Warriors: Rising Waters
Summary: In the future, after all cats we know are gone, there is RiverClan. They're thriving and everything is going well...That is, until their medicine cat recieves a message the day a new litter is born...
Chapter Two: Aging
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"Dustkit be nice to Snakekit!" Mistcloud scolded her youngest daughter as the sandy colored kit yanked on the older ones ear, earning a yelp. Dustkit obediently let go and almost immediately was toppled over by the older kit.
Mistcloud let out a small sigh as the two tussled and moved her tail away from Mosskit as she attacked her tail, digging her tiny claws and teeth into it. "Mosskit. Tails are not toys." she told her other daughter and nudged her away towards where the others were. "Now go play with your sister."
"But!-" the young tortoiseshell protested, only to be interrupted by her mother.
"No buts. Do what I say and be good. Go play with the others." Mistcloud scolded. No one could say Mistcloud wasn't a strict parent. The queen wanted her kits to always be on their best behavior and be the best they could be. She believed part of that was knowing when to be strict with them.
Grumbling about her mother being unfair, Mosskit bounded towards the others. "What are you playing?" she asked them.
Oak-kit stopped trying to catch Stormkit and turned his gaze to her. "We're pretending that Dustkit and I are WindClan warriors and Stormkit and Snakekit are RiverClan warriors!" he meowed. "Which clan do you want to be from?"
Mosskit thought for a moment. "WindClan!" she chose.
"Come on then!" Dustkit piped off, wiggling out from under Snakekit. "We'll head back to our camp and make a new plan of attack!"
The three kits then darted off past Stonestar's den to where their camp was, none noticing the irritated meow from their leader...
"Nutfur, I know you're an experienced Medicine Cat, but you can't be serious about-" Stonestar was cut off by the lash of the Medicine Cat's brown tabby tail.
"Stonestar, This litter was born early in the morning, where the moon was still in the sky and would be shining on the lake. I received a dream that told me that a cat with eyes that shine like the moon at night would save RiverClan, and I think I know who it is."
"She's only a kit!" Stonestar meowed crossly, obviously not believing a kit of all things would save RiverClan.
Nutwhisker nodded. "Their eyes are still losing the blue and fading to their final color, But Mosskit has the brightest blue eyes. I'm positive it's her who holds the key to saving us.
Stonestar rolled her eyes. "Just- don't mention anything to Blackpelt or Mistcloud yet, and certainly not to Mosskit herself!"
"Of course not." The old cat replied before dipping his head and turning to leave, aiming to get back to his duties for the day. "Just wait and see, Mosskit has a great destiny before her. I guarantee it."
"I hope you're right Nutfur." Stonestar sighed. "And if so, that Mosskit can grow before this 'destiny' is fulfilled..."
"Windclan!" Stormkit squeaked from outside their 'camp' as he spotted Mosskit's blue fur from behind the fresh-kill pile. The she-cat gave a small squeak and ducked behind it further, scrunching as tightly together as possible. With Oak-kit's plan, Stormkit would come get her and then Dustkit and Oak-kit could charge and get Snakekit before getting the prize and running back to their camp.
Taking a deep breath and wondering if this is how a warrior in battle felt, Mosskit leaped out from behind the fresh-kill pile. "Charge!" she mewed and bounded forward, leaping atop her littermate and pinning him down. She didn't account for the fact that Stormpaw was the smallest of their litter. "Ouch!" Stormkit meowed, wiggling under his sister. "Watch the claws would ya?!"
"Sorry!" Mosskit mewed and moved back from her sibling. "Are you okay?" she asked. Stormkit didn't reply, he just lay there for a moment before leaping up with a squeak and bowling her over. Mosskit fought back and the two rolled into the den before slamming into the side of a warrior.
The two kits paused as the cat turned, sitting up and looking at them. Sandpelt was one of the largest RiverClan cats, and one who definatly would intimidate tiny kits. "Aren't you suppose to be in the nursery?" he asked them.
"Sorry." Stormkit apoligied, nudging Mosskit to do the same.
"Yes, sorry." Mosskit agreed.
