Hey all!

This is a new story that I decided to start, owing partly to the voting results on my poll. I am going to take this opportunity to thank Storm-Eyes-Osprey for letting me re-home this story, even after somebody else had adopted it. You are an amazing writer, Storm, and you have come on so much in your writing in just over a year. Thanks for letting me write 'We are Golden': I hope I won't let you down.

And now, without further ado, let me present the prologue of 'We are Golden'.

A single star hung in the deep blue night sky, which stood behind the hills, trees and reeds, which stood, swaying a little, in the newleaf breeze. A peaceful quiet settled over the rippled lake, broken only by the soft hooting of an owl on its nightly hunt, and the squeal of its unfortunate prey.

In the depths of the woods at one side of the lake lay a deep stone hollow. The faint glow of the crescent moon lit the grey stone up, turning it silver. The only living thing visible was a small, black cat, whose wide, blue eyes stared up at the star above her. Her slightly lighter grey stripes were barely visible in the dim light and her tail appeared to be tucked underneath her.

The she-cat made no sound but stared up at the sky almost hungrily, searching for something. Her small, black paws shifted uneasily, restlessly, and one of her pale grey ears twitched. Finally, she turned and pushed her way deftly through a wall of bramble tendrils and vanished into the cave beyond.

Settling herself into her mossy nest, the tabby fell asleep, though far from fitfully. Her breathing was regular and slow, and her slightly heaving sides gave no indication of what was happening in the land of dreams.

As soon as she had fallen asleep, however, she seemed to have awoken again. It took the she-cat a moment before she gained her bearings, but she soon realised that she stood, not in her home or by the lake, but in another world. Stars shone in the sky, welcoming the cat in their midst. "Speak to me, StarClan," she murmured softly, sitting down and waiting.

Suddenly, a rustle alerted the cat and she spun around, looking for the source of the noise. She came face-to-face with a blue-grey cat, whose fur glittered with starlight. Blue eyes met amber as their gazes locked.

"Greetings, Waterspots," the black cat meowed, dipping her head towards the newcomer.

"Ravenflight," replied Waterspots, dipping his head in turn. "I see your hearing is as sharp as ever."

"Naturally." Ravenflight tried to give a slight purr, but it died in her throat as tension pricked at her fur. "What does StarClan wish to share with me?"

Waterspots gave a small chuckle. "I see you haven't changed your forthright ways from the time I mentored you," he remarked, settling himself down comfortably. Ravenflight said nothing, but her ears were pricked and alert. A sigh escaped the starry cat, as his eyes settled on the heavens.

"Well," he began, turning to his former apprentice, "it has befallen me to tell you of a dark time, one which is coming to ThunderClan with disturbing haste.

"Is there no way for StarClan to stop it?" questioned Ravenflight, sounding shocked as she faced Waterspots.

"Ravenflight, you know StarClan's power does not stretch to that extent," he meowed softly. Ravenflight turned away.

"I suppose you're right," she finally answered, in a low, almost inaudible voice. A pause, then, "Is there no hope for us?" She seemed to be taking this news remarkably calmly, though there was an unmistakable quaver in her tone as she spoke. Another sigh.

"Only one." Waterspots' voice was almost as quiet. "I also have a prophecy."

Ravenflight sat up very straight at these words, twisting her head around to return her gaze to her old mentor, both anxiety and anticipation in her eyes. "What?" she asked sharply, surveying him with a piercing gaze.

"A golden cat will save the Clan," he quoted softly, staring at the stars, as though longing to join them.

Thinking for a moment, Ravenflight frowned. "But –" she began, but Waterspots cut her off.

"This is as much as I can tell you," he told her gently. "I must go and rejoin my ancestors now." He nudged her affectionately with his head, before fading, like mist, from sight.

The black tabby remained only a few more moments in the grassy landscape, before it started to fade, but even as it did so, she realised that there were only two golden cats in the Clan, and both of them had been apprenticed that day. A strange chill ran down her back and blackness overcame her vision, and Waterspots' prophecy rang in her ears.

A golden cat will save the Clan.

So, short prologue, but I don't want to make prologues too long. They aren't entirely a new chapter, so I don't want to make them chapter-length.
Anyway, tell me what you think (especially you, Storm!) in your review!

Snowfeather signing out.