Chapter 9

After the news, I crawled into my bed. I sealed my ears from any noises and closed my eyes as hard as I could.

Startribe, if you're going to take me, do it now. I prayed.

Sleep fell onto me like a large black wave, sucking all of the waking world from my memory. I would wake, and I would hopefully be in a different world.

I opened me eye a sliver, and saw the land of Startribe. I sighed in slight relief. I had made it.

I immediatly ran to the border stream and peered in.

No change.

No stars in my hair.

It was just a dream.

I sighed, half relief and half envy. If my life was one of pain, why did it have to be so long? At least I had a life, some kids die right when they are born!

I mocked myself. Life is the gift many don't accept, those that do take it at their own cost.

I glared around the clearing and made the desicion to jump into the stream. Maybe I would get to go back to my bed and get the help I needed.

I jumped in. When I opened my eyes, I was in camp. I saw my body in the bed.

Mouse dung! I groaned. My spirit was out of my body, I was still sleeping.

I decided to take advantage and strolled out of camp.

Once out, I followed the trail of a mouse. Once I had followed it for quite a ways.

Finally, I noticed that many people had passed this way. They smelled of the brisk fall breeze, cold winter snow, summer ferns and spring flowers.

What in Startribe's name smells like all of the seasons? I asked.

It then dawned on me. It was Startribe's scent. The people I had been talking to had passed this way.

I eagerly set out on the trail again, hoping to see them.

Soon, I reached the place they were sitting. It was on an island in which I used a fallen tree to get to. The island was filled with brush and in the center where four large oak trees there was a large clearing.

I stalked around the edges, glaring in.

Shadow stood in one of the trees. Her hair was ruffled and her eyes glaring.

There was a rustle in the bushes behind him and Scorching trotted into the clearing. "Sorry I am late." He panted. "I had to catch a mouse."

Shadow nodded greeting and turned to the other people.

Scorching stared at the clearing. Could this be the first time he had seen it?

He turned to Shadow. "This isn't the gathering place, there is only supposed to be one tree in the middle."

A small smile spread across Shadow's face. "Scorching, this is indeed different looking to the living people. They see only one tree. But in Startribe, there are four trees in honor of Fourtrees."

Scorching nodded. "So you planted the other oaks?"

"Yes. Many honorable memories were torn down with Fourtrees when the normal humans came, but Startribe wished not to let the memories fade so quickly. We thought it would seem disrespectful to the people that died there."

A white haired man at the end of the clearing nodded, his face was grim. Fourtrees must have been his grave. I saw a ginger man with glowing green eyes walk over to him. "It's okay White, we all greived your death." He whispered.

White glanced at him. "Fire, it was my time. Have you also forgotten that you lost your first life there?"

Fire looked taken aback. "Why, yes I did."

Shadow hissed. "We are not here to disscuss land marks and deaths of the past! We must talk about the future."

A wiry brown woman with glaring yellow eyes slowly walked foward. "Shadow, we are not here to disscuss the future in genral, are we." She stated.

Shadow looked taken aback. "Why, not in genral as you may say it. It is about the future of Shadowtribe."

A large man with broad shoulders hissed. He was the color of autumn leaves. He had ember amber eyes. "That is just selfish mouse dung!" He hissed. "You have dragged us here for nothing but fun!"

Shadow narrowed her eyes. "No! This effects the other tribes as well!"

The man snorted. "Sure... I bet that this is about that bit-sized kid agian, isn't it?"

Shadow glared. "Thunder, if you have a problem accepting that a kid is the destiny, than you may leave."

Thunder snarled. "I will only go if I want to go."

Shadow nodded. "As you wish." She growled. She then turned to another man. He was silver-gray with long hair and large, wide green eyes. "River, do you wish to have a place in this conversation, otherwise you may leave."

River bowed his head. "I feel that anything within the four tribes has something to do with us."

Shadow slightly smiled. "Thank you friend. Please, all leaders of the first tribes, jump up to join me."

As she meowed, the three other leaders emerged from the crowd and leaped up to follow Shadow.

Once all of the honored leaders of Startribe had placed themsleves on the tree, Shadow pointed to a man. His eyes were pale amber, and I could see the tree behind him. "This is Striped." She muttered. "He was the first cat to die once the tribes had been formed and Startribe had been named the ancestors. He wishes to speak."

Striped stepped foward. He looked like an elder and walked like one to. He hobbled in front of the others. "I would like to say that the survival truley depends on Fleck." He murmured.

Thunder snorted. "That has already been said!"

Striped ingnored him. "We need to make sure that he knows what he needs to do, not tell him in riddles."

A small, slender, graceful, lithe orange and brown and white haired woman. One of her eyes was rimmed with darker hair. Her nose was small and pink while her eyes were large, pale, and amber.

"I believe that Fleck should learn to understand our riddles. But, in this case, we might need to tell him more obvious hints."

Fire's green eyes glowed with warmth. "I think she's right. We need to tell him. This is life or death!"

A blue-gray haired woman with thick long hair and a broad face stepped foward. One of her ears were torn and she had broad shoulders. Her eyes were a piercing, round, icy-blue.

"Oh stop it Fire!" She hissed. "You know you are just saying that because Spotted agrees!"

Fire narrowed his eyes. "No I'm not!" The green eyes glimmered with hurt, anger, and truth. He was.

The she-cat swiped a dagger at his face but missed. "Face it, you have been mooning over her since you joined Startribe! What are you going to do when Sand joins us? It's ought to be any year now."

