The Lost Rogues

CHAPTER ONE - The Dream

Firestar woke up in the leaders den, as the sun was just beginning to rise. He yawned and stepped outside, some other cats were already out and about. He recognized them all; Whitestorm was over near the gorse tunnel with Greystripe, Longtail, Cloudtail and Brightheart. obviously sending out of the dawn patrol thought Firestar. Then the she-cat he had been searching for stepped out into the clearing, Sandstorm. He ran over to her, almost tripping over his own paws when he reached her. He looked at her and gave her a lick, "Hello, Firestar," she said. Licking his ear and purring. Firestar smiled and pressed his head against her warm flank.

"Are you okay?" she asked, looking concerned. "You seem to be a bit touchy."

"I'm fine," replied Firestar. "I had a... No never mind." He could not bring himself to tell her the truth. For the night before-hand he got a message from Starclan. It was a dream, where Spottedleaf stepped forward towards him warning him of a great danger. Then she vanished while sneering as if something had got her, then a massive clan of cats, ones he had never seen before, started flooding in. Sandstorm had stepped forward and been knocked down straight away. He had watched her die, he was sure it was a prophesy and he intended to find out the truth. Sandstorm nodded and then started walking off to the fresh-kill pile.

He went over to Cinderpelt's den, she was just stepping out, "Cinderpelt," he called. She turned her head to look at him and smiled nervously like she was worried she was going to get into trouble. "Hello Firestar," she said calmly. "How are you?"

"A bit worried," he responded in a quiet tone so nobody was to hear him. "I had a dream last night, one I need to share with you." Cinderpelt's nervous smile faded into a frown, she nodded and beckoned him into her den. They walked in

"Mind the mess," she said. "Yellowfang is always telling me to..." She stopped, and her eyes clouded with sorrow and grief. Firestar looked at her, Cinderpelt had once been his apprentice, Tigerclaw, the old Thunderclan deputy, had left a trap for Bluestar by the thunderpath. Cinderpelt had offered to go and look for him, while he went to get Bluestar. Firestar had agreed, and now he regretted it because when she was there she had been hit by a car and her leg had been injured. She could never be a warrior, she was taken in as an apprentice by Yellowfang, the former medicine cat. Cinderpelt was very fond of Yellowfang, but a few moons before now a forest fire started in Thunderclan territory. And Yellowfang had been killed by the fire.

"Never mind," she said slowly. "What's this dream you're telling me about." And Firestar told her, he described it in every detail. And as Cinderpelt listened she nodded her head, when Firestar was done he waited for Cinderpelt's opinion. "Well," she said. "It would seem that this event will come to pass. Not necessarily in that way though." Firestar nodded and got up to leave but he stopped when Cinderpelt spoke again. "Do not worry Firestar, we are all here for you." She turned to get back to her work and Firestar left thinking whether Cinderpelt was right. And if he was really going to lose Sandstorm