Chapt 24

"What do you mean?" Onestar's confused voice echoed of the walls of the clearing.
"Do you mean the Dark Forest comes to you in dreams?" Thornclaw asked.
"No, I mean, I can go places in my dreams. I can walk into other cats' dreams. It's all part of a prophecy. It was given to Firestar, many seasons ago, in the old forest. There will be three, kin or your kin, who hold the powers of the stars in their paws." Jayfeather quickly explained.
"If there are three, who are the other two?" Nightcloud asked disbelievingly. Jayfeather flashed Dovepelt and Lionblaze another look of apology.
"Lionblaze and Dovepelt." He mewed, not sure they would believe him.
"So if you three have the powers of stars in your paws, what do you do?" Bramblestar asked, not mockingly, but genuin wonderment.
"Well... Lionblaze, he can't be beaten in battle. And Dovepelt, she can hear things, things very far away. When she said she had a dream about the beavers, it wasn't exactly true." Jayfeather mewed quietly.
"What do you mean?" A voice sounded in the back.
"When I hear things, I picture them too. I can also hear things really far away." Dovepelt spoke up.
"How do we know your not lying?" Nightcloud sneered. As she spoke, a scent filled with stars and the wind filled the clearing. Jayfeather heard gasps around him and he leaned over to the nearest cat.
"What's happening?"
"Firestar, Leopardstar, Tallstar, Blackstar, and some strange cat with bulgy eyes and no fur is standing on the Highledge!" Tawnypelt whispered in shock.
"What these cat say is true. They do have powers. They were chosen many seasons ago, by cats that came before Starclan. This cat would like to speak to you."
"Hello, I am Rock. I walk the skies of all cats, I see all, past present and future. One cat here has already met me, Hello Jayfeather." Jayfeather gave a curt nod, thankful that this ancient cat had come to explain the prophecy. "Many moons ago, back farther than Starclan, something horrible was foretold in the stars. These ancient cats saw great troubles of darkness and lies spread over all clans. Then there were three points, three stars in the sky that broke apart the gloom. The other stars in the sky were blocked out, their light, not bright enough to glow. I was one of these ancient cats, I was the cat who saw this eerie sign. When I died I earned the knowledge of everything, and I have traveled the skies of all cats. I come in great times of trouble, and right now, clan cats, you are in the greatest trouble I have ever seen. These three cats, are the three stars, that will save you all. Their destinies have been chosen before the clans were formed back in your old forest home." Rock spoke loudly, with wisdom. No one in the clans spoke, even the kits were quiet. Then Firestar spoke again.
"I was told of this prophecy, by a cat called Skywatcher. I met him while helping a clan called Skyclan. Bramblestar, do you remember right after when you became a warrior, that I went on a journey from Starclan?"
"Yes, you were gone for a few moons." Bramblestar spoke, still in awe of the starry cats.
"These cats will help you defeat the Dark Forest, their ancestors walk in Starclan too. And the Tribe of Rushing water. You will need them as well."
"Why do we need all these cats?" Reedwhisker called out,"What do they have to do with this war?"
"This war is not just yours." Rock explained,"I fear that the Dark Forest will not stop with just the clans. Skyclan was once a clan in the old forest. They were sent away by twolegs that built their nests there. They too have been attacked by the Dark Forest. The Dark Forest out numbers the clans greatly, you will need the help of the Tribe." Rock finished. Jayfeather heard surprised gasps all around him.
"You will find Skyclan closer than you think, upriver towards a gorge. The place is past where the beavers were found." Leopardstar spoke. The scent of wind and stars faded and the clearing broke into yowls of confusion.
"What do we do?" A terrified caterwaul from the gathered cats questioned.
"We must find the tribe and Skyclan!" Another answered.
"Would Jayfeather, Willowshine, and all the Deputies meet us outside the camp?" Onestar's confident mew came from the Highledge. Jayfeather could feel fear flow off all the cats in the clearing. He padded through the chaos through the gorse tunnel. He met with the deputies and Willowshine and waited for the leaders. He scented his leader and they padded down to the lake.
"We must decide who should go find Skyclan and the Tribe." Bramblestar decided.
"But we mustn't weaken ourselves." Onestar mewed.
"I think 3 cats for each journey. I think cats that have met the tribe should go to the mountains." Mistystar suggested.
"Tawnypelt, Lionblaze, and Squirrelflight have." Brambleclaw mentioned.
"Willowshine, Jayfeather, who do you think we should send." Rowanstar asked the medicine cats.
"Well Lionblaze is a strong fit warrior and so is Tawnypelt. Squirrelflight's kits are old enough to be left alone." Willowshine murmured.
"Then what about Skyclan. The only cats from the clans that have met them are Sandstorm and Firestar, and their both dead." Jayfeather mewed.
"I think, Heathertail, Leafpool, and Crowfeather should go." Mistystar mewed.
"Are you sure we want to send Leafpool, she hasn't been a warrior for long." Reedwhisker mewed.
"She could be a good help on the journey, if any cat were to get hurt." Mistystar answered. Jayfeather realized that his mother couldn't go on this journey. Leafpool was pregnant! He couldn't say mention that so he had to think of a different reason not to send her.
"I don't think Leafpool should go, the journey is too dangerous, her skills could be used later for the clans. Plus I don't think mates should go on the journey together." Jayfeather quickly thought of a lie.
"Your right, Leafpool shouldn't go. We still need one more cat then." Bramblestar mewed.
"What about Gingerstep?" Rowanstar asked.
"I think we should send her," Onestar mewed.
"When should they leave?" Ashfoot mewed.
"They should leave tomorrow at dawn." Willowshine mewed,"We can prepare herbs for them and teach them common remedies." Jayfeather nodded in agreement.
"Then its settled. Let's go and tell the clans." Bramblestar padded away with the other leaders. The other cats followed.

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"Cats of the clans, we have decided what to do about all of this." Bramblestar's voiced boomed, "We will send three cats to find the Tribe and three more to find Skyclan. These cats will leave tomorrow at dawn. Crowfeather, Heathertail, and Gingerstep. You three will have the task of finding Skyclan. Like Firestar said, they are upriver to where the beavers were found."
"Shouldn't someone who went to find the beavers go find Skyclan, they would know the best route!" Hollyleaf called out.
"The only cat that could do that is Lionblaze with Dovepelt in the nursery!" Another hollered.
"Lionblaze is going to find the Tribe with Tawnypelt and Squirrelflight." Onestar announced.
"Why doesn't Lionblaze switch with Corwfeather, Crowfeather has been with the Tribe longer than Lionblaze has." A voice suggested. Jayfeather recognised the voice of Cherrynose.
Jayfeather heard the four leaders converse, the Rowanstar spoke.
"Lionblaze will switch with Crowfeather, the chosen cats will report to the medicine clearing after the meeting. Bramblestar said he also has some good news." Jayfeather heard the broad shouldered leader pad to the top of the highledge.
"There are two kits that will have their apprentice ceremonies today, Twigkit and Leafkit, please step forward." Bramblestar mewed confidently. Jayfeather heard excited mews and moved aside as the two kits pushed past him.
"Hollyleaf, you are ready for an apprentice. You know the warrior code better than any cat and I expect you to pass down all you know to Twigpaw."
"I am free of an apprentice, and I will teach young Leafpaw all that Firestar taught me."
"Twigpaw! Leafpaw! Twigpaw! Leafpaw!"