Warriors: Rise of the Weather [1] : The Journey Begins (OLD/DISCONTINUED)

Chapter Twenty

Edited ✔️
_______________

Water dripped down into a small rabbit's burrow, light sifting through branches that were bare of leaves and reflecting off of the small falling drops of water in a bright shimmer. Mouse's brown and white fur steadily rose and fell, his small muzzle buried beneath his paws. A splash of water landed on the top of his head, and he stirred. Another droplet landed on his ear, and he lifted his head, irritation rising in his belly.

He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight, and in a daze he lifted himself to his paws. He shook out his fur, scattering scraps of soil onto the floor as he pulled himself out of the burrow, his fur rubbing against the loose earth and clumping together. The snow was ebbing away to reveal bright green blades of grass sprouting through the ground, water pricking at the tips. Mouse flicked his gaze in the direction of the leafless bush his mother had told him she'd be staying at, and he spotted her gray form between the twigs, her flank lightly rising and falling. The kit shook out his fur once more before padding confidently towards Mist, his tail high in the air.

"Mist." Mouse meowed, prodding his mother gently in the side. "Mist, wake up."

A few moments skipped by, and Mist raised her head, her vision blurred before finally focusing. She stretched her jaws open in a yawn, her whole body shaking in the brief moment, before closing them and looking at Mouse. "What is it?" she mewed blearily, stretching to her paws as she was shaken with another yawn.

Mouse's throat suddenly felt dry, his mouth parted as he contemplated over whether or not his mother would listen to him. Finally, he croaked out the words, his ears pinned back against his head. "Mist, d-did you have a strange dream last night?" He whispered, shame heating his fur as he avoided Mist's gaze. After no response, he pressed further. "About following the brightest star?"

Mist looked at the kit with unreadable blue eyes, something flickering in their depths. "Perhaps." she replied calmly, an eerie stillness filling the air. Finally, her shoulders loosened, sagging down as a tiny smile made its way onto the she-cat's face. Mouse tilted his head curiously, his ears pricked to their fullest extent as he awaited what she would say. "Yes. Yes, I did." she paused, looking back to her kit. "How did you know?"

Now eager to continue, Mouse leaped to his feet, his tail wavering back and forth in noticeable excitement. "Mist! If we follow the brightest star, we'll have a home there! Darkblaze — Darkblaze told me that he'd visit you in a dream so you'd believe me."

A frowned creased upon Mist's expression, and she sat down, wrapping her tail tightly around her paws. She scooped Mouse closer towards her, and he sat down by her feet, staring up in attempt to see her reaction.

"I must ask, Mouse, who is this...Darkblaze you speak of?" she questioned.

"He's a cat who visited me in a dream. He said he comes from a clan."

Mist nodded slowly. "I see. If this Darkblaze truly exists, do you think he'd mind visiting me in a dream? Last night, all I was told was to follow the brightest star. It could just be a dream. I saw no cat, no scenery, nothing. It was just darkness, darkness and a voice."

Mouse's ear flicked to the side, looking crestfallen. "I-I suppose he could." he mewled, stumbling over his words as he fought to remain calm. Why wouldn't Mist just believe him? Was it really that hard to accept his word? He sighed.

Mist licked his forehead, purring. "Aside from this, we still must continue forward and try to find ourselves a home. Come on, to your paws little one." She nudged Mouse to his paws, and he tucked his tail between his legs as Mist gently nosed him along.

Why wouldn't she just listen?