Warriors: Sharptalon's Mist

Chapter 42

A half-moon had passed, and now Sharptalon's kits were running around the nursery. They were very energetic and always played with the other kits.

Smokykit then launched himself on his father and pummeled his hind paws on Sharptalon's fur. 

Sharptalon pretended to fall over. "Oh no! I'm going to lose!" He meowed, waving his paws as Blackkit joined in.

"Die filthy badger!" Smokykit roared, raising his tail.

Stormgaze watched them play, amusement shining in her green eyes. "You two will be amazing fighters," she purred.

"Yes, they certainly will be amazing fighters," Sharpton agreed with his mate, purring. He watched as Beekit and Tuftkit tumbled in their nest, fighting. 

"Well, the fun's over kits, it's time for bed," Stormgaze huffed, laying down. "Come on now," she meowed, waving her paw over. Her jaws gaped in a yawn.

"Awww, do we have to sleep now?" Blackkit asked, his tiny tail lashing with annoyance. His eyes shone in the darkness.

"Yes. Phoenixwing's kits have gone to sleep already. We don't want to wake them. Come on, you four have stayed up late enough," Stormgaze meowed, glancing her her kits.

Sharptalon sat up and groomed his paw. "Yes, I'm getting tired. Listen to your mother please," he meowed between licks. He stopped grooming and saw all four kits curled up at their mother's belly. He slowly padded towards his mate.

Stormgaze lifted her head as her mate approached her. She purred as he licked her head. "Goodnight," Sharptalon whispered.

"Goodnight, love," Stormgaze whispered.

Sharptalon turned around and trudged to his nest. Sleep immediately dragged him into a void of darkness.

"Sharptalon."

Sharptalon woke up. I'm in the Dark Forest. Tigerstar was in front of him, his amber eyes shining.

"The time has come for when doom sets on ThunderClan. Are you ready, Sharptalon, to rest here forever?" Tigerstar asked, his tail lashing.

Sharptalon narrowed his eyes, blinking at the dark tom. "What do you mean?" He asked, confused. 

"I think you know what that means. You should. StarClan is trying to take you away from your mate and kits. They want to make your life miserable," Tigerstar meowed, his voice drilling into Sharptalon's ears. 

"StarClan would never do that. They brought Lighttail back at least," Sharptalon meowed, his voice cracking.

"But not for you. He was brought back for a new life. He's forgotten about you. Just know that a great fire share burn everything you know," Tigerstar meowed. His figure began to fade.

"Wait!" Sharptalon yowled. Suddenly he jerked awake in his nest, his fur bushed. He looked around, his claws sinking into the soft moss of his nest. 

"Are you ok?" A voice asked in the back of the den. It was Jaywing.

Sharptalon glanced at her. "Yes, I'm fine."

Jaywing's eyes were clouded. She padded closer. "Hey, I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. We used to be great friends when you were just a kit. Cloudspark carried me away," she meowed all at once.

"Don't be sorry. I had Stormgaze," Sharptalon mewed. Memories of his old friend flashed in his mind. He remembered when Jaywing would always play with him when no one else would.

"Can I tell you something?" Jaywing asked. She came closer until she was laying beside Sharptalon. "But please don't tell anyone else."

"Sure," Sharptalon meowed. His thoughts were clouded with Tigerstar telling him about him being in the Dark Forest forever.

"I-I never admitted to anyone but.. I actually liked Cloudspark. Like... liked like... and she liked me back," Jaywing meowed. "I never knew I could like the same gender, but going through that kind of changed me. We grew so close. Sorry if this seems weird," Jaywing meowed, shifting her paws.

Sharptalon's thoughts clouded. "It's fine. I'll keep it secret, I promise. It is strange but...." his thoughts crowded with Wolffang, his friend. The closest friend he'd had. But we aren't like that. "I have to go," Sharptalon meowed. 

"Bye," Jaywing meowed.

 Sharptalon padded out into the weak sunlight and padded across the frosted crowd. Parting his jaws, be could smell rain in the air. Looking up, he saw very dark storm clouds hanging overhead. They looked dangerous. I've never seen stormclouds that dark! Sharptalon padded towards Squirrelstar's den. 

The dark flame-colored leader was talking with Mothstripe. She lifted her head at Sharptalon's appearance. "Sharptalon? Why are you here?"

"Sorry to disturb you, but I just wanted to let you know about those clouds out there," Sharptalon meowed. "This is serious. They look dangerous."

"Let me see," Squirrelstar meowed. She brushed past Sharptalon, then looked up at the sky. Her tail bushed up. "Great StarClan," she mumbled. 

Mothstripe came out of the den and stood beside Sharptalon's muscular frame. "This does look quite intimidating," she meowed. She twitched her whiskers. "Squirrelstar, I think you should order the warriors to stay in their dens. Once the storm starts, the winds can be strong enough to make a branch fall on someone," she pointed out.

"Alright," Squirrelstar meowed, fear inching her voice. She stood on the edge of High-Ledge and lifted her chin. "All cats old enough to hunt, join beneath High-Ledge for a Clan meeting!" She yowled.

The Clan gathered underneath the rock quickly, their fur bristling. Their gazes were mixed with fear and anxiety.

Sharptalon then felt a raindrop land on his nose. It's started. Soon, more drops began to fall lightly.

"A storm is brewing right above us. And by the look of those clouds, we could be in danger. I advise all of you to stay in your dens," Squirrelstar meowed. "The Clan is dismissed, but Firestorm, I'd like for you to come forward," Squirrelstar called.

The rain began to get harder around them and Sharptalon was soaked in no time. Wind began to swirl dead leaves in the clearing, and the branches of leafless trees shook and swayed. 

"Yes?" Firestorm prompted, glancing at Squirrelstar.

"I would like you to go with Sharptalon and find the patrols I sent out earlier. Hurry though, please," Squirrelstar pleaded, her eyes clouding with anxiety.

Before the two toms could move, a large bolt of lightning came down from the sky like a long, jagged claw splitting the sky. It struck a tree in the forest not that far from camp. Sharptalon bristled as the roar of thunder rippled through the sky.

"Hurry!" Sharptalon yowled to Firestorm as he leaped down the rocks. He could see something bright through the thickness of the trees. Racing out of camp, he realized he could smell smoke. This can't be good!