Owlfern of Cougerclan sprung onto Starlingpetal, who went limp in her grasp then slithered out from under her. Owlfern caught her again but clumsily and ended up getting dragged across the training clearing. "Hey!" she yelped, her claws scraping on the dry earth. Starlingpetal laughed and scrambled out of Owlfern's grasp. "I wouldn't want to be attacked by you," she meowed. Owlfern scraped the grass with her claws. "Maybe I need to get better," she queried.
"No, you were good." Starlingpetal looked serious but Owlfern still felt uncertain. As she padded back to camp, she realized that a loud yowling was echoing around her. Owlfern picked up speed and raced back to the camp. Fireclaw, Windhare, and Applenose rushed over to her, looking rather ruffled. "A lion is in the camp," Fireclaw meowed, looking scared. "We can't protect the kits and elders, we need more warriors!" Owlfern nodded abruptly and bounded back to camp.
She spotted Gustbreeze and Honeyflash, the two queens, hissing and spitting with fury as the lion tried to get into the nursery. Clawtooth and Flamingfern were hurridly putting poultice on wounds as more cats lined up with survere injuries. Cougerclan was dieing! Owlfern rushed into the battle and began fighting the lion. She darted in and clawed the lion's flank; it turned to growl at her, fury flashing in its eyes. Suddenly, Starlingpetal appeard, excitment flashing in her eyes. Owlfern stared at her angrilly. "A battle is nothing to be happy about," she hissed. "I know. But I have an idea.
We can all run around him, then dash in when he doesn't know and attack him." Owlfern nodded slowly. "That might work. Lets tell the others." "Gustbreeze! Honeyflash! Sleetfur! Whiskernose! Burningnose!"
The five warriors quickly padded over to them, curious and weary. "What is it?" Asked Sleetfur, his pelt clumped with blood. Owlfern nodded to Starlingpetal. "Tell them your plan." Starlingpetal looked embarrassed as she meowed, "We could all run around the lion then dart in and attack him when he's not looking." Sleetfur looked interested, and so did all the others. "It'll be worth a try," meowed Gustbreeze.
So the seven cats took their places around the lion; the lion looked confused and a bit scared. "Start running!" Yowled Starlingpetal. Owlfern began running, her paws light and quick. She darted in and tore a chunk of the lion's mane off. It roared indignantly and turned to attack her, but she had already started running again. Owlfern spotted Gustbreeze and Sleetfur darting in to attack the lion at opposite ends. It whipped its head around both sides, looking nervous now.
Owlfern darted in again and knocked its hind paws out from under him. It wailed, scrambling up as all seven warriors clawed it, and exploded out of the camp. Owlfern wiped blood from her muzzle with a hind paw. "That was easy," she purred. Sleetfur padded over to her and stared around the camp. "Maybe for you, but not fur me or the others." Owlfern gasped when she noticed a deep cut on his flank. "How did you get that?!"
She asked, astonished. Sleetfur shrugged. "I got clawed. No big deal." Owlfern nudged him towards the medicine den with her nose. "Go to Clawtooth. He'll know what to do." Sleetfur shrugged and padded off to Clawtooth and Flamingfern.
* * * *
Nightstar, Flashstar, Lightningstar, Yellowstar, Darkstar, and Poisenstar stood on a high boulder that seemed to stretch out forever. The moon shone high in the sky, full and round, that reassured Shadewing. Nightstar spoke first. "Prey has been running well, and all of our warriors are strong. We are thriving under the excellent weather." He moved over to let Flashstar speak. "A lion came into our territory, but it was chased out. Our warriors are healing well." A couple gasps came from the crowd, but Flashstar dismissed them with her tail and moved to the back of the boulder to let Lightningstar speak. "Prey has also been running well, and we have two new apprentices: Shadepaw and Gustpaw."
The cats below murmered their approvel while the two apprentices puffed out their chests. As Yellowstar, Darkstar, nd Poisenstar spoke, Shadewing began to realize that something was wrong. Voices whispered some somewhere around her. She silently got to her paws and padded out of the crowd to see Ebonystar, the old leader of Fireclan, staring at her. "There are five cats from each clan that have unspeakable powers, powers that can save the clans from the evil that is coming." Shadewing frowned. "What evil? And what cats?"
Ebonystar was starting to fade, but he had told her barely anything! She needed to know. "Just tell me what cats have powers," she pleaded. Ebonystar was gone, but Shadewing could make out whispers. "Shadewing of Fireclan, Rainstrike of Foxclan, Owlfern of Cougerclan, Echowind of Nightclan, and Rabbitleaf of Pineclan. Meet them outside of clan territory and tell them this message." Shadewing smiled. Now that she knew the names, she could find the cats! But then she was confused.
