Streamkit
“Get away from there!” screeched his mother, and Whisker raced past her, up a tree. As he watched, she blocked the fox’s path, sinking her claws into its pelt and shredding its fur. She prepared to bite, and Whisker felt certain, if not very much sure, that the fox wouldn’t stand a chance. But what happened next couldn’t have been more far off.
Time seemed to slow. As Reed opened her mouth and lunged forward, a flash of russet fur forestalled her attack. A flurry of claws seized her pelt, her tail, her neck. He could barely watch as what once had been sleek gray and white fur flew from her pelt, blood trickling from raw flesh. And the fox struck. He didn’t believe his eyes when it happened. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. A shriek…A flash of teeth and claws…the blood…and it had been done. Whisker peeked out from behind the leaves. “Reed?”
He couldn’t see her. He leapt down from the tree. “Reed?”
And he saw it. He saw it. What once had been a cat, a cat who had suckled him, a cat who had risked her life four times before for him, a cat who had assured him that everything would work out alright… It now all lay in it. On the ground in front of him, limp and lifeless, gaze clouded with confusion, claws still unsheathed, was her body. He had killed her.
Whisker leant forward, and buried his nose in her fur, breathing deeply in her lingering scent. No. It wasn’t true. He hadn’t killed her. He hadn’t killed their mother.
A loud mew interrupted him. His sister Flower was running towards them, her tiny legs moving as fast as they could. She sat down beside Reed. Her body, Whisker reminded himself. Not her.
“Reed! Reed, wake up! It’s me, Flower! Wake up!” But no matter how many times Flower mewled in their mother’s ear, nothing happened. Her gaze remained clouded and lightless. However much he wanted to believe it like his sister, he knew she wouldn’t wake. Nothing would happen. Because nothing will happen. Because she was dead.
I killed her, Whisker thought. I can’t believe I killed her. But part of him remained defiant. It wasn’t his fault. It was the stupid fox! If it hadn’t crept up on him…hissed his mind. But if you hadn’t tried to go out and hunt… whispered his logical side.
“Whisker!” Flower was wailing at him now. Even though they were littermates, Flower would still look to him for decisions. “Why won’t she wake up?” Her eyes were round and amber, like Reed’s. Like their mother’s.
Don’t think about it, he thought. Just don’t think about it.
“Whisker?”
It was still barely dawn, but it seemed so dark. As she gazed at him, and even though they were both seven moons, he just couldn’t tell her. It would be better, for her to not know… But he thought of himself. He would have insisted. And Reed… their mother would have wanted him to tell her.
“Flower.” he whispered, and he heard his own voice crack. “She won’t wake up. She won’t.”
“But why? Doesn’t she know we’re here?”
“She does. She’ll be watching us, from the stars. But she won’t wake. She won’t wake up, Flower. I know she won’t. Because she’s dead. Because I killed her.”
(it’s so bad, isn’t it? compared to what some of you wrote.)
What is a crackfic?
the prettyfluffy*******star one, like a fanfci bu tsillified
😀 Sounds fabulicious 😀
Actually read my other one, will you?
Life In BlogClan Chapter 18!!!!!
“Syruppaw! We’re going to explore the territory with Oceanpaw and Goldenstreak.” Meowed Brightwing to the bouncing ginger she-cat. Syruppaw definitely inharited her parents’ hyper personalities from when they were young. Brightwing thought to herself. She was a fun apprentice though! Interesting indeed… Mewed Brightwing to herself again.
“YAY!” The orange tabby started bouncing around even more in excitement around Brightwing. “OCEANPAW OVER HERE WE’RE GONNA EXPLORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” She screamed cheerfully. Oceanpaw bounced over.
“Boing boing boing, Wait what? YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYA!” Oceanpaw cheered. She bounced around too. “Where are we gonna go first????” She asked, curious, she wanted to know where she was going NOW. Her fur fluffed out a bit in excitement.
“The new river. I heard there were good fish there.” Brightwing replied to the apprentice. “If that’s okay Goldenstreak.” She added, a bit of embarrasment in her eyes.
“Of course, Brightwing.” Goldenstreak mewed. With a flick of her tail she signaled the apprentices to follow her and Brightwing.
They bounded over to the new fresh lake. Brightwing slowly put her muzzle in and swiftly took it out with a fish in her mouth. “We didn’t eat.” She meowed nosing the fish over. Syruppaw and Oceanpaw teared the fish in half and gulped the silver, scaly creature down quickly, too excited to wait. “How ’bout we got to the gathering spot, it’s beautiful. We’ll have to cross a thunder-path though.” Brightwing purred. Goldenstreak nodded in agreement.
Then she added, “We’ll need to teach the two how to cross.” Her eyes showed a bit of fear as she remembered Aspenflame’s accident. The blood, the fur, the rumble of paws, the screeches, I was there for it all, as Goldenpaw…….. She thought in horror, it slowed her down a bit.
They had finally reached the loud and fowl-smelling thunder-path. The monsters growled with hunger. Goldenstreak gulped, but then she realized Brightwing was showing the apprentices how to cross.
“……………Then you dart across as fast as you can, no pulling Hazeltails.” Mewed Brightwing strictly. “I’ll go first, then Goldenstreak, Then Oceanpaw, and then finally Syruppaw.” She added. She got into a hunting crouch and was ready to dash across. She quickly springed up and dashed across the path. Goldenstreak gulped and quickly followed.
Oceanpaw raced across, eyes closed, seconds after her mentor reached the grass. Syruppaw looked ready, concentrated on the loud path. She tried springing up but fell right in the paws of a monster. It roared over her. Goldenstreak gulped, knowing the little she-cat was dead. Blood covered Syruppaw’s hips to tail-tip now. Now Goldenstreak was completely certain the apprentice was dead. But then, she heard Syruppaw scream, “HELP! I CAN’T MOVE!”
Oceanpaw quickly raced out to help her friend, dodging the monsters. She grabbed Syruppaw by the scruff and pulled her over to the other side. “We need to get her back to camp!” She shouted, licking up blood. Brightwing and Goldenstreak dashed back over to see Syruppaw. Syruppaw’s eyes were wide with shock and suprise, Her chest rose and fell rapidly with horror.
Brightwing felt like she had just failed as a mentor. That’s what Fireheart felt! Maybe Syruppaw could be a third medicine cat! She thought to herself, trying to stay calm. She quickly grabbed her scruff and she and Oceanpaw hauled her back to camp.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Maplepool raced up to her daughter. “Is she——………………dea-dead?” She had hardly managed to choke the last word out. Horror flashed in her eyes. Owlwater came at her heels. Fear struck him and terror was in his eyes. Kat pushed her way through the crowd, Winterbreeze padding after her. She sniffed Syruppaw and looked at her.
