Dark River/Prologue

==Chapter description==
:A few cats are walking through moorland at twilight. A tabby queen is following a young tom down the hill. She tells him that he is her eldest child and 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 cannot prepare a cat for rain. Fallen Leaves insists that the sky is clear and he will be fine.
:Several of the cats wish Fallen Leaves good luck, and Fallen Leaves enters the tunnels. Fallen Leaves sees a pale light and runs towards it, and is surprised to find an underground river in the cave. Rock, another ancient cat, calls out to Fallen Leaves, who turns to look at him, privately remarking how hideous Rock was. Rock says that he can feel Fallen Leaves' surprise. Fallen Leaves begins to apologize, but Rock interrupts, explaining that a cat needs sun and wind to shine his fur and hunting to trim his claws. Fallen Leaves thanks him for staying underground to watch over their fallen ancestors, to which Rock replies he was simply following the destiny laid out for him. 
:Rock then shows Fallen Leaves the Stick and explains to him that the scratch marks on it represent the cats that have braved the tunnels before, and whether they had made it out alive. Fallen Leaves asks for advice from Rock, yet Rock refuses, insisting Fallen Leaves must escape the tunnels by his instinct alone. Rock suddenly asks if it is raining and Fallen Leaves repeats the sky is clear. Fallen Leaves enters one of the tunnels, hopeful that by dawn he will be a sharpclaw. 
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
es:Río oscuro/Prólogofr:Rivière noire/Prologuenl:Duistere rivier/Voorwoord
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Dark River
Category:Power of Three arc