Echoes of the War - a six-book post-Omen of the Stars AU
Aug 22, 2019 12:12:08 GMT -5
ᴄᴏɴɪ﹣ғᴇʀᴏᴜs, Mayflower, and 1 more like this
Post by Jayie on Aug 22, 2019 12:12:08 GMT -5
My fan series, Echoes of the War, is a series I began writing all the way back in April of 2012, after the release of The Last Hope, but before Bramblestar’s Storm was announced. Since I thought the Erins wouldn’t be writing about the modern Clans anymore, I decided to write my take on what happened to the Clans after the battle against the Dark Forest, and I kept on writing even after Bramblestar’s Storm and A Vision of Shadows came out and contradicted my stories. So this is a sort of AU with a different take from canon on what happened after The Last Hope.
The series follows the adventures of Silentpaw and Blazepaw, the kits of Cinderheart and Lionblaze. When the kits are born, their uncle Jayfeather receives a prophecy about the she-cat Silentpaw - “Dark times are coming. Only blind loyalty and silent sacrifice will save the Clans.” The only problem - Silentpaw is blind. She must prove herself to her Clan, and to all Clans, as a warrior equal to any if the prophecy is to be fulfilled. The children of Lionblaze must face dangerous weather, division among the Clans, and the ambition and prejudice of their own warriors. And when long-forgotten enemies come back to settle their scores, Silentpaw must learn exactly how much she must sacrifice to protect the ones she loves.
The series is currently made up of six completed full-length (twenty-six chapters each) novels and six completed novellas with a seventh in progress. All of these books and novellas are uploaded to my deviantArt and my other online accounts.
Under the spoiler tag, you can read the prologue for the first book in the EOTW series, Faded Boundaries.
If you are interested in reading more, you can find the rest of the story on my deviantArt.
Here is a link to the first book: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/38405975/EOTW-Faded-Boundaries
Here is a link to the second book: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/53969543/eotw-the-broken-shadow
Here is a link to the third book: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/53358099/eotw-waning-moon
Here is a link to the fourth book: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/54153643/eotw-trail-of-ashes
Here is a link to the fifth book: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/54153645/eotw-code-of-the-forest
Here is a link to the sixth book: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/54153646/eotw-silent-sacrifice
Here is a link to the first novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/58827134/eotw-sushi-s-society
Here is a link to the second novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/60393587/eotw-scorch-s-ambition
Here is a link to the third novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/64787132/eotw-penny-s-faith
Here is a link to the fourth novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/65908421/eotw-shrewfoot-s-spite
Here is a link to the fifth novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/66461445/eotw-sasha-s-calling
Here is a link to the sixth novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/67211315/eotw-molefoot-s-loss
Here is a link to the seventh (currently incomplete) novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/67730773/eotw-nightfern-s-choice
I will post here when I update Nightfern's Choice.
The series follows the adventures of Silentpaw and Blazepaw, the kits of Cinderheart and Lionblaze. When the kits are born, their uncle Jayfeather receives a prophecy about the she-cat Silentpaw - “Dark times are coming. Only blind loyalty and silent sacrifice will save the Clans.” The only problem - Silentpaw is blind. She must prove herself to her Clan, and to all Clans, as a warrior equal to any if the prophecy is to be fulfilled. The children of Lionblaze must face dangerous weather, division among the Clans, and the ambition and prejudice of their own warriors. And when long-forgotten enemies come back to settle their scores, Silentpaw must learn exactly how much she must sacrifice to protect the ones she loves.
The series is currently made up of six completed full-length (twenty-six chapters each) novels and six completed novellas with a seventh in progress. All of these books and novellas are uploaded to my deviantArt and my other online accounts.
Under the spoiler tag, you can read the prologue for the first book in the EOTW series, Faded Boundaries.
Warriors Series 5.5: Echoes of the War
Book 1: Faded Boundaries
Prologue
The night breeze blew into the medicine den, causing the small tom to shudder irritably. He lifted his nose, sniffing the air tenitively. The frigid air of leaf-bare offered no hint of warmth. It would be several moons before the forest was warm again.
