StarClan - A small brown body lay on the mossy bank of a silently moving river. The trees were high and leafy, but moonlight still streamed through.
Slowly the cat stirred, blinking open blue eyes to gaze at the new surroundings in wonder. Bushes near to him rustled, and the kit spun around, fur standing up on end, to face who or whatever it was.
Another kit, this one sandy yellow, stepped forward from the bush. Her faded eyes sparkled in excitement as she padded closer to the new kit.
"Redfire!" she squeaked, "Brownkit is here!" Brownkit watched in awe as a light ginger she-cat also came from behind the bush.
"Welcome, Brownkit. I am Robinkit, Sparrowstar's sister, and this is Redfire, Flowerstripe's mother." Robinkit purred. She sat next to Redfire calmly, but her tail tip twitched in anticipation.
"Why am I here?" Brownkit asked skeptically. He looked from Redfire to Robinkit, and kept getting lost in Robinkit's faded yellow eyes.
"It's simple my dear, you're in StarClan," Redfire meowed, her eyes clouded in pain. "A warrior, Lionjump to be exact, killed you. Lionjump has felt no remorse, and even named himself Exile to be remembered for what he did to you."
Brownkit stood up wildly, mouth agape, and his tiny claws unsheathed. Robinkit padded over, and placed her tail on his shoulders. "It's ok," she whispered. "Although some of us died naturally, some also were killed." Then, she asked a question out loud. "Redfire, can I go show Brownkit around, and some of the kits, too?"
Redfire nodded, then, cocking her head to the side, she sat by the river, paws poised. Seconds later, a shiny fish flew out, and landed next to Robinkit, who promptly bit it. "Take that to Whitestorm for me," Redfire mewed. "I need to catch another one for Yellowfang."
Brownkit grabbed the large fish eagerly, leaving Robinkit free to talk. "There are a lot of cats here, and you'll like it. Many cats are here, and stayed here. If only I…"
"If only you, what?" Brownkit asked, his voice muffled by fish.
"What? Oh, nothing," Robinkit mewed. "Anyway, there are a lot of cats here, and what surprised me the most, was that cats from the Clans-of-Long-Ago are here, too!" the two kits walked up to a large white tom, and Robinkit bumped into Brownkit, making him drop the fish.
"Oh, thank you Robinkit!" Whitestorm purred, and Robinkit rubbed up against the large white tom. "Who's this?" he asked.
"That's Brownkit," Robinkit explained. Whitestorm nodded, and then moved off, fish in jaws to his mate, Willowpelt.
"That's Whitestorm. He was from ThunderClan, which is like your Clan. He acts like my dad, because Kestrelfur is still not in StarClan. She –" Robinkit paused to point at a silvery gray she-cat, "is Silverstream. She acts like my mom, since she can't see her real kits that much."
Brownkit nodded, and stared at all the new sights, and the large amounts of cats. There were so many! "Why don't you show Brownkit some of the other kits?" Silverstream asked. "He probably wants to play with them. Also, they could keep him busy, when you…"
Robinkit quickly nudged Brownkit towards the sounds of many playing cats, and took off running. Brownkit, startled, followed after. Once he reached the source of the noise, he met many kits, all staring with rapt expressions at him.
"Hi, Brownkit," a shy she-cat mewed, "I'm Mosskit from ThunderClan."
"I'm Weedkit from SwiftClan," a dark brown tabby tom growled.
"I'm Larchkit, and this is Hollykit and Snowkit. We're also from ThunderClan."
A light brown tom swaggered up to him. His solemn expression turned into a friendly grin. "Last but not least, I guess. I'm Sandkit from ShadowClan, and this is Birdkit from RiverClan, and Smokekit from WaterClan. We consider each other family."
Brownkit nodded, going over the long list of names in his head. "What are you playing?" he asked, eyeing the small tuft of moss by Snowkit's paws.
"Catch the moss!" the white tom squealed, batting it over Hollykit's head at Smokekit, who threw it far away. The group of kits thundered away, Brownkit included, but Robinkit remained behind.
