Prologue already? Why yes. This will be just old clan cats, so pardon any OOC-ness. They're not my characters, so I may be off on a few things, but I have read nearly every Warriors book to date. All the main series ones at least. So any OOC-ness is there because the cats have all grown up, matured, and their personalities have developed. Though not too much, I hope. If so, then please alert me to this, so that I may fix it. I hate too much OOC-ness more than most everything else, so help me out.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I, Russetwing, do not own any part of the Warriors franchise, except for my own characters. Locations and other things of the sort belong to the Misses Hunters. I shall only state this once, so take note of it!

Prologue

Trees swayed and birds sang in a melodious fashion, a painting of peace. A clearing lay in a sea of endless trees of all different types, an ocean of greens and browns as the light of the endless Greenleaf rained down on everything in its path. Fat unsuspecting prey nibbled among the roots of large trunks, nourishment waiting to happen. StarClan was balanced, harmonious, and its starry inhabitants were at ease.

A golden tom was overlooking the scene far below, stars littering his shimmering and well-groomed pelt. Sadness lingered in his gaze, and he let out a sigh. The queen far below the sky let out a strangled, pained cry as a second kit slid onto the ground, followed by a third. The medicine cat nodded and gave encouraging words to the queen, informing her that the birth was over. The queen heaved a sigh and settled her soft blue gaze on her kits. The golden tom purred, happy that his clan was living on, creating new life even though he wasn't living witness to it. The melancholy still shadowed his amber eyes, and he became lost in thought, transfixed with past memories. He didn't take any notice of the ferns swaying and parting for a fuzzy gray tabby she-cat.

"Why the long face?" He straightened with a start, whirling around to face the newcomer. He blinked, recognizing the cat. He purred, beckoning her over. She trod over the worn ground, and relished silently in the wondrous feeling of smooth moss between her claws.

"No reason. I was just… remembering." The tabby she-cat nodded in understanding, coming over and settling down beside him, twining her fluffy gray one with his.

"Remembering our kits?" She gazed into his eyes, blue meeting amber. He nodded, touching noses with his mate. She, however, sensed that the subject she had mentioned wasn't really the thing bothering her mate. He turned his head away, but not soon enough for the she-cat to miss the forlorn look that crossed his handsome features. She hesitated before pushing further. "Thinking that it can't be long before Hollybreeze joins us?" He whipped around in shock, and, suddenly resigned, guiltily nodded.

"It's a terrible thing to think, but I can't help it." He drooped his head in shame.

"No, it's understandable. I've noticed as well. She's grown so old…" She trailed off, giving her mate a meaningful look. "But you have no reason to feel ashamed. She has lived a very long and meaningful life. She's older than any cat I ever met." The tom considered this, brightening considerably.

"Well, I'm looking forward to meeting her," Ferns rustled and shook as another she-cat padded into the clearing, coming to rest beside her brother, laughter in her piercing green gaze. The tom purred, touching noses with his sister. Her black pelt resembled the night sky, inky darkness littered with glowing light.

"Hollyleaf, you were always so strange." Hollyleaf joined in the chorus of rumbles, flicking her brother with her tail. Starlight gleamed in her well-groomed black pelt as she settled down, muscles rippling under her fur. Hollyleaf peered into the ThunderClan camp, noticing immediately the three new additions to the nursery.

"Clovermist gave birth? Isn't it early?" Her concerned mew gathered the attention of the others.

"She's fine. Three healthy kits, one tom and two she-cats." The golden tom sat up straighter, announcing the details to the company.

"Why, Lionblaze, you sound like a proud father." Yet another voice sounded from the forest as a gray tabby swept through the ferns, halting when he reached the other three cats.

"Well, of course I'm proud of any addition to our clan. You should be too, Jayfeather!" Jayfeather rolled his eyes, two piercing orbs that seemed like an endless tide of blue, and Lionblaze felt like his brother was somehow staring straight into his soul.

"I am," Jayfeather shouldered his way in between his siblings, an action so familiar to all three that none took any notice. "Let me see," He ordered. Noticing the strange look Lionblaze was giving him, suspicion sparked in Jayfeather's gaze. "What?" He barked. Lionblaze shook his head, silver light mingling with gold.

"Nothing. I guess I'm still not used to you being able to see." Referring to his brother's blindness prior to death made Lionblaze shy away slightly, expecting to be berated by his brother, who was still sensitive to his previous inability to see. But, to his surprise, Jayfeather did nothing except sigh.

"I'd think you would be used to it by now," Jayfeather's tone was irritated, but much less so than Lionblaze had expected.

"You know, he does have a point," The soft gray tabby added, nudging her mate with her head. Jayfeather purred and gestured to the she-cat.

"See? Even Cinderheart is used to it," Lionblaze purred and flicked his brother's ear. "Now shut up and let me see what's happening." This time, all three cats rolled their eyes at Jayfeather's blatancy as he peered into the world of the living.

Lionblaze could tell something was off when his brother's ears laid back. He leaned in, looking down upon the now crowded nursery. Although the elder kits were having trouble finding room, and Fallowfern was fussing as normal, he couldn't see any problems.

"What's wrong?" Hollyleaf was the one to sound the question; she too had noticed her brother's unease. "Is one of them unhealthy?" This time, concern laced her mew as she glanced down, followed by Cinderheart. Soon, all four cats were crouching around the hole that led into the living, wondering what exactly the medicine cat had seen, all four heads wrestling for a view.

"…Nothing," Jayfeather righted himself abruptly and turned on his heel, stalking away, shoving ferns aside as he exited the clearing. Lionblaze, shooting a glance at the two she-cats, followed quickly, bounding through the underbrush to catch up with his sibling. He soon caught a glimpse of the starry tabby pelt and skidded to a halt beside him. Jayfeather paid Lionblaze no heed and shoved his brother aside, continuing on, easily jumping over a root and disappearing into the thicket. Lionblaze gazed after his brother sadly. His brother had become so much more independent since he had died. The ability to see had spurred Jayfeather on to learn anything a warrior would need to know, and now he was nearly as strong as his brother. In some ways Lionblaze was happy for his brother; he knew that for Jayfeather's entire life, the craving to see had hindered him, and dying had been a blessing of some sort, but it made upset Lionblaze to see his brother becoming less dependant on him, as selfish as the thought was.

Jayfeather, you used to tell me things like this! He thought. But, reconsidering this, Lionblaze realized that his brother had kept secrets. The Prophecy, the trips to the past. But then again, Lionblaze had kept his own fair share of secrets as well.

Following his brother, he leaped through the forest of stars, trailing the medicine cat. His blood pumping through his muscles, Lionblaze was so completely lost in the free feeling of running, he almost didn't notice his brother sitting in front of a gorse bush, tail brushing the ground impatiently. Lionblaze stopped abruptly, kicking up dirt with his paws. He faced his brother, expectation on his features.

"Why did you leave?" Jayfeather considered this for a moment.

"I didn't want to worry anyone." His brother answered with a shrug.

"So why did you wait?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't give up," This time Jayfeather sighed, throwing a half-hearted glare at his brother.

"So what's wrong?" Lionblaze finally asked, relieved to get to the point.

"It was that kit," Jayfeather began with a sigh as Lionblaze padded over to sit in front of his brother.

"Which one?"

"The larger she-cat."

"Is she not healthy?"

"No," Jayfeather trailed off, slight uncertainty fazing him. Lionblaze was shocked. For his entire life, and death, Jayfeather had hardly been uncertain of himself. That Lionblaze had known of. "She… Something's different about her."

"Different?" Lionblaze pressed forth. "How?" Jayfeather growled in frustration.

"I don't know, okay? That's why I left! I was going to see Yellowfang," Lionblaze blinked. The old mangled she-cat had never been Jayfeather's favorite cat, and Lionblaze couldn't imagine his brother ever consulting the adder-tongued medicine cat. "Something about that kit… I think something is going to happen. Something we won't be able to stop. But I don't know what, and that's why this is so frustrating!" Lionblaze flinched. Seeing his brother so distraught was unnerving.

"So you're saying that she-cat is going to face something," Jayfeather nodded. "Something big." Jayfeather nodded once more. "And we can't tell what it is."

"Yes… I think so." Lionblaze sighed. He had thought the times of trouble had passed, and peace had finally come to the clans. Even the oldest cat in the clans, Hollybreeze, had never known a time of war, being the daughter of Lionblaze's eldest kit. He faced his brother, steeling his nerves. Lionblaze had grown soft over the countless moons of peace, in both the living world and StarClan.

"Then we must do our best to prepare her."

Alright. I did say our favorite cats would be here, right? Please tell me if any of them are too OOC, because I MUST know, for the sake of my sanity! Tips are appreciated, and reviews are loved! No flames please. I probably will go back and edit this in the morning, but I'm quite tired after writing the Allegiances, this, and half of chapter one in one night. I'll get chapter one finished soon.

Questions, comment, criticism, anything is appreciated!

Sincerely,

Russetwing