Post by Cloudflame on Aug 9, 2016 22:26:19 GMT -5
A peaceful, prey-filled valley, untouched by strange Twolegs and their stench. No Thunderpaths. No Twolegplace. The perfect place.
Of course, the first cats of the Valley came from Twolegplace themselves. Twelve cats, reeking of Twolegplace and pain, who had been forced to work together to survive. Stolen from the streets by Twolegs and dumped on the edge of Twolegplace, the six pairs of mates traveled in each others` company for many, many moons. Grudgingly at first, and then willingly, they became closer and closer until they were the best of friends.
They had faced lashing rain and blizzards, but the steady confidence in Thunder and Lightning`s amber eyes had kept the party going, their grey tabby pelts barely visible against the storm but a comforting presence nonetheless. Without them, the group would surely have given in.
Bindwood and Lovestone, two lithe dark tabbies, had used their great agility to help the other cats through a dense forest that none of the others could navigate, using the treetops as vantage points to escape the dying trees there. The earth was poisoned and no prey ran there, so the pair had saved the group too.
When they had to sneak past a pack of wild dogs, small black cats Bright and Rock formulated the perfect plan, rescuing the team from being torn apart by the vicious brutes that ruined an otherwise perfect forested home.
By the time they had escaped the dogs, the cats were in a Twoleg carrionplace, like where they had grown up. Disgusted now by the thought of crowfood, they became ill without the tolerance they had built up for it in their kithoods. They were cared for by Starlight and Starshine, huge and gentle white cats with a strange wisdom the the others had learned not to question.
But they were still hungry, and the team began to starve, too weak to travel. In the end, they were saved by Zephyr, a grey tabby she-cat; and Gale, a brown tom. They were by far the fastest pair, and risked their lives and remaining energy catching prey in the dogs` forest.
Despite their many troubles, the worst was yet to come. Whilst walking alongside a river at sunset, a fire forced the group to jump in. They swam and thrashed almost all night. They would have all drowned if not for the sleek tortoiseshells Otter and Toad, and when they emerged onto a rocky ledge after narrowly escaping a waterfall, they were all grateful.
As they looked out over the moonlit lands beyond from their rocky hill, nearly all of them were overjoyed. There was prey-scent, and no cat to stop them from taking these territories. The success of their journey only served to push them apart, and apart from Starshine and Starlight (who stayed silent), they argued furiously about their borders. They all wanted everything, it seemed.
It came to a fight, and the relatively harmless Starlight and Starshine looked on in terror as their friends lost their newfound sense of purpose. Lightning snarled and leaped at Lovestone, and the two she-cats rolled and scratched, ever closer to the edge.
And then they froze. Both of them. Eyes wide in horror, reflected by the fattening moon. They had knocked Starlight and Starshine from the cliff. A terrible screech could be heard from below, and the ten living cats yowled their grief and shame - until they broke off into a shocked, awed silence.
Appearing from the sky, the wise lovers` pelts shone with stars, and blue moonlight swirled in their eyes. For the first time since the beginning of the journey, they were angry. Starshine spoke, his voice holding the horrible accusation.
"Your greed has killed us. Your selfishness has killed you." Starshine`s eyes were hard, but Starlight`s softened.
"No, my love. They see their mistake now. Is that not punishment enough?" she pleaded.
Starshine grunted in reply, then nodded thoughtfully "Yes, my star. We will save them, and in return, they will have faith in us like they could not tonight!"
He turned to the awestruck, huddled cats. "Every time the moon begins to fatten, you will come here in peace to discuss the needs of your familes. You will be reminded of your sins forever!"
"And when the moon slims again, you will come here too. For a time of friends and companionship, to remind you of how you should be despite your rivalry," added Starlight gently.
Tails entwined, the pair closed their eyes. The horrible screech rang through the air, and the scent of blood mingled with the present fear-scent. Every cat felt the agony of Starshine`s last moments as he hit the rocks, and then Starlight`s silent descent to her lover as she toppled after, tears blurring their vision as they did hers. They were shaken, but now they understood. Now they understood, better than any cats alive, the meaning of honour.
Starlight smiled down at them. "It is done. In the unlikely event you cannot find us in your hearts, you can find us at the StarRock..." she gestured with her tail towards her own body, "or the StarPool. You must set us adrift, and let us rest there, at the end of the stream from the waterfall. Goodbye, my friends, from my family - StarClan." She simply faded, the stars of her pelt and eyes dimming until they were left with Starshine in the night.
Starshine himself stepped forwards, frame imposing and shining blindingly white with the light of a thousand stars. The terrified cats shrunk away, but his whiskers twitched in amusement. "Come here, my friends. I will tell you exactly what to do."
And so the newly named Lightningstar, Thunderheart, Bindstar, Lovestone, Brightstar, Rockpelt, Galestar, Zephyrwind, Otterstar and Toadleap all touched noses and parted ways to their new homes, with their new code.
