Raven's Cry

Prologue

Twilight fell over the mountains of Acadia, the owls waking up and beginning their nightly hunt. Beneath the cover of dense pine trees lay an abandoned badger set, but the scent of cats lay inside it. Brambles prevented unwanted others from going inside, but they weren't impenetrable. Paw prints, ancient and new, lay in the dirt and darkness threatened from the depths of the tunnel. Inside the marks of the current residents ancestors lay scratched into the stone. Pictures of cats and foxes and intricate swirls and patterns that their meaning was unknown except for those long gone.

Deeper into the tunnel it opened up into a wide ravine. Cats dwelled in the stone hollow, chatting and sharing tongues. Older cats' snores emitted from a small dip in the ground, more brambles making up walls. Slowly as the hollow grew darker each cat retreated to his or her own den, all except one whom sat on the highest spot of the gorge.

Her fur was long and well groomed with dark tabby stripes along her back. Her chest was white and her underbelly pale. The she-cats light green eyes were closed but she was awake. Her dark striped tail was wrapped neatly over her paws and she sat regally, the leader of this group. Suddenly her ears pricked and she turned her head to the side and downwards, opening her green optics. "Drowningsun." She mewed in a soft but commanding voice. "What brings you out of your den this time of night?"

A black tom with mismatched eyes had slunk out of the den nearest the ledge the she-cat sat on. He was lanky and thin, unlike most of the cats that lived in the hollow, and Drowningsun's posture was like the she-cats. Regal and proud. "I could ask you the same Shadestar. Just because you're our leader doesn't give you the responsibility to watch over us all while we're asleep. Lightningfrost is already guarding the tunnel."

"I'm not tired." Shadestar said shortly, her eyes flashing. "I doubt you've awoken from your slumber just to come out here to tell me to go to sleep."

"You're correct. Let us go to your den." Shadestar stiffly rose to her paws and nodded to the tom, as he was obviously of a high ranking. Drowningsun leapt nimbly up the rocks and followed the she-cats into a small crack in the canyon's wall. Inside was a small hollow with smoothed out sides. It was dark inside and it took a few moments for both cats eyes to adjust.

"Now. What'd you come here for?"

"There is actually a few things I'd like to discuss. Most of them are unimportant but I couldn't sleep and figured it's more private at night." Drowningsun paused, "it's also when Pandora's the strongest."

The air in the den was chilly and Shadestar puffed out her fur to try and keep warm. "Get on with it." She mewed, "it's cold in this den."

Drowningsun nodded respectfully. "I might as well start with the least important things. Dreamkit just came to me, she wants to be my apprentice."

"Very well." Shadestar said.

"Now-" Suddenly Drowningsun's eyes went out of focus and they went real wide. He crouched down and flattened his ears against his skull. Shadestar stared at him in alarm, but it didn't last. In a matter of moments his eyes sharpened again. He looked up, letting his fur lie flat again, and stared at Shadestar in horror. "Shadestar. Something very bad is going to happen." He gulped, slowly regaining his sitting position. His ears came up from their place on the back of his head and Drowningsun took a deep breath before speaking again. "The gods. They've delivered me a prophecy. Pandora did, actually."

He looked around, as if making sure no one was spying on them, but the gorge was all quiet. "She said, A fatal choice, a deadly path. The little kit shall never last. Darkness rising, a Raven's cry. A whispering Dream shall not survive. The flames will rise. The flames will burn. Consumed by the fire, It's Moss' turn. The cards shall be played, the red cat dealing. The Ace is flipped, they are nearing. The Grim card may destroy them all. War's coming Shadestar, fear the Panther, or we shall fall."

Shadestar was quiet for awhile, turning it over in her mind. The little kit shall never last? There are no kits except for Dreamkit and her brother. But they are old enough to be apprentices! "Thank you Drowningsun." The black tom nodded respectfully to his leader and got up to leave. "Drowningsun?" The medicine cat turned to look at his leader. "Tell me if the gods tell you anything else."

"Of course." Drowningsun purred in reassurement before turning and padding out the den. Shadestar had forgotten about the coldness of the den as she got up and walked out after him. Taking her place back on the highledge she watched the tom disappear into his den before turning her gaze back on the empty camp.

She didn't know how long she was sitting there, but it must of been a long time because after a while Lightningfrost came padding out of the entrance tunnel with a long yawn and disappeared into the warriors den. Leaf appeared after a few moments and went to take his clanmates place at the entrance. Shadestar traced her eyes up to the moon where a cat's claw shone brightly down on them. Are you trying to warn us Pandora? She asked to herself.

The night sky was turning a shade of indigo when Shadestar finally retreated to her den. Stepping into the cold nest she curled up into a ball and fell asleep quickly, her breathing becoming steady. Birds awoke from their nest when Shadestar did not, and the clan rose and started their daily routine. The fate that lay ahead of them did not foreshadow this day.