Warrior Cats: The Four Clans

            The sound of howling wind was to great in the young cats sensitive ears. The young black cat reared his muzzle and yowled in his pain. He opened his ice blue eyes to find a large tabby tom looming over him. With one swipe of its massive paw, it sent the young black cat flying until he hit the ground. He lay sprawled against the ground gasping for air. He trembled as he tried to stand but the large tabby was upon him again, "Death," it whispered to him, "That is all you will ever know. Death stalks your paws. You will only ever know pain. Your fate has been sealed." The young black cats eyes stared up in shock as the large tabby opened its jowls. The large yellow fangs of the cat were just inches from the black cats neck.

            "Why? What have I done!" the young cat yowled. With fear in his eyes he stared up in to the large sickly yellow eyes of the beastly cat.

            "You were born." The beast lunged for his throat.

            "Help!" the young cat shouted as his eyes shot open. He felt a kick in his side and he whipped his head toward it. There lay his brother. A dark gray tom had a grumpy look on his face.

            "Could you please keep it down Ebonypaw? Man, its been impossible to sleep near you for last week!" The gray toms sightless eyes stared just a bit above where Ebonypaw really was. The young black tom almost giggled despite his still beating heart. A loud yowl from outside of the den they were sleeping in and Ebonypaw turned his head. "Its Silverstar." His brother mewed sourly.

            "Come on Eaglepaw, it might be good news." Ebonypaw said with a smile. He heard his brother scoff as he stood to leave but the entrance brambles trembled. Another apprentices head appeared in front of him. The gold face of the apprentice named Goldpaw smiled at him. Ebonypaw smiled back at her, "Whats up?" He asked politely.

            "Just making sure you two were awake." She chuckled, "You two sleep more than badgers in winter." Ebonypaw frowned at her playfully. He felt a nudged in his side and he whipped his head around to see the mocking face of Eaglepaw.

            "What?" Ebonypaw hissed a little. Eaglepaw smirked at him and flicked his ear in Goldpaws direction. "Oh come on." He pushed Eaglepaw back and stormed out of the den. His brother could be a real pest sometimes. Ebonypaw sat on the edge of the crowd of cats as Silverstar sat on the top of the rock pile that was at the edge of camp. Ebonypaw felt a pelt brush against his and he turned to see another apprentice with a dark brown tabby pelt sit next to him politely. He smiled at the pretty she-cat. "Good morning Duskpaw."

            She turned her emerald green eyes to him with a mischievous smile, "Good morning. Must have been some dream last night. What was it this time? Flying badgers?" Ebonypaw frowned at her. She and Eaglepaw were best friends. It wasnt hard to tell why. They both enjoyed teasing him. He didnt know why though. He was the oldest of all the apprentices at the moment, not by much but he was still older.

            "No, this time is a was a large cat that looked like a Tigerclan warrior." He said with a little edge. She nudged him a bit and laughed good heartedly. He couldnt stay mad at the pretty she-cat. She was hard to glare at when she laughed. She was growing more and more beautiful by the day. Even the older warriors were noticing now. He shrugged his shoulder softly. Even if she wasnt pretty his heart wasnt swayed at all. That was probably why she liked hanging around him and Eaglepaw. Eaglepaw couldnt see and Ebonypaw didnt act ridiculous around her.

            A loud squeal rang in Ebonypaws ears as he fell to the ground under the weight of tiny scraps of fur. He bucked upward as a tiny ginger kit with a silver tail squealed with joy. "Rustkit!" he growled playfully at the small she-kit, "Why arent you with your mother?" Ebonypaw slowly stopped bucking and Rustkits laugher died down. Scrambling around his long legs was the ginger kits sister Twigkit. Ebonypaw smiled at the other tiny kit when he heard a yowl in his direction.

            "Ebonypaw!" He flinched a little as he looked up to his leader. "Is playing with the kits more important than listening up? I expect better from you. You are the oldest of the apprentices." Silverstars eyes burned in to Ebonypaws black pelt. He looked away as he gently put Rustkit down. The small kit giggled a little unaware of the trouble Ebonypaw was in. She immediately pounced on her sister. Ebonypaw rolled his eyes and picked Rustkit up by the scruff.

            He padded slowly with his tail dragging, to the nursery. He heard a frantic mew from inside and there was Moonshine. She was looking all around for her missing kits. He poked his head inside and Rustkit giggled once more. Moonshines head whipped in his direction. A smile of relief spread across her face as Ebonypaw placed the kit down. Twigkit pushed her way in to the nursery as well and pounced on Rustkit.

            "I am sorry they caused you trouble Ebonypaw." Moonshine sighed harshly at her kits. For whatever odd reason the kits really liked him. The only thing they like more than him was teasing him.

