Warriors Sky Of Dreams
Chapter 23
Swiftleap padded slowly out of the warriors den, careful not to trample on any tails, and quickly sprinted out of the camp nodding at his brother, Wolfheart, who was on guard. As he dashed past him, he allowed the wind to flow through his pelt and for the night sky to fill his gaze. He stopped when he noticed that there was a figure sitting just ahead of him, it turned around and looked at him with a deep black gaze. He stared straight into its beady black eyes that felt like they were staring straight through him.
"Are you alright?" Swiftleap approached the figure but it said nothing and just kept staring at him. He hesitantly made his way toward it but before he could get any closer he tripped and landed directly on a bramble bush that jutted into his flesh. He squeezed his eyes shut and quickly flung them open as he realised that the sharp feeling in his side was actually Sagewillow prodding him awake.
"Come on, Brindlestar just called a clan meeting," She ordered. Swiftleap gave his pelt a quick shake before standing up and following Sagewillow out into the dawn-lit clearing.
"Well, get on with it!" Swiftleap heard Swamppaw groan; he looked at the apprentice in surprise and saw Splashheart give him a harsh nudge.
"I am very sorry to wake you all at such an early time but I need to address this to the whole clan," Brindlestar called across the clearing. Swiftleap rolled his eyes and heard a few annoyed murmurs pulse around the clearing.
"Hush!" Birchthorn hissed to the clan of tired warriors, the camp fell silent and Brindlestar continued.
"I had a dream last night and I decided to wake Birchthorn and tell him what had happened, he said that I should tell the clan to inform you all what happened in it," Brindlestar roared out to the clan. Birchthorn nodded his agreement.
"Come on Brindlestar!" Cherrywhisker shouted. Swiftleap looked around the clearing and saw that most of the clan was very tired except for Spotpaw who seemed to be beaming with excitement.
"Lilysnow visited me, she told of a great darkness that is coming to this clan," Brindlestar fretted. Gasps of shock bounced around the clearing as she spoke; Swiftleap looked at Splashheart who had her head lowered for the previous medicine cat.
"What are we going to do?" Swiftleap asked his leader, in the most respectful meow he could.
"Nothing," Brindlestar replied sternly. More gasps and confused looks followed her reply but she stood at the top of highcliff calmly waiting for her clan to quiet down.
"How can we do nothing?"
"Lilysnow came for a reason!"
"We can't just ignore her warning!" Meows of outrage blasted into the clearing until all the cats of the clan were soon hissing and growling at each other. Brindlestar raised her tail for silence, the argument died down and soon the clearing was silent once again.
"I am not ignoring her warning, I just don't know what she is talking about so I am just going to wait," Brindlestar soothed her clan. Murmurs of agreement rang throughout the clearing in reply to Brindlestar's comment, she leaped down from the highcliff and signalled with her tail for the dawn patrol to head off.
"Brindlestar, I need to speak with you," Swiftleap called to his leader. She stopped walking towards the fresh-kill pile and turned around to face him.
"Meet me at the camp entrance." She quickly grabbed a mouse from the top of the fresh-kill pile and then made her way to the camp entrance. She gulped down the prey and walked out of the camp, Swiftleap followed quickly behind her.
"I had a dream last night," Swiftleap burst out. Brindlestar stopped in surprise and looked directly at him.
"What kind of dream?" She queried, leaning closer to Swiftleap.
"Ah… Well there was this dark figure that didn't have any- well the eyes were there, they were just black and empty. I tried to approach the cat but then I tripped and woke up," Swiftleap stammered. Brindlestar stared at him for a little before blinking her eyes a few times and sitting down to think.
"Have you talked to Chestfall or Splashheart abiut this?" Brindlestar demanded.
"Well… No, I haven't really got the chance," He confessed. Brindlestar nodded and began thinking once again.
"Well you need to; I think they may have something to do with this," Brindlestar advised. Swiftleap nodded and dashed off toward camp, he was quickly followed by Brindlestar. When they arrived back in camp Brindlestar headed off toward the centre of the clearing while Swiftleap went to the nursery where Chestfall had been going for the past few sunrises. He found his brother there and told him they needed to talk, they both went to the medicine den together to get their sister.
"Can't we do it tonight?" Splashheart whined.
"No, Brindlestar has told me herself that I have to speak with you," Swiftleap sympathized. Splashheart faced her brother with a smug look on her face.
"Medicine cats don't answer to any cat, including their clan leader, remember?" Splashheart retorted. Swiftleap lowered his head in embarrassment and then glared at her to say something but Chestfall cut in before he could meow a sharp reply,
"Can't you do it for us?" Chestfall pleaded. Splashheart stared at her pile of unsorted herbs and then at her littermates. She was obviously trying her hardest not to give in to their request, she breathed a sigh of annoyance.
"Fine, but you both have to help me sort that afterwards," Splashheart growled. She stomped out of the medicine den and Chestfall and Swiftleap followed her, when they walked out, night was beginning to cover the clearing.
"I hope what you have to say is quick, I'm meant to be on guard," Chestfall whispered to his brother. Swiftleap nodded and sprinted to the entrance of the camp, he squeezed through the gorse tunnel and saw his littermates do the same behind him.
This won't take long, I promise.