The official Warriors Guild book

[Panda--Chan]

Here's my official book for the warriors guild, rough draft!
~~~~~~
Chapter the First


Patchy woke up to a bright morning sun beating down on her.

“Wake up, my darlings,” cooed her mother, Caramel. Patchy yawned, her tiny milk teeth showing through her pink mouth. She looked up at her caramel-furred mother, and began purring as she nestled herself closer to the warm she-cat. Her brothers Dew and Olive had begun stirring, obviously not ready to wake up. Her sister Swirl buried her tiny orange head in her mother’s tail.

“Come on,” mewed Caramel, standing up. The four kits mewed in protest. Caramel purred and pushed the kits with her nose. “I’ll teach you how to hunt today,” she promised, “if you get up.”

Patchy stretched and stood up immediately. Dew grumbled; the gray tabby with striking blue eyes was always the most rebellious of the four kits, unlike his black-pelted brother. Olive was usually right behind Patchy, his green eyes shining mischievously. Their orange tabby sister Swirl was always last to follow, brown eyes glazed over with tiredness.

“I’m ready, mother!” Patchy purred, her amber eyes alight with excitement. Caramel nodded as soon as her kittens were assembled and led them off. There were small woods here, and Caramel lead the curious kits straight into the middle.

“Are we there yet?” growled Dew, bored.

“Shhh,” shushed their mother, crouching low. “All of you take a sniff. What do you smell?”

Patchy sniffed the air. A sweet juicy aroma reached her nose, with a tinge of seeds and nuts and dirt. “Mouse?” guessed Olive.

“Close,” replied the tan cat. “Vole. They smell a little different than mice do. Watch carefully,” she crouched even lower, sticking close to the ground.

The four kittens leaned close, ears pricked forward in curiosity. Suddenly, their mother bolted forward, and there was a small squeal that was cut short. Caramel’s head popped up with the limp body of a rodent while her kits cheered.

“That was amazing!” Cried Patchy.

Olive nodded his agreement, his tail flicking back and forth.

Dew and Swirl just mumbled a few praise words. Caramel trotted back and placed the vole in front of her kits.

“For us?” asked Olive. Caramel nodded. Patchy and Olive dove in quickly, this was their first time to taste vole. Dew followed shortly after, his stomach getting the best of him. Swirl stayed back.

“What’s a matter, Swirl?” asked Caramel.

“How repulsive,” Swirl sniffed. “It’s all bloody and dirty.” She licked a paw and swiped it over her ear. “I’d rather eat no-tail pellets.

“You know our no-tails don’t give us food any more, Swirl.” Replied Caramel. “This is all we can do to live now, honey.”

“Well I don’t like it.” Snapped Swirl.

“No one does,” shouted Dew from the vole, his mouth stained with blood. “But if you want to live you better eat it!” he dove back in hungrily.

“Why can’t we just take food from the wild cats that live around here?”

“Don’t even say that!” snapped Caramel. “Those cats would kill you any chance they get. I don’t trust them.”

“Don’t trust who?” mewed a voice behind them. Caramel spun around, her fur standing on end and tail fluffed out. Out of the woods stepped four cats. Caramel’s kittens crouched behind their mother.

“Who are you?” demanded Caramel.

“I am Sparrowpelt, and this is Tinyclaw, Mintberry and Bounceleg,” answered the tabby who was leading the cats. “Who are you and why are you on our territory?”

“Are these the wild cats, mother?” Olive asked.

“I can take them!” mewed Patchy, bounding in front of her family and fluffing out her fur. Her mother hissed at her to come back but Patchy ignored her. “If you take one more step I’ll claw out your eyes!” she unsheathed her claws threateningly.

One of the other cats, a silver tabby she-cat let out a mrrow of amusement. “Look at the little tortoiseshell! Isn’t she cute, Bounceleg?”

“Sure is,” replied the other tomcat, a pale gray, taking a step closer.
