Red Snow

CHAPTER 2

     "Come on!" A muffled voice hissed through the bundle of fur squirming in his jaws.

Thunder boomed from over a large group of cats' heads and lightning crackled. Rain pounded down on them as they trudged through the snow. "We're coming!" Nightfang yowled, squinting his eyes to see through the rain. "It's not ideal to have a rainstorm during leaf-bare. We're already freezing our tails off!" He muttered, placing one foot gently after the other.

Cherrymoon sighed. We can't go on like this. She could even see her breath in front of her. Last time she had lived through a leaf-bare was when she was a kit, all those moons ago. Back when she was a proud ThunderClan cat. So much had changed since then. "Shellstar can we rest? My paws are about to fall off."

The pale tabby dug a hole in the snow and laid the kit he was carrying inside of it. It squeaked in surprise when it's body touched the cool, white powder. "We'll never reach our destination if we stop every time we get going again."

Annoyance prickled at her paws. "And where exactly are we going? We've been traveling for almost two moons. Thank StarClan we haven't lost any other cats after Silvernose." She meowed, dipping her head in grief. The silver she-cat was weary after the battle and hardly made it a few sunrises before she passed. That wasn't the only problem they had encountered; Leafdusk kitted not long after they began their journey, and Lakekit was hardly receiving any milk because Leafdusk couldn't feed her properly. Swiftprance tried all he could, giving her borage constantly, but the lack of prey made it almost impossible for the milk to flow.

"Do you dare speak to me that way? StarClan will guide us." Shellstar snarled. Usually he was a pleasant and fair-minded cat, but the pouring rain and freezing temperature made them all agitated.

"I don't understand why we didn't spread out among the other Clans. I wouldn't mind living in WindClan if it meant I got a warm place to sleep at night!" Mouseclaw muttered under her breath.

WindClan. That's where Snowshade was born. Thinking about the tom who once had her heart made her anxious. No matter how much he had hurt her, she still loved him. But I can't be with him. I could never trust him, nor do I share his beliefs. Its not like he loved me anyways. He chose Honeystorm, the deputy who he had hardly ever talked to, then one day announced she was having his kits.

"WindClan?" Jaygaze sneered. "I'd rather pluck all the fur from my pelt before I live on the moor." He shuddered.

"Would you rather live in ShadowClan?" Palefrost countered. "In the wet marshlands eating toads and lizards? No thanks." Palefrost and Jaygaze stood face to face, their backs arched in a challenge.

Shellstar's fur began bristling, "listen to us! We can't argue. We have to stay together."

Cherrymoon rolled her eyes. "Why? I'm not your Clanmate, and you're not my leader." She was shocked at her harsh words, but they had to be said. Shellstar was RiverClan's leader, not hers. As she looked around she saw the wide eyes of her companions and the stunned looks on their faces. She shrugged uncomfortably and looked at the ground.

The rain began to ease to a drizzle, and the cats laid down to rest in an old fox den. No one had said anything after Cherrymoon's risky speech, and tension hung in the air. It was odd, traveling with cats who were once your rivals, though most of the cats in the group were from ThunderClan.

"I'm cold!" Lakekit whined, daring to break the silence.

Cherrymoon looked up at the stars of Silverpelt. Why aren't you helping us StarClan? We're tired, starving, and homeless. If you care about us, help us. She pleaded silently, and watched in pity as Leafdusk hurried to her kits side and began wrapping herself around the gray she-cat. Her mate, Palefrost, looked on in grief. No one expected Lakekit to make it through leaf-bare.

The dawn sky appeared, and the storm clouds were long gone. The snow was still fresh on the ground however, but it didn't seem to be as cold as the days before. A tiny sliver of sunlight peered out from the trees. "It's the sun!" Echoleaf, the former RiverClan medicine cat, gasped.

Cherrymoon purred in delight and bounded over the warm spot. She hadn't felt the sun rays on her pelt in days. It provided some relief, and she felt the ice crystals on her pelt melt into water.

All the cats gathered round the small circle of sunlight and basked in it until the sun was covered by a cloud. Excited murmurs spread through the journeying cats. "Maybe the thaw is coming!" Cherrymoon exclaimed, but Swiftprance and Echoleaf looked on in horror.

"What is it?" Shellstar padded over the medicine cats. "Surely the sun was a good sign?"

Swiftprance shook his head. "No. StarClan has spoken to us for the first time in moons. Just as we think our life will be filled with light again, we will be plagued into darkness."

Uneasy glances were shared among them. "What do you mean?" Mouseclaw asked.

"Darkness is coming, darker than what we've been facing." Echoleaf murmured.

"You mean BloodClan?"

Swiftprance and Echoleaf looked at each other, their eyes wide in fear. "Yes."