The moonlight cast eerie shadows on the land below, moon shadows that danced in the darkness. A pair of eyes watched this dance, as the moon slowly made its nighttime journey across Silverpelt. And when it did, her eyes flashed silver.
For she saw what was to come for the cats she loved. Hate, betrayal, lack of judgment. A pulse so strong tore her heart as she glimpsed the future. At last, she could look no more. She turned away, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"You see it, too, don't you?" A soft voice murmured from behind her. The she-cat made no move. She just sighed, closing her eyes as if to try to block out the memories from which she'd seen.
"The time is coming." She murmured finally, "A time, Russetstar, when all clans will be devastated, if not destroyed."
The former ShadowClan leader nodded slowly, "I see prophecies, dangers, destruction. But the clans have always survived, Ashstar. Remember when the Twolegs destroyed the old forest? Everyone thought the clans final days were here until we found this." Her star-filled gaze swept across the land below her.
Ashstar bowed her head, a single tear running down the bridge of her nose. "How would you know?" she asked subtly, "It is WindClan who will take the most damage. Your clan will be safe."
"Not fully safe." The deeper voice of another cat echoed behind them.
Russetstar's gaze glinted with malice as she heard it, and she turned, lip curled. "Ah, yes, we forgot, Lionstar." She hissed, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "No cat nor clan can stand up against the mighty ThunderClan." Claws scraped the ground as she finished, "You are no longer there to protect your clan, mighty Lionstar. Sooner or later, it will fall, like the rest of ours."
The broad-shouldered tabby didn't reply, but gazed ahead. Ashstar only flicked her ears, Russetstar's contradiction only bringing back her doubts. They stood there for a long time, the three leaders, before Ashstar spoke again.
"Is there no way we can help them?" she asked, voice small.
"We don't need to be running around whimpering like tiny kits each time we see the future." A harsh retort resounded as Mossstar stepped from the bushes, "Stop acting like a kit, leader of WindClan."
Anger flared in Ashstar's heart as she turned to face Mossstar, fur bristling, "If you had seen what I saw for your own clan, would you do the same?" she spat, "You wouldn't know what you would do. Because you didn't see it." Fear sparked in Ashstar's eyes as she rose to full height, spitting at Mossstar.
Just as quickly as it had begun, it was over. "Calm, Ashstar." Lionstar hissed quietly, shoving himself in-between the hissing she-cats, "For there is a way."
"What is it then?" Russetfur snapped, "And why didn't you tell us sooner?"
The golden tabby only glared at Russetfur. "It is a prophecy." He closed his eyes, letting the words sweep over him, "Blood will fortell the danger, the sorrow the sacrifice. Of the breakage of rules and the destruction of loyalty. Peace shall be forgotten, when the wind blows hard and shatters the hope engulfing the forest into darkness."
"Well that's helpful," Mossstar retorted, her tail lashing, "Nothing better than destroyed peace and plenty of darkness."
"But at least it's something." Ashstar raised her head, "As thin of a thread as it is, my clan will cling to any hope."
"I will go deliver it to Shadewing." meowed Russetfur.
"And I to Stargazer." Ashstar put in. "They must be warned as soon as possible."
"Very well then." Lionstar announced, "May we light our clanmate's paths."
"And hope that this prophecy isn't just a heap of foxdung," Mossstar hissed.
Ashstar turned to Mossstar, hope replacing fear, "It isn't," she meowed quietly, "We must trust that." And with that, she disappeared into the underbrush, not to be seen by any other StarClan cats that night.