Patchy ran forward and bit his paw. The gray tom yelped and jumped back, shaking his bitten paw back and forth.

“You’ve got quite a bite,” he mewed, a tinge of pain to his voice.

“I warned you!” Patchy yowled back.

“What’s your name, tiny kit?” asked the white she-cat who hadn’t spoken yet.

“Why should I tell you?” Patchy hissed.

“My name is Tinyclaw.” The she-cat answered, sitting down.

“You don’t look tiny.” Patchy spat out a bit of blood, and Bounceleg was licking the bleeding sore on his forepaw.

“Your name?” asked the white cat again.
“Patchy.”

“What are you doing in our territory?” asked Sparrowpelt again, his tail flicking back and forth.

“I was teaching my kits to hunt,” answered Caramel, pulling Patchy back by the kit’s tail.

“Are you rogues?” asked the silver tabby.

“Our twolegs wont feed us anymore,” answered Caramel.

Patchy was confused. What was a rogue? What was a twoleg?

“-love to have you in the clan.” Continued the silver she-cat, finishing a sentence Patchy had missed. “We can protect you and help feed your family.”

“Alright,” agreed Caramel. “Come on kits,” she mewed.

“Where are we going?” asked Olive.

“To a new home,” answered Caramel, following the patrol of cats.
Patchy followed her mother obediently. The cats who were leading them were muttering amongst themselves about something Patchy didn’t even try to understand. They trekked across the dry moorland in silence. It seemed like moons later their escorts finally announced,

“We’re here.”

Looking down into the gorge, Patchy saw a whole bunch of cats. More than she’d ever seen before in her life!

Caramel nudged her onward, and they followed their escorts into the middle of the clearing. “Wait here,” instructed Sparrowpelt, who disappeared inside one of the hollowed dens.

Cats in the gorge looked at them a bit, then continued on their ways. Patchy stared down any cat who dared look at her.

Finally Sparrowpelt came back out with a dappled she-cat and a brown tabby. The she-cat padded up to them and started discussing something with Caramel. The brown tabby looked over the kits, starting with Swirl, then Dew, then Olive, and finally resting his sharp amber eyes on Patchy.
She met his gaze evenly and narrowed her eyes into little slits. The tom seemed scared for a second, and then looked away. The she-cat jumped on top of a big rock.

“Let all cat’s old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Sky Rock for a clan meeting!” she yowled. Her voice was hard and authoritative, but had a soft side to it. Either way, the yowl made Patchy and her siblings crouch down in fear.

The rest of the cats gathered around silently, all staring at Patchy and her family. “SkyClan is in need of new members, and Sparrowpelt’s patrol found these cats on our territory. They have agreed to join the clan.”
Meows rippled through the crowd of cats. Patchy looked around and her eyes came to a pair of striking blue eyes peeking out from one of the dens. They belonged to a white kit. Patchy narrowed her eyes and sat up strait, bristling her fur threateningly. The white kit gasped and disappeared inside the den. Patchy, victorious, flicked her tail back and forth.

“From now on,” continued the she-cat with a loud voice, “You shall be known as Caramelfur.” She muttered something to Caramelfur that Patchy didn’t catch, and Caramelfur answered quickly. What was with the weird name? wondered Patchy, but she didn’t dare ask aloud. The dappled cat moved on, and was looking down at Olive. “From now on you shall be known as Olivekit.” She moved down the line to Swirl, and renamed her “Swirlkit”, and Dew became “Dewkit”. Finally she looked at Patchy. “Why are you adding kit to my name? I’m a big cat! I’ll claw your fur off!” hissed Patchy. “I like my name!”

The dappled she-cat let out a mrrow of amusement. “You’ll make a fine warrior one day.” That stopped Patchy from jumping on the she-cat. A warrior? That sounded so cool! She could be as mighty as this she-cat, Patchy could tell she was mighty because all the other cats wouldn’t interrupt her.

“You shall be known as Patchkit.” This strange she-cat mewed. And just like that, Patchkit had a new name, a new home, and a new way of life.
