A small, shimmering pool was in the middle of a clearing, its surface a blazing white, thanks to the moon that hung above. Rippedstar, leader of StormClan, looked down at the clearing full of other cats; cats that he'd never seen before. Their coats shimmered in the moon… or were they really just shimmering? Rippedstar shook his pelt, covering up a shiver that had run down his spine. He didn't want to go down there alone with so many cats that were unknown, but something pulled him.

Rippedstar bounded down the steep hill into the cats like an eager kit. As he walked past the cats, they turned and narrowed their eyes at the mere sight of him. Why are they glaring at me? Rippedstar thought. I haven't done anything wrong… Have I? He slinked forward, his body low to the ground, wishing he were invisible. He glanced back at the cats who were still glowering at him. Then he bumped into a cat.

The StormClan leader stared at the grayish-blue cat in front of him. She stood on all four legs, her tail arched and proud, and her eyes blazing. Slowly, as if being forced, the strange she-cat dipped her head in respect for him. Rippedstar imitated her, wondering who this elegant cat was.

"I am Bluestar, formally leader of ThunderClan, now of StarClan." She spoke with dignity, her voice booming throughout the clearing.

"ThunderClan? StarClan?" Rippedstar echoed. "I have never heard of either Clan."

The gray cat shook her mighty head. "No, you would not have. ThunderClan and the three other Clans come from far away." Bluestar's blue eyes scanned the crowd of cats before her. "StarClan has also come from a far way, following the four Clans from whom we used to belong to."

"S-so, you're all d-dead?" Rippedstar stuttered. Bluestar nodded. "Why don't you go to Tribe of Endless Hunting?"

"So your Clan cats also go to Tribe of Endless Hunting?" Bluestar asked politely. Rippedstar's stomach did a somersault. Was their another Clan or Tribe that went to the Tribe of Endless Hunting?

As if reading his mind, Bluestar said, "Yes, there is another Tribe whose dead cats go to Tribe of Endless Hunting, but it does not matter." A cat behind Rippedstar hissed angrily.

"Get on with the prophecy, Bluestar! I don't want this piece of fox dung that doesn't even believe in StarClan to be in my sight for a second longer than he has to be!" Rippedstar turned around. The speaker was a brown tom with amber eyes that were full of hostility. So, Rippedstar thought, that's why they were all giving me those looks.

Bluestar's fur bristled and she looked twice as big as she really was. "Be quiet Tigerstar, I wouldn't be calling other cats traitors if I were you!" She bared her teeth at him.

Tigerstar flexed his claws, but Rippedstar could see he wasn't going to attack. Slowly, Tigerstar stepped back. "Now!" Bluestar said forcefully. "You are here to receive a prophecy."

"But why couldn't the Tribe of Endless Hunting give me the prophecy?" Rippedstar mewed. Murmurs of agreement from the other cats of StarClan could be heard from behind him.

"Because they asked me to. Just because we're dead doesn't mean we talk to cats from Clans not of our own." Bluestar hissed heatedly. Rippedstar meowed apologetically. The gray leader shook her fur irritably, and continued.

"The running river will destroy the storm even with its entire wrath." Rippedstar felt his heart lurch in fear. The one thing he really knew about that prophecy was the fact that the storm was to be destroyed… and the only storm Bluestar could mean was StormClan.

But what did it mean; the river will destroy the storm? The river was a small one with high sides. It couldn't flood… Cats could barely get a drink from the river it was so hard to reach! So what did it mean? Maybe it meant a cat…

Bluestar was looking at him with understanding eyes. She gave him a little sad smile, and Rippedstar vision began to blur. Slowly, the StarClan cats were fading before him and the edges of his sight became black. Rippedstar yowled loudly. What was happening! Steadily, the black closed in until he could see no more.

Rippedstar jerked awake. His mate, Ashtail, was standing over him with worry in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Ashtail asked him. "You were yowling in your sleep."

Rippedstar shook his head as if trying to get the dream out of his head. "Ashtail, will you believe me when I tell you this?"

Ashtail sat down next to him, rubbing her flank against his. "You know I will."

Leafpool's eyes fluttered open. What a strange dream. It was normal for medicine cats and apprentice medicine cats to see prophecies, but… When Bluestar had finished with the cat, Rippedstar his name was, she'd given Leafpaw a prophecy for her own Clan. But who was Rippedstar? He'd mentioned the Tribe of Endless Hunting, whom ThunderClan had been with once when they were traveling to their new home.

