The Stories Begin - Sunrise

Chapter 5 - Cloudstar

Cloudstar couldn't believe it. Oceangaze. Her one true love. Dead. 

"I... I can't believe she's gone..." Sandpaw muttered, huddled close to Runningpaw.

Mousefur bolted into camp, presumably just hearing the news of his daughter's death. "Sandpaw?!" He exclaimed, his gaze quickly running around the camp before resting on the young tom. Mousefur quickly ran over, basically shoving Runningpaw out of the way to be near his son.

Cloudstar beckoned Runningpaw closer as he moved away. Runningpaw nodded, sitting close to Cloudstar. "I can't believe my mentor is gone... Oceangaze promised she would make me a warrior... and now she's not even here for it..." Runningpaw sadly sighed.

Cloudstar was silent. She was too upset. She knew she had to comfort the three toms sitting in front of her. But she couldn't- she needed the comfort she was supposed to give as leader. 

Mousefur let out a sad wail. "My precious daughter! Oh why did you have to take her instead of me Starclan?"

Sandpaw buried his head in his fathers chest. Cloudstar couldn't tell if it was for his own sake or not. Maybe a little of both. Cloudstar couldn't help but wish her father hadn't gone bad... then she would have someone to run to. Someone to cry to. Someone to confide in. But alas, she would never get that. Not from her father anyways. Cloudstar was so lost in her thoughts, she hardly even noticed Runningpaw leaning on her. 

"Cloudstar? Are you there?" A black and white tom asked. 

Cloudstar jumped- she hadn't seen Ravenblaze appear. "Sorry, yeah, how can I help you Ravenblaze?"

"Ravenblaze?" Sandpaw repeated, bewildered. 

Cloudstar tilted her head. "That's his name, Sandpaw..."

"I'm Shatteredsky. Your deputy." The tom sighed.

"Isn't Ravenblaze Shadowclan's deputy?" Runningpaw asked, still leaning on Cloudstar.

"He is." Shattered sky confirmed. "But why do you two look so alike?" Sandpaw asked. 

"Sandpaw!" Mousefur hissed at his son. "That's rude!"

Shatteredsky shook his head. "It really isn't Mousefur, he asked it with no ill intent. He is just curious." He look at Sandpaw. "If you really must know, he is my cousin. My mother's littermate moved to Shadowclan a little while after he was born."

"Ohhh that makes sense." Sandpaw meowed.

Shatteredsky's eyes rounded, "I'm so sorry about Oceangaze, she was a wonderful mate, mentor, daughter, and sister." Cloudstar got up and went into her den- she couldn't handle hearing Oceangazes name again- it hurt too much. Once in her den, she laid down, hoping to sleep her pain away. Surely enough, she fell asleep quickly. 

Cloudstar opened her eyes, and there she was- Oceangaze. Her sandy coloured pelt smooth and healthy looking, her eyes clear as ever. "Oceangaze...?" Cloudstar asked as she stood up. "You look younger..."

"It's one of the many benefits of being a Starclan cat" Oceangaze smiled. Hearing her voice hurt Cloudstar's heart in many ways she didn't know possible... "Don't be sad my love, we will be reunited one day." Oceangaze promised as she touched noses with Cloudstar. 

Oceangaze moved away. "That is not what I came to you for. I came to you to tell you of something that will help with the omen. You already know what Softmoss told you, I am simply adding onto that." Oceangaze cleared her throat. "Among the four that must travel along the path of thunder, will be a young she from the shadows with a forbidden past and a troubled future. This she comes from a shattered sky, but she holds the stars in her paws." 

Cloudstar froze- "Shattered...sky... like the cat?"

Oceangaze started to fade, like all Starclan cats do when something huge is about to be revealed. 

"Wait! Oceangaze! Come back!" Cloudstar yowled.

Cloudstar's vision faded momentarily before being restored- but instead of the familiar walls of her den, she was in Shadowclan's camp. "Wha- how did I get here...?" She muttered. 

A cat shot across Cloudstar's vision- she followed this cat, unsure of what to do. This cat ran into the medicine den, and Cloudstar followed. Mainly because she wasn't stopped.

What Cloudstar saw was unforgettable. A young cat- possibly a kitten- mauled beyond recognition. The cat she followed stood still a few feet away from the cat. As Cloudstar looked around, she saw an older, brown she sitting close to the young thing, and a younger cat sitting a few feet away. The older she looked up. "Dreampaw! What took you so long! Hawkpaw came as soon as Snakestar told us of the fox attack! What type of heartless beast do you have to be to consider not coming to sit with your possibly dying brother!" She hissed. 

Cloudstar looked at this young she, who looked nothing like her supposed brother. That's when another voice chimed in, though this time Cloudstar knew who the voice belonged to. 

"That's unfair to say, Woodfur. She could have been frozen from shock. The important thing is that she came." Hiddencloud protested. "Lightfur hasn't shown yet, even though he was-"

"He is probably off destroying the fox that mauled our son!" Woodfur hissed, cutting Hiddencloud off. "My baby... my poor sweet baby..." Woodfur started to mutter to the dying cat. 

Cloudstar looked at Dreampaw again, something not seeming quite right. That's when Hiddencloud looked at her, seeming to see her. "..Cloudstar...?" He muttered. 

That's when it hit Cloudstar like a badgers claws- something was extremely familiar about the young she in front of her. Could it be? Cloudstar wondered, ignoring Hiddencloud.

Then she woke up.