Dark Horizons (Prologue + 1 Chapter)

(Start prologue)

A spiritual she came from the starry shadows of an ancient StarClan forest. Yowling could be heard from a distance. Her gray, seemingly purple and white fur blossomed with stars. She settled by a pool and gazed into it. Her brow furrowed with worry. Her gaze settled on a small newborn ginger kit. 

The StarClan she´s eyes flashed with visions of the future. She shook her head to shake the visions away. And finally she spoke. 

¨The future of the cosmos rests in your paws, little watcher, may the higher ones guide you through your long journey, and may the light of all the stars go with you.¨ The starry cat got up and vanished into the darkness in which eyes seemed to be staring from. The scene faded to black. The little kit stirred.

(End prologue)

(Begin chapter 1)

¨Wake up, you old squirrel, do you want to miss Finchstar´s announcements or what?¨

Duskkit awoke with a jolt. Swallowkit´s big brown eyes greeting hers with vibrant enthusiasm. Her vision cleared and she could see Smolderkit huddling in the corner of the nursery, tail over his eyes. She could also hear Finchstar outside.

¨All cats old enough to reach the top of Feather Tree gather around the fall-stump for a clan meeting!¨

¨Why are you always dragging us into to trouble Swallowkit?¨, Smolderkit whined from the corner of the nursery.

¨It's not trouble,¨ she objected, ¨It's adventure.¨

Before Swallowkit could continue, their mother, Smoketail, came into the nursery.

¨Come along kits, Finchstar has something important to do.¨ She motioned outside of the nursery.

The siblings shared confused glances. ¨But we´re not allowed to attend meetings until we´re apprentices, right?¨ Smolderkit spoke.

Smoketail gave them a sly glance, ¨You´ll see.¨

Duskkit could already guess what was happening. She couldn't help but tremble with excitement. They all followed Smoketail outside and settled with the rest of the clan. Swallowkit and Smolderkit seemed to already guess what was happening. They looked at each other.

¨Are we finally becoming apprentices??¨ Smolderkit gasped.

¨Why else do you think we´re allowed to be here!” Swallowkit trembled, ¨I hope Quartzfoot will be my mentor. I bet if old Starlingdive was gone he´d be deputy.¨

¨Hey! Starlingdive is a great deputy!¨ Smolderkit objected, ¨I hope I get her as my mentor, she probably has so much to teach!¨

Swallowkit rolled her eyes, ¨Bleh, I want to do more training, not sitting around and listening to elders´ tales.¨

Duskkit commented quietly, ¨I don´t care who my mentor is, really.¨

Swallowkit did an exaggerated gasp,¨And the wise one finally speaks!¨

Duskkit glared at Swallowkit.

¨Hush, kits! Finchstar is about to speak!¨, Smoketail pointed her tail at the fall-stump.

Finchstar stood tall atop the fall-stump. His broad stance made everyone in the clan grateful to have such a presentable and strong leader. Starlingdive, the clan deputy, sat just next to the ancient stump, she looked small and frail next to it. He spoke,

¨This clan is in need of more warriors. Frost-tree is approaching and we can't just let our clan´s kits go to waste. ¨ He looked at the three kits assembled next to their mother, ¨Swallowkit, step forward.¨

Swallowkit´s bushy gray and orange tail stood straight up with excitement. Her paws shook as she stepped forward.

¨From now on until she earns her warrior name, this young apprentice will be known as Swallowpaw. Quartzfoot will be her mentor.¨

Quatzfoot puffed out his chest with pride and he stepped forward to touch noses with his new apprentice. The clan cheered. Swallowpaw looked just above to burst with happiness.

¨Swallowpaw! Swallowpaw!¨

¨I thought this day would never come!¨ Swallowpaw whispered as she hopped back to her littermates.

¨Smolderkit, step forward.¨

Duskkit could see him tremble with anxiety as he stepped forward.

¨From this day on, you will be known as Smolderpaw. Your mentor will be Raindance.¨

¨Smolderpaw! Smolderpaw!¨

Smolderpaw´s eyes lit up as he stepped forward to touch noses with his new mentor. They smiled at each other.

Duskkit knew she was next. She gulped nervously,

¨Duskkit, step forward.¨

She almost tripped over her paws as she got up. She could feel the eyes of the whole clan on her and she tried to focus on Finchstar so she didn´t turn tail and run back to her mother.

Finchstar smiled. ¨And finally, you will be known as Duskpaw. Starlingdive will be your mentor. May StarClan light your paths.¨

Smoketail gazed proudly at her newly apprenticed kits. And Starlingdive, who wasn't paying attention, looked up in surprise when she heard her name. Duskpaw thought she saw something flash in her eyes as they touched noses.

