CHAPTER TEN
We returned to the Cave of Rushing Water with no other incident. The rest of that day was calm and peaceful, and I enjoyed it, savoring the relaxing evening.
That night I curled up in my nest that the Tribe cats had given me, mulling over what the old rogue had told us. We still didn't know very much about our "task", as the Originals had put it, and I hoped fervently that we received some more instruction before we had to complete it.
And why was it always us? Wasn't there any other cats who could save the world? But still, the more I thought about it, I loved the Warriors world and I don't think I could trust anyone else to be able to save it. However, it needed to be saved so often that I couldn't do it alone—I was so glad I had friends to help me.
At last, I drifted into an uneasy sleep. My dreams were restless and confusing, flitting from concept to concept. At times I was the human Annie, and a moment later I changed into Gingerstar or Shadow. Friends and enemies flashed before my eyes, and all said the same thing: "Be ready. Be ready."
"Ready for what?" I cried out, turning over in my sleep. But the dream blurred, the familiar voices of my friends and family fading. And then, loudly, the voice of Lion's Roar cried out, "What do you mean, 'ready'?"
I sat bolt upright in my nest, ears pricked upwards. Only, I wasn't in my nest. I was in the same shadowy forest that the Originals had met us in, surrounded by my companions: Jay's Wing, Dove's Wing, Lion's Roar, and Wolf.
"What's going on?" Jay's Wing asked sharply.
Wolf let out a low growl. "Hopefully, those Original people want to talk to us some more."
"Maybe they'll give us some suggestions," Dove's Wing added hopefully.
"I don't know," I sighed. "They seemed awfully mystical, and not inclined to help."
Lion's Roar looked at each of us. "How did you sleep?"
Jay's Wing gave him a strange look, then said, "Why do you ask?"
"Because I had some strange dreams," the golden-furred tom said grimly. He had grown a lot since we had arrived in the mountains—his pelt was thick and glossy, and his muscles had developed quite a bit. He was a lot larger than he had been at first, almost the size of the cave-guard the Tribe thought he would become. And that he still might become, depending on how soon we got out of the mountains.
"Yeah, me too," I said uneasily. "People kept telling me to 'be ready'."
By the shocked looks on my companion's faces, they had also had these strange dreams.
"Be ready..." Jayfeather mused. "Well, I think this is it. The Originals are telling us to be ready for the task they're giving us."
"That is correct," a deep, rich male voice said. We immediately all leapt to our feet and unsheathed our claws, only to relax as we saw the Originals and Rock sitting not too far away. The speaker had been the male human.
"Who are you?" Wolf demanded. "What do we have to do?"
The woman chuckled softly. "Be patient, little kittens."
A slight snort came from beneath her, from Rock. "You're one to talk," he rasped, looking ugly as usual. "You're hardly patient at all."
The woman glared down at him. She and the man were both sitting, not standing, but still she towered over all of the cats in the shady forest.
"Where are we?" Dove's Wing asked.
"All in good time," the silvery tom replied. "Please... sit."
We eyed each other warily, but walked over toward them and sat.
"Now, to answer your questions," the white-furred she-cat said briskly. "We, as we have already said, are the Originals... and Rock. We are the first of your kind, both cat and human."
"We have banded together for many years now," the man added.
"We are at fault for the meddling with destiny that has resulted in your adventures," Rock growled. He shifted slightly, and unless I was mistaken, he looked a little guilty.
"But... what are your names?" I asked, suddenly curious. "I mean, we know Rock... well, Jay's Wing does... but what are you called?"
The tomcat swished his long tail and purred. "I am Star, the first tomcat."
"I am his mate, Moon," the white-furred she-cat said.
The man and woman exchanged glances and shrugged. "We are called many names," the man explained. "The Christians call us Adam and Eve, for example. But I prefer the name I gave myself... First."
"How original," I murmured, trying to bite back the sarcasm. This was one of the first humans, and he deserved some respect, I suppose... though he and the other Originals seemed a little obnoxious and arrogant.
