Dawn And Dusk

Prologue
"What does it mean, the sun will rise and the moon will fall?" A dark gray she-cat paced a starry place. "If the moon isn't out, the stars aren't either," a dark brown tom conspired. "Does it mean.. The end of us?" There was a silence, and then the she-cat spoke up. "No, it doesn't. That prophecy has already come many, many, many moons ago!"

"Waterripple!" A snowy-white she-cat spoke, "I found out what it could mean!" The cats crowded around her. "So, Suntail could go up against Nightfall. They could clash, and Suntail would win." The cats shook their heads. "That would be to obvious," the brown tom pointed out. "Mudstrike, I have some more evidence. Look at the prophecy."

"It states the words 'Sun and Moon'."

"That's what makes it so obvious," Mudstrike replied. "Oh," the snowy she-cat spoke. "It's okay, Frostnose," Waterripple replied. "Everybody makes mistakes."

Chapter One: Dawning Dusk
"Dawnkit, stop scrambling! We have to look good for our apprentice ceremony!" Squeaked Duskkit. "Who cares about that dung?" Dawnkit mewled. "DO NOT USE THAT WORD!" Their mother hissed. "Sorry," Dawnkit muttered. "Beauty is always the answer," Duskkit was lecturing her. "I don't need to be lectured over beauty! That dirt!"

"Beauty is not dirt," her mother answered softly. "You will learn that when you get older." It was to late for licking when Sunstar called the ceremony. Dawnkit padded out, looking ruffled, scrappy, yet proud. Duskkit was sleek and perfect and proud. "Duskkit," Sunstar called. He mewed the ancient words. "Then you are now Duskpaw! Your mentor is me."

Only the most beautiful apprentices in the Clan were mentored by him. The worst-looking were neglected, and in nursery tales, killed by their mentors. "Ugh, Dawnkit..." He repeated the words in an unsure tone. "Your mentor will be Deadface." Deadface was one of the kindest cats in the Clan, yet the worst-looking. Deadface looked at the ruffled kit.

"It looks like another non-beautiful apprentice," she mewed, glee in her voice. She touched noses with Dawnpaw. "I don't like beauty either," Dawnpaw whispered. "Good. The curse hasn't gotten to you." Her comforting voice soothed Dawnpaw, despite having one of her eyes gone and just fur where one should be.