She sighed loudly, watching the other kits play. A light ginger tabby, medicine cat before Brindlefur, padded up to her and sat down.
"I like it here, Bramblefern," Robinkit sighed.
"I know, young Robinkit," Bramblefern comforted. "Would you like to help me deliver a small prophecy to your sister? Maybe that will cheer you up."
Robinkit's sandy yellow ears perked, making Bramblefern's light gray eyes light up as she smiled. A large, crescent moon shaped scar over her eye was shoved into perception when she did that. "What is it?" Robinkit asked, kneading the ground in anticipation.
"From leader and a warrior from another Clan come those who can save the Clans from a blood spilling battle."
WaterClan – Sparrowstar stood upon Rockhill impatiently, watching his Clan. Slowly, his impatientness ebbed, as footsteps announced the arrival of Orangespots, the source of his impatience.
"You're here," he purred lovingly. "I was just about to send a patrol after you."
Orangespots sat next to him, slightly out of breath, but excited nonetheless. "What was so important for you to run off and find Brindlefur for?" Sparrowstar asked.
"Oh, nothing much…"
"And?" Sparrowstar prompted.
"And? And she told me I was having your kits!" Orangespots mewed happily. "A big litter, too."
The brown leader's jaw dropped. "Kits? My kits? Already? Oh, Orangespots, that is so wonderful! Do you have any names picked out?"
She twined her tail with his. "Just a few, such as a she-cat will be named Starlingkit. I was almost named that when I was found, Featherfur said."
"I love it. They'll be perfect, and WaterClan will be lucky to have them," Sparrowstar purred. Orangespots licked his muzzle, and then proceeded down Rockhill. She joined Thundercloud in front of the nursery, and watched Bubblekit and Riverkit play.
Sparrowstar's heart swelled with pride. His kin was going to populate WaterClan, hopefully to bring it forth from the harsh days of now.
2 moons later…
FlameClan – Tanglepaw is now Tangleface. Bramblepaw is now Bramblecloud. Darkpaw is Darkfur. Fawnpaw is Fawnfoot. Sootpaw is now Sootspots. Darkkit is Darkpaw, and his mentor is Shadowmist. Firekit is now Firepaw and his mentor is Hollowclaw. Swifthunt had three kits: Flamekit, Silverkit, and Mottledkit. Clumsyfoot is pregnant with Darkclaw's kits, and Brindlefoot is now dead.
SwiftClan – Pricklepaw is Pricklewhisker. Graypaw is Graytail. Finchkit is Finchpaw, whose mentor is Whiteheart. Branchkit is Branchpaw and his mentor is Wolfstar. Cinderkit is now Cinderpaw and her mentor is Wetpelt. Seedkit is Seedpaw and her mentor is Whitefrost. Mistwhisker had two kits: Snowkit and Stormkit. Sheepfoot had Frostkit with Thorngrove. Angelwing in pregnant with Boulderpelt's kits. Lightningstrike is now dead.
WaterClan – Tigerpaw is Tigerstripe. Riverpaw is Riverfall. Wildpaw is Wildmask. Bramblepaw is Brambleface. Jumpkit is Jumppaw and his mentor is Hollowpool. Fawnkit is now Fawnpaw and her mentor is Eagleswoop. Emeraldkit is Emeraldpaw and his mentor is Cliffpelt. Sandkit is Sandpaw and Sparrowstar took the apprentice as his own. Orangespots is pregnant with Sparrowstar's kits.
MoonClan – Daypaw is Dayshadow. Littlekit is Littlepaw and her mentor is Shinefall. Darkkit is now Darkpaw and his mentor is Brambleslash. Shadowpelt had two kits, Dustkit, and Leafkit. Gingertail is pregnant with Shinefall's kits. Shimmerstrike is pregnant with Eclipsedheart's kits. Shadestalker is off apprentice duties. Yelloweye and Stormheart are dead.
WaterClan – The crescent moon shone brightly upon the river, which threw reflections playfully back up. Brindlefur stared at the game played between the two, lost in her own thoughts. Panting began inside the nursery, and Brindlefur spun around, knowing that Orangespots had begun kitting.
