Allegiances
THUNDERCLAN
LEADER BRAMBLESTAR- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes
DEPUTY SQUIRRELFLIGHT- dark ginger she-cat with green eyes
MEDICINE CAT JAYFEATHER- grey tabby tom with blind blue eyes
WARRIORS GRAYSTRIPE- long-haired tabby tom
DUSTPELT- dark brown tabby tom
SANDSTORM- pale ginger she-cat with green eyes
APPRENTICE, DEWPAW
BRACKENFUR- golden brown tabby tom
CLOUDTAIL- long-haired white tom with blue eyes
BRIGHTHEART- white she-cat with ginger patches
MILLIE- striped grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes
THORNCLAW- golden brown tabby tom
LEAFPOOL- light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat
BIRCHFALL- light brown tabby tom
WHITEWING- white she-cat with green eyes
BERRYNOSE- cream-colored tom
APPRENTICE, SEEDPAW
HAZELTAIL- small grey-and-white she-cat
CINDERHEART- grey tabby she-cat
LIONBLAZE- golden tabby tom with amber eyes
APPRENTICE, AMBERPAW
FOXLEAP- reddish tabby tom
ICECLOUD- white she-cat
APPRENTICE, SNOWPAW
TOADSTEP- black-and-white tom
ROSEPETAL- dark cream she-cat
BRIARLIGHT- dark brown she-cat
BLOSSOMFALL- tortoiseshell and white she-cat
BUMBLESTRIPE- very pale grey tom with black stripes
DOVEWING- pale grey she-cat with blue eyes
IVYPOOL- silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes
APPRENTICE, LILYPAW
SORRELTAIL- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes
POPPYFROST- tortoiseshell she-cat
CHERRYSTEM- ginger she-cat
MOLEWHISKER- brown-and-cream tom
APPRENTICES LILYPAW- dark tabby she-cat with white patches
SEEDPAW- very pale ginger she-cat
AMBERPAW- gray she-cat with white paws and amber eyes
SNOWPAW- white tom with amber eyes
DEWPAW- grey tom with amber eyes
QUEENS DAISY- cream long-furred cat from the horseplace
ELDERS PURDY- plump tabby former loner with a gray muzzle
SHADOWCLAN
LEADER BLACKSTAR- large white tom with jet black paws
DEPUTY ROWANCLAW- ginger tom
MEDICINE CAT LITTLECLOUD- very small tabby tom
WARRIORS OAKFUR- small brown tom
SMOKEFOOT- black tom
TOADFOOT- dark brown tom
APPLEFUR- mottled brown she-cat
CROWFROST- black-and-white tom
RATSCAR- brown tom with long scar across his back
SNOWBIRD- pure-white she-cat
TAWNYPELT- tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes
OLIVENOSE- tortoiseshell she-cat
OWLCLAW- light brown tabby tom
SHREWFOOT- grey she-cat with black feet
SCORCHFUR- dark grey tom
TIGERHEART- dark brown tabby tom
DAWNPELT- cream-furred she-cat
PINENOSE- black she-cat
FERRETCLAW- cream-and-grey tom
STARLINGWING- ginger tom
KINKFUR- tabby she-cat, with long fur that sticks out at all angles
IVYTAIL- black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat
ELDERS CEDARHEART- dark grey tom
TALLPOPPY- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat
SNAKETAIL- dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail
WHITEWATER- white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye
WINDCLAN
LEADER ONESTAR- brown tabby tom
DEPUTY ASHFOOT- grey she-cat
MEDICINE CAT KESTRELFLIGHT- mottled grey tom
WARRIORS CROWFEATHER- dark grey tom
OWLWHISKER- light brown tabby tom
WHITETAIL- small white she-cat
NIGHTCLOUD- black she-cat
GORSETAIL- very pale gray-and-white tom with blue eyes
WEASELFUR- ginger tom with white paws
HARESPRING- brown-and-white tom
LEAFTAIL- dark tabby tom, amber eyes
EMBERFOOT- grey tom with two dark paws
HEATHERTAIL- light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes
BREEZEPELT- black tom with amber eyes
SEDGEWHISKER- light brown tabby she-cat
SWALLOWTAIL- dark grey she-cat
SUNSTRIKE- tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her forehead
FURZEPELT- grey-and-white she-cat
WHISKERNOSE- light brown tom
BOULDERTAIL- large pale grey tom
ELDERS WEBFOOT- dark grey tabby tom
TORNEAR- tabby tom
RIVERCLAN
LEADER MISTYSTAR- grey she-cat with blue eyes