            Ebonypaw smiled warmly at Moonshine, "Dont worry about it. I would have gotten in to trouble sooner or later." In the back of the den a shadow moved as the other queen awoke. The bluish-gray she-cat Rainpelt uncurled her tail from around her body and blinked her blue eyes in their direction. Ebonypaw smiled at her, "Good morning Rainpelt." She smiled back at him.

            "Good morning Ebonypaw. What is the weather like outside?" She asked politely. Ebonypaw opened his mouth to reply when a small mew burst in.

            "Its probably hot like always." The grumpy voice came from the almost six moons old kit named Shadowkit. Ebonypaw snorted at the grumpy little tom. Rainpelt cuffed her sons ear as he glared at Ebonypaw.

            "He is right though. It is hot." Ebonypaw turned from the two queens with a polite nod. When he reached the clearing again, Silverstar jumped down from the rock pile signaling the end of the meeting. Ebonypaw frowned deeply. He had missed whatever Silverstar had to say. As he turned away he sighed heavily.

            "You sound like a senior warrior who is tired of life when you sigh like that." Came the deep, silky voice of his mentor. Ebonypaw turned his eyes to where his mentor Hawkstripe was sitting, chuckling lightly. "Honestly Ebonypaw you should enjoy life more. There is no reason for one so young to be sighing like that." Ebonypaw frowned at him.

            "Its not my fault. It just happens like that." The young black tom sighed once more. Hawkstripe rolled his dark green eyes. The lithe dark brown tabby tom stood and padded toward Ebonypaw.

            "Take it easy today. Why dont we go training for a bit? How about you and your brother?" Hawkstripe purred. Ebonypaw shook his head softly.

            "I dont want to train with that pest at the moment." He growled a bit and Hawkstripe laughed deeply.

            "Well then, how about Goldpaw? She hasnt been doing much lately. It would be good for her." He smiled mischievously at Ebonypaw.

            Ebonypaw snorted his disgust, "Why is it everyone seems to think we are a couple? We are just very good friends!" He growled at his mentor and his fur bristled a bit. He pushed past he mentor and stalked out of the camps bramble entrance. Why does everyone seem to think that I have fallen in love with her? Jeez, this is so stupid! He though sourly to himself, It doesnt make any sense! We have been best friends since we were in the nursery. That doesnt mean I have fallen in love with her! We are just kit hood friends! He sighed heavily once more. Yelling to himself in his head wasnt going to change the way others thought.

            Ebonypaws ears drooped by the sides of his head when he heard soft footfalls behind him. He immediately dropped in to a crouch and listened. The footfalls stopped a moment after he did. He frowned to himself and turned his eyes over his shoulder. The underbrush quivered just a bit. His frown deepened as he circled back around. As soon as he was behind his stalker, he saw the bushes quiver slightly again. He moved forward placing each paw down carefully. He had mastered the hunters crouch early in his training. He was better at it than most of the warriors.

            His ice blue eyes peered through the bush to see a golden pelt. He frowned again as he realized it was Goldpaw that had followed him. Her deep blue eyes glanced around the bushes as she tried to pinpoint his location. He smiled softly despite his mood. "You arent going to find me that way." He mewed with a hint of a laugh. Goldpaws head whipped around as she jumped in surprise. Ebonypaw stood and revealed his location.

            "Really Goldpaw, you arent very stealthy." His voice was playful but his face was a little irritated. Goldpaw frowned at him a bit.

            "Whats wrong with you?" she asked, "You dont look too amused." She tilted her head to the side. Ebonypaw sighed heavily and Goldpaw giggled, "you sound like a senior warrior when you do that." Ebonypaw shot her a warning glance and she stopped giggling. "Really, what is wrong?"

            Ebonypaw shook his head. "Eaglepaw and Hawkstripe keep teasing me and saying I have fallen in love with you." He growled to himself. Goldpaw gave a soft sigh.

            "Really Ebonypaw you shouldnt let that get to you." She glanced away, "And what would be wrong with falling in love with me?" Her eyes slowly made their way back to his.

            "Well nothing I guess, just that they keep teasing me about it and I dont feel that way." His steady gaze stayed on her and his heart beat regularly. Nothing like his breath catching in his throat or his heart skipping a beat happened. She glanced back at him shyly.

            "Well, I guess youre just going to have to put up with it for now," she glanced away again. Ebonypaw lifted a brow slightly. A small awkward silence stretched between them

            "Well thats enough of this awkward talk. How about I show you a better way to do the hunters crouch?" he asked. A soft smile touched her lips and her eyes sparkled at him. At that his breath did catch in his throat. He shook his head softly, No it is not like that between us, he growled softly in his head. He smiled back at her, "Lets go," he said.