“She lost a hind-paw and part of her tail.” Kat announced. Maplepool let out a terrified gasp and Owlwater looked just as horrified.
“Will she ever become a warrior?” Asked Owlwater looking at the small orange tabby. Kat looked over to the shaking tom, she shook he head. Winterbreeze padded over and out his tail on Kat’s shoulder and whispered to her.
“We could easily have a Cinderpelt trick, she could be our third medicine cat, what else could we do?! Make her do nothing and stay in the elders’ den, NO WAY. She even has a very similar problem to Cinderpelt’s. And Cinderpelt became a medicine cat.” Kat was dazed by the younger cat’s protest. She watched as he padded off to get herbs. Probably cobwebs, and maybe poppy seeds. Well, maybe blessed thistle, burnet, and broom, too. Ferns, dried oakleaf, goldenrod, horsetail, gunweed, marigold, and rush also. She listed the herbs in her mind that Winterbreeze had to come back with.
Winterbreeze came back, mouth full with every herb Kat had listed. Kat bounded over to him and they got to work on Syruppaw. They let Maplepool help clean the blood. The clan now let the three cats handle Syrupppaw and left, to do their duties.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Greypaw angrily watched as the ceremony she wanted, Syruppaw was getting, just because of injuries. “Syruppaw, are you sure you want to take the path of a medicine cat, a healer, a friend of StarClan.” Cakestar mewed. Syruppaw looked uncertain at first. Maybe she would say no! Greypaw thought, hope flashed through her.
“I do.” Syruppaw finally mewed, after thoughts and considerations. The words stung Greypaw like a bee. She growled to herself, I should be the one up there, not Syruppaw! She had to force herself not to say the words out loud. Being a medicine cat is a gift! Not a punishment for destroying your leg and tail! Greypaw hissed and stalked away when Syruppaw limped of the high-log after the ceremony.
Greypaw looked back to her, “I’ll never get healed by you!” She hissed and ran off, slight tears dripping down her face. She curled up in her nest, and destroyed Syruppaw’s,
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sunpaw’s fur tingled in sadness as Syruppaw limped across the clearing with herbs in her mouth for Brightwing. Sunpaw knew he couldn’t change her destiny, but he wanted to.
Syruppaw bounced the best she could back to the medicine den, at least she hadn’t lost her hyperness. And happiness. She was still cheerful. But she knew this accident would change her life….
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yep, there ya go. 😛
Thanks for the cameo! I loved this and can’t wait for more! <3
Thanks! <3
Cool, thanks for including me!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YshgmStEZh0
Okay but guys this is perfect. (Minor warning for language (just the words in the first lines of Alexander Hamilton if you know what I’m referring to))
I LOVE THE LATE LATE SHOW!!!! did you see the one with sia?
Nope, I just found this on Facebook. ^^
This is my favourite thing!
it should be everyone’s favourite thing
It is a glorious thing. XD
Like you!
Saw it already. I’m in love with it. 😛 it’s literally perfect
It is though. 😀
Story that does not yet have a name
Chapter 2
Note: Okay so I previously learned that a few of the names I used last chapter were canon and made it very confusing. Oops. For Flowerstem, we’ll just imagine that her name was Flowerwing the whole time. No Flowerstem ever existed in this fan fiction. For Troutstar, it’s kind of too late to change. Sorry. Just to be clear, this takes place in the lake territories a long time after Bramblestar’s Storm ended. (I wrote the first few chapters of this before I knew AVOS would actually exist)
Three nights after the Gathering, Heronpaw woke up just past moonhigh. There was a storm coming. He could feel it in the air. The air was… heavy, almost, and it was silent save for the rustling grass. No birds called from the sky. Since he was a kit, he had always loved thunderstorms. Something about them made him feel alive. He got up from his nest and stretched, knowing he couldn’t fall back asleep.
He sat up and closed his eyes, feeling the warm, humid winds from the imminent storm ruffle his fur. From the nursery he heard the sounds of Spiderkit, Nutkit, and Silverkit mewling and Dawnleap hushing them. He made his way across the clearing and out the entrance, telling Emberglow he was just going out to make dirt. The watch would change soon though, so he could stay out as long as he wanted. He made his way to his favorite spot on the moor, where he could look down on the rest of the territory. He could see the lake, reflecting the stars in the sky. Here, he felt closer to StarClan than ever.
A flash of lightning lit up the sky, and the clouds opened up, pouring rain. Through another lightning flash, he saw the smudge of the ThunderClan oaks across the river. Alone, he allowed himself to think of Rowanpaw.
His brother had seemed so happy at the Gathering. He had Sunpaw and Rosepaw looking up to him, and probably Nightpaw as well. Everyone seemed to like him as soon as they met him. And the tenderness with which he had licked Sunpaw’s cheek… it made Heronpaw jealous. Rowanpaw had a foster sister who loved him, a foster mother and father. Heronpaw had nothing. Briarpaw and Foxpaw had just been made apprentices when he arrived, so there had been no queens to stay in the nursery with him. Snowflower, his mother’s sister, had spent the nights with him for a moon, but she was Briarpaw’s mentor so she didn’t have much free time to spend with him. By then he had been three moons old, and deemed old enough to stay there alone. Foxpaw always ignored him and Briarpaw had played with him sometimes, but he was still lonely. When Dawnleap had moved in expecting kits, he had been excited, but she, too, ignored him, and he didn’t blame her. He wasn’t her kit. He was just a useless half-Clan lump of fur that no one wanted around.
When he had been made an apprentice, he had hoped things would get better. That maybe Briarpaw and Foxpaw would treat him as a brother. But Foxpaw seemed to expect him to make a bolt for ThunderClan territory at any time, and Briarpaw was more Foxpaw’s sister than his. He still had memories of his mother, of her curled around them, sleeping next to Rowanpaw and Dandelionkit. He dimly remembered the feeling of being loved.
It was something he hadn’t felt in moons.
“Heronpaw?” he jumped as he heard someone speak from behind him. He turned around to see a familiar black she-cat.
“Oh! Wrenstar. Sorry, I just couldn’t sleep and I-”
“It’s okay. I did the same thing when I was an apprentice. I loved the storms too.” With a jolt, Heronpaw remembered that he and Wrenstar were kin. His mother, Poppyflower, was Wrenstar’s sister from a later litter.
“How’s your training going?” she asked him.
“It’s good. Although-” he broke off as he realized what he was about to say.
