Warriors || Hopestar's Choice: Book 2 (2 of 3)

Prologue

The forest whispered with the sounds of the wind passing through he leaves. Sunlight broke through the thick forest canopy to rest on the forest floor. In the distance, the sound of water moving against the Stepping Stones could be heard.

Through the shadows of the forest, four cats moved silently. Their eyes reflected the sunlight which caused them to glow. It was early sunrise and a thin fog clung in the air. A slight chill was also in the air, causing the four cats to puff out their thick pelts.

In the lead of the patrol was a large white tom. The rest of the patrol was made up of a black and white tom, a delicate tabby she-cat, and a pale ginger tabby she-cat. They moved along an invisible line, marking and moving on.

The pale ginger she-cat pricked her ears and looked across the border at the river, and beyond that, the RiverClan border. She squinted her pale green eyes and blinked in surprise when she noticed a flash of gray fur. Her heart skipped a beat and she stepped out of the cover of the forest to get a better look.

"Sandstorm?" The white tom turned to ask her. His yellow eyes were filled with slight concern.

She shook her head, "Go on ahead without me, Whitestorm. I want to just check on something." The white tom studied her but then slowly nodded. He moved along to catch up with the rest of the group, leaving Sandstorm alone.

With her eyes trained on the other bank, Sandstorm waited. Had she merely imagined it? She sat at the edge of the forest expectantly, but she started to believe that he wouldn't come.

Suddenly, a dark shape appeared from the reeds. The cat slipped into the water and swam across towards her. Sandstorm stood up to meet the gray cat as he pulled himself from the river. The sight of him soaking wet amused her.

"So, how's RiverClan treating you?" Sandstorm asked the long-haired gray tom. She spoke to him as she would an old friend. His yellow eyes gleamed in amusement and he shook the water from his pelt, letting stray droplets cling to her pelt. "Graystripe!" She gasped.

"It's okay, but I miss ThunderClan." Graystripe admitted, sitting down on the bank. "RiverClan still watches me like a hawk."

Sandstorm pitied him. Their best friend just died and he had to suffer alone. At least in TigerClan she had others that also grieved for Fireheart, the ones who knew he wasn't Bluestar's killer. "Tigerstar's renamed ThunderClan. We're called TigerClan now."

Graystripe stared at her in shock. "Really? And the clan just let him?"

"He killed Cloudpaw," Sandstorm growled, hatred flaring in her green eyes. "He's prepared to kill anyone that steps out of line."

The realization filled Graystripe's yellow eyes. Everything he, Fireheart, and Ravenpaw had feared was becoming real. Tigerstar had taken over ThunderClan and perverted it. Was it really a clan he wanted to return to?

"You should be careful, Graystripe," Sandstorm murmured. "Tigerstar is making you out to be Fireheart's accomplice. The clan sees you as a traitor."

"Let's talk later," Graystripe whispered. "I can meet you somewhere tonight?"

Sandstorm hesitated. Meeting him would be an act of treason, but he was the only one that understood her pain. "Okay, let's meet at Fourtrees."

And with that, Graystripe turned and slipped back into the river. Sandstorm watched him go with a slight pain in her heart. At least he was free of Tigerstar's grip.

~*~

Night finally fell upon the forest. Sandstorm turned in her nest, anxious to leave. The other warriors around her were sleeping soundly, unaware of her. She rose from her nest and peeked out at the clearing.