A/N: I have quite a bit planned for this book, everyone! I sure hope you all enjoy it like the others in this series! We're getting closer and closer to the final book! I hope you are all excited, because I really am! Ahh! :) I have spent a lot of time on this prologue, so I hope you enjoy it!
I added first now because there are only about four more chapters in The Secrets of the Moon! Please enjoy!
Prologue
Dark grey storm clouds whisked across the sky as rough winds shook trees to the roots. Crumpled and dead leaves were blown across the camp clearing as thunder cracked in the sky. A fallen tree sprawled across the camp clearing, where dens were constructed with dense bracken and thorns between the stretching branches. Leaves were blown into the clearing as leaf bare made its way into PineClans territory.
A spiky brown furred she-cat perched below the tallest branch that stretched its way towards the sky. The Clans deputy, a beautiful light brown she-cat with white flecks across her back padded toward her. The scrapes of her deputy's claws echoed in the silent clearing. The Clan was in hiding, waiting for the evening storm to pass. "I sense a dark time peaking over the horizon, Fawnstep. I can feel it crawling along my spine, under my flesh," the older she-cat rasped.
The light brown she-cats ear flicked with unease as she stared into the darkening sky. "That may just be the storm, Nettlestar," Fawnstep meowed as she gently laid her tail across the slightly deranged she-cat.
"I have not completely lost my mind, Fawnstep, I know when something is coming. Especially something this dark," Nettlestar rasped as her fur quivered along her spine.
Fawnstep knew that age would take the older leader's final life, and it made Fawnstep feel sick. The thought of her former leader dying made Fawnstep feel vulnerable when it came to be her turn to become PineClan's leader. There was a lot of tension rising within the Clan these past few season, especially since Tigertooth and Wildfire became warriors. The two brothers had constantly made a feud and competition over everything. These two brothers were true opposites. Tigertooth was gentle but fierce and Wildfire was fearless and battle-hungry, but nonetheless, they were both undoubtedly loyal warriors to PineClan. But Fawnstep knew the rivalry between the brothers would rise again, especially since Tigertooth's mate, Gentleheart, had kits.
Wildfire had already demanded a mate, and soon, he would have kits of his own. The brothers feud was nothing more than a fight for dominance and respect of the Clan and each other.
Soon, Fawnstep shook her head clear of the thoughts of the brothers. She turned her gaze back to the clouds that swirled above her head. Anxiety prickled under her pelt as the whirling grew aggressive and pulled toward the Earth's surface. "Uh, Nettlestar? I think we need to go inside the dens," Fawnstep rambled quickly as the funnel pulled harder down to the ground.
"A darkness- A darkness that could shake the roots of the trees- A darkness," Nettlestar rambled on in her own thoughts.
Suddenly, the funnel touched the ground, swallowing everything it could and pulling it towards the sky. "Nettlestar, now!" Fawnstep yowled.
With all her strength, she shoved Nettlestar off her perch, causing the old cat to slam against the hard bark of the petrified tree. Nettlestar gasped as her green vision grew clear. Several cats poked their heads out of the dens to see the commotion outside. "Everyone, stay in the far back of your dens, don't come out until its completely silent," Fawnstep yowled to her clanmates.
The PineClan cats soon disappeared through the dens. Fawnstep grabbed a shocked Nettlestar by the scruff and began to pull her toward her den. "I can carry my own weight!" Nettlestar snapped as she grabbed her footing and stood shakily on the trunk of the tree.
"Then lets go," Fawnstep snapped back at her leader, something she never did.
Fawnstep followed her leader toward her den, but suddenly, something snapped as the wind grew stronger and stronger. Nettlestar turned to face Fawnstep, which caused the light brown she-cat to stare in confusion. But suddenly, Fawnstep was shoved out of the way by Nettlestar. Fawnstep flew off the side of the trunk onto a dense roof of a den. Several twigs and debris clung to Fawnstep's pelt, but she gathered herself quickly and launched herself up the side of the large trunk again.
Fawnstep froze in shock as she saw her leader being crushed by a large branch of the tree. The branch crushed Nettlestar in the hind-quarters, pinning her to the tree trunk. Her eyes were faint with pain and dull as she gasped for what air she could take in her lungs. "Nettlestar!" She gasped as she lunged forward to her leaders side.
Wind tugged at Fawnstep's pelt as she was pulled in directions of the wind. "Nettlestar, stay with me. Flutterwing can save you!" Fawnstep wailed at not only her leader, but her mother as well.
"No, Fawnstep, this is my time to go. You must lead this Clan through its darkest era. Flamehawk will return for vengeance on PineClan," Nettlestar managed to gasp with her final breath of air.
Fawnstep stared down at her leader and mother in shock. She had never thought she would lead her mothers Clan, but now she would lead it through darkness, only to find the light again. Suddenly, the Clans medicine-cat, Flutterwing appeared by her side. "There is no way Nettlestar would have survived this," the pretty white she-cat yowled above the blowing winds as she examined the old leaders crushed hind-quarters.
Fawnstep stared down at her leader and felt grief snagged its claws in her. She lowered her head and pushed the tree branch off Nettlestar's dull, lifeless body. "After the storm has passed, we will head to the Moss Rock. Lets carry her to her den and wait it out," Flutterwing shouted over the loud winds again.
Fawnstep stared blankly at the destroyed clearing. Branches, leaves, and debris cluttered the clearing and watering pool. The light brown she-cat leaned down and lifted her former leader by the head as Flutterwing lifted her crushed, bloody hind-quarters.