The sun began to disappear along the horizon.

“Time for bed,” mewed Caramelfur.

Dewkit groaned. “We just got here!” the gray tomkit complained. Patchkit pushed him aside and ran into the den that was supposed to be her new sleep place.

She was greeted by a pair of blue eyes.

“It’s you!” the white she-kit shrieked.

“It’s you!” Patchkit mewed darkly, and pounced on the kit. “Why are you in my bed? Get out!”

“What!?!” squeaked the white kit.

“Patchkit!” gasped Caramelfur and threw the tortoiseshell off the white kit. “Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT attack your clanmates!!”

“She was in my bed!” protested Patchkit. “Tell her to get out!”

“This is her bed t—Patchkit! What have you done?!” Caramelfur hissed, looking at her daughter’s unsheathed claws.

Red-stained white fur was wedged between the tiny kit’s claws.

“I…I didn’t mean to…” Patchkit mewed, scared. She looked over at the other kit she had attacked. She now had three blood red lines running down her side.

“Go apologize,” instructed her mother, “now.” She pushed her tortoiseshell daughter towards the hurt kit, who shrank back.

“Sorry,” Patchkit mewed, ears down and tail drooping. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“It’s okay, my brother Coldkit has done worse.” Answered the white she-kit. “So you’re the newest members, huh? Welcome to SkyClan! My name is Crystalkit. Which one were you?”

“Patchkit,” the tortoiseshell answered.

“Oh yeah, the one who said you were gonna claw Leafstar’s fur off?” laughed Crystalkit.

“Was she the dappled cat?” wondered Patchkit.

“Yeah, she’s our leader. I know, it’s pretty confusing, but you’ll get used to it. Once you’re an apprentice you’ll learn more. How old are you?” explained Crystalkit.

“Five moons.”

“Me too! We’ll be apprentices soon. Maybe we’ll train together!” Crystalkit seemed too enthusiastic about this ‘apprentice’stuff.

“Let me sleep first.” Muttered Patchkit.  

[Panda--Chan]

Chapter the Second


“From now on until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Coldpaw!” mewed Leafstar. She snapped her gaze on one of the warriors below. “Russetclaw, you haven’t had an apprentice in a while. I hereby give you Coldpaw to train.”

The SkyClan members began calling Coldpaw by his new apprentice name. Patchkit tried to join in but every time she tried it ended badly.

“Cold-pleaaah!” she spat as Caramelfur rasped her tongue over Patchkit’s face. “Mom! I want to chant!” she complained.

“But you’re so dirty! I want you to look nice for your apprenticeship!” protested her mother.

“Co—bbbbllhh! MOM!”

“Alright, look, I’m done.” Caramelfur moved on to Olivekit who began off with a Coldpa—baaah! Mom! I’m chanting!!”

“Sucker,” muttered Patchkit.

“Crystalkit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Crystalpaw! You shall be mentored by Frosttail.”
Of course, thought Patchkit. Frosttail would be the perfect mentor for Crystalpaw.

“Dewkit,” Leafstar mewed to the gray tom, “From this moment on until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Dewpaw. Blackwing, you will mentor Dewpaw.”

“Joy,” Blackwing muttered under his breath as he went to touch noses to Patchkit’s brother. The stubborn black tom and Dewpaw were perfect for each other, Patchkit thought smugly. She wished she could have Tinyclaw for a mentor, but she was training Rockpaw right now.

“Olivekit, from this moment on until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Olivepaw. Your mentor will be Streamwhistle.”

“Olivepaw! Olivepaw!” Patchkit chanted with the rest of her Clanmates as she watched her brother touch noses with the silver she-cat.
“Swirlkit,” Leafstar called next.

Augh! When will it be my turn!! Patchkit thought, frustrated.

“From this moment on you shall be known as Swirlpaw. Your mentor will be Barkpile.”

Good luck, Patchkit thought. He’s the grumpiest warrior they have!

