Post by Brownie on Aug 20, 2022 16:05:53 GMT -5
The night Willowshine had her kits, the legendary healer Halfhaven received a dream from StarClan: Darkkit and her brother Aspenkit were to be trained as Star Comets, skippers, the most elite warriors in SkyClan, chosen and marked by StarClan itself. But Darkkit doesn't want her destiny set in stone and decides that she'll make her own path, even if that means running away from her Clan and into the unknown sands of SparkClan's desert. Follow Darkstone's journey across the Granite Circle as she fights to change her fate and find her true self.
A few main characters:
Darkkit - A black she-cat with a silvery white patch over her hips and ginger paws. Marked by StarClan.
Aspenkit - A mottled brown tom. StarClan-marked, Darkkit's brother.
Ospreykit - A chocolate brown tom with thick fur. Darkkit's brother.
Nightkit - A chocolate brown she-cat. Darkkit's sister.
Willowshine - A black she-cat with silver paws and orange tabby spots. Darkkit's mother.
Beavertail - A chocolate brown tom. Darkkit's father.
Snowystar - A pale grey she-cat with darker flecks. SkyClan's leader.
Driftwing - A white tom with ginger patches. SkyClan's deputy.
Halfhaven - A white tom with grey tabby patches. His entire left side is covered in burn scars. Head Healer.
Marshflare - A mottled brown tom. Skipper and Darkpaw's mentor.
Characters extended
"Where's Mintwhisker?" Willowshine asked. Halfhaven's scarred face wasn't familiar, and she curled her tail over the backs of her four kits protectively.
"She's busy. I'll be checking on them today," Halfhaven said. Willowshine knew there wasn't anything that would keep her sister away from checking on the kits personally, but she couldn't say anything and so she let Halfhaven approach, though she kept a close eye on him as he touched each of her kits with his nose.
The scarred healer gave Ospreykit and Nightkit only cursory glances, focusing his attention on Aspenkit and little Darkkit. Long enough that Willowshine snapped, "they're fine! I would know if anything was wrong." She flicked her tail over her kits, pushing Halfhaven away.
The older tom stepped back, turning his scarred side away. From this angle, he looked like any other tomcat, and Willowshine felt guilty for snapping at Halfhaven, who she knew had a reputation for being the best healer in the entire Granite Circle. "Listen," he said, and his voice had lost the gentle distance he kept before. Willowshine's fur prickled defensively --is he nice or not? "I had a dream last night. From StarClan. These two have both been marked by StarClan to be trained as Star Comets."
"Two skippers?" Willowshine said with a gasp. She couldn't help but peek at the small bundles of fur against her stomach. She had hoped that one of her kits would be called to follow in her pawsteps as a Comet, fighting warriors to protect SkyClan from danger, but she hadn't dared hope that they would be Star Comets. Two skippers! "Did you tell Beavertail?" Willowshine asked.
Halfhaven shook his head. "I wanted to make sure I was right before I told anyone about the dream. I'll fetch him now. You two will have much to celebrate."
The scarred healer left the nursery and Willowshine beamed at her little kits, who, at only a day old, were barely able to wriggle against her stomach. She purred and reached over, licking Aspenkit and Darkkit's heads in turn as they mewled. "StarClan lights your paths already, my kits."
Darkkit was three moons old when Beavertail called her and Aspenkit out of the nursery at dawn. "'m too sleepy." Aspenkit yawned, burrowing back into Ospreykit's thick fur.
"It's important!" Darkkit hissed, doing her best to be quiet, since Sleetleap's kits were only a few days old and the queen would be very cross if Darkkit or her siblings woke them. Instead of risking a stern talking to, she decided the best way to get Aspenkit out of the nursery was to pull his tail with her teeth.
He didn't budge.
Father didn't like going in the nursery, so Darkkit knew they were in trouble when he pushed his shoulders through the space, picked Aspenkit up by the ruff like a dead squirrel, and deposited him outside in the sunlight. Darkkit followed him out on her own paws, her head held tall. "You must listen to Father," she reprimanded her brother, who yawned again. It was as if he didn't want to be treated like a warrior!
