Post by heathereh on Oct 2, 2007 16:47:38 GMT -5
Title: Paws on the Ground (Destiny's Path Triptych - Book 1)
Chapters: Not sure
Authors: Heathereh and Clovenfoot
Pairing: BearxYellow (not the subject of the story, but an important pairing nonetheless)
Rating: G (although some material may be PG later on)
Spoilers: None
Summary: Two Clans, sent to a strange environment by Twolegs, must depend on apprentices and kittypets to save them from bloodthirsty rogues.
Warning: None
Disclaimer: Characters © Heathereh; original Warriors concept © Erin Hunter.
Beta: None
Cover: [x]
Author's Notes: Check out my other fanfics here. May not be finished for a while. =)
Chapters: Not sure
Authors: Heathereh and Clovenfoot
Pairing: BearxYellow (not the subject of the story, but an important pairing nonetheless)
Rating: G (although some material may be PG later on)
Spoilers: None
Summary: Two Clans, sent to a strange environment by Twolegs, must depend on apprentices and kittypets to save them from bloodthirsty rogues.
Warning: None
Disclaimer: Characters © Heathereh; original Warriors concept © Erin Hunter.
Beta: None
Cover: [x]
Author's Notes: Check out my other fanfics here. May not be finished for a while. =)
ALLEGIANCES
SpringClan
Leader- Snowstar: stark-white she-cat; deep blue eyes.
Deputy- Wheatstripe: umber-colored tom with golden stripes and a bobtail; amber eyes.
apprentice, sedgepaw
Medicine cat- Lushpelt: large, dark gray she-cat with lighter gray chest, tailtip, paws, and muzzle; yellow eyes.
Warriors-
Claypelt: wiry, brownish-white tom; orange eyes.
Goldenstep: dark yellow she-cat with a white muzzle; light yellow eyes.
apprentice, fogpaw
Graystripe: light gray tom with darker stripes; blue eyes.
Frightfur: longhaired brown tom with a flattened face; piercing blue eyes.
Blazepelt: bright ginger tom with a black muzzle and tail; green-blue eyes.
Meadowfur: small yellow she-cat with white streaks and a black tail; grayish eyes.
apprentice, nightpaw
Spartanclaw: light brown tom with straight black stripes; one gray and one yellow eye.
Apprentices-
Fogpaw: light gray tom with jagged white patches; amber eyes.
Nightpaw: wiry black she-cat; acid-green eyes.
Sedgepaw: tan she-cat with brown spots and rings; amber eyes.
Queens-
Owlfur: brown she-cat with white underbelly; light green eyes. (mate of Frightfur, mother of Oak-kit and Icekit)
Heather-rustle: greenish-yellow she-cat with large ears; amber eyes. (mate of Wheatstripe, mother of Breezekit)
Elders-
Stonefoot: fearsome brown tom with black muzzle, paws, and tail; acid-green eyes.
Kits-
Breezekit: fluffy yellow she-cat with black stripes; green eyes.
Icekit: black she-cat with a gray underbelly and no tail; green eyes.
Oak-kit: slim light brown tom; blue eyes.
RainClan
Leader- Dapplestar: large, creamy white she-cat with dark brown muzzle, paws, ears, and tailtip; huge, round scar on her hind flank; blue eyes.
Deputy- Kestrelclaw - sinewy white tom with light brown patches; blue eyes.
apprentice, sandpaw
Medicine cat- Lilycrest: longhaired, creamy she-cat with brown muzzle, paws, and wide tail; blue eyes.
apprentice, buntingpaw
Warriors-
Berrywing: light orange tabby she-cat; amber eyes.
Tallclaw: black tom with a white stripe down forehead; green eyes.
Waterfang: white tom with a flattened face; light blue eyes.
apprentice, dervishpaw
Tealstorm: light gray she-cat with white underbelly, muzzle, paws, and tailtip; amber eyes.
Bearclaw: light brown tom with unusual black spots and a black muzzle; reddish eyes.
Granitescratch: pale gray she-cat with intricate black stripes; green eyes.
Summerbreeze: slim peach she-cat with black tail, paws, and muzzle; no tail; blue eyes.
apprentice, flaxpaw
Whitestream: small white tom with black stripes on his forehead; pale blue eyes.
apprentice, kohlpaw
Apprentices-
Flaxpaw: fluffy, off-white she-cat with a brown muzzle, ears, tailtip, and paws; blue eyes flecked with white.
Dervishpaw: light brown tom with a lighter back and muzzle; blue eyes.
Sandpaw: longhaired tan she-cat with darker tail; bluish eyes.
Buntingpaw: mostly white she-cat with orange and black spots; amber eyes.
Kohlpaw: medium brown tom with white and black flecks; light blue eyes flecked with white.
Queens-
Yellowpelt: longhaired white she-cat with yellow and brown patches; amber eyes. (mate of Bearclaw)
Sparrow-wing: light orange she-cat with darker stripes; yellow eyes. (mate of Waterfang)
Elders-
Aspenleaf: slim yellow she-cat with brown paws; bluegreen eyes.
Silverstripe: black-gray tom with jagged white underbelly; pale reddish eyes.
