The moonlight filtered down through the trees in an ancient forest. Names such as Firestar, Onestar, Blackstar, Leopardstar, Tigerstar, or even Sunstar, had not even been thought of as of yet. A chilling past filtered through a small circular pool in front of four cats. And an even more chilling future lay ahead of them. Grant it, they could not see very far ahead, they could still see death, destruction, and hatred.

An eerie wind blew through the trees. It blew coldly against the four cats, ruffling the pelts of a thick-furred black she-cat and a long-furred silvery-gray tom. Four sets of eyes, one of amber, one of yellow, and two of green, stared over the still water, watching the scenes play out.

A sleek and wiry brown she-cat, the beholder of the yellow pair of eyes, shifted as she felt the wind. "Feel that? Even the wind foretells the evil of which to come."

A muscular tom, his pelt the color of the autumn leaves that fall from the trees in leaf-fall with big white paws and amber eyes, nodded somberly. "You speak the truth, Windstar. The wind bites as fierce as any warrior tonight."

The shadowy black she-cat with green eyes snorted. "Oh please. You feel nothing but the wind. And because of what you've seen in the water, you're finding things to relate to this so called 'doom' that's supposedly coming."

Windstar's hackles rose as she stood and stared defiantly at the other she-cat. "Well, excuse me, Shadowstar, if not all of us are as black-hearted as you and your band of black-hearted warriors!" She spat furiously.

Shadowstar's fur bristled as she hissed right back at the other she-cat. "And excuse me if my clan and I just happen to be hardened to what frightens everyday, silly, weak excuses for warriors that call themselves WindClan cats such as yourself, Windstar!"

Enraged and the insults to her clan from the former ShadowClan leader, Windstar made ready to attack before the tom from earlier placed himself between the warring she-cats. His amber eyes blazed with disapproval.

"And you call yourselves StarClan! StarClan sets itself above normal, everyday clan disputes, not fighting about like rival kits!" He spat angrily.

The silver gray tom, whom had been sitting in the background watching the dispute, yawned. "Oh, Thunderstar, why not let them fight? They can't kill each other, we're already in StarClan, anyway. Besides, it would save a lot of bickering later on."

Thunderstar turned his amber gaze to the tom. "Just because you would let them battle it out, Riverstar, does not mean I will."

Riverstar just shrugged and sat back down, licking his paw. "Whatever. Would have made an awful racket, either way." He sighed, then looked back at his fellow cats. "But while we're here, what shall we do about this 'doom and gloom' that will befall our descendants?"

Shadowstar shrugged. "Leave them to it, I say. They have brains - let them use them for a change, rather than giving them hints and warnings all the time. They're grown cats, they can handle it for once in their lives!"

Riverstar's eyes then blazed, showing his characteristic love for his clan. "You must surely be joking. No cat, least of all your ShadowClan, could solve this out! We should warn them, I say."

Windstar's eyes glared in contempt for the ShadowClan she-cat, her tail lashing furiously still as she faced Thunderstar. "I agree with Riverstar. We should give them as much a chance as we can." She turned her yellow glare back to Shadowstar. "Even if some cats do not deserve to be warned."

Shadowstar's claws dug into the ground beneath their paws. "But this is seasons and seasons into the future! How could any of the cats that live this day be able to warn the cats this danger effects?"

Thunderstar's big white back paw reached up to scratch a bothersome itch beneath his chin as he thought of his answer carefully. Before he could, however, Riverstar beat him to it.

"Easily, Shadowstar." The tom answered as he curled his tail about his paws. "We tell the medicine cats to simply pass the warning down the line, until it reaches the generation effected."

Windstar nodded in agreement. "Yes, simple as that."

Shadowstar narrowed her eyes into a sly smile. "Yes, yes, simple as that. And what should happen if, oh, maybe a medicine cat simply forgets this omen, and never passes it along? What would happen then?"

Thunderstar answered this time. "We can revisit said medicine cat, of course."

"It's not that easy!" Shadowstar insisted as her tail lashed, her eyes glowing angrily as she stamped a front paw. "Nothing is ever this easy! Do you fools not understand that? Something is bound to go wrong -"

"You're just being negative, Shadowstar." Windstar rolled her eyes skyward. "Really, sometimes things go according to plan." At this, she smirked. "Just because your final argument did not end with your victory - actually, it ended in your death, didn't it? I thought so - does not mean other things you set out to do will be failures."

Before the black cat could hiss her reply, Thunderstar interrupted yet again. "Windstar, Shadowstar, honestly. What foolish ways for clan leaders - the firstclan leaders, mind you - to act!" He looked at Shadowstar, who had a glare of planning revenge on her face. "Shadowstar, you arebeing negative. As Windstar said, sometimes things docome easily, though we don't expect them to." He turned his amber glare to the still-smirking brown she-cat. "And you, Windstar, were severely out of line. Clan leaders do not spite, nor call out other leader's failures."

The black she-cat turned away, her green eyes full of contempt, muttering. "Since when did we agree to let this over-grown ThunderClanner tom become leader over us?"

"For once, I agree." Windstar muttered, turning away to lick her paw and swipe it over her ears a few times to restore her dignity at being scolded by the big tom.

