The Eye of Crystal hung high above the world, silver and robed in beams of light. Starfire gazed up into it, thinking about when she first became AlphaLeader. The former Leader of the Silverbark clan had been Fastwind, a bear. He had mysteriously disappeared like many of the other leaders. Starfire had always wondered what happened to the leaders when they disappeared. Fastwind had chosen Starfire as his successor, she was to take his place when he passed on. One morning, she woke up, and he was gone. She knew it was her duty to take his place, and so she immediately stepped up to do so. Still, Starfire wondered what happened to the leaders. She assumed that one day, the same would happen to her, and then she would know. The young fox looked out into the cold night, remembering when Fastwind had taken her under his care so many rises ago. She never knew her parents, but was told they were partials, meaning they weren't completely part of the clan. They came and went as they pleased, telling about the outside world. A Partial had become an AlphaLeader before, though it was rare. Most leaders were from their own clan, or were a partial to their clan, but never before had an AlphaLeader been from a different clan. Or worse, an outsider. Clans were made up of animals, you could be any animal to join a clan. Each clan had a name and a fort that shared the same name. Some clan members drop out of the clans. They sometimes form their own Rebel Clan, or they go and live the life of a loner. Some are good, but most are bad. There were also animals not in a clan. They were called outsiders. As were the humans and the elves. But, no outsiders, human, elf, or animal, were allowed in the Packlands. The Packlands were where clans resided. No one was even sure if the outsiders could even get into the Packlands. But Partials could go between the Packlands and the Outside World. Then, there were the Ranks. Of course, being AlphaLeader, Starfire was of the first rank. But when she first joined the clan, she was fifth rank. You had to be First Rank to be an AlphaLeader, but you didn't have to be an AlphaLeader to be on the First Rank. There were five Ranks altogether. When an animal first joined a clan, they were Fifth Rank. Then, they could slowly work their way up to a First Rank. And the same went if you were born into a clan. Of course, no AlphaLeader had ever had children, or even mated for that matter. If you were an AlphaLeader, you were sworn into leadership, and nothing could stand between you and your duty. That was just the way things were and just the way that they would always be. Starfire missed Fastwind. She wished he were there to help her lead the clan. When he left, the only trace left of him was his Eyyar. A small diamond pendant on a chain. It was said to be made from a shard of a star, and had been passed down to the AlphaLeaders of the Silverbark clan for centuries. Starfire took the small object from her neck, and gazed at it. It was beautiful and it was easy to believe that it had been made from starlight. 

~~

The next evening, Starfire was to give a speech. Everyone was gathered to hear it. A Rebel Clan was moving territories, something that required immediate attention. A moving Rebel Clan meant that there might be war ahead. "We will do what we can to protect our territory, that meaning war or peace." Starfire said. Her eyes shone with the fire of an Alpha and her voice rang with the power of a Leader. The Eyyar of Starlight hung around her neck, glistening in the moonlight. "But Starfire," Hardrock began. "This is the Clan of Blood. Do you not remember what they did to the Starash clan?" The Clan of Blood was the most dangerous of the Rebel Clans. There was a large string of Rebel Clans along the western side of The Blue River, and they were trying to gain the land around the river for themselves. The Clan of Blood had already taken out the Starash Clan a few rises ago.  "Well what do you suggest, Hardrock?" Starfire asked. "I'm not the leader, Starfire. You are." Starfire groaned on the inside. Sometimes it was hard to love the Elder Bear. Couldn't he help her out once!? Just once!? She was barely over fourteen, young to become an AlphaLeader. She sighed. "We must warn the other clans, first." Starfire said, finally. "We will meet with them one rise from now. We can't wait any longer. We will defend our territory afterwards." The members of the clan began to disperse. "Flightbend," Starfire said. "Would you take the message?" She handed the brightly colored bird a piece of dried parchment. "Yes, master." Starfire watched the young bird fly through the air, getting smaller and smaller until he disappeared into the distant, black sky.