SnowClan's Song

Chapter One
Snowstar's Worry "Quick! Get Featherdrift!" rose a voice from the nursery. It was a pure white tom, and he looked distraught, like something was wrong. If there was ever a reason for panic, now would be the time. He looked to the nearest cat, a lean brown she-cat. "Russetfur!" he yowled. "Go!"

The she-cat paused, and looked at the cat that had spoken to her. "Snowstar! What's wrong?!" she asked, concern filling her voice. Her leader seemed really worried.

"It's Brackenheart! Her kits are coming!" Snowstar paced up and down the small area near the nursery. He couldn't bear to be in there. Those were his kits being born - almost a quarter moon before they should be. This worried him, badly. He didn't want to think of a world without Brackenheart - or these kits, which he would love with all his 5 remaining lives.

He watched Russetfur run off to the other side of the clearing, where the medicine den was located. She then disappeared into a small hole embedded into a tree stump. That was where Featherdrift, and her apprentice, Flutterpaw made their nests. It was only a moment later that the medicine cat emerged from the hole, with Russetfur and her apprentice in tow. The medicine cat carried a bundle of herbs in her jaws. The expression on her face was nothing but concern for her fellow Clanmate - she must have guessed the same thing Snowstar did; Brackenheart's kits were early.

"How is she?" asked Featherdrift as she slowed down before entering the den which held her leader's mate. All Snowstar could do was stare into the nursery - listening to his mate's cries of pain. The silver she-cat's tail flicked in agitation. "Oh, never mind! You stay out here and keep your mind off of Brackenheart." she paused, and then purred, realizing how nervous he was. "Don't worry, Snowstar. You know as well as I do that she'll be fine. Brackenheart's a tough she-cat, and she won't go down without a fight."

Snowstar's ears flicked, as if there was a bug bothering him. "I know. I know," he said, his voice now tinged with impatience, as well as worry and annoyance. "I'm just scared for her, you know...remember what happened to Snowbird..." his voice drifted off, as if he were remembering some long off memory. Snowbird had died many seasons ago, bearing his first litter of kits - one of them was now a warrior, Cloudstrike. The other 3 kits did not make it through the night after they were born. Snowbird was much too young, and Snowstar didn't want the same thing happening to this she-cat, the one he cared about so much, and would be willing to put the rest of his lives on the line for.

"Featherdrift! Get in here! They're coming!" Flutterpaw's voice arose from the inside of the nursery, and she sounded impatient.

Featherdrift's head shot in the direction of her apprentice's call, and her eyes widened. "Great StarClan!" she exclaimed. She apologized to Snowstar, and ducked her head into the nursery.

As she entered, Mosswhisker, a gray she-cat, ushered her kits outside, so they wouldn't get in the way. She was the mother of Valorkit - a tom that looked like a spitting image of his father, Firewind - and Tinykit, the little she-cat had just gotten over a bout of sickness, so, she didn't look happy to be going outside. "I don't wanna come outside!" she protested. "What happens if I get sick?" Tinykit whined to her mother.

Mosswhisker looked to Snowstar, as if she was expecting support from her Clan leader. Snowstar purred and rested his tail onto the very small kit. "Don't you worry, little Tinykit. You won't be outside for long." he paused, and added as an afterthought "If it's alright with your mother, how about I take you and your brother for a small walk outside the camp? I'm sure your paws are getting itchy to be outside."

Valorkit's eyes widened as he spoke. "Really?" he asked, overjoyed at the fact that Snowstar would want to spend time with him and his sister. As Snowstar nodded, the orange kit looked to his mother, and with wide eyes, asked "Can we Mosswhisker? Can we go with Snowstar?"

Mosswhisker was just about to reply when her mate, Firewind, came out of the warrior's den to meet up with his mate. The den was right next to the nursery, just in case something would happen - the nursery would be the easiest to guard. "Well, Mosswhisker. I was just about to ask if you'd go hunting with me. Snowstar can keep an eye on the kits. He needs something to keep him busy." he looked at his leader, and dipped his head in respect. "If you don't mind, that is."

Snowstar nodded. "I don't mind. It was my idea anyways." he paused, and looked at Mosswhisker. "Don't worry. We'll just be outside the camp." He started to walk away, using his tail to beckon Valorkit and Tinykit to follow him. "Let's go!" he mewed happily. He then lead the two kits out of camp - hoping that he would one day do this with his own kits...and maybe with their kits after them.

