Cloverpaw's Shadow

Chapter 1

"Cloverkit," A voice whispered.

A small white she-cat yawned, and opened her glittering green eyes. She stared up into the face of a massive silver cat. She squeaked, and cats around her stirred. "Who... who are you?" She asked.

"Never mind that," the cat said. "I have something to tell you."

Cloverkit looked up eagerly. "What is it?"

The silver cat laid her tail on the tiny kit. "Clover will come, and fire will rise. The darkness is approaching, and only one thing will stop it." The cat was beginning to fade.

"Remember this, Cloverkit." The cat said. "Cloverkit..."

"Cloverkit, Cloverkit." A voice said. "Wake up!"

Cloverkit opened her eyes and immediately closed them. "Go away Foxkit," She didn't want to play with her brother right now. She wanted to sleep.

Foxkit pounced on her. "I want to go explore the warriors den!"

Cloverkit sat up. "We aren't allowed to do that."

Foxkit huffed. "Who says we can't? Nobody's watching."

Cloverkit shook her head. "I don't want to get in trouble."

"You're scared," He teased.

"Am not!" Cloverkit cried. She laid her ears flat against her head. She was scared, but she would never admit that to Foxkit. "Go explore by yourself."

Foxkit shrugged, and wandered out of the den. Cloverkit yawned, deciding she might as well get up. She was hungry anyway.

She started to head out of the den, but Birdflower stopped her. "Bring me some prey!" She said.

Cloverkit looked at her mother, promising to bring her back a juicy vole, and darted out of the nursery before there were any more interruptions.

The first thing she saw was Foxkit. He was being chased out of the warriors den by a senior warrior. "And stay out!" The warrior reprimanded.

Foxkit dashed up to his sister, his fur ruffled. "Told you so," Cloverkit said to him.

He stuck his tongue out at her. Cloverkit leaped on him, and he rolled over. They scuffled in the dirt, until Cloverkit remembered that she was supposed to getting prey. She pushed Foxkit off her, and smoothed down her fur. She trotted over to the fresh kill pile.

She bent over to pick up a mouse, and heard her name. "Cloverkit!"
She glanced around, and saw the silver she-cat standing a few mouse tails away from her. "Who are you?" She whispered.

"Cloverkit!" She heard her name again. She blinked, and when she looked again, the cat was gone.

Hawkpuddle was there instead. Figuring she must have mistaken the grey she-cat for the one in her dream, she made her way over to the blind cat.

"Yes?" She asked.

Hawkpuddle purred. "First time I've seen you out of the nursery. How are you enjoying it?"

Cloverkit bounced on her toes. "Wonderful!"

"Cloverkit!" A voice called her name from the direction of the nursery.

Cloverkit looked up. Birdflower was standing in the entrance, a glimmer of humor in her eyes. 

She excused herself, dipping her head respectfully, and rushed over to her mother. Dropping a vole at Birdflower's feet, she explained. "Sorry, I got distracted. There's so much to do!"

Birdflower purred with amusement. "That's alright. But its time to go inside now."

Cloverkit bounded in the den. "Okay!"

As she curled up in her nest, she found herself very tired. She yawned.

"There, now. Have good dreams." Her mother soothed. Cloverkit snuggled up to Foxkit, and promptly fell into sleep.

***

Cloverkit woke to voices. She crept out of her nest and peered out of the nursery.

Birdflower was talking with a dark grey tom. She wrinkled her nose. The tom smelled like herbs, and she figured this must be the medicine cat, Needlenose.

She couldn't quite hear what they were saying, but she caught a few words.

"Clover... trouble... help her... truth..."

Whatever it was, Birdflower looked outraged. She said something snappish at Needlenose and whirled around. Darting back into the nursey, Cloverkit smoothed her ruffled fur and tried her best not to look like she was eavesdropping.

Birdflower came in and gave a suspicious glance at Cloverkit. "Mother? What's wrong?" the white she-cat asked.

Birdflower's expression softened. "Nothing, Cloverkit. Go back to sleep."

Cloverkit gave a bewildered look at the nursery entrance and curled back up in her nest.

However, Cloverkit's thoughts were filled with concern and questions. She pricked her ears, listening as Birdflower curled up near her kits. Foxkit sighed and shifted, scuffling up the moss.

She couldn't stand it. Waiting until her mother was asleep, she crept out of the den and darted across the clearing.

"Cloverkit!" a voice called. "Where do you think you're going?"

She skidded to a halt. A pale grey she-cat trotted up to her, glimmers of amusement in her green gaze. It was Poolpaw, apprenticed to Needlenose a few dawns ago.

She dipped her head. "Needlenose's den. I... I have a headache."

Poolpaw's eyes narrowed. "Well then, we should get you fixed up, shouldn't we?" she said, leading her to the medicine cat's den.

Needlenose poked his head out. "Poolpaw? What happened?"

She purred. "This little kit has a headache. I'm sure you have something." She nudged Cloverkit forward. "There you go." Then she slipped away into the darkness.

Needlenose's eyes narrowed. "A headache, you say?" he beckoned her into his den with his tail.

"Sit right here." He said. He slipped into a slit in the wall, and reappeared with some black seeds.

"Tell me what's on you mind." he said.

Cloverkit blinked. "I-"

He chuckled. "You heard us talking. I'm assuming thats the real reason you're here?"

She nodded guiltily.

"All right then." he said. "I'm not sure how much I can tell you. That will be up to Starclan." He leaned in closer. "But I suspect something big is coming. Something dangerous. And you are going to stop it."