Warriors: The Five Paws

Note
Guys, I have no idea what I'm doing... I just made this up randomly and I might give up and have to delete this page.

Just to let you know, I basically created this just to give me some practice with writing in the world of the Clans. The plot is not very good.

For the cover, Smokepaw of RiverClan is in the center. In front of him is Spottedpaw of ThunderClan. To Spottedpaw's left is Palepaw of ShadowClan. To Smokepaw's right is Icepaw of WindClan, and behind Icepaw is Rainpaw of SkyClan.

Fun fact: the allegiances alone took me three days.

Anyway, (don't) enjoy.

ThunderClan
Leader :       Mintstar - dappled tortoiseshell she-cat.

Deputy :       Sandheart - black and grey tabby tom.

Medicine cat : Dawntail - white-and-brown speckled she-cat. Apprentice, Mousepaw - small black tom.

Warriors   (toms and she-cats without kits)

Redstorm - ginger tom with white-tipped tail. Apprentice, Sagepaw - reddish-brown she-cat.

Grayfang - gray tabby she-cat with a patch of white on her chest fur.

Morningpelt - big dark brown tom. Apprentice, Poppypaw - dark gray she-cat.

Snowpool - small white tom with black paws.

Runningfur - sleek golden she-cat. Apprentice, Brackenpaw - light brown tom.

Dustclaw - pale ginger tabby tom.

Eaglepelt - ginger tabby tom.

Sorrelear - calico she-cat.

Apprentices   (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Sagepaw - reddish-brown she-cat.

Poppypaw - dark gray she-cat with a long tail.

Brackenpaw - long-haired light brown tom.

Queens   (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Brightfoot - white with gray splotches

Swiftpelt - black with white paws

Elders       (former warriors and queens, now retired)

Oakleaf - brown tabby she-cat

Thorntail - pale ginger tom.

Kits       (kits under six moons old)

Nutkit - long-furred white tom-kit.

Spottedkit - fluffy dappled tortoiseshell she-kit.

Hopkit - dark gray tom-kit.

ShadowClan
Leader :       Alderstar - black-and-white tom.

Deputy :       Dewtuft - tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat.

Medicine cats :

Flamewing - golden tom with white patches.

Bristlefeather - dark gray she-cat.

Warriors   (toms and she-cats without kits)

Twigfur - mottled dark brown tom.

Fernwhisker - black-and-gray tabby tom. Apprentice, Palepaw - ginger-and-white she-cat.

Clovershade - tortoiseshell she-cat with white paws.

Sunclaw - honey-colored tabby tom.

Ivybranch - pale gray she-cat. Apprentice, Quailpaw - black tom with a white smudge on his chest.

Whorlspring - sleek black tom.

Plumtail - mottled russet she-cat. Apprentice, Breezepaw - light brown she-cat.

Tinysplash - tortoiseshell she-cat.

Apprentices    (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Palepaw - ginger-and-white she-cat.

Quailpaw - black tom with a white smudge on his chest.

Breezepaw - light brown she-cat.

Queens   (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Brightstripe - cream with white paws and a white-tipped tail.

Pounceflake - light orange tabby.

Elders       (former warriors and queens, now retired)

Pebblepelt - small gray tabby tom.

Kits       (kits under six moons old)

Mothkit - dark brown she-kit. Larchkit - black tom-kit with white paws.

Firekit - deep orange tom-kit.

SkyClan
Leader :       Mallowstar - silver-and-white she-cat.

Deputy :       Slatefoot - pale gray tom.

Medicine cat :   Sparrowstem - dark brown tabby tom.

Warriors   (toms and she-cats without kits)

Blazetail - bright ginger tabby tom. Apprentice, Bumblepaw - ginger tabby tom.

Flowerwing - brown-and-white she-cat. Apprentice, Aspenpaw - black she-cat.

Meadowstep - pure white she-cat.

Hazelflight - light brown tom.

Bluepelt - blue-gray she-cat. Apprentice, Badgerpaw - gray tabby tom.

Spiderstripe - dark gray tabby tom.

Hawkwish - speckled gray tom.

Acornshine - white she-cat with brown splotches. Apprentice, Stormpaw - dark gray-and-white tom.

Puddlesong - dappled gray tom.

Apprentices   (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Bumblepaw - ginger tabby tom.

Aspenpaw - black she-cat.

Badgerpaw - gray tabby tom.

Cloudpaw - dark gray-and-white tom.

Queens   (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Swiftstripe - pale gray with a white-tipped tail.

Tawnymist - tawny-and-white tabby.

Nettletail - smoky-gray, the oldest of the nursery queens.

Elders       (former warriors and queens, now retired)

N/A

Kits       (kits under six moons old)

Rainkit - white she-kit with a gray muzzle, ears, and paws.

Dandelionkit - long-furred black tom-kit.

WindClan
Leader :       Featherstar - pure white tom.

Deputy :       Rabbitfur - dark brown she-cat.

Medicine cat :  Heathernose - black-and-gray tom.

Warriors   (toms and she-cats without kits)

Crowclaw - jet-black she-cat.

Emberwing - brown tabby tom. Apprentice, Bristlepaw - silver she-cat.

Gorsescratch - calico she-cat.

Blazestep - mottled reddish-brown she-cat. Apprentice, Molepaw - small brown tom.

Spirespring - black tom with white chest fur and muzzle.

