AN: Hey, this is CO. I just wanted to say that this is the first time that we have ever written something to gether so we hope you like it!


Prologue

"Dovefeather," A voice whispered softly through the young medicine cat's dreams. The voice did not call from outside the dream world, drawing Dovefeather away from the hazy visions she saw beneath her eyelids, but from within it. It called her consciousness deeper and deeper, until she reached the heart of the forests of MoonClan that were impossible for a living cat to reach by any other means.

Realizing that she was more than just asleep, the she cat opened her eyes and gasped. She had been expecting to wake to the inside of the medicine den in AirClan camp. But instead of a small, circular, underground den with a roof of ferns, she stood in a small clearing surrounded by trees with golden sunlight tumbling down through gaps in their wide branches and landing in warm pools of light scattered around the soft mossy floor of the clearing. And in the center of the leaf strewn forest floor, there was a pool of clear water. Not a single ripple disturbed its surface. It may have been clear then, but at night when moon shone through the branches of the trees, the water would become a pool of moon light, giving it its name: Moonpool.

Dovefeather knew the place well for she had made the journey to Moon Pool every half-moon since her apprentice ceremony to share dreams with her ancestors in MoonClan. But MoonClan had never summoned her here on any night other than than that night twice a moon. She wondered why she had been brought here now.

Dovefeather was suddenly aware that she wasn't alone in the little clearing when she heard a soft rustling from the other side of the clearing. She turned around expecting to see a MoonClan cat coming to greet her. She hoped that it was her father, Twigleg, who had died of green cough several leaf bares ago. He had not visited her dreams for several moons now and she missed him, but it was not him and she was surprised at who she did see. Flamesky, the FireClan medicine cat was sitting calmly in a patch of sunlight on the other side of the clearing, her ginger fur blazing in the light, her cool blue eyes taking in the presence of the other cat. Not a hint of any emotion showed in her placid expression.

Dovefeather dipped her head respectfully, trying to hide her surprise as well as the other medicine cat must have been doing. She couldn't be completely emotionless could she? Surely Flamesky must feel some surprise at seeing a living cat in her dreams from MoonClan if at anything!

Why were they in each other's dreams anyway? They hardly knew each other and only saw each other at the Moon Pool and at gatherings and even then they didn't usually talk. Flamesky was a more experienced medicine cat after all and maybe she would know the circumstances of their strange dream.

Dovefeather was about to ask the other cat why they were there when four figures stepped through the undergrowth of the lush forest and into the clearing, all of them with stars glimmering in their fur. Dovefeather knew immediately who they were.

A large brown tabby tom stepped forward, the muscles in his legs and shoulders rippling under his pelt at even this smallest of movements. His name was Foreststar, one of the founders of the four Clans. Dovefeather knew the names of the other three cats as well. The ginger tom was Firestar, the small gray she cat could only be Miststar, and the thin, silver cat standing on Foreststar's right could only be Airstar herself.

Dovefeather had only glimpsed these great leaders in her dreams at Moon Pool on rare occasions. Now that she was standing before them, she didn't know how to act. She thought that something a little more formal than what she was used to was necessary in the presence of the founders of the Clans. Unable to think of any greeting that suited the situation she followed Flamesky's example and simply dipped her head respectfully.

"Dovefeather of AirClan and Flamesky of FireClan," Foreststar said in a deep rumbling meow that, if loud enough, seemed capable of having the strength enough to shake the mountains behind AirClan territory into dust. Dovefeather stared at him in wonder. He must have been very a powerful cat when he was living.

"We have brought you here to deliver some grave news indeed," Foreststar had a tragic look in his clear green eyes that made Dovefeather's own eyes grow wide with terror and her pelt prickle uneasily.

If the founders of the Clans were bringing this news directly to them themselves, this news must be grave indeed. But life had been so serene lately…Well except for that bought of Green cough, she thought mournfully, but other than that they had had nothing but peace.

Dovefeather was already trembling with fright. What if the Clans would be at war once again? This sent uncontrolled panic coursing through her, raising the fur on her spine. How many cats would die before the fighting ended? She thought of Honeylace, her absent minded, loving mentor. She wouldn't make it through a battle. She was so innocent in the way she was always getting lost and forgetting where she put things. Her mentor wasn't one for fighting or being anywhere near it.