DEPUTY REEDWHISKER- black tom
MEDICINE CAT MOTHWING- dappled golden she-cat
APPRENTICE, WILLOWSHINE (grey tabby she-cat)
WARRIORS GRAYMIST- pale grey tabby she-cat
MINTFUR- light grey tabby tom
ICEWING- white she-cat with blue eyes
MINNOWTAIL- dark grey she-cat
PEBBLEFOOT- mottled grey tom
MALLOWNOSE- light brown tabby tom
ROBINWING- tortoiseshell-and-white tom
PETALFUR- grey-and-white she-cat
GRASSPELT- light brown tom
TROUTSTREAM- pale grey tabby she-cat
MOSSYFOOT- brown-and-white she-cat
RUSHTAIL- light brown tabby tom
HOLLOWFLIGHT- dark brown tabby tom
DUSKFUR- brown tabby she-cat
MOSSPELT- tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes
ELDERS DAPPLENOSE- mottled grey she-cat
POUNCETAIL- ginger-and-white tom
EQUESTRIA
MAGIC TWILIGHT SPARKLE- purple alicorn with indigo mane and tail, streaked with violet and pink, purple eyes
HONESTY APPLEJACK- orange earth pony with blonde mane and tail held in ponytails, freckles, wears a cowboy hat, green eyes
LOYALTY RAINBOW DASH- sky blue pegasus with rainbow mane and tail, rose eyes
GENEROSITY RARITY- white unicorn with beautiful deep purple curled mane and tail, deep sapphire blue eyes
KINDNESS FLUTTERSHY- yellow pegasus with long pink mane and tail, teal eyes
LAUGHTER PINKIE PIE- pink earth pony with darker fluffy mane and tail, sky blue eyes
Twilight Sparkle worked quietly in her library, magenta magic holding several delicate test tubes floating in the air. She studied them, using a nearby quill to write notes on them as she poured a drop into another, creating a poof of gold and turning the once blue liquid inside red. She continued this, seeing what one would make another into. Large crashing sounds interrupted her work. The alicorn groaned; she barely had any time to herself to study during the day. There was always something going on to wreck it.
Twilight set the test tubes down in a tray and trotted out of her lab, immediately being knocked to the ground by a certain pegasus. “Rainbow Dash! What are you doing here?!” Twilight demanded, trying to get her wings folded once again back against her body. They were purple feathers all over the place, and it annoyed the alicorn quite a bit. She sucked at preening them, and what made it worse was Rainbow Dash always laughing at her over it.
“Oh, um, hey Twi! I was just practicing a new trick, and I lost control a little. Nothing big,” Rainbow Dash explained, attempting to pull her back hoof out of a yellow vase in the shape of a dragon. She gave one big kick, sending it flying towards Twilight, smacking her in the face. The alicorn fell over again, having just stood up. She sighed heavily and got to her hooves.
“Well, if you don’t mind, I need to get back to work, so adios!” Twilight picked Rainbow Dash up in her magic, opened the door, and tossed her outside. The pegasus bounced a few feet, and rolled over onto her stomach. Determined not to be just cast aside and ignored, Rainbow shot back into the library, sneaking into Twilight’s laboratory. There the alicorn was once again working with the test tubes.
“Twilight, what’re ya doing?” Dash asked loudly, causing Twilight to scream, sending the tubes she was holding fly into the air. Rainbow sprinted forward and caught one, but lost sight of the other one. As she looked around the room, she tube she was holding tipped over, spilling onto the floor.
“Rainbow Dash, I told you I was working!” Twilight whined, stomping her hooves like a child. She took the test tube away from the pegasus and set it down in the tray. “And now I don’t know where the other one went!” She snorted and searched around the room. As the two looked, what they didn’t see was the test tube laying on a high shelf, emptying its blue contents into a pitcher of water that Spike had set there for Twilight earlier.
