Pricklepaw's Prophecy

Prologue

Oddstem's eyes stung against the cold, pounding rain. It's still Greenleaf! Why is this rain so cold? He shivered. Rain slid off of the lush, green leaves of the trees above his head. Huge dark gray storm clouds covered the night sky, obscuring Silverpelt. Oddstem found it unnerving to not be under the stars.

"Oddstem! What do you think you're doing?" Oddstem jerked around, startled. The small, black kit in his jaws snapped awake, mewling and squirming. Egretflight? What is she doing here?
Egretflight charged at him, snarling and claws unsheathed. No! Just as she was about to pounce on him, he slammed his rear into her. She yowling, stumbling backwards and slipping on an old pile of sodden leaves. She flailed on her back uselessly.

Now's my chance! Energy surged through him as he pelted through the undergrowth, towards ThunderClan's camp. Suddenly, a huge crash echoed through the forest, followed by a cat howling in pain. A blinding light flashed, brighter than any star in Silverpelt. He dropped into a crouch, covering his ears. What happened?

He reluctantly fluttered his eyes open and whirled around to see a huge, flaming branch on the forest floor. The small kit in his jaws pelt fluffed up at the sight of it.

It must have been struck by lightning. Realization dropped like a stone in his belly. He neared towards the burning branch, peering at it. Under it, squashed like a flea, was Egretflight. He shuddered. Hopefully-

His thoughts were cut off by the sound of thrumming pawsteps. He turned to see the glint of eyes through the foliage. ThunderClan patrol! They were coming his way, at an extremely fast pace. He looked around, looking for a place to hide the kit. He saw a prickly bush and padded towards it. He crouched down and nuzzled the small kit under it. The black kit kept on trying to cling back onto his muzzle, but he pawed him away each time.

"You will be fine," He muttered to him. "ThunderClan will take care of you now." He left him under the bush, exposed enough so that the warriors would be sure to see him when they came by.

Farewell, small kit. I know you will protect ThunderClan with your life, even in the toughest times. Save ThunderClan, my dear. He thought tenderly as he slunk away from the kit, just in time for the ThunderClan warriors to burst into the small, grassy clearing.

"Oh StarClan!" One of the cats exclaimed, staring at the branch, slowly extinguishing.

"It's really not too bad. There's no way it could possibly spread anymore." A larger cat boomed behind the other.

"No, Timberclaw. Look!" The cat pointed at Egretflight with their tail.
"There is a kit here, too!" A gray she-cat called to the other two, gingerly lifting the kit from under the bush.

"A loner must have wandered here with her kit and got struck by that falling branch." Timberclaw examined the kit. "I guess the kit just got lucky."

"We must take him back to camp." The gray she-cat said, the kit still in her jaws.

"Yes," the other cat nodded. "The warrior code says to never leave a kit in danger. And there is no way he could survive out here." Another cat padded up to them from the bushes, glaring at the kit. "Besides, with all the cats that have..." their voices began to fade as they hurried back to their camp.

What was... that? He reflected on the glaring cat. He brushed that thought away, happiness sweeping over him. Yes! I've done it! Oddstem bubbled with excitement as he saw the patrol bringing the black kitten back to camp. ThunderClan will survive!