Whispers and Echoes

Chapter 5

"So Dawn, Dusk, Day, and Night were to be the new leaders, with help from the old Clan cats, who would take on the role of mentors because they were getting too old and weathered to lead a new Clan. The one medicine cat would train promising kits from each Clan, visiting each every half moon. Then they went their own separate ways, and eventually they became the new Clans, the ones here today.

"All has been peaceful since the new Clans were formed. But now a terrible danger looms over every cat, and the Clans are all in jeopardy of being destroyed; StarClan can sense it," Whirlheart finished, shaking her head with sorrow in her eyes.

Echokit stared blankly at Whirlheart, not knowing what to make of her speech.

"Why have you told me this?" Echokit asked, shock filling her voice.

Whirlheart didn't answer her question, she just stared ahead and meowed, "I'm here to show you a vision, a vision only you and your sister will share. That's why I came, not to talk about Clan history."

"Then why'd you tell me about Clan history?" Echokit asked.

"It is essential information, knowing the ways the Clans have worked in the past, and how they are working now. This is the first step for resolving arguments, reducing tensions, and creating peace: understanding your differences. And you, young one, will be needing those skills one day."

Echokit was more confused than ever.

Then Whirlheart started to fade, the starlight in her fur becoming less and less easy to notice. Then, suddenly, she was gone, and wind ripped at Echokit's pelt, threatening to blow her off her paws. The forest around her also started to fade, until all she could see was the grass a tail-length in every direction around her. Echokit nearly fell over as the ground beneath her started moving. Echokit became really dizzy and closed her eyes. Then all was still again.

Echokit opened her eyes and saw the DawnClan camp, but it looked all dark and gray, and it was deserted. There was no sun, no scuttling prey, no birds singing in the trees, not even the usual sound or sight of cats. The whole forest seemed dead. Echokit looked at the clearing and saw that thick layers of leaves and dirt were all over the place. Only one small puddle of water lay in the dirt, but it looked dirty and gray too. Echokit realized that no cat, or any other animal, had been here for many seasons. Echokit became confused and looked around, searching for her Clanmates.

"Hello?" she called, but only her echo bouncing off of the cliff in the camp answered her.

"Hello?" she tried again, but there was still no answer. "Where are you all?"

She scanned the camp again, but still saw no signs of life or movement. Echokit sniffed the air and scented her Clanmates, but their scents were very stale.

"Where are you?" Echokit tried again, and the dust blew around her from her breath as she called out, but that was the only thing that moved.

"Someone answer me!" she called desperately. Then an icy stone dropped into her stomach as a horrible feeling sunk into her mind.

Have they all abandoned me?

Then Echokit felt it. The ground was vibrating beneath her. A cold claw raked down her back and a feeling of dread filled her whole body as her neck fur started to rise with fear. She looked around and saw the small, gray puddle of water. Every time the ground trembled, the shaking would send ripples across its surface. She frantically tried looking for the source of the shaking, but found none. Then she realized that the shaking must be coming from footsteps: footsteps of a very, very large animal.

"Help!" wailed Echokit. She tried to run, but her paws were rooted to the ground, "Help! Someone help me!" she yowled, but all was silent except for the steady thudding of the ground.