Jadedwolves: Sky Feather’s Rebirth

# ~Sky Feather’s Rebirth~

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•~A Jadedwolves story~•

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*Dedicated to Blue Raven Wiki. Thank you for inspiring me to open my wings and take flight into the land of story-writing again.*

# *Prologue*

*“Come on!* We’ve nearly got it!”  Acorn Paws squealed. “Hurry up, fraidy-paws! You do want to catch the rabbit, don’t you?” “Yeah!” Sky Feather agreed, running alongside her littermate. “Coming!” Falling Leaves said as they bounded after the rabbit, following it through thorn bushes, thistles, and Acorn Paws stepped on a burr. “Wait. Where’s Oak Branch and Violet Sun?” Acorn Paws asked, panting. “I think we might have gone too far,” Sky Feather said nervously. “Oh, yes. So you have.” said a giant black wolf. The wolf bared his teeth. “You’re in my territory, Flaming Bird wolves. Get out and I’ll spare your miserable lives.” “No. This isn’t your territory. It doesn’t have your scent on it.” Acorn Paws said bravely. “If anything, it’s Jadedwolf territory. It has Jade Eyes’ scent all over the place.” Sky Feather was unsure how she knew that, but she said it anyway. The dark wolf’s eyes burned with fury. “How could *you* possibly know that?” He roared. Then he looked at Acorn Paws and Falling Leaves. “Leave. I’m taking this one.” He growled. Falling Leaves nodded and started to pad away, but Acorn Paws stood there firmly. “I’m not going to leave.” “Acorn Paws-?” Falling Leaves began to ask, but Acorn Paws shook his head. “No. Go tell the others what happened. And- and give mom our gifts.” Acorn Paws said, his voice shaking a bit on the last sentence. Acorn Paws gave Falling Leaves his acorn top. “Now go.” The giant black wolf clawed Falling Leaves away. Sky Feather watched as Falling Leaves ran away from her and Acorn Paws. *I do hope the others are alright.* She shut her eyes tightly. *Something tells me he hasn’t invited us over for some cookies and tea.*

*•~•*

# Chapter 1

*“Go on,* little Flamebirds.” The dark wolf, who Sky Feather later discovered that his name was Black Bear, sneered. “Go bring some more rabbits for me. 20 isn’t enough. And remember, this land is surrounded by water. If you try to escape, you’ll have to overcome an entire sea.” Acorn Paws stepped forward and met Black Bear’s gaze. “You said 15 earlier.” Acorn Paws said bravely. Black Bear flexed his claws in and out. “I changed my mind. Wolves do that, you know.” *“Especially the ones you trust the most.”* Black Bear muttered under his breath. “What was that?” Sky Feather asked. “What was what?” Acorn Paws turned towards her, confused. “He said something I couldn't catch.” When Black Bear saw that they were still there, he roared, “JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING??? STOP BEING LAZY AND BRING ME BACK 100 RABBITS, AND YOU BETTER BE BACK BEFORE SUNDOWN!” “Okay, okay!” Sky Feather said. “NOW GO!” Black Bear yowled. Acorn Paws and Sky Feather ran out of the cave as fast as they could. They walked towards the forest, which was surprisingly the place where rabbits were the most abundant. “So. Tomorrow is the day.” Acorn Paws said to Sky Feather. “What day?” Sky Feather said, stalking a rabbit. Acorn Paws smiled. “The Crystaltime.” “Oh!” Sky Feather realized, trapping the rabbit under her paws and delivering a swift killing claw. “The Crystaltime! You know, the day before we get our powers and we live alone for a day?” “Yes, I remember now.” Sky Feather said. “But Black Bear would never let us leave.” Acorn paused. “I heard sometimes the urge is hard to resist.” “Hard to resist?” Feather questioned. “It’s an instinct, or at least, so I’ve heard. You use your powers, which are starting to develop, and run away with your littermates. Shifters shift and allow others to ride on them. Wingeds fly above them. Those with Leafspeak use nearby plants to help them. It feels like a thing you must do.” Acorn Paws explained. Sky Feather was puzzled. “How did you know all of that?” Acorn Paws shrugged. “I don’t know. Anyways, it only happens when the entire litter is together. That’s not going to happen.” Acorn Paws said the last part sadly. “Well, hopefully we escape one day.” Sky Feather said. The two continued chatting until Sunhigh, when they caught all the rabbits Black Bear wanted. “Should we go back?” Sky Feather questioned. Acorn Paws shook his head. “He’s just going to want more. Wait until the sun is about to set.” Acorn Paws gave her a small smile. “He doesn’t know I stored some extras from the last hunting trip. I knew he would want more. I still have about 20 rabbits and squirrels stored in my storage place.” “Alright, what should we do until then?” Sky Feather asked her littermate. “Hunt a bit more? Have a feast? Try to learn to swim?” Acorn Paws suggested. “Let’s learn to swim, in case none of us are Wingeds or Shifters.” Sky Feather woofed. “Race you to the Greatpine near the edge of the island! Three, two, one…” Then they both yowled at the same time, “Go!” They bounded off at about the same time, Acorn Paws about a split second ahead. Acorn Paws was ahead for the first three-quarters of it. *I can’t let Acorn Paws win! He always wins these races!* Sky Feather thought, determined. Then, she remembered that he usually is pretty exhausted by the end of their races. *He’s focused on just going fast, and he’s using up a lot of energy. Look, he’s already starting to slow down.* Acorn Paws was starting to pant, and he was slowly getting a bit slower. Sky Feather forced herself into a rhythm: Back paw onto the ground. Front paw opposite of the paw she just put down onto the ground. Use the back paw to spring forwards and use her front paws to land. Then use her claws to dig into the ground and prepare for another leap. She found herself moving farther with every stride. She was getting faster. Acorn Paws, on the other paw, was getting slower. He was beginning to tire. Then Sky Feather gently slowed down when the Greatpine was getting closer. She stopped and took a deep breath. Acorn Paws was about fifteen  strides behind. Acorn Paws was gasping for breath when he reached the tree. “How- how did you do that?” Acorn Paws said. Sky Feather explained her method to him. “How’d you figure it out?” Acorn asked, impressed. “It- it just felt natural.” Sky Feather looked at the sun. It was nearly sunset. “I think we should go back.” Sky Feather woofed to her littermate. Acorn Paws nodded. “Yes, we probably should.” The two padded back to Black Bear’s den, carrying all 100 of their rabbits. Black Bear was blocking the entryway, his eyes gleaming. “You’re late.” He scoffed. Then, a cloudy-gray female with green eyes ran out of the den. “Sky!” the female said, her eyes bright. Sky Feather realized who this was. “Violet Sun!” Sky Feather smiled. “This wolf has the others trapped here as well!” Violet said. Sky Feather and Acorn Paws padded into the den. Sky Feather stood up straight.  “I have a plan.” “A plan for what?” Violet Sun asked. “A plan for escape?” Oak Branch said hopefully. Sky Feather nodded. “A plan for escape.”

