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Warriors: Clouded Stars
By therougecat
This story is still in progress, so please don't think it's finished!
Chapter 1
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Wolfpaw woke up to Eaglepaw prodding her in the side. "Wolfpaw, Wolfpaw, wake up! It's time for a patrol! Ravenclaw chose us for the Dawn patrol!" Wolfpaw blinked sleepily. "Time, already?" Wolfpaw got up, stretched, then headed out of her den. She hoped she wouldn't have to do training after this, she was tired, and wanted to go back to sleep after the patrol. Wolfpaw went over to the fresh-kill pile, swallowed a mouse in a few swift bites, and headed over to where the cats were gathering for the dawn patrol. Ashears was waiting for her, with Ravenclaw, Owlwhisker, and Eaglepaw. "C'mon, let's go!" Eaglepaw was jumping up and down. Ravenclaw nodded and led the cats out. Wolfpaw grew less tired as the scents of the forest flooded in around her. She smelled pine, the nearby river, and the mouth-watering scent of rabbit. Owlwhisker and Ravenclaw had gone ahead to mark the borders.Wolfpaw paused to sniff the air. The rabbit she had scented earlier was closer. She dropped into the hunting crouch, and stalked closer. She wiggled her haunches, then pounced, and landed on her target. Wolfpaw killed the rabbit with a swift bite to it's throat, then buried it to get later. Wolfpaw padded back to the rest of the patrol, and continued on.Later on, after the patrol, Wolfpaw was sharing tongues with her best friend, Eaglepaw. "Have you heard about that fox on SwampClan territory?" he asked. "Yeah," Wolfpaw replied, "I heard it was pretty big. I wonder if they drove it off yet?" "If I were a SwampClan cat, I would chase that fox all the way to Twolegplace!" Eaglepaw said, proudly. Just then, Ravenclaw came padding up. "Would you two like to come to the Gathering tomorrow night?" the MountainClan deputy asked. "Yes!" the two apprentices said in unison. All Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw could talk about after that was going to their first Gathering. "You guys are sooo lucky!" Stonepaw, one of the younger apprentices, said. "I probably won't be able to go to a Gathering until a moon from now," Redpaw joined in. The two younger apprentices looked up at Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw with respect. "Be sure to tell us about it!" Stonepaw said.By therougecat
This story is still in progress, so please don't think it's finished!
Chapter 1
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The Gathering had finally came. Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw were very excited. A group of cats was forming near the entrance to the valley. In the front was Lionstar, followed by his deputy, Ravenclaw, then Owlwhisker, Ashears, Blacktail, Sunfur, Smokeface, and Birchtail. Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw were towards the back of the group.Flowerpelt came up to Smokeface and gave her mate a quick grooming. "Bye, Wolfpaw, bye, Eaglepaw, be sure to tell us what happened!" Redpaw told them. "Yeah, I want to know what happens!" Stonepaw joined in. "Bye!" Redpaw and Stonepaw said together. Lionstar led the group of cats to the Stonecircle, where the Gatherings had always been held for generations. Desertclan was already there. Lionstar signaled the cats with a flick of his tail, and the cats ran towards the clearing. They leapt over the large rocks that surrounded the huge tree, then gathered under the large tree. Wolfpaw immediately headed over to a group of apprentices, and Eaglepaw followed her. The apprentices were talking about warrior names. "I think my warrior name will be Hawktail or Hawkfeather," one was saying. Wolfpaw assumed that apprentice's name was Hawkpaw. Another was saying, "I hope my warrior name will be Rainclaw." "Hi! Whatcha doing?" Wolfpaw joined in. "Hello! We're talking about our warrior names. What do you think your warrior name will be?" Hawkpaw asked Wolfpaw. "I think I'll be Wolffur or Wolfwhisker." Swampclan appeared over the horizon, followed by Oceanclan. Five more apprentices joined the group. "Hi, Rainpaw!" one of them said. "Hey, Heronpaw!" Rainpaw replied. "Shhh, I think the Gathering has started," a cat named Bluepaw said.Wolfpaw's thought trailed off as Desertclan's leader, Yellowstar, announced a new warrior, and the scent of fox detected on their territory. Wolfpaw started paying attention when Swampclan's leader, Oakstar, started talking about the fox. He said that they hadn't killed the fox yet, and warned the other clans about it. When Dapplestar, leader of Oceanclan, came up, she, too, reported fox-scent. She also reported two new warriors, Graypelt and Sparrowwhisker. All Lionstar had to report was a new warrior, Willowpelt, and two new apprentices, Stonepaw and Redpaw. When the Gathering was over, the group of cats parted, and the Mountainclan cats headed back to camp.Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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Of course, when the group got back from the Gathering, Stonepaw and Redpaw were waiting. "So, what happened?" Stonepaw mewed. "Nothing much," Eaglepaw replied, "Although that fox is still on Swampclan territory." Just then, Owlwhisker, Blacktail, and Brackenfoot crashed through the entrance to the valley. "Fox...our...territory...Swampclan...attacking...it..." Owlwhisker gasped. Lionstar hurried out of his den, and started calling off cats to go."Owlwhisker, Blacktail, Brackenfoot, you found the fox, so you go. Ashears, Sunfur, Wolfpaw, you go with them. Robinheart, Leopardpaw, be ready with herbs." "Yes, Lionstar," Robinheart replied. The group of cats chosen to fight the fox gathered in the middle of the valley, then left. "This way," Brackenfoot said. He led the cats to a snarling fury of cats and a fox. The Mountainclan cats flung themselves into the battle. After that, Wolfpaw couldn't even keep track of where her tail was. She just lashed out at anything that looked like reddish-orange fur. She heard a yelp and saw the same Swampclan cat she saw at the gathering biting down on the fox's tail. She was distracted long enough to get thrown off by the fox, then the fox pinned her down. It seemed as if she was going to die, but she didn't. Just at the right moment, the Swampclan apprentice bit down on the fox's tail again, and the fox let go of Wolfpaw. "Thanks," she gasped, then attacked the fox again. She flung herself at it, then started clawing at it's side. It tried to shake her off, but she held on. The fox nipped her tail, and Wolfpaw yowled and let go. She looked up to see Owlwhisker and a Swampclan cat hanging on to the fox's neck, trying to bite it's throat. The fox shook itself, and Owlwhisker fell off, but the Swampclan cat stayed on and bit down hard on the fox's neck. He missed the throat, but caused the fox enough pain to drive it off the Clans' territories.The fox ran off, leaving the Clan cats alone in the clearing. "What were you doing on Mountainclan territory?" Ashears questioned the Swampclan cats. "We were originally fighting the fox on our