[aquila]

history

A CATALYST

Ages ago, there lived four clans peacefully in a land that had almost been shaped for them. Green-leaf was long, leaf-bare was mild, and no cat ever went hungry because of how abundant the land was. There was little war, disease was a memory, and every cat could easily list the reasons as to why they were content with life. It was an era of peace and prosperity.

The prosperity had to end at some point. On a fateful day in New-Leaf, many cats reported looking up at the sky and noticing streaks of fire flying over the sky. Many thought nothing of it, but as the streaks continued to color their sky red, panic began to bubble in their throats. The clans had no idea what to do; Starclan was silent, and no amount of asking and praying could make them explain what was going on. The cats began to dub it the Claws of the Dark Forest and full-blown hysteria took a hold of the clans, up until they heard a great thunderous crash sound in their territory. One of the streaks had fallen from the sky and pierced their land, ravaging the earth and tearing into rock and trees like a beast. Many more streaks fell that day, and many cats died from it, being crushed under unidentifiable objects that they could not have prevented.

The next week was a week full of natural disasters; there were blizzards, heat waves, thunder storms, day after day. The clans believed that Starclan was punishing them, and many cats left their clan to escape the land, while others stayed in hope that Starclan would save them. No help ever came, and the weather continued to fluctuate from extreme to extreme until the night of the gathering. No one came to the gathering out of fear, especially when they saw more streaks appear overhead and light up the night sky with angry talons of red. A newfound terror gripped the remaining survivors and they began to say goodbye to those that were still alive, for they feared for their lives.

Now, only one giant streak fell, and it landed in the spot of their gathering place. One cat from each clan was sent to investigate; Thicketflower from Forestclan, Willowheart from Shoalclan, Lightcloud from Cliffclan, and Galefeather from Meadowclan. When the party of brave heroes reached the site of destruction, each one took turns in trying to figure out the effects of the massive, steaming object embedded in the ground. Thicketflower, the bravest of them all, touched her nose to the surface of the objects rugged, multi-colored surface, and the other cats reported seeing her levitate off the ground and explode in a stream of pure light. Seeing that Thicketflower remained unharmed after the fact, Willowheart, Lightcloud, and Galefeather each did the same, and each experienced the same burst of light. Once affected, each found that they had abilities that they could not have possessed before. Thicketflower had incredible control over the plants around her, Willowheart could whisper to the water and make it bend to her every wish and will, Lightcloud could singe the trees around him with the click of his tongue, and Galefeather could bring forth winds and electricity to the likes of which no cat had ever seen before.

Shocked by their discoveries, each returned to their clans and made sure to spread their story to every cat would listen. The clans, inspired by these stories, travelled to the gathering place and touched their noses to the strange artifact, which they had named the Starstone. Each cat returned with abilities over the world around them, and some even returned with abilities that controlled the elements which they could not see. With these newfound abilities and a rigor that had never been ignited before, the clans worked together and used their abilities to push back the Armageddon and preserve the lives of those that were left. The cats who survived the entire ordeal went back into normal life with the new found sense of happiness and joy because they survived an event they never thought they would survive.

The next problem the new clans faced was the fact that their entire territory was destroyed. Smoke pealed from the cracked, broken earth in sheets and the ground had lifted and opened holes that could swallow cats whole. The remainder of the clans gathered together and they set of on an exodus, no body complaining and no body mourning those lost because they had escaped with their own lives. There would be time to make graves later.

A moon passed before the clans found a territory suitable for their needs, having followed a great star that Starclan had raised just for them. The new lands were lush and full of personality and character, because while they weren't perfect, they were unique and charming. The cats present divided themselves into four groups; the first group was made up of those who could control fire and light, and they settled in the north west. The second group could control water and identity, and they settled in the south. The third could control earth and space, and they went to settle in the south east. the last group could control air and time, and they settled in the north east. These new clans appointed the four cats who had initially touched the Starstone as leaders and they named their clans Lightclan, Willowclan, Thicketclan, and Galeclan respectively.

The clans live in a time of peace and prosperity now, but it's only a matter of time before something happens again.

MEL @ ADOXOGRAPHY