Ch.21: The Next Generation: Darkness
It was a beautiful day. It was sun high; not a cloud in the sky as some might say. Lionstar, the leader of Fireclan, was watching over his clan on the high ledge by his den. He was proud of his clan. Fireclan was the strongest, fastest clan. They were growing frequently fast in the Sun drown Place.
He watched as his clan went through their normal duties, if they had any, like they did every day. The queens, Firelight and Leaftail, watched proudly as Shykit and Lilykit played in front of the nursery with a moss ball. Leaftail was Lilykit's mother, while Firelight was Shykit's mother. Their kits were almost ready. They would soon be apprentices.
The elders sat under a tree that gave way to shade, and talked about the good times, as they looked at the young kits. "I remember a time when we were one big clan. We didn't have to worry about other clans, because there weren't other clans to worry about," Hawkfeather mewed happily to Firepelt. "Do you remember the worst times we had? We were all so hungry that cold leaf-bare, seasons ago. That was the harshest leaf-bare that we have ever endured. The lake dried up for so long, we didn't have any water for moons," Firepelt told the older elder.
"Ah, yes. I remember that well. I was barely a warrior back then and you were barely an apprentice," the older elder recalled.
"I fear those days will come again," Fire Pelt commented. "I fear for the safety of the clans. If those dark days come again, I don't know what will come of the clans."
"I fear for the sake of the clans during these hard, struggling times," Hawkfeather mewed to Firepelt.
"Come on! I'll race you to the fresh-kill pile!" Lilykit announced, getting a head start, Shykit following, catching up quickly. She was quick for a small kit, getting to the fresh-kill pile a second or two before Lilykit.
"I beat you!" Shykit announced proudly, pouncing on her. They started to roll around in a ball of playfulness.
The hunting patrol entered the camp with Diamondtail with a vole, Angeltail with a black bird, Slinktail with a mouse, Fireblaze with a squirrel, and Firepaw with a robin. They headed toward the fresh-kill pile and dropped them on it. The warriors walked past to go find their mates, while Firepaw went to play with his sister Shykit.
It was sundown when the border patrol returned. Everything had been peaceful and quiet during the patrol, as well as in the camp. The next day a battle was started between the Fireclan and Lightningclan border patrol. The fight was about stealing prey.
That night, Spottedpelt had a dream from the Moonclan. Firestar appeared to her and told her of coming battles.
"Battle will come
The Dark days
Will rise upon us
Blood will spill blood
And the water will flood red
Before there is peace
Darkness will come
And the paw of the tiger
And the paw of the jay
Will save the clan
And stand together
With the clan
And Darkness
And the dark days
Will end forever."
The next day, Spottedpelt sat outside her Medicine den, thinking about what Moonclan had told her. She recited it in her mind, thinking on it. What does it mean? she thought. She looked up at the morning sky, as if the answer was there, hidden somewhere within the clouds.
She suddenly realized with a jolt, that battle was coming soon. She also knew that Tigerpaw was going to save the clan from the Darkness, and that the Dark Days would come again. But who was Jaypaw? She had to find out.
A few moons later, Soottail had a kit. He was pure black and born blind, as well with special powers. He can walk in cat's dreams, see memories, and see thoughts. When he dreams, he can see. He isn't blind in dreams.
Several moons passed and he became a Medicine Cat apprentice by the name of Jaypaw. Tigerpaw was now a warrior by the name of Tigerpelt. Tigerpelt had special powers, too. He could take out his enemies single-pawed, and could magically, by any touch, heal others.
The Darkness and Dark Days soon came to be, with the bloodiest battles between all the clans that had ever occurred. Luckily, they had Tigerpelt and Jaypaw to protect Fireclan; in which they succeeded in doing.
In the end, peace came and hardly any cat went to Moonclan. So every cat lived happily ever after. At least, except for some secret dark hearts within some clans. Especially, a certain cat by the name of Slinktail, a warrior of Fireclan.
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