“Patchkit,” Leafstar said.

FINALLY! Patchkit bounded up to her leader.

“Patchkit, from this day on until you receive your warrior name you shall be known as Patchpaw. Your mentor will be Tawnyclaw.”

“Patchpaw! Patchpaw!” SkyClan yowled in unison as Patchpaw went to touch noses with the tortoiseshell warrior.

The following moons were pretty rough. Patchpaw now knew how to battle, how to scent prey, and how her territory was. Being in a clan was great!
The whole of SkyClan except for the Queens, their kits, and the elders moved on up to the Sky Rock for the gathering. The full moon shone high overhead. They climbed up the sides of the gorge, Patchpaw next to Crystalpaw and the older apprentice Rockpaw.

“StarClan, we as SkyClan gather here on the Skyrock to honor the truce of the gathering." Leafstar yowled.

Patchpaw nudged Crystalpaw with her tail. “Like there’s anyone here to gather with,” she repeated their favorite inside joke. Crystalpaw laughed. Leafstar's amber gaze fell upon the two apprentices.

"Is there something you want to share with the Clan, Patchpaw and Crystalpaw?" she mewed, her tone harsh. Patchpaw could feel Tawnyclaw, her mentor, staring at her. Patchpaw stood up.

"Leafstar, why aren’t there any other Clans to gather with? I know Firestar has ThunderClan meet with three other Clans. But why are we all alone?" She had heard the story of Firestar many times and longed to meet him someday. She wished she could be great just like he was; known throughout the clans as a hero, a living legend.

Leafstar held Patchpaw's gaze for a while, amber eyes boring into each other. "Because, little one," she said after a long time of hesitation, "SkyClan was driven out of the other Clans long ago." A silence creeped among the SkyClan cats as they all recalled the story that Firestar had told the senior warriors when they were still apprentices. It was true that the four other clans—ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan and ShadowClan had driven out SkyClan when their territory had been destroyed by twolegs, and now it had been rebuilt.
The SkyClan deputy, Sharpclaw, let out a faint hiss. "If we were alive back then I would have clawed off their fur!" mews of agreement rippled amongst the cats.

Leafstar looked calmly at her deputy. "Cloudstar did not wish to fight, Sharpclaw. Would you have disobeyed an order from your leader?" Sharpclaw and the rest of the clan fell silent. Would they have disobeyed their leader in order to stay in their home?

"Why can't we make other Clans ourselves?" Crystalpaw wondered aloud. Patchpaw nodded in agreement. It was a good idea, then SkyClan would have someone to meet with. The clan was getting overcrowded as is, and many fights broke out during prey-scares moons.
Another cat cried out, "It's the least we owe to Firestar. We could make a Clan in his honor, FireClan!"

Leafstar nodded. "That may be true, Birchclaw, but we can’t just make a Clan for someone just because they made us a clan. Would Firestar want us to break apart like this?"

As the cats grew silent, it was a ginger tom who cried out, "Does it really matter what Firestar thinks? Why don’t we just re-name ourselves FireClan, if we want to honor him so much?"

Meows of protest broke out amongst the SkyClan cats. "It sounds more like you're trying to make a Clan named after you, Firestrike!" Hisses were heard around the group.
Firestrike hissed back, "Why don't I make my own clan then? I don’t need SkyClan! I’ll just take any warriors who run fast and take them to the moorland to live separately. If it comes to a fight, we can beat SkyClan with our speed!"
More yowls broke out, shouting at Firestrike or shouting at those who were opposing him. Patchpaw shook her head. Who would want such a clan?

Leafstar yowled, "SILENCE! We shall not fight at a gathering, you swore to that! Firestrike, the offer stands but I doubt we will let you leave with enough cats for a whole clan. SkyClan doesn’t need any Clans to meet with, we work perfectly fine on our own, without border fights and such!" Firestrike let out a furious hiss, but remained quiet. Some cats nodded their agreement. No cat spoke for a long time.

