An Ancient Start

Thunder rumbled in the sky. The wind shook whole trees. Bushes were yanked from the ground. Dirt and leaves blew, cutting like claws. Paws pounded on the ground. Dark forms slipped through the forest grass. Ears were pressed flat. Panic made hearts pound. All around, other forest animals were racing for strong cover. This storm was like nothing ever seen. The old had no stories to base a prediction upon. The young were not strong enough to challenge the roaring wind. Falling trees were a danger to predator and prey.

Lightning split the clouds as thunder shook the air and land. A cry of fear rang out. The falling tree rushed for the ground. It was heading straight for a group of cats. Several scattered in all directions. A couple were bowled over by a blast of wind. A multi-colored, spotted streak sprinted by, grabbing a frozen cat. The tree crashed, forcing cats off their paws. The pair of cats had barely managed to escape. The tortoiseshell shakily rose onto her paws. She was panting hard. Deep blue eyes glanced down to the pale gray cat she just rescued. Her head shook. Long legs trembled with exhaustion. Ears twisted, listening for anymore signs of danger. Despite the gift coursing through her veins, rescuing everyone was a futile task. She was not fast enough to beat the wind. She could not be everywhere at the same moment. Growling, she forced the tom to his paws. They had to reach the open shore.

Yowling reached her red-orange ears. Long legs propelled her faster over the land. Smoke reached her nose. She hissed. The massive storm overhead was a dry one. Lightning must have struck the ground. It ignited the parched heather. Her heart desperately prayed her kin on the moor had gotten to the tunnels already. Four paws, each a different color, skidded to a halt. The yowling was from the leaders. They were coordinating by the tunnel entrances. These tunnels had been dug by the river leading from a small lake to the larger one they lived by. The cats had then dug more tunnels for the water to flow and for them to hide within. Several cats yowled with shock. The wind was throwing the lake water onto the pebble shore in massive waves. A few cats were nearly dragged into the deep waters. A shudder ran down her spine. The tortoiseshell could imagine that the Great Water was even worse than the lake. Deep blue eyes spotted her sister disappearing into the tunnels with their elderly father.

"By the stars, this isn't working fast enough," the tortoiseshell muttered. Internally she cursed the stars for taking the other gifts. One of immense strength. Another allowed a cat to never be harmed when in danger. Even the increased senses would have warned the cats of the incoming storm.

Ears flattened. The various shades of red, orange, and gray tortoiseshell crouched. Her unusually long, spotted tail twitched. Long, powerful hind legs launched her into a sprint. Faster and faster her paws flew. She was one of the few still bearing a gift. Her gift was of unbeatable speed. She had spent her whole life practicing and perfecting her skill. Now she would use it to save as many cats as she could find. It was her job as a Guard. She swore to never fail. Pushing herself too far would cause her heart to stop. That would send her spirit to the stars. The tortoiseshell snarled and pushed herself harder. This was her home. Every cat here were kin or friends. She would not fail them. She would die knowing she did everything. That was her oath. Loyalty made her heart beat. It refused to let her stop until the storm passed.

Bright green eyes came into her vision. The tortoiseshell hissed with shock. Quickly she leapt up and over the white tom with black stripes covering his back. Deep blue eyes narrowed. She spun to face the tom. He was calm. The storm did not seem to concern him. His fluffy, white tail flicked leisurely. A black line flowed from nose to the back of his head. Ears twitched as he noticed her hard breathing.

A raspy voice reached her ears, "You can stop. The storm will end momentarily. Those who destined to be lost are already gone."

"What are you talking about?" the tortoiseshell snapped back. "Cats are still missing. The storm isn't lessening. I have to keep going."

Green eyes darkened for a brief second, "You'll kill yourself if you reach those speeds again today."

"I don't care! This is my job as a Guard!" the she-cat spat back, claws unsheathing to dig into the soft dirt. She had raced into a marshy area surrounding by multiple rivers flowing from the lake to the Great Water.

The tom shook his head, "Killing yourself will do no good. Everyone missing will survive. The destined have already gone to the stars. Your task is done today."

"How do you know?" was the question as hackles lowered.

A sad smile touched the tom's lips, "Because its my burden. To see the past. To see the future, as blurry as it is. To know but never speak." Green eyes turned in the direction of the pine forest. He sighed, "We lost a Guard today. Starsilver is gone."

Pain struck the tortoiseshell's heart. Starsilver, a silver she-cat with many scars covering her body, was a close friend. She guarded the inhabitants of pine forest.

"How?" she asked sadly.

Those eyes returned to her, "Defending a mother and her kits. Starsilver was always such a protective she-cat. Always defending those under her watch as a mother defends her kits. She will be missed."

"Yes. She will be. I hope she passes her gift on to another. It is desperately needed."

"She will not. It is best the future cats learn to live without it."

"How can you say that? We rely on those gifts! They have saved us time and again. Our race would not exist otherwise."

"That was the past. The future is different. Gifts are leaving all creatures." The tom blinked, eyes going distant. Then he smiled, "They'll return when cats truly need them." His fluffy tail flicked, "Come. We are needed amongst the survivors. Our time to walk the stars has not yet come."

The tortoiseshell padded to his left side. Her deep blue eyes looked to him, "What of our gifts? Will future generations need them?"

The tom shrugged, "Not immediately. However, a time will come. You will know. The bearer will always know when to pass the gift to another." He frowned at that moment. It did not escape the she-cat's notice. Her heart hammered. If this cat could truly see the future, what was he seeing?

"What do you see?" she asked.

Green eyes looked to the northern horizon. A shaky breath escaped his mouth. Ears flicked as if listening. Paws stumbled over a root. The tortoiseshell easily caught him. She helped him sit down. The tom's whole body began to shake. Green eyes had dulled. Pupils had misted over, as if the tom had become blind. Claws sheathed and unsheathed in a seemingly random pattern. His mouth opened but no sound escaped.

Returning to the present, the tom looked to the tortoiseshell, "Your choice will come with a heavy cost, my dear friend. The gifts and their side-effects are known today. When you pass along your gift, the stories will have faded away. Your choice will force another to walk a dark path." His fluffy landed on her thin shoulder, "But the gift must continue. It will be the only way for the future to happen as intended. It'll start something that no cat has ever seen before."

"You sure?" the tortoiseshell asked. Her mind wondered if she should really pass along her gift. She did not want another to be burdened by a dark path. The gifts were meant to bless, not curse. Her deep blue eyes met the tom's green eyes. That gaze pulled her into a trance. Her breath caught as he was able to show her a glimpse of the future he saw.

His voice echoed in her ears. It would continue to echo for generations after both of their deaths. The tortoiseshell would wait in silence for that day to come. The day a choice was made. The time when one would be born with an unseeable destiny. When a white light would shine in the dark. Roots would grow each step. Hearts would crack. Paths would be lost. Yet something remarkable would rise from the damage done.

The tom whispered to her in that moment:

"Ice and fire, the roots are sown. Death and blood, the forest grows. One choice will set history into stone."

The Cracking Hearts revamp has begun! Maisy and I (Falachen) are so excited to bring story back.

You can still read the original on this website. Changes will be made though, either with characters and personal stories or with the storyline.

I also have to thank WarriorWolfSpirit for her art and advice. We are overjoyed to welcome to this project. You can check out her art on Deviantart under the name I just referred to her by.

Anyways, we hope you all will enjoy this story and the adventure walked by all characters!