(Outdated) Warriors: Clouded Skies #1 - The First Storm

Chapter Twenty-Four

They walked as fast as they could, but it was still slow because of their tired, weak muscles and torn pads. After a while, the kits' heads went down, and soon after that, they dragged over the ground. The sun seemed to move incredibly slow over the sky, making it seem like moons until it could be seen as a different spot than before.

But the Twoleg dens seemed to be endless. They stretched out as far as Rowanpaw could see, though the soot had made his vision blurry and he found it hard to see too far in front of him. He wondered numbly if the others were having the same problem, but didn't decide on a verdict. It seemed his mind may have started to be affected as well.

Emberheart started limping and held up one of her paws. Rowanpaw saw it was the one she had hurt at the beginning of the journey-the old wound had opened up and was leaving a trail of blood behind her. Fern didn't even seem to notice as she started stepping into the trail, and the apprentice gently nudged her closer with his tail. She silently followed his lead and didn't say a thing.

Eventually, finally, the sunlight began to turn orange, darkening the sky above them and allowing the brightest of StarClan's members to shine. Rowanpaw found solace in the few glowing stars and suddenly wondered if Lavenderkit had been allowed into StarClan even though she had technically died a loner, by no fault of her own.

"Rain needs to rest!" Hickory called, and Rowanpaw's sudden calmness was dissolved.

"Honestly, Hickory, I'm fine." The injured she-cat looked at Birchsplash, who had slowed, but it was clear he didn't want to. "We can keep going, Hickory's just being a worry-mouse."

Birchsplash nodded and continued on, wanting to get a move on to return home. Hickory looked frustrated, his tail flicking back and forth, but he followed his mate's lead and followed the Clan cats. Next to Rowanpaw, Fern gave a little mew as she tripped. "I'm tired," she whispered to Rowanpaw, clearly not wanting to be bothersome but not able to hold in her complaints.

He looked at Primrose and saw that even though she looked tired and would gratefully take a rest, she was forcing herself on with vigor. He looked back at Fern, wishing he was big enough to carry her on his shoulders, but he was still only seven moons old, and with her only five moons younger he didn't have the strength nor size.

"I know it's hard, but we'll stop once it gets dark, okay? Then we can rest, I promise," he whispered to her, giving her sooty ear a soft lick. She mewled a quiet agreement, but lightly leaned against his side as they went on.

Even though his heart was begging him to get home, he was wishing for the sun to go down. Not for himself, even though he weak and tired and wanted to rest his pads, but for Fern and Primrose to be able to rest in peace. He continued to glance behind them at the setting sun, watching the golden rays fade into darkness as it disappeared.

As it turned darker his eyesight got worse, and he started tripping much more. They had slowed their pace for the tiny kits, who whimpered at every step, but Birchsplash kept them going until the orange from the setting sun was almost gone and the sky was blazing with StarClan warriors. Only then did he say they could rest, and Rowanpaw forced himself off the Thunderpath and onto the burnt grass on the side.

Fern and Primrose fell against his side, and after only a few quick moments they were sleeping. He looked at their soft pads and could see the peeling skin, and he moved forward and gently started cleaning them, not wanting the soot to sink in and get them infected. Primrose woke and groggily watched him for a moment before falling into sleep again. Fern barely even moved when he cleaned hers.

"I'll go hunting," Birchsplash meowed, tiredly getting to his paws.

Instantly, Rowanpaw drew his legs in. "I'll come with-"