Dark River/Prologue


 * Below contains in-depth information for the prologue of Dark River. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.
 * Chapter Number: Prologue
 * Page Numbers: 1-5

Chapter Summary
 No Certain POV 


 * A few cats are walking through moorland at twilight. A tabby queen is following a young tom down the hill, and tells him that he is her eldest child; the first to face the ordeal. The tom, Fallen Leaves, protests that he will be fine. One cat mews that he has trained well, but another cuts in and growls that even training can't prepare a cat for rain. Fallen Leaves insists that the sky is clear and he will be fine, despite the other cats' opinions.


 * A few cats wish Fallen Leaves good luck, and Fallen Leaves enters the Cave, noting that only chosen cats could go in. Fallen Leaves' tutor's voice then echoes in his ears from training. Fallen Leaves then sees a pale light and runs towards it, and the sound of rushing water. At the sound of water, Fallen Leaves is confused. Then a rough croak asks if the cat is Fallen Leaves, and he wonders if it is Rock. The ginger and white tom knows, after seeing the rather ugly tom, that this must be Rock. Rock notes that he can feel Fallen Leaves' surprise, and Fallen Leaves begins to apologize, but Rock interrupts, and meows that he did not expect a cat could grow this hideous.


 * Rock then croaks that a cat needs sun and wind to shine his fur and hunting to trim his claws, and Fallen Leaves murmurs thanks to Rock. Rock then shows Fallen Leaves the Stick and explains to him what the marks mean. Rock then gives Fallen Leaves the only advice he can give, and Fallen Leaves promises that he will not die. Rock tells Fallen Leaves a bit more, and asks if it is raining. Fallen Leaves chooses not to tell Rock that there is a chance that it will.


 * Fallen Leaves mews that the sky is clear. Fallen Leaves thinks that he hopes that by dawn he will be a sharpclaw.