spottedmoon
Apprentice
Love=Its a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.
Posts: 76
|
Post by spottedmoon on Apr 1, 2007 23:29:22 GMT -5
Comments are welcome. tell me what you think.
|
|
spottedmoon
Apprentice
Love=Its a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.
Posts: 76
|
Post by spottedmoon on Apr 1, 2007 23:31:04 GMT -5
Chapter 1
As Lilly stumbled along the path on the forest floor like a newborn kit, for, in fact, she was, she trembled with fear. She was no more than a hand full of fur, but she was courageous, even so young. Her fur, white as snow, was sodden with rain. And though her emerald green eyes shown with perseverance, she felt like she could sleep a moon. She and her siblings, Moon, an entirely gray she-kit except for a perfect white star on her forehead, and glittering amber eyes, Cinnamon, a bright orange tom, with deep blue eyes, and Pepper, a speckled white-gray-black tom with eyes the deepest and purest green they almost look black, were being lead by a massive ginger tom, named Stripe, for indeed he had many stripes of dark russet colored fur running down his entire body, followed by deep brown, almost black fur, who they knew as there father. He was covered with water from the relentless rain but continued on. Lilly recalled that this was their third den move since there mother died 2 weeks before. She deeply missed her mother, a pastel calico queen, Spot. The only reason her siblings and she were alive is because they were ready to be weaned when her mother died. Stripe said it was a disease called greencough, though Lilly had no idea what greencough was. Stripe also said that she was weakened as she was from having 4 kits to take care of. They were barely 2 moons old. And they still needed the care of a mother to look after them.
Stripe led them through the forest with startlingly swiftness, for a tom with kits in-tow. And he had good reason for it too. They were in ThunderClan territory now and he... he was a loner, though he used to be a kittypet, that life he could not live with. The kits mother used to be a kittypet to until she found out they were to have kits together and he offered her a better life outside kittypet softness. He thought he could protect her from everything, but he was wrong. And he thought grimly it’s my fault she’s dead. But this was no time to remember such thoughts; he had to get these kits to safety. The rain had slackened back to a light drizzle, when he scented another cat, a cat of ThunderClan. It was a lean battled-scared tabby tom with blue eyes sparkling with hatred. Along with him a beautiful silver tabby strode out of the bushes. "Back down Swiftfoot. This is not your place." Swiftfoot threw her a look of defiance but said nothing, for he would not disobey his leader, Miststar. Now as Miststar approached Stripe, he bared his fangs at her afraid of what she and her accomplice might do to his kits. He would die for them before he would let any harm come to them from this cat, though he did think that she was a beautiful cat. "Wait," he told himself, "I can't start this, not after Spot." "Stop." Miststar told Stripe. "Stop. We have no need for violence, with kits around. After all you must be these kits father, and you must also want the best for them." She was sitting there so calmly that he let his hackles fall flat, straightened himself and groomed Moon and Pepper’s rain sodden fur, since the rain had turned to nothing but a light mist. After he finished with Pepper, she asked him politely "Who are you? Where are you from?" He felt uneasy about answering those kinds of questions, but for some strange reason he was compelled to reply to this she-cat. "I… I am Stripe," he stammered, "and these are my kits, Lilly, Moon, Cinnamon, and Pepper," he pointed to each kit in turn, and continued on "Their mother died a few weeks ago. She was my mate, Spot." As he answered he felt a sense of calm overcome him as though Miststar had taken all his worries away. Almost as if none of it ever happened.....
