Chapters Prologue (Revised)
As the cats of Lightningclan popped through the tree-green bushes, a splash was heard in the water. Purpletail, their deputy, sniffed the air and caught the fishy smell of Lakeclan. A split-second after that, Lakeclan came bounding out of the bushes. Their fur glistened wet from the water, and all eyes were hungry for battle.
The lead cat of the Lightningclan patrol, Setclaw, frowned and walked close to the opposing leading cat. "How dare you hunt in our territory? The Sun Rocks belong to Lightningclan!" he said with a snarl.
The opposing lead, Fleurheart, smiled menacingly at the cats and said, "When we're all done fighting, this piece of land will belong to Lakeclan!" Other cats began to spit and fight.
More joined in as Setclaw began to argue more. "You may swim like seals, but you will not win on our land!" and the two cats bounded into the battle; Fleurheart fought against the best f the Lightningclan cats.
Purpletail glanced with a broken-heart at all the cats trying to limp back into battle, as they were thrown into the spiky trees. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of her clanmates, Twistfur, bleeding tremendously at the clawing of a Lakeclan cat. Purpletail bounded over to help by knocking the cat off, and shouted, "Twistfur, run!" before she got hurt again. Purpletail noticed the Lakeclan cats out numbering the Lightningclan cats. "Setclaw, there are too many of them! We have to retreat!" she yelled over the noise.
Setclaw protested: "Lightningclan never give up a fight!"
"I know, but we will have another chance to prove our strength!" she says back. "Retreat, Lightningclan! Retreat!"
Each cat bounded, limped, or ran off as they heard the Lakeclan cats yowl in their victory. Setclaw looked back at the clan, but moved on without protest; or at least she tryied not to.
After the long battle, the medicine cat, Rareleaf, looked at all her injured cats. They were healing but still not well. She sighed, and walked out to where Sunstar sat. Sunstar, noticing her asked, "Will they all be OK?" Rareleaf nodded calmly. "What about Twistfur?"
Rareleaf went and sat next to Sunstar. "She will be fine. She is young, strong, and will heal quickly,"
Silence filled the air until Sunstar broke it. "We can't afford to lose any more warriors, and the kits are few in number, and not yet ready for bettle."
"I know, and we have never lost any land before this," replied Rareleaf. "But later we will win it back."
Sunstar sighed and looked at the night sky to search for Lunarclan up above. "Have you gotten any messages from Lunarclan?" she asked. The medicine cat usually got most of the messages from their ancestors.
The medicine cat shook her said sadly, and looked at the stars. All of a sudden, her eyes widened and she caught reflection, from the eyes of Nightline on the moon. A cat was in the background of red and black, and rainbows flashed in front of her just to disappear in black dust of fear.
"It’s a message from Lunarclan!" Rareleaf exclaimed. "Fear itself will save this clan."
"But all the clans have fear. But, it is something they need to think is never there!" Sunstar protested. From the look the medicine cat was giving her, however all she needed to know was one thing: "If it's from our ancestors to you, then it really must be true. Fear itself will save our clan."
As the cats of Lightningclan popped through the tree-green bushes, a splash was heard in the water. Purpletail, their deputy, sniffed the air and caught the fishy smell of Lakeclan. A split-second after that, Lakeclan came bounding out of the bushes. Their fur glistened wet from the water, and all eyes were hungry for battle.
The lead cat of the Lightningclan patrol, Setclaw, frowned and walked close to the opposing leading cat. "How dare you hunt in our territory? The Sun Rocks belong to Lightningclan!" he said with a snarl.
The opposing lead, Fleurheart, smiled menacingly at the cats and said, "When we're all done fighting, this piece of land will belong to Lakeclan!" Other cats began to spit and fight.
More joined in as Setclaw began to argue more. "You may swim like seals, but you will not win on our land!" and the two cats bounded into the battle; Fleurheart fought against the best f the Lightningclan cats.
Purpletail glanced with a broken-heart at all the cats trying to limp back into battle, as they were thrown into the spiky trees. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of her clanmates, Twistfur, bleeding tremendously at the clawing of a Lakeclan cat. Purpletail bounded over to help by knocking the cat off, and shouted, "Twistfur, run!" before she got hurt again. Purpletail noticed the Lakeclan cats out numbering the Lightningclan cats. "Setclaw, there are too many of them! We have to retreat!" she yelled over the noise.
Setclaw protested: "Lightningclan never give up a fight!"
"I know, but we will have another chance to prove our strength!" she says back. "Retreat, Lightningclan! Retreat!"
Each cat bounded, limped, or ran off as they heard the Lakeclan cats yowl in their victory. Setclaw looked back at the clan, but moved on without protest; or at least she tryied not to.
After the long battle, the medicine cat, Rareleaf, looked at all her injured cats. They were healing but still not well. She sighed, and walked out to where Sunstar sat. Sunstar, noticing her asked, "Will they all be OK?" Rareleaf nodded calmly. "What about Twistfur?"
Rareleaf went and sat next to Sunstar. "She will be fine. She is young, strong, and will heal quickly,"
Silence filled the air until Sunstar broke it. "We can't afford to lose any more warriors, and the kits are few in number, and not yet ready for bettle."
"I know, and we have never lost any land before this," replied Rareleaf. "But later we will win it back."
Sunstar sighed and looked at the night sky to search for Lunarclan up above. "Have you gotten any messages from Lunarclan?" she asked. The medicine cat usually got most of the messages from their ancestors.
The medicine cat shook her said sadly, and looked at the stars. All of a sudden, her eyes widened and she caught reflection, from the eyes of Nightline on the moon. A cat was in the background of red and black, and rainbows flashed in front of her just to disappear in black dust of fear.
"It’s a message from Lunarclan!" Rareleaf exclaimed. "Fear itself will save this clan."
"But all the clans have fear. But, it is something they need to think is never there!" Sunstar protested. From the look the medicine cat was giving her, however all she needed to know was one thing: "If it's from our ancestors to you, then it really must be true. Fear itself will save our clan."
As Dashie slowly jumped over the fence, she saws Sparkleheart sitting between two trees. She was licking her paw calmly waiting for Dashie. Sparkleheart saw her, and stood to her paws.
