Silence {Warriors Fanfiction}

{𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞}

A/N

Just a quick little note over here!!! If anyone questions me about where did the allegiances went well just tellin' ya, I was too lazy and just ended up with a prologue on the dot! And no, that cover did not take a million years, I just sorta found a cat picture, blurred (most) a bit of the background, figured I mucked up, then thought that I should be smart and tell y'all it's to represent how the cat is bright in the darkness. Makes no sense, but I don't care. So I guess the ranting's done for now? 

Lilystep was as quiet as a mouse. Or she thought she was. Black pelt in the darkness, perfect night vision, and that pride of hers- her extra padded paws that allowed almost to no sound escape from them. But maybe she was wrong. Whiskers twitching, she was quite sure something was not right. That tangy taste of the enemy clans she always had to smell at the gatherings. It was here! Her muscles immediately tensed, teeth bared, and fur straight up. The standard battle stance. Whoever's approaching, at least I'll have a moment of surprise...

"Who's there!" Lilystep hissed. The half yellowed leaves of a nearby bush rustled quietly in the silent night. She immediately spun around to face it. Another rustle. But this time opposite. Fear seized her as she backed away, again. Am I surrounded? But the outcome wasn't what she expected. Two sparrows, so small, so delicate, emerged from the undercover. Lilystep immediately relaxed. Think of her to be so jittery in the dark. But they promised her they would meet her here. One last time before they faded. Unless they already have. The moon was already a sliver when she first came. Now, clouds were moving ominously towards the fading moonlight. She growled. They were so weak that they could only travel when the light was at its brightest at night. Think of the timing! 

Just when she was about to loose hope, at last, a cat arrived. Lilystep bit back a gasp as she realised how frail the she-cat was. Even when it was at a time where age and pain could reach, there was something horribly nauseating about how the she-cat limped. The stars were supposed to hold these ancient cats up, and give them strength, powering their body up with light. But one look at them, any normal cat would hardly think they were one of those prinpricks in the Silverpelt. There were only a few glimmers of starlight in the cat's pelt, and her true colour was fading as well. Her white fur was near transparent. Lilystep suppressed another gasp of shock as the next few cats appeared. They were staggering uneasily, and it was painful to watch them struggle.

As each appeared, Lilystep recited their names, but the ancient ones, for the new aliases meant nothing to her. With a vain hope, she thought if she said it enough times, they would stay. They wouldn't fade. They could keep meeting with her, but instead of worrying and planning, they could be sharing tongues and playing. Each time she thought of it, the hope seemed to be farther away, and less possible. Finally, all of them arrived. Each seemed paler and older than the previous. Only the white she-cat, which ironically was actually one of the more elder cats, remained tall.

"Greetings," a black she-cat with green eyes stepped forward to Lilystep. She was closely followed by a few other toms, and another she-cat. Lilystep dipped her head politely, blinking at the small gathering.

"Is that everyone?" She asked, touching noses with each of them to show respect. A dark almost black grey furred tom started to speak.

"Yes, if you don't count the ones that have already faded," the tom replied, his yellow eyes distant with grief. Lilystep silently sent a prayer to StarClan that only a few cats had gone. For a few heartbeats, everyone's head was dipped down in acknowledgment to the ones who were forever gone. Just to check, she counted carefully, reciting each of the cat's names. With a heart-wrenching realisation, she realised that more than two cats had disappeared. Slate. Oh, I'm so sorry, Grey Wing...

Hawk Swoop. Rainswept Flower. Shaded Moss. Fluttering Bird, Micah, Emberkit, and... Quiet Rain. They all didn't make. Lilystep fought back a yowl as she grieved for the lost. And all of them, they should've been remembered. Like Quiet Rain, who endured everything just to die sickly. Fluttering Bird. Died so young, but had a big heart in those few seasons she stayed alive. Shaded Moss, a vigilant but fair leader, who led them half of the way to the new territories. So much more stories that will and are forgotten. Another white she-cat stepped forward. Moth Flight. Her eyes have been clouded with sorrow, and Lilystep suddenly remembered Micah was her mate.

Jagged Peak, Grey Wing and Clear Sky all shared the same grief. "Well-" Lilystep's voice cracked. "Should we begin the meeting?" The other cats sighed, but nodded, and hence, as if something had held back their voices, it all spilt out.

"The Clans are disappearing!"     "We will fade before we can help!"   "No cat will remember us..."  "There's no hope now,"  and such. Lilystep wanted to back away from the torrent of voices. But instead, she held her tail high up for all to see. They fell silent.

"I will remember you. Others would've remembered you. Your memories will stay alive. You will never be truly gone," she meowed, her voice barely audible. But the others shuffled closer to hear. There was silence, then agreement. They planned. Lilystep guided. And then light was appearing. And the spirits were fading. Lilystep's eyes were fixed on the cats, now knowing their fate. They will fade. Too less cats remembered them. But, as they faded, each cat seemed to transfer their memories to Lilystep. And she helped by reciting their names, again, and for maybe the last time. 

The sun rose, the light brightened, until only two cats were left in the clearing. Lilystep, and the white she-cat. The first and very last cat to appear and fade. As she became more and more transparent, she still didn't transplant her memories. Those dull green eyes, that light shimmer, that thin frame, it was enough to say that she was weak. But not too weak to give away her memories. But she didn't. Lilystep fixed eyes with her, and whispered the cat's name-

"If you won't give me your memories, that's fine. But please- find peace...

Half Moon."