The Laments of the Stars

[.:Lion:.]

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: I do not own Warriors or any of the characters that belong to Erin Hunter, but I DO take credit for the plot and some of my OCs. Thank you to Spirit and Flameh for helping me come up with so many darn names! -.- Please enjoy and thanks for reading!)

THE LAMENT OF THE STARS

Prologue

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The sound of trickling water filled the she-cat’s ears. Her calm eyes, the color of distant storm clouds, examined the low slope leading down to a pool, looking for any signs of movement. The smell of prey did not linger here, as it did in the forest – or almost anywhere else in the starry landscape that was the Celestial Lands. Only the faint smell of herbs and sweet flowers hung in the air in that ancient place, though, and the she-cat knew at once that she had come to the right place.

“Who are you?” She turned and saw a young kit staring up at her curiously.

“I am Nameless.” The cat replied.

“Every cat has a name,” the kit scoffed.

“Yes,” the she-cat said patiently, “My name is Nameless.”

“Well that’s weird.” The kit noted. Nameless smiled, and shadows seemed to gather over her grey eyes. She turned her head so that the other side of her face, previously hidden by the brambles she sat beside, was visible. The kit gasped out loud, his eyes wide.

“How’d you get that scar?” He asked. Nameless had long grown used to the stares. Her scar was not something that was easily missed. It was thick and large, running from just below her left ear across her eye and nose-bridge, ending on her right muzzle just below her whiskers.

“It was a long time ago, young one,” Nameless replied, “And a story that is not meant to be told now. I must speak with the cats that walk this plain. The ones that call themselves StarClan.” The she-cat said firmly. The kit’s eyes widened until they were two huge green pools dominating his cute striped face.

“Really?”

“It is of the utmost importance.” Nameless assured him.

“I’ll go fetch the leaders, then,” the kit said, racing away into the brush with little wisps of stars trailing after him. Nameless watched him go, a deep sadness cutting at her heart. He was so young – how could one so small be sent to live here, among many cats that had lived full lives before their deaths and new lives in the Celestial Lands? Nameless could not say, nor did she have any inclination to ask. Slowly, Nameless turned and began descending the steep slope leading to the pool’s edge. Her thick tortoiseshell fur glimmered, the black patches turning silver in the starlight. She sat down at the water’s edge, taking a deep breath. The scents of stars and night were personified through the sweet fragrance that enveloped the she-cat. Nameless enjoyed the brief respite – the calm before the storm. She was almost saddened by the approach of several cats, all with heads held high and eyes flashing – they were warriors, alright. Proud and strong, with fire in their souls.

“Volekit tells us that you have come from outside these particular pathways,” one of the cats said. The speaker was a broad-shouldered golden tabby tom with intelligent eyes and a handsome face, as well as a calming deep voice and confidence that was common among his folk.

“Yes,” Nameless said slowly, glancing at them and noticing that they seemed shocked to see her. And so they should be. Never before had the realm of these cats – StarClan as they called themselves – been invaded by an outsider. Until now.

“Why are you here?” Another cat asked. This time it was a she-cat, with long grey limbs and a wise face.

“I do not mean you harm. I simply have come to give you a warning… and propose a plan, if you are willing.” Nameless’s eyes narrowed as she looked from one cat to another. They were definitely proud. Would they even listen? She’d had her doubts about coming here, but what else could she do?

“What is your name?” The tabby asked.

“I am Nameless.” The she-cat replied. None of the warriors responded to that. They looked at each other, mystified. They did not understand anything but their way of life. And here lies the trouble. Nameless thought.

“We will soon be joined,” she began slowly, “By others.” She turned her head slightly and listened. Yes, she had heard correctly. They had come after her at last. Two cats padded down the slope to join them. The Clan cats bristled in hostility, starlight shimmering around them as if they were charged with some heavenly powers. But they were merely cats – cats who watched over the world instead of passing to the next. It was not uncommon, as the very existence of Nameless and the other cats proved.

“So these are the Clans,” one of the two cats meowed with a look of curiosity.

“Greetings,” the other said quietly. His eyes flickered with uncertainty as he looked at the cats around him. He was obviously uncomfortable by himself. The other cat scooted towards him and touched his flank with her tail.

