Wolf and Moon

Chapter 2: Hawkfeather

  Hawkfeather stared off into the distance. His friends Crosswind and Hollyfrost were arguing with each other. However, he wasn't listening to what they were saying. Instead he tried to find out what was going on in the other clans. Shadeclan had just called some kind of meeting by Poppyfur, though he couldn't see where Spotstar was. Waterclan looked peaceful enough. And Breezeclan had few warriors in it's camp, which most likely meant that they were out on patrol. The he saw two cats at the Gathering Place. A Breezeclan cat and a Forestclan cat. He didn't recognize the Breezeclan cat but did recognize his clan mate. Birchleaf? What is Birchleaf doing there with that Breezeclan cat? He went back to Breezeclan and to see how many cats there were. He saw Lightstar and Spikeflame talking with their heads close together. A couple of queens were outside what appeared to be the nursery, watching their kits. He counted five kits. Two apprentices came out of, what he thought, was the elders den. Three other apprentices went to talk to them and they all started practicing battle moves, or hunting moves. He couldn't figure it out. Five warriors watched from a distance, approving their moves or fixing or improving them. There seemed to be everyone there. Expect one. Mistysnow, one of the new warriors. Maybe that is who Birchleaf was talking to. He went back to the Gathering Place and found that it was in fact Mistysnow. He opened his eyes. Hollyfrost and Crosswind were still arguing about whatever Crosswind was mad at, but Thunderstorm came to his side.

"What's going on?" Hawkfeather asked Thunderstorm before he could speak.

"Crosswind is mad because you and Hollyfrost have been taking the kits out too much lately. She-cats! They are overprotective of their kits and argue about everything!" Thunderstorm grunted. "Don't tell them this but I sometimes wish I wasn't mates with Crosswind. But she is the mother to my kits and I love her to death. I love her more than anything in the world. But sometimes she makes a big deal about everything."

"True. Hollyfrost is the same way-" Hawkfeather was interrupted by the screaming of kits coming from the nursery. Five kits came running out of the den.

"Mother!" Three of the kits, Shadowkit, Iriskit, and Pebblekit, called as they came crashing into Crosswind and Hollyfrost. Reedkit and Breezekit came more slowly, frightened.

"What's wrong, kits?" Hollyfrost asked calmly.

"Silverwind won't wake up!" Iriskit yowled.

One look and that was all it took for Hollyfrost, Crosswind, and Hawkfeather to jump up and run towards the nursery. Hollyfrost watched the kits and Crosswind went to find Earthpoppy and Diamondpaw. Thunderstorm and Hawkfeather went into the nursery to find Silverwind curled up in a ball. Hawkfeather went over to her and lightly put his paw on her neck. He shook his head at Thunderstorm right as Crosswind and Diamondpaw came through the barrier. Immediately they knew and walked out the den. Hawkfeather and Thunderstorm followed.

"Reedkit, Breezekit, we have something to tell you," Diamondpaw muttered to the kits.

"She's dead, isn't she?" Breezekit's voice shook.

The four of them nodded their heads. Breezekit whimpered and Shadowkit put his tail on her shoulder to comfort her. Iriskit was instantly at Reedkit's side, trying to calm her. They remind me of me and Hollyfrost and Thunderstorm and Crosswind. He took his eyes off the kits and looked at Hollyfrost and Crosswind. It seemed they were thinking the same thing because they looked at each other and put their heads close together. It looked as if they were apologizing.

But what caused her death?

They laid Silverwind in the middle of camp. Mudfire and their kits were sitting vigil together. Everyone was in the camp. That was when Flightwind, Silverwind and Shinewater's sister, stood up from her place beside Silverwind's body.