*******
“Hmm, Twilight didn’t drink her water. Oh well, I’ll just grab it for her,” Spike said to himself, grabbing the pitcher and taking it into the other room. The dragon set it on the table, where he left it. As soon as he left the room, six friends walked in, chatting.
“I’m so glad you invited us over Twilight!” Pinkie Pie squealed, bouncing into the library. Twilight looked at the hopping pony.
“Well, it is the after birthday party on Winona, so we might as well hang out,” Twilight said. She licked her lips. “Man, I’m thirsty. Anyone else want a drink?” She poured a cup of water from the pitcher on the table.
“Yeah, I could go for a cup,” Rainbow Dash told her, taking a cup and guzzling it. As Twilight handed out the cups of water, and finished her own, she began to feel a little strange. She decided it was just because she had been working more than usual and had been getting less sleep, so she ignored it.
“Hey girls! Watch this!” Pinkie Pie shouted, proceeding to walk on the ceiling.
“How are you even doing that?” Rarity asked, sipping her cup of water daintily.
“I don’t know! I just can.” As Pinkie continued breaking the fourth wall, Twilight really began feeling funny. She stood up, deciding to get some aspirin to fix her splitting headache, but her legs buckled underneath her, sending her sprawling to the floor.
“Twilight! What’s the matter!?” Applejack asked, at the alicorn’s side immediately. Twilight groaned, her face going green.
“Errggg…. I don’t f-feel so great,” she grunted, sticking a hoof in her mouth to stop herself from barfing.
“Did you eat something?” Pinkie asked. “Oh, did you eat too many sweets? That sometimes happens to me but I can handle a lot of sugar and-” A blue hoof was stuck in her mouth.
“Is the feather flu going around again?” Rainbow Dash questioned as Twilight puked into a garbage that Rarity grabbed for her.
Fluttershy shook her head. “This is the weakest point of the season for feather flu. It’s highly unlikely. Even if it was, these are none of the signs of it. I don’t know what she has,” the yellow pegasus explained. Twilight puked again.
“I-I only felt like this after I drank the water..” the alicorn groaned, cramps rolling in her stomach. She fell away from the garbage, clutching her midsection. She smushed her face against the floor, mane sticking up wildly.
“You think there might be somthin’ in the water?” Applejack asked. She looked at the others for answers.
“But we drank that water too, and I don’t feel any different,” Rainbow Dash said, raising a hoof. Suddenly, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell over, unconscious. Fluttershy kneeled down beside her, taking her pulse.
“She seems okay, but does this mean there is something in the water? What if Twilight is-” Fluttershy didn’t finish her sentence as she threw up, and Rarity quickly moved the garbage to get it.
“Oh dear. Applejack, if the water was dirty, then we better get to the hospital before we start experiencing this too,” Rarity advised.
“Alright. Let’s move out,” AJ said. She reached for Twilight, putting her on her back, and took one step forward. She didn’t get any farther as she fell over.
“Applejack! Oh Rarity! What are we gonna do now?” Pinkie Pie asked, turning around to look at the unicorn, only to find her unconscious on the floor next to Fluttershy. The pink pony jumped into the air, determined to get to Spike, but felt dizzy. She toppled to the floor, landing on Rainbow Dash, who she noticed was starting to get fuzzy looking. Pinkie looked over at Twilight. The alicorn was disappearing, the air shimmering hazily around her. The earth pony called out meekly to Spike, but then fell silent as her eyes closed.
*************
“Okay, Brackenfur, you will be leading a patrol to check the ShadowClan border. Take Whitewing and Foxleap. ShadowClan have been fairly close to it lately, and we need to make sure they’re not trying anything,” Squirrelflight commanded, then turned to give instructions for someone else.
“Okay, you heard her, let’s go,” Brackenfur said, leading them out of the bramble tunnel. As they neared the ShadowClan border, Whitewing spoke up.
