Moon

Chapter One- Departure

By Snowcloud

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Warriors o-o

-This is centered on the time of the prophecy cats about to go to the mountains-

Squirrelpaw squinted her eyes, and made out the shape of Purdy standing next to a tree.

"Purdy!" She called out happily.

Crowpaw rolled his eyes. The ginger apprentice ignored him.

"And I thought you'd never come back," He mewed huskily. "Great StarClan! There's a badger behind you. Let me deal with it, I know a few fighting moves."

Squirrelpaw's eyes glimmered with amusement.

"This is Midnight, our friend."

"You can't trust a badger!" Purdy grumbled. "Well, we better get a move on. Those Upwalker places are hard to navigate through in the night."

"What about mountains?" Midnight suggested wistfully, glancing at the large sky-scraping stones.

"Yes, I think the mountains would be much better," Brambleclaw agreed thoughfully.

Crowpaw nodded his head, but Purdy's eyes widened in fear.

"You ain't thinking bout' them mountains!" He argued.

Midnight cut him off with a growl, and Feathertail looked upset at the threat.

"Those big cats up there," Purdy mumbled. "So called Sharptooth could swallow you in a second!"

Stormfur rolled his eyes, but then he noticed that Midnight was bristling.

"No!" She growled. "You supposed to go mountains!"

"Why should we?" Crowpaw challenged.

Midnight sighed.

"StarClan is not only prophecy giver." She said.

Feathertail shot Tawnypelt a confused glance. Brambleclaw narrowed his amber eyes. He could sense that something was important about this "other prophecy".

"One of us is going to die there, right?" He suddenly blurted out.

Midnight took a shocked step back.

"How you know?" she finally said.

No one answered her question.

"Is it true?" Squirrelpaw asked, her eyes full of concern.

Midnight paused.

"Yes," she whispered under her breath. "Feathertail will die there."

Crowpaw's head shot up.

"Never!" He snarled. "I would do anything to protect her!"

He curled his smoky black tail over the silver cat protectively. Stormfur's eyes narrowed as Squirrelpaw stood up, fur bristling.

"But you have to go," Midnight said sadly. "Many cats die if you not go."

Feathertail bent her head. Stormfur could see that she was debating whether to go or not.

Of course she wouldn't be that mouse-brained! But he knew his sister; she cared for everyone.

"You can if you want," he murmered quietly.

"Are you stupid?" Crowpaw spat furiously back.

Then he turned to Feathertail, and gave her a look of sadness. The slender RiverClan cat hesitated. Hope sparked in Stormfur, brighter then the sun. Maybe Crowpaw could change her mind.

"No, I will not go." Feathertail finally mewed.

Squirrelpaw let out a sigh of relief.

Midnight looked crestfallen, and shame burned at the ginger apprentice's ears. Were they really that selfish? She comforted herself, thinking that if they went into the mountains, it would take too much time.

"Well then, let's get a move on." Purdy mewed, breaking the silence.

The six cats fell into place behind their guide.

Crowpaw's tail rested his tail lightly on Feathertail. The she-cat beamed. Stormfur let out a hiss of annoyance. But then his gaze turned Squirrelpaw. He knew he would do the same thing if he were close enough. Did he really have any right to judge his sister?

Squirrelpaw chattered non-stop the entire day, talking about various things. Brambleclaw chipped in a little, but he noticed that it was really Stormfur who was talking. Jealously made his teeth clench. Brambleclaw didn't realize how much he began to like the small cat.

Tawnypelt walked beside her brother. Glancing back, she saw that Stormfur and Squirrelpaw were right next to each other, pelts touching. Realization struck her as she looked at a furious Brambleclaw. The two toms both loved the same cat.