“Although what?”
“No one… no one seems to trust me because I’m half ThunderClan.”
“Can they trust you? Who would you put first- your Clan or your kin?”
“I’m WindClan, through and through. I love the moors, I feel trapped under the trees. But Rowanpaw… He’s my brother. I can’t stop loving him because we live on different territories.” Even if he hardly thinks of me because he has Sunpaw, he added to himself.
“Would you be able to fight him to protect your Clan?”
“I… I…. I don’t know.” Heronpaw whispered.
Wrenstar nodded as if that were the answer she was expecting to hear. “Well, come back to camp soon,” She walked back towards the camp and disappeared in the pouring rain.
Heronpaw looked after her, wondering how such a kind leader could be so cruel as to split up two kits who had nothing else but each other.
“I hate you…” he whispered after her, his voice lost in the sound of the rain. Even though he knew saying it out loud wouldn’t fill the empty hole in his heart.
Great job!!!! PLEASE KEEP WRITING I AM DYING HERE!!!! XD but seriously great writing! 🙂
Thanks!
Awesome! 😀
Thanks!
The Abandoned Spirit
The Broken Curse
Chapter Seven (Lazily written without effort 😐 🙂 😀 😛
Morningpaw could detect the scent of blood. Cloudpaw had just told Firedawn about the strong scent. Morningpaw could tell that are close to the source of the shriek they heard. Something cold tickled her nose, making her sneeze. Two silent birds fluttered away from the large aspen trees.
“Try not to!” Firedawn meowed from the back. “I couldn’t stand it! What if I crashed?” Morningpaw snapped, glaring at the other two. Bah! Hold your nose, Morningpaw! Or I will eat you if you won’t! Pfft, like if I would! Not my fault that little thingy landed on me!
Another small white speck was falling in front of her. Snowing, yeah, good timing. “A butterfly! I thought they weren’t in forests!” Cloudpaw meowed from behind. “Yeah, there is no insects in a forest, because there a no flowers.” Morningpaw hissed, sarcastically.
“By the way, its snowing. Nice, isn’t it?” Morningpaw growled as she got tired. The scent of blood was completely taking over her nose. Suddenly, Cloudpaw yowled, “I think I can smell AirClan!” Firedawn gasped, but Morningpaw didn’t react.
Yeah, speak about bossy furballs, such a surprise isn’t it? Ack. Absolutely not. Morningpaw lashed her dark brown tabby tail, untli she spotted a small sandy-ginger body. Alive. Stupid dumb kit! Dumb idiot! “Hey! I found an idiot!” Morningpaw meowed loudly to Firedawn and Cloudpaw, who barely catched up.
“AirClan member?” Firedawn panted, glancing everywhere. “Yeah, Palekit is part of AirClan.” Morningpaw snapped, anger bubbling inside her. Palekit was immobolized, his leaf-green eyes wide.
“For Clans’ sake, what were you doing here? Didn’t Echodawn tell you and your sister to not go out of FlareClan’s camp? Rats! Especially when AirClan is a huge enemy at the moment, for FlareClan and AquaClan? Yeah, acting like a smart brain.” Morningpaw furiously snapped.
Not only was she angry, she was also worried. She didn’t want another death to happen. Her mother, Duskstripe, is heavily sick along with Ripplewind and Archtail. Their brother, Otterkit, had died young, at two moons. Skywing had been killed by Azurewater, leader of AirClan. Her older siblings, Kestreltail, Minnowsplash, and Sparrowwing hadn’t spoken to her and Dewpaw, since they still grieved for their sister, Foxsplash, who died of redcough, had also a kit, Plumkit, die of sickness. Only Jaypaw and Whitepaw remain from her litter.
“Fox dung!” Firedawn hissed. “Where?” Cloudpaw looked everywhere, alert. Morningpaw closeed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Wow… Firedawn’s respone was a snort, and then padded up to Palekit. “For Themfal’s sake, what are you doing here? Why are you like that? You won’t get in trouble if you tell me.” Firedawn winked at Cloudpaw and Morningpaw, and they both nodded quickly. “Err… err…” Palekit stammered, and then paused, trying to find his voice. Can’t expect much from a noisy kit. Morningpaw thought.
“I was following Flowerdawn, I was curious where she was going. But then, I saw a black and white cat, a gray cat with a spiky tabby tail appear, and they began to chase here!” Dusksplash and Spikefoot!
“Well ’em, where is the other kit? You’d always sneak your nose out of the camp when there is a kit leading your ‘patrol’.” Morningpaw meowed, her anger relieving a little, but turning to irritation. “Did your mother and feather see ya’?” Cloudpaw flicked an ear as Morningpaw responded to her,
“Yeah, Echodawn and Embersplash would just see a cute little kit with wide shining eyes mewling it left, and they’d just say to each other, ‘Palekit is going to catch us prey!’. Seriously Cloudpaw?”
“Labbatuh.” Cloudpaw muttered, saying gibberish again. “I think I heard a squirrel talking!” Morningpaw growled, and then decided to stop before Firedawn yelled at them.
“First of all, what is Themfal?” Palekit mewed. Oh great goodness! Embrace my spirit before anger! Morningpaw facepawed, and then shook her head. “Lets just get on with the case.” Firedawn meowed, irritated.
Is this really how a patrol is? Goofy gophers? Palekit would just get me brainsmacked again! “Uhh… I don’t know!” Palekit peeped, glancing everywhere. “Palekit needs a member to escort him back. Who volunteers?”
Cloudpaw raised a paw. “Me! Me! I’m sick of this stupid mission!” Cloudpaw raced off, but then crashed into a tree. Morningpaw facepawed again. “For Themfal’s sake, what in the name of the Clans’ history were you doing Cloudpaw? You’ve missed the final test twice, and then you’ll miss it again in a moon if you don’t focus!”
“Whoops. Okay. Come on, Palekit!”
“Where is Echodawn? Where is Embersplash? Where is Fir-”
“Silence, please. Flowerdawn could be dying while you are asking pointless question. I am your-”
“Idiot.”
“I’m not your idiot!”
“Hmmm… I don’t understand.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure Flowerdawn could be mooning somewhere else over some cat.”
“I’m pretty sure you are mooning over Hailpaw as he is over you.”
“Shut up! Shut up! Foul mouthed idiot squid-faced jer-”
“Hurry up!” Firedawn growled with impatience, and then sped off. Morningpaw followed her swiftly, with the scent of blood now as close as the scent of snow could be. Snow was already falling quickly, but not too many.
