A New Sun Rises

[Seraphinu]

Whitepaw was pressing more cobweb into a rather nasty score on Silverripple's shoulder, trying her best to be gentle. The tabby tom moaned softly, and winced in pain. The little white apprentice gave a small sigh of hopelessness, despair at the state of her adopted Clan beginning to creep slowly into her heart. The sun was already rising over the hills and spreading light throughout the camp. She had been up all night tending to the wounded warriors with Moontears at her side.

Flowerbreeze poked her nose out from the nursery, her ears quivering in excitement. "They're back!" she cried, and Whitepaw turned to look in the direction of the Moonpool. Sunstorm- or, Sunstar, she mentally corrected in her head, was approaching from the north, slowly putting one paw in front of the other, as though each step was a tremendous effort. Pantherfang was beside her, like a shadowed sentinel, ready to steady her if she faltered. The light of the dawn softly accented the orange of her fur with the subtlest of pinks and golds, making her look even more striking and beautiful, even though every inch of her depicted weariness and the weight of her new responsibilities as leader.

The two eventually reached the shallow scoop of ground that was WindClan's camp. Whitepaw wondered if the blood would ever wash away from the ground. She rushed up to meet her new leader, and dipped her head respectfully. Sunstar gave a heavy sigh.

"I have returned," she said simply, and then gazed past Whitepaw to Jaystar's body, which had been groomed clean and scented with herbs to hide the stale stench of death. She padded slowly past the apprentice, and thrust her nose into Jaystar's cold fur one more time.

"I will miss you, my love. I will protect WindClan in your stead," she whispered, she turned to face her Clan, her eyes steady with purpose. It was immediately obvious that it was time to bury the fallen leader, and Sunstar could not do it alone.

[Magicheart]

Pantherfang gazed at the small medicine cat, his eyes dulled with exaughstion and grief. He took a step forward and faltered, his front shoulder dipping under his weight. He gritted his teeth in a snarl of frustration and heaved himself back upwards, padding steadily over to Jaystar's body beside Sunstar.

Moontears began to walk over to the large black warrior, but Pantherfang sent him a warning glance. The tribecat bent his ears back slightly and backed away, hoping that he hadn't injured the warrior's pride or incurred his anger, but knowing that he should probably insist on looking him over.

Pantherfang faught to keep his head clear from the dizzying fog that seemed to be clouding it. He hadn't told anyone in the clan about the deep gash in his ribs, the matted blood nearly invisible in his black fur. He glanced down at the wound, seeing some fresh blood. I must have opened it on the way home. He thought to himself. Another wave of dizziness passed over him, and he felt his legs buckle, but stood standing. He looked around camp, wishing he could see Sparrowpaw, or Rainfeather's reassuring gaze or smile, and a pain worse than any battle gash seared his chest.
Where was Russettail? Where was Phoenixpaw? Perhaps the two were out together. Together.

The warriors legs buckled again, and without the strength to fight it, the warrior fell to the ground next to his fallen leader. the black bobtail struggled to keep his eyes open. All sounds seemed to blur into a dull noise- white paws were running towards him- and then the world went black.

[Seraphinu]

"No!" she cried, her golden eyes widening in horror. She rushed to him, nudging his shoulder with her head, as though pushing him to his feet would erase everything. Whitepaw skittered over, almost tripping over her own paws, and began to sniff him. How she had managed to miss the gash in his chest... how had anyone missed it?

Guilt washed over Sunstar. She had let him escort her, believing he was the strongest warrior in her Clan. But the the reality was that he had needed his medicine cats more than the rest of them. And she knew he knew it.

"Why, Pantherfang?" She whispered. Unable to move, she couldn't stop staring at the two black cats before her, laying next to her, one of them dead, the other barely breathing. Whitepaw had vanished, returning with a pile of herbs and cobweb. Her paw quickly went to work, not waiting for her new mentor to come and help her.

"Pantherfang, you can't leave me, too! I need you!" it would have been a shout, if not for all the pain and exhaustion that seemed to come rolling back to her in waves. Tears ran unbidden down her face, a face twisted in despair. This came as a heavy blow to her already shattered heart, one that, through Pantherfang's strength, she thought might have begun to heal.

"Pantherfang, please don't leave. WindClan needs you, too," Whitepaw whispered as she pressed cobweb to his bleeding chest, not knowing if she'd have enough to stabilize such a large wound.

Rainfeather, Sparrowpaw, if you can hear me, please give Pantherfang the strength and will to return, Whitepaw prayed.

