Warriors #1: Moondance of Fate ✓

Chapter 2

The Clan was a breathtaking sight, with many cats gathered together in a clearing surrounded by towering caves. A tantalizing pile of fresh prey stretched toward the sky, making my mouth water in anticipation.

Lionblaze instructed me to wait, and he swiftly ascended a rocky slope, disappearing into a lichen-covered cave. I settled down, my anticipation growing as I waited for the Clan leader to emerge. Jaypaw, a cat with purpose in his step, made his way to his den, leaving me alone in the bustling clearing.

Many cats in the Clan eyed me with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, while others simply gave me a casual sniff before turning away. I overheard a few insults, such as "kittypet" and "too pretty for this forest," but they didn't faze me. I had been called "too pretty" back home, so I was used to it.

"Hey," called a soft voice, drawing my attention. I looked up to see a gray she-cat with striking blue eyes. She had a kind demeanor. "I'm Cinderpaw, and this is Hollypaw," she mewed, flicking her tail at a lean black she-cat standing beside her, her wide green eyes locked onto me.

I gave the two cats a warm smile. We seemed to be around the same age, perhaps I was a moon older. "I'm called Moon by my twolegs," I replied. Hollypaw leaned in and sniffed, her curiosity apparent. "Twolegs, are you a kittypet?" she asked.

I nodded, "Yes, I am." But to my surprise, instead of reacting with hostility as I half-expected, Hollypaw's eyes sparkled with interest. "What's it like in those tall nests?" she asked, her tail flicking with eagerness. I giggled, ready to share my tales of the world beyond.

However, before I could respond, I felt another presence nearby. I turned to the side to see a flame-colored tom approaching me, his green eyes intently fixed on me. My heart skipped a beat under the weight of his attention.

"You must be the one that Lionblaze and Jaypaw caught on the border. I'm Firestar, leader of ThunderClan," he mewed, dipping his head in a respectful greeting. I mirrored his gesture.

"I'm Moon," I replied, and then Firestar leaned in, sniffing me. I tensed slightly but allowed him to do so. He muttered, "You smell familiar."

I blinked in surprise. "Do you know a cat named Smudge?" Firestar asked.

Memories flooded back. "I did, before my twolegs took me and my brothers away from that place," I replied, my voice tinged with nostalgia.

Firestar bestowed upon me a sly grin before gracefully leaning forward, gently pressing his nose against mine. "Well, it seems I do recognize you, Smudge. Were you neighbors with my old friend from the forest?" he inquired, his eyes a soothing shade of verdant. I responded with a subtle nod, all the while sensing a sinuous tail encircling me. Firestar's unwavering gaze remained locked onto me, those tender green orbs, and I couldn't help but feel a faint blush creep over me. The situation had grown somewhat awkward, lingering here with a tomcat I had known in a past life.

Nonetheless, I couldn't help but offer him a warm smile. A ginger she-cat joined our little gathering, inclining her head in greeting. Yet, I couldn't ignore the subtle chill in her demeanor, the absence of the once-familiar twinkle in her eyes.

"Who was your mother?" Firestar eventually inquired, breaking the silence that had settled upon us. I met his gaze and replied, "Her name was Galaxy." Firestar blinked, his voice echoing the emotion that welled up within his eyes as he repeated, "Galaxy." It was clear that the mention of that name had stirred deep emotions within him.

"I knew her very well. She had been with me when I came from my twolegs, and she took care of me here," Firestar trailed off, his voice filled with emotion. "I think... I loved her."

I blinked in surprise. My mother had never told me about who my father was, but my brothers were half black, half gray, so it couldn't be Firestar. "Did you know my father?" I asked meekly, my curiosity piqued.

Firestar looked at me before shaking his head. "I do not, and I didn't either. It could have been a ShadowClan or ThunderClan cat, for all I know."

Sighing, I worked my claws on the ground beneath me. "Well, can I rest for now? It's a lot to take in," I requested.

Firestar smiled and nuzzled me before gesturing toward the apprentice den. "Go in there," he said, and then he left. I followed Hollypaw over to the den, slipped into a nest, and fell asleep almost instantly, the weight of the day's revelations heavy on my mind.

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"Moonpaw, you'd better come," Oceanpaw whispered in my ear, rousing me from sleep. I blinked my blue eyes open and found Jaypaw standing over me, or at least as much as a blind cat could "stare." I furrowed my brow. "Jaypaw, what is it?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

The gray tabby shook his head and sniffed the air. "Nothing," he replied cryptically, then padded away, leaving me to wonder what had prompted his wake-up call. I didn't press for answers, as I had been summoned for the morning patrol by Brambleclaw. Joining me were Cinderpaw, Hollypaw, and Lionpaw, each of them kind in their own way. Hollypaw, in particular, seemed even more intrigued by me than she had been the day before.

"Hey, wanna train with me later?" Lionpaw mewed, flicking his tail playfully at my ears. I grinned at him and nodded enthusiastically. "Sure!"

Suddenly, Cinderpaw froze in her tracks, her body tense. I frowned, sensing a tangy scent in the air that made my nostrils twitch and my fur bristle. "Who's that?" I murmured into Lionpaw's ear.

He growled softly in response, and through rustling bushes, three cats emerged. One had a white pelt and black paws, another was a tabby brown she-cat, and the third was unfamiliar to me. The black-pawed cat stopped dead in his tracks, his gaze fixed squarely on me. I instinctively lowered my head in a submissive gesture.

"Moo—Moon," he stammered after a while, and I stared at him, sensing something oddly familiar in his eyes. Before I could react, the copper she-cat beside him snorted dismissively. "Moon? No way."

"My little Moon," Blackstar purred affectionately, and we wound our tails around each other, sharing a moment of warmth and connection. My friends blinked in astonishment, and even Blackstar's patrol seemed taken aback by the unexpected reunion.

"Who knew that the cold-hearted leader had some love in him?" Cinderpaw quipped, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement.

The tabby she-cat from ShadowClan snorted. "He did have someone I knew, but I didn't think it would be from ThunderClan and their dead queen, too!" she remarked, her tone a mixture of surprise and sarcasm.

I stepped away from Blackstar, my heart heavy with questions. "Why did you never come to visit us?" I asked, my voice tinged with a hint of hurt.

Blackstar sighed, his expression remorseful. "I have a Clan to lead, dear. I didn't have the time. And in my defense, I didn't know that Galaxy was with kits before she came over to my border and yowled it to Silverpelt. But I'm so happy that you've decided to take your true place here, dear," he purred, then affectionately licked my nose.

Straightening up, he put on a colder gaze for the benefit of the rest of his patrol. "We better go," he called out to them, and they began to walk away. But before Blackstar vanished behind the brambles, he gave me a soft grin, and then he was gone. I stood alone on the border, my heart conflicted with emotions and questions about the past and the future.