Warriors: One Chosen Path

PROLOGUE

     The wind howled with ferocious roars, adding to the frigid temperature the clans are witnessing. It was one of their worst leafbares. Ear-splitting cries were sounded in the air, as a deadly battle took place between ShadowClan and WindClan. Cats of every shape and size battled savagely, until the battle dispersed and dissolved out of the clearing, where only Smokestar and Graystar stood, teeth baring at each other. Ever since Tigerstar fled into the woods, after the murder of Dovepaw and Sandclaw, the clans were tense with each other, with hostility burning on all four sides.

"Graystar!" Smokestar hissed, claws unsheathing. "ShadowClan knows you've been keeping Tigerstar in your camp. Release him, or suffer my wrath!"

Graystar gritted her teeth, her fur bristling. "We are not keeping Tigerstar to ourselves! Stop spitting accusations at your neighbors, which are completely untrue!"

     The two leaders were face-to-face, with trees surrounded by three sides. The only side not that was not surrounded by gorse bushes was a clifftop, where SkyClan used to live. Leafbare was plowing from the sky, as tension rose in the big skirmish that was taken place on WindClan territory.

Smokestar charged at Graystar, his paws bounding towards the light-gray she-cat. With his muzzle about to touch Graystar's claws, a cat, as fast as lightning, shot out of the bushes and brought his paw down Smokestar's haunches, tripping him and sending him towards a glossy patch of ice. Smokestar gasped, clawing at the ground helplessly as ice carried him. Sliding across the ice, his claws screeched against the bitter, frozen water, as he fell off the ledge and his claws hooked into the pallid white.

     Smokestar, with all his might, trying to lift himself from the ledge, failed. The piece of ice he clung onto dearly broke off of the surface, and he fell. He fell into the dark abyss, treading into oblivion, never to be seen by his clanmates again. Meows of pain and misery echoed from the gorge, as ShadowClan cats stared into the gap below, shocked.

"Murderer!"

"Coward!"

"He was on his last life!"

The ShadowClan cats began to engage the cat who killed their leader, until they noticed who it was. The cats began to back away from the huge tabby, and in a matter of heartbeats, the ShadowClan cats retreated; dissolving into the dark, cold forest.

"Who are you?" Graystar said, squinting. Her clanmates were behind her, her tail signalling for them to halt. She gritted her teeth.

The tabby chuckled.

"I'm Tigerstar."