The ancestors speak (closed for now, plot topic)

Stoneteller knew that at some point she'd have to tell the Clan cats that they must leave, but she had assumed she had time to wait; to confront this problem on her own alongside her tribe-mates. But her ancestors screaming in anger and fear rang through her head, she knew that she must suck it up. She must tell them and have them help her and her tribe-mates beat back the threat that loomed at their cave entrance. Sighing, she straightened from her thinking crouch and exited her cave, every bit the wise and undefeatable Stoneteller that she was as she walked to speak with the leaders of their Clans. When coming upon each leader, she tapped their shoulders and beckoned them to her cave, to discuss.

Having been fast asleep in hopes of resting away the pain that kept hold of his heart, Tinystar was awoken by a tap on the shoulder. Looking up from his nest with dreary eyes, stained from tears, as they had been every night since Moonlight's death, the little leader spotted Stoneteller, who had already begun to make her way away from SkyClan's resting area. What in StarClan's name could she want? Was this about that incident that had happened to him a few sunrises ago? Getting up with a twinge of uncertainty clinging to his pelt, he followed the she-cat as she woke up and beckoned the other leaders, which sent a wave of relief down his spine. So this wasn't about him and that tribe cat; good.

Following Stoneteller back to her nest, the stubby legged tom sat sat down as the other leaders moseyed along and joined them within a couple of moments. He was personally in no mood to be around any cat, even if there was some sort of urgent news that needed to be shared. "What is it?" he asked, trying to hold back a yawn as he looked up to the tribe cat.

Pricklebush's rest was uneasy. Though being with Hailpaw again was miraculous and he still had his mother, he was worried about his sister Ridgelight, as well as the rest of the Clan. He'd seen them all swept away by the flood... but he refused to believe they were dead. They had ti he alive. He'd lost too many people to have most of his family taken from him now. Surely, not even StarClan would be that cruel! After a restless few hours of tossing and turning, half-dreaming of cats' faces as they sank under the wave and half awake in terror, someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was Stoneteller- the Tribe leader. Curious, and somewhat grateful for the interruption of his unrest, he followed the she-cat. He almost had more respect for her than almost every other leader in the forest- Jaystar the code breaker at the top of that list. The sooner he got home and wasn't forced to associate with that tom, the better.

The leader woke up before Stoneteller could arrive. The big skinny cat woke up shivering, his paws shaking and fur bristling. He looked around scared, clearly stunned but what he had just experienced. Was that... Starclan talking to him? Was it just a dream or a message from them? The tom felt confused but that dream-or nightmare- was giving him hope. Did that mean his clanmates were alive down there? Before he could even get up, the she-cat showed up and beckoned him to join her. What timing... he thought to himself as he followed the dark-furred cat into her cave. Tinystar and Pricklebush were already there but there was no sign of Finchstar yet. Considering the cats Stoneteller was gathering, there was no doubt he would arrive soon. Maybe she had a similar dream and there was truly a way to get back!

A tap on his shoulder had Finchstar blinking drowsily. Through a sleepy haze, the mystical form of Stoneteller could be seen, weaving through the fog as if it was a part of her. "Do Tribe cats always rise so early?" The tom groaned, a playful tone in his voice. The sun had not yet graced the sky, and instead only left hints of its arrival, a pale hue mixing with the dark of night. The orange and white tabby shakily rose to his paws, watching as the strange she-cat padded deeper into the cave, beckoning him to sit with the other leaders of the clans. Finchstar let his mouth twist into a sly smirk, carefully curious of what this encounter could entail. If Stoneteller is gathering all of us... she must have something important to say... The leader warily padded over to the group, feeling a raw, tired cold grip his bones. It was the strange sensation of night, of being awake at a time when sleep was reserved. Mysterious, to say the least, but exciting.