"Not everyone is an early robin like you and Mother, Darkkit," Beavertail said gently, brushing her cheek with his nose to lighten the words.
Darkkit pulled away and puffed her chest. "Warriors must be ready to serve their Clan at all hours of the day!"
"'slong as 'ts after sunhigh," Aspenkit mumbled, though the bright sunlight kept his eyes from slipping shut, and he woke up as slowly as melting snow. Darkkit wanted badly to tackle her sleepy brother to the ground --that would wake him up for sure-- but she withered under Beavertail's judging eyes and instead puffed out her chest, sitting as still as she could manage, like a warrior would.
Father licked at Aspenkit's head, prompting the brown tabby tom to wriggle and growl. Darkkit giggled as Aspenkit looked her way with a tuft of fur sticking up between his ears. "Come now," Beavertail said sharply and the two kits followed behind as he led them from the nursery towards the edge of camp.
"I told you it was important!" Darkkit hissed under her breath to Aspenkit, who was finally looking around, alert now that it seemed like they'd be leaving camp for the first time ever. It was well into spring, enough that the ground was clear of snow besides some stubborn clumps in shaded patches, and while Darkkit's paws were cold as they crossed the packed earth, her soul blazed with adventure.
She skipped forward to pad against Beavertail's paws, nearly tripping on him in her haste to see further. Darkkit gave a sharp mrow as something pinched her tail and she spun to find Aspenkit had chased after her and pounced when she hadn't been paying attention. "Hey! That hurt!" Darkkit cried. "Father, Aspenkit used claws!"
The expression on Father's face as he turned wasn't something Darkkit recognized. She'd expected anger at Aspenkit's disregard for SkyClan's code or perhaps that disappointed frown that all her littermates were familiar with, but it was neither of those. Thnis was far more complex and something Darkkit didn't understand. "Hurry up," was all he said, and while she still didn't know why his ears were back and his whiskers twitched, at least Darkkit was good at following instructions.
She was, however, upset that Aspenkit hadn't recieved a scolding for unsheathing his claws, even when they were old enough to know better. She huffed and fell into pace beside her brother, partly because it was where she belonged, but mostly because this way she could keep an eye on him.
They reached the top of the slope. The scent of SkyClan didn't saturate the soil here; instead, it smelled musty and bitter, like the undersides of wet leaves. It made Darkkit sneeze. Beavertail stepped into the clearing with the two kits following behind and Darkkit was so wrapped up in taking in the surrounding forest from her new vantage point that she hardly noticed there were already other cats in the clearing. "Those trees are green!" she exclaimed, bouncing, peering through the bare branches to a line of thick foliage to the northeast.
"They're evergreens," Aspenkit said primly from beside her, though he jumped just as high to catch a glimpse of their dark boughs.
Beavertail stepped in front of them, cutting off the vista with his dark fur. He slid his tail across both of their shoulders, a silent request to calm themselves. "You may play later, but right now, you must be serious. Halfhaven has something important to say."
Darkkit tried to quell the excitement bubbling inside her. It was difficult, but she was determined to do better than Aspenkit, so she forced her tail to wrap around her paws like Mother's did and took a deep breath. She was so busy controlling her emotions that Darkkit couldn't help but flinch away when Father stepped aside and she saw Halfhaven's scarred face a tail-length away. "Are you sure they're old enough?" Beavertail asked in a low voice, hovering on Halfhaven's unburnt side.
"It is traditional that kits are informed at three moons of age, so that they might have time to acclimate before their apprenticeship," the healer replied, which was all too many big words and which made fear quiver in Darkkit's stomach, like that one time she ate too much snow and her belly felt like slush when she walked. "Aspenkit, Darkkit." Halfhaven's words had the ring of authority to them which Darkkit instinctively responded to, drawing herself up taller as she met the healer's eyes for the first time: they were a bold yellow, bright as suns and sharp as claws. "The night that you were born, I had a dream from StarClan. I saw both of you crossing the Bridge as comets, and once you reached the other side, the Prime Star marked each of your flanks in turn." He paused, looking back and forth between the two of them. "You were both chosen to become Star Comets."
