Closed Thread [Closed] Here's Hoping for a Story! (19FG20)

What I dream, the day might send. Just around the riverbend.

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A purposeful tongue swiped at the clefts of her toes, spreading the thin skin where she could target her pads. Here she bathed herself, wrapped snuggly in her den spot of moss and fur, the sleepiness far gone from her teal gaze as she lay, eyes half lidded in her task of giving herself a good morning cleaning.

Otterwhisker's ears gave a twitch at the direction of her name being called from the den's entrance, and she peered above her outstretched leg. Yet it was only a kit - Mintkit to be exact. An amused sort of smile graced her face as she lowered her leg, tail motioning the kit forward as he stared pensively inward.

"Welcome yourself in. Don't be shy. I've been awake for some time now." The mink colored she-cat gave a small stretch. "Is there something you need, young one?"

What I dream, the day might send. Just around the riverbend.

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It was nice to have a visitor in the morning, and one of Duckfeather's kits, no less. Indeed, she had watched them grow from afar, and now since they were old enough to be about generally by themselves if they managed to stay out of trouble, she hoped that they'd be so considerate to stop by.

While she tried to give the kit her undivided attention, she was still very much in the middle of her bit of self grooming - a skill that she hadn't lost due to her age. In the warmer months she was just as nimble as any warrior. Well, a warrior well into her prime, but nevertheless she wasn't helpless. With a lick of her paw, she mewed. "A story about Starclan, huh? I wonder which one that was." Musing with considerable amusement as teal eyes regarded the kit kindly.

"Well, isn't that thoughtful of you, dear?" Came her warm purr as he brought up a transaction between tale and prey. No kit could resist a good story, after all.

"I'll have you know that I've already had myself a little bite to eat earlier this morning, but that doesn't mean I won't still offer you your second story of the day, now. Why don't you come over by me and get comfortable."

What I dream, the day might send. Just around the riverbend.

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Otterwhisker's maw twisted with a plesant amusement at the kits retelling of his morning so far. Already fed one story and now he wanted another, well, well. "It's a very important story, that's for sure. Two Legs are dangerous creatures who can't be reasoned with." If only Two Legs were intelligent enough to speak, maybe their differences could be overlooked.

Nodding sagely, the she-cat gave her paw a lick before swiping it over her ears. "The Bloodstar story? Ooh, you mean the Story of Markedkit. It's one of my favorites, so I don't mind retelling it - and I don't mind keeping you from your den." With a wink, she cozied into her sleeping nest of fluff and feather, elevating herself comfortably against a half pile of moss before she smiled.

"So... let's begin. The Markedkit Prophecy." She would wait to see if the kit himself got more comfortable before continuing, adding a bit of dramatic flair as the length of her tail curled around her form.

What I dream, the day might send. Just around the riverbend.

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His excitement could have been infectious before he clambored into a attentive loaf to listen to her tale. What a polite, kind little tomkit. It was clear Duckfeather had raised the kits to be respectful of their elders. Partially clearing her throat, she began, her voice searing with a soft intensity as she retold the legend as she remembered it.

"It happened a very long time ago, a time where the forest had been seated in a five year war. Starclan had promised a kit to be born, and during a leaf bare truce, that kit was a cream ticked she-kit that lay in Thunderclan's nursery alongside her grey ticked brother. Born of the Thunderclan leader, Bloodstar wondered just what he should do with his daughter - who was born with a perfectly marked star on her chest.

Proudly, he named her Markedkit, and informed the rest of the clans that she was the prophesied kit - but who would believe the words of Bloodstar? What do you think the other clans did to see if Bloodstar was telling the truth?"

What I dream, the day might send. Just around the riverbend.

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Otterwhisker waited patiently for the kit to speak, noting how thoughtful he seemed indicated how sincere he was in hearing a good story.

"That's right, Mintkit. The rest of the clans sent their medicine cats to determine whether or not Bloodstar was telling the truth. When they arrived, they could not deny it - the kit had a clear star on her chest. At the time of the next Gathering, Riverclan's leader, Ashstar, with wisdom - suggested that Markedkit be raised by all of the clans, shared to bring peace, and not be another Thunderclan warrior, but Bloodstar would have none of it and leaped at Ashstar. A fight broke out between the two leaders, turning Starclan from the Gathering. Yet it was worse for Thunderclan, whose medicine cat, Tangleheart, attacked Bloodstar to try and stop him, but Bloodstar called upon Starclan and right then and there, cast Tangleheart from Thunderclan that very night giving her the new name of Stoneheart."

She allowed the severity of the situation to set in, her somber voice especially empathetic towards the wise Riverclan leader who thought to bring peace with such a measure, but impeded by the violent Thunderclan leader.

What I dream, the day might send. Just around the riverbend.

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The sense of distressed came clear to the she-cat as she retold the story. It was only natural that a kit would come to such conclusions, and by all accounts, Bloodstar, in her opinion, had been quite mad. The fact that he was, in a way, ordained by Starclan was appalling to her. In this case, however, it did make for a compelling story.

"Bloodstar was, indeed, violent and irrational - and Starclan did see fit to punish him for his reckless behavior. After the Gathering, Thunderclan was without a medicine cat and Bloodstar lost one of his nine lives to infection from Ashstar's blows. It was only through the preservation of the Medicine cats did Crestedback, Medicine Cat of ShadowClan, come to Thunderclan's aide. Crestedback trained an apprentice for them and served as healer in that time, preventing many deaths through his kindness... But what of Markedkit and the prophecy? What would happen to her, and would the clans continue to push Bloodstar to give his daughter the opportunity to meet and understand the rest of the clans?"

Her tail rested lightly on the aged kit, hoping to garner some excitement as the bravado broke through her purr.

What I dream, the day might send. Just around the riverbend.

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Whsikers twitched in good humor as she held the older kit within those teal eyes, the smallest smile on her maw as she recalled the first time, perhaps, she heard this legend for herself. She reacted much in the same way. Once Mintkit had calmed down, she continued, sure to pause and accentuate the details as she saw fit.

"Bloodstar heard no end to the demands of the other clans, and when Markedkit turned four moons old her father took her to her to finally meet the clans. Yet the night wouldn't bring peace - instead, it brought the monsterous roar of a thunderous Monster through the clearing.

Bloodstar leaped at the Monster with a Twoleg on its back, but the tom was tossed aside like he was a limp fish. In the chaos, Markedkit became separated from her family and ran hard to her father, but the awful Twoleg reached down and snatched her up, carrying her away on the Monster.

After they were gone, Bloodstar jerked back into his body returned by StarClan to the news of the Markedkit’s abduction at the paws of the Twoleg. It seemed there was nothing they could do, so dejected, the clans returned to their own territories.... but this isn't the end of the story, Mintkit."

"How are you doing dear?" She mewed, hoping she wasn't too long winded. The kits hadn't approached her often for a yarn. This would be good practice for her own kits, she imagined with a purr.