“I am Callie, and this is Hill that Lies in Mountain’s Shadow. We have come from other Skies to speak with you.” The she-cat said. Nameless noticed the tabby tom from the Clans examining Callie closely. She was somewhat plump, with silken cream hair and dark accents that made her blue eyes pop. She looked very different from Hill that Lies in Mountain’s Shadow, who was a mottled brown tom with hazel eyes and an impassive expression on his face.

“You’re a kittypet,” the tabby tom said with a sort of matter-of-factness that did not mirror the anxiety of his fellow Clanmates. Murmurings filled the small clearing, mingled with the trickling of the water and the faint trill of the wind in the trees.

“And I am a loner,” Nameless interrupted, “But we have all known that danger is coming. You have seen it as well, have you not?” Her eyes fell upon the grey she-cat, who stiffened. Her blue eyes narrowed.

“How do you know so much about us?” She asked.

“The skies are for all cats,” Hills that Lies in Mountain’s Shadow meowed gravely, “Not just for those of Tribes and Clans.”

“Will you listen to us, Clan cats? You no doubt know the risk of turning our help away.” Nameless said, casting a cold glance at the gathered spirits. Her eyes fell upon a stately ginger tom that met her gaze with open warmth. He stepped forward.

“I, for one, will listen,” he mewed. The grey she-cat looked at him with wide eyes.

“Firestar, you know full well-”

“Know what?” He interrupted. “That Clan prejudices do not die with us? Yes, I know that. How could I forget? But I also know that I was once a kittypet, and yet here I stand as one of the past leaders of ThunderClan. There are no boundaries when it comes to the safety of all good cats.” He meowed firmly.

“Well said, Firestar,” Hill that Lies in Mountain’s Shadow murmured.

“And what say the other leaders?” Callie demanded, her blue eyes flashing as they met the gazes of three other cats – a white tom with black paws, a grey she-cat that resembled the first, and a near-black tom with a surly expression.

“So I’m representing ShadowClan again, am I? Where is Russetstar?” The white tom asked in a bored manner.

“You can take this one for all I care, Blackstar,” a red she-cat said, flicking her tail as she murmured something into the ear of her companion.

“I will speak for WindClan,” the black tom meowed, dipping his head to a smaller golden tabby that eyed him.

“And what about you, Mistystar?” A dappled she-cat asked, turning to the second grey she-cat with a skeptical look.

“I will answer, Leopardstar,” the grey cat replied.

“Order certainly has found no home in these skies,” Hill that Lies in Mountain’s Shadow said with a bemused twitch of his whiskers.

“Some leaders have left stronger legacies than others,” Nameless murmured.

“And will Firestar speak for ThunderClan?” Callie inquired. Firestar looked at the first grey she-cat and the tabby tom that sat beside her, watching with calm amber eyes.

“I will leave the decision to you, Firestar,” the tabby said, “As I know you would choose as I would.”

“Thank you, Bramblestar,” Firestar meowed with a dip of his head. He turned to the grey she-cat. “Bluestar?”

“You may speak for our Clan,” Bluestar replied evenly.

“So, what’s the decision then?” Callie asked impatiently. Nameless had no expression on her face. She sat watching the goings on with seemingly little interest. Beside her, Hill that Lies in Mountain’s Shadow was shifting his weight from paw to paw, trying to look calm but failing.

“ThunderClan will speak with you,” Firestar meowed. Nameless dipped her head.

“And so will RiverClan,” Mistystar added.

“What of ShadowClan and WindClan?” Nameless asked, turning to the two toms. The white one gave her a long look and then sighed.

“I have seen what it so come, so I have very little choice I think. ShadowClan will listen,” he said reluctantly.

“Thank you, Blackstar,” Firestar meowed. The white tom inclined his head.

“Crowstar?” Mitsystar turned to the dark tom. His blue eyes examined the strangers for a long, tense moment. Then he nodded.

“WindClan will listen,” he said.

“Excellent,” Callie mewed delightedly. Nameless eyed her but said nothing. Hill that Lies in Mountain’s Shadow shook his head slowly and looked over at the pool.

“It was a shock,” he murmured, “To see something so dark on the horizon. Something so terrible… it would unite Clans, Tribes, housecats, and strays…” He mewed, turning back to them with a look of fierce determination in his eyes. “But this will not be our end.” He said.

“When BloodClan fell, I thought I had witnessed the end of such things,” Firestar murmured. “I suppose I should have known better.”

