A Talk About Stuff

Warriors Super Edition: The End of The Dark Forest

By: Anonymous

Prologue: Rain thudded down on the ground as two cats slipped quietly around the curve. The first was a slender ginger tom with watchful, amber eyes. He sniffed, then beckoned the other. The second cat was a big white tom with huge, jet-black paws. Just as he began to walk, a monster roared by, splashing murky water all over the tom, splattering his white pelt.

“How much farther?” The second cat asked, his voice hushed.

“A few more pawsteps, Blackstar.” The first cat said.

“Hopefully, Rowanclaw.“ The second cat replied, his eyelids beginning to droop.

“Stay awake,” Rowanclaw urged, lifting Blackstar onto his shoulder. “You need to save your energy.” “StarClan is close.”

“Don’t say that!” Panic flared in Rowanclaw’s eyes. “Blackstar…”

“The battle was harsh.” his voice croaked. “Those rogues have gone at last. More hunting grounds for our growing Clan.” Rowanclaw lifted his head, hope flashing in his eyes.

“We’re almost there,” The ShadowClan deputy murmured. “StarClan will guide us.”

“Can’t you do anything?” A russet-colored she-cat watching the scene jumped up to her paws. “The Clan deputy and the Clan leader are dying in the rain!”

“Shh, Russetfur.” A brown-and-black she-cat murmured. “StarClan will try its best so Rowanclaw and Blackstar will return home safely.”

“Fernshade is right,” a white she-cat murmured, gently smoothing Russetfur’s ruffled fur. “StarClan will try its best.”

“He’s on his last life,” Russetfur’s eyes were filled with panic. “Rowanclaw does not have enough strength to continue!” Her gaze flew to a vivid spirit--Blackstar.

“We will take care of your leader, Russetfur,” The white she-cat sat next to Fernshade.

“Believe in Sagewhisker, Russetfur.” Fernshade urged. Russetfur nodded, calming down.

“A new kit will come and save the Clans from the Place of No Stars. When she is born, StarClan will have hope again.” Sagewhisker mewed. Russetfur and Fernshade bowed their heads as Sagewhisker continued the last lines of the prophecy. “There will be one that will finish the darkness in the sky that has terrorized the stars since the first fight.”

Chapter 1: “Shouldn’t she have opened her eyes by now?”

“Hush, Leafshine. She’s only a day old, she’ll open her eyes when she is ready.” Brightkit felt the rasp of her mother’s tongue on her flank and nestled closer to Silverwing’s milk-warm belly.

“Flowerkit opened her eyes the morning she was born.” Leafshine reminded her. “And my two opened their eyes by the time they were born. Patchkit and Sorrelkit are natural warriors.”

A purr sounded from a third queen. “Oh, Leafshine. No kit can compete with your two.” Poppyleaf gently teased. It was a damp day in ShadowClan. Brightkit could feel the wet raindrops dripping down on her pelt. One small paw poked Brightkit on the side.

Flowerkit! Brightkit mewled with annoyance and snuggled closer to Silverwing.

“Come on, Brightkit. The camp is so exciting!” Flowerkit squealed. “But it’s not really fun until you come out to play with me! Silverwing wants me to show you around the camp but you haven’t opened your eyes yet!

“She’ll open her eyes in her own time.” Silverwing chided.

Yes, in my own time. Brightkit agreed.

Waking, Brightkit could feel that her sister had woken up earlier and had gone out to play. She could hear Patchkit, Sorrelkit, and Flowerkit chatting outside. “Patchkit will be the border patrol and Sorrelkit and I will be the intruders.” Flowerkit instructed. “You were the intruders last time!” complained Patchkit.

“Were not!”

“Was!”

A scuffling broke out, punctuated by the squeaks of defiance.

“Hey! Watch where you’re rolling!” came the growl of a warrior, silencing them for a moment.

“Okay, you be the intruder,” Flowerkit agreed. “But I bet we can catch you like an actual warrior!” Warrior!

Brightkit wriggled out of Tawnypelt’s belly. A newleaf breeze stirred the bramble walls and drifted through the gaps--the same fresh forest smell her father had carried in on his pelt when he’d visited. It chased away the stuffy smell of moss and milk and warm, sleeping fur.

