How It All Began
It all started with six cats. The cats were called Beckon, Spire, Echo, Twig, Splash, and Crimson. They received the same mysterious dream on the night of the full moon.
A cat, seemingly made of stars, appears in front of you in a clearing of ferns. The moon glows bright above you. The celestial cat walks closer until it is standing right in front of you. It touches it's nose to your forehead. Suddenly, the light of the galactic cat grows until it's blinding and you can only see the light.
The light fades and you're in front of a strange abandoned structure. Something in your head tells you it was once called a church. Suddenly you're zooming through the church, down some dark stairs, through a glowing tunnel, into a strange place flooded with water, then through a hole in the wall, into a glowing watery cavern, finally coming to a stop in front of a glowing waterfall.
The waterfall's glow intensifies until it's blinding, just like the cat made of stars.
When the six cats woke from this dream, the moon was high in the sky. The stars and moon shone much brighter than normal. The strange dream left each cat with an unusual sense of loss and a deep longing for the place they had seen. They felt compelled to find it.
So each set off to find the place. They all arrived at the same time. There was a bit of hostility at first but once they discovered they were there for the same reason, they got over it and set forth to find the waterfall together.
The journey through the underground workings of the abandoned church was strange, to say the least. It felt like it took moons to make it, but it was only an hour.
They reached the cavern and swam across to the waterfall. They drank from the falls and fell asleep and into another dream.
They opened their eyes to see the same clearing of ferns as last time, except all six were here. They were confused at first but the cat made of stars appeared and spoke to them.
"Do not be afraid." She said in a melodic, echoing voice, "You are not dreaming. You are in the Spirit Realm, the place where a cat's spirit lives on in peace after it dies. I am Night Sky. The ruler of the Spirit Realm. I summoned you all here for a reason."
She looked to the moon shining above her, then looked back at the six mortal cats gathered before her. "But first, I must tell about the Place of Spirits." she said, "The Place of Spirits is the abondoned church you traveled to to get here. It is the bridge between the Mortal Realm, your world, and my Realm. Any cat who travels it's underground catacombs and drink from the Spirit's Tears Waterfall, like you all did, will be allowed to communicate with the Spirits and walk in my Realm."
"Now. Twig. Splash. Spire." She looked to the three in question, "Come closer."
So they did. Twig, a stocky brown cat. Splash, a lithe cream tabby cat. And Spire, a large grey cat.
"You three have the makings of great leaders. So that's what you'll be." Night Sky smiled down at them, "You'll each lead a clan of cats in your own separate territories." She went on to tell them of the purpose of the Clans, the Warrior Code, what it meant to be a respectable cat to earn their place in the Spirit Realm.
Then she addressed the three separately.
"Twig." She looked to the brown tom, "You are kind at heart, accepting, and strong-willed. As well as adaptable and dependable. These should be the values you carry on to teach your Clan."
She bowed her head to him. When she looked up again, her eyes where glowing and so were Twig's. "You will lead Marsh Clan and reside in the marshes."
Twig was seeing visions of the territory and his Clan's future through Night Sky's power.
"I have faith in you." She said as their eyes returned to normal. He bowed his head.
"Splash." She smiled at the cream colored molly, "You are quick-witted and a good problem-solver. As well as swift and durable. You will teach these trait to your Clan members."
She bowed her head to the molly and when their eyes met again, they were glowing white. "You will lead Dune Clan and live among the dunes on the sea shore."
Through Night Sky's power, Splash was receiving visions of her territory and Dune Clan's future.
"I believe in you." Night Sky spoke, and their eyes fades back. The cream molly bowed her head.
"Spire." She spoke as she turned to the grey shecat, "You are strong with a fiery spirit. Natural-born fighter and protector. I expect you to teach these things to your Clan."
Then she bowed her head to the grey cat and lifted it, both with glowing eyes. "You will lead Stone Clan and make your home in the stone ruins past the shore."
Spire was looking at visions of the territory and her Clan's future with Night Sky's power.
"I expect great things from you." The celestial cat told her as the visions faded. The large grey cat bowed her head.
Then the galactic cat spoke to all three again.
"When you return to the Mortal Realm, travel to your new homes and begin building your Clans. On the next Full Moon, return to the Place of Spirits and visit me again. On that day I will grant you the name and nine lives of a true leader, but only if you've done well."
With that, she turned to the other three cats and walked to them. Echo, a tall black cat. Beckon, an elegant cinnamon tabby cat. And Crimson, a striking calico cat.
"Echo, Beckon, and Crimson." She spoke to them. "You will be known as Spirit Walkers and you'll make the Place of Spirits your home. You will be able to see the Spirits when they visit the Mortal Realm and travel freely to the Spirit Realm. As well as communicate with the Spirits. You'll act as guides and messengers of the Spirit Realm. And as peacekeepers for the Clans."
At last, she turned to address all six again.
"Go now, and live your destinies." Night Sky bowed her head to them all and dissipated into the air.
The six cats awoke, stretched their limbs, and began the journey back to the church.
