Prologue "Cats of all clans gather below the High-cliff for a clan meeting," meowed a Brown-Black she-cat.
"What will we do, Nightstar?" the Deputy asked.
Nightstar paused then opened her mouth, unsure what to say. "Er.....You will find out when the others do," she replied still unsure it was the right answer.
But, she had to move on. If she didn't do something about this danger no one would. She scanned the clearing with all the gathering cats clumped together in small groups murmuring to each other. Nightstar knew she had to reassure them, but could she. She had to. She gracefully hopped up onto the Spaceclan High-cliff.
"As you all know," she began," great problems are to arise in the forest below. We need to stop them."
Murmurs of agreement rose in the clearing below the High-cliff, but Nightstar didn't have time for this she signaled a sign of silence with her tail and soon the murmurs died down.
She began again. "We will have the most recent clan leaders come forward and choose the two most capable cats for this job. Come forward."
With a signal of her tail two cats stepped forward. The first cat stepped out and leaped onto the High-cliff. He was a light brown tortoiseshell who wore the battle mark of only three useable paws, and owned the name of Barkstar resembling his bark colored underbelly.
"Who will it be, who are your two," meowed Nightstar.
Barkstar answered with confidence. "I chose Lillypaw,"
Disapproval rushed through the clearing. One of the cats yelled out. "How have you been so mousebrained, she is an apprentice. Not a Warrior, an apprentice." Many other comments when slicing through the air, until Nightstar finally silenced them.
"Barkstar, why is it you have chosen an apprentice, what do you see in her?" Nightstar meowed.
Barkstar tried to keep his anger back but it could easily be scented if you even opened your nose. "Who cares if she is an apprentice? All that matters is she possesses the correct skills and I tell you she will pass the test!"He growled. "Do you not trust my judgment; I have known her since she was even one moon old."
"No, no." answered Nightstar, I was just checking. "Who is your next choice?"
Barkstar began this time not as confident. "Rufftail. He is a noble warrior and he has all of the quality's that would be needed to complete his journey."
Murmurs of agreement rose through the clearing below them as Blackstar stepped down with a proud look on his face.
"Rainbowstar?" the leader said
Rainbowstar a white fluffy she-cat gracefully leapt up onto the high cliff "I chose her" she said with her tail angled slightly downward at a warrior pouncing at a vole in the undergrowth. "And them him" she said with her tail angled at a warrior next to the warrior pouncing at vole.
"Well then that settles it," said Nightstar "of course though, the other two recent leaders haven't chosen, but I have word they shall not be choosing here, and have already sent their signs to their chosen. I dreamt it and know who their chosen are but shall not be sharing that here. That is for only leaders, and medicine cats to know. We will send our signs down from Spaceclan at Dawn. We have hoped these cats will be strong enuf to put an end this murderous cat's mischief."
Chapter 1
"Lillypaw, wake up. Rufftail says if you keep sleeping in and forgetting about warrior training you're going to have your warrior ceremony get farther, and further away. You don't want that to happen do you. I know I don't I'm already a warrior and I don't want to have to wait any longer for you to become one so we can go on patrols together." "Ok, fine. But, I am only doing this for you. I am fine with being an apprentice. I only want to be a warrior so I can sleep in." "Well then, keep working so you can sleep in," meowed Shadystream "I heard that," answered Lillypaw. She had totally; no doubt about it heard Shadystream leave out that one detail for her to hear about how she would still have to wake up early for the early-morning Dawn patrol. She probably just said it so silently so when I blamed her for not telling me that she could say she did. How deceiving? "I heard you say that little sentence you left out." "What sentence?" Shadystream said sarcastically knowing exactly what sentence Lillypaw was talking about, the sentence she murmured under her breath so Lillypaw couldn't hear. "Ok, whatever. But, I heard it." But , of course, Lillypaw didn't care she knew her friend was just playing, and she wanted to please her friend. Her friend didn't deserve to wait any longer for Lillypaw to be a warrior. It was Lillypaws own fault she always forgot to go to training in the morning. Shadystream needed her to have fun on patrols, so she finally she decided she had to get up, how could she punish her bestes friend of all history like this. Lillypaw stood up ready and Shadystream pounced away. If Lillypaw was going to get to training in time she would have to groom herself really quick. Lillypaw looked around the room all the light shining in her eyes. She didn't want to sleep anymore she was wide awake now, and perfectly groomed. She stepped out of her den but only buy a few tail lengths. Even then it was a warm Leaffall day. Sadly soon Leafbare would arrive and it would be colder then the Rushing-River down by the border between WoodClan and WoodClans Best friend, ShiningClan, named after their Huge meadow were the sun shines down, well as Lillpaw had heard she had never really been to ShiningClan. The cats were not allowed to cross the clan border except on journeys to the Brocken oak, or when leaders and Medicine cats went to the hollow and got messages from Spaceclan, that wonderful clan always watching over them, helping them in times of need. It was against the code of clans to cross the border. Lillypaw of course being her mischiviose self had only been to the broken oak once in which all the other times had been punished and unallowed to go. Hopefully she would go to the next one, if she was good enuf. Only three more days until the cats to go are chosen, only three more days for Lillypaw