“So Dashie you came?”
Dashie nodded. Then a white cat with a blue tail jumped out. She was an earth cat. She licked her paw.
“Dashie this is Cloudystorm. She is an elder in the Lightningclan.”
She nodded nicely.
“You look strong, for a female kitty-pet.” She said.
Dashie smiled. Then the two warriors leapt off.
“You have to keep up if you want to join.” She said. She jumped as fast as she could. Then she realized she had wings. She flapped them quickly, and she flew. She flew past the two other cats. She stopped, and looked back. She saw they are still going the exact same speed. She flew over a river, and she decided to stop.
“Sparkleheart? Cloudysky?” she asked. Then Sparkleheart jumped out. She had not seen Cloudy though.
“Where is she?”
Sparkleheart stopped. “Oh she got held up in the river. She’ll be fine.”
Dashie’s eyes narrowed. “And you didn’t help her?” she yowled.
Sparkleheart licked her paw. “Oh she’s fine!” They heard rustling in the leaves. Sparkleheart growled.
“Stay back, this could be an ambush.” Cloudy jumped out.
“Calm down, young Sparkleheart.”
She nodded. Dashie could smell cats, but they smelled different. She sniffed again.
“Do you smell cats?” Sparkleheart mewed.
Dashie sniffed one more time. She smelled six smaller cats. She smelled older cats, but she also smelled Sunstar. She nodded.
“Soon you will learn all of them by name.”
Dashie smiled. They jumped through a small hole in a wall that protected the clan. She smelled the calm cats sitting, or sleeping. She could also smell a familiar cat, Applepaw.
“Hey Dashie!” She mewed. Dashie looked at her, and her wings went down. Applepaw smiled.
“Hey Applepaw.” she mewed.
Meanwhile, Sunstar and Sparkleheart were talking.
“So it’s agreed?” Sunstar asked. “All cats old enough to catch their own prey please come to Castle Rock!” she yowled.
The cats came to the tall rock. Dashpaw could hear them mew with confusion. “What’s going on; why are we here; who’s the new kit?” they all asked Dashie’s collar tugged in the breeze. She scratched her fur, and the bell jingled.
One cat stands up. “That’s just an old kitty-pet. Once a kitty-pet, always a kitty-pet.”
Dashie stared at her, heart broken.
“That’s Daringtail. She can smell your fear.” said Setclaw. “Show her something that should be feared.”
Sunstar smiled at the word fear.
Dashie flew down from the rock, and saw Daringtail smiling at her.
“A fighting kitty-pet, eh?” she asked “Bring it on!” they circled around each other. Daringtail flew onto Dashie. She bit her on the neck, took her by the tail, and locked Dashie’s paws down.
That long tail! It’s going to kill me if I don’t hard enough! Dashpaw flew into the air, and began to strike, but noticed that Daringtail was a pegasus too! She ran up to the cat, and jumped on top if her.
Daring tail flung the cat over.
A white cat with a purple rail walks over. “That’s enough!” She yelled. “This should have ended before it started! Stop now Daringtail.” She stared into her deep rose eyes.
“Get out of the way Rareleaf! You’re just a medicine cat!” yelled out Daringtail. She then whacked her in the face and she went flying. She was on the ground, and the other cats surrounded her. Daringtail grabbed Dashie by the collar, and started to tug at it. She tugged and tugged, until finally it snapped off.
Dashie could feel the bristle on her neck. She couldn’t even hear the bell.
Rareleaf awoke, and brought Daringtail to the medicine cat den.
Applepaw ran up to her. “Hey! That was amazing!” she yelled.
“Yes it was.” Said Sunstar. She walked over to them. “Dashie please come.” She brought her to Castle Rock, and she said, “Every cat old enough to catch his or her own prey please come to Castle Rock!” The cats came. “Today young Dashie has become an apprentice!” She mews. The cats screamed with excitement.
“Since you are so quick and agile, your name is going to be Dashpaw.” She whispers. “Every kitty! Dashpaw!” The crown cheered again. Then they heard the bushes behind them bristle. A little kit with a with a yellow coat, green eyes, and a pink tail jumped out. She was breathing hard.
“Flutterpaw? What are you doing here?” asked Applepaw.
Flutterpaw had blood dripping down her shoulder. “Purpletail,” she stammers, “P-Purpletail. Purpletail’s dead!” Flutterpaw shouted out. The blood dripped to the ground. “We saw Lakeclan in our territory, and we tried to fight them. We had to retreat , because there were too many of them. Purpletail stayed back, and she was killed.” She then fell to the ground, and Rareleaf brought her to the medicine cat den. Then Setclaw, an orange cat, brought a dead body of Purpletail in.
Setclaw walked over to her apprentice and looked at Rareleaf. “Is she going to be OK?” she asked.
Rareleaf nodded. “Yes she’s goanna be fine.”
Setclaw looked at Flutterpaw, and took out a claw that looked like a sunset. She poked at Flutterpaw with it. “Well then get up!” she yelled.
“Did you see that claw?” asked Dashpaw
Rareleaf slapped Setclaw away. “She needs her rest.” Rareleaf yowled. “Now get out of her!” She went to work on some herbs, when Dashpaw and Applepaw walked up. “Is Setclaw gone?” Dashpaw and Applepaw nodded, and she looked at them. Thanks what are . . . .”
“Can’t you just get out of here?” Rareleaf yowled. “How am I supposed to work if cats keep bugging me?” She points to the door, and they leave.
They saw a larger cat in the kit den. Her tail was big, pink, and fluffy. She gasps.
“I’ve never seen you here before, and that means you’re new, and that means I’ve never seen you here before, and, wait I just said that!” she said it directly at Dashpaw. Dashpaw smiled meekly.
Applepaw pointed to some kits. “Those are Pinkiefurs kits, Browniekit, and Redkit.” Pinkiefur kissed her two male kit. There were about three more kits Twilightkit, Starkit, and Bookkit. Twilightkit was brown, and a brown and pink tail. Dashpaw smiled and they walk over to the apprentice den.
