Meh.... this is a TERRIBLE chapter, I know. Well.... maybe not. But; you flamers may think so! But I have many loyal readers that will support me throughout this WHOLE STORY!!!! :) Actually, I like this chapter: I couldn't come up with anything better for the prophecy, though; so you will just HAVE TO DEAL. :)

PROLOGUE

It was a quiet but rainy thunderstorm night. It would almost have been peaceful, except for the rain lashing around the forest. Amberleaf, the medicine cat of SunClan, sat outside in the pouring rain, her face tilted up to the sky.

"What do you see, Windtail?" she asked her apprentice, not taking her eyes off the sky.

"I can't help thinking that SkyClan is trying to tell me something, but in this storm, I don't think our warrior ancestors can reach us." Windtail spoke from where she sat beside Amberleaf. "We might have to wait until the storm is over."

"Maybe we will," Amberleaf agreed. "But then again, maybe we won't…."

Suddenly, lightning crashed through the sky and the clouds parted, to reveal a single star. Amberleaf jumped to her paws, and stared up, transfixed. Her eyes seemed to gaze at nothing and she looked very alert.

Windtail stared at her mentor, surprised. "What is it, Amberleaf?" Her mentor was still staring at the sky.

Finally, Amberleaf broke away her gaze and looked straight at Windtail. "It was a prophecy," she declared.

"What did it say?" she pressed her mentor, amazed. She watched as Amberleaf got that faraway look in her eyes again.

"There are hard times coming. There will be four, born by the youngest queen in SunClan, whom of which must be split up at birth, otherwise, the Clans are in danger of being killed and the warrior code will rule the forest never again."

The faraway look in her eyes faded and she relaxed. "I must tell this to Redstar. He will want to know about this."

Windtail was incredibly excited. "But that means Whiteflower! Whiteflower's kits are to be born soon. The prophecy must mean her!"

"You may be right, Windtail," Amberleaf agreed. "But only time will tell. We will tell Redstar and Pinkcloud of this at once, and study the stars at the time of her kits' births. We will know more by then. Let's go, now."

And she led the way up to Redstar's den, so they could tell him about this strange new prophecy.

***

A faint mewling could be heard in the nursery. All was dark.

"Whiteflower, hold still! Your first kit is coming," Windtail told the wriggling queen.

"Sorry – it's really uncomfortable!" Whiteflower protested.

"Ah, here comes the first one," Windtail murmured, and picked up a pale brown tabby she-kit for Whiteflower to lick.

"Oh, she's wonderful." Whiteflower began licking her first kit.

"Now, if this prophecy is correct, there should be four kits," Windtail said, checking the mother. "Ah, here's another one now." She picked up another kit now, a pale ginger she-kit, and handed it to Whiteflower. "Two more, I think…."

When the kitting was finally complete, four kits were snuggled up against Whiteflower's belly.

"What will you name them?" Windtail murmured gently to Whiteflower.

"Well, there's one tom. His name is Runningkit," Whiteflower decided, touching Runningkit with her tail. "This ginger one is Gingerkit," she added, resting her tail on the pale ginger tabby. "And the small brown tabby will be Mousekit, and the bigger one will be Sandkit."

"Those are wonderful names." Windtail nodded. "But you do have to give them up, you know.

"But it's raining outside! My kits will die out in that weather!" Whiteflower hissed.

"Okay, then, until the rain stops. But no longer," Windtail said firmly, and stepped outside to wait.

Silvertail from MoonClan, Puddlestep from RainClan and Nightwhisker from CloudClan were waiting outside.

"So? When can we get the kits?" Nightwhisker asked Windtail.

"Soon. When the rain stops," Windtail murmured. "You'll see."

She saw Amberleaf leave the nursery. She must have gone in as Windtail left.

She hurried over to Windtail.

"Hey, Windtail, when the time comes to split up the kits, Gingerkit goes to MoonClan, Mousekit to RainClan and Runningkit to CloudClan," Amberleaf panted.

"Okay, I'll be sure to remember that," she assured her mentor.

She sat down and began to wait for the rain to stop with the other Clan warriors in a sheltered bush.

Oh, SkyClan, she thought in despair. Whatever is happening to us now?