territory, near the border, when we were on our way back from the gathering. I guess the battle just moved over to your territory, without us noticing," a Swampclan cat by the name of Featherpelt replied. "Well, you should probably leave now, before you get in trouble," Sunfur said, gently. "Thanks for saving me," Wolfpaw said to the Swampclan apprentice. "No problem," he said, "By the way, my name's Robinpaw." "I'm Wolfpaw," Wolfpaw said. Then she waved her tail in good-bye to the Swampclan cats, then headed back to her own camp with her clanmates. "You fought pretty well," her mentor, Ashears said, "You might become a Warrior soon." Wolfpaw's fur warmed with pride.When they got back to camp, Wolfpaw saw Eaglepaw emerging from the Elders' den. When he spotted her, he rushed over. "What happened?" he asked. Wolfpaw didn't have time to answer as Eaglepaw said, "Look at those wounds! We'd better get you to Robinheart's den!" Eaglepaw padded toward the small cave with his tail resting on Wolfpaw's shoulder. Leopardpaw greeted them there. "Hello Eaglepaw, Hi Wolfpaw," she meowed. Wolfpaw opened her mouth to speak, but Eaglepaw spoke first. "You should take a look at this scratch on Wolfpaw's shoulder," he said. Leopardpaw inspected it. "Wait here and lick it, while I get some herbs. Wolfpaw started cleaning her wounds. Leopardpaw came back a few moments later with cobwebs, burdock root, and another herb Wolfpaw couldn't identify. Leopardpaw put down the bundle, then picked up the burdock root and chewed it into a pulp. Then she rubbed it into Wolfpaw's cut. Wolfpaw winced as Leopardpaw put the herb on, because it stung at first. Then Leopardpaw chewed up the other herb (not the cobweb) and muttered, "Horsetail." Leopardpaw put it on the wound, too, then covered it all up with cobweb. "You should stay here tonight," Leopardpaw mewed, then nodded to Eaglepaw. "I know you want to stay with Wolfpaw, but there's no room," Leopardpaw said to him. Eaglepaw's head drooped a bit, but he remained cheerful. "Okay," he said, "Bye, Wolfpaw, see you tomorrow!" Then the young cat left the Medicine Cat's den and headed to the apprentices' den.Wolfpaw stared out at the branches that hung about two tail-lengths from the opening to the small cave. It was beginning to get dark out. Just then, a brown tabby face poked in. It was Robinheart. "Mind if I come in?" he asked politely. Wolfpaw moved aside to let the Medicine cat in. He walked to the back of the cave and started sorting herbs. "Leopardpaw, could you please come over and help me?" Robinheart asked the Medicine Cat Apprentice. "Sure!" Leopardpaw replied happily. Wolfpaw gently touched Leopardpaw with her tail. Leopardpaw looked at Wolfpaw. "Can I go out? Just outside the cave?" Wolfpaw asked. Leopardpaw nodded, then headed over to Robinheart. Wolfpaw padded out. The sky was a dark indigo-blue, and stars were appearing. She looked up. The gentle sound of crickets filled the night, and Wolfpaw could hear the distant howl of wolves. The stars were bright that night. Wolfpaw sat gazing at the beautiful Green-leaf sky, enjoying the warm night for about an hour, when something strange happened. For a second, the stars looked like a cat with long fur, not unlike herself. That kind of looked like my reflection in the lake when the water's clear, Wolfpaw thought. She searched the sky again, but couldn't find anything.Wolfpaw was getting tired, so she padded back into the Medicine Cat's den, and found a nice bed of moss, then fell asleep.That night, she dreamed she was in the forest on Mountainclan territory. To her left she could see the desert stretched out, Desertclan's territory. To her right, the swamp on Swampclan's territory. In the distance, she could see the blue-green glimmer of the ocean, stretched out on the horizon. All of a sudden, darkness fell. She looked up and saw millions of stars in the sky. Wolfpaw immediately saw the star-cat she saw in the sky before she fell asleep. The star-cat seemed to be coming closer and closer, until it looked almost exactly like a real cat. It jumped out of the sky and landed right in front of Wolfpaw. She gazed up at the magnificent tom that stood before her. He had glimmering green eyes, long silver fur, a warm smile, and... stars. Stars glittered all over his fur. He looked down at Wolfpaw, and she looked up at him. After what seemed like ages, he spoke. He had a warm, friendly voice. He said, "Hello, young apprentice." Wolfpaw was so dazzled that she couldn't speak. She was amazed at the thing that happened next.
The gray tom spoke again. "You can call me Mountainstar."
The gray tom spoke again. "You can call me Mountainstar."
Chapter 3
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"N-n-no, that's not possible. No cat is allowed, no matter what Clan they're in, to have their name begin with 'Ocean', 'Desert', 'Swamp', or 'Mountain'. W-why did you get named that?" Wolfpaw stammered. "You see, young apprentice, I was the very first leader of Mountainclan. Oceanstar, Desertstar, and Swampstar were leaders of the other three clans. Here is the story of what happened, in the exact words the elders of long ago told them:"
"Many moons ago, the land was a wilderness, untamed by territories. In the north lay towering mountains, in the south was the crashing ocean and the sandy beach. On the edge of the mountains, a tumbling river flowed from a tumbling waterfall. Cats came to the land. They were drawn by the soft rustling of small creatures, shadows under the water, and the sudden commotion of birds' wings in the trees. These were not warrior cats. They lived in small groups, not yet clans. There were no borders set down. They fought constantly, fearful that prey might run out and their overlapping territories were being threatened. It was a lawless, bloody time for the land, and many cats died.
One night, when the moon was full, the cats agreed to meet in a large clearing surrounded by big stones with a tree in the middle. They argued over stolen prey. Claws flashed; challenging yowls rang across the land. A terrible battle followed, and soon the ground was wet with spilled blood.
Many cats died that night. Exhausted by their wounds, the survivors slept where they had fought. When they woke they were bathed in moonlight. All around them they saw the spirits of the slain kin, no longer torn and bloodied but shining like fallen stars. They huddled on the ground, and, as the spirits spoke, they saw terrible visions of the future. They saw the land drowned in blood, their kits stalked by death at every pawstep. Then they knew the fighting had to end.
'Unite or die' said the spirits.
From among the living cats, a brown tabby tom was the first to speak. He rose from the ground on stiff, battle-wearied legs. 'My name is Swamp' he meowed. 'How should we unite, unless we have a leader? I can hunt in the murky waters of the swamp. How else did I get my name? Let Swamp rule the forest!'
'And you would lead us into damp, dark swamp, too!' meowed a dark gray she-cat with blue eyes. 'I am Ocean! I move over the beach swiftly over stones and logs. It is Ocean, not Swamp, who should unite the forest!'
