A/N: Okay, guys, sorry for the long wait, but I'm trying to practice writing particularly scary and/or detailed scenes. I've had this written down for a while, ut I haven't gotten a chance to post it. Here's the very long and long-awaited prologue.

WARNING: This story may get graphic with bloodshed and violence. Reader Discretion is advised.

PROLOGUE

A cream-gray she-cat, washed white and black in the pale light of the half-moon, ran through the thick roots of the Nighttree. She was deep in the forest that had spouted from a single Queen tree and it was so think with shadow that even the places where the moonlight hit dramatically through the branches looked dark. The she-cat, though, knew where she was going as the scent of Starclan filled her senses. She didn't need light to find the Heartstone's resting place.

Suddenly, she stooped as the scent of another cat hit her nose. It was a familiar scent, fish-oil over-powered by the scent of a medicine cats herbs with a touch of distinctiveness to it that let her know this cat's identity. "Ivypaw?" she called out as the gray and white she-cat, Diamondclan's Medicine Cat apprentice of about 15 moons, entered the patch of moonlight.

"Good evening, Cindercloud," the she-cat mewed to her companion in the moonlight, "How does the prey run in Spadeclan?"

"Well enough, young one," mewed Cindercloud in response, "But where is Swiftriver? Can't he come tonight?" The cream and gray she-cat looked around the clearing with her blue eyes, trying to see the black and white tom in the shaded night.

"...Swiftriver... walks in Starclan now..." murmured Ivypaw, her green gaze aimed at the mossy ground. She seemed almost expectant, as if hoping her old mentor would come out of the shadows and correct her.

"I'm so sorry," said Cindercloud after a short pause, brushing her tail comfortingly against Ivypaw's side. Can this be true? She thought to herself. He has been a medicine cat since I was an apprentice myself, "He was like a mentor to us all, Ivypaw. You are not the only one to feel this loss."

"It's alright, Cindercloud," she said with a sigh, "I haven't lost him forever... I'll probably see him tonight." She purred a bit at the prospect of seeing her mentor alive and well again. That was so like young Ivypaw, to never dwell on the negative and always look forward. Cindercloud couldn't help but purr.

"Perhaps," said Cindercloud gently, "But for now, we walk without him. Come, the others will be waiting. You don't want to be late to your own naming ceremony, do you?" she purred.

Ivypaw flicked her tail at the Spadeclan she-cat and they both started, yet again, to run over the roots and under the branches, in the shadows, with practiced ease.

As they stopped briefly to catch their breath, they heard a mew of greeting from the direction of Clubclan.

"Oh, no," muttered Cindercloud.

"Timberfeather!" mewed Ivypaw back as two amber eyes joined the blue and Ivy-green in the shadow. If you could've seen the tom, his wind-blown brown tabby fur and happy-go-lucky atmosphere would have been nearly overwhelming. The scent that came off of him was of Rabbit fat, oat grass, and herbs. It was a pleasant, if different scent.

"Cindercloud! Ivypaw! Good evening!" he said in his loud, boisterous, generally happy voice, "And isn't it? You can see the stars perfectly tonight! Not a dark cloud in the sky."

"It's good to see that you're happy as ever, even in the dim light of Swiftriver's death," said Cindercloud harshly. She had no taste for this tom, but she had to put up with him.

At the news, Timberfeather's tail drooped, "Oh, Starclan, no. Ivypaw, I'm so sorry. A mentor is a terrible thing to lose," he said, running his tail down her side, "But do not fear, we all have had to share the loss of our mentors. We will help you through this difficult time. Never hesitate to ask for help if you need it."

"Thank you, Timberfeather," said Ivypaw, rubbing her head against his shoulder as a friendly gesture before pulling away.

"We must be going soon, no doubt that Stormtail is waiting for us," said Cindercloud, starting to walk when she heard Timberfeather mrrow with laughter. As the she-cats turned to him, he his the laughter in his tail.

"Yes, Timberfeather?" said Cindercloud dryly, quite unamused by his sudden laughter, "You have something to say?"

Timberfeather shakes his head, "From what I've heard there will be no need to rush for Stormtail's sake."

"Timberfeather, quit teasing!" mewed Ivypaw, batting at him with her paw, claws sheathed.

"Fine! Fine!" he purred, "He has an apprentice now and, from what I've heard, it's going to be a LONG night for our Stormtail." Shaky purrs of laughter peppered his statement, much to the she-cats' confusion.

