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

Chapter 24

Adderstar had his teeth bared at the snake. A dead mouse lay near the deadly prey's tail. The snake was hissing back at Wolfpaw's leader. He could feel Hazeleyes's fur raise with fear.

"Give it back you thieving dirt crawling vermin!" Adderstar snarled as the snake striked at him.

"Adderstar!" Hazeleyes wailed. The reddish brown leader turned his head and his eyes widened.

"Wolfpaw, Hazeleyes!" Adderstar called out. The snake snapped at him again, making the leader jump. "this thing took my catch!"

Wolfpaw unsheathed his claws and dug his claws in to the snake. It snapped its head around to face Wolfpaw with a hiss. Snarling, Wolfpaw bit in to the snake on its exposed neck. The snake thrashed around in his jaws, fighting the death that crept in. An image of Earthdirt eating half of the snake and Poppystream the other flashed in Wolfpaw's mind. Would this be Earthdirt's chance to live longer? Would it give Poppystream strength for her kitting?

Finally, the snake went limp in the apprentice's mouth. He released the newly caught prey and glared down as it flopped down to the snow.

"Wolfpaw, are you okay?" Hazeleyes ran over and searched the silver tom.

"It didn't bite you?" Adderstar asked.

"No, but we should hurry and give this to Earthdirt and Poppystream," Wolfpaw nudged the snake, "I'm not sure, but I think StarClan sent me a sign!"

"Wolfpaw, this is the best prey I've has all leaf-bare!" Earthdirt congratulated, chewing on his half of the snake. Halfmoon and Lightpelt eyed the snake the elder was enjoying. The medicine cat's eyes dark while her apprentice's shining.

"I thought you didn't want to eat?" Lightpelt purred.

"This smelled much too good to just pass up!" Earthdirt responded. "It's like the prey Yellowstar would bring!"

"That old omen seer was the best hunter of ThunderClan." Halfmoon agreed.

"I'll take this other half to Poppystream!" Wolfpaw grabbed the other half of the snake and made his way to the nursery. Glaregaze lifted his head while Poppystream just opened one eye.

"Oh, hello, Wolfpaw," Poppystream lifted her head sleepily, "Lightpelt says these kits will be coming soon... But I haven't even felt a nudge..."

"They'll be fine," Sunnigpelt reassured the young warrior, "you and Glaregaze are one of the strong warriors, your kits will be strong too."

"I brought you a snake," Wolfpaw set the fresh-kill down by Poppystream's paws, "Earthdirt ate the other half-"

"He what?" Sunnigpelt looked at the apprentice oddly. "He wouldn't accept the rabbit Stripeclaw brought him! He's eating the other half?"

"Does that mean he's all better?" Poppystream perked.

"I really hope so..." StarClan wouldn't make a mistake. Would they?

Poppystream took a bite of the snake and her eyes shined. She quickly ate the rest with excitement. The ginger she-cat began to light up and the nursery was filled with the delicious scent of milk. Wolfpaw remembered smelling Hazelnose's and tasting his first meal with Foxkit by his side. He even remembered the sorrowful mew of Halfmoon as she and Lightpelt took his brother and sister away to be buried. Were they in StarClan too? Halfmoon had told him they were born dead, so even if she did see them in her dreams, she wouldn't be able to separate them from the other kits who had died. StarClan wouldn't let Poppystream's kits die, would they? Glaregaze was protecting his mate and kits from the cold. Goosetail never even visited Hazelnose while she was expecting.