Jayfeather could hear his Clanmates shivering and mewling in hunger from his den. It had been a hard leaf-bare. Graystripe, Dustpelt, and Lichenkit, Lionblaze and Cinderheart's youngest kit, had already succumbed to the cold, and Cherrypaw had gotten seriously ill. The young she-cat lay on the floor of Jayfeather's den, a low moan issuing from her throat. The death of Lichenkit had been especially hard on Jayfeather. The poor little scrap had looked almost exactly like Lionblaze; he had seen her once in a vision. He knew how heartbroken his brother had been about it. Jayfeather himself had grieved over his niece as any father would. Since he and his long-dead love Half Moon could never bear kits, he had taken to his brother's kits as though they were his own. He liked to think that he and Half Moon would have been their parents, had things been different.
The medicine cat shook his head irritably, his thoughts pushed roughly from his head. Stop daydreaming! He had to focus on helping his Clanmates. More cats would be lost to the cold if their medicine cat was lost in thought. The trouble was there wasn't much Jayfeather could do. The frost had killed all the herbs, and prey was scarce. From what Dovewing had told the medicine cat, it was the same way in the other three Clans. Mouse dung! He cursed inwardly. I've got the power of the stars in my paws, yet all I can do is sit around while my Clanmates die around me! Fighting the Dark Forest was easier than this.
Paw steps woke Jayfeather from his bitter thoughts. The lichen in front of his den was shifted, and he could hear a cat breathing by the entrance. A familiar scent drifted towards him. "Jayfeather?" It was Lilypaw, Bramblestar's apprentice.
The gray tabby got shakily to his paws. He'd been giving up most of his prey to Cinderheart, Rosepetal, and Hazeltail, the Clan's three queens, so he was a little weak. "What do you want?" He grumbled. Hunger sharpened his tongue, like every other cat.
Jayfeather could sense Lilypaw's concern and unease. She didn't even seem to recognize the snap in the medicine cat's voice. "Lionblaze wants to see you." She mewed hesitantly.
Jayfeather's heart froze. No. Not again. The image of Lichenkit's frozen body forced its way to the front of Jayfeather's mind. He barged past Lilypaw, shouting over his shoulder, "Keep an eye on Cherrypaw!" He raced to the nursery, his heart pounding with terror.
The tom skidded to a halt at the mouth of the nursery, panting at the effort the short run had cost him. He sniffed the air cautiously, dreading the thought of smelling another dead kit. "What's wrong?" He demanded. "Are Silentkit and Blazekit okay?"
He heard Cinderheart lift her head and Lionblaze get to his paws. Jayfeather could sense Cinderheart's relief at seeing him, then her emotions closed off abruptly, and her mind barred itself against him. That was how so many cats were acting around him now. Now that the secret was out, and every cat knew what the Three could do. Everyone except for some of the older, more experienced cats seemed spooked by the idea that their medicine cat could read their thoughts. Jayfeather could easily get around Cinderheart's defenses, but he had no wish to. It was Lionblaze he wanted information from right now.
He scanned Lionblaze's thoughts briefly. His brother didn't make as much of an effort to hide his thoughts from Jayfeather as the others, so it was easy to raid his mind. Jayfeather let out a sigh of relief when he realized that all Lionblaze was feeling was worry, not grief.
The massive tom padded up to his brother. "Silentkit and Blazekit opened their eyes yesterday." He began hesitantly.
Jayfeather grew uneasy. "Is that what you brought me here to tell me?" He asked drily, although fear clenched his heart. He knew what Lionblaze was going to say, but he needed to hear it anyway.
Lionblaze sighed. "Jayfeather… I think Silentkit is blind."
The gray tabby's memories were instantly thrown back to the day of Silentkit's birth. It had been a hard labour, and Cinderheart had been weak from cold and hunger. All three of her kits were weak and small, but they had all survived the birthing. Jayfeather had been congradulating the couple when his sight suddenly returned. He could see Lichenkit, Blazekit, and Silentkit, all suckling weakly at their mother's stomach. Silentkit was odd in that she hadn't cried out after birth, as most kittens did. From the start, she'd been the weakest of the kits, hardly bigger then a baby bird. It'd been days before she'd let out her first mewl, as though she'd been waiting to see if she'd make it at all before she announced herself to the world. She'd been tiny, her jet-black fur plastered down to her body. A small white stripe lay between her eyes, running down to her nose. Even then, as a newborn kit, she had reminded Jayfeather of his late sister, Hollyleaf.
Yellowfang's foul scent had rolled over him, and her raspy voice sounded in his ears. "Remember this one, Jayfeather. You must help her meet her destiny." The old she-cat paused, and when she spoke again, her voice had been smoothed of age . "Dark times are coming. Only blind loyalty and silent sacrifice will save the Clans."
"Jayfeather? Are you listening?"
