The Dawn of Night | A Warriors Fanfiction ✔

Chapter 27

Two moons had passed. A cold wind shook the forest, making the leaves rustle and the tree branches clap.

"What was that?" Cherrykit screeched in alarm as the wind blew harder.

"It's just the wind, dear," Bluestripe informed her only she-kit.

"It's scary!" Swallowkit's voice quaked in fear. All three kits huddled closer to Bluestripe, who wrapped her tail around them protectively.

"Where is Redflame?" Drizzlekit suddenly asked. The other kits nodded, telling her that they wanted to know as well. Bluestripe sighed. Redflame was never around anymore because he was the deputy.

"He must be on a patrol, or maybe talking to Stormstar," Bluestripe answered, trying to keep her meow as light as possible. Another strong gust of wind swept through the camp, rattling the nursery. "Let's go see Buttonweasel," Bluestripe suggested, knowing that it would be warmer in the elders' den as there were more cats there. The kits started to leave, bouncing excitedly. Cherrykit, who was in the lead, drew back immediately after sticking her nose out.

"It's all wet! Water is falling out of the sky!" the little she-kit screamed and ran back to Bluestripe.

"It's called rain, my sweet," Bluestripe purred to her kit.

"It's cold! I don't like it," Cherrykit announced.

"Well, come and get warm," Bluestripe swept her kits to her belly. A crack of lightning filled the air with the smell of burnt wood.

"What was that?" Drizzlekit whispered. Nuzzling closer to Bluestripe, he and the other kits started to suckle.

"It is just a storm; it'll blow away soon." 

Drizzlekit nodded. The brambles shivered, and a dripping Tulippaw pushed in.

"I brof you fwesh-kiwl," she muttered through a mouthful of fur.

"Thank you, Tulippaw." Bluestripe accepted the fresh-kill, and Tulippaw walked out of the den. She gulped down the thin squirrel, then curled around her kits, who were now sleeping. The storm continued. It was leaf-bare.

Crash! A bolt of lightning cracked the sky. Bluestripe and the kits woke with a start. Bluestripe sniffed the air. Fire. A loud crack split through the forest, and Bluestripe could tell it wasn't lightning.

"Get out!" she screeched to her kits. A large tree branch crashed into the nursery. Swallowkit was the last thing Bluestripe saw before the bramble walls surrounded her, blinding her, choking her.

"Mother," Cherrykit wailed, "Come ouutt."

"Heeelppp!" Drizzlekit yelled around the camp. Stormstar ran out of his den.

"What happened? Where's your mother?" he meowed to the three kits.

"She didn't come out..." Swallowkit shook his pelt.

"Follow me," Stormstar whisked around and led the kits to his den, where Redflame was. "Redflame! Get some warriors - Bluestripe is stuck under the nursery. Get her out! Now!" Redflame jerked his head up and ran out of the den.

"Oakleaf, Swiftclaw, Tulippaw, Irispaw, Strongheart, come with me! The nursery collapsed on Bluestripe!" he yowled as he raced past the dens. The cats steamed out of their dens. "Oakleaf and Swiftclaw, start digging over here," he pointed with his tail to a spot. "The rest of you dig with me!" he started pulling the brambles and vines out.

"Redflame! I think I found the tip of her tail!" Irispaw called to the deputy.

"Show me where." He went to the side where the apprentice was. "Go get Emberfur and Darkspot." he meowed tautly. Irispaw scampered away. "Swiftclaw, Oakleaf, over here." he started digging again. She's going to be okay, He told himself firmly. Digging steadily, the cats finally managed to clear the brambles away. She lay there, on her side, with her leg twisted toward her stomach. A thin trickle of blood ran from her cheek.