Tinystar, Jaystar, and Pricklebush sat hunched around the gray tabby she-cat, looking just as curious as Finchstar felt. He took his place beside Jaystar, carefully wrapping an orange tabby tail around his paws. Two things had shocked the tom during his time here. One, Jaystar's seeming forgiveness for staying at Highstones when the stars had spoken otherwise. The silvery-blue cat didn't speak a judgemental word toward Finchstar during his time here. Through that, Finchstar had grown to respect the tom. The second thing was more predictable. But the comradery of his clanmates during this hard time was much welcome. Finchstar remembered his conversation with Aspenpaw, and a smile graced his maw. He wasn't the only cat dealing with turmoil. Sharing it with others was difficult, but eased the pain.

All eyes were on Stoneteller now, blue, yellow, and green. Finchstar smiled through the mystery. Whatever the she-cat was to reveal to the leaders would be meant with a grin. Maybe she was to praise their bravery, or maybe the she-cat wanted the clans to leave. No matter what happened, it would always be trumped by optimism. It hadn't failed Finchstar yet.

The Riverclan leader couldn't wait any longer. The screams and words of Starclan kept resonating in the back of his head no matter how much he tried to chase them away. Now he was certain that it was not a simple dream and the importance of what it meant had to be shared now, among the leader of each group. Moving his tail to one side in a manner to ask for permission, the tom cleared his throat and fixed his eyes on the four cats inside the cave. "I'm sorry if I interrupt you before speaking, Stoneteller... but I suspect that what you're about to say may have some relation with what I just experienced." He started, his muscles tense yet his voice was determined and strong.

"Starclan has spoken through me. I don't know why me and not Pricklebush like they have been doing for a while. Maybe is because of a recent visit I had with them before all this happened... but, no matter the motives of our ancestors, I can't ignore the facts or hide them from you... There's a monster. Here, in the mountains. A giant beast with sharp claws and fangs that lurk in the dark, tormenting your cats as well, Stoneteller. I saw him coming. He was going to attack the Tribe but something changed. The beast disappeared and suddenly everything was red... there was blood, puddles of blood and red-coloured pawprints. As I followed, I heard the sound of my home... the river, the leaves, the wind shaking the reeds. A sunrise showed and I saw the forest. Our home, back to normal." He mewed, a hint of hope in his voice as he looked into the other leader's eyes with a shine in his green eyes. For once since the flood happened, he had hope. It was time to go back and he knew it. Starclan was sending back to their home and roots. And Jaystar was not willing to miss a chance like this.

The tall cat stood up this time and landed his gaze from one to another cat. He flicked his feathery tail and continued, trying to remember each detail of the message. "And not only that... I saw my family. I saw the cats that were swept away. They are all down there... and they need our help. Before I woke up, I saw them all and a starry cat came to me saying these words: The Tribe's biggest fear stands in your path, and you must defeat it. From jaws as sharp as mountain peaks, the sun will rise as red as the blood on stones in the direction of a forest guarded by stars."

Turning in the direction of Jaystar, he should've assumed that the there would be some sort of earth shattering news and who better to share it than the RiverClanner. Listening as the younger tom spoke, it was all interesting, but he found himself... disinterested and even a bit annoyed, to say the least. So StarClan told them that they needed to defend the Tribe? Of course they did. For Silverpelt's sake, how hard was it for them to just return home? He would be forever faithful to StarClan, but what could they possibly still have against them to put them through so much?

"So you're saying that we're being forced to defend the Tribe?" the little legged leader asked somewhat bluntly. Initially, he hadn't wanted to say something so upfront, but he was done being indirect and wanted a clear answer, so what better way than to ask a straight forward question? "StarClan may have given you these words, but the Tribe has managed to stay around this long, so clearly this threat must be something they can handle. StarClan told us to go home and I say we head out as soon as we can; before a battle ensues and we lose even more cats," Tinystar finished, his gazed shifting from leader to leader. He already knew what the other leader's rebuttals would be; that they owed the Tribe protection for the food and shelter, but at this point, the Tribe was the least of his concerns. If his friends and family were alive and had already returned home, he wanted to be there... not in the damp, clammy cave that was potentially doomed for whatever reason.

