Post by Justice on Oct 2, 2017 20:31:14 GMT -5
“There is a story my father tells to small kits and young cats. From him to me I tell it now, and one day you should tell it to the young ones in your lives as well.” She noticed she had the attention of the scattering of young cats that had come up her tree into her nest with the heavy rains that made crossing the waters impossible. She didn't know if they were clan cats or loners as she was, and right now it didn't matter. They were rapt, their eyes locked on her. And so Jade took a deep breath, and told the tale as it was once told to her.
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The Spirit of the River
Many moons ago, when the clans were young and the valley still in the midst of constant chaos there was a beautiful young she-cat named River. She was the best swimmer and fisher, and considered the most lovely of her group. But she was cruel, heartless and without mercy or remorse. She thought cats around her were simply there to worship her and provide her with entertainment. She didn't listen to the Code or believe in the cats that came before. She cared only for herself, and kept those around her in thrall despite her terrible attitude.
Eventually River took a mate, and to him she was the most cruel of all. She would flirt with other toms and ignore him all the time. But there were special spirits that liked her mate, he was special. And in his sorrow he asked them what he had done wrong, and what he could do to make River love him. So the spirits sent a message to River.
Once a warning.
The second a threat.
And the final solution when all their chances wore thin; interference.
So they waited, and when River went to the stream that all the cats drank and fished from they took her. Snatched her like a fish from the waters and drug her below. But their punishment didn't end there. River was made into water and trapped there, told that she would only be given back her body and her beauty when she learned to balance her cruelty with kindness, her darkness with light. When she became able to treat everyone equally, then they would return her body.
At first she railed against them, fought and thrashed and rose the waters until a river formed and spread the length of the valley. Many moons passed without her even aware because she was so consumed by her rage and hatred for the spirits of the valley that she failed to pay attention. But then the cats around her moved on from her, she was forgotten and not missed. Slowly she realized that the world didn't revolve around her, that her actions had been given consequences. No one came to look for her, and the tom she so ruthlessly tortured as her mate moved on without her. Found love in another that was better for him, that loved and adored him. She was forced to watch, her temper turning to sorrow, as the valley evolved and changed. Clans formed, families grew and stretched across the lands, battles raged, seasons passed. And still she remained stuck.
She slowly calmed her waters, slowly gathered rain and spread herself further and further. She helped cats find fish to eat, kept flowing so water was given to drink, and watched the valley grow. The spirits that had changed her faded away to nothing, and she was trapped as the water itself. She became the River, the spirit of the waters that flow through the valley. Her currents were strong, but she realized she didn't have to be cruel to be beautiful. Many admired her sparkling waters, her shining surface and gentle currents. Many swam through her, fished and played and felt joy. She was showing she could be kind, realized she should be kind.
And then, not so long before now, a young tom fell into her waters during one of the most fierce storms the valley had ever seen. Though he could swim he was swiftly dragged under by the pouring rain and swirling currents. But River saw him, and she didn't want him to die. He didn't have to die. For the first time in her life she chose to hold someone else above herself. She pushed his head back above water, carried her spirit along with him as he was swept along, protected and guided his journey until he made it back to shore.
She was so happy that he lived, so glad that she'd done right by someone at last, maybe made up in some small way to the long dead tom that had been her mate many moons past, and that was enough. Her spirit was fading, as a cat is not meant to live so long. So she drifted to sleep, content in her own way for helping someone at last. Deep to sleep, and never to wake again.
But StarClan had other ideas. They had watched this she-cat's spirit as the spirits that changed her faded, watched and waited to see if she would ever truly understand the mistake her life had taken. And in the moment before her spirit faded forever from this world they swept it up and sent it somewhere else.
In the spring, in the protected nests of RainClan, a small she-kit was born with fur that shimmered like the water when the sun hit it and eyes of brightest blue. And she knew, the moment she was able to open her eyes and see once again the tom she had saved with his mate and a litter of kits around her, that her spirit had finally been freed to once again walk the path of mortal cats.
River had become Riverkit, and she was once more among the living.
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“And so the story ends and it is with this that we remember. The river is unbiased, the river flows freely and truly and never strays. The river shares its bounty equally, and loves the cats even as it can take them in a moment. It saves and provides, it takes and it keeps. And we remember that even though we can't see them there are spirits everywhere in this valley. They recall the way things are, and the way things should be. So you must always temper yourself. Cruelty and kindness in equal terms, light and darkness. Find the balance within yourself, and hold tightly to it. For there is always the chance, even today, that the spirits will take the ill of heart and change them forever into the waters of the valley.”
