Starlightlynxes: Stars in the Sky #1: Twilight

~Chapter 8~

Starlight blinked open her eyes. She was in a forest. Not the same one from the dream Storm had described, but different. It looked like it was... glowing. There were little crystals hanging in the air, but they weren't really crystals. They were just reflections.

Something bright flashed, catching her attention. She spun around to see nothing. It was like whatever it was had just disappeared.

"Who's there?" She called. There was no reply, but there was a second flash. "Hello?" She called again, and, of course, no answer. By the third flash she was ready and spun just in time to see... a lynx. Except this lynx-like animal was glowing like the forest.

Star quickly ran after it, paws skimming the ground as she ran full speed. The lynx stopped suddenly and spun around. She looks familiar. Star thought. Out loud she meowed. "Who are you?"

"Don't you recognize me?"

Star tilted her head. "Uh... should I?"

"Right." The other lynx shook her head. "I'm dead. Does that help?"

"Not really..." Star admitted. "But you look familiar."

"You wouldn't really remember me. You were very young when I died."

It was then that Star recognized her. "Larch?"

The lynx nodded. "That's me." She dipped her head in greetings.

Star did the same.

Larch was Star's older sister, who had died a few weeks after Star was born. No one knew how she died, she just came stumbling into camp one night and only could get out a few words before she fell asleep, never to wake again. Star had not been the one to hear her last words, but the three who did, Leaf, Moonsight, and Sky, refused to tell anyone else what she'd said.

"Why am I here?" She asked. "And what is this place?"

"How do you two know each other, and how did you bring her here?" Another lynx padded out of some bushes. He was obviously confused.

"Well, I did tell you I had a sister, didn't I, Fir?" Larch purred.

Fir nodded. "You did."

"This is her. Meet Starlight. Starlight, this is Fir. He was one of the first Starlightlynxes ever."

He dipped his head. "Nice to finally see you. Larch is constantly talking about you."

Star dipped her head in return. One of the first Starlightlynxes ever? Wow. He must've been here for a long time.

"Fir, can you please leave us now? I have something I need to talk to my sister about." Larch questioned.

"Sure." When the tom was out of sight, Larch meowed, "Come with me." She padded away, leaving Star to follow. They climbed up a huge boulder, where Star sat to rest.

"Larch, why did you bring me up here?"

Larch didn't answer.

"Larch?"

Larch blinked slowly. "Through the glowing in the night the path will be light, and the way will be clear. But shadows lurk on every side. Don't make any wrong turns. They could cost you your life, or the lives of others."

"What?" Star shook her head in confusion.

"The lights in the night need to be bright, for a time of darkness is coming."

"Larch," Star protested. "You're scaring me! Please stop."

"It's the truth."

She felt shivers through her back and turned to lick it. But when she turned back she was in the trainees den, sitting up. Larch was gone. The den was peaceful.