"Silentflower!" she hissed as she dashed to the nursery, "Poppy seeds! Borage! Sparrowstar!" The light gray she-cat nodded, quickly disappearing beneath the Rockhill. Silentflower was used to her mentor's quick orders, and acted swiftly.
The milky scent of queens flooded Silentflower and Sparrowstar's scent glands as they entered the nursery. Thundercloud sat her tail draped across her kits, restraining the two curious and excited beings.
The white she-cat lay in the center of the den, flanks heaving. "Good, good," Brindlefur soothed. "They should be coming soon." Orangespots punctuated Brindlefur's calm words with a pained yowl. A kit appeared, and was soon thrust at Sparrowstar to lick.
He licked his kit's fur the wrong way, getting the pretty tortoiseshell and white kit breathing. Once she had begun to he pushed her against Orangespots, and grabbed another, this one a light brown she-cat.
"This is the last one," Brindlefur mewed after what seemed like ages. She took the kit herself, and began licking it. Soon, all five kits were nestled comfortable against their mother's belly, suckling contentedly.
"So… beautiful." Orangespots mewed, looking weakly on at her new family.
"Our kits are perfect," Sparrowstar agreed, staring and getting lost in her purple eyes.
"The names I chose are Timberkit for the light brown tom with the lighter underbelly. The brown she-cat with darker brown stripes will be Starlingkit."
Bubblekit, still restrained in the corner, mewed excitedly, "Cant the white tom with brown stripes be Fogkit?"
"Certainly," Orangespots mewed. "Brindlefur, will you name a kit? You can never have ones of your own. Sparrowstar, you must also name one, it is only right for a tom to name a kit."
Brindlefur ducked her head. "The tortoiseshell and white she-cat will be named Specklekit."
The leader looked hard at the sandy tabby amongst her brothers and sisters.
Seeing that fur, he was reminded of snowy days inside the nursery, curled up against his sisters. Finally playing outside when they were old enough. Those happy times ended when the harsh leaf-bare took her up to StarClan.
All those happy times made Sparrowstar whisper, "Robinkit," then he repeated it loud enough to be heard.
"Such a beautiful name," Orangespots mewed, looking down upon her kits, but Brindlefur only nodded. She knew the kit reminded him of their sister, and understood Orangespots indifference to the name. For Orangespots was found as a tiny kit, shortly after Sparrowstar's apprenticeship. The white queen didn't feel the racking grief emanating from both Kestrelfur and Frostwhisker when their daughter died.
A black head poked its way into the already crowded nursery. "Are the kits well?" she asked, and continued without waiting. "Featherfur says that her paws are beginning to crack, Brindlefur, but she also says she can wait until the kits are fully born."
Both Brindlefur and Sparrowstar stood up. "The kits are fine. Perfect, actually." Brindlefur mewed; leaving the den after Hollowpool's head disappeared.
Sparrowstar softly licked Orangespots' head, then each of the kits in turn. "I'll be back later," he promised before following behind his sister.
He hadn't been out for two seconds, before Owlleave came charging into camp, sides heaving and claws unsheathed. A low his escaped Sparrowstar when he saw the frantic and angry condition of his fellow Clan mate.
"SwiftClan is hunting on our territory!" Owlleave spat. "They still are, to tell you the StarClan honest truth, but my patrol of Frostclaw, Rainstrike, Eagleswoop and Fawnpaw has surrounded them."
"This ends now," Sparrowstar hissed. "Hollowpool, Poppyheart, Kestrelfur, Sandpaw, and Jumppaw. Come, together we will drive them off our territory for good."
The cats formed a loose attacking formation, and headed out. In the nursery, Starlingkit wailed at her mother's belly. "He'll be back," Orangespots whispered soothingly to her kits, and more importantly, to herself.
MoonClan – Dayshadow awoke from her nest of marsh moss, yawning loudly. No other cat remained in the warrior's den then Windtail, who also had a nest on the edge.
Padding out slowly, Dayshadow blinked as the strong sunlight hit her eyes. Once she regained the ability to see, there wasn't much to greet her. Shadowpelt played with her kits, as Yelloweye was no longer able. Clawpaw talked anxiously to his mother in hushed tones, and hisses were let out frequently.
