The Threatening Darkness

Directly follows the January Medicine Cat Meeting

Mossbloom's mouth was still dry, and though the night was dark and cold as she trotted through the forest alone she could no longer feel the bitter chill. The calico had felt like there were unseen eyes tracing her movements, watching in every shadow, from every dark place under a bush, from every limb overhead. The stars themselves were staring down, feeling overwhelming and burdening as her pace hastened until she was racing through the undergrowth, the scent of mild panic rising from her pelt as she finally reached the top of the ravine leading to ThunderClan's camp. She stopped at the edge of camp, taking a moment to compose herself before making her way into camp. Normally, she would head to her nest to try to catch some brief moments of sleep, but today.... The message that StarClan had for the medicine cats was one that could not be kept quiet. Her paws carried her to Oakstar's den, and she paused outside of the opening of his den. "O-Oakstar?" Her voice cracked with the weight of the message she was about to deliver. "I'm sorry for waking you so early, but I really need to talk to you.... Immediately. StarClan.... Well, we just need to talk." 

Her normally sleek and well-kept pelt was matted and tangled with leaves and debris, and her eyes were shadowed and haunted looking. She had been more haggard looking ever since the death of her mother, but it almost seemed more intense than normal in the wee moments before dawn. Mossbloom couldn't bring herself to acknowledge her appearance, let alone care, wanting desperately to wake up to everything being a horrible nightmare, caused by her wound from the raccoon. 

The mouse was tantalizingly close. The aroma of the prey on the roof of his mouth, belly clenched in silent hunger as he took that one step. Only to freeze as he heard something strange on the breeze. ‘...-star’. He frowned, flicked his ears and watched in dismay as the mouse startled at the movement and ran away. Darkness flickered into his vision as the green leafy forest vanished back into the cold of his den. The moss in his nest tickled his nose, making the tom sneeze with a wheezed breath.

"Bad time for a check-up, isn’t it?" He meowed with a large yawn. He looked at Mossbloom, then frowned as he noticed the she-cat’s position. There was no light behind her, and her next words made his heart plummet. More messages from Starclan… and this time, it was urgent enough to require immediate attention. He sat up, letting the moss from his nest fall from his pelt as he shook it off.  "What’s the matter… what did they say?" He asked, his thoughts turned back to the prophecy of dawn… but Amberdawn was SkyClan, there was nothing they could do for her.

Her eyes snapped to Oakstar's as he sneezed with a wheezing breath. So far he hadn't been showing signs of illness, but... It was leaf-bare. Oh stars, that was the last thing they needed right now, was for their leader to fall ill. But as he continued to speak his voice seemed normal, and she relaxed slowly, perhaps it was just the sneeze and the cold, nothing to worry about... Yet.

Making her way into his den to sit before him, she closed her eyes and recited the words as they had come to her... To all of the medicine cats. There was no delaying this, no question as to what StarClan could possibly be saying or meaning, not this time. "Shadow, Wind, River, Thunder, Sky: separate and defined. So it always has been and always shall be. Those who choose to cross these sacred lines betray all those who worked to raise them and protect them. Blood traitors, all of you, dismantling clans and kin for your own selfish desires. You were not made to run moorland with your webbed paws, nor can you climb the trees with your marsh-sodden coat. Behold the power of StarClan, and be weakened. Without the strength of your clan's ancestors pulsing through your blood, do you think this new clan will want you? They do not care for you, they do not know who you are. We do."

Her green eyes opened, meeting Oakstar's before she delivered the final words of the prophecy. "If the leaders of the earthen ground will not punish your treason, you will face the wrath of the stars. You have been warned." Her fur was on end again, and she looked over her shoulder to the wall of the leader's den. Even here, shielded by the walls of camp and the den she was sheltered in, she swore she could feel the eyes of the stars upon her, staring down at not only her, but every single cat in her beloved clan.

The message was clear, those that came from other clans, regardless of their reasonings, would face the wrath of the stars. What could they possibly be expected to do? What about the kindness that they were called to show, the forgiveness? What about situations like Dacedream's.... Oh great StarClan, Dacedream! She had just recently had kits.... Her eyes wide in dismay, fear, and concern, her mew quiet and shaky now, she looked back to Oakstar. "What do we do?" She felt like a helpless kit again, but with all of responsibilities of the fully grown medicine cat she was. How was she supposed to take care of the clan like this?

