Warriors: Outsiders (DISCONTINUED)

Part 1

     I was in the forest, watching a mouse nibble on a seed. I knew it was only a dream, for I am a housecat. I live in a house with my housefolk and my two sisters, Twilight and Petal. Anyway, the mouse was really fat and plump. I licked my lips and began to creep towards the creature. I was about to pounce on it, when I accidentally stepped on a stick. SNAP! Mousedung! I thought. The mouse, startled, pricked its ears and turned to see me. It let out a sqeak of terror, and fled deeper into the forest.

    I hissed in annoyance, and chased after it. I don't normally do that, but this time I was determined to catch my prey. I followed it into a maple forest, and skidded to a halt where I saw a stone hollow right below me. The mouse was nowhere to be seen. I sat there unhappily, realizing it was gone. Suddenly, wave of unfamiliar scents flooded into my nose. Cats. Wild cats. I stared in amazement as glowing eyes appeared from a juniper bush. A ginger tabby strode out from a hole I hadn't noticed and flicked its tail in greeting. It opened its mouth to speak, but the only sound that came out of it was "Dew!"

    "Dew! You lazy furball! Are you going to sleep until moonrise?" Petal poked me sharply with one claw.

     "Sorry. Just a dream," I replied, stretching. Just then Twilight padded over to me, a limp mouse hanging in her jaws

     "Look what I caught!" she meowed. "Nice catch!" I began to groom my fur in swift licks as she and Petal shared the fresh-kill. 

    Our housefolk are really kind to us. They let us out into the forest once in a while when they feel like it, and don't make high-pitched noises and panic when they see a dead bird in my jaws, unlike the other housefolk. The cats living in other houses told me their housefolk are afraid of mice. They make a huge scene when they do. 

     "Want it?" Petal pushed the half-eaten mouse towards me. "No thanks. I'm not hungry," I answered her. I rose and padded out of the house into my housefolk's garden. I jumped onto the fence surrounding it and sat there, gazing out into the forest. It's true that I hunt there sometimes, but I never go deep into the forest. The cat who lived next door, Mimi, told me that her sister Lily went into there once. She met a couple of wild cats who tried to attack her, but she escaped. I think those cats are just defending their home, though they might have been a little too rough. I'd like to meet those wild cats, but I'm afraid of what they'd do to me. 

    But what about my dream? I wondered. Normally I don't pay much attention to my dreams or worry about them, but this was different. I couldn't have dreamed of things I had never seen before, could I? Plus, I felt a strange sensation tugging at my fur, telling me to go there. A cool breeze swept across me and I tasted a fresh forest scent. It wouldn't hurt if I just went into the place I saw in my dream, would it? I jumped down the fence and padded into the forest. I followed the route I had walked in my dream. I passed through a forest and leaped over a small pond. Then I skidded to a halt when I saw a stone hollow a few tail lengths away, just like in my dream. I sat there, suddenly realising I had nothing to do but stare. An unfamiliar wave of scents flooded my nostrils. Then I scented someone familiar. Very familiar... 

     The bushes behind me rustled. Before I could react, something crashed onto me. "DEW! WHY DID YOU RUN OFF LIKE THAT WITHOUT ME?????" Petal yowled. Twilight ran over and flicked her tail over her mouth. 

    "Silent, Petal! Every creature can hear you! Who knows what is in this forest?" Twilight meowed. 

       As if in responce, another cat crashed onto Twilight's back. "Stay away from our camp, intruder!" he hissed into her ear. "Twilight!" I yowled. I leaped at the cat, claws extended, and slashed at his nose. He let out a screech, and pounced onto my back. I clawed at his belly and tried to get him off. Meanwhile, Petal and Twilight just sat there and stared, their mouths open. I gritted my teeth. Seriously, do something! I thought. Petal, finally getting to her senses, stood up and yowled, "Stop!"

    She ran over and started pulling the ginger tom off me. He hissed at her and slashed at her, but Twilight managed to hold him down. 

     "We're not wild. We live with our housefolk," I told him. "Housefolk? Oh... right. Twolegs. You're kittypets. I never thought kittypets could fight, though." Kittypets? I wondered. He must be talking about us.

    "We want to take a look around your camp," I meowed.

    "Never! Unless you join our clan."

    "Can we go home, then?"

     "No."

      "Why not?"

       "Because first, I have to take you to my leader, Duskstar. And I don't want you to tell your kittypet friends about the Clans."

     He rose and walked to a tunnel leading into the hollow. I hadn't noticed it. It was covered with a thick layer of leaves and a juniper bush. "Follow me."