Chapter Two
Valor and Holly "Come on! Let's go, Hollykit!" rose a voice from the nursery. It was a tom, by the sound of it. He seemed like he wanted to go outside, but he was waiting for his companion to follow.

All the kit's call got in response was a humph from deep inside and a small squeak in reply to the grumpy kit. Her tail had just gotten nipped by her mother, Brackenheart. "Hollykit, don't be so crabby! What would Snowstar say?" Hollykit's mother usually threatened her daughter with Snowstar when she didn't do something outside. Snowstar was Hollykit's father, and he encouraged healthy activity in all the cats, from the youngest kits to the oldest elders. "Come on, go with Valorkit," she urged, with a flick of her tail in the direction of the orange tom.

"Yeah, Hollykit! Let's go!!" Valorkit, Mosswhisker and Firewind's kit, jumped with happiness at the thought of going outside with Hollykit - the two were best of friends from the moment Hollykit opened up her eyes; he was the first cat she looked at, and Mosswhisker said that would form a bond between the two that lasted for as long as StarClan chose to foster that bond. So far, Valorkit's mother was right. For three moons, the two kits had been inseparable. Wherever Valorkit would go, Hollykit would follow, padding ever-so-slightly behind him. The orange kit ran outside, his tail flicking in happiness.

"Hey! Valorkit!" Hollykit called, trying to hold back a laugh "Wait for me!". The brown and black she-kit ran outside, trying to catch up with her best friend. She didn't think that it was very fair that he'd never wait for her. Once she got outside, though, she about crashed right into him. Lucky for Hollykit, though, Valorkit noticed his friend coming, and sidestepped out of her way, trying to stifle a laugh.

"Great SpiritClan!" Valorkit teased. "You're as clumsy as a badger!" His laugh echoed through the camp. The only reason that the kits were allowed out of the nursery, was because the warriors and apprentices were out training or hunting, leaving the camp desolate and empty - save Snowstar, his deputy, Whiskerswipe, Brackenheart, the queens and one or two warriors sleeping from guarding the camp all night. Valorkit was just about to open up his mouth to suggest something, when a voice spoke up - and it wasn't Hollykit's. "Well, well, well. Are there some kits entertaining themselves today?"

Hollykit turned around, and looked at the cat who spoke. It was a big light gray tom, and Hollykit recognized him instantly. It was her father! "Snowstar!!!" she mewed happily and jumped on her father. The force was enough to send Snowstar down to the ground.

"Goodness, Hollykit! You're always so full of energy, aren't you?" Her father asked. Snowstar was content with his kits - all three of them. Although he was a bit frightened of the prophecy that centered around his youngest daughter, Hollykit. He tried his best not to tell anyone, especially Featherdrift. She would know what it meant, but he decided to keep quiet - he didn't want the whole camp to know that Hollykit would have more power then the spirits of her warrior ancestors, who now live in SpiritClan. He shook his head, driving away thoughts, since he felt a small paw prod him in his side. "Huh? What?" he asked, not exactly with it.

"Father?" Hollykit mewed quietly, looking from Valorkit to her father. "Is something bothering you? I think you should go to Featherdrift - you don't seem too well...."

Snowstar shook his head as he looked his daughter in the eyes. "No, don't worry. I'm fine. I'm just thinking too much, that's all!" His tail flicked Hollykit's ears as he walked past, back to Brackenheart and Whiskerswipe. ''I'm not going to tell her. Not yet. She's nowhere near ready! She's not even an apprentice yet.'' he thought to himself.

Chapter Three
Lion's Blaze "Let all Clans gather here beneath the Spirit Sky Tree for our moonly meeting!" Snowstar's voice rose throughout the clearing, and attracted the attention of all the cats from the clans. It was cold outside, and most of the cats tried to press together as close as they could, to keep warm. Even the bitterest of warriors were sitting close to each other - proof of how cold the weather was.

Hollypaw - who became an apprentice five moons ago, sat next to her best friend, Valorsong. He had received his warrior name two moons ago - as he rescued Fernpool's kits from a fox that strayed too close to the queen while she's taken her kits out for a walk around the camp.

