A thick, heavy silence lay upon the forest. The night was growing darker than ever, with no moon and only the cold shimmer of the stars to illuminate the land. At the bottom of a large hollow, a large mound of stone stood, reflecting the starshine. The air was beginning to chill, marking the beginning of the transition from greenleaf to leaf-fall.
The wind was soft and nearly silent, shaking the branches of the surrounding trees. Four great oaks stood around the hollow. A cluster of bushes parted to reveal a cat, her bluish-gray fur glimmering with the light of Silverpelt above. She stepped delicately down from her spot, down to the boulder's base.
Sitting on a pile of rocks that lie by the larger one, she raised her head to look around. As if called by a signal, more cats began to appear, slipping into the hollow from every direction. They padded down to sit as close to the great rock as they could until the lower slopes were filled with lithe shapes gazing up at the leader-like she-cat.
The cat who had appeared first rose to her paws, bounding up to the top of the rock to address the cats. "I'm sure you've all heard," she meowed. "A doom that will change the fate of the Clans has been foretold in the stars."
By the bottom of the rock, another cat bowed his tawny-colored head. "I have seen this too. There will be many deaths and a great challenge."
"Darkness, air, water, and the sky will fall apart, shaking the forest bare," the first cat went on. "Nothing will be as it is now, nor as it has been before."
"The greatest storm in the history of the Clans is coming," meowed another voice. Murmurs spread through the group of cats, repeating the word storm until it had been passed around the circle, making it sound as though thunder rumbled through their ranks. The she-cat raised her tail, and they fell silent.
As soon as the mumbling died away, a lean cat with a glossy black pelt spoke from a bit further away from the first cat's perch. "Can nothing change what is about to happen? Not even the courage and spirit of the greatest warriors?"
"The doom will come," the blue-gray she-cat replied. "Even if the Clans meet it like warriors, they may not survive." Lifting her head, she let her deep blue gaze travel around the hollow. "You have all seen what must befall the forest," she added. "And you know what must be done. If we are to have any hope of making it through this, cats must be chosen. They will hold the Clans' destiny in their paws. Are you ready to make your choices before all of StarClan?"
As she finished speaking, her silvery pelt ruffled, though there was no more wind to disturb it. The whole clearing was still.
The bracken-colored tom rose to his paws, starlight turning the fur on his shoulders to silver. "I will begin," he announced. He glanced sideways to meet the gaze of a light-colored tabby with a twisted jaw. "Crookedstar, do I have permission to speak for RiverClan?" The tabby bowed his head in agreement, and the tom went on, "Then I invite you to all see and approve my choice."
He tipped his head back to stare at the sky. The stars above began shining brighter and brighter, a golden shape in the outline of a cat becoming visible before the lightshow vanished completely. Many cats squinted and tried to get closer to see it more clearly.
"That one?" questioned the blue-gray cat, her gaze fixed on the now normal stars. "Are you sure, Oakheart? She doesn't even-"
The tip of the bracken-colored tom's tail flicked back and forth. "Odd. And I was sure that choice would please you, Bluestar," he meowed, amusement clear in his tone. "Do you not think she is suitable for this mission? She was trained nicely, and has much useful knowledge."
"She was excellently taught." Bluestar's neck fur rose as if he had said something to challenge her, then lay flat again. "But how will we get the message to her? Mudfur can't know about this."
"Have you forgotten that we have a perfect messenger right here?" With another twitch of his tail, the stars reappeared briefly before a shadow fell back over them, another dark outline shining through. "They're trustworthy enough to be able to talk to each other. It'll help build character."
The slender she-cat responded with a flutter of her ear. "I suppose so. Does the rest of StarClan agree?" she asked.
A quiet murmur of assent rose from the watching cats, and the stars twinkled back into the light.
Now, the black cat stood up and padded to the side of the rock, then jumped to the top to join Bluestar. "Here is my choice," he called. "See and approve it."