“We all should have,” Nameless said gravely. “BloodClan has left nothing but death and pain in its wake. Darker forests have been filled with the pitiful souls of cats that had given their lives to that evil cause.” The she-cat shook her head and sighed.

“We should have known we hadn’t seen the last of trouble,” Blackstar muttered.

“But now is not the time for lamenting,” a she-cat meowed as she stepped out from among the other cats. Firestar looked at her for a long time and then glanced away.

“You are right, Spottedleaf,” Bluestar meowed, dipping her head to her old medicine cat. Spottedleaf’s warm eyes turned to the she-cat and she smiled. Then she returned her attention to Nameless and the other two cats.

“Does the Tribe of Endless Hunting agree with helping us?” She asked Hill that Lies in Mountain’s Shadow.

“Yes,” the tom said, “Completely.”

“But what are we going to do exactly?” Crowstar interrupted, his blue eyes narrowing into shimmering slits. “Do you have a plan?”

“Just as three came to drive away the darkness of the forsaken spirits, so will cats come to drive away this threat,” Nameless replied solemnly.

“Will these cats possess powers?” This came from a handsome grey tom with somewhat cloudy blue eyes. Nameless bowed her head in respect to the tom.

“Yes, Jayfeather,” she replied, “They will have even greater powers than you and your kin possess… in some respects.” Jayfeather’s neck fur bristled a little, as if he were wary of any cat having such power. Nameless could not blame him – or any cat – for thinking so. Even she had her doubts.

“It has been written,” Hill that Lies in Mountain’s Shadow meowed, “The skies have preordained this happening, and we can do no more to stop it than we can stop the will of our kin below.” His eyes ventured to Callie’s face. The kittypet did not look nervous or confused. She watched with equal concern and thoughtfulness as any other cat present.

“And what do kittypets have to do with this?” One of the starry warriors of the Clans demanded, noticing the Tribe cat’s look.

“Every cat will be affected,” Callie replied evenly, her gaze penetrating like barbed wire and causing the tom that had spoken to flinch, “Not just loners and Clan cats.” The tom that had come in the beginning looked at Bluestar evenly. He lowered his head and sighed.

“The way is so foggy,” he murmured. “It is hard to see what will come.”

“But we will know, Oakheart,” Bluestar said, “We will know when the time is right.”

“Until then we must unite,” Nameless meowed, “To watch together the fates of all cats.”

“Agreed,” Cassie mewed.

“Indeed.” Blackstar murmured. Crowstar glanced at the other cats and then away, sighing.

“And how will we know these cats? Where will they come from? How many will there be?” He demanded. Nameless glanced up, and every eye followed hers. Shining above their heads were three faint stars that had long ago appeared in that sky. Around them, faint shivers of light were forming. Five stars appeared over the old three, brighter and healthier. Nameless lowered her face and closed her eyes.

“They will come,” she meowed gravely, “And when they do arrive, we will know them.”

“How long must we wait? The danger is already on its way.” Crowstar demanded.

“We will not wait long,” Nameless replied.

“Who are you?” One of the cats asked suddenly. Nameless turned towards the speaker. It was a grey tom with powerful hindlegs, his eyes narrowed as he watched Nameless.

“You have traveled far,” the she-cat replied evasively, her expression unchanged.

“You called,” the tom replied. The cats around him stirred, surprised by his sudden appearance. When had he come?

“And you also will watch with us, brother?” She asked. He paused before replying, his eyes steady on her face.

“Yes,” he said slowly. “I will watch.” Firestar stepped forward, his eyes wide.

“Cloudstar,” he murmured. The tom turned to him and smiled.

“Yes. It is good to see you, old friend.”

“Even SkyClan will be involved in this?” Firestar inquired. The cats behind him were murmuring anxiously, unsure of what he was talking about. Only a few stared at him gravely, knowing full well the sad story behind the old Clan.

“Yes,” Nameless replied. “All cats will be involved. SkyClan is protected, far away from here. But their roots lie with the other Clans. You will need their help if the Clans are to survive.” She said.

“It’s been a long time since SkyClan has met with the other Clans,” Cloudstar murmured, “Too long, perhaps.”

“So that’s it, then?” Blackstar demanded. “No one else is coming, right?”

“No, we are all. For now.” Nameless said.

“It is time to move, then,” Bluestar murmured.

