Warriors: Rise of the Shadows (Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Moonswirl sat in the medicine den, hunched over a pile of tansy, horsetail, and thyme. 'Oh StarClan, I miss Klip so much!' She thought with despair, unable to show her emotions towards the handsome tom.

Just last night, Moonswirl had figured out that she was expecting Klip's kits. Along with being an expectant mother, Heatherspring had been slaughtered near the DawnClan border by a rogue.

She sighed, looking down at her creamy paws with sadness. She missed her mentor and Klip, but she knew she couldn't let anyone know she was expecting kits.

Looking at her flanks, she rose to her paws and headed out of the den with a sigh. Her flanks weren't even the slightest bit round, but she knew in about a moon, they would show and reveal her secret.

The camp was mostly full of cats, including the oldest senior warriors who were speaking with their kin and the younger cats. Many cats looked somber and grief-stricken. Not only did Heatherspring die, but before her death, Blizzardfrost died in her sleep.

Jumpstorm, Jaggedlight, and Redfeather were huddled together at the base of Highledge, meowing quietly to one another as the brothers mourned the loss of their sister and medicine cat. Among them were their parents, Blackstrike and Spiderstep. They too were mourning their daughter while the rest of the Clan looked at them sympathetically.

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"Jaggedpaw, do you promise to uphold the Warrior Code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Dewstar, whose age was getting to her, asked the tom.

"I do, Dewstar." The apprentice replied strongly, his ear flicking with excitement.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Jaggedpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Jaggedwhisker." The leader meowed and nodded to the newly named warriors.

"Jaggedwhisker! Bramblewatcher! Harepool! Rubblefrost! Sagetalon! Sorrelecho!" The Clan cheered, the new warriors raising their heads and soaking in the pride in the cheering.

The rain was beginning to fall as the day came to an end, making the ground soggy and making Smokemask, the last remaining elder, whine about wet bedding.

As Moonswirl yawned and headed for her den, lightning struck a nearby tree, setting it ablaze and making it crash to the ground. The medicine cat reared on her hind legs, yowling in shock and surprise.

As the fire was extinguished before her very eyes, Moonswirl tilted her head and gazed at the scorched wood. 'It's a sign,' she realized and turned to her Clanmates, who watched in shock. 

"It's a sign from StarClan," she meowed and dug her claws into the ground. "Something bad is going to happen to DawnClan!" At her words, all chaos broke loose and the Clan settled in their nests in an unnerving silence.