Fading...

A heap of crumpled fur lay in the corner of the dusty, water-carved den. The cat struggled to breath, wheezing and gasping with every breath he took, as if trying to suck in all the air he could before death took him. Around him was all a blur, though he could tell more than one cat was in the room.

"Couldn't do anything..."
"Try harder!"
"It's no use..."
"Is there another way?"
"StarClan will take him soon."

~*~

"Fallenpath! My father is dying! Why? His wounds are healed, what is wrong with him?!" Iceshadow hissed, his claws unsheathed.

"I'm sorry, I've done everything I could-" The young she-cat try to say, but was cut off.

"Answer me! Why is he dying?" The silver tabby tom demanded again.

"Grief. He is dying from grief, Iceshadow." Before the warrior could reply, she continued. "Losing Snowfall was too much to bear for him. It's too late now to save him." But the young tom shook his head, refusing to listen. She waited for a few more heartbeats, but he did nothing more. Just stared straight ahead, as if he was trying to forget all of this. "I'll go get Goldenbreeze." She mewed quietly.

~*~

I'm not ready... I'm not ready! The pretty young she-cat was yowling in her head, standing before her dying leader. "Cloudstar... Cloudstar please hold on!" Was the only thing she could get out.

Fallenpath shook her head. "It's no use, I can't do anything more."

"Are-Are you sure that- Is there another way?" As she saw Fallenpath's grim expression, she shook her head. She knew the answer. After a few moments she whispered, "Is he in pain?"

"No. No, he isn't in any pain. I gave him just a few poppy seeds. StarClan will take him soon." She meowed quietly, almost not even audible.

"How can you say that?!" Iceshadow demanded, his eyes narrowed. "No! I will not believe this... I refuse to! My father would never leave the Clan like this! Never!" He knew that the rest of the Clan could probably hear him, but he ignored it. "Do something! Please..." Looking defeated, he rested beside his father, trying to offer him comfort, even though he knew the leader probably couldn't hear him.

"Iceshadow! My son..." Cloudstar gasped unexpectedly, and his eyes flew open.

"C-Cloudstar?" Iceshadow meowed, astonished.

"StarClan... They come for me.... They tell... Me many things... Which I will not..." He wheezed, and tried to collect himself.

"Father! You shouldn't speak, you are wasting your-" But the gray and white tom payed no attention to him.

"They tell me many things, many things that I will not believe.... Iceshadow... You, you must... You must become leader after me... You must. I will not allow it if you don't...." His eyes widened suddenly, then softened. "My ancestors are calling me.... It is... My time... My time to go..." He gasped suddenly, his body convulsing, then suddenly becoming still. "Farewell, my dear Clan..."And the leader for OakClan for so many seasons, was gone.

A Dim Light of Hope

Iceshadow rushed into the Leader's den, panting. "Cloudstar... Attack.." Not wanting to alarm his Father, though the tom didn't do so much as look at him, he collected himself. "I mean, with StellarClan and DuskClan." He waited for a response, but heavy silence filled the room. "Cloudstar?" He asked again. In the gloom, Iceshadow could see two vibrant blue eyes slowly open. Heaving out a sigh of relief, he continued. "StellarClan and DuskClan are fighting again." He meowed, hoping that his father would actually reply this time.

The old leader opened his mouth, then closed it, as if rethinking of what he wanted to say. "Why?" He rasped, and Iceshadow looked at his father in surprise. Had his leader also gotten his memory swipe, a side affect from Snowfall's death?

"Well, uh-" The young warrior stuttered, not knowing how to react to that. "Well, I suppose DuskClan or StellarClan wants something that the other Clan has." He meowed, his expression thoughtful.

Cloudstar tilted his head. "Such a petty argument." He then turned his back on his son, and curled his tail over his nose, returning back to sleep.

Iceshadow stood, stunned at what his father had become. Will he ever come back? Will he ever resurface from the darkness that has engulfed him?

~*~

Iceshadow stood in Fallenpath's den, with Goldenbreeze flanked at his side. "Cloudstar isn't doing any better. He still hasn't gotten over my-" He blinked his eyes in sadness. "My mother's passing. Isn't there anything you could do for him? The Clan is getting suspicious... And he still hasn't made up his mind on whether we are leaving or not."

