whispered promises [closed]

The moonlit grass was lush and soft beneath Owlstar's paws as he padded slowly into the plain. Above, the dusky sky was sprinkled with stars. Fireflies drifted on a slow, warm breeze, and prey scuttled about, seemingly unaware - or uncaring - of the leader's presence. But Owlstar hadn't come here to hunt tonight... No... tonight, he had a more serious purpose. Tonight, StarClan would attempt to gain another ally in the war they waged against impurity and sin. SkyClan was the least tainted of the five clans of forest cats, but even so, Owlstar had taken his time in choosing a champion. He needed a cat that he could trust to follow orders... but more importantly, one that the clan would have trouble ever truly considering an adversary.

The chosen cat's pale, lanky form materialized in front of him as Owlstar summoned the slumbering tom into StarClan's territory. For a moment, the large tabby stared, unblinking, at the warrior before him, one whose blood was pure, yes... but whose heart and loyalties were purer.

"Sunflower,"he rumbled, the first words spoken since the SkyClan tom had joined him. "Awaken."

He waited, ensuring the warrior was able to hear him before he continued. "Do not be frightened, Sunflower. There is no need for anyone such as yourself to fear me, or StarClan." Owlstar rose to his paws, moving around Sunflower in a half-circle, keen blue eyes fixated on the tall cat, gauging his reaction. "Your loyalties and devotion to the code, and to SkyClan, have not gone unnoticed," the leader's voice was a low grumble, like distant thunder on the horizon. "For you, Sunflower, StarClan has a mission. An important mission, that you, specifically, have been chosen for. You want glory? Prestige? Unwavering respect? All you need do is follow my instruction."

Owlstar purred, long, flowing tail brushing against Sunflower's shoulder as he drew nearer. "You may face scrutiny from the other cats, perhaps even resistance, but with StarClan to guide and back you, you can not fail. Tell me, Sunflower... will you accept my offer? Will you stand at the side of the Righteous Few and restore the clans to their former glory and purity?" His voice darkened with the sky, for the first time losing its silky promises and he paused, ice-blue eyes narrowing on Sunflower as the two cats were plunged into shadows that even the fireflies could not penetrate. "Or will you stand with the sinners who will bring about the clans' demise with their wanton disregard for the warrior code?" In the blink of an eye, the Starlit Plains returned to normal, and it was so quick that one could have thought they'd imagined the entire thing. Owlstar resumed his sitting position, tail curling around his paws as he expectantly pinned Sunflower with his intense gaze.

Waking up with a jolt, Sunflower pried open his eyes. This... wasn't his nest, that was for sure, so where in StarClan's name... wait, StarClan. Jumping up, the lengthy tom's eyes were wide with fear. Had he... had he died? No... he couldn't have... but maybe someone got to him in his sleep?

Before he was able to do anymore panicking, the sound of some-cat caught his attention. Snapping his head around with his ears pinned back and long tail tucked under his rump, his amber gaze locked on a tabby who had begun circling around him. Who was this cat and why was he here? It couldn't be good, that was for sure, but listening to the stranger cat speak, it almost seemed as if he was praising him, which was odd. A mission? What in Silverpelt's name... glory and unwavering respect? Those were certainly not things he wanted, for those things would bring attention to himself, which was the last thing he ever wished for.

Letting out a little sneeze as the tom's tail ran along his shoulder and past his muzzle. Continuing to listen, the air seemed to thicken as the StarClan cat asked his question. Of course he wouldn't want to go against the code... but restoring the clans to their former glory... that didn't exactly seem like something he himself was very capable of, though of course, it didn't seem as though he had much of a choice, for this was StarClan he was talking to.

Standing still except for his constant shaking, the lengthy warrior looked to his paws, overwhelmed, confused, and scared. He didn't have a choice unless he wanted to face StarClan's wrath, or at least he assumed that would be what happened if he declined. Goodness, he had so many questions, but of course he was too much of a coward to even ask, which would most likely be a mistake... "I-I'll stand w-with St-StarClan," the meek tom mewed softly, keeping his gaze at his paws.

A smile crept over the massive tabby's face. Yes... yes, this one was a good choice. He'd made a good choice. He turned a blind eye to the lank tom's fear - it mattered not. In the face of destiny, it was good to be afraid on some level. Fear made you cautious, fear made you smart.

"You've made the right decision, young Sunflower," he purred.

Reaching forward to touch noses with the spindly SkyClanner, Owlstar wound around him, leaning forward to whisper into his ear, "Impurities blossom like algae in a riverbed. May these spores infect every nest lined with immorality, in every camp, in every den, until their confession is suitable to the stars."

He drew away then, turning his gaze toward the sky with an almost wistful sigh. "I wish that I could do this deed myself. But it would do the clans no justice - we must give you another opportunity to prove yourselves. Do me well, Sunflower. Do SkyClan well. And you will be rewarded."

The tip of Owlstar's tail twitched, and he looked over his shoulder to lock gazes with Sunflower. "We will meet again soon, I'm sure," he said, and the starry leader's form faded along with his voice as the SkyClan cat felt his eyes droop with sudden exhaustion. When he woke, StarClan would be gone, and things would be back to normal... for now.

Wincing as the leader drew near, Sunflower shut his eyes, mostly out of fear from getting his ears bit off. "Impurities blossom like algae in a riverbed. May these spores infect every nest lined with immorality, in every camp, in every den, until their confession is suitable to the stars." What in Silverpelt's name... did StarClan always talk so mysteriously and in such a confusing manner?

Slowly prying open his eyes as the tom stepped away, the lengthy warrior was left shivering where he stood, listening as he went on. He'd be rewarded? He wasn't quite sure what could possibly be considered a reward, but he wasn't about to ask any questions. Before he was able to say anything else, Owlstar began to fade away and the starry plains around him was engulfed in darkness.

Waking up with a jolt, Sunflower sat up, his heart pounding as his amber gaze darted around the den. His calm, sleeping, motionless clanmates laid around him, just like when he'd fallen asleep. Outside the den was dark, so he hadn't been resting for too long and he was back to the land of the living, thank stars. Laying himself back down, he closed his eyes and nuzzled his odd shaped maw into the Twoleg sky-pelt that lined his nest. In all of his nights of sleep, the cowardly warrior had never had a dream such as that, nor had his dreams ever included a leader of all cats...

As he laid there, trying his best to fall back asleep, the mysterious tom's words rang through his head. "Impurities blossom like algae in a riverbed. May these spores infect every nest lined with immorality, in every camp, in every den, until their confession is suitable to the stars..." was he supposed to know what that meant? Maybe he could ask Sageleaf about it... but what this something that he was supposed to share? What if StarClan became angry at him for sharing their prophecy? But even so... nothing wrong seemed to be going on between the clans, at least that he saw, so what StarClan becoming paranoid? Was... the cat in his dream even a real cat, or was Owlstar and his foreboding words simply a figment of his imagination?

Tightening his awkwardly sized body into as small of a ball as he could manage to lay in, the fear of the stars above raining down their wrath onto him was enough to keep him from opening his muzzle to any-cat, and he decided that was what he was going to do; keep quiet, for now at least. He just needed to get some more rest, then everything would be back to normal.