Warning: After the 2nd time lapse it gets emotional...just warning you...so...
As Silentmelody was sleeping, the usual morning birds' song awoke her. The peaceful petal-dipped aroma
wafted into the early dawn's air. The milky sky gave calming promises to a new, beautiful day.
The amber-colored warrior stifled a wide yawn, and curled her tail over her back in a stretch. She could already tell by the sweet scent of dawn that today was going to be a wonderful day. A day StarClan would remember.
Silentmelody wandered outside, and collected a puzzled expression. The fresh-kill pile was full, the moss was fresh, and no harsh wounds stuck with dry blood could be scented. Every ThunderClan cat was staring at her, like her ears were on fire.
Silvermist was the first to break the silence. "So is it true that you can speak now?"
Oh, Silentmelody thought, and growled under her breath. It's because of my voice. "Yes." She answered shortly.
"Every cat old enough to catch their own prey, come gather about the High Rock for a Clan meeting!" Moonstar called, somewhat sleepily. Once she opened her eyes, she twitched her whiskers. "And apparently, that's already done. Good." The ThunderClan leader was in a normal mood, but it was stiff with the loss of another life.
"Strange things occurred during the time of the battle two nights ago."
Two nights ago? How long have I slept? Silentmelody wondered. No wonder things seemed like there was no battle before.
"From her long cast-away, Cinderfire, a punished warrior, had returned from the anceint Moonstone. She once again risked her life in protection of the Clan, and is resting with our ancestors now."
Bouncefire and Applewhisker, Cinderfire's parents, looked at their paws, their minds clouded with lost memories of their daughter.
After a moment of silence, Moonstar again dipped her head in respect, and smiled warmly, and took a glance at Silentmelody.
"Silentmelody step forward." She ordered.
What is this? The young warrior thought with concern, hesitating to obey the black she-cat's command. Is this some sort of special ceremony telling StarClan that I can officially speak or something? Because that would be mouse-brained.
Getting rid of the thought, the amber colored she-cat pawed closer to Moonstar, and tightly packed her tail over her front paws.
"Silentmelody, StarClan's curse upon you is now perished, and now you are blessed with their mercy. Now you have a beautifuk voice anyone can remember. Because of this, you shall have a new name."
Silentmelody sat their, not saying a word.
"Silentmelody, from now on, you shall be called Duskfire, in honor of your unique pelt."
"Duskfire!"
"Duskfire!"
"Dusk---"
"NO!" Duskfire exclaimed, before the third cheer can even be a thought. The Clan stood there, a ice-cold hush rested upon them. Duskfire locked eyes with Wolfheart, his expression concerned. She turned towards Moonstar.
"I will not be called Duskfire." The she-cat ordered, flicking her tail. "I am still Silentmelody."
"But you are not silent anymore," Moonstar protested, jaw hanging open. Not ever has she been so embarassed in her life.
"I know that, Moonstar. But all my life I had. My name tells me of my past. I can tell stories of my life whenever I'm a queen,"--She glanced at Wolfheart--"or an elder."--she smiled at Grunt. "Silentmelody still contains a wonderful past, for I do not want to forget it. Not Dawnstar, not Cloudpaw, not Sunflame, not Winterheart, or Falconpaw, nor Duskpaw..."She caught Stormwhisker's eye. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, finishing her sentence, "Not even Cinderfire."
The ThunderClan cats remained silent, still waiting for Duskfire's speech to end.
"My name was chosen by StarClan. For it shall not be forgotten." And in her mind, she pictured Jayfeather smiling down at her. "I am still the same old Silentmelody."
A heartbeat of silence occurred, and Wolfheart was the first to chant her name.
"Silentmelody!"
"Silentmelody!"
"Silentmelody!"
Moonstar stared at Silentmelody, closing her mouth and clearing her thoat, sitting up straight once again. She dipped her head and smiled cheerfully. "Well," she started, flicking her tail for silence.
"I am proud you stood up for yourself and made that decision." She waved her tail and jumped down to her den, signing for the end of the meeting.
**********
Echowave skidded to a halt near her friend. "Me and my mate," she smiled and glanced at Shadestripe, "are forming a hunting patrol. Would you like to join us?" She asked. Echowave was still the hyper she-cat Silentmelody knew all her life, always glad and had a great smile across her face, like a permanet scar. But this smile was healing.
"Sure," Silentmelody replied, giving a half smile to her friend, and to Shadestripe, dipping her head, signalling, 'Good job' to him. The fresh-kill pile was half-way filled now, only holding a couple of squirrels and a vole that was squished to the bottom, but that was already crow-food.
As they were heading for the entrance, Metalclaw was passing by with Eaglepaw. "Can we hunt with you?" The golden-brown apprentice asked, his tail sticking straight up. "Of course!" Shadestripe answered, taking the back with Metalclaw.
Echowave flicked her tail in signal of a new known scent. The rest if the patrol broke out and tried to catch some scent trails.
Silentmelody inhaled as she found the nice smell of squirrel. She breathed in the familiar memories of the one moment where she was completely frightened to death by the vicious fangs and the golden slit-eyes of Mouthclaw. A tiny shiver shriveled and sent a wave of fear, but a bigger wave of happiness. Her life was a gift.
