Feather at Dusk

[Shadeheart]

Feather at Dusk

[/size]

Prologue

[/size]
A dark grey tom was struggling through the snow, trying to get to the RiverClan border. There was a blizzard, and all the snow on the ground made it hard to walk. The grey cat coughed. But he was at the river that seperated ThunderClan and RiverClan at last. "R-Raven-f-feather!" the grey tom choked. A white cat with black flecks walked in front of him. "Duskshadow!" the white and black cat purred. "Ravenfeather!" the tom mewed happily. "Duskshadow, I'm expecting kits." Ravenfeather admitted. "That's great!" Duskshadow purred. "But they're coming soon - I shouldn't see you for a while... I'll come here next time... once I had my kits. I want you to name one... once I have them of course. I have to go... I'll see you later, Duskshadow!" Ravenfeather purred. "I'll see you later, Ravenfeather." Duskshadow replied. "I hope it wasn't a hard journey for you to make it here..." Ravenfeather meowed. "It's okay, I still got to see you again. Well, talk to you after you have your kits... bye." Duskshadow purred. Ravenfeather mewed a farewell, and they both went back to their camps.

"Duskshadow!" a brown tabby she-cat purred. "Where were you?"
"I went hunting - I couldn't find anything, though." Duskshadow lied. "Well, come into the warriors den with me, you look cold." the tabby purred. Duskshadow nodded, but he had no intention of staying with the cat for long. He couldn't wait for the Gathering tomorrow, he might see Ravenfeather there. "Duskshadow, you've been out of camp a lot, and you never bring back prey." the tabby she-cat mewed. "What are you really doing?"
"It's a bad leaf-bare, Nightflower. It's hard to get prey. I promise I won't leave camp for a while." Duskshadow replied. "Okay, Duskshadow." Nightflower mewed, uncertainy flashing in her eyes.

--~--

Odd prologue, isn't it? The story features three cats: Dawnfur, she-cat ~ Frostywind, she-cat ~ Firestripe, tom.

[Tear]

great prologue. yes it is quite odd, but it is good.

[Tigerfur]

I LOVE the way you started it off, even if it is quite odd! ;D

[Shadeheart]

I think it's odd because there's usually not so much talking in prologues...

Anyway, I'll start Chapter 1 now! It'll be in my next post.

[Tigerfur]

Great, can't wait! ;D

[Shadeheart]

Chapter One
Dawnfur woke up, she was in the warriors den next to her sister, Frostywind. Firestripe was already awake, Dawnfur guessed he was hunting. Firestripe was a terrific hunter, Dawnfur thought he was better than anyone in the Clan. Frostywind was more of a fighter - strong and tricky. Dawnfur was intelligent, and she used that skill wisely. Dawnfur stayed calm at all times, and she was wise herself.

Dawnfur walked out of the warriors den and saw her mother, Nightflower, and her father, Duskshadow in the center of the clearing. Duskshadow was the deputy of ThunderClan, he was strong, loyal and extremely brave. Duskshadow noticed Dawnfur, and greeted her. "Hello, Dawnfur!" he mewed. Nightflower greeted Dawnfur as she approached. "How are you?" Nightflower asked her. "I'm fine. Did Firestripe already go out hunting?" Dawnfur asked. "Yes, he did." Duskshadow replied. Dawnfur nodded, and went to the fresh-kill pile. She picked out a shrew and brought it beside the warriors den to eat.

Soon she finished it, and she got bored. Dawnfur saw Frostywind emerge from the warriors den, Wolfshadow and Autumnwing following. "Frostywind, Wolfshadow, Autumnwing!" Dawnfur called, trotting over to the three. "Hi, Dawnfur!" the three greeted. Dawnfur's shiny black pelt glowed in the sunlight. "Where's Firestripe?" asked Autumnwing. "Out hunting, of course." Dawnfur replied.

Dawnfur's pelt was black, it looked like a glowing black pelt in the sunlight. Dawnfur has light green eyes and white paws. Firestripe has a flame-coated pelt with darker orange stripes and blue eyes. Frostywind has a silvery-blue pelt with a white muzzle and icy blue eyes. Wolfshadow is white with dark black stripes and ice blue eyes, and her sister, Autumnwing has a pure black pelt with blood red eyes.

