SW: Dawning Chapter 17

Midnight opened her eyes to an open plain covered by a velvet sky. The stars sparkled much too brightly in the moonless sky. Midnight blinked in confusion; this wasn’t what she’d expected. Midnight turned around and gasped. Next to her stood a brilliantly silvered cat with long, silky fur and harvest-moon yellow eyes. Her moon patterned fur made it obvious what this doll-face Persian was – she was Mother Moon.

“Great Mother!” Midnight said in an astonished blink.

“Yes, dearly beloved,” Mother Moon said in a warm blink, “I am Mother Moon. But as I’ve said before, it is not your time to rejoin us.”

“Then why am I here?” Midnight countered, confusion clear on her face.

“You have lost your first life dear heart,” the Persian said. “The first of nine lives, each plotted out for you like stones paving the stream.”

“My first life? But I am no Head!” Midnight said to the Mother, even more confused than before.

“You are one of the Heads of the First Stars,” Mother Moon countered. “You will lead all of the Clans to salvation, but you need nine lives to make it to your ultimate goal. This night you will not rest in peace. You cannot rest forever until you finish what I have set you out to do.”

“What am I to do?” Midnight asked, desperation in her body language.
“You will know when the time comes,” Mother Moon assured her, “just as you knew what to do at this instance. If ever you need some guidance, I will aid you as best I can.”

“But how can I? We’ve already lost so much…” Midnight’s whiskers drooped.

“Now don’t be so hard on yourself Midnight,” a familiar mewl caught Midnight’s attention. Looking up towards Mother Moon, Midnight was met by the ghostly forms of AshSky, Sycamorekit and BrightClaw; who must have just died in the battle with the Endless Blues.

“BrightClaw…”

“Don’t mourn for me now – you know where I’ve gone,” BrightClaw warmly chided. “Please keep watch over Goldpaw, Moonpaw and Spindlepaw for me. I fear Spindlepaw will be lost without her mother. And Moonpaw – I can never know how he’ll react.”

“I-I’ll try my best,” Midnight stuttered.

“Midnight!” Sycamorekit mewled, running up to the starry pelted cat. “I’m sorry for running off! It wasn’t Flamingkit’s fault! Don’t let him blame himself – and don’t let him turn all cold. Flamingkit may end up like the cat that he hates if he doesn’t warm up again.”

Midnight stared at the little kit. For a youngling, she had a lot of wisdom. “I’ll try my best. I fear Flamingkit may be a harder case than getting Moonpaw to open up.”

“If anyone can do it, you can!” Sycamorekit told the elder cat with assurance.

“Now,” Mother Moon addressed Midnight again as the other cats faded back into stars, “it is time for you to rejoin your mourning friends. At least something shall end with good from all this death.”

Midnight was about to object but she suddenly felt heavy and tired. She collapsed where she was, blackness taking her once again. However she could still hear the faint voice of Mother Moon.

“Never forget – I will always be watching dear heart.”



Next thing Midnight knew was the chaos of yowls and the thick scent of blood surrounding her. She could also feel the sticky feeling of coagulating blood on fur, making her feel even more uncomfortable. Platinum eyes slowly opened to be greeted by an overcast sky and feline faces all around.

In the next moment, Midnight involuntarily flinched as a loud yowl pierced the sky from what had to be a whisker-length away. “Oh ancestors! Midnight is alive!”

Midnight blinked until her eyes refocused to find Goldpaw’s and SootCloud’s muzzles were mere hair-lengths away. SootCloud’s sapphire eyes glittered with moisture. Goldpaw’s own emerald eyes were filled with misery and a sparkle of hope that Midnight would live to see another day.

More faces met her sight as she moved her head to the side, seeing more cats approaching her body at SootCloud’s cry. Midnight recognised Nahelith’s flaming pelt and her brother’s equally flaming fur approaching. Beside them was the small body of Hathras and the large frame of his Deputy SharksBane. The four made their way to Midnight, eyes wide with utter surprise and hope.

“Midnight’s alive? Fires be!” Nahelith said vocally, his whiskers quivering with relief. “Oh my Midnight, what would I do had you died? My old heart can barely take AshSky and Sycamorekit’s deaths.”

Midnight chuffed. “I’m alright. Just give me a minute.”

Hathras spoke as they neared her. “The same cannot be said for OceanHeart and SharksBite. Both have paid for their treason. Though I wish things could have ended differently.” He shook his head. “But how are you still alive? We all watched you die Midnight.”

The starry pelted cat found her footing and stood up wearily. “I’ll explain in a moment. What happened while I was out?”

SharksBane took up the conversation, now with body language rather than meows. “Hathras and I lunged ourselves at OceanHeart, overpowering him with both our strength. SharksBite tried to take me from behind but Nahelith, TigerSpirit and LavaFoot took on SharksBite. Both died in their attempts to take Hathras’ last two lives.” He bowed his head. “However there were many injuries. We sent Moonpaw into your camp to retrieve MistStar. Her help is needed most to treat those who’ve been severely injured. I don’t think there are any casualties, but –”

“No!” wailed Spindlepaw, cutting off SharksBane’s explanation. Nahelith’s head whipped around to look at the young trainee.

“What’s wrong?”

