RisenClan- Book One: Death Brings New Life

Chapter 8 ~ ReflectionLake

Spiritsong

~

The nights breeze fluffed out Spiritsong's chocolate calico pelt making a shiver run down her spine. The almost, full moon shown brightly in the sky and all the stars of the fallen ancestors were shining down upon her making her pelt glow. She sat up staring at them, what a day it had been. You would have never guessed a bad storm had just raced through camp a few hours ago. The grass was left a bit damp still, but Spiritsong did not mind. She liked the feel of it between her toes.

She heard a noise from behind her and quickly turned around. She saw a cat coming through the clearing. His blue fur glowing and his amber eyes showing his happiness. "Claypool!" She exclaimed and met him in the middle of the clearing. Claypool touched his damp nose to Spiritsong's nose. "Oh Claypool I have missed you so very much!"

Claypool's warm smile lit up his face. "Ah, Spiritsong. I have missed you as well." 

Claypool was Spiritsong's mentor when she was growing up. Claypool had been a wise, kind, and fearless medicine cat, as a kit she remembered elders telling her about how Claypool was the best medicine cat they had ever seen. Claypool died almost 12 moons ago, but he had always been there in Spiritsong's eyes. The two cats shared an especially close bond. Claypool treated her more like a dad than her own father, Minnowfoot had. "How is my mother?" Spiritsong asked softly.

"Spiritsong, Blueberry is fine. She hunts with StarClan now!" Spiritsong hadn't been hit quite so hard with the death of Nightwatcher and Blueberry. She felt that medicine cats looked at death differently than other cats. Her father Minnowfoot was so old that Spiritsong didn't even think he realized his mates death had happened. Blueberry was getting old, actually Ruinstar had talked to her about Blueberry becoming an elder about a moon ago. If Spiritsong had not said to wait just a while longer she would still be alive. Blueberry and Orionoak were the oldest warriors in the clan.

Spiritsong smiled. "Well I guessd thats good. So why are you here than."

"Spiritsong, StarClan needs you to do something that normally is not allowed until apprentices are six moons old." Spiritsong listened intently. "We need you to take a kit to ReflectionLake."

Spiritsong began to protest. "A kit? Why a kit? Kits normally do not receive any messages from StarClan."

Claypool blinked. "Spiritsong, would I lie to you?"

Spiritsong shook her head. "No."

"Good." The image of Claypool began to fade.

"But what kit do I take?!" Spiritsong cried out.

The image of Claypool was still fading. "I trust you to make that choice on your own, oh and Spiritsong. Do it tonight." Claypool was gone.

 Just then Spiritsong felt a jolt of energy and she shot up. She opened her eyes and found herself in her own caved den. A kit? Tonight? She had a zillion questions, but she would never disobey her duties as a medicine cat. She padded out of her den and slipped into the night and headed towards the nursery.

Soaringkit

~

The young red kit laid in the den looking up at the sky from the small opening in the cave. The dream he just had, he saw himself, his mother, and Kipper all together and talking. He could not get back to sleep with that memory fresh in his mind. Next to him Dawnkit, Grizzlykit, Soulkit, Finchkit, Ensoulkit, and Sparrowstep slept together. Behind him Flashstorm slept. Her tummy was getting large and soon she herself would have kits to take care of.

Soaringkit heard noise outside the den, paw steps? He closed his eyes and pretended to sleep as he heard paws on the cave floor. The breath of the cat was warm and slow. Soaringkit tried to pick up the scent of the cat. He did, but could not recognize the cats scent. He opened one eye, and standing above him he saw Spiritsong, the medicine cat. She must have noticed his gaze as she stepped back a bit like he had scared her. She then stepped closer to him again and touched her noes into his side. Soaringkit rose to paws slowly. He let a long yawn escape his throat. Spiritsong flinched. She led him outside and once they were out Soaringkit opened his mouth to speak. 

"Shhhh, I will explain later follow me." She said in a whisper and padded out of camp slowly. Once the two were out of camp Spiritsong turned and looked at the kit. "Soaringkit, is it?"

Soaringkit nodded.

"Does....does StarClan...Speak?.....to you." Spiritsong asked. A look of confusion was on her face.

"What do you mean....Like in dreams?" Soaringkit asked the cat. He wondered if she knew about the dreams that he had been having. Ensoulkit said that medicine cats knew a lot....

"Yes, like in dreams." Spiritsong replied.

"Well....Yeah." Soaringkit meowed.

"What do they say, or like what happens in them."

"The first one was with a cat named Risenstar. He said that I was, I was, special."

"Special? Alright. And what about the others."

"Well I have dreams that I'm with my mother sometimes."

Spiritsong nodded as they continued to walk. Soaringkit tried to keep pace with Spiritsong, but was finding it hard. "StarClan does not speak to all cats you know." Spiritsong said. She stopped walking for a moment and grasped Soaringkit in her mouth and turned around and set him on her back. "Hold on tight." Spiritsong began to pad faster through the forest.

"Really?" Asked Soaringkit.

"Yes, StarClan only speaks to cats that are special or important."

"Like you?" Soaringkit asked.

 A smile lit up Spiritsong's brown face. It lightened the mood just a bit. "Yes, like me. Or Ruinstar, or Risenspirit too."

Soaringkit thought he understood. "Where are we going?" He asked softly.

"You will see when we get there." She meowed. 

"Spiritsong, I have a question."

"What is it?"

"When Risenstar spoke to me, he said I was going to be needed in the clan, and that rough times were coming. Does StarClan tell you stuff like that too."

"StarClan tells me only what they wish too." She said simply.

Once they arrived Soaringkit did not know what to expect, but there before him was a small lake with water the shined brighter than the stars. Soaringkit's jaw dropped. The water was beautiful and breathtaking. "W-What is it?"

"This is ReflectionLake Soaringkit. A medicine cat named Claypool told me to bring you here. Soaringkit, I think StarClan has chosen you as an important piece to the clan." She said. 

"So why here?" Asked Soaringkit.

"Medicine cats meet here every half moon, and leaders receive there nine lives here. It's sort of a way to speak to StarClan more closely than ever."

"What do I do?"

"See the rocks rising out of the water, jump those and sit on the farthest one in the middle. Sit down and stick your nose in the water."

Saoringkit was confused, but the red kit slowly made his way to the edge and began to cross the rocks. "Aren't you coming?" He asked.

"No." She said simply. "Go on ahead."

Soaringkit jumped from rock to rock being careful not to slip and once he got the the one in the middle, he sat down and looked up at the sky. Each star seemed to stare down at him from here. He looked at the water and for just a moment he thought he saw himself, but the cat was much larger with longer fur and a brave face. The cat also had an ear that was torn and shredded. The image quickly faded leaving his own reflection in the water. Soaringkit took a deep breath and leaned down slowly until his nose hovered above the water, then he let his nose touch the tip of the water. He took a breath and closed his eyes. For a moment nothing happened, and Soaringkit wondered if he had done something wrong, but all of a sudden the whole world began to change around him.