Warriors: A Fan-Based Series Book 1: Snowballing Troubles Chapter 2 Part 2 Their heads were lowered as they thought of what they would say to their leader. Upon reaching the place, Speckledfur and Rainstar, who were searching for them saw them almost immediately and ran towards them. “Where is Crystalpaw? I brought poppy seeds to calm her down,” Speckledfur told the brothers, lifting up a small bag woven from leaves. Rainstar nodded profusely and asked them where Crystalpaw was too. “I think she is in the apprentice den,” Snowball suggested quickly, saying the first place he would go to if he was Crystalpaw. Hearing that, the cats agreed and they hurried to the apprentice den. True enough, there was Crystalpaw, crouching at the back of the den. Shadows fell across her face but Snowball could tell that Crystalpaw was scared. “Crystalpaw!” Rainstar immediately ran to Crystalpaw and crouched down next to her, snuggling the petrified cat. Speckledfur stood on Crystalpaw’s other side, offering her poppy seeds. Acorntree and Snowball exchanged glances. Both of them waited at the entrance of the apprentice den, unsure of what to do. Moonpaw, another apprentice in the den, stared at all of this. Unknowingly, a broad smile of wonder and awe spread across her face. “Now that’s something new!” Moonpaw exclaimed. Brownpaw, a brown tabby with dark stripes said angrily to her, “Moonpaw, we’re supposed to be collecting moss for the elders! We have no time to look at Crystalpaw, who is behaving like a scaredy-kit. Come on, useless furball! Our mentors are waiting for us!” Moonpaw hung her head low and slowly slinked out of the apprentice den with Brownpaw. Rainstar looked at Snowball, adjusted her glance to Acorntree, then fixed her look on Snowball again. “Snowball, if you want, you can leave now,” Rainstar finally said, with a look in her eye. Snowball recognised that look. It was the one that Rainstar used when she wanted to be alone with some cats. He nodded and quickly left the apprentice den and into the warrior den. “Flowerheart?” Snowball called out to his friend. “Yes, Snowball?” Flowerheart emerged from the den, giving Snowball a friendly bump in his side. “Um… do you know who Ravenblood and Fireclaw are?” asked Snowball, thinking of the battle he had seen just now. Flowerheart pondered for a moment, then said, “No, but Sweetheart, our elder, would know. She knows everycat!” Snowball arrived at the elders’ den. “Sweetheart?” he called, standing outside of the den. “Please come in!” Snowball heard a sweet-sounding voice reply him. Entering the den, he could see Sweetheart. Her pelt was a lovely sapphire blue, and she had a kindly look on her face. Recognising Snowball’s white pelt with black spots on his ear, nose and tail, Sweetheart said, “Ah, Snowball, good evening.” She beamed prettily at him. She then added in a low whisper, “Whatever you need, please talk a little bit softer. I don’t think Ragefur would be very pleased if you woke him up.” Sweetheart tilted her head in the direction of the dark gray tabby, who was sleeping on some moss. Snowball nodded. “Do you know of anyone called Ravenblood and Fireclaw?” Snowball questioned her, guessing that she would not be able to answer. “Yes. Ravenblood is a battle-hungry and blood-thirsty cat, as his name suggests.” Here, Sweetheart gave a little chuckle. She continued, “He is a black tom with a lot of scars. Everycat knows him by the scar across his face, which he got from a battle with DarkClan. I think he is also the biggest cat in BreezeClan. He and Fireclaw are friends.” “Fireclaw is a mean, fireish orange tom. He is the father of Scarstream, a WaterClan tom cat. Fireclaw is the deputy of his clan, and his son is a very experienced warrior. You wouldn’t want to be with Ravenblood or Fireclaw, I swear. If you run into them, they’ll probably try to kill you,” Sweetheart finished. Snowball stared at Sweetheart, mouth agape, motionless. Wow, he thought, Flowerheart was right, Sweetheart does know everycat! He was really impressed. Sweetheart smiled at Snowball before curling onto the moss underneath her and falling asleep. Quietly, Snowball then left the elders’ den to the middle of camp. There seemed to be no cat but him. The other warriors were on duty patrolling the borders or hunting. Just then, he spotted his brother sitting on a patch of grass and crying. “Acorntree, what’s wrong?” Snowball asked worriedly, sitting beside the brownish-peach cat. Acorntree wiped some tears away before looking at Snowball, with tears still dripping down his face. “Spe-Speckle-Speckledfur said that Cr-Crystalpaw c-c-can’t be a…a WARRIOR!” Acorntree burst out, crying. Snowball was shocked. He did not expect his brother to cry that loudly. He flattened his ears, trying to block out Acorntree’s cries.
Written by: @lostMyBigAcount & @HaizKLyn