Leafpool stood and stretched. She would have to tell Firestar about the prophecy, as well as the prophecy that had been bestowed upon Rippedstar. The snow under her feet crunched when she took a step. As she padded over to Firestar's new den, Leafpool glanced around at her surroundings. The old high rock had been turned into a low tree whose branches were so tangled; they were like the high rock's platform. Below that platform of tangled branches, a little hollow in the tree could be seen and inside, the faint rise and fall of Firestar's ginger body. Curled up next to him was his mate and Leafpool's mother, Sandstorm.

Across the way was the den Leafpool had just come from. Cinderpelt, Leafpool's mentor and the Clan's medicine cat, was still sleeping soundly, unaware of whatever was coming. Tall ferns covered the entrance of the den, and even taller ferns made the roof of the den, with sticks mixed in. Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight, Leafpool's sister, had helped put those sticks there that would keep most rain from coming in.

Abutting Leafpaw's den was the nursery. Cinderpelt had chosen their den next to the nursery to get to the queens faster as they gave birth. Moonpelt, Feathertail, and Ferncloud were all in there; two expecting kits, one with them already. Leafpaw purred in amusement as one of Moonpelt's kits kicked his sister's head. She jumped up and growled, then haughtily padded around to the other side of their mother and nestled down.

Also side by side was the warriors den and apprentice den, nearer to the entrance of the camp. A stream ran through the camp dividing the nursery, Leafpaw's den, and Firestar's den from the warriors and apprentices den as well as the elders den. Leafpaw paw smiled when she saw Brambleclaw and Squirreltail curled up together. It wouldn't surprise Leafpaw if Squirrelpaw ended up in the nursery soon. In the next den, Canyonpaw was squirming around on his back, his hind legs kicking the air, battling an invisible enemy.

Leafpaw turned away and headed towards her father's den. Luckily, when she neared, she saw Firestar raise his head and blink sleepily. When he saw his daughter he yawned, nudged his mate, and leaped out of the den, landing lightly on the ground. Leafpaw dipped her head and touched his nose; the sign of respect for her leader and love for her father. He purred in laughter.

"Well, you must have something to say," Firestar said. "Otherwise you wouldn't wake poor, little me." He batted at her nose playfully. Leafpaw's heart leaped; it wasn't a normal thing to get a chance to play with her father as he was normally helping the Clan or too frustrated in getting their new lives started.

Leafpaw nodded. "Yes, StarClan sent me a prophecy," she said. "Well, actually, you could say they sent two prophecies."

Firestar looked confused, so Leafpaw told the whole story. "Then Bluestar came over to me and apologized for leaving me last, but she thought I might have wanted to hear the other prophecy.

"Then she told me our side of the prophecy. 'But thought the river will destroy, it will save the storm's thunder'. I think it has to do with the other cat's prophecy since the river will destroy the storm, but it doesn't make any sense." Firestar looked at his daughter with admiration in his eyes. Leafpool blinked. He admired her for hardly making any sense of it?

"Well, I think it means a cat." Sandstorm had joined Firestar. Leafpool thought for a moment and slowly nodded.

"Yeah, because what river can destroy a storm and save its thunder?" Leafpool voiced her thoughts out loud, which she sometimes did in deep thought.

Firestar was also looking thoughtful. "You're right, Sandstorm," Firestar said, praising his mate. She kneaded the ground with a forepaw in embarrassment.

Leafool yawned. Suddenly, she realized that it was the middle of the night. "I'm going to tell Cinderpelt in the morning," Leafpool said, flicking her tail in the direction of Cinderpelt. "I'm tired." Firestar meowed in agreement and jumped back into his small, but cozy, den. Sandstorm joined him.

Leafpool padded back to her den, glancing at Cinderpelt. She felt guilty that she had received the prophecy instead of Cinderpelt, but she remembered what Cinderpelt had said. I always knew that you had a strong connection with StarClan, the medicine cat had told her. You're nearly as good as Spottedleaf.

Leafpool pushed the thought away and settled down into her nesting. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head were laid comfortably on her paws.

