Wild Born

Chapter 1 : Changes

Goldenstar stood at the entrance of camp, ordering some of the other Clan cats around. Thunderpaw, Brackenpaw, and Sandpaw walked up. "Hey, Mom. Darkstripe told us to go on the dusk patrol. When's it leaving?" Thunderpaw asked. "Right now." Goldenstar said. "Spiderstem, Ferretsong, and Bluemoon will be joining you,"

                    "Bluemoon?" Brackenpaw asked. Her name was ironic, for Bluemoon herself had been born on the Gathering of the Blue Moon. It was her birthday today, for she was 8 years old. All of a sudden, the beautiful, lush furred she-cat walked past, getting ready for the dusk patrol. She was the LightningClan deputy, and had lived through many battles. Brackenpaw sighed, gazing at her pretty blue-gray and white pelt. "Brackenpaw! Snap out of it!" Sandpaw ordered.

          "Just because you're my sister doesn't mean you can boss me around," The dark top snapped back. "Someone's in love..." Sandpaw teased. He angrily swept his unsheathed claws at his sister's face. The beige kitten swiftly doged her furious brother. "Ha! Missed me," She taunted. "Next time, I won't!" He growled, chasing Sandpaw in circles around the gathered dusk patrol. "They'll never become warriors." Goldenstar muttered.

The forest smelled of pine and prey. It sounded like chirping crickets and rushing water. They eight cats patrolled the border at the Four Clans Borders, the intersection of PineClan, FireClan, DarkClan and LightningClan, where all of the Clan borders met. Bluemoon opened her mouth, taking in all the earthly scents. "Sandpaw," She said. "Mark this border. It's growing faint."

               "But isn't that border patrol's job?" She asked. The she-cat gave the apprentice a stern look. The apprentice squatted, freshening the border scent. Brackenpaw turned away. "Ewww!" He said. "That's disgusting!" Spiderstem scoffed at the immature tom. "Oh, grow up! Now it's YOUR turn."

               "Yuck!" He muttered under his breath as he lifted his leg and sprayed his scent all over the LightningClan border. "Thunderpaw, you haven't tried yet," Spiderstem said. The gray apprentice stared blankly at the she-warrior. "I know--this part of the border is too filled with scent. If I mark it a little ways down, the wind will spread the scent further." She replied. "You're right, Thunderpaw! Great thinking!" The patrol began moving further down the border.

Suddenly, it seemed as if all the forest were instantly quiet. Bluemoon opened her mouth once more, gathering the scents of the forest. "Rogues..." She spat. The deputy whipped her head around, coming face-to-face with a mangled beast. A rogue. It was ugly: it was missing an eye, and nasty scars riddled down most of its face. It spread its teeth in a wicked grin as the underbrush gave way to five more rogues. The patrol was surrounded.

              "Stay away, you dirty flea-bags! You don't belong here!" Bluemoon snapped. The patrol members bared their fangs in snarl. The rogue still menacingly circled around the patrol, back arched and eyes narrowed. "I...am...the Night," It growled, in a rasping voice. It was a tom, with yellowed, rotting teeth and matted black fur. "Soon, every cat...every creature of this forest...will bow to me."

               "Not if I can help it," Brackenpaw retorted. Night bared his fangs and lunged at the apprentice. The other cats attacked as well, swiping angrily at Bluemoon, Sandpaw, and the others. Brackenpaw used his muscular hind feet to fiercely throw his attacker off. The mangled cat landed on the forest floor with a *THUD*, but instantly shook it off. He ran at full speed towards the young tabby tom, who was ready to meet him with unsheathed claws. Thunderheart fearlessly jumped onto the cat's back, clamping her sharp fangs down on his neck. She had trained all of her life for a moment like this one. She sank them deeper and deeper, searching to puncture his windpipe. He flung her off without much effort, but she landed on her feet. Sandpaw was cornered by another tabby tom and a three-legged silver female. Her tail was between her legs and she cowered, ears against her head, in submission. The two snickered hatefully, and the silver she-cat raised a large, black-clawed paw. She quickly swiped it across Sandpaw's face,  leaving it bleeding profusely. "No!" Thunderpaw cried out, bounding towards her friend. "You're a monster!" She screamed in the silver cat's face. The silver cat pounced upon Thunderpaw now, pinning her to the ground. Snarling, the gray kitten unsheathed her claws and slashed the soft flesh of the silver cat's underbelly. Thunderpaw's claws hooked in deep, and the contents of the silver cat's insides spewed onto Thunderpaw's body. "You little..." The she-cat began, before collapsing on top of the apprentice. Thunderpaw shoved her off, though her own fur was soaked in blood and guts. "We have to warn the others," Thunderpaw said.

        "Thank you, Thunderpaw!" Sandpaw exclaimed. "You saved my life!"

"Are your wounds okay? It looks painful."

           "What about yours?!" Sandpaw gasped. A large gash sliced across her shoulder. She hadn't even noticed one of the cats had cut into her. "I'll be fine. You have to escape, Sandpaw...you must warn the others! We need backup," Thunderpaw told her friend. Sandpaw nodded, running off towards LightningClan camp as the sun set on the forest.