SpiteClan:
Leader- Limpidstar: muscular white she-cat with black stripes; cold, clear blue eyes.
Deputy- Nightclaw: sinewy black tom; green eyes.
Medicine cat- Direheart: blue-gray she-cat; pale green eyes.
Warriors-
Shadefire - small, wiry white tom with triangular black muzzle, black paws, tailtip, and ears; blue-green eyes. Wears a piece of red Twoleg material about his neck.
apprentice, forestpaw
Apprentices-
Forestpaw: white she-cat with brown paws and tail; rounded brown face; white-blue eyes.
DustClan:
Leader- Junglestar: muscular orange tom with black stripes; amber eyes.
Deputy- Cheetah-heart: golden she-cat with black patches and large ears; green eyes.
Medicine Cat- Skyfur: large, dark gray she-cat with blue-gray chest, tailtip, paws, and black muzzle; yellow eyes.
Warriors-
Strongfoot: large white tom with black and brown patches; foggy brown eyes.
Jittertail: diseased white she-cat with a massive gray stripe down her back; amber eyes.
Cats Outside Clans:
Spuffy: fluffy, white-yellow she-kittypet with a light brown muzzle and tail; blue eyes.
Shilling: tiny gray tom kittypet; blue eyes.
Callie: mostly-white tortoiseshell she-kittypet; mute; amber eyes.
PROLOGUE
A violet haze descended atop the sky, blotting out the full moon which in turn shown down upon a pair of cats, who were facing each other with ominous snarls frozen on their faces. Although one was female and somewhat larger than the other, it was obvious that the pair were very closely related. The smaller one spoke as rain began seeping down from the sky in torrents.
“You don’t understand, my sister. We can’t be together anymore. Destiny’s path meanders too often for two cats to traverse it in the same way.”
The she-cat said nothing, but flicked her tail in the direction of a white-brown felid shape which lay sleeping nearby.
“Tendril was just the beginning of our journey.” the tom continued, acknowledging the creature with a cruel flash of his blue eyes. “And beginnings aren’t meant to last very long.” He gave a chuckle, and padded backwards into a small cave, still facing his opponent.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, and a cracking sound reverberated through the field. The she-cat looked over to see the third cat stuck under a massive branch, blood seeping from her chest into the boggy ground. She shrieked and tried to go over to the poor cat, but the tom held her back menacingly.
“See what I mean? She was never meant to be as great as I.” he hissed, raking his claws in a pattern against the hind flank of the she-cat, who was pinned down. Two half-circle welts less than a mouselength apart appeared on her body, dripping blood. She struggled, but could not manage to lift her own claws.
“You will pay for this.” she choked, going limp. The tom chuckled and lifted her face towards him with one black paw.
“Perhaps I will,” he snarled. “But before I do, I vow to destroy your soul and those of all close to you with my bare claws. I will do whatever it takes. I am no longer your kind and wise brother, Dapple.”
With that he padded off, leaving the pair of she-cats to lie still in their misery, his eyes lined with cold fire as they gazed up towards the shrouded moon.
CHAPTER ONE
Flaxpaw of RainClan smiled.
It was a crisp, pleasant night, and a blossoming full moon shone down upon the world, heralding a Clan gathering. Adrenaline flowed through the young she-cat’s veins, showing in the thump of paws against the mossy ground, the glint of white in her twin blue pools, the yowl of joy rising in her throat as the sacred ground approached. Her fourth Gathering promised to be an exciting one, for it was at long last time for an Introduction.
Every six moons -- the time span in which kits matured and apprentices trained to become warriors -- the two cat Clans of the forest would swear upon the spirits of their ancestors to bring every cat to the full moon Gathering. When they arrived, they would list the names of their Clan mates rank by rank. It was a way to tell about Clan events without being specific, something both Clan leaders appreciated very much.
Suddenly Flaxpaw emerged from a grove of trees and found herself among a mass of cats, their fur immersed in the silver, watery moonlight as they prepared for the Gathering. The ones nearest to her bore RainClan scent -- but as the cats mingled, the odd, grasslike scent of SpringClan began to fill her scent glands. She spotted her mentor, Summerbreeze, exchanging greetings with Meadowfur, a SpringClan warrior whose two kits had been recently apprenticed. The kits themselves were standing nervously beside Goldenstep, another warrior of their own Clan. One of them must be her apprentice, Flaxpaw realized.
Dapplestar, the leader of RainClan, had leaped atop a boulder which spanned a good-sized stream; this was the customary perch for leaders at a Gathering. She gave a yowl to signify that all were ready to begin, and as the clearing fell silent touched noses with Snowstar, leader of SpringClan. She looked down at the dozens of eyes fixed on her, and introduced herself solemnly -- but not without pride.
“I am Dapplestar, leader of RainClan.” the large, white-and-black she-cat announced. She took a step back so that Snowstar could speak.
The latter, a fluffy white she-cat, bowed lightly to her counterpart before stepping forward. In a voice neither high nor low, but clear and strong, she declared her name.
“I am Snowstar, leader of SpringClan.”