"Leafstar, some of the cats in SkyClan are just too different. I think we need to make new clans." Patchpaw mewed, breaking the silence. Meows of agreement roused around the cats again. A white she-cat stepped forward.

"If I may, Leafstar," the white warrior meowed. Leafstar nodded. "I could take all the cats with thick, white coats and live up at Snow-Cap place. It's too hot for us here in Green-Leaf. We always get way too hot. Some cats have even died from heat stroke." Some of the longer-haired cats mewed their agreement.

"Well spoken, Snowpelt." Leafstar mewed skeptically. "Thinking of their thick fur, they could strive well in Snow-Cap place, much better than they could here." Snowpelt nodded, glad the dappled leader understood. She walked up to stand by Leafstar. "Then I shall lead SnowClan."

Firestrike snapped, "If she can make her own Clan, so can I." and the ginger tom padded up to sit by Snowpelt and Leafstar. "I shall be the Leader of FireClan, where the cats with short fur may strive. We too have issues here; we are too cold in leaf-bare, and most cats die from greencough."

Echosong, the medicine cat, mewed agreeingly. “The more short-haired cats we have taken in, Leafstar, the more the cats die from greencough and starvation. The prey is scarce as is, but there is more in the moorland. Some of SkyClan can’t run fast enough to catch them, though.”
Cats agreed, the short-haired cats nodding. Patchpaw had seen a few cats die from the greencough disease before, and she had short fur. She was scared that the snow might make her sick as well.

"I don't like the cold, either!" A brown elderly tabby tom yowled out. "But I'm not about to join a Clan with Firestrike as a leader, that would be crazy on my part.” Cats let out mrrows of amusement. The tom went on, “But these gorge walls hurt my paws, I don't want to stay in SkyClan either. I can make my own Clan who will live in the forest, amongst the trees. I will gather cats with sharp claws who can climb trees well, who will adapt to living in the forest with soft floors instead of scraping our pads up bloody."

Leafstar nodded to the elder. "Very well, Woodfur. You may take the territory north of here, across the river, next to Snow-Cap place. There are plenty of trees there. You may lead WoodClan." Woodfur proudly and stiffly moved up to sit next to the soon-to-be leaders of FireClan and SnowClan, obviously showing signs his pads were in pain. He had visited Echosong before, Patchpaw had noticed, for cracked pads.
Poor elder, the tortoiseshell apprentice thought. He seems like he’ll join StarClan soon.

Leafstar continued, "Any Cats who wish to join FireClan, I guess you can go sit by Firestrike now." A few cats got up and moved, including Rockpaw. Patchpaw stared after her friend, amazed that he would want to live in a clan with Firestrike as a leader. His brown tabby pelt and funny accent seemed to disappear with the masses that would soon be known as FireClan.

"Very well then." Leafstar meowed. "Any cats who wish to go to WoodClan with Woodfur?" More cats got up and went to sit by Woodfur, including a queen named Spottedfur with her kits, Dawnkit, Harekit and Cloudkit.

"Now," Leafstar said finally, "Who will live with Snowpelt in Snow-Cap Place?" a fourth of the remaining cats went to sit by Snowpelt. Crystalpaw reluctantly stood up.

"Where are you going?" hissed Patchpaw.

"I'm sorry Patchpaw, but I think it's for the best." Crystalpaw mewed. "Goodbye."

Patchpaw stared as Crystalpaw disappeared into the white mass of fur. She felt a pang of sadness, she wouldn’t be able to see or visit Crystalpaw until every full moon, if they both were lucky enough to go.

Suddenly, one of the cats spoke up. You could barely see her in the pale moonlight, but her reflecting green eyes revealed her position. "That leaves too many cats in SkyClan. I agree with Woodfur, I don’t want to stay in the gorge, I hate the cold and I would not like Firestrike as my leader. But I don't want to live in trees all day, especially if my pelt stands out against the brightly lit forest floor. Let me make my own Clan, Leafstar."