Shellclaw - dappled gray-and-white tom. Apprentice, Icepaw - white tom.

Birchfrost - cream tabby tom. Apprentice, Dewpaw - orange tabby she-cat.

Apprentices   (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Silverpaw - silver she-cat

Molepaw - small brown tom.

Icepaw - white tom.

Dewpaw - orange tabby she-cat.

Queens    (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

Mistypelt - pale gray with small splotches of white. Elders       (former warriors and queens, now retired)

Snapshade - once-handsome golden-brown tabby tom.

Rowanbranch - broad-shouldered dark gray she-cat.

Grassbird - gray tabby she-cat.

Kits       (kits under six moons old)

Rosekit - light orange she-kit.

Sparkkit - light gray tom-kit.

RiverClan
Leader :       Pricklestar - dark brown tabby tom.

Deputy :       Reedlight - pale gray she-cat.

Medicine cat :   Thrushsight - dappled white-and-brown tom.

Warriors   (toms and she-cats without kits) Kestrelheart - cream-and-brown tom. Apprentice, Maplepaw - honey-colored tabby she-cat.

Juniperblaze - russet tabby she-cat.

Smalltail - white tom with a short tail. Apprentice, Leopardpaw - pale brown tom with darker brown spots.

Ravenflower - dark gray tom.

Patchfur - white she-cat with patches of brown.

Owlberry - mottled brown tom.

Dappledawn - dappled gray tabby she-cat.

Rootspeck - pale brown tabby tom with dark brown splotches.

Weaselflame - light gray tom.

Apprentices   (over six moons old, in training to become warriors)

Maplepaw - honey-colored tabby she-cat.

Leopardpaw - pale brown tom with darker brown spots.

Queens   (she-cats nursing or expecting kits)

Jaymist - black-and-gray tabby.

Woodclaw - dappled light and dark brown.

Elders       (former warriors and queens, now retired)

Halffoot - dark gray tabby tom missing a paw.

Briartail - ginger she-cat.

Raggedpool - black tom with ragged and clumpy fur.

Thornpoppy - pale brown she-cat.

Kits       (kits under six moons old)

Smokekit - smoky gray tom-kit.

Prologue
Sunlight dappled StarClan’s hunting grounds. Gorsestar stretched lazily under the shade of a tree. StarClan is beautiful, he thought. His anger at the loss of his last life was gone; he had left SkyClan in good paws.

Peace had settled between the Clans; the territory dispute between SkyClan and ThunderClan had finally calmed down, and the five Clans around the lake were all enjoying a restful newleaf.

“Hello, Gorsestar. Enjoying yourself?” a nearby voice teased. Gorsestar looked up.

“Hi there, Dusktail,” he purred. Another upside to being in StarClan was that Gorsestar was finally able to spend the rest of time with his mate.

The two of them sat together, gazing at the fluffy clouds in the sky. It never rained or snowed in StarClan, yet water was fresh, cool and plentiful.

“You know,” Dusktail murmured, “It’s so peaceful.. But I can’t shake the feeling that something is going to go wrong.. Very, very soon..”

“Don’t think like that,” Gorsestar assured her.

But as he said it, Podstar, the previous leader of ShadowClan, who had been in StarClan long before Gorsestar had, stalked over with an anxious face.

“It’s almost time for the medicine cats’ half-moon meeting,” Podstar told them.

“I know that,” Gorsestar answered.

“But.. I just noticed something odd,” the former ShadowClan leader tipped his head.

“What did you see?” Dusktail looked instantly on alert.

“A bad omen,” he answered. “Did you see that cloud in the sky?”

Sure enough, as Gorsestar looked up, he saw a cloud darker and thicker than the rest, moving across the sky; it started to obscure the sunshine.

“There are never dark clouds in StarClan,” Dusktail fretted.

“Exactly,” Podstar replied. “That’s why I feel it’s a bad omen.. Now, for the medicine cats’ half-moon meeting, Gorsestar.. You need to visit them when they come. And tell them this: A storm is coming to obscure the stars, and only the five paws, with the help of the sunrise, can save the Clans.”

Gorsestar had thought that he would be excited when it was time for him to deliver his first prophecy.

But this one.. It didn’t sound good.

And ominous prophecies were never a good thing.

“What does that mean?” he wondered. “A storm. That can only mean a bad thing. Stars are a sign of hope and peace.. or it can mean StarClan. So, basically, some storm is blocking StarClan and disturbing the peace, and only something with.. um, five paws, with the help of a sunrise.. can save the Clans. But no animal has five paws.. And what cloud is coming to obscure the stars?”

“Even we sometimes don’t know,” Podstar answered. “Only living cats can solve their own problems; we merely warn them of coming danger.”

“The ‘five paws’ may mean the five Clans,” Dusktail said thoughtfully.

“But that doesn’t make sense,” Gorsestar contradicted. “Only the five Clans can save the Clans?”

“Remember that prophecies often have double meanings,” Podstar reminded them. “No need to rush. They unfold by themselves.”

“But we’re supposed to be StarClan!” the former SkyClan leader stamped his foot in frustration. “We’re supposed to know how to do everything, not just see the future in vague prophecies that don’t even make sense!”

“The half-moon meeting is.. Right now,” Podstar interrupted. “Go.”

With that, Podstar darted off.

Dusktail nuzzled Gorsestar reassuringly. “Go now.”