“Yes,” Hill that Lies in Mountain’s Shadow responded, “We have much to do, many places to watch for the time when our new prophecy can begin moving.”

“Let us hope that our brothers and sisters below may take heart,” Callie said with a bowed head.

“Yes,” Nameless replied, her pelt shimmering as she stared up into the sky. There was an air of mystery about her, the she-cat called Nameless with a sad, faraway look in her eye. “It is time,” she said, and the other cats bowed their heads.

[.:Lion:.]

THE LAMENT OF THE STARS
Chapter One

The world was darkness. This darkness had no definite shape, and yet it seemed to be an expanse of field – an endless, formless valley with no recognizable vegetation, and only small pools decorating the endless flat plains. The stars twinkled coldly overhead, but they were distant and shed no light on that strange world. There was light, however. The pools seemed to shine with different colors and images. Through their mirror-like surfaces, one could see glimpses of memories and visions. Countless figures of cats and foxes and Twolegs drifted past the surface, only to disappear with a faint ripple. Each pool was different, and each one had its own color and light. There were many stories in those pools. But no living soul wandered that dark world, and so there was no one to see them, no one to look down into the water.

No one but her. She had known this place her whole life, and had come to know its paths. She would walk to each pool and would look down and sometimes she would touch her nose to the water and see. She did not always see the same thing when she revisited pools, but she did not often return to one place. She was always searching. Even if she refused to think of it, she knew deep down in her heart that she was always looking for it. Her pool. The small glistening pool that held her dreams. For in that mystical world every cat had a pool. Perhaps that was why she alone wandered that place. She alone had no pool, no dreams. The she-cat approached one of the nearest pools, which had a blue aura surrounding it. She looked down into the water and then flinched away when she saw death and pain reflected in that surface. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When her heartbeat had calmed, she looked up at the stars and knew where she would go.

The she-cat found her way to a pool she often visited. Its surface glittered with frost and starlight, and as she looked down she saw herself reflected in the surface. It was not her now, but as a young kit. She watched calmly, her eyes intent. Then she dipped her nose into the freezing mirror, feeling the damp tingle as she drifted into that dream. Inside it, she stood unnoticed, sparkles like stars drifting from her fur. She watched her mother pad after her as a young kit, scolding as she almost always did.

“Stop running off, Sohnya!” She called.

“But I want to hear one of Gunner’s stories!” She complained, her wide kit-eyes staring up at her mother’s impatient face.

“Maybe later,” her mother said sorrowfully. The watching she-cat stepped back, feeling her chest tighten in pain. She hadn’t noticed how skinny her mother was then. These dreams, she knew, were old dreams. Dead dreams. There was always a black aura about them to warn her that their owners had long since passed from the world of reality. Her mother no longer saw these memories or thoughts – her days were spent among the stars, high above the dream-world her daughter roamed.


The cold reality of wakefulness hit Sohnya with a sting. She rolled over, groaning as pain flared up her right shoulder again. She reached her muzzle down to sniff at her leg and froze. She turned away quickly, disgusted with herself. Her incredibly pale blue eyes stared out of the small crevice she had slept in. The streets of the Twolegplace were quiet. It wasn’t sunup yet. She sighed and looked at the dark alley she had stayed the night in. It was empty, thank the stars. She didn’t want to have to deal with fighting other cats for scraps of food. She always lost, anyway. Sohnya got to her paws and stretched slowly, carefully. Her distinctive orange-and-tabby-patched fur was slick with grime and dampness. She hissed under her breath. She would have to clean herself off later. The she-cat took a few quickly steps, her front side lurching as her back legs worked quickly to keep up. As she turned, the sunlight revealed a rounded patch of tabby fur where her right leg used to be. The Twolegs had at least done a good job of patching it up. But she felt… vulnerable, as any three-legged cat might. She was slow, clumsy, and could never fight very well. It was all the Twolegs’ fault. They always ruined everything.

Sohnya limped forward into one of the other alleyways. That was the nice thing about Twoleg nests. They always had plenty of obscure places that the Twolegs never ventured into. She found one of the shining cans beside one nest’s entrance. Sohnya hopped on top of it clumsily, with only one leg to break her fall. She managed to push her weight onto one side of the lid and smiled widely with satisfaction as the can fell over. The she-cat landed heavily on her left leg, feeling the familiar jarring sensation up her shoulder. She turned to the spilled contents of the can and began sniffing.

