Crystalblaze's Journey

Book two in the Colony of Caves series<3

CREDITS
Thanks to Dreaming-Dragon on a website called scratch <3 We would not have this story, nor the previous one or the ones to come, without her <3

Disclaimer: The only characters belonging to me are Crystalblaze, Sunset, Dusty, Lilith, and Ivy. I share ownership of Darkcloud with Owlglider <3 Fernwish and kits belongs to SilverDove777 on scratch <3

Chapter 1 - Temper
Almost three moons had passed since Rainstorm and Fernwish had become mates. Though it hurt Crystalblaze worse than a newly-opened wound, she didn't hate Fernwish, or even Rainstorm.

Since then, many cats had joined the Colony of Caves. There were two seniors, the Colony's equivalent of elders, Dusty and Lilith. A hunter, which was a warrior, had joined too, Ivy was her name.

Several rogues had joined to be Young, or apprentices. Emberkit, the youngest kit of Tinyfang, had joined too, becoming Embergaze. Along with her was Strikeshade, Sunset, and Dew. Spareheart and Torrentpath, two young lovers, had joined and become Hunters as well.

They had also recieved a medicine cat, here known as a Healer. Because Crystalblaze had spent lots of time in the medicine den, she had picked up a little herb knowledge. She and Fernwish had trained the medicine cat- Flowerspetal.

"On border patrol with me will be Sunset, Embergaze, Spareheart, and D-" She stopped herself. "That is all." Hoping no one had realized her mistake, she jumped down gently from the rock from which she made the announcements.

The cats she had chosen for patrolling gathered in a cluster near the prey-pile, by the entrance to the cave. It was guarded by brambles and such, and looked just like the mountainside from anyone passing through.

"I can't wait! My first patrol!" Embergaze meowed excitedly. Crystalblaze nodded. "Yeah. Sunset, take care of her and show her the ropes." Sunset was an older Young, almost the age of a Hunter. She nodded, smiling shyly at Embergaze.

"Crystalblaze, may I speak with you?" Someone meowed cooly. The voice sent blood rushing up to her eartips, and she took a moment to compose her expression. "Yes, Darkcloud?" She meowed coolly.

"Do you have a problem with me?" The black tom demanded. Crystalblaze stared at him. "No, I don't-" "Because you never put me on patrol, and when you do, you act as if I'm contagious." He barreled on. "So what's your problem with me?"

Crystalblaze sucked in a breath. "I have no problem with you, Darkcloud. If you are so desperate to go on patrol, you may take my place on this border patrol." She meowed, keeping her voice even, meeting his gaze steadily, though she felt like an electric current was trying to force the two apart.

"Very well." Darkcloud meowed stiffly, though this clearly wasn't what he'd been hoping for. He padded around Crystalblaze, taking his part at the head of a patrol. "You may go." Crystalblaze meowed nonchalantly.

She watched them leave, a pit in the bottom of her stomach. Someone padded up to sit next to her. Rainstorm. Crystalblaze sucked in a breath. Though he had a mate now, she couldn't deny her feelings towards the attractive tom.

"You're going to have to tell him eventually," Rainstorm meowed, placing his tailtip on Crystalblaze's shoulder. Crystalblaze suddenly flinched away from his thouch, baring her teeth. "Don't you dare tell me what to do. You messed with my feelings, and I let you. But that's enough. You may be my leader, Rainstorm, but you have no business sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!" She snarled, suddenly angry.

The eyes of every cat in the cave were on her. She shook out her pelt. "I'm going hunting." She stalked out of the cave easily, disappearing around a corner.

She hunted in silence, careful not to cross paths with the patrol she had sent out. Finally, as the sun was sinking through the sky, she noticed how late it had gotten.

Crystalblaze gathered her catch around her, six pieces of prey. She pressed her cheek to the grassy ground, relishing the coolness underneath. Anger still simmered under her skin, and she knew it was only a matter of time before she blew up again.

She made herself comfortable in the spot she was in, sitting under the roots of a large rowan tree. Acorns decorated the ground below, one prodded her tail. She flicked it out of the way, tucking her nose under her tail.

Crystalblaze would be sleeping here tonight, just until her rage dissipated.

Chapter 2 - Search Party
The next morning, Crrstalblaze heard pawsteps and cats calling her name. The loudest by far was Rainstorm, followed by Fernwish - of course Fernwish was with him! She couldnt hear Darkcloud, but two young had accompanied them.

