The Darkest Moons (Warrior Cats)

13. The Ashen Cat

As Echopaw opened her eyes, the blood-red brambles before her shifted and quivered. Slowly, they unraveled and bunched to the sides, forming the tunnel once again. "I'm dreaming," Echopaw muttered, stepping towards the tunnel. Maybe I'll see that cat again. "Hello?" She called, crawling through the brambles.

The opened at the end, revealing the noise of the trickling stream. Again, the cat sat upon the tree, facing a hidden pool of water. Echopaw leaped onto the log and sat right of him, but rather than glancing at the pool, she peered up at the cat. Her jaw fell and she gasped at the sight of the gaping hole in the cat's face. Reddish smoke rose from the chasm, streaming upwards and disappearing in the clear air. The cat opened his mouth to speak, but choked, and ash fell from between his fangs. As he sputtered and coughed, cinders dropped into the water, stirring it and turning it a ghastly gray.

Finally, he stopped, and he spoke. "Find me," he said, echoing the dream from before. "Tonight, by the brambles and water."

Echopaw awoke with a jolt, and she scrambled out of her nest and looked around the medicine den. Clearwhisker was tucked into his nest, wheezing with every short breath. Moonlight swept in and illuminated his ragged fur that twitched as he dreamt.

Echopaw looked up to the hole in the new den's ceiling and eyed the moon. "Tonight, by the brambles and water." This cat isn't from StarClan, is he? He wouldn't summon me if he was. Her own fur began to prickle. What does he want? What is this about? With one last glance towards her mentor, she started out of the den. I guess I had better look.

She shivered as she entered the cold, and she scanned over the camp. All was silent, every cat was asleep, tucked in their nest or, in Patchback's case, curled up by the bramble tunnel. Echopaw walked with careful steps, cautious not to place her paws too heavily on the chilling frost. She crept past Patchback, casting an annoyed glance at the guard. I'd wake him up if I wasn't sneaking out. As the tom stirred, she froze, but he simply grunted in his sleep and relaxed again. Shaken, Echopaw hurried out of the camp and into the dark woods. Her long fur prickled with the static of anxiety as she slipped from one bramble thicket to another, searching for signs of the cat. There's a stream there, so maybe I should start towards WaterClan's territory, or the Streams near there. She snorted to herself. The "Streams" is so unoriginal. Darkstar didn't have a very big imagination, did he?

A shrill hoot from a distant owl made Echopaw jump in her pelt, and she broke into a blind run. As her energy ran out, she slowed to a simple run. As she glanced up at the trees around her, she felt lost. I can follow my scent trail. I'll be fine. She took a few more steps before pausing, perking her ears. The sound of gently flowing water made her heart skip a beat, and she turned her head sharply left to follow the sound. In the short distance was a thick set of copper brambles, tangles angrily knotted. The thicket! Echopaw bounded to it and searched desperately for a way through. A single opening sat to her right, just large enough for her to squeeze through. Holding her breath, she began to push through, thanking StarClan for her thick fur as it guarded her skin from the gnarled thorns.

I should have just gone around! Idiot! Echopaw clawed her way to the other side, huffing at the snagged fur that was left behind, caught in the talons of the briars. Giving her pelt a swift shake, she turned. Just like the dream, a fallen tree sat nearby, dead and burned by the fire from moons ago. Ahead of it sat a small hill where a thin stream gurgled downward. Echopaw's heart dropped. Where's the cat? She searched desperately for the tom, glancing nervously around the clearing. He's gotta be here! She hopped onto the tree and looked at the pool of silvery water, greatly illuminated by the moon.

"Echokit?"

Echopaw shuddered, her muscles locking up at the sound of the familiar voice.