“I smell something funny, and it’s not ShadowClan. Smells too sweet. Actually, it doesn’t smell like anything I know of,” the white she-cat announced. Foxleap stuck his nose in the air, opening his mouth to smell. After a few good ones, he looked at Brackenfur.
“She’s right,” he told the tabby. Brackenfur tasted the air, and his ears perked up. He jerked his head farther down.
“This way. Be careful, we don’t know what it is. For all we know it might be a fox in disguise,” Brackenfur warned, leading the other two through the bushes. They approached cautiously, treading lightly. They leaped out, hissing.
“What is that?!” Foxleap exclaimed. What they were looking at was no ordinary sight. It was two cats, with bright fur, and hair falling over their heads and down their necks. One was yellow, with long pink hair, and the other was white, with curly purple hair. They were pressed against a tree, scared of the patrol. As they looked closer, they noticed the yellow had wings. The other one had a horn.
“Sh!” Brackenfur gave Foxleap a look. “Now, who are you, mysterious creatures?” he asked them.
The white one gulped and stepped forward, her voice lady-like and smooth like silk. “Um, hello, gentle, uh, fellows. I am Rarity, and this is my friend Fluttershy,” she greeted nervously, nodding her head back at the little yellow cat, who just squeaked and hid behind the pile of fur on her head. “And you are..?”
“This is Whitewing, Foxleap, and I’m Brackenfur. What are you doing on ThunderClan territory?” Brackenfur pointed with his tail at the two others, and then stepped forward.
“Well, we’re not sure how we got here. And we’re also not sure why we are cats, either. There was something in our water and we all became sick, and fainted. Now we’re here, and I don’t know where my friends are, if they even came here. Have you seen them perhaps?”
“No, but-”
“What are you? I’ve never seen a cat like you, if you even are cats,” Foxleap interrupted, stepping up to look Rarity in the face. “And why do you have horns and wings?”
“Well, I’m a unicorn, and Fluttershy is a pegasus. Now, may we speak to who is in charge around here? We’d like to go home.”
“Foxleap!” Brackenfur shouted, looking at him in annoyance. “Stand back!” After Foxleap moved back, he addressed Rarity again. “So, you want to talk to Bramblestar, do you?”
“Um, if that’s the leader, I guess. Then you are correct.” Rarity stepped back, squishing herself up against the tree as Brackenfur moved forward. She gave a nervous smile, showing her sparkling white canines. The golden brown tabby eyes her suspiciously, taking in every detail. Beautiful, horn, strange curly purple fur on her head, neck, and where her tail was supposed to be, plus some kind of aqua coloring above her eyes. Including large eyelashes. Brackenfur looked over at the other one. Bright yellow, long bright pink fur on her head, neck, and where her tail was supposed to be, with large eyelashes too, and the most striking thing about her were her wings. He inspected these closely. If these cats were to stay in the clan, would they be useful?
“Okay. We will escort you to Bramblestar.” He looked at the cats behind him. “Whitewing, run ahead and tell them we’re coming; Foxleap, you take the rear.” Brackenfur turned around, beckoning to them with his tail. “Follow me.”
“And don’t try anything funny!” Foxleap added, watching as Rarity nudged Fluttershy to her paws. Whitewing was already far ahead, leaping over tree roots and fallen logs to get to get back to camp.
“Now, why would we ever do a thing like that? A lady does not ‘try anything funny’. so I would reconsider your manners,” Rarity admonished, brushing the tom’s face with her light, curly, tail. He mumbled an apology, simply because just because one seems weak does not mean they are, necessarily.
Brackenfur started off, taking the fastest way to camp. In a matter of minutes, they were there. The Clan was already gathered in the center, with Whitewing sitting at the front near Squirrelflight, and Bramblestar on highledge, looking confused. Brackenfur led the two former ponies into the center, some cats gathered making displeased faces, while some filled with awe, mostly the younger, including the apprentices and newer warriors.
“Bramblestar, here they are,” Brackenfur said, letting him see the two strangers. He observed them in silence for a few moments, before finally speaking.
“So, what are you? Why do you look so… odd?” Bramblestar asked.
