Skyfeather stood on the edge of the clearing at Fourtrees, crouching low in the grass. She looked up, expecting to see the four great oak trees towering above her. To her surprise, there were three pine trees. Shocked and confused, Skyfeather immediately got to her paws and looked around. Instead of a single giant rock in the middle of the clearing, there were three Twoleg creations surrounding one. The creations looked as if the Tree-eater ate up some trees and coughed them up like this.
Skyfeather took a cautious step into the clearing. The grass was greasy, like that of the grass beside the Thunderpath in LightClan's territory. It was also a very dark green, unlike the grass in the Fourtrees clearing.
Suddenly, something rustled on the other side of the clearing. Skyfeather slipped back into the bushes and crouched low again, waiting to see what caused the noise.
To Skyfeather's surprise, the cat that came out of the bushes was Ravenstar, LightClan's former leader; he was also Skyfeather's first leader. He padded smoothly through the grass until her met Skyfeather.
"Hello, Skyfeather," he meowed calmly.
Skyfeather straightened up. She eyed Ravenstar sceptically. "Hello, Ravenstar." Then, since she was encountering a leader and a member of StarClan, she bowed her head low.
Suddenly, Firestar trotted out of the bushes and padded up next to Ravenstar. The two touched noses before Firestar spoke.
"Skyfeather, we have come here with you for many reasons," he meowed.
Ravenstar nodded. "I only have one thing to say," he meowed. "Then I must leave."
Firestar nodded. Skyfeather only stared in shock.
Ravenstar looked up and stared Skyfeather right in the eyes. "Green is the deadly colour for your Clan. Beware this colour, for it will destroy many."
Suddenly, Ravenstar blurred and disappeared into the night.
"Firestar?" Skyfeather questioned. "What does he mean? Why should we fear green? It's only a colour."
But Firestar didn't answer her question. "You must send loved ones to this clearing, Skyfeather," he meowed. "They will meet the cat with a black ending here. You must also send an enemy with them, for he will help."
"But, Firestar!" Skyfeather pleaded as the ThunderClan leader began to blur. "Why should I send them? Why can't Stormstar?"
Firestar looked up. "This must remain secret," he responded. "Remember, Skyfeather. The cat with a black ending."
And with that, Firestar disappeared just as Ravenstar did.
Skyfeather shot open her eyes to see the unfamiliar bramble walls of the nursery. She was back in her Clan, safely tucked away in the bramble bushes.
Wearily, Skyfeather stood and gave herself a brisk lick. She wanted to spend her afternoon nap peacefully, not interrupted by dreams from StarClan.
She was about to place even a claw outside the nursery when Moonflower practically pounced on her. "And just where do you think you're going?" she hissed. "You are staying in the nursery, young lady."
"Moonflower!" Skyfeather yowled. "I want to go see Stormstar. Can't I just do that? The leader's den is right over there!" She lifted her tail to point lightly to her left.
Moonflower sighed. "I guess you can't stay in here forever. Go on, go see Stormstar. But you'd better be back in her by moonhigh."
Skyfeather widened her eyes as her mother trotted away. By moonhigh? Did she mean that Skyfeather wasn't allowed to go to the Gathering?
Nervously, Skyfeather glanced up at the sky. She had been napping for a long time, since Silverpelt was already lighting up the sky with its glittering warriors. The moon was just starting to rise. What if the Gathering patrol had already left?
Quickly, Skyfeather galloped over to the leader's den. When she twisted her head through the ferns, she let out a sigh of relief to see Stormstar inside, chatting with Sparrowstripe.
"Oh, hello, Skyfeather," Stormstar mewed cheerily. "Come on in. Sparrowstripe and I were just finishing the patrols."
Skyfeather padded slowly into the den. She felt uncomfortable being in Stormstar's den when Sparrowstripe was there, so she remained silent.
"Go and tell the others," Stormstar finished up saying as Sparrowstripe left the leader's den.
"What's wrong, Skyfeather?" Stormstar asked his mate.
Skyfeather padded over to Stormstar and pressed her nose against his side. "May I please go to the Gathering?"
Stormstar pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. "Skyfeather," he began, "I'm not quite sure I can do that. If you get hurt along the way, I'll never be able to forgive myself."
Skyfeather chuckled. "I promise you," she purred, "I won't get hurt. I've only been bearing kits for a few days now."
