Warriors: Finding Home

Chapter One

In the sunrises following Thornpaw's apprentice ceremony and Featherfoot's kitting, the air had gotten colder and Sootpaw's breath came out in billowing clouds of white. Cheetahclaw and Darkfur had taken Thornpaw and Sootpaw for battle training the day before, and would be doing so today.

Sootpaw padded sleepily out of the apprentices den. His clan mates didn't gather in the clearing anymore, and Sootpaw couldn't blame them. It was cold. Thornpaw sat with his laws under him near the fallen log, huddled next to Mousepaw for warmth. Mousepaw's thick fur kept her warm, but cats with short hair had to keep themselves warm by different means. Thornpaw had fit in with the clan relatively well, and he had learned to call Every cat by their name. Sootpaw was sure he had even heard every elders tale there was to tell. Thornpaw would be a warrior soon, because being a loner meant learning how to hunt and fight for yourself. He just had to learn the proper technique.

Thornpaw had mastered the push over move, and Sootpaw was determined to beat him at practice today. He was glad for his thick fur, it would keep him warm, and make it hard for enemies to get to his skin. A strong wind rolled through the camp, nearly throwing Sootpaw off of his paws. He had to dig his claws into the earth to stay still. Cheetahclaw finally strolled out of the warriors den, with Darkfur following close behind. They stretched their muscles quickly before heading towards their apprentices. Mousepaw got up from her spot and padded into the nursery to give Featherfoot a chance to rest.

Thornpaw padded over to Sootpaw and the four of them walked out of camp. Cheetahclaw took the lead.

"We are going to take a raincheck on that battle practice. The clan will need more prey now that leafbare has come."

Sootpaw's heart dropped. He had been waiting to show off his skills since the last practice they had. And what if there was a real battle? He wouldn't know any moves to fight back with!

Sootpaw's tail whipped back and forth angrily. Darkfur rested his tailtip on his shoulder, a signal for him to stop. Sootpaw forced his tail to lie still, and padded on. They stopped at the sycamore sap. Darkfur and Thornpaw padded towards the training log, and Cheetahclaw left to hunt near the sycamore sap. That left Sootpaw to find a hunting spot of his own. He didn't realize he had been moving until he reached the river. His paws seemed to take him there all the time.

He instinctively unsheathed his claws as he settled down on the bank. The edges of the river had started to ice over, and Sootpaw smashed it with his forepaw. Now the water was open to his likings. A minnow swam slowly in the freezing water, and he set his sights on hunting it. He made sure his tail was lung just above the grass and his shadow was facing the opposite direction. Then, with one lunge, he caught the tiny fish between his claws. It was squirming and writhing. He nipped at it with his teeth and waited for it to go limp before setting it down on the grass. If the clan got really hungry, they wouldn't mind eating fish. Besides, look at the water cats: plump and well fed all through leafbare. It was because of the fish!

He had caught a minnow and a small pike before heading back to camp. He knew his clanmates wouldn't like the idea of eating fish, but it was something Sootpaw could catch. Thanks to Rainclaw.

Sootpaw's mind wandered back to the night they found his body. No cat knew what had happened to him, or whose claws had ripped his flesh. The impulse to find out burned through Sootpaw's chest like a ray of moonlight. He was going to figure it out, and whoever had killed his me not or would die at his claws.

Sootpaw made it back to camp earlier than he thought, and most of his clanmates were still in their dens. The sunhigh patrol had just left, and Featherfoot watched her lots play from the nursery entrance. She looked tired, but you could only expect that from having four kits to nurse. And without a father. He knew that Rainclaw's death had hit her hard, and he sometimes wished he had taken his mentors place. Less pain would have been felt if the loner-born cat had died.

Hazekit crawled under Sootpaw's paws and looked up at him with wide green eyes. Her fur glimmered in the sunlight, making it shine like the stars.

"Eww! What are those things? They smell funny!"

Sootpaw dropped his catch on the small freshkill pile and nudged the kit away gently. She looked taken aback by the gesture, but that didn't stop her from asking that some question.

"They are called fish." He sighed.

Hazekit's head turned to the right in confusion. She tried to keep up the pace with the larger tom. Her short legs didn't seem to help and she had to practically run just to stay beside him. He was taking her back to her litter mates. Pebblekit, a beautiful silver tabby was sunning herself in the warm sunhigh sun. Her brothers, Mintkit and Stormkit were play fighting near the fallen log. Three pairs of eyes landed on him and Hazekit. Two pairs of blue and one pair of green joined Hazekit's green gaze.

Featherfoot padded over too.

"Sootpaw! Would you mind watching them for a bit while I rest? I would really appreciate it."

"I would be glad to. You've earned some peace and quiet Featherfoot."

She bowed her head gratefully before backing into the nursery tiredly. Pebblekit pressed her body against Sootpaw's legs to stay warm, and she blinked up at him with dark blue eyes. Just like her father's.

Stormkit had his father's eyes, too. Down to the exact shade. It was hard to look the two of them in the eye. Memories of bloody fur were still fresh in Sootpaw's mind. He forced himself to look away and Mintkit stopped playing and looked up at the apprentice. He didn't tear his gaze away for a couple heartbeats, and Sootpaw felt extremely uncomfortable.

"Do you want to play mossball?" He asked the four kits.

All heads nodded eagerly and Hazekit's face twisted with confusion.

"What's mossball?"

Sootpaw hooked some moss from under the fallen log with his claws and rolled it into a ball.

"I'll show you. You throw the ball into the air, and bat at it with your paws. Make sure it doesn't touch the ground for as long as you can."

Sootpaw tossed the ball of moss high into the sky and watched fall back down. Stormkit leaped into the air first, pushing the ball higher into the air. He landed on his feet lightly. Pebblekit's muscled rippled beneath her pelt and she jumped just as it was floating down, and batted at it with her paws. It was thrown toward her sister, Hazekit, who wasn't prepared to catch it. It landed lightly on the ground in front of her. She looked around, and Sootpaw stared at her with confusion. He hooked the ball with his claws and it seemed to roll up into the sky. He turned his attention to Hazekit.

"Hazekit? Why didn't you hit the ball? Are you okay?"

Hazekit turned her green gaze toward him. She looked confused, which wasn't a new thing for her.

"What? I didn't see the ball. I'm sorry Sootpaw."

It was Sootpaw's turn to be confused. He turned to Hazekit's litter mates.

"Can you stay out of trouble while I talk to your mother?"

Mintkit nodded in understanding. With that, Sootpaw grabbed Hazekit by her scruff and carried her to the nursery. Featherfoot was asleep with her head lying on her paws. She lifted her head alarmingly when Sootpaw walked over.

"What happened? Is she hurt?" She sniffed her baby with her nose and gave her a swift lick on the forehead. Then she looked up at Sootpaw. Sootpaw spoke before she had a chance.

"What's wrong with her?"

Hazekit yelped at the apprentice. "There is nothing wrong with me!" She swiped blindly up at the tom, but when she failed she sat down sadly.

"I didn't want anycat to know. Hazekit is blind."