Warriors: The Compromise, #1 [DISCONTINUED]

CHAPTER 11

    Cold wind brushed against his fur, making shivers dance down his spine. The leader was about to send out a patrol to find the warrior in training when the grey she-cat burst into camp. His green eyes narrowed, his tail fluffing up. Something must've been wrong. Opal was panting, and you could see a small leaf pouch being weighed down from inside.

   Stormstar approached her, his eyes narrowing. But instead of shame, the she-cat looked over at him with happiness. "Stormstar, oh, Stormstar! Please, I have something to do discuss with you!"

   He looked over at her in confusion. "... Ah, okay? You can speak with me later," He lashed his tail, almost irritated that she wasn't going to be in shame or arriving late. "But it is important!" She protested. He sighed, flicking his tail, "Follow me, then..."

    They arrived in Stormstar's den, the quiet cave cold from the breeze of Leaf-Bare. The grey she-cat in front of him unfolded a strange stone from the leaf bundle it was carried in. "Look at this... these markings," She traced a claw through thin marks of wave-like squiggles, a few figures, and five cat heads. He looked down, his eyes analyzing the smooth-ish stone.

   "What do you think these mean? Could these mean... a future prophecy? An omen?" Opal almost seemed to be getting a little too excited for something she didn't even know much about. He let out a sigh, "It could be. But I'm afraid that this could be a bad omen, or a bad sign from Starclan. Bring this to Eucalyptus, and I'll speak with her later. She might know something about this."

   She sighed as well. "Okay... fine. I'll bring it to her. Thank you for letting me show you this."

   Stormstar nodded, "Of course. Carry on. Once you're done showing her, go grab some prey and get some rest. I'll get Tumble to make himself busy with an evening patrol." With his permission, Opal left him to go to Eucalyptus, leaving him in a quiet peace.

   He thought about it, the strange squiggles, the shapes, the figures— most importantly, how smooth and perfect they were carved in the stone. He was about to get up and call for Ebonyheart to organize Tumble's evening patrols, when his whole entire body froze. He couldn't move. A whole new world flooded through his eyes, and he wasn't in his den anymore.

   He was is a meadow. His fur was soaked, and there was rain pouring down. Four cats were not too far away, but he couldn't move his paws. He couldn't walk to them. They began to walk closer, though.

   "Hello?" He called out to them. One of the cats who wore a baby blue collar looked directly at him, but didn't seem to hear. "I'm over here, please, help me!" Stormstar cried, but they didn't hear. They walked closer and closer, so close that they would almost bump into— 

They walked through him.

   He was horrified. Was he dead? Was he dreaming? Was this what Starclan looked like? He shut his eyes tightly together, his teeth grinding against one another. Then the noises around him stopped. He didn't feel drenched. He didn't hear rain, or the murmurs of the rogues.