~ Scenebreak, PoV switched (Extra part?) ~
They are nice tricksters. Seems to be true that AirClan are great at ‘hiding’, but not great in their intelligence, I guess. The slender white she-cat with black specks sniffed the blood-stained snow.
Only the truth about this accident will only be revealed deep beyond the border.
Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War
Novella 1: Sushi’s Society
Chapter Eight
It was barely sunrise when the cats set out for the Highstones. A freezing wind wove through their pelts, making every cat shiver. As the pale colors of the dawn sky shined down on their pelts, Sushi only hoped the day would bring more warmth.
Only four cats had accompanied Sushi on her journey to the Highstones. Basher was at the rear, his hackles raised uncomfortably as they traveled through the decimated forest. Hiss was walking alongside Sunny, the two she-cats murmuring to each other in low voices. Sushi was at the front, leading the group through the destroyed forest, while Scraps walked just behind her.
Ravenpaw had told Sushi a little bit about the leadership ceremony, the little that he knew. She knew roughly where Highstones was, and was doing her best to lead the other cats there from memory. After they reached Highstones, she knew she was to descend inside of Mothermouth, into the tunnel where the Moonstone awaited. She would have to touch her nose to the Moonstone. After that, Ravenpaw didn’t know what happened. He had just told her that the new leader shared dreams with StarClan, and when they awoke, they had nine lives and a new name.
Basher seemed to be growing more uneasy by the minute. “Where is this place we’re going, anyway?” he blustered. His gaze was flicking anxiously around the forest. “And what about the Clans? Will we have to cross their territory to reach this place?”
“We haven’t scented any Clan cats in the areas for a few days,” Sushi told Basher. “As far as we could figure out, they’d left the forest altogether. It must have been too hard for them to live here with how the twolegs destroyed it.”
The massive ginger tabby grunted. “Then how are we supposed to cross the forest, if those Clan cats couldn’t even live here anymore?” he demanded.
Sushi gave a patient sigh. “They couldn’t live here because their camps were destroyed and there wasn’t enough prey,” she mewed patiently. “That has nothing to do with us being able to travel safely to the Highstones.” She shared a brief, uneasy glance with Scraps, remembering the monsters that had torn up their home with their massive jaws. “As long as we can avoid the twolegs and their monsters,” she added.
Basher lashed his tail, but couldn’t seem to come up with another objection. As they continued walking along, Sushi slowed enough to walk beside her brother. “How much do you know about the leader ceremony?” she asked in a low murmur. While she doubted that Ravenpaw had told him more about it, but Scraps seemed to have some of the talents of a Clan medicine cat. She wondered whether he might share their connection with their ancestors.
Scraps shook his head. “Not much,” he murmured. “Just what Ravenpaw told us.”
Sushi tried not to feel uneasy. She had no idea whether there would be any ancestors waiting for her at the Moonstone, whether her own, or from the forest Clans. And even if they were there – would they find her worthy of the nine lives of a leader? Or would they condemn her for her past crimes?
They were finally able to navigate through the decimated forest, reaching the moorland. Navigating the moor was far easier. At long last, they reached the Highstones. The stones jutted into the sky, just as Ravenpaw had promised.
When they arrived, Sushi turned to her escort. “Sunny, Basher, Hiss, you stay out here,” she ordered firmly. “Scraps and I can go in alone.”
Hiss nodded easily, but Basher looked suspicious, flattening his ears against his head. “Why can’t we go in with you? “he demanded.
Sushi met his glare easily, letting her hackles raise as she growled, “Because I said so. This ceremony is only for a leader, and for the guide of a healer.” Without waiting for his reply, she whirled away, padding into the darkness of the cave within. Scraps followed after her.
The tunnel soon became completely consumed by darkness. Sushi couldn’t see where she was placing her paws anymore. But she forced herself to keep going, following the tunnel as it went deeper and deeper underground.
Finally, Sushi spotted light up ahead. Her breath caught as the tunnel opened up into a wide cave. Moonlight spilled into the cave, reflecting off of a large stone in the center of the cave, casting an ethereal light on everything. Sushi paused for a moment, surprised by its beauty.
Scraps brushed past his sister’s flank, murmuring, “Touch your nose to the stone.” Sushi glanced back at him, suddenly anxious. Scraps met her gaze calmly. “Don’t worry,” he mewed. “It’ll be fine. Just trust our ancestors.”
Sushi took a deep breath, forcing her fears to the back of her mind. Then, she approached the Moonstone. She crouched before the stone, touching her noes to the cold surface. A shock of cold raced through her veins, turning them to ice. It didn’t take long for her to drift into sleep.
For a long time, nothing happened. Sushi lay completely still, feeling herself grow colder and colder by the second. It was as if every scrap of warmth was being sucked out of her pelt, until she felt like ice. After a while, she began to feel worried. She allowed her eyes to open a crack, only for them to fly open in shock.
Sushi was lying in the floor of a very familiar den. It was the twoleg den where she had birthed and raised her kits in BloodClan. The den was completely empty of cats, and everything was in place, her old nest neatly lined up where she had left it two leafbares ago. But when Sushi looked up, she stiffened in shock. The roof of the den was gone, faded away to reveal the night sky overhead. And if that wasn’t strange enough, the sky was even stranger. Even as Sushi was watching, the stars began moving and swirling in the sky, right before her eyes.
The stars began spiraling down from the sky, taking shape as they grew closer. Sushi’s pelt bristled in fear as the spirit cats took form, stalking down from the sky to settle all around her in the den. Everywhere she looked, cats were sitting across every surface, more cats than she ever thought the den could hold. Their pelts sparkled strong with starlight, their eyes bright, their bodies strong. Some of the cats were so faded that she could see straight through them, but many were still clear to see.
Sushi’s heart clenched as she began to recognize faces from the crowd. Lark, Hemlock, Bellchime… Cats she had known in BloodClan, cats innocent of her own crimes, filled the starry ranks. There were even more faces that she didn’t recognize, row upon row of cats that she had never met before. As Sushi forced herself shakily to her paws, she finally found her voice again. “Who… who are you?” she rasped.
She had to fight the urge to flee from the sea of starry eyes staring back at her. “We are your ancestors,” a voice answered. It held the voice of every cat she had ever known, and even more cats that she had never met, and yet it was one clear voice. “We are the spirits of the cats of Twolegplace, from season upon season upon season, long before your BloodClan began. This place has always been a home to cats, and our spirits have watched over the cats who have lived there for seasons.”
