The Prophecy Unfolds





   Ambereye raced alongside Bluetail and Snowstar. Stormheart, still the deputy after his wound made a stunning recovery, ran on Snowstars other side. Moonleaf, Silverwing, and each of the apprentices carried a leaf wrap of herbs. The medicine cats would need to be as close as they could to injured cats for this scale of a battle. Ambereye was almost jittering with excitement. Her first real battle as a warrior! She gazed down into the clearing. There were cats down their! She sniffed. Riverclan! They would be fighting, but who for? Snowstar didn’t charge, but led his fighting force into the hollow slowly. “Briarstar?” he asked cautiously. The sleek riverclan leader stepped forward. She was older but still strong and carried herself with magnificent grace. They stopped in the center of the clearing, where the near-full moon shone on their pelts. “Why are you here, Briarstar? Will you fight beside us, or against us?” Silverwing stared into clearing, stunned. This was an exact copy of the first night of her dream. She had only told Rainstar and Moonleaf. No one else knew what would happen here.

   “Riverclan will fight with you, Snowstar. Windclan terrified us, true. But if we fight them, and win, they will realize Riverclan is not to be reckoned with.” She spoke powerfully for all the cats in the clearing to hear. Silverwing heard yowls in the distance. More cats poured into the clearing. The time for amber was now.



   Ambereye whirled around at the sound of battle yowls. She leapt from where she sat. “Their here!” She yowled “Windclan are here!” This is it. She thought. The great battle. Possibly the greatest of her life. She slipped to the side as a grey tabby charged her. He sliced at her side, only brushing her black fur. She spun and leapt, landing hard on his back. She shredded his grey pelt, then leaping away, before he could land a blow. She dashed in again, clawing his face and sending him into the bush, crying. A   small apprentice charged her, smelling of Thunderclan. She shook her head. She wouldn’t hurt this little kit. She must be hardly out of the nursery. Ambereye smacked her into a tree, then leapt into the battle.

   Everything swirled into a blur after that. A blur of tails and claws and teeth. She wasn’t hurt at all, really. A little scratch down her side, maybe. Sometime in the fight, she noticed other cats backing off, scared of her. They gathered into a ring around her, but she sent them howling, one by one.



   Silverwing watched from the top of the hollow. Moonleaf had gone down into the fray when she spotted Ashclaw lying hurt. She had taken him into the bushes at the side and was doing all she could for him. Silverwing watched the battle intently. She saw with shock, though, as a ring cleared around a strong black cat. This had happened in her dream, but the cat was orange in a sea of black. The cats in the clearing were a sea of all colours, though. She had suspected the orange cat could be Gingerblaze. This was obvoisly not Gingerblaze, though. Silverwing looked closer. Ambereye. Amber eye. She must have been the orange cat in her dream! But Riverclan and Skyclan were still loosing. There were just to many cats.



   Smoke and Mist ran at the head of the rogues. There were dozens of them. Supposedly Rat and Apple had gone to tell more of the loners. They reached the top of the hollow. Smoke gazed down into the fighting cats “Ready, my love?” he asked Mist. She nodded. “Ready.”



   Silverwing still stood at the top of the hollow, watching the prophesied amber fighting for life. For the life of the clans, she realized. But the next part. “Smoke and Mist together save”… In shock, she gazed straight over the hollow. Two grey cats stood side by side. Behind them were dozens of cats. She didn’t recognize them, or their smell. “Oh, no. she muttered. More cats recruited by Stonestar. He must want this battle over quickly. She thought. There was no hope now. All was lost.



   Dawnsky felt a contraption shove through her belly. She fell were she stood, near the pool playing with Mintkit and Bouncekit. She gasped. “My kits are coming! My kits are coming!” She yowled.



   The two grey cats ran together into the clearing, the rest following behind. They threw themselves into the battle. Silverwing watched in amazment. They were fighting the Windclan cats! “Smoke and Mist.” She thought back to the two cats she had seen on the hilltop. There was no doubt in her mind. Smoke and Mist together save! There was hope now. Still small, but a hope.

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Ambereye was thrusting a bulky she-cat away from Icepaw. The white apprentice scrambled into the bushes. Ambereye turned back to the fight, just as a loud yowl sounded on the slope of the hollow. No! No! not more of them. She panicked. Windclan were already winning. More cats were the last thing she needed. A grey she-cat showed up on her side. She whirled, snarling. “Get out of here, rogue.” She snarled. The grey cat flinched, ever so slightly. Ambereye slashed at her paws. The cat jumped, then backed away.

