Post by Darkie on May 5, 2009 23:20:05 GMT -5
Legend Five: How SootClan came to be
((This Legend was written by Chance. No one else claims ownership over this legend.))
The Devastation
The air was thick with falling ash, as Spottedpaw stumbled blindly through the beds of soot that marked what he had once considered his home. Everything he had ever known, everything that he had cherished growing up, was gone. His Clan was reduced to a few weak survivors, leaderless, and it seemed as if all hope had been leached from this new gray world. There was no longer joy or color in his life, only emptiness. For days he wandered, haunted by the vision of a brave young she-cat whose name was lost to him. Sometimes he would weep, and sometimes he would screech to the heavens. "Why, StarClan? Why have you done this to us?" But mostly, he was numb.
Then, one fateful morning as he struggled through the bottom of a deep canyon, utterly lost in the new form his territory had taken, another cat appeared. The cat was clearly one of those who had inflicted this life upon him, a mysterious cat who had come to claim the devastated land with her dark Clan. Her pelt, black as midnight with a similar blue sheen, seemed unaffected by the falling ash. Next to his dulled pelt, turned gray by the burning ash, she shone. "What are you doing here? Why have you come to torture me? Has StarClan not tortured me enough already?" he choked angrily at her.
The she-cat merely chuckled, her dark eyes appraising the young cat as she circled him. "Your precious StarClan has deserted you, Spottedpaw, can't you see that?" she replied smoothly, her voice dangerously enticing. "They were no match for the Flaming Eternal. They have come for you, to make you stronger. You shall be greater than any cat of the tame meadows," she promised. For the first time, a glimmer of hope shone in the eyes of the apprentice. "Just do as I tell you, and you shall have new life..." she continued, her eyes beckoning his trust.
The Beginning
The she-cat introduced herself as Nightdeath, a proud warrior of BlazeClan. She told Spottedpaw to gather those remaining of his Clan who would be loyal to him, and that she would send three cats from each of the three Clans she had come with. She filled his head with dreams and fantasies of a new life, and so he set off to follow her instructions. Some cats of MeadowClan were horrified at Spottedpaw's change in heart, and fled to TimberClan. But others, who had no alternative and wandered in desperation like himself, agreed to join. Together they gathered in the bottom of the dark crevice, in the same spot where Nightdeath had found Spottedpaw. And there, they waited.
It was impossible to tell time here, where the sky was clouded with ash and the sun could hardly be seen. But after what must have been many suns, Spottedpaw began to lose faith. Perhaps the beautiful warrior of BlazeClan had deceived him, only to prolong his suffering. But on the day when Spottedpaw finally grasped this truth, and was ready to give up all hope, she arrived.
The procession of cats that wound down the cliff path was small, but daunting in their confidence. Nine cats overall, with Nightdeath at their head, came to stop before Spottedpaw and his company. "We are here by the grace of the all-powerful Eternalfire, who has granted you this gift so that you may serve him and find your place among the Flaming Eternal," she intoned, standing before Spottedpaw. "Now take the name of Spottedfire, as the leaders of our Clans, and rule this new Clan with pride." Spottedfire bowed, accepting this duty, and so began a new era.
The Betrayal
Spottedfire took the beautiful Nightdeath as his mate. Together they ruled their Clan for many moons, prevailing in many battles against the vengeful TimberClan. Though it pained Spottedfire to fight against his former Clanmates, he no longer felt allegiance to them. His new power and sense of purpose fueled his devout belief in the Flaming Eternal, who had given him his second chance. With Nightdeath beside him, no one could defeat them, and when she gave birth to a litter of kits he chose the first tom born to rule after him, and began to train him in the ways of the new Clan.
But then, one morning, Spottedfire awoke to find Nightdeath gone. Throughout the day he sent out search parties, wondering what had happened to her. Finally, near dusk, she arrived on the horizon with a small group of cats. Spottedfire's confusion transformed into rage when Nightdeath led this group against him in battle, and he unleashed his fury upon them mercilessly. When he found Nightdeath pinned below his paws, he froze. "Why?" he demanded. "Why do this to me?" She only laughed. "Fool, I brought you only our weakest warriors. I've always meant to get rid of you all in the end. What better way to earn the Eternal's approval?" she spat, slipping from beneath his paws. But seeing that she had underestimated SootClan, and that her company had been nearly defeated, she turned tail and fled.
That night Spottedfire sat brooding, staring at the bonfire that had been kindled to consume the dead. Nightdeath's treachery was no fault of the Flaming Eternal, he realized. It was simply her nature, and the nature of all she-cats to be manipulative. His new distrust ran deep, erasing all memories of the she-cat who had sacrificed herself for him. His old life was already nothing more than a vague memory. So his hatred of Nightdeath became a hatred of all she-cats, which his son came to learn too. By the time of the second leader, she-cats had been degraded, and the strength of the new SootClan verified in all eyes.