And Gorsestar was left to give the medicine cats a cryptic prophecy that even StarClan couldn’t understand.

Chapter One
Smokekit was practically bouncing off his paws. He was going to be an apprentice today, after so many boring moons of waiting!

“Calm down, Smokekit,” his mother, Jaymist, laughed. “Now, you can’t go to your apprentice ceremony looking like that! You look like you’ve got all the reeds in the world in your pelt. Come here.” she began fiercely licking his fur.

“Stop that! I’m not a kit anymore!” Smokekit complained. “I’m an apprentice!”

“That doesn’t mean I’m not your mother,” Jaymist purred. “Fine. You’re done.”

Excitement bubbled up in his chest. Smokekit would have denmates! And he would be able to fish! And swim! And do apprentice stuff!

Smokekit’s littermate, Pondkit, had died when they were just born, so he never had any siblings to play with.

“Let all cats old enough to swim gather beneath the Hightree to hear my words!” Pricklestar yowled.

“That can only be one thing,” Ravenflower, Smokekit’s father mewed.

A trickle of RiverClan cats filed out into the clearing. Pricklestar stood on one of the branches of the tallest willow tree in RiverClan’s camp. Smokekit’s heart swelled with pride when Pricklestar beckoned to him to stand right in front of the whole Clan.

“RiverClan,” Pricklestar began. “One of the most important parts of Clan life is the making of new apprentices. Smokekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until he receives his warrior name, this apprentice will be known as Smokepaw,” Pricklestar announced. “Your mentor will be Dappledawn. I hope she will pass down all she knows to you, with her determination and intelligence.”

Dappledawn came forward, her eyes gleaming.

Smokepaw eagerly touched his nose to Dappledawn’s. The whole Clan’s cries rang out, “Smokepaw! Smokepaw!”

Afterward, the cats went back to what they were doing, and Smokepaw made his way to the apprentice den, where his parents were standing.

“An apprentice already,” Ravenflower nuzzled him fondly.

“It only seems like a quarter-moon ago when he was born,” Jaymist added. “You’ll be a great warrior, Smokepaw. Now, I think Dappledawn would like to see you.”

Bounding over to his mentor, Smokepaw asked, “What are we going to do first?”

“First, I’ll give you a tour of the territory,” Dappledawn replied.

“And then?”

“I’ll show you how to set scent markers.”

“And then?”

“Whoa, there,” the she-cat laughed, “One thing at a time.”

Smokepaw’s mentor brought him to the edge of the camp, which was marked by a stream. The camp was surrounded by a stream on both sides, but Dappledawn showed him a spot where the water was shallow and they waded across.

The young apprentice was amazed by the vastness of the territory. “This entire place.. Belongs to us?” he breathed, in awe.

“Yep,” Dappledawn nodded. “And that-” she gestured to a high rise which led to flat land- “is WindClan. Those thick trees over there, that’s ThunderClan. SkyClan is beside ThunderClan and ShadowClan, and ShadowClan’s over there in the pine trees.”

“Didn’t Briartail say that ShadowClan are fox-hearts?” Smokepaw meowed. “I heard they leave their weak kits to be eaten by badgers.”

Dappledawn purred. “Those are just kits’ nursery tales. Anyway,” they started walking. “Here is the main stream that connects to the lake.”

Smokepaw had heard of the lake before, a big stretch of water that looked like an enormous version of the puddles in camp.

“You’ll love seeing the lake,” Dappledawn informed. “It’s beautiful.”

Smokepaw was imagining how it looked when he stopped.. because the lake was right in front of him. “Wow..”

“It’s always amazing when you first see it,” his mentor said. Then she shook herself briskly. “Let’s go. There’s plenty more to see!”

*     *      *

Smokepaw trudged back to camp, Dappledawn right beside him. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was exhausted. Touring the entire territory was harder than he’d initially thought.

“Had a fun first day?” a familiar voice mewed. Smokepaw looked up to see Jaymist.

His belly rumbled. “Can I get something to eat? I’m starving.”

“Of course!” Jaymist smiled.

The fresh-kill pile was stocked. Smokepaw grabbed a fat trout and went over to his denmates, Maplepaw and Leopardpaw. “Want to share?”

“Sure!” Leopardpaw meowed. The three apprentices started eating, and just then a hunting patrol came back. Kestrelheart was carrying a bunch of minnows, Weaselflame had a water vole and a chub, and a pair of trout dangled from Rootspeck’s jaws.

“Being an apprentice is fun,” Smokepaw commented when the trout had been reduced to bones.

“Picking ticks off the elders’ pelts is not fun, though,” Maplepaw warned, which made all three of them laugh. “It’s as if all the ticks in the territory love Halffoot.”

“I heard that,” Halffoot growled from the other end of camp.

“I’m tired,” Smokepaw declared.

“Come on,” Leopardpaw beckoned. “There’s an empty nest in the apprentices’ den just for you.”

He settled into his new nest and fell asleep quickly.

*     *      *

The stars twinkled above as Smokepaw sat by the stream, waiting for the perfect fish to go by. Sure enough, a fat and juicy-looking carp slowly swam by as if it had all the time in the world.

That’ll feed the elders really well. Smokepaw got ready. Ready.. And.. NOW. His paw darted into the water and was just about to scoop up the fish when suddenly a dark shadow fell over the entire territory. The carp, frightened, zoomed away.