Sandpelt nodded. "You're lucky I'm not Ashpelt." he told them with a purr of amusement. Ashpelt was regarded as one of the most fierce warriors of their clan, and one who had no patience for rambunctious kits. Getting to his paws, The warrior nudged the kits to the entrance. "Come on then," he told them. "Back to Mistcloud."
Mosskit followed her brother out ahead of Sandpelt but paused as the border patrol that left earlier that morning came back. Badgerfur came in followed closely by Ashpelt, Seedpaw, Blackpelt and Whiteflower. All four had scratches and blood on their pelts. Seedpaw had an eye shut and Whiteflower was limping while holding a foreleg up.
"What happened to them?" Stormkit wondered from beside her. Mosskit shrugged in reply.
as Mistcloud brushed past them to her mate while Nutfur and Sunpaw followed behind with herbs. She must have seen them from outside the nursery and alerted Nutfur.
"Are you alright?" Mistcloud fretted, looking over her dark furred mate much like Nutfur was checking over Whiteflower's wound.
"Of course!" Blackfur replied. "It wasn't anything we couldn't handle."
"Stay." Sandpelt ordered and bounded over to them. Mosskit watched, and was jostled as the others came up.
"What happened?" Snakekit meowed curiously, speaking the question they all wanted to know.
The kits didn't have wait long though, as Stonestar asked the same thing as she emerged from her den. Other cats joined as well.
"WindClan have been hunting over the borders. We're positive this time." Badgerfur growled, wincing as Sunpaw placed some herbs on a cut on his shoulder.
"I knew it." Stonestar hissed. "I've never trusted Hawkstar, and now he's letting his warriors hunt on our territory again."
"What will we do about this?" Palegaze asked from beside the fresh-kill pile where he sat with Redclaw.
"We should attack now!" Ashpelt hissed angrily.
"Quiet!" Stonestar growled. "I want to hear the details. What happened Badgerfur?"
Badgerfur nodded. "Whiteflower, Ashpelt, and I were heading to the border to finish scent marking it when we spotted those theiving warriors on our side of the border.
"They were so arrogant! Didn't even care they were stealing!" Ashpelt hissed. Whiteflower nodded her agreement but didn't say anything.
Stonestar flicked a gray ear. "Who was it?" she asked.
"Rabbitfur, Lightheart, Swiftleap, and two apprentices-"
"Moonpaw and Palepaw!" Seedpaw piped up, only to be hushed by his mentor.
"Ashpelt here attacked them, and Blackpelt and Seedpaw joined us when they heard the fighting."
"They retreated rather quickly." Whiteflower put in.
The RiverClan leader narrowed her amber eyes and nodded. "It's decided then." she growled. Turning, Stonestar swiftly leaped atop the area where she made announcements. "All cats old enough to swim gather around for a meeting!" she called. Although it wasn't like she needed to as most cats were already there.
"WindClan seems to think that we can't protect our borders and are taking advantage of us." she told them. "Knowing Hawkstar, I suspect he's planning an attack on us."
"What will we do?" Mousetail called from outside the elder's den.
"We will begin by preparing for battle. I don't expect an attack in our camp, so for now we will patroll the WindClan borders more often and practice our battle skills more. Moons of relative peace means we've got to make sure our skills are sharp."
"We should just attack now!" Palegaze called, earning agreement from some other warriors.
"No." Stonestar told them firmly. "I don't want to make it look like we're the bad ones here. However, should any WindClan cat be found over our border without good reason, force is encouraged." she added.
Mosskit listened closely as the other kits began to wander off and play again. What if they did attack the camp? Would they hurt her? She hoped not. But before she could hear any more discussion however, She was attacked from behind "Hey!" she squeaked as Mistcloud carried her back to the nursery.
Dustkit stood above her with a purr of amusement. "You big furball!" she squeaked, grasping Dustkit's ear with her teeth and yanking, earning a yelp from her sister.
Mistcloud almost immediately moved over to them and nudged them to the nursery. "Hush!" she scolded them. "Go to the nursery, come on."
"But!-" Dustkit protested. She didn't continue however, as Mistcloud just grasped her scruff and carried her along. Mosskit knew there was no changing her mother's mind and followed along with a sigh. Thanks to her annoying sister, she'd missed the end of the meeting and got in trouble!