Balancing delicately among all enemies, they continue to prevail throughout the seasons, trusting no one but themselves.
((This Legend was written by Chance. No one else claims ownership over this legend.))
The Devastation
The air was thick with falling ash, as Spottedpaw stumbled blindly through the beds of soot that marked what he had once considered his home. Everything he had ever known, everything that he had cherished growing up, was gone. His Clan was reduced to a few weak survivors, leaderless, and it seemed as if all hope had been leached from this new gray world. There was no longer joy or color in his life, only emptiness. For days he wandered, haunted by the vision of a brave young she-cat whose name was lost to him. Sometimes he would weep, and sometimes he would screech to the heavens. "Why, StarClan? Why have you done this to us?" But mostly, he was numb.
Then, one fateful morning as he struggled through the bottom of a deep canyon, utterly lost in the new form his territory had taken, another cat appeared. The cat was clearly one of those who had inflicted this life upon him, a mysterious cat who had come to claim the devastated land with her dark Clan. Her pelt, black as midnight with a similar blue sheen, seemed unaffected by the falling ash. Next to his dulled pelt, turned gray by the burning ash, she shone. "What are you doing here? Why have you come to torture me? Has StarClan not tortured me enough already?" he choked angrily at her.
The she-cat merely chuckled, her dark eyes appraising the young cat as she circled him. "Your precious StarClan has deserted you, Spottedpaw, can't you see that?" she replied smoothly, her voice dangerously enticing. "They were no match for the Flaming Eternal. They have come for you, to make you stronger. You shall be greater than any cat of the tame meadows," she promised. For the first time, a glimmer of hope shone in the eyes of the apprentice. "Just do as I tell you, and you shall have new life..." she continued, her eyes beckoning his trust.
The Beginning
The she-cat introduced herself as Nightdeath, a proud warrior of BlazeClan. She told Spottedpaw to gather those remaining of his Clan who would be loyal to him, and that she would send three cats from each of the three Clans she had come with. She filled his head with dreams and fantasies of a new life, and so he set off to follow her instructions. Some cats of MeadowClan were horrified at Spottedpaw's change in heart, and fled to TimberClan. But others, who had no alternative and wandered in desperation like himself, agreed to join. Together they gathered in the bottom of the dark crevice, in the same spot where Nightdeath had found Spottedpaw. And there, they waited.
It was impossible to tell time here, where the sky was clouded with ash and the sun could hardly be seen. But after what must have been many suns, Spottedpaw began to lose faith. Perhaps the beautiful warrior of BlazeClan had deceived him, only to prolong his suffering. But on the day when Spottedpaw finally grasped this truth, and was ready to give up all hope, she arrived.
The procession of cats that wound down the cliff path was small, but daunting in their confidence. Nine cats overall, with Nightdeath at their head, came to stop before Spottedpaw and his company. "We are here by the grace of the all-powerful Eternalfire, who has granted you this gift so that you may serve him and find your place among the Flaming Eternal," she intoned, standing before Spottedpaw. "Now take the name of Spottedfire, as the leaders of our Clans, and rule this new Clan with pride." Spottedfire bowed, accepting this duty, and so began a new era.
The Betrayal
Spottedfire took the beautiful Nightdeath as his mate. Together they ruled their Clan for many moons, prevailing in many battles against the vengeful TimberClan. Though it pained Spottedfire to fight against his former Clanmates, he no longer felt allegiance to them. His new power and sense of purpose fueled his devout belief in the Flaming Eternal, who had given him his second chance. With Nightdeath beside him, no one could defeat them, and when she gave birth to a litter of kits he chose the first tom born to rule after him, and began to train him in the ways of the new Clan.
But then, one morning, Spottedfire awoke to find Nightdeath gone. Throughout the day he sent out search parties, wondering what had happened to her. Finally, near dusk, she arrived on the horizon with a small group of cats. Spottedfire's confusion transformed into rage when Nightdeath led this group against him in battle, and he unleashed his fury upon them mercilessly. When he found Nightdeath pinned below his paws, he froze. "Why?" he demanded. "Why do this to me?" She only laughed. "Fool, I brought you only our weakest warriors. I've always meant to get rid of you all in the end. What better way to earn the Eternal's approval?" she spat, slipping from beneath his paws. But seeing that she had underestimated SootClan, and that her company had been nearly defeated, she turned tail and fled.
That night Spottedfire sat brooding, staring at the bonfire that had been kindled to consume the dead. Nightdeath's treachery was no fault of the Flaming Eternal, he realized. It was simply her nature, and the nature of all she-cats to be manipulative. His new distrust ran deep, erasing all memories of the she-cat who had sacrificed herself for him. His old life was already nothing more than a vague memory. So his hatred of Nightdeath became a hatred of all she-cats, which his son came to learn too. By the time of the second leader, she-cats had been degraded, and the strength of the new SootClan verified in all eyes.
Balancing delicately among all enemies, they continue to prevail throughout the seasons, trusting no one but themselves.
