Friday 31 December 2010

Redfur's profileClan: Lightningclan
Rank: Warrior
Pelt: Orange and white
Gender: She-cat

Mentor: Vinebreeze
Eye: Ice blue
Size: Small
Father: Swiftheart
Mother: Meadowfire
Sibling(s): Cloudbreeze(Starclan)

Other kin: Foxheart, Skywhsiker, Galeheart, Mouseheart, Quailpaw, Rosepaw, Firestar(Starclan)
Favorite prey: Squirrel
Favorite other clan: Oceanclan
Favorite cat: Foxheart and Mouseheart
Least favorite cat: Tigerstar
Symbol: Ice
Words: Loyal, forgiving, amusing(to look at)
Likes: Friends, quests, hunting
Dislikes: Betrayal, meanies
Apprentice(s): Quailpaw

Sunday 7 November 2010

The tale of Dungkit, Dirtplace, and Grosskit

Before I begin, the term 'dirtplace', is where the cats go to the bathroom.

The tale of Dungkit, Dirtplace, and Grosskit

"Now, now kits," Snowstorm calmed her kits down in the warm nursery. It was a breezy summer night outside, and the kits were restless after a day of jumping around. "or Dungkit, Dirtplace, or Grosskit will come eat you!"
"Tell us their story!" pleaded Quick-kit.
"Yeah!" squeaked Tigerkit.
"Okay, okay, calm down." Snowstorm murmured. "Once in the Lightningclan camp, many moons ago....." she began.

Once in the Lightningclan camp, many moons ago, there were three kits, the kits of Megan Fox the 2nd, Matthewdung, and Alexdung. Their names were Dungkit, Dirtkit, and Grosskit. Dungkit was a sewer green tom, Dirtkit was a green-brown and mustard yellow she-cat. The third, Grosskit, a hairless tom like his father Matthewdung, was eaten by his vicious mother when he was born. Both Dungkit and Dirtkit had weird squished in faces like their father, like they had been attacked by monsters. When Dungkit was a few moons old, he wandered out of camp, tripped over a tree root, and fell into a puddle. Unlike his father, Alexdung, who had always been careful not to look at his reflection, Dungkit looked at his disgusting face in the puddle. He died of fright at the monster staring him in the face. No one but Alexdung could muster enough courage to go and bury him and have to bear his odor the whole time.

Dirtkit grew to be warrior named Dirtplace. She loved her parents, Megan Fox the 2nd and Alexstar, but soon she realised that they were old, mangy, cold, heartless, hairless hairballs, so she went and asked Starclan to give her her destiny. Starclan decided to show mercy on the disgusting feline, so they turned her into what she was meant to be... some poop. Dirtplace, Dungkit, and Grosskit were given another chance, so they came back as the beautiful kits- Quick-kit, Bark-kit, and Tigerkit.

The end! Hope you liked it! :D

Chapter 7-8

Chapter 7
"Let's go!" hissed Foxheart, flicking her tail to tell her patrol to follow. There had been only silent order as soon s the patrol had left the camp. Redfur could feel the exhilarating rush of excitement that she always felt before a battle. She and Foxheart had raced back to camp when they saw the huge stream of Stoneclan slipping through the forest towards the camp. Vinestar and Foxheart had organized three patrols to go to the battle. Vinestar's patrol would attack from one side, then the Stonaclan cats would be hit by Yellowclaw's patrol, and after a while, the exhausted Stoneclan cats would be surged with a strong, efficient blow from Foxheart's patrol that would leave them fleeing with their tails between their legs. Brilliant really. In Foxheart's patrol, creeping silently through the thick, tangled undergrowth, were Foxheart, Rosepaw, Redfur, Quailpaw, Soilpaw, Lionfang, and Galeheart. After a while of padding along, Foxheart stopped and angled her ears towards the trees in front of them. Looking through a thin bramble bush that sheltered the patrol, they could see Vinestar's patrol sneaking stealthily a distance behind the Stoneclan patrol. Vinestar silently rose her tail straight into the air, and thrust it as far forward as she could. This signal meant only one thing-attack. The Lightningclan patrol surged forward as one, letting out ear-splitting yowls and warrior cries. The whole of Stoneclan turned and scattered into a ragged line in the cramped space they had. Cliffstar was in the middle.
"Halt!" he commanded, Vinestar held up her tail, and her patrol stopped, spreading out into a strong line. They stood snarling and scraping impatiently at the ground. The Stoneclan patrol exchanged smug looks. They thought that they had outnumbered the Lightningclan patrol, which was half their size. Cliffstar began to speak. but Vinestar cut him off.
"Why, Cliffstar? Why launch battle so soon after you lost one?" she asked honestly.
"Because, I never lose a battle twice!" he sneered. "But, I will be fair. Since you are so obviously outnumbered, surrender now, and we will leave with a small strip of you territory, and you will have peace." His offer hung in the air ominously.
"Never!" Vinestar snapped. "Have you ever thought that Lightningclan might beat you?"
"Of course not! You-" Cliffstar sneered, but was cut off by Vinestar.
"Have you ever thought that we might be angry, after you killed Icestar?" she snarled. A few shocked gasps rippled through the Stoneclan patrol. Vinestar went on,
"I've received my nine lives from Starclan,. And I, Vinestar, will never back down!" She yowled. "Lightningclan, ATTACK!" The two clans clashed, and yowls and shrieks split through the air. Vinestar leapt on top of Cliffstar, and started scrabbling his face and sides with her claws. He let out a yowl of pain and threw her off. He dived at the nearest apprentice, Featherpaw, who was fighting with Forestpaw, a light gray tabby tom. Sunheart saw Cliffstar hurtling towards Featherpaw, and leapt at Cliffstar, shoving him out of the way. The Lightningclan cats were greatly outnumbered, but they were putting up a great fight. Already, Smallstep, a black tom with white paws, and Antpaw, a black tom with brown paws, had both gone yowling away into the forest. Cherryblossom, a creamy white she-cat, had sped blindly away after Wheatpaw had swiped her across the face. Redfur heard Yellowclaw's yowl, and the clearing swelled with Yellowclaw, Berryfoot, Ripplepelt, Stormfoot, and Fernpaw. The patrol leapt into the battle, and were soon lost in it. Yellowclaw had driven Almondpaw and Goldpaw back into the forest, with cuffs to the sides of their faces. They ran away from him, back into the battle. Before long, Foxheart had lifted her tail, and Redfur was speeding towards the exhausted Stoneclan cats. Cliffstar turned and looked straight at Redfur, and she could see the hollow defeat in his eyes.
That will teach him to mess with Lightningclan! Redfur thought. Redfur saw Foxheart pounce on a big tortoiseshell tom, Eaglefeather. Redfur leapt on a black she-cat with brown eyes. Her name was Brackenpool, and redfur skidded to a halt when she remembered chatting to the beautiful she-cat at a gathering. A flash of recognition flashed across Brackenpool's face, and she turned and plunged away into the battle. Redfur saw Quailpaw struggling under a dark brown tom with light blue eyes, Lightsky. With a huge leap, Redfur landed on his back and raked her claws across his flanks until he ran, shrieking, away. Redfur spotted Foxheart a tail length away, thrusting Sheerheart, the black Stoneclan deputy, away with her hind legs.
"Foxheart!" called Redfur.
"Redfur! Lets try tail to tail!" Foxheart asked immediately. Redfur stood facing the opposite way of Foxheart, and, back to back, the slashed at the Stoneclan warriors, spinning round and round, until the battle was over. The last Stoneclan warrior ran from the clearing, and Vinestar yowled,
"Lightningclan has one this battle!" All the Lightningclan cats yowled into the air. They had shown Stoneclan what Lightningclan could really do!