“That’s where we sleep.” She said as she pointed inside the old, small den. The dust went up into Dashpaw’s nose, and she sneezed. Applepaw laughed, and she brought Dashpaw to the elder den. She slowly looked inside to see a couple of elders inside. She looked at the elders, as they ate their share.
“Hello there new kit.” Said an elder cat. “My names Snowblind.” She was a blind cat that was blue with a white and blue tail.
“Hi.” Said Dashpaw.
“So Snowblind? Who do you think is going to be the new deputy?” said a taller cat.
“What!?” she yelled. The tall cat groaned and yelled bacl.
“Your hearing is going out like you eyesight, WHO DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT DEPUTY!” he yelled again.
“I remember when Purpletail became deputy, and she was so excited.” she said as if she was trying to change the subject.
“So, Dashpaw? Have you tried a fresh killed mouse?” asked Applepaw. Dashpaw shook her head. “Well here is!” Dashpaw dipped her head, and took a bite of the delicious mouse. Dashpaw’s mouth watered from the amazing mouse.
“That is so awesome!” she yelled after she swallowed it. She slowly dipped into another one.
Applepaw giggled. “Well then move over.” She ate with Dashpaw, when suddenly Sunstar called for all the cats.
“All the cats old enough to catch their own prey, please come to Castle Rock!” the cats pounced over, and they looked around to see what’s going on. “Now as you know.” She took time to sniff up her nose. “Purpletail is dead. She was a great deputy, and I will miss her. Please come to have her last moments with her.” Dashpaw looked at all the cats around Purpletal.
Dashpaw looked at Applepaw. “Should we go over there?” asked Dashpaw.
“No. Only the cats who knew her as long as her apprentice did.” She looked over to the small shivering cat on the ground. “Yea, Featherpaw will be sad.” The little kitten was sitting right next to Purpletail. Dashpaw saw her tears falling to the sandy ground.
“So what’s going on?” she asked.
“Well Purpletail might already be in Lunarclan, but,”
Dashpaw cut her off. “Lunarclan?”
Applepaw giggles. “Yea, you see those craters?” Dashpaw looks at the moon, and there is a cat face that she always sees. Then she sees more little craters inside it. Then she saw one little sparkle in the moon, and then another little crater came in. She saw the cats eyes furrow down as if she were mad, but happy-mad. Her eyes shone, and she turned back into just craters.
“Yes.” said Dashpaw.
“Well Purpletail just joined, as you can see. She is that bigger crater.” She pointed to one of the biggest crater. “That’s her.” Dashpaw smiled. She saw all the cats that died.
“What’s with the cat in the middle?” she asked.
“Oh that’s Lunamoon. She is Sunstars sister. She was locked away in the moon, when she declared she wanted eternal night. She became Nightline. She was sent to the moon ever since.”
Dashpaw has heard of Nightline. She was terrifying. Lightning told her, and she did not believe her until then. The little kittens chased after each other, over to her and she patted their heads. She slowly flew around the little den, and she saw all the kits, apprentices, and warriors running.
“Where’s our den?” Dashpaw asks, forgetting where it was. Applepaw pointed to the little den again. Dashpaw goes inside, and the dust is sent up her nose. She sneezes again, and then a kit about her age walks in.
“Ugh.” He said. “What’s that smell? Oh, it’s the kitty-pet. Yea you sleep wherever you want. As long as it’s not next to me.” He laid on his two front paws, and slept.
“It’s OK. That’s Soarpaw, he’s just jealous you are an apprentice and you’re a kitty-pet.” Dashpaw’s brows furrowed.
“WAS a kitty-pet.” She said, and she slowly went to the other side of the den. She slept, and dreamed of tomorrow. The day training would start.
“What are we doing today!” she yells. Applepaw rolls her eyes.
“Training! Now c’mon, Sparkleheart is waiting!” She bounds off, and Dashpaw follows swiftly. She meets up with them, and sees Sparkleheart. Sparkleheart pounces over to them, less bugged with Dashpaw than this morning.
“You’ve made it!” she yells. She rubs against them, and purrs with excitement. Then Setclaw comes with Flutterpaw. When the kit sits down, she starts to lick her paw.
“Now let’s get to training.” She says. She looks down at Flutterpaw with an evil eye, and yells, “OK show me a hunting crouch!” All the cats get down. Flutterpaw falls over, Applepaw looks like a lop-sided badger, but.
“Dashpaw!” yells Sparkleheart. “That’s beautiful!” The kit stands perfectly. Sparkleheart tries to push her over, but she won’t budge! She stops crouching, and she sits on her haunches. She licks her paw.
“Thanks, I was practicing when I was a kitty-pet.” She rubs her head with her paw. As she slowly steps up, she sees the beautiful sky. She then hears Sparkleheart call to her. She pounces to her, and stops when they get to four tall trees.
“These are Fourtrees! The place where the cats all meet on a full moon.” The Fourtrees go to what seems like the sky. They show them the Sunshine rocks, Spiderrocks, and many other things. Then they must go home to the clan.
“That was a nice day.” Says Applepaw as they walk home. They see all the cats licking each other.
“Are we missing sharing tongues?” asks Applepaw.
“What?” asks Dashpaw? Sparkleheart answers before Applepaw can.
“Sharing tongues is when all cats gather, and they lick all the others.” Dashpaw then jumps on Applepaw, and starts to lick her. Setclaw and Sparkleheart start to lick each other. Then Sunstar goes up to Castle Rock, and yowls.
“All cats old enough to catch their own prey, please come to Castle Rock!” the cats come over to her, knowing what she’s going to say. “Today is the gathering at Fourtrees! The two apprentices that are coming are,” Applepaw punches Dashpaw.
“We are so,”
“Soarpaw and Lightningpaw!” Applepaw and Dashpaw frown at her words, and they both come up to them. They dust their faces with their tails, and laugh.
“Yeah we’ll tell you what it’s like.” Applepaw clenches her paw, and curses at the kits.
“Applepaw calm down.” says Dashpaw. “We might be chosen next time!” Soarpaw and lightingpaw walked over to Castle Rock, and they sit next to Sunstar.
