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Invitation

In the midst of intimidation, the cats held their breaths. The mysterious cat known as Nightglaze continued with his slow composed stride, his pawsteps calm and reserved; it was almost like he had calculated every movement to make sure they're perfect and precise.

"Why the scared face, Zenny? It's like you've seen someone from Starclan!"

The air was damp, yet somehow everyone's throats had gone dry from the encounter. Nightglaze stopped and glanced at the rest, his aquamarine eyes piercing and glowing with intrigue. Had something happened before his visit?

"Huh. Last time I came, you lot weren't nearly as nervous. Although, I do understand that it's been a while." He sat down and wrapped his tail around his body. Briarpelt, seeing that all eyes were on his clanmate, frantically rushed to his side, sitting beside him for protection.

"Get out. Now." With her claws aching for a Dawnclan-cat scratching post, Zenith's fur bristled in anger. Echo and Delta eventually stood up as well, regrouping with each other and watching on alert.

Nightglaze appeared to be rather confused, but remained unfazed. "We mean no harm."

"Oh yeah? Then why are you here?"

"Well dear, why don't you sit down in a less hostile manner and let us tell you?"

Zenith hissed and sat down, unsheathing her claws. Were they taunting her? Laughing silently at her incapability to chase them off? She hadn't dared to make a move, knowing that the dream might be referring to this exact event. Would she be the one to provoke all that?

Although embarrassing, she reluctantly concluded that playing safe would be their best bet should they need to stay alive. "What'd you want?"

A purr escaped the Dawnclan deputy, followed by a yawn. "Thanks, Zenny. You see, we are holding a feast back at camp, and Dawnclan would like to invite you to drop by."

"Is that where you'd kill us?" Zenith blurted out, still obviously shaken by her dream. The paranoia was budding within her, blooming from seeds of evil. She was almost blinded by the plague of worry, unable to think of anything else but the fact that something wanted them dead, whether it be Dawnclan or not.

"Oh for Starclan's sake, stop thinking that we'd kill you!" Briarpelt jumped into the conversation, glaring at the leader with a huff. "You nearly killed me when I came! And I thought I'd be fine without Nightglaze's help! What's bugging you guys, really?"

The she-cat leader's face turned bright pink, yet she stayed resilient by gritting her teeth, trying to act strong. She decided to ignore Briarpelt's question and looked at Nightglaze at the corner of her eye. "What's this...feast?"

"You know how traditional clans had those ceremonies? Ones where the apprentice turned into a full-fledged warrior?" Nightglaze asked, earning a few puzzled nods. His soothing voice still contained an air of confidence, yet it had this magic to it that calmed everyone down. Perhaps it was just that; perhaps it was the others finally realizing that maybe Dawnclan hadn't come to kill them.

"Well, we do something similar, but without the formal mumbo-jumbo. We have a big feast. Piles and piles of the best fresh-kill. Fish, shrews, voles..." Nightglaze continued while casually wagging his tail, rambling on about their stack of food.

Meanwhile, all the food-talk was making Echo water in anticipation. He leaned towards Delta and gave her a light nudge on the side. "Phew, I'm glad they've calmed down. I guess Zenith overreacted and thought that the prophecy's about them." He whispered. "What a false alarm. We get food if we go too!"

"I-I won't be so certain just yet. We don't know what's going to happen later on." Delta said, though she seemed to had other things on her mind. She then looked away and sighed. "I just...you know...Serene…someone must have done it. That cat's out there. If it's not this strange Nightglaze fellow, it might be someone else."

Serene. The sudden reminder made him sit there, speechless. Delta had always treated Serene as her younger sister, and seeing that traumatizing scene was probably going to scar her for life. Echo could only hope, faintly, that she'd still be the same loud and happy she-cat in the future. "I...I'm sorry…"

"No offense taken, Echo…" Turning around to face the young tom, they stared into each other's eyes and exchanged a sad smile. Completely blocking off Nightglaze and his advertisement, they had the moment to themselves. Inching a bit closer, Echo nuzzled lightly against her neck. His shyness hadn't been able to stop him. "I have a feeling that we'll need to stick together in the future. So...please do."

Nuzzling back, Delta's watery eyes shimmered with bittersweet joy. "...Agreed, Echo...I'm not losing you too."

"...Anyway, dear, our precious apprentice Hazelpaw is now ten moons old, and will be elevated to a warrior. She has also been a great hunter, clocking in with two hundred fresh-kill already! This feast is for her. Say, don't you have a few cats her age?" Looking to the left, Nightglaze spotted the two young ones and held a light chuckle. "This would be interesting. Well, what do you think, Zenny?"

"Yeah, don't call me that." Zenith muttered with gritted teeth before getting up, padding towards him with one paw in front of the other. Upon arriving, she pressed her forehead against his. "And I think I don't trust you enough just yet. I'm declining-"

"We're accepting," came a voice from behind, short and direct. Pulling out, Zenith glanced behind her shoulder and glared as Zephyr walked in. Who did she think she was? The scout ignored the stare and snorted at Nightglaze, explaining her decision. "It'll be a good way to know more about each other."

