I just wanted to let you know that I am safe and well. This is my story.
So I was walking beside a stream when she came to get me.
"What are you doing on HailClan territory?" she asked. Her mew was polite, but there was a slight challenge, warning me that if I sassed her (like I normally would) I would be shredded.
"Just out for a stroll. Is there a law against that now?" Immediately I knew that had been the wrong thing to say. I was tired, and hungry, and this silver she-cat was lean and muscular.
"Not that I am aware of, but I do know that you shouldn't be in my territory. I will have to take you to Daystar," she announced.
As we were walking deeper into the heart of 'HailClan' territory, she asked me a few simple questions.
"What's your name?" she asked.
My reply was short and simple. "Ember."
"Were you once a kittypet?"
"A what?" What the heck was she talking about?
The cat rolled her eyes. "A kittypet is a cat who lives with twolegs."
"Oh. Nope." I was guessing that by twolegs, they meant humans, and Idefinitely did not live with them.
"Do you know anything about the Clans?"
I decided to play safe, and go with yes. If I had said no, she would've launched into a long boring lecture about groups of cats called 'Clans'.
A streak of mahogany fur flashed before my eyes, and next to us appeared a mahogany she-cat with golden eyes.
"Flowerstream, what have you brought here?" she asked calmly, her voice not betraying her sense of curiosity.
The cat next to me (Flowerstream: what an... interesting name) bowed her head in respect.
"Swiftfire, I found her on the border, going for a stroll, as she puts it. Her name is Ember, and from what I have learned, she is most likely a rogue."
I bristled slightly at the term, but kept my cool as 'Swiftfire' sized me up. She narrowed her eyes, and flicked her tail to signal Flowerstream to follow her. And just like that, in a flash like lightning, she had disappeared.
Flowerstream ran into the bushes, and I tried to follow her, but unfortunately, I wasn't in the best shape. So I ended up having to follow her scent trail to a small clearing surrounded by brambles.
Cats of all shapes and sized had gathered to stare at me. I knew I must look horrific. Giving my white chest fur a quick lick, I walked forward to where a black and white she-cat was sitting on a large boulder sticking up out of the ground. This must be Daystar. The cat I had met earlier, Swiftfire was sitting in front of the boulder. Flowerstream was in the crowd of cats watching.
A sudden impulse to bow my head came over me, so bow my head I did. Daystar looked please to see that I was being so respectful. She nodded in return.
"Ember, can you explain to me what you were doing on our territory?" she asked.
I looked around me.
"I do not think that is for all ears to hear, Daystar."
Daystar nodded, and flicked her tail to signal me to come with her. On the side of the boulder was a cave, the place where she slept. Swiftfire and Flowerstream came in after her.
I related to them my story of how I had been driven out of my home by humans, separated from my parents, and came upon their territory by accident. Daystar nodded. And then she did something that I definitely didn't see coming.
"Would you wish to become an apprentice of HailClan?"
The decision wasn't that hard. Stay with a bunch of (most likely) kind cats with a prey-rich territory, or go back to wandering places with an empty stomach.
I nodded. "If you will take me."
Daystar looked please.
"Do you have any skill in healing, or is fighting more your strength?"
"Well, I prefer to heal rather than to kill."
"Then would you accept the position of medicine cat? Our recent one died without taking an apprentice."
I nodded. What could go wrong?
"I must warn you though, only StarClan will be able to help you learn the skills you need. There are others in this Clan that will be able to help you along, but this is a big responsibility."
"I understand."
And life from then on wasn't all that bad! I'm now the medicine cat of HailClan, and my new name is Embersky. I was taught by StarClan all the herbs and knowledge I would need to serve my Clan. Sometimes I do wonder what it would've been like to wander the mountains and hills of the world, but deep in my heart, I know that my place is here.
I also know that you will never receive this letter, for I can't write, and it is only in my thoughts, but I hope that you are fine also. I love, and miss you.
Love,
Embersky