The Silver Dove

Prologue
Paw steps echoed around the cave, breaking the silence. The cave roof was arched and the walls shimmered with water. The ground was glowing with snow coloured sand that was as soft as feathers. Four cats followed the twisting white pathway onward. They soon came to a halt. The pathway sloped upwards and the roof caved in, leaving a space just big enough for a small cat to wriggle through. Blinding silver light sliced through the gap and lit up the four cats. One by one they crawled through the small space. The cave walls stretched up farther than the highest tree and there was no roof so that the stars shone down on the cats. This space was an exact circle with a pool of clear liquid in the centre. Smooth stones were scattered around the outside of the pool and wildflowers grew in between the gaps. It was a magical place. The cats gathered around the pool, staring inside it. Even though the liquid was clear they couldn’t see the bottom, it went down further than the cave walls went up.“I guess this is it,” mewed a beautiful silver tabby. She reached down to the pool and stuck a claw in, and then recoiled as if it had bit her. “This is definitely the place.” The snow white tom that was sitting beside her nodded and he too quickly stuck his claw in the liquid. “Yes,” he meowed. “I think I’m going to miss it.” The ginger she-cat opposite spat in disgust.“Miss it?” she choked. “Think of how much pain and suffering this thing has caused us!” She stuck her whole paw into the pool and then pulled it back up so quickly that she sent liquid flying up into the air. The she-cat turned away, her neck fur prickling and looking slightly embarrassed. Last of all the golden tabby tom nodded and dipped his head to show the star-shaped white mark on his forehead. His claw skimmed the water, only just touching it. The other three cats dipped their heads to show that they too had the star shaped marks. Then the golden tom stood up and stepped back, showing a glowing blue stone. It was perfectly round and shimmered and sparkled with rainbow colours. “The Moon Stone,” he murmured. “Must never be found again.” The other three murmured in agreement.“The Moon Stone that has been around since the Earth was made is now to be put back in its home. We hope that if it is ever to be found again that it is found by someone who is not looking for power. The Moon Stone, the most powerful object ever made, will now be put back in the Crystal Pool.”All four cats whispered the words before putting their claws on it. Almost instantly their claws turned the blue colour of the stone. The stone, that had just moments ago been burning hot, was now as icy cold as the Crystal Pool. All four cats pushed it along with their paws and watched as it sank down into the Crystal Pool. For a moment the liquid was still but then it turned blue and steam came off of it. Very soon the liquid swirled in huge circles, slopping water over the sides. The four cats stepped back.“It’s done,” mewed the silver tabby triumphantly. “The Moon Stone has been returned.”�==Chapter One== Dreamkit felt the sun beat down on her cream fur. She rolled over, just catching the leaf that had fallen from the tree above her. Her claws slashed through the leaf, cutting it into two pieces. As she looked up to see if there were anymore falling leaves, her eyes were drawn to something that was glinting in the late afternoon sunshine. Dreamkit scrabbled quickly and silently to her paws. Crouching to the ground, her hind legs quivering, she leaped onto the trunk of the tree. Dreamkit pulled herself up onto the lowest branch and tilted her head upwards. It was still there, shining in the sunlight. Dreamkit went up onto her hind paws and heaved herself onto the next branch. Because she was still just little and the branches were widely spaced out, it took a while to reach the third branch. She had to make absolutely no noise now. Not if she wanted to catch it. Dreamkit crawled along her branch and clawed her way up the trunk to the fourth branch.The dove was just inches from her now. Dreamkit paused before crawling onto the branch. Her legs felt like water and quivered wildly. This branch was as thin as a twig, she was lucky she was so light. Dreamkit gulped in a deep breath before spring forwards.That’s when she felt a horrible feeling in her stomach. The dove let out an alarm call and in a flurry of feathers it flew away just as Dreamkit landed. The branch trembled wildly and then there was a sickening snap! and the branch disappeared from beneath her paws. Everything happened so fast Dreamkit didn’t have time to call out for help. Her stomach was doing back flips and she tumbled, faster and faster, downwards. All at once Dreamkit knew there was no hope. No hope until her claws fastened themselves onto the last branch.“Dreamkit!”�Dreamkit, her heart still beating so hard she thought it might explode, lowered herself down to the ground. She turned around to see Hopekit streaking towards her.“Dreamkit!” she cried. “Mama told us never to climb the trees in camp! They’re much too big!”�“Too big and too flimsy,” Dreamkit gasped. She flopped back down to the warm grass. The sound of running water soothed her until she caught her breath. Hopekit didn’t move until Dreamkit got to her paws. “Don’t tell Mama,” Dreamkit pleaded her sister. “I’ve learnt my lesson.” Hopekit hesitated. “If you do,” Dreamkit threatened. “I’ll tell all of the apprentices you’re afraid of the dark.”�“Okay okay!” Hopekit sighed. “I won’t tell Mama!”�“Promise?”“I promise,” Hopekit meowed solemnly. Dreamkit nodded and made her way across the narrow strip of grass. It felt good to feel the grass beneath her paws once they got back into the clearing. A few warriors were dozing in the late sun and Dreamkit spotted Sweetstar basking in the sun on top of the FlatRock. Hopekit glanced her way but Dreamkit lashed her with her tail.“You promised,” she growled. Hopekit trembled slightly looking scared before scarpering off towards Nightkit. Dreamkit watched as he wrapped his tail around her and rolled her eyes. Wishkit sat beside the nursery entrance. As Dreamkit approached him she saw that he was looking Hopekit’s way as well.“She’s so...” Wishkit trailed off. “Spoilt.” Dreamkit nodded.“So is he,” she meowed. “It’s just because they are the smallest of their litters.” Wishkit glanced sideways.“I kind of wish I was the smallest,” he meowed. Dreamkit twined her tail with his, feeling a stab of sympathy. “I mean Hopekit is getting special treatment from all of the warriors and you... Well the Clan is named after you.”�“I wish it wasn’t,” Dreamkit meowed. “WishClan would have been better than DreamClan.”�“Nah,” mewed Wishkit. “DreamClan’s the best.” Dreamkit purred and cuffed him playfully around the ear.The next moment they were rolling around on the ground, scratching, biting and clawing at each other. “Hey!”� =====(To be continued...)=====