Summary: Many moons have passed since the clans fought against the Dark Forest, a the next generation stepping up, and peace has fallen between them. But, when a frightening prophecy appears, terror strikes the clans and history may repeat itself.
Chapter Two
The long blades of grass tickled the tom's nose, whiskers twitching as his amber eyes locked onto the mouse a tail length away. The tom scented the air, making sure the wind was still blowing his way to remain undetected from the prey. He gathers his hunches before launching himself in the air, killing the prey with a swift bite to the neck. Cloudpaw purred happily as he held the mouse up, his mentor trotting out of the bushes with a vole in his own jaws. The senior warrior dropped his kill, smiling to his apprentice.
"Well done, Cloudpaw," Molewhisker praised, nudging the vole to the apprentice, "carry this. We will pick up the other kill on our way back."
Cloudpaw nodded, the white tom leaning down and picking the vole up as well, trotting behind his mentor as they went to dig up the two mice they'd caught earlier. They passed the battling clearing, Molewhisker nodding to Dirtpelt and Antpaw who were battle training. At the moment, the two toms were standing, panting with exhaustion as Dirtpelt talked about how Antpaw could improve his dodging. The warrior nodded back to Molewhisker before going back into his lecture, Antpaw looking a little upset but also nodding a long.
"Antpaw has a lot of training to do, hm?" Molewhisker said, thinking out loud. Cloudpaw had gotten use to his mentors odd behavior moons ago when he was first assigned to Molewhisker. Molewhisker flicked his tail as he stopped, digging up the two mice, securing them in his jaws before they went off again.
They walked into camp, dropping their catches into the fresh-kill pile. Molewhisker told Cloudpaw that they were on night patrol before bounding over to the nursery with a mouse, going to see his mate, Lilyspot. Cloudpaw grabbing a mouse himself, going towards the medicine cats den. He popped his head in, spotting Snowpelt, the current medicine cat. The tom looked hesitant as he sat over a row of herbs, tail flicking in del thought. Snowpelt wasn't the true medicine cat, only taking over the duty when Jayfeather passed away around the time Cloudpaw himself was born. Snowpelt was the only cat in the clan, though, who had any idea what the herbs were used for, having to stay in the seen for a few moons when he developed green cough along with earning a long, deep gash from a battle with ShadowClan later on. He was staying until the other Clan medicine cats approved of Sandpaw becoming a full trained medicine cat.
Sandpaw, Cloudpaw's brother, was bound to become one any moment. The tom knew his herbs better then any medicine cat Cloudpaw had ever met. When Greeneyes, an excellent warrior, had suddenly gotten sick, Sandpaw was the first to find out it was from an old mouse from the bottom of the fresh-kill pile and not greencough.
"Snowpelt," Cloudpaw asked, dropping his mouse, "is Sandpaw around?"
Snowpelt looked over, blinking his amber eyes. He glanced to the mouse then back to the apprentice, standing up. "No," he mewed, stretching forward, "you've just missed him."
"Mouse-dung," Cloudpaw hissed, sitting down.
"He left not too long ago," Snowpelt said, flicking his tail around, "I'm sure if you hurry you'll be able to catch up to him. He was going down to the old Abandoned Twoleg's nest for herbs. If you catch something there, I'm sure you two can share it."
"But that's against the code," Cloudpaw huffed. He perked up then, tail lashing around happily. "I'll just catch some more prey there and bring it back so we have something warm to eat! Here, you can have this Snowpelt!" Cloudpaw nudged the mouse forward before turning around and bounding out of camp, running to the old Twoleg's nest. It was far from the camp, but by running, Cloudpaw would arrive in only a few minutes. He kept over a fallen log, the sound of frighten prey around him. If Molewhisker was here, he'd be chewed up and spit out for being so loud.
The nest appeared and Cloudpaw could see Sandpaw standing over a patch of greens, a paw poking the the leaves carefully. Cloudpaw sprung forward, leaping onto his back and causing the ginger-and-brown tom to yowl in surprise, the two rolling around on the ground for a few tail lengths. Cloudpaw pinned his brother down, smiling victoriously onto of him.
"Oh, come off it," Sadnpaw growled, pushing his paws into his brother chest, trying p budge him off. Cloudpaw laughed, climbing off the tom and licking his pelt down, purring with amusement as Sandpaw grumbled about how Cloudpaw had an unfair advantage.
