BITTERSWEET TRIALS: PROLOGUE
A brilliant flash of color blinded her eyes, making her shrink back against the light. Her entire body hurt; an excruciating pain that coursed through her normally icy veins. When her vision cleared, she could see the outline of a golden tom. His eyes were the color of shifting pools of water — blue and endless. She shuddered. He was handsome, in a ferocious kind of way.
"You know why you were summoned here. I deliver a warning," the tom echoed in a booming voice; a sound like crackling fire and thunder. She shrunk back, her ears flattening and a hiss pulling at the back of her throat. "Yes, you know then the consequences of your actions."
"I only know that StarClan doesn't see what I see," she stated. A glare swept through her gaze, attempting to give off more confidence than she really felt. It musn't be good, to be given such a wayward warning by your warrior ancestors. But then again she knew it would come to this, sooner or later. Continuing, she added, "You can't stop what's already begun. Soon your own ranks will be filled with—"
"Silence," the tom spat. He stalked forward, causing her to shrink back in fear. His whiskers brushed her own, his breath hot against her muzzle and the blue of his eyes seeming to blaze with a sudden heat. Every word he uttered was angry as he said, "RiverClan has rotted at its core. But you don't realize the rot spreading from within your own plans. Your fall will come in due time — and from one you least expect. Your fate has been sealed, and StarClan will only wait and watch as this story unfolds."
She shivered. One you least expect?
A wave of confusion washed over her as she traced the movements of the golden furred tom. His starlit fur prickled and seemed to move, like flames, as he turned to walk back into the sunny forest. As if on a last ditch effort, she snarled, "Why now? Why you?"
He paused, his body going rigid as if turned to stone. And then, slowly, his gaze turned back to look at her with those piercing eyes. They were vibrant with life. Not unlike how they had looked, helpless and cold, during his vigil. "I'm merely a messenger from StarClan. I carry the entirety of RiverClan's deceased ancestors; yes, that's right. Every single one of them. Tread lightly. And watch your back."
With that, he moved away and into the swirling depths of green and cerulean lit colors. The undergrowth shimmered with life; something that her heart lacked at that moment. She felt chilled to the bone. Despite being confident in her own plans, the words he had delivered hung heavy in the air like a threatening thundercloud. Just waiting to release a downpour of rain. She bristled with frustration and closed her eyes, willing herself awake from this nightmare.