Nightstar's Promise (Pending rewrite)

Chapter 5- Remembering and Promising

Dawn came and went. Nightkit woke up, feeling colder than usual. Strangly, Petalstorm didn't sleep with him that night.

"Petalstorm?" he mewed sleepily.

There was no answer. Hazelpool and Amberbreeze weren't in the nursery either, which worried him greatly.

Nightkit raced out of the nursery, only to be stopped by Oakblaze, who shook his head.

"Stay inside," he ordered.

"What's happening?" Nightkit asked desperately, batting at Oakblaze with his smaller paws. "Tell me!"

Oakblaze remained silent, gazing soundlessly at Nightkit's green eyes.

"I need you to be brave about this," he spoke gravely. "Promise me that, okay?"

"Okay," Nightkit replied with a feeble meow.

Oakblaze led Nightkit to the center of the camp, where many cats were gathered. They were silent, as if something wrong had happened.

"Oakblaze," Reedfang mewed when the young warrior came close. "What are you doing?"

"Nightkit needs to see-" Oakblaze tried to explain but Reedfang cut him off roughly.

"He's a kit! He shouldn't feel that way when he's still too young," he growled in a half choking voice. "Being kits are supposed to be the best time of their lives, why should we let him experience this... pain?"

"What pain?" Nightkit asked, afraid of the answer.

"Look," Reedfang choked out, padding away.

Nightkit stared at the blank eyes of the cat whe he knew since kithood. Then, a faint memory came flooding back to him.

~~~~

A black kit was watching a cream tom organising patrols. He stared at the tom, wondering if he was to become leader one day.

"Nightkit," a familiar voice called him.

The tiny kit spun around and spotted the cat.

It was Petalstorm, frowning in disapproval. "It's hot outside," she mewed. "Go back in the nursery."

"But I want to see!" Nightkit protested. "I always wanted to feel how it is like to be a leade-"

"What are you talking about?" Petalstorm sounded horrified. "You are too young to think about this. Go back to the nursery now!"

Nightkit's mother's sharp voice stunned him. Unaware, he numbly walked back to the nursery, rolling around trying to take a nap.

As he began to fall asleep, a voice spoke faintly. "Nightkit, promise me... that you will always be loyal to your Clan. Do not become greedy or too ambitious. Do you promise?"

"I do," Nightkit mewed sleepily, unaware of the seriousness in the cat's voice. "I promise."

~~~~

"No!" Nightkit cried. "How can you leave me?" The hundled shape lying on the ground was not Petalstorm.

It was Darkthorn.

Petalstorm's eyes were dull with grief. "Nightkit, come here."

The kit stumbled to his mother's side as she wrapped her tail around him.

"Why him?" Nightkit yowled, all the grief in his voice rushed out like a furious wave. "How?"

"He... was murdered," Petalstorm's voice was filled with rage. "It must be... those RiverClan cats..."

"We have no proof about it," Birchstar mewed. "There was no RiverClan scent. Or any other Clans..."

Suddenly, Birchstar gasped. "But there was ShadowClan scent on his body when we found it!"

Immediately, there was a huge uproar.

"Attack ShadowClan now!" Ashwhisker yowled.

"My littermate must be avenged!" Spottedpelt spoke up, fire burning in her eyes.

"Not yet," Birchstar's voice was furious, but calm and demanding. "We will attack ShadowClan, but now, we will grief for our fallen Clanmate."

He lashed his tail and Breezetail followed him.

While some cats padded back to their dens, Nightkit lay down on Darkthorn's already cold body.

Darkthorn, why do you have to go so soon?

~~~~

(Shadowfur's POV)

"Rainstep, are you sure that you don't want to retire?" Shadowfur insisted. "You deserve rest for many more seasons already."

His old mentor shook her head. "Not now," she rasped. "Whatever you are going to say, I'm going with the Clan tomorrow."

"Stay here," Shadowfur mewed, more persistent this time.

"Fine," Rainstep grumbled, with an air of amusement. "Young cats are so bossy these days."

Heaving a sigh of relief, Shadowfur grabbed the herbs he had packed and padded out to meet the patrols getting ready to attack ShadowClan.

Flinttalon, Fuzzytail, Spottedpelt, Flowerpaw and Reedfang are in the first patrol. "The aim is to make the ShadowClan cats think that we are weak and that will reduce their chances of asking for reinforcements," Birchstar had explained.

Flamenose, Oakblaze, Ashwhisker, Bluewhisker, Strikepelt and Breezetail will be in the next patrol. Birchstar would be leading the second patrol himself.

"Shadowfur, are you ready?" Breezetail asked.

"Yes," he replied.

"ThunderClan, let's go!" Birchstar yowled, as the mass of ThunderClan cats raced for ShadowClan territory.

When they have reached, Shadowfur hid behind some bushes with Flowerpaw staying behind to guard him and yowl if there's trouble.

"ThunderClan, attack!" Flinttalon yowled, racing into the ShadowClan camp.

Shadowfur heard shocked yowls and Lionstar's commanding voice. "Defend the nursery!"

After the battle have gone on for a while, Birchstar ran into the ShadowClan camp.

Flowerpaw was alert, looking out for any passing ShadowClan patrols.

When Bluewhisker went to Shadowfur, he quickly treated her wounds and she ran back into battle.

As more of his injured Clanmates came to him, he caught the scent of ShadowClan, which is very close to him.

Rough paws knocked Shadowfur's head and the ThunderClan medicine cat stumbled.

"Duskfall!" Breezetail snarled, pouncing onto the ShadowClan deputy. "How dare you attack our medicine cat?"

Duskfall only snarled in reply. The two deputies fought fiercely, but it was obvious who was stronger.

Soon, Duskfall had Breezetail pinned, getting ready to bite his neck.

I must help my Clanmate! Shadowfur thought, slamming his paw onto Duskfall's pelt.

As Breezetail got up and Duskfall swiped at Shadowfur, they heard a yowl.

"ThunderClan, fall back!"

Shadowfur quickly grabbed his herbs and sped off after a limping Breezetail.