Flaxpaw sensed the tense pride in her voice, and heard some cat behind her mutter, “Oh, really?” She craned her neck in an attempt to spot the culprit, but her view was blocked by an extremely wiry, creamy-white tom who was pushing regally to the front of the crowd.
“I am Kestrelclaw, deputy of RainClan.” he rasped, dipping his head to Dapplestar and to the assembled cats. Then he lifted his pointed brown muzzle to the heavens, and Flaxpaw caught a few snatches of what seemed to be a prayer of thanks to StarClan, the spirits of their ancestors. She felt warm pride run through her at the thought of having such a good cat as deputy of her own Clan.
Snowstar was not so impressed. She lifted her nose the slightest bit, then turned and nodded with her eyes to a bob-tailed, umber-colored cat with yellow-brown stripes. This cat came forward, flexing strong shoulders. “I am Wheatstripe, deputy of SpringClan,” he declared.
Flaxpaw listened to the welcoming murmur which came from Kestrelclaw; she reflected that while the pair of deputies may be extremely aggressive, they were loyal to their Clan and to their friends. She couldn’t help smiling for a moment -- although by the time she ceased her train of thought, another cat had stepped up. This was a she-cat with beautiful, layered cream fur and brown points, like her own except a much more subtle color. Her eyes were firm but twinkled with gentleness, and every cat dipped his head a bit as she passed by them to stand near the boulder.
“I am Lilycrest, medicine cat of RainClan.” was the mew which resonated from her throat. She stepped back, touching noses with a tortoiseshell RainClan apprentice who looked up at her with awe.
Next was Lushpelt, medicine cat of SpringClan, and then the tortoiseshell herself, who was Buntingpaw, RainClan’s kind-hearted medicine cat apprentice. Afterwards came the tedious task of naming all of the warriors, during which Flaxpaw crossed the stream by way of a stepping-stone, eager to speak with the two apprentices she had glimpsed earlier. She located one of them, a tawny she-cat with brown spots and a thick tail.
“Hello.” she whispered, idly looking up while she waited for the cat’s response. She saw the RainClan warrior Granitescratch giving her name, and listened to a few more without really registering who they were. Finally, the other apprentice -- who was apparently quite shy -- turned to look at her and spoke.
“Hi.” was her reply. “I’m Sedgepaw, Wheatstripes’s apprentice. Who are you?”
Her voice was bubbly and sounded rather odd; the sound of it made Flaxpaw recoil slightly. The latter nodded, and was about to give her own name, when she realized that a slim, black SpringClan cat had stepped back in the crowd and everyone was staring at her. She crossed her paws and spoke.
“I am Flaxpaw, apprentice of RainClan.” Her voice cracked with nerves -- it was her first real Introduction, for kits were introduced by their parents. She stepped back, grinning sheepishly at Sedgepaw.
“And I am Sedgepaw, apprentice of SpringClan.” Sedgepaw chirped. Flaxpaw hoped her strange voice would go unnoticed.
Then Dervishpaw, the second oldest apprentice and RainClan’s best mischief maker, stood on all fours and spoke his name from across the stream. Flaxpaw, having just gotten over the excitement of speaking to both Clans, took the opportunity to make use of the stepping-stone once again. As she crossed she bumped into yet another apprentice; this one was a medium gray color with jagged white stripes on each side, whose name Flaxpaw could not recall. The RainClan she-cat hurriedly apologized, picking her way across the stream before anyone else could ram into her.
As she began to feel the RainClan ground beneath her feet once again, it was Dervishpaw’s sister, Sandpaw, who was introducing herself. Sandpaw was a much lighter shade of brown than Dervishpaw, with slightly darker face, tail, and paws. Her fur was extremely long, and often hid her small, elliptical blue eyes. As she spoke, Flaxpaw remembered that while she would go along with almost all of Dervishpaw’s schemes, she was an excellent hunter and always got her duties done early enough to relax a bit. Luckily one of the family is responsible, she thought with a chuckle.
Last in the apprentice category -- SpringClan had already begun on their queens -- was Kohlpaw, Flaxpaw’s brother. He was small and brown, with a rounded face and black scratch-like markings on his forehead. His eyes matched Flaxpaw’s entirely, being a rich sky-blue with white flecks around the edges. He believed in working hard to help his Clan, and was always there when you needed him most. Flaxpaw loved him more than any cat.
At long last the queens, kits, and elders began to introduce themselves, or be introduced, in the kits’ case. This part of the Clan hierarchy had come to the Gathering spot before nightfall, to ensure safe passage. A few warriors had gone with them, and when the contingency arrived a makeshift den was set up so they would be comfortable and safe. It seemed like a lot of work to get to an Introduction, with no reward, but Flaxpaw knew it was a tradition which had been honored for countless generations.
Finally the last cat introduced himself: Silverstripe, the second-oldest cat in RainClan. His dark gray fur was contrasted by a white, jagged patch on his underbelly and flecks of white on his face. Pale red eyes glinted in the moonlight, showing that he was once a fearsome warrior, one that RainClan was extremely proud of.
Dapplestar, who had been crouched on the boulder the whole time, got to her paws and spoke. “RainClan have had an excellent moon. Prey is plentiful, our claws are sharp, and the Twolegs -- thank StarClan -- have not bothered us. How is your Clan, Snowstar?”
