Heart Of A Fighter (Book 4): Magic In The Valley

Chapter 1: Song of Family

"This place is so beautiful!" Gasped Stonepaw as he stared around in awe at the lush scenery.

"It sure is," chuckled Splash Sprint. "Come along. The tribes await the arrival of the lost princess."

Goslingpaw tried her best to ignore the glares from her mother and Swanpaw from behind her that seared into her back like eagle claws.

As they trekked along the meadows, grass brushing their pelts and the sweet scent of flowers filling their nostrils, Goslingpaw was faintly aware of wingbeats hitting the air.

And mere moments later, loud cheers erupted as a swarm of cats leapt from the trees and emerged from their territories to greet them.

"They're back!" Yowled a she-cat with brown flecked white fur as she swooped down, green eyes flickering with excitement.

"Look! Is that the princess?" Another cat, a charcoal rosetted tom gasped, gesturing to her with a paw.

After that it was just question after question fired endlessly at her and her clan.

"Which island were you from?"
"What's your name?"
"Why don't your friends have wings?"
"Can you fly?"
"Did the journey here take long?"
"Do you know how our oath works?"
"Are you tired?"

There were so many cats crowding around BlazeClan, firing away questions without pause, and Goslingpaw was starting to feel very overwhelmed when out of the blue, a shrieking yowl echoed through the air.

Almost instantly, all the chatter ceased and the winged cats swiftly parted, forming a pathway in front of BlazeClan, and all of them instantly bowed down, dipping their heads to their paws.

Goslingpaw watched in confusion as Russet Rush and Splash Sprint bowed down too, but all confusion was washed away when she saw two cats treading towards her.

The royal king and queen.

The two cats had strings of flowers and gleaming stones wound around their necks and legs, and a crown of shining stones and small flowers were settled on each of their heads.

The tom, Jagged Slash, was tall with a muscular build. His fur was a shade of sandy gold, with a pure white underbelly and delicate white swirls weaving their way through like a viper in a sandy desert.

His jade green eyes glinted with kindness as he offered a warm smile to his cousin, tail lashing gently as the Pyro sigil on his shoulder glinted a pale emerald green

But it was the she-cat beside him that caught Goslingpaw's attention first. And great stars, she was absolutely beautiful.

She had a silver pelt lined with similar swirls like her older brother, a white underbelly and white paws. Hard muscles rippled clear beneath her pelt and her elegant wings were arched over her head.

Goslingpaw knew it was rude to stare, but she found herself unable to draw her gaze away from the queen's face.

The right side of her face was normal, but the left side of it was like it had been burned off. Her left eye was sealed by a deep gouge resembling talon marks, with dried blood crusting the massive cut.

The wound had already healed, but the scar of pinkish flesh pockmarked with deeper-cutting scars would never fade nor let fur grow over it again.

Her one blue eye stared deep into Goslingpaw's soul, carefully analysing her. No comforting smile was offered, neither were words of affirmation. Just silence.

Goslingpaw felt herself trembling the more she looked at the silver she-cat. Gazing into her eye was like gazing into a hurricane; danger was approaching but you were unable to look away.

"So you are Goslingpaw," she spoke after a moment, her voice slightly raspy yet carrying an air of clear authority that radiated the warning that she was not to be messed with.

"Y-yes, your majesty," the cream and brown Littlepaw stammered nervously, dropping into a bow. She knew she was face-to-face with a force that could crush her with ease.

She did not want to risk making a horrible impression of herself.

"I told you not to glare at her like that, you scared her," the voice of Jagged Slash sighed exasperatedly. "Keep your jaws shut," came to sharp reply.

"Get up. You need not bow to me." Goslingpaw swallowed and got to her paws, staring nervously at her cousin.

Just then, Dovetail pushed her way to the front with Swanpaw as she ignored the protesting meows from the other BlazeClan cats.

"Your majesties, I think you're mistaken," she meowed haughtily. "I am the mother of this.. impurity. I believe her sister should be the princess you are looking for."

With that, Swanpaw tried her best to stand tall and regal, though utterly failing in the end as she stumbled and almost fell on her face.

Azurestar looked ready to shred the arrogant she-cats to pieces and the other BlazeClan cats looked away in embarrassment.

The only thing Glacier Storm said was, "Are you sure this thing is not a fat DenFolk pet?"

Goslingpaw tried to keep a straight face at her cousin's audacity while her friends snickered and Swanpaw stepped back, speechless.

Jagged Slash smiled awkwardly and meowed, "I'm afraid the only cats our code accepts on the throne must have the royal birthmarks under their face, and this she-cat does not have it."

Before Dovetails could splutter out an excuse, loud whispering broke out within the gathered cryptids and the cream and white she-cat kept her jaws quiet in humiliation.

Glacier Storm's one good eye flickered to all of the tribe cats gathered around the arrivals. "Those not from our tribe, get lost," she snarled. "Those who are, back to camp. NOW."

Goslingpaw watched in awe and shock as the cryptids leapt to their paws and scurried back to their separate tribes. Not one cat questioned her or challenged her at all.

Her cousin must possess a lot of power for cats from other tribes to obey her with a simple command.

Her steely gaze drifted back to BlazeClan. "As for the rest of you, follow us. You must all get checked by our healers to make sure you are fit to receive your wings and begin training as soon as possible."

"Wings!" Gasped Stonepaw in excitement. "We can fly!"

"Training? We don't need extra training," scoffed Bearclaw. "We can fight just fine."

Jagged Slash blinked at them, his gaze hardening. "And you will need more than what you already know if you want even a sliver of a chance at surviving in the Northern Kingdoms."

Most of the Claws seemed ready to protest, but when the sigil on his sister's shoulder flickered an eerie shade of ice blue they shut up.

"You better keep quiet and listen if you want even a chance to stay alive. There is no place for arrogance in the valley."