Post by Brambleclaw on Mar 31, 2009 21:42:37 GMT -5
Fallingfeather pressed her nose against the cool, smooth stone. She opened her eyes to see the familiar starry clearing. But her father was nowhere in sight. Instead, a lone figure stood before her. It was the lithe, silver body of Silvermoon. Her sister.
"Silvermoon! I-I"
"It is okay. It was what you had to do. Dear sister, please listen carefully to my words. In another world, another life, live strong and free. In the Other Night, know none are lost, and all are found. Free the soul, the bird takes flight, and all will be right. Remember my words."
"Wait! Why am I meant to be leader? I don't want this!"
"You are chosen to destroy SilenceClan." Fallingfeather frowned. Surely she was a better leader than that?
"Clan traditions will destroy them." Silvermoon continued. "They want to destroy the Clans. Boundaries, rules and ceremonies only make them more like the Clans. You will destroy them by making them unhappy." Then the starry she-cat faded. Four cats stood in her place.
"Time for your Four Lives." That had been the most shocking part.
Othernight watched as the events unfolded. The glistening pool of starry water showed her fight with Shadowstar, her losing three lives to him. But he was gone. Then there was always her father. She still could not see him. None of her family were here save Silvermoon. Why was it always her sister?
"Okay, look. I know what you meant. The Other Night. But where are my - our - parents? Tigermoon, Moonracer, Moonstar, and Foxkit?" Othernight remembered faintly the night Foxkit had died. It had been her fault. She could scarcely believe she could kill her own sister.
"Patience." Silvermoon said, smiling. Suddenly, stars began to cluster around and form mysterious silvery cats. Some were old, some young. Some male, some female. There were all colors and sizes, all lighted by their glittering stars and shimmering smiles. She recognized a few, and suddenly remembered them all. All of the important ones, that was.
Othernight smiled, her heart nearly overflowing. She watched the tom come forward and she could not refrain from crying out.
"Eric!" She called out, running up and nuzzling her brother. The tom was taken by surprise. Wasn't this the same sister who teased him and always found a way to make him hurt? Smiling, Eric nodded. His brown fur glowed a ghastly white in the light of the stars littering his pelt. He touched his sister's nose.
"With this life I give you Respect. May you respect those around you." Othernight felt guilty about not respecting her brother, but the guilt vanished in a flash of overpowering pain. She gasped, trying not to choke. Respect could hurt!
Eric had vanished, but another familiar lighter brown she-cat waltzed forward. Ebonytail smiled, her face lit with stars. Her green eyes sparkled playfully. When Eric had passed, he had been very excited to rejoin his mate. Othernight had only heard of the she-cat, never actually met her before.
"With this life I give you Love. May you feel a love for your Clan with fervent heat." When Ebonytail touched Othernight's nose, the she-cat gasped. As if on fire, she burned with a heat beyond anything she had known. Ebonytail slipped back into the throng of starry cats.
A familiar brown tom padded forward. He was as small as Ebonytail, with the same brilliant green eyes. But he had his father's dashing brown fur. Othernight remembered how much she had loved Forestwing before she had left.
"I was always your kin." He reminded her as she lapsed into a lovesick state. She nodded.
"And now I have Chasernight." She smiled, flicking her tail and thinking of her kits. Forestwing's smile was identical to his father's. Eric had a beautiful smile, and Forestwing had luckily inherited it.
"I can give you advice, but no more. Be strong and fair in your dealings, and never forget who you are." He touched her nose and she felt a static spark. All she had worked so hard to forget came rushing back in a great tide. Not a life, but just as valuable, her past and Fallingfeather.
Next came a familiar dark, dark brown she-cat with olive-gold eyes. Tawnyfoot purred softly as she nuzzled her sister.
"Your third life is for Patience. Like a newborn kit, a forming Clan takes time." Tawnyfoot touched Othernight's nose, and Othernight squealed. The pain was horrifying. Othernight was starting to doubt very much becoming leader. She watched Tawnyfoot, who seemed different, back into the group. Mate not dead, kits still healthy, the she-cat must have felt very alone up in StarClan. Othernight sighed.
