Rising from the Ashes

Chapter 1

Silence reigned in the ravine. The four Clan leaders looked at one another, stunned. After what they had just witnessed, what else could be said? Nothing like this had ever happened before. It was almost unbelievable that StarClan themselves would make an appearance like this in front of all the Clans.

Dapplestar was the first to shake off the shock. "Until the next full moon." Without waiting for a response, the tortoiseshell she-cat leapt down from their perch, gathering her Clan with a sweep of her tail before bounding up the slope.

This seemed to break through the shock and the remaining three Clans departed but still in silence.

Hawkstar only relaxed as he slipped into the familiar meadow that served as GrassClan's territory. He cast a glance at his elderly medicine cat, Doeheart. The brown she-cat had been serving GrassClan for longer than almost any cat could remember. Despite all of the troubles their Clan had faced over the last four seasons, Doeheart had been a steady presence. He desperately needed that reassurance now.

"Did you know about this?" Hawkstar asked.

"StarClan does not share everything with me," Doeheart responded with a shake of her head, her eyes darkening. "I've never known them to be so direct and certainly not like this."

It was clear his medicine cat was shaken by StarClan's pronouncement.

Oddly, all Hawkstar felt was relief. Since the start of his leadership four seasons prior, he had struggled through one tragedy after another. No matter what he did, his Clan still suffered. The once thriving Clan had slowly been reduced to himself, his deputy, his medicine cat, one warrior and three elders. GrassClan was dying and there was nothing he could do about it.

Yet, Hawkstar refused to accept defeat. Weak and starving after greencough had dealt the finishing blow, he had still taken his meager patrol to the Gathering. His heart had been heavy with no hope left for his Clan. Their neighboring Clans were not ignorant of GrassClan's troubles. They offered no help; rather, they seemed to be watching like vultures for their moment to strike.

So, when they had been about to start the Gathering and there had been a sudden glitter of starshine filing the ravine, the Clans had been struck numb with shock. StarClan cats mixed freely with the rest. Then, most surprising of all, they had their own announcement to make. GrassClan must survive. They wanted cats from the other Clans to join GrassClan to help them regain their strength.

They had one moon to decide.

"Hawkstar?"

The brown tabby flicked his ears, drawn from his thoughts by Hareflight, his only surviving warrior.

"Do you think any cat will come?"

"I hope so."

"You mean you want to accept this mouse-brained scheme?" Thistletail, his deputy, interrupted.

"You mean you want to ignore the will of StarClan?" Doeheart asked, looking directly at Thistletail.

Thistletail couldn't hold her gaze, tail flicking with unease.

"What choice do we have?" Hawkstar added softly. "GrassClan won't survive on its own."

"But to accept help from other Clans!" Thistletail curled his lip in disgust.

Hawkstar understood. Thistletail was proud and despite everything, still loyal to the old GrassClan. To accept help from the other Clans was unthinkable. Yet, they could not hold onto old rivalries, certainly not if they wanted to remain a Clan.

"We can't argue with StarClan," Hawkstar reasoned.

"No, I suppose we can't," Thistletail muttered.

"Perhaps no cat will volunteer," Hareflight meowed.

"No cat in their right mind would."

"Perhaps not," Hawkstar agreed, though, as he led his reduced Clan back to camp, his pawsteps felt lighter than they had in seasons. He could only hope that they would.