Secrets of the Dead

Lightningstrike stirred. Opening one amber eye, he winced as he remembered what had happened in the dream. His mother had died giving birth to him and his littermates. Shaking his head, his eyes widened, and he cautiously weaved his way through sleeping cats. The tom shouldered his way through the entrance to the den and crept out into the moonlight. Looking up at the moon, he swore he could see three pairs of eyes; two green and a blue pair. Shaking his cranium again, he looked back up at the moon, but the round surface was clear. Lightningstrike shivered and snuck past the apprentices' den. Feeling a chill in the air, and a light breeze sweeping past him, he shivered and smelled the faint scent of a ThunderClan cat, mixed with death. The tom could feel a pelt brushing past him, and words being whispered in his ear. "Follow me!" a faint whisper came from beside him, causing the tom to jump. Stiffening as his mother's and father's scent flooded over him, the tom flicked an ear. Lightningstrike relaxed and followed the she-cat out of camp. As they were almost to the river, he stopped. "Who are you?" he hissed, his tail tip flicking in annoyance. The she-cat stopped, and Lightningstrike realized he could see her a little bit. She was a black cat with light green eyes and white ears and paw tips. "Dapplepaw?" he asked in amazement. "Yes. I have brought you here, and Coalheart went to fetch Cloudpool. Minnowflash might be coming soon." she answered, sitting down and curling her tail over her small paws. "Mom! Dad! Cloudpool!" he whispered happily.

Her dream was interrupted. Interrupted by the call of her name and the sweet, long forgotten aroma of her parents. Cloudpool! A familiar voice called to her in a hushed, distant voice. The light grey and white warrior flew open her sky blue eyes, only to see the faint outlines of sleeping cats. "It was just a dream, get back to sleep." Cloudpool told herself, and tried closing her eyes, but the voices and scents surrounded her, taunted her until she couldn't take it any more and rushed out of RiverClan camp, shaking her cranium violently.

"What do you want!?" She called out into the silent night, searching the stars for an answer. Then it hit her. As Cloudpool looked across the trickling river to see a handsome grey tom. She could barely recognise him, but as she strained her pale eyes she could make out who the stranger was. "Lightningstrike!" She gasped and rushed over to the cool water and waded through to greet him. "It's been such a long time!" The patched she-cat rubbed her white muzzle against his cheek and purred. "How are you? How's ThunderClan? Are you eating enough? Have you got an apprentice?" Too many to count questions fired from her maw, desperate to converse deeply with her half-Clan brother.

Only then did she feel the presence of another cat. "Who...? Oh, Dapplepaw, isn't it?" Cloudpool remembered seeing the apprentice along with the other ThunderClanners who tore the two surviving kits from their father, standing helplessly next to the lifeless form of their mother.

Lightningstrike purred. "I know! I missed you so much!" he whispered. Smiling at her line of questions, the tom sat down. "I'm good. ThunderClan's doing pretty well, and of course I'm eating enough!" he laughed, gesturing to his belly. Curling his tail over his paws, he thought of an answer to her last question. "Yes, I have an apprentice. Funny, because I just had my warrior ceremony before hers! Her name's Featherpaw, and she's learning fast. I just took her out to see the territory yesterday, and she learned the hunting crouches right away. She even caught two pieces of prey, pretty good for her first time." Lightningstrike answered, wondering if he was giving away information that should be kept in ThunderClan. Shrugging, he smiled again. This was his sister he was talking to! She wouldn't betray him.

Dapplepaw smiled at the siblings, aware that another shadowy cat stepped into the clearing. Turning to her mentor, she dipped her head. "Welcome, Coalheart." she greeted, watching her expression carefully. Turning to the young cats, she twitched her whiskers. "I am here to tell you about your parents. Coalheart is here." she informed.

