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A blinding light filtered through the entrance to Cavernstar's den, disturbing his sleep. He blinked his eyes open after a long night's rest. The shining light burned his eyes, so he turned away. The leader was afraid. Was he losing a life? He hoped not.
Cavernstar was a new leader and still had all his nine lives left. He wondered how painful it was to lose a life. Would it be worse than gaining a life? He shivered. The fur on his neck stuck straight up in the air. Cavernstar tried to calm himself down, but his stomach kept on doing somersaults and flips. He felt sick and scared.
"StarClan?" he meowed, trying to straighten himself out. If this is StarClan, he thought, I have to look like a strong and responsible leader, even if I don't feel like one. He gulped.
Two ghostly cats appeared before the Brambleclan leader. One was small and petite with faint tabby stripes. The other was taller and stockier with a long tail and large ears. Both had faded over time, but there still was a lively sparkle in their eyes. Cavernstar was comforted by this.
"Hello, Cavernstar," the smaller cat meowed. "We are here to give you a message."
A message? the new leader thought. He wished it would be good news, like new kits in the clan or an abundance of prey. Cavernstar knew better, though. He breathed deeply, collecting himself. Even if it is bad news, I have to stay calm, he told himself.
"The wind that howls will guide you when all else is silenced," the larger warrior said. The tom added, "You may not be able to trust the forest, but the wind is trustworthy."
"The wind?" Cavernstar meowed. "What do you mean by the wind?" He was confused. How could he ever be a responsible leader if he couldn't even understand a message from StarClan? Cavernstar was saddened, but continued to listen to the ghost-like cats.
The small tabby warrior replied, "I have trust in you, Cavernstar." She noticed his fear. "You will find the wind, but you will have to do it on your own."
The tom nodded in agreeance. "Have faith, Cavernstar," he meowed. Slowly, his shape faded. The petite she-cat became nothing but a shadow, too.
The BrambleClan leader felt alone suddenly. He shut his eyes momentarily. He kept telling himself to stay calm for his clan. BrambleClan needed him to be strong. If hard times were ahead, they needed a good, healthy leader.
Cavernstar, scared and shivering like a kit, rested his eyes on the disappearing StarClan cats. "Thank you, but I don't know if I can do this!" He waited for a reply, but the warriors had already left.
The gray BrambleClan leader settled down in his nest again, weary after the night's scare. Nagging thoughts about the message he received from StarClan kept him from falling asleep, though. He feared for his clan. What would happen to them if he couldn't find wind? He sighed. Maybe if I get some more rest, I'll be able to think more clearly, he thought.
Cavernstar shut his eyes. Eventually, the overwhelming burden of StarClan's message lifted and he was able to sleep peacefully.
An hour or so later, his deputy, Creamtail, called into the leader's den, "Cavernstar, would you like me to send out a hunting patrol?" She meowed, "I think Sparrowflash said he wanted to go."
Cavernstar awoke. "Sure, that's fine," he said, clearing his throat. He stepped outside his den while quickly grooming his ruffled pelt. "Spruceflower and Poppypaw can go with him."
"Okay," Creamtail replied. "I'll go tell them. Thanks!" She leaped across the stepping stones that led up to Cavernstar's rocky den. The leader's large den was carved from the face of a rock, its entrance a gaping mouth. Lake water and sandy shore surrounded the den.
The aspect that Cavernstar appreciated most about his new den was how cool and open it was. He supposed that in leaf-bare it would be freezing, but in green-leaf it was wonderful.
The blue-eyed tom followed his deputy across the stepping stones. They were worn with age, but still served their purpose well. Pawprints were ingrained in the stone which helped the cats' claws to grip the slippery surface. On the other side of the wide lake was the apprentices' den. It was small and cozy, tucked inside a tree. To the left was the warriors' den; a clearing surrounded by three tall rocks.
Cavernstar traveled to the next den. It was the elders' den. Their den was underneath the overhang of a large, sky-high birch tree. Green leaves littered the forest floor, providing the elders' with a comfortable bedding.
Farther into the heart of the camp was a stone den called the medicine cats' den. Windfall and Featherpaw were always concocting their herb mixtures inside. The smell of marigold greeted Cavernstar outside. He quickly meowed a greeting to the busy workers and headed on.