“That looks like quite a meal there.” She started and looked over her shoulder. A golden tabby was staring at her, his whiskers twitching.

“Not really,” she replied defensively, “Just some old Twoleg food.”

“Food is food.” The tom shrugged. Sohnya felt an empty pang in her stomach, as if it were reminding her that she was hungry and warning her that this tom meant nothing good by her at the same time.

“Maybe,” she said warily.

“You’re not opposed to sharing, are you?” The tom smirked at her, his eyes roving down to her right shoulder. “That seems like an odd deficiency,” he noted with a bemused twitch of his whiskers.

“A Twoleg monster hit me. The Twoleg took me to get it fixed.” She snapped, hating that look in his eyes, that taunting look that dared her to refuse him what he wanted. He thought she was weak because of her leg. But she would show him! “This is my food. Go find your own.” She snarled.

“A pity,” he sighed. “I was hoping you’d cooperate.” Suddenly three more shapes appeared from behind him. One was a pure white she-cat with piercing blue eyes. The other was a thickset brown tabby tom with a bobbed tail. The other was hidden in shadow, and Sohnya couldn’t see whoever it was.

“Maybe we should leave this one alone, Tarj,” the white she-cat said. “She doesn’t look like she’d be much fun.”

“But you know how we do things.” The golden tom replied patiently. “And how is that, Rikka?”

“You don’t have to patronize every cat, Tarj,” the she-cat snapped.

“I say we eat her other foreleg.” The big tabby grumbled, glaring at Sohnya with an intense dislike in his surly face. Beside him, the third cat moved closer, revealing himself in the faint light that streamed down into the alleyway.

“Really, Mace,” he meowed without much emotion in his voice, “All you ever think about is eating.” The tom was long-legged and brawn, with silken black fur and pale yellow-gold eyes. His face wasn’t altogether nasty, like Tarj’s or the tabby’s. But he certainly looked unhappy.

“I haven’t done anything wrong,” Sohnya insisted, though her voice shook a little. Four against one was bad odds – she’d be at a disadvantage fighting just one cat! And she’d never be able to run away. This is it, I guess. She thought. I’m at these cats’ mercy.

“You’re breathing,” the tabby tom, Mace, snapped, “That’s enough wrong for me.”

“Hush, hush, Mace,” Tarj said with something like patient fondness in his voice, “We must remember that manners are important.”

“Yeah, and so is dog food,” Mace growled, “Which is exactly what I plan to turn that insolent brat into.”

“He doesn’t like cats standing up to any of our Gang’s authority, you see,” Rikka explained, sending Sohnya a cold glance.

“Venom sent us to find food,” the black tom snapped, “Not to chat about eating a maimed, helpless stray.” Sohnya was a little offended, but she decided not to say anything. Obviously, out of all the cats, the black one was the only one remotely interested in letting her go.

“Ah, you’re right,” Tarj sighed. “I am so forgetful! And I suppose she isn’t worth the struggle. Whatever. You were lucky this time, sweetheart,” he told Sohnya. Then he motioned with his tail for the other cats to follow him. He disappeared down the alley, followed by a sulking Mace and a frosty-eyed Rikka. But the black cat hesitated, staring back at Sohnya with an unreadable expression in his golden eyes. Then he sighed and turned to join his friends. Sohnya’s heart was hammering inside her chest painfully. She collapsed where she was, feeling that her foreleg couldn’t hold her up any longer. She’d heard whispers of a Gang of alley cats that went around bullying poor defenseless cats. Sooner or later, there would be nowhere left to hide from them. That Venom, their leader, was content on taking over as much territory as he could get. And his army was growing. Every cat knew that. Sohnya had never imagined it was quite that bad before, but she certainly believed so now. She sighed and licked up some old tuna from a silver dish that lay in front of her. Her belly rumbled, wanting more. She dug through the trash until she’d found enough to eat, then she limped off quickly, not wanting a Twoleg to come out and find her there.