'The forest is more than Ocean and Swamp,' growled an orange tabby she-cat. 'Desert alone reaches its distant corners. I am as strong as the cacti that live at the desert. I should be the ruler.'
The largest surviving cat was named Mountain. He was a gray tom with glittering green eyes. 'What good is any of that compared to my strength and skill at hunting? If any cat was born to rule, it is I.'
A furious yowl broke out under the four great oaks, watched in silence by the spirit-cats. Dark clouds suddenly blew across the sky and the living cats trembled in fear. On top of a high rock they saw a tabby cat, one of the fallen, her fur shining though there was no light in the sky. Her eyes flashed angrily at the cats on the ground.
'You are all as foolish as mice!' she spat. 'Can't you think beyond yourselves for a moment? Think of your kits!' The four cats- Swamp, Ocean, Desert, and Mountain- looked up at the tabby, but none of them spoke.
'The land is big enough to feed all of your families and many more.' she went on. 'You must find other cats like you, choose a home in these lands, and set down borders.'
At that moment, the moon broke free of the clouds, revealing a circle of starlit spirit-cats. A white tom stepped forward. 'If you do this, we will reward you with eight extra lives, so you may lead your clans for many moons to come.'
Next to speak was a slender tortoiseshell. She stepped forward and stood beside the white tom. 'We will watch over from the Silverpelt,' she promised, and lifted her eyes to the crowded path of stars that swept across the sky. 'We will visit you in your dreams and guide you on your journeys.'
'Once a month,' meowed the white tom, 'at the full moon, you will gather here within the circle of stones, for a night of truce. You will see us above you in Silverpelt and know we will be watching. If blood is spilled on that night, you will know we are angry.'
'You will be warriors!' yowled the tabby from the high rock.
Mountain, Ocean, Swamp, and Desert bowed their heads.
'From now on you will live by a warrior code. Your hearts will be filled with courage and nobility, and if you must fight, it will be not for greed, but for honor and justice.'
There was a long silence. Finally, Mountain nodded his broad gray head. 'This is wise advice. I believe we can choose our territories and lay down borders, fairly and in peace.'
One by one, the other cats murmured their agreement. Then they returned to their homes and sought out cats like themselves, with similar strengths and abilities. Ocean found cats willing to fish for their prey. Swamp gathered night-time hunters with clever minds and sharp claws, and who didn't mind getting their paws wet. Mountain found hunters who could track prey over the tallest mountains. To Desert came the fastest runners and cats that loved the open deserts. Then they divided the land so that each Clan had enough prey to survive, and all cats could live in safety. And when the leaders returned to the circle of stone for the first night of the full-moon truce, their starry ancestors gave them eight more lives, as they had promised.
There was not always peace between the Clans, but that was to be expected- cats are born with claws and teeth for a reason. Still, as long as they lived by the warior code, their fallen ancestors would watch over them and guide them through their lives.
And so the age of the warrior Clans began."
"B-b-but, I thought we were all descendants of Lionclan, Leopardclan, and Tigerclan," Wolfpaw said. "No," Mountainstar purred in amusement, "Those are just tales the elders like to tell today. But don't tell anyone how it all happened!" Wolfpaw nodded."The real reason I wanted to speak to you, though, is to tell you this. You have a great destiny, Wolfpaw, and I am going to mentor you in your dreams to prepare you for that destiny." The noble tom looked down at Wolfpaw. She looked up at him with respect, then Mountainstar turned around, and gave a mighty leap as he thrust himself into the star-lit sky. Wolfpaw looked up, and could see Mountainstar glittering in the sky, as the star-cat she first saw him as. Then she woke up to the warm moss bedding and the scent of herbs in the Medicine Cat's den.
"I-I can't. I can't tell you. You have to see for yourself," Eaglepaw said, "Come with me, tonight." "Okay," Wolfpaw replied. She got up, and decided to go listen to legends from the elders. Wolfpaw listened to how OceanClan's ocean came to be, starting as a puddle on LeopardClan territory, with a group of LeopardClan apprentices splashing in it. When the puddle evaporated in that hot, dry, desert, the LeopardClan apprentices were very sad, and StarClan took pity on them and gave them an endless puddle filled with prey, that has salt in it so it never evaporates. It's a good story, Wolfpaw thought, but it's not true. After listening to the story, Wolfpaw decided to get some sleep, because she was going with Eaglepaw that night. She padded into the apprentices' den, and drifted off to sleep.
She looked up at the sky. Mountainstar was there. He leapt down from the sky, just as he had the night before. "Greetings, Wolfpaw," he said. "Hello, Mountainstar," she replied. "Wolfpaw, I have come to warn you of a cat. They may seem harmless, but they have the power to wipe out the entire of StarClan," Mountainstar said, his smile straightening, "You must be careful, for they are already causing StarClan cats to weaken." Wolfpaw stared up at the magnificent, starry tom and nodded. Then, he thrust himself back up into the sky.
Wolfpaw woke up. The sky was darkening, and cats were padding back to their dens. She looked out, and saw that Sunfur and Owlwhisker were on guard duty. I hope neither of them are the cats weakeningStarClan, she thought. The sky was now dark, and all the cats were asleep in their dens. All, of course, except Wolfpaw, Eaglepaw, and the guards. Eaglepaw beckoned to Wolfpaw to follow him. Wolfpaw did. He ducked behind the apprentices' den, then pointed his tail at the Warriors' den. Ravenclaw poked her head out of the den, looked around, then headed back behind the leader's den. Eaglepaw padded out and followed. Wolfpaw did the same. They stayed a good distance behind, for they knew that Ravenclaw didn't want them following. Ravenclaw led them out of camp, and headed north-west. Eaglepaw broke off from the trail that Ravenfeather was going on, and hid behind a bush. "Wolfpaw," he hissed, "Wolfpaw, you have to promise not to tell anybody what I am going to show you. This is a big secret, nobody can find out or it can put our whole Clan in danger." Wolfpaw nodded. Then, Eaglepaw led them out from under the bush, and followed Ravenclaw's scent. He broke off the trail again, and led Wolfpaw through a different path. They went past the Talltrees, and over Half-Moon Mountain. Soon, the Mooncavern was in sight. "What are you doing?" Wolfpaw hissed. "Shhhhh," Eaglepaw said. He led them closer. They hid behind a bush, and waited. Soon, Ravenclaw was in sight. She took a quick look around, then padded towards the bush. Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw tensed. We're in trouble, Wolfpaw thought, If she sees us spying, we're dead! Luckily, Ravenclaw only plucked a large leaf from the bush. Eaglepaw had to put his tail over Wolfpaw's mouth to keep her from sighing with relief. "Shhhhh," he hissed. He waved his tail to tell Wolfpaw to come closer. They moved closer as they watched Ravenclaw pad into the Mooncavern. "What's she doing?" Wolfpaw asked quietly. "You'll see," Eaglepaw said. They moved closer, and saw Ravenclaw doing something that could get her kicked out of StarClan. Wolfpaw almost gasped. Eaglepaw had a very grim expression on his face. They looked at each other with fear as Ravenclaw padded out with glittering dust bundled in the leaf.