As Miststar led them back towards her camp, Lilly was wondering how far they would have to travel. “My paws are dropping off!” she whispered to herself. As she was speaking, she smelt a new scent. A scent she didn’t recognize, but one that smelt like the pretty silver tabby that was leading them. Miststar she reminded herself. For some reason Lilly felt that she should remember that name. Soon the strange scent became overpowering, so much so that Lilly had to stop and rub her nose in some leaves, but that didn’t help because they carried the strange smell, also. Only when Miststar lead them through a thorn tunnel did Lilly realize that they had reached the entrance to her camp. As Lilly emerged into the watery-gray day light, for there were no trees in the middle of camp to shelter the cats from the rain or the sun, she blinked around and found herself looking at groups of cats gathered all around the clearing. Some looked scared, others looked guarded, while still others looked hostile, but all of them stared at them with curious gleams in their eyes. Only one in the crowd looked friendly, and Lilly realized there was something different about her.
Stripe scrambled into the clearing as Miststar let out a high pitched meow that gathered every cat’s attention. They all turned to find 5 new strangers stumbling through the entrance. As the clouds cleared a bit to let more sunlight into the clearing, Stripe noticed a familiar scent overcome him, above all the other scents. As he gazed around he noticed that there was only a couple faces in the crowd that were welcoming, one of which, he realized, looked deathly familiar. “Spot!” he almost said aloud. Deathly was the correct thought because Spot was dead, but how could this cat look so much like her? “Stripe!” she cried out. How could this strange cat know his name and look so much like Spot? Stripe realized too late that this meeting was unlike anything he would ever encounter in his life. He also realized that this had to be Spot, no matter what he knew about her being dead.
|
|
|
Post by Star on Apr 4, 2007 18:45:19 GMT -5
Ooh... I like it! Keep up the good work!! ^^
|
|
spottedmoon
Apprentice
Love=Its a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.
Posts: 76
|
Post by spottedmoon on Apr 5, 2007 22:38:34 GMT -5
will you read more?
|
|
spottedmoon
Apprentice
Love=Its a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.
Posts: 76
|
Post by spottedmoon on Apr 5, 2007 22:39:37 GMT -5
Chapter 2
A few days earlier……
A dark shape rose out of the mist that covered a large oval shaped clearing. As the dark shape ran towards a tree at the outer edge of the clearing, it looked for a space in the tree below. At the base was a small tunnel that lead under the tree, and the dark shape, that was a tan she-cat with dark stripes, scuttled under the tree. Then she called out a soft, “Miststar. Miststar, are you awake?” “I am now,” Miststar called back, with a slight edge to her voice for being disturbed in the middle of the night. “Is something wrong? Have you had a sign?” Miststar was now more alert and worry clouded her green eyes. “I have had a sign, Miststar. One that will shape the future,” the she-cat replied. “Well, what’s wrong Windrose?” Miststar prompted when the silence stretched on a little farther than it should have. “Starclan have spoken,” but once again she was lost for words. “Well,” Miststar prompted again for she was out of temper now. And so Windrose began:
“Six have come, but too many are chosen, Four were forced to come, for they had no choice, They have also been granted great futures.
With the Rush of Wind, All will be laid out for them.
With the Run of Moon, And Frost of Wood, With the Eagle of Ice, And Blue of Foot, With the Crystal of Cloud, And the Clove of Heather, With the Dawn of Heart, And the Freckle of Night,
From these will come great courage, To see the future, And face the Dotted Fog with bravery, As they will for the Dark of the Shadow.
Together they will face a Heart of Steel, And a Foot of Swift, Together they will come away in victory, But only if they face this together, For without each other, all is lost,
Together, also, a great mystery of a life, Will be revealed to them, A mystery beyond compare.
Shall only one fall a-stray, Destruction will prevail,
For them, a guide shall be granted, The Wolf of Two has been prepared, And guided in our steps,
It is as I have said, now go, go and prepare the prophesied ones, For theirs is the only way of survival.”
