A/N- So sorry I didn't do an author's note last chap, I tried but it chopped off the last part with the prophecy. Anyway, it should work now. Thanks to Winged Ice Fox for reviewing and Harry Potter 101 for favoriting (that a word?) this story.
DISCLAIMER: I'm no Erin Hunter. I did not invent, and I do not own, Warriors. Sorry. However, the characters in this story are MINE! ALL MINE! And so is the plot.
Chapter 1
The little ginger kit was nestled in the nursery, among his brothers and sisters, looking around at them through his open eyes. One was a calico female, looking exactly like her mother. Another was a ginger tom like him, though his ginger was lighter and flecked with brown. Another was a black tom.
This little ginger kit did not know his name, or the names of his brothers and sisters. He barely registered what he saw, but it was wonderful and colorful. He only knew peace and warmth in the world right now, and as the rain went shhhssss through the wind onto the camp, he was happy. The kit fell asleep against his brothers and sisters as they slept on.
Patchcloud woke. At once she saw her four kits sleeping at her side, and her heart swelled with happiness. Just as she thought, Blackmask, does he know? That very cat slipped into the nursery.
"Patchcloud," he breathed as he sat at her side and licked her ear, "they are wonderful! What will you name them?"
"I think I could choose two names, and you could choose two," she purred, looking warmly up at the tom. She looked at her kits. Licking the orange-and-brown flecked tom's head, she stated, "He will be Eaglekit."
"Yes," said Blackmask, pride filling him as his oldest son was named. "Okay, this black kit- his name will be…" he thought for a moment, then the little kit let out a deep, involuntary growl. Blackmask laughed. "This kit will be Thunderkit."
Patchcloud smiled her approval. Then she looked at her third-born, the only female in the litter, the little calico. "She, my daughter, will be called Leafkit." Blackmask purred and licked Leafkit's head.
Then he turned his attention to the youngest kit, the ginger tabby. His eyes were closed now, but Blackmask knew- Iceshadow had told him that this kit was born with open eyes- that if his youngest son were awake, those eyes would be staring at him intently. Blackmask put the thought to the back of his head and tried to think of a name. His mind was blank. But, as if blown there by the wind- or the breath of StarClan- a name came to him- Fox.
"Foxkit."
Patchcloud looked at her mate. He was not speaking in the warm, happy voice that they had been speaking in before. But instead, as the name Foxkit left his mouth and floated on the soft breeze carrying into the nursery, he spoke in a voice that was filled with wonder and amazement.
He shook his head and said, "Foxkit. This will be our son's name."
Patchcloud quietly nodded her assent.
"Rainstar, may I come in?"
Rainstar looked up from the vole she had been eating. The gray she-cat stood up, pushed the vole away with her hind foot, and said, "Yes, come in."
Iceshadow stepped into Rainstar's den a moment later. Rainstar smiled and sat down. Iceshadow had been her best friend from kithood, and although they both had very respected and busy positions in the Clan now, their friendship never wavered.
Iceshadow smiled back. But her face fell serious as she prepared to tell of the prophecy.
"Rainstar, I just recently received a sign from StarClan…" she saw Rainstar sit up straighter. "…from the eyes of a kit. Patchcloud had her kits just now, and although they are all alive and healthy, this one ginger tabby was born with his eyes open. And I could see StarClan inside…"
Rainstar was staring at Iceshadow intently. "What did they say?"
"Well, Lionstar came up," whispered Iceshadow.
Rainstar was silent, her eyes were sad. Lionstar had been simply the greatest leader Iceshadow had ever known. He had been leader since before she was born, and in her opinion no one but Rainstar could have done better than him. His death had been sudden and unexpected, although he had been getting old. For many Clan cats, his death was still painful.
"And what did he say?" asked Rainstar quietly.
"He gave me a prophecy. He said, 'The one you fear will bring you hope. Your enemy will bring you alliance. Even in the darkest battle, your most hated opponent will bring the Clan peace.'"
Rainstar frowned in thought. "Did he say who this cat was?"
"No, although judging by the fact that I saw StarClan through this kit's eyes, it is probably him."
"But he's only a kit. StarClan would have chosen an older cat, don't you think?"
"They are unpredictable, StarClan."
"Perhaps… I'll keep it mind, but I'm not sure we should take action until we see actual signs that this prophecy is true."
Iceshadow nodded and backed out of Rainstar's den. Her mind was whirling with the prophecy, and questions about who it could be. As she approached the smaller, grassy clearing where she worked, her apprentice, Sunpaw, rushed up to her. Sunpaw had been apprenticed only a sun ago, and she was a fast leaner in herbs, although she still needed some reminding now and then about the warrior code.
The tiny tortoiseshell blurted, "What's poppy seed again?"
Iceshadow sighed, but not because of her apprentice. Wait for the next sign, she told herself. In the meantime, get back to your life.
A/N- Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Review! And don't worry, next chap will probably be in Foxkit's POV.