             Ebonypaw looked to the sky as he panted heavily. It was about sun high now. He turned his ice blue eyes to Goldpaw. She was on the floor panting as well. They had been working on her hunters crouch since the morning. Now the sun was at its highest and the heat was unbearable. Ebonypaw panted heavily and mewed to her, Come on we have to get back to camp. If we dont we will cook out here alive. Goldpaw turned heavy eyes to him and nodded softly. He felt bad for her. She shouldnt have to be out here training right now. He stood and padded forward a bit.

            Goldpaw stood as well. He noticed but just barely that her legs were trembling from the stain of the training and the heat. He sighed and padded to her side. He gently pressed himself to her and kept his eyes away. He mewed softly, Come on then. I will help you back to camp. He felt her light blue eyes upon him but he said nothing.

            As the two padded in to camp they saw that no one was around. They were more than likely in their dens or down by the river. He padded through the middle of the camp. The grass blades beneath his feet were prickly as the green-leaf rolled on. He took Goldpaw to the large half rock near the apprentices den. They sat beneath it in the cool shade. The underside of the rock was as cold as the river and he gently pressed Goldpaw close to it.

            "Dont worry Goldpaw. Just rest here and cool off." He smiled at her warmly and sat a little distance from her. He glanced at the camp. It must have been the day that the clan moved down to the river to relax for the day. They did that every so often on the hottest days in green leaf. Ebonypaw sighed and lay down under the shade of the rock.

            Falcondances pale green eyes scanned the clan with no emotion. It was one of the hottest days he had ever been in. Silverstar had announced that they were going to make camp by the river for a while. He sighed softly and padded away from the rock he was sitting on. Trees bordered the large river in the forest. All of the clan splashed and jumped through water near the shore. Falcondance would have joined them but he didnt feel like it today. Instead he just wanted to sit near the river. Yet he didnt want to be useless so he would have to find something.

            Falcondance padded toward where the queens were sitting sharing tongues while keeping a watchful eye on the kits. He smiled politely at the queens and mewed, "If you wouldnt mind I can keep an eye on the kits while you go and have a nice refreshing dip in the water." The two queens gave him a skeptical glance but Rainpelt nodded.

            "I wouldnt mind a nice cool dip," she smiled as she stood. Moonshine frowned a bit as the blue gray she cat padded to where Skyleaf lounged in the water.

            Falcondance turned to the silver she cat before him, "Really you deserve a dip in the water." He smiled warmly at her. A hint of sadness hit his eyes as he remembered the queens mate. He had been a large ginger tom with a long fluffy white tipped tail. He had died only a few moons ago. He hadnt even lived to see his kits being born. Moonshine turned to look at her precious little bundles of energy splash each other.

            "I know how much they mean to you Moonshine. That is all the more reason for me to want to protect them closely." He smiled warmly at the she cat, but she still gave him concerned looks. Falcondance shrugged and sat down next to her. "Well I might as well keep you company while those little rascals drown each other." He heard a small tender laugh come from the silver she cat. He smiled a bit at the sound.

                Ebonypaw churned his legs faster beneath him. His breath was shallow as he felt the ominous presence of a dark spirit. His ice blue eyes were flared open in alarm. He turned his black muzzle toward the heavy breathing behind him. He pumped his legs as fast as he could, but the sickly yellow eyes of the cat creature never fell further behind. "Help!" He called in to the darkness before him. He turned his eyes forward trying with all of his might to move forward. Suddenly a ray of lay illuminated a patch of grass up ahead. Brilliant stars were sprinkled across the deep green stalks of grass.

            Ebonypaw finally felt like he was moving as the grass approached quickly. He leapt forward on to the soft green plants. He felt a large wave of power enter his body as he whipped around to face the nightmarish creature. Large ivory talons glowed dimly before him as the creature stalked around the glowing circle.

            "Death is all that awaits you tiny kit." The deep voice chuckled as the yellow eyes dimmed a bit. Ebonypaw hissed bravely at the large shadow. Another chuckle boomed around him. "My, my, my, it looks like you have a little fight in you after all." The large gleaming talons lifted in to the air and crashed down upon him, yet they were blocked by the light of the circle. A large annoyed hiss filled his ears. "You are spared for now." It growled deeply.

            Ebonypaw hissed back and almost jumped out of his fur as he felt a light pelt brush his. He whipped his dark muzzle to see a star lit pelt glowing next to him. Beautiful illuminated emerald eyes twinkled brilliantly at him. Ebonypaws mouth almost as a beautiful ginger she cat stood before him. Her sleek pelt was dotted with stars in just the right places. Her small body was just a few inches shorter than Goldpaws height. "Well, hello there," She giggled. Ebonypaw gulped harshly as he stared at her. The young star lit she cat giggled a few more times before he leaned in and nudged him softly. "I am Robinpaw. I know who you are as well Ebonypaw."