Crystalblaze hid inside a hollow tree, carefully traipsing noiselessly over the acorns; she wasnt quite ready to go back.

"Hello." Darkcloud appeared behind her, his dark pelt made it quite easy to hide in the shadows. "Do you mind scooting over? You're squishing me." Darkcloud's voice was smooth as ever, Crystalblaze couldnt help but blush, her face concealed in shadow.

"What are you doing here?'" She demanded angrily, trying to look disgruntled. "I'm not going back yet, if thats why you're here." She stated, her voice coming out frostier than she had meant it to sound.

Darkcloud just laughed. "It's not. I'm here because now I know what your problem with me is." Crystalblaze's blood turned to ice. "What do you mean?"

He smiled and left the hollow tree. "You're lonely and you don't want to be with people right now. I can relate. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you're leaving, if only for a little bit." He promised. "Just make sure to tell Rainstorm if you plan on disappearing forever, he really cares about you, even as a friend."

Darkcloud walked away before Crystalblaze could respond, leaving her to her own thoughts.

Chapter 3 - A Message
"Father? Is that you?" Crystalblaze meowed, staring at the ghostly form of Blueclaw.

He nodded. "Yes, Crystalblaze. It is me. Crystalblaze, I carry a message." He meowed, resting his tail-tip on her shoulder.

"What is it, father?" She meowed curiously, preening her muzzle. "Am I doing something wrong with the Colony? With Darkcloud and Rainstorm? Have I not trained Flowerspetal well enough?" She asked anxiously, digging her claws into the grass.

She was on a large moor, resting at the gently sloping curve on a hill. "I cannot soothe your anxieties, but one day, peace will come with sight." He meowed. "When you find the river, you will find the cure."

"What does that mean?" Crystalblaze asked, but her father was already fading.

"Have faith, dearest one," He whispered in her ear before vanishing completely.

Crystalblaze let out a small yowl. "What? No! Blueclaw! Come back!"

With a jolt, she lurched forward, back in the hollowed tree trunk where she had spoken with Darkcloud.

Chapter 4 - Meaningless Goodbyes
"Crystalblaze! There you are," Rainstorm meowed, jumping down from his perch on the nook of the cave's wall. "Where did you go?" He meowed, nuzzling her warmly.

She tensed at his touch. "Hunting." She gestured to the prey-pile, it was covered with her catches, even if they were a bit musty from spending the night in the forest.

"What's wrong?" Rainstorm asked her. "I've never seen you mad like that."

"The problem is that you've never seen me. No one ever has. Last night, I got a message from the Colony of Skies," Crystalblaze meowed, recalling the puzzling dream she had the night before. "I need to find a river. And I need to go on this journey alone."

Rainstorm frowned. "How long will you be gone?" He meowed. "The Colony of caves needs a deputy."

''A deputy. Not me. He didn't say me,'' Crystalblaze noted. "I can be replaced." She meowed, meeting his eyes.

Fernwish was trotting over from the warriors den, looking relieved that Crystalblaze was back. Darkcloud was watching her from the deputy's rock, he gave her a nod which she returned.

"Very well." Rainstorm meowed, dipping his head to her. "May the Colony of Skies guide you as you look for your river."

"Goodbye, Rainstorm." Crystalblaze meowed flatly. There was no emotion in her goodbye, nothing except an undercurrent of anger. His words seemed to burn, a fire that was slowly consuming her.

"Crystalblaze!" Fernwish meowed, nuzzling her. "Oh, you're leaving? You just got back! You can't go alone," She fretted. Crystalblaze twitched her whiskers amicably. "Don't worry, Fernwish. I won't be long." She lied.

"You better not be, or I'll go looking for you myself," The silver she-cat warned.

Darkcloud padded up to the trio. "May you find what you look for," He meowed, bowing his head. Crystalblaze twitched her ears at him.

"Here, have these." Flowerspetal had padded up too, scaring Crystalblaze. She lowered her hackles, alarmed, but dipped her head to the ground, lapping up the herbs Flowerspetal had presented her with.

"Thank you, Flowerspetal." She had learned well. Without another word, only a goodbye wave from her tail, Crystalblaze turned and bounded out of the cave, through a hole in the bracken, far away from these meaningless goodbyes.

Chapter 5 - Alone
Crystalblaze left the forest slowly, she needed to get to the moor land as that was where she new the nearest river was. She wondered if Rainstorm would even be sad she was gone.