It may have been two moons ago, but the orange warrior sure as SpiritClan didn't act like a warrior. His attitude had almost gotten himself landed in the apprentice den for another moon - he would keep his warrior name, but have to do apprentice tasks (feed the elders, search them for ticks, and so on). As Hollypaw thought about her friend, and what trouble his actions have gotten him into, she went into a moment where it seemed that she was seeing things through some other cat's eyes - something as of recently, she'd been having a lot of. She could even see herself, the brown and black she-cat that Valorsong thought so highly of, and would do anything to protect her.

As this thought occured to her, and voice jolted her from her thoughts. It was a tom-cat's voice, that much she knew. But, there was something different about this voice, as if she'd never heard it before. That's odd... thought Hollypaw, with a flick of her ears. ''I've never heard this voice before. I wonder who it might be... It doesn't sound like Snowstar or Valorsong...so who is it?''

"Hollypaw.... Hollypaw!" Spoke the nameless cat again. This time, it seemed closer than when she heard it the first time, as if the cat were right behind her. However, when Hollypaw turned around, what she saw next almost sent her to SpiritClan herself. None of the cats were moving! As she turned back around to look at her father, she realized that all of the cats seemed frozen to their seats. Then came the voice again, but this time was right in front of her. Hollypaw's gaze drifted to the spot right in front of her, and then she noticed that only one cat aside from her was moving. There was a golden tabby tom seating right in front of her - she'd never even noticed the cat before, and he didn't seem like he belonged to any of the Clans that were here tonight. There were stars in his fur! Which shocked Hollypaw. "Hollypaw. So you've finally noticed me." spoke the cat as he turned around. He also had amber eyes, which gleamed with excitement. Or was it something else?

"Who are you?" Hollypaw asked. "I've never seen you before? Are you from SpiritClan?" Her voce was tinged with hope - she'd never before met with one of her ancestors, and she hoped that this would be the time she finally met one.

"SpiritClan? No. I am not." He paused, and lifted his front paw, which seemed to be flecked with spots of dry blood that had never washed off his paws. "My name...is Lionblaze." He spoke.

Hollypaw looked at the tom with confusion. "Lionblaze? Where are you from then? If you say that you're not from SpiritClan?"

Lionblaze laughed, and his tail flicked. It was easy to tell that there was something up with this cat, and that he wasn't normal. But then again, nothing seemed right anymore, regardless of where you lived or which Clan you came from. "I am from a Clan not known by the cats of the mountains. I am from ThunderClan. Well, I was from ThunderClan, anyways." He paused, and when he did, Hollypaw bombarded him with questions.

"ThunderClan? Where's that? And what do you mean when you said you were from ThunderClan? Did you get exiled or something like that? Or did you just decide to leave? What about family? Did you have any kits or a mate? What about siblings?" The little brown she-cat was out of energy, just from speaking. She stopped and let Lionblaze answer - he was looking at her with a look of amazement in his eyes, as if he'd never heard a cat speak that fastly in his life.

"Woah. Calm down, Hollypaw. I said I was from ThunderClan, because I now live in StarClan, with my mate, Cinderstar, and my brother, Jayfeather. My sister, Hollyleaf...as far as I know, she's also in StarClan. At least, I hope she is. My kits live on, one of them following my brother's path, and the other leading my former Clan with pride. But, enough about me. That is not why I came here. I came to tell you of a prophecy. One that centers around you. If you're willing to hear it, I will tell you." Lionblaze's look grew serious, as he looked at Hollypaw. "You must not act like a little kit anymore. There is so much that you need to do."

Hollypaw flinched. ''How could something so big center around me? I'm so small compared to everyone else...'' she thought to herself, hoping that this Lionblaze couldn't read her mind. She took a deep breath, and looked the golden tom right in the eyes. "Yes. I'm ready. Tell me what it is I need to do."

Chapter Four
Wandering Souls "Yes. I'm ready. Tell me what it is I need to do.".. Those words flashed around through Hollypaw's head. Oh, how she wished she knew what she was getting herself into! She also wished that she had Valorsong with her - he'd know what to do. The brown and black she-cat shivered at the prospect of not having her friend around; it just wouldn't be the same without the warmth of the orange tom near her. Hollypaw looked around, and yet again, the grim harshness of what had been told to her came crashing down, like someone dropped a ton of rocks on her back, and expected her to get up. She let out a small 'oomph' and shook out her fur.