Frustrated, Smokepaw looked up to see what was causing the shadow. To his surprise, it was an enormous dark cloud, blocking off Silverpelt.

But there were no clouds before! Smokepaw thought, confused. In less than a heartbeat, a sunrise appeared. A thing flashed by and darted into the sky, destroying the cloud. His brain barely had time to register it, but he saw that it had five paws. What..?

Then he woke up. “Phew,” he muttered. The five paws still stuck in his mind, but he shook it away.

“Bad dreams?” Maplepaw asked sympathetically.

“Mhm,” Smokepaw mumbled. But he had a feeling that it was more than just a ‘bad dream’.

Chapter Two
“I’m going to be a medicine cat!” Rainkit sang. “Finally!”

Ever since her eyes were open, Rainkit had helped Sparrowstem in the medicine den. Now she was finally ready to become a medicine-cat apprentice.

Her littermate, Dandelionkit, looked equally excited.

“I’m so proud of you both,” Rainkit’s mother, Meadowstep, nuzzled their fur.

Hawkwish, her father, smiled. “Now, get to the Highroot. I expect Mallowstar will call a meeting very soon-”

“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highroot for a Clan meeting!” Sure enough, Mallowstar’s voice rang across the camp.

As the SkyClan cats gathered in the clearing, Rainkit and Dandelionkit looked at each other happily.

“This is a great day for all of us,” Mallowstar purred. “Dandelionkit, come here.” He bounced over happily. “You have reached six moons old, and will now be apprenticed to Hazelflight.” Hazelflight came forward. “I hope he passes on everything he’s learned from Flowerwing to you. From this point forward, until you receive your full warrior name, you will be known as Dandelionpaw.” Dandelionpaw touched noses with Hazelflight, his eyes shining.

“And Rainkit,” the SkyClan leader continued, “From this day forward, until she receives her medicine-cat name, this apprentice will be known as Rainpaw. Sparrowstem will be her mentor, per his request. I know he will pass on everything he knows.” Rainpaw and Sparrowstem touched noses. “And that ends this meeting.”

The cats filed out of the clearing, going back to their regular duties. Rainpaw bounced inside the medicine den eagerly.

“You’re excited to start learning, aren’t you?” Sparrowstem teased. “I know how you feel.”

“Let’s go! So, can you tell me which herb this is?” Rainpaw chattered. “Oh, wait, I think I know this one. It’s.. um, marigold?”

Sparrowstem chuckled. “Not quite. It’s tansy. Look at the shape; marigold has more distinctive petals, and tansy is rounder; it also smells sweeter.”

Upon closer inspection, Rainpaw realized tansy did smell sweeter than marigold. “What’s it for?”

“Tansy is good for coughs and soothing sore throats,” Rainpaw’s mentor answered. “Not as good as catmint, but it’s fine for milder coughs like whitecough.”

“What about this? Is that watermint?” Rainpaw pointed to a cluster of purple flowers with oval-shaped leaves.

“Correct,” Sparrowstem smiled. “And do you know what it’s used for?”

“I saw you using watermint to treat my mother’s bellyache the other day. So, bellyaches?”

“Great! You’ll be a full medicine cat in no time at this rate,” Sparrowstem nodded. “Oh! And I almost forgot to tell you,” he added, “The medicine cats’ half-moon meeting is tonight.”

*     *      *

Being a medicine cat was fun, but it was a little boring, too. Rainpaw wanted to be outside, looking for herbs, but their supply didn’t need any more.

She was so focused that she didn’t realize that the sun was setting. It was almost time to visit the Moonpool.

Soon the two of them were setting off in the direction of WindClan’s moor. Rainpaw saw an unfamiliar golden tom with white patches and a dark gray she-cat.

“That’s Flamewing,” Sparrowstem nodded at the golden tom, then jerked his head toward the gray she-cat. “And that’s Bristlefeather. ShadowClan’s medicine cats.”

“Hi,” Rainpaw mewed. “I’m Rainpaw!”

“You’ve finally gotten yourself an apprentice,” Flamewing noted.

A breathless white-and-brown tom made their way towards them. “Hello.”

“Hi, Thrushsight,” Bristlefeather meowed. Soon, Dawntail and Mousepaw of ThunderClan had joined them, too.

They walked along a long path. Rainpaw’s paws started to ache. She wasn’t used to walking this far. Finally, when she felt like her paws were about to drop off, they finally came to a stop. In front of them was a natural hollow. The medicine cats walked into it and came to a halt. Rainpaw was speechless. The beauty of the pool in front of her. It shimmered, reflecting StarClan and the moon above.

“Just being able to see the Moonpool is worth the trip,” Rainpaw murmured.

“Now, are we going to start, or what?” Flamewing stamped his paw.

“Wait, where’s Heathernose?” Mousepaw asked suddenly.

“Good question,” Dawntail looked thoughtful. “Heathernose is never late.”

“We can start without him,” Bristlefeather suggested mischievously.

“No, none of that,” Sparrowstem batted at her with his tail. “We’ll wait.”

Just then, a cat, presumably Heathernose, ran up to them, breathless. “Sorry,” he muttered, shaking his head in exasperation. “Rosekit just had to eat that piece of crow-food. I had to fetch her some watermint before I left. Kits! Why can’t they ever learn to behave?” He made a disgusted face.

“Let’s start,” Flamewing said. No one disagreed.

