NEW BLOOD - WWF December Potluck Tale
Dec 3, 2018 23:02:26 GMT -5
phantomstar57, mintedstar/fur🦇, and 1 more like this
Post by phantomstar57 on Dec 3, 2018 23:02:26 GMT -5
NEW BLOOD -
A SOLSTICE MIRACLE
POT LUCK
December tale
Demonstone lay in the door of the Elder’s den, his heart heavy with grief, which grew deeper and more agonizing every passing sunrise. Since that horrible day twolegs captured his beloved Kyestorm, his mind and body sank deeper into depression. Blackhawk and Sunflight led a search patrol out into the stormy Leaf Fall day almost two moons ago, and Demonstone feared they too, fell into a twoleg net, gone forever. He inhaled deeply, and exhaled in a whimper. He lost weight since that day, despite ample venison prey and Gentleoak forcing him to eat the richest morsels. He ate what his son gave him, but not a piece more. He uttered a guttural sigh, his heart full of anguish. Outside, a gentle snowfall added more fluff to the snows blanketing the Clan territories, covering the trail his grandson Blackhawk sought to follow. A paw nudged him from behind.
“Have some faith, my old friend,” Brackenfur rasped. “Your grandkits will come home.”
“But will they bring their Kyemama?” Demonstome lamented. “What if they were caught, too?”
“I don’t know if they will find Kyestorm, but both Blackhawk and Sunflight know to be very wary of any twolegs,” Brackenfur mewed softly. “But don’t sink into a slow death before they have time to try.”
“I feel it’s my fault,” Demonstone moaned, trembling like a kit. “How did they sneak up on us like that? What kind of Warrior am I that I couldn’t save her? That I didn’t scent them?”
“If your sons did not hold you back, they’d have taken you, too.” Brackenfur softened his voice. “The excitement of the hunt can sometimes blind us to possible dangers.They were downwind anyway.”
“She was so much faster than I am and chased the little deer right into the twoleg trap. Maybe they should have caught me! I’d be with her.”
“Perhaps,” Brackenfur agreed, before growling. “But then your kits, kin, and friends would be missing both of you now.”
“”I know,” Demonstone sagged, touching his nose to the floor of the den.
“At least we all know how to detect twolegs and their traps. They try to catch us, especially your kin. They know, as we do, how special you all are.” Brackenfur shook his grizzled head. “You’re all a gift from StarClan. I have faith Blackhawk will find our Kyestorm.”
“Demonpoppa?” A small, furry, black Maine Coon face peered into the den, and Demonstone recognized his diminutive daughter. At her heels, three large three-moon old kits trailed her, with her mate, Firestrike, a long-haired bright red-smoke half Maine Coon tom with gold eyes, one of Demonstone’s grandsons through Demonstreak, bringing together yet again the lineages of his family and the legendary Firestar’s. Despite the inadvertent line-breeding, all three kits grew strong, healthy and took after their enormous sire.
“Tell us stories,”the kits chimed, hurrying in to cluster around his thick legs, shaking snow on his big paws.
“Mama says Kyemama told all kinds of stories,” A smokey tortoiseshell kit announced. Her copper eyes shone in a black mask, putting Demonstone in mind of his daughter Whitefoot, Gabbiflight’s sister.
“Yes, Emberkit, she did, but she isn’t here.”
Do you know what solstice is?” the largest kit, the spittng image of his father, asked. His copper-gold eyes blinked.
“Yes, Flamekit,” Demonstine answered. “ I do. Why?”
“Mama says Kyemama mentioned it in her last stories, about the long ago time when you lived with twolegs.”
“I really don’t want to think about twolegs now,” Demonstne grumbled, turning his head away, just as the third kit, a golden-eyed black smoke tom, opened his mouth to speak. Smokekit squeaked and closed his mouth.
“Demonpoppa,” Gabbuflight admonished gently. “I know its hard, but please tell the story about the twoleg celebration. Kyemama has told it for seasons now, and we all look forward to it. The kits need to learn more about their granddam.”
“I can’t,” Demonstone keened the refusal.
