Chapter One
"No! Let go of me!" Dovewing screamed in the darkness of the lake, underwater. She thrashed in the grip of the dark cat who was killing her slowly. Thick blood spiraled upward, away from her, forming a path into the stars…
Dovewing sat up, blinking. Ever since a moon ago, she'd started having nightmares of death. She hadn't been able to concentrate, and several cats had asked her what was wrong with her.
She couldn't stop thinking of the dreams.
Am I going to die?
She rose to her paws and padded out into the camp. Maybe I'll take a walk. She padded to the entrance, paused, and mewed to Cloudtail, on guard, "I'm going to take a walk."
"Okay," he nodded. She padded through the trees, tasting the air. I might as well do some hunting. Maybe near the lake.
She headed toward the lake, ears pricked, and paused at the shore. The lake seems so peaceful…
A sudden crackle made her whip around, heart pounding. "Who's there?" she called, staring at the tree line. A bush shook slightly, and a cat stepped out, watching her with angry yellow eyes. Mapleshade! Dovewing tried to run past her, but Mapleshade seized her scruff and threw her to the ground. Dovewing scrambled to her feet, unsheathing her claws. Mapleshade lunged at her, clawing across her chest fur. Dovewing shrieked, clawing desperately at Mapleshade's face. Mapleshade responded with seizing Dovewing's neck and biting down hard.
Dovewing struggled, letting out a shrill scream. Blood streamed down her neck, shoulders, and sides as she thrashed wildly. Mapleshade bit harder, and there was an awful crack. Dovewing went limp, and Mapleshade dropped her, smirking. She purred, "Now let the Clans fear an evil murderer!" With that, she brought her claws down on Dovewing's side, leaving five puncture marks in a curved line on her side.
She padded away, vanishing into the shadows…
Back in the ThunderClan camp, Ivypool awoke from an awful nightmare in which cats screamed all around her, and noticed her sister's empty nest…