Snowstar rose up to her full height. “SpringClan have not been so lucky. Prey is plentiful, as you mentioned before, and our claws are…sharp,” She stressed the word greatly, reminding everyone of the small territory skirmish which had taken place only a few days before, when SpringClan had been forced to hunt across the borders due to Twoleg activity in their normal hunting spot. This brought Snowstar to her next point. She stared down at the assembly and spoke louder.
“The Twolegs are getting bolder and bolder as we speak.” she hissed, pacing back and forth slightly. “One of their kits almost entered our camp yesterday. If we hadn’t scared it off, we would have been destroyed. We need to drive them out, I say!” She slammed one white paw down on the rock.
Dapplestar dipped her head, looking a bit agitated at the gasps which rose rapidly from the crowd. “Snowstar, surely you don’t expect to fight them? They’re amazingly powerful, what with those monsters and their sharp tree-cutting objects. Besides, their kits can do you no harm. Trust me.”
“Are you saying, Dapplestar,” Snowstar yowled, “that we let these filthy Twolegs run freely in our camp?” Hisses began to rise from the SpringClan side, and hackles in RainClan. Those on the ‘wrong’ side of the stream pushed to cross, and Flaxpaw craned her neck to make sure Sedgepaw hadn’t been hurt.
“No,” replied Dapplestar, “that is not what I intended. I simply meant--” The large she-cat broke off for a reason unknown to Flaxpaw. The apprentice craned her neck to see what had happened, but by now the mass of cats trying to get across had spread to her, and all she could see was the angry faces of RainClan cats. Her ears began to fill with the roars of battle, and she tried vainly to get to Summerbreeze’s side.
Suddenly, the roaring got louder, until Flaxpaw’s ears started ringing. A part in the crowd allowed her to see its true source -- and it wasn’t a bunch of cats. Looking in the direction of the RainClan camp, she spotted two perfectly round eyes glinted in the distance, coming ever closer.
It was a Twoleg monster.
No cat noticed it in the tangle which was already taking place as the Clans prepared for a battle of words. Flaxpaw leaped desperately over a cluster of tails, trying to reach Kohlpaw and warn the leaders. She managed to get past most pf the rush, but was stopped by Kestrelclaw, who was trying in vain to stop the madness.
“Wouldn’t want you to get caught up in this.” he murmured softly to Flaxpaw.
“But I--” The apprentice was stopped as the roar grew once again and now every cat halted. Dapplestar tried to speak, but the monster had reached the Gathering place and was screeching to a stop, its heavy black paws just missing a RainClan queen. Two tall, infeline figures stepped out, their strange white pelts glinting in the unnatural light which emanated from the eyes of the monster. Silence poured across the clearing once most cats had scrambled into a hiding place. Flaxpaw pulled Sandpaw into a small fern-lined dip, watching the Twolegs carefully.
One of them took something from the folds of its pelt, then pressed it in its paw as if part of the thing would move. Smoke began pouring out of an object within the monster, and Flaxpaw panicked. Why are they setting fire to the forest? she wondered, only half-registering what happened next.
As smoke began to fill the lungs of every cat, Flaxpaw suddenly felt very calm. This was like no smoke she had ever scented -- it was clear-tasting, almost sweet, and did not burn at her insides. Her eyelids began to blink involuntarily, and she whipped her head around to keep awake. She wondered if this was how it felt to die.
Snowstar was padding out from behind a rock, strolling majestically despite the smoke which curled around her feet and obscured her vision. Claws unsheathed, she lunged for the nearest Twoleg, giving a little yowl. The Twoleg made no move to stop her, for as the white SpringClan leader neared her target she began to sway, and fell to the ground. Flaxpaw strained her ears to hear breathing, but her senses were cloudy. She looked around for Sedgepaw, and spotted her across the river…
…And then everything went black.
CHAPTER TWO
Lushpelt clawed at nothingness, her head throbbing with a desperate longing to be free. She moved her paw up blindly, brushing up against another cat – for a single heartbeat the faintest scent of RainClan reached her nose. Her eyes burned from the strange smoke which had poured into the clearing after the abrupt ending of the Gathering.
She started to lift her head, looked around, and sank back down into a sleep of wild dreams. She was surrounded by a grayish-white light, her paws covered with dust. Everywhere she turned, she saw her own reflection snarling back at her. The RainClan queen, Yellowpelt, drifted by, surrounded by an ethereal mist, and Lushpelt found she couldn’t call out to her. And then it was Lilycrest, RainClan’s medicine cat, who was in front of her.
Lushpelt gazed at her counterpart wistfully. “Do you have any herbs?” she heard herself ask. The pretty she-cat shook her head.
“What are we doing here?” Lilycrest asked, although the words were so jumbled Lushpelt had to strain her ears to hear it. Then Lilycrest disappeared in a flash of light, sand in her place was a young warrior that Lushpelt didn’t know.
Why do I not see any SpringClan cats? she wondered. Then, all at once, she was surrounded by her Clanmates – Snowstar, Meadowfur, even Icekit. They were all staring intently at her, their eyes filled with longing.