Halfhaven paused. "Do you understand what that means?" Movement and a rich, earthy scent hit Darkkit's nose; her tail bristled as she snapped her eyes away from Halfhaven's scars and to the cats approaching his shoulder: a dark brown tomcat with more scars than she had toes, and a lithe tortoiseshell molly whose blank, green eyes reminded Darkkit of dead prey.
"A Star Comet's sacred duty is to protect the Island," Aspenkit quoted.
Not to be outdone, Darkkit tried to remember the second half of the story. "Marked by StarClan to be divine protectors, a comet may unsheathe their claws to protect their Clanmates as their place in StarClan is assured." As she said the words, Beavertail's odd expression tickled something in her mind... but it was like seeing a cat through fog and Darkkit couldn't tell who it was. If she'd been a warrior, she might have tried harder to understand the sudden connection, but she was a kitten and so the entire scene was flushed away by a gale of other stimuli, the thought entirely forgotten as Halfhaven spoke again.
"Yes, the Star Comets are StarClan's chosen warriors. Instead of training with your siblings to hunt and provide for SkyClan, you will learn how to fight to protect it. It is a great honor, for both of you --Darkkit, Aspenkit-- and your family." Beavertail smiled at them from beside the healer and Darkkit beamed back. She hadn't done anything special, but she was special. Chosen. It filled her with pride.
"Your mentors have already been selected. Darkkit, you will become Marshflare's apprentice. Aspenkit, you'll train under Brindlelight."
The dark tomcat's scars were intimidating, but not half as much as Brindlelight's cold eyes. Marshflare gave her a slow blink of recognition, flicking an ear before turning away.
A few main characters:
Darkkit - A black she-cat with a silvery white patch over her hips and ginger paws. Marked by StarClan.
Aspenkit - A mottled brown tom. StarClan-marked, Darkkit's brother.
Ospreykit - A chocolate brown tom with thick fur. Darkkit's brother.
Nightkit - A chocolate brown she-cat. Darkkit's sister.
Willowshine - A black she-cat with silver paws and orange tabby spots. Darkkit's mother.
Beavertail - A chocolate brown tom. Darkkit's father.
Snowystar - A pale grey she-cat with darker flecks. SkyClan's leader.
Driftwing - A white tom with ginger patches. SkyClan's deputy.
Halfhaven - A white tom with grey tabby patches. His entire left side is covered in burn scars. Head Healer.
Marshflare - A mottled brown tom. Skipper and Darkpaw's mentor.
Characters extended
Mintwhisker - A ginger she-cat with white paws. SkyClan healer and Darkpaw's aunt.
Sleetleap - A fawn tabby she-cat with orange eyes. Mother of Bearkit and Wildkit.
Brindlelight - A tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. Skipper and Aspenpaw's mentor.
Bitterblink - A cream tom with pale blue eyes and seal points. Head Comet.
Marigoldpaw - A yellow tabby cat with very dark amber eyes. Formerly an ElmClan cat; Comet apprentice.
Crowpaw - A black she-cat with white flecks on her paws. Comet apprentice.
Sleetleap - A fawn tabby she-cat with orange eyes. Mother of Bearkit and Wildkit.
Brindlelight - A tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. Skipper and Aspenpaw's mentor.
Bitterblink - A cream tom with pale blue eyes and seal points. Head Comet.
Marigoldpaw - A yellow tabby cat with very dark amber eyes. Formerly an ElmClan cat; Comet apprentice.
Crowpaw - A black she-cat with white flecks on her paws. Comet apprentice.
"Where's Mintwhisker?" Willowshine asked. Halfhaven's scarred face wasn't familiar, and she curled her tail over the backs of her four kits protectively.
"She's busy. I'll be checking on them today," Halfhaven said. Willowshine knew there wasn't anything that would keep her sister away from checking on the kits personally, but she couldn't say anything and so she let Halfhaven approach, though she kept a close eye on him as he touched each of her kits with his nose.
