Post by Cedar on Jan 18, 2009 21:23:05 GMT -5
Hey everyone. Just for general interest's sake, I decided to write a bit of a summary of the Clan's great journey. They are written as memories and stories, told by the cats.
Swiftstar, leader of WindClan:
"My father, Thornstar, often retold his story to those cats like myself and my brothers, who had been born after we settled into the living lands by the mountains. Now that he is dead, I tell the young cats his story to keep alive the time, when the four clans were allies, not enemies. Such times have receded to myth, where they will undoubtedly stay, but we must keep our histories remembered, and I remember my father's words as if they were spoken yesterday.
Greydawn, warrior of StarClan:
Shadefoot, warrior of ShadowClan:
Willowheart, medicine cat of RiverClan
"It was a velvety dark night when we paused to rest. It was approaching Leafbare and after a bout of whitecough we were all weak and tired from our trials. In all our travels we had never found enough to eat, a warm place to rest, or a living forest. As medcine cat I had my heart broken again and again as we lost cats. With newleaf approaching it was doubtful that most of us would survive, and I knew that the leaders shared my fears.
I prayed to StarClan that we would soon find our new home. Though few cats now believed in StarClan, I had never lost hope that our ancestors would return to us, from wherever they had been.
A violent storm roared above us and cats cowered into the muddy ashes. A brilliant flash of lightening lit up the sky and we could see the outline of mountains to the north. We left right away to seek shelter. Some cats were so weak that they needed to be carried for the full two days it took us to climb the mountains. At last we reached the top and beheld before us...a paradise, our new home.
We found a system of caves to stay in and most of us fell right to sleep. I had a strange dream that night, I'm sure it was a message from StarClan. I was in a clearing with pure white sand that shone like stars. Around me was mist and faintly I could see the outlines of cats. They were speaking to me but I couldn't hear them, their voice were muffled by the mist. But it was something important they were trying to tell me.
The clans were awoken by loud, outraged hisses and we saw Ravenshadow hissing at Greydawn over the body of his mentor, Owlpelt. Everycat immediately assumed the worst. They erupted in a fury and drove Greydawn away. I watched in horror as their anger didn't abate. They drove every grey pelted cat away from the clans.
After Olwpelt had been buried, Ravenshadow came to me and together we went to the leaders. Ravenshadow explained what had happened, that a mistake had been made. I told them about my dream, that I was sure StarClan had followed us to our new home. But the leaders would not relent. As Rockstar led RiverClan away to find a new camp I saw the guilt in Ravenshadow's eyes.
RiverClan found its new camp and we marked out our territory. The other clans settled into their new territories and it seemed that life could resume once again. But how could everyone just forget what had happened?
I dreamed of StarClan again. They were in the same place as before but the mist was gone. I could see my ancestors shining like the stars. I saw many cats there but recognized few. There was a flame colored tom with green eyes, a white tom with black paws, a skinny, dark grey tom, a grey tabby with pale blue eyes, a golden tabby tom, a black she-cat, and many more. I asked them where they had been but they did not answer. One cat stepped forward. She was a small grey she-cat whom I did recognize. I gave a small wail of grief as Greydawn turned to me and spoke.
"Into darkness shall be cast
Out of darkness shall be risen
To heal the scars of pasts long gone
Only one can save the clans"
Swiftstar, leader of WindClan:
"My father, Thornstar, often retold his story to those cats like myself and my brothers, who had been born after we settled into the living lands by the mountains. Now that he is dead, I tell the young cats his story to keep alive the time, when the four clans were allies, not enemies. Such times have receded to myth, where they will undoubtedly stay, but we must keep our histories remembered, and I remember my father's words as if they were spoken yesterday.
'The last gathering before we four clans left our home was poorly attended, WindClan included. Who could blame us for the forest was barren of prey and shelter. For only a few seasons the two-leg monsters had roared their way through all of our territories, but they left such destruction that I knew there could be no going back. At the last gathering Rockstar, the RiverClan leader had brought up the subject of a possible move. I believe that he did so without discussing it with his clan first because there were hisses of surprise and anger all around. No cat wanted to leave the territories by the lake, where all of us had been born. However there are old stories that elders sometimes tell of a journey, from another land to our home. Perhaps they are just stories but they had to originate somewhere didn't they? Could the clans make such a journey again?