"More like a quarter-moon," Stormstar corrected. "I'm not letting you go to the Gathering, Skyfeather." He touched Skyfeather's nose with his own in comfort. "Do you want Gingerfoot or Frostfur to stay here with you?"
"Stormstar!" Skyfeather yowled, getting to her paws. "I want to go to the Gathering. And I'm going to, no matter what you say."
Stormstar looked down. "If you get hurt, Skyfeather…"
"I won't," Skyfeather reassured him, lying down again and pressing her side against his.
"But the journey is longer than usual, since we live so far away from Fourtrees," Stormstar persisted. "Are you sure you'll be fine?"
Skyfeather nodded and closed her eyes. "I'm sure I will," she purred. Before long, she got Stormstar to purr, and the two drifted off.
Skyfeather slipped out of the fern entrance, hoping Moonflower hadn't seen her. Stormstar agreed to keep Moonflower behind, just for Skyfeather's benefits.
But Stormstar was right about one thing: it was a long journey. When Skyfeather, Goldenheart, Tawnyspot, Bluetail, and Littlerock went on the expedition to find the new RainClan camp, they had to travel for three days. When they finally found the right spot, the present camp, it was clearly sent from StarClan, since there was a Highrock and all. But they had to follow the sugar river for a long while down to LightClan's territory, and even then they were only halfway to Fourtrees. They all had to cross the river and travel across the small strip of RainClan's territory that bordered the Twoleg nests and LightClan territory. Then, when they reached the Fourtrees clearing, they were all exhausted. Skyfeather didn't know how she'd be able to make the whole journey with a swollen belly of kits.
Thankfully, Frostfur gave her support. "You need it," she'd mewed. "Your kits are bound to come soon."
Skyfeather didn't really think that her kits would come soon, but she accepted the help without protest. Also, Cherrypaw and Snowstorm trotted along close to her.
"Are you okay, Skyfeather?" Cherrypaw asked every now and then. "You're limping."
"I'm limping because Frostfur is giving me some of her weight for support," Skyfeather replied every time. "Don't worry about me, Cherrypaw."
Cherrypaw and went to pad along next to her mentor and Icepaw, her brother.
When the Gathering patrol reached the sugar river's bend, Skyfeather was already exhausted. She plopped down with Frostfur while the others crossed the river. Stormstar stayed behind to help Frostfur carry Skyfeather across.
Stormstar gripped Skyfeather's scruff in his jaws and held on firmly while Frostfur scrabbled underneath her weight and lifted her into the rushing water.
When the group of cats crossed the river, they dumped Skyfeather down on the light green grass. Skyfeather looked down at the grass for a long while. Suddenly, realization hit her and she scrambled to her paws. She looked up at Silverpelt. Firestar, why should the Clan fear green? Everything in the forest is green! But, unfortunately, Skyfeather saw no orange stars glimmering in the night air.
The Gathering patrol traveled onward, stopping every so often for Skyfeather, even though she begged them not to.
Finally, they made it to the clearing. When Skyfeather looked up at the great oaks, she half-expected them to be pines, and to only see three of them. But, alas, she saw four giant oak trees, and only one single Great Rock positioned in the centre of the clearing.
The rest of the cats immediately plunged themselves into the throng of mingled EmberClan and LightClan cats. Skyfeather saw Tawnyspot head straight for the EmberClan warrior Oakleaf. Skyfeather always suspected that they loved each other, even though they were from different Clans.
Skyfeather plopped down right at the edge of the clearing. She didn't think she had enough energy to do anything but breathe.
Suddenly, a flash of bright ginger captivated her. She glanced around until she saw the source of the flash. When she saw it, she jumped to her paws, startled.
A wispy and flame-like Firestar stood in front of her. When Skyfeather looked around, she noticed that all the cats in the clearing had stopped moving, almost like time itself had stopped.
"Skyfeather," the Firestar started, "you must look for your enemy. Tell him of the prophecy."
"Firestar!" Skyfeather shouted. "Who's my enemy?"
"You know who he is," Firestar replied as he began to blur once more. "He is the one who knows the cat with a black ending."
The second time started up again, and Firestar disappeared, it hit Skyfeather.
Lucifer!
A/N: Yay for cliffhangers. says unenthusiastically Reviews please!!!!!!!111!!!one!!111!! Thanks to all!