𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘴: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘛𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 (BOOK 1) (ROS)

𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 16

It was the middle of the day... night? no one knows now. The clouds have covered everything, and now the territory is slowly... disintegrating. If there is no StarClan to stop the end of all clans, then there was no need to survive. It was too dark; no warrior could tell the difference. 

The waves crashed against the ledges; the water splashed against the hills. River'lily has been traveling for ages.  BeachClan is known in living far off from territory. They even have to stay the night at a den after getting caught in a horrid storm yesterday. This was a hopeless journey, River'lily didn't even know if she could make it to live another day.

She made sure Mushroom'paw was fed, cleaned, anything a mother could've ever done. But she hasn't taken care of herself, she didn't even eat for a few days. And now, her body was giving out, nothing to eat, nothing to drink. It was best to lay dead on the wilted flowers.  When Mushroom'paw led the way towards the mountains of the east, where the coastal territory of BeachClan is located, River'lily collapsed. 

The apprentice flinched hearing a thud behind her. He quickly turned around to see the malnourished she-cat, dying before his eyes.

"River'lily!?" He called, running towards her and began to nudge her body. "Get up! We're almost there!"

"No... no." The she-cat spoke weakly, her body turning numb. Her stomach growled in pain. "I... can't make it."'

"Yes, you can!" Mushroom'paw begged, pulling against River'lily's tail. "It's just right there!

But as he turned around, all he could see is darkness, consuming the moggy forest and making it hard to see. To the Mushroom'paw's terror, he knew that they were still so far. It was like a land of nothingness. There was no hope, no sun to shine, this was it. 

 His heart began to pump, and his fur shot up. It was like needles pinching his back, and the feeling of fleas crawling all over his fur. His pupils shot everywhere, hearing noises of laughter, noises of cats prowling through the forest. The murky smell took advantage of the oxygen he breathed, it felt like the thick smoke was choking him. 

He began to cry to his mentor, constantly pushing her body. "Please!" 

Rivrer'lily could feel herself weakening, her vision turning blurry as life darkened before her eyes. She wished she could say more, if she could muster up the strength.  Mushroom'paw lowered his head, nudging against her body gently, he didn't want to see her go alone. So, he stayed. 

As the darkness consumed everything, even at the noises of birds and the ambience of nature. He hears a buzz behind him. A light. A light? 

Mushroom'paw opened his eyes to see the darkness burning off from the existence of light. A cat of the fallen stars, killing off the fear that surrounded the poor apprentice and his mentor. Bloom'moss had come back from watching over Ethel, she stood there as the aura of light coming from her ghostly figure broke light into the voided forest. 

In the rule of guardian, she shouldn't protect no other than the members of the barn. But she couldn't leave them here, not when IceClan is roaming around in the woods. MurkClan is already in the risk of being chased out. 

She slowly approached the apprentice, her eyes glimmering as the darkness finally left the area. It was now back to being a forest, and the clouds above the tall trees dark as always. Mushroom'paw was surprised to see a StarClan cat for the first time, even when he thought that the elder crystal had temporarily disconnected StarClan from ever giving life to the territory. 

"Who... are you?" The apprentice asked, staying close with River'lily's unconscious body, he didn't trust the mysterious figure standing in front of him. 

"I will not harm you." She spoke in a calm toned voice. "I am a guardian from StarClan, though, I came to help your mentor." She explained, now looming towards River'lily. 

Mushroom'paw was still skeptical, he backed away to give the StarClan cat space. He does notice a star mark on her forehead, so that may give him an answer that she is from StarClan. The problem was that guardian cats were forced to stay in the physical world in order to watch over the cats that were given the privilege. 

Bloom'moss didn't say anything, she didn't ask what had happened. It was already obvious seeing what River'lily had become. It wasn't the first time she had seen her, but it wouldn't be the last. She couldn't let her die hopeless, not after what had happened between her and Red'fang.

The apprentice watched in silence as the StarClan cat put two of her paws against her body. 

"What are you doing to her?" Mushroom'paw spoke in a panicked voice, the guardian cat turned her head sharply, her white eyes ominously glowing. "Let me concentrate." Her tone felt mean, even though she didn't really mean it to be that way. She was just in a lot of stress at the time being. 

Her body began to pour out light from her fur. The light that is just as bright as the stars in the skies. There is little growth of the green grass below her, this had given Mushroom'paw the idea of what the light is capable of. He was astounded to see it for the first time, and he also noticed River'lily's slow movement. River'lily began to curl her limbs, and stretching her body. Her eyesight came back briefly, although it wasn't as good. 

She wanted to move, but she couldn't be due to her weakened state.  She still needed to eat and drink, and Bloom'moss had an idea.

They were near the borders of BeachClan, she slowly floated in the air and to the sky. 

Mushroom'paw heard River'lily's murmurs of pain. "Where... where am I?" She stammered; her apprentice hushed her. "Shh... we'll get there soon." Mushroom'paw promised, gently holding her down. He looked up to see Bloom'moss in the skies, her body radiated light to bring attention to the patrols, and it worked.

A large she-cat named Crab'snap saw something in the skies. Her eyes widened and she gestured her paws. Her loud, raspy voice gave the attention of others out on patrol. "Cats! Look up there!" She shouted. "There's something in the skies!"

The other two warriors, one with an apprentice, saw the same thing. They began to search to the outskirts of BeachClan's territory, briefly coming across a shortcut through the mountains. When Bloom'moss felt that her mission is completed, she lowered from the skies and then stared at Mushroom'paw.

"Let them take you in. They will not hold you as prisoners." Said the StarClan cat. Mushroom'paw appreciated of her interference that led to his mentor surviving. He gave her a nod.  "Thank you." 

Bloom'moss nodded at the tom back. She felt warmth towards the apprentice, but there was no time to waste. She had been so focused to fix the connections of StarClan for a long time, there are more important things she is needed to be in. She faded off, traveling to camp in a form of invisibility. 

Rivrer'lily and Mushroom'paw were founded by the warriors of BeachClan, they weren't sure if they should let them in since MurkClan is part of IceClan. But one believed that they were runaways.  And now this is the chance at their own freedom that River'lily dreamt of. 

This wasn't the end though. The suns will have time to reveal their light. They will become radiant as they once were moons ago.