Fading Memories

Chapter 1

Mapleshadow stared down her paws. They sparkled with stars. Tears trickled from her eyes. She looked around at where she was and saw cats all around her. "Why?" She yelled at all of them. "Why? Why StarClan? Why did you do this? My kits will need a mother and I can't be there now!" A black and white cat stepped forward. "I'm so sorry my dear, but your kits have a destiny that will need to be fulfilled. I wish that we could do this another way." He lowered his head in shame. "Is... is there a way I can be with them?" She asked, hopeful. Her father seemed to hesitate. "Yes... but it will mean you'll have to leave StarClan and stay in the living world as a ghost attached to a cat." 

Mapleshadow thought about what Ryepaw had just said. "I'm willing to do so. Anything that would help my kits." Ryepaw nodded and motioned for her to follow him. He lead her down to a lake that gave a view of the clans. Eight other spirits sat around the pool of water. "In order for the prophecy to be fulfilled ten cats from StarClan must reincarnate. They will guide the young hero's throughout their life. Eventually they will be set free. Either when the cat they are attached to dies or they find a way to release the spirit." Ryepaw explained to her. "Two cats for each clan." "But, there are only nine cats here! Where's the tenth?" Asked Mapleshadow. "The tenth is not visible, but she is here." 

"Hello Mapleshadow." A voice from behind her made her spin around. There was no one there. "Oh, right. You can't see me. My name is Bristlefrost." Mapleshadow was stunned. "Like the Bristlefrost? The hero?" The voice chuckled. "I guess I really have become famous! Yes, it's me. Since I died in the Dark Forest my spirit is invisible. I volunteered for this because once I get to the living world you'll be able to see me. And I want to see Rootspring again." Mapleshadow nodded. "Okay... who are the other cats?" "Oh!" Bristlefrost. "Let me introduce you! Hey everyone!" All the cats around the pool looked up. "This is the other ThunderClan representative! Mapleshadow!" "Hi." She said. She knew all of these cats were probably legends. 

A gray tom came up to her. "My name is Gray Wing. I was one of the original cats in the forest." Mapleshadow's eyes widened. "I belonged to WindClan." He continued. "Come, I'll introduce you to the others." As he lead her down the path she felt a tail rest on her back and she felt a jolt go through her. "Sorry!" Yelped the voice of Bristlefrost. "That's what happens when I touch another cat." "It helps to know your here." Commented Mapleshadow. She was starting to like Bristlefrost. The other cats introduced themselves. The WindClan representatives were Gray Wing and Windstar. She had been honored to meet such powerful cats. The RiverClan representatives were Willowshine and Leopardstar. The SkyClan cats were Echosong and Leafstar. And the ShadowClan cats were Yellowfang and Shadowstar. Most of the cats here were very old. All of them were legends.

"Are all of you ready?" A voice from the top of the hill rang out. Mapleshadow looked over and saw two toms. One orange and the other had a flame colored pelt. "The orange tom is Thunderstar, the first leader of ThunderClan," said Bristlefrost's voice. "And the other is Firestar, you probably know about him." Mapleshadow nodded. How could she not know about Firestar? He was one of the most well known legends around the lake. "Ready!" Everyone's voice rang out. The two toms nodded. "This is one of the most important prophecies we've given in moons. You all have to take this seriously." "We are taking this seriously!" Yelled Yellowfang. "For StarClan's sake, I thought you had more sense in you Firestar! But you act like as dumb as a badger!" Everyone chuckled at the old she-cat's comment. Firestar rolled his eyes. "Well, then I suppose you all know what to do?" He asked. Everyone nodded and so did Mapleshadow, they had explained everything to her earlier. "Good." Said Firestar.

"Bristlefrost." Another voice said from behind Mapleshadow. She jumped again and Bristlefrost's voice sighed. "Spottedleaf! Why must you be here now?" "To say goodbye to the only other cat here that can actually understand what I go through! You got lucky! To be chosen to go back." Spottedleaf's voice said. "Well, I have to go now so bye." Bristlefrost's voice whispered in her ear. "That's Spottedleaf. She's from Firestar's time. She was a medicine cat. She's a little annoying if you ask me." They all gathered around the pool and lowered their muzzles to the icy water.

Mapleshadow opened her eyes. She was in the nursery. The warm smell of milk was all around her. She looked down and saw the small shape below her. That must be the cat I have to guide! She thought. She looked around and saw the shimmering shape of a cat next to her. "Bristlefrost?" She asked. "Yep! It's me!" Mapleshadow was relieved. She now saw that Bristlefrost was a grey cat with green eyes. "So, we're in the ThunderClan nursery. What now?" Bristlefrost shrugged. "Wait? See if something interesting happens? Do you know this cat?" Mapleshadow realized that the cat feeding the kits was her sister. "Yes! That's my sister! Her name is Crystalblaze." Bristlefrost nodded. 

Mapleshadow saw a brown tom with green eyes walk into the nursery. Two of the kits looked up from mossball and ran over to him. "Daddy!" Yelled one of them. She was pure white with one light grey paw and green eyes, like her father. "Come play mossball with us!" Yelled the other. She was brown. Her eyes were an ocean blue. Just like her own. Tears welled in Mapleshadow's eyes. "Those... those are my kits." Bristlefrost looked over at her, a sad look in her eyes. "You must have been gone for a good moon when you were blacked out." She said. The brown Tom laughed. "Okay, okay. I'll play." Said Dustfeather. They played for awhile and then a cat called from outside the nursery. "Oh, I have to go on patrol. I'll be back soon." Dustfeather told his kits. The kits watched sadly as their father left the nursery. 

"Gemkit! Maplekit! Bristlekit! The elders are telling stories! Come on!" A small, yellow kit poked it's head inside. Mapleshadow's kits and the one that had been curled up next to Crystalblaze shot to their paws and raced out of the nursery. Bristlefrost looked over at Mapleshadow. "I guess we have to follow them." They walked out of the nursery and into the elders den. Three elders and six kits were sitting in the elders den. Bristlefrost gasped and wove around one of the elders. "Ivypool! This is my mother!" "I guess you've been away from ThunderClan longer than I have." Said Mapleshadow. "And Lionblaze! I thought he would die in battle! Oh! And Cinderheart's here to!" Bristlefrost clearly wanted to talk to them. Ivypool started talking.

"What would you like to hear about today?" She asked the kits. The yellow kit from before yelled. "Can you tell us about my aunt?" All the other kits agreed. Gemkit burst out "Yeah! I want to know more about my mother!" "Alright! Alright! Calm down." All the kits settled down and listened. "This is the story of Mapleshadow. When she was a kit she was very adventurous. She often would go into the warriors den and pester some of the warriors. Once she messed up the herbs in the medicine den. Jayfeather was really mad at her." "She messed up my herbs!" Mapleshadow noticed Jayfeather at the back of the den. "I had to reorganize them! And she crushed some of them to! In the middle of leaf bare!" As Mapleshadow listened to the rest of the story she imagined what life would've been like if she had survived the kitting.