"Yeah, he always is." Frostywind commented. "So, what do you want to do?" asked Dawnfur. "I don't know." Wolfshadow mewed. "Why don't we go hunting too? The Clan needs more prey this newleaf." Autumnwing suggested. "Sure, why not?" Dawnfur agreed.

The four cats left camp to go hunting. Dawnfur was near a cave, she knew the cave had plenty of mice there and sometimes it had rabbits or shrew. Dawnfur liked hunting there, and what was best was that she was the only cat in ThunderClan who knew that place existed. She entered the cave, and smelled the air. She scented the usual smells, and something else. The smell of a cat that didn't belong to ThunderClan. I fact, it didn't belong to any Clan. Dawnfur sniffed again, keeping her ears pricked for danger. She picked up another scent - the smell of crowfood. The cat must be hungry to be eating such food. Or maybe the cat only killed prey for sport, and left it here to rot.

Whatever it meant, it must mean rogues. Dawnfur scented the cave one last time. Dirty, the cat must not have groomed his or herself for a long time. Then she felt claws digging into her back as she collapsed onto the hard earth. Dawnfur struggled away from the attacker's grasp, and saw a black tabby. "This is my territory!" the tabby spat. "Sorry, but I hunted here for moons more than you!" Dawnfur retorted angrily. She glanced around the cave, and then realized that the scent of the cat was fresh, but it just appeared there. The cat probably just moved to the cave. But this cave was in ThunderClan territory, and other cats weren't allowed here.

"This cave is in ThunderClan territory, and I can tell you aren't from ThunderClan." Dawnfur added. "I don't care!' the black cat hissed. "Leave, now!" Dawnfur spat. "Make me!" the cat retorted. "Okay, I will. I'll go get Frostywind, Wolfshadow, Autumnwing, Firestripe, Graystripe, Dragonflower, Fogshadow -" Dawnfur stopped as the cat was looking shocked and scared. "Fine, I'll leave." the cat mumbled. "You can stay once you scent a new smell, off of ThunderClan territory!" Dawnfur growled. The black tom left without saying another word.

--~--

I'll write more later.

[Tigerfur]

That was GREAT! I wonder if the black cat will play a major roll later on.

[n.i.n.j.a.m.i.n.d.]

I LOVE it Shadeheart!!

[Shadeheart]

He might, Tigerfur... This chapter is the next day... Oh, and I edited my last post, I put Aquarain when I meant to put Nightflower...

--~--

Frostywind padded out of the warriors den and breathed in the fresh-air it was nearly sunrise, but Frostywind loved to get out early and hunt, even though she was better at fighting. "Nice day." she murmured. It was bright, even though the sun wasn't fully in the sky yet. Clouds were appearing, but not storm clouds.

Frostywind padded out of camp. She always went hunting in the mornings in attempt to inprove her hutning skills. But today she strangely didn't feel like hunting. She continued walking out of camp, and headed anywhere her paws led her. She saw a cave, it smelled of a loner who was still there, and more than all, it smelled like Dawnfur and prey.

Frostywind slowly entered the cave. "Hello?" she asked loudly. The walls of the caves reflected her voice in an echo. "Who's there?" a cat hissed. "Frostywind of ThunderClan. I know you aren't of ThunderClan and you aren't supposed to be here." Frostywind exclaimed.

"Frostywind!" the cat spat. Frostywind saw the cat. He was pure black and his fur was bristling. "A black cat with white paws and green eyes mentioned that you'd come and chase me off!"
"I don't do that to cats without a prupose. But you aren't supposed to be here, and I will chase you off if I need to!" Frostiowind growled. "And I think you mean Dawnfur, my sister."

"Probably." the black cat growled. The black cat didn't meet Frostywind eye-to-eye, and he looked nervous. "I'm Darkness."
"Nice to meet you, Darkness. I could invite you to join ThunderClan, but I can't say Ravenstar'll say yes." Frostywind mewed. "No thanks, I'm better as a loner . . . no Clan would want me." Darkness mumbled, walking closer to Frostywind.

"Ravenstar is nice, and she'd accept you I'm sure." Frostywind meowed. "No she wouldn't! All the Clans know what I did when I was in ShadowClan, and I lost my warrior name for it! But no cat told their kits - which you probably were when it happened - what I did, it might badly encourage them or something!" Darkness spat angrily, baring his teeth.