Glittering dust scraped from the crystals of the Mooncavern.
Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw sat still for a while, until they were sure that Ravenclaw was gone. Finally, Wolfpaw spoke. "W-why did she do that?" "I... don't know," Eaglepaw replied, "None of it makes any sense." Wolfpaw looked up at the sky. "We'd better get going back to camp." "Yeah, probably," Eaglepaw said as the two cats headed out from under the bush. They broke into a sprint, heading back the way they came. All of a sudden, Eaglepaw stopped. "We need an excuse for going out at night. Quick, go catch some fresh-kill!" Wolfpaw nodded and started tracking a nearby squirrel. She caught it, and buried it to get later.
By the time she was finished, she had caught a squirrel, two voles, and a thrush. She raced back with her catch in her mouth. Eaglepaw was waiting there. "It's getting light out. Let's get hurry back to camp!" he said. Wolfpaw nodded, and, with their fresh-kill, they ran off toward camp. As they walked in, Ravenclaw padded over to them. "What were you two doing out at night?" she asked. "We couldn't sleep," Wolfpaw replied, "So we went out hunting." "Well, you should have asked a Warrior before you did that. Follow me to Lionstar's den," the deputy said. The two apprentices nodded, and followed Ravenclaw.
They padded into the den, and Lionstar opened one of his eyes. "Yes?" he asked. Ravenclaw replied, "These two apprentices were out at night," she huffed, "and they didn't ask." Wolfpaw wanted to yowl, YOU WERE OUT AT NIGHT, TOO! but she didn't. She knew she could get in big trouble for yelling at a Warrior, more or less the Clan Deputy. She just snorted and looked away. "Ravenclaw, follow me," Lionstar said, and padded towards the far corner of the stone den. Ravenclaw followed. As soon as they were there, Wolfpaw hissed to Eaglepaw, "I think she knows we were following her, or at least she's suspicious. We'd better be careful." Eaglepaw nodded. Wolfpaw stole a glance at Lionstar and Ravenclaw, and Ravenclaw had a disappointed look on her face. Then the deputy and leader started padding over to Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw. The teo apprentices looked up at Lionstar, trying to avoid Ravenclaw's stare. "You shouldn't have snuck out at night without asking," the leader started, "but, since you brought back lots of prey, I am letting you off with a light punishment. Today, you are to help Robinheart and Leopardpaw gather herbs."
Lionstar let the two apprentices out of the den. They immediately headed towards the fresh-kill pile. "Oh, no you don't," a voice said from behind them. They whirled around to see Ravenclaw. "You may not eat until the Warriors, Elders, and Queens have eaten, and you have finished your Apprentice duties." Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw sighed, and padded towards Robinheart's den. They poked their heads in. "Hello," Leopardpaw's friendly voice said from the dim cave, "come in." Wolfpaw was a bit glad to be assigned this duty. No matter how rude the Warriors could be to her, she could always trust her sister, Leopardpaw, and her mentor. She padded into the den, with Eaglepaw behind her. "So, what brings you here?" Leopardpaw asked. Eaglepaw replied, "We are here to help you gather herbs, we hope you don't mind." "Oh, not at all," a voice said from the opening to the cave as Robinheart came in, "We were just about to go. Now, Leopardpaw, could you tell me what herbs we need?" Leopardpaw nodded and started counting the herbs.A few moments later, she looked up and said, "Tansy, catmint, and juniper berries. Some borage couldn't hurt, either." Robinheart nodded and led the cats out of camp. Wolfpaw glanced back at Ravenclaw. She looked up from eating a plump mouse, licked her mouth, then started eating again. Wolfpaw's stomach growled. She looked away and followed the group.
"Leopardpaw, coud you tell me where you would find some tansy?" the medicine cat asked. Leopardpaw took a moment to sniff the air, and replied, "That way," pointing her tail north. "What about catmint?" Robinheart asked. Once again, Leopardpaw sniffed the air. "That way," she said again, this time pointing east. "And juniper berries are that way," she added proudly, pointing her tail west. "Now, Eaglepaw, please get the tansy, while Wolfpaw, you get the catmint. Leopardpaw, please fetch the juniper berries, while I get the borage." And with that, the cats split up.
Wolfpaw raced in the direction that Leopardpaw had indicated. After a while, she came across the tansy. She recognized it from when she had a bad cough when she was a kit. Carefully, she picked the delicate plant and ran back with it in her mouth. Robinheart was already waiting there, and in a few moments Leopardpaw and Eaglepaw burst through the bright green bushes. "Let's go back to camp," the Medicine Cat said, and they returned.
That night, Wolfpaw dreamed she was in an unfamilliar forest. Scents of warm prey and the forest flooded in around her. She looked at a rustling bush, and a gray head poked out. It was Mountainstar. He padded out towards Wolfpaw. "StarClan cats are becoming weaker," he said, "and we have found the source of our weakness. We believe that you are the only one who can save the Clans. Follow me."
Wolfpaw was confused. Normally, Mountainstar greeted her with a friendly voice. Now, he sounded terrified. She decided she had no choice but to follow him. He led her through the bright forest, which she figured must be StarClan's forest. Eventually, it became darker and darker. The forest was becoming colder. finally, Wolfpaw could barely see, and had to rely on the warm pelt of Mountainstar to guide her. He led her to a dark clearing, and there she saw Ravenclaw and some strange cat. Wolfpaw gasped as she recognized the cat. She had heard of him in the nursery and the elders' den, but never thought he was real.
From what the Elders had told her, he was the most evil cat ever to have walked the forest. He was black and white, and had a huge scar running down his side. He was the son of a MountainClan medicine cat and a SwampClan Warrior.
He was Yowlfur, and he was talking with Ravenclaw.
"Many moons ago, the land was a wilderness, untamed by territories. In the north lay towering mountains, in the south was the crashing ocean and the sandy beach. On the edge of the mountains, a tumbling river flowed from a tumbling waterfall. Cats came to the land. They were drawn by the soft rustling of small creatures, shadows under the water, and the sudden commotion of birds' wings in the trees. These were not warrior cats. They lived in small groups, not yet clans. There were no borders set down. They fought constantly, fearful that prey might run out and their overlapping territories were being threatened. It was a lawless, bloody time for the land, and many cats died.
One night, when the moon was full, the cats agreed to meet in a large clearing surrounded by big stones with a tree in the middle. They argued over stolen prey. Claws flashed; challenging yowls rang across the land. A terrible battle followed, and soon the ground was wet with spilled blood.
