The snowy mountain tops glowed silver in the light of the moon, above, the stars glittered frostily in the dark night sky. At the mountain top, there was a small pool of water which was surrounded by tall reeds and thick brambles. The foliage rustled and parted to reveal an old brown rabbit. He bounded slowly towards the pool and lapped up a few drops before jumping back in surprise. Gazing at the reflection in the pool, he saw sparks of burning embers flying, a cloud of suffocating smoke erupted from the pool and quickly surrounded him. Coughing, the rabbit opened it's eyes and stared in horror. A scarred white wolf stood before him; fangs dripping with blood, half it's face was scarred and fur less. Suddenly, a blazing amber star shot across the sky and a round full moon glowed, the blazing star burst into a million sparks beside the scarred wolf and at once the wolf vanished. The rabbit heard joyful cheers coming from all around him, then smoke engulfed the scene and the rabbit found himself back on the mountain top beside the pool. Trembling, the rabbit slowly sat up and gazed at the night sky. A soft voice whispered beside him; "The rise of the scarred wolf will be no more, follow the Star and the Moon for only they can save you all."

"A prophecy," the rabbit murmured to himself. "There hasn't been one for centuries."

"Dreaming again, Twilight?" A voice asked behind him.

Looking behind him, a tall white-tailed stag looked down at Twilight.

"Not entirely Rushingstream," Twilight replied. "I had a vision."

"Oh really?" Rushingstream said with disbelief. "It would be really surprising if it was, besides, this is not the time to be joking around and making things up, that wolf is stirring up trouble again. He has already wiped out a few populations already."

Twilight stiffened. "Which populations?"

"The White voles, Grey Otter village, the Tribe of the Oak woods and some mountain cat civilisation, I can't remember the name."

"The Dawntreaders ?"

"No, something Viel."

"The Silver Viels?"

"Yes, that's the one. The Silver Viels, poor cats, not a single one survived."

Twilight sighed. "Such murders caused by just one single wolf and a couple of his followers, he must be stopped."

"But how?" Rushingstream asked with worry. "My herd is frightened; each night we all lie down to sleep with fear of that wolf coming at us and possibly wiping us out. I'm afraid that there's no one that can save us from this wolf."

"There is still hope Rushingstream," Twilight told him. "I know that you don't believe in visions and prophecies but my vision has shown me that there is still a way to defeat that wolf; we must find this Star and Moon which my prophecy speaks of and follow them for only they can lead us to victory."

***

A small silver grey kitten struggled feebly through the deep snow, the moon glowing above in the dark night sky. Cold and hungry, it was vulnerable out in the open; easy prey for a fox or a dangerous wolf.

Suddenly, a flash of bright russet fur bounded past. A fox had spotted the kitten. Dropping down low into a hunting crouch, it moved silently towards it's prey. A fearsome screech sounded from above. The fox looked up and saw a pale grey owl, with dark brown spots on it's wing and tail feathers, it swooped down in front of the fox, talons raised and hovered.

"Moonshadow!" The fox growled. "Get out of the way, can't you see that I'm hunting?"

"Leave the creature alone Robintail, find some other prey instead." Moonshadow replied.

"It's the middle of winter,"Robintail retorted. "I'm starving!"

"Everyone's starving," Moonshadow reasoned, "besides, this miserable scrap of fur wouldn't even fill your belly."

"You've found some better prey? Robintail challenged.

Moonshadow paused, then dived down in front of Robintail and snatched something grey and furry from underneath the snow. It was a fat shrew. Robintail stared hungrily at the shrew, his mouth watered. "Deal, I'll leave the tiny thing to you but you'll give me that shrew."

"Very well," Moonshadow agreed calmly, he dropped the shrew at Robintail's paws and landed silently next to the kitten.

"I wasn't expecting that," Robintail said, surprised at how easily he got better prey at an unfair trade," aren't you hungry?"

"We're all hungry but I'll manage." Moonshadow answered," go home, and eat that shrew, or something worse might come along."

"Are you talking about that wolf?" Robintail asked, smirking." It's just gossip and rumors from the far north, he's not going to come anywhere near here after all, there's barely anything here. I'm not surprised you're scared, you're not a full Snowie." Robintail grasped the shrew in his jaws and pelted away.

Moonshadow bristled at Robintail's insult but decided to forget it. Gently, he picked up the kitten in his talons and flew silently through the night. Soaring away from the snowy moorland and drifting through a sudden heavy snowstorm, he soon flew towards a dark pine forest. Carrying the kitten closer to him so that it would get warmer, Moonshadow flitted through the trees and finally arrived in front of a thick-trunked pine tree with an old woodpecker's nest in it, he perched outside the hole and carefully dropped the kitten into the nest. Moonshadow ducked his head and climbed into the nest, careful not to land on top of the kitten.

Moonshadow had recently moved into the old woodpecker nest far away from his old home up in the far north, where the dangerous wolf lived. Fetching a small vole which he had hunted and stored a day ago, he shared it with the kitten. After finishing the vole, they were both still hungry, Moonshadow had lied to Robintail about how well he was managing this winter for fear that the fox might decide to attack him; foxes always go for the weak and hungry. He had also intended to rescue the kitten from an untimely death out of kindness and what he believed to be right. He decided to keep the kitten until it was six months old and fit to travel and defend itself from danger.

"I'll take care of you for a while at least," he promised the kitten,"what should I call you?"

The kitten mewled and lifted a paw towards the sky. Looking up, Moonshadow saw a large star glowing above, there were other stars in the sky but they were smaller than the star the kitten pointed at and they looked like dust specks in comparison.

"Very well, I'll call you Stardust." Moonshadow murmured.