WARRIORS: GOING ROGUE

-Chapter One-

Sunpaw padded out of the den with a wide yawn, spreading her toes and unsheathing her claws in the open morning air. Her ears flatten as she stretched down, extending her legs out in front of her and curling her tail above her back end. Finally she got up, successfully loosened, and padded out into the daylight.

"Good morning," one of her Clanmates pirrupped to her. It was Weaselfrost, whose thin form was perfect for catching prey in their area.

"Morning," she replied, tail high with pleasure as she padded along. She stopped at the freshkill pile, which was just behind him. She found it quite silly that it was called a pile; it was a pool. Some cats had taken to calling it the prey puddle or freshkill pool. It was small and cat-made, dug with feline paws and filled using shells and moss drenched with frigid water from the mainland. She could feel the memories of her ancestors reverberating through the sand as if they stood beside her.

She watched the live prey swimming desperately in their tiny pool, which had slowly been extended from its former smallness at its creation. Many Warriors brought back live prey, as dead prey rotted too soon and the strength of the smell had often brought unwanted visitors to their lands.

"What'll you pick today?" a small voice asked. Ashpaw came striding up next to her.

"Probably a minnow," the molly replied.

"Again?" Ashpaw asked. The grey tom looked at her, eyes fluttering for a moment. "But we have so much fish - the pool goes so deep. Why not go for something bigger?"

"Don't need it, really." Sunpaw swept her paw forward and peeled out a small silvery fish. It landed with a wet thwack on the sand and she picked it up, crunching into its body with her sharp teeth. She trotted off, away from Ashpaw, and sat to eat her food.

It was a quick eat, and she was done before her mentor had even come to look for her. She was sweeping her long whiskers with her tongue when Cloverwing came striding forward, tail raised in a greeting. "Good morning, Sunpaw."

"Good morning, teacher." She stood up and stood broadside to her, letting Cloverwing take in her kittenish scent. "What'll we be learning today?"

"Well," Cloverwing said with a grin, "It's not something you've previously experienced, that's for sure!"

I can't wait! she thought eagerly. Cloverwing withdrew from her flank and she stood tall again, nearly eye-to-eye with her mentor. "When do we leave?"

"The sooner we get to the entrance, the sooner we leave," Cloverwing replied. There was a strange look in the dark grey molly's eyes, one Sunpaw couldn't quite define.

They padded to the entrance of Camp - a small dip in the sand and rocks, which had been carved by the pawsteps and efforts of their predecessors. There they sat, chatting about the day before, when Ashpaw arrived with his mentor Miststorm.

"Greetings," Miststorm purred with a dip of her head. "How are you two?"

"We've been well," Cloverwing said with a dip back to the Warrior. "And you?"

"Fine enough." Miststorm shot a look at her pupil, and he gave her a sheepish smile as if guilty.

Sunpaw sat and tucked her paws under her chest, looking up at the Warriors as they spoke. Ashpaw did the same, flattening his fur to make himself seem smaller.

"I can't wait until I don't have to do this anymore," Ashpaw whispered to Sunpaw.

Sunpaw nodded and replied, "Me too. But we'll have to earn it, is what Cloverwing told me."

Jaypaw darted forward from the din of the crowd and nearly slid onto his belly, hurriedly assuming the position of a listening apprentice, paws tucked and tail wrapped around the flank. His ears were flat like the wings of a dragonfly, and his pupils were wide with anxiety.

"What's wrong?" Ashpaw asked, his voice a hushed whisper.

"I know what they're gonna teach us today," Jaypaw mumbled as Frogpaw came up and settled beside Ashpaw.

"What is it?" Sunpaw asked.

"I can't tell you," Jaypaw mumbled. "Or they'll know someone listened in."

Sunpaw couldn't imagine that was true. As long as they all played it cool, their prey would be caught and no suspicion would be raised. But the look in Jaypaw's eyes was causing her to second-guess herself. Something was very wrong in that gaze and it shook her. "Can you at least tell us how you found out?"

"Cloverwing was talking to Cindercloud about it in the medicine den," Jaypaw mumbled, glancing around furtively. "They didn't think anyone was listening but I was finishing off some chores and listened in."

Suddenly Cloverwing stood up. "Let's not keep the other part of this patrol waiting," she said enthusiastically. "Head out!"

The apprentices stood to their paws, but Sunpaw kept her knees bent slightly and slithered through the undergrowth. All of the apprentices were slightly bent, either their heads low, or their tails, or the trunks of their bodies were cowed slightly. The Warriors walked with dignity and respect, like the stags that wandered the woodlands.

It left Sunpaw in awe, and she walked along, gazing at their strong postures and imagining herself walking like that one day.