Whatever, she had always known that he had wanted Fernwish to be deputy all along. She wasn't going to fake not knowing that.

She kept walking to try and find the river, her ears perked up as she searched, her pace flowing faster with each step, anger turning to bliss as she ran freely. After a while, she found herself in an unknown span of territory.

MistClan territory, all alone.

Crystalblaze always thought that if she were to explore MistClan territory it would be during battle with the rest of FlowerClan by her side, but now it was only her, she didnt even have her friends with her.

She kept walking, she had to find the river, any river. If it wasn't the river she needed, it didn't matter to her, she had to do something to take her mind off the Colony.

"Hey! Intruder! What are you doing here?!" Crystalblaze looked up to see Mossfur. Her stance was interrogative and aggresive, but her eyes were clouded with grief. Crystalblaze was confused until she remembered Mossfur's mate had died a few days ago. "Hello, Mossfur." Crystalblaze said plainly. "Don't worry, I'm just passing through to find the river." She said, as innocently as she could manage.

"You FlowerClan badger-brains shouldn't be here. What are you really trying to do? Attack our camp? Kill our kits? Where's your patrol?" Mossfur must have really been grieving. Normally, she wouldn't be so angry, and would give her the benefit of the doubt, but no, not this time.

"Didn't you hear? I'm not in FlowerClan anymore, some of us left to make a colon-" "Mouse dung! Not one cat in FlowerClan would ever leave, you all are to bloodthirty!"

Crystalblaze didn't even have time to explain before Mossfur tried to attack her. Crystalblaze turned and ran for the border. Mossfur wouldn't listen to reason. Not willing to fight a grieving mother, Crystalblaze ran. A few memories roared in her mind of Flarekit, a kit of Mossfur's first litter, being dragged to FlowerClan, another of one of the FlowerClan warriors bragging of having killed Foxfur, and many, many more.

Crystalblaze made it past the border where no cat roamed and hissed at Mossfur. "Look, I'm not going to hurt anyone, I'm leaving, see?" And left, leaving Mossfur alone at the border in tears.

Chapter 6 - River
Moons had passed. Crystalblaze had shortened her name to Crystal. It seemed unlikely that she'd ever find the river her father had told her about, but she wasn't about to return to the Colony without success.

She wandered over a Thunderpath, the warm black strip stinging her paws. She sat down at the grass on the other side, licking her paws. She wouldn't be in any condition to travel, not right now.

She staggered a few more feet, collapsing in the shade of a large willow tree. Blisters popped up on her paws, and she let out a small groan.

Her eyelids fluttered closed, and she let herself sink into oblivion.

When she awoke, there was something cool and refreshing on her paws. "Get up," An unfamiliar voice meowed. It wasn't harsh, but not kind, either.

She rose, aware of the uncomfortable prickles in her paw pads. A milky white leaf covered each of her four pads.

"Who are you?" It was a pale brown tom, with gray-blue rings on his ears, paws and tail, and a narrow muzzle. "I- I'm Crystal. If this is your territory, I'm just passing through." She meowed.

The tom shrugged. "You can stay if you wish. I'm River." A thrill shot through Crystalblaze's body. River!

"I think I was supposed to find you," Crystalblaze meowed. She explained about the Colony, and about the dream where her father had appeared, getting attacked by Mossfur, and nearly three moons of travel.

River nodded, but he looked mystified. "How will I help you?" He asked. "I'm a healer, and I know my remedies, but these seem more like personal problems."

"Please," Crystalblaze begged, "Try." River hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, but I'm not promising anything. Can you walk?" He asked her.

Crystalblaze tried to put more weight on her paws and winced, though the pain wasn't too overwhelming. "Yes, but not too far." She meowed.

River shook his head. "No, it's not far. Follow me."

Chapter 7 - Savior
Over the next few days, Crystalblaze reintroduced herself as Crystalblaze, not Crystal. River lived with his mate, a she-cat named Cinder. She wasn't too happy to see Crystalblaze at first, but Crystalblaze proved that she could hunt and fight, and so Cinder grudgingly allowed her to stay.

"Crystalblaze! I'm going to teach you something new today," River meowed one day, prodding her with a slender paw. Crystalblaze got to her paws. "Okay, what is it?" She meowed, stifling a yawn.

"Relax. It's just fishing." This lowered her excitement somewhat, but since the Colony of Skies had told her to come, she wasn't about to give up.

