Warrior Cats: An Echo in Time.

Chapter 1

Echokit fell to the hard packed earth with a thump, flailing her paws at her sister Smokekit in an attempt to fend her off. Smokekit pounced on Echokit's tail, trapping it between her paws. The siblings rolled around on the ground for a few moments before hearing a commotion as the latest hunting patrol came in. The kit's father, Stormfrost deposited his kills on the pile before bounding over to join them. Nightfeather took a break from cleaning herself to welcome her mate back. The rest of the hunting patrol stopped momentarily to watch the dark grey tom roll around with his kits bustling around him. Echokit bounced onto Stormsfrost's broad shoulders and held on as he stood up and walked around. She rolled off and fell to the ground with a quiet thump.
"Kits!" Nightfeather called,"Come inside, it's getting cold," she was right, a cold breeze had picked up and leaves blew in all directions. The kits ducked inside the nursery walls with Stormfrost trailing behind them. Moments later a loud clap of thunder shook the den around them. Inside the den Leaftail curled around her four kits protectively. They had been born a few sunrises ago, their eyes were still closed. Echokit curled up next to them to provide warmth. The storm that waged outside was leaving nothing out. The trees shook and lightning crackled. Echokit studied the small scraps of fur in front of her suspiciously. Something felt wrong. She gazed along the line of them and counted only three. Not four. She looked around franticly.
"Where's Bearkit?" she called to no one in particular.
"Well, he's right-" Leaftail cut off abruptly when she realized he was gone.
"He's probably just around here somewhere," Nightfeather said, trying to soothe the frantic Queen. The cats were looking methodically through the bedding when Echokit spotted movement out of the corner of her eye. Out in the pelting rain a small bundle of fur crouched low to the ground, trying to hid from the onslaught. Without thinking Echokit dove through the rain and wind and snatched up the defenseless scrap. The warriors den was closer than the nursery so Echokit scurried through its entrance where most the clan was gathered. She dropped the bundle of wet fur in a pile of bedding and began licking the kit soothingly.
"Is that my kit?" Duststorm pushed through the warriors to crouch in front of Echokit,"What happened?" he demanded.
"He was lost in the rain and I found him but you were closer than the nursery..." Echokit trailed off, embarrassed.
Duststorm bent his head to lick Echokit's head,"Thank you. Now let's get you back to the nursery,"
Duststorm picked up Bearkit in his jaws before heading back into the storm. Echokit walked under his large frame as they dashed to the nursery.
"Oh thank StarClan!" Leaftail exclaimed at the sight of her kit.
Duststorm placed him gently next to the light brown Queen and licked her cheek affectionately.
"Come on Stormfrost, there are too many cats in this den already! We don't need to get in their way," Duststorm gestured with his tail for them to leave. The toms headed back into the rain while Nightfeather licked Echokit dry.
"Echokit, why didn't you tell us about Bearkit? You just went out there! You could've died!" Nightfeather scolded.
"I'm sorry," Echokit hung her head.
"Good,"Nightfeather commented,"Now off to bed for the lot of you,"
Two moons later Echokit sat in the shadows of the nursery, her tail flicking impatiently as she waited for Smokekit to be done with her grooming. They were going to be apprentices! She watched as Emberstar leaped up onto the high ledge and let out a piercing yowl.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here, beneath high ledge for a clan meeting!"
Cats scrambled from various places to sit in the center of the clearing, necks craned upward toward their leader.
Emberstar bounded down from the high ledge and gestures for the kits to step forward.
"Echokit, you have reached the age of six moons and it is time for you to become an apprentice. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Echopaw. Your mentor will be Icepelt, I hope she passes all she knows on to you." Emberstar gestured for the white she-cat to step forward," Icepelt, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Timbercloud and have shown yourself to be clever and brave. I hope you pass on all you know to Echopaw."
Echopaw shivered as she touched noses with Icepelt. Smokekit bounded forward and Emberstar spoke coolly as Thrushclaw accepted his new apprentice.
"Echopaw! Smokepaw! Echopaw! Smokepaw!" the clan thundered.
Echopaw bent her head in embarrassment. Echopaw turned to Icepelt,"What are we doing now?" Echopaw wondered aloud.
"We are not doing anything,"the white warrior responded,"you are checking on the elders," Icepelt butted Echopaw with her head when she didn't move.
Echopaw sighed and went to change out the bedding.

A/N hello! Welcome to my new book! Just warning you, updates will be infrequent and far between. Just know that I am a very busy person and I write when I can