Sweet Honey

Sweet Honey

"My destiny is bitter, my dreams are sweet..."

This was made by 68.188.167.47 aka Spottedwing.

## Prologue

*The grass was tipped* with white frost, that was shimmering in the moonlight. The snow was still on the treetops glittering in the moon. Branches held up the snow from falling and frost covered the tree.

The lake was frozen with ice that was transparent. Gray clouds were above, and it started snowing. The stone hollow was white, and there was a mottled gray cat in the center.

"You were a great leader," purred a tortoiseshell, "the Clan will miss you," The tortoiseshell closed her eyes, dipping her head. *You will be missed...* A tom padded out of a crevice in the stones. "Spottedwing!" called a the tom.

Spottedwing opened her eyes and glanced at the tom. "Yes, Cloudfur?" asked the small tortoiseshell. Cloudfur came closer to Spottedwing. "It is time for you to leave to get your nine lives," he told her gently.

Spottedwing looked back down at the gray tom, then looked back up at Cloudfur. "I don't want to miss the vigil," she said sadly. Cloudfur blinked slowly. "Maybe if we go now, we can make it back in time for the vigil," he told her.

Spottedwing stood up slowly and shook herself, then nodded. "Mama! Mama! Where are you going?" Spottedwing looked down at her paws and saw four little kits. "Honeykit, Fernkit, Brindlekit, and Sagekit. Go see your father," she told the kits.

"But why?" the kits whined. Spottedwing laughed a little. "I need to go get my nine lives," she told them. "Can we come?" the kits asked. Spottedwing shook head. "No, I'm sorry, but it's okay. Leopardfire will play with you," Spottedwing promised.

"Okay," the kits moped. Then the four fluffy kits ran over to Leopardfire pawing at him. Spottedwing started to laugh, and then she pulled herself together and leapt onto Tallstone.

"Now," Spottedwing started, "before I go, I need to appoint a deputy, I say these words before StarClan, so the spirits of our warrior ancestors hear and approve my choice. The new deputy of ForestClan is Foxwhisker!"

Foxwhisker padded up to Spottedwing. "Thank you for the honor! I will do my best!" he promised. "Foxwhisker! Foxwhisker!" the Clan called. "Watch the Clan for me, Foxwhisker!" called Spottedwing.

Spottedwing padded over to Cloudfur and they walked out of camp. As they walked through the forest the frost shimmered and seemed to lay out a path for the two. Snow was lightly falling and their pawprints were left in the snow.

They came across to the SunClan border, where they crossed gently. Suddenly a black cat jumped out of the bushes. "Why are you trespassing?" growled the cat. Spottedwing went face to face with him.

"Stonestar has died. I am going to receive my nine lives," Spottedwing told him. The cat slunk down. "We will all grieve for Stonestar. May StarClan light your path," the tom meowed.

Spottedwing and Cloudfur padded on until finally reached the Mooncove. They padded into the cove and laid down in front of a pool. "Close your eyes and StarClan will come," Cloudfur intructed.

Spottedwing did as so, soon falling asleep, waiting for StarClan, and her nine lives.

Spottedwing woke in a meadow where she heard a voice. "Welcome, Spottedwing," The voice that had welcomed her seemed to belong to all the cats she knew, that had died, and still it was one voice. "Are you prepared to get your nine lives?" She looked around. "Yes," she answered, "I am prepared,"

A sleek dappled calico she-cat slid out of the crowd and walked over to Spottedwing. *Dapplefur!* Spottedwing immediately recognized her sister, but her dappled pelt wasn't the bloody mess it was when she had watched Duskshadow kill her sister. She was now her young self, with stars in her hazel eyes shimmering.

"Dapplefur!" Spottedwing cried. "I've missed you!"

Dapplefur looked at her sister with loving eyes. "I know, but I have watched you. You have come a long way," Dapplefur padded closer, and when she was close, she touched her nose to Spottedwing's head. It burned her like hot and cold clashing. Her instinct was run, but she was frozen.

"With this life I give you trust," Dapplefur meowed. "Believe in yourself and the Clan, never doubt your instincts,"

Immediately, energy bolt through Spottedwing's spine. Her fur spiked, and her eyes clouded and in her mind appeared herself leading the Clan through the hardest leaf-bare

The pain started to fade, leaving Spottedwing. The thought faded and she found herself in the meadow again. *That was one, eight more? How can I stand it?*

"Thank you for taking care of Sagekit." Dapplefur purred. Then she turned around and sat down in her place. Another cat walked up and faced Spottedwing. Spottedwing recognized this cat as Petalshine, who had died of Greencough, one moon ago.

"Petalshine!" called Spottedwing. Petalshine didn't answer.

Like Dapplefur had done, she bowed her head and touched her nose to Spottedwing's head. "With this life I give you patience," she mewed. "Use it well to train the young of your Clan,"

Again, a massive spasm struck Spottedwing, and she had to grit her teeth to stop her yowling. When she was relieved from the pain, she saw herself training the young. The thought faded and Petalshine appeared in front of her. "You will be a great leader," she mewed.

Spottedwing dipped her head, and Petalshine took her place next to Dapplefur, as a third cat came forwards to Spottedwing.

Spottedwing gasped when she recognized the pretty tabby, her coat shining with a silvery glow. *Mother!* Silversong's paws padded over to her daughter, her blue eyes shimmering.

"Mother!" she called to the silver tabby. She did not answer.

She padded up to her daughter and touched noses with her. "With this life I give you the feelings of mother's love. You now have kits, so them the love I know you can give them," she meowed. Spottedwing was hit with pain. *That must be how strong a mother's love can be.*

When the spasm ended Silversong purred. "May StarClan light your path,"

"Silversong!" She whispered as the silver-gray she-cat turned away again. "Don't go yet!" Silversong turned her head back to her daughter, and dipped her head.