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# Chapter 2

*The next day, Sk*y Feather snuck out of the den right before the crack of dawn. *“You ready?”* Oak Branch whispered to her, his bright eyes gleaming with both excitement and nervousness. Sky Feather nodded. “I’m ready.” *“Okay then, let’s go.”* The two littermates padded towards the edge of the island quietly. *“What happened to Falling Leaves? I didn’t see him with you.”* Sky Feather whispered to Oak Branch. *“Mom tried to rescue us, but she only managed to save Falling Leaves.”* Oak Branch responded. “Okay, let’s do this.” Oak Branch said, the same look in his eyes as earlier. Sky Feather nodded and focused. She felt her fur become feathers and her snout turn into a beak. *“Wow, that looks painful.”* Oak Branch commented. It wasn’t. It was wonderful. It felt like finally getting clean after a long day in the mud. “Remember the plan.” She said while she still could. “Tell Black Bear that I’m missing, and escape while he’s on a rampage trying to look for me. I’ll try to find Wisp and Falling Leaves, and—” “Okay, okay, I know the plan.” Oak Branch interrupted. “Now, let’s go.” Sky Feather tried to respond, but all that came out was “Caw!” Oak Branch looked at her. “Wow! You’re a raven!” Oak Branch said, impressed. “You’re a shifter, Sky Feather!” “Well, with a name like that, I only could be a shifter with a bird morph or a Winged!” Sky would have said lightheartedly. But she couldn’t. She was a bird. And birds don’t speak wolf. But Oak Branch just stepped back. “I heard you!” Oak Branch said, his eyes wide. “Mom told us shifters couldn’t speak when morphed!” Sky shrugged. “Guess I can. Maybe I only said ‘Caw’ since I wasn’t used to the morph yet.” “Yes, maybe. Now, the plan.” Oak Branch said. Sky Feather nodded, and flew away. It was amazing. The sky was big and open, and she could go anywhere she wanted to. She felt the wind blow back her feathers as she flew higher than any other wolf could ever  be. As she flew, she noticed that she had shed one of her feathers. *Oh! It looks exactly like the feather I found the day Black Bear took me.* Sky Feather thought as she watched the feather float its way down. *Wait. My feathers all look like that. What a coincidence, that my feathers and the feather that I found look the same.* She noticed that the sun was starting to set. *I should probably find somewhere to sleep for the night.* Sky Feather thought. *But where? I’m too high up to get down before nightfall.* She noticed a tree in the distance. *There. I’ll rest there.* She flew towards it and fell asleep on one of its branches, without even questioning why there was a tree in the sky.

