The light of the claw- moon shone through the trees and reflected in a pool, making it light up like the stars.
The bushes rustled as a small orange tabby she- cat emerged, blinking at the beauty of the pool.

"Brookstar," A big dark brown tom meowed, sitting next to her. "I'm glad you could make it."
"Yes, Treestar. Now we must wait for Moonstar." Brookstar bent down to lap up some water from the sparkling pool.

"You won't have to wait long." A big grey she- cat with a darker face burst out to meet them.
"Moonstar." Treestar nodded in welcome. He turned to the pool and drank.

Moonstar did the same, and when they all had lifted their heads, the dark brown tom started.
"I called you all here, because we need to discuss what to do about the Shadowcats."
"They're getting worse." Brookstar agreed. "Brookclan lost three cats yesterday. Rivertail, Brownleaf and Mousepaw."

"And Treeclan lost four." Treestar flattened his ears. "Whitefall, Birchclaw, Shadepaw and Orangekit all were mercilessly slaughtered by those evil cats."

"I think Moonclan got it the worst." Moonstar hissed. "Rosefoot, Shrewpaw, Oakpaw, Greentail, Flightheart and Patchstar all lost their lives."

"That's terrible!" The first Brookclan leader exclaimed.
"Patchstar?" Treestar gasped.
"Yes, Moonclan lost their leader. Froststar is the new leader." Moonstar meowed.

"Too many cats are dead." A bright yellow tom took the three first leaders by surprise.
"Eagleheart, what are you doing here?" Treestar asked.

"I think I saw something that could be important." The dead medicine cat pointed at the sky. The leaders gasped.
"We must send the message to the living clans!" Brookstar announced.

————

Leafheart sniffed the air.
A thunderstorm was coming.
"Greypaw!" She called to her apprentice. "Come help me bring these herbs inside."
"I'm coming!" Greypaw shouted, she ran over and picked up some borage and padded into the den.

They got the last of the herbs in just as it started raining.
Leafheart heard thunder in the distance, and looked up.
She saw the shape of a cat appear, then she heard a voice.

"When the sun casts its light, shadows appear, but when clouds block the light, the shadows disappear.
Nothing can calm the rising storm."