Author's Note: Hi everyone! For those of you who don't know, this is the sequel to "Ravenpaw's Secret". If you have not read that, please do not read "These Hopeful Paths", as the story will not make much sense. So please visit the before mentioned fanfiction first. :) And for all you reviewers, thanks so much! Special thanks to my best friend Huntress for the title, for contributing, and for editing! I know this is a very short chapter, but what can you expect? It is a prologue, after all :) I am almost finished with the first chapter, so I will update soon. Please review this short chapter and accept my apologies!

Prologue

A beautiful silver she-cat sat in the center of a clearing, her pelt sparkling with the stars of the night. She was a StarClan cat, and she was peered anxiously into the Moonpool, her blue eyes hopeful. She peered through the dark water for only a few moments before a new voice interrupted her.

"Silverstream?"

Silverstream jumped and whirled around, her heart thumping wildly. When she saw who it was, she let out a sigh of relief. Familiar black pelt and emerald eyes—it was her mate's best friend, Ravenwing.

"Hello Ravenwing," she purred quietly, her blue eyes warm and hopeful for the first time in many moons.

Ravenwing smiled and padded over to the she-cat. "Are you watching Hollypaw through the Moonpool?" he meowed quietly.

Silverstream hesitated, and then nodded. "Yes. So much hope rests in her…"

Ravenwing gave an encouraging smile. "Silverstream, have more faith in Hollypaw," he meowed. "StarClan chose her to save Graystripe, so they must think she can do it."

"But StarClan can no longer watch over Graystripe," Silverstream burst out suddenly. "He is too close to the Twolegs, and they are drowning out his scent." The she-cat's voice turned nearly desperate. "Ravenwing, he's so close to me, yet so far away!" she trailed off uncertainly. "I couldn't bear it if she failed," the silver she-cat finished miserably.

"But she won't fail."

The silver she-cat gave Ravenwing a grateful smile, and then seemed troubled. After hesitating for a few moments, she meowed: "Ravenwing, do you begrudge me for making Hollypaw go on this journey? After all, she is your daughter, and maybe I should have asked your permission. She's in danger, Ravenwing, and she will be in even more danger when she strays away from StarClan's presence. I'm so sorry, Ravenwing. I wanted to see Graystripe again so badly, I was prepared to risk the safety of his best friend's daughter to get him."

Ravenwing shook his head. "No, you have nothing to be sorry for, Silverstream," he replied. "When StarClan told Hollypaw to seek out these cats, she did it because she wanted to. She didn't even know the gray cat she saw was Graystripe; she just wanted to make something of her life. She's young, after all." His smile faded. "But when StarClan can no longer reach her, I shall fear for her greatly."

Suddenly, a new voice interrupted, and it was strong and confident. The two cats turned around to see a black tom with stormy gray eyes, darker than Rose's. Storm!

"She will be fine," he insisted. There was such a note of finality in his voice—such a definite confidence. Ravenwing and Silverstream were both surprised. Storm continued. "Father, Silverstream, when I was very young, I wanted to do something notable and brave, so StarClan would give me my warrior name. I wanted to achieve something great; and so does my sister. She is determined not to fail, and that determination is steadfast and unwavering." The wisdom the tom spoke was beyond his years, but the stardust that glittered in his stormy gray eyes shone with belief.

Ravenwing greeted his son with an affectionate purr, and he meowed: "I believe Storm is right, Silverstream. Hollypaw will not fail in doing this—and even if she does, we will know that she tried her best. I'm so sorry…I know that you wanted to go yourself and save Graystripe…but even StarClan cannot make this so."

"Then what is the point of StarClan?" Silverstream burst out bitterly, her pale blue eyes misting over with sorrow. But the question wasn't one that needed to be answered. She gazed away in the distance, but finally, she spoke.

"I believe Hollypaw will be able to save Graystripe. We will watch over her until we can do so no longer—and then her life will be in her own paws, wherever they may take her."