Crystalblaze sat down next to the narrow river that ran through the den Cinder and River had made. It was narrow but deep, deep enough for fish to pass through.

"Okay, copy my stance." River meowed, sitting so that his shadow didn't hit the water. Crystalblaze tried to mimic his pose, though he had to correct her several times.

He nodded once satisfied. "Alright, now unsheathe your claws and dip your whiskers into the water." He meowed. Crystalblaze made a face, but did as instructed. After a moment, a silver minnow darted up to inspect her whiskers.

"Slice it out of the water with your paw," River whispered. The fish didn't stand a chance. Crystalblaze slammed her paw into the water, and the fish shot upwards with a spray of water. A quick nip on it's belly, and the fish went still.

"Good job, Crystalblaze." River meowed, blinking warmly.

"Thanks!"

Chapter 8 - Dreams
That night Crystalblaze had a dream, her father, Blueclaw, came to her.

"I can't go back!" She had yelled, "You sent me here, I like it here, so why should I go back?" she hissed angrily.

Blueclaw only smiled. "Because that's what your ancestors foretold."

After 2 weeks of ignoring this dream and having it several times over, Blueclaw had grown more insistent that she should leave.

One night, Crystalblaze woke up to the sound of a familiar mew, it was Fernwish.

"Crystalblaze!" she shook her awake. "I've come to rescue you!" Fernwish whispered. "Who are these rouges and how do you think I can get you out of here?" Fernwish asked, scanning the den.

"Stop, they didn't capture me, I've come on my own. I want to stay here." Crystalblaze closed her eyes again but still listened. "But the Colony of the skies told me that you were in danger. Blueclaw told me you were in danger and that I had to come get you." Fernwish replied, confused.

Crystalblaze looked over at River, "Well, Blueclaw was wrong. I like it here, I'll tell River what's going on, and you can leave for the Colony in the morning. But I'm staying here." She insisted and got up to go wake River.

Chapter 9 - Destruction
Fernwish looked devastated. "But Crystalblaze! You can't! Crystalblaze, without you, the Colony is falling apart!"

Crystalblaze froze, looking over at Fernwish. "What- What do you mean? What's going on?"

"Rainstorm, Darkcloud, everyone thinks you're dead! You said you'd come back soon, and when you didn't, we all assumed..." Fernwish trailed off, staring miserably at the ground.

"Fernwish, what happened?" Crystalblaze asked, padding over to comfort her old friend.

Fernwish flattened her ears. "When I had a dream from Blueclaw, where he said you were fine, I told everyone. They were so happy, so unprepared. Then FlowerClan attacked, and we all scattered. That's how I got away. I haven't seen anyone since."

"What does that have to do with me? If anything, that means that I should stay here!" Crystalblaze growled softly.

Fernwish pawed the ground anxiously. "I slept in the forest for a night. Blueclaw came to me again and he said that I needed to find you and get you back, because only you could save the Colony."

"How am I supposed to save the Colony?" Crystalblaze demanded.

Fernwish shook out her fur. "I don't know, but you have to try."

"I- I can't!"

"Please, just try."

The words were so similar to what Crystalblaze had asked of River almost two moons ago that she felt like she had been submerged in ice-cold water.

"Please, Crystalblaze. You have to help me find Rainstorm. You have to help me find everyone." Fernwish pleaded.

Crystalblaze flattened her ears. If there was a chance, any chance at all, that her friends could be alive...

Friends.

Crystalblaze suddenly turned on Fernwish with a hiss. "Why should I? As apprentices, you never gave me a second thought. Even as warriors, the only reason you even let me stay in the colony was because I was in the right place at the right time."

Fernwish's eyes widened. "That's not true!" She meowed, horrified.

Crystalblaze flattened her ears. "Yeah, it is. And Rainstorm always wanted you to be deputy anyways!"

"No, he didn't!" Fernwish meowed, looking hurt. "And even if he did, you're the deputy!" She added.

Crystalblaze laughed angrily. "Ha! When I told him I was leaving, he said, 'The Colony needs a deputy'. Not me. No one needs me. You need to go now, Fernwish. You're not welcome here."

Chapter 10 - Last Chances

The next morning, Crystalblaze showed Fernwish the way home.

"There you go, now you can leave." She said coldly. Fernwish thought for a moment. "Darkcloud would want you to help find the others." She muttered. Crystalblaze flinched but ignored the comment.

