A clear night sky sparkled far above a deserted clearing. An old, blue-gray she-cat sat staring up at its luminous depths, waiting. All around her in the shadows, she could hear the breathing and stirrings of sleeping cats. A small, lithe tortoiseshell she-cat emerged from a dark corner, her pawsteps quick and soundless.
The gray cat dipped her head in greeting, and the tortoiseshell did the same. "Well met, Bluestar," mewed the smaller cat, her amber eyes shining through the dark. "Yes, Spottedleaf," replied the blue-pelted leader, sighing. "We have been through hard times," she said, cutting straight to the point. "I still cannot imagine why Riverclan would choose to take back Sunningrocks, and now of all times. How are Mousefur's and Ravenpaw's wounds?"
Spottedleaf lowered her eyes in shared sadness. "They are doing fine... both are strong, but I cannot help but feel that the endless battles between Thunderclan and Riverclan over Sunningrocks do terrible harm to both sides and accomplish nothing," she declared.
"That may be so," murmured Bluestar, "but we both know that Sunningrocks belongs to Thunderclan. Our-"
Before she had the chance to complete her sentence, Spottedleaf stiffened beside her. "Starclan," she whispered, awed.
Bluestar froze as well, not daring to move nor speak. Seconds passed like moons to her as Spottedleaf stared straight ahead at the trees of Thunderclan territory, looking at them but not seeing them. As Bluestar felt that her muscles were going to solidify and become stone from lack of movement, Spottedleaf finally exhaled softly.
"What has Starclan shown you?" inquired Bluestar, managing to disguise her hope and excitement.
For the first time in a long time, Spottedleaf seemed uncertain. "I'm not sure..." she mumbled, confused. "They seemed to be showing me what would have happened. There was a tomcat with a pelt like fire, and a dark tabby, and a tiny black and white cat all standing together. There was so much bloodshed... I have the strangest feeling that I had already died by the time my visions finished. Someday I will tell you every detail about every one of them, but not tonight. Starclan had only one clear message for us: Fire will save the clan, but cats will die innocent deaths and the Dark Forest will rise in the end. But, if only one has the patience to wait for fire's fueling fury to die down to ash: Bright dawn will come after every dark night. Bright dawn will save the four clans and the lost clan, and bright dawn will lead the charge against the Dark Forest. Then, bright will our future be."
Neither cat moved after Spottedleaf spoke. They stayed that way, looking up at the sky, each lost in her own tangled thoughts, until dawn.