“Now, I have a new apprentice with me,” Sparrowstem began. “Rainpaw, is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?”

A shiver ran through Rainpaw as she heard the ancient words spoken. “It is.”

“Then come forward. Warriors of StarClan,” he went on, “I present you with this apprentice. She has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant her your wisdom and insight so that she may understand your ways and heal her Clan in accordance with your will.”

After a pause, all the medicine cats lay down. “Let’s begin. Rainpaw, drink a few drops from the Moonpool.” Rainpaw lapped at the cool water. If starlight had a flavor, the Moonpool was what it would taste like.

Suddenly she was plunged into a completely different place. It was a beautiful meadow. The sun shone, not a cloud was to be seen - yet it wasn’t too hot. A pleasant breeze blew around, trees were scattered here and there, and easy prey was to be seen everywhere. This must be StarClan, Rainpaw thought. Five starry-furred cats approached them.

“Who are you?” Rainpaw blurted.

“We are the previous leaders of the five Clans. I’m Podstar, this is Gorsestar, that’s Lakestar, Lightningstar, and Cherrystar.”

“What message do you have for us?” Flamewing asked.

“Gorsestar’s previous warning is not to be ignored,” Lakestar growled in a serious tone.

“We’re not trying to ignore it,” Heathernose reasoned. “But we don’t understand it.”

“Why do you have to deliver your warnings in vague prophecies and visions anyway?” Mousepaw complained. “It would make life a lot easier if you could be more straightforward.”

“Hush,” Dawntail said to Mousepaw. “You mustn’t be rude about StarClan.”

“Just remember!” Cherrystar warned. “Don’t trust the storm, or it will obscure the stars.”

Rainpaw personally thought that StarClan was being too cryptic. But who was she to question her warrior ancestors?

But the real question was: What did they mean by the storm obscuring the stars?

Chapter Three
Shellclaw’s words echoed in Icepaw’s mind as he prepared to leap on the rabbit. Don’t aim for the rabbit itself, aim for where it’s going.

He jumped out of the bush he had been concealed in. The rabbit, startled, began haring up the moorland slope, but Icepaw darted in front of it, blocking its path, and slammed his paw onto its neck, killing it with one clean bite.

A surge of pride went through him. I caught it all by myself!

“Good catch!” Shellclaw praised, as he appeared from a patch of heather. “That’ll make the elders happy.”

Icepaw carried his catch in his jaws as they made their way back to the WindClan camp. He put the rabbit down on the fresh-kill pile, and grabbed a shrew for himself. Hunting had been plentiful this newleaf; the hares were fat and slow and seemed unaware that WindClan existed.

Icepaw walked over to the spot where he usually ate.

“Hey, Icepaw,” Molepaw, his brother, greeted. Icepaw’s sister, Dewpaw, was also sitting there. The two of them were sharing a grouse.

“Hi, Molepaw and Dewpaw,” Icepaw lay down and bit into the shrew. “Guess what? I caught a whole rabbit by myself today!”

“Cool!” Dewpaw exclaimed. “I learned a new battle move while training with Molepaw today. Molepaw, can you attack me?” She rolled onto her back, exposing her belly. Molepaw jumped on her and she kicked out her hind legs, knocking him onto the ground. Then, Dewpaw leapt up and pummeled Molepaw with her paws, though with claws sheathed.

“That’s not fair!” Molepaw wailed. “I didn’t get the chance to try the spin thing!”

“Do you think a ShadowClan battle patrol would give you the chance to?” Dewpaw purred.

“What’s the spin thing?” Icepaw asked.

“Let me demonstrate,” Molepaw said in an important voice. Dewpaw rolled onto her back again, and Molepaw leapt on her. Dewpaw tried to kick, but this time, Molepaw was ready. He twisted in the air to avoid being kicked, and landed right on his sister’s belly.

“Wow!” Icepaw cried. “That’s really cool.”

“Molepaw only succeeded because I let him,” Dewpaw mewed.

“I would’ve succeeded anyway!” her brother protested.

“Want to practice?” Dewpaw asked abruptly.

She suddenly leapt onto Molepaw’s back. Yowling, Molepaw rolled onto his back, squashing her. Dewpaw bit into his scruff, firmly but not enough to draw blood, and shook him. Molepaw managed to struggle upright and kicked her.

“What’s going on here?” Rowanbranch called from the elders’ den. “I bet they can hear you yowling in SkyClan!”

The two siblings struggled to their paws. “Sorry,” Molepaw muttered. “She attacked me first!”

“Why can’t I learn cool battle moves like that?” Icepaw complained.

“You will, in time,” Shellclaw answered. He had apparently been watching them.

“Can we learn now?” Icepaw meowed. “Molepaw and Dewpaw are the same age as me.”

“Tomorrow,” Shellclaw replied. “The sun is setting. I don’t want you training in the dark.”

*       *      *

The next morning, Icepaw woke up with a start.

“Icepaw!” his mentor called. “Today we’re going to learn battle moves with Silverpaw and Emberwing.”

“Coming!” he yelled. He leapt up. “Silverpaw!” Silverpaw got up. The two of them followed their mentors to one of the training areas.

“Today we’re going to teach you some basic stuff,” Emberwing mewed. He and Shellclaw began explaining various battle moves.

After a while, Shellclaw announced, “You can practice now.”

