Warriors AU: Sandstar's Quest

Chapter 5

Author's Note: I'm back! Sorry for the wait. Here is Chapter 5! Thank you to those who were worried about me. I'm okay now!

"But there have always been four Clans in the forest!"

"Not always," Oakstar replied. Her voice and her eyes were cold. "Once there were five. Skyclan's territory lay downriver from Thunderclan, where the Twolegplace is now. When the Twolegs built their nests, many, many seasons ago, Skyclan left the forest. There was no room for them then—and there's no room for them now."

"Where did they go?" Sandstar asked.

"I don't know. Far from these skies where Starclan walks."

"And did Starclan never try to find them?" Sandstar was shocked that Oakstar sounded so dismissive, as if the spirits of their warrior ancestors didn't care that a whole Clan had gone away.

"Their own warrior ancestors went with them," Oakstar explained. "There was no reason why Skyclan couldn't have found another home somewhere else."

"Then what do they want with me?" Sandstar asked, bewildered. "Are they trying to tell me that they want to come back? Why would they do that, if they found another home?"

"I don't know," Oakstar admitted. "But from the first moment I saw you, all those seasons ago, I knew you were the sand storm that would save our Clan. I knew you would leave pawsteps behind you that will be remembered as long as the warrior Clans survive. Perhaps Skyclan sees this also. Perhaps they think that only you can help them."

Sandstar shivered. "Are you telling me that I have to find Skyclan and bring them back to the forest?"

"I'm not telling you anything of the kind," Oakstar snapped. "Where is there room for another Clan?"

"But the dreams—" Sandstar protested.

"Sandstar, are there bees in your brain?" Oakstar's tail lashed. "You are Thunderclan's leader, and your Clan needs you. There's nothing in the warrior code that says you have to help a Clan that has been missing for so long, no living Clan remembers them."

Sandstar narrowed his eyes. Oakstar was right about his responsibility toward Thunderclan, but he couldn't forget the wailing of the cats on the moor. How could he ignore them, if there was anything he could do to help? It wasn't Oakstar's dreams that were filled with the shrieks of terrified, fleeing cats; she didn't see a pleading, haunted face in every pool of water.

And yet the only reason he had found the courage to lead the forest Clans into battle against Bloodclan was because he had believed his warrior ancestors when they told him there had always been four Clans in the forest. The fifth Clan was Starclan, forever protecting the four below. Had Starclan lied?

Oakstar rested her tail tip on his shoulder and spoke more calmly. "Your warrior ancestors are watching over you now, just as they have always done. Nothing has changed. Your duty is to your own Clan now."

"But Skyclan—"

"Has gone. There is no gap where they used to be, no prey or territory waiting for them to return. The forest is perfectly divided between the four Clans who remain."

"Then it's the will of Starclan that I just ignore these cats?" Sandstar challenged her. 'Don't you care that they are suffering?"

Oakstar blinked. "There are cats who would argue that there should never have been a fifth Clan in the forest at all. Why are there four oaks at Fourtrees, if not to stand for the four Clans?"

Sandstar gazed up at the massive oak trees, then back at Oakstar. Fury pure as a lightning flash rushed through his body. "Are you mouse-brained?" he snarled. "Are you telling me Skyclan had to leave because there weren't enough trees?"