CHAPTER THREE
Niclon's dreams were strange. He looked over his shoulder to see a white she-cat walking through the trees that surrounded the camp where Niclon and his ban lived. Niclon knew he was dreaming, but something was different. His eyes twitched as he carefully watched the she-cat prance through the trees, almost as if dancing over the bramble. Niclon's curiosity grew as he began to follow the she-cat. He soon arrived at a small river, and an old oak tree, where he saw four cats sitting at the base of the tree, all of them watching Niclon closely. He inspected the cats more, two she-cats and two toms. The cat closest to him was a black she-cat with a highly annoyed look on her face. Niclon's eyes moved to the other she-cat, a ginger cat with a white underbelly and paws. Niclon's gaze turned to the tom sitting the farthest from him, a mighty bracken-colored tom. Sitting next to the bracken-colored tom was a gray tom.
"Niclon" the bracken-colored tom spoke proudly, "we have all waited long for you to come." Niclon's eyes became slightly confused, these were obviously clan cats, why would they want their arch enemy?
"Who are you? Where am I?" Niclon asked confidently.
He took a step back as the black she-cat stood up. "Young one, you are the cat of the new prophecy." Niclon's eyes widened.
"Easy Nightwing!" shouted the bracken-colored cat. "He doesn't even know who we are yet."
"Fine" mumbled the black she-cat, "we are the Four Fates. Keepers of every cat's birth, life, destiny, and death." she spoke very seriously. "I am Nightwing, keeper of death." Nightwing's last words made Niclon tremble.
The bracken-colored tom rose to his paws after Nightwing sat down. "I apologize for my warrior" he sighed, "she must have got a touch of the frosty air." The tom said as he looked up at Niclon, making Nightwing hiss. "Let me introduce myself" the bracken-colored tom started again, "I am Goldtail, keeper of birth."
"A weak keeper if you ask me..." Nightwing started.
"Shut up you!" Goldtail snarled.
"Quiet! The both of you." snapped the ginger she-cat as she stood, forcing Goldtail down. "This young cat needs our help, and you two are being mouse-brains!" she hissed, but regained her smile when she turned to the gray tom before looking away, blushing as he nodded a good job to her. "Now, if your all quite finished, I'll be introducing myself now."
"Go ahead." grumbled Nightwing.
"Thank you Nightwing" spoke the ginger she-cat, "I am Gingerleaf, keeper of destiny." She smiled proudly while taking her seat as the gray tom rose.
"Hello chosen one" started the gray tom, "I'm Graycloud, keeper of life, obviously." He smiled and sat next to Gingerleaf.
There Niclon stood, before the Four Fates, shocked and frightened. "Yes young one, you should be scared, and unsure what to do in our presence." spoke Goldtail, sounding like a hero.
"I'm not scared!" yowled Niclon.
"Don't yell at the keeper of death, young one. Or you will be dead before your kits are even born." Grinned Nightwing.
"Lay off Nightwing!" shouted Ginerleaf. Graycloud nodded his agreement, making Ginerleaf blush again. Niclon got the idea that these two were mates, but he didn't dare ask.
Graycloud rose from his paws, "Niclon, you are to go to the clans and face the five tasks that will be put upon you. Prove yourself to the clans or feel the cold, bitterness of Nightwing's fate she has to fall." Graycloud warned Niclon .
"But I'm no clan cat! I'm a rouge!" Niclon protested.
"Starclan chose YOU" said Gingerleaf. "You must understand that the life of the forest is in your paws."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?!" Niclon yowled, annoyed.
"You stupid boy!" snapped Nightwing, "your death will be the fairest of them all. Other than Goldy here." she grinned, referring to Goldtail. Niclon began to think about the relationships these cats had. Nightwing and Goldtail hate each other, which makes sense, birth and death are total opposites. Graycloud and Gingerleaf loved each other, life and destiny both occur at the same point in time, during life. That also explains why they aren't very found of Nightwing, keeper of death, because she ends everyone's deed and hard work of protecting their own fate upon every cat, thought Niclon.
"Come Fates" started Graycloud, "the gathering will be over soon and I don't want to be in my clan's chore." sighed Graycloud.
"He's right" agreed Goldtail as Gingerleaf and Nightwing nodded.
"But wait! I'm so confused..." confessed Niclon.
"Follow my instructions wisely" started Graycloud, "The Mist Who Rests Upon The Water will guide you." he finished, pointing his muzzle to the white she-cat who brought Niclon here. What a strange name, Niclon thought, but he nodded as he watched the Four Fates bound off into the distance, back to their clans, Niclon assumed.
"Come Lavastar" spoke the white she-cat mysteriously, "come and I will lead you back to your family."
Niclon stared at her in utter confusion... why had she called him Lavastar? Why did she mention his ban of rouges as his family, sure he cared and loved for them, but they weren't blood related to Niclon. Despite the confusion he followed the white she-cat who Graycloud referred to as The Mist Who Rests Upon The Water, to a place he was unfamiliar with.
"Where are we?" Niclon asked.
"We are at the edge of The Pale Forest, Lavastar." she spoke quietly.
Niclon remembered that name, The Pale Forest. He remembered being told about the place when he was a kit, as told in the myth he learned, it is a place where clan cats went to speak with dead cat spirits of Starclan.
"How do I get home?" Niclon asked roughly.
"Like this." and with that, The Mist Who Rests Upon The Water softly pressed her nose against Niclon's nose. "Remember to find the clan cats, Lavastar. Join the clan who causes you least despair. Good luck..."
