A/N: this is what happens when you ride a bus an hour each day. Ya get stuff done. lol hope ya like it. <333

Henna opened her eyes, expecting to see the forest, its trees around her. But, this landscape was unfamiliar as the sky, with its vast unexplored regions, reaching further than the naked eye could see.

These trees, seemed similar to the forest upon which she walked her every day, but they differed slightly, at least, enough for the visually brilliant she-cat. The trees reached far above her head, their leaves not even starting until at least three fox lengths off the ground. There were all kinds of trees, ranging from the tallest oaks, to the smallest spruces. Mostly, as far as the she-cat could tell, there were deciduous trees, and very few conifers.

There was a rustling in the bushes, and a she-cat padded out, her eyes a hazel color, her pelt a light silvery-gray, almost blending in with the light that came from the sky, a sort of light yellow, that looked more white-gray. The she-cat was stunning, undeniably, and her fur flowed naturally with the almost unnoticeable breeze. As the silver she-cat padded forwards, stopping in front of Henna, she sat down.

"Greetings, Henna." She mewed, dipping her head to the pregnant queen. "I am Shrieking Eagle. I am Willow's mate. Or, at least, I was. I am one of those ancestors for which you searched."

"Oh! Shrieking Eagle! What a... Er... Nice name?" The light brown tabby mewed, not wanting to be rude. "And yes, I was looking for you."

"I know. That is why I came for you." She replied, her voice calm and smooth. "Of course, I carry a message of great burden. I do not wish to share it, but, alas, I unfortunately must."

"Oh... Tell me. I have to know, if it's that important."

"Yes." Her voice changed tone, more serious, as she began to speak again. "In the sky, the eyes of the sun watch, holding the key to your destiny."

Henna looked confusedly at the spirit, her green eyes widening. "What does it mean? Please! Tell me!"

Shrieking Eagle merely shook her head, her eyes growing sad, pain held in their dark depths. "I am sorry, Henna. Not even I understand the ways of every prophecy."

The world around the brown tabby started to disappear, her paws fading as she looked down at the ground. The grass was visible, crushed beneath her weight. The last sight Henna saw before the home of the ancestors disappeared before her were the hazel eyes of Willow's former mate.

--

Henna blinked awake, her breathing heavy. She stood up, digging her claws into the ground.

The prophecy... She thought, remembering the mysterious words. What could they mean? In the sky, the eyes of the sun watch, holding the keys to your destiny... What a strange thing to say...

She padded away, quickly catching a thrush and a mouse, before trotting back across the Thunderpath, her fresh-kill in her mouth. She padded into the clearing, the last light of dusk finally starting to fade for the night.

How long was I gone? She worried, hoping Willow wasn't frightened.

Her green eyes searched the camp, coming upon Willow, laying down in the corner, his eyes closed, and Gemma, in the center, sharing a mouse with Thistle. The two mates were purring to each other quietly, looking at their three kits lovingly. Gemma looked up, spotting Henna and smiling. She beckoned with her tail for Henna to come, and the brown tabby placed her catch down before approaching the family.

"Hi, Gemma, Thistle." She purred, her ears turned to the side, hoping that Willow would come over, searching for her, covering her with loving licks, purring happily. But the logical side of her knew that wouldn't happen. Willow didn't love her. He loved Shrieking eagle. "What's up?"

"Nothing much..." Thistle responded, turning his gaze to Gemma momentarily before looking at Henna. "How about you? I see you went hunting. Nice catch, by the way."

"Thanks.." The brown tabby mewed, scuffing her paws across the dirt ground. "I am just thinking about Willow..."

"Oh, honey." Gemma purred. "I'm sorry. It's too bad. I know you love him."

"What?!" Henna jumped back, her eyes wide. "I don't love Willow!"

"You do, though. You do."

"No! I don't love him. I am only carrying his kits..." Henna mewed, turning away, her tail lashing back and forth.