Sushi was awed into silence. She could sense the power of the cats before her, their age and their wisdom. All of her past wrongs came to her mind at once. From the crowd, she could see some of her own victims, staring back at her with no emotion. With a small mew, she lowered herself in a crowd, cowering before the spirits of her ancestors. “I’m so sorry for everything,” she murmured, unable to meet the eyes of any of the spirits. “I’ve done so much wrong. I’m sorry for all the cats I’ve hurt.”
She could feel the eyes of her ancestors on her. After several moments of silence, the voice finally spoke again. “You have been forgiven, Sushi.” The she-cat let out the breath she’d been holding, feeling her legs shake with relief. Sushi finally dared to lift her head, seeing the warmth in the eyes of the spirits. “What you did, you did in the name of your family. You have recognized the wrong and tried to make up for it. And you will continue to make up for it, moon upon moon, as the leader of BloodClan.”
Sushi felt nearly weak with relief. Her ancestors had been watching over her, and they didn’t hate her for what she had done. They had forgiven her. As she tried to control her shaking legs, the spirits continued. “The Moonstone is a place where the voices of ancestors can be heard the loudest by the living. It has been used by StarClan for countless seasons to communicate with their living Clanmates. But now the Clans are gone, and their ancestors have traveled with them. This place will belong to the cats of Twolegplace now. You will use it in the seasons to come, to bring BloodClan closer to their ancestors.”
“And now, Sushi, are you ready to receive your nine lives and name?”
Sushi finally felt her fear begin to fade, excitement starting to take it’s place. She rose back to her paws, standing before her ancestors as she mewed, “I am.”
Once she had spoken, a cat broke from the starry ranks. It took Sushi a moment to recognize the rusty ginger pelt, and the bright amber eyes. “Brick?” Sushi mewed, voice high in disbelief. “Is it really you?”
Brick had been one of Scourge’s first supporters, and one of Bone’s oldest friends. But when Scourge had started to make his cruel intentions as leader more clear, Brick had become more and more uneasy. One day, a few moons into Scourge’s leadership, he refused to kill a cat on Scourge’s orders, a kittypet who had only taken a few mice. Scourge had him killed. When Sushi had known him as a living cat, he had been a bit older, with a scrawny body criss-crossed in scars, including a big bald patch of skin between his shoulders. But now, his frame was filled out, his fur sleek, his pelt free of any scars.
“Hello Sushi,” Brick mewed, flicking his tail in a friendly greeting. “It is good to see you again.” Before Sushi could reply, Brick came to stand before Sushi. He pressed his nose against Sushi’s, murmuring, “With this life, I give you caution. When times get hard, it can be easy to trust cats too easily, without thinking of the consequences. You must always put your Clan first, and use caution to protect them from cats who would take advantage of them.” For a moment, regret flashed in his eyes. Sushi wondered if he was thinking about how he had trusted Scourge.
No sooner had the thought come to her mind, when a lightning bolt of pain rocked through Sushi’s body. Agony ripped through her veins as images of red bricks and dark alleys raced through her mind. She could see cats with sly expressions crawling towards her on their bellies, only to rear up when they were close enough to slice at her with long, hooked claws. Sushi had to clamp her jaws shut with all of her might to keep from wailing in agony. Am I dying? she wondered vaguely. It seemed like the pain would never end.
Finally, the pain faded away, and her vision cleared. She was left gasping, staring at the circle of cats surrounding her. Brick was no longer standing before her; she spotted his rusty pelt among the throng of spirits, seated once again among his Clanmates.
Sushi fought to get her breath back. Is that what every life is going to be like? she wondered desperately, almost starting to feel afraid. Then, she gave a rough shake of her head, jutting her chin up. She would endure. She had to.
The next cat to approach her was harder to place. It wasn’t until the soft gray she-cat was close enough for Sushi to meet her gaze, that she realized who this must be. Her blue eyes were identical to Barley’s. “You must be Lark,” she murmured. “Barley’s mother.”
Lark dipped her head. “I am.” When she lifted her head again, her blue eyes sparkled with warmth. “I’m glad my son gave you shelter. My kits will be safe in your protection.” She touched her nose to Sushi’s, mewing, “With this life I give you a mother’s love for her kits. You have already known this love, and the desire to do anything to protect your family. You must use this protection for all of BloodClan now, as if they were your own kits.”
The agony was even worse now, but this time the pain was familiar. She could sense tiny, helpless bodies wriggling by her paws, wailing for her. Dark shadows approached; she didn’t know what they were, but she knew they were a threat to the helpless ones. Sushi reared up, roaring and slicing at the air with her claws. She would give her life to protect those in her care.
As her vision cleared and the pain ebbed away, Sushi searched the crowd for the next cat to bestow a life. Her breath caught as a black-and-white she-cat broke from the crowd and approached her. She would never forget this cat’s name, not in a million moons.
This was the first cat she had killed on Scourge’s orders.
“Molly,” she whispered, feeling all of her grief and regret come flooding back. “Oh Molly, I’m so sorry.” She could feel Molly’s tooth on her collar now, digging lightly into Sushi’s neck. Molly had been a former kittypet who had hunted in Scourge’s alleys one too many times. Scourge had ordered Sushi to kill her as punishment. She could still see Molly’s body, lying stretched out and bloody on the pavement by the time Sushi had been done with her.
But now, Molly’s pelt was sleek and clean again, her eyes sparkling with warmth. “It took me a long time to forgive you,” she informed Sushi bluntly. “But watching everything you did for your family, it was hard to hate you.” Her whiskers twitched. “And now, you can make sure that no more cats have to die like I did. That’s what you can do to make it up to me.”
She touched her nose to Sushi’s. “With this life I give you compassion,” she mewed clearly. “Use it well for every cat in Twolegplace – not just those you consider closest to you. It will take compassion and understanding to keep cats from being killed out of greed.”
This was the worst agony she had felt yet. Instead of a vague images of shadow and light, now Sushi was seeing a very clear scene from Molly’s eyes. She could see herself, young and vicious, attacking again and again with no mercy in her eyes. Sushi wanted to scream at herself, beg for mercy, for anything. But those terrible claws struck down again and again. The pain built and built until she thought she could bear it no longer; she knew she was feeling Molly’s death. Then, the pain finally faded, and Sushi was back in the twoleg den.
Molly had retreated back to the ranks of their ancestors. The next cat to approach Sushi was easier to place – she had served beside him as a guard for several seasons, before he had died in the battle with the forest Clans. “Greetings, Hemlock,” she mewed, dipping her head respectfully. She couldn’t help but be a bit puzzled; Hemlock had seemed as vicious as any of Scourge’s guards. How had he come to these starry cats after he had died.