Aside the medicine cats' den was the nursery. It was small, but roomy enough for newborns and their mothers. The nursery was a safe place; the den was guarded by tall reeds and brush. There was just enough room for a cat to squeeze through the entrance, but not near big enough for a badger or dog to.
The fresh-kill pile was just a few paw-steps away from the nursery. It was hidden underneath a blueberry bush. Green-leaf brought plump prey, so the fresh-kill was always packed those moons. In leaf-bare times were tougher. Prey became scarce and scrawny.
Cavernstar selected a pigeon from the fresh-kill pile. He carried it over to a nice hollow on the opposite side of camp. Scarletfur was finishing up a mouse when he arrived.
"Hey!" she meowed brightly. "How's your new den?" she asked.
"Good," he replied. "It's very big, especially for one cat!" he laughed. "I'm not used to sleeping alone yet. It gets a bit lonely in there." Cavernstar gazed across the lake, looking at his massive den.
"That makes sense," Scarletfur replied, "but it must be so nice! You don't have warriors like Sparrowflash who keep you up all night in there." She flicked her tail, annoyed.
Cavernstar nodded, sympathizing with her. Sparrowflash was his brother, so he knew how boisterous the gray warrior could be.
"Anyway," Scarletfur started, "I have to go. Creamtail assigned me to border patrol. See you, Cavernstar." She bounded towards the camp's entrance where Dreampelt and Dustpaw were waiting for her.
"Goodbye!" he called after the red-furred she-cat.
Cavernstar bit into his pigeon, enjoying its warmth and flavor. He had forgotten all about his prophecy and was looking forward to seeing how training was going with BrambleClan's apprentices. After his meal, the gray leader walked over to where Larkflight and Falconhawk were conversing.
"Hello," he greeted them politely. "How are Nightpaw and Lionpaw doing?"
"Great," Larkflight meowed. "They were hunting like warriors yesterday. Nightpaw really has improved her hunter's crouch."
"Lionpaw's working on his climbing. He's getting really good!" Falconhawk added.
"That's great," Cavernstar meowed. "Where are they now?" he questioned the two mentors.
"They are gathering moss together," Larkflight said. "We woke them up bright and early." Her eyes shone and sparkled. "Those apprentices are such sleepy-heads."
"Thanks!" he told Larkflight. "I have a task for them. The fresh-kill pile is getting too big for the blueberry bush," he explained, "so I was thinking Nightpaw and Lionpaw could gather leaves and brush to extend the bush."
"Great idea!" Falconhawk commented. "I'll go get them," he said while jogging off in the direction of the camp entrance.
Larkflight told her leader, "I'll start clearing the fresh-kill pile now." She trotted over the blueberry bush and scooped her paw underneath it, hooking a sparrow in her sharp claws. She set the bird aside and continued on moving the prey.
Cavernstar was glad to have such a cooperative clan. They were such hard-workers and knew what was best for the whole BrambleClan. "I'm lucky," he murmured to himself. "StarClan is being so good to us this green-leaf." Memories of the message and prophecy from that night fluttered into his mind. He pushed them away. "Maybe it was all a dream," he meowed.
The gray BrambleClan leader settled down in his nest again, weary after the night's scare. Nagging thoughts about the message he received from StarClan kept him from falling asleep, though. He feared for his clan. What would happen to them if he couldn't find wind? He sighed. Maybe if I get some more rest, I'll be able to think more clearly, he thought.
Cavernstar shut his eyes. Eventually, the overwhelming burden of StarClan's message lifted and he was able to sleep peacefully.
An hour or so later, his deputy, Creamtail, called into the leader's den, "Cavernstar, would you like me to send out a hunting patrol?" She meowed, "I think Sparrowflash said he wanted to go."
Cavernstar awoke. "Sure, that's fine," he said, clearing his throat. He stepped outside his den while quickly grooming his ruffled pelt. "Spruceflower and Poppypaw can go with him."
"Okay," Creamtail replied. "I'll go tell them. Thanks!" She leaped across the stepping stones that led up to Cavernstar's rocky den. The leader's large den was carved from the face of a rock, its entrance a gaping mouth. Lake water and sandy shore surrounded the den.
