Mist swirled around Ashwinter. The grass was a pale green, the sky a beautiful shade of purpley-blue. The full moon drifted slowly across the sky, the stars fell steadily towards her. 'This must be StarClan' she thought, Of course, it's too good to be true.' The fog in front of her swirled slightly, slowly revealing the shape of a cat. Yellowstar emerged.
" Hello Ashwinter, you look well," Yellowstar meowed fondly.
Ashwinter dipped her head. " As do you, Yellowstar."
" You must be wondering why I summoned you here," Yellowstar guessed.
" Uh, I am curious, yes," Ashwinter thought the answer was obvious.
" Well then, prepare yourself for what I am going to tell you."
" Why? I can't be all that bad…"
" I bring an important prophecy," Yellowstar meowed solemnly.
" And you think I am the right cat to hear it?"
" Of course you are! Don't second-guess yourself. Do you doubt my judgement?" Yellowstar scoffed.
" No! No, of course I don't. I'm sorry, Yellowstar," Ashwinter was hot with embarrassment.
" This is the prophecy I wanted you to hear:
Water and Fire will become one. An Enemy will prove Fire to Water, and life will bloom. The Winter Equinox holds the answers they seek, and the Summer Solstice will be joined by the Shining Day and the Starry Night." Yellowstar finished.
"… What does it mean?" Ashwinter asked.
" Water is patient, beautiful, calm and victorious. Fire is spontaneous, full of fury, and is handsome and cleaver. The Winter Equinox is mysterious and ominous, the Summer Solstice is sweet yet sly. Day and Night are complete opposites, yet one cannot exist without the other. Young one, you are Water."
" I see why you have told me this now…" Ashwinter murmured.
Mists began to envelop Yellowstar again.
" Wait! Please don't leave me yet! Can you not explain why I am the center of a prophecy?" Ashwinter cried.
Yellowstar's words seemed to echo. " Water and Fire…as one. Look into your past, Gray Warrior…one has already voiced this to you." With that, Yellowstar disappeared altogether.
Ashwinter shook her head. " Could you not give me a straight answer?"
Another shape faded into view.
" Greetings, Ashwinter," Equinoxrise meowed.
Ashwinter beamed at her brother. " Salutations, Equinoxrise. Have you come to help me?"
Equinoxrise nodded. " Yes, sister. But I have come only to enlighten a small part of the prophecy."
" Well, what do you have to say?" Ashwinter asked curiously.
" A Scourge upon the name of all cats will find you, take you, and will not be afraid to spill Blood for their Clan. Place your faith and trust in Fire." Equinoxrise meowed.
" Who is this cat? What will they want from me?" Ashwinter asked, shocked.
Equinoxrise shook his head slowly. " I have done my part for you. But this I will say; you will not be alone when the enemy takes you. Please understand that StarClan is powerless to help you," the last sentence came out as a beg.
" I do understand, my brother," Ashwinter murmured.
Another shape began to appear. A calico she-kit stood next to Equinoxrise, seeming puny compared. She seemed as if she had barely been born, she was so small.
" Blood, blood, blood!" the she-kit wailed.
Ashwinter took a step back. " Why does one so young an innocent speak of such a horror as blood?" her voice shook slightly.
The she-kit yowled again " Blood! Blood will be spilt before there is peace! Love while you can before you lose everything, Gray Warrior!" before fading away as Yellowstar had.
" Who is she? What Clan is she from?" Ashwinter demanded.
" All in good time, patience is a virtue," Equinoxrise meowed quietly.
Ashwinter snorted. " Then answer me this: is she important to the prophecy?"
Equinoxrise hesitated before answering. " Yes."
"How?" she growled.
Equinoxrise sighed. " A word of advice, sister—do not let anger overtake you."
Ashwinter thought carefully before answering. " Sometimes anger is the only way to keep your soul alive. When has my temper ever been a problem, anyway?"
Equinoxrise shook his head. " No sister, faith preserves you longer. My time with you is nearly spent. Will you look after Winterfury? And Bluefire and Dustrise?"
Ashwinter sniffed. " Have I failed you thus far, brother?"
A flash of amusement flashed through Equinoxrise's eyes. " No, sister, but it is difficult to ignore the ice of worry."
" I understand. I won't let anything happen to our denmates."
" Your denmates," Equinoxrise corrected.
" Ah, yes, such a short-spent life you lived…" Ashwinter meowed sadly.
Equinoxrise touched his surprisingly warm muzzle to her shoulder. " And yet I regret nothing. Thank-you. We will meet again soon, I promise. I pray for your good health every day."
Ashwinter looked at him fondly. " And I for your happiness. May prey be abundant of you and the other warriors of StarClan."
Equinoxrise dipped his head. " Farewell."
Already he was beginning to fade away.
" Goodbye. For now," Ashwinter murmured.
The mist tugged at her fur, and suddenly the ground gave way beneath her feet. Ashwinter awoke with a start, slightly shocked.
" Water and Fire… oh, Equinoxrise, what does it mean?"