“No!” she heard a cat yowl behind her. She whipped around to find a SpringClan apprentice, Sedgepaw, caught in the jaws of a black she-cat. Blood sprayed from a wound in her neck, and as a few drops splattered onto Lushpelt’s fur she heard a gentle voice calling out to her. This is not for you to see.
“No!” Lushpelt echoed, her claws digging into the ground. Ignoring the voice, she leaped at Sedgepaw’s captor, fangs out. Immediately the figure disappeared, taking with her the mat of cloud which lay under the medicine cat’s paws.
Confused and greatly afraid, she plummeted into the dark recesses from which she had come.
SpringClan
Leader- Snowstar: stark-white she-cat; deep blue eyes.
Deputy- Wheatstripe: umber-colored tom with golden stripes and a bobtail; amber eyes.
apprentice, sedgepaw
Medicine cat- Lushpelt: large, dark gray she-cat with lighter gray chest, tailtip, paws, and muzzle; yellow eyes.
Warriors-
Claypelt: wiry, brownish-white tom; orange eyes.
Goldenstep: dark yellow she-cat with a white muzzle; light yellow eyes.
apprentice, fogpaw
Graystripe: light gray tom with darker stripes; blue eyes.
Frightfur: longhaired brown tom with a flattened face; piercing blue eyes.
Blazepelt: bright ginger tom with a black muzzle and tail; green-blue eyes.
Meadowfur: small yellow she-cat with white streaks and a black tail; grayish eyes.
apprentice, nightpaw
Spartanclaw: light brown tom with straight black stripes; one gray and one yellow eye.
Apprentices-
Fogpaw: light gray tom with jagged white patches; amber eyes.
Nightpaw: wiry black she-cat; acid-green eyes.
Sedgepaw: tan she-cat with brown spots and rings; amber eyes.
Queens-
Owlfur: brown she-cat with white underbelly; light green eyes. (mate of Frightfur, mother of Oak-kit and Icekit)
Heather-rustle: greenish-yellow she-cat with large ears; amber eyes. (mate of Wheatstripe, mother of Breezekit)
Elders-
Stonefoot: fearsome brown tom with black muzzle, paws, and tail; acid-green eyes.
Kits-
Breezekit: fluffy yellow she-cat with black stripes; green eyes.
Icekit: black she-cat with a gray underbelly and no tail; green eyes.
Oak-kit: slim light brown tom; blue eyes.
RainClan
Leader- Dapplestar: large, creamy white she-cat with dark brown muzzle, paws, ears, and tailtip; huge, round scar on her hind flank; blue eyes.
Deputy- Kestrelclaw - sinewy white tom with light brown patches; blue eyes.
apprentice, sandpaw
Medicine cat- Lilycrest: longhaired, creamy she-cat with brown muzzle, paws, and wide tail; blue eyes.
apprentice, buntingpaw
Warriors-
Berrywing: light orange tabby she-cat; amber eyes.
Tallclaw: black tom with a white stripe down forehead; green eyes.
Waterfang: white tom with a flattened face; light blue eyes.
apprentice, dervishpaw
Tealstorm: light gray she-cat with white underbelly, muzzle, paws, and tailtip; amber eyes.
Bearclaw: light brown tom with unusual black spots and a black muzzle; reddish eyes.
Granitescratch: pale gray she-cat with intricate black stripes; green eyes.
Summerbreeze: slim peach she-cat with black tail, paws, and muzzle; no tail; blue eyes.
apprentice, flaxpaw
Whitestream: small white tom with black stripes on his forehead; pale blue eyes.
apprentice, kohlpaw
Apprentices-
Flaxpaw: fluffy, off-white she-cat with a brown muzzle, ears, tailtip, and paws; blue eyes flecked with white.
Dervishpaw: light brown tom with a lighter back and muzzle; blue eyes.
Sandpaw: longhaired tan she-cat with darker tail; bluish eyes.
Buntingpaw: mostly white she-cat with orange and black spots; amber eyes.
Kohlpaw: medium brown tom with white and black flecks; light blue eyes flecked with white.
Queens-
Yellowpelt: longhaired white she-cat with yellow and brown patches; amber eyes. (mate of Bearclaw)
Sparrow-wing: light orange she-cat with darker stripes; yellow eyes. (mate of Waterfang)
Elders-
Aspenleaf: slim yellow she-cat with brown paws; bluegreen eyes.
Silverstripe: black-gray tom with jagged white underbelly; pale reddish eyes.
SpiteClan:
Leader- Limpidstar: muscular white she-cat with black stripes; cold, clear blue eyes.
Deputy- Nightclaw: sinewy black tom; green eyes.
Medicine cat- Direheart: blue-gray she-cat; pale green eyes.
Warriors-
Shadefire - small, wiry white tom with triangular black muzzle, black paws, tailtip, and ears; blue-green eyes. Wears a piece of red Twoleg material about his neck.
apprentice, forestpaw
Apprentices-
Forestpaw: white she-cat with brown paws and tail; rounded brown face; white-blue eyes.
DustClan:
Leader- Junglestar: muscular orange tom with black stripes; amber eyes.
