Visions

[Dawnpaw]

//It has been a moon since Morningkit... I can't even think of her without a rush of emotion. I am sitting in Spottytail's den, helping him sort herbs. I have been hanging out here more often now. I think I might ask to be his apprentice. Fighting never was something I enjoyed much. I would rather hang out here. I will ask him right now.//
"Spottytail?"
Spottytail- "Yes, Dawnkit?"
"Can I be your apprentice?"
Spottytail- "Of course. It just suprises me you haven't asked sooner."
"Oh, thank you so much! You won't regret it!"
//I ran off to tell Morningkit, and then realized with a jolt that I would never hunt with her, never comfort her as she is kitting, nothing ever again would I do with my sister. This realization hit me like a claw to the heart. I had not before realized what her death really meant.//

[Dawnpaw]

//My apprentice ceremony! I am so excited! I just wish Morningkit would have been by my side, making sure I looked just right. Of course, that should have been my mother. But she died giving birth; her dying words were our names. And my father, well, my father was a kittypet. So now it is just me. And here I go.//
Redstar- "Dawnkit, come forward. You are 6 moons old, and that means you are ready for a mentor. From this day on, until you get your warrior name, you shall be known as Dawnpaw. Spottytail, you will be Dawnpaw's mentor. I trust you to pass on the skills that your mentor, Runningwind, taught to you."
//I padded over to Spottytail, and touched noses with my new mentor, a feeling of warmth and comfort coursing through my veins.//
Hailclan- "Dawnpaw! Dawnpaw!"

[Dawnpaw]

//Half-moon time. I find myself scrambling over rocks, trying to match my paw steps to Spottytail's. There it is! The Starcave! The place where my ancestors went to share tongues with Starclan warriors. I wonder if Morningkit will be waiting for me. We are in the cave now. I crouch down, and lick up a few drops of water from the Starpool. Suddenly feeling very tired, I curl up on the ground, and sleep.//
//I awake in the Hailclan camp, the way I knew it as a kit. I see myself prodding Morningkit awake.//
"Wake up, Morningkit! I need to show you something!!"
Morningkit- "I'm coming, I'm coming. Geez Dawnkit!"
//I watched my sister climb to her feet, and we both headed out the tunnel of the camp. I followed them. My stomach gave a terrible lurch. This was…//
Morningkit- “Where are we going, Dawnkit?”
“You’ll see.”
//I see myself striding out in front. I was extremely adventurous as a kit, and I had clearly been out before.//
Unknown voice- “Well, what do we have here?”
//Three cats dropped out of a tree, surrounding us.//
“Hi! My name’s Dawnkit! Whats yours?”
Unknown voice- “I am pain. And these are my friends suffering and death.”
//They closed in on the two kits. I could only watch, helplessly, as one cat, death, ripped out my sister’s throat with a single swipe of his claws.//
“NO! Morningkit!”
//Pain knocks me over, taking my paw in his teeth. He twists it around until it points almost to my body. I shriek in pain. I see suffering closing in on me, when suddenly Goldenear, Silvernose, Spidertail, and Tigerpelt burst out of the bushes. Goldenear charged at pain, knocking him off me. Silvernose threw herself on death, and Tigerpelt latched onto sufrering, clawing his belly.//
Silvernose- “Dawnkit! Run!”
//And I did. I ran out of there like the whole of Deathclan was at my heels, though my paw was broken. Tigerpelt grabbed Morningkit, and ran right behind me. And then I was soaring over the forest, and the next moment, I was back in the Starcave.//

[Dawnpaw]