As she concluded Miststar stared at her, with fear glittering coldly in her eyes. “How can this be? We have suffered far too much lately, for such a devastating prophecy,” but as Miststar spoke she realized she knew that answer already. It had already started happening before her eyes. She told herself that she was overreacting as she started speaking again, “What can this mean? This: ‘With the Run of Moon, And Frost of Wood. What is it suppose to mean, along with the rest of it? Who or what is the ‘Heart of Steel’ that they will face? And what is ‘the Wolf of Two’? Is it referring to a wolf? There haven’t been wolves around here for many moons before both my mother and I were born. What is a ‘Wolf of Two’? Is it two wolves in one body?” the words stared tumbling out incoherently as she stammered with questions unasked and, also, unanswered. “Steady now. We can’t have our leader with knots in her fur. We shall work this out together. And with my soon to be apprentice, Rushkit, if you don’t mind, that is? She needs the practice. And with so few prophecies coming to us, this might be the time to train her,” came Windrose’s careful reply. “But how? Why? We already have enough to deal with. We can’t even prepare the prophesied ones, because we don’t know who they are. And with the…. well you already know what’s going on. How can we deal with that and this?” Miststar shot back. “I have a feeling that something awful is happening, but I don’t know what.” “I have the same feeling Miststar, I do. But like I said before, we must work this out.” And with that, Windrose scuttled out of the den and back to hers.
As dawn-light shown dappled through the branches that covered the medicine cat’s den, Spottedmoon, looked out into the day light. She sighed and wished that she could be out there, learning the ways of the forest, as all of the other cats new it, and for her to become accustomed to it being her home. A crackle came from behind her. It was Windrose approaching her. “It is time that you leave my den; you have recovered from the Greencough. I will discuss this with Miststar later, but for now you should eat and, if you’re up to it, maybe help Rushkit organize the herbs. Now for my meal,” Windrose’s voice trailed of as she walked over to the freshkill pile. Spottedmoon sprang up and padded over to the pile, but as she selected a pair of mice, a voice hissed at her, “You’re ill, stay away from the freshkill!” and without another warning a tabby blur barreled into her, knocking her away from her food. “Windrose has given me an all clear this morning. I am free of Greencough! Now let me up,” She spat at her opponent, who, she realized, was Swiftfoot. “Not until Miststar convinces you that sick cats don’t belong anywhere near the clan’s food, or have you forgotten that everyone has to be feed from this pile?” Swiftfoot spat back. And, with a beckon of his tail summoned Miststar from the corner of the camp, where she, silently, was watching. But by the way Miststar was tensed up, it was clear she was unhappy for Swiftfoot, her own deputy, to attack another of his clan. “Why have you done this? You of all cats, this is not warrior code as I was taught it. No cat attacks another of his clan, or have you forgotten that, yourself? Maybe I should select another cat from this clan to be deputy, since the current one seems to know nothing about the warrior code,” she hissed angrily at Swiftfoot, and he shrank away from her, expecting her of everyone to back him up. “Bu…But she’s ill!” he stammered. “Windrose has given her free roam of the camp. And everyone knows that the camps Greencough has faded since New-leaf has begun,” Miststar retorted. And with that the argument was over, and the fur was flattening. Swiftfoot realized Spottedmoon with a hiss, but dared not to start another argument. Something about him isn’t right, thought Spottedmoon. He seemed too quick to jump to conclusions and he is too ambitious for his own good.
|
|
|
Post by Snowywhisker on Apr 18, 2007 19:11:10 GMT -5
Nice! I like it. Its suspenseful, its wellwritten........ITS GREAT! Keep writing! I want to read more!!
|
|
spottedmoon
Apprentice
Love=Its a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.
Posts: 76
|
Post by spottedmoon on Apr 19, 2007 23:51:32 GMT -5
ok ;D i have 11 chappies currently but i am working on more. unfortunatley i cant work very fast because of school. so i shall post Chapter 3 and 4 but then i have to have at least 1 comment from someone to post 5
|
|
spottedmoon
Apprentice
Love=Its a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.