The young medicine cat glanced over at Flamesky, trying to determine if the older cat was feeling the same empty dread as she was. But Flamesky was wearing her usual mask of composure. Dovefeather wondered what she was really thinking underneath it all.

In fact, Flamesky was just as shocked and worried as Dovefeather. She knew of only one time when the four leaders themselves had appeared to give a prophecy. It was long before she born and long before her mentor, Nighthawk, was born. The four Clans had been in dire trouble and those cats had saved them all from the rogue attacks. She hoped desperately that these cats wouldn't have to do the same.

Airstar and Firestar stepped forward beside Foreststar. Firestar's eyes were hard with a mixture of expressions. Airstar's liquid silver eyes were full of sadness. Foreststar nodded to the two cats and stepped back beside Miststar. Firestar and Airstar went to stand in front of Flamesky and Dovefeather.

"We have seen what will happen," he growled in his gravelly voice. Airstar dipped her head in agreement. "FireClan and AirClan will be at war," she breathed in her whispering, lilting voice. Flamesky met Dovefeather's gaze and saw fear and worry in the young cat's eyes. Flamesky knew what she was feeling; the old medicine cat felt the same way.

Airstar and Firestar gestured with their tails for the two medicine cats to come forward to gaze in the small pool. Flamesky walked forward hesitantly, but confidently. She gazed into the pool with Dovefeather. They saw a hoard of fighting cats, all screeching and clawing at each other. In the center of the group, were Fawnstar and Fallenstar, both she-cats locked in combat.

Flamesky shook her head. The two Clans had always had a dislike for each other, but going to pointless battle was a new low. She knew from experience that Fawnstar was a headstrong, easily offended cat, but she thought that Fallenstar was very level-headed and logical.

The ginger cat looked up with Dovefeather and saw Firestar and Airstar looking down at the two of them, their eyes grave. Flamesky recognized the expression and knew that they were about to get a prophecy.

Airstar stared down at them. "With one paw in each Clan, a cat belongs to none," she mewed quietly. Firestar spoke next. "One will become two in a quest…" he grumbled. They both spoke together, saying, "to uncover the truth behind the turmoil."

Flamesky looked down at the pool and saw the shape of two cats in the shallow water. She didn't recognized one, but the other was definitely Applefrost. She could tell by the blue eyes. But, why would MoonClan pick Applefrost? She looked at Dovefeather to see what she thought of the prophecy.

Dovefeather choked in horror at the familiar image in the pool below her. Not Moonkit! Sweet, quiet little Moonkit! She was barely six moons old! Why would a kit go on a quest? The terror that she felt for the small cat was overwhelming. If there was anything that she could do to help her she would. But who was the other cat that she saw in the pool? She looked up at Flamesky, the question written in her eyes.

"Applefrost," the medicine cat mouthed. The two cats looked up at Firestar and Airstar. "But why will they fight?" Flamesky asked. Firestar looked down at the pool, once again showing the battle scene. "That is for these two cats to find out," Airstar whispered.

Dovefeather looked up at her Clan's founder in confusion but as she watched, Airstar, her three companions, and the trees around them faded, melting into blackness. As her surroundings disappeared, Dovefeather looked around for Flamesky, wondering whether or not Moonkit and Applefrost should be told about their prophecy, but the other medicine cat was no longer there.

Dovefeather opened her eyes. Soft rays of light were streaming through the fern canopy of the medicine den and fell in small points scattered around the cool dirt floor that had been packed down by many generations of cats' paws walking upon it. It reminded her of the forest that she had just left…and the terrible news she had just received.

The Clans would be at war! And Moonkit and some cat called Applefrost would be mixed up in the whole, terrible thing. She shuddered. The fear that tore at her heart when she thought of Moonkit being involved with any sort of prophecy was overwhelming. How could this happen to a cat as young as her?
The sound of paw steps shuffling in the entrance of the den drew Dovefeather away from her despairing thoughts. She looked up to see the small figure of the very cat she had been thinking about.

"Hi Dovefeather!" Moonkit purred, her silver eyes glowing, "Pheonixflight needs something for a cough that's been bothering her…," the gleam in the kit's eyes fled as she took in Dovefeather's terrified expression.

"Are you alright?" fear and concern colored Moonkit's high pitched voice, "You look like you've just seen the Clans at war."

Dovefeather could only stare at her.


AN: Please R&R!!!!!