Crushed Future

## Prologue

A shriek of terrible pain echoed through the camp. The cats who weren’t on patrol huddled in little groups, afraid to speak out about what they knew would happen. Pebblecreek, a young queen, was kitting. And it was bad.

According to the medicine cat apprentice, Birchwing, there were three kits. One had already been born, and he was dead. The kit currently trying to come out was coming out tail first.

IceClan knew that Pebblecreek could not possibly survive, and she didn’t. The medicine cat, Echospirit, came out of the nursery, her head bent and eyes dull. “Pebblecreek is gone. There is one surviving kit.”

When the newborn’s father, Sootblaze, heard his mate and two of his kits had gone to StarClan, he immediately devoted his life to Petalkit, the tiniest of her siblings. He refused to let any cat touch her, and decided to sleep in the nursery, afraid that the next morning, he would find the last of his litter dead in the morning.

That night, Echospirit had a dream. A huge group of enormous dog-like creatures, but with wintery shades of gray and white stormed the camp. Their gleaming sharp teeth and long claws ripped into the Clan.

Then a flower rose from a bush on the side of camp. Slowly all the petals were blown away, but the last one lifted the Clan and took them far, far away.

A voice sounded in Echospirit’s head. The last petal will save the Clan. The last petal. The last petal..

## Chapter 1

“Yaaaaaaaay!” screeched Petalkit. She bounced crazily out of the nursery, eyes wild with excitement. Today was the day she and her foster littermates became APPRENTICES! It was SO EXCITING.

Alderkit, Jumpkit, and Harekit tumbled out after her. The four of them were best friends, and they did everything together. The other three kits were actually older than Petalkit, but since they were so close, Whisperstar and Petalkit’s foster mother, Lilyflower, decided that they could wait for their little sister.

Thinking about their decision, Petalkit raised her head proudly. Even though she was the youngest, Petalkit was the leader of their little kit-Clan. The tiny, motherless kitten had become a fearless, beautiful and enthusiastic young cat.

Following the four kits were Lilyflower and Petalkit’s father, Sootblaze. After her mother died and Alderkit, Jumpkit, and Harekit’s father died too, Lilyflower and Sootblaze had become so close that now they were mates, and Alderkit, Jumpkit, and Harekit were really her siblings!

*IceClan is the best! We can hunt on the snowy ground and ANYWHERE! I’m going to lead us one day!* Petalkit thought happily. *I’ll make sure every cat is safe, and we’ll always be the strongest cats. Petalstar!*

The young tortoiseshell was suddenly dragged backward, and Sootblaze’s familiar scent washed over her. “Sootblaze!” Petalkit protested. “I’m going to be an apprentice! Don’t embarrass me!”

Sootblaze let out a meow of laughter and began fiercely pulling his tongue through his daughter’s fur, washing out the leaves and random things stuck inside. “Pebblecreek,” he whispered. “Are you watching over our daughter now?”

“Let all cats join under the Snowrock for a Clan meeting!” Whisperstar’s beautiful silver tabby fur leaped onto the forever snow-covered rock.

“It’s TIIIIIME!” Jumpkit hurtled out of Lilyflower’s grasp as she tried to groom him. The other kits ran after him, pushing through the mass of cats closer to the Snowrock.

“Come on, guys,” hissed Petalkit. “We got to be at the front, it’s OUR ceremony!”

Whisperstar began to speak. “Today, we honor the becoming of four new apprentices. Petalkit, Harekit, Alderkit, and Jumpkit, come here.” The four kits scrambled up the tumbledown to Snowrock.

Petalkit gazed down at her Clan. This is what it must feel like to be a leader.

“These kits are now six moons old, more or less,” Whisperstar called out. “StarClan, I call upon you to guide them these next few moons of their lives. Dewsplash, you are a new warrior, but I trust you will give great teachings to Alderpaw.”

The stocky gray tom lifted his head in pride and surprise, and walked over to touch noses with his new apprentice.

“Jumppaw, your mentor will be Amberstorm.”