//I had the strangest dream last night. I was back at my birth. But instead of being me, I was on the sidelines. I saw myself roll out into the world, and take my first few breaths. My mother had been kitting for a long time. Her breathing was labored, and she was shaking. Her belly had constant ripples coursing along it as her body fought to push my sister out. Morningkit plopped out onto the moss beside me. My mother looked at us, and her eyes shone. She touched me with her tail, and muttered a single word. Dawn. Her eyes flitted over to my sister, and she gasped morning. And then my mother was gone. I saw myself snuggle closer to her, prodding her belly for milk. Her eyes were void of the light that shone in them always. I have seen her in my dreams before, and her eyes always shine with humor. But now, her eyes were as still and empty as they could be. She was gone.//
“WHY ARE YOU SHOWING THIS TO ME!”
//I looked to the sky in my dream, and I heard the voice of Starclan speak.//
“You must learn to except your past, as it will shape your future. Dawnpaw, you will be the savior of your clan. Serve it well.”
//I woke with a jolt, pressed as far back as I could into the wall of the den, shaking from the shock of what I had just witnessed. Spottytail was calling me to get up, and come out and help him gather herbs. I crawled out of my nest, and went with him. While we were out, I told him of my dream, and he pulled me close to him while I cried.//

[Dawnpaw]

//I have been training for 3 moons now. Spottytail has been hinting about a warrior ceremony soon. Except in my case, it will be a full medicine cat ceremony. But that just takes so long to say. I pad into the Starcave behind Spottytail and the other medicine cats. I am just about to take a drink from the pool, when Spottytail starts to talk.//
Spottytail- “As you all know, I am getting old. And it’s time for a new medicine cat to take over from me as medicine cat of Hailclan. Dawnpaw, you have completed your training. Do you promise to help every cat within your care, to the best of your knowledge?”
“Yes.”
Spottytail- “Then I give you your full medicine cat name, and welcome you as a full member of Hailclan. Dawnpaw, from this day on, you will be known as Dawnfur. Starclan honors your creativity, and devotion to your clan.”
All medicine cats- “Dawnfur, Dawnfur!”
//I glowed with pride, and looked to Starclan. Morningkit, if you can see me know, know that I love you, and wish you could be here to cheer for me when I got back to camp. And know that I would do the same for you. On that happy note, I curled up beside the pool, lapped up a few drops of the shining silver liquid, and slept.//
//I awoke back in the Starcave, but this time, instead of my fellow medicine cats, I was now surrounded by Starclan warriors. My mother steps out of the crowd, and I run to her.//
“Mistytail!”
Mistytail- “Oh, Dawnfur! I am so proud of you! I only wish that I was able to be there with you.”
//Her eyes cloud with sadness, and I entwine my tail with hers.//
"Why did you have to go?"
Mistytail- "Starclan wished it to be so."
"How is Morningkit? Why haven't I seen her in my dreams?"
Mistytail- "Your sister is fine. Since she died as a kit, she has been living out her training here. She is Morningpaw now. She wants you to know that she does not blame you for her death."
"But why haven't I seen her in my dreams?"
Mistytail- “I would tell you, but it is time for you to go. Goodbye, my lovely kit. And be forever devoted to your clan.”
//And then my dream fades, and I am back in the Starcave. I leap over to Spottytail, and we head for home.//

[Dawnpaw]

