Warriors #1: Moondance of Fate ✓

Chapter 15

The morning sun cast its gentle glow, waking me to the sensation of a warm fur pressed against mine. I blinked my eyes slowly, turning to find Lionpaw nestled beside me in the warriors' den. "Lionpaw, what are you doing here?" I whispered, watching the golden warrior. He smiled and replied, "You seemed so down yesterday, so I thought I'd stay here with you." He affectionately licked my cheek, causing a fluttering feeling in my chest. "You can't be here, Lionpaw! It's too dangerous. You might get caught or worse."

Lionpaw snorted and rose to his paws, shaking off the clinging moss and fir needles that clung to his fur. "Whatever, come on," he said, his voice filled with excitement. "I want to hunt with you today." With that, he bounded off into the morning, and I couldn't help but sigh and follow him, careful not to disturb the slumbering warriors. Graystripe, the only one awake, gave me an amused look before returning to his self-grooming.

As I emerged from the den, I accidentally bumped into a gray pelt, and the sweet scent of Cinderpelt filled my nose. "Cinderpelt," I sniffed, and the gray warrior stepped back, revealing her blazing blue eyes. But there was no anger in her gaze. "Good, you're awake. Lionpaw asked me to take you instead. He has some... urgent business with his brother," she explained. I blinked, but nodded, not minding hunting with Cinderpelt. She was a good friend, after all. "Well, let's go," I said, leading the way toward the thorn entrance. As we pushed through, we emerged on the other side, greeted by the sun gleaming off the trees and small water puddles gathered beneath their branches. I smiled, taking in the beauty of it all. But then, a shudder ran through me, and the world suddenly seemed to darken. I need to go to WindClan and talk about their stupid warriors, I thought, clawing at the ground.

As I ventured towards the thorn tunnel, delicate paws ensnared my hindquarters. I turned, gazing into the emerald eyes of Dovekit. "Oh, greetings, Dovekit," I purred, a gentle smile adorning my face. Leaning forward, I caressed her petite gray head with my tongue. "Please, do not depart," she whimpered, pawing at my swaying tail above her. Chuckling, I settled down, curling my tail over my front paws. "Little one, I must. There is a feline I must converse with," I whispered, ensuring no ears were listening. Drawing nearer to Dovekit, I confided, "I must speak with Breezepelt from WindClan. Promise me, not a word, alright?" Dovekit's eyes shimmered, nodding in agreement. "Indeed, your secret is secure with me," I warmly grinned. "Now, off you go," nudging her towards the nursery. With a sigh, I slipped away through the thorn tunnel.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

As the sun's rays scorched my fur, I trudged through the parched undergrowth, extending my tongue to pant. Never before had the heat been so relentless, an unwelcome presence. Letting out a sigh, I soon caught the waft of wind sweeping across the moors, carrying with it the scent of rabbits nestled in their burrows. Finally, I thought, picking up my pace. Before long, the markers of WindClan's territory filled my senses, causing me to tense, scanning the surroundings. No patrols from ThunderClan or WindClan were in sight. Taking a deep breath, I pressed onward, crossing over the border and onto the short moor grass, heading straight towards the source of the strongest feline scent.

With a windswept landscape as our backdrop, not many scents dared to challenge our presence. For a fleeting moment, I found solace in the tranquility. However, a growl disrupted the peace, accompanied by a flash of ebony fur. I swiftly turned to face my adversary, only to find Breezepelt. "Moonfall, what brings you here?" he purred, his golden eyes dancing with amusement. Sitting down and impatiently licking my forepaw, I retorted, "Believe it or not, I came looking for you." Breezepelt's eyes sparkled, and he playfully asked, "Have you come to continue what we were doing before your clumsy clanmates interrupted us?" I shot him a glare, pausing to clean my paw, before responding.

"I've come here to talk about Crowfeather," I hissed, my claws unsheathing and digging into the ground, leaving imprints in the mud. Breezepelt rolled his eyes, seemingly unbothered. "Is it about me sending him to ThunderClan?" he asked, his tone tinged with curiosity. I nodded, my gaze focused. 

"I didn't want him to actually do it, but he insisted that if I wanted to get into trouble, he would make sure of it," I explained. Breezepelt let out a sigh, a hint of understanding in his eyes. I tilted my head, unsure of what he was thinking. I didn't realize the intricate nature of their relationship, and honestly, I didn't need to know. 

"Well," I began, but before I could continue, Breezepelt raised his tail, signaling for me to pause. "The real reason I want to talk to you is because I want us to start meeting up. How about the old Twolegs' place? No cat ever goes there," he suggested. I narrowed my eyes, remembering that Jaypaw occasionally ventured there to gather herbs. Breezepelt's reaction to my mention of our medicine cat was fierce, his disdain apparent. "I don't care about that fleapelt. He has nothing to say about us," he sneered, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Leaning closer, he asked, "So, are you coming or not?"

I snapped back, "No, I am not!" My tail lashed in frustration as I swiftly turned and ran back home, not wanting to entertain the thought of that thorn in my side any longer. How could he have the audacity to ask me such a thing?!