Sparks of a Fire

Prologue

Rosestar padded up the grainy mountainside. Moonlight dappled her fluffy cream-and-brown pelt that rippled with strong muscles and pink scars from previous years. The muscles in her forearms flexed and shuddered as she pulled herself up another hard, cold granite rock ledge.

Finally, she reached the top, where a dark and ominous cave yawned, promising adventure and thrills for any Clan cat, rogue, loner, or even kittypet brave enough to enter this lurking cave. Rosestar, however, was a leader. And she was brave enough. Her bright emerald-green eyes flashed with determination as she leaped into the darkness.

At first, she found it easy to see the twists and turns that the cave didn't hesitate to offer, but as she trotted deeper, she found it harder and harder to reach her goal. She sniffed uncertainly. She smelled earth and stone down one, and the other smelled dry and stale. Now confident in the direction she was going, Rosestar ran down the earthy-smelling tunnel.

She skidded to a stop however, for it had rained last night, and water dripped from the roof. But she kept sliding down the wet, slippery tunnel, like a water slide. She had to scrabble with her hard, thorn-sharp claws to stop herself from sliding down the wrong tunnel. But as she turned, she saw an eerie white glow which shone to the right.

Now excited that she'd reached her destination, Rosestar bounced like a tiny, bubbly, ecstatic kit, then caught herself. She shook out her fur and walked regally towards the glow, exactly how the most important leader of the most important Clan should walk towards the most important piece of Clan history.

The Moontree shone as beautifully as ever. It's dark brown branches contrasted wonderfully with the tiny shards of pale bluish-white moonstone that hung from its branches like little pieces of starry pearls. Icy stalactites hung from the ceiling, and soft dark green grass sat still. Stunning white Moonflowers dappled the grass, their pollen casting a sweet scent across the cavern. The Moonflowers were highly prized, as their ancient petals were the cure to a deadly disease known as blackcough.

Rosestar then realized her jaw had dropped, and she hastily picked it back up. She leaped over the tiny bubbling stream that came from a small waterfall higher up the tunnel. Padding on to the silky soft grass, Rosestar sighed in relaxation and flopped down onto the warm and welcoming ground.

Fireflies danced around the cave, casting a warm yellow-green glow on the dappled cave walls. Rosestar reached forward with her rose-pink nose and gently tapped the tree, it's rough bark both scratchy and welcoming at the same time.

In a whirlwind of colors, voices, and scents, she was there. In StarClan's hunting grounds, that is. It was divided into sections. A snowy, cold ocean place for the IceClan cats, a misty forest for the MistClan cats, a rocky moor and small pine forest for the StormClan cats, and a huge oak woodsy area for BreezeClan cats. But that wasn't all. There was a huge Twolegplace for kittypets and strays, and a field and forest that seemed to go on forever for rogues and loners. The Dark Forest lay beyond that field, for the most evil of cats.

Rosestar knew that there was a StarClan council that decided all the rules, and that made up the prophecies. Only leaders knew who was on it. First there were the Five Nobles. Breezestar, Miststar, Icestar, Stormstar, and Skystar. They were the founders of the Clans. Then there were four other dead starry cats that were so noble and did so much good in their former lives, that they earned a spot on the StarClan council.

There was Almondpelt, a brown dappled MistClan she-cat who'd saved the lives of her worst enemy's two tiny StormClan kits from a grizzly bear, but had died in the process.

Spider, a black tom who'd been Stormstar's best friend and had helped gather cats for StormClan.

Mosskit, a gray IceClan tom who'd died of blackcough but when he was in StarClan, he had discovered the Moonflower's true life-saving purpose.

And Echosky, a pale gray tabby BreezeClan she-cat who'd used her secret powers for good and had saved the Clans from a battle to the death.

Some of these starry cats were legendary among the Clans, some chose to keep their good-doings a secret, like Echosky and Almondpelt.

Rosestar gazed around the StarClan territory in wonder. This is where I will go, she thought. Six more lives. As she was looking around the starry night sky on the top of the clouds, she almost bumped into an elegant jet-black cat.

Rosestar jumped back and fumbled an excuse,

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there! I was just-" The cat cut her off with a wave of her paw. Rosestar then looked up to see who it was. Her green gaze met the other she-cat's electric blue one. Rosestar gasped in shock, only now realizing the name of the regal she-cat who she'd only just now bumped into.

"B-Breezestar?! It's a-an honor!" Rosestar stammered, then flushed, embarrassed at her own nervousness. Breezestar smiled, but it looked pained, forced.

"Rosestar, I am here to deliver a prophecy," the starry black she-cat meowed. Rosestar nodded, trying to look regal and mature, when in reality she was dying to hear the prophecy. Breezestar's voice suddenly grew louder and deeper, like it wasn't coming from her, but echoing from the surrounding woods, and the grassy ground, and from the clear blue streams and starry night sky. Breezestar, or maybe it was the whole of StarClan, Rosestar wasn't sure, spoke the words that would change the Clans forever.

"While an enemy rises ready to fight, five cats will be born from the light. The first like a bird, riding the breeze, the second quiet like misty trees. The third is like ice, beautiful and bright, the fourth storms through, like a light. To find the fifth, look to the east. Then all five cats will bring the peace."