Warriors: Wake of Fire

Prologue

So yeah.  This is the prologue to the unnecessarily complicated contest fic I'm writing. Noo, couldn't have just written about a random volcano. I had to make it special....

Anyways, this is dedicated to @LeafpoolM for her awesome cover. Here's a shout-out to you, because you rock!

Prologue

It was a dark, gray nightfall. What might have been a pretty, quiet sunset had long since turned into a depressing, ugly gray, filled with clouds and a chill that no cat would have associated with StarClan. The light brown tom sighed, looking through the unnaturally dark forests and wondering.

"How has it come to this?" He turned to his companion, a light ginger she-cat with sorrowful green eyes. No cat should ever have to feel this way in StarClan, especially one as pure and innocent as her. "Cloverleaf, how did we let it become so horribly out of control?" Cloverleaf shrugged, her head hanging low.

"We were blinded. By what, I don't know. I think we hoped that our predecessors would stop this." She turned tearful, determined eyes on him. "Falconstar, we need to figure out how we can make this all finally end. Too many have died, and these current leaders will never give up." The brown leader nodded and rose from the rock upon which he was sitting. He began to pace, speaking out loud in attempts to brainstorm.

"I'm not entirely sure how we would be able to change their minds. This endless want for territory and power is so deeply ingrained in the Clans that even the kits speak of eagerly taking over territory that does not belong to them. Thank goodness they are civil enough to still follow the warrior code and not kill each other outright, else we would no longer have cats to guide."

A rustling from behind them had the two ThornClan cats jump in alarm. They relaxed only when a silvery blue she-cat stepped out from behind the brambles.

"Mistyleap, welcome." She dipped her head respectfully to both cats before settling down on a soft patch of moss.

"I couldn't help but join in on this discussion, and I hope you don't mind me giving an opinion of my own." At his nod, she squared her shoulders and wrapped her tail around her paws. Falconstar worried about her sudden defensive look. 

"With all due respect, the time for pleading and begging has long since past. These cats, except for a select few, will never want to stop fighting. No matter how we tell them, they will not listen. They have lost all respect for us, and will not listen to words alone. What we need to do is show them how their fighting is wrong. We need to do something to punish them for their stubbornness."

Cloverleaf's tail swished with sudden anxiety. "What exactly do you have in mind?" Falconstar agreed with her sentiment, a sudden foreboding feel filling the atmosphere around them. Mistyleap locked eyes with both cats.

"We need to get rid of those that wish to fight." The foreign voice had the three glancing sharply about. They had picked a secluded area so that other StarClan cats wouldn't eavesdrop. They hadn't thought that so many cats would come to this place.

"Spottedstar, well met." Falconstar spoke respectfully to his fellow leader, a golden she-cat spotted with black dots. They had served together long ago, and remained friends in death. He respected her greatly, and trusted her opinion. Cloverleaf, the younger cat, had no such qualms.

"Surely you do not mean what you are suggesting? It is madness! No cat would remain to live in the area! How would you kill off so many cats anyway?" The spotted she-cat responded with equal ire.

"Cloverleaf, we can always move the Rebels when we are punishing the others. There is plenty of surrounding territory that have no claim, as you very well know." Cloverleaf paused, conflicted.