Embermoon's path PART I

Prologue

Prologue

 

The bright white moon shined over a clan of starry cats, turning their pelts silver.”The clans are in danger of extinction. Soon there will be no clans in the forest!” says a cinnamon colored she cat anxiously. Strands of her fur on her neck stand up as she utters these words. A gray she cat rests her tail soothingly on her head.”Don’t worry Blowing Wind. I’m sure Falling Water and Soaring Eagle will choose wisely”. The furs on Blowing Wind’s neck flatten. A black cat snickers. “Those foolish cats won’t choose wisely.They should choose someone with more experience.” The gray she cat draws her lips back into a snarl. “And I suppose that you could choose a better cat?” challenges the gray she cat. “ I never said anything about me choosing the chosen one Storming Mist. I’m just saying the leaders should choose someone with more experience!” Storming Mist cuffed her paw around the black tom’s ear. “You should have more respect for your fellow clanmates Burnt Moor!” Burnt Moor growled at Storming Mist.

“Stop this nonsense!”A beautiful white she cat with black splotches splattered all over her fur enters the clearing. Storming Mist bowed her head to Soaring Eagle. “I’m sorry Soaring Eagle, this mouse brain was disrespecting you and Falling Water so I just got a little defensive.” Burnt Moor hissed at Storming Mist’s remark. “ So I’ve heard”. mews Soaring Eagle. “Since you think you can do such a good job with the chosen ones you will go with me and Falling Water to go greet both of them”. The furs on Burnt Moors neck bristled in fury. He hissed in anger at Soaring Eagle and Storming Mist. Storming Mist showed a flicker of amusement in her sparkling green eyes.

Soaring Eagle looks over the group of cats. She clears her throat and then begins to speak. “As you all know the clans are at stake of becoming extinct. Great danger is coming and we need powerful cats to help fight the danger off. The chosen ones will most likely be the most powerful in the history of the clans”. Soft murmurs came from the cats standing before her. She held her tail up for silence. She climbs to a ledge.”If Falling Water could please come forth”. An elderly gray cat emerged from the crowd of cats and climbed on the ledge and took a seat next to Soaring Eagle. Falling Water presses his nose on her shoulder in greeting. The cats curiosity grows as Soaring Eagle and Falling Water whisper in discussion. They both turn their heads back to the crowd. Falling Water nods to Soaring Eagle for her to go first. She flicks her ears towards a clear pool of water and whispers a foreign cat language that Falling Water had taught her. An image of a gray spotted kitten appears on the pool of water. The Moon Clan cats gather around the pool to see who the she cat has chosen. Horrified gasps come from cats in the clan. Burnt Moor snarls in disgust with specks of spit fleeing from his mouth. He steps forward and turns to the starry cats in front of him. “This is a disgrace! The clans’ are in danger and you pick a kit to lead the way?” He shudders as if his pelt is soaked in water.  Soaring Eagle calmly stands up on all four paws. “ Burnt Moor. Little do you know that kits become apprentices and apprentices become warriors and warriors can become deputies and deputies can become LEADERS!” The black cat takes a step back and stares at his white paws. “Soaring Eagle do you really think that this one could help save the clan?” asks a tortoiseshell cat. Soaring Eagle nods in reply.” This kit shows real determination and bravery. I think he can become a good deputy or leader someday”. Falling Water rises from his position and pads over to the pool of water. “It is now time for me to choose the other chosen one”. The tom dips his bright pink nose into the water and whispers until a picture of a kit appeared  that looked similar to the last one, except this one had a striped pattern on his pelt.

“Brothers..” says Storming Mist with a hint of interest in her meow. “Before any of you protest..” Falling Water says  as he looks at Burnt Moor. “I would like to say that this cat shows true strength and power. By the looks of it, he even looks suitable to be a leader someday.” Burnt Moor growls, but before the black tom could protest Falling Water shot him a stern look which made Burnt Moor shrink into a smaller position. Both of the cats looked pretty satisfied with their choice, while the others just had their jaws gaped open in shock. “Burnt Moor could you please report to the Moon ledge? It is time for me and Falling Water to go greet our chosen heros.” Burnt Moor muttered something under his breath that  none of the cats could make out. The three starry cats spread out their wings and flew towards the clan cats. Two  kits were huddled near their mothers stomach searching for sweet,silky milk. Their mother shifted her paws anxiously. “How are we going to make this right? I can’t look after these two kits myself.”An orange tom padded over to the mother and rubbed his muzzle on her chest. “We’ll find a way”.  Soaring Eagle, Burnt Moor, and Falling Water took a step towards the mother and her kits. The queen’s eyes widen in surprise  as she looks their way. “Are you here to punish me for having kits with a tom from another clan? Are you here to take my spirit to Moon Clan?” The gray mother blinks tears from her eyes. “Hush hush … we actually came here for another reason, your kits.”The queen started shaking. “A-Are you going  t-o k-kill them?” The orange tom jumped in front of the gray she cat in defense. “No no! You’ve got it all wrong… You’re kits are the chosen ones. They are the most powerful cats’ in the history of the clans. We’ve come here to give them Moon Clan’s blessing to keep them safe”. The gray she cat sighed in relief. Falling Water walked toward the kittens and pressed his nose into a small tuft of fur. A marking of a moon appeared on both of the kittens with one side black and the other white. “What are we going to do? I thought I had my paws full before I found out they had powers but now…” The queen sighed and tucked her muzzle into her gray paws. Falling Water grabbed the spotted kit by the scruff and handed it to the father. “Take him to Rain clan. Raise him. Give him to one of the queens to foster him”. The orange cat gave a puzzled look. “But what about the other one?” Soaring Eagle grabbed the striped kit by the scruff and placed it in the queen’s paws. “She will take care of this one and raise it in Flame Clan”. Both cats were puzzled. The orange tom placed the squealing kit gently on the ground. “Will they ever know that they are brothers?” “They will find out, in the right place and right time,”. The orange cat still looked puzzled. “But if they don’t”? Soaring Eagle looked down at the squirming kits. “ It is their destiny to meet. They will find each other somehow.” The spotted kit looked up at the starry cats with curiosity. Amusement twinkled in their eyes. “Good luck chosen ones” whispers Soaring Eagle. “Hope you protect the clans and keep them safe The starry cats took off into the sky. The gray she cat and the orange tom nuzzled each other with affection, and then returned to their clan with the chosen ones squealing in their jaws…