Winter's Dawn

Chapter one

Scarlett padded through the trees, calico tail swishing. Her bell jingled softly and she hissed in annoyance. How could she catch prey with that thing? The bushes rustled to her left and a small ginger head popped out of the bushes. His eyes widened as he saw her.

"Intruder! Get out of my territory!" Leaves tumbled from his mouth as he spoke and a pale silver tom emerged behind him.

"Firepaw, we're medicine cats. We don't fight, remember?" he mewed. The ginger tom nodded.

"Yes, Featherwhisker," he replied. These cats have weird names, she thought. 

"My apprentice is right, though," hissed Featherwhisker, suddenly angry. "We don't tolerate intruders!"

"I-I'm sorry," Scarlett stuttered, backing away slowly. "I didn't know I was tresspassing!" A gray blue she-cat emerged from the bushes behind the toms.

"Calm down, Featherwhisker. Firepaw, get the herbs back to camp. I'll take care of this lost little kittypet." The she-cat had a commanding tone.

"Kittypet?" asked Scarlett with mild interest. "What's a kittypet?"

"StarClan help me," muttered the she-cat. "It's what you are. A cat who lives with twolegs- you call them housefolk."

"You guys are funny. What are you?" asked Scarlett.

"I am Bluestar, the leader of ThunderClan. And if you want, you can join us," she replied.

"Be wild?" she said. "Can I think it over?"

"One night," offered Bluestar. "No longer. Featherwhisker and Lionheart will be here at dawn to here your answer." A gray tom padded from the forest.

"Bluestar, I-" his eyes widened as he spotted Scarlett.

"Don't worry, Graypaw," said Firepaw quickly. "She's going now." He shot her a murderous look and she backed away slowly. Maybe these cats weren't so great after all!