Prologue
The bold, silver moon hung high in the deep blue sky, illuminating the night. Below, curled in their nests, lay a Clan of cats. All asleep, they rested peacefully under the moon's soft glow, two sat in a silent vigil. Hazelpaw, now known as Hazelflight, was a bob-tailed she-cat with a light brown coat, accompanied by a few dark brown splotches, with a large splotch around her left eye. Both of her eyes were a vibrant green, which matched perfectly with her coat. The second cat, Lionfang, was a huge, muscular, maine-coon cat with a sandy coat and amber eyes. Hazelflight had taken her spot on a thick branch high up in an oak tree, while Lionfang had found a spot for herself on top of the branch-pile. Both had a keen view of the camp, which was a cluster of small caves and overhangs surrounding a pond, nestled at the bottom of a stream. The stream came from a larger lake, which flowed down from the lake, through a tunnel under the Thunderpath, and into the pond, where it then gushed into a series of larger pools. The two cats, almost half asleep, were recounting their days as kits and apprentices.
As the moon sunk into the horizon, Hazelflight could see that daybreak was only about an hour away, and then she could finally get some rest, probably choosing to nap on a flat oak tree branch. Hazelflight had never really been a fan of the whole "swimming" and "walking" concept- instead, she preferred climbing trees and jumping from branch to branch. This, along with her bob tail, had been what set her apart from the rest of the DawnClan, or any other Clan, for that matter. No other cat could climb trees as she could, giving Hazelflight the upper paw. To be fair, she didn't do so well when it came to swimming, which was a practiced skill in the Clan. For one, she was barely able to stay afloat and refused to go into the deeper parts of the pond, unlike the rest of the Clan cats, who were used to the cold, murky waters.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Hazelflights ears perked up and her eyes narrowed, scanning the camp for danger. It was only when she looked over at Lionfang, who was stalking toward the tunnel under the Thunderpath, that she saw the small, orange and black shape emerge from the shadows, it's tail between its legs. With a swift movement, Lionfang had the small cat clutched in her jaws, just pressing hard enough so she could carry the writing ball of fur. Hopping down from the tree, Hazelflight slowly approached Lionfang. However, Lionfang stopped her, shaking her head and heading back toward the stick pile. Hazelflight watched with interest as she placed the cat in a small opening, and then resumed her post.
As she resumed her spot in the tree, Hazelflight couldn't help but wonder about the small cat.
Could it have been another Clan cat? Maybe a kit? She thought to herself. As she mused over the mysterious cat, her emerald green eyes focused on the horizon. The golden sun was just peeking through the tops of the rolling hills, casting a glow across the valley. As the sun continued to rise, Hazelflight could hear the rest of the Clan waking up, along with the arrival of the night patrols.
I wonder when Lionfang will tell them about the cat? She thought, making her way down the rough bark.
She could only imagine what the rest of the Clan would think.