Amberstorm, Dewsplash’s sister, touched her nose to Jumppaw’s. “We’re going to have so much fun!” she whispered excitedly.

“And Petalkit, you will now known as Petalpaw. Your mentor will be Songflight.” There was a confusion in the silver leader’s gaze that Petalpaw didn’t understand, but she went to go touch her nose to the small, sleek gray-and-white she-cat.

“I’ll be the best apprentice ever!” Petalpaw said to her new mentor. Songflight gave her a warm look, and they padded off to watch the rest of the ceremony.

Whisperstar began again. “The rest of the ceremony will be announced by Echospirit.”

The Clan murmured in surprise. “Harekit wants to be a medicine cat!” Alderpaw cried. “She never told us!”

The elderly medicine cat picked her way to the top of the rock. “IceClan, as you know, I am growing old. Every day I grieve for Birchwing, and he would have made a wonderful medicine cat, had the dogs not have come last leaf-bare. I need a new apprentice, and I think Harekit is it.”

“Harekit, is it your wish to become a medicine cat?”

“Yes.” The tiny brown she-kit’s voice shook, but it was full of certainty.

“Then you will become Harepaw. You will train in the ways of a medicine cat, and learn to heal and speak to StarClan.”

“Alderpaw! Jumppaw! Petalpaw! Harepaw!” IceClan acclaimed it’s newest apprentices.

Sootblaze cheered the loudest for his daughter and mate’s kits. He loved Lilyflower, but his first child still had a special place in his heart. Pebblecreek! He called out silently. I hope you forgive me. I’ll always love you, but Lilyflower…

Then he noticed a blurry haze weaving around Petalpaw. Pebblecreek! His first mate’s fur was a faint outline, but it shimmered like stars and she was obviously there.

'Then the shape ran gracefully over the Clan towards him. Sootblaze. I love you too. And I want you to be happy.***​***

## Chapter 2

Echospirit was dreaming.

She saw the vision of the last petal and the huge dogs again, but then after, her former apprentice Birchwing appeared, his brown pelt sleek and golden eyes shining, unlike when he died, his fur tattered and bloody, eyes dull.

“Birchwing!” she cried, eyes clouding with grief. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have let you out into the snow…”

“Echospirit,” the young tom murmured. “It’s not your fault. I went out on my own. And I’m happy here, in StarClan.”

His eyes shadowed. “I’m here to warn you. The wolves are coming, and we have chosen three cats who are able to save IceClan.”

“Wolves?!” Echospirit exclaimed. “I thought they were only in nursery stories!”

Birchwing shook his head sadly. “They are, unfortunately, very real. And they will not rest until our Clan has been driven away. These three cats, though, can save you. But there is a threat against them. Keep them safe, Echospirit, for IceClan’s future rests in their paws…”

“Birchwing!” the old medicine cat called. “Please show me who they are!”

“You will find out in your own time. But you must keep them out of harm’s way, or IceClan will die.” With that, Birchwing faded away, and Echospirit awoke.

“Harepaw!” she hissed into the dark cave. The brand-new apprentice woke up.

“Yes, Echospirit?” The elderly cat led her apprentice up to Whisperstar’s den.

“There’s news,” she announced, blue eyes sparkling with fear, to the IceClan leader. Suddenly Echospirit’s eyes blurred, and her voice spoke in a deep voice that was not hers.

“Echospirit? Harepaw? What’s going on?” Whisperstar’s bewildered voice echoed through the dark cave as she woke up. “Echospirit! Tell me what’s going on!”

Suddenly Echospirit’s eyes blurred, and her voice spoke in a deep voice that was not hers. “The last petal must rise, before the Clan falls.”

## Chapter 3

*Wolves.*Whisperstar thought to herself the next morning, on her way to the fresh-kill pile. *Wolves!*

Echospirit had explained her dream and the omen she had recieved to her last night. It was crazy! The ferocious, deadly creatures were thought to only exist in tales that queens told their kits to keep them in the nest at night.

Whisperstar chose a snow hare and hailed her deputy, Blizzard