Deputy- Cheetah-heart: golden she-cat with black patches and large ears; green eyes.
Medicine Cat- Skyfur: large, dark gray she-cat with blue-gray chest, tailtip, paws, and black muzzle; yellow eyes.
Warriors-
Strongfoot: large white tom with black and brown patches; foggy brown eyes.
Jittertail: diseased white she-cat with a massive gray stripe down her back; amber eyes.
Cats Outside Clans:
Spuffy: fluffy, white-yellow she-kittypet with a light brown muzzle and tail; blue eyes.
Shilling: tiny gray tom kittypet; blue eyes.
Callie: mostly-white tortoiseshell she-kittypet; mute; amber eyes.
PROLOGUE
A violet haze descended atop the sky, blotting out the full moon which in turn shown down upon a pair of cats, who were facing each other with ominous snarls frozen on their faces. Although one was female and somewhat larger than the other, it was obvious that the pair were very closely related. The smaller one spoke as rain began seeping down from the sky in torrents.
“You don’t understand, my sister. We can’t be together anymore. Destiny’s path meanders too often for two cats to traverse it in the same way.”
The she-cat said nothing, but flicked her tail in the direction of a white-brown felid shape which lay sleeping nearby.
“Tendril was just the beginning of our journey.” the tom continued, acknowledging the creature with a cruel flash of his blue eyes. “And beginnings aren’t meant to last very long.” He gave a chuckle, and padded backwards into a small cave, still facing his opponent.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, and a cracking sound reverberated through the field. The she-cat looked over to see the third cat stuck under a massive branch, blood seeping from her chest into the boggy ground. She shrieked and tried to go over to the poor cat, but the tom held her back menacingly.
“See what I mean? She was never meant to be as great as I.” he hissed, raking his claws in a pattern against the hind flank of the she-cat, who was pinned down. Two half-circle welts less than a mouselength apart appeared on her body, dripping blood. She struggled, but could not manage to lift her own claws.
“You will pay for this.” she choked, going limp. The tom chuckled and lifted her face towards him with one black paw.
“Perhaps I will,” he snarled. “But before I do, I vow to destroy your soul and those of all close to you with my bare claws. I will do whatever it takes. I am no longer your kind and wise brother, Dapple.”
With that he padded off, leaving the pair of she-cats to lie still in their misery, his eyes lined with cold fire as they gazed up towards the shrouded moon.
CHAPTER ONE
Flaxpaw of RainClan smiled.
It was a crisp, pleasant night, and a blossoming full moon shone down upon the world, heralding a Clan gathering. Adrenaline flowed through the young she-cat’s veins, showing in the thump of paws against the mossy ground, the glint of white in her twin blue pools, the yowl of joy rising in her throat as the sacred ground approached. Her fourth Gathering promised to be an exciting one, for it was at long last time for an Introduction.
Every six moons -- the time span in which kits matured and apprentices trained to become warriors -- the two cat Clans of the forest would swear upon the spirits of their ancestors to bring every cat to the full moon Gathering. When they arrived, they would list the names of their Clan mates rank by rank. It was a way to tell about Clan events without being specific, something both Clan leaders appreciated very much.
Suddenly Flaxpaw emerged from a grove of trees and found herself among a mass of cats, their fur immersed in the silver, watery moonlight as they prepared for the Gathering. The ones nearest to her bore RainClan scent -- but as the cats mingled, the odd, grasslike scent of SpringClan began to fill her scent glands. She spotted her mentor, Summerbreeze, exchanging greetings with Meadowfur, a SpringClan warrior whose two kits had been recently apprenticed. The kits themselves were standing nervously beside Goldenstep, another warrior of their own Clan. One of them must be her apprentice, Flaxpaw realized.
Dapplestar, the leader of RainClan, had leaped atop a boulder which spanned a good-sized stream; this was the customary perch for leaders at a Gathering. She gave a yowl to signify that all were ready to begin, and as the clearing fell silent touched noses with Snowstar, leader of SpringClan. She looked down at the dozens of eyes fixed on her, and introduced herself solemnly -- but not without pride.
“I am Dapplestar, leader of RainClan.” the large, white-and-black she-cat announced. She took a step back so that Snowstar could speak.
The latter, a fluffy white she-cat, bowed lightly to her counterpart before stepping forward. In a voice neither high nor low, but clear and strong, she declared her name.
“I am Snowstar, leader of SpringClan.”
Flaxpaw sensed the tense pride in her voice, and heard some cat behind her mutter, “Oh, really?” She craned her neck in an attempt to spot the culprit, but her view was blocked by an extremely wiry, creamy-white tom who was pushing regally to the front of the crowd.
“I am Kestrelclaw, deputy of RainClan.” he rasped, dipping his head to Dapplestar and to the assembled cats. Then he lifted his pointed brown muzzle to the heavens, and Flaxpaw caught a few snatches of what seemed to be a prayer of thanks to StarClan, the spirits of their ancestors. She felt warm pride run through her at the thought of having such a good cat as deputy of her own Clan.
