Raven's Hollow: New Era (WIP)(Warrior Cats Fanfic)

Prologue

Once our lands were empty. No cats had so much as set sight here. A fact, that held true for countless moons. Longer even than the clans have ever existed. Then, Raven appeared. It is said that she was the most beautiful she-cat to have ever lived. Cunning, witty, kind and intelligent. She had had journeyed far in search of the perfect home in which to bear her kits. It is unknown as to how she found this place, but find it, she did. Maybe it was due to the countless trials of suffering she had endured. Maybe, just maybe, the world, itself, took pity upon her and blessed her with this land. We will never know. All we do know, is that Raven lost everything. Her home. Her family. Her mate. Everything. Except, her kits. How Raven survived and pushed through the many dangers she faced, I will never know. But, I do know that she is the reason we're here. 

Raven made a den under the Sacred Tree. It is there that she had her litter. Rain, Snow, Sleet and Hail. At first it was just the five of them, but slowly more and more cats journeyed here. It isn't known how they found this place either. Simply, that something called them here and all, endured severe hardships along the way. For some, it was trials of endurance or physical strength. For others, it was spiritual or mental. Regardless. As these strangers began to arrive, our Founders began to mingle with them and this caused the family to bicker and argue. Groups were formed and battle was imminent, as it always is when large groups of cats gather. But, Raven stopped it. Being the mother of Rain, Snow, Sleet and Hail, who were now the leaders of the groups, she had power over them all. She decreed that if cats could not get along together, then they should form territories to separate themselves. That is just what they did. The groups became known by their leader's identity. Rain's Clan, Snow's Clan, Sleet's Clan and Hail's Clan.

A few cats stayed with Raven, however. These cats were those who despised causing harm to others. Cats who did not wish to fight, but wanted to make lives easier. These cats became Raven's Clan. They lived in and around the Sacred Tree and spent their time working together to learn how to heal and care for others. Skills for diplomacy became a keen focus so as to maintain relationships among the new clans without causing further problems. While Raven's Clan studied and experimented, the other clans began to settle their borders. Tension remained high, in spite of having new homes, and this ensured the clans visited Raven's Clan's territory for healing. So regularly, did this happen, that eventually four cats chose to join the other clans to heal them from within. This brought about the creation of our Healers.

Time flowed onward and the clans settled into peace once the borders were established. Raven, however, was displeased by the disconnect between her children and wished to see her grandkits. She also wished for those kits to know one another, in spite of the borders keeping them apart. To bring down the borders would cause more trouble, so, she asked that the clans brought a group to her territory one day per moon to share tongues. This is what established our Gatherings.

Over many moons of peace and tranquility the clans began to develop into more individualised communities. Yet, Raven's Clan began to dwindle until Raven herself was the last member of the clan and then, as was bound to happen, she passed away. Every clan mourned the loss. Heartbroken, Rain, Snow, Sleet and Hail put aside their differences to sit vigil in Raven's den together. That night, they fell asleep. They were, after all, getting on in age too by this point. In their dreams, Raven appeared. She told them that she wanted them to continue gathering as they had been and that she would always watch over them.

Upon awakening, the four leaders spoke of their dreams and were warmed to know their mother was not truly gone. They decreed that they would gather as Raven desired. Time went on and it was discovered that whenever a cat slept in Raven's Den, they would be visited by the cats who passed away. Thus, it was decided that the Den would be a communing place. Only leaders and Healers would be allowed to spend the night inside the den. To ensure this, a cat from each clan was chosen to guard and protect the Sacred Tree, lest any cat try to damage Raven's Den.

Things continued this way for a long time. Generations upon generations lived in our lands. Battles were fought, won and lost. Stories and legends came to be. Then, it all collapsed. A great tragedy fell upon our home, then, affectionately known as Raven's Hollow. Temperatures soared in greenleaf and plummeted in leafbare. Diseases ran rampant and the predators grew ever hungrier. Slowly, the clan's numbers dwindled until eventually they scattered. 

Raven's Hollow seemed destined to be as empty and devoid of cat-life as it had at the very beginning. Yet, while the living were gone, the deceased were not. Ravenclan, the clan of ancestors, kept track of their descendants and an eye on their lands. Over time, the weather stabalised and prey became abundant again. It was at this point that our oldest of ancestors, Raven, herself, set out a decree that it was time to bring cats back to the Hollow. So, Rain, Snow, Sleet and Hail, as well as the first Guardians and notable figures of our history, set forth through the skies to enter the dreams of their descendants.

At the same time, the calling that lured Raven's Hollow's first settlers seemed to come again, drawing newcomers with no warrior blood here too. It is a new dawn for the clans, and we, are the ones to see it through!

Opening Address of the first Gathering of the New Era, by Heronfeather, Lore Guardian, Descendant of Storm II, the First Lore Guardian.