Light Fading

Prologue

By Winterpaw/Winter432

A light breeze blew against Junipershine's fur as she padded into Riverclan's camp. It was a dark and cool night, soon to be Moonhigh, and she was just returning from a late night hunt. She went out to collect herbs but ended up just waiting at a stream instead. The fish always seem calmer and easier to catch at this time of night.

She stroked past the two guards near the entrance-Hollowbranch and Leafheart-and headed straight for her den, after she placed her one fish on the fresh-kill pile for the next day. The fish would be able to eat tomorrow morning, and still probably as juicy and fresh.

Hollowbranch and Leafheart watched her place the fish down, then Leafheart licked his lips. She gave them a slight nod, and they turned away once again, doing their duty. They still looked like they were perfect guards, waiting for any danger to arrive. There weren't usually guards set out to keep watch. They were only there because a patrol had recently caught scent of a fox, and Talonstar wanted to be cautious. They both dipped their heads to her as she disappeared into her bramble den.

Junipershine instantly plopped down into her nest, quickly gaining warmth. Drowsiness swept over her as her eyes started to close. Her tiredness overcame her, and eventually she drifted into a deep sleep.

In her dreams, she opened her eyes to see the lake, with nice oak trees, watery reeds, and green shrubs surrounding it, and grassy hills far into the distance. She was about to enjoy this all, and take off into a slow run, when a voice meowed from behind her.

The medicine cat swung around and saw a very familiar face. She was only visited by this cat once in a few moons, and she was someone you would be happy to see.

It was her former mentor, Cindertail. She gasped as the starry-furred she-cat padded up to her and grinned. Her gray fur rippled gracefully and she stood there looking like a strong, fit, clan member.

"Cindertail! You-you came into my dream? Why, is something wrong?" Junipershine pelted the former medicine cat with questions. With a flick of her tail, Cindertail silenced Junipershine. She stepped forward so that her face was right in front of Junipershine's.

A light wind seemed to pick up in her dream, and Junipershine quivered. Bushes and trees in Starclan's territory shook, and a few leaves went tumbling to the ground. Suddenly everything went a bit darker; the light all around dimmed. Everything happened fast, but ever so clearly. Something bad was happening. Bad news would be given to her today.

Cindertail spoke quietly, but firmly. She stared right into Junipershine's eyes, and the she-cat started to feel worried.

"Junipershine, my wonderful apprentice. You have been a great medicine cat for your clan so far, and every member values you highly."

The orange tabby she-cat stared down awkwardly at her paws, surprised by her mentor's praise. But she knew this wasn't what her mentor wanted to talk about. It was just a side note, probably to help her cheer up. But after many former moons of spending time with her mentor, she knew that something was up. Even when Cindertail acted basically the same. The gray Starclan cat dipped her head at her, then continued, in a lower, grim voice.

"The last few moons have been easy on your clan. Only typical forest dangers threaten your safety and luxury. But now, that will all change. A harder enemy to face is rising. And sometching unexpected will happen. Something will happen more than once, and it is up to you to recognize the Riverclan cats who are wise enough to make everything right again. These cats will reveal themselves to be worthy of this task soon enough, you will just have to be patient."

Junipershine abruptly cut off her mentor by asking, "Do you know what will happen. Can you change it?"

Cindertail patiently answered, then continued on. "What will happen is out of Starclan's reach, and is quite unpredictable. It is only up to these cats to make everything right again, and achieve happiness for your clan."

"But what do you mean? What is going to happen. Who is in danger!"

The words came slowly, but clear. They did not help much, but only made things more ominous. Cindertail's voice changed a little as she told Junipershine, trusting her to listen intently.

"The feather that drops from the bird's wing will never stop drifting until the clans' doom."

"What! Is that a prophecy... Who are you talking about, what are you talking about!"

But the she-cat had already started to fade. She blinked at Junipershine once before almost disappearing for good. Junipershine could almost hear, "the two cats will come soon, and I will be back also..." In the air before all she could see was forest, water, grass and moonlight far in the distance. Cindertail had left, and she was all alone. The darkness and chilly wind had gone away now, and the feel of Starclan and it's wonderful glory had returned now. Everything was still, and dream prey was scuttling around carelessly, like it wanted to be munched on.

But Junipershine was not comforted anyhow. Her thoughts were whirling, and all she could do was worry of what was to come. The feather that drops from the bird's wing will never stop drifting until the clans' doom...

Heart pounding and legs weak, Junipershine was ready to scream. But before anything else could happen, everything went black for a second, and then she opened her eyes.

Bramble walls with small ferns incased surrounded her. The smell of fresh herbs and a crisp lake breeze smell were all inside the place. She was back in her den. The medicine den. Back into the living world, with her clan that was now endangered. I need to warn everyone. I will after dawn, She thought. This is very important though. She stretched out her muscles, then padded out of her den, already almost-fully awake.

Around the camp, cats had just begun to stir, waking up from their slumber, and preparing for patrols and hunting. The deputy, Featherflight, was stretching in the sun, preparing for organizing patrols. She could already hear the squeaks of the kits in the nursery. Mistywater would be busy today with her rowdy bunch-Clawkit, Ripplekit, Frozenkit and Mudkit. Applebee, the other queen, would also be distracted with her two kits, Featherkit (the downbeat cruel one) and Scorchkit and Streamkit. (The bouncy and pretty ones.)

Junipershine headed out into the middle of the clearing. The picture of her on the rock shelf, giving the announcement that the clan was in doom, made her pelt bristle a little. She really didn't want to scare or disappoint the warriors or apprentices, and definetly not the innocent queens and elders. But she could already imagine the looks on their faces when she revealed the prophecy, and the horror to come.

Fear flooded over her, as well of a sense of being rushed. Everything was happening so quick, and this one prophecy could ruin the lives of many cats. Junipershine let the bad thoughts group together in her head, and tried to contain them without yowling.

So when the cats came out of their dens, smelling the chilly leaf fall air, and stretching their muscles as if life would be rewarding and easy today, she lost that one light in her head that kept her going. She felt like vomiting, crying, or screaming at the sight of cats in a bloody battle being killed, in her mind. This all contributed to her uneasiness, and soon, she did not want to be around cats at all. I need to get out of here now!

The without any indication, she turned heel, and stared at the reeds that surrounded the camp and the few trees dotted around the territory. She knew cats were watching her as she sped off down the dusty trail to the lake. She did not care though. So she ran farther and farther down to the lake, and finally reached after what seemed like moons.

And then she looked at the water.

She thought that the blue-green water would be slightly rippling with waves. But instead, she watched in horror as the sloshing liquid turned a dark red color, a rusty scarlet. Then shadows surrounded her, and feathers seemed to fall for the sky.

Then the prophecy rang in her mind, and she finally fell to the ground exhausted, and did not try to get up again. The feather that drops from the bird's wing will never stop drifting until the clans' doom.

Light seemed to fade as Junipershine closed her eyes and rested, but once more had one bad thought.

Everything will go wrong...