The aspect that Cavernstar appreciated most about his new den was how cool and open it was. He supposed that in leaf-bare it would be freezing, but in green-leaf it was wonderful.
The blue-eyed tom followed his deputy across the stepping stones. They were worn with age, but still served their purpose well. Pawprints were ingrained in the stone which helped the cats' claws to grip the slippery surface. On the other side of the wide lake was the apprentices' den. It was small and cozy, tucked inside a tree. To the left was the warriors' den; a clearing surrounded by three tall rocks.
Cavernstar traveled to the next den. It was the elders' den. Their den was underneath the overhang of a large, sky-high birch tree. Green leaves littered the forest floor, providing the elders' with a comfortable bedding.
Farther into the heart of the camp was a stone den called the medicine cats' den. Windfall and Featherpaw were always concocting their herb mixtures inside. The smell of marigold greeted Cavernstar outside. He quickly meowed a greeting to the busy workers and headed on.
Aside the medicine cats' den was the nursery. It was small, but roomy enough for newborns and their mothers. The nursery was a safe place; the den was guarded by tall reeds and brush. There was just enough room for a cat to squeeze through the entrance, but not near big enough for a badger or dog to.
The fresh-kill pile was just a few paw-steps away from the nursery. It was hidden underneath a blueberry bush. Green-leaf brought plump prey, so the fresh-kill was always packed those moons. In leaf-bare times were tougher. Prey became scarce and scrawny.
Cavernstar selected a pigeon from the fresh-kill pile. He carried it over to a nice hollow on the opposite side of camp. Scarletfur was finishing up a mouse when he arrived.
"Hey!" she meowed brightly. "How's your new den?" she asked.
"Good," he replied. "It's very big, especially for one cat!" he laughed. "I'm not used to sleeping alone yet. It gets a bit lonely in there." Cavernstar gazed across the lake, looking at his massive den.
"That makes sense," Scarletfur replied, "but it must be so nice! You don't have warriors like Sparrowflash who keep you up all night in there." She flicked her tail, annoyed.
Cavernstar nodded, sympathizing with her. Sparrowflash was his brother, so he knew how boisterous the gray warrior could be.
"Anyway," Scarletfur started, "I have to go. Creamtail assigned me to border patrol. See you, Cavernstar." She bounded towards the camp's entrance where Dreampelt and Dustpaw were waiting for her.
"Goodbye!" he called after the red-furred she-cat.
Cavernstar bit into his pigeon, enjoying its warmth and flavor. He had forgotten all about his prophecy and was looking forward to seeing how training was going with BrambleClan's apprentices. After his meal, the gray leader walked over to where Larkflight and Falconhawk were conversing.
"Hello," he greeted them politely. "How are Nightpaw and Lionpaw doing?"
"Great," Larkflight meowed. "They were hunting like warriors yesterday. Nightpaw really has improved her hunter's crouch."
"Lionpaw's working on his climbing. He's getting really good!" Falconhawk added.
"That's great," Cavernstar meowed. "Where are they now?" he questioned the two mentors.
"They are gathering moss together," Larkflight said. "We woke them up bright and early." Her eyes shone and sparkled. "Those apprentices are such sleepy-heads."
"Thanks!" he told Larkflight. "I have a task for them. The fresh-kill pile is getting too big for the blueberry bush," he explained, "so I was thinking Nightpaw and Lionpaw could gather leaves and brush to extend the bush."
"Great idea!" Falconhawk commented. "I'll go get them," he said while jogging off in the direction of the camp entrance.
Larkflight told her leader, "I'll start clearing the fresh-kill pile now." She trotted over the blueberry bush and scooped her paw underneath it, hooking a sparrow in her sharp claws. She set the bird aside and continued on moving the prey.
Cavernstar was glad to have such a cooperative clan. They were such hard-workers and knew what was best for the whole BrambleClan. "I'm lucky," he murmured to himself. "StarClan is being so good to us this green-leaf." Memories of the message and prophecy from that night fluttered into his mind. He pushed them away. "Maybe it was all a dream," he meowed.