Many cats died that night. Exhausted by their wounds, the survivors slept where they had fought. When they woke they were bathed in moonlight. All around them they saw the spirits of the slain kin, no longer torn and bloodied but shining like fallen stars. They huddled on the ground, and, as the spirits spoke, they saw terrible visions of the future. They saw the land drowned in blood, their kits stalked by death at every pawstep. Then they knew the fighting had to end.
'Unite or die' said the spirits.
From among the living cats, a brown tabby tom was the first to speak. He rose from the ground on stiff, battle-wearied legs. 'My name is Swamp' he meowed. 'How should we unite, unless we have a leader? I can hunt in the murky waters of the swamp. How else did I get my name? Let Swamp rule the forest!'
'And you would lead us into damp, dark swamp, too!' meowed a dark gray she-cat with blue eyes. 'I am Ocean! I move over the beach swiftly over stones and logs. It is Ocean, not Swamp, who should unite the forest!'
'The forest is more than Ocean and Swamp,' growled an orange tabby she-cat. 'Desert alone reaches its distant corners. I am as strong as the cacti that live at the desert. I should be the ruler.'
The largest surviving cat was named Mountain. He was a gray tom with glittering green eyes. 'What good is any of that compared to my strength and skill at hunting? If any cat was born to rule, it is I.'
A furious yowl broke out under the four great oaks, watched in silence by the spirit-cats. Dark clouds suddenly blew across the sky and the living cats trembled in fear. On top of a high rock they saw a tabby cat, one of the fallen, her fur shining though there was no light in the sky. Her eyes flashed angrily at the cats on the ground.
'You are all as foolish as mice!' she spat. 'Can't you think beyond yourselves for a moment? Think of your kits!' The four cats- Swamp, Ocean, Desert, and Mountain- looked up at the tabby, but none of them spoke.
'The land is big enough to feed all of your families and many more.' she went on. 'You must find other cats like you, choose a home in these lands, and set down borders.'
At that moment, the moon broke free of the clouds, revealing a circle of starlit spirit-cats. A white tom stepped forward. 'If you do this, we will reward you with eight extra lives, so you may lead your clans for many moons to come.'
Next to speak was a slender tortoiseshell. She stepped forward and stood beside the white tom. 'We will watch over from the Silverpelt,' she promised, and lifted her eyes to the crowded path of stars that swept across the sky. 'We will visit you in your dreams and guide you on your journeys.'
'Once a month,' meowed the white tom, 'at the full moon, you will gather here within the circle of stones, for a night of truce. You will see us above you in Silverpelt and know we will be watching. If blood is spilled on that night, you will know we are angry.'
'You will be warriors!' yowled the tabby from the high rock.
Mountain, Ocean, Swamp, and Desert bowed their heads.
'From now on you will live by a warrior code. Your hearts will be filled with courage and nobility, and if you must fight, it will be not for greed, but for honor and justice.'
There was a long silence. Finally, Mountain nodded his broad gray head. 'This is wise advice. I believe we can choose our territories and lay down borders, fairly and in peace.'
One by one, the other cats murmured their agreement. Then they returned to their homes and sought out cats like themselves, with similar strengths and abilities. Ocean found cats willing to fish for their prey. Swamp gathered night-time hunters with clever minds and sharp claws, and who didn't mind getting their paws wet. Mountain found hunters who could track prey over the tallest mountains. To Desert came the fastest runners and cats that loved the open deserts. Then they divided the land so that each Clan had enough prey to survive, and all cats could live in safety. And when the leaders returned to the circle of stone for the first night of the full-moon truce, their starry ancestors gave them eight more lives, as they had promised.
There was not always peace between the Clans, but that was to be expected- cats are born with claws and teeth for a reason. Still, as long as they lived by the warior code, their fallen ancestors would watch over them and guide them through their lives.
And so the age of the warrior Clans began."
"B-b-but, I thought we were all descendants of Lionclan, Leopardclan, and Tigerclan," Wolfpaw said. "No," Mountainstar purred in amusement, "Those are just tales the elders like to tell today. But don't tell anyone how it all happened!" Wolfpaw nodded."The real reason I wanted to speak to you, though, is to tell you this. You have a great destiny, Wolfpaw, and I am going to mentor you in your dreams to prepare you for that destiny." The noble tom looked down at Wolfpaw. She looked up at him with respect, then Mountainstar turned around, and gave a mighty leap as he thrust himself into the star-lit sky. Wolfpaw looked up, and could see Mountainstar glittering in the sky, as the star-cat she first saw him as. Then she woke up to the warm moss bedding and the scent of herbs in the Medicine Cat's den.
Chapter 4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wolfpaw padded out of the little cave in the ground and over to the fresh-kill pile. She winced as her front right leg hit the ground. Wolfpaw grabbed a plump vole and went over to the bush where the apprentices slept and laid down on a cool, flat rock in front of it. She tooki bite of the warm, juicy vole and ate, and while she was eating she kept thinking about Mountainstar. Why does he want ME? She wondered. I'm not that special. I just want to live a normal Warrior's life. She sighed. Wolfpaw took another bite out of the vole. She looked up as Eaglepaw padded over and laid down beside her. "Hi Wolfpaw!" he meowed. "Hi,'' Wolfpaw mumbled through the bit of vole in her mouth. "How's that cut on your leg?" Eaglepaw asked. "Fine," Wolfpaw replied, except it sounded more like, "Phide," because her mouth was still full. She swallowed the last bit of vole and ran her tongue through her fur. "Need some help? I see a few burrs," Eaglepaw said. He sounded nervous, for some reason. Eaglepaw stooped down to clean Wolfpaw. "Tell me," Wolfpaw said. ''T-tell you what?" Eaglepaw asked nervously. "Tell me what's wrong," Wolfpaw replied.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I-I can't. I can't tell you. You have to see for yourself," Eaglepaw said, "Come with me, tonight." "Okay," Wolfpaw replied. She got up, and decided to go listen to legends from the elders. Wolfpaw listened to how OceanClan's ocean came to be, starting as a puddle on LeopardClan territory, with a group of LeopardClan apprentices splashing in it. When the puddle evaporated in that hot, dry, desert, the LeopardClan apprentices were very sad, and StarClan took pity on them and gave them an endless puddle filled with prey, that has salt in it so it never evaporates. It's a good story, Wolfpaw thought, but it's not true. After listening to the story, Wolfpaw decided to get some sleep, because she was going with Eaglepaw that night. She padded into the apprentices' den, and drifted off to sleep.
