Warriors: Falling Stars Book 1: Sunlight

Chapter 1

As the sun rose up into the sky, basking the clearing in light, the StormClan cats started to wake. A cool breeze drifted through the tall birch trees surrounding camp, ruffling each cats' fur and causing them to shiver.

"Psst! Spottedpaw!" Mudpaw nudged his friend. "Rainfrost promised me that we could go out hunting today!"

Stirring, a young calico she-cat twitched her legs. She stood up and stretched, shaking off sleep. Blinking, she realized that the sun had already rose into the sky. The greenleaf light shone in the den, dappling the stone floor.

"Oh yeah! Ivypelt is coming too, right?" The she-cat replied, referring to her mentor. The brown tabby tom nodded. Spottedpaw smiled and followed Mudpaw out of the Apprentice's Den and into the clearing. She looked around for any sign of the two mentors when her belly growled.

"Wanna eat first?" Mudpaw asked, his ears twitching. Spottedpaw nodded gratefully.

The two cats stopped by the fresh-kill pile and laid down. Spottedpaw picked a squirrel out and placed it in front of her paws, taking a small bite. While she chewed, she watched Mudpaw take his share as well.

"I can't wait to show you this battle move Rainfrost taught me yesterday," Mudpaw exclaimed as Spottedpaw began to eat again. "I'm going to be the best warrior in the forest!"

Spottedpaw chewed thoughtfully. "We were only made apprentices three days ago," she scoffed. "Being a warrior is a long way off."

Mudpaw rolled his eyes. "I can wait." He finished off the squirrel and stood up. Just as he got to his feet, a large silver tom came up behind him. The tom glanced at Spottedpaw before returning his attention to Mudpaw.

"Ready to go, Mudpaw?" He mewed. Mudpaw turned around and grinned.

"Rainfrost! Yes, we just finished eating." Mudpaw padded over to stand next to his mentor.

"Where's Ivypelt?" Spottedpaw asked.

"She's watching Cloudclaw and Fernpaw." Rainfrost replied. "She said she wanted to see their progress. Now, if there aren't anymore questions, let's go before the day is gone."

Spottedpaw eagerly trotted by Rainfrost, exiting the clearing and heading into the forest. Ears pricked and alert, she watched a clump of ferns shift. Her nose twitched. Mouse. She thought. The she-cat turned to see if the other cats had noticed it, but they stared on ahead.

Spottedpaw flicked her tail, causing Mudpaw and Rainfrost to stop. She crouched down and started to inch forward silently. The she-cat narrowed her eyes, and could make out the mouse's tail. She was about a fox length away when the wind shifted and the mouse squeaked in terror. Spottedpaw leaped forward, determined not to let it get away. As it leaped out of the ferns, Spottedpaw chased it, her paws beating down on the ground. With one leap, she landed squarely on its back, and ended its life quickly. Her eyes beamed as she pranced back to the others.

"Nice catch," Rainfrost commented. "Bury it here for now. We'll retrieve it on the way back."

Spottedpaw nodded as she scraped earth back over the mouse. Mudpaw leaned over to sniff the pile before heading off with Spottedpaw at his heels.

It wasn't long before Spottedpaw could hear yowls. She looked through the trees and saw a flash of white and gray, two cats fighting each other.

Mudpaw gasped. "Intruders! We have to get them off StormClan territory!" He was about to leap forward but Rainfrost stopped him with his paw.

"No, Mudpaw, it's just Cloudclaw training Fernpaw." He mewed, amused. "Don't you remember the Moss Pit?"

Mudpaw stared blankly for a moment, and then his ears flattened. "Oh. Right." He said quietly, licking his chest fur in embarrassment.

"What's the Moss Pit?" Spottedpaw asked, her head tilted to the side. "Ivypelt hasn't taken me there yet."

"It's where we learn to fight!" Mudpaw exclaimed, tail lashing in the air, his embarrassment forgotten.

Rainfrost nodded. "The moss grows thickly there. We practice there so no one gets hurt while training." The silver tabby tom padded forward through the trees, and the apprentices followed him.

Spottedpaw stepped into the Moss Pit, shifting her paws on the wet moss. She purred, the soft plant tickling her pawpads.

"Look out!" A yowl came from beside her.

Spottedpaw gasped as the gray cat flew through the air and was about to land right on top of her. She ducked and prepared for impact when a set of teeth grabbed her scruff and flung her out of the way.

"Mousebrain!" A tan she-cat scolded her, shaking her head.

"Sorry, Ivypelt." Spottedpaw replied, shaking her ruffled fur. "Thank you for saving me."

Ivypelt snorted and nodded. "At least you know how to be polite."

"Oof!" The gray cat gasped as he fell against the ground. He quickly recovered and flipped around, ready to retaliate. His green eyes gleamed. "Teach me that one you just did!" He exclaimed, ecstatic.

The white tom purred. "Not right now, Fernpaw. Looks like our hunting patrol is here." The tom's one blue eye and one green eye turned to look at the other cats.

Rainfrost got to his feet. "Why don't you apprentices go hunting, and we'll head back. I think six cats hunting at once would scare all the prey away," he said.

Ivypelt nodded. "This one is alright to go out on her own for the first time," she said, her eyes darting to look down on Spottedpaw. Spottedpaw's paws tingled with anticipation. My first time out without Ivypelt!

"Me too, of course!" Fernpaw exclaimed, bouncing over to the other apprentices. "If my sister gets to go, I should too." He stood over next to the calico she-cat, waiting for an answer. Spottedpaw rolled her eyes.

Cloudclaw sighed. "You've got spirit," he murmured. "Alright, go ahead. Remember, go hunting and then come straight back!"

The cats started to leave when Rainfrost turned around. "I'll get your mouse for you, Spottedpaw." She nodded in thanks, and the tom turned around and trotted to catch up with the others.

"Well, let's go then!" Fernpaw mewed, starting to run off. Mudpaw chased him, throwing up leaves in their wake.

"You're going to scare away the forest at this rate!" Spottedpaw called after them, but she ran after the two toms anyway.

The apprentices had run out of breath and started to walk, sniffing for prey. They had been unsuccessful so far, and Mudpaw's tail dragged on the ground.

"What's scaring all the prey away?" He grumbled.

Spottedpaw batted at his ears. "You, probably," she teased.

Suddenly Fernpaw stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide. "Do you smell that?" he murmured.

Spottedpaw sniffed the air and gasped.

Blood. Cat blood.

The apprentices sprinted through the woods, following the scent. Cries of battle could be heard as they drew closer, yowling and screeching echoing through the trees.

Spottedpaw skidded to a halt at the top of a hill, peering over. The hill dropped down to the scent marker. They had reached the edge of StormClan territory.

Down below, a hissing patrol of cats had attacked the StormClan border patrol.

"RidgeClan!" Mudpaw mewed in shock. The other clan was clearly defeating the two StormClan cats, who were desperately flailing their paws in defense.

"We have to help them!" Fernpaw exclaimed, as he flew down the hill and into battle with a yowl.

Spottedpaw gulped, and with a glance at Mudpaw, she followed, unsheathing her claws.