Chapter Text
PROLOGUE
A gentle, cool breeze blew across the vast, open plains. The grass swayed to and fro, resembling the waves of the sun-drown-place. Stars filled the sky, each one shining brilliantly against the violet hue of the cosmos. All was quiet here. Not a creature stirred in this seemingly endless field.
That soft, peaceful silence faded as the rustling of the grass came. A tom bearing a soft pelt of orange, raging fire rose slowly from the field. He stood, looking around the endless field that spread out all around him. “Hello?” The ginger tom called out. His voice carried across the field for many tail-lengths, but nothing came in reply. Slowly, he stepped forward as the grass brushed along his pelt. The tom seemed at home with this place, as if he had been here before, but not in a long time.
Then, out of the thinnest of leaf-bare air, appeared a ghostly figure only a few tail-lengths from him. After a few moments, it became more apparent who the figure was. Is it really her? Her blue-gray fur glowed softly in the starlight but was as clear as wisps fog. The ginger tom’s whiskers twitched in happiness at the sight of this she-cat, his old mentor.
“Bluestar,” he froze, staring at the she-cat in shock, “I-I’ve missed you...so much”
Bluestar’s muzzle softened at the sight of the ginger tom, greeting him with a gentle purr, “Hello, Firestar.” The two cats held their gaze for a few moments longer. Bluestar had been ThunderClan’s previous leader and Firestar’s mentor back when he was known as Firepaw. She later made him her deputy after their previous one, Tigerclaw, had led a band of rogues with the goal of trying to overthrow her. By then he was named Fireheart, a true, loyal warrior of ThunderClan. Bluestar had sacrificed herself to save Fireheart from a pack of dogs they had been trying to get rid of, leading to Fireheart becoming the new ThunderClan leader, Firestar.
It had been moons since he had last spoken with her in a dream. She had been received by StarClan and spoke to him before, but he still felt a pain in his heart when his memories of her came back.
“Why so sad?” She tilted her head to one side, still wearing a gentle expression.
Firestar took a few paw-steps forward, stopping a tail-length away. “I…It’s been so hard, Bluestar.” His legs felt as if they wanted to give way beneath him, but he held himself up.
Bluestar’s eyes softened at his confession. Firestar had always been one to hide his pain. “I know. I’ve been watching over you for many moons. You have made me proud time and time again. It was a large task to follow Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight, wasn’t it?”
A soft purr came from the leader, “Yes, yes it was.” Firestar looked down at his paws, his muscles relaxed as he looked back on how brave his daughter had been. Squirrelflight had done so much through the hardships the Clan had to endure. His body tensed slightly at the thought of the ones that hadn’t made it.
Bluestar seemed to notice the ginger tom’s expression as she spoke, “The ones you lost are here, Firestar. They are happy to be with their ancestors.”
There was a moment of silence before Firestar raised his eyes to meet Bluestar’s gaze. He spoke calmly, “You didn’t bring me here for a friendly chat, did you?”
“No, I did not. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you,” Bluestar went on, “I have news for you, not another prophecy of destruction, but one that…will be quite surprising.”
Firestar stood taller, understanding this was something rather important despite not being dangerous. “What is it?” He mewed in confusion.
“It’s nothing to be afraid of, Firestar.” Her head turned and her gaze fixed to something off distance. Bluestar’s eyes gave no indication of fear or anxiety. Firestar curiously followed her gaze. A figure slowly began to appear out of thin air, just as Bluestar had moments before. This figure was different, however. It was tall, fearless, and…Firestar realized with a shiver that ran down his spine. His fur bristled on end as he stared at the familiar shape.
“A t-twoleg?” Firestar gasped. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Why in the name of StarClan was Bluestar showing him a twoleg? What reason could there be for this?
Bluestar let out a mrrow of laughter at the cat’s reaction. “Oh, Firestar,” She turned her gaze to the anxious cat, “This is what I wanted to show you. This is why I am here right now.”
Confusion overtook Firestar. He knew it was just a dream sent by StarClan, but the idea of being near a twoleg would never be easy. It had been seasons since his kittypet days. Firestar tried to find the right words but all that came out was, “Why?”
“In the sunrises to come, a warrior from a Clan, if not you yourself, will come across a twoleg. StarClan has been waiting for uncountable seasons for one that was promising enough.”
“Promising enough for what?” Firestar was doing his best to stay composed. He knew StarClan had a good reason, but a twoleg? What could possibly be beneficial about a twoleg, especially after what they had just escaped from.
“Promising enough to befriend the Clans,” Bluestar answered. Firestar looked at her in utter shock, but he stood up straight, his fur slowly flattening as she continued, “Twolegs have always been hated in the Clans since our ancestors met them. I myself am guilty of it.”
“We’ve always had good reasons though,” Firestar interrupted.
Bluestar’s gentle expression didn’t falter. “Yes, especially recently,” She went on, “But a twoleg as an ally has always been in the minds of StarClan, it just took some time to find the right one.”
Firestar looked on at his old leader in shock, confusion, and maybe even a little fear. “But…how do you expect us to understand it?”
“That will be handled by StarClan. I myself can’t quite explain it but just trust us like you always have. I promise you, Firestar, that this twoleg will not harm ThunderClan. It will be a close ally to you. Trust in your ancestors, Firestar”
Firestar’s mind teemed with questions about the twoleg, but he knew his time with Bluestar was coming to an end for now. The routine had always been the same. He gave a simple nod to Bluestar and watched as she began to fade away. “Will I see more of you in the future?”
Bluestar let out a soft purr of amusement, “Maybe, Firestar. It depends on what is to come.” Then she was gone just as she had appeared. Her figure slowly drifted away in wisps of stardust. As he stared upon the glow of Silverpelt, the world around Firestar slowly closed in, leaving only himself and his own thoughts in complete and utter darkness.