Together, they were StormClan, IvyClan, MoonClan, BreezeClan and StreamClan.
And they would unite or die.
Of course, the first cats of the Valley came from Twolegplace themselves. Twelve cats, reeking of Twolegplace and pain, who had been forced to work together to survive. Stolen from the streets by Twolegs and dumped on the edge of Twolegplace, the six pairs of mates traveled in each others` company for many, many moons. Grudgingly at first, and then willingly, they became closer and closer until they were the best of friends.
They had faced lashing rain and blizzards, but the steady confidence in Thunder and Lightning`s amber eyes had kept the party going, their grey tabby pelts barely visible against the storm but a comforting presence nonetheless. Without them, the group would surely have given in.
Bindwood and Lovestone, two lithe dark tabbies, had used their great agility to help the other cats through a dense forest that none of the others could navigate, using the treetops as vantage points to escape the dying trees there. The earth was poisoned and no prey ran there, so the pair had saved the group too.
When they had to sneak past a pack of wild dogs, small black cats Bright and Rock formulated the perfect plan, rescuing the team from being torn apart by the vicious brutes that ruined an otherwise perfect forested home.
By the time they had escaped the dogs, the cats were in a Twoleg carrionplace, like where they had grown up. Disgusted now by the thought of crowfood, they became ill without the tolerance they had built up for it in their kithoods. They were cared for by Starlight and Starshine, huge and gentle white cats with a strange wisdom the the others had learned not to question.
But they were still hungry, and the team began to starve, too weak to travel. In the end, they were saved by Zephyr, a grey tabby she-cat; and Gale, a brown tom. They were by far the fastest pair, and risked their lives and remaining energy catching prey in the dogs` forest.
Despite their many troubles, the worst was yet to come. Whilst walking alongside a river at sunset, a fire forced the group to jump in. They swam and thrashed almost all night. They would have all drowned if not for the sleek tortoiseshells Otter and Toad, and when they emerged onto a rocky ledge after narrowly escaping a waterfall, they were all grateful.
As they looked out over the moonlit lands beyond from their rocky hill, nearly all of them were overjoyed. There was prey-scent, and no cat to stop them from taking these territories. The success of their journey only served to push them apart, and apart from Starshine and Starlight (who stayed silent), they argued furiously about their borders. They all wanted everything, it seemed.
It came to a fight, and the relatively harmless Starlight and Starshine looked on in terror as their friends lost their newfound sense of purpose. Lightning snarled and leaped at Lovestone, and the two she-cats rolled and scratched, ever closer to the edge.
And then they froze. Both of them. Eyes wide in horror, reflected by the fattening moon. They had knocked Starlight and Starshine from the cliff. A terrible screech could be heard from below, and the ten living cats yowled their grief and shame - until they broke off into a shocked, awed silence.
Appearing from the sky, the wise lovers` pelts shone with stars, and blue moonlight swirled in their eyes. For the first time since the beginning of the journey, they were angry. Starshine spoke, his voice holding the horrible accusation.
"Your greed has killed us. Your selfishness has killed you." Starshine`s eyes were hard, but Starlight`s softened.
"No, my love. They see their mistake now. Is that not punishment enough?" she pleaded.
Starshine grunted in reply, then nodded thoughtfully "Yes, my star. We will save them, and in return, they will have faith in us like they could not tonight!"
He turned to the awestruck, huddled cats. "Every time the moon begins to fatten, you will come here in peace to discuss the needs of your familes. You will be reminded of your sins forever!"
"And when the moon slims again, you will come here too. For a time of friends and companionship, to remind you of how you should be despite your rivalry," added Starlight gently.
Tails entwined, the pair closed their eyes. The horrible screech rang through the air, and the scent of blood mingled with the present fear-scent. Every cat felt the agony of Starshine`s last moments as he hit the rocks, and then Starlight`s silent descent to her lover as she toppled after, tears blurring their vision as they did hers. They were shaken, but now they understood. Now they understood, better than any cats alive, the meaning of honour.
Starlight smiled down at them. "It is done. In the unlikely event you cannot find us in your hearts, you can find us at the StarRock..." she gestured with her tail towards her own body, "or the StarPool. You must set us adrift, and let us rest there, at the end of the stream from the waterfall. Goodbye, my friends, from my family - StarClan." She simply faded, the stars of her pelt and eyes dimming until they were left with Starshine in the night.
Starshine himself stepped forwards, frame imposing and shining blindingly white with the light of a thousand stars. The terrified cats shrunk away, but his whiskers twitched in amusement. "Come here, my friends. I will tell you exactly what to do."
And so the newly named Lightningstar, Thunderheart, Bindstar, Lovestone, Brightstar, Rockpelt, Galestar, Zephyrwind, Otterstar and Toadleap all touched noses and parted ways to their new homes, with their new code.
Together, they were StormClan, IvyClan, MoonClan, BreezeClan and StreamClan.
And they would unite or die.
I`mma stop before my head gets too swelled up for me to stand 