Jayfeather was jerked back into reality by Lionblaze's sharp words. He shook his head of the vision, wondering what in StarClan's name was supposed to happen next. "Let me check." He mewed. The blind tom reached out towards Silentkit's scent, gently pulling the kit closer to him. He took a quick breath before plunging into the kit's thoughts, searching through her memories for any hint of color or light. But there was none there. The kit's memories were all as dark as Jayfeather's sight.
Jayfeather blinked in shock. She is blind! Oh StarClan, what next? The tabby tom froze in horror as he realized the depth of this revelation. Silentkit would never be able to see, not even in her dreams like Jayfeather could. She would never understand the concept of sight. The poor kit might never be a full part of ThunderClan.
Jayfeather hung his head. "I'm sorry." He whispered.
He heard a sharp intake of breath from Cinderheart, and despair burst through her guarded thoughts like water from a dam. Lionblaze's thoughts were a torrent of anger, despair, and in the end, resignation. "This is my fault." The huge tom murmured. "I'm the one related to a blind cat. I did this to our daughter."
Jayfeather snarled softly at Lionblaze's careless reference to his blindness, but he didn't retort for once. He too was in a state of shock. What if you're wrong, Yellowfang? He wailed internally. How can she save her Clan without sight? He himself had only been of use because of his powers. How could this kit, without sight or the power of the stars in her paws, ever save ThunderClan?
Suddenly, the world around him lit up. He was not in the nursery anymore, but deep in the forests of ThunderClan territory. Pale golden light streamed through the trees, painting the forest floor with light patterns. A few paces from the medicine cat stood a lone cat. The full-grown Silenkit was small like Jayfeather, but made of lean, hard muscle that rippled under her glossy pelt. Her midnight black fur was short and shiny, unlike the fluffier Hollyleaf, but the resemblance was still there in the color of her fur and the shape of her head.
The she-cat stood before Jayfeather, strong and powerful and confident, her gray eyes blazing with fierce loyalty. A sweet scent wove around Jayfeather, heart-achingly familiar. He let out a slight moan. "Half Moon."
Her gentle voice sounded in his ear. "Help her, Jay's Wing. Guide her paws on the right path. She must become a true warrior to prepare for what is coming. Have faith in her strength."
Her scent began to fade, and the forest around the tom grew darker. Jayfeather started to panic. "No, Half Moon!" He gasped. "Don't leave!"
Her voice was faint now. "I will always walk beside you, Jay's Wing." As the scents and sounds of the nursery returned to Jayfeather, he was only just able to catch her last words. "Until the day you come to join me."
The darkness around Jayfeather and the cold air of leaf-bare returned the medicine cat to his senses. He was blind once more.
Rosepetal's voice sounded from across the nursery. "She can't be a warrior then." Her voice was gentle with pity. The queen groaned as she shifted. Her kits were due in less than a moon, and her stomach was round and awkward. "Maybe she can train to be the next medicine cat?"
The suggestion filled Jayfeather with panic. He desperately sorted through Cinderheart and Lionblaze's emotions, trying to find some spark of outrage or hope. Cold claws gripped his heart when he realized there was nothing but resignation and pity. He gritted his teeth in a snarl. They would give up on their daughter so easily?
Something in Jayfeather snapped. "No!" Ignoring the other cats' alarm, he dragged Silentkit closer to him, where he could protect her. The skinny tom arched his back and gave a threatening hiss. "Silentkit's paws must walk another path. So what if she can't see?"
He swung his head side to side, sightlessly glaring at any cat who might dare oppose him. "Silentkit is going to be a warrior, even if I have to train her myself!"
Book 1: Faded Boundaries
Prologue
The night breeze blew into the medicine den, causing the small tom to shudder irritably. He lifted his nose, sniffing the air tenitively. The frigid air of leaf-bare offered no hint of warmth. It would be several moons before the forest was warm again.
Jayfeather could hear his Clanmates shivering and mewling in hunger from his den. It had been a hard leaf-bare. Graystripe, Dustpelt, and Lichenkit, Lionblaze and Cinderheart's youngest kit, had already succumbed to the cold, and Cherrypaw had gotten seriously ill. The young she-cat lay on the floor of Jayfeather's den, a low moan issuing from her throat. The death of Lichenkit had been especially hard on Jayfeather. The poor little scrap had looked almost exactly like Lionblaze; he had seen her once in a vision. He knew how heartbroken his brother had been about it. Jayfeather himself had grieved over his niece as any father would. Since he and his long-dead love Half Moon could never bear kits, he had taken to his brother's kits as though they were his own. He liked to think that he and Half Moon would have been their parents, had things been different.
