The Long Road

 The Long Road my valentine's day gift to the wiki <3 a celebration of all the amazing ships and stories we've created through the years!!

featuring: blazerage, hiddencopper, palegriffin, alderbreeze, and frozenstream

~

We are stories now, but once we were nothing. When we saw our first sunlight, they didn't know who we were. When we opened our eyes, we were dwarfed by the world.

But some of us were born with destiny breathing down our necks. Some of us were born outsiders, and some were born to be forgotten among the generations before us. Through all of this we forged our own stories. We carved our own legacy into the stars, and one day our children and the children of our children will look up and know our stories.

Blazefire, Stormstar, Hiddenshade. Copperdusk. Palepaw, Griffinflight, Alderstar. Ashbreeze, Frozenstream. Streamwing.

This is our story.

~

Hiddenshade (once Hiddenstar), the proud and strong warrior, was once a small, scared child in a world of leering faces. His family scorned him. They burned his skin with their words and their rejection. He grew up surrounded, but alone.

Copperdusk (once Copper), the fearless and brave warrior, was once alone. She was intruiged by the stories she heard- they called to her, but they cut her off from the sister she loved. She, too, was alone.

FlameClan took them in, but even then they were alone in a sea of strangers. Cats admired Hiddenshade- but their praise was empty to him. In his life, those who mattered never gave him their attention. He was a respected warrior, he was feared, but deep down he was empty. While he was the center of attention, Copperdusk watched from the side. She was alone because she felt most comfortable by herself. She didn't want spotlight. She didn't want admiration from the masses, she only wanted to be close to those who mattered.

And thus they were drawn to each other. Two very different cats, two very kindred souls. Copperdusk's fire shines a special light on Hiddenshade's heart, and his laughter and soul shines a special light on hers. They are cohesive, they are synchronized, their hearts beat to one rhythm.

Two hearts that beat together until the day they die.

~

How far would you go, for love?

Streamwing and Frozenstream went all the way. They fell in love and never looked back.

They were young but they were sure. They played together- they smiled, they laughed, but there had always been something deeper between them. A hidden undercurrent- a stronger bond. The beginnings of something terrifying and new.

He took her name because she was his world. She was his sun, he was her moon, and together they were the night sky. She was his world... to Frozenstream, his heart orbited around her sky-blue eyes. He was there for her when her family passed- he was her rock, he held her upright.

His kindness and loving heart drew her in. He seemed to have a boundless desire to help and heal. They supported each other through their journey, through the loss and the heartbreak, the peace and the war.

Elders, but in their hearts they are stil young.

They love each other as the hair on their muzzles turn grey, they will love each other even when their bones have turned to dust.

~

Not all stories have a happy ending. Some of them are cursed from the start.

They played as children. Palekit, the laughter, the sunshine, the personality that brought warmth to all she fixed her eyes on. Griffinkit was the shy one who was drawn in by the magnetic power of her grin. Poor, innocent Palekit, whose family was torn apart almost as soon as she opened her eyes. Her young heart was torn but she pushed her pain away.

Griffinkit saw her pain and he knew it was there. He was perceptive, and he saw the true sorrow shimmering beneath the surface. He drew closer. She pushed him away. He came closer still. His love was boundless, he was so devoted to Palepaw, the oblivious, childish dreamer.

They stood in a field of fireflies and alone with him under the starts, Palepaw knew. She was afraid of this feeling, this terrifying but beautiful thrum of her heartstrings. But she felt it nonetheless. The stars wept as Palepaw fell in love.

They didn't have time. And the time they had flew past, winking out as Palepaw's short but vibrant life came to a swift, cold end.

The memory of the water swallowing her face will haunt Griffinflight forever.

~

How do you fight fire? With fire.

One flame was burning bright the moment he was born. His blood was precious- it was the blood of leaders, full of promise and power. His small paws were thrumming with it- his eyes, when they were opened, were bright with it. Destiny stood by as he was born and blessed (or cursed?) him. His life was to be great. He would be the brightest star.

The second flame was destined for nothing. No stars watched over her, and only nature watched hungrily as this tiny, defenseless creature came into the world. The scent of her birth brought predators to the forest around her. From the moment she was born, she was hunted. Her life was a battle. She had to pick- the killer, or the killed?

He was loved. His Clanmates respected him, some threw themselves at his feet. But what did it mean? He loved them, he wanted to do the best for them, but he was tired of being treated like he was an oddity. Like he was something to be ogled at. A mere prize. She was an oddity, from her tangled fur to stilted speech, and she loved it. But sometimes the side glances and frowns hurt. So she learned to be quick, she learned to be tough. He learnt to have a thick skin. He learnt to put his guard up.

When they met, two shooting stars collided. Sharp tongues, strong wills, a match made in no heaven. But with each other, they could be honest. They could be free. They crossed mountains to be together- he was entranced by her fire, she was enthralled by his spirit.

The fire of their love will burn until the winds of time turn it to ash.

~

Their love started as a gritty sacrifice.

Ashbreeze, the leader's daughter. Ashbreeze, Stormstar's child. She was the sane one, her personality stifled by her loud and wild siblings. She was crushed under the weight of her family's legacy. ''Who are you? ''she asked herself. ''And what are you supposed to do? ''

Alderstar was born into a world of tragedy. The half-Clan tom, his mother dead at birth, his sister mauled before his own eyes. He was brought to his Clan a disgrace. He fathered children as an apprentice but they scorned him. I will prove myself to you, he yowled back silently at their jeers. ''I will be better than you all. ''

She was the quiet one, but she was brave. She held her head high and offered herself up as what some would say was a sacrifice, or a tribute. This is what I will do, she told herself as she looked Alderstar in the eye for the first time. ''I will be selfless. ''

At first, conversation was needed. It was a formality. They forced laughter and smiled when it was appropriate, but it was all superficial. But danger brings cats close and after seeing him, lungs filled with water after he tried to save her, something changed. She looked at him with a new warmth. She realized that he was steadfast and loyal, smart and kind. He saw that she was quick-witted, she was selfless, she was compassionate and intelligent. It's not happening, they said, as they took one last look and fell.

A peace treaty once, but so much more now. A formality, but now a neccessesity. Once-

Their story has been cut short. Stolen, taken.

Where are they now?