Warriors- Dawn of An Era: The Journey Begins {Book 1} (COMPLETED)

Prologue

"How are the kits, Brightgaze?"  The gruff, husky voice of a large dusty brown tabby tom with gleaming yellow eyes made the tom focus his ice-blue eyes on the tom. "Are they comfortable and warm?"

The speckled brown tom gazed at his Clanmate warily. "They're doing just fine, Hawkpelt," he answered, his eyes searching the other tom's. "Are you going to see them and Minnowwind any time soon?"

Hawkpelt shook his broad head, eyes glinting. "I need to organize hunting patrols." He rose to his paws and shook out his tabby fur. "I've heard SkyClan is trying to sneak into the forest. I'll need to send a patrol over there to check it out."

Birghtgaze nodded curtly, tail flicking as he stood as well. "You need to see them someday, Hawkpelt," he meowed calmly as they began to pad toward the center of the clearing. "They're your kin and they need you."

Hawkpelt let out a grunt and didn't meet the medicine cat's irritatingly calm gaze. "No," he replied as he walked side-by-side with the tom. The pair were roughly the same height with Hawkpelt barely being taller. The deputy held more muscle due to seasons upon seasons of fighting, hunting, and struggling to survive in the forest. "Minnowwind is happy with them and they're happy with her. I don't need to intrude."

Brightgaze stopped, mildly surprised as his littermate answered. "You're the kits father and Minnowwind needs her mate," he pointed out as he caught up with the tom, cutting him off and standing in his way. Hawkpelt let out a small growl, barely audible but Brightaze heard it. "You need to be in your sons' lives, Hawkpelt." He urged.

The deputy growled, his bushy tail lashing behind him. His light yellow eyes, so much like their own father, Spiderstorm, narrowed. Brightgaze winced as he remembered watching his father waste away while he was only an apprentice. "Why should I?" Hawkpelt's husky question brought Brightgaze back to the present, startling him. "Our father was never there for us. Spiderstorm didn't want anything to do with us and Rippleshine was overprotective because of it."

Brightgaze felt anger spike his fur and he couldn't help but retaliate. "Do you want that to happen to Rushkit and Vinekit?" He watched as his brother's yellow eyes blazed with anger as he went on. "Spiderstorm wanted nothing to do with us because we were sick! Your kits are perfectly healthy and Minnowwind is happy that she had them. You're being stubborn because of our father's faults!"

The deputy arched his back, spitting with anger. "You're only saying that because Rippleshine chose you over me!" His tone was hostile and Brightgaze detected jealousy in his brother's voice. "You were always her favorite while I was cast to the side and treated like a dead rat!"

The medicine cat's fur rose along his spine as his claws unsheathed and dug into the dirt. "If you leave those kits to be raised with only one parent," his voice was dangerously low and a snarl crept into it as he glared at his littermate. "Then you'll be no better than Spiderstorm."

Hawkpelt let out a roar of anger and sprang at his brother, claws unsheathed as he raked his claws across Brightgaze's muzzle. His littermate gasped and lashed out with a paw, grazing the fur on the deputy's cheek as he leaned back. "How dare you compare me to that fox-heart!" He snarled and lunged for his brother, making the two large toms roll over and over, exchanging blows.

Brightgaze sprang apart from his brother, a scratch above his left eye bleeding as he panted. "You act all proud when really you're just like him!" He countered and charged his littermate, scoring a blow on his muzzle and driving him back. "Those kits will only know their father as the replication of their grandfather!"

Hawkpelt snarled and bared his teeth, darting to the right and pouncing on Brightgaze's back, pinning him to the ground as he writhed beneath the seasoned warrior. "I'm nothing like Spiderstorm!" He yowled and sank his teeth deep into the medicine cat's shoulder and threw him across the clearing.