Warriors: Clouded Skies #1: Oncoming Storm

Chapter One

The grass was soft under Ravenkit's paws as he nudged his way through the undergrowth, ferns brushing against his side. It was night, but the air was lit with a blue glow as the moon shined down, endlessly bright despite the towering trees. Regardless of how large everything was, how the darkness at the edges of his vision seem to be closing in, he felt no fear. The cold air was fresh, tainted by sweet herbs, filling his chest with such wonderful freedom, he could've stayed there forever.

He nosed his way under some ferns, following the strong smell of herbs. He didn't know what they were, but he wanted them. Maybe Goldenpool and Mossrain, EchoClan's medicine cats, would find them useful. 

Was that a plant he could see, hidden behind some bracken? He slipped his way around the bush, but it never seemed to end, keeping him from the wonderful herbs right beyond his reach. He pushed his way under the fronds, crawling his way closer. He felt the soft leaves of the herbs brush his muzzle, the sweet smell almost choking him. What was the name? It seemed to be right on his tongue, but the wonderful scent washed everything from his mind, and that was okay. Just knowing he had the herbs made his chest feel light.

"Ravenkit!"

Ravenkit was jolted from his dream with a gasp as a heavy weight crushed him into the moss of their nest. His brother's scent washed all remnants of the herb smell from his mind.

"Are you awake?" Jaykit asked, paws pummeling Ravenkit's side, his pale green eyes shining as his brother glanced sleepily at him. "Snowfern said we could go outside once you woke up, but you've been asleep forever!"

"Jaykit," Snowfern chided, nosing him off Ravenkit with her muzzle. "I told you to wait for him to wake up on his own."

"But he was going to sleep through the whole day!" Jaykit complained, poking Ravenkit again as if he was making sure his brother was still awake. Jaykit's long fur was ruffled and messy, as if he had spent the morning rolling in brambles.

Willowkit was laying on her side near them, attempting to reach a moss ball just beyond her claws. She looked over, icy blue gaze lighting up. "Are we going outside now? I'm starving!"

Blossomkit padded over to her, jabbing Willowkit's white side with a paw. "Let him wake up first!" she ordered.

Willowkit scrambled to her paws and tackled Blossomkit with a growl, and they rolled away across the den. Ravenkit watched them with a purr rising in his throat, then noticed they were alone in the den, the nest across the nursery empty. He looked over at his mother. "Where's Goldenpool?" He couldn't help the surge of anxiety in his chest--Goldenpool was getting closer and closer to kitting, and Mossrain had told her just yesterday to start resting more. She had chided her old apprentice--"Mossrain, I've been doing long before you were born, so don't start bossing me around!"--but Ravenkit had been hopeful she would listen just a little.

Snowfern ran a reassuring tail over his back. "There was another silly skirmish with SageClan," his mother explained softly. "Goldenpool went to help Mossrain." Her eyes skimmed over the kits. "Remember, all of you--don't fight pointless battles. Always think these things through. Fighting over prey won't give you anything but scars and enemies."

Willowkit and Jaykit nodded solemnly, while Ravenkit just shifted. Blossomkit lashed her tail, her green eyes glowing with challenge. "But it also teaches those rabbit-chasers not to touch our land!" she insisted.

"Don't be cruel, Blossomkit," Snowfern scolded. "They're cats, same as us, and cats make mistakes. Apprentices running over the border every once and a while is nothing to fight over."

"But there's a river," Blossomkit pointed out. "They'd have to notice it! They just don't care. I heard Grayblaze say--"

"Grayblaze is a fool," Snowfern cut in harshly, her tail twitching. "He gets a foul taste in his mouth at just the idea of cats outside EchoClan. Keep listening to him and you'll regret it one day." Snowfern's ears twitched, and she stood up from the nest, stretching out her back before stepping out. "Come along, now, and Blossomkit, behave."