She noticed the rain had stopped, the water flowed easier now. “And now its time to head home. I hope you enjoyed my story, and please be safe on your way home.”
---------------------------
The Spirit of the River
Many moons ago, when the clans were young and the valley still in the midst of constant chaos there was a beautiful young she-cat named River. She was the best swimmer and fisher, and considered the most lovely of her group. But she was cruel, heartless and without mercy or remorse. She thought cats around her were simply there to worship her and provide her with entertainment. She didn't listen to the Code or believe in the cats that came before. She cared only for herself, and kept those around her in thrall despite her terrible attitude.
Eventually River took a mate, and to him she was the most cruel of all. She would flirt with other toms and ignore him all the time. But there were special spirits that liked her mate, he was special. And in his sorrow he asked them what he had done wrong, and what he could do to make River love him. So the spirits sent a message to River.
Once a warning.
The second a threat.
And the final solution when all their chances wore thin; interference.
So they waited, and when River went to the stream that all the cats drank and fished from they took her. Snatched her like a fish from the waters and drug her below. But their punishment didn't end there. River was made into water and trapped there, told that she would only be given back her body and her beauty when she learned to balance her cruelty with kindness, her darkness with light. When she became able to treat everyone equally, then they would return her body.
At first she railed against them, fought and thrashed and rose the waters until a river formed and spread the length of the valley. Many moons passed without her even aware because she was so consumed by her rage and hatred for the spirits of the valley that she failed to pay attention. But then the cats around her moved on from her, she was forgotten and not missed. Slowly she realized that the world didn't revolve around her, that her actions had been given consequences. No one came to look for her, and the tom she so ruthlessly tortured as her mate moved on without her. Found love in another that was better for him, that loved and adored him. She was forced to watch, her temper turning to sorrow, as the valley evolved and changed. Clans formed, families grew and stretched across the lands, battles raged, seasons passed. And still she remained stuck.
She slowly calmed her waters, slowly gathered rain and spread herself further and further. She helped cats find fish to eat, kept flowing so water was given to drink, and watched the valley grow. The spirits that had changed her faded away to nothing, and she was trapped as the water itself. She became the River, the spirit of the waters that flow through the valley. Her currents were strong, but she realized she didn't have to be cruel to be beautiful. Many admired her sparkling waters, her shining surface and gentle currents. Many swam through her, fished and played and felt joy. She was showing she could be kind, realized she should be kind.
And then, not so long before now, a young tom fell into her waters during one of the most fierce storms the valley had ever seen. Though he could swim he was swiftly dragged under by the pouring rain and swirling currents. But River saw him, and she didn't want him to die. He didn't have to die. For the first time in her life she chose to hold someone else above herself. She pushed his head back above water, carried her spirit along with him as he was swept along, protected and guided his journey until he made it back to shore.
She was so happy that he lived, so glad that she'd done right by someone at last, maybe made up in some small way to the long dead tom that had been her mate many moons past, and that was enough. Her spirit was fading, as a cat is not meant to live so long. So she drifted to sleep, content in her own way for helping someone at last. Deep to sleep, and never to wake again.
But StarClan had other ideas. They had watched this she-cat's spirit as the spirits that changed her faded, watched and waited to see if she would ever truly understand the mistake her life had taken. And in the moment before her spirit faded forever from this world they swept it up and sent it somewhere else.
In the spring, in the protected nests of RainClan, a small she-kit was born with fur that shimmered like the water when the sun hit it and eyes of brightest blue. And she knew, the moment she was able to open her eyes and see once again the tom she had saved with his mate and a litter of kits around her, that her spirit had finally been freed to once again walk the path of mortal cats.
River had become Riverkit, and she was once more among the living.
--------------------------------------------
“And so the story ends and it is with this that we remember. The river is unbiased, the river flows freely and truly and never strays. The river shares its bounty equally, and loves the cats even as it can take them in a moment. It saves and provides, it takes and it keeps. And we remember that even though we can't see them there are spirits everywhere in this valley. They recall the way things are, and the way things should be. So you must always temper yourself. Cruelty and kindness in equal terms, light and darkness. Find the balance within yourself, and hold tightly to it. For there is always the chance, even today, that the spirits will take the ill of heart and change them forever into the waters of the valley.”
She noticed the rain had stopped, the water flowed easier now. “And now its time to head home. I hope you enjoyed my story, and please be safe on your way home.”