A/U: Hola Mi Amigos! XP I just love speaking in Spanish. Anyways, this is a new story that I thought up of. It was inspired by another author who quit the site over a year ago. I will give him credit though for giving me the idea, because I'd feel wrong not doing so. I'm starting with Russetfur because she was one of my favorite characters in the first Warriors series. Everyone either ignored her or hated her for working with Brokenstar and Tigerstar. For some reason she always fascinated me.
Full Summary: Legends of cats have spread amongst the Clans for generations. These are cats whose memories have faded into stories, told by the elders. This is their story, told in their point of view.
RUSSETFUR
MATE: Unknown
KITS: None
FATHER: Unknown
MOTHER: Unknown
GRANDKITS: Unknown
GREAT-GRANDKITS: Unknown
DESCRIPTION: Dark ginger she-cat with dark green eyes
RANK: Deputy
APPRENTICE(S): Cedarheart
CURRENT STATUS: StarClan
Shadows danced along the path that Russet followed. She glanced around guiltily as she paced along a path that her friends had laid out. No other cat in her family knew about the secret meetings she held with ShadowClan.
She had met Brokenstar over a moon ago, when she was starving during the worst of leafbare.
The ShadowClan leader had taken her in, fed her, and made sure that she was well enough to fend for herself. She owed him her life, and had become to form an unusual relationship with the other cats of ShadowClan. Now however she wondered if she was making the right decision.
I was born a warrior, but chose to live as a rogue, she reminded herself. In fact, her family had left the Clan after Brokenstar became the leader of ShadowClan. She and her brother had been born after her mother fled from the Clan. Her mother didn't want her kits to become apprentices at such an early age. After what Blossomkit had suffered from, Russet couldn't blame her.
The dark ginger she-cat came to a stop when she reached a small clearing where pines surrounded it. Sharp, tangy scents told her that Brokenstar had arrived, along with his band of warriors. She spotted him sitting on a pile of dried needles and bracken. The warriors that surrounded him looked fiercely loyal as they scanned the area for signs of danger.
She took a deep breath before calmly entering the clearing. The last thing she wanted was for Brokenstar to notice how wary she was.
"Greetings Russet." Brokenstar spoke in a formal tone as she approached him.
A fierce looking silver tabby tom with scars around his ears bared his teeth at her. Russet had known him before she met Brokenstar. He once had been a follower of Scourge, who scoured the alleys of Twolegplace. She tried to ignore the anger that he felt towards her.
"As you know, our Clan is in need of warriors," Brokenstar meowed after they had settled down in the clearing. Russet sat beside a huge ginger tabby. His sheer bulk sent a chill down her spine, but she tried to ignore it. "I have asked you to gather here before me to show your loyalty to the Clan. To me."
Russet felt her ears instinctively flatten when he mentioned proving her loyalty to him. She was used to following her own orders. There was no way she could follow the orders of another cat. Yet Brokenstar had provided her with a sense of hope and life that she couldn't have in Twolegplace. Finally she bowed her head in submission. Joining ShadowClan would be worth losing her freedom, especially if it meant becoming a warrior.
A purr of approval rumbled within Brokenstar's throat as all three of them bowed their heads. He rose to his paws and suddenly looked towards a thick clump of grass and ferns.
"I have alerted my warriors that newcomers would come," he told them.
The three of them exchanged glances, but the ginger tabby let out a toothy grin. Russet gulped back a wail of fear as Brokenstar led them through the sparse undergrowth. She was surprised at how quickly he traveled.
Soon they reached what seemed to be a larger clearing than the last. This one was surrounded by pines and hickory. Oak was also part of the various life that spread around.
Brokenstar stood on the top of a branch that loomed over the clearing. Cats peered nervously out of their dens as his shadow fell upon them. Russet was surprised to find that most of them gave him uninterested or angry looks.
"Cats of ShadowClan, I have wonderful news!" Brokenstar yowled out the words, letting them sink in until the Clan had gathered around the branch.
Russet could only stare in shock when she saw how thin they were. Only a few managed to stagger towards the clearing, and even they were in terrible shape.
"Three new cats have decided to become part of the Clan, and follow the warrior code. Jag, Boulder, and Russet, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and defend this Clan, even with your lives?"
After they had finished agreeing, Russet suddenly wondered if this was the right thing to do. She knew that her mother would be terrified knowing that she had joined ShadowClan. After all, her mother had fled when Brokenstar became the leader.
I make my own decision, Russet reminded herself once again. I don't follow the decisions of my mother.
"Jag, from this moment on, you will be known as Jaggedtooth. Rowankit is also ready for a mentor and has reached his sixth moon, so you will mentor him. He too will be known as Rowanpaw."
Jaggedtooth didn't look surprised as the small apprentice was drawn from the small crowd. He dipped his head in respect towards Brokenstar before touching Rowanpaw's muzzle.
"Boulder, Wetkit is ready for a mentor and has reached his sixth moon, so you too will mentor him. He will be known as Wetpaw."
There were murmurs of disapproval as the two touched noses. Russet could only gape at the tiny frame of a black kit. Wetpaw wasn't ready to become an apprentice. She knew that he wasn't six moons old, yet Brokenstar could care less.
"Russet, from this moment on you will be known as Russetfur. Cedarkit is ready for a mentor as well and has reached his sixth moon. He will be known as Cedarpaw."
After their initial greetings had ended, the Clan returned to their normal duties. A large white tom with huge jet black paws came over to join Russetfur, who was shivering from the fear she had felt after the meeting was finished.
"I know that you've made a fine choice, Russetfur," he purred in a low rumble.
Russetfur watched in surprise as he padded away, joining a plump looking tabby she-cat. Her heart soared at the idea of becoming a great warrior. One day, she would become the most well known warrior of ShadowClan. Her heart told her it would happen.
A/U: I know that Russetfur already had a warrior name in the first Archive, but I thought that at least her mother would give me a good idea. In fact, I think that her mother did leave when Brokenstar became leader. Maybe...Anyways, please remember to review!
