Fading Loyalties

Prologue - The Gathering
The cats' pelts glowed in the moonlight, as they walked through the undergrowth. The young apprentices were filled with excitement.

"Are we there yet?" a silver tabby with black stripes asked her mentor.

"We'll be there soon. You can wait until the half-moon to see Sparkpaw, can't you, Leafpaw?" her mentor asked.

Leafpaw just sighed, mumbling to herself quietly.

Once they were on the island, the Clan's jumped onto the Great Oak. RiverClan's leader sat there, as did ThunderClan and ShadowClan's leaders.

"Where's SkyClan?" Leafpaw whispered to her mentor.

"I don't know." her mentor responded.

"If SkyClan is not here by moonhigh we will have to start without them." ShadowClan's leader admitted.

"Violetstar, you know better then that!" WindClan's leader exclaimed.

"Do I now?" Violetstar's coat glowed in the moonlight as a dark gray tabby tom entered the clearing.

"Hawkstar, you are here at last!" WindClan's leader happily beckoned his brother to the Great Oak.

"I am indeed, my younger brother. SkyClan shall speak first!" Hawkstar yowled. The chattering stopped as her mewled, "We have found some loners who wanted to join our Clan. Clans, welcome Winterpaw, Cinderpaw and Blackpaw!"

"Winterpaw!"

"Cinderpaw!"

"Blackpaw!"

After their names were chanted, fog covered the island.

"What in Silverpelt?! Swifttail, where are you?!" Leafpaw called for her mentor. Through the fog, she saw a black pelt. "Blackpaw!"

The apprentice turned to her and mewled, "I'm scared! I just became an apprentice, and... now this?! Am I a bad omen?"

Then she saw five cats standing on the Great Oak, as the fog cleared. They weren't their Clans' leaders.

"Who are you?!" WindClan's deputy questioned. "Where's Stormstar?!"

"I am Bloodstar." the tom mewled.