An unlikely Guardian

Chapter 1

A cool and icy breeze swept across the forest, ice particles slowly melting as the sun slowly rose to sunhigh. It was now the start of Leaf-Bare, a small feline made her way through the light snowfall her pelt blending in with her backgrounds. Ears twitching in excitement she lifted her head to take in the scents around. Phoenix padded her way carefully through the small barren lands attempting to find prey. 

Being now 6 moons she was ready to support herself and the old tom that had taken care of her for so many moons. He had mentioned to be careful around the mines at night as the clan cats visited them often. Something she didn't quiet grasp yet. 

Sitting down on the stone taking in its warmth her bright blue eyes stared to the changing skies. Tucking her tail over her paws she gave a soft sigh. 

"Feel the dampness in the air? It seems like we'll get more rain tonight, depending on the colour of the clouds we will perhaps get snow instead" An old voice croaked behind her as he coughed softly walking to her side.

"Ah StoneCreek" Her ears perked looking  at the sleek but ragged blue furred cat, his deep green eyes filled with many secrets. The fur around his muzzle had started to become grey, yet this was the cat she called father. Smiling she looked back to the skies "can they really tell us that much?" 

"Dah!" he spat swatting her on the back of her head with a gentle paw "I told you not to call me that!" he hissed with a partial threat "the names Creek now.." 

Looking back to the sky he nodded softly "this world has many things to teach us, even certain plants can be of help, like I have shown you in the past. Enough of that tell me what you smell"

Blinking for a moment she pouted her ears folding back slightly a she slouched foreheads but with a huff she lifted herself back up to taste the air around them. "It kind of smells... Damp but  moist?" she searched her mind to find the word but it tasted different to what it usually tasted like. 

The tom seemed to nod softly "keep that in mind, it will be different depending on the area but that warns us of potential rainfall. Now can u smell anything else?" he glanced down to the small now app sized cat he had raised for the past few months. He had taught her everything from herbs in his past clan life to how too be ready for the day she would have to hunt alone. 

Phoenix sniffed around the air once more her fur ruffling in excitement as she smelt a mouse nearby, slinking down silently she steadied her haunches carefully placing each paws as she approached. 

Perking its small body the mouse sniffed the air before alarmingly running away. Chasing after it the small white she pounced but with a mouthful of snow she spat. "How?? I was so quiet!" she sighed in annoyance as she stood up shaking off the snow the best she could. 

Creek laughed his voice cracking and coughing "You still have much to learn, Patience, you are only 6 moons old" he padded over licking the kits forehead till it flattened once more "Remember the way the breeze flows, you may of been silent but it could smell you before you had a chance. Being down wind is something you should remember for the upper paw"

Phoenix looked to her paws pouting once again but made sure to take in his words. "Alright..." she offered a small smile "lets head back to the old building you called yourself a med cat yet your old bones are out in the freezing weather" she sneakily remarked bouncing around him as they headed back.

"Watch your tongue, these old bones have many more miles" he huffed stretching himself with pride.

Laughing softly she helped him back inside to a place he called his nest. No cats seemed to come here, so prey was enough at least for them. She had come to learn to be thankful of the life she had and the life of the prey that filled their stomach. "I'll go back out, hopefully I'll be able to bring us back food." 

"Ahah, good luck, those small paws can barely catch a finch!" he croaked before resting his head to rest. 

Phoenix smiled softly watching as he wafted off to sleep. She was grateful to him in so many ways that she could never describe. It was when she had turned 2 moons that she had learnt of her mothers passing. Yes she was sad but she wasn't that upset either. 

Walking out of the den she flinched softly as a monster roared past on the thunderpath not that far away. Shaking the sound from her ears she bounded down back into the small area. This time being careful of her sound and the direction the wind carried her scent. 

The sun now sat a littler ways past sunhigh. The cool air beginning to set in. Looking to the skies she watched as the clouds shifted from a white/grey to an almost pinkish tone. Ruffling up her fur to keep warmer she tracked down another mouse scent. 

Keeping her tail low to the ground and watching the weight of each paw she crept up before pouncing her tiny claws digging into the small mouse. Swiftly she bit down onto the small creatures neck before placing it down at her paws. Closing her eyes she silently thanked the world for her food before continuing to see what else she could hunt for the evening. 





As time passed and the sun set, Phoenix made her way into the old building carrying a few mice for them to eat. Scents from earlier had told her it was time for her to leave, as the scents of the clan cats had begun to flow from upwind.

Each one seemed to have their own scent. Some she had recognized over the past few moons from the times she had smelt them. The ones that came around half moon always scented herby and earth like more so than the ones who only came once. Creek had told her to keep away from them many times but oh how she wished to make friends. 

She had only glimpsed them a few times as well. Some older but some who seemed to be around her age or older. However shrugging the thought she wandered back to the den she called home.



"I'm back!" she mewed softly placing the prey down by her fathers side to wake him up.

Groaning softly he shifted from his warm nest looking to her than the prey she had caught. Eyes growing wide as he blinked himself awake he pushed himself up into a seated position. "You caught this all by yourself?" he looked to phoenix surprised how she could catch so much at a young age. Even apprentices would be jealous.

"Ah is it to much?.." she furrowed her brows confused "I made sure to pay my respects for the food a-and to cover my tracks like you taught me.." she looked down shuffling her paws but eased hearing a soft purr looking to him.

"You did very well for your first solo hunt, most do not even know how to hunt at your age but since time is something we loners barely get to have, we must learn and adapt as quickly as we can for our survival. I'm very proud phoenix. You have learnt so  much in very little time." 

Phoenix's eye's widened as they glimmered softly like the stars as she stared at him with a huge smiled planted on her face. She begun to bounce around the room proud fully as she held her tail high in pride. She had done well!

Creek watched as she bounced around the room with a smile. Perhaps even though he was banished from riverclan, he couldn't help but feel like it was all for the better. That night when he had found the small crying kit he was sure it would die that night before he had returned but beyond all odds she had survived. 

Picking up a mouse he begun to eat, thanking the starclan he once worshipped and still held his faith too. He hoped they would still greet him someday when he passed. 

Panting softly phoenix settled herself down on the cool wooden floors, the harsh cold air filling her lungs as she sat down, across from the old rugged tom. Soon the night engulfed the room, the remaining  light being that of the half-moon, that peered occasionally through the snowy clouds.

Yawning softly her ears twitching as she looked towards creek hers eyes seeming to stare past him to the young she-cat that sat at his side. A beautiful Calico who's belly seemed to swell. Her Amber eyes seeming to look at her caringly as smaller figures looked at her shyly between her legs. This cat often appeared around the tom for reasons she didn't know.

Creek had noticed the paws distant gaze tilting his head softly "What is it?" as he glanced behind himself he stared at the barren broken down building that lay around them. A small layer of fog sitting in the dimly light room.

Blinking softly she looked to creek confused but knew the last time she bought up the cats appearance he broke down crying. "It's nothing. Just thought I saw a rat." she smiled softly before yawning and rubbing her eyes with her paws sleepily. 

Nodding softly the tom smiled "get some rest and stay warm, I believe it will be another cold night. I'm sure all those med cats wish they were in a warm bed." He smiled before curling back up to rest. "Rest up".

Standing to her paws and nodding softly she went to her small nest area ready for bed but the she-cat seemed to follow her. Shifting her gaze she tried to ignore it but they seemed persistent this time. Shaking her head she curled up in nest trying to force herself to sleep, which in the end didn't end up being so hard as she drifted off unaware of how tired she was.