The medicine cat shook his head irritably, his thoughts pushed roughly from his head. Stop daydreaming! He had to focus on helping his Clanmates. More cats would be lost to the cold if their medicine cat was lost in thought. The trouble was there wasn't much Jayfeather could do. The frost had killed all the herbs, and prey was scarce. From what Dovewing had told the medicine cat, it was the same way in the other three Clans. Mouse dung! He cursed inwardly. I've got the power of the stars in my paws, yet all I can do is sit around while my Clanmates die around me! Fighting the Dark Forest was easier than this.
Paw steps woke Jayfeather from his bitter thoughts. The lichen in front of his den was shifted, and he could hear a cat breathing by the entrance. A familiar scent drifted towards him. "Jayfeather?" It was Lilypaw, Bramblestar's apprentice.
The gray tabby got shakily to his paws. He'd been giving up most of his prey to Cinderheart, Rosepetal, and Hazeltail, the Clan's three queens, so he was a little weak. "What do you want?" He grumbled. Hunger sharpened his tongue, like every other cat.
Jayfeather could sense Lilypaw's concern and unease. She didn't even seem to recognize the snap in the medicine cat's voice. "Lionblaze wants to see you." She mewed hesitantly.
Jayfeather's heart froze. No. Not again. The image of Lichenkit's frozen body forced its way to the front of Jayfeather's mind. He barged past Lilypaw, shouting over his shoulder, "Keep an eye on Cherrypaw!" He raced to the nursery, his heart pounding with terror.
The tom skidded to a halt at the mouth of the nursery, panting at the effort the short run had cost him. He sniffed the air cautiously, dreading the thought of smelling another dead kit. "What's wrong?" He demanded. "Are Silentkit and Blazekit okay?"
He heard Cinderheart lift her head and Lionblaze get to his paws. Jayfeather could sense Cinderheart's relief at seeing him, then her emotions closed off abruptly, and her mind barred itself against him. That was how so many cats were acting around him now. Now that the secret was out, and every cat knew what the Three could do. Everyone except for some of the older, more experienced cats seemed spooked by the idea that their medicine cat could read their thoughts. Jayfeather could easily get around Cinderheart's defenses, but he had no wish to. It was Lionblaze he wanted information from right now.
He scanned Lionblaze's thoughts briefly. His brother didn't make as much of an effort to hide his thoughts from Jayfeather as the others, so it was easy to raid his mind. Jayfeather let out a sigh of relief when he realized that all Lionblaze was feeling was worry, not grief.
The massive tom padded up to his brother. "Silentkit and Blazekit opened their eyes yesterday." He began hesitantly.
Jayfeather grew uneasy. "Is that what you brought me here to tell me?" He asked drily, although fear clenched his heart. He knew what Lionblaze was going to say, but he needed to hear it anyway.
Lionblaze sighed. "Jayfeather… I think Silentkit is blind."
The gray tabby's memories were instantly thrown back to the day of Silentkit's birth. It had been a hard labour, and Cinderheart had been weak from cold and hunger. All three of her kits were weak and small, but they had all survived the birthing. Jayfeather had been congradulating the couple when his sight suddenly returned. He could see Lichenkit, Blazekit, and Silentkit, all suckling weakly at their mother's stomach. Silentkit was odd in that she hadn't cried out after birth, as most kittens did. From the start, she'd been the weakest of the kits, hardly bigger then a baby bird. It'd been days before she'd let out her first mewl, as though she'd been waiting to see if she'd make it at all before she announced herself to the world. She'd been tiny, her jet-black fur plastered down to her body. A small white stripe lay between her eyes, running down to her nose. Even then, as a newborn kit, she had reminded Jayfeather of his late sister, Hollyleaf.
Yellowfang's foul scent had rolled over him, and her raspy voice sounded in his ears. "Remember this one, Jayfeather. You must help her meet her destiny." The old she-cat paused, and when she spoke again, her voice had been smoothed of age . "Dark times are coming. Only blind loyalty and silent sacrifice will save the Clans."
"Jayfeather? Are you listening?"
Jayfeather was jerked back into reality by Lionblaze's sharp words. He shook his head of the vision, wondering what in StarClan's name was supposed to happen next. "Let me check." He mewed. The blind tom reached out towards Silentkit's scent, gently pulling the kit closer to him. He took a quick breath before plunging into the kit's thoughts, searching through her memories for any hint of color or light. But there was none there. The kit's memories were all as dark as Jayfeather's sight.
