Skystorm's Choice

A Super Edition about Skystorm, in the world of Lostwoods.

## Blurb

Skystorm has lived a good life as a well-respected senior warrior; Just a few battles here and there. But then an evil group of cats kidnaps his mate, Brightberry, planning to destroy the clans. Skystorm is the only one with this knowledge, so he must go and warn the clans. But what about Brightberry? Skystorm must make a choice: save the clans from impending doom....... or save the only cat left who loves him.

## Prologue

Silversky watched with sadness as Skystorm asked Brightberry to be his mate. She watched as Brightberry agreed, and they twined tails. Silversky looked away. She *wanted* to be happy for them, but she couldn't forget the horrifying visions she had of the future.

Silversky raced off through the meadow connected to Starclan. The wind ruffled her fur, but not a lot, making it perfect, as all things were in Starclan. She sprinted to the lake, with its sparkling waters that glimmered in the sunlight. There were no Twolegs here either; this was a paradise for cats.

"Hey, Silversky! Where are you going?" Silversky stopped and turned around. Behind her was a beautiful golden-brown she-cat with long fur and soft brown eyes. The cat was Hazelheart, her old mentor.

"Silversky!" Hazelheart said again. "Do you want to go hunting with me, Blackwish, and Pinelight?"

Blackwish was a tall black tom with patches of white and sharp, ice blue eyes. Pinelight, on the other hand, was a small, dappled brown tom with golden eyes. Her brother.

"No thanks," Silversky mewed quickly. "I..... need to do something."

"Well, okay then." And in a flash, the patrol was gone.

Silversky continued racing up to where a small cave rested, and in it, the Moonpool. Silversky stopped, then smiled softly at herself. "Even now, I still have the habit of thinking only medicine cats are allowed down here." She muttered to herself.

She carefully walked down, and her worries resurfaced. Quickly, she plunged her nose into the waters, thinking, *I need to see who the cats were in my vision!*

Immediately, she found herself in an alleyway, surrounded by rotting carcasses and other filth. Silversky wrinkled her nose, disgusted about how cats would listlessly throw food away. *All of this could have fed a whole clan!*

Then she saw them. Five big, burly toms, three of which seemed to be reporting to the other two. "We have found three more cats who wish to join our ranks." A ginger one stepped forward.

"Good." A smoky black tom replied, his yellow eyes flashing with satisfaction. "Soon we will have enough cats to drive out those pesky clans!"

Silversky stumbled back, eyes widened. *Oh no! I have to go warn Shadowclan!* She reappeared back at the moonpool, and a vision swept over her.

*Darkness. Red. Blood. Fighting. Desperate mews. Skystorm. Brightberry. Claws. Death. Win. Lost.*

Silversky was pulled back, realizing the horrible truth. She looked back through the Moonpool, this time seeing Skystorm and Brightberry sharing a large sparrow.

Her eyes glistened with tears as she thought, *I'm so sorry this destiny was placed on your shoulders, my son. That the fate of the clans would rest in your paws. That you would have to make the most important decision of all.*

## Chapter 1

Skystorm pricked his ears. A mouse was eating some seeds at the roots of a tree. *Finally!* Despite is being Greenleaf, he hadn't seen any other prey all morning. But he would wonder about that later. First he had to catch this mouse.

Skystorm crouched low, his tail just swishing above the ground. He carefully moved closer, avoiding any dead leaves or twigs. He stopped, then pounced, landing straight onto the mouse. He quickly killed it, then picked up his catch.

"I'm surprised you didn't squish that mouse, Skystorm!" Skystorm watched as Brightberry stepped out of the bushes, holding a vole. He rolled his eyes as she added, "You know, I almost feel sorry for the mouse, after watching you."

Skystorm walked over to her. "I see you didn't do any better than me." He remarked.

"I did, actually." she teased, nudging him playfully. "I buried my other catches. You're just a bad hunter."

Skystorm snorted, and said, "I'm gonna bring this back to the fresh-kill pile." Brightberry nodded, and left.

Skystorm smiled. His mate loved to joke around and make cats happy. That's why he loved her. He could never make others laugh the way she did. Skystorm looked back down at his mouse. *Sure, it would be a good meal for the elders, but why only one?* He thought, puzzled. Sighing, he picked up his catch and headed back.

As soon as Skystorm could drop his mouse on the fresh-kill pile, a voice called out, "Is that seriously all you could catch?"

Skystorm turned to see a dark brown tabby tom coming towards him. Tigerpelt. He loved annoying and teasing everyone, and that meant *everyone*. He would even do it to the deputy.

"Seriously, I've seen apprentices do better! And in Greenleaf?" Tigerpelt told him. Skystorm rolled his eyes. "Yes, it was the only thing I could catch. But there hasn't been very much prey near the abandoned Twoleg nest." He replied coolly. Tigerpelt smirked. "Pfffft. Nice excuse, elder." Tigerpelt wormed his way past him, choosing a starling, and walked off.

*Ugh, why can't warriors actually be serious about these things once in a while?* Skystorm narrowed his eyes at him, then stalked away. *I'm going to try to catch some more prey.*

Skystorm neared the place where there was little to no prey. He was *going* to hunt, but his curiosity bested him. Nothing unusual was happening; just no prey. Skystorm was just about turn back when he saw a bramble bush with some broken branches. Eyes widened, he hurried over. *What the-* He stopped when a pugent odor hit his nose. It was like a mixture of rot, mud, and...

