Warriors: Finding Home

Chapter Ten

Sootpaw opened his eyes. He was surrounded by trees. Tall, sycamore trees sprouted up from the ground, surrounding him like a wall. It reminded him of MoonClan territory. A movement caught his eye and he whipped around to face the creature. Something moved a little to the side, and he tried looking at that, but was distracted by more movement. Things seemed to move all around him, and they kept going faster and faster until his vision was blurred. Shapes were whizzing past him stirring the wind. The breeze whipped at his fur, like a storm that only he felt.

His heart raced in his heart, and it echoed in his ears. Sootpaw thrashed his claws wildly, at his speedy enemy. He was aware that this was a dream, but it seemed so real. Felt so real. He tried to tell himself to wake up, that this wasn't StarClan but a nightmare. The Forest Of Dark Skies. The words formed in his mind almost against his will.

He shut his eyes tight, and prayed that StarClan would hear him. He barely noticed when the wind died down and the forest went silent. He opened his eyes, one at a time. He peered at the place surrounding him, and tried to make out any shapes lurking in the shadows. Seeing nothing, he allowed his heartbeat to slow. Now that the bad part was over, Sootpaw decided to explore a bit. He padded on, going straight ahead. The trees seemed to part for him and then they closed up behind him. The whole forest smelled like rot and crowfood and the stench clung to his pelt like burrs.

The sycamore trees gave way to pine and marshes. The mushy soil seeped between his pads and under his claws and he hopped lightly to avoid the mess. The fur on the back of his neck was still spiked up, and he cast a wary glance behind him every few moments. The marshes ended abruptly and a thunderpath lie in front of Sootpaw. He had heard the elders tell stories of their home before the new territory, where thunderpath plagued the land now. They had also mentioned the terrifying monsters that took many lives of clan cats without looking back. The only good thing he had heard was that they never strayed from their path, like they were scared of the wild for some reason.

He prepared himself to run across the acrid smelling black path by bunching up his muscles. As soon as he set a single forepaw on the black stone, it began rumbling and shaking. He flinched and pulled away from the foul smelling rock and watching with wide eyes as a huge red monster with large black paws flew past him. It spewed black smoke from its hindquarters and left behind a stench that made Sootpaw's nose wrinkle. He prepared himself again to speed across the black stone and made sure to look both ways before running full speed ahead. He made it across just as another monster roared past.