Endless Night

[Prologue]

The air was cold and the sky was black with pale lighting from the full
moon. Lichenstar was peacefully perched on the great meeting tree. Large withered leaves ruffled and flew by while Lichenstar gazed at her warriors with wide, proud eyes. Below her sat Thistletail speaking to the other clan deputies. Two of NightClan's medicine cats were chatting on the edge of the clearing, probably discussing the recent news of MoonClan.

"Where could Spiderstar be with MoonClan?" Cherrystar, DayClan's beautiful calico leader mewed rhetorically.

Out the corner of her eye Lichenstar noticed Finchstar, SunClan's new leader, smirk and maliciously swish his fluffy white tipped tail. She grew suspicious and opened her mouth to draw attention to him, but was cut off by gasps from the crowd of cats. As it turned out, Spiderstar arrived with barely any MoonClan cats behind him. He didn't even bring his medicine cats which was odd for them. The closer Spiderstar got, the thinner and weaker he seemed. As a matter of fact, all of MoonClan seemed thin. Lichenstar had never seen cats in such condition. Sure it was currently leaf-bare and her clan was struggling a bit with food, but there must be almost no prey for MoonClan to be in the condition they were.

"Spiderstar! What has happened to your clan?" Cherrystar called out in a shocked tone of voice. She immediately covered her mouth with her tail regretful at her somewhat rude comment.

Spiderstar lowered his now dull amber gaze. Lichenstar watched intently as Spiderstar wearily attempted to climb the meeting tree, worried that at any time he could give out and fall. She bit her tongue at first but couldn't take watching him struggle.

"Spiderstar, you seem to be in no condition to climb this tree. We'll have the meeting on the lowest hanging branches for your sake." Lichenstar mewed with pity hanging from her words. She turned to Cherrystar who nodded in agreement. When the gray she-cat laid her eyes on Finchstar, he moaned and rolled his moonlit amber eyes, leaping down to the lowest hanging branch below him.

What is going on with SunClan's leader tonight? He acts as if Spiderstar and MoonClan don't deserve to be here...

When Lichenstar gracefully hopped down from the tree, she noticed Spiderstar lock eyes with Finchstar. There was definitely some conflict going on between the two of them. Lichenstar slightly turned her head, catching Cherrystar's nervous amber glance. The air felt tense as all four leaders glared at each other in silence.

"Thank you Lichenstar." Spiderstar finally mewed, moonlight reflecting off of his pitch black fur. He glared at Finchstar in disgust, "This rat attacked my clan when he knows well that we're going through a famine."

DayClan and NightClan gasped along with Cherrystar and Lichenstar. Lichenstar felt bad for the poor leader, but was worried he would ask of NightClan's help. Her clan was in no condition to fight right now due to greencough being passed around. She contently wrapped her tail around her light gray paws and stayed silent, analyzing the situation with her bright green eyes.

Finchstar smirked slightly, his wicked grin showing blood stained fangs, "Now, now Spiderstar. We don't want to break the full moon truce, do we?" He spat, sticking his white nose out in Spiderstar's face.

Lichenstar was repulsed by how this so called "leader" was acting. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. All of SunClan was laughing and egging MoonClan on as well. Lichenstar had enough when she noticed her warriors getting uncomfortable. She stomped her foot down loudly on the branch and yowled, "Enough! Let us begin the gathering. My clan and I don't want to listen to you two bickering for hours on end. Cherrystar you start." The short-furred gray she-cat flicked her tail towards Cherrystar while Finchstar and Spiderstar just kept glaring at each other, tension hanging heavy in the air.