The dark gray tom seemed to guess Sushi’s thoughts. “I became part of Scourge’s guard because I honestly believed that he was the best cat to lead the cats of Twolegplace,” he mewed gruffly. “As it got more violent, I started to have doubts. I hated what he ordered me to do. But I was never brave enough to disobey him – until the battle with the forest Clans.”
A dark gleam came to his amber gaze. “I saw the fur flying, cats dying, blood spilling on the grass, and I realized how wrong all of it was. I helped an injured cat escape from Viper. I managed to get them to a medicine cat before another Clan cat struck me from behind and killed me.” He sighed. “I should have been braver faster. Maybe it could have made a difference. But here, I am forgiven, and I can put my past as a guard behind me.” Hemlock lifted his chin. “I am not Hemlock, as Scourge made me. Here, I am my true self again – I am Leaf.”
Leaf touched his nose to Sushi’s. “With this life, I give you the courage to question what you are told,” he announced. “Cats like Scourge come to power, not because every cat is cruel enough to agree with them, but because the cats who disagree aren’t brave enough to speak out. The only way to protect your Clan from the Scourges of this world is to always speak out against injustice. Never take anything for granted. Always question what you are told, even if you fear the consequences – if you don’t speak, who will?”
Searing pain blazed through Sushi’s body. Her vision clouded over with flashes of red and black, the vague shapes of bodies fighting, and the shrieks of cats in pain. As Sushi’s body was racked with agony, she could see cats, watching in silence. They did nothing but stare as the violence raged in front of them. Sushi was overcome with horror; would no cat do anything to stop these horrors?
Her vision cleared once again, leaving her in the twoleg den. Unlike before, Leaf was still standing before her. Sushi somehow felt that she had to say something to him, to assure him that she really would make BloodClan a better place. “Once I have enough control over the Clan to run it the way I want, I’ll offer all of the guards to take their true names back,” she murmured to him. “We shouldn’t have to be stuck with vicious names if we don’t want. We don’t have to be what Scourge made us. And I will make sure you’re remembered as a good cat, Leaf.”
Gratitude glowed in Leaf’s amber eyes. He dipped his head to Sushi and, without another word, retreated back into the starry ranks of his ancestors.
-~-
COVER: http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Cover-Sushi-s-Society-Novella-One-608430971
ALLEGIANCES: http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Sushi-s-Society-Allegiances-608432627
CHAPTER ONE: http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/EOTW-Sushi-s-Society-Chapter-One-608430691
PREVIOUS: http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/EOTW-Sushi-s-Society-Chapter-Seven-613768022
Yeaaaaaaaaah, shame on me for thinking a nine lives ceremony was going to fit in one chapter. XD Don’t worry, the whole thing is already written, I just have to split it into two chapters. Both chapters will be posted right now. ^^
So yeah, the first cats have given Sushi her lives. I always love writing these ceremonies. ^^ I hope this lived up to expectations. The rest will be in the next chapter.
Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War
Novella 1: Sushi’s Society
Chapter Nine
Sushi stiffened in surprise when she saw the next cat that padded out of the crowd. The large tom didn’t look or smell like the other ancestors. His image felt fading in and out, as if he didn’t quite fit into this world, and his pelt smelled of leaves and trees. Somehow, Sushi got the feeling this wasn’t one of her ancestors at all. “Who are you?” she asked curiously.
The big white tom drew himself up proudly. “My name is Whitestorm,” he rumbled, his voice sounding distant, almost as though a wind was muffling it. Sushi’s tail flicked in surprise. “I am a warrior of StarClan – but in life, I was the deputy of ThunderClan.”
Sushi blinked. She recognized the tom now. He had been at Fourtrees the day of the battle, standing beside Firestar before the fighting started. She hadn’t seen him after that. “I’m honored,” Sushi mewed, dipping her head to the warrior. She suddenly realized why Whitestorm looked so faded – he wasn’t a part of this sky, and he was far from his living descendants. She couldn’t guess the effort it took him to appear here for her ceremony. “I-I’m surprised a cat of StarClan would want to give a life to the leader of BloodClan,” she confessed. “We tried to steal your home.”
“And I was killed by your Clanmate, Bone,” Whitestorm added. Sushi’s ears flattened in surprise. “But I know that a bad leader can turn any group of cats into something worse than they really are.” There was warmth in his amber gaze. “You have a chance to make Twolegplace a place where cats can live in peace. I wanted to be a part of that.”
Whitestorm touched his nose to Sushi’s, rumbling, “With this life, I give you honor. The warrior code is not the only worthwhile way of living your life. But a cat without a code of honor is lost. Find honor for the cats of Twolegplace, and use it to make them better than Scourge made them.”
The pain was less this time. She could feel strength in her muscles, stretching her limbs as she raced through the forest. All around her were the sounds of cats running, her Clanmtes flanking her, always by her side. Even though she couldn’t see them, Sushi knew they were always there. She and her Clan, united by honor, the strong helping the weak, bound together by loyalty.
When her vision cleared, Whitestorm had already returned to the ranks of Sushi’s ancestors. Another tom took his place, smaller than Whitestorm, with long brown fur. Immediately she could tell the mottled tom was another Clan cat. He didn’t look like a fighter, though, and his pelt smelled more of running water and reeds than of forest.
“I am Mudfur,” the brown tom told her as he came to stand before her, his voice just as distant as Whitestorm’s, and his pelt just as faded. “In life I was the medicine cat of RiverClan. I died shortly before the Clans left the forest to seek their new home. The rest of StarClan left with them, but I stayed behind to help you and your ancestors – and to help Scraps.” Amusement gleamed in his eyes for a moment. “Your brother is talented, but he will need training if he is to be a full medicine cat one day. I will walk in his dreams and teach him all that I know, and then I will rejoin my Clanmates in their new home.”
Sushi purred. “Thank you, Mudfur,” she mewed, dipping her head. “I know my brother will appreciate that.”
Mudfur pressed his nose to Sushi’s. “With this life, I give you healing,” he murmured. “A leader must be everything her Clan needs from her – she must be both healer and fighter, both fierce and comforting. A group that doesn’t heal the injured, cure the sick, and look after those who cannot look after themselves, can only ever be cruel.”
The pain shot through her pelt, making every hair stand on end. She see rows and rows of wailing cats, writhing in agony. Despair nearly took over; these cats were suffering, and she was the only one who could heal them all. There was no one to guide her – they all looked up to her. And sometimes, she couldn’t save them.
When Sushi’s sight came back, she almost didn’t believe it had. The sight of the next cat to approach sent her tail straight up in shock. The flame-colored tom approaching her looked so much like Sunny, it nearly took her breath away. It can’t be Firestar… can it? she wondered for a moment. He couldn’t have lost nine lives this quickly!