"Timberfeather, quit talking nonsense! What do you-?" Cindercloud's lecture was cut off by the sound of two other voices, the scent of Heartclan and the herbs of a medicine cat announced them for who they were.

"This is the Nighttree? WOW! Does it go on forever and ever?" said one young tom's voice.

"No," replied an older, obviously tired voice.

"It's so dark! How do you know where we're going?"

"Years of practice," said the tom, seeming quite irritated at the apprentice.

"Wow! Will I be able to do this someday?"

"Yes."

"Are we going to see the Heartstone? What's it like?"

"Yes, it's nice."

"Come on! Hurry up Stormtail! I smell cats!" the younger tom went running into the darkness, his green eyes barely visible, "Woah.. are those cats from the enemy clans?"

You hear what sounds like a sheathed, gentle whack over the head.

"OW! What'd you do THAT for?" mewed the apprentice indignantly.

"Grasspaw! Show some respect to your fellow Medicine cats! Do you forget that a medicine cat stands apart from clan rivalry? These are the medicine cats of the other clans and they are far more experienced than you, so treat them as equals if not superiors. Speaking of other medicine cats, Good evening Cindercloud, Timberfeather, Ivypaw," said the tom. His dark blue eyes shone in the night and if you could see his fur, he would be a gray tabby tom. The new apprentice, Grasspaw, would have been tan-furred, but currently, all you can see are his green eyes, almost as bright as Ivypaw's.

"Good evening, Stormtail," said Cindercloud politely, "And this is your apprentice?"

"Hi!" mewed the tom, "I'm Grasspaw!"

"...yes... he is..." said Stormtail as if he wished it weren't true.

Cindercloud nodded to the small tom, "Good evening, Grasspaw, I am Cindercloud of Spadeclan."

"I am Timberfeather of Clubclan," mewed Timberfeather happily to him, "We were wondering when you would grace us with your presence, Stormtail!" he said jokingly with a small mrrow of laughter, "And you are, again?" he asked Grasspaw.

"I'm Grasspaw, silly!" mewed the tan tom with a purr, "And Timberfeather's a funny name!"

"Well, I'm a funny cat!" mewed Timberfeather in response.

"Yes, yes you are," muttered Cindercloud.

"Timberfeather, stop corrupting my apprentice," said Stormtail flatly.

"Come!" said Cingercloud, stopping the looming argument, "It's almost Moonhigh."

The five cats started walking toward the giant tree that loomed in the mist ahead.

"What's so special about Moonhigh?" asked Grasspaw.

"That's when the Heartstone glows with the spirits of our ancestors," responded Ivypaw quietly as they stepped into a spot of moonlight, "It's the time that you can speak to Starclan the best."

"You're pretty," mewed Grasspaw in admiration, "What's your name?"

"Ivypaw, I'm the medicine cat apprentice of Diamondclan," responded the gray and white she-cat.

"Wow, you're pretty old to still be a 'paw!" commented the younger tom, running to keep up with the rest of the group, "And, if you're still a 'paw, where's your Mentor?"

"He... walks in Starclan now," she mewed sadly, "Tonight, I will be granted my full name at the Heartstone." She looked at the older cats ahead of them warily, "I just hope it's not dumb or cliche like Ivypool or Ivyleaf."

"You'll still be pretty, no matter what your name is," mewed Grasspaw to the worried she-cat.

Ivypaw was surprised, but flattered, "Th-thank you, Grasspaw." She purred and licked his ear, but suddenly, a glow as red as the dawn lighted up the Queen Tree of the Nighttree from the roots. The sight dazzled Grasspaw, he stood there, his fur standing on end, until his mentor nudged him into the hollow of the roots.

The sight of the Heartstone itself was breathtakingly red, and it's light wavered like a heartbeat. The surface was smooth and cold, as well as flat on the top where the eldest of the Medicine cats would make their announcements.

Now that Swiftriver was no longer among them, Stormtail jumped onto the top of the Heartstone,"Starclan, the medicine cats of the Clans you guard stand before you. One of us, the loyal Swiftriver, now walks among you. Take him with honor, for he will be missed. In the light of his death, Ivypaw must be made a full Medicine cat. Ivypaw, please step forward."

Ivypaw came forward, looking nervous as the other cats had their eyes on her.

