If anyone remembers it, a project of mine a while back was a Warriors fanfiction called "Eaglefeather's Path." About two months ago, I made the decision to scrap the entire piece and rewrite it. This is the new prologue.
Also, this story is now being converted into a graphic novel!
That, you probably won't see... but I wanted feedback on these new chapters before I made the switch.Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. It is copyrighted to Erin Hunter.)
Prologue
Snow buffeted the mountain cliffs as the wind carried it. It plummeted down into the valley, piling up along the base. The blizzard was thick; the sky was not visible past it. Other than the wind, there wasn’t a sound. Where normally there would have been trees, no vegetation grew. It had been frozen and died earlier in that Winter. Birds hadn’t dared to brave the high winds.
It was early in the evening, evident by the ever cooling temperature. Shadows had begun to appear, though they were dimmed and hidden by the snow. Caves dotted the ledges and outcroppings. Small creatures shifted in one of the larger ones. Out of the same cave came soft murmurs of pain and sorrow.
Along the thin edge of a nearby path, a cat pressed up against the cliff face. The young she-cat warily glanced down into the abyss below, instantly snapping her head back up. Her ears were flattened back against her head in an attempt to keep them out of the harsh gales. Her silver tabby pelt was coated with a layer of fresh snow. She blended in with the land around her well.
Placing one paw in front of the other, the cat continued on towards a jagged drop in the path. Small pebbles rolled down with every other step. The cliffs here were often unstable. The she-cat knew this well, but continued on, pausing every few steps. Her ears twitched, picking up a sound below. The ground rumbled, and suddenly broke through.
Yowling in terror, the she-cat leaped forward, claws scrambling to get a grip on the slippery rocks beneath the snow. Her back paws flailed in the air where the path had collapsed. Pulling with her forepaws, she managed to get herself to safety. She lay there for a few moments, panting. Then, with her tail bristled, she stood, and padded on.
Finally, the drop was in front of her. She sighed with relief, slowly descending down. She half climbed, half slid down to a lower ledge. The wide mouth of a cave opened up to the right. The feline darted inside, shaking herself violently. It was dark inside, and water could be heard running somewhere in the shadows. Exhausted, the silver cat flopped down on her side, closing her eyes.
“Who’s there?” a voice called out from the back. The she-cat didn’t raise her head. “I don’t know that scent.”
Another cat, a small brown tabby, came out into the light, amber eyes narrowed with suspicion. She scanned the stranger carefully. All the while, her claws were unsheathed. She sat back on her haunches, and curled her tail neatly around her paws.
“Silver? Is that you?” she asked, head titling to one side slightly.
For a moment, the silver she-cat didn’t answer. Then, “Yes… it’s me.”
“Where have you been all these moons?” the brown she-cat asked, her eyes wide. She got to her paws, rushing over to help Silver up. Letting the younger she-cat lean on her shoulder, they walked deeper into the cave. “Do you know how long we’ve been looking for you? Smoke thought you were dead! Your mother nearly died of heartbreak!”
“I know… I know…” Silver replied softly. Her green eyes grew dull, and she looked at her paws as she moved.
When they reached the back, Silver curled up on a nest made of moss. She shivered, for the moss was freezing cold. The brown she-cat sat down again across from her, gawking at the traveler. Neither of the two said anything for what seemed like an eternity.
Finally, it was the tabby that spoke. “Why did you leave?”
“Do you… remember that dream you had, Fawn?” Silver replied.
“Which one?” Fawn asked.
“The one about the eagle, and the brown-and-white cat.”
“Oh, yes. I remember it well. Wait…” Fawn trailed off. She intensified her gaze. “You left because of my dream?”
“Exactly.” Silver nodded weakly. “I thought that I could find him. I thought I could bring him back here, and end this war.”
“Things aren’t always that simple, young one,” Fawn mewed. She flicked her head around to the entrance of the cave. “If he is out there, he’ll find his way to us. My dreams are never wrong.”
“You didn’t predict the start of the war,” Silver pointed out.
“There are some things even the Spirits don’t know.”
A silence passed between the two. Silver followed Fawn’s gaze. Her ears drooped as she realized that Fawn was right.
“So what now?” Silver asked. “I can’t go back to the colony. Not after being gone for so long. It… it just wouldn’t feel right.”
“You could always move on down the mountain pass. Dark Tooth Pass is usually filled with snow, but if you made it back up here, you can cross it. Other than that—” Fawn broke off abruptly, head twitching.
“Fawn?” Silver said with alarm. She watched as her older friend dropped to the ground, shaking all over. “Can you hear me? Say something!”
When Fawn spoke, it was not with her own voice. It was distant, ancient. It was as if many voices were speaking through one body. “Fear not, young one. All will be as it was. There is a savior coming, from a land far away. An eagle with a powerful mind and soul. He will defeat Scratch. This is what we have seen. When stars glitter in a moonless sky, and the last cry of the falcon echoes through the mountains, only the mighty eagle can save all from destruction…”
Awestruck, Silver stared at Fawn. The she-cat was rolling over onto her side, eyes closed. Her breathing had returned to normal. Carefully, Silver reached out a paw, prodding her in the side. Fawn didn’t stir. The second time, however, a jerk went through the brown she-cat’s body, and her eyes flew open.
“Fire! I see a fire!” she yowled.
“There’s no fire,” Silver reassured her. “We’re in the mountains. There hasn’t been a fire here for years.”
“No!” Fawn insisted, sitting up. She still had a distant look in her eyes. “I saw it! A fire, with a blue center. It devoured everything… I could only see smoke, and I couldn’t breathe…” She turned to Silver. “It was another dream from the Spirits. A fire will destroy everything that we hold dear. I don’t think anyone can stop it.”
(It's a bit shorter than the last one... ^^' Feel free to comment on anything.)
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