Image by Spaghettihaymitch
A few days later, RiverClan had gone to the gathering. WindClan had not confessed that they had stolen prey from them. Pikestar had been furious and had come back to camp declaring war on WindClan. Snowkit was terrified, it almost seemed she had broken her promise to keep RiverClan battle-free. So, the day after, Pikestar declared they would attack WindClan that night.
"When the first sign of dusk has gone and only Silverpelt lay in the sky, we shall attack. And show our ancestors the sins WindClan has shown us. The peace they have broken!" Pikestar had yowled that morning. Yowls of agreement had rattled the camp. Snowkit had stayed in the nursery for this one. Thrushblaze hadn't been in there so she was with Smokekit. He was as much afraid as she was for the coming war.
"I hope this is the only battle." Snowkit had told him. Smokekit nodded, his tail low. Wars were often many battles a moon until one Clan gave up or lost.
"I just don't want anyone I love to die," Smokekit mentioned nervously. "I've seen the battle moves the apprentices do in the camp sometimes. I don't want to see them inflicted on my Clanmates! Plus, we don't know how strong WindClan is." Snowkit frowned.
"Pikestar told me that we're stronger because we are well-fed and WindClan cats are weaker because they are starving." Snowkit objected. That made Smokekit a little reassured, but not much.
"I guess Pikestar is right after all. She is our leader and knows far more than we do." he had meowed. He curled his tail over his small black paws. "It just makes me nervous. My belly churns and I feel like I want to run and hide!" Snowkit brushed her tail over his back.
"Everything will be fine. We have an entire camp of warriors to protect us. Besides, we're not fighting in it. So let's play! You never taught me how to play the watch the warrior game." Snowkit encouraged. Smokekit smiled and stood up.
"So you just watch the warrior and make up a story to what they're doing..."
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That had been a couple of hours ago. They had played the day away with games and moss. But now, Pikestar was gathering up her warriors, Rushheart, Stonetail, Pearshine, Applefur, Troutfin, Otterclaw, Lakefern, and Duskpaw. Snowkit gulped as she saw her leader's face twisted with pure anger on WindClan, nothing like the soft smile she had received before. Snowkit was at the entrance of the nursery, while Smokekit and his littermates were with their mother and father, Troutfin saying their goodbyes. Snowkit felt a feeling of longing of never knowing what it was like to have someone you love in danger.
"Let's head out RiverClan." Pikestar hissed, tail lashing and her teeth bared. "I want to teach those rabbit chasers a lesson!" she yowled and began to charge for the entrance. Her battle patrol followed with the same fury in their eyes. It scared Snowkit to see any cat in such anger and hatred, but in some ways, the energy in the air felt good and exciting.
"Good luck out there!"
"Give WindClan a good swipe for me!"
"Go get 'em!"
Snowkit realized the cats around her began to yowl, so she joined in. After it died down, a few warriors took formations in front of the nursery where Thrushblaze and her kits were returning. Some cats gathered around the elder's den, ready to defend it if a WindClan patrol attacked the heart of RiverClan while most of the RiverClan warriors were away. Snowkit thought she had better get back to the nursery, so she began to rush over to Thrushblaze and Thrushblaze's kits. When she entered the nursery, Thrushblaze already had her tail wrapped around her kits as they began to fall asleep.
Thrushblaze shot her a glare as Snowkit crawled into her nest. She fluffed her fur as she settled down. I hope Pikestar and her patrol are okay. Though, not Otterclaw. That fox-heart should join WindClan. Since they're a group of fox-hearts! Snowkit curled her tail in amusement as she went to sleep.
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She flipped open her eyes to see a battle in front of her. Yowling was so loud she felt as though her ears drums would burst. The tangy smell of blood flooded her nose and overwhelmed her.
"Help!" she wailed. Her legs gave out in fear. What if they get me? She began to wail as she tried to find Thrushblaze, maybe she could comfort her since they were all terrified, but it still wasn't likely. Though, even when she looked, none of them were there. She backed away almost tripping as she saw a pool of blood in their nest. Bits of their fur scraps were around the nursery.