“SPOTTYTAIL! NO!”
//I yowl across the clearing at the group of cats that enter. They are supporting my former mentor between them, and it is obvious that he won’t make it through the night. I bolt over, and they settle him on the ground at my paws.//
“Spottytail, what happened?”
//Spottytail’s voice cames out a croak.//
Spottytail- “My dear Dawnfur, nothing happened. It is Starlclan’s will that I go now. It is my time.”
//I flop down on the ground next to him, and lick his ears.//
“But why now? With Leaf-bare coming, and greencough starting to spread. I don't know if I can take care of the clan on my own. Why now?”
Spottytail- “I cannot explain the will of Starclan. But-”
//He brakes off into a fit of coughing, and a small pool of blood appears on the ground.//
Spottytail- “But I can only give you a bit of advice. The world is yours, Dawnfur. Let none tell you what you can’t do. But know your limitations. No cat can do everything.”
//Spottytail stiffens, and in the voice of Starclan, he speaks.//
Spottytail- “The world does not command one cat. She will soothe the wounds left by blood, and nothing will stop her, even death. You are that cat, Dawnfur. Now it is time to let go. Spottytail must join our ranks now.”
//My eyes fill with tears, and they spill out over my paws. Spottytail seems to come back to himself.//
Spottytail- “Goodbye, Dawnfur. I will always watch over you.”
//And with those words, my mentor, my surrogate father, my lifeline, was gone from the world. I press my nose into his pelt, and cry out.//
“NO! You can’t go!”
//I cry, and Goldenear comes over. She settles down next to me, and presses her pelt close to mine. She licks my ear in a comforting rhythm. With my surrogate father gone, I press close to Goldenear, the one who had taken my sister and me in when my mother died.//
“Why is my life filled with so much pain?”
Goldenear- “Dawnfur, this pain has made you who you are. When Morningkit died, you chose the path of medicine cat. With her alive, you would have been a warrior. If your mother had not died giving birth, she would not have allowed you to sneak out of the camp. If Spottytail had not died, you would never have been a full medicine cat.”
//I snuggle closer to her, and sob, Spottytail’s dying words ringing in my ears.//

[Dawnpaw]

//Sleep. What a glorious thing. But not for a medicine cat. My thoughts are plagued with the screams of cats at the battle today. If only I had not seen it again all over in my dreams…//
Redstar- “ATTACK!”
//My leader lead our warriors streaming into the Fernclan camp. They had been stealing our prey, and Redstar was going to make them pay. I saw Heatherfoot, the deputy, leap on the Fernclan deputy. It was a tangle of claws and teeth. Iceshard, our newest warrior, jumped on a Fernclan warrior who I could not name. I watched, wide-eyed, as Redstar was split open from nose to tail by the Fernclan leader. I dashed into the clearing, and pulled Redstar out of the battle//
Redstar- “Dawnfur… There is nothing you can do-”
//He broke off as he lost his third life.//
Redstar- “Make sure… Heatherfoot… leader… Heatherstar…”
//He stiffened, losing his last two lives in a heartbeat. Redstar was gone. I bolted from his side, and ran to the Fernclan camp.//
“STOP!”
//I screeched as loud as I could. To my amazement, the fighting stopped.//
“Hailclan, Redstar is dead. We must go back to camp. Heatherfoot, we will travel to the Starcave by the next moonrise.”
//I turned and headed back to where I had left Redstar’s body, Heatherfoot at my side.//
Heatherfoot- “Is he really…”
“Yes.”
//Heatherfoot dashed ahead to pay her last respects to Redstar in private. I motioned with my tail for a few warriors who were not to badly hurt to come to me.//
“Please, would you bring Redstar’s body back to camp?”
//They nodded, and walked to where Redstar lay.//
“Hailclan! Go back to camp!”
//I woke with a jolt as Heatherfoot woke me as I had told her to.//
Heatherfoot- “Time to go, Dawnfur.”
//I stretched, and pulled a few herbs out of my store. I pushed them over to Heatherfoot, and she lapped them up. Then we turned, and walked out of the camp side by side.//

[Dawnpaw]

//GREENCOUGH! It ran through the camp, taking our leader. Hazelstar was on his ninth life, and now Whiteclaw is Whitestar. I took him to the Starcave last moonrise. I wonder who he will chose for deputy. Now it is almost moonhigh.//
Whitestar- “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting.”
//He paused to let all the cats assemble beneath the Highledge.//
Whitestar- “As you all know, Dawnfur and I traveled to the Starcave last moonrise. I earned my nine lives, and I need to appoint a deputy before moonhigh. Iceshard will be the new Hailclan deputy. Iceshard, I know you will serve your clan well.”
Hailclan- “Iceshard! Iceshard!”
//I purred from the entrance to my den. The camp seemed strangely empty. Maybe because most of the members are in an old badgers nest, waiting for the greencough to run its course. I deliver a catmint every sunrise, but that doesn’t seem to help much. There is just not enough in the camp right now.//

