Warriors: Shooting Star Book #1 A Star Is Born (#Wattys2015)

Chapter 7

Glaregaze had to hold Wolfkit back as the silver tom struggled to run through the fire and save Hazelnose. The older cat grabbed Wolfkit by his scruff and ran to the bracken hiding area. Glaregaze went through a small tunnel and made his way out to the forest. Wolfkit looked back as he could still see fire blazed on in the distance. He wanted to go back to save Hazelnose, but dropped his head and tail when the realization of her demise came to the young kit.

When they reached the stream that marked the border with WindClan, Glaregaze pounced over to where the rest of ThunderClan waited. Adderstar pushed his way through the crowd. He searched around the two toms then looked to Glaregaze.

"Where is Hazelnose?" The leader asked.

Glaregaze looked away and lowered his ears. Adderstar's eyes widened slightly. He looked to Wolfkit then lowered his head with the rest of the Clan. Wolfkit looked up and saw storm clouds had gathered. Rain began to pour down, causing the fire to die down. The leader then lifted his head and went to stand in front of his Clan.

"We'll ask if WindClan is willing to let us stay in their camp until our camp is rebuilt." he began trekking up the hill with his Clan following. Sparrowpaw and Hazelpaw helped Wolfkit walk with them, though he wanted to stay and mourn in peace.

What was he going to do now? He had no cat cat now. Goosetail wasn't going to be there for him. All the other cats were just friends. Wolfkit had no kin left. He was the last of Hazelnose's blood. He lowered his ears, his tail dragging in the dirt. Wolfkit had to get through this. He was going to become a warrior for Foxkit. He would work extra hard for both of them. Hazelnose would watch from StarClan. Wouldn't she? She had to. StarClan had been watching him since he was born. Did Halfmoon, Lightpaw, and Adderstar know about his prophecy? Is that why they talked to him yesterday? Did they know this was going to happen.

ThunderClan had finally reached WindClan's camp. A warrior stood at the entrance and he immediately unsheathed his claws ready to fight.

"Please, Snapdragon," Adderstar meowed calmly, "our camp has been burned by a wildfire, we have kits, queens, and elders that need shelter from the rain. Could you ask Cloudstar if we can here, just for tonight? We'll leave at sun high so we can repair the damage."

The warrior looked over the ThunderClan cats before motioning for only Adderstar and Twitchwhisker to follow. They disappeared in to the other Clan's camp, leaving the rest of ThunderClan in the rain. Wolfkit sat between Bramblepaw and Sparrowpaw, his head low. They needed shelter. Meadowkit and Poundkit could get sick and Wolfkit knew what it was like to loose a kit in the Clan and he didn't want it to happen again.

Finally, Adderstar returned and called his Clan to follow him in to the camp. They walked in to see half of WindClan was awake. Kits and queens poked their heads out from the nursery. Apprentices sat close to one another whispering their accusations. Warriors glared at ThunderClan as they went to sit down in the middle of their camp.

"Your Clan may stay until sun high," a white long haired tom announced from on top a tree stump, "until then warriors and apprentices will be watched under constant watch, kits and queens may stay in the nursery, elders may stay in the elder's den, but a warrior will still keep a close eye on you!"

"Yeah, because there's nothing I love more than killing cats with my aching joints!" Earthfoot rolled his light green eyes.

"You'd wake every cat up with the noise they make!" Sunningpelt purred.

"Come along, Wolfkit," Lambpelt called as her and the kits headed to the nursery. Wolfkit dragged his tail as he followed them inside where two queens and five kits were up against another side of the nursery, away from Lambpelt as she lied down to curl up in ball with Meadowkit and Poundkit.

"Come sleep near us, Wolfkit," Meadowkit invited. Wolfkit didn't want to be warmed by Lambpelt, Hazelnose's tail was the warmest thing he ever felt. He curled up in a small ball, wrapping himself up with his silver tail.

"What's his problem?" one of the WindClan kits asked.

"I'm afraid Hazelnose was killed in the fire," Lambpelt whispered, "he's the only surviving kit in her litter."

"Hazelnose was known for her sacrifices," Wolfkit heard one of the WindClan queens mew sympathetically. Wolfkit didn't want to hear anymore. He closed his eyes and slowly slipped in to sleep.