Warriors: The Gathering Shadows (#1)

-Prologue-

The lake grew still and cold to the night air, and all was silent for a while. The towering oaks shivered restlessly at the strange silence that seemed to settle onto the forest, echoing the lake's ominous stillness.
A black feather sailed slowly in the breeze, swinging until it dropped right in front of the mouth of a small branch-woven den in Thunderclan's camp. Inside, a small pale gray-and-orange she-cat healer was anxiously hard at work.
Jayberry soaked another wad of moss into the small pool in the corner of the medicine den, lifting the soaked wad and carrying it towards an elderly black-and-white cat. She sat down beside her mentor and sniffed the souring stench and heat that emitted from her fur. Panic fluttering in her chest, she nosed the moss closer and tried to rouse her again.
The old cat slowly blinked awake, her yellow eyes glazed with fever.
"Drink. Please?" Jayberry frowned as Smallpebble's only response was a harsh cough. "Smallpebble..."
"You'll be just fine.. without me. You're a great medicine cat already." Smallpebble murmured, her head falling back into the nest.
"You can't just leave me like this!" Jayberry hissed, dropping her gaze in frustration. Tears blurred her vision. "I'm not even old enough to be a warrior yet. What if something happens if you..." she stopped, not wanting to finish that sentence. "What if I'm not able to treat someone? I'm just one stupid medicine cat. I'm not sure I can take care of Thunderclan all on my own."
She looked up at the night sky showing through the woven branches, angry at those stars twinkling brilliantly in the sky. Curse you, Starclan! "Curse you..." She dropped into a hopeless crouch.
She felt a warm tail tip touch her pelt, and she looked up to see Smallpebble blinking up at her warmly. "Hush, little Jayberry. I gave you your name early for a reason." Her yellow eyes shone brightly through the darkness of the den. "Nevermind Starclan. Have you lost faith in your own abilities?"
Jayberry stared at her blankly. "I'll never be as good as you if you're... gone. Thunderclan may fall apart under my paws."
Smallpebble shot her a stern glare, only softened by her agony and exhaustion. "That is all the nonsense I'll be hearing from you." She rasped.
Her gaze softened as she drew back painfully, laying her head on the soft straw. "You are the most loyal, most skilled apprentice a medicine cat could ever ask for. Never doubt yourself, Jayberry, for that is the only thing that may lead to a clan's downfall." She closed her eyes. "You must.. always stay strong." Her vision swam for a moment, and then she strayed out of consciousness.
"Smallpebble?" She could hear her apprentice's frightened meows. "Smallpebble..!"
When she could open her eyes again, she was standing on fresh green grass glistening with starlight. Scents she knew almost too well filled her nose and warmed her paws. She felt as strong as she had when she was young, like a raging illness had never consumed her.

She was in Starclan's hunting grounds.

As one of the oldest senior medicine cats, she knew her little meeting place in Starclan like she knew the back of her paw. A thin white-and-black spotted she-cat with starry paws emerged from some tall grass. Smallpebble immediately bowed her head with utmost respect.
"Duskfur," she murmured as the ancient Windclan medicine cat trotted up to her and pressed her nose against her own. "It's been too long."
"My dear friend," Duskfur purred, her silky voice reverberating against the specks of stardust. "You've lived such a long, brilliant life among your clanmates. You've gained so much respect." She gave her a sympathetic look. "But your time is almost at its end."
"I know." Smallpebble murmured, taking in the surreal and rich atmosphere. She felt her throat tighten. "And I'm ready for it." Jayberry is ready.
Duskfur brushed her tail against her spine understandingly. Then, she turned and jerked her head at something in the distance. Her smile faded and was replaced with a blank expression. "Watch."
Confused, Smallpebble obeyed and turned with her, watching closely

All of a sudden, the sky was dark.

The clouds swirled into a grotesque blur of gray and black, and rain she couldn't even feel pelted the ground to turn it sleek and wet.
Duskfur didn't move, so Smallpebble didn't either. She knew that this was a vision- whether it was from the past, present, or future, she couldn't change a thing about it.
A brutal battle unfolded around her, and massive dark shadows loomed over some of the fighting cats. She watched in acceptance as one cat pinned down another in front of them and gave them a killing bite. It was sad, so unbearably sad to see this happen to a cat she knew. But there was nothing she could do about it. Her time was almost over.
Their fluttering pelts stilled and the stars swirled back into view as the vision receded. Without giving Duskfur a single glance, she nodded. "I see."
Duskfur gave her a sad smile, and pressed her nose to Smallpebble's. The stars began to stir and swirl and close around her, and Duskfur's voice became faint. I'm sorry I could only warn you. But rest assured, truth will come to rise. Rest now, for you will only know pain a little longer.
Smallpebble woke up in her nest, feeling the aching of her old bones once more. She looked up at Jayberry, her vision blurred. Emotion brightened the young cat's eyes. "Just.. hold on a little longer, Smallpebble. T-the catmint's almost here... Please..."
Smallpebble could only smile sadly at her brave apprentice. "Do you know why I chose you.. Jayberry? I chose you because right from the start, you showed interest in healing your clan. I chose you for your kind heart and brave soul. I chose you because I saw so much potential in you. You have learned so much and have treated so many of your clanmates. I trust you to keep doing so. Please don't let me down.." Swirls began appearing in her vision. "Hard times are coming.."
Jayberry seemed to have accepted her fate, though she looked distraught and upset. She licked Smallpebble's cheek in comfort. "I would never let you down. I will be the best medicine cat I can be." Tears welled in her eyes as she shut them painfully. She shook her head and sat back up, curling her tail confidently.
"I promise."