Snowstar was not so impressed. She lifted her nose the slightest bit, then turned and nodded with her eyes to a bob-tailed, umber-colored cat with yellow-brown stripes. This cat came forward, flexing strong shoulders. “I am Wheatstripe, deputy of SpringClan,” he declared.
Flaxpaw listened to the welcoming murmur which came from Kestrelclaw; she reflected that while the pair of deputies may be extremely aggressive, they were loyal to their Clan and to their friends. She couldn’t help smiling for a moment -- although by the time she ceased her train of thought, another cat had stepped up. This was a she-cat with beautiful, layered cream fur and brown points, like her own except a much more subtle color. Her eyes were firm but twinkled with gentleness, and every cat dipped his head a bit as she passed by them to stand near the boulder.
“I am Lilycrest, medicine cat of RainClan.” was the mew which resonated from her throat. She stepped back, touching noses with a tortoiseshell RainClan apprentice who looked up at her with awe.
Next was Lushpelt, medicine cat of SpringClan, and then the tortoiseshell herself, who was Buntingpaw, RainClan’s kind-hearted medicine cat apprentice. Afterwards came the tedious task of naming all of the warriors, during which Flaxpaw crossed the stream by way of a stepping-stone, eager to speak with the two apprentices she had glimpsed earlier. She located one of them, a tawny she-cat with brown spots and a thick tail.
“Hello.” she whispered, idly looking up while she waited for the cat’s response. She saw the RainClan warrior Granitescratch giving her name, and listened to a few more without really registering who they were. Finally, the other apprentice -- who was apparently quite shy -- turned to look at her and spoke.
“Hi.” was her reply. “I’m Sedgepaw, Wheatstripes’s apprentice. Who are you?”
Her voice was bubbly and sounded rather odd; the sound of it made Flaxpaw recoil slightly. The latter nodded, and was about to give her own name, when she realized that a slim, black SpringClan cat had stepped back in the crowd and everyone was staring at her. She crossed her paws and spoke.
“I am Flaxpaw, apprentice of RainClan.” Her voice cracked with nerves -- it was her first real Introduction, for kits were introduced by their parents. She stepped back, grinning sheepishly at Sedgepaw.
“And I am Sedgepaw, apprentice of SpringClan.” Sedgepaw chirped. Flaxpaw hoped her strange voice would go unnoticed.
Then Dervishpaw, the second oldest apprentice and RainClan’s best mischief maker, stood on all fours and spoke his name from across the stream. Flaxpaw, having just gotten over the excitement of speaking to both Clans, took the opportunity to make use of the stepping-stone once again. As she crossed she bumped into yet another apprentice; this one was a medium gray color with jagged white stripes on each side, whose name Flaxpaw could not recall. The RainClan she-cat hurriedly apologized, picking her way across the stream before anyone else could ram into her.
As she began to feel the RainClan ground beneath her feet once again, it was Dervishpaw’s sister, Sandpaw, who was introducing herself. Sandpaw was a much lighter shade of brown than Dervishpaw, with slightly darker face, tail, and paws. Her fur was extremely long, and often hid her small, elliptical blue eyes. As she spoke, Flaxpaw remembered that while she would go along with almost all of Dervishpaw’s schemes, she was an excellent hunter and always got her duties done early enough to relax a bit. Luckily one of the family is responsible, she thought with a chuckle.
Last in the apprentice category -- SpringClan had already begun on their queens -- was Kohlpaw, Flaxpaw’s brother. He was small and brown, with a rounded face and black scratch-like markings on his forehead. His eyes matched Flaxpaw’s entirely, being a rich sky-blue with white flecks around the edges. He believed in working hard to help his Clan, and was always there when you needed him most. Flaxpaw loved him more than any cat.
At long last the queens, kits, and elders began to introduce themselves, or be introduced, in the kits’ case. This part of the Clan hierarchy had come to the Gathering spot before nightfall, to ensure safe passage. A few warriors had gone with them, and when the contingency arrived a makeshift den was set up so they would be comfortable and safe. It seemed like a lot of work to get to an Introduction, with no reward, but Flaxpaw knew it was a tradition which had been honored for countless generations.
Finally the last cat introduced himself: Silverstripe, the second-oldest cat in RainClan. His dark gray fur was contrasted by a white, jagged patch on his underbelly and flecks of white on his face. Pale red eyes glinted in the moonlight, showing that he was once a fearsome warrior, one that RainClan was extremely proud of.
Dapplestar, who had been crouched on the boulder the whole time, got to her paws and spoke. “RainClan have had an excellent moon. Prey is plentiful, our claws are sharp, and the Twolegs -- thank StarClan -- have not bothered us. How is your Clan, Snowstar?”
Snowstar rose up to her full height. “SpringClan have not been so lucky. Prey is plentiful, as you mentioned before, and our claws are…sharp,” She stressed the word greatly, reminding everyone of the small territory skirmish which had taken place only a few days before, when SpringClan had been forced to hunt across the borders due to Twoleg activity in their normal hunting spot. This brought Snowstar to her next point. She stared down at the assembly and spoke louder.
“The Twolegs are getting bolder and bolder as we speak.” she hissed, pacing back and forth slightly. “One of their kits almost entered our camp yesterday. If we hadn’t scared it off, we would have been destroyed. We need to drive them out, I say!” She slammed one white paw down on the rock.
