&& . M`emories --( #1 )

[dream.]

T H N K S - F R - T H - M M R S .
^{( REMiNiSCENCE . - - DREAMSTAR OF TC . )}
( And I want these words to make things right .. )

The nights were growing warmer with every sunset , a sparkling symbol of hope , and a gentle reminder that green - leaf was just around the corner . But the harsh winter had left her clan weak , sorrowful , and hopeless . A shadow of death had loomed over all of them for so long , and now it was really starting to take it`s toll . Prey had been killed and poisoned , felines left ill , starving , cold ..
But Clan life went on , didn`t it ?? There was nothing left to do . No way that she could help them now . They just had to fight , stand strong together ..

Her sleek silver fur sparkled like a thousand stars as the dying dusk sunlight touched it . She had spent extra time grooming it before this meeting , washing away the dull matted look . Maybe it would be convincing enough .. if they saw that she could take care of herself ?? She was okay . Nothing was wrong .
But she looked different . No longer lean , with a small fragile young frame . Instead , her belly bulged with unborn kits . She moved gingerly and carefully , instead of swiftly . It wasn`t only her image that had changed , though . She was constantly tired , weary , and much quieter than usual .

Dreamstar knew that her clan had guessed what was going on . She couldn`t exactly hide it .. But even though she knew they had guessed one part of the story , she willed to take the other part with her to the ranks of StarClan .

She surveyed the camp below her from her stationary position on the Highledge , her sparkling blue eyes moving from cat to cat . Friend to friend . Straightening up and lifting her head , she let out a yowl to summon all the cats to their meeting positions .
" Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting !! "
Life had to go on , see ?? She had to convince ThunderClan that it would all be okay in the end . Adding a new warrior to their ranks should spread some hope ..

( But it`s the wrongs that make the words come to life .. )

[Stealth [Icy]]

.taintedmask.xy
The seal tabby walked to the Highledge. He coat glistened in the night like star. He sapphire optics shimmered in the moonlight. He dazzled. He sat himself a few mouse lengths away for the foot of Highledge. He tucked his tail between his two fore-paw and just sat tall. His large optics were set on his leader, and he waited for her to make her announcement to the Clan.

There been rumors around camp said that Dreamstar was expecting kits. But as stubborn as he was, he didn't believe it. He would just have to wait and see if the rumors were true. The Clan leader did look a bit rounder then usual, that he noticed, but it was new-leaf. Prey was plentiful for all of the Clans. He also saw how Dreamstar was disappear and reappeared, but she could have been doing anything. he wasn't really interested in his leaders personal life, so he didn't ask much about it.

He thought for a moment and remembered that there was an elder apprentice in the Clan. Must be her warrior ceremony.. Bubblepaw, I believe. He said to himself, his left ear twitching to one side of his head. Yeah, that was it. A warrior ceremony.

[&& . frozen [ once | again ]]

[f r o z e n t e a r s]

The leader's voice rang out from Highledge. The white she-cat lazily got up from her spot in the corner. She in fact, knew that Dreamstar had kits. She had been informed from the start. And she didn't like it. Who was the father? Why did she do this? As Frozentears walked up, she slightly lowered her ears and gave out a hiss.

x.You're Frozen.x

She didn't - couldn't trust Dreamstar anymore. Who knew what other lies, or secrets, she could be hiding right now? With narrowed eyes, she sat down and looked around. Only one cat caught her eyes. It was Taintedmask. He looked so much like her, yet... so different. She sighed. She would never get a mate. She had froze her heart by herself, and planned to keep it like that.

x.When Your.x

But there was no need for her to be antisocial. She got off her rump and walked gingerly over to Taintedmask. She sat down and looked at him with clear, ice blue orbs.

x.Heart's Not.x

Hello, Taintedmask. She meowed. She needed to know if every other cat believed what she did. Or maybe it was just her? Tell me, do you still trust Dreamstar now? I mean, there could be other secrets shes hiding! She flicked her tail uneasily.

x.Opened Up.x

What if she was the only one that doubted the wise and noble leader? Noble? Ha, yeah right. Frozentears looked back at Dreamstar and narrowed her eyes. What would happened if she died? Would cats still pass on her stories? Or would they forget all about her and her... betrayal to StarClan? The femme knew if was only a matter of time before StarClan took their rage down upon her... And the rest of ThunderClan.

[Stealth [Icy]]

.taintedmask.xy

"I don't believe the rumors, just yet." He grunted,looking at the his leader for a second then Frozentears. He was amazed by how she looked like him so much. Both their eyes, both the same color. "But I have notice shes gotten... rounder... around hit belly." He mewed, making eye contact with the she-cat who look so much like him. "And if the rumors are true, yes, I would believe there is more, much more." He added quickly, looking up at his leader once more.