“Please, Demonpoppa?” Nightheart asked, coming up beside his older brother, Firestrike, with Sparkfire and Sunbeam at his side.
“Please stop,” Demonstone growled.
“Demonpoppa, please?” He recognized the soft voice of his blue-smoke son, Greyface, who twitched his tall white-tufted ears. “Kyemama would want this.”
“How. . .” Demonstone snarled, then met the wide eyes of his grandkits. His hurt and rage deflated, and he knew Greyface spoke the truth. He inhaled a ragged breath.
“All Solstice is, is the first day in Leaf Bare when the sun begins to rise higher in the sky.” Demonstone mumbled, struggling to leash his emotions and his dire heartbreak over losing Kyestorm. She always loved the traditions of the twolegs, the bringing inside of a small conifer and decorating it and the cottage with bright lights, following that with feasting, singing, and filling the cottage with joy. “It signals the promise of the return of New Leaf. Twolegs celebrate this by hanging bright lights, like multi-colored stars, on a small conifer they brought into the cottage. They celebrated twoleg StarClan, and gave each other, and us, gifts in bright wrappings that crackled and crunched.”
“Wrappings?” Smokekit asked, almost bouncing on his feet.
“Oh yes, they were most fun, to ponce on and wrestle, and the twolegs enjoyed our antics,” Demonstone answered. “Kyemama always grew so excited when our twolegs brought in the little tree. The twoleg decorations, the lights, the wrappings on the gifts, all were part of the moon long fun, which usually began after a great feast.” Demonstone raised his head, spotting Gentleoak in the gathering cats. “It’s the reason why Gentleoak’s pots never scared either of us that day he found them so many suncycles ago.”
“Twolegs believe in StarClan?” Emberkit interjected.
“Many do in a way, but our twolegs just honored the sun’s movements.” Demnstone answered, his brow furrowing. “They also remembered ancestors and lost kin. Solstice, which they called Christ-mas, was important to them.”
“Could we do this?” Emberkit asked.
“We always have a fine venison meal on this day,” Demonstone answered, then fell silent for many moments, his throat constricting, before mewing, “I’m tired. Can I tell you more tomorrow?”
“Yes, Demonpoppa.” The kits agreed and scampered off in excitement. Only a moon old when Kyemama disappeared, they barely remembered her, and that crushed his very soul. He felt no joy with her gone, and StarClan deserved no reverence after allowing ruthless twolegs to catnap his beloved. That day, his sons held him back, as the robbers dragged her away, and he still resented their actions. The twolegs knew what she was, and Demonstone feared never ever seeing her again. He gave up trying to follow them, and when Phantomstar and Demonstreak let him free, he returned to camp, tail down, ears flat, and retired to the elders den. When the search patrol left shortly afterward, tracking the twolegs, he knew they worked in vain. The twolegs took her far away, likely to sell to other twolegs. Once snows flew, he lost all hope of ever seeing his Kyestorm again.
He dozed, dreaming of long ago memories, barely aware of the rising wind, until he heard his son’s anguished yowl. Demonstone peered up through a blinding snow squall, where ThunderClan’s leader paced Highledge, ignoring the blizzard fury which encompassed his camp. Cats snuggled in their dens, but Demonstone knew Phantomstar’s thoughts lay with his younger sister, Angelglow, and his cousins, Blackjhawk and Sunflight, who left two moons ago in search of his beloved Kyestorm. His son paused, head up, tail out behind him, his thick pelt fluffed against the wind, creating an intimidating silhouette against the driving snow. His sea-green eyes roved the land beyond the camp, looking for any signs of the search party. Every day, ThunderClan's leader stood on his high vantage point and watched the landscape. The huge silver tabby Maine Coon paced again, flicking his gigantic white paws, extending and retracting his dagger claws. Demonstone watched for a moment, his black-smoke pelt bristling.
“Why do you keep looking for them,” Demonstone stood up. and growled at his son. “They’re gone. Lost with my Kyestorm.”
“I can never give up hope,” Phantomstar snapped back, sea-green eyes blazing. “I wish you did not.”