Her power? She shrugged the thought away and padded back to the gathering, in which was breaking up. Shadewing looked around for Rainstrike first, and spotted her in a group of Foxclan cats. She bounded over to her. "Rainstrike, meet me and four others outside of clan territory tonight." Rainstrike frowned. "Why?" Shadewing didn't respond, instead went searching for Fernleaf. She saw her chatting with another cat.
Shadewing ran over to her and quickly told her about the meeting place, then went to Rabbitleaf, Owlfern, and Echowind. Shadewing looked up at the sky afterwards. The moon was full, with no clouds covering it. Starclan must be happy, she thought, starting to pad after her clanmates, who were departing from the gathering place. Then she felt worry well up inside of her. What if they don't meet me outside of clan territory? Shadewing quickly pushed the thought away. They will, or else the clans will die...
* * * *
Rabbitleaf padded quietly outside into the forest. He had to sneak away from his clan, and had to lie to them just to be able to go out into the forest. I hope this is worth it, he thought grimly. Out in the forest it was warm, with birds chirping overhead. As he neared the end of the border, Rabbitleaf heard meowing. He spotted Shadewing, along with the promised four others. He hurried over to them, racing over his scent line. "Why are we here?" He asked, panting.
Shadewing turned happily to him. "Oh! You're here! Thats all of us!" Echowind frowned at her. "So...Why are we here? Is it important?" Shadewing nodded. "We all have powers, powers that we use everyday and never notice." Fernleaf glared at her. "And hedgehogs fly." "No, really!" She stared at them all, pain flashing in her eyes. "I can turn invisible." Rabbitleaf, Fernleaf, Owlfern, Rainstrike, and Echowind all stared at Shadewing in surprise, but she had disappeared. "You...you really can!" Gasped Echowind. "Yes, now please tell me your powers." Rainstrike went first, looking rather nervous to have everyone watching her. "I can see forever, anywhere." She stepped back, embarressed. Fernleaf went next. "I can smell and hear everything." Owlfern looked at them all, fear flashing in her eyes. "I can kill a cat with one blow. I hate my power, but its mine and I can't get rid of it." She stepped back as Rabbitleaf padded up into the center. "I can read minds." Gasps came from the cats around him, and, embarressed, he stepped back. Echowind stepped in last. She had been standing at the edge, looking panic-striken as the other's went. "I can...I can inflict pain on a cat from any distance. It doesn't matter what kind of pain; hurt, depression, anger, death...anything." This time the whole crowd's eyes lit up with fear. "I won't hurt anyone, I promise!" The crowd relaxed, their fur flattening. Shadewing sighed with relief. She had found all the cats with powers. They could now save the clans from the evil that was coming, whatever it was.
Next Section
****************
TO BE CONTINUED...
"No, you were good." Starlingpetal looked serious but Owlfern still felt uncertain. As she padded back to camp, she realized that a loud yowling was echoing around her. Owlfern picked up speed and raced back to the camp. Fireclaw, Windhare, and Applenose rushed over to her, looking rather ruffled. "A lion is in the camp," Fireclaw meowed, looking scared. "We can't protect the kits and elders, we need more warriors!" Owlfern nodded abruptly and bounded back to camp.
She spotted Gustbreeze and Honeyflash, the two queens, hissing and spitting with fury as the lion tried to get into the nursery. Clawtooth and Flamingfern were hurridly putting poultice on wounds as more cats lined up with survere injuries. Cougerclan was dieing! Owlfern rushed into the battle and began fighting the lion. She darted in and clawed the lion's flank; it turned to growl at her, fury flashing in its eyes. Suddenly, Starlingpetal appeard, excitment flashing in her eyes. Owlfern stared at her angrilly. "A battle is nothing to be happy about," she hissed. "I know. But I have an idea.
We can all run around him, then dash in when he doesn't know and attack him." Owlfern nodded slowly. "That might work. Lets tell the others." "Gustbreeze! Honeyflash! Sleetfur! Whiskernose! Burningnose!"
The five warriors quickly padded over to them, curious and weary. "What is it?" Asked Sleetfur, his pelt clumped with blood. Owlfern nodded to Starlingpetal. "Tell them your plan." Starlingpetal looked embarrassed as she meowed, "We could all run around the lion then dart in and attack him when he's not looking." Sleetfur looked interested, and so did all the others. "It'll be worth a try," meowed Gustbreeze.
So the seven cats took their places around the lion; the lion looked confused and a bit scared. "Start running!" Yowled Starlingpetal. Owlfern began running, her paws light and quick. She darted in and tore a chunk of the lion's mane off. It roared indignantly and turned to attack her, but she had already started running again. Owlfern spotted Gustbreeze and Sleetfur darting in to attack the lion at opposite ends. It whipped its head around both sides, looking nervous now.
