Graystar's Tyranny

100th Page. :D

Written by Eagleclaw

My FanFiction.net Account: https://www.fanfiction.net/~ukeagleclaw

Author's Notes
Happy new year everyone! A rare treat is below, a prologue for a new story I’ve been working on. There’s a typo in there, but I thought I’d keep it in there to see reactions. It’s fairly easy to find. Hope you enjoy it!

Prologue
Sunshine heated Graystripe’s thick gray fur as he dozed peacefully on highrock. It was now late leaf-bare, and the sun had seemingly ended the cold, and the frost that commonly arrives in leaf-bare.

Firestar still hadn’t returned, and Graystripe wondered if he ever would. Nothing much had happened in Firestar’s absence. The Clans were now at peace following the battle with BlogClan. Occasionally, the leaderless band of rogues would cause trouble at the twolegplace border, but they’d be quickly repelled by a patrol of ThunderClan warriors. Other than that all the Clans were at peace with one another. He couldn’t remember the last time that there had been so little conflict. Instead of solving problems with claws, they would talk if any disputes arose. Finally, the Clans were at peace.

Undertaking his new leadership duties, he examined the ThunderClan camp from his position on highrock. Graystripe spotted that the sun was now at its highest point. It warmed up the frosty leaf-bare day. Most warriors were now out on either battle or hunting patrols. Longtail guarded the camp entrance, standing out of view beyond the dense bramble wall. Ferncloud kept an eye on the kits as they scurried around camp, trying to catch a moss-ball. The elders of the camp, Speckletail, Goldenflower, Frostfur, and Dappletail were gossiping outside their tree stump den in the sparkling sun-light.

Graystripe was just about to leap off highrock and go out hunting himself when a stampede of cats came rushing through the gorse tunnel. He tensed, as he leapt off highrock. He was alarmed at the appearance of the cats, but soon recognised the pelts of his Clanmates, a long-haired white tom, a golden brown tabby tom, a pale gray tom, as well as a smaller dark gray tom. Cloudtail, Brackenfur, Ashfur, and Rainpaw stood before him. He padded cautiously closer to them, wondering what was wrong. They all stood panting, and they trembled. However, it wasn’t from the cold. He gave them several heart-beats to calm themselves.

“Great StarClan! What happened?” he exclaimed. Now that he was closer, he realised that each cat’s fur stood on end; also Rainpaw’s head was bowed, and Cloudtail’s bushy white tail darted sporadically from side-to-side.

“There... There was something... Something at Snakerocks.” Trembled Brackenfur, he was unable to meet his former mentor’s gaze. What in StarClan had happened? He reflected in horror.

A sudden mew sounded in Graystripe’s ear, “You can talk to them later, Graystripe, about what happened. For now, they need some thyme and poppy seeds to combat the shock.” Cinderpelt had hurried over as fast as she could after hearing the stampede of paws. She commendably led the patrol towards her den. If she was worried about their current state, she didn’t let it show.

Ferncloud had also drifted over from where she was watching the kits. “Ashfur, are you okay?” she gasped in surprise.

Ashfur failed to reply as he slowly walked over to the medicine cat’s den, Ferncloud attempted to follow, but Cinderpelt warned her off as they entered the fern tunnel leading to her den. “Sorry, Ferncloud. It’ll be cramped enough with five cats, you can check on him later.”

Ferncloud looked dejected, but she respected Cinderpelt’s position as medicine cat, and went back to watching the kits.

The elders had stopped sharing tongues. Now, they looked alarmed as they saw the ragged patrol heading into the medicine cat den.

“Can anything be worse than BloodClan?” uncertainty gripped Goldenflower’s mew.

“Surely, not?” sighed Dappletail in reply.

“Well, when has a patrol ever returned like that,” responded Frostfur, worry etched across her muzzle, turning it gray.

“StarClan save us,” rasped Speckletail.

Whatever had happened at Snakerocks, it’d been bad enough to scare his Clanmates into near-silence. Brackenfur had only managed a few mews! The experience could scar young apprentice, Rainpaw, forever. ThunderClan couldn’t leave this threat unchecked. It could easily attack them at a moment’s notice. If it had managed to make four cats flee in terror, it would be better for one cat to go alone. In that moment, he realised that he’d go. Without further hesitation, he scrambled out of the camp and up the ravine, heading towards Snakerocks.

--- SCENEBREAK ---

The sun had now begun to drop, making Graystripe feel colder. A chilling breeze sliced through his fur as he walked towards Snakerocks in silence.

During his moment of solitude, he thought more of his lost friend, Firestar. In Firestar’s absence, Graystripe had eased into leadership duties. He recounted the first gathering, following Firestar’s departure. Blackstar had laughed that Firestar had abandoned his Clan, naming him a hypocrite. Leopardstar said nothing, but a treacherous glint decorated her eyes. Tallstar had supported Graystripe, saying that Firestar must have left for a good reason. Maybe, Tallstar was right? Although, he still constantly missed his friend and longed for his return. Worse still, he worried that he’d never return. A side of him was mad at Firestar for abandoning his Clan, but they’d been through so much together that he would instantly forgive him.

