The Ending
Wintrystar had turned in early the night before the New Years Day festival. Tomorrow would be the eve of the event and all cats would be up the whole night to celebrate and sleep in late the first day of the new year. The sovereign would need all the sleep she could get to get through the next two days of celebration. It's the only festival that lasts two days since it is celebrated starting on the last day of the year and into the morning of the new one.

It has been a long year of trying times and joyful experiences, of wars and new homes, of love and loss. Each cat has gained and lost something in this year, but as a whole, the clan has done well. While they were forced to leave their old camp and move higher into the mountains, they have been blessed by the Lord Borealis with their home and its safety. He has given them much even in times of loss. They may have lost in the war against DayClan and the Regime, but they came out still in one piece and were thankful for that much. Stepping into the new year, WinterClan would have an alliance in SummerClan, a deal sealed with the marriage of Wintrystar's son Reapingnight to the leader Sunstar, and a good note to greet the beginning of a new chapter with.

Settling into her nest beside her mate, the sovereign -- the ice queen -- found sleep easily. Even with one of her sons far away in another clan, the she-cat could admit that the year was ending on a good note and she was content with her life in this moment. For a time, she slept peacefully before the dream struck her. It began as an evening with her family, all her kits gathered around including Reapingnight, before shifting into something completely different.


The Dream
The scenery surrounding Wintrystar melted, dissolving into black and white colors. The sky overhead blackened with only the color of the yellow moon above remaining vibrant. Suddenly the moon transformed into a yellow cats eye. "Perfect family you have," Came Yellowmoon's voice, observing the frozen in place image of Wintrystar's family.

"I have great news for you," She sang out, a second eye opening as a slow smile spread across the sky. The body of the cloudy grey sky moved, forming the body of a cat in the night. "I have secured you a nice little creek below your territory. Forged with all of the power you could desire. It will empower Lord Borealis, your clan members, everything is about to change once you find those shining waters beneath your territory."


The New Beginning
The scene shifted again before Wintrystar could respond, before she could even question who this cat was or why she was receiving this information. The sovereign had questions and no answers, the world coming into focus once more as she began to wake. A brief whisper echoed in her ears as she blinked her eyes open, whispering the words as though compelled to do so. "Shining water...." Wintrystar sat up in her den, the noise from camp reaching her ledge and pulling her further from the strange dream and into the new day.

Already the clan was bustling with energy, buzzing with talk and excitement at the day to come. A day full of celebration and partying. The New Year's Day Festival was known as an all day celebration, a party that lasts far into the night and welcomed the new year and new possibilities. Prayers and well wishes would be said to the fallen, a brief exchange before the true partying would start. Stepping down off her ledge and into the chaos, Wintrystar welcomed the atmosphere and joy and excitement. There were different tasks to be done but many were more concerned about one task in particular before the true party started.

4Some cats would be traveling further into their cavern that made up the camp in search of new crystals to replace their current ones as this was the only day to replace your personal ranking crystal as it was unlucky and superstitions prevented it from happening at any other time. It was thought you could only get a new one each year, a new beginning in a way and to do so at another time was wishing bad luck upon yourself. While crystals were changed during the ceremonies throughout the year, they were recycled ones as new ones for your rank could only be collected and worn on the night of the new year. It was a superstitious thing, but it was thought to bring good luck and a prosperous new start to the year.

Already there was a group descending into the tunnel that branched off from camp from the clearing into the tunnels and pathways of the mountain and beyond. But would they only find crystals, or was there something more to find?