Owlfern darted in again and knocked its hind paws out from under him. It wailed, scrambling up as all seven warriors clawed it, and exploded out of the camp. Owlfern wiped blood from her muzzle with a hind paw. "That was easy," she purred. Sleetfur padded over to her and stared around the camp. "Maybe for you, but not fur me or the others." Owlfern gasped when she noticed a deep cut on his flank. "How did you get that?!"
She asked, astonished. Sleetfur shrugged. "I got clawed. No big deal." Owlfern nudged him towards the medicine den with her nose. "Go to Clawtooth. He'll know what to do." Sleetfur shrugged and padded off to Clawtooth and Flamingfern.
* * * *
Nightstar, Flashstar, Lightningstar, Yellowstar, Darkstar, and Poisenstar stood on a high boulder that seemed to stretch out forever. The moon shone high in the sky, full and round, that reassured Shadewing. Nightstar spoke first. "Prey has been running well, and all of our warriors are strong. We are thriving under the excellent weather." He moved over to let Flashstar speak. "A lion came into our territory, but it was chased out. Our warriors are healing well." A couple gasps came from the crowd, but Flashstar dismissed them with her tail and moved to the back of the boulder to let Lightningstar speak. "Prey has also been running well, and we have two new apprentices: Shadepaw and Gustpaw."
The cats below murmered their approvel while the two apprentices puffed out their chests. As Yellowstar, Darkstar, nd Poisenstar spoke, Shadewing began to realize that something was wrong. Voices whispered some somewhere around her. She silently got to her paws and padded out of the crowd to see Ebonystar, the old leader of Fireclan, staring at her. "There are five cats from each clan that have unspeakable powers, powers that can save the clans from the evil that is coming." Shadewing frowned. "What evil? And what cats?"
Ebonystar was starting to fade, but he had told her barely anything! She needed to know. "Just tell me what cats have powers," she pleaded. Ebonystar was gone, but Shadewing could make out whispers. "Shadewing of Fireclan, Rainstrike of Foxclan, Owlfern of Cougerclan, Echowind of Nightclan, and Rabbitleaf of Pineclan. Meet them outside of clan territory and tell them this message." Shadewing smiled. Now that she knew the names, she could find the cats! But then she was confused.
Her power? She shrugged the thought away and padded back to the gathering, in which was breaking up. Shadewing looked around for Rainstrike first, and spotted her in a group of Foxclan cats. She bounded over to her. "Rainstrike, meet me and four others outside of clan territory tonight." Rainstrike frowned. "Why?" Shadewing didn't respond, instead went searching for Fernleaf. She saw her chatting with another cat.
Shadewing ran over to her and quickly told her about the meeting place, then went to Rabbitleaf, Owlfern, and Echowind. Shadewing looked up at the sky afterwards. The moon was full, with no clouds covering it. Starclan must be happy, she thought, starting to pad after her clanmates, who were departing from the gathering place. Then she felt worry well up inside of her. What if they don't meet me outside of clan territory? Shadewing quickly pushed the thought away. They will, or else the clans will die...
* * * *
Rabbitleaf padded quietly outside into the forest. He had to sneak away from his clan, and had to lie to them just to be able to go out into the forest. I hope this is worth it, he thought grimly. Out in the forest it was warm, with birds chirping overhead. As he neared the end of the border, Rabbitleaf heard meowing. He spotted Shadewing, along with the promised four others. He hurried over to them, racing over his scent line. "Why are we here?" He asked, panting.
Shadewing turned happily to him. "Oh! You're here! Thats all of us!" Echowind frowned at her. "So...Why are we here? Is it important?" Shadewing nodded. "We all have powers, powers that we use everyday and never notice." Fernleaf glared at her. "And hedgehogs fly." "No, really!" She stared at them all, pain flashing in her eyes. "I can turn invisible." Rabbitleaf, Fernleaf, Owlfern, Rainstrike, and Echowind all stared at Shadewing in surprise, but she had disappeared. "You...you really can!" Gasped Echowind. "Yes, now please tell me your powers." Rainstrike went first, looking rather nervous to have everyone watching her. "I can see forever, anywhere." She stepped back, embarressed. Fernleaf went next. "I can smell and hear everything." Owlfern looked at them all, fear flashing in her eyes. "I can kill a cat with one blow. I hate my power, but its mine and I can't get rid of it." She stepped back as Rabbitleaf padded up into the center. "I can read minds." Gasps came from the cats around him, and, embarressed, he stepped back. Echowind stepped in last. She had been standing at the edge, looking panic-striken as the other's went. "I can...I can inflict pain on a cat from any distance. It doesn't matter what kind of pain; hurt, depression, anger, death...anything." This time the whole crowd's eyes lit up with fear. "I won't hurt anyone, I promise!" The crowd relaxed, their fur flattening. Shadewing sighed with relief. She had found all the cats with powers. They could now save the clans from the evil that was coming, whatever it was.
Next Section
****************
TO BE CONTINUED...
