Reflected Stars

Chapter 14

Cloudmist up top! Just imagine her with dirtier fur...

Every cat in the clearing froze, turning to a dirty white she-cat. She looked half starved, her fur matted with burrs stuck in her thick tail.

Amberleaf almost didn't recognize her. She couldn't believe this cat came back.

"Mama, who is it?" Seedkit whispered.

Amberlead licked her daughter's head, "Exactly the cat we need!"

The gray-white she-cat glared at Sol. "You!" She growled.

Sol looked confused. "Do I know you?"

"My name is Cloudmist, daughter of Cherrytail. I am the only cat still alive to know who you are. No wonder they accepted your 'help!'"

"Ah! Cloudmist. I didn't recognize you under all that filth."

"Don't listen to him!" Cloudmist yowled at her clanmates. "He is a deceiving, mouse-brained, piece of Fox-Dung!"

"We realized that when he attacked us." Cherrystar spoke up, her eyes hollow from horror and grief.

"Yes! We need to drive him out!" Sagenose yowled, looking older than Amberleaf remembered. "He killed my littermate, Rabbitleap!" The ginger tom bared his teeth.

Amberleaf heard Cloudmist gasp. Rabbitleap was almost as old as she was. They had been close friends.

Cherrystar turned to Sol, "Now get out! Stay out, and never show your face in the clans again!"

Sol dipped his head. "Very well. Come on, my friends. This battle was lost." He led the surviving rogues away into twolegplace.

The moment the rogues dissappeared, Dewfrost dashed up to Cloudmist. "Cloudmist!" How did you find us?"

Amberleaf stayed in the bush, for her kits had fallen asleep and she didn't feel safe leaving them yet. Instead, she listened from under the leafy branches.

Cloudmist told how she had been receiving dreams, leading her to them. She had left the barn when she had gotten a vision of Sol. That led her to the mountains. She met the Tribe and they told her Skyclan had gone the way out of the mountains. "That's when I found the body of Birchwhisker." She explained. "I knew you had come that way." Then, she said she had a dream about twolegplace. She followed scents to the battle.

"Well, we're so glad you made it!" Dewfrost mewed, nuzzling her cheek.

Cloudmist licked her mate's ears before turning and scanning the crowd in front of her. "Fernwhisper, Amberleaf, Prinkleleap?" She called.

Amberleaf watched as Fernwhisper pushed her way to the front. "I'm here, Cloudmist."

"Oh, my daughter!" Cloudmist gushed.

"I'm here and safe too!" Prinklelap called from somewhere in the middle.

"Cloudmist's eyes showed relief that soon turned to worry, "Where's Amberleaf?"

Amberleaf stuck her orange, black, and white head out of the bush. "I'm here!" She called.

Cloudmist dashed over and licked Amberleaf's head. "Thank the Skies!" Parsleyseed was not far behind. Cloudmist glanced around, "Where are your kits? They've surely been born by now!"

"They're here. Just a moment." Amberleaf ducked back into the leaves. She gently prodded each of her kits.

"What?" Seedkit grumbled.

"Is something happening?" Leafkit asked groggily.

"Yes, dears. Come on, get up. My mother wants to meet you!" Amberleaf whispered.

"You have a mother?" Seedkit asked, suddenly wide awake.

"Of course! So does Parsleyseed and every one of your clanmates. Some of their mothers went to Starclan already though, so don't mention it, okay?"

"Okay, Amberleaf." Leafkit whispered.

Amberleaf picked Seedkit up by the scruff, Leafkit padding behind. She pushed her way out of the bush with her kits.

"Oh my Starclan, they are so adorable!" Cloudmist squealed. "Is that all of them though? I thought you'd have more. Big litters run in the family."

"I did have more." Amberleaf mewed, glancing at Parsleyseed. "Dewkit and Amberkit died at birth though."

"Oh." Cloudmist dipped her head somberly. "I like that you named one after yourself and one after your father though."

"Me too," Amberleaf whispered.

"We better get moving though!" Cherrystar mewed, breaking the sudden silence.

Cloudmist scooped up Seedkit and let Parsleyseed take Leafkit. Amberleaf carried a mouthful of herbs.

"Hey!" Seedkit yowled. "I can walk! And anyway, who are you?"

"I am Cloudmist, your mother's mother."

Seedkit looked at Amberleaf, "You never said you had a mother!"

Amberleaf rolled her eyes and sighed, too frustrated with the little gray and white kit to answer. Cloudmist just purred in amusement.

"Wait!" Sagenose suddenly yowled.

"Yes?" Cherrystar mewed impatiently.

"Well, before we go on, can you do the honors of making me an elder and burying my brother?"

"Oh right. Wait, you want to become an elder?"

"Yes, if you want to perform the ceremony that is." Sagenose answered, his graying muzzle twitching.

"Alright then." Cherrystar replied. The rest of the clan gathered around in a circle on the red-stained battlefield. She looked up at the sky and said the elder ceremony words. "Sagenose, is it your wish to give up the name of a warrior and go join the elders?"

"It is!"

"Your clan honors you and all the service you have given us. I call upon Starclan to give you many seasons of rest." Cherrystar touched her muzzle to Sagenose's head. She then let him search for his brother.

He came back moments later, dragging the gray, muscular tom. Fernwhisper, Dewfrost, Cloudmist, Cherrystar, and Sagenose then dug a hole big enough for a cat. They gently pushed Rabbitleap's body into the hole before covering it back up.

"Goodbye, Rabbitleap, my brother." Sagenose whispered.

The clan sat around the grave for a while, grieving and sending good wishes on his way to Silverpelt.

Soon enough, Cherrystar called them to search for the clans. "Lets go!"

Amberleaf looked up, only to see the most beautiful sunset she had ever experienced. The sun was such a deep orange it appeared red. It sent blood-red and orange streaks of fading light across the field. "The Blood Trail!"