Spindlepaw turned to stare at Nahelith with wide, terrified eyes. “BrightClaw…she’s…”

Spindlepaw didn’t finish. Instead she just stared down at her mother’s body, which she stood beside. Nahelith walked over to her, Goldpaw and Midnight watching anxiously. Their leader sniffed BrightClaw’s body cautiously before bowing his head in grief. “BrightClaw has left us to join the ancestors as well.”

Goldpaw’s eyes went wide with grief. “No… not mother too!” She broke into a dead run to press her face into her mother’s fur. Her ears were pinned flat against her skull in sorrow. Spindlepaw just stood beside her mother too shocked to do much else.

SharksBane bowed his head in respect. “She fought bravely for her Clan. Too much has been lost today.”

Nahelith turned to SharksBane. “But much has been left unsolved. Why would OceanHeart do such a thing? Doesn’t he know he cannot become the Head of a Clan without the blessing of the Shaman? He would have never gotten his nine lives or the name of a leader without IceStar’s blessing.”

SharksBane flicked an ear. “I don’t know. I can’t tell you what I don’t know or understand. OceanHeart never talked to me because he envied my position in the clan, despite being the Head’s Councillor. Even Hathras he would not speak to openly unless addressed.”

“I know why,” a small, distressed voice rose up. Every cat turned to face Driftpaw, who was crouched to the ground with terror and grief. Hathras approached the trainee.

“Tell me what happened,” Hathras demanded.

Driftpaw flinched. “OceanHeart knew that he could never become Head without IceStar’s approval. So he tried to drive tension between our Clan and the Clan of the Eternal Fires. But you foiled his plan. Then he decided to off IceStar and make it appear than the Eternal Fires cats did it. When you’d fought against the other clan, he would strike you down and be clear to reign the Clan of the Endless Blue with no opposition.”

Flamingkit leapt to his paws and snarled at Driftpaw. “Why didn’t you do anything?! You watched OceanHeart kill IceStar, Sycamorekit and AshSky!”

“I couldn’t!” Driftpaw wailed. “He said he’d kill me too if I told anyone! He was my Advisor – would anyone believe my word over my Advisor’s? He’s so much stronger than me!”

Nahelith flicked his tail. “It’s not Driftpaw’s fault Flamingkit. And I’m sure no one would take a trainee’s word over his Advisor’s. Driftpaw has suffered much because of OceanHeart, perhaps more than the rest of us.”

Flamingkit rounded on his father. “How can you side with him? He could’ve helped us! Instead he just watched her die!”

Nahelith glared at his son. “He would have fought a losing battle and would have died too. His actions would not have changed the events. He will have to live with the knowledge and guilt of what had happened in these days. But don’t blame him for something he could not control.”

Hathras blinked in agreement. “I agree. It would be difficult to take a trainee’s word over his Advisor’s. OceanHeart was deceptive and though I did not completely trust him, I would have not believed him of such an atrocity before now.”

"Then you’re a fool!” Flamingkit hissed.

Nahelith swatted his son and snarled. “Don’t you dare judge another Head! Apologise!”

Flamingkit’s eyes blazed with hatred, but he did as his father instructed. “I’m sorry…”

Hathras flicked an ear in response. “It’s ok. I understand you’re angry.”

Moonpaw and MistStar arrived at the Coven meeting place; the old grey cat bristled with anxiety. “Where are the wounded? I brought some healing herbs and cobwebs for wounds.”

Nahelith flicked his tail. LavaFoot has a pretty bad gash across her belly, but the more severe injuries are in the Clan of the Endless Blue.”

MistStar narrowed her eyes. “OceanHeart?”

Hathras answered. “He and his son are dead. OrcaHeart is wounded though – a gash across his flank and one on his neck. OtterSpirit also suffered some severe wounds.”

MistStar eyed Hathras. “You’re pretty severely wounded yourself.”

Hathras flicked his ear dismissively. “I can wait for treatment.”

“No you can’t,” the Shaman said firmly. “You may lose a life if I don’t treat you. Now let me see those wounds.”

As the wounded cats gathered by Hathras for treatment, Nahelith gathered his cats around himself. “We will have to take our dead back for vigil and the death ceremony. Once MistStar is done here, TigerSpirit and I will carry AshSky back, while BoulderFur and BearSong will carry BrightClaw back. Owlpaw, Whiskerpaw and Spindlepaw, you three will carry back Sycamorekit to the camp. The rest will keep point for danger, since most of us will be burdened.”

The cats addressed all blinked in affirmation.

A few moments later MistStar and LavaFoot rejoined their gathered clan. “Mistpaw will have her paws full with her clan. OrcaHeart and Hathras will need at least a week or so of close observation. Without her mentor, she could be in over her head.”

“Did you offer your help?” Nahelith asked.

“Yes. She gratefully accepted. She can hardly tell which herb is which, the poor thing.”

Nahelith blinked in response. “Good. It’s the least we can do for them.”

Hathras gathered his cats and turned to Nahelith. “Thank you for the aid. Good hunting to you and your clan.”

Nahelith bowed his head. “Good hunting to you and yours as well.”

Without another word between the two clans, the cats turned and left, carrying their dead back to their camps for their time of mourning. Only Flamingkit glanced back, his eyes still blazing with hate.