Jayfeather blinked in shock. She is blind! Oh StarClan, what next? The tabby tom froze in horror as he realized the depth of this revelation. Silentkit would never be able to see, not even in her dreams like Jayfeather could. She would never understand the concept of sight. The poor kit might never be a full part of ThunderClan.
Jayfeather hung his head. "I'm sorry." He whispered.
He heard a sharp intake of breath from Cinderheart, and despair burst through her guarded thoughts like water from a dam. Lionblaze's thoughts were a torrent of anger, despair, and in the end, resignation. "This is my fault." The huge tom murmured. "I'm the one related to a blind cat. I did this to our daughter."
Jayfeather snarled softly at Lionblaze's careless reference to his blindness, but he didn't retort for once. He too was in a state of shock. What if you're wrong, Yellowfang? He wailed internally. How can she save her Clan without sight? He himself had only been of use because of his powers. How could this kit, without sight or the power of the stars in her paws, ever save ThunderClan?
Suddenly, the world around him lit up. He was not in the nursery anymore, but deep in the forests of ThunderClan territory. Pale golden light streamed through the trees, painting the forest floor with light patterns. A few paces from the medicine cat stood a lone cat. The full-grown Silenkit was small like Jayfeather, but made of lean, hard muscle that rippled under her glossy pelt. Her midnight black fur was short and shiny, unlike the fluffier Hollyleaf, but the resemblance was still there in the color of her fur and the shape of her head.
The she-cat stood before Jayfeather, strong and powerful and confident, her gray eyes blazing with fierce loyalty. A sweet scent wove around Jayfeather, heart-achingly familiar. He let out a slight moan. "Half Moon."
Her gentle voice sounded in his ear. "Help her, Jay's Wing. Guide her paws on the right path. She must become a true warrior to prepare for what is coming. Have faith in her strength."
Her scent began to fade, and the forest around the tom grew darker. Jayfeather started to panic. "No, Half Moon!" He gasped. "Don't leave!"
Her voice was faint now. "I will always walk beside you, Jay's Wing." As the scents and sounds of the nursery returned to Jayfeather, he was only just able to catch her last words. "Until the day you come to join me."
The darkness around Jayfeather and the cold air of leaf-bare returned the medicine cat to his senses. He was blind once more.
Rosepetal's voice sounded from across the nursery. "She can't be a warrior then." Her voice was gentle with pity. The queen groaned as she shifted. Her kits were due in less than a moon, and her stomach was round and awkward. "Maybe she can train to be the next medicine cat?"
The suggestion filled Jayfeather with panic. He desperately sorted through Cinderheart and Lionblaze's emotions, trying to find some spark of outrage or hope. Cold claws gripped his heart when he realized there was nothing but resignation and pity. He gritted his teeth in a snarl. They would give up on their daughter so easily?
Something in Jayfeather snapped. "No!" Ignoring the other cats' alarm, he dragged Silentkit closer to him, where he could protect her. The skinny tom arched his back and gave a threatening hiss. "Silentkit's paws must walk another path. So what if she can't see?"
He swung his head side to side, sightlessly glaring at any cat who might dare oppose him. "Silentkit is going to be a warrior, even if I have to train her myself!"
If you are interested in reading more, you can find the rest of the story on my deviantArt.
Here is a link to the first book: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/38405975/EOTW-Faded-Boundaries
Here is a link to the second book: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/53969543/eotw-the-broken-shadow
Here is a link to the third book: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/53358099/eotw-waning-moon
Here is a link to the fourth book: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/54153643/eotw-trail-of-ashes
Here is a link to the fifth book: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/54153645/eotw-code-of-the-forest
Here is a link to the sixth book: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/54153646/eotw-silent-sacrifice
Here is a link to the first novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/58827134/eotw-sushi-s-society
Here is a link to the second novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/60393587/eotw-scorch-s-ambition
Here is a link to the third novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/64787132/eotw-penny-s-faith
Here is a link to the fourth novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/65908421/eotw-shrewfoot-s-spite
Here is a link to the fifth novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/66461445/eotw-sasha-s-calling
Here is a link to the sixth novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/67211315/eotw-molefoot-s-loss
Here is a link to the seventh (currently incomplete) novella: www.deviantart.com/jayie-the-hufflepuff/gallery/67730773/eotw-nightfern-s-choice
I will post here when I update Nightfern's Choice.