Sohnya walked through the back alleys slowly, listening for any signs of danger. Her paw made a soft squelching noise as she stepped on something pink and stinky that was stuck to the ground. She sniffed it and wrinkled her nose. Whatever it was, it stank of Twoleg spit. She lay down and rolled onto her side so that she could lick her paw, shuddering at the awful taste that lingered on it. Then, satisfied that it was finally gone, she made her way towards the nearest fence. Sighing, Sohnya gathered her hindquarters beneath her and leaped with all her might at the fence. She caught the edge with her one forepaw and scrabbled the rest of the way using her hind claws. Balancing was not one of Sohnya’s strong points, but she’d learn to make do. She inched her hind paws forward and then lifted her foreleg, lurching forward as she always did. It was slow going, perching on the fence top, and she was relieved when she finally saw the small gap in the wall of an old Twoleg nest. She hopped down into the shadowy structure, relieved at the feeling of warmth that filled her chest. It was always warm inside that particular nest. She heard the murmurings of voices and scented many cats resting in the different rooms.

“Hey, hey, hey,” a familiar voice meowed. “If it isn’t Three-legs.” Sohnya looked up at the tom that had spoken. He was large, thick-furred. His grey tabby pelt was unkempt, and he had a lazy look about the eyes.

“Dag,” she acknowledged.

“You haven’t been by in some time.” He noted, looking as if he didn’t really cared that she hadn’t. Sohnya flicked her ear, her expression impassive.

“I am in need of some information.”

“That’s the only reason you ever come,” he grumbled.

“Why else would I?” Sohnya snapped. Dag looked at her with an indifferent sort of smirk on his face.

“Oh, I don’t know,” he meowed with a shrug, “I could think of some reasons.”

“Well I can’t.” She retorted, marching deeper into the nest. There were other cats, milling in small groups. She heard some cats talking about a lack of food. There’s always a lack of food. She thought. Another group was discussing the recent building of more Twoleg nests near the forest. There are always more Twoleg nests being built. Sohnya passed the other cats and moved straight to the back of the nest. She slipped into a smaller room, where only two cats sat in the shadows. The first was a small white she-cat with grey patches, the other a much larger tom with thick calico fur and amber-green eyes. His black face, marked with a white muzzle as small strip of white that ran up his nose, turned at the sound of her entrance and his eyes flashed. Then he relaxed, examining her closely for a few moments before speaking.

“Ah,” he meowed slowly, “Sohnya.”

“Your memory is excellent as always, Raven.” Sohnya meowed, dipping her head respectfully. Raven turned to the small she-cat.

“What time is it, Leila?”

“Around dawn, Raven,” the little cat replied.

“Mighty early for you, Sohnya. You usually come in the evenings.” Raven turned his gaze back to her. Sohnya shifted the weight on her hind legs, a nervous habit that she had developed after she’d lost her foreleg.

“Yes, well, something came up.” She said hesitantly.

“And by something you must mean those rouges, right?” Raven began sorting through some bundles at his paws. Sohnya was speechless, as she always was when Raven knew things that he seemingly shouldn’t. And he always did. “They’ve been causing trouble for a long time,” he mewed, “You shouldn’t be surprised that I guessed right.”

“What can you tell me about them?” Sohnya asked.

“They’re bad business,” Raven growled, to her surprise. Usually Raven was quite calm and factual about every piece of information he gathered and retold. He had always said that bias was the surefire way to discredit one’s reliability. The thought of him breaking that code made Sohnya nervous.

“How so?” Sohnya demanded.

“Venom came from another section of this Twolegplace,” Raven began solemnly, “And he has followed in the pawsteps of his father, undoubtedly.”

“Who was his father?”

“A cat by the name of Blood.”

“I’ve never heard of him.”

“You wouldn’t have,” Raven scoffed, “He was killed before you were born. He was a reckless cat that believed in the teachings of his great-great-grandfather. He believed that the cats of Twolegplace should unite under his rule. Blood tried to unite the cats and spread his reign throughout the streets, but he was stopped by a heroic barn cat by the name of Tosco. Venom never forgot his father’s dream, even after his death, and though his friends warned him against it, he began to try to rise up and take control. His territory has become vast in a short amount of time, and has finally spread his kingdom to this very place. But he won’t stop. No, he will keep going until he has conquered all the cats and territory he can. He wants to avenge his great-great-great-grandfather’s death, as well as his father’s, by taking over the Clan of cats that killed him and scattered the group of cats he’d ruled.”

“What was his great-great-great-grandfather’s name?” Sohnya asked.

“I’m not sure,” Raven replied with a sigh, “I haven’t been able to find out.”

