Warriors: Powers of The Clans ~ Paws of Life (Book 2/6)

Chapter Nine

(cat featured above is Petalsplash)

"Did I just see what I think I saw?" Tansypool asked, her voice astonished. Dockaw gulped. She didn't know what to tell her, and what not to tell.

"I-...well I'm not-" Dockpaw stuttered, her ears twitching.

"I knew it." Tansypool said, her voice hardly a whisper. "How long has it been happening?"

"For a little while now. It first happened on patrol a quarter-moon ago." Dockpaw explained, sighing.

"Who has it worked on?" Tansypool pushed, leaning closer.

"So far, Mosspaw twice, and Snowstorm once." Dockpaw nodded, thinking.

"Dockpaw...you are part of a prophecy I received when you were born." Tansypool explained.

Dockpaw dipped her head. "I know." She beamed.

Tansypools eyes lit up, with shock and she nodded. "On the night of your birth, I dreamt of a prophecy telling me that you were going to be part of something big. He told me that you were the 'paws of life'."

"Paws of life." Dockpaw echoed, her eyes wide. Tansypool dipped her head.

"There are four other cats too. All your age I'd assume. One from each Clan." Tansypool tilted her head. "You should get rest before the sun sets. I might just suggest you for a spot at the gathering tonight." She noted, flicking her nub-tail and turning away.

Dockpaw beamed. She had forgotten all about the gathering! Dockpaw rushed into her den quickly. Dockpaw leaped into her nest, smiling with pride. I'm the paws of life.

Dockpaw closed her eyes, imagining what life would be like if she had become a medicine cat instead. Dockpaws thoughts wandered. She imagined smearing a poultice onto a cat's leg, and healing it with her paws. She imagined helping bring kits into the world, and watching them grow up. She imagined sorting herbs, and at her last crazy thoughts, she fell asleep.

Dockpaw snapped open her eyes. She was in a clearing, but everything was blurry. All she could see was green and blue blur, and a clear white-and-black she-cat before her. Dockpaw didn't recognize her. She was young, maybe about her age, but for some reason, Dockpaw was huge compared to her. The she-cat had a large red gash rushing through her neck, bleeding out. The she-cats eyes were wide with pain, and she was choking. Dockpaw gasped, and rushed to find any plants around her. Dockpaw plucked a poppy plant from the ground, forcing her to swallow it as she placed her paw on the young cat's neck. Dockpaw panicked as she realized it wasn't working. Dockpaw called out in shock. She turned around, frantically looking for help. A blurry brown shape stood before her, its face blurred out, but somehow, she could tell the cat was nervous, by how his tail curled in, and his fur stood on end. He smelt of a tom.

"Help me!" She called out. The brown cat turned towards her, his fur spiking up even more. The cat rushed over, and looked down at the she-cat. Dockpaw could make out some of his face, and saw shock, and pain. Dockpaw pressed her paw into the she-cat helplessly, as the blurry tom called out.

"Please! Save her!" He screeched. Dockpaw whimpered, overwhelmed. Why wasn't her power working now?

"Dockpaw." A voice whispered. "You are not strong enough yet. This will happen if you don't practice your power, everyday, and put it to use. Make yourself stronger, Dockpaw." Dockpaw panted. She snapped her head around, and saw a clear, white tom before her.

"This is your destiny, Dockpaw." He said, dipping his head, and signaling at her paws. Dockpaw glanced down, and she gasped, seeing her white paws become stained with blood. "You can become the paws of life, if you decide to get stronger." Dockpaw continued to stare in horror at her paws. "If you don't, many cats' blood will be on your paws. And they will not be cats that you saved, but who you let go." Dockpaw began breathing heavily, shaking her head as she backed up. The tom disappeared, as well as the black she-cat. Dockpaw glanced around nervously, and all around her turned black. A cat threw a blow at her, hitting her side.