Here's the long-awaited prologue of my story. Chapter one will be up eventually. I hope you like it!

Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the trees, dappling in patches of yellow on the forest floor. The light shined on the backs of two cats, who were dashing over the leaves and sticks to a small, vine-enclosed area underneath a rather large juniper bush. One of them, a small mottled grey and white she-cat, slithered quickly under the bush, using her body to shove aside the vines.

She emerged on the other side to a small, grassy clearing. Four other cats were quietly mingling in front of a noisy waterfall encircled by an array of stones. A mottled dark brown tom, Beetlestar, conversed in soft tones with a black and white tom named Smallstar, as they watched another two cats engaging once more in their never-ending argument.

The two cats having the argument seemed close to coming to claws over their disagreement. One, a pure black she-cat, stood, tail lashing in annoyance.

“There’s no way those herbs would work well together. Seriously Lilystem, just drop it and admit that you’re wrong!”  The aforementioned tortoiseshell she cat snorted, leaping to her paws as well.

“Listen Evefur, just because you fail with your experiments with herbs doesn’t mean mine won’t work. I’m telling you, lavender and white willow bark work perfectly fine together. It’s not like I used them on a kit. I tested them on myself! They worked perfectly, and made me feel better faster.”  Evefur gave Lilystem an exasperated look.

“Lilystem you aren’t supposed to test herbs on yourself. If they react badly, you could be left injured, and then who will the Clan have as a medicine cat?” Beetlestar finally stood to his feet and padded over to the two she-cats.

“You two are arguing like newly named apprentices. Come. Leaftail and Gingerspots are here, and now our gathering shall begin.” The three cats jumped down from the fallen log and padded over to the circle of rocks by the waterfall. The gray and white she-cat and her ginger companion moved forward, taking a seat by the rocks as well. Smallstar flicked his paw as a gesture for the gray and white she-cat to begin.

“I brought you all here so that we could discuss the upcoming problem with the Dark Forest. Once more they near our borders, beating against the weakening shields between the dark and the light. There have been sightings of many cats, staring into our territory with undisguised hatred. I fear they begin to gain power, and that they will soon try to fight us once more.” Beetlestar waved a paw in dismissal of her words.

“Leaftail, they have been sending us looks of hatred for centuries. Our shields are strong, and they are weak. Do not have so little faith in StarClan. Our borders will hold as they always have and always will.” The black she cat gave him a glare.

“You should not have so little faith in the power of evil, Beetlestar.  Do not forget that they have the power to rise, and have done it before! When evil stews long enough, it festers and grows in might, until eventually it regains its power just for a brief moment. That moment is enough for them. They see their time coming, and they will take full advantage of this. We cannot let them rise.” Gingerspots wrapped her tail around her paws in thought, before slowly responding.

“Did you notice how hard it is becoming to speak to the medicine cats and leaders? Just two days ago I tried speaking to Darkwhisper, yet she wouldn’t wake from the dream she was having. Usually she is the first cat to jump awake! I fear they have been sneaking around behind our pelts more than we realize.” Evefur paused for a moment, before jumping to her paws. Before she could speak however, Lilystem broke in.

“While I agree with you, Gingerspots, and you as well Evefur, I have to add that Beetlestar does have a point. How are we to know how these evil Dark Forest cats act? How do we know if anything is truly happening? What if they want us to become paranoid so that later, when we finally drop our guard, they can strike fast and hard! It could be a ploy.” The tortoiseshell she-cat flicked her ear in acknowledgement.

“It could just be a mind game. These cats, loathe as I am to admit it, are not mouse-brains. They do know what they’re doing. It’s what made them such formidable enemies in the past. However, if they are gaining in power, it is better for us to act now rather than regret our silence later. What we decide to do today must be for the good of the future of all the Clans.” The tortoiseshell licked the back of her black paw and stared down the other cats. They all contemplated that statement for a moment, until with a sigh the black- and white tom sat up once more.

“Lilystem, I can agree, but I for one am not the type to act without solid proof. I believe our best bet will be to wait a little bit longer. We should not rush into situations like this without actual, legitimate evidence. Instead, we should just-.” He cut off his speech in surprise and looked up with the rest of his companions at the sound of a light chuckle.

The sound was coming from a new cat, one that was not invited to the gathering. Her normally golden-brown fur was a dark brownish hue from the lack of bright light in their little hollow. She padded slowly up to the group before jumping onto the nearby fallen log. Beetlestar got up with an angry flick of his tail.

“Heatherstar! What in the name of our ancestors are you doing here? How did you know we were meeting today?” Heatherstar just gave him a look.

“That is not important. What you should be discussing is what you’re going to do about the Dark Forest.” Evefur scoffed.

“Do you have any proof showing they’re going to rise once more? Please, enlighten us!” Heatherstar jumped off the rocks and padded closer than before until she stood next to Beetlestar.

“It’s quite simple really. Two nights ago, I had a rather informative conversation with none other than Shiverpelt. He told me-” Heatherstar was interrupted once more by the black and white tom.

“What is the blazes were you doing talking to that crazy tom?  He’s so paranoid he probably thinks that forest is going to ignite into flames tomorrow!” Heatherstar sent him a withering look.

“And he told me about a very interesting meeting that he eavesdropped on when he went on one of those forbidden exertions to the dark forest. Apparently he overheard the cats talking about a plan they created for the Clans. They're going to turn the Clan cats against us!” Lilystem frowned worriedly.

“But who could possibly fall for that? Kits and apprentices are definitely more gullible, but surely they know the difference between good and evil. StarClan cats look much different from Dark Forest cats, after all.” Heatherstar shook her head.

“I do not know how they think they can control any cat, for though they look like any normal cat, they carry an aura of evil that anyone, especially an uninfluenced kit, would be able to sense. I admit that this plan seems very far-fetched to me as well. But who is to say that the Dark Forest cats do not have something hidden that we know not of. All that I ask of you is to watch them, and watch them carefully."

"We need to keep a close  eye on all the Clan cats. Inform the medicine cats to keep an eye out for anything strange. Don't tell them everything yet. Just say that we're doing something to help the Clans.” Heatherstar gave them all a deep, piercing stare. “I trust you all with this task. Do not fail me.”

With that, she jumped off of the rock and darted out of the area, disappearing just as suddenly as she had appeared. The rest of the cats looked at each other with renewed determination in their eyes. With nods of farewell, they all broke apart in their separate groups, going back with the cats whom which they had came.

Gingerspots approached Leaftail as they turned back the way they had come. Together the two TreeClan cats walked through the vines and continued on their way as if they had never deterred off of their path at all. Gingerspots turned to Leaftail and leaned closer to her in order to reach the smaller she-cat’s ear.

“Do you think that there is anything to be concerned about?” Her worried mew caused Leaftail to give her a solemn look.

“I hope not. But if there is, we must be ready.” The two cats continued on their path, discussing how much they thought safe to reveal to the medicine cats. What they didn’t see were the dark amber eyes gleaming triumphantly from the bushes near them.

As the two she-cats padded away, a large form broke off from the shadows and slunk off through the undergrowth towards the Dark Forest.