¨Duskpaw! Smolderpaw! Swallowpaw¨ The cats´ cheers could practically shake the whole forest. Duskpaw beamed as she went back to her siblings.

Swallowpaw greeted her with a laugh, ¨Guess who´ll be listening to elders´ tales now!¨

Duskpaw scoffed. ¨I don't care how old Starlingdive may be. I'm grateful she's my mentor. After all, she became deputy for a reason, right?¨

Swallowpaw rolled her eyes. ¨Anyway, I´m gonna go see when I can start training. See you later.¨ Swallowpaw trotted off to Quartzfoot with light, bouncy steps.

¨You´re lucky you got Starlingdive. But I won't complain, I bet Raindance will be just as great. See you later, sis!” Smolderpaw smiled and went off with Raindance as the meeting dispersed.

Duskpaw guessed she should probably go see what Starlingdive had to say. She waved goodbye with her tail to her littermates and went off to find her.

Starlingdive was still sitting by the fall-stump. She was staring at her paws in confusion.

Duskpaw realized she was a bit nervous to talk to her. Before she could procrastinate for even longer she forced herself to greet her new mentor.

¨Hi! So you´re my new mentor, right?¨ She did her best to sound cheerful, but didn´t know if it gave the impression she planned to.

¨Apparently.¨ , Starlingdive looked up, ¨I just, didn't expect to be getting an apprentice today, that's all. All Finchstar said was that, he had a surprise for me.¨

Duskpaw didn´t know how to feel about that, so she just replied, ¨Well, if I were you I would be surprised too. I mean, it isn't too great to just get an apprentice without warning, is it?¨

¨No, not really-¨  Starlingdive stuttered, ¨I mean, it's not a bad thing though-¨

Duskpaw waved her tail, ¨It's okay, I can give you some time to take this all in. How about a day?¨, Starlingdive curled closer into herself, ¨I would like that, actually, thank you Duskpaw.¨

¨Alright, see you tomorrow.¨ She said before going off. She wanted to see if her siblings were still in camp. Which they weren't. Duskpaw decided to wait until they came back.

¨Hey, congratulations, Duskpaw!¨ She looked over and saw Pecanpelt trotting clumsily towards her. Pecanpelt was due to have her kits any day now according to Almondhaze. This was her second litter with Quartzfoot. She hoped she would have time to play with them during her apprenticeship.

¨Oh, thank you!¨, Duskpaw replied. Pecanpelt sat down next to her, ¨I was going to congratulate your littermates, too, but Quartzfoot and Raindance seemed in a hurry to start training them I suppose. They hurried them out of here like the camp was on fire!¨

Duskpaw giggled.

Pecanpelt looked at her, puzzled,  ¨Why are you still in camp?¨

Duskpaw sighed, ¨Starlingdive wasn't expecting an apprentice today, So I said she could have a day to comprehend all of this.¨

Pecanpelt tapped her tail on the ground, ¨Well that doesn't mean you can  just sit around here doing nothing! I know it's not very exciting, but why don't you go ask Almondhaze for some mouse bile for the elders?¨
Bleh! She wrinkled her snout. She had been able to smell the other apprentices taking mouse bile to the elders before from the nursery, Duskpaw would never understand how they tolerated the stench.

Pecanpelt smiled, ¨It's just part of being an apprentice, Duskpaw. You´ll have to do it sooner or later. Everyone has to do it at some point. Even Finchstar!¨

Duskpaw sighed, ¨Fine, it's not like I have anything better to do.¨. She did an exaggerated, disappointed wobble over to the medicine den. She heard Pecanpelt giggle behind her as she went in.

Almondhaze was sorting herbs when she came. He was so focused she had to nudge him to make him notice her.

¨Oh, uhm--hi! Duskpaw, right? How can I help you?¨ Almondhaze mewed.

¨Yup, Pecanpelt said that I should help with the elders´ ticks, can I have some mouse bile?¨

Almondhaze got up and went to the back of the den before saying, ¨Sure, let me get some moss¨ He paused before continuing, ¨Also, how is my sister doing?¨

Duskpaw remembered that the queen was littermates with Almondhaze before saying, ¨Good, I think. I mean, I don't think she could look better, could she?¨

¨That's better than bad I suppose.¨

Within a few minutes Almondhaze came back with a wad of mouse bile-soaked moss on the end of a stick. She could smell it before he even came a few tail-lengths close to her.

¨Here you go. I should also warn you about Tawnyrobin, he gets real grumpy sometimes, but he doesn't bite.¨

Duskpaw has the urge to drop the stick and gag, but she knew she was going to have to get used to this. She thanked Almondhaze and left the den.

She felt eyes on her as she went to the elders´ den. She poked her head inside and was almost immediately greeted by Lightmoth.

