PROLOGUE

The waves crashed against the beach in the midst of the storm. The wind howled in the valley, picking up sand as it whisked through the sky. Two cats stood unbending to the wind in the shelter of a swaying palm, their pelts fluffed against the chill in the air. After long moments had passed, the lithe silver she-cat shook herself out, seemingly out of patience.

"Cypressroot isn't showing. It makes no sense to stand in this storm and wait." Her pelt shimmered with more than cleanliness, and it seemed as though there were stars trapped in her silvery-white fur. The other cat, a burly black tom, nodded.

"Agreed. With the weather in StarClan this rough, it is difficult to imagine what traveling in the clans could be like. Perhaps they called off the half-moon meeting tonight." He reasoned. They both turned to leave, but a voice called them back.

"Dolphinclick! Carpfrost!" A brown and white tom hurried towards the departing cats, his ears pushed back by the wind. The two StarClan cats turned to greet him.

"Cypressroot." The black tom nodded to him. The silver she-cat, Dolphinclick, was more sour towards the BayClan medicine cat.

"You took your time," She said, her tone less then friendly. Cypressroot nodded apologetically.

"The path to the Moon Cave has been slightly covered by branches that are askew," He said breathlessly, "so we were later than usual." Carpfrost, the black tom, nodded. Dolphinclick snorted.

"Medicine cats these days are weak," She muttered. "They should get more hunting and fighting training as apprentices." Carpfrost brushed his tail lightly against her flank, and she sighed, backing down.

"Cypressroot, dark times approach this land." Carpfrost said, his voice dropping to a murmur that could be barely made out over the howl of the wind. The medicine cats' eyes widened, fear and intrigue showing in their green depths.

"You must seek the ones with the fate of the clans sealed in their futures," Both cats spoke at once, their voices the only sound that could be heard above the weather. Cypressroot nodded, his curiosity overpowered by his fear.

"Where will I find them?" He asked the two StarClan cats, desperation seeping into his voice. "Please don't go!" He grasped at air as the cats faded from the valley. "Please…"

Cypressroot awoke suddenly, his breath coming out in gasps. The three other medicine cats had woken similarly, all of them panting with a look of fear in their eyes. Thunder crashed overhead, making all of the cats in the Moon Cave flinch.

"We should leave before the rain gets worse," Stemdawn said quickly. "otherwise we'll be stuck here until out clans send patrols after us." Every cat nodded, all agreeing with the GroveClan medicine cats reasoning. They each stepped out into the pouring rain at once, starting down the messy path without so much as a word to each other. The rain dripped down Cypressroot's ears onto his pelt, and he shivered with cold. Each of the medicine cats traveled with their heads down, and Cypressroot wondered if they'd each received a prophecy like his.

After the trek to BayClan camp, Cypressroot was exhausted. With his head down, he pushed through the rain towards Creststars den in the side of the cliff. The camp was situated on a plateau of land above the ocean, and Cypressroot feared that the water would rise high enough that the camp would flood. He could see the nursery from here, and he heard a kit crying out. Another voice soon joined their high-pitched one, soothing the kit into sleep. Lightning flashed through the sky as Cypressroot ducked into the Leaders Den, illuminating the body of Creststar. Frantically, Cypressroot shook the leader until he raised his head.

"Cypressroot? Is that you?" Creststar yawned, but abruptly shut his mouth as thunder crashed outside.

"Yes, Creststar. I've had an omen." This aroused the leader. He sat up and faced the herbalist.

"Then we need Heronflight. Go and fetch him from the Warriors Den. Whirlstep, Reednose and Redbelly as well." Cypressroot nodded and turned to leave, pushing his way through the seaweed that lined the cave entrance. Outside of the den, the sandy ground was marshy, and the medicine cats paws sunk into the muck. He ducked into the Warriors Den and surveyed the cats, spotting the large golden-furred tom at once. Cypressroot picked his way over to the center of the den and gently roused the deputy.

Heronflight woke with a start, disturbing a few other warriors near him. Cypressroot pressed his paw against the deputies flank, calming him enough to speak to him quietly.

"Heronflight, I've had an omen. The elders and Creststar are meeting in the Leaders Den." The large deputy nodded, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"I'll be there in a bit." Cypressroot nodded, leaving Heronflight to collect himself.

The medicine cat trotted across the wet clearing, shaking out his paws after every couple of steps. He could hear hushed voices talking in the Elders Den, and he entered with less stealth than he did with the Warriors Den. Reednose glanced at him when he came in and smiled, but it disappeared when she saw Cypressroot's expression.

"Let me guess; an omen?" Redbelly said, his eyes dull. Cypressroot could hear the old cat's joints creaking, and wondered if he needed to stock up on daisy leaf.

"Yes, exactly. We need you to join us in Creststars den." The three elders nodded, and each one got up to stretch before following Cypressroot out of the den. Across the clearing, Heronflights brawny shape could be made out heading towards the Leaders Den.

Once all of the cats were in the den, they turned to face Cypressroot expectantly.

"Well?" Whirlstep confronted the medicine cat. "What happened?" Cypressroot looked at Creststar. The leader nodded ever so slightly, and Cypressroot began telling the cats about his dream.

"I was in a valley next to the ocean in which I saw Dolphinclick and Carpfrost standing beneath a palm tree." Redbelly scoffed.

"For StarClans sake, we don't need to hear every little detail." Cypressroot glared at the elder and sighed.

"Anyways, Carpfrost told me that dark times approach these lands. He said that we must 'seek the ones with the fate of the clans sealed in their futures'." He looked around and saw that Creststar was nodding while the other cats shook their heads.

"They could at least give us something of use." Heronflight grouched. Redbelly nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.

"Look on the bright side. At least we have an omen, and were not just floundering around in the dark." Creststar snapped. The rest of the cats nodded quickly, not wanting to risk disagreeing with their leader.

"We need to find these cats." Cypressroot meowed. "Otherwise, who knows what will happen."

There's the prologue! I hope ya'll like where this story is going :)

Welp. I'm prolly gonna upload like once every couple of days, so check every so often.

Bye! ~ Hollow