fading silence ♡ a warriors fanfic (book one ♡ completed ✔️)

//chapter nine\\

Tall buildings and flashing yellow lights surrounded the CavernClan cats as they padded along a narrow, stony path. It had been a day since Hollypaw had joined the Clan, and they finally knew where they were going. Witheredstar had chosen the twolegplace where the first cats of the Clans had lived, hoping that maybe a little hope could be restored in the CavernClan cats.

But what is hope when we have nothing to fight for? Nightpaw sighed, thinking to himself.

As if his thoughts were heard, Graytalon came to pad beside him. "We fight for survival, Nightpaw. Don't ever forget that. We are wild cats, and we are trained to survive. If we aren't, then we're just a bunch of lowly kittypets. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be a kittypet?" Graytalon's challenging amber eyes rested on him, and he shrunk low to the ground.

"N-no..." Nightpaw stuttered with a shake of his head.

"Good," Graytalon stalked off towards the front and placed himself beside Hailpuddle. He knew the warriors were good friends. Perhaps the two had been mentor and apprentice?

Nightpaw shrugged the thought off. He missed his log. He missed the place were he always could go to think, his den, the forest, his home. And now it was all gone. Taken over by a group of nasty rogues. His clanmates' injuries had been treated, though not fully. Some had already begun to grow infected, and the foul stentch was strong.

And not only that, but he missed his fallen clanmates. Applepaw, who would never receive her full name, Briarsnout, Cavetail, Palespots, and... Wrenkit. Another stab of grief for not only himself, but for Finchkit and his family. His best friend had lost his sibling, and was heartbroken. The tabby tom was padding along at the back, now, his head down.

With fewer prey in the twolegplace, the Clan was beginning to grow hungry, also. He could see that the ribs were beginning to show in the strongest warriors, and he suspected it would only be soon before any of them died of starvation. Hollypaw had suggested eating kittypet food, but Witheredstar had turned down the thought in less than a heartbeat.

The large group swiveled around corner after corner, keeping close to the wall. Sparrowsight had told them that the weaker cats should stay in the very middle of the group, and the stronger on the outside. Nightpaw appreciated how smart the deputy was, and how strong he could be, even after loosing his kit.

Suddenly, the mass of cats halted. Nightpaw stood up on his hind legs and tried to peer through the heads of his clanmates. He could see Witheredstar up ahead, face to face with three cats. One he recognized as Stormstar. The other two were a honey colored she-cat and a white tom with black siamese markings. Each had an astonished looking face.

"What are you three doing here?" Witheredstar growled.

"The same as you, I suppose." The honey colored she-cat snarled back.

"Calm down, Amberstar," the white siamese tom mewed. "We were all driven out by those StarClan forbidden rogues."

"We can take your Clan to our camp in the twolegplace. It's not too far, and there is prey. Well, more like fish. It isn't the most tasty, and only mouse-brained warriors eat it." Stormstar mewed to Witheredstar. He saw the siamese tom flatten his ears.

"Well you could move out if you don't appreciate the prey that StarClan has given us," The white tom shot back. "You won't be missed my any of my warriors, that's the truth."

"StarClan? StarClan has abandoned us, Troutstar!" Stormstar whisked his tail around. "C'mon, Witheredstar. Our medicine cats will be able to heal your wounds. Thankfully, Dustshine has found some herbs in twoleg gardens and clay pots."