Warriors: Broken Threads Series Book 1: Wrath of the Storm

Prologue

Here's the long-awaited prologue of my story. Chapter one will be up eventually. I hope you like it!

Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the trees, dappling in patches of yellow on the forest floor. The light shined on the backs of two cats, who were dashing over the leaves and sticks to a small, vine-enclosed area underneath a rather large juniper bush. One of them, a small mottled grey and white she-cat, slithered quickly under the bush, using her body to shove aside the vines.

She emerged on the other side to a small, grassy clearing. Four other cats were quietly mingling in front of a noisy waterfall encircled by an array of stones. A mottled dark brown tom, Beetlestar, conversed in soft tones with a black and white tom named Smallstar, as they watched another two cats engaging once more in their never-ending argument.

The two cats having the argument seemed close to coming to claws over their disagreement. One, a pure black she-cat, stood, tail lashing in annoyance.

“There’s no way those herbs would work well together. Seriously Lilystem, just drop it and admit that you’re wrong!”  The aforementioned tortoiseshell she cat snorted, leaping to her paws as well.

“Listen Evefur, just because you fail with your experiments with herbs doesn’t mean mine won’t work. I’m telling you, lavender and white willow bark work perfectly fine together. It’s not like I used them on a kit. I tested them on myself! They worked perfectly, and made me feel better faster.”  Evefur gave Lilystem an exasperated look.

“Lilystem you aren’t supposed to test herbs on yourself. If they react badly, you could be left injured, and then who will the Clan have as a medicine cat?” Beetlestar finally stood to his feet and padded over to the two she-cats.

“You two are arguing like newly named apprentices. Come. Leaftail and Gingerspots are here, and now our gathering shall begin.” The three cats jumped down from the fallen log and padded over to the circle of rocks by the waterfall. The gray and white she-cat and her ginger companion moved forward, taking a seat by the rocks as well. Smallstar flicked his paw as a gesture for the gray and white she-cat to begin.

“I brought you all here so that we could discuss the upcoming problem with the Dark Forest. Once more they near our borders, beating against the weakening shields between the dark and the light. There have been sightings of many cats, staring into our territory with undisguised hatred. I fear they begin to gain power, and that they will soon try to fight us once more.” Beetlestar waved a paw in dismissal of her words.

“Leaftail, they have been sending us looks of hatred for centuries. Our shields are strong, and they are weak. Do not have so little faith in StarClan. Our borders will hold as they always have and always will.” The black she cat gave him a glare.

“You should not have so little faith in the power of evil, Beetlestar.  Do not forget that they have the power to rise, and have done it before! When evil stews long enough, it festers and grows in might, until eventually it regains its power just for a brief moment. That moment is enough for them. They see their time coming, and they will take full advantage of this. We cannot let them rise.” Gingerspots wrapped her tail around her paws in thought, before slowly responding.

“Did you notice how hard it is becoming to speak to the medicine cats and leaders? Just two days ago I tried speaking to Darkwhisper, yet she wouldn’t wake from the dream she was having. Usually she is the first cat to jump awake! I fear they have been sneaking around behind our pelts more than we realize.” Evefur paused for a moment, before jumping to her paws. Before she could speak however, Lilystem broke in.