“As we told your friends earlier, I am a unicorn and Fluttershy is a pegasus. We were turned into cats, but we were originally ponies. Do you know where Equestria is? We’d like to leave,” Rarity said, standing tall and proud in the center of the clan.
“You were ponies? What is a pony?”
“Do you know what a horse is?”
“Yes, we have some around here.”
“Well, ponies are a much more graceful and smaller kind of horse.”
“Ah. And what is this ‘Equestria’ you speak of?”
“It’s where we live… or lived. But we don’t where it is to get back. We don’t even know if we can. We have to find our friend Twilight. She’d know how to get back.”
“I have never heard of Equestria, nor know the location of your friend Twilight.”
“Oh, well it’s not really of your concern anyways. If that is all, we’d best we leaving. We need to find her and our other friends.” Rarity turned to Fluttershy, who stood up, her wings spreading as she did. That at once caught the eye of the apprentices. Seedpaw jumped forward.
“Can you show us your wings more? Can you fly?” the apprentice asked with wonder gleaming in her eyes. Fluttershy looked at the young cat, then lifted her wings above her head. She flapped them slowly, getting herself of the ground. The group of apprentices looked on with their mouths open, awe clear on their face.
“Can you do any tricks?” Snowpaw asked.
“Can you go fast?” Dewpaw squealed. Fluttershy flapped her wings faster, then started flying around the camp, going as fast as she had when they had to make the tornado to get into Cloudsdale. The whiskers of the gathered cats whipped in the wind created by the pegasus.
“Do a trick!” Snowpaw yelled. Fluttershy flipped in the air, then landed as half the clan cheered.
“It’s no big deal. My friend Rainbow Dash is way faster than me. She’s the fastest flyer in Equestria. She did a sonic rainboom, the fastest thing ever accomplished ever,” Fluttershy said, smoothing down her wild mane.
“Wow! That was cool! I want to see your friend Rainbow Dash fly! That’d be so awesome!” Amberpaw cheered. “And I want to see what your horn does!” She looked at Rarity, who put her paw to her chest in surprise.
“Well, if you really want to,” she giggled modestly. She closed her eyes, and a light blue aura surrounded her horn. It picked the ‘paw up slowly. Amberpaw shrieked in delight, kicking her paws excitedly. She did a flip, pretending to fly. This really got the clan cheering.
“That is so awesome! Do it to me!” Snowpaw shouted as Amberpaw was set back on the ground. As the apprentices got turns flying on Fluttershy’s back and being picked up in Rarity’s magic, Bramblestar watched on in amazement. He jumped down next to Squirrelflight.
“They’re talented, I’ll give them that,” he said.
“Yes, they are. If they were in the clan, they’re be nothing we couldn’t do, no enemy we couldn’t beat. I say we try to get them to join. They seem like they could be good warriors. With some training, that is. They don’t seem like fighters. In fact, that shy one seems like she could be a medicine cat. We should ask them to stay with us, and see where we go from there,” the deputy agreed. Bramblestar pondered this.
“I’m not sure the whole clan agrees,” he warned, seeing the disapproving looks of Dustpelt, Cloudtail, and a few other members.
“The whole clan never always agrees. But with them, ThunderClan would be invincible! Think about the outcome of being the most powerful clan in the forest.”
“You’re right. Plus, they are a hit with the apprentices.” He watched Dewpaw do a series of maneuvers in Rarity’s magical grasp.
“Isn’t everything?” They shared a laugh.
“But are you sure that it is the right choice?” He asked after they got serious again.
“What would Firestar think? He always wanted to help everyone,” she said.
“Yeah, but I’m not Firestar.”
“You were his apprentice. You know what he would think.” Squirrelflight nodded her head to the two.
“Okay, I’ll go ask them.” Bramblestar padded up to the two visitors. The clan made way for their leader. Fluttershy and Rarity turned to him. “So, you’re looking for a place to stay, huh? Well, if you need, ThunderClan is always available.”
“Really? That is so kind of you. Where do we stay?” Rarity asked.
“Here, why don’t I let one of my warriors escort you.” He looked around. “Hazeltail! Why don’t you show our visitors somewhere to sleep?” The grey and white she-cat ran up, stopping next to Fluttershy.