Then a creeping thought crossed her mind, whispering to her hurt, broken self. Perhaps ThunderClan would have been better without you after all.

As Oakstar listened to Mossbloom’s prophecy, dread welled in his heart. It stung his chest painfully to hear words that were obviously intended towards him, towards all the leaders… but he felt his pelt prickle at the words that were practically tailored for him. He could not climb trees… his large paws made that difficult.

Yet the thing that stood out to him the most, was the fear in Mossbloom’s eyes. The terror that pushed him forward to pad up to her and press his pelt to hers. Head on her shoulder for a moment before he drew back.
"We tell the clan." Oakstar meowed firmly after a moment. His amber eyes closed as he thought about Dacedream, Batbite… other cats that he knew from other clans who had shifted or changed allegiances. In Batbite’s case… she was born outside the clan and taken in as one of them. He opened his eyes, gaze firm as he looked at Mossbloom’s.

"Thank you for telling me this, Mossbloom. You are a great medicine cat… as for Starclan." His heart clenched painfully. He swallowed back shame and discomfort. Dacedream had offered too much to the clan to just cast her away, and he wouldn’t do so anyways. His clan… his home… it was accepting and warm. "I will never turn away a cat. I will not let this change ThunderClan. Starclan forgive me, but I cannot agree with them on this. They gave me my lives, aware of where I came from. Now, they must trust me to guide my clan as I swore to." He stepped around Mossbloom, to the entrance of his den and paused. "I will have to ask you to repeat it to the clan… but have no fear. Our clan, has nothing to hide."

Oakstar closed the distance between them, resting his head on her shoulder for a brief moment before pulling away. His statement was firm, but Mossbloom couldn't help but shiver at the idea of the clan's reaction. So many, herself included, would fall under this.... this... The feeling of being watched was overwhelming as she forced the thoughts away, terrified of being smitten by the league of angry stars above. As green eyes met amber, she stared at her leader feeling lost and scared, like the tiny kit trapped in the white expanse of snow again.

She looked away as Oakstar praised her, shaking her head in a wide sweep. "I'm far from it, Oakstar. I failed the clan, all of the clans, in not being able to decipher the last prophecy fast enough. I've doomed us to the fate we are facing now, all because I didn't focus enough, because I couldn't figure it out seen enough..." Her ears lowered, tail hanging limply by her legs as the sun began to rise over the horizon, the faintest hues of sunlight starting to filter into camp. Soon the cats of ThunderClan would be starting their days, and they would have to do so with the knowledge of the trial they were about to face.

As Oakstar continued, Mossbloom listened with her head still lowered. His words didn't come as a surprise, nor were they necessarily something she disagreed with - something she realized with a slight jolt. StarClan had given Oakstar his lives, and had entrusted ThunderClan to him to lead. Why would they do that if they didn't believe in him? What exactly did he mean by them knowing where he came from though? Was he like her, brought into the clan young and raised as one of their own? As he moved to step around her, she placed that thought in the back of her mind, a discussion to be had later. Maybe she was more similar to Oakstar than she had initially thought.

With a soft sigh, Mossbloom nodded before turning behind him. She started to follow after him before her mud-stained paw caught her eye and she hesitated. "I'm going to, uhm, groom really quickly, if that's okay. I don't want everyone to be panicked by me looking in such a state.... I won't be long, I'll be out once you call the meeting and everyone gathers, if that's alright?" With that, she began to hastily groom her paws and ears, before turning her attention to the white fur at her chest. At least she could make herself presentable.

Oakstar nodded in approval as he padded over to high rock. His pelt prickled beneath the faded stars as he looked up at them. They did trust him… didn’t they? Starclan would never have let him become leader in the first place if they didn’t. He swallowed back a brief pang of fear. What if Starclan felt like it had made a mistake? No. They trusted him… but he wouldn’t allow his clanmates to be afraid of this prophecy. He leapt onto High rock. Let himself pause for a moment as he breathed in the cold air.