"Yes, I always thought so," First said with satisfaction. He didn't see the smirks that Moon, Star, and the woman exchanged behind his back, and the amused looks they flashed towards me.
"And while I would prefer something that sounds more like a name, First here insists on calling me Also," the woman sighed. "I may have been second, but that was just bad luck, and he shouldn't rub it in forever!"
"So the male isn't always the first?" Lion's Roar asked with interest.
Star shook his head. "No, it is pretty random. Moon here came before me, but we are never alone for very long."
"Now, as for your second question," Moon continued. "What is your task? I thought that would be clear by now, you did find Toran."
"Toran?" Dove's Wing asked in confusion.
"The rogue we sent you to," Star explained.
"Oh," she replied.
"Well..." I began, exchanging a wary look with Jay's Wing. "Toran was on his deathbed. We couldn't really get much out of him before he died."
"He's dead?" First asked in surprise, eyes widening. He leaned down so that his face was right in front of mine, his large, dark eyes staring intently into mine. It was all I could do to not slash out at him. It was a cat's instinct, after all.
"Y-yes," I stammered, intimidated and nervous.
"First, back off, you're frightening her," Also scolded her husband.
First shrugged and leaned back. "Well, what do you want to know? We can't tell you everything—this is your quest, you know, and you've done quite well in your other tasks... though I admit none have been this difficult."
"Well... from what Toran said, we're supposed to convince a bunch of evil spirits to allow us to form the Tribe of Endless Hunting and StarClan," Jay's Wing summed up.
"Only five," Rock corrected.
"Malady, Hunger, Slaughter, Despair, and Death," Moon said softly. Her golden yellow eyes blinked, then narrowed slightly. "Are you up for your task?"
"But... why?" Lion's Roar asked, bewildered. "Why us—and why can't the spirits do it themselves?"
"It must be a living cat," Star said, shrugging. "That is why we cannot simply make them obey us."
"Besides, no matter how much we hate to admit it, the main spirits are more powerful than us," Also sighed. "They plague all species, and we can only guide and protect our own."
"As for why," First began, "we are becoming too busy to guide every cat around the world. But the Five Great Plagues must be appeased before any gatherings of spirits. It is one of the ancient rules."
I opened my mouth to repeat Lion's Roar's second question, about why we in particular were chosen, but was cut off by Wolf.
"Where are we? What is this place?" she asked, yellow eyes glancing around the clearing in the center of the shadowy forest.
"This is the Dark Realm," Moon said. "Where the plagues and their consorts live."
"But—we have to fight them in their home?" I asked, dismayed. This was going to be harder than I thought.
"No, no," Star said in alarm. "Fighting? No! That will not impress the plagues! Well... it might impress Slaughter, but fighting is not the way to conquer that spirit, it would rip you to shreds."
"Your task is to persuade," Also explained. "Another part of the ancient rules states that the plagues must listen to any petitions before violence or other molestation occurs. At least, violence or molestation by themselves. What you do to yourselves is another matter."
"If they don't listen to you, then you're toast," First said cheerily. "But don't worry about that—we have complete faith in you!"
"Why are you two involved in this?" I asked him and Also. "You're the human ancestors, and this is all about cat gatherings."
First and Also exchanged an uneasy look. "Well," Also began, "that's a really long story... we can't explain it all to you now. But rest assured, we'll answer you in good time."
I sighed. Procrastination once again. They just didn't want to tell us something.
"Well!" Star said suddenly, getting to his paws. Moon also arose, though Also and First remained sitting as to not tower over us. "It's time you got going! Good luck! If you fail, I doubt we'll be hearing from you again, but I hope all goes well!"
"What?" we all cried out, leaping to our paws. "What do you mean?"
But, smiling, the Originals vanished. We were alone in the Dark Realms now.
"Well, I guess there's nothing for it but to go on," Jay's Wing said grimly. And with that summed up, we headed into the gloomy forest.