Chapter 8
"-and then I slashed at that rotten Stoneclan warriors face, and you know what he did? He turned and ran away, squealing like a little kit!" Rosepaw finished her story in front of Tigerkit, Sleetkit, and Dusk-kit.
"Hey, what's wrong with kits?" Tigerkit asked indignantly.
"Yeah! We don't squeal!" Sleetkit agreed.
"And we're plenty big!" put in Dusk-kit, then added, "And strong!"
"And we could take a Stoneclan warrior any day!" finished Tigerkit, stomping his paw to prove his point.
"I know. But," Rosepaw butted in, not wanting to ruin her story, "he was squealing like a newborn kit!:
"Oh!" Sleetkit mewed.
"Newborn kits are like annoying mice. I'm way bigger then a newborn kit!" scoffed Tigerkit.
"Yeah! Guess how old I am? Guess! Three and a half moons!" Dusk-kit agreed. All four cats were interrupted when Vinestar called from the highledge,
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the highledge!"
This is it! Rosepaw thought excitedly.
~~~
Foxheart leaped down from the highledge where she had been talking to Vinestar, and padded over to Redfur. She listened proudly as Vinestar announced,
"We have four new warrior names to give today. These cats fought, and healed, well during the battle, and I hope that Starclan will light their warrior paths. The first is...Rosepaw!" Rosepaw skidded up to Vinestar in excitement, but before reaching her, slowed to a dignified walk.
"Rosepaw, you have shown loyalty and courage in battle, and I know that you will make a great warrior. From now on, you show be known as Rosefire!" Vinestar announced. The clan called Rosefire's new name and waited for the next apprentice.
"Quailpaw, you showed great fierceness and bravery in many battles, and I hope that Starclan with watch over you as a warrior. From now on, you shall be know as Quailfeather!" The clan chanted her name, and watched as Featherpaw became Featherblossom, and Petalpaw became Petalbloom. The whole clan went to bed with full bellies, and new warriors sitting vigil to protect them.
~~~
"Foxheart! Foxheart, wake up!"
"What?" Foxheart sat up, blinking sleepily. Silver moonlight filtered through the roof of the den. Foxheart looked around the warriors den, to see that every cat was curled up, their sides rising and falling rhythmically.
"Redfur, its the middle of the night. Why did you have to wake me up?" Foxheart asked impatiently.
"Something's wrong. Really wrong. I think someone close to me had...died. I woke up, and you were right here, so it wasn't you. And when I looked around, I realized something. Stormfoot is gone." Redfur meowed urgently. Foxheart sat up by the urgency and panic in Redfur's voice, but still decided to ask,
"So? How do you know he didn't go for a...midnight stroll?"
"He's weird like that," she muttered under her breath.
"Foxheart." Redfur murmured. "I need to go see what's wrong. Will you come with me? Please?" Redfur's eyes were wide and pleading. Foxheart cast one longing look at her soft nest, the meowed with determination,
"Let's go. We'll find Stormfoot, Redfur." Redfur nodded in thanks, turned, and crept out of the den. The camp glowed with a silver-blue shine in the moon's light. Foxheart steered towards Rosefire, Quailfeather, and Featherblossom, the new warriors sitting their silent vigil. They turned as Foxheart and Redfur padded up. Foxheart first mewed,
"Just nod yes or no. Got it?" The warriors nodded quickly. Foxheart then asked,
"Did anyone leave camp?" The three cats looked at eachother, then nodded. Foxheart glanced at Redfur, who was craning her neck to look anxiously out of the camp entrance. Foxheart went on.
"Was it Stormfoot?" The new warriors nodded vigorously.
"Have any other cats left?" Redfur asked. The warriors shook their heads.
"Thanks. That's all we needed. We'll need to go out there and check something." Foxheart mewed. She and Redfur padded out into the forest warily. They could smell Stormfoot, and could easily make out the strong trail he had used in the dim light under the trees. Foxheart flicked her tail, and began creeping swiftly along the trail. Stormfoot's trail headed in a straight line towards the lake. When Foxheart and Redfur got to the beach, they padded down, following Stormfoot's scent. Pebbles rolled under their paws, clacking loudly in the eerily silent night. They padded all the way down to the water's edge, and the water lapped at their paws, trying to tug them further into the lake.
"That's weird. Stormfoot's trail ends here! Did he go for a swim?" Foxheart wondered, squinting out at the black lake, looking for something.
"What-What's that?" Redfur asked, her voice quavering. Foxheart squinted out in the lake, and saw, a few fox lengths away, a cat, floating on the water's surface.
"Let's go find out." replied Foxheart, wading into the black water. She padded along the sandy lake floor, her movements slurred by the water pushing against her. Ripples were sent out from Foxheart and Redfur's movement. They neared the cat and realized that it was Stormfoot. A long cut, gushing blood that looked black in the night, ran from his front legs to his tail. Foxheart glanced worriedly back at Redfur. She was standing stock still, the water lapping above her belly. Her eyes were wide, and she was staring at Stormfoot's body, blinking again and again as if she couldn't believe what was happening, couldn't believe what was right before her eyes. Foxheart mewed gently,
"Come on, Redfur, lets go back." She grabbed Stormfoot's scruff, lay her tail along Redfur's back, and guided Redfur and Stormfoot back to the shore. When the three cats got to the shore, Foxheart slid her tail off of Redfur, and struggled onto the shore with Stormfoot. Redfur stumble up to Stormfoot's body and thrust her face in his fur, pulling it out, doing the same thing in another spot. She did it all over, again and again, and finally, seeming to realize that he was dead, she thrust back her head and yowled,
"NO!" Foxheart rushed over to her and ran her tail down Redfur's back comfortingly.
"No," Redfur whimpered."
"Lets go back to camp," Foxheart murmured gently. She guided Redfur back to camp, dragging Stormfoot by the scruff, his tail leaving a trail in the dust. They reached the camp entrance and Foxheart ordered Redfur gently,
"Go get some rest in the warriors den. I'll be their in awhile." Foxheart nudged Redfur gently. Redfur stumbled into camp, and Foxheart heard her mumble to the warriors on vigil,
"I have to go get some rest," Foxheart waited awhile, and then entered the camp. The warriors looked up, and stared in shock at the body that Foxheart was pulling along. Foxheart shook her head at them slowly. She dragged Stormfoot into the middle of the camp, and dropped his limp lifeless body there. Foxheart padded silently up to the highledge, and entered the leaders den.
"Vinestar," she called softly, standing at the entrance to the den, the moonlight silhouetting her form. Foxheart heard a light rustle, and then Vinestar called out in a hushed hiss,
"Who's there?"
"Foxheart." she replied. There was another rustle, and then,
"Come in." Foxheart stepped in. She knew what Vinestar's question would be, so she answered it.
"Stormfoot...he was murdered."

Saturday 2 October 2010

Sunheart's profile

Sunheart's profileClan: Lightningclan
Rank: Warrior
Pelt: Golden
Gender: Tom
Mentor: Galeheart
Eye: Green-amber
Size: Large
Father: ?
Mother: Vinestar
Siblings: Nighteyes, SnowstormMate: Foxheart
Kits: None
Other kin: Bark-kit, Dusk-kit, Tigerkit, Quick-kit, Whisperkit, Sleetkit, Autumnstripe, Ivypool, Icestar, Mistfall
Favorite prey: MouseFavorite other clan: Lightningclan!
Favorite cat: None
Least favorite cat: None
Symbol: Sun
Words: Loyal, strong, fierce
Likes: Hunting, gatherings
Dislikes: Crow, battles
Apprentice(s): Featherpaw

Sunheart's profile

Autumnstripe's profile

Autumnstripe's profileClan: Lightningclan
Rank: Medicine cat
Pelt: Grey tabby
Gender: Tom
Mentor: Sandwhisper (Starclan)
Eye: Yellow
Size: Large
Father: Icestar
Mother: Mistfall
Siblings: Ivypool, Vinestar
Mate: None
Kits: None
Other kin: Sunheart, Nighteyes, Snowstorm, Bark-kit, Tigerkit, Quick-kit, Dusk-kit, Whisperkit, Sleetkit
Favorite prey: Rabbit
Favorite other clan: StarclanFavorite cat: Cinderpelt (Starclan)
Least favorite cat: None
Symbol: Autumn leaf
Words: Loyal, quiet, forgiving
Likes: Gatherings, Prophecies, spending time with kin
Dislikes: Battles, greencough
Apprentice(s): Petalpaw

Foxheart's profile

Foxheart's profile
Clan: Lightningclan
Rank: Deputy
Pelt: Bronze tabby
Gender: She-cat
Mentor: Icestar

Eye: Sea-green
Size: Normal
Father: Galeheart
Mother: Skywhisker
Siblings: Amberheart (Starclan)
Mate: Sunheart
Kits: None
Other kin: Swiftheart, Moonstream, Mouseheart, Redfur, Quailpaw, Rosepaw, Firestar (Starclan)
Favorite prey: Squirrel
Favorite other clan: Oceanclan
Favorite cat: Bluestar (Starclan)
Least favorite cat: Hawkfrost
Symbol: Ocean
Words: Loyal, fierce, just
Likes: Hunting, quests, friends
Dislikes: Betrayal
Apprentice(s): Rosepaw

Wednesday 29 September 2010

Vinestar's profile

Vinestar's profile

Clan: Lightningclan
Rank: Leader
Pelt: Silver tabby
Gender: She-cat
Mentor: RabbitfurEye: Light green
Size: Small
Father: Icestar
Mother: Mistfall
Siblings: Autumnstripe, Ivypool
Mate:?
Kits: Sunheart, Snowstorm, Nighteyes
Other kin: Bark-kit, Quick-kit, Tigerkit, Sleetkit, Dusk-kit, Whisperkit
Favorite prey: Vole
Favorite other clan: Oceanclan
Favorite cat: Too many to name
Least favorite cat: Tigerstar
Symbol: VineWords: Devoted, loyal, gentle, understimated
Likes- Hunting, gatherings
Dislikes-Betrayal
Apprentice(s)- Redfur and Skywhisker