Posts: 76
|
Post by spottedmoon on Apr 19, 2007 23:54:57 GMT -5
Chapter 3
As Spottedmoon adjusted to life in the clan, life got a lot more challenging, especially the next morning, after her first night in the warriors den. Spottedmoon had been dreaming of a tantalizing mouse, when she felt a branch prodding her flank. She woke to find Dottedtail, a tabby Thunderclan she-cat, standing over her. “Miststar has called a gathering. Her patrol with Swiftfoot is back and they have brought several rogues with them,” she explained. “Hurry up, they can’t wait long,” and with that she dashed out of the den. And though Spottedmoon was still drowsy from sleep, she leapt up and raced out of the den after Dottedtail. As she came into the clearing she saw a hauntingly familiar face. “Stripe!” she called to him. How could this be? she thought. He must have been caught by the patrol. I bet Swiftfoot was angry. This is the second time in barely two weeks that he has caught rogues. As Spottedmoon sprang forward to greet Stripe, she heard him gasp, “Spot!” “Stripe! It’s me, Spot. Now, though, I go by Spottedmoon as the Warrior Ancestors told Miststar. Stripe?” she questioned when she saw the disturbed look on his face, “It’s me Stripe. I’m not dead. Miststar came upon our den a dawn after you left. She had her warriors carry me back to Windrose, that’s our medicine cat, and she healed me.” The words tumbled out of her mouth as she spoke breathlessly. “How? Why? Did they make you stay here? Do you like it here, better than our previous life?” he faltered with the last word. “Should we stay here?” he asked when he recovered from the initial shock. “Of course. They have already accepted me as a warrior,” she told Stripe. “Hush. Your staying here will be decided by Miststar and Miststar alone,” spat Swiftfoot and shot them a menacing look. “Ignore the furball,” Spottedmoon whispered to her old mate. “Bit bossy, isn’t he?” Stripe asked, though it truly wasn’t a question.
Miststar spoke next. “We have found 5 additional rogues in our territory. And as some of you may have guessed, it appears that they are Spottedmoon’s mate and kits. Therefore we will accept them into our clan. Without question,” Miststar corrected quickly when she saw Swiftfoot open his mouth to protest, “That is, of course, if they are willing to stay?” “Of course we will stay. Thank you for your gracious offer, Miststar,” said Spottedmoon before Stripe could say anymore about his doubts. “I do have one question, though,” continued Spottedmoon, “Where will I be staying? I’m sorry if the question seems a bit odd, but what about my kits? Will they be staying with me?” “Yes, tonight you will sleep in the nursery with your kits,” answered Miststar. “If any other cat has concerns, please speak to me in a moment.” And with that the gathering was over. Spottedmoon saw Swiftfoot, Rowanpelt, and Cinderfoot stalk over to the place where Miststar was sitting, talking calmly to Windrose. She knew that they were up to no good.
As Spottedmoon led her kits over to the nursery, she pondered about their names. They all could have clan names, Lillykit, Moonkit, Cinnamonkit, and Pepperkit. Yes, I think I will keep their names the way they are. But, will the clan accept their names? After all, the moon plays an awfully big role in their daily lives. Wait, never mind. As a queen I have the right to name my kits what I wish. But little did Spottedmoon know that her decisions may lead to more trouble than they were worth.
|
|
spottedmoon
Apprentice
Love=Its a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.