I agreed with Rockstar. WindClan had been hit hardest by the to-leg battles. Our moors were never the most plentiful but now there was practically no prey to be found. We would not survive if we stayed here and I had known, though I did not want to admit it, that I would have to bring my Clan away from their home and to StarClan knows where.
Fallenstar, the ThunderClan leader and Wolfstar, the ShadowClan leader argued against us and led their clans away in anger. I could see the pain in their eyes. They too would have to realize that there was no future for us here.
I took WindClan back to our camp and bid them make ready for a Great Journey. We would leave at the half moon. The night after the gathering a ThunderClan warrior named Pebblestone came to our camp. She told me that I must go to the Moonpool, where the Clan leaders were meeting. I made haste at once and was the last to arrive.
Fallenstar told me that we would consult with StarClan, and then we would make one final decision. StarClan had been unusually silent lately. I had received no dreams and neither had my medicine cat. But now, StarClan could hardly refuse us in our greatest need. We all lapped from the Moonpool and fell asleep. But when we awoke we had received no dreams.
"StarClan has abandoned us." Wolfstar spat. The she-cat was alive with fury but I could see the grief and fear in her eyes. "Our ancestors have left us to die and so ShadowClan would leave them. We go."
Surely that couldn't be true. Our warrior ancestors had always cared for us. How could we live without them? But there was no advice to be forthcoming from them and so at the half moon I brought WindClan to join ThunderClan, ShadowClan and RiverClan and we left out home, heading east into the rising sun and I made a point not to look back.'
I agreed with Rockstar. WindClan had been hit hardest by the to-leg battles. Our moors were never the most plentiful but now there was practically no prey to be found. We would not survive if we stayed here and I had known, though I did not want to admit it, that I would have to bring my Clan away from their home and to StarClan knows where.
Fallenstar, the ThunderClan leader and Wolfstar, the ShadowClan leader argued against us and led their clans away in anger. I could see the pain in their eyes. They too would have to realize that there was no future for us here.
I took WindClan back to our camp and bid them make ready for a Great Journey. We would leave at the half moon. The night after the gathering a ThunderClan warrior named Pebblestone came to our camp. She told me that I must go to the Moonpool, where the Clan leaders were meeting. I made haste at once and was the last to arrive.
Fallenstar told me that we would consult with StarClan, and then we would make one final decision. StarClan had been unusually silent lately. I had received no dreams and neither had my medicine cat. But now, StarClan could hardly refuse us in our greatest need. We all lapped from the Moonpool and fell asleep. But when we awoke we had received no dreams.
"StarClan has abandoned us." Wolfstar spat. The she-cat was alive with fury but I could see the grief and fear in her eyes. "Our ancestors have left us to die and so ShadowClan would leave them. We go."
Surely that couldn't be true. Our warrior ancestors had always cared for us. How could we live without them? But there was no advice to be forthcoming from them and so at the half moon I brought WindClan to join ThunderClan, ShadowClan and RiverClan and we left out home, heading east into the rising sun and I made a point not to look back.'
Greydawn, warrior of StarClan:
"My warrior ceremony was not the joyful and proud ceremony I had imagined. It was tinged with anxiety and fear. It was two nights after what would be called the last gathering and as our leader, Fallenstar, stood upon the high ledge his tail lashed with agitation. I was proud to receive my warrior name, surely Fallenstar could take comfort in the fact that his warriors would always be loyal and strong. After I had received my name Fallenstar addressed the clan. He said that he and the other leaders had made a decision. At the half moon all four clans would leave our home to find another. The clan erupted into cries of shock and anger. They wanted to know where we would go. They wanted to know how long we would travel for. They wanted to know if we could ever come back. They wanted to know what StarClan had said.
Fallenstar had no answers. All he could tell us was that we would die if we stayed. We had no choice. At the full moon we met the three other clans. Everycat was anxious and suspicious. I could see that nerves were stretched almost to breaking point. I did my best to calm my clan mates. Thank StarClan that there were no kits to take care of. The last litter ThunderClan had seen was composed of only one kit, and she had caught greencough before she was two moons old.
We traveled together for moons and moons, I began to think that we would never stop. A few things stand out in my mind the clearest of anything that happened during our journey.