“I’m only being realistic,” Demonstone muttered, and turned away from his agitated Leader. He curled up in his nest, listening to the wind, recalling how much Kyestorm loved the snow. He drowsed, dreaming of winters past, and his beloved’s delight whenever it snowed, even during the coldest Leaf Bare. He sank deeper into his dreams, reveling in Kyestorm’s presence, trying to forget the dreadful reality.
The storm dropped a swift deep blanket over the territories, dampening the tiny flicker of hope in his shriveling heart. As day turned to dusk, the storm let up, and a few rips in the clouds allowed stars to shine. Demonstone lifted his head, peering at the sky, eyes wide and mournful, his stomach twisting with unrelenting pain. The storm remnants blew eastward, with a strong breeze blowing snow twisters across the frozen lake, under a full silver moon. Ragged clouds scuttled on the wind, revealing Silverpelt as they parted and sailed away. Demonstone shuffled out of the warm Elder’s den, and gazed up at the skies. The moon glowed, and Silverpelt twinkled, filling Demonstone’s heart with choking longing and grief. In the silent camp, he gazed at Silverpelt, missing Kyestorm so much his chest hurt.
“Oh, StarClan, Silverpelt brightly shines, on this Solstice night,” he keened, a high-pitched song from his soul which reverberated through camp. A few groggy cats peered out of dens, ears up in surprise as his voice rolled out into the night. “Why, why have you taken my beloved, so far far away, so far away.”
“Not soooo far,” a familar soft voice whispered in his head, and he shut his jaws in shock.
“Leafpool?” he asked, his voice a mere whisper.
“Demonpoppa?” Phantomstar’s soft yowl announced his presence on Highledge. “Why the caterwauling?”
Berryfrost stood with him, but she looked not down at him, but across the lake. Her jaw hung open. Demonstreak and Sparkfire stumbled out of their den, blinking in the moonlight, and gazed down at him. Demonstone wondered what under StarClan shocked his son’s mate to silence, when she usually blathered and yakked almost as much a Gabbiflight.
“Phantomstarrrrr!” The cry echoed across the lake, and Demonstone jerked alert, recognizing Blackhawk’s strong yowl. He whirled, ignoring his stiff aching legs and exploded from the Elder’s den. He plowed through the snow, and scrambled up Highledge to stand beside his son. From that vantage point, the whole lake became visible. To Demonstone’s shock, a familiar patrol of cats hurried across the ice at a swift pace. Phantomstar shook himself, and drew in a deep breath, bellowing his reply.
“Is she with you? Did you find her?”
“Yes!” Blackhawk yowled back, and suddenly answering yowls and cries filled the night from all around the lake.
“My beloved!” Demonstone leaped down from Highledge,ignoring all his painful joints, and raced down to the shore, and onto the ice, his gait rolling and rocking, but his sure feet slipped not once. The breezes brought him her scent, and astonished jubilation lifted every hair on his gaunt body. He asked his old legs for more speed, and he shot across the ice like a young warrior, adrenaline pumping strength into his old body.
“Kyeeeeeeee!” he shrieked in utter joy, reverting back to her original name, and ahead, a huge shaggy shape separated from the patrol, and surged forward. Huge paws flew, claws gouging up the frozen surface, flinging ice shards and snow into the air. They glittered and flashed in the bright moonlight, as Kyestorm raced across the lake, leaving her patrol behind.
“Demon Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!” she cried.
Demonstone’s heart swelled with joy he never before experienced, and he barreled into his beloved as she crashed into him. They rolled together on the ice, rubbing faces in utter disbelief and delight, twining big bushy tails, and wrapping paws around each other’s necks. Snow and ice shards exploded around them, as if in celebration.
“I can’t believe it!” Demonstone wailed to the stars, his chest squeezing with disbelief and utter astonishment. Love enveloped his entire body. “They found you!”
“Yes, after I escaped with Lizzie’s help,” Kyestorm purred. “I’m so happy we made it!”
“I’m beyond happy,” Demonstone purred, licking her face, wrapping all four legs around her. Sparkling caught his eye and without moving anything but his eyes, he looked up, where Silverpelt shimmered above them, in a kaleidoscope of pastel colors.