            Ebonypaws mouth hung open a bit more. She knew who he was? Well it was obvious from the stars in her pelt that she was from Starclan. Ebonypaw nodded slightly not managing to speak. The she cats mouth pulled in to a stunning grin. "Come on then, I shall guide you back now." Her eyes danced with laughter as she bounded away. Wherever she placed her paws, star lit grass grew from it. The light that illuminated the grass he stood on grew dimmer. It followed Robinpaw as she bounded away.

            Ebonypaw heard the large paws and growls of the creature behind him. With scared eyes he bounded after his Starclan guide. Robinpaws soft giggle carried to him on the wind and it was a joyous noise. Ebonypaw felt his heart leap in to his throat as he sped onward. He easily caught up to Robinpaws side and smirked at her. His long legs felt empowered as he bounded beside her.

            Robinpaw sent another grin back at him as she kept the pace. Ebonypaw turned his ice blue eyes forward as the bright light of the waking world came in to view. Ebonypaw turned his eyes back to Robinpaw because she was slowing down now. She came to a gentle halt and so did he, "Whats wrong?" He asked her.

            Her eyes grew sad as she turned to him, "I cant go any father now. You must return to the waking world." Ebonypaw frowned deeply.

            "I wont be able to see you again?" His voice held a tiny bit of desperation.     

            She gave him a tired smile as she mewed, "No we shall meet again. I will be there to guide you dear Ebonypaw." She leaned closely and touched her nose to his cheek and pulled away gently, her green eyes content and sad at the same time. Ebonypaw frowned a bit. "I have only one more thing to tell you." She sighed softly as she turned away. Her eyes grew distant and sad. He felt like he was looking at a senior warrior instead of an apprentice. "Death stalks the paws of the young. Four must travel to see this undone. There is one who is the creatures bane. But in the great battle two shall be slain. The bodies shall cool under the dying night. Only then will evil take flight."

            Ebonypaws mouth set in to a firm frown and his eyes grew troubled. "Death? I have heard that word all to often in my dreams." He turned to Robinpaw, "I am to go on this journey arent I?" This was more like a statement than a question. Robinpaw hesitated for a moment then nodded. Ebonypaw sighed softly and turned away.

            "The one you seek is not meek. He will kill you just on a whim. Yet your prey must be him. Take the ones you trust most. Without their help, you shall be no more than a ghost." Robinpaw finished her message and turned from him. "Go now, I have given you the message I was charged with." She turned to the midnight black tom with passion burning in her emerald eyes. Ebonypaws breath caught in his throat at the sheer beauty of the sight. "When you ever need help, call on me. I shall be there."

            With that she bounded off in to the darkness of the night. Ebonypaw watched as her fiery ginger fur was no in sight. He sighed softly and turned. A wave of exhaustion hit him as he closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes he felt a wave of heat hit his face. He sat up only to see the worried blue eyes of Goldpaw. Ebonypaws mouth didnt tug in to a smile it remained expressionless. Goldpaw stared at him confused.

            Ebonypaw looked away with a sigh, "We have to leave," he said softly.

            "What?" he heard her voice mew. Ebonypaw turned back to her, his eyes holding the same passion as Robinpaws had. Goldpaw gulped harshly at this and her face because a little distant and shocked. Ebonypaw sighed softly.

            "I had a dream. It was another one about the creature. But," he paused for a moment, "I met someone." His ice blue eyes grew soft as he remembered Robinpaw. He heard a tiny hiss come from Goldpaw. One so soft he thought he was imagining it. He turned to her to see an expressionless gaze on her face. He furrowed his brows a bit as he began again, "She helped me a great deal. She told me something very important. You have to know it as well because I know you are involved."

            Ebonypaw could be thick sometimes, but he wasnt an imbecile. He had managed to figure a few things out from the prophecy. He was supposed to take the cats he trusted most on this journey. A journey that two cats would not be coming back from. He frowned slightly. Death stalked him and he knew it. "She told me this, death stalks the paws of the young. Four must travel to see this undone. There is one who is the creatures bane. But in the great battle two shall be slain. The bodies shall cool under the dying night. Only then will evil take flight." He stopped as he read her shocked face.

            "So I am to come as well?" She asked softly. Ebonypaw nodded slightly when he heard a rustling behind him. He whipped around to see the sightless blue eyes of his brother. A troubled look haunted his brothers eyes.

            "We are coming as well, you great lump of fur," His brothers voice was a tad bit edgy with a hint of fear in it. Ebonypaws gaze softened and his brother stiffened. "I dont need your pity Ebonypaw, I am coming and so is Duskpaw." Ebonypaw pulled back in surprise as the dark brown tabby stepped out from behind him. The midnight black tom nodded. This was dangerous but they were the ones to pull it off.