Speechless

By Swifty

Prologue
Autumnpaw glanced at her mentor. "I've never helped kit before! What do I do?" The tips of her dark fur tingled with a mix of fear and excitement.

Scarletsun glanced reassuringly at her apprentice. She held up her tail. "Just do as I say."

Autumnpaw nodded, feel a bit more relax. But not completely. She watched the queen's fluffed out fur, and heard her agonized gasps. '' 'This looks like torture. I'm glad I'll never have to go through this.' ''

Scarletsun watched the queen calmly. Her gaze had no signs of longing, only betraying that she had a duty to the Clan, to this queen. Her yellow eyes met the queen's. "Here comes the first one!" Scarletsun placed her paw on the queen's flank.

After a long while of yowling, three healthy kits lay beside the queen, suckling. The queen's gaze was filled with love for each of her beautiful kits. Her mate lay by her side, his eyes containing the same love.

Autumnpaw suddenly wished she could share a moment like this with her own mate, her own kits. She quickly pushed the thought away. The Clan was her kits.

With a gasp, Autumnpaw suddenly collapsed onto the dirt, writhing in pain. "Scarletsun..." She rasped.

As her vision turned black, she heard Scarletsun cry out, "Autumnpaw!"

When the black was gone, Autumnpaw found herself standing in a barren ash-filled field. A gentle breeze blew through the landscape, stirring the ashes. She glanced around. Nothing. "H-hello?"

"Hello."

Autumnpaw turned, to see a lone figure. A gray tom, his pelt blending with the ashes, watched her carefully, his face unreadable.

"I am Foxchar. I come as a messenger of StarClan." He spoke in monotone.

Autumnpaw widened her eyes. "A prophecy?"

Foxchar nodded. "Yes." He closed his eyes, then when they opened, the where pure white.

"Feathers fall far from their nests. 

''Silence is all they can make. ''

''But silence can have strength. ''

Silence is the only way to burn the clutching vines." 

Autumnpaw blinked. "What?"

Foxchar was gone.

The ashes started swirling in the wind, and created a storm. Autumnpaw shut her yellow eyes. When she opened them, she was back in the nursery.

Scarletsun stared at her. "What happened?!"

Autumnpaw let out a whimper. "Prophecy!"