Shadows blocked the twinkling stars, as the patrol caught up to them, and Phantomstar, Demonstreak and the rest of their Clan reached Demonstone and Kyestorm. While they greeted their kin and Clan, Demonstone and Kyestorm never left each other’s sides, rising from the ice and moving as one entity. Happy reows and cries echoed over the lake as the other Clans learned of Kyestorm’s return. Indistar, Nightstar, Troutstar and Smokestar led their entire Clans to this impromptu Gathering in the middle of the lake. Ice creaked and thumped, causing Phantomstar to raise his voice.
“To the Island! We gather under this special moon!”
“Come Beloved,” Demonstone meowed. “Let’s lead this parade!”
The Five Clans gathered in the ancient spot, crossing the tree bridge onto the island. All cats surrounded Demonstone and Kyestorm, welcoming back CloudPatch, and ThunderClan’s patrol led by Blackhawk and Sunflight. They welcomed strangers Lizzie and Yoohoo, eager to hear their part in the rescue. Demonstone sat down and sank his back claws of one foot into his shoulder. The pain seared his skin and he cried out, proving he lived in reality and not a cruel but beautiful nightmare. He stood up, and pressed against his lifemate, feeling her warmth through his pelt.
Gabbiflight pushed her way through the crowd to stand in front of Demonstone, and then keened before rubbing her body on Kyestorm. Her kits mewed in delight, joyful to finally meet their famous grand-dam Kyemama. Demonstone watched the crowded camp, as Phantomstar appeared last, dragging a roe deer from the fresh kill pile across the fallen log bridge. He dragged it to the center of the clearing to offer to all in this Gathering place. Happy meowing, banter and laughter filled the snowy clearing. Moonlight glittered across the snow, which sparkled in illusive pale colors in every gust of wind. Shimmering snow twisters sailed across the lake, as if StarClan itself danced in joy. Old memories flooded Demonstone’s mind. He leaned into Kyestorm as delighted apprentices brought them chunks of food.
“Do you know what day it is?” he asked.
“Should I?” Kyestorm queried, licking his ear.
“Solstice,” Demonstone murmured. “Like you used to love, and Silverpelt glitters like Solstice lights. Star Clan brought you back to me, and look how the Clans celebrate.”
“Yes!” Kyestorm purred. “You’re right. Its a special night.”
“Oh, mighty StarClan, Silverpelt brightly shines on this Solstice night,” he keened, a high-pitched booming song lifted in joy. “Oh starry night, these stars shine so brightly, lighting the way, bringing my beloved back to me. Oh starry starry night, forever, we bow before StarClan every Solstice, in reverence and thanks.”
He closed his mouth and looked down, at a silent Gathering. Every cat faced him, eyes wide with emotion.
Phantomstar flicked his bushy tail at his fellow Leaders and they took their places on the boughs of the Great Tree.
“Attention!” he cried out, his strident voice carrying across the lake. “In light of this joyous occasion, I make this pronouncement. I, Phantomstar, Leader of ThunderClan, under the light of StarClan on this special night, decry that this night, every Leaf Bare, be a Great Gathering, called the Solstice Gathering, a day and night to celebrate everything we’re thankful to StarClan for, and to always remember the night our Kyemama returned to us.”
“I, Indistar, Leader of ShadowClan. . .” Indistar nodded at her sister.
“I, Smokestar, Leader of WindClan. . .” Smokestar dipped her head to her nephew.
“I, Nightstar, Leader of SkyClan. . .” He defered to his aunt’s mate.
“I, Troutstar, Leader of RiverClan. . .” Troutstar waved his tail.