Wednesday 18 August 2010

Chapter 4-6

Chapter 4
"I'll be as careful as I can, Skywhisker," began Foxheart, as she finished sharing tongues with her mother.
"I know, but I'll miss you so much!" exclaimed Skywhisker. Her bright blue eyes still glowed faintly with shock.
"I'll miss you too! Wait- we don't even know if I'm going to go on the quest yet!" purred Foxheart.
"I know. I'm just worried about you. I don't want you to get hurt." Skywhisker explained.
"I won't. I mean, I have to come back to everyone and be the deputy!" Foxheart exclaimed.
"Okay Foxheart. I just-oh, you know!" Skywhisker purred. Foxheart gave her a lick on the cheek.
"I love you." Foxheart purred to her mother. She stood up when she saw Redfur slip out of the elders den. Foxheart gave her pelt a shake, and then groomed it down quickly.
"Good luck!" called Skywhisker, as Foxheart padded towards Redfur.
"Ready for this?" asked Foxheart.
"Ready as I'll ever be," replied Redfur. Together, they headed towards the leaders den. Foxheart and Redfur came to the crumble of rocks that led up to the cave that was the leaders den. Foxheart leapt up the first rock.
"Wait!" Redfur stopped suddenly.
"What is it Redfur?" questioned Foxheart, turning to face Redfur.
"Say...say we get the quest and we head out there to find this sideways river," began Redfur, scuffling her paws nervously in the dirt, "you-you have to promise me one thing.
"What? What is it? I promise."
"Never-never ever-let me die like I did in the dream. Promise?" she meowed.
"Of course. I promise." replied Foxheart.
"Then lets go!" meowed Redfur, bounding up a few rocks. Foxheart and Redfur leapt up the rocks easily. They sent little pebbles scattering back down the rocks. They reached a rocky cliff at the top at the entrance to the cave. Foxheart and Redfur looked down, and saw the clan below them. Foxheart saw Skywhisker looking up at them. She gave them a reassuring nod. Her blue eyes sparkled with pride. Foxheart turned to the leaders den entrance. She took a deep breath and stepped into the cave. The first thing she noticed, was how cool it was inside the den. The dim light showed a large cave with smooth sides. There was a soft looking nest of moss and bracken in the back of the cave. Foxheart could smell water in a pool in one of the corners. She smelled Vinestar's scent, mingled with vole. The bottom of the den was soft, cool, and sandy. Vinestar was sitting in her nest, eating the vole. She looked up at the two cats as they entered. Her eyes showed only a slight cloud of surprise.
"Foxheart, Redfur. What are you two doing here?" Vinestar began calmly.
"We need to tell you about something," Foxheart began, "a dream that we both had at the same time. We think it might be a prophecy, sent from Starclan."
"I see," meowed Vinestar, sitting up in her nest, "so, what was this dream about?"
"We woke up on a sandy bank," began Redfur, "and there was a river in front of us, a huge river, but it didn't flow from side to side like a normal river. It flowed towards us and back out."
"Go on," Vinestar mewed curiously.
"And we met a tom named Barkstar, who claimed to have wiped out all the clans and created a new clan called Tigerclan," Redfur continued. She shuddered, "Just like Tigerstar. The truth dawned on Foxheart as she blurted out, "He looked just like Bark-kit!" Vinestar looked up at her. Horror crept into the edges of Vinestar's eyes.
"A-are you sure his name was Barkstar? Did he really look like Bark-kit?" she stammered, looking back and forth between Foxheart and Redfur.
"Yes. Yes he did." Foxheart replied confidently. Vinestar stood. She looked both Redfur and Foxheart down. Then Vinestar began pacing the den, as if mulling something over. Finally, she sat down and curled her tail over her paws. "I had a dream," she began, "I was in a clearing. A huge cat's shadow was blotting out the whole sky and all the clans were running from it. They were blaming me, saying he was my king. Then they ran away, and I was wading in blood, and it kept filling up, until I was drowning in it. Then I woke up." Vinestar took a deep breath, and looked down at her paws. "Bark-kit is my kin. If he is going to follow in Tigerstar's pawsteps, we need to stop him. If you think that going on a quest to the place in your dream will stop him, do it. We can't let Bark-kit turn into that monster." Foxheart and Redfur glanced at eachother in surprise. They hadn't expected Vinestar to have had a dream too. And the fact that they were going on a quest shocked them.
"When would you like to leave?" questioned Vinestar.
"As soon as possible, please," Foxheart replied, "we need to stop this problem as soon as we can."
"Well alright then," decided Vinestar, "you can leave after the clan gathering in two days. You a will need plenty of rest, prey, and traveling herbs from Autumnstripe. I believe Starclan will show you where you need to go." Vinestar dipped her head to dismiss the two warriors. Redfur and Foxheart slowly backed out of the den. Once outside, Redfur turned to Foxheart and exclaimed,
"Well that was easier then I expected!"
"Me too!" replied Foxheart. She turned and bounded down the rocky path from the leaders den. The two friends split when they came to the bottom of the path. Redfur went to the elders den to tell her parents, and Foxheart padded to where her mother and father were sharing prey. As she padded past the camp entrance, Lionfang, Moonstream, Wheatpaw, and Flowerheart padded through the entrance.
"Everything's good on the Oceanclan border!" reported Moonstream.
"Good" meowed Foxheart to the patrol as they passed. As she padded towards her parents, they both looked up expectantly.
" I told Galeheart." Skywhisker meowed immediately.
"So what happened?" Galeheart urged.
Foxheart looked around at her camp, apprentices, warriors, and elders, all as one. The sun shone down and lit her fur up like a fire. Foxheart took a deep breath, and mewed, "Redfur and I are going on a quest."


