Songbird's Future: Founding a Foundation

Chapter Sixteen

An she-cat outlined with silver walked in the crowd of cats. The dark thorns blocked their path, and the she-cat watched as the Warriors near the thorns nodded, as the dark thorns lit up suddenly. Her star soaked pelt bristled as she felt an ominous presence. She looked forward into the crowd who was waiting on the other side. Some were outlined in red, while others outlined in black.

"Let the Eclipse Meeting begin!" A cat yowled. The she-cat flinched, even though she had heard this many, many times.

"Aspenmist, are you all right?" A voice whispered next to her. She nodded.

"I'm fine. I'm waiting for them to push Smokestep forward." She whispered back to the bright orange tom.

"Good evening, StarClan." One from the other crowd said.

"DarkClan." Another StarClan cat meowed. Long ago, there was a battle between the Dark Forest and StarClan. After StarClan had won, they had declared that brambles would be grown up between them. The "Keepers" is what they called the cats who could destroy the brambles. Keepers can only be cats who were previously a leader, a deputy, or a medicine cat. The Dark Forest cats were now called DarkClan.

"This is our newest addition, Smokestep. And of course, Foxtrout." Two cats were pushed forward.

"Go ahead, Introduce yourselves." A cat mewed.

Dark faded green eyes with a black pelt. Smokestep. Aspenmist remembered him perfectly.

"I'm Smokestep.. Former cat of FireClan. I had a mate, and never had kits." Aspenmist bit her tongue. He knows he has kits on the way.

"I'm Foxtrout, formely from RiverClan. I'm half clan between RiverClan and ShadowClan." He began, stopping to look at the other cats before continuing.

"I had a mate, and about three kits." Foxtrout meowed.

"Smokestep eh? Word spread quickly of you. Attacking a StarClan cat, and dying instantly on the spot." A tom meowed. Then, the StarClan cats let out furious yowls and hisses, them constantly murmuring to each other.

"Whatever." Smokestep said, his dark eyes looking back.

"So.. Ravenwing told us that you have called a meeting. However, it is not the full moon yet. So, what do you need from us, StarClan?" The tall faded orange cat with a very dark outline said, he stood at the front of the crowd. Aspenmist looked over at Silverwhisper. She is said to be the oldest cat in StarClan. Rightfully so, too. She was so faded, even her bright silver outline was fading away. The gray she-cat with the white muzzle looked at the DarkClan cats.

"You know what's coming don't you? A dark storm." Silverwhisper challenged, standing up to the tall orange cat.

"Yes. The smoke has not scented off the sage yet." Aspenmist swallowed hard. "Smoke and Sage will clash, tearing bonds apart. One will prove worthy, while the other, deceptive."

"Hasn't the prophecy already happened?" Aspenmist said, earning a gasp from the cats around her. It was rude to speak up during the leaders talking, but Aspenmist was the one who delivered the prophecy. She deserved to know. However, Aspenmist knew that she wasn't the only one who would stand against the leaders. Lionbriar, her best friend stood. He cleared his throat.

"Aside from that, why is FireClan the focus? Hasn't ThunderClan always been the one we focus on?" The silver she-cat turned.

"Indeed, ThunderClan is the clan we did focus. They needed help the most. Now, it is FireClan's time. ThunderClan has always had many cats, and FireClan has how many..? Right, four. Well, it did found with five.." Silverwhisper said, giving a sharp look to Smokestep.

"That doesn't matter. Prophecy's can occur in any clan." Aspenmist said sharply.

"I do not have paitence for this!" A loud yowl broke out. It was DarkClan's 'leader'.

"My apologizes for our rude cat. We will remember not to bring her next time.' Aspenmist flinched.

As the gathering closed, Silverwhisper walked next to Aspenmist. Aspenmist was afraid to say anything. Once they got deeper into the forest, all the StarClan cats split off.

"Aspenmist? Can I talk to you for a moment?" Aspenmist snapped her head up in surprise.

"Huh? Sure, Silverwhisper." Aspenmist meowed.

"Follow me, then." She meowed. Aspenmist nodded and followed her.

"So, where are we going, then?" Aspenmist asked.

"The Swirling Pools." Silverwhisper mewed.

"What!? Is there trouble with any of the FireClan members? Or.." She started.

"Of course it is FireClan. It is you that I put in charge of them, after all. And of course, Lionbriar is helping, correct?" Aspenmist simply nodded to her elder's question.

"Then this is good. Her future is shaping just as we had planned." Aspenmist looked at Silverwhisper.

"Isn't it a bad thing that we shifted her memory though?" Silverwhisper smiled.

"Songbird said herself, that if she were to tell Sagestar his future, then he would try to follow it. We can't have her messing this up." She explained. Aspenmist swallowed.

Finally, after what had felt like moons of walking, they came to a stop.

"We've arrived." Silverwhisper meowed. The entrance to the Pools shone brightly.

"Let's go, then." Silverwhisper meowed, leading the way in. Aspenmist looked around. It had been awhile since she had been at the Pools. There were four big pools. They swirled, and splashed the water up onto the cave den.

"Watch where your walking." Silverwhisper warned. Aspenmist nodded. As they approached the back, there was a small pool.

"I want you to take a good look at Songbird." Aspenmist squinted her eyes as she stared at her old friend.

"What!? She's.." Silverwhisper nodded.

"I'm interested about how her clan will take it." Silverwhisper meowed.

"Does Songbird herself know yet?" Aspenmist asked.

"I'm not sure. So far, of her memories, I'm sure she's unaware." The pool began to glow.

"Hm? Oh, look. That's what I forgot to point out." She pushed her paw into the water as it glowed with star-like energy.

"Wait.. Isn't that Blazeclaw and Shyfoot with her?" Aspenmist asked.

"Yes. Lionbriar's kits. I'm sure they are unaware of his passing.." Silverwhisper murmured.

"Since you are her protecter," Silverwhisper started. "You should be the one to shape her dream." Aspenmist nodded.

"I'll get right on it."