Warriors: Prophecy From StarClan, The Owl's Kit.

Chapter 11

It had begun to storm again, the last storms of Green leaf was raging through the territories, putting her training temporarily on hold until it let up some.
It was two sunrises since the gathering, and tension was high.
Softpaw mostly avoiding her Clanmates since Flamestar snapped at her and her siblings and Darkpaw. Even Darkpaw, the mostly fearless rude cat, was shaken up by his leader.

Mouse brain. Softpaw called herself as she raised her head out of her next to peer outside the Warriors den. Because it was storming so heavily, Flamestar ordered all the cats to stay in their dens, and now the Clan mostly slept saving their energy for the possible war that would happen once the storms passed.

Softpaw however couldn't sleep, and by the sound of it, the kits couldn't either.

"The noises are scary!" Stormkit complained.

"Mousekit stepped on my tail!" Snowkit whinned.

Softpaw twitched her whiskers before padding out of the apprentice den sneaking to the bramble entrance. She was getting good at sneaking, as she left the camp and fought to find herself through the forest to her destination.

Her white paws turned brown and sticky with the mud under them, the rain made her pelt stick together to her skin while thundered made her ears throb. But with the new threat she was determined to train, rain or not rain, storm or no storm.

Softpaw caught the faint scent of a squirrel close by, and if she could smell it dispute the rain, it had to be close. She went into a hunter's crouch perfectly, her and her siblings had been practicing in their den since it was all they could really do.

Just then a squirrel appeared in her sight looking frightened as it quickly searched for nuts.
Softpaw felt a wave of familiarity rush over her. As she got closer the thunder cracked and lightening flashed and Softpaw used this as her time to catch the squirrel.

She leapt, giving it a quick killing bite and dropped it to the ground as she heard something over the thunder.

"You should be in your nest." Said a firm meow behind her.

Softpaw turned her head catching the flame colored pelt of Flamestar staring at her with blue calm eyes.

Oh no. She thought. She had already gotten severe punishment from Flamestar, not only were they not allowed to go to the next two gathering, but Flamestar also had been making them treat the elder's ticks more then normal. "I was sick of being in my nest. I can't rest.."Softpaw meowed avoiding her leaders gaze.

"I understand, I can't rest either." Flamestar meowed. "How about we race?" She asked Softpaw.

Softpaw's bright green eyes looked up at her leader in surprise. "Really? But aren't you still mad at me?" She asked and hurt flashed across Flamestar's face.

"I was mad about the gathering and snapped. I was more annoyed then anything." Flamestar meowed gently and turned her head away from Softpaw for a moment. "Let's race to the old elm tree, then to the border to no Clan territory, back here, then back to camp." Flamestar continued. "Sound good?"

Softpaw felt relieved to have her old leader back somewhat and nodded her paws tingling with excitement. I'm racing my leader! The third fastest cat in the Clan! She thought remembering it was Emberwing who took that title of fastest proudly.

Something seemed to flare in the leaders blue eyes for a moment before her flame tabby pelt was a blur as she began the race.

"Wait! I wasn't ready!" Softpaw called out to her and began to chase her. Softpaw's legs at first felt stiff as she ran and she dodged under and around holly bushes, logs and stumps. But as she picked up speed the trees around her began to blur and her pelt which stuck to her mostly felt lighter the faster she ran.