Chapter 5
Foxheart padded to the medicine cat den. Lichen hung over the cave entrance. She slipped through it and called out,
"Autumnstripe? Petalpaw?" When there was no reply, she realized they might be in the elders den, or collecting herbs. Foxheart sat down to wait for them to come back. Both of her parents had been overjoyed when she told them about the quest. She could see the pride shining in both of their eyes. Foxheart had had to drag herself away from them. I wonder what traveling herbs will taste like? I'm glad I don't have to take them yet! Wondered Foxheart. She sniffed around the rocky ledges holding herbs. Foxheart hoped that the strong smelling thistle plant wouldn't be one of the traveling herbs. One of the plants had big leaves, and small white flowers. It smelled sweet, so she wouldn't mind that. Foxheart knew that the small black seeds were poppy seeds, ad they made cats sleep, so they wouldn't be used. She knew that the purplish blue berries were juniper berries, and they were nice and sweet. Foxheart wouldn't mind them. She decided that she would need to ask Autumnstripe about healing herbs, so she could know about some for the long trip ahead of her. She heard a rustling at the entrance to the den, and Foxheart turned to see who it was. Fernpaw came in, with Stormfoot at her side.
"But it hurts!" the small black she-cat wailed. Fernpaw was holding one of her front paws off the ground as she came limping in.
"I know it does, but Autumnstripe can pull it out quickly now that we're here," Stormfoot reassured her.
"What happened?" questioned Foxheart as she rushed over.
"I stepped on a really big thorn, and now its stuck in my paw where I got a cut a few days ago!" cried Fernpaw.
"Autumnstripe isn't here right now!" exclaimed Foxheart.
"He isn't?!" wailed Fernpaw, flopping onto her side.
"No. Here, let me see it. I've seen him do this a couple of times. I'm sure I can do it," decided Foxheart.
"Wait, Foxheart! I'm not sure-" Stormfoot began. Foxheart cut him off as she meowed,
"Its that or let her wait even longer with this in her paw." Foxheart lifted Fernpaw's paw up and saw a thorn buried deep in her soft pad.
"Here goes nothing," she muttered. Foxheart gripped the thorn between her teeth, and pulled. The thorn slid out gently, and was followed by a trickle of blood.
"Lick this until I get back," ordered Foxheart. Fernpaw obediently began to lick her paw as Foxheart darted off to find the herb that she was looking for. She finally found the long stem she was looking for. Foxheart plucked off some of the bright yellow flowers and darted back to Fernpaw. She stuck the flowers into her mouth, and chewed them up, then spat them back out. Foxheart spread the small clump onto Fernpaw's pad, and then sat back, anxiously watching Fernpaw's reaction.
"Oh, that feels great Foxheart. Thanks!" Fernpaw sighed, closing her eyes. Foxheart sat back happily. She had actually felt like a medicine cat for a bit!
"Lets wait for Autumnstripe to get back, so he can tell you what to do," Foxheart meowed.
"Okay!" meowed Fernpaw happily. Foxheart glanced over at Stormfoot. His brown eyes were fixed angrily on her face. What was his problem?
"Hey, Stormfoot, can I talk to you for a bit?" asked Foxheart, gesturing for him to follow with her tail. She padded deeper into the den, and she could tell from his pawsteps that Stormfoot was following. As soon as they were out of earshot, Foxheart spun around, tail lashing.
"What is your problem?!" she hissed.
"My problem? What's your problem? Stalking around like you own the place! You act like you're the leader and the medicine cat! You're not. You're only the deputy! You may be Redfur's best friend, but I am not going to worship you like the rest of the clan!" snarled Stormfoot.
"No one worships me, except for maybe one kit, but that's all! I acted like a medicine cat because someone was in trouble! I am not going to let a clanmate suffer when I can do something about it! And I know I am not leader. I respect Vinestar as leader, just as much as you, or any other warrior! I follow the warrior code, and I am an honest and good warrior serving my clan and Starclan, and there is no reason that you should have anything against me!" Foxheart was almost yowling. She saw Fernpaw angling her ears towards them, so she quieted down.
"You are a good warrior, and I will not take that away from you, so don't take it away from me! So leave me alone! she spat. Foxheart stalked past Stormfoot and back to Fernpaw.
"Is everything okay?" wondered Fernpaw.
"Of course it is. I was just...discussing hunting patrols with your mentor." Foxheart muttered.
"It didn't look like a discussion," Fernpaw pressed Foxheart for more. With no response, she asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm asking Autumnstripe what traveling herbs I'm going to take, and I'm going to try to learn about some herbs." replied Foxheart.
"Really? Why? Are you going on a trip? Is that why you need traveling herbs? Why do you want to learn about herbs? You're not gonna become a medicine cat are you?" Fernpaw asked, sitting up.
"I am going on a trip. I want to learn about herbs in case Redfur or I get hurt. We're going on a quest."Foxheart replied wearily.
"Really?! Can I come? Why are you going? Please can I come? Pretty please? I know really good fighting moves, and I can catch lots of prey, and I can be guard, and-" Fernpaw's outburst was cut off when Foxheart exclaimed,
"Great Starclan, Fernpaw! I'm sorry but you can't come. It's a trip that we have to take alone."
"Awww! But its so boring to be here when I could be off on a quest!" whined Fernpaw.
"Don't worry. With two warriors gone, you'll need to be protecting the camp, and supplying your clan with prey!" Foxheart reminded her.
"You're right! I need to take care of them while you're gone! Thanks for reminding me Foxheart!" exclaimed Fernpaw.
"That's what I'm here for," purred Foxheart. The two cats sat in silence for a while. Foxheart started grooming her long fur down in long, rhythmic strokes. Fernpaw began grooming herself too. Suddenly, the medicine cat's scent wafted over them, and the brambles covering the den stirred. Autumnstripe padded in with a mouthful of delicious-smelling catmint clutched in his jaws. He had
such a huge mouthful that it was almost falling out of his mouth. He dropped it and meowed, "Foxheart, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, I need to get something from you." She replied.
"Well, now that you're here, you might as well make yourself useful," he grunted. Autumnstripe pushed half of his pile over to her and meowed, "carry this for me please."
"Sure," Foxheart replied, picking up the bundle of catmint. She padded after him.
"Where ith Pethalpaw?" asked Foxheart, her voice muffled by the bundle in her jaws. Autumnstripe dropped his catmint in a large crevice in the wall, and pushed it in and patted it down until it was in a neat pile. Foxheart put her's on top of Autumnstripe's, and did the same thing until it was in a nice pile, just like his.
"Thanks," he meowed, "and about Petalpaw, she's coming. She's just having some...trouble with her catmint. Could you go help her with it, please, while I see what's wrong with Fernpaw?
"Of course I can." Foxheart mewed, bounding towards the den entrance. She slipped through and paused for a moment, blinking in the bright sunlight and feeling it warm her face, then bounded towards the camp entrance. She saw Petalpaw emerge from the tunnel, her mouth spilling over with catmint, and one paw balancing a awkward pile. Foxheart rushed over and meowed,
"Petalpaw, let me help you with that!" Petalpaw quickly dropped her bundles and divided them into two large piles, while gushing to Foxheart,
"Thanks so much Foxheart! I thought I would never get to camp! It took me forever! I'm so glad I'm finally here!
"Its okay. Autumnstripe asked me to come help you. Why did he make you carry so much anyway?"
"Well," Petalpaw began sheepishly, staring at her paws, "it was kind of a punishment, for running off to play with the other apprentices when I was supposed to be helping him."
"That's okay," Foxheart meowed sympathetically, "it's a shame that you can't always play with eachother. Maybe I could help you with that problem?"
"You would really do that for me?" asked Petalpaw, looking up hopefully.
"Well, I can always try, right?" Foxheart meowed thoughtfully.
"Sure you can! Thanks Foxheart!" exclaimed Petalpaw. She grabbed her bundle and dashed away, stopping to wait for Foxheart a few paces away. Foxheart bent down and picked up her bundle. She trotted to where Petalpaw was waiting, and together they padded to the medicine cat den. They swished inside, and heard Autumnstripe meowing,
"-and its great that our catmint stocks are so high. I've never seen so much catmint in my life! Its like a tiny forest! A tiny, overgrown,bursting forest!
"That's...um...great!" meowed Fernpaw uncertainly. Autumnstripe had her paw in his paws, and he was look over it carefully.
"Well," Autumnstripe meowed, "it's a clean cut, and goldenrod is a great plant for wounds. Dock would have been good too, but goldenrod is fine. Foxheart didn't do too badly! But she should have waited for me anyway."
"I know! That's exactly what I was thinking, but no, she's got to do it her way!" Stormfoot exclaimed, sitting up from where he had been sulking.
"She did a good job, though, so I'm not complaining!" spotting Petalpaw and Foxheart, Autumnstripe added, "Speaking of Foxheart, here she is now. Could you put the catmint where it went before please?" Foxheart flicked her tail and padded to the catmint store. She found it from the delicious scent wafting from its crevice. She pushed and patted her bundle in, waited for Petalpaw to do the same, then turned and trotted to where the other cats where.
"Thanks Foxheart." Autumnstripe meowed. "you did a good job on Fernpaw's paw! Where did you learn to do that?"
"Well, I like watching you and Petalpaw working in my spare time. I've learned a bit." Foxheart mewed shyly.
"Well, Fernpaw, you should go and rest, and be sure to be gentle on your paw until it's healed up, at least for a few days. Okay?" Autumnstripe mewed.
"Sure! Bye!" meowed Fernpaw. She jumped up and bounced out of the den, with only a slight limp. Stormfoot stood up and dragged himself after her.
"Have a good day!" called Autumnstripe cheerfully. Redfur passed Stormfoot on her way in.
"Hey Foxheart. I saw you come in here with Petalpaw, so I followed you." she called.
"Hi Redfur," meowed Autumnstripe, "so, both of you, I think something is going on. What is it?"
"Well," Foxheart began cautiously, "we both had a dream at the same time, and we think that it was a dream from Starclan, a prophecy. We talked to Vinestar. She had a dream too. She thinks that we should go on a quest, and that Starclan will show us the way. We came to see you to see what traveling herbs we need to take, and I'd like to learn about some herbs for the quest." The whole time Foxheart had been talking, Autumnstripe had been listening closely to what she was saying. He thought curiously,
"When are you leaving?"
"The day after the gathering," Foxheart answered.
"Okay. Well, that gives us plenty of time. First off, you don't have to worry about traveling herbs, that's for me. I can teach you some healing herbs though," meowed Autumnstripe.
