Hey guys! It's Swiftpaw again . . .
Thanks for the reviews! I honestly didn't expect to get good/OK reviews on my first story ever . . . . anyway thanks to Spiritpelt and Firestorm75 for reviewing my prologue! Originally the allegiances are next, but I thought they'd give way some of the story. So I'm saving them for probably the fourth chapter. Now here's chapter two!
Ooh, almost forgot. Disclaimer: I don't own warriors, however surprising that may be. :)
Chapter 2, here goes nothing!
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There was darkness all around him, seeming as it would go on forever. Thunder rumbled in the distance, sounding like a growling dog. The rogue cat opened his eyes and gazed around.
The world was dark. Black was all he could see. "Hello?" he called softly. "Is . . . is anyone there?"
"Hello, Rainkit."
The rogue turned. A large gray shecat was staring down at him with a warm gleam in her blue eyes. "Who are you?" he asked. "And who's Rainkit?"
The gray shecat's tail twitched in amusement. "I am Nightwind," she mewed. "And you are Rainkit."
"No I'm not!" the rogue cat argued. "I don't know who I am! But I know I'm not . . . Rainkit."
"Are you sure?" Nightwind looked a bit sad, but also mysterious, like she knew something the rogue didn't. "Just watch yourself, Rainkit. I'll be with you every step of the way."
The rogue watched as she turned and slowly vanished into the shadows. "Hey!" he called. "Wait! Nightwind, come back! I have to ask you some questions!" But the shadows began to swallow him. "No!" he yowled. "Nightwind! Help me!"
* * *
Slowly a light reached into his dark world. "Wake up," a gentle voice mewed. "Come on, wake up . . ."
"I say just shake him," offered another voice that sounded younger and more aggressive.
"Be silent, Harepaw," meowed the first voice cooly. "Give him time."
The rogue's eyes flickered open. In his shifting vision, he spotted two tomcats. They both had the same unique scent: tangy and different from the rogue's. "Hello, little one," mewed the bigger of the toms. "You finally woke up."
"About time," grunted the smaller tom, turning away. "He's been out a while . . ."
"Who are you?" the rogue asked. "Where am I?"
"Too many questions," the bigger tom chuckled. "I'm Reedtail, and this is my apprentice, Harepaw. We are ThunderClan's medicine cats."
"What's ThunderClan?" the rogue questioned.
Before Reedtail could answer, a white shecat strode into the den. "Is he up?" she asked gruffly.
"Yes, Cloudstar," Reedtail answered. Harepaw just snorted and went over to a pile of herbs. He began to sort them out with his tan paws.
The white shecat surveyed the rogue with big, searching blue eyes. "Who are you?" she asked.
"I'm . . . not sure," the rogue replied, just as Harepaw coughed, "A stupid rogue," which earned him a look from Reedtail.
Cloudstar took a whiff of his scent. "Rogue," she reported. "Where'd you come from?"
"I don't know," the rogue replied. "Around, I guess."
Cloudstar sighed. "Get Poppyfur in here, please," she ordered Harepaw, who dipped his head quickly and pelted out, muttering something about rogues and crazy shecats.
A moment later Harepaw returned, with a golden shecat at his heels. "You wanted to see me, Cloudstar?" she asked.
"Yes," Cloudstar mewed. "This rogue was found on the Thunderpath last night by your patrol. Correct?"
Poppyfur nodded. From what the rogue could see, she was well-fed and strong. She, Cloudstar, Harepaw, and Reedtail all had the same scent. They must all live together, the rogue decided. I wonder . . . is there more?
"Hey. Rogue." Cloudstar nudged him with her nose. "Do you have a name?"
"No." The rogue shook his head. "I think . . . I was called Rainkit . . . but I don't know. I . . . can't remember."
"Well," mewed Cloudstar. "I think we'll call you Storm until we think of what to do with you. Is that all right?"
Harepaw shot the rogue an aggressive look, like "Just try and disobey her." So the rogue nodded out of fear. "Storm's fine by me." He was just happy to finally get a name.
Cloudstar dipped her head. "Very well. You look about four moons. If you lived in one of the Clans, you'd almost be an apprentice." Her voice was no longer gruff; now it had a kinder air to it. "Storm, you may stay for the time being."
The rogue dipped his head. "Thank you . . . Cloudstar."
Cloudstar left the den, motioning for Poppyfur to follow. Silence rested between the three cats remaining.
"So, Storm . . ." The rogue jerked at his new name when Reedtail greeted him. "Do you really not remember anything?" the medicine cat asked, shuffling through some things that looked like cobwebs. He picked up some little seeds and a few black roots, then padded over to Storm.
"No," Storm replied. "Nothing."
Reedtail looked at him with big blue eyes. They seemed to search him, to see all his secrets. "Are you sure? See if you can remember anything."
Storm thought a moment, rummaging his mind. He remembered the black path, and the sight of the monster as it charged him, and the pain he'd felt . . . but there was nothing behind that. He couldn't remember why he'd been running, or where he'd been, or really, who he was. "No," he answered Reedtail. "Nothing. It feels like something happened . . . but I can't remember what it was."
Reedtail nodded. "OK. Now . . . here. I've chewed this comfrey to a poultice . . . give me that injured paw."
Storm looked down and saw that one dark gray paw was twisted at an odd angle. As soon as he moved it toward Reedtail, he realized how much it hurt. Reedtail had rubbed some poultice on his brown paws and now he began spreading it on Storm's twisted one. Slowly the pain in it declined, until it was numb. Storm felt sleepy.
"Eat these," Reedtail commanded, dropping the little golden seeds at Storm's paws.
"What are they?" Storm asked mildly. He was a bit suspicious despite the fact he was practically already asleep.
"Poppy seeds," Reedtail explained. "They'll make you sleep."
"All right, I'll eat them . . ." Storm meowed dazedly. He lapped them up with his tongue, laid down, and began to chew the seeds.
His vision began to shift. He watched Reedtail walk over to Harepaw and mew something he couldn't hear to him. Storm's consciousness slipped, and he fell into sleep.
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So what'd you think? Personally I thought it was better than the first chapter . . . that one was short and not very well written . . . but whatever! Click the little button! Come on, it's right down there! Isn't it cute? Anyway, just review! I'll probably update as soon as possible . . . but don't expect one till after Tuesday! I'm really busy on Tuesdays so the next update will not be then, let me assure you. OK, enough of my ranting. Just tell me what you thought! Swiftpaw :)