Jaystar spoke of a dream, of pools of blood and battles raging. But he also spoke of hope. Of returning home. Finchstar tilted his head thoughtfully, watching the situation unfold with a sly smile. The cave almost seemed to shudder as Jaystar muttered the last words, a prophecy of sorts. This kind of news was bittersweet, a war to come, and more sacrifices to be made. But as a reward, their home. Finchstar wondered if the clans really needed to repay the Tribe's kindness with their blood. It was not a clan cat's battle to fight, and this beast Jaystar spoke of was not their issue. But these were the scales of honor. Either leave, and severe ties with a force so mystical and strong, or stay, and risk losing those they loved. But the one who I love is not here...

Before Finchstar could simmer on the fact, Tinystar opened his mouth to speak. He was confident, the orange and white tabby would give him that. Speaking in the face of danger, that took bravery. But perhaps the small white leader was choosing the wrong side. His concern for his clanmates was admirable, but Finchstar had reached a dilemma.

His yellow gaze fell to Pricklebush, a cat of wits and opinions. The words that would inevitably fall from his tongue would scour the cave, as well as those in it. But Finchstar had no desire to get burned.
Sleep still clung to his bones, and a tired state toyed with his mind. With a nonchalant yawn, the tabby took a single pace forward amongst the leaders. He was playing the game.

"I do admire your concern for your clanmates, Tinystar." Finchstar started, giving the smaller tom a respectful nod. "But we have a debt to repay. Stoneteller has been kind enough to let the clan cats stay and muddy up her cave, but can we even call ourselves warriors if our claws cannot draw blood outside our own territory?" The tom took a seat, giving Stoneteller a sly wink before continuing. "We can only decide on the intentions of our choices, not their outcomes. I have faith that every cat sitting here has only good intentions in mind for their clans and families." That small doubt began to crawl into Finchstar's heart once again. He had felt it first at his leader ceremony, and now here, walking amongst the giants of the forest. He was young, and felt several eyes boring into his pelt, threatening to burn holes into his fur. He squeezed his eyes shut for a flash of a moment, summoning all the confidence that resided in him, and took a deep breath. "I have a proposition, Stoneteller. You care for your cave-cats, and we care for our forest-dwellers. I have recognized the debt that we owe you, and I plan to repay it in full, but not at the cost of my clanmates' lives. If and when this beast makes an appearance, we will fight as warriors do, but if too much blood has fallen from my friends, I will not hesitate to fall-back." He gave each cat sitting around him a nod, feeling a spark flash in his heart. We will survive this, not even the greatest beasts can keep us apart. Oh, I have so much to tell you my dear... Once again his mind shifted to Brookclover. He could not let himself die here, for fear of never seeing her face again. And he would not submit his clanmates to the same fate. He could not ensure their health, but he would be sure to protect their love.

Pricklebush was still trying to clear the tiredness from his eyes- then Jaystar spoke and the tom immediately snapped to attention. StarClan again... couldn't those cats just give them a direct sign and have done with it instead of the stupid prophecies? And why talk to the code-breaking leader instead of him? However, all the normal complaints flew out of his head at the content of the dream that the RiverClan cat shared. Beasts and puddles of blood were very ominous sounding, and something that demanded his immediate attention. Then, a chance that his family... that Ridgelight... was still alive somewhere? He'd been trying to believe it- but with that hope, now, there was a real possibility. The medicine cat felt his heart spring to life a little bit at the thought that perhaps he hadn't failed most of his Clanmates after all. Of course, it was dampened a little bit by the apparent upcoming battle. But what was he supposed to do, avoid it? As they ought to have learned, when StarClan said something would happen, it wasn't a suggestion. Even though he didn't like the ancestors, they knew what they were doing.

The ThunderClan tom was beginning to steel himself for another battle, and speak up in (albeit reluctant) support of Jaystar's dream, when Tinystar spoke up. "So you're saying that we're being forced to defend the Tribe?"

What. His first reaction was a shocked blink... and then frustration. But, with a concerted effort, Pricklebush drew in a deep breath and turned to face the small cat, holding in the building emotion that was soon to spill out. As the leader continued to explain himself, the medicine cat just shook his head. Finchstar spoke first, saying words that made sense and raised his respect for their allied Clan, but were unnecessarily pacifistic and eloquent. After having all the responsibility and need for diplomacy heavy on his shoulders for some time, the tom was ready to finally say what he thought for once. It was time to speak his mind.