But when he got closer, Sushi realized he did have some differences from Firestar. The hue of his pelt was a little different, and he was plumper than the forest leader, with a green collar hanging around his neck. When he finally stood before her, the tom lifted his head, amusement gleaming in his grass-green eyes. “My name is Jake,” he told Sushi. “In life I was a kittypet. We never met, but my life and choices have influenced every cat in Twolegplace.”
Sushi tipped her head in question. “What do you mean?” She was still distracted by how much this tom resembled both Firestar and Sunny.
Jake sighed. “I was the father of two litters when I was alive,” he told Sushi. “The mothers were kittypets too, but one kit from each litter decided to leave the kittypet life behind. The cat from the second litter was the cat you know as Firestar.” Sushi nodded her understanding. It definitely explained why Jake looked so much like the forest tom, and Ravenpaw had mentioned that Firestar had been born a kittypet.
“Who was the cat from the first litter?” she asked.
The flame-colored tom gazed at her wearily. “Scourge.”
Sushi bristled in shock. Scourge and Firestar were half brothers? she realized, stunned. She had never guessed that Scourge shared blood with any forest cat. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Now she finally understood why her daughter looked so much like the ThunderClan leader.
“I wasn’t able to be there for my son,” Jake was continuing. “But maybe if I had been, things could have been different. Or maybe not. Either way, I only wish I could have done something to stop what he became.”
Before Sushi could try to reassure him, Jake touched his nose to hers. “With this life, I give you curiosity,” he mewed clearly. “A good leader must be willing to explore beyond what they know. Use this gift to learn about life beyond your borders – there is more than one way for a cat to live.”
The pain was much lighter on this life. Golden light and warm colors flooded her vision. Great, fantastic images flashed in her mind, things she couldn’t quite see, but that filled her with awe. She wanted to know more. She wanted to know everything that was out there. She could feel herself bounding along a golden field, her paws tucked under her, a black-and-white pelt streaking along beside her. They were traveling together, ready to explore the unknown.
After Sushi woke from this life, Jake was already gone. Sushi was starting to feel exhausted from the effort of taking in life after life. She wasn’t sure she could stay standing for the last two lives. So when the black tom broke away from the others, it was nearly enough to knock her off of her paws in shock. She recognized his skinny frame and twisted forepaw immediately, and his amber eyes, which had stared at her with such hatred. It was the black tom from the Clan battle. The one who had died.
“I killed you,” she murmured as the tom drew near. Even though he was faded, she could see his pelt was smooth and clean now, free of the blood and wounds she had given him. But his front paw was still twisted. “I’m so sorry.” She lowered her head, filled with shame.
The tom spoke in a quiet rumble, sounding just as distant as the other StarClan cats. “My name is Deadfoot,” he told Sushi. “I was the deputy of WindClan before I died. I died in the defense of my Clan, as a warrior is always willing to risk for their Clanmates. That is what makes a Clan strong.” When Sushi finally dared to look up at him again, he was watching her calmly. “It is hard to forgive the cat who took me from my Clan. But if you truly do your best to make BloodClan a better Clan, I wish you luck.”
Deadfoot touched his nose to Sushi’s. “With this life, I give you forgiveness. The most important thing a leader can do is recognize their own faults. But you must also learn to forgive. Forgive others, and more importantly, forgive yourself. Dwelling in the past will help no cat – you must focus on your Clan’s needs now, not things that you can’t change.”
Blinding agony rocked through Sushi’s body. As the twoleg den fell away from her vision, she found herself thrust into memories of her own crimes. Death after death, maulings, punishments never deserved, and all from her own claws. She was shaking all over, nearly buckled over with regret. Then, a soft voice found its way into her mind. Forgive. Let it go. With a slow, shuddering breath, she banished the memories away, back into the far corners of her mind.
Deadfoot was gone by the time Sushi’s vision returned. She was shaking all over now. The agony of each life was draining whatever energy she had left, and her body felt sore and weak. She wondered whether she could bear to receive the final life, and how she was supposed to make the long journey back to Twolegplace after.
Every single one of those thoughts was driven from her mind when the final cat approached her. She had never seen this cat so young before. Her silver pelt was sleek and soft, not matted with age, and her golden gaze was brighter and clearer than Sushi had ever seen it. She strode towards Sushi, young and and beautiful again, starlight sparkling in her pelt. Sushi’s breath caught at the sight of her. “Bellchime,” she breathed.
“Hello, Sushi.” Bellchime’s voice was stronger than she remembered too, but just as warm and loving as ever. Bellchime brushed her muzzle against her daughter’s cheek, purring fiercely. “Oh my daughter, I am so proud of you.”
Sushi had thought seeing the other spirits was hard enough, but this one nearly did her in completely. She had to fight to keep her legs from buckling under her, and to keep from burying herself in her mother’s fur like a helpless kit. In the two leafbares since Bellchime had died, Sushi had missed her gentle, loving mother fiercely. And now, she was finally here again. “I missed you so much,” she murmured, nuzzling her muzzled against her mother’s cheek. “I wish you were still alive. We need your love, and your guidance.”
Bellchime pulled back, giving her daughter a loving gaze. “Sushi, I will always be here,” she promised. “I will watch over you from the stars, until you come to join me here. But you have to be here for your Clan now. Don’t let your grief keep you from your duties.” With a final lick to her daughter’s cheek, Bellchime pulled her muzzle back, pressing her nose gently against Sushi’s.
“With this life, I give you love,” Bellchime murmured. “You have lived among so much hate and fear for all of your life. But you must be ruled by love now. Twolegplace must become a home for love, where cats feel safe, and mercy rules over cruelty. With these gifts the spirits have given you, lead your Clan with wisdom and compassion.”
There was no pain in this life. Warmth spread through Sushi’s tired limbs, bringing them back their strength. She felt like the golden light of greenleaf was shining on her back, and the same security of being a kit at her mother’s belly. Everywhere, the feeling of love surrounded her. And she knew, from no on, she had to give that feeling to her Clan. It was her job to save BloodClan from the cruelty and fear that had known all their lives, and show them a life of love instead.
When her vision cleared, Bellchime had stepped back to join the crowd. The voice of every cat, golden and clear, came together to make one voice once again. “We hail you by your new name, Sushistar.” The she-cat blinked in surprise. “Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and your ancestors grant you the guardianship of BloodClan. Defend –”
“Wait,” the she-cat mewed clearly, lifting her tail for silence. The spirits fell silent, watching her with unreadable expressions. She kept thinking back to what Whitestorm had said. “The warrior code is not the only worthwhile way of living your life.” She remembered what Jake had given her a life for, and what Ravenpaw had taught her about having more than one way to live your life.