He looked back at Frozentears, he look somewhat uneasy. "I do suppose you believe she does indeed have kits and there something that she is leaving hidden to the Clan..." He mewed, a bit of a smirk on his face. He got up for a second and got into a more comfortable position, then wrapped his bushy tail back round his large seal tabby paws. His ears twitched back for a moment. The wind changed directions. Does StarClan want ThunderClan to change the direction we're going...? He thought, his eyes widening a bit.

He shook his head and looked back at the she-cat, the look on his face remaining that same. No...

[&& . frozen [ once | again ]]

[f r o z e n t e a r s]

Frozentears sighed and flicked her ears. She hoped that StarClan wouldn't be too mad at them. 'I don't believe the rumors, just yet. But I have notice shes gotten... rounder... around hit belly. And if the rumors are true, yes, I would believe there is more, much more. I do suppose you believe she does indeed have kits and there something that she is leaving hidden to the Clan...'

x.You're Frozen.x

Frozentears smiled to herself and looked at the ground. They aren't rumors for me. I was there when it was announced that Dreamstar was carrying kits. I know that she has kits. The femme looked over at the tom. Her eyes twinkled and she shifted her paws. It was odd looking at him... It was almost like looking at her reflection.

x.When Your.x

So yes, it is true she has kits. No denying the facts. She spat, looking harshly at Dreamstar. She used to look up to this cat. She did. But now... how can she tell whats a lie and whats not? If she ever had to choose to either die or let Dreamstar die... Frozentears narrowed her eyes. What would she do? That was a question she couldn't answer.

[Stealth [Icy]]

.taintedmask.xy

"Oh." He muttered to himself. "Then there for, as I've said before, yes I do believe theres something the Clan leader wasn't telling her Clan. His deep sapphire optics looks at Frozentears. he followed her gaze. It stared hard at the Clan leader, he could see the she-cats eyes were narrowed. You must feel hurt... He thought , his gaze stilling on Dreamstar then switching to Frozentears.

"Do you now who is father the kits? Or who she claims is?" Taintedmask asked, large sapphire orbs uneasy and curious. I hope StarClan isn't angry with ThunderClan... He prayed they weren't, That was the last thing he ever wanted. Upsetting StarClan, to him, was the worst thing you could do. A disgrace to your Clan. A disgrace to StarClan. He was sighing heavily on the inside.

The wind blew again quickly. He saw an orange leaf blowing across the forest clearing, then, as if it were trying to fight the wind, it move back a bit, then hit that ground. Somethings in the way...

[sorrelpaw]

_{[ NOTHING SEEMED TO BE GOING FOR HER ]}

Nothing seemed to be going for her. It all seemed wrong, in some twisted way. The sigh that escaped her lips, the dull stone like texture to her once glimmering young eyes. Though yes, it was true, she had grown in body, yet it seemed her mind still cried out for assistance, like the tiny newborn kit without its sire. The world seemed to have a mind of its own, shaping her and pushing her this way and that. Aspirations dissolved, dreams shattered, yet replaced by new hope and faith. It was as it must be - the world revolving ever so slowly, twixt the planets that surrounded it. Life as it was meant to be.

Bubblepaw brooded as she thought this. 'Twas all true, she reflected, but in her own young heart, nothing seemed positive any more. Her past, messy and rough at the edges, something that was unchangable. She hated this revelation. Something unmovable, no matter the amount of force or thought or spirit she put into it. Several things had came to her since her conversation with the warrior Greyshadow. It had not quite dawned on her yet what this ceremony would result in, as she heard the familiar sound beat upon her delicate ears. Yet it seemed a magnet drew her to pull her tired body up and push it out of hiding. Like a puppet on strings she obeyed the silent puppeteer, sauntering into view and seating herself.

_{[ LIKE A PUPPET ON STRINGS SHE OBEYED ]}

[&& . frozen [ once | again ]]

[f r o z e n t e a r s]

The sound on Taintedmask's voice made her pop out of her question. 'Oh. Then there for, as I've said before, yes I do believe theres something the Clan leader wasn't telling her Clan. Do you now who is father the kits? Or who she claims is?' Frozentears shook her head sadly.

x.You're Frozen.x

Unfortunately I do not. But... I have heard rumors on who it could be. Blue orbs narrowed as she remembered who had told her. I think the father is Echostar. The way she looked at him at the gathering... was full of love and sorrow. I know it. But those weren't Frozentears's words. It was Silentdeath's, the bloodthirsty cat of RiverClan. How could she trust that... that cat?

x.When Your.x

I've heard that it could be Echostar. But I highly doubt it. We can't have two traitors running around the forest. Besides, its just a rumor that means nothing. Wasn't this once a rumor too? Nah, she knew for a fact she had kits. It was a rumor for no one knew for sure.... No one knew for sure if Echostar was the father or not. Her eyes widened. If it wasn't him, who? She looked back at Taintedmask.

x.Heart's Not.x

Have you ever felt betrayed? Like you just wanted to close your heart forever? Never to open it again, never to show feelings towards any other cat? She suddenly blurted out. She felt the skin beneath her fur grow hot. I mean... ah... Dreamstar could feel betrayed? She suggested, hoping he would think about something else. Curse you, Frozen.

