River (Book 1) A Warriors Fanfiction

Chapter 2

•Brackenstar•

     "Aren't you coming?" The small ginger tom asked timidly.
     "I'm sorry, I can't." The orange tom told him. Beepaw looked at him shyly.
     "Why not?" He mewed. Brackenstar shook his head.
     "I have business to attend," he said. I feel so bad. Beepaw really wants me to come.
"Like what?" Beepaw ventured. Brackenstar chuckled.
"You're really going to go there?" He mewed, his eyes twinkling with amusement. Beepaw glanced at his paws.
     "I can't go because today is the day I visit the Advisory." Beepaw looked up at him.
     "Really?" He asked. Brackenstar nodded. Beepaw's eyes grew wide. "What are they like?" He inquired. Brackenstar was silent a moment. Oh, Beepaw. How can I resist telling you that your father is the representative for SkyClan in the Advisory? He shook his head again.
     "They're honestly a bit scary," he concluded. Beepaw's eyes sparkled.
     "I thought that Clan leaders weren't afraid of anything." He said.
     "Well this one is," Brackenstar mewed, laughing. Beepaw gave an maniacal laugh.
     "Then maybe you shouldn't be the leader," he said mischievously. Brackenstar swiped at him playfully. He darted out of Brackenstar's reach.
     "Go catch up, you little traitor," Brackenstar chuckled. He sat down at Beepaw ran ahead.
"Bye, Beepaw! Tell me about it when you get back!" He called. The ginger tabby apprentice waved his tail at him.
I wish Beepaw were my son. I know he wishes I was his father. He knows nothing about Darkmist. I know I promised his mother that I would never tell him just before he died, but I wish I could. Ashflower was wonderful cat. We were going to be mates before Darkmist came along. I've learned to love Dawnmist, his sister, but nobody could ever replace Ashflower.
     She instantly fell in love with the handsome tom. I know she still had a spot for me in heart alongside him, but I'll have to admit, he was better looking than me. I'm honestly dreading my visit tonight.
Brackenstar's thoughts were all over the place. It was sundown before Brackenstar realized. He jumped to his paws and went on his way, leaving the camp deserted. He traveled along the scent line at the edge of Clan territory for a while. Finally, he crossed the border into unfamiliar land. He sniffed the air for scents of predators and prey.
Plenty of mice scents. No fox. No badger. Coast clear. Go time!
     Brackenstar headed towards a clump of rocks in the distance. If he was lucky, he would reach the Circle of Truth by moonhigh. The Advisors would be upset. As he drew closer, he could make the shapes of two cats standing in front of the entrance to the Circle. One small, one large. When he approached the Circle, the larger silhouette came to greet him.
     "You're late, Brackenstar." The dark shape said. The small tom came to stand next to him. Brackenstar sighed. The large tom would say that even if he was on time. It started to rain.
     "I know, I know, Darkmist." Brackenstar mewed cheerily.
     "Why?" Came the cold reply. The small, orange tom tried to come up with a good answer.
     "I wanted to send my Clan off to the Assembly. It doesn't happen very often you know. I remember my first Assembly. I was so excited..." He trailed off at the look on Darkmist's face.
"I'm sure it was lovely," he said, his face blank, "Let's go. The other leaders are already here. You're embarrassing me and my apprentice, Specklepaw." He glanced at the small tom beside him. Brackenstar looked at him.
     "Ah, Specklepaw. It's wonderful to meet you." The spotted apprentice turned to face him.
     "I can't say I can return the favor, because that would be a lie. You know we can't lie in the Circle of Truth." The small tom said. His face looked like it had been carved from rock. Brackenstar felt uneasy.
     "Darkmist has told you about me, then?" He mewed, his voice taut. Specklepaw gave a sharp nod. Brackenstar looked away from the solemn apprentice as they entered the Circle of Truth. A large golden colored tom stood up as they came in.
"Greetings, Brackenstar," he mewed, his voice friendly. "My name is Eaglefall. I am the Advisor for ThunderClan." Brackenstar said hello and made a mental note about the large golden tabby. Then all the Clan leaders, Advisors, and their apprentices sat down together. Eaglefall cleared his throat.
     "Let's begin," he said quietly. There was something strange about how much authority that soft voice had. Brackenstar told himself that he should be careful around the golden tom. He did not want to be on Eaglefall's bad side. The gathered cats immediately grew silent as he spoke.
     "It is time to hear the history of the Advisory. Mapletuft, will you start?" The dark ginger she-cat whom he pointed out dipped her head to him. It was pouring outside of the Circle.