“OK every kitty we will meet back later.” She slowly walks down the rock, and then pounces with all the warriors, and Soarpaw and Lightningpaw. Dashpaw and Applepaw walk into their den, and lie down.
“Do you really think you will be chosen?” she asks.
“I really do think so. I mean maybe.” says Dashpaw. She jumps out of the den into the cool air, and smells some food. I’m starving she thinks. She dips into a dead squirrel. When she’s finished she gets to a red-bellied woodpecker.
“Dashpaw!” yells Snowblind.
“Aren’t you supposed to be in the gathering?” she asks. Snowblind shakes her head.
“No we’re retired. We are staying behind.” She says. Dashpaw looks behind Snowblind, and sees the rest of the elders.
“Oh.” She says. “So what are you doing?”
“Oh just getting something to eat.” She eats a sparrow, and she then drinks from a little puddle next to the fresh-kill pile.
“How are the sparrows.” She says, breaking the awkward silence.
“They are delicious.” They then depart, and they all sleep.
“Good night Applepaw.” She then hears the snoring of her friend, and she sleeps with her. When they wake up, they see Soarpaw and Lightningpaw in the den. Lightningpaw and Dashpaw are touching nose, and they quickly jump away screaming.
“What are you doing!” she yells. Lightningpaw still wiping his nose with disgust then stops.
“I’m sleeping!” he yells. Dashpaw rolls her eyes.
“Good.” She walks out the den, and she feels the crisp air breeze through her body.
“I just personally think that it would be better if Dashpaw wasn’t an apprentice!” yells one of the cats named Braefur. He sees Dashpaw looking at him, “I meant App- I mean Flutterpaw!” Dashpaw flies into the air, for a nice breeze of wind.
“Uh?” she hears a faint voice behind her. “Dashpaw, are you OK?” Dashpaw smiles at her friend, Flutterpaw.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She says with a smile. She looks down at her new home, still thinking about her kitty-pet home. She then snaps back into reality when Applepaw finally gets to the top of the rock.
“Sparkleheart wants to talk to us! You too Flutterpaw!” They all jump down the rocks, and they bow down to Sparkleheart.
“OK today we we’ll give you a test.” She says. She brings the kits to the middle of the forest. “You will bring as much food to us as possible, and it’s not a race! Do not rush! Take your time!” she sends Dashpaw close to the Two-leg place, and Dashpaw pads off into the dark forest, and sees a mouse. She gets down and slowly pads toward the mouse, and pounces. She kills the mouse on the spot, and hunts some more.
Hours later, at sun high, the kit has buried about ten pieces of prey. She then smells a cat. She knows that Sparkleheart should be watching her, so she ignored it. She was about to pounce on another sparrow, when she heard a twig snap. She thought it was going to be Applepaw, so she went toward it. Then a blue kit jumps out. Dashpaw is hit by it as it jumps onto her.
“What are you doing,” she is cut off by the smell of the cat. She knows this cat. “Lightning?” she asks.
“Dashie! Oh I though I’d never see you again! I thought you were one of those nasty outside cats!” Dashpaw looks at her, and sniffs her again. What’s so different about her? She wonders. Then she realizes she was fixed.
“Lightning,” she mews. “I haven’t seen you forever! I am now Dashpaw!” Lightning pounces on her. Then they hear a stick crack. “You have to get out of here!”
“But!” she yells. Then Dashpaw pushes her away. Applepaw jumps out when she smelled the intruder.
“Oh it’s just you.” She sniffs Dashpaw, and she smells the kitty-pet stench. “Agh, what did you get into!” she gags. Dashpaw smells herself, and she gags too.
“Probably just fell into a owl pod.” She said licking herself off. Applepaw smiles and she jumps back into her hunting place. Dashpaw then walks over to where they are supposed to meet Sparkleheart. The sun is now setting, and she sees all the apprentices sitting waiting for her. Flutterpaw, of course, is licking her paw. She looks up at Dashpaw, and smiles. She is still holding her prey.
“OK Dashpaw you have the most prey. Good job.” Applepaw sighs and Dashpaw sees she has nine pieces of prey. “Good job to all of you. You all have done a great job, but the elders are waiting, and we need to get back.” They all bound back to the clan, and they see all the elders waiting for the kits.
“Thanks youngsters!” says Snowblind, she then dips her head in, and eats a mouse. Dashpaw goes to the fresh-kill pile, to see there is no other fresh kill. It all went to the elders. She saw them eating the mice, and birds.
“I’m going to hunt.” mews Applepaw. Dashpaw nods, and follows her to the woods. They separate, and Dashpaw gets away from the two-leg place. She is starving, but the Warrior Code says the clan has to eat first. She walks over to a lake, and hears a yowl of pain.
“Applepaw!” she yells. The yowling stops. She walks over to a little place next to a lake. She is about to sniff the air, but then she is attacked by a yellow cat, with a fire-like mane, and a fire kitty-mark.
“Yow!” yells Dashpaw. She scratches at the kit, and Dashpaw pins the cat down, and asks, “Who are you and what are doing here?”
“I am Spitfire, and I am healing here.” She says quickly. Dashpaw hears Spitfires stomach growl. She goes out, and kills a mouse. She brings it to Spitfire, and they chomp it down together. Then they hear some one in the bushes.
“The clan always eats first!”
Sparkleheart and the rest of the patrol jump through the forest. Spitfire hisses, and tries to get up, but her broken bones get in the way. Dashpaw bows down.
“I am so sorry. She needed,” Sparkleheart stops her there.
“I know she needed help, but you know better. You should have brought her back to the clan, and then fed her.” She sniffs the injured cat. Sunstar jumps out of the bushes, and sees the cats.
“What is going on here!” she yowls. She sees the bruised up cat, and she sniffs. “What is a Shadeclan warrior doing here?” Spitfire sticks her nose in the air.
“I was injured by my clan, I found a lake, and I slept!” she yells. Sunstar looks deep into the cat’s eyes.
“This is Spitfire, medicine cat of Shadeclan.”
Spitfire spits, “I was! I hate the Shadeclan now. Hurting innocent kits,” her voice trails off, but the Lightningclan cats ignored her. They whisper to each other as Dashpaw helps Spitfire up.
