Closed Thread Mourning Flowers

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Body stoic, Palestar was the image of an enduring leader, everything she thought her clan needed to see her as. But inside, the lynx point she-cat was shook to say the least. It wasn't uncommon for her mother to take a stroll around the territory, and the marsh flowers were a favorite of hers to visit in bloom, but shed never forget the feeling of despair she felt when she saw her body slung along the back of Heronsong.

She wanted nothing more than to press her snout against the side of the cat who raised her and keep her scent with her forever, but the scent was already fading. She never wanted it to fade, and sitting in vigil, her odd eyed stare was a thousand fox lengths long. She didn't catch the grey she-cat gaze when she looked over at her. Instead, her voice was steady. "Petalstorm was a cat you could always rely on. I'm only sorry I wasn't there for her."

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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Sootpaw came traipsing back into camp as the vigil was at its peak, having been chosen for burial detail. He found the spot, and now had to wait for the vigil to conclude before stepping in and escorting Petalstorm to her final nest.

Sootpaw had never seen his mentor look so dejected. He wanted to press into her, something - anything to provide some sort of support. But as of right now he really had only been a thorn in her paw. A pain that stopped her from doing important leader duties - a burden.

After a moment of hesitation the apprentice slowly crept forwards, keeping his head ducked and belly close to the ground. He had an obligation to honour Petalstorm; she was his clan mate too. But once he was done he resolved to return to the apprentice den and stay out of sight and out of mind.

The last thing Palestar needed was to remember he existed.

Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night
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Palestar, too, seemed to wait. Eyes baring forward as if waiting for Petalstorm to simply get up and walk back to the cozy spot in her nest. It dawned on her then that she'd never again have her guidance at her leisure - it would be through the voices of Starclan that could visit her. Somehow she knew the elder would have been eagerly welcomes among their ranks and that she was watching over them now. She refused to let despair take her - although her heart wasn't stone. Heronsong brought an unusual glimmer to her odd colored eyes.

"She wasn't fond of green-leaf - the heat always irritated her skin, and the humidity set an ache in her bones. We all wish for our loved ones to remain with us, but there comes a time when Starclan's call becomes too great." The she-cat tone had softened to a near whisper in the moonlight, the marsh air tingling with the remnant heat. When her head finally turned she spied a black and white shape slink forward, trying to remain overlooked, but Palestar frowned. Not because the apprentice's mere appearance had soured the mood, but because he thought he needed to be invisible.

"Petalstorm always believed that every young cat needed some sort of wisdom of guidance. Stories were a big part of how she taught. Sootpaw - do you remember anything she might have told you, to honor her memory here?" The length of her bushy tail flicked in his direction, before it lay, rested beside her, inviting him to her side.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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Sootpaw froze up when his mentor called upon him. Seems he still had a way to go in being stealthy - although sneaking up to a vigil was kind of a lost cause. Palestar was frowning at him again... he ducked his head in... shame? embarrassment? He wasn't sure. Although surely, he deserved it after his pathetic excuse for hunting.

"Petalstorm told me about a few tales from before I was born. Before you were born even!" He couldn't quite keep his usual bubbly attitude out of his voice - forcibly tamping it down as he continued.

"I...do have one that comes to mind. The story of the modern clans."

He hesitated before launching into the tale. There was time for worries - but right not was not one of them. If he could do anything to make his mentor feel better, it was do a good job at one thing she told him to do.

“Before Shadowclan, there were cats, beyond the likes that we could imagine!” He took up pacing – as he tended to do. “Our ancestors walked the lands as golden-haired giants. Among the first were the cats who found the Moonstone. They are the ones who led the other clans to commune with Starclan. These giants were the leader and medicine cat of Lionclan – the ancestors of those who ruled the land unchallenged! That was before the coming of the monsters. Before the Twolegs.”

Sootpaw bounced over to Heronsong, now lost in his own storytelling. “Those Twolegs! They came, with sharpened, stone claws and far-biting sticks!” He poked the she-cat in the side with his paw for emphasis. “They killed without thought and were too stupid to understand us. Our clan – Lionclan – was at a loss.”

