Warrior Cats: The Omen of StoneTribe, Book 1 (The Essence)

Chapter 20

She must've landed a good hit, Naiyapaw thought.

After what seemed like moons, the apprentice reached the crumbling den, leaping back when a large boulder came tumbling down in front of her. Her ears flattened. She's have to be quick if her siblings were to survive.

Without thinking, she dove into the remnants of the burrow, and coughed when clouds of dust entered her mouth. Dirt from above was sprinkling onto the ground, coating the nests around her in a thin layer of black. Nothing but darkness and silence met her ears.

"Zorrakit, Moorkit, Netherkit! Are you in here?" Naiyapaw asked into the shadows, glancing around frantically for any signs of her kin.

A moment of nothingless passed, before she heard a small sputter. Her ears perked. Suddenly, a small frightened voice peeped into existence.

"Naiyapaw? Is that you?"

The older sister let out a gasp and made her way to the crumbling area where she had been nursing the kits. There, the three bundles were huddled together in the corner of the den, shivering with fear and blinking away tears. Zorrakit, once again, had draped herself over her siblings, her black pelt dusty, and her remarkable red-ish eyes glowing into the gloom.

"You guys ARE okay!" Naiyapaw mewled with glee, and nuzzled into the three small cats. Moorkit purred a little, and Netherkit whispered his relief.

"I kept them safe. Everyone left all of a sudden, what's going on?" Zorrakit asked innocently, looking around at the crumbling den.

"A bear found its way into camp. No time to explain, follow me, okay?" Naiyapaw directed softly, and waited for all three kits to nod their agreement.

Zorrakit, Moorkit, and Netherkit shakily got to their paws and toppled after the tense apprentice. Her hackles were raised. She prayed to StarTribe that the whole boulder wouldn't collapse on their heads. The four wove around dangerous zones and crept up to the den exit. That was when Naiyapaw remembered a grizzly truth.

Never walk kits out into a blizzard. They will surely freeze to death.

Naiyapaw toppled back and let out a wail of sorrow, her colorful eyes dampening with sadness. How would she be able to save her siblings? She wouldn't be able to carry all three of them, and she'd never bring herself to choose. The snow would be too high, and with the bear thundering around on gigantic paws, they could be crushed.

"Naiyapaw? What's wrong?" Zorrakit asked quietly, letting out a small squeak when a tiny pebble fell on her muzzle.

"I- I don't know if I can..." her words were cut off with a sob. If the kits were going to die, she'd die with them.

I made them a promise. I'm going to keep it. Maybe we'll all join Silverpelt together, and be happy up in StarTribe. I'm sorry kits, this isn't fair.

"Naiyapaw!" a stern voice suddenly called into the den. Her ears perked, and instantly, she knew who had come after her. A dainty ginger muzzle and a glowing crest poked into the unstable burrow, every piece of fur standing straight up. Her eyes were worried and angry, yet relieved.

"C-Coralfrost! You found us!" Naiyapaw mewed excitedly, rushing up to her selfless mentor and embracing her in a tight hug. The Jewel Collector pulled away and hissed softly.

"Never mind a reunion, and don't thank me just yet! Let's get these kits to safety," she stated, and gestured towards the small bundles of fur beneath Naiyapaw's belly. "I'll carry Netherkit and Moorkit. You take Zorrakit," the ginger she-cat ordered, and hauled the two dark kits off the ground by their scruffs.