Ruby

Ruby soared through the crisp morning air, her wings catching the golden rays of dawn. Below her stretched an endless carpet of emerald treetops, their leaves dancing in the gentle breeze. Her heart ached as she thought of RiverClan, the home she was leaving behind. The familiar rushing waters and silver fish that had once been her daily comfort now felt like distant memories.

But she knew her path lay elsewhere. ShadowClan's territory beckoned to her from the horizon, where dark pines rose like sentinels against the brightening sky. They needed her now more than ever. The signs had been clear - the whispers in the wind, the troubling dreams that haunted her sleep, and the urgent messages carried by traveling cats all pointed to the growing darkness that threatened to overwhelm ShadowClan.

As she flew higher, Ruby caught glimpses of the changing landscape below. The lush riverbank forests gradually gave way to marshland, where mysterious mists curled between weathered tree trunks. The air grew heavier here, thick with the scent of pine needles and damp earth. This would be her new home, she realized, where her true destiny awaited.

Ruby tucked her wings closer, descending in a graceful spiral toward the ShadowClan border. The weight of her decision pressed upon her shoulders like a heavy stone, but her resolve remained unshaken. Sometimes the hardest choices were the right ones, and deep in her heart, she knew this journey would change not only her life but the fate of many others.

The first rays of sunlight pierced through the pine branches, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor below. As Ruby prepared to land, she sent a silent prayer to her ancestors: "Guide my paws on this new path. Help me bring hope to those who need it most."

Her talons had barely touched the damp earth when movement caught her eye. A dark shape burst from the undergrowth – a large tabby tom with thick, shaggy fur that stuck out at all angles. His muscles rippled beneath his bushy pelt as he charged toward her, yellow eyes blazing with suspicion and hostility.

A name flickered through Ruby's mind like a sudden flash of lightning: Raggedpelt. The young warrior who destiny had marked for greatness – she had seen him in her visions, wearing the mantle of leadership as Raggedstar. But that was yet to come.

Before the aggressive tom could collide with her, Ruby raised one wing in a peaceful gesture. Her voice rang out clear and calm across the clearing, carrying an authority that made him skid to a halt.

"At ease, little cat," she said, her eyes gleaming with gentle amusement at addressing the massive warrior as 'little.' "I've come to speak with Cedarstar. Your clan needs my help, whether you know it yet or not."

Raggedpelt's tail lashed violently behind him, his fur bristling with anger and distrust. "We don't need a stranger's help," he spat, curling his lip to reveal sharp teeth. His nose twitched as he caught her scent on the breeze. "And you reek of RiverClan!" His eyes narrowed to suspicious slits as recognition dawned on his face. "You must be that traitor dragon everyone's been talking about!"

Ruby let out a weary sigh, her crimson scales gleaming in the filtered sunlight. "I am," she admitted, her voice carrying a weight of resignation. "But I'm here to help. Trust me now, please - take me to your leader. I'd rather not burst into your camp uninvited and give your elders heart attacks." Her red tail swished through the undergrowth, stirring fallen leaves as she waited for his response.

Raggedpelt's hiss cut through the air like a claw. "Fine," he growled, turning sharply toward a dense wall of thorns. He ducked into a narrow tunnel, his bushy tail disappearing into the shadows.

Ruby glanced at the cramped entrance and made a quick decision. Rather than squeeze her massive form through the thorny passage, she bunched her muscles and leaped, spreading her wings just enough to sail over the barrier. She landed in the middle of the ShadowClan camp with a heavy thud that sent several cats scrambling for cover.

"Watch it!" squeaked a startled apprentice who had barely avoided being squashed beneath her talons. Warriors sprang back, their fur bristling, while queens hurriedly herded their kits toward the nursery. The peaceful afternoon had erupted into chaos with her dramatic arrival.

A commanding yowl cut through the confusion as Cedarstar burst from his den, his thick gray fur standing on end. "Who are you and what do you—" His challenge died in his throat as Ruby stretched her long neck forward, touching her snout gently to his forehead. His eyes widened, blazing with sudden understanding as her consciousness brushed against his, sharing not just her name but visions of why she had come – the darkness approaching, the threats to his Clan, and her role in their survival.

The tension drained from Cedarstar's body, his fur settling flat against his sides. A look of recognition and relief washed over his features. "It's good to see you, Lady Ruby," he murmured, dipping his head respectfully. "We didn't think you would come."