Dapplestar dipped her head, looking a bit agitated at the gasps which rose rapidly from the crowd. “Snowstar, surely you don’t expect to fight them? They’re amazingly powerful, what with those monsters and their sharp tree-cutting objects. Besides, their kits can do you no harm. Trust me.”
“Are you saying, Dapplestar,” Snowstar yowled, “that we let these filthy Twolegs run freely in our camp?” Hisses began to rise from the SpringClan side, and hackles in RainClan. Those on the ‘wrong’ side of the stream pushed to cross, and Flaxpaw craned her neck to make sure Sedgepaw hadn’t been hurt.
“No,” replied Dapplestar, “that is not what I intended. I simply meant--” The large she-cat broke off for a reason unknown to Flaxpaw. The apprentice craned her neck to see what had happened, but by now the mass of cats trying to get across had spread to her, and all she could see was the angry faces of RainClan cats. Her ears began to fill with the roars of battle, and she tried vainly to get to Summerbreeze’s side.
Suddenly, the roaring got louder, until Flaxpaw’s ears started ringing. A part in the crowd allowed her to see its true source -- and it wasn’t a bunch of cats. Looking in the direction of the RainClan camp, she spotted two perfectly round eyes glinted in the distance, coming ever closer.
It was a Twoleg monster.
No cat noticed it in the tangle which was already taking place as the Clans prepared for a battle of words. Flaxpaw leaped desperately over a cluster of tails, trying to reach Kohlpaw and warn the leaders. She managed to get past most pf the rush, but was stopped by Kestrelclaw, who was trying in vain to stop the madness.
“Wouldn’t want you to get caught up in this.” he murmured softly to Flaxpaw.
“But I--” The apprentice was stopped as the roar grew once again and now every cat halted. Dapplestar tried to speak, but the monster had reached the Gathering place and was screeching to a stop, its heavy black paws just missing a RainClan queen. Two tall, infeline figures stepped out, their strange white pelts glinting in the unnatural light which emanated from the eyes of the monster. Silence poured across the clearing once most cats had scrambled into a hiding place. Flaxpaw pulled Sandpaw into a small fern-lined dip, watching the Twolegs carefully.
One of them took something from the folds of its pelt, then pressed it in its paw as if part of the thing would move. Smoke began pouring out of an object within the monster, and Flaxpaw panicked. Why are they setting fire to the forest? she wondered, only half-registering what happened next.
As smoke began to fill the lungs of every cat, Flaxpaw suddenly felt very calm. This was like no smoke she had ever scented -- it was clear-tasting, almost sweet, and did not burn at her insides. Her eyelids began to blink involuntarily, and she whipped her head around to keep awake. She wondered if this was how it felt to die.
Snowstar was padding out from behind a rock, strolling majestically despite the smoke which curled around her feet and obscured her vision. Claws unsheathed, she lunged for the nearest Twoleg, giving a little yowl. The Twoleg made no move to stop her, for as the white SpringClan leader neared her target she began to sway, and fell to the ground. Flaxpaw strained her ears to hear breathing, but her senses were cloudy. She looked around for Sedgepaw, and spotted her across the river…
…And then everything went black.
CHAPTER TWO
Lushpelt clawed at nothingness, her head throbbing with a desperate longing to be free. She moved her paw up blindly, brushing up against another cat – for a single heartbeat the faintest scent of RainClan reached her nose. Her eyes burned from the strange smoke which had poured into the clearing after the abrupt ending of the Gathering.
She started to lift her head, looked around, and sank back down into a sleep of wild dreams. She was surrounded by a grayish-white light, her paws covered with dust. Everywhere she turned, she saw her own reflection snarling back at her. The RainClan queen, Yellowpelt, drifted by, surrounded by an ethereal mist, and Lushpelt found she couldn’t call out to her. And then it was Lilycrest, RainClan’s medicine cat, who was in front of her.
Lushpelt gazed at her counterpart wistfully. “Do you have any herbs?” she heard herself ask. The pretty she-cat shook her head.
“What are we doing here?” Lilycrest asked, although the words were so jumbled Lushpelt had to strain her ears to hear it. Then Lilycrest disappeared in a flash of light, sand in her place was a young warrior that Lushpelt didn’t know.
Why do I not see any SpringClan cats? she wondered. Then, all at once, she was surrounded by her Clanmates – Snowstar, Meadowfur, even Icekit. They were all staring intently at her, their eyes filled with longing.
“No!” she heard a cat yowl behind her. She whipped around to find a SpringClan apprentice, Sedgepaw, caught in the jaws of a black she-cat. Blood sprayed from a wound in her neck, and as a few drops splattered onto Lushpelt’s fur she heard a gentle voice calling out to her. This is not for you to see.
“No!” Lushpelt echoed, her claws digging into the ground. Ignoring the voice, she leaped at Sedgepaw’s captor, fangs out. Immediately the figure disappeared, taking with her the mat of cloud which lay under the medicine cat’s paws.
Confused and greatly afraid, she plummeted into the dark recesses from which she had come.
