Lush green trees circled Vinebreeze. Her silver tabby pelt shone like a star in the moonlight.The small she-cat stood up, stretching. As she took in her surroundings she murmured, "Starclan?" She stood with her jaws parted and her ears pricked. She searched her surroundings, her green gaze sweeping over ever mouse-length of space. Vinebreeze didn't trust the thick fog swirling around her paws, encasing them in a damp, murky blanket. Suddenly, a shriek echoed through the night, and a small black cat was flung upon Vinebreeze. "What the-" she snarled as she twisted, claws out, towards her attacker.The cat's eyes were wild with fear. He turned and stared at something behind her, then spun and galloped away, plunging into the black forest. The silver tabby turned to see what the cat had been looking at, and what she saw made her fur stand straight on end. A huge shadow stood, blotting out the moon, the stars, the whole sky.....
Vinebreeze spun back into reality when a cat brushed against her. She turned to see who it was, and gasped when she saw a bronze she-cat, her ocean eyes gleaming, her fur whipping in the wind. This was a warrior, Foxheart! Vinebreeze recoiled as she saw blood dripping from Foxheart's side.
"Vinestar! You...you're dead!" gasped Foxheart when she saw Vinebreeze.
"No! I-I-" Vinebreeze was cut off when Sunheart, a golden tom stumbled up to Foxheart.
"Foxstar, there are too many! Even all of the clans put together cannot defeat Tigerclan, especially with Barkstar leading them! He's killed more cats then Lightningclan have left fighting!" he panted. Vinebreeze noticed that his golden fur was matted and red, and one of his eyes was completely shut.
"That cat really gets on my nerves," Foxheart snarled, swiping away a tom that leapt at her, "fine then. Lightningclan, retreat!"
Suddenly a wave of ragged cats swept towards Vinebreeze, writhing and shoving past her. The terrifying realization dawned on her when she started recognizing clanmates. She began to run with them, away from the terrifying shadow. Suddenly, they started shooting her nervous glances, and they started yowling accusations at her.
"Look its Vinestar!"
"I thought she was dead!"
"Why is she here? She caused this whole problem!"
"Yeah! He is her kin after all!"
The distrustful comments continued, and Vinebreeze began to spin in circles, her ears laid back against her head, her eyes tiny slits. Her movements became slurred, and she realized in horror that she was wading in blood. A current of thick, sticky blood. It began rising up, swirling above her paws. It rose to her chest fur, and she began desperately wading for a tree, to get out of the pool of death. It kept rising, and before long, she couldn't breath. It rose up past her nose, she couldn't see, it filled her eyes, ears, nose.....all was dark and Vinestar heard a voice.
It will rain blood, and the blood will wash away the forest, unless the great water can cleanse the soul.
Chapter 1
"Petalpaw, get some goldenrod, comfrey, marigold, and poppyseeds for Icestar!" Autumnstripe hissed to his wide-eyed apprentice.
"Y-yes Autumnstripe," the black and white she-cat stuttered, darting away.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Vinebreeze murmured to her brother, Autumnstripe.
"Just let me work and keep calm!" replied Autumnstripe, gritting his teeth. Petalpaw came scurrying back, leaves in her mouth, black seeds balanced carefully on one paw.
"Good," Autumnstripe acknowledged, "now chew the leaves into a poultice and give the seeds to Icestar. We need him asleep to treat his stomach!"
Petalpaw began chewing furiously while trying to pry open Icestar's jaws. Autumnstripe was working crazily, using wads and wads of spiderweb to soak up the never-ending torrent of blood gushing out of Icestar. Petalpaw spat out the green wads of mixed herbs and Autumnstripe started spreading the poultice on Icestar's white belly. Petalpaw started slipping poppyseeds into Icestar's mouth. Icestar lay on the ground, his breaths coming quick and shallow, his eyes glazed over with pain. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
"Starclan is coming for me," he rasped.
Foxheart and Redfur, to warriors watching, darted to their leader's side.
"But he's on his last life!" wailed Vinebreeze, the Lightningclan deputy.
"He's in Starclan's paws now," Autumnstripe mewed, sitting back, his eyes clouded with grief. Vinestar crouched next to her father and began furiously licking his fur, smoothing down the red tufts that stuck up. He leaned over, gave her a quick lick on the cheek, and murmured,
"You will make a great leader Vinebreeze. Make me proud."
"Father! No!" yowled Vinebreeze.
"Don't leave me," she whispered, before thrusting her face into his fur. Icestar's head slid to the side, and he was gone.
~~~
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the highledge!" yowled Vinestar, her voice heavy with sorrow. She looked down at her clan, her eyes glistening in the bright sun. As the cats gathered, they gazed up at their new leader, eyes shining with new respect for her strength. She began to speak to them in slow, careful words.