"Aren't medicine cats suppose to learn some battle training?" Cloudpaw chuckled, watching Sandpaw's fur bristle with embarrassment.
"Snowpelt's waiting until I finished my medicine cat training. Once I'm the medicine cat, he'll help me."
"Whatever," Cloudpaw flicked his tail, nose twitching at all the different scents of herbs around. He looked to the Abandoned Twolegs nest, mouth watering at the amount of mice and rats he could smell from inside. Sandpaw batted him over the ear, grabbing the white tom's attention back.
"I said," Sandpaw grumbled, glaring to his brother, "could you help me with these herbs? I'm taking some borage in for Lilyspot."
"Ugh, but they tickle my nose," Cloudpaw grumbled pushing the herbs around, "plus, i said I'd catch some prey."
"Alright, you got out of it this time, but hurry up your hunting," Sandpaw said, turning back to the greens, "it's almost sundown."
"Whatever you say, mom," Cloudpaw rolled his eyes, disappearing into the nest through a hole in the side. It was dark, sunlight dancing across the ground from the holes in the roof. Cloudpaw scented the air, picking up a mouse almost immediately, crouching down as the small brown creature scurried out of hiding. He took steady steps, careful because there was no wind to blow the scent to him, which meant there was not wind to blow his scent away from the creature. he sprung, catching it between his paws and killing it with a swift bite to the the neck.
A second mouse was caught easily and he picked both up by their tails, trotting out of the nest. Sandpaw was pushing the herbs together in neat piles, the leaves tied up with blades of grass. Sandpaw flicked his ear, leaning down and picking the herbs up and nodded to Cloudpaw. The white tom turned and started off, heading back towards camp.
The two were silent as they walked, the sun sinking more and more in the sky with every passing second. Cloudpaw's eyes adjusted to the darker air quickly and his slowed his steps, being careful not to trip over anything. Sandpaw dropped his herbs, cursing under his breath and picking them back up. Cloudpaw stopped for him as the wind blew into his face, a strong scent making Cloudpaw drop his kills.
"What is that?" Cloudpaw hissed, batting at his nose as if to get rid of the smell. Sandpaw's face curled up as well, the smell of rotten flesh and death coming a few tail lengths away from them. "If it's fresh-kill someone forget, I should cover it up so the smell doesn't get any better," Cloudpaw grumbled, treading towards the smell slowly. Sandpaw grunted in approval settling down as he wait.
Cloudpaw grumbled about forgetful warriors, pushing his way into a few bramble bushes. The grass was stained red and the decaying smell got worse. Cloudpaw held his breath as he took more steps, beginning to think that is was something bigger then fresh-kill. He saw a dark form a few tail lengths away, laying on the ground, still. He approached it, all of his sense on high alert.
"My StarClan ...," he whispered, the his eyes focusing on the creature.
A she-cat lay in flattened grass, her dark pelt matted with injuries. Cloudpaw could see the outline of her ribs, and she looked almost flat. Cloudpaw lowers his head in respect for the dead cat, but then he saw he side raise, more so twitch, as she tried to take a breath.
"Sandpaw! Sandpaw!" Cloudpaw shouted, looking over his shoulder frantically, eyes wide as he looked for his brother. Sandpaw bounded through the bushes, herbs gone and jaws opened as he went to speak, but he stopped in his tracks, eyes growing wide at the sight before him. Cloudpaw looked back to the she-cat. "She's still breathing! Do something!"
"G-get me cobwebs. I'll go get some dock form the herbs!" Sandpaw turned and returned to his bundles as Cloudpaw searched the area for cobwebs. He thrusted his paw down between some roots, ignoring the fact that there could be a snake in there, thrusting his paw about. He felt the stickiness of the web and covered his paw in it the best he could. He turned around to see Sandpaw chewing away at leaves, the she-cat pelt already covered in some of the sticky pulp. "Put them over the herbs I've already laid down."
Cloudpaw followed his brothers instructions, pressing the cobweb to the she-cat. When he was down, it looked as if her pelt had been covered with snow.