Fallenpath looked up from where she was organizing the herb store. "I'm sorry, but there is no herb that helps you forget... All we have to do is give Cloudstar time."

"But there isn't enough time! The rogues only gave us-" Fallenpath held her tail up to quiet Iceshadow.

"Yes. I know." She turned towards Goldenbreeze. "Cloudstar isn't in the right state to make these kinds of decisions. I know that you're just the deputy, but right now, you must act like the leader that Cloudstar cannot. You must make the decision." The she-cat remained her gaze, though Iceshadow could tell that she was as frightened as him. 

Goldenbreeze let out a breath. "I-I know... It's just that... I kept on telling myself that I wasn't ready, and that Cloudstar should still make the decision. But I guess.. I guess that it is time." She nodded her head. "OakClan will never back down." Goldenbreeze meowed, as if she had already knew what she was going to say. "When the time comes, we will face the rogues."

(Omigosh I am so sorry! I am a horrible blogger ;_; Bwah D8 But, here is the post!~ So just pretend that Goldenbreeze made a clan meeting and told the Clan that preparations for the battle will begin immediately. Which means we need our dens to be rebuilt, fresh-kill pile stocked, and battle training to be doubled. Alright? Go!)

A New Hope, and Old Worries Return

Goldenbreeze steadied herself on the Oak Branch, liking the feel of the smooth, soft wood. I don't know how Cloudstar springs so easily onto this thing... I could barely keep a grip! She thought, wondering how the frail tom was doing. It had been a few sunrises since the attack, and the leader still kept himself shut inside his den, not wanting to face his clanmates. The only time he ventured outside was the night for Snowfall's vigil, which he stayed out all night, and looked as if he was going to bite the heads off the elder's when they came to bury her. Poor Cloudstar... I do hope he goes back to his duties soon... I can't keep on telling the Clan that he's still injured... They might get suspicious soon. She shook her head. I mustn't think these unhappy thoughts! This is a good ceremony, and I must show the Clan that I am strong. Fallenpaw and Honeyfrost had come back from their journey from the Moon(thing) at moon-high yesterday, and now they were holding the meeting. And along the way, they had met a few wary travelers, who agreed to join the Clan.

"Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Oak Branch for a Clan meeting!" Cats began to emerge out of the dens, but most were already beneath the tree. News of Fallenpaw's return passed through the Clan quickly, and they were eager to hear what StarClan said. Once the cats were settled, Goldenbreeze's began, her voice confident as it rang throughout the clearing. "Fallenpaw and Honeyfrost came back from the Moon(thing) last night, and it is time to share if StarClan has granted her wish of being a full Medicine Cat." She nodded towards the small she-cat, gesturing for her to speak.

Fallenpaw straightened up, and began to speak. "Yes, StarClan has accepted my wish and I am now a full Medicine Cat. They have named me Fallenpath." She meowed, her voice quiet but her eyes brimming with determination.

Cheers erupted through the crowd, as if the Clan had forgotten all other troubles. "Fallenpath! Fallenpath!" Was heard in the cheering.

Goldenbreeze nodded towards Fallenpath, relief in her chest. "Good. And while they were traveling back, they came across some cats who have decided to join OakClan." She meowed, though cats seemed suspicious as they eyed the newcomers, and began to wonder if they were rogues or not. As the three cats came to stand in front of her, she began the ceremony. "Ember, Aerial, Tern, do you promise to protect and to defend this Clan, even with the cost of your life?"

"I do." They meowed, their voices strong and clear.

"Then by the power of StarClan, I give you your new names. Ember, you will be known as Embersky. Aerial, you will be known as Aerialflight. And Tern, you will be known as Ternfoot." The cats nodded, and even though the Clan was still a bit wary, they cheered their new clanmates names. Goldenbreeze waved her tail for the cheering to end, as she still needed to announce on last thing. "Honeyfrost also happened to stumble upon a kit, who will be known as Rainkit." The Clan nodded, more relaxed that it was a young cat, and welcomed her warmly.

"That is all! Meeting dismissed." But just as she was about to smoothly jump off the Oak Branch, a cat called out,

"Wait! Are we really leaving our territory because of the rogues?"