"Let all cats gather beneath Highrock for a clan meeting!" His yowl cut through the early dawn air. His voice felt heavy with his concern as he stood with his dark tabby pelt in the large stone. The pale patch on his throat and muzzle sticking out starkly against his dark pelt and the shadows of night that still cling to the camp as cats gathered.

"As some of you may remember, last night, the medicine cat gathering took place. Mossbloom has been given a message to share with the clan." he turned his amber gaze to hers, his white-tipped tail twitched in invitation for her to join him on the rock.

Smudgepaw padded out of the apprentice den to see the meeting. He sat in the very back not liking being around others. Smudgepaw wondered what the big announcement was going to be, especially if it’s from starclan.

Cherrykit pushed her way out of the nursery at Oakstar's summons, and kept out of the way of the warriors as she turned her attention to the Highrock. The tension in the air was palpable, and she fought to keep her fur smooth as she waited for Mossbloom to speak.

Coalkit gazed up at Oakstar from where he sat near the back. His yellow eyes stuck out against the shadows that his black pelt blended into perfectly, making him easy to pick out of the crowd. He pressed his ears forward eagerly, wondering what it was he had to share from StarClan. The young kit had been so stir crazy lately, he was excited for anything new to happen. 'Maybe it's an omen telling them to make me an apprentice already,' He thought as he smirked to himself and puffed up his chest a little, unaware of the severity of what was about to be shared.

Icepaw padded up to highrock and sat down in the snow. She blended in fairly well. She looked up at oakstar, and waited using her patience to wait for what Mossbloom had to say.

As Oakstar padded away, Mossbloom's paws shook. Fatigue, fear, and anticipation made it hard to concentrate on anything, let alone making her presentable. As she removed sticks and mud hastily from her pelt, she heard Oakstar yowling for the clan, and the gentle stirrings of confused and interested cats waking and emerging into the center of camp from their warm dens. It was time.

Padding to the base of Highrock, she stood before the gathering clan as Oakstar spoke of the medicine cat meeting, revealing that there was a prophecy she needed to say. Then he turned to her, inviting her onto the rock next to him. Oh how she loathed the thought, Highrock was not nearly as large as Greatrock, but she despised the idea of having to stand over the clan again. Leaping up at Oakstar's side, her shoulder brushed his gently as she found her balance before turning to look at the curious eyes below her.

She took a deep breath before speaking, refusing to look at the fading stars above as they glinted seemingly distantly, yet far too close for her liking. "I'm sure everyone has heard of StarClan's anger at the Gathering... Last night at the meeting, all of the medicine cats got the answer we were searching for... But it's far from a friendly and kind one." Her eyes closed, voice taking on a different tone as she repeated the words from the prophecy once again. "Shadow, Wind, River, Thunder, Sky: separate and defined. So it always has been and always shall be. Those who choose to cross these sacred lines betray all those who worked to raise them and protect them. Blood traitors, all of you, dismantling clans and kin for your own selfish desires. You were not made to run moorland with your webbed paws, nor can you climb the trees with your marsh-sodden coat. Behold the power of StarClan, and be weakened. Without the strength of your clan's ancestors pulsing through your blood, do you think this new clan will want you? They do not care for you, they do not know who you are. We do. If the leaders of the earthen ground will not punish your treason, you will face the wrath of the stars. You have been warned."

As the prophecy drew to a close, her eyes opened and she gazed down at the clan for a heartbeat before looking to Oakstar. How would the clan react to the news?...

Icepaw looked confused and then a little scared. She didn’t want any of her clan mates to be punished by StarClan! She looked at Mossbloom with worry and fear, hoping she knew what this meant and how to fix it.

Cedarpaw’s eyes widened, filling with fear. She scooted closer to her friend Icepaw, her eyes filling with fear. Punishing? She wondered what any of this could mean. All she knew is she wanted her family, friends, and the rest of her clan to be safe.

Smudgepaw looked at the medicine cat with horror, why would starclan do this! Smudgepaw looked around and saw cedarpaw was scared and sitting next to Icepaw. He quickly padded over to them and saw down next to cedarpaw wrapping his tail with hers to help comfort her.

Cedarpaw’s heart raced. As Smudgepaw’s tail wrapped around her, she calmed down a bit. She looked at him, not daring to speak in the tense moment. What’s happening? She wanted to ask.