Warriors: The Compromise, #1 [DISCONTINUED]

PROLOGUE

The territory was silent, everything dark around the group of settled cats. A tall, starry-furred tom huffed, looking down into a flower. Inside, it looked as if the flower were a crystal ball, and revealed a faint noise of rushing water and helpless yowls from unknown cat-like shapes in a flooded area. He winced, then looking up from the large flower, looking at the three other cats huddled around it.

"The future of the Clans is in danger, my friends..." he rasped, hesitating for a moment, "Saving them won't be easy."

A brown she-cat nodded, the specks of stars glittering in her pelt. "Yes, I suppose you're right, Oakstar, but even if your former Clan is the most populated, it is not fair for the others... the flooding is far too much; Shadestar, would you like to speak?" she was solemn, then asking a skinny dark grey tom who seemed to look quite impatient.

"Yes, I would," his answer was sharp, as he gazed at everyone around the flower. "The cats of the Clans will never be able to bond together. There are so few of them now, since so many deaths are happening. Almost every single moon we get at least fifteen dead warriors, or even kits and leaders, from the stupid rogue band and the severe storms. Not to mention the minor flooding!" Shadestar looked around at everyone, especially Oakstar, his eyes icy and cold.

The she-cat looked over at a tall she-cat who sat next to her, muttering something in her ear, inaudible to the other fallen leaders. The smaller dark-brown cat then spoke out loud. "Now, now, Shadestar... we can at least try. There is no reason to get snappy when the Clans are at the edge of Starclan; every warrior promises to die for their Clan, yes?" she waited for Shadestar to respond, but he only nodded slowly and reluctantly. "These new members may not be able to help their Clan, but we can try and communicate with others who are alive and healthy to save the territories."

The four other listening leaders whispered, settling or at least trying to come up with a plan. The tall she-cat then looked down at the other, nodding, "Good reasoning, Blossomstar. If we can find a cat or two to listen to our message and possibly agree, then the Clans will remain. Otherwise..."

Shadestar seemed to spark with his usual bad attitude -- carried on from his former Clan, Shadowclan --, then finishing her sentence. "Otherwise, they all die or become filthy kittypets and idiotic loners with no code or way of living," He heard a small hiss from Oakstar and Blossomstar, the Thunderclan and Windclan leaders.
Blossomstar sighed, then thinking about what Shadestar said. Sure, his tongue was tart, but he had a point. If the Clans didn't get saved in the small amount of time, there would be no hope. Oakstar looked at the tall she-cat, the large tabby huffing, "Orchid, you do not have to join us... you're a Tribe leader, same with your older brother, Swift. You should be looking down to your own Tribe and not us Clans... making sure that they're okay."

The tall she-cat, Orchid that Blooms in Spring, looked over at Oakstar. She could feel the stares from Blossomstar and Shadestar, looking at her because she was there and trying to help the Clans, not the Tribes. Orchid sighed, "You're right, but it doesn't matter.
The Tribes are safe in the valley where it belongs, and the storm will just be minor... it's not like I can do anything anyway, since I'm already in the 'StarClan'. I will leave... I hope the Clans stay alive in the meantime. Farewell," she flicked her tail 'goodbye', then padding out of the bleak cave-like room, disappearing into the darkness.

Blossomstar looked a little sad since she went, since she had been friends with Orchid for a while; Shadestar's expression remained the same. Another she-cat emerged from the eery darkness, looking at the three other leaders. "Sorry, I'm late," the she-cat sighed, "Shimmerstar just lost her first life. She fell in an icy river." The other leaders dipped their heads respectfully for Shimmerstar, the current leader of Riverclan.

"It's fine, Snowstar," Blossomstar meowed, "Anyhow, we were discussing on how we needed to somehow message a cat or two to warn the Clans of their destruction— and we mean any cat. If they fail, there will be no hope for the Clans. We need to somehow..." the dark brown she-cat hesitated, "make the Clans bond, or at least stop fighting and worrying to work together."

Snowstar, the Riverclan leader, nodded, processing what the Windclan leader said. "Okay... that won't be easy, but for the sake of the Clans, I have a cat in mind. Should we each pick four cats? No Clan cats," she spoke with creativity. Although it seemed to be the darkest of times for the Clans, even for Starclan, it didn't hurt to have a little fun in its savior.

Blossomstar blinked, thinking about it. It seems quite smart, she thought, but how will the other leaders react?

"That.. that sounds stupid that we have to only choose outsiders! Er, the idea would be better, though..." Shadestar surprisingly said. Oakstar looked at him with a sharp glare, huffing, "Why do you say it's a good idea? Normally I'd say that."

Shadestar looked hesitant; Blossomstar and Snowstar glanced at each other, Oakstar's statement quite tart. "Well, if we had Clan cats do that, we would have more of a problem. If they went searching for another territory first and came back to tell their Clan, just like long ago for the lake territory, than they would be missing quite a few cats and would starve or die. However, if rogues or loners and kittypets received the message, although it would take a while for the Clan cats to realize they are right, then they would move easily and save theirselves!"

Oakstar sat back and thought for a moment, then trying to find a way where Clan cats could be in it by starting another argument. "The lake territory was long ago. Too long ago, that it is ancient as the old, uprooted forest that the oldest, dying elders talk about! They moved because of destruction. They used Clan cats... why rogues?!"

Angry, Blossomstar and Shadestar glared at him, letting Snowstar let out her bark. "Oakstar, don't be a fool. The rest of us has decided we'd give outsiders the sign. You are outvoted, so this is the final decision," Snowstar clarified coldly, then flattened her fur and looked back to Shadestar and Blossomstar, "It's settled. Choose your cats, and come back to the Seeing Flower tonight— before the cats go to sleep."

Oakstar nodded reluctantly with a grunt, and the four cats dispersed into the darkness, leaving the giant flower to close.