Water dripped steadily from the ceiling when Rippedstar entered. It was the middle of the night, but the rest of StormClan was silently waiting for him silently. A cave in the mountainside served as a place for StormClan to communicate with the Tribe of Endless Hunting. It was also where the Clan held meetings.

Rippedstar jumped onto the tip of one tooth. It was a jagged tooth like a cat's, but it had a flat part at the very top to sit on. Below him, cats looked expectantly at him. Rippedstar drew in a breath. Telling StormClan that they would be destroyed was the last thing he wanted to do. He'd spent about two hours trying to figure out the meaning of the prophecy, and as he'd passed the nursery, he realized. When he'd entered the cave for a sign from the Tribe of Endless Hunting, in a pool glimmering in the moonlight, he'd seen a small, dark and light gray figure; he was sure of his decision.

"Cats of StormClan," Rippedstar yowled. "I bring grave news from our ancestors!" He didn't dare mention that it had been another Clan of ancestor's who'd given the prophecy; he hardly believed it himself.

"I was given a prophecy," he continued. "The river will destroy the storm, even with its entire wrath." There was silence for precious few seconds, and then cats broke out, yowling in fear. Rippedstar saw the cat being drawn closer in towards her mother.

"I have received a sign from the Tribe of Endless Hunting as well, and know what the prophecy means, and how to prevent it." Several cats stopped to look up at him with wide frightened eyes. Others followed their lead.

"Well?" One fearful voice asked. Rippedstar looked at Quickstep, a small, long legged cat who was one of the best hunters in the Clan. He thought of losing him, and the rest of the Clan, and he was sure of his decision.

"The meaning of the prophecy is that Riverkit will destroy us." Rippedstar flicked his tail towards the little kit, his heart pounding in sadness. Wrenheart, her mother, yowled in anger as the rest of the Clan turned to stare at Riverkit.

"My kit could never destroy us!" Wrenheart growled angrily.

"Yes, Riverkit is intelligent and kind, she would never!" another cat, Birdfeather, agreed. Other cats meowed their opinions, some hateful, some fond.

Rippedstar listened to them all, but in his mind he was stuck firm with what to do.

"I'm sorry, but the Tribe of Endless Hunting has approved my decision," Rippedstar said, bowing his head in sorrow. "Riverkit must die."

Yowls filled the air. There were so loud and piercing, even Rippedstar's keen ears couldn't discern who they were and what they were saying.

"SILENCE!" Rippedstar cried. At once the commotion stopped.

"Please," Wrenheart pleaded. "The only real threat to StormClan is the fox band. Riverkit could not be any kind of danger!"

"I'm sorry, Wrenheart," the StormClan leader said firmly. "But the Tribe of Endless Hunting told me that Riverkit must be killed."

"No! You can't!" Wrenheart was sobbing now. "Please! Couldn't you spare him?"

"What did you have in mind, Wrenheart?" Rippedstar asked.

"I-I don't k-know, but w-what if-if R-Riverkit were to b-be sent away and n-n-never c-come b-back…" Rippedstar saw Riverkit look up in surprise at her mother. He could not imagine what Riverkit was thinking at the moment, but something had to be done about her.

"That seems reasonable!" Wildwhisker said loudly. Rippedstar nodded.

"Yes, I suppose it does." Rippedstar was silent for a moment as he thought. Would it be a good idea to let Riverkit live? "Very well, Wrenheart, Riverkit will live." Rippedstar focused on Riverkit. "Riverkit, you must promise never to come back here to try and destroy us."

Riverkit shuffled her paws a bit. "Okay," she said quietly. Wrenheart sobbed louder, nuzzling her kit. Riverkit tried to look brave and unafraid, but she was quivering.

Rippedstar looked down on the scene, feeling guilty. He knew Riverkit would be killed by the foxes anyway, but he felt even worse for Wrenheart. Wrenheart stood, her sobbing ceased. She pushed her kit towards the exit.

Riverkit looked back at her Clan before her mother said, "Go on, Riverkit." Wrenheart had begun quivering violently as if it was taking all her strength to not stop her kit from leaving. Riverkit turned her head back towards the exit of the cave and took a step. She took another, and another, the soft snow swirling around her, until she was completely out of sight.

Please R&R! Oh, like I've said in other stories, I don't own warriors or any of the other cats, but I do own cats that I've made up StormClan, and the new place the four Clans have made their home in ! Muhahahahahaha! Well, anyway, R&R!