Lurking Evil

Prologue

A pale silver and white tabby she-cat sat in the grass, watching her dark gray kit roll around, purring in excitement. Stars glittered in both of their pelts, making them glow with a warm, white light.

A stab of pain clawed at the silver she-cat's heart as she thought of the life her kit had lost when they had both died from greencough and joined StarClan. A whole life ahead of him—the thrill of being a warrior, having a mate, and perhaps kits of his own one day—snatched away from him during the first few moons of his being. He had never known anything but living among StarClan. He had lost his father, and she had lost her mate. Each night, she took her son to this meadow to play while she gazed over her former home, watching her mate and her Clan.

At the thought of her Clan, she shivered. She remembered the prophecy she'd given to the Two, in her own former Clan. She had wanted to help more than telling the Two the prophecy, but with her son to watch, there was nothing she could really do.

She sighed heavily. Even in StarClan life was becoming stressful.

The gray tom-kit looked up front the grass as his mother sighed. "What's the matter, mother? Come play with me!"

The silver she-cat sighed again. "I'm sorry, little one. I just can't."

The kit looked crestfallen. "Why not?" he padded up towards his mother, his forever nursery-soft fur ruffled from playing in the grass. He rubbed his head along his mother's chest-fur, breathing in her sweet scent.

The silver she-cat stared off in the distance. "You'll understand it all one day, little one. One day."

She jumped as she heard pawsteps behind her. She turned abruptly, nearly knocking her son over. She sighed in relief as she recognized the gray tabby cat walking towards her. "Slatefur, you nearly scared me out of my fur!"

Slatefur ignored her comment. "Hello, Whirlheart. I've come to deliver good news. You had asked if you could help closely guide the Two, and I have come to tell you StarClan has agreed you can."

Whirlheart's eyes widened in disbelief. "Really? But what will I do?"

"We need you to travel to a distant sky and give a message to a different set of spiritual ancestors," Slatefur meowed. "A few others have also agreed to go with you."

"What? How... how long would that take?"

"I don't know. It could take moons."

"But what about Quailkit?" she asked in worry.

"There are many cats in StarClan; I'm sure one of them would take care of him while you're away," Slatefur replied. "StarClan needs you for this. You are the one who told the Two about the prophecy."

Quailkit looked up at Whirlheart. "You can go, Mother, if you want to."

Whirlheart stared in surprise at her son. She bent down and licked his small gray head. "Thank you," she purred, then, turning to Slatefur, she added, "I'll do it. When will I begin?"

"A moon from now. The Two need to be ready. You need to be in the dream telling the Two this, since they'll recognize you. Then it'll happen," Slatefur nodded.

Whirlheart's eyes blazed with determination as she answered, "I'll get it done, Slatefur. You can count on me."

"I thought I could," meowed Slatefur. He dipped his head then turned his back on the two cats and padded off through the forest, his gray tabby fur disappearing in mist before long.

The silver she-cat turned away and looked at her son once again to thank him for understanding, only to find him staring up at her with sadness filling his eyes. "What is it?" she asked, trying not to let her own sadness show.