“It’s settled,” says Sparkleheart, “we will let Spitfire into our clan, but only until she heals. We’ll see what happens after that!” They take the cat home, and she sees the Lightning Path that she had to cross to get over. Sunstar is holding her, and she hates it.
“We are back in Lightningclan.” Says Sparkleheart. Spitfire is desperate for some sleep, and she needs to sit down.
Sunstar comes up to Castle Rock, and yells, “All cats old enough to catch their own prey, please come to Castle Rock!” Dashpaw is waiting for her to speak, her head down in sorrow. “This is Spitfire, the med cat of Shadeclan.” The Lightningclan gasps. Pinkiefur grabs her kits.
“What if she hurts our kits!” she yells. Sunstar blinks.
“She won’t. Any way, she will be staying with us until she heals. Dashpaw, you will be taking care of her.” Dashpaw can hear Stormpaw and Soarpaw chuckle, and she hisses at them. “Dashpaw, you will also be my apprentice.”
Setclaw speaks up, “Wait! She will be punished, and rewarded for her actions!” Sunstar nods.
“She has been a great apprentice! She should be rewarded.” Setclaw puffs away. “And for a next reward, she and her friends will be chosen to come to the next Gathering!” she yowls. Applepaw claps her paw, and Flutterpaw says a light yay! They crowd around Dashpaw as if she were a hero.
“Dashpaw!” Applepaw yowls. “That’s amazing!” Flutterpaw laughs.
“Oh I’m so excited!” she yells. “I can’t wait for the full moon!” Applepaw nods. Then Dashpaw yawns. It’s been a long day for her today, and she needs to rest.
“Well I don’t know ‘bout you dudes, but I’m going to bed!” she says, and she climbs into her den.
“’Night Dashpaw!” yells Applepaw over her shoulder, and she starts to play with Flutterpaw. Dashpaw wonders what it’s going to be like when she goes to the Gathering.
A couple moons later, the full moon was out. Dashpaw went to check on Spitfire, and she was still asleep.
“Spitfire.” She sits straight up when she says it. “What’s wrong? Do you need anything?” Spitfire looks at her.
“I do need my fleas to go away, and I need something to take these pains away. Can I have some poppy seeds, and can you get a pine cone to brush my tail.” Dashpaw flies over to the med cat den, and she sees the larger den. She sees Rareleaf walking out and in.
“I need some poppy seeds and a pine cone for Spitfire.” She nods, and paws her some poppy seeds.
“Don’t let her chew too hard on these! We don’t want her breaking a tooth.” She hisses as she says it, and Dashpaw knows she is mad at Spitfire for taking her place in most popular. “Anyway, a pinecone? I think I have one, ah! Here we go! The best pinecone I can find. It has never been used before, s it has no fleas on it. Make sure to brush nicely on her tail, so the fleas will jump onto it!” she holds the beautiful pinecone in her magic bubble. Dashpaw grabs the pinecone in her mouth, and is about t bound off, when Rareleaf calls her back. “Also here’s some leaves that you put n her wounds to make them numb. Just in case the poppy leaves don’t work.” She gives her the leaf, but warns her.
“What?” yowls Dashpaw.
“Don’t put these in your mouth; they will leave a taste that even a disgusting fish taste won’t get rid of.” Dashpaw nods, and puts it on her back. She takes them to Spitfire, and puts them on the ground next to her.
“There ya’ go, and now for your tail.” Dashpaw starts her brushing when Spitfire moves her tail. Dashpaw tries to keep brushing, but it moves again.
“That tickles!” she says. Dashpaw rolls her eyes. She brushes lightly, and when Spitfire says to stop, she stops.
“All cats old enough to catch their own prey please come to Castle Rock!” yells Sunstar. “Now, as we all know, Dashpaw, Applepaw, and Flutterpaw are going to the Gathering, and Spitfire is now here. We are leaving now, so please come. Dashpaw, is she OK?” Dashpaw nods. “Good now, the Breezeclan may not come. Shadeclan did scare them out of their territory! Also I may have forgot to tell you, but I have decided, and so has she, that Sparkleheart is the new deputy.” The cats cheer “But we have to go.” They bound off with all their mentors and apprentices.
They get to the Gathering in the Fourtrees. They see billions upon billions of cats. Sparkleheart sees them, and sits next t Dashpaw.
“Hello. Are you guys excited?” she asks. Dashpaw nods, and so do the others. Flutterpaw sees Thunderpaw and Mintpaw, and she walks over to them. She tells them the story of how Lakeclan fought them.
“Then Setclaw killed,” Setclaw comes over to them.
“Are you telling them how I tried to defeat the Lakeclan?” Flutterpaw jumps when she hears her voice.
“Uh yeah.” She says. “I was telling them how you fought Goldendream, and almost killed her!” Setclaw nods. She walks away, and Flutterpaw puffs.
“What des she means?” she asks. Then the ceremony starts, and all of the leaders go on top of their rocks. Bloodstar is on top of the Shadeclan rock. Bluestar jumps on the Lakeclan, but there is no Breezeclan. The leaders go ahead and start any way.
“I want to say something about the territory,” a cat stops Bloodstar. It was Mintpaw.
“We can’t start without Breezeclan!” he yells. Then all the other cats from different clans speak up.
“Please! Calm yourselves! They are not coming! Anyway, the Shadeclan needs food for extra kits we have, so we need some of Lightning and Lakeclan’s territory!” the cats start to argue.
“Wait!” says the head leader, Sunstar. “Why haven’t you told us about this? The clans will never be able to be sharing this much food.” A kit from Lightningclan speaks up. Her eyes were messed up, and golden. She was gray, with a blonde tail.
“I think we should deal with our own territory.” Sunstar smiles at the brave kit, but all the cats yell at her.
“Shut up Derpy! You’re just a stupid messed up cat.” She yells. Dashpaw is about to deal with this cat, but Setclaw stops her.
“Derpy’s right! We should take care of out own clans!” yells another cat. The cats agree with this one, unlike they did with Derpy.
“Now, now, we need food to survive from the harsh conditions!” yowls Bloodstar. The cats start to yowl more when a loud voice comes down.
