Warrior cats: Path of a warrior #1 A Clan's Journey

Chapter 5

"Sea get some food off the pile." Splash instructed.

"Time for introductions!" Reed excitedly meowed.

Splash rolled his eyes, "No Reed. These cats need rest. Especially that one." He added pointing with the tip of his tail to Mothpelt.

Reed sighed as Sea came up behind her with fresh-kill. Jace blinked gratefully as Sea shuffled a small mouse towards him. Sunpaw purred when Sea dropped a sparrow at her paws. Sea smiled shyly before running off to give Brackenpaw a mouse.

Splash dragged Mothpelt from the river and she moaned, "Stormkit."

Reed pricked her ears, "Is there someone still in the fire?"

"No." Sunpaw answered through a mouthful of the sparrow. "Then who is Stormkit?" Splash asked.

"It's a long story." Jace huffed. "Shall I make more nests?" Sea asked looking at Splash who now sat next to Reed.

"Where would you put the nests anyway?" Brackenpaw licked her lips as she finished off her mouse.

"In the reeds," Sea answered with a thrust of his muzzle towards a clump of reeds. Some of the reeds were woven together from the top to make small patches of sheltered areas.

"Yes," Splash nodded, answering Sea's question while Brackenpaw looked at them weirdly. "Why not put them somewhere it's properly sheltered?"

Reed looked up, "Because that's just not how we do it."

Mothpelt had noticed Sunpaw disappeared but she pushed her way through some reeds with leaves in her mouth. Mothpelt was still resting on her side when Sunpaw put down the leaves.

There were three small poppy seeds sitting on the leaves. "Eat one," Sunpaw ordered, "It will help with your shock."

Mothpelt purred as she lapped up one poppy seed. Sunpaw would make a great medicine cat. Sea had wondered off with Sunpaw after she had given Mothpelt the poppy seed. She felt drowsy but better.

After a bit of quietness and grooming, Sunpaw came back and announced, "Nests are done!"

Mothpelt forced herself to walk after the others. Before anyone could sit down she plopped herself into the nearest nest and curled up. She listened to the others talking.

"Is she okay?" Reed asked. "Yes," Brackenpaw answered, "She's afraid Stormkit died."

"Who is this Stormkit?" Splash asked again. Before anyone could answer the question Reed meowed, "I don't even know your names! Well, I'm Reed, that's Sea and that grumpy cat is Splash." She told the others pointing with her tail.

"Alright Reed I'm not a grumpy cat," Splash purred. "But a bossy furball!" Reed laughed.

Jace finally spoke up, "Well I'm Jace, Sunpaw is the calmer one while Brackenpaw is the energetic one." He laughed then added, "Mothpelt's in her nest."

The atmosphere was a lot calmer even though the fire was still raging. Sea glanced over at Jace, "Jace sounds like a kittypet name."

"Well, I am a kittypet," Jace answered. "How can a kittypet survive out here?" Reed's eyes sparked with confusion. "He's not the average kittypet." Brackenpaw purred.

"Oh alright," Splash meowed, "Now where and who is this Stormkit?" Splash flicked his tail impatiently. 

Sunpaw sighed and look down sadly. Sea pressed himself against her to try and comfort her. Surprised, Sunpaw took a step back from him. Brackenpaw's eyes shone with grief as Jace started talking, "When Mothpelt first met me I told her about these rogues who call themselves The Band."

"I know them," Reed interrupted, "They're mean."

"Yes. Mothpelt and I raced back to her kits and we saw the rogues giving her kits mates!" Jace shook his head sadly. "That's what they did to me!" Sea exclaimed, "I was hunting alone and they tried to take me and give me a mate."

"Really?" Sunpaw looked to Sea, "They told me there would be a nice tom for me at their camp."

"Yeah it was scary," Brackenpaw shivered, "They said Thorn would be my mate."

"Thorn." Splash hissed the name, "He's the son of Fang and Rabbit. They're the meanest and Fang's the leader."

"Don't forget Jaz. She fought me and stole my rabbit. Then the next day she almost killed me because I was hunting fish and she didn't like fish!" Reed told them all with a disgusted face.

Jace, Brackenpaw and Sunpaw stared at the other 3 when Reed said they ate fish. "Anyway," Jace meowed, "Stormkit was given Jaz as a mate. Mothpelt fought Fang then Thorn and they took off with Stormkit and we haven't seen him since."

Reed stared wide-eyed, "I hope he's okay."

It started to rain, slowly spitting at first but built up. Mothpelt didn't hear the rest of their conversation. She slowly drifted off into sleep, lulled by the rain.

::

Mothpelt woke and saw everyone else curled up asleep except Sunpaw. Giving her fur a quick shake she stepped out of her nest quietly. Careful not to wake anyone she pushed herself through the reeds.

Mothpelt saw Sunpaw staring into the morning sky. It had rained that night and the fire had finally been put out.

Sunpaw spun around, frightened. Bristling she growled then saw it was Mothpelt. "It's you." Sunpaw calmed herself down and Mothpelt walked up to her kit.

"What's the matter?" Mothpelt asked. It wasn't like Sunpaw to be so afraid. She was normally relaxed and calm. "I saw something." Sunpaw murmured. Her voice sounded distant and she looked out into the burnt forest, her yellow-green eyes troubled.

"I know how the fire started." Sunpaw continued. Suddenly her voice was tight and as she spoke it sounded like she was choking on the words. The wind ruffled both Mothpelt's and Sunpaw's fur.

"Stormkit. He did it."

Mothpelt took a step back form Sunpaw. "A-are you sure?"

"Yes," Sunpaw answered. "Why would he do such a thing?!" Mothpelt wailed. Her thoughts were racing around. Why would Stormkit do something like that?

"I don't know. All I saw was him grabbing a stick and putting it into this twoleg fire which was embers. When the stick was on fire he threw it into the forest."

With the river in front of them, the two cats thought for a moment. "You had a vision Sunpaw," Mothpelt breathed. Starclan still watches me and my kits!

Sunpaw nodded, "I know."

"I've got to have a walk and think." Mothpelt stood and started to walk to the edge of the swollen river. "Wait." Mothpelt turned to see Sunpaw still there, "Yes?"

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"I'm fine."

"How will you cross the river?"

"Sunpaw I'm fine!" Mothpelt snapped. Walking into the shallow water she felt the water reach her belly fur and shivered.

The river was swollen from last nights rain. And as Mothpelt stepped deeper into the water she felt her feet leave the ground. Soon she was underwater and being washed away downstream.

She bobbed up and down as the river swept her away. She couldn't see or hear anything apart from the rushing water. Her vision blurred and she felt herself being pulled deeper into the river.

Mothpelt struggled to keep her head out of the river. The weight of her drenched fur pulled her under. She couldn't do anything. Her struggled grew weaker as her vision blurred once more and turned black.

Why Stormkit why?!

Well, let's see what happens. Let's hope Mothpelt is okay!