The scarred healer gave Ospreykit and Nightkit only cursory glances, focusing his attention on Aspenkit and little Darkkit. Long enough that Willowshine snapped, "they're fine! I would know if anything was wrong." She flicked her tail over her kits, pushing Halfhaven away.
The older tom stepped back, turning his scarred side away. From this angle, he looked like any other tomcat, and Willowshine felt guilty for snapping at Halfhaven, who she knew had a reputation for being the best healer in the entire Granite Circle. "Listen," he said, and his voice had lost the gentle distance he kept before. Willowshine's fur prickled defensively --is he nice or not? "I had a dream last night. From StarClan. These two have both been marked by StarClan to be trained as Star Comets."
"Two skippers?" Willowshine said with a gasp. She couldn't help but peek at the small bundles of fur against her stomach. She had hoped that one of her kits would be called to follow in her pawsteps as a Comet, fighting warriors to protect SkyClan from danger, but she hadn't dared hope that they would be Star Comets. Two skippers! "Did you tell Beavertail?" Willowshine asked.
Halfhaven shook his head. "I wanted to make sure I was right before I told anyone about the dream. I'll fetch him now. You two will have much to celebrate."
The scarred healer left the nursery and Willowshine beamed at her little kits, who, at only a day old, were barely able to wriggle against her stomach. She purred and reached over, licking Aspenkit and Darkkit's heads in turn as they mewled. "StarClan lights your paths already, my kits."
Darkkit was three moons old when Beavertail called her and Aspenkit out of the nursery at dawn. "'m too sleepy." Aspenkit yawned, burrowing back into Ospreykit's thick fur.
"It's important!" Darkkit hissed, doing her best to be quiet, since Sleetleap's kits were only a few days old and the queen would be very cross if Darkkit or her siblings woke them. Instead of risking a stern talking to, she decided the best way to get Aspenkit out of the nursery was to pull his tail with her teeth.
He didn't budge.
Father didn't like going in the nursery, so Darkkit knew they were in trouble when he pushed his shoulders through the space, picked Aspenkit up by the ruff like a dead squirrel, and deposited him outside in the sunlight. Darkkit followed him out on her own paws, her head held tall. "You must listen to Father," she reprimanded her brother, who yawned again. It was as if he didn't want to be treated like a warrior!
"Not everyone is an early robin like you and Mother, Darkkit," Beavertail said gently, brushing her cheek with his nose to lighten the words.
Darkkit pulled away and puffed her chest. "Warriors must be ready to serve their Clan at all hours of the day!"
"'slong as 'ts after sunhigh," Aspenkit mumbled, though the bright sunlight kept his eyes from slipping shut, and he woke up as slowly as melting snow. Darkkit wanted badly to tackle her sleepy brother to the ground --that would wake him up for sure-- but she withered under Beavertail's judging eyes and instead puffed out her chest, sitting as still as she could manage, like a warrior would.
Father licked at Aspenkit's head, prompting the brown tabby tom to wriggle and growl. Darkkit giggled as Aspenkit looked her way with a tuft of fur sticking up between his ears. "Come now," Beavertail said sharply and the two kits followed behind as he led them from the nursery towards the edge of camp.
"I told you it was important!" Darkkit hissed under her breath to Aspenkit, who was finally looking around, alert now that it seemed like they'd be leaving camp for the first time ever. It was well into spring, enough that the ground was clear of snow besides some stubborn clumps in shaded patches, and while Darkkit's paws were cold as they crossed the packed earth, her soul blazed with adventure.
She skipped forward to pad against Beavertail's paws, nearly tripping on him in her haste to see further. Darkkit gave a sharp mrow as something pinched her tail and she spun to find Aspenkit had chased after her and pounced when she hadn't been paying attention. "Hey! That hurt!" Darkkit cried. "Father, Aspenkit used claws!"
