Chapter Text
Deep inside the forest, near the rushing river. The half moon shone on a granite boulder turning it silver. Under the boulder shadow, stood two warriors adorned by moonlight. One, a blonde tom with white underbelly. His ruby red eyes stared into a larger shadow of a cat. Sweats pouring down his fur as he gasped for breath. A scar on his right cheeks hissed painfully as liquid touched it. Standing on the other side, a reddish brown tom with white underbelly. Ears torned. His golden eyes glared into the blonde tom.
The two warriors circled each other. Their unsheated claw glinted under the light the moon cast. They clashed. A fur for a fur. Claw againts claw. Blood spilling from each side, darkening the ground beneath them. The foe tom lunged. The blonde tom twisted aside and struck a fatal blow right onto the tom chest. The other cat froze, breath hitching, before collapsing into the dirt. The blonde tom, bathed by blood, stood victorious on the tom dead body. He glanced one more time at the dead body before turning around to see his glorious leader standing on the large boulder.
From on top of the silver boulder, sat an old tom masked by a deer skull. His fur brown, adored by a darker brown neck ruff, with tan underbelly. His cold blue eyes watched the war unfolded between cats, between clans.
Three foes surged from the water, trying to take him down but with a single sweep, He sent them flying. The cat on the front bore the brunt of blow and fell dead, knocking the others out of ballance. Belowstar crushed the remaining survivors skulls. The two cats had no chance of escaping as the weight of their ally dead body had pinned them in place. Soon, their scream fell into a deafening sillent
He continued to watch the bloody battlefield. He could hear screech, roar, and scream coming from both sides. Their cries blurred together; pain, rage, fear; until he couldn’t tell which Clan was winning anymore. He took a deep breath and growled. His claw gripped hard on the boulder he sat at, fresh blood running down his paw. He watched as his weapons comrades fell. "Pathetic! Beaten by a group of river otters." He whispered.
Seeing the frustration on his leader face, the blonde tom carefully aproached. "Belowstar, we have to retreat! Many of our warriors had died already. We have lost so much and we can't add another warriors on that list." "We will never RETREAT. We will never lose in our own territory." "But our warriors, they!"
"Shut up Huntpaw! We will not lose. Don't just stay there like a cowardly rat. Fight them. Fight till your last breath! We can't lose more of our territory. Am I understood?" "BUT!" "Am I understood?!" Belowstar repeated firmly. "Yes." Huntpaw whimpered. "If you wish not to participate anymore, do me a favor. Go to Twigdapple and asked for another of his wise prophecy." "Yes, Belowstar. Just please." "I will tell the other cats to retreat once you got far enough." Huntpaw nodded before leaving the battlefield.
Huntpaw leapt from tree to tree. His fur swayed by gust of wind. His ears suddenly twitched. A fishy stench filled his nose. His pupils shrank. He quickly and carefully checked every area his eyes can scan. She caught tails moving and glowing eyes darting from the bush. His ears fell as he stop on his track, perching on the high branch before a force on his paws, made him tumbled from his position and landed on the ground below.
Huntpaw turned around to see the towering shadow of two cats. "Ah, great job, you finally noticed us." Meowed a black spotted white tom. On his right side, an orange she-cat with some darker orange leopard spots covering her fur. "I said we give Belowstar little apprentice a lesson he'll never forget!" The she-cat said.
Huntpaw glared at them, thick saliva covered his throat as the river clan warriors prepared to maul him. Every corner had river clan's warriors waiting in the bushes. He was cornered with no where to run but before the two cats could lunged at him, a black she-cat with white underbelly, as swift as Raven, swept at them, scaring the spotted tom. "Back away from him!" "Mreowr! Damn Ravenclaw!" The tom yelled.
"Heh, Blackspotted, you and your mate are not wellcomed to the Boiling clan territory." "Hahaha, can't you see Ravenclaw, flaringrock and the entire territory around it will be River clan's tonight!" Blackspotted mreowed. 5 other river clan warriors jumped out of the bushed and surrounded them from all side. "That's right. RUN." Blackspotted whispered.
Outnumbered and Given no other choice, they fled from the area, leaving it to be another river clan territory. The river clan warriors mreowed in victory. Their roar came from all side, filling the entire forest. Ravenclaw and Huntpaw could only wait helplessly from the mothermouth on top of the cliff.
"This is a disaster, a bad omens. Through out Belowstar leadership, Boiling clan had never been beaten in their territory before. Many warriors haver died in this battle. We lost about a quarter of our territory. This is a set back to all of us. Who knew how long we needed to recover from our loss. At this point, only Star clan can help us."
As if cued, a rumble came from the bush near the mothermouth. "Rejoice! Rejoice! For Starclan have answered our call." Meowed an old grayish purple tom with darker purple spots.
"What?! That's great news, Twigdapple. What did they said?" "Come inside the cave with me." "Why?" "I don't think it's safe to say it out loud here. For the eyes watching us are not the eyes of a cat but a hungry deer." He said as he walked inside the mothermouth, followed by Huntpaw and Ravenclaw.
"Why would we be afraid of a deer." "Shush, be quiet mousebrain." "It's Ravenclaw to you. Ugh, whatever. Just tell me, what is their message?" The cave fell silent. Even the river’s roar felt distant. It lingered that way until a whisper from the wind disrupted the silent. Twigdapple drew in a slow breath as if the words he was about to say were as heavy as rock. He hesitantly opened his mouth. "When light and darkness met, the newleaf will bloom anew." His voice finally broke out, weak but certain. He led them to a shining pool. Half of it swallowed by shadow, the other half bathed by light.
"Light and darkness? What do they represent?" "Follow your heart, Ravenclaw and I'm sure you'll find out what this meant. However, you must not tell any other cats about the prophecy for they will ruin it. Not even Belowstar." "I see. It must be a part of star clan plan. I'm honored to be a part of this. Thanks starclan for their guidance. I won't let starclan down!"
"Great, and there is one more message they wanted you to hear." "What is it?" "Be carefull of those wearing the mask of a sage, for beneath it, hungry foxes wait to feast the hearts of the young." "I'll be carefull, promise." "Ravenclaw, don't promise things you are not certain to fullfill." "I'm a warrior, Twigdapple. I will not be fooled that easilly. I will protect this clan, that's certain." As Ravenclaw and Huntpaw exited the mothermouth, Twigdapple looked at them, concern's clear in his eyes. Then, he stared at the sky. "I'm sorry starclan, it's the best I could do without HIM knowing."