Posts: 76
|
Post by spottedmoon on Apr 19, 2007 23:56:54 GMT -5
Chapter 4
As Spottedmoon awoke, she heard anxious murmuring in the clearing. Telling her kits to stay in the nursery she swiftly padded over to the base of Miststar’s Tree, where the commotion was. “Surly that can’t be?” she heard someone mutter. “What has Miststar said about it?” asked another. “Enough!” came Miststar’s commanding voice. “Spottedmoon,” she was beckoned to the base of the roots, “Will you please announce the names of your kits to the clan? It seems that their may have been some confusion as to what their names are.” Oh, no. This is about my kits. Stripe must have told them about Moon. No wait, Moonkit. “As you may know my kits were named Lilly, Moon, Cinnamon, and Pepper. As their mother, I would like to keep their names the same, with the exception of adding kit to the end, that is,” Spottedmoon said to Miststar in a hushed voice. “Then they will stay that way, if that is your wish,” she promised to Spottedmoon. “Cats of Thunderclan, Spottedmoon has declared the names of her kits to me. They are as follows: Lillykit, Moonkit, Cinnamonkit, and Pepperkit,” but Miststar’s last two names were almost drowned out with howls of outrage. One voice in particular, Swiftfoot, called, “You can’t be serious Miststar. That rogue evidently knows nothing of the warrior code. She can’t name that kit Moonkit. It goes against our warrior ancestors.” “You are too bold, Swiftfoot. I have declared the kits name and it shall be Moonkit. Furthermore, it is not her choice, but mine that names the kits,” Miststar concluded. Miststar also stared out into the crowd, daring anyone to challenge her decision. “There is another issue to discuss, Stripe please come forward,” she called. As Stripe stepped up to the base of the roots, he heard hisses of disapproval obviously this was to be his naming ceremony, also. “Spirits of Starclan, you know every cat by name. I ask you now to take away the name from the cat you see before you, for it no longer stands for what he is. By my authority as clan leader,” Miststar spoke the word my with great emphasis upon it, “and with the approval of our warrior ancestors, I give this cat a new name. From this moment on he will be known as Runningstripe, for he is swift and has many stripes’ running down his pelt.”
Miststar concluded the ceremony with such pride on her face that Spottedmoon wondered how long the uneasy peace in camp would last. After all, she thought, some of the trouble is my fault. What if somebody, like Swiftfoot, takes his anger out on Miststar? Would she be forced to drive us from our new found home? But she did not wish to imagine what might happen if it came to that.
As Spottedmoon settled down in the nursery, she tucked Moonkit especially close for fear of her safety. Then as the sun rose in the sky, she realized she was quite tired from fighting for her kits names. Soon sleep overcame her like a black wave of water.
|
|
|
Post by Snowywhisker on Apr 20, 2007 17:25:10 GMT -5
Love them!! Keep them coming!! They rock. You are a very talented writer, Spottedmoon
|
|
spottedmoon
Apprentice
Love=Its a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.
Posts: 76
|
Post by spottedmoon on Apr 20, 2007 22:33:55 GMT -5
thx i like to write this story. its cool to write.
|
|
spottedmoon
Apprentice
Love=Its a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.
Posts: 76
|
Post by spottedmoon on Apr 20, 2007 22:34:57 GMT -5
Chapter 5
Lillykit tumbled outside the nursery with her siblings and Whitekit and Snowkit, two other kits slightly younger than herself. Almost 4 moons had pasted since the naming ceremony and she felt at home in the forest now. She could barely even remember that day in the forest when Miststar and Swiftfoot had discovered her, her siblings, and her father. Lillykit was excited because, in a few short days, she would become an apprentice. But for now, she was playing clan leader in their silly games. As Moonkit and Whitekit where locked in a mock fight, Lillykit jumped on top of Pepperkit, leader of ShadowClan, in an attack that was meant to over throw his power. Swiftly, though, Pepperkit spun around and knocked Lillykit to the ground. With the advantage of size, Pepperkit leaned over Lillykit and said in a soft hiss, “Still not fast enough, sis.” And with that the game was over, ShadowClan, Pepperkit, Whitekit, and Cinnamonkit, had won the game. With all their energy spent, they huddled together in a pile upon entering the nursery. Lillykit heard her mother and the mother of Snowkit and Whitekit mewing softly. “Frosteyes, don’t you think they grew so fast?” “Oh, Spottedmoon it’s always that way. Flowerpaw and Daisypaw seem like they were kits only two dawns ago and now they are almost warriors.” “But you must be so proud……” “Of course I’m proud, but I do miss them…..” Lillykit’s hearing soon was drifting out of consciousness and into sleep.
