Book 1: Echoing Voices - Warriors

Chapter 21

Drizzlepaw's POV

Riversong, Leopardpaw, and Wolffang lead Meadowfern and Drizzlepaw to the SkyClan camp. The three cats didn't have much of a problem believing that they were Clan cats. According to Leopardpaw a few WindClan cats were already there Swiftstar, Badgerleap, Applepaw, Leapfoot, and Flowerpetal, the elder. Other than that, here was only one ShadowClan cat who had reached SkyClan and claimed it as a safe haven. Amberwhisker and her kits; Frecklekit, Shardkit, and Dirtkit.
"Amberwhisker won't say anything about what happened to the rest of her Clan." Leopardpaw muttered to Drizzlepaw.
"Leopardpaw! Don't gossip about the other warriors." Riversong scolded.
Again, Drizzlepaw didn't really care. He just needed to find Auburnpaw as save him. Along with Lavenderseed. So naturally, he stayed silent and didn't ask for help.

When the five cats reached SkyClan camp, Leopardpaw entered in first, then Drizzlepaw. Wolffang was last.
A few cats gathered around, trying to see the newcomers.
"Out of the way. We need to speak with Flutterstar." Riversong meowed clearly.
She must've had some sort of authority within the Clan, because they all actually moved out of the way.
From a distance, Drizzlepaw could see a few recognizable faces. Amberwhisker of ShadowClan was watching her kits outside of what he guessed was the nursery. Applepaw of WindClan was speaking to two known cats, who were probably SkyClan apprentices. The last cats that Drizzlepaw could identify was Leapfoot of WindClan, who was talking to Badgerleapof WindClan. Meadowfern looked like she was getting too excited, but she managed not to run off to her friends. Leopardpaw glanced at Riversong, who nodded, and she padded off towards Applepaw and the other SkyClan apprentices. Drizzlepaw and Meadowfern were left with Riversong and Wolffang as they headed towards the probably-leader's den.
"Flutterstar? Swiftstar? Mind if we intrude?" Riversong called in at the entrance.
"Not at all." came an unfamiliar voice.
It was probably Flutterstar since Drizzlepaw knew Swiftstar's voice.
Riversong lead Meadowfern and Drizzlepaw into the den and Wolffang followed behind.
"Greetings Riversong. Who are these cats you have brought to me?" Flutterstar asked.
Drizzlepaw couldn't tell if the SkyClan leader was being kind about it or not.
Swiftstar was laying next to Flutterstar, the two she-cats looked as if they had been in deep conversation.
"That's my medicine cat." Swiftstar meowed, her gaze fixed onto Meadowfern, who dipped her head in respect, though her pelt pricked.
Drizzlepaw tilted his head curiously.
"And the other?" Flutterstar asked.
"Drizzlepaw of RiverClan." he answered for himself.
"Hmm." was Flutterstar's only reply.
Riversong and Wolffang exchanged a glance.
"Can they stay Flutterstar?" Riversong asked quietly.
Flutterstar' ears perked and Drizzlepaw didn't even notice she had been staring at the wall the whole time until now.
"Oh, yes, yes. Very well." she muttered and slowly rested her head on her paws.
Drizzlepaw blinked awkwardly and slowly backed out of the den. Meadowfern stayed with the leaders and she spoke with Swiftstar while Wolffang and Riversong followed him out.
"Be careful around here. Don't consider this your permanent home." Wolffang muttered before he padded away.
Drizzlepaw's ears lowered slowly.
"Don't take it personally. He gets cranky." Riversong assured him.
Drizzlepaw nodded slowly before she trotted after Wolffang.
I wonder if they're mates or something. Drizzlepaw shrugged off the thought.