Leafstar hesitated, but for only a moment. Her ears seemed to droop. "SkyClan will miss you, Moonheart. You may take the territory east of here, in the Dark Forest. Your pelt won't stand out there. MoonClan may thrive there."

Patchpaw blinked. A territory where your pelt blended into the shadows sounded perfect for her tortoiseshell pelt. Patchpaw stood up and immediately followed Moonheart to where she sat down. More cats followed, including some from FireClan, a little from WoodClan and a few from SnowClan.

Leafstar looked around at who was left in SkyClan. It consisted of herself, Sharpclaw, the elders Clovertail and Petalnose who were down in the gorge, and Sparrowpelt. Cherrytail had gone to join MoonClan, Tinyclaw left for SnowClan, Bounceleg moved to WoodClan, Mintberry and Sagebush switched from FireClan to MoonClan and the rest went their separate ways. Leafstar sighed. After this, SkyClan would have no more new kits. SkyClan would vanish into the other four new clans...SnowClan, WoodClan, FireClan and MoonClan.

Patchpaw looked at her new Clan. Moonheart, a black-and-tortoiseshell she-cat was going to be their new leader. Caramelfur, Patchpaw’s mother, was there as well, along with Patchpaw’s siblings Swirlpaw, Dewpaw and Olivepaw. Tawnyclaw was here as well, along with Mintberry and her brother Sagebush, and a few more cats.

"MoonClan, come on. Let's go to our new territory." Moonheart yowled. Patchpaw followed her new leader towards the Dark Forest glancing over her shoulder to see Crystalpaw glancing over hers. They headed in different directions, and Moonheart led Patchpaw and the rest of where most the other cats wouldn't be able to see—the dark forest. Patchpaw saw fine, once her eyes adjusted. Soon the new Clan came to a clearing where a little light filtered through. "Here is where we will make our Camp." Moonheart decided. The apprentices and warriors set out to make the elder's nest and the nursery, then their own dens. Moonheart found a nice, big boulder covered with moss that had a cave inside of it. She jumped on top of the big rock.

"This shall be our clan meeting place...the Moss Rock!" she yowled. Cats meowed all around. Patchpaw took a look at her new Clan. This, She thought, Is my new Clan.  

[Panda--Chan]

Chapter the Third

Patchpaw lunged, her claws scraping up colorful fallen leaves as she jumped. The mouse squeaked as it realized what was coming for it. Patchpaw landed on top of it, her claws forming a cage around the rodent. With a swift bite to the neck, the mouse went limp.

"Nice catch," Tawnyclaw mewed, coming out of the bushes behind her much younger apprentice.

Patchpaw twitched her whiskers and moved her tail back and forth triumphantly.

"I think you're going to be one of the best hunters in Sky--I mean, in MoonClan." Tawnyclaw praised.

"Is it really weird for you?" Patchpaw mewed through mouse fur.

"I was born and raised in SkyClan. I can't believe we split up," answered Tawnyclaw. "My mother Clovertail is still there. I should have stayed in SkyClan with them."

"Why didn't you?" Wondered Patchpaw.

"Because," replied Tawnypelt, slowing down. "I saw you came to MoonClan. Someone has to look after you, you little furball." Patchpaw's mentor let out a mrrow of laughter.

"Well, thanks." Patchpaw flicked her mentor's ear with her tail. "Someone has to look after you too, you know."

The two walked back to camp in a good mood. As they entered the camp, the good mood seemed to vanish into the panicky aura that surrounded MoonClan.

"What's the matter?" Patchpaw asked Mintberry, who was standing nearby.

"Trouble in WoodClan," replied the silver tabby.

Patchpaw pricked her ears as if trying to hear from across the territories. MoonClan didn't border WoodClan, they were seperated by SnowClan's territory and FireClan's.

"How do you know that?" asked Patchpaw.

Mintberry didnt respond but she flicked her tail in the direction of a mass of cats surrounding one cat. The cat was a gray tabby she-cat that Patchpaw recognized as Juniperpaw, Echosong's old apprentice. Patchpaw trotted over.