"That would be great!" thanked Foxheart.
"Follow me then," called Autumnstripe over his shoulder as he trotted away. Redfur and Foxheart padded after him, looking around at all the plants tucked away in the walls. Autumnstripe stopped and stuck his paw into one of the deep dips in the bumpy rock wall. When he pulled it out, there were a few small purple-blue berries in a bunch on a bristly dark green leaf balanced on it.
"Juniper berries!" exclaimed Foxheart proudly, recognizing the berries by their scent immediately.
"Yes," Autumnstripe agreed, "juniper berries. Perfect for just about anything. They can help a sore stomach, heal wounds, take away a cold, anything! The berries are found on a bush made of these prickly leaves." Autumnstripe rolled them back into their place, and padded on with a wave of his tail. He stopped at another wide dent in the wall. He touched the flowers inside with his tail, and meowed,
"This, as you know, is goldenrod. Helpful for healing large or small wounds, just like Foxheart did with Fernpaw's paw. They are easy to spot and find because they look like a tall, golden rod. They're very easy to spot. Okay, come on," The three cats padded all around the den, looking at herbs, until they had seen dock, marigold, comfrey, lavender, catmint, burdock root, and feverfew. They were about to move on to a liquid that reeked like the dirtplace, when Petalpaw padded up with juniper berries and some other leaves in her jaws. She dropped them when she reached Autumnstripe and reminded him,
"Remember, we have to go give Whisperkit his strengthening herbs, and Rabbitfur asked us to come look at his sore pads. I've got dock ready and its getting late. Shouldn't we go now?"
"Right! I completely forgot!" Autumnstripe grabbed some dock, and began padding away. "Foxheart, Redfur, come back tomorrow and we can finish up in here, okay?"
"Okay!" called Redfur after him. As he trotted out, Foxheart and Redfur followed into the Lightningclan clearing. Bark-kit, Tigerkit, and Quick-kit were tussling in a corner while Dusk-kit and Sleetkit batted a ball of moss around while Whisperkit watched wistfully from his mother's side.
"You know, I've been thinking, and I think that we should give Rosepaw and Quailpaw an assessment. Its time they got their warrior names." thought Foxheart out loud to Redfur.
"I was thinking the same thing. We'll tell Vinestar and then take them out." replied Redfur. The two warriors turned and padded along the camp walls before bounding up to the leaders den and entering.
"Hello Foxheart, Redfur," greeted Vinestar warmly.
"Hello Vinestar." replied Redfur.
"Hello Vinestar. We think that we should give our apprentices their last assessment today, before we leave," Foxheart meowed immediately, plunging into her thoughts quickly.
"Of course! I've been thinking that they were ready for a while now," agreed Vinestar.
"We'll report to you at sunhigh today," confirmed Redfur.
"Good. You two are good mentors." Vinestar nodded her head in dismissal. Foxheart and Redfur backed out of the den, heads lowered in respect. They went to find their apprentices for their assesment, warmed by the midday sun, the thought of days ahead, and their leaders praise.
Chapter 6
Foxheart was crouching in the branches of an oak tree. Bright green leaves with fringes of brown gave her a thick covering. She kept her breathing silent and slow. She kept her breathing silent and slow. From her view, she could see Rosepaw swishing over the ground after a mouse, her green eyes narrowed in concentration. Rosepaw took a few more steps forward then stopped abruptly. She was still, and her tail tip flicked back and forth. After a few moments of silence, Rosepaw's haunches started rocking, and they rocked for a few moments, until Rosepaw pounced, landing squarely on the prey. She killed it quickly and padded away with it in her teeth. Foxheart clambered swiftly to the top of the tree trunk. She slid down it silently, then leapt, landing softly in a patch of grass, all without a sound. She padded after Rosepaw's scent, making sure not to place her paws on any crackling leaves or twigs. Foxheart padded slowly, with her body and tail close to the ground. She could hear Rosepaw up ahead, burying her prey with the rest. Foxheart skirted around a tree, and quickly ducked back behind it when she saw Rosepaw right in front of her. She shot to the top of the tree, and looked down on Rosepaw's form. She could see in Rosepaw's stash that there was a mouse, a squirrel, a starling, and two vole. A huge stash! Rosepaw had stopped and stood still for a moment, her ears pricked, her eyes wide, and her mouth open. When Rosepaw stopped, she had a confused look on her face. Rosepaw had obviously scented Foxheart. From her side, Quailpaw and Redfur's scent wafted to Foxheart. Rosepaw was doing very well, and the sun was only barely beginning to center in the sky. All the cats were to meet at the camp entrance at sunhigh. Rosepaw headed away to find more prey.
~~~
Rosepaw opened her mouth to extend her senses out to the forest. She hated assessments. They were filled with so much tension, and knowing you were being watched was scary. She hadn't seen or heard Foxheart once, but she knew tat Foxheart was there. Every now and then, Rosepaw would catch a whiff of Foxheart's scent on the breeze, but it disappeared just as soon as it came. Rosepaw had caught a lot of prey, so she thought she would get a good assessment. Foxheart and Redfur had said that this might be the assessment before their warrior ceremony. Rosepaw could still feel the tingling excitement fizzing at the tips of her fur.
I wonder what my name will be? she thought as she padded along. Rosepetal? No, not fierce enough. Roseclaw? Too fierce. Hopefully I'll get a good name. Suddenly, she picked up the scent of a starling. Stalking after it, she rounded a tree, and immediately saw the bird digging for insects. She crouched down, her tail flat behind her, her pawsteps soft and soundless. She got within a tail length as the starling pecked busily away, not knowing that his cheery life was almost over. Rosepaw could feel the blood pounding in her ears. She took a tiny pawstep forward, and-Snap! The sound echoed through the trees. The bird's head snapped up without pausing to ever look around, it spread its wings and vaulted itself into the air. Rosepaw looked up at it, and with a tremendous effort, she leapt up at the bird. She hooked one claw into its feather, and slammed it down to the ground. She killed it with a swift bite. Rosepaw picked up the prey and padded into the forest, her tail held straight up in the air.
~~~
Quailpaw bounded over to Rosepaw at the camp entrance. Rosepaw had a huge mouthful of prey, and she kept having to readjust her grip so she wouldn't drop any. Quailpaw was proud of her own catch. She had managed to find two voles, a mouse, a crow and a squirrel. She dropped her prey and mewed,
"Hi Rosepaw! Nice catch!" Rosepaw dropped her catch and replied,
"Hi! You've got a good catch too!"
"Where do you think Redfur and Foxheart are?" asked Quailpaw, looking around and sniffing the breeze.
"I dunno. Maybe," Rosepaw mewed, lowering her voice, "they're discussing what our warrior names will be!"
"Do you really think so?" asked Quailpaw.
"Maybe! I was thinking of what I want mine to be. There are so many to choose from! I don't want Roseclaw, or Rosepetal, or Rosenose, or Rosepool, or Roseflower, or Rosefoot, or Rosefur. But, I wouldn't mind Roseheart, or Rosestream, or Rosewhisker, or Rosestripe. Oh Rosestorm would be cool! Rosepelt? Rosebloom. Or Rosecloud would be good! You know what I would really like my name to be?"
"What?" asked Quailpaw. She didn't mind listening to Rosepaw go on and on, which she did alot.
"I'd like my name to be...Rosestar!" Rosepaw yowled, leaping onto a nearby rock.
"Oozy, Quailstar! I don't mind that!" giggled Quailpaw.
"You know what I heard?" Rosepaw mewed, flopping lazily onto her side.
"What?" Quailpaw asked, licking her paw and then drawing it over her face.
"I heard that Featherpaw and Petalpaw are getting their warrior names too!" Rosepaw mewed excitedly.
"Cool! Then they can sit through the warrior vigil with us!" Quailpaw exclaimed. The excited look in Rosepaw's eyes faded.
"Featherpaw can, but not Petalpaw, because she's a medicine cat."
"Oh. Okay," replied Quailpaw sadly. The two apprentices sat for a while longer until Rosepaw jumped up and mewed,
"They're taking forever! Lets go into camp."
"Okay." Quailpaw silently gathered her prey and followed Rosepaw into the tunnel. Rosepaw was looking down at the ground while she padded along. Quailpaw peered over her ears. She heard a rustle at the end of the tunnel, and tried to warn Rosepaw, but it was too late. The two cats collided, and when Quailpaw saw the big grey tom, she realized it was Yellowclaw. Quailpaw ducked behind Rosepaw so she wouldn't have to look at his menacing yellow glare.
"S-sorry!" stammered Rosepaw, her ears laid back as she crouched down.
"you need to watch where you're going!" snapped Yellowclaw.
"O-okay! We will!" squealed Rosepaw. Yellowclaw pushed past them and out of the camp. As soon as he was out of ear-shot, Quailpaw whispered to Rosepaw,
"He scares me!"
"Humph! I'm not a tiny bit scared of him!" Rosepaw exclaimed.
"Wow! Well...I'm not either then!" replied Quailpaw defiantly. The two she-cats padded into the camp. The sun was shining down into the hollow, and most of the clan was lazing about outside. Flowerheart and Lionfang were basking in the sun and chatting, while Featherpaw sat listening intently. Vinestar and Autumnstripe, who were brother and sister, were sharing a vole in the shade. Skywhisker, Moonstream, and Meadowfire sat sharing tongues. Rabbitfur and Wispcloud sat on some flat boulders, basking in the sun. Snowstorm and Nighteyes were flopped on their sides, occasionally tossing out a lazy comment. Their kits were play-fighting nearby in a soft patch of grass. Quailpaw and Rosepaw padded over to the fresh-kill pile and dropped their prey onto it, doubling the size of the pile. Windheart gave them an approving nod. He meowed,
"having an assessment, are you?"
"Yeah," replied Quailpaw.
"That's good. Training and more prey. You both did very well. You should be proud to serve your clan," he mewed truthfully. Windheart padded away to where his mate was grooming herself. Quailpaw and Rosepaw picked up a mouse to share. They settled down on a soft patch of grass. A peaceful silence, broken only by soft murmurs and bird chirps, filled the hollow.
Quailpaw's eyes began to close as the sun sank into her dark fur. She began to drift off to sleep with a happy thought in her mind. I'll be a warrior soon. Suddenly, though, the peace was shattered as the sound of thudding pawsteps reached the camp. Quailpaw sat up and angled her ears towards the camp entrance. She glanced around and saw many other cats doing the same. The pawsteps began to get louder. Quailpaw scented Redfur and Foxheart a moment before they burst wide-eyed into the clearing. Vinestar leapt up and mewed,
"Foxheart, Redfur, what's wrong?"
"Stoneclan...saw..." Redfur gasped, unable to speak properly for the way her side was heaving. Foxheart had caught her breath enough to exclaim,
"We ran here as soon as we saw. Stoneclan is invading Lightningclan territory!"