“NOW! We have to calm down! Shadeclan, we cannot afford giving up more territory! We won’t give you the land.” The clans calm down.
“Fine; however, let me tell all the clans this! There is a cat from our clan that is now a loner! She will attack any kits she finds! Please be careful, and don’t let her in your territory! That is all.” Dashpaw sighs with frustration. The whole thing was boring, and she thought there would be more fun. She shrugs and bounds off into the forest with the rest of her clan. That was no fun! She thinks.
“Hey I know that was boring. I thought so to.” She yawns. “But I am sleeping when we get back home, so I’ll say goodnight now.”
“OK I guess I will too. Goodnight!” They bound off into the clan, goes into the den, and sleeps. She dreams about Shadeclan, taking over, but then she sees a light, and Sunstar screaming. She wakes, and looks at the full moon. Thinking about her dream.
When Dashpaw finally got some sleep, Applepaw woke her two hours later.
“I’m going to train. I hope that you have fun with Spitfire.” She said sarcastically. She then bounded off to Sparkleheart to train. Dashpaw frowned, and pawed over to the annoying cat.
“Hey Spitfire.” She said, and she picked up the pinecone. She started to brush her tattered tail. Spitfire sighed, and lied her head down. “I brought some more poppy seeds for you.” She popped one in her mouth.
“So Dashpaw, how are you?” she asked.
Dashpaw nods.
“You’re a kitty-pet?”
“I was a kitty-pet, I was caught in Lightningclan territory, and I became an apprentice.” Spitfire rolled her eyes. She lied back down, and licked some more poppy seeds up. Dashpaw took some of the leaves, and pushed them down on Spitfires wounds.
“Not too hard!” she yowled. Dashpaw apologized, and pushed them on lighter. “So your parents were kitty-pets?”
“Yes my parents were kitty-pets.” She felt a weird pang of sadness in her heart when she thought of her parents who were probably gone forever.
“Your brothers and sisters, were they kitty-pets?”
Dashpaw nodded. “Yes, every one in my family were all kitty-pets.” She said. She kept brushing her tail, and she pushed down on her leaves.
Spitfire’s poppy seeds were still on the ground, and she licked some more up. “If you can tell, I’m not much of a talker.” She said.
Dashpaw nodded. They just sat, and Dashpaw combed her tail. They saw three kits playing up above, and one fell in front of Spitfire. Pinkiefur and Twistfur gasped.
“Get away from me!” yelled Spitfire. The kit ran from the mad cat, and back to her friends. “Sorry, but bad things happen to kits when I’m around.”
Dashpaw nods when they heard a yowl.
“All cats old enough to catch their own prey please come to Castle Rock!” yelled Sunstar. The cats gathered, and sat. They all looked up at their leader’s rock. “Now, I must go to the Lunar Stone to see who shall be the next leader in our clan.”
Rareleaf looked at Dashpaw faithfully, and remembered that she cannot have kits. No medicine cat can.
“The cats that will come with me are Setclaw, Dashpaw, Applepaw, and Flutterpaw.” She said.
Applepaw and Flutterpaw bounded next to Dashpaw. “We’re going with Sunstar!” mewed Flutterpaw happily, “What an honor!”
Applepaw takes off her hat with honor. “You’re right Flutterpaw. I should thank Lunarclan that I ran into you instead of a Shadeclan or Lakeclan!”
Dashpaw smiled, and Setclaw comes over to them.
“I think all of you know how much of an honor this is, but it is also very dangerous.” She said.
The three cats cock their heads.
“We could run into Lakeclan or Shadeclan.” She looked up at the sun, and she smiled. “Now run along. Dashpaw you have some work to do.”
Sunstar quickly stops Dashpaw before she bounded to Spitfire. “We will leave at moon high. Tell your friends, please.” She then leaped away, and Dashpaw went over to Spitfire. She went on brushing her tail, waiting for that night.
“Good morning Dashpaw.” said Applepaw. She smiled at her and it almost hit her cheeks.
“M-morning?” asked Dashpaw. She looked at the moon again, and smiled, remembering today was the day she went to Lunar Rock. She got up with her paw against her ribs. She was tired, and hungry. She went over to the fresh-kill pile, and she saw nothing.
“Dashpaw I am sorry, but you have permission to eat while we are on our way to Lunar Stone.” She walked to Rareleaf, and she grabbed her herbs.
Dashpaw then walked to Rareleaf. “Thanks Rareleaf.” She said, and she saw Applepaw came. She grabbed her herbs, and bounded to Sunstar.
“So Dashpaw?” says Rareleaf, “Tell me if it’s fun.” She winked, and walked to her herbs.
Flutterpaw then jumped over to them, and sat. She grabbed the two other kits. “Are we leaving?” They all much their herbs and it leaves a terrible taste in their mouths.
Dashpaw nodded, and looked up at Lunarclan.
Applepaw punched Dashpaw lightly on the arm. “Hey don’t be nervous.”
Dashpaw smiled nervously, and rubbed the back of her head. “I-I’m not n-nervous.” She stuttered out, and Sunstar jumped to them.
“Dashpaw.” She said. She looked kindly at the other two apprentices. “We need to leave. Follow me please.” She quickly leapt toward the dark, moonlit forest.
Dashpaw looked at Applepaw, and they both bounded to her. Flutterpaw waited for Setclaw. She looked at her mentor, and as she jumped to Sunstar, she looked back, and leapt with her.
“S-Setclaw?” she stuttered. She looked at the dark leaves. “D-do you know where you’re g-g-going?”
Setclaw looked at her, and then back up. She sniffed the air. “They went this way.”
Flutterpaw sniffed, and all she could smell were kitty-pets. “I can’t. . . .” They hear a rustle in the leaves.
Setclaw got down “Careful.” She said.
Dashpaw jumped out of the bushes. “Hey! What’s holding you up!” she yelled. “Sunstar’s waiting!” she jumped back in and the two others follow. They leapt threw the calm leaves of the forest, waiting for something to happen. The herbs that Rareleaf gave them still stung their mouth with a terrible taste. It made them less hungry.
