Warriors: Book One: The End of the Forest

Chapter Thirteen

Swiftpaw yawned and sat up in her nest. She stepped out and padded into the clearing. She sat down and began washing her face with a licked paw. She glanced back as Moonpaw slipped out after her, padding over to sit next to her. Swiftpaw looked at her friend, "Are you ok, Moonpaw?" she mewed. Moonpaw glanced up at her, "Yeah. I just want to go home. I wonder if SnowClan will have to move, as well." she mewed, hunching her shoulders. Swiftpaw nuzzled her friend's ear, "I hate to say it, but probably. Whatever is driving us out is a creature, it'll probably find your Clan too." Moonpaw sighed, "How well I tell mother we have to leave too?" she mewed. Swiftpaw shrugged, "She'll understand, she knows why we are out here and was willing to help us. She is a leader with her Clans interests at heart, she'll move to keep them alive." she mewed. Moonpaw nodded and lifted her head, looking up at the few star left in the sky, "Mother says that the last six stars in the sky at dawn are Leafstar, Deathstar and the SatrClan deputies." she mewed, "And the last two stars to disappear are Lifestar and Deathstar." Swiftpaw looked up, "That's interesting." she murmured. The den rustled behind them as Tinypaw slipped out, looking around worriedly. Moonpaw got up and bounded over to her, Swiftpaw on her tail, "What's wrong, Tinypaw?" she mewed. Tinypaw sat down, shaking, "I had a dream." she whispered. Swiftpaw and Moonpaw shared a terrified look, "What was it about?" Moonpaw mewed. Tinypaw lifted her head, her eyes wide with terror, "We have to hurry, we have to leave now! Our Clans are being destroyed already." she mewed. Swiftpaw stiffened and Moonpaw gave a mewl of distress. Swiftpaw shouldered her way into the den, "Get up! We have to get moving." she mewed, shaking Gingerpaw and Snowpaw awake. They sat up in alarm, "Why?" Snowpaw mewed. Swiftpaw bounded out of the den, beckoning them to her, "Our Clans are in danger, we have to get the stone fragments and get back as fast as we can." she mewed. Snowpaw limped after her, "Ok, where are we going." Moonpaw padded into the trees, "I know the way." she mewed. Swiftpaw pressed into Snowpaw's side so she could lean on her and padded after Moonpaw, Tinypaw and Gingerpaw following. Tinypaw flicked her tail and shot into the trees, a second later a rabbit hurtled out. Snowpaw shot forward, folding her injured paw to her chest, and snapped her jaws closed on its neck. She stepped back from the kill as Tinypaw returned, holding a couple of mice. Swiftpaw purred happily, "We might as well eat." she mewed. Gingerpaw shared the mice with Moonpaw while the rest of the cats ate the rabbit. Swiftpaw stepped back and licked her muzzle. Tinypaw checked over Snowpaw's injury, adding more herbs to the wrap and tightening it, "Ok, we can go." she mewed. Gingerpaw pressed into Snowpaw's side before Swiftpaw, glancing back on her, "You need a break." he mewed. Swiftpaw nodded at him gratefully and bounded forward to catch up with Moonpaw, "How much further?" she mewed. Moonpaw looked up, "We should get to the hill overlooking it by tonight. We can stay in the forest for the night and head into the cave tomorrow." she mewed. Swiftpaw looked up at the rising sun, "That's a long time." she murmured, looking down at her paws as she walked.