ShadedOak's Story

Chapter Six

ShadedOak sat down near the Shade Rock, curling her tail over her paws. Pride shone in her gaze when she spotted Bluepaw and Frostpaw, standing the center of the other cats. Echostar stood in front of the apprentices, head held high.

"Bluepaw and Frostpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend and protect this clan, even at the cost of your life?" Echostar asked her.

"Yes." Bluepaw raised her head proudly.

"Yes," Her brother mewed.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, from this day forward you will be known as Bluespark. We honor your courage and speed." The gray she-cat announced.

Then she turned to Frostpaw, "From this day forward, you will be known as Frostshadow. We honor your patience and kindness."

"Frostshadow! Bluespark!" ShadedOak cheered, eyes glowing. Soon, the noise died down, and Echostar dismissed her clan.

Blizzardsky turned to her friend, joy shining in her gaze, "I can't wait for the day when my own kits will be up there, receiving their warrior names." She murmured.

"Pineblaze is the father, I assume?" The small warrior purred teasingly.

"Who else would it be?" Blizzardsky cuffed ShadedOak over the ear playfully. "I hope you stay until their born, I'd like your help."

ShadedOak sighed, looking down at the ground for a heartbeat, "I'd love to stay here, but I can feel my heart calling me somewhere else..." She shook her head, not knowing what to do.

"Hey, it's alright. You will be with me no matter what you choose," Her friend murmured softly.

The small warrior glanced up at as her kits padded over, excitement showing in their eyes, "I can't believe I'm finally a warrior!" Bluespark bounced around her mother, acting more like a kit than a warrior.

"Calm down! I know you are. Besides, you'll be starting your vigil soon," ShadedOak pointed out, laughing. "And as your mother I am very proud you made it this far."

Bluespark paused, then sat down sheepishly, not aware of her brother silently laughing at her, "I guess I should calm down, I'll be tired by morning." She turned to look at her brother crossly. "You stop laughing! You were just as excited as I was Frostshadow!"

"Alright then..." He paused a moment to compose himself as Echostar padded up.

The gray she-cat chuckled, amused, "No fooling around you two, you have to remember to be quiet. And no bothering each other, even if it keeps you awake. The cold should do that enough." She shivered. "It won't be Newleaf for at least a few moons."

"Ok!" They both answered simultaneously.

Blizzardsky and ShadedOak walked over to the warrior's den, mewing good night to the new warriors. The tabby curled up beside Pineblaze, falling asleep quickly. By midnight all of the warriors were asleep, but not ShadedOak. Her thoughts were in turmoil, she didn't know whether to announce she was going to leave, or leave when it was quiet.

Shaking her head, she stood up and padded softly out of the den, into the cold air. She was so quiet even the new warriors didn't see her walk out of the thorn tunnel, into the pine forest.

Pine needles cushioned her paws, and she found herself missing the forests of her home, where leaves that fell each leaf-fall crunched beneath her paws. Finding her way to the Four Trees, she could still smell faint scent of the Clans. Climbing up into one of the oaks, she dug her claws into the ancient bark.

Climbing upward, she found a sturdy branch up high where she could ponder without falling, and had a view of the stars. Her old tears escaped, and she buried her muzzle in her paws.

"Why must I lose so many of the cats I care about?" She hissed at the sky, grief threatening to overwhelm her.

"We never really left..." A murmur sounded beside her. She gasped, turning to see Roseshimmer. Willowfrost, Stormrunner, and Cedarclaw sat on surrounding branches.

"How are you here?!" ShadedOak gasped. "Your skies are so far away."

"The claw-moon allows us to travel beyond our skies, just as it allows cats of the Place of No Stars to leave their cursed forest," Cedarclaw explained. "So we have come to give you peace."

"How?" She murmured.

"I have spoken to Echostar. She will understand that you have to leave. It is StarClan's will," Willowfrost murmured. "You will gain and lose many things as time passes, it is a fact of life. But in order for you find to find true peace, you must find a new home."

ShadedOak blinked, grateful, but still confused, "How will I ever find a new home? I won't ever feel at home in SkyClan anymore...nor will I feel truly at home in ShadowClan," she paused for a heartbeat, then continued, "Yet I feel as if I must be in a clan to truly feel at peace."

"We will guide you to where you belong," Stormrunner stepped forward. "Follow that star, and it will show you where your home will be," He pointed to a star that outshone the other's, one that always stayed in that place. "It will remind you we will always be with you..."

His voice trailed off as he disappeared along with the other StarClan cats. She gazed at the spot where he had just been, longing for him to be with her in the living world again. Happiness glimmered in her eyes, and peace washed over her. She now knew what to do.

A tiny flicker of movement below took her attention, and she narrowed her eyes. There was no mistaking the pelt color, or those flashing yellow eyes. A dark shadow stood beside him. One with a ginger pelt, and cold green eyes.

The cat was staring right in her direction, light-green eyes narrowed. ShadedOak smirked, then climbed down to a branch much lower to the ground.

"So how has the Dark Forest been treating you, Emberclaw?" She called down.

He glared up at her, tail lashing. "Better than this place did! The cats where I am now treat me much better."

She leaped down, approaching Emberclaw and Adderthorn, her gaze cold. "You should have left for good. You know what's coming for you."

Adderthorn simply glared at her, trying to hide his fear. "I had unfinished business in the Clans. And I'm not leaving till I finish."

"And just what is that 'unfinished business?'" She stared at him coolly.

"Defeating you of course, what else? When you're gone, then I can come back and pick off the cats here one by one," He unsheathed his claws, taking a step forward.

"Very funny," She took a step forward as well, unsheathing her claws, "Didn't you learn your lesson the first time?"

Adderthorn answered with a snarl, and leaped at her, claws outstretched. Emberclaw leaped as well, eyes flashing. ShadedOak crouched, leaping forward and knocking the brown tom out of the air, and kicking out at the ginger tom and sending him stumbling on his belly.

She bared her teeth, raking her claws across the ginger tom's muzzle. As Adderthorn lunged, she turned faster than he could react, and snatched up his throat in her jaws. Shock and fear blazed in his eyes as she bit down.

She let him fall to the ground, spitting blood out of her mouth. Emberclaw had frozen in fear, unmoving, staring at a pair of eyes in the bushes. The eyes disappeared in a heartbeat, like a mirage.

"Now you've learned your lesson," She turned and padded back to the ShadowClan camp.

Now I know where I must go...She mused, I'm going home, to my destiny.