The Journey to StarClan

Chapter 3: Goldenlight

"Goldenlight? Starleader wants to see you."

The soft, caring voice of an old friend caressed Goldenlight's ears and prodded her awake. A large yawn escaped her mouth as she stood and stretched.

Goldenlight followed Dappleflower out of the warrior's den and into the camp. Cats bustled everywhere, sharing tongues or eating fresh-kill. Some were even organizing patrols to watch the Dark Forest border.

The camp itself was huge, large enough to accommodate all of the StarClan cats of the past and all that would come in the future. Although the number of cats grew everyday, the camp never seemed to run out of room. It sat in a rather unusual place. The entrance edge of the camp was made of tall trees that were always in Green Leaf. The edge where the fresh-kill piles sat was a large hill. The dens were nestled in a rock cave and the last edge was a cliff that had a large, starry pool where all cats liked to gather to watch the clans below. That was were Goldenlight had been yesterday when StarClan had forbidden her from ever seeing her true love again.

Dappleflower touched Goldenlight's shoulder with her tail, returning her attention to what was ahead of her. With a flick of her ear, Dappleflower led the slightly confused she-cat to the middle of the camp where a single, silver crystal-like rock made the den of the StarClan leader.

Goldenlight stepped inside the den, leaving Dappleflower to go about her business. Goldenlight sat just inside the entrance, her tail over her paws and her eyes on the ground. The silver lichen covered the entrance and cut off all the noise from outside.

"Goldenlight. Come closer to me." Starleader's ancient voice echoed around the golden she-cat with such power she felt her very bones tremble.

Obeying, Goldenlight took a few steps closer to the cat who led all cats. She kept her eyes on the ground, folding into a deep bow with her muzzle between her paws.

"Rise, warrior. And look me in the eyes."

Goldenlight did just that, biting down a gasp as she looked the age-old leader in the eyes.

Starleader had always been the leader of StarClan, ever since the eight clans were created. She shown as bright as the moon, her eyes like two stars. Her pelt was a mixture of all four of the great cats: her legs and tail were black fading into golden leopard spots and then to tiger stripes and you moved upward. Fluffy, golden tipped fur grew around her neck, giving her an even more elegant look. She was muscular, had long claws on all of her paws, and had a face that resembled that of a panther. She was a timeless creature, and was the absolute perfect leader for a clan full of old leaders and warriors.

"Goldenlight," Starleader began, dragging the fluffy warrior from her trance. "I have called you here to speak to you about your old mate."

Goldenlight tensed. Anger flooded her body and she shot up as her fur bristled.

"If you're going to tell me that I'm not allowed to see Darkstripe ever again you're too late because I've already heard it! And if you're going to tell me something about how it's better for me this way I don't want to hear it! Nobody can take his memory away from me and one day I will be with him again!" Goldenlight yowled, baring her teeth at the StarClan leader.

Starleader didn't even flinch.

"I would do no such thing."

Goldenlight took a step back in shock, her anger draining from her body and causing her to sit back on her haunches.

"Goldenlight, I called you in here to explain something to you." Starleader said. She stood, walking over to the still shocked she-cat and resting her tail on her shoulder. "Some of my elite scouts have informed me that something has happened to your mate. It seems as though he doesn't remember anything after the battle with Scourge where your first four clans believed he was killed. It's as though he believes he was killed there as well."

Goldenlight let out a loud gasp. Darkstripe...doesn't remember her?!

"B-but how....?" Goldenlight mumbled under her breath.

The StarClan leader shook her head. "I do not know. But I though you should be informed." Starleader returned to her nest and sat down. "That is all. You may go."

Goldenlight nodded and stood, her eyes cast onto the floor as tears fell from her eyes.

"Starleader? Thank you for telling me." Goldenlight said as she exited the den.

As soon as she was outside of the den, Goldenlight was bombarded with the sound of clan life. A few kits rolled in front of her in the midst of a play fight. Their little yowls didn't even resister in Goldenlight's mind as she walked towards the starry pool at the edge of the camp.

She sat down, staring deep into the pool's depths. Suddenly, the stars on the surface swirled into the shapes of a few familiar cats on the journey of their destiny to create a new clan. Then, an idea popped into Goldenlight's head. She glanced nervously over her shoulders before taking a step into the pool and breaking one of the strictest rules of StarClan.

She was going to visit her old, faithful deputy and best friend Silverfrost. She was going to Earth.