Dawn: So, here's the prologue. I hope you enjoy!
Dusk: Does this new story mean you won't update OOTS, EOTV, CP, or TLFHVS2 anymore?
Dawn: I'll still work on all my stories. Don't worry.
Hollyleaf: So enjoy!
Prologue
Thunder
"Come on, Fern, you can do it!" Bramble urged. "Only one to go!"
Fern pushed, harder, and the last kit slid out.
"Great! Two kits!" Bramble meowed in triumph.
"That was harder then it should have been," Fern hissed under her breath, licking her two kits clean. One was a dark gray she-cat, the other a fiery ginger tom with white paws.
"What will we name them?" Bramble asked.
"I think that we should name the she-cat Twilight," Fern meowed. "You pick for the tom."
"Thunder," Bramble meowed. "I have a feeling that one day, he will conquer all the rogues in Twolegplace, he'll be so strong!"
"With a father like you, he'll grow up to be the strongest warrior in the forest," Fern replied happily.
"And Twilight will be the smartest she-cat in the forest, taking after you," Bramble commented.
"Great! Twilight, Thunder, welcome to the world."
Shadow
"Father, why is mother acting so strange?" Shadow asked her father, Claw.
"She is dying," Claw meowed softly.
"Claw.....tell.....Shadow.....great.....must.....lead.....cats.....fight," her mother gasped.
"Lead cats into a fight?" Claw asked.
"No.....," she replied, her eyes glazing over as she took one last breath.
"Why did she just die like that?" Shadow wondered.
"She had a great sickness known as greencough. It's very deadly," Claw replied. "Shadow, you must listen to your mother. I think she wants you to lead the cats of Twolegplace one day, so you must try your hardest."
"I will," Shadow vowed.
River
River opened his eyes to bright sunlight. The river's water reflected in his eyes, making them water painfully.
"Mother! Where are you?" River mewed.
"Over here, darling. I'm fishing," his mother, Moss, replied.
"Will I learn to fish one day?" River asked.
"Yes, you will. I will teach you myself," she replied.
"Good, because Rain and Lake always laugh at me and tell me I'm too small to fish," River pouted.
"You'll grow."
"I know. It's just so frustrating when they say that!"
"Don't let them bother you, honey," Moss meowed. Suddenly she went still, and a few seconds later, flashed out one paw. A silver fish flew out of the river, landing with a soft thump on the banks.
"Wow!" River gasped in awe. "I can't wait to learn!"
"You will. And you will teach other cats to do so too, in memory of your father," Moss meowed. "He was a great fisher, but he was killed fighting a badger just before you were born."
"Okay," River replied. "Now let me try!"
Wind
"All cats who live on the moor must learn to catch rabbits. That is why us moorland cats have long legs," Swift explained to Wind.
"Father, how fast do rabbits run?" Wind asked Swift.
"They can run about the same speed as a cat, but sometimes they can run faster."
"Wow. They are so much smaller than us!"
"Small doesn't mean anything. I mean, you're the runt of the litter and already you're running almost as fast as me!" Swift praised.
"Thanks," Wind purred. Suddenly a flash of movement caught her eye, and began hopping slowly away from her. A rabbit! She bolted after it, just as her father had. Too late, the rabbit saw her coming and tried to run to safety, but she had the momentum already built up and caught up to him easily. She leaped and killed it with one swift blow.
"Amazing! That was your first try!" Swift gasped. "My kit is going to be quite the leader one day."
"I want to be a leader," Wind meowed. "When I'm all grown up, I'm going to raise an army of cats and force them to do my bidding!"
"You do that," Swift replied, purring in amusement.
Sky
Sky was dreaming. She was standing near a huge group of cats, who were all facing a huge boulder where four cats stood proudly. One cat, a fluffy white cat that looked almost like her, was staring at the four cats with disgust.
"Five Clans have lived in this forest longer than any cat can remember. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" the white cat hissed.
"Things change. Is it possible that the will of StarClan has changed also? StarClan gave each Clan the skills they need to survive in their own territory. RiverClan cats can swim well. ThunderClan are good at stalking prey in the undergrowth. SkyClan cats can leap into trees because there's not much cover in their territory. Doesn't this mean that each Clan couldn't live in another Clan's territory?" a red cat meowed.
"You keep saying that StarClan wants five Clans in the forest, but are you sure that's true? There are four oaks here at Fourtrees. That could be a sign that there should be only four Clans," a black tomcat meowed.
A silver tabby looked at a group of cats threatentingly. "SkyClan don't belong here. Let's drive them out now," she hissed. The group of cats, probably SkyClan, hissed.
"Stop! Warriors of SkyClan, we are not cowards, but this battle cannot be won. We have seen tonight what the warrior code is worth. From now on we will be alone, and we will depend on no cats but ourselves," the white cat hissed. He leaped off the rock.
"Cloudstar, our kits are too small to make a long journey. I'll stay here with them, if any Clan will have us," a beautiful she-cat meowed.
"You will all be welcome in ThunderClan," a brown tabby meowed.
"Are you sure? After what your leader said to us today?" Cloudstar growled.
"I believe my leader was wrong. But he won't condemn helpless kits to die. They will have a future in ThunderClan, and so will you, Birdflight."
"Thank you," the Birdflight said to the brown tabby. "Then this is good-bye," she said to Cloudstar.
"Birdflight, no. How can I leave you?" Cloudstar begged, looking horrified.
"You must. Our Clan needs you, but our kits need me just now."
"I'll wait for you," Cloudstar whispered. "I'll wait for you forever. Stay with Kestrelwing. He'll find warriors to carry the kits back to camp." To Kestrelwing, he added, "Take care of them."
"Of course," Kestrelwing agreed, nodding.
"Follow me," he said to SkyClan.
"May StarClan go with you!" Sky heard the red leader call out.
"StarClan may go where they please. They have betrayed SkyClan. From this day on, I will have nothing more to do with our warrior ancestors." Cats in the clearing gasped. "StarClan allowed Twolegs to destroy our home. They look down on us now, and let the moon go on shining while you drive us out. They said there would always be five Clans in the forest, but they lied. SkyClan will never look to the stars again." With that, SkyClan left the clearing.
Sky jerked awake. She wondered why she was dreaming about such strange cats.
"Sky, are you awake? You slept half the sunrise," she heard her brother Mouse call.
"I'm awake," she answered, padding out of the den.
Dawn: Sorry that Sky's was so long. I had to look up the book on the internet, because I was too lazy to get up, and it took forever to get the quotes right!
Dusk: Don't worry about it.
Burt: Where's Hollyleaf? I'd like to show her how horrible rules really are.
Dusk: She's hiding.
Burt: Where?
Dusk: I don't know, but if you find her, here's a chainsaw.
Dawn: Dusk, don't give him that!
Burt: Don't worry, I still have my Grizzly Single Shot right here. I'll take care of it.
Dawn: Don't make too much of a mess!