Icepaw immediately leapt into position. Claws sheathed, he struck at Silverpaw’s face. She ducked and twisted around, getting a grip on his scruff and shook him, then pinned him down. He struggled, then remembered Emberwing saying, ''Relax. Your enemy’s grip will loosen, thinking you are defeated.'' He relaxed, and Silverpaw’s grip slackened. He took that chance to leap up suddenly, knocking her away. The silver she-cat was dazed for a moment, and Icepaw darted under her belly, raked it, then darted out again on the other side.

“Whoa,” Shellclaw looked surprised. “I haven’t taught you that move yet. How did you know that?”

“It just seemed like the right technique to use at the time,” Icepaw answered.

“Good job,” Silverpaw said, getting up.

“Now, you’ve both done well today,” Emberwing nodded, “And it’s sunhigh. You can go get something from the fresh-kill pile. After you eat, we’ll go hunting.”

Icepaw picked a hare from the fresh-kill pile and shared it with Silverpaw. After eating, they joined Emberwing and Shellclaw hunting.

Quietly Icepaw crept up on the rabbit he was stalking, then jumped out. The rabbit was startled and started running. Icepaw gave chase, directing it in a heather bush’s direction. The rabbit was about to disappear into the bush when Silverpaw leapt out and killed it with a swift blow.

“Let’s bury this for later,” Silverpaw suggested. They dug a hole and covered up the rabbit’s corpse.

A moorhen walked by, clucking. It looked unaware of the danger that stalked it; Icepaw wondered how any prey could be so dumb when he remembered that they were downwind.

Silverpaw began creeping up on it. With a sudden change of wind direction, the moorhen sniffed them and squawked, alarmed, but Icepaw was ready. He jumped up and killed it with a clean bite to the neck.

“Good job!” Shellclaw purred, dropping a rabbit he had caught. “We can take these back to camp.”

Several drops of rain landed on Icepaw’s pelt, and he blinked, realizing that dark clouds were overhead. “It’s raining.”

“It looks like it won’t let up soon, too,” Emberwing noted, his voice slightly muffled by the two hares he was carrying. The two apprentices and their mentors made their way back to the WindClan camp.

Chapter Four
“Smokepaw!” Dappledawn yelled in exasperation. “How many times do I have to tell you? Keep on the side of the stream where your shadow doesn’t fall across the water!”

“Sorry,” he muttered. Smokepaw was still baffled by his strange dream the previous night, and he hadn’t been paying attention when Dappledawn had told him a few fishing techniques.

He crossed over to the other side and sat down, waiting for a fish to come by. His paws itched. He longed to be doing something instead of just waiting. Finally, a small fish swam by. Smokepaw’s paw darted into the water and he managed to hook his claws into it, scooping it up. He pinned it to the bank and killed it with a bite.

Smokepaw stared at the fish’s bedraggled body. “I guess I can’t kill a fish cleanly,” he sighed.

“That’s alright,” his mentor meowed. “Not many cats can kill cleanly when they’ve only been apprentices for a few days.”

Not more waiting! he nearly complained out loud. Sighing, he sat again.

A fat trout came into sight. Smokepaw’s heart leaped. Woodclaw, a RiverClan queen whose belly was round with kits, would appreciate it.

He tried to hook it with his claws, but he had struck too late; the fish slipped out of his way effortlessly. “I’m terrible at fishing,” he grumbled.

“That’s alright,” Dappledawn mewed.

Suddenly the bushes rustled. Maplepaw surged out, yowling, and landed on Smokepaw, knocking him into the river. Several startled minnows darted out of the way.

His paws flailed. His head started sinking. Smokepaw couldn’t breathe. I’m drowning! he thought in a panic. He tried to surface. ''I’m a RiverClan cat! I’m supposed to be able to swim!''

“I’m so sorry!” Maplepaw cried, as Dappledawn jumped into the stream and snatched him by the scruff, dragging him out.

His mentor successfully pulled him out onto the riverbank.

“Maplepaw,” Dappledawn chided, her green eyes glinting with anger, “You nearly drowned my apprentice.”

“Sorry,” she hung her head. “I thought he knew how to swim.”

“Smokepaw’s only been an apprentice for two days!” she yelled.

“That’s alright,” Smokepaw interjected. He shook out his fur; it clung to him in spikes. “The most important thing is, I’m alive.”

“I guess,” Dappledawn conceded. “But be more careful in the future, Maplepaw. I have to tell Kestrelheart about this.”

Maplepaw nodded, not meeting Smokepaw’s gaze. “I’m really, really sorry, Smokepaw.”

“That’s okay,” he reassured her cheerfully.

*       *      *

That night, Smokepaw curled up in his reed nest. He hoped he wouldn’t have that weird dream again.

And he didn’t. He had a different one.

''Smokepaw woke up in a luscious green meadow filled with the delicious scent of plentiful prey. The sun shone. Where am I? he wondered.''

''Then a black-furred she-cat walked up to him. But this was no ordinary cat. Her pelt shimmered, and she seemed to have stars frosted on her ears and paws.''

I know where this is! Smokepaw thought with a jolt. This is StarClan!

''“You must warn the thrush!” she urged. “The storm is coming!”''

''“Who are you?” Smokepaw asked. “And why - why are you coming to me? I’m not a medicine cat!”''

But the scene was already fading..

And Smokepaw woke up in his own nest, drenched in rainwater.

