LightClan Rising

Chapter 2

                Hello there. I'm Jadestar, leader of LightClan. Oh, and no, this clan is not top-secret. Don't mind what Yewpelt said. She's just paranoid.

Anyway, you might be wondering how this clan came to be. Sure, I'll tell you! Well, it all started when I had a dream...

In my dream, I was chasing a particularly fast squirrel. I spotted a bramble bush and steered the squirrel into it. Ha! The squirrel got trapped! I was about to close in on it, but some cat mewed my name behind me. That voice...it was so familiar... I turned around to find my friend, Snowfur, behind me. Along with her were a bunch of other cats, including my dead brother, Oakheart, all who I didn't know but seemed oddly familiar. But Snowfur was in ThunderClan, wasn't she? I didn't care. I was so happy, I bounded over and we rubbed our heads against each other, purring in delight.

It didn't last long, though. Snowfur then sat up straight.

"Jadeheart, listen to me. This is very important. StarClan has agreed with me, and we decided that you should start your own Clan."

I twitched uncomfortably. Snowfur? StarClan? My own Clan? It didn't make sense. Even the struggling squirrel in the brambles seemed to agree. But Snowfur purred on.

"You are very brave, Jadeheart. You will make a fine leader. From now on, you will be named Jadestar."

That's when I knew this was no joke. When StarClan gives you a Clan leader name, you can't back down.

"Yes, Snowfur," I mewed.

"Good. I know you will be the fine leader StarClan hopes you to be. Until then, I'll see you in StarClan."

Snowfur beamed at me with pride. I wanted to yowl, "Wait!"

I was going to, but something stopped me. Maybe it was Snowfur, or pride, or this strange grogginess, or all three, but whatever it was, it was overpowering. The grogginess strengthened. It was hard to keep my bleary eyes open. Was I dying? I panicked and hyperventilated, but I couldn't move.

Snowfur purred, "It's alright, Jadestar. You're just waking up."

At that, I relaxed, but then there was this awful blinding light. Then the world was dark.

I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the dim warriors' den. My head was pounding, but I lay still. I could make out the sleeping forms of warriors. I nearly jumped out of my fur when something warm touched my bushy brown tail.

I whirled around to find my brother, Crookedjaw, gazing at me, looking worried. "You were kicking and twitching. Are you okay?" he asked.

His deep green eyes were pouring into mine. Then his eyes flicked up to my forehead.

"Oh, StarClan!" he breathed. He looked terrified, but then his expression changed. "You must hurry, then. It's moonhigh, so you have light to travel by. The other warriors are fast asleep. It's safe to go and find a faithful deputy for your Clan."

"How do you know?" I mewed quietly.

"The star on your forehead. For all the moons I've been your brother, I've never seen it in my life."

"What? A star?"

"A symbol of your budding leadership. Now go, before the warriors wake up."

I nodded. Crookedjaw and I shared tongues for what seemed like a moon. I didn't want to go; to leave my Clan like this. My whole life I had been in this Clan, this family, and now I have to give up everything. I have to start all over. This is all happening so fast! But I must go. Not just for Snowfur, but for StarClan.

"It is time I leave." I mewed, stretching and shaking the feeling back into my paws.

"May StarClan be with you," Crookedjaw purred. I dipped my head into a respectful goodbye. Crookedjaw did the same.

"Thank you."

I padded around the sleeping warriors and out of the den. Cold, fresh, night air ruffled my thick fur, inviting me. I couldn't wait to start my own Clan! But how to start it? Who would be in it? What would it be called? Then I suddenly knew the answer to those questions.

I would call this new Clan LightClan, after the brilliance of the final moments of my dream. It seemed so right, so perfect, I couldn't help but break into a run and then leap from stepping-stone to stepping-stone across the river. I didn't even know where I was going, I was so lost in the peacefulness of it all.

Then, all of a sudden, the peace stopped. It was a tense moment, realizing I was in WindClan territory. Strangely though, I felt like I should be here. Then I knew I should.

My best friend, a brave warrior named Lilytail, was in WindClan. She was a hated outcast there, and I knew she would leave in a heartbeat once she took one look at the new star pattern on my forehead. Her fellow warriors had put her through a lot when they figured out that she had kits with a ThunderClan tom. That was a huge deal, and Lilytail paid dearly for it. Not only were her kits hated, but they died in a horrible bout of greencough.

Lilytail needed a second chance, and I would give it to her. I would make her LightClan deputy.