The clearing visibly darkened as clouds rolled over it, and Bluestar felt her chest tighten. She stared up at the image for some moments before nodding. "He has great potential for a cat his age," she agreed.
"But Nightstar- could he make it?" yowled another cat.
The black cat's head whipped around and his claws dug into the stone he was standing on. "Are you calling him weak?"
"There's reason enough for it." The answer was shot back with a slight hint of irritation. "He's so young! How do you expect him to survive?"
"Then that could make him the best choice," Bluestar reasoned calmly. "If the Clans cannot find strengths in others now, all will be lost. Perhaps it will take cats with great hope to understand what has to be done." She paused for a moment, but no other objections were brought to attention. "Does StarClan approve?"
Many cats hesitated, but it was not long before nods spread to all of the assembled cats. The stars seemed to waver briefly, and when it was over, the dark figure had gone.
Another black cat stood up and approached the great rock, limping on one twisted paw. "My turn, I'd say," he rasped. "See and approve my choice."
The bright shape that lit the sky appeared to be almost like the moon, shining down on an image of a cat, and the cats peered at it for some time before anyone spoke.
"Interesting," the blue she-cat exclaimed at last. "You have chosen a fine young warrior, Deadfoot."
"I had noticed, thank you, Bluestar," the black tom meowed dryly.
"He may be a fine warrior," the bracken-colored tom protested from behind, having moved to the back of the crowd, "but is it worth the risk?"
"As risky as he may be," Deadfoot retorted, "this young cat has skills we rarely see the likes of. He has the ability to bind cats together. With the cats we've chosen, this group may need it. One day he might make a fine leader of WindClan."
"One day is not now," Bluestar pointed out. "I see your point, Oakheart. However-"
Deadfoot's tail lashed furiously and his neck fur bristled as he glared at Bluestar. "This is my choice," he insisted. "Do you dare to say that he is not worthy? You would allow Nightstar's decision, but not mine?"
The moon-like shape was whisked away by darkness before being replaced by the dimmer outline from before, when ShadowClan had presented their choice. Bluestar hummed, nodding slightly. "I suppose," she murmured, nodding slowly. "Does StarClan approve? Remember what exactly we're putting at stake here."
The cats began muttering things to each other in small groups, casting shady glances at the shape in the sky and at the cat staring up at it. Deadfoot was staring back with a fury in his eyes, his fur fluffed up so that he looked twice his size. He was clearly ready to take on any cat who may question or challenge him.
After a long moment, the chattering faded off and Bluestar asked once more, "Does the Clan approve?" The concurrence came, but it was low and reluctant, and a few cats stayed silent. Bluestar let out an ill-tempered growl as she turned to sweep her eyes across the group.
When the sky had cleared again, Oakheart meowed, "ThunderClan has not yet had a choice made yet, Bluestar."
"I know- but I am ready now," she replied. "See and approve my choice." She gazed up proudly as a light shone on a patched outline formed in the sky.
Oakheart stared at it and stretched his jaws wide in a soundless mew of laughter. "That one! Bluestar, you never cease to surprise me."
"Why?" Bluestar's tone betrayed that she was deeply unsettled. "She is a noble young cat, to come of age soon. She is fit for the challenges that will be brought from this disastrous future we have seen."
The tom's ears twitched. "Did I say she was not?"
Bluestar held his gaze, not looking at the other cats as she demanded, "Does the Clan approve?" When the agreement came, strong and certain, she gave Oakheart a contemptuous flick of her tail and looked away.
"Cats of StarClan," she meowed, raising her voice. "Your choices have been made. Soon the journey must begin. These cats must meet the terrible storm that will be released onto all of the Clans. Return to your Clans, and make sure each cat is ready."
She paused, and her eyes blazed with a fierce silver light. "We can choose warriors to save the Clans, but beyond that, we cannot help them. May the spirits of all our warrior ancestors go with these cats, wherever we may lead them."