LakeFeather's Fate

Prologue

The scent of rain befell the land. Light drops fell from the sky and glistened on the blades of grass; the sun had set long ago, and yet the night still felt early. Crickets chirped from their spots, hidden from sight by the foliage that surrounded them. The night was silent otherwise, and a cool breeze swept through the forest.

There was a shift in the shadows, and from all around slender dark forms crept out of the undergrowth and into the light of the moon. Claws glinted in the soft light, and eyes that glowed moved to each figure warily. One figure stepped forward, their yellow eyes narrowed and their tail slashing from side to side. They took another step forward, and then another until the moons light illuminated their slender form.

"ChervilStar," a long haired white tom growled from the shadows, "What is your reason for calling us out here? Where is Brownstar?"

"After tonight, QuietStar, you will no longer need to worry about the whereabouts of mousebrained fools like that mange-pelt." The long-haired she-cat spat, her tone laced with a venom that could make even a badger flinch. ChervilStar's gaze flickered between the other two figures before her. The one who had spoken before, QuietStar, glowered at the she-cat with obvious distaste. But it didn't matter, not when ChervilStar was determined to put her plan into place.

Another figure stepped forward and took a seat beside QuietStar. They quietly looked between QuietStar and ChervilStar before meowing a soft greeting. Their tail moved to neatly lay across their paws and, after licking down the fur along their chest, they spoke. "How is this a meeting between leaders if one of us is missing? I'm sorry for repeating, but why have you requested our presence? It's nearly sunhigh, I have a clan to manage."

"Oh, do you? You have a clan to manage? Well, why don't I hurry along so you can get back." ChervilStar seethed, though her sarcastic response had little effect on the tom. "I have asked the two of you to join me here because I have matters to discuss with you. Why else would I have asked you here, PineStar?"

PineStar rolled his eyes and huffed. The tom had been made deputy around the same time as the she-cat. Having seen her at many gatherings, and during a few battles, Pinestar had grown accustomed to her negative and off-putting behavior. The she-cat was quick to anger, and was known for her bad temper throughout the four clans. "Obviously, ChervilStar. I'm not a mouse-brain. Maybe if you would hurry up instead of prolonging the discussion we could all hurry back to our clans."

ChervilStar hissed in response and QuietStar stepped between the two with narrowed eyes; he growled as his tail lashed from side to side. "Enough!" The tom spat angrily. "You two sound like a couple of kits! Now I'm not taking sides, but PineStar is right. You're the one who called us out here and we've still yet to know the reason. Hurry up." ChervilStar met QuietStars gaze angrily and huffed before turning away. The she-cat licked at one of her paws before dragging it over her head; she did this a few more times before finally speaking.

"We all know that leaf-bare is quickly approaching," ChervilStar meowed, ignoring the hostility that QuietStar had shown only moments prior. "and every year we lose more and more cats to greencough as well as the freezing winds. Not to mention the lack of prey. Now, I've been keeping an eye on all of our clans. Last leaf-bare we lost many, my clan lost three warriors and an elder. PineStar, you lost your deputy to the frozen lake and two apprentices to the harsh winds, and QuietStar, you lost your mate and kits to sickness."
PineStar raised his lip in a soft snarl, and QuietStar winced at the memory. The toms shared a glance with each other and it was clear they were thinking the same thing.
'Is this crazy she-cat really keeping tabs on us?'