“Of course! Come on, just follow me you two,” Hazeltail meowed, taking the lead. She led them to the warriors den, and a few unused nests. “Whichever ones you two would like, take.”
“Oh, I think we’ll only take one. It’s better being closer,” Rarity said, looking at Fluttershy and smiling.
“Okay, that’s fine. Make yourselves at home and maybe come out and talk to me and Icecloud.”
“Will do!” Rarity called as Hazeltail walked out of the den. As they curled up in the nest they picked for a quick nap, an approaching figure caught Fluttershy’s attention.
“Hello,” the pegasus greeted. The grey tabby tom stepped into the den. His brilliant blue eyes shone in the light.
“Hello. So, it’s true. You can fly and use magic?” he asked.
“Yes, it’s true. You can see the horn on my face, can’t you?” Rarity inquired, slightly irritated as she wanted to go to sleep.
“I’m blind.”
“Oh!” Rarity blinked. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I’m just slightly cranky as the fact I just woke up as a cat, and I haven’t-”
“It’s fine. I don’t care. I’m Jayfeather, by the way. I’m the medicine cat.”
“A medicine cat?” Fluttershy asked. “What’s that?”
“Well, I heal any cat that gets hurt or gets sick.” Jayfeather crouched down in front of them, tucking his paws underneath himself.
“So, you’re a doctor, basically?”
“Um, what’s a doctor?”
“Oh, somepony, er, I mean, someone that heals too.”
“Interesting. Well, I better be going. Briarlight will be needing me.” Jayfeather got to his paws again, and Fluttershy leaped up next to him.
“Do you mind if I come with you? I took care of lots of animals when I was in Equestria, so I’m very experienced with healing.”
“Well, I suppose so.” As they padded off, Rarity smirked, laying her head down in the soft moss. It wasn’t the best bed, but it would have to do until they found the others. So much for Fluttershy laying next to her. Looks like someone had a crush.
*************
“Ouch! Oof, mah head…” Applejack rolled onto her back, rubbing her head with a hoof. “AHH!” The earth pony jumped up, swinging her feet in front of her. “What happened to mah hooves?!” She looked down at her body. “What happened to me!?” She fell onto her haunches and studied herself. “Ah’m a… cat? Well, at least Ah still have mah hat.” Applejack stood up and looked around, confused. She wasn’t in Equestria anymore. It looked more like the EverFree Forest, but the EverFree was less colorful than this. Giant pine trees rose around her, covering the sky. Claws marks were scratched down almost every single one. She took a step forward, and ran into a purple shape at full force.
“Uh… oh, AJ! I’m so glad I found you! I’m so confused! We’re cats now! I mean, we still have our manes and tails and features, but instead of being ponies we ARE CATS!” Twilight Sparkle jumped onto the orange cat, putting her face into hers. “Where are we?! Even I don’t know!”
“Calm down sugarcube. We’ll figure out how to fix this. We just need to find the others. Come one, let’s start looking.” Applejack looked once more at the scratches on the trees. “It seems like there are other cats here. We could ask them if they could help us look.”
“Okay.” She waited as her friend took the lead, following the scents. “Hey, AJ, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure Twi.”
“Do you think the water might’ve had something to do with this?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s what I thought.” Twilight fell silent, thinking about how to get them home, when Applejack was smashed back into her. Twilight fell to the ground, and then felt claws dig into her shoulders. She cried in pain, opening her eyes. She saw a large white cat on her, its black paws nearly the size of her head. Glancing over, she saw Applejack defending herself from a black cat. Applejack bucked the black cat, sending her flying over the bushes. Twilight was impressed. All those years of apple bucking sure paid off in the end. But the black cat was quickly replaced with a larger tortoiseshell cat that knocked her friend off her paws. Applejack hissed, then took a swipe at the other cat, who dodged it then head butted her back. Applejack fell to the ground, and was pinned by the tortoiseshell and the black one, who had made its way back.
“What are you going in our territory, fleabag?” the white cat on top of Twilight hissed into her face.
