Ally to the Cross

"Are you sure this is intelligent?"
"It's the only way."
"There has to be something else we can do! It's simply too risky."
"No cat will catch on."
"Opening the way between us and them isn't obvious enough?" The two cats continued to quarrel, their fur bristling.

"Some Clans have secrets that shouldn't be divulged, they'll grow suspicious. They'll think StarClan have come to punish them."

Silence fell between the two dark-colored toms, as though they realized a flaw had sprouted among their plans.

"Remind me, why we're going in the first place?" Said the first tom, a gruff, bulky black cat with vicious orange eyes. Stars seemed to sparkle in their midst, and a strange silver frost appeared to linger on his coat.

The second tom, smaller, with lean legs and a long body, eyed his brother. "When the queen, Maeve, came to StarClan, she was heavy with kits. The four of them came with he--"

"Why are they here, if they're loners?" The other interrupted, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Let me continue. The four of them came with her, too frail and weak, too young and new to live on their own. It was luck that one of our own queens, Silversky, came across the mother and her kits as they left their bodies behind. Silversky invited the queen and her kits to come with us, however, Maeve was full of regret and grief. Her kits died as they were born, blind, deaf, and hungry. All she wants is for them to live."

"Impossible!" The muscular tom yowled, disgust rolling across his muzzle. "StarClan does not grant life to kits who have died! To any cat!"

"Leaders are granted nine chances, have you forgotten that, Darkmark?"

The cat silenced himself, and a thoughtful pause settled over the two.

"But kits are not leaders, and the ceremony is a painful, elaborate one. Newborns could not suffer that fate," Darkmark glared at his brother, but the lean cat had a smile on his lips.

"They won't be granted lives, seeing as they have never quite lived before. I think, tonight, Silversky is choosing another cat to come with us. We're taking the kits to the Clans, so that they can experience what Maeve wanted most. She was never a Clan cat, but we have provided her with acceptance and love ever since she was found. She wants her kits to know that feeling; to grow up."

"There is more to this, than simply making a queen happy, isn't there?" Darkmark asked, wrinkling his forehead.

Again, the lean tom smiled, his ears perked up merrily.


And fight for your right to freedom.