Coalheart pushed her way through the bushes, dipping her head at her apprentice. "Hello, Dapplepaw." she mewed, turning to her kits. Her dark green orbs grew wider and she darted to the pair. "Oh, my kits! I've missed you so much!" she gushed, licking each of them on the cheek. Lightningstrike fidgeted as his mother greeted him, earning a mrrow of laughter. "How are things in RiverClan and ThunderClan?" she asked, a smile forming on her face. "Oh, and before you answer, do you two have mates already? You're so grown up!" she sighed happily.

An emotion of happiness was clear on Cloudpool's small face and she gazed at her brother in awe. "Wow, you must be a pretty good mentor." She chuckled at her last words and looked up at Silverpelt. "Do you think they are watching us?" She young warriors emotion changed to one of grief, remembering how her and Lightningstrike were the only surviving members -- Their mother died in child birth along with two of their siblings, and their father had committed suicide -- out of the six. Her banner swished round her side, smoothing the foliage beneath it as her blue eyes surveyed the glinting white dots in the black sky.

OOC: Oops lol sorry. I didn't get to edit fast enough.. Short post is short.

Lightningstrike nodded.

OOC: Ok, let's just rp as if they appeared before my post.

Cloudpool didn't concentrate much on what Dapplepaw was saying, but as soon as the words 'parents' and 'Coalheart' left the deceased apprentices mouth, she snapped her head around and her blue orbs grew wider as they rested upon the starry figure of their mother. "Mother!" The grey and white warrior gasped and rushed forwards, rubbing her small muzzle on Coalhearts shoulder. "I never got to know you and, and...." Cloudpool was too choked for the words to be spoken properly, but she eventually managed to say them. "I've missed you so much!"

Not much longer now...

Another starry figure was hidden in the shadows, the dark foliage almost visible through its pale form. "My children..." It whispered, too quiet for any of the near-by cats to hear.

Coalheart's ears perked and she slunk to the shadows. "Hello, my love!" she whispered, touching her nose to his.

Lightningstrike noticed his mom slink away, and stared into the shadows until his eyes hurt. "Cloudpool, there's something over there.." he mewed quietly, pointing his tail to the area where his parents sat.

Dapplepaw sighed. "Your mother and father were smart, young cats. After a while, Coalheart was found dead on the riverbank where you were born. Minnowflash's scent was all over the clearing." she explained.

OOC: I have no idea how what she told them is going to help anything.

Her blue eyes followed their mother to the shadows. "Hmm...It's probably nothing." Cloudpool shrugged, no hearing what her mother said the the thing and she turned back to Dapplepaw. "Of course my fathers scent was everywhere, he was probably there while we were being born." The patched white warrior frowned. She probably thinks Minnowflash killed her, but he would never do that! He committed suicide for StarClans sake!

Minnowflash stared at Coalheart. "Hush now , they do not know I am here and must not." He whispered for only Coalhearts ears and none others could hear the almost silent words.

Lightningstrike shrugged. "Oh well.." He turned his gaze away from the shadows, and closed his eyes, remembering the time when his mother and father were alive.

Dapplepaw recognized the look on the warrior's face. "I believe that your father did not kill Coalheart. He loved her, and I was there when you were taken away. The look on his face told me he did not do anything." she explained carefully.

Coalheart turned to her mate with pain in her eyes. "They must see you! I can tell they miss you!" she whispered softly so only Minnowflash could hear.

With a sigh, Cloudpool tilted her maw to the sky and her blue eyes examines the glittering stars. "It's such a beautiful night... Father is probably watching." A small hushed chuckle broke the chirping of crickets after a few moments. "He must be really proud of you, having and an apprentice and surely a mate by now, Lightningstrike." Amusement twinkle in her round eyes as she turned her skullage towards him, a smile curving at her fluffy cheeks.

"No, Coalheart." Minnowflash sighed and looked at his small paws. "I was a terrible father... I-I let ThunderClan take them away from me and t-then committed suicide instead of trying to get them back!" His light blue gaze shot to his mate, pain splattered all over his aging face.

Lightningstrike looked up, surprised. "I don't have a mate.." he stuttered, his cheeks heating up. How did Cloudpool know about all of this?!

