Warriors: Snow (Warrior Cats Fan Fiction Book One)

Chapter Four

A week had passed since the wolves had first attacked and killed poor Glareheart. They hadn't attacked since, and Thornstar had led two more patrols to the Wolf Cave to scout out the area, but luckily, there hadn't been another fight.

The camp was filled with tension as the cats anticipated an attack. Weatherpaw was currently sitting in the clearing, watching as his Clanmates went about their day. He was waiting for Briarpaw to be done with his duties so he could talk to him. I haven't had the chance to properly talk to him since he told me about the prophecy, Weatherpaw thought. I wonder if he figured out what it means, and if it has anything to do with the wolves.

Stormsplash had appeared next to Weatherpaw as he was deep in thought.

"What do you want?" Weatherpaw snapped at her. Even though they had been on the patrol together a week before, he hadn't warmed up to his sister's best friend yet.

"I just love birds," Stormsplash said, looking up at a lark singing in the branches above them.

"Um, ok?" Weatherpaw said. "I mean, sure, they're tasty.."

"Oh no, not to eat!" Stormsplash cried, her orange eyes flashing angrily. "I mean I love watching them... I've never eaten one. They just feel so free, you know?"

"Ah..." Weatherpaw didn't know what to say. She's so weird...

"Sometimes I wish I was a bird," Stormsplash mewed. "I wish I could sprout wings and fly high in the sky, seeing the forest down below..."

Suddenly, Thornstar came out of her den and looked up at the bird in the branches. Before Weatherpaw knew what was happening, the leader raced across the clearing and leaped into the tree, aiming for the bird.

"NO!" Stormsplash cried, eyes wide as their leader tried to catch the lark.

Thankfully for Stormsplash, the bird flew away and let out a cry of alarm. Thornstar grabbed onto the branches with the tips of her claws, but she didn't have a good grip. She fell and hit the ground with a loud thump, and she lay unmoving in the grass.

"Oh no, not again!" Hilltail cried, as he and his mate, Marshpelt, raced over to Thornstar. Hilltail pressed himself against his sister's body, his eyes clouding over in grief and... annoyance? "She's lost another life," Hilltail hissed, pulling away and lashing his tail in frustration.

The rest of the Clan had crowded around the scene. Weatherpaw felt his breath catch in his throat as he stared at his fallen leader.

"Do you think that was her last life?" Stormsplash whispered.

"I don't know," Weatherpaw murmured. Even though Thornstar was reckless, she was a good leader in many respects... she had been leader ever since Weatherpaw was a kit, and he couldn't imagine someone else leading the Clan.

Thankfully, Thornstar stirred. Hilltail let out a sigh of relief and glared at his sister. "You can't keep doing this!" He cried.

"What happened?" Thornstar murmured, getting shakily to her paws.

"It's fine," Marshpelt said, helping Thornstar steady herself against her. "You tried to catch a bird but you fell. Come, let's get you to your nest."

As the deputy led the leader away, she flashed a look at her Clanmates behind her back, as if saying, 'Don't talk about Thornstar while we're gone'!

The cats held their breath as Marshpelt, Thornstar, and Hilltail entered the leader's den with Firenose, the medicine cat, behind them. The second they were out of sight, the Clan broke out into murmurs at once.

"She's so reckless!" Blizzardflight hissed.

"First the puddle, now this!" Cloverfern exclaimed. "She has to be more careful!"