Claws flashed. Fur bristled. Blood stained the ground a deep scarlet. The grass was either plastered with dried blood or trampled flat by pounding paws. The wind rustled through the trees, adding an eerie whistling to the waterfall of howls and hissing.
Cats were fighting left and right. One slashed another across the flank, scoring deep marks that quickly filled with red liquid. Another cat slumped to the ground, motionless. It's opponent yowled in triumph.
The forest around the battle seemed to shiver in the wake of hatred between the two opposing sides.
On the outer ridges of the fighting three cats were in a separate group. They watched the battle, eyes narrowed, looking for any enemies that seemed to be breaking off from the fight.
All were full grown and muscular. One cat's ice-blue eyes flicked off from the battle to it's companions.
"Our place here in this fight isn't helping. We need to get back to camp," she suggested.
Another cat next to her unsheathed his claws. They scraped the earth, tearing small blades of grass up from the soil.
"No. Bramblestar needs us to be here. He appointed us to this spot so we could show any intruders trying to escape unscathed what Clan cats are made of."
The ginger cat that spoke earlier flicked her ears in annoyance. "But we should defend the camp. These Other Clans will attack our elders and queens if it is not left defended. RiverClan and ShadowClan can survive without us."
The black tom next to her nodded. "Only three warriors remain at camp. Our sister is right," he said sternly to his brother.
The vision faded from the silvery pool of water. Warriors with starlight in their fur looked up from the pool and nodded to each other.
A ginger cat stood up to speak. "I told you that these cats will be loyal. They need to survive." He turned to the other cats on his right side. His orange tail flicked from side to side I anticipation.
A blue-gray she cat with stunningly blue eyes shook her head.
"I know these cats will be loyal and strong, Firestar. But only one can rise above their littermates to become great. Perhaps..." she trailed off, lifting her head to stare upwards at the night sky. The stars looked closer than ever, and seemed to be leaning in to hear their discussion.
A golden she-cat with spots like a leopard stepped forward. Her amber eyes glinted a shining gold in the moonlight.
"I agree with you both, Bluestar and Firestar. But who rises above the others is not for us to decide. We can only watch them and wait for a sign. What happens to these cats is no one's decision, not even Rock's or Star's," she mewed.
Firestar looked away. A tortoiseshell she-cat beside him touched her tail to his shoulder.
"Star may know who, though," a voice from the back of the crowd of StarClan cats said. "We have already asked Rock. He may or may not know, but he won't tell us. Star is more willing to help the Clans. She would tell us if she knew," the voice continued.
Gasps came from the cats nearest to the pool of starlight water. A dark ginger she-cat with deep green eyes made her way to Bluestar.
"Squirrelflight! This gathering is for leaders or medicine cats!" the tortoiseshell she-cat beside Firestar scolded.
"I remember Sandstorm telling me as a kit StarClan is equal. Is that not true, Spottedleaf? I have as much a right to be here as you do," Squirrelflight shot back.
Spottedleaf glared for a moment, and opened her mouth to speak. After a short moment's silence, she clearly thought better of it and lowered her head.
The leopard-like she-cat spoke again. Her golden tail brushed the gray rock beneath it.
"I agree with your daughter, Firestar. Star may tell us," she meowed calmly.
Firestar merely dipped his head and turned to walk through the crowd of past Clan leaders and medicine cats. All eyes turned upon him. He felt their gazes piercing his pelt, trying to look into his mind to read his thoughts.
"Then we will travel there tonight, Leopardstar," he mewed, glancing over his shoulder. His bright green eyes were doubtful, he didn't truly expect a clear answer, especially from Star.
Firestar left the clearing with many cats following. Pelts of all colors glistened with health as they moved under the beams of heavenly light. Soon the rock around the pool was clear of cats except for Squirrelflight, Onestar, and Bluestar.
Bluestar turned to the warrior and leader. "The lack of knowledge to who will be the great one is not our only problem," she sighed, once sure that no other cat was in hearing range of listening.
Onestar nodded. "The kit called Mousekit worries me. I saw the same personality that Mudclaw had when he tried to overthrow me in him. Mudclaw was a good warrior, that is true, but if some cat that wishes to use that reaches Mousekit, the results will be a cat that wants power over everything. ShadowClan, any Clan, will be brought down by such a thing."
Squirrelflight's ginger fur bristled. "The Clans do not need another Tigerstar," she said, half to herself.
Onestar nodded, while Bluestar stared blankly ahead. She closed her eyes for a moment thoughtfully, then opened them again, an unreadable emotion in their sapphire depths.
"The intruders are coming, and gaining strength. In these dark times, even all the power of StarClan cannot help the Clans by the lake," the blue-furred warrior whispered, and she flicked her long tail over her paws, ears twitching.