[Magicheart]

It's not your time yet, brother.
A starry tom that looked exactly like Pantherfang, but smaller and with golden eyes appeared.
I am tired, Twilight. This forest isn't home to me anymore. I want to be with my mate. I want to be with my daughter. All I have left is Eclipsedstar, and I could not bear to watch him die. Let me walk in the stars with you.
Twilight's golden eyes were deeply saddened. Yes, Shadow. You have lost much, and I am sorry. But, the forest needs you. You need to feel complete, Pantherfang. You cannot join Starclan empty and unfulfilled. Your clan needs you. Your new leader needs you. Twilight stressed.

Pantherfang tensed and dug his claws into the black night, starry dust twinkling out as though from a wound. "Why do I feel for her the same way I did when Rainfeather was young?" He cried in agony. "Rainfeather only just died. She was the one I protected. How could I ever try to replace her?" He buried his face in his arm.
So that is why you want to be here. Loving another doesn't make you disloyal to Rainfeather, Pantherfang. You cannot choose to die to keep yourself from loving someone else.

Pantherfang's body tensed again. He wanted to scream that he didn't love her, but He couldn't say it. The words felt cold on his tongue. He dug his claws into the sky again, but there was nothing to hold onto. He let out a cry of agony.
Twilight walked over and touched his nose to his brother's forehead. It's time for you to go back, Pantherfang.
The warrior raised his head and saw the wispy forms of Sparrowpaw and Rainfeather standing behind Twilight. It's not your fault, Pantherfang. Rainfeather said sternly, but gently. You protected us a long time. There will be things that you will need to do and if we were still alive, your ability to do them would be compromised. We will always be watching over you and Eclipsedstar. His old mate stepped closer and lowered her head to his. I know where your heart lies. No one could ever have loved me the way you did. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. She whispered, pressing her face against his.

Pantherfang jolted awake. The difference of the sandy colored ground to the black starry world he had been in stung his eyes. He looked into Sunstar's wet eyes. "I came because you needed me." he whispered. "And I will stay until you no longer do." The warrior closed his eyes and winced slightly as he felt Moontears press more cobweb into his side.

[Seraphinu]

Sunstorm felt weak with relief when Pantherfang snapped back to consciousness, almost falling over if Silverripple hadn't been at her side to steady her. She glanced over at the tabby tom, who looked very strained from his injuries.

"I'm fine. Go rest," she told him sternly. He nodded, limping a bit away to give her some room. She blinked away the cold tears in her eyes, smiling down at Pantherfang. Suddenly she was confused by the emotions whirling inside her. She tried to convince herself that she would react like this if any of her Clan were this close to death- but she wasn't sure if it was true. Did she love Pantherfang? What about Jaystar? Could she forget him so soon? She wasn't sure what to think, what to feel. Everything was beginning to overwhelm her.

She managed a weak smile at him. "You'll have to stay alive for a while then," she meowed, stifling a small purr. She then felt a wave of exhaustion pass over her, which Whitepaw's keen blue eyes didn't miss.

"You all need to rest. Sunstar, you should go sleep. I'll wake you before Moonhigh, so you can name WindClan's new deputy," she advised. Sunstar was loath to leave them, but she did as she was told, moving slowly to where the leader's den was, curling up outside of it.

Take heart Sunstar. It is never unwise to love. Jaystar's love for you did not leave when he joined StarClan. Love never leaves this world, but is reborn, in the form of new love, she heard Cloudrain's voice as her mind drifted, but didn't quite hear the words she whispered. Her mind was a fog of confused feelings.

[Magicheart]

"Our warriors in the mountains aren't this stubborn." Moontears whispered under his breath to Whitepaw. "It's probably because our leader is the medicine cat. Warriors tend to listen a bit more then." he continued as he put his weight on Pantherfang's wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

Pantherfang turned and shifted his weight, almost causing Moontears to fall over. "I may be stubborn, but I'm not deaf." Pantherfang warned, lifting his head to look at the mountain cat. "Is Sunstar alright? I couldn't have thought of a worse time to have to make the journey to Moonpool." he asked Whitepaw, laying his head back down and closing his eyes for a moment.

Suddenly, Whitepaw's words to Sunstar processed in his mind. Before you name a new deputy.
Would she choose him? Was this why Starclan wanted him to live? Rainfeather and Russettail had been surprised when he had been passed up as clan deputy from past clan leaders, but Pantherfang was never sure he wanted to be deputy. It made it feel like all ties to his old life would be completely severed. [/i]Is that such a bad thing?[/i] he thought. If I were deputy, I would be in a better place to protect Sunstar. he thought.

