The sky was dark and heavy with unspent snowflakes. The forest floor was clear of flakes....for now. Dawn light radiated the darkness. Five felines swaggered into a clearing, with a single pool of untame water. As if the cats triggered it, the clouds gave away, and cold snow fell in little flourishes.

"Where is Giz? Surely, you know Moon," a battle scarred tom asks. His pure black fur ruffled against the bitter wind. His amber eyes glowed with hard memories.

Moon rolled her eyes. She answered in a mocking tone of voice," My mate Simi said, he was on his way. Knowing Giz, he will be late." She sounded bored and restless. Then her tail swished to the trees to her left and murmured smugly," ah there he is. Fashionably late I see. Making a statement?"

Gizmo brushed off her comments, and sat down by the pure black tom cat.

" Evening Bar Bar." Giz greeted. Bar Bar, the black tom, just dipped his head in reply. Mist, another one from the group, watched Giz with a hint of longing in her blue gaze. Mist hoped he noticed her yet, she didn't.

Moon's mate Simi, purrs breaking the silence," Welcome, what's was the hold up?" The snow lands on his nose, he sneezes, waiting for his friends reply.

" Felis was asking about Death." Giz offers up grimly, eyeing their reactions.

ALL the cats' fur ruffled, and they hiss," Death! That good for nothing cat...." Giz caught the eye of his best friend Snowflame, a white tom with blazing amber eyes, who growled lowly in the back of his throat. He knew Snowflame had a personal war against Death the cat....he took Snowflame 's mother and .....probably this minute  torturing her.

" Yes, the cat. So, Bar Bar why are we here?" Giz mutters,  trying to defuse the charged moment.

Bar Bar, the battle scarred veteran purrs," look at the water, it'll explain itself. " Bar Bar chuckled with a slight purr in his voice.

He gracefully flicked in a light glowing blue stone in the water, with the tip of his paw. The stone caused the water to ripple, and an image of a pretty seventeen year old girl with black streaked with blonde hair, tanned skin and bright green eyes lit up the once dull looking water. She had an bag of arrows on her back and her bow is taint, ready to fight. On her side, was an balanced sword. She obviously belonged in the royal family, due to her crest labeled on her jacket. The image was still. A mere picture.

Then Bar Bar rolls in a purple glowing rock and the image on the water sprang to life.

The girl crept forward. She ran to the woods. Now, she was deep in the dark, swirling forest of secrets. A noise caught her attention and she lifted her bow and she swiftly darted her eyes to the noise. There. A young buck nibbling on some tall underbrush. The woman silently, almost cat like, darts forward, and lets her arrow fly. It, of course, hits it target head on.

The buck staggered and then landed on its side with a low moan. It died seconds later. But a new kind of howl echoes through the forest. The girl started toward the buck but the angry howl stopped her in her tracks.

She swiftly sank back into the dimming swirling shadows. A female snow wolf crept out of a oak trees sheltering darkness. Two males followed her out of the foliage. They followed the female's very paw steps.

The girl froze and then quickly drew her bow. But then she CHANGED. A flash of white lightning radiated the clearings brightness levels. The pond screen showed merely a white light blinding the viewing felines. When the water cleared, instead of the girl, a gray canine,to be exact a wolf stood there.

The two male wolves caught the girl/wolf's enchanting green flashing eyes. They began to swoon like school girls. The she-wolf snaps in a cold frigid tone, " stop mooning Jay! You're MY mate, or did you forget?" Her eyes darkened with anger and pain.

The male Jay had addressed, didn't hear her or see her pain and bitterness. His black fur ruffled importantly, as he stared at the new wolf. The other tom named Mud for his filthy brown coat, snapped out of it through.

Mud growled from deep in his throat, " who are you? Your on wolf pack territory! On Swirl's land."

The new wolf/girl barks and rolls her eyes," who is this Swirl you speak of?" Taking on a wolf personality. Her eyes danced with amusement.

The she-wolf couldn't take it any longer and snarls," I AM! YOU KILLED THAT BUCK on MY LAND!!"

The girl\ wolf asks drily," mm hate to be rude..... do I care?"

Jay laughs softly, making his fur around his muzzle shiver. Swirl gave him a death filled look.

" You know, dumb PACKless mutt of a wolf.... I smell no pack scent on you. You should care if you had a third of a brain. Your out numbered. Did you betray your pack? Is that why your out here in your own?" Swirl rudely grumbles and inquires. Her green eyes met the other female,adding threats to her eyes, they were as sharp as daggers.

Jay jumps out of his mooning, to be astonished at his mate's attitude. So as any self respecting male, he leaps to the newcomer wolf's defense.

"Swirl.....hon...babe...love... she has rights. Your a fair wolf and leader. Just let it go. She doesn't have a quarrel with you, she is just an outcast. No threat to us and the pack. Just looking for a next meal." Jay pleads, buttering up his mate, knowing she loved, I mean loved, compliments.

