Warriors AU: A Dangerous Path

Chapter 1

Sandstorm's fur bristled with disbelief and fury as he gazed up at the new leader of Shadowclan standing on the Great Rock. He watched as the cat swung his massive head from side to side. Muscles rippled under his gleaming pelt and his yellow eyes seemed to glow with triumph.

"Goldenflower!" Sandstorm spat. His old enemy—the cat who had tried to kill him more than once—was now one of he most powerful cats in the forest.

The full moon rode high above Fourtrees, shedding its cold light over the cats of the four Clans, assembled there for the Gathering. They had all been shocked to learn of the death of Nightstar, the Shadowclan leader. But no cat in the forest had expected that Shadowclan's new leader would be Goldenflower, the former Thunderclan deputy.

Beside Sandstorm, Darkstripe was rigid with excitement, her eyes glittering. Sandstorm wondered what thoughts were going through the mind of his dark gray tabby Clanmate. When Goldenflower had been banished from Thunderclan, he had invited his old friend to go with him, but Darkstripe had refused. Was she regretting that decision now?

Sandstorm caught sight of Fireheart weaving her way toward him. "What's going on?" the flame-colored she-cat hissed as she came into earshot. "Goldenflower can't lead Shadowclan. He's a traitor!"

For several heartbeats, Sandstorm hesitated. Shortly after he had joined Thunderclan, Sandstorm had discovered that Goldenflower had murdered Redtail, the deputy. Once Goldenflower became deputy himself, he had led rogue cats to attack the Thunderclan camp, trying to murder their leader, Oakstar, so that he could take her place. As punishment, he had been banished from their Clan and the forest. It was hardly a noble history for a leader of any Clan.

"But Shadowclan doesn't know about all that," Sandstorm reminded Fireheart now, keeping his voice low. "None of the other Clans know."

"Then you should tell them!"

Sandstorm glanced up at Tallstar and Willowstar, the leaders of Windclan and Riverclan, respectively, who stood beside Goldenflower on the Great Rock. Would they listen if he told them what he knew? Shadowclan had suffered so much from Brokentail's bloodthirsty leadership, followed by a devastating sickness, that they probably wouldn't care what their new leader had done, as long as he could forge them into a strong Clan again.

Besides, Sandstorm couldn't help feeling a guilty relief that Goldenflower had satisfied his hunger for power in a different Clan. Maybe now Thunderclan could stop waiting for him to attack, and Sandstorm could walk the forest without constantly glancing over his shoulder.

Yet, as he struggled with his conflicting emotions, he knew that he would never forgive himself if he let Goldenflower come to power without even making a protest.

"Sandstorm!" He turned to see Brightpaw, his long-furred white and ginger apprentice, padding quickly toward him with the wiry brown warrior Mousefur just behind. "Sandstorm, are you just going to stand there and let that piece of fox dung take over?"

"Quiet, Brightpaw," Sandstorm ordered. "I know. I'll—"

He broke off as Goldenflower paced to the front of the Great Rock.

"I am pleased to be here with you at the Gathering this night." The huge tabby spoke with quiet authority. "I stand before you as the new leader of Shadowclan. Nightstar died of the sickness that took so many of my Clan, and Starclan has named me as her successor."

Tallstar, the black and white leader of Windclan, turned to him. "Welcome, Goldenstar," she meowed, nodding respectfully. "May Starclan walk with you."

Willowstar meowed agreement as the new Shadowclan leader dipped his head in acknowledgment.