Warriors: Omen Of Fire

Chapter 12

Snowblaze stretched his legs all the way down to his claws making his muscles ache and pull. It felt satisfying as he stood after a long night of guarding the camp. Emberbreeze's white pelt was fluffed up to keep out the morning chill. The sun was barely over the horizon turning the grey covered sky a lighter shade.

Flameclaw stepped out of the warriors' den and nosed the fresh kill pile. He teased out a little mouse and crunched on it under the Great Maple. Badgerclaw, Snaketail, Mistshade, and Flowertail crept out after him. Flowertail let out a huge yawn and walked up to new warriors.

"How was your first night as a warrior?" she asked sleepily.

"Great!" Snowblaze's eyes shone.

"I'm glad you're warriors now, you both deserve it," she said kindly. Emberbreeze dipped her head and muttered a 'thanks'.

"I know," Snowblaze joked good-naturedly.

"I'm really excited to go on patrols and hunt with you." Her blue eyes sparkled lightly and Snowblaze's heart skipped a beat.

"Me too," he said excitedly. "I bet I'll be better at everything!"

Flowertail nudged him with her shoulder and said, "Yeah right! But I've got to go on the dawn patrol now, why don't you two get some sleep?" As she padded away towards the bramble entrance she called over her shoulder, "I got Mistshade to help me make nests for you both."

Snowblaze was glad to have her as a friend. She was kind to everyone. The two littermates snuck into the warriors' den and Emberbreeze sniffed out their empty nests. They picked their way around the rest of the sleeping warriors and Snaketail rolled over, muttering in his sleep.

Their nests were near the outer edge of the den. One day when they were senior warriors they would sleep in the centre. Snowblaze circled in the moss and bracken nest and kneaded it until it was comfortable. He sunk down gratefully and it felt like sleeping in a cloud.

"I like the names we were given," Emberbreeze muttered sleepily beside him. Her tail was tucked over her nose. The ginger and white tom agreed. Snowblaze. I'll blaze a path through this Clan like my father had. His eyes fluttered closed and he drifted into sleep, thinking about Sunpelt.

When he awoke it was sunhigh and he and Emberbreeze were the only ones sleeping in the den. The bright new leaf sunlight filtered through the fresh leaves and dappled the ground. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, Snowblaze was glad to see that the cloud cover was gone. It was warm now, and Snowblaze left the den to see what he could do.

Swiftear and Stiffwhisker were sunning themselves in the clearing and Whitemoss was gracefully chewing on a shrew nearby. Charfur and Lizardbelly were sharing tongues outside the warriors' den. Snowblaze could hardly believe how round her belly was! She must be stuffing herself! No one else is that round.

Flameclaw bounded over to him. "Can I get you to help Meltwater and Mistshade reinforce the nursery walls?"

"Of course," Snowblaze replied. He padded over to where the two she-cats were working together.

"When do you think Lizardbelly will move in?" Mistshade asked as she worked.

"She's got to soon, or she won't be able to catch a mouse if it landed between her paws!" Meltwater purred in amusement.

"What are you guys talking about?" Snowblaze padded up in the middle of their conversation.

"Haven't you noticed?" asked Mistshade incredulously. She paused with a bramble branch clasped between her paws.

"Noticed what?" Snowblaze was utterly confused.

"She's expecting kits!" Meltwater said joyously. "It's such a great thing to have new kits. She hasn't announced it to the Clan yet, but everyone knows. Charfur is over the moon."