Warn the thrush? he thought, confused. ''The thrush.. Is there a cat named thrush..? Thrush. Thrushsight!'' he realized suddenly. ''Our medicine cat! The she-cat said to warn Thrushsight that ‘the storm’ is coming.''

''But wait.. If I’m having dreams from StarClan.. Does that mean that my destiny is to be a medicine cat?''

That was when Smokepaw’s brain registered that it was raining. Hard. Clouds blotted out the sky. This must be the storm the StarClan cat warned me about!

“Thrushsight!” he blurted. “I need to speak to you.” he hopped out of his nest, shaking raindrops from his fur, and realized that it had been raining all night. The camp was covered in puddles, and there was a hole in the roof of the apprentices’ den.

“Yes, Smokepaw?” Thrushsight called, poking his head out from the medicine den. “Just wait a second. Leopardpaw’s got a thorn in her paw.”

Smokepaw went inside, thankful to be out of the pouring rain. Leopardpaw was sitting patiently while Thrushsight clamped his jaws on the thorn in her paw and pulled it out.

“Can I listen, too?” Leopardpaw asked, fiercely licking her paw to stop the bleeding.

“Sorry, I have to speak with Thrushsight in private,” Smokepaw apologized. Leopardpaw nodded and left. “Thrushsight.. I’ve had a dream.”

Thrushsight studied him closely. “Go on,” he mewed.

“A StarClan cat spoke to me,” he confessed. “Her pelt was black with blue eyes, and she told me to ‘warn the thrush that the storm is coming’. And when I woke up, it was raining hard.”

“Black with blue eyes?” Thrushsight looked intrigued. “Did she have three white paws?”

“Yes,” Smokepaw replied. “Who was it?”

“Smokepaw,” Thrushsight sighed, “That’s my mother. Whitefoot.”

“So,” Smokepaw meowed. “Does that mean.. I have to become a medicine cat?”

“Only if you want to,” the RiverClan medicine cat answered.

“Then I do,” he declared, his voice growing strong. “I will be your medicine-cat apprentice, if my visions say so.”

Chapter Five
Rainpaw dabbed some foul-smelling mouse bile on Hazelflight’s ticks. The tom had recently moved to the elders’ den.

She wrinkled her nose. ''This is boring. I want to go sort some herbs''.

“Thank you, Rainpaw,” Hazelflight meowed. “That feels much better.”

“No problem,” she replied. “Do you need some moss for your bedding?”

“I’m fine, thanks,” the older tom grunted. “I can get it myself. I may be old, but I’m not dead yet!”

“Okay, then,” Rainpaw mewed, dashing out of the den. Finally. “Sparrowstem! Can I help you sort herbs?”

“Actually, I’ve got something better for you to do,” her mentor answered. “Can you help me treat your littermate? He was practicing climbing a tree, but he fell off and got a few cuts. And his paw pads are cracked.”

“Alright,” Rainpaw went inside. Dandelionpaw had a few gashes on his legs and one on his flank that was bleeding slightly.

“So, what stops the bleeding?” Sparrowstem prompted.

“Cobweb,” Rainpaw responded immediately. “Oak leaf to prevent infection. And.. what’s it called.. Coltsfoot for the paws?”

“Excellent,” Sparrowstem replied. Rainpaw chewed up some oak leaf into a poultice and applied it to her littermate’s gashes, then got a few thick swathes of cobweb and wrapped them around the wounds.

“Thank you,” Dandelionpaw sighed with relief. “It feels much better.” He held out a paw. Sure enough, it looked cracked and sore.

“Which one is coltsfoot again?” Rainpaw asked. “It’s yellow, right?” she pulled a flower out of the herb store.

“No, that’s dandelion,” Sparrowstem replied. “This is coltsfoot. It has a more defined center.”

Rainpaw nodded. Once Dandelionpaw’s wounds were all treated, he nodded gratefully and left the medicine den.

“Now what?” Rainpaw mewed.

Sparrowstem rummaged through their herbs. “We need to go out and collect some herbs. We’re running out of dock and comfrey.”

“Comfrey is the one that’s good for aching joints, right?” Rainpaw asked. “And dock leaves soothe wounds?”

“Yes,” Sparrowstem answered.

The two medicine cats left the den and into the forest. Rainpaw scented marigold, burdock, juniper berry and thyme, but she couldn’t make out any traces of comfrey or dock.

“We’re running a bit low on goldenrod, too,” Sparrowstem mewed, uncovering a patch of the flowers. They picked them up and continued to search.

After a while, it started raining. The water clung to Rainpaw’s pelt in thick clumps. “We’ll never find anything in this,” she grumbled. “Could this be the beginning of the storm StarClan warned us about?”

“Maybe,” Sparrowstem sighed. “Let’s go back before we get washed away.”

The fresh-kill that night was more like wet-kill. Gloomily Rainpaw picked at a soggy and battered starling.

She heard a cough from the other end of camp. Stiffly, she sat up. Someone is sick.

Rainpaw bounded over and realized it was Nettletail, one of the queens. Her belly was round with kits. “Nettletail, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she rasped. “I think I must’ve caught a chill.”

“You’re supposed to be in the nursery!” Rainpaw shook her head exasperatedly. “You know that expecting queens - especially one as old as you - shouldn’t be going for random walks in the forest when it’s raining this hard!”

“I’m not that old,” Nettletail chuckled. She coughed again.

