(Outdated) Warriors: Clouded Skies #1 - The First Storm

Chapter One

Ravenkit was awoken by the shuffling of moss by his ear, and he flicked open his large pale yellow eyes to find his vision blocked by fuzzy white fur. Shaking his head, he brought it back until he could see clearly, his neck aching from the awkward position. Jaykit, his brother, was turned onto his back, his belly facing up towards the top of the den. His body was curled slightly, with his pale gray head twisted until his cheek was almost touching his shoulder, with his tail lying across his stomach.

Ravenkit turned his head around, looking at the large warm shape behind him, and saw his mother was also still sleeping, with him pressed against her flank, while his two sisters were curled up in front of him. Willowkit was quite close, and he stretched his head forward to rest it on her haunches, letting out a small yawn.

Why did I wake up before everyone else? He thought to himself, grumpy. He tried to fall back into sleep, remembering the nice dream of a pretty forest and stream with strange exciting smells, but he couldn't sit still. Sighing, he raised himself to his paws and gave his head a shake, yawning once again.

As his jaws closed, he flicked his tongue over his lips, his whiskers twitching as he noticed that Goldenpool wasn't in the nursery. She was going to be kitting very soon--it should've happened a few sunrises ago--but yet she wasn't resting, like Mossrain had told her to do the day before.

'Mossrain, I know what I'm doing, stop harassing me,' the tough she-cat had said as she ate a pigeon.

Well, I guess it's true, he thought to the memory, and, standing up from the nest, shook the sleep from his legs, then stepped carefully over his brother, raising his tail high to make sure he didn't wake him. He didn't really want to deal with Jaykit, now that he thought about it. He was a little too crazy. But, at least he wasn't like Blossomkit.

Ravenkit cast a gaze at his sister, the silver on her back and head glowing white with pale sunlight shining through the camp entrance. He gave his paw a lick and drew it over his ear, ignoring the slight pain in his chest as he thought of his sister, then tottered forward, still feeling quite tired from his long sleep. He had gone to the nest when the sun was still lowering through the sky, and now he had overslept and felt dizzy.

When he padded out into the clearing, he was immediately blinded by the bright sun, and he shut his eyes quickly to stop the burning. When he was sure it was safe, he slowly opened his eyes again but squinted them for a few moments until the brightness dulled. The kit's black pelt glowed silver in the light.

"You're up early, Ravenkit."

The tomkit turned around to see the warrior Oakcloud walking up, his brown tabby fur glowing in the leaf-fall sunlight. "Hi, Oakcloud!" he mewed brightly. He had always liked the senior warrior; the large tom was quiet and smart and serious, but he had always played with Ravenkit and his littermates when he had free time. Especially since Goldenpool moved to the nursery.

"Is Goldenpool still sleeping?" The tom flicked his ear at the nursery entrance, and Ravenkit noticed a plump mouse at his paws. It was probably for the golden tabby.

"No, she's not in there." Ravenkit looked uncertainly towards the nursery entrance, slightly worried that the golden she-cat had maybe gotten hurt or ventured out alone. What if she started kitting out in the forest or on the moor, with no one around to help her? He looked back at the brown tom and saw, not fear, but amusement, shining in his brown gaze.

The tom snorted, his whiskers twitching. "She probably went to the medicine cat's den, the worry mouse." He looked across the clearing to the small cave entrance on the side of the tall cliffside mountain. He looked back down at the kit. "Would you take this mouse to her? I have to head out on a patrol," he meowed.