Warriors- Grey Skies

Chapter One

Erin sat under a small bush, shivering as tiny water droplets seeped into his dark brown fur.

God dammit.

He peered out from under the shrub, and immediately pulled it back in. Of course, just when everything is going fine, Table had to ruin it by going missing and being her usual self. Erin had a warm bed, a cozy fire place, and a good twoleg, and for some reason Erin was out here looking for his stupid sister in the rain.

He loved her, but why did she have to be such a pain?

"Let's go explore!" Erin mocked under his breath, mimicking his tiny sister's high pitched voice. "Why do you wanna stay inside? Let's go into the woods!" He snuggled deeper into the shrub and managed to find a spot that wasn't soaked.

Despite his anger, worry nagged at his heart. It wasn't like Table to just disappear. She always came back. Well, most of the time. There was that one time Erin had to wedge her out of the fence of their neighbor's yard because she got stuck for an entire night.

Erin purred at the thought. She may have been a stupid furball, but Erin had vowed that, as her older brother, he would protect her.

This reminder just made his worry stronger. Table was still out there, and he needed to find her.

He would not lose anyone else.

Erin wriggled out from under the bush, into the seemingly endless forest. Immediately rain drenched him, making him hiss.

He stuck to outcroppings and shrubs, calling Table's name out every few moments. The forest was dark and drab, seeming to droop under the weight of the waves of rain. Erin shuddered as a shadow passed over him. Owls.

Fear made every hair on his pelt stand on end despite the rain. He had heard ledgends about the massive birds, stories about them scooping up full grown cats in a single dive. He thought of Table and winced. She wasn't even 6 moons old yet, she would barely be a mouthful for those monsters.

The thought just made him press on. Well, he would have, if the owl's shadow hadn't multiplied. And turned back to him. Much closer than before.

In a split second he dove under a thorn bush and hurdled out the other side. No, no, no, no, Erin thought as he searched the trees for protection.

Wait, he thought. Owls can't climb trees, he realized, and immediately remembered something. They can fly, you idiot. But the trees were his only idea, so he went with it.

He launched himself up the closest tree, terror fueling his muscles.

He heaved himself upwards, wincing as rough bark sliced his paw pads. Finding a thick branch, he clung to the wood, driving his claws in despite the wind making the branch whip like an angry tail.

It wasn't enough.

Talons suddenly ripped into his pelt, making him screech in agony.

The tree disappeared beneath Erin, quickly becoming a paw sized dot.

No, no, I can't die, what about Table, what wi-

Erin's thoughts cut off completely as the owl shook him violently.

-GO GO FIGHT YOU CANT DIE YOU CANT-

Instincts spoke to him, an iron voice writhing and spiting inside.

Erin whirled around in the piercing talons, managing to get a bite on the massive predator's legs. The owl screeched in pain and loosened its grip.

Suddenly, the world rushed up at Erin, much too fast. Terror flowed through him like liquid lightning.

Just before Erin hits the earth, he sees the moon. Not bad for the last thing you see.