Zenith then understood - Zephyr wanted to learn more about them and gather more information about the clan. Perhaps they could even eavesdrop on their plans...if they had one anyway. "...Fine. We're going."

"Great!" Nightglaze's smile grew into a broad grin. "Well, there's not much time to lose. Bring your cats and follow me, if you please."

"If you say so."

Standing up, the deputy held his tail erect and began trotting away, stopping by the entrance to wait for the others. Zenith grunted at his excitement - what a child. With a flick of her own tail, she called for Echo, Delta, and Zephyr as well as Sage and Torrent - other cats from The Hatch. "Sage, Torrent, I'd like you to say here; we need someone to stay back and guard our food and resources. Everyone else...let's go."

Looking ahead, Zenith swallowed her intimidation with a gulp and led the others, following Nightglaze's lead with heavy, uncertain pawsteps. What would be waiting for them at the camp?

"I have a bad feeling about this, Echo…" Delta whispered, scurrying to her friend's side for warmth and a sense of protection.

"I don't blame you, but I feel like everything would be just fine."

Would it?

After what had seemed like a day of walking, the clowder finally came to a stop before a pair of tall, broad willows. The lush green trees towered above them, looking quite menacing due to their heights. If Dawnclan wanted to chase cats away from the area, Echo would admit that they had done a great job with the decor.

"Here's the easily-spot entrance to Dawnclan, in case our scent markers haven't been obvious enough," said Nightglaze, beaming with pride. "The clan's right behind these ferns."

Brushing them away (in slight annoyance), Nightglaze leaped over a tree root and entered the camp, the scent of Dawnclan cats flooding into their nostrils. Zenith snorted at his words, but upon stepping in with Echo and the others, they blinked in surprise, mesmerized by the sight. Not only was the camp neatly organized and symmetrical, but the grass was soft and fresh - perfect cats to sleep on. The sturdy trees that surrounded the waterside area allowed soft cool breezes from the water to dance across their camp, limiting only the harsh hostile winds. Even Delta couldn't help but breathe out in amazement - it looked just like a dream! "Woah…"

Orange sunlight glazed across the grounds, the sun setting at the distance behind two mountaintops. Between the mountain and the cats stood a huge lake, broader than anything she had ever seen before. Their dens, formed by natural stone piles along the side of camp, had cool-hued flowers grown on the field by the entrance. How nice - a natural doormat!

"Not bad, right?" Nightglaze chuckled, wearing a smug look on his face while urging the others to move on. "I bet you're hungry now. Follow me, my friends."

As the group moved towards the lakeside, other cats from the clan began to emerge from the den, watching them with curious eyes. A tall she-cat with a sleek silver pelt was seen lying by the lake, welcoming them with a warm smile. "I'm Dawnstar. I'm so glad you could join us." Echo couldn't help but notice how gentle her voice was - he doubted that she could even swat a fly!

"Thanks for having us. That's...nice of you." said Zenith in return, staying silent about the incident that had happened back home. The two leaders exchanged greetings before turning to their own cats, forming a circle of sitting felines around a gigantic fresh-kill pile. It seemed that Nightglaze had been correct about the feast, with all kinds of prey stacked up in a mountain almost twice of Echo's height. That's more than enough to put him into a trance. "I'll never have to eat again…" Right now, he could only think about eating. Eating and eating and more eating…and who's there to stop him?

"Ah, there she is! Hazelpaw!" Looking around, Nightglaze smiled as a brown tabby came into view, making her way out of the dens with a freshly-groomed pelt. Her fur seemed to be shimmering under the sunlight, her golden eyes carrying timidness yet also intelligence. "Sorry I'm late."

"Oh no, you're just in time. I've brought the cats from The Hatch! You have a bigger audience now, my sweet."

The cats nearby shifted away and gave way, inviting her to settle down for the meal as well. Now that she was the main focus, Hazelpaw couldn't help but blush and look away from the attention. "Yeah. Well, what's my name now, Nightglaze?"

The deputy turned and glanced at Dawnstar, replying with a casual shrug. Zenith and the others watched on. "Oh, I think it's better for Dawnstar to decide."

Echo silently watched in excitement. A cat being named again! It was such a special experience to him as The Hatch had never worked that way. They'd name the cat upon birth, and that would never change. What would Dawnstar say? Hmm...he looked at her pelt, spotting a clear contrast between her light brown fur and black stripes. Everything seemed to be in a near-perfect balance - she'd probably fit if there were a golden ratio for cats. How about...how about…

"I'd think Hazelstripe sounds decent," said Dawnstar with a thoughtful smile, facing the skies as if she was waiting for Starclan's response. To nobody's surprise, there was none, and she closed her eyes, muttering her name once more. "Hazelstripe...yes, it does have a nice ring to it. Hazelstripe it is."

