Stormclan's Rise

The rougue swiped his paw across Jaystar's side, slicing five clean gashes through jaystar's fur. The rougue flipped them over so that he was on top once again and glared into jayrtar's eyes. His facial expression changed drastically as he realised something. Jaystar's eyes were a creamy white blue, a sign of blindness. "Y- your blind!" The rogue jumped off of jaystar and backed away slowly. "Oh my god! Wh- H- how? Why didn't i notice before?" "i'm so sorry!" The rogue turned around and sprinted away, vanishing through the brush and into the shadows.

Galaxy was up and walking- very slowly though. Her ears twitched as she heard the sounds of cracking bramble. Her nose scrunched up as a strong scent of blood hit her. The noises coming closer she painfully spun around and dived into the undergrowth. She rolled herself in dust quickly and hunched down under the branches. With every breath her fur would lightly brush against the branches causing slight and barely noticeable movements. She brought her paws over her muzzle to steady her breathing. Her diamond eyes glistened ever so slightly in the shade. Oh please don't notice me... or kill me. She glanced to the side and looked through a small hole made. She creeped towards the hole and watched through it at a small distance.
~~~~~~
   Redstar lapped up water elegantly while keeping a sharp eye out. She raised her head and scanned the tree line. She looked at the bare maple tree before standing up. She took one slow step to the side and slowly turned away from the trees. Making her way back to her den she was greeted by kits. She stopped in her tracks as Thornkit playfully leaped onto her shoulders and bit her ear. She looked back at the kit and sighed.
   "Why do you choose my back of all other warriors." She asked.
   "Well your the leader of Mapleclan. We haven't seen you for like two suns and now your out. Besides I can't greet the one I was named after?" She mewed and rolled off Redstar. "Also tomorrow is the ceremony and I wanted to talk mentors."
   Redstar rolled her eyes and bent down to stare Thornkit in the eyes. The stare continued for minutes before she turned away. "Your mentor is planned already." She stated simply. "Now get back to your mother before I keep you a kit for two more moons."
   Thornkit quickly scampered off. Redstar watched her. Tsk... Such a nice kit named after an awful warrior. Redstar starred down at the ground before shaking her head and sprinting off into her den.

The rogue turned around and hissed menacingly. "Why did you follow me?" He asked as his claws unsheathed.

Jaystar stood, unphased. "Put your claws away." Jaystar murmured. "You showed compassion or shall i say, mercy, to me when you noticed i look blind. I was wondering if you would like to join Stormclan. It would take awhile for you to be fully excepted into the Clan, but it would come with great reward." he dipped his head and waited with baited breath for an answer.

"What's the catch? There's always a catch." The rogue replied.

Jaystar hesitated, knowing that even though he had eight lives to spare, he was no match against this rouge. "To be honest, we need more warriors," he mewed causiously. "And you're deffinally a cat worth fighting with and one you don't want as an enemy."

"Oh so it's like when Firestar joined Thunderclan hmm? I used to be a bloodclan cat. But that was a long time ago." "In that case 'd be honored to fight alongside you and your warriors."

Jaystar looked at him with curiousity for a moment before straightening up. "Then it's settled," Jaystar mewed. "Follow me. That is, if you are sure you want to join." he added with a mischievious look in his eyes. It faded and he continued. "Be careful not to trod on the kits. And I'm serious, they get under everyone's paws." 
   He led the way back to camp, wondering if the rouge had followed but not looking back to see.

"i know where to go." The rogue said, "The name's Hunterstrike by the way." And he jumped up into a tree adn began jumping from one tree to the next in the direction of the stormclan camp. "I've been to your camp many times! But I always used the trees as my transportation route!" He called down.

Galaxy listened to their leaving pawsteps. She popped her head out of the bramble and looked around. She let out a tired sigh and crawled out of the bramble branches. Her fur was covered in bristles. She attempted to shake of the bristles but her weak body couldn't afford to. She began walking in the opposite way of the two older cats. Keep your head you Galaxy. You need to find food. She took in a deep breath and began to search for food. Live, dead, dying, of even stale. I need to find food. Even berries will do. I just need food.

   Jaystar," Jaystar said. "I'm Jaystar." He raced towards the camp entrance and spun around as Hunterstrike landed behind him. "You may know where the camp is," Jaystar began. "But you still need a tour. No," he added as Hunterstrike opened his mouth as though to argue. "Every Stormclan cat needs to know which den is which and who is who. Once you're settled into the Clan, you'all know each cat's scent." He paused and looked around the camp. "Frostpaw!" He called. "Come here and give Hunterstrike a tour of the camp please."
   "Sure thing Jaystar," she replied.
