AshClan's Future {COMPLETE}

Chapter 2

Stars swirled above, forming images of cats. Moonkit watched with awe, her blue eyes sparkling as she watched the display. Her paws ached to reach up and touch the stars, but she remained on the ground. Moonkit was surrounded by towering white trees that glowed from the moonlight, she had no idea where she was but she never wanted to leave. Around her she swore she could hear whispers, but couldn't make out what they were saying. She closed her eyes, straining to hear.

What Moonkit heard however wasn't voices, it was rustling. Her ears twitched and she focused harder on the sound. It was near her, it sounded like a cat walking and shifting moss. Moonkit's eyes opened and she was no longer in the glowing forest, but rather back in AshClan camp in the nursery. She lifted her head and looked at her littermates, Echokit was sleeping soundly; curled up in a tight ball. Riverkit, however, looked as if she had just settled down. Her heartbeat was faster than it should've been for a sleeping cat and her pelt smelled of the forest.

Have you been outside, Riverkit? Moonkit silently questioned her sister, she knew that Riverkit had antsy paws but would she really leave the nursery in the middle of the night? Moonkit rested her head on her paws, looking back towards the entrance of the nursery. The glowing forest and moving stars still fresh in her mind, she wanted to go back. The only way she knew how to get there was in her dreams, she wished to she more of the forest. To see more of the cat shaped stars and finally hear the whispers that beckoned her.

Neither Echokit nor Riverkit understood her interest in the stars, she would speak of her glowing forest to them but they didn't seem to take her seriously. Why would I imagine such a place? She wanted to argue. It has to be real, and I want to find it! Moonkit hadn't told her parents of her dreams, she didn't want to be told she was just having kit-dreams and brushed off. Jayclaw was so determined to get his daughters to be the best warriors they could be, but Moonkit couldn't help but wonder if there was something more than just hunting and fighting.

In the midst of her thoughts, Moonkit drifted back to sleep where she dreamed more of the glowing forest. She longed to see more, and wondered just how she would do that when she was just a little kit.

*****

Moonkit woke up the next day with the sun shining on her face. She always woke up a little discouraged, torn from her forest and back into a world where no cat believed in her dreams. Why do we even have dreams if they don't mean anything? Moonkit questioned herself. Dreams must have a purpose. Moonkit sat up, slicking down her sleep-ruffled pelt and turned to look at her sisters. Echokit was starting to wake up but Riverkit was still sleeping heavily. Moonkit figured she was right and that Riverkit had snuck out last night and hadn't gotten as much sleep.

"Good morning my daughters." A deep voice sounded into the nursery where Jayclaw poked his head in with a large squirrel in his jaws. "Hope you're hungry." He set down the squirrel before Moonkit and Echokit while Mistypool roused awake behind them. Jayclaw's eyes went to Riverkit, he leaned over and gave her a gentle poke, the blue-gray she-cat jumped up in alarm. "Don't sleep the day away, Riverkit." Jayclaw mewed as Riverkit forced herself awake. "Too much to do in a day."

Riverkit let out a yawn. "But I didn't sleep well last night." She complained, but her blue eyes focused on the squirrel.

"Then go to sleep earlier tonight." Jayclaw nudged the squirrel towards his mate and daughters. "Eat up." The three she-cats scrambled out of the nest to each take a bite of the squirrel.

When Moonkit was younger she never thought she would enjoy something more than her mother's milk but squirrel was probably her favorite thing in the whole forest to eat. After Moonkit and her sisters ate, Mistypool finished off the prey. "Thank you." She purred, leaning in to touch her nose to Jayclaw's.