“We were just looking for our friends. We lost them, and-”
“Why would they dare enter ShadowCla-” He was cut off as Twilight horn shone, and blasted him off with her magic. He landed, burnt, skidding into the grass. Twilight scrambled up, her breaths coming in ragged gasps.
“Don’t come near me! Back off Applejack, now!” Twilight hissed at the other cats, who were staring with wide eyes at the alicorn. They let Applejack get up, and stood next to the big white cat.
“What- what are you?” He stepped forward, studying her curiously.
“Oh, I’m just an alicorn. Now, have you seen our friends?” She lit her horn, keeping her guard up incase they made a move.
“No. we haven’t.” The cats started whispering to each other, then looked at Twilight.
“Okay then, we’ll be leaving now. I’ve got my eye on you.” Twilight waved a paw at Applejack, telling her to walk away, and then turned to walk away herself, when the white cat spoke up.
“Wait!” He raised a large black paw. Twilight turned around, horn still glowing. “If I may have a few words with you.”
“A few words? Well, alright then.” Twilight narrowed her eyes at the cat.
“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Blackstar, leader of ShadowClan, the most powerful clan in the forest. And I recognize talent when I see it. Your friend there has the most powerful kick I’ve ever seen. And you, you have that horn. Why, I think if you two joined our clan, we could be the most feared in the forest. Think about it,” Blackstar purred, stepping up to Twilight, towering over her by quite a ways, and Applejack only slightly. “You could be admired throughout the clans.”
“Clans? What are you talking about?” Twilight asked suspiciously. She stepped back, glaring at the huge tom.
“Oh, there are four clans in the forest: ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, and ShadowClan. All different characteristics, but all strive for one thing; survival. And with you two on our side, we’d be so much more powerful than the other clans.”
“Why should we join you?” Applejack snorted, getting right in Blackstar’s face. He laughed darkly, then looked at her.
“Don’t you want to survive? Why waste time looking for your friends, when you can stay here? You would be welcome in ShadowClan.”
“Ah don’t like this, Twi.” Applejack looked over at Twilight.
“I’m sorry, but we’ll have to decline. Good day,” Twilight said politely, giving one curt nod to Blackstar. He growled, pushing his face into the alicorn’s. Twilight’s eyes widened, and then her horn brightened in intensity, her wings opening to their full extent. Her eyes turned white, a wind starting to blow, blowing her and Applejack’s manes around. She floated in the air, and a bright blast of magenta hit Blackstar, launching him backwards into his clanmates. When she lowered to the ground, she blinked.
“W-wings?” Blackstar gaped in astonishment. He rubbed his eyes with his paws. He staggered to his feet, and approached Twilight quickly. “Sorry, that was quite rude of me.” He cleared his throat. “Come on now, our clan could use more powerful warriors. We haven’t had any kits in moons. You wouldn’t want ShadowClan to disappear, right?”
Twilight looked at him, narrowing her eyes. Then, she glanced at Applejack, who was looking worried. “Well, I guess not…”
“So, you’ll join?” Blackstar circled her like a hungry shark.
“Um… we’ll try it.”
“Okay!” He looked at the cats behind him. “Tawnypelt, Pinenose! Let’s head back to camp!” The two she-cats sprung forward, and held them between them. Blackstar took the lead. “Follow me.” He started off at a quick pace, making them all run to keep up. As they entered camp, cats gathered around, startled at the bright colors and hair on their heads and neck. “Clan, time for a meeting!” Blackstar called, jumping onto the branch he sat on to address the clan. “ShadowClan, we have two new members!” He looked down at the two former ponies below him. They folded their ears back, giving sheepish smiles. Cats meowed uncertainly. “Why don’t you tell us your names?”
“I’m Twilight Sparkle, but you can just call me Twilight,” the alicorn said, dipping her head.
“And Ah’m Applejack,” the former earth pony greeted.
“What’s up with your fur?” a cat called from the back.
“Oh, that’s just our manes,” Twilight told him.
“And why do you have a horn?” another called.
“Please, clanmates, I will address that soon.” Blackstar raised his head. “I have seen the signs of greatness in these two cats.” He looked down at them. “Will you show the clan?”
“Sure. Um, what should we do?” Twilight asked, looking up at the tom.
