Post by :c a i: on Jan 14, 2010 14:08:26 GMT -6
The sighing breeze of peaceful night whispered through Shadestripe's fur as he sat, tall and sedate at the riverbank, eyes shut as he sat overlooking the gently flowing water. The night in this dream-world was calm and the stars were twinkling gently, reassuring him that all was well. Yet as he sat in the calm air, the breeze swirled and the soft whispering gave way to a rising chatter, growing more urgent as if it something had stirred the very winds of this land. Things were swirling around him like the way the wind lifted dying leaves in leaf-fall and sent them twirling about in a rush of rustling. Shadestripe's eyes opened in a sweeping green flash as realisation dawned. The peace of the quiet river and the gentle night only preceded great turbulance. It had been the calm before the storm.
The wind picked up, the whistling growing more urgent and demanding. Shadestripe could not ignore the gusts which battered at his fur and soon he could hear nothing over the roar. It was all he could do to remain standing as the raging wind buffeted him. He tilted his head up, ears flat against his head as he tried to look forward. He could not see very far, for the way forward was hazy. Yet even as the elements raged, Shadestripe felt a strong sense that this was not the full extent. No, the worst was yet to come. The eye of the storm was not yet upon them and StarClan was making sure he realised this.
Something was coming. And all too suddenly, the furious howling of the wind evaporated into nothingness. Shadestripe felt the sharp leap from the great roaring to a silence which made his ears blaze. Looking ahead, he took a few hesitant steps towards to water and looked into it, watching as the ripples faded away and the river once again grew still, like it was holding its breath and waiting. He watched as the reflections of brightest stars in the sky seemed to make their way out of the river and materalise before him into three glorious, shining cats with stars in their pelts and a solemn beauty which would never touch a living cat.
"Greetings to you, Shadestripe." The tall tom in the middle spoke in his strange, sombre voice. Shadestripe dipped his head in greeting, awaiting what was to come with his heart still pounding from the terror of the storm. He looked beyond the starry trio and stared as the river seemed to rise up into a thunderous column of tumbling, cascading water, higher and higher until it was as though it would engulf them all.
Yet the three messengers of StarClan said nothing, their backs turned on the threatening tower of water as they regarded Shadestripe with the same, sorrowful eyes filled with memories of aeons of history. "StarClan calls you. The winds only lie still for now, for something is coming, riding with the wind." Shadestripe looked back at them, forcing himself to ignore the terrifying swirl which had replaced the still river.
"What is coming?" He asked, his voice seeming so small amongst the splashing spray of water. All other sounds were drowned out by the whirling water and Shadestripe crouched back, staring at the surging column. As he watched, the wall of water began to shift again. Slowly, painfully, almost eerily gracefully, the water tore itself apart. A shimmering separation appeared so the tower formed two spiralling twists. All of a sudden, in a way which broke the spell, the water crashed to the ground and Shadestripe felt the spray; ice-cold on his fur. It fell with such force he felt the very earth tremble and the water pounded great depressions in the soft soil, making two distinct paths leading away from the other.
All throughout this display, the three cats of StarClan had only watched Shadestripe, unmoved by the spectacle behind them. Shadestripe was afraid, for whatever was coming would surely have the same terrible power to which he had just borne witness.
The final StarClan cat spoke, her brilliant eyes fixing on him with a sad look. "The Great Split approaches. From the death which follows springs new life. Do with it what you will..."
Shadestripe looked on, his heart aching as he tried to make sense of this. He knew he would not understand StarClan's prophecy tonight. Now Shadestripe felt himself feeling detached from the dream-world as he was pulled into the world of the waking hours. The three cats dissipated and Shadestripe saw the mysterious land give way to blackness.
Two green eyes opened sharply and the RiverClan medicine cat was on his paws in a flash. StarClan had spoken to him last night and he was worried. He remembered the awesome power of the river which had spiralled into a great tower and he was afraid of what it would mean for the Clans. Something big was coming and they would all feel its effects.
((Phwoargh. I'm exhausted.))
The wind picked up, the whistling growing more urgent and demanding. Shadestripe could not ignore the gusts which battered at his fur and soon he could hear nothing over the roar. It was all he could do to remain standing as the raging wind buffeted him. He tilted his head up, ears flat against his head as he tried to look forward. He could not see very far, for the way forward was hazy. Yet even as the elements raged, Shadestripe felt a strong sense that this was not the full extent. No, the worst was yet to come. The eye of the storm was not yet upon them and StarClan was making sure he realised this.
Something was coming. And all too suddenly, the furious howling of the wind evaporated into nothingness. Shadestripe felt the sharp leap from the great roaring to a silence which made his ears blaze. Looking ahead, he took a few hesitant steps towards to water and looked into it, watching as the ripples faded away and the river once again grew still, like it was holding its breath and waiting. He watched as the reflections of brightest stars in the sky seemed to make their way out of the river and materalise before him into three glorious, shining cats with stars in their pelts and a solemn beauty which would never touch a living cat.
"Greetings to you, Shadestripe." The tall tom in the middle spoke in his strange, sombre voice. Shadestripe dipped his head in greeting, awaiting what was to come with his heart still pounding from the terror of the storm. He looked beyond the starry trio and stared as the river seemed to rise up into a thunderous column of tumbling, cascading water, higher and higher until it was as though it would engulf them all.
Yet the three messengers of StarClan said nothing, their backs turned on the threatening tower of water as they regarded Shadestripe with the same, sorrowful eyes filled with memories of aeons of history. "StarClan calls you. The winds only lie still for now, for something is coming, riding with the wind." Shadestripe looked back at them, forcing himself to ignore the terrifying swirl which had replaced the still river.
"What is coming?" He asked, his voice seeming so small amongst the splashing spray of water. All other sounds were drowned out by the whirling water and Shadestripe crouched back, staring at the surging column. As he watched, the wall of water began to shift again. Slowly, painfully, almost eerily gracefully, the water tore itself apart. A shimmering separation appeared so the tower formed two spiralling twists. All of a sudden, in a way which broke the spell, the water crashed to the ground and Shadestripe felt the spray; ice-cold on his fur. It fell with such force he felt the very earth tremble and the water pounded great depressions in the soft soil, making two distinct paths leading away from the other.
All throughout this display, the three cats of StarClan had only watched Shadestripe, unmoved by the spectacle behind them. Shadestripe was afraid, for whatever was coming would surely have the same terrible power to which he had just borne witness.
The final StarClan cat spoke, her brilliant eyes fixing on him with a sad look. "The Great Split approaches. From the death which follows springs new life. Do with it what you will..."
Shadestripe looked on, his heart aching as he tried to make sense of this. He knew he would not understand StarClan's prophecy tonight. Now Shadestripe felt himself feeling detached from the dream-world as he was pulled into the world of the waking hours. The three cats dissipated and Shadestripe saw the mysterious land give way to blackness.
Two green eyes opened sharply and the RiverClan medicine cat was on his paws in a flash. StarClan had spoken to him last night and he was worried. He remembered the awesome power of the river which had spiralled into a great tower and he was afraid of what it would mean for the Clans. Something big was coming and they would all feel its effects.
((Phwoargh. I'm exhausted.))