Warriors REBORN: Era Of Darkness

Chapter Seven

Autumpaw scrambles away from camp as the scout patrol emerges from the tunnel. Her heart is beating out of her chest as she streaks across the busy thunderpath.

Monsters, from side to side in many different directions. Their bright eyes gleaming down at her, ready to crush her. She squeaks and dashes beneath them scared out of her own paws.

Making it to the other side, Autumnpaw shakes out her dirtied fur. The night air is dry and cold, it fills Autumnpaw's lungs with despair. She paces into the steep ditch at the side of the thunderpath, into a thin shiny tube that is hidden beneath it.

Rolling in the dry moss that blankets the inside of the tube, she rests her soft head on her paws. Eyes darting restlessly back and fourth, she thinks long and hard.

"I'm so sorry Cloudrise, I've let you down as an apprentice." She whispers.

"I didn't even get to know you, and now you're gone!"
The cream apprentice wails to the world. Her eyes becoming moist as her heavy heart sinks low in her chest.

She sits in the tunnel, helpless and hopeless. Letting sleep leak into her tired mind. The crickets chirp as the tube rattles the earth when a monster rolls overhead. The crisp cool breeze sweeps below her nose, filling her lungs.

****

"Autumnpaw, I'm here because I never truly had time to explain young one."

A wispy faded tom appears out of the shadows. Cloudrise. His starry appearance truly dazzling to Autumnpaw.

"You see, I knew what Russetwind was up to from the start, I knew what was taking place."

He dissapears, only his voice rings in the dark.

"And how? You ask, because I have the ability to see the past."

Autumnpaw whirls around in shock as Cloudrise appears behind her.

"Who am I really?"

His tail sweeps low to the still waters they stand on.

"My father was Snowfoot, son of a medicine cat from an era much different than yours. My greatfather's job was to keep his beloved MountianClan safe, thus prior to the incident."

He hesitates and stares deep into Autumnpaw's eyes.

"Medicine cats have the ability to speak with StarClan."

She gasps slightly.

"Here, let me explain. It seems I am confusing you. Long ago, there dwelled four great clans, settled far beyond this leafless forest of smoke and chemicals. They was MountianClan, the cats who owned the mountains and brought life to the caves within. SweepClan, the ones who ruled the waters just below. RuinClan, those who nested in the abandoned two-leg village which has been burnt decades ago. Lastly, EarthClan, the clan who stayed below the ground in a network of complex tunnels."

Autumnpaw looks at him with disbelief, where were these clans today?

"Unfortunately these clans were torn apart by a mysterious battle, ending in murder and selfishness. Almost every cat was struck down by the bloody claws."
Cloudrise let's out a sigh, his gaze fixated on something much more distant than Autumnpaw.

"My greatfather survived by summoning the spirit of the lion, one of the great spirits that lend you their strength if born of worthy of. The bloody claws was said to have possessed the spirit of the tiger, thus using it to his advantage instead of for peace."

"Who was this cat Cloudrise?" Whispers Autumnpaw nervously, sweat trickling through her paws.

"That I do not know, and is for you to figure out."
Cloudrise's eyes glow and he vanishes into the night, leaving Autumnpaw stranded on the ever still lake of dreams.

"Just know, you are never a disappointment Sunspark."

The scene suddenly changes to a spring meadow. The scent of grass fills Autumnpaw's nostrils, giving a warm fuzzy feeling. The grass and trees continue to sway, two cats emerge from opposite sides of the woods.

"Sunpaw wait up!" A small voice mews. A rusty apprentice bounces over to the said Sunpaw happily.
A cat, almost identical to Autumnpaw, whirls around to face the apprentice.

"Russetpaw what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see you again, because I have good news!"

"What's this good news then?"

"I've learned to control my power, Dewstar is gonna let me stay!"

"That's great Russetpaw, now get off SweepClan territory before Ivorystar is notified about you." Sunpaw bats her cream coloured tail in Russetpaw's face teasingly, skipping off towards the brook.

"Sunpaw! Wait I-"

The image of the meadow disappears and Autumnpaw is left shivering in the alien paws of Sunpaw. Snow whips past her shivering face as the cold seeps through her paws. Her body feeling older than her mind.

She tumbles down into the soft pillow of snow, immobilized by the temperature. She felt as she was dying. The world a hazy blur.

"Sunpaw? Sunpaw!" Russetpaw's voice echoes through the storm. He bounds towards her, his shaggy coat decorated with tiny balls of snow.

"Sunpaw, hold on, just a little longer!" Russetpaw aims his voice towards the grey sky and begins to chant.

"Ancestors! Hear me! I summon thee! Come to my aid mighty spirit!" He cries, his voice crackly and filled with fear. A beautiful blur of white and silver, a tiger bounds from the snow and merges into Russetpaw.

Enhanced Russetpaw picks up Sunpaw in his jaws, bounding effortlessly across the snow. Towards SweepClan camp.

*****

Autumnpaw seems to rest until the night clouds clear and the young rebellious dawn rises just above the horizon, It's sharp bright glow illuminating the land. She cracks open a hazel eye to peer across the ditch and into the sky, which is painted a clear sapphire blue. Luckily she was not found by Russetwind's scouts.

"I need to get to the inner city, Cedar and Nightfall are waiting for me."