Monday 16 August 2010

Chapters 2 and 3

Chapter 2
Foxheart woke up, the familiar scent of Redfur warm next to her. She blinked open her eyes and stretched her legs out in front of her. She studied her surroundings quickly, and realized that this was not the warriors den. Unusual scents, sights, and sounds flooded through Foxheart's scents. "Redfur," Foxheart murmured, prodding her best friend in the side, "wake up."
"What is it?" Redfur questioned, squinting as she sat up. "I was having a really good dream."
"You're still in a dream," replied Foxheart impatiently.
"You're right," exclaimed Redfur, her eyes widening as she sat up and looked around, "this is definitely not the warriors den!"
"No way," retorted Foxheart. A splashing sound brought them back to their surroundings. They were on a riverbank. At least, it looked like a riverbank. It was completely made of sand, running off as far as the eye could see. In front of them was a great expanse of water, glittering in the huge sun bearing down. White crests of huge waves dotted the water, and the waves, far greater in size and noise then any wave in a river, were shrinking and shrinking until they lapped calmly up at the riverbank. Foxheart scooted warily up to it, dabbed her paw in, and snampered back to where Redfur stood.
"Are you okay? Did it hurt you? Is your paw stinging?" Redfur sputtered, licking and sniffing Foxheart's paw. "Why'd you do that? Why didn't you......salty?"
"What?" questioned Foxheart, slightly taken aback by the flood of questions.
"That paw tastes....salty!" exclaimed Redfur, swiping her tongue around her muzzle. Foxheart bent down and gave her paw an experimental lick.
"You're right! You know what else I noticed? The river-well whatever it is- is flowing towards us and back out again, not like a river that just flows to the side." Foxheart noticed, motioning with her paw.
"Really?" Redfur wondered. She found a stick, and together, Redfur ad Foxheart pulled it to the water's edge. They shoved it into the water, and, confirming Foxheart's thoughts, it was swept lazily away from them, and then drifted back towards them.
"You're right! It-" Redfur let out a startled yowl and leaped backwards as the water lapped up at her feet. Foxheart let out a mrrow of laughter.
"Is this a dream from Starclan, Foxheart?" meowed Redfur, ignoring Foxheart's laughter.
" I don't know," Foxheart began thoughtfully, "maybe it is. Or maybe it's a prophecy! Why else would we end up in the same dream together? Maybe-" She stopped in mid-sentence, squinting in the bright sunlight at the golden riverbank to her side.
"What's that?" she wondered. It was the shape of a cat, a large brown cat, and as it got closer, the warriors saw an ugly scar across the cat's eye Foxheart began padding towards the cat.
"We need to find out who that is," called Foxheart, speeding up until she was loping across the sand, sending it skidding out from her paws. Redfur sped after her. As they drew closer, the tom became more familiar, but how could they know this tom? Maybe he was from Galeclan or Oceanclan? As Foxheart, and a few seconds later Redfur, skidded to a halt in front of him, Foxheart asked, "Who are you? Why are you here?" The tom seemed a bit surprised to see these two cats, but decided to answer them anyway.
"My name is Barkstar. I am the leader of Tigerclan, the greatest clan in history!" he announced proudly.
"And how did you get-" Redfur began.
"How did I get this scar?" He interrupted, touching the pink line with his tail. "I got it when I defeated the evil leader of Lightningclan, Vinestar. She didn't put up a fight, she only had 2 lives left anyway." he said, smirking at the horrified glances Redfur and Foxheart exchanged. "Don't worry, she didn't give me this scar. It was her deputy, Foxheart, who put up the real fight. I hated fighting her," he mewed thoughtfully, "I had always looked up to her. She was such a great warrior. She would have been a great warrior, maybe even deputy, of Tigerclan. But I had to forget her. I need to follow in my ancestor's footsteps. The great leader, Tigerstar, is my kin. I will complete the work that he never got the chance to finish. I will make his name great!" he rumbled triumphantly. "I got rid of every cat that supported Vinestar. They're all gone." He swiped his claw through the sand.
"Well, that is...very interesting....um, me ad my friend had better get going...we...um..."sputtered Redfur nervously, backing away.
"You look kind of like Foxheart," Barkstar suddenly turned to Foxheart. "You look a lot like her actually, "he mewed, suddenly suspicious. "You have the same eyes and pelt, everything! Where are you from?" he demanded.
"I-I'm Clover," burbled Foxheart, "and this...this is my sister, Sunny." Redfur glanced quickly at Foxheart before adding, "Yes! We just came out here to explore!"
"Is that so?" growled Barkstar, pacing back and forth.
"Yes! It is! Really!"stammered Redfur.
"Then...GET OUT!!!" he screeched, leaping at Foxheart. But she had been expecting the move. She sidestepped quickly. Outraged, Barkstar lunged at her again. She leapt neatly over him, tuned on one paw, and swiped his hind legs out from under him.
"Honestly! You're going to have to do better then that! You're fighting like a big, clumsy kit!" she taunted him. He leapt again, and confused, Foxheart watched as he sailed right past her. Too late, she and Redfur realized where he was going.
"NO!!!" Foxheart yowled, as Barkstar's huge paws collided with Redfur's side. Foxheart leapt at Barkstar, raking her claws along his face and flanks and belly until he turned and galloped away, leaving a small red trail in his wake. Foxheart began desperately lapping up the blood gushing from Redfur's side. She could only watch as her best friend's life ebbed out of her...
~~~
Foxheart leapt up from her nest with a yowl, bracken and moss clinging to her fur. Berryfoot's head shot up.
Honestly, Foxheart, do you mind? Do you have to-" he was cut off mid-sentence as Foxheart thrust past him, searching for Redfur. She finally found the ginger and white cat next to Stormfoot, thrashing around in her nest. Foxheart quickly checked that she had no wounds, then gently pressed a paw against Redfur to wake her up. Redfur's ice blue eyes shot open. They were glazed over with pain.
"Foxheart! Foxheart! Is it bad? Is it?" Redfur sobbed. Her eyes stretched so wide that Foxheart could see the white in them.
"No. Nothing's wrong It was a dream. You're awake. Its okay."
" Don't leave me Foxheart! Don't let me die. Don't let me die alone! Please don't let me die Foxheart!" gasped Redfur, straining in her nest. She gasped for breath as if she was choking on air. Suddenly she turned and gazed into Foxheart's calm eyes. The pain in her eyes faded until there was no trace of the agony that had filled them only a moment ago.
"Its okay Redfur. You're okay." Foxheart explained to Redfur gently.
"Okay." Redfur murmured. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Okay. I'm okay. I am okay." Redfur sat up and shook scraps of moss off, as well as the dream. They both gave themselves quick grooms before heading out to the clearing. Before they left though, Foxheart mewed, "We need to tell Vinestar." Redfur nodded in agreement before padding out of the warriors den. Foxheart brushed through the protective brambles. As she came outside, she quickly decided who would on the dawn hunting and broder patrols. "Skywhisker, Moonstream, Wheatpaw, and Soilpaw. You can go on the border patrol. Check the Galeclan border please. You can leave as soon as you're all ready." The four cats gathered in a patrol and slipped out the camp entrance.
"I need Rosepaw, Redfur, and Quailpaw. You all can come with me on the dawn hunting patrol. Meet me at the camp entrance when the sky turns pink." She mewed to Redfur as she shared a mouse with Stormfoot. She felt a small prick of jealousy now that Redfur spent so much time with her mate. Shrugging off the emotion, she padded towards the apprentices den and ducked inside.
"Rosepaw, Quailpaw, wake up you're coming on the dawn hunting patrol." She mewed quietly.
"Is it morning already?" complained Rosepaw, as she clambered out of her nest and stretched. "Yes,it is, and as my apprentice, you will not be napping until sunhigh!" Foxheart replied, giving Rosepaw a flick on the ear with her tail. Quailpaw was already up, cleaning her black pelt with quick strokes.
"I'm glad I get to on hunting patrol!" she mewed, bouncing over to Foxheart. "Especially with the new deputy!" She bounded out of the apprentices den. Now that's the attitude Rosepaw should have! Thought Foxheart approvingly. She followed Quailpaw and Rosepaw out of the den, and headed toward the fresh-kill pile. As she padded towards it, Sunheart came up to her with Featherpaw