“Agree, under StarClan, that this be so.” the four remaining Leaders answered in unison. Cheers reverberated in the clearing, and the Gathering continued, filling the island with sounds of joy. Demonstone watched, gnawing on a cracked bone, leaning into Kyestorm, who cheerfully told all the kits, and anyone else who desired to listen, the stories of her adventure. As Kyestorm explained Lizzie’s part in her escape, and about an extraordinary MountainClan cat who saved their lives, Demonstone gazed up at Silverpelt, silently thanking the ancestors, Lizzie, Blackhawk’s determination to find his Kyemama, and the mysterious blessed cat, for his Solstice Miracle
A SOLSTICE MIRACLE
POT LUCK
December tale
Demonstone lay in the door of the Elder’s den, his heart heavy with grief, which grew deeper and more agonizing every passing sunrise. Since that horrible day twolegs captured his beloved Kyestorm, his mind and body sank deeper into depression. Blackhawk and Sunflight led a search patrol out into the stormy Leaf Fall day almost two moons ago, and Demonstone feared they too, fell into a twoleg net, gone forever. He inhaled deeply, and exhaled in a whimper. He lost weight since that day, despite ample venison prey and Gentleoak forcing him to eat the richest morsels. He ate what his son gave him, but not a piece more. He uttered a guttural sigh, his heart full of anguish. Outside, a gentle snowfall added more fluff to the snows blanketing the Clan territories, covering the trail his grandson Blackhawk sought to follow. A paw nudged him from behind.
“Have some faith, my old friend,” Brackenfur rasped. “Your grandkits will come home.”
“But will they bring their Kyemama?” Demonstome lamented. “What if they were caught, too?”
“I don’t know if they will find Kyestorm, but both Blackhawk and Sunflight know to be very wary of any twolegs,” Brackenfur mewed softly. “But don’t sink into a slow death before they have time to try.”
“I feel it’s my fault,” Demonstone moaned, trembling like a kit. “How did they sneak up on us like that? What kind of Warrior am I that I couldn’t save her? That I didn’t scent them?”
“If your sons did not hold you back, they’d have taken you, too.” Brackenfur softened his voice. “The excitement of the hunt can sometimes blind us to possible dangers.They were downwind anyway.”
“She was so much faster than I am and chased the little deer right into the twoleg trap. Maybe they should have caught me! I’d be with her.”
“Perhaps,” Brackenfur agreed, before growling. “But then your kits, kin, and friends would be missing both of you now.”
“”I know,” Demonstone sagged, touching his nose to the floor of the den.
“At least we all know how to detect twolegs and their traps. They try to catch us, especially your kin. They know, as we do, how special you all are.” Brackenfur shook his grizzled head. “You’re all a gift from StarClan. I have faith Blackhawk will find our Kyestorm.”
“Demonpoppa?” A small, furry, black Maine Coon face peered into the den, and Demonstone recognized his diminutive daughter. At her heels, three large three-moon old kits trailed her, with her mate, Firestrike, a long-haired bright red-smoke half Maine Coon tom with gold eyes, one of Demonstone’s grandsons through Demonstreak, bringing together yet again the lineages of his family and the legendary Firestar’s. Despite the inadvertent line-breeding, all three kits grew strong, healthy and took after their enormous sire.
“Tell us stories,”the kits chimed, hurrying in to cluster around his thick legs, shaking snow on his big paws.
“Mama says Kyemama told all kinds of stories,” A smokey tortoiseshell kit announced. Her copper eyes shone in a black mask, putting Demonstone in mind of his daughter Whitefoot, Gabbiflight’s sister.
“Yes, Emberkit, she did, but she isn’t here.”
Do you know what solstice is?” the largest kit, the spittng image of his father, asked. His copper-gold eyes blinked.
“Yes, Flamekit,” Demonstine answered. “ I do. Why?”
“Mama says Kyemama mentioned it in her last stories, about the long ago time when you lived with twolegs.”
“I really don’t want to think about twolegs now,” Demonstne grumbled, turning his head away, just as the third kit, a golden-eyed black smoke tom, opened his mouth to speak. Smokekit squeaked and closed his mouth.
“Demonpoppa,” Gabbuflight admonished gently. “I know its hard, but please tell the story about the twoleg celebration. Kyemama has told it for seasons now, and we all look forward to it. The kits need to learn more about their granddam.”
“I can’t,” Demonstone keened the refusal.
“Please, Demonpoppa?” Nightheart asked, coming up beside his older brother, Firestrike, with Sparkfire and Sunbeam at his side.
“Please stop,” Demonstone growled.
