Prologue

A/N: All characters, settings and most of the dialogue belong to Erin Hunter.

This is around mid- Fire and Ice. It's Cinderpaw's point of view from when she gets hit on Thunderpath to when she becomes Medicine cat apprentice.

I was padding through the forest, endless rows of trees laid out before me. I froze when I picked up the acrid stench of the Thunderpath, and heard monsters roaring past me. The monsters felt as if they were right beside me, but Thunderpath wasn't anywhere in sight. Feeling a heavy impact, I yowled, "StarClan help me!" Following the impact was a flash of red and then darkness.

"Cinderpaw!" a voice hissed. I tried to follow the voice but realized with a jolt of horror that I was immobilized.

"Cinderpaw!" the voice hissed once again, this time followed by a paw prodding my side. I opened her eyes to see Brackenpaw hovering over me. "You lazy lump of fur! Just because Fireheart gave us the day off of training doesn't mean you can sleep the whole day."

My gaze drifted around me, only to see the familiar surroundings of the apprentices' den. I had been dreaming. "Okay, okay. I'm up." I grunted, recovering from her dream. I pushed myself out of the den, a light drizzle still falling from last night's storm. Following me was Brackenpaw, who was complaining about the mud.

Lying down next to the tree stump, I groomed my ruffled fur. Just then I saw Frostfur burst out of Bluestar's den, retrieve the medicine cat, and then disappear back into the den. I knew Bluestar had been ill, being the reason why Fireheart had given them the day off training. "I hope Bluestar hasn't got worse." I murmured to Brackenpaw, who nodded in agreement.

Moments later, Dustpaw burst through the camp entrance and raced towards Bluestar's den. I watched with interest as he was greeted by Fireheart. The scene could get interesting, being that Dustpaw and Fireheart weren't exactly friendly with each other.

"I've come from Tigerclaw." Dustpaw meowed loudly. "I have a message for Bluestar." Then Fireheart murmured something I couldn't hear.

"Tigerclaw needs to see her at the Thunderpath. It's very urgent." Dustpaw was beginning to lash his tail impatiently, whiskers twitching irritably.

"What's wrong?" Fireheart said coolly, an irritated twitch of his tail tip the only thing that betrayed his frustration.

"Tigerclaw asked for Bluestar. Not some kittypet pretending to be a warrior!" Dustpaw taunted.

I saw the fur along Fireheart's spine begin to bristle as he growled through clenched teeth, "Bluestar can't leave the camp."

Dustpaw was about to give Fireheart a sharp retort when Yellowfang slipped out Bluestar's den and approached the two quarreling cats. She meowed a few things to both cats, Dustpaw spitting back a protest. Ignoring Dustpaw, she then turned to Fireheart and urgently murmured something to him. I strained my ears to listen, but it was a hopeless attempt.

Then Dustpaw's obnoxious mew sounded above their murmuring, loud enough for Cinderpaw to hear. "What about Tigerclaw?"

Matching Dustpaw's loud tone, Yellowfang spat, "Tigerclaw will have to deal with it on his own for the moment!"

Excitement pricked at my paws. Maybe I can help! I thought, eyes gleaming. Bounding up to them, I mewed, "Deal with what himself?" I fell silent when she saw Fireheart signal with his tail for her to be quiet.

"ShadowClan could be in our territory by now!" Dustpaw mewed in distress, ignoring me.

My eyes widened, but I kept quiet. ShadowClan on our territory! I snorted in disgust. Looking to Yellowfang, I saw a clearly troubled look cross her face.

"Where's Whitestorm?" she meowed at last.

"Patrolling Sunningrocks with Sandpaw and Mousefur," Dustpaw answered a hint of a sneer in his voice.

Slowly, Yellowfang nodded her head. "With Bluestar sick and Fireheart fetching catnip, we can't risk sending anymore warriors out of camp. If ShadowClan is in our territory, they might attack here. They've done it before," she meowed bitterly.

I'm no medicine cat, that's for sure but I did know that catnip was the cure for green cough. My heart jolted with horror. Had Bluestar's white cough gone to green cough already?

"If I'm quick of getting catnip, I could meet Tigerclaw afterward and bring back his message for Bluestar."

I could see rage was building up in Dustpaw. "But he wants Bluestar to see the evidence for herself. ShadowClan has left the remains of fresh-kill on our side of Thunderpath!"

A deep growl rose from Yellowfang's throat, as she shot a glare at Dustpaw. "Bluestar doesn't need to see the evidence," she snapped. "The word of her deputy ought to be enough."

"Tigerclaw just needs to be told that Bluestar can't come. I'll take the message to him after I've fetched the catnip. Where is he?" Fireheart meowed, turning to Dustpaw.

"I'll go!" Dustpaw hissed, eyes burning fire with hatred. "Do you think you're a better messenger because you're a warrior and I'm just an apprentice?" His pelt was bristling and his eyes burned into Fireheart's, as if his gaze could penetrate straight through him.

Then I saw Yellowfang, ears pinned back and the fur along her spine bristling. "The Clan will need protecting while Fireheart is gone!" she growled. "Isn't that duty important enough for you? Now where is Tigerclaw?"

Grudgingly, Dustpaw mewed, "Beside the burned ash tree that overhangs the Thunderpath."

"Right," Yellowfang grumbled. "Go now Fireheart! Quickly!"

As Fireheart bounded off towards the camp entrance, I sprang up and streaked after him. "Fireheart, wait!" I called after him.

"Go back to your den, Cinderpaw!" Fireheart growled over his shoulder, not stopping.

"But I could go and give Tigerclaw the message while you get the catnip!" I protested.

Then I saw Fireheart skid to a stop. "Cinderpaw, if there are any ShadowClan warriors around, you need to stay in camp." I looked down at my paws, crestfallen. "Go back to your den," he ordered, and without wasting another heartbeat, pelted away.

I looked up to see Fireheart's tail disappear through the camp entrance. Then the gloomy look in my eyes turned to a blazing ice-blue fire. I'll show him, I thought to myself. I'll show all of them.