A gray cat crouched in the shadows, stalking the mouse ever so slowly. A cold breeze ruffled the cat's fur. The stars glimmered above head, shining brightly through the dark clouds.
Suddenly, a large shadow loomed over the cat's figure, a paw slashed out before the cat could react. A gurgled screech of pain, and then silence.
The cat lay on the grass. Chest moving faintly and then nothing. Dead.
Blood glistened on the blades of grass like dew drops did. An owl hooted, the wind howled, and everything went on as if nothing had happened.
Morningfur never woke up on time. She always woke up with the sun, and not the sun never rose.
"Morninglight, it happened again." Fleetfoot meowed, poking his head into the den and successfully waking the medicine cat from her slumber.
"Wha-" Morningfur mumbled sleepily, before jumping to her paws. "That's the fifth time this moon someone's died."
The speckled she-cat made her way to the camp's center where the latest death laid. It was Bramblenose. Morningfur felt a tug of sadness. He was so young.
The tom had only become a warrior a fourth night before. Bramblenose's mother, Sweetwhisker stood silently next to her son's head. "Morningfur," the elder she-cat whispered, "Why is StarClan doing this?"
"Sweetwhisker, I'm so sorry for Bramblenose's," she paused, "death."
"Have StarClan spoken to you?" The blue-eyed cat asked, leaning towards the Medicine Cat.
Morningfur shook her head, and headed over to the leader's den. Longstar was recovering from Green Cough and didn't know about the deaths. Morningfur had made sure of it. While the frail leader was sick, his deputy had been in charge. Shadowtail. Morningfur shivered despite herself, the deputy scared her. He was power hungry. She didn't need Longstar dying, a Clan run by Shadowtail would be horrifying.
The Medicine Cat pushed through the lichen, "Longstar?" Her mew echoed.
"Yes, Morningfur?"
"I'd like to visit The Moonpool, something urgent has come up. I should be back within a two moonrises. If it's okay with you, of course.'' She dipped her head.
Longstar nodded briefly. "I assume Fleetfoot will take over your duties while you're gone?"
"Yes."
Fleetfoot had spent a couple of moons in the Medicine Cat den after he had fallen into an old tunnel, the tom had almost suffocated and his back paw had been twisted beyond imagination.
As the sun began to set, Morningfur sorted a few herbs and gave Fleetfoot a few errands. The sun was above the lake, its reflection majestically rippling behind ShadowClan territory.
Morningfur traveled quickly after saying goodbye to Fleetfoot and giving Sweetwhisker a few herbs to help with her grief. She wanted to come back as quick as possible. She needed too.
She had a feeling of impending doom, something bad was going to happen. But she needed to talk to StarClan, before things became worse.
It was unlike the ShadowClan Medicine Cat to travel so carelessly through other territories. But for the first timed in a long time she had other things on her mind. Like what would become of her beloved ShadowClan?
The sun had set a long time ago by the time Morningfur got to the Moonpool. The moon was high in the sky, it's reflection bright in the deep blue water.
The she-cat hurriedly closed her eyes, hoping to find answers.
An old tom stood in front of her. "Father!" Morningfur exclaimed, burying her speckled head against his neck.
Her father touched the tip of her back with his tail, "I'm so proud of you Morningfur." His eyes flashed with something unrecognizable, " i must go, I shouldn't be here. But remember, I am proud of you."
Blackleaf took one last look at his daughter before turning and disappearing into the tall grass. Morningfur looked after him, wishing he'd come back. She missed Blackleaf.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a moth. The moth seemed to pull at Morningfur and she followed, her paws stepping over grass. Morningfur wasn't sure how long she followed but they stopped in front of a forest. The forest floor was blood stained, the river was contaminated with mud. The moth kept on going. As Morningfur travelled deeper and deeper, she saw more horrible things: dead cats everywhere: innocent kits, harmless elders. Blood seemed to drip from leaves.
The moth stopped at a clearing.
The ground was littered with glass: faint sunlight went through the pieces, scattering. There was sudden spark; perhaps from the concentrated sunlight bearing down on thin leaves. The leaf was reduced to fine ash, except for one tiny piece; the wind blew the flaming ember towards the giant oak.
Morningfur was frozen to her spot, unable to move as the tree was slowly engulfed in flames. And the fire moved, spreading. Smoke was thick in the air, painful yowls haunted Morningfur's ears. She couldn't breathe, smoke stung at her eyes. And then she heard it.
One ember can light the way in the shadows.
Go, now.
Morningfur woke up, the cold stone of the Moonpool calming her. Her heart still thumped at a fast pace, the horrified cries engraved in her head. But she forced herself to move. She shouldn't have come to the moonpool.
The Medicine Cat forced her paws to go as fast as they could. She sped through the grass, ignoring the sharp pains in her paws. They could wait, but her home couldn't.
Morningfur could barely breathe by the time she got to ShadowClan's territory. She slowed down as she got near the camp's entrance. But it was too late.
Longstar was dead.