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sᴛᴀʀᴄʟᴀɴ ʜᴀs ʟᴇғᴛ

"StarClan is gone forever." The large white tabby cat slammed a wide paw down, ignoring the tingles it sent through his foreleg. Dust floated up from the ground upon impact, sparkling like stardust. Slanting sunlight peeked through the cracks in the boulders surrounding the den.

Light brown tabby splashes on his coat were now visible in the light, and the second cat - with the sweet, warm scent of a she-cat - stepped out from the shadows. "I can't just give up my connection with StarClan," she growled, and the brightness of noon lit up her eyes, a sharp amber. Her pelt was golden in the sun, and the tomcat squinted from the reflection that dazzled his blue-grey eyes, like those of the sun stretching across a pristine lake.

The golden she-cat shook her head in disbelief before continuing. "How will I train medicine cats? Jumpkit was going to be my apprentice!" Her eyes glistened with emotion, her words choked off. "Please . . . please, Valleystar, I beg you. . . ."

"Never," the tomcat snarled, lashing his tail. It caught on the medicine cat's face like a whip and she whimpered. "Never," he repeated, relishing his words. "I'm doing this for the Clan." He rubbed his paws against the hard-packed dirt ground, unsheathing his claws and re-sheathing them over and over again, letting them scratch lightly against the ground. "I need to tell the Clan, Bristleburn."

Bristleburn let out an agonized groan of anger. "Why?!" she cried, leaping to her paws, her shoulder fur bristling and her teeth bared. Her eyes flared with the ferocity of a wildfire, a warrior-like tendency that peppered the medicine cat at desperate times.

"Because, they killed Muddymoon, Jumpkit, Whitemilk, and Drizzlekit. They struck down a maple tree on way to the Star Falls as well, might I add. They obviously don't want ValleyClan to contact them." Valleystar's eyes filled with pain. "If they didn't kill Drizzlekit, my own kit, then maybe everything else might've been an accident. They mean harm, I know it." He paced around the den, his breathing ragged and heavy.

Bristleburn watched helplessly as he lifted his head with a determined expression across his face and pounded out of the den, his paws throwing up dust in his wake. A bengal tomcat poked his head into the den.

"Did you make him mad?" he asked, craning his neck backwards to look over his shoulder at the leader.

Bristleburn heaved a sigh as the tomcat's head temporarily disappeared from view. Anger was pulsing through her veins as well as . . . fear. "I-I didn't. I don't think so. But . . . I really should let him say. You should be more worried about Bearkit and Sablekit anyway," she added with a flick of her tail.

"Why?" Acornrustle snapped. "They're doing good."

"Just because. . . . I don't know. I'm under a lot of pressure, okay?" Her eyes blazed with fury but she quickly suppressed it, grimacing as the sun stung her eyes. Acornrustle shouldn't have to deal with my anger. Shifting her position slightly so that she was not being blinded, Bristleburn thrust a paw at the ground, scuffing it, not looking up at the Clan deputy.

Acornrustle shifted uncomfortably, his paws restless. "Er - sorry."

"ValleyClan come together!" a loud yowl broke through the awkward moment. Bristleburn gulped, knowing what was next but Acornrustle's eyes were bright with curiosity as he darted out of the den.

Bristleburn followed hesitantly, avoiding the Clan's eyes as she stepped among them. Glancing back at the traditional leaders' den, she nibbled nervously on her lip, throwing a disgusted glance at Valleystar, who was now in front of the den with the Clan faced towards him. He bunched his hind legs, the muscles visible beneath his long pelt, and took a great leap towards a tree that stood beside his den. He landed easily on a thick branch nearest to the bottom of the tree, about six or more fox-lengths from the ground.

"We are a newer Clan," Valleystar began. Bristleburn closed her eyes, trying not to wail as she waited for what was next. Valleystar paused, his green gaze sweeping across the assembled cats as he carefully chose his next words. "But StarClan has left us."

As expected, the Clan started yowling in anger and protest, some confused, others refusing to believe their ears. The only elder, Bunnyear, frowned and nudged her neighbour. "Is my hearing bad, or - ?"

"Your hearing is perfect," Valleystar protested. "You just can't wrap your claws around the truth!" He waved his long tail for silence, but the shouting grew louder. "For the love of StarClan, be quiet!" he snarled, but at that, Bristleburn got to her paws and glared at him. He glared back, amber clashing with green.

"You can't say that!" she yowled. "I thought you said StarClan was gone! You can't stand there and use those sacred words if you are trying to force us off of them! How dare you. If you weren't my Clan leader, I would bat you over the ears." Her lip curled in undisguised disgust and she snorted humourlessly. "I would leave the Clan this instant, but you would all wilt away like dying flowers from a sickness if I wasn't here to help you. It's the truth and nobody can say anything against it, can they?"

"You can't leave!" Fallowdawn protested. "We need you." Bristleburn turned her intense gaze on the white she-cat.

"If you don't need StarClan, why would you need me? I am guided by StarClan. I was taught how to use herbs by StarClan, since we are a new Clan and no other cat had the right experience to teach me." She lifted her chin defiantly, sadness creeping into those glowing amber orbs that were her eyes. They were like miniature suns, but now that she was deflating, it seems like a cloud had passed over them.

For a moment it seemed like Valleystar wouldn't have an answer. Then he dipped his head, meowing softly, "Very well." He lifted his head to gaze stoically over the Clan. "From now on, talking about StarClan, or even mentioning StarClan, is banned." He looked away from the resentful faces of his Clanmates.

"This c-can't happen," Acornrustle mewed fervently. "I must b-be dreaming or something." His eyes were trained on Valleystar, staring at him as if he didn't know him for his whole life. "This can't be my best f-f-friend from when we were on the streets as kits." He started to whimper, and the spell that had made the Clan freeze was lifted.

Bunnyear wailed, a chilling sound that made Bristleburn's fur stand on edge, and her Clanmates gasped, cried, and cursed Valleystar. A scruffy dark brown kit caught Bristleburn's eye. She blinked, turning her head to look at his sad eyes. He was staring straight at her, his little mouth agape, as if he couldn't believe what was happening. His sister, a sleek bengal, glared at Valleystar hatefully beside him.

Bearkit and Sablekit.

The golden-furred medicine cat crumpled to the ground, feeling as if a loved one had passed. I know, Bearkit, she thought weakly as cats pressed around her, breathing hard and raising their voices to StarClan, the cats that were now banned in ValleyClan.

We became a Clan with StarClan's help. . . .

If StarClan is gone now, then how will we ever be able to survive?