Chapter Eight
Spottedpaw opened her eyes and saw her mother standing over her, cold starlight shimmering in her fur, and leaped to her feet. She was in Fourtrees again, the moon shedding its silver light over everything.
"Why are you-"
Petal slapped her tail over her mouth. "Peace, dear one," she meowed gently. "StarClan knows your doubts. We send you these dreams and the sign of the cloud to give you guidance and to warn you of things to come." She pulled her tail away.
Spottedpaw felt a rush of relief that made her weak at the knees. "Good," she meowed happily. "I thought StarClan wanted me to be a medicine cat."
Petal purred. "You are on the path that StarClan wants you to follow."
Spottedpaw's ear pricked. "Wait… what you said earlier, what do you mean, warn me of things to come? Is trouble coming? Has there been a prophecy?"
Petal stared at her, her blue eyes shadows with sorrow. "I can't tell you that."
"Please," Spottedpaw begged. "At least tell me if there's going to be trouble!"
Petal sighed. "There is a great darkness coming; already its shadow has fallen over the Clans."
I've got to get back and warn my Clan! "How can I stop it?" Spottedpaw asked, fur bristling with horror.
As if Petal knew what Spottedpaw was thinking, she mewed, "Your Clan leader already knows. Do not mention this to the rest of your Clanmates; it will strike fear into their hearts when they need to stand strong." Petal started to fade; Spottedpaw could see the Great Rock through her mother's body.
Spottedpaw gasped. "Wait! You haven't told me how to stop it yet!"
"You'll know when the time comes…" Petal's blue eyes stared at her daughter for a heartbeat more, then disappeared as well.
Spottedpaw's dream changed. She was running and running, something dark and evil always behind her.
StarClan and their prophecies...