Post by Largestar on Dec 8, 2008 18:26:15 GMT -5
Two cats sat on top of a hill, the darkness and moonlight together reflecting off their pelts, causing them to glow silver and gray. Side by side, they gazed at the shining, cloudless sky above them. The first looked at her companion. "We've been here for a while now," she whispered, tossing her head to shake off the cold. "Shouldn't we have seen something by now?"
The second, a black tom with shining brown eyes, stared back. Then, without answering, he returned his gaze to the stars. The she-cat shifted impatiently beside him. The tortoiseshell had just become an apprentice medicine cat, but the leader himself had insisted on taking her to the StarHill, a special place for EarthClan to connect to the stars. From sunset to moonrise, they had sat there, not saying a word. Now he spoke, "Have peace, gaze high, and experience wonder," He continued, "Show discipline and respect, and you will make your mentor proud."
The she-cat looked into his eyes, bewildered and afraid. "I don't know if I can do this, Shadowstar," she said solemnly. "What if StarClan made a mistake?"
Shadowstar turned back to her and flicked her ear reassuringly with his tail. "StarClan does not have a habit of making mistakes, Quakepaw," he said. He took a breath to continue, but paused to think. "But they do have a strange way of doing things," he mused.
Quakepaw gaped at him. Her leader, normally stone-faced and silent, had just told a joke. But before she could question it, Shadowstar's attention had again returned to the skies. She turned to look, too, and saw that the sun was beginning to rise. As the two watched, the sun climbed up the warrior stars of Silverpelt until it was side by side with the moon. The cats turned to each other. "Look and see, Quakepaw," Shadowstar purred, "We are now witnessing a beauty given to us by Starclan."
Quakepaw looked at the moon and felt the mystery of darkness surge through her, and she felt the meaning of being a true Clan cat. Then she turned to the sun, and felt warmth and compassion fill her to the brim. The sun and moon called her name, beckoning to her...
"Quakepaw... Quakepaw..." they whispered, "Your clan is where you belong. StarClan has given you the gift of understanding and kindness. Use them well." And even as the echoing voices dwindled away, Quakepaw believed them. She turned to Shadowstar, who had been watching her as she stood with the sun and moon. The sun's light shone and caused their eyes to glimmer and their dark pelts to shine. "I'm ready," she said confidently.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A yowl sounded through the night. Two cats, battered and messy, stepped through the brush. The first breathed in the clear air, and blinked. "I'm home," he said. He looked at the other. "We're home. This is where we will belong. This is where we used to belong. This is our home."
The second, a black tom with shining brown eyes, stared back. Then, without answering, he returned his gaze to the stars. The she-cat shifted impatiently beside him. The tortoiseshell had just become an apprentice medicine cat, but the leader himself had insisted on taking her to the StarHill, a special place for EarthClan to connect to the stars. From sunset to moonrise, they had sat there, not saying a word. Now he spoke, "Have peace, gaze high, and experience wonder," He continued, "Show discipline and respect, and you will make your mentor proud."
The she-cat looked into his eyes, bewildered and afraid. "I don't know if I can do this, Shadowstar," she said solemnly. "What if StarClan made a mistake?"
Shadowstar turned back to her and flicked her ear reassuringly with his tail. "StarClan does not have a habit of making mistakes, Quakepaw," he said. He took a breath to continue, but paused to think. "But they do have a strange way of doing things," he mused.
Quakepaw gaped at him. Her leader, normally stone-faced and silent, had just told a joke. But before she could question it, Shadowstar's attention had again returned to the skies. She turned to look, too, and saw that the sun was beginning to rise. As the two watched, the sun climbed up the warrior stars of Silverpelt until it was side by side with the moon. The cats turned to each other. "Look and see, Quakepaw," Shadowstar purred, "We are now witnessing a beauty given to us by Starclan."
Quakepaw looked at the moon and felt the mystery of darkness surge through her, and she felt the meaning of being a true Clan cat. Then she turned to the sun, and felt warmth and compassion fill her to the brim. The sun and moon called her name, beckoning to her...
"Quakepaw... Quakepaw..." they whispered, "Your clan is where you belong. StarClan has given you the gift of understanding and kindness. Use them well." And even as the echoing voices dwindled away, Quakepaw believed them. She turned to Shadowstar, who had been watching her as she stood with the sun and moon. The sun's light shone and caused their eyes to glimmer and their dark pelts to shine. "I'm ready," she said confidently.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A yowl sounded through the night. Two cats, battered and messy, stepped through the brush. The first breathed in the clear air, and blinked. "I'm home," he said. He looked at the other. "We're home. This is where we will belong. This is where we used to belong. This is our home."
