Warriors AU: Into the Wild

Chapter 14

The cold air chilled Sandpaw's bones as blackness wrapped itself around him. He could hear nothing, and his nostrils were filled with the musty scent of damp earth.

Out of nowhere, a brilliant ball of light flared in front of him. Sandpaw ducked his head, screwing up his eyes against the glare. The light shone, dazzling coldly like a star; then it blinked out, disappearing as quickly as it had come. The darkness fell away, and Sandpaw found himself in the forest. He felt comforted by the familiar smells of the woods. He breathed in the moist green scents, and calmness flowed through his body.

Without warning, a dreadful noise burst from the trees. Sandpaw's fur bristled. It was the screeching of terrified cats racing out from the bushes up ahead. Sandpaw recognized their Thunderclan pelts as they fled past him. He stood rooted to the spot, unable to move. Then came great cats, huge dark warriors, their eyes glittering cruelly. They thundered toward him, pounding the earth with massive paws, their claws unsheathed. And out of the shadows, Sandpaw heard a high, desperate cry filled with grief and rage. Silverpaw!

Sandpaw woke, horrified. His dream vanished, leaving his ears ringing and his fur standing on end. As he opened his eyes, he saw the face of Goldenflower peering into the den. Sandpaw leaped to his feet, instantly alert.

"Something wrong, Sandpaw?" asked Goldenflower.

"Just a dream," Sandpaw mumbled.

Goldenflower gave him a curious look, then growled, "Wake the others. We leave shortly."

Outside the den, the sky glowed with a new dawn, and dew sparkled on the ferns. It would be a warm day once the dun was up, but the early-morning dampness reminded Sandpaw that the time of leaf-fall was not far off.

Sandpaw, Silverpaw, and Patchpaw quickly gulped down the herbs that Spottedleaf had given them. Goldenflower and Oakstar sat watching them, ready to leave. The rest of the camp was still asleep.

"Ugh!" complained Silverpaw. "I knew they'd be bitter. Why couldn't we eat a fat, juicy mouse instead?"

"These herbs will keep your hunger at bay longer," answered Oakstar. "And they will make you strong. We have a long journey ahead of us."

"Have you eaten yours already?" Sandpaw asked.

"I cannot eat if I'm going to share dreams with Starclan at the Moonstone tonight," replied Oakstar.

Sandpaw felt his paws tingle when he heard these words. He was itching to begin the journey. With the dawn's light and the familiar voices, the terror of his dream had left him. All that remained was the memory of the brilliant light, and Oakstar's words sent a renewed thrill of excitement through him.

The five cat made their way through the gorse tunnel and out of the camp.

Frostfur was just returning with a patrol. "Safe journey," he meowed.

Oakstar nodded. "I know I can trust you to keep the camp safe," she answered.

Frostfur looked at Silverpaw and dipped his head. "Remember," he meowed, "you are almost a warrior. Don't forget what I have taught you."

Silverpaw looked back at Frostfur with affection. "I will always remember, Frostfur," he mewed, nudging his head against the white tom's flank.

They retraced their route to Fourtrees. This was the quickest way to pass into Windclan territory. Hightstones lay beyond.

As Sandpaw bounded down the side of the glade toward the Great Rock, he could still smell the scents of last night's Gathering. He followed the others through the grassy clearing and up the slope on the other side, into Windclan territory. The bushy slope became steeper as they climbed, and rockier, until the cats had to leap from boulder to boulder up the side of a craggy cliff face.