Raising her head even higher into the sun, Dayshadow saw her leader's lithe gray form, green eyes scanning the lack of activity. The new warrior suppressed a shudder. Something had always seemed... off about Ashstar. Ever since Stormheart's and Yelloweye's deaths, both which she took uncaringly.
"Want to go hunting?" Pinewhisker asked, his unusually long whiskers twitching in amusement as Dayshadow jumped. "I just got off a patrol with Shadestalker, Brambleslash, and Darkpaw, but I think I have time."
Dayshadow cuffed his ears playfully. "Only if I lead the way!" she mewed, nudging Pinewhisker towards the camp entrance eagerly. The two barreled out of it, almost knocking over Flowerpaw, who carried a lizard as she entered camp.
"Stupid warriors," she muttered. "Yellowpaw and I should have been warriors with them." Slowly she picked up the lizard, and dropped it onto the scarce fresh-kill pile. Flowerpaw sighed; someone would have to go hunting soon.
Clawpaw came up to her, apparently done with his mother. "Want to go hunting with me? The fresh-kill pile needs prey, and we can prove warriors don't have all the fun!" Flowerpaw jumped up excitedly, tail waving madly, and let Clawpaw lead her to the entrance.
Anticipating her question, Clawpaw mewed quickly, "To the Swift River that comes from WaterClan to FlameClan. It has the best water snakes, and it's a challenge to get them before they slither into their holes. Or worse, you fall in!" Flowerpaw nodded, indigo eyes twinkling with happiness. Suddenly, Clawpaw turned and landed on Flowerpaw. Pushing against him with her strong hind legs, he flew away, and she crouched in the playing position. Clawpaw growled playfully, and leaped again, both tumbling farther and farther away from the MoonClan camp.
The roar of Swift River was loud, but neither apprentice heard, as they were too busy playing. They shot apart, each heaving in every breath. Flowerpaw aimed to jump at Clawpaw, but slipped on the wet rocks near the river. As she fell, her paw twisted at an odd angle, and the waters eagerly swallowed the white she-cat. Clawpaw's screech could be heard by the camps close to the river, both MoonClan and SwiftClan.
"What was that?" Yellowpaw asked, ears perked at the sound.
"Nothing..." Littlepaw muttered, snuggling deeper into her nest. Yellowpaw kept poking Littlepaw until the she-cat finally got up, yawning loudly, and muttering under her breath. They exited the camp, and dashed towards where the screech came from. What greeted them there made Yellowpaw's hackles rise in horror.
Flowerpaw, her sister, was being dragged along the middle of the Swift River, her white head struggling to stay above the churning waters. Clawpaw dashed frantically alongside her, screeching to the fast moving form. Another cat stood on the opposite bank, watching with horror filled eyes. She was pure white, and crossed the borer to see the reason of all the anxious caterwauling.
"Get Flowerpaw before she hits the Crossing Rocks, or she'll die!" Littlepaw yowled over the river's mighty roar. Nodding, Yellowpaw darted forward, and leapt onto a rock. It shook madly, almost throwing Yellowpaw into the greedy waters. She took her footing on a steadier rock, and waited, jaws open, to catch her sister's scruff.
Frantic yowling came from behind Yellowpaw, and Littlepaw's voice, but she was too concentrated to know who the familiar cat was.
Flowerpaw hit against the unsteady rock Yellowpaw had previously jumped off of. With a sickening THUD, the rock fell into the river, but Flowerpaw was kept carried on. Her white body fell limp into the strong currents, and a dark red trail flowed in front of the apprentice.
Seconds later, Yellowpaw grabbed Flowerpaw's scruff in her sharp teeth carefully. The weight of her sister almost dragged Yellowpaw into the river with Flowerpaw. Yellowpaw struggled with Flowerpaw, and sighed with relief when the she-cat from the other Clan came to help get her sister out of the river.
Together they dragged Flowerpaw to the bank. Once there, the white other Clan she-cat began to lick the apprentice's head wound feverently.
