I snapped awake.
Wildfire...I honestly forgot about her... But she's not real so there's nothing to fear... Unless...no! She's not! She's just a story to keep kittens in order. There is no Wildfire. Nobody could be that heartless and cruel. And besides, that's an old story, even if she was real once he can't still exist. She would have to be at least one hundred years old. I don't know how old the story is, but it is at least one hundred years old... If she was ever real, she's dead now.

I climbed down the tree, and landed my tired paws on the soft grass that was like a pillow of feathers as I landed gently on it. It felt so good on my paws. Like it soothed them from walking so long.

"Are we going to get moving?!" I called up to them. They all climbed down the tree. Blackhawk was getting pretty good at it. "I hate walking at night!" Better complained.
"You hate everything" Backstab said.
"Not everything." Better said, then shrugged. We began walking through the warm tall grass. The sun felt so good on my fur. I wondered what winter would be like. I was born on the second month of Winter, but the mountains blocked out the cold breeze that would coat your fur in ice. And the underground dens made it much warmer. Plus I was very young, and I just had to curl in my mothers fur, and all my problems were solved. She then remembered the day she was born. It felt like it was yesterday.
When she opened her eyes to see her mother and brother standing before her. Trying to choose a name for her. And the bright aurora in the sky, that lit up the night. It was a beautiful memory that she knew, whatever hardships bumped into her, that memory would stick with her like glue. Like it was apart of her. Which it was. It had been with her her whole life. I was happy as I thought about the memory. When everything was going smooth. Just me, mom, and StripeTail. Nobody else. Just us.

"I can't believe we're almost there!" Gentle cheered, excitement clearly running through her body.
"Only a bit more than a days walk left." Ra said. Gentle screeched in joy.
"So when do we get to stop being nocturnal?" Better asked, in a 'ruining the mood' kind of tone.
"We could do it now, or we can wait until we're safely in Peace Clan territory?" Ra said. "Now! I want more sleep" Better whined.
"Besides, walking at night is spooky." She mumbled. "Chicken" Snicker snorted. "I have never tried chicken before..." Better said thoughtfully.
Snicker rolled his eyes as Better didn't get insulted. "I will let you know what it tastes like" Backstab grinned, and tackled Better, and bit her neck playfully. "Leave me a piece" Snicker chuckled. "No playing around while we're traveling! Don't you know survival skills! Kittens these days! What do those parents of yours teach you!" Blackhawk said, in a 'trying to be Ra, but miserably failed' voice.
Better snorted in a laugh, and her and her brother quickly got up, and rejoined us. I bit my tongue so I didn't laugh, and looked into the trees to get my mind off it. I didn't want to get clawed for laughing at 'Ra'.

I watched as the path slowly, slowly got smaller, as more trees appeared. My green eyes peered into the darkness of the trees, as green eyes peered back at me. They were only a few cat lengths away, hidden in the shadows of the trees. I stopped, and blinked at the eyes as they stared at me. The eyes moved up slightly as the owner opened there mouth to speak.
"I know your father" he said, in a voice, similar to StripeTail's but not identical. A bit older sounding, rougher, and deeper, unlike StripeTail's young voice. I would have gasped if I wasn't still biting my tongue. The eyes began to retreat back into the shadows.
How do I know I can trust them?
What if he does know? Who is he? I can't miss this chance!

I silently followed after the animal.
I could see now it was a very fluffy, big cat. Perhaps almost as big as father. I had never seen him, but mother and StripeTail explained him to her. Plus, his grave was huge for a cat grave. Not that I had seen any other grave in real life.
"This way kitten" the cats rough voice said as he swiftly ran through the forest. I found it hard to do, especially since I had been trying not to run with my twisted paw. As I pressed weight on it, it began to hurt, but I tried to ignore it keep going, still biting on my tough to stop myself from yelling or screaming.

I found it hard keeping up with the cat. He was fast, a much bigger, so the logs I found impossible to climb over, he jumped over with ease.

I looked behind me after a minute of running after the cat.
Wait! I've lost the other! Oh no... Oh whiskers...okay, calm down, I can retrace my steps...but...how? I'm not leaving behind any paw prints? Whatever, if I find The Peace Clan, I find them.

Suddenly we stopped at a familiar looking den. It went into the floor like a rabbit borrow. Professionally done, unlike mine, that I had dug before going on a search for Flower.
It wasn't exactly the same though, it was a bit bigger, and went down into the ground. From far I estimated about five large Maine coons could fit in there, while there cuddling together. The cat ran into it now, and my mouth was left to hang.
I blinked at the familiar den before I closed up my mouth, and walked into the den. Its back was towards me. It had light grey fur, with white and and a couple of black parts. His size and bulk told me he was a male Maine coon, about four years I'd guess.
His fluffy tail swished around on the soil floor, making a scrapping sound.
The cat turned around, the first second I thought he was StripeTail, but the second...I thought he was the cat from my dream! The one that looked so much like StripeTail.

