Warriors Super Edition: Smokewhisp's Promise

🩶Chapter 1🩶

Hello everyone! SummerTheFastfin here with the forst chapter of Smokewhisp's Promise! I'm not sure how well this'll turn out, but I'll try my best to entertain you all. But, first things first, I'd like to give a huge shoutout to @TheLandsStar for helping me out with this story. Anyways, with all of that out of the way, I hope you enjoy reading this story. Now, without further ado, let's take flight.
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Smokewhisp awoke to an unusual sight. She was not in the nest she'd once been snuggling into. Now, she found herself lying in the heart of a lush forest, with no sign of other cats around. The trees surrounding her stretched high into the sky, decorated in golden, sun dipped flowers. Their petals danced as they cascaded down around her, forming small piles in the shade. As Smokewhisp watched them fall, a sense of foreboding began to overcome her.  She felt as if the dark was slowly closing in around her, sending a chill down her spine. Like the flowers, was her light being dimmed by this oppressive force? Smokewhisp crouched in place, glancing around warily. It felt as though something dangerous might be lurking in the darkness. Somewhere that Smokewhisp couldn't see.

Another chill ran down the smokey-grey she-cat's spine, like ice water trickling down her back.  She wished she were back in the medicine den, surrounded by her herbs, Sunpaw sleeping not too far away. Instead Smokewhisp was here, alone in this mysterious place.

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes as she prayed for StarClan- or anyone- to come to her aid. She felt helpless, just like she had during the fire. There was nothing more that she could do than watch as she became completely shrouded in darkness. But just as Smokewhisp thought she'd be consumed by the shade and her anxiety, a light began to twinkle in between the tree trunks. A soft breezed followed along with it, grabbing Smokewhisp's attention. Smokewhisp held her breath as a familiar scent drifted into her nose. She realized she recognized the cat who'd come to join her in the mysterious clearing. A beautiful white and silver dappled she-cat became visible, bringing light to the darkened clearing. A soft, welcoming smile was set on her star speckled face, and a loving gleam shone in her icy blue orbs.

"Hello, Smokewhisp," greeted the cat. Smokewhisp slowly returned to her paws, jaws slightly agape in awe.

"S-Snowfrost?" Smokewhisp breathed, hoping that she wasn't just seeing things or going crazy from anxiety.

For a heartbeat, she couldn't believe her beloved mentor was here. Then Snowfrost approached, wrapping her body around Smokewhisp's. Her soft tail draped over the smoke-grey she-cat's shoulders as a purr rumbled in the StarClan cat's throat. "It's good to see you," Snowfrost mewed, pulling back a bit to look at her apprentice. "You've grown so much since the last time I saw you." Snowfrost's eyes gleamed with pride, but Smokewhisp just chuckled sarcastically and stared down at her paws.

"No I haven't!" she mumbled with a small huff. "I'm not as good at healing as you thought I was." The smoke-gray she-cat muttered bitterly.

Snowfrost tilted her head slightly, tutting, as if scolding a kit. "That's just not true, Smokewhisp. You've become a fine medicine cat, even in my absence. You do well to treat your clanmates. Even if you may not think so."

Smokewhisp shook her head, her fluffy black tail swishing behind her. "But I couldn't save Redcloud, or the other clanmates we lost in the fire. How can you say that I'm doing well? I-I...I didn't know what to do! What could I do? I just watched helplessly, then left. I made Sunpaw do the same...I don't know if I'm cut out for this, Snowfrost."

"Yes you are, Smokewhisp," Snowfrost countered softly. "You've shown so much talent for healing. And you care deeply for every cat; from the smallest kit to the weakest elder. You always try your hardest, and that's all any cat can ask of you. You aren't a Starclan warrior. You can't perform miracles." Thinking for a heartbeat, Smokewhisp replied;

"I guess you're right..." Her voice was soft, head lowered to avoid her deceased mentor's gaze. Even though the words were kind, Smokewhisp could not find it in herself to believe them to be true. But Snowfrost had never lied to her before. How could she doubt her mentor now? Smokewhisp began to realize it wasn't Snowfrost she held doubt in, but herself. Her confidence had been shattered since she lost so many cats to the fire in camp. She was a medicine cat. Medicine cats were meant to heal, and to prevent clanmates from dying. But Smokewhisp couldn't. She failed Redcloud and her family. How would Smokewhisp ever forgive herself?

Snowfrost was looking at the beautiful smoke-grey she-cat, a troubled expression on her face. She didn't seem pleased to visit her old apprentice when she was going through such turmoil. It was clear that she wanted her to cheer up, to return the confidence she once held. So, Snowfrost tried once more to uplift the young she-cat. "Have more faith in yourself, Smokewhisp," Snowfrost purred. "Your clanmates believe in you, even the ones you've lost. So does Sunpaw. And StarClan believes in you, too. I should know, I'm part of it now." Then, Snowfrost pulled away, standing at full height. "You are a gifted medicine cat, Smokewhisp. Any thoughts that you have saying otherwise should be purged from your mind." Smokewhisp listened intently to what Snowfrost had to say. She sat in silence for another moment, before heaving a sigh.

"Alright, I'll try, Snowfrost," she agreed, although a bit reluctantly. "I'll try not to doubt so much. Thank you, Snowfrost." Once again Snowfrost purred. She touched her nose to Smokewhisp's black striped forehead before giving it a lick.

"I'm always here for you," she meowed. Then, the white and silver speckled she-cat's expression turned again, muzzling lowering. "Although... I must admit, a pep talk is not all that I've come to say to you today." Curious, Smokewhisp perked up.

"What do you mean? Does StarClan have a message for me?" Snowfrost nodded, avoiding the other she-cat's gaze for a heartbeat.

"Yes, a prophecy," she answered. Her eyes seemed to glow as she begun to speak the words given to her by ancestors unknown: "A blanket of shadows cloak the forest in darkness. Flowers, made from golden dust float amidst the darkening woods. And a shadow lurks arming both you and your Clan."

Smokewhisp stared at her mentor with wide eyes. She could feel her legs trembling as she allowed the prophecy to sink into her mind. She blinked once, seeing the twisted face of her mentor one heartbeat. Then blinked again, to find her gone the next. Instead, the walls of the den greeted Smokewhisp in place of the eerie shade of the golden flower trees. Her mentor's beautiful form was instead replaced by Sunpaw hovering over her. "Good morning," the small golden apprentice greeted.

Smokewhisp sat up in her nest, staring at the young cat. Then she outstretched her forepaws, grabbing Sunpaw around the shoulders to pull her into herself. She nuzzled the apprentice, burying her muzzle in her fur. Sunpaw reciprocated the affection, snuggling into her mentor to provide comfort. It seemed she could sense something was troubling the smoke-grey she-cat. As the two she-cats cuddled, Smokewhisp's mind echoed the prophecy she'd just received. Who was the shadow that lurked in her Clan? And what did the golden petals represent?