Set in Stone

Prologue
The night was silent. There were no birds chirping, no cricket songs, no winds blowing the leaves off the trees. Dew glittered around a dark gray tom and his dark brown companion, but neither tom voiced that they saw it.

The gray tom fell behind the much more powerful brown one, letting him take the lead. This tom had to be protected or it meant the gray tom's death; if it was his fault or not.

"Stoneclaw," the dark brown tom called, breaking the silence. "Take a look at this."

Stoneclaw crept cautiously forward. "Take a look at what?" he asked quietly. His neck fur stood up, and he felt his tail began to bristle. If the brown tom classified something as dangerous, then it was bad. Very bad.

"FireClan scent," the brown tom muttered. "In WaterClan territory? What are they doing here?"

Stoneclaw crouched lower to the ground, feeling his belly barely touch the ground. "Just... avoid them," he advised. "We need to get to the WaterClan camp. You know that! Reedstar is expecting us, not a fight. We can warn them when we arrive."

The brown tom's reply was husky. "If FireClan are brave enough to leave scent right in the middle of WaterClan territory, then we have a problem, Stoneclaw!"

Stoneclaw sniffed it again. "It's not even fresh," he snapped back. "Let's go."

The brown tom stared at Stoneclaw for a long time, obviously pondering if his companion's words were true. After sniffing the scent again, he nodded at Stoneclaw to follow him.

Stoneclaw hesitantly followed the brown tom utnil he realized that he was following the same course as before- towards the WaterClan camp. The night fell silent again, until Stoneclaw heard a stick snap.

The brown tom instantly stomped his front paw on the ground, but Stoneclaw didn't hear the usual cry of surprise or pain.

Fire came from a random direction, and the brown tom threw himself to the ground. Stonetail followed. He saw a ginger tom push his way from the undergrowth with a smirk on his face.

"Crack," the ginger tom hissed. "I expect your Control to be Earth. It's your Clan Art after all..." Smoke came from the ginger tom's nostrils. "But the best way to fight fire is with fire."

"Flametooth, get out of WaterClan territory!" Crack snapped at the ginger tom.

Flametooth bared his teeth. "Give me a reason why, Chosen one," he snapped. "And then I'll consider."

Crack blew out a powerful breath that blew Flametooth's fur back. Stoneclaw crouched to the ground, knowing that this was the Chosen one's fight.

"Stoneclaw," Crack growled, "get WaterClan warriors. Now."

Stoneclaw raced for the bushes, but heard fire being blown behind him and spun, preparing to protect himself with a wall of Earth, but realized it was aimed at Crack. The Chosen one.

Crack leaped into the air- unsually high for an EarthClan cat- and blew fire from his jaws at Flametooth. His eyes glowed with concentration and he landed with unmatched skill, whirling to face the next attack.

Flametooth bared his teeth, and Stoneclaw shivered as he saw the thing Flametooth was most noticed for- his flaming teeth.

Crack didn't hesitate. He whipped his tail around, water appearing from what seemed like nowhere and hitting the FireClan warrior in the face. The fire was estinguished, but Flametooth wasn't.

Flametooth leaped, his mouth wide and breathing fire. He landed on Crack and dug his claws in. Crack's fur caught on fire, and both warriors went down.

Stoneclaw gasped as he realized Crack had not willed his fur to ignite. The Chosen one could not put out another cat's fire.

Flametooth bared his teeth in satisfaction. "Now the Chosen one will be reborn in FireClan. Stoneclaw, announce Crack's death to your Clan." The ginger tom's firey amber eyes flicked towards Stoneclaw, crouched in the bushes, before padding away.

Stoneclaw rushed towards Crack, yowling after Flametooth, "Your Clan will pay for this!"

"Don't bother," Crack breathed from below Stoneclaw. "Just... announce my death. Tell EarthClan that a rogue attacked me."

"What about your charred fur?" Stoneclaw's voice cracked with grief. "I can't hide that."

"Bury me here. Go back to EarthClan." Crack's voice still had it's usual command despite his ragged breathing and the sparks from his fur.

"Crack..."

"Don't argue with me, Stoneclaw!" Crack rasped. "Make sure the Chosen one from FireClan knows that he has more than one choice."

With that said, Crack breathed out. The flames from his fur crackled and sparked and died slowly.

Stoneclaw realized the brown tom wasn't breathing anymore and let out a single, choked sound of grief.

The wind blew Crack's charred fur, and Stoneclaw watched as the Chosen one's fur disintagrated, leaving the parts untouched by fire.

Stoneclaw dug his claws into the dirt, clawing at the roots he found, and dug a hole with his Controller abilities.

The gray tom pushed the brown tom into the ground, covered him, and padded away.

Eyes glowed from the darkness, watching. Things were about to change.