fading silence ♡ a warriors fanfic (book one ♡ completed ✔️)

//chapter one\\

A black tom with peculiar markings sat quietly at the edge of the ravine. His light gray tail, tipped with white, curled neatly over his light gray paws. He had wide golden eyes and a small black nose. His ears were slightly larger than the average cats' and they were pricked and tilted forward, listening closely.

A gray tabby tom and a pretty calico she-cat leaped high into the air, batting balls of moss at each other. Their mother, another beautiful calico sat by a small entrance to a capacious den. That was the nursery.

Glancing around, the black tom spotted the dawn border patrol, jumping down the rocks to get back into the CavernClan camp. A pitch black tom, who the tom knew as his father, Shadowflurry, dropped a skinny squirrel into the fresh-kill pile. The young kit admired his father's commitment to serving his Clan, and aspired to be just like his father.

However, only one thing got in his way. The tom fixed his golden orbs on the two she-cat's sunning themselves by a large, hollowed oak trunk. Stories said that once the first leader of CavernClan, Cavestar, had died, lightning struck the oak and sent it tumbling down into the ravine. The Clan's deputy Mousefoot, had died, and the medicine cat, Fallowtail, had to choose who the next leader would be. A young warrior named Olivewhisker was chosen, and he led CavernClan into many victories, specifically against MoorClan.

The young tom shook his head to clear his mind of the story. He stared observantly at the two she-cat's, who were the medicine cats. Palespots was a pale sotted tabby, while Applepaw was a fiesty orange tabby. Palespots had begun to gray around the face, and was getting older as the days went past. She was a senior.

The kit truthfully had thought much about becoming a medicine cat. His curiosity willed him to know every herb that the forest offered, and the sharp tang of herbs never fazed him when they hit his nose. But, Palespots already had an apprentice. His naming ceremony was tomorrow, and he was almost sure Palespots wouldn't accept another apprentice. So, the young kit decided to be a warrior.

But, who would his mentor be? He scanned the camp for the possible mentors. His golden eyes first rested on Briarsnout. She would make a good mentor, but the senior warrior was the oldest in the Clan apart from Halfear. He expected the mocha colored she-cat to retire soon.

The next possible candidate was Dawnblossom. The tom had noticed the honey colored she-cat to be very quiet, yet capable of completing all her warrior duties with ease. Another candidate was Cavetail. Cavetail was bulky tom and excelled in battle moves. With a mentor like Cavetail, the young tom could be just as formidable.

"Nightkit!" The calico kit came racing over, pulling him away from his thoughts. Nightkit pressed himself to the ravine's stone walls, bracing himself to be tackled by his boisterous sister. Before the she-cat could go another tail-length, however, she skidded to a halt.

The gray tabby tom came up behind her, walking more slowly. "Robinkit, you're going to end up scaring the mouse-dung out of him!" Nightkit ducked away in embarrassment. He was quite the jumpy kit.

Robinkit cast his brother a glance. "Oh shut up, Rubblekit. You're making him feel bad," the she-kit flicked her tail at him. "Anyway, why don't you come play moss-ball with us?" Robinkit's green eyes were bright with hope, while Rubblekit stared quietly at his brother.

Sighing, Nightkit nodded slowly and followed his siblings to the other end of camp. He noticed Wrenkit and Finchkit had just woke up, yawning. The two younger kits were both deep sleepers. And, by the fresh-kill pile, he noticed Condorpaw and Rainpaw. The two apprentices were the most experienced, having been apprenticed  before Nightkit and his siblings were born. In less than three days, he expected the two to become warriors.

A ball of moss hit his head, and he turned to look at the small, green ball. He hooked it up in his tiny claws and tossed it in the air. He swatted at it, but missed, allowing the moss to come back down and hit his head. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Robinkit stifling a purr of amusement.

Narrowing his eyes, the tom tossed the moss-ball up and swatted it toward Rubblekit, who swatted it to Robinkit. Nightkit sighed, slightly embarrassed to have been caught off guard again.

By the time the game had ended, it was sunhigh. Nightkit had been sitting on top of the Speaking Rock, overlooking the Clan. Witheredstar, the Clan leader, often let him up here. In fact the matted dark gray tom was sitting beside him now.

Nightkit looked at all the towering oaks. I can't wait to see what's outside of camp! He thought excitedly. He couldn't wait to hunt for his Clan. Besides, the Clan would need his help. It was early Leaf-fall, but from the stories Halfear told, Leaf-bare would sometimes come early.

"Have you ever been told the story of our Clan's founding?" Witheredstar's low voice drew Nightkit out of his thoughts. When Nightkit shook his head, Witheredstar looked surprised. "Well, it all starts with a young alley cat named Cave. He was from the twolegplace by LagoonClan territory. He was told of a great destiny beyond the yellow lights of his home. So, Cave rounded up three of his fellow alley cats, Charlie, Lagoon, and Creek.

"When they found the forest, the cats became more hungry and ambitious for leadership. As the cats separated into four groups, their numbers grew and they separated into their own territories. As you probably have guessed, Cave founded CavernClan, Charlie founded MoorClan, Lagoon founded LagoonClan, and Creek founded CreekClan."

Nightpaw stared at the Clan leader. There has to be more.. a Clan's founding couldn't be that simple.. what about disputes? Nightkit's curiosity grew and grew. Perhaps Halfear would be able to tell him the story in more detail.

Nightkit looked down at his Clanmates below. A large mass of cats were gathered below, crowded around the deputy, Sparrowsight. The tom was sending out the midday hunting patrols. He saw Wrenkit and Finchkit bouncing up and down, asking a brown she-cat if they could go on patrol. As expected, the kits walked away, heads and tails drooping.

Nightkit rose to his paws and nodded a quick farewell to Witheredstar before padding carefully down to the sullen kits. The two siblings looked up at him, eyes suddenly bright. Wrenkit waved her tail and purred while Finchkit jumped up and down. "Hi, Nightkit!" Finchkit exclaimed.

Nightkit nodded a greeting to the two kits. "Hey," Nightkit stood there now, beginning to feel awkward. Say something! He shuffled his paws. "Uh.. have you ever played tag?" Stupid furball, why'd you ask that instead of how their day was?

"Of course!" Wrenkit exclaimed. A mischevious glint flashed in her eyes. She reached out a quick paw and touched Nightkit on the nose. "You're it!" The two kits dashed away, and Nightkit sighed.

"Great StarClan..." The black and gray tom bounded after the closest kit, Finchkit. He was surprised at how fast the small kit was already. The tom-kit kept letting out small squeaks of terror --- or excitement. However, Nightkit was lean, and had longer legs than most of the kits, and easily caught up to Finchkit. "You're it!" Nightkit scampered off and hid in the shelter of a dead bush. He panted, trying to catch his breath.

The game of tag went on for the longest time, until sundown. Nightkit's paws felt heavy, and the black tom padded to his mother, Maplewish, who had been watching the game with amusement. "Tired?" She asked. Nightkit nodded and slipped into the nursery, followed by Maplewish.

The other kits came bounding in moments later. Each one seemed just as tired as Nightkit. All except Robinkit at least. His sister was always very bubbly, no mater what time it was, or what she had been doing that day. But, now she seemed even more excited, most likely because of their apprenticeship that would be held tomorrow.

Nightkit curled into his nest, wondering who his mentor would be.

A/N:
Hello fellow Warriors fans. This is a shorter chapter than what I would usually write, but here it is! Expect the next chapters to be at least 2,000 words. I have decided the day when the chapters will be released, and that is Sunday. Also, the media at the top is CavernClan's Clan symbol and first leader, Cavestar. Have a great, restful day and may StarClan guide your paws.

~Everest