WARRIOR CATS: Dark Waters

PROLOGUE

Wolfpaw stared at the shapes of her former Clanmates as they retreated through the bramble barrier, amber eyes narrowed to thin slits. She had nothing but contempt in her heart for the three cats that were turning their backs on Darktail and his newly acquired leadership. Rowanstar has been a weak and pathetic excuse for a leader; she'd never had anything against Tawnypelt or Tigerheart, but if they were going to the Gathering, they were no longer part of ShadowClan. They could live as rogues and rot as far as Wolfpaw was concerned.

Beside her, a spiky-furred gray she-cat was watching the cats leave the camp with excitement sparking in her green eyes. "I can't believe it!" she exclaimed, though she sounded more thrilled than surprised. "They actually left! It's about time someone showed that old fleabag Rowanstar what-for!" She unsheathed her claws and swiped a paw through the air as though batting at an unseen enemy. "Did you see those scratches Darktail gave him? He didn't stand a chance!"

Wolfpaw let out an appreciative noise that was halfway between a purr and a growl. "I still can't believe Tigerheart went with him," she replied, twitching her whiskers thoughtfully. "I mean, I know Tawnypelt and Rowanstar are his parents and all, but he's leaving behind more kin than he's staying with." As she spoke, she angled her ears toward the far side of the ShadowClan camp, where Dawnpelt was sitting down with her three kits at her side. The cream-colored she-cat looked uncomfortable; Wolfpaw guessed it was because she didn't like having to cut ties with her only surviving littermate and her parents.

Her companion narrowed her eyes and brushed closer against Wolfpaw's side. "Well, I'd never abandon you," she said snootily, flicking her tail disdainfully at Dawnpelt. "I'm not the type of cat who abandons her littermate."

Wolfpaw purred again, this time not maliciously. "Thanks, Needlepaw." She playfully butted the gray she-cat's shoulder with her head. "But I don't know which would be worse for her. She sort of had to choose between types of kin."

"She could've tried harder to convince Tawnypelt and Tigerheart to stay," Needlepaw mewed dryly. "It sort of seemed to me like she only stayed because Sleekpaw told her to. She doesn't act like she supports Darktail at all."

"Maybe not..." Wolfpaw curled her tail tightly around her front paws, letting her gaze wander over to the center of the camp. Darktail was sitting in the middle of the clearing, a single beam of moonlight shining down on him and turning his white fur to silver. He looked almost ethereal; the light of the moon only served to highlight his powerful frame, muscles rippling along his shoulders as he lifted a claw to examine it. "But if she doesn't, we'll soon find out. Darktail won't take kindly to that at all."

"Darktail..." Needlepaw blinked slowly, a strange gleam entering her green gaze. She stood up suddenly, whisking her whiplike tail through the air in a decisive arc. "That's what we need!" she exclaimed, causing several cats in the camp to turn around and stare at her. "Warrior names! Then the other Clans will really take us seriously!"

From across the clearing, Sleekpaw jumped to her paws and let out a yowl of excitement. "Yes!" she hissed, her eyes shining as they caught the gleam of the stars overhead. "Then those mange-ridden Clan cats will stop saying that nonsense about how we're just 'young cats who are acting out'." Her voice dropped mockingly as she said the last phrase, causing several of the other apprentices to snicker.

"Shouldn't we leave that up to Darktail?" a timid voice cut into the dark laughter, silencing it almost immediately. All the young cats in the clearing whipped their heads around to fix their gazes on the source of the voice; a nervous-looking ginger apprentice, her eyes darting around apprehensively. She seemed to shrink into herself under the force of all the eyes locked on to her, curling her tail tightly around herself as though it could hide her.