Echoclan's Torment

Prologue

The cat's paws shook as he waited in the star-filled cavern. The familiar distant roar of the waterfall and the gentle drip of water from the cavern's roof provided little comfort. He began to pace, lashing his tail side to side anxiously.

"Owlstar." the she-cat's voice was so quiet and gentle that he almost missed it. He looked up sharply to see a starry she-cat sitting several tail-lengths away from him, her golden gaze sad. Beside her sat a silver tom with faint tabby markings whose broad shoulders were slumped with weariness.

"Brambleberry," Owlstar whispered back, unsurprised but sharing the same sadness. He bounded forward, ready to bury his face into the queen's fur as he had when he was a kitten not so long ago, but she stepped back and shook her head at him, and he was reminded that he could no longer touch her. He swallowed back the wave of grief and disappointment once more and turned to the tom. "Graymoon. Do you... have a message for me?" He tried to keep his voice steady and strong, worthy of a clan leader, even though he wanted to wail like a lost kit.

"We do," Graymoon responded, avoiding Owlstar's gaze.

"More bad news?"

"It seems so."

Owlstar took a deep breath to steady himself. "I'm ready," he murmured, closing his eyes. It didn't take long before a picture blazed through his mind. A familiar young she-cat with soft brown-colored fur stood in front of him, her back turned towards him. She was calling for help. Even without seeing her face, Owlstar recognized her immediately. He opened his mouth to call back to her, but found that he could neither speak nor move. He was powerless to do anything but watch as dark shapes encircled the she-cat, whirling faster and faster around her and obscuring his view. Panic welled up inside him. He felt heat prickling his paws and saw flames in the corner of his vision, accompanied by the sound of many cats screaming in pain and fear. Then suddenly the chaos stopped and Owlstar could see the she-cat in front of him once more, farther away this time. She was talking to another cat with bright orange fur, and when he called to her she didn't respond. The vision melted, leaving him in the cave with Graymoon and Brambleberry once more.

"What was that?" Owlstar gasped.

The Starclan warriors glanced at each other before answering. Graymoon spoke for the both of them again. "We cannot see everything that lies ahead. We believe your sister is about to face a danger that cannot be avoided. We can only hope she and the rest of the clan will escape it with their lives."

Owlstar crouched against the floor and closed his eyes, feeling numb to the tips of his whiskers. "Is there any way I can help?" he asked, his mew gravelly and barely audible.

"Only time will tell," Brambleberry sighed. "You can only do what you think best."

Owlstar said nothing for a few moments before looking up at the two starry cats. "Thank you. I will do all I can."

Graymoon and Brambleberry nodded solemnly in reply. When Owlstar opened his eyes again, he was back in his own den. The she-cat from his dream slept peacefully beside him in her own nest, totally unharmed. "Starclan help us, Clayfoot," Owlstar whispered, licking his sister between the ears. His voice cracked despite himself. I can't do this without her. Please Starclan, don't let me lose her too.