MoonClan: WillowStar's prophecy

Chapter Two

                   "The others are tired after the gathering. I'm sure that we can send a hunting patrol at dawn." WillowStar had made it clear at the gathering that MoonClan  was not weak, and that any trespassers would be shredded, then they would never forget to stay on their side of the border. " Just go rest MapleLeaf. I will make sure that SnakePaw is trained tamarrow. Now go rest." MapleLeaf nodded and padded away. Her beautiful ginger-brown pelt a memory of the nursery. It seemed so long ago that WillowStar had kitted and only MapleLeaf lived. Her litter-mates BrownKit and DewKit didn't make it through the cold, frosty night. "I'm just glad she's here." WillowStar mewed quietly to herself. She layed down and curled up in a ball to keep herself warm; with no other cats to sleep in her den, it was cold. As soon as she closed her eyes darkness filled her vision. She woke up to see a bright sky with stars and a shining full moon. Slowly she crept forward, scared that she was back in the Dark Forest. Then she realized that four starry cats were walking towards her, they looked like they could walk forever with their powerful legs. But two of them were a-lot smaller with stubby little legs, one had a brown pelt with hints of ginger, and the other a light gray color. The two warriors stood only a tail length away, a she-cat and a tom. "Are you WillowLeaf?" The small brown kit mewed. "You look like WillowLeaf." The light gray one said in a tiny squeak. They seemed so fond of the MoonClan leader that she had no choice but to let out an amused purr. "I'm WillowStar. And who may you......" WillowStar trailed of as a faint memory consumed her and she was back at her camp in the nursery. She looked around, puzzled, she saw herself laying with three suckling kits at her belly. "You remember us, don't you?" The mew came from behind her and she saw both of the kits looking at her with worry in their eyes. "Of course I wouldn't forget you! BrownKit. DewKit. I've missed you so much. I'm so happy to see you. And you opened your little eyes! They're both a beautiful light blue." WillowStar had to stop herself from licking them like newborns.                                             When WillowStar woke up, she picked out the old moss from her pelt, groomed herself, and walked into the clearing. She chose a vole for herself and walked over to a group of warriors. "Hello. May I sit here?" it wasn't really a question, but none of the others said no. After she ate, WillowStar jumped onto the Shining Stone and called a meeting. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather her beneath the Shining Stone for a clan meeting!", her yowl sounded all through the clearing. Soon all the cats were sitting with their tails neatly around their paws or around each other, " I would like MapleLeaf, BlackPelt, HollyFern, HawkPaw, and LightPaw to go on the hunting patrol. BlackPelt will lead the patrol. DappleWater you will lead the border patrol. Take CottonSeed, BlazeHeart, and if ShineTail can go I would like that. The more the better. And I will take SnakePaw to train." with that WillowStar jumped off the stone and padded up to SnakePaw, "Are you ready to train? It's time for your first assessment.", SnakePaw nodded and got up, ready to follow his leader.                                                                                                        SnakePaw crouched and stalked through the ferns towards a small squirrel nibbling on some seeds. He crouched down so his belly was just a pebble away from the ground. His tail held straight out, not moving at all, his paws crept carefully through the grass. Then he jumped, and landed right on top of it and killing it with one nip on the neck. WillowStar stared as he stopped to sniff the air, curiously she watched him go through a bush and head for the water-fall border.  She jumped as silently as the wind from branch to branch, watching SnakePaw closely. "I know your here! Come out or i'll come in!" SnakePaw yowled at a bush, his gray tortoise-shell pelt was all fluffed up so he looked twice his size. He flung his black muzzle into a bush and pulled out a small black ball of fur. "Give her back!!", a hiss sounded from the bush. Almost at once a brown and white cat stepped out. A she-cat. Her ears were flat, her lips drawn in a snarl and she bared her teeth. Her fur stood on end, and by the looks of it she wasn't sure she should attack. "Give her back!!" she meowed again.  SnakePaw set down the kit and stepped forward, the kit mewed at the she-cat. "Who are you? And why have you brought three kits onto our territory?!" the tom was being defensive of the territory, but WillowStar was concerned that he would attack. "I need to talk to WillowStar! Let me pass!" she hissed and quickly grabbed the kit, dragging it back to her side while two others scampered to her side and licked at it. WillowStar jumped of her branch, landed at the bottom of the tree, and padded to SnakePaw's side. "I'm WillowStar. Who are you?" she stepped towards the other cat so that her muzzle was only a whisker away from the intruder's. The she-cat sat down and wiped a wet paw over her ear, "I'm FallenLeaf. I have come to join your clan. MoonClan is it? I thought so.", she dipped her head in respect to the leader. "Come. And SnakePaw, you can carry the black kit." but FallenLeaf curled her tail around it protectively. "You are the mother?" WillowStar knew the answer before FallenLeaf had nodded. She picked up the kit and stood, ready to follow the others.                                                         