A/N: Thank Erin Hunter for the fantastic Warriors Series by supporting the official release!

Prologue: No Way Out?

Shade (Mythical): A ghostly spirit that resides in the underworld.

"I have suffered defeat this day…But I will not be vanquished nor will I quietly drift into the night!"

"I will return. And I will have my revenge!"

"I shall return to set things right and by my otherworldly darkness, I shall cast forth light! Heed me, little worms! The day will come when nothing can stop four from becoming one!"

Tigerclaw's eyes snapped open with dread. He didn't understand any the foreign tongue that had just spoken, but the very air tremored in the wake of the words. The voice had been powerful, beastly, and malevolent. It took few moments of anxious breathing for the tabby to realize that he couldn't see.

The warrior was submerged in pitch blackness and…what was the cool moisture surrounding his paws. It was flowing around them like melted ice. Was he standing in the river? His ears flattened as he realized he was in the midst of another vision. Well, isn't that just grand? Was a little bit of warning so much to ask? Figuring he had nothing to lose, he called out to anyone that would listen.

"Hello? Redtail? StarClan?" He rolled his eyes in pure frustration "Literally any cat!"

To his relief, a surge of stars suddenly sparked to life in front of him, allowing some light to come into the abyss. However, it wasn't Redtail that greeted him this time. The tabby's eyes softened as he recognized the gentle face of the she-cat ThunderClan had lost that very day. "Spottedleaf," he murmured.

The she-cat smiled at the deputy, her yellow eyes as caring and gentle as they were in life. "Hello, Tigerclaw," she purred. "It hasn't been that long but it's still good to see you." All at once, her mirth dropped and was replaced with a mask of mystic stoicism. "Listen, closely for there is something you must know." She said grimly. "You have done well up to now, but the danger has still not been averted."

"I could have told you that myself," Tigerclaw muttered sourly. Fireshade had killed Clawface in cold blood in ThunderClan's attempt to retrieve its stolen kits from the brutal tyrant Brokenstar. As Spottedleaf's murderer, the ShadowClan warrior was nowhere near innocent. But it only took giving into bloodlust once to make everything go awry. Even if Fireshade thought he was the right side of things. The scarred warrior was painfully experienced in that field. He shuddered as the wet chill suddenly crept up to his belly. He looked down and noticed the river was slowly climbing and his eyes widened slightly with alarm.

"Then listen to what I have to say," the former medicine cat urged, seeming not to notice his predicament. "You're fates still hang in the balance." Her eyes closed briefly before they flung open with drastic intensity. "Beware the wraith of the warrior who has been possessed!" She chanted deeply. "Beware the warrior who has been reborn and will seek recompense once his memories return in full!"

"What? Reborn?" Tigerclaw echoed with slight shock. There was a reincarnated warrior among them? He stifled the panic brought by the river to ponder the meaning. It could only have been his former apprentice they spoke of. His sunk his claws in the riverbed to better keep his footing as the stream pushed him a little. In the back of his head he knew he'd wake up fine, but still…

Without so much as a goodbye, Spottedleaf vanished. The deputy wasn't left alone in the blackness for long. Lionheart sparked into being in front of him. His eyes were warm with familiarity. But unlike the she-cat, he didn't waste time on pleasantries. Just as well, the cold black water had begun to reach Tigerclaw's neck. He knew his own amber eyes told Lionheart that he missed him.

"Tigerclaw," he boomed. "You must beware the Shade! Beware the Shade who threatens to remember and cloak himself in righteous sin!" The golden tabby's tone was almost fanatical. "Beware the Shade from ages past and the dangers of its will!" His message rippled the surface of the water.

The dark pelted warrior now had to lift his chin up to avoid drowning, his nose and eyes just barely above the surface. As water began to seep into his lungs and cloud his vision, panic began to seize his body. He frantically began to kick. Despite his situation, he still heard the final chilling message the voices of both his former Clanmates parted onto him.

"Beware the Shade…For the Shade has kin!"

Blazing Souls Volume 2: Cold Lightning

"So here we go,

we're walking on.

Side by side and paw over paw.

I stand to count the disappearing dreams.

And through the fog, my friends are what I see.

You're on the path that you used to know.

But you don't know where to go.

And in the dark as it seems to be that there's another me!

Just let it out, blood thirsty shouts.

You pierce my heart when you let out those awful cries!

Stay with me.

I want you to show me the world through your eyes.

The answer that you wish to see,

I have discovered that it is right inside of me!

I'll learn the Code and reach the age.

We must learn to fly high again!"

-Kawaita Sakebi, "A Yell of Thirst" (Roughly translated lyrics by Shadyvox and others of YouTube fame. Slightly edited by myself to fit the themes.)

A/N: And we have the opening of Volume 2! Hope you're ready for this!

Read, Fav, Follow, Review! Thanks so much for all that you do!

P.S. No, you won't get a song every chapter. Just an Opening and Closing to each volume (or Special).