“Sparrowstem!” Rainpaw called. “Nettletail is coughing.”

Sparrowstem came over anxiously. “Oh, phew. It’s just a little chill. I was worried for a moment that it might be whitecough.”

They led Nettletail into the medicine den.

“Rainpaw?” Sparrowstem asked. “What do you use for coughs?”

“Tansy,” she replied, pulling some out of the herb store.

Rainpaw pushed it over to Nettletail and the queen licked them up, grimacing when she swallowed the herbs.

“Thank you,” she meowed, as she backed out and went back into the nursery.

“I’m worried about the storm,” Rainpaw murmured. “I have a feeling it’s something more than a little rain and thunder.”

“I know,” Sparrowstem sighed. “But we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Rainpaw stepped out of the medicine den. Suddenly Acornshine, Cloudpaw, Blazetail and Bumblepaw leapt into camp, wet and dripping. But Rainpaw could see the looks on their faces: pure rage.

“WindClan have been stealing prey!” Acornshine yowled.

“Those rabbit-chasing mange-pelts!” Blazetail snarled.

“WindClan?” Mallowstar came right out of his den. “Why would they be stealing prey? It’s the middle of newleaf.”

“But we saw it with our own eyes!” Cloudpaw exclaimed. “We saw mouse blood and fur where it was clearly killed on the ground and their scent was all around the patch!”

“But we don’t even share a border with WindClan!” Rainpaw blurted. She wasn’t a warrior, but she knew that much.

“That’s true,” Mallowstar muttered. “Why in StarClan would they be stealing our prey? ThunderClan is closer to them. Are you sure it was WindClan scent? Not a rogue who’d been passing by WindClan, or something?”

“We’re sure!” Blazetail mewed. “So, Mallowstar, what are we going to do?”

“Nothing,” the leader replied. “At least, not yet.”

Rainpaw’s heart lurched. What if the storm wasn’t actually a storm, but a big fight between the Clans?

Chapter Six
Icepaw struggled through the relentless rain. It had been pouring for the past few days.

“All the rabbits are down their holes,” Shellclaw grumbled, “And I don’t blame them. At this rate, the moor will be another lake.”

The hunting patrol managed to find a pair of recently killed hares. Icepaw sniffed them, but they smelled a bit bad.

“How did these die?” Molepaw mewed, prodding one of them. “Did a fox kill them, then forget where it left them because of the weather?”

“Well, they’re crow-food, so we can’t take them back,” Blazestep pointed out.

After searching for a while unsuccessfully, they returned to camp.

Icepaw felt miserable. What was happening with this rain?

“No luck?” Rabbitfur, the deputy, asked. “Hopefully the other hunting patrols will have brought back something.”

“It’s supposed to be newleaf, not wetleaf,” Grassbird, one of the elders, joked halfheartedly.

Heathernose looked particularly worried. Icepaw wondered if StarClan had told him something about the weather.

Suddenly, Rabbitfur stiffened, sniffing the air. “Is that the smell of.. SkyClan?”

“SkyClan?” Featherstar asked, seeming to appear out of nowhere. Featherstar had an unusual habit of randomly stepping in; he was very good at walking lightly. “We don’t even share a border. Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” Rabbitfur insisted. “It’s very faint, but I can smell it.”

With a jolt, Icepaw remembered the hares. The weird scent.. Could that have been SkyClan scent? “Uh..? Shellclaw? Remember those hares? I think.. I think they had SkyClan’s scent on them.”

“That’s it!” Silverpaw yowled. “SkyClan have been stealing prey!”

“Now, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions so quickly,” Featherstar scolded, but Icepaw could see that he had a worried glint in his eyes.

That evening, Icepaw could barely make out the fuzzy outline of the setting sun through the rain. The other hunting patrols had managed to bring back enough for the Clan, though.

As he drifted off to sleep, his last thought was, Why have SkyClan been on our territory?

*       *      *

''Icepaw found himself surrounded by oaks and birches. He started to panic; WindClan cats never felt right in the forest. Luckily, the sun’s warm rays shone down into the forest.''

''Finally! It wasn’t raining.''

But how did he end up in this strange forest, when he’d been sleeping beside his littermates on the moor a moment ago?

Suddenly, he realized. I’m dreaming, Icepaw thought.

''This was a strange dream. Why would his brain conjure up a wood where it wasn’t raining? Wishful thinking, perhaps?''

“Perhaps it is ''wishful thinking,” a tom’s voice mewed. Icepaw jumped. He hadn’t realized he was being watched.''

''“W-who are you?” Icepaw asked tensely, turning around. A ginger tom with amber eyes and white paws stood behind him.''

''“I am Thunderstar,” he replied. “The first leader of ThunderClan.”''

Does that mean I’m in StarClan? ''Icepaw wondered. “Why ThunderClan?” he tilted his head. “I’m WindClan.”''

''“The Clans need to unite to face the storm,” Thunderstar warned. “Just remember - the storm isn’t over! On the full moon, meet the other four paws after the Gathering. Your journey will begin then.”''

''“I - I don’t understand - why are you coming to me? What storm? Full moon? Four paws? Journey?” Icepaw was really confused now.''

''“I must go now,” the former leader sighed. “I could stay here longer, but it’s dawn in the living world now.”''

The dream faded away, leaving a very bewildered Icepaw waking up.

WIP sorry