“But it wasn’t just Lionclan. All the clans were desperate. How could they not be? What could they do to save their homes, the lives of their kits, the very land they walked upon in the face of such cruelty?” Sootpaw continued as he made a wide arc around the assembled cats, trying not to tread on anyone’s tails. “But it was then that the Lionclan leadership made a decision. Together with Tigerclan, Jaguarclan and Cheetahclan, they sent a prayer. An appeal to Starclan. A bid for assistance and guidance. All the Leaders and Medicine Cats gathered at Highrocks wondered the same thing. How were the clans to survive?”

He paused, debating if he wanted to embellish or just get to the point of the story. This was Petalstorm’s final tale; and she had done such a wonderful job when she had first told it to him. Sootpaw steeled his nerves and continued – with gusto.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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Sootpaw bounded across the camp, his shadow cast every so slightly by the dull moonlight peeking through the brambles. “Starclan answered their question! They said ‘To those that remain, travel to Fourtrees on the next full moon. No cat can be left behind.’ The Leaders and Medicine cats were aghast! To leave their homes undefended – and make a final stand at Fourtrees? The ideas seemed reckless. But… they chose to put their faith in Starclan’s teachings and each vowed to appear under the full moon.”

“On that faithful night, Lionclan set out from camp – elders, kits, and all. The day had been bleak, and with so few warriors remaining, the trek to the Fourtrees was perilous. Fighting against time they wove this way, and that - avoided the Twolegs, darting through the meager cover that would hide them.” Sootpaw darted between two warriors, just like he imagined the giant golden-furred cats had to do. They were probably better at it than he was.

“As they waited for their pursuers to lose interest, the Leader turned to the Medicine cat. ‘Wouldn’t it be easier to avoid Twolegs if we were a little bit smaller? I almost wish I could sneak through the bushes like a rabbit.’

‘Nonsense!’ answered the Medicine Cat. ‘How else would you hunt herons? Any smaller and they would take you away.’

But the night progressed more and more cats fell to the claws of the Twolegs. The Leader had to wonder – was this worth it? How on earth would Starclan save them from this attack? But they pressed on, trusting the promise of their ancestors.” Sootpaw stopped and turned back to his mentor once he noticed that he had been staring up at the night sky. He hoped that Petalstorm was listening up there.

“As the moon rose over the boughs of the Fourtrees, Lionclan arrived. Their numbers thinned, exhausted, and bloodied. But they had made it. The other clans arrived soon after; each with only a few remaining – all worried about the fate of the clans. But as the moon rose to its zenith… they arrived.”

“Starclan came to the gathering that night.” Sootpaw’s eyes glimmered at the thought. The idea that his ancestors would come down from the sky to greet him – that he could share tongues with the ancient cats from the stories – was exhilarating.  Although… every time Starclan came down to talk to the clans something really bad was happening. On second thought, maybe he didn’t want to see a Starclan cat. But he also had to because before he became a warrior, he had to visit Highrocks! He almost purred at the idea before remembering that not only was he telling a story, but he was also at a funeral vigil. Purring would be very strange and very disrespectful.

“Ahem. Uhh.” He recollected his thoughts. “Oh, right– Starclan appeared.” Sootpaw smiled sheepishly.

The aim of an argument is not victory, but progress
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 “They appeared slowly amidst the looming fog that began to engulf Fourtrees; their glowing forms the only source of light in the darkness. The cats of Lionclan began to panic – they couldn’t see! What was happening?! As a horrible storm began to brew, a single voice rang out above the panic. A Starclan cat – perched above all on the apex of the GreatRock, spoke these words.” Sootpaw glanced around, before hopping back over to the Talking Spot and mustered as much dignity as he could.

“‘A time of change is upon you all. Great Cats cannot survive in such a place and compete with the beasts that walk on Twolegs. A smaller and more agile cat, however, can. It shall be so. You shall be made into what you must become!’” Sootpaw tied to feel like an important cat – like Palestar looked when she made announcements. What was it like, to be as old as the clans themselves? What sort of announcements would they be able to make. Perhaps the old clans had stood where he now did once – and told these same stories.

The thought was comforting somehow.