"Please, you have to help drive it out!" Juniperpaw was pleading.

"Drive what out?" Patchpaw asked Thrushwing, a senior warrior.

"A fox," replied the gray tom.

"What's a fox?" Patchpaw asked. Thrushwing didnt answer. All cats were looking at Moonheart.

"What should we do, Moonheart?" asked her deputy, Redstripe.

Moonheart jumped off of the Moss Rock and padded towards the tunnel. "We'll have to go help," she decided. "Redstripe, stay and guard camp."

"But, Moonheart," protested her deputy, bounding after her. He lowered his voice, and Patchpaw had to strain her ears to hear him. "you don't have your nine lives yet. You still need to travel to the Whispering Cave. I think you should stay behind."

"Nonsense," replied Moonheart, her voice not low at all. "I will take my responsibility as leader with my nine lives or not. We need to help WoodClan. Woodfur is too old to drive off a fox himself."

She continued to reach the tunnel that led outside their camp. "Redstripe," Moonheart mewed as she stopped and turned around. "Stay and guard camp."

"Yes, Moonheart." Redstripe said in defeat, dipping his head.

"The following warriors and apprentices will come with me. Brackenclaw, Sagebush, Mintberry, Cottontail, Caramelfur, Finchpaw, Patchpaw, and Olivepaw. Let's go!"

The black leader disappeared through the tunnel, followed shortly by Mintberry and her brother Sagebush, Brackenclaw and his nephew Finchpaw, Cottontail, Olivepaw and Caramelfur. Patchpaw bounded after them and heard her mentor calling her.

"Patchpaw!"

Patchpaw stopped and turned around. "Tawnyclaw? Do you need something?"

"Be careful, you furball. Bring me back a skilled apprentice!" Tawnyclaw purred, her blue eyes alight with amusement.

"Sure thing, Tawnyclaw!" answered Patchpaw, who then turned and ran through the tunnel. She caught up to Moonheart and the rest of the cats easily.

Olivepaw flicked his sister's ear with his tail. "You're such a slow slug!"

Patchpaw let out a mrrow of amusement. "Says you!" she pushed him into a bush and ran ahead, so she was walking next to Caramelfur.

"Caramelfur, what's a fox?" Patchpaw asked her mother.

Caramelfur's ears were pricked forward as if she was expecting an ambush. "Um, a fox..." the cream-colored cat seemed distracted. "Oh, right. Foxes are like dogs, tall, with a long, ugly muzzle and a nasty bite. You'll see if we find it."

"Are foxes dangerous?" quizzed Patchpaw.

"Foxes have been known to carry off kits." Caramelfur answered wisely.

"Have you ever seen that happen?"

"Let's not talk about this right now, Patchpaw." mewed Caramelfur. She trotted on ahead and left Patchpaw alone in the back.

Touchy, thought Patchpaw. What's eating her?

As they neared the SnowClan border, Patchpaw fluffed out her fur against the chilly leaf-bare winds coming from Snow-Cap Place. Who would want to live in such a territory?

Crystalpaw would, Patchpaw answered herself.

Patchpaw blinked as she realized how perfect the territory was for Crystalpaw and her new Clan. Their long, thick coats could trap in heat, so they werent cold. Their light colored pelts blended in easily with the snow, unlike in SkyClan's redish-orange coloring of the gorge.

"Moonheart!" someone yowled.

The MoonClan patrol looked up to see Snowcloud and a SnowClan patrol coming towards them.

"Snowcloud," responded Moonheart. "Let us pass, please."

"Why are you on our territory?" asked the white leader, ignoring Moonheart's request.

Patchpaw watched as the rest of the patrol appeared over the snow bank. There was Snowcloud's mate, Wildstrike and his sister, Tearpool. Frosttail was there with them, along with her apprentice...Crystalpaw.

Crystalpaw! Patchpaw hadn't seen her since SkyClan split apart a half-moon ago. Patchpaw waved her tail as a hello, hoping none of the other cats noticed. Crystalpaw nodded slowly in response.