"I was wondering if Featherpaw and I could come on the dawn hunting patrol with you?" wondered Sunheart. Featherpaw's eyes were wide and hopeful.

"Sure," Foxheart replied, "I mean, you can never have too many cats on a patrol can you?"
"YES!" yowled Featherpaw, leaping in the air and batting at an imaginary butterfly.
"Featherpaw," began Sunheart sternly, "you are an apprentice, not a kit. You need to start acting your age or we can put you back in the nursery to sleep all day. Understand?"
"Yes Sunheart. Sorry," Featherpaw replied staring at her paw. She sat there awkwardly for a few more moments, then turned and scampered away to where Rosepaw and Quailpaw were practicing their fighting moves.
"That stinking Stoneclan cat won't know what hit him!" hissed Rosepaw, as she landed perfectly on a leaf leaping in a quick gust of wind.
"And you won't know what hit you!" yowled Featherpaw, leaping at Rosepaw. They scuffled around until Rosepaw had Featherpaw pinned down.
"Ha Ha Cliffstar! Now its time for me, Rosestar, to show you what Lightningclan can-" she broke off as Quailpaw leaped at Rosepaw and pinned her down.
"Now, I, Quailstar, shall-" she was cut off as Featherpaw rejoined the game and leapt at her. The three apprentices began playfighting, using fighting techniques with sheathed claws. Sunheart and Foxheart turned away from the apprentices. Foxheart picked out a plump looking vole from the fresh-kill pile.
"Want to share?" she asked Sunheart.
"Of course!" he purred. The two cats knelt down and began taking mouthfuls of the juicy flesh. Even a day old, Lightningclan prey was the best in the forest! When they had finished, Foxheart swiped her tongue around her jaws, and padded to the camp entrance with Sunheart. Her patrol was gathered at the entrance.
"We're going to hunt near the Oceanclan border, near the river, so we can catch some water prey." Foxheart mewed as she approached the small group of cats. "Lets go." She began to lead the patrol out of the camp, but stopped when she heard a light thud.
"WAIT!" Foxheart heard the desperate squeal of a kit, and when she turned around, she saw Quick-kit tripping over her paws, scampering over.
"Quick-kit, come back here! I have to make sure Tigerkit takes his herbs!" called Snowstorm halfheartedly as she ducked out of the nursery with Bark-kit clawing at her tail. Quick-kit ignored her, and skidded to a halt in front of Foxheart, panting.
"Foxheart," she began between breaths, "I know you're deputy now, but I bet I can beat you to the warriors den!" Quick-kit squeaked.
"Oh yeah?" challenged Foxheart.
"Yup!" Quick-kit replied, puffing her chest out.
"Fine then. We'll start here," she said, scratching a long line through the dust with her claw, "and when I say go, we'll race there and back. The first one to cross the line on the way back wins. Rosepaw," Foxheart called, flicking her tail to summon her apprentice," you be the judge. Whoever crosses the line first wins. Say 'go' once we're ready. Okay?" Foxheart asked, her eyes gleaming mischievously.
"Okay!" exclaimed Rosepaw enthusiastically, glad to be judging in front of her clanmates.
"Ready Quick-kit?" Foxheart questioned, turning to the kit beside her.
"Uh-huh!" Quick-kit replied, her fur fluffed up at the thought of winning in front of the whole clan.
"Okay. Ready," Rosepaw began. The two cats crouched down at the starting line. Quick-kit could feel her heart pounding. And- "Go!" yowled Rosepaw. Quick-kit leaped forward and thudded to the ground. She stood for a moment and then began to scamper forward in a wobbly line towards the warriors den. She didn't dare look to see where Foxheart was. She could feel her little paws thudding in time with her heart. The warriors den was drawing closer now, and Quick-kit could see the brambles and lichen hanging down in front of the entrance.
Foxheart could see Quick-kit a few tail-lengths ahead of her. Foxheart was letting Quick-kit win deliberately. She was taking tiny pawsteps, placing one paw in front of the other slowly, and staying on her toes, like she was stalking a mouse. She saw Quick-kit swatting the warriors den with one paw, then twisting around, and scampering back. As soon as Quick-kit could see her, Foxheart began to run, leaping forward in bounds. She began to near the warriors den as Quick-kit scampered away.
I must be fast to be beating Foxheart! Though Quick-kit, as she thudded back to the line. Foxheart had been going fast! Quick-kit could see where Rosepaw was crouching at the line, her tail flicking. As Quick-kit began to near the line, she thought happily, I'm actually going to win! Foxheart had gone back to her slow, stalking-prey run. She watched happily as Quick-kit bounced over the line. Foxheart bounded over the line after Quick-kit, and she began pretending to pant.
"And the winner is...Quick-kit!" Rosepaw announced. Immediately, every cat in the clearing who had been watching began chanting Quick-kit's name. Quick-kit was shining as kits gathered around her as she bragged. Foxheart went over and gave Quick-kit a lick on the head.
"Well done, Quick-kit." congratulated Foxheart.
"Thanks!" squeaked Quick-kit. She puffed out her chest until it looked ready to burst. Foxheart saw Bark-kit dart over and whisper to Quick-kit, "She let you win!" before darting to where Snowstorm and Tigerkit were waiting at the nursery. But that was to be expected. His sister had just won a race against a warrior. Out of the corner of her eye, Foxheart saw Stormfoot murmuring something to Redfur, and Redfur nodding. Redfur began to make her way over to Foxheart.
"Um, Foxheart, I hate to break this up, but Stormfoot and I agree that the dawn hunting patrol should be leaving by now." Redfur reported, glancing back every now and then at Stormfoot.
"Well," Foxheart began, all her jealousy welling up as she tried to keep from hissing, "this is Quick-kit's first victory, and we should acknowledge it and show her we care, and obviously no one else cares that we are missing a patrol," she snarled, lashing her tail, "so I don't see why we should go right now!" Foxheart finished. Casually, licking a paw, she added, "Plus, neither you or Stormfoot are deputy. I am." Foxheart stood watching with satisfaction as Redfur backed away, her eyes wide. Foxheart turned and spotted Bark-kit making his way shyly over.
"Um, Foxheart, I was wondering if you could teach me some fighting moves, so she," Bark-kit meowed, flicking his short tail towards Quick-kit, "doesn't get everything."
"Of course I can!" Foxheart replied warmly, touching his ear with her tail. "As a matter of fact, I'm free the morning of the gathering! Ask your mother if that would be okay."
"Okay!" Bark-kit squealed, bouncing away to Snowstorm. Foxheart looked on fondly. Bark-kit was a great little kit. She loved to think that maybe sometime she could mentor him. He would be a great warrior. As cats began to go back to their dens, and Quick-kit began to edge towards Snowstorm, Foxheart decided that now was the time to go on the dawn patrol, if it could still be called the dawn patrol.
"Alright everybody," called Foxheart to the cats still in the clearing, "the cats who were going on the dawn hunting patrol, come with me. We'll need to catch extra prey so it can count for the next hunting patrol as well. I've seen the dawn border patrol come back, so Yellowclaw, Windheart, Galeheart, and Shadepaw, you can go on the next border patrol. Check the Oceanclan border pleas. You can go when you're ready. Stormfoot, you and Fernpaw can come on our hunting patrol so we can catch extra prey." Foxheart swept around and went to the hunting patrol at the camp entrance.
"My patrol, lets go." The cats from her patrol began filing out of the camp. Foxheart trotted to catch up and found her mother, Skywhisker, waiting for her.
"I still can't believe that you're deputy!" Skywhisker mewed, her eyes brimming with pride, as she brushed against Foxheart.
"Neither can I," replied Foxheart, her pelt brushing against Skywhisker's, "neither can I."

Chapter 3