“Demonpoppa, please?” He recognized the soft voice of his blue-smoke son, Greyface, who twitched his tall white-tufted ears. “Kyemama would want this.”
“How. . .” Demonstone snarled, then met the wide eyes of his grandkits. His hurt and rage deflated, and he knew Greyface spoke the truth. He inhaled a ragged breath.
“All Solstice is, is the first day in Leaf Bare when the sun begins to rise higher in the sky.” Demonstone mumbled, struggling to leash his emotions and his dire heartbreak over losing Kyestorm. She always loved the traditions of the twolegs, the bringing inside of a small conifer and decorating it and the cottage with bright lights, following that with feasting, singing, and filling the cottage with joy. “It signals the promise of the return of New Leaf. Twolegs celebrate this by hanging bright lights, like multi-colored stars, on a small conifer they brought into the cottage. They celebrated twoleg StarClan, and gave each other, and us, gifts in bright wrappings that crackled and crunched.”
“Wrappings?” Smokekit asked, almost bouncing on his feet.
“Oh yes, they were most fun, to ponce on and wrestle, and the twolegs enjoyed our antics,” Demonstone answered. “Kyemama always grew so excited when our twolegs brought in the little tree. The twoleg decorations, the lights, the wrappings on the gifts, all were part of the moon long fun, which usually began after a great feast.” Demonstone raised his head, spotting Gentleoak in the gathering cats. “It’s the reason why Gentleoak’s pots never scared either of us that day he found them so many suncycles ago.”
“Twolegs believe in StarClan?” Emberkit interjected.
“Many do in a way, but our twolegs just honored the sun’s movements.” Demnstone answered, his brow furrowing. “They also remembered ancestors and lost kin. Solstice, which they called Christ-mas, was important to them.”
“Could we do this?” Emberkit asked.
“We always have a fine venison meal on this day,” Demonstone answered, then fell silent for many moments, his throat constricting, before mewing, “I’m tired. Can I tell you more tomorrow?”
“Yes, Demonpoppa.” The kits agreed and scampered off in excitement. Only a moon old when Kyemama disappeared, they barely remembered her, and that crushed his very soul. He felt no joy with her gone, and StarClan deserved no reverence after allowing ruthless twolegs to catnap his beloved. That day, his sons held him back, as the robbers dragged her away, and he still resented their actions. The twolegs knew what she was, and Demonstone feared never ever seeing her again. He gave up trying to follow them, and when Phantomstar and Demonstreak let him free, he returned to camp, tail down, ears flat, and retired to the elders den. When the search patrol left shortly afterward, tracking the twolegs, he knew they worked in vain. The twolegs took her far away, likely to sell to other twolegs. Once snows flew, he lost all hope of ever seeing his Kyestorm again.
He dozed, dreaming of long ago memories, barely aware of the rising wind, until he heard his son’s anguished yowl. Demonstone peered up through a blinding snow squall, where ThunderClan’s leader paced Highledge, ignoring the blizzard fury which encompassed his camp. Cats snuggled in their dens, but Demonstone knew Phantomstar’s thoughts lay with his younger sister, Angelglow, and his cousins, Blackjhawk and Sunflight, who left two moons ago in search of his beloved Kyestorm. His son paused, head up, tail out behind him, his thick pelt fluffed against the wind, creating an intimidating silhouette against the driving snow. His sea-green eyes roved the land beyond the camp, looking for any signs of the search party. Every day, ThunderClan's leader stood on his high vantage point and watched the landscape. The huge silver tabby Maine Coon paced again, flicking his gigantic white paws, extending and retracting his dagger claws. Demonstone watched for a moment, his black-smoke pelt bristling.
“Why do you keep looking for them,” Demonstone stood up. and growled at his son. “They’re gone. Lost with my Kyestorm.”
“I can never give up hope,” Phantomstar snapped back, sea-green eyes blazing. “I wish you did not.”
“I’m only being realistic,” Demonstone muttered, and turned away from his agitated Leader. He curled up in his nest, listening to the wind, recalling how much Kyestorm loved the snow. He drowsed, dreaming of winters past, and his beloved’s delight whenever it snowed, even during the coldest Leaf Bare. He sank deeper into his dreams, reveling in Kyestorm’s presence, trying to forget the dreadful reality.
