[Timbergrowl]

Prologue-

Splashstone's P.O.V.-

The sky blazed with orange and red as the sun began to set, signaling the end of the day. The Breeze wept around him, chilling him to the bone. The tom carefully stepped his way over the crunching leaves, peering out of the undergrowth. A short distance away, a kit lingered near the border, his expression unreadable. His eyes flashed with the setting sun, and still, he simply sat as if waiting.

"What is he doing so close to the border?" The Tom thought. Padding up to the small kit, Splashstone saw that he was a sleek black tom with white paws, tail tip and a flash of white on his chest. As if by some unknown tell the kit raised his head looking directly into Splashstone's silver eyes, making him take a step or two back. Not because he was a stranger, but the unsettling discovery of his eyes.

It was not the usual green, blue, amber, gold, silver, or even the rare purple; But an unnerving blood red.

Shaking the unsettling thoughts Splashstone moved closer to the shivering kit, looking this way and that trying to spot his parents. After what felt like a moon, and without luck of seeing anyone; Splashstone picked the kit up and turned padding back into the forest.

When a sudden pick to his neck stopped him dead in his tracks. Looking down, Splashstone saw the little tom biting into his neck as if it was a tasty thrush or sparrow.

What in StarClan!? He thought.

Eyes filling with horror and terror Splashstone let go of the small body hoping that he'd fall off. When he didn't the grey tabby whipped his body left and right trying unsuccessfully to shake him off.

Splashstone's grey tabby body eventually began to get heavy, his coat losing the sheen and his eyes dulled. It felt like he was dying, like his own life force was draining away. And as his legs began to shake with the strain of standing up, eyes growing sluggish and breath growing ragged, blacking out, Splashstone couldn't help but wonder.

What is happening to me!?