"Go to camp and tell them. We can't move her now, I'll keep checking for wounds." Sandpaw was leaning down, sniffing at the she-cat. Cloudpaw nodded, turning and bounded off. He felt as if he was running the fastest he'd ever before, his paws barely touching the ground. He skidded into camp, catching Blackstripe, who as keeping watch, off guard.
"Cloudpaw," the black tabby she-cat asked, blue eyes wide, "what's wrong?"
"We found a she-cat and Sandpaw is helping her. She's hurt badly a-and we can't move her. Sandpaw sent me here right away. I need Cherrystar, something's not right, she's in the middle of the territory, there must have been something that attacked her. I-I couldn't smell and fox though, or badger so that means there must be other cats on the territory. And-"
"What in StarClan's name is going on out here?" Cherrystar yowled, stepping out of her den with Dewclaw. The leader's blue eyes looked icy and the deputy's fur was bristled.
"Cloudpaw and Sandpaw found an injured she-cat on the territory," Blackstripe said, bowing her head to the leader. Cherrystar looked to Cloudpaw, whiskers twitching. The white apprentice was panting and his eyes wild, which was unusual since he was always a calm and collected tom. Cherrystar flicked her tail.
"Dewclaw, take Seedfur and Greeneyes. Snowpelt, you go as well. Molewhisker, go with your apprentice. Cloudpaw, lead them. Send someone to report back to me and then we will decide what to do with the intruder."
"Intruder!" Cloudpaw exclaimed, "but she's injured!"
"And she doesn't belong on our territory," Cherrystar said, narrowing her eyes to the tom. Cloudpaw grumbled and turned around, bounding back off into the forest with the others behind him. He followed the scent of Sandpaw until the overwhelming stench of death took over. Molewhisker growled, his fur bristling with anger.
"I know that scent," he hissed as they came to a stop, trotting into the small area.
Sandpaw sat next to her, head hanging and claws dug into the ground. Snowpelt trotted over to the she-cat sniffing her and checking her herb and cobweb covered wounds. Molewhisker, being the eldest, walked over as well, sniffing the she-cat and then hissed, his ears laying flat.
"Molewhisker, what's wrong?" Dewclaw asked, walking over.
"The Dark Forest."
"Dark Forest? But, they've been gone for moons now," Greeneyes said, worry in his voice.
"Yes, but she reeks of it." Molewhisker growled, claws unsheathing. Dewclaw ran his tail down the cream-and-brown tom's back, calming him as he leaned down to the she-cat inspecting her. Cloudpaw stood there, impatient for what the warriors would say.
"Sandpaw, you said that she can't be moved, correct?" Dewclaw said, looking up to the tom. He nodded and Snowpelt wrapped his tail around the shaken tom. Dewclaw sighed, tail lashing. "Molewhisker, take Cloudpaw back. Snowpelt, I went to to care to Cloudpaw, he's probably shaken up. Sandpaw, we're going to need you here, I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Sandpaw nodded, Snowpelt standing and turning to walk off.
"Molewhisker, tell Cherrystar that we're going to stay guard for the night over the she-cat," Dewclaw said, flicking his tail to Greeneyes and Seedfur. Molewhisker nodded. The senior warrior turned around, resting his tail on his apprentices shoulders to lead hims way. Cloudpaw trudged along, looking over his shoulder to Sandpaw. He didn't know what was going on, but Cloudpaw knew that this she-cat would change the clan.
ThunderClan
Leader: Cherrystar - small ginger she-cat
Deputy: Dewclaw - gray and white tom
Medicine Cat: Snowpelt - fluffy white tom with amber eyes (Apprentice: Sandpaw)
Warriors:
Molewhisker - large cream-and-brown tom (Apprentice: Cloudpaw)
Seedfur - pale ginger she-cat
Amberpool - gray she-cat with white paws, muzzle, right ear and amber eyes
Greeneyes- brown tom
Dirtpelt - dark brown and ginger tom (Apprentice: Antpaw)
Whiteface- black she-cat with a white dash on her forehead
Blackstripe- black tabby she-cat with blue eyes
Apprentices:
Cloudpaw - white tom with amber eyes
Sandpaw - ginger-and-brown tabby tom
Antpaw- ginger tom with white ears
Queens:
Lilyspot - dark tabby she-cat with white patches
Elders:
Dovewing - old gray she-cat with blind blue eyes