[Dawnpaw]

//Whitestar came to me a moon ago. He told me about his leader ceremony. And how he only got five lives. I do not know how this could have happened. He said only five cats appeared to him in the Starcave, and his sleep was fitful. He was on his last life, and was going to war. I advised against it, but he would not listen. He took a party of warriors, and advanced on a camp of rouges who had been stealing our prey. There were more rouges than they had expected, overpowering them by at least five to one. He was struck down in battle, and three warriors carried him back to camp. Before he died, he spoke to me. He said, "Dawnfur, take Iceshard to the Starcave as soon as you can. This clan needs a strong leader, and apparently that was not me. If Starclan had wanted me to be a leader, I would have gotten all nine lives." And then he joined Starclan.//

[Dawnpaw]

“Iceshard… Iceshard, wake up. It’s time to go.”
Iceshard- “Ung…”
//I prod her side, urging her to wake. We are going to the Starcave, to make Iceshard Icestar.//
“Do you want to be leader, or not?”
Iceshard- “I’m coming!”
//I purr, and push a bundle of traveling herbs toward her.//
“Eat these. They will keep hunger away as we journey.”
//She licks up the herbs, and we walk out of camp. Once out of the clearing, we bound away into the forest, and she is silent, conserving her energy for the long trip. I like it better that way, for it leaves me more time to myself, and my thoughts. This time, I am thinking how a medicine cat should not outlive 3 leaders. But, they have all led short lives. Redstar died in battle, greencough took Hazelstar, and Whitestar was only leader for two moons, a battle ending his life also. Now, there will be Icestar, for it is time for her to shine.//
Icestar- “Dawnfur? Now what?”
“Now we go inside.”
//I lead the way into the cave, and we settle down at the edge of the pool, our pelts brushing. We lap from the pool, and see Starclan warriors. First to step up was Iceshard’s mother, Grasswhisker.
Grasswhisker- “Iceshard, my kit. This life is for a mothers love for her kit.”
//Her nose touch Iceshard’s and Iceshard cries out in pain. Grasswhisker steps back, and her father, Emberblaze, steps forward.//
Emberblaze- “I give you a life for strength. Your passion will shape you.”
//His tail brushes her shoulder, and a ripple courses along Iceshard’s flank. Cloudfrost pads up to us.//
Cloudfrost- “I give you a life for your knowledge. You will always know when to hold back, and when to give all your strength,”
//They touch noses, and Iceshard relaxes as this life melds with her others. Hazelstar appears.//
Hazelstar- “I give you this life for devotion to your clan. Nothing can stand in your way to help your clan.”
//Their pelts brush, and Iceshard shrieks in pain and agony. I am shocked to see my mentor, Spottytail, step out of the crowd.//
Spottytail- “Dawnfur, guide your clan.”
//WHAT! They are not supposed to even acknowledge my presence, let alone talk to me! I stand there, jaws wide open, as he speaks//
Spottytail- “Iceshard, I give you a life for honor. Know when to defend it, and when to let things slide.”
//Spottytail places his head on hers, and Iceshard stiffens. Her old apprentice, Smokepaw, slips up to meet her.//
Smokepaw- “Iceshard, this life shows a kits first breath of air, and how sweet that feeling is.”
//His nose bumps her chin, and she purrs at the sweet life. Snaketail steps up, and he gives her a life for bravery. Mosspelt leaves her with the strength to overcome any sickness. And last, Whitestar gives her the gift of speed, to run to help her clan. They yowl her new name to the sky//
Starclan- "Icestar! Icestar!"
//The Starclan warriors fade, and we head back to camp.//

[Dawnpaw]