Seemingly satisfied with her new name, Hazelstripe wore a big cheeky grin before dragging out a large, plump shrew from the fresh-kill pile. "Well then, I guess I can start digging in?"

As they glanced around for a reply, Echo noticed that Nightglaze had been nuzzling and snuggling against a white she-cat in quite an intimate way. Was that his mate? With a soft chuckle, Nightglaze rolled his eyes and pulled away from the she-cat. "Whenever you want."

With the thought tickling the back of his head, Echo quickly interrupted the momentary peace and blurted out with a question. "Is that your mate, Nightglaze?"

Silence.

Expecting a nod and a praise for his observant nature, Echo instead received a barrage of laughter, which made him blush and look down in shame. "Good guess, but not quite. You see, she's my sister - Petalspring, the loveliest she-cat in the world. As her brother, I'd do anything to protect her. So no, she's not my mate. Sorry, buddy."

"Oh...um...sorry."

Hazelstripe noticed how embarrassed Echo felt and quickly diverted everyone's attention. "Well, um, let's eat then! I have the appetite of a warrior now." With a stretch of her legs, she dove down and began chewing on her meal! Everyone else - at least, everyone from Dawnclan - soon moved on and began to join in as well, not wanting to miss out the big feast. Meanwhile, Echo just sat there, respect showing in his eyes. "Thanks…" Muttering a soft thank you, he too began to enjoy the food. Judging by his blissful look, it was soon safe to say that all the shame had been tossed out the window - the food was just fantastic!

As the large feast began to die down, so did everyone's liveliness. The sun had finally set behind the mountains, and the cool evening breeze made everyone a bit drowsy when full. Though, to Echo, this was just perfect. Why couldn't The Hatch be like this? In the midst of small talk between one cat and another, Nightglaze, together with his sister Petalspring, approached him with warm smiles. "Would you all like to stay for the night?" asked Nightglaze. "It's a long trek back."

A sense of unease took over at the offer, and Echo quickly turned to Zenith, who had also heard their conversation. After having a long chat with Dawnstar, she seemed to be at ease now, resembling more of her former self. "Why not? We'd get lost easily if we go back at night."

"Great! Your Echo and Delta can share a den with Hazelstripe since they're about the same age. We'll prepare breakfast tomorrow so you can head back. See? We're not that bad!"

Zenith snorted once more at his self-praise, but this time it was more of a playful huff. "Well, I guess. Thanks."

"Anyway, you two, come with me." Nightglaze wrapped his tail around Echo's back and led the two young'uns towards the furthest den. From the scent, Echo could sense that Hazelstripe had already settled down inside it. But...why was this thought making him blush? To make things worse, the deputy leaned closer to the young gray tabby and whispered playfully into his ear. "Your biggest chance. Go for it, tiger!"

Echo almost panicked, and quickly looked at the ground to hide his glowing red cheeks. Delta was just walking beside him, puzzled by his reaction as Nightglaze laughed and slithered away. What had gotten over Echo? Whatever was happening, she thought that his reaction was cute.

Upon entering the den, the two cats were greeted by a comforting wave of warm damp air. They treaded lightly on the soft bedding and saw Hazelstripe curled up at the back of the den, observing them with her bright, lively eyes. "Oh, you two are staying here? I'm fine with that. I'm Hazelstripe."

"Yeah, I know," said Delta, returning a smile before finding a corner for the two. "I suppose you had a great day?'

"I suppose so. I guess this never happens at The Hatch?"

"No, not really…"

Echo just watched. How could he jump into this conversation?! With a soft sigh, he curled up on his own and closed his eyes, allowing the den's motherly warmth lure him into a pleasant sleep. Maybe one day. Maybe.

Meanwhile…

Sage yawned, stretching and lying down on the cold cement. "Torrent, you should get some sleep."

Torrent shook his head, glancing at tortoiseshell cat with a firm reply. The long-furred cat with a brown pelt wasn't planning on being persuaded. "I'll have to stay awake when they return. They'd probably come back before morning." The winds were getting stronger, and they howled through the night like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves. Flicking his ears in annoyance, Torrent let out a low growl of frustration. "Why are they not back yet? It's been a while."

"What, you feeling paranoid?" Sage questioned with a soft, caring mewl. "You should probably sleep. It'll get you through the night."

"Nah. Nothing can really harm us...though this place really is quite empty and eerie at times."

It was getting a bit too cat-less for the two, and upon sensing someone's presence, the two cats turned and looked at the entrance, eager to greet their leader. "Zenith! Finally"

Beneath the moonlight, a silhouette appeared by the entrance, eyes glowing from afar. Sage waved her paw in return, smiling as her boredom would soon come to an end. "You're back! But um...where's the others?"

Author's Notes: Well here's an extra 1,000 words as compensation~ :P Enjoy!