☁ 𝒜𝓈 𝒞𝓁𝑜𝓊𝒹𝓈 𝒞𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓀𝓎 ☁

Chapter 22

𝒦𝑒𝑒𝓃𝓅𝒶𝓌

~ ✵ ☁ ✵ ~

Panic surged in his chest and it felt as if his anxiety was trying to suffocate him.

All around him, his clanmates were going about their duties as they normally would, but they didn't know what Keenpaw did. He hoped he wouldn't have to worry about it so soon. That the skies would stay sunny for a while and he wouldn't have to worry about the unknown threat that still haunted him.

Beware the clouds that cover the sky. The words rang over and over again in his head, keeping out any other thoughts that tried to penetrate his mind. The sky today was dark and cloudy, the air crisp and chilly, carrying the promise of rain in the gentle breeze.

He tried not to let his panic show though as he and his mentor padded across the marshland, tasting the air for any prey scents. But as they kept walking, Keenpaw found it harder and harder to keep his focus on hunting. He couldn't even think about food with his nervousness churning his stomach.

Shiningsoul eventually stopped in his tracks, looking expectantly at Keenpaw. But the silver apprentice just looked on at his mentor, his head tilted just slightly in confusion.

"Don't you smell that, Keenpaw?" The large tom asked. A flash of worry crossed his dark amber gaze for just a moment.

Keenpaw parted his jaws and tasted the air, trying to take in all of the rich scents within StreamClan territory, but the crushing anxiety he felt was too much of a distraction. He cast Shiningsoul an apologetic glance before lowering his blue-green eyes until all he saw were his forepaws, guilt weighing heavily in his chest. "Sorry." He managed to choke out. "I don't smell anything."

"That's alright, Keenpaw. I just scented rabbit up ahead." He paused allowing eerie silence to take over for just a moment before the large dark brown warrior continued. "Are you alright?" He asked in a soft tone of voice.

Keenpaw felt his pelt grow hot in embarrassment. Feeling flustered, he fluffed out his pelt and met his mentor's eyes once again. "What? I'm fine." He assured, but Shiningsoul didn't seem convinced.

"If anything is troubling you, you know you can always let me know about it, right?" The tom asked and Keenpaw replied with a slight nod. "What's wrong, Keenpaw.

The apprentice sighed, finally giving in. "I had a strange dream, maybe half a moon or so ago? I was in BreezeClan territory and found Breezestar. All he told me was that I should 'beware the clouds that cover the sky', whatever that means."

Shiningsoul let his thick-furred tail rest on his apprentice's shoulders for a brief moment in an attempt to comfort him. "Whatever it means, I'm sure everything will be okay." But it was hard for Keenpaw to believe, and he didn't even feel the slightest bit of reassurance.

✵☁✵

Hunting proved to be difficult for him during his entire time out of camp so by the time he and Shiningsoul returned to their clanmates, all they had been able to catch was a scrawny squirrel and a mouse that had already looked half-dead before they'd even killed it.

Keenpaw was about to turn away and head to his den when his mentor beckoned for the apprentice to follow him with a few flicks of his fluffy tail.

The apprentice was led across the stone camp floor to Moonstar's den where they almost collided with the clan deputy, Sharpswipe.

"Ah. Sorry about that." Shiningsoul mewed with an apologetic dip of his broad head.

"No worries. How was the hunt?" He asked.

"It went alright." The large tom answered with a shrug. "Keenpaw's been a bit out of it lately though, so we ended it early."

"Oh, that's terrible." The tortoiseshell tom cast a worried glance at the apprentice. "Make sure to get some rest, Keenpaw. Both warriors and apprentices alike need breaks sometimes."

"Thank you," Keenpaw murmured as the deputy padded away. Leaving him and his mentor at the entrance to the leader's cave. Moonstar emerged not long after though and Keenpaw assumed he had overheard their small conversation with Sharpswipe.

"Moonstar," the large warrior greeted with a respectful nod to the old leader. "Do you mind if Keenpaw and I speak to you in private for a moment?"

Keenpaw studied the pinkish-gray leader. It felt as if every day the tom looked even more frail. His rounded orange eyes looked tired and a bit downcast and he was very skinny despite the abundant prey they had in the spring season. The apprentice wondered just how long the tom would be able to lead them before he either died or retired and became an elder.

He hoped he could retire instead. Moonstar was such a wise and well-respected cat of StreamClan and it would be a huge loss if he were to join SpiritClan.

"Sure, come on in." The leader answered with a welcoming wave of his white-tipped tail. The den was small and cozy, but just large enough to fit Shiningsoul and Keenpaw as well as the leader. "What is it, Shiningsoul?" The leader asked once they sat and made themselves comfortable.

"Keenpaw here told me he received a dream," Shiningsoul said, letting his dark brown tail run along Keenpaw's spine. "He said Breezestar had come to him and told him to 'beware of the clouds in the sky'."

Moonstar's orange eyes clouded with confusion, but he shook his head. "I'm sure it didn't mean anything. Only Clanless Clowder members receive messages from our ancestors after all." He told Keenpaw.

"Are you sure?" The apprentice asked. "Why would I dream of Breezestar? I've never seen him before. And BreezeClan's territory seemed so real even though I've never been there."

"I understand. But we can't receive dreams. I'm afraid SpiritClan only contacts the Clowder." Moonstar answered. "Besides, clouds in the sky can't hurt us. There's nothing to worry about."

The two cats appreciated the leader and made their leave, but Keenpaw didn't feel any less worried.