The fifth to approach was a strange dark brown tom. His fur was like Tawnyfoot's, and his eyes were an ugly gold. He was strong, twice the size of Tigermoon. He looked proud and majestic, and approached rather slowly. He seemed to bask in a golden sunlit shimmer, rather than silvery stars, but Othernight did not recognize him.
"I am Strongjaw. Your mother's mate before your father. With this life I give you strength. Be strong for your Clan." His life made Othernight feel like she was growing faster than her body allowed. She ached in a cramped body, and as he left she felt the pain ease up.
Her fifth life came from her mother, Moonracer. She smiled softly, her silvery fur and soft blue eyes glittered playfully.
"With this life, I give you Wisdom. Let it guide you." Like a roaring current, the wisdom that came knocked Othernight over as she felt a horrifying pain of force as it entered her. She felt somewhat smarter, and a little more shocked, with that life.
Next her sister Silvermoon approached.
"My life I give to you is one of Justice. May you always be fair." Moonstar slipped up behind his sister. He gave the life of nobility, that she may be a wise and noble leader. Foxkit came next.
"The life I gift is one of safety. Keep your Clan safe and guard them well." Othernight;s guilt overpowered the pain of that life, and she wanted to cry out forgiveness.
"It's okay." Foxkit said, nuzzling her sister softly.
The cats slowly began to fade from Othernight's view.
"Wait!" She cried out, horrified. She only had eight lives. Shaking her head, she wondered if it was a punishment. But the cats were gone. All except for one, that was. Tigermoon slowly slid forward, and Othernight felt excited and terrified all the same. He had given her two lives already - once from becoming Falling star and one in battle where she killed Silvermoon. He touched her nose softly.
"I am proud of you. Have a life of faith, that you may trust StarClan with your heart. Remember when I told your mother to try some riverwater and she slipped in?"
"StarClan isn't always right." Othernight said with realization, smiling. She felt very happy to see her father. He began to fade, but even as he did so he called out her new name. It was three cheers fading away with his image, but the third made Othernight freeze with terror.
"Otherstar! Otherstar! Fallingstar..."
"Silvermoon! I-I"
"It is okay. It was what you had to do. Dear sister, please listen carefully to my words. In another world, another life, live strong and free. In the Other Night, know none are lost, and all are found. Free the soul, the bird takes flight, and all will be right. Remember my words."
"Wait! Why am I meant to be leader? I don't want this!"
"You are chosen to destroy SilenceClan." Fallingfeather frowned. Surely she was a better leader than that?
"Clan traditions will destroy them." Silvermoon continued. "They want to destroy the Clans. Boundaries, rules and ceremonies only make them more like the Clans. You will destroy them by making them unhappy." Then the starry she-cat faded. Four cats stood in her place.
"Time for your Four Lives." That had been the most shocking part.
Othernight watched as the events unfolded. The glistening pool of starry water showed her fight with Shadowstar, her losing three lives to him. But he was gone. Then there was always her father. She still could not see him. None of her family were here save Silvermoon. Why was it always her sister?
"Okay, look. I know what you meant. The Other Night. But where are my - our - parents? Tigermoon, Moonracer, Moonstar, and Foxkit?" Othernight remembered faintly the night Foxkit had died. It had been her fault. She could scarcely believe she could kill her own sister.
"Patience." Silvermoon said, smiling. Suddenly, stars began to cluster around and form mysterious silvery cats. Some were old, some young. Some male, some female. There were all colors and sizes, all lighted by their glittering stars and shimmering smiles. She recognized a few, and suddenly remembered them all. All of the important ones, that was.
Othernight smiled, her heart nearly overflowing. She watched the tom come forward and she could not refrain from crying out.
"Eric!" She called out, running up and nuzzling her brother. The tom was taken by surprise. Wasn't this the same sister who teased him and always found a way to make him hurt? Smiling, Eric nodded. His brown fur glowed a ghastly white in the light of the stars littering his pelt. He touched his sister's nose.
