Warriorcats #1: Vengeance

Chapter One

Long shafts of sunlight pierced through StormClan's camp clearing, beaming on the bustling group of cats below. Tallpaw flexed his claws into the soft earth as he waited for his mentor, HazeFang. Meanwhile, the StormClan deputy, SkyOtter, was vigorously calling out names for the dawn patrols. "QuietOwl, you'll lead a border patrol with Skypaw!" She called, flicking her tail to suggest the whole camp. "Take anycat you'd like and reinforce the TigerClan border." She watched as the she-cat scurried off, her ears perked with excitement. "MouseShadow, you can lead another border patrol with HazeFang and Tallpaw. Go inspect our Ashclan border." MouseShadow nodded, obediantly padding off to find the selected cats. SkyOtter glanced at the fresh-kill pile. "DuskStorm, you can lead a hunting patrol with Featherpaw. Take as many cats as you'd like." DuskStorm nodded, flicking his brown tail towards Featherpaw.

Tallpaw stretched out his legs as he made his way to HazeFang, who was already waiting beside MouseShadow. Both the senior warriors seemed slightly intimidating as they sat there, scars etched upon their flanks. Tallpaw found himself glad to be on their side of battle. "Tallpaw, wait up!" A squeaky voice filled the camp hollow as a tiny kit burst forwards, springing onto Tallpaw's back. Tallpaw let out a mrrow of amusement, glancing back at the small bronze tom. "Blazekit, what did I tell you about sneaking up on me like that?" His voice was serious as he set the kit gently on the ground. Blazekit flattened his tiny ears, whiskers twitching as he tilted his head in thought. Tallpaw laughed. "I told you never to do that without backup, 'cause your gonna need it!" He crouched low, as if preparing for a real fight. Blazekit let out a squeal of excitement, struggling to display the same sort of position. Before Tallpaw could make a move, though, Skypaw stepped forwards. "Break it up, mighty warriors." She meowed, cuffing their ears playfully. "Tallpaw needs to get to his patrol..." She flicked her tail pointedly at the gathered group of cats near the entrance. Blazekit frowned, flopping onto the ground as if he were a limp piece of prey. Tallpaw grinned. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon." He meowed, nodding to Skypaw in thanks.

MouseShadow nodded as he saw all of the selected cats had gathered. BirchFeather, HazeFang, and Tallpaw. Quickly, he turned to lead the patrol, his reddish-brown fur glowing in the morning sunlight. Tallpaw lifted his head as a gentle breeze brushed through his fur, drinking in the scents of a healthy forest. BirchFeather trailed behind slightly, matching his pace with Tallpaw's. "It's a beautiful day." He commented, pausing to glance around. "Reminds me of my first patrol." The young warrior almost sounded wistful as he stared at his paws. Tallpaw nodded. "Who all went with you?" He asked, curiousity glowing through his bright green eyes. BirchFeather sighed. "My former mentor, DuskGaze, and SkyOtter. Her mentor had caught greencough and was previously held up in the med. cat's den." Tallpaw perked his ears slightly. "Wow, you probably didn't think she would become deputy did you?"

BirchFeather laughed. "It certainly wasn't too far from her expectations..." He trailed off as the group of cats neared the border. MouseShadow turned to face his patrol. "We're not here to fight, so lets make this quick. You know how AshClan is about their terrain." He said the last sentence with a bitter edge, his eyes flashing distantly. What did Ashclan do to tug his tail? Tallpaw was tempted to ask, but shrugged the thought away. HazeFang flicked his tail towards a patch of grass nearby. "Get used to their scent, Tallpaw." He instructed. Tallpaw nodded, recoiling in disgust at the stench. It smelled of dirt and rats. "AshClan's scent is pretty strong." HazeFang laughed at his apprentice's reaction. "Don't worry, hopefully we won't have to encounter them too much..." He trailed off as MouseShadow gave a resentful sniff, agreeing on the subject. BirchFeather padded up to the border, ready to reinforce the scent markers. Suddenly, he was barreled backwards. A silver she-cat, barely any older than a kit, was furiously attacking BirchFeather. MouseShadow growled, throwing the female off of his clanmate. "Stupid furball!" A hysteric shriek filled the air as an Ashclan warrior emerged from the canopy of trees. BirchFeather stood protectively beside MouseShadow, urging him not to act rashly.

"What were you thinking?!" The bright orange tom stalked forwards, careful not to step out of his territory. MouseShadow growled. "That's StormClan territory!" He snapped. "You should teach your apprentices to stay wary of their domain." The Ashclan tom growled, baring his fangs. "I don't need any advice from a petty StormClanner!" BirchFeather's neck fur began to rise, but HazeFang was quick to stop any hostility. "Let's not forget that we've all played a part in this bad encounter." His voice took over the whole clearing as he calmed down the warrior. "We've been low on patrols lately, I'm sure your apprentice didn't know what she had done." He glanced meaningfully at the silver she-cat, her claws sheathed.

The Ashclan warrior called his apprentice back to his side, not responding to HazeFang. MouseShadow flexed his claws into the ground, longing to sink his fangs into the tom's pelt. BirchFeather sighed. "Stupid flea-bag." MouseShadow growled as he turned to leave. "The future of AshClan doesn't look so bright with those apprentices as their warriors." HazeFang didn't respond, glancing at BirchFeather's bruises. Tallpaw noticed the concern in his eyes. MouseShadow might be wrong. He realized, shuddering slightly as he remembered the she-cat's eagerness to attack.

Tallpaw padded into camp quietly, hunger glowing in his bright green gaze. By now the sun had risen above the trees and was casting a warm beam of sunlight around the clearing. HazeFang dismissed Tallpaw with a flick of his tail, before turning to speak with BirchFeather. Tallpaw was relieved to see Skypaw waiting for him in a patch of shady grass, a fresh vole at her paws. "How was the border patrol?" She asked as soon as he neared. Her bluish fur was ruffled slightly, but her eyes full of energy. Tallpaw sighed as he sat down, biting into the vole thankfully. "It was..." He gulped down his bite as he thought of a fitting word. "Educational." Skypaw laughed, obviously questionable. "In what way?" She meowed, perking her ears slightly. "MouseShadow must've been hysterical!" Tallpaw bit into his vole, nodding. "Yesh, vewy much." His words were hard to form as he finished his bite, amused at how his sentence had come out. Skypaw grinned. "You know, he's had terrible experience with Ashclan. I'm not surprised." She swiped a wet paw over her ear, a gentle breeze buffeting her fur. Tallpaw stood, shaking debris from his pelt. Licking his chops, he dipped his head in thanks. "Well, I'd better get going." Skypaw meowed. "SnakeBreeze is going to show me the first battle move he ever learned!"

Tallpaw smiled, waving his tail in good-bye. He felt his fur prickle with unease as he spotted MouseShadow speaking with SkyOtter and CloudStar. SkyOtter seemed perfectly calm, but CloudStar was showing signs of concern. "I'm certain we've done nothing to pull their tails." MouseShadow meowed, his tail snaking along the ground. SkyOtter nodded. "Whether we did or not, they're definitely worked up about something." She pointed out. "I suggest we wait." MouseShadow growled, turning to CloudStar questionably. "Wait for what?" He asked, lowering his voice. CloudStar stood abruptly. "For the right moment. To try and piece this all together right now could lead to something far more serious." He turned to SkyOtter approvingly. "Well decided."