When suddenly, a large tabby tom with amber eyes along with a gray tom with blue eyes and a calico she-cat. Snowkit realized the she-cat didn't look mad, but her gaze was comforting. She ran over and put her face in the she-cats fur.
"Please help me!" She wailed. The she-cat gaped her mouth, her eyes seemed to be trying to go into slits, but sympathy overtook them. She put her paw on Snowkit's back and stroked her. The two toms circled Snowkit.
"Hello, Snowkit." The large tabby tom smirked. Snowkit was scared by the unsettling look in his eyes.
"H-how do you know my name?" Snowkit whimpered. The tom chuckled.
"I know everyone's name," he replied smoothly. He flicked his tail. Snowkit shrank back against the ground.
"A-are you from WindClan?" Snowkit mumbled. The tom laughed. It was a deep and hollow sound that echoed around the nursery. The she-cat took her paw off of Snowkit.
"We're not from WindClan." the she-cat told her. It sounded sweet, but it had a hint of a snarl in her voice.
"Then where are you from?" Snowkit squeaked.
"We're here for you." the gray tom replied. His blue eyes seemed to glow in the dark. "You are one of us, Snowkit." She shook her head.
"How? I don't look normal." Snowkit sighed. "I have red eyes." The tabby shook his head.
"No, we're all different," he told her. The gray tom nodded.
"I was cast away for loving someone too much," he told her. Snowkit tilted her head.
"No one loves me, so it could never happen to me," Snowkit explained. The calico she-cat shook her head.
"I lost everything just because I fell in love with a RiverClan tom. StarClan took my kits." she snarled. "Plenty of other she-cats did, and they got no punishment." Snowkit flattened her ears in fear. She didn't think StarClan would ever hurt a queen and her kits!
"We are all outcasts from all of the Clans." the tabby told him. "You are like us." Snowkit nodded.
"Yes. But what do you want with me?" Snowkit asked. The cats laughed.
"You will see." The tabby tom meowed. They all began to fade away, along with the nursery around her. "You will see."
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Snowkit woke up, for real this time. The smell of blood was still fresh in her nose, making it seem like the dream was real. She found herself breathing hard, and shaking as she stood up. That's when she remembered last night. The battle with WIndClan. She pulled herself up, a bit too fast and fell forward in her nest. She shook her fur and looked to see if Thrushblaze was there, and sure enough, the rotten queen was with her kits as they suckled.
"What happened during the battle patrol?" Snowkit asked. Thrushblaze glared at her.
"You will figure it out soon enough." she huffed, flicking her tail. Snowkit briefly saw Smokekit shoot his mother a glare. A twinge of happiness flooded through her.
"Are they ok?" Snowkit whined. Her tail lashed. Thrushblaze just stared at her in hatred.
"Pikestar is about to have a meeting." Thrushblaze snapped. "You can watch from the nursery." Snowkit went back to her nest and sighed. Why did Thrushblaze have to be so strict? The cats in her dream actually liked her for who she was. And Snowkit enjoyed that feeling. They said she was needed. Snowkit faintly smiled. The calico she-cat felt like a mother. Was that what a mother feels like? Snowkit had no way of knowing, so she just shrugged it off and sat outside of the nursery by her foster mother.
Suddenly, a yowl came from the tree. The nursery was right across the camp from the tree, so Snowkit could easily watch from there. She could see Pikestar still looked angry, and herbs were plastered on her pale brown pelt.
"Cats of RiverClan." Pikestar began. "We won over WindClan last night, but Grassstar won't give up. A dawn patrol found more scent markings on our side of the border. " Yowls of anger rippled across the camp. Snowkit felt sick. Pikestar made it sound like when they had talked that WindClan was weak and they would defeat them in one swipe.
"So they made this choice and chose war. If it were up to me, I would have chosen a more peaceful way. But they had to keep on with their lies! Tomorrow at the gathering, I will address the situation again; Talk to WindClan and see if they will compromise." Mummers of approval swept through the crowd. "We don't need a war in the middle of leaf-bare."
Snowkit let out a sigh of relief. Maybe everything would be ok. At least, for now.