"Who's Darkcloud?" River approached from behind, startling Crystalblaze.

His voice was curious. "And Rainstorm?" "Just some cats I used to know." Crystalblaze turned back to the stream she and her new friends were staying at. "Just some cats that think they can run away from their problems."

"Isn't that what you did?" River asked. Crystalblaze turned with a jolt. "That's different!" She bristled.

Fernwish was looking at her, sadness filled her gaze. "Please come back, we need you." She said.

River looked to Crystalblaze "It sounds like, and maybe I'm being crazy here, but it sounds like you should go." He smiled softly.

Crystalblaze held back a smug smile. "Fine then, but only if you come with me." She replied. If River saw just how much the colony resented her, then he would know why she had run.

"Sounds fine by me," River agreed.

Chapter 11 - Return
Fernwish led the way, her snout determinedly stuck in the air as she forged through the leafery towards the Colony's cave.

Apprehension bubbled in Crystalblaze's paws. The moon's journey that had come when they had left the den had passed in a blur, and now she was about to be reunited with her Colony.

Fernwish dive through the barrier without a second thought, but it was harder for Crystalblaze.

She took a deep breath and jumped.

But the caves were empty.

The patter of paws landing on stone echoed through the cavern, but no one came out to greet the weary travellers.

"Where is everybody?" She asked.

Fernwish shook her head, looking mystified.

"I don't know. Blueclaw said that you would help us find them."

Crystalblaze's blood turned to ice. She lifted her lips in a snarl.

"I will never help anyone do anything - much less you!" She growled.

She turned and ran back out of the bracken.

Chapter 12 - Thunder
Rain drizzled around her, seeping into her pelt.

She stopped under the acorn tree to rest, the same one she'd hidden under the last time she ran away.

A cat padded towards her, his features unmistakeable even in the rain.

"Blueclaw?" She meowed, getting to her paws.

Her father advanced, a repentant expression on his face.

"Oh, Crystalblaze, I'm sorry." He meowed. "I should never have made you come back."

Crystalblaze turned away. "Yeah, you're right."

"But you have to go back! Your friends are counting on you." He meowed.

And suddenly his pelt and features blurred, and he turned into River.

"River?" She gasped. "What-"

"Go, Crystalblaze. Returning will bring you peace," He meowed.

And suddenly everything clicked into place.

***

Crystalblaze stopped at the entrance to the Colony, peering into a puddle.

Eight moons had passed since she had run away.

Eight moons since she had screamed at Rainstorm.

Eight moons since she had seen Darkcloud.

Her appearance had changed, too.

Her fur was longer, silkier. The soft curve that had always obscured her muscles from view was gone now. There was a steely glint in her eye that hadn't been there before.

She took a deep breath and padded in.

"Crystalblaze!"

Three felines converged on her, weaving around her happily. Rainstorm, Darkcloud, and Fernwish.

"You came back!" Darkcloud meowed, sounding delighted.

He nuzzled her without a second thought. Crystalblaze flattened her ears in surprise.

"W- When did you get here?" She stammered out, pressing herself against the bracken.

"Last night. We saw Fernwish and figured she must have come back with you." Rainstorm answered.

Crystalblaze twitched her whiskers. "What do you need me to do?"

Epilogue
The Colony was thriving.

Almost three moons had passed since they had scattered, but with Crystalblaze's help the four former FlowerClan cats were able to rebuild the Colony.

The latest gossip was about Embergaze, Strikeshade, and Dew - the three had hidden out with each other when FowerClan attacked, and now it seemed they were vying for Embergaze's affections.

Crystalblaze padded wearily into the medicine den, her paws heavy. "Flowerspetal? My stomach's hurting." She meowed.

Flowerspetal, sorting herbs in a corner, turned around. She started at Crystalblaze for a moment then laughed. "You know why." She meowed, angling her ears to the nursery, where Fernwish was lying, her belly slightly swollen with kits.

Crystalblaze froze. After a moment, she got to her paws. "Thank you, Flowerspetal."

She turned and bounded out of the nursery. "Darkcloud?" She meowed, peering around.

Her mate hurried up, his glossy coat shining. "What is it? What did Flowerspetal say about your stomachache?" He asked worriedly.

Crystalblaze stared up lovingly at her mate, her eyes shining with affection. "Darkcloud, we're going to have kits!"

Threequel here <3