Lillykit trembled with excitement. Tonight she would be made an apprentice! She longed for the day to draw to a close so that her and her siblings could be made apprentices and finally explore the forest with their mentors, but the day seemed to drag on for moons. Finally when the sun had begun to sink towards the horizon, Miststar called the clan together with the familiar “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather below Highroot (the topmost root under Miststar tree) for a clan meeting.” As Miststar began Lillykit only grew more excited. But her heart sank when Miststar spoke. “We gather here this sunset to name new warriors. Daisypaw, Flowerpaw please step forward.” With that Miststar jumped from Highroot down to the forest floor so she was eye level with the apprentices. “I, Miststar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turns. Flowerpaw, Daisypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your lives?” Miststar’s voice rang clearly into the clearing. However the apprentices weren’t as skilled in speaking in front of the clan and their voices were slightly shaking as the sounded in unison, “I do.” “Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Flowerpaw, from this moment you will be known as Flowerfoot. StarClan honors your courage and wisdom and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.” Miststar rested her muzzle upon Flowerfoot’s bowed head and Flowerfoot licked Miststar’s shoulder respectfully. “Daisypaw from this moment you will be known as Daisyheart. StarClan honors your bravery and strength and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.” Miststar rested her muzzle upon Daisyheart’s head, also, and Daisyheart licked Miststar’s shoulder. A loud purr could be heard from Frosteyes’ throat. As Flowerfoot and Daisyheart stepped back into the crowd with some other warriors, the clan chanted their new names, “Flowerfoot! Daisyheart! Flowerfoot! Daisyheart!” “Tonight,” sounded Miststar, “you must sit in silent vigil until dawn, but that can wait until we accomplish one more thing…..” as Miststar’s voice trailed away she looked fondly at Lillykit, Moonkit, Cinnamonkit, and Pepperkit, and with a beckon of her tail, they approached Miststar. Hurriedly she also beckoned Dottedtail, Rowanpelt, and Cinderfoot out of the crowd.
“From this day forward, until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be named Moonpaw. Dottedtail, you are ready for your first apprentice. You will begin Moonpaw’s training. I expect you to pass on all that you learned from Cedarfur to Moonpaw, and share with her the courage and loyalty you learned from Cedarfur.” Moonpaw bounced forward to meet her new mentor and to gently touch noses with her. “From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be named Cinnamonpaw. Rowanpelt, you have trained many apprentices, and they have made fine warriors.” Rowanpelt purred at his leaders praise. “You will be Cinnamonpaw’s mentor, and I expect you to pass on all of your strength and forethought to Cinnamonpaw.” With that Rowanpelt touched noses with Cinnamonpaw and led him back into the crowd. “From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Pepperpaw. Cinderfoot, you have also show great mentoring skills and I hope you pass on all you know to Pepperpaw.” Cinderfoot clumsily touched noses with the excited Pepperpaw. “From this day forward until she has earned her warrior name, this apprentice will be named Lillypaw. As I have no apprentice, I will take on her, because I see great promise in her. I will pass on all that I have learned over the years to her.” And with that she touched noses with Lillypaw and led her into the crowd. Lillypaw thought excitedly Wow. I have the clan leader as my mentor! This is the best day ever. As Lillypaw and her newly apprenticed siblings continued to the apprentices den she thought she would never fall asleep.
|
|
spottedmoon
Apprentice
Love=Its a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.
Posts: 76
|
Post by spottedmoon on Apr 20, 2007 22:36:34 GMT -5
sorry for the shortness and for skipping 4 moons but they were uneventful and quite boring, as the kits wouldnt venture far from camp and the main POV is that of the kits and their mother.
|
|
|
Post by Snowywhisker on Apr 26, 2007 16:41:15 GMT -5
Its amazing!! I love it!! Keep these chapters comin!!
|
|
spottedmoon
Apprentice
Love=Its a short word, easy to spell, difficult to define, and impossible to live without.
Posts: 76
|
Post by spottedmoon on Apr 26, 2007 21:13:48 GMT -5
thanks!
|
|