Grass weaved in a light wind that carried the scent of rain, even though the sky was as cloudless and azure as ever. A small cat was walking through it, her tail stretched out behind her, her nose lifted into the wind. She turned her head when she caught the scent of two more cats. There was a rustling in the grass before they appeared. The first cat, the smallest of the three, dipped her head, blue eyes sparkling with starlight. "Greetings, Leafwing, Bronzethorn," she meowed calmly, nodding toward each cat respectively; a tall, pale she-cat with dark brown patches, and a smaller tom, whose fur - a colour to match his name - glimmered as though moonlight was trapped within it.
"Streamstar," Leafwing murmured. She was struggling to find a way to say what she needed to; Streamstar was her oldest friend, and she had no intention of insulting her. "What are you doing?" she questioned, trying to sound as neutral as possible. But Streamstar saw right through it; the silver cat narrowed her eyes at Leafwing before she responded.
"What needs to be done."
"The fate of the Clans cannot be trusted with five cats."
Streamstar shook her head slowly. "Who else are you going to trust it with, Leafwing? These cats are capable of more than any other. I am not in control of that. All I'm doing is putting their abilities to use."
The bronze cat had not spoken at all until now. "I question your decisions, Streamstar. First… these cats are too young. And second… yes, I understand, you were not the one who chose to bestow these cats with powers, but you know that one of the five might not end up one of the heroes you're expecting these cats to be."
Streamstar paused to glare at Bronzethorn. "What are you saying, brother?"
"You know which one I refer to," Bronzethorn growled. "He will be the cause of trouble."
Streamstar turned away. "What do you expect me to do?" she hissed. "There are five cats with powers. You want me to tell only four of them?"
"I don't know, Streamstar," Bronzethorn mewed. He sounded resigned. "I don't know what to do. But this can't be the best solution."
"It is," Streamstar assured Bronzethorn. She turned to face her doubters. Her brother was giving her a narrow-eyed stare. Leafwing's faith in her friend had begun to waver. But she'd known Streamstar for most of her life, and for all of the time the two had spent in StarClan, and she knew that once the former DappleClan leader had made up her mind, there was no convincing her otherwise.
"These cats will need a leader," Leafwing murmured. "Not a StarClan cat to guide them, but a real leader - one that can always be there for them. One of the five."
"I already chose one," Streamstar answered curtly.