First, I began to hear StarClan's name spoken less and less, and when I did it was only as a curse. I did not know how we could turn away from our warrior ancestors, but I vowed never to.
Second, there was one event in the Newleaf after we left. We had come upon a few trees still living in the ashy landscape. We stopped to hunt. With my grey pelt, prey could not see me among the ashes so I had a successful hunt. I have a squirrel, and a robin to my clan and took a vole for myself. I sat to eat with some fellow warriors, Birchnose and Mosstail. I received unusual hostility from them. Were they mad because they thought I had taken too much prey for myself? I had not eaten for 2 days and I needed my strength to help my clan. Besides the other day I had come upon Birchnose scarfing down a mouse in secret. When I moved to share tongues with Mosstail she hissed at me and I backed away, hurt. What had I done?
For one terrible season, a bout of Whitecough ran through the clans. Cats died and everyone was in mourning. Owlpelt, the ShadowClan medicine cat, seemed to put himself in charge of all the medicine cats during the bout. But he couldn't know everything, I didn't like how he was handling the situation and how he treated the sick cats and I have never been a cat to keep quiet. After that, I am ashamed to say, I badgered him. I was hopeful of finding our new home soon so that my clan mates would like me again and I wouldn't have to mix with prickly medicine cats."
Fallenstar had no answers. All he could tell us was that we would die if we stayed. We had no choice. At the full moon we met the three other clans. Everycat was anxious and suspicious. I could see that nerves were stretched almost to breaking point. I did my best to calm my clan mates. Thank StarClan that there were no kits to take care of. The last litter ThunderClan had seen was composed of only one kit, and she had caught greencough before she was two moons old.
We traveled together for moons and moons, I began to think that we would never stop. A few things stand out in my mind the clearest of anything that happened during our journey.
First, I began to hear StarClan's name spoken less and less, and when I did it was only as a curse. I did not know how we could turn away from our warrior ancestors, but I vowed never to.
Second, there was one event in the Newleaf after we left. We had come upon a few trees still living in the ashy landscape. We stopped to hunt. With my grey pelt, prey could not see me among the ashes so I had a successful hunt. I have a squirrel, and a robin to my clan and took a vole for myself. I sat to eat with some fellow warriors, Birchnose and Mosstail. I received unusual hostility from them. Were they mad because they thought I had taken too much prey for myself? I had not eaten for 2 days and I needed my strength to help my clan. Besides the other day I had come upon Birchnose scarfing down a mouse in secret. When I moved to share tongues with Mosstail she hissed at me and I backed away, hurt. What had I done?
For one terrible season, a bout of Whitecough ran through the clans. Cats died and everyone was in mourning. Owlpelt, the ShadowClan medicine cat, seemed to put himself in charge of all the medicine cats during the bout. But he couldn't know everything, I didn't like how he was handling the situation and how he treated the sick cats and I have never been a cat to keep quiet. After that, I am ashamed to say, I badgered him. I was hopeful of finding our new home soon so that my clan mates would like me again and I wouldn't have to mix with prickly medicine cats."
Shadefoot, warrior of ShadowClan:
"We had been traveling for so long. Perhaps we are condemned to be nomads for our entire lives. Our leader, Wolfstar had told us that StarClan had abandoned us. I didn't want it to be so but why else would they not give us their guidance? I was an experienced warrior, and i must say, popular in my clan. When Wolfstar had become leader I had been a favorite for the post of deputy but she had given it to another warrior, Snowfrost.
I believe I know why she passed me over. When Wolfstar had still been Wolfsong, she and I had had the beginnings of a romantic relationship. She had broken it off when she became a favorite for the position of deputy. I believe she made Snowfrost deputy because she did not want to take the chance of breaking the warrior code by falling for me again.
However, now that she had turned ShadowClan away from StarClan there seemed to be no limits to what we could do. Some cats said we were breaking the warrior code but who were we harming. We were in love and we spent as much time as we could together. She was a strong and passionate leader but I worried for her. I had to persuade her to eat, rather than giving it away, to slow down and rest. She was wearing out before my eyes and I was more terrified than I had ever been.
When a bout of Whitecough ran through the clans she caught it. She still had four lives left but still I worried for her. She died when she had Greencough and I waited for her to wake up. But she didn't. She no longer had the lives of a leader. The clans were shocked to hear this. How could a leader always protect his clan without nine lives? I had the solution.
