Warriors: Crying Skies

Prologue

The wind brushed over the scars and bruises, drying blood swiftly, brushing past it all as if a great amount of bloodshed had not just occurred and all the world was at peace. The participants of the battle were laying everywhere, trying to congregate and make it easier on their healer, though most were in much too much pain for such a thing. Frantic, the singular healer rushed from warrior to warrior, trying to pick out the most injured and treat them first.

With a large mass, it was somewhat difficult, but that is what was to happen. Besides the few who could manage to get through the pain and the healer, only the leader of this group stood tall. It was clear she was in pain and need medical attention, but she constantly refused the healer, insisting that 'there are still many worse than myself'.

A certain red cat approached the cat whose pelt was splashed in that same color, though not naturally. "Cloudstar," he said, voice uncertain and small. It was, after all, awfully quiet besides the medicine cat yelling at a couple of the operational apprentices about who to treat, how, and with what. When she did not acknowledge him, he tried again, slightly louder this time. "Cloudstar." She flicked her snow white ear in his direction. The warrior sighed, exasperated and exhausted. "Cloudstar, please. Dawnfeather is right. You need attention and rest."

"I cannot. My Clan just fought a battle and you expect me to rest? I am the leader, Redfang. I must be vigilant, should they come back. We are broken and exposed. We cannot fight any further than we have."

Redfang insisted, "But if you are to be a good leader, one who can lead her Clan, you need to rest."

She finally turned to look at the tom, her green eyes meeting his dark ones. "Do you know what I promised to Sunstar before he passed away?" Without stopping to hear his response, Cloudstar went on, "I promised that I would protect his Clan with my life. We were very broken when I was a kit, with internal war and strife. He became our leader and suddenly everything was better. He worked so hard to unite everyone once again, and he succeeded. I refuse to let his life's work die because I might make one small mistake."

Realizing that the she-cat was very stubborn regarding this subject, he sighed and meowed, "Alright. But please rest at some point. To be aware, you need to rest your senses."

I know, Cloudstar thought as he walked away from her, calling to Dawnfeather that he could help her care for the injured. Cloudstar looked back at them momentarily, to completely see the damages done. Sighing at the state of her Clan, she slowly stood and made her way to the top of the den that was hers, the highest point in the camp. Her green eyes stared up at the skies filled with her dead ancestors.

"Sunstar," she began, hoping she might hear something. "I promised I would help your Clan thrive, but suddenly, I am lost. I do not know what I am to do. Everything you worked so hard for.... we were attacked, Sunstar. We are broken again, and I haven't the foggiest idea what I am to do."

Cloudstar sat, staring, quiet, expecting a response from the tom she had regarded so highly. There was nothing, and she startled when a tail fell on her shoulder. "Sorry," came the voice of Dawnfeather. "Cloudstar, I am your friend, and while I may not be him, and I have no idea what he would have wanted because I was not as close to him, I am still am confident that Sunstar would want you to rest. He would say that you must first be able to care of yourself before you can take on the care of any cat else. Come, let me treat your wounds and then you need to rest."

The white she-cat looked to the gray one and nodded. "Alright."

Cats had moved from the clearing while Cloudstar was busy, and many rested in their nests, the more severely injured who could require anything at any moment staying in the medicine den. Cloudstar and Dawnfeather maneuvered around them, to the back where there was barely enough space for the medicine cat to heal her leader. They managed, with much need for moving in certain ways so that all parts of Cloudstar could be treated and checked.