The storm dropped a swift deep blanket over the territories, dampening the tiny flicker of hope in his shriveling heart. As day turned to dusk, the storm let up, and a few rips in the clouds allowed stars to shine. Demonstone lifted his head, peering at the sky, eyes wide and mournful, his stomach twisting with unrelenting pain. The storm remnants blew eastward, with a strong breeze blowing snow twisters across the frozen lake, under a full silver moon. Ragged clouds scuttled on the wind, revealing Silverpelt as they parted and sailed away. Demonstone shuffled out of the warm Elder’s den, and gazed up at the skies. The moon glowed, and Silverpelt twinkled, filling Demonstone’s heart with choking longing and grief. In the silent camp, he gazed at Silverpelt, missing Kyestorm so much his chest hurt.
“Oh, StarClan, Silverpelt brightly shines, on this Solstice night,” he keened, a high-pitched song from his soul which reverberated through camp. A few groggy cats peered out of dens, ears up in surprise as his voice rolled out into the night. “Why, why have you taken my beloved, so far far away, so far away.”
“Not soooo far,” a familar soft voice whispered in his head, and he shut his jaws in shock.
“Leafpool?” he asked, his voice a mere whisper.
“Demonpoppa?” Phantomstar’s soft yowl announced his presence on Highledge. “Why the caterwauling?”
Berryfrost stood with him, but she looked not down at him, but across the lake. Her jaw hung open. Demonstreak and Sparkfire stumbled out of their den, blinking in the moonlight, and gazed down at him. Demonstone wondered what under StarClan shocked his son’s mate to silence, when she usually blathered and yakked almost as much a Gabbiflight.
“Phantomstarrrrr!” The cry echoed across the lake, and Demonstone jerked alert, recognizing Blackhawk’s strong yowl. He whirled, ignoring his stiff aching legs and exploded from the Elder’s den. He plowed through the snow, and scrambled up Highledge to stand beside his son. From that vantage point, the whole lake became visible. To Demonstone’s shock, a familiar patrol of cats hurried across the ice at a swift pace. Phantomstar shook himself, and drew in a deep breath, bellowing his reply.
“Is she with you? Did you find her?”
“Yes!” Blackhawk yowled back, and suddenly answering yowls and cries filled the night from all around the lake.
“My beloved!” Demonstone leaped down from Highledge,ignoring all his painful joints, and raced down to the shore, and onto the ice, his gait rolling and rocking, but his sure feet slipped not once. The breezes brought him her scent, and astonished jubilation lifted every hair on his gaunt body. He asked his old legs for more speed, and he shot across the ice like a young warrior, adrenaline pumping strength into his old body.
“Kyeeeeeeee!” he shrieked in utter joy, reverting back to her original name, and ahead, a huge shaggy shape separated from the patrol, and surged forward. Huge paws flew, claws gouging up the frozen surface, flinging ice shards and snow into the air. They glittered and flashed in the bright moonlight, as Kyestorm raced across the lake, leaving her patrol behind.
“Demon Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!” she cried.
Demonstone’s heart swelled with joy he never before experienced, and he barreled into his beloved as she crashed into him. They rolled together on the ice, rubbing faces in utter disbelief and delight, twining big bushy tails, and wrapping paws around each other’s necks. Snow and ice shards exploded around them, as if in celebration.
“I can’t believe it!” Demonstone wailed to the stars, his chest squeezing with disbelief and utter astonishment. Love enveloped his entire body. “They found you!”
“Yes, after I escaped with Lizzie’s help,” Kyestorm purred. “I’m so happy we made it!”
“I’m beyond happy,” Demonstone purred, licking her face, wrapping all four legs around her. Sparkling caught his eye and without moving anything but his eyes, he looked up, where Silverpelt shimmered above them, in a kaleidoscope of pastel colors.