"What are you doing, Flowerstem?" Flamestorm growled, and Yellowpaw faintly recognized her as the frantically yowling cat.
"Taking care of my kit!" Flowerstem retorted, and continued licking. The wound wouldn't stop bleeding, and the blood painted the ground as vibrantly as a sunset. Flowerstem began licking even quicker, but the large wound kept bleeding.
Clawpaw stopped midway through rubbing against Yellowpaw in thanks. "Your kit?" he asked, completely shocked.
"You're the mother of Cloudfall's kits!" Flamestorm gasped. "I had just become a warrior when he came with two kits named Yellowkit and Flowerkit. He explained how he found them in the forest, but Flowerkit had his eyes, and both had his pelt!"
Flowerstem dipped her head in shame. "I had to give them away," she explained. "My mother, Snowfall, she accused me of mating with the medicine cat when I was pregnant. I got rid of them to show I hadn't any kits. Cloudfall felt sad about taking our kits away from him, so he named one Flowerkit, after me."
Yellowpaw blinked at the white she-cat. "Mother?" she asked, clearly surprised.
"Yes, young one," Flowerstem mewed hurriedly. "You, dark apprentice, get me some cobwebs!" Clawpaw nodded, and then hurried off. Yellowpaw sat next to her sister and watched as the bright indigo eyes faded, then glazed.
"No..." Yellowpaw whispered, burying her nose within her sister's thick white fur. Flamestorm and Flowerstem followed suit. Coming back late with cobwebs, Clawpaw saw the scene in front of him. He dropped the large amounts of cobwebs quickly, and let out a wail.
Flamestorm stood. "We must take her to camp. She will have a proper burial there," she mewed, voice shaking.
"But which one?" Yellowpaw asked skeptically, voice muffled, for she hadn't taken her nose out of her sister's fur.
A strange glint came and stood out prominently in Flamestorm's eyes. "SwiftClan. Let her rest in peace with her mother's Clan. For, all cats are together in StarClan, no matter what Clan they originated from." The other cats stood, and slowly they carried the body to the camp on the moor.
"What is this?" hissed Addertail. "What are you doing with all of these other Clan cats, Flowerstem?" The group laid Flowerpaw in the center of the camp, plain for all cats to see.
"My kit," Flowerstem began," Yes, Tigerflash, my kit. She has died. Her sister tried saving her, but came too late to save her from StarClan. MoonClan wishes to give the body to us, for it is my Clan, her mother's Clan."
Wolfstar, who had been watching silently, spoke up. "We will bury her with honors. What is your name, apprentice? You are the valiant savior of the dead one; would you like to join our Clan?"
"My name is Yellowpaw, and 'the dead one' has a name. She's Flowerpaw." Yellowpaw growled, clearly avoiding the subject of the Clan."
"Very well. Come here." Yellowpaw listened to Wolfstar, inching closer to the large white she-cat.
"I, Wolfstar, leader of SwiftClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice." Wolfstar began; totally unaware that Flamestorm escaped the crowded clearing. "She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Yellowpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do," Yellowpaw mewed, feeling that nothing was right at this point in her life.
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name, Yellowpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Yellowflower, in honor of your sister and mother. StarClan honors your courage and your willingness to risk your own life for another cat. We welcome you as a full warrior of SwiftClan."
Yellowflower licked Wolfstar's coarse white fur, wishing she was licking dark gray, instead.
"Yellowflower! Yellowflower!" Some members of SwiftClan chanted, the others clearly confused.
"What do you think gives you the reason to do that?" Ashstar hissed from the entrance, a smirking Flamestorm beside her.
Wolfstar spun around. "She was born in SwiftClan. That gives me all the reason I need!" she spat.
"But bred in MoonClan," Ashstar retorted.
Yellowflower's head snapped back and forth as she watched the two leaders bicker about her. Finally, giving up on the two, she stared long at her sister. The wind seemed to whisper "Go," faintly in her ears.
"Stop!" Yellowflower screeched. "None of you can have me!" She dashed out of the camp, heading for anywhere. The only thing she regretted was leaving Flowerpaw in that horrible camp.