"With this life I give you Respect. May you respect those around you." Othernight felt guilty about not respecting her brother, but the guilt vanished in a flash of overpowering pain. She gasped, trying not to choke. Respect could hurt!
Eric had vanished, but another familiar lighter brown she-cat waltzed forward. Ebonytail smiled, her face lit with stars. Her green eyes sparkled playfully. When Eric had passed, he had been very excited to rejoin his mate. Othernight had only heard of the she-cat, never actually met her before.
"With this life I give you Love. May you feel a love for your Clan with fervent heat." When Ebonytail touched Othernight's nose, the she-cat gasped. As if on fire, she burned with a heat beyond anything she had known. Ebonytail slipped back into the throng of starry cats.
A familiar brown tom padded forward. He was as small as Ebonytail, with the same brilliant green eyes. But he had his father's dashing brown fur. Othernight remembered how much she had loved Forestwing before she had left.
"I was always your kin." He reminded her as she lapsed into a lovesick state. She nodded.
"And now I have Chasernight." She smiled, flicking her tail and thinking of her kits. Forestwing's smile was identical to his father's. Eric had a beautiful smile, and Forestwing had luckily inherited it.
"I can give you advice, but no more. Be strong and fair in your dealings, and never forget who you are." He touched her nose and she felt a static spark. All she had worked so hard to forget came rushing back in a great tide. Not a life, but just as valuable, her past and Fallingfeather.
Next came a familiar dark, dark brown she-cat with olive-gold eyes. Tawnyfoot purred softly as she nuzzled her sister.
"Your third life is for Patience. Like a newborn kit, a forming Clan takes time." Tawnyfoot touched Othernight's nose, and Othernight squealed. The pain was horrifying. Othernight was starting to doubt very much becoming leader. She watched Tawnyfoot, who seemed different, back into the group. Mate not dead, kits still healthy, the she-cat must have felt very alone up in StarClan. Othernight sighed.
The fifth to approach was a strange dark brown tom. His fur was like Tawnyfoot's, and his eyes were an ugly gold. He was strong, twice the size of Tigermoon. He looked proud and majestic, and approached rather slowly. He seemed to bask in a golden sunlit shimmer, rather than silvery stars, but Othernight did not recognize him.
"I am Strongjaw. Your mother's mate before your father. With this life I give you strength. Be strong for your Clan." His life made Othernight feel like she was growing faster than her body allowed. She ached in a cramped body, and as he left she felt the pain ease up.
Her fifth life came from her mother, Moonracer. She smiled softly, her silvery fur and soft blue eyes glittered playfully.
"With this life, I give you Wisdom. Let it guide you." Like a roaring current, the wisdom that came knocked Othernight over as she felt a horrifying pain of force as it entered her. She felt somewhat smarter, and a little more shocked, with that life.
Next her sister Silvermoon approached.
"My life I give to you is one of Justice. May you always be fair." Moonstar slipped up behind his sister. He gave the life of nobility, that she may be a wise and noble leader. Foxkit came next.
"The life I gift is one of safety. Keep your Clan safe and guard them well." Othernight;s guilt overpowered the pain of that life, and she wanted to cry out forgiveness.
"It's okay." Foxkit said, nuzzling her sister softly.
The cats slowly began to fade from Othernight's view.
"Wait!" She cried out, horrified. She only had eight lives. Shaking her head, she wondered if it was a punishment. But the cats were gone. All except for one, that was. Tigermoon slowly slid forward, and Othernight felt excited and terrified all the same. He had given her two lives already - once from becoming Falling star and one in battle where she killed Silvermoon. He touched her nose softly.
"I am proud of you. Have a life of faith, that you may trust StarClan with your heart. Remember when I told your mother to try some riverwater and she slipped in?"
"StarClan isn't always right." Othernight said with realization, smiling. She felt very happy to see her father. He began to fade, but even as he did so he called out her new name. It was three cheers fading away with his image, but the third made Othernight freeze with terror.
"Otherstar! Otherstar! Fallingstar..."