Dapplepaw silently floated into the sky, making sure the young cats could not see her.

Coalheart sighed. "Please, Minnowflash! For me! For our kits!" she insisted, eyebrows scrunched up in a worried line. "You were not a horrible father. ThunderClan was wrong to take them away from you. You did nothing wrong." she whispered firmly, fixing her mate with an icy green gaze.

OOC: SCHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL ;_;
^ the reason this is late

Cloudpool smiled and nudged his shoulder, shaking her head a little. "Oh Lightningstrike, I bet you do but don't worry if you don't want to tell me." Then she realised how long their mother had been gone and turned towards the bushes, at which she stared at.

The small tom looked at the ground, unsure of what do do. Then he shot his head up as his starry body tingled with a soft blue gaze. "Cloudpool..." Minnowflash could hear what they were saying and was itching to dash out there and greet them. But what will their response be...I left them...If it weren't for Ashcloud then Cloudpool would be stuck in ThunderClan or would have died crossing the river! He sighed, and thought deeply before turning to his mate with worried icy blue eyes. "Let's go." The aging tom stood up on wobbly legs and padded out of the shadows.

Hearing rustling, Cloudpool narrowed her gaze as a...familiar...old tom emerged from the bushes. "Who are y-" She stopped, finally recognising Minnowflash. She did not know what to feel - Joy, hatred, over-whelming love, despise, excitement or fear. Instead she stared at him evenly, not giving in to her chosen emotion and sat upright. "Father."

Lightningstrike smiled as his father darted into the clearing. The tom purred and ran up to the dead warrior and sat down. "Hello, Minnowflash!" he mewed happily.

Coalheart broke into a loud purr and ran out of the bushes, sitting beside her mate. Casting a glance over at their daughter, she wondered if that was the right choice. The young she-cat had a straight face, and her emotion was unreadable. Shaking her head the tiniest bit, she smiled, not willing to let her emotions spill over too much; joy, pain, excitement, pride.. they were all threatening to flow out of hr soul.

A smile haunted the old cats muzzle as his handsome young son came up to greet him. "Hello, Lightningstrike. My, you have turned into a fine young cat, haven't you?" Minnowflash's light blue eyes scanned the grey toms shining pelt with pride. However, the warm feeling was soon destroyed by a smooth glare, burning into his forehead and heating his pelt. Not in a good way, it was like a burning sensation of a fire nearby, the flames almost licking at your fur leaving black singed marks. Cloudpool... The light grey warrior turned his head to his daughter sitting further away, her cloudy blue orbs narrowed to slits. "Cloudpool..."

As soon as he noticed their father, Lightningstrike had rushed up to Minnowflash like a hungry kit to it's mothers warm milk. Cloudpool gave in and glared at the old tom, betrayal building up inside her. She did not say anything, not yet. She would when the time was right...

Lightningstrike turned abruptly to his sister. "Cloudpool, what's wrong?! I thought you wanted to see father!" he whispered, anger slowly bubbling up inside him. Backing away from the she-cat, the gray cat stood firmly in front of his mother and father. The tom felt his pelt start to bristle, but only a little bit. He glared at her, not relaxing his stance.

Coalheart's eyes widened and sank down on her haunches. Narrowing the dark green orbs, she searched her daughter. Shaking her head, the she-cat thought about what had happened. I gave birth to them, then died, leaving them to their father. Then, ThunderClan came and took over the situation. Dapplepaw!..Anyway, Minnowflash couldn't get them back then committed suicide.. Coalheart hissed in frustration. The she-cat stood over her daughter, nose to nose. "Cloudpool, if my apprentice wouldn't have butted in, this wouldn't have happened. You would have still had your father. it wasn't his fault!" she growled softly, trying to be calm. "And if I wouldn't have fallen in love anyway, Dapplepaw wouldn't have nosed in and-and..." She couldn't bear the thought of not having the young tom and she-cat here.