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Mist faced off against a formidable black she-cat. She swiped at her face. The black cat ducked, then bit at her tail. Mist whipped it away and leapt towards her back. Too late, she realized. The black she-cat flopped onto her back, claws up towards Mist’s soft belly. She winced and yowled as the claws dug into her belly. Just before the black cat flung her away, she caught a taste of a half-forgotten scent. She gasped. Skyclan! She was fighting one of the very cats she should be helping! “Stop! I’m a friend!” The black Skyclan cat narrowed her eyes “Moonleaf and Dawnsky came to get our help!” At this, the black cat recoiled, tossing Mist gently to the side. “How do you know my sisters?” She asked, surprise “Sisters?! So you know Smoke?” Ambereye nodded. “I’m Mist.” Ambereye stared at her, shocked “Ambereye. Smoke’s sister. You’re the love of his life, I suppose?” She nodded. “There’s a battle to fight, then. Come on.” The two she-cats leapt into battle.

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Smoke leapt into the fray. Somewhere, he had lost Mist, which worried him. He fought beside his former clanmates, Many of them letting out shocked yowls when they caught his scent. The fight was bloody and cramped. There was hardly enough space to fight. Stormheart, his father, fought beside him, appearently thinking he was just another rogue. He turned and got a good look at Smoke’s face. “Smoketail!” he was shocked. And obviously believed Ambereyes story about the dogs. “What happened to you! Where have you been!?!” Smoke saw no way around telling him about his life now. “I-I met a loner. She’s the most beautiful cat in the world. I love her. I live as a loner with her now.” Stormheart growled and backed away. “A rogue! I didn’t raise you to ive like that, Smoketail! Why did you leave! You couldn’t have met someone in Skyclan, forgotten about the rogue. Why did you leave, Smoketail!” he yowled at his son. The two grey toms had backed into the bushes at the side of the hollow. “You could still come back. I’d tell your lover you died in battle. You could come back to skyclan!” he tried to say, his voice softening. “Think of your mother, Mapletail. Think of your sisters! What would they say!” He lamented. “Moonleaf, Dawnsky, and Ambereye already know. they were surprised, but glad that I was happy. Mist would have died during her kitting if Moonleaf hadn’t been with us.” Too late Smoke realized what he’d said. Stormheart would go over the top when he heard about Mist’s kits. “Your kits! That rogue has had your kits! What were you thinking!?!?” he yowled at Smoke. He nodded “Moon, Cloud, and Black.” Smoke said. Stormheart snarled “Rogue names! I’d have thought better of you, Smoketail.” He yowled. “And by the way.” Smoke started “My names Smoke now.”

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Moonleaf watched from the top of the hollow. Her eyes followed the dull grey coat of Stonestar, fighting near the great rock. The Windclan leader wasn’t young any more, but he was far from old. The grey leader struck down cat after cat, but was making his way through them, as if he was trying to get somewhere. Moonleaf followed his path, and gasped. He was heading strait for Briarstar! She knew the Riverclan she-cat was getting older, and was no where near a match for the formidable fighter. That could have been his strategy all along, she realized. The younger, stronger leaders who he couldn’t kill, he convinced to join with him, Like Branchstar and Rosestar. He killed Rainstar, possibly for that reason. If that was his idea, though, Snowstar would be next.

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Ambereye charged towards Stonestar. Briarstar of Riverclan fought fearlessly against him, but he was winning, the stronger and faster of the two. She leapt on his back and pulled him away, just as his paw landed on Briarstars head for the killing blow. She yowled in shock, but Stonestar, who was under her paws, slipped away and back into the fight.

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Ambereye stood speechless over Snowstars dead body. He was dead, truly dead. He had been leader for such a short time. She whirled around. Stonestar was fighting Stormheart! The older warrior was tiring, and the Windclan leader fought on. She shoved him out of the way, but again, too late. Her father lay on the ground unmoving, a puddle of blood flowing in a stream from his neck. She sat beside him, crying. She couldn’t get Moonleaf here in time, and if she did, there wouldn’t be much she could do. “Oh, father.” She cried. “Why? Why you?” she questioned mesirably. He shook his head “Tell Smoke… tell Smoke I’m sorry. I still love him, whatever choice he made.” He said weakly. “No! Don’t go..” He shook his head again. “I go to hunt with starclan” the last breath left his body, and Ambereye wailed into the night. She turned. She would kill Stonestar. She would have her revenge. She slipped through the throng of fighting cats.