*•~•*

# Chapter 3

*At dawn, Sk*y Feather awoke, still a raven. “What?” she said, confused. *Oh, wait! Today is my birthday.* She smiled. *I’ll go flying for a bit. Perhaps I’ll find Wisp, or maybe Falling Leaves.* She began to fly and noticed that the tree was growing on an island, a floating island. *That’s pretty cool, although I’ll probably never feel safe again, knowing that huge islands are floating in the sky, ready to drop on us. I should probably see how big the island is.* She started flying to the left and saw two wolves running towards the edge of the island, a russet-patched pup and a white-and-gray-patched she-wolf. *Wisp! And Falling Leaves!* Sky Feather sighed in relief. *I’m glad they're okay.* She watched Falling Leaves chase a rabbit and… *oh no.* Leaves had just run off the edge. In horror, she watched as Leaves fell, just like his name suggests.

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# Chapter 4

*Sky Feather flew over Wisp*, still in her raven form. She flapped in midair for a few seconds. *Wisp is probably miserable, since the only pup she knew was alive has died.* Sky Feather thought, looking at Wisp, who was watching the sunset with a sad look in her eyes. *She needs someone to keep her sane.* She flew onto the oak tree that she had slept on when she first arrived here. *Perhaps that ‘someone’ should be me.* She thought. *No one else can do it. But she must not know that it’s me until the right time. I think I should stay a raven. Black Bear could still be out for revenge.* Sky pondered what to do, and then a thought popped into her head. *Perhaps I can transport my spirit into an egg, and have Wisp raise me again so that she has someone to love. Yes, that is what I will do.* Sky Feather soared over the sky, the stars already beginning to show. *But first, I’ll take a really good flight while I still can. After all, who knows how long it’ll be before I can fly again?*

*•~•*

# Chapter 5

*Sky Feather was flying high above the clouds,* although that was to be expected now, since she lived in a place so high up. The stars shone brightly in the night sky like diamonds embedded inside a piece of huge, black rock. The sky felt endless, and she, too, felt endless, as if she could fly around the world and back. She let out a loud ‘Craww!”, happier than she ever felt she could be. A bald eagle caught her eye. *Oh no.* She had heard two things about bald eagles. One: They are very majestic, which was true, and two: They are birds of prey who sometimes hunt and eat smaller birds, which Sky Feather hoped *wasn’t* true. Sky Feather squeezed her eyes shut. *Oh, by the stars, I hope I don’t die today.* The eagle screeched and began chasing her. Then she felt something new begin to rise in her. It felt powerful and strong and ready to fight. *Is this… is that a new shifting power? If so, then it’s my third. I can transform into a cheetah, a raven, and now… whatever this is.* Sky swooped, dodging an attempt at grabbing her from the eagle. Then, from a distance, she could hear a voice. ***Sky Feather.*** It said. ***Sky Feather, do you hear me?*** The voice sounded both concerned for her safety and brave for them both. Sky Feather dodged another blow from the eagle, ignoring the voice. ***Sky Feather, this is your father, Flaming Bird.*** The voice sounded closer this time, as if they were standing right next to her. “H-how do you know my name?” Sky Feather responded, slightly nervous. The voice seemed to chuckle warmly. ***I’ve been watching over you and your siblings ever since you were born. Anyways, that doesn’t matter right now. Listen to me, and do what I say. Trust me, if you do, that eagle won’t try to mess with you again.*** “O-okay.” Sky Feather replied, slightly nervous. ***Fly over that eagle, and focus on morphing that new morph. And then be prepared. Whatever you do, do not transform back until I say you can.*** Sky Feather nodded and flapped until she was high above the eagle. She focused on transforming, and then she began to fall…

