Darkfinch's Story - Chapter 18

The 2 cats padded away from the camp, when finally Cinderstar spoke, "Darkpaw I would like to make you a warrior but first I need to assess your skills. Please smell and hear for anything that is unusual." Darkpaw nodded and hared away until he reached a small clearing. Then he fell into a hunting crouch and stalked forward until he saw a cat bending over a pool of water. The cat looked up she heard them enter the clearing. Cinderstar nodded impressed. "Very good Darkpaw," commented Cinderstar. "Darkpaw?" asked the cat finally speaking. Darkpaw nodded. The cat stared at Darkpaw for a moment before bending and staring once more into the depths of the pool. Cinderstar spoke up. "Who are you, and why are you in our territory?" "Our?" the cat asked glancing between Cinderstar and Darkpaw with wide eyes. "Yes, why?" growled Cinderstar. They cat didn't answer though just stared once more in into the pool. "Who are you?" Cinderstar asked again. The cat still ignored them both even when Cinderstar said, "I am the leader of Nightclan. You are on Nightclan territory and I demand you tell me why you are here." Still the cat did not look up once. The only time the cat looked up again was when Darkpaw stepped forward and said, "If you don't tell us why you are here we are going to be forced to drive you away." Then the cat looked up and said, "Can't you read the signs? The moon hasn't  been full for months yet the forest is oblivious to the coming disaster." "Disaster what disaster?" asked Cinderstar. "The forest hasn't seen the moon for long years. Yet even in the clans home they cannot see the full moon. The moon hasn't been full for many months now. The full moon is supposed to come every month yet it hasn't for at least a year. Now in the forest for the first time the moon has shone upon a single cat. The cat that owns the fire flower of Ruby. It is a legendary flower that belonged to the great ruler of the cats Ruby. She led over her cats for a few years, before a cat was able to take the flower from her but not before she had pounced on them and the flower had been sent soaring into a river where it dissolved. Many of the cats the forest don't believe it exists any more, until the newest warrior in the forest, matched with the star Coxa found it earning their rightful place." With that the cat turned and stared into the pool again. "Coxa? The sacred flower? What is this?" asked Cinderstar.