Later that day, Drizzlepaw had eaten and felt more alive than he had the past moon or however long it had been since the territory caught fire. When he had been imprisoned by Raven and her group of rouges, he forgot what it was like to not be in pain or not have to worry about anything. Though, there was plenty of things he had to worry about.
Too many.
What happened to Auburnpaw? Why did he look so...frail? Drizzlepaw lowered his ears slowly, feeling slightly responsible and guilty for not having done anything about it.
There were was the whole Lavenderseed problem. She had been depending on him to get her out of there.
Who knows how many other Clan cats are trapped there. Raven seemed to have a certain liking towards Clan cats. I don't remember seeing any imprisoned rogues or anything. Drizzlepaw narrowed his eyes slightly.
He had been in such deep thought, he jumped when someone called his name.
"Drizzlepaw, right?"
He spun his head around to find one of the SkyClan apprentices padding over to him.
She was a darker tortoiseshell that had no other color than black and brown. Her fur that stuck up everywhere. It looked like she hasn't properly groomed her fur in moons, but somehow it still looked soft and clean. He wanted to poke a tuft of her flank. Her eyes were a soft pale green and her nose was a light pink shade.
"Uh, yeah." he confirmed.
Yeah, I spent why too much time examining her pelt.
The she-cat looked like she tried to smile, but found it hard in a way.
"Right, I'm Sorrelpaw." she answered and Drizzlepaw nodded to her.
It was kind of clear neither of them knew how to continue the conversation and it just got awkward. Sorrelpaw looked like she was about to turn away before Leopardpaw and a tom that looked almost identical to her trotted up to them.
"Hey Drizzlepaw, this is my brother, Spottedpaw. I'm trying to get these two," Leopardpaw motioned to Sorrelpaw and her brother, "to socialize more." she explained.
Drizzlepaw shifted his weight between his paws and kept his head in its regularly low position.
"Thing is, I don't exactly like socializing either." he cleared his throat.
Leopardpaw looked like she would explode out of frustration, "Are Owlpaw and Applepaw the only ones around here that can have a normal conversation?" she grumbled as she stomped away.
Spottedpaw's light blue gaze shifted back and forth between Drizzlepaw and Sorrelpaw. He and Leopardpaw had the same golden pelt with brown spots. Their only difference was their eyes. Leopardpaw's were hazel and Spottedpaw's were blue.
"Leopardpaw wanted us to invite you to tour the territory tomorrow on a patrol with the apprentices. We do it every quarter moon with our mentors." Sorrelpaw meowed.
She sounds like she's had plenty of practice speaking for someone who's as antisocial as she claims. Drizzlepaw kept that thought to himself.
"I guess, but I don't intend on calling this place my permanent home." he muttered.
Spottedpaw exchanged a glance with Sorrelpaw.
"Right, but you're going to have to know the territory boundaries still." Sorrelpaw replied.
Drizzlepaw nodded reluctantly, "Yeah, I guess you're right."
Spottedpaw twitched his ear, he seemed almost curious.
Sorrelpaw's ear twitched before she turned around and padded after Leopardpaw.
Spottedpaw, however, didn't move.
"So, how old are you all?" Drizzlepaw asked awkwardly.
Spottedpaw stayed silent for a while before he let out a long sigh, "Uh, Leopardpaw and I are about nine moons. Sorrelpaw and Owlpaw are maybe thirteen moons." he mumbled.
Drizzlepaw perked his ears, "They should be close to becoming warriors." he meowed.
Spottedpaw nodded in reply.
There was another long and awkward silence.
"What about you?"
Drizzlepaw tilted his head, not expecting Spottedpaw to actually make a full sentence that was a question.
"Oh...I don't know anymore. I lost count at fifteen." Drizzlepaw muttered and began moving his paw around in the dirt.
Spottedpaw looked as if he was going to say something else before the familiar sound of Meadowfern's voice called him.
Drizzlepaw glanced up from his paws to see Meadowfern, Flutterstar, and Swiftstar sitting next to the boulder that Flutterstar probably made her announcements on.
Drizzlepaw let out a long sigh and pushed himself to his paws.
"I guess I'll see you around." Drizzlepaw mumbled.
"Likewise." Spottedpaw replied.

Meadowfern beckoned Drizzlepaw closer as he neared the three she-cats.
"What?" he asked.
Swiftstar' gaze seemed to flicker at his tone.
"You're going to tell us about that StarClan dream." Flutterstar meowed.
It wasn't a question.
Not this again...

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I know this chapter is a bit slow, sorry about that. I'm just trying to introduce a few SkyClan characters before I continue. It'll be better the next chapter, hopefully
~Kái