All was quiet. Redfur could smell prey, and the fresh green scent that she loved from the forest. She could feel the soft, green grass springing softly beneath her pads. Redfur could feel her stomach fur brushing the ground silently. She tasted the lightness of a cloudless sky on her tongue and felt it on her fur. She could hear the birds twittering above her and the scratching mice nibbling treats. she could see a blade of grass waving in front of her, and a green glow glazed her surroundings. Redfur glanced at the sun through the spiderweb of leaves and branches above her. One more catch and she should meet the others. Redfur caught the scent of a mouse and pinpointed it. She had only gone a few paces when she saw it scuffling among some tree roots. She crept forward, putting her paws delicately down one in front of the other. She stopped when she was a tail-length away. She stood stock still for a moment, then bunched her haunches, and pounced, claws outstretched, towards the prey. The mouse spun around and tried desperately to dart away, fear in its eyes, but it was too late. Redfur trapped it between her paws, and ended its short life with a swift bite to its neck. She stood, satisfied, and swiped her tongue around her jaws. Redfur picked up the mouse by its tail and headed toward where the rest of her prey was buried. She picked up three plump mice and a sparrow from where she had left them buried and began to head to the meeting place, feeling proud with four mice and a bird swinging from her jaws. As Redfur entered the space draped with ferns, she held her head high with her catch. Stormfoot, Sunheart, Foxheart, Featherpaw, and Fernpaw, were sitting with piles of prey at their paws. Redfur looked hopefully over at Foxheart, but was met only with a stony glance, as Redfur remembered with a sinking feeling their conversation back at the camp. She turned and padded over to Stormfoot. She lay on her stomach and dropped her prey between her paws.
"Nice catch!" exclaimed Stormfoot, between rapid strokes of grooming.
"Thanks. You too," she replied, nodding at his crow, squirrel, and vole.
"Right...." he mewed disbelievingly. Redfur looked around at the other cats to see what they had caught. Featherpaw, who was chatting with Fernpaw while batting absent-mindedly at an over-hanging branch, had caught a mouse and two voles. Fernpaw had caught three mice. Sunheart, who was sharing tongues with Foxheart, had a crown, a vole, and a mouse. Redfur passed her gaze over to her best friend. Foxheart had a plump squirrel, two voles, and a rabbit. A rabbit? Rabbits' were hard to catch, and were rarely found anywhere but Galeclan territory. Redfur began to suspect Foxheart of going to the Galeclan border and crossing it.
"How did you manage to catch a rabbit?" blurted out Redfur, as Rosepaw entered with two voles and a mouse, and Quailpaw entered with a plump starling and a mouse.
"Well, began Foxheart slyly, "I ran after it after I smelled it, and then when I saw it I jumped on it and caught it. After that I carried it back and-" Redfur cut her off, "I know that, you don't have to treat me like a tiny kit!" This caused all of the rest of the cats to look up in astonishment as the two closest cats in the clan began to fight over a rabbit. Foxheart's eyes narrowed to thin slits. "Apparently, I do," Foxheart shot back.
"I mean to say, you didn't cross into Galeclan territory, did you? Because rabbits are awfully hard to-" Foxheart cut Redfur off and snarled, "Well, you see, I used my skills. Quit being such a mousebrain!"
"Now that was too far!" roared Redfur.
"You already went too far," replied Foxheart crisply. Foxheart grasped her huge pile of prey in her jaws, her turquoise eyes blazing, flicked her tail, and slipped out of the ferns.
"What's gotten in her fur?" snarled Stormfoot.
"Well apparently, Redfur," Sunheart spat the word, as if disgusted by it, "has been questioning Foxheart's skills, just because she can't be deputy!" he snapped, the stepped out of the ferns while calling, "Wait Foxheart!" Rosepaw stood and meowed loftily, "Come on, Featherpaw." She flicked her tail, and shot a frosty glance at Quailpaw and Fernpaw. Quailpaw retaliated by shooting a withering glare, and thrusting her nose in the air. Fernpaw stood up and meowed, "Well leave already!" Once everyone was gone, Redfur murmured, "Funny how strange things cat get, when your words slip, isn't it?" Her icy eyes flashed. "Some cats need to hold their tongues!" Redfur snapped, gathering up her prey, and stalking out of the fronds. Quailpaw, Stormfoot, and Fernpaw exchanged surprised glances. What was going on?
~~~
Redfur plodded sulkily over to the fresh-kill pile, and dropped her catch onto the overflowing pile. She stared gloomily at the plump, huge rabbit that Foxheart had caught. This was no fair! Redfur admitted that Foxheart was a tiny bit better then her in everything, but they had the same amount of courage, loyalty, and justice. Redfur turned as she heard someone calling her name. It was Sleetkit, and her black and gray fur was fluffed out around her tiny body. Her fluffy tail was waving around in the air happily. Redfur's frosty gaze didn't faze Sleetkit her at all, and she kept on until she reached Redfur.
"Hi Redfur!" she squealed.
"Hi," replied Redfur
"Guess what!" Sleetkit went on.
"What?" grunted Redfur, only vaguely interested.
"Foxheart said that she would take me, Dusk-kit, Whisperkit, Bark-kit, Quick-kit,and Tigerkit to the sandy hollow, and she said that she would teach us some fighting moves! I can't-" she was cut off when Redfur growled,
"Good luck with that."
"What do you mean?" asked Sleetkit.
"I mean good luck with getting your mothers to agree to that." Redfur replied.
"But that's the good bit," exclaimed Sleetkit, "they already have!" There was an awkward silence until Sleetkit continued. "Foxheart and I were wondering if you could come too," she mewed, almost shyly. Redfur looked up in surprise. She didn't know that anyone wanted her to come ! Sleetkit's huge eyes stared up at her hopefully.
"O-of course I'll come!" she stammered.
"Yippee!!" Sleetkit squealed. "Now we get two great warriors to train us!" she cried as she bounced towards the nursery. Redfur felt a lot happier now that she realized cats liked her too. She grabbed a mouse and padded over to where the warriors ate their prey, her tail held high. She stopped for a few paces when she saw Foxheart eating a vole, but decided to ris kit. She went over and began to eat her mouse carefully. She kept one eye on Foxheart, and saw her look up once at Redfur, and then continued eating. When Foxheart had finished, she stood up and tuned to leave, but before she left, she touched Redfur with her tail and mewed,
"I'm sorry Redfur, for everything. I'm glad you could come with the kits." Foxheart then padded off to go find Sunheart. Redfur felt a warm feeling spread through her from ear tip to tail tip. She was proud to call Foxheart her kin and best friend. Redfur got up and decided to check on Meadowfire and Swiftheart, her parents. She padded over to the elders den, and ducked inside. There was a shadowy sunlight, filtering in through cracks in the brambles, creating an iridescent glow. The soft, springy moss on the ground soothed Redfur's hard pads. She sighed. She already felt comfortable. Redfur padded over to where Meadowfire and Swiftheart were talking to Skywhisker. Skywhisker looked up when Redfur entered. Her deep blue eyes were sparkling as usual.
"Well hi, Redfur!" she exclaimed. "I was just checking in on my little brother and Meadowfire," she flicked Swiftheart with her tail, "I hope you don't mind?"
"Oh no, not at all," purred Redfur. She cane over and gave her mother a lick on the cheek. "Hi, Meadowfire." She mewed. Meadowfire turned her milky gaze to her daughter. Her eyes had been scratched out in a battle with a badger. She had been forced to retire to the elders den. Swiftheart decided to stay with his mate, so he too retired to the elders den.
"Hello Redfur! Its sure nice to see you," Meadowfire purred.
"Its nice to see you too mom. I was just going to tell you that Foxheart and I might be going on a quest...sometime soon."
"A quest?!" questioned Meadowfire.
"Yes. You see, Foxheart and I, we both had the same dream and we are going to tell Vinestar about it. We've been thinking a lot about Lightningclan history, and we definitely think that we need to go on a quest. Lightningclan used to be called Thunderclan. There was Thunderclan, Windclan, Shadowclan, and Riverclan. There was an evil cat named Tigerstar, and the cat in our dream spoke of him. We think that Tigerstar might have some descendants in Lightningclan. Something terrible is going to happen, if we don't do something." Redfur explained to Meadowfire. She decided to leave out the details of the dream for Vinestar.
"Wow!" gasped Meadowfire. Skywhisker got up with a flick of her tail and murmured,
"I need to talk to Foxheart." Meadowfire and Redfur sat sharing tongues for a long time in the soft moss of the elders den. Finally, Redfur got up and murmured,
"I need to go talk to Vinestar now. No matter what happens, it will be okay."
"Thanks Redfur. I love you so much." Meadowfire replied, pride shining in her eyes.
"Good luck Redfur, We're proud of you, no matter what happens." Swiftheart added. Redfur stood, gave her pelt a quick groom, and swept out of the den.