Thunder flashed in his mind, as he remembered everything him and Firestar had been through over the past few seasons. He first met Firestar back when he was a kittypet called Rusty. Having no littermates, he was naturally more eager to make friends, but he didn’t expect to become such good friends with a former kittypet. Rusty soon became an apprentice within ThunderClan. His new name was Firepaw, and he protected his adopted Clan with everything he had, quickly becoming a warrior in unmatched time. Firepaw became Fireheart, and he became Graystripe.

Soon after this, they brought WindClan back to the moor. He shuddered as he recalled. They were fighting a RiverClan patrol too close to the edge of the cliff, and Whiteclaw fell into the gorge. Graystripe still felt responsibility for the warrior’s death, but he’d come to accept that warriors always risked death protecting their Clan in battle.

His heart plummeted, soon after that Silverstream saved him from drowning. In the moons that followed, he began to secretly meet Silverstream; they were the best moons of his life. Like a pebble sinking in a river, his heart sunk as he recounted the moons after. The love of his life, Silverstream, died giving birth to his kits at Sunningrocks.

The secret was out, and the kits belonged to RiverClan. He was heartbroken to leave ThunderClan but knew that he couldn’t let his kits grow up without a father; losing their mother would have been bad enough for them. He pictured Feathertail and Stormfur in his mind now, he was extremely proud of the cats that they have become, loyal to RiverClan until their last breath. Shame it couldn’t have been ThunderClan, but he admitted that they belonged to Silverstream’s Clan. They both possessed qualities of their mother that made them great at swimming and hunting fish. They weren’t suitable for hunting in the undergrowth, thought Graystripe. However, much he loved his kits; he was a ThunderClan cat through and through. Eventually, he returned to ThunderClan.

Fireheart comforted him after Silverstream’s death, and he did the same after Bluestar’s death. Most recently, he stood side-by-side with his friend, now Firestar, in the battle against BloodClan, becoming deputy after Whitestorm’s terrible death. The sight of Snakerocks made him snap out of his memories. He immediately sensed that something was wrong. An eerie sound echoed from Snakerocks. Nothing, nothing was there apart from the darkened rocks. The sound he’d heard was gone. All that lay there was a golden kittypet collar, it was entrenched with lines of even brighter gold that glowed with an intensity, he hadn’t seen before.

He prodded the collar with a paw suspiciously, flashing luminously; a beautiful silver figure arose from the glow. “Silverstream,” he gasped in disbelieve.

The love of his life had returned to him. Her scent soothed him, making him feel like he could achieve anything. Why had she appeared? What power did this mysterious collar have?

“Hello, my love,” she soothed, “Graystripe, Firestar has abandoned you.” Her blue eyes rhythmically met Graystripe’s.

“What do you mean?” he replied in shock. Had his friend really abandoned him?

“He’s gone,” she softly mewed, “There was nothing StarClan could have done to save him.”

“But... I... No... He... Can’t be dead...” wailed Graystripe like a new-born kit. Had his friend died? How? But, why would Silverstream lie? He didn’t know what to think. He just froze in shock. His mouth hung open. He just stood there, staring at his beautiful mate who’d returned to deliver such terrible news.

“I’m sorry Graystripe, but Firestar is dead. Think of your Clan, my love. Think of ThunderClan, they need a leader, a leader who’s strong and will do what’s right.” Silverstream edged towards him, teasing him with her overpowering scent, and purred, “My love, you must be the leader of ThunderClan.”

Graystripe trembled at her touch. She was dead wasn’t she? She’s supposed to be a memory, but he still loved her with all his heart. He couldn’t refuse her, maybe she’s right. I am the next leader of ThunderClan?

“I’ll do it,” he stammered, his voice gained further conviction; “I’ll do it for you, for ThunderClan, and for Firestar.”

She twinned her tail with his and leaned forwards in a loving embrace. “I’ll always be with you, my love, if you wear the collar,” she soothed, “Now you can become the great leader you are destined to be!”

Silverstream picked up the collar in her paws, and wrapped it around Graystripe’s neck. Without thinking, Graystripe let Silverstream wrap the glowing collar around his neck, accepting his destiny. She rubbed her muzzle against his in an act of affection. This is for all the cats we’ve lost.

A passionate purr shock Silverstream’s throat, “You will unite the Clans, ushering in a new era of peace across the Clans. You can decide the future. You can stop the bloodshed, Graystripe, and I’ll right alongside you.”

Author's Notes
Hope you enjoyed my mysterious prologue, all should be revealed soon. Feel free to give me your thoughts and predictions.

Again mega thanks for reading & Happy New Year! :D