She closed her eyes bracing herself for her next life and when she opened them she saw Stormflight approach her.

"With this life I give you hope," she meowed as she bowed her head to touch Spottedwing. "Use it well when you are in the darkest of nights,"

As the life coursed through Spottedwing saw a sight of light in a dark forest. *Is that hope? I will never lose it.*

Her gaze followed Stormflight as she returned to his place, and her mate Ripplestream replaced her. He had down like every other cat had done. He touched his nose with Spottedwing's.

"With this life I give you adventure," he told her. "Never be afraid to explore the world around you,"

Spottedwing stiffened in shock as the life went through her. She felt as if she could cross the largest forest and swim the deepest ocean.

Spottedwing did not recognize the new cat that approached her. He was a black tabby tom with icy blue eyes. "Hello, Spottedwing. You probably don't know me," he meowed. Spottedwing shook her head slowly. "I am Lush Forest," Spottedwing gasped. "You're ForestClan's founder!"

"Yes, and I give you the life of endurance, always remember to keep going," he meowed. Spottedwing felt like she was hit with a bolt a lightning, shaking where she was standing. She felt as if she could run the world and never stop.

Her pain ebbed and a small gray she-kit approached her. *I feel like I've known her, when I haven't. Why?* "Welcome, Spottedwing. I am Dapplefur's decreased daughter, Mistkit," Spottedwing was shocked. "Why didn't she tell me?" Spottedwing asked the kit.

"She didn't want others to know. But here I am, I give you the life of compassion. Use it for elders, kits, and cats weaker than you,"

Spottedwing felt the pain of this life, but she took the pain for her sister's dead kit.

As it ebbed away, Spottedwing gasped, she began to feel her sister's kit's feelings.
*Death...*

Mistkit padded back over to her spot and two more cats remained. A russet tom walked up to her. "Spottedwing, I am Redleaf," the tom meowed. Spottedwing nodded. "I have heard of you," she mewed. Redleaf nodded then put his nose on her head.

"With my life I give you courage," he meowed, "Courage isn't being strong, it is facing your fears,"

Spottedwing once more got a spasm, she felt as if she could face all her fears. When the spasm ended, she saw the last cat approaching.

At last Stonestar approached Spottedwing. He was not the sick and weakened cat she had seen when he died from Greencough. "Welcome, my loyal deputy," Spottedwing nodded. Stonestar touched his nose to Spottedwing's.

"With this life, I give you determination, never give up on what you wish," he said. This life shocked Spottedwing as if lightning had really struck her. She felt Stonestar's bravery and determination.

When the pain ebbed, all of StarClan had risen to their paws. Stonestar stayed in the center of the meadow and lifted his head up.

"I hail you by your new name, Spottedstar," Stonestar called. "Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants to you the guardianship of ForestClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."

"Spottedstar! Spottedstar!" Just as the Clans would claim a new warrior by name, so the cats of StarClan acclaimed Spottedstar, in rich voices that tingled in the air. "Spottedstar! Spottedstar!"

Spottedstar woke and Cloudfur greeted her. "How'd it go?" he asked. "Well, Cloudfur. It went well. Now let's get back to camp," she meowed.

## Chapter One

*Honeykit poked her tiny little head* over Poppystripe, who was nursing her siblings and her for Spottedstar. Honeykit looked down next to her and saw her sister, Brindlekit, her brother, Fernkit, and her foster-sister, Gingerkit.

Honeykit watched as the bundle of kits started to move. Then she saw Gingerkit poke her head up out of the bundle of kits. "Honeykit? Are you asleep?" Gingerkit whispered. Honeykit strained her ears trying to hear what her foster sister had said. "What?" Honeykit quietly asked in confusion. Gingerkit shook her head.

A bit louder, Gingerkit repeated, "I asked, are you asleep," she started but then louder added, "but clearly you are awake because you answered me!" Honeykit slunk down. "Sorry!"

Poppystripe stirred, then opened her eyes. "Honeykit? Gingerkit? What's with all the commotion?" Gingerkit and Honeykit both slunk down. "We're sorry. We were bored!" they mewed. "I'm not changing the rule, about going out without your siblings," Poppystripe sternly told them, "Why don't you go see, Dewleaf, with Branchkit and Sagekit?"

"Ugh, that cocky tom?" asked Gingerkit. *Why is he cocky? I kinda think he's cute.* "Go now," Gingerkit started pouting and then stormed off. Honeykit followed her, and then ran into her when she stopped.

Branchkit ran up to them while Gingerkit was grouching. "Hi, Honeykit, and," Branchkit paused, then started again slightly growling, "Gingerkit," Honeykit sighed. They have been coped up in the Nursery for a long time, and the two of them had developed a strong rivalry. She had been tired of the bickering and usually had to break up the fight.

She watched as Gingerkit sprang up and growled, "How dare you!" she growled. Branchkit snarled back. "It isn't my fault you started fighting," Honeykit suddenly pricked her ears. Are those pawsteps?

"Kits? What are you doing?" Honeykit turned in horror as she saw Dewleaf, above her. "Oh, um... Hi, Dewleaf!" Honeykit said trying to hide her nervousness. Dewleaf looked down at the small she-kit. Then walked over to her sibling and denmate.

"Branchkit! Gingerkit! What have I told you about fighting!" The two kits looked up and saw the angry Dewleaf. "I'm sorry, mother. But Gingerkit here started the fight," Branchkit mewed.

Gingerkit growled. "No, I didn't start the fight, Branchkit did!" Dewleaf shook her head, then turned to Honeykit.

*More Coming Soon...*