"Ivypaw, do you swear to do your duty as medicine cat of Diamondclan to the best of your ability and, as the Warrior code states, never take a mate?"

"I do," said Ivypaw confidently.

"Then, in Starclan's name, you are accepted as the Full medicine cat of Diamondclan. Your new name shall be Ivygaze, for the way you watch over your clan."

"Ivygaze! Ivygaze!" chanted the cats in the cave, including Grasspaw.

Stormtail then turned back to the anouncements, "And, on that note, I have a new apprentice, Grasspaw. He has been brought before you to be accepted into the life of a medicine cat," he said, looking down at the tom, "Do you, Grasspaw, swear to learn all that you can from me, your mentor, to be a service to your clan and, in honor of the warrior code, never to take a mate?"

"I-I do," said Grasspaw, still a little shaken from the strange atmosphere that Starclan carried.

"Then may Starclan grant you your first walk with them as a sign that they accept you," he said, then jumped off the rock. All of the medicine cats came forward and lied down, their noses touching the glowing rock. Grasspaw followed suit and closed his eyes, beginning to drift into sleep.

When Grasspaw awoke, he saw a cat with stars in their pelt before him. They gestured with their tail for him to follow them, then ran into the brush.

"Hey, wait up!" Grasspaw shouted, following in their wake.

"Quickly," said the Starclan tom, "There's not a moment to lose."

Grasspaw had never run so fast in his life, but he sensed the urgency in this tom's voice. Soon, the tom jumped through a bush. Grasspaw followed him. What he saw before him made him yowl with shock. A battlefield. he thought, looking at the scene in front of him.

There were yowls from cats still fighting, but he could not see who they were in the blood red of the setting sun. Speaking of blood, it coated the ground. Bodies of unidentifiable cats lay strewn about. Four specific cats, on a distant hill, were fighting against a single cat and appeared to be losing. The single cat they were all facing had eyes glowing red like the sunset behind her. It was a terrible scene, he looked away and saw that Ivygaze was next to him, he looked over to his other side and saw the other medicine cats were standing, watching this with the same shock and horror that he was.

Suddenly, the Star-spangled cat was standing in front of them, blocking their view. He was now clearly a black and white tom with blue eyes.

"Swiftriver!" mewed Ivygaze in shock.

"The different suits all tried their hand, and failed to fight away the dream. The final Alices arrive. Four outsiders will save the Clans." Announced the tom with so much power behind his voice that Grasspaw started to tremble again, especially when the tom started to go around the Medicine cats and tell them, "Search for the Honest Spade, The thoughtful Diamond, The Fighter's Club," he looked directly at Grasspaw as he said the last one, "And the Tender Heart."

This was so many moons ago, I've lost count.

I am Grasstail of what is left of Heartclan, yes I was Grasspaw in that story. Now, the story becomes darker than the Shadow of the Nighttree.

Once, not long ago, the Clans were great masses of loyal, trustworthy cats who followed the warrior code and had plenty of Territory to feed themselves. Now, more cats every moon join Starclan or go missing. Our territories seem to disappear little by little each year. Prey is dwindling to the point where we must dispute long-founded borders just to feed ourselves. Now, I watch helplessly as our leader, Skystar, loses her last life to a harsh battle wound.

"Can't we help her?" asks my new apprentice, Yewpaw.

"No... but Starclan help us..." I mewed to him gently.

I am the last of the original cats who received the prophecy. Stormtail died, then Cindercloud, then Timberfeather, and, recently, dear Ivygaze died. I am the last of the ones who still believe the prophecy will come true. But, then again, I can see why they have lost hope. So much time has passed, so much has been lost, and yet, the Four who were supposed to come and fight this nightmare that controls Wonderland have still not shown themselves.

Starclan, where are you? Have you abandoned us? Why have you not sent the promised heroes?

What did you mean to search for The Honest Spade, The Thoughtful Diamond, The Fighter's Club, and... The Tender Heart?

A/N: I would say, mmm.. tensiony... but.. that would ruin it. XD.
ANYWAY, the first Chapter will be up soon enough, I still have to type up POTL Chapter 2, so MEH! Give me a break! The map of the Territories can be found on my deviantArt account as SakuraSunset. :) Thank you for reading. Please give me your critique, praise, or whatever you want to give! Tell me how I can improve!

May the Dream turn in your favor,

~NDS~