Blood Moon (Warrior Cats Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

"And don't come back!"

Graycloud shouted after the retreating FireClan warriors, his short black stub of a tail twitching behind him as he taunted the defeated warriors. 

"That's what I thought, foxhearts." He muttered under his breath, turning around to bump into Longstride, a tall ginger-furred tom. "Oh. Hey, Longleg."

"LongSTRIDE. And Windstar wants to see you."

"Oh StarClan."

"Oh StarClan, indeed. He is angry that you started a battle."

"Ugh, fine. I'll go deal with him."

Longstride watched as the deputy pranced off towards camp with the other warriors and apprentices, leaving only him and his own apprentice, Foxpaw, behind. 

"Sooooo, are we gonna patrol??"

"Why do you want to patrol so badly?"

"Remember?? You said I could meet Icepaw today! Yknow, my sister?"

"Oh yeah, that GrassClan cat. Sure, I did promise..."

"Yaaaay!!!"

Longstride watched as his apprentice bounded off towards the border, chuckling to himself before swiftly following. The sun was high, and WaterClan's hopes were higher now that they had finally won one of the disputes between them and FireClan. A small victory, but a victory nonetheless.

The mentor and apprentice reached the border, where Icepaw and her mentor Grassstar were waiting.

"Foxpaw!"

"Icepaw!"

The two apprentices tackled each other, landing on the WaterClan border and having a little tussle as their mentors watched.

Grassstar chuckled a bit, grabbing Longstride's attention.

"How is the prey running over in WaterClan?"

"Positively great, Grassstar. And yours?"

"I say the same, my friend. Did you win that little battle of yours earlier or is that another tally to the list of petty victories that FireClan has?"

"We finally won, thank you for asking."

"No problem, Longstride!" The short gray cat smiled warmly at the other before turning his attention back to the apprentices.

After a while Longstride noticed a strange scent in the air. The scent of other cats.

"Is something wrong, Longstride? You look concerned."

".. FireClan cats, maybe..?"

"On my border? Intolerable! Icepaw, come with me. Longstride, please find the scent's source."

"Of course, Grassstar. Foxpaw! Come along now."

The two siblings said their goodbyes before parting ways, Longstride and Foxpaw carefully heading towards the scent while Icepaw and Grassstar traveled back to alert their camp.

Longstride got close enough to hear the cats' voices, shushing his apprentice and crouching down in the bushes. *It doesn't sound like they are from FireClan...* He thought to himself before focusing more on what the cats were saying.

A gray she-cat with scars covering her body stood behind two cats much larger than her, both with scars over their right eyes. "Skunk, Scoundrel. Scent out any cats. If you find any, bring them to me."

"Yes, Scar."

Longstride gasped quietly. 

"What is it??" Foxpaw whispered to him, curious.

"Foxpaw, listen to me. I need you to go to camp and alert Windstar that there are rogues at the border. Run and don't look back."

"W-why?"

"Please."

Foxpaw, without saying another word, nodded and ran off as silently as he could, his bushy tail disappearing into the bushes behind him.

Just before the two cats found Longstride.

Scoundrel picked him up and threw him out into the open, pinning him to the ground with her large paw. "Hey, Scar! look! I got one before Skunk did!"

"Don't be a kiss-up." Scar hissed, watching Skunk as he seated himself next to Scoundrel with a neutral expression. "Mind explaining how you didn't scent him first?"

"I was upwind of him, Scar."

"That better be the reason or I will rip your claws out one by one."

Skunk just quietly nodded, his expression never changing as he looked down at Longstride.

Scar growled  crouching down to Longstride's level. "Who are you?"

"Longstride of WaterClan. Why are you on our territory?!"

Scar burst out laughing, standing up straight. "Your territory? What a laugh!"

"This is WaterClan territory and I demand that you leave!"

"Not for long, it isn't. And besides," She got close to his face again. "You aren't in a place to give orders, now are you?" 

Scoundrel snickered under her breath, unsheathing her claws and pricking the back of Longstride's neck. "Yeah, mousebrain. You aren't in a place to give orders."

"Scoundrel, shut your muzzle."

Scoundrel fell silent, Skunk giving her a side glance. Scar rolled her eyes before sighing. 

"Listen. We'll let you go if you send a message to your leader."

"What is it?"

"Tell him to prepare for battle." 

"What do you mean by that?"

"Figure that out for yourself." She hissed, commanding Scoundrel to let go and watching as he ran off.

Longstride booked it back to his camp, panting heavily and trying to catch his breath the second he ran through the entrance. The cats looked at him, all either worried, angered, or concerned. 

"I-I need t-to see Windstar i-immediately!" He managed to say, his front legs buckling beneath him as he passed out from exhaustion, cats rushing to his aide as his vision swiftly faded.