“Thank you anyways,” Sohnya said, dipping her head. Raven nodded.

“Anytime, Sohnya,” he meowed. Sohnya waved goodbye to Raven and Leila, slipping out into the main room. Most of the cats had moved since she’d entered, and some had left while others had arrived. She saw Dag talking to a slender black she-cat. A tom named Ruddy was sitting amongst his small posse, talking about the best hunting areas left, that weren’t being patrolled by strange cats that followed some cat called Venom. “His territory has become vast in a short amount of time, and has finally spread to this very place.” Raven’s words echoed in Sohnya’s head. It would seem that he’d been correct. Their small patch of Twolegplace was already being overrun.

“Hey,” a deep, gentle voice interrupted Sohnya’s thoughts. She turned and saw a white tom with flame-patches on his ears and tail, a little snip of ginger running up his forehead and a little down the side of his nose. His eyes were different colors; one was blue, the other green.

“H-hello,” Sohnya stammered, unaccustomed to being addressed by an unfamiliar face. The tom tilted his head to one side.

“I’m Riddle,” he said. “I’ve come from farther west of the Twolegplace.” He said.

“Oh, really?” Sohnya wondered why Riddle was talking to her. But he didn’t seem to be inclined to tell her. He just sat there and watched her, his eyes somehow uniform even though they were very different. It was hard to tell what he was thinking.

“What’s your name?” Riddle asked.

“Sohnya,” she said after a moment’s hesitation. Riddle looked at her searchingly and then smiled.

“Nice name,” he mewed.

“T-thanks…” His interest was starting to annoy Sohnya. What did he want? Was he thinking of how to take advantage of her weaknesses? Was he hoping to make fun of her, like Dag always did? But there was no visible malice in his expression. Just distant curiosity.

“Does it bother you?” He asked finally. Anger flared up in her chest. Why did every cat insist on making her talk about her disability!?

“Of course it does!” She snapped, “Why wouldn’t having my leg cut off bother me!?”

“I meant,” Riddle said after a tense pause, where all eyes in the room had suddenly turned to them, “Does it bother you that cats always seem to stare at you rudely?” Sohnya frowned. So he was asking… if it bothered her that other cats noticed and asked her about her injury. Why would he want to know that? She felt a little bad for freaking out at him, but she was still wary.

“Yes,” she said quietly as the other cats seemed to lose interest, “It does.”

“I see.” Riddle’s eyes looked sad as he turned away. “I see…” Sohnya pricked her ears, curious. Why did he look so sorrowful all of the sudden? Before she could ask Riddle got to his paws and turned towards the other room.

“Sorry to have bothered you,” he murmured quietly, so much so that she almost didn’t hear him. She started forward, following him out of the small abandoned Twoleg nest. She was grateful to leave the musty smell of the nest behind, despite its warmth, and as she emerged on the windowsill she took a deep breath of clean air. Even the scent of rotting garbage, Twolegs, and monsters couldn’t completely dilute the smell of fresh air. Sohnya saw Riddle sitting nearby, watching her but looking as if he were somewhere far away. She suddenly heard an echoing laughter, like a young kit enjoying a game or some unexpected delight. It was a familiar sound. It often echoed through her mother’s dreams. She wished she could remember laughing like that. But all she could remember of the past were the scenes her mother’s pool had shown her. Nothing more. No memories of her own, before the accident.

“Did I upset you?” Sohnya asked, approaching him as quietly as she could with her one paw thumping on the fence. Riddle turned to look at her, opened his mouth, and then seemed to rethink what he was about to say.

“No,” he murmured, “You didn’t.”

“Oh. That’s good.” Sohnya meowed, feeling a bit awkward. She usually didn’t talk much to other cats. Riddle seemed to snap back to the present, his eyes focusing on her as her stomach growled embarrassingly loudly.

“And I had a nice breakfast, too,” she sighed.

“Why don’t I get us something to eat?” Riddle smiled. Sohnya liked the way he suggested it, somehow. The look in his eyes told her that he didn’t judge her, didn’t think she was worthless and couldn’t even catch her own prey.

“I can hunt,” she said, though she hardly felt the need to point it out, as she usually did.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t. But I would feel more gentlemanly if I caught you something myself.” He meowed with a cheerful grin. Sohnya smiled, feeling genuinely happy for the first time in a long time.