   Jaystar headed towards the camp entrance and growled softly to Frostpaw, "Keep an eye on him, he acts like he's leader over everything sometimes." He walked through the thorn tunnel and headed to the copse where he had ask Hunterstrike to join his Clan. He sniffed the bush where the she-cat had been hiding and followed her scent trail through the trees. On the way he smelled mouse and thought back to when Hunterstrike had caused him to miss it. "This one will make up for the one I lost." he growled under his breath. He pin pointed the mouse and crept forward, one paw at a time. When he was finally close enough he pounced and landed with both front paws on the mouse. He nipped it's spine and it fell still. He decided to come back for it later and buried it under some leaf litter. The she-cat's scent trail still fresh, Jaystar followed it until he pushed through some bushes and saw a small rouge sniffing the air. She was trembling with tiredness and Jaystar was able to make out every bone under her pelt. He crept forward a bit then backtracked, circling the she-cat until he got to a place where she'd scent him.

Hunterstrike chuckled as he watched Jaystar pad off through the clan entrance. "So what's first?" he asked frostpaw.

Frostpaw seemed excited to be teaching a cat who might know less about the camp than her. She padded around the camp towards the elder's den. "So this is the elder's den," she began. "They can get a bit grouchy but it's still an apprentice's duty to take care of them. We clean their nests and help them rid of ticks." she trotted over to a tightly interwoven and cozt looking den. "This is the nursery," Frostpaw explained. "Mistyflame and the kits are sleeping so be quiet. In here the nests are nice and warm and cozy with feathers and soft moss. I remember my time in the nursery, there was so many rules! Of course there are still a lot as an apprentice but not as much." she headed to a huge bush tightly enwoven with sticks. "This is the warrior's den. The senior warriors sleep in the middle and the newest on the edge. See how the camp entrance is right across from their den? That's so they can keep watch for enemies, I think." Frostpaw added with a little mrrow of laughter. "Over here is the apprebtice's den; my den." she waved with her tail towards a lightning blasted tree. "It's woven with sticks and leaves to keep the cold winds out. We apprentices have quite a cool den. Interwoven with twigs and hidden under and inbetween roots." her eyes shone with excitement. "And over here,"-she pointed with her muzzle towards the rock face-"Is Jaystar's den. It's tucked in between two boulders that keeps the draft out. He calls Clan meetings on this tree branch right here." she craned her neck to look at the branch way high up. "Oh!" she exclamed. "I almost forgot. The medicine cat's den." she sprinted towards a small bush and stopped beside it. "I know it may look small but that's not the actual den. The den is underground, the entrance hidden by this bush. I wouldn't advise going in there unless you're hurt; it smells wierd!" she gave a little bounce. "That's the camp!" she mewed. "Stay there, I'll be right back." she scampered off and returned with two more apprentices.
   "Jaystar told us to ask you to show us what you know of the forest." one of them said.
   "Come on!" meowed the other. "Let's see what he knows and show him the rest!"

"Nah, You young'uns go ahead. I've explored the whole forest. I know every tree here. Considering that I've slept in just about every one." Hunterstrike said and sprinted towards a tree near the edge of the camp and shot up the trunk in almost half a second.

Galaxy froze. Her ears twitched with every slight movement and her eyes starred off into the bushes. Her breath hitched. Pain struck the young she-cat. I'm being stalked! She spun around and sprinted towards the closest tree. She climbed up the bark with great speed, do to her light weight, and clung to a branch. She pressed her rear against the trunk and tucked her paws beneath her chest. Her eyes scanned the area below quickly.

Jaystar cursed under his breath. He hadn't expected her to climb the tree. Then a thought struck him. His mouse! He backtracked yet again and retraced his paw steps. He found the buried mouse and grabbed it by the tail. He sprinted back towards the tree and placed the mouse at his paws. "Hey!" he called. "What's wrong? You looked half-starved, you can have my mouse, I dont need it."
   Just then Jaystar's numbness wore off and he felt excruciating pain on his flank. He looked at it and saw five wounds inflicted by claws about a half an inch deep, pulsing blood. As he looked at them he started to feel light headed, and collapsed on the ground. He stared up at the she-rouge huddled in the crook of a tree branch. "Help me..." he rasped. I'm losing too much blood. He worried. Am I losing a life too?

"Oh my goodness!" She gasped and raced down the trees. She stuttered to his side and was sweating with panic. Her pelt slowly began to shift into stars and wisp as she ran around the area, gathering cobwebs on a stick that hung from her mouth. She ran back to his side and began peeling off the webs, placing them gently on the wounds. There was nothing else she knew beside cobwebs and poppy. No poppy to be found. Her head dropped knowing that she couldn't do anything else and that he'll die; oblivious to the fact about the nine lives. Her fur was now completely transparent and starry. "I'm sorry." She murmured and hunched down with tucked paws. She curled her wisping tail around her chest and laid her head down in the grass, watching the tom.

Jaystar was faintly aware of the she-rouge working around him with seemingly impossible speed. Despite the she-cat's efforts, Jaystar just kept losing blood. Finally she stopped and hunched down on the grass, waiting for the results. Jaystar's breath was coming in shallow gasps now, each breath an effort. His breath grew shallower and shallower until it stopped all together. The she-cat's head drooped and she felt greif course through her. "Jaystar," a voice said. "Jaystar."