A warm smile spread across Ruby's scaled face, her eyes glowing with fierce determination. "I will never let this forest go dark, Cedarstar," she promised, her voice ringing with conviction across the clearing. "You can trust me on that." Her words carried the weight of an ancient oath, and even the most suspicious cats in the gathered crowd seemed to sense the power of her pledge.

Ruby then rose to her full height, unfurling her magnificent wings until they stretched from the warriors' den to the nursery. The sun caught her scales, casting crimson patterns across the gathered cats below as she stood silhouetted against the bright sky. Her voice thundered through the clearing, carrying both power and warmth.

"ShadowClan," she announced, her words echoing off the camp walls, "I am Ruby, the last dragon of the old Valyria line. I am here to help you." Her serious demeanor cracked as she folded her wings back and playfully nudged Cedarstar's belly with one talon, drawing startled gasps from some of the watching cats who had never seen their dignified leader treated so casually. "This cat will allow me to stay," she added with a hint of mischief in her voice. "Any questions are allowed."

The gathered clan cats exchanged uncertain glances, some still bristling with suspicion while others looked on with wonder. A brave apprentice's tail twitched with barely contained curiosity, while Raggedpelt watched from the shadows, his expression unreadable.

Then, from among the crowd, a small white figure emerged. His snow-white pelt seemed to glow in the dappled sunlight that filtered through the pine branches above, and his ice-blue eyes held a mix of terror and fascination. Each step was hesitant, his paws trembling slightly as they touched the ground, but something stronger than fear drew him forward.

Ruby's expression softened as she gazed down at the young cat. She lowered her massive head, bringing it level with the apprentice, her crimson scales catching the light like newly spilled blood. Her eyes, glowing with ancient wisdom, met his nervous blue ones. "What can I do for you, little Cloudpaw?" she asked, her voice gentle as summer rain.

The apprentice's white fur quivered like frost-covered grass in a breeze. His tail wrapped tightly around his paws as he struggled to find his voice. "I-I..." he began, his words catching in his throat. He shook his head, sending ripples through his pristine pelt, before finally gathering his courage. "Why are you here?" The words tumbled out in a rush, gaining strength as he continued. "Dragons—dragons are supposed to be dead. The elders say they vanished seasons upon seasons ago, before even the oldest elder's elder was born."

The clearing fell silent, every cat holding their breath as they waited for Ruby's response. Even the wind seemed to pause its whisper through the pine needles above.

The clearing fell silent, every cat holding their breath as they waited for Ruby's response. Even the wind seemed to pause its whisper through the pine needles above.

A gentle smile curved across Ruby's scaled face as she extended one massive talon – each curve larger than the apprentice's entire paw – and delicately touched it to Cloudpaw's forehead. The white apprentice froze for a moment, then relaxed as he felt the surprising warmth radiating from her touch.

"The dragons are dead," she said softly, an ancient sorrow threading through her voice like autumn mist. Her eyes grew distant, seeing memories no cat could share. "My family died just before I came here to the forest." Her tail swished through the pine needles, creating soft rustling patterns in the camp's silence. "But I am here to protect this forest from the dangers that are coming. I don't want to hurt anyone."

Breaking from the solemn moment, Ruby turned her attention to Cedarstar, her scales catching the light as she moved. "I will be sleeping outside the camp, if that's alright," she said practically. "None of the dens you have here are big enough for me." A touch of amusement crept into her voice as she added, "I did the same when I was in RiverClan. Their warrior den wasn't exactly built with dragons in mind."

Cedarstar's whiskers twitched with dry humor. "Sure," he replied, his voice carrying the casual authority of a leader who had seen many strange things in his time. "You may join hunting and border patrols. You might as well be useful for something while you're here." His tone was gruff but not unkind, and there was a glimmer of respect in his eyes as he regarded the massive creature before him.

Ruby dipped her head in acknowledgment, her movements fluid and graceful despite her size. With a powerful push of her legs, she launched herself skyward, clearing the camp's barrier in one smooth leap. The watching cats gasped as her massive wings caught the air, sending ripples of shadow across the clearing. As she disappeared into the pine forest, her crimson scales flashed one last time in the sunlight, like dying embers against the deepening green of the ShadowClan territory.

Some cats swore they could hear her wing beats long after she vanished from sight, while others claimed they saw her settling into a large clearing not far from camp, her massive form curling around the base of an ancient pine tree like a living guardian of the forest.