Warriors: Hollow Spirits (Book 1)

Chapter One

     Spirit found herself in a camp of cats, surrounding her and another She-cat. She got up and saw that the She-cat next to her had a dark ginger pelt, with blue eyes. Spirit looked around and saw that a dapple coated She-cat had padded up to the two kits.

     "Young ones, my name is Dapplestar, and you are in Sunclan camp. Tell me who you are, please." Dapplestar spoke with kindness, and looked at Spirit expectingly. Spirit took a deep breath.

     "I am Spirit. I was given that name for my blue and amber eye." Spirit spoke calmly, looking at the cat with hopeful eyes. Dapplestar smiled. She cleared her throat before speaking again.

     "Then it will be your choice in life. Choose the path of a rogue, or join Sunclan." Dapplestar mewed, her eyes hiding nothing. Spirit sighed. She thought for a moment, and looked at Dapplestar, her blue and amber eyes showing. Dapplestar knew the answer and yowled for all cats to hear, "Welcome to our clan!"

     She looked at them for a brief moment and jumped on the Highrock. "From this day forward until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Soulpaw. And you," Dapplestar paused to look at the ginger She-cat. "You will be known as Foxpaw. And I will decide your mentors in the morning. For now, Dewpaw will show you the apprentices den." And with that she jumped down the Highrock, and padded in a den behind the Highrock.

     Soulpaw smiled and looked around for Dewpaw. She saw the apprentice padd up to Soulpaw and Foxpaw.

     "Hi! Come on, the den you'll sleep in is over there." Dewpaw flicked her tail at a brambled den large enough for quite a few apprentices. Soulpaw padded into the den, already finding a empty nest. She curled inside it comfortably, and lifted her head as Foxpaw entered and layed down next to Soulpaw. Soulpaw smiled and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

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     Soulpaw woke up to a yowl for a clan meeting. She padded out and saw that Foxpaw was sitting under the Highrock. Soulpaw padded over to Foxpaw and sat down next to her, watching as the cats padded out from their dens and looked at their leader with interest. Dapplestar cleared her throat.

     "We are gathered here today to give these apprentices a mentor. I have chosen Willowsky to mentor Foxpaw, and I have chosen Sunfern to mentor Soulpaw." Dapplestar mewed loudly for the clan to hear and she bounded off the Highrock in a single leap, padding to the two new mentors. She spoke a few words that Soulpaw couldn't hear but shrugged it off as Sunfern and Willowsky came to the two apprentices.

     "We'll be doing a boundary run. Once we are done with that, hunting practice." Willowsky mewed, already padding to the entrance of camp. Soulpaw and Foxpaw followed after.

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     The sun shone through the trees as the four cats bounded through the woods. Willowsky stopped at a small cliff, high enough for a apprentice to get hurt.

     "This is the boundary for Sunclan and Moonclan. This cliff is what keeps us from reaching their camp. Most of the time we try to cross for a treaty but the river surrounding the camp keeps us from doing so." Willowsky mewed, starting to bound off again. Soulpaw and Foxpaw followed after the two warriors, nearly keeping the same pace.

     As Soulpaw ran through the woods, she felt something call to her, as if the trees could speak. She smiled at the sounds of the forest and continued after the three cats. Willowsky stopped for a brief moment, scenting the air. Soulpaw did the same, next to a black path. A horrid scent hit her nostrils and she hissed with dread. Sunfern smiled.

     "This is the boundary between us and Duskclan. They are the strongest, and could overpower us at any moment. That is why we check the border often. Let's go to the Fourpools" Sunfern mewed, bounding the way they came. Soulpaw and Foxpaw followed quickly after, their pawsteps matching one another.

     Soulpaw gasped when Willowsky raced past her, laughing with amusement as she passed by. Soulpaw gave a smirk and bounded after her, leaving Foxpaw in the dust. Foxpaw ran with all her speed, colliding into Sunfern as he stopped in a bramble bush. Sunfern looked at Foxpaw with a grunt and padded out carefully, letting his shoulders relax as he saw the clearing was empty.

     Four pools surrounded a large oak tree, flowers slightly blossoming around it. Soulpaw and Foxpaw stared in awe, and looked at Willowsky.

     "Is this the Fourpools?" The two apprentices mewed in unison. Willowsky nodded. Sunfern smiled at Soulpaw as she felt the forest calm her. She smiled, her eyes half closed. This is...amazing. I can't believe such a place existed! Soulpaw thought with a smile. Sunfern smiled at her again.

     "Come on, hunting practice now." Sunfern mewed, and started to padd off when Willowsky mewed for him to stop. He turned around. "Something wrong?" He asked with slight worry. Soulpaw frowned a bit at the serious and worried tone her mentor was giving off.

     "It's too late to do hunting practice. We'll do that tomorrow. For now, let's head back to camp." Willowsky mewed, looking at the setting sun.

     Soulpaw jumped when Foxpaw bounded back to camp without the three cats. She is fast! Thought Soulpaw. She began heading after Foxpaw, trying to catch up.

    Willowsky ran beside her, trying to get to the gorse tunnel first. Soulpaw took this as a challenge and balted forward, forgetting about Sunfern, who was trotting back to camp enjoying nature. Soulpaw was panting, looking at Foxpaw with shock.

     "How, did you, run, that fast!?" She mewed, gasping for air. She used all her energy into that final boost and now felt completely exhausted. She forced herself up and padded sleepily to the apprentices den, feeling tired. She looked up as Foxpaw padded up to her with some seeds.

     "Here, eat these! They will help you sleep." Foxpaw mewed, placing one down. Soulpaw nodded and lapped the seed up, feeling her entire body start to relax. She mewed thanks as she curled up, drifting off to sleep.