Warriors: Dark Whispers

~Chapter 1~

~Chapter 1~
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Lostkit eagerly ran from his sister, Softkit. Her light gray pelt similar to their mother. His pelt, similar to the sketchy black and white of his father.

"I'll get you, rabbit!" She teased eagerly. Lostkit flattened his ears and lunged ahead.

Lostkit craned his neck over his shoulder to locate Softkit. She was no wear in sight. He slowed to a stop and turned around.

"Softkit..?" He muttered quietly. Suddenly, a force knocked him over from behind and pinned him down. A muffled giggle could be heard from above him. "Softkit? Is that you?" He struggled to escape.

"Yes, and I got you, rabbit!" He jokingly teased in his ear.

Lostkit hauled her off his back and frowned. "Can you be rabbit this time?"

Softkit rolled her eyes,"I guess.." She muttered. Suddenly, mischief sparked in her eyes. "If you can catch me, Rabbitkit!" At that, she turned and sprinted away. Lostkit perked his ears upward and chased after her.

He skidded to a halt in the clearing and looked around. "Softkit?" He giggled. He trotted around the camp. Lostkit stuck his head in the nursery. "Softkit?" Eyes peered at him from inside. His brother, Ghostkit, had been avoiding playing games with him and Softkit all moon.

"Ghostkit, is Softkit in there?" Lostkit called.

"No, just go away," Ghostkit mumbled before shrinking deeper in the nursery.

Lostkit flattened his ears and slowly walked away with his tail down. "Softkit? I give up, I'll be rabbit this time," he muttered. Softkit leaped on Lostkit from behind and laughed.

"See Rabbitkit, I am faster then you!"

"Yeah, you are.." He muttered. "But tomorrow we will be apprentices!"

"Then maybe you apprentices should get some rest," spoke a voice from behind them. There mother, Lightstream, had been listening unnoticed.

"But-" Softkit started. Her mother quickly hushed her.

"No arguing," Lightstreams voice became more stern. "Nursery now," Lightstream whipped around and the kits shamefully followed, their ears hot with embarrassment.

Lostkit slowly padded into the nursery and laid down in his nest next to Ghostkit. He could feel his brothers breath hot on his haunches as he drifted into sleep.

Lostkits eyes peeled open. Today was the day of his ceremony! He crouched and peeked out the entrance of the nursery. Dawn light filtered through the small slit. His paws inched with excitement, and he impatiently waited for his siblings to awake.

Finally, after what seemed like moons, Softkit sat upward and yawned. Her weary eyes peered at him through curious slits.

"What are you doing up this early?" Softkit mumbled.

"Today is our apprentice ceremony!
Want to wait with me for Ghostkit and Lightstream to wake?" Lostkit blurted quickly.

Softkit finally seemed to gather her thoughts and her eyes lit with joy. "Sure!" she squeaked and settled down next to him with her tail over her paws. There they waited.
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Fernwhisker, a dark gray she-cat, sat by the entrance to the medicine-cats den. She squinted outside at the smoldering dawn light.

Suddenly, her eyes widened and her pupils budged. Her mind was flung into the enchanted ranks of Starclan. Before her, stood a gray tinted she-cat.

"Only the sacrifice of the Ghost's gaze can at last bring peace..." The words were murmured quietly by the grayish-blue cat in front of her. Fernwhisker was about to ask for a explanation, when her mind launched her back into the real world.
She focused her eyes outside to see the dawn light beginning to fade. "Only the sacrifice of the Ghost's gaze can at last bring peace," Fernwhisker recited the words in her head repeatedly but still could not interpret the message. "What do you mean?" She silently asked Starclan.
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Finally, the words were called. "Let all cats old enough to run the moor, stand beneath the high dune for a clan meeting!" Mossstar's familiar words rang through the clearing. Softkit and Lostkit exchanged glances before scurrying out. Ghostkit perked his ears and followed them, as did Lightstream.

They all sat in the clearing, there ears perked, awaiting their names.

"Today we have 3 kits ready to become apprentices. Softkit, step foward." Softkit eagerly obeyed, standing and puffing out her chest.

"Softkit, until you revive your warrior name, you shall be know as Softpaw, and you mentor shall be Rabbitheart," the leader announced, as the light-pelted tom strutted up to Softkit. He gently touched noses with her. The young warrior then sat beside her to let Mossstar finished the ceremony.

"Now, Ghostkit, step foward," demanded the leader. Ghostkit eagerly stood and stepped forward, his pure white pelt gleaming.

"Ghostkit, until you receive your warrior name, you shall be know as Ghostpaw, and your mentor shall be Thornear," the leader glanced at the black warrior, who hesitantly stood and padded over to Ghostpaw. Ghostpaw pressed his nose to his new mentor's. The two toms both took a few steps back and sat down, glancing at Mossstar to continue.

Mossstar waited a few moments before hesitantly continuing. "Lastly, Lostkit, step foward." Lostkit shakily took a step foward, but kept his head high. "Until you receive your warrior name, you shall be know as Lostpaw, and your mentor shall be Sandnose."

The tan young warrior smiled and trotted over to Lostpaw. She pressed her nose against his and sat next to her new apprentice.

"We welcome these new apprentices and hope they grow to become strong, loyal warriors." The leader finished.

Finally, the clan raised their muzzles and called out the apprentices new names. "Softpaw! Ghostpaw! Lostpaw!"

When the noise died down, Mossstar leaped from atop the dune.

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Cat in picture above is Softpaw) OUO