"No," Yellowflower panted as she darted in and out of trees expertly. "You'll forever be Flowerheart to me." Yellowflower told her sister, who was now on the journey to StarClan.
SwiftClan – "Boulderpelt!" Jaygaze hissed at the dark gray tom. "Quickly grab those mice, before the fat water rats come!"
Boulderpelt picked up the mice, and they dangled by their tails when a menacing hiss came from a bed of reeds.
"What did you say?" Rainstrike hissed as he stood up, his and Sparrowstar's patrol behind him.
Boulderpelt hurriedly dropped the mice, and tried to conceal them beneath his paw. "Jaygaze said you were fat water rats!" Fogpaw growled.
Fawnpaw hissed in anger. "How can you say that, you weak, timid rabbit!" Suddenly, the fury in her eyes changed. "Stonekit?" she whispered disbelievingly.
"Stonekit?" Fogpaw scoffed. "No, I am Fogpaw, son of Silverpool. I'm not a part of your mouse-brained Clan, and proud of it! Your Clan stole my mother's life!"
Shaking her head, Fawnpaw mewed sadly. "Come back, Stonekit. Jadeheart misses you. Leave SwiftClan behind, they aren't your real Clan, and Silverpool was a young warrior from long ago, Jadeheart told me. She fell into the Swift River and died."
"Are you accusing us of kit-napping?" Thorngrove demanded.
"Yes, now that I look at it, he is Stonekit!" Sparrowstar meowed. Boulderpelt opened his mouth, then paused apparently thinking. Slowly his mouth closed, and then the dark gray tom jumped at Sparrowstar.
The leader yowled, and ducked under the attack, raking his claws on Boulderpelt's belly as he soared overhead. A quick glance upward revealed a mass of fighting cats, although WaterClan seemed to be inning because of their numbers.
Sparrowstar pinned Boulderpelt down, and Poppyheart clawed his ears. They let him go, and watched in satisfaction as he ran, yowling in defeat. Soon out of their sight, however, Boulderpelt stopped running and waited beneath a gorse bush on his own territory. Far in the distance, he could see and hear the battle going on.
"WaterClan isn't my real Clan!" he heard Fogpaw screech. The gray apprentice clawed Fawnpaw, and she ran away. Fogpaw stood victorious for a bit, but then Frostclaw and Hollowpool double-teamed him, and he was force back.
Boulderpelt watched as SwiftClan cats from the patrol ran past, but he was intent on his mission, even if it meant certain death. He got up when the fighting ceased and the WaterClan cats stood, taking in the victorious vibe. Slowly, unseen, he stalked towards the border. Once he reached it, he took a deep breath, and gathered his muscles, waiting for the opportune moment. It came, and with a mighty battle yowl, he leapt at the brown leader.
Sparrowstar was still in shock at the unexpected attack, and only started struggling with all the power of TigerClan once he was pinned. "I will kill you with my own claws!" Boulderpelt snarled, "And it will be for the good of SwiftClan!" At the end of his speech, Boulderpelt dragged his own claws down the soft brown flesh.
Sparrowstar's eyes glazed and Boulderpelt was dragged doff by Frostclaw, soon to disappear under a mass of multi-colored pelts. Soon, however, the leader came back, after losing a life. He shook his pelt reassuringly for himself. Sparrowstar then looked at the mangled and bloody form of Boulderpelt, who was no longer recognizable.
"Come," Sparrowstar rasped. "We can go back to camp. Orangespots will be grateful to all of StarClan for letting me return." Slowly the WaterClan cats moved off, bringing with them the mice, but leaving the bloodied mass that was once Boulderpelt.
Far off, the SwiftClan cats watched their enemies depart with hate-filled eyes. Jaygaze broke away from his glaring, and looked around the empty moor. "Where's Boulderpelt?" he asked.
"Oh no..." Thorngrove whispered. His amber eyes grew wide in fright as he stared around.
"What?" Fogpaw asked, getting frightened himself. His hackles started to rise as Thorngrove mewed mourningly.