“Ok,” she said finally. “But just this once.”

Sohnya hadn’t had a warm, fresh-caught mouse in a long time. She enjoyed every bite, wondering how Riddle had managed to catch two. That was almost unheard of – prey was scarce most of the time, and hard to catch at the best of times. But he just smiled and said he’d been lucky when she’d asked. Sohnya licked her jaw happily when she finished, watching Riddle as he took the scraps and deposited them into a small hole he’d dug in the dirt. He turned and smiled in reaction to her puzzled look.

“This way it won’t attract other cats,” he said. “Our little hunting place is secure for now.” Sohnya nodded, not really sure if this was true or not. She followed Riddle out of the alleyway without another word, letting him lead her through unfamiliar alleys until they came to a high fence. He motioned to a dark gap.

“There are dogs,” he said, “But they’re easy to avoid, if you’re careful.” Sohnya nodded, wondering where he was taking her. She ducked into the gap after him, slipping through it slowly and painfully because of her leg. She could hear the dogs, and when they emerged on another fence she saw them in the yard below. They started barking and Sohnya rushed after Riddle, almost slipping a couple times in her haste. Riddle leaped off the fence and onto soft green grass. Sohnya looked up, her jaw dropping. Before her was the forest she’d heard about. It was beautiful green, and seemingly as vast as the Twolegplace itself.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Riddle asked, smiling sadly. Sohnya looked over at him curiously and then turned her attention back to the trees.

“Can we go in there?” She asked.

“Maybe tomorrow,” he replied, seemingly pleased that she wanted to go with him, “But for now it’s starting to get dark.” Sohnya blinked, surprised. Time really had passed quickly with Riddle as a companion. He led her to a small alleyway between two houses, where a box was set up with a cushion inside and a glass of some white stuff lying outside it.

“Milk,” Riddle said. “The Twolegs have been leaving it for me. They’re nice.” He meowed, though he looked somewhat uncomfortable. Sohnya trembled slightly, staring at the den with an expression akin to horror on her face.

“It’s Ok,” Riddle murmured, “They won’t even come out of their nest. I promise.” Sohnya looked at him uncertainly and then nodded and padded into the box. She curled up in the back and rested her left shoulder against the soft corner, where blankets rubbed pleasantly against her. She began licking her fur gently, disgusted with her own smell now that she was among something clean and warm. Riddle lay down next to her and began licking her fur, as well. He seemed content helping groom herself. Something in the gesture was almost fatherly, so Sohnya didn’t protest. She fell asleep like that, feeling warm and for once, not alone.


The sound of Sohnya’s pawsteps was the only thing that disturbed the peace of the dream-world. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the odd light of the pools. She began searching for another in particular, forgetting about her own missing pool for once. When she had met a cat, it made finding their pool somewhat easy. She would follow the auras, until she found one that matched the one they had in reality. She could never see them during the daytime, but somehow she always knew what they looked like when she had entered the dream-world. Sohnya saw one pool close by that had Riddle’s aura. She padded up to it and glanced down into the cool purple-blue water. Even though Riddle’s aura had been warm and golden, the vision made her withdraw quickly. She had only looked into the pool for a few moments, but she had already seen a glimpse of a battle. In that glimpse Riddle had looked ferocious and dangerous, his claws scoring another cat’s eye while his hindpaws battered at its stomach.

“You don’t always want to know the truth behind other cats’ dreams.” Sohnya jumped, not expecting anyone else to walk in that dark place. She turned around quickly and saw the faint outline of a grey tomcat. He was a little small, with soft-looking faintly striped fur and pale blue eyes. Starlight glimmered in his fur and seemed to waft around him like the light floated around the pools.

“W-who are you?” Sohnya stammered.

“The only cat that could possibly reach you here,” the tom replied gravely.

“What do you mean?” She demanded.

“You walk in this realm that normally no cat can reach, and are always appearing in different dreams – some dreams that have already been left behind in the past. Neither of these places I have mentioned are particularly easy for us to find you in. Even me,” the tom said. He looked irritated about this fact, and according to what he had said about it being “difficult” to find her, Sohnya could guess why. But what she couldn’t imagine was why this starry cat was interested in her.

“And you are?”

“You’re asking for my name?” The tom smirked, his eyes examining her as if he were looking into her soul.

“I am Jayfeather.”