Warriors: Water (Warrior Cats Fan Fiction Book Two)

Chapter Two

Stormsplash sat at the edge of the Snowclan clearing next to her father, Darkstorm.

"How did you get that scratch?" Darkstorm asked suddenly, sniffing at her cheek.

"I, ah, got in in the battle," Stormsplash said, turning away so that her father wouldn't fuss over her. "A wolf scratched me."

"That doesn't look like a wolf scratch," Darkstorm muttered. "Are you okay?"

"Yes!" Stormsplash said simply. It wasn't true, but she didn't want to tell her father who had given her the scratch...

They were waiting in the clearing along with the rest of the Snowclan cats. Marshpelt had left to get her nine lives, after a day of waiting. The cats were still healing after the wolf battle, but they all anxiously awaited the news their new leader would bring.

Please, bring Rockflight home with you, Stormsplash sent a silent prayer to Starclan.

Suddenly, there was a sound at the camp entrance. Stormsplash turned her head to see Marshstar and Firenose walking in. They were alone.

"No sign of Rockflight," Stormsplash whispered.

"I know kid, I'm sorry," Darkstorm said. He lapped her head gently, and Stormsplash pressed closer to her father, shivering.

It was leaf-fall, with leaf-bare approaching in the coming moons, but that wasn't why Stormsplash had shivered.

What if we can't find Rockflight? She thought, sadness rising inside her. What if she's...

"Cats of Snowclan," Marshstar spoke, now on the Round Rock in the center of the clearing. "I have news to share..."

"Marshstar!" The cats called, greeting their new leader with her new name. Stormsplash joined in, although not for long because she wanted to hear what Marshstar had to say.

Marshstar waited for the voices to die out, then she looked out at all the cats. They were all staring up at her with bated breath. Marshstar took a deep breath of her own, then continued.

"I stand before you now as Marshstar," Marshstar said. "I received my nine lives from Starclan. And the last cat to give me a life... was Rockflight."

"No!" Stormsplash cried, her head flying up. All around her, her Clanmates were screaming in shock too.

Not Rockflight! Stormsplash silently wailed. She can't be gone, she can't be!

"Did she tell you what happened?" Cloverfern asked, her eyes wide.

"Yes, and what about Weatherfall?" Silkfeather said, standing next to his mate. They both had tears in their green eyes, pressing close together.

They lost both of their kits in one night, Stormsplash thought, feeling sick. As sad as she was feeling, Cloverfern and Silkfeather were probably feeling ten times worse. She couldn't wrap her head around Rockflight being dead... it couldn't be real, it couldn't.

"Rockflight didn't tell me anything else," Marshstar said sadly. "I don't know how she died or if Weatherfall died with her. I just know that no one saw them leave camp..."

Stormsplash felt her stomach sink. She had seen Weatherfall leave camp... he had scratched her cheek and departed, angry at Rockflight being made deputy. I checked on him, Stormsplash reflected, anger rising inside her. Everyone else was crowding Rockflight, so I was going to congratulate her after... I wanted to check in on Weatherfall because he was all alone, but that caused me to miss my last chance to talk to my best friend!

Stormsplash dug her claws into the earth, angry at Weatherfall for stalling and scratching her. How dare he? She didn't care where he was, or if he was dead too... and she decided that she wouldn't tell Marshstar that she had seen him leave. Why should she? She didn't owe him anything.