Prologue
His pelt tingled with anticipation and excitement as he moved silently through the RiverClan border, the reeds lightly brushing his pelt as he passed on with ease. His plan was simple: trespass onto the Clan grounds and rake his claws down some innocent RiverClan warrior throat. The only complexity was locating an isolated cat in the Clan, seeing as RiverClan and WindClan seemed to travel in packs of warriors and hunters. Shifting uneasily at the thought of returning without blood on his claws, he stepped across the rocks leading to the RiverClan territory, lifting his head to scent for any nearby warriors. The rot stench of a RiverClan she-cat swept through his nostrils. He wrinkled his nose and watched, undetected from afar as the careless, lone, eager she-warrior moved though the reeds, her glistening silver pelt flowing behind her. He furrowed his brow and grinned evilly, stalking the warrior to the WindClan/RiverClan border. Then, with an annoyed pang, he realized she wasn't alone.
"Glimmerstride. I have been waiting." He heard the voice of the WindClan deputy Rowansoar whisper.
"I couldn't get passed the guard easily." She meowed, her voice cool, loving and slow. "But your kits are fine."
Ah, the lurking tom mused, a queen.
"When they are born, you will have to bring them to me, for I cannot wait six months after at a Gathering to meet my sons, or daughters." Rowansoar smiled and placed his muzzle to hers. The tom cringed at the sight of the two Clan cats sharing their mixed love toward each other.
"I will not make you wait. Should one of our kits slip into the WindClan territory undetected, unnoticed, you will at least have kin."
Such a shame he will never see them.
The WindClan deputy leaned closer toward his mate. "Glimmerstride, you wouldn't."
"I would, for you." She mewed, placing a paw on his affectionately.
It sickens me!
"Fallenstar will ask questions…ones I won't be able to answer. And battle? WindClan has never been on good terms with RiverClan."
"Please, Rowansoar, like you would let that happen! Fallenstar has but one life left then you'll be in command."
I should check back on him.
"If you say so, Glimmerstride. For now…we must depart. Tomorrow night, then, I will see you?"
"I will be here, right here."
The WindClan deputy licked the queen's cheek once more then turned to pad away, giving a long look back before striding back to his camp. The lurking tom moved from his hideaway, making sure both cats were a safe distance away before he leapt at the queen. She bristled and jumped in alarm. He laughed, padding up to her slowly. "It seems as though you have been unfaithful to your Clan, Glimmerstride."
The young she-cat glanced around, wild-eyed, giving a short gasp of alarm.
"Speechless?"
After a long moment of silence, he nodded, unsheathing his claws. "Who could blame you?"
She had tried to cry for help but the noise that emitted from her was a gurgling sound as the tom dug his claws into her soft throat, blood pouring onto his pelt and the ground. Writhing on the ground, the queen made a weak attempt to call for any nearby Clanmate but blood just spurted onto the tom's face, sending him into a bout of laughter. He dragged his paw down her belly, waiting for her to fall limp under his grasp. When she finally did, he released his hold on her, speaking in a low voice. "May the Dark Forest travel with you and StarClan with your kits. Now, to find me your mate…"