Lionblaze purred and flicked his tail. Was that laughter in his voice? There was something about the aura that radiated from the golden tom that made Hollypaw feel like she was safe. Not that she didn't want Valorsong to be with her...it was just... She felt like she could trust this tom - the one with stars in his fur, and the smell of forest trees on his fur."Are you okay, Hollypaw?" Asked Lionblaze. There was concern in his voice, as if he really cared about the she-cat.

Hollypaw shrugged. "I guess I'm okay." her gaze drifted to where Valorsong sat. He was as still as a rock. A part of Hollypaw wanted none of this to be real, and that this was just a dream, and she would wake up, and go out on a hunting patrol or something. "It's just..."

She never finished, because at that moment, Lionblaze noticed where her gaze went, and he mewed "Would you like your friend to be in on this? I know for a fact... it's hard to keep something like this all to yourself." His eyes were clouded, and it seemed that he was caught in a flashback. Hollypaw didn't dare disturb him, though. For some reason, she got the impression that whatever the tom was thinking about, it played a key role in his life while he was in...what did he call it? ThunderClan?

Lionblaze shook his head, as if to drive away the memory. Hollypaw watched as the tom regained his senses, and went back to his normal self. Well, what Hollypaw knew to be normal, anyways. "Would you like Valorsong to be able to see and hear me, just like you can?" the golden tom pressed on.

"You're saying that you can actually do that? Amazing." Hollypaw was amazed, at more then just the fact she was special."Yes... I would... I don't think that keeping a secret from Valorsong is the best thing to do. He's my best friend, and I love him more than anything in the entire world." Hollypaw admitted.

With the flick of his tail, Lionblaze brought Valorsong into the "world" that he and Hollypaw were part of. "Now be cautious, little one. Remember that he will now know al of what you will know." He looked at Valorsong, and dipped his head. "Greetings, Valorsong, warrior of SnowClan."

Valorsong's green gaze looked shocked. "Where am I?" he spoke out loud. Then he looked around - and noticed Hollypaw and the golden tom, whose name Valorsong wasn't sure of. "Who are you, and how do you know who I am?" he asked, and there was nothing but pure confusion in his eyes."Hollypaw?! Where are we?"

Hollypaw was just about to answer, when Lionblaze stepped forward. "Calm down, young warrior. All is well." Lionblaze let his soft, amber eyes rest upon the two cats, who were sitting next to each other. He spoke again, and this time, was addressing Hollypaw, just as much as Valorsong. "You've nothing to worry about. Please, just listen to what I have to say - both of you." Both Valorsong and Hollypaw kept quiet as Lionblaze continued. "Hollypaw, there is a prophecy. It seems that you are not the only one that now knows about this. The one with the name of Snow knows as well, and he never said anything." he flicked his tail up to the Spirit Sky Tree, where Hollypaw's father, Snowstar, sat. Still as a rock. "But anyways... the prophecy....

"With a song of valor, the one born of Snow and Bramble will rise among us, and drift through the ranks of her Clan like a holly leaf growing in the roughest weather."

Chapter Five
The Holly Leaves The air was filled with the scent of twolegs. Nothing in the world aggravated the orange tom more then the smell of those nasty creatures that thought they ruled the land they lived on. They may be bigger than the cat and his family, but there was no way that he was going to stand for these twolegs that live so near his home. They threatened his family - his mate, Heartsong; his kits, Birdy, Poppy and Kanna. There was nothing that the tom loved more than his family. He was thinking of telling Heartsong that they needed to find another den to live in, but, the kits were still too young to travel a long distance in this cold weather. He sent a silent prayer up to SpiritClan - hoping that they would help him to make the right choices.

Flamethrower's ears flicked, and he shivered. It was cold out, and the clouds threatened the nice weather. Maybe it's going to snow...that can't be good for the little ones. he thought to himself. They're not that old...the cold weather may bring sickness.'

"Flamethrower?" a gentle voice shook him from his thoughts. The tom turned his orange head to see Heartsong, his mate, walking over to him. Three kits tumbled around at her paws. They were his pride and joy, so he wanted to protect them in case something happened.

"Heartsong? What are you and the kits doing outside? I don't want you getting sick..." he murmured to his mate, not wanting his kits to hear. They were enjoying themselves, and he didn't want to ruin their fun, but, he was their father, and looking out for them was the least he could do.