“Here, do what you did to me.” He glanced around the clan. “Rowanclaw! Please try to attack Twilight!” The deputy looked up and nodded. He got into a fighting stance.
“This’ll be too easy,” he said. This purple cat was so much more smaller than him. He launched himself at her, knocking her off her paws before she could react. She rolled, crashing into the brambles. Rowanclaw pounced on top of her, holding her down. At once, Twilight lit her horn, and blasted the tom, flinging him backwards. She leaped up. Rowanclaw stood up, growling. He sprang at her, and she shot into the air, hovering for a few moments, her large, broad wings pounding the air. She landed on Rowanclaw’s back and smashed his head into the dirt. He kicked her off, and as he jumped, she caught him with her magic. He stopped in surprise. He was floating. He kicked out, trying to make her let go. Twilight lifted him higher and dropped him on Blackstar’s perch. He flopped onto his belly ungracefully, dizzy. Twilight turned around, and the cheering started at once.
“Hmm, Ratscar. You try next.” Blackstar watched as the large tom stood in front of the alicorn and snarled. They circled each other, until Ratscar leaped forward. Twilight barely had any time to react. Her horn shone, and then she disappeared in a bright flash of magenta. Ratscar stopped in his tracks and looked around, bewildered. Suddenly, Twilight reappeared behind him. The tom spun around and clawed at her. She teleported again. This continued again and again, until, exhausted, Ratscar fell down, breathing heavily. Twilight appeared next to Applejack again, looking contented. “Now, Applejack, being the biggest cat in the clan, you can kick me.” Blackstar leaped down and stood behind her.
“Well, alright, but Ah’m warnin’ ya. Ya might wanna brace yerself,” she said.
“Don’t hold anything back.” He threw himself at her. Applejack bucked, hitting Blackstar in the chest. He grunted, and was flung to the back of the camp. He tumbled over, skidding to a stop. Cheers went up through the cats. Seeing Blackstar stumbling around, Littlecloud ran up to him.
“Blackstar? Here, come to my den. We need to make sure that didn’t hurt you,” the medicine cat said, escorting the clan leader away. He returned a few minutes later looking less dizzy. He leaped up to the branch.
“You see ShadowClan? With them we will be even stronger than before!” he yowled, earning the clan’s approval. “Now, have you ladies had training?”
“Well, we did fight a lot, and much more dangerous things than cats,” Twilight told him.
“Worse than badgers?” Applefur asked.
“Than foxes?” Smokefoot questioned.
“Humans?” Kinkfur asked.
“Um, changelings, a hydra, and other evils. But I don’t always do physical fighting,” Twilight explained.
“What’s a changeling?” Starlingwing asked.
“And a hydra?” Snaketail asked.
“Oh, they’re-” Twilight stopped as her stomach growled loudly. She smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, I guess I’m hungry.”
“Of course! Why don’t we celebrate our new arrivals with a feast!” Blackstar exclaimed, jumping down from the branch. The clan circled the fresh-kill pile eagerly, and sat down to share tongues. Twilight and Applejack looked at each other.
“What do we do? We don’t eat meat,” Applejack asked.
“Well, we might have to try. I mean, we are cats. We have their instincts now,” Twilight said, finding herself licking her paw.
“It feels wrong.”
“Come on, maybe it won’t be so bad.” Twilight stepped up and grabbed the first thing she saw: a water vole. “Let’s share this.” She levitated it with her magic over to a seclude part of the camp. “So, do you want to try it first?”
“Uh, you can.”
“Okay.” Twilight tentatively reached down and took a bite. She chewed it and swallowed. It actually wasn’t that bad. “It’s not that bad. Try it.” She pushed it towards Applejack.
“Okaaayyyy….” Applejack took a bite, chewing it slowly. “Well, Ah can’t say Ah approve of it, but you’re right; it isn’t that bad.”
“I told you.”
“Well, maybe ya did. But whatever. All Ah know is that Ah’m plum tuckered. Where do we go to get somewhere to sleep?” Her sentence was followed by a huge yawn.
Twilight giggled. “Well, let’s go ask Blackstar.”