Frostywind was taken aback, and she took a step back fearfully. "I'm sorry . . ." Darkness murmured. "Why were you so harsh on my sister?" Frostywind demanded gently. "I needed to defend my new territory. She'll kill me if she finds me here . . . but I thought about it, and maybe I'm better dead." Darkness whispered quietly, his eyes closing slowly.

"I'll leave you as a loner, and I'll tell my sister to stay away from you and not to harm you. She's the only one in ThunderClan who knows about this place, and I think StarClan guided me here." Frostywind mewed, walking up to Darkness. "I'd better be going now. I might come here tomorrow to talk to you." Frostywind purred. "Bye, Frostywind." Darkness mewed softly. Frostywind slowly stalked out of the cave.

Frostywind then decided she would name that cave. "Darkness Wind Cave?" she asked herself. "Named after Darkness and I. Darkness and Frostywind."
"Or just Darkness Cave . . ." then Frostywind decided it didn't need a name, it was already complete, it had Darkness . . ."

--~--

Chapter over!

[Tear]

Cool chapters!

[Shadeheart]

Thanks! I'm working on the other Chapter right now . . .

[Shadeheart]

I edited the post before my last post again... I made too many mistakes in it.

--~--

Firestripe just got back from hunting. He had caught a lot, and he had to take 3 trips back to carry all the prey to camp. Firestripe dropped the last of his prey on the pile, and padded to a sunny spot in the clearing. He sat down there, and wondered what to do. He could go hunting again, he loved hunting. But everyone kept joking that if he hunted much more, the forest would run out of prey, and it would all be on the ThunderClan fresh-kill pile.

It's not my fault I love to hunt! Firestripe would always reply. But he knew he should wait for more prey to be born before catching it all. Firestripe wished he had an apprentice, he could teach his apprentice to be the second best hunter in ThunderClan! Every cat new Firestripe would still be the best hunter. Firestripe might need help teaching his apprentice how to train, but maybe the apprentice could teach him, if he was naturally a fighter like Frostywind.

I should stop dreaming. Ravenstar would never give me an apprentice because she thinks I'd probably forget I have one, and keep hunting day and night. Firestripe growled in his mind. Firestripe sighed, and stood up again, and he noticed Frostywind barge into camp, heading for the warriors den. "Frostywind!" Firestripe called, wondering what was on her mind. If it was something bad, surely she'd tell the leader instead?

Frostywind turned and looked at Firestripe. She was a few fox-lengths away from him. Frostywind frowned, and mewed, "Sorry, Firestripe, I need to speak to Dawnfur."
Frostywind darted to the warriors den. A few moments later, she walked out, Dawnfur was following, looking shocked and angry. Firestripe decided to follow them. Besides, they couldn't get to angry at him, he was their brother anyway.

Firestripe crept silently along the path Dawnfur and Frostywind led him to, without knowing he was there, The two cats stopped in frotn of a cave. amd peered inside. Firestripe heard Frostywind call, "Darkness!"
Darkness? Darkness means no light, I'm pretty sure. Why would you call to that? Firestripe wondered.

A black cat stalked out of the cave, and glared at Dawnfur while he walked next to Frostywind. Firestripe smelled the air, and at once knew that the black cat was a loner who lived in ThunderClan territory. Dawnfur bared her teeth and unsheathed her claws, but Frostywind just touched noses with the black loner cat.

What's wrong with her? Firestripe wondered silently. "This is Darkness." Frostywind told Dawnfur. "I gave him permission to stay here, because me and you are the only cats in ThunderClan that know about this cave." Frostywind meowed. "That's what you think." Firestripe smirked.

Firestripe's eyes widened, and he put his tail over his mouth, suddenly aware he shouldn't have said anything. Luckily, no one heard him. Firestripe sighed quietly in relief. "Darkness needs a home, and I find it okay for him to stay here." Frostywind meowed. Firestripe wasn't paying attenion, and he sniffed the air. The wind was blowing in their direction . . . Firestripe would be noticed if he didn't run.

But Firestripe didn't move. If they noticed him, it didn't matter. He had to stay here, he was loyal, and he decided that if this Darkness cat was trouble, he'd tell Ravenstar about this.

--~--

Uh, I'll finish the Chapter later!

[Shadeheart]

I've decided that each cat will have their own writing colour, when it's their Chapter. Firestripe is maroon, Frostywind is blue and Dawnfur is orange.

