Chapter 24

Stormpaw, RiverClan

Suddenly a big wave rolled over Stormpaw, returning everything back to normal speed.

"No!" yowled his Clanmates, shooting to their feet. Minnowsplash was already racing towards the river, intent on saving the kit. However, Streampaw was closer, and as the kit sunk below once more, Streampaw watched the surface of the water carefully.

Stormpaw had already leaped across the stepping stones of the river before he stopped and asked himself what he was doing. Shaking his head, he continued and raced along the river bank, watching what Minnowsplash and Streampaw were doing. A flash of silver and brown patched fur caught Stormpaw's eyes and he yowled wildly, tail swung everywhere as he tried to tell his brother. "She's there! Under the water! Someone get her!"

Too faraway from the kit to help, Stormpaw waited anxiously as his brother's eyes widened and he dived in, golden patches gleaming in the setting sun. Stormpaw paced uncontrollably as he glared at the water so intensely that it was a wonder that it didn't evaporate into steam. Flickers of colours were darting below the surface, distracting him, and Stormpaw could barely restrain himself from leaping into the river, even though he knew it wouldn't help.

Minnowsplash was pushing herself along at an incredible pace, speeding down the river as fast as a bird flying through WindClan territory. She seemed to be annoyed, paddling across the river, ducking her head under the water and occasionally diving down. Yet Streampaw didn't surface with the kit.

Then Streampaw didn't come up for a while. 'When! When!' asked Stormpaw frustratedly as his brother didn't come up, and the kit wasn't visible. Under that layer of frustration lay an emotion so thick that it was stifling Stormpaw. Worry. Worry for his brother, the unnamed kit, Silverflower and Stonefur, the kit's two siblings, Brightpaw, Ashheart; who was Stormpaw's father and Stonefur's brother.

Briefly, Stormpaw wondered what it would be like in StarClan, with his dead mother and older sister. They were so kind, Goldfire his sister and Ferndew his mother with their laughing eyes and joyful smiles. He could remember a dream he had once, when he was barely a half moon old. Unwillingly, he was swept away into his memories.

Stormkit woke to see a beautiful meadow, lush with green grass and reeds that were rippling in the wind. A clear stream babbled past the meadow, gurgling happily as it tumbled about in the rapids. Little Stormkit's eyes widened. It was warm and bright here, not like home, where the sun didn't shine and the snow was so bright it hurt his eyes.

He began to roll, relishing the feelings of the green grass on his kitten-soft fur. Stormkit was enjoying it so much, he didn't see two starry cats emerge from the tall oak forest from where the stream came from. The two stepped in front of the playing kit, and he looked up at them in surprise.

A white, gold and ginger shecat, and a golden shecat that started white from her face and ended in a grey gold hue stood in front of him, sadness evident in their gazes.

"Hello Stormkit. Do you know who I am?" asked the white, gold and ginger cat.

"Nope! But you look like the cat Ashheart described as our mother!"

"You are right. I am your mother; I am Ferndew."

"Really? Then why are you here, not with me, or Brightkit, or Streamkit?"

Unbearable pain pooled in Ferndew's blue eyes. She lay down next to her kit and drew her tail around him. Stormkit put his front paws on her shoulder and mewed.

"Why did you leave us?"

In his amber gaze, there was nothing but deep curiosity. Ferndew took a long breath. "It was my time. Nothing you, Ashheart, or even StarClan themselves, could have changed my destiny." She gently told him.

Understanding filled Stormkit from muzzle to tail tip and he nodded seriously , even though he had no idea what in StarClan Ferndew meant. He shrugged it off. Goldfire yowled. "Stop!"

Stormkit looked at his older sister with surprise. Goldfire looked angry, her gold fur bristling, her lips pulled back in a snarl and her golden eyes were narrowed. She looked absolutely furious. Stormkit pulled back a shudder. This was his sister! "We didn't come here to tell you why our mother died, we came here for something else!"

"Okay?"

Ferndew uncurled herself and stood by Goldfire. Their eyes glowed and Goldfire's fur lit up like a curl of flame. The wonderful area where they stood faded away into darkness. Stale air entered Stormkit's nose and he instinctively crouched, eyes open widely as he tried to find light in this dark place. Rough stone was under his paws and he moved them around, wincing as he scuffed one.

"Be careful son of Fern, brother of Fire and Stream. When the Storm is whisked away, the Mint shall rise and save the day. But with loss there is hope, and the Clans can survive the raging storms."

Streampaw's sleek golden head burst from the river, and in his mouth was a scrap of fur. But he appeared for a short while, because the rushing current soon pulled him underneath. Heart in his throat, Stormpaw leapt into the water, desperate to save his brother, who was scarily nearing thethunder of the waterfall. Minnowsplash was quicker, but not quick enough, as Streampaw and the kit was swept down and away, into the treacherous waters of the gorge.

Okay, what do you think of that prophecy/warning? It has to do with the prophecies from each Clan, remember Pinestar and the bark cat? Anyway, I came up with the series name for my set of books. The name is The Raging Storms.

Thanks to Crowfeather911!

Time for Question Of The Day!

Why do you think Goldfire is in StarClan?

And the second one is!

Do you think I should write a short story about Goldfire's death?

Okay, please review about the kit names! Please! It would be nice if someone would review a name in time for my birthday, May 4th. I won't publish another chapter unless I am given two reviews by you amazing people. Anyway, head on over to Secrets Of The Storms if you want to, I've published a new chapter there too. :)