As Wolfstar's mate I took the leadership of ShadowClan. I became Shadestar and ShadowClan accepted me. From now on, I proclaimed to all the clans, two leaders would rule. They would be mates and their kits would assume the leadership after them. In this way there will always be a leader, and I will make sure that my beloved Wolfstar lives on in the generations to come."
I believe I know why she passed me over. When Wolfstar had still been Wolfsong, she and I had had the beginnings of a romantic relationship. She had broken it off when she became a favorite for the position of deputy. I believe she made Snowfrost deputy because she did not want to take the chance of breaking the warrior code by falling for me again.
However, now that she had turned ShadowClan away from StarClan there seemed to be no limits to what we could do. Some cats said we were breaking the warrior code but who were we harming. We were in love and we spent as much time as we could together. She was a strong and passionate leader but I worried for her. I had to persuade her to eat, rather than giving it away, to slow down and rest. She was wearing out before my eyes and I was more terrified than I had ever been.
When a bout of Whitecough ran through the clans she caught it. She still had four lives left but still I worried for her. She died when she had Greencough and I waited for her to wake up. But she didn't. She no longer had the lives of a leader. The clans were shocked to hear this. How could a leader always protect his clan without nine lives? I had the solution.
As Wolfstar's mate I took the leadership of ShadowClan. I became Shadestar and ShadowClan accepted me. From now on, I proclaimed to all the clans, two leaders would rule. They would be mates and their kits would assume the leadership after them. In this way there will always be a leader, and I will make sure that my beloved Wolfstar lives on in the generations to come."
Willowheart, medicine cat of RiverClan
"It was a velvety dark night when we paused to rest. It was approaching Leafbare and after a bout of whitecough we were all weak and tired from our trials. In all our travels we had never found enough to eat, a warm place to rest, or a living forest. As medcine cat I had my heart broken again and again as we lost cats. With newleaf approaching it was doubtful that most of us would survive, and I knew that the leaders shared my fears.
I prayed to StarClan that we would soon find our new home. Though few cats now believed in StarClan, I had never lost hope that our ancestors would return to us, from wherever they had been.
A violent storm roared above us and cats cowered into the muddy ashes. A brilliant flash of lightening lit up the sky and we could see the outline of mountains to the north. We left right away to seek shelter. Some cats were so weak that they needed to be carried for the full two days it took us to climb the mountains. At last we reached the top and beheld before us...a paradise, our new home.
We found a system of caves to stay in and most of us fell right to sleep. I had a strange dream that night, I'm sure it was a message from StarClan. I was in a clearing with pure white sand that shone like stars. Around me was mist and faintly I could see the outlines of cats. They were speaking to me but I couldn't hear them, their voice were muffled by the mist. But it was something important they were trying to tell me.
The clans were awoken by loud, outraged hisses and we saw Ravenshadow hissing at Greydawn over the body of his mentor, Owlpelt. Everycat immediately assumed the worst. They erupted in a fury and drove Greydawn away. I watched in horror as their anger didn't abate. They drove every grey pelted cat away from the clans.
After Olwpelt had been buried, Ravenshadow came to me and together we went to the leaders. Ravenshadow explained what had happened, that a mistake had been made. I told them about my dream, that I was sure StarClan had followed us to our new home. But the leaders would not relent. As Rockstar led RiverClan away to find a new camp I saw the guilt in Ravenshadow's eyes.
RiverClan found its new camp and we marked out our territory. The other clans settled into their new territories and it seemed that life could resume once again. But how could everyone just forget what had happened?
I dreamed of StarClan again. They were in the same place as before but the mist was gone. I could see my ancestors shining like the stars. I saw many cats there but recognized few. There was a flame colored tom with green eyes, a white tom with black paws, a skinny, dark grey tom, a grey tabby with pale blue eyes, a golden tabby tom, a black she-cat, and many more. I asked them where they had been but they did not answer. One cat stepped forward. She was a small grey she-cat whom I did recognize. I gave a small wail of grief as Greydawn turned to me and spoke.
"Into darkness shall be cast
Out of darkness shall be risen
To heal the scars of pasts long gone
Only one can save the clans"