"This is it." Gem thought. "Time to be a to-be like the Tribe of Rushing Water has never seen before!"
In the soft, tall grass, she had spotted a mouse. Crouching down, she easily hid herself in the shadows. The wind flowing through her dark tabby fur, her emerald-green eyes gleaming in the moonlight, she pounced. But instead of hitting her prey, or even the ground, she found herself in a shallow river. She just had time to register that, however, when a giantsurge of water pulled her under! She tried to grab the river bed with her claws, but they just slid. The whole river bed was made of stone! She desperately tried to cry for help, but there was nobody else around. The water flowed in to her mouth, choking her, and she felt herself falling, and…
"Gem! GEM! GEM IN THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAIN! Wake up!"
Gem jumped to her feet, confused. Then it slowly dawned on her. She wasn't in danger! She was dreaming!
"Today is it! We're going on our first patrol!" squeaked her littermate, Honey That the Bees Bring, or just Honey, for short. Gem nodded in acknowledgement, then poked her head out of the little niche that was the to-be den. The sun was shining through the waterfall, casting dancing shadows on the cave floor. The boulder sitting in the corner of the cave was the only protection of the hot sun. The elders once had told her that the boulder killed a great evil that had once roamed these mountains. He said that his father had told him the story, and she vaguely remembered something about a grey she-cat from another tribe of cats, that lived far from here.
A gentle flick on her ear brought her back into reality. Her mother was standing behind her.
"Great news! I talked to the healer, and he said that Bird and I could come with you two on your first hunt!
Bird was Gem and Honey's father. Being a "fateful tribe member", they hardly got to see him. That was fine by them, though, because he didn't exactly try to hide that he didn't love them. To them, they were just like any other annoying, self-centered new to-be. Berry, her mother, did truly love him, though, and whenever possible, tried to defend him. But Gem could see the hurt in her eyes, and she knew that her mother did not believe what she was saying. But she also knew that her mother loved her, so she pretended to love Bird.
"Great! The whole family!" she replied in what she hoped was an exited tone. Her mother trotted away, apparently fooled. Then she noticed why. The healer was calling a meeting. She went with her mother, and sat down near the edge of the group of cats. The healer was sorting the hunting and border patrols.
"…Cloud in the Moonlight, Little Bird in Flight, Red Berry on the Bush, Honey that the Bees bring, and Gem in the Heart of the Mountain. You will Patrol the western border."
After everyone had left, it was Gem's patrol's turn to go outside. With a pang of excitement, she realized that this was the first time she ever leaved the cave. She went last, walking up to the edge of the ledge, the sun shining on her, the wind blowing through her fur, she felt more alive than ever before.