Prologue

A queen lay in the nursery, her tail curled loosely around her two kits, a tom and a she-cat. The tom was a pale brown tabby tom like her while the she-cat was black and white, more like her mate, Nightburn.

Where was Nightburn? He had said he would be there to help her name their kits a long time ago and there was still no sign of him. The she-cat got to her paws, ignoring the mewls of protest from her kits as she padded rather unsteadily out of the nursery, still tired from her recent kitting.

"Jinxpool, have you seen Nightburn?" she called to the black medicine cat, who looked up from her herbs before flicking her tail towards a group of toms who were standing in a tight circle, meowing and hissing loudly.

"Nightburn!" Tabbypool mewed sharply as she pushed past two large toms to see her mate wrestling with Splinterscar, a large scarred brown tabby tom. The black tom swiftly pushed Splinterscar off of him and got to his paws, looking at his mate with hard silver-blue eyes.

"Why did you interrupt the fight?" he growled coldly, his voice laced with anger.

Nowadays in WindClan, fights had become a common occurrence between the toms, a way to show dominance or settle differences, though the deputy, Soothaze, had ordered that no claws were to be used as not to injure any warriors. Nightburn's jet-black fur was ruffled and dusty, his chest heaving as he recovered his breath from the fight.

"Because I'm your mate and it's time for you to help me name your kits beetle-brain!" Tabbypool hissed irritably, her tail lashing as she led her mate to the nursery, muttering angrily under her breath.

Nightburn rolled his eyes, "Whatever. Let's just get this over with." he muttered, gazing indifferently at his son and daughter. They were just another litter of scraps of fur, more needy mouths to feed during the cold, hard leafbare.

"What should we name them?" Tabbypool asked, curling her tail around the tiny bundles, "I was thinking of naming the she-cat Shykit."

Nightburn shrugged, "Sounds fine."

Tabbypool bristled slightly. He didn't even care! But she forced her voice to remain even, despite the tight anger in it as she growled, "And the tom?"

Nightburn looked at the tom for a few moments before meowing, "Dustkit. Call him Dustkit. Are you happy now?"

Tabbypool glared at her mate, her lips pressed tightly together as she watched the black tom turn and shoulder his way back out of the nursery, his muscles rippling in anticipation of another fight.

Tabbypool lay back down, allowing her kits to begin suckling again, their mewls quieting slowly as they drifted to sleep.

There was a soft rustling and the queen looked up to see Jinxpool slipping into the nursery, dipping her head in greeting. "Hello Tabbypool. I'm here to check on your kits."

Tabbypool nodded, "Alright."

The medicine cat moved forwards and began examining the kits, checking to make sure their breathing was even and their heartbeats steady before stepping back, a smile on her pretty face, "You have two healthy kits Tabbypool. They'll make fine warriors one day."

Suddenly the medicine cat stiffened, her eyes taking on an ancient look to them as she meowed in a rasping voice, "Two of the wind, scarred and torn shall bring peace the clans of lore. To end the death, a decision made to destroy or to save. To return, heroes made."

Tabbypool bristled in surprise, her eyes wide as she curled her tail protectively around her kits, baring her teeth at the spasming medicine cat.

"J-jinxpool?" she meowed as the she-cat finally calmed down and blinked, her eyes returning to normal.

The medicine cat gazed at the queen and the kits, her eyes somber and her face grave as she mewed in a grim voice, "Something is coming Tabbypool. Something terrible."