Post by Shadowstone on Jun 20, 2008 16:26:06 GMT -5
There once lived a brave LionClan warrior called Sunpelt. Sunpelt had heard stories of the giant snake called Mouthclaw, who lived in a dark cave by Snakerocks. She was the only snake in the entire forest. She had killed many great warriors from all the Clans. Her sharp-fanged jaws could swallow a living cat whole, and she spat deadly venom.
Cats from all clans were forbidden to go to Snakerocks. The leaders were afraid to lose any more warriors to Mouthclaw. But Sunpelt wanted to prove what a great warrior he was. He thought that killing Mouthclaw, he would earn the respect of the forest.
One morning he left the camp before sunup and journeyed to Snakerocks. He stood outside Mouthclaw's cave and called "Come out and fight!" Then he angered her further by kicking stones into her cave with his back legs.
Mouthclaw slithered out of her cave, her toung flickering like lightning. She was ten fox-lengths long and as thick as a badger with a bellyful of cubs. Her eyes were evil red slits, and her scales glittered in the dawn light.
She bared her fangs with pleasure, for LionClan warriors were one of her favorite meals. And then she lunged. But the young warrior was too quick. He leaped from rock to rock, while Mouthclaw spat poison and threw up clouds of dust with her lashing tail. The fight went on all day, but she could never get close enough for the kill.
Finally Mouthclaw could fight no more.
" I have lived in these rocks for a thousand moons," she hissed. " Spare my life, and I shall grant you one wish."
The brave warrior thought for a moment. Then he roared, " I wish that you would shrink to the length of a cat's tail. If you were that small, then I would allow you to remain living at Snakerocks."
" And that is all you ask of me?" hissed Mouthclaw with an evil glint in her eyes.
" That is all," Said Sunpelt. He knew a tiny snake would be no danger to the giant cats of the forest. He would be a hero.
Mouthclaw began to writhe and slither, back and fourth. A great cloud of dust rose up, and when it settled, Sunpelt leaped backward in horror.
A thousand snakes, each the length of a cat's tail, covered the ground, spitting poison. Now instead of one giant snake at Snakerocks, there were many, each of them deadly and fierce.
Sunpelt could not believe what he had done. Horrified and guilt-stricken, he raced back to camp and confessed all to his leader.
At first Goldenstar was angry. "This is a dangerous thing you did," he growled. "You should know better to than to bargain with snakes. They are cunning and will outwit us everytime."
"I know," Sunpelt admitted, hanging his head.
"However," Goldenstar meowed, " you have done a great service for the forest. These smaller snakes may be dangerous, but none can be as dangerous as Mouthclaw. Now no warrior has to fear being swallowed or bitten by her deadly fangs."
"That is true," Sunpelt meowed, his spirit rising.
Goldenstar forgave his brave warrior. After all, Sunpelt was not the first cat - or the last - to be tricked by a snake in the grass.
Cats from all clans were forbidden to go to Snakerocks. The leaders were afraid to lose any more warriors to Mouthclaw. But Sunpelt wanted to prove what a great warrior he was. He thought that killing Mouthclaw, he would earn the respect of the forest.
One morning he left the camp before sunup and journeyed to Snakerocks. He stood outside Mouthclaw's cave and called "Come out and fight!" Then he angered her further by kicking stones into her cave with his back legs.
Mouthclaw slithered out of her cave, her toung flickering like lightning. She was ten fox-lengths long and as thick as a badger with a bellyful of cubs. Her eyes were evil red slits, and her scales glittered in the dawn light.
She bared her fangs with pleasure, for LionClan warriors were one of her favorite meals. And then she lunged. But the young warrior was too quick. He leaped from rock to rock, while Mouthclaw spat poison and threw up clouds of dust with her lashing tail. The fight went on all day, but she could never get close enough for the kill.
Finally Mouthclaw could fight no more.
" I have lived in these rocks for a thousand moons," she hissed. " Spare my life, and I shall grant you one wish."
The brave warrior thought for a moment. Then he roared, " I wish that you would shrink to the length of a cat's tail. If you were that small, then I would allow you to remain living at Snakerocks."
" And that is all you ask of me?" hissed Mouthclaw with an evil glint in her eyes.
" That is all," Said Sunpelt. He knew a tiny snake would be no danger to the giant cats of the forest. He would be a hero.
Mouthclaw began to writhe and slither, back and fourth. A great cloud of dust rose up, and when it settled, Sunpelt leaped backward in horror.
A thousand snakes, each the length of a cat's tail, covered the ground, spitting poison. Now instead of one giant snake at Snakerocks, there were many, each of them deadly and fierce.
Sunpelt could not believe what he had done. Horrified and guilt-stricken, he raced back to camp and confessed all to his leader.
At first Goldenstar was angry. "This is a dangerous thing you did," he growled. "You should know better to than to bargain with snakes. They are cunning and will outwit us everytime."
"I know," Sunpelt admitted, hanging his head.
"However," Goldenstar meowed, " you have done a great service for the forest. These smaller snakes may be dangerous, but none can be as dangerous as Mouthclaw. Now no warrior has to fear being swallowed or bitten by her deadly fangs."
"That is true," Sunpelt meowed, his spirit rising.
Goldenstar forgave his brave warrior. After all, Sunpelt was not the first cat - or the last - to be tricked by a snake in the grass.
THIS IS SHADOWSTONE
