Thanks for being patient. Really. Thank you. ~ Misty

The sky was a light, azure blue as a lone black she-cat padded along the shoreline. The lush green grass bent under the weight of her paws. She was silent. Reflective. The cat had a sleek, slender build, and dark pools of perfect blue eye that looked like they held the world. She was young, but every step she took, every movement she made, seemed completely analyzed, with the wisdom of a thousand years. The she-cat paused near the shore, watching wave after wave gently push onto the sand. A silent ripple flowed through the water, and her ears twitched ever so slightly.

And she knew that the beacon was coming again. She laughed, a light sweet, twinkling laugh, ful, of fresh air and wind, full of sweet berries and wildflowers, allowing the sound to trickle like a perfect stream. She had wanted to wait, wanted to give herself a little more time, but it seemed that her decision was pushed on. She padded into the lake, the water cascading past her ears and her claws sink into the riverbed, sand squeezing between her toes.

She could hear the rumbles of an incoming storm, similar to the ones she had heard long ago, and she knew there was an battle, and death. The she-cat sighed, then delicately pushed the waters. It rippled, then moved. Rippledance, she whispered to herself.

The still mirror suddenly flooded with motion, and started to glow, an eerily pale image, contrasting the growing dark sky. Storms clouds dotted the horizon. Gleaming waves rose out of the water, sharp like ice, and sparking like crystals, and the she-cat rose with them. Suspended above the lake, her blue eyes blazed like fire and ice. The sun had hidden behind the incoming clouds, and with a long silence, a bolt of lightling drove down into the soil, and the jagged path of light roared with deep rumbles. Violet specks emerged, weaving around the cat like fallen leaves in the wind. The she-cat smiled, then let the vortex envelope her. The sky flashed, and she begun to submit to the vortex, letting it pull all the memories out of her. It was so long, yet so gentle that she couldn't help laughing, crying and reacting to those long lost memories pulled out of her, but only to have them disappear forever.

She could remember watching Mapleshade's claws curl over Spottedleaf's face, raking down with unimaginable force. Remembered herself give up, fall to the ground in desperation as Spottedleaf faded away. Heard Mapleshade stand up, grab Spottedleaf, and drag her to the lake. Dragged her to the end. Let her choose. Watched Spottedleaf hesitate, and saw the lifelong, endless love for Firestar spill from her eyes. She gave him love, and let him choose. He chose Sandstorm and she was happy about it. She loved him too much to force him to choose again. Rippledance watched Spottedleaf close eyes, heard her soft murmurs. Rippledance knew it was the same feeling she had been through. For forever, she had waited for Falconfur. And she had. Even when he left. She laughed as the memories continued to drain out of her, causing her to forget. Rippledance smiled, and submitted to the swirls.

Then, she remembers pulling up a reincarnated pictures of Mapleshade and others, watched them born seconds after each other, breathing deeply in their new states. And she lets the memory go, and forgets.

Outside the vortex, a blinding beam shot through the thick storm clouds gathered above a soft field of grass. It touched the ground, blew past the grass and into the water. Rippledance stirred from her unconsciousness. She struggled to piece together the details. She had forgotten everything. The beam glowed a brilliant shine, and from it, a ginger with a flame coloured pelt tom with the brightest green eyes she had ever seen emerged.

Startled, the tom watched the vortex grow bigger, until he spotted a flash of dark fur. His eyes darken for a second, then flick up in a motion of recognition. He remembers. And he runs to the she-ca like his life depends on it.

Inside the collapsing vortex, the she-cat's thoughts are hazy, unremembered, confusing. Her eyes glance at the stranger, trying to piece together something. The vortex threatens to lose in, and confused as the she-cat is, she fight it. And it stops, something that should never happen.

Another blinding beam shoots down, and it slowly release it's next passenger. The she-cat glances at this new arrival, memories fighting to resurface in her brain. The tom stands at the edge of the lake, and the vortex sweeps him up as well. He knows he's met this she-cat before, yet he cannot recall her name. Swirling clouds of misty blue and purple dust fly past the tom, and they carry him up into the vortex. His panic is sealed in his mind, and he looks to the she-cat for help. Their eyes lock for a moment, and glowing blue pools of water meet a burning green light. and they remember.

Something of a silent spell is broken in this unexpected occurrence, a rule or law that has been crossed. The whirlwind battles with a sudden surge of energy and sweeps the she-cat in. She shares one last look with the tom, and then disappears as all her memories returns. She laughs, because she knows that she's broken the rules of this portal, and she'll remember. She will. The tornado tugs at her from all sides, ad she endures the torture as she fades away.

The wind has slowed down considerably, and the flame-coloured tom gently floats back to the lake's shore. A sandy, cream coloured she-cat pads right next to him, her dusky pale green eyes seemingly faded right next to the tom's bright green ones. A soft rain begins to fall, and both cats see images and pictures in them of newborn kits and queens.

Finally, the tom steps into the water, and the lake is silent, despite the rising wind. It ripples, and moves.

The wind starts to rage and the waters drift up in the air.

Thank you everyone for staying with me for so long and just reviewing and everything. I just had the best idea ever, and it's thanks to SageThePistachioQueen! Go check her out. She doesn't have a book now, but once it's out, I'll let you know!

Once again, thank you.

~Misty

Hint*Hint*: This book is a prequel.