"Boulderpelt told me that he wanted to kill Sparrowstar, before. If he did that now, then he would be... he would be..." Thorngrove never finished, but sprinted, using his SwiftClan speed, towards and over the border. Jaygaze, once seeing his friend, leapt over the border, too, and buried his nose in his pelt. He dragged the limp body over, and together, all the cats pulled him over to the SwiftClan camp.
"What is this, now?" Wolfstar asked, appalled at the new sight.
"We hunted on WaterClan territory, and they drove us off. However, Boulderpelt went back to kill Sparrowstar, but instead, he himself was killed." Thorngrove mewed sadly.
Wolfstar sighed. "Put him next to Flowerpaw."
"Who?" Fogpaw inquired.
"Don't ask," Wolfstar told him. "Today was a bleak day for SwiftClan. We have lost two wonderful cats." Jaygaze put his loyal friend next to Flowerpaw, who smelled like MoonClan. Slowly but surely the Clans were falling apart, and he, along with all the rest of the innocent, were stuck in the middle.
FlameClan – Darkpaw was training with Icetail when he heard a cat crash through the undergrowth. The sound of it made Darkpaw think that the cat was unaccustomed to living in a forest.
"This is a bit short noticed, Icetail mewed, "but I want to see how you do against another cat. I will be watching." With that, Icetail disappeared, leaving Darkpaw to stalk towards the cat. He smelled both MoonClan and SwiftClan on the pure white she-cat as she stumbled through the forest, apparently distressed. From both of the scents, he couldn't decipher which on she was from, so he waited for her to come to him before confronting her.
Quickly thinking, Darkpaw leapt at her, forcing her back against a large oak tree. "Get off FlameClan territory!" he hissed menacingly.
She looked at the dark apprentice with bright yellow eyes. "My new name is Yellowflower, and I wish to speak with Birchstar. That is why I am here."
Dumbfounded, Darkpaw nodded, and lead her through the densely forested territory. Once they reached the camp, many cats hissed when the saw the other Clan cat.
"Who do you have with you, Darkpaw?" Birchstar asked, jumping down from Skymound where she had been sharing tongues with her mate, Bristleclaw.
"My name is Yellowflower, and I wish to speak with you, Birchstar, privately," Yellowflower mewed boldly, although her heart was racing underneath her strong outer-shell.
Birchstar shook her head sincerely. "Anything you wish to tell me can be told in front of all my cats," she mewed.
"Fine," Yellowflower sighed. "I wish to join FlameClan as a warrior. The other Clans do not deserve me after what they had done, but I wish to become a loyal warrior to a Clan that I have nothing against."
Laughing, Birchstar sat, curling her tail around her paws. "You smell of both MoonClan and SwiftClan. Why?" she asked.
Yellowflower squared her shoulders. "I lived in MoonClan with my sister, Yellowpaw, and my father, Cloudfall, both who are dead now. I found out that my mother was Flowerstem, form SwiftClan, and I became Yellowflower, after Flowerpaw, in her Clan. Wolfstar and Ashstar started arguing over me, and I ran away, the wind in my ears. They treated me wrongly, so in the process, they lost all of my loyalty."
Birchstar took this entire thing in. "You seem willing to join and loyal. You will train in the ways of a FlameClan warrior, and if you prove yourself worthy, you will be fully accepted into our Clan. If not, you will be exiled, never to be seen again. Do you accept my offer?"
"Yes, Birchstar," Yellowflower meowed. "Although I can assure you that I will not betray my new Clan or you. This is where my loyalty fully lies."
Birchstar nodded. "Your mentor will be Shadowmist." Yellowflower dipped her head, and then moved off to the shade of a boulder at the edge of camp. Many cats still starred, but Yellowflower blocked the inquisitive eyes out.
She thought as she rested. Now three Clans held significance in her life. Her mother's Clan, and the Clan she got her name in; the Clan she was raised in; and her true Clan.
'No matter what,' Yellowflower thought, 'FlameClan will always be my first priority.'
A/N: I swear, not to many killings after this… or will there be? Read and Review! You'd think for all the people who sent cats in, there'd be more reviewers *sigh*. Anywho R&R!