Catching back to reality, she sunk low into the ground, into hunter's crouch. The squirrel was scampering down a tree, and landed on it's large roots that sprouted above the ground.
Silentmelody immediately sprung once it landed. But her jump was short and she missed. She rammed straight into the lower trunk of the tree.
Her head wailed in stress and agony. Her mind was weak and tired. All she could focus on was the pawsteps that was coming towards her.
"Silentmelody! Are you okay?!" Echowave exclaimed. But the only responce was a grunt. "Umm..." The blue-grey she-cat looked around her. "Maybe you should go and rest for a bit. Things have been hard lately."
Silentmelody was too weary to hear her friend. Ignoring everything, she stumbled back to camp in a grumpy style.
The amber colored warrior yawned loudly enough for the whole camp to hear, then sloshed into her nest. Her head roared and her mind soared. So much pain...she needed to see Jayfeather. It's been so long since she's seen him. Ever since she became a warrior, Silentmelody never saw one clue of those beautiful, sightless eyes. Maybe now the anceint medicine cat will remember her.
**********
Jayfeather truely did not forget his beloved. Of course not! But sadness burned within him. He had to tell Silentmelody something. It would be the last of his words forever.
He closed his sightless eyes, not noticing the difference in light. It seemed like moons he had been sitting there. The rushing waters that led all the way down and under to the Moonpool. The night stars flickered radiantly in the distance. The air was completely still, for it was neither hot nor cold, but only the nothingness you could truely feel. The sun sank down beneath the horizon, making the river explode with fire-beamed color. Light blue mist shattered fractals around him.
I'm going to miss this place...he thought, his throat clogged.
At last, after countless moons of waiting, Silentmelody appeared. Her odd-eyes gleamed without expression in the night. Her fire-colored fur glowed, and her paws sunk beneath the moist earth, the grass tickling her toes. Her tail swept over with the wind. Swallowing, she stepped closer to Jayfeather. She opened her mouth to speak, but was immediately silenced by the flick of Jayfeather's tail.
"You were the only thing that made me truely happy after Half Moon..." The anceint medicine cat finally spoke.
"You loved her...didn't you...?" Silentmelody asked, curling her thick tail tightly around her paws.
Jayfeather sighed. "Of course I did!" The last word he said ended weary. He opened his eyes, light stinging. "I can see..." He whispered.
Silentmelody sat next to him, not knowing what was going in. But she enjoyed the relaxing sound of the waters swirling and glistening in the moonlight.
"Silentmelody..." Jayfeather spoke up after a couple of heartbeats. He stood up and looked up into the star-splattered sky. "Every time a star is born, a great thing happens."
"What do you mean?"
"You will soon learn that, my love. Once you are wise and in StarClan, you will understand everything. So something happy happens when a star is born. Life, love, joy."
He glared deep into Silentmelody's eyes, which held a questioning glance. The surface of his brimmed with tears. But he trugged on.
"But this time..." He started, splitting a claw from his paw, he drew a StarClan star to the ground, it's tiny mass sparkled with life.
"A star has died." He crushed it violently. "Death, hatred, and madness. Something horrible is going to happen, Silentmelody..."
Still having no clue, Silentmelody looked at Jayfeather. "What are you saying?"
Suddenly, the beautiful sun-setting scene vanished before their eyes, and complete darkness flooded their scenses. The only light shone within the rushing river that led into a waterfall into the Moonpool. Branches swayed crookedly in the night, twisting and turning, creating a wretched creeking and scratching noice.
Jayfeather stood infront of Silentmelody.
"My time has come. My StarClan spirit is old and weak, and I must pass. I am ready."
"What?! Jayfeather! Don't!" Silentmelody screamed and tears exploded from her eyes. She ran towards the medicine cat but ran right through him.
"If I don't StarClan will die!" Jayfeather growled, his neck fur bristling with rage. "This is the place of death. The StarClan Moonpool holds the dead spirits of warriors."
"Jayfeather...!" Silentmelody cried, her shoulders sagging, neck hanging, and legs trembling.
"Once spirit touches waters, my name will no longer exist, and I shall be forever forgotten." Jayfeather informed her calmly.
"But why? I don't want to forget you!" The amber-colored she-cat protested.
Jayfeather came to her, the tips of his rough fur swaying against hers. Blue mist swirled in between them. After a few heartbeats, Jayfeather stepped away.
"I have given you my eternal scent. You will no longer smell of you, but of me. You will never forget me."
Helplessly, Silentmelody watched broken-hearted as Jayfeather turned tail nad slowly padded towards the Moonpool.
"I love you...good-bye." He said, looking over his shoulder. Silentmelody closed her eyes, not able to stand it any more. "You will forever be in my heart, Jayfeather." She responded, not meeting his gaze. Why...
"I'm coming for you, Half Moon."
The StarClan spirit of Jayfeather is gone.
Forever...
Songs: A Thousnad Years by Christina Perri, and So Long My Friend by Yanni