Owlflight's Kits (Book One)

Chapter Six

Several moons had passed since Owlflight was given the prophecy. For whatever reason, he felt that he wasn't allowed to tell it to anyone, not even Firepelt.

He dipped his paw in the water, the icy cold seeping into his fur. "Ow!" He hissed, shaking it off quickly. Snow had fallen heavily overnight, and now nothing but white could be seen in every direction. Grumbling with frustration, he concentrated on the water.

A few fish swam near the bottom of the river. Owlflight watched closely as a fish dared swim closer to the surface. Within seconds Owlflight had scooped it up and killed it in a single bite. Instead of taking it back to camp, he ate it, hunger making him forget the warrior code.

He gulped it down, tilting his ears forward as he saw a cat on the other side of the river. "Skywing!" He called, recognizing his mother at once. "It's me, Owlflight!"

"Owlflight! Oh, how I've missed you!" Skywing bounded across the steppingstones, coming to stand beside her son. "How is Firepelt? I heard about the kits!" She purred happily.

"She's great. Much more well fed than the other cats.. Even the elders! The clan is pampering her." He let out a mrrow of laughter.

"Well, she needs it, having kits in the middle of leaf-bare like this. I can't believe I'm going to be a grandmother already!" She joked, licking his cheek affectionately.

"How is Coldstream?" Owlflight asked. He had always looked up to his father, the deputy of GreenClan.

"He's all too ambitious.. He makes a wonderful mate, but a leader? Not so much." She shook her head. "I'm scared for what will happen when Hawkstar dies. I fear he might be bad for the clan.."

Owlflight blinked. "I bet he'll make a fine leader. Ambition never hurt anyone.."

Skywing shook her head. "I wish that was true. My grandmother was ambitious, much like Coldstream. She convinced her mate to kill a cat, forced her son to kill her own mother, then killed her son and herself. I fear for GreenClan, Owlflight.. I really do." She sighed. "Hasn't enough bad happened?"

Before Owlflight could reply, the scent of a GreenClan patrol cut their meeting short. Skywing whispered a goodbye and turned, leaping back across the river and disappearing into the forest.

Owlflight sighed, wishing that his parents had been a part of MudClan. How different his life would have been! No more having one paw in GreenClan. He would never have to question his loyalties.

Owlflight finished his fish and stood up, heading towards tallrocks. He had already eaten, he couldn't just return to camp empty pawed. Turning away from the gathering tree, he turned towards the mooncave. He didn't know why he was going there, but something seemed to be leading his pawsteps. It was as if there were voices calling him inside...

"Welcome to the mooncave. I am a cat of the stars, the cat of the moon. My name is Rainpaw. When you speak to me, you speak to StarClan. What would you like to say?"

"Rainpaw." Owlflight sat, curling his tail around his forepaws. "I have a question for you."

"Yes?" The apprentice tilted his head, urging Owlflight to go on.

"I want to know... If.. If Shadeclaw is a bad guy. He makes me so nervous! And I hate having my parents in a different clan.. I hate it, Rainpaw! And now I'm going to be a father. Do you know what Firepelt's planning to do? She's going to leave MudClan! As soon as the kits are old enough.. So that whatever danger is coming to the forest can't hurt them. Can you believe that? She's just going to leave! Does she expect me to go with her? I'm not going anywhere. But I can't leave my mate!" Owlflight couldn't help pouring his heart out to his old friend. "What do I do?"

"I cannot answer your first question.. StarClan forbids me to reveal the future to any cat that doesn't deserve it." Rainpaw started.

"You think I'm not worthy?" Owlflight spat.

Rainpaw sighed. "StarClan would tell me to tell you about Shadeclaw if they wanted me to."

Owlflight lashed his tail. "I hate this!"

"I cannot make your choices for you, Owlflight." He shook his head sadly. "You have to decide whether your loyalties lay with your parents in GreenClan, your home in MudClan, or your heart with Firepelt. Nobody can decide what you do but you. Now.. I think you should be heading back now. There's something I think you should see..."

What does that mean? "Okay... B-Bye, Rainpaw." He stammered, dashing out of the cave. He bounding towards the river, then ran upstream until he got to the waterfall. The second he slipped into the cave, Spiderpaw was at his side.

"Go to the nursery, Owlpaw." She panted. "Your kits have been born."