“Dashpaw?” asked Sunstar. She motioned her to behind the bushes. “When we get to Lunar Stone, you will be the only one that goes in the cave with me. I can’t let any of the other cats see this.”
Dashpaw nodded, “That would be an honor.”
Sunstar then heard Setclaw yowl for her. “Thank you Dashpaw.” She bounded to Setclaw, through the scratchy bushes.
I love how brave she is. Thought Dashpaw as she jumped threw with her.
Sunstar licked Setclaw, and they both sat together. They slept for about an hour, but then quickly got back up, and leapt to the Lunar Stone. When they finally reached the cave, Sunstar came to Setclaw. “Please, you and the other apprentices stay here. Dashpaw and I will go in.”
Setclaw nods, “Of course, we will look out for enemies.”
Sunstar and Dashpaw both leapt into the tight cave. When Dashpaw tried to spread her wings, she hit the ceiling. She quickly put them down, and kept pawing forward. They finally reached a large stone, and Sunstar walked up.
“Is this. . . .” she was cut off by a shush of Sunstar. They then saw a flash of light. Dashpaw got the same dream that was just two nights ago. She saw the same Shadeclan warriors, and all the same cats running. She saw the same flash of light in the end, and heard the same scream of Sunstar. She then sees Sunstar fly into the air. The cave top seemed to be gone. She wasn’t moving her wings. Then she fell to the ground.
“Quickly!” she yowled, “We have to get home. She flew to the air, and out of the cave.
Dashpaw swiftly followed, and they flew out of the cave. Flutterpaw, her wings spread flew into the air, knowing she needed to follow. As for Setclaw and Applepaw, they ran across the dusty ground. They swiftly jumped through the tough branches of trees and bushes.
Then suddenly a dark figure came. “Hello Sunstar.” It said. It was a cat. A unicorn in fact. He jumped out.
“Cosmic, do you have a fast way to Lightningclan?” asked Sunstar.
Cosmic quickly nodded. His yellow fur glistened in the moonlight. “It is that way. There may be . . . .”
Sunstar didn’t listen; she swept in front of him, followed by the other three kits.
“Thank you Cosmic.” She called after him.
He nodded, and padded to his loner home. Sunstar swept through the trees, Dashpaw was following directly behind her, and so was Flutterpaw. Then Sunstar ran quickly into a tree, and broke her wing. Dashpaw and Flutterpaw ran into the same branch, and broke their wings.
“He said it was this way!” she yelled after them. Then, as they ran through the forest, they came to a field of rats.
The rats slowly circled the cats, and they hissed. Sunstar, wings still broken, looked down at the mice suspiciously. “Cosmic! He planned this!” she yelled.
The two other Pegasi, wings broken, were next to her. “Please stay calm!” yelled Dashpaw. They kept backing up, and finally the rats jumped.
They jumped onto Sunstar, and she screamed with pain. The other cats whacked away the rats. Sunstar was weak, and she fell to the ground.
“Sunstar!” yelled Dashpaw uneasily, and all the rats attacked her. She quickly whipped them off, and ran to Sunstar. Her tears dropped to the fur of her mentor. She ran to Setclaw. “Is she going to be OK?” she asked.
Setclaw closed her eyes, “She is in the paws of Lunarclan now.”
Dashpaw looked down at her. She wondered about what Setclaw said. Is Sunstar, dead? She asked herself.
When the sun started to rise, the rats ran off, and Sunstar woke with a gasp. “We need to leave!” she yelled. She then bounded, and flew.
Dashpaw cocked her head. She then realized that she was flying too. Lunarclan fixed her wing. Flutterpaw zoomed with her, and he two earth cats followed. When they finally got back to the clan, they saw all the Shadeclan warriors in their territory.
The new deputy, that Flutterpaw didn’t have time to mention, ran through the line of cats. “Ah, Sunstar! We are taking over this territory! And then the whole forest!” He laughs maliciously.
“Sombra! You will not take over this territory! This is Lightningclan, and it is indestructible!” yells out Sunstar.
“This territory will never have a Lightningclan cat paw in the dust again!” He laughs and his magic starts.
“You will not win! The Lightning cats are strong.” Sunstar protested.
Then Dashpaw saw Spitfire walking suspiciously out of the clan. She was about to jump out and grab her, but Sunstar needed her help. The kit pounced on Sombra, and he laughed.
“Stupid kit,” he said, his deep voice echoing. “You will not win.”
“No! Maybe not, but if I die, then I will die with honor.” She smiles at him.
“This is their territory! Shadeclan retreat!” he yelled. “There are too many.” He ran and his clan followed.
“They are weak,” said Setclaw.
Sunstar sniffed the air, and she smelled something. Suddenly they all heard some one scream.
“Rareleaf!” she yelled. The four cats ran up to Rareleaf’s den, followed by Sparkleheart.
“She was killed by Spitfire!” yelled a cat from behind. “She left and I heard yowling back here before she left!”
Then another cat, Pinkiefur yowled. “My kits are gone too!” The cats gasped, and Sunstar yowled.
“Please!” she jumped onto Castle Rock. “Please quiet down. Dashpaw, you will find Spitfire, and if she is a traitor, we will kill her, but if not, we will not. The search will be tomorrow. You need rest. No cats are aloud out of the clan unless they have permission from me!” She jumped down.
Dashpaw nods, and goes into her den. She sleeps for about two hours when she wakes of a push.
“Dashpaw, I need to tell you something.” says Flutterpaw.
Dashpaw rubs her eyes, and nods.
“Setclaw killed Purpletail! She stayed back, and Purpletail came with her. She killed Purpletail, and she,”
Dashpaw put her paw to her mouth. “I’ll talk to her.”
“No!” she yelled. “I don’t want her to know I know!”
Dashpaw nodded. “Now I’m hungry, I’m gonna slip out of here and grab some food.” She slipped out of the den, and to a mouse. She then heard some cats out.
“Flutterpaw is a traitor. She left while we were at Lunar Stone. She probably told Shadeclan it was safe.” It was Setclaw, and she was lying.
“OK I have to tell Flutterpaw.” She slipped back in, and looked for Flutterpaw. “Flutterpaw! Setclaw said you were a traitor.”