Be deputy?. he wasn't sure what to think. He opened his eyes and lifted his head. "I need to talk to Sunstar." he meowed, making a move to get to his feet.

[Seraphinu]

Whitepaw placed a paw firmly upon Pantherfang's chest, trying to stop him from getting up, disregarding the sheer difference in their sizes.

"The time for talk is not now. You both need to rest. Sunstar will choose the right deputy," she tried to reassure him. She wondered if Sunstar would choose Pantherfang as the new deputy. Would she be willing to subject him to the same pain she had felt? she asked herself.

[Magicheart]

Pantherfang widened his eyes slightly, alarmed that the small medicine cat apprentice had read his thoughts. He then narrowed his eyes and sighed. He didn't like having other cats sharing his thoughts. "It's a big decision" he said softly. "Our clan will be disturbed for a long time after what we saw today. Stars can be just as vulnerable as any other cat." he meowed only so the two medicine cats could hear him.

[Seraphinu]

Whitepaw sighed.

"I know you are worried. But you must believe that she will show good judgment in who she needs by her side," she replied.

"If WindClan is known for one thing, it is that we are enduring," she added, touching her tail to Pantherfang's powerful shoulder. "I have learned that much in the short time I have lived here," she whispered softly, glancing over to where Sunstar lay, asleep, looking slightly comfortable for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

[Magicheart]

Pantherfang sighed again. He knew she was right. "It seems like I can't protect anyone anymore." he whispered, his heart aching knowing that Lostclan was a warped manifestation of a once noble vision to find his brother and have his own clan.

[Seraphinu]

"Keep telling yourself that and it will most certainly come true," Whitepaw scolded, but her gaze glimmered with sympathy for him. She felt rather the same way about all these injured cats. Warily she pushed some poppy seed towards him.

"This will help ease the pain," she meowed. Even though some pain cannot be helped with medicine, she added in her mind. She knew it wasn't just physical ache that ailed him. He was still hurting from the loss of his mate and daughter. She had a feeling that loss would bring Sunstar and Pantherfang close together. Her keen eyes hadn't missed that.

Be at ease, Whitepaw. We are watching over you, always, she heard Cloudrain's voice at her ear, and felt comforted by the presence of StarClan. They trusted her, even though they knew where she came from. She heard Cloudrain's purr of laughter.

History has shown us, dear Whitepaw, that heritage does not preordain or decide one's fate, she chided.

[Magicheart]

Moontears glanced at Whipaw with his deep blue eyes. "You were somewhere else just now." he said. "I could see it in your eyes....can you....can you see or hear them....all the time?" he asked curiously. In the tribe, it seemed that the leader was only brought visions in his cave...

Pantherfang lapped up the seeds. "You should look after the others." he meowed, shifting his weight and closing his eyes. "I've survived much worse than this."

[Seraphinu]

"Only when they want to talk to me," Whitepaw answered. It had frightened her at first, the voices, hearing them at unexpected moments. But now she was used to it, and the presence of StarClan brought her great comfort.

"I usually only see them in my dreams, but when they contact me in the waking world, I feel them and hear their voices. When they're with me, I feel safe," she went on.

"Maybe they'll talk to you too sometime," she offered, glancing up from her final inspection of Pantherfang's wounds.

"We should check on Pebblestep and her kits," She meowed, rising quickly to her paws, and made off for the nursery. Silverripple and Eagleleaf were stationed outside it. Whitepaw's whiskers twitched in amusement at their antics. It gave her a warm feeling that these two toms were so devoted to protecting their mates. They both nodded to Whitepaw and Moontears' when they saw their approach, stepping aside to allow their entrance.

[Magicheart]

Moontears glanced at her with awe. "I hope they do." he meowed. "Even though I am from the mountains....do you think they will?" he asked, hoping that the warrior ancestors from this land would accept him.

[Mossheart]

Silently, Mossheart walked upon the scene of turmoil and pain, her head lowered in the despair she felt for her one time Clan. She had been away for so long...was it even possible that they would recognize her much less remember her? There was a great pain in her heart for her fallen Clan mate and she feared she had come too late to bring the peace she had hoped for.

Unknowing of recent events, Mossheart decided to be brave now and come forth to the Warrior she so vaguely remembered, but remembered none the less. "Sunstorm." she said quietly, trying to bring her attention. "Do you remember me...?" she asked hopefully.