Excitement made Brightkit’s claws twitch. I’m going to be a warrior!

For the first time, she stretched open her eyes, blinking against the shafts of light that pierced the bramble roof. The nursery was huge! In darkness, the den had felt small and cozy, but now she could see the brambles arching high overhead, with tiny patches of blue beyond. Poppyleaf lay on her side near one wall, a reddish brown tabby she-cat with a brown-striped tail. Brightkit recognized her because she smelled different from Leafshine and Silverwing. There was no milk scents on her; she didn’t have any kits yet. Leafshine, in a nest beside her, was hardly visible-curled in a tight ball with her nose tucked under her tail, her tabby-and-white pelt blotchy against the pine needles underneath. The most familiar scent of all came from behind. Wriggling around, Brightkit gazed at her mother. Sunshine dappled Silverwing’s silver pelt, rippling over the white stripes that ran along her flank. Her silver tabby face was narrow, and her ears tapered to gentle points.

Do I look like her? Brightkit looked over her shoulder at her own pelt. It was fluffy, not sleek like Silverwing's, and was brown-and-white all over with a plumy tail with no white stripes. Not yet.

Brightkit spotted a hole in the bramble wall, just big enough for a kit to squeeze through. Patchkit, Sorrelkit, and Flowerkit were already outside. I want to surprise them! Brightkit thought. Poppyleaf raised her head. “Don’t go far.” she murmured sleepily before tucking her nose back under her tail.

“Where are Poppyleaf’s kits?” Brightkit murmured to herself. Silverwing must have heard her because she suddenly asked her, “Where do you think you are going?” Brightkit turned and blinked at her mother. “Outside.”

Silverwing’s eyes glowed and a loud purr rolled in her throat. “You’ve opened you eyes.” she sounded relieved.

“I decided it was time,” Brightkit replied proudly.

"There, Leafshine," Silverwing turned to wake the tabby queen. "I told you she would open them on her own,"

"Of course," Leafshine mewed. "I was only thinking about my kits; they opened theirs quicker."

"So you're going off to see the world now," Silverwing meowed to Brightkit. She puffed up her chest. "Of course I am! Patchkit, Sorrelkit, and Flowerkit are out there!"

"Patchkit, Sorrelkit, and Flowerkit are all five moons old," Silverwing reminded Brightkit. Her ears flattened. "Is it that dangerous?" Silverwing let out a mrrow of amusement. "Not if you are in camp."

"Then I can go!" Brightkit cheered. She squeezed out of the nursery and blinked her eyes to fight against the blinding light of the sun that greeted her. Warmth bathed around her as she searched the camp hungrily, desperate to find Flowerkit and her other denmates.

There, look! It's the fresh-kill pile! Mounds and mounds of prey were piled up on a tree stump. Brightkit watched in awe as more warriors padded out from the thorn barrier, dropping their share of prey onto the pile. Behind her she heard a familiar voice.

"Does your mother know you're out here?" Patchkit called. Brightkit whipped around, ready to see her denmate for the first time.

Oh. She didn't know Patchkit was so large. His black-and-white pelt was sleek, and his yellow eyes glowed in the sun. His sister, Sorrelkit, bounded next to him, her tortoiseshell-and-white pelt shining like all of TigerClan. Last of all came Flowerkit, her pelt silver like Silverwing's.

"You opened your eyes!" Flowerkit purred, padding over to give Brightkit a gentle lick. "Here, we'll give you a tour around the camp," Patchkit offered.

"Here's the apprentice den," Patchkit meowed stoutly, indicating the den nearest to the fresh-kill pile. "We'll be moving in there next moon." Just then, a ginger tom padded out of the den, yawning.

"Did R-rowanclaw call me for anything?" The tom mewed as he stifled a yawn. Patchkit shook his head. "He's still sorting out patrols, but he's bound to put you on one soon, Rainpaw." Rainpaw swiped his paw across his muzzle, yawning loudly once more.

"Oh, hi, Brightkit," Rainpaw angled his ears to get a good look at her. "Nice to meet you. Look, I've got to hurry before Rowanclaw gets mad at me, so so long!"

All credit to SunnyCat321 for her application to become writer.

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