Warriors ; A Shadow Lurking (Volume 1)

Chapter 1

Ravenkit would yawn, snow piled on her head. She squealed, running around camp Owlkit and Branchkit was in front of her. "I'm the warrior and you guys are the mice!" Ravenkit squeaked, running towards them. Branchkit scrambled away. "I want to be a sparrow though-" Owlkit mewed, her eyes widening when she saw Ravenkit. The kit ran after Branchkit. They ran past the warriors' den. Ravenkit gasped when Duskwater came from inside. She ran under him-thankful that he didn't step on her. Duskwater grumbled from behind her. Shadowrise came out after. Duskwater glared at the black tom with his dark blue eyes. "Teach your kits some respect!" the senior warrior snapped before walking away to the fresh kill pile. Shadowrise glared at him-trotting to the nursery. Branchkit and Owlkit stopped-right when Ravenkit barged between them. "Father is going to see Seaweedheart!" Ravenkit mewed excitedly. Branchkit rolled his eyes. "We saw." Owlkit nodded. Her nose was white compared to her fluffy, long fur. The three kits ran inside. Seaweedheart, their mother, glanced at them-her eyes widening when she saw Owlkit's pale nose. "Owlkit! I told you to not stay outside that much!" she scowled, picking Owlkit's scruff up in her jaws and placing her on the nest. Branchkit would go climb on the stick tower the other kits made. Ravenkit rather stared at her father. They never saw Shadowrise often. Seaweedheart told them that sometimes he's too busy-with Icestar and other senior warriors. Seaweedheart always felt proud when she told them that he was the only younger warrior in their meetings about stuff sometimes. And Sunsetfall would slightly purr when she talked about it. But what caught Ravenkit's attention was her father's fiery-red eyes. Is that how I got my amber eyes? She wondered, staring at her mother. Seaweedheart had dazzling green eyes. But mother said that I got my eyes to dazzle from her. She added to her thoughts. Shadowrise glanced down at her-and Ravenkit squeaked-running to Branchkit. When she was far enough, Ravenkit glanced back. Shadowrise had some sort of hurt in his eyes. Seaweedheart sighed softly. "You don't see them often," she mewed, but the tom padded outside the nursery with a sigh also. Branchkit squeaked. "There's weird cats in camp!" "Where? Runningkit mewled, leaping next to him. The tom had a strong jump for a kit. Yet again, he's going to become an apprentice in less than a moon. Seaweed stiffened her body. "Kits come down-NOW." Sunsetfall called. The 14 kits groaned in protest as they padded to the queens. Ravenkit leaped down, running to her mother as they watched a group of at least five cats enter the camp. We're the closest to the entrance, so we get the best look! Ravenkit thought. The two cats leading were a dark gray tabby tom with a cream spotted she-cat next to him. Behind them was a large pale tom, a small golden-brown tom, and a pale blue-gray she-cat. Icestar leaped down the Murky Rock, giving a polite nod. "Smokestar. Leopardheart. Why do you enter our camp?" she mewed-although there was a tint of suspicion in the leader's voice. Smokestar would frown. "We happened to find your warriors cross our borders. For the past moon. And I thought I warned you already about this." some warriors around them would flatten their ears and hiss or snarl. Other's lashed their tail. Robinpad pinned his ears as he lashed his red-brown tail and flexed his claws. Icestar glanced at the deputy warningly before glaring at Smokestar. "My warriors has never crossed your borders, Smokestar. And I did listen to your warning-although I don't need another." the leader would pin her ears slightly. But Smokestar stared at her with cold eyes-making his amber eyes look red. "I'm not giving you a warning about staying off our territory mouse-brain." Robinpad snarled-his claws fluffy unsheathed now. "I'm giving you a warning about battle. Soon, Icestar-SwiftClan will come straight here-and will attack FrostClan as a warning. A warning that you'll remember. With scars on you and your warriors from us. With grieving cats mourning for their lost kin. I had enough. And now you will pay the price." Duskwater and Thrushtail would pull Robinpad away from them-who almost leaped onto the SwiftClan leader. Icestar glared harder. "Get OUT. Go back to your own territory. FrostClan will not take your threats. And will not accept them. If you want to threat someone-go do it away from this camp!" Smokestar snarled as he and Leopardheart stalked away, the three cats at their tails. "Hawkclaw, Lemonbush, go escort them." Robinpad ordered once he calmed down. Smokestar turned around. "We don't need an escort." he grumbled, while Icestar rather still glared. "This is my Clan, and my territory. What orders I give goes until our borders." Smokestar grumbled something under his breath inaudible as the senior warriors led them outside. The Clan watched for several seconds before Icestar stalked in his den. Robinpad would call out patrols once the tension in the camp calmed down. Ravenkit turned to see her mother, whose fur was bristling. Sunsetfall rested her tail tip on the black queen's shoulder, whispering, "You should let them see Shadowrise now." Seaweedheart stared at her miserably. "But they don't even know who he is. Just a random tom their mother loves." Sunsetfall sighed, "The faster you show them-the faster they'll start to remember." before padding outside to Starbird. Sweetkit, Fuzzykit, and Nutkit followed outside. Roseheart watched her daughter and Starbird in the distance, and next to her was Pinepeak. Except Pinepeak was staring right at Ravenkit. Ravenkit tensed, her fur feeling cold. It was like that Pinepeak was staring right through her. Ravenkit turned around. Her eyes widened as she squeaked, jumping up.

Because right behind her was a ghostly see-through cat, who stared back at them.