A New Path

Chapter One (pt. 2)

Checkers paced the hilltop where he awaited the mysterious younger sister of Dovepelt.

Dovepelt! his heart sang. Checkers tried to quench the affection he felt for the clan cat. But he just could not get over how sexy a badass warrior she-cat was. But Dovepelt didn't seem like a fighter.

A silver shape slipped through the heather-topped meadow like a snake. But her eyes didn't have that dead look, they sparkled with life and pride for her own self. But they also had a love for someone; not Checkers.

"You! Housecat!" she called out, skidded to a stop, only a claw-length away for touching noses with Checkers.

"It's Checkers," he corrected with a chuckle at the she-cat's enthusiasm. Or clumsiness. It was cute... NOT in a romantic way.

"Okay, Checkers, I'm Dewpaw," the warrior cat greeted, brushing whiskers in greeting. Dewpaw was like a small version of Dovepelt, but instead of green eyes, she had blue optics.

"Why did you want to meet?" Checkers asked, feeling nervous for being so close to a she-cat his age.

"Well, I believe my sister has had a prophecy about you, and that we may be destined to save the Clans together!" Dewpaw purred, but a shadow crossed over her face.

"But a voice spoke to me yesterday: it said that either me or a... friend of mine would help you. The one that was not chosen for the path of good will be an antagonistic 'player' in this situation," she said darkly. Checkers pricked his ears.

"That's why I brought that friend," Dewpaw added, letting out a reassuring meow. A patch of heather rustled, and a handsome ginger tom with chiseled features leapt out, sauntering over.

"Who's this sexy little shit?" Checkers asked teasingly, looking the newcomer up and down.

"A kittypet? Dewpaw, you have an interesting choice in toms. Oh, what am I saying? I'm your choice!" the tom said in an articulated voice, adding a haughty chuckle.

From the embarrassed, angry look on Dewpaw's face, this wasn't how the tom usually acted.

He thinks I'm competition, well, if he wants someone to seem superior to, I won't be that someone, Checkers thought with a frown.

"Maybe this was a bad idea," Dewpaw murmured. The ginger tom nodded with a satisfied smirk. Dewpaw saw this and hissed, "Not meeting Checkers, Flamepaw! Bringing you!" Flamepaw bristled.

"What? I've been delightful!"

"No you haven't!"

"How so?"

Dewpaw took a deep breath.

"Checkers did nothing wrong! You've been horrible to him, and he's the one that will save the Clans one day!"

Flamepaw took a shaky step backwards before running back across the meadow to a distant dip in the earth.

Dewpaw sighed, looking back at Checkers.

"That's it," she said tonelessly. "He's going to play an antagonistic role in the Clan's destiny."

Maybe not, maybe you will. Or Dovepelt. The possibilities go on and on. I only know that Dewpaw, you, Checkers, and Flamepaw are very important. Very important indeed.