*Rouges.* Skystorm felt a growl rise in his throat, but forced it down. *They could still be here.* *I need to go tell Hazestar this!*

## Chapter 2

"Rouges? This seems highly unlikely." Hazestar told Skystorm. After finding the rouge's scent, he had quickly raced to camp to tell her everything. Though Hazestar wasn't buying it.

"I mean, wouldn't rouges eat their catches on the spot? And how would they know how to disguise their scent?" Hazestar continued, eyeing Skystorm.

Skystorm was usually known for keeping a cool head, but today he couldn't. Not when Hazestar was ignoring evidence laid out in front of her!

"Look," Skystorm hissed. "Do you have any other reasonable explanation as to why prey is disapearing in the middle of Greenleaf? I've scented rouges over there, and yet you won't even listen to me!"

Hazestar narrowed his eyes at him. "Fine. I'll send a patrol to check." she sat down calmly. "But if my warriors find there is nothing there, then there's nothing there." Shre licked her paw and drew it over her ear, signaling the conversation was over. Skystorm huffed in frustration and walked over to the warriors den, where he saw Brightberry sitting.

"Well, that was the most peaceful argument I've seen in my life!" She said sarcastically as he sat beside her. Skystorm chuckled, feeling his spirits lift a little. *I love Brightberry.* He gazed warmly at her mate. *She always knows what to say to make me feel better.*

Brightberry suddenly stood up. She looked at him. "You said you smelled rouges, right?"

"Yes." Skystorm answered, confused.

"Well, come on then." Before Skystorm knew it, Brightberry was at the camp entrance, and going out of camp. He raced out after her. "What are you doing?" He exclaimed when he caught up to her.

"You said you scented rouges, so we should go check." She answered, not breaking her stride. "Hazestar won't send patrols out until later. What if they come back while she waits?"

*What if they come back while we're checking?* The thought slipped through his mind. He felt bile rise up in his throat, but forced it down and continued walking.

The two mates pad around the clearing, searching for rouge scent. They found none, though. Just some faint scents of pine and marsh. Skystorm was just about to give up when he recognized something. *This is the same rouge scent I found earlier!* He paced around where he had found it. But he stopped when something slowly dawned on him. *But wait, why is it fresh? Almost as if they were just here-*

Suddenly, a screech rang out, driving all the birds from the trees. Skystorm instantly recognized who it was. *Brightberry!* He looked to where she had been standing, but she was gone. He raced in that direction for a few moments until he found her; lying in the grass, unconscious, while a small pool of blood was forming around her head.

Skystorm's eyes widened. He screeched out desperately, "*Brightberr-*!" But he never finished.

Because the next thing he saw was the ground racing towards him.

## Chapter 3

Skystorm opened his eye, finding himself in a small den. The scents of herbs and berries wafted into his nose.

"Where am I?" He asked tiredly. A brown and white she-cat rushed over, calling back, "Brownear! He's awake!"

Skystorm then realized where he was. *The medicine den!* He sat up and felt a sharp pain in his head. "Ow," He muttered, and looked around. "Hey, where's Brightberry?" *Oh no.* "Brightberry?"

Brownear came out from the other side of the den. He was a brown tabby tom. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Do you feel any throbbing anywhere?" But Skystorm wasn't listening. "Where's Brightberry?"

Brownear looked down. Skystorm narrowed his eyes. "*Where's* *Brightberry?"* He growled, feeling his fur rise.

Brownear looked at him. "Well... I don't know the whole story..... but the warriors who brought you back said that three rouges dragged Brightberry away," He mewed solemly.

"WHAT?!" Skystorm roared. "I need to go out immediately. We *have* to find her!" He tried walking, but Brownear pushed him down.

"No," Brownear told him sternly. "You need to stay here and get better." Skystorm tried to protest, but Brownear cut him off. Skystorm watched angrily as Brownear's gaze softened. "Look, Skystorm, I didn't want to be the one to have to tell you this, but I am. The patrols have been scouring the whole Twolegplace, and there's still no sign of her. There might be a chance that's she's not even alive at all anymore."

Skystorm spent the next few days moping around the medicine den in depression. *Brightberry..... she's probably dead.* He thought miserably. Skystorm dragged himself back to his nest and flopped down as Brownear came out. Brownear spotted him, narrowing his eyes.

"Look, I know you're grieving, but you need to snap out of it." Brownear said sharply. "You've been better for a few days, and yet you still stay here. Is that how a warrior should act? You're clanmates *need* you, Skystorm."

Skystorm looked up and blinked at him. "You're right." He mewed solemnly. "I'm disappointing my clanmates. I need to stop and help." Slowly, he climbed out of his nest, and walked out. He gazed around.

Nothing had seemingly changed; the tree stump as the fresh-kill pile was half full, Lightwhisker and Toadleap lazing on the smooth stones by the elder's den, and most of the apprentices and warriors were out, leaving the bramble dens almost empty. Skystorm sighed. *But everything has changed.* He watched as Lynxpaw suddenly dashed in and snatched a frog from the fresh-kill pile, then raced away. *You know, I could try a bit of hunting by myself...*