The Wounded Compass #1: Deepest Shadows [Warriors Fan Series]

~Prologue~

The snow drifted down slowly, laying on the forest floor like a thick blanket. Coldwing lifted his muzzle, opening his mouth to taste the air. Leafbare had come quicker than it had in moons past, shrouding the whole lake forest in white. What little herbs he could find were shriveled and weak in potency.

The tom let out a frustrated hiss as he continued down the slope. His ears pricked up as he caught the sound of running paw steps. Alarm rippled through his fur as he whipped around, catching a flash of black fur. With a small gasp, Coldwing pelted after the figure, but it was faster. He kept over fallen branches and thick bramble fronds, which dragged at his pelt like claws. Within heartbeats, the snow clouded his vision again, and the cat was gone.

His panting brought a wispy cloud of steam as he searched through the pines, when the sound of distant mewing caught it attention. A kit? Coldwing collected himself, creeping toward the sound.

In a small pocket beneath tangled tree roots lay a thin black kit, no more than a few days old.

"Great Starclan...!" He gasped, tossing his gaze around once more. The area smelled of a loner and milk, and he pieced it together. Swiftly, Coldwing dug his muzzle into the roots and grabbed the kit, racing back to the camp.

"What is this?" The husky voice of a large tom seemed to echo through the medicine den. Coldwing lay, licking the kit the wrong way to warm it up.

"Hello to you too, Rainstar," He uttered briefly before getting back to warming the kit. Rainstar glanced down at the kit, twitching his whiskers. A small crowd of warriors gathered around the entrance, peering in with chattered murmurs to one another.

"A kit? Oh, poor thing!"

"I heard there was a loner in our territory. It could be a danger to bring the kit in."

As the gossiping and excited chatting continued, one warrior pushed through the crowd, glaring at the kit. Coldwing raised his gaze to meet hers.

"This thing is hideous," She meowed cooly after getting a good look at it. Coldwing shot her a glare.

"He's not an it," the medicine cat hissed sternly, then directed his attention to Rainstar. "While I was out looking for herbs, I saw a cat running away. It was faster than me, unfortunately, then I heard this little kit crying out. I'm guessing it was his loner mother." Upon finishing his statement, Rainstar looked back at the crowd of warriors.

"You heard him. Mellowflower, Thrushpool and Bonetooth, find the scent trail before the snow covers it. Report your findings to Webfur, and if you find the mother, bring her here." The orders rolled off his tongue and the warriors immediately turned tail from the crowd.

"Everyone else, back off. We have this handled." With that, the cluster slowly disbanded into their own little huddles, passing glances to the medicine den every so often. Rainstar stepped out as Coldwing kept himself curled around the kit, who was pawing and mewing at him.

"He must be hungry," his head turned to the entrance where a brown queen with slick fur was padding in slowly. Two leaping kits followed her, tossing themselves at one another obliviously.

"You think so?" He asked just above a whisper, casting a worried glance at the black bundle. He was thin, and barely moving at the point.

"I can take care of him. Dustkit and Treekit are weaned, and Owlshade just had her kit." She cooed, sniffing at the kit. "So I still have milk to spare."

Coldwing's eyes softened, the exhaustion ringing around his gaze. "Thank you so much, Hazelfade," he sighed, transferring the kit to the queen. Goldenfoot peered around from the entrance, snickering as she padded in.

"So everyone agreed we should name the little stain Deadkit." She meowed harshly. "It could be any day now it dies." Horror gripped Coldwing as his eyes flickered from Deadkit to Hazelfade, who was glaring sharply.

"I'm sure Coldwing has ensured Deadkit's health." She growled between grit teeth, snatching the kit up. "I never want to see you in the nursery with me having that mentality." The queen mumbled behind fur as she walked out. Goldenfoot's gaze followed her, a small smirk plastered on her lips, then turned to Coldwing.

"Better hope for Deadkit's sake you're right." She meowed darkly before turning to the exit. The breath seemed to catch in Coldwing's throat before he released it upon her disappearance. I hope so too.

A yowl split the air in the clearing by dusk, announcing the search party's return. Coldwing turned from his herb storage, setting down the shriveled water mint clump he was working on to go to the clearing. Thrushpool, Bonetooth and Mellowflower were already meeting with the deputy, Webfoot, Rainstar at his side.

"We managed to follow the scent trail to the Riverclan border," he heard Bonetooth say as he got within earshot. "A patrol found us on our border, we filled them in and joined to find the loner. The trail led far beyond the horseplace, so we cut our losses."

A sense of both dread and relief swamped Coldwing. I know Hazelfade will be an excellent mother..

"Thank you, Bonetooth." Rainstar sighed defeat. "You three, get some freshkill and rest. You're exempt from dawn patrol." The warriors gladly scattered, and Rainstar looked back at the nursery. Coldwing approached the leader, who straightened back to his usual powerful stance.

"Rainstar," he greeted softly, his greeting being returned with a brisk nod.

"Coldwing. I heard Deadkit was being fostered by Hazelfade."

"Yes.." he grew uncomfortable, letting his gaze rest on the dirt beneath him. "That name is horrible for a kit who did nothing wrong."

Rainstar twitched his ear thoughtfully, keeping his gaze steady. "If he survives, it'll only prove as a reminder of his strength." He comforted. "Where everyone expects him to falter, he only grew." Coldwing lifted his muzzle to look at the leader, who was smiling softly.

"I feel Starclan has something in store for us with this one," Rainstar continued. "Just you wait and see."

He had secretly hoped Rainstar was right as he looked at the nursery, seeing Hazelfade and her kits curled with Deadkit nursing.

"Yeah... I know it.."
~•~