One Change (Book One of Mountains Series)

Prologue

It was dark... very dark... The only light was the sickly growing of fungus on the trees, and a pair of yellow eyes, leering out from the darkness...

My jaw tightened. I should have never come here... I should be under the stars, watching my kin in the forest.... I tried as hard as I could, but when I tried to access the forest within my head, all I could see was a dark, swirling fog...

"It gets easier, in time..." the yellow eyes meowed.

I felt a prickle of unease. "If you can read that, I suppose you know my purpose here...."

"Of course I know.. I know many things you don't, my.. friend..." A dark, rumbling chuckle escaped from the yellow eyed one in the shadows...

"But do you know what I truely want? I think not. Search harder." I mewed, slightly pleased he could not hear all my thoughts.

He cocked his head, and began to focus.. He tensed, and then after a moment that could have been days, or seconds, he relaxed again.

"No.. you have it.. too hidden... It is like hunting for me... I can only catch the prey out and about, not the ones in their burrows.." He laughed, but there was no humor in it.

"I see." I replied dryly. "Though even if you know what I want, weather or not you will comply is a different story, isn't it?"

"Ah, you know me well, Firestar." The shadows moved, and then a massive shape prowled out into the small clearing..

"very... well..." He said, eyeing me speculativly.

"Just a good guess. I've known you for many moons, Tigerstar." I mewed curtly.

"I know." He purred as he circled me.

"The clans are going to face a great danger... They will not survive without you... It will be just as bad as the last time... Perhaps worse... The... Silent Ones...I doubt they will let anyone escape this time.. The secret is of great importance..."

"I must say, I have no need, or want, to help you. The clans below have no meaning to me..."

I clenched my teeth to stop a growl from slipping out.

"Of course, Tigerstar... Starclan is ready to give up some things for this...I'm sure you could use.. some new... additions to your clan?" I mewed quietly.

His eyes brightened now, curious.

"Ah... Well, that could change things.. Do not get me wrong, Hawkheart is well trained in medicine.. quite a fighter too..." A purr escaped his throat.

"but... Spottedleaf... ah, Spottedleaf.. She would make a even better Medicine cat... As you see..." his voice turned reluctant, carful...

Of course he would not want to expose any weakness in Tigerclan...

"Hawkheart doesn't see the same as other medicine cats..he is.... limited... he has diffucultly predicting things.. often they turn out wrong.. But Spottedleaf! She.. her visions are beyond perfection..." His eyes turned greedy, fantasizing... pondering...

"Not that." I hissed. "Spottedleaf goes where I go, and I will never go there." I spat.

I shuddered inwardly as I remembered Sandstorm's face as I chose my true love... hurt.. anger.. disbelief... she had fled, far away, into the skies unknown...

I snapped back to reality as Tigerstar spoke again.

"She could change her mind.. you cannot make her desicions for her..." He growled.

"Fine. I will pass it on." I hissed.

"Good, good.." he purred. "now what were you proposing?"

"We need you to train them. Teach them what only you know. In return for training these cats for the battle ahead... you may pick one.. to..." I swallowed back the bile rising in my throat, and forced the words out.

"to keep.. as your own warrior... He will fight until the battle is over, and then... he is yours."

it felt wrong, using a cat like that.. to bargain for a cat's will... to give him up, to make him serve such a cat..

Tigerstar's eyes gleamed. "Ahh.. I see... Any cat?" He mused.

his amber eyes bore into mine, searching, trying to find any indication that I did not speak the truth. He found nothing.

"very well.. I see how hard this must be... I accept. I shall begin his training soon... at eight moons..." Tigerstar purred.

"I will train every apprentice I see fit. And perhaps a few warriors..." he said.

I nodded. "A Starclan cat will be present at all times, to watch the training.

"Very well. Send... Thistleclaw. He will not judge our battles..." Tigerstar meowed.

"Fine. And Addarfang and Dustpelt." I added.

"Good... Now I must return to my clan, as you must too. Goodbye, Firestar.." The massive tabby turned away from me, and hurdled off into the forest.

I turned in alarm as I saw a lithe shape creep from the shadows.

"Relax." he grumbled. "I am only here to escort you back.."

and I followed Darkstripe, through the shadows.. to the stars...