Despite his dull pelt and his age Lightmoth was bright eyed and peppy as any fresh-out-of-the-nursery apprentice. He was also the clan’s former medicine cat. She still saw Almondhaze come to him sometimes for advice.

“Greetings Duskpaw! It was about time you got out of the nursery, huh?”

Duskpaw rolled her eyes sarcastically.

Lightmoth then noticed the mouse bile she was carrying.

“Ah yes, your first apprentice task-” He rolled his eyes back at her, “How excited you must be!”

Duskpaw had to clench her jaws shut to keep herself from giggling and dropping the stick.

Lightmoth gestured for her to carry on with her tasks, “I don’t think I have any ticks, but you can check my pelt anyway.”

Duskpaw got to work. Lightmoth did end up having a few smaller ticks, so she dabbed them with the bile and continued. Tawnyrobin sat up and seemed to be squinting at her. He put his head back down quickly and scowled. Thistlestalk, who was the mother of Quartzfoot and Raindance, also seemed to be looking at her funny. She got a bit clumsy from anxiety, but Lightmoth didn’t seem to notice.

Thistlestalk shrugged. A quiet, ¨Hm.¨, was all she said before waiting her turn. Duskpaw cleared her mind and got back to work. She felt a bit disappointed that she wasn't able to spend this time with her littermates, but the elders would do.

¨So,¨  Thistlestalk started, ¨Have you heard about Whitestar?¨

Duskpaw knew that Whitestar was the leader before Finchstar, but that was it. So she replied, ¨No, not really.¨ her voice muffled by the stick.

¨Well, you should. After she passed everyone in the clan was comparing Finchstar to her.¨

¨She was a highly respected warrior, and for good reason. She was easily able to settle disputes between clanmates and was good at reasoning. She even saved some mischievous kits from the river once when she was an apprentice! Even now a lot of cats in this clan still look up to her and follow her example. Including Finchstar.¨

Duskpaw perked her ears, ¨Did something happen to her?¨

Thistlestalk shook her head, ¨No. All great cats come to an end. She passed from old age a long while ago. But still, just because she became weary doesn't mean she wasn't as great of a leader during her last couple seasons.¨

Duskpaw paused in her work thoughtfully. Swallowpaw hadn't known what she was talking about. Just because Starlingdive is old doesn't mean she's a bad deputy.

It didn't take Duskpaw long to finish up on Thistlestalk´s pelt, she moved onto Tawnyrobin while Thistlestalk continued telling stories about Whitestar during her apprentice days. Even when she was finished she stayed for a bit to listen.

¨- and that fox turned tail and didn't look back, not even once!¨ Thistlestalk finished.

Duskpaw stamped her foot, ¨How could a fox be afraid of one singular cat?¨

Thistlestalk glowed, ¨Whitestar was always a cunning cat. She could outsmart practically any creature, no matter the size. Anyhow, don´t you have anything else to be doing? I thought a new apprentice like you should have started training by now.¨

Duskpaw shook her head, ¨Apparently Finchstar didn't warn Starlingdive about getting an apprentice. I thought it would be better to give her a day or two to comprehend this.¨

Thistlestalk tilted her head, ¨Huh. Starlingdive is usually eager to take on an apprentice.¨

Lightmoth looked towards the entrance of the den, a somewhat concerned look in his eyes, ¨Starlingdive seems to have gotten a bit more,... cautious recently. I wonder if she isn't doing alright?¨

Duskpaw sat there awkwardly. She didn't really know much about most of the cats in her clan, so she didn´t know what she could add onto the conversation about Starlingdive.

Thistlestalk blinked, ¨Anyhow, I think your littermates are back, maybe you should go talk to them! I'd bet they have some things to share with you.¨

Duskpaw thanked the elders before heading back outside, she saw her littermates entering the camp alongside Quartzfoot & Raindance. They both looked exhausted, but their eyes were bright and she could hear them chattering like starlings even from where she was. Duskpaw could start to understand what they were saying as she approached them.

“Did you SEE those trees? I couldn’t even see the tops!” Smolderpaw gasped.

“Yeah! I bet not even Finchstar can reach the tops. Our territory is so big!” Swallowpaw beamed.

“Hi guys, you’re back!” Duskpaw said as she approached them Smolderpaw & Swallowpaw turned to her a bit startled.

“Oh yeah! We are. How was it for you Duskpaw? What did Starlingdive have to say?”

Duskpaw cringed and kicked the dirt a little bit. She quickly told them both the whole Starlingdive thing.

Smolderpaw sighed, “Aw! Darn.”

“Soo, what did you do instead?” Swallowpaw chimed in.

