Crowsong's Path

Prologue

The brown tomcat with white paws padded into a huge, starlit clearing where countless flowers bloomed and the grass gently swayed in the wind. He looked around confused. "Where am I?" A thickly furred gray she-cat with stars in her fur emerged from the small river that ran through the middle of the clearing, her fur glistening with water. "Wavestar!" the cat gasped in surprise. "Rootstar. Greetings," meowed another voice, as a mighty, brown tomcat with red paws slowly padded out of the adjacent forest, followed by a slim, golden-yellow she-cat with white paws. "Yewstar, Clovestar! W-what's that about? Why am I here? I've been banished to the forest of darkness!" "Oh Rootstar..." whispered a voice to his left, and he spun around as a beautiful dark tabby she-cat leapt from a slender oak tree. "Thornstar!" A deep gray, long-legged cat with long claws awkwardly crawled his way through the trees and sat down next to the four leaders gathered in front of Rootstar. "Rainstar" Rootstar greeted the tomcat, now very confused. "What's all this about?" Thornstar straightened up and looked right at him. "Rootstar, I'm so sorry for everything you had to suffer, even after your death. But we had to ban you from StarClan, you cursed not only a leader but a whole clan." Rootstar writhed in embarrassment. "Then why am I here?" "The curse was lifted by Sourcestar's death. Besides, we need you now, Rootstar." "Oh, if I'm useful, suddenly I'm no longer a threat to the clan?" "That's not what it is about!" Clovestar snapped, she had jumped up and stopped just in front of his face. Thornstar flicked her tail for her to sit back down. "Clovestar, remember, ShadowClan was also involved in his exile at the time." The golden she-cat licked her chest fur in embarrassment, and Thornstar continued unperturbedly, "Rootstar, you have always fought for SkyClan, especially after my death. I am proud of you, despite everything. We all had a prophecy a few nights ago in our dreams, and that's why we need your help now. It's about our clan. SkyClan." Rootstar's gaze swept over the assembled leaders. "Why? What am I supposed to be good for?" "You are the one who witnessed the fall of SkyClan. You must be the one who delivers the prophecy to the chosen cat." Rootstar bowed his head after some hesitation. "What is it?" Thornstar nodded to Yewstar, and the former leader of ThunderClan began to speak. "The bird of death will soar above the wind and give new life to the old souls. The deep storm will give up itself for the bird, if it does not, the sky will be darkened forever." "What does it mean?" "We don't know. But we suspect it has something to do with SkyClan, at least that's what Rock said" Wavestar meowed calmly. "Who do I have to deliver it to?" The former RiverClan-leader approached the small stream and motioned for Rootstar to follow. She touched the surface of the water with one paw, and the image of the stars reflected in the warped water, and a young black cat was seen in the resulting image, curled up asleep in a burrow. "Her?" The gray she-cat nodded and looked at him. "So?" He sighed and straightened his shoulders, looking again at the warped reflectio of the sleeping cat. "Fine. I'll do it. For SkyClan." "Thank you." Thornstar whispered, turning to follow the retreating cats. "Rootstar?" He stopped, Thornstar stared at him steadily and without any emotion. "I'm incredibly proud of you. StarClan kept their promise and watched over your grandson." He felt a surge of joy wash over him. "Thank you," he whispered, then he turned and padded away in the opposite direction, because he knew that even though he was allowed to live with StarClan now - he still wasn't really welcome with the other cats.