Warriors: Softstar's Tale

Chapter 2

Softkit nestled next to her mother and siblings. The sun was starting to set and the kits were all tired out. Flowerpelt's words rung in the young kit's ears. Could she really do anything?

Blackkit pawed at her mother's belly, kneading the warm milk out. "I can't wait to be a warrior!" she squealed.

Barrenrock sighed. "You'll be one in time. All of you will."

"Actually," Orangekit said. "I want to be a medicine cat."

Whitekit cuffed his brother over the ear. "Who wants to spend their time stuck in that stuffy cave with sick cats and chewing mush? Warriors get to go out and be free and fight. When I'm a warrior, I'll make sure no cat will even go near our territory!"

"Medicine cats get to fight and explore too," Orangekit mewed. "And being a medicine cat is one of the most important jobs in the Clan. We help our Clanmates and speak with StarClan."

Barrenrock mewed in amusement, "You kits can be whatever you want."

Softkit stood up and puffed out her chest. I'm going to be a warrior, she thought.

.........

Softkit opened her eyes. The nest was dark. She could see the rising and falling of her siblings' flanks as they slept. But something wasn't right. Something was going on outside the nursery.

Softkit cautiously stood up, careful not to wake her mother or littermates, and crept her way out of the den. It was a good thing that she was entirely black so she could blend in with the night. She could see Flowerpelt and Wildstar heading towards the stump.

"So how are the other Clans managing?" Wildstar asked.

Flowerpelt looked worried and just replied, "I'll tell you in a minute."

The two cats went inside the leader's den, and Softkit crept forward, angling her right ear towards the den to eavesdrop. She pressed herself against the tree stump, careful not be noticed.

"Wildstar, the other Clans are managing fairly well. I have heard news that Swallowstar has exiled Forestfoot." Flowerpelt's voice wavered as she spoke.

"Exiled?!" Wildstar sounded surprised. "What for?"

"He apparently attacked his own leader and threatened to take over LightClan," Softkit heard Flowerpelt mew. "He's now roaming the territories as a rogue."

"I will alert our warriors to keep an eye out for him," Wildstar's grumbly meow said.

"But there's more." Flowerpelt took a deep breath before continuing. "I have received a prophecy from StarClan. In fact, every medicine cat has received the same one."

"I thought the medicine cats were not allowed to talk about their dreams," Wildstar questioned.

"We all walked in the dream together," Flowerpelt said. "There will be one out of four, who will return to live twice," she recited.

Softkit's green eyes widened. A prophecy! StarClan had sent a prophecy! But what did it mean?

Wildstar sounded confused. "What does it mean?"

"I don't know. We're all stumped." The medicine cat paused before asking, "Does it mean anything to you? Does it sound familiar?"

"There will be one out of four. One out of four cats maybe? Return to live twice. Reincarnation?" Wildstar said.

"Possibly. I'm not sure of Anything yet."

There was a long pause before Wildstar said, "We'll talk about it in the morning."

The two cats started to stir and Softkit bounded back towards the nursery before anyone would notice she was there.