The entrance to the leaders den was covered in debris. Once inside, the den smell strongly of Nettlestar's mossy scent, one that Fawnstep would miss the most. Fawnstep gently laid Nettlestar in her nest, as if she were sleeping. Flutterwing's usual white pelt was stained red by the blood of her former leader. It sent haunting shudders down Fawnstep's spine.
The white medicine-cat padded to where a small pool of water and placed small balls of moss in the water. "I'll clean her fur, you must prepare for your ceremony," she meowed over the pelting rain that hit the roof of the den.
Fawnstep stared at her mother and former leader. I'll do my best to lead this Clan, she thought briefly.
"With this life, I give you the bravery of a bear. Use it when your Clan is in weakness or at a disadvantage. It will lead the way to victory," a tom with dark brown, white flecks, and green eyes meowed with pride and happiness vibrating off his starry pelt.
Pain surged through Fawnstep's entire body, almost causing her to collapse on the spot, but she remained strong, and brave. "Thank you, Bravespirit," she purred to her father as he joined his ranks in StarClan.
Fawnstep had received eight of her nine lives already, and now only one was left. Nettlestar, now young and full of energy stood before her. The old she-cats spiky fur was bright and full of youth again and her green eyes were bright with happiness and love. "My precious daughter, you have never ceased to impress me and prove to me that I made the right choice. With this life, I give you pure faith in all your clanmates. Whenever a cat second guesses his loyalty, never lose faith in him to make the right choice," Nettlestar purred as her green gaze grew dark with guarded emotion.
Nettlestar gently touched her nose to Fawnstep's head, causing her to close her green eyes shut tight. But the gentle touch turned to sheer pain once again that engulfed her whole body. Once the pain had ebbed away, she opened her eyes to see the entire StarClan in front of her. "Fawnstar! Fawnstar! Fawnstar!" Cats of all Clans chanted to her, making her feel warm and welcomed inside.
Cats began to vanish one-by-one, but soon, only her and Nettlestar remained. Exhaustion snagged its claws in Fawnstar's shoulders as she stared at her former leader. The brown she-cats eyes were dark with something Fawnstar couldn't read.
Suddenly, a large golden cat appeared behind her mother. This cat was three times her size, causing Fawnstar to quiver in fear. Nettlestar vanished before her very eyes, leaving Fawnstar with this large creature. It stalked closer to her, keeping its body low and ready to pounce. Too engulfed in fear to move, Fawnstar watched as the large cat was almost on top of her as its odd, rounded ears flattened against its head. It opened its jaws in an enormous roar and sounded, making Fawnstar leap back in surprise. Without warning, the cat extended its claws and leaped forward, snagging its claws deep into Fawnstar, sending her back to the Moss Rock, shaking it utter fear.
PINECLAN
LEADER: Fawnstar- beautiful light brown she-cat with white flecks, underbelly, and chest; green eyes (Bearpaw)
DEPUTY: Tigertooth- large dark golden tom with black tabby stripes; amber eyes (Riverpaw)
MEDICINE-CAT: Flutterwing- pretty white she-cat with blue eyes (Molestep- brown tabby tom with amber eyes)
WARRIORS: Opossumfur- grey and black long-haired tom with matted, uneven fur and yellow eyes
Quailwing- light brown she-cat with yellow eyes as white muzzle (Cardinalpaw)
Buckstride- large dark brown tom with bobtail with white underside, belly and chest
Wildfire- large, powerful ginger tom with amber eyes
Squirreltail- ginger she-cat with bushy tail
Stonerunner- pretty brown she-cat with white bobtail (Jaypaw)
Blacksky- large black tabby tom with amber eyes
Curvefoot- large grey tom with black tabby stripes and yellow eyes; lame forepaw (Seedpaw)
Barktail- large pale ginger tom with amber eyes and long dark brown tail
Goldhawk- large golden tom with blue eyes
Haredash- swift, pretty gold she-cat with white bobtail and green eyes
Eaglesound- large light brown tom with amber eyes
Oakbranch- large brown tom with black paws and underbelly; large amber eyes
Owlflight- pretty brown she-cat with large, unblinking yellow eyes
APPRENTICES: Molestep- brown tabby tom with amber eyes
Seedpaw- beautiful pale brown she-cat with cream dash on chest and green eyes; mangled forepaw
Jaypaw- pretty grey she-cat with blue eyes and white forepaws
Bearpaw- large brown tom with amber eyes and white hind-legs
Cardinalpaw- large pale brown tom with pale ginger flecks
Riverpaw- pretty gold she-cat with blue eyes and white paws and tail-tip
QUEENS: Quietheart- pretty golden she-cat with amber eyes (Mother to Tigertooth's kits: Pantherkit- handsome golden tom with large amber eyes and cream paws, chest, belly, and tail-tip (runt of the litter) and Blackkit- large jet black tom with cold, amber eyes)
Redwillow- pretty ginger she-cat with white muzzle and paws (Mother to Wildfire's kits: Nightkit- beautiful black she-cat with single white-tipped ear and green eyes, Doekit- pretty brown she-cat with amber eyes, Foxkit- large ginger tom with amber eyes)
Sapwing- pretty cream she-cat with amber eyes (Expecting Blacksky's kits)
ELDERS: Rosepool- once pretty cream she-cat with bright pink nose and green eyes
Sunstone- large ginger tom with crisp amber eyes
Dapplelight- once pretty, dapple she-cat with blue eyes
A/N: Uh oh! Flamehawk is back again! Why did this large cat come to Fawnstar? What dark time is peaking over the horizon? Is Nettlestar insane? What could Flamehawk possibly do now? ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!
Lets get to me 5-10 reviews before I post the first, thrilling chapter of this awesome book! It only takes a second to say a word! :P
-Nightspirit