--~--

Firestripe continued to listen to the cats' conversation. "Fine, the loner can stay!" Dawnfur growled angrily. "Thanks, Frosrtwind." Darkness meowed to the blue-gray she-cat. "You should be thanking me for agreeing to let you stay!" Dawnfur hissed. "Well Frostywind met me in the cave and -" Darkness was cut off when Dawnfur interrupted him. "Shutup, mousebrain, I don't care what you say! If you go near my sister again, I'll claw your ears off!" Dawnfur hissed.

Frostywind was about to object, but Dawnfur spoke first. "Come on, Frostywind, we're going back to ThunderClan!" she spat, and without waiting for Frostywind to reply, Dawnfur led the way back to camp, making sure Frostywind was following. Firestripe saw Frostywind look back and cast Darkness a sympathetic glance. Firestripe decided he wanted to meet this loner, he seemed nice, nicer than the snappy Dawnfur.

"Darkness!" Firestripe meowed quietly as he approached the black loner. Darkness turned his head and glared at Firestripe with his fur bristling. "Who are you, how do you know me?" hissed Darkness angrily, ready to leap onto Firestripe. "I am Firestripe, Frostywind's sister. I was listening to you, Frostywind and Dawnfur's conversation, and I followed them here. I'm the best hunter in my Clan, you ought to know." Firestripe exclaimed.

"Frostywind's the best fighter," Darkness sighed, a glow of admiration in his eyes. "Yes, and Dawnfur is more wise and courageous." Firestripe added. "And more short-tempered." Darkness spat. "That I can agree with." Firestripe smirked. Darkness stared at Firestripe curiously. "Well, hunter leader, why don't you go catch me a shrew?" Darkness asked. "To prove you're such a great hunter, you need to be back in at least five minutes."

"Easy!" meowed Firestripe, and he pelted away. Not even a minute later, he dropped a shrew and a vole at Darkness' paws. "Bonus points?" Firestripe suggested proudly. Darkness nodded, and took a bite of the shrew. "You can take the vole back to your Clan." Darkness mewoed. "Why wouldn't I? I'm loyal, even if I am feeding a loner! I bet Frostywind already suggested this but . . . why don't you come join ThunderClan?" asked Firestripe.

Darkness frowned and looked down at his paws. "I explained this to Frostywind already - no Clan wants me, when I was in ShadowClan I did something so bad, my warrior name was taken away and I was banished. You were probably a kit or so when it happened, so you don't know, and the tale is too bad that no cat ever passes it on.: Darkness admitted. "What did you do?" asked Firestripe. "I won't be angry, after all, you seem nice to me."

Darkness smiled. "Thank you, Firestripe. I can trust you. But don'ttell anyone, not even Frostywind, and I can trust Frostywind a lot too. Especcially don't tell Dawnfur!" Darkness hissed. "I won't, I swear that by StarClan." Firestripe promised. Darkness looked relieved, and began his story. "When I was a kit, I was born a cold-blooded murderer. I injured a kit while playing so badly that she could never become a warrior, and she became medicine cat instead. I didn't mean to do that, but somehow it felt good . . . I loved having all the power in my paws, and the taste of blood in my mouth."

Firestripe thought this was rather scary, and wondered if he could trust Darkness any longer. "Then, when I became an apprentice - I was known as Shadowpaw then - I killed Lightflower and badly injured Whitemorning. I became a warrior still, even though I commited so many crimes. When a warrior, I stripped Amberstar of two of her lives and before that, killed more than one warrior of each Clan . . . I was a cold-blooded murderer!" Darkness cried, and closed his eyes tightly.

"You're not like that anymore, Darkness." Firestripe soothed and dared to take a few more steps up to Darkness. "I don't know about that, Firestripe. I've been wanting revenge for so long, and I still love the taste of fresh blood that comes from cats." Darkness admitted. Firestripe tried to soothe him. "Well, my Clan will be wondering where I am, I might see you tomorrow, bye Darkness." Firestripe meowed. Darkness muttered a farewell, and Firestripe trotted back to camp, with the vole he caught clamped in his jaws.

[n.i.n.j.a.m.i.n.d.]

Wow!! Your story is really interesting!!

[Tigerfur]

That was FANTASTIC! I can't wait for more, I wonder if Darkness and Frostywind will ever become mates.

[Shadeheart]

Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe, or maybe Frostywind will choose to be loyal to ThunderClan, or maybe loyal to another Clan...

[n.i.n.j.a.m.i.n.d.]

Ooo, can't wait to find out more!!