Chapter Text
The half moon reflected off the pool of water surrounded by a few cats waiting for their final companion to meet up. "Whats taking him so long. I am freezing to my tail" A brownish she-cat complained as a breeze swept threw hollow. "Now Beaverpaw. I am sure he will be soon. It must be hard since his mentor had passed." An older voice reminded his apprentice as silence follow the cats remembering their fallen companion, "Though you're right. We don't want to stay out of the cold too long." As a second past the gathered cats heard rustling of dead leaves as a cream colored tom stepped out into the open. The late arrival seemed rushed and smelling of milk. After panting for a bit longer, "Sorry I am late, but I was helping Mintfur with delivering her kts." Sparktail told them in a cheerful tone wishing his mentor was still with him to help do his first delivery. "That is excellent news. Kits born in leaf-bear grow stronger." A redish she-cat responded to the news. "That is good to hear that Applestorm." Secretly the Shadowclan medicine cat was worried that one of Mintfur's kits would not survive the cold night having been born with slow breathing. Pushing the thought away Sparktail joined the other medicine cats as the touch noses with Moonpool. A silently shivering rolled down Sparkpelt as the cold water touched his nose upon contact. Sudden it seem that the world around him began to disappear around moonpool.
As the world came to the Shadowclan medicine cat found himself in the hunting grounds of Starclan. Although it had not have been his first time in Starclan ever since his mentor passed away. The sensation of being rhe sole medicine cat still linger in himI miss you Blossomsong. Sorrow pierced him as the connection between him and his mentor was very strong suddenly a familiar scent enter his nostrils. "Blossomsong!" he cried out. It was as if Starclan listen to his thoughts as the former Shadowclan medicine cat came to greet her old apprentice, "Greetings Sparkpelt. How is Sparrowspring coping?" Sparktail had almost forgotten that his mentor was his mother's sister which made the bond between him and Blossomsong strong. "She misses you everyday. Sometimes she visits the medicine den thinking you'd just be in the herb storage." Changing the subject Sparktail told his mentor of any news within their clan since the time Blossomsong had died. As the padded through Starclan, "I am proud of what you did tonight. Its not always easy delivering a queen's kits" Though he was pleased by her praise Sparktail thought back to the kit tuck so securely under his mother's fur to keep the little one warm. Detecting her apprentice's fear, "Do not worry my dear Sparktail. Graykit will survive the night." she assured him. Blossomsong suddenly remembering why Starclan sent her to her former apprentice. "Sparktail tonight isn't just a social call." saying solemnly signaling the tom to sit down to deliver Starclan's message. Remembering the words, "In the shadow of an old darkness. By listening to the old voice of the young the light will shine." Confused by the message Sparktail took a second to think on what he heard. Unfortunately before he could ask a question to her, Blossomsong began to faded alongside Starclan. The tom found himself back around Moonpool with the half moon shining in the sky above him. Seeing the confused looks on his companions the medicine cat assumed they all got the same prophecy.
After what felt like moons a gray fur tom stood to address the other medicine cats, "So I assume we all got the same prophecy." Every cat meowed in agreement then breaking off into several suggestions of what the prophecy could mean. "Could they have mean an old sickness is coming back?" one of the Thunderclan medicine cats suggest. "Have any clan have any trouble with rogues?" Applestorm asked. "Could it be the dark forest." Beaverpaw asked her mentor, "It's been moons since a disgruntled warrior wanted revenge." Troutmoon assured her, "What do you think Sparktail?" the Shadowclan medicine cat turned around from his conversation with Skyclan's medicine cat when asked by the eldest Riverclan medicine cat. "The darkness could mean anything. I more confused about what Blossomsong meant by 'the old voice of the young' could she have meant a elder or younger Starclan cat?" A yowl came into the clearing as Applestorm got the attention of the other medicine cats, "Well its obivious none of us are going no where its best we go back to our clans and discuss it with our leaders." After that all the medicine cats said their goodbyes to each other as they parted Moonpool. Along the shoreline Sparktail, Applestorm, Troutmoon, and Beaverpaw made their way through Thunderclan's part of the shoreline. Upon getting closer to Shadowclan Sparktail's heart started to raced as he worried what happen to Graykit while he was away. Saying his goodbyes to the Skyclan and Riverclan medicine cats the tom dashed off to camp hoping to get there as fast as he could wanting to check on the kit. Please Starclan let him be alright But before he headed towards the nursery the medicine cat had to stop by Frirstar's den to inform her of the prophecy. Entering the leaders den he retold the prophecy that was given to him by Blossomsong. "The darkness has to be an old sickness. We haven't had any trouble with cats, badgers, or foxes in a while. Luckily they aren't really smart enough to attack us in force." Frirstar commented after hearing what Sparktail relayed from Starclan. "We should still keep an eye on the borders outside the clans though." Her deputy responded with concern. Though he had shared their assurance about any outside interference Sparktail had heard of an very old nursery tell about a group of angry badgers attacking the clans after the Great Journey. But he dismissed it as a tale to keep kits from wondering outside of camp. "Well since we aren't much further as we were at Moonpool. I better check on Graykit." Saying good night to the leader and deputy Sparktail headed towards the nursery. Although Blossomsong told him that the little kit was going to survive the medici lne cat still wanted to make sure Graykit was warm and breathing properly.
The medicine cat padded lightly into the nursery as to not wake the kits and queens while they slept. Coming towards Mintfur's nest Sparktail could make out the queen as she held tightly onto her kits pressing one of them deeply into her fur. Even quieter the tom made sure not to wake the three of them as he checked Graykits breathing with one of his paws. His heart seem to fall out of him as the gray kits fur seem not to be rising and falling Fearing the worse Sparktail put his ear to the kit's fur just to make sure. He hoped to hear breathing or heart beat of the kit. Even though the medicine cat could hear a faint heart beat he did not think it would be enough to the kit alive I was too late! Scolding himself for not staying in the nursery tonight instead of going to Moonpool at half-moon. Sparktail took a step back thinking of where to go from here Do I have the heart to wake Mintfur now and tell her that kit had died while I was not here While in his despair the tom did not notice two shaped beginning to form along the wall of the nursery. Looking up Sparktail could make out that the two shadows seem to be in the shape of two cats. Though he could not see the color of their fur Sparktail could make out the color of their eyes. One of them had green eyes and the other shadow had amber Looking back towards the entrance the medicine cat could only find darkness and with no cat let along two of them. Sparktail turned his attention back to the shadows. Wind seem to blow into the nursery and as if there was a cat next to him Sparktail heard "It's not just my clan that is at stake but all five. Now's your chance my old friend" Suddenly one of the shadows seem to padded over to Graykit's body and disappear into the kit.