She looked up at the sky. Mountainstar was there. He leapt down from the sky, just as he had the night before. "Greetings, Wolfpaw," he said. "Hello, Mountainstar," she replied. "Wolfpaw, I have come to warn you of a cat. They may seem harmless, but they have the power to wipe out the entire of StarClan," Mountainstar said, his smile straightening, "You must be careful, for they are already causing StarClan cats to weaken." Wolfpaw stared up at the magnificent, starry tom and nodded. Then, he thrust himself back up into the sky.
Wolfpaw woke up. The sky was darkening, and cats were padding back to their dens. She looked out, and saw that Sunfur and Owlwhisker were on guard duty. I hope neither of them are the cats weakeningStarClan, she thought. The sky was now dark, and all the cats were asleep in their dens. All, of course, except Wolfpaw, Eaglepaw, and the guards. Eaglepaw beckoned to Wolfpaw to follow him. Wolfpaw did. He ducked behind the apprentices' den, then pointed his tail at the Warriors' den. Ravenclaw poked her head out of the den, looked around, then headed back behind the leader's den. Eaglepaw padded out and followed. Wolfpaw did the same. They stayed a good distance behind, for they knew that Ravenclaw didn't want them following. Ravenclaw led them out of camp, and headed north-west. Eaglepaw broke off from the trail that Ravenfeather was going on, and hid behind a bush. "Wolfpaw," he hissed, "Wolfpaw, you have to promise not to tell anybody what I am going to show you. This is a big secret, nobody can find out or it can put our whole Clan in danger." Wolfpaw nodded. Then, Eaglepaw led them out from under the bush, and followed Ravenclaw's scent. He broke off the trail again, and led Wolfpaw through a different path. They went past the Talltrees, and over Half-Moon Mountain. Soon, the Mooncavern was in sight. "What are you doing?" Wolfpaw hissed. "Shhhhh," Eaglepaw said. He led them closer. They hid behind a bush, and waited. Soon, Ravenclaw was in sight. She took a quick look around, then padded towards the bush. Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw tensed. We're in trouble, Wolfpaw thought, If she sees us spying, we're dead! Luckily, Ravenclaw only plucked a large leaf from the bush. Eaglepaw had to put his tail over Wolfpaw's mouth to keep her from sighing with relief. "Shhhhh," he hissed. He waved his tail to tell Wolfpaw to come closer. They moved closer as they watched Ravenclaw pad into the Mooncavern. "What's she doing?" Wolfpaw asked quietly. "You'll see," Eaglepaw said. They moved closer, and saw Ravenclaw doing something that could get her kicked out of StarClan. Wolfpaw almost gasped. Eaglepaw had a very grim expression on his face. They looked at each other with fear as Ravenclaw padded out with glittering dust bundled in the leaf.
Glittering dust scraped from the crystals of the Mooncavern.
Chapter 5
~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw sat still for a while, until they were sure that Ravenclaw was gone. Finally, Wolfpaw spoke. "W-why did she do that?" "I... don't know," Eaglepaw replied, "None of it makes any sense." Wolfpaw looked up at the sky. "We'd better get going back to camp." "Yeah, probably," Eaglepaw said as the two cats headed out from under the bush. They broke into a sprint, heading back the way they came. All of a sudden, Eaglepaw stopped. "We need an excuse for going out at night. Quick, go catch some fresh-kill!" Wolfpaw nodded and started tracking a nearby squirrel. She caught it, and buried it to get later.
By the time she was finished, she had caught a squirrel, two voles, and a thrush. She raced back with her catch in her mouth. Eaglepaw was waiting there. "It's getting light out. Let's get hurry back to camp!" he said. Wolfpaw nodded, and, with their fresh-kill, they ran off toward camp. As they walked in, Ravenclaw padded over to them. "What were you two doing out at night?" she asked. "We couldn't sleep," Wolfpaw replied, "So we went out hunting." "Well, you should have asked a Warrior before you did that. Follow me to Lionstar's den," the deputy said. The two apprentices nodded, and followed Ravenclaw.
They padded into the den, and Lionstar opened one of his eyes. "Yes?" he asked. Ravenclaw replied, "These two apprentices were out at night," she huffed, "and they didn't ask." Wolfpaw wanted to yowl, YOU WERE OUT AT NIGHT, TOO! but she didn't. She knew she could get in big trouble for yelling at a Warrior, more or less the Clan Deputy. She just snorted and looked away. "Ravenclaw, follow me," Lionstar said, and padded towards the far corner of the stone den. Ravenclaw followed. As soon as they were there, Wolfpaw hissed to Eaglepaw, "I think she knows we were following her, or at least she's suspicious. We'd better be careful." Eaglepaw nodded. Wolfpaw stole a glance at Lionstar and Ravenclaw, and Ravenclaw had a disappointed look on her face. Then the deputy and leader started padding over to Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw. The teo apprentices looked up at Lionstar, trying to avoid Ravenclaw's stare. "You shouldn't have snuck out at night without asking," the leader started, "but, since you brought back lots of prey, I am letting you off with a light punishment. Today, you are to help Robinheart and Leopardpaw gather herbs."
Lionstar let the two apprentices out of the den. They immediately headed towards the fresh-kill pile. "Oh, no you don't," a voice said from behind them. They whirled around to see Ravenclaw. "You may not eat until the Warriors, Elders, and Queens have eaten, and you have finished your Apprentice duties." Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw sighed, and padded towards Robinheart's den. They poked their heads in. "Hello," Leopardpaw's friendly voice said from the dim cave, "come in." Wolfpaw was a bit glad to be assigned this duty. No matter how rude the Warriors could be to her, she could always trust her sister, Leopardpaw, and her mentor. She padded into the den, with Eaglepaw behind her. "So, what brings you here?" Leopardpaw asked. Eaglepaw replied, "We are here to help you gather herbs, we hope you don't mind." "Oh, not at all," a voice said from the opening to the cave as Robinheart came in, "We were just about to go. Now, Leopardpaw, could you tell me what herbs we need?" Leopardpaw nodded and started counting the herbs.A few moments later, she looked up and said, "Tansy, catmint, and juniper berries. Some borage couldn't hurt, either." Robinheart nodded and led the cats out of camp. Wolfpaw glanced back at Ravenclaw. She looked up from eating a plump mouse, licked her mouth, then started eating again. Wolfpaw's stomach growled. She looked away and followed the group.
"Leopardpaw, coud you tell me where you would find some tansy?" the medicine cat asked. Leopardpaw took a moment to sniff the air, and replied, "That way," pointing her tail north. "What about catmint?" Robinheart asked. Once again, Leopardpaw sniffed the air. "That way," she said again, this time pointing east. "And juniper berries are that way," she added proudly, pointing her tail west. "Now, Eaglepaw, please get the tansy, while Wolfpaw, you get the catmint. Leopardpaw, please fetch the juniper berries, while I get the borage." And with that, the cats split up.