“I am honored by the lives you have given me,” she mewed clearly. “And I will use all of the gifts you gave me to make BloodClan a place of peace. But I can’t be Sushistar. I am Sushi. I lost my name once. I can’t lose it again.”
There were uncertain rumblings from the cats in the crowd. “That is the name of a Clan leader,” Mudfur pointed out.
“But I am not a Clan leader,” Sushi announced firmly. That got even more surprise from the listening cats. “BloodClan isn’t a real Clan. It never has been, and as much as you might have been hoping, it never can be.” Sushi shook her head. “I didn’t come here today to try and make BloodClan more like a forest Clan. We can’t be. How would we have a central camp? How would we send out hunting patrols? Too many cats in one place would draw atttenion from twolegs, and that would put us all in danger. It’s just not possible for my group to live as a Clan in the confines of Twolegplace.”
After some murmuring among the spirits, the singular voice spoke again. “What do you propose?”
“Exactly what I promised,” Sushi mewed firmly. “I will make them something better. But not a Clan. And not an army, like Scourge wanted.” She gazed out among the spirits, growing more confident in her decision by the moment. “I will create a code of honor, and a system that we can live by that will look out for every cat. We will not be warriors – but we won’t be BloodClan killers, either. I will make something new out of these cats that you can all be proud of.”
It seemed like no cat would ever speak. Countless eyes stared at her, filled with the wisdom of ages. But Sushi didn’t look away. She met the gazes of her ancestors calmly, knowing she was right.
“Very well,” the voice finally came again. “Then go, with our blessing. May the stars light your path, and the path of your cats.”
“And your path,” Sushi answered. She felt herself being pulled from the dream. As the den began to fade around her, Sushi kept her gaze fixed on one cat. She didn’t look away from Bellchime until she could no longer see the silver tabby. But even as the last of the dream slipped away from her, she heard her mother’s voice. I’ll be with you, she murmured.
Always.
-~-
COVER: http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Cover-Sushi-s-Society-Novella-One-608430971
ALLEGIANCES: http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/Sushi-s-Society-Allegiances-608432627
CHAPTER ONE: http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/EOTW-Sushi-s-Society-Chapter-One-608430691
PREVIOUS: http://jayie-the-hufflepuff.deviantart.com/art/EOTW-Sushi-s-Society-Chapter-Eight-613968110
Yeaaaaaaaaah, shame on me for thinking a nine lives ceremony was going to fit in one chapter. XD Don’t worry, the whole thing is already written, I just have to split it into two chapters. Both chapters will be posted right now. ^^
So yeah, the first cats have given Sushi her lives. I always love writing these ceremonies. ^^ I hope this lived up to expectations. The rest will be in the next chapter.
Awesome, very interesting indeed, I like how clan cats, even Deadfoot gave her lives, 🙂
Thanks. 🙂 Yeah. I thought it was nice that StarClan cats came to give her lives, almost giving their blessing to the new group.
Awesome! 😀 I’m kinda glad she won’t change her name to Sushistar. I don’t think I’ll be able to get used to it 😛
Thanks. 😀 And yeah, it would be too late in the game to change like that. 😛
That was awesome! I love how you added Jake in.
Thanks. 😀 Yeah, Jake is awesome – and I snuck a little Tall/Jake mention in there. 😉
FORESTCLANS FATE CHAPER THREEEEEEE
The clan rushed around placing guards at the nursery and elders den. Maplepaw and Mossball prepared herbs they might need for when the patrol got back, after what felt like moons a cry went up from the look out
” the patrol is back!”
The clan waited nervously as the patrol came back into camp all had at least one injury,
” the badgers have claimed part of our territory for there own”
wrenstar announced and the clan fell into shock. Maplepaw and Mossball walked up to the patrol just as sunblaze came in with Luckypaw on his back, the clan gasped, Mossball ran up to them as he placed his apprentice on the ground,
” Maplepaw, can you take care of the patrols injuries?”
She asked and her apprentice nodded going into the medicine den, taking some herbs and starting with wrenstar treated the patrols injuries. With gladepaws help Mossball moved Luckypaw to the medicine den placing cobweb and marigold on the apprentices wounds before moving back into the clearing
” will he be alright?”
Sunblaze asked
” he should be, but I’m not sure when he’ll wake”
Fleckkit and russetfeather came into the clearing
” what’s wrong with Luckypaw?”
Fleckkit asked ”
” he’s just sleeping ”
russetfeather replied with a glance at the patrol, Wavesplash moved away from the patrol with wrenstar and went into her den, supposedly to talk about the attack. Rosefur and mapleheart talked in whispers at the edge of the clearing, lupintail and juniperberry were getting treated by Maplepaw, ” this has come as a big shock to the clan” Mossball thought turning to go back into the medicine den to keep an eye on Luckypaw.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
” the gathering is tonight”
wrenstar announced two days after the attack, the clan no longer hunted in that part of the territory and the fresh kill pile was suffering, Luckypaw still hadn’t awoken,
” the patrol of the badger attack will be coming along with Wavesplash,myself,Mossball and Maplepaw ”
she said and jumped down from the high rock just as the hunting patrol padded into camp, with no more than two scrawny mice, placing them on the fresh kill pile lupintail retreated into the warrior den.
~~~~~~~~
As the cats of Forestclan ran into the the four high stones the other clans stopped and looked at them, wrenstar ignored the stares and jumped onto her place,
” now that we’re all here let the gathering begin” QuickStar the leader of plainclan announced,
” all is well in plainclan our prey is running well and our hunting patrols come back with plenty of fresh kill, though there have been some scents of badger on our border with forestclan ”
He looked at Wrenstar accusingly. Waterstar, the leader of plainclan then did her report and then treestar of jungleclan did his, then it was wrenstars turn
” as plainstar has said there are badgers in our territory, a group of them have take over part of our territory but it has had no effect on our clan”
Lupintail,Rosefur and Mapleheart shuffled uncomfortably, the leaders jumped down from the high ledge and the clans began to mingle Mossball and Maplepaw talked to the other medicine cats, sunblaze and juniperberry were talking to warriors of plainclan, gladepaw was talking with a lakeclan apprentice and Wavesplash was talking to the jungleclan deputy. Then the gathering was over and the clans went there separate ways, Forestclan didn’t notice the small shadow following them back to camp.
YAY ME AGAIN! 😛 I love being a med cat apprentice…
XD