Shadows blocked the twinkling stars, as the patrol caught up to them, and Phantomstar, Demonstreak and the rest of their Clan reached Demonstone and Kyestorm. While they greeted their kin and Clan, Demonstone and Kyestorm never left each other’s sides, rising from the ice and moving as one entity. Happy reows and cries echoed over the lake as the other Clans learned of Kyestorm’s return. Indistar, Nightstar, Troutstar and Smokestar led their entire Clans to this impromptu Gathering in the middle of the lake. Ice creaked and thumped, causing Phantomstar to raise his voice.
“To the Island! We gather under this special moon!”
“Come Beloved,” Demonstone meowed. “Let’s lead this parade!”
The Five Clans gathered in the ancient spot, crossing the tree bridge onto the island. All cats surrounded Demonstone and Kyestorm, welcoming back CloudPatch, and ThunderClan’s patrol led by Blackhawk and Sunflight. They welcomed strangers Lizzie and Yoohoo, eager to hear their part in the rescue. Demonstone sat down and sank his back claws of one foot into his shoulder. The pain seared his skin and he cried out, proving he lived in reality and not a cruel but beautiful nightmare. He stood up, and pressed against his lifemate, feeling her warmth through his pelt.
Gabbiflight pushed her way through the crowd to stand in front of Demonstone, and then keened before rubbing her body on Kyestorm. Her kits mewed in delight, joyful to finally meet their famous grand-dam Kyemama. Demonstone watched the crowded camp, as Phantomstar appeared last, dragging a roe deer from the fresh kill pile across the fallen log bridge. He dragged it to the center of the clearing to offer to all in this Gathering place. Happy meowing, banter and laughter filled the snowy clearing. Moonlight glittered across the snow, which sparkled in illusive pale colors in every gust of wind. Shimmering snow twisters sailed across the lake, as if StarClan itself danced in joy. Old memories flooded Demonstone’s mind. He leaned into Kyestorm as delighted apprentices brought them chunks of food.
“Do you know what day it is?” he asked.
“Should I?” Kyestorm queried, licking his ear.
“Solstice,” Demonstone murmured. “Like you used to love, and Silverpelt glitters like Solstice lights. Star Clan brought you back to me, and look how the Clans celebrate.”
“Yes!” Kyestorm purred. “You’re right. Its a special night.”
“Oh, mighty StarClan, Silverpelt brightly shines on this Solstice night,” he keened, a high-pitched booming song lifted in joy. “Oh starry night, these stars shine so brightly, lighting the way, bringing my beloved back to me. Oh starry starry night, forever, we bow before StarClan every Solstice, in reverence and thanks.”
He closed his mouth and looked down, at a silent Gathering. Every cat faced him, eyes wide with emotion.
Phantomstar flicked his bushy tail at his fellow Leaders and they took their places on the boughs of the Great Tree.
“Attention!” he cried out, his strident voice carrying across the lake. “In light of this joyous occasion, I make this pronouncement. I, Phantomstar, Leader of ThunderClan, under the light of StarClan on this special night, decry that this night, every Leaf Bare, be a Great Gathering, called the Solstice Gathering, a day and night to celebrate everything we’re thankful to StarClan for, and to always remember the night our Kyemama returned to us.”
“I, Indistar, Leader of ShadowClan. . .” Indistar nodded at her sister.
“I, Smokestar, Leader of WindClan. . .” Smokestar dipped her head to her nephew.
“I, Nightstar, Leader of SkyClan. . .” He defered to his aunt’s mate.
“I, Troutstar, Leader of RiverClan. . .” Troutstar waved his tail.
“Agree, under StarClan, that this be so.” the four remaining Leaders answered in unison. Cheers reverberated in the clearing, and the Gathering continued, filling the island with sounds of joy. Demonstone watched, gnawing on a cracked bone, leaning into Kyestorm, who cheerfully told all the kits, and anyone else who desired to listen, the stories of her adventure. As Kyestorm explained Lizzie’s part in her escape, and about an extraordinary MountainClan cat who saved their lives, Demonstone gazed up at Silverpelt, silently thanking the ancestors, Lizzie, Blackhawk’s determination to find his Kyemama, and the mysterious blessed cat, for his Solstice Miracle