Feathermist's Secret

Prologue:

Prologue: The moonlight shone down in the clearing where two cats stood, waiting. A breeze picked up and swirled gracefully around, ruffling the cats' fur.

"When are the others coming, Twigfur?" An orange and white tom asked, his tail twitching impatiently.

"Soon. They won't be long, Sparkflight." Twigfur answered, half-heartedly. 

Sparkflight dipped his head respectfully in answer and fell silent, deep in thought. He remembered Slimtail, the old medicine cat, who had been sick for a long time, before dying just the day before. Sparkflight recalled the wise old medicine cat's last words before he had died. Remember that evil never sleeps. Keep your eyes open, my dear Sparkflight. Slimtail's words rung in Sparkflight's ears. He remembered Twigfur's devastation and grief that had shadowed her face. She and Slimtail had always been close. Sparkflight looked at Twigfur now. The dusky brown she-cat was staring at the ground, her tail wrapped neatly around her paws, lost in thought. Twigfur hadn't been the same since Slimtail died. She blamed herself for not being able to save her beloved mentor. Her eyes lost her amused spark and the lively flame that burned inside her died away. Sparkflight padded over to Twigfur and sat down next to her.

"Are you thinking about him?" He whispered, comfortingly.

"What I'm thinking of is none of your business!" Twigfur hissed, with venom in her voice. Sparkflight recoiled. Suddenly, Twigfur relaxed. "No, I'm sorry for talking to you like that. I do miss him a lot." She replied.

"I know. We all have felt it before. After my sister, Honeypaw, died, Blacktail and I felt alone." Sparkflight turned his head away, feeling the same hollowness inside him when Honeypaw had died. Twigfur licked the top of his head comfortingly.

A few heartbeats later, there was a rustling noise from the bushes and a pale ginger tom appeared with a small white trainee trailing behind him.

"Ah, Sandpelt. Good to see you. Who's the little one?" Twigfur greeted the EarthClan cats politely.

"Good evening, Twigfur and Sparkpaw. This is little Icepaw." Sandpelt introduced the young she-cat.

"Hello Twigfur and Sparkpaw." Icepaw mewed, rather shyly.

"I'm Sparkflight now." Sparkflight meowed proudly.

"Sparkflight! It suits you." Sandpelt exclaimed. At once, his voice grew serious. "Any news from Slimtail? Still sick?"

Twigfur looked away. Sparkflight glanced at his paws.

"What?" Sandpelt asked.

"He passed away." Sparkflight whispered.

"No..." Sandpelt closed his eyes in pain. "I should have been there. He saved my life before. I promised I would pay him back."

"I can take you to his burial place someday." Sparkflight put in.

"Yes, I'd like that."

Icepaw stared at Sparkflight imploringly. "I would like you to tell me what Slimtail was like." She announced.

Taking Icepaw aside, Sparkflight began to tell her about Slimtail.

"Slimtail was a very wise and kindhearted cat. He knew every single herb and their uses like it was his Clanmates. Twigfur was his trainee and before he retired, Twigfur took me on as her trainee," Sparkflight explained. "And moons ago, EarthClan was struggling in a horrible illness, called greencough. It's not the normal greencough you deal with each leaf-bare, it was dreadful and many cats died. The leader then, Fallowstar, also caught the disease and lost all his lives. The few surviving cats, fled and went to the other clans to shelter. Sandpelt was an apprentice then, he fled to SunClan territory. We found him sheltering in a tree hollow, coughing and sniffling. Sandpelt was greatly ill and a lot of cats wanted him gone. But Slimtail, he would secretly go Sandpelt every day to bring prey and herbs to heal him. Eventually, Sandpelt got healthier and went back to his clan to rebuild it. The rest is just EarthClan history. Sandpelt had never stopped supporting Slimtail since."