LEGENDARY | Warrior Cats #1

-A Loner Called Lion-

Thrushpaw woke up in a dark den. She looked around and saw Weedfur, RiverClan's medicine cat, watching her.

"Hello, Thrushpaw. How do you feel?" he asked.

Thrushpaw had felt a lot of pain, but she wasn't going to tell a RiverClan cat. "I'm fine."

"Good."

"Weedfur, where's ShadowClan?"

"They're outside."

"Um... is it okay if I leave for a moment?"

"Okay."

Thrushpaw dashed out of Weedfur's den. She saw Darkpaw asleep, at least she hoped he was sleeping.

"Darkpaw? Darkpaw, it's me. Thrushpaw," she whispered.

"He's alive, Thrushpaw," a voice said. It was Lostspring.

"What do you want?"

"Look, I know we got off on the wrong paw. But-"

"Of course we did. You killed my father."

"No, Thrushpaw. I didn't. But I know who did."

"Who?"

"Eelstar."

She stepped back. "Why should I believe that?" Thrushpaw snapped.

"I was there,mouse-brain."

"Then the other cats would have seen him kill my father."

"Not if they were to busy fighting other cats."

Pain and confusion clouded Thrushpaw's eyes. Then she remembered Eelstar's dark words. It was all making sense now.

"I think I know the next step of his plan," Lostspring said.

"What is it?"

"To kill you and your littermates."

********************

The cats walked back towards their territory. Eelstar was talking to Pouncestream on the way back. Thrushpaw heard Pouncestream say, "Did you see how Thrushpaw attacked Lostspring? I think she's ready to be a warrior."

Eelstar sharply turned his head towards Pouncestream. "What?! She isn't even a moon into her apprenticeship!"

Even though it seemed Eelstar was talking to Pouncestream, it was clear to Thrushpaw that his words were directed towards her.

When they got back to camp Thrushpaw saw Sedgepaw run towards her. "Thank goodness you're okay," he said brushing his pelt against hers.

Just as Sedgepaw finished speaking, Onepaw and Graypaw ran towards her.

"How was it?" Graypaw asked her.

"It was fine. A little scary, but fine. We won, that's for sure."

"I'm sure it was scary. Where is Darkpaw?" Onepaw asked.

"I think he went to the medicine den."

"Okay."

Onepaw left with Graypaw to see Darkpaw, leaving Thrushpaw alone with Sedgepaw.

"So... what happened while we were away?"

"Well, Russetcloud has a case of green-cough."

"Really? Is she okay?"

"It's pretty bad," he meowed. " But Moonspeck says she'll be fine."

"Are you sure? Shouldn't he just get catmint?"

Sedgepaw sighed. "She has a fever, and catmint isn't so common right now. It's not severe, though. She should be able to get back to her duties in a week or so."

"Good," She meowed.

Sedgepaw looked at her, his grey-blue eyes glittering. "Forget what I said at the gathering," he meowed.

"Why were you there, anyway? Eelstar didn't call your name."

He purred. "I just snuck out. He didn't mind, though. Eelstar's a nice cat. A stubborn cat, but a nice one."

He's anything but nice, mouse-brain. He killed my father.

Thrushpaw smiled. "Thanks,"

***************************

Thrushpaw saw Eelstar snickering. He was looking straight at her. She couldn't stay here, especially knowing Eelstar would kill her.

She had to get her kin.

But she couldn't. Something sparked in her. Selfishness. She didn't have time to save them, she only had time to save her.

When Eelstar stopped looking at her, she ran out of camp. She knew she shouldn't have left her kin to be killed, but she wanted to live, too.

Thrushpaw kept running until she saw a red twoleg nest. It was way bigger than usual and had some white stripes. She looked at it and walked up to it, her legs sore from running for so long.

"Hi, there, stranger," a cat mewed.

"Who are you?" Thrushpaw growled.

"My name is Lion."

"Are you a kittypet?"

"What's a kittypet? I'm not one!"

"Jeez. Sorry. It's just that I don't know you."

He purred "It's alright. What is your name?"

"Thrushpaw."

"How come you're out here all alone?"

"I left my Clan. It was too dangerous."

"I've heard of those. So you've decided to become a loner?"

Her pelt fell flat. "Yes."

"Well, you have certainly come to the right place. Follow me," the loner said as he padded towards the forest.

"Wait, don't you live there?" she asked, her tail pointing towards the twoleg nest.

"Oh, no. That's where Atticus lives," Lion explained.

"Who's Atticus?"

"He's just another loner. Come on, I'll show you where I live."

The two cats wandered around the forest until they reached a sun-lit clearing. They stopped at a dark cave.

"Why do you live in such a dark cave?" Thrushpaw asked.

"Trust me. It's way brighter inside."

They continued until they reached the end of the cave. Above them, there was a large hole in the top, with the sun shining through.

"Wow. And I thought the apprentice den was great."

"Yep. I think I chose the best place to live. And there is a lot of prey, so feel free to hunt."

Thrushpaw dropped into a hunting crouch and stalked a big, fat, juicy mouse. Then she remembered her first hunting exercise with Pouncestream.

Please don't let me fall on my face, she thought.

She continued stalking the mouse. Luckily, she returned with the mouse in her jaws and no bruise on her face.