fading silence ♡ a warriors fanfic (book one ♡ completed ✔️)

//prologue\\

The dark orange rays of the setting sun shone brightly just above the horizon. It's light quickly vanished, however, and darkness blanketed the land. The territory seemed to fall into a place of tranquility. The birds snuggled deep into their nests of twigs, while the nocternal ones perched themselves on the high oaks of the forest, scouting for their midnight meal.

The slim, silver bodies of fish splashed in the nearby streams. The fish moved so swiftly that the creatures almost seemed part of the river themselves. In the bushes, crickets chirped, casting an extra blanket of peace to the land. Rustles in the undergrowth hinted to mice or other woodland creatures scuttling around, searching for their cozy burrows.

Beyond the forest, a moor lies. The wind blew more fiercely here, though it was gentle. The soft sway of the tall grass and the clumps of heather filled the air with it's calming sound. And, not far from the moor, a large expanse of woodland could be found. Above the thick forest were tall, gray mountains. Multiple caves were engraved in the ancient stone, possibly carved out by rivers seasons ago. Unlike all the other territories, however, this place had a strange feeling. It wasn't right.

A yowl of pain split the air.

Deep in the woodland was a gorge. Caverns were engraved into the sheer, rock walls, and ear-splitting echos of the pained shriek bounced off of them. A black tom paced back and forth in front of a small, dark hole. This hole led to a den that was quite capacious inside. And, it was also where the painful shriek had come from.

StarClan, let her be alright! The black tom thought, his green eyes wide. His mate had begun kitting to early --- a moon early. Another shriek echoed around the camp, and the black tom immediately raced through the gap, only to be pushed back by an orange tabby she-cat.

"Stay out!" The she-cat arched her back, and unsheathed her claws. She let out a low, threatening hiss.

"You have no right to tell me what to do, Applepaw!" The tom narrowed his eyes, green orbs blazing with anger and frustration. He took another step forward, only to be clawed lightly over the ears. The tom stepped back, stunned at how ferocious the little apprentice could be.

"Yes. I. Do." The tabby growled between gritted teeth. "Shadowflurry, I suggest you wait here and wait patiently or you'll have more than your ears shredded!"

Reluctantly, the black tom stepped back. He watched the tabby's tail vanish back into the den before sighing. He fixed his gaze on his paws. I blame myself if anything happens to her..

A soft tail tip touched the tom's flank. Shadowflurry jumped and flipped around. Sighing, he realized it was only Maplewish. Maplewish was Shadowflurry's mate's identical sister. The only difference was eye color and personality. Robinwing, Shadowflurry's mate had soft amber eyes, while Maplewish had a bright green. Robinwing was tougher than her sister, but Maplewish had a kind heart. Both of them had loved the black tom, but in the end, Robinwing had won Shadowflurry's affection.

"Calm down," the she-cat nuzzled the black tom. For a moment, a warm, fuzzy feeling encased his heart. He purred deeply and rested his head on top of hers for a brief moment, then pulled away. "Robinwing is a strong cat."

Shadowflurry gazed into the she-cat's green gaze. He still found the love and deep affection the she-cat had always had for him in her green eyes. But, was that a glint of happiness? Shadowflurry shook his head. My mate is in there having my kits.

Shadowflurry stood up. "I can't be with you, Maplewish. I love Robinwing." Another yowl echoed through the camp, and the black tom bolted through the gap in the nursery. Terror overtook him when he saw Robinwing's calico shape lying still on the green bed of moss. With a yowl, he flung himself to his mate's side.

The she-cat lifted her head slightly, a weak purr rumbling from deep within her throat. She nodded to her stomach, where three suckling kits lay. One was a calico, identical to Robinwing. The other two were dark gray and black. However, the black tom had peculiar white and light gray markings. "You have to let Maplewish raise them," the calico turned her gaze back to her mate. "The black one is Nightkit.. the gray kit will be Rubblekit, and.."

"Robinkit," the black tom mewed quietly, grief filling his voice. Robinwing nodded in agreement. Shadowflurry now took knowledge of the blood staining his dark pelt, and realized what was happening. "No! Don't die!" The tom whipped his head around to the two she-cat's standing at the back of the nursery. "Palespots! Applepaw! Do something!"

Applepaw looked at her paws, while Palespots only hung her head. "There is nothing we can do. StarClan is already here for her." Palespots looked into Shadowflurry's helpless green gaze. For a moment, the black tom seemed like he would attack the two medicine cats, but instead, he slumped down in defeat and burried his face into Robinwing's fur.

***

About half an hour had passed, and Robinwing had died. Her body now lay limply in the center of the stony clearing. Shadowflurry, Squirrelleap, Wavemist, Maplewish, and Lightningclaw rested their heads on her soft pelt. Acornfall had taken in Nightkit, Rubblekit and Robinkit. The young she-cat's kits, Mossykit, Adderkit and Softkit, were only two moons, and Acornfall had some to share. However, the small she-cat didn't like the fact of being cooped up in the nursery for another six moons.

"Cats of CavernClan!" A very dark gray tom with matted fur and a shredded tail stood up from atop a large rock, the Speaking Rock. When all eyes were averted to him, the middle aged tom began. "Robinwing's death is a loss to all of us," the tom sighed. "However, life in CavernClan must go on. Acornfall has refused to stay in the nursery for another six moons," Shadowflurry glared at the brown she-cat at the corner of camp. "Until the kits can eat prey, she will remain a queen, but once they can, some cat needs to take over.

Immediately, Maplewish rose to her paws. She looked up eagerly at the tom atop Speaking Rock. "I will, Witheredstar."

Witheredstar fixed his amber stare on Shadowflurry. "Is that alright with you? Just know that these kits will not truly know who their mother is. And," he swept his gaze around the gathered cats. "No one is to tell these young cats who their mother is until they have matured."

Shadowflurry moved his grief-stricken gaze to Maplewish's. "It's alright. Robinwing's final wish was to make sure Maplewish raised these kits." The tom looked away, staring at his former mate's body.

Witheredstar nodded approval. "Then it is decided. Palespots, Applepaw, prepare her body for burial."