"WoodClan is in trouble," Moonheart answered. "Fox."

"Hm. A fox, huh?" muttered Snowcloud. "Mind if we come with you?"

"Sure thing," answered Moonheart. "Maybe we can hit the Whispering Cave on the way back."

"Yes, we do need our nine lives, don't we?" Snowcloud answered.

Patchpaw fell behind as the two patrols merged and continued on towards WoodClan's border. Crystalpaw, too, fell behind, until she was side-by-side with Patchpaw.

"How have you been, Crystalpaw?" Patchpaw purred as soon as they were sure the others weren't listening.

"Pretty good. It's weird, isn't it?" replied Crystalpaw.

"Sure is. I've missed training with you." Patchpaw mewed.

Crystalpaw looked ahead. "So...when are you going to have your warrior ceremony?"

Patchpaw shrugged. "I'll have it when i have it."

"Lazy furball!" Crystalpaw flicked Patchpaw's ear.

"Whatever...kittypet!" laughed Patchpaw.

Crystalpaw pushed Patchpaw, who landed in a pile of snow. "You are going to get it, someday. Because I'm going to be a warrior before you."

"You are not!" Patchpaw meowed, shaking snow out of her fur.

"Am to. Snowcloud said she'll do my ceremony in five sundowns." stated Crystalpaw proudly.

Patchpaw pounced on her friend, pushing her into the snow. Crystalpaw batted Patchpaw on the side of the head, purring like a twoleg monster.

"Patchpaw! Crystalpaw! Don't fall behind!" Tearpool shouted.

"Coming!" they mewed and bounded towards the patrol. Patchpaw pushed Crystalpaw into the snow and ran laughing to join the other cats.  

[Panda--Chan]

Reserved  

[Panda--Chan]

Reserved  

[Panda--Chan]

Reserved  

[Panda--Chan]

Reserved~  

[tryingtoescapereality]

Yay! That's awesome!

Patchstar and Crystalstar must be pretty old- right? I mean- senior warrior age.  

[xXRozen_SuiseisekiXx]

Not really, we were made leaders at a pretty young age.  

[Panda--Chan]

yeah, since border fights broke out often, a lot of cats died within the few first months.
also in the story, the echoing cave is going to have a rockslide so the new leaders dont get nine lives anyway;

Moonstar dies and is replaced by Foxwhisker (Foxstar), who dies shortly thereafter from old age and is succeeded by Hawkflight (Hawkstar), during his life the Moon Tree was founded. After Hawkflight is killed in a border fight with FireClan, Patchstar becomes leader.

Snowstar dies and is replaced by Crystalstar, because SnowClan got along with everyone well enough that Snowstar was able to live longer.

Woodfur dies shortly after the clans were made from old age, and is succeeded by Bounceleg, the kit we all knew and loved in Firestar's Quest. Bounceleg dies shortly after from a squabble with foxes, and is replaced by Brackentail, who dies from a sickness and is replaced by Dawnstar.

Firestar dies in a border fight with MoonClan, and is replaced by Darkstar, who is killed by his ambitious deputy Clawscar, who is then attacked by the rest of the clan and driven out by Thunderheart who becomes Thunderstar

aaaaaand Cursedstar leads PebbleClan a few moons later.  

[xXRozen_SuiseisekiXx]

EXACTLY!!!!  

[tryingtoescapereality]

Why does everyone die? Can't some retire to elders???  

[Panda--Chan]

sure, i guess. but since there are new territory boundaries there are bound to be a lot of fights over territory and stuff, dont you think? plus most leaders dont retire; most just die. in the actual series we havent met one leader who's retired yet, right? even nightstar who was an elder to begin with and old tallstar who was with us since into the wild.  

[tryingtoescapereality]

True.  

[Panda--Chan]

3nodding ^-^ me feelz s-m-r-t!