to stay out of trouble. Only three more days to the full moon and this time Lillypaw might actually get to go. Lillypaw continued on to the training grounds and when she arrived she could see she was late. That mentor of hers, Rufftail, had an expression on his face that she got a lot. The expression that meant she was late, an as Lillypaw could see Shadystream was disappointed too. Lillypaw stared at them waiting for someone to talk. There was a long moment of silence until Rufftail started to talk. "Your late" he said in an expression less face but an angry growl. "I am?" Lillypaw meowed trying to act like it was one big surprise to her. "Sorry?" "Sorry doesn't cut it", meowed bark face. "You need to start coming to training. Am I wasting my time? Do you want another mentor? Start coming to training," "I was, and then I saw how beautiful it was and it must have delayed me," answered Lillypaw hoping it was the correct answer. "Lillypaw," Shadystream jumped in with a sad angry and disappointed voice. Now Lillypaw was getting really sad she didn't try to be late, she just went to slow. She already didn't like being in trouble, and yelled at. But, disappointing Shady stream made it that much worse. "Let's get to training," meowed Rufftail with a heart drowning expression that he thought Lillypaw was never going to be a warrior "Hey!" Lillypaw Said. "I will be a warrior eventually" But when she said eventually she knew it would be eventually and it seemed as Ruff paw read her thoughts "Eventually" he said with a board tang in his voice. Lillypaw frowned at the thought of how long it would take her to gain the respect of him. Then followed along "Were are we going?"Lillypaw asked. "I am teaching you how to fight in the undergrowth" Rufftail answered. Lillypaws face brightened. I've always wondered what that will be like she questioned herself, and kept following They stopped in a random place in the forest to let Shadystream catch up as Lillypaw thought, but she was also wondering why Shadystream was even coming to her training secion. She didn't care that much anyway, having Shadystream was fun, and she would encourage her. Only, they didn't stop to wait for her to catch up. When Shadystream got there, they didn't continue walking. "Shady stream stand above the undergrowth ready for a fight, Lillypaw hide in the undergrowth and attack." Meowed Rufftail. Both cats did so and Shady stream was ready for an attack. Lillypaw hid in the undergrowth as if she were stalking prey and crouched down, her belly sliding across the scratchy dirt. She hired her hind legs and sprang from the undergrowth at Shady streams back, but somehow shady stream knew and turned around pinning Lillypaw to the ground as if it were easy. As soon as she let go Lillypaw stood up and started to groom the dirt out of her it was not fun to be pinned to the ground by your own friend. Shady stream let out a fun laugh. "That was too easy, mouse brain; I could see you in the undergrowth the whole time" Lillypaw stared at Shady stream confused. Then at Rufftail. "Lillypaw.....Keep you hind-legs from sticking up, and when you pounce don't forget, as you did, there is not enough time to go in slow motion," he said as he laughs. "Just do it again" Shadystream and Lillypaw ready to go, and this time Lillypaw knew what not to do. She kept her hind legs stretched out and immediately pounced but this time she was quick, quick as a soaring bird. She landed on Shadystream's back. Shadystream stumbled backward and Lillypaw proudly pined her down keeping Shadystream's belly exposed and her belly not. Once shady stream stopped struggling she let go and turned to face Rufftail waiting for her complement. "Bravo, bravo, now let's move onto fighting with both of you in the undergrowth." Both I and Shadystream took our places in the undergrowth. We crouched down into a fighting stance. And I was the first to pounce. Lillypaw pounced towards her but the bracken slowed her and Shady stream had time to prepare. Shadystream dodged the attack and pinned Lillypaw down. "Never pounce in the undergrowth," yelled Rufftail. Shadystream unpinned Lillypaw and they got ready to fight. This time Lillypaw leaped out of the undergrowth then back into were Shadystream crouched confused about Lillypaws technique. Lillypaw swiveled around to confuse her opponent then pinned her down very proud. Lillypaw soon let go and then heard Shadystream ask. "What in the world was that? It was SOOOOOOO confusing." "Well of course it is my new undergrowth fighting technique," answered Lillypaw. Rufftail and Shadystream looked really confused to Lillypaw and then finally Rufftail said. "Er......Good technique? We will work on hunting tomorrow,"
Chapter 2
Rufftail stared blankly as he watched Shadystream and Lillypaw bound off to the sunning rocks. Rufftail wished he had a friend as good as Lillypaw or Shadystream, but he didn't. He had to live with that. His Best friend was Grimpaw, and even though Grimpaw wasn't the nices it didn't matter, Grimpaw was loyal till the very end and it didn't matter thar he was an apprentice beacuse Gristlestar had agreeed to give him his warrior seremony very soon, and stand in vigil for a night. Gristlestar was a great deputy and then leader untill of course Dreamkit his son dies. he has been prity shacken up since, and very mean to birds. Rufftail could understand that though. He would be very agreesive to birds if one killed his kin, Lillypaw. They were closer than ever, and even though at times they would fight, they loved eachother and that was it.
Rufftail bounded back to the camp worried he may be late for the evening border patroll. He did not want to be late, and most of all he didn't want Lilly paw to know he was late. she would be chasing his tail forever saying everyone was late, and he shouldn't get mad at her for being late when he was late and Rufftail knew that was what would happen if Lillypaw knew he was late for something. Especialy when he was the one leadingb the dawn patroll.
But, lucky for rufftail he was not late.