   Jaystar's eyes opened slowly. He was at Three Trees, the tops of the three gigantic oaks lush and full. I'm dreaming. he thought. "Jaystar." called the voice again.
   Jaystar turned around and saw Sharptooth, his old mentor. "Sharptooth!" he gasped. "Why am I here?"
   "You've lost a life, Jaystar." Sharptooth replied.
   "I have to get back!"
   "You have to wait for your wound to close." His mentor said calmly.
   "I have to get back!" Jaystar repeated.
   "Remember Jaystar," Sharptooth's voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. "Your Clanmates know you better than you think. Don't underestimate them. They're your only hope."
   Jaystar's eyes flew open. He was lying on the grass. His wound throbbed slightly but it had stopped bleeding. He laid his head back down and saw a starry she-cat next to him. I thought I had eight lives left!
   He was confused momentarily until he looked past the starriness and saw the markings of the she-rouge that he had offered the mouse to. This was no StarClan cat! This was no Special Ability! This was a Power! She was meant to be in StormClan!

Blazefang padded through the trees, tasting the air for prey scent. But instead another scent touched the roof of his mouth. Blood! Someone's hurt! He crashes through the undergrowth, slowing as he reached a clearing. He padded forward pushing slowly through the bushes. He reached the other side and saw Jaystar lying on the grass, a she-cat lying next to him. He tasted the air and her scent swathed him. From what scent he got from her he could tell she was truthful and trustworthy. He sat down and waited to see what would happen. Jaystar's fine. He's not bleeding.

Galaxy sat up and sighed. She turned around slowly and began to padded off. She saw the open eyes and was paralyzed. She stopped an spun around. "Why are you still alive?" She said while her starry looks began to vanish. "You had five deep gashes and were bleeding to death! Why aren't you dead?" She spat remembering her old friends and their fates.

Jaystar sprang up with surprise and winced as his wound shifted. "What are you talking about?" he growled. "I did die! I died a slow and painful 2nd death!"
   Suddenly, he realized Blazefang was there, but didn't bother to call out. He thought hard and stared into the she-rouge's eyes. He saw memories and images of strange cats and somehow, he knew their names: Bramble, Flint, and Flicker. He saw her memories of them dying, her traveling, Bramble's message. He pulled himself out of her thoughts and waited for a reply.

Galaxy's eye twitched. "2nd life..." She shook her head. "Who in the Star Wanderers Trail are you!?" She hissed. Hunger began to claw at her stomach more than ever. Her sudden act weakened her limbs and slowly began to shutter. 2nd life... These must be those strange cats Flint once told me about. Flints voice began to echo through her head . "Clans of vicious cats that have 9 lives. They are a force you don't want to mess with. They were the origin of the Starlight Fighters; cats of which has extraordinary abilities were chased out of the clan they supposedly lived in. The new rogues generated a new generation of clans; different beliefs and traditions made up the Starlight Fighters. We were wide in numbers but not many of us has strong abilities. We lacked what most clans did; teamwork. They began making their own groups with cats of the similar ability and spreading out. The remainders of the Starlight Fighters are you, me, Flicker, Bramble, Puma, Kite, Icey, Yama, and Mask. But you don't know those last four because they are out recruiting for the Starlight Fighters." Galaxy let her head fall. "And I don't think I ever will meet them." She murmured in an inaudible tone.
  "Your one of those cats from those 'Clans'." She said. "Aren't you?"

Jaystar saw the she-rouge trembling and recalled his offering, He reached for his mouse and dropped it at her paws. "Eat." he mewed. "You need to eat. And yes I am from one of the three Clans; I am leader of StormClan."
   He remembered what he said about losing a 2nd life he added, "Only the leaders recive nine lives. I am on my seventh now, Redstar's also on her seventh, and Duskstar's on his eighth." He sighed and went on. "You have an incredible power that only rouges, kittypets, and loners that are destined to be in StormClan have. Basically what I'm saying is, would you like to join StormClan? You will be taken care of, trained, honored, and given great reward." He waited with baited breath, hoping she would say yes. "Oh and," he added with a twitch of his whiskers. "We don't eat live prey and we don't sharpen our claws on old bones." He chuckled quietly. Just wait 'till she notices I look blind and just about the smallest cat in the Clan out of all the warriors.

She stared down at the mouse. She leaned down and sniffed the creature. Join the one's that banded us in the first place! She looked at Jaystar. But wouldn't I be abandoning my traditions? She shook her head. This is a chance to live on. "Just as long as I can keep my beliefs and dreams I will join you." She mewed and began the eat the mouse. It's been so long since she had a meal, she quickly ate it all.

Jaystar nodded and mewed, "Of course." He turned towards the direction of the camp "Follow me," he turned and beckened with his muzzle. "I'm Jaystar by the way." he added.