Warrior Cats: The Thistle and the Feather

Chapter 6

   "Thistlepaw!" A hiss sounded through the darkness.

   It's too dark. He must be dreaming? Thistlepaw adjusted his sight, he could see gloomy dead trees, their branches bent in awkward ways. A dark river thrashed near him. What is this place?

   "Thistlepaw!" Another hiss. Thistlepaw turned around and saw blue eyes narrowed in the bushes.

   "Yes, yes!" The hissing cat was starting to frighten Thistlepaw, but Thistlepaw came towards and inside the bushes. On the inside he saw a brown tabby tom, his blue eyes glowed with evil and revenge.

   Thistlepaw widened his eyes as it spoke, "I am Lurking Shadow, I can make you leader of your Clan!"

   "Lurking Shadow?" Thistlepaw stuttered, "I've heard bad things about you."

   "Oh, but I've changed," Shadow hissed, "I have the power to make you leader! But you have to kill her." Shadow flicked to the end of the gloomy forest, where there was light. A silver she-cat with a torn ear stood there, frightened.

   Thistlepaw widened his eyes, she was so pretty! "Why?" 

   "Her name is... Echodusk," He choked, "Don't be fooled by her looks, she breaks your heart! I don't understand why she's in StarClan."

   "Why am I dreaming that I'm in the Dark Forest! I'll never kill her!" Thistlepaw growled.

   Shadow growled and nicked Thistlepaw's ear, "How dare you!" Thistlepaw ran into StarClan territory, "Leave me alone!"

   Echodusk tucked her tail around Thistlepaw, "Don't worry about him," She hissed, "He's a coldblooded murderer." The cats watched as two more toms appeared in the Dark Forest. One was a black cat with yellow eyes, he was young. Thistlepaw narrowed his eyes with disgust at the thought of Shadow training such a young cat to a devastating path. The other tom was white and fluffy, with black tabby stripes. They could've been great cats. 

   A tom appeared next to Echodusk and Thistlepaw, and stared in the direction of the white and black tabby tom in the Dark Forest. They looked very similar, the Dark Forest tom's eyes turned dark, and he turned into the shadows. The others followed.

   "My brother," The StarClan tom sighed.

   Echodusk mewed, "Don't worry Dust, he chose this path. And now that even his soul is corrupted, he misses you."

   Dust looked at them, "I suppose," And faded away.

   Thistlepaw looked at the StarClan she-cat, "Who are you?"

   Echodusk purred, "I fell in love with him when he met me on the islands. But I remembered that my love for Crag was stronger." A brown tom with a scar that reached from the top of his eye to his neck appeared.

   "Our kits are on the journey to your Clans," She sighed, "They are much older than just kits now, but we talked to them in their dreams, that they should leave. Now that Grace and Hiss, the other residents on that island have passed. Those islands are rotten with terrible memories. They want to join your Clans, which ones I don't know. But that isn't the point of why you're here."

   Crag disappeared, and the two cats walked upon the starry hills of StarClan, "A great trouble is coming, Thistlepaw. Warn your Clan. Warn them. It's a trouble that StarClan cannot help you with, or fight themselves. But you and your sister are destined, Thistlepaw. Warn them."

   Echodusk and StarClan territory started to fade, "No! No! Come back! Tell me more!" A chuckle sounded, "There's no more to tell you."

*()*()*()*()*()*

   "Wake up, Thistlepaw! Nettlestar is announcing who is coming to the Gathering!" Thistlepaw opened his eyes groggily to Featherpaw shaking him. He focused on what she said, announcing who is coming to the Gathering? He jumped up, he wanted to go!

   Nettlestar was in the middle of the clearing, snow was starting to fall, "I want these cats to come to the Gathering with me, Thistlepaw, Featherpaw, Darkclaw, Willowfoot, Rocktuft, Larkstripe, Timberleap and Gorsestorm." 

   The moon was ever so close to Moonhigh, Thistlepaw and his sister proudly walked with the group. Since there was a truce on Gatherings, they could pass peacefully on BreezeClan's land. The cats came to a clearing where four big oak trees stood tall and old. On each tree was the marking of the Clan, and where they sat. On the rock, was carved markings of the Clan symbols as well, to mention who sat where.

   LightningClan sat under the tree which was slightly taller than the others and watched as the other Clans came. Nettlestar sat patiently sit on the Rock of Stars.

   The leaders leaped up onto the rock, whilst their deputies below them. Flamestar was the first to step forward, "RainClan is well, our stock of fish is well. We have two new warriors, Fallowsplash and Whitescar!"

   The Clans cheered their names, "Fallowsplash! Whitescar! Fallowsplash! Whitescar!"

   Cinderstar stood, "We also have two new warriors, Brindletooth and Breezegorse."

   "Brindletooth! Breezegorse! Brindletooth! Breezegorse!"

   "I say it with great sadness that our oldest elder, Tallear, has joined StarClan. She served GloomClan long and well, and we returned to her those seasons of rest. Now she eternally rests with StarClan."

   The Clans went silent with grief, only a few murmurs sounded. Memories that come cats had shared with Tallear.

   "A great mother!" A voice rasped. Cinderstar flinched, Thistlepaw wondered why. Gorsestorm bent down, "Tallear was Cinderstar's mother."

   "A noble warrior!" Another voice, younger, rang through the clearing.

   A few warriors cheered her name, everyone else gradually joined in, "Tallear! Tallear!"

   Flamestar spoke, "Let this be a new rule of the Warrior Code, after the death of a cat is announced at a Gathering, let her name be cheered to celebrate the life they had."

   The other leaders nodded in agreement, the moon seemed to shine brighter in approval of their decision.

   Owlstar spoke, "BreezeClan is well on rabbits," He glared at Nettlestar, "And we are still keeping up our patrols to make sure no one takes interest in them."

   Thistlepaw sighed.

   Nettlestar glared back at Owlstar, "LightningClan is well. Darkclaw,  has moved to the elder's den recently."

   "Thank you for your service," The Clans whispered.

   "We have two new warriors as well, Bouncestep and Yellowgaze!"

   "Bouncestep! Yellowgaze! Bouncestep! Yellowgaze!"

   "LightningClan bids every Clan the best of luck through the coming seasons of leaf-bare." Nettlestar hopped down and led his Clan back to camp.