"No offense, Tinystar," he began, though his eyes and tone were incredulous, "but what in StarClan's name are you thinking? The last time you denied StarClan's will, your Clan ended up getting decimated by a pack of wild dogs. As much as I dislike those starry fools sometimes, they don't mess around. When they say that we must defeat this 'biggest fear,' they mean it. I don't know what it is or why we need to help, but after almost causing the death of your entire Clan, I would think that you would be a little more open-minded to your warrior ancestors!" Pricklebush scoffed, then turned to Stoneteller, Jaystar and Finchstar. "Though I'm as reluctant as all of you to spill more Clan blood, I believe that even if StarClan hadn't told us that we needed to help, we at least owe it to the Tribe to aid them as they aided us. This must be dangerous, but since at least some of our Clanmates are back at home, we should dispatch whatever is in our way and get back as soon as we are able. It will be a fitting thank-you to the Tribe, I think, to help them with this problem."

Sitting among the leaders as they began to squabble among each other, Daisyflame was surprised at Tinystar's opinion and the fact that he'd said something so bluntly with Stoneteller around. Didn't the little tom have any respect for the cats who'd helped them? Well, whatever the SkyClan Leader's reason was for not wanting to help, it wasn't his place to interfere.

"I have to agree with Finchstar and Pricklebush," he mewed, looking from the tiny legged leader to the others. Tinystar had far more authority and wisdom than he did, and while they weren't allies, he didn't want to be disrespectful, for he knew that Scorchstar would want to keep all clan relations somewhat civil. "The Tribe has helped us in a time of need and so it only makes sense to repay the favor," the sturdy built ginger and white warrior finished.

The Riverclan leader couldn't believe. Why was he surprised anyways? Jaystar's fur bristled and he stood up, facing the smaller and older leader who wanted to just go ahead and not listen to what Starclan had to say. Wasn't that why his clan was involved in bloodshed? Because of his arrogance, he was now risking his clan again and it was either because he was a stubborn old man or because he didn't respect him. Jaystar couldn't care less about what Tinystar thought of him. "Crowstar... Poplarstar... and even Rippedstar... you dishonour their name by denying not Starclan's will again but by turning your back to the cats that are literally the ancestors of your clan. You seem to forget that these Tribe cats are also your long-past kin, related to Skyclan. Yet you're willing to just leave like a coward and risk one more time the well-being of your clanmates. Tell me, what do you think will happen when you come back to the Highstones with your clan and you face those dogs again?" He spat, lashing his tail violently. He was just done with his arrogant attitude and selfish attitude. At least Finchstar, who was the youngest of the leader had more brains than this old tom had.

The large tabby looked around to the other leaders, giving them a deep look. "Just like you, I don't want the rest of the clans to fall. I want to save all the cats I can... even if this prophecy seems to talk about blood and possible death. Despite that, I'm willing to give my life if it means to save the rest of our group." He mewed determined, his green gaze showing no fear or hesitation. He no longer feared death. Starclan had taken all of his lives for this moment... to lead his clan in time they needed him most. As a punishment of his sins... he owed them this sacrifice.

The silver tabby thought in silence about the prophecy. As clan cats, Starclan was asking them to defeat the Tribe's biggest fear, which was a massive beast with large claws and fangs. Yet, according to Starclan's message, this monster was also the answer to return home but... how? For a second, Jaystar fixed his glance on Finchstar, noticing how the wounds that those dogs cause him were healing rather quickly thanks to the Tribe's help. And that was when a spark of hope appeared in his mind and everything made sense. He opened his eyes wider and looked at all the cats gathered around him. "I think... I know why we must defeat this beast... The dogs are still down there at the Highstones. They are waiting for more victims, maybe they have even moved closer to where we are in search of more blood. Even with all our cats, I doubt we will be ever able to defeat them. However... this monster might be." He mewed, thoughtful but somehow certain. "It's risky and dangerous, I admit it. But if this beast is really a mighty predator like the one I saw in my dream... then maybe we can lure it into the dogs and then run away. They can kill each other while we flee and maybe even cause a rockslide to stop them from following us. What do you all... think?"