Warriors: Shadow and Flame

Prologue

A light brown tabby ran across SkyClan's territory to reach ThunderClan. Its tail twitched nervously. What if they don't accept me? It thought, what if ThunderClan says I'm not welcome?

It was dawn. The leaves were sighing in the cool wind, and branches creaked over the cat's head. It was used to it. It had grown up in ShadowClan. But here it seemed so different, like the trees were looming over it, like they wanted it out of ThunderClan's territory.

Suddenly the cat saw golden fur. Lionblaze! It thought. Then the tom was on top of the intruder. "What are you doing here, Sunbeam? I thought you'd be sulking over how Nightheart left you. Not trying to get him back."

"I'm sorry, Lionblaze! I know he's your kin, but... I care about him, too. Which is why I want to join ThunderClan." She meowed steadily.

"Join ThunderClan?" He sounded surprised. "I don't know. I guess with the new Code, you are allowed to try, but..."

"But what? What could stop me?" Sunbeam was confident she could do it, as long as Bramblestar—no, Brambleclaw wasn't leader anymore, it was Squirrelstar she'd ask—gave her permission.

"Nightheart has no idea you're doing this—unless you've been taking to each other..." Lionblaze's eyes narrowed.

"That's true, he doesn't know. But I can't live with the guilt of knowing I never tried to be with Nightheart," she sighed, "I'd rather this than go back to ShadowClan, where my mother thinks I want to join her side."

"Her side?"

Sunbeam realized she shouldn't have said that. "I—I just meant that she doesn't want cats to be switching Clans at all, and she's not the only one in ShadowClan. I want to show them that it can be a good thing."

"I see..." Lionblaze finally got off the she-cat. "Let's go to camp, then."

They walked to the ThunderClan camp together in silence. Lionblaze was never on great terms with any ShadowClan cat, even if it was his kin's possible mate.

"Blossomheart, Honeyfur, and Flipclaw, patrol the borders." They could hear Finchlight ordering cats for the dawn patrols. "Bayshine, Cherryfall, and... Hey, where's Lionblaze?"

Lionblaze nudged Sunbeam to the entrance, hurrying her along. "I'm right here," he called as he followed the ShadowClan she-cat inside, "I was practicing my night hunting—and lost track of time—and found Sunbeam near the SkyClan border."

Gasps were heard in the camp. Nightheart pushed through the small crowd to where Lionblaye and Sunbeam were standing. "What are you doing here? I thought you would stay in ShadowClan... I'm so sorry for leaving you, but I belong here."

"I can't stay in ShadowClan. I don't think I'll ever stop loving you. So..." Sunbeam then raised her voice so all the cats in the clearing could hear her. "I'm here to join ThunderClan."