“On that night! Thunder struck! And cats split; one became many.” Sootpaw added some of his own sound effects – for dramatic effect of course. “Rain pummelled and the cats split! One became many! Wind whipped, and cats split! One became many.” He stopped and met the eyes of his onlookers. “Shadows choked. Cats split. And one became many.”

He stepped down from the Talkingspot – embracing the shade of night again. “The cats of Lionclan – the darkness changed them that night.” His eyes instinctively glanced over to the nursery where Dazzlekit and their sibling lay sleeping. That must be how they felt – to be turned back into the size of a child. How long would that take to get used to? “No longer were they great giant beasts of gold, but the size of mere kits. Small and lithe, with fur of tan, ivory and black. They had been cloven in two – two cats for individual who came to the gathering. Lionclan was afraid – how were they to defend themselves from the other clans with their new forms? But as they looked around the spotted beasts and striped monsters no longer existed. They had been split; cut in twain just as Lionclan had been. The cats of Starclan returned, flowing like fireflies from the remnants of the thunder, rain, wind, and shadows that stole the giant’s forms away. The GreatRock speaker’s voice rang out again – clear as thin ice. 

“‘Leaders of the Clans! You are to continue to lead your clans as before – but you no longer must bear this burden alone. Leaders alone before, now with Deputy, it shall always be.’ The two cats that originated from the leaders of Lionclan, Tigerclan, Cheetahclan and Jaguarclan came forward in turn.” He nodded in respect to his sire and Palestar.

“Tigerclanner! Split by Thunder!
You shall be Thunderstar and Lightningclaw of Thunderclan!

Jaguarclanner! Split by Rains!
You shall be Riverstar and Ragingrapids of Riverclan!

Cheetahclanner! Split by Winds!
You shall be Windstar and Swiftstrike of Windclan!

And… Lionclanner. Split by the Shadows.
You shall be Shadowstar and Shadefur of Shadowclan!” Sootpaw grinned subconsciously, tilting his head with fondness for cats he had never met, but somehow knew.

“The Leader and Deputy were given a duty. They gathered the cats split by the elements. They were to rebuild the clans from these new cats – who were too small, too clever, and too swift for Twolegs. They were granted the honor of bestowing names upon their clanmates. The Deputy was to lead the clan when the leader could not and take on the mantle when their Leader could go no further. Never could there be Leader without Deputy. Deputy without Leader. For they were one and the same.” Sootpaw trotted back over to the vigil.

“Next, Starclan called upon their most faithful followers. ‘Medicine Cats! Step forward!’”

“Tigerclanner! Split by Thunder!
You shall be Galeclaw! Stormpaw will follow in your footsteps!
Go forth and heal Thunderclan!

Jaguarclanner! Split by Rains!
You shall be Quickstep! Snowpaw will follow in your footsteps!
Go forth and heal Rainclan!

Cheetahclanner! Split by Winds!
You shall be Treeclimber! Mintpaw will follow in your footsteps!
Go forth and heal Windclan!

And Lionclanner! Split by the Shadows!!
You shall be Farsight! Goldpaw will follow in your footsteps!
Go forth and heal Shadowclan!”

“By the grace of Starclan, the Medicine Cats gained a successor. An apprentice they would train so knowledge was no longer be lost from generation to generation.” Sootpaw smiled at Fluttershine. He hoped she didn’t feel bad about Petalstorm’s death. Last time he had visited Petalstorm seemed healthy – more than healthy! A sick cat doesn’t end up all the way at Thunderpath after all – with caught prey at that. It was thanks to their Medicine Cat’s hard work that Sootpaw even got to hear this story at all!

“This tale tells us why the Clans live as we do now. With a Leader, and a Deputy.” He flicked his tail at Palestar, and his sire in turn. “A medicine cat, and apprentice.” Sootpaw finally took a seat.

“The moral of the story is up to you. It could be that Twolegs are evil creatures. It could be that we are all from the same mind and body – and should treat each other like it. But I think it’s about… how our ancestors care about us. They may be gone from Shadowclan, but they won’t abandon us in times of need. So even when we goodbye – she is already here again. Fighting beside us. And beside Lionclan.” Sootpaw dipped his head, not sure what to say or do now that the story was finished. He hoped Palestar didn’t mind the added flourishes. At least he was pretty sure Petalstorm would have appreciated them.