Post by Yoko on Jun 23, 2010 17:04:36 GMT -6
Specklestar padded through the entrance of camp with a flare of of silent controlled rage. Her eyes flashed dangerously, and her tail and head were high. She had to be careful though. As much as she wanted her Clan to share in her outrage, she did not want it taken out on these innocent kits.
She swept the entire camp with her gaze, taking note of all who were here. After all it was past Sunhigh, and she would be lucky if the new patrols had not been sent out already. News spread quickly in the Clan of course, but she would rather have told them all at once.
"Stay here," she ordered the kits, Whiteheart, and Icepelt, once they were a few tail-lengths away from the gnarled roots of her den. Expertly, sh leaped up with ease and gazed down at her Clan. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here for a Clan Meeting."
The speckled leader sat down, her tail wrapping easily around her four paws. On her entire form was the dappled pattern of light shining through the thick greenleaf trees above. Her golden pelt blazed in the patches of light, the black spots seemed ever darker. She sat in perfect, seething, silence as her Clan gathered before her. She tried to guess how many were missing, before she started to speak.
"As you all know, this dawn was the time for WindClan to give Foxfur his kits," she spoke in a level voice which carried easily in the quiet camp. "At the Gathering we demanded four. WindClan has cheated us. The moor cats ran to RiverClan and ThunderClan for aid and have given each of the clans two kits."
She paused for cries of outrage or gasps, as Clan Cats tend to do on such news. Don't worry, My Clan. They'll not get away with it. I assure you that.
"However, in the best interest of our Clan, I have decided not to battle for the other two. We have other plans to consider as it is," she dismissed the idea with a flick of her tail. It wasn't as if they were in dire need of the kits. She'd taken them for other reasons. Now for the heart of the matter.
"I am aware that some of you were not supportive of this to begin with. But the fact is that its done now. Foxfur has been reunited with some of his kits, and you should all know I'd do the same for any of you. That is why ShadowClan is the strongest in this forest. We support each other as no others can. Other Clans scorn us for our wisdom, and our ability to conceal our troubles. All that we have is each other, and now these kits must be a part of that. Who will take care of them? Their own mother and leader have abandoned them, and why? Because they have a drop of ShadowClan blood in their veins?"
She paused for a moment and went on with a stone cold sternness in her voice. "We will treat them as our own. They will prove themselves worthy, I assure you. They are strong kits, as Foxfur was when he came here. But if I catch any cat mocking or teasing them for their heritage the punishment will be severe." She let the last word echo. Then she mewed coldly."They are not guilty of the wrong their parents committed."