Duskpaw pointed her tail towards the elders’ den, “Pecanpelt said that I should help with the elders, so that’s what I did. It wasn’t so bad. Thistlestalk told me all about Whitestar!”

“Too bad. At least you’ll be able to go tomorrow I assume.” Swallowpaw commented.

“Well then, Raindance said we should eat, wanna join us sis? We can tell you all about our territory!” Smolderpaw invited.

“Sure, but don’t spoil everything for me!” Duskpaw mewed.

They sat down by the side of the camp wall, near the apprentices’ den. Swallowpaw & Smolderpaw were sharing a fat bluebird, and Duskpaw had chosen a decent looking vole.

Smolderpaw easily started the conversation, “Wait until you see those trees! I bet all the cats in StarClan couldn’t reach the tops, stacked ontop of eachother!”

Swallowpaw scoffed, “Really? Imagine seeing a bunch of starry cats stacked up next to a tree! What a sight that would be!”

Duskpaw smiled through a mouthful of vole, “They would all tumble down to the ground in a heartbeat. Any cat dumb enough to stand near them would get smooshed.”

They chatted for a while, Duskpaw felt kind of nervous about going out now. The way that they were describing the trees made it seem as if one could crush the entire clan.

Suddenly, the entrance to the camp rustled. Whisperingwind & Whitewillow, along with their apprentices, Rushpaw & Peanutpaw entered the camp. They all had their jaws filled with prey, Rushpaw seemed to have a full-of-himself look on his face, his tail high in the air. As they put their prey on the pile, Rushpaw’s eyes searched around the camp before settling on  Quartzfoot, his father. Quartzfoot gave his son an approving nod before being sent off for a patrol. Rushpaw beamed.

Rushpaw then began chatting with Peanutpaw, and then seemed to give Duskpaw and her littermates a judgmental side eye and shoving his brother playfully. Rushpaw stalked over to where they sat, finishing up their prey, Peanutpaw tagged along hesitantly.

Rushpaw greeted them, a sort of mockery in his voice, “You know, if you’re stuffing yourself with the prey that the rest of the clan caught, you’ll never be able to do so much as lift a paw off the ground if WaveClan supposedly attacks. Maybe you should’ve just stayed in the nursery.” He very obviously pointed the comment at Duskpaw.

Swallowpaw bristled, “It’s not our fault that we didn’t do much on our first day!”

Rushpaw lifted his chin in an annoyingly “dignified” way, “Well then, maybe you should do more than just sitting around with these lazy badgers,  I could teach you something.”

Smolderpaw looked away and quietly commented, “I’d rather have my ears clawed off than have a stuck-up furball like you as my mentor.”

Rushpaw glared at him, “It’s not like one can claw your ears off, they already look clawed! Just like your dirty mother’s. You don’t even have a dad!”

Smolderpaw’s mouth gaped in a silent offended gasp. Duskpaw averted her gaze awkwardly and Swallowpaw jumped up, tail bristling.

“Well, Smolderpaw’s right. At least I don’t have a stuck up dad or brother.”

Now that Duskpaw thought about it, she wondered about her parents. She, nor her littermates had ever asked or wondered about their father. None of the cats in the clan had resembled them from what she could tell. And Smoketail was originally a loner, so no wonder Rushpaw had used that against them. Maybe that’s why some of her clanmates had looked at her weird?

Swallowpaw had stood to face noses with the older apprentice, snout wrinkled in defiance, “What is your problem, anyway? Just because your dad is Quartzfoot doesn’t mean you can prance around all high and mighty.”

Rushpaw scoffed, “Well it certainly gives me more right to be here than you are, right Peanutpaw?”

Peanutpaw’s startled mew was hardly a whisper,”I don’t know, I don’t think this is a go- '' but he was cut off before he could finish.

“-Nevermind.” Rushpaw snarled, “Anyway, we have better things to do than bothering ourselves with you fleabags.”

With a flick of his tail, Rushpaw gestured for Peanutpaw to follow him away to the apprentices’ den, leaving Duskpaw and her littermates confuzzled.

Swallowpaw seemed to force her fur to flatten, “Seriously, what is his problem? So what if we don’t know who our dad is..” She seemed to trail off, as she was thinking about it like that for the first time.

Smolderpaw chimed in,”Yeah, can’t believe I never thought about that. It’s probably not important though, Rushpaw was just trying to make us feel bad.”

Swallowpaw shook her head, “Yeah, you’re right. Are you alright Duskpaw?”

Duskpaw realized she hadn’t said a word since the other apprentices had come over here, “Oh-! Yeah, just, thinking.”

Smolderpaw gazed at her with a hint of worry, “You better not be letting him get to your head.”

Duskpaw rolled her eyes, “Yeah, right.”

(End chapter)