Warriors: The Dark Tides of War

by River of Light

The first book of my TDTW series. You follow Hollykit through apprenticeship, warriorship, deputyship, and maybe even leadership. But a dark prophecy looms before her and the fate of another rests on her shoulders. Will she be able to stop the rivalries of the clans before the impending war is upon them? Or will she break from the pressure? MOST LIKELY PERMANENT HAITUS

1. Prologue

This take place a while after the fight with the Dark Forest. All nine of Bramblestar's lives were taken by Blackcough the leaf-bare after the Dark forest battle. Also, Swiftkit is in honour of my friend, SwiftbirdTC. Go check her out, she is the best writer I've ever met!

THUNDERCLAN

Leader:

Squirrelstar-dark ginger she-cat

Deputy:

Birchfall-light brown tabby tom

Medicine Cat(s):

Jayfeather-gray tabby tom with blind eyes

Sagepaw-scruffy grey tom with black paws

Warriors:

Brackenfur-golden brown tabby tom

Dewfur-gray and white tom

Thornclaw-golden brown tabby tom

Mousewhisker-gray-and-white tom

Lionblaze-golden tabby tom

Apprentice, Skypaw

Snowfrost-white, fluffy tom

Apprentice, Tinypaw

Molewhisker-brown-and-cream tom

Apprentice, Swiftpaw

Apprentices:

Tinypaw-black she-cat with a white tail tip

Skypaw-light grey she-cat with blue tinged fur

Swiftpaw-white tom

Lakepaw-blue-grey tom with white spots

Pinepaw-brown she-cat with a white belly

Wolfpaw-light grey she-cat

Maplepaw-amber and brown she-cat

Eaglepaw-brown tom with darker brown stripes

Queens:

Amberstorm-pale ginger she-cat

Lilyshade-tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Cherryfall-ginger she-cat

Dovewing-pale gray she-cat

Poppyfrost-tortoiseshell she-cat

Blossomfall-tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Whitewing-white she-cat

Seedpelt-golden-brown she-cat

Cinderheart-gray tabby she-cat

Ivypool-silver-and-white tabby she-cat

Elders:

Cloudtail-long-haired white tom

Brightheart-white she-cat with ginger patches

Purdy-plump tabby former loner with a gray muzzle

SHADOWCLAN

Leader:

Rowanstar-ginger tom

Deputy:

Tawnypelt-tortoiseshell she-cat

Medicine Cat(s):

Littlecloud-very small tabby tom

Warriors:

Crowfrost-black-and-white tom

Apprentice, Mistpaw

Owlclaw-light brown tabby tom

Scorchfur-dark gray tom

Apprentice, Lightpaw

Spikefur-dark brown tom

Apprentice, Tigerpaw

Tigerheart-dark brown tabby tom

Apprentice, Leafpaw

Snowbird-pure white she-cat

Apprentice, Stormpaw

Ferretclaw-black-and-gray tom

Apprentice, Deerpaw

Stoatfur-tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Smokefoot-black tom

Apprentice, Creekpaw

Apprentices:

Mistpaw-fuzzy white she-cat with blue tinged fur

Tigerpaw-black and orange striped tom

Creekpaw-cream-furred she-cat

Stormpaw-very light grey furred tom

Lightpaw-white and cream dappled she-cat

Deerpaw-brown and cream striped tom

Leafpaw-white and black spotted tom

Queens:

Grassheart-pale brown tabby she-cat

Dawnpelt-cream-furred she-cat

Pinenose-black she-cat

Kinkfur-tabby she-cat, with long fur that sticks out at all angles

Elders:

Snaketail-dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail

Ratscar-brown tom with long scar across his back

Ivytail-black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat

WINDCLAN

Leader:

Harestar-brown-and-white tom

Deputy:

Emberfoot-gray tom with two dark paws

Medicine Cat(s):

Kestrelflight-mottled gray tom

Warriors:

Gorsetail-very pale gray-and-white tom

Apprentice, Birdpaw

Weaselfur-ginger tom with white paws

Leaftail-dark tabby tom

Breezepelt-black tom

Apprentice, Kestrelpaw

Slightmark-black tom with flash of white on his chest

Hootsong-dark gray tom

Apprentice, Rabbitpaw

Apprentices:

Kestrelpaw-brown, grey, and white dappled tom

Rabbitpaw-brown tom

Birdpaw-brown and white spotted she-cat

Queens:

Heathertail-light brown tabby she-cat

Featherprint-gray tabby she-cat

Sedgewhisker-light brown tabby she-cat

Larkwing-pale brown tabby she-cat

Furzepelt-gray-and-white she-cat

Elders:

Nightcloud-black she-cat

RIVERCLAN

Leader:

Reedstar-black tom

Deputy:

Duskfur-brown tabby she-cat

Medicine Cat(s):

Willowshine-gray tabby she-cat

Warriors:

Mintfur-light gray tabby tom

Apprentice, Snowpaw

Mallownose-light brown tabby tom

Lizardtail-light brown tom

Apprentice, Nightpaw

Grasspelt-light brown tom

Apprentice, Frostpaw

Heronwing-dark gray-and-black tom

Apprentice, Flowerpaw

Apprentices:

Snowpaw-white she-cat

Flowerpaw-grey-and-white dappled she-cat

Frostpaw-silver tabby tom

Nightpaw-dark grey tom

Queens:

Havenpelt-black-and-white she-cat

Shimmerpelt-silver she-cat

Petalfur-gray-and-white she-cat

Minnowtail-dark gray she-cat

Lakeheart-gray tabby she-cat

Icewing-white she-cat

Mosspelt-tortoiseshell she-cat

Elders:

Pouncetail-ginger-and-white tom

Pebblefoot-mottled gray tom

Rushtail-light brown tabby tom

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PROLOGUE

I looked down sadly upon my five kits. Two had died seconds after birth, one was blind, and the last two were too small to survive leaf-bare. "I'm sorry... I-I should have done more. It's my fault they-they didn't make it. I'm so very sorry..." Sagepaw cried, it was his first time helping the clan without Jayfeather. I sighed, just barely keeping the tears back. "Has Snowfrost gotten back yet?" I asked. As I finished speaking, Snowfrost pushed his way in. He froze at the sight of his two dead daughters. "Amberstorm..." Snowfrost whispered in a pained voice. He broke from his trance and rushed over, tears streaked down his face. Snowfrost laid down and buried his muzzle into his daughters' fur.

The sad sight was too much for me to bare and I started crying, softly at first but they escalated quickly into heaving sobs of guilt. "It's all my fault! I-I worked myself too hard while expecting! If I hadn't-" I was cut off by Snowfrost. "If you hadn't, Sagepaw would be dead instead." He whispered reassuringly.

I looked away, trying to push the memory of the recent fox invasion from my mind. A slight rustle alerted us to the fact Sagepaw had left, probably to tell the other queens they could come back in and to tell the clan of the dead kits. "Let's name our kits now." Snowfrost purred, trying to brighten the mood. I nodded in agreement and glanced over my kits. "How about Frostkit for the light grey tom?" I asked hesitantly.

Snowfrost nodded. "And Swiftkit for the white she-cat with red, golden, and light brown tabby stripes." "Why... Why don't we let Sagepaw name the last she-kit?" I asked. "He did save her and her living siblings from the same fate as their sisters. And speaking of their sisters, Firekit for the ginger one and Whitekit for the white and grey one." Snowfrost nodded in agreement.

"I'll get him." Snowfrost meowed and stood up, almost tripped over Hawkkit and Jaykit who were play fighting. I purred sadly in amusement. "Hawkkit! Jaykit! Don't get in the way of warriors!" Their mother, Lilyshade, huffed. Snowfrost smiled and stepped around the two kit and left the nursery. "I can't wait for my kits to be like that." I joked with Lilyshade. A pang of sadness hit me as I remembered that two of my kits would never play, never see the light of day or the beauty of night. They would never live normal lives, instead they would grow up watching their clan from the safety Starclan.

'Without me...' "More joyful bundles of annoyance. Yay." Lilyshade purred. "Hey!" Hawkkit complained. "See what I mean?" Lilyshade asked, purring. "Yeah, I see what you mean." I replied, laughing softly. We look up as Snowfrost enters with Sagepaw right behind. Sagepaw rushed over. "Is everything alright? Did something bad happen? Is one of them hurt? Are they-" "Sagepaw! Let me speak!" I interrupted, exasperated.

"I would like you to name my last kit. The little black she-kit." Sagepaw's eyes widened and he looked at me. "Really?" I nodded. "Well... how about... Hollykit?" He asked. I purred and moved my kits closer. "My five little angels." I purred. To that my living kits gave a few indignant squeals before continuing to suckle. I glanced at Lilyshade. "Could you look after Hollykit, Swiftkit, and Frostkit for me? I have to do something." Lilyshade nodded, an understanding look in her eyes. "Of course!"

I stood up, making my kits tumble away from me. I grabbed Firekit by the scruff and motioned for Snowfrost to grab Whitekit. We left the den with Sagepaw following. I relished in a cool breeze for a short second before continuing on my way to the elders' den. Pushing my way into the den, I laid my kit at the paws of Brightheart. Snowfost did the same with Whitekit.

I felt my eyes water up again. "They died seconds after birth." I rasped through a small sob. Brightheart nodded and stood up. She grabbed Firekit by the scruff. "Cloudtail, grab the white and grey kit." "Whitekit…" I corrected, my voice shaking. "And Firekit." Brightheart's eye flashed at Firekit's name and I knew she was thinking about Firestar.

Cloudtail heaved himself up and grabbed Whitekit. "Poor little kits…" I heard him murmur softly through Whitekit's fur. I followed the two elders out of the den and out into the forest. Snowfrost pressed against me. I let him lead me through the forest, looking up when we stopped. Squirrelstar and Birchfall stood next to two tiny holes. I started crying as Brightheart and Cloudtail laid my kits in the holes. I buried my face in Snowfrost's fur and breathed in a shuttering breath.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I-I know what you're feeling..." I heard Squirrelstar mewed sympathetically. 'You don't know what I'm feeling! Yours and Bramblestar's three kits are probably in the training hollow, learning new attack and defense moves!' I thought angrily but nodded anyway. The anger died as I watched the elders bury my kits. "Why me?" I whispered to the stars, needing an answer.