His green eyes stared at me, looking like an older version of StripeTail.
"You look so much like your father" The cat said. "W-who are you?" I stuttered. "How do you know my father?" I growled. The cat chuckled.
"So aggressive like him too"
I bit my tongue so I didn't gasp or hiss. "Who are you?" I repeated.
"The real question is, who are you?" The cat asked. He spoke in a fatherly voice, as if I were his kitten he was speaking to.

"I'm BlueWhiskers" I said.
"Of?"
"HomeValley"
"Excellent! Just as I guessed." The cat smiled in satisfaction.
I cocked my head at the confusing cat before me. "I take it as Pounce called you that? Your father would have called you something less cute and cuddly" the cat said. This time my tongue was ripped from my teeth and I did gasp. "You know my mother?" I asked, shock clear on my face.
The cat nodded.
"I am SmokeTail of HomeValley. I take it as your father never even spoke about his relatives? Typical FlamingHeart" he rolled his eyes, looking so much like StripeTail as he did so. "Who are you?" I growled again. "Oh, you still don't see the resemblance here? I don't look like your brother at all?" He asked.
"Y-you do. But who are you?" I shook my head.

"Curious like your parents too. They always got themselves into trouble with that curiosity... I do miss them." He sighed. "Your avoiding the question!" I growled. Although I was interested in what he was saying, I would have liked to know who he was first. "Ah yes, there you go, the same lines as your father" he chuckled.
Was I that much like my father?
"Okay, prepare to be blown away" he said. I sat down and listened closely.
"I am your fathers little brother, SmokeTail" the cat said, that I remembered was SmokeTail said.
"What!? I have an uncle!? Why did I never know this?!" I gasped.
"You have two in fact" SmokeTail chuckled. "What-wait-how" I stuttered. "Ssh, the black ghost will here you" he said, looking to the exit of the den. "Black ghost?" I asked.

"You mean you haven't came across that silhouette with the yellow eyes? It's everywhere!" He said.
"You mean the shadow?" I asked.
"No idea. Just one day he appeared out of nowhere, and tried to kill me. Then I began to dream of them, and some giant brown cat." He said.
"That's the same with me! You have them too?" I asked. He nodded.
"What about the dreams of-"
"Neako and Fekearo?" SmokeTail nodded. "How...? What does it mean?" I asked nobody. SmokeTail shrugged. "I had a dream with a giant shadow, or black ghost, and you were in the dream" I said, looking down at my paws as I remembered the dream.

SmokeTail looked shocked for a moment before frowning in thought.
"It's strange. All my dreams are about them now, ever since I left HomeValley" SmokeTail said.
I nodded. "Why did you leave?" I asked. He sighed. "Well, the humans and there big mechanical creatures, and there dogs began to take our land, attack us, and steal from us, even badly injuring some. We were drove out. At the time my father was master, leader, alpha, whatever you want to call them. He lead us out of HomeValley, but your father and mother loved there land. They would never leave. That's where there memories lay. So FlamingHeart gave up his father, brothers, and clan, just to stay in his home. I should have stayed with him. He wouldn't have died. Besides, it's safer up there in the mountains. Walls protecting you from every evil and dangerous ghosts lay outside the walls, just waiting for you."he said. "Why did you leave?" He looked at me. "Well, the dogs were getting too much, and we could barely protect ourselves, so about two months ago, me and a traitor dog sealed the exit/entry, and killed and destroyed most of the dogs and machines, but then we couldn't get in with the entrance blocked, so we left to find another clan. We joined one but they accused us and a few kittens of being the shadow, or dark ghost, so now we're on our way to The Peace Clan." I explained. "The Peace clan aye? I thought that would have been the first clan you went to." SmokeTail said. "Why is that?" I asked.
"Because after me and the Maine coons of HomeValley left, we created a new clan, called The Peace Clan. But I stayed as a lone cat after my fathers death, while my brother became master. Or as he calls himself, alpha" SmokeTail said. "So The Peace Clan is all the cats of HomeValley!?" I exclaimed. "Mhm" he nodded.
"I can't wait to go- wait...why don't you come too?" I asked. He shook his head. "I'm sick of clans. Though I am sick of being alone too. I am like your father, I struggle to go by the rules, I'm not a clan cat." He said.
"Why don't you consider being a lone cat too? Just me and you?" He asked. I looker down at my paws as I thought. Just me and you...

A loud hiss was heard from outside, and both our heads snapped to the exit of the den.

BlueWhiskers1
BlueWhiskers; {book 2}
Awakening Shadows.
Chapter 4.