SunClan's Fate, Book I: The Shadow

"There is no passion so contagious as that of fear."

-Michel de Montaigne

Part I

"It is a strange fate of man, that even in the greatest of evils the fear of the worst continues to haunt him."

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Prologue

Berrystar breathed a sigh of relief. Her clan that she had left behind was safe and sound. Green-leaf had passed without incident. There had been no attacks, no disease, and no tragedies. And what was more, it was thriving! SunClan was the largest clan out of the four and there couldn't be anything that could reduce them. She happily groomed her bright red-brown coat on the highest branch on the tallest tree in the forest. StarClan truly had no limits to what she could do. She agilely rose to her paws and leapt down from limb to limb until she reached to bottom.

StarClan. A place of true beauty and light. Beams of sunset-orange light danced playfully through the leaves of the forest. Red, Orange, Yellow, and Green leaves fell from the everlasting trees. Small piles of warm snow drifted next to the ever-changing trees. One day it would be Leaf-fall, and the next it would be the middle of Greenleaf.

A slow warm breeze coursed through her long fur. Not too cold, not to warm. Perfect.

Leaves and pine needles coated the forest floor beneath her paws. An odd root sometimes popped out of the earth, creating nice hiding places for prey. In the distance she could hear the steady flow of the Great River and the quiet trickle of the stream. Long stems of grass grew densely around the trees, as if they were trying to shelter them. Wildflowers bloomed heavily, mixing their sweet scent in with that of the warm earth, tantalizing prey, and clear air.

Drinking in the sweet scents of birds, mice, and voles she decided how she was going to spend the rest of her day. She searched around the wide forest, looking for the perfect prey. Soon she spotted a juicy, fat mouse sitting on a tree root eating a grass seed. Stealthily she crept up on it, keeping downwind from it. Just as she was preparing to pounce a voice shouted behind her, scaring away the mouse. It ducked under the closest root into its hole.

She rose up from her crouch, angrier than a nest of bees, "What is it that you want! I was just about to catch that!"

A large tom caught up to her, out of breath, "It-It's Aspenstar and-and Finchstar." He took in another gulp of air, "They want to see you at Four Rivers immediately!"

"What is it about, Voleclaw?"

"I don't know, they didn't tell me. They did tell me that they need you right away and that it's urgent."

Whatever they needed it sounded bad. Berrystar quickly passed the young tom and ran along the age-old paths that she knew by heart. Soon the thick elms, maples, and oak trees gave way to thin, wispy aspens and birches. The dry dirt of the forest became slightly wetter. Tall grasses, reeds, and cattails soon became so thick she had to slow her pace.

Then, all at once, it gave way to a bare rock shore. Smooth rounded stones and the occasional boulder were all that dotted the banks of the Great River. To her left, towards BreezeClan's territory, she could just make out the roar of the Waterfall. But she headed for the right. It didn't take long for the island to come into view. A massive tree trunk was the only bridge for her to cross. It was slick and smooth from too many seasons to tell. The only reason it didn't get washed out to sea was the fact that it was wedged between three huge rocks. Two rocks on the island's side and one on the mainland's side. Long scratches marked where cats had slipped, and sometimes fallen, on the log. She raced across the trunk until she was safe in the grasses on the opposite shore.

Quickly she made her way to the center of the island, FourRivers. Two towering oak trees dominated the clearing here, with large flat rocks creating small platforms surrounding the trees. Several thick branches shot out over the rocks, offering shade in the midday heat.

But Berrystar wasn't looking for shade. Perched on the thickest branches were two leaders of the Clans. Aspenstar of OceanClan, and Finchstar of BreezeClan. Two good friends of hers.

"Why did you call me here?" she called when she was finally in hearing distance.

They looked at her sadly before Finchstar replied, "We have received a devastating prophecy meant for your clan."

Berrystar looked at both of them incredulously, "Why would a prophecy for my clan be sent to you? It wasn't meant for OceanClan or MarshClan was it?"

Aspenstar shook his head, "No, I don't understand why we were given it. Maybe it'll affect our clans in the future."

"Well, what is it?" she replied annoyed.

Finchstar nodded and looked at Berrystar straight in her emerald eyes. His voice grew deeper and echoed around the small clearing, "Where there was hope, now there is despair, where full nests thrive, now they will empty. Beware the waters that consume. Beware the green. Do not forget those that seem insignificant. SunClan must fulfill its ultimate destiny. SunClan will die." The last words seemed to shake the branches and leaves flew down around Berrystar, blocking the sunlight and sending shadows everywhere.

She looked from Finchstar to Aspenstar in shock, "My clan's destiny cannot be to die. They've been doing so well down there. There have been so little fights or threats. How can SunClan be doomed?"