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<p class="MsoBodyText">Smoke and Mist had shown up by her side somehow. Ambereye still pursued Stonestar. Mist flicked her tail. The grey leader was poised on top of the great rock, preparing to yowl over the fighting cats. On the horizon now, dawn was nearing. Ambereye leapt onto the Great rock, Smoke and Mist beside her. “You will never gain power, Stonestar. You will never rise again.” She launched herself at the grey cat. She caught him square in the face with her claws. Ambereye raked them downwards, spilling blood and ruining both his eyes. Stonestar floundered over the great rock. Ambereye looked to both Smoke and Mist “Together?” She asked. they nodded. Side by side, they shoved Stonestar down into rage of fighting cats.

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Dawnsky struggled through her kitting. Spasm after spasm racked her body. She shrieked, the sound cutting through the night. No other cats were left in the clearing but Barkpelt, Littletail, Sweetpelt, and Mapletail and Cloverpelt. She had given birth to two small kits already, but both Silverwing and Moonleaf were at the battle to help injured cats. She heard rustling in the bushes. Were they back? Already? Silverwing was limping through the fallen trees at the head of a group of cats. They weren’t all Skyclan. Some were rogue. Her eyes swept over the hollow and landed on the cats grouped by the pool. She raced over, then back to the medicine den when she saw what was happening. “Here.” Silverwing dropped some herbs by her nose. “eat these, they’ll help.” Dawnsky obeidienly lapped them up. Silverwing felt her stomach. “Theres three more in there, at least. Your doing fine, Dawnsky. Soon you’ll have a nice large litter to look after. They’ll be beautiful kits, too.” She comforted. Dawnsky gave another massive shove, and a small ginger kit fell into a moss. “A she-kit!” Silverwing called. “And a tom” as small grey kit plopped into the moss beside his sister. “One more to go, I think. Last one, Dawnsky.” Dawnsky gave a final, massive shove, and the last kit fell into the moss. “Another she-kit!” Silverwing smiled. “Four she-kits and a tom, Dawnsky. What will you name them?” She thought, then said “I’ll wait till Ashclaw gets back” She deicided. Silverwing nodded. “Good idea.”

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Moonleaf stayed the next night at fourtrees. Most of Skyclan did, all except the strongest warriors, who went back to guard the camp. Some of the rogues stayed as well, as their dens were farther than the skyclan camp. Both Snowstar and Stormheart had died in the battle. What would Skyclan do now?

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Two nights later, Ambereye led the rest of her clan home. she had stayed at fourtrees, although she had been hurt badly. Her clan needed her. She led them through the barrier of fallen trees, and was greeted by a yowl “Ashclaw! Ambereye! Dawnsky’s had her kits! They’re beautiful!” Ambereye hurried to the nursery. Ashclaw, who had been injured badly in the battle, limped after her.

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Dawnsky slept in the nursery, suckling five healthy kits “Oh My kits!” Ashclaw limped forward to join his mate. “Do they have names?” he questioned. Dawnsky shook her head. “I thought I would wait until you got back.” Ashclaw purred with joy. “What about Flowerkit, for this little ginger tabby.” He suggested, beckoning with his tail. Dawnsky nodded. “And Sunkit, for this one here” She beckoned to a ginger she-kit. “This one can be Meadowkit.” She beckoned to a ginger kit with grey splotches. “And this one Sweetkit.”

<p class="MsoBodyText">Ashclaw looked at the grey tabby tom, “What about him?” Ashclaw asked. Dawnsky studied him “I don’t know.” Ambereye stepped forward. “I think he should be called Stormkit.” She suggested, her eyes slowly brimming with tears. “Stormheart died in the battle. I-I think he deserves a mention. Dawnsky was shaking with hidden sobs. Ashclaw looked at the little kit. “Stormkit it is, then.”

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<p class="MsoBodyText">   Smoke and Mist said their farewells and left that afternoon. Mist didn’t want to stay away from her kits too long, and neither did he. Besides, Smoke thought, he had told his story, confusing as it was, so many times over he nearly had it memorized.

“Kits! Kits, We’re home!” Mist yowled as they neared the den. Moon and Cloud bounced out of the den, Willow following behind them more slowly. “How was the battle?” She asked. Smoke looked at Mist. “Bloody. Tiring. I never want to go back.” He said. “But we’re home now. That’s what matters.”