Wolfpaw raced in the direction that Leopardpaw had indicated. After a while, she came across the tansy. She recognized it from when she had a bad cough when she was a kit. Carefully, she picked the delicate plant and ran back with it in her mouth. Robinheart was already waiting there, and in a few moments Leopardpaw and Eaglepaw burst through the bright green bushes. "Let's go back to camp," the Medicine Cat said, and they returned.
That night, Wolfpaw dreamed she was in an unfamilliar forest. Scents of warm prey and the forest flooded in around her. She looked at a rustling bush, and a gray head poked out. It was Mountainstar. He padded out towards Wolfpaw. "StarClan cats are becoming weaker," he said, "and we have found the source of our weakness. We believe that you are the only one who can save the Clans. Follow me."
Wolfpaw was confused. Normally, Mountainstar greeted her with a friendly voice. Now, he sounded terrified. She decided she had no choice but to follow him. He led her through the bright forest, which she figured must be StarClan's forest. Eventually, it became darker and darker. The forest was becoming colder. finally, Wolfpaw could barely see, and had to rely on the warm pelt of Mountainstar to guide her. He led her to a dark clearing, and there she saw Ravenclaw and some strange cat. Wolfpaw gasped as she recognized the cat. She had heard of him in the nursery and the elders' den, but never thought he was real.
From what the Elders had told her, he was the most evil cat ever to have walked the forest. He was black and white, and had a huge scar running down his side. He was the son of a MountainClan medicine cat and a SwampClan Warrior.
He was Yowlfur, and he was talking with Ravenclaw.
Chapter 6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wolfpaw stood frozen for a moment. Then she murmured quietly, "Why?" She looked up and saw Mountainstar slowly look down at her, with a mixture of fear and sadness in his eyes. He gently laid his gray tail down on Wolfpaw's shoulder, signaling to her that they should go.
Mountainstar padded silently away from the two cats, and Wolfpaw followed. Once they were back in StarClan's forest, Wolfpaw opened her mouth to speak, but Mountainstar quickly stopped her with his tail. "No need to ask," he said, "She would have made a great Warrior, she had ambition, which could be a good quality in a leader, but she chose to use her ambition the wrong way. She chose to use it in a bad way." With that, he looked down, and started to fade away. "No, wait, don't go! I have more questions!" Wolfpaw yowled. "The answers will reveal themselves over time," the gray tom said, then he disappeared from sight. "Mountainstar!" Wolfpaw cried, then looked down at her paws. She, too, was fading away, and then she woke up.
Eaglepaw was quietly snoring beside her in the bright, leafy Apprentices' den. "At least I can ask him tonight," she murmured. "Huh, whaddya say?" Eaglepaw asked sleepily, slowly waking up. "Nothing, nothing," Wolfpaw said. All of a sudden, Eaglepaw stood up with a jolt. "Apprentice assessments! We're late!" Wolfpaw jumped up and darted out of the den with Eaglepaw right behind her. They rushed out of camp, and headed north towards the Training Hollow.The two cats burst into the clearing and stood there panting. "Where have you two been? You're late," a rather frustrated-looking Ashears said. Eaglepaw's mentor, Blacktail, sat behind her. "We were kinda sleeping in," Eaglepaw mumbled. Ashears snorted. "There's no time for sleeping in! Your apprentice assessment is today!" Wolfpaw looked down at her paws, which were shifting uneasily.
"Anyway," Blacktail said, "Your assessments will begin shortly. This is what will happen - At an unexpected time, one of our Warriors will 'attack' you. With your claws sheathed, you will battle them. Once the battle is over, resume hunting. Meet us back here at sunhigh. And remember, we'll be watching, even if you don't see us." Blacktail stepped back. "Wolfpaw, you will hunt the east side of our territory, Eaglepaw, you take the west," Ashears meowed, "Now, go!"
Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw burst from the Training Hollow. "Good luck," she panted. "You too," Eaglepaw replied. As Wolfpaw parted from her friend and headed east, the scents of her territory flooded in around her. She could smell the pine trees, the gurgling river, the wet green-leaf soil, and -- thrush. She skidded to a halt, and sniffed the air. It was next to her, about a fox-length away. Wolfpaw lowered herself into the hunting crouch. Slowly, she stepped forward, all her senses focused on the thrush. She was half a fox-length away - twelve mouse-lengths away - six - three..........
She heard a leaf crunch below her paw. The thrush lifted into flight, ans started it's alarm call. "Fox-dung!" she spat, and continued walking. Wolfpaw eventually came across a plump mouse, caught it, and buried it, then went on. She started stalking a large rabbit, careful to keep her breathing quiet. Paw-step by paw-step, she got closer and closer to it. Wolfpaw tensed up her muscles, ready to pounce........ and something heavy landed on her, knocking the breath out of her and scaring away the rabbit. She looked up just in time to see golden-yellow fur as the cat landed another blow to her head. I totally forgot about the attacking Warrior!, Wolfpaw thought as she squirmed away from the Warrior, who she recognized as Sunfur. She leapt up and landed right on Sunfur's back. Wolfpaw bit lightly down on Sunfur's neck, careful not to penetrate the skin. She felt Sunfur shifting, and the next moment, she was on her back with Sunfur pinning her down. Wolfpaw kicked up with her hind legs, throwing Sunfur off balance as Wolfpaw pinned her down. Sunfur threw Wolfpaw off, then started running towards the Training Hollow. Wolfpaw continued hunting.
By Sunhigh, she had a mouse, a rabbit, two robins, and a thrush. Wolfpaw started heading back towards the Training Hollow, when she caught scent of something strange. She sniffed again. It smelled of cat, but it didn't have any Clan's scent on it. She started rushing towards the Training Hollow. The smell was getting stronger. Heart pounding, she raced into the clearing where she saw three large, muscular cats attacking Eaglepaw, Blacktail, and Ashears. By the smell of it, Sunfur had just left, maybe to tell the rest of the clan? But they would have sent an apprentice -- Wolfpaw didn't have time to think about that now. She dropped her catch an leapt into the battle. She started attacking the rogue that Eaglepaw was fighting. Claws unsheathed, she leapt on to it and held on for her life. She bit down hard on his leg, making him yowl with pain. He turned on her and hissed, then pinned her down. Eaglepaw jumped on his back, clinging to the rogue with his claws and teeth dug as deep as they could go into his skin. Wolfpaw squirmed out from under the tom and held on just as Eaglepaw was doing. The rogue shook himself and ran out of the Training Hollow, leaving Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw to attack the remaining rogues. Pretty soon, the only cats left in the clearing were Eaglepaw, Wolfpaw, Ashears, and Blacktail.