But this time, it didn't smooth the waters, so to speak. She mutters in Jay's ears," you just like her. Besides, it's my JOB to take care of UN-wanted stray outcasts." Her blue eyes flash with indignant.

Jay and Mud were astonished at their leader's snotty tone. Usually she was clear headed. Jay dipped his head with mock respect.

" Attack!" Swirl barks crisply ending the discussion. Jay and Mud hesitantly shifted into attacking stance.

Out of the blue,heavy paw steps thundered. Four wolves.... all males.....
"Swirl! Trouble the wolf has come. He says it's an important life or death situation. Pack related." The bulkier wolf informs Swirl in a swift dip of respect to her line/rank of power.

"Fine! Wolf keep the buck but if I ever and I mean ever see you even looking over the border....your pelt will line my nest." Swirl sharply threatened. Without waiting for the loner to reply she stalked off with a swagger to her walk. Her pack members follow her with worship in their eyes.

The loner wolf's gaze followed the pack till it was a mere speck in the distance of fur.

Poof! The lightning flashed again blinding the pond screen portal. When it cleared.... the girl stood there dazed and confused what had happened.

The image paused....frozen in the pool.

Giz snaps angry at the pausing of the screen," hey! What?! It just stopped suddenly." Giz was unable to hold back his sass. He wanted to see more of the woman. She perked his interest.

Bar Bar meows, amused at Giz's outburst," that's just the end of the  insight. What....do you like her?"
Bar Bar's eyes widen and flashed with laughter.

Mist, the pale gray she-cat who was hopelessly in love with Giz, growled deep in her throat at Bar Bar's accusations. She finally glanced at her beloved with a brooding curiousness, trying to engage his mood. 'Could Bar Bar be right?' She thought, her heart twisting; dreading the answer.

Giz ignored Bar Bar's jab. He merely thought to himself in a feverish way,' I wonder what she looks like a cat....' Snowflame was thinking of the same thing. Toms...eye roll.

Bar Bar flicked his tail as if casting off the subject. He was convinced anyway Giz liked the woman, so he didn't need to press the point.

"Anyways, moving on.... What does this have to do with my family?" Moon inquires, her eyes heavy and wary. She sweeps her kits, Jynx and Night closer to her, protecting them from the fast falling flakes.

" Kat... that's her name... she is part feline so her pull to us is stronger than any other species. Her mother was Felis' daughter....don't ask....long story. The four of you: Jynx, Night, Simi, you and an orphan named Jarad whose  parents died a week ago... will go and protect her from Death and any danger that arises."Bar Bar explains and stares at each of the cats he named. Jarad dipped his head catching the eye of Jynx who blushed under his gaze. Moon's darkens and her mate Simi breathlessly growls," what does that traitor want with Kat?"

Bar Bar's gaze saddened and grew angry. The two emotions fought for dominance. He finally answers Simi 's out burst his voice strong and without emotions, only his eyes gave him away, " power. He wants her power. To make him the most powerful. He wants to use it to bargain for the whole cat world.... Also his master Murderous ordered it so."

Mist stood up causing the snow to crackle like firecrackers. She demands somewhat touched by Bar Bar's speech," how...w do we fit into the picture? We being Giz, Snowflame, and I. Why have we been brought here?"

Bar Bar sighed as if he was hoping it won't come up. But he plunged on and evenly meows," if Death gets his way, there will be a quest to save the the many worlds. The Quest of The Stone. That's all I'm classified to say." His eyes shine as he stares at the still image of the dazed Kat.

Mist nods," so we will be called to join this 'quest'?"

" Yes... all of you will. If you wish. You are all of Lord Felis ' s best warriors. If ....if it happens. Perhaps it won't ."
All in different forms they agreed to it. Either nods, yeahs, and I will join filled the crisp air.

"Moon, Simi, Jynx and Night do you accept the role of protecting Kat? Jarad has already agreed."

The ones named shared a quick glance almost noticeable...lightning fast one could say. Then they as one nodded..."Yes of course." Moon says out loud.

Bar Bar gave Simi a clover. " It's for Kat. So she can control her powers. " seeing Simi's puzzled look. " Well that's all settled. You all know how to flash?" (Flashing was a skill where you could teleport anywhere in seconds. Even wonder where you cat went when you swore he was there ten seconds before? When the door was closed.... and they couldn't go anywhere. And the reappear later? That's where they went....)

Simi nods. After that, the meeting breaks up, the cats left with only snowy paw prints as the evidence of the late night meeting...

****Hi, guys. Feel free to like and comment. I'll try to reply back. I work hard on the books, so they can be the thing you look forward to after a hard day. I abide by the golden rule, if you follow me, I follow back. As a writer feedback is important, so don't be a silent reader, like and comment. Don't be shy.....I don't bite....
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