"Lightningclan, I have come out here to address you as your new leader. Icestar is dead. He was wounded severely in the battle with Stoneclan. We need to avenge his death," she continued with yowls of approval, "but not with violence. I will confront Cliffstar at the next gathering. Then, we will avenge my father's death!" She meowed triumphantly. Yowls of approval echoed through the camp. "I will choose a new deputy at moonhigh. For now, I must mourn my father's death." She finished. Vinestar leapt down from the highledge and padded to where her father lay. "Starclan, take care of Icestar. He's my father." she whispered, before thrusting her nose into his fur. Warriors, apprentices, and elders milled around Vinestar, whispering last goodbye's, or for those closer to Icestar, laying down beside her for their silent vigil. Redfur, Foxheart, Stormfoot, and Sunheart, all crouched down next to Vinestar. Sunheart, a handsome golden tom with green eyes, turned to his mate, Foxheart, a bronze tabby she-cat with sea-green eyes. Her eyes were heavy with grief, because Icestar had been her mentor.
"Its okay Foxheart," began Sunheart, trying to comfort her. "Vinebreeze-I mean-Vinestar, will choose a new deputy, and life will go on just as normal, with patrols and gathering's and day and night." He meowed, giving her a comforting lick on the cheek.
"I-I guess so, thanks Sunheart." she replied, leaning against him. She turned to Redfur, a ginger and white she-cat with blue eyes next to her, and mewed, "I wonder who Vinestar will make deputy?"
"I do too," replied Redfur, Foxheart's best friend.
"They should give normal duties to everyone," began Foxheart thoughtfully, "to make sure that life goes on as normal and everyone know that. They should make border and hunting patrols. Maybe they could even decide who should go to the gathering! That would-I mean, the deputy can decide what to do, not me." She put her chin on her paws and thrust her nose into Icestar's fur. Redfur looked at her mate, Stormfoot, and saw the her surprise reflected in his eyes. Every cat knew that Foxheart wanted to be deputy, but no one knew she thought so much like one! Vinestar looked thoughtfully and Foxheart, then at her fallen father. She might just have chosen a deputy.
"Lightningclan, I have come out here to address you as your new leader. Icestar is dead. He was wounded severely in the battle with Stoneclan. We need to avenge his death," she continued with yowls of approval, "but not with violence. I will confront Cliffstar at the next gathering. Then, we will avenge my father's death!" She meowed triumphantly. Yowls of approval echoed through the camp. "I will choose a new deputy at moonhigh. For now, I must mourn my father's death." She finished. Vinestar leapt down from the highledge and padded to where her father lay. "Starclan, take care of Icestar. He's my father." she whispered, before thrusting her nose into his fur. Warriors, apprentices, and elders milled around Vinestar, whispering last goodbye's, or for those closer to Icestar, laying down beside her for their silent vigil. Redfur, Foxheart, Stormfoot, and Sunheart, all crouched down next to Vinestar. Sunheart, a handsome golden tom with green eyes, turned to his mate, Foxheart, a bronze tabby she-cat with sea-green eyes. Her eyes were heavy with grief, because Icestar had been her mentor.
"Its okay Foxheart," began Sunheart, trying to comfort her. "Vinebreeze-I mean-Vinestar, will choose a new deputy, and life will go on just as normal, with patrols and gathering's and day and night." He meowed, giving her a comforting lick on the cheek.
"I-I guess so, thanks Sunheart." she replied, leaning against him. She turned to Redfur, a ginger and white she-cat with blue eyes next to her, and mewed, "I wonder who Vinestar will make deputy?"
"I do too," replied Redfur, Foxheart's best friend.
"They should give normal duties to everyone," began Foxheart thoughtfully, "to make sure that life goes on as normal and everyone know that. They should make border and hunting patrols. Maybe they could even decide who should go to the gathering! That would-I mean, the deputy can decide what to do, not me." She put her chin on her paws and thrust her nose into Icestar's fur. Redfur looked at her mate, Stormfoot, and saw the her surprise reflected in his eyes. Every cat knew that Foxheart wanted to be deputy, but no one knew she thought so much like one! Vinestar looked thoughtfully and Foxheart, then at her fallen father. She might just have chosen a deputy.
~~~
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the highledge!" Vinestar yowled. Most cats were already gathered there waiting for the new deputy. Bark-kit, a small brown tom, plopped out of the nursery, his sister Quick-kit right behind him. Three more kits, Sleetkit, Whisperkit, and Dusk-kit, followed their mother curiously out of the nursery. Quailpaw and Rosepaw, two apprentices, padded out of the apprentices den. Soon every cat was gathered. Mouseheart, a brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, sat next to her mate, Yellowclaw, a muscular gray tom. Yellowclaw looked up expectantly at Vinestar, a knowing gleam in his eye.
