An unseasonal rain fell upon the clustered pine trees, their boughs swaying in the leaf-bare breeze. Two cats were assembled in the shelter of a tree stump, broad-shouldered and muscular, their pelts sleek. One of them sat, his head bowed as if in prayer, as the other spoke.
"The preparations have been made. I think everything will be ready shortly."
The other raised his head. His dark eyes, each seeming to contain a dark, forbidding abyss, held a spark of interest, and beneath it, a hint of menace. His muzzle was deeply scarred, these scars remnants of a vicious battle. "Good." His meow was foreboding. "Everything is going well?"
The first spoke in assent. "All is well. When we arrive, I will show you the place."
"Remind me, Gray, what is this place?" responded the other.
Gray shook a few lingering raindrops off of the gray tabby pelt that had given him his name. "A cavern, from what I've seen."
"I see," was the reply of the brown-pelted cat to whom Gray was speaking. "Leave me here now, but return at nightfall. We have much more to discuss."
Gray dipped his head respectfully, rising to his paws. Twitching his ears in farewell, he turned and left the shelter of the den.
The fresh air and the pattering rain outside hit him like a cool, refreshing breeze. Gray made his way towards a large bramble bush, stopping as he heard a snap behind him. The gray tomcat whipped around, relaxing as he saw the clearing around him was empty. His nose quickly identified what had made the sound. A bird, fluttering out of a tree at his approach. In other words, nothing to worry about. Gray scolded himself inwardly; he had been rather jumpy ever since he had heard the startling news that Dew was expecting kits. His worries of her safety during their imminent departure were reawakened constantly. Shaking his head to clear it, he twitched his tail and disappeared into the bramble bush to get some rest.