(Outdated) Warriors: Clouded Skies #1 - The First Storm

Chapter Twenty-Three

I hope that picture appears, it took forever to make and put up there! If it doesn't, it's a family tree of my OCs, and I'm really happy about it. The dotted lines in between cats show they are/were mates and solid lines mean parents and their children. Hopefully, it makes sense, tell me if you get confused about it and I'll try to explain better. I just think it brings you a little closer to my story!

"Can we stop, please? Rain needs some rest."

Rowanpaw felt another flare of loathing for the Twoleg Place cats slowing them down. They had been journeying for five days—they should've reached the Clan territories by now, especially with Rohan's supposed  "shortcut" that he claimed would get them there sooner. Rowanpaw was finally heading back to see his brother, but they were still a few days away because of Rain's injuries slowing them down!

The apprentice's side was still sore from so much walking, his wound opening up many times while it tried to heal, but he kept going strong. It made him furious that Rain was having so much trouble with her back that she had took take constant breaks.

"I'm okay, Hickory, I promise," Rain muttered, still limping forward with a low head, but Birchsplash and Rohan—both leading the group—slowed to a stop. Rowanpaw growled in anger but stopped and stayed by Emberheart's side as she went over to join the group by Rain, who was being lowered to her paws by her mate. Emberheart settled softly on the ground, her stomach still slowly extending and rounding from her kits.

"We can't stay in here without clean water," Wish meowed softly, her voice hoarse and broken.

"You won't have clean water again until it rains," Hazelfur muttered, scratching the ground with her claws with flattened ears.

Rowanpaw's throat burned from the thought of the cool fresh water in the Twoleg garden. They had enjoyed the cool taste for quite a while, with each cat bringing a moss ball dripping with water along with them. The moss stayed wet for a few days, though it took licking it with rough tongues to get to the moisture after the first night.

"Will the kits even survive?" Rain whispered, looking at her side scaredly. "You have more cats and more hunger in your territory; you say it will get deadly in leaf-bare—will my kits even survive to see the new season?"

It's always deadly, Rowanpaw thought darkly, but he stayed quiet, knowing by now it wasn't his place to speak out.

"Our cats will do everything in their power to keep your kits safe—to keep all kits safe," Birchsplash meowed with a glance at Emberheart. His littermate sent him a glittering look of gratitude.

"I hope so..." Rain murmured, looking at her belly with a lightly flicking tail.

"It'll be better than here," Hickory meowed, "I promise."

Rowanpaw was about to snap. Anger filled him to his core. He just wanted to be home! He just wanted to be with his brother, to feel his littermate's messy muddy fur against his side; he wanted to have his scent glands sticky with the smell of sap and mud to be clodded in his claws. He wanted the too-soft ground that made his paws sink down to the middle of legs in some places of their territory.

He wanted his home. He wanted his family. He wanted his brother.

"We might as well take this time to hunt," Birchsplash meowed. "We'll probably reach the territories by sunhigh tomorrow if we leave early. Hazelfur, will you lead Emberheart and Rowanpaw on a patrol to find something to eat?"

Hazelfur, who had crouched down nearby, sighed and forced herself to her paws. "Alright, let's go," she meowed hoarsely and padded away without another word. Rowanpaw looked at Emberheart with an annoyed expression then forced himself to follow the two she-cats. Emberheart butted his shoulder in an attempt to cheer him up, but he just grumbled with a quiet complaint.