Flutterpaw covered her mouth, “We need to tell Applepaw.”
Dashpaw nodded, and pounced with her friend. “Where is she,” they then ran into Applepaw.
“What ‘yawl goin’ in such a rush?” she asked. She then took out some mice she caught.
“Setclaw called Flutterpaw a traitor!” she yelled.
Applepaw gasped. “We need to get Flutterpaw away from here! Setclaw could kill her!” she yelled.
Dashpaw nodded, and was about to bound off with them, when Sunstar called her.
“Dashpaw, I need you to start searching now please.” She said.
“Yes ma’am.” She nodded, and she bounded off. She figured that she would go get Spitfire after she got Flutterpaw out. She jumped to her friends, and they went over to Shadeclan territory, to Cosmic. He was sitting with his tail wrapped around him.
“Ah, the three apprentices.” He said.
“No time,” yelled Applepaw, “Flutterpaw is in danger.”
Cosmic nodded. “She can stay with me.” He said, and Flutterpaw was passed over to him.
“Thank you.” Said Dashpaw, and the two cats bounded off. They started looking for Spitfire, and they could smell kits. Kit blood was stained on the ground. They leapt toward it, and then they could smell the cat.
“Spitfire!” yelled Applepaw.
Spitfire sighed. “I thought you were Shadeclan. They are terrifying. They train kits at three moons old, or younger.”
Applepaw covered her mouth. “Is that why Shadeclan stole Pinkiefurs kits!?” she yowled.
Spitfire nodded, “He might kill them.” She looked up at the moon, and blinked.
“We need to get there fast.” said Dashpaw. The two pegasi held Applepaw in the air, and flew swiftly through the air. They finally reached the Shadeclan territory, and they got sneakily next to it.
“I will go in there and grab some elder cats. You two stay here.” Spitfire said, and she flew in trying not to be seen.
The two kits waited, and waited, and two hours later, they finally thought either Spitfire betrayed them, or she was killed.
“Where do you think she is?” asked Applepaw.
Dashpaw flew up, and saw about five Pegasus cats, seven unicorn cats, and twelve earth cats.
“I’m back.” said Spitfire, all the other cats piling behind her.
“Good, now we sneak attack.” Said Dashpaw.
They sneakily went into the camp, and they saw all the cats, apprentices, and warriors, but then they saw the leader, Bloodstar. She jumped into the elder den, and then jumped out excitedly.
“Lightningclan!” yelled a cat.
“What are they doing here!” yelled Bloodstar. “Elders what are you doing fighting with these cats!”
Spitfire stepped forward, and spoke loudly, “We hate the way you treat our kits. It is either you stop this manner or we kill you!” the cats on Bloodstar’s side yowled at the others.
Dashpaw flies to the cats, and starts to fight. She bit, and almost killed all the cats in her way. The others fought aside her, helping others on need. Then a kit who thinks she is an apprentice, but is tiny, and weak. Her fur was fluffed up, and her eyes frightened.
Dashpaw pushed her away, and said, “This isn’t your fight.”
The kit smiled with compassion, and pounced away.
Dashfang turned her head, to see a large warrior killing Sparkleheart! With no hesitation, Dashpaw ran toward Bloodstar, and pinned his neck down. He slashed his face, and yelled. “I will kill you!”
Bloodstar laughed, his horn jabbing into her stomach. “I could kill you right now.” He said.
Dashpaw slashed his face, and his horn ripped her fur off. “I can tear into your heart, and rip it out now!” Dashpaw stared into his deep eyes.
He whipped her off, and laughed. “You think you can kill a leader.”
Dashpaw laughed back at him. “I may not able to, but they can."
The cats stand behind her faithfully. Bloodstar backs up, and then pounces away. “I am leaving.” He said.
Dashpaw licks her paw as he jumps away. Spitfire walks over to the elders.
“So would you like to come back to Lightningclan with us?” she asked.
The lead of the elders shook their heads. “We will stay here making sure nothing happens. Thank you for the offer. However, we will tell you that we will not attack you until all of our clan is up and running. Thank you.” They walked into the clan, and the others jumped away.
“C’mon let’s get home.” Said Applepaw, and all the cats follow her.
Dashpaw flew into the sky, and she saw the sun going down. “We should camp out.” She said, and she flew back down.
Applepaw got some sticks, and rubbed them together. It lit up, and she sat in front of it.
“Applepaw, you’ve never told you what your personality.” She sat right next to Applepaw.
“Well I’m an honest, kind cat with many friends.” She started.
Spitfire kindly listened, and when Lightning left a scar across the sky, they quickly found shelter under some bushes. They slept for about three hours, and they kept with their trek.
“I think we’re close, I can smell Sunstar.” Said Dashpaw, and they jumped through some bushes. They then see Setclaw in front of them.
“The traitor is back? And where Is Flutterpaw?” she asked.
Dashpaw’s head went down, and lied “She was killed by Shadeclan.” She said, and the clan gasped.
Sunstar ran to them. “We will mourn for your friend. She would’ve made a great warrior with you today. You have showed me you are ready.” She said.
Dashpaw looked up at her mentor. Applepaw smiled, and ran over to her friend.
“From this day fourth, these two apprentices have become warriors in their fight of bravery! They defeated the Shadeclan leader, and they have shown me they are ready!”
Dashpaw and Applepaw smiled, and they bowed down. They then noticed their kitty marks.
“Today, Dashpaw will be known as Dashfang, because of her bravery and how she is always ready to fight! And Applepaw will be known as Applefur, because of her beautiful coat, and because of her amazing skills. Every kitty, Dashfang and Applefur!”
The cats yowled with excitement. They then noticed their kitty marks. Applefurs were three apples showing her love for apples, her name, and her orange and red coat. Dashfangs was a cloud with
“Your vigil starts right now, go sit by the wall, and protect us.” She smiles at the warriors.
Dashfang then remembers that she needs to tell Sunstar about Setclaw. “Sunstar?” she asked, but was interrupted.
“No you are already started, now go. You may tell me in the morning.” She said.
Dashfang nodded kindly, and went to her duties. She got back to Applefur, and then saw her. She saw Setclaw staring.
End of One