*•~•*

# Chapter 6

*She was a lion*, hurling claws-first on top of an eagle. She landed on the eagle and the eagle was killed by the sheer force of the blow. *Oh. That was cool!* Sky Feather thought. *Butttt I’m still hurling to my death. I’ll try to save myself.* She was about to begin to transform back into a raven, when the voice she now knew was Flaming Bird screeched, ***No! Don’t transform! Whatever you do, do not transform.*** “Why not?” Sky Feather roared. “I’ll die otherwise!” ***No. You won’t.*** Flaming Bird said calmly. “And why exactly do you think that?” She roared. ***I will catch you.*** Sky Feather spotted a bright orange wolf with wings. ***“Land on me.”*** Flaming Bird said, but this time Sky Feather could see that the orange wolf was speaking instead of the sky itself. “Are you the ginger wolf with wings?” Sky questioned. ***“Yes.”*** Flaming Bird responded. *What if I hurt him?* Sky Feather thought. *I don’t want to hurt anyone.* “***It will not hurt me. I am a Moonrunner. It is physically impossible for a Moonrunner to be hurt, unless one’s intention was to hurt or get hurt.”*** Flaming Bird replied. This didn’t comfort Sky Feather at all, but she had no time to argue. She aimed herself onto Flaming Bird’s back, and…

She landed perfectly. “Wow!” Sky Feather yipped. Flaming Bird smiled. ***“That is why the Moonrunners can walk onto the living world. To visit and protect our loved ones.”*** Flaming Bird landed onto Sky Feather’s sleeping tree. ***“I must go now. But remember this. You are never truly alone.”*** Flaming Bird smiled. ***“And please. Take care of my mate. You know what you must do.”*** Flaming Bird added, before flying off into the now rising sun. Sky Feather smiled back. *Yes. I will remember that. I am never* truly *alone.*

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# Epilogue

*Darkness.*

*The inside of the egg was as black as a starless night sky, and Sky Feather didn’t like it at all. She preferred clear skies and a warm, welcoming breeze. Sky Feather felt something hit the side. Cracks. She could see some light coming through them, and she tried pecking them. It cracked more and more and more, and then…*

Light.

*A bright, brilliant, radiant light shone so brightly that it nearly blinded her. She shielded her eyes with her wings. Then, as her eyes adjusted, she saw…*

*A Jadedwolf.*

*Sky Feather smiled.* Mother. *She knew in a space beyond knowing.*

*Sky could sense a small glimmer of hope flickering in the Jadedwolf’s eyes.*

“Hello there, little one.” *The Jadedwolf murmured.*

*Sky Feather smiled.*

“Have you lost your mother, little one? If so, I am sorry. I… have just lost my pups.” *The wolf spread her wings.* “I am Wisp. I… can care for you, if you wish.”

*Sky Feather chirped.* This is what I must do. *She thought.* I must help Wisp get her life back together.

“Your feathers… they look just like the fur of… no, I must be imagining it.” *Wisp stood up and gently picked up Sky Feather.* “I shall call you Falling Feather, after one of my pups.” *Wisp murmured as she gathered moss and set up a place for Sky Feather, now Falling Feather, to rest.*

***Please take care of my mate.*** *Falling Feather heard Flaming Bird say again.*

*She smiled, as much as a bird can smile.* I will, Flaming Bird, I will.

*•~•*

# Epilogue 2

*Wisp pa*ced back and forth. “What should I do, what should I do?” She muttered repeatedly as she paced. Falling Feather swooped over to her and landed on her shoulder. ***What is going on?*** She asked with her small, blue eyes. Wisp sighed and sat down. “Remember when I told you about my dead pups?” Wisp asked the bird, glancing at her shoulder. Falling Feather nodded. *Could it be…?* Falling Feather wondered. Wisp sighed again and looked at the sky, which the rising sun was casting a rosy hue upon. “Something… something’s telling me they’re still out there. Somewhere.” *Waiting for me.* Wisp didn’t say this last part, but, Falling Feather could sense it on the tip of her tongue. Falling Feather blinked and then squeezed her eyes shut. *Is it the right time?* She asked, looking up at the last star in the sky. *Yes.* Flaming Bird’s voice echoed in her mind. Falling Feather nodded and flew off Wisp’s shoulder, landing on the ground in front of her. Wisp looked at her in confusion. “…we were having a conversation.” She murmured under her breath. Falling Feather took a deep breath. ***Be careful. I haven’t done this in a while.*** She told Wisp. Then Falling Feather squeezed her eyes shut and she focused. “Haven’t done wha—?” Wisp began, but Wisp was interrupted by a whirlwind of energy surrounding Falling Feather as feathers fell and fur shot out and Feather grew larger, her tail thicker, and finally… she blinked open her now-wolfish eyes. Wisp gasped. “Sky Feather!” The winged she-wolf rushed over to Feather and wrapped her wings around her. Feather smiled. “Wisp.” She greeted. Wisp took a step back. “Wait… if you’re Sky Feather… that must mean the others are alive!” Wisp shot up in the air and did a flip in the morning sky. She swooped back onto the ground. “Let’s find them.” She said determinedly. Feather nodded, and the mother-daughter team flew off the island for what might be the last time.

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