Warriors: Cobwebs

7. The Ancestors

     The forest surrounding the young tom, whose fur was now bristling as he curled into a tight, frightened ball, was silent and calm. A soft breeze drifted above the black and white cat, and he shivered. Not from cold, but from fear. He had no idea where he was, and if this truly was StarClan. It was dark. Terribly, so vividly dark. But when he finally lifted his head and looked to the heavens, his green eye was wide, and he felt his muscles relax. The sky was clear, untouched by the trees. And the sound of a babbling stream rung through his ears. He sat up, and felt soft grass on his pawpads, and crickets chirped around him now. A familiar scent struck his senses and he slowly turned his head. And before him, standing with hopeful blue eyes and shining oakbark brown fur was a she-cat.

     Violet.

     "Momma!" Cobweb cried in shock, and he dashed forward. He skidded to a halt in the grass and grinned wildly as he stared, face-to-face, with a cat he hadn't seen in a good two or three moons. His mother. His dear, precious and beloved mother. And he dipped his head, and Violet licked his ear, then stepped back and tilted her head to examine her only living kit. She caught sight of his missing eye and her smile faded, and her head dropped.

     "I'm sorry, Cobweb," she mewed, "for not being there to protect you. I've watched you though, and I'm glad to know that you're alive. Here now."

     Cobweb's grin turned to a small, still cheerful smile. "It's okay Momma. Really, but-"

     He trailed off. He had so many questions. Why was his mother, a loner, here? Why not a Clancat. Was this truly StarClan?

          Violet's tail swished. "I know it's strange to find me here, in StarClan. But I can explain," she offered, adding "I was a Clancat, of PlainClan," she began. Cobweb stared at her, and his heart skipped a beat. He had Clan blood! He could be accepted! But... it was PlainClan blood. Not DarkClan blood.

     It suddenly made sense why it had been Finchfeather who had known him. Maybe she had seen him in a vision of some sort.

     Violet continued, watching her son with love. He had grown so much since she had last spoken to him. "The life of a Clancat was not mine. I loved hunting, and tending for my clan. But I couldn't stand to fight, and so I left. A DarkClan cat helped me to leave the forest and go to the Twolegplace. Her name... was Rosepaw. And I was Violetpaw. And even though I left the clans, I kept my strong belief in StarClan."

     Cobweb felt a tear come to his eye. Rosepetal had helped Violet- or Violetpaw- out of her Clan. He pieced the puzzle together.

     "You went to the Twolegplace and met father, and had Rose and I- Rose was named after Rosepe- Rosepaw- and father had to go and protect us. But... why were we in the forest when you were..." He couldn't continue. Violetpaw would know what he meant, and she would explain as well, he hoped.

     "I couldn't allow you and Rose to stay in the Twolegplace where cats would kill kits. I had gone to the forest... to attempt to rejoin a Clan. So that you and your sister could be better protected," Violetpaw told him. She sat, and lowered her head in silence. "Sadly, Lynxheart didn't care. He and Whitetail... they were ferocious cats."

     So that had been the cat to kill Violetpaw.

     "Where's Rose?" Cobweb mewed, and Violetpaw turned her head away. She couldn't bare to tell him the news, and look him straight in the eye.

     "Because Rose had no idea of her lineage, and no belief in StarClan, she is not here. But she wanders the territory. As a spirit."

     Cobweb closed his eye and nodded slowly. He had hoped to speak with his sister, and had to suppress a sniffle. But he might would have the chance some other day. Hopefully.

     "I wish to become a DarkClan medicine cat," he said quietly, sullenly, and Violetpaw sighed. "I know, Cobweb. Are you prepared?" she asked him, and he looked up at her. His green eye was filled with a sort of confusion, but also happiness.

     "As ready as I could be-"