The expression on Father's face as he turned wasn't something Darkkit recognized. She'd expected anger at Aspenkit's disregard for SkyClan's code or perhaps that disappointed frown that all her littermates were familiar with, but it was neither of those. Thnis was far more complex and something Darkkit didn't understand. "Hurry up," was all he said, and while she still didn't know why his ears were back and his whiskers twitched, at least Darkkit was good at following instructions.
She was, however, upset that Aspenkit hadn't recieved a scolding for unsheathing his claws, even when they were old enough to know better. She huffed and fell into pace beside her brother, partly because it was where she belonged, but mostly because this way she could keep an eye on him.
They reached the top of the slope. The scent of SkyClan didn't saturate the soil here; instead, it smelled musty and bitter, like the undersides of wet leaves. It made Darkkit sneeze. Beavertail stepped into the clearing with the two kits following behind and Darkkit was so wrapped up in taking in the surrounding forest from her new vantage point that she hardly noticed there were already other cats in the clearing. "Those trees are green!" she exclaimed, bouncing, peering through the bare branches to a line of thick foliage to the northeast.
"They're evergreens," Aspenkit said primly from beside her, though he jumped just as high to catch a glimpse of their dark boughs.
Beavertail stepped in front of them, cutting off the vista with his dark fur. He slid his tail across both of their shoulders, a silent request to calm themselves. "You may play later, but right now, you must be serious. Halfhaven has something important to say."
Darkkit tried to quell the excitement bubbling inside her. It was difficult, but she was determined to do better than Aspenkit, so she forced her tail to wrap around her paws like Mother's did and took a deep breath. She was so busy controlling her emotions that Darkkit couldn't help but flinch away when Father stepped aside and she saw Halfhaven's scarred face a tail-length away. "Are you sure they're old enough?" Beavertail asked in a low voice, hovering on Halfhaven's unburnt side.
"It is traditional that kits are informed at three moons of age, so that they might have time to acclimate before their apprenticeship," the healer replied, which was all too many big words and which made fear quiver in Darkkit's stomach, like that one time she ate too much snow and her belly felt like slush when she walked. "Aspenkit, Darkkit." Halfhaven's words had the ring of authority to them which Darkkit instinctively responded to, drawing herself up taller as she met the healer's eyes for the first time: they were a bold yellow, bright as suns and sharp as claws. "The night that you were born, I had a dream from StarClan. I saw both of you crossing the Bridge as comets, and once you reached the other side, the Prime Star marked each of your flanks in turn." He paused, looking back and forth between the two of them. "You were both chosen to become Star Comets."
Halfhaven paused. "Do you understand what that means?" Movement and a rich, earthy scent hit Darkkit's nose; her tail bristled as she snapped her eyes away from Halfhaven's scars and to the cats approaching his shoulder: a dark brown tomcat with more scars than she had toes, and a lithe tortoiseshell molly whose blank, green eyes reminded Darkkit of dead prey.
"A Star Comet's sacred duty is to protect the Island," Aspenkit quoted.
Not to be outdone, Darkkit tried to remember the second half of the story. "Marked by StarClan to be divine protectors, a comet may unsheathe their claws to protect their Clanmates as their place in StarClan is assured." As she said the words, Beavertail's odd expression tickled something in her mind... but it was like seeing a cat through fog and Darkkit couldn't tell who it was. If she'd been a warrior, she might have tried harder to understand the sudden connection, but she was a kitten and so the entire scene was flushed away by a gale of other stimuli, the thought entirely forgotten as Halfhaven spoke again.
"Yes, the Star Comets are StarClan's chosen warriors. Instead of training with your siblings to hunt and provide for SkyClan, you will learn how to fight to protect it. It is a great honor, for both of you --Darkkit, Aspenkit-- and your family." Beavertail smiled at them from beside the healer and Darkkit beamed back. She hadn't done anything special, but she was special. Chosen. It filled her with pride.
"Your mentors have already been selected. Darkkit, you will become Marshflare's apprentice. Aspenkit, you'll train under Brindlelight."
The dark tomcat's scars were intimidating, but not half as much as Brindlelight's cold eyes. Marshflare gave her a slow blink of recognition, flicking an ear before turning away.