Moonstar's Path

Prologue

The howling cold wind blew the bright, green, grass. The trees rustled with rhythm, no point in stopping. A large, black, tom, trotted out of a bramble. His fur covered in leaves. He breathed the air, smelling the different scents all around him. His green eyes blazed through the darkness. He caught a familiar scent, and ran after it, passing fallen branches and trees. He gazed at the river behind him. He kept running, facing forward. The tom had come to a stop. Breathing in for air. He looked down at his pads and saw them bleeding. He hadn't run this fast. He sat down for a heartbeat until he flinched at a familiar sound. Vvvrrmmm! Monsters! He got to his paws and padded over to the sound. He saw the Thunderpath. He felt himself hold his breath. What if I can't make it? He thought. What about my kits? My mate? He pushed the thoughts down. They'll make it... He looked at both sides. His ears strained for any sound or movement. Now! He ran as fast as he had run before. Forcing his aching limbs to run. He felt the ground rumble and shake and looked to his side. A fox-length away. Was a monster. Its eyes blazing through the darkness. The tom bunched up his muscles and jumped away, rolling to his sides as he escaped the monster, from it's black, round, paws. He rolled to the other side. He whisked and looked around. Twoleg dens were neatly lined up. A few brim light was shown. He got to his paws and opened his mouth to smell. She was here... The black tom followed the scent, leading to a dark place with an awful stench. Twoleg rubbish... He thought in disgust. A hiss came from somewhere around some square, plain, twoleg rubbish. "Stay away!" The tom's heart swelled with excitement, as he recognized the voice. "Feather?" He mewed. The hissing stopped. There was a huge pause. "N...Nightriver?" A gray spotted she-cat appeared, followed by two small heads. The tom brushed his tail against Feather's cheek. The she-cat's blazing blue eyes were filled with love. "It is you..." She murmured. Nightriver licked her head. "Are you ready?" The she-cat nodded. "What about-" "Yes, they are ready... They were ready ever since..." Feather mewed. A small white she-cat with green eyes appeared. "Nightriver?" Her mew was small. He purred. "Hello, Star..." The white kit ran to him and brushed her small muzzle against his paws. A black kit with blue eyes was with Feather. His eyes were blazing through the darkness. "Moon..." Nightriver dipped his head. Moon purred and pounced on his head. "Nightriver!" He giggled. Nightriver gently shook him off. He smiled "Are my two kits ready?" "Yes!" The kits yowled with excitement. "Star... With me? Or your mother?" She shifted a bit and went to her mother. He purred and looked at Moon. "I guess you're gonna be with me, little warrior." "I'm a warrior!" Moon purred and jumped happily. Nightriver picked up Moon by the scruff and padded out of the twoleg rubbish. He waited for his mate, Feather. She followed behind with Star in her mouth. She nodded forward. Telling him he could go on. He kept walking. Moon looked around. His eyes round with curiosity. "Excited?" He mumbled through a mouthful of fur. Moon just gave out a plain nod. Nightriver looked behind, Star looked around at both sides like expecting for a fox to jump out at her. "Everything is alright Star..." He soothed. The white she-cat looked a bit calm but her pelt was ruffled. He sighed and looked ahead. Am I making the right choice? He went to a stop when he gazed at the Thunderpath. He looked at both sides. Nothing moved. Now! He flicked his tail, signaling for his mate to follow. Nightriver ran with Moon dangling at his jaw. He heard Star wail. He stopped when he was across. Nightriver put down Moon and huffed for air. Feather neatly ran to his side. She looked at Nightriver with a warm look. But he could see the worry in her eyes. Feather padded away with Star. The tom picked up the black kit and padded after her. Familiar scents wrathed around him. The trees... The mud... The open... And the... Lake! His heart pounded. They were closer now as they walked deeper into the forest. Soft pebbles were softening his pads. Soft and smooth... He heard a crack. His pelt bristled and he gazed around. He relaxed as he realized it was Sageclaw. The tortoiseshell tom gazed at them, he was followed by three other warriors. "Who is this?" He demanded at Nightriver. "My mate... and my kits..." He murmured. "Does Rainstar know about this?" "Yes," The tom relaxed. "Fine. Follow us..." He beckoned his mate. "Turtlepaw." Sageclaw addressed a black she-cat with brown spots. "Tell Rainstar." The she-cat nodded and dashed off. As they padded to camp, a gray she-cat with deep blue eyes gazed at Feather and his kits then at Nightriver. Her expressionless face gave nothing away. Nightriver put down Moon. "Rainstar..." The tom dipped his head respectfully. The she-cat smiled and yowled. "These new cats will be welcomed!-" She gazed at Feather. "-And we must welcome our old member!" Cats started to gather around Feather. "Feather! From now on, you shall be known as Spottedfeather!" Nightriver remembered when Feather was kit when she was a clan cat, known as Spottedkit. He missed her very much when she was gone. Now Feather was Spottedfeather. "Spottedfeather! Spottedfeather!" Cats yowled out her name. Spottedfeather purred. Rainstar looked at Moon and Star. "From now on... You two shall be known as Starkit and Moonkit!" She meowed. "Starkit! Moonkit!" Spottedfeather put down Starkit as she scrambled towards Moonkit and brushed their pelts. The gray she-cat gazed warmly at them. "I forgot to say..." She mewed

"Welcome to Riverclan..."