SHADECLOUD
Jayfeather walked over towards her and the young warrior looked away, up towards the stormy sky, where strange gray clouds with a slight greenish tint gathered. Shadecloud could hardly resist the urge to run to another part of the camp, or tag onto the back of the dawn patrol. Was now the time that Jayfeather would yell at her, tell her how stupid her decision to become a warrior was?
But Jayfeather seemed calm. “Shadecloud, I’m not angry at you, for StarClan’s sake!” he meowed, sounding exasperated. “I myself didn’t want to be a medicine cat and never truly have!”
“But, but I did,” Shadecloud whispered softly. “I left because…I mean, never mind!”
Jayfeather’s blind blue eyes stared intensely at her. “I already know you love Groundsquirrel, you don’t have to hide it!” he exclaimed.
Shadecloud’s green eyes darted around the camp. Fortunately for her, no cat had overheard. “Not so loud!” she insisted. “Why did you come to see me?”
Jayfeather glanced over at Bramblestar’s…no, Lionstar’s den. “Could you wake Lionstar for me?” the medicine cat meowed.
Shadecloud felt confusion. “Why?” she asked. “It was a tiring day yesterday. It wouldn’t be such a bad thing to let him sleep.”
“Shadecloud, Bramblestar is dead,” Jayfeather explained. “Lionstar needs to journey to the Moonpool and receive his nine lives from StarClan.”
Shadecloud felt stupid. “Oh, yes, of course he does,” she stammered. “And yes, I’ll do it.”
Jayfeather nodded. “Good,” he meowed. “Thank you, Shadecloud! Tell him to come find me in my den!”
Her former mentor turned to leave. Shadecloud approached the Highledge and climbed up to the leader’s cave. “Lionstar!” she called as she entered the den.
There was a groan as Lionstar raised his massive golden head. “What is it, Shadecloud?” the new leader asked tiredly.
“Jayfeather told me to notify you that it is time for you to travel up to the Moonpool and meet StarClan so that you may receive your nine lives of a leader,” Shadecloud explained quickly.
Lionstar sat up groggily. “Fine,” he muttered, still looking sleepy. “Where does he want me to meet him? At the Moonpool?”
Shadecloud shook her head. “No,” she replied. “He says to meet him in the medicine cat den.”
The new leader of ThunderClan rose to his paws and walked towards the exit. “Okay, Shadecloud. Thank you for coming to tell me!” he shouted as he swiftly descended from his new den.
“No problem,” she responded, following him.
She nearly crashed into the large golden tom as he halted abruptly in front of the Highledge. “What is it?” Shadecloud demanded, sounding and feeling slightly irritated.
“Look over there, towards ShadowClan territory,” Lionstar meowed, pointing with his tail.
Shadecloud followed his gaze. In the distance, above the ShadowClan treetops, a spinning gray tunnel moved towards ThunderClan territory. She listened closely and heard a faint high-pitched screeching sound that probably would be very loud if she was closer.
Lionstar was still staring at it. “What is that?” he asked, not looking away even to talk to Shadecloud. “A giant spinning tunnel of dust?”
Shadecloud suddenly realized what it was and backed away, trembling with fear. “Not dust,” she whispered, struggling to hold back her panic. “Wind. Howling wind.”
Lionstar must’ve heard the terror in her voice. “Shadecloud, what is that?” he glanced back at her. “Don’t lie. I know you know what it is.”
She was frightened and worried for the fate of her Clan, and the last of her courage was seemingly gone. She took a deep breath. “Lionstar, it’s the Unknown Threat.”
YOU ARE READING
Warriors: The Unknown Threat Series Book #6: Howling Wind
FanfictionA few moons ago, Jayfeather received a prophecy. "An unknown threat is near. Wind has the power to destroy our Clan." Now, it seems that the time of the prophecy has come. Jayfeather has received a second omen predicting the destruction of the fores...