[Stealth [Icy]]

.taintedmask.xy

The seal tabby looked at Frozentears with his wonderful sapphire blue eyes. Echostar? WindClans leader? No... He thought, biting his lips. "Echostar? WindClan's leader?" He said, looking at Dreamstar with sapphire blue optics, his look uneasy. "I don't think its Echostar... How about Hailstorm?" He mewed, remembering the ThunderClan deputy. He didn't think it was Hailstorm either, but he couldn't think of any other cats.

Echostar... Echostar is a brown cat... right? He thought, trying to remember the leader appearance. "Echostar, his coat is brown, right?" He mewed, speaking his thoughts. " And... Umm... Yeah, I have felt betrayed," he mewed, seal tabby ears flick backward, "my mother, she left the Clan... and when I went to a Gathering one moon she was there, with the RiverClanners. That scarred me. I hated her for that." He said, growling that word 'hate.' "Could Dreamstar feel betrayed... I'm not sure, Frozentears, she might, felt she betrayed her Clan... I'm not really sure..." He said, looking back up at the silver she-cat with his amazing optics.

"Why don't you ask her, not here, after what ever she brought us out here for..." He suggested to the she-cat that look like his reflection, his eyes still on Dreamstar. I mean... ah... Dreamstar could feel betrayed? Those word eched in his head. It was like that she was, seeing ho she looked.

[M A t t.]

^{HAILSTORM
TC DEPUTY}

Apple green eyes stretched wide, the feline stared into space, head resting on his paws, body sprawled out into a relaxed position. In the falling darkness, his medium length thick glossy pelt was onyx, and his eyes seemed to glow even brighter. He stared at nothing in particular, and his mind was blank. He had tried so hard to empty it of all emotion and concern recently, that most of his time was spent in "nothing".

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!"
The call summoned him from his thoughts, and Hailstorm snapped back to reality. The familiar voice, and the prospect of something normal happening lifted his spirits. He pushed himself to his paws, and moved towards the Highledge with the rest of his clanmates.

Hailstorm sat down stiffly next to Taintedmask and Frozentears, just in time to hear the last words spoken by Taintedmask;
"Why don't you ask her, not here, after what ever she brought us out here for..."
Inclining his head towards Taintedmask, Hailstorm mewed a greeting, adding,
"Dreamstar called a Clan meeting for Bubblepaw's warrior ceremony. Why, I thought Bubblepaw would have told everyone by now!"
As he spoke, he glanced forward at the silhouette of Bubblepaw, sitting a few tail lengths in front of him.
Maybe I should make sure she knows what to do for the ceremony...
The thought only crossed his mind for a second. He pushed it away, with the possibility that her mentor, Cloudheart, had already gone over it with her. Shrugging, Hailstorm relaxed a bit.

[Stealth [Icy]]

.tainedmask.xy
The tom purred. "No, she has, not that I've heard, at least." He told the Clan deputy. "That good for Bubblepaw, more warrior for RiverClan" He added quickly, closing his eyes with a purr.

The seal tabby tom licked his chest quickly, grooming the fur that once stood out on his pelt. His sapphire optics looked around. He only saw four other cats, so far, Dreamstar, of course, Frozentears, Hailstorm, and the star of the meeting, Bubblepaw. "Oh... Umm... Hailstorm, do you know who is the father of Dreamstars kits?" He asked, not really expecting an answer from the deputy. looking back up at the silver leader, he eye uneasy once more.

His tail tail flick to one side, and he looked back at Hailstorm, making eye contact with him. His seal tabby ear were pushing back just a bit, barley even noticeable. His long gray whisker twitched as the wind changed directions once more. Does StarClan want ThunderClan to change the direction we're going...? The thought repeated in his mind once more. It haunted him.

[untilthis.echo]

[c.l.o.u.d.h.e.a.r.t.]

