Warriors: Water (Warrior Cats Fan Fiction Book Two)

Prologue

Marshpelt walked down the Snow Hill, her pelt shivering in the night wind. The moon blazed overhead, almost full. There would be a gathering soon in this very clearing.

But Marshpelt was here for another reason. As she reached the bottom of the hill, she saw the Tall Rock appear in front of her out of the shadows. It was a giant boulder, as big as a small tree, at the far side of the clearing. In front of it were four small rocks, one for each Clan leader.

I'll be sitting on one at the next gathering, Marshpelt thought. She shuddered. Am I ready for this?

The cat next to her, an orange she-cat, seemed to read her thoughts. "Relax," she said. "You'll be fine."

"But we couldn't find Rockflight," Marshpelt said, her stomach sinking. "Will Starclan accept me without my deputy?"

"I think you need to accept the fact that you'll need a new deputy," the orange she-cat murmured.

"Firenose!" Marshpelt hissed, whacking the cat over the ears. "Don't say such things! Rockflight and Weatherfall will be found, I know it."

Firenose shrugged. "Either way, we can't wait any longer," she meowed. "You've already waited a day, and the search parties found no sign of Rockflight. Snowclan can't wait any longer, we need a leader."

Marshpelt hated to admit that Firenose was right, but she didn't say anything.

As soon as I come back as leader, I'll order more search parties tomorrow.

As they were talking, the two she-cats had walked forward. They were now standing in front of the Tall Rock. In the side of the giant rock was a crack, just big enough for a cat to squeeze through. It was the Moon Cave, the place where the four Clans went to talk to Starclan. Marshpelt had never been inside before.

"After you," Firenose said, dipping her head curtly.

Trembling, Marshpelt entered the crack. It was a tight fit, but once she was through, the inside was much bigger. It was a hollowed-out cave with just the one entrance. It was in almost complete darkness.

"How do you talk to Starclan like this?" Marshpelt whispered once Firenose had squeezed in beside her. Firenose was the medicine cat, and did this every half-moon.

"Just close your eyes and lie down," Firenose said, and she did just that.

Marshpelt hesitated, feeling silly, but eventually joined Firenose by lying down on the cold stone and closing her eyes.

Marshpelt woke up in a starry clearing. All around her, she saw ghosts of cats long gone. Some she recognized, while others she did not.

At once, two cats stepped forward. One was a flame-colored she-cat, and the other was a pale brown tom with a white nose.

"Sunfire!" Marshpelt cried. "Squiddapple!"
Her parents rushed forward and rubbed against her, purring.

"We're so proud of you," Sunfire murmured.

"Yes, we are," Squiddapple said. "And we miss you terribly."

"Are you here to give me lives?" Marshpelt whispered breathlessly.

The two cats nodded as they broke away from their daughter.

"I give you a life for love," Sunfire said.

"And I give you a life for guidance," Squiddapple said.

The two cats stepped forward again and touched her nose in unison. Marshpelt saw memories flash through her mind of being in the nursery with her sister, her parents watching them with nothing but love and pride in their eyes. When the vision faded, Marshpelt wanted nothing more than to snuggle up beside her parents once again, but she knew that her kit-hood was long gone. She was the leader of Snowclan now.