"Come on, we should get back to camp," Ashears said, her sides heaving as she panted for breath. Blacktail walked forwards to the two apprentices. "You two did great today," he said, his gray fur plastered to his sides with blood, "We will arrange your Warrior ceremonies once we get back to camp, they will probably be tomorrow." Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw looked at each other excitedly. Wolfpaw could see Eaglepaw's amber eyes glowing with happiness. She suspected her own eyes were glowing, too.
"Come on," Ashears said, and the four cats padded back to camp.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wolfpaw stood frozen for a moment. Then she murmured quietly, "Why?" She looked up and saw Mountainstar slowly look down at her, with a mixture of fear and sadness in his eyes. He gently laid his gray tail down on Wolfpaw's shoulder, signaling to her that they should go.
Mountainstar padded silently away from the two cats, and Wolfpaw followed. Once they were back in StarClan's forest, Wolfpaw opened her mouth to speak, but Mountainstar quickly stopped her with his tail. "No need to ask," he said, "She would have made a great Warrior, she had ambition, which could be a good quality in a leader, but she chose to use her ambition the wrong way. She chose to use it in a bad way." With that, he looked down, and started to fade away. "No, wait, don't go! I have more questions!" Wolfpaw yowled. "The answers will reveal themselves over time," the gray tom said, then he disappeared from sight. "Mountainstar!" Wolfpaw cried, then looked down at her paws. She, too, was fading away, and then she woke up.
Eaglepaw was quietly snoring beside her in the bright, leafy Apprentices' den. "At least I can ask him tonight," she murmured. "Huh, whaddya say?" Eaglepaw asked sleepily, slowly waking up. "Nothing, nothing," Wolfpaw said. All of a sudden, Eaglepaw stood up with a jolt. "Apprentice assessments! We're late!" Wolfpaw jumped up and darted out of the den with Eaglepaw right behind her. They rushed out of camp, and headed north towards the Training Hollow.The two cats burst into the clearing and stood there panting. "Where have you two been? You're late," a rather frustrated-looking Ashears said. Eaglepaw's mentor, Blacktail, sat behind her. "We were kinda sleeping in," Eaglepaw mumbled. Ashears snorted. "There's no time for sleeping in! Your apprentice assessment is today!" Wolfpaw looked down at her paws, which were shifting uneasily.
"Anyway," Blacktail said, "Your assessments will begin shortly. This is what will happen - At an unexpected time, one of our Warriors will 'attack' you. With your claws sheathed, you will battle them. Once the battle is over, resume hunting. Meet us back here at sunhigh. And remember, we'll be watching, even if you don't see us." Blacktail stepped back. "Wolfpaw, you will hunt the east side of our territory, Eaglepaw, you take the west," Ashears meowed, "Now, go!"
Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw burst from the Training Hollow. "Good luck," she panted. "You too," Eaglepaw replied. As Wolfpaw parted from her friend and headed east, the scents of her territory flooded in around her. She could smell the pine trees, the gurgling river, the wet green-leaf soil, and -- thrush. She skidded to a halt, and sniffed the air. It was next to her, about a fox-length away. Wolfpaw lowered herself into the hunting crouch. Slowly, she stepped forward, all her senses focused on the thrush. She was half a fox-length away - twelve mouse-lengths away - six - three..........
She heard a leaf crunch below her paw. The thrush lifted into flight, ans started it's alarm call. "Fox-dung!" she spat, and continued walking. Wolfpaw eventually came across a plump mouse, caught it, and buried it, then went on. She started stalking a large rabbit, careful to keep her breathing quiet. Paw-step by paw-step, she got closer and closer to it. Wolfpaw tensed up her muscles, ready to pounce........ and something heavy landed on her, knocking the breath out of her and scaring away the rabbit. She looked up just in time to see golden-yellow fur as the cat landed another blow to her head. I totally forgot about the attacking Warrior!, Wolfpaw thought as she squirmed away from the Warrior, who she recognized as Sunfur. She leapt up and landed right on Sunfur's back. Wolfpaw bit lightly down on Sunfur's neck, careful not to penetrate the skin. She felt Sunfur shifting, and the next moment, she was on her back with Sunfur pinning her down. Wolfpaw kicked up with her hind legs, throwing Sunfur off balance as Wolfpaw pinned her down. Sunfur threw Wolfpaw off, then started running towards the Training Hollow. Wolfpaw continued hunting.
By Sunhigh, she had a mouse, a rabbit, two robins, and a thrush. Wolfpaw started heading back towards the Training Hollow, when she caught scent of something strange. She sniffed again. It smelled of cat, but it didn't have any Clan's scent on it. She started rushing towards the Training Hollow. The smell was getting stronger. Heart pounding, she raced into the clearing where she saw three large, muscular cats attacking Eaglepaw, Blacktail, and Ashears. By the smell of it, Sunfur had just left, maybe to tell the rest of the clan? But they would have sent an apprentice -- Wolfpaw didn't have time to think about that now. She dropped her catch an leapt into the battle. She started attacking the rogue that Eaglepaw was fighting. Claws unsheathed, she leapt on to it and held on for her life. She bit down hard on his leg, making him yowl with pain. He turned on her and hissed, then pinned her down. Eaglepaw jumped on his back, clinging to the rogue with his claws and teeth dug as deep as they could go into his skin. Wolfpaw squirmed out from under the tom and held on just as Eaglepaw was doing. The rogue shook himself and ran out of the Training Hollow, leaving Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw to attack the remaining rogues. Pretty soon, the only cats left in the clearing were Eaglepaw, Wolfpaw, Ashears, and Blacktail.
"Come on, we should get back to camp," Ashears said, her sides heaving as she panted for breath. Blacktail walked forwards to the two apprentices. "You two did great today," he said, his gray fur plastered to his sides with blood, "We will arrange your Warrior ceremonies once we get back to camp, they will probably be tomorrow." Wolfpaw and Eaglepaw looked at each other excitedly. Wolfpaw could see Eaglepaw's amber eyes glowing with happiness. She suspected her own eyes were glowing, too.
"Come on," Ashears said, and the four cats padded back to camp.
therougecat |
Latest page update: made by therougecat
, Jul 22 2008, 11:01 AM EDT
(about this update
About This Update
I finally got Chapter 6 up!
- therougecat
1022 words added view changes - complete history) |
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| leafkit821 | Good job.... | 6 | Jun 24 2008, 2:06 AM EDT by Vyrie | ||
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Thread started: Jun 10 2008, 11:25 PM EDT
Watch
I felt like i was reading a story by erin hunter! Thoese 4 chapters were WAY more than fabulous!!
But you HAVE to write more! i need to know what they do about Ravenclaw! and about mountainstar! Dont Stop!! |
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