Yowls of protest rose from the many faces that surrounded the Shining Rock. "Quiet!" WillowStar's yowl rang above them all, and the noise died away. "FallenLeaf will stay." she looked around making sure no one would object the will of their leader. "Good." she turned to FallenLeaf," FallenLeaf, please step forward." with the order made, she padded forward and WillowStar rested her muzzle on the she-cats head. "We ALL welcome you to MoonClan as a full pledged warrior to StarClan and we hope they honor my decision and yours." she stepped away from FallenLeaf and the queen's eyes lit up with happiness and pride as WillowStar called for her kits forward. "These are FallenLeaf's kits. They don't have names yet, and FallenLeaf has gave me the honor of naming them in their new home." She nodded to all three kits and they scrabbled into a line in front of her. She bent down and rested her head on the first kit, a brown and white tom like his mother. "You look just like your mother, you will be known as BrackenKit. May StarClan approve of this name and welcome you when it is your time.", BrackenKit licked her shoulder and padded to his mother with tail and head high. WillowStar turned to the next kit who was a milky, cream color she-kit and rested her muzzle on it's head. "Your fur is the color of cream. You will be known as PoppyKit. May StarClan approve of this name and welcome you when it is your time.", PoppyKit licked her shoulder and raced to her mother, her pale brown eyes glittering with excitment. The leader looked at the last kit and did the same as the last two. "You are as black as a shadow. You will be known as ShadowKit. May StarClan approve of this name and give you strength to thrive." ShadowKit licked her shoulder and padded to her mother, her tail dragging on the ground, but her head held high.                                                                                           ShadowKit jumped on PoppyKit and and they rolled out into the clearing. WillowStar was sitting outside of her den and couldn't help but let out a purr of amusement. She was sharing tongues with MapleLeaf. MoonFeather sat next to them with her eyes on the leader. "So you said that you saw DewKit and BrownKit. I guess it was good to see them.  But that might be a sign." she was speaking in a low whisper. WillowStar looked at her medicine cat and tilted her head to one side, "What do you suggest it means? They were only my kits." she meowed with uncertainty in her voice. MoonFeather moved closer so that only WillowStar could hear her words, "You just said only your kits were their," WillowStar nodded, "But earlier you said that they were accompanied by two warriors. Do you remember what they looked like?", their was concern in the medicine cat's calming meow. "I think they were both toms. One of them was a dark gray with bright green eyes. And the other one was white with brown paws and heather colored eyes. I didn't think they were bad. They live in StarClan!" the leader still didn't trust the black cat. "I think that the cats you described are StormHeart and BarkLeaf. They never hurt anyone, because they were the medicine cat and apprentice a long time ago. If they accompanied your kits then they must have been trying to tell you something. Something important if both of them were there." WillowStar was confused at what she was trying to say, though it was MoonFeather's job to interpret StarClan's words, she could sound crazy at times. "When you were in the nursery did you see anyone there with you? Someone you know or care about?" she looked at her leader with fear and question in her eyes, like fire burning through her fur. "I think I saw some other cat. A glimpse of dark brown tabby fur leaving through the camp entrance. I think it was......" she trailed off in thought. "Who?" MoonFeather urged calmly. "ThornTail. He left the camp while I was still in the nursery.",WillowStar stared blankly at the entrance to the camp. "He's  alive. I have to find him. Only I can go. I will leave now.". She turned to the cats who she was sitting with, and nodded,"I'll tell DappleWater that she is in charge and that I have to leave for a while. Goodbye and I wish you good hunting.". She padded to the clearing, scanning for her deputy's silver-blue and gray pelt, then she spotted her talking to a few warriors. WillowStar went over as DappleWater was organizing patrols for tomorrow, "Your going to have to do more than just organize patrols here in a minute," she flicked her ear to tell the other warriors to leave so they could, when the other cats left, WillowStar continued,"I have to leave. Not permanently. But you will need to lead the clan while I am gone. I know I can trust you to not shed blood that isn't worth shedding. I have to go alone, so don't send warriors after me. I can not tell you why I have to leave, but I wish you well. Goodbye." DappleWater nodded and padded off. WillowStar turned and raced through the tunnel of brambles and through the thick woodland that surrounded the camp. She followed the trail her patrol had followed the day ThornTail went missing and stopped when the trees thinned out to an open moor. The rain that had fallen the day they followed the trail had washed away his scent completely and she had to find another way to find him.