Caɾղaցe Ɱօօղ ┃ 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐬

41 🌙

Crescentpaw waited in the pouring rain. Sootface and Rainpaw were sharing the grouse beside her.

Lightning lit up the ground and treetops above them, accompanied by the thunder that came soon after. She watched Racconstripe duck into the apprentices den, jumping with fright when a thunder-clap split.

Tinypaw and her friend Cheetah looked tired when they emerged, but their eyes lit up with delight upon seeing Crescentpaw.

"Boy, have we got some things to tell you," Tinypaw muttered under her breath. She glanced over with an impressed gaze at Crescentpaw's company.

Cheetah rubbed muzzles with her, and Tinypaw twined tails with her sister briefly.

"You did it, Crescentpaw. You brought some of them back!" Her spotted friend sounded enraptured, standing on the tips of her toes.

"I can't wait to meet the other clan cats." A smile was placed across Cheetah's spotted face. "They smell weird. I want some of them to be my friends. Like the little sad-looking yellow one that's around my age."

"That's Oatkit. He's grieving right now," Crescentpaw explained. Pangs of guilt seized her again. "It may be best to approach him later on."

Cheetah's eyes crinkled with understanding. "Okay. That's fine because I'm just so glad my best friend is back and yay you have to tell us all about it!"

"We're so glad you're okay." Tinypaw trilled, sitting down with her tail flicking to and fro.

"And I you guys." Crescentpaw's eyes gleamed as she studied Tinypaw, and her sister looked right back at her. They couldn't say what they wanted to in front of all the other cats.

We need to talk about her training. Surely Houndspots suspects something of her claws if he hasn't found out already?

Rowanpaw stood stark in the gloom behind them, her yellow eyes strangely watchful. As per usual, the cinnamon-brown she-cat was alone. She hardly twitched an ear under the sheen of falling rain.

"Hey, Rowanpaw. I missed you!" Crescentpaw called, but her chestnut sister stayed quiet.

The warriors were walking up. They gathered between Crescentpaw and Jadestar predominately. Sootfur huffed as he was forced to the back of the crowd.

A gust of wind swirled through the cat's pelts. It was so vigorous that it turned some of their ears inside-out.

"Crescentpaw, let's start with what you've got to tell us. Then we'll move onto what I've got to tell you."

Crescentpaw gave a nervous grin, nodding acceptance at Lagoonstripe's no-nonsense words.

"Where's the Shadowclan and Windclan cats?" Quietdew probed, but her voice was nearly lost on the wind.

"Wait. First let's gather in the largest den we have available." Alpinefog declared. "The warriors den will have plenty of room for us, even with these other clan warriors." The rain cascaded down in a watery torrent, so that they could hardly see their own paws.

Jadestar opened her jaws to agree as a clap of thunder lashed the cat's nerves all over again. The warriors nodded in eager agreement.