Echostream (SkyClan)

Appearance
Echostream is a quick, lithe she-cat. Her fur is short and light gray with darker gray dapples on her back. Echostream's eyes are a pretty blue with a green ring around the outside. Her back legs are powerful, easily allowing her to leap great distances.

Personality
Echostream is quiet and kind, offering help to those who need it. That got her in trouble when she got caught helping starving ThunderClan cats, but more on that later. She will fight fiercely for those she cares about, her kindness vanishing.

History
Echostream was a new warrior when she found the ThunderClan cats. Scrawny and half-starved, they were stalking a mouse on her side of the border. She waited until they caught the mouse, padding out from behind a tree. The trio froze, panic flashing across their faces. She sat down a short way from them, sure they couldn't fight. Not in their condition. She knew she had to sound tough, and she forced a hard edge into her voice.

"You have a minute to explain who you are and why you are hunting in SkyClan territory. Convince me why I shouldn't rip your fur off."

"Please don't hurt us," the gray one pleaded. "We can't find anything. This leaf-bare has been harsh. We didn't mean to take much."

"And who are you?" Echostream said, still trying to sound fierce.

"I'm Emberfur, he's Stonefang, and this is Icepaw," the ginger one responded, his voice trembling. Icepaw looked like she was about to faint with fright.

"I can't do this," Echostream's composure broke. "Take the mouse. Wait here, I'll be back." The ThunderClan cats looked shocked and wary. They leaned down and gulped down the mouse as she turned around. Echostream quickly found where she had buried her earlier catches, a sparrow and a squirrel, and she dug them up. She took her prey back to the ThunderClan cats, who had finished the mouse. "Take these." She dropped the fresh-kill in front of them.

"B-but won't you get in trouble?" Icepaw spoke for the first time, her eyes wide and scared.

"I might, but I can't let you starve. You three share one of those and take the other one to your camp." Echostream thought for a moment. "Is your whole Clan this hungry?" The three cats glanced at each other, unsure whether or not to answer. "Honestly, I'm not going to tell anyone," Echostream encouraged them.

Stonefang finally answered. "Yes, or we wouldn't have taken the mouse. Stormheart died a few days ago and Rabbitkit died last night." A sad expression appeared on his face.

"Then I'll leave what I can here. Check under that log." Echostream pointed towards a rotting log a foxlength away. "I'll bring prey when I can." The hopeful look on the ThunderClan cat's faces were heartbreaking. "You should go now, before a patrol finds us."

Echostream bounded away, glancing back to see the ThunderClan cats disappearing into the bushes with the prey.

---

A sparrow dangled from Echostream's jaws, bouncing as she leapt from tree to tree. She dropped down beside the log. She peered inside. No prey. Good. She pushed the sparrow into the hollow. She turned and was about to leap away when she heard a cat clear his throat. She flinched and turned towards the sound. Her father, Skyleap, was sitting in a nearby tree. ''Foxdung! How did I miss him?''

"Would you like to explain what you are doing?" Skyleap jumped down from the tree.

"I..." Echostream tried to think of a way out.

"Let me answer that," Skyleap interrupted. "You are, and have been, feeding ThunderClan. What I need to know is why."

"They're starving! Poor Rabbitkit died!" Echostream burst. "I can't let them starve." Her father's eyes glittered as he walked over.

"I know it's hard for you to see suffering. But you broke the warrior code. I have to tell Berrystar." He walked ahead, not glancing back to see if she was following. Echostream hung her head and walked after him, her tail dragging in the dirt.

---

"Cats of SkyClan!" Berrystar called. "Echostream has broken the warrior code, feeding ThunderClan before her own Clan!" Berrystar paused as angry yowls came from the Clan. "Since it is you, her fellow clanmates, that she has taken from, it is you who shall decide her punishment!" Ideas were immediately suggested. No prey for 2 days. No Gatherings for the next 6 moons. Apprentice duties. When one of the cats suggested banishment, Ravenfeather slipped through the crowd and twined his tail around Echostream's. A piercing screech sounded from the top of the rock and the Clan quieted. Berrystar stood up and spoke. "Many good ideas, but I heard one that fits the crime. Echostream, you will not be allowed to eat until all your Clanmates have eaten. If this means you don't get to eat, so be it. It will stay this way for the next moon. Echostream felt like leaping. It could have been much, much worse.