I don't love him. She thought, narrowing her eyes, looking at the ground.

The brown tabby she-cat grabbed the thrush she had caught, laying down in the dirt, letting out a loud sigh. As she slowly began to eat the fresh-kill, her stomach not wanting her to eat, she heard Willow get up, stretching. She heard the blind tom's yawn, and watched as he scratched his claws across the ground, the feeling like the dirt was her pelt.

The pregnant queen winced, as her heart panged sadly, each beat like a scratch across the face. She looked back down to the thrush, expecting to see the half-eaten flesh, but instead spotting it writhing with maggots, them diving in and out of its rotten flesh. She gasped, jumping up, and blinked several times, just spotting the same flesh she had been eating.

"Henna? Anything wrong?" She heard the mew of Gemma, sounding slightly concerned.

"Um. No?" Henna replied. "I'm fine. I just need to take a quick walk."

The nighttime sky was lightened by stars, the ground just barely visible by the light of the moon.

"Are you sure? It's dark..." The mother replied, sounding worried.

"I'll be fine!" Henna snapped, padding out of the clearing, her stomping visible and loud. "Stupid Gemma... Thinking I need protection."

The brown tabby started to pad along, stopping as she reached the thunderpath. She stopped momentarily, turning her direction to walk along the side, her paw pads burning at the rough texture of the sidewalk. She started to speed up a bit, rushing into a slow trot.

Upon reaching a large bush, the pregnant queen stopped, and gracefully retched into it, her previous meal exiting her body with disgust. It was stress.

Henna blinked, licking her lips, trying to dispel the disgusting taste of the regurgitated fresh-kill. She continued to pad along, this time her eyes open wide as she observed for any predators, hoping not to be attacked. She heard the cracking of a stick, and stopped, her pelt bristling.

Then, from a few foxlengths behind her, she heard a curse, obviously from a young kit. Someone stepped out, a small she-kit, a dark brown tabby. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her pelt stood up, and she promptly turned, and began to run.

Henna began to follow the kit, feeling a bit of blood coming out of her paw pads. She watched the kit trip over her own paws, and fall on her face, cursing loudly.

"Are you alright?!" Henna mewed, running over to the brown tabby kit. "What's your name?"

"First of all, ouch." The kit growled. "Second of all, I'll be fine. And lastly, that's none of your business."

"It is. You were stalking me!" Henna growled, shaking her head. "Sorry. I'll ask you again. What's your name?"

The kit curled her lip, lashing her tail once. "Chocolate."

"Oh! That's a pretty name!" Henna purred, grabbing Chocolate's scruff. "My name is Henna. I can take you back to my camp, if you want. I have friends, and food there."

"Umm.. Alright?" The dark brown tabby kit mewed confusedly.

"Let's go."

--

As the two padded into camp, the moon hanging above their heads, Henna spotted Willow, his milky white eyes staring blindly ahead, looking at the trees. He snapped his head to the two she-cats as they padded into camp, padding over.

"Umm. Hi, Willow. This is Chocolate." Henna mewed awkwardly, touching noses with the tom.

"Hi. I'm Willow." He mewed gruffly, sniffing the young she-kit.

"H-hi..." She mewed, stuttering, her fur prickling at the tom's gaze. "Am I welcome here?"

"Henna let you in." He grunted, shrugging. "Sure!"

Henna nodded, guiding Chocolate to her nest, which had been expanded. "You sleep here. I can go and lay down somewhere else."

"No. I'll sleep on the ground. You get the nest." Chocolate needed stubbornly, collapsing on the ground tiredly, small snores echoing from her mouth a few moments later.

Henna shrugged, and lay down, closing her bright green eyes. "Good night..."

I love this nest. Almost as much as- She stopped herself from admitting the truth. I don't love Willow!

She adjusted her position, opening and closing her eyes again.

I don't love Willow. I don't. I do not love Willow. She told herself, trying to convince it. But I do. I love him. I can't help it. I love Willow.