Warrior Cats: The Winding Path (Book 1)

Chapter 4 (Timberkit)

"Are you from StarClan?" Timberkit mewed in awe.

The old cat nodded solemnly, "That's right."

"Amazing! I'm talking to a real StarClan warrior!" Timberkit's jaw still hung a bit open even when he was silent. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, a true StarClan cat! "What's your name?" he mewed, interested in hearing what this ancient cat had to tell him.

The old cat hesitated, then meowed, "My name is Yellowfang."

"Yellowfang? Well, it's nice to meet you! I'm Timberkit!" he introduced warmly.

Yellowfang nodded, "I know pretty well who you are, youngster."

"Why did you come to my dream?" Timberkit brought the conversation back to when he had been asking questions. Yellowfang seemed to be choosing her answers carefully and made sure her expression was guarded from Timberkit's searching eyes.

"I am here to tell you: Fire will blaze through the sky and frost will melt under the paws of ragged claws," Yellowfang meowed, her eyes suddenly distant.

"Huh? What does that mean?" Timberkit asked, his head tilted to the side with puzzlement.

"I must go, take care, young one," Yellowfang licked him between the ears one last time before her image began to fade. Darkness started creeping towards him from the shadows, they seemed to be chanting the ominous words Yellowfang had told him.

"Yellowfang! Help me!" The shadows wrapped around Timberkit's paws and lapped up his legs. The dragged along his fur like long ragged claws. "Please!" the darkness turned into raging water and he was dragged under by the current.

Bubbles burst from his jaws as he flipped aimlessly in the water and his eyes stung. He felt bigger, heavier than he actually was. He felt painful memories flash through his mind though they weren't his own. Images of three small kits flashed in the back of his mind. One, a black-and-white kit, was laid in the snow, unmoving and limp. Grief stung at the back of his eyes but he didn't know where it came from. In front of him a large bracken-colored tom picked up the two remaining kits. Then he was back in the water. Jaws clamped onto his scruff and dragged him to the surface. Timberkit opened his eyes as air filled his lungs.

Timberkit was laying in the mossy den of the nursery. The faint smell of water still tingled on his nose. He looked around frantically, expecting to see either Yellowfang or the two gray kits the tom picked up. But all he saw were the shifting bodies of his siblings.

"Timberkit? What's wrong?" it was Sagekit. The ginger tom lifted his head to face his brother.

"Oh nothing, just a nightmare," that wasn't totally a lie. Sagekit gave him an empathetic glance before resting his head back on his paws.

"You're not getting up?" Timberkit mewed.

"Nope, I'm tired," Sagekit said, his voice muffled by his fur.

Timberkit rolled his eyes before getting up. He padded out of the nursery and into the clearing. Then he remembered, those at the Gathering should already be back! Quietly he snuck towards the medicine den and peered his head through the bramble screen. Thankfully, Willowwhisker was already up sorting through some unfamiliar herbs.

"Willowwhisker? May I come in?" Timberkit mewed. Willowwhisker looked over at him from the herb storage then flicked her tail, inviting him in. "Thanks," he purred as he padded straight into the sunbathed herb storage.

"Do you need something?" Willowwhisker asked. Her attention was still on the herbs as she separated the leaves and berries.

"I, er, I didn't want to wake anyone and I was hoping to talk to you..." Timberkit meowed hesitantly.