Warriors: Uprising (Book 1)

Chapter 1

       Vertexclan lives in a prime area with many stones, rocks, and boulders near the ocean. They could consider their clan a little "rough around the edges," according to the leader. Their clan isn't too big, nor is it too small, but they have problems though. One problem is that the leader of Vertexclan, Birdstar, wants his clan to grow quicker and get stronger so they can overpower the other clan that lives closer to the ocean: Driftclan. Another problem is that there haven't been many litters at all for very many moons. The only most recent apprentice that became a warrior is Cloudpaw, who became Cloudthorn. However, there is a pregnant queen in the Nursery and Birdstar is hoping that she has over 2 kits so they can become talented warriors. Those are the problems Birdstar has. Every other cat in Vertexclan is content and not worried about anything, except Blacksting. 

      Blacksting is another one warrior in Vertexclan and he's only padding outside around the Nursery anxiously because of his mate being inside it. I hope she's okay... Is she kitting yet? probably not, she would yell, I think... The black-furred tom thought to himself as he continued to pace back and forth in front of the nursery. A she-cat then appeared out of the nursery: It was Nova, the Vertexclan medicine cat. "Blacksting, why are you still here? I've told you at least 5 times now that your kits won't probably be due until next sunup, maybe even the sunup after." Her mew was a little stern.

"I know it's just that I'm worried, and I don't know if I'm ready to be a father and-" Nova placed her tail onto his maw.

"There's nothing to worry about. You'll be fine, Dustshine will be fine, and your kit or kits will be fine." Nova reassured him as she moved her tail away. 

"O-Okay." 

"Now go on and do something that isn't pacing around like a lost kit, please!" The she-cat nudged him away from the Nursery and went back in to check on Dustshine.

I hope you're right about everything being okay... Blacksting thought to himself and headed towards the Warriors' Den.

Another cat had stopped in front of him. It was Buzzardgaze. The other tom had a slight smirk on his face as he stared at Blacksting. "Hey!" he meowed.

"Um Hi, Buzzardgaze. Do you need anything?" Blacksting replied with a hint of worry in his mew. 

"Just wanted to know if you wanted to take a stroll around the territory with me?"

"You know if this a flirting attempt, then it will not work. I don't roll that way." Blacksting replied.

"Oh, great Starclan no, I have my mate and sons and I would never leave them!" Buzzardgaze replied.

"I guess you just want to talk then?"

The grey tom nodded vigorously. 

Blacksting sighed and started towards the entrance of Vertexclan (which is a large open space with two giant boulders on the left and right side, and a path leading downwards towards a forest-like area), with Buzzardgaze right behind him.

-

Blacksting and Buzzardgaze were quiet for most of the stroll, then Buzzardgaze finally spoke up. "I wanted to bring you out here so I could talk to you about being a father because, from the looks of it, you seemed frightened back there."

Blacksting stopped in his tracks and turned to look at him. "Me? Frightened? No, not at all! Haha..." there was a slight shake in his mew. He also glimpsed at something in the shadows behind Buzzardgaze, but he didn't mind it too much. 

"Oh, come on, everything will be okay! I remember when I first found out my mate had our litter in her belly. I almost passed out!" Buzzardgaze gave a slight chuckle.

"Hah..." Blacksting looked past Buzzardgaze to see a very dark shadowy figure of a cat just standing there. It had pure white eyes. It was slowly getting closer as he spoke with his clanmate. 

"Is everything alright, Blacksting?" Buzzardgaze turned around. "There's nothing back there at all. Besides our clan, of course!" The figure was getting closer.

"I-I.." I have to get away from that thing! He thought, then ran away from Buzzardgaze.

"Blacksting! Why are you running away?!" the other tom chased after him. 

The black tom turned around at his name, only to see the figure get closer and closer.

Blacksting slipped on something, probably a stick, and fell onto the ground. Buzzardgaze had caught up with him. "Blacksting, what's the matter with you?"

"Th-There was something-"

"I told you there was nothing behind us!"

Blacksting looked past Buzzardgaze again to see nothing but trees and plants.

"I guess you're right." Blacksting got up and shook his fur, then sighed quietly. 

"Let's get back to camp, then. You don't want Birdstar on your tail now, do you?"

"No, not really..."

"Me neither." Buzzardgaze replied. 

Buzzardgaze started back to camp, with Blacksting right behind him.

"I never left." there was a deep mew behind Blacksting. He turned around quickly to see the figure standing right in his face.

Blacksting screamed as the figure jumped and latched onto him.