The smells of morning frolicked in the air as daylight lapped through the clans - The figures of felines began to grumble and mewl as they shifted from their slumbers into the everyday world. Patrols began to pass through a bramble entrance, warriors beginning to collect their apprentices and those in much higher ranks preparing for yet another day of stress.
The cries of kits echoed through the area, quickly silenced as they found comfort at their mother's bellies. However, the figure of a queen snoozed away, her nose twitching as the world of dreamland swirled around the she-cat.
Her gaze flicked to and fro, her paws planted on a cold floor of darkness. A waft of wind blew across the unknown terrain, a horrid whisper lingering in the wind - And slowly, with a heart-thumping silence, a cat padded closer. Her figure glowed with a thin layer of stars, black fur silky and smooth. A gaze consisting of nothing but an iris met those of an amber one, holding a mysterious glint to them.
Cherrysong's jowls crooked open as she lisped silent words, her voice failing her. The she-cat wasn't sure if relief or horror struck her mood, staring at her late mate. The other she-cat, however, held no attempt to form words. Instead, she hunched over, shivering with long jitters before shifting into the shadowy figure of a wolf.
Fear overtook the queen, meeting the canine's hungry gaze. Without question she whipped around, beginning to bound off into the unknown. Paws drummed behind her, thudding and thumping along with her heartbeat.
As a tiresome feeling overcame her the queen found herself flocking right into the frame of an orange tabby, a wide set of eyes lingering on the foreign cat before she whipped around with a long gasp.. But, all that stood where a wolf once chased was yet more darkness. The feline's jaws gaped open, waved over with a long stride of shock.
"Two will come," The tabby began out, the gray feline craning her neck to meet the blue orbs.
"And one will perish." It finished, a black mist churning around it's paws as it stepped forward, a paw throwing upwards as it swiped at her gaze, sucking her back into the darkness..
And then the feeling of a paw prodded her shoulder, her lids blinking open as she glanced back towards the familiar shape of a medicine cat. A sheepish smile pulled at the character's lips, plopping down onto their rump as it flicked a paw towards star shaped petals; Borage.
"You seemed so tired, we decided to let you catch a few zz's." They mewed before nodding towards the single kit pressed at her stomach.
"You should probably start crunching down on these - To help your milk come in."
"Of course," The queen responded, her voice brittle and sweet.
Her gaze flicked down towards the offspring, having yet to decide a name - It's fur hued a dark brown, a muzzle short just as her own and a single limb striped with raven markings.
"Bristlekit," They breathed, the title flowing to her as if it were destined - The memory of her past encounter turned her lips into a frown, a tail pulling over a kit as she admittedly decided on a single decision - Her son, whatever his future may be, wasn't allowed to be the one to perish. She refused it.