Prologue
The gray, shadowy mountains were silent. No sign of prey, no sound of predator. Not even a slight breeze to stir the calmness. Even the dark clouds appeared motionless. The snowy peaks seemed too quiet, almost suspicious.
The cats of the Tribe of Burning Clouds were sleeping peacefully and dreamlessly. Nothing moved except the rise and fall of their chests. The whole world looked to be soundless and still.
One of the countless cats stirred, blinking sleep from his eyes. One of the Tribe's greatest hunters, he was young, powerful and agile. Although his pelt was completely black, he expertly slid from shadow to shadow, blending in to the dark mountains. This tom's name was, actually, Shadow. But the Tribe of Burning Clouds knew him as Asura, the spiritual one, the healer.
Asura rose from his nest of dark moss and black feathers, which added to the unusual darkness of the night. He immediately left his den without the slightest backward glance. This wasn't normal for Asura, but that night was different. That night, there was a growing tension in the air.
Asura stepped outside the Tribe's camp and looked around, sniffing the air. He stiffened as a single she-cat came into view. Asura knew that this was Angeni, the Tribe of Stormy Skies' spiritual healer. He wondered what she could possibly be doing out here, as she didn't seem to be threatening his Tribe. She looked alone, her bright golden pelt dappled with shadows.
Angeni stared down into the depression in the mountain rock where the Tribe of Burning Clouds resided. She noticed Asura watching her suspiciously, but she didn't care. She was too caught up in her own thoughts, thoughts of the Tribes' rivalry. Thoughts of how the Tribe of Burning Clouds was managing much better than the Tribe of Stormy Skies. Angeni watched Asura's shadowy shape pace back and forth defensively. I'm not looking for a battle, Angeni thought with a small sigh.My cats have too much to worry about without their healer being injured.
Asura slowly padded up the slope and out of the large dent in the mountain. He noticed Angeni take a step back and advanced more slowly. When he was almost at the ridge above his camp, he spoke.
"What right does the healer of my enemy tribe have to be prowling my territory in the middle of the night?"
Angeni took another step back. "I have no intention of harming your Tribe, Asura," she said calmly. "I'm out here because I need to find someplace to think sometimes."
"So the perfect place to think happens to be overlooking my camp?" Asura said challengingly, stepping up to face his enemy.
Angeni took a third step backwards. She glared at Asura and said angrily, "Why do our Tribes have to be enemies? Why do you have to add to our problems all the time?"
"The only problem you have is that you aren't as powerful and stable as me!" Asura scoffed. He didn't believe Angeni's claim of needing someplace calm to travel into deep thought. Asura leaped onto Angeni's shoulders, claws extended.
Angeni hissed and threw him off with great effort. She knew she was already weak and unprepared for a battle, but she was determined to show this pesky tom how strong she really was. Angeni spun around and raked her claws down Asura's side. The black cat growled with anger and frustration and unbalanced Angeni.
It was then that Angeni realized it wouldn't be a good idea to fight on a narrow ridge. She felt rock crumble beneath one back paw and turned around. Asura had her trapped, had her on the edge of the ridge. Angeni knew she couldn't risk her life being arrogant to her enemy. She gathered all her strength, leaped over Asura, and shamefully fled.
Asura purred with satisfaction. He knew Angeni was weaker than him. He knew she was more troubled and less at peace than him. He knew the Great Spirits hadn't been responding to her calls for guidance. Asura was proud of himself and his Tribe, and glad that he knew all of these things.
However, there was one thing Asura didn't know. He didn't know that the tension he felt in the air wasn't caused by an enemy on his territory. He didn't realize that something was coming. Something was about to change the lives of the cats forever.