Fire hissed. "I am just catching up with Spotted..." his voice trailed off. His eyes betrayed his words. He loved her. And when I glanced at Spotted's pale amber eyes, I saw the same thing. Sorrow, hurt, and love. Love for the ginger man.

What happened in their lives that led to this? I wondered.

As the thought crossed my mind, a huge swirling force shook my head. It felt as if my skull was caving in on me. I am glad I couldn't speak, because I would have screamed in pain.

I opened my eyes a squint and saw a woman. She was brown brindle haired with amber eyes. A glint shone in her gaze and I fell. She was doing something. She was giving me some sort of power, but what did I know?

The last thing I remember was a twinkle in her eye and everything blacked out.
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I woke with a start to find myself in the same dream. It was one of chaos though.

No blood was shed, but people were yelling at each other. Anger and hatred gleamed in their eyes.

This is Startribe! It is supposed to be a place of peace for the afterlife! What has caused this mayhem?

Then, at the edge of the clearing, I saw the brindle haired woman. Brindle? I asked.

The brindle haired woman shook her head and I cocked mine. I head off in confusion. She trotted over, obviously crawling through the brush.

She reached me. "No little one," she whispered. "I am not your brindle friend, I am indeed her sister. Am I special to you? I am not sure. I feel it is not right to tell you yet."

I shook my head, my thoughts were blurry and I was having trouble keeping my thoughts straight. Tell me what? I asked groggily.

She stroked me. "Nothing little child. But I have given you something. I have given you the power of remembrance. Like Jay, Thundertribe's great healer, you can see the thoughts of people. The only difference is that you can search their minds for the truth, not see what they are thinking now."

I nodded slowly, my brain seemed be become less fuzzy.

"Now my child, go and try your new power, let all of your wishes be answered."

My child? What does she mean by that? I wondered. I immediatly tried to skim her mind, but she smiled and shook her head. "Little one, anyone can warn off people trying to skim their minds if they know it is happening."

I snorted and nodded. I then turned and looked into Fire's mind. I had heard stories about Fire, so I felt more confident.
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A hazy breeze stirred the leaves and a calm scuttle of prey nosed in the bushes.

I saw a huge tribe of people. A horrible stench flooded my nose. It was the Thundertribe camp. Where is the hollow? All of the legends talk about a huge hollow in which Thundertribe lives in. Not this shallow hollow.

I saw White leading a small ginger haired normal person toward the camp. I watched the scene unravle in front of me.

A black trainee ran into camp, shouting something. He was led over to a sweet smelling den that must have been the healer den. He was followed by the ginger kid that must be Fire and a gray haired man that I was going to guess was the loyal next in line of Thundertribe, Gray.

Spotted strolled out, herbs clapsed in her jaws were swaying in the breeze. She walked over and started treating the trainee. I felt a sudden urge of affection sweep through me, it was so unexpected that it swept me off my feet.

I looked into Fire's eyes, and saw the affection that I was feeling. Oh mouse dung! I'm getting his thoughts and feelings!

That momment, the sky blackened. Fire was thinking about the moment right now, so I was going to have to go with the flow of his thoughts.

I saw Fire, his eyes were glowing with hatred, sorrow, anger, despair, and depression. I felt the feelings flowing through me like a river of horrified fish. I couldn't see what he was standing over and glaring at, but it must be horrible.

That momment, Fire closed me out of his thoughts. He probably wasn't trying to, but he was trying to push the memories away from everyone, himself included.

I turned to Spotted.

It was the same day. She was treating the cat that I know could identify as Raven. I started listening to the stream of thoughts, instead of ingnoring them as I had done to Fire.

Why, that must be the new normal human Blue is recruiting. Is she right? Is he the fire that will save the tribe? I scrolled back in her thoughts and found her getting the omen. I then scrolled ahead and saw her watching it be fullfilled in Startribe. I went back and watched the thoughts again.

He is most handsome.... but he will make a great improvment to his tribe.

I felt knives retching at her brain as Spotted saught a certain memory. She was watching Fire as he walked across camp. "Fire!" She whispered. "Yes Spotted?"

I felt like a dagger was wrenching my heart. "Fire, I... I just wanted to tell you, that before you came, I recieved an omen. It said that fire would save the tribe."

He stared at her in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"Never mind.... just.... I will see you around." She ran off. I felt like my heart was being torn into pieces. I saw anger and hatred toward herself glowing in her eyes and burning in her heart. I also saw a huge wave of affection rolling off of her.

A moment later, I felt a knife scraping my side. It was no feeling, it was murder! I spun to attack the assasin, but no one was there.

The knife was shredding my skin to pieces! I glanced at Spotted and saw what was happening. I was getting her pain. She was being attacked by a person.

Claw! You fox hearted Shadowtribe fighter!

Spotted's insults rang in my head and I had to close my ears to keep them away.

I squinted my eye once the knife stopped, and I saw Spotted. She was laying on the ground, her life bleeding out of her as quickly as a stream emptying into a river. I felt as if my spirit was running away from my body, so I closed my eyes and let the memories fade away.

I was back in my body, in the Shadowtribe camp. Thank you Startribe! Now I may find out how to cure myself.

I saw a dim glow at the edge of my eyesight. The nursery has an odd light at this time of day... I growled.

I then walked outside to escape the dim rim on my eyes, but I only found the same thing. I need to get help! At this rate, I will not live another year!