Riverstar got a good purr out of the three's exchange. Unfortunately Shadowstar noticed, and immediately crouched into a pouncing position, unknowingly beside the pool. "If you have something amusing to share, why don't you -" Her green gaze had accidentally strayed to the waters calm surface, and she immediately halted mid sentence.

The other three gathered round, Riverstar staying on the other side of Thunderstar and well away from the angered she-cat, trying to see what she saw.

Her green eyes never left the water as she spoke.

"Hawk and raven shall become one, saving all cats from the unending stripe and the great evil it commands."

--

Seasons and seasons later, the cats of the clans had settled into their new home by the lake. It seemed to have been made for them, a long-deserved peaceful home after the hardships of the great journey. The four clans had braved the weather and seemingly hopeless times that had passed on them, and now they were near thriving. There was plenty of prey to feed all for clans and more, plenty of woods, open spaces, marshes, and water.

It was night, one of the first since they had arrived at the new place. But one cat, a fiery ginger tom with green eyes, stood on a tall hill, overlooking WindClan's territory, but beyond that, the mountains. And their old home.

His thoughts were clouded, he never even sensed another cat joined him until she rubbed against his shoulder. He snapped out of his staring-trance and looked down at the light ginger she-cat. Green eyes met green eyes for a moment, before the she-cat broke the silence.

"What's wrong, Firestar?" She mewed, her tone worried. "You've been up here for a long time."

The tom, Firestar, sighed. "It... It just doesn't feel right tonight, Sandstorm. It feels like something's gonna happen. Something bad."

Sandstorm purred good naturedly and entwined her tail with his. "You're worried because we had to leave Graystripe, and Ravenpaw didn't want to join us. They were your best friends, Firestar, it normal."

Firestar turned his head from her and settled back on the mountains. "It's not just that. It just feels like... Like when Bluestar banished Tigerstar. How I always felt he was watching me, just behind my back. Like there's an evil here."

Sandstorm sighed and gazed in the direction his was staring, at the mountains and beyond. "Tigerstar's dead. He's been dead for a long time, now. You saw him die, Firestar." She gazed up at him until he turned to look at her. When his green eyes met hers, she continued. "Where'd that brave kittypet I once knew, the one insistent on becoming a warrior, go?"

Firestar didn't answer at first. He turned back to the mountains. Then, after a moment, he stood and looked at his mate. "You're right. I'm probably just worried over Graystripe." He gave her his best smile as he re-entwined their tails. "Come on, let's get back to camp before the clan misses us." With that, they walked back down the hill, pelts brushing and tails twined together.

But Firestar could not help one last lingering glance at the mountains.

--

Nukpana, or Pana to many, tossed and turned in his sleep. His blood-red fur becoming brown from the dirt he slept on, his paws and eyes twitching. Suddenly, his brown eyes opened and he bolted up onto all four paws. His tail was between his legs, and his muzzle hung open in a pant.

He had been dreaming.

Pana turned and looked around frantically. No, he was still in his den, a dug-out hole in the wall of the ditch he and his pack called home. Same dirt floor, walls, and ceiling. Same scents. He looked out of the hole, seeing the familiar dens scratched out of the walls, housing his braves, the females, and the pups and mothers. Nothing was wrong. His sentry was still there, looking bored as ever. No attack, no losing, none of his braves dead.

He began growling. Stupid dreams! He turned to go back into his den, but stopped short. In front of him, was the figure from his dream.

A big brown tabby cat with amber eyes.

Pana immediately went into a crouch, baring his teeth in a snarl at his enemy. "You!"

"Yes, me." The cat answered snidely.

"Who, Chief?"

Pana whipped around, still snarling, to face Kinu, the sentry that had been posted for the night. The black wolf with his brown muzzle and paws stared at his leader, not giving an inch.

"Can't you see it?!" Pana growled.

"See what?"

Pana studied the other wolf. Kinu had been truthful, ever since he had taken over the pack, a wise asset to Pana. "No one." He finally answered. "Get back to your post."

Kinu nodded his head, eyes narrowed as he walked back to the center of the pack's home.

Pana turned back to the cat, who's tail was twitching amusingly.

"Can't see me, can he?" The cat asked. "Poor Pana. Or should I say, evil?"

Pana growled. "Shut up, cat."

"Actually, I won't." The tabby purred as he moved to rub against Pana's foreleg. "There's nothing you can do to stop me."

The growl grew into another snarl. "Oh, you think I won't attack?"

"Oh, you'll attack alright." The cat answered. "But you won't kill me."

"You must not understand, when I attack, I finish the job." Pana's lips curled up, baring his white fangs.

"But you can't." The cat said again. "I'm already dead."

Pana was momentarily taken aback by that. "A spirit-cat? No. It cannot be. Only High Gods come back to the pack as spirits. Not cats." His snarl returned.

"You have a thing against cats, don't you, Pana?" The cat continued, ignoring him. "Well, I know a place where lots of cats are. Cats you could slay to your hearts content."

Pana studied the cat. "Who are you, cat, that you would betray your brethren?"

The cat's eyes narrowed evilly. "I have no brethren, only enemies. And as for who I am..." The cat unsheathed it's claws, digging them into the dirt. "I am Tigerstar."