     "Long ago when Firestar's kits' kits' kin were the oldest cats in ThunderClan-" She was interrupted by a snort of contempt. "Yes, Darkmist? Do you have something to say?" The small, ginger Advisor growled.
     "Why ThunderClan?" He wailed like a kit. Mapletuft glared at him. Then she continued.
     "That's how history went. Now, one queen, named Willowsong, had four kits. The eldest kit was always muttering to himself and reading the patterns of the stars. His name was Nightkit. When he was six moons old, he was apprenticed to the medicine cat. One night, she found Nightpaw staring the stars outside of the den. She knew that he was meant for something different, something new.
     "Willowsong asked the medicine cat to consult StarClan about him. She talked our starry ancestors, but they had no clear answer for her. Instead, they gave her a prophecy:
'There will one, dark as night,
  Who seeks something greater,
The power to read the stars,
   The power to shake the ground,
The power to uncover the lies,
   The power to advise.'
     "When the medicine cat told her about it, she was unsatisfied with that answer. She gave up hope in StarClan and tried to plan a future for her eldest son on her own. She appointed him the first Advisor ever. His name was Nightwhisper. He advised Owlstar and told him how to do things when he needed help. Nightwhisper was given the powers to read the stars, shake the ground, uncover the lies, and advise. StarClan's prophecy came true after all."
     Yowls arose at her last words. Mapletuft dipped her head again. Darkmist stood up.
     "And so the Advisory began." Cheers erupted again. Now Hickoryshine, ShadowClan's Advisor, stood up as Darkmist sat back down.
     "Rosepatch, will you share how the Advisory operates?" A cream colored she-cat with a red splotch on her cheek stood next to her.
"Of course," she said, "All cats should know how the Advisory works. Nightwhisper did as StarClan bid him. Each Clan was given an Advisor. Each Advisor took an apprentice from their Clan. Every queen gave up their eldest kit to the newly formed Advisory, and so it goes on.
"Unless you are an only kit or a second or third litter, the eldest kit from your litter was given to the Advisory. Let us recite the names of the current Advisors and their littermates." Rosepatch nodded to Darkmist. He waved his tail at her before he began.
"ThunderClan." He nodded at Lightstar. "Eaglefall, your brother was Birchclaw. He was killed in battle. You were chosen to breed. You chose Pinefrost as the mother. Her eldest kit will be given to the Advisory when it reaches eight moons. You are the guardian to Splashkit, Dewkit, and Cloudkit." Eaglefall dipped his head to Darkmist as he finished.
     "Thank you, Darkmist. Now, RiverClan. Mapletuft, you were the eldest in a litter of four. Littlekit and Juniperkit did not make it, but Sandtail is now mother to three healthy she-cats. They are the daughters of Cranestar. You were not chosen to breed." Mapletuft flicked her tail at Eaglefall. Everyone cheered.
     "Thank you Eaglefall. ShadowClan. Hickoryshine, your brother was Swiftstar. He is alive and well. You were not chosen to breed." Hickoryshine gave a sharp nod.
     "Thank you, Mapletuft. WindClan. Rosepatch, your sisters both died of bloodcough, an ancient sickness. You were not chosen to breed." Rosepatch twitched her ear.
     "Thank you, Hickoryshine. Now for SkyClan. Darkmist, your sister was Dawnmist. She is expecting Brackenstar's kits." She paused as everyone cheered again. She continued. "You were chosen to breed. Ashflower was the mother, but she died. Your rights as guardian of her only kit were revoked by StarClan. They are yet to choose a new guardian for Beepaw." Darkmist looked startled at Rosepatch's announcement, but he stood up anyway.
     "Thank you, Rosepatch. Now we shall remember the past guardians. For ThunderClan, Rocksplitter. For RiverClan, Robinsong. For ShadowClan, Doethistle. For WindClan, Spiderbite. For SkyClan, also Rocksplitter."
     Brackenstar exchanged a glance with Lightstar. Our brother! He thought happily. The Advisor for two Clans! Darkmist turned to look at him. Eaglefall continued to address the crowd as Darkmist made his way over to Brackenstar. He hissed.
"How dare you!" He said quietly, but with an edge to his voice. Brackenstar looked at him, bewildered.
"What?" He asked, "What are you meowing about?" Darkmist hissed again. The meeting was at a close. It was almost dawn.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Brackenstar shook his head again, clearly confused. He needed to get back to his Clan. They were the only cats in the Circle besides Specklepaw. Everyone else had already left.
"You tricked Rosepatch! I know you want revenge against me. You're trying to steal my son. You're trying to get rid of me! Never, never!" He growled and launched himself at Brackenstar, claws outstretched, groping for his throat.