"Lightningclan, it is time for me to choose a new deputy. This cat is young, strong, and loyal. I fully trust that they will make a great deputy, and, eventually, leader. They were very strong through the death of their leader, who was also their mentor." A few shocked gasps echoed through the camp as they realized which unexperienced cat Vinestar was choosing. "Foxheart will be my new deputy." The clearing was as silent as an owl, soaring through the sky. Finally, Rosepaw, Foxheart's apprentice, began chanting, "Foxheart! Foxheart!"Redfur joined in and soon every cat in the clearing was chanting Foxheart's name. Everyone, but Yellowclaw. Bark-kit stared questioningly between Yellowclaw and Foxheart. Foxheart stumbled up to Vinestar, wide-eyed.
"I would be honored to serve my clan Vinestar!" Foxheart sputtered as Vinestar rested her chin on top of Foxheart's head. Foxheart turned to her clan, a fierce gleam in her eye.
"Lightningclan, I will gladly serve you as your deputy! I will protect and serve you as long as Starclan wills me to!" Foxheart yowled. Her clanmates purred and yowled in agreement. Vinestar's face was filled with complete satisfaction. She had chosen well. Foxheart headed down to the warriors den. Cats congratulated her and brushed up against her along the way. Foxheart's mother, Skywhisker, and her father, Galeheart bounded up to her.
"Well done Foxheart." Galeheart purred warmly.
"I'm so proud of you! My little kit is Lightningclan's deputy!" Skywhisker squealed proudly. Skywhisker and Galeheart flanked Foxheart to the warriors den, where she was joined by Sunheart, Redfur, and Rosepaw.
"Go Foxheart! You're going to be the best leader ever!" yelped Rosepaw to Foxheart.
"I've still got a long way to go before I'm leader Rosepaw, but thank you." Foxheart replied fondly. "Now get some rest. You can be on dawn patrol tomorrow!"
"Okay Foxheart!" replied Rosepaw, before bouncing away.
"Way to go Foxheart! I knew you'd be deputy some day!" Redfur exclaimed happily.
"Thanks Redfur," purred Foxheart.
"You'll make a great deputy, and leader, Foxheart." Purred Sunheart. Foxheart caught the eye of Quick-kit, who was staring admiringly at her, before slipping into the warriors den. She circled in her bed of moss and bracken, exhausted, before curling up and settling into a deep sleep.
"Lightningclan, it is time for me to choose a new deputy. This cat is young, strong, and loyal. I fully trust that they will make a great deputy, and, eventually, leader. They were very strong through the death of their leader, who was also their mentor." A few shocked gasps echoed through the camp as they realized which unexperienced cat Vinestar was choosing. "Foxheart will be my new deputy." The clearing was as silent as an owl, soaring through the sky. Finally, Rosepaw, Foxheart's apprentice, began chanting, "Foxheart! Foxheart!"Redfur joined in and soon every cat in the clearing was chanting Foxheart's name. Everyone, but Yellowclaw. Bark-kit stared questioningly between Yellowclaw and Foxheart. Foxheart stumbled up to Vinestar, wide-eyed.
"I would be honored to serve my clan Vinestar!" Foxheart sputtered as Vinestar rested her chin on top of Foxheart's head. Foxheart turned to her clan, a fierce gleam in her eye.
"Lightningclan, I will gladly serve you as your deputy! I will protect and serve you as long as Starclan wills me to!" Foxheart yowled. Her clanmates purred and yowled in agreement. Vinestar's face was filled with complete satisfaction. She had chosen well. Foxheart headed down to the warriors den. Cats congratulated her and brushed up against her along the way. Foxheart's mother, Skywhisker, and her father, Galeheart bounded up to her.
"Well done Foxheart." Galeheart purred warmly.
"I'm so proud of you! My little kit is Lightningclan's deputy!" Skywhisker squealed proudly. Skywhisker and Galeheart flanked Foxheart to the warriors den, where she was joined by Sunheart, Redfur, and Rosepaw.
"Go Foxheart! You're going to be the best leader ever!" yelped Rosepaw to Foxheart.
"I've still got a long way to go before I'm leader Rosepaw, but thank you." Foxheart replied fondly. "Now get some rest. You can be on dawn patrol tomorrow!"
"Okay Foxheart!" replied Rosepaw, before bouncing away.
"Way to go Foxheart! I knew you'd be deputy some day!" Redfur exclaimed happily.
"Thanks Redfur," purred Foxheart.
"You'll make a great deputy, and leader, Foxheart." Purred Sunheart. Foxheart caught the eye of Quick-kit, who was staring admiringly at her, before slipping into the warriors den. She circled in her bed of moss and bracken, exhausted, before curling up and settling into a deep sleep.
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