//Half-moon time. I yowl to Icestar that I’m going to the Starcave, and set off. On the way over Stormclan territory I meet up with Rainfeather. We bound away through the forest, and meet the other two medicine cats by the entrance to the Starcave. The four of us go inside, and everyone but me settles down at the edge of the pool.//
“Do you guys feel it?”
Rainfeather- “Feel what?”
“A sense of… dread, I guess. Like we should be back with our clans. Like something bad is going to happen.”
//They shake their heads slowly, looking at me like I’m crazy.//
“I guess I’m just tired, thats all.”
//I settle down at the edge with the others, and we drink from the pool. In an instant, I’m transported to the Hailclan camp. I see Scarheart and her followers tearing up the clan, killing countless cats. Then I soar over the forest, and see the same thing happening to Stormclan, Ashclan, and Fernclan. I hear the now familiar voice of Starclan speak- The clans will be all but obliterated. We tired to warn you. Wait until you hear the sounds of battle stop, then go. If you do not, you will most surely be torn apart with all the others.//
“Why is this happening?”
//I yowl at the sky in my dream. Starclan remains silent, unwilling to yield more information. I feel a prodding in my side, and wake with a jolt. Rainfeather is poking me, urging me to wake.//
“Rainfeather! I’m up! Whats wrong?”
Rainfeather- “You were screeching like you were being clawed to death. What do you mean, what’s wrong.”
“I was? Ok never mind that. We need to stay here, at least for a little while. Please.”
//The battle starts. We hear cats yowling and screeching in the distance.//
Rainfeather- “Why? It sounds like cats in danger. We have to go help!”
//She starts off toward the battle, and I tackle her, pinning her to the floor.//
“Don’t you dare. Starclan warned this would happen. They said to stay here.”
//I let her up, and she sits down sulkily.//
Rainfeather- “Why would Starclan not want us to help?”
“Please believe me, Rainfeather. It was in my dream.”
//This seems to stop her. I have never shared my dreams with the other medicine cats before.//
Rainfeather- “Wh- What? How, why?”
“If we leave here, we will be killed like all the rest. And since none of us have apprentices, the clans will be left with no one to heal them. They will have to start from scratch, finding out which herbs to use with a process of trial and error. They could harm more than they help that way.”
//We stay in the Starcave, Rainfeather pacing around its small confines. We wait there for a long time, until we hear the screeches stop. I block the entrance, waiting to be sure the rouges are gone. When I am sure, I bolt out the door, closely followed by Rainfeather. The other two follow more cautiously. As soon as we get down, I run to my camp, as the four of us part ways. I dash to Icestar. She is badly wounded. I do the best I can, and just hope and pray to Starclan after that. To my relief, she is all right. Leaving Icestar to find the rest of my clan mates, I race out to see if the other clans need help. In the Stormclan camp, Seastar is stirring. Nightstar is waking in the Ashclan camp. I find similar results in Fernclan as well. I look to the sky, and yowl at Starclan.”
“THANK YOU FOR WARNING ME!”

[Dawnpaw]

//My mother. I long for her soft pelt, and her nursery smell of milk. I yowl her name to the sky.//
"CLOUDHEART! WHERE ARE YOU!"
//I curl up and sob.//

[Dawnpaw]

//I saw my father today. He was standing by a twoleg fence, just staring out into the forest. I went over and talked to him.//
"Who are you?"
Stripe- "I am Stripe. I live in this nest. You... You remind me of someone, someone I love very much. She lived in this forest. I was just thinking of going to visit her. She said her name was Cloudheart. Ever heard of her?"
"What?! You... You... That's my mother's name!"
Stripe- "Really? Did she have gray fur and yellow eyes? Were her paws as black as night?"
"I- I don't remember. She died when I was born. But I think so."
Stripe- "What? She's dead? And what about her other kit? I think her name was Morning..."
"She was Morningkit. She died."
Stripe- "That's horrible. But at least I still have you."
//He stepped forward, his pelt almost brishing mine. I jumped away, and turned into the forest.//
Stripe- "What did I do?"
//I turned back to face him.//
"I'm sorry, but I hardly know you. I have to go."
//I raced back into the forest, my tail streaming out behind me.//