[And all the bridges you've burned]

Azure blue eyes stared at the growing mass of cats crowding below the Highledge. Dozens of eyes fixated themselves on the heavy, gleaming silver body of Thunderclan's leader, Dreamstar. Cloudheart's nose twitched as she eyed the cats, her tail waving slowly from side to side. She'd heard Dreamstar's call and had crawled out of the warrior's den. Her creamy gold fur prickled anxiously as she remembered the leader's words to her earlier this morning. It was Bubblepaw's warrior ceremony. This was a good thing for the Clan, to have another warrior. Yet confusion pricked the skin underneath her long fur like a thousand bees. Why was everyone so tense?

[L.e.a.v.e. y.o.u. t.r.a.p.p.e.d. o.n. a.l.l. s.i.d.e.s.]

Her large blue eyes scanned the cats until she saw Bubblepaw. The young apprentice was gazing at Dreamstar with a look not of happiness, but of worry and unease. Why? Her lips quivered and she rose from her spot, padding silently to the apprentice. But as she passed three of her fellow Clanmates, Frozentears, Taintedmask, and Hailstorm, her gait ceased. Her sky-toned eyes widened in astonishment as her ears rang with their hushed words. They were speculating on who the father of Dreamstar's kits were. Unsettled, the she-cat turned to peer at her leader. The silver cat had grown immensely far and heavy with kits, her belly swollen. She'd suspected for a long time that she'd been bearing a litter, but the golden cat hadn't wondered who the father could be. She'd assumed Hailstorm, since he appeared to be the closest to her. Yet, could the father be someone else?

[A.n.d. n.o.w. t.h.e. t.a.b.l.e.s. d.o. t.u.r.n.]

Echostar, was the name that Taintedmask and Frozentears whispered. The leader of Windclan. Cloudheart stared at them, revolting in shock. He couldn't possibly be the father of the kits. She doubted that he and Dreamstar had barely ever spoken words besides the Gathering announcements. Why would the autumn bengal tom be the father? She shook her head, it wasn't her business to meddle. So she kept onward to Bubblepaw and when she was close enough, she rasped into the apprentice's ear, "How are you? Nervous?"

[A.n.d. i.t'.s. a.l.l. g.o.n.e., w.h.a.t'.s. l.e.f.t. f.o.r. y.o.u.]

[siberiantiger]

The tortoiseshell sat silently below the highledge. The moonlight washed over her dappled pelt. Her green eyes shone with excitement. Every Warrior ceremony made her feel this way; excited.

Spottedstump watched as the ThunderClan cats gathered around to watch. She spotted Bubblepaw and smiled. She knew that Bubblepaw would make a great Warrior.

Her mind raced back to the time of her own Warrior ceremony. She had been so nervous. She had felt uncomfortable when ThunderClan had called her new Warrior name. She had been nervous, but at the same time excited. She hoped that Bubblepaw didn't feel nervous.

xx

A big tabby tom padded out of the warriors den. He stretched each leg, and yawned. He had just woken from a nap. He padded silently over to the group of cats that had gathered by the Highledge. He did not know what was going on, but by the time he spotted Bubblepaw, he had guessed. Cedarcloud smiled. Bubblepaw would be a great Warrior.

[sorrelpaw]

xx. bubble

_{A L L T O O R E A L}

So. This was why so much strife had wrought ThunderClan recently. Though the dreamy, pastel hued mist that constantly surrounded her mind in a hovering dream, even Bubblepaw had not been blind to notice the swelling of Dreamstar's stomach. She had been repulsed by the thought of her leader having kits. Surely the warrior code still stood for something? But what effect did ancient rules and crumbling regulations have on life today. It seemed any cat could saunter into camp with a clear mind, whatever sin they had commited. It was all so... Wrong.

_{T H I S P A I N I F E E L}

Her delicate body twitched as a voice rasped in her ear. The words broke through her haze of wonder and she blinked open her eyes to find herself staring at her mentor. Hastily dipping her chin, the smudgy apprentice swivelled her ears to listen to Cloudheart's words. "Nervous?" She felt confused. She looked around. What was this ceremony about again? She jumped. Her warrior ceremony! Feeling ashamed and very small, the apprentice looked sheepishly at Cloudheart. "Um, yes."

_{C A N ' T T A K E I T}

[,hateh?]

s h a d e h e a r t
--thunderclan w a r r i o r

one.[x].more.[x]s t e p .. x

The darkness moved somewhere in the night, stepping forwards to reveal sly yellow eyes. The black tom brushed easily past the fear and lies that hung in the air. He let his eyes sweep the ground, throwing hostile glares at the felines before him. Looking up to the Highledge, he flinched.

[and i] could .. fa l l .. away -x

Such power stunned him. An uneasy growl in his chest rumbled to the surface as he stared at Dreamstar, slanted eyes narrowed to slits.