Warrior's Path: Destiny of Flame(On Hold)

Chapter Six: Rising Tempest

Bluekit was stalking a mouse.

Well, not actually stalking a mouse. She was dreaming. But still, it was a very tantalizing dream.

In her dream, Bluekit's legs were longer, much longer and more powerful than her short, slightly clumsy paws she had at present. Her sleek silvery fur rippled in the faint breeze as she crouched, her muscles bunching underneath her pelt. Her senses were open and alert; she could even taste the warm salty blood of her hapless quarry as she sank her teeth into its tiny throat. As she crept silently forward, as noiseless as a ghost, she felt powerful. Invincible. Like nothing could ever defeat her, bring her down.

She felt like a true warrior, a deadly hunter.

The mouse was just a few pawsteps away, snuffling among the dense undergrowth. It had not sensed her yet- Bluekit had been careful to keep herself downwind, a tip she'd heard somebody give to one of the apprentices, Littlepaw, in the clearing only a few sunrises before. Bluekit had soaked the small piece of information up like how the leaves of a thriving plant soaks up the sunlight. Anything to help her become the stealthiest hunter all the four Clans had ever seen.

Bluekit bunched her warrior's muscles in readiness to spring. Almost...almost...now!

She sprang, and as her teeth closed around the throat of the helpless mouse-

"Cats of BlizzardClan, gather beneath the Scattered Rocks for a Clan meeting!"

The sudden cry, loud and commanding, jerked Bluekit rudely away from her dream. She hissed faintly in annoyance and anger, shaking out her ruffled pelt and blinking away the remnants of sleep from her eyes. Stretching her short legs, so unlike the long and powerful ones in her dream, she heard Ashkit roll over and moan.

"A meeting? What does Thunderpath want this time?"

Their mother, Pebblestream, bent down and licked her son on the forehead.

"The cats from the Gathering have just returned. Perhaps Thunderpath wants to share some important news about the other Clans. Go back to sleep, little ones."

The Gathering of the Clans was held every full moon, in which each of the four Clans- FireClan, BlizzardClan, TorrentClan, and StormClan- set aside their rivalries and differences for one night and exchanged news and warnings. The Gatherings, however, did not always go peacefully, as it probably went tonight.

The idea of being left out on something which was obviously very important did not appeal to Bluekit. There was no point in going back to sleep, anyway- the dream was gone, blown away like the last wisps of smoke in the wind. No, she wasn't going to be left out on this one. Bluekit half-turned as she heard her sister and her other denmates stir into sleepy wakefulness beside her.

"Thunderpath's called a meeting," she told them. "Want to go and listen?"

Coalkit yawned and stood up. Her mother wasn't with her- she had attended the Gathering with the others, and was most likely in the clearing by now. "What do you think it's about?"

"Maybe you're going to be made apprentices," Heatherkit suggested. "After all, you're six moons already."

Stonekit's yellow eyes gleamed. "Then in that case, we'd better hurry. Don't want to miss it."

The five kits- Stonekit in the lead, followed by Ashkit, Coalkit, Bluekit, and Heatherkit- squeezed out of the bramble nursery and arranged themselves at the edge of the moonlit clearing. Other cats were already there- some excitedly exchanging news with others, the rest yawning and blinking sleepy eyes.

The leader of BlizzardClan, Thunderpath, leaped lightly onto the vantage point onto the mound of stones they call the Scattered Rocks. He looked lithe and youthful under the light of the full moon, despite the fact that he had been leading the Clan for nine seasons already. His amber eyes glinted as he looked upon his assembled Clan.

"Cats of BlizzarClan." he began. His voice matched his poise, impressive and commanding- the kind of voice which came from one who expected loyalty and obedience and had no need to yell for it.

He continued his speech. "My warriors, I have called you here tonight to inform you of grave news. StormClan has lost prey, and their leader Windpath believes that BlizzardClan has stolen it. Indeed, he has claimed to have smelled BlizzardClan scent himself just inside their border. He demands an apology, or we must be expected to prepare for an upcoming battle."

Yowls of rage and defiance pierced the calm night sky as each BlizzardClan warrior cried out their protests and outrage. The kits exchanged looks.

"Do you think BlizzardClan has really stolen prey?" Heatherkit whispered to the others.

"Of course not!" Stonekit seemed a little affronted that she would ask such a question. "BlizzardClan would never do something like that!"

Bluekit, however, reserved her opinion, but she was deeply thoughtful. Would her Clan do something like that?

Thunderpath waited until the yowls had died down. When they had, a single voice rose up among the discontented murmuring of the other cats. Haughty and imperious, it belonged to Darkclaw.

"So? Will we apologize?"

Thunderpath met Darkclaw's fierce gaze. "I do not believe my warriors would commit such a crime. We have found no need to, since our lands have supported us well enough this season." Mews of agreement rippled among the crowd.

"Therefore, we will not apologize for something we have not done."

In the pale light Bluekit saw her father nod in approval. Murmurs of mingled approval and pride rose from her Clanmates.

Thunderpath, however, was not done. "However, we need to prepare for a battle. The training of the apprentices need to be intensified, and the medicine supplies must be restocked. On the subject of apprentices, I am pleased to inform you that two of our kits, Stonekit and Coalkit, have reached six moons, and are both ready to become apprentices."

The two kits sat up straight as every eye was turned to them. Bluekit saw Larchpool in the crowd sitting next to a cat Bluekit recognized as Dustwhisker, a dark brown tom. The queen's eyes were shining with pride.

"Tomorrow, at sunrise, I will make them both apprentices. May they serve their Clan well. The meeting is over, BlizzardClan."

As the cats dispersed, some wandered over to congratulate Coalkit and Stonekit, who were bursting with suppressed excitement and anticipation. Unnoticed by the others, Bluekit slipped away back to the nursery. She would wish them well later, when they weren't surrounded by the big crowd.

As she settled back down into her nest, she wondered when she would become an apprentice, whether BlizzardClan would really steal prey, and why StormClan was so intent to fight when they should have obviously known that stolen pieces of prey was not worth such a great battle.