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

//chapter ten\\

Nightpaw padded through a grassy, starlit clearing. Streams flowed around him, and drops of dew slowly fell onto leaf after leaf. The tom looked around, his gray face expressionless, but his ears pricked. Suddenly, he remembered when he had been here last.

He recalled the StarClan cats that had argued by a large rock that could be seen not too far away. They were gone now, and Nightpaw decided to look around while he was here. He ambled cautiously towards the rock, and his golden eyes widened in surprise when he saw crimson drops that scattered the grass.

He sniffed the drops, aware now that the argument must have turned into a battle. He suspected that it was his own ancestors against the other Clans' ancestors. Or... Maybe they had been attacked by the rogue's ancestors? The thought made him shiver and he turned to investigate further before bumping into a furry creature.

Startled, Nightpaw stepped back. He stared into the golden orbs of another cat, and recognized the cat he had talked to before the sun disappeared. He let out a sigh of relief to know that it was a StarClan cat he could trust. "Hi." He mewed softly.

The dark gray and black tom only gave a simple nod of greeting back. Finally, he opened his jaws to speak as he overlooked the clearing. "We won against the other five Clans," he began. "But now, without their ancestors, ThunderClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan, WindClan, and SkyClan have each fallen. They are scattered now, and have no need or want for Clan life. Only your Clans remain."

"Get to it already, Cavestar!" A silver tabby limped out from a bush, her pelt shining. When Cavestar didn't respond, she spoke. "Your home will not be taken back. They are lost to the rogues forever. I need---"

"What?" Nightpaw interrupted, astonished. Our homes are gone? "No! That's not possible!"

The she-cat looked down sadly. "It is. But there are new homes waiting for you at the old Clan's camp," she meowed, a new hope brimming in her eyes. "It will be a long journey, but I have faith in you, Nightpaw."

Nightpaw blinked, confused. "So what do you want me to do?" His tail tip twitched and he seemed to shrink at the possibility of having the Clans' fate into his own paws.

"Don't worry," Cavestar meowed. "Charlie and Lagoonstar are giving the medicine cats a message. You won't do this alone."

"But why tell me?" Nightpaw asked. "I'm not a medicine cat. I mean--- I want to be one, but I'll miss a lot about being a warrior apprentice."

Creekstar nodded. "Sometimes we are left to choose our own path. StarClan can only guide you to the right way. But if you choose the wrong path, then all will be lost," she sighed. "Nightpaw, it is not your destiny to be a medicine cat. It is your job to find a future CavernClan kit to become one."

"And then the other medicine cats will train him or her. They won't refuse," he nodded to Nightpaw. "But you must use your basic knowledge of herbs to help your Clan. Because, when you get to the new camps, there will only be you to heal their injuries, as all the Clans will separate into their own groups again."

"But how will I know which kit to choose? There aren't even any CavernClan kits, or even a queen! And Finchkit's going to be a warrior!" Nightpaw questioned, feeling the weight of his responsibility.

"You'll know in time. But remember, you must carry on your warrior duties, for the path of a medicine cat is not yours." And with that, the two StarClan cats vanished.

***

Nightpaw jerked awake. He was inside the box he had found with Hollypaw yesterday. The two had decided to carry it home for some shelter, since only the elders and kits had dens. Hollypaw was curled to his left and Rubblepaw on his right. He supposed Robinpaw had already gone out to train.