Emberstep's Journey [Warrior Cats]

Chapter 1: New Clanmate

(Emberkit)

"Time to wake up little one." I hear a warm voice and a soft muzzle nudging me. I open my eyes and see a she-cat with beautiful blue eyes and fur. I'm about to speak when a bundle of fur hit me in the back. "You're finally awake, yay!"

I turn and see a she-kit with ginger colored fur. I hear a rustle and lift my head up and watch a flame colored tom pad into the nursery. "How are they, Bluestar?" I look up at my mother as she purrs and draws her tongue over my ear "They're perfect."

"Emberkit, Sandkit, this is your father, Firestorm." I look up at the powerful tom and sniff his pelt. I hear him purr and he rubs my cheek with his. I let out a mrrow of laughter and purr, licking his cheek. He looks down at me with affection and love.

"Are you ready to go outside?" I look at my mother and Sandkit nods eagerly. I stand up and follow them outside. My parents sit in a patch of sunlight and watch us play. My sister is playing with some moss and I'm sneaking up on Firestorm's tail.

It's twitching back and fourth in amusement as he watches my sister play. Once I'm close enough, I pounce and land squarely on his tail. He turns and looks at me with amusement and he dislodges me with a small shake. "Firestorm!" I look up as a cat with golden fur steps out of a den.

"Bluestar, who's that?" I ask her and she turns to look at the cat. "That's Sunfall, your father's trusted friend, Firestorm is the deputy and I'm the leader." I stare at my father in awe as he leaps over to join the golden tom and they talk in hushed whispers.

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I open my eyes and look out at the empty clearing of the camp. The moon is half full and I'm about to go back to sleep when I see a cat heading for the camp entrance. I look closer and recognize, Graypaw. I look at the gray tom, sneaking out.

I wait for him to slip through the entrance before following. I stay a fox-length back and follow him up the ravine. I'm sure he's just exploring the forest. Then I hear yowling. I scramble up a tree and look down below. I see a blur of orange and grey. They finally break apart and I see an orange tom cat maybe six moons old.

I scramble down the tree and slip into the clearing. Graypaw whips around and hisses at me. "Easy there, tiger, it's just me." Graypaw licks his chest fur in embarrassment. "Sorry, Emberkit."

I pad up to the two toms and sniff the orange tom. "You smell weird, are you another Clan cat?" I ask and he shakes his head, the collar around his neck jingles. "Hey, Emberkit, what're you doing out of camp?"

"I could ask you both the same question." I whip around and see Firestorm and Bluestar. "Bluestar..." I begin but she raises her tail, silencing me and I hang my head. "What's your name?" Firestorm flicks his tail toward the tom. "Rusty." He sits and curls his tail around his paws, unaware of the trouble he's in but bows his head in respect.

I purr at his show of respect but with no trace of fear. Bluestar regards the tom with curiosity. "Emberkit, Graypaw, come on we're going back to camp." I brush his flank with my tail tip. "Goodbye, Rusty, I hope to see you again."
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"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." Bluestar gives me one final lick before pushing me into the clearing beside Sandkit and jumping onto the Highrock. I stand at the foot of the Highrock as Bluestar looks down at me.

"Emberkit, from this moment on until you have earned your warrior name you will be known as Emberpaw. Willowpelt, you are ready for another apprentice, I hope you pass on all your wisdom to this apprentice."

I turn and see a pretty pale she-cat and touch noses with her. "Sandkit, until you have earned your warrior name you will be know as Sandpaw. Whitestorm, you are ready for another apprentice." Sandpaw turns to a white tom and touches noses with him.

I turn toward Willowpelt and nod eagerly. I follow Willowpelt out of the camp entrance and up the ravine. I run down the ravine with Willowpelt a fox-length behind me. I turn to look at her when I barrel into someone. I hiss in anger and I look up at who ran into me.

I see Lionheart. "Sorry, Lionheart, I didn't see you." I scramble onto my paws and lick my chest fur in embarrassment. "Emberpaw, we have a new member of the Clan." Lionheart steps aside and I see Rusty.

I purr and pad up to Rusty. "Welcome back, Rusty." I brush his flank with my tail and he purrs. "Well, come on, do you want to see the camp?" He nods and we run to the camp with Lionheart and Willowpelt behind us.

As soon as Bluestar announces that Rusty is joining the Clan, it erupts into chaos. "He's a kittypet, he has no place in our Clan!" I look over and see Longtail, he's lashing hid tail angrily. "Longtail, you have no say in this," I mew at him and he turns his eyes on me.

"You don't have a say either, apprentice!" He stalks toward me and I meet him half way, growling at his smug expression. All of a sudden Rusty is standing in front of me, growling at Longtail. I hear the twinkling of the bell on his collar. Longtail hears it too and starts laughing and I unsheathe my claws.

All of a sudden Longtail launches himself at Rusty but the orange tom slips underneath him and with his right leg kicks Longtail in the stomach. Longtail hits the ground and I snicker. The tan tom jumps to his feet and turns on me. He tries to swipe at me but I duck and strike a blow of my own. I claw his nose and see blood well up and drip down.

He growls at me and is about to attack when Rusty lands on his back and digs his claws into his spine. Longtail hisses in pain and pushes off the ground onto his two feet and I knew he’s about to fall backwards. "Rusty, let go he's going to crush you!"

But he’s already pushing away and Longtail hits the ground. While Longtail’s disoriented Rusty rakes his claws down Longtail's flank.
Longtail yowls in pain and jumps to his feet and launches himself at Rusty. They’re rolling around the clearing in a blur of teeth and claws.

I see in the midst of the battle Longtail grabbing hold of Rusty's collar and trying to choke him. "Rusty!" I try to step forward but Bluestar's tail bars my way.

"What are you doing he'll die!" She doesn't answer me but stares intently at the battle. Then Rusty's collar breaks and Longtail flies backwards while Rusty sucks in deep breathes. I run up to him and rub his cheek with mine and he purrs as he stands up. "I'm so glad your collar broke before he hurt you any worse."

"I'm fine. Don't worry, Emberpaw." At that moment sunlight strikes Rusty's pelt and it glows like fire. "The newcomer has lost his twoleg collar in a battle for his honor, StarClan has spoken it's approval--- this cat has been released from the hold of his twoleg owners and is free to join ThunderClan as an apprentice." Rusty nods with pride glowing in his eyes and I nudge his shoulder with my muzzle. Bluestar approaches us and nods approvingly.

"You fought well." Bluestar turns and addresses the rest of the Clan. "From this day forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice will be called Firepaw, in honor of his flame-colored coat."

Longtail growls and limps out of the clearing toward a fern-shaded corner. The Clan starts murmuring to each other excitedly. "Hey, Firepaw!" We hear Graypaw's friendly mew. I purr and pressed my cheek to Graypaw's. "He was great, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, that scar you left on his ear won't let him forget you in a hurry, you've spoiled his good looks, that's for sure."

"Thanks, Graypaw." I look at Firepaw and see a scratch above his eye. I lean forward and lick it. "When we have time, we should ask Spottedleaf to take a look at you." Firepaw purrs and dips his head in agreement.