A/N: Hi everyone! Here's the prologue to Kindling Spirits!
Prologue
Starlight gleamed on the trees and bushes, and an owl hooted eerily in the distance. A few cats were gathered around a small pool of water that sparkled with stars.
A black she-cat was crouched at the base of the pool with a gray mixed tom. Both their heads were bent in despair and sorrow.
The two cats had made their way to a small island covered in snow. Stonefang had suggested that they settled there for the night, the sun was rapidly sinking and the layers of bramble and ferns made good shelter.
A black she-cat crouched between two bramble bushes. Three small kits mewled by her paws.
"Hush," She scolded, "Stonefang will be back soon." Ebonyshine then tried to get her kits to lie down on the soft ferns. Her blue eyes wandered back outside. What was taking Stonefang so long?
Suddenly, a yowl split the air. Ebonyshine gasped, that was Stonefang's voice! The black she-cat turned to her kits, her heart aching at what she had to tell them.
"Ravenkit," Ebonyshine whispered to the oldest, "Can you watch the others for just a moment? I have to go out for a little while."
The dark gray tabby tom nodded hesitantly, he was still young and did not fully understand what was going on.
Ebonyshine gazed at her son her a few heartbeats, her blue eyes full of love. She prayed to Starclan that she would return and everything would be back to normal.
Oh how she was wrong.
The black she-cat padded cautiously out of the make-shift den. Ebonyshine raised her nose up into the chilling air to find Stonefang's scent. Instead, she got a gut-wrenching reek of fox.
Fox! Ebonyshine jerked her head toward the scent and her eyes widened. The fox scent was mixed with Stonefang's scent, as well as the stench of blood.
Ebonyshine raced deep into the forest, the trees blurring around her as she desperately tried to reach her mate. When she got to a small clearing, Ebonyshine slowed. Her breath quickened. Stonefang was lying on the sand. His gray fur was torn and clawed messily. One of his hind legs was twisted at an odd angle.
Farther away, a reddish-brown fox was watching his prey carefully, before approaching Stonefang. The creature was so thin that Ebonyshine could count every one of his ribs. The fox was about to sink his sharp, yellow teeth into the tom's flank. Ebonyshine felt herself stop breathing. Suddenly, Stonefang roared and leaped upward. He bowled into the fox and the fight started again.
Ebonyshine tensed, then leaped out of the bushes and toward the fox. She let out a battle cry.
Stonefang's green-amber eyes widened when he spotted Ebonyshine.
"What in the name of Starclan are you doing here," He yowled to his mate before slashing the fox's flank, "And where are our kits!"
Ebonyshine darted past the fox and landed two quick blows to each ear. "They're safe in the den," She replied, feeling out of breath.
The fox whirled around, snarling, before unexpectedly leaping onto Ebonyshine. The blue-black she-cat let out a startled yowl.
Ebonyshine felt the fox's hot breath on her face, before pain blinded her. the fox had bitten right at her throat.
"No!" Stonefang's voice seemed far away.
Suddenly, the weight was off her, but the pain and agony continued. She was on fire, from the tip of her ear to the tip of her tail. A large shadowy bulk collapsed beside her. Ebonyshine blinked open her eyes and glanced at it.
Stonefang.
The two cats lay together, intertwining their tails weakly during the last few moments of their life. The fox had fallen as well, laying by a leafless oak tree.
"I love you," Stonefang whispered, his eyes closing. Death was approaching.
"I love you too," Ebonyshine murmured, feeling darkness pull her away.
A blue she-cat padded cautiously toward the pair of cats. She laid her tail firmly onto the black she-cat's shoulder.
"All of Starclan feels for your loss Ebonyshine," Bluestar murmured, "And you Stonefang."
Neither cats replied. Ebonyshine fixed her blue eyes on the pool full of stars. Finally, she raised her head and stared back at Bluestar.
"Tell me," She meowed distractedly, "Was… was it destined for Stonefang and I die like this?"
Bluestar hesistated, and groped for an answer to tell Ebonyshine. "It wasn't exactly planned for," She said at last, turning away from the horrific scene.
Ebonyshine let out a wail, and Stonefang pressed his nose into her shoulder fur.
"We were supposed to join Moonclan with our kits, right?" She murmured. No cat answered her. The starlit forest seemed dark, eerily silent.
Suddenly, a spark in the pool caught Ebonyshine's eyes. She inhaled sharply and turned away from Stonefang to stare into the pool. Bluestar must have noticed as well, for she stepped forward, her eyes fill with interest.
A small gray tabby tom-kit writhed around next to a cream belly before falling still. A pink nose nudged him gently, but he still didn't move. The kit's black tail-tip twitched a few times.
"He's coming." Ebonyshine whispered; her eyes were wide. Stonefang blinked beside her, confused.
"No." Bluestar shook her head slowly; she cocked her head to one side, trying to figure it out. Then she jerked upward, her silver-blue fur bristling. The once Thunderclan leader leaped to her paws and began to pace. Cats in the background began to murmur anxiously. Several of them glanced at the pool and at Ebonyshine and Stonefang.
Something was going on.
"Oh no," She stopped, staring into the pool, "They have arrived."
A/N: Okay, what do you think? Was it good? Bad? Let me know! Review please!