Longshadow's curse

Chapter Four

“All cats old enough to catch their own prey meet at the StarTree!” Sparrowstar called out. The sun was just rising over the camp, and the sky was a lovely blend of blue, orange, and purple. Cats of all sizes, colours, and ages popped out of crevices in the rock or jumped down from the trees. They all followed their leader to a humongous tree that touched the clouds.
        Two apprentices were walking side by side, chatting about yesterday’s events.
        “Can you believe that Barkface just attacked Stonepelt like that?” Vinepaw meowed, her tail swishing furiously. “I know he was annoying, and bo-o-o-oring, and mean, but, like, betrayal? That doesn’t seem like him.”
        “I don’t know. And about… Ya know…” Rabbitpaw mewed. Vinepaw went up to her best friend’s side and brushed against it.
        “I know how close you were to Birchpaw. But, maybe it’s for the best. You know that he would have become a medicine cat, and he could never be yours.”
        “I know. I’m still so-o-o worried for him! Why would he betray us? It all doesn’t make any sense!” Rabbitpaw meowed in frustration, stamping one paw on the ground.
        A tortoiseshell tom with long legs came up to them. It was Leafglide.
        “Now Vinepaw, Rabbitpaw, how about we talk about something a bit more lighthearted? Like,” He leaned his head down to the level of the young cats. “Like, What do you think Whiteclaw and Foxtail’s kits will be named?” The apprentices eyes lit up and they began to ponder.
        “Ooh! I think the white one will be Snowkit!” Rabbitpaw burst out.
        “No! Of course she’s gonna name her Brightkit!” Vinepaw retorted.
        “Lilykit!”
        “Cloudkit!”
        “Valleykit!”
        “Glorykit!”
        “Glorykit? What kinda name is that!” Rabbitpaw meowed in surprise.
        “A cool one!” Vinepaw stuck out her tongue.
        Leafglide sighed. “Oh goodness. Kits will be kits.” He muttered. He decided to tune out the apprentices babbling and began to climb the StarTree. The StarTree was where the cats of MountainClan held their meetings. It was quite tall, but no one ever went to the very top. There were branches low enough for apprentices to able to leap onto, and enough so that even the smallest or least talented at tree-jumping were able to come up to the large circular area where branches criss-crossed and made an almost platform-like area, perfect for holding clan meetings.
        Leafglide began to bound up the branches of the tree, skipping two or three at a time. His long tail blew behind him, and he made it up to the platform to see most of MountainClan were already gathered!
        “Hurry up apprentices!” He called down to the two young cats, who were now bounding up the branches. Once they had poked their heads onto the platform, he went towards a spot near the elder Notail and the warrior Bristlefoot. He nodded to Bristlefoot and sat down.
        “Cats of MountainClan. Yesterday was a tiring and confusing day. Two cats betrayed us, but also, three new kits were born. First, let us begin with what we have uncovered about Barkface.” Sparrowstar began. “Barkface was a noble, loyal cat, or so we thought. Yesterday, I ordered him and Stonepelt to take Vinepaw and Rabbitpaw out on a hunting patrol. Apparently, from reports, I have heard that Rockpaw had tagged along as well, and that Barkface had been exceptionally rude and had insulted Rockpaw in front of his own father. Stonepelt had then stood up for his son and when Barkface refused to apologize, had taken matters into his own paws and got into a threatening stance.” Sparrowstar glared at the small grey tom during this, and he smiled awkwardly and seemed to shrink even smaller. “Barkface had then attacked violently. When Vinepaw bravely confronted Barkface, he had tried to attack her and Rabbitpaw. Vinepaw reports that somehow, Barkface’s eyes had turned red during the attack. Then, the warriors I had taken with me attacked him, but Barkface had escaped. Be on high alert for him when you are out in the woods. Also, yesterday, Birchpaw, Rippledpool’s apprentice, went through a similar violent phase, and Rippledpool also said that his eyes turned red.” All of the cats were silent, either looking at the ground, at Sparrowstar, or at the sky, as if to as StarClan, why?
        “Hm.” Sparrowstar cleared her throat and all eyes were back on her. “On a brighter note, today is the day that Whiteclaw’s three kits will be named.” Sparrowstar nodded at Foxtail, who had the three kits bundled up in a pouch of leaves. He, with Whiteclaw at his side, walked forward and carefully placed each kit on the ground.
        “StarClan! May you be here to see the naming of these new kits!” Sparrowstar called out to the sky. And, it seemed as though out of the clouds, stars began to fall down and take the form of cats. Yes, the StarTree was like a ladder that the StarClan cats could use to come down to the living.
        “MountainClan’s biggest secret…” Rippledpool muttered. The last leader of MountainClan, Willowstar, came down and nuzzled Sparrowstar.
        “Hi Willowstar.” Sparrowstar meowed. Willowstar nodded, for even though they could come down to the world of the living, they were unable to speak. Only could prophecies be received in dreams.
        “Let us begin!” Sparrowstar meowed, gathering the cats attention. Whiteclaw walked towards the kits. The first one was a small, pure white one with blue eyes. “This kit shall be named Snowkit!” The cats cheered, and one could easily see Rabbitpaw smirking at Vinepaw.
        “This kit shall be named Rainkit!” Whiteclaw had just named a blue-grey kit with a single black paw. Whiteclaw then went to the large, black kit with the long tail. “This kit will be named Longkit!” Suddenly, at the mention of that name, the clouds darkened, and the StarClan cats began to fade away.
        “What’s going on!” Sparrowstar meowed. The other cats were meowing and yowling and jumping after the StarClan cats who were climbing the back into StarClan. “MountainClan, calm yourselves!” Sparrowstar yowled. The cats froze, and looked back at Sparrowstar.
        “StarClan has sent us a message!” Sparrowstar glanced at the large dark kit. “This clan meeting is over. You all may return to your duties. Cindermask, take Thornpelt and Rockpaw out on a hunting patrol.” The light-grey tabby tom nodded, his blue eyes glowing under his dark-grey face mask