MoonClan: WillowStar's prophecy

Chapter One

                The air was cold and brought the smell of freshly caught prey. WillowStar sat up with a jolt and cleaned her mossy fur, "I missed the hunting patrol!" She walked out of her den and trotted to the fresh kill pile. As WillowStar picked up a small mouse for herself she felt a paw prod her side, "Hello DappleWater. Did I miss the hunting patrol?" She gently licked one paw and rubbed it over her ear to hide the awkwardness she felt. But to her relief DappleWater just meowed in reply, "No WillowStar, you did not miss it. The dawn patrol just stopped to hunt quickly before returning." She looked at the ground and continued," You know that SnakePaw needs to be trained as much as any other apprentice. You are his mentor and YOU need to do your duty teaching him.", before she continued she swiftly licked WillowStar's shoulder,"I know it was hard to loose ThornTail. But life goes on, and I know you understand." She turned and padded away to where BlazeHeart was sitting eating a squirrel, her black, dark gray and dark brown tortoise-shell pelt shinning in the pinkish dawn light filtering through the brambles that surrounded camp. WillowStar turned to groom her white fur patched with black spots, her one left black paw twisting awkwardly so she could balance.                                                                                                                                  As she was padding to the apprentice den, the white leader heard a loud yowl and raced to the entrance. Panting, she was able to ask,"SnakePaw... are you... okay?" through gasps for breath. Just in a corner of the den a small gray tortoise-shell tom was sitting over a still, ginger body. "SnakePaw? What happened?" She turned to the apprentice, fear showing in her eyes. next to the ball of fur was a black she-cat, her dark gray paws poking the poor little scrape of fur, then she looked at her leader. On her for-head was a small dark gray diamond, she looked as though she was there for a moon trying to wake the body. But the den reeked of death and pain, she knew the apprentice on the ground was dead. As WillowStar turned to leave the black she-cat meowed in a low voice,"WillowStar, HeatherPaw is with StarClan now. Please tell them that I tried my best to save her.". Leaving the medicine cat to help SnakePaw, She leaped onto the shining stone and called the familiar clan meeting words, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Shining Stone for a clan meeting!", all the clan cats soon came out with worried looks from each and every one of them.                                                                                                      WillowStar gathered all the courage she could to address her clan without her voice shaking," Cats of MoonClan. Not to long ago one of our apprentices died. I am very sorry ShadePelt, and BlazeHeart..." looking down at their black and dark ginger fur, she realized that they knew what was happening," HeatherPaw hunts with StarClan now. The clan will forever remember her and the help she had provided. You are not the only ones to grieve. The whole of MoonClan will grieve too." With the last swift glance at the apprentice den, WillowStar padded to her den through the curtain of lichen and settled down in her nest that needed new moss and some more patching. Slowly drifting to sleep she knew that StarClan would welcome the poor apprentice with open paws. darkness soon consumed her, she felt as though the world she knew and loved was gone, but it wasn't long before hard earth was under-paw. WillowStar padded forward unafraid of what might lie ahead. Then she felt a pelt brush against hers and saw a small ginger she-cat," Hello HeatherPaw. Good hunting?". But all the leader got was a nod, and she faded. Feeling a little bit upset that HeatherPaw didn't respond, she went on, her head and her tail held high. But as she keep walking she found out that the forest she was in a second ago was darkening. The moon and stars were gone, and a forest that blocked out the sky completely stood a few paw steps ahead.                                                                                                                                                             The white she-cat padded on, her black spots blending with the shadows. A silence filled the air as WillowStar started to feel a little scared. Then a gray cat appeared just a tail length away, and stood in the path of her. "You've come." The figure mewed in a deep voice and turned to pad away but said," Come. She will want to see you.". WillowStar followed obediently, not knowing what or where she was, the best option was to just follow. As they walked on, they went through thick bushes and waded in small streams. The lush forest undergrowth kept getting thicker and thicker until WillowStar couldn't go on, "When will we get there. I think that we're lost.". The cat in front of her just replied with," Have you been here before? Because I know I have.". Finally they reached a clearing and in the clearing sat a small White she-cat. Her gaze flicked from the gray cat to WillowStar,"Who is this SmokeClaw? She shouldn't be here.", then her eyes lit up and she raced to WillowStar. "OH! WillowKit, my you've grown." the white cat looked so happy and let out a rusty purr. "May I ask who you are? and i'm WillowStar, leader of MoonClan." WillowStar was very confused at who this cat was and why she was in a dark forest. "I'm your mother, RiverWalk. Although I like going by ClawStriker. I hope the clan is doing well." She sounded as though she didn't care. WillowStar just mewed a faint reply,"You said you go by ClawStriker. But that's the cat that killed DarkStar." suddenly WillowStar's voice turned into a low growl and her fur stood on end. But RiverWalk just nodded and continued," Didn't your mentor ever teach you to not interrupt? That's no problem right now, anyway, So your leader. That means you will have a better chance at ruling all the cats. Even StarClan will bow down to you! I'm so proud.". "But I can't! I'm not like that! I would never make STARCLAN bow down!" By now WillowStar's Fur was fluffed up to make her seem twice her size and she showed her teeth in a snarl, she was getting ready to fight but realized she couldn't fight a StarClan warrior. " I know what you thinking. I'm NOT a STARCLAN warrior! I live here in the Dark Forest. Where all evil cats go to." the white cat seemed to take pride in living in the Dark Forest. But the leader still did not trust her.                                                                                                                                                                                           She woke up to a paw jabbing her side. "Get up WillowStar! It's almost time for the gathering." WillowStar opened her eyes to see HawkPaw sitting next to her. HawkPaws Ginger fur showed almost like her fathers darker pelt. Her black paws and ears like shadows alone, and her half black tail swished back and forth impatiently. "Don't worry HawkPaw. We won't be late." WillowStar tried to sound convincing. HawkPaw's Soft Amber eyes blazing into the leaders soul. "Great StarClan stop starring at me like that!" her voice was a little harsh because the apprentice winced. "I'm sorry HawkPaw. I had a bad dream, that's all. I'm not mad at you." she mewed to calm the little she-cat down. As WillowStar